Not much has been going on here this week. Sooooo cold. Last night it was 5*. On the upside I can just layer on the handknits. Except for the ones that I took down to my local branch of the library to be in their window display for February!I thought they were going to have things from several people but I guess that I was the only one they asked. So I took down a variety of things and they let me set up the display and then they added the knitting books.

Sorry about the cruddy pictures but the cell phone isn't the greatest especially with the glare from the front doors.

One of the librarians took some photos that she is going to email to me so hopefully I will have some better photos.

I was going to cook today but just couldn't seem to get motivated. I did make some "velveeta/sausage"-like dip yesterday using nutritional yeast and tvp (textured vegetable protein) from the cookbook "500 Vegan Recipes". Pretty tasty if I do say so myself. I dipped tortilla chips in it and today made a quesidilla.

Also made a tempeh/oatmeal "meat" loaf that I am enjoying. As well as some lovely mustard greens with toasted walnuts and marinated mushrooms. So good.

Now I have made myself hungry so I think I will go foraging for some dinner. And then off to knit and watch some dvds. I think I shall finish watching the last season of Northern Exposure. Stay warm and knit lots!

I just think the moss is such a lovely shade of spring green. But I don't understand how it can be growing when it's been so cold! Last week it never got out of the 20*s so how can the moss look so spring-like? But I suppose that I shall think of it as a sign that eventually winter will be over and spring will be here. Although I really haven't disliked it so far. Got alot of knitting done and I do enjoy being at home. Especially when it's so bitterly cold. On the upside-I have made quite a few pairs of fingerless gloves and gauntlets. Love them! My hands get COLD and they really help.

Had Chinese for lunch today. Mmmmm. The best buffet is not too far from here-Twin Dragon- and it is fabulous! They have a Mongolian grill that you can make your own dish and they cook it right there. Lots of veggies and the absolute best scallion pancakes you've ever had. Love them! We went for a belated birthday for sis and an early birthday for me. So good.Sunday we went to Hyde Park to get some coffee and tea at Coffee Emporium (the house on the left). They have the best in town. We got Winter Solstice coffee, which has caramel and some other kind of taste that I can't remember) but oh so good. They have very smooth tasting coffee that doesn't have that bitter, nasty aftertaste.

Also got some new teas. Well, a few are infusions of herbs and nuts which are what I try and drink at night. Or I have some white tea. Right now I am really enjoying Tazo's Berry Blossom white. Very tasty.

I would have gotten a closer picture but it was raining that day and didn't really want to be standing in the middle of the street (across from the police station, so they didn't need to see me either!) taking pictures with the cell phone.

This funky house is an interesting thing. We still can't figure out what was going on in this guy's mind! Have no idea if it's a house, a business, or what. But it's very fascinating to see.

Lunchtime!

The plate is a fried tofu pasta casserole and
some marvelous collard greens with pine nuts and raisins that was amazing. I love collard greens the best so I like to do all kinds of different dishes with them.

The sandwich is a faux-Rueben with marinated tempeh taking the place of the meat. The bread is a ciabatta roll and I couldn't get enough of these. I ate one every day until the tempeh was gone. Mmm mmmm mmm.This is a baked macaroni and "cheese" that I would just use elbow macaroni instead of mixing the pastas. That's what happens when you have several small amounts of different pastas around and want to use them up. It has a delicious topping of panko that gives it a nice crunch.

I also made myself some vegan peanut butter cups that are just sooooo good. I think that candy bars are the one thing that I miss alot so these definately hit the mark.

I don't know why I have no knitting pictures to show today but I will have more soon.

Enjoy your weekend!

Here's a video of one of the Quakers' having a bath. His name is Rufus and he does get wet.

I @#$#%^$^ %^$*%$. Whew. That's better. I spent a great portion of this afternoon seaming together the Celtic poncho (better known as the never-ending project) and it was going along swimmingly until ( this is the part where the ominous music begins...dum dum DUM!) I held it up and ....I can barely stand to write it...it's too short. ARRRRGGGGHHHHH! I think I am going to have to make a whole extra tier of triangles to lengthen it. So I folded it (sorta) and gently removed the bag in which it has been residing and placed it out of sight out of mind. *sigh*.

