another gorgeous day...one right after the other!

I'm getting lots done FINALLY!  But yet the days just fly by....what's up with that?  It seems I get up, have breakfast, get the mail and before I know it the 5 o'clock news is on and then it's time for bed! LOL!

 Did I tell you I made a big pot of split pea and ham soup?  The ham bone was so big though and you had to cover with water well, then it ended up I had to go buy more peas!  It's really good though and very economical.  I'm thinking some of this will get frozen!  There's a lot of soup there for 1 person!

 

I'm just about to the point on my sock(s) where I was when I messed up last time so say a little prayer that I get farther along this time! LOL!  I am determined to knit socks and lots of them! 

I did make a coaster after I finished the potholder....I just put the potholder in so you could see the size difference....still loving that pattern and I pretty much have it memorized now.

 I started another potholder...one of a set of 2 that will go to my "cooking" son for Christmas.  I think he will like this colorway.

The African Violet is still unfurling!  It has more ruffles than a petticoat!

I finally got the lawn mowed today too and I came in and took a bath and had my "jammies" on by 5:00 p.m.!  I'm bushed.....nighty night!  I hope you all had a wonderful day where you are!

Another gorgeous but busy day..............here's some great websites!

I'm working on financial stuff, laundry, and ran to the store today so this is a miscellaneous post.....my real life! LOL!  The lawnmower guy just left and loaned me his John Deere tire because he said a new tire for my riding Deere would cost $170!!!!!!  Do you believe it?  I don't pay that much for tires for my Tahoe and they're LOTS bigger!  He said he's going to look for another "less expensive" tire but it probably won't be John Deere yellow.....I don't care if it's purple as long as it doesn't cost $170.00!!!!!  Whoa Nellie...I won't be buying another John Deere that's for sure!

I meant to tell you the other day about some neat websites I've discovered.  One is The Cozy Mystery  site....I love this site!

This site has everything you would want if you're a mystery lover!  They are listed by title, by author, by location, by hobby, by type.....you name it, this site allows you to find the perfect mystery for you!  Cozy mystery, that is.
Another couple good sites are The Pine Needle Quilt Shop which is where I used to shop when I lived in Iowa and they carry LOTS of quilting, cross stitching and other yummy things.  Next is The Golden Thimble  which houses the Quilting Clubhouse which has free patterns, recipes, and free BOM groups...AMAZING and it's FREE!  And last but not least is.....Chickadee Hollow Designs 
which is an online shop that has kits and patterns for smaller and miniature quilts and embroidery projects.  I love this sight!  I think I am getting in the sewing mood with Fall coming and holidays looming.  I love to make handmade items for gifting.  I hope you enjoy them! 
My prayers and hopes go out to the 9/11 families, survivors,  and all those who aided in the rescue efforts and those that are watching from above....at least this year Osama Bin Laden is gone.  I hope they get some solace from that.  We will never forget any of you....you will ALWAYS be in our prayers.

OMG it's so beautiful out....perfect weather for walking!

  The girls I took out again walking today..........here's what we discovered and saw.............

 

Some moss...........but so much had died off during the drought but the last rain is greening everything back to life!

 But some things didn't make it................

a geode..........

the dried up creek bed..................

plenty of dry kindling to collect for Winter...........

wild asters?

Yellow!!!!

the strangest weed I've ever seen.............

remnants of a mini forest fire that was put out not too far from me...thank goodness!

a poplar I think.....I love to watch their leaves in the wind as they sparkle!

some berries for the birds are coming back just in time for Winter..........

I think these are juniper berries....they're the prettiest grayish blue....cloud colored..........

homeward bound..............

I hope you enjoyed this glorious day where ever you are!

Sunday YOP update..........

Well, here are my projects and one is done!  Ta Da!  It's not the best but it's funny, it seems right about the time I'm winding up a new project is when I finally "get it" and start knitting like I do! LOL!  You can tell my starting corner is pretty sad so maybe my idea of using great yarn should be reserved for the 2nd edition.  Anyway...here is the good, the bad, and the ugly! LOL!

