Morning dew

Fall is coming!

The final stretch

Of home construction!

The front porch is gone, waiting for renewal!

Fig's view from inside the front door.

Honestly? He can't figure out what the fuss is all about. He does keep sitting in the window trying to figure out where it all went!
Life is puzzling that way sometimes!

Tuesday fruit roll up

Birthday thank you's all around, complete with cake breath!
You made my day special. Many of you will be donating knit goods and money. What more could a girl ask for?
Even though I was quite happy to stop there, there were some tangible gifts. Here are some of my favorites!

When a package appeared on my porch on Saturday, never did I even imagine that 2 pairs of handknit socks would be inside. Never. 2 pairs!!! (Okay and some of the yummiest dried banana chips I've ever eaten, I'd share some...but. Well.) A huge Thank You to Cookie! My feet are the happiest around. AND. The weather is sock appropriate. They fit perfect, are beautifully knit, are beautiful and were a grand surprise! Blow me over with a Head of Garlic!
Okay, then:

Not one, but 2 heads of Garlic as a gift from My Norma! You may think that is a strange gift, but is it really? No. One of the garlics is gone so it was well appreciated. Thank you, Norma!
And one of my favorite cards, from a co-worker:

~Click to embiggen~
Amish Road Rage~ heh~
But the inside?

Signed on a post it note so I can reuse it! I laughed almost until I cried! And you know? I plan to give it back to her on her birthday! (The crucial part of that plan is that I need to put it in a spot where I will find it again. Life is so complicated!)
~~~
There has been a tiny bit of knitting. I can't get excited about anything right now. Which irritates the bejeezus out of me. I am planning, though to use September as a finishing up month. I have a couple of projects that have been lounging around long enough. I figure if September is good enough for Back to School for the kids, I figure it's good enough for me to get Back to the Knits. Or something like that.
Wanna join me?
~~~~
House re-beautification project update:
New roof~ Check
New Chimney~ check
New front porch roof~check
New front porch ceiling~ check
New back steps~check
Lighting on front porch~Check
outside outlet~Check
New shingles on front of house~check
This week, hopefully, the front porch will be rebuilt and the new gutter system put on and then we will be having a clam bake on that porch!
Thank goodness it's coming to a close. Not just because I will be eating steamers and lobster, either!
So.
Happy Tuesday!

Candles

There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents ... and only one for birthday presents, you know. - Lewis Carroll

Today, August 25th (not the 24th like the entry head says) I am 46 years old. I have to say that my 40's have been good to me. Life truly is good. I have a loving family, who I (most of the time) love! :D I have lots of great friends, I have yarn, I have Fig. I have my health, I have a home that is in the process of beautification. I have all that I want and some (pounds) that I don't. But that is neither here nor there.
Today I am 46.
And I'd like to ask something of you. I'd like to ask you for a gift.
Gauche? You may think? Maybe. But I'm going to do it anyway.
I'm willing to bet that you have lots of riches in your life too. (hopefully not the extra pounds, but again, neither here nor there). And unless you are Claudia, you have plenty of yarn. (Claudia is the only one of us that I know that can limit her yarn buying to one project at a time) Claudia is brave.
Being so lucky, I feel it's important to give back. Last year, my birthday was an embarrassment of taking. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it, but it's not ME to get gifts in that way. I cherish the memory of it.....and now that I think about it, I Do want gifts again this year.
The gifts I want?
To share ourselves. And a bit of our money.
Please consider making a donation to the Red Scarf Scholarship Fund. A better charity I have yet to see. Having 2 college age kids, the thought of an 18 year old being put into the college scene with no strong parental support is heartbreaking. The loneliness must be overwhelming. We can knit a red scarf but we can also give generously to the scholarship fund. Email Norma and tell her your donation and you will be entered into a wonderful, growing raffle for a gift for yourself. If every one of us gave only $1.00, the scholarship will grow by leaps and bounds. But imagine if we gave a bit more. I plan to give $46, one dollar for each and every one of those wonderful years I have been on this earth.
AND.
Then when you are done giving your money away, please consider joining Tracey in knitting something to keep a homeless person warm this winter. Hats, mittens, gloves all to donate to the wonderful people of the Franklin County Homeless Shelter in Pennsylvania, where it can get downright cold. You may live in a cold place too and wonder why you should knit for the Pennsylvania homeless. Well, why not knit for all of them then?

