Mid Summer - WHAT?!?!

Okay.....last post was April....it is now mid July!!!! What happened? I don't have any excuses for my lack of words.....but I must say I must have fallen asleep for 40 winks and nods!  Well, I'm back.  I have kept busy a bit with knitting these past couple weeks - we are having a baby boom at work and it serves me well to keep the baby stuff on my sticks!!!!! I never have any back ups anymore!!!!  But everything is appreciated and loved - and I do enjoy seeing things spring to life so quickly :)

     There's a "Gnome Hat", a "Bronco's Hoodie" and a "Baby Owl Vest".......the girl I made these for is into Harry Potter and the Bronco's BIG TIME!!! Thought these would be cute and not too obvious.  Now she wants a "Gnome Hat" for herself!!! FUN!!!!!                                                                                                                                                                                         

Seeing double!

It's been a while since my last post.....not much going on to write about.  But just received the best pictures today and wanted to share......as I posted earlier I finished the sweater I knit for my brother and sent it off - I  made fun of the fact that it was a complete match to the sweater I knit the year before for his son!!! BORING!!! But then I got these pictures of father and son together and it was totally worth it :)  Little sister is in a couple of the pictures wearing a vest I knit for her - what a little ham!!!!

Long scarfs....Hawks in need....Irish feelings

First off......A good friend and coworker asked me to do her a very special favor - knit her a very long scarf that is soft and squishy, using the colors brown/tan/cream, and it had to have fringe!  She was very specific about her needs and even told me I could take my time if needed.....she still wears scarfs in the middle of summer!! YIKES!  Mostly, I think, when she takes long motorcycle rides with her husband - she wears them under everything - kinda like a long skinny portable blanket :)  Well, I finished it and presented it to her at work earlier this week - she was very pleased!

Next.....later in the week (yesterday) we had a client bring in his hawk....a very beautiful hawk with sore feet. This particular hawk was very gentle and nice - well.....it probably didn't appreciate what the doctor was doing to his feet and would have pretty much liked to have bitten her! ....but other than that - very gentle and nice.  He had very ouchy sores on his feet that needed debriding and cleansing - he should be better in a short little while....I'm always amazed at the wondrous creatures we are allowed to protect and care for!

And finally.....today I believe I feel a bit Irish!  I woke to a misty chilled morning.  The trees have blossomed and are filling out with beautiful green and purple leaves - the lawn is emerald green (at the beginnings of emerald green!) and I have a big bag of potatoes and onions. It's all  so perfect - the chilly morn with new colorful trees and lawn.....potatoes and onions! So I made me some Irish Potato Soup and Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread (a recipe so generously shared by the girls at Our Best Bites) Oh so yummy! And the house smells so warm and cozy - a great day to knit knit knit!!! I will be making some doggy sweaters today - Sometimes a little extra warmth is needed for our little surgery patients - the woolen sweaters are perfect for their recovery.  I will post pictures when they are finished :)   Please go to www.ourbestbites.com to find the wonderful Irish Soda Bread recipe (and a whole lot more!!!)

320,000 stitches later....

I finished my brother's sweater today- what a crazy long project!!! Not a difficult one - quite easy in fact! But, when I did the math I discovered that to complete this sweater it would take approx. 320,000 stitches! WHAT?!? I know most knitters don't bother to figure things like that out.  They are content in the fact that they are creating something beautiful, or perhaps useful.  Knitters usually revel in the fiber they so adore - seeing their intricate patterns take form as they knit across each row.  Me? I find it difficult to stay on task with projects that take more than a day or two - yes....I love the feel of fiber - the loft of it, the weight of it.....I even love creating beautiful stitch patterns within my knitting.....it just needs to be completed in a day or two!!!! But, alas, I love my brother so I knit this "Man Sweater" for him.  And yes, I counted the stitches because that made me happy :) It is finished now and I'm rejoicing!!! (Did I mention that last year I knit this very same sweater for his grown son? In the very same color no less!! )

You can do it!!!! You can do it!!!!

