More homemade goodies!

13 half pints of strwberry jam and half a flat of strawberries left! Looks like another batch is in the works. (I had some of the leftovers on toast this morning and it was pretty yummy!) Apricots are done in the dehydrator. I am thinking about drying some of the fresh shitake mushrooms now. We picked our first zuccini of the season and its being stuffed with ground turkey, rice and tomatoes as I type. I need to re-organzie the shelves in the garage to store all the home-made goodies.

Today I am taking it easy and knitting on the cable comfort throw. I started panel 2 of 5 and its going pretty quickly. I plan on seewing the panels as I finish so I am not hit with all the sewing at the end.

Busy little bees

Well, if you have been wondering what we have been up to the past few days, we have been busy little bees. Bob harvested our appricots. This year the little tree produced a bucket and a half. (I think our buckets are about a 1/2 bushel each) So we put up 18 1/2 pint and 6 pint jars of appricot pineapple jam. The dehydrator is humming with 4 trays to dehydrate. I sampled a little of the jam and its yummy. Its been a while since I made jam. (not since I was a kid and helping Mom) I love how fresh everything tastes. You can decide how much sugar you want, you know exactly what is going into your jams. Plus, after the initial outlay for jars and supplies, you end up saving money in the long run. I am thinkiong about getting some strawberries at the farmers market tomorrow and doing strawberry jam too.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, the weather reports now just say "smoke & haze" for the forcast. I have developed a smokers hack from all the crap in the air.

Good News!

I have two items of good news today.

1. I have a new job that starts July 16. Its doing the same work that I did before for a great office that is much closer to home and the atmosphere is so much nicer.

AND

2. Bob and I are going to be Grandparents again! Brandon and Heather are expecting baby #2 in January!

We done got us some culture today

The air quality in the Valley has been horrible the past few days. There are so many fires buring around the area that the air is smokey and hazy. If I wanted air I could chew I would live in L.A.!

This morning, Bob and I finally made it down to the Crocker Art Museum to see the current exhibit "The Language of the Nude". Its been a while since we have been down there. I think I enjoy the architectural details in the building as much as the works of art. The exhibit consisted of artists' sketches and drawings of the human figure. Artists ranged from the unknown to the well known like Albrecht Durer and Peter Paul Rubens.

We also toured through the rest of the museum. I enjoy the Salon on the second floor which has one room that displays paintings in the "salon style": numerous paintings of all sizes and types covering every inch of wall space. This is reminiscent of how paintings were displayed in French Salons.

Afterwards we decided to go have lunch. As we were driving near the capitol I spotted the Stanford Mansion and thought I would take a picture as we drove by.

This is the lovely tree that decided that it wanted its picture taken instead. (I have never been great at action shots!)

We stopped for lunch at "Opa Opa" a little Greek restaurant near Sac State. We both got Gyro's and the Summer in Athens Salad. The food was excellent and we will be going back again. Hopefully with our friends Scott and Kim who live a few blocks away.

How do they do that?

After the foot debacle yesterday, I took some time to put my foot up and knit while watching a movie. "Fright Night" happened to be on tv and that brought up one of those questions that has always puzzled me:

If Vampires can't see their reflections, how do they do their make-up? Most vampires are very well dressed and groomed, so just how do they get their make-up so perfect?

Things like this keep me up at night folks!

OUCH!

'Out, damned spot -- out, I say . . . who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?' ~ Wm. Shakespeare

I have always said that housework is evil! Today while doing the dishes, I went to the garage to put the rice cooker back on the shelf (when your house is only 925 sq. ft you get creative with storage) and as I stepped on the back shelf I felt a sharp pain in my foot. I thought maybe it was a fox tail but when I felt the bottom of my foot I found a shard of glass. I think this may be from the baking dish I broke a week ago. I thought I had cleaned up all the pieces, but obviously I missed one. Balancing on one foot I managed to get the rice cooker on the shelf and then I removed the shard. I hopped back to the kitchen and examined the glass.

Then I looked down.

