Summer Sonnets

    I have been itching to get back online and write what I've been up to this summer. Since fall is officially tomorrow, it's a perfect time to recap the summer from the perspective of my handiwork.

The clothespin Gang

    I planted a small garden at the cottage, which did not do too much since it had little sunshine, was worked for the first year, and lacked nutrients.  But I did harvest some oregano that was already growing there and we munched on a few snow peas.

    The kids thoroughly enjoyed the water (as did hubby and I). It barely rained all summer! We went to 2 camps where the kids learned how to paintball and the fine skill of horsemanship. God kept a close eye on them for me and kept them safe even though my youngest tried flipping over his horses head, and almost drowned in the pool and then at a friend's house. Hard on a mom's heart though!

Boating with dad.

Turtle at the lake.

    I knit and spun and quilted by hand here and there all summer long. My daughter and I picked wild flowers, wild mint (which we dried and put away for the winter) and enjoyed the bug free, lazy, hot summer days.

    We also found an enormous stand of chokecherry trees. We picked for an hour and came away with about 2 dozen bottles of jelly! I saved some for us, gave some away, and plan to sell the rest. I also made this delicious Blueberry Spice jam (we're keeping all of it), at the cottage.

    We finally moved into our "new" home that God gave to us. We're renting this lovely 3 story house with heated tiles in the bathroom, and the whole top floor (a finished attic) is all furnished with my knitting, sewing, spinning, loom, quilt rack, etc (and a rocking chair).

Playing Jenga with the packing boxes.

    I have been commissioned by a girl at church to make a shawl for her. I started with this fuchsia mohair and will probably not have enough. But I do have another shade of pink mohair that will blend in with it nicely. I also found some online, should I run out of that one as well. I hope it will be enough....

    I have been making lots of jelly of late. I made some with this lovely beet juice and added spices-best jelly yet! I also made some with rowan berries (also known as Eastern Mountain Ash). These are only edible cooked, though (FYI).