lady cordelia

round here

Nothing supremely exciting around here.  Just the normal happy child antics, big dogs hanging out, seed stich scarf with left over chunky (soft) wool yarn, cleaning of the playroom, spinach and cabbage making themselves known in the garden, chickens on the WRONG side of the run (I love the "Who Me?" look on their faces.)  And my cute little Bernina sewing machine that is waiting for one of my silly little quilts to be sewn. 

And I do mean silly.   People pat me on the head when I finish a sewing project and say...."Oh, aren't you cute!"
Ya.  Like you could do better.  I want to to say.  But I don't.  I just sit there and smile and nod.  (It's really the best thing to do when someone talks to you like that.)  And then I just say..."oh la ti da ti da" and try and change the subject a little, knowing all too well in my mind that person will never get a special and very uneven toddler sized quilt from me.  Never.

ANYway.  I'm off and running people!  So much to do, so little time.  Lots brewing around here!  I really just wanted to check in and say I hope you have a FABULOUS end to your week!  I love you!  

hardcore progress

Following up with yesterday's goals to tell you that I .....
~Finished the knitting project.  (Would be cuter shown on the newborns head. Newborn is 3000 miles from here.)
~Did watercolors with kids. (love this one by my 6-year-old.)
~Did not make muffins with fresh apples.
~Did not make the prayer flags.
I did half of what I planned and that is better than nothing.

But mostly, as we know, I really worked on being peaceful.  I worked on saying YES instead of NO to my kids.
Full-on peace loving kindness.  Calm.  Cool. Collected.

I texted Brad when he was at work.
I said: I'm working on being peaceful today.
He said: Good luck with that.
I said: Don't be an ass.
He said: Good luck with that.
I said: You know all those people meditating in ashrams?  The ones that are waaaaaay peaceful?  Let us not forget that they don't have to listen to Katy Perry on the iPod.
He said: Why are you listening to Katy Perry on the iPod.
I said: Because I am practicing saying YES instead of NO to our children.
He said: Good luck with that.

Later on that afternoon I said to my kids: Hey sweeties, I really appreciate that you have your own individual musical taste.  But I am feeling like I need to not listen to Katy Perry anymore.  Can we agree on something else we all like?

I said that INSTEAD of saying: Kids,turn that crap off.  It's rotting everyones brain.

Impressive, no?

 

 

'round here

Around here we've been having a lot of restful homemaking.  Here's some random happenings...
 

::Smoothies are always a good nutritional source in hot weather and I've added a recipe at the bottom of today's entry.

::My 6-year-old has taken to finger knitting and I couldn't be happier.  She's made us all bracelets which we wear proudly.  While picking out yarn for her, I found some leg warmers started last Winter with some yarn that I didn't really like.  But, the girls don't mind a little acrylic so...waste not, want not I always say!!  Gonna finish them.

::So very happy my chickens have been producing more eggs lately!  They seemed to take a break for a while and we were just getting 1 or 2 a day.   Back up to 4!!!  Silly ol' hens, gosh darnit. (I know I am showing 3 eggs in the picture.  You try holding four eggs in one hand and taking a photo with the other!)

:: The girls prettily strung shells on some smelly hemp string someone gave us.  I took it when no one was looking at hung it in my (and Brad's) bathroom.

:: The four-year-old snuggles up with our labbie. What a nice old man. After what happened with Lulu, I'll never take this boy's sweetness for granted again. Might as well make that a "This Moment" of the week with Soulemama.

xoxox

Lady C's Blueberry Millet Smoothie

1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1/4 cup millet (uncooked)
small banana
1 TBSP Bee Pollen
1TBSP Fish Oil (can't taste it in smoothie.)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (or more)
1/2 cup filtered water (or less)
blend it up, baby!

 

 

small little plans

Good Morning Sweetie.  Today I have a few things I would like to accomplish.  Would you like to know what they are? (If not, it's very lucky for you as you can just stop reading right now.) 

Today I would like to:

:: Get myself down to the thrift stores so that I can seek out some "new-to-me" Summer clothes.  I took the girls to Old Navy the other day and was apalled at paying $8 for a t-shirt and $12 for shorts.  I know that may sound cheap to some, but I've really gotten used to paying a few bucks for such things.  I'm happy to splurge on my girls, actually.  But, as for me...I'll duke it out at the local thrfit. 

