Knitterykate 2

It's All Day Meeting tomorrow and I'm probably not going to be there. I have a wicked cold and just don't feel good. Not to mention that I hate sniffling at the meeting room. But since I usually bring food and Bruce and the girls will be there I will be sending my usual barbecue chicken (cooked at 350 degrees for 2 hours) and some kind of salad (feta coleslaw probably). I found a new dessert on-line that looked pretty good so I'm having Heidi help me with it. It sure looks good...and easy.  (Photo courtesy of texas cottage blog - texascottage.blogspot.com )

Just thought you might like to see what happens when you have helpers in the kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner. There's even a little coleslaw under the red peppers. This might be a new favorite since it's not sweet and is made with feta cheese. Certainly not a traditional Thanksgiving dish. Family and friends The best part of Thanksgiving.  (Having good food helps). The end.  No pies to show even though we had lots.

I tried this drink at Starbucks and knew I could make it at home for much cheaper. Salted Caramel Mocha with ...celery salt? What??? We had milk. We had chocolate sauce. We had caramel syrup. I made some turbonado sugar/sea salt mix and put it in an empty Starbucks "Hawaiian Sugar Sea Salt" Shaker - or so I thought. It turns out I had grabbed a bottle of celery salt and mixed it with the salt and the sugar. It really doesn't taste that bad but I think I'll be a little more careful next time.

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony."  William Henry Channing's Symphony: some background, and its appearance in an Arthur Brisbane editorial  - from the 1906 collection, "Editorials From The Hearst Newspapers"”

Do you make lists before you go on a trip? Of things to pack? Of things to do before you go? Or any number of things? I sure do. If I didn't I would be lost. I.Have.To.Be.Organized. It makes me feel as if I am in control.  I just got finished work (It's 20 minutes to 9PM) and wanted to start a new blog. I get worried that too many people are following me. It's creepy. Sort of. Back to lists for trips. What do you put on your list? I'll share mine tomorrow or even later this week. (I even laminated it because it was getting tattered from so much use). If you share yours. Send me a link to your blog in the comments. I want to see it posted!

My Gramma taught me many things. She taught me how to make an apple pie from scratch and she taught me how to make a delicious roast from onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and a roll of tin foil. But the most useful thing she taught me was how to knit. My Gramma made tons of mittens. The neighbor children would pass by her front porch and Granpa would look for a child without proper hand protection and call him over for a pair of "Gramma's Mittens". So in the early 70's Gramma taught me how to do it myself. My very first project was a pair of mittens for a Mennonite friend who was one of seven or eight children and only had mismatched mittens to wear. I had enough yarn left over to make myself a pair and I still have them! I can't believe they are not long gone. I have no idea how they made it this far in my life - from Pennsylvania to California to Canada. Over 40 years! But they have made it and I still use them. My girls are always clamoring for new ...

Take a ball of yarn ~ any old yarn. Preferably, a ball that has been hidden in the deep dark recesses of your yarn box(es). Yarn that has already served its purpose in another project or two. A scrap that is no good for any project ~ not even a woven square. Then take some more yarn. Something that has no purpose either. Make sure it's junk. I mean something that's been in the bottom of the box for quite some time. Ugly, scratchy stuff. And finally, take a third skein of unwanted variegated 100% acrylic yarn that you just want to get rid of but don't want to throw away since you've saturated all your friends with unwanted yarn and they can't/won't take ANY MORE! Mix. And knit. Linen Stitch Scarf from scraps linen-stitch-scarf

I wanted to make myself a wonderful-wallaby and had the sleeves done and sitting in my knitting basket. But when I came across Meg Swansen's aspen-yoke-sweater I had second thoughts. Besides, I really didn't think the pocket in the front would be too complimentary until I had lost some weight. Even then... the jury is still out. But in the mean time I finished the Aspen Yoke using the wallaby as a guide and modifying Meg's sweater. I'm really liking round yoked sweaters and plan on making more and have found some interesting patterns. Olive is one of the prettiest I've found but I'm not sure of the yarn to use. We'll see because it's about #30 on my list of things I want to make. Other news: I'm making great headway on my "free the needles" campaign. Just a close-up of the latest until I give it away and then let you know what it really is. I have a stack of books on my end table but the one I'm really interested in is the one on the...

It's not as if I have nothing to say. Those of you who know me also know that I'm rarely without something to say - often saying too much. But since Ravelry was introduced to me I found it harder to post since all my knitting projects went there. If you haven't checked it out and you like to knit or crochet, it is definitely worth a look -- if only for all the free patterns and the beautiful projects some have come up with. A very respectful horse. Or a gluttonous one. LJ taught Gypsy how to bow and Gyps gets a carrot when she does it correctly.