Monthly Archives: February 2013

Slow Week

For some reason this week has felt never-ending.  At the same time, I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished much.  Maybe it’s just the winter doldrums.  It’s gone from bitter cold with a smattering of snow (enough to lightly dust the ground but melt by the next day) to sunny and in the high 50′s.  There’s talk of rain tomorrow.  Winter rain is not something I handle well.  It makes me grumpy and bitter that it should be beautiful snow; delicate, beautiful flakes of happiness to settle on branches and cover the world in a layer of fresh white.  Instead it’s rain and mud and brown and grey and cold and BLAH.

On the plus side, we actually did get those bitter cold snaps that I was hoping for.  With any luck this will keep the overgrowth of parasites and pests in check this year.

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Also I should be happy that we’ve gotten some snow.  Some snow is better than no snow, right?

Plus, in between the snow and rain and the cold and the warm I have managed to get outside and take care of a few things here and there.  Which is when I discovered these:

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My garlic has sprouted! All those many bulbs I planted in the fall are waking up and sending out shoots in preparation for spring.  I have already begun dreaming of my garden this year and my head is full of plans for what we’ll grow and where we’ll put the new squash bed.

But for now it is still winter, and I still need to tough it out and finish my darn sweater before it gets too warm to wear it.

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One sleeve to go!


Tagged: Farm, food, Garden, Knitting, Pets

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

It’s not the best photo but the soup sure was delicious!

French onion soup

Roast several beef bones with 2 quartered onions and several carrots at 400F about an hour or until juices are no longer red. Transfer to the stovetop, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer with a tiny pinch of salt and a few bay leaves. Cook, at a simmer, for about 4 hours, adding water if needed. Quarter and thinly slice 2 pounds onions and transfer to a heavy-bottomed pan with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Saute onions over medium heat until softened and liquid begins to evaporate. As the liquid reduces, begin to lower the heat to prevent burning. Continue to cook until the onions begin to caramelize and turn a lovely golden brown. (This usually takes a few hours, I stir every 20 minutes at first decreasing gradually to about every 5 minutes towards then end of the cooking.) When the onions reach desired caramelization, add 3/4 cup red wine Rodney Strong cabernet worked beautifully) and allow to reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. Now pour in your beef stock ( strained with most of the fat skimmed off) and bring your soup to a simmer. Season with salt and add a few tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves. Serve with French bread and grated Gruyere.

I Love Hearts …

My creation


Influence

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Do other people influence what you choose to read? When a family member recommends something, or a friend says they hated a book you were planning to read … does it affect your reading choices?


Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!


Yarned by You

Alright folks, I’ve run out of themed Yarned by You posts! Unless I think of something brilliant (or someone requests something), I’ll be putting up an assortment of things from here on out, with sporadic themed posts when I think something up. So if you want to see a particular thing, let me know and I’ll do my best!

handmadebykoren has knitted up some GORGEOUS JMF patterns as shop displays for Gather Here, a wonderful one-of-a-kind shop located in Cambridge, MA. This is her Hattie (designed by Caroline Fryar) in Herriot. Such a stunner!

Also knit in Herriot, Barbara emailed this photo of It All Comes Together to Susan:

This is the ubiquitous Central Park Hoodie knit by purltwo in the special edition yarn Cormo Rusticus. It looks so lofty and squishy and warm!

In contrast, teribella’s Bonnie is knit with an open gauge that gives this sweater a lovely drape and spring feel! Cormo Rusticus is versatile!

Amy Kaspar designed this beautiful Fallen Lady Stole for Findley. This looks so delightfully light and snuggle-worthy! I can’t believe that there are no projects for it, yet!

This is Ahern’s Maude knit up in Findley Dappled in 105 Clear Blue Sky. I love the lacy top giving way to the ribbing! I bet it’s flattering for many shapes and sizes.

That’s all for this week! What are you knitting? What do you want to see next?

Fun with Postcrossing

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Today in Pictures

This photo totally cracks me up. It’s like a picture from the Bible.

 

Sam looks like the angel at the top of the Christmas tree.

Luna

Lyra

Churchill and Charley

Suspicious Bertie is watching you!

Hannah

Feenat

Richochet quilt

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I love doing baby quilts because I can try out new methods and patterns without much risk. For this one I am using the Ricochet and Away HST baby quilt tutorial. This is another great pattern that works up really quickly. I went from uncut fabric to the block layout in the space of a few hours.

I Love Doors …

My creation


Propagating Lavender

Last Spring I posted here about how easy it to propagate rosemary from cuttings. Today we’re going to use the same techniques with lavender.

My mom always has a few vases of lavender going on her bathroom window sill.

Sometimes they even bloom!

 It’s just as easy to propagate lavender from cuttings, although lavender needs more time to develop a root structure due to it’s less rigid stems. It’s important to change the water whenever it becomes dark, about once a week, to prevent your roots from rotting. I would also advise you to strip away any leaves that fall below the water surface; this keep your water fresher longer.

Once you have developed a strong root system, transplant the lavender to a pot filled with potting soil or (when it warms up!) directly into your garden.

If you want more information on growing rosemary, I found this book really helpful:

The Lavender Lover’s Handbook: The 100 Most Beautiful and Fragrant Varieties for Growing, Crafting, and Cooking.