How did I miss World Book Day yesterday?

Evidently I need a 'specialty' calendar that has all those 'special' days on it.  I did finish a book which was very well written and enjoyable but mostly it dragged on and on.  I think I'll recommend it to Joanna at Stitching the High Notes because there was a lot about opera in it and the love of opera.  I had wanted to try this author and now that I have I am done with her....lol~

 I'm still reading Yonder which is a non-fiction about a PBS Film Producer who bought an old dude ranch in Montana and fixed it up and delved into the history of all the past owners of the ranch.  I like it but he's not the greatest writer.  He throws in words I've never heard of and I have a good vocabulary but it doesn't seem to fit with his desire to be a 'cow hand'!
My next non-fiction is this one...............I thought I should read this now before it's too late! LOL!
Yonder is my own book but Bel Canto and this one are from the library so they have been pushed to the front of the line. 

 I am ready for a lighthearted fiction mystery along the lines of Joanna Fluke's Minnesota baker mysteries.  Hallmark liked them too as they have made them into t.v. movies.  I haven't seen them as I don't get the Hallmark channel.  Have any of you seen them?   Are they good? 
I tried to read The Mueller Report but I cannot read that much from sitting at my desk on my PC so I bought a copy from Amazon but couldn't download it......I guess I'll have to order a hard copy.   It would cost and arm and a leg to print it off.
I have been focusing on preparing for Stitch Maynia and trying to figure out how to afford 31 projects!  You have one for every day of May and you start a new one every day in May....or not.  But I am going for the 31 day version.  I did get a glimmer of hope today as there are a few patterns out there that have a booklet of 'smalls' for a certain season which would get me lots of patterns for a smaller chunk of change.  Also, I have cross stitch books and magazines from 'days gone by' so I need to utilize those.  That brings it down to fabric and some additional floss.  Things are looking up! 
This morning I watched Priscilla and Chelsea and Cash (the cutest baby on the planet, I swear!) at the Fat Quarter Shop.  Fat Quarter is carrying cross stitch supplies now and Lori Holt, a fabric and quilt designer, is now designing cross stitch too!  There is one I have to get called Farmgirl....but of course!  They also have a Cross Stitch Journal that keeps track of your Maynia projects but it was $14!  I looked at it and what info they were tracking and made my own.  I'll have to hand write it but I'm okay with that...........here's my feeble attempt...........

I looked at theirs and drew a little schematic...........

It's good enough for me to keep track of my Maynia projects and it's in my Daily Bullet Journal so it won't get lost!
It rained today and will be raining again tonight.....nothing bad though and only one warning that expired, so far.  I did laundry, ran the dishwasher and shook rugs before it started.  Tonight I will be perusing my old cross stitch magazines and books.  I love it when a plan comes together!
Oh, my clematis is blooming.....they look a little bedraggled after repotting but I'm sure they'll adjust in time and at least they're blooming!    What have you been up to?

 Happy Trails!!!

Renewed vigor~we'll see how long it lasts! LOL!

My headache went away and I felt great yesterday.  I must admit it wasn't even dark when I went to bed Sunday night but I slept a good long time!  I think I have avoided several illnesses by going to bed when I'm tired and of course now a days there is no alarm set.  So, I got busy Monday morning and picked up the yard and filled the mower and was off mowing.  It was a beautiful day and after the rain the lawn looks good.  It's supposed to rain again this week starting tonight so I wanted to get it mowed before it got any taller.   While I was mowing I noticed something way up high in the big cedar tree...............I couldn't believe it!  A wisteria vine had climbed all the way to almost the top of the huge cedar at the end of my yard and was blooming like crazy up there!  Obviously it was not afraid of heights.  

 

I have no idea where it came from and I never noticed it before this year.  My old neighbor had one but had it chopped down but I hear that once you have a wisteria you ALWAYS have a wisteria!  They are hard to get rid of.  I'm not sure if it will damage the tree or if they can live harmoniously....we shall see!  I was sad when the neighbor cut hers down because I thought it was beautiful.  It was a darker purple than this one but this one is probably drained from climbing all the way up that tree!

