BOOKS, HOOKS AND YARN

The weather has been delightful for the past few days. A bit cooler but warm enough for me, low humidity and good air quality. Windows open, so you can hear birds singing and all of the other neighborhood noises.  It will be getting warm again next week Megan, yes, I know many people do not allow their cats up on the kitchen counters. I have always let my boys go where they want to, even on the kitchen counters. I can't always be around to shoo them off, especially when I was working or asleep. If I am going to use the counter to cook, I just clean it off first.    Mid to end of June while I was working on these. All of which I didn't have enough for a full hat of one color. Also not wanting to do a mash up by combing colors.   The top six rows are the increase rows and those are done in the neutral. Then switch to the colored yarn until it is used up. Back to the neutral to finish off however many rows needed to get the hat to the needed length.  ...

The really hot and humid weather is gone for now. I was able to open the window for a while so that Dobby could enjoy some fresh air. At one point he pushed against the screen.  I discovered that I had a grasshopper sitting on the outside of the screen. Also later in the day a chickadee was clinging to the screen too. Dobby was all excited.     The smokey air has also moved on for now too which also has made having the windows open a good thing. The guys that mow my lawn came to mow on Tuesday. It is dry, hasn't grown, so I asked them not to mow but to work on cutting down the volunteer trees that keep growing under the spruce trees. Looks really nice!  The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective - the landlady to a group of cottages confesses to murder rather than see one of her tenants arrested. The rest of the residents join forces to prove she is innocent.  Murder on Brittany Shores - a storm, a severely damaged boat and three dead bodies. An accident rig...

  I took this picture a month ago after I got home from my hair cut appointment. Dobby on the back of the chair, claws into my scalp and him licking my hair. I got my hair cut again on Thursday and same results. There must be something in the products my hairdresser uses that tastes good. Once I washed my hair a few times he leaves it alone!  This is the sun in the western sky on July 16, just after 7 PM. The air quality is poor. It was in the hazardous range early today, then down to unhealthy, now back to hazardous. Supposed to improve over the weekend.  This follows a few days of really hot and humid weather. As I was driving home the other day the temperature on the car was bouncing between 100F and 101F. I don't do hot weather very well, so staying inside where the air is decent and the AC is working.   Happy Weekend. 

Oh yeah, back in the heat and humidity. As I was driving around on Tuesday afternoon my car thermometer was bouncing between 100 and 101, way too hot! Looking forward to September when things get down into the range I like. When I can open the windows and not have the AC start running.  So inside, watching a bit of the World Cup, baseball all star game and catching up on stuff I recorded off the TV. Plus reading, always reading.  Our group skipped trivia this week. One member is on her usual trip to the cottage up in northern Wisconsin with family. Another is entertaining friends from out of town.  Had to do a bit of driving off the usual path yesterday. On my way to an appointment things were bogged down in a major intersection because of an accident. I found my way through the sub-division and to an alternate route. On the way home things got bogged down because the road is now restricted because of repaving. Again, I turned off and found my way through the side streets...

Heat and humidity are starting up again. Had a few nice days of weather and could open up the windows and be outside without feeling that you would keel over from heat stroke.   My guess on the tie dye jumpsuit from Wednesday's post was a purchased item. In addition to the tie dye there were some stars on the front. I am sure most people in the US have some article of clothing that is red, white and blue.  Sort of watching the rest of the World Cup matches. Down to one match per day. Although I see on the TV that they still have the pre-match TV show is two hours long. What do they have to talk about for that long? I usually try to tune in when I think the match is mostly over. My picks for the final four? Argentina, England, France and Spain. I know France made it, time will tell if I am correct on the other three.   Dobby is driving me crazy the past few evenings. The rest of the day is fine, but come after dinner he wants to invade my space. Try to eat my yar...

The heat wave of last week has moved on for now. Could open the windows and get some fresh air in the house. Also spend some time outside and not feel like you are breathing water with the high humidity. The trivia gang got together on Monday to celebrate birthdays of two of the gang. We had picked this day over a month ago and it ended up on the day the US was playing Belgium in the World Cup.  The establishment was busy, even the staff was dressed in red, white and blue including this tie dye jump suit.   We stayed through the first half of the match. Normally none of us watch sporting events in a bar. Sure while we are there games are on the TV, but we aren't paying much attention. In this case all the TVs were on the game and they had the sound on, not closed captioning. Everyone cheered when the US finally scored a goal. Plus I don't think I have every heard a crowd sing the Star Spangled Banner so enthusiastically at a sporting event. Sadly the US is now out of t...

 Finally got pictures of Dobby with the flag. Yes, he celebrates too.  Not much in terms of people setting off fireworks in my area, so it has been quiet. I am sure it will pick up over the next few days. I will be home with him and so far thunderstorms don't seem to bother him.   As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this weekend, be safe.  Now to honor America, please join in and sing a few songs with us. Sing them from your heart. God, bless America, Land that I love. Stand beside her, And guide her Through the night with a light from above.   From the mountains To the prairies   To the oceans white with foam,   God, bless America, My home, sweet home.   God bless America Land that I love Stand beside her And guide her Through the night with a light from above From the mountains To the prairies   To the oceans white with foam God bless America My home sweet home God bless Am...

Happy July! In the middle of the hottest weather so far this summer. Temps in the 90s and heat index over 100. I am taking it easy for the most part, inside with the AC and fan going. What better way to take it easy is to read or crochet, maybe watch a baseball game or some of the football/soccer. I did have a lunch date on Tuesday.  Treated a friend to lunch at the place we normally go to for trivia. I tried one of their new summer dishes, rice, corn, pulled pork and fried onions on top. Good and I have lots of leftovers for another meal.  Now hit 100 comments on this new blog, thanks to my regular readers who check in on me and Dobby each week. On the old blog comments were just under 45,000. That was over 20 years and over 3,000 posts. Pretty amazing either way.    American Kings - all about the quarterback position in American football. Focused on some NFL players as well as younger players who have the background and potential to be successful in college a...