 I'm not sure I want to do another one though.  It is not fun when it gets scrunched on that circular needle  and somehow during the process I got it turned around thus the correct edging is on the back...whoa Nellie!
I like to see what I'm doing and how it's coming along but it was so tight on the circular and I was using the longest cable I had which I think was 42-46 or 40-42....anyway, there it is and despite the look it is all holding together! (So far anyway) LOL! 
Below is the double strength potholder project.  I've made 3 so far and plan on making more.  They are super easy once you get the hang of it and make a really nice THICK potholder.  I am making some coasters now and place mats would be nice in this thickness too.    I didn't put a number on how many in my project but it's one of those patterns that I will be turning to time and again.  It's a great project to watch t.v. with or when you want something brainlessly easy to work on.  Those are MY kind of projects! LOL!  The yarn I've been using for this is Peaches and Cream cotton that I buy at Walmart.  It is inexpensive and works perfectly for these and comes in a whole variety of solids and variegated.

Well..............(deep subject)...........the socks which have been "frogged" more times than I can count are back on the needles.   I am determined to become a good sock knitter if I live long enough.

Synopsis of YOP projects thus far:

FINISHED:
Granny Stripe table runner (crochet)
3 potholders (crochet)
Bath mat (knitted)
3 dish towels (knitted)

WIP:
socks (2 pair, actually...........don't laugh) (knitting)
wool applique quilt/wall hanging (wool applique)
cross stitch (I'd show you but I've misplaced it and can't find it.....oh boy!  Sad...very sad! LOL!) (cross stitch)
crocheted coaster and more potholders for gifts (crochet...ongoing...nice fill in between projects or while waiting for yarn to arrive in the mail! Ha! Ha!)

YOP's remaining:
Blackberry Salad Striped Afghan (crochet)
Everyday Edgings (crochet)
Pinata Bag (crochet)
Cherry Jam (crochet)
Little Urchin Crochet Covered Sea Stones (crochet)
Seeing Stars Blanket (crochet)
Stripey Spring Rug (crochet)
Babette Blanket (crochet)
Tornado Twister (crocheted cowl)
Situpons (crocheted chair pads)

Okay, what wrong with this list?  It's all crochet!  Didn't I say I wanted to improve my knitting skills?  Well, it's not going to happen if I don't keep knitting.  I know, the socks will keep me busy for sure but if any of you have any suggestions for skill-building knitting projects which won't send me "over the edge" I would appreciate it!   BTW....I don't use shawls or ponchos.  Hats need to be loose as I wear my hair up in a bun.  Plus, I live in the South but I guess I could start knitting for my move up North!  I'll need warm stuff there for sure!
I'm sorry I missed all of you last week!   Have a great one and Happy Fall!

The first day of Fall for me anyway! Awesome day!!!!!

We had storms go through last night and a cold front and it was in the 50's when I got up this morning. Yes!!!  Finally my kind of weather!  I got up early and the girls and I went for a 3 mile hike in the wonderfully brisk morning air.  They were pretty relaxed after that but it energized me, thank goodness!  Hmmm....looks like the front door needs to be cleaned....I see nose prints all over it!

  I came home and picked up the yard of sticks that had blown down in the storm and collected my first bucket of kindling for the coming Winter.

 

 Plus, I couldn't resist gathering some acorns before mowing the lawn..........

 

When I came in I noticed one of my African Violets is starting to bloom!  I bought it from the local Garden Club and there were no blooms when I bought it so I had no idea what color they would be.  It's going to be gorgeous with pink blooms and yellow ruffled edges!  How pretty it is...bad picture but you get the gist of it.

