Weekending 12/23/24

 Good Chilly Morning!

Single digits here this a.m.  My phone says it is 6 degrees outside.  Whew!

Did anyone watch the Kennedy Center honors last night?  Bonnie Raitt!  One of my most favorites.  I remember seeing her in concert a number of times.  Most notably at Lenox back in the 70's.  After which my friend and I went to Alice's Restaurant (yes, THAT Alice's Restaurant) for dinner.  Good times.

Is everyone ready for Christmas?  I thought I was, but I need to run out this morning for two last minute gifts.  I found out that Anna's boyfriend, John, will be joining us on Christmas Day, so I am picking up a little something from PA's Fine Wine & Spirits store for him.  And I realized I never got a cigar for Colin (always put one in his stocking).

The cookies are all done.  I cut back this year and did not make as many as usual.  Which is fine.  I don't want a lot left over.  We put together a box of goodies for our neighbors Rob & Eva.  And, Saturday afternoon they walked over with a plate of goodies for us!  Like minds and all that.  Interestingly, Rob and I made all different kinds of cookies, so no repeats.  He also made his wonderful peanut brittle (I cannot get enough of that!).

Finally, all the presents are wrapped.  Except for the few I will get this morning.  Also presents for my friend Carol (Christmas and her birthday) and her family, but I won't be seeing her till after the New Year, so no rush.

Despite the baking and wrapping, I did find time to finish Colin's second sock!!

Just in time!  We are heading over to Colin & Mailing's for lunch today (and to see Iris of course).  We are taking over stocking gifts for them as well as cookies and candied and roasted nuts.  There is also something for Talbot and something for Iris.  When Fletch delivered cookies to his former clients, Connie & David, they gave him a set of 4 board books for Iris that were written by their daughter.  How sweet is that?

Whatever you are up to this Monday, I hope you stay warm and cozy and find time to relax and just enjoy life.  Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday Season however, whatever and wherever you celebrate.

Unraveled Wednesday 12/18/24

 Hello My Friends,

Tell me...how is it possible that Christmas is only a week away.  Yikes!!  And Happy Birthday to Lori, my sister-in-law...Fletch's youngest sibling.

The other week when Phil was visiting, he visited a pottery studio on the Eastern Shore and brought us a gorgeous vase.  I finally got some greenery and flowers to put in it.

As usual, a messy kitchen - medicines and papers and pill boxes everywhere...oh well, c'est la vie.  I've since added some red berries to the mix.

I did not have all that much luck with my shopping yesterday.  First I drove quite a distance to one store only to find that it has closed...permanently.  Then I drove a bit more to a store where I have always been able to find great gifts only to find it has turned into primarily a coffee shop/bistro.  That was disappointing.  But, it was a lovely day for a drive and it felt like Spring!  On my way home I was behind a car with this sticker that just cracked me up.

My new mantra:  Read Books, Be Kind, Stay Weird

Last night I did manage to bake two batches of cookies:  basil-lime shortbread and cardamom cookies.  Both turned out well and today I will be making a few more kinds.  But first it's Unraveled Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.

Not much making has been going on here (other than cookies).  Just a tad more on Colin's second sock.  I think I am now 2/3 down the foot so theoretically it shouldn't be long before I finish these.  Theoretically.

On the reading side, Fletch and I are closing in on the end of "The Mind of the Raven" by Bernd Heinrich.  Whew.  What a long read (or listen I guess).  Most of it has been too much like a lecture.  But I have a new book waiting for us to read and it will be wonderful if we can start it on the 21st.  It's a book of tales about looking for light.  I bought The Return of the Light last year when I picked up "Winter Solstice," but never read it.  Now is the time!

On my own, I read Ritz and Escoffier by Luke Barr.  Though interesting, I don't think this book was as well written as Luke Barr's other book Provence 1970 which I really enjoyed.

One of my errands today will be stopping at the library where 3 or 4 books are waiting for me to pick them up.  Always good to have options!

Remember to head over to Kat's got see what everyone is up to.  I'm betting you will find inspiration.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 12/17/24

 Good Morning All,

To say I've been distracted is quite an understatement!  Fletch and I did get over to the hospital on Friday to meet our granddaughter.  Bonus:  I got to hold her for an hour!!  And she was good.  Mostly she dozed and then would wrinkle her tiny forehead when she had some gas (as babies do).  They are home now, coming home a day early on Saturday (C&M were horribly bored in the hospital).  And Iris had her first visit with her pediatrician on Monday and all is well.

I, on the other hand, am not so well.  I managed to come down with whatever bronchial infection my brother brought from Colorado.  I woke up in the night Saturday (as one does) coughing.  By Sunday morning I could barely speak.  I slept most of the day and around 12 hours that night.  I'm much better now, but taking it easy and staying away from the kids and baby.  We will all be together on Christmas.

But, because of distractions and not feeling well, not much stitching has been done.  Just a little.

The left side of the house is now being built and look!  The top half of a woman has appeared (she has long hair and is wearing a big hat with a brim).  (Click to enlarge)

It is pretty obvious now that this will not be finished by year-end.  That's fine with me - I don't have the brain power to pick out a new project.

The hope now is that I will write some Christmas cards, do some Christmas shopping and do some Christmas baking.  That's a lot to accomplish in a week or so.  Some will happen, but most likely not all.  C'est la vie.

I haven't even really been on the computer much.  Here and there I'll read a blog or two, sometimes commenting but mostly not.  I'm looking forward to getting back into my routine.

