Evidently gray hair means you are deaf, dumb and blind too!

Okay, I am going totally 'off script' tonight to touch on a topic that unfortunately has become all too prevalent in my life...being patronized as an elder.  I'm usually not too sensitive but then again I stay away from main stream society so I am not exposed to it much.  But on the occasion when I do go out which is usually only to the grocery store I have noticed that each and every time I am treated as if I am 'deaf, dumb and blind'.
The local store is trained to offer help as we live in what used to be a retirement town.  It isn't as much anymore and it certainly has no conveniences for retired folk but I digress.  So, the clerks are all fairly young and always offer to carry out your groceries by asking if you need 'help'.  I refuse but then they come back with 'are you sure'?  One day she even said "this is really heavy, let me get you someone to help you"....I had already refused her twice but she insisted whereby, I asked her why she felt I needed help?  I told her I was not limping, I did not use a walker nor was I in a wheelchair so why did she think I needed help????  She had no answer because if she had answered she would have to admit it was because of my gray hair.  What else could it be?  This has happened more times than I can shake a stick at and today took the cake!  Granted these are store employees who are trying to help but today it was another shopper!
I was looking at pickles and relishes and actually looking for a relish from Oklahoma (we are neighbors and sometimes get products from their state) that Pioneer Woman mentioned in one of her recipes.  I was planning on making her macaroni salad.   As I am perusing the shelves I hear a voice asking me if I needed help "reading".....at first I ignored it but the voice returned louder...after all I have gray hair so I must be deaf!  I looked up and saw a fellow shopper (not an employee) who again asked me if I needed help "reading".  I was in shock and gave her a 'deer in the headlights' look.  I told her no....and asked why would I need help "reading"?  I must admit I was not very kind and I'm sure by then I had a not very nice look on my face and a 'tone' to my voice.  She mumbled something and walked away....thank goodness!  I'm not usually rude or unkind but I am really tired of this patronizing behavior by people and it just seemed to start when my hair started going gray!
Now, many of you would probably think these people are being kind and considerate but I don't take it that way after experiencing it every time I go out in public!  It is patronizing, demoralizing and pathetic that we give so little respect to our elders and treat them like they don't have the sense to come in out of the rain!  Really?
So, the next time you see a person with gray hair, please do not assume they need help or they are weak or deaf or can't read....we will ask if we do need help but most of us have worked hard all our lives, raised children and been through some kind of hell and back again.  You would be wise to listen to us as we have a world of knowledge and wisdom that only comes with gray hair!
P.S.  This will not be read by the people that need to read this because my blogging friends have always treated me with the utmost respect and kindness regardless of their age or mine.  I certainly hope I have not offended anyone by my tirade but I also notice they do not treat older men with gray hair that way.  Okay, I've said enough and no I have not been drinking! LOL!   
Happy Trails!!!  

My hand crafted life...........

I was thinking recently about what my 'retired' life is all about and what my hopes, goals and dreams are and to be honest, the older I get the less I want or need.  There's a big difference between 'settling' and being content and at this stage of life I am content.

 I've actually never been happier but then why wouldn't I be?  I have food, shelter, entertainment, wonderful companions and a very simple lifestyle.  I have my blogging friends who are custom connected because of our common values and interests and  for the first time in my life I can sleep without setting an alarm! 

 Living alone I can pretty much do what I want when I want without disturbing anyone else.  I've been known to wake up at 3:00 a.m. and, feeling rested, start my day!  So, the goals I have are simple but yet will require effort on my part to accomplish them.  I have concluded that I am part pioneer...I truly enjoy making do with less, making everything I can from scratch and doing many mundane tasks.  Crazy?  Maybe, but it has given me much peace and tranquility in my life.

  When I had my little farm it was called Serenity Acres but it was anything but serene as I was working full time, on call, my family was leaving, even my husband, and I was juggling a million balls in the air....until I got sick and they all came tumbling down.....on my head! LOL!  It was a 7 year exodus from my life as I knew it and lots of heartache and loss and illness but when I look back now it forced me to recreate the life I have now which I love.

 I came to love myself instead of waiting for others to appreciate me, I came to a spiritual awakening that led to a close relationship with my God....which may be different from  yours but which enables me to be alone but never lonely. 

