Olympic baking tribute! Scones!

First there was English Lemon Cake  which is gone.  Last night I decided to make Scones...another baking tribute to the Olympics in London.  This recipe is compliments of Tammy from T's Daily Treasures

Scones
------------
preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Blend together 3 C flour, 3 Tbs sugar, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt.  Work in 6 Tbs soft butter until mixture resembles fine meal; add in 1 lightly beaten egg and 3/4 C buttermilk to form a dough; stir in 1/3 C dried cranberries.  Lightly flour a work surface.  Pat dough to 3/4 inch thick and cut into rounds.  Brush tops with a little buttermilk and bake until golden.

 

As usual....I was "distracted" so I set oven to 450 instead of 425, I cooked for 10 minutes which worked thank goodness but I forgot to baste the tops with buttermilk.  Despite all these mistakes....I LOVED them!!!!  

 

Last night I had one split with butter while still warm with a cup of ginger peach green tea!  What a great evening treat.   This morning I had them with a little whipped cream and honey....OMG!  YUMMO!

 

Basically they are like baking powder biscuits with a little sugar and fruit thrown in.  These are a much healthier treat than cookies, cakes etc; yet filling and just the right thing with a cup of tea.  They are really easy and fast to make and I'll be trying other added ingredients.  Thanks Tammy!  This recipe is a winner!

I got my socks going finally after a few unsuccessful tries........got the cuff done now on to the heel flap

I did get the heel flap going but it is really bad, multiple  mistakes (I cannot watch the Olympics AND knit socks...whoops!)  So, take a look but it will probably get pulled out and started over but I'm learning.  It's just frustrating to tear out all the time.....but thank goodness I have other "feel good" projects and also I do know HOW to do it....I just can't watch t.v. and do it. LOL!  I wonder if I'll ever be that good.
I hope all those competing in the Ravellenics are doing better than me!
I did get the last of my supplies for awhile..........they came in the mail this morning........

 

I think I'll go eat a scone before I tear out that sock.....it might make it a little easier...ya think?

I hope you're having a good Monday!  It's 106 degrees F right now....thank God for AC! I think it would be appropriate to change my banner to Summer now!

YOP Update and an FO!!!!

Yes!!!!  I have an FO .....I finished all three of my washcloth/towels and I really like how they turned out.  I had one mistake in my stitches in each cloth....sort of  like that Amish tradition of putting  a mistake in each quilt they make because only God can make something perfect.  Well, mine weren't on purpose but my knitting is very even now after knitting 3 of these. But the hardest part of the whole project was weaving in the ends and keeping it decent looking at the same time.  I've decided that since they're too big for washcloths yet too small for a kitchen towel, I'm going to use them as guest towels in my "guest" bathroom.  It has tan walls and beige fixtures and tile and red is my accent color in there so it will be perfect! I didn't plan it but it worked out that way. I think I'll place them in a white enamel dish with red edging.  I'll post when I get that done!

Oh!  I also learned right side from wrong side I think.  See the middle towel....I obviously didn't know that when I knitted that one! LOL!  The left side stripe was supposed to look like the right side stripe....yeah.
But I'm learning and as long as I keep improving and learning I'm a happy knitter!
Below is not an FO but this particular block is done.  I'll be starting a new one this week.

I worked some on my crocheted table runner too and it is about 3/4 done.

 

I started on my first pair of socks and actually had it on the needles with the first row FIVE times so far but to no avail!  But I am not giving up...I may set aside while I knit a bath mat but I will not give up on this!  One of these times I will do it correctly and it will look "right" to me.  I am using the Magic Loop method but so far the "magic" hasn't worked for me! LOL!  I think my knitting angels need to give me a helping hand on this one!

 

See the "curly" yarn.....it is tired from being "cast on" so many times!  And look at those teeny, tiny needles!  OMG.....can this knitter be saved (taught)?  In true Olympic spirit though I will prevail!

 

You know.....if she'd just get her hands out of the way I might be able to see how it's done! LOL!