This morning I woke a bit anxious.....I had a early morning double dental appointment - which, without going into long and dreary details, basically means a bad start to my morning :(  To top it off, the appointment is across town - not a bad thing usually, but definitely difficult when the weather decides to throw an early Spring blizzard at you!!! I left this morning feeling sour and defeated - but then I glanced over at my little flowers that had been such a joy to watch blossoming earlier in the week - they were getting hammered and still they hung in there - I felt ashamed to have left the house in such a gloomy mood - here is an example of "smiling at adversity" times ten!!! I whispered quietly to the the little flowers....."You can do it... You can do it...." And I thought, if they can do it with a smile, then absolutely, I can too!! I went off to my dental appointment and discovered it was only a difficult trip in my own mind.....I got wonderful news and the bit of work they did today didn't hurt at all :) By the time I returned home the sun had come out and the snow had melted - the little flowers were happy and fine!!!! I think I may have heard them cheering very quietly........

Easter Fun!

So.....winter is trying to hold on for dear life - Spring one day then winter the next!  But you can't fool Mother Nature!!! When it's time to send forth her bounty she wastes no time.  Even the crazy winds that have blown in this week can't shake the delicate purple flowers - we WILL have Spring!!!


Tomorrow will be Easter - so many preparations for the morning......a special treat of dying eggs in a very magical way......have never done this before but looking forward to some gorgeous eggs!!!
To see full instructions for the silk tie eggs please visit the girls at Our Best Bites - really great site - oodles of fun!!!!www.ourbestbites.com

First step is to find some crazy silk ties......the local thrift store took care of that.....then they needed to be disassembled so that all that remained was the silk material....I had no idea how a tie was constructed - very interesting!!!  Next step.....cut pieces large enough to wrap around an egg - then an outer layer is wrapped around the egg.  Once all the eggs are wrapped they are placed in a pot with water and vinegar and brought to a boil - finished product? Some of the coolest abstract colored eggs I have ever laid my eyes on!!!!  Usually I would hide the hard boiled eggs - but for some reason these particular eggs have a really potent odor!!!! May be due to the length of time they were boiled - 20 minutes!!!! In any case - don't want the house smelling of stinky eggs - YUCK!  So a dozen "filled" eggs are hidden around the house - I don't know about you, but just the thought of spying a hidden Easter egg gives me goosebumps and thrills :)   I still delight in the custom and will hold on to it as long as I have willing hunters!!!!

Alaskan Purl: 100th Post...and a giveaway, of course!

Alaskan Purl: 100th Post...and a giveaway, of course!

Alaskan Purl

Just a quick note - will blog a bit more later.......Alaskan Purl is having a yarn giveaway over at her blog in honor of her 100th post - get over there quick!! The sock yarn is yummy yummy yummy :)  She is a delight to read and a delight to share her celebration with all of us! http://www.alaskanpurl.com/2010/03/100th-postand-giveaway-of-course.html

All My Sons......by Arthur Miller

Today we woke to blue skies and sunshine.....a very welcome site indeed.  Spring is not suppose to be all sunshine and lollipops in Colorado - Wet snow and chilled breathy air - that is more what a Spring morning in Colorado is like.....of course - blue skies are (almost) always available year round!  But today - the second day of Spring- offered up warm sunshine and blue skies.  That is not all....I.happened to glance at the edge of my driveway  ......PURPLE CROCUS! With many more getting ready to rise out of the winter soil. So beautiful - so happy they make me!!! Just enough blooms to announce the arrival of Spring - but not enough to be worrisome....more snow on the horizon......I checked on my trees for any signs of life and could just make out little bumps where the leaves will soon be pushing through. Before long the yard will be lush and thriving - a bounty of natural beauty! But until then - the little purple crocus smiles up at me.  I'm happy!

Went to see a very good play. Intense...but very good. Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" - had no idea what we were going to be witnessing - had to swallow my emotions numerous times during the play - the acting was incredible - felt like I was reliving a moment in time.  Life happens - we read it in the history books - but watching a play like this takes those words we read  and makes them POP! and grab you by the heart and soul......makes you truly understand and FEEL those words.  It was an incredible play - based on a true story, which makes it that much more poignant. 

Blarney!

I hope a bit of the Irish luck visits you today!!!!

Spring forward!!!!

