We have spent a wee bit of time and more than a wee bit of money at a wonderful orchard near Shell Cottage. Our first visit we picked apples for 15 minutes and were surprised to find that we had accumulated over 40 pounds of apples! What further surprised us was how fast they disappeared, what with apple sauce, apple cake, and just plain eatin'!
I discovered a new apple on that trip, the Melrose. As big as my head (and I have a BIG head) and a wonderful balance between sweet and tart, I found them addictive.
We had to go back in very short order. And those apples went away pretty quickly.
That's when I realized, Hey! I have a yard! I can grow apples myself! So I started researching and studying and trying to make decisions. Yesterday I went back to the orchard -- the very last day of the season -- and asked a question about planting, and my friend the AppleMan asked me how much I was paying per tree. I told him and he said that he could tack on my trees to his order and get them for me for one-third the cost!
So come spring we will be planting three trees - Melrose, HoneyCrisp, and Smokehouse apples! And in 4 or 5 years we will be harvesting 12 bushels of apples a season! (A bushel weighs approximately 42 pounds!) We should be able to provide all of our friends and family with apples! And apple cake. And apple sauce. And apple butter. And mincemeat. And...and...and!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I'm Loopy!
OK. I'm not one to gush about Local Yarn Shops. I've had some bad experiences. Especially with LYS owners. I've always liked Loopy Yarns because their people were friendly, helpful, and they listen to what I want...and then get it! (Really! I said I preferred solid sock yarn, 4 weeks later there were 6 colors of solids. I like the Cascade Alpaca Lace, but I've bought all I like of the colors they have...yup! 4 weeks later there are 12 new colors! And they have all my favorite needles!) But I have a new reason to like them. And I thought I'd mention it.
I've been working a bunch of hours, and I was getting off work after an 11.5 hour day. The point protector for the circulars I'm using for the Eiffel Tower shawl keep coming off, and I had noticed that they had come off and I had dropped a few stitches. (Luckily, only a few and I was able to correct it in no time flat.)
I rang up Loopy to see if it happened to be the night they stay open late. Vicki, the owner, answered the phone and said that they had closed an hour earlier, but if I hurried, she would wait for me to get there! And she did! She stayed late, for me. And my whopping sixty-six cent sale. Can you believe that?
You know, I could use a few balls of Alpaca Lace....
OTHER STUFF!
I just took a huge spanikopita out of the oven -- we are having our chavurah (group of friends) of people mostly from our old synagogue over for an informal Kabbalat (Welcoming) Shabbat service followed by a potluck. We will have about 25 people -- lots of singing, laughing, eating, etc.
Anyway, I've made this spanikopita a lot, but this time is a little different. Why? Because I made the feta cheese myself. From goat's milk. From a goat I know. And love. And milked.
I've been making my own chevre and other soft cheeses, but this was the first "hard" cheese I have made. Flavor-wise it is a great success, but I was disappointed in the texture. When it went into the brine it was firm, but after 21 days it was really, really soft. Almost marshmallow fluff. So I rinsed it off and the most fluffy part rinsed off and what remained was perfect for the spanikopita. Good and salty and goaty! I can't wait!
I've been working a bunch of hours, and I was getting off work after an 11.5 hour day. The point protector for the circulars I'm using for the Eiffel Tower shawl keep coming off, and I had noticed that they had come off and I had dropped a few stitches. (Luckily, only a few and I was able to correct it in no time flat.)
I rang up Loopy to see if it happened to be the night they stay open late. Vicki, the owner, answered the phone and said that they had closed an hour earlier, but if I hurried, she would wait for me to get there! And she did! She stayed late, for me. And my whopping sixty-six cent sale. Can you believe that?
You know, I could use a few balls of Alpaca Lace....
OTHER STUFF!
I just took a huge spanikopita out of the oven -- we are having our chavurah (group of friends) of people mostly from our old synagogue over for an informal Kabbalat (Welcoming) Shabbat service followed by a potluck. We will have about 25 people -- lots of singing, laughing, eating, etc.
Anyway, I've made this spanikopita a lot, but this time is a little different. Why? Because I made the feta cheese myself. From goat's milk. From a goat I know. And love. And milked.
