What do Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims! (sorry, I couldn't resist, I'm a sucker for jokes that were first funny in kindergarten) We had rain yesterday, quite a bit of it actually, and while it was raining the warm temperatures were skulking away, now it's under 40 degrees, damp, and dreary. Yeah. I love Spring with all her mercurial mood swings-- reminds me of me.
To take a break from house tidying and get the smell of Swiffer out of my nose I went to Fleet Farm yesterday (in the rain) to get a bag of safflower seeds for the birdfeeders. See, squirrels don't like safflower seeds, and I don't think grackles, starlings, or sparrows do either so I thought I'd stop buying the cracked corn with sunflowers seeds that they do like and switch over to a seed that thwarts the squirrels. We shall see how that works. I also decided to switch from the finch feed with sunflower bits and niger seed to all niger seed to see if that stops the squirrels from hanging on the finch feeder by their back legs and gnawing the holes bigger to get to the sunflower nuts. Plus Durwood can always ping them in the heinie with his BB gun which serves two purposes it shoos away the squirrels and gives him a little target practice, er, exercise.
I knitted on the burp cloth after LC took her parents home after supper (which was delicious but didn't get pictured, I was too busy enjoying our guests to take pictures of them or the food) and got a few more inches added on. I feel like I want to cast on ALL the things today. Maybe I will and maybe I won't. I do have to carry out my "When Art Attacks" idea today because Tuesday's the deadline and I've got all the parts assembled so I should do it, now that the Design-A-Thon is over and I have time. Hmm, maybe that's why I want to cast on a bunch of things...
A couple of the Guild members asked for the recipe of the Carmel Mix I took to the meeting for a snack. I asked permission of KT who had brought it in December 2012 and shared the recipe, so here it is:
Carmel Mix
In a paper bag put a mixture of Crispix cereal, pretzels, and popcorn, whatever you want, about 17-18 cups of mixture. Put in less if you want everything coated in carmel.
Carmel:
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Microwave 2 minutes in large Pyrex mixing cup (at least 4 cup size), stir, microwave 2 minutes more.
Add: 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Stir together well.
Pour carmel over the mixture in the bag and shake it up. Microwave 90 seconds. Shake. Add M&M's. Spread out on wax paper to cool. Break up to serve. Store in airtight container.
April 13--France, Plaque with Censing Angels.
Billowing incense smoke
the rustle of wings
real angels pace
down the aisle
sky blue vestments trailing
like fallen swaths of sky
Devotions wrapped
in fragrant smoke
carried to the rafters
and beyond
on wings of incense
Halos of light beam
rays of promises
back to the devout
and afraid
~~~~~
Not exactly what I thought about on Friday night but I kind of like it so I'm keeping it. You enjoy your Sunday. I think I might go see if Durwood wants waffles. Doesn't that sound good?
--Barbara
It looks like it's puckering up to drizzle outside so I focused my little red camera inside this morning. Today LC is bringing her parents over for supper so we've been preparing for the company. Last night before I left for Friday Night Knitting Circle (where there were 3 new knitters, well, not new to knitting but new to FNKC) I asked Durwood to whip up a pan of cornbread so we can make cornbread sausage stuffing for the Cornish hens to lie on while they roast later today. We had a box of Jiffy cornbread mix that was a few months out of date and we were uncertain as to whether it was still good so he made it anyway. Turned out it wasn't good. The baking soda was old so it didn't rise at all, just made a 1/4" thick cracker-y thing of cornbread. After I got home from knitting it went into the trash, then I got out the cornmeal and started over. Last night I also wanted to make the carrot cake that we'd decided we NEEDED to have for dessert tonight so today would be slightly less busy--that made it pretty darned busy, and late, before bed but I got it all done. See, the cornbread has to sit out overnight to dry out before we add in all the goodies (sausage, onions, celery, egg, a can of cream soup) and I wanted the cake to be baked and cool so I could whip up the cream cheese frosting this morning and slather it on--except for a bitty strip at the edge because DIL1 isn't a frosting fan so we'll cut hers from that part and she'll only get some frosting and can scrape that off if she'd like. Because it doesn't hurt my feelings if she does, I love her, quirks and all, just like I hope she does me.
