The Top of July

Here at the top of July, I know that by the end of it, I will be back in school. These next few weeks will be precious. The natural rhythms that ease me through my day will be gone, and I will be back in that relentless maelstrom of school.

But for now, I live like the poet. Able to watch the progress of a bee or a lizard in the morning as I eat my toast and honey.  While watching one pileated woodpecker feed another, I think that like me, this mother's offspring looks grown, but although he is as tall as she is, and flies from tree to tree and sometimes pecks for food, she is still there beside him, much like the relationship now between me and my younger son.

The garden continues to delight us. One of the hydrangeas grew so heavy with blossoms I had to cut them and bring some in. And the lilies surprise us each day with new colors and variety.

I plant sunflower seeds often, but have never had any success until this year.  I am crazily thrilled about my one happy bloom!

Also, this year, I planted a much, much bigger bed of annuals than I have ever done in my life.  The window boxes and pots and edge planters near the house were no problem--but this mega-annual bed made me nervous.

I started with primarily vinca--although you wouldn't know it know because it mostly wilted out and must have been infected because I had my eye on beds of it all over town doing the same.  I had no idea the zinnias would be so exuberant and take over, nor that I'd have celosia (I call it "flame plant") that reseeded and came up of it's own accord.  So, it's all a bit more mish-mash than I had planned, but I am pleased and neighbors have complimented it (although I think they think it was the previous owner's doing--which in itself is a kind of compliment). Next year I won't be nearly as afraid and I have a plan in mind.

I also finished knitting my socks, and really want to start on another pair.  The Winwick Mum pattern uses a larger needle for the ribbing.  I like to use a smaller needle for ribbing usually, so I thought I'd give that a go here. But, as it goes sometimes with knitting, I didn't have the exact needles to do the ribbing in a smaller needle so, I just did the whole sock in one size needle to see what would happen.  I don't think the end result is half bad.  Meantime though, before I start up another pair, I am going to have to order some needles.  I did these and the previous socks on small circulars, which I really like once I get going, but which do seem to stretch the yarn in a way at the start.  So, I think when I get new needles I'll get some to make socks using magic loop.

However, before I start more socks, I have this sweater I need to make.  I mean really, I've had the yarn for years and started and then realized I needed to adjust the size.  It's another one of those things I'm a little afraid of, but I need to do.  I don't want to have this project sitting around again next summer. So, I've begun and will put up pictures that make sense as soon as I can (right now it would all look like twisted up mess because it's a lace panel thing).

Today is the 4th of July and we ate one of my favorite salads--caprese--tomato, mozzarella, and basil (with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper). 

4th of July. The country these days has me riding waves of despair, but I try to do my part by loving people and listening and helping young people feel empowered so that they do not succumb to the hatred of the noisy ignorant morass, nor become a part of it themselves. I have to frequently remind myself that big changes take time.