Well, blow me down and call me Dusty!

What a week....so much for my long cozy winter.  I went to blog on Sunday and the dog (Nitty, think big, think Rottweiler) and I were playing and she leaped up and her head came into contact with my nose and I saw stars.  I fell back on the bed sure that it was broken and the pain...eye chihuahua!  Finally, it eased a bit and I sat up and then the blood started running out...big time!  It is not broken but Sunday was not my best day.  I tried to blog Monday for "It's Monday What Are You Reading" and couldn't access my email and still can't for some unknown reason and by the time I got back around to blogging it was suppertime.  I'm tired, disheartened, and  weary but..........I will "carry on" as the Brits say so here is some bits and pieces of my week so far...or last week.  I can't remember...it might have been that knock on the noggin or have I always been this way?

 It snowed..............

 

 and then there was freezing rain (thank you Lord for keeping the power on!).....

everyone was cold and hungry around here.........

We stayed inside for most of it and cuddled up....except when the girls needed out or to feed our feathered friends........

Nitty and I are going gray at the same time! LOL!

Annie has to have a blanket she gets so cold..........

and Grace is the only one that actually likes having her picture taken.

The ice stuck around for a few days making going anywhere pretty dangerous so we hunkered down.....

I had picked up some Pepperidge Farm Caramel Pecan rolls in the refrigerator section at the store when I went last week so I baked those  up.............
yuck.....the filling looked like the rolls threw up and it tasted almost as bad.  The plastic packet the filling came in said brown sugar but it tasted like prune.  I looked at the ingredient list and there were no prunes in them but there were a whole lot of chemical names I couldn't pronounce.  I was really disappointed as Pepperidge Farm was always good or used to be.  I would not recommend them at all.

Maybe I've just gotten so far away from "processed" "chemical laden" food that it's really awful tasting to me now.....and that's a good thing!

I finally got out to the store yesterday and got some milk, and birdseed and potatoes....a big 10 lb bag for the same price they had listed for a 5 pound bag.  I always wash up my vegetables and fruits when I get them home that way they're ready to use and I don't have to wash them before I use them except berries.  You don't want to wash berries until just before you use them or they'll get moldy and spoil faster.

They also had a few items marked down for quick sale........$1.11 for all this asparagus.....

and I got 2 green peppers for .25 each.
The other night I dreamt of a caramel apple cake with salted caramel icing on it.  So, I searched for a 
recipe and I found one!   HERE
It's a Paula Dean recipe so I was a little suspicious...........she uses lots of sugar and IMHO overdoes it..............but I always follow a recipe to the letter the first time I make it....

I was right.....very sweet!  It's a good cake and heavy with fresh apple pieces and lots of nuts but way too much sugar....I'll make it again but just an 8 inch square pan and LOTS less sugar, Paula! 
That's all the news for now....I am knitting and crocheting and hoping to get some sewing done here pretty soon too. 
Happy Trails!

Oh!  P.S.  For some reason the storm took down my clothes pole....or was it those deer?  I told you it was a strange week!

Things are going to the dogs and more around here!

Well, everyone of us got sick here....no, it's not carbon monoxide but it does make one wonder!  Nitty (the Rottweiler), Annie the miniature dachshund, the cat and me.  If you're squeamish maybe you shouldn't read this, lol!
First,  I woke one morning and Nitty had had the runs in the night.  She has never in her 10 years ever gone in the house so I know she was sick.  She was so ashamed too even though I never yelled at her.  I was very grateful for my Spotbot little carpet shampooer!  It took me all day to get it all cleaned up and I went through almost a whole bottle of carpet shampoo.  There was a break for one day then the next day I woke up to 8 - 9 small areas of "throw-up" from Annie.  The last mess was the cat who got sick on my chair in my bedroom.  Thankfully, the Spotbot has a hose and brush attachment for upholstery too!  Whew!  Me, well I just got a headache and was very tired and finally realized I had a fever.  What a week!!!
We had a little snow too..........

and now we're expecting who knows what? Snow, sleet or freezing rain?  Or all of the above.....

