If we were having coffee ...

This type of blog post is for when I have a lot of little things I want to share, or when I feel the need to catch up. 

So, grab your coffee/beverage of your choice. Tonight I'm drinking hot chocolate.  Because I can!

If we were having coffee ... I'd say "Hey, it's been a while." I didn't write at all this past week.  I had no inspiration.  I've had lots of little things I want to share, and I didn't feel each topic could fill a whole blog post.  My life hasn't been very exciting. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd tell you about my garden.  It's growing like gangbusters this year. 

Our tomato plants are the biggest we've ever had.  A couple of the plants are almost as tall as my husband.  I'm keeping an eye on them, so we don't lose any fruits.  

Can you spot the tomatoes?  So many this year!

We have been eating broccoli like popcorn.  So tasty! 

Speaking of fruits, we are going to have grapes this year! 

Our raspberry bramble is doing great, too. We've got a few canes that are at least seven feet tall. Not to mention all the fruit that will be ripening very soon. 

This photo shows at least one of those tall raspberry canes. I tried putting text in the photo.  It didn't show up. If you look to the left of the photo you can see them. 

I wish all the summers could be this good when it comes to the garden stuff. 

This is the new patch we have started up by the house. The chickens have been sneaking up here and eating the fruits. Killer (the roo) leads a group of hens up here. I think he's telling him "Ladies, follow me. I will take you to the land of milk and honey," and they like the sound of that, so they all make a direct beeline to the bushes. 

We've already been enjoying black raspberries fresh off the canes. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd tell you about the ladies and our baby roos. Not to mention, our sweet turkey boy. I do think I mentioned previously that we sold off a lot of the older girls.  I think our Killer appreciates this.  He seems more calm now that he doesn't has so many to keep an eye on. 

The baby roos, and they aren't *all* roos, are doing great.  They are having a wonderful life. There is definitely a lot of testosterone in the yard.  I often see birds facing off, then one will break off and run away to see what the others are doing. 

Our sweet Turkey Baby, he's not gobbling a lot yet. He thinks he's just a big chicken and he flocks with everyone else.  I have *got* to get a video of him running, because it's hysterical to see.  He's so gangly. 

Can you believe that in April he fit in my hand? 

If we were having coffee ... I'd tell you about the baby bunnies. Oh, those sweet little things.  Yes, all the animals are sweet and adorable right now!  Thor and Loki's babies are starting to venture out of the nest and eat and drink with their parents.  They are ready to move into the house and spend some time with us.

They are so curious right now.  They aren't very skitty of us people.  

Shadow had babies ... a few weeks ago, I think.  I've lost track.  She makes adorable babies.  Shadow and the babies live in a safe space in the chicken coop.  It's neat to see chickens and rabbits co-exist. Those little stinkers are starting to leave the nest and run around the coop. Shadow is a good mom.  

This is one of Shadow's babies. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd share that I *finally* completed the Halloween table runner I've been working on. 

I used my walking foot to sew on the binding.  This is my best binding work, to date.  I'm really pleased with it. 

This was also my first time using thread from Connecting Threads. I don't have experience with many threads. Connecting Threads thread seemed just as good as the thread I was getting up at JoAnns.

I have a few quilt kits that I can start working on now.  I probably won't start anything new until fall. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd talk to you about my knitting. 

I've made a little bit of progress on my vanilla sock. I've worked on it, here and there. 

Project: Vanilla socks
Pattern: My own
Started: July 10, 2019, or so.
Needle size: U.S. 1, 2.5 mm, circular needles
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici 
Colorway: Surf's up, Mostly blues with a stripe of purple

I have about five inches knit up.  Another couple inches, or so, and I will start the heel.  I'm going to try a heel method from the Cat Bhordi book I own. 

I spent most of my knitting time on the shawl. 

