Heal My Life

Loop-d-Loop, oh my!

Must knit this...DO NOT cast on....projects already in the queue....will upset the order of my knitting universe... ARRRGGGGHHH!!!!!!!!

It really is no use.  When the old demon pattern love strikes - it's really hopeless to resist.  I ordered Teva Durham's Loop-d-Loop and it came yesterday.  Except for the time I spent grafting Soliel's two front straps together then very grumpily un-grafting them, I ogled each and every page (I think there's a law against this still on the books in Montana).  Now a caveat for anyone (me) who hates knitting with anything larger that size 7 needles - this is by and large a bulky book.  I didn't care after previewing it on Teva's site and ordered it anyway.  I figured I could weasel my way around to worsted weights on some of the patterns and just knit the bulky on others because I just love them. 

I'm thinking the Green Leaf sweater first.  I'll use a bulky Merino which I'm going to shop for as soon as I finish this post.  Next, and for my ultimate project going into fall, though I probably should just start this one first so I can WEAR it in the fall, the breathtaking Cabled Riding Jacket.  Sigh.  What to do when two loves compete for your attention?

As for poor Soliel, she didn't stand a chance after Loop-d-Loop arrived.  Grafted bass-ackwards, tossed aside like and old shoe, forgotten, reviled.  Well not really, but I did graft her front to front.  I'll try and finish the poor, pretty thing tonight. 

As for the new Endless Summer Lara in a pretty shade of rose that just arrived from Elann and the pattern Elann features on the Lara page (that I also purchased)...there's always next summer.  Unless magically, I can somehow manage to control myself.  Yeah, sure. 

Tomatoes are in!

Yes, the beautiful seedlings I nursed along finally succumbed to powdery mildew.  So I bit the bullet and ordered some Aunt Ruby's German Green, which is the best tomato I've ever eaten (and I've eaten a lot of them), Aker's West Virginia, a few Ancho (poblano) pepper varieties, an Italian Gourmet for frying and a Fushimi, a Japanese sweet pepper I've never tried before.  Then yesterday, dad and I went to the nursery and bought 14 more tomato plants, all heirloom: Amish Paste, Matt's Sweet Cherry, Yellow Pear, Mortgage Lifter, Pineapple, Purple Cherokee, Black Krim and Yellow Brandywine.  I'm getting hungry just typing this. 

So the Amish Paste, Yellow Pear and Matt's Sweet Cherries went into the tomato towers and I just had to share the photo - they look so darn pretty!  I filled the water can, plugged in the pump and PRESTO!  Automatic watering.  Now I just have to get a timer and the system will feed and water itself without any interference from me, well except for the refilling of the water can and replenishing of the food once a week.  Too cool!   

Right This Minute, In a Supermarket Not Far Away...

I would call this a health rant - except that I have a hard time feeling like I'm on a soapbox when I talk about chemically preserved, genetically altered food - we shouldn't have to eat this stuff period.  It's just bad for us.  Anyone who reads my blog had probably noticed the various healthy living links on the sidebars.  I pretty much try to live what I espouse, okay, maybe except for the occasional handful of Cheese Doodles. 

Oh come on, everyone has to have a vice and I don't count the yarn thing.  I don't eat the yarn after all and I do regularly turn it into useful items, okay maybe except for those orphan projects hidden in the closet.  Anyway, this isn't about the yarn thing and it isn't even about the genetically altered thing.  THAT thing is a monster all on it's own and deserves it's own post.  So I won't go into the human liver DNA being inserted into rice to enable it to "digest" up to  to 13 times the amount of pesticides we currently spray on it.  This is about the organic vs chemically coated thing.

I was reading my Local Harvest mail this morning when I came across a post by someone forwarding a link to a new film commissioned by the Organic Trade Association.  I had to share it with you - watch the adventures of Cuke Skywalker and Obi Wan Canolli in Grocery Store Wars. 

Among the criticism leveled at the organic market and the organic farmers is that their prices are considerably higher than conventionally grown, and by the way, I hate that term, it sounds so banal and safe and gives no indication of the chemical liberties taken in the name of progress.  While that's true, it's helpful to understand why.  It's actually more that the chemical farmer's prices are artificially deflated and kept low through economies of scale, higher yields, and government subsidies.   Organic farms are generally smaller and growing without the use of inexpensive chemical pesticides is significantly more expensive as organic methods are more costly than their chemically based counterparts.      

Yes, organic costs more.  But it's healthier for you.  That poses a hardship on many families - it often does for me.  A and I work for ourselves, so our fortunes ebb and flow.  Lately, they ebb more than flow.  I still buy organic and I cut down on other expenses to be able to do this.  Movies are always the first thing to go.  Sigh.  But I still buy organic.  Knowing EXACTLY what's going into my body is important...I can always rent the movies when they come out or even get them at the library for free and if I happen to miss a few clunkers???  But I'll never be able to turn back the clock on what I eat and how it affects my body. 

