Weekend Musings

I've realized my idea of perfection in terms of Saturday mornings.  Wake up early while everyone is still sleeping, have a quick bowl of cereal, get dressed, drive to the market, knit with friends over cups of Balinese coffee, buy vegetables and fruit, drool over the cheese, smell the flowers, and return home to children fed and dressed - that part was just luck and a wee bit of timing.

Now it's Sunday morning, and I'm still in my pyjamas.  I've already got a roast and vegetables in the slow cooker, and the littlest has decided that today would be a good cupcake day.  She didn't have to convince me much, and now they are in the oven baking.   Next up, I have some finishing to do on a Simple Beret and the Ptarmigan Cowl, and there should be plenty of time to read a few chapters of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.  I'll be staying under my cozy blankets and soaking up the sun from the front window like a lazy cat.  It won't be all lying about as I have a soccer game after dinner.  Think of it as conserving energy. :)

N

Little House on the Conservation Area

I found my paradise in the form of a pioneer village.   We learned about printing presses, really tiny fonts, making ink from soot, carding and drafting wool, singing God Save the Queen, churning and molding butter, and living in a one-room homestead.  It was awesome.  We only saw half of the village, so I'm eager to return and visit the rest.  I'm packing a bag.  Wonder if it would get wi-fi.  Hmmm. 

N

PS. The littlest and I are reading The Little House on the Prairie every night before bed, and I'm amazed that I've made it this far in life without reading this series.  We've just finished chapter 9 in which Pa has built a fireplace for their new house on the prairie.  I was super relieved last night/chapter 8 when Laura helped Pa build a door to replace the ol' quilt that hung over the doorway.  I barely slept a wink after chapter 7 in which a giant pack of 50 or so of the biggest wolves that Pa had ever seen surrounded the house howling at the moon.  I honestly don't think that Pa and his gun and Jack the scruffy dog would have been a match had the wolves stormed the quilt-covered opening to the house.  Evidently I am quite consumed by this book.  I'm going to freak out when they have to move house again.  Just saying.

Straw Flower Love

A $2.50 bouquet of straw flowers from the market is happiness.

N

Lavender Blue Farm

I found myself with four kids on the weekend, and so we went on a little adventure to the nearby lavender farm.  It was a bit drizzle-y and overcast - perfect for taking pictures and smelling lavender.

I bought a bag of dried lavender to sew sachets for my wool stashes and a vial of lavender essential oil to make my own linen spray.   I could have fallen asleep right in that field - except four kids will keep you alert.  Just saying.

N

Blueberries Here, There & Everywhere

Just popping in to say that I still have probably 5 pounds of blueberries left!!!!   Please do not misunderstand me.   I'm far from sick of them.  this is a pretty sweet situation to be in.  So far I've made blueberry sherbert, blueberry muffins, blueberry salad and blueberry sauce.  I'm thinking blueberry pie next.

I definitely have to share some of these recipes as I am fully aware how mean it is of me to post these images of mouth-watering food and not point you in the right direction.  Mea culpa.  First I must put in a day of hardly working, I mean working hard.

Toot, toot.
N

Blueberries for Bee

The littlest and I took a little drive out to the country, and we spent an hour and a half in a sunny field of blueberries as wide and far as the eye could see.  She hummed little tunes and entertained me with silly stories.  We laughed and made a pretty good team.  We paid a pittance for our two big buckets of blueberries, and I haven't got a clue how I'm going to use up all of them because we must consume them quickly as I want to take her and my hundred closest friends next weekend - everyone should have that much fun.  Ever have those wonderfully blissful days you want to relive over and over again?

N

Procrastination Pays Off

It only took five years, but I finally hung up some of my pictures.  We eyeballed it and took about twenty minutes tops as only we do.   The three on the bottom are from Australia and the talented Inkberry Blue.  The abstract on top is a Christmas tree painted by the littlest when she was four.  She also drew the family portrait on the left.  You can't see the middle picture, but my sister brought it back from San Francisco, and it's very lovely.  And the two pictures on the far right were from a yard sale in Ailsa Craig, but I think they're paintings of Old Quebec.  The flowers are from El's grade 8 grad last week.  Each day I wake up and pass the bouquet, and it looks better than the day before.   Sweet!