I hope all YOUR projects are coming along splendidly and cheers to all who are participating in the Ravellenics and the Olympics too!  Have a great week of YOPs!

Awesome Opening Ceremonies! Thank you U.K.!!!!

I hope you got to see the Olympic opening ceremonies as it was fantastic!  I thoroughly enjoyed my evening!

I made myself a little cocktail in honor of the celebration.........cherry limeade with a little rum and some blueberries.  It was sort of red, white and blue for team U.S.A..........Go Team!!!!!!!

My poor basil plant wasn't doing well in all the heat so I potted it up and brought it in the house.  I sure hope it recovers!

I finished reading a book.........

This was a good mystery but so many characters I couldn't keep track of all of them and it got confusing.  My first hint should have been her list of characters at the beginning of the book.  I'm thinking this is a series and you need to start at the beginning of the series in order to keep from getting confused which really distracts from the story.  It had a good plot though.  She writes "cat" mysteries and the animals in it have their own conversations.  Pretty cute!
 I also finished this special publication about the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.........

  It was very interesting with lots of history and accompanying historical photos of the lineage, major events and personal information about the Queen.  I am enamored with the U.K. this year and I think a lot of it has to do with all the blogger friends I've made that are from there.  They are just the sweetest and very talented too!
Tomorrow is the YOP update and I've made some great progress this week and also have an FO (finished object) so please tune in tomorrow!  If you're not too cross-eyed from watching the Olympics like me! LOL!
Have a great Saturday night!

The Olympics start tonight!!!!!! I'm SO excited!!!!!

The beautiful sky after the storm last evening.

In honor of the Olympics starting tonight in London I made an English Lemon Cake...one of my very favorite desserts!

I hope you are planning on watching the Olympics....the one contest that brings together everyone from all different races and cultures in one place in an environment of peace.  If only it would spread everywhere and last forever!  Have a great Friday night!

Severe thunderstorms! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yep..clouds rolling in and warnings and thunder and lightning..........

 

And.............RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I wasn't going to be able to post as the electric went out once already but I'm hurrying up!

I went to iron today and got out my iron and ironing board and my ironing and my Magic Sizing Spray that I use to spray on my ironing.  I have my Mom's old iron and the steam part no longer works so I spray.

Well......the Magic Sizing spray can fell of the board, hit the floor and broke the nozzle clean off!  There was no way to repair it and it was a brand new full can!  I wasn't going to run to the store for 1 thing....remember my rule....there has to be 3 places I need to go before I take the car out of the garage! LOL!  So, I figured I would fill a spray bottle with water and muddle through.....but after I filled it I thought....hmmmm....why not put a little scent in it.  I had some essential oil from Walmart (probably not the real stuff but....it was what I had) and it was in the "linen" scent.  I use it to scent my homemade laundry detergent...how perfect was that?

 It worked great!  Got my ironing done and the car never left the garage and I didn't spend a penny!  And my fresh clean ironed clothes smelled SO good!

Then I went and made another batch of eggplant parmesan.........yum!

Now it's time for jammies, hot tea and some knitting.....it's still raining and thundering...SO COZY!

The Olympics start tomorrow!!!!!!!  Esther, over at Happy in Red is actually going to be at the Olympics!  

I hope you had a great Thursday!

Wonderful Wednesday...................

 

Finished another knitted washcloth!  One more to go and I will have my first FO (finished object).

 I finished reading this book and I loved it!  She's another generation and uses some language and behavior that I'm not comfortable with but then my parents weren't comfortable with the language and behavior of my generation.....It's a fact now...I'm old!   But despite that this gal can write!  It is the true story of her solo journey over the Pacific Crest Trail from California to Oregon.  It's also a personal mental journey and the healing and growth that takes place.  It was one of those books I didn't want to end.  I must admit I am partial to true life adventure/nature stories especially when a woman is the main character! 