So, since I'm feeling a bit better I thought I might try something "fun" for a change........(before the other shoe drops...so to speak..lol!)  
I've been wanting to make one of these bags for my sock knitting.  I bought it online from Craftsy.  I wanted to sell them on Etsy but I have to buy a "cottage license" from her which I haven't looked into yet.  I'll get some made first.

Also, my son was replacing a headlight on his sister's car during the terrible cold they're having up North and he got frostbite on the top of his one hand so I want to make him some fingerless mitts to use in situations like that.  He's always helping someone with their cars so I know this might happen again.  I found this pattern free on Ravelry.

Just what I was looking for.  I wasn't going to "cast on" any new projects but I don't want him getting frostbite so I may have to  make an exception in this case!
I hope you are all well, warm ,dry and full! 
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #33

I cannot understand why, when I'm retired, my life gets busier and busier and we're not talking social or volunteering either!  It's been a great week but busy.  This will be a long post to make up for my absence but I will blog about the fiber stuff first for those of you who only want to read about that.
I also learned something.....if I just stick to 1 crochet project and 1 knitting project things not only go faster but I make less (as in zero so far) mistakes...amazing!  I may be on to something here!
It may be boring for you but progress was made.............
 November preemie hats are done (on the left)

 and 3 of the 5 December hats are done........

 Last week I had finished 27 of the 55 blocks on the blanket and this week I am just starting on block 31 of the 55.....

That's it for my YOP update but for other things...........I got some new scissors and a scissor sharpener at Wal-Mart...........
The scissors are endorsed by The Arthritis Association which a good thing in my case.........I'll let you know how they both work out.....

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day or weekend.....an ardent admirer got me these......

and these........

Have you guessed who the ardent admirer is?  MOI!!!!   LOL! 
I also made some yummy and I think beautiful cookies that I have wanted to make for years but didn't have the right tool but now I do.........

Swedish Linzer cookies.....these are filled with red plum jam although I prefer red raspberry but I couldn't find any.  Aren't they pretty?  And they are a melt in your mouth treat too! LOVE!!!!
I found the cutout tool at Wal-Mart and it is made by Wilton...the cake decorating people.  Actually it didn't work well as designed so I removed the heart cutout and just used it by itself which was much easier.  The tool came with several different cutouts too.  This batch went to the Vet's office to thank them for letting me watch the "puppy" operation on Tuesday but I have another batch to make that is chilled in the fridge.
Yesterday when I went out to get the mail, my new neighbor came over and gave me the one and only Valentine I received..........so sweet of her!  And speaking of sweet, there were 2 dove raspberry chocolates tucked inside!  YUM!  She will be receiving some of the next batch of cookies for sure!
Yesterday it was 67 here so I was outside for sure......this morning was 17 degrees and snow and sleet are on the way!  Talk about the best of both worlds!  I love a good snowstorm!  So, yes.....this week was just about perfect!  I hope yours was too!
Happy Trails! 

You won't believe what I saw today!!!!

But first here is my collage of March 2014

I'm glad I have the collage because that is the only picture for today.  This morning I took Nitty to the vet for her allergy shot.  While I was there the vet (it's a husband and wife team) told me they were getting ready to do a Cesarean Section on a dog due to have puppies.  Before I knew it, I blurted out "can I watch?".
  I wanted to be a veterinarian all my life and never made it.....close but no cigar!
He left the room and I was a little embarrassed for being so forward but now I'm glad I was.  He said to take Nitty out to the car and come back. He showed me into an office where there was a window to the operating room where his wife was going to do the surgery.  I was thrilled! 
I used to work for a vet in high school and helped with spays and minor surgeries but never a cesarean.  I also helped with autopsies at a hospital I worked at as a medical lab technician so it doesn't bother me....unless someone was suffering...that I would have a hard time with.
Anyway, when she cut her open and started bringing out the puppies it was like a giant ring of sausage!  I couldn't believe it.  They were all in their own sac but connected just like sausages!  I actually laughed it was so amazing!  She cut each one open and grabbed it with it's accompanying umbilical cord and placenta, dried it's mouth off and handed it off to a towel holding assistant who then took it and finished tying off the cord and washing it up.  There were many assistants with towels, and I tried to count puppies. I think it ended up to be 8 or 9!  What an amazing experience!  When she was all done and starting to sew up the mother, her husband came in with the box full of puppies to show me and they all lived so far!  There was one that didn't look too good when she pulled it out of the sac and he did tell me that was the runt but he was alive!  What a glorious day and an experience I will never forget!
I will be cooking up something nice for all of them as I am so appreciative of them for letting me watch. 
P.S.  Mama is doing fine too!
Happy Trails!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

 

I'm trying to read more and to do that I am going to bed earlier (as that is the only time I read usually)  and I am thinking of reading some audio books while I clean, knit, organize etc.

