I have spent weeks telling myself to just get on with it and write a blog post. In fact, I’ve spent an entire week tinkering and tapping and trying to get words down for this post. Obviously it hasn’t happened sooner, or easily! I hate starting these by apologising for being absent, because I’m hardly a prolific blogger to begin with, but it has been nearly three months, and I am sorry.
What’s been going on? I…really don’t know. I think this summer’s heat and drought (East Anglia had bugger all rain from March right the way up to about a fortnight ago, and even now it’s not been much) have really taken a toll on me. I’ve also been doing a lot of work on my lovely house – the living room, hall, stairs and landing have been professionally decorated, but I (plus various helpers) have decorated the two spare bedrooms plus my ‘book room’, including things like sanding and varnishing skirting boards, filling in holes left from the rewiring, etc, etc…
I’ve also finally, just in the last few days, been able to unpack my maaaassive box of blankets, and they are now back on their home (a blanket ladder), much to Persephone’s delight. And I must admit, I hugged the pile of blankets before folding them neatly 😀 it’s been a long time without access to them!
I’ve pottered around the garden as much as I could in the heat. I haven’t done a huge amount of perennial planting yet, so I didn’t bother too much about watering the flower beds, but my pots of petunias, my ‘Dublin Bay’ rose, and my sunflowers, have all done well with careful watering.
But as I say, the heat was just exhausting. For prolonged periods (it felt like a couple of weeks!), it never really got below 20c even at night, and as someone who doesn’t regulate their temperature very well, it was rather draining! Thus, my rather long absence from this blog.
I have, of course, been crocheting. It would take more than the heat to stop me – though I do admit I couldn’t crochet at all on the two days it hit 42c here.
My Around the World (v2!) quilt is slowly progressing. At the time of writing, I’ve done 549 out of 729 squares. Yay? It feels endless. I am remembering how much of a toil this blanket was the first time around. But I loved the end result, and I can’t live with the killed blanket, so I shall persevere.
I’ve also made a couple of draft excluders, because the doors in my new house don’t quite meet the floors (especially upstairs, now I’ve taken up the carpet), and there are a couple of rooms I plan to not heat this winter (fuel bills, yikes!!). Plus, y’know, using up some yarn is always good. I particularly like this one, which I made with Stylecraft Batik (Old Gold) and Stylecraft Dreamcatcher (Apache) held together. It’s terribly simple, but very effective. I’ll probably whip up a quick tutorial for this over the next few weeks, if anybody’s interested?
As for my Sophie’s Universe, for my carer J, it’s going quite well, interspersed with squares for the Around the World quilt. I’m up to round 86, of a total of 113 (excluding the optional squares and the eight rounds of border). I’m probably going to spend the next few days cracking on with it, because carer J won’t be back until Monday, and I’ve realised it’s nearly October and if I want to crochet any Christmas presents, I’d better get a move on!
I hope you’ve all had good summers, that you’ve survived the heat and have managed to get some crochet done 😀 I promise, I will resume a more regular blogging schedule again now that autumn is settling in and the days of 30c+ heat are behind us for now!
xx
Catherine
Catherine's Crochet Corner 
Hi Catherine!
Your Sophie’s Universe is absolutely beautiful! And I wanted to say that you’re are certainly not alone with not being able to stand the heat. I’m 67 now, and I run much warmer than I did when I was younger. The heat and especially the humidity exhaust me. Thankfully, change is afoot! I love your book (and DVD!) room. The shelves are very pretty. Sometimes we just have to take care of what needs attention. It certainly feels good when we do, but it’s lovely to have you back.
Take care and enjoy the fall!
Larryn G.
Ohio, United States
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Not crochet related. I live in Southern California, USA and also have chickens. It gets up to 106 here in the summer months. My chickens, also, are not fond of the heat, but, my creative husband has found some things that helps keep them a bit cool. A fan….air circulation is important for hens no matter the temp….a fan blowing and moving the air helps tremendously. A misting system, we also installed, our hens love sitting under the misters and with the fan it brings down the temp. We’ve covered their open coop area with sun tarps to give extra shade and these seem to help also. Hope it cools down at your home and for your hens also
Liz Dannenberger
dannenec@icloud.com
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I definitely added extra shade out there for them! In the future, I’m hoping to grow things up one side of their run, which will help, but I’ve only been here since February and there’s been a lot to do 😀
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I definitely understand about moving into a new home and getting organized, it’s a joy and at the same time a huge adjustment and lots of work! My hens have always given me an opportunity for a bit if quiet solitude as I care for them each day…..along with delicious eggs!
