summertime around here...

This has been a delightfully full spring and summer. The long days have been filled with fresh air, the hot sun, and blue skies. It's my favorite season. Bible study with my honey and our coffee on the back deck in the early morning. Dining al fresco. Gardening. Watching the kiddos swim while I sneak in a few rows of knitting. Picking up a more consistent workout schedule (because it's so much nicer to walk outside than inside on the treadmill.) The smell of the wildflowers. The berry bushes teeming with fruit. Love.

I've been on the search for a crochet or knit pattern to use with my new alpaca/silk yarn that I picked up in New York just recently. I'm finding it difficult to find just the perfect project. It's only a hank of about 250 yards, so it has to be a small project. I think a cowl or a scarf is what I'm more leaning towards. So if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them! Or even a link to a pattern you've used and liked. I can crochet pretty much anything, but knitting is still a work in progress. I'm practicing and trying new skills and stitches, but it's been slow-going since it is summer (not the most conducive season to knitting.)

Despite the fact that it's June (but, oh, I already think that the summer is flying by too fast), I've been working on a few handmade gifts that I will be giving to Lily this Christmas. I think that most of her gifts will be handmade. And the only reason I even bring up the wintery, blistery season is because I've learned the importance of starting handmade gifts early (and I've learned the very most stressful way.) I've been working on a granny afghan for her for almost a year now that I absolutely must finish by Christmas. I also purchased a Miss Maggie kit to make her as well. And I also have plans to crochet her another sweater since she gets so much use out of the ones I've already made her. I will admit, though, that it's much more difficult to plan handmade gifts for the boys. However, both have expressed interest in having their own "manly" crocheted blankets, so if I can get my act together, they will each have one under the tree this year. Perhaps maybe something like this, this, or this?

On the gardening front, my garden beds are overflowing with lettuces and herbs. I toted some of the abundance along to the kids' Spanish class yesterday to sell a bit of the overflow. That was a blessing to me. I'm so appreciative of the other moms who support my homesteading endeavors. And it's also why I try to buy local and handmade from others as much as possible. It's great to be able to put the dollar bills into a person's pocket rather than a corporation's pocket.

I think my garlic is about ready to dig up. This is my first year to grow garlic. I planted it last fall, and from what I've read it should be ready by the end of this month or beginning of July. I plan on digging up one of the bulbs and checking it first to make sure. I'm a little nervous about it, but as with most of my gardening experiences, I learn through the whole process and by just jumping in and going with it.  

Storms and rain are on the radar for today. It stormed last evening and through the night, but so far has been rainless for most of the morning, although we did enjoy a nice light rainfall while doing our devotions on the deck this morning. Laundry and some cleaning are on my to-do list for today. And perhaps some reading as I just started a new book, and I'm finding it hard to stay away from it. (This is why I rarely read fiction ~ I tend to get sucked in and neglect other duties.)

Have a most blessed summer day!