Just a reminder to all.....it's time to SPRING FORWARD!!! Set those clocks ahead one hour - ufta! Sure hope I get to sleep in tomorrow morning....yaawwnn! The alarm on Monday is going to be quite early :(

Natchitoches Meat Pies

So.....I've been quiet for quite awhile it seems - quiet but not idle!  I have been exploring and discovering my culinary skills - thanks to a couple of ladies from "Our Best Bites" - THE most wonderful cooking blog on the internet in my opinion :)  You can visit them as well....see link below...  Anyhoo....I have have been looking for new ideas to liven up my repertoire in the kitchen. I have made the Flat Bread (which I recently posted about) and this week I'm working on the Natchitoches (NACK-it-esh) Meat Pies.  I love the idea of a portable lunch that can be nibbled on while leisurely window shopping - or taking a walk through the park - portable and delectable!!!! I made the meat filling a couple days ago - and just like they said, the filling gets better as it sits in the fridge :)  Definitely a do ahead part of the recipe - I doubled my recipe thinking I just wouldn't have enough.....oops!!! Was I so very wrong!! I made eight medium size meat pies and a bevy of little ones and I barely used any of the meat.....I will be making these all week long - good thing they freeze well. I was thinking that this would make a very good gift for a friend who is immobile right now - popping a couple in the oven for dinner would be quite simple for her husband to manage - a little green salad and voile'- instant meal.  I was also thinking that this meat mixture would make a good salad wrap or "Louisiana burrito" :) Or even scrambled up into some eggs would be nice - I may be getting rather creative as the week goes on......
Next on my list is the Thai Noodle Salad - with a very yummy sounding Thai Peanut Dressing - This I will be making for a friend who has requested healthy foods as she recovers - and she LOVES Thai food.  I think this qualifies as healthy....it will be up to her how much of the yummy dressing she uses :)

So keep on smiling - enjoy the life you are given and always remember to explore all the possibilities - nothing worse than a mundane life :) http://www.ourbestbites.com

Flat bread & Pea soup - among other things...

So today I was reading  the various blogs that I follow. I felt quite envious of the quick wit and quirky writing styles - and the ability of those fellow bloggers to be able to post even in the midst of crazy life changing (and not so life changing) happenings.  Case in point.....fellow blogger Kate at www.ourbestbites.com wrote that she was trying to keep calm while raising 2 kids (and we know how kids always seem to sense when we are at out low points!) and closing on a house in 5 days!!! Even with this she posted a most delicious (and welcome) flat bread recipe....number one....I LOVE bread of all kinds but my weak point is FLAT BREAD!! I never really had a good recipe so I relied on the frozen bread dough (or Texas rolls) and skipped the initial dough making process. Thank you Kate for sharing such an easy quick way to indulge in comfort!!!! Please visit her site for the recipe .....Also....I decided if I make the flat bread then I'm most definitely going to need some homemade something or other to go along with it.  It had to be fast though - especially since the flat bread was going to be relatively quick.  I decided to make my "canned pea soup" - a hodgepodge of sorts that turn into a most wonderful delight.....I don't usually do the same thing twice but here is what I did this evening:
4 cans (any brand) sweet peas with juice
2 cans (any brand) sweet peas w/o juice
1 large can chicken stock
1 small onion (diced)
2 large carrots (shredded)
1 large potato (shredded)
3 slices deli ham (chopped)
1 tsp freeze dried garlic (same as regular garlic)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sage
1 tsp white pepper
Place all ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil.....then simmer for 30 minutes or until carrot and potato are cooked through.  Using an immersion blender cream the soup for a minute or so.  There should still be a small amount of texture for taste interest :)  Let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to thicken.  Add a dollop of butter on top when serving and sprinkle with black pepper.

I have been keeping up on my knitting......still work diligently on the sweater for my brother.  I'm finally at the part where I can just mindlessly knit (for a billion stitches) and it's nice to be able to pick it up and just start knitting - whether for an minute or an hour.  I have until the middle of next month to complete this task.  I'm thinking it will be doable :)  The funny thing is the sweater seems to be much smaller than the last one I knit - I'm hoping like the dickens that it is an illusion! I do have the body scrunched on the circular needles and the shoulders are cinched in with waste yarn (until I add the sleeves)  I'm sure once it is all released the sweater will take on a more manly size!

 In between all the knitting and cooking and working and playing etc. etc. there are the puzzles!  A few have been completed since my last blog - but this is the one in process at the moment.....fun!

Enjoy life and share some smiles along the way :)