Monday, September 24, 2012

Geeze. Where did the time go? One of these times I will post sooner. The time just seems to be flying by these days.
It's finally gotten cooler here. We've actually been colder than usual these past few days with temperatures at 35* last night. Now it will be in the 70*s but that's still much better. Not cool enough for socks but it's so much nicer. I sure did miss having pots of tea all day but have had many since the weather turned. Ahhhh. So lovely. Right now having a cup of Blackberry Sage.
Been using the slow cookers right this weekend. Right now I'm making Cinnamon syrup from "The Vegan Slow Cooker" by Kathy Hester. http://healthyslowcooking.com/ It's a good book with lots of great recipes. The cinnamon syrup will be for coffee drinks and apple cider and it smells fantastic! Also made some gumbo yesterday with some of the purple okra that I picked up at the farmers' market. I didn't go yesterday because several of the booths where I shop where not going to be there. Probably will go on Sunday because there's only a few more Sundays that it will be there. I often feel bereft during the winter for the lack of farmers' markets.


Knitting is moving right along.This is a twisted headband to match the sweater and scarf I just made. Doesn't really look like much but it's cute when worn.
This is the Oversized scarf I made to match the sweater I just finished. It's the scarf from the fall issue of Vogue knitting. The other thing I've been trying to finish is my Swiss Cheese scarf.
I'm about 2/3rds done and I really like it. It's made from Kauni EQ and I enjoy the color changes.
Okay, just a short post since I've been so lackadasical about posting and I'm going to try and do better. But I have to knit something commissioned so I'm off.
Have a great night and enjoy your knitting.

Monday, September 10, 2012

I was so sure that I was posting in a timely manner and imagine my surprise when I saw the last post was on the 31st. Where did the time go?
I think it must've been because last week we had some nasty weather last week, which kept me off the computer when it was especially bad. At least it's cooler right now. We had lovely temperatures in the low 70*s over the weekend and what a nice change. I would just walk outside and breath a sigh of relief. Going to warm up again but at least I feel that there is an end in sight. When it's so unbearably hot it is simply draining and feel like it's never going to end. It wasn't cool enough to wear socks or anything but it did get me thinking about them. My sister works a booth at the local renassiance festival and she was very glad to have all her handknits because it drops down into the 50*s at night and she gets chilly.  She was thrilled to pull out all of her scarves, wraps, hats and socks. Looked like she was having a knitted garage sale in her living room.
Here's one of the things that I'm working on now.
This is the "Oversized Cable scarf" by Martin Storey in the new early fall Vogue knitting issue. I thought it would be nice to make it to go with my aran sweater. This is the true color of the yarn rather than the picture in the previous post. It's moving right along because it's knit on size 15's. I don't like knitting with anything larger than an 8 but it is going fast.
Today I went to my local Starbucks and when I ordered my soy latte they asked if I wanted anything else and I replied that I wanted mine in a pretty floral cup. And this is what they did.


Got my lovely floral cup! lol.
Went to the farmers' market Sunday and got a nice haul. I will be sad when they are over for the year, which is soon I think. By the beginning of October. So I will have to buy my produce in the store :(
I got a huge bunch of kale and swiss chard, some yellow wax beans and some dried Jacob's Cattle beans, which I got earlier in the season and loved them. I cooked them in the slow cooker then froze them. They stayed nice and firm and didn't get mushy when I made maple baked beans in the slow cooker. I still have a few containers left in the 'fridge so I think I'll make root beer baked beans, which are fabulous.
I'm really enjoying using my slow cooker(s). I went to the store the other day and bought a huge amount of tomatoes on the discount rack and make diced tomatoes. Got the equivalent of 17 cans of tomatoes which are in flattened plastic freezer bags stacked in the freezer. I do like having beans and tomatoes in the deep freeze all ready to go. I always have wanted to can but it kind of scares me. Just like a pressure cooker. I mean the scary part is in the name!
Here are the stitch markers that I won as part of a knitalong for ClaireEllen Designs. I LOVE her patterns. So not only did I get some beautiful stitch markers I got a stunning pair of socks.The next ones that I will knit are Eowyn http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eowyn-socks-2. I just have to find the perfect yarn for them.
Okay. I am definitely going to try and post sooner. Have a great night and get some knitting done!