Meanwhile, I hope you all are doing well and enjoying this holiday time (and not making yourself crazy trying to do it ALL).  I am planning to be back tomorrow with an update (mostly no knitting) for Unraveled Wednesday.  Until then, take care!

She's Here!!!

 Hello All,

I am so very, very happy to let you know that our granddaughter is here.  Iris was born yesterday early evening.  They finally did a C-Section and Mommy, Daddy and Baby are all doing fine.  The date of 12/12/24 has a nice ring to it for a birthday I think (and sort of goes with C&M's wedding date of 10/10/20).

I'd love to share a picture with you, but Colin & Mailing have requested that no pictures go up on the internet.  I understand, but I'd really like to share.....

Iris is cute (what I have seen of her) and tiny!  Only 7 lbs, 1 oz at birth (Colin was 8.5 lbs and Mailing - tiny thing that she is - was over 9 lbs!!) and 20".  She's got dark hair like her Mom.  We will get over to the hospital some time today to see them - probably afternoon as I have a doctor's appointment this morning and will also be going over to their house to feed Talbot.  Only 2 visitors are allowed at a time, so we will need to coordinate with Mailing's parents.

Thank you all for the good wishes you sent and your notes checking in.  I appreciated them so much.  Blogland is such a wonderful place!

Unraveled Wednesday - No Knitting - 12/11/24

 Hello My Friends,

Still no baby!!  I never got around to posting yesterday...we were busy.  My brother's visit was wonderful.  He was here last Wednesday and Thursday and then again Monday and Tuesday of this week.  He just took off for the airport and his flight home.  

I did manage to do some cooking while Phil was here.  I made a pear tart which was wonderful!  

The flavoring on the pear slices was sugar, cardamom, ginger and lemon peel.  I will definitely make this again!  I also made some soups and stews and we gave a bunch of food to C&M for their freezer.

Yesterday Colin & Mailing joined Phil and I for a walk at the canal.  

We saw a lot of blue herons (YAY!!).  And with the leaves off the trees, it was easy to spot large hornet nests.

(Taken through the car window when we first arrived.)

We walked for almost an hour and then Fletch joined us for lunch.  It was wet enough and chilly enough that we ate inside rather than on the deck overlooking the water.

This sign in the bar/restaurant cracked me up:

Escape Goat - LOL (Goat Yoga)!!

Today is Colin's birthday.  (Happy Birthing Day to me!!  LOL). It is a rainy, very warm day here.  He texted me that he took his usual morning walk in shorts and sandals today!

Anyway, I have not done much knitting or stitching or reading.  I've been having a hard time focusing on anything other than waiting on the baby!  Mailing is scheduled to be induced late afternoon today (unless the hospital is too busy with folks in labor on their own).  Hopefully I will have baby news soon!!

Weekending and Waiting

 Good Morning Everyone!

Yes, we are still waiting for the arrival of C&M's baby girl.  She is taking her sweet time!  Mailing did tell us that if she has not gone into labor by Wednesday (11th) they will induce her that afternoon.  I was thinking that yesterday would be the day, but nope.

So, I did a little knitting and a little stitching over the weekend, but honestly it was hard to stay focused.  Phil (my brother) left on Friday morning to head South to visit some friends and other relatives.  He is due back here this afternoon for two more nights before flying home on Wednesday.  

My focus today will be cooking.  Lousy weather (rain...and a lot of it) is coming in, so I thought a big pot of lentil soup would be tasty.  I have some nice crusty Italian bread we can have with it and I'm planning to make a pear crostata as well.

Fletch got our patio Christmas lights up yesterday.  It's always a PITA (do the lights work?), but they look good and it was nice to see them on when I came downstairs early this morning.

Other than that, we watched a number of episodes of The Diplomat (we are both really liking it) and are looking forward to the new season of Shetland.

Meanwhile, please send all your good delivery juju Mailing's way and I will be back here tomorrow with a TNT update.

Unraveled Wednesday 12/4/24

 Greetings My Friends,

December 4th:  Mailing's due date!!!  No baby yet.  Mailing's birthday is less than a week ago; Colin's is next Wednesday...hoping the baby will come in the middle somewhere.  Each morning I look at my texts first thing to make sure there was no rush to the hospital, but nothing so far.

And it is still chilly here.  This morning my phone says 16 degrees!  The thermometer on the patio is sitting right at 20.

I receive notices when the ISS goes by our neck of the woods.  Often it is at 4 a.m. or some other ungodly hour.  But yesterday it was at 5:10 p.m.  I suddenly remembered that and ran outside.  Sure enough, there it was.

I so enjoy watching it fly by and wondering what those inside are doing.  It feels like a miracle each time I see it and it makes me feel like a little kid again.  Nothing wrong with that!

Another thing I am enjoying is giving peanuts and other stuff (stale bread, old fruit) to the deer.  I found a bag of hazelnuts that was old (like at least a year) so I took those out.  Gone quickly!  Next I found a partial container of raspberries in the fridge that had seen much better days.  There was a doe in the yard when I took the berries out and she did not move!  She just waited for me to come closer.  I'll admit I was getting a little nervous (they are BIG creatures)...but she finally backed off and I could put the berries on the table.  I turned around and walked back to the house and when I looked, she was already going at the berries.  We've seen a couple of very young bucks in the yard too, but they stay pretty far back from the house and are more nervous about coming close.

Meanwhile, it's Wednesday!  Time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about making and reading.  If you read my post yesterday, you know I have been stitching, but some knitting has been going on as well.  Sock #2 for Colin now has the leg finished and it's on to the heel flap and turn.

