Right Now . . . August 2013

My life is off the charts right now . . . when measured on the Craze-O-Meter . . . so it's not a surprise at all to find myself at the end of another month . . . wondering where it went???

Here's what's happening . . . RIGHT NOW.

Watching . . . Nothing.  We switched over to AT&T's U-verse at the beginning of August, and so far, I haven't had the time or the inclination or the brain power to figure out how to use the new system.

Reading . . . Paris by Edward Rutherfurd.  Big book.  Big commitment.  (I'll be there awhile.)

Knitting . . . Not much these days.  My want-to-knit list is growing exponentially and my time-to-knit is shrinking.  (Sounds like a math-y, graphing problem to me.)

Listening to . . . Nothing in particular, everything in general.  Lately, the random-shuffle feature on my iPod and the general, random nature of Pandora suit me just fine!

Dreading . . . Shorter days!

Humming. . .  Oh, man.  You're all going to hate me for even mentioning this one out loud.  But . . . Lady Marmalade.  The original version.  Patti LaBelle.  Here . . . catch the earworm yourself.

 

Planning . . . My work is All-Planning All-the-Time these days.  My brain is full-to-the-brim with Planning.

Drinking . . . Sanpellegrino.  My favorite is the orange flavor.  But I like ALL Sanpellegrino.

Itching to . . . Just have a couple of unstructured days to relax and not think too hard.

Needing to. . . Sift through my desk at home and take care of loose ends and paperwork.

Organizing . . . Starting to think about the coming change in seasons and what that means . . . in the garden . . . in my closet . . . in my pantry . . . at the cottage. . .

Inspired by . . . Fresh vegetables.  They're everywhere.  They inspire my cooking.  I want ALL the vegetables!

Delighted by . . . My butterflies.

Surprised by . . . Oh, do I have a big surprise coming into my life today!  Big.  Really big.  (And wiggly.)  Stay tuned.

How about YOU?  What's going on for you . . . RIGHT NOW?

 

In Fashion

I have confessed already:  I follow Fashion. 

I get really excited when the fall fashion mags come out.  I buy them.  I read them.  I pay attention to the trends.  (But, of course, I don't follow them.  I'm just  . . . intrigued.)

I've tried to just . . . let it go.  But I can't.  It's like driving past the scene of an accident.  I just . . . can't help but peek.

So. Yeah. I pay attention to Fashion.  And I'm not going to apologize.

That acid-y green color I love is Really IN this year. 

(Like . . . really IN.)

And boots!

I also laugh at fashion.  (I'm interested, for some reason -- but I don't take it seriously, y'know?)

Can you pull off tights with mid-calf skirts?

Which shoes work with those new wide-legged pants?

What to wear with flat and stack-heeled boots, cuddly clutches and top-handled bags?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Still.  I read on.

#5 - If you choose only one leather piece this season, make it a biker jacket.

Okay.  I'll remember that. 

When I'm out shopping for leather this season.

So.  You see.  It's an obsession. 

But a really silly obsession. 

Because leather shopping?

No.

Still.  I read on.

Looks like knits are BIG this year.

Trendy, even.

Get those needles clacking, knitting friends!

We're IN FASHION!

 

Word Defined

Seen at the coffee shop last week:

Who knew?

While it Lasts

It's been a pretty good year for gardening, here in Southwest Michigan.

We've had a cool summer, for the most part (although . . . not today).

And plenty of rain.

So things have been green . . .

and lush . . .

all summer long.

At this point in the garden season, though, things are starting to look . . . well . . . tired.  Green, yes.  But you can see that the party's almost over.  There's a certain fading that happens in late August; a golden tinge.  Fall is coming.

Over the weekend, I was thinking about some of the things I've enjoyed most about my garden this year.  This year, it's been the little things that have given me the most gardening pleasure.

My little fairy places . . .

tucked away, here and there.

And my hops.  (Which really do grow like mad -- and are actually producing . . . hops!)

And all of the bees and butterflies my garden attracts.

Although I'll be out in the garden for the next couple of months yet, I can feel the changes in the air -- and see them in the green . . . the worn-out and fading green.

I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts!

 

 

Can You Dig It?

Somebody . . .

has been busy with a shovel this weekend.

Creating a mud pit.

Purchasing mud-materials.

Assembling mud-moving tools.

And then . . . just digging in . . . to git-r-dun.

I'm SO lucky. . .

because (a) he loves me; and (b) he likes to dig!

 

Throwback Thursday: The Power of Two

A day like today . . . just calls for a song!

 

Today is a special day. 

A day with super-powers. 

Or, at least, The Power of Two!

The funny thing about being married to a math-minded, science-y kind of guy . . . is that he thinks about special days in whole new - and altogether unexpected - ways. 

I mean, I was just thinking about it being our 32nd anniversary (how is that even possible????). . . but Tom thinks about it as 2⁵.

Yeah.

Like as in . . . an exponent!

Because, after all . . . 2⁵. . . is just another way of saying. . . 32.

Kind of romantic.  In that math-y, science-y way.  Because this anniversary . . . is a Power of Two anniversary!

What does that look like, exactly, in an exponential kind of way?

Well.  We got married in 1981.  So that's the start.

(Our wedding toast!)

2⁰ = 1 (don't ask; it's a weird math thing far beyond my understanding)

And here we are, in 1982.

2¹ = 2

1983

2² = 4

1985

2³ = 8

1989

2⁴ = 16

1997

2⁵ = 32

2013

Today

The Power of Two . . . Exponentially!

Words Through a Window

The other night, Tom and I walked past a bakery.  It was closed (thus the dark and Not Very Good photo), but I noticed some words on their wall.

Closer up . . .

Yep.  That's my motto!

Country Roads

Soundtrack today . . .

 

(This one is from a John Denver tribute album that is totally worth a listen!)

Earlier in July, when I was up north for a week at our cottage, I started to knit a pair of socks for my mom.

She had picked out the yarn (Lorna's Laces Solemate*) and I picked out the pattern.

Not sure if it was the color name of the yarn (Colorado Spruce) . . . or the location . . .

But John Denver's Country Roads started running through my mind.

I finished the socks late last week - up north once again.  And just in time to give my mom when she visited last weekend!

Country roads . . . take me home. . .

Ravelry details here.

==========

*  I can't wait to find out if the Solemate . . . really does have "built-in climate control!"

 

Double Trouble!

You know what's really fun?

Paddling the lake with your mom!

Finding lily pads. . .

and damsel flies . . .

and blooms!

(And a little white wine never hurts, either!)

Just a little . . . double trouble!

 

A Pause . . . for Fun

Heading Up North. . .

Time for a little break.  And some fun.

See you next week!