I finished April Men's Chemo Hat #1 at knitting last night but haven't woven in the ends yet. I can do that in a jiffy later once all my chores are done. And I cast on a burp cloth out of one of the Mason Dixon Knitting books. I like the pattern a lot but I'm not so sure it'll be soft enough for LC's tender skin. I'll keep going, we can use it to just mop stuff up I am sure.
This is why you wish Durwood lived at your house. He's emptying the dishwasher without being asked or reminded. I keep telling you, he's a treasure. I'm keeping him. And not just because he's letting me drag him to Yellowstone again in August either, there are other reasons I'm keeping to myself. (squee, I know it's 4 months until we go but I can't wait for things we're planning, like spending a day in the Museum of the Rockies in Billings, MT to see all the fossils and spending 3 days in Cody, WY to see the Buffalo Bill museum, a firearms museum, plus there's a rodeo every night, and going back the Little Bighorn to spend a whole day in the museum and on the battlefield... and starry skies in the park... and cheese and tomato picnics on the road... and oh so many things we want to see and do... maybe two weeks isn't enough)
April 12--France, Plaque with Censing Angels.
Billowing incense smoke
the rustle of wings
real angels pace
down the aisle
~~~~~
And that's when my day caught up with me and bonked me on the head into dreamland. Good thing the weekend Art page is good for 2 days because I'm hoping to remember where that was going and finish it tonight. Cross my heart I won't be up late and fall asleep again. Time to swab out the bathroom and vroom the vacuum around, it won't take long. Toodles.
--Barbara
I glanced out the window a minute ago and my knees nearly buckled. Look what I saw. Next door's maple tree is BUDDING. That's right, people, actual signs of life not twenty feet from my bedroom window. Oh, I know I've been showing you flowers and buds and shoots of plants that nestle into the micro-climates surrounding the house but this is a gigantic tree, maybe sixty feet tall, and it's busting its buds with life right here in my neighborhood. This tree is the last one to lose its leaves in fall and I find myself pleading with it to drop its leaves when the others do and then cursing it when it has held onto all those leaves until after I've given in and raked or mowed up all the other trees' leaves but now, right this very minute, this is my favorite tree in the whole wide world because it's shouldering the last of the winter winds aside and shoving Spring down Winter's throat. Take that, you... you... Winter with your icy blasts, snow and freezing temps, the sun's headed back our way and we're so done with you. *nods confidently*
A few hours ago when I got the paper off the porch I saw that the first of the little squills is blooming and its compatriots aren't far behind, and on the renters' side the mini-daffodils are up and blooming. Peter Cottontail was nibbling fallen birdseed and grass shoots when I opened the patio curtains and there were two packages of Peeps in the giant carton of wetsuits that came to the store the other day. Mrs. Boss let me have my pick. Wasn't that nice? Peeps!
Last night at Knitting Guild the Design-A-Thon entries were everything I'd hoped to see and more. Not as many people managed to have something ready to enter as had originally hoped but what was there was amazing. There was a wide variety of items, even a shawl pin knitted with wire and beads. !!!!! The designer of it agreed to teach us how this summer when we meet to knit in the park across the street. (oh, goodie, goodie, goodie, that should be interesting) There was a gorgeous alpaca sweater knitted with two colors of yarn from a nearby alpaca farm (all that math!), some two-color Fair Isle/cabled mittens (whew!), a couple of incredibly cute wine bottle sweaters (I might need to see about buying one of those), headbands, scarves, cowls, an amazing felted and beaded bag with a handmade tooled and dyed leather handle, hats, and socks, oh, and my Triple Twist Cabled Mitts. The consensus was to have another challenge again next year--two of the people said they'd already started working on their 2015 design. Yikes, I'd better get my thinking cap on. Prizes will be awarded next month at the picnic.
April 11--Greek, Panathenaic Prize Amphora.
Some old Greek guy
paints a soldier with his shield
and two roosters on pillars
on a clay jug and they call it
art.
Maybe it was a dollar store
jug in its day,
every house had one,
they were a dime
a dozen.
It survives a mere
twenty-seven hundred years
unbroken and suddenly it's
a treasure.
Take better care
of your Starbucks
travel mug
just in case.
