Stepping Away from the Edge

Right Now

Here's what's going on in my life  . . . RIGHT NOW.

Watching . . . the temperature dip down.  WAY down.  (Hard to believe that it was 95°F last weekend!)

Reading . . . Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel.  (I have been waiting for this book to come out since reading the last page of Wolf Hall.  I'm such a sucker for the Tudors.)

Knitting . . . Just finished Heidi Kirrmaier's Shellseeker pullover. . . even the sleeves.  It is blocking as we speak.  Next up:  Ziggity by Kirsten Kapur.  (I've also had a recent knitting FAIL.  I'll have to share soon.)

Humming . . . In my head, it seems to be ALL Red Hot Chili Peppers ALL the time!  Since the concert last Saturday night, my head is playing one RHCP song after another.  Still.  Currently, it's Under the Bridge.

Thinking about . . . Disappointments . . . and what you do with them . . . how they shape your life.

Listening to . . . White Album.  (If Why Don't We Do It In the Road can't get RHCP songs out of my head, perhaps nothing can!)

Dreading . . . A cold, wet weekend.  (Good for knitting and reading, not so much when your plans include a trip up north to put in the docks!)

Planning . . . Gardens.

Excited about . . . Visits!  Erin.  My sister.  My niece.  It's going to be a family-filled summer!

Drinking . . . Dante Reserve.  A Very Fine cab!

Itching to . . . Get my herb garden in!  I am a bit behind this year, but there's time.

Needing to . . . Get the wool out of my closet for the summer (or. . . I thought I needed to until today!).

Organizing . . . For my trip later this month!

Inspired by . . . An old Rolodex I found.  I have an idea. . .

Delighted by. . . All the things happening in my garden!  Some planned; some not.  But it's all good.

Remembering . . . That yesterday was my THIRD "Blogiversary!"

How about you?  What's happening for YOU . . . Right Now?

Speaking of Bulletin Boards

I generally like to wrap up a month with a "Right Now" post.  That didn't happen in April.  Because I am completely caught up in the "right now."  But blog-post timing doesn't really matter, does it? 

Here's what's going on in my life  . . . RIGHT NOW.

Watching . . . time fly; sometimes too fast; sometimes creeping along.

Reading . . . The Solitude of Thomas Cave by Georgina Harding. 

Knitting . . . Heidi Kirrmaier's Shellseeker pullover. . . kind of like a sweatshirt.  I'm well over half done already.

Listening to . . . I am surrounded by internationally-acclaimed classical and jazz pianists at present. . . but I don't have much chance to hear them play.   What I am listening to is a little different . . . REM, Natalie Merchant, and Radiohead.

Thinking about . . . what I will do with my life. . . when I get it back.

Dreading . . . my phone ringing.

Planning . . . I've kind of had it with planning right now.

Excited about . . . my upcoming trip with my sister!!!  Thoughts of Scandinavia and Russia get me through the Bleak Times.

Humming . . . Despite the world class music all around. . . it's Fox on the Run by Sweet (and where it came from, I have no idea!).

Drinking . . . coffee.  Lots of coffee.

Itching to . . . plant. . . dig. . . pull weeds.

Needing to . . . stop eating Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms.  Really.

Organizing . . . just my self.  Hour by hour.

Inspired by . . . people around me . . . doing what they need to do and making things come together.

Delighted by. . . the baby finches. . . growing every day in their dead Christmas wreath nesting place on my front door.

How about you?  What's happening for YOU . . . Right Now?

Already the End of March?

This month seems to have flown by even faster than usual!  I remember March usually being a bit of a slog . . . with the weather and the itching for spring and all.  But not this year!  It flew. . . with the weather and the itching for spring and all.

Regardless, it's already time again. . . to share what's going on in my life  . . . RIGHT NOW.

Watching . . . things pop up in my garden.  Everywhere.  Everyday.  It's not as warm as it was earlier this month, but still way warmer than usual.  Spring has sprung.

Reading . . . The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.  Just opened it; can't weigh in on it quite yet, but it looks promising.

Knitting . . . Waiting for yarn to finish my colorwork bag; nearly finished with my MadelineTosh honey cowl; thinking about casting on for a lightweight, laceweight, summer cardigan.  And maybe some socks.  (Yeah.  You heard right.  Socks.)

Listening to . . . Esperanza Spalding's Radio Music Society, which is just heavenly and gets better with each listen.

Thinking about . . . a new camera.  Tom is getting me one for my birthday, but I need to do some research first.

Dreading . . . a couple of commitments I've made.  What was I thinking?

Planning . . . gardens!

Excited about . . . tickets to see Paula Poundstone next weekend with Tom. 

