Done!

For now, anyway.  The only cooking I did today was to peel and cut up 2# of carrots, dice 2 yellow onions, and peel 2 heads of garlic.  I tossed it all with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, S&P, and roasted it in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, stirring a couple times.  While that was in the oven I fired up the grill, then when the carrots were done, I slapped a little NY strip steak on there for a few minutes.  Mm, what a delicious supper.  Oh, and I made myself a little salad first with some butter lettuce, a bit of chopped salad, a Roma tomato, a pinch of radish sprouts, and Green Goddess dressing.  I am ready to start reaping the Investment Cooking benefits.



 



The weather was gorgeous today so I went outside and got the patio table, chairs, and umbrella set up. (I don't know what possessed me to buy a white plastic table. I can't get it clean. Wonder if I can find a brown one somewhere...) Then I pulled the old Weber smoker out of the shed, texted DS asking if he wanted it, and he doesn't so I took its picture and will put it on Nextdoor.  I also pulled the hammock and frame out of the shed, put it together to take its picture for giving away but then I made the mistake of laying down on it.  Very comfy.  I think I might keep it.  The only problem is I can't figure out how I can knit while lying there.








 
As I unlocked the lower padlock on the shed doors I saw something shiny in the grass.  There was the owl earring I lost way back in September or October.  Naturally I threw the other one away because I was confident that I'd never find the mate.  *sigh*  Another one into the trash, especially since it's the one that couldn't stay connected to the back.  Sheesh.





I hauled the birdie tree to the curb, trimmed the roses, and cut down the pampas grass.







When I walked around the yard picking up trash that blows in I saw that there's just one raspberry cane left.  It's a good thing Durwood isn't here, he'd have me out there amending the soil and planting more.  Speaking of planting, it's time to move last year's bales, get 6 more, and start conditioning.  I've got a list of what I'm thinking of planting but probably will have to winnow it down.  I'm only one person, after all.

These little blue squills live under the lilac in back.  I keep hoping that they'll spread but they're taking their own sweet time since I planted them about 24 years ago and they haven't spread yet.  Hope springs eternal.







Remember I said that I got guilt-ed into taking a charity knitting kit at Guild last Thursday?  Well I started knitting the included pattern on Friday.  It isn't a difficult pattern but I got 2 repeats completed (of the required 41) and my hands were aching and I was already tired of it.  I found a different pattern for a prayer shawl, ripped out what I had knitted and this morning cast on the Triangles shawl.  It's just garter stitch (knit every row) and starts with 47 stitches and decreases 2 stitches in 4 rows until there's only one stitch left.  I got the first one knitted today, next you turn the triangle, pick up stitches along one side, and knit another triangle.  The pattern shows 7 triangles but I read notes from people who've made it before and many of them stopped after 5.  I'll see how things are when I get there.  Funny how it's easier on my hands even though I'm using the same needles and the same (yucky) yarn.  This pattern requires less thinking, maybe that's the secret.

When I was scrubbing out the birdbath I reached for the scrub brush and managed to jam a bristle under my pointer fingernail.  Ouch!  Of course it broke when I tried to pull it out.  Guess I'll be stopping by the clinic on my way to the Y tomorrow to see if someone can remove it for me.  It kind of hurts.  Plus that bristle was not clean.

21 April--Henri Matisse, Dance (1).

Sky-clad, they dance
holding hands,
circle on the lawn.
Music of the universe
their only song.
Five women,
lovers, friends,
rejoice in each other,
rejoice in the day.
~~~~~ 

Today sure was a day for rejoicing.  The weather was perfect, partly sunny, and mild.  I had the house open and played outside all afternoon.  Happy Easter to all!  I hope your day was filled with sunshine and joy.
--Barbara