I've been making my own chevre and other soft cheeses, but this was the first "hard" cheese I have made. Flavor-wise it is a great success, but I was disappointed in the texture. When it went into the brine it was firm, but after 21 days it was really, really soft. Almost marshmallow fluff. So I rinsed it off and the most fluffy part rinsed off and what remained was perfect for the spanikopita. Good and salty and goaty! I can't wait!
Monday, October 18, 2010
100 Chinese Foods to Eat Before You Die
100 Chinese Foods to Try Before You Die
If you want to play along, copy & paste this list to your site. Put in bold the items you’ve already eaten and cross off the ones you would never try. Let me know your score by leaving a comment!
1. Almond milk
2. Ants Climbing a Tree (poetic, not literal, name)
3. Asian pear
4. Baby bok choy
5. Baijiu (chinese white liquor)
6. Beef brisket
7. Beggar’s Chicken
8. Bingtang hulu
9. Bitter melon - (hated it!)
10. Bubble tea
11. Buddha’s Delight
12. Cantonese roast duck
13.Century egg, or thousand-year egg
14. Cha siu (cantonese roast pork)
15. Char kway teow
16. Chicken feet
17. Chinese sausage
18. Chow mein
19. Chrysanthemum tea
20. Claypot rice
21. Congee
22. Conpoy (dried scallops)
23. Crab rangoon
24. Dan Dan noodles
25. Dragonfruit
26. Dragon’s Beard candy
27. Dried cuttlefish
28. Drunken chicken
29. Dry-fried green beans
30. Egg drop soup
31. Egg rolls
32. Egg tart
33. Fresh bamboo shoots
34. Fortune cookies
35. Fried milk
36. Fried rice
37. Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
38. General Tso’s Chicken
39. Gobi Manchurian
40. Goji berries (Chinese wolfberries)
41. Grass jelly
42. Hainan chicken rice
43. Hand-pulled noodles
44. Har gau
45. Haw flakes
46. Hibiscus tea
47. Hong Kong-style Milk Tea
48. Hot and sour soup
49. Hot Coca-Cola with Ginger
50. Hot Pot
51. Iron Goddess tea (Tieguanyin)
52. Jellyfish
53. Kosher Chinese food
54. Kung Pao Chicken
55. Lamb skewers (yangrou chua’r)
56. Lion’s Head meatballs
57. Lomo Saltado
58. Longan fruit
59. Lychee
60.Macaroni in soup with Spam
61. Malatang
62. Mantou, especially if fried and dipped in sweetened condensed milk
63. Mapo Tofu
64. Mock meat
65. Mooncake (bonus points for the snow-skin variety)
66. Nor mai gai (chicken and sticky rice in lotus leaf)
67. Pan-fried jiaozi
68. Peking duck
69. Pineapple bun
70. Prawn crackers
71. Pu’er tea
72. Rambutan
73. Red bean in dessert form
74. Red bayberry
75. Red cooked pork
76. Roast pigeon
77. Rose tea
78. Roujiamo
79. Scallion pancake
80. Shaved ice dessert
81. Sesame chicken
82. Sichuan pepper in any dish
83. Sichuan preserved vegetable (zhacai)
84. Silken tofu
85. Soy milk, freshly made
86. Steamed egg custard
87.Stinky tofu
88. Sugar cane juice
89. Sweet and sour pork, chicken, or shrimp
90. Taro
91. Tea eggs (actually made these myself!)
92. Tea-smoked duck
93. Turnip cake (law bok gau)
94. Twice-cooked pork
95. Water chestnut cake (mati gau)
96. Wonton noodle soup
97. Wood ear
98. Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)
99. Yuanyang (half coffee, half tea, Hong Kong style
100. Yunnan goat cheese
If you want to play along, copy & paste this list to your site. Put in bold the items you’ve already eaten and cross off the ones you would never try. Let me know your score by leaving a comment!
