hurrayic

Yarn Along ~ August 31

Once again, joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.  I've been making progress on the Travel Shawl.  Now that I'm over the frustration from last week, I'm finding the pattern to be easier.  You still need to concentrate, but there is a rhythm to the rounds, and it's actually quite enjoyable.  I'm already on the 3rd ball of yarn.  I have about 8 more in my stash.  That should be enough, I hope.  Haven't touched any other knitting projects this week.  My daughter keeps reminding me that I need to finish up my charcoal hourglass since the weather is turning cooler.  Yes, I do...but I think I'm going to sneak in a few puffy hexagons after spotting them here.  The hexagon pattern, called the Beekeeper's Quilt, is a long-term (year long) project that you can do little by little and take it with you wherever you go.  That sounds quite appealing to me.  Plus, you can use up little bits & pieces of leftover yarns providing they're the right weight. 

Reading: Just call me jack of all books, master reader of none.  Actually, this past week I tried several times to begin An Episode of Sparrows but kept falling asleep. Only got through the first chapter.  Probably not the best type of book to take to bed when you're tired.  So, I will try to read it during the daytime.  Meanwhile, I picked up a quick thriller: John Grisham's The Confession.  And!  I received my copy of Amanda's book which I'm enjoying immensely. 

Artistic

The quick little crochet bracelets (for my friend's daughters) she made from Kids' Crochet.

My daughter is always working with her hands, creating little treasures here and there.  For years, she's loved making tiny things.  Mini things.  She shows great attention to detail.  Sometimes her art and craft are made from paper, clay, more clay, baking, general crafting or her favorite, photography.  Nature photography, most specifically.  She's taught herself to crochet, how to use photoshop, how to embroider, is good at creative writing (when she does it!), has composed an original piano piece, has taken numerous art classes at different co-ops...definitely my creative spirit child!  I find that she also is the one who often needs a little push to get her ideas rolling.  Now we just need to figure out how to connect her creative spirit with college and/or a career choice. 

Any ideas? 

Enjoying

Happy Last Monday of August?!

Enjoying:
Catching this little bug, watching it for awhile and letting it go again (ignore my 11yo's dirty fingernails, please)

Making and eating raspberry muffins (which taste more like biscuits than muffins) from Soule Mama's wonderful book and taking note that next time they need to be enjoyed with some homemade creme fraiche. 

Hoping these people can escape from the fearful aliens!

Enjoying the respite from hot muggy nights with another dinner outside using homemade pesto (made a 3rd batch this weekend ~ the other homemade pasta topping is picadillo)

Thankful that a little soft light can even make doing the dirty dishes a little more relaxing (well...almost)

Listening to my boys discover that fake burping in the Mike-Wazowksi-style can make shucking corn a lot more pleasant! (fast forward the short video to 5:23 to see just the burp scene if you so choose...)

Wondering what to make with these new skeins and glad for a color card for future knitting projects...

 
Thankful especially that although many suffered damage from the storm, and there is much clean up, that God was gracious in the downgrading of the hurricane's projected destruction.  Thankful that our extended families and friends are safe.  (the photo above is looking at part of the NY thruway near my parent's home) Yes, some are without power and some are pumping water from flooded basements, some are waiting for water-logged roadways to clear, but all are well. 

{this moment}**

 

watching my daughter learn to knit in the round 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~ Soule Mama

{this moment}** a single photo with a few accompanying words ~ hurrayic


Hope you learn a new skill this weekend!

Summer Cooking: Napa Cabbage with Cilantro, Parsley & Basil

It's Summer Cooking again!  Won't you join in?
If you have a recipe to share,
just leave it in the comments with a link to your post. 
New post or old post...doesn't really matter,
because hey, summer cooking is good to eat anytime.

Summer cooking will probably need to go on hiatus soon (~I hope~ since I love Autumn weather and all that it brings), but a few more simple summer recipes are always a good thing.  I made salad this several weeks ago when we received a napa cabbage in our csa bundle.  We already had parsley and basil on our deck.  On impulse, I bought a small bunch of cilantro from the market without a specific recipe in mind.  Began a search.  Adapted a recipe from Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook, which by the way is becoming a go-to cookbook of late.  The original recipe calls for fish sauce which I'm sure lends depth of flavor, but since I didn't have any nor would use it (way too much sodium), it said you could substitute soy sauce.  Didn't have low-sodium soy sauce at the moment either, so I used liquid aminos (which can be somewhat high in sodium too, but tastes delicious). So much for trying to remain low salt!

Napa Cabbage with Cilantro, Parsley & Basil
adapted from Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook

1 head of napa cabbage, outer leaves removed if not the best, stem end cut off, sliced cross-wise into thin shreds
1/2 pkg shredded carrots (or shred your own)
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 yellow banana peppers, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, snipped
1/2 cup basil, snipped
1/2 cup parsley, snipped
4 Tbsp liquid aminos (can use soy)
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp peanut oil (or sesame oil)
2 tsp sugar
salt & pepper, to taste

Combine cabbage, carrots & peppers in large bowl.  Whisk together aminos, vinegar, oil, sugar, s&p.  Add cilantro, basil & parsley to oil mixture.  Pour over cabbage mixture and combine well so that all is coated.  Let sit for about 10 minutes, stir again & serve. 

