stripe study shawl

Despite the extremely high temps outdoors (or maybe because of them) I've managed to finish another knitting project.  This Stripe Study Shawl was fun to make, even though the color I chose for the stripes didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to and that particular yarn ended up being a big dislike for me.  However, I still have a pretty, colorful, warm shawl to wear around whenever the weather decides to turn.  Something tells me that will be later, rather than sooner...

this week

I call this "Still Life of My Kitchen Window."  Witness my new favorite (for still-life purposes) flowers, carnations.  They never die!

• Due to a miscommunication with USAA I am currently debit-card-less as I wait for the mail to deliver it to me.  Therefore, I'm paying for everything with checks.  Like I'm 200 years old.  (It takes about 200 years for each transaction too.)
• The house is a mess and I'm too tired to clean much.  Got to get things on track for next week's visitor.
• It's hot, allowing for only an hour of knitting at a time, tops.
• Beulah is losing her mind.  Because it's hot.  And I'm tired.
• There is not enough beer in the world.
• Since when does good beer cost so much?  I need to move to Germany.
• I plan to make my dining room into a sitting room/study.  By writing checks for my additions to the space.

run for it

I've been running quite a bit lately, trying to whip myself back in shape after my post-Army slump.  My goal for the last two weeks was 10 miles a week and this week it's been upped to 15.  Not really all that much, considering I used to log in about 20-30.  It's always, always hard to get started, but as soon as I get myself out the door and hit the road I feel better.  The goal is to be consistent, and to continue to increase my mileage (and hopefully speed which has been downright embarrassing) until I'm in shape to run a 10-miler, to be followed with a half-marathon and maybe even a full one of these days.  There are a few races I'm keeping in mind for next year, but for now I'm completely content to just make the running and mileage goals a habit again. 

And it might be just about time for a new pair of shoes.  Hmph, too bad they're so expensive!

rainy weekend

This past weekend was all about grey skies and rain.  Interspersed in the mix were a few rather fabulous storms worth watching from the floor next to the sliding doors.  I opened them up as far as I could without it all blowing in and enjoyed the smell of damp earth while I watched all my potted plants soak up what they could. 

Beulah kept me company, but was much more focused on her pink heart toy than anything happening outdoors.  Easily amused, that one.

new in the garden

Due to the untimely death of one of my tomato plants, a petunia and some violas the garden has been looking a little spare. So, after much consideration and no small amount of garden store window-shopping I finally made the plunge.

At a local nursery (which rocked) I picked up another geranium - possibly my favorite summertime flower - and a begonia.  Begonias may just be my new passion.  Apparently there are a zillion different types and the leaves are all different and pretty.  As my little potted garden transitions slowly between seasons, I think some more begonias are in order.  They seem like they are not only pretty in their own right, but good backgrounds to flowering plants as well.  Win-win!

endpaper mitts

Time for a knitting update!  I'm so proud!  My first color work project COMPLETE and not too shabby looking!

These here are the Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang and I looovvvee them!  This being my first project of the kind, the color is a little wonky here and there, but I'm pretty sure I'll be the only one to notice.  I took these photos on the patio yesterday evening after they were blocked and dried and couldn't wait to get them off again, they were so warm.  Another project added to my winter stash of "things I made."

Last night I was up late, finishing a good book and enjoying the cool(er) air after a rather violent summer storm earlier in the evening.  It was about 11:00 p.m. when I closed the back cover and realized I wasn't quite ready to go to bed.  The lamplight outside our window just begged Beulah and I to go out into it.

And so we did; just a short turn around the neighborhood, but enough to feel like we had appropriately marked the beautiful night.  The rain and wind had relieved the humidity that has sat on our shoulder for weeks now and although it was still warm out, I could almost taste the first tiny hit of autumn around the corner.  As Beulah bounded ahead of me (that dog is afraid of nothing) I took a few shots to share with you.  Funny how everything glows at night.