Pit Crew Part I

lookee what we have here

Part II

BINGO

I'm a square... Stitchy has done it again. I am only on for Saturday as I thought that was enough. I have a button thaks to Norma and plan on wearing my red melon scarf/shawl, probably as a scarf that day. Look for me with some of these fabulous bloggers and pehaps this one or this one if they are there - are you coming?

That's all I have for now, I have some fun and amusing pictures but since I am home they can't be uploaded, perhaps later this week. Off to knit in the car, happy Sunday

yep, it was a moment

I got up this morning, got organised grabbed the lunch container from the fridge and put it in my lunch bag, the lunch that i packed with care from last night dinner that P made me. It was a good dinner and I was looking forward to lunch today. I got all the small people eating and then opened my lunch bag to get out my lunch. Looks good


Till I opened the container and realised that I had grabbed the peppers that I roasted for tonight's pizza rather than my lunch... rice crackers and gluten free muffins it is then, lucky me.

There has been some knitting for small people happening and some holding of small people and a little forced modeling of unfinished gifts - doesn't he look impressed, I am sure he will like it more when it doens't have needles attached that can poke him!

Happy Thanksgiving - enjoy the weekend.

September in photos

it appears that blogger hates me again today and refuses to post any photos, I have aome great one but you will have to wait, so much for trying to be a good blogger and actually add something to my blog!

Right then, never mind, here they are like magic!

This is Sidney, we kept him and he is rather fascinated by all the tomatoes that we have been canning, we were busy last night and he really anted to play withthe tomatoes

A fall sunset in our field, I love living in the country

She still needs ahome and she is the last one, any takers?

Gainful employment that involves fingerpainting is a good thing, fingerpainting and newborn babies 9 more about him later)

Fall colours in my driveway, it's all good! I am off to Jo's to be fed and then home to pick more tomatoes... they are never ending!

Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage

Most likely causes:
ripe tomatoes.
too many apples.
temporary gainful employment.

What you can try:
come over and eat tomatoes, apples, squash and zuchinni.

More information

This problem can be caused by a variety of issues, including: my dial up connection dislikes me and my blog. I can't get to a high speed connection because I spend my evenings canning/freezing food, the garden will end soon and then I will have some time again!

PS I can't believe it is september already, where did the summer go?

Garden Fare

It has been a long and busy summer (visit the knitting blog for the 411) here on the farm, thus the silence on this blog. I have been cooking up a storm and yesterday found myself over run with a variety of garden produce including cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic scapes (we plant garlic in the spring just for this reason) and green onions. I got creative and made us a lovely lunch.

Cherry tomatoes and goat cheese serves 2

2 tsp butter or olive oil for sauteing

2 garlic scape's chopped ( or 2 cloves garlic minced)

2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered

1 cup fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup soft goat cheese - crumbled ( more or less if you prefer)

Salt and pepper to taste

chopped green onions to garnish

1/2 package rice pasta (enough for 2 people) cooked according to package directions.

The whole thing goes together rather quickly so I would suggest that you cook the pasta first and while that is happening you assemble the rest of ingredients. Be ready to throw the garlic in the warmed pan as soon as you have drained the pasta

Melt the butter/warm the oil in a large skillet

Saute the garlic in the butter/oil for about 2 minutes over high heat and add in tomatoes, saute for another 2 minutes and add in the basil, as soon as the basil starts to wilt remove from heat and add in cheese, give it a quick stir to mix in the cheese but don't over stir or the cheese will all melt. Spoon the sauce over the warm pasta and garnish with chopped green onions - enjoy.

I have many recipes in draft form that just need a little attention and so there will be more posts here soon.

F.O.

The disadvantage to Ravelry is that I posted this there and then was about to turn off the computer when I remembered that the whole world is not yet there and I really should share it with the rest of you too. (you'll be there soon, honest you will)

Harvey Kimono from Natural Knits for babies and moms
Knit with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Denim and Blue

I enjoyed it, parts of it where a a bit finicky and the arms/arm holes didn't quiet jive but I fudged it and I am certain that Sam will not mind


In other news, the garden has exploded again, never ever leave your garden unattended for more that 24 hours. Many crops are finished and picked already and I thought that I was done with most plants - well I was wrong. I have 1lb of snow peas, lots of beans and even a little lettuce still. The tomatoes are finally ripening now that all the company and partying is done - we have about 200 tomatoes that are all going to ripen on the same day! Once that happens I iwll spend hours canning tomatoes, unitl then I will continue making pickles and enjoy tomatoes, basil and goat cheese - there is a recipe on my other blog

knitting

I am playing on Ravelry today, I thought I would squeeze it in between zucchini and tomatoes for my life is now dictated by my garden again. Guess what I bought myself for my birthday...