 

 I think God knew the girls and I needed this day of nature to sooth us,  blow fresh air into the house and exercise to clear the mind and renew the limbs.  In the South you get cabin fever in the Summer not the Winter! LOL!  Oh, and did I mention football was on today?  Perfect college football weather....tomorrow the NFL starts....oh yeah!
P.S.  I did NOT get the lawn mowed however....it started right up after not having been used all Summer but I realized quickly that I had an extremely flat tire and some low ones too!  I called my Deere expert and he said he'd stop by tomorrow but I should have been moving the mower and rotating those tires.....now he tells me!  Anyway, hopefully I'll only need one at about $100.00 a tire.  My car tires cost that much and they're LOTS bigger!  I guess my next mower won't be a Deere at those prices!  I hope you had a great Fall day wherever you are.  Please stop by tomorrow to see my YOP update.....my bath mat is done!  Can you believe it?  It doesn't look too bad either.  TTYS!

Did I say I was staying home today?

Not!  I forgot it was recycling today and farmer's market too.  Here's what I got at the market.........

 

Summer squash, eggplant, sweet potatoes and 2 little baby cabbages!  Just the right size for me! I'm visualizing baked sweet potatoes, sauteed Summer squash with some Parmesan and garlic, some apple slaw and more eggplant Parmesan.  I never get tired of it.

I started crocheting another potholder.  I'm really liking the looks of it! 

 

I finished a book this past week.  I picked it up at a "spin-in" at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas last year. (No, I'm not a spinner but hopefully some day maybe.) It looked interesting and it was but it was not the first book in the series and therefore a little confusing.  A friend gave me 2 other books in the series so now I am reading the first book in the series.  It's well written and many people give her high marks but I'm just not into sorcery and magic much so I'll probably read them since they're there but unless I really like them after 3 books, I won't be reading anymore. They're good but just not my cup of tea...not yet anyway....time will tell.   

 

 I did get around to one of my friends blogs today but I am so far behind!  It's the story of my life...."a day late and a dollar short"! LOL!  I hope you had a wonderful day where ever you are.  Fall is trying to come in here but at near 100 degrees it's spawning some severe storms and tornadoes.  There are warnings out now for thunderstorms but nothing yet.  Supposedly once the storms go through tonight and tomorrow we will be cooler.  It sure would be nice.....I'll take "cooler" any day after this Summer.  My Fall clematis is  blooming (what's left of it...half of it died off this Summer) which is a good sign of Fall!  Take care and TTYS!

Went to Wally World today...............

First of all, thank you all for your uplifting and soothing comments.  You REALLY are my friends and I am SO grateful I have all of you!  You just don't know how  much it meant to me....thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You lifted me up so much I got the courage and strength to go to Wally World and you  know how it tires me out but.....the dogs were looking at the few cans of dog food left and then looking at me with those pitiful eyes so,  off I went.
 Here are a few fun items I got while I was there...........
The Fall issue of Flea Market is on news stands now!  It doesn't last long when it's out so,  if you like it,  go get a copy now before they're all gone.  It's a little pricey at $9.95 but then what isn't nowadays?  I love it though because it shows us how to utilize and display lots of collectibles and items we love but are not sure of what to do with once we get them home.   It's in my TOP TEN magazine list!

BTW, after "feeling the love" last night in your comments, I picked up my bath mat I'd been knitting and which I hadn't picked up all week.  I finished it even weaving in all the ends!  The knitting angels were definitely with me too.  It doesn't look too bad actually.  Yes, I did make mistakes but it could have been so much worse! LOL!  I will be posting it next Sunday for the YOP update.  I'll be trying socks again now for knitting and for crochet I picked up some cotton yarn today to make some dish cloths or potholders. 

 

This color would be great for a hostess gift or a swap with a patriotic theme and below is a color I know my son would appreciate in his kitchen.  If I remember correctly, I got 2 potholders out of 1 of these skeins and they're only $1.77 each. 

Thanks to you all, I feel uplifted today, hopeful and grateful that I have such wonderful friends out there that I've never even met!  You guys are GREAT!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend and a great day today.  Thanks again so much.  I'll be home tomorrow but out "visiting" my blogging neighbors to see what you've all been up to.  Blessings to all of you!

Happy Labor Day to all of you..............