:: Buy a few mosquito fish for the little tiny water garden I made.  ( And I'm not sure I'll get there 'cause the thought of any more live creatures on my property makes me feel totally sick to my stomach.  I've hit my wall, so to speak.)

::Work on a patchwork quilt for younger daughter.  But.  I'd have to walk all the way upstairs to the sewing machine.  I'm not sure I can be bothered.

:: Knit more of this shawl that I've been working on for months. And I wish I used multi colored yarn to hide the little "oops" in the stockinette. Also note: I'm nervous to get going on that lace.

::Get around to making some muffins to go with the so yummy homemade butter I whipped up yesterday.  (Look how easy it is to make butter if you have a stand mixer: Pour some cream in a standing mixer (organic and pasture raised cream is best or even better: raw cream that is, if it is less than $15 a pint in your area!), put on dough hook, mix past the "whipped cream" stage into the butter stage. When you start to see all the buttermilk come out (which is amazing to watch) keep on mixing just a bit more until you see butter get bright yellow and..well...buttery looking.  (You can save the buttermilk and use it for pancakes or muffins!) Then: scoop out the butter and with your (very) clean hands wash the butter in a bowl of  ice water by squeezing out the last bit of the buttermilk.  Do this a few times -dumping the cloudy water and adding new water- until the water stays clear.  When the water stays clear it means you have successfully gotten all the buttermilk out and your butter is ready for a pinch of salt, if you want- or fresh herbs)

Those are my plans.  I'm pretty lackadaisical about all of it. (And thats pretty odd for someone who tends to do "too much" a lot of the time.)

Anyhoo: What are your plans today?

XO

And a big PS!  Thrifty Thursday will be taken over by Jenn at Baby By The Sea and she is starting up tomorrow!  See you there!

 

 

a fine weekend

Just  a really gosh darn fine weekend.

Started out with a lot of much needed rain and the timely arrival of some new yarn.  (I got the color "chanterelle.")  I haven't splurged on yarn in some time.  And I would hardly call it splurging as I found it to be very reasonable. 

I am doing this shawl for myself.  I haven't been this excited about yarn or knitting for months!!!

Saturday afternoon I took the girls to a play that was put on by the local High School.  We live in a small town and raving reviews were on every corner.  It was a musical including the High School orchestra and I was very impressed.  I'm not easily impressed, so you can imagine how excited I was! All those sweet teenagers, so professional and talented.  Seeing something like this makes one stop and wonder what ever could be wrong with the world. 

The Brad didn't have to work this weekend due to the weather.   That was really wonderful.   For as much as I tease him on this blog, let me tell you, he is the sweetest man around and he puts the sun in our sky.  He perfected his dehydrating methods and made thin, crunchy apple chips.   What a guy.  

Then last night -and last minute- we had really good friends over for an impromptu dinner.   It was so much fun. Brad and I barely qualify as adults and these friends are right there with us.   

So as you can see, it was a beautiful weekend!  I hope yours was as magical.

hanging with amanda for weekending.

A weekend of lights and gifts

Pretty, no? First time stringing twinkly Christmas lights in the garden.  Kids will really bring out that Christmas magic in a person, you know what I mean?  I love my kids so much I really think my heart is going to explode.   They inspire me to make the world a more sparkly place.  And a Chirstmas-lighty place.  You know what I mean?

I love Christmas lights.  I love my kids.  I love this little area of our yard.  Especially since all the millions of leaves are temporarily cleaned up.

Now. Let's talk knit:

I woke up in a panic last night because it seems, once again, I set the bar too high.  This time, the "bar" is making Christmas gifts. Knitting them, mostly.  I'm not a good knitter, but after a year of doing it, I'm ok.  I have tenacity.  And I persevere.

At 6:46 a.m. this morning I finished....(drum roll please)...The Big Lace Scarf! (modeled by daughter.)

Then I finished the Hurricane Hat! Modeled begrudgingly by my dad.  He's from the Bronx. Got it?   He really doesn't have time for crap like modeling a imperfectly knitted hat that makes him "look homeless."   My dad doesn't mince words.  (I fully received that gene. It rocks.)

Both gifts turned out on the rough side. I know you'll say..."commme onnn....they look grrreat!"  But, photography can also make my skin look perfect.  So.  Cut it out right now. If you saw the top of the Hurricane hat, you would think quietly to yourself..."Man, Hurricane Katrina was less devistating!"