enough for a sweater. I just added it to my Ravelry page as well, addicted I am. If your looking for me my username is bagknitter

pictures as promised

Hello all, THe last of the guests have departed, the garden is sort of under control and I am taking the day off to knit and update the blog. This is a picture heavy post but I figured I would just fire them all into one post and be done with it ( actually that's a lie, there are more)

The day before the wedding, (I will get this shawl knit if it kills me!) Some of us were working

and some of us were not. In their defense they did get work done as well, just not before they enjoyed their beers and pickled herring

All dressed up for the big day, I did finish the shawl. They took the pictures on the farm and there are some fabulous ones

My parents came from the westcoast


The groom and his Dad, good Irish Ukrainian catholic that he is

There was an univited guest or two

The wedding was almost beautiful as the bride


I've never P. dance as much as he did that night - this is kung-fu fighting


How could I leave out the animals, Max's knew favourite spot, the outdoor water dish


Sidney, we decided we needed to keep him

and one of our resident butterflies

And since some of you some of you come here for the knitting here is a close up of the shawl, although not a great one

Melon Scarf or Shawl from Victorian Lace today

Knit with 1.5 skeins of Sea Silk. I probably could of added about 10 more repeats and made it the suggested size to use up the yarn but I felt like it was bit enough at 55 and I was running short on time.

Next up on the needles is some 2nd socks and P's sweater, even if it kills me.

5 days in review ( well 6 with today)

Tuesday - clean house, get bed for parents to sleep in dropped off, drop off falls through, borrow van to get bed, van breaks, knit melon shawl, friends bring truck, get bed home at 11pm, truck dies in yard, 11:30 bed in house being made, truck starts and friends depart. 12am, do dishes, 12:30 parents arrive

Wednesday - cook, knit, cook, knit, sit in hot tub, send P to airport to get his sister.

Thursday - cook, tidy house, knit melon shawl, cook, finish shawl at 3pm, block shawl on top bunk before one of the groomsmen needs to sleep there, get dinner for 40 on the table at 8, sit in hot tub, tease a very happy(read drunk) P and a happy(also drunk) Dad, crash at 1am

Friday - drink coffee, lots of coffee, get groceries, iron clothes, take family photos, watch thunder and lightening storm blow in, watch wedding party flee from field to house (with photographer in tow) just at the rain starts to fall and the wind blow bricks from chimney into the yard, feed the masses again, pack them into cars to wedding, attend wedding, hug friends, hold back the tears (why do I cry at weddings) as I do the reading for them, watch L and A beam happily as they finally tie the knot, get in car drive to reception, enjoy my evening visiting with people I don't get to see enough, clean up hall, insist on bringing drunk guests home, deposit guests in afore mentioned bunk beds (groomsmen elsewhere tonight), crash at 2am

Saturday - rise to make breakfast for 40, lots of help was received from house guests, tidy up yard after the storm, 11:30, feed the masses again, watch L and A open gifts, 2pm start make loud noises about exhaustion setting in so that people will leave, tidy up, 2:30 nap for 2 hours, get up and go to friends house for potluck, take leftover wedding food and I am never cooking again, 8pm come home, enjoy hot tub, play with kittens, go to bed.

Sunday - kiss P as he leaves to drive sister to airport at 6:30, sleep in, drink coffee, blog and read email, go to phantom of the opera, eat dinner out ( see above never cooking again), enjoy hot tub and crash sometime before 1am ( or so I hope my day goes something like that).

See you all on the other side of the family visit (Thursday) with pictures of the shawl and oh yeah the wedding too.

kitten blurs

Time what's that, I don't have any. There is a wedding here next week, I am cooking 2 meals for 40. That and the garden has exploded, last night I made pickles. Anyone want some Zucchini? Here is some amusement for you, these are still the 1st batch of babies - the 2nd ones are cute but there are no pics as I am negligent. These babies are starting to go, actually the black one is gone already. - Never mind I don't know wherethe pictures have gone, stupid blogger!








I am almost finished the melon shawl, knitting the border and I as long as it is blocking by Thursday all shall be right with the world!