There's a saying that a Mother is only as happy as her saddest child.  I have a child...an adult child that brought me some painful news this week and it's not over and there's hope and faith but it shook me and my foundation pretty good.  I haven't posted or blogged or even read emails.  I've just done what I've always done when the storms of life have hit me......I keep active and distract my mind from thinking too much.  I've done all I can for now except continue to pray and have faith that "whatever God brings you to he'll bring you through".  I am sad though so my usual joyful blogging and commenting would be hard to "fake" and who wants "fake bloggers"? But on the other hand no one wants to hear about problems either...I'm sure you all have plenty of your own! LOL! I will return slowly but surely.  I just need to get my balance.
I sometimes wonder if we're all given a certain amount of joy and sadness when we're delivered to earth and once it's gone that's it.  I would hope that it all balances out in the end but who knows.  I hope you are all well and enjoying the last weekend of Summer (unofficial) and that the crisp cool days of Fall will be upon us soon.  It was 95 here today and humid since Isaac came through but on the plus side there's no more fire danger!  Stay well my friends and be as happy as you can for as long as you can! 

Sunday YOP update..........

I can't believe it's Sunday again..........already!  But I have lots to show you.   It's been a fun and productive week except for my blogging responsibilities.  I just can't seem to do it all...something always suffers but I keep aiming for balance in all I do...the intention is there.
So, without further ado...........my bath mat is not done but almost!  It's so bunched up on the circular cable I can't even really see if I've made mistakes but maybe that's good else I would have frogged it by now!  LOL!
Also, I am in love with the Rowan cotton....gorgeous, doesn't split, in fact you wouldn't even know it was 100% cotton as compared with the "less expensive" variety which I used on my potholders.  It's marvelous to work with.

I cast on the sock (1 of 2) again after frogging the last one.  I need to watch the video again though before I start knitting.  I guess it's hardly worth the photo?  LOL!

I did crochet 2 yellow potholders.  The pattern I used is a little harder on my hands but it's worth it because you end up with a nice double thick potholder.  I was thinking this pattern might make nice place mats and/or trivets.  I was able to get 2 potholders out of one of those Peaches and Cream cotton yarn they have at Wal-mart although they didn't end up exactly square.   I'll definitely be making more of these.  You should use cotton if there's heat involved as the acrylics will "melt" if they get near a flame or element. 

I made 2 of these but like the potholders, one went to a friend as a gift.  These weren't on my YOP list but they were on my FAF (fast and fun) list! LOL!  They're supposed to be bookmarks in the shape of book worms but you're also supposed to have little "googly" eyes to glue on which I did not have.  So, until I get some eyes this is how they will look.  I made a red one too but it was sent off in the mail.  These would make great stocking stuffers or grab bag gifts and they do look lots cuter with the eyes! LOL!  I also discovered the tail "button" will slip into the slit on the other end and you could actually use it as a bracelet. 

  I also finally pinned my applique block so I can start stitching on that any time now....

 For those of you who only check in with me on Sunday's here's a great knitting mystery series book that I finished this week and blogged about.....if anyone would like it I would be more than willing to mail it to you and if there is more than one person then when you're done just pass it on to the next person that would like to read it....we could call it "The Traveling Unraveling"!  I will send overseas too so all you wonderfully inspiring friends across the pond and beyond.... it is not an issue.  It's the least I can do for all the inspiration and lovelies I glean from all of you!

Also, for my regular blogging buddies, I promised you the recipe for the Apple Kuchen yesterday and then didn't blog at all!  Shame on me! Here's another picture for my YOP friends that don't read me during the week.............

This was an old Betty Crocker recipe popular back in the 60's...I told you I was old.....but the 60's were great both then and now! LOL!

