Knitting Projects, the Lawnmower, and the NC Apple Festival

I finished 5 knitting projects this week:

• 2 emotional support chickens - one small (fingering weight yarn) and one medium (DK weight yarn)
• My Bonfire Tee sweater. I modified it by making a large split hem, and I really like how it fits. 
• 2 hats for the staff at the lodge where we hold our September knitting retreat. 

We also had a little trouble with the riding lawnmower. The back tire was completely flat. We tried to take the tire off ourselves, but Don couldn’t get the lug nuts off. We went around the block to the tire place on Main St., and the guy said that if it was a tubeless tire, he could fix it. So, we pumped up the tire and Don drove it there while I followed behind with the emergency flashers on the Prius. The tire was fixed for $10, and Don drove it back home. I love how the lawn looks after he mows it.

On Thursday, we hiked at Lake Conestee Nature Park. It was an easy hike, but we used different muscles than we use when walking laps in the gym. Some of the trails were still closed because of the damage from Hurricane Helene last year. The weather is beautiful! I was also able to take some nice pictures with my new phone.

 

On Saturday, we went to Hendersonville to the NC Apple Festival. We arrived at 9 am and were able to find a free parking space along the street. Don bought a ¼ peck of apples for $7, and I bought 6 apple cider doughnuts for $7. After taking the items back to the car, we walked back along the vendors, and I found homemade apple ice cream for $5; it was so tasty. We stopped to put some stuff back in the car and then walked several blocks to the farmers' market before returning to our car around 11 am. On the way home, we stopped at Palmetto Yarn Shoppe so I could drop off the 2 hats that I made. Everyone was still at the guild meeting, but Nancy was there. When we got home, we had lunch and spent the rest of the day watching college football.

 

It was a great week!

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Crowns, Stamps, and Antique Technology

After a physical therapy appointment on Monday, Don is almost back to normal. He still isn’t allowed to attend exercise class or walk with weights in his hands. He can put weights in a pack and wear it on his back, but not in his hands, which will throw his balance off.

Tuesday, I went back to the dentist and got my permanent crowns. I guess they were made from the 3D image, and they fit and feel better than any other crown I have gotten. They are nice and smooth, too. They fit so well that the dentist didn’t even have to grind or sand (or whatever he does) to get the bite right.

Wednesday, I helped set up for the Thursday tea, and everything turned out beautifully. On Thursday, I was going to help with clean up, but I worked in the yard and then fell asleep, so I didn’t get to go back up there.

On Friday, we headed to the North Georgia Stamp Show. We left home at 6:00 and arrived in the Atlanta area around 9:00. The stamp show didn't start until 10, so we had breakfast at Waffle House (it's been months since we've eaten at Waffle House), and it was so good! The stamp show was held at the Mimms Museum of Technology. When we got to the show, they had an area with a few round tables and comfy chairs, so I spent most of the day knitting on my sweater and reading a library book on my iPad. Since we ate such a big breakfast, we didn't even have lunch. Around 2 pm, I finished my sweater, and my iPad was almost out of battery, so I spent $15 and went through the museum, which was okay. There was a lot of reading, and the lights were too dim to really read anything. I saw lots of things I have used in my lifetime that made me a little nostalgic. I didn't realize so many of them belonged in a museum.LOL The best thing was the first 3D electric car. By 4 pm, my hubby was finished, so we decided to head home instead of spending the night. We got home around 8 pm.

It was nice and cool this morning, so I worked in the yard around 6:45 am to do some weeding. Now I feel okay about sitting and knitting all day! Today I need to wash and block my sweater.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Dentist, Reorganizing, New Phone, and Mowing the Lawn

This week started with a bang. I went to the dentist needing 1 tooth crowned, but then the doctor found the tooth beside it also needed a crown. They put the temporary crowns on them, and I go back on Tuesday for the permanent ones. My mouth has hurt all week from this. In the afternoon, Don went for physical therapy. He hoped he could start back exercising, but he still can’t. Since he can’t get on the foam roller, the doctor recommended that he start with rolled-up towels.

The worst thing that happened was that my iPhone XS died on Tuesday. I was able to text my sister, log in to MyFitnessPal, and check my steps from the day before. 30 minutes later, my phone was dead. I tried different charging cables and got nothing. When we went to the center, I tried someone else’s cable, but it still didn’t work. So, as soon as the Apple store opened at the mall, we were there. I bought an iPhone 16pro. What was shocking was that the guy plugged in my old phone and it came on. I got $80 trade-in for my old phone, and he was able to transfer everything from my old phone to my new phone. What a relief! Of course, I had to order a new case from Amazon.

I also worked on reorganizing the kitchen. I cleaned out the pantry and got rid of all of the out-of-date food, and now my shelves look empty. We went to Dollar Tree for baskets, and I’m organizing some of the food into the baskets. One basket has all the different teas, another is holding boxed stuff like pasta, and the last one is holding beans. I have 2 more baskets that I am going to fill, but haven’t decided what I want to put n them yet. I’m also clearing off the dining room table and getting rid of old food and putting away stuff that shouldn’t be in there.

