We’re off to the lake this weekend which means quality time with my knitting!
This week I finish my May socks, talk about a new-to-me provisional cast on technique, lay out my plans for summer snacking, and discuss hearing static from God.
Finished Objects
My May socks practically knit themselves! I bought this Must Stash yarn at DFW Fiber Fest at the beginning of April. The color is “Lavender Apple Blossom” and was originally part of a kit with Tuft Woolens and The Nome Knitter. I’m so happy I was able to snag the yarn! It was short skein (67 grams) which was just enough to make ankle socks with 12 grams left to add to my scrappy blankets. I used Yarn Trekker Detour Sparkle for the heels. I purchased mine at a trunk show.
WIP’s- Focus Projects
I’ve made a ton of progress on my Over-the-Top Top by Purl Soho. I think the majority of this sweater has been knit at the movie theater. It’s seen Avengers, The Quiet Place, and I Feel Pretty in the last few weeks. I’m trying to get the shoulders done quickly so I can bring it to the lake this weekend. It will be something simple to knit on while we’re hanging out with friends.
I’ve also put some work into my Half Moon Oracle shawl by Kristin Lehrer. I’m so close to the bind off! I’m six rows into the last lace section. The trouble is that there are over 600 stitches at this point in the shawl. Can you imagine knitting the full-circle Oracle pattern?! I’m already eyeing the perfect bottle of wine to open when it’s time to sit down and i-cord bind off all 600+ of those little suckers. Perhaps it will be an FO by next week!
Something New
For years I have done a version of the provisional cast on in which you use a crochet hook to create stitches over your knitting needle. This is super awkward to do. When I learned that my Over-the-Top Top needed a provisional cast on, I decided it was time to refine my technique.
I used this tutorial from Tin Can Knits to guide me through the process. Essentially you create a crochet chain with more stitches than required, then go across with your knitting needles picking up stitches. It was easy! Time-consuming, as all provisional cast- ons can be, but simple. Since the top has a hemmed edge, I got to test out the provisional cast on pretty quickly. It unraveled perfectly. I would recommend this technique for your next provisional cast on project!
What God’s Teaching Me
I’ve been searching and searching for what God has been speaking to me about this week. You know what I hear? Silence. OMG! Do you ever feel like your communication with God has come to a halt? I feel this way occasionally, so I know that it is normal. I also know where to look for the problem… see, I am a sinful human and He is the Almighty and perfect God. So the issue is… me!
Looking back over the past week, I see nothing out of the ordinary. However, when I think about my mental state this last week I feel cluttered. I’ve been working my brain pretty hard thinking about testing, wrapping up knitting projects, new designs, the end of the school year, a weekend out of town, etc. Oh, and every waking moment I’ve got my headphones in listening to Harry Potter or a knitting podcast. There’s been so much in my brain that the Lord hasn’t had the space to speak!
So I decided to devote one leg of my commute yesterday to SILENCE. Eep! It was weird. I tend to use podcasts and audiobooks as a calming element during my drives. To leave that time for my mind to wander and think and talk to God was hard! But it was soul-giving.
One of my favorite verses kept coming to mind. It’s from the book of Ecclesiastes which is thought to be written by King Solomon, a man of great wisdom. It certainly has a similar writing style to Song of Solomon, but thousands of years and translations later, how could we possibly know? I’ll share the scripture to close.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
What We’re Cooking
This week we ate a favorite that I’ve already included in the blog {Broccoli and Rice Casserole}. We’re going out of town this weekend, so that lasted us for days! As promised I made enough veggies for both my husband and me to eat for lunch. These turned out the best yet!
So I thought I would include my plan for summer food. This summer is a unique one as I have almost no plans. Since I’m a teacher, I’ll be home the whole summer putting around the house. Okay, really I’ll be knitting, exercising, cleaning, and using the pool as much as possible- try not to be jealous! I need a meal plan to keep me from going to the Sonic across the street every day.
Snacks. Snacks are extremely important as I could likely snack all day until dinner time. I love snacks! Here a list of my favorite snacks for the summer. {I try to avoid raw veggies as they make my stomach ache.}
- Rinse and eat fruits: grapes, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and blackberries
- Chop and eat fruits: strawberries {with a little sugar!}, apples, bananas, and pears
- Salty grab and go: pretzels, rice cakes, Cheez-its
- A little protein: Babybel cheese and Wheat Thins; peanut butter and apples; Greek yogurt; rice cakes and almond butter; fruit smoothies {just a bit of yogurt, honey, and frozen fruit}
- A little indulgent (salty): tortilla chips and salsa, Gardetto’s
- A little indulgent (sweet): banana bread, zucchini bread {with chocolate chips!}
- Very bad, bad, bad: Ruffles and sour cream and french onion dip, Cheetos, Oreos
Desserts. Coming in at a close second are desserts. I’m partial to baking, so I know this summer I’ll be making some of my favorite desserts! And let’s be honest, dessert is really best enjoyed {again} at breakfast- yum!
Grill. Now onto what I truly love about summer is grilled food. I don’t even know how to light our grill, but I know my husband can work it! So I’ll chop the veggies and he’ll cook them up. Here are some foods I can’t wait to grill.
- Veggies: corn, zucchini, squash, carrots, peppers of all colors, mushrooms
- Meats: burgers, brats, BBQ chicken, Chipotle chicken, lemon pepper chicken, really any chicken, steak, salmon, shrimp
I can’t wait to share what we’re cooking in the upcoming weeks!
What I’m Reading
I’m still cruising along through At Home in Mitford. Reading it feels like going home. Not to my home, but to my grandma’s place in history. Mitford is a town of simpler times and sincere people. This book is a like a cozy blanket.
I’m a slow reader when it comes to physical {or Kindle} books because I don’t commit much time to them. Just 5-10 minutes on week nights. That doesn’t get me far! Unfortunately, that means this book is about to get sucked back up into the virtual library from which I borrowed it. That’s okay, because I have some other books that just became available. So I’ll hit pause on At Home in Mitford and wait to pick it back up when the audiobook is loaned to me.
Listening to books has been my jam this past week. I’m nearly done with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The next book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban might be my favorite one. I’ve loved re-reading my favorite series!