Hey there! It’s been awhile since I’ve asked, so hayadoin?
There’s a lot of awful happening globally and locally, and working through what new awfulness each day brings means that I have been trying to focus on something hopeful to counter *gestures widely*.
It’s just about to go Full Pollen here, where the green paint on my porch becomes covered with yellow, and the cars look dusty.
We also have Bradford pear trees, a Very Cursed Species of tree, and they look pretty for about a week while smelling terrible. It’s entirely true and entirely hilarious to me that this is part of the Wiki entry for the species:
It is most commonly known for its cultivar ‘Bradford’ and its offensive odor, widely planted throughout the United States and increasingly regarded as an invasive species.
“It is most commonly known for…its offensive odor.” Truer Wiki was never pediaed.
They do indeed smell awful, and I don’t like them a lot, except when strong winds blow all the white petals off the trees and it looks like it’s snowing. I do enjoy that part! And I love the daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips popping up everywhere. My neighbor’s front yard is almost entirely daffodils and soon that will be replaced by lily of the valley. It’s lovely.
I think because this winter was so mild, spring feels almost disorienting! And I know for all of you south of the equator it’s nearly fall.
Got plans? I’ve started a new quilt in a pattern I’ve sewn before called “Milky Way” Sawooth Star – the instructions are no longer online but someone shared them in a Reddit thread. The last one I made was in black and orange for Halloween, so this one is blue, green, and cream colored fabrics, very springtime.
I also want to try sewing a quilted tote bag. Do I carry tote bags? Hardly ever. I like to have everything in my pockets if possible. But do I really, really want to sew a quilted tote bag? Yes. Yes, I do. Brains are so weird, though I suppose tote bags are always useful. And my Libby audiobook hold list is substantial that I’ll have lots to listen to while I putter. Reading text still proves challenging for me, so I’m deeply thankful for audiobooks and the folks that put them together.
What about you? Got plans this coming season? Crafting schemes for new crafts or making travel adventures or anything? I’d love to hear about it. How are you looking after yourself? What are you looking forward to with the change of season?
Brains *are* weird. I like to look at quilt patterns and quilting fabrics even though I don’t sew. I hate it before anyone thinks ‘you should try it! There’s something very soothing about all the patterns of fabric and watching them combine.
I’m in Ohio visiting my husband’s family and keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll have good weather for the eclipse totality. Always dicey in Northeast Ohio, but I do genuinely enjoy visiting my in-laws, so it’s all good even if the eclipse is a wash. There’s always August 2026 is northern Spain (she says even though her passport expired a long time ago and she hasn’t bothered to renew it.)
I’m also trying to study for my Biology test which covers cell division and genetics in detail. I find it tricky. I wish I had half the science brain other members of my family have. Both my parents are nurses and my dad knows/teaches a lot of science through his ham radio classes. My husband and both kids? Love science. Me? I respect science. Science is real. But give me a linguistics, history, foreign language,or an English class any day.
My reading is not going great lately, but I should have something to talk about for the next Whatcha Reading, always one of the highlights of my month!
Best wishes for the weekend for everyone. Happy Reading and good luck if you’re eclipse watching!
I’m a grandma! Nothing gives me more pleasure these days than seeing my son, who had more than his share of difficulties, so happily settled with his wife and new daughter.
My mother used to knit those checkerboard slippers by the dozen and give them away to everyone. My son is very nostalgic about them, so I am very happy that I found the pattern a little while back.
There is so much drama going on at my work right now that I am exhausted when I get home. Most of my reading and watching is for comfort like baking shows and period dramas.
We are quite close to the path of totality for the eclipse, but I think I’ll just watch the coverage.
Doing ALL the daily word games (Wordle, Quordle, Quordle Sequence, Octordle, Sequence, Rescue, Blossom, Spelling Bee, and Connections) & sharing results with like-minded friends; watching baseball games on tv (now the season has started) & planning a trip to Atlanta this summer to see the Braves play; binge-watching “Scott & Bailey” (British police procedural with a decidedly female perspective) on BritBox; and trying very very hard to avoid doom-scrolling—easier said than done!
@SB Sarah – we had two Bradford Pear trees across the street from our house growing up. I always thought they smelled like shrimp when they bloomed. Definitely not pleasant. Such a visceral memory!!!
I’m over here in the Midwest trying to gather up the energy to start cleaning out my garden beds. It’s been a very wacky weather winter for us (70s in Feb, snow in April). So I’m feeling a little sheepish about going outside.
Since my new godgranddaughter has decided she’s settled in for the long hall, I’ve had to cancel my meet the baby/eclipse viewing trip to Ohio. I did point out that me crossing the Ohio border was sure to bring on labor, but no. Sigh. That leaves me with spring cleaning and taxes. Boring. I am taking myself to Indianapolis Monday for totality, though.
