Camera is acting up again!

Whoa is me!  But maybe it will heal itself like before.  Meanwhile, I did add a recipe section on the right side of my blog.  I will be adding to it slowly.  If there's anything you specifically want just let me know.  I am only adding recipes that I love and make for myself on a regular basis.  I will also be adding a cleaning recipe section for cleaners that I make and use.  Stay tuned!
I thought this picture was a pretty good rendition of MOI! LOL!

 Today I wrapped up all the ornaments and Vickie's gift and sent them off to Iowa.  I hope they make it there....it's always iffy.  This is one of my favorite quotes..........I wish more people would realize it!  Although I must admit it took me years to finally 'get it' myself.

 I have not tried this but I'm thinking the grand boys would like this when they come to visit. Notice the pitcher has Iowa on it.  Oh, did I tell you?  Sam and Grayson are coming this summer to stay with me without their parents for a whole week!  I am so excited!  I've never had a chance to be alone with my grandchildren.....it could be scary for all involved! LOL! Teachers have to take so many hours of continuing education in their field in order to keep their license current and her husband would have to take the time off from work in order for her to take the classes she needs soooo.........they asked me if I would watch the boys.  She will bring them down here and then come back and get them after her classes are done in a week or so and then she will stay down here for a week too!  How wonderful is that?  I have a board on Pinterest called Camp Grandma that is going to get some use while they're here!  Oh the fun we will have if I don't drop dead in the process! LOL!  I'm not used to active boys anymore....I may need to get in shape before they arrive!

 I'm not saying I'm creative but this is how my mind operates........crazy huh?

 I have no idea where I got this photo but those mittens are made for me because the minute I go out in the cold my nose starts running.  I'll have to search Ravelry to see if I can find the pattern.....stay tuned to this blog!

 This is my dream...to be driving down a country road and come across an old farmhouse like this for sale....that I can afford and that hasn't been 'remodeled' or 'modernized'......but dreams do come true sometimes!

 So far this year I feel like I am truly 'on the right track'........I may not get everything done on my list each day but I am definitely applying myself!

 I love pictures of roads like this as I always wonder what's around the bend.....

Today I also made Rain's pizza dough...finally.....it is rising for 90 minutes and then I will separate into 2 balls and freeze as I am too tuckered to do much more today.  Rain has a wonderful archive on her blog with all her fantastic recipes on it plus she has a link to her cheese making blog too.  Check her out!  She's on my sidebar.
Happy Trails!!!

Monday - Book Date

I have good news to report!  My reading schedule kept me on task and I finished 2 books this past week!  I could hardly believe it myself!  But, they were good books which really helped.  I finished Outlander (627 pages); the first in the series.

 

There was a lot of sex and gruesomeness but I managed to get through it and the writing is so good and her characters and descriptions of the countryside were fascinating.  She has a degree in botany along with several others and it showed throughout the book.  Her knowledge of plants was very evident and totally interesting.  The plot and adventures were like nothing I had ever read before and despite the gruesome aspects I am definitely going to read the next one!  I give it 4 stars and I would give it 5 except for the sex and the gruesome parts.  Actually, someone said that the male hero is someone no real man could live up to....really?  I think they should at least try! LOL!  Plus, the female characters are strong....thank you!

Have any of you read this series or watched the t.v. version?  I'd be interested in what you thought.  I have not watched the video version and should I wait until I am done with all the books or do the seasons match the books?

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I also finished Aunt Dimity and the Duke (290 pages); another 4 star!  I really enjoy a cozy mystery set in the English countryside in either a cottage or an old manor home and this mystery did not disappoint!  It was a good one!  Good writing and interesting plot for sure and there was gardening!  You can't beat the English for their gardens. 

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This week I have already scheduled my reading and although it may be a bit much I will try.....I will be reading/finishing The Mysteries of Udolpho...yes, I know it has been a drag on my reading but maybe if I read more and focus on it the story will reveal itself to me! LOL!   Too much 'lead up' for my impatient mind....this was my Halloween book and so far nothing scary, just hints but it does seem to be getting somewhere finally!  I will be able to finish it this week if I read 63 pages a day.

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I'm also going to finish up The Purpose of Christmas..........12 pages a day

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and the  Wapsipinicon Almanac at 12 pages per day..............this is actually a book on Goodreads.....who knew?

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I am trying to develop other 'systems'  for getting things FINISHed this year....after all...it is my word for 2018!
I watched Season #1 of Red Water about an Irish Village and mysteries going on.  It's on Brit Box and it is good but not sure I will be keeping my subscription.  I watched some knitting pod casts, tiny house pod casts and  that was the extent of my video watching.  I finished Granchester and When Calls the Heart and Father Brown so now maybe Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries?  Any suggestions?  I like series better than movies.  It gives me something to look forward to each evening especially if it's good plus there's binge watching which I like if I am doing handwork!  But I'm not averse to a good movie recommendation either.
Oh, I am still reading the Bible and I'm into Samuel II now and I need to get back to listening to Daily Hope.  
I think after Craft Saturday and YOP Sunday...Monday is pretty much catch up.  Today was bills, laundry,  filled my water bottles, cleaned litter boxes, the tub and actually that was about it.  Oh, I brushed Nitty and Grace....the 2 shedders in the house.  It doesn't seem like I did much when I put it out there. I did do some researching on Rain's blog for her pizza dough recipe and her cheese making as I need to make some feta.  I use it a lot and it is expensive!  Rain said she's going to try it too....she's the expert....not me! LOL! 
I hope you had a good Monday.  It snowed all day but just flurries that never amounted to anything.  But it was pretty coming down.  I'm a blizzard lover though.....wind and drifts and white outs are more my style!   As long as I'm home and not on the road!  LOL!
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #29

Great week for me!  Another finish and look what came today............SNOW!!!!  My favorite precipitation!

Unfortunately it never lasts long here but I was appreciative none the less....

I FINISHed the cloth for my girlfriend....now I just need to wrap it, write her a nice card and get it in the mail..........

I FINISHed the leg on sock #1 of my Christmas Eve Cast On socks and started on the leg of sock #2...this yarn is almost more than fingering weight but it is so nice and sturdy!  It will make a wonderfully warm pair of socks for sure.

I started another 'little' project that I've been wanting to do for awhile now and that is little felted hearts that I will fill with lavender once I get the lavender...........I'm just using some leftover Noro Kureon yarn that I had.  It is a Susan B. Anderson free pattern on Ravelry and you join using 2 dpn's and the 3rd for knitting onto....that threw me as I am used to having 3 needles with the 4th to knit with.  I finally got the hang of it after a few tries.  It seems I always have to restart several times on new patterns....why that is I do not know but it happens a lot!

This is what they are supposed to look like when done.........

I also finally got to try something I have been wanting to do for a long, long time.....soap making!

I've had all the materials for awhile now...in fact, I  was going to make Thanksgiving soaps and then Christmas soaps but alas it never materialized but today....I made soap!  

I looked for awhile for a recipe that did not use lye as I did not want to mess with that stuff!

This was so easy and no fuss , no muss and look at my Lavender Rosemary Soap...........it has to sit for 2 hours and then you take it out of the silicone mold (no sticking) and cut it into bars.  Now, I am going to try other 'flavors'.  I'm thinking it will be great for gifts and I will probably include a bar with the wash cloth for my friend.....nice combo gift huh?  This is one of the easiest crafts I have ever done and finished in one day! LOL!  It smells divine too!

 Last but not least....here's what Miss Peeps was up to this morning..........I think maybe she was cold...lol!

Happy Trails!!!

P.S.  If you want to see what other YOP'ers are up to check out this link