Wednesday, June 29, 2016

summer heat








The dogs are caked in mud after they wallow in orchard puddles, their tongues hanging out, breath panting fast.  Regardless of how much I water, the pea vines begin to wilt; the spinach, tired of constant pruning bolts overnight and I lay them to rest.  Tomatoes burst upward and put out dozens of flower promises, independently reseeded from last year and transplanted to sections of the garden I don't mind them overrunning. The girls miss the simple routine of school mornings but the lack of structure and this week's free time is good for the imagination.
The sun fades evenings in the cantaloupe sky but I retreat to the air conditioned house with my knitting and my book in quiet moments just trying to sit still for a few moments before the demands of summer come calling again. 

Starshower on the needles and a finished pair of sweet Wee Pea! socks for a friend.  Being me, I accidentally knit the entire second sock a size too big but really, the tiny little socks come off the needles so fast it was no big thing.  This pattern is really great, written by my friend Lisa who lives a few hours away from here in one of the most lovely little towns I've ever seen, quite near Mt. St. Helens.  I test knit these for her and am now on my third pair, beginning to glimpse why people like knitting socks.  Every time I turn this itty bitty heel I look up and around for someone nearby with whom I can celebrate how amazing this magic is.  Unfortunately, there never seems to be anyone nearby that can appreciate the magic of it.  

The library due date for The Boys in the Boat is rapidly approaching so my main reading focus has been in that direction. The story of the University of Washington crew team that won the 1936 Berlin Olympics, it is full of descriptions of what makes a good rowing team, what makes a good boat.  There are many parallels to what makes a good ministry team and reminds me of the staff of Sacred Road here where we are so diverse with so many different strengths and weaknesses and yet we strive to row in sync together with the One who leads and calls us. 
I am also reading For the Children's Sake and listening to Wuthering Heights (audible! yes!) as well as The Count of Monte Cristo with the CraftLit podcast.

I am joining with Ginny's yarn along.  Hop over to her blog to see sweet pictures of her newest little one!  Congratulations Ginny!

8 comments:

  1. Love Starshower. I say abandon the peas and replace with Brussels sprout seeds. Unsolicited advice, I know.

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    1. I tried Brussels last year but they were so much work to keep pest free! We didn't get any kind of harvest because they were completely overrun by cabbage white caterpillars!! I was so disappointed! Any tips are welcome!

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  2. Often when I read what you are working on and reading, I wish that we were neighbors. I'm not in a blogging stage of life right now but I'll look forward to reading your thoughts about the For the Children's Sake book.

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    1. Wouldn't that be so fun to be neighbors? It was fun to sit with you at the convention last week. I have read For the Children's Sake at least twice before and it's as good the third time as the first. Maybe better! I jot down favorite quotes in my little journal this time but fine myself wanting to write pretty much everything! Ha!

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  3. Oh, the cowl is turning into a real beauty... Love the autumn shades! "The Count of Monte Cristo" - so many memories! It used to be one of my favorite books as a teenager!

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  4. I adore your project on the needles!! that yarn is my kind of colorway :) I have done silly knitting things like knit the wrong size, make two left gloves in its entirety....honestly I wonder where my brain is sometimes.

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  5. That paragraph about your garden is beautifully written. You really capture all the emotions of summer gardening! Also, those tiny little socks are darling!!

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  6. Starshower is looking glorious, and how cute are those tiny socks?!!

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