So okay, I guess it was a rant. Learn more anyway.    

Soliel Progress II

  In case you're wondering why I all of a sudden have so much time to post, A is away on business for three weeks and I miss him terribly so I'm going overboard keeping myself busy.  Besides - there just seems to be more "stuff" I feel compelled to share.  That may be scary....  But somehow - I have less knitting time and so less progress on Soliel than I should have but here she is so far. 

ps. before you get all wrought up about how smooth and neat she looks, I took a steam iron to her before I took her picture to iron out the curl. 

Cube Upgrade

Who ever said that cube-land would never become the startling forefront of a new fashion revolution was asleep at the keyboard.  It has been done.  My daughter, never one to stand on ceremony, turned her department and indeed a good portion of her company on it's ear when she decided to spruce up her cube and cover her office chair.  Now she's gotten tons of compliments and several people have asked to order a set!  But as a single mom with two little girls (see my grandkids album) who is a  brownie leader, gardener, scratch baker, knitter, sewer and I can't even list all of what else, she really doesn't have time. 

She has offered to show people how to make the covers themselves, but it's amazing how many people don't have sewing machines.  Hmmmm.... as I think about it - this could be hot!  You could even change the covers seasonally!  So, if you want to make your cube a happier place, you'll need:

3 yards (depending on the size of your chair) of a good quality fabric, remember, you'll be sitting on it every day. The heavier decorator or upholstery fabric is a good idea or at least a good quality quilting cotton such as those from www.equilter.com.
3 yards of 1/2 - 3/4" elastic
Matching thread

Measure your chair, and if need be, trace a rough pattern of the back, seat and arms.  Opened and taped together brown paper grocery bags work great for this.

Make sure you allow for the depth of the cushions and any protruding hardware when doing your measuring. Also watch for cushions that taper, you'll need to make certain you allow the cover to slip over the widest part. 

For all pieces, allow 3" for the elastic casing.

The chair back is similar to a pillow case and covers both sides. 

The seat and arms slip over the tops and gather in beneath. Allow at least 3" on the seat and 2" on the arms for this part.

Go to town!  Let's turn cube-land upside down!  And make sure you send me pictures of your gorgeous chairs!!!

ps did I tell you she also designs knitwear?  http://hot_potato_knits.typepad.com/hot_potato/

 

Coco, the Burlesque Wonder Cake

Every once in a while a cake worth passing down to the children comes along.  A cake so incredible, so delicious, so intensely satisfying it should be against the law.  I am entirely too proud to announce that I have unearthed just such a treasure.  Mom's, get out your heirloom recipe books, daughters, sit up and pay attention.  Everyone else - get ready.  A drum roll please. I'd like to present....

Cocoa, the Burlesque Wonder Cake

In my opinion, the best thing about this cake, besides the name of course, is the fact that you frost it still warm.  Who doesn’t remember our mothers scolding “You can’t frost that cake – it’s still hot - the frosting will melt” as soon as she saw us dipping the frosting knife towards that hot cake.  And at ten years old, I absolutely rolled on the floor in the painful ecstasy of cooling anticipation. 

Ingredients

6 oz unsalted butter (softened)

1/3 Cup cocoa

2/3 Cup superfine / castor sugar

1/2 Cup golden syrup

1 1/2 Cups self-rising flour

Pinch baking powder

3/4 Cup light sour cream

2 Eggs

Frosting:

2 oz softened butter

1/2 Cup sour cream

3 Tablespoons golden syrup

3 Cups confectioner's / icing sugar

1/4 Cup cocoa

3 oz melted semi sweet dark chocolate

1 oz additional dark chocolate, not melted but broken into pieces

you will need:

·                       Food processor

·                       9 inch cake pan

Time: 15 minutes mixing, 40-45 minutes cooking

Pre-heat: oven to 400

Cake

Blend: softened butter, cocoa, sugar, flour, baking powder, golden syrup, sour cream and eggs in a food processor until well blended (30 seconds, scrape sides, another 30 seconds)

Pour: batter into a buttered and floured cake pan

Bake: for 10 minutes @ 400, reduce oven heat to 350. bake another 30 minutes. if cake bounces back when tapped lightly on top, it is done. it might need another 5 minutes. remove from heat, let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out

Frosting

Blend: softened butter, sour cream, golden syrup, melted chocolate, icing/ confectioner's sugar and cocoa in a food processor until whipped (30-40 seconds). add the extra 10z of chocolate pieces and pulse the processor to splinter them into choc chips in the frosting

When the cake is almost cool, top it with the frosting, [and watch it slide blissfully down the sides] put the kettle on and let yourself go.  This is one of those cakes where people keep insisting on half slices, but then go back again and again...willfully losing track of how many halves equal a whole

* Golden syrup can be found in cans and jars at 'cost plus world markets', English food stores and select supermarkets. You can substitute honey or dark corn syrup if you choose

This incredibly heavenly confection is from thelovebite.com a fabulous site by Mannix, who has completely gotten the hang of the "women LOVE dessert" thing and taken it one step further - dating and FOOD.  So if you're single, mosey on over - it's a hoot.  And if your married - what a cool way to do a "date" night and if your neither, mosey on over anyway - his food is just too much!

Wilted baby tomato plants!

Help!!! This is a photo of my poor wilted tomato plants. YIKES!!! They all look like this.  Last week they were perfect.  This week they're dying.  I'm not a tomato expert, but the only thing I can think of is water on the leaves and a fungus.  I think my dad may have watered them from the top which could be the cause. 

In any case - I'd really like to save as many as possible so I can put them in the tomato towers and in the ground next week.  I have Red Pear, Old German and Black Prince.  All Heirloom and all from organic seed.  This little tray is the worst, but they all show similar damage. Sigh. Any help will be much appreciated! 

Matthew Scarf

There have been a few posts about men's scarves on the knitlist lately so I hunted for the photos I took of the Matthew Scarf I knit recently but came up empty handed.  This morning, while looking for something else I found the scarf!  Since the azeala's are in bloom, I thought PHOTO OP! 

The pattern is by Myrna Stahman's, who designed it as a memorial to Matthew Shepard.

"In 1998, Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was beaten, tied to a fence, and left for dead. He was unconscious when his limp body was discovered by a passing cyclist the day after this vicious crime. Five days later Matthew died, never regaining consciousness."

I knit this one in Noro Cash Iroha, which is a silk, lambswool, cashmere, nylon blend.  It's soft and completely non -itchy. 

This is a lovely pattern and makes a thoughtful gift.  There is also a basketweave version for those who prefer something simpler.  Knit it, include a card with Matthew's story, and give it to someone who will understand.   

Vanilla Rant

Has anyone noticed the price of vanilla these days?  Well if you haven't, I can tell you it's stratospheric, impossible, outrageous, incomprehensible and just plain nuts.  Having had a stash of vanilla, I haven't had to buy any for a good while now.  I just ran out and was forced to pay $20 for an 8 oz. bottle of Madagascar vanilla.  That's right, $20 freakin dollars.  It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't use vanilla like water.  But I bake a lot. 

I normally don't skimp on the ingredients because dessert is just to important to me to cutting even a single corner.  If money were really tight - I'd cut my own hair first.  But I did... I bought the Madagascar instead of the Mexican which has become my new Vanilla love.  I can be fickle like that.  Anyway, the Mexican was $23 for 8 oz and I almost passed out.  So as a matter of principle I bought the Madagascar.  But seriously - $20 for VANILLA?%$#@*^!!!!

Now to add insult to injury, I just read that the vanilla market has crashed, demand falling in response to the astronomical prices and vanilla will become affordable once more.  Not in time for my purchase.  I guess I'll just have to bake overtime and use up what I have in time to but more at the new allegedly lower prices to come.  I may even get to buy Mexican again.

Phew - thanks for letting me get that off my chest.  I can go up and bake now.

Tomato Towers et al

Well the first two tomato towers are up.  This is A.'s experiment in hydroponics.  The tomato plants hang down instead of growing up and there's no weeding.  That's right, NO weeding (I personally love that part of it) And, there's no watering.  Not by hand anyway.  The whole contraption is fed by a pump on a timer that sits in a bucket of water and food.  It automatically waters and feeds the plants twice a day.  You can even go no soil and use perlite and coconut fiber since the food is all provided by you.  We chose to use soil and perlite since the coconut fiber was pretty pricey but the "soil" in the mix came from our own property and is a wonderful peaty mix of decomposed leaf matter and pretty much virgin topsoil - it's a gorgeous shade of dark brown and soft as the dickens.  I know, it's dirt, but I can't help it - it really is beautiful stuff.

All the equipment came from Verti-Gro and it's really pretty neat once you get past the idea of gardening without a garden.  Once the smaller stands are up, we'll be growing heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, poblano peppers, German chamomile, white thyme and purslane in the towers. 

The rest of the veggies are going in two garden plots, one of which A. carved out of the downhill slope in the back yard.  His brand new, hand-hewn plot will be home to sugar pumpkins, antique French pumpkins and a few gourds.  The main patch which just had a rototiller treatment, will be planted with more heirloom tomatoes, peppers, pickling cucumbers, parsley, sour grass, dill, snap peas, the ubiquitous zucchini and perhaps some spaghetti squash.

Growing wild in the yard are stinging nettles (don't even ask but they do make a tasty soup) and a few watermelon plants which sprouted from seeds spit into the grass last summer.  I have no memory of what kind of watermelon they were so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  We're also planning to sow some windflowers down the hill and plant some bee attracting flowers around the gardens to help with the pollination.  Oh boy - it's going to be a YUMMY summer!