After mowing I came inside and made my Easter dinner albeit a day late.  I made the ham with the cherry glaze and it was delicious.  Very moist and not salty.  It was a Smithfield ham which I had never had before but it was a rump and it still had the skin on and was very fatty.  I looked for a shank but there was none.  I carved it up today and there is as much meat for me as there are scraps for the girls.  I also saved the juice and pour some on their food each night.    I got a nice ham bone from it with lots of meat left on it.  I was going to vacuum seal but I was out of bags.

The riced cauliflower was easy but a bit watery but draining it in it's  'riced' condition was out of the question so I just used a slotted spoon for it.  I probably won't be buying it again as I prefer fresh.  The fresh seems to be more flavorful.  

Now, on to the ginger and maple syrup glazed carrots!  Oh baby, oh baby!  I will be making those again and again and again!  This is before they were roasted in the oven......the recipe called for those fancy colorful carrots but I just bought the organic ones and that was the only variety they had.  I quartered them length wise and then in about 2 inch segments......I wanted to utilize that 'glaze' which made these carrots my favorites!

I think both recipes were from Midwest Living recipes online.  If you need the link let me know.  I'm off to have supper now......I can't wait!

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #45

Happy Easter!!!

Finishes:

1)  Sock #1 of my Blueberry Speckle socks.........and sock #2 is started....the cuff only has a few more rows and it will be done.........

2) Pickle Dish #5 is done but still needs to be pressed........you can see it trying to curl up..........the bottom hexie really is the same as the other ones but the lighting wasn't very good............

here's a picture of all of them so far..........it could also be my lumpy bed! LOL!

 WIPs (works in progress): 
1) I worked on the corner-to-corner blanket a bit............

 I need to measure and see how wide a twin blanket is......I still have one more skein after this one and so far I've used 1 skein of 3 that I have..............

I did no cross stitching this week whatsoever!  I was trying to keep  up with cleaning up after the girls, grocery shopping. financial stuff and then cooking.........it's been a busy and tiring week.  I made an iron skillet pizza last night for supper using my own dough...very good.......

I also made dough for cinnamon rolls that I baked off this morning............they were alright but I prefer caramel pecan....oh yeah!

I had planned on making a cherry glazed ham, riced cauliflower  (did you know you can get it already 'riced' at Walmart in the freezer section along with some other 'riced' and 'spiraled' vegetables?  I had no idea!) and some maple sugar glazed carrots but we'll see.....I'm really tired this week and it may have to wait until tomorrow.  So much for my Easter dinner! LOL!  But I'm not having company so what difference does it make?  Oh, I also sent the grands some Easter 'boxes' which took some time putting together this week and mailing.  My friend, Vickie, sent me a card that had me laughing............thanks Vickie!

  

 Acquisitions:
None this week

New Starts Planned: they're all secret! LOL!

YOP Goals from last week: (better than the week before!)

DONE 1.  finish stitching Pumpkin Spice Farm
DONE 2.  finish hexies and stitch together for Pickle Dish #5 of 11 (there are also 2 half PD's on the vertical and 6 half PD's on the horizontal plus 4 quarter PD's and then the connecting hexies)    
3.  Work on Amy's Frida Kahlo basket
4.  Start house ornament
6.  do the finishing work on "America" xs
7.  do the finishing work on "Merry Xmas" xs
8.  do the finishing work on "Primitive Santa"
DONE 9.  finish rest of sock #1
10.  make sock box and ornament box for 12 of each in a year (yeah right) lol!

YOP Goals for this coming week:
1.  work on sock #2
2. audition and cut fabric for Pickle Dish #6 of 11 solid ones
3. trim all completed xs
4. kit up house ornament
5. work on Frida Kahlo basket
6. kit up and start Summer cross stitch
7. get ready for Stitch Maynia

 TOP 10 (or more) WIP's:

1)  Pickle Dish
2)  Stars and Stripes Saturday - America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
3)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
4)  Pin's embroidery
5)  socks
6)  C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
7)  Monthly Monday - HRH January
8)  Witchy Wednesday - Button-Eyed Cat
9)  Fall Friday -
10)  Santa Sunday -Old St. Nick - done but needs 'finishing' work
11.  Turkey Thursday
12.  Seasonal Sunday -Summer
13.  Santa Sunday - new house ornament

 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
18.  Ben's Bear's hat
19.  Falling Leaves Scarf
20.  Tissue Box Cover - 5 of them!
21.  Granny Square Shawl
22.  Kathleen Tracy doll quilt
23.  Pumpkin Spice Farm xs
24.  Spring xs

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

YOP Week #44

Finishes:

1)  Pumpkin Spice Farm.......the 'finishing finishing' still needs to be done but the stitching is complete

2) Spring from my seasonal Sunday's.................again....'finishing finishing' needs to be completed....

