The tortoise and the hare........

Guess which one I am?  You guessed right!  The tortoise.  It has been the story of my life.  I have always felt rushed in this world but since I've retired I can go at my own pace and I love it.  I am a "plodder" but a persistent "plodder" so eventually things get done.
Yesterday was the Farmer's Market where I was able to get these gorgeous organic noodle beans!  He had purple and green...I chose the purple and if I like them I'll be going back for more....maybe to can or freeze?

 There were no tomatoes...what is up with that?  No corn either.  But I got a few plants..........an oregano.........

an aloe and a "money" plant (kalanchoe?).....it is supposed to attract wealth into your life...who couldn't use a little of that?

 Also, the last time I was there someone was asking the Amish lady who bakes if she had one of her pineapple coconut cakes and she said no.  I asked them if it was good and they said "Oh yeah!  It's really good!"  Well, she had one there this week and I bought it.  I am not much of a cake eater but this was delicious!  I'm going to search for the recipe online.

   After the Farmer's Market I went to Walmart........I was out of everything so it was big shopping!  I got home and put everything away and that was pretty much my day.  I did get the issue of Interweave Fall Knitting....there are several items in there I would like to make.  There has to be at least 3 or more to make it worthwhile and this one has more than that.  Plus, there is an article on the Swedish version of the Danish Hygge....the art of coziness and happiness.

Oh, another interesting tidbit....I have bought and eaten Thomas's English Muffins for years but recently I noticed all of a sudden they are not crisp but 'doughy'.  There was a woman at Walmart looking at them and I asked her if she eats them and she said yes and for years.  I asked her if she had noticed any difference in them and lo and behold she said "Yes, they seem to be doughier and not crisp like they used to be"......I was so glad I asked her because sometimes I think maybe it's just me but nope......they changed their product and now they will lose customers because I found these and they are organic too!  I still may call Thomas's and tell them it's not nice to try and pull a fast one on their customers.........

This morning I got out early and raked up all my trimmings from Tuesday and watered.  I have  spaghetti squash and some zucchini forming!  I need to gather my seeds for fall gardening today also.  The burn pile is getting bigger.......

  When I went out this morning there were some visitors.............the Spring babies are getting big!

and this beauty flitted around me all morning............

I'm in for the day now except to pick up some prescriptions and a new composition book for my bullet journal.  Then it's time to cook and bake..............here's my MENU for the next few weeks and maybe beyond.........

MENU:

Cauliflower steaks
homemade mac and cheese made with brown rice noodles if I can get some on Amazon
Sheet Pan chicken fajitas
Split pea and ham soup
Strawberry spinach salad
Apple Puff pancake
Ham and bean soup
Pizza

I hope things are going well for you in your world today and always........
Happy Trails!!!

All hands on deck!

It's Monday; the beginning of my work week.  It's also the hottest time of the year but I can't let that stop me!  I have outside work to do so I go out early before it gets too hot and even then I come in often and cool off and go back out.  I trimmed in the front and watered and I trimmed in the back and watered.  I also held a branch/weed tree down with 1 foot, lopped it off and WHAMMO!  The rest of it snapped forward and hit me in the head!  I saw stars for a few seconds and then I actually had to laugh at my stupidity!  I mean really?  It was something the 3 stooges would do....that would have been a video that would have gone viral for sure.  It still hurts and I'm sure I'll have a big bruise there on my forehead but dang that was stupid!  After that I got all the garbage out to the curb because they are evidently coming in the middle of the night as I keep missing them!  Last week I took it out at 8:30 a.m. and they had already been there! 

I finished the first book in the Elm Creek Quilt series by Jennifer Chiaverini.....excellent!  The next book is Round Robin so I ordered it from Thrift Books.

But meanwhile I went to the library to see if they had it and they did!  I got it to start reading....
along with a few other books............I thought this one might give me a boost.............

and then I spotted this one which I've wanted to read...........

When I got back home I made chocolate chip cookies....those crispy ones I told you about a while back but this time I added chopped walnuts too.......I'm trying to get chores and projects done but also be kind to myself as everyone has suggested.........what could be kinder than homemade chocolate chip cookies?

I hope you had a great Monday!
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #6

                                                       


Crafting and reading have "saved" me this week because a girl can only work so hard before she has to take a break!  I still have not been able to go a day without tears.  I don't think I have ever cried this much in my life.  Can you get dehydrated by crying too much?  I drink a lot of water anyway so I'm probably okay but the thought did cross my mind between the tears and the blowing of the nose.
Anyway, I am good and so is my crafting.........
I had to start my Helix Hat over so I chose to start with the darkest color this time...........it's going well except the brim seems not too elasticky (?)  I did a K1P1 rib as suggested in the pattern.  Is that not a good rib or could it be my yarn?  Red Heart acrylic worsted.  I remember I did a hat for my grandson and had that problem.....hmmmm.  Let me know if any of you have experienced that "stretched out" ribbing?  Anyway, I'm almost done with the hat part and will start decreasing shortly.....this is a fun, easy, stash busting knit too!  No endless ends to weave in either!  I highly recommend this pattern!

 Remember when I said I wanted to crochet an afghan to match the cross stitch My Granny's Afghan?

  Well, of course I couldn't wait until I was done with the whole cross stitch and actually it is better this way while I have the floss gathered for each square...........
I took the top left corner square and matched up the Stylecraft DK yarn I had to the floss.....it took a while but  it was actually fun...........

I was amazed at how close most of them came...........and here's the almost finished square #1....I haven't decided if the tan will be a round and if I will join at the end or join as I go.....any suggestions are appreciated from you expert crocheters out there..........

Here they are next to each other..........of course there won't be that spot of color in the very center but I can live with that.

I didn't get to all the daily cross stitch projects but I got to a few of them............

Santa Sunday from last Sunday.........I love the hand dyed red floss for his robe.........

I worked on monthly Monday...........

and Witchy Wednesday............

I am hoping to do some sewing this week...I thought I would today but needed to do some cooking so I would have something to eat..........

egg salad from these gorgeous eggs from the farmer's market........all different colors even pale blue........

and I made Mediterranean salad...my favorite salad in the summer time..........

I also got some reading done...I read the first book in the Susan Wittig Albert China Bayle's mystery series..........it was good but I like her Beatrix Potter series the best but I will try another one..........

I will have to read 10.6 books a month to meet my Good Reads Challenge....oh boy!

I have read this series but only a few of them and so I am starting over as it was years ago....they are very good and especially if you are a quilter..........this is the Elm Creek Series.........I am thoroughly enjoying it even more than the first time..........

This coming week I hope to 1) finish the Helix Hat, do another granny square to match the cross stitch one, work on putting crocheted basket together and keep up with my "daily" xs projects.  I need to check my project list and ensure I incorporate it into my daily chore list.

That's all for this week...I hope you all had a good one! 

Happy Trails!!!

Please stop by here and see all the other beautiful makes from the Year of Projects group.