Day 173 of 2026

We're headed home and decided not to take the interstate 

with all the slowdowns due to summer road construction. 

We're taking the state and county roads

 that have similar travel times. 

This way we can enjoy the expansive fields, farms and sky.

 

Day 172 of 2026

We're on an adventure today and got to meet up 

with someone we haven't seen for years. 

We accidentally both wore our super hero sweatshirts. 

I had to document it.

 

Day 171 of 2026

I've started something new. 

I think I finally have a system to remember what to do 

on each row thanks to the alternating colors of the markers. 

One color is for right side decreases 

and the other is for the wrong side increases. 

Day 170 of 2026

I'm making some pudding to keep in the fridge for emergencies.

 

Day 169 of 2026

It was a dark and stormy night. 

I went out front to see how hard it was raining 

and was distracted by the pretty ferns lit by the porch light 

and showing off new growth. 

 

Day 168 of 2026

Cardinal at the feeder. 

He also spent a good amount of time on the ground 

under the feeder.

 

Day 167 of 2026

I saw a woman online take an orphan granny square

 and attach it to a baseball cap with a logo she didn't like on it. 

It occurred to me that I had a tote given to me

 that had a blacked out name on it. 

Then I remembered that I have a bag of orphan granny hexies

 that were meant for another project that I will never finish.

I had quite a few that were good options

 but ultimately chose this one which gives me bright summer vibes. 

I sewed it on with a large zig-zag and matching thread 

and now it feels like a new tote.

It already has a knitting project in it.

 

Day 166 of 2026

Today I tackled the thread drawer.

Most of my quilt piecing threads will go into the drawer I have emptied 

instead of being scattered in various places on the sewing table. 

The full spools of the type of thread pictured above 

that I use for clothing, topstitching and other sewing 

that needs matching thread will be relocated. 

I will be trying to use up these almost empty spools 

for things like basting and bobbin thread. 

I'm not sure how I'll store them yet.

 

Day 165 of 2026

GB#3 performed tonight with his summer theater group. 

They had a great time and we really enjoyed watching him perform.

 

Day 164 of 2026

My daylilies currently go on for days.

 

Day 163 of 2026

Today was the strawberry festival on the circle. 

We went early this morning 

and avoided the biggest crowds and lines. 

 

Day 162 of 2026

My studio has a set of cubbies 

along the back edge of one very deep desk. 

My original bins are two different turquoises and red. 

The red ones have started to disintegrate 

so I am replacing them with white bins

 as I continue to clean up the room. 

I should have enough white bins to replace all the bins 

if more start to disintegrate.

 

Day 161 of 2026

GB#6 has a front row seat as we watch the truck outside.

 

Day 160 of 2026

The yucca has suddenly bloomed.

 

Day 159 of 2026

Fireball and I took GB#3 to Indiana Comic Convention today

 to celebrate his birthday. 

We had a good time and he seemed to be quite knowledgeable 

about most of the characters walking around. 

He was excited to get his photo taken with this one.

 

Day 158 of 2026

 Fireball and I are working on a long procrastinated project today 

and needed some supplies from the local home improvement store. 

It is amazing how many boards will fit in a small car 

when the back seats will flip down revealing the trunk. 

These 8-foot boards spanned the distance from the back of the trunk, 

almost to the radio past the console

 and to the tops of the seat backs.

 

Day 157 of 2026

This chipmunk has been chirping on the deck for a while. 

He has moved to the edge 

and is ready to sprint for the bird feeder.

 

Day 156 of 2026

I filled the feeders today 

so I spent some time watching the increased activity. 

It may not be especially clear to see, 

but the adult woodpecker (stripes showing) 

is feeding a young one (belly showing.)

 

Day 155 of 2026

I haven't seen a nuthatch in a while, 

so this was fun to see.

 

Day 154 of 2026

It's on my list to learn how to solve my new puzzle tomorrow,

but I accomplished the task early.

 

Day 153 of 2026

Happy Birthday, Big D!