Humming . . . Firework by Katy Perry (heard it at spinning on Tuesday night and can't get it out of my head).

Drinking . . . a very nice cab!

Itching to . . . wear my flip-flops again.  (That little summer-teaser we had earlier this month has me itching for more.)

Needing to . . . do my taxes.  Still.  (This was my "needing to" last month, too.)

Organizing . . . well, nothing.  But I need to get to work on my closet -- which is exploding with wool sweaters and boots and tights and tank tops and shorts and flip-flops.  It's as confused as I am about the season.

Inspired by . . . spring!  I'm suddenly feeling spriter, dressing brighter, cooking lighter.  I can feel it!  A new season . . . and I'm ready.

Delighted by. . . these wonderful coffee mugs by a local artist,  They capture my love of buildings, grids, and color.

Recording . . . Mad Men.  Because I just don't have the time to watch tv right now.  At all.

How about you?  What's happening for YOU . . . Right Now?

 

Another Slice

It's that time again. . . to share a little slice of my life.  Right here.  Right now.

Right Now, I am . . .

Watching the weekend's big snow dump melt away. 

Reading  Changing Lives: Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the Transformative Power of Music. This is related to my recent grant-writing flurry (which is still in progress, by the way), but is quite an enjoyable book anyway.  Just finished Leaving the Atocha Station.  Now I'm trying to decide which book to open next. . .

Knitting  a no-name cardigan from the SMC Select Tweed Deluxe booklet (#1820, to be specific) with some pretty significant modifications from the written directions.  I think it'll be worth it.  (I think.)

Listening to Eva Cassidy

Thinking about looking into a iPad app called "Knit Companion."  A couple of co-workers at the yarn shop are raving about it, so I might check it out.  (Thoughts?)

Dreading  all the undone chores piling up during this crazy-busy period of my life.  Ugh.

Planning my own version of March Madness.  Stay tuned. . .

Excited about three upcoming garden conferences!

Happy because both of my kids will be home for their respective spring breaks this year.

Humming Dear Rosemary (Foo Fighters, Wasting Light), can't seem to get rid of this one. . .

Drinking Coffee.  Lots of coffee.

Itching to finish a sewing project I started a couple of weeks ago. . .

Needing to do my taxes.  Ugh.

Organizing . . . well. . . not much right now.  Just keeping track of my calendar and my work is all I can handle!

Grieving Sarkozy Bakery.  This community fixture (where I buy my bread and the occasional cookie) burned down over the weekend.  This is a beloved local business here in Kalamazoo and will be missed. So. Much.  (My photo of the bakery was taken last summer.)

Inspired by Pinterest.  (Maybe a little too much.)

Cooking the usual standards, at the moment.  But looking forward to diving into a new cookbook I just picked up:  Pam Anderson's Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals.

Watching the Academy Awards.  I love the dresses (of course). . . but this year, I enjoyed the whole show.  Maybe it's because I actually saw most of the nominated movies this year, or maybe I just like Billy Crystal, or maybe it was Ellen DeGeneres and the JCP commercials.  Not sure. . . but isn't the little pup from The Artist just about the most darling creature ever?

Delighted by a little moss plant I picked up at the health food store when I stopped in for calcium tablets.

What's happening for you. . . right now?

A Little Slice

Once a month (or so), Mary does something called "currents" on her blog, where she lists things that are "current" in her life.  I think this is a really cool idea -- especially relevant for blogging-as-journaling; it's a great way to capture a moment in time.

So I'm going to lift Mary's concept for my own blog. 

Toward the end of each month, I'll share a little slice of my life . . . right now. . . here on my blog.

Right Now, I am. . .

Reading  Old Filth by Jane Gardam and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Knitting  some thrummed mittens (rather tedious, but I want them for walking Jenny; my hands get so cold)

Listening to Pandora on the Shawn Colvin station, switching out with the Foo Fighters station from time to time for variety

Thinking about how I use my time

Dreading  jury duty (again) and Tom leaving for Mumbai (again)

Planning how to execute the Month of Letters challenge (click here for information)

Excited about meeting Brian for dinner in Holland tonight

Happy because my Mom is now able to walk. . . in her walking boot. . . with the aid of a walker

Humming Firework (Katy Perry), which has been stuck in my head on nearly continuous loop for 3 days now

Drinking Vanilla Almond black tea from the Republic of Tea

Wishing I could get to gardening

Needing to clean my oven

Organizing my tax documents (they're streaming in now)

Inspired by The Happiness Project

Delighted by my new Vera Bradley laptop bag. . . because it works, and it makes me happy

Happy weekend!