Olallieberry

Golden

While summer is here in all her glory, I can't help but think how fall is just around the corner. I can feel her presence in the coolness of the evening breeze, and I catch glimpses of her in the lengthening shadows cast by the early morning light.

The leaves are beginning to change.

For the very first time we pull beautiful frames of capped honey from the hive. The strawberries are finished, and the tomatoes are beginning to ripen on the vine. The Mr works on the deck we've been planning for so long, and I imagine myself sitting out there in the mornings wrapped in my quilt with only my tea and my knitting for company. I imagine all of us out there spending time together sharing, eating, talking, laughing. 

I am off work again for a couple of weeks vacation time and plan to savour these moments leading up to September in the most leisurely manner possible. I've thrifted some books: Runaway by Alice Munro, and The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra. I rarely have the time to sink into a good read these days, so this time is to be savoured and treasured.

Oh, by the way, I'm knitting these socks in Tosh Merino yarn... to be ravelled soon. I'm not altogether crazy about sock knitting, but I absolutely love the yarn which happens to be perfect for this pattern. So I make the sacrifice and will get on them in earnest... eventually.

Lazy golden summer days. The best days. I am captivated by it all.

Hot and Off the Needles

Whew, this week has flown by! I didn't even begin to touch on all of the things I was hoping to, but I did manage to finish off the tealeaves cardi (raveled here) in 32 degree celsius heat (ugh). Not exactly ideal knitting weather, but that's never stopped me before. I love this sweater, it turned out perfectly. Way too hot to wear right now even for a few brief moments, so it's tucked away to savor in a more appropriate season. 

Did I mention we have no air conditioning in our house? We had to hit several air-conditioned thrift stores, yarn shops, and fabric outlets just to escape the incessant heat (a highly unfortunate necessity, I know... that's just what the Mr said). I did manage to whip up a little summer top in between shopping trips, although I'm not altogether happy with it. I followed all sizing measurements and seam allowances, but it still turned out waaay to big. And I used store bought bias tape on the neckline and armholes, so the whole effect is a bit apronish looking. 

This is a regular problem with me and garment sewing, the way-too-big thing I mean. Is there some special top secret pattern reading technique that I don't know about? Does anyone have any insight on how to avoid this problem? I did manage to tailor it in a few spots to make it wearable, but it's still not what it should be. I'll be doing another in a smaller size and with a few other changes, more on that coming.

Now off to the lake for some desperately needed relief to finish off the week and indulge myself in some good reading. Wonderful summer wishes to you all! xoxoxo

Mystery Post

I wrote a post.

It was about how much I appreciate all of you and your kind words of support during my 'bout of the flu, which I'm absolutely certain aided in my speedy recovery. I shared about a project I've been working on--the little knitted pouches made with Noro yarn you see above, and how I've been experimenting with a felted embroidered version. I wrote about the Summer Garden Quilt and how it has been calling to me for attention.

But it's all gone now.

Upon publishing, the post was appearing oddly in my dashboard for some reason, showing up as two separate posts, exactly the same. So what did I do? Well after carefully checking the links, I deleted one of them of course, confident the other was the official published version.

I was wrong. "Poof", both versions of the entire post disappeared. And so I leave you with this.

Pathetic, isn't it?

September Busy

Gackers, back to school season is in full swing! Early mornings, lunches, homework, errands, activities, work, shopping... luckily stores like Ikea have a cafeteria to grab a bite when time is really tight, but I do try not to think too hard about those mystery meatballs...

Found a nice stash of lace weight yarn at the local thrift shop, I'm pretty sure its a silk merino blend. Four dollars for two very large wound cakes... Jackpot! Now to figure out what to use it for, I'm afraid I'm getting a bit shawled out.

Must dash, looking forward to visiting your lovely blogs very soon dear friends!

xoxoxoxox

Birds 'n Bees

What an utterly gorgeous weekend. Sunshine, cooler weather hovering in the low 20's, completed yard work, clean birdhouse, ready for next spring's inhabitants. (Thank heavens we did not find any unfortunate surprises in there as was the case last year, this year they all appear to have fledged.) Even the bees have been busy searching out those last blossoms before the sudden temperature drop which is inevitable.

Bees have always been fascinating to me. I remember when I was a little girl, maybe four or five years old, I was having a stayover at my grandfather's farm in Saskatchewan. I enjoyed spending time with him, trailing behind while he puttered around with the chores and the farm work. He always looked me in the eye when I talked to him, and he always answered me whenever I had something four-year-oldish to say no matter how menial must have sounded to him.

I remember one day we were in the garden. It must have been late summer as it was lush with vegetables, berries, blossoms, flowering shrubs, and most notably a great number of gladiolas in every conceivable colour towering high above my head. It was during a careful study of the gladiolas when I began to notice a significant number of bees buzzing everywhere around me. Naturally I panicked. Immediately attentive my grandfather took the time to calm my fears. He proceeded to explain how the bees had no interest in me whatsoever as they were far too busy collecting nectar to make honey for the winter. Moving slowly and calmly so as to avoid startling them, he began to pet some of the bees lightly on their backs to demonstrate. I watched him intently as he did this, then I did as well. Amazingly, the bees did not seem to mind in the least and continued on busily without so much as a bother. This moment was significant for me and I have never forgotten it. I have also never forgotten my grandfather's reaction when I moved to share my new found love with a nearby wasp. Clearly this friendship was not to be prescribed to the wasp population, and from a distance I was tutored on its voracious nature. 

He is gone now, my grandfather. He never knew it, but he gave me two precious gifts that day... a lifelong fondness for bees and the very special memory of a little girl, surrounded by the warm buzzing of bee-filled gladiolas, in the garden with her grandfather.

A Little Recipe Box

There's just something about an old fashioned recipe box. Good recipes are shared, collected, passed down, and cherished. My collection of recipes has certainly grown over the years to include a variety of my own concoctions and experimental adjustments, contributions from my mum, in-laws, friends and acquaintances, and of course the internet has opened up a whole new world to explore. I decided it was high time to organize. I wanted to create something to cherish; something with intrinsic value and substance to pass along someday. A collection of only the tried and true--it must be tested, adjusted, and deemed a "keeper" to be worthy of the box.

I researched and shopped and googled but really couldn't find anything that spoke to me. This was to be a very special thing, an investment of sorts. What was a girl to do?

Well, I made my own.

With a little vision, a trip to Michaels for supplies, a video on the faux antiquing process, patience and elbow grease... Voila: A unique and vintagey recipe box that speaks to me. It says, "I am yours, I am a reflection of you". And I love it. xox

Leisurely Morning

The tree is gone and the decorations are packed away for another year. The kids are back in school, and I'm reading Sons and Lovers for probably the sixth time (yup... that's six folks... literally). And I have a sourdough starter on the go from here. I've also been knitting--an activity that has been on the backburner for the last while. 

There is something very comforting about rediscovering routines.   xox