Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Summer Rides and a Yarn Swap

Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans!

Today I enjoyed the freedom of riding past well-decked barns:


The freedom to stop and photograph flowers by the roadside:

Heliopsis

Common Milkweed

Hoary Vetch

Soapwort or Bouncing Bet

Wild Bergamot
The freedom of the road:


And the freedom to hang colourful laundry out to dry:


(Hanging out laundry may not seem very exciting, but clothesline-banning is shockingly widespread in the Land of the Free. I'm grateful to live in a village that lets me air my clean laundry.)

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Here are more ride photos, all taken in the last couple of weeks:

Fleabane

Rough-Coated Cinquefoil

Baaaaa.....

A favourite tree

Turkey feather caught in the grass

Wild roses

Hay bales stored in what a friend used to call "the big barn" 

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Two Sundays ago I rode over to the Wisconsin River....

Tributary stream crossed on the way

The Wisconsin River, showing the effects of recent heavy rain

Tallulah trying to get a drink

 Fascinatingly terse sign glimpsed on the way home

Crown Vetch, corn, wooded hills, and blue skies

Isn't Wisconsin beautiful? :)

Tallulah riding point

Noble trees

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And from last week:

Wild daylilies

Noontime shadow

Amish buggy with interesting shadows of its own

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Kathy B of compassionknit recently hosted a fun swap. Participants were to exchange a button, something red-white-and-blue, and yarn.

Kathy drew my name, and here's what she sent me:

A cool eagle button, a fun patriotic dishcloth...

... and a GORGEOUS sock blank!

Thanks again Kathy! I've never worked with a sock blank before. It will be fun to see what I can make from it.

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Though my photos all look sunny and bright, we've had plenty of thunderstorms, grey cloudy days, and rain. (Lots of rain.) But that's how summer goes in Wisconsin.

How's your summer going so far?

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13 comments:

  1. Viva España! Clothesline-banning? Are you kidding me?

    Have many wonderful drives.

    Regula

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  2. What is a sock blank? Never heard of one. Loved all the flower and river images you shared. I've heard of places that don't allow laundry lines. I am here to say, I would never willingly choose to live in such a controlled atmosphere.

    -:¦:-·:*'""*:·.-:¦:-·* HAPPY 4th of JULY! *·-:¦:-·:*'''''*:·-:¦:-

    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. What beautiful shots and scenes taken on your bike ride! I love the shadows of the Amish buggy and you on your bike. I've never heard of a washing line ban over here! Though people don't tend to hang out their washing on a Sunday, but there is no rule.
    I dry all my washing on the balcony in the warm weather, but sheets need to go down to the communal laundry room.
    It's fairly stormy here too because of the mounting heat which builds up to a storm after a few days. I love them as they bring the temperatures down for a day or two!

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  4. You live in an awesomely beautiful place.

    We've had weather likes yours .... a few sunny days, but a whole lot of rain too.

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  5. Ugh--a clothesline ban?!?! That would be so frustrating! I love my clothesline!
    Glad you enjoyed the day--hot though it was in WI. =)

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  6. As always beautiful photos, Wisconsin is indeed beautiful. Our summer has cooled down to the upper 80's which is really nice.

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  7. I M so happy you liked our swap! Im really curious to see the blank become something!
    LOVE Turtle escapades. Love trying to get a drink! Love Wisconsin

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  8. Oh wow, what awesome photos! I always love seeing your beautiful photos of your adventures. I've never seen a sock blank before, so I can't wait to see what you do with it, too. Love the eagle pin and the cool looking dishcloth. What a great swap. Wishing you calmer weather and cooler, too. We have been having heat index's of 105...is it Fall yet? :)

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  9. Common Milkweed is uncommonly beautiful! I've never seen it up close when it's in bloom.

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  10. Gorgeous post with the lovely photos! Yes, Wisconsin is beautiful!
    How is my summer? HOT and MUGGY!!!

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  11. Lovely post that made me kind of homesick as I grew up in Wisconsin and canoed on the WI River with the Girl Scouts. Kathy's swap was fun, wasn't it?

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  12. Are you kidding me? They actually ban people from hanging their clothes out to dry naturally? I don't get that at all. All these rules of how neighborhoods are supposed to look is why the houses kept getting bigger, started all looking the same, and why folks can't afford anything. I can understand wanting everyone to maintain their surroundings, but there's nothing wrong with using the sun to dry your clothes. Just as there is nothing wrong with growing a vegetable garden in your own front yard without authorities coming along telling you it goes against city regulations and ordinances. Honestly, folks (politics) have gotten things so messed up. But, on a more positive note ... it is lovely to see what you see on your rides. Everything is looking so beautiful. We've reached 120 this week so outdoor activities are quite limited. Happy Friday.

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  13. Oh, my heavens, that sock blank!!! Oh, my! If I'm late to your blog, please make sure to show me what you create with that! Wowza!!! And oh, how your ride photos make me want to get out there, even though we haven't had any moisture, and the wildflowers just didn't show up much this year. Love that sewing sign!

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