the first of August and a trip wrap-up!

Dear Reader,
I hope this first day of August finds you well and in good spirits. As a lover of summertime, I find August the sweetest month and also the swiftest one of the season. The heavy humid heat sets deeper in and the days linger, yet now with a touch of September softly, slowly beckoning with each sunset. When August arrives, it's as if I've just gotten used to summer being here for a long spell and find I hold fast to it before it escapes me.

As I write to you this bright and sunny morning, all is well. The house is quiet and if I'm still, then I can hear the kitty purrs next to me.

/ / girls trip and currently reading / /

My mom, grandmother and I took a long, 3 generations girls weekend trip to Fayetteville, North Carolina as it's a sentimental home away from home for us; my great grandparents lived there for many decades and I have fond memories there as a child. Many of the favorite haunts are long gone but we find fun whenever we go back. Basically, we shop, eat hush puppies and drink sweet tea the entire time and yeah, it's a dear place in my heart. 

En route, we stopped in Midlothian, VA as there was a fabulous knitting shop, Dances with Wool, we had to check out. I purchased this beautiful yarn {called Crazy} and know it will make up into a special scarf for colder months.

 


In the same shopping complex there was an independent bookstore, The Little Book Shop. It called to me from the parking lot!! We had to get back on the road but I managaed a few minutes perusing their beautiful store. The had an alluring summer reads display on the front table and I was immediately drawn to this book's cover ... 



I started reading it the next day in the hotel pool and am just about finished with it. I've been savoring it; really good writing and now I want to get the author's other book. The story is set in London in 1925 and weaves a simple yet engrossing story about a young Australian-born girl, Catherine, who has lost her parents and finds her strength in a deep love of swimming. She is living with her Aunt in London; her Aunt has other goals for Catherine and the pair, both headstrong, create a sharp, empowering story.

/ / currently knitting / /
A few weeks back, I was gobsmacked in love with a knitting project that came across my Twitter feed. I follow Woolly Originals and one day she shared her progress on the Shindig shawl - a design in the new Summer 2017 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly. I swooned. I had to make it too. The shawl is knit from the bottom up which I hadn't tried before. I finished the lace edging section on the trip and now into the striped/decreasing area. Oh it's so much fun to knit!!!


The yarn is DK weight in a brand that is new to me called Knerd String; colorways in my project are Peachy and Good Day Sunshine. My LYS, fibrespace, started carrying this brand and it's truly a delight to work with and super soft. I know I'll get loads of coziness out of this shawl when finished. I just need a few more dozen free hours to knit!!!

I'll close with this piece of chocolate cream meringue pie that I practically inhaled on our NC trip. Sure wish I had a slice of its goodness right now!

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