I'm dreaming and scheming of what to make next...when really I should attempt to finish some of my lingering projects (hello Hitch on the Move and Semplice shawls).  Time will tell.  Of course, I have a boatload of sock yarn from The Farmer's Daughter waiting for me to cast on...but I keep thinking that I might want to knit a sweater.  Who me?  This could all be foolish behavior on my part, but we shall see.

Reading has been good.  Fletch and I are still working our way through listening to "The Mind of the Raven" by Bernd Heinrich.  I think we are now under 3 hours left (yay).  This past week I read A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella.  I think I mentioned this book last week.  There are three main characters all of whom have lost someone and despite the sadness of that, the book is full of hope and (of course) all of these main characters intersect and impact each other.  An easy and comfortable read.

Enough from me!  Head over to Kat's and check out what everyone else is making and reading.  I guarantee you will be inspired.  Now I've got to dry my hair (cold head) and pour another cup of coffee.  Happy Hump Day!

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 Good Morning!

How are you?  I had intended to post yesterday, but forgot that I had a podiatrist appointment in the morning (a painful ingrown toenail is now history).  I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing weekend.  Ours was good and we saw Colin & Mailing briefly on Saturday to give Mailing her b-day presents.  No baby yet, but they are definitely ready for that little girl to come!!

Sunday I deep-cleaned the guest room in preparation for my brother arriving tomorrow (YAY).  That cleaning just about did me in!  LOL. I confess to not having cleaned that room in some time - no one was using it and it had become a dumping ground of sorts for various objects.  Funny how quickly that can happen.  Anyway, it is all clean with fresh sheets on the bed, dusting and vacuuming finished.  Now we are just waiting.

And it's Tuesday!  So, time for a TNT update.  There has been progress!!

The tree is complete (except for some leaves) and a blue bird has landed on one of its lower branches.  And a little boy has appeared leaning against the house (which is still not finished being built).  Said little boy is holding a pumpkin almost as large as he is!  This piece is a bit on the whimsical side, but fun.

Today I've got laundry to do and a minor grocery shopping.  Fletch is busy this morning with an appointment so I will be on my own.

I hope your Tuesday is a good one.  My plan is to relax this afternoon with some knitting and/or stitching.

Yay for Friday!

 Good Morning My Friends,

How are you?  I hope your Thanksgiving was a restful and tasty one.  Mine sure was!  Fletch and I realized that yesterday was the very first Thanksgiving we have ever spent by ourselves!  And, we liked it!!  Yes, we missed Colin & Mailing for sure and it felt weird not to be with Mailing's family - I think we have celebrated Thanksgiving with them for maybe a decade now.  But it was so relaxed to not be on any particular schedule.  I took my time and made rolls in the morning.

Some of them were huge!  (Guess I didn't do such a great job of dividing the dough evenly.). I didn't much care for them (me who loves and lives for carbs - lol).  Next time I will try my Mom's recipe.

I was talking with one of my brothers on Wednesday night and we were wondering how our Mom ever pulled off the feast that she did each Thanksgiving.  There was always a BIG turkey and stuffing.  Homemade gravy.  Homemade cranberry relish.  Mashed and sweet potatoes.  Homemade rolls.  Always a salad of some sort and two to three veggie sides.  And, of course, several pies.  Growing up, our house was small and the kitchen was very small.  No counter space to work on and only one oven and four burners.  We did have a big electric roaster that she used for the turkey, but the rest of it must have been magic!!

Anyway, our meal was way, way, way pared down.  I cooked a turkey breast and made stuffing.  The rolls mentioned above and some gravy.  Two kinds of cranberry relish/chutney and some Brussels sprouts sautéed in butter and maple syrup with the addition of some walnuts and pomegranate ariels.  And, pumpkin pie for dessert.  It was tasty, and making just that made me exhausted!  LOL

I even brought out the "good" dishes and silver.  There are plenty of leftovers (I'll get my turkey sandwich today).  All in all, a lovely day.

Now it's back to normal life.  I have a load of wash going and another one to put in after.  The bathrooms desperately need to be cleaned.  Usually I avoid going out on Black Friday, but I will be running out to pick up a massage gift card for Mailing.  Her birthday is tomorrow and we plan to stop by to give her the gift card and some other gifts.

A nice surprise showed up in the mail on Wednesday.  My last shipment of 2024 Sock Squad yarn from The Farmer's Daughter arrived.

The full skein is pretty dark, and I wasn't thrilled with it.  But then I read the name of the color way and now I am smitten!  The color way is "Mother Magpie" and I love those birds (I wish we had them here in Eastern PA).  There is a lot of variation in the skein - some lighter shades (almost bluish) and pale grey.  I think it will knit up very nicely.  The green mini skein is very pretty.  I've enjoyed having the monthly shipments of yarn even though I have not kept up with using it all.  Definitely a fun retirement gift to myself.  But, I'm ready for a year off (at least).  LOL

Time for me to check the laundry in the washer and re-fill my coffee cup.  Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable weekend! 

Unraveled Wednesday 11/27/24

 Hello, Hello Everyone!

I'm not yet covered in flour, but today will be a baking day (pumpkin pie, rolls).  I also need to do some laundry. No rush with anything.  I am taking my time.  Fletch has errands he wants to run this morning, so I think the house will be all mine!  And I have a simple dinner planned (steamed mussels, salad and garlic bread) which will make the day even easier.