So, on this day, the day of my 46th birthday, I stand here asking for gifts. I hope you can find a bit of room in your knitting life or in your wallet to honor these wonderful causes.
And if you happen to find yourself in a place that isn't able to give, perhaps next year will be better for you!
I have lots to be thankful for when I blow out the cake candles. You are amongst them.
Thanks for reading and sharing my life.

Hermits do the town! Or: what I learned on the subway

Sunday was spent in the company of 2 good blogging friends. It was a short but sweet visit with Norma and Dave. It almost makes me want to be a more social person. Almost. The hermit in me would have other plans, I'm sure!

The old photo in a mirror trick. We really had lots of fun, lots of laughs, and honestly? I've never watched asses as much as that day. Dave is a bad influence in that way.
You should definitely go to my FLICKR page to see the rest of the photos, but here are my favorites!

Who knew? This photo would mark one of those times when Norma and Dave were happily walking along, chatting away not noticing that I was 100 feet back taking a picture of something inspiring. Or weird. Mostly weird. Or sky related.

I hope my gnomes don't get wind of this. They might get ideas and go off on their own.
I saw lots of shops, homeless people sleeping on Newbury Street, lots of people that annoyed the heck out of me, a butterfly right there in the city, Saks, yarn and there may have been forced salad involved. But I saw nothing. There was no cake even though there was an impending birthday. Or ice cream. No ice cream. Which means, of course, that we will have to do it again!
And what did I learn on the subway? Well, perhaps it was more like an Epiphany WHILE on the subway.
I learned:
~I do not like to wear hand knit socks while out walking. I love to wear them at home, while sitting. Not in shoes walking around. When I was a child, my mother always bought me shoes that were too big so that I could "grow into them". Mostly? They just gave me blisters and have made my feet into kind of sensitive flowers. Hand knit socks = blisters on the bottoms of my feet. Just like old times. Only better.
~Riding a subway is a bad, bad place for someone who is a bit germ phobic. I have horrible balance so I need to hold on dearly while standing, subway surfing. And I am holding onto a germ infested metal pole held by GOD KNOW'S WHO and what and well, ick. ICK. Ew. I'm still washing my hands. And soaking my feet.
The fun goes on, doesn't it?

On a friend, yarn and some turkey

Sometimes you meet a person for the first time and you feel like you've known them all of your life. I have been blessed to have this feeling more than a couple of times in my life. Meeting Li was one of those times. We had such a wonderful time together on Monday talking from the time she opened to door until the time I drove away. Li is a wonderful, caring, funny, talented, warm person that I am privileged to call my friend. I miss her already.
We shopped too!

Patternworks.
I do believe that store would qualify as the mecca for knitters. Perhaps if not the whole worldwide mecca, it will be the contender for the Knitting Mecca, Northeastern USA version! We wiled away hours dreaming about yarn projects. Poor Li got a bit overwhelmed with all of the choices and came away with no yarn. I got some yarn. Mitten yarn, as if that surprises you! Yarn shops can be like that though, can't they? You have big plans to spend money and then a decision cannot be made for the life of you.
We then headed to Hart's Turkey Farm for lunch. A better lunch could not be had, I tell ya. We had Thanksgiving. Why wait until November (October for you Canadian friends, Li included). I'm not going to name any names, but SOMEONE had a platter of turkey and fixings and SOMEONE had the day after sandwich packed with all the fixings.
Have I mentioned how I love turkeys? And especially turkey platters? Turkey love. I can't help myself. I have a budding collection. So the turkey stuff at Hart's made me a bit dizzy.

And more:

Cap anyone?

I did not buy it. But cool it is.

I thought about pulling a chair up and pilfering a turkey platter or two but the plan had holes. For one thing? I carry a small, small purse. No room for platters. For another thing? How do you climb on a chair to take down the platters in a crowded restaurant? Have you ever done that successfully? I'd like to hear from the person that does. Not that stealing is right. Not that I would do it. But you know. Turkey platters and all.
I'm left wondering if Li got a bit tired of me saying things like "Look at that cloud" or "Isn't the sky beautiful?". I live that Saturday sky thing. I do. I can't help it.
So, this entry about my love for Li and turkeys (one is not to be confused with the other) without a bit of sky watching, would it?