Freezing cold here this week! And snow. Yesterday we had 5" of the foul white stuff. At least it was the light, fluffy kind that was relatively easy to shovel. And shovel I did. After the 4th time I decided that it didn't need to be done anymore until today. I just wanted to be able to get out of the driveway with a minimum of fuss. And it is now covered again with a light layer. But it's sooooo cold out that I just don't care. Wind chills in the single digits and negative so I am staying inside. With my hot cuppa vanill apple white herbal tea and my "cheesy" crackers that I made for myself. They are a variation of Goldfish crackers but vegan and whole-wheat. And are they good! The little "cookie" cutters are Noah's Ark and I get great pleasure out of biting the heads off the lions...teehee. Since it's so cold I've been doing some cooking. These are some baked chimichangas and so good. I will definately make these again. Today I made roasted cauliflower, roasted brussel sprouts with apples and onions, and macaroni and "cheese", and a "Rustic" pasta from Alicia Silverstone's book "The Kind Life". It has cabbage, celery, onions, soy sauce and lots of yummy things. A winner! And for dessert, some chocolate-peanut butter rice crispy treats.

I really like roasting vegetables because it brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable. If you've never roasted any I would highly recommend trying it.

And some of the cauliflower with a marinated fried tofu and a barley-mushroom "risotto" that was not only yummy but healthy as well.

But the knitting has not been neglected. I made another bobbled headband for myself. It's so warm and comfortable that I had to have another. This one is a blue tweed color and actually matches my coat.

Here are the wristlets that I am making right now. It's a pattern on Ravelry called "Symmetrical Braided Gauntlets" and so easy and fast. The yarn is "I Love This Yarn" worsted weight from Hobby Lobby and the color is so bright. Which is nice this time of year.

I love fingerless gloves. I have several in each room and they certainly do help as my hands get cold. I am going to make some that have fingers as well.

Went to the library today and got a few dvds as I am not going anywhere this weekend if I can help it. Brrrr. I think I just may have to make some more crackers though. I can't stay out of them!

Stay warm and safe.

New Christmas mug. I had to replace one of my favorite Starbucks mugs because I "killed" it. I dropped it on the floor and thought it survived so I went to wash it in the sink and then the handle fell off. *Gasp* So sad. I got this one at Borders because I belong to their reward program and they sent me an additional $5.00 in rewards money so I had to spend it. And the mug was half-off so it was $4.00. Score! It's nice and big and the snow man just looks kind of crazy and eerie. Just like a snowman should....teehee.Here's what I got myself for Christmas. Pretty sock yarn. I bought it from www.LittleKnits.com and talk about great service. I ordered it not too long before Christmas and actually didn't expect to receive it until after the holiday but it came several days later. And the receipt had handwritten notes from the owner and the person that either packed the order or processed it. I think that's a nice touch. And the yarn was on sale for 60 to 75% off, depending on which one it was. So who could pass that up in any case?Here's one of the things that I made for Christmas morning brunch. It's a tofu and veggie scramble wrapped in crescent rolls and baked. Absolutely yummy! I couldn't stay out of it. I served it with hash browns that were baked in muffin tins. I made so much great food and we ate so much that I could hardly look at food the next day. I did get alot of knitting done though.

We watched alot of movies and generally just laid around. Which was nice and relaxing.

Here's one of my finished projects. It's a scarf from the lastest Noro book. I made it out of Lion Brand Suede yarn because I didn't have the yarn it called for but this was the same weight. It looks nice but just like any suede or chenille it does get rather loopy and loose. But I do like it.

Here's another fast knit. It's a super bulky yarn and I thought it was a cute hat.

Here's my current sock that I carry along in my purse. I didn't realize that the yarn-OnlineSupersocke- is a sport weight so I just knit it using the Yarn Harlot's basic sock pattern and size 2 needles. No wonder it knit up so fast!

But it will be warm, that's for sure. It's nice and thick. I do like the yarn though.

Well, off to do some consignment knitting. It's a pair of socks that are worsted weight, which always go fast but they are size 11's so it takes a while to get through the foot. But almost finished with the first one so I will soldier on!

Happy New Year to everyone! And stay warm on these 11* nights!!