Texting back and forth with Colin yesterday, we discovered our menus for Thanksgiving are almost identical!  They are cooking a full turkey (we are just doing a breast); we are both doing stuffing but they are also doing mashed potatoes; we are both doing Brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie (they are also having pecan pie).  As Colin said - it's a lot of food for 2 (or almost 3) people, but will provide lots and lots of good leftovers.  Personally, I cannot wait for a turkey sandwich!  LOL

Yesterday I received confirmation from my little brother in Boulder, CO that he will be here next week!!  His wife can't join him which I am sorry about, but I'm so excited as I have not seen Philip in a number of years.  He will spend the first couple of nights with us and then head down to Chester County to see our nephew and his wife and also our oldest brother and his wife in Delaware.  Phil will also be going down to the Eastern Shore to see friends and then most likely will stay with us another couple of nights before flying back home on the 11th.  A whirlwind trip.  I will need to clean the guest room and figure out what to have for food while he is here.  But, that can all wait until after Turkey Day.

But now it is Wednesday and time to check in and link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  I'm happy to report there has been some knitting!!

Sock #1 is finished and sock #2 has been started.  The goal is to have these done for Colin's birthday (the 11th) and I'm feeling like that is definitely a possibility.  I just need to keep at it!  

Fortunately I have no Christmas knitting on my plate.  But...I keep thinking of things (cowls, Hitchhikers, etc.) that I'd like to make for certain people.  I am going to try to pull together a list (who, me?  LOL) and get started making stuff AFTER the holidays.  With any luck, I will be filling the gift bag early in the year.

Reading has been steady.  The other night I finished Finding Margaret Fuller which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I am now partway through A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella.  The 3 main characters in the book have all lost someone and I'm curious to see how their lives intersect.  Though the loss of someone (anyone) is sad, this book is already filled with hope.

Fletch and I are continuing (still) with The Mind of the Raven - I think we have 5+ hours left.  As I've said before, at times this feels a bit like a lecture, but there are bits and pieces of humor and interesting facts.  I'll admit that I will be happy to finish it though!

Well, time to refill my coffee cup and try to wake up a bit.  I can hear that Fletch is up and in the shower, so the day is starting.  Be sure to head over to Kat's to see what everyone is making and reading.

Have a Very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Tiny Needle Tuesday

 Good Morning My Friends,

Almost 7 a.m. here on the East Coast and it is still VERY dark outside.  If I remember correctly, Fletch said we could be having rain by this morning.  We are still in need of moisture, so that is a good thing.

I'm happy to report that the new water heater was installed with no issues yesterday and hopefully this one will last another 20 years as well.  It surprised me that the plumber didn't even need to shut off our water.  We weren't sure how long it would take, so we had decided ahead of time to order out for dinner.  That was easy!!

Now it is time for a TNT update.  Just a little stitching was completed in the past week.

The top of the door frame was finished and more was added to the tree on the right.  Looking at this, I can see there is still a TON of stitching to be done on this.  At this point I am doubting it will be completed by the close of the year.  But, that's ok.  No rush, no contest, the idea is to enjoy the process.  And I am!

Please take care of yourselves.  My friend Carol, her husband and her son have all be battling Covid for the past week.  Not fun.  And yes, they are vaccinated and boosted.

Hoping everyone's week is going well.

Weekending

 Hello All,

How are you this Monday morning before Thanksgiving?  I am just waking up and having my very first sip of coffee.  How was your weekend?  Ours was good.

Friday started the weekend with bitter weather.  We had flurries, rain and sleet ALL day long!  It was nasty and breezy.  Not a good day to be out.  I ended up baking two of the loaves of cranberry pumpkin pecan bread.  Late in the day I walked over to our neighbor's to deliver one of the loaves.  I had my winter coat on and I was freezing!!

Saturday dawned sunny and beautiful. Still a bit chilly, but gorgeous after the stormy day Friday.  Look at this little rascal:

Mabel was out on the patio and then jumped into the cast iron pot that we grow eggplants in during the summer.  Fletch had dumped out all the dirt some time ago and I guess Mabel thought it was a cozy place to curl up (I'm betting the cast iron pot absorbed some warmth from the sun).  She didn't stay there long, but it was cute to see her there.

I baked two more loaves of the cranberry pumpkin pecan bread.

Fletch took the second loaf from Friday over to a former client and I took a Saturday loaf over to C&M.  I didn't stay long enough to take my coat off as both Colin & Mailing looked awfully tired.  They had been to the farm that morning for their last CSA share for the year.

Sunday was another damp and chilly looking day.  I did not go out at all!  I did cook (breakfast and dinner) and napped.  It was a good day for knitting, reading and dozing.

Now I've got to dry my hair (my head is cold) and then grab something quick to eat.  I have an eye appointment at 9 which means leaving home by 8:30.  This is just an appointment for a field vision test (not my favorite), but at least it should be quick.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Friday Stuff

 Good Morning!

It is grey and damp and overcast here and...drumroll...we have flurries!!  Yesterday was so raw and bone chilling.  Only around 46 as a high and pretty much rainy all day (which we desperately need).  I saw snow north of us on the radar map, but figured we would not get any.  And, this won't amount to much or stick or anything, but it sure is pretty to see.  Another pretty thing:

Happy plants!  The Christmas Cactus on the right actually has two plants in the pot - one red and one pink.  The one on the left is a single red plant.  Not pictured is my Christmas Cactus from Vermont.  Still small buds, but this morning I counted a dozen of them!  They seem to be very happy in the office room (which is pretty chilly - I rarely turn the heat on in here).

I want to thank you all for your kind words and well wishes.  I'm beginning to feel much better and - importantly - sleeping much, much better.