Holy POO! I felt like I was in an episode of CSI. I did not realize my foot would bleed so much. I thought about hoisting my leg into the sink but realized that would not be sanitary so I hopped to the bathroom leaving a trail behind me. The cats thought this was some kind of a game and followed me into the bathroom jumping on the sink. Nice to know if I ever keel over at home I will have company!

I'm Feelin' Hot, Hot Hot!

I'm Feelin' Hot, Hot Hot! And not in the good way. Its just after 4pm and the temperature is 106. I of course am always greatful that I do not live in a place with high humidity because I know I would melt like the with in "The Wizard of Oz". Its days like today that make me consider becoming a nudist. (Pasty white, fat chicks who burn like lobsters should never consider becoming nudists. Not gonna happen until I get better curtains: don't want to scare the neighbors.)

So I am trying to conserve movement and just knitting so I feel like I am doing something productive. I have a huge stash of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick that I bought at Hancock Fabrics in Elk Grove at their going out of business sale. I had this great idea to knit up a bunch of squares, sew them together and make blankets. Lots of square of boring mindless garter stitch. Lots of ball of yarn. I think when I laid out the squares I thought I would make them 9 x 9. Thats 81 squares. What the Hell was I thinking?

Now you must realize that I am not a person to throw yarn away. No matter how much I start to hate it (its not the yarn's fault!). I spent money on it (Great sale price by the way!) so damn it, I will use it!

I am not a yarn snob. I have met people who will knit with nothing less that pure wool and despise fun fur. I have a fun fur scarf that I wear quite often (not today of course...duh!) that I love and get many comppliments on. Yarn does not make the knitter. Its the inner talent and creative drive.

I see it in photography. I have seen people who go out and by the "most expensive" equipment they can find, but if you do not have the eye or the passion for photography, your pictures will show it.

Darn Elves

As I was scrubbing my toilet today, I was thinking of all the fairy tales where the heroine was assisted in her chores by a myriad of elves, fairies, birds and small woodland creatures. Where are all these creatures when I need them? I feed the local bird and squirrel populace and they are just slacking off in the housework department. (I will admit that much of the squirrels' time is taken up with racing around the tree trunks followed by rather energetic baby squirrel making. Stop humping and start cleaning Damn it!) I did notice one thing about all these heroines (besides the fact that most are cartoons): every single one of them has tiny feet. I am not sure how these women can walk, let alone dance and sing with the forest folk. Perhaps the fact that I have size 10 1/2 feet is the reason I get no help. They must think I will step on them and make an even bigger mess to clean up.

Thanks for the great genes Grandma!

Sheep, they're more than yarn producers!

I have a great deal of respect for people who take cast offs and create great works of art with them. It is true that one man's trash is another man's treasure. So I wish to introduce you to a company that is making their product "outstanding in the field". I bring you...



Now who would have come up with this idea? How does something like this light the fires of the imagination? Well, a small Welsh company has created what was obviously a missing niche in the market. (http://www.sheeppoopaper.com/index.asp )

Just think of the applications! Letters to clients. A note to the boss. A card for the Mother-In-Law. They even have a kit for making your own paper so you can "personalize" your "scentiments"? And just for the holidays..

Boy, I tell you, I can't wait to do my Christmas cards this year!

No Baby Alpacas For Me :(

I was mentioning to Bob that one of the Ravelry Forums had a topic entitled "Baby Alpaca Giveaway". Before I could say any more a loud "NO!" came flying at me.

"But honey, its yarn.'
"No More pets."
"Bob, I think its always been no more cats."
"No. More. Pets."
"But an alpaca could trim the grass so you wouldn't have to."
"No."
"You like the fingerless gloves I made you from the Baby Alpaca yarn."
"No."
"But.."
"I said NO!"

At this point I began pondering how I could disguise an alpaca to resemble a dog. I don't think I can fool him though. He seems pretty adamant about this one. But he is going to Ohio next month for a few days...

We Got A Pool!

The other day while buying dog food, we decided to spend $10 and buy one of the cheap pools for the dogs, one of whom has been dabbling her paws in the water bowl. We figured we could afford to pay that much for something that Honey may eventually eat!