I am also wanting advice on what is the best method for listening to audio books while being active such as walking outside or doing outside activities like painting, gardening, etc.?  I'm not up on the latest tools for this so I would appreciate any advice and brand names that you endorse.

Meanwhile, I am almost finished but still reading Cold Sassy Tree on my tablet and it is very entertaining and an easy read for sure.  I have the next (and last that I'm aware of) book, Leaving Cold Sassy so I'll be picking that up as soon as I finish the first one.

I did finish this book by Sharon Short and it was darn good!  She's a good writer and it was a great story.  "A moving tale of exploration and love --human and canine--that dares to believe the impossible".  I'll be looking for more books by her.

I did finish Mud Season and it was a great non-fiction...loved it! So funny, this author is a riot!
"How one woman's dream of moving to Vermont, raising children, chickens and sheep and running the old country store pretty much led to one calamity after another."  There are also lots of great Vermont cheese recipes in the back.  I've already made the braised short ribs...yum!  And tonight I'm making the cheesy grits.  I can't wait for those!  Another author that is going on my "author watch list" to see if she has other books.

As most of you know, I usually read 1 fiction and one non-fiction and a magazine but hopefully that will increase when I start with the audio books.  Since I'm still reading the fiction book, I needed another non-fiction to replace Mud Season.  I chose this.......

Some of you may be familiar with it as it was made into a series for PBS.  It is based on the "true life adventures" of Jennifer Worth who was a midwife at a convent in postwar London's East End slums.
"an unforgettable story of motherhood, the bravery of a community, and the strength of remarkable and inspiring women."

 Until I get my audio gear for listening while working and active I have a few cds that I can listen too while doing handwork at least.  This one looks right up my alley! Cape Cod Radio Mystery Theater - Captain Underhill Uncoils the Mystery

I also have a list I keep of books I hear about or read about that I want to read sometime and here is what I've listed so far for 2015:

1.  Go Set A Watchman  - Harper Lee
2.  The Eighty Dollar Champion - Elizabeth Letts
 3.  The Feminine Mystique - Betty Friedan
4.  Tiny Beautiful Things - Cheryl Strayed
5.  Back to Basics - Ina Garten

Please go over to Sheila's website if you want to see more book reviews by everyone that participates and if you love books and reading you will love her site!

I hope you are all reading and enjoying what you're reading!  Happy Trails!

YOP Week #32

Well, this has been a week of modem problems and now low memory so it seems my multi-tasking on my pc will be curtailed until I can do a scan (takes an hour at the least).  I apologize to my Ravelry friends that I did not get over to visit last week so I will do double-duty today.  The weather has also turned extremely nice here (70's today) so I will be outside for sure!
I'm into cleaning, organizing and finishing (all over my house) so my YOP updates will probably be a little boring until I catch up in all areas but hopefully my projects will go faster now too.  Although, I only knit when I take a break from cleaning and organizing and daily tasks throughout the day and I only crochet in the evenings when I'm "tuckered out".
The knitting project to finish now is my small blanket.....I have 27 of 55 blocks done so far

This week I managed to get the 4 blocks done on the bottom there....the large yellow, the small brown and gray and the rectangular variegated.

As for the crochet, I am concentrating on catching up with the preemie hats which I thought I had completed November until I realized I had gone "off the tracks" and crocheted a bunch of little girl ones when what was needed were hats for boys so number wise I am in December but  set wise I need to back up to November and do a boy's set....I got a little carried away ie; I wasn't paying attention. LOL!

But I can tell I am gaining ground and hopefully my WIP's will slowly but surely become FO's!
I hope you had a great week and are enjoying your weekend!
Happy Trails!

