SNOW DAY!

We're having a Snow Day today.

We didn't really have a lot of snow 3-5 inches so far. However, it is the freezing rain on top of it that caused school to be closed.

Although, according to my oldest, the roads weren't plowed at all at 5 this morning. She works for that big Health Insurance that starts with an H. They closed BEFORE she could get to work. So there she was downtown at 6 A.M. with the roads covered and more people beginning to venture out. What to do? Brave the expressway, try a corkscrew back road? No, head over to Norton Hospital to hang out with Dad until the roads are a little less crowded. Oh and drink free coffee too. I think Dad even bought her breakfast.

The dog wont go outside.
I open the door and he hears the ice hit the snow and looks at me like I'm crazy.

What am I going to do today?
Read,
knit,
and hang out on Ravelry.

I have lunch and dinner all planned and I'm glad Mariah and I can stay in all day.

Unfortunately I've had to cancel Odd Tuesday Knit Night, No one could make it with the roads such a mess.

I think I'll brew another pot of coffee and get my sock I'm knitting.
Have fun!

Viki

Waiting for toast

This is Mom's dog Sasha (on the left) and my Bailey waiting for Mom to drop a bit of toast for them.

They have already split their own piece and are quite greedy.

Very intent.

I did pick up the FLAK sweater last night and knit over an inch.  For some reason the cabling seems easier this go round.  Hopefully I will finish this soon.  

Question:  Has anyone knit with those square double pointed needles?

Viki

Relm Tam & Circle vest

I've been busy.

Knitting.

Dave was delighted to pose for a picture wearing 

The Relm Tam.  Pattern is in Knit 1 and was created by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed fame.

My version is not cashmere.

It is woolease. It is large.

 I was very relaxed

 and my gauge shows it.  I am usually 

a very tight knitter.  The cables are 

beautiful and 

I liked the way they continued 

through the 

decreases.  Which is the whole reason I knit this tam.

I needed someone tall to give this to and my friend Beth, 

who is both as tall as an Amazon and  as beautiful as one too, 

is now the proud owner.

She seems to love it.

Dave is thankful as he thought he might have to retire and 

grow dreds to wear the tam.

Next up is the Circle Vest

 for Mom.

  It turned out great!  I really liked knitting this. It isn't perfect.  I had to 

concentrate at first to M1 the right way for a purl or a knit stitch.  I don't

know if it was an attention problem or a TV problem.

Mom loves the colors and is thrilled that I knit something else for her.

If you know me you know that I have a hard time making more

than one of some thing.  Socks are easier now but I rarely knit

the same yarn or pattern twice.

BUT if I ever make another Circle Vest, I think I'll use bits and bobs of

my handspun yarn.

No Anita the FLAK isn't finished. I swear I will pick it up tonight.

Really.

I didn't say I'd knit on it, but I will pick it up.  I really love that FLAK,

I just can't seem to get the momentum going to finish.

Meanwhile it stares at me making me feel guilty.

There are all these other sweaters I've been drooling over 

AND 

I even have the yarn for some of them.

It is so hard not to swatch for a gansey or a top down simple sweater.

Then there is all that Kauni yarn.

The urge to start something new is 

nearly overwhelming.

Viki

New Year = New Projects

These two projects are what I knit the New Year in with. The First is a Circle Vest(pattern in Silk Knits) for my mother.
I have about a 12 inch circle knit and it is looking pretty good. Although DH is a little concerned that I am putting a bulls eye on my Mother's back.

The latest pair of socks in Opal Croc II. I am down to the foot on the first of the pair. I need to remember to bring it to the kitchen for computer knitting.

Not much knitting today as I go back to work today.

Viki

Happy New Year!

We all made it past midnight last night.
Although I think Chris dozed through parts of the Jeff Dunham comedy show we were watching.

There were cookies
and stout.
Knitting and laughter.

Then sleep. Oh sleep.

Today has been a day of lucky foods and a little of this and a little of that.
Knitting.
Cleaning.
buying stash.
Learning.
music.
snuggling.
Beansoup.
and to top it all off we'll have panettone bread pudding.

Then I'll knit some more.

Happy New Year to Everyone.
Viki

Words and Projects for the New Year

I've been reading Ali Edwards blog off and on. Her blog was the whole reason I did the December Daily Album which was quite fun and available for viewing on flickr.