My sewing machine is newly back from its spa week so I’ll get back to the half finished jumper that’s been languishing on the UFO pile for months. I don’t know why I’m finding this project so intimidating. It’s a JUMPER for crying out loud! Sure I haven’t done any fashion sewing in 20 odd years and yes it has a zipper, but I used to bang things like this out in an afternoon. I’m hoping this will kickstart me back into making clothes since I have more fashion fabric than the law should allow.
Speaking of which, I’ll be going through the sewing room as my guild is getting ready for the return of the annual garage sale. One of the members hosts it during her community sale. I’ve already got a giant IKEA bag and a grocery tote and I haven’t even touched the closet yet.
So cleaning,taxes and sorting. That’s my plan.
We don’t have double glazing, central air or any of that in South Africa but the flat that I currently live in acts as a greenhouse in winter. I’ll spend many of those cold, rainy days in a sundress working from home and I can’t wait. It’s the little things that bring me joy.
I’m undergoing ketamine treatment for PTSD/MDD, and although I’ve turned out to be in the group of patients who need more ketamine upfront and will recover more slowly, apparently all that matters is that it does work for me, and in a weird way I’m glad for being in the slower group, because I’ve never not been depressed so the transition will be overwhelming. It is incredible that this treatment exists, and I am so grateful that it’s available to me and that my doctors have been so supportive, especially after decades of everyone trying to pressure me into taking antidepressants when I’d concluded after research that that option wasn’t right for me. I’ve never had support like this before, and it changes everything.
Also, independently of its mental health benefits, the ketamine experience is Really Pretty Great.
@star: I’m so happy for you that you’re receiving such supportive care, and I hope the treatment is enormously effective. Sending all the warmest vibes.
@Lara: I LOVE being the right level of comfortable in my house. In one room in our house that faces west, in the afternoon you could put on a swimsuit.
@DonnaMarie: Funny you should mention sewing machine trips to the spa, as mine has been getting stuck on seams of more than 2 pieces of fabric and I wonder if it’s time for it to receive a nice massage. I love sewing guild garage sales SO MUCH.
@SaraGale: YES. SHRIMP. It’s SO gross. Like, every spring without fail I’ll be coming down the hill on my street and the wind will blow and I’ll wonder if a neighbor left the trash out too long or a raccoon got into someone’s garbage. Oh, no, it’s just the trees. Again.
@D3: I have not seen Scott & Bailey – thank you for the rec!
@Francesca: Oh, mazel tov on the grandbaby! Do you mean slippers like these? I’ve never seen that before but they look very warm (and good for sliding across the floor!).
@Jill Q: I watch quilting videos on youTube all the time watching the colors and patterns come together. There’s one channel, Jordan Fabrics, where I swear the sound of the rotary cutter takes about 12% off the tension in my neck. SO soothing! Good luck on your test!
I’m just back from a trip to Kiawah Island, (A friend lent us his summer place for a week!) so I’ve renewed my connection with the part of me that would like to retire to a small beach town and watch sunrises and sunsets and knit and read.
My mind is mostly on my garden just now. I bought two Korean spice viburnum bushes for the front yard–lovely, fragrant, and my black walnut trees won’t kill them–and my desk is full of post it notes with plans for more flowers soon. The vegetable garden has done so poorly the last few years, that I’m trying it out as a spot for mass planting indestructible daylilies this year. The roses are showing some signs of life, and the lavender I planted on a whim last year seems to have done beautifully, so I’ll be planting more.
How much lavender is too much lavender, do you suppose?
Here in the Canadian Maritimes, we are in the path of totality. Today is cold, overcast, with rain mixed with snow; however, the forecast for Monday is sunny and clear with a high of 15 C (about 60 F). I hope that that amazing Monday forecast is correct!
The schools here will be letting out early and many people are taking the day off. My town has eclipse-themed events scheduled all this weekend and Monday. I’m getting together with friends for our own little viewing party on Monday.
And since my calendar says spring, although the weather is all over the place, I need to start spring cleaning. First on my list is my office, which is a disaster zone. Then, if the warm weather holds and the last bit of snow melts, it will be time to tackle the yard.
@SBSarah, those Bradford pears are the worst for the ecosystem! If they are on your property and you want to replace them, native Hawthorn trees(Winter King is a good variety), serviceberry(aka shadbush), redbud or native dogwoods are all good substitutes. They all have lovely blossoms in the spring, and except for the redbud, berries later on, which the birds love.
I’m planning a trip to Spain, southern France and Italy with one of my best friends this fall! Very exciting.
Over the past year, I have been having fun making bookmarks from old library date due cards.
Some examples (since I’m rather proud of these) ~
https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/729479-september-craft-thread/?do=findComment&comment=9482702
https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/732015-december-craft-sewing-knitting-everything-creative-thread/?do=findComment&comment=9526606
https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/732510-january-2024-sewing-craft-knitting-everything-creative-thread/?do=findComment&comment=9543026
Thank you for asking, Sarah. Sending finished good wishes to all.
Oops…Sending good wishes to all!
