Saturday, June 6, 2020

June Gloom on Friday

I woke up this morning after only three hours of sleep with an upset stomach.  I tried to go back to sleep, but, couldn't fall asleep, so got up and had a cup of tea.  I am not quite sure what I ate to upset my stomach, but, I've resorted to having plain saltine crackers to try to settle my tummy.

It is a cloudy, overcast day with cooler temperatures (high of 68F).  It's what we call June Gloom.  I am back to being bundled up in wool socks, a sweater, and a wool cardigan!

But, I went outside to walk for a few minutes and to check on the plants.  The peaches are looking good, but, they all feel rather firm to the touch.  I think I might pick them this weekend or early next week.  I want them ripe, but, not overripe!

The tips of the tomato plant got withered from the high temperatures, earlier in the week:

Withered tomato top
I was hoping that the surrounding four o'clock plants would shelter the tomato plant, but, I guess the tomato plant was more sensitive to the heat.  However, guess what I found?

Baby Tomatoes!
I found the beginnings of some baby tomatoes!  That is so exciting!

I thought I might be able to take a nap in the afternoon, but, I didn't nap.  I practiced the piano, collected some osteospermum seeds to scatter in the side yard, and knitted.  I was inspired by a pair of fingerless gloves that Nil had crocheted.  I chose to knit mine, although they are more like fingerless mittens than gloves:

Fingerless Gloves/Mittens
I used leftover 100% wool from one of my sweaters to make the fingerless gloves.  I used worsted wool, U.S. #3 needles, and cast on 30 stitches.  My hand usually get very cold, in the winter; I hope the fingerless gloves will keep my hands warm.  My daughter would like a pair, herself, so I will make some for her, too.

Later in the evening, M came over to tend to the garden.  He cleaned up the bed of crocosmia that had started to dry up and transplanted the two moringa plants in bigger pots. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Plain saltine crackers
- M  helping with the garden
- The yarn stash
- Phone calls from Aunt C and friend R
- Video chatting with my daughter

Today's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for tomorrow include catching up on the things I didn't do today!

How was your day?  What are your plans for the weekend?

22 comments:

  1. Weekend plan is Rest. Lots of driving yesterday and much joy at meeting new baby. But Bob awake at 4am with knee pains, and so we sat and chatted and drank tea. It is incredibly wet here today the skies are grey. So very grateful for sunshine yesterday so we were able to meet family outside in the garden as the government has allowed.

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    1. I'm so glad that you were able to visit with your daughter, yesterday, and meet baby George. Sorry to hear about Bob's knee pains, but, hope the tea and the planned rest will help. Maybe the wet weather will help with staying at home and resting. :)

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  2. I hope you feel better soon Bless. Upset tummies are miserable!

    I like the fingerless mitts. I have a couple of pairs myself for playing instruments outside in the winter but they were bought, not homemade.

    It made me smile that you are bundled up in woolies with a temperature of 68°F as I am in a shirt sleeved t-shirt and bare feet with a temperature of 66°F. Mind you if the temperature drops any more I will be using my snuggle blanket!

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    1. I'm much better, today, Eileen, thank you. Ha, ha, 66F is winter to me! :D Actually, on my first visit to southern California, I left -20F weather in Wisconsin (it was a really cold winter) and arrived to 67F temperatures. My half-sister, whom I was visiting, was bundled up in a big coat and I was in a short-sleeved dress, having removed my own coat! But, that was many years ago and I've got used to our milder climate. :)

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  3. I hope you had a better sleep last night. I like your fingerless mitten. It looks like something I might actually have the skills to do.

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    1. I did have a better night of sleep, last night, thank you, Live and Learn. The fingerless mittens are easy! Basically, you knit a rectangle, fold in half, and sew, leaving enough of a gap for your thumb. :)

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  4. We are 'enjoying' what can only be described as blistering heat here too- both plants and animals are all looking somewhat bedraggled! in years past (when I actually got a garden planted) I have found some of my young tomato plants drooping and even lying on the ground- often they would cooperate and stand up again in a cage or with support, but some refused- frequently I would leave those lying down, and what I finally got was 'ground tomato plants that produced prolifically ... but like cucumbers or melons ... along the ground- it depends on whether or not you have room for another crawling plant-
    ahh, at least you HAVE signs of success and goodies to look forward to-I am so suffering from 'no-garden remorse' right now!
    We are looking at paint and flooring samples this weekend- before moving things into the 'new' place, I want to get the floors and walls redone- let me just say that 'my' choices and what both Paige and Dana like are presently many miles apart- I am proving to them that I can be a stubborn and very opinionated old lady!
    I like your fingerless mitts- I've made them before for several of the daughters and g'daughters, but I've never actually tried using some myself- you are definitely using up many bits from your stash ... meanwhile I might have found some wonderful turquoise online and ordered enough for a short-sleeved cardigan (I just love your sweater in that color)... like I need yarn or clothes- what can I say ...I lack the willpower gene!
    Have a good weekend- I send as always, my fondest wishes your way-
    Barb

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    1. Hot weather is in the forecast for later, next week, over here, too. I don't have any tomato cages; I've had tomato plants that have flopped over and grown along the ground, myself. :) Keep reminding yourself that you are committed to supporting the local farmers! :D

      Ooh, have fun choosing your paint and flooring. You are the one living in the new house, so, choose what you want!