Speaking of happiness, I finally got my hands on This Emotional Life.  I just need six hours.  And a grande vanilla latte.

N

Dessert in Five Minutes

My favourite dessert to serve in the summer is sponge cake from Briwood Farm Market in St. Thomas topped with freshly whipped cream and berries.  If you live elsewhere, I suggest you take some time and hunt down that perfect sponge cake.  It'll be worth it.  This particular sponge cake stays fresh for two weeks, so I pick up one up every now and then when I am in St. Thomas.  I always have a small 500mL carton of whipping cream in the back of the fridge because one never knows when you need whipped cream, and it is usually good for up to two months.   So all I ever need to do is a quick berry run.   Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries are all good.  Or mix 'em up like I did here.  I think peaches would be pretty snazzy too.  If whipping your own whipped cream is holding you back, do not fret any longer.  This is what I do:

1. Chill your beater attachments and the whipping cream and the bowl (if you can fit it in the freezer - I can't so it's no biggie) in the freezer for about twenty minutes.   Any longer may freeze your whipping cream, and that won't do.
2.  In a large deep bowl, pour a 500mL carton of whipping cream with a tsp. of vanilla and 1/4 cup of sugar.  I might put less sugar.  I really don't know 'cause I just throw in what looks good.  I don't like my whipped cream too sweet.  Let the berries and cake do that work.
3.  Beat with your hand mixer on high until peaks form.  You'll know when it's done.  It takes approximately three minutes.  Don't over mix.  The whipped cream will get all airy and bleh.
4.  Serve with sponge cake and berries, and watch it disappear!

Now we can all be twins!

N

Easter Activity

With our big family dinner already inhaled, we have the rest of the long weekend to recuperate and simply enjoy some downtime.  Today we went to the market and bought bunches of tulips, we stocked up on books and movies from the library, we decorated eggs, and we ate leftovers.  The littlest has noted that she would like to stay up and sneak a glimpse of the Easter Bunny tonight, and I'd like to say that I came up with some brilliant reason why we couldn't, but I was and still am at a loss.  It may be a very long night.

N

Thrifting

I slipped into the Goodwill this afternoon, and I scored a set of four Denby mugs for $4.  They remind me of our living room - the white trim, mantle, ceiling and sofas with cream walls and dark brown hardwood floors.  And they're pretty groovy, right?  Mmmm . . . hot cocoa, here I come!

N

Paranoid

About two years ago, expiry date tags came up in conversation three times in one week, and I took it as a sign that I should never throw one out ever again.  Up until recently, I had been throwing them into a kitchen drawer.  Over Christmas, I cleaned out a bunch of drawers, and I was thrilled with my tag stash.   They are now being displayed in a pretty bowl.  And that's why I am dangerously close to becoming a hoarder.  Ironically I think I was cleaning out the drawers because I had stayed up late the night before watching that dang show, and I was scared silly when I looked away from the television, and my eyes were met with piles of knitting, crayons, polly pockets, books, blankets, and cereal.  Okay, maybe my house doesn't stink of rotten food yet, but these things take time.   I am clinging on to little pieces of pastel plastic!!!  Oh dear.  I'd say I've lost my marbles, but there's a whole 'nother bowl for those.

Holla-Days

Look at that cinnamon roll.  Just look at it.

See anything new?  After spending weeks researching entry-level digital slr cameras, we splurged and got ourselves (read 'me') a Canon Rebel XS.  I'm having a splendid time tinkering around with it, and in doing so I have spread the love of it amongst my friends and family.   Because if everyone else has one, than it couldn't have been much of a frivolous expenditure, but rather a much needed and common household object.  Right?  Plus I couldn't have possibly been expected to take fuzzy and boring ol' photos of baked goods forever.  Nah, I can't bad-mouth my Fuji point 'n' shoot.  It's done me good.  I plan to keep it around a bit longer.  I also think that a certain teenager would be more than happy to steal it away.

