Time Marches On...

 Believe it or not, I actually HAVE started the next weaving project, which will be overshot table runners.  I began a sample this morning, hoping I'd have at least that to share, but I'm not sure that it is coming out correctly, despite my checking all of the tie-ups, threading and treadling several times.  I've asked the hive-mind on Ravelry if it looks OK to those who have woven this particular draft before, but have not heard back yet.  It will be my first overshot project, and only my second 2-shuttle weaves, the first being decades ago.  All this to say, there should be photos soon!

The gardens are doing pretty well, considering I'm not the best caretaker around.  The flowers on the porch are thriving, and seen from the porch itself, they coordinate well with the flowers in the garden directly below them.  Not great photos here, but the best that I could do.

I found some tomatoes out in the vegetable garden the other day, much to my surprise.  These are heirloom tomatoes, and we also have a couple of teensy green sunburst tomatoes as well.  

We've gone from a bone-dry, very hot June to a very rainy unsettled pattern in July with some relatively cool days alternating with extremely muggy ones.  I guess the plants like all that water, even if most folks don't.  I really feel for all who are living out in the West right now.  Heat waves, drought, and horrific fires, SO terrible.  I am really worried that not enough people are listening to Mother Earth as she is screaming at us to pay attention and change our ways before it's too late, if in fact it already isn't.  What kind of a planet are we going to be leaving our children and grandchildren?!?

Luckily, Dinger isn't very concerned with these scary parts of life.  He's afraid of a lot of other things, for sure, but doesn't much care about the Big Stuff.  Lucky him!

We found a half-eaten mouse in the kitchen the other day - yuck!  At least he's earning his keep.

Recently, I've started to volunteer to walk dogs at the local shelter.  The first day was just shadowing an experienced walker.  The second day I tried to be independent, only walking the "green" (or easy) dogs.  It went well until, well, it didn't.  I learned a few hard lessons that day, and really berated myself for my mistakes, as is my unfortunate custom.  I dreaded going back this week, but the experience was better, so I'm feeling more hopeful.  Those poor pups are so stressed living at the shelter, so anything I can do to help them and make them more adoptable is my goal.  I've had 3 dogs (and 6 cats) in my life, but it's been awhile since I had a dog, so I just need to keep at it.  The experienced walkers are wonderful, so helpful and kind.  For now, I just go once a week for a few hours, while most go twice a week.  I'm not sure whether I'll be able to keep going in the winter.  After falling and breaking my pelvis, I'm pretty worried about getting pulled off my feet, even if I have ice grippers.  I'll just have to see how it's going by then.

That's all for now.  Keep your fingers crossed that this new weaving adventure is going to work out, and I'll say "hi" to all the pups and kitties for everyone!