Yum

IN THE OVEN

I’ve gotten a little bit out of the habit of blogging my baking adventures, but rest assured, they continue.  I’m trying to keep my cooking/baking obsession somewhat under control but so far, I’ve not been very successful.  I made a new cinnamon raisin swirl bread the end of last week which I had every intention of taking to Stuttgart and sharing but, naturally, it got left on the counter in the kitchen.  So, we’ve been enjoying it ourselves.  The only real rub is that Mr. Iknead and I just can’t eat the baked goodies fast enough and sometimes they go stale or even moldy.  I think I might start sharing with the neighbors, would that be too weird nowadays?  Growing up, we always shared back and forth with neighbors, but that was then and we knew our neighbors well.  Now, though, we don’t, really, just mostly to wave when we see them outside.  Could this be a sign to break out of my cocoon and reach out?  I think it might be just that.  I’m thinking of banana bread today, that would be a good start.

Anyway, I wanted to share this recipe I tried last night that was so good – it was comfort food and crazy easy – Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak.  Here’s the link.  I fixed mashed potatoes to go with it and it was divine!  Real potatoes, too.  I know what my lunch is going to be!

THE GRANDS

Can you stand a few more pics of the smartest, most beautiful grandbabies in the universe?  I thought you could!

The Sprout and Me

That’s the Karma sweater I’m wearing.  Turned out well, don’t you think?

The Papoose and a Cupcake

Babydiva in her Tutu – How Cute Is That?

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.  Samuel Johnson

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WIPW 05/22/13, Yarn Along

ON THE NEEDLES

No, this isn’t the second Crocus Vernus sock.    In the hustle and bustle of the Papoose’s birthday Saturday afternoon, when it came time to go home, the Crocus project bag was left behind.  No problem.  Texted Bigmommy, she’d found it and since she was coming to Little Rock Monday, she’d bring it.  Still no problem.  Got project back.  Tiny issue.  Looking to make sure that the sock in progress was in the bag, she accidently pulled one of the needles out.  Wahhhhh.  So, nearly finished Crocus Vernus sock totally frogged and restarted.  You can bet I’ll be a lot more careful about getting all my projects in the knitting bag before I leave next time.  It’s OK Bigmommy, I know it was an accident.

Still loving the Grrlfriend Market Bag so much I started another.

Still rolling on Granny’s Grab Bag Blanket using my left over sock yarn.

THE GRANDS

Happy birthday, Papoose.  You’re three!

Papoose Playhouse

I’m linking up with Tami’s WIPW blog and Ginny’s Yarn Along, so head on over there for more WIPW and book love.

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  Mother Teresa

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Finally FO Friday

OFF THE NEEDLES

If you read my Saturday post, you know my Yahoo e-mail account was hacked, I was locked out of my account and then things snowballed when anything that remotely connected with my Yahoo was locked and by the time I finally was able to get things up and going again, I was pretty close to crazy.  No matter, it was fixed and I’m up and rolling again.  So, it’s a couple of days late but the Karma sweater is finished and turned out like this:

Karma

Neckline Detail

This sweater was truly a joy to knit, with no seaming (which I hate to do) and super clear instructions.  I’m so happy that the yarn is now a sweater that I really love and will probably wear until it falls apart instead of having to avert my eyes every time I open my closet door.

KCCO

I’m linking up with Frontier Dreams’ Keep Calm Craft On today, so along with Karma, I’m showing and telling this sweet wooden ladder that I found at a garage sale for about 5 bucks, brought home, sponge painted and upcycled into a plant stand.

My morning glories are a little peaked this morning.  They look thirsty.

It feels wonderful to post again!

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life:  it goes on.  Robert Frost

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Locked But Not Loaded

WTH???

I was hacked sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning and was locked out of my Yahoo account until an hour or so ago. Nearly went nuts with no email, no Flickr, no nothing. I missed FO Friday but I’m back!

STAY TUNED

Better late than never.

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WIP Wednesday and HBD To You

WHO’S ON FIRST

Leading off is the Karma sweater, which I’ve made progress on even since taking this photo.  One sleeve is finished, left to do is the other sleeve and a bit of stockinette around the neckline to make is roll even more -

This sweater has been a joy to knit!

Next up – A huge granny square using leftover sock yarn, with no particular effort to match yarn color or even coordination.  I’m calling it Granny’s Grab Bag Blanket.

On third base – Crocus Vernus Socks, with heel flap begun, from The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet:

You’ll just have to trust me regarding the heel flap.

Last up is another granny square, trying to coordinate colors this time, that may end up as a scarf.  Who knows?

THE GRANDS

Tell me this is not the cutest baby ever!  The Sprout being her lovely self -

Today is a special day in Pawpaw and BeBe World – The Papoose turns three today!  Look how much she’s grown!

Hot off the presses!

Three years later….

Happy Birthday, Papoose!

I’m linking up, as usual, with Tami Ami’s WIP Wednesday blog.  Come check it out!

Problems are only opportunities with thorns on them.  Hugh Miller

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Habit, I Snapped

IT SEEMS LIKE SO LONG

It feels like weeks since I made my last post, but that can’t really be – my last post was Friday, just a few days ago.  Blogging has become a fixture, I don’t have to remind myself to do it anymore, now, if it’s been more than a day or too, I feel that something is missing or something has been left undone.  I’m happy to be back at my routine, even if it’s been just a few days.

BIRDY UPDATE

Mr. Iknead and I have become somewhat attached to the doves and their chicks nesting on our patio.  Saturday morning, when I did my usual morning walk around, looking at my flowers and checking the feeders, I noticed that neither Mama or Daddy Dove was on the nest and got a good look at the babies.  What did we do before iPhones??

Climbed up on the long disused doghouse and snapped this.

A little bit of research tells me that doves can raise up to six broods a year!  We’re hoping that that’s true for “our” pair and we’ll have more chicks to enjoy.

ON THE NEEDLES

I’m still plugging along on too many projects and have added two more, crochet instead of knit.  Will reveal for WIP Wednesday tomorrow.  I think this brings the grand total up to six – the basket next to my knitting/reading chair runneth over!

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.  Mark Twain

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Surprise, Hey Chick!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

In my ongoing organizing, donating, trashing, recycling project, I came across a box that’s been underfoot for a long time but remained uninvestigated in recent memory.  Opened that baby up and look what I found!!!  I vaguely, very vaguely, a brief infatuation with novelty yarn but I’ve no clue why I am the owner of a cone of Sugar and Cream, colorway Potpourri.  I see a lot of dishcloths in my future.  Wait!!  Babymama has recently fallen madly in love with knitting dishcloths and given Babydaddy’s austerity program, this could be right down her alley.  Now I see  lot of dishcloths in HER future.  There were other goodies in the box, two pairs of brand spanking new Clover needles, size 8 and size 13, you can never have too many needles, you know.

DOVE WATCH

We have a chick!!!  It’s pretty good size, probably about a week old or so, and fuzzy.  I spotted it this morning when I went out to check on Mama Dove.  I guess it’s just now getting to the peeking out of the nest phase.  Can you see it’s beady black eyes?  It’s to the right of Mama Dove, just peeking over the big leaf.

ON THE NEEDLES

No FO Friday offering today, but the Karma sweater is humming along nicely, along with the Crocus and Sunday Swing Socks.  Maybe next week……

Persistence is self-discipline in action.  Brian Tracy

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