It's been incredibly dry here. I keep hoping for a nice storm, or even one single raindrop, but everywhere I look our plants are fried, our lawn (what little we have of it) is fried, my pots are fried, my garden is fried because I never watered it, our two stupid plum trees have dropped hundreds — and I seriously mean hundreds — of small, bitter plums in both front and back yard, causing a huge (and I seriously mean huge) mess outside and in. Too high to pick and not even good for eating, they smash on the ground and explode, splattering purple. Man, I am frustrated with those things. They just make being in both of our yards pretty miserable at this time of year (without a ton of clean-up work first, and sometimes you just want to sit down . . .). That photo is the cleaned-up version, too.
I have so much angst this time of year. I don't want summer to be over, but it's too hot, now, and too dry. Everything feels desperate and yellow. There's relief in the wind-down, but regret, too: Already the mornings are dark when we rise at 5:00 a.m., and we drink coffee in bed with tiny lamps on, just like in winter. I can't handle the heat, but oh, I do love the light! I miss the light! I've started counting pool days. How many more times will we get to go before they close it? We have gone a lot. I have loved every single minute of every day with Amelia at the pool. Loved it. So did Andy, and so did she. Already I'm thinking of a plan for swimming indoors, once the outdoor pool is drained in a few weeks. Just this morning as we walked up to the grocery store, leaves fell from the trees onto to Amelia in the stroller. I bought baby cereal, two avocados, and a sweet potato, and some tapioca pudding. Comfort foods.
On Sunday, I had such a nice day. Andy watched Amelia for the entire day and I got to do whatever I wanted. So I made the little dress on the right in the morning (which is Simplicity 6713; the one on the left is Simplicity 5293, and I made that one really fast on Saturday) and then took it to a cafe downtown to work on the hem and the buttons in the afternoon. All by myself! Then, after I got bored (bored! I'd forgotten the feeling!) at the first cafe, I went to another coffee shop and sat out on the deck, and people-watched, and sewed on the button loops, and drank an iced latte. And lingered. Until dinnertime. CRAZY. I never do this. I probably need to do it more. I keep thinking about it!!! "Man, that was so awesome, when I had that latte!!! And I was just sitting there!!! Listening to other peoples' conversations! And then I had another latte! That was so great!!!" Etc., etc. Pretty funny.
Thank you for the help with the big-collared sweater suggestions in the last post! Lots of good ideas there. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do but I'll keep you posted! I have to put the buttons on the Lilla Koftan. Next up in the sewing queue is some smocking on more dusky pink from another one of the vintage patterns (whose number I don't remember, and sweet Baby Mimi is sleeping partly on me right now so I can't get up and check). I've been working on the Milk Glass Pink sweater while watching ballet documentaries (huh???) at night after she goes to bed. I hit a MAJOR roadblock when I misunderstood the directions and put the first sleeve on ten stitches beyond where it should have gone. And then proceeded to graft the underarms (why??? did I do that?) and knit about twenty rows before I figured that out. Gah. I cut it all off with a pair of scissors, ripped back until I knew where I was, and began again. Wah. I had plenty of yarn so it was fine, just frustrating. I've never cut knitting with scissors before. It was a super weird feeling. The ballet must explain all this pink lately. I don't know.
Mimi just made my day 100% brighter...thank you for sharing her with us. What a lovey. xo
I love the first picture. Summer is quickly going the way of all summers. I too miss the early morning light. pink is so pretty and soothing to me. Love it.
Always a lovely retreat to lose myself in your pictures. How I do love watching your sweet girl grow.
Love, love, love the picture of your precious little girl where she is standing at the window. Love those chubby little legs. It is priceless. Look forward to your blog because I know it will put a big smile on my face and sometimes it even brings laughter. Thank you.
seriously. the plum trees are ridiculous right now. and please, please some rain?? I've never seen chalk drawings stay on the sidewalks so long! Bet the kids are thrilled!
also, you're hilarious. two lattes! woah.
Cutting knitting is Always a mind bending experience. I'm going to try my hand at steeking this fall/winter and already I am freaking out but I have to do fair isle or I'll die. It's just too cute and pretty.
I live over near Chicago and already I can smell and feel the season shifting. Summer is waning and I love the crescent moon hanging in the sky at night. So perfect.
