Stretching

Now that summer is showing its glowing face around here, I am stretched like a cat soaking in the warm rays. Stretching time, stretching limbs, stretching my mind. I feel it in every fiber.

I finished my granddaughter's raspberry sweater a few weeks ago and have started an orange (by emphatic request) cardigan for my grandson. He absolutely loves orange. It is an easy pattern - perfect for my infrequent sitting spells. I'll look thru my books tonight to find a nice stitch to do across the chest to relieve all that stockinette-plainness.

I helped pick out a screen door for my studio for my birthday last week so have been priming and painting trim so we can install it. All windows have screens to keep the bugs away - now the door will be protected to keep them from feasting on me while I paint. I am so excited! Simple pleasures...

So, now that the sun shines and the boat needs scrubbed and plants fertilized and brush cleared and and and...I am stretching time as well as my limbs.

While the want-to-do-list grows, I was reminded this morning about the pleasure of being still. When I left for work, I glanced towards the beach and a heron was standing sedately near the dock. Never in a hurry, herons always prompt me to skid to a stop and drink in the wonders around me. Here. Now.

Sometimes I need the reminder that I don't have to do everything - often considerable pleasure is derived from just moving slowly thru the water.

Pick Up Sticks

Just put the fringe on a thick seed stitch scarf a few days ago and started on a luscious raspberry Berroco Comfort raglan sweater for my granddaughter. Apparently she has found her baby sweater and is wearing it again. She's five.

I love knitting raglan sweaters. They work up so neatly and have only two underarm seams to sew. Gotta love that! The one I am doing now is in Debbie Macomber's Twenty Wishes pattern book. Found a great pattern for a zip cardigan for her brother in my stash (since I want to have one for each of them). Knobby denim colored yarn. This will test my zipper sewing abilities again - or not. Maybe he would never zip it up at all and can just run around with sweater tails flapping in the breeze. I'll give him pockets instead - boys need pockets.

I am debating on either picking up sticks in the yard or heading up to the seashore this weekend. It is supposed to be in the high 70's - bliss.

The sticks will still be there on Monday and it is staying light later in the evening. I am sure it is better as an after-work chore. Maybe I'll do some tonight.