All that de-cluttering and cleaning made me hungry evidently!

My sour dough starter is simply amazing!  It is definitely alive and well!  I'd like to see what it does when I actually make a loaf of bread and what kind of 'rise' I get out of it........meanwhile,

I took some out and made some garlic and herb flat bread.....another recipe from Lisa over at Farmhouse on Boone...I cut her recipes in half as she is feeding 7! LOL!  There's one missing from this plate because I had to taste it and YUM.....a nice healthy snack or as a side to dinner..........

Then I made Lisa's Lara bars.......her recipes are very easy and she admits she doesn't like to spend a lot of time cooking..........I haven't tasted these yet so I'll let you know later but they are easy peasy to make....everything goes in the food processor for 3 minutes and then press it into a pan and refrigerate.............she uses orange essential oil but I used orange zest from 2 oranges I had.   I know you can use essential oils for cooking but they may have to be 'ingestable' ones.  I need to research that.  Lisa uses DoTerra oils but they are very expensive....

For the grand finale I made salmon patties....again, I have not cooked or eaten them yet so we shall see..........

 I'll be slicing up an avocado to have along with them.  No bread just the patties and my flat bread.   I am really getting hungry now~lol!  This is all really healthy food so I'm looking forward to a great dinner tonight!  What are you having?  Do you have a favorite healthy snack or meal or dessert? 
I cleaned the guest bathroom today and it is now minimalized too.  I paid the last of the bills for this month and worked some more on the tissue box cover which I will show you tomorrow on my YOP post.  Have a lovely evening!
Happy Trails!!!

Another bookcase and another project...........

A busy day for sure.....I wrapped Ben's presents and got them mailed off, went to the pharmacy, grocery store and Dollar General....just a few items at each place.  I'm going to try and make salmon patties and Lara bars this coming week sometime.  I cleaned off my sidewalk and drive way and watered my greens.  I replaced some outside light bulbs and 'dust busted' the basement steps....so much easier than trying to drag a heavy corded canister vacuum down the stairs.
I finally got around to Konmari.............and was able to clear out another bookcase.........

the pile is getting bigger..........

I'm also going sort of 'minimalist'...it's not my nature but getting the house ready to put on the market I thought it would be so much easier to keep it clean if there wasn't 'stuff' all over the counters plus 1/2 of it I don't use anymore.  So here's my  minimalist look............

I also started the kleenix box cover I mentioned yesterday............I may be trying to go 'minimalist' but I am not going colorless! LOL!  I am just grabbing my smallest balls of yarn/leftovers/stash and changing color every round.  I'm not even paying much attention to the colors.....just want a 'scrappy' look......that is my style.....scrappy, patchwork,  boho, eclectic, vintage....whatever you want to call it....

Well, it's Friday night and I am going to 'kick back' and have a glass of wine and then supper and then totally relax!  I hope you have a great weekend and I am so happy the federal workers are finally going to get a paycheck.....what an awful predicament they found themselves in.  I hope it never happens again!
Happy Trails!!!
P.S.  News Alert......I told you I finally received the present  I ordered for Ben from Inspire/Uplift but the punch needle hoop I never received but they did reimburse me.  This was all PayPal's doing.  All I did was lodge a complaint...thank you PayPal!

A little bit of everything day..........

Okay, I had a great breakfast with sourdough pancakes I made with my very own sourdough! 

They were/are delicious! I cooked up some bacon to go with and left some bacon grease in the pan to cook up the pancakes...worked great especially in my cast iron skillet...........

 I ended up with a pretty large stack of them so I froze them with 2 pancakes per bag.  I can't eat pancakes every day as much as I loved them! LOL!