Love your knitting in progress - beautiful colour. I always feel so hungry when I see your lovely food photos. I think as mothers, we often forget that we have needs too - time out by yourself,doing something you enjoy is such a luxury, that we often forget to enjoy it when we have the opportunity, and we sit there thinking about housework, cooking instead of making the most of it. Glad you had a fabulous day.
ok, here's what i think in no particular order...not that you care i understand, but it helps me process and the pretty photos...love the bowl of food and would definitely eat it if given the chance, and maybe the bowl too because it just looks so scrumptious. amelia's hands are just divine. i love baby hands. hands and knees. no clue why. personally i love august because it promises cool breezes which we have starting today. clear, crisp which is really strange for virginia in august. august not only has great light, but a sound. i love the sound of august. my favorite of today's picture offerings though is the quilt...specifically the little square with the little hot-dog dogs. cool. once again i tip my hat to your fabulous sense of beauty in everything. love.
Love the sweaters and dresses, you are so talented!
Just wanted to let you know that Portland Tree Project will harvest your plums and they will be sent to local food banks and families in need.
You are too funny. As much as I loved my babies (they're in their 30's now) I needed time by myself or to hear an adult voice and get away from all the baby time. My husband, bless him - let me sign up for a watercolor class. The best thing I ever did. It kept me sane and when I look back now through the years gone by doing that made me a better mother.
Amelia is a little doll and looks happy and healthy.
Reading your blog makes me wish I was more creative / skilled. Oh, and I'm going to request a Sunday just like yours... Now where's my hubby?
Oh my gosh, what a cute little imp! She has such a wise look about her, like she's an old soul in a wee girl's body.
Love those chubby thighs, why is that so sweet on a baby but not on anybody else? lol
My girls are 18 and 21 and I STILL have that "wow, I'm in a coffeeshop by myself, drinking as many latte's as I want" feeling when I manage to get out of the house without the 18 year old.
How I hear you on the summer thing. I adore the lazy schedule, fresh summer foods, time for crafts and lots of sewing,and impromptu beach trips. I hate to see it go but to have the heat go away! Could your Amelia be any sweeter?! Nothing more precious than chubby baby legs.
Taking the scissors to the knitting! Kind of a shotgun approach! Good for you brave girl!
Your productivity with a young baby blows my mind....how talented you are producing all those beautiful sewing AND knitting clothes week after. Amelia is one lucky baby. I LOVE the last two photos of her with her chubby little legs in that little one piece summer suit..soooo cute. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
In Delaware, we've had a rainy summer, and this month feels more like late September. Although in years past, our August sounded more like what you have now. Your "recharging" time sounded nice! Once I went across our main road to the pharmacy, while my husband watched the kids, and I just lingered soooo long. It was liberating...ha...but my husband was a bit worried as to where I was.
fall is my favorite time of the year so for me, August just feels like its dragging.. can't wait for the cooler weather here and the color changes. Oh and your little daughter, IS SO CUTE! those chubby legs!!!!!!
Love the little dresses, and I'm so jealous of all of your, I mean Amelia's, Maileg.
We are getting a lovely rain here this early evening on the north/central Oregon coast--very refreshing. Hope it makes it over your way soon! Thanks for all the little peeks at the lovely things you're making! And a whole day totally to yourself--that Andy is a great hubby/dada! :)
The romper! Tell us more :)
Love the photo of Sweet Mimi looking out the window! And the chicken salad, I would love to try. We have a little tea shop of sorts that sells a chicken salad stuffed avocado during avocado season. It's to die for! They also have a coffee shop side and it's in an antique mall. I think I might have to go just hang out Monday so I can have a latte experience!! You made that sound delicious!! Hope you get some rain, we finally got a bit yesterday. I am ready for fall, but our fall is just kind of a late summer, lol! Anything for a cool breeze right now, and some blessed rain!! Thank you for sharing these memories with us, I love seeing life through a different pair of eyes!
Are you kidding... plum jam...so so so good!!! If I didn't live like 2,000 miles away...I'd creep into your yard at night, snatch up those plums, and steal away to my kitchen to make plum jam. SO GOOD! As a child my Dad knew all the pastures in the county where plum trees grew...and we'd gather up those plums and tuck the jam away for holiday goodness.
It's wonderful to have that time alone. You need it and so do they. I do the same thing, just sit somewhere quietly and think or read and drink something good.
I know what you mean, I feel kind of guilty for wanting summer to be over and I really do miss the light when we lose it. I just adore that coziness we get when it cools down though.
As for cutting the knitting? I love to make my knitting students cut their knitting. It scares the crap out of them but it is actually pretty easy to just pick up the loops and keep knitting. I've realized a sweater front was too short before and rather than undo all the arm and neck shaping, I cut the bottom border off, picked up the stitches and just knit down in the opposite direction. It worked beautifully. You couldn't even tell I had done it.