Both Honey and Sweetie showed some interest at first.

Then Honey realized "Its a giant water bowl" and wandered off.

Sweetie however...

thought this was the greatest thing since sliced bread or whatever the doggie equivalent is.

We have moved the pool to a different part of the yard. It no longer resembles a pool as much as a mud pit. I guess even dogs need spa treatments!

Happy Anniversary!

Our Hitching Day!

Four years ago today, I married my soulmate. We have known each other ten years and I still love spending time with him. I am am so blessed to have him in my life!

I LOVE YOU SUGAR BOOGER!

Donkey Kong

Have you ever listened to the sounds effects on video games? I am in the den and hubby is in the living room playing Donkey Kong on the Nintendo 64. (He must be doing well because he is not yelling profanities at the TV) I know he is playing Donkey Kong because of the "banana" that sounds off every now and then. Other than that, from listening to the game I really think that maybe Mr. Kong should lay off those bananas as they seem to be making him sound as if a strong laxative may be in order.

Quiet Sunday

The weather has been so nice this past month. Other than a few days where the temps got up to over 100 degrees, it has been in the 80s and breezy. Its so nice to have the house open up during the day. I also love going out on the patio, sitting under the umbrella and knitting. Of course it can be a challenge when 80 pounds of dog tries to help.

Honey and Sweetie are both "spacially challenged". They are under the impression that they are both the same size as the cats and can lay on us and cuddle like the kitties do. Its cute to have 10 pounds of cat curl up on your lap. Not so cute when its 80 pounds of dog!

Been enjoying the Farmers Markets around town. Today I met our friends Scott and Kim (the Newlyweds!) and went to the market under the freeway downtown. This one is twice as big as the one I normally go to. They actually had a butcher and a fishmonger at this one. There were tons of people there today as well! I bought some vanilla quark as I am making a blackbottom strawberry pie. Super simple:

Make a crust (Thank God for the Keebler Elves). Add a layer of hot fudge topping, Let cool. Layer on quark or cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar. Layer sliced and hulled straberries with glaze. Chill. Top with whipped cream (optional). Eat!

Mmmm....sushi!

Had a great lunch today at Arigatos with a former co-worker who is still working for my former employer. We had a great time comparing our recent yarn projects and filling our faces with sushi. She also caught me up on the latest "chisme" from the office. I am so glad I am no longer involved in the petty office bull pucky that goes on there with the inside staff. I stayed out of it, kept my head down and just did my job while I was there and listened to it swirl around me. All I can say is petty office games amuse petty people. I hope my friend can get out of there soon before they suck the life out of her. Its so much nicer outside. I can see that now that I am no longer trapped there.


" FREE AT LAST"
from " American Negro Songs " by J. W. Work


Free at last, free at last
I thank God I'm free at last
Free at last, free at last
I thank God I'm free at last

Way down yonder in the graveyard walk
I thank God I'm free at last
Me and my Jesus going to meet and talk
I thank God I'm free at last

On my knees when the light pass'd by
I thank God I'm free at last
Tho't my soul would rise and fly
I thank God I'm free at last

Some of these mornings, bright and fair
I thank God I'm free at last
Goin' meet King Jesus in the air
I thank God I'm free at las

http://www.negrospirituals.com

Mystery Swap 3

I got my package today from my Mystery Swap 3 partner Veronica (http://loopyfringe.blogspot.com) It was a very large box.



I opened it up and the first thing I saw was:



Fiberfill?

I dug a little deeper and discovered:



Everything I need to make Knitted Sock Monkeys! Its funny. This was not one of the themes I had listed, but I am in a Yarn Harlot (see her blog post http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2008/04/20/in_which_things_end_as_strangely_as_they_started.html) group on Ravelry and they are doing a sock monkey KAL. I had gone to the Blue Moon Fiber Arts website and was thinking about ordering a kit in these exact colors! I think Veronica is psychic.

I can't wait to start making monkeys! (No that is not a euphemism!)