Our lawnmower was returned on Thursday, and we are very happy with the guy who worked on it. He replaced the deck belt and fixed a tire. He also fixed our Honda 2000 generator. On Friday, Don was able to mow the lawn, and it needed it! I need to go rake up all the dead grass, but it rained last night, and it’s too wet to rake up. Maybe tomorrow.

This morning, when Don got up, he didn’t want to fix his breakfast, but I had already eaten. So, we went to McDonald's and he got a chicken biscuit meal. I think I’m feeling pretty lazy today. I may work in the dining room some more this morning and then get on a knitting Zoom at 3.

I hope everyone has a nice week!

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Rain, August gnome, and lawnmower repairs

We had a lot of rain this week, so I didn’t do much outside. Most afternoons, I was able to knit and spin. I finished the pair of socks I’ve been making. I also finished the gnome for July that we are going to gift to Don’s physical therapist.

On Tuesday, I went to my knitting group and had a good time. My friend Dagmar’s husband made a red dragon for me on his 3D printer. I sent it to my great-niece Kaeli on Wednesday. I hope she likes it.

On Wednesday, I was able to get out and do some weeding. I spent a couple of hours, but you really can’t tell I made a dent in the weeds. Of course, it set off my allergies, and my sinuses were messed up for 2 days.

Thursday was a quiet day. We ended up going to our local hardware store, which was able to recommend someone who could fix our lawnmower. He sounded very nice on the phone. When I gave him our address, he said his grandmother lives nearby.

On Friday, after Don’s board meeting, we went grocery shopping. Of course, Don was happy with going shopping. I was just glad to get the things I needed.

On Saturday, the guy came and picked up our lawnmower in the morning. We really liked him, so we also asked him to take our small generator with him to get fixed also.

This week, I also worked on washing my salt and pepper shaker collection, and Don helped me put them up on the shelves. I don’t have any more room for any more, so I need to stop finding cute ones at the antique store!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Summer Harvest: Watermelons

The #5004 2015 First‑Class Forever Stamp – Summer Harvest: Watermelons celebrates one of America’s sweetest summer fruits. It is one of a block of 4 Forever stamps (2015 Summer Harvest - Block of 4 Forever Stamps - Scott #5004-7). Issued on July 11, 2015, at the California State Fair in Sacramento, it’s part of a four‑stamp booklet featuring corn, cantaloupes, tomatoes, and watermelons. Each stamp, including the watermelon one, is a Forever stamp, which means it always pays the 1‑ounce first‑class postage, regardless of price changes.

This watermelon stamp draws its design from vintage crate labels used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Back then, farmers packed produce in wooden crates and used bright, eye‑catching labels to stand out on the railroad and market shelves. The design mirrors old seed packets and catalog art. The bold lettering and ripe watermelon illustration were drawn by artist Michael Doret, following early art director sketches by Richard Sheaff and design by Antonio Alcalá. These details make it a great item for stamp collectors and a fun way for kids to learn about history, art, and how mail works—all in one little square!

National Watermelon Day is celebrated every year on August 3, and it’s a special time to enjoy one of summer’s most refreshing fruits. This juicy day honors watermelon’s long history, dating back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt, when watermelon seeds were even found in King Tut’s tomb. Watermelon is made of about 92% water, so it helps keep us cool and hydrated, especially on hot summer days. On this day, families and friends enjoy watermelon in many fun ways: cutting slices, making fruit salads, having seed-spitting contests, and even carving giant slices into creative shapes. It’s a tasty, healthy, and playful celebration that makes summer even sweeter!

References:

https://stamps.org/collect/new-issues/year/2015-01-01/end/2016-01-01
https://foreverstampsshop.com/products/us_summer-harvest_2015
https://www.mysticstamp.com/5004-2015-first-class-forever-stamp-summer-harvest-watermelons
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-watermelon-day-august-3
https://www.hortonfarmersmarket.ca/hortonblog/national-watermelon-day
https://nationaltoday.com/national-watermelon-day/

Walking, Mowing the Lawn, and Visiting a Friend

It was a nice week this week even though it was very hot.

We walked at the senior center every day except Tuesday because the gym wasn’t open. Don seems to be walking easier every day.

On Tuesday, I finally fixed my spinning wheel. After 2 years of not being able to spin my yarn, I can finally use my wheel again. I'm so excited. I spun so much that my legs felt like rubber when I stopped for dinner! 

On Thursday, we went out to breakfast with our friends from the center. I had been bragging about the French toast at IHOP, so we went there. I ended up being the only one who got the French toast. When we got home, I played around with making cards and hand-embroidering designs on them. 

On Thursday afternoon, Don had physical therapy, and he seems to be improving. On the therapist’s recommendation, we bought a therapy log that Don is supposed to lie on to help his upper back.

After walking on Friday, Don mowed the lawn. We had to add air to the back right tire again. After mowing the whole front lawn and most of the back, the belt broke on the lawnmower. Now we have to figure out how to get it fixed. We went to the John Deere dealer, and it looks like it might cost $500 to get it fixed. We are looking to see if we can find anyone else who works on it.

On Saturday, I went to visit my friend Sandy, who lives with her son one week and her daughter the next. It was really great to see her again. I can tell how much her family loves her and is taking good care of her.

original photos by Pat Hensley