Saturday Sky and Sunday Quote

Saturday sky.....

"The Sky is the daily bread of the eyes"
by Ralph Waldo EmersonKool Aid dyed yarn...
Stuff on the right was Natural Mar by Patons
Dyed w/1 package of Slammin' Strawberry kiwi
and 1 package of Watermelon Cherry
the stuff on the left is acrylic and wouldn't take the dye.

Knitting: almost finished with the front part of Bumpkins dress. Should finish it up tonight and tomorrow she'll have a new dress to wear.

Sewing/Quilting: nothing new. But have a deadline on Tuesday, so tonight will be spent cutting and sewing blocks together.

The weather has been warm lately 60 F. But Bumpkins thinks that that is too cold! While I have been convincing her to stay outside, the brush around the front yard has been attacked. Yesterday I found the rusty handsaw and took out 6 trees w/a diameter of slightly bigger than my wrist (4").
Today was spent out at a picnic and it was COLD! While we were sitting around outside eating and listening to bluegrass music, a comment was made that we could be in Kentucky for the atmosphere. My reply was "if we were in Kentucky it would be WARMER". Then further discussion was that this weather would be similar to lets say October, November, February, March. 50 F is chilly- and I was wearing long johns today. Especially when I work in 80 F w/ 80% humidity. Took Bumpkins out on a paddle boat ride today- she had fun. Hmm... she didn't complain about it being to cold- oh yeah that is because we already put a Homespun hooded sweater on her.

Recipe: Rhubarb dump cake: 4 c rhubarb, 1 c sugar, 1 3 oz pkg of raspberry jello mix, 1 box of yellow cake mix (dry), 1/2 c melted butter, and 1 c water. Layer in greased 9 X 13" pan than bake 50 min at 350 degrees F. It went fast! Everyone loved it, and there was a lot of rhubarb being displayed at the potluck. (For the butter drizzle over the top of the mixture for even coverage also drizzle the water over it all for even coverage.)

Random Website Monday

Everybody has a job to do...
(the pooper scoopers from the parade).

A new Bistro in Kenai.....
"The Funky Monkey"

Knitting: nothing finished. The chenille is very hard to frog because it likes to stick back upon itself.

Sewing: nothing today.

Another rainy day, so no outdoor play group today. Went grocery shopping instead and the big purchase of the day was.... door knob protectors. You know the ones that stop chilluns from opening the doors. Well Bumpkins doesn't like them- she thinks the doors are all locked (from both sides!)

Well that's about all folks.

Random website: And what time is where? One of the official Greenwich Meantime Converters.

Dinner: baked potatoes, with cheese, broccoli and sour cream. Bumpkins ate carrots, broccoli and sour cream and a 1/2 pint of chocolate milk.

Another recipe: Cornish Game hens stuffed with 1/4 of an apple and glazed an orange marmalade mixture. 2 T orange marmalade, 2 T soy sauce, 2 T Teriyaki sauce and 2 T butter. Heated up in micro until warm and melted then spread 1/2 of glaze over 2 game hens and bake uncovered at 325 for 1 hr. After 1/2 hour spread more glaze over hens. This also can be prepared in crockpot- just use more liquids.

Saturday Sky and Sunday Quote

"Eagles don't flock,
you find them one at a time."
H. Ross Perot

(if you click on the above pic.
you will see lots of seagulls flocking..)

And now my wonderful smelling
Alaskan Wild Roses.

Knitting: Cast on and started another swamp witch scarf. But have frogged it yet again. Cast on and frogged a top to a dress for Bumpkin's. Note: chenille and fun fur don't frog nicely!

Sewing: nothing new lately.

Quilting: did some sewing and cutting. Realized that the cutting was done w/o allowing for seam allowances. Arg!

Just had some low key laid back days this weekend. Nothing much really accomplished.

Couldn't play outside in the yard for much of the day on Saturday. There was a Mama moose hanging out w/her little calf. Bumpkins and I did go out for about an hour, until I heard a "whoosh" in the woods. Mama exhaled air! I scrambled to get Bumpkins inside. Athena brought in and released another mouse into the house. (this one didn't leave the dining room). After DH got the mouse and tossed it up on top of the carport, Athena decided to catch, kill and start to consume a bee. I put a container over the bee before she actually ate it. Hmm... maybe she needs to be fed some cat food. DH and I ate dinner outside at the picnic table, the sun finally came out!