 WIPs (works in progress): 

1) Sock #1 of 2..........This is where most of my time was spent again...............I'm on the foot and heading towards the toe!

2)  I made all the hexies for Pickle Dish #5 and now I'm sewing them together.....didn't quite get it done for this week......

 Acquisitions:
None this week

New Starts Planned: they're all secret! LOL!

YOP Goals from last week:

DONE 1.  finish stitching Pumpkin Spice Farm
2.  finish hexies and stitch together for Pickle Dish #5 of 11 (there are also 2 half PD's on the vertical and 6 half PD's on the horizontal plus 4 quarter PD's and then the connecting hexies)    
3.  Work on Amy's Frida Kahlo basket
4.  Start house ornament
6.  do the finishing work on "America" xs
7.  do the finishing work on "Merry Xmas" xs
8.  do the finishing work on "Primitive Santa"
9.  finish rest of sock #1
10.  make sock box and ornament box for 12 of each in a year (yeah right) lol!

YOP Goals for this coming week:
1.  finish sock #1
2. finish Pickle Dish #5
3. trim all completed xs
4. kit up house ornament
5. work on Frida Kahlo basket
6. find Summer seasonal xs
7. get ready for Stitch Maynia

 TOP 10 (or more) WIP's:

1)  Pickle Dish
2)  Stars and Stripes Saturday - America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
3)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
4)  Pin's embroidery
5)  socks
6)  C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
7)  Monthly Monday - HRH January
8)  Witchy Wednesday - Button-Eyed Cat
9)  Fall Friday -
10)  Santa Sunday -Old St. Nick - done but needs 'finishing' work
11.  Turkey Thursday
12.  Seasonal Sunday -
13.  Santa Sunday - new house ornament

 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
18.  Ben's Bear's hat
19.  Falling Leaves Scarf
20.  Tissue Box Cover - 5 of them!
21.  Granny Square Shawl
22.  Kathleen Tracy doll quilt
23.  Pumpkin Spice Farm xs
24.  Spring xs

News from the homestead:
We had storms but nothing severe like in Mississippi.  My newly replanted clematis got beat down a bit.....I'm going to have to tie them up better.....this was taken before the rain.....they're all down now........but on the bright side they are full of buds getting ready to bloom!

 I spent all this morning and until about 1:00 p.m. making breakfast burritos.  If a gal were smart she would cut up and prep one day, cook the filling another day and put the burritos together another day but this gal wasn't too smart.  In my defense it was the first time I made them.............but boy are they time consuming..............and truth be told I'm not sure I like them any better than the frozen ones I bought at the store.
 I scrambled a dozen eggs........and set aside......

 then you fry up sausage and onions and garlic and add in tomatoes, cilantro and spices plus my homemade taco seasoning (and to think I thought of actually making the flour tortillas myself too....thank goodness I talked myself down from that ledge!)  and after it cools you add the cheese.........

then you wrap wrap them up 'burrito style'........I cannot tell a lie.....I had to watch several You Tube videos to get the hang of it............there were 20

then you wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a gallon freezer bag or 2 and label it with date, item and directions for cooking.........then you go try and find room in your freezer.  The reason I wanted to make these is because in the Summer when it gets HOT here ...and I mean HOT as in JUNGLE HOT AND STEAMY,  you have to get out early in the morning to get any work done so these would be a quick easy breakfast without wasting any time.

I'm not sure I'll make them again...like I said.......the ones I got from the store tasted pretty darn good!
Plus, my time is valuable....I'm retired!
I lied last week when I said the red buds were in bloom.....maybe but not full bloom!  These are the same trees from last week.......... not sure what that contraption is in front of them...It looks like some kind of a trap but I was too tired to walk over there and investigate.....

The dogwoods are blooming and right in my back yard!  Since the electric company trimmed back there I see all kinds of things now!

 I hope you all survived the storms of all kinds and I hope the sun shines on you very soon!
Happy Trails!!!

