Monday Musings ...

It is all about me ...

Good morning …

After last week's almost 90° temperatures, we are cooling back to more seasonable weather.

I love summer. But spring has always had my heart.

The garden is looking pretty good. We really need a deep soaking rain. And the constant wind wears on me and dries out the seedlings.

I am pleased in the progress we have made. There are a lot of gardens to clean yet. But so much of the garden looks amazing.

On to other things that make me happy this week …

The why …. We had another small but wonderful FarmHer's Market last Wednesday.

As I evaluate each market and think about what we provide and who we serve, I look at what we are creating. The word that comes to mind again and again is …. community.

We are building community.

I have been re-watching Home Fires on Kanopy. It is a fictional telling of the Women's Institute in a village in England in 1939 and their project of building community gardens during time of food shortages and war.

It is that spirit I am trying to re-create on my little farm.

I love a good protest. I will send postcards and emails to our elected officials. I will make calls … even though my government representatives’ responses are abysmal. (Welcome to Iowa where we vote against our own interests. 🫩)

But this market makes me feel like I am doing something right for our country.

There is a lot of laughter and smiles and hugs. And the customers look like they are having fun, too.

If you haven't made it out to the market yet … It is every Wednesday from 4 to 7. Look for the signs. They are coming!

Escaping Iowa … I don't leave the QCA often but I needed a quick road trip. So I hopped into my incredibly dirty car and drove behind the Cheddar Curtain to the Driftless.

Yes … I went to dream in Mineral Point.

I actually went with a purpose. I needed cheese and beer … and yarn.

I went to The Station to pick out some yarn for a shawl.

I am attending a reunion early in June. There is a cocktail hour and I have nothing to wear. Nothing!

And I hate to shop. But I do have a couple of tee shirt dresses purchased before I put myself on an Amazon ban. So I am going to dress them up with this shawl ….

It is the Jodi by Joji. Most of Joji's shawls/scarves are made out of one skein of sock yarn. This is made out of DK weight and you knit the fade. I am using Malabrigo Arroyo in Polar Morn (a gray tonal), Pocion (a navy, red, gray varigated) and Cereza (a red tonal).

Joy was so helpful. And I had a lovely conversation with her. She is adding more yarn to her store so I think I will be making more trips to Mineral Point.

Honey and I wanted to retire in Mineral Point. As we always said …. There was a cheese shop, a brewery and a yarn store. What more could we want?

So yesterday, was a bit hard. I had tears well up in my eyes several times … as memories of our visits rushed back.

I also went to the Longbranch Art Gallery. It is just one of my favorite art galleries around.

I bought a Jamie Heiden print called Outstanding. Jamie is a photographer from LaCrosse, WI.

Now … this does not look like a photograph, but it is. And I love it!

IF I ever get my floor to ceiling wall of IKEA hacked bookcases … it will hang there. Until then … it is tucked on a wall.

And yes … I did get my cheese. I couldn't find my favorite beer … New Glarus Two Women!

But I did get a couple of cans of Wisco cherry pop. Which does not taste like a cherry coke. It taste like a cherry pie without the crust … sour and sweet at the same time. Delish!

It was a good day to be in Wisconsin.

Hear this …. This week in “What I am listening to” …. I got three books finished!

And as Meatloaf sang … Two out three ain't bad!

First … I read Molly Fader's book The Sunshine Girls.

Based in Iowa, written by an Iowa author … it felt like home. Quick notes … 1968, women's rights, abortion, adoption, Vietnam War and the sisterhood of three very different women.

And when KSTT was mentioned … well, the soundtrack of my youth came rushing back.

I loved this book for some many reasons … but the sisterhood was key.

5/5

Louise Penny showed up again this week with book 6.5 in the Inspector Gamache series.

At less than 2 hours … The Hangman was a quick listen.

A stand alone book still set in Three Pines, I am waiting to see how this fits into the series. And wait I will … as I am a couple of weeks from getting book 7.

4.5/5

I waited since December or January for this next book. Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell.

My word for this … meh. I finished it. It was okay. But nothing about it made me want more.

And this is a shout out to Claudia … the other Harrison Fisher book I was trying to remember is American Beauties. Here is an illustration from it …

Along side the illustration is a poem, written about each woman by Fisher. It is a beautiful book if you can possibly find it. A 1900 coffee table book.

I am late getting this out this morning. Obviously, it is Monday and I must get moving. My current ear worm is “Maniac Monday” by the Bangles.

Or should it be Karen Carpenter and “Rainy Days and Mondays” ?

Okay, Boomer. As the Millennials would say. Time for me to get to work.

I will talk to you later.

Cathy

www.buymeacoffee.com/misseffie