Up next (tomorrow, I hope!) - pictures of finished monkeys for all of you who must be dying to see them.  They turned out wonderfully, and the girls really do love them.  I think they know deep down that the monkeys were a bit out of my usual knitting range.  I like easy, quick, non-finicky, as seamless as possible, more utility projects.  But they were worth every single minute of cursing under my breath for countless nights after they had safely been tucked into bed.

Speaking of which, I must do right now.  It's late!

N

Pods

I think I may have a new love. Pods. Oh sweet pods of baby alien boobies. Now they're all over my mantle. I regret that I didn't also steal a slice of home-baked pecan pie while I was there.

N

Falling Slowly

Look at that! I'm ready to pick up stitches for the neck!!! And I read up on finishing techniques using my Debbie Bliss How To Knit book. Excellent diagrams and text if I do say so myself. I can't even see the side seams on the body of the sweater. Those seams up there are shoulder seams - they're even and consistent, but not invisible, which is typical of shoulder seams. I'm still a bit nervous about knitting the sleeves in to the body since I decided to knit them in the round which was not per the pattern instructions. Oh well.

This little pretty pink skein of 100% cashmere made my entire week! Thank you again, Lauren! I've been hunting for the perfect cowl pattern for finger-weight. Any suggestions would be welcome. I'm thinking a lace pattern would be ideal.

And we've been picking up signs of fall during our sporadic walks in the neighbourhood. Must. Get. Out. More. The sun is shining today against the weather channel's predictions, and it's begging for us to go out and play! Can do.

Happy Sunday!

N

30 Days of Happiness :: Antiquing

Call me crazy, but those crazy moose rugs that are probably more of a wall hanging than anything make my heart flutter. And it's super soft. Is it possible that it is SO tacky, it's beautiful???? I am going to put it in my craft nook and love it all to myself (mostly so no one else sees it and laughs 'cause it might seriously hurt my feelings). I'm also a little weirded out that this animal/nature tapestry thing is not far off hanging a fleece wolf blanket in my window.

I also bought a few baskets while antiquing on the weekend, and I found this one for $3. It's a really great size for something. I haven't quite decided for what exactly, but I have lots of options - yarn, blocks, toys, etc. I nearly didn't buy it 'cause it was a little too orangey in the store, but it must have been the florescent lighting 'cause it's absolutley perfect in my living room and doesn't look orange at all. In fact it could almost pull off red.

I really love to hunt for great finds, and I had some wonderfully patient shoppers with me. It's essential to have a good sounding board for these buying decisions 'cause I have been known to get carried away thrifting. I think I did good. I'm happy.

N

30 Days of Happiness :: Tangrams

A couple weeks back, the girls were gifted a tangram set from Laurie. I said, "Thanks." and I smiled. I kept my excitement subdued until after she left.

TANGRAM!!! Woot! Woot! Holy moley mole!!! a FLIPPIN' TANGRAM set!!!!! For FREE!! For US!! To KEEP!!!! FOREVER!!!!

I know. It's kind of sad how happy I am. But it's big-sized and made out of sturdy smooth wood and comes with a whole book on shapes we HAVE to make using all the pieces. It's a super math challenge for the brains. Think of all the spatial geometry skillz we're going to have after hours of enjoyment with this thing. It's making me happy that we're probably going to be mathematical geniuses. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

N

30 Days of Happiness :: Six

Oh to be 6 again. She'll be 7 in two weeks. I want to hit pause and enjoy this age a little bit longer. This kid radiates happiness.

N

Inkberry Blue

Thanks to the world of blogs, I have met some of the most wonderful peeps from all over. Fiona of Inkberry Blue is seriously halfway around the globe, but I happened upon her blog ages ago, and I was mesmerized by one of her watercolour paintings. Today I got three of her prints in the mail along with a crocheted washcloth, homemade soap, and a 'bless' stone! Anyone who knows me and has been to my house knows that these prints scream ME. Really. They couldn't be more perfect. I have to whip down to IKEA and pick up three frames (and a 2009 catalogue), and hang them up prominently in my living room for all to see as soon as they walk in the door. And if they miss them, people will be stopped and lectured. Just saying.

Thank you, Fiona, for the lovely package. I feel as if I need to send you my first-born in return. :) Just say the word!

N