Project: Easy Half Circle Shawl
Pattern from Lionbrand.com
Started: July 6, 2019
Needle size: U.S. 8, 5.0 mm
Yarn: Lionbrand Shawl in a Ball
Colorway: Wind Chimes - 305, various blues

I've put my shawl in time out.  I didn't have a full skein/cake of this yarn.  I thought I'd work on it as far as I could, then cast off.  I got to row 20 on the last part and decided to cast off.  I played yarn chicken and lost.  I ripped the cast off back.  I was going to rip back another row, then realized if I rip back another row I won't have any garter stitch and the shawl will roll up.  

Look at how close I was to the end. 

So I sighed heavily and decided I need to get another skein/cake of the yarn. When I get the yarn I will add more length to the shawl than what the pattern calls for.  

I do have a finished object.  I made this little one a while back. BUT, I waited to do the hand embroidery on the face. All done!  Just needs a new home. I made this out of dishcloth cotton, which is recommended by the pattern I followed.  A year ago, or so, I made a pair of octopi for a friend out of acrylic, thinking of the wash factor.  The dishcloth crochets up better. I like the fabric a lot. I don't know how well the color will hold up if it needs lots of washings. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd blather that I've been immersing myself into all sorts of things about yarn and fiber dyeing, and fiber preparation for spinning. Spinning for Tour de Fleece has rewakened something in me and I could easily, and happily, spend hours spinning, if I could. I'm still going to do a separate post about the spinning I did for Tour de Fleece.  The spinning has slowed significantly because I spun all of the one fiber I had. What fiber I have left is white fluff and that gets boring after a while.  My spinning is also becoming more refined. The single I have going on the wheel is the thickness of a heavier thread. 

This is the fluff I'm spinning up. 

I ordered a turkish spindle last week and it arrived on Saturday.  It is a dream to spin with. It is a cherry Reekalf spindle from Snyder Spindles.  I asked for recommendations and this company came up a few times.  I went on faith, people. 

I'm still getting the hang of spindling again.  Winding onto this style spindle is new to me.  I haven't figured out how to butterfly the yarn onto my hand before putting it on the cob. Or however it's referred. 

I've been following hashtags on Instagram and I'm seeing so much colorful fibers. I want to spin colorful fibers too!  

I dipped my toes into fiber dyeing.  I winged it.  I haven't dyed anything in years. It's all going to be a learning process. Thankfully, I have some wonderful indie dyer friends who are all encouraging me from the sidelines and giving me tips and offering suggestions. 

This is just a couple yards of some superwash wool carded top my husband ordered for me years ago.  The preparation is excellent.  It fluffed right back up after drying. 

It's so fluffy and squishy.  

I also dyed this up.  I was playing with the red, and trying my hand at making orange. It looked so bright and vibrant as I was dyeing it up.  I do hope it stays when the fiber is fully dried out. 

Can you guess what I was going for? 

I've been practicing with just a few yards of fiber at a time. Until I get more comfortable with the process.  Then I'll start working with braids worth of fiber. 

In the meantime, I'll keep going along with these smaller pieces. Then, maybe use it all to make one thing.

If we were having coffee ... I'd share that I finished the audio book I was listening to.  

It's such a sweet story.  If I had known it would tug at the heartstrings so much, I don't know that I would have picked it. The story revolves around "Winnipeg" the bear that Winnie-the-Pooh is based on. I would whole-heartedly recommend the story to anyone who wants to read with their young children.  I'm sort of a wimp when it comes to some stories and they just make me feel all the feels, and get a little weepy. I probably won't read or listen to any more stories until school starts again. 

I recently learned that a bookish podcast I listen to off and on went through Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. Now, I read through that book on my own.  Took my time, had what was basically cliff notes to help me through, and I did not like this book. 

 I'm debating on going through the book again this fall.  Do I really want to put myself through this?  I don't know.  I feel if I go through the book again, while listening to a few people who make books their business, I will either change my mind about Jane Austen, or say "It's official, I hate the writing." Decisions, decisions. 

Episode 04 - Fall is here

Welcome back! Thanks for visiting and letting me chat at you today. Grab your favorite drink, and come sit a spell.

Works In Progress

Vanilla socks on two circs

Needles: U.S. 1 (2.5 mm)

Yarn: Knitpicks Felici

Colorway: The Countess

 

Needles: U.S. 5 (3.75 mm)

Yarn: Lion Brand Mandala

Colorway:  Gnome
Started Sept. 21, 2018

 

Finished Object
I have an FO!