 Here's my bounty from the Farmer's Market today and all Amish raised produce!  I wash and scrub all my produce when I bring it home thus the reason it is all sitting in my dish drainer.  Today I bought 2 eggplant, banana peppers, a patty pan squash, some "new" red potatoes and my favorite which I never seem to be able to find fresh....beets!

I'll be eating great this week!  I hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday too!

Renewal...........

 

I've watered and watered but there is nothing like a little rain to make plants happy!  We got a good "frog strangler" about 4 days ago and it sure brightened things up around here.

 

My radishes are doing well....................

 

and it's about time to harvest some lettuce.............

The mandevilla is THE plant for a hot environment but I think the bigger pots help too....they hold more water to keep the roots cool.

 

 

 

I hope you had a great day and only 2 more days until the Olympics start!!!!!!  I'm SO excited you'd think I was in them! LOL! 

 

 

Miscellaneous Monday!

 

Look what I got at our local grocery store!  No eggplant that I was looking for but they had a Venus Fly Trap....go figure.   I've always wanted one so I brought him/her home with me.  I hope they don't have to have bugs to eat as I don't have many in my house.   I have Terminex so I shouldn't have bugs, right?

Can This Antique Be Saved?

I'm hoping Carlene over at Organized Clutter takes a look at this and tells me what to do with it.  She always has such great ideas.  I tried putting it back together but there's a pin or bolt missing.   Plus, if you look closely the grinding gear has broken off.  Maybe terrarium embellishments for the metal pieces?   Paint the box part and use it for outgoing mail?

Started washcloth/towel #2 of the set of 3 that's on my list of YOPs......I think I'm getting better AND picking up speed!

I also got this magazine in the mail.  It's a back issue I ordered for a pattern for one of my YOP projects.  I can't even remember which one it was for but I'll curl up with it tonight and rediscover what it was...I LOVE surprises!

I wish you a great week and thanks to all of you who take the time to leave a comment.  I really appreciate it!  Happy Monday!

   

Sunday YOP update time!

It's that time again..............
     I have 3 to 4 projects going at any one time and probably more if you count the ones I've put aside and haven't worked on, but those days are over!  I have accountability now since I am participating in the YOP!
I do not have a finished project but I do have a finished wash cloth/towel in a set of 3 project........
This was my third try at this cloth.  I started out great,  thinking I knew what I was doing and was almost done when I realized I had done stockinette stitch instead of garter.  Why do I ALWAYS make things harder than they have to be?  So..I finally got my act together and "got her done" but I am not pleased with my results.  The yarn was wonderful, it was all my faulty knitting.  There were several areas....1) I had cast on "several" times before I got the right count on my first knitted row...don't ask me why.  Anyway, my cast on edge is bumpy and uneven so maybe the yarn was just "tired" by that time.  The other problem was it looked nice and I even had good luck with binding off but when I went to weave in the red yarns there wasn't many places to weave in without it being really noticeable.  Plus, this project said dish towels but I would call them wash cloths.  They are a  rectangle not a square but I wouldn't call them a dish towel size yet they're a might big for a dish cloth. It said I need to block them....really?  I don't understand as wouldn't it destroy the blocking the minute you get them wet or dry your hands on them?  When do you block and when don't you and how?  I think I understand the concept, pins, dampen project,  shape and pin so it dries the shape you want but when it gets wet again doesn't that destroy the blocking effort?  Where do you block your things?  On a floor, a board,  a special blocking tool?  I need a book on finishing I think.  I do well weaving in the ends on the same colored background but with skinny stripes of color is there a trick to it or technique?  I can see I have much to learn yet! 

 one side...............

 and the other side...........

I'm about 50% done with my granny stripe table runner...........

 

And although this is neither knitting or crochet it is one of my WIP's listed on my YOP! LOL!

I'm almost done with this wool applique block which will be #10 of 12 with the big center block being done already along with 9 others finished but then after the 12 surrounding blocks there is an appliqued border on all 4 sides.  I use wool from old clothing mostly for the applique and I wash it and felt it and dye most of my own colors too.  The black background is purchased wool felt.  Once I have all the wool pieces blanket stitched in place (by hand) then there is additional embroidery stitches that are done. You can tell what I still need to stitch where you see the little white headed applique pins.