So, you ask, where is all this leading to?  My realization that all I really want now is a 'hand crafted' life for as long as I can sustain it.  My interests are many but they all involve doing things from scratch, making do with what I have (as much as possible) but also taking advantage of some conveniences so I do not harm myself.  This last RA bout, I couldn't open my garage door because it is broke and I have been opening it manually for about 5 years now.  Also, I think I will get the dryer fixed as I couldn't get down the basement stairs with a basket of wet clothes in my arms and I couldn't mow my yard.....so, I may be getting some conveniences and some help while at the same time freeing myself  up to sew my own wardrobe, make my own cheese, do some carpentry around here and decorating and learn some new skills to enable me to remain independent and healthy and financially solvent. 

I still want to move to Hanover.....my home town where I grew up.........

 I'd still like an old farm house out in the country to fix up...............

but while I will continue to work towards those things, I will also continue to enjoy every minute I

have left on this planet and hopefully share that joy with others!

 Have a wonderful weekend everyone and remember, "it's a great life if you don't weaken"!
Happy Trails!!!

Christmas in July!!!!

Yes, it's finally here!  Christmas in July and it is a day where us 'makers' start officially 'making' (if we haven't already) for the coming Christmas Holidays!  Gather up your ideas, check out all those 'pins' you've been pinning on Pinterest this past year, check out Craftsy's Handmade Holiday for their reasonable yarns, kits, materials, free patterns and FREE SHIPPING with keyword HANDMADE.  Order your materials and let the making begin!

 As for mine.....this is the year of 'finishes' for me and most of my 'makes' will be gifts that weren't finished in time for a past celebration (tsk, tsk).  This is fortunate for me as it means I have already paid for the materials and for some projects there is already significant progress....Yay!  I have about 7 family members to 'make' for and of course my immediate family....Nitty, Annie, Grace and Miss Peeps, and friends.  Plus, there are a few items I may want to purchase for myself such as yarny goodness in the form of Advent Calendars.  Some are very pricey but I found the Opal Advent Calendar which is much more reasonable than the hand dyers.  I mention this only because you need to order ahead of time so they don't run out!  Also, there is Little Bobbin's Christmas Eve cast on (an annual event) which is for the sock knitters out there and you need to have your yarn and needles ready to cast on Christmas Eve.  Just yesterday, I finished last Christmas Eve's socks.....whew! These will be worn this coming Christmas Eve.

 I already have my yarn for this Christmas Eve and it is gorgeous!!!  It is by Brazen Stitchery on Etsy and it is self-striping fingering weight yarn in the colorway "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out" from the movie "Christmas Story".  See the sparkles?  She even included a Christmas pencil...to write my letter to Santa!

For those of you who are not 'makers', QVC has a Christmas in July special all day today where you can do your Christmas shopping right from home...in your pajamas.....with a cuppa!
July is like the most expensive month of the year for me.....crazy but true.  It is more expensive than Christmas partly because there are lots of birthdays, doctor and vet annuals plus I buy the supplies for the Christmas 'making' and of course the AC runs non-stop this time of year.  But, thankfully, this year I have most of the supplies already.     I noticed Lion Brand also has a Christmas in July Gift Guide 
Just so you can 'get in the mood' here's a Hallmark Christmas in July Movie Guide
for your viewing pleasure!
If you know of any other Christmas in July special events please feel free to share them in the comments.....one can never have enough help when it comes to Christmas and the holidays.  Enjoy this day........the official starting point to Mrs. Claus's workshop here for the 2017 Season of Making!
Sharpen those pencils, make those lists and get those supplies ready.....we're off to a Holiday Wonderland!
Merry Christmas and Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #4

  I have a fear of commitment and now I know why!  The minute I commit to anything, it seems providence and/or  'the powers that be' start laughing and whispering.......'we shall see about that'.  Remember the sad tale of the the star ornament and remember how I said, "well, at least I should have a finished sock by next week"?  Not so much.........but I have worked on it.  You see I had several doctor appointments this week and little did I know that one would result in some 'in office' minor surgery.  I'm fine but it was my toe and I've been limping along and have meds to take with food 3 times a day and I only eat twice a day so I had to come up with something else plus twice a day I have to soak it and change the dressings.  I'm fine but it's just very time consuming and instead of being able to put my 'feet up' and recuperate.....I spent a day in Mountain Home and came home to my usual responsibilities.  There was little if any pain involved so I am very grateful for that but I had my eyes dilated the same day! LOL!  It's been quite a week altogether....do you think my life will ever settle down? 
The good news is, I am healing and my eyes are great and they will monitor my eyes for the new RA medicine I am on which is much more affordable.  End of story...........but the socks are not finished.....close but no cigar............

