k-brow: summer into fall

It feels like fall here, even though I'm told that fall is a lengthy process in Georgia, and the temperatures are still in the 80's. But the nights are cool and crisp, and yesterday, I saw some ripe fallen acorns on my walk with Ella, so I can hope, and look forward to a change of seasons, at last.

Pink Ariann progresses enjoyably. The color is not growing on me, but I like the rhythm of the stitch pattern, and the Cascade, never a favorite yarn of mine, is knitting up nicely, and is squishy and cooperative. I feared for its future, for a few days this weekend, as I was so ambivalent about its color, all of a sudden. But now, Bonnie Marie Burns' elegant pattern writing has taken over, and I'm enjoying the knit. I may overdye it, though, when all is said and done.
Here's a progress shot, though admittedly, I am quite a bit farther along than this one, of several days ago.

My old companion, episcleritis, the nasty eye inflammation, has resurfaced again, with a red, swollen right eye. I went to a new opthamologist today, one who proved to be extremely nice. We talked about possible causes, having ruled out, in HI, all the usual associated suspects of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and tuberculosis, Chron's disease, etc. He remarked that it was his suspicion that it was triggered by stress and anxiety, and that once activated, was hard to banish completely from the body. Maybe so. I'm on another round of steroid eyedrops, which provided immediate relief, though I'm to take them for another 15 days, then we'll see what happens.

The Nuuanu house has not yet sold, though we have had some recent interest in it. There are some problems that have also surfaced, as a result of the Federal appraisal process, that we have to address, that I won't go into here. I'm trying not to angst too much about it; I loved the house, but just really want it sold now, and want to have only one mortgage, asap. It appears we may not completely lose our shirts over the damn thing, but whether we sell it to the Feds or to a private buyer, remains to be seen. Anxiety and stress? Not me...

When I went to the Olde Country, one of the things I brought back down with me was a big box of homegrown tomatoes. We've been eating gazpacho, toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches, and that most delightful of summer treats; the caprese salad. Thick slices of dead-ripe tomato, topped with a slice of fresh buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped basil. Yum. This dish really only works at home. The times I've ordered it in restaurants, it's never as good, the tomatoes never as ripe, the flavors somehow flat. It's a rare treat. I am coming to the end of those Virginia tomatoes, though I have a box of wee yellow cherry tomatoes from our CSA that should do nicely for a chopped version of the same. The CSA isn't the one I wanted to join, here; that one must be joined at the new year. This one is fine, for now, and we've been enjoying weekly surprises in the box. This week brought some mixed potatoes and beets, fresh peanuts, apples, lettuce, a bell pepper, and muscadine and scuppernong grapes. The grapes are deserving of a blog post in and of themselves, though, so I won't elaborate much on them here, other than to say that they are native American grapes that bear no resemblance to anything I've ever eaten in my life. More on them later.

Our house is taking shape, slowly. The kitchen is too small, but I've rigged up the florescent lights on top of the cabinets, and now it is light. I'm enjoying cooking again, and am trying to focus on summer produce, which is easy to do here, with so much coming in. I'm still knitting with the local knit group, at the cute little cafe in Roswell. Nice to connect with other knitters. I still have avoided all LYS, but am planning some hats and mittens knit from stash. I realized, going through my closet, that I have a fair number of sweaters, and perhaps should knit some smaller items. I've been recently inspired by Gay's focus on the smalls, little projects that can be quickly completed. My Ravelry queue is growing!

One more episode of "True Blood" before the season ends. I'm not sure what will rush in to fill the void...maybe I'll take up "Dexter" again. I left him midway through season 2, and am curious to see what he's been up to...I am loving True Blood so much! (Warning: spoilers ahead) Just when I think it's gone over the top, and I'm starting to disconnect from it, something marvellous happens, like Godrick's departure, or that wacky and thoroughly likeable vampire queen shows up. This show is such a pleasurable escape.

I've been spending too much time on Facebook and on Goodreads, too, and am going to have to re-activate Leechblocker or some other such timesuck prevention measure, I think. Both have re-connected me to friends in real life, though, so I hesitate to be too terribly draconian about them.

My bed, and the latest book, More Than It Hurts You call to me. I have to kick the dogs off though.