Thursday, July 24, 2008

Therer are not words...

Oh but my. I have no words to explain the pristine awe in which I have been spending my days this week in the lake country of just shy of Michigan but still Wisconsin. Bald eagles buzz our boat daily. They poo in our pines. Seriously, do you know just how big these birds are??? I picked up a feather off of the beach the other day. It's 20 inches long. Insert google eyed smiley here. Big. Bird.

I pulled a solid orb of quartz out of the lake...and it's the size of a large grapefruit. This rock hound is in h.e.a.v.e.n. We're on Jute Lake and 75% of the shore is state park. We're the only ones inhabiting the 7 ish houses here. I canoe with the loons. I never want to leave.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Pictures, pictures, pictures

Lots to catch up on as usual. Finished spinning the Aisha Celia fiber. Andean plied.

Moving onto some fiber from the Alaskan adventure. Merino from RavenFrog Fibers:



The Seven Deadly Spins Club package #3 came! Hat pattern by StitchStud. Looks to be quite the challenge, It will have to wait until I've cleared some UFOs first so I can concentrate fully. This one might be my favorite so far. Very much my colors and the challenge I was hoping for. Bitsy little ball of angora to line the earflaps even!

Then we get to The Secret Project. These landed on my doorstep this week. All the way from Mountain Home, Idaho.

Retired to the backyard in extreme anticipation.

What's inside? FIBER! Lots and lots of Border Leicester roving from my friend Meg. She's been sitting on the fruits of her ranching labor and I am helping her liberate it.

This is lambs wool from Mattie and Gabriella. More caramel-ish than it looks here. It's all buttery soft and sproingy. I'm in love.

Peanut's lambs wool. Warm brown.

Snicker's Hershey lambs wool. Cooler brown. Bit more caramel.

Beulah's yearling wool. Brown shot with grey. Fabulous.


Packed up in 4 oz. bundles. Haiku by Meg attached. It's headed for a fiber fest in Chicago this weekend with Jenniethepotter, then to Etsy if there be anything left.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Personal responsibility and common courtesy are the foundation stones of a civil society. I understand the small people in my life have a learning curve. What excuse do so very many adults have?

Some days I mourn for our world.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Catch-Up

Quick game o' catch-up before I return to the assault on weeds.

1) The veggies. To this point utilized in the form of: many green salads, cucumbers n feta n olives, zucchini pizzas with gobs of basil, potato salad with spring onions some parsley and olive oil, snackin' stuff. In the line-up: risotto with peas and parm, whole wheat capellini with sauteed garlic scapes and baby beet greens, carmelized radicchio with onions, spicy cabbage salad, roasted curried cauliflower. I. Love. My. Farmers.

2) The Tea. Cold brewing RULES. Today's batch = passionfruit/hibiscus. Have learned to sweeten it when necessary by adding concentrated sugar or honey water. Made the cheater way by dissolving a tablespoon or 2 in a cup of water and microwaving for 2 minutes. Put this in the bottom of the pitcher, plop in the tea bags, fill with cold water and stick in the fridge overnight. Happiness in a glass.
3) The Bread. I will say it once again. BUY THIS BOOK. This method of wet and cold rise dough makes for sublime bread. I can bake bread in the cool of the morning. Pizza dough is at my finger tips always. Revolution in my mommy life.

4) The Tour. I have been very remiss in filling you in on the spinning. Learned on the cruise. have not stopped since. Doing the Tour de Fleece this summer to make myself commit to improving. This is what I have accomplished in week 1. The green is my second ever completed blob of batt. Silk/wool blend. About 4 ounces. Very laceweight. The pinky red is a wool blend from Aisha Celia. To be plied on itself Andean style.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Day 6


Pictures are coming, I promise. Just haven't been able to stop spindling long enough to 1) take them and 2) crop them and 3) upload them.

Addicted. Yep I am.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

What's in the Box Wednesday!

It's CSA pick up day! So, what's in the box? An organic bounty:

one head each of broccoli and cauliflower
a bunch of carrots
bursting bags of snap and shelling peas
multi-hued green beans
several summer crisp lettuces
brilliant baby beet greens
one head of radicchio
2 English cucumbers
bunches of cilantro and basil
summer squashes of all colors and sizes
one head each of chinese and green cabbage

It's finally summer in the very upper Midwest!