Kind of looks like a lobster with it's claws up. No doubt, he's glad he's not a turkey on this day!
So, to sum it all up.
If you get a chance to meet Li, Do it.
If you get a chance to go to Patternworks, do it, with lots of cash.
and
If you are in the area, eat lunch at Hart's Turkey Farm.
You'll be glad. I was.

Summer fix its

Yesterday 4 men descended upon my home and did not emerge until a new roof was in place. 4 men, 1 day, 1 new roof. Impressive to this construction newbie!

This is the before photo. Red in all it's glory! It never blended into the neighborhood, it was kind of quirky but it leaked. For a long time. When Andy brought the samples home to pick a new roof shingle he implored "Please, no red!". Fine. He does not appreciate quirky anyway!

That's better! Now, you all are probably more construction savvy than I, but ONE day! There's lots more to do as you can spy in the photo! You can also see our new chimney that was built last week! Won't Santa be happy this year when he visits and no more crumbling chimney or leaky roof?
Our home is 104 years old and it was starting to look it's age. This is the summer of a little TLC. And a summer of being poor. But choices have to be made~!
Fig would beg to differ. He doesn't like construction men. At all. Poor Fig had a tough day being on alert and slinking around the house. But around 3 pm, even HE had had enough of the chicken scene.

Proving that even scaredy cats have to forget about the anxiety for a little while and get some Zzzzz's.
But tomorrow, my blogging friends. TOMORROW! I get to meet Li. I have "known" her for years and never thought I'd get to meet her in person, living on the other side as she does. We'll be going to Patternworks if anyone wants to accidentally BUMP into us!

All raveled up and no place to go

While most of the time, I do not indeed know Where My Stitches At. But as of right now, I am playing with my new Ravelry invite. True to form, when setting up my username, I did not think it through. Anyhoo. My username is Sanhurl, come find me and boss me around a little. I have no idea.
OH!
and most importantly, VOTE FOR RYAN! Listen, voting is a wonderful thing. This time, it's not George W. you are voting for. It's MUCH more important! This is how I see it.
Ryan is an actor.
Ryan needs a job.
Ryan wants to soap it up.
Ryan is close to winning.
If he wins, he can buy some food.
Which Abigail will eat.
Abigail is an actor too.
But you can't vote for her.
Not that I know of.
But she does like to eat.
And pay bills.
So, if Ryan gets a big, important soap opera job, Abigail can eat.
Norma loves Abigail.
Norma loves it when Abigail can eat.
I love Norma.
Therefore, I love it when Abigail can eat.
Therefore, I want Ryan to get a big soap opera job so he can eat.
Eating is good, therefore, VOTE FOR RYAN!
(5 times, please)

Dilly. No dally

We love pickles. Especially Derek. He has been known to eat a whole jar of kosher dills by himself! When I read Carole's post about pickles, I had one of those FOREHEAD SMACK moments.
~Smack~ I could make pickles!
So I did. Refrigerator pickles.

Loosely based on the recipe Carole used found at Coconut and Lime. (that linkage is getting long. Now, if you use that recipe, you have to say that Sandy saw it at Carole's who saw it at Coconut and Lime and so on and so on...)
My differences? I used apple cider vinegar because. I did not put mustard seeds or dill seeds because. I used only a couple of red pepper flakes. Again, because.
Today, it's all about the food.

Ahhh. Corn. August to me is all about the corn. And the wonderful waning light. Getting dark earlier. Cooling off. Warm days, chilly evenings. (I can hope, can't I) But the corn. This is the month that we eat corn until we start to get sick of it. That is a challenge, though because I'm not sure I could be sick of it!

No butter or salt for me, thank you. I'm a hardcore corn lover! Plain and plenty of it!
And oddly enough, I'm dreaming of jam too....

Have I melted yet? Would I know if I had actually done so?

In the meantime...my eyes get a bit misty when I watch this wonderful video.