Little Random Bits of August

 

Hi everyone! This is a Seinfeldian post about nothing, or nothing much.  Summer has hit a lull punctuated by one catastrophe after another it seems. Yesterday I was so pleased a cleaner finally came to make the house, especially my sewing room , presentable for houseguests. The AC is replaced. Deep breath---the handle of the bathroom shower came off in my hand this morning. The good news is the water wasn't running, the bad news is last time it broke it took weeks to be repaired. I have another bathroom with a tub and handheld shower gadget, not ideal. Oh and the kitchen sink is stopped up. Woe is me.

Today the gale winds drove me and Mo off the deck. I think my new umbrella is broken [too]. 

I did manage to sew one Star. Crumpled from humidity and wind.

The wind blew down the painted coreopsis. I rescued and brought it in.

Later I added a few pink roses from the grocery store, six for 5.oo.

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Here is what I wrote in my regular nature diary the other day: 

"This morning was hot & still and there were dragonflies

and a beautiful swallowtail butterfly 

swarming around the zinnias.

 Sweat bees, too, I hope they are good pollinators?"

And my weekly drawing, original

and colored.

In the collection dish this week. 

The eggs are faux, out on display because a small friend visited one morning and she asked where my Easter eggs had gone. She loved putting the eggs in a little basket last spring.

Mornings while I wait for the dogwalker I read a chapter of this book. Very enjoyable and well written, as if walking along the Thames by the author's side. Her childhood memories are charming too. A very good read. The pen is my fave Pilot gel point not a drawing pen but works for me. I think I mentioned this previously.

In novels I have been reading Ruth Ware's The It Girl. Then an oldie by Ware I had missed. Both a smidge predictable, the current one is a slick modern take on the old [I think] Agatha Christie Ten Little Indians / And Then There Were None. [shocking original title so I didn't post the link.]. Both of Ware's books were claustrophobic, especially the second one. 

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I never got to a craft store, finally Amazoned some elastic bead thread to repair my summer bracelets. 

Every summer I make or buy a special bracelet for that year, these are a few.

I lost my glass rainbow bead bracelet from last year, odd bec I rarely lose things. It celebrated the end, we thought, of the Covid pandemic. The white rubber and pearl was my other 2021 bracelet. The multi African bead one is at least 20 years old, retstrung. Influenced by the bead jewelry I see on IG, I restrung it to enjoy again instead of buying with money I do not have.

These are older, made with recycled "seaglass" beads. They need constant restringing, very heavy, but I do love them still.

I think the African trade beads and the giant seaglass beads came from the NYC flea after H Sandy; the other was beads my daughter gave me.

In my bedroom I have layered the Blue Pineapples quilt with a summer favorite, a rescued top I had finished, I call it Sea Urchins:

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I had to clean my fridge today. Mo was miffed at my busyness that didn't include him but sometimes things must be done. The huge grocery order came, replenishing some supplies. The power outage the other night got me to organize, use, discard, replace. No pics but on the menu: steak kabobs bec the delivery included a big bucks mistake by them of three large shell steaks???; fried rice w leftover rice and fresh vegs; a tomato / goat cheese puff pastry tart. Retro ''crudités [cauli/ tiny tomatoes/ cukes] with Knorr veg soup/ greek yogurt dip. So Cape Cod! And lots of salads. 

Tomato goat cheese tart   [photo is from internet]

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Mo's check up and ear appointment are tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend!

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach...

Gorgeous beach pictures--winter in South Africa. From blog friend Penny. Isn't the lighthouse lovely? Her views of SA have been a revelation to me, more mediterranean coast than wild jungles and big game safari. enjoy. Thanks for sharing, P!

And hibiscus photos from a friend, my tropical gardener friend. He grew these lovely hibiscus from seeds given me by blog friend Mel! Third year, they wintered over so well.

Did you make rose of sharon/ hollyhock dolls as a child? How I loved making them, with toothpicks or old long corsage pins my mom would produce like magic. here

a keeping it real pic for Mel who likes to see everything including not yet stored supplies and wet swimsuit:

and XL journal page: