Fun Times

Here's Chester with 'THE BALL' which is his big trick. He loves keep away games and brings us balls, hats, shoes, whatever, to show us he has the thing and we can't have it. His curly tail waves vigorously at the same time, and he prances away, knowing we can't possibly catch him. We ask ( over and over again) Who has the ball? which he loves. He circles back and forth between us, so proud that it is he that has the ball.  Then he finds Chumley, usually snoring on the couch, and tempts him to play ball, sometimes allowing him to nip a tiny portion and then it's tug o' war, with loads of ferocious growling. We are amused for hours, and wonder how we ever lived without these characters.

When we were at my sister's for Thanksgiving our niece Glory brought out her ukelele and sang a few ditties. Dave was so eager to try her mini version and strummed a few chords, and I knew he was hooked. Yesterday this box arrived from Amazon.
An acoustic/electric uke! O my. It is the Les Paul version and to Dave this looks less like a toy and more like a real professional instrument. My 'all night shopper' also ordered a Ukelele Song a Day book, 365 songs to learn. I can't believe there is such a thing as an electric uke. But there you go.

Snowday!

After days of constant rain, it finally got cold enough to turn to snow. Our pond is full to overflowing and the snow is sticking to everything but the streets. So pretty. I had to hurry to capture the beautiful whiteness before it all melts.

Not Shopping

We have been enjoying a steady rain since Friday, and when I say steady, I mean UNCEASING. The pond is filling up quickly and we are O so happy to living up on a hill. Our driveway has puddles, as does Dave's Memorial Garden. I would show you pictures, but it is still so dark that nothing comes up on the camera.
Instead of running out to the mall to get all those Black Friday deals, we just hunkered down at home, eating leftovers and snoozing. I swear I slept at least 13 hours last night. And with that rain beating down on the metal roof, it coaxes me to return to my warm bed again. Yawn.

      
I saw this terrific idea for keeping earbud wires from tangling (on Pinterest, where I spent a good deal of time browsing). It was made with a friendship braid type of covering, which I am afraid I never learned to do. So I just did a knitted I-Cord version, and  you know it works quite well. Explaining it takes longer than doing it. I also tried it with crochet, but it wasn't as neat, and used more yarn. I was so into just using this one tiny leftover ball...
I have renewed interest in using my mp3 player now that the tangling issue is solved. I downloaded 8 cds of classical music, Bach, Strauss, Wagner, Mozart, all the good stuff, in keeping with my laid back mood.

I worked on a matching hat for my Purplemania capelet. It is still in progress.

I recently met a new online friend, Sue Pinner, who is also on Ravelry, has several blogs, hangs out on Pinterest and loves IKEA and yarn. And to top it off, she's British. Soulmates. See her amazing color on Flickr. Looking at her creations makes me eager to improve my crochet skills.

Purplemania Capelet

Having been inspired by Jane Thornley’s creations for years, I chose to improvise on her Cowled Capelet to see if I could knit something fun out of my purple leftovers. ( Not having the pattern, I guessed at everything and worked from the bottom up.)
To make a very stretchy start, I cast on using a crocheted chain. I didn’t count my stitches, but just made sure it would fit around the body at the elbows. Then later at the finish I undid the crochet and put the live stitches on the needle again. Using a larger crochet hook, I finished the edge with single crochet. It really, really stretches and is unconstricting, which of course is just wonderful.
As I was not following a pattern, I just kept trying the thing on the body to judge where to decrease and change to smaller needles.
I lightly blocked it with just a spritz of water and a good tug, hanging it on a towel covered hanger to shape it and to release the tubular ridges somewhat.
Now… if it would only get cold enough to wear it!

I believe this needs a coordinating hat. I am just now old enough to wear something like this out in public, not caring what anyone may think. Ha!
+++++
I was changing my sheets yesterday and while I was putting the pillow in its case, Chumley secured his spot.

But this is where he really wanted to be.

18,000 Calories Later. . .

We had a glorious day, full of sunshine and warm breezes, and a beautiful dining table was set by my sister Brooke. Her new apartment is so spacious and lovely and a perfect setting for a small family like ours to enjoy the holiday together.
It took three trips from our car to bring up all the food! We had BIG dinner plans.

Ahhh, the turkey breast, roasted to perfection. It was salted and cured in the refrigerator for 2.5 days and cooked in a roasting bag to just succulent perfection. Dave carved it for us, being the retired butcher and now there are just scraps left to gobble up today.
Two kinds of cranberries, two kinds of potatoes, sweet and white and the usual suspects, green bean casserole and sausage stuffing. Yum!

A new tradition may have begun. As we were waiting for the turkey to roast, we all gathered in front of the TV which my BIL Terry is using as a computer monitor. Of course we went online and first looked at both Terry's and my Flickr sites and those were spectacular to see so large.An example of the photos on Terry's photostream...just breathtaking.

And then we went to PINTEREST...!!!

 We spent so much time laffing at the humor page and other silly stuff, and I can see crazy things growing from this experience. (Are we geeky or what?)

DUDE!!

 Then we ate, got sleepy and made it home just at dusk.

Altho the Dawgs missed us, they had full bellies after two plates of leftovers.