Now, in the vein of it's always something, our latest "something" is that we need a new water heater!  Yup, our current one has started to leak a bit and we noticed that we needed to keep moving up the dial for hot water in the shower.  The one we have now was installed in 2004, so not a bad life and I guess we got our money's worth (I don't remember what we paid).  Anyway, we have someone coming out Monday to install a new one.  I'm thankful we could get an appointment so quickly.

Today will be a baking day for me.  I plan to make 4 loaves of cranberry pumpkin pecan bread.  One for us, one for C&M and two for friends.  Whatever your plans, I hope you have a good Friday and a lovely weekend.

Unraveled Wednesday 11/20/24

 Good Morning Friends,

It was actually raining last night when I went to bed around 10:30!  I don't think we got a whole lot of rain, but any moisture is welcome.

I'm happy to FINALLY have an answer as to why I have not felt all that well for a number of weeks and why I am tired ALL the time and haven't felt like knitting or stitching and even reading has been a chore at times.  Not fun.  Well, turns out after several cultures, etc., I tested positive for C-Diff!  YUCK.  I am now on a very strong/powerful (and quite expensive) drug that will hopefully correct my problem.  I have not been able to get out and walk for several weeks and I am definitely looking forward to doing that again.  But, slow and easy.  I only started the med yesterday afternoon and will be on it for 2 weeks.  Already though I am feeling better (sometimes just knowing what's wrong can make a huge difference too).

That may be a little TMI for you, and if so, I apologize.  Now we are at Wednesday and it is time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  My making has been slow, but there is progress on the latest sock.  I am through the heel flap and ready to turn the heel (so magical!).

Hopefully the balance of this sock will move along and sock #2 will be started.  These will be for Colin and I'd like to have them done by his birthday (12/11).

Reading has been a bit slow too (hard to stay awake at times).  I did finish Sandwich but it never got better for me. I just didn't like it and I didn't care for the writing.  I am now mid-way through Finding Margaret Fuller and am finding it wonderful!  I had never heard of Margaret Fuller, but she was a real person and this is a novel based on her life.  She "hung out" (I can't think of another way to put it) with the Trancendentalists - Thoreau, Emerson, Bronson Alcott as well as Melville, Hawthorne and others.  I'm excited to get to the point where she travels to Europe.

And that's a wrap for me.  The only thing I have on my docket today is laundry which should not take too long.  It's kind of grey outside, so it will be a good day to curl up with some knitting, stitching and reading!  Hope your Wednesday brings you joy.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 11/19/24

 Good Morning!

It is still a little dark here, but the sun is starting to come up.  It's also a little chillier this morning than yesterday or over the weekend.  Did anyone else watch Part 1 of the DaVinci piece pulled together by Ken Burns?  What a mind!!  We'll see Part 2 tonight.  

It's Tuesday, so time for a TNT update.  I'm pleased that the door is now the correct width on the house.  There is still a bit to do at the top of the door (more dark color), but the width is now right.  Whew!

There is STILL so much to stitch on this piece.  I'm hoping that I will finish this before the end of the year, but all bets are off.

A week ago I showed one of my Christmas Cacti with numerous buds.  Well...some of them have now opened.

And, we counted at least 19 more buds!  My other two plants are sporting buds as well, but they are not as numerous or as far along.  So pretty!

We have a (shelled) peanut feeder hanging from the edge of our patio roof.  The birds all love to come and dine - sometimes even while we sit on the patio.  I decided to get some peanuts in the shell to put out for the Jays and crows (and the squirrels).  Guess what?  We discovered that deer love peanuts in the shell as well.  Here is the scene from yesterday afternoon.  Snack time!

Mabel and the deer are friends - the deer don't run off when I open the door to let Mabel in or out and they will approach each other (cautiously).  The deer have also become accustomed to Fletch and me.  I know they can be destructive, but I do love having them around.  (I also discovered they like roasted almonds!!  I had a bag of roasted almonds that just were not very good, so I put them out thinking the squirrels would like them...the deer chowed down before the squirrels had a chance!)

I need to remember to go out and harvest some of the French Thyme from our garden.  The other night I used the last of the garden peppers in our dinner and we had the last garden tomatoes at lunch one day.  Fletch said the Swiss Chard in the cold frame is doing well and some of the lettuce (some of the lettuce plants were hit hard by the cold weather a few weeks ago).  I'm thinking a quiche with some chard might make a nice dinner one night!

Here's hoping your week is off to a wonderful start.  Have some fun!

Anyone for Dessert?

 Good Morning!

A quick Thursday morning post just to say I made a new dessert yesterday and it was good!  So I thought I would share it with you.

I found the recipe on a vegan site on IG that I sometimes look at.  I only copied out the ingredients and instructions, but no name.  I'm calling them Oatmeal-Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Bars.  Here's the deal:

Mix together:

• 2 Cups rolled oats
• 1/2 Cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 Cup milk
• 1/4 Cup peanut or almond butter (I used peanut butter)
• 1/4 Cup honey or maple syrup (I used maple syrup)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all of the above together and press it firmly into a baking dish.  I just lined an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Let it cool.

Once cool, melt 1/3 Cup of chocolate chips with 1 tsp coconut oil.  (Just melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals till melted and smooth.). Spread this over the cooled bars.  Chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until the chocolate sets.  Cut into bars.

Some notes:  

• I tasted more peanut butter than pumpkin - I may try increasing the pumpkin puree and decreasing the peanut butter next time.
• I don't keep pumpkin pie spice on hand, so since the recipe already calls for cinnamon, I just sprinkled in some nutmeg and some ginger.
• I would increase the melted chocolate.  I had a difficult time covering the entire pan with the melted chocolate.  And honestly, there is nothing wrong with more chocolate!  LOL
• Fletch and I both thought they would be a little firmer or crunchy, but they are moist and still very tasty.