Lake shore scarf by Mara Jessup. Pattern available on the Knit Picks website.

Needles U.S. 3 (3.25 mm)

Yarn: Knitpicks Stroll fingering weight hand painted.

Colorway: Great Lakes
Started: Aug. 25, 2018
Completed: Sept. 30, 2018

 

I placed an order to Knit Picks and chat about the purchases and the patterns I've got picked out for them.  Next on the to do list includes the Lia pullover pattern, and the Mosey legwarmers pattern.

Spinning

No spinning this week. 

From the coop

I give an update on Mama Brahma and the babies. I think Mama is ready to call it quits on motherhood.

I chat a little bit about the roosters and *finally* share the size difference in the eggs from the older girls and the ones who are just starting to lay.

From the hutch 

I introduce this sweet little girl.  My son is fairly confident she's a girl.  Say hello to Shadow.

Barefoot in the kitchen

I tried two new recipes this week.  One was a bit of a zonker. The other was a winner!

Creamy chicken soup. I didn't follow the recipe exactly.  We also added a cream of mushroom or cream of chicken to the soup and it added that little extra something.  No flour since we try to keep carbs to a minimum.  You could use a little bit of guar gum for thickening. The soup smelled divine as it was cooking. 

The zonker was the recipe for roasted Brussel spouts.  This was also my first time cooking Brussel sprouts. I didn't roast with the Parmesan, but added it after the fact.  I don't think anyone was keen on Parmesan on the sprouts. 

The tried and true recipe for chili is at the Top Secret Recipes website. 

Book chat

Book - I'm still plugging away with Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.  I'm on page 280-something of 341.

Audiobook -  Ender in Exile became available from the library. I am on part six of 12.

Kindle book - Cat Trick (A Magical Cats Mystery, book 4).  I haven't touched it yet.

Next on the list is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. 

Nature notes

I chat about the fall colors, the desire to start fall clean up but it's raining, and the photos I took this week.

 

From the homestead

Carrots still need to be pulled out of the garden. 

Gardening plans for 2019

Hunting update

Coffee talk

I chat about the Oulu Corn Maze.

My happiness this week

Soup. It's so comforting during the cooler days. There are endless varieties of soup and many ways to make it.

Episode 02 - Up North, eh?

I'm back! I also have plenty to chatter about.  Grab your favorite beverage and come visit with me!

Works in progress

Lake shore scarf by Mara Jessup. Pattern available on the Knit Picks website.

Needles U.S. 3 (3.25 mm)

Yarn: Knitpicks. I think it might be stroll hand painted sock yarn.

Colorway: Great Lakes

Vanilla socks on two circs

Needles: U.S. 1 (2.5 mm)

Yarn: Knitpicks Felici

Colorway: The Countess

 Books

Audiobook - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. I have really enjoyed this story.  The book had a variety of voice actors.  All did a phenomenal job.

Book - Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. Having a hard time getting into it.  It's a slow start. I'm on page 14 so far. The name of the podcast I mentioned is "Close Reads."

In the kitchen

I made salsa and canned for the first time in a while. I forgot how much I enjoy the canning process.  We have had a bounty of tomatoes this year. This is my private stock.

I've also been using up the zucchini.  I made a zucchini cake, using a Betty Crocker recipe out of the cookbook my sister-in-law gave me many years ago.

 The recipe for this cake is:

Zuchinni cake

It is recommended to mix without an electric mixer.

1 - 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups shredded zuchinni
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Cream cheese frosting

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches, or 2 round pans, 8 x 1 - 1/2 or 9 by 9 x 1 - 1/2 inches, with shortening; lightly flour.

2. Mix sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until blended; beat 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients except zuchinni, nuts and cream cheese frosting; beat 1 minute. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into pan.

3. Bake rectangle 40-45 minutes, rounds 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

4. Frost rectangle or fill and frost layers with cream cheese frosting.

Enjoy!