These are whole wheat and to be honest, they cooked up better and easier than any other pancake batter I've ever  used.  I used this free ebook to make my sourdough and this recipe for the pancakes.  I'll be making these for the grands the next time they come!
I did a lot of things today including some bill paying, and I cleaned using my usual vinegar and water mixture but added some lemon essential oil and WOW....it gets things squeaky clean!  I had gotten a free ebook from Lisa at The Farmhouse on Boone.  She has a blog and a You Tube channel.............her recipe and explanations on the different essential oils and their uses is excellent!
Here's the link to that ebook When I finished, my whole bathroom smelled lemon fresh instead of vinegary! LOL!  The only other thing she adds is tea tree oil for it's germ killing properties but I didn't have any so although my bathroom smells great it is evidently still full of germs.  I'll be adding tea tree oil to my essential oil collection.  I also ordered some other cleaning supplies from Grove collaborative which carries all kinds of environmentally, pet and human friendly products and they always send free stuff with the order!  I'll show you all of it when my order arrives but meanwhile you can go HERE 
and if you are a first time customer you get all kinds of free items....really nice, useful cleaning items!
They have autoship if you want but I never care for that so I opt out of it. They are topnotch in the products they carry, the quality and their customer service and I get nothing for saying that.
I also finished Ben's hat today.......in "Da Bear's" colorway.  I hope he likes it.........

As for Konmari Step #2 - all I did was clean the book case I emptied yesterday.......but it's something at least.  Tomorrow I'll get Ben's presents wrapped and sent off to him and hopefully get some more book clearing done.
I also found the Instant Pot I want on Amazon and it is the kind you can make yogurt in too.  I found a recipe for coconut cream yogurt (non-dairy). I had some from the health food store that I loved so another adventure!  I used to eat yogurt daily....the good Greek style until the doctor said to stay away from dairy as it was affecting my cholesterol so I've gone to almond milk but the Coconut yogurt was so good with nuts and honey on it or fruit and granola.....either way since I can't get it locally I'll be making my own.  I've decided to get an Instant Pot also because I only have one burner that works and the other 2 are a grill and one just doesn't work at all....so useless.  So, having another cooking vessel would be a big help!  

Amazon also carries Ball glass jars with plastic screw on lids that will be perfect for the yogurt.  I am getting away from all plastic eventually.  I learned that essential oils can leach through plastic so I ordered a glass spray bottle from Grove.  I'll order more as my budget permits.  Good bye plastic!
That's all for today!  Even though I didn't get a lot of book clearing done I feel really good about what I accomplished today.  I hope you're feeling good about your day too!
Oh, one more thing!  Our Happy CAL Place on Ravelry has the cutest weekly project for this week......a granny square tissue box cover!  Too cute!  Although the week is almost over I have printed off the pattern.  I am all over this bad boy!  Head on over to the Ravelry group to get your free pattern and tutorial!

Happy Trails!!!
 

Konmari Step #2 - Books.....started!

Woe is me as this category is my Achilles tendon!  But I got started and they say that is sometimes the hardest.  Granted, I have not thrown anything out yet...I'm still in 'the gathering stage'.  I decided to use my living room as the staging area as it is the biggest room and a lot of the books are already in there......but there truly are books in every room of this house except the bathrooms and the garage.  I need to recheck and see if this includes magazines.....I'm sure it does and if not it should.  I have lots of those too! 

This is just one bookcase unloaded but it's a start............ It's still dirty and needs to be dusted but there it is.....1 empty bookcase!

 Good news too!  My sourdough starter took off overnight.....I don't mean it left...I mean it doubled in size!  I must have some powerful yeast in this house!  Probably along with some less desirable bacteria too! LOL!

So now that it had almost filled the jar I took some out and made sourdough pancake batter for tomorrow morning.  You let it sit out and Good Golly Miss Molly......it is proofing like mad! I can't wait to make bread with it...........this too has doubled in size just since this morning!  I am so excited to try it!  It's been years!

