Three on Thursday

I'm joining Carole and friends for Three on Thursday, today with three interesting, funny, and/or weird articles I read this week. The news is increasingly concerning, depressing, and dire, but I promise you that none of these stories can be described like that (unless you are concerned about aliens or pigs.)

This photo doesn't have anything to do with the following articles; it's just a happy cross-section of grass under the microscope.

I know that you're all creative and express your creativity in many different ways. This article might be preaching to the choir, but it's nice to read that all this creativity is good for your health (and I would add your soul, too!)

A friend sent me this, and the combination of Jesus, KFC, and an alien named Stevie sounded so strange that I hoped it might be true. It did happen in Florida after all! Alas, it was fake news. 

My neighbor is in England for an extended visit with her granddaughter. She occasionally sends me links to news that she thinks I might find funny. This story happened in Siberia, but the ever-vigilant British reported on the three not-so-little pigs, complete with photos. 

Here's hoping the real news becomes a little less terrible.

Be sure to visit Carole for more Three on Thursday thoughts.

Unraveled Wednesday

Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday, today with one last Rikke hat and a return to a Hitchhiker. 

This Rikke hat had a bumpy beginning when I was winding the skein. There were several places that looked like bleach spots and some of the plies had broken and frayed. There were also several places that looked like the yarn had been accidentally cut (maybe when a box was being opened?) It's my favorite color and not being one to waste yarn, I persevered, cut out the bleached and unraveled places, dealt with the cut strands, and ended up with lots of small balls. 

I started with the largest ball and things were fine, just more ends to weave in. I made a few slight changes with this Rikke since it might be for me. I used a size 6 needle instead of a 7 so the fabric wasn't so loosey-goosey and knit it a bit longer before beginning the decreases so I could have a brim to turn up and keep my ears warm.

Blurry but the best I could do

I never wear hats, so this will take a bit of getting used to. The jury is still out, but the real test may lie in the first walk I take on a really cold day.

And now it's time to get back to this!

I've just finished a couple of books, What a Fun Age and Red Lotus. They were just average for me (you can click on them in the right-hand sidebar for my thoughts.) Fever is up next and I hope many of you will be joining us. Carole's first promotional post is here if you'd like some background and compelling reasons to Read With Us. I'll be posting next Tuesday and Kym the following Tuesday before we begin discussing the book on February 4th. 

What are you making and reading this week?

Through the Years

I saved my amaryllis bulbs from last year, but haven't started any of them this year. I may do that this weekend when I'm once again in NJ, but for now, I'm taking a look back at some of the stellar floral displays from years past.

There were too many outstanding ones for me to choose between them, so you get a bunch. I've got four or five bulbs resting in my root cellar, but of course, I didn't label them, so they'll be a surprise. Now I'm anxious to get home and start them all!

Sometimes Monday ...

... is a day for beautifully wrought words of optimism from Dante. 

Milky Way at Tenerife (photo by Carl Jones on Flickr, Creative Commons license)

I hope you see some stars this week.

My Year in Books 2019

It doesn't feel right to start my 2020 reading without reviewing my 2019 year in books. Overall, it was a pretty good one. Goodreads tells me that I read 77 books, but that number doesn't mean anything significant to me. In previous years I didn't set a challenge number, but I missed keeping track of how much I was reading. My goals for reading are to gain enjoyment and understanding, but those aren't reflected very well in the number of books I've read (or even how many stars I've awarded.) So now I choose a random number and get to see this random compliment from Goodreads:

I read 55 works of fiction and 22 non-fiction. Some of my more memorable books include (in no particular order):

 The Dutch House

 Maybe You Should Talk To Someone

 Nothing To See Here

 Olive, Again

The Children Act

A Place in the Woods

The Great Believers

What were your favorite books of 2019? What are you looking forward to reading this year? I'd love to hear about them!

And don't forget about Read With Us, our bloggy book club! We read Just Mercy last year and will be starting our second book, Fever, shortly. Stay tuned for the first promotional post from Carole on January 7, followed by Kym and me in subsequent weeks. We'll begin discussing the book on February 4, so I hope you'll get your copy (available from a library near you or only $1.99 for Kindle) and come Read (and discuss) With Us!

Looking Back

I'm Looking Back today, mainly so I can refresh my own memory. Right now I'm remembering some not-so-nice things that happened in 2019, like my pulmonary embolism and Ryan's accident. But surely there were plenty of good things, and you're welcome to come along as I remind myself of all that happened in 2019, the good, bad, and lots of things in between.

January

My mother-in-law passed away peacefully yesterday. This is the amaryllis that I got for her so she could have one that actually bloomed. I'm sorry she won't get a chance to see it, but I'll think of her when the blossoms emerge.

February

Target shooting with my bow is fun, but stump hunting with Justin is even better.

March

Guess where I'm heading? Colorado! I'll be back later (when I'm done eating Thai and Ethiopian food, tacos, and Creole breakfast, going to The Loopy Ewe, and most importantly, visiting with Ryan.)

April

The lawn here in MD is mostly grass and clover, but it's also got thousands of violets. John considers them weeds, but I think they are just beautiful.

May

My sister-in-law has her grandmother's bougainvillea, and I've always been envious. Now I've got one of my own.

June

Casting your line is a perpetual series of opportunities for hope, but fishing is good no matter how the catch is.

July

I did block my John Deere Hitchhiker and happily got ready to take some pictures. I had cleverly (or so I thought) left the tails on so I could tie it to the ivy and get some full-length photos. I took a few, but then it happened ... the yellow tail on the cast-on end broke, right next to the two beginning stitches.

August

There will be more sunflowers!

September

Her excited yelling signaled that the monarch was emerging.

October

I hope you have some glorious fall weather in your neck of the woods and you get to spend some time enjoying it!

November

The third Wollmeise John Deere Hitchhiker also reached the finish line. I think it might be my favorite, or it will be when it's dry and I can wear it.

December

We had sleet and freezing rain at the beginning. It was a bit treacherous but we were left with beautiful blue skies and sparkling ice on everything once it cleared.

It was a pretty good year, and now I'm looking ahead to a wonderful 2020 (for all of us)!

Begin As You Mean to Go On

My Grandmother used to say "begin as you mean to go on", and I always think of her and this saying as each New Year begins. When I was a young child, I took it very literally -- that at the stroke of midnight I should actually be doing the things I wanted to continue doing. Decades later, I think of it more figuratively. I do happen to be knitting at midnight, and while I hope that there will be plenty of knitting in 2020, I also hope that peace, happiness, health, and contentment figure largely. 

And maybe 2020 will be the year I don't have to pretend.