Today in My Life .. July 30, 2023

 Today in my life:  I am astounded that it is already the 30th of July!  The year is half over and all I've done is blink my eyes!

I got up this morning: at 5:30am which is a lot later than I have been getting up.  Seems I wake up about 2:30 or 3am and can't go back to sleep so I just get up.  So today was a real "sleep in" day..lol 

I am wearing:  a really, REALLY, wonky long dress that will cover my feet when I'm sitting in my chair...and that is truly necessary these days.  My feet are always cold.

I look out the window: and am so pleased that the crepe myrtles are blooming, the daylilies have just finished blooming and some of the roses are going for round 2!! Such a pretty site to see looking out the kitchen window early in the morning. 

I am hearing: the buzz of the printer next to me that drives me to distraction. So tempted to turn it off, but DH may decide to print something in a minute..

I am thinking:  not a lot this morning.  My brain seems to be stuck in neutral. 

I am grateful for: all the memories that are held in every picture.  And the fact that those can be passed on to future generations at will.  Amazing.  

From the kitchen: came a large bowl of Tapioca pudding last evening .. It's DH's favorite.. right up there with Custard Pie.  And mine even if I pay for it with a higher blood sugar. 

Current book: is the fifth book in a series called The Kingsfall Histories.  This one is called "Endfall" and has all the mages, dragons, monsters a good science fiction book needs..lol  It's written by David Estes and he is quite good.  

Creatively:  these are many things started and only a few finished.  My procrastination button is stuck in the down position these days.. sigh

Around the house: this seems to be the day for extra things.  Pills for the dogs, cutting DHs hair, doing all those little things and for some reason they seem to be a little overwhelming today.  My brain is not keeping up..lol

From the learning desk: there isn't much happening.  I have tried to "learn Spanish" with an online thing a couple of times and it's a great site, but I keep forgetting to go there.. sigh

Final thoughts: I talked to my sister on Friday .. seems like it's a long time between talks.  That's not good.  I told her we need to set up days.. like every Tuesday and Friday..lol  Maybe we wouldn't get so busy we forget! 

Here's a favorite thing:

This tea infuser was a gift from son and daughter in law many years ago.  I love how it keeps the bits of Lemon Balm that I use to make my tea from floating out and ending up in my teacup.  It's one of my very favorite things.

Have a good day.  Stay cool.  Enjoy your family and friends.  Make it a pleasant memory. 

 

Triple Digit Heat...Knit SMALL Things...

July 27, 2023

 If I get up early enough, I can water my flowers outside with relatively cool weather.  And I have to do this since my Lemon Balm is very unhappy with the direct sunlight.. or is not happy sharing her home with the Rosemary.. not sure which.  But she does have to be watered every day and still shows signs of stress..hmm  What to do.. 

As a result of the 100+ degree weather almost every day this past week, knitting anything larger than a scarf is an absolute no-no.  Since I've done very little knitting in the past few years it was a few days before my fingers remembered what they should be doing.. 

I started knitting a pair of Wrist Cuffs to wear with my coat (that I had to make last year since I lost my favorite one...ughh).  I had some black and white yarn left over from another project so I used it.  The cuffs turned out beautifully so I used some wooden buttons that I bought for use with a crazy quilt and they were good too.. serendipitous! 
 

Since I still had yarn left over (and still do!), I started a matching scarf.  Finished it yesterday.  I have to say that my favorite scarf pattern is one that was first put online by The Yarn Harlot , Stepanie Pearl-McPhee many years ago. It's a One Row Pattern and while being very pretty is also reversible and very soft.  The pattern is found on her blog, free, HERE.

Well, it's now 6:00am and my coffee cup is empty.  I think I will remedy that and refill it, move to my chair in the den and settle in.  It's going to be a bit of a busy day...workmen here working outside yesterday, today and probably tomorrow.  Makes for interesting times.. :)  

Have a good day today...stay cool and enjoy whatever your hands find to do.. 

Tea and Toast

 It's a beautiful morning.  Cool 80° now, but weather says it feels like 77°.  It was cooler this morning and I made it out in time to pick the Lemon Balm and Apple Mint.  The Lemon Balm needs to be moved...I think the sun is burning it.. :(  I got it in and washed it a couple of times.. It's on the counter drying now.  Had Lemon Balm tea yesterday and am having Mint tea this morning. 

I don't know what's gotten into me, but I've been on a baking spree for a couple of days.  I made Peasant Bread using the recipe from Alexandra's Kitchen.  Go have a look .. she has many wonderful recipes.  

I've used this recipe many times and the only thing I change is .. I add 1 tbsp. gluten for each cup of flour and 1 tbsp. dough conditioner for the entire recipe.  This makes it just like Wonder Bread..lol.. anyone remember that bread??!!  

The recipe itself is  HERE..

  In the process of spending all that energy,  I also made a Custard Pie.  I can't take credit for just WANTING to make that pie.. The fact is, I'd had that pie crust in the fridge until it was almost out of date.. use it or lose.. ya know..  And my sweet husband likes Custard so it was a win-win ..  

I used a different recipe than I usually do.  It's called Grandma's Egg Custard Pie.  I made it exactly like the recipe .. HERE .. but it calls for an egg white to coat the crust before you bake the pie.  The egg white is supposed to keep the crust from becoming soggy... Well, I didn't want to have an egg yolk sitting around doing nothing, so I skipped that part and just stuck the crust in the hot oven for about 7 or 8 minutes to harden it a bit and voila'.. no soggy crust.  

It actually turned out very well.  My hon says it's the "best pie I've ever had"!  You don't suppose he was buttering me up, do ya??  :) 

I'm a little on the tired side today.  I don't expect to get much done today except maybe knit on my scarf.. I'll show that in another post.. :)

Have a good day.. rest if you need to..Hugs.. 

Finding a Few Old Things

 Good morning.  I'm sitting here wishing it was cool enough to go out and cut Lemon Balm and Apple Mint to dry and keep for tea... but alas it's already nearing 90° out there and the sun is high.  It has been a beautiful, wonderful spring with rain several days a week until now.  The grass is green and the magnolia trees are full with beautiful green leaves.  The Crepe Myrtles are blossoming and covered with rose pink flowers.  

I was looking for something "lost" the other day in my sewing boxes and came across this little Biscornu that I made 15 years ago.  What a blast from the past..lol.. when I was totally enthralled with anything that had to do with embroidery.  

This blog began as a way to keep up with my embroidery journey and I was fascinated with anything on a blog now called Pintangle.  Sharon Boggan has had this blog up for many years and it has evolved and yet stayed the same.  If you are interested in embroidery at all... this is the place for you!

There are many places on line to find Biscornu patterns if you are interested in embroidery.  They are quick to do and fun to make. Here is a you tube tutorial on how to put one together .. 

The House of Langford.. Biscornu 

Here is a free pattern from

The Stitcher's Forum

Here are some free patterns from 

Faby Reilly Designs

I also came across a few photos of paintings.. Some kept and some painted out.  Like this one.. This is part of a painting I did for my husband.  He made several changes during the incarnations of this painting.. lol  One was this fish..

I actually loved the way it came out and I guess I should make a entire painting just of this little piece.  It was eventually painted out of the large painting as he decided he would rather not have it.  

It's amazing how just looking at a few "found" things can make a lost item a memorable "travel through time" journey.  

I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging.  I will try to do better.. :)  

Hugs and have a wonderful day... hug your family and enjoy each moment.