I also have just 4 more rounds on Ben's Bear's hat and it will be done!  His other birthday present arrived after opening a 'case' with Pay Pal and it came all the way from China....it had all kinds of Chinese writing on it but it's here!  Hopefully it works and he will like it.  It is a steam cleaner for his car/truck.  You need a compressor but he has one.  He keeps his cars immaculate so I figure he will make good use of it.  My Iowa grand boys and my teacher daughter have been off 2 days now due to the snow.  She's really tired of shoveling!
What have you been up to?  Any Konmari people out there?  Misery loves company you know! LOL!
Happy Trails!!!

Treasures and practical solutions.......

I'm sorry I still have not gotten around to everyone.....I am behind reading blogs!  I haven't even started my Konmari Step #2!  But yesterday was Walmart and today was catch up on the house....garbage day, cleaning litter boxes, prepping and making dinner and many other household tasks.
Yesterday I got a French Press at Walmart and some heavy cream to go with it and the whole coffee beans.  I have wanted a French Press for quite awhile especially if we would lose power.  Lisa from Farmhouse on Boone says it is the best especially with a bit of heavy cream!  So I made some this morning and although I have to get my 'grinding' down pat as it was a little weak...the flavor was great!  I'd had French Press coffee years ago at a resort and loved it but I never followed through when I came home.  Now, my wishes are coming true!  I used Starbucks Breakfast Blend Whole Bean that I bought in Mountain Home last week. I've had my grinder for years.

 I got a new mister as my old one just like this finally bit the dust after about 8 years!  I loved it because not only does it use a cool mist to humidify my bedroom but you can put essential oils in it which scent the room at the same time.....love!

This is sort of what it looks like 'on' but the entire thing changes colors if you want it to.......

Something I had not planned on but have been wanting for a long time and always forget about it is a rechargeable battery station with rechargeable batteries........Energizer just came out with one or I just noticed it.............it comes with 4 batteries but you can buy them without the charger too..........

  I was so bad......not only did I not do Konmari which is books for Step #2 but I bought 2 magazines!  I'm going backwards not forwards but I must admit.....this is for my future small spaces home.........great ideas for any size home and the decorating is superb........this is a reference magazine for sure!

Then, of course, I had to get the Spring issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects..........both of these magazines did not disappoint..............

Last night I had the last of the Pasta Fajoli with garlic bread and..........a salad with the greens I grew!  Organic, delicious and no recall!   It's been in the low teens here but it didn't bother them in my little 'greenhouse'....

Last week, at my local grocery store here in town they had these Knorr Meal Starters on sale for 1/2 price so I got 2 of each flavor............it looked pretty healthy so I took a chance.  I made one tonight ...

The Lemon Chicken with Barley....I provide the chicken and carrots and spinach..........it's just about done now.....pretty easy!

I'll let you know how I like it....the other 2 are a Southwestern Chicken and a Steak and Peppers with Brown Rice and Quinoa...stay tuned!  Just have to add the spinach on top and cover for a few minutes off the heat and my supper is ready!

Hopefully tomorrow I will get to the Konmari or even tonight for a bit.........I hope you had a great day!
Happy Trails!!!

Walmart.....again............

It's supposed to rain 100% tomorrow so I went to Walmart today.  I did rest yesterday...even took a nap!  But now I am drained again after grocery shopping and unloading it all and putting it all away.  Maybe it's just old age.....a chronic condition for me! LOL!  Anyway.....yesterday I did manage to get my new cart put together.........I think it is so cute and functional too!  I want all my furniture to have wheels........

I also 'started' my sourdough starter..........oh, you can't see it?

here........not much to look at....yet....the only thing I don't understand is why you're supposed to cover it....how is the 'wild' yeast supposed to get in?  When I did it years ago I remember putting cheesecloth over it and putting it outside but it was summer.

I have to feed it every 12 hours...............just like another live pet!
Since I wasn't feeling too perky yesterday, I defrosted some pasta fajoli I had frozen.....I think it tastes even better after freezing.........I had some garlic bread with it......comfort food!  I'm going to freeze more things like this so I have them on hand when I'm busy or just don't feel like cooking.  I thought freezer meals were just for busy Moms but it's for busy retired people too!