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

Landscaping, bread making and homemade taco seasoning

I forgot to show you the red bud branches I picked the other day.   They are definitely in full bloom now and so are the dogwoods.

I have no picture of the bread that's still baking but you've seen it before.  It is my usual no-knead artisan bread.  I did manage to get some landscaping done today despite the wind which was wild today!  I had 2 big Styrofoam pots in the back yard that I wanted to use for the clematis that I had in front of the garage.  They were full of dirt so too heavy to lift so I emptied the dirt into buckets (it was organic soil) until I could lift them and get them out to the front of the house.  I weeded and raked the area and put the pots in front of the stairs with the idea that the clematis will climb up the railing.  I was tired after that and still had some things to do inside so tomorrow I will re-pot the clematis in them.

I also rearranged the bench on the front porch so my plants will get rained on when and if it rains. 
So far I only have the kale there but there will be more soon.  My seedling tomatoes are not doing well so I may have to buy plants this year.  I think I need a grow light and also individual little pots plus I need to read the Seed Planters Guide.  I always have that 'damping off' problem....and they were doing so well.....

I had a really great day yesterday too.  I went to the vet and Walmart.  I checked out the recycling center for electronics and they are open Saturday from 9-noon so I won't be having a garage sale this Saturday with the rest of the town but hopefully I will get a printer and 2 t.v.s off my hands (non-functioning) (the t.v. and printer are non-functioning....not my hands heaven forbid!). 
I had to go to the bank this morning and then I stopped and got more chili powder to make taco seasoning mix.  Once I had everything, I made it...easy peasy!  I'm trying to make things for my pantry from scratch each week.

Last night I watched the first episode of Barbery Hall?  It was on You Tube and from the BBC.  It was good and I hope to get to see the rest of the episodes.  Sort of on the Downton Abbey theme which I love. 
What have you been up to?  I hope you're not having bad weather.  It was cloudy here today with lots of wind which was great for working outside and staying cool. 
Happy Trails!!!

Taxes and sock knitting.............

Yesterday was all about taxes and it took me the afternoon mostly because of gathering info I needed.  But they're done thanks to Turbo Tax! Plus, I'm getting a refund!  I haven't had a refund in years and years!  I was doing a happy dance!  The reason is because they doubled the standard deduction for single people!  Yippee!  It's not much but it might get me some of that fabric, yarn and xs patterns I've been wanting.  Turbo tax is so easy and for free or the $20 version I use. 

I cut up a beautiful melon I had gotten at the store....expanding my breakfast items.  I had this with some of my homemade sourdough toast and it was a great combo.   I still have to make my taco seasoning and breakfast burritos sometime this week.

My tomato seedlings are getting a bit leggy....I'm wondering if I could put them outside in the shade during the day....it was 87 F today!  Here we go right into summer!  Our last frost is April 30th so I definitely can't leave them out just in case but it's been in the 60's in the mornings.

Today I got out my 'box of socks' to put them away for the summer.  I won't be wearing wool for quite awhile now.......I've always wanted to make 12 pair in a year but so far that has not been the case........after several years I still don't have a dozen.

Here's what I have so far but this has taken several years!  7 pair and there's a blue pair missing and I have no idea where they are....they'll turn up eventually.  Then of course there's the pair I'm working on.......time to order more sock yarn!   The pair that looks white are really my Hudson Bay socks.

I have some cedar blocks that I sand when they stop smelling like cedar and I will throw one in the box with my socks.  What a shame it would be to open it next year and find moth holes!  I would cry for sure!  I got these years ago and you can hang them in your closet or put them in drawers....wherever you feel the need.  Just remember to sand them once in awhile so they keep doing their job!

I'm just about done with the gusset decreases on my sock...I should finish tonight and then it's all down hill from there!  I'm posting it again so my daughter can see it as she is not allowed to look at my YOP posts because of the possibility of  gifts and secret projects in the works for her and other unnamed individuals.

I hope you're having great weather and are getting all your 'chores' done.  Tomorrow is Walmart mostly because I have to go to the vet and get the girls their meds so I might as well go to Walmart as long as I am over that way.  Take care!
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #43

Finishes: none this week

WIPs (works in progress): 
1) I worked on Hawk Run Hollow January a little bit..........

2) My Seasonal Sunday project "Spring" is almost done............