She has had a few posts about picking a word for the New Year. Not a word about what is happening in the world, but a word just for yoursef. One to focus on, meditate on, aspire to be.

When I chanced upon Ali's post today over 90 people had told her what their personal word for the year will be in her comments. Amazing.  I just checked again and over 300 people have told her what word they have chosen for the Year ahead.  Maybe it is because she is having a give away too. 

Check it out and then hit the links to the artists that make the charming necklaces she is giving away.

So,

I've been thinking about words when I haven't been thinking about patterns and yarn.

I'm full of words.  Possibilities include: 

Possibility.

Nourish or nurture.

Thrive, blossom, flourish.

Zeal-enthusiasm, fire, passion.

Strength

Do

Enjoy.

Lots of Great words.

Which one will I choose.  I have a hard time making up my mind.  I think it is because as a child I was not given choices.  

What project will I choose to start on this evening?

It will not be lace.

It might be socks.

It might be a simple sweater or an interesting circle vest.

What yarn?  Oh the possibilities when you are indecisive. 

Viki

Naughty or Nice?

I must have been very nice.  Dave gifted me with a Kindle!!!

My brother came through as usual.  I have new tools for bookbinding and a gift certificate to Knit Picks.

Seriously we all had a wonderful Christmas.  I even finished mom's socks!

Jordan, Mariah and I spent the day after watching movies and eating pizza and popcorn, then we gathered to finish up leftover's at Mom's house.  A bit of knitting was done while watching movies.

I have been looking through old magazines, oogling patterns and pictures on Ravelery and searching the web for ideas of just what I want to knit in the new year.  Planning, that's what I'm doing.  I wouldn't call it wasting my time.

I usually do actually ... knit in the New Year as opposed to ringing it in.  I wonder what I'll start this year.  In the past it has been lace.  It may be a hat.  I haven't knit a hat in ages.  It will not be a cowl.  I've knit 3 of those in the last 2 weeks.  Anita will of course chime in and tell me to finish "The FLAK".  

It won't be New Year's knitting, but now that I've got mom's socks knit and the toes knit 2x, I may just pull out that sweater.  It would be nice to finally finish.

For an interesting insight about sock yarns check out Claudia's blog.  Pretty hand dyed cushy sock yarns vs. hard wearing sock yarns like opal and trekking.  My favorite commercial sock yarn is trekking.  I haven't kept a pair of opal yet.  Maybe those will be the next socks on the needles.

Viki

thinking gansey for the next sweater...maybe.

A day late on this post

Yesterday was the 23rd.  A special day at our house.  Mariah's Birthday!

Now she is 15.  Although, she did inform me this morning that this is her 16th Christmas Eve.

She was up before I was yesterday, took a shower and was ready for gifts.

I spread the gifts out over the day and we even braved the holiday traffic to go out running around.  

We went out to dinner at Olive Garden in the rain.  Last year it was in the snow.

Jordan was in rare form.  All of us laughed all evening at her stories.  Even Mariah.

It was a good day.

Today I need to clean and wrap gifts.  I still haven't made cookies...I may have to do that After Christmas.

Viki

Soup and stew tales

I have had a request for the recipe for Bean Potato Kale stew.
I have to admit I got the idea from Vegandad's blog: http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/03/creamy-kale-and-potato-stew.html

I was looking for good soup and stew recipes that include kale, since I had a huge bag of those greens sitting in my fridge. I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian at this time. However we do eat several veggie meals a week.

I did change it up a bit.
I admit I only ever follow baking recipes exactly.

I used regular baking potato's, 2 med. onions, white beans and vegetable broth. I thickened the whole thing with flour and water that I put in an old sippy cup and shook it up. I keep that sippy cup for just this purpose. Much easier than trying to whisk it together as far as I'm concerned.

Another fantastic soup/stew is this one at http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/soup-stew-choup-recipes/white-bean-sausage-and-kale-stew/article.html

I use turkey smoked sausage instead of pork kielbasa. (allergy) Also, I usually saute an onion for that one too. We use lots of onions and garlic at our house. I also use more kale than called for in either of these recipes. The killer on the RR stew is the grated cheese. I usually use Romano instead of Parmesan. How ever it is freshly grated. Even when we were really poor and the kids were little we used good cheese, not shaker cheese. It wasn't until Jordan was a teen and started making some of her own food that there was a "blue box" in the house.