1. Almond milk
2. Ants Climbing a Tree (poetic, not literal, name)
3. Asian pear
4. Baby bok choy
5. Baijiu (chinese white liquor)
6. Beef brisket
7. Beggar’s Chicken
8. Bingtang hulu
9. Bitter melon - (hated it!)
10. Bubble tea
11. Buddha’s Delight
12. Cantonese roast duck
13.
14. Cha siu (cantonese roast pork)
15. Char kway teow
16. Chicken feet
17. Chinese sausage
18. Chow mein
19. Chrysanthemum tea
20. Claypot rice
21. Congee
22. Conpoy (dried scallops)
23. Crab rangoon
24. Dan Dan noodles
25. Dragonfruit
26. Dragon’s Beard candy
27. Dried cuttlefish
28. Drunken chicken
29. Dry-fried green beans
30. Egg drop soup
31. Egg rolls
32. Egg tart
33. Fresh bamboo shoots
34. Fortune cookies
35. Fried milk
36. Fried rice
37. Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
38. General Tso’s Chicken
39. Gobi Manchurian
40. Goji berries (Chinese wolfberries)
41. Grass jelly
42. Hainan chicken rice
43. Hand-pulled noodles
44. Har gau
45. Haw flakes
46. Hibiscus tea
47. Hong Kong-style Milk Tea
48. Hot and sour soup
49. Hot Coca-Cola with Ginger
50. Hot Pot
51. Iron Goddess tea (Tieguanyin)
52. Jellyfish
53. Kosher Chinese food
54. Kung Pao Chicken
55. Lamb skewers (yangrou chua’r)
56. Lion’s Head meatballs
57. Lomo Saltado
58. Longan fruit
59. Lychee
60.
61. Malatang
62. Mantou, especially if fried and dipped in sweetened condensed milk
63. Mapo Tofu
64. Mock meat
65. Mooncake (bonus points for the snow-skin variety)
66. Nor mai gai (chicken and sticky rice in lotus leaf)
67. Pan-fried jiaozi
68. Peking duck
69. Pineapple bun
70. Prawn crackers
71. Pu’er tea
72. Rambutan
73. Red bean in dessert form
74. Red bayberry
75. Red cooked pork
76. Roast pigeon
77. Rose tea
78. Roujiamo
79. Scallion pancake
80. Shaved ice dessert
81. Sesame chicken
82. Sichuan pepper in any dish
83. Sichuan preserved vegetable (zhacai)
84. Silken tofu
85. Soy milk, freshly made
86. Steamed egg custard
87.
88. Sugar cane juice
89. Sweet and sour pork, chicken, or shrimp
90. Taro
91. Tea eggs (actually made these myself!)
92. Tea-smoked duck
93. Turnip cake (law bok gau)
94. Twice-cooked pork
95. Water chestnut cake (mati gau)
96. Wonton noodle soup
97. Wood ear
98. Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)
99. Yuanyang (half coffee, half tea, Hong Kong style
100. Yunnan goat cheese
Thursday, September 02, 2010
10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
This has been posted by a kabillion people on Facebook, and I don't know who the original author is, but this is a truth people should hear:
10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE.
10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
I'm Back!
We had a lovely time at Shell Cottage. I was terribly sorry to leave so soon, but Norbert had an afternoon bat mitzvah to attend, so leave we did.
I suppose you'd like a little more info than that. Let's see. Monday was sort of an easy day. Norbert slept in, but Myfanwe and I acted like adults and only slept an hour (me) or two (Myfanwe) later than usual. We made a trip or two outside -- to the orchard for a big bag of peaches and a mess of corn -- but other than that, we were lazy. We went to the library -- I checked out another Foxfire book and a book on calving for persons involved in bovine husbandry. We had lunch in the village Saloon -- which we never would have done six months ago, but thanks to the new smoking ban in Michigan, we can and do avail ourselves of the vittles served up by our neighborhood publicans. In the afternoon I knit more on the Eiffel Tower Shawl -- I'm nearing the end of the 2nd Chart and will then do a repeat of it to create a large shawl. I sort of remember napping a lot, which must have been more tiring than it sounds, because I had to go to bed early!
Tuesday we kept to basically the same schedule. I slept an hour later than usual, Myfanwe slept two, but Norbert only slept three hours later than usual because we were going on an adventure. The three of us went kayaking on the Galien River. (River does sound a bit more...um...mobile than this body of water. We were told that the return didn't take any longer because there was "zero current".) Anyway, it was beautiful, peaceful, and a bit of a thrill. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to do it. But I could! And we saw a beautiful, big Blue Heron at pretty close range! He flew out of the reads about 20 feet ahead of us and flew down the middle of the rive so we could get a really look.
Wednesday we drove to Shipshewana, Indiana for the Flea Market, the Antique Auction, and -- my favorite -- E & S Sales, the best Amish general store in the Midwest! I bought stone-ground course whole wheat flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, and bread flour (all grown in Indiana by people the owner knows, milled locally, and all carrying kosher certification!), six pounds of SAF Instant Yeast, raw honey, beef ring bologna, and various pickled veggies. We ate at the Auction House Restaurant -- we all ordered the chicken & noodles special and Norbert & I split a piece of peanut butter pie. Michelle bought an old 12-light window with frosted panes which she is going to hang in our bedroom at the cottage and use to frame photos from our trip to Ireland. She's going to mount one photo in each of the panes of glass, and hang it where she can look at it from bed. (She really misses Ireland.)
Thursday we went to St. Joseph, Michigan to Silver Beach, possible the finest beach on a Great Lake. It really is a stunning beach, clean, orderly, with benches in the shade along the periphery and a few shaded picnic tables for lunch. Myfanwe had packed a picnic, so we availed ourselves of the shade. It had warmed up nicely -- it was, for the first time all year, a little cooler than normal -- but warm air does not necessarily mean warm water. When Myfanwe says it's cold, it's COLD! After the beach we walked around downtown St. Joe, including and especially Kelwins's Ice Cream & Candy! Yum! I had two scoops -- 1 cappachino chocolate chip and the other toasted coconut. I would like to go back every day for the rest of my life, please! SO delicious!
Friday. Hmm. Norbert and I started off the day with another kayak excursion. Myfanwe begged off. The river was beautiful again -- though I can't move a quickly as Norbert can -- he flies! We need to find another person to go with us who can move at the same speed so we aren't holding Norbert back.
We made another library crawl. Norbert had to collect his prize. He entered the summer reading contest which offered a prize to the top 5 readers and a Grand Prize for the reader who read the most minutes over the summer. Noah felt a little handicapped, since he only had 3 weeks to read and keep track of time before he left for camp, and he was volunteering full time at his school's preschool during those weeks. But he really focused on reading and keeping meticulous time records. The outcome? Norbert read 43 hours 15 minutes, besting his nearest competitor by 6 hours and some odd minutes. His Grand Prize? $50.
After that Myfanwe and Norbert went to the beach in New Buffalo while I went and had a visit with our friend Jaye, who was our realtor when we bought Shell Cottage. I enjoy her very, very much, so that was a big treat. When I left Jaye's office, I staked out a little bench on the main, boardwalky sort of street and sat in the shade and knit. If there is a better way to spend an hour, I don't know what it is!
This morning I started off by going to a friend's to meet her new goat, Posie. Posie is a real looker! I'm completely smitten. I thought she was so cute that I felt her up at the first opportunity! Yes! Me! Milking a goat! It isn't as easy as it looks, but I did it, and I plan to get better in the future. Posie is a very patient young goat and forgiving by nature.
After I go home, we ran to the orchard again for more peaches and some apples this time. I do love quality produce! These are the last peaches we will have for the season, so I'm sorry to see them go, but with the end of the peaches we should also soon see the end of the heat, so I can start backing some apples pies and cakes!
I know there are no pictures. And that's because I can't find my camera. I took a whole bunch of pictures with my phone, but then my phone died a horrible death while kayaking. At least it was quick, that's all I can say. (And thank Bob our contract is up and we are all going to get new phones, maybe as early as tomorrow.)
Good night. I'll write again soon.