      I'm glad you were able to find and order the turquoise yarn. You can always sort through your other clothes and put some aside to be given away in exchange for your new cardigan. :)

      I hope you are continuing to keep well, Barb. Best wishes to you and everyone else. Take care.

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  5. I hope you feel better soon. I had a dream last night that you were giving me a tour of Sri Lanka and acting as my translator.

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    1. I am better, today, Akasha. Thank you. Oh, I like your dream! Except, it's been so long since I last visited Sri Lanka that I am afraid I'll need a guide to give me a tour! LOL.

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  6. Hope you are feeling better. I loved seeing that tiny tomato. It will be big enough to enjoy soon. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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    1. I'm feeling better, today, thank you, Susie. I'm thrilled to bits with my baby tomato! :D Hope all is well with you and Ted. Take care.

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  7. I hope you have totally recovered by now and that your tomato plant has straightened up! Nice to see a small fruit on it already.
    I like your fingerless gloves. I wonder if they would help with Raynaud's syndrome to wear indoors sometimes? I have it, my mother had it and my son blames me for giving it to him! It doesn't necessarily happen on extra cold days, sometimes it just happens when it is chilly and damp, even in the house.
    It was windy but warm today and DH mowed all the grass and I did some work clearing small trees out of the berry patch. For the most part I escaped the black flies but I still have bites on my face and neck from the other day, looks like I have a nasty disease. Fortunately there is nowhere to go right now!

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    1. Thank you, Bushlady, I am all better, now. In fact, the pendulum might have swung to the other side, because I avoided eating a lot of fiber, on both Friday and Saturday! LOL!

      I had to look up Raynaud's syndrome, but, I would think that wearing the fingerless gloves might help. I don't think it would hurt to try.

      I'm sorry about the bites from the black flies! Hope the marks go away, soon!

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  8. Those gloves are beautiful! So are Nil's. I hope you are feeling better. How exciting about the tomatoes! I have some, too.

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    1. Thank you, Stephenie. I'm feeling quite well, again. It's silly to get so excited about one tomato plant, but, I'm just thrilled! :) I'm glad you are growing some tomatoes, too! Maybe, next year, I can get my act together and actually plant some vegetables!

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  9. Reading through the comments, I see you are feeling better. You must've been exhausted when you went to bed. You didn't even nap.

    I really like your fingerless gloves and I appreciate your including how many stitches you cast on and I see in the comments you also knit them flat.
    Knitting them flat is appealing to me. I've knit a couple pairs in the round and I think I prefer knitting them flat.
    I also like your cuff detail. Is that a broken rib?
    Thanks!
    Debra

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    1. Yes, I am feeling much better, now, thank you, Debra.

      The cuff pattern is called "baby cable rib". It's probably my favorite ribbing pattern. It's a k2 p2 rib. If you do a search, you will be able to find the directions and video tutorials. If not, I can write out the directions for you. :)

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  10. I hope you're feeling better now, Bless. Perhaps your upset stomach was down to the heightened emotions and stress of this last week.
    The mittens look great. I might just try making some myself. X

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    1. Yes, I am feeling better, now, Jules, thank you. The mittens were very easy to make. I hope you are able to make a pair for yourself. :)

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  11. If it were I suffering tummy trouble, I would be blaming it on the heat. But unlike your poor tomato plant, you seem to thrive in the heat. I hope both you and the tomato plant are up to snuff now. How exciting to find baby tomatoes already.

    I love the look of the fingerless gloves and I think they are perfect for your winters. They would be totally insufficient for my needs. In the summer I wear leather working gloves, in the late fall I need thin knit gloves, and winter calls for mittens (with gloves inside).

    I am hoping the osteospermum seeds will catch hold in the side yard when you scatter them.

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    1. No, it wasn't the heat. It's been a little on the cool side these past few days (although 90F weather is in the forecast for later this week). I am feeling well, now, thank you.

      The fingerless gloves are for me to wear inside the house! :D Because, even when I am seated right in front of the heater, my hands are cold! I have regular gloves for wearing when going out in the winter. I might need to buy some new gardening gloves, though, because the ones I have are very worn out.

      Thank you - I have scattered a mixture of seeds in the side yard, hopefully, at least some of them will germinate! :)

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