I’ve been waiting for good weather to block my Ana Lucia shawl, and it’s finally, finally here! Today’s top temperature is going to be the highest so far this year.
We have had so much rain and unseasonably cool temperatures that apparently during June more soup has been sold than suncream. I know I’ve definitely never snuggled up with a hot water bottle at this time of year, or had such weedy looking tomato plants. They are catching up now. In fact the veggie garden’s looking good all round: there are flowers and pods on the broad beans, the kale, beetroot, mangetout, red pepper plants, salad leaves and French radishes are flourishing, but the carrots are still invisible. Maybe they’ll appear? Maybe I’ll be sowing some more in a week or two.
Next I thought I would finish joining my Coast blanket squares together and make a start on a border, but it’s not ideal to be covered with blanket squares in this weather. That task will wait until cosy autumn evenings arrive, unless our summer changes. Always a possibility in England…
This week I’m reading an advance copy of The Missing Family by Tim Weaver. It’s due to be published here next week if you read the blurb on GoodReads, linked to above, and fancy it. When I requested a copy from NetGalley I didn’t realise it’s 13th in a series about a detective who specialises in missing person cases, but it’s not proving an issue. The story is compelling; it’s twisty and jumps back in time to grisly findings in the USA and forward to the titular family here in Devon. I cannot yet work out how it’s all going to connect together, which is the hallmark of a good crime mystery thriller.
Also I’ve just started listening to Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. I’ve heard heaps about this book, and after yet another mention from someone at my bookclub last week thought I would try it. So far so good, although I’ve only heard a few chapters.
What are you up to at the moment? Is your garden flourishing? Are you busy making anything? Reading recommendations are always good too.
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Linking with Kat and the gang for Unravelled Wednesday to share what we’re making and reading.
The Little Room of Rachell 
Oh my! Your shawl turned out beautifully! Well done! And your Netgalley book looks like a very interesting series! Thanks for putting that on my radar!
Thanks Kat. It’s a good pattern. Wilma has many others, maybe check out her Ravelry designs page?
The book is great, I think you might like it too. I’m not finished yet though so don’t know how it ends, but it’s starting to connect a little since I wrote the post. (Only a little!)
Your shawl is turning out beautifully! And your coast blanket squares are so pretty – I love all the blues. Our spring was very, very cool and wet through early June, but now we are very hot and dry with no rain in the past several weeks. The grass is beginning to turn brown and I’m watering the plants most every evening. A cooldown with some rain would be nice.
Currently, I’m doing some house work today – laundry, vacuuming, and moping the floors. Not very fun, but very rewarding after it’s all said and done. Hop over to my blog when you get a chance to see what I’ve been cooking/baking lately. Have a great day!
Thank you.
Sounds like very similar weather patterns, though it looks like rain is due again next week. I’m so glad! Watering the garden is feeling a chore already now.
Your shawl is gorgeous! And it looks like such a fun one, mixing up stitches the way it does. I’ll go down that rabbit hole after posting this comment :)
I just read Lessons in Chemistry (on audio). I’d heard a lot about it, too… I enjoyed it. Light AND meaningful, entertaining AND important. I’ll be curious what you think of it.
Thank you! It’s a fun pattern.
Your description is spot on and I’m not very far into the audio book yet.