 My daughter and SIL  celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary so I thought I would whip up a little Bluebird of Happiness (a free pattern on Ravelry which many have made....successfully, I might add).....I had some troubles as it called for a WT (wrap and turn) throughout and I had never done that particular instruction before.  I watched some You Tube videos and went to www.knittinghelp.com which has always been so clear and helpful and they all seemed a bit different. So, I went straight to the source....the author of the pattern,  Sara Kellner.  I emailed her and she got right back to me!  She gave me these instructions which were very clear and understandable.........or so I thought.......

"No worries - it’s not a dumb question at all! If short rows in the round is not something you’re used to, then of course you’d be confused - anyone would!
The answer is very simple. If the round says to:
K3, WT, P6, WT, K3
Then you will K3, WT, P the 3 you just knit, then P the next 3 on the other side of your beginning/end spot - in other words, the last 3 sts in the round. Then you will WT, and K the 3 you just purled. And now you’re back at the beginning of the round again.
Same goes for all of the WT rounds. So on the next one you will K4, WT, P the 4 you just knit, then P the next 4 on the other side of your beginning/end spot, WT, and finally K4.
Now that you know how to do this, you can make any of my patterns! :-)"

Yes, you can laugh......I would too if I wasn't once again...disappointed in my 'knitting performance'...............and what happened to the tail?????  Really?  This is the best I can do?  I think I will be sewing this week.................

 When I was at Walmart I was able to pick up some new yarn...........unplanned for but it caught my eye............Lion Brand's version of 'cake' yarn for $6.............it's light at a 3 weight, it is 590 yards or 540 meters and 150 grams.  It comes in a variety of color combos and is machine washable and dryable which is great for my gift giving to people who do not have the time to care for fine woolens nor do they want to! LOL!  It shows a scarf/cowl and I think I will look on their website to see what else they make with these 'cakes'.  BTW...it is Christmas in July officially starting on the 25th!  Next week I will post about what I am 'gifting' this year in the 'handmade' department.

I also picked up this 'scrubby' yarn by Red Heart for making......you guessed it....scrubbies!  One of my  ideas was to make some gift sets including scrubbies and some coordinating washcloths.......so last night I got the pattern off the Red Heart website for citrus slice scrubbies...so cute! But this yarn is so stringy and sort of rubbery that I could not see the stitches so I will be returning it and getting my money back!  Has anyone used this stuff?  I am feeling extremely dysfunctional in the knitting and now crocheting arena.  I may be sewing from now on!  

I also bought the cotton worsted for the cloths to coordinate..........it was a nice idea.........until it didn't work!

I did get this new magazine by Pioneer Woman........love her and her dishes and her cookbooks and her Food Network show and her recipes are divine!    I thought it would be pricey like most magazines today at anywhere from $10 - $25 but it was a mere $4!!!!  I couldn't believe it.........thank you, Rhee!  Finally a sensible, non-greedy business person!  So, needless to say, I picked it up. 

 This week I have been watching a podcast about sewing, knitting and decorating by a darling young 'mum' in the U.K. with exquisite taste and talent......The Little Tailoress.  I highly recommend her podcasts!  She doesn't have a lot out there yet and only podcasts about once a month so it's not hard to keep up with her but she has gorgeous projects and a gorgeous home and she looks like a movie star!
Hopefully, I will get my life/act back together this week although I do have future doctor appointments and vet appointments and the roof boys were back last week!  I'm also getting new glasses so there are going to be many trips to Mountain Home in my future!
I wanted to end on a more positive note so I saved this for last............Susan B. Anderson's mini-mitten bookmark/ornament pattern which...cross your fingers.....I am able to knit.........I've finished the hand and now need to do the thumb which is on waste yarn.  If I can successfully complete this I will be making quite a few for the grand's 2017 Ornament of the year and one for my tree and also for the 12 Ornament Along by Maker's Haven and The Homespun House.  Wish me luck!

I hope you all had a great week and I can't wait to see what everyone has been up to!
Happy Trails!!!
   