Nature notes

Mother nature did not want to cooperate with me.  After recording it started raining.  It's still gloomy as can be.

What makes me happy this week are Thermacells.  This gadget is awesome! Would not have been able to sit out in the deer blind without it.

Thanks for watching!

Spring break

Let me give you an update about the baby chicks.

This little one decided to tell us a story back on March 27. 

Those sassy little budgies of mine have been going to new homes, group by group. 

And then we were down to nine babies from I don't remember how many.   I love the perky little tail on the one to the far left.

On Monday this final group went to their new home.  They will have a little girl taking care of them.  She was excited to get them.  She's in 4-H and will be learning how to show poultry at the fairs and such. Before they even left the house she pulled one of them out and was holding it while the adults talked. 

One of the ladies that came to pick them up decided she was in love with the white one in this photo and said she hoped it turned out to be rooster so she could have him. I guess she gets all the Roos and is happy to take them in. The chick right next to it is the one who had the straddle leg.  Look at her/him!  Legs are like nothing was wrong. I love those cheek puffs!

It was sad to see them go off to their new homes.  There are so many different emotions from hatching them out and keeping them for yourself versus hatching them out and sending them off into the world. I feel good about each family that came and picked chicks up.  This helped ease my mind.  One lady sent a photo to us as soon as she got them settled in. I though it was very nice of her.  Her little girls were thrilled to be getting baby chicks.

 

But never fear, we have more babies on the way! Yup, we now have two 'bators. We have 11 more days until the next batch starts hatching out.  *Squee*

Good mail arrived last week. I've been flipping through the encyclopedia a bit and learning all sorts of new things.  I haven't had much time to go through the chicken health book.  I also ordered myself a candler for checking eggs. 

 Last week was spring break for my son.  The weather was not optimal. On Wednesday the wind was going strong enough that we decided to check out the big lake after work.

 It's been many years since I've been out to the point.  My hands were instantly cold and I didn't have gloves on. The waves were baby waves compared to what I've seen in the past.

My son said he LOVED seeing the waves and would love to see them again. 

On Good Friday I had the day off of work.  I took him to the roller rink for the afternoon. He had fun and that's all that matters.  Me, it was too many people.

The epic mural is still there.  This mural is part of my childhood. I think people would have rioted if the owners tried to paint over the wall. I'm pretty sure it's been touched up a bit.  Still just as awesome!

On Saturday we celebrated Easter.  It was a very nice and laid back affair.  It was also great to catch up with family.

And now ... back to work.  Thankfully work has been kind to me.  It's been quiet this week.

On the knitting front ... I completed a few things

Firs thing off the needles was the hat I was making from a pattern by Plucky Knitter, and knitting with double yarn.



It turned out slouchy for me.  I have mixed feelings on it.  I have been assured I look adorable in it.

So far I've been wearing it around the house.  If I was wearing it in the wind I'm not sure it would stay on my head.

The next thing off the needles was a scarf. I used US size 15 needles, cast on 200 stitches and knit, double yarn, until I ran out of yarn.

I just barely made it!  I was playing yarn chicken at the end.  It is LONG.  It's got to be 9 feet long at least.  I can wrap it around my neck several times and it's really cozy.

If I could do it over I'd cast on 150 stitches, so it would be a bit wider.

I do have a small crochet project going on.  It's a cowl. I'm not really feeling it so it may go to the frog pond. I'm still deciding.

On the book front ... I finished "Helena" for book club. 

 

I liked it.  I annotated all over it.  My first time doing so to a book.  Felt a bit odd at first to be writing in a book but after a while I got over it. It was nice throwing my two cents in.

Last week I picked up "Summers at Castle Auburn" from the library and started it this evening. 

One of the book bloggers I follow recommended this book.  I can't remember who it was.  Sorry.

I'm just over a chapter in and I'm hooked.  I'm not sure what it was that piqued my curiosity about this book but so far it's a good read.


Daily 5 things of the day that made me happy

1. Fires in the woodstove.  It was so damp and dreary today.

2. Starting a new book.

3. More baby chicks are on the way.

4. Laundry is all caught up!

5. I didn't have to leave the house today.