Monday, August 30, 2010

Monday Miscellany for August 30

While not blogging I've been doing some thinking about this blog. Sparing you all my introspection and angst, I'll jump right to my conclusion:
Even though I'm not knitting right now, I want to keep the blog active. I plan to update at least once a week with pictures and events I want to preserve.

So, jumping right in with a list of totally unrelated catch-up items . . .



When we bought this house nineteen years ago, there were butterflies everywhere. Swallowtails, monarchs, and many others. There were so many it was almost impossible to drive down the road without hitting one.

The past decade the butterflies have been very scarce and I miss them.

For several years now I've been watching a large patch of milkweed at the edge of the pond. Milkweed is the only plant monarchs will use to reproduce.

This year a few monarchs found the patch, laid their eggs, and the caterpillars are happily gobbling down the milkweed leaves. I'm so pleased.




It's goldenrod season. The plants are about five feet tall and have overgrown everything else in the back three acres.

Beautiful, but it always makes me a little sad because it means summer is almost over.




In the hot weather Glory likes to go in the creek multiple times a day. In previous years she has ended up with a smelly skin infection from sitting around wet all day.

This year the groomer suggested we "cut her down", and we did. ("We" means the groomer did the cutting and DH and I paid the bill.)

Glory is cooler and smells better. We wish we'd started this years ago.




Granddaughter Sydney also got a hair cut recently. She has an awesome head of natural curls.

Anybody remember Sydney as a baby? She's five years old now, has lost three baby teeth, and is four feet tall.

Sydney, along with her Mom and Dad, is coming to visit in October. I haven't seen her in over a year and am very excited about this.


I've been going to Aqua Arthritis twice a week. An hour of stretching and gentle movement in a ninety degree pool. Although I don't have severe arthritis, I do have flexibility challenges. And the hour in the heated pool is better than a tranquilizer for worry and frayed nerves.

14 comments:

  1. Glad to read this post and honestly can say I learned something about Monarchs. I love butterflies and I hope you can post some pictures of the Monarchs. I do remember your Granddaughter as a baby. My how she has grown. Kindergarten this year? Please don't stop posting. I check frequently to see what's new on the needles, how the puppies are doing and your life in general.

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  2. I'm so glad you're still blogging! And Sydney is as cute as ever. I so envy those curls. I mentioned to Isobel the other day that she would soon be losing teeth and I think she was a little traumatized at the thought. We're in Northern CA right now and I saw a beautiful Swallowtail (I think) butterfly today. That's something we don't see in northern WA.

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  3. We were lucky enough to see monarchs migrating through CA once, a whole treeful! Your GD is the same age as my GS; he started kdgn. also. They do grow up fast, don't they? BTW I'd miss you if you stopped posting! So glad you haven't. (Your pool sounds wonderful; ours is often freezing for water aerobics, and it's hard to go.)

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  4. My grandson called today to report that he has his very first loose tooth! My, how they do grow up.

    Sydney is a BEAUTY! LOVE the curls.

    I don't knit a stitch, but your blog has always been one of my favorites.

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  5. Anonymous12:04 PM

    Yay, I'm glad you're still going to blog. I'd miss you if you didn't, "neighbor"!

    Laura from beautiful West Michigan

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  6. Good to hear from you. I think you had us all a little worried! :)

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  7. Anonymous4:54 PM

    Yes, I was also worried but happy you are blogging again.

    We've had more butterflies this Summer than we've had in over a decade so hopefully they are making a comeback. Sydney is adorable with her curly hair!

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  8. Carrie7:47 PM

    Great post, and BEAUTIFUL picture of Sydney!

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  10. Add my voice to the chorus: welcome back to blogland, I have missed you. Glad you are pressing on until a more inspiring season comes along. Kathy's right, I was a little worried.

    Love watching nature (in flora and fauna and grandbabies, not to mention wool) perform its magic through your words and photos.

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  11. Anonymous5:35 AM

    I echo the sentiments of others - very glad you're stilling blogging. Although the blog may have started out mainly for knitting purposes originally, it doesn't mean that it can't evolve just like the rest of life. I enjoy your family, nature and puppy postings more than I can say. I've learned a great deal about bluebirds, gold finches, squirrels, need I go on? And I'm so jealous you actually can see a tree loaded down with cardinals. If I'm lucky, I may see one or two. Welcome back and I'm glad your doing ok. I get worried when there is no post. kris

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  12. Please DO continue. Even though I think I over do the knitting, there are other things in life... yes, there are!

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  13. Blogs are meant to be flexible and I'm glad you see it that way too. I'll be blogging again soon (receive a rebuilt computer in a week or two). I love your blog, its fun to see like in the midwest. I'm so glad that the butterflies are returning. I've planted several plants that attract butterflies, and also a few plants that attract hummingbirds.

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  14. I read once that in order to have butterflies, you have to have weeds! That's why I only mow close around the house. Our little lot is like a nature preserve for bugs - there are farms all around us, but they spray for this thing and that thing and plow or cut stuff down.

    I've seriously considering having Truffles shaven some years. She has always been such a skinny little miss under all that hair, but now she's quite the old lady dog.

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