Those are the things that I actually worked on this week but there's plenty more where they came from! LOL!  I couldn't get in to Ravelry.  That has happened several times.  I think it's a popular place!  I'll post this whenever I finally get in.  

Royal mail and a heavenly gift!!!!!!

Yep!  Royal Mail all the way from Wales!  I won a giveaway over at Faith's blog and I received it today in the mail!!!! (Sorry for the shadows....I have a sky light and it plays havoc with my photos during the day! )
She sent me this precious card that looks handmade with a sweet note from her inside.

 

I received the knitting book of the year!  Everywhere I look this book is being talked about, learned from and on many knitter's wish lists!  This may be beyond my skill level but after knitting all week I'm feeling up to the challenge!  Of course, only AFTER I finish all my YOP's...that goes without saying! (Tee Hee!)  But meanwhile it will be on my nightstand to be read and enjoyed! I am so into knitting right now I can hardly stand it!  Now I think I know what everyone's been talking about!  I see an addiction coming on!  I want to read about it, Google it, watch YouTube videos about it, talk about it endlessly with other knitting bloggers, pour over Ravelry every chance I get, and of course do it!  KNIT!!!!  Don't worry, I still love my crochet but knitting is new and different for me and a challenge and boy do I love myself a challenge! Ha! Ha!

 But wait....that's not all..........take a gander at this beauty!  More stash!  I'm so excited and this yarn is as wonderful to touch as it is pretty to look at!

and look at this gorgeous color "sweet pea" which always reminds me of my Granddaughter, who's name also happens to be Faith.  Her Dad calls her Sweet Pea.  100% Merino wool no less.........soft, not scratchy!  

And just in case I'm not sweet enough (which we all know I am ...LOL!) a cute little snack while I'm busy working on my YOP's!  Faith, you think of everything!  Aren't they just too cute? 

As if that wasn't enough, she gave me this, the sweetest present of all made by her very own hands while she's a busy wife and Mother.....amazing!

Ta Da!!!!!  Look at these precious flowers!!!!!  I love them!  I think I need to make a felted bag to sew these flowers onto.  Wouldn't that be cute? 

 Faith, I can't thank you enough for introducing me to YOP's and for the lovely gifts you included in your giveaway.  I've been wanting to have a drawing once I reach 100 followers.  Meanwhile, you have shown me how to make it very special for someone else when that time comes.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  You made my day, week, and month!

 Happy Saturday everyone! 

Addendum to my post 07/21/2012

At the time I wrote this I had no idea what had happened in Colorado.  I didn't watch t.v. all day nor did I talk to anyone so I didn't find out until the 6 p.m. news tonight.  My prayers and condolences go out to all those families and the emergency workers, doctors,  police and fire people who are still working to save lives, find answers and comfort those who are mourning.  In fact, my son and grandson were going to see Spiderman today.

Cleaning and clearing...............

I got busy today cleaning the guest room but I forgot to take a "before" picture of the closet. Trust me it was "full to the gills"!  I remembered about  halfway through.  I have guests coming but so far I haven't heard a date.  Not a peep since they said they were coming.   It's harvest season....I could be putting up tomatoes and all kinds of things but I'm putting it off because "I have company coming".  Trust me...if they don't show up I won't be entertaining any "company" ever again.  I didn't have a garden but I could be supporting the farmer's market.  Not that my house and guest room couldn't use a  good sprucing up but when you're a "farmer" there are priorities! LOL!  Oh well, company is worth more than all the veggies in the world.  But only if they show up! LOL!

I got it cleaned out and stored some of my canning supplies  in it so they're handy in case the "company" doesn't show up! LOL!

I cleaned this dresser but the drawers are filled with linens but I can remove them if "company" arrives.  I still have more to do but there was other "chores" today and knitting too!  I'll be back!
Hope you had a great Friday....one of the best days of the week!