So, you'll understand that I was hesitant to give the gifts away because they weren't "perfect."  But, give them away to the "giftees" I did, so they could be worn now, when cold weather is here (because you can be SURE I'm not re-knitting them AGAIN. Hell. No.)

Two down.  And more imperfect knitted gifts to come!  How lucky for the receivers!

I wonder if my knitted gifts are those that get shoved in the back of the closet once unwrapped and fakely oogled over.  Hmm.  That's a very sad thought.  I want to cry.  Guess I'll have to go knit to make myself feel better.  Try, try again!  I love to knit.  I really do.  Sniff.

 

 linking with Miss Amanda.

an artistic messy blur of a weekend.

Good Morning!  Up and at'em! 

I get in these creative flows that have really no foresight or organization. A blur of yarn and material, cleaning products (natural of course), recipes and food surround me.  In other words, I want to clean, cook, knit and sew.  And two children to take care of in the midst of it.  (Yes, in the midst of it, I make myself take them to the park.  I don't really want to, per se, but I do it anyway.)

First, let me talk to you about the Big Lace Scarf.  I call it a Big Lace Pain in the A**.  I love, love, love the pattern.  But.  You can not..let me rephrase that..I can not successfully pull out rows on this thing when I make a mistake.  All the yarn overs and SK2P's and all that stuff...come on!  How in the hell can one make sense of a pulled out row?  You can't.  Or, rather I can't.  And so I have to start All. Over. Again. when I make a mistake.  But I'm determined.  I will finish the Big Lace A** in time to give it for a Christmas gift.  I will.  I will.  I will.

So, there was that mayhem this weekend.  The trying ever-so-hard not to hang myself from the rafters when, for the 9th time, I am pulling out about 30 rows.  I'm sure it isn't healthy for me, The Big Lace Scarf... but it beats chain smoking or binge drinking or abusive relationships so I'm feeling pretty ok about it as far as obsessions go.

Then, I decided I wanted to make some sock elephants for a non-profit that saves Asian elephants (I will tell you more about the organization in a later post.).  I put about 7 hours into sock elephants. One turned out hella ugly.  The other just a little bit worse than that.  I emailed photos of my sock elephants to the head of the organization who I had been emailing back and forth with.  I had been trying to figure out how to help her and so came up with the sock elephant idea.  I have not heard from her since.  I can feel her thinking to herself: How can I tell this nice lady that those sock elephants are really scary.

My mom asked me this weekend:  Why do you take on so much?  Sock elephants?  Now?  It's right before Christmas! Don't you have enough projects going on?

DUH Mom!  Just trying to save an elephant or two!  K???????????

Then, I realized mid weekend I needed to clean The Brads studio.  WOAH!  This is not a simple or easy task.  He is a photographer and does all his own matting and framing.  Which means there is a LOT of paper waste that needs to be recycled.  AND, he does not pick any of it up.  So, I left all 800 lbs. of the recycling up at the top of the stairs for him so he can't really get into the studio unless he removes it.  Smart, right? 

Then I did a deeper clean on my sewing/craft/whatever room. Pretty no?  Not perfect, but certainly ready for the finishing of older daughters quilt.  (Oh, and for making more sock elephants! Much to the annoyance of the head of the elephant organization.) K.  Still with me?  Come on!  Keep up, would you?  I then had an impromptu dinner with some friends (The Brad was gone all weekend for work, by the way.) And I tacked this recipe  WHICH rocks.  Though it came out a little dry.  Still, I fully impressed my dinner guests! Wow.  Can you imagine if I would have showed them my sock elephants?  Right.  It would have ruined everything.  Which is why I did not.  And I why I will not show them to you. Ever.  I know you say you would not laugh.  But you would.  And then my feelings would be hurt.   I'm ever so sensitive like that.

posting late to weekending with A.

 

things involving yarn and carbs.

Stop with the breakfast options already.  Right?  Come on.  This is fresh homemade granola and homemade strawberry compote THAT I froze and took out months later. With yogurt.  Greek style.  Come on.   But- you know all about this stuff.   I won't link to the recipes.  I just thought the pic was pretty.  Not even 6 months ago I could barely crack an egg.  Look at me now, ma!  Right?  Right.

