Memorial Day Weekend

 Some pictures from my weekend...

A new book, a new knitting project, an old but new location restaurant, yummy lunch and two for one bloody Marys at Bonney Read, beach time, ricotta toast with berries and greens, dog, wine, first campfire of the summer, Spring Lake 5 (walked alongside for a bit) and finished up with a baseball tournament.

Anaashah Sweater

 After a year on the needles, my Anaasha sweater is finally done! 

It was a labor of love, knitted over many, many hours watching baseball games, and I'm so happy to be wearing it. All the details can be found on my Ravelry page here.

Summer Things

 End of spring is here. It's almost summer. I admit I don't love summer. I know...it's weird. Yes, we live miles from the beach and we have the best of both worlds with the farm life and beach life. I do love that. But I don't love the business of feeling like you have to be outside all the time in the summer. Is that weird? Probably. But I love to "nest" inside. Make food, knit under a quilt on the couch, when it gets dark early, I really don't mind all of that. Summer as an adult is filled with busy days of working full time, managing kids, running my little one around, feeling guilty that I can't do more with him because of work. Fall and winter are more my speed. All of this is to say, I want to feel like myself over the summer this year.

SOOOO....I planted flower seeds, I have hope that my flower garden will be nice this summer. Thanks to my dad that added a gate to the small field between alpaca fields, I may have a chance at something growing. He did this last year but I never went out to plant the seeds. Over the weekend I planted zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers. I also have wildflowers and cosmos in the bed by my front porch. Maybe I'll have more luck this year. I have some pretty hanging baskets up at the porch and chicken coop. I also got some free perennials off Facebook and transplanted them by the chicken coop to hopefully add some shade and make it pretty. Fingers crossed.

I'm ALMOST done with my pink sweater. I have been working on it since last year. Yes, it sat in a bag for half the year, but still...that's a long time for me to have something in the works. Note to self, fingering weight knitted sweaters are NOT my jam. 

Buddy has been a handful lately. I love him...a lot. He's like a bonkers toddler these days.....So when he sleeps its a very nice break :)

I started listening to a "new to me" podcast called Cookbook Club. I saw them mentioned on one of my favorite blogs, Posie Gets Cozy. Alicia is writing her own cookbook and she mentioned this podcast. I hopped on Spotify to listen and was sucked right in. I went to the library to grab a few of the cookbooks they mentioned in the episode I listened to and today I made this granola from Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

It was super easy and delicious!!!!! The granola in the jar is just a small amount from the big batch. It made a lot of granola! I bought the ingredients at Trader Joe's last weekend. Chase had a game near there and I was excited to pick up some things. It's a little bit of a drive for me so when I'm in the area I always try to stop in. I wish it was closer! I have so many things I love from Trader Joe's.

I'm going to make a point to make more homemade food items this summer. I always feel like summer is a rush, always running around, chaos. And I don't love that. I'm a routine girl and when we're all over the place, I'm a bit out of whack! Cooking, baking, gardening, knitting, all make me feel like myself so the summer will have lots of that (I hope). And going to the beach on the weekends. That I LOVE. A good book, the ocean and some friends. That is the fun part of summer for me.

Ok...have to get back to work. Hope you're all doing well!

Mid-May

And just like that...it's already the middle of May.

It's been a busy month full of celebrations, knitting, Patreon zoom, planting, buying plants, teaching knitting lessons, baseball, and working (too much)!

Hope you are all having a nice month. The weather is warming up here at the Jersey Shore and I can feel summer knocking on the screen door...

 

A Farm Birthday Celebration! and more...

I'm 45 today! How did that happen!????!!!??!! I mean really...time flies.

Over the weekend, Liz and my mom surprised with me a fun get-together on the farm with my knitters to celebrate my early birthday. I'm so lucky to have them all in my life. A few couldn't make it but we will catch up soon. 

I love when our instagram friends become friends in real life! We had a nice visit from BJ and her husband who came all the way from Ohio! Well, they didn't come just to see us but we weren't far from their destination so she convinced her hubby to stop by the farm. We had a wonderful time and their dogs are soooo cute! Poppy and Archie were the stars that day. She also gifted us handmade notion bags and I LOVE mine! So sweet and thoughtful.

Last weekend was Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival and I couldn't go, so we had fun at home knitting and being together. I always get a gyro and was craving one so I made some at home. Not the same but it was delicious! 

I also performed in a concert with my band. My mom, Liz, Dalton, Wade and Wade's friend Josh came along to listen. It's always nice to have family and friends in the audience. We were headed home and Wade said we HAVE to get ice cream! So we did :)

I finished up my Le Pouf sweater. It was a very fun knit. I have to take better photos, but you get the gist.

When I finished my sweater, I picked up the punch needle kit MaryEllen gifted me. It was so much fun!

I worked on it outside the coop on Saturday with the girls. Here is a link to the kit.

I also picked up a sweater I had in hibernation. I forgot all about it! It's been on my needles since last winter. I worked on it last baseball season. It's a fingering weight sweater and it got soooooooo boring. But I got it out and I'm determined to finish it before starting something new.

I snuck in some coffee and knitting Monday morning with my friends. Tracey was knitting a beautiful baby blanket. (The blue knit). It's a test knit so I don't know the name but I'll find out!

I've been enjoying knitting in the new garden field while Buddy runs and Sox climbs the fences. They're very entertaining animals! As soon as we plant in the garden Buddy won't be able to run free. He's going to be very sad!!!! It's been a great spot for him to get his endless energy out.

Every morning, I enjoy my walks with Buddy. He's such a good companion. I'm so lucky he's ours.

Ok...that's it for now. Going to get some lunch with my mom and sister (after a work conference call)...I should have taken the day off! Next year....

Cheers for another trip around the sun. I'm a lucky girl.