I suppose you'd like a little more info than that. Let's see. Monday was sort of an easy day. Norbert slept in, but Myfanwe and I acted like adults and only slept an hour (me) or two (Myfanwe) later than usual. We made a trip or two outside -- to the orchard for a big bag of peaches and a mess of corn -- but other than that, we were lazy. We went to the library -- I checked out another Foxfire book and a book on calving for persons involved in bovine husbandry. We had lunch in the village Saloon -- which we never would have done six months ago, but thanks to the new smoking ban in Michigan, we can and do avail ourselves of the vittles served up by our neighborhood publicans. In the afternoon I knit more on the Eiffel Tower Shawl -- I'm nearing the end of the 2nd Chart and will then do a repeat of it to create a large shawl. I sort of remember napping a lot, which must have been more tiring than it sounds, because I had to go to bed early!
Tuesday we kept to basically the same schedule. I slept an hour later than usual, Myfanwe slept two, but Norbert only slept three hours later than usual because we were going on an adventure. The three of us went kayaking on the Galien River. (River does sound a bit more...um...mobile than this body of water. We were told that the return didn't take any longer because there was "zero current".) Anyway, it was beautiful, peaceful, and a bit of a thrill. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to do it. But I could! And we saw a beautiful, big Blue Heron at pretty close range! He flew out of the reads about 20 feet ahead of us and flew down the middle of the rive so we could get a really look.
Wednesday we drove to Shipshewana, Indiana for the Flea Market, the Antique Auction, and -- my favorite -- E & S Sales, the best Amish general store in the Midwest! I bought stone-ground course whole wheat flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, and bread flour (all grown in Indiana by people the owner knows, milled locally, and all carrying kosher certification!), six pounds of SAF Instant Yeast, raw honey, beef ring bologna, and various pickled veggies. We ate at the Auction House Restaurant -- we all ordered the chicken & noodles special and Norbert & I split a piece of peanut butter pie. Michelle bought an old 12-light window with frosted panes which she is going to hang in our bedroom at the cottage and use to frame photos from our trip to Ireland. She's going to mount one photo in each of the panes of glass, and hang it where she can look at it from bed. (She really misses Ireland.)
Thursday we went to St. Joseph, Michigan to Silver Beach, possible the finest beach on a Great Lake. It really is a stunning beach, clean, orderly, with benches in the shade along the periphery and a few shaded picnic tables for lunch. Myfanwe had packed a picnic, so we availed ourselves of the shade. It had warmed up nicely -- it was, for the first time all year, a little cooler than normal -- but warm air does not necessarily mean warm water. When Myfanwe says it's cold, it's COLD! After the beach we walked around downtown St. Joe, including and especially Kelwins's Ice Cream & Candy! Yum! I had two scoops -- 1 cappachino chocolate chip and the other toasted coconut. I would like to go back every day for the rest of my life, please! SO delicious!
Friday. Hmm. Norbert and I started off the day with another kayak excursion. Myfanwe begged off. The river was beautiful again -- though I can't move a quickly as Norbert can -- he flies! We need to find another person to go with us who can move at the same speed so we aren't holding Norbert back.
We made another library crawl. Norbert had to collect his prize. He entered the summer reading contest which offered a prize to the top 5 readers and a Grand Prize for the reader who read the most minutes over the summer. Noah felt a little handicapped, since he only had 3 weeks to read and keep track of time before he left for camp, and he was volunteering full time at his school's preschool during those weeks. But he really focused on reading and keeping meticulous time records. The outcome? Norbert read 43 hours 15 minutes, besting his nearest competitor by 6 hours and some odd minutes. His Grand Prize? $50.
After that Myfanwe and Norbert went to the beach in New Buffalo while I went and had a visit with our friend Jaye, who was our realtor when we bought Shell Cottage. I enjoy her very, very much, so that was a big treat. When I left Jaye's office, I staked out a little bench on the main, boardwalky sort of street and sat in the shade and knit. If there is a better way to spend an hour, I don't know what it is!
This morning I started off by going to a friend's to meet her new goat, Posie. Posie is a real looker! I'm completely smitten. I thought she was so cute that I felt her up at the first opportunity! Yes! Me! Milking a goat! It isn't as easy as it looks, but I did it, and I plan to get better in the future. Posie is a very patient young goat and forgiving by nature.