I hope you enjoy if you make them.  They were quick and easy to make, that's for sure.

Unraveled Wednesday 11/13/24

 Good Chilly Morning!

Yup - 25 degrees here this morning.  It is chilly!  I turned the kitchen heat on early (5:30) when I let Mabel outside, just to get the downstairs a bit warmer.  It was tough to get out from under the covers this morning...I just wanted to burrow down further.  But, eventually I did decide to get up and put the coffee on.  Now my first cup has been poured and I feel like I can type out a few words.

It's Wednesday which means it is time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to chat about making and reading.  After finishing Fletch's Tapped Maple socks I did not pick up any knitting needles for a week!  I just wasn't interested or inspired or whatever.  Finally though I looked through my stash and wound up a skein of handspun from Sarah.  Thanks again Sarah for this beautiful yarn!

My picture did not capture the colors very well, but the yarn is gorgeous.  It is 100% wool and I did start to knit a sock for Colin, but it just didn't feel right. I think I need the nylon when making socks.  So...I am thinking about using this gorgeous yarn to make a Musselburgh!  I have yet to knit one and I know the start can be rather fiddly, but I've done that start before (when I made my felted bag)...took me several tries, but I did get it.

Meanwhile, I did pull out a skein of Regia to make socks for Colin.  I always give him socks for his birthday or Christmas, so I thought I'd best get moving on the process.

Just plain vanilla - something that will go quickly so as to be finished in time.

Onto the books!  I finished Brooklyn and enjoyed it a lot.  I'll definitely look for "Long Island" (the sequel) but will take a break first.  I still kept thinking of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" while reading this.

Next up, I had been in the queue for quite some time for Sandwich and was excited when it became available just as I was finishing Brooklyn.  Well, count me under-whelmed.  I've read about half of it and I can't say that I really am liking the book.  For me, the writing is too gimmicky (I can't think of another word to use) and so far I am finding the story to be tedious and not very interesting.  I'll finish it (it's not a very long book), but I sure am disappointed in it.

Fletch and I are continuing to listen in bits to "The Mind of the Raven" by Bernd Heinrich.  There is a lot of humor in this book even though listening to it at times feels like being in a college lecture.

So tell me, what have you been making and reading this past week?

Tiny Needle Tuesday 11/12/24

 Good Morning!

Hope everyone is doing well.  I've been battling some kind of a stomach bug.  Thankfully I have an appointment with my doctor this afternoon...hoping to get something/anything to clear up this mess.

And...drumroll...we had some rain Sunday night.  Not a lot (nothing measurable in the rain gauge), but we actually had moisture!  I honestly can't remember when we last had any rain - it's got to be over a month.

And now it's Tuesday and time for a Tiny Needle update.  Initially I wasn't going to bother to post...not much has happened, except I learned that I can't count.

The right side of the house has been completed and I started across the bottom of the house to the front door.  I was outlining the door in preparation for filling it in when I realized my outline was way too narrow...yup, about 7 stitches short.  So, I ripped out that second side of the door and partway across the bottom and I have not picked it up since!

In some positive news, my Christmas cacti are budded!!  I have three.  The largest (and oldest) is from the giant plant my Grandmother had in Vermont.  My offshoot has one or two buds just barely forming.  My other two plants are from Peggy in Virginia.  One of them has several buds and is showing a bit of color.  The other one though - WOW!  Over a dozen buds with many showing color.

Time for me to get moving.  I need/want to clean out the frig before we go grocery shopping a little later.  I hope everyone is having a good week.

Friday, At Last 11/8/24

 Good Morning All,

It's (finally) a bit chillier this morning (low 40's) which feels more appropriate.  I think it will be a sunny day, but it's a little hard to tell right now.  I've been encouraged to wake to very cloudy and overcast skies, but so far, no rain.

And my it has been a long week hasn't it?  I've just wanted to sleep a lot.  And I have napped each day which has been a wonderful escape.  Yesterday morning I decided to bake something.  Fletch had seen a recipe in a magazine for a baked apple bread so I set out to make that.  I was surprised that it called for not peeling the apples.  There are chunks throughout the bread and also slivers of apple all along the top.

Really it was just ok.  Not great.  We both found it drier than expected.  I found the flavor to be a bit bland (despite cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom).  I also think the apple slices on the top are not necessary - with plenty of apples in the batter, no need to put more on top.  Bottom line?  I will not save the recipe.  BUT, it was fun to bake and nice to have something different.  We took half of it over to C&M's last night.

C&M are doing well.  We did not see Mailing - she was at a work dinner.  Next week is her last week in the office - she will be working from home after that.  Things are coming together - they received their first order from Dyper (the diaper service they are using); the crib has been set up, the dresser/changing table is in place and all is really ready for the big arrival!!  They have a futon in the room that is the nursery and Talbot was happily sitting on top next to a giant stuffed lion:

Talbot seems to have adjusted well to life without Marcel.  I'm glad of that.

The framed piece on the wall is a cross stitched piece that was made by one of my sister-in-laws for Colin when he was born.  Fun to see it up on a wall again.

No plans (so far) for today.  I still feel pretty worn out from the week, so taking it easy will be a priority.  Wishing everyone a wonderful, easy weekend - enjoy!

Unraveled Wednesday 11/6/24

 Good Morning!

Despite Fletch having CNN on last night, I have not watched any of the returns.  Head in the sand and all that (don't judge - there is comfort in that).  When I went to bed (early - like 10 p.m.) Fletch said that things were looking good.  When he came up to bed around 1 a.m. he said things do not look good.  Count me as being a bit dumfounded this a.m. and I sure as hell hope I am wrong.  Enough.  

It's Wednesday, so time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers.  I don't have a whole lot to show or talk about BUT...my Tapped Maple Socks are finished.  Woo-Hoo.

I finished the second one on Sunday and they are now tucked away in Fletcher's sock drawer.  I have not picked up a needle since then (knitting OR stitching!).  Life has been busy.  Or I have been scattered.  Or something.I have things to work on - my Semplice Shawl and my Hitch on the Move are just two of them.  I had also chosen yarn and put it in a project bag with the needles to make a Baby Vertebrae, but that has not been started.  And, for once, I don't feel like making socks!  What is up with me???  This could all change in an hour or two, time will tell.

As for reading, Fletch and I are continuing to listen to "The Mind of the Raven" by Bernd Heinrich.  It's good, though at times it sounds like a lecture rather than a book.  I did finish "You are Here" by David Nicholls and enjoyed it very much.  It's a charming and funny love story.  Now I have started Brooklyn and am enjoying it a lot.  I'm roughly a third of the way through it and already know I will be requesting "Long Island" which is the sequel.  As I'm reading, I keep remembering reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and how much I loved that book.

Well, time for me to get moving.  I have an appointment at 9 with the audiologist (just a follow up where I will most likely be scolded for not wearing my hearing aids on a regular basis).  I need to dry my hair and put something in my stomach.

Take it easy today and be gentle with yourself and others.  We will get through this.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 11/5/24

 Good Morning!

It's Election Day!!  I'm preaching to the choir, but if you have not yet voted, please do so.

It's also Tuesday which means time for a Tiny Needle update.  I thought I stitched a lot during the past week (and, maybe I did), but the picture doesn't lead me to think that way.  Yes, the house has grown a bit and there is now the beginning of a tree to the right.

I will admit to the house being a bit boring to stitch, but it's good to have that as an option when I am tired.  One of my favorite parts of this sampler has yet to appear.  It's a big ol moon above the new tree.  Bonus:  black birds in flight against the moon.  I may need to start that part this week.

It has been warming up here again.  Yesterday when I let Mabel out at 5:30 a.m. the temp was 28.  This morning when I let her out at 5:30 it was 46!  Our roller coaster weather continues.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Tuesday!

Weekending

 Good Morning!

Whew!  I slept over 9 hours last night (and around 10 on Saturday night)!!  I'm still in the waking up phase, but it felt so good to sleep in.  I must have needed it.  It's a chilly morning here, but the sun is out and I have some laundry in the machine - will hang it to dry on the lines.

Colin & Mailing were over for dinner on Saturday and it was great to see them.  The baby is only a month away!!  I keep wondering what we can get them (they keep buying everything they need/want themselves) or getting stuff from friends.  I finally asked Saturday night and Mailing said the best thing would be meals that we could bring over for them to have after the baby is born.  Easy enough since I love to cook.  I'm already dreaming up stews, soups and various dishes I can make and take to them.  As they said, they do not really need "stuff" and their house is small - they don't want to overload it with baby things.

Yesterday I made a new-to-us vegetarian dish that was so yummy!  It is Lemony White Bean Pasta With Sun Dried Tomatoes and Walnuts.  Here is a link:  https://www.lastingredient.com/pasta-baby-greens-beans-walnuts/

My friend Leslie had sent me sun dried tomatoes from Italy that were amazing!  Different (and so much better) than anything you can get here in the States.  I used both baby spinach and baby arugula and did not put the cheese in it (of course I didn't).  Fletch sprinkled his with parm, but said it didn't really need it.  We both agreed that no harm would be done by adding a bit of cooked bacon or crumbled sausage.  LOL. Anyway, definitely a keeper and one I will make again.

Today I've got things to take care of - received a doctors bill for a co-pay that I already paid when I had my visit (back in July), so I need to follow up with them.  I'm reviewing Medicare Advantage options this afternoon (I really dislike that this needs to be done each year).  And, I'm hoping that a couple of books will come in for me at our library - I had started a Barbara Pym novel from my own bookcase, but am having a bit of a struggle got get into it.  And, of course, I'm hoping for some "making" time (stitching and knitting).  Anything to keep myself occupied if you know what I mean (and I know you all do).

Take care my friends and be gentle with yourself.  Have a very good Monday.

A BIG Tree! 11/1/24

 Good Morning!

And Happy November!  There is a rosy tint to the sky this morning and...drumroll...our cars are wet and there is rain on our windows!!  Woo-Hoo!  No measurable amount, and nothing falling right now, but it was wonderful to see.

Can anyone guess how many trick or treaters we had?  Exactly None!  Happy I didn't go overboard on buying candy.

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day.  I set out a little before 10 a.m. and went to a section of the Perkiomen Trail that I had not walked previously.  I parked off Route 113 and then walked toward Schwenksville.  Very soon I came upon a magnificent tree:

A swamp White Oak which I have never heard of.  The tree's diameter was measured at just over 5.5' in 2021!

The trail itself was rather nice, though it veered away from the water and closer to the road than I like.  There were a lot of folks out walking and biking, but it did not feel crowded.  A little bit after the tree I came upon some small railroad tracks:

Turns out it is the track of a "live steam" rail.  Their "run days" are only the 4th Sunday of June, July and August from 10-3.  Might be fun to check it out next summer.