 

Yarn Along ~ August 24

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along again.  If you haven't joined in, why don't you?  It's fun, informative and gives you lots of new ideas for reading and knitting...

I share a lot of new projects, don't I?  What about my 'old' ones, you ask?  Do I finish them or just photograph them so that all appears well?  Gladly, I can say that just a few days ago, I finished my hat from last week.  Still trying to take a good photo of it.  (I'm not photogenic!)  Once I do, I'll have to share it in a separate post with a few other items that are almost finito.  Monday evening, as we watched yet another episode of the Bionic Woman,  I picked up the Travel Shawl from Knitting 24/7 using some Knitpicks Andean Silk yarn that I've had in my stash for several years.  Sadly, I think the yarn has been discontinued. 

Well...this Travel Shawl pattern is very finicky.  The above photo catalogues my 6th attempt at casting on.  First, I couldn't figure out why in the world I had to use dpns for the shawl.  That is, until I read some helpful notes from a Ravelry user.  The shawl is actually a square blanket that's been folded over.  Neither the photos nor the description in the book said anything about that.  Once I understood, the dpns made sense since you're knitting the shawl from the center out.  The 2nd problem was with placing markers.  I sort of gave up and just started knitting.  Since the dpns act as big 'markers', I won't bother placing them until I change to circular needles.  So far so good...this pattern calls for concentration...

On the reading scene, not much is happening unless you count cookbooks, emails, knitting patterns and bills. I did have to pick up An Episode of Sparrows after spotting it here on Ginny's blog.  Admittedly, I have to say it was the cover that I found intriguing along with the title.  Haven't gotten very far, but already it's a good read.  Hope to finish it this week or else it may get pushed aside as we begin our homeschool year again...

Well Water Baktus

I finally finished my well water lacy baktus.  Truly, I only had the ends or should I say 'end' as there was only one to weave back in.  Why is it that step takes so long?  My daughter agreed to model it.  Didn't stay on too long: wool and hot weather don't mix.  But this will be nice in the winter!

Ravelry info here.

Enjoying

 
Varying degrees of enthusiasm ~ "Come on, kids, you're supposed to ENJOY the art!"

 
A wait-'til-it-cools-down-in-the-evening game of croquet (and wondering why we don't regularly play this)

 
Celebrating another birthday (didn't have 71 candles handy and didn't want to burn down the house so 11 would have to suffice) with yummy homemade carrot cake with homemade maple cream cheese icing! (cake lasted less than 24 hours by the way) 

 
The sparkly colors of these boats.

 
Watching the sparkly boats list to one side and two teenage boys get a workout paddling.

 
Gazing at the wildflowers peppering our walk.

 
Reading this sign on our middle son's bedroom door.

 
Feeding the ducks some leftover jalapeno bread.

 
Being surprised with  a 'new' little creamer (thanks, Mom!)

 
Thankful that if you stand in just the right spot in our backyard, you may catch a glimpse of a warm sunset.

{this moment}**

oldest & youngest working together

 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. ~ Soule Mama

{this moment}** a single photo with a few accompanying words ~ hurrayic

 

Hope you can work together on something this weekend!

Summer Cooking: Cold Bean & Asparagus Salad with Lemon

Another warm week requires another cold salad.  I should have had the Future Gardener help me with snapping the beans since I did end up using some of his wax beans he planted.  (but Future Gardener was busy building Lego cars and contraptions)  This salad is loosely based on one that I had eaten from a (now-defunct) restaurant about 7-8 years ago.  I don't remember the details exactly, just that it had beans and lemon.  So I made it up as I went along. It is light & refreshing. 

Cold Bean & Asparagus Salad with Lemon

3 handfuls green beans (about 1 1/2 lbs?), snapped in about 1" pieces
handful yellow wax beans, snapped in about 1" pieces
1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into about 1" pieces (you can remove the more fibrous portion first)
1 small red onion, diced
handful of radishes, sliced thinly and haphazardly
1 lemon (juice & zest)
olive oil (for drizzling)
a few splashes of rice wine vinegar
a few generous shakes garlic powder
salt, to taste
lots of fresh ground pepper, to taste
feta, crumbled (optional, but very tasty)

those are kale chips in the background - yum

** I'm thinking now that I should have added in some grape or cherry tomatoes (like the sungolds or italian ice) cut in half & maybe some fresh basil.

Bring a pot of water to boil.  Add beans. Set timer for about 2 minutes (if you like crisp) and about 3 minutes (if you like slightly softer).  I did the 2 minutes.  When timer beeps, remove beans with slotted spoon and transfer to bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  Add asparagus to your boiling water.  Set timer for 2 minutes.  When done, remove asparagus with slotted spoon and plunge it, too, into the ice water.  When they're cold, drain ice water in a colander.  Return to bowl.  Add all the rest of the ingredients. Stir to coat well.  Adjust seasonings to your liking.  Add in the tomatoes and/or basil if you want. Chill slightly or serve right away (if you're hungry) with feta.