What a difference a month makes. Even though June was my first month of retirement, there were so many obligations that I wondered how I would have survived it all had I still been working. But July has been much more relaxed, allowing me to settle into what I always imagined retirement life would be, giving me the time I want to spend with family and time to work on projects.
For the July Yarn Along I want to share the short socks I've been knitting. I'm now on my second pair. The pattern is Rose City Rollers, by Mara Catharine Bryner. Although on the second pair I've opted to change the rolled cuff for a one-inch ribbed cuff. I hope I will like the fit around my ankle better.
As for books, this month I've finished one novel, Commonwealth, and have nearly finished a second, The Nest. Paul and I finished two short audiobooks, The Colorado Kid, and Blood and Smoke, both by Stephen King. Definitely not as enjoyable for me as his more recent works. And now that I have more days a week that I can cook breakfast, I've also been reading Chicken and Egg. Finally, I checked out 5-Minute Sketching Architecture by Liz Steel. Liz is an amazing artist I've been following for a few years. I was delighted that my library had a copy of her book. I'm working on a drawing that is now waiting for me to add watercolors.
Our lotus bloomed for the first time this season on the Fourth of July. We had three granddaughters over for a sleepover the night before so they are in the picture as a size reference. This year's leaves are massive. Last Saturday we went to a lotus party at our local water garden nursery. We learned lotus lore, a little more about growing this amazing plant, and then ate a lunch of several lotus recipes. I had no idea that nearly all of the plant is edible, and for that matter, delicious.
Also, our rainwater pond is really looking spectacular. In the photo you can see a goldfish swimming in the fish high rise. One morning Paul was pulling sticks out of the pond from a storm the day before. To his surprise what he had in his hand wasn't a tree limb, but one of the largest walking sticks we've ever seen.
Unfortunately, one night a couple of weeks ago an intruder wreaked havoc on our turtle pond. The next morning we found destruction, but no turtles. So the tank has been sitting there as a sad reminder. But today Paul started work to move and bury it in another location for a second rainwater pond that we can enjoy from the backyard.
Another summer joy, it's wildflower season. My morning walks have been just beautiful. We live on a river bluff and at one spot on my walk, I can look out over the river valley and farm fields. And although I hate to think about the payload he's dumping, it's also crop dusting season. It's like our own private little air show as he comes up the bluff, sometimes directly over the house, to swoop back down into the valley. This time we hopped in the car to follow him and watch as he moved from field to field. Although we were probably making his job more difficult.
We love all things to do with flight and space. Paul recently put the app ISS Detector Satellite Tracker on his notebook. For a couple of weeks during the first part of June, we were able to see the International Space Station pass over us a couple of times a night. The last couple of nights we have been able to view the Chinese space station, Tiangong-2. The app tells you exactly where it will appear in the sky, how long it will be visible, and exactly where it will cross into the shadow of the earth and disappear from view. I like to think what someone who doesn't know what they are looking at, thinks about something that looks like a star, moving at a measured pace across the sky, then vanishes before their eyes. Often long before it reaches the horizon.
Finally, I'm working on Amelia's second birthday book. I'm hoping to have it finished in the next two days. In just a couple of weeks I will be working on Sophie's second book!