YOP Week #3

Woe is me!  Do you remember last week when I said I was just sure I would have an FO this week.....well....I worked my little tail off and I was so close but alas.....no cigar!  This is a very sad tale so you might want to grab some Kleenex.
I finished knitting all my star points, took a tutorial and learned how to properly block, I cleaned my new blocking mat (one), I washed my star points in Eucalan wool wash and used a million pins to block all 10 of them.  I took them off the the blocking mat yesterday morning and spent a majority of the day learning and stitching the mattress stitch and sewed all of them together!  Ta Da!...........except for one tiny little error............I sewed too much.....up one side and down the other.........when in reality I should have only sewn halfway up the from the point on each side.  Granted...the instructions did not specify but had I looked at the picture of the pattern it would have been fairly obvious........

  This is what I have...............

This is what it should be..........(stuffed and finished).....I told you it was a sad tale.........oh well......on the bright side I learned several techniques............beading, blocking and the mattress stitch.  I will make this ornament some day......just not today.........(there is no way I can remove that mattress stitch as I did such a good job I can't even see it so they are officially ruined....I can't even reclaim the yarn)

As for some other WIP's.............I have finished the heel flap on sock #2 and I daresay I would like to have that finished by next Sunday but I certainly don't want to jinx myself so I won't say anything...........

 I already fell off of the YOP wagon too.........I started a new project!  But in my defense, I had no T.V. project to work on.........the socks were at the heel, the star points needed focusing on and I found it difficult to work on my cross stitch with my reading glasses because then I couldn't see the t.v.
So, you see, I really had no choice and when Becki showed the Happy CAL Place project of the kitty cat blanket I was a goner!  See the little kitty cats?  Aren't they cute?  This project is fun, easily memorized and you only change colors every 3 rows.....LOVE! 

     I did not get much cross stitch done this week so I  will show you next week.  I really needed to watch t.v. because I was hooked on The Crown on Netflix.  I finished it last night and I wished it would have gone on and on it was so good!  I will most probably watch it again and again.
I'm off to search out the next Christmas ornament to work on......it's July and I have 1 pair of socks done out of a dozen by the end of the year, I have no ornaments done out of a dozen by the end of the year.........I told you.........woe is me! LOL!  I hope you all had a more successful week than I did!
Happy Trails! 

My favorite bread recipe....at the moment......

I love bread...homemade that is.  Crusty breads are my favorite but there is a place for just plain everyday bread for toast and grilled sandwiches of which this bread excels.  This recipe never fails unless you have dead yeast...otherwise you are guaranteed a perfect loaf each and every time!
This recipe is from Apples for Jam, a cookbook by Tessa Kiros and not only is it one of my favorite cookbooks but it reads like a novel and you get to meet her family and her history in beautiful photos along with the dishes.

Tessa says "You can make this as one loaf or shape into smaller rolls. Children love small white rolls, it seems.  Naturally, you can make different sizes or a different shape...long is nice for hot dogs.  You can easily make a batch and freeze them in small bags, a few together; to whip out at almost the last moment of need.  My kids like these with butter spread so thickly that they can see their teeth marks."

I was going to publish some pictures but Google doesn't seem to want to cooperate just now so I will give you the recipe straight away (I have since edited and Google is working again so pictures are in!).......all credit is given to Tessa Kiros and if you run across her cookbook (I got mine on Thriftbooks) I highly recommend it...that is, if you like to cook.....her recipes are for cooks as some are lengthy and involved and use real ingredients but not this bread recipe...this recipe is easy peasy!

Ingredients: (*FGS indicates my own personal notes for this recipe)