Saturday 02/07/2015

This will be a short post. I'm trying to keep them short but blog daily.  This isn't a pretty post either...more practical. You probably already know this but if you were raised by a career woman and you were a career woman and you never had home economics you might find this enlightening like I did! LOL!
I used to throw meat from the grocery store into the freezer "as is" but I would get freezer burn if it stayed in there for any length of time.  I "googled" how to prevent freezer burn and here's what I learned. 
1.  You need freezer paper...duh, this has been sitting in my sewing room for years as I use it for my wool appliques....who knew it was called Freezer Paper for a reason? LOL!
2.  You also need freezer "tape" which I did not have but in watching a video it looked a lot like masking tape and I had that so I used masking tape.  I went to the store later and looked for freezer tape and they had some and guess what?  It looked just like masking tape, imagine that?!?!

3.  As usual I left out a few pictures in the process (I need a camera person) as my hands were all bloody from handling the meat.  But the next step is to take the meat out of the original packaging and throw it all away....the packaging not the meat!  The packaging it comes in is not meant to be permanent (although THEY, the stores, freeze it that way sometimes....I guess if THEY do it it's okay?).  You lay a sheet of freezer paper with the plastic side on top and lay your meat on that.  Wrap it up by overlapping the paper and taping it tightly with  no pockets of air.

 4.  Then you put it inside an appropriately sized plastic freezer bag and remove as much air as possible from that too.
5.  You can either label the freezer paper or the plastic bag.  I labeled the plastic but next time I will label the freezer paper as I will wash and reuse the bags.  When you label be sure and put the amount, the type and the date you froze it.  Yes, I have actually not labeled things and then wonder why I can't figure out what it is without defrosting it....kind of like "mystery meat".....not great for meal planning either.

 You all are probably way ahead of me on this stuff but this is the sad story of what happens when a career gal retires.  Some days I feel like I'm back in kindergarten! LOL!  But I'm still able to retain knowledge so I guess that's a good sign!
Happy Trails!

   

Friday

 Here's a collage of last year...February 2014................

I mailed a birthday present (long overdue) to my SIL and I forgot to take a picture but I decorated the outside of the box with flags and cupcakes and Happy Birthday banners.  It was really festive!  It includes some Italian bread sticks, a Grit bread magazine (he bakes bread), homemade Spanish Olive Oil Tortas (he spent year in Spain during college) , and an Arkansas Razorback pen (he's an Iowa Hawkeye fan but you can't find any of that down here! LOL).  I hope he likes it.  Who doesn't love to get a package in the mail?

Here are the tortas I made.  I buy 4 for $5.00 of Inez Rosales Spanish Olive Oil Orange/Anise Tortas (imported from Spain) when I go to Mountain Home about once or twice a year.  It's a real treat so I researched how I could make them from scratch myself.  They're not that difficult and they're good but not as good as Inez's.  I'll keep experimenting.  These particular ones are baked and actually it's a healthy dessert with little sugar or fat.  They are great with a cup of tea or coffee.

The weather has been nice (in the 50's) so I've been out in the garage....cleaning.  I bought a big package of dry wall hooks that accommodate 3 different weights and started hanging things on the garage walls.  The dry wall hooks are curved and you just turn them until they pierce the drywall and they curve up into the wall and you're left with a strong hook.  I got mine at Wal-Mart....where else?

It's amazing how organized you can get when you get things off the floor.  I also filled a garbage can with "trash".  It felt good to get out there and organize things but I still have more to do....it's a big garage!  I'll probably get rid of that big old coal shovel too as it is heavy and I cannot see myself ever using it for anything.  I'll be having a garage sale this Spring for sure!
After the warm weather we got a dusting of snow and it turned colder but now it's supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow and near 70 on Sunday...more outside work!

Notice the green among the snow?  There are dandelions out there too.  Nothing ever really dies here.
The birds are really enjoying the seed and today I bought plain black sunflower seeds and a suet package.  There doesn't seem to be a lot of variety in birds though.  Mostly cardinals, a bluejay occasionally, sparrows and that brown bird ...a thrush?