Sunday there was a Thunder storm. Our temps have gotten warmer- last week we hit 70 F, and today was around 67 F. Nice little rain storm, didn't see any lightening though. (yes I went outside to look for it, but didn't leave the overhang of the house roof). Before the storm DH, Bumpkins and I went to a park in Soldotna.

Recipes: chocolate graham crackers spread w/marshmellow creme. Delish.

Sunday Quotes

"I feel fine and comfortable with myself,
but not because I'm beautiful."
by Monica Bellucci

(the above is one of the many quilts that
were featured at Quilting on the Kenai)

my crabapple tree is my weekly yard pic.

Knitting: cast on today for a baby sweater knit on 2 needles by Elizabeth Zimmermann. Hopefully this sweater can be part of a set that gets sent out to Iowa for a flood victim.

crocheting: am almost done w/my Fashion First Aid bag out of the Happy Hookers book. Have run out of red acrylic yarn and so it is hibernating until more red shows up.

Sewing: cut out a dress for Bumpkin's and hope to finish that this week. (again no pattern)

quilting: this Round Robin quilt thing is kicking my behind. Spent much of the morning trying/attempting to create a template. Realized that the template is on the net.... now just to retrieve it.

Saturday DM, Bumpkins and I went to a quilt show. It was ok.. not sure if I will go again, the people wanted to charge Bumpkin's full price for admission. you have got to be kidding! Some of the quilts were exquisite. A few grabbed my attention and those will be featured in the coming weeks.

Today Bumpkins assisted me in doing laundry (I wasn't aware of the help!), she took the towels that she put in the wash machine yesterday out and placed them in the dryer. Later I went to wash the towels- thinking they were still in the wash machine. Wasn't very pleased when I went to take clean dry clothes out of the dryer to discover them wet.. and towels? Next thought was well what was in the washing machine then.. come to find out that my machine was washed empty! Did you know that in a front loader washing machine, soap bubbles will remain after the cycles are done when the machine is run empty.

I declared war on the Cottonwood trees in my yard. The brush pile now is HUGE! And more will go this next week. DH really didn't notice where I took them from until I pointed it out. Sorry no before and after pix.

new recipe: baked rhubarb. Take 1 part chopped rhubarb, 1/3 that amount in sugar season w/spices and bake in greased pan at 400 degree oven for 40 min. Serve over waffles. delish. (so to 1 c rhubarb add 1/3 to 1/2 c sugar)

Z is for:

Zillion.. that is about how
many projects are
needed to be done.

Zilch... is nothing got done.
DH's scarf still needs 18 inches.
(and I knitted alot on that sucker)

Zing.... this sock once had a turned
heel.
It got frogged.

Zis..... is Bumpkin's cardigan.
(you try coming up w/a letter Z!)

Z.... Elizabeth Zimmermann
leggings. (not pictured)

Zany..... Another new recipe: Pineapple Upside down cake. 1/4 c butter melted in bottom of cast iron skillet. Mix aprox. 3/4 brown sugar into melted butter then put 20 oz. well drained crushed pineapple over brown sugar/ butter. Make a yellow cake using pineapple juice instead of water, following directions on box. Pour 1/2 the cake batter over pineapple and the other 1/2 into a prepared 9" pie pan. Bake at 350 for 25- 30 min until done. Let sit for 5 min than carefully flip the pineapple one upside down onto a plate, then carefully place other one on top. Serve w/whipping cream.

And now I have finished the alphabet... what to do now for Sundays. Any suggestions?
It snowed out North (Nikiski) today- but not here. We did get some minimal melting going on though.

Saturday Sky

Today's sky- anther gray day.
(had to put a tree in it so it didn't look
like a piece of paper)

What is hanging out in your backyard?
Thankfully these guys were in someone else's yard!
(if you guessed Bald Eagles- you were correct).

Do you remember the big snowbank?
This is how much it has melted.
A boring shot of the swing set today...
Bumpkins did try to play on it...
but she doesn't like how the snow feels.

This the snow on Easter:
(first visit to the swingset all winter)
And very difficult to swing
really had to raise your legs
to even swing.


Yes hard enough to walk on.

Knitting: Worked on many things this last week. Have only 18 inches more to go on DH's scarf (my goal is to knit an inch a day!) frogged back DM's sock so now it is ready for the turning of the heel. And lastly knit another 4 rows on Bumpkin's cardigan.