~~~~~
Today I am definitely going to drag the birdie trees down to the curb. Definitely. And whip up a batch of cornbread for tomorrow's sausage cornbread stuffing for when DS & DIL1 & LC come over for supper. I promised LC asparagus so I'll need to nab another bunch of that when I'm out getting the sausage. Can't forget about dessert. Hmm, what about cupcakes or maybe pie? I'll have to see what Durwood thinks--when he wakes up from his nap. Time to drag. I want to get out in that mild air.
--Barbara
When I went out to snap a picture of the sunrise I noticed the pink noses of the rhubarb poking out above the winter leaves. That plant reminds me of Dad and Grandma A because they were the only ones in Dad's family that liked it, and he brought the original plant up from Evansville when we moved up here in 1962. When he and Mom moved over here in 1981 he dug up an offshoot and planted it near the patio. I've dug out shoots to share a bunch of times and it's still going strong so--PIE! Jam too, maybe.
Good sunrise too, don't you think? Not very colorful but good clouds.
Tonight's the Bay Lakes Knitting Guild meeting where we turn in our Design-A-Thon entries. I've got my snack to share and bottled water all ready to go and my entry in a brown paper bag. It'll be a secret judging, they'll be numbered and we'll vote by number. I don't think any results will be known tonight since they're planning to award prizes and return the entries at next month's meeting but I'm anxious to see all the knitted things. I have no illusions that mine will shine but I really enjoyed the challenge and impressed the heck out of myself when I didn't get frustrated by having to redo the knitting over and over (and over) to get it right. *pats self on back*
April 10--Dagobert Peche, Brooch.
The pearl trembles
like a dew drop in the gray dawn light
with her every breath
Carved leaves arch
droop with the weight
of their beauty
Iridescence glimmers
soft against the gold
O that I were pinned
to her heart
as the golden brooch is pinned
to her breast
~~~~~
It's another sunny morning, mild but clouding over. I don't care really as long as I don't have to wear my winter coat or sixteen layers of clothes to be comfortable at work. I hope it's nice where you are. Bon voyage to my pal, Lala, who's leaving for Ireland later today. I'm only the teensiest bit jealous. Really.
--Barbara
The goldfinches are definitely molting into their breeding colors. The males have shifted from having a patch or two of bright yellow to being resplendent in their yellow and black plumage. Yesterday morning I heard a woodpecker (don't tell Durwood, but since he's not sleeping with me while I'm sick I opened the window a crack) and then Durwood noticed one on the suet so I snapped a picture of them both. The birdies are coming back! I need to check the hummingbird watch site to see how close they are to us so we can get the feeders all clean and ready to hang out there.
The sunset was gorgeous and I almost missed it. I went to shut the curtains for the night and caught sight of the vivid orange and yellow and pink peeking out between the horizon and the cloud cover. I love that we live on a little hill so that I have a higher view out to the west. I like our little neighborhood, it's not classy, it's firmly middle class, but it's quiet and very convenient to all sorts of things. I think I'll stay put.
After supper I whipped up a batch of caramel mix to take to the Bay Lakes Knitting Guild meeting tomorrow night. We had a whole lot less loose popcorn that I thought we did so I popped that up and then overpopped a bag of microwave popcorn so that the kitchen was smoky and it stunk to high heaven but I got the stuff made (I tossed in more pretzels to make up the lack) and spread out on wax paper to cool overnight. Most of the mini M&Ms seem to have melted but I don't think anyone will complain about a bit of chocolate smeared in the mix, do you? This morning I broke it apart and put the lion's share in a tupperware cake taker (don't worry, there's some for Durwood to munch on during the day) and hauled up the bottled water to take along too. I wonder if I should grab a package of napkins to take... maybe I'll just tuck the open one from the closet in there just in case. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
April 9--England, Double-Sided Ivory Liturgical Comb with Scenes of Henry II and Thomas Becket.
Inspiration has abandoned me,
flown with the aroma of burnt popcorn and
the achy shoulders from rocking Lucy.
Dogs are baying down the block,
rabbits must be on the move.
I need to fill in a few more lines
on this page so
I can turn out the light
with a clear conscience.
I'm a stern taskmaster--
or should that be taskmistress?