I finished this book by Sandra Dallas and it reminded me of how good her books are!  Highly recommend............she's not Janet Oke but her stories are historical fiction....I think?  What do I know?

I'm worn out now but I'll be home tomorrow and get around to see what you all have been up to.
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #30

Finishes: none this week

WIPs (works in progress):  There are more than this but these are the only 2 I worked on besides a heart dishcloth for the Our Happy Place CAL which I gave up on as I could not figure it out...I tried like 4 times....evidently I cannot follow directions well because it seemed I was the only one that had trouble with the pattern!
1)  I did work on the monthly Our Happy CAL place shawl...I took these pictures before the sun was up so they aren't the best............I'm using a skein of Lion Brand Mandala yarn

2)  Ben's Bear's hat........his birthday was Friday so per usual, I am late.........but it should get finished maybe even today.........I only have an inch more before the decreases....love this pattern except the brim gets old after 3 inches of it..............also.....I changed colors right after the brim which goes right into the hat pattern portion.   I recommend that you do a couple rows of plain knitting in between your color change and the brim because if you don't you end up with a definite mixing of the blue and the orange which doesn't look good.  It's okay and I'm not going back but just a little lesson learned.
The pattern is done in a single color so you wouldn't run into that predicament.

TOP 10 WIP's:

1)  Falling Leaves scarf - needs blocking
2)  Pickle Dish
3)  America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
4)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
5)  Pin's embroidery
6)  Heart bookmark for V-Day - done but needs backing
7)  Toe-up socks
8)  Ben's hat
9)  Multnomah shawl
10. C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
11. (breaking the rules already!) Granny Triangle shawl for Our Happy CAL Place January CAL

NEW STARTS: none this week


 Finishes so far in 2018-19: 
1.  4th of July cross stitch pillow/ornie
2.  Hitchhiker shawl
3.  Felici Hibiscus self-striping socks
4.  Felted wool loafer slippers with leather soles for me Sam
5.  washcloth (extra large) and back scrubber for Christmas or birthday for SIL
6.   Iowa Hawkeye hats for Sam and Grayson
7.  Techniques learned so far this year: a) knit cast on, b) reading a knitting chart, c) lace work, d) inserting and using a lifeline e) charting a graphghan
8.   dishcloth(s)...I need to count them
9. Cubs hat for Uriah
10. 12 days of Christmas Advent gifts
11. Cowl for Ben
12. Cowl for Tracy
13. Cowl for Natalie
14.  # 2018 Collectible ornaments for the grands
15.  Cowl for me or gift basket
16.  11 scrubbies for gift basket
17.  1 pot handle cover for gift basket

Based on my research for how to care for a wool blanket.....I think I will not make one out of wool.  Too hard to clean as it would be so big and heavy when wet.
We had snow yesterday!  I was so excited but going from 60's to 16 last night seems to mess with my system....I am very tired today.  This past week did not see much crafting as I was finishing up Konmari Step #1 - Clothes which is done.  Tomorrow I start with books!  Friday which is my usual craft day I was out of town and yesterday the kids kept calling and Skyping and I got little done except to try and catch up with dishes and laundry.  Just one day out of town and you'd think I'd been gone a week! LOL!  Now today I'm exhausted....from what?  I do need to make a meal today and make some bread plus I want to start my sourdough starter....no rest for the weary!  Happy Crafting this week.  I hope I'll have more to show you next week!
Oh, here's the beautiful snow today..........before the sun was up.............

and then when the sun came out..............pay no attention to the dates on my pictures....they are never accurate.........don't ask me why but I'm constantly having to reset it........

 Please stop by and see all the other fantastic projects that other  YOP'ers are working on.
Happy Trails!!!