There is so much going on every day and not all of it good. So, every day I try very hard to have something good to focus on, I thought I’d share a bit of that with you!
Watching: The eclipse! Even though in Pittsburgh we only got a partial eclipse – it was spectacular even with some cloud cover. The changes to the light were stunning. You will be happy to know that our household listened to the directions of not looking at the sun to prevent retinal damage. This was not the case for everyone… Perhaps this should be a test for competency? And, as for the digital watching: Game of Thrones (of course!) and Endeavor! I also watched the finale of Broadchurch and honestly, I was a little disappointed. But, I won’t say any more than that for all those who have yet to watch it.
Stitching: Every single day and I am really pleased with how August is unfolding. Really pleased! I also went and got some button craft thread and my hope is that I will soon turn this pile of tee shirts into my first AC garment.
Reading: and listening like a maniac as I chase down my cover all! I am just 2 squares away and have about 18 hours of listening to do. I am eager to get them done because Beach Music by Pat Conroy just came off hold for me at the library! I am also reading the Essays of E.B. White on my Kindle and I have both books by Laurie Colwin (Home Cooking and More Home Cooking). I am almost done with Home Cooking – I should have it completed this week. This has really been the most spectacular summer for reading. Ever.
Picking: Tomatoes…so many tomatoes. That picture above is from this morning! I know, you are all probably sick of hearing about tomatoes, but this year, the volume of large tomatoes has been really quite spectacular. In past years, I have been happy with the dozen we have picked, but this year has had a bumper crop with no signs of production slowing down! Also, raspberries… I picked enough again this morning to make a batch of jam. I know these are such awful problems to have. Spending time in my garden is really the best time, I would not trade it for anything – even with the bunnies decimating our beans! There should be a “not picking” category perhaps, because outside of the handful of zucchini we picked at the beginning of the season, it has not been a good year for them at all. We have picked a sum total of zero since then and it does not look like that will change. I am not sure why they are having such a bad year, but my neighbor is not having any success with his squash plants this year either.
Eating: Tomatoes from my garden! Every.single.day! And, for those things we aren’t growing: sweet corn, peaches, and an incredible variety of peppers! August is the month where I am quite certain I could become a vegetarian.
Looking forward to: Our trip to Michigan! We finalized the dates and have our Airbnb reservation all set. It is the one thing that is really giving me something to look forward to! Why? Because…
Dreading: The end of August. The arrival of Labor Day. The return of dark mornings. Having to turn lights on at night earlier. This summer I have really tried to not “wish ahead” but rather spend more time in the moment enjoying. This has been an eye-opening practice – I am much happier with each day and I am worrying less about tomorrow, or next month, or next year. September, you can just wait your turn – there is lots of August left!
Celebrating: Sherman’s 5th Birthday on Saturday! Every day I am so incredibly thankful for him. He is a bright spot in our day.
That is a slice of what is good in my life right now; how about you? What’s good in your life?
I love fall. I have a really hard time in March and April. I feel that tinge of sadness though that this wonderful summer is changing slowly to fall. So I’m trying to focus on the good as well. what’s good in my life today:
Fezzik is right near me
Zach wants me to go get coffee with him . MUST Appreciate his presence right here and now. Before he heads back.
Al just made her reservations to have a fall visit with us!
and finally: I found my yarn in my stash for my next beaded purse! whee. I dont have time to get to the yarn shoppe and I needed my next plan
Lots of good stuff going on, Kat! I’m so eager to see what you do with your pile of t-shirts. I have a feeling you’ll really love stitching Alabama Chanin style! (It’s sort of easy to become an addict. Just sayin.) And Happy Birthday to Sherman! XO
I just started Beach Music via audio yesterday! Still working on South of Broad-I put it down for Beartown (so good!). I think your energy is amazing! I’m in post vacation mode depression! 🙂
Thanks so much for writing about so many good things! Right now I’m trapped in a crowded waiting room at the hospital (while my father has a procedure) with Fox News on two TVs, so I really appreciate having good things to think about like tomatoes, Endeavour, seeing more of your stitching, and wishing that we lived closer so I could share my oodles of zucchini with you. Enjoy it all!
We finally got our first red tomatoes yesterday — a whopping two cherry tomatoes! 😉 But our cucumbers have been doing well, and kiddo’s broccoli (that she got as a freebie at Phipps in the spring) is amazingly still alive, despite being nibbled on frequently by bugs.
I was so happy by the timing of the new season of Endeavour. It was much easier to face Sunday night after vacation knowing I’d get an hour and a half of good TV!
Good things in my life right now: Rudi went on an eclipse road trip and will be returning home tonight. (I’ll be glad to see him for him and also because Netflix hasn’t worked since he left and I decided I didn’t care enough to fix it. He will, which will also benefit me and my late night knitting.) My volleyball league begins again today with a new team. I got to work early, which is hard for me. I planted some things in my garden (where my tomatoes have sucked it up this season, but where my basil is flourishing) this weekend.
PBS wasn’t coming in especially well (which is better than not at all, which is, sadly, often the case) on Sunday, so I turned off Endeavour about halfway through. I figured then there would still be some mystery left when I watch to find out what they were saying. But in the meantime, I picked up some dvds at the library to hold me over.
Counting all the good things in life is such a privilege and luxury. I am grateful every day that I can live the life I do. I see you do to and you have so many wonderful things happening. I would like September to wait, to hold off, to be at bay, too! August is wonderful!!
Well, you have a few more months – all of Sept and October before we turn the clocks back!…lots of good things happening in your life and that’s the best! I laughed out loud about the eclipse viewing…no such luck re: implosion.
I think the tomatoes have been especially great this season and tho’ I grew none, I’m going to try the jam recipe, just for fun…or maybe I’ll share with a friend who likes to make-n-bake…yeah, that sounds like a win-win for us both!
Congrats on your reading accomplishments!
Cheers~
I have been participating in an August Happiness Challenge on my blog–and it’s a great way to focus on the happy of the day.
I’m glad you’ve had a great summer of reading! And I bet you will fall down that AC rabbit hole like so many of our friends. Happy Birthday to Sherman!
happy birthday sherman!! You are delightful to see 🙂 I am weird that I love the dark mornings and early nights of fall and winter. Feels cozy and I’m inspired to knit a ton.
Very jealous of your tomatoes, but I won’t whine AGAIN about my shady yard.
I am not getting half as much reading done as you are. It’s a good thing that I’m not trying to fill a bingo card. I would not be successful!
I am somewhat dreading fall. It does mean I have to go back to work. I do love my work, but the workload … that’s not something I love.
What AC pattern are you going to use??? So exciting. I also predict that you will love it!