The Great Activity Slump

Life has been pretty boring around here for the past week.  You'd think now that summer is here we would be doing interesting things.  Not so!

Zip has been mowing grass and going fishing.  I've been working on sewing orders and knitting these boring socks that I'm sick of already.  And listening to books on CD.  Lots of books on CD.

Even the cats are in a stupor from the heat.

Yesterday the weather was a bit cooler so we drove to Carlisle to check out the Aldi grocery store.  These are kind of hit or miss discount stores.  I had found some yummy ravioli with cheese and hot Italian sausage at the store in Chambersburg.  We were hoping to get more of it in the Carlisle store.  Big disappointment.  But it got us out of the house and on the road for half a day.  Zip stopped in Boiling Springs to get supplies at the flyfishing shop.  I walked over to the lake to take a few pictures.  I love this area!

Flower planters on the bridge at the end of the lake.

A duck peacefully swimming.  There were more crowded around a family who were feeding them.

Some lovely old homes surround the edges of the lake.

There were other things I could have photographed as we went flying down the road, but by the time I am able to say, 'gee, that would have made a nice picture', we are half a mile past.  Zip doesn't waste any time.  I think he's afraid I might want to stop at a yard sale!

Today we spent the afternoon with Brad and Kami and grand-daughter Emily.  We had lunch together in their screened patio which is decorated like a German beer garden.

A small part of Brad's stein collection.

He did the painting of the German sayings.  Don't ask me to translate!

They have been working on their water garden.  This year they added the waterfall part at the top left.  All the components have been gotten at yard sales for less than $20.  They plan to add more topsoil, stones,  and plant hostas to make it look more natural.  Last year some frogs came and took up residence.  We're hoping they come back this year.

Another water garden features a Gem hand pump that they found at a flea market.  More flowers will be planted around it.  The vine in the background is a hops plant that covers the whole front of the patio area.

On the home front.  I haven't started another rug yet.  It's on my To-Do List!

Here are the socks I'm tired of working on.  I wanted to work them both at the same time on two circular needles, but I kept getting confused as to which row I was on and when to make my increases.  Plus taking the two strands of yarn from the same ball caused a lot of tangling and the need to untwist.  So they are now being made one at a time.

The bummer is that on the first sock the heel turning went perfectly.  When I began the heel on the second sock, things didn't go as well even though I was using the same instructions.  What's with that???  I did the heel over three or four times before I got an acceptable heel.  Yeesh!

I will close with one of my favorite pictures of Deiter.
He always makes me smile!

Hope you are having an enjoyable week!