Reading, Knitting, Eating, Etc.

Here at Willow's Cottage, we had a quiet week of finishing the big kitchen painting project.  The last of the cupboard doors are done.  When we put the doors back up, I'll be decluttering all those shelves yet again. It was also another week of watching for those little things that make me thankful--those quiet moments or slow hours that slip by almost unnoticed.  Friday Fave Five helps me to be mindful all week to not take them for granted.

1.  Worthy quotes I read this week somewhere but I can't remember where.  I think I need to heed my daugther Mia's advice and keep a notebook of quotes and thoughts I want to remember, writing them down as soon as I find them.

“The bread that you store up belongs to the hungry; the coat that lies in your chest belongs to the naked; the gold that you have hidden in the ground belongs to the poor.”   St. Basil the Great

"Live simply so others may simply live."   Mother Teresa


2.  Books I am reading this week.

Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes.  In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan.  The Throne of Fire by Richard Riordan.  All three from the library.

A friend has again passed on to me another collection of mostly fiber related books from a relative's estate, but a small booklet titled Plants of Shakespeare by Adelma Grenier Simmons was tucked in the bag and I'm enjoying it as much as the weaving and spinning volumes.  The majority of the books and magazines will be passed on to my spinning/weaving guild for its library, but the deal is that I can keep for myself any books I wish.  Another booklet I plan to keep at least for awhile and read is Plants Used in Basketry by the California Indians, a reprint of an article from 1923 in American Archaeology and Ethnology by Ruth Earl Merrill.  Fascinating stuff, at least to me.  Evidently, anthropologist/archaeologist children come by their passions honestly from both parents.

3.  Knitting this sweater, February Lady Sweater, by Pamela Wynne.  It's a free pattern I downloaded from her blog FlintKnits.

I'm knitting February Lady in a dark greyish blue acrylic yarn (passed on to me from someone else's stash to use up), not for me, but for my older daughter, Our Boy's Mama, who has requested longer full length sleeves instead of the three-quarter length ones shown here.  No pictures yet.  I've been too lazy this week to pull out the camera for a photo shoot.  I'm thinking maybe I'll knit up this same pattern for myself in some handspun alpaca/silk blend if there's enough yardage in the yarn I'm considering using.

4.  Fantastic fresh fruit.  The apricots from the farmers market are perfectly ripe and oh so sweet.

5.  While I was running a little errand at the pre-fair set ups for the Ventura County Fair, The Professor took his bike and rode along the beach route up the coast from Ventura toward Santa Barbara and back.  Then we met up to eat our packed lunches and enjoy a cup of coffee before heading home again.  That's what I love about summer--having the time to make an errand into a day trip.

How have you captured the slower flow of summer this week? (or winter, if you are living below the equator)  What has made it on to your list of thankfulness?  You can share with others by linking up at Susanne's blog Living to Tell the Story.