There.
That feels like enough.
~~~~~
Well, that's different. I'm a bit less stuffy today so maybe (fingers crossed) this sinus pestilence is leaving me. I'll be glad to get my senses of smell, taste, and hearing back. Spring colds suck. I don't think it's allergies but whatever it is I'm supremely tired of it. Time to get a move on. Later, dudes and dudettes.
--Barbara
I looked out this morning to see Chester Chipmunk focused on cramming as much fallen birdseed into his cheek pouches as he possibly could. They're so full I think they're dragging on the ground. There was a robin sitting on the birdbath rim in a shaft of sunlight that was at just the right angle to make its bill look translucent but I wasn't fast enough with the camera to show you. You'll have to take my word for it. Durwood saw it too so he can testify if need be.
Yesterday afternoon it got quiet enough at work for me to start April Men's Chemo Hat #1 and I got pretty far, see? I'm a big fan of this pattern, with the two colors changing every round it kind of pulls me through. Last weekend I dug around downstairs gathering up all the "soft" yarn in solid colors, making it easy to find so I can just go down there, pick two colors and zoom. You can choose team colors or favorite colors or what you've got laying around and it always looks good.
I'm still battling a stuffy head and am wondering if I've got a sinus infection. If I'm not appreciably better by Friday I'll go see the doc. Promise. Stupid spring cold.
April 8--Petrus Christus, A Goldsmith in His Shop, Possibly Saint Eligius.
Weigh the pretty metal
in your brass scales,
light red hot coals
to melt gold in a crucible,
colored stones wink in candlelight.
Chains, beads, enamel, coral,
a Sultan's treasure
in a dim little room.
~~~~~
Hey, today's my baby brothers' 58th birthday. Have a great one, TW & AJ, hope it's the beginning of a banner year. I need to go buy ingredients to make a snack for the knitting guild meeting on Thursday evening today and probably a few other groceries. At least it's supposed to be nice today--in the mid-50s with maybe showers later. I'll take it. I don't have to shovel rain.
--Barbara
Look! Pretty!
Yesterday was a lovely gorgeous sunny day--and my head was so stuffed up that I could barely enjoy it. I dragged myself out to show a knitting pal how to pick up, knit, and decrease a sock gusset and I meant to make some lentil soup for this week's lunches but I wimped out and just stopped at Copps for some lunchmeat for sandwiches. I did fire up the grill for the first time in 2014 so we could have charcoal grilled chicken thighs for supper. I could barely taste them since all my olfactory & taste organs are busy being sick but the merest hint of grilled meat, green beans, and rice cooked in broth with tiny carrot slices made it through. This sickness needs to leave--today. I don't have patience for all this stuffiness and puffy eyes and blocked ears. I'm supposed to be the healthy one.
After supper I finished the second Design-A-Thon mitt. Yay! I got all the tails woven in and this morning put it in to soak in Eucalan wool wash so that before I leave for work I can press out the water and pat them into place to dry. Blocking settles the stitches and finishes a knitted or crocheted piece, plus it's been dragged all over in the making and can't help but be dirty, it's totally worth the extra time and effort. Last night before bed I made the final edit of the pattern and got it all shipshape and ready to send to Andy for the pattern booklet. Now all that's left to do is make a snack because it's my turn to bring one. I have a plan so I'm good.
April 7--Walker Evans, Portrait of a Cat.
How'd he get it to pose?
The little lion poised
surveying his apartment
domain,
ready to pounce
on mouse or roach
that dared to invade his
realm,
disdain writ large
on the furred face,
tail crooked
in a question mark
uncaring of the answer.
A chance flick of the shutter
caught our regal feline
slumming in
the kitchen sink.
~~~~~
My pal Lala's counting down to getting on a plane for Ireland on Thursday afternoon. She's dithering, I'm jealous--it's a set. I'll be here blowing my nose while she's there kissing the Blarney Stone and patting leprechauns. Doesn't seem fair, does it? Does to her, of that I am certain. I'll just be over here in the reluctant Spring of the upper Midwest watching the black snow melt. (pathetic enough? I'll stop now) I'm off to shower, etc. because I get to go to work, it's Payday! Yay!
--Barbara
