Peachy Keen

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"I have felt cats rubbing their faces against mine, and touching my cheek with claws carefully sheathed.

These things, to me, are expressions of love."

- James Herriot -

Well, my little furry guys certainly expressed their love this past week, while Jack was out of town and I was enjoying vacation at home !!

Late last week, I ended up getting sick with some stomach issues . . . running from bedroom to bathroom every hour, all night long. And every trip I made, my boys came with me. They sat with me in the bathroom, and then climbed the stairs with me back to bed. When I finally stayed downstairs and camped out in Jack's office on the recliner, Marty slept in Jack's desk chair, while Leo curled up on the bathroom floor (as if awaiting my return !). After I moved to the living room couch for the rest of the morning, Leo snuggled in with me, while Marty fell asleep on the green overstuffed chair next to us. Our boys usually sleep upstairs on our bed for the most of the day, but not that day . . . they didn't let me out of their sight !!!

I've always been amazed by the intuition and instinct of cats . . . they always know when something's not right with their people, and they react in their own special cat ways.

My boys . . . they took such good care of me !!!

Happy (furry) Monday !!

A Favorite Drive

One of my favorite things to do with my summer Saturday morning is head to one of our local farmers markets. Not only is it a destination in itself (in my book !), but the drive to get there is a main reason I go at all !! There's nothing like a sunny Saturday morning, with the windows of my car down, breeze blowing and good tunes playing, on my way to buy fresh, yummy things!

I just head to the end of our road, meet the lake, and hang a right . .

. . . drive farther out in the country a bit . . .

farmland on one side, the lake on the other . . .

. . . to get to my favorite farm market !!

The best part, though, is going through Pultneyville on the way there and back:

It's my favorite little lake village . . .

reminds me a little of my time in Massachusetts . . .

And at the end of a hard morning

(buying produce and taking pictures !!),

I found this little lakeside bench and took a break !!

Perfect !!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

So . . . . my sweater-in-progress has a name.

It's basically had this name since I posted last.

There I was, innocently sitting on the couch, knitting away, when Jack randomly turned to me and blurted out "Grape Ape". I didn't even know he'd read my request for suggestions, much less had one of his own . . . and then it was permanently stuck in my head !!! So, "Grape Ape" it is !! (Anyone else really like that cartoon as a kid ?!?!!!)

Thank you for all the suggestions, too . . . . I loved them all ! I especially liked "Lillander", but "Grape Ape" was burned into my brain for good ! The yarn seems to be responding to the name, too . . . this sweater has been knitting up fast and well so far !!! Maybe a more delicate and feminine name for the next sweater ! Come to think of it, one of the names used in the book I mentioned was "The Road Kill" . . . so "Grape Ape" really isn't that bad, huh !?!?!!!!!

Happy Monday !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"I love the feel of the bamboo needles as they tap out a song under my hands, and the utter satisfaction of wearing items I make keeps me warmer than the wool itself. The anger and frustrations that I bring home at the end of the day, attached to my body like burrs, find their way out through my hands into the wool, and are stitched into beautiful things rather than festering in the back of my mind."

- Knit Lit -

I so agree !! That's why I'm so glad the click-clack-click-clack of my knitting needles is back !! I finished a sweater a few months ago, and have been waiting for my back-ordered new yarn to arrive before starting my next project. But, it's here & I'm knitting again . . . and all feels right with the world !!!

I am in need of some help, though. The above-mentioned book contains a cute little blurb about naming each of your knitting projects . . . "name it and tame it," so the saying goes ! So, if I'm making a sweater with this beautiful new lilac yarn . . . what should I name it ?!?!???? Suggest away !!!

Happy Monday !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

You know those hanging "bags" of flowers ?!?!?!? Well, I had envisioned hanging one on each of our barns doors this summer . . . I thought they would look so pretty with those cascading flowers. But the garden center I visited last weekend was sold out, and a small garden center nearby had several left, but they were both expensive (to me, anyway !) and not looking so healthy. Well, maybe next year, I thought.

But, on a jaunt to my favorite farm market over the weekend, I was lucky enough to find these lovelies . . .

Little twig baskets filled with petunias !! They were prettier and less expensive than anything I'd seen so far . . . and I can reuse the baskets again and again ! Perfect !! I love it when you stumble upon something so much better than you thought you wanted ! These beauties make me smile every time I glance at them !

Happy Monday !

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Finally . . . some color added to our outdoors !!!

It's beginning to look a bit like summer out there !!

I made the trek Saturday to one of our

area's largest garden centers . . .

. . . and came back with some much-needed color for our patio area. We recently painted our planters a fresh shade of white, and now they're filled with pretty petunias ! Grow, boys, grow !

So lovely to have some color out there !

Happy Monday !