Friday | Rounding the Corner on August

This is the second to last Friday in August; I was just dreading the beginning of this month and now it’s almost over. How does that always happen?! We are really noticing the shortening of days lately and it’s strange to be up before the birds in the mornings. And I still love being a Super Morning Person, even without my bird friends. Since it’s Friday, I’m sharing a few snapshots of joy from this week. And as always — I’d love to hear about what’s bringing you joy in the comments.

Hurrah! We spotted a monarch caterpillar on a milkweed in the garden on Monday and have been watching it grow all week. It has almost eaten down the entire plant and is getting nice and fat. The gladioli are blooming. A few fell over this week so I snipped them and brought them inside to enjoy. The hydrangea is healthy and huge — and I spotted a few pink petals yesterday, so I think it’s just starting to fade for the year.

Thanks to the very late start of summer this year, things are still very green despite how dry and hot it was in late July and early August. I’m thankful that the grass isn’t brown and dead like it sometimes is at this time of year. And we had an overnight soaking rain on Wednesday that should help keep things healthy for a little longer.

I’ve done the tiniest bit of knitting this week – I got that heel turned on Sunday night and I managed about an inch on the sock during story time at the library this week, but that’s it. I’m hoping I’ll find myself sitting down on the couch in the late evenings next week with my knitting and an audiobook, but this hasn’t been a week for sitting! My knitting time will come and I’m enjoying what’s before me until then. More about that next week.

A few more joyful things:

• Earlier this week I was under the locust tree and reading while the kids were playing in the backyard. The tree was vibrating with birds — about a dozen tufted titmice were flying through the branches and chatting to each other. I was so distracted by them that I had to close my Kindle and just watch them for about 20 minutes.
• There was a reference to gingerbread cookies in The Shell Seekers and I couldn’t get it out of my head. So I baked a batch this week and they were gone by the next morning. This recipe is a winner. I also baked a spice cake this week hoping that it would last a couple of days for our afternoon poetry tea time snack, but it is just too good. I always use a recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that I’ve had forever, but this one looks super delicious. I made a browned butter frosting from my cookbook, but the brown butter cream cheese frosting in that link looks next level. Next time!
• I finally listened to Ruth Ozeki’s interview on The Ezra Klein Show and loved it. I adore her and now have more books added to my TBR thanks to their discussion. I think When You Greet Me I Bow will be my next slow read.
• We are wrapping up our 5th week of a lighter summer school schedule. After Week 6, we’ll take a one week break and then get going on our big curricula for the year. Our plans in a nutshell: Torchlight Curriculum, Scientific Connections Through Inquiry, and Beast Academy. I am so excited!

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And friends – that’s it from me. I’m not sure what this weekend will bring for me, but I hope yours is exactly what you need to feel refreshed and energized. Take good care.