After I go home, we ran to the orchard again for more peaches and some apples this time. I do love quality produce! These are the last peaches we will have for the season, so I'm sorry to see them go, but with the end of the peaches we should also soon see the end of the heat, so I can start backing some apples pies and cakes!
I know there are no pictures. And that's because I can't find my camera. I took a whole bunch of pictures with my phone, but then my phone died a horrible death while kayaking. At least it was quick, that's all I can say. (And thank Bob our contract is up and we are all going to get new phones, maybe as early as tomorrow.)
Good night. I'll write again soon.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
What Do I Do Now?
We had a guest for Shabbat -- Norbert's best friend, Leroy. Knowing how much Leroy likes lox -- he really can eat a pound without noticing -- I picked up a pound of Nova at the grocery yesterday.
This morning I put out a spread of soft baby pita. homemade fromage blanc, lox, diced read onion, tomatoes, and blueberries.
Leroy arrived at the breakfast table, asked for cereal, and then ate a bowl of (dry) cereal instead.
We leave for a week at Shell Cottage tomorrow. What in the hell am I going to do with a pound of lox? Did I mention I don't LIKE lox? Oi!
This morning I put out a spread of soft baby pita. homemade fromage blanc, lox, diced read onion, tomatoes, and blueberries.
Leroy arrived at the breakfast table, asked for cereal, and then ate a bowl of (dry) cereal instead.
We leave for a week at Shell Cottage tomorrow. What in the hell am I going to do with a pound of lox? Did I mention I don't LIKE lox? Oi!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Knitting Needles and Tools Reviewed
Knitting Needles and Tools Reviewed
I don't like charts, so I would never use this, but this is an easy, inexpensive way to create charted patterns. $6! Who'da thunkit?
I don't like charts, so I would never use this, but this is an easy, inexpensive way to create charted patterns. $6! Who'da thunkit?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
It's Not the Same as a Trip to Paris
...but it will have to do for now. Last Thursday I cast on the Eiffel Tower Shawl, which was inspired by the iron work detail in the tower. I'm half-way through the second chart, and enjoying it. It is, for the most part, an easy, mindless knit -- which is exactly what I need right now! The end border will be more involved, which I am sure I will enjoy as well.
Norbert is home from camp. He grew two inches while at camp and is now 2 inches taller than I. And he is only 13! His return is much appreciated -- I didn't realize how much I rely on him for the tie breaking vote on things like going out for Vietnamese or buying ice cream for dessert! All joking aside, he is a good boy and I am so glad to have him back.
Next week is vacation. The three of us are going to Shell Cottage. We'll spend one day in Shipshewana, Indiana, but other than that we plan to stick around and go to the beach, go kayaking, and lay around and read a lot.
While on the subject of books, let me recommend a couple I have really enjoyed: "The Good Good Pig" by Sy Montgomery is at the top of this year's list. I enjoyed it immensely and it really touched me deeply. I'm also re-reading "Miss Mary Bobo's Boardinghouse Cookbook.". I love the unfussiness of the comfort food.
Gotta run. Have fun. Be good. Stay well.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
HOW 'S ABOUT A QUICKIE?
Myfanwe and I spent the weekend together at Shell Cottage sans Norbert, who is at camp. We went to hear Uncommon Folk at the band shell in the park and took a wonderful picnic of grilled pork (don't tell my Rabbi), sliced tomatoes, marinated green beans, some perfect melon, lemonade, and peach cobbler. We ran into a former colleague of Myfanwe's, Fakurdi, and her husband and son and ended up staying well after the concert was over. If the mosquitoes hadn't gotten so thick, I think we would have stayed even longer! They have a house nearby, so we'll be able to take up again soon.
So. This spring we had all the raggedy bushes in front of Shell Cottage ripped out and I planted 6 hedge roses (Rosa Rugosa) in front of the house. I wanted a low maintenance, healthy rose. When the roses came, they really looked like nothing more than sticks poking out of the ground. Not a surprise -- I knew and was expecting it. And I expected that they would bloom for the first time next year or possibly even the year after. So you can imagine my reaction to this:
I hope it will be in bloom when we are there next. If it is, I'll update the pics! Have a good week!
