SOME KNITTING AND A BOOK REVIEW!

Now that the garden is doing it's own thing without interference from me, apart from watering and weeding, I have been taking some time to do some of the other things I love.

I have been knitting.

I finished the pullover I was knitting for myself to use on my fall morning walks - it turned out great, and I will have a picture of it soon, I promise - or maybe a video - not sure.

I also started knitting a few items for a new baby in the family that is due to arrive in October.  It is the first child of my nephew Leigh and his wife Jenna, and we already know it is going to be a boy.

So far I have knit a darling little cardigan, a hat (toque style), some baby mittens, and I am now just starting some baby socks.  Again - I will have pictures when I get them all sewn together, washed and blocked...

I have rooted through my huge stash a yarns, and pulled out all the suitable sock yarn I could find, and next I am going to start knitting socks.

I think that is going to be the Christmas gift of choice this year - that and calendars featuring my photography.

Last year, I did a couple of calendars, using Walmart photo - but although the calendars turned out quite nice, it was on the pricey side to print more than a few.  So I am on the hunt for someplace I can get a quantity of them printed, and then I might sell some of them as well as give them as gifts to friends and family.

I also have been doing some reading from my lovely little spot in the pumpkin patch.

I just finished a book called.   The Chilbury Ladies' Choir.   by Jennifer Ryan.

It was a delight to read.

It's about a choir in Chilbury England during WW11, that looses all it's male singers to the war effort, so they continue, much to the horror of the times, as a women's -  only choir.  The story is less about the choir, and more about the individual lives of the women in the choir, as they try to live through a very difficult period of history, for England and indeed most of Europe.

It's a good read with some colourful characters, some historic events, and really good story telling.

The novel was published in 2017, and was Jennifer Ryan's first novel - so I will be keeping my eyes open for her next novel - if one comes along.


If you missed my last two video's taken from my Pumpkin patch last weekend, you can catch it here...

https://youtu.be/iiCowXmzOnQ


https://youtu.be/PSiJ4cElPG0


So now, I'm off to cast some socks on the needles -

Until later -

A BEAUTIFUL EVENING, AND SOME BEAUTIFUL IMAGES!

For the past three days we have had a break from the extreme heat and humidity that for weeks had us in it's throes.  I have been able to have the windows and doors open all day long and it has been so nice to be able to leave the air conditioning off and just enjoy the fresh air coming in the windows.

Truly the past three days have been my idea of the perfect summer weather.  I know my perfect summer weather is not what a lot of people would hope for summer, but there it is.

I have never been a heat lover, or a sun-bather, or really much of a beach-goer.  If and when I do sit outside, it's usually in the shade.

But one cannot deny the beauty of summer, and my yard really does showcase a lot of that beauty, each and every day.

I am very very fortunate to be surrounded with Mother Nature's, best of the best.

In particular, I love summer evenings the best - especially that couple of hours just before the sun goes down for the night.  That time of the evening offers a hush of activity - both human, and nature; sometimes a cooling evening breeze, and always the most beautiful light and shadows.

It is the best time to take out the camera and get some really beautiful images - especially of flowers.

That's what I did last evening.  I took an hour, and wandered around my gardens with my camera and just forgot everything except the beauty all around me.  It is amazing when you slow down and really look, what you can see.  And that is precisely why I love the activity of photography.  It forces me to slow down, look carefully, find what inspires me... and then encourages me to take the time, make the effort to get the sharpest, cleanest, image I can  - over and over again.

I often only intend to be out shooting the camera for a few minutes - but most times I loose track of time, and I am out for hours... and always, I am totally relaxed when I do finally go in the house.

So here are a few of the images I managed to catch in my yard, just as the evening sun was saying goodnight to the gardens.  It really was the perfect evening to be wandering around the gardens with camera in hand.

Enjoy!

HOW'S THIS FOR A CATCH-UP!

Well, It sure has been awhile since I have sat down to write an blog.

I hope everyone hasn't given up on me, and moved on elsewhere.

It has been a very busy few months here on our little slice of earth.  We have been busy working in the yard, in the gardens and on the hedges, and also just enjoying every minute we can of being outside in the sun and fresh air.  The time will come soon enough when we will be stuck indoors during our long winter months, so now it's time to enjoy the outdoors while we can.

My gardens are not doing as well as I had hoped at the beginning of the season  - but I am not the only one saying that this year.  Once again we find ourselves in an extremely dry and hot summer.  The lack of rain has really taken it's toll on the plants and trees, and also on the insects and birds.

Perhaps I do have more birds and insects than most yards in town,  but that might be because I continue to feed and water both species.

So I water from the hose - it is after all the only way I will have any crop this year.  But even that isn't going to get much in my freezer this year.  I can tell already that yields are not going to be anywhere near where they have been other years.

I do have some successes however.

Remember the Peppermint Stick Zinnia seed I was going to try for the first time this year.... well, just today, the first flower showed it's beauty to me... take a look!

Isn't it gorgeous?

A couple of other Zinnia's new to me as well this year, that are just as fetching are these two...

New tomatoes I am trying this year are these Midnight Snack cherry tomatoes...

They are almost too pretty to eat - I can't wait to try them.

But of course there are some things that have a forever place in my gardens - and they never disappoint.

And Mother Nature never disappoints either, as usual summertime here is a daily show of some of the most breath-taking sunsets you could ever see - we are truly blessed.

The summer hasn't all been about the yard and the gardens and mother nature, I have also been on a knitting frenzy for a few months now.

I have finished my walking sweater for my fall morning walks, - it turned out great - better than I expected.  I have several pairs of socks on the go, and though I have not quite conquered Magic Loop yet, I  have once again become comfortable knitting with DPN's.

Currently I am knitting a darling little baby sweater for an new expected baby in the family, who is due to arrive in October.  It is knit in one piece, which I have never attempted before, and I must say, I am delighted with the way it is turning out.

When I get that project done, I plan to do a reveal Vlog on all my completed knitting projects.

OH yeah - and I have done quite a few Vlogs for YouTube as well, so if you haven't already check them out, if you are interested...

my channel is:    Whatever the Weather may be.

So how's that for a catch-up?

I will try not to be so tardy here in the future.  

Stay Well everyone...

Till Next Time!