Tonight we are having another vegetarian meal. Chili. I use Morning Star meal starters fake ground beef in it. Onion, garlic, celery, carrot, tomato's blenderized, about 6 oz of tomato paste, pinto beans & great northern beans. In the past I've used black beans too and mushrooms and corn and green chili peppers. ( I don't use red and green peppers because someone wont eat them.) We garnish at the table with more chili powder and sharp cheddar cheese.
Some people in this area also add pasta. Not me. You'll notice I didn't give measurements or what spices. That is because I didn't measure.

I'll also make cornbread again. those ingredients I'll measure.

Keep your fingers crossed that Everyone will eat this chili tonight.

Happy Eating!

Viki

hand knit socks

hand knit socks
Originally uploaded by cobweb1st

Friday, I washed socks. Just in time for it to get really cold.
I have many pairs of handknit socks, but I wear these the most. The ones on the far right are handspun and thicker than the others. I believe I will wear those today.
The temp says it is 13 degrees outside right now. It was 8 degrees at 7 this morning.
It is bright and Very Sunny.

Viki

It was a chilly, wet evening

Last night was wet and chilly so I made something warm and comforting for dinner.  Potato, white bean and kale stew.  Spider cornbread on the side.  Spider is the old name for a cast iron skillet.  I use this skillet almost exclusively for cornbread.  This was Wonderful.  It was the first time I'd made this stew and I will be making it again.  Even Mariah ate the kale.

Today started off very wet and turned very windy, but the temp is at least 60 degrees.  It is balmy.  Almost feels like tornado weather.  I went by Grinny Possum this afternoon and bought myself some presents.

Viki

feeling a little guilty for that.

Swaps and That Wintery Mix

Finally finished and Mailed yesterday!  I glued bits of music paper and puzzle paper and even the test paper that you fill in the little circles on to wooden stars.  Then I used modge podge to put a holly tissue paper on the stars.  Glued the little girl image and buttons on last.  I think they turned out rather well.

Today we are having what the weather people call a Wintery mix.  sleet, freezing rain, rain, and some snow.  

Hopefully it will not cancel out the party tonight.

We always have great food and lots of laughs.

Viki

Breathe

Breathe!

Take a deep breath.

It's the Weekend!

This week has been so full, I feel tired.

Just the idea that I can sleep longer than 6 tomorrow morning makes me happy.

Hopefully the weekend will give me the time I need.

The time to knit.

The time to craft.

The time to clean.

The time to put up the Christmas tree.

I've been putting little bits and pieces of decorations up on a daily basis.

Some of the snowmen are out.

The Nativity scene is out.

The Candy dishes are out, one even has candy in it.

I have been documenting lots of these daily "joys" in my December Daily Album.

You can find pictures of the album on my flickr account.

Viki

Time keeps on...

This first week of December has just whooshed by so fast.  This is a picture heavy blog post.

I got my hair cut on Tuesday.  It had been a VERY long time since my last hair cut.

Then Dave and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary on the 3rd.  We went out to eat with Jordan and Mariah and they didn't fight at all.  It was a nice evening.  Dave wasn't supposed to get me anything, but of course he couldn't help himself.  So I have a certificate for a body massage at Elements.  He also gave me white gold hoop earrings.  They were the "gift" from Norton Hospital that he picked for having been there 20 years. LOL.  There weren't many items for men to pick and almost all of the items had the Norton logo on them.  The earrings didn't and are quite nice.

Friday, Mom had me meet her at an Estate sale before I'd even had coffee.  I bought too much.  The woman who used to live there was in Mom's quilt group.  Sue did lots of different crafts and taught a lot of people.  I picked up some hand made lace and lots of steel double pointed needles and some other lace tools that I have no clue about.  If you know what some of the stuff is in the pictures, please let me know.  I also bought 2 lace books that I didn't have for $1 each.

The one not pictured is a Walker book.

After I finally ate breakfast I dropped Bailey off to be groomed.  He looks so handsome now.  I also went to my friend Sally's house for some show and tell and crafting.  We made little seasonal necklaces with a kit she had from Artchix.  Too cute!  I also gave her a Christmas present and a binder book I'd made.  She plans on using the binder book as a Christmas present for her husband.  She is going to make it into a garden journal for him.

I went back this morning to the Estate sale to pick up some of the tatted lace, as after the sale I feel some of this stuff would be thrown out.  At least with me I can admire them and give them to friends who would care about them. 

