Started New Knitting and New Plans

I started new knitting yesterday. I did it because I finished the Wildflower Colorway Reyna shawl. The new one is the same pattern but in a very soft, very pretty color in the Summer Nights Yarn called Ocean Cove. It is one of the 6 colors I bought in this yarn when they were on clearance. 

I have at least 2 skeins in each of the colors. Finishing this shawl will give me one knitted Reyna in each color. 

Next up will be one of each color in a crocheted shawl pattern I found on Ravelry. This one is called Summer Sprigs Lace Scarf.

We have another road trip coming up. This one for us celebrating our wedding anniversary. I will probably use this pattern and my intention of making one in each of the 6 colors as my goal. I am looking forward to the project and the trip. 

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If you shop on Amazon, eBay or Zazzle you can use the affiliate links below if you wish. I could earn a bit from qualified purchases and that means more yarn for me and many thanks to you! 

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Back with more again soon. 

Take care and stay cozy! 

 

Trimming Our Trees

Like many folks who live here in the desert we have a person who does our yard work. Jim can't really take care of it at his age and in his state of fitness. For the last year or more the man who does this is named Max. Yesterday Max came with a cousin to thin out our trees. We have 3 Sissoo trees, a Palo Verde and a Bonita Ash. With the monsoon season here we worry about their ability to stand through the strong winds that can come with those storms. Thinning the branches in theory means the air can pass through rather than push over your tree. This is the second year we have had this kind of work done. The process seemed to work last year so let's hope it is the same this year.

The picture is from before thinning yesterday. These trees are about 12 years old and at a bit taller than our 2 story house. We'd like them to be here shading the yard for many years to come.

If you follow me on twitter and I hope you do since I share a lot of nice things from authors, photographers, eBay sellers and creators on Etsy, Zazzle and Red Bubble, I will be sharing lots of retweets from those folks and a couple tweets about National Waffle Iron Day. You can find me on twitter @CozyAtoZ.

   

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Take care and stay cozy! 

 

Inside the Banjoverse

My brother Kyle and I were talking about music and podcasts during some of our conversations while taking care of my mother earlier this year. He told me about the podcast "Inside the Banjoverse". I have started listening and really enjoy it. I have to admit that I don't know much about the people and the history of traditional Irish music but I like what I hear. The interviews on the podcast are done by Enda Scahill. He seems to bring such joy to these interactions that is sets a good mood for me for the rest of the day.

Enda is part of the band We Banjo 3 along with band members Martin Howley, Fergal Scahill and David Howley. From their website they use these words to describe themselves.

Galway-based We Banjo 3 has one foot in Irish music and one foot in Americana music, seamlessly combining the virtuosity and precision in each genre’s traditional disciplines with the artful song-craft and infectious live performance of today’s musical landscape.

If you are interested in more about the band and the podcast start with these links.

Podcast is found here - https://www.webanjo3.com/podcast

For shopping for music I found some on Amazon here - https://amzn.to/3CMzBi9 (affiliate link)

One last thing. If you check out any of this stop by in the comments and let me know what you think about the band or the podcast. I would love to hear from you!

   

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Take care and stay cozy! 

 

National Sunglasses Day

Checking in on NationalDayCalendar.com I found out that among others things like pineapple it is National Sunglasses Day. So sunglasses is what I will be tweeting about today as well as sharing some links here too.

Remember please that sunglasses are more than just fashion. They can also protect your eyes for the type of damage that can lead to cataracts. I came to realize this personally at my last eye exam. The doctor told me I have the beginnings of cataracts but they are not developed enough for surgery yet. I asked if there was anything I could do to slow the process and was told no. Cataracts are created by years of damage early in life and I am guilty of not taking care of my eyes when I was younger. 

I did a search on eBay and to check for yourself click this affiliate link. Below are a couple of the styles I found. I, as usual for eBay found old, new, classic, trendy and cherished vintage styles. 

Amazon had of course a wide range of prices and styles too. Use this affiliate link to see the search results that just might help you find your next pair of sunnies. 

Funny thing I noticed while looking today. Nearly all of the images of the sunglasses on the pages of search results were looking the same direction. If there was a variation at all a few were straight forward. Random things that make me wonder why. LOL

So did you see anything you like? Feel free to let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you!

   

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Take care and stay cozy! 

 

Yesterday I finished reading "A Girl Called Samson" by Amy Harmon. I really enjoyed this book. I would like to think that I could do brave and hard things like the women I read about in the books I love but fear my efforts would be short I what I imagine. I have heard of women passing for men in the Civil War as well as the Revolutionary War where this novel is set. This is a novel and not a biography however many of the characters were real people. 

Here is what Amazon has to say about this book from Amy Harmon who writes historical fiction very well.

From New York Times bestselling author Amy Harmon comes the saga of a young woman who dares to chart her own destiny in life and love during the American Revolutionary War.

In 1760, Deborah Samson is born to Puritan parents in Plympton, Massachusetts. When her father abandons the family and her mother is unable to support them, Deborah is bound out as an indentured servant. From that moment on, she yearns for a life of liberation and adventure.

Twenty years later, as the American colonies begin to buckle in their battle for independence, Deborah, impassioned by the cause, disguises herself as a soldier and enlists in the Continental Army. Her impressive height and lanky build make her transformation a convincing one, and it isn’t long before she finds herself confronting the horrors of war head-on.

But as Deborah fights for her country’s freedom, she must contend with the secret of who she is—and, ultimately, a surprising love she can’t deny.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Knitting WIP

The colors are not as pretty here as in real life. The colorway for this Lion Brand Summer Nights yarn is Wildflowers. There is more pink in it that is not really showing up. 

Anyway this is nearly done. I spent a lot of time yesterday resting and icing the sore hip. I have one more row to knit and then bind off. With blocking the garter stitch evens out and the lace will open up. The pattern is Reyna with an added band of garter stitch at the end.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

From Mom's House

The plant pictured above is a Peace Lily. It is from my Mom's house. It is one of the things I brought home. One thing I can tell you about my mother is that she loved to garden and take care of house plants. I couldn't save them all but I did bring home 3. I have the Peace Lily, an azalea and a geranium.

I did some research on how to take care of the lily which I learned isn't a true lily. The most supportive and informational place I found to learn about the care of this plant was at HGTV.com. I haven't had one of these plants before and would like to keep it for a long time. Right now it is living on the table in my eat in kitchen so I can see it and remember her several times a day.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!