Small (Well, Extremely Close-up) Pictures

Stuff around the house.  There may or may not be photos of KH and KC prizes included.

 

 

Large Picture(s)

 I spent yesterday with Hannah, and it included a few shopping stops, not the least of which was to buy a new toy and some new treats for her cats.  Though, I promise, Nellie partook of both, I was only able to get photos of Theo.

 

 

Pay Attention

Our long walk today was feather-rich:

 

The Date

 Today is my daughter's birthday, but her birthday has been fraught since she turned 6 ten days after her father died.  Most years, she doesn't want to do anything.  This year is one of those.  Still:

Happy Birthday, Bean!

Also today:  the date Twinnie and her husband got married, so:

 

My Mind Turns Toward. . .

. . .1) staying cool.  It's only June;  I realize it's going to get worse.  Still, it's uncomfortable for me, bad for my heat headaches, and unhappy-making for Tap, as our walks are infrequent and abbreviated.

On one of our walk routes is this mimosa tree:

There was a mimosa at the foot of our driveway when I was growing up --- it was my friends' and my favorite and best climbing tree.  Seeing one always makes me happy.

. . .2) KH and KC prizes.  I keep a box in the dining room, and as I find things that will make a good prize, I toss them in.  The box is filling up.  

. . .3) revisiting the possible renaming of KH ("Knitters' Hunk," for those of you who might not know) and KC ("Knitters' Chick.")  "Knitting Companion" keeps coming to mind but makes me think of "Motorman's Helper,"  therefore becoming an instant non-starter.

. . .4) the fact that this is as close as I'm ever going to come to having a garden (and a green thumb): flower seeds in porch planters.

 

I Think It's Safe Now

I've finished two projects and will show them to you now.

A pair of socks with muted colors and stripes:

Don't know the yarn;  y'all know I'm bad about that.  It's soft and cotton.

An asymmetrical poncho/shawl with which I am really, really pleased.  The point, by the way, is to be worn on the side, but that's hard to capture in a photo.

One thing which displeases me is that you can't see the shimmery thread that runs through and along with the yarn.  If you use your imaginations, and maybe squint just right, you can make it out in this filtered photo (on the left.)

"Shimmer," by the way, is a favorite word of mine.

I'm also still making thank-you hats.  Depending upon the pattern, of course, I can start and finish one during a hockey game.  (What?  You don't tell time using sports?)

A quick note from my astrology app before I go.  Among today's "Do's" were sweatpants (do leggings count?) and drinking water.  A "Don't": dishes in the sink.

Oooops.

 

Product Placement

Isn't this just the cutest little embroidery kit you ever did see?  Sorting through some drawers the other day, I came across it and a couple of others.  My intention is to start it "soonish."

This little jobbie fascinates me.  It's supposed to take the place of measuring cups and spoons.  While I'm curious as to how it works precisely, I'm more intrigued by how someone came up with the idea.  Exceedingly clever.

When I put this ring on, I knew it was going to snag on the yarn as I knit.  Still, I wore it, preferring being cute to being cautious.

 

Let's See. . .

 . . .what else can I tell you about myself?

I've just about finished painting the bench on the front porch.  All that's left is the back of the back if that makes any sense.  And honestly, with as much spray paint as I've bought, it might have been cheaper just to get a new bench.

Been watching loads of hockey.  There have usually been two games each night this week.  If the second one goes too late, I DVR what's left and catch up the next day.

Monday night, I couldn't sleep, so I got up, made bread, watched a movie, wrote some postcards,  read some.  I'm reading two books on Abraham Lincoln, and they cover roughly the same time period.  I'm sort of ping-ponging between the two for as full a picture as possible.  The weird activity at the weird hours thoroughly confused the pets.

There has been crafting, but I won't talk about it.  The last couple of projects I've mentioned here have come to naught --- ugly, maddening naught --- so I'll be superstitious and hope to avoid The Whammy.

Tap has tried to help by keeping his feet near the needles.  (While lying under the den ceiling fan.)

I set foot in a restaurant this afternoon for the first time in, what, a year and a half?  I opted for pick-up rather than delivery from a really good little Chinese place.  "Little" here is literal;  there are four tables.  Beef Mei Fun and Crab Rangoon for the win.