This was the first time I had managed to get out to walk in quite a long time.  I managed to go a little over a mile and by the time I got back to my car my back was screaming...I need to build my strength back up.

Today I need to tackle laundry, the kitchen floor and the bathrooms.  Not as pleasant a day as yesterday for sure, but needed.  Here's hoping that your Friday...and your weekend...are filled with good things.  Enjoy!

Thursday Stuff

 Hello All,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

It is so dark these mornings, but I think it is this weekend we "fall back" and turn our clocks back, so the mornings won't be quite so dark (at least for a little bit).  Afternoons, on the other hand, will be darker.

Yesterday was super warm and I think there will be more of that today.  Fletch and I sat out comfortably and then he grilled steaks for our dinner.  Yum!

Today I'll share some things with you - a miscellaneous 3 on Thursday (copying Carole) if you will.  First up, I did make both cranberry relish and cranberry chutney yesterday.

The relish (on the right is just cut up/ground up cranberries and oranges.  And a boat-load of sugar.  The chutney is a ground up orange and cranberries (not ground up) cooked on the stove with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, apple cider vinegar and sugar.  I don't process these as they keep FOREVER in the frig.  I made enough to give a jar of each to C&M and I even have an extra jar of the chutney for Fletch to take to a former client.

Because Fletch is going to visit his former client, I had to bake some cookies.  Connie and David LOVE cookies.  I made a batch of chocolate chip with the addition of some cut up uncrystallized ginger.  I think chocolate and ginger go so well together.  Fletch sampled one last night and pronounced it delicious.  I was too full from dinner to try one...but I will today!

Between the cranberry relish and chutney and the cookies, our house smelled like a combination of Thanksgiving and Christmas!

The last thing to share is wine!  You all know that at times I buy wine by the label and the other day was no exception.  I have not heard of Cult Wine from Napa previously, but I picked up a bottle of cab to try.  For some reason, my pictures are not loading...or I can load one but it won't show when I preview my post.  But here is a LINK to what the front of the bottle looks like.  The wine is just ok - not great, but it went well with our steaks.  The label though?  That just cracks me up!

I have no idea if we will get any trick or treaters this evening.  It's always a crap shoot.  Sometimes we get some and many years we have none.  I was remembering that years ago my aunt in Vermont would bake chocolate chip cookies to give out.  She used to have kids (little and big) come from miles around for her cookies.  Today, of course, no one would let their kid have home-made cookies which is kind of sad.

Hope everyone's Thursday is spooky!  Have a good one.

Unraveled Wednesday 10/30/24

 Good Morning!

It is looking to be a fine Wednesday morning here.  Milder than yesterday.  And yesterday ended up being SO busy!  Running around and doing stuff all morning and into the early afternoon.  I really was feeling like a nap would be the BEST thing, but seeing all the tomatoes and peppers on the counter I decided against that and instead buckled down and made sauce.  We had it for dinner and it was quite yummy.  All that is left now on the counter is a small bowl of little green tomatoes.  Not sure what I'll do with them, if anything.  They are too small to make fried green tomatoes and there is not really enough to chop up for any salsa verde (which I know is made with tomatillos, but...).

Today I was going to make a new recipe for baked apple bread, but I think I'll wait on that till Saturday when the kids are coming for dinner.  Today I may focus on cranberries and make some chutney (Fletcher's Mom's recipe) as well as some cranberry orange relish (my Mom's recipe).

And maybe, just maybe today will be the day I get to explore a new trail.  Time will tell.

Meanwhile, it's Wednesday - the last one in October (gasp!) and time to link up with Kat (and Franklin!!) and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about what we are making and reading.  My Tapped Maple sock #2 is progressing.  Kind of a snail's pace, but progressing.

I took that picture last night after dinner and the foot is roughly half knit.  I managed to knit another 10 rounds, so I'm getting even closer to the toe decrease point.

The mail brought my November Sock Squad yarn from The Farmer's Daughter:

Once again two half skeins and a mini.  I prefer one regular skein, but whatever.  The color way is "Mourning the Abundance" (which I don't get).  I like the purple mini with the silver but not with the other skein and I do like the two half skeins together.  No idea what they will become, but eventually something.  Only one more shipment to come for the 2024 Sock Squad.

Reading has been good.  Fletch and I are listening to The Mind of the Raven by Bernd Heinrich after dinner.  There are lots of funny parts to the book and we are both enjoying it.

On my own I am reading You Are Here by David Nicholls.  I've enjoyed this novel quite a bit - thought I would finish it last night, but with only 40 or so pages to go, my eyes would not stay open.

Well, time for me to pour another cup of coffee and attempt to wake up more.  Here's hoping your Wednesday is filled with delights!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 10/29/24

 Hello, Hello,

Another chilly morning, but gosh!  Yesterday was in the mid-seventies.  We've had snow on Halloween in the past, but that certainly will not happen this year.  Though any moisture would be appreciated.

Well, it's Tuesday which means time for a Tiny Needle update.  The last for this month of 2024.  Progress seems to be slow, but it is steady:

Fence construction was completed and construction on the house has started.  Part of the right wall and one window has been installed.  There is so much solid stitching in this piece that it is slow going.  Thankfully I'm still enjoying it (and hoping no one has gotten too bored with it by this point).

No definite plans for today other than grocery shopping and hopefully making the sauce from the last of the garden tomatoes and peppers.  If time and the weather allow, I'd like to get out for a walk - there is an area of a trail that I have not walked previously...would be nice to add another option to my choices.

Time to pour the coffee.  Have a wonderful day!