Saturday Morning at the Library

 

When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.

While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.

So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some  I have read more than once.

This week, The King Raven Trilogy: Hood, Scarlet, and Tuck by Stephen Lawhead. The series is a re-imagined telling of the Robin Hood saga. If you haven't read these books you can find them at your local library or favorite bookstore.

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. We watched the origin story of  Ruroni Kenshin movie on Netflix. We had seen the final part one. Too bad they didn't have the entire series on Netflix.

2. While Himself took a nap, I had tea in the sun room and watched Downton Abbey

3. Travel to and from an appointment in Boston went smoothly. Got lobster rolls from the 99 Restaurant.

4. While grocery shopping, I found the perfect greeting card

5. Got my hair cut

How was your week?

Bubbles

 

While shopping at the bargain store, Himself found a fun bubble machine that he thought the Grandniece would like.

Our girlies loved playing with bubbles, and I must have made oceans of bubble solution. So I thought I'd include a receipe.

I made a booklet out of one sheet of paper (Canson 90 lb. Mixed Media paper) with a soap bubble recipe. Heaven forbid one writes directions on a scrap of paper or index card. 😺

The Niece-in-Law kindly sent a video clip of G and her Baby Brother enjoying the bubbles. 

Whatcha Doin?

 

I'm finishing up a project. Whatcha doin?

T Stands For 8th T Day Anniversary ATCs

 

Each year, Elizabeth and Bleubeard host the anniversary of T Day with an ATC exchange. This is the ATC I made for the exchange.  T Day is a GR8 Day. Done on hand-made pastepaper. I cut the kitties in the teacups from my favorite Washi tape and tumbled them to form the number 8.

In the exchange, Nancy of What's On My Kitchen Counter sent a beautiful ATC and a notecard that cracked me up. In case you can't tell, there's a Zombie crawling up out of the earth. The quote reads "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moment that our breath is taken away." If I saw a zombie crawling out of the ground, I can assure you that would take my breath away in a moment of panic 😺

The back of the ATC has a tiny tag translation from the front. Vous prenez un cafe/une boisson? Would you like to have a coffee/a drink?  Also a fun Life is short eat the bacon or the cheesecake.

In the exchange, I sent an ATC to Chris from Pear Shaped Crafting. Chris kindly sent me an ATC, though she wasn't required. Her ATC has a pretty teacup sitting on a lace tablecloth. Just perfect. She also sent an envelope full of cool bits and bobs just waiting to be used.

Elizabeth sent me a surprise ATC. A retro 1950s coffee cup and coffee pot design celebrating the 8th anniversary of T Day. She even used a coffee stamp! She also included a sheet of handmade paper, a couple of postcards, and a strip of Washi tape with birds sitting on a wire.

Thank you, ladies, for brightening my mailbox and making my day.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

A Sketchnote Sunflower Tutorial

 

Combining a How to Draw Sunflowers tutorial with sketchnoting. I really enjoy the look of the sketchnotes.

Sketchnoting is a way of combining visuals (simple drawings) with taking hand-written notes to make the notes more memorable as a study aid. You can get an idea of what's involved from this overview What Is Sketchnoting

While I like the look of sketchnoting, I'm not sure I'd be able to do it in real time. With the sunflowers tutorial, I made some traditional notes, and then planned using a pencil what the final page would look like. Perhaps it's just a matter of practice using this technique to be able to do it quickly in a class or workshop setting.

Have you heard of sketchnotes or taken notes using this method?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Back to front story

Looks like the morning glory reseeded itself in the pot from last year. Now growing among the weeds

What happened too much rain and the cuke is turning yellow?

Who ate all the flowers from the vine?

Rabbit, rabbit.

Almost ready to pick

Morning glories starting to appear in Ink's garden

Lettuce

Zucchini?

Green bell peppers

Rotrow! Looks like Himself planted Jalapeno peppers.  Anybody want some hot peppers?

Looking good, Little Cuke

Turning red

The Little Shop of Horrors plant inside the greenhouse. Feed me! Feed me!

The hydrangea bush isn't as full with blooms as past years, but more blooms than the past couple of years.

Morning glories filling in on the post lantern

Down with the Birthday month flag. Up with a flag for August

Morning glories making a show on the trellis.

Welcome August. Hopefully, more beach days than last month.

How does your garden grow?