catepolacek.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

I volunteered for the Scholastic Book Fair at my niece and nephew’s school today. Kids were so excited to spend money on books, pencils, and journals, and add even more books to wish lists. Saw a few classics from my childhood, too. Heart gladdened amid all the ick we’re facing.

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Timeline cleanse - a snowy Wednesday morning in suburban Narnia

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Got an email from my library system that made me cry. They’re standing firm against the EOs. The state passed a Freedom to Read act last year to prevent censorship (prescient, yes?). They respect privacy and don’t track immigration status, nor discriminate due to gender identity. Glimmers of hope.

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

Continuing efforts in finding small comforts amid chaos and anxiety - a rainy day, a fresh pot of stew, and a book on the history of colors.

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Glanced out the window and noticed a group of deer in the woods, well camouflaged in the greys and browns of the trees and ground. I counted six of them. Deer are symbols of hope, and we sure do need that these days. So here, I give you six deer worth of hope this morning.

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

It’s been near impossible to settle to anything because, well…flails at everything. However, I came across an online read along of To the Lighthouse on Substack, and now I’m listening to Juliet Stevenson narrate it while I paint. Because Lily Briscoe is my spirit animal.

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

My cat, Tristan, turns 20 today. He’s in decent health, although definitely showing signs of age. His quality of life is still pretty darn good though.

submitted 25 days ago • 1 comment

I spent the long weekend avoiding news and social media and stitched and painted instead. I finished this cross stitch project that I’d started last winter - Winter Blessing by Twin Peak Primitives. I left off the lettering and adjusted motifs in their place. I enjoyed working on this.

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Suburban Narnia at night.

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Suburban Narnia is looking quite pretty in the late afternoon. After shoveling the front walk and side path, I made a cottage pie for dinner. It’s nice having the oven warm up the house a bit more.

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Had a nice dinner with my mom and stepdad, and then watched some cricket (my stepdad is Australian and loves the game) while working on a Long Dog Sampler cross stitch project. Bonnie Blue Belle kept us company.

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I am at that age where receiving a new tea kettle for Christmas is exciting. The old one took longer and longer to boil water, and sometimes didn’t get there at all. However, it was used several times a day, every day, for many years. It will now have a new life as an object in still life paintings.

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments

My sister got me an illustrated edition of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (42nd anniversary edition-ha!). This is one of my all-time favorite books. Not sure how I missed this edition in 2021. Then again, global plague. Anyway, spending the evening in bed with this, a mug of tea, and the kitties.

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The ice is doing interesting things on the river today.

submitted 61 days ago • 0 comments

Endlessly fascinating how much more of the shape of the river you can see when the leaves are off the trees.

submitted 62 days ago • 0 comments

Well, snow flurries lasted all of five minutes. Lovely sun this morning.

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

An early morning walk by the river as snow flurries start on a Saturday that happens to also be the solstice is as good a way as any to start a holiday.

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

Getting some nice treats this year. However, I’ve no idea who this is from. There was no note in the box. So if you sent it, thank you!

submitted 66 days ago • 0 comments

The lights are up on the bridge at Savage Mill. Never gets old seeing them go up every year. It was 5 degrees warmer during today’s walk by the river compared to yesterday, but it felt a lot colder than yesterday.

submitted 69 days ago • 0 comments

An early morning (and finally sunny) walk by the river. It’s 25 degrees out (-4 C). I sleep hot these days and often wake up overheated (thanks, perimenopause), so this weather feels SO good.

submitted 70 days ago • 1 comment

A nice treat for a Friday from my aunt and uncle - raspberry linzer tart cookies (UK translation - Jammie Dodgers).

submitted 71 days ago • 0 comments

This ongoing soggy weather calls for cottage pie. I used sweet potatoes as I had them in the pantry.

submitted 73 days ago • 0 comments

My office mate is pondering the heavy rain we’ve been getting today.

submitted 73 days ago • 0 comments

A soggy, foggy day here in suburban Narnia.

submitted 73 days ago • 0 comments

A wild Friday night at my house - the scarf is long enough to knit on even with a kitty lounging on it. (I’ve got the yarn on a scale so I can keep an eye on amount to know when to start the ribbing and finish this lingering project.)

submitted 77 days ago • 0 comments

Today, I found out a co-worker and friend died a few days ago. It was not unexpected - she’d received a terminal diagnosis last year. She loved books, tea, cats, and flowers, and we had lovely conversations about all of those. I hope they are in abundance at her next destination. Hail the traveler…

submitted 79 days ago • 0 comments

Yes, yes it does (first pic in Fahrenheit, second in Celsius). I live next to the woods, and lots of tree branches are flinging themselves at the house because the wind is really having a party. I love this kind of weather, though.

submitted 79 days ago • 0 comments

My mom isn’t a cat person, but cats tend to decide who cat people are. My mom and stepdad came over for lunch (and brought lasagna), and Mom was crocheting while lunch was baking. Tristan decided to keep her company/supervise/demand attention.

submitted 83 days ago • 0 comments

A Thanksgiving Eve walk by the river after a chiropractic adjustment. Next is dessert making, so there’s one less thing to do tomorrow.

submitted 87 days ago • 0 comments

I was going to spend part of #Caturday knitting ornaments for my niece and nephew (I knit one for each of them every year for their holiday tree). However, Lyra is currently sitting on the knitting pattern, and as we all know, it’s bad manners to ask her to move. I’ll do some sock knitting instead.

submitted 91 days ago • 0 comments

This. I’m on enough other platforms to keep up with current events and the debates on them. I’ve decided my blue sky feed will be the one respite from that - only happy things: art, embroidery, knitting, tea, pretty scenery, animal pictures.

submitted 92 days ago • 0 comments

Huh, didn’t have snow flurries on today‘s bingo card given how warm it’s been this fall, but ok. Brief and won’t stick, but cheering and calming to watch. (I have a rather Addams family sense of what “good” weather is.)

submitted 92 days ago • 0 comments

Spent the evening babysitting my niece and nephew - we drew pictures, we watched Captain Underpants episodes, we ate pizza. Once the twins were in bed, I spent a hour knitting while it rained outside, and Rosie-the-Very-Good-Dog kept me company. First time in 2 weeks I’ve felt somewhat stable.

submitted 93 days ago • 0 comments

Some knitted pumpkins for my seasonal tree. Pattern by @susanbanderson

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Trying to get fingers used to like and comment buttons being in a different order. I keep hitting the wrong one.

submitted 99 days ago • 0 comments

Trying to get back to my painting routine, but distractions abound. Here’s a relatively recent one of my nephew. #oilpainting

submitted 100 days ago • 0 comments