Cooking Day

I'll be making a cornbread stuffing (Pepperidge Farm) with Jimmy Dean hot sausage, apples, cranberries, walnuts, celery/onion/garlic and thyme and sage from the garden. I made the broth last night from the legs,thighs and wings that Dave cut while he was boning out the turkey breast.
We are roasting it butterflied, at my sister's tomorrow, and I salt and peppered it and put it back in the refrigerator uncovered to 'dry out' as per a recipe I heard on NPR on Sunday morning. It is supposedly like brining the meat, without all the brine. The rest of the turkey parts will be saved for some other dish, like tamales, later in the season.
I am also making the turkey gravy today, and bringing it tomorrow. Turkey and mashed potatoes always need a lot of gravy. Canned cranberry sauce...of course!
Brooke is making the potatoes, both white and sweet and corn casserole (yum!) and the whipping cream, not cool whip. Yes!!! Her DH is making homemade bread rolls. So good.
 Of course there will be the green bean casserole, but my sis and DH don't like mushrooms, so I am using Cream of Onion, which is a pretty darn good substitute. I'll add sliced almonds too, in case the green beans end up uncrisp which they might.
Pecan Tassies or as I call them, tarts, are a requested treat, which was not a part of our childhood feast. I learned of them back in the late 60's from a friend. Once I had them, I barely need an excuse to make them again. Another reason to dollop on the Whipped Cream.

Here's my fave pie of all.  Whipped Cream covered Pumpkin. So luxurious and delicious. I should make this more often. My recipe is ancient, and it is called the 'one bowl pumpkin pie' from the Women's Day recipe collection, which are in 24 volumes in the garage. My mom insisted I have the whole collection, back when I first got married (to #1) in 1967. I rarely look at them now, having stored the instructions for roasting meats, making hollandaise and baking breads in my memory banks. Such a good way to teach a young cook how to do the basics. Now I just look up stuff online.
From the looks of things, I will be wearing my expandomatics to dinner.
Here's hoping you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving day with family or friends, or if you're lucky, both! Stay safe and come home full.
Love to you all,

Tasty Bits

I have been at this blogging business for seven years, this month. Yipes! What a lotta stuff I just had to say. And then today I had nothing. I spent all day knitting obsessively (is there any other way?) on a 'just gotta try this' project that I may never wear. We'll see. So when it comes to doing the blog this morning, I got nuttin'.
I had planned to make these Snicker Caramel Cheesecake cookies and share the flavor variation that I decided was better. I didn't get off my butt, but the variation is this: delete the caramel in the cheesecake batter and substitute either Nutella or  Dark Chocolate Almond spread
     and top with sliced almonds. It uses muffin top pans which I actually own, which is the #1 reason I wanted to do this recipe. #2 the jars of evil chocolaty stuff in my cabinet. But actually,  with all the half priced Halloween candy I bought the day after Halloween, I am kinda sick of chocolate for a while.
And then....
In my email this morning, my dear blogging friend, organic gardener, artist and author, The Empress of Dirt has announced the completion of her Ebook on Fabric Dyeing 101: Simple Instructions For Beautiful Fabrics For Those Who Wish To Be Both Frugal and Gentle On The Earth            
 I dropped by the Empire to read all about it and I highly recommend you visit too, as she is 'all that' when it comes to writing. I am a mere dilettante and bad speller compared to her. Her back story is so inspiring and makes me wanna get off my butt and do something grand and long lasting.
Like the laundry.

PS

'Tis the Season

Despite the rain, our intrepid tree decorator is out there on the deck putting up the tinsel and ornaments. Our deck planter has been cleared out of all the frost-nipped plants and on the front of the table is one of the tubers from the sweet potato vines.

 We might try and cook it to see how it tastes...or not.

 Here's the nightime view from the porch. The twinkle lights still hanging from three years ago are working fine, and the tree came prelighted, which is just a great invention, making this a hassle free set up. None the less, Dave plans on decorating the real tree at the end of our driveway, and that means miles of extension cord and more lights and ornaments.

Personally, I think this one is just perfect, and all we need. But I have a touch of Scrooge when it comes to holiday ephemera. He decorates, I cook.
I am reminding you of my most requested recipe, Turkey Lasagna, which works for the those who cook ahead, or those who come home with loads of leftover turkey and dressing. http://fibermania.blogspot.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-turkey-lasagna.html
Altho my sister is doing the cooking, mostly, I am bringing the boned out turkey, and a few side dishes and desserts. I hope to have this dish with the leftovers, if there are any.
I have found loads of fun recipes which I plan to start making this week, and so the blog subjects will be O so food centered. Hmm. Better start with some breakfast.

Winner Announcement

Donna is the winner of the DVD drawing, Congratulations! Thanks to Candy Glendening of www.Candiedfabrics.com for making this available and thanks to all 127 who commented. Woowoo!

Dyeing To Stitch

Here's my pal Candy Glendening who has just come out with a new DVD on Dyeing!!! I am so thrilled for her and for me, because this DVD has all the answers, and shows all the techniques that you may need to dye up gorgeous fabrics.  Seriously.



It's a workshop in a disc, and I am loving it because it shows you everything I'd want you to know about dyeing, without me having to get off the couch. Now I can relax and just refer you to her dvd. Wonderful! Look at that page of color swatches. My goodness, that is a sensation. (I could never be that accurate and conscientious).
So to celebrate this new workshop dvd, Candy is giving one away. Just leave a comment, with your email and I will pick a winner by 8am (Central time) on Saturday 11/19/11.
And now your daily Dawg (and Dave) who have napping down to a science.