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Here in my new home, I can see them from the house (before, they were hidden behind a shed) – even from my armchair in the living room, so I can literally just glance up from my crochet to see them out there. I love it so much, they’re so happy and it’s so calming, watching them.
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Always lovely to see projects from talented crocheters, regardless of size. 🙂 I mean, of the projects ! [grin] And yes please, I’m interested down here ..
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Here in Australia we’re just heading into spring so I’m looking forward to some lovely warm days. Your Sophie’s Universe is beautiful.
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Hello, Catherine! Nice to hear from you again! I haven’t crocheted since July — it’s just too bloomin’ hot. One day a few weeks ago, it was 113° ( Google says that’s 45°C). I’ve put my crocheting on ice until temperatures return a more reasonable level. I like your draft stopper and would be most interested in a tutorial, if you’re so inclined. I’ve always wondered, what they would be stuffed with? Your library is wonderful — I love the curtains, so pretty and light and graceful. And, what, pray tell, is there not to like about books? Have you ever been in a house with no books or magazines, or handwork projects? Don’t you wonder what they DO? I do. Your house is coming along nicely. Soon you will be fully settled, and won’t that be a nice feeling! Take care of yourself.
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My top tip for stuffing, whether it’s a draft excluder or toys….is a cheap duvet from the supermarket. They meet the same flammability standards, and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than buying lots of polyfil. Rip it open, pull out the stuffing, and voila.
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Amazing! On two fronts. One, that you even thought of that. Love thinking outside the box. Love “stealing” ideas from people who think outside the box. And two, that you can buy a duvet at the supermarket. Can’t do that here. But let’s define terms so that we’re talking about the same thing. Here (in SoCal in particular, and in the States in general), a “supermarket” is where you buy your food, some personal care items, and some household cleaning supplies — but mostly food. Is the definition about the same in England? Love the differences in people, places, and things! Elizabeth
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So most supermarkets here have food, a good range of personal care products, basic first aid stuff, a full range of household cleaning supplies, pet food, plus usually newspapers and a range of magazines, and basic stationary (and, seasonally, more – back-to-school, Christmas, etc). Some also have clothes ranges (Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda all have their own clothes ranges), and many have at least a small selection of toys, books, dvds. And several have a range of homeware, too – plates, cups, glasses, tea towels, towels, sheets, pillows, duvets. It’s often just cheap and cheerful stuff, but absolutely fills a niche – it might not last forever, but for people without much money, it’s a godsend. So that’s where I go for stuffing!
This is all in reference to the bigger stores, of course. There are also smaller outlets for the supermarkets, usually in city centres or community hubs (what used to be more like the ‘corner shop’ type of thing), which sell a much more restricted range of food, and usually only a small section for cleaning supplies/pet food/personal hygiene products.
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We have the same thing — but we don’t. Its configured a little differently. Your supermarket seems to be more like our supermarket +a big name pharmacy +a dollar store, combined. Often those three kinds of stores are in the same general location (strip mall or shopping center), and they may overlap as to what they carry. Of course, I can only truly address SoCal (that is, Southern California, specifically, San Diego). It’s a big country and what may be “normal” here is likely to be quite different in Boston (on the East coast), or New Orleans (on the Gulf coast), or Tulsa (in the Midwest), or Missoula (in the Northwest). I do find the differences between places and people to be fascinating! Thank you for sharing what day-to-day life is like in your part of the world. Elizabeth
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I had a sneaky peak at your books when you posted on Instagram a while ago. As I noticed we had very similar tastes I thought that I would give Tamora Peirce a go. Thank You for the unintended recommend. Good choice!
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Excellent choice! 😀
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