Inspired by Carolyn’s blog, Tumbleweeds and Thyme,
The Last(?) Riot of Color
Category: Pictures
Summer’s Last Glory
Tonight they are predicting our first frost of the season, so this may prove to be the natural end of what will be remembered as one of the most memorable summers of my life. So I thought I would share with you some of the final glories of summer before they fade or freeze.
And an astronomer said, “Master, what of Time?”
And he answered:
You would measure time the measureless and the immeasurable.
You would adjust your conduct and even direct the course of your spirit according to hours and seasons.
Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch its flowing.
Yet the timeless in you is aware of life’s timelessness,
And knows that yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.
And that that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.
Who among you does not feel that his power to love is boundless?
And yet who does not feel that very love, though boundless, encompassed within the centre of his being, and moving not form love thought to love thought, nor from love deeds to other love deeds?
And is not time even as love is, undivided and paceless?
But if in you thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season encircle all the other seasons,
And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing.
The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran
These are flowers that whisper of fall’s fast approach.
I don’t know what this sweet little buttery yellow flower is, but it’s marvelous in its simple beauty.
How you could not adore this pink zinnia, that gets deeper and deeper towards the center?
I fell in love with calla lillies when I was in Guatemala – they grew wild on the sides of the mountain roads. I decided I wanted to grow some myself.
They are so simple, but I do love coleus and the color it brings to the yard.
This is a magnificent burgundy coleus – the picture doesn’t do it justice.
This lime green and yellow variety we tried this year is luscious, isn’t it?
Sometime later tonight we will pick all the zinnias and tomatoes – and begin the inevitable turn inward that comes with fall.
Norwegian Mittens
No, no, no. I did not create these delightful, delectable, delicious, degorgeous mittens. They were knit for Harald and me by Berit & Turid, two longtime family friends from Norway who were recently here for a visit – wonderful women I am already anxious to see again. But for those of you who hadn’t yet seen these (or couldn’t, because you are too ding-dang far away), I wanted to share the photos. The pattern and workmanship are exquisite and they were a surprising and much-appreciated gift.
This pair with the deer on them are, I think, going to be Harald’s.
This pair with the traditional snowflake pattern are going to be for me – I hope.
Then again, we always swap them whenever we want!
My first pair of socks
It seems only fitting to give those who are interested a peek into my recent knitting obsession. This is the first pair of socks I am making, a result of careful teaching from a friend in St. Paul who makes oodles of socks.
Here is sock 1. I’ve done the ribbing, body, heel flap, and I’ve turned the heel. I’ve yet to do the gusset and rest of the sock. That’s why it looks unfinished. As soon as I get sock 2 to the same place, my friend is coming over for my next sock lesson.
And here is sock 2. Having been adequately warned about the dangers of “second sock syndrome” – where you finish the first sock and not having started the second sock, never do – and so I’ve cast on for this sock as well and am getting the ribbing done. Kind of putzy, but it’s a nice change to work at slower pace and on a smaller scale.
You know, I’ve always been so impressed when I see someone working on some knitting that has four or five needles all going at the same time. It always looked so awesome and so intimidating. So it gives me no small thrill to be able to see those same needles in my own hands at night. What can I say – I thrill easily over certain things – yarn being among them.
I’ll post pictures of my Einstein Coat once it looks like something other than a very long and very wide scarf. I’m almost ready to begin the front panels.
How I Spent My Weekend
We went up to Lutsen on the North Shore for a long holiday weekend. I did exactly what I said I would do – spent a lot of time just sitting and looking out at the lake and knitting. I got my first sock done to the point where I am ready to start on the heel, so my friend who is teaching me to make socks is coming over on Saturday to show me how the rest of it goes. I added a couple of feet in length to my purple scarf and worked quite a bit into the Einstein Coat I am making for myself.
But we also made some jelly. Despite my protests that I wasn’t going to make as much jelly this year because I didn’t want to work that hard, that’s exactly what we did. Here are the pictures to prove it. You can click on “view as slideshow” to have them play through for you. I must say, the end result was worth all the effort. The jelly turned out so good, I may enter it in next year’s fair. I have to look up the rules.
We also saw a black bear (H’s parents and sisters also saw a momma bear and two little cubs the night before), as well as partridge, a terribly handsome bird, and the usual deer. And I learned how to make prune-tapioca pudding from H’s Aunt Joan. I’ve been wanting to learn how to make that for almost two years now and I finally think I can do it after she graciously showed me how she does it. I love the stuff. I know it sounds maybe weird or unappetizing to some, but it’s delicious. And Joan made blueberry pancakes and invited us for breakfast on Monday morning. The pancakes were delicious and while I was there, I browsed her cookbook collection and found two “must have” cookbooks from The Farm Journal. I found them on-line last night from used booksellers and they are already on their way to me! We’ve got some good country farm cooking coming our way soon! And just in time for the cooler weather, too. Perfect!
