GSQDay

Granny Square Day is celebrated each year on the 15th of August.and is hosted by Simply Crochet Magazine on Instagram.   

Last year my craft group decided to make shrugs for the day ... 

and this year we decided on mitered vests (though Johra chose to get extra creative and make a tote bag which turned out absolutely gorgeous).

We met for breakfast and braved 45 C heat (113 F) to take photos.

Also finished off a small granny square blanket in the afternoon by adding a simple sc border.

We had a few days stretch of dry heat but the humidity came back in full force last night.  Ugh!

Have a good weekend.

Trying Not to Melt Away

 Condensation clings to windows.

Clouds contain moisture and the air is heavy.

I walked the first several nights of August when it was windy, dusty and hot.  But the one evening I walked in high humidity was miserable and I haven't gone out since.

So when I proclaim that I will walk (and blog) every day no matter what, just roll your eyes and say "yeh, sure".  HA!

Saturday was my craft morning meet-up.  During the summer, there's only a few of us in attendance since some are traveling and others perhaps are just hiding out at home.  The heat and humidity is quite unpleasant right now.

Mostly I am reading and crocheting.

I am still going through my books deciding what to keep and what to pass along, and since this month is Black August, an annual commemoration honoring the lives and struggles of Black revolutionaries and activists, reflecting on the contributions and sacrifices made by those who fought for racial injustice and liberation, I decided to read books by Black authors.

I bought both of these James Baldwin books a few years ago and just reread The Fire Next Time, but don't think I ever finished the second one so have started it again.  I plan to keep both of these.

I also read three of Toni Morrison's books that I've had for many years now; can't actually remember if I read them when I first bought them.  Her writing is easy to read though the subject matter is not for everyone.  I will pass them on to Susanna when she is back from the States next month.

That's about it for now.

Hoping for a break in the weather soon.

There are people who prefer humidity over dry heat, but I am not one of those people.

Mending and Finishing

 Last year I mended a pair of jeans (that post is here) that had ripped just at the knees when I was bending over and over again to pick up trash along my local walking path.

Over this past winter, I was trying to make friends with a very scared abandoned house cat, and after bending one too many times over and over again, the left side ripped right below the previous patched part.

I have never been a fan of the holey jeans some people wear.  The other night I saw a video of a girl wearing some that were more torn than actually held together.  I just don't get it -- especially knowing there are major fashion brands making torn jeans and selling them for big bucks when you could literally just go to the thrift store and get some on the cheap and make your own.

Anyways ... all that to say ... today is the I decided to mend them again.  And though I don't like holey jeans, I do like the look of visible mending.  For now I just did a quick fix with a patch underneath and long stitches to seam the rip together.  I am currently wearing them; might add some detailed stitching or embroidery later on.

I also finished the bag I was working on yesterday but it has SOOOOO many mistakes and did not turn out as I had envisioned.  Still, it is done and that's a win in my book.

Rosie insists on being seen and saying hi.  :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Tuesday Tidbits

Her morning routine.

Spent hours working on something that's not quite going according to plan.

Meanwhile ...

Birdwatching can be quite tiring apparently.

I'm tired, too.

Time for bed.

Rosie and Her Chair

One very early morning while it was still dark I stumbled out of bed for the bathroom and noticed something quite big sitting near the front door.  I know that my husband has a tendency to drag things home in the middle of the night so figured I'd investigate at a more reasonable waking hour.

As it turns out, our neighbors across the street had thrown out a perfectly nice, sturdy bamboo bar chair. 

 We used to have a smaller wooden chair in this spot and Rosie was constantly knocking things down trying to jump up to see the birds outside the window.  I had been considering getting a cat tree to put there so she'd have a better view but the bar chair is high enough that she can easily see out and isn't making a mess, so it's definitely a win-win.

Happy new week.

Silent Sunday

 

A Birthday

Today is my mom's birthday.

I have very few pictures from my childhood, but this photo was taken by my Mammaw (my dad's mom) in her front yard in Mississippi when I was about 4 months old.  My dad was in Vietnam then and met me for the first time when I was 9 months old.

My eldest son turned 29 October of last year.

I turned 59 this past February.

And my mom is 79 today.

That means we'll all be stepping into new decades when our next birthdays roll around.

Every day, every year is a gift to be celebrated.

Sending you sunny Saturday salutations.

The Dog Days of Summer

Although I have not so far managed my new year goals of walking and blogging every day in 2025, I am now recommitting to those intentions for what's left of this year -- no matter the current weather or the fact that the world is literally on fire.

As I'm typing this, it is 107 F with a high expected of 112 F.  August often brings high humidity which I do not look forward to at all.  We've already experienced such days in July and it makes for very unpleasant conditions.

My husband had planned to visit a friend in the hospital this morning but sadly he will instead be attending his funeral this evening.  A longtime, heavy smoker, his body was riddled with cancer and his health deteriorated quickly.

May kindness, compassion, grace and mercy guide our days.

And when that isn't enough, may we rise up and resist with love and commitment.

Crocheted Comfort

 The book I posted yesterday (50 things that really matter) contains short stories about gratitude and lessons learned.  Story 18 is about afternoon naps.

I can only nap if I'm sick or have jet lag, but my husband usually takes quick naps when he gets home from work after 4 p.m.  He goes to bed early every night and can still sleep with no problem.

I'm the mom making the afghans :)  lots and lots of them.

Granny scrap-ghans to be precise. 

I just keep adding to them when I come across complementary colors in my stash or am given yarn by a craft friend.  I might go buy a new skein if I'm ready to finish one off.  Some are baby sized, some are bigger.  I never tire of making of them.

One who sleeps under a crocheted blanket is comforted by love.(happilyhooked.com)

Have a good week.

Silent Sunday

 

Caturday Kindness

I have a thing for hearts so it is always a nice surprise when I find random ones on my walks.

Even if it's just a piece of broken glass with etched hearts on it found in the dirt.

One of my summer goals is to go through my book collection to see what will stay and what will go.  I already donated many that I knew I'd never read since I mostly prefer non-fiction now.  I'm going to start with the shorter books that I can read through quickly and decide right away whether to keep or pass along.

This one I will keep.

Mattie died on June 22, 2004, at the age of 13 from a rare form of muscular dystrophy.  He had three siblings who died before him from the same inherited disease.

Mattie wanted to be remembered as "a poet, a peacemaker and a philosopher who played."

The smallest act of kindness is worth more

than the greatest intention.

(Kahlil Gibran)

A Different New Year

 My husband was off yesterday for Hijri New Year (according to the Islamic calendar, the date was 1 Muharram 1447).  We didn't do much -- went to a mall where he bought a shirt, I bought some lotion and we came right back home.  

He's also off today because it's Friday (Juma'a) which is the holy day for Muslims.

We had lunch at a Japanese restaurant just 5 minutes away from us.  During the winter months when the weather is nice, we can actually walk there from our place.  Today the high was supposedly 106 F though it sure feels a lot hotter.

I've been using scrap yarns to make granny square blankets and when they are still small enough, take them out with me for those moments where waiting is required.

While crocheting at home, I watch YouTube videos -- about unique homes or crafting.  Granny squares don't require a lot of my attention.

But sometimes Miss Rosie does.

Blessed Friday,