Work: been very busy, Wednesday through Friday was 7- 5 shift. DH has been working too, midnight to 8 am. That meant Bumpkins had to get up at 6 am to go to daycare- long days for her. But she did really good, even took some naps there (she usually doesn't nap). Thursday night was a long night for me (for some unknown reason I am having nightmares again. This time 4 of them in a 5 hr period. All the dreams/nightmares were similar, little kids drowning).

So no new movies have been watched, nor books read. Did check out the "History of the Snowman" and another "Saxons, Vikings and Celts" should be some interesting reading.

Made Frito pie in the crockpot. Turned out different- things to do differently: after skinning chicken only add 1 c water to mixture. (Oh yeah.. I used a whole chicken instead of beef). Also made little pocket sandwiches out of the leftover shredded pork- delish.

Random Website Monday

Knitting: started a pair of mittens on Saturday. (They were supposed to be for Kazul- well they will fit a child!) I will continue to knit these and finish them up.
Specifics: size US8 DPN and Lion Brand Jiffy yarn. Super easy!

What did I do today? Made 2 loaves of Hawaiian Sweet bread in bread machine. First on didn't rise- so made another. The second one rose and was devoured in 2 hours after being baked!
Recipe:
2 1/4 c flour
2 T powdered milk
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 T vegetable oil
2 T honey
1 1/2 T coconut milk
2/3 C pineapple juice
1 egg
1 1/2 t yeast
Baked on Bake light setting (I will have to reverify- but I don't think that I forgot anything)

The rest of day was spent sleeping in until 9:30, knitting, dishes, and 7 loads of laundry (did 5 complete, 1 still in washer and 1 in dryer).
Training tonight out at the pool. From 6- 9 that is a long one, Bumpkins went to DM's. Saw one car flipped upside and about 10 ft. off of the road. That one hurt!

So now I am tired.. but will post the:
Random website: With publicity like this the knitting community just might vote Obama in as our next president.

Weather: this am was -20 (some people were saying -30... BRRR!) it has since warmed up to 3 above and is snowing. North Kenai already has 2 inches, my house... 1/2 in. We will see if the forecasters are right- they are calling for 6-8 inches of snow.

Strange Stuff Tuesday

Yikes! this Advent blogging isn't going very well. Way to busy!

Monday- I will post pictures later about the cons of having a front loading washing machine. (yep- it flooded the basement not once but twice). Made some awesome cream cheese sugar cookies (they made a lot like over 80 cookies). Went to the library and 13 books later (several are cookbooks for Christmas meals). Went to a La Leche meeting (our hospital has remodeled and now I have to read the map of how to get to anywhere!) Didn't sleep well as we are attempting to move Bumpkins into her own bed.

Tuesday: Washed dishes, put away laundry, prepared for the washing machine repair guy, and went to work. Work, did 4 sets of lessons (2 of them are private ie... one on one w/a child), supervised and taught water aerobics. We have a blizzard warning in effect (so a long slow drive home tonight). Have to go into work early tomorrow 7 am so need to go to bed now.

Prayer request: There was a lifeflight helicopter that went down somewhere in the Prince William Sound Monday at 5 pm. The search was called off due to bad weather, the flight crew are members of this community. Also Agrium is laying off 80 people from the local fertilizer plant on Dec. 5.

Random website: Bible readings for the month of Advent.

Strange stuff Tuesday: And for that person who wants NOTHING for Christmas. Fast and easy!

End of traumatic week

The week is over.
Knitting: where am I? As for both of the prayer shawls- tabled. The socks for Hufflepuff- frogged yarn will become a hat. So I started a house elf sock- only problem is the ribbing fits around Bumpkins thigh. So onto an experimental pair of leg warmers. (dress up clothes if anything.)

Bumpkins has been so sick this last week. Took her in on Wednesday- and was told that she has ear infections in both ears. On top of a horrible cold- she coughs so hard that she throws up. She hasn't been able to keep her meds down- tonight she did. While trying to keep up w/her medications I am forgetting to take my own. I have a sinus infection- doesn't help that I have to continue to swim.
My work week has been so messed up. Now I have to make up lessons on a Monday of Spring break. That is going to bad. DH's last day of work was today, I am kind of stressing about money as my check is the only one coming in. Thing Two is suspended for 10 days- he won't be gong back for 3 weeks. What a vacation. To bad we aren't on the continent- road trip. Here a road trip is out of the question. It takes two days just to get out of the state and we don't have passports for everyone. More repercussions of 9/11.

Recipe: ButterBeer- butterscotch schnapps w/cream soda, very sweet, but smooth and yummy.