It’s about time …
It seems like it has taken forever, but we finally have ripe tomatoes to pick from the garden. We’ve had peppers for a while now, but despite the fact that we have many tomatoes, they simply wouldn’t rippen. Here we have some of the fruits of our labors. Front left is a Cherokee Purple variety that we love for it’s flavor. Front right is an heirloom Hungarian Heart tomato which is new for us this year. We haven’t tasted it yet (tonight for dinner!), so I can’t tell you about it yet. The gorgeous orange/red stripped tomatoes behind and to the left of the Cherokee Purple are an heirloom Italian plum variety called Speckled Roman, a cross between something called an antique Roman and another variety called Banana Legs. We’re gonna eat those tonight too. You can also see some red serano chiles (my serano plant is doing fabulously this year) along with some yellow hot peppers and some sweet bell peppers. What you see in the back of the photo is the evidence of yet another trip to the roadside stand with the Michigan peaches. What can I say?
Oh, and we did buy some really good, freshly dug, russet baking potatoes that had just come from the farm. You can always tell a really fresh potato because they are hard as rocks and very heavy. Wrapped in foil, two of them are tucked in for a long bake in the oven even as I type this. I adore baked potatoes for dinner and tonight will be a treat for both of us.
FrayedEdges – The Women in my life
These are “the women in my life” – members of my small guild, Frayed Edges. I have such a good time with them when we go on our annual quilt retreat to Gibbon. Alas, this may be our last year as Gallagher’s Retreat Center is up for sale. I just got home from this year’s event and I had a wonderful time. I love these women and I love being around them. And the quilt retreat is such a special event. Only two days for me, mid-day Friday to Sunday, but no phone, no televisions, no radios, no computers, no responsibilities. Two days of completely self-indulgent sewing (and in my case, some knitting too!).
On Friday night, we drove to Bird Island to a little shop called Gathering Friends, that really has a fantastic selection of fabrics. And they sell yarn too! I saw this Plymouth Yarn Outback Wool in a purple variegation and I had to have it. I started in on a scarf for myself and this is as far as I got before leaving today. But doesn’t it work up beautifully?
I did finish making the top to a baby quilt from a pattern I bought at Gathering Friends last summer. It was quick and easy and just the kind of thing I wanted to work. Nothing too complicated or challenging at the moment, thank-you-very-much.
My friend, Joan, is making this Karen Stone pattern and these are the blocks that she got done this weekend. It’s going to be a stunning quilt when it gets done!
Peaches, Glorious Peaches!
Here is what was left after we got done eating and freezing peaches last night.
Now being the good southern boy I am, you must know that I love a truly good peach more than just about anything else in the world. Alas, there is a dearth of such fruit to be found in Minnesota. It’s one of the few unfortunate things about living here. Normally, I find some relief in good Colorado peaches that I get at the local farmer’s market. But even those have been a disappoinment so far this year. So it was no small joy when Harald called me from his cell phone yesterday to tell me he saw a roadside stand with a sign advertising a truckload of Michigan tree-ripe peaches. With some skepticism, I told him we would drive out there after work to check it out. After arriving, I told the saleslady I didn’t want any mealy peaches with no flavor and she laughed and said “I wouldn’t do that to you!” as she reached in the box and grabbed a peach and sliced off a generous portion. There is no better sales tactic than getting customers to try the merchandise first, especially when it comes to food.
We bought a case and when we got home promptly ate more good peaches than I’ve had over the entire last decade. I decided that freezing some of the peaches would be a good idea, since in the dead of winter we can pull out some delicious fruit when no decent peach is to be found. These weren’t as large as those splendid South Carolina peaches I remember from my childhood, but they were the perfect marriage of tart and sweet and they were perfectly ripe all the way to the core. I thought you would enjoy seeing these splendid specimens, Red Haven peaches, from Eau Claire, Michigan.
Our prepped peaches ready for the freezer.
Graduation Pictures
Just a few grad pics to share with those who couldn’t be there.
Me walking down the aisle to get my degree!
You can’t really tell it’s me, but that is me walking across the stage after shaking Pres. Pribenow’s hand.
Ham Lake Forest Fire on the Gunflint Trail
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we travelled to the North Shore. On Saturday, we drove up the Gunflint Trail to see the result of the Ham Lake wildfire that burned over 75,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada. Here are some pictures from our day trip.
This is the placid scene you expect to see when you encounter the north woods along the Gunflint Trail.
But turn 90 degrees counter-clockwise and you begin to see what happened.
Walk into the trail less than 50 feet, and the damage is even more stunning.
Nature, however, is already beginning her recovery, with the Bluebeard Lilies breaking ground already, one of several green plants showing themselves.
A beautiful forest waterfall we saw on the road home. Many people were stopping to take pictures. I think we all appreciated it’s beauty even more given the destruction that lay around it.