I hope you are enjoying the weekend which just began!  Happy Trails!

Modem problems....

Yesterday and the day before and probably today, I've been having modem problems.  I will probably have to get a new one but for now I have a "get around" but it takes time.  I also tried (unsuccessfully) to make a collage using Picnik but had to go back to Picasa.  So there is a collage from January 2014.  A little crafting, a little cooking and a little cozy but not nearly the collages I've seen with dozens of finished projects.
Before I had my modem problems and needed to post my YOPs on Sunday  I had mentioned a trip to Wal-mart.  Not exciting except to me as they are carrying more and more organic and non-GMO and naturally raised foods.

The prices are also getting more reasonable.  That bag of carrots was only .92 cents.  I was doing my Happy Dance!

Eggs were one of the first organic products they carried.

This is the closest I can get on meat....no antibiotics or hormones which also means that they are not raised in crowded unsanitary conditions which was the reason they were using antibiotics in the first place.  So, that is progress.
 I asked the butcher that was out there and he said this was the closest to organic they had at the moment.  He also told me about this great sale and that if I froze it gently and then took it out and sliced it before it was too frozen; I could get 7 or 8  center cut pork chops out of it!  Deal!

The day before I go to the store I usually clean out my frig and use up whatever leftovers are in there.  The 3 best meals to use up leftovers (depending on the type) are scrambled eggs, pizza and soup.  I had leftover green onions and radishes and some cooked bacon so scrambled eggs seemed appropriate.  I make my scrambled eggs in a buttered pie dish in the microwave.  They turn out fluffy and moist that way.  I have also found that using cream or half and half makes them even yummier!

I also (finally) made some natural dog treats for the girls.  These are blueberry and so far they've never complained or turned up their noses at them! LOL!

The circles are for Nitty and the little hearts are for Annie.
Here's the recipe if you're interested.  I got all my flours from Amazon.  This was from Martha Stewart's employee's Mother, lest we give Martha any more credit than she deserves.  Most dogs have a problem with wheat and my Nitty tends to be very allergic getting a monthly shot and no beef or wheat in her diet.  Thus, the search for natural treat recipes. 

·         ieldMakes about 30

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Ingredients

·         1 1/2 cups oat flour

·         2 1/2 cups quinoa flour

·         3/4 cup flax meal

·         1/2 cup frozen, organic, unsweetened blueberries

·         1/4 cup olive oil

·         1 large egg

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.

2.      In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients with 1 cup water to form a dough. Roll out mixture between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thick; remove plastic wrap and cut out biscuits with a 3 1/2-inch bone-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll scraps and continue cutting out biscuits.

3.      Space biscuits 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until nicely browned and firm.

4.      Transfer biscuits to a wire rack. Turn off oven and place biscuits on wire rack in oven overnight. Remove from oven and store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Happy Trails!























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YOP Week #31

The end of the week got a little crazy but here I am...fighting off a cold in my eyes and my head but it hasn't gotten me down yet just slowed me up a bit.
I finished the wash cloth and it went to it's recipient, Carol, at the bank, who was retiring.  I wrapped it up with a little bar of handmade soap.  I think she liked it.  It was knitted and she doesn't knit so I thought she might appreciate it.  I also finished another cowl.  I wove in the ends on this one.....

and then started and finished this one.........

I like these  much better than turtlenecks for keeping my neck warm and they don't "choke" me like some turtlenecks which are too tight.  I'll be making a wardrobe of these! LOL!
I'll be trying some other patterns too but this one is so easy!
This is how it looks on the ends though as it is a circle.........but it's not noticeable when you have it wrapped around your neck.

I finished this book too and it was great! Funny and entertaining and great Vermont cheese recipes in the back.  I'll be trying some of those! It was her first book but I hope it wasn't her last.
  She and her family left the mid west and moved to their dream state of Vermont and bought a country store...non-fiction for sure....no one could make that stuff up! LOL!

I also got my favorite seed catalog in the mail.....Baker Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri...I'll be dreaming and then ordering............

I'm off to go curl up and knit and watch the  Superbowl........GO SEAHAWKS!
I'll catch up with everyone this week....promise! LOL!
Happy Trails!