Dave has guard this weekend and a couple of Christmas parties, that I'm not going to.  It is snowing a bit too.  I think I'll stay home and knit on Christmas presents.  I'll also catch up on the December Daily album.

Viki

December Day one

Earlier I told about the album I had started to record what happens daily in December.  It is really worth it to check out the Flickr site with over 300 different books.

The whole project has reminded me of a book by Madeline Le'Engle called "The 24 Days Before Christmas".  In this children's book the family does something small but special every day to celebrate the season.

What a Great way to decorate and celebrate.  To do something everyday.  To Mindfully do something to celebrate everyday.  It doesn't have to be about Christmas.  My family celebrates several special days in December.

Today is December 1st so Today, I started small.  I hung the wreaths on our doors.  I also gave Owen, my little friend across the street, an Advent Calendar.

We have had what the weathermen call "a wintery mix" all day.  Rain, sleet & snow.  None of it really stuck so there are just a few places in the yard with a bit of white.

On the knitting front.  I think I am over scarves for a bit.  I received some yarn from my secret pal at work.  Two balls each a different color.  What to do?  Knit scarves.  I am almost done with the second Yarn Harlot One Row Scarf and believe me I am ready to be done.  

The pattern is *K2, K1 through the back loop, P1.... repeat from the * end row with K2.  So cast on a multiple of 4 + 2.  

Now do I try to trick my secret pal into wearing one of the scarves?

Viki

Mr. Greenjeans AKA Sophia Smith Finished!

Finished! Except for a button.  The knitting is done, I've blocked the sweater and now I need a button.  A big button.  I took a picture with it "buttoned" with a large pin, but I'm having trouble uploading the sharper picture.  This picture with me in the mirror is a bit blurry. 

The pattern is Mr. Greenjeans from Knitty.   Click to find the link.  The hand dyed yarn is named Sophia Smith... so this sweater is a hybrid.  I did lengthen the sleeves and the body a bit.

While knitting this sweater I thought it would be too short.  It grew during blocking.

I bought an extra hank of yarn just in case, but I used all but a few yards of 4 hanks, so I didn't need the fifth.  I'll have to find something wonderful to make with it.

I was going to have someone take a photo of me wearing the sweater at Odd Tuesday knit/spin night this evening, but it looks like I will be alone if I go to the bookstore.  Everyone is either sick or busy with Turkey day prep.

I have an friend who is trying to learn to knit.  Unfortunately we live several hours away from each other.  She went to a knitting club last night for a lesson.  The woman teaching was frustrated.  My friend was the only adult there to learn, everyone else was between the ages of 12 and 15.  IT was Not a good experience for her.  I understand the teens being pleased with themselves for getting it quicker than an adult, but If the person teaching can't be helpful, well... why teach?  

If anyone has any online video's that they think would help please post them in my comments and I'll be sure to let Michelle know the sites.  She really wants to learn and would like to knit for charity too!  She is refusing to give up, but help would be appreciated.

TIA

Viki

SNOW!

So it isn't a lot of snow, but we have had snow 3 times in the past week.  I tried to get a shot of where you can really see it coming down, but the snow was hard to see.  The little white flakes just didn't show up.  So I settled for the little bit on the chair on the front porch.

This is quite early for snow here in Kentucky.  

Have you noticed that November cold is harder to get used to... it is really a transition month here in KY.  By January I'll be a bit more used to the cold and it wont bother me as much.  One thing I am thankful for is the remote starter on my car.  I can sit in the warmth sipping my coffee and turn the car on to defrost.

Of course this is the car that is in the shop.  I thought dealerships were supposed to be able to hook up a computer to find out what the flashing "service engine soon!" light is talking about.

Evidently it isn't that easy.

Viki 

Apple cake

The other day I made an apple cake.  

I used to make this cake on Halloween when the kids were little.

They'd eat cake while we checked out the candy in their bags to make sure it was safe.  

I was a little late this year.

The recipe comes from a House of White Birches booklet from 1991.

Title is Cooking with Apples.

I've tried several of the recipes but the one I'm giving you now uses the most apple and that is important when you have lots of apples that aren't at their best and need to be used not thrown away.

It is called Cinnamon Apple Cake and the person who sent the recipe in to White Birches is Sheryle Rolfe of Neb.

It is a very moist cake and gets more moist the longer it sits.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 t. cinnamon

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt 

2 eggs

1 cup oil

1 t. vanilla

4 cups chopped apples

1/2 cup nuts (optional)  I use pecans Sheryle calls for walnuts.

Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda and salt.

Beat eggs and oil until light and foamy.  Add Vanilla.

Gradually blend in dry ingredients.(I do this by hand)

  The batter will be extremely thick.

Stir in apples and nuts.

Pour batter into greased 13x9 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees

for 1 hour or until done.  Cool in pan.

This cake has never taken an hour to cook in my oven.

more like 35 minutes, so check it with a toothpick at about 30 minutes and every few there after until done to your liking.

I usually use a bit more than 4 cups.

I have a 6 cup pitcher and I peel and core the apples and chop them into pieces(not slices)

into the pitcher until it hits about 4 1/2 or so.

Enjoy!

Viki

"It's been a hard days night"

Wow!

What a Week so far.

Last Thursday we started the destruction and reconstruction of the bathrooms.  Not pretty... yet.

Then on Friday afternoon I got a migraine.  I went to bed at 4 in the afternoon and pretty much didn't get out except to go to the bathroom.  Evidently I had a virus on top of the migraine.  If there had been food in my stomach it would have been worse.  Sunday I was actually able to get out of bed and eat again.  Not a great way to loose weight.

This meant I missed my Mom's birthday on Saturday.  Dave and the girls and Jordan's fiancee Chris went over to celebrate with her, but not out to dinner.  I told her we still owe her a birthday dinner.  Mariah was official photographer while I was sick.

Monday the guys came to work on the bathrooms.

The hall bathroom was demolished.  The awful tub is gone and it died a horrible death being hacked to bits.  The new tub looks great. 

 

Tuesday morning I woke up to Mariah running through my room to the half bath to get sick.

So she was off school again.

Tuesday evening was Odd Tuesday at B&N where I get together with knitting/spinning friends.

It was lots of fun, wish we all lived closer so we could get together more often. 

 

When I got home Mariah was already in bed and Dave said she still hadn't eaten anything.

Which means she is home today too.

The "worker guys" were almost afraid to come to work, no one wants to get sick, but she hasn't thrown up since yesterday afternoon and there is banging and clanging in the hall bathroom so work is progressing.

With all the illness and construction, I haven't gotten to the store and I'm a bit worried about dinner, but not much.  I just wonder if there is something we can carry out that Mariah could stomach.  I take after my dad and Always want something spicy after a stomach bug.  Perhaps chicken soup would be a better option for Mariah.  Costco deli has a chicken soup that is almost homemade, Really worth $10.

What have I been up to while the "Worker guys" have been here?

Well I've printed out and cut some of the print outs for the Jessica Sprague Stories in Hand class I'm doing on line.  I've spent a lot of time looking for things that I've put somewhere safe and can't find too.  I'm now almost out of light colored card stock and have resorted to going through the free samples of paper Dave got from someone online a few years ago.

Oh and Knitting.  Anita doesn't think I'm fast enough at knitting.

Next: Lunch for the sick one and rushing to Mom's to give her dog Sasha her meds.

Viki

the picture at the top is Mom on her birthday.

pretty Random today

This bare corner of the room is not filled with a dog and a child today, but with the contents of my closet.  
It has already been a long day.

I woke up at 4 this morning sneezing my head off and blowing my nose.

Allergies.

I probably raised too much dust yesterday evening when I was totally clearing out the small half bathroom.  It has a full sized closet.  I found evidence that at one point my oldest "liked" my youngest.  I read the "book" to Jordan over the phone.  She laughed and said "this I've got to see!"

Anyway, the guys scraping and redoing my bathrooms are supposed to start today.

It is almost 10:00 and they haven't shown up, but I called they are on the way.  I'm waiting for the dog to bark to let me know they have arrived.

I've already done dishes, vacuumed the whole house and washed the kitchen floor.

I plan on watching some tutorials on the mac today.  I want to learn how to get more than one picture on a contact sheet.  Is there anyway to print a photo smaller than 4x6?  I don't know if I can justify spending all that money to buy photoshop, does the mac version do as much?

I stopped by the dollar tree yesterday.  6 ring journal measuring 6x6, some really cool Christmas cards and a mini kit.  Pretty good.

I knit on my "Greenjeans" cardigan last night.  Only 2 inches or so until the body is done and I can do the sleeves.  

No Anita the FLAK isn't finished.  4 inches on the body to go.  

Viki