So. This spring we had all the raggedy bushes in front of Shell Cottage ripped out and I planted 6 hedge roses (Rosa Rugosa) in front of the house. I wanted a low maintenance, healthy rose. When the roses came, they really looked like nothing more than sticks poking out of the ground. Not a surprise -- I knew and was expecting it. And I expected that they would bloom for the first time next year or possibly even the year after. So you can imagine my reaction to this:
I hope it will be in bloom when we are there next. If it is, I'll update the pics! Have a good week!
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
I Have No Excuse.
Except to say that I've been having a good time.
I've been chided in comments, in e-mail, and in person. Please accept my sincere apology and know that I've missed you, as well.
Let's see. Since we last spoke, we've done our best to spend 2.5 days a week at Shell Cottage. More if we can. The spring was kind of cool and wet, which didn't stop us from enjoying much! It made the grass a bit harder to cut, but not for long. Because right behind the cold and wet Spring came the hot and wet summer. (We've had good luck, though, with cutting the grass. Only one weekend so far was too wet each to find a window of opportunity to mow.)
When I said hot, by the way, I wasn't kidding. More days over 80 degrees than in any summer since they started keeping records. Our guest room isn't air conditioned, which has cut down on summer company a little -- but not entirely. (One weekend Norbert slept on the floor in our bedroom, and another Myfanwe and I slept in Norbert's room while he was at camp. We took turns -- one of us in the bed, the other on an inflatable twin mattress.)
Just in time for Flag Day we found a piece of folk art that we love and had to have. (It is made from remnants of now demolished Three Oaks barns!)
Flag Day, which is a major holiday in Three Oaks, Michigan, was great fun. We had an open house and friends and neighbors filled the house up, ate, drank, then watched the Flag Day parade.
I have started making my own cheeses -- fromage blanc and chevre. It has been too hot to bake much, but I did find a wonderful recipe for Amazing Corn Cake in a Nebraska 4-H cookbook that I'm very happy with.
Norbert, Myfanwe, the pets and I are all happy and healthy. M & I are working a LOT, but feel lucky to have jobs. And lucky to have jobs that challenge us. Norbert is at camp until the 14th -- we miss him lots, but also are so glad to know he's having so much fun.
I've got to run and take a cake out of the oven. Stay well. I'll try not to take so long between posts. Love. Peace. Cake.
I've been chided in comments, in e-mail, and in person. Please accept my sincere apology and know that I've missed you, as well.
Let's see. Since we last spoke, we've done our best to spend 2.5 days a week at Shell Cottage. More if we can. The spring was kind of cool and wet, which didn't stop us from enjoying much! It made the grass a bit harder to cut, but not for long. Because right behind the cold and wet Spring came the hot and wet summer. (We've had good luck, though, with cutting the grass. Only one weekend so far was too wet each to find a window of opportunity to mow.)
When I said hot, by the way, I wasn't kidding. More days over 80 degrees than in any summer since they started keeping records. Our guest room isn't air conditioned, which has cut down on summer company a little -- but not entirely. (One weekend Norbert slept on the floor in our bedroom, and another Myfanwe and I slept in Norbert's room while he was at camp. We took turns -- one of us in the bed, the other on an inflatable twin mattress.)
Just in time for Flag Day we found a piece of folk art that we love and had to have. (It is made from remnants of now demolished Three Oaks barns!)
Flag Day, which is a major holiday in Three Oaks, Michigan, was great fun. We had an open house and friends and neighbors filled the house up, ate, drank, then watched the Flag Day parade.
I have started making my own cheeses -- fromage blanc and chevre. It has been too hot to bake much, but I did find a wonderful recipe for Amazing Corn Cake in a Nebraska 4-H cookbook that I'm very happy with.
Norbert, Myfanwe, the pets and I are all happy and healthy. M & I are working a LOT, but feel lucky to have jobs. And lucky to have jobs that challenge us. Norbert is at camp until the 14th -- we miss him lots, but also are so glad to know he's having so much fun.
I've got to run and take a cake out of the oven. Stay well. I'll try not to take so long between posts. Love. Peace. Cake.
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