Apple Kuchen

1/2 C butter softened

1 package yellow cake mix

1/2 C flaked coconut

1 20 oz can pie sliced apples, well drained or 2 1/2 C sliced and pared baking apples

1/2 C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 C dairy sour cream

2 egg yolks or 1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut butter into dry cake mix until crumbly.  Mix in coconut.  Pat mixture lightly into ungreased baking pan 9 x 13 x 2 inches building up slight edges.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Arrange apple slices on warm crust.  Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples.  Mix the sour cream and the egg or egg yolks and drizzle over the apples.  The topping will not completely cover the apples.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are light brown.  Do not overbake!

You can also try these variations:

Pear Kuchen: substitute 2 (16 oz) cans sliced pears , drained on paper towels, for the apples and a package of devils food cake mix or German Chocolate cake mix for the yellow cake mix.

Peach Kuchen: Substitute 1 (29 oz) can sliced peaches, drained on paper towels, for the apples and 1 package of white cake mix or sour cream white cake mix for the yellow cake mix.

What I like about this recipe is that I can keep these things on hand and the dairy and eggs I always have.  I want to try substituting my own homemade cake mix and also yogurt for the sour cream but haven't done it yet.

Well, I'm off to see what my Ravelry bloggers have been up to this week....it's very inspiring and humbling at the same time! LOL!  Have a great week ahead and a peaceful happy Sunday!

This will be quick...there's a Bear's game on tonight!!!!! Yippee!

I finished a good book last night and it's the first one in a series of Knitting Mysteries that take place in an Eastern seacoast small town.  I'll have to get some more of these as it was really good! I got this one at the Thrift Store...I think.  This is the first one in the series.  Of course, it involves a group of women who knit together and solve mysteries too and there's a sweet little yarn shop with the owner being part of the group.  It was a good plot and a good writer.   Thank you,  Sally Goldenbaum! 

 

I made an apple kuchen today.  Do any of you remember when these came on the scene years ago involving a cake mix?  You can use any pie fruit you want.  I'll give you the recipe tomorrow.....it's only 30 minutes until "kickoff".....sorry.  I promise, tomorrow! LOL!  It may not look like much but it is easy and delicious!  I've made this dessert for 30-40 years!  It's definitely a "keeper" in my house!

I've also been doing some knitting and hoping to finish my bath mat by Sunday.  It's getting pretty big on the circular needles and hard to see....use your imagination and pray it will turn out!  I also crocheted another pot holder.  These were both on my YOP list so I'll publish more on Sunday. 

I also went to the store today and the bank and took a bath.....that's enough for one day isn't it?  I hope you had a great Friday....it's still my favorite day of the week!  TTYT!

 

A few things I forgot to show you the other day.................

I got this cute little basket at the thrift store last week and it looked like someone had put a plant in it because the bottom was all black and dirty.  I threw it in the dishwasher, as I do so many things, and it came out nice and clean but if you look you can also see all the white paint chipping off of it all over the place!  It's clean but will need another paint job to get it to stop peeling.  Not all of my ideas are brilliant.....most are but not all.
I also picked up these 2 plates.....I am into roses...it's come on gradually.  I think it started with Green Fried Tomatoes (the movie where she had all those roses cut out of magazines and cards and pinned on her wall....I loved that! )  and it has grown from there.  Plus, my dear departed Mother loved roses and all my friends across the pond inspire me with roses in their fabric,gardens, and needlework.

 

There was only the 2 and they're old as the finish is crackled with age.....kind of like my face! LOL!  But I love them and I love my face too.....I've earned every "crackle" just like those plates!

And last but not least...this is the bomb, the bees knees etc; and I am enjoying every drop of it!

I didn't realize until I got it home that it is seasonal so run, don't walk to your nearest store that carries it and buy up all you can (unless you shop at the Walmart in Ash Flat, AR.....stay away from that one! ).

It is delicious!  Why did I not know about this?  Probably because it was all bought out by the time I got there, I'm guessing.  Dunkin' Donuts is my very favorite coffee and trust me I've had it all!

I hope you had a great Thursday and got more done than I did....it was "one of those days" for me but I'm going to go knit now and at least I'll see progress in that unless of course I mess it up and have to tear it out....oh no....please not that! LOL!  Take care!  TTYT!