Yeasted Bread.  Tassahara Bread Book.  Made it a million times.  (Or, maybe 10 times, or 15.  Close enough.) Check it out:  Tablespoons & Teaspoons.  Different.  K?  I have a dough ball just like the one you see above in my trash right now cause I thought I was way too cool to look at the recipe today.  If you like salt a lot, the one in the trash was the loaf for you.  (What a waste of 7 cups of flour.  And 4 tablespoons of salt)

Now.  Check this out.  Bag of already made granny squares at local thrift.  FULL ON BAG.  (Just sampling the amount in the pic.)  Now I can totally make the gran blanket I've been dreaming of without having to learn to make the squares!!!!  NOW you are jealous.  No?  But wait, it gets better.  $6.  Yes!!!  (Sigh. Blowing on fingernails and shining on shirt.)

And, on the serious side a little- a hurricane hat for a friends son who is undergoing 2 years of chemo for leukemia.  He will most likely push it into a lifetime of remission with this treatment.  But, it's been immensely hard for the family, as you can imagine.  He is a senior in college and still going to school because he wants to graduate with his friends.   

 I want to link with Yarn Along today, so I have to mention a book:
See it in my sidebar.  It's a bio of a famous Rolling Stone writer/editor.   Pretty cool read, actually.
My dad got it for me cause he knew the dude.  And, well, my dad's name is listed in the index.  He's even quoted in the book!   Kind of....you know....FULLY RAD!  My dad is just very cool.  He's going to be 80 next year.  That does not stop him from being super rock n'roll. 

I could measure.

It is raining today for the first time since last Spring.
I'm happy to be home, getting ready to clean the bathrooms.  Then laundry.   Then knit.   I do hope I get to the knitting part. 
Had a knitting accident yesterday, speaking of.
Asked The Brad if he thought the bottom of the blouse I'm knitting for O looked like it was 11 inches yet.
He said: Looks like it to me.
He said: Sure.
Sure.  So I started in with shaping the armholes.  And all that.  You know, the binding off and stuff.  Then, a few rows into that, I decided to measure the part that was supposed to be 11 inches.   A few rows into shaping the armholes, I decided to measure the bottom of the blouse. 

A friend of mine once said to me when I was dating a man who was both a cheater and liar: people change but not that much.

I'm not a cheater.  And I'm not a liar. But I'm not much for measuring. And according to my friend's quote- I may never be.  It took me about an hour to pull out the armhole shaping, stitch by stitch, which is the only way I know how to do it on circular needles.  As I pulled it out, I thought to myself, might as well enjoy it.  So I did. Sort of.  Knowing I could pull it out. Appreciating that I had the ability to go back and fix it. Knowing next time, I could measure.  If I wanted.  The choice would be there, hovering above me like a tangible little light.  The choice will always be there.  If I want to, you know, save some time.

Right now I am thumbing through this book and seeing if I feel brave enough to take anything on for next project. 

Joining Yarn Along this Wednesday. 

full on weekending

 
Some know Fall is here because of the change in the air, the falling leaves and so forth.  I know Fall is here because I find myself running a hot bath at once a day.  Or thrice, if I'm particularly chilly.   More clothes and the heat turned up just won't do it.  And so that is how I am ending this long, wonderful weekend. 

I began the weekend with a trip to LA to begin the process of recording a few new songs.  Very fun and exciting.  It has been many years since I have properly been in a studio recording for me (and not a music library.)  Of course I will share when all is finished.  These things take a while.

Saturday took us to my parents to celebrate my moms 71st birthday.  In the afternoon we went to see an acrobatic show; contortionists, trapeze and the like.  Very fun.  Girls loved it.  In the evening we had dinner and cake and a surprise performance from my mom who had learned some beginning tap dancing on youtube.  My dad MC'd the show.  It was amazing!  I only hope when I am her age I will be up to such things.  She is a fine inspiration.  Everyone should be so lucky to have such a mommy.   And daddy.  He is turning 80 a week after I turn 40 (sooner than later.)  I love them. Big.

I also got started on a new knitting project this weekend with a spontaneous (and not inexpensive) trip to a KS.  (KS is shorthand for Knitting Store.  I found this out the other day on someones blog.  I thought it was ridiculously silly. )  I spent way too much money on the yarn.  This was a total accident.  Should not have happened.  Please don't tell The Brad.  Thanks.

Have a wonderul Monday!

Linking with my super wonderful pal Amanda for weekending.