1 cup warm (comfortable to your fingers) milk
1 (1/2 ounce) cake of fresh yeast, crumbled, or 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast.
*since I buy my yeast in a jar I figured it to be 2 1/4 teaspoons~FGS*
1 teaspoon honey
3 2/3 cups bread flour *FGS - I recommend using the bread flour not regular*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
Put the milk, yeast, and honey in a small bowl, and stir until the honey melts. *FGS - I also stir until the yeast is fairly well dissolved*  Leave it for about 10 minutes or until it begins to froth a bit.  Put the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a larger bowl (*FGS - I use my Kitchen Aide mixer).  Add the yeast mixture, the egg, and butter, and mix through well.  (*FGS - I use my mixing paddle for this and then switch to my dough hook for the kneading*).  Knead for 10 minutes or so and , if it seems sticky, just hold the bowl firmly and move the dough around with your hand, rather than add more flour.  Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has puffed up well.
Lightly grease a 12 X 4 inch loaf pan and dust it with flour (*FGS - I greased the pan but forgot to dust it with flour but it came right out!  Lucky me!*)  Punch down the dough to flatten it and shape it into a rough loaf of a size to fit the pan.  Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until it puffs right  up in the pan.  Meanwhile,  preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is firm and crusty and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.  Remove from the oven, knock the loaf out of the pan, and cool on a rack in a fly-free zone.
This is best sliced warm and spread with butter, but you can keep the loaf for a few days (*FGS -  I've kept it for over a week in the frig with no problem*) in an airtight container for excellent toast.

 Enjoy and Happy Trails!!!

Knitting blocking or blocking knitting?

I have never truly learned how to block knitted or crochet items so today was the day!  I had finished all my little star ornament points/pieces and they were all curled up so I thought blocking would help before I tried to sew them together..........
I got my new blocking mats out...I only needed one....

 I didn't know the letters came out........... 

Not knowing where they had been I decided to wash it good with my Mrs. Meyer's counter top spray..........

I also downloaded and read a free lesson on Craftsy about 'finishing' items which included how to block properly.  I got out some Eucalan wool wash that I had bought on my way back from a Canadian fishing trip when I stopped at a sheep farm several years ago.....

  If you don't have wool wash Craftsy suggested baby shampoo which is actually what I use on my hair but since I had the wool wash I figured I would use it.  I followed the directions which uses just a tiny bit of the wash in a bowl since my pieces were small.......see how they are all curled up?  I hope the blocking takes care of that............it said to let them soak for 5 minutes....I let them soak for 15....if 5 minutes is good...15 must be better right? LOL!  Also, there is no need for rinsing with the Eucalan wool wash.

a little bit of dye came out but not much.........

then I squeezed the water out and rolled them up in a towel to get as much moisture out as possible...........

 

 I grabbed my pins and my blocking mat which I put a towel underneath and started the process of pinning them down into the shape they would hopefully dry into......

This was backbreaking as I was leaning over my desk and I had to take a break when I was about halfway done........but finally they were all pinned....I used every pin in that container except for 3!  Maybe I over did it but better safe than sorry..........

Tomorrow I hope to sew it together and be ready to have a finished object come Sunday's Year of Projects post....we shall see but I think I now know how to block items...I hope.

Happy Trails!!!

P.S.  Tomorrow I am posting my white bread recipe that several of you have requested so tune in again tomorrow!

"Back in the saddle again".............

The grand boys are safely back home and it is quiet here.  I miss them but it's nice to get back in my old routine too....I was falling behind in a few areas plus, today is their parent's 15th wedding anniversary so it is only right that they be back home to celebrate!

 I'm catching up on laundry after stripping all the beds and there's ironing to do, bills to pay and cleaning always.

 When we were in Mountain Home last week, I was able to stock up on Summer candles.  We went to T.J.Max which I had not visited since it opened there several years ago.  Well.........let me tell you..........I am a BIG fan now!  They have wonderful brands and quality products for 1/2 price or more!  Where have I been???  I love T.J. Max!!!!  These candles I got are awesome, quality and not that much more than what I was paying for the cheap ones at Walmart!  And smell?  Ahhhh....they are so beautifully  scented...I'm in heaven and I wish I could give you a whiff! LOL!

I also got myself some body butter (I prefer body butter as opposed to lotions which are too runny for me)...this is luscious stuff and smells divine!  So, my advice is to head on over to your local T.J. Max and start getting some delicious deals!

In between my 'chores' I started a new project which is a CAL on Our Happy CAL Place group on Ravelry.....it's a Kitty Cat blanket and I am using stash........

I couldn't resist as my other projects are not t.v. watching material at the moment but this one is so simple and so cute!  It's a free pattern on Ravelry.  See the little kitty cats?   The CAL runs from July through September and since it is now officially Summer in the Ozarks at 106 heat index today (ouch!)...it is more like Winter....close the curtains and stay indoors!  So, I am lighting my Summer candles and crocheting and binge watching the news, The Crown and so much more! LOL!  After my chores are done, of course!  

   Happy Trails!