Hope you are doing well, Sarah! I’m coming up on the end of my second big deadline project and hope to have it finished this week. With luck I’ll have some time before the next one hits to do some work on my Etsy shop, which has been sadly neglected! I too was hoping to put in my deck garden this weekend but with the predicted storms coming up all next week I wouldn’t have time to get everything potted, so I’ll have to put that off. Hoping to get more hiking in this summer too; last year the weather made it impossible for most of the summer, and I really need to get out of the house! Hope you all have a lovely summer too.
Just returned from an afternoon with book club members to talk about travel gadgets ahead of our Prague trip in September. I won the lottery when I found this group and I cherish every minute. Let’s see how we do when we’re all exhausted from jet lag.
Thank you for checking in with us, SB Sarah. And Star, my husband has signed up for a trial through UC Davis. I’m so glad to hear this is helping you and that you have a caring support team.
I was secretly happy when the Bradford pear at the house cater-corner behind us fell and had to be fully taken down. Hated that thing.
I’ve recently returned from my middle’s over the top wedding in Mexico. Unfortunately, and despite drinking filtered and bottle water, Montezuma took revenge.
I’m out on the west coast of Canada, where we already had summer-like beastly hot weather a couple weeks ago, but now it’s more like spring – up, down, and all around. Allergy season has me with weepy eyes and gunk at the back of the throat, so I’m more of an indoor-kitty than anything else these days. Let the world swirl around me, I’m just as happy staying home with all my crafts – vintage paper collaging, card-making, learning to watercolour, and the list goes on. Besides my reading time and enjoying good coffee. If I learned anything about the pandemic, it’s that I’m more happy in my wee hobbit home, with all my varied interests. I worked hard for all of it, and why shouldn’t I enjoy it?! Happy weekend, all.
We’re nearly at the end of Ramadan and Eid is Wednesday, so that’s a bright spot. There really has been a pall on the whole of Ramadan this year because we’re all just constantly thinking about our brothers and sisters in Palestine. It’s been quite different from all the Ramadans I’ve experienced before. I’ve been taking some online classes to try and give myself something more positive to think about, but I just can’t focus enough to read anything assigned or do the assignments.
My allergies are year round, so each seasonal change just brings a fresh intensity as my immune system tries to fight off the newest airborne allergen.
Reading is sporadic at best. I guess I don’t really have anything that positive to share. :/
We’re just coming out of pollen season in North Florida, and it was heavy this year. I love seeing all the trees and bushes in bloom, but my poor hubby has a hard time with it.
Today I’m switching out my winter stuff for springtime/summer, getting ready for the heat and humidity. I’m going to miss the weather we’re having now.
@HeatherS, Eid Mubarak!
@HeatherS: Eid Mubarak! I’m sending many hugs and also dates (the eating kind).
Thanks for asking how we are taking care of ourselves. It’s so important! This has been kind of a bummer winter with various family health issues, on top of all the sad things happening in the world. I resolved to try to make some effort to take better care of myself in April. I think I had been not scheduling much, thinking I would rest, but instead I was stewing and wallowing and getting worse.
This past weekend, we went to a sketchy flea market in a neighboring town. At one point, my partner bonked his head on a low-hanging metal bar and the nearby vendor said, “Watch yourself! There’s no insurance here!” LOL Next weekend we’re planning an outing to the WRAL azalea garden, which should be in bloom and is amazing. I have vowed to walk around enjoying it and not taking pictures the whole time. Also, chocolate cake. And strawberries will be here soon!
@Kareni, I love the bokmarks, especially the bird ones.
Heading into autumn (fall) here in New Zealand – all the deciduous trees coming out in bright colours. Went on an outing with my husband over the weekend around Queenstown and got some great photos of the trees in full colour. We’ve also been harvesting all the produce from our garden: pumpkins, apples, tomatoes, etc. I’m toying with the idea of making cider… when I’m not working on my day job (copyeditor for scientists) or my indie fantasy novels.
@SB Sarah: Thank you! Also, if y’all want to try an incredibly delicious variety of date, look for Ajwa dates at your local halal market. I’d only ever had the Medjool kind before last year, but Ajwa dates have a fantastic texture and flavor. I know Ramadan is almost over, but I’m going back to the market to get another box of them because I’ve eaten two boxes this month.
@Karin, thank you for the kind words! I’ve made more bird bookmarks than any other; birds so often seem chipper.
I recently finished a quilt! Here it is without cat and with cat.
@catscatscats that is STUNNING. I love the richness of the colors! Wow!
Had to share this:
“I feel like so many of us, no matter our jobs, have spent years grinding ourselves to a fine dust and then being upset that a pile of dust isn’t capable of doing the same work as our whole, unground selves. If you’re feeling similarly, I hope you’ll try to be kind to yourself, too.”
from Alyssa Cole’s newsletter (back after a 3 year hiatus)
@catscatscats: what a lovely quilt!
@kareni–wow, at your creativity!! I love all your bookmarks!! Wish I could make a few of them too!! they look amazing.
@catscatscats–the depth and vibrancy of colors–it is simply gorgeous. what a beautiful labor of love!
@Juhi: Thank you for the kind words!