3)  The Button-Eyed cat for Witchy Wednesday.............moving right along!

4) Sock #1 of 2..........This is where most of my time was spent as you can tell..............I finished the leg, the heel flap, the heel turn and picked up the stitches for the gusset (after this picture was taken)
I am loving the yarn, the pattern and my sock knitting!

Acquisitions:
None this week

New Starts Planned: they're all secret! LOL!

YOP Goals from last week:  Very poor showing but in my defense...Spring is here and I have double the workload now with the outside and the inside.  I'll just keep these goals for next week too! LOL!
Except for the sock....hopefully, I will have one sock done by then.  But then my taxes are due and there is the City Wide Garage Sale next Saturday which I'm still considering on participating in?  Maybe?  I'll see how much I get done.  I may need the money to pay my taxes! LOL!

1.  finish stitching Pumpkin Spice Farm
2.  finish hexies and stitch together for Pickle Dish #5 of 11 (there are also 2 half PD's on the vertical and 6 half PD's on the horizontal plus 4 quarter PD's and then the connecting hexies)    
3.  Work on Amy's Frida Kahlo basket
4.  Start house ornament
6.  do the finishing work on "America" xs
7.  do the finishing work on "Merry Xmas" xs
8.  do the finishing work on "Primitive Santa"
***DONE*** 9.  finish leg of sock #1
10.  make sock box and ornament box for 12 of each in a year (yeah right) lol!

 TOP 10 (or more) WIP's:

1)  Pickle Dish
2)  Stars and Stripes Saturday - America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
3)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
4)  Pin's embroidery
5)  socks
6)  C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
7)  Monthly Monday - HRH January
8)  Witchy Wednesday - Button-Eyed Cat
9)  Fall Friday - Pumpkin Spice Farm
10)  Santa Sunday -Old St. Nick - done but needs 'finishing' work
11.  Turkey Thursday
12.  Seasonal Sunday - Spring
13.  Santa Sunday - new house ornament

 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
18.  Ben's Bear's hat
19.  Falling Leaves Scarf
20.  Tissue Box Cover - 5 of them!
21.  Granny Square Shawl
22.  Kathleen Tracy doll quilt

As for other news on 'the homestead'...I have a 'tale to tell'!  Yesterday was beautiful but storms were coming over the weekend and I really wanted to get the lawn mowed for the first time before it got too long.  I got the mower started right off the bat.....great!  I filled the mower with what gas I had and it looked like enough....wrong!  I was about 3/4 done when it ran out of gas.  So, I went out to the highway and back for gas and filled it up and started mowing again.  I hadn't mowed 3 minutes when I got stuck in the mud trying to mow the ditch.  Woe is me.  This happened one other time and I called B&J's and they came and pushed me out but this was Saturday afternoon and they were closed.  With storms coming I really didn't want the mower sitting out there so I wondered how I could get it out by myself plus I wanted to finish the darn lawn!  I Googled my problem and sure enough after 3 videos I found a guy with my exact problem....alone and stuck in the mud! LOL!  He used a 'tow rope' and his truck to  pull it out.  I did not have a 'tow rope' but thought maybe the dollar store did so off I went.  They didn't have a tow rope but they had one better....a ratchet rope with hooks on both ends.  I came home and there were no directions on how to thread it......soooooooooo......back to Google!  There was a video on that too!  Thank you You Tube people!!!  I learned how to thread it, attached it to my mower and my Tahoe and pulled it right out....no fuss, no muss!  I finished mowing before the rains came and I was so elated that I had figured it out myself (with God's help and You Tube) and it worked!  Ta Da! I put everything away after mowing, came in and took a nice hot bath, got my pj's on and had a nice supper of goulash that I made Friday.......and a salad of my home grown greens.  It started raining while I was eating supper and I smiled to myself........I got 'er done!

I went out this morning and took some pictures.......the first 'mow' of the season is always a bit rough looking but so glad I got it done as it's supposed to storm again tonight........I have a red bud growing on the edge of my property!  I love red buds and they are all in bloom right now............

Here's some across the street............

My little hyacinth is still blooming.............

The pansies I planted are looking great.............

The peas are up!

and so is the kale...........

That's all for this week  other than I have several projects already on my YOP list for this coming July!  Woo Hoo! 

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