This & That | August 22
Hello Dear Readers! I can’t believe we’re already into the second half of August; where has the summer gone? Lately I have been…
Reading:
I’m halfway through my goal of re-reading Jane Austen’s books this year! I’ve finished Persuasion, Pride & Prejudice and Emma, have started Sense & Sensibility, and only have Northanger Abbey left! (I read Mansfield Park a couple of years ago, so I’m not going to re-read it this year.)
I am really enjoying it. Especially when I sit outside on the swing on a peaceful, sunny afternoon to read a few chapters in between watching the birds and the clouds go by.
Loving:
Vibrant yellow canola fields and going for walks. Especially when a storm is coming up and the sky is starting to get that greenish look to it that means it is time to head home!
Making:
So many cute baby things lately for new babies in my church. Bibs for little boys and a polka dot dress and bloomers for a little girl.
Finding:
Letters from friends in the mailbox. Always a cheerful surprise!
Working on:
The family history photo project. I’ve created a family tree of one side of the family and have printed a whole bunch of the photos, finally, but then some of them were printed incorrectly, so I have to do a re-print of some of them. I got the majority printed on 4×6 papers and trimmed them to size, keeping the white margins so they look “old”. I have them stored in this pretty box until I’m ready to assemble the albums.
Eating:
Fresh vegetables from the garden! So many cucumbers in particular. Yum!
And I am not eating these pretty evening scented stocks my mom planted, above, but I am enjoying their lovely blooms and delicate scent.
Watching:
These two videos about two very different dresses were a treat to watch.
-Jane from Snapdragon studio explores a beautiful antique silk dress that has sadly begun to shatter.
–Marilyn Monroe’s pink “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is one of the most famous dresses in cinema (superseded only by the Little Black Dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s) and it’s on display right now in an exhibit called Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon.
And that’s all for this week!
What has your August been like? What have you been reading, making, finding, eating, and watching?
August 22, 2026 @ 9:34 am
The baby clothes are adorable. I haven’t done a whole lot of reading lately. I’m embroidering a wheat pattern and still working on my socks. I must want fall to come soon. A friend dropped off squash, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers yesterday. There’s nothing like homegrown vegetables.
August 22, 2026 @ 2:27 pm
An embroidered wheat pattern sounds lovely!