MAKE AND LISTEN ALONG

Every artist dips his brush in

his own soul, and paints his

own nature into his pictures. 

 

~Henry Ward Beecher
 

 

~ On Thursdays I will post what I have been making and listening to as creations grow.

If so inclined post, on your blog or flickr, about what you have been making (on your own or with little hands by your side) and listening to while you create. It can be new music, flash backs, a song or a whole album... whatever you like. You can be stitching with needle & thread, yarn, paper crafting, painting, cooking... and beyond. Share what you are making and the tunes that are fueling your creativity. Then come back to my Thursday Make & Listen Along post and leave a link in the comments so we can be inspired right along with you! ~


For weeks I have been following Dawn's
Make and Listen  posts and am so happy
to finally join along.

Did you realize that Christmas is just over
four months away? I know, it won't be
long and even now I feel like I am already
behind.  I was asked to paint a few 'flamingo'
eggs for my son's girl friend to give as
gifts so I have been spending some
time in my studio getting started.  My
paints had been gathering a little dust
so it does feel nice to mix colors and
dip brushes into paints. I have so many
ideas I want to paint, now to just make
the time and not put it off.

While I paint I have been listening
to Kate Morton's The Secret Keeper.
I usually only listen to books when
I run or am working in the garden,
but I have been so drawn into this
story that I have been listening while
indoors. The narrator has the most
lovely English accent and I really do
feel like I am transported back to the
1940's.  When not listening to my
book, I have been just listening to
'silence', it's nice.

HEAT

Rest is not idleness, and to
lie sometimes on the grass
on a summer day listening
to the murmur of water,
or watching the clouds
float across the sky, is
hardly a waste of time. 

~John Lubbock

 

Once I was Home and unpacked,
the dusting accomplished and
the marketing complete, I
grabbed my beach bag and
headed to a favorite spot for
a little knitting and reading.

I am working on Gudrun Johnston's
Sandness, which I have entitled
Heat. Heat really does seem an
appropriate name for a July summer
in the south, although I could have
gone with Humidity, but I'll save
that for another time.

The pattern is very well detailed,
it's twelve pages long, and I would
be a lot further along if I would have
paid attention and not kept dropping
stitches causing me to start over
a few times, ahem.

I am using one of my favorite yarns,
Malabrigo Sock, in Ravelry Red. I
am already thinking about casting on
another one, this time in orange or
maybe purple.

Before I left on my vacation I downloaded
Ladies Night. and I finished while listening
to the waves crash on shore. The book
was total fluff, which I like for the beach,
but truthfully this book was pretty lousy.
I have enjoyed this author in the past, but
don't think I'll be reading her again.

Joining with Ginny and all the other Yarn Alonger's.

I'M GOING ON VACATION!

" This is my wish for you:
comfort on difficult days,
smiles when sadness intrudes,
rainbows to follow the clouds,
laughter to kiss your lips,
sunsets to warm your heart,
hugs when spirits sag,
beauty for your eyes to see,
friendship to brighten your being,
faith so that you can believe,
confidence for when you doubt,
courage to know yourself,
patience to accept the truth,
love to complete your life. "

~ A.A. Milne

Thank you for all the sweet comments
on my Leaves of Grass post . You
are all just wonderful.

I am cleaning house, making
lists and packing. I am going
on vacation! For those who
know me, they know this is a big
deal for me. I am a homebody
and while I don't mind day trips,
I like to sleep under my own
roof. Besides, when you have
as many animals as I have and
no neighbors, it's hard to get
away.

This trip is different. This trip
I am excited about and can't
wait for leave time to arrive.
My oldest, my youngest, my
only and I are headed to
Northern Virginia.  My Mike
will be staying home taking
care of things while we're gone.
[Thank you so much sweetie.]
Both my sister's live in Virginia
and my Mom is flying in
from Mississippi. This will
be the first time in sixteen
years that we have all four
been together.

I'll be away from this space
for awhile, but before I go
I wanted to wish you happy,
joy filled days. Take care
and I'll see you soon.

Much Love,
Tracey

A JULY YARN ALONG

You must not know too much, or be too precise

or scientific about birds and trees and flowers

and water-craft; a certain free margin, and

even vagueness - perhaps ignorance, credulity

- helps your enjoyment of these things... 

 

~Walt Whitman

 

 

 

 

 

 As you can see I am still knitting
along on my Leaves of Grass. I
only have 4060 stitches left on
Chart D and then I can begin the
border stitches which has 6960 stitches,
so really I'm almost done! ;)

There hasn't been as much free time
to knit as I had hoped, with the
garden, canning, cleaning out rooms
and putting plaster on walls I'm only
finding bits of knitting time during the
day.  My fingers are crossed that by
this time next week I will Finally have
a finished project to show you.

I am impatiently patiently waiting on
figs to ripen so I can enjoy them in
one of my favorite salad's. This is the
first time in thirty years that I haven't
picked figs on the 4th of July. All of
my fruit trees are so mixed up this year
and everything is coming in late.

I have been pouring over Ashley English's
book Home Dairy because my goal is to
have a milk goat and maybe a milk cow
on my property before the end of the year.
It's a great book and full of delicious looking
recipes.

Joining Ginny at Small Things. for this
week's Yarn Along.

 

 

THE WEEKEND

"I was awed once again by
the natural beauty of the
lowcountry.  It was impossible
not to be impressed and then
drawn into it.

~ Dorothea Benton Frank

 

Most of my days have been spent
here at home, although I did escape
to the historic city of Savannah for
a day of shopping and people
watching. I am not much of a shopper,
but watching people is always so
entertaining . It really doesn't take
much to make me happy.

Minus  today we have had rain
for days! My yard is now completely
spongy, the long dirt road I call a drive
is a muddy mess, and most of the garden has
been flooded. While we are still picking
squash most of the garden, except the okra,
is about finished.
To tell you the truth I am so tried of working
in the fields pulling weeds and putting up
produce so it will be nice to have a break
before the fall planting season begins.

I have been spending the rainy parts of the
day cleaning out closets and redoing a bedroom
for my soon to be sixteen year old. With only
one child left at home I thought it would be
nice to makeover a bigger bedroom for  him
and really make it special. There is something
to being the last one at home ;)

Of course there has been knitting in my
days. I am still working on my LOG and
am now half way through Chart D, only
9,280 stitches to go before I can begin
the edging. This project is taking way
longer to complete than I imagined, and
while it is a joy to knit, I am impatient to
see the competed shawl.

Have you seen these maps? I am so intrigued.
All things knitting just fill me with joy. Oh,
and have you seen this and this?  I think these
would be perfect for the mild, lowcountry
winter's we have here. I just need to finish
what I've already started before casting on
anything else.

I hope you have had a great weekend and are
looking forward to a wonderful Monday
Joining with Amanda from the habit of being.