The Vortex

I have been sucked into the vortex of Facebook and Ravelry, sad but true. I have a few blog posts lined up in my head but no time to get them into cyberspace - so here's some pictures instead

You know it's hot outside when all they are wearing is a diaper and a pair of sandals. There were 2 kids but by the time I got my camera out they had turned the corner.

Max is working on getting bigger, he is almost bigger than Tai.

I am working on veggies. This is yesterdays haul from the garden. If you look closely you can see the tiles that people painted at the wedding reception, the knitting one is Jo's. I finally grouted them this week. I have also been painting and weeding and painting - what will I do when the reno's are finally finished.

This that same pile of veggies from the garden, washed and such. I got them all blanched/ frozen or put away but there is that much again today. We planted all this before I read Animal,
Vegetable, Miracle by Barbra Kingsolver but if you haven't read it yet I suggest you do.

That's all I got for ya today!

Happy Birthday

to the one who reminds me that sometimes the other road is the better way to go

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Happy Birthday P, may the coming year bring all that you wish for and so much more.

it's a zoo

2 humans
3 dogs
2 cats
9 kittens

Any questions?

PS there is knitting content comingbut it involves pictures and for that I have to stop painting/gardening/making jam/dealing with 4 legged friends long enough to leave my house

fresh

I picked these this morning as they needed to be thinned out. Guess what we are having for dinner?

Raverly

I got my Raverly invite on Friday, not that I have had a chance to do anything with it yet. Because between partying on Saturday ( my birthday party) and reading Harry Potter it was a busy weekend but hopefully I will get to it soon. Now to cover the fact that I really don't have time to blog right now here are some cute pet photos... just because I can.


these 2 still need a home

you know you want one!

this one doesn't show it so well but he thought typing was a really good time

and that the kittens were interesting


but needed a bath.


Oh look at all that food,

I think I need some. Yes it will start bad habits but it was a good photo!

the very last potter...

Okay I finished it, every last page. I have avoided the internet for the last 72 hours because I was a afraid of a spoiler. It was good, I didn't want to put it down even though I had to a number of times as I had other things I had to get done. I'll have a proper post later, I am off to knit.

Old?

I spoke to my 3 year old niece last week on my sisters birthday.... little miss R had some interesting things to say

R - Hi annie teen ( she renamed me before words were her thing). Are you going to die?

J. No

R. Are you going to die?

J. I don't think think so R.

R ( still holding the phone) Mama you say annie you going to die, she says she's not

C. (my sister) I never said annie was going to die.

R. Yes you did, you said annie was going to be really, really old on her birthday.

J laughs hysterically and resumes the conversation with her sister while little miss R. puzzles over the fact that turning 30 does not mean you are going to die.

All this to say, that today on my 30th birthday I feel the same as I did yesterday, so I guess I am not about to keel over. It's the week of J here at the farm, last night we went out for dinner, today are going for a picnic and on Saturday we are having a party. All J, all the time.

P got me a few very cute treats, I will have to show you a picture of the t shirt later this week because describing it just won't do it justice. I am off to knit, play with the puppy and supervise the boy painting our dinning room ceiling.

Cheers

pictures anyone?

As if this one needs any sort of a description. The hat pattern is from Charmed Knits and the scarf pattern is my own. I have been knitting for a local bookstore who will be selling them at the release next Friday. Sadly they are knit with acyrlic but it was really the onely way to make the afforadble for the average kid.

And because you all need more pet pictures in your lives. Here is Chudder and Max, we wanted to show the current size difference because he won't be so much smaller for long.

Yes he is still adorable

Chudder is amazed by the kittens, she just stands there and stares at them for as long as we will let her. They are starting to be more alert and I caught this one in mid yawn.

Alright it's back to the garden and more Potter knitting for me.

Cooking for Karina

Indian Chick Peas (or Lentils)

1 19oz/540ml can of chick peas or lentils - rinse them well and then put them back in the can and fill it up with water.
1 large onion finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp salt - if you cook with salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp of cayenne - the more you add the hotter it is.
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp cumin
1 to 2 cups of coconut milk ( lite or regular)

Heat a few tsps of olive oil in the bottom of a heavy frying pan ( I like cast iron as they hold the heat well)
Add the minced garlic and onion, saute for about 10 minutes over medium heat
Add the in all the spices, saute for another minute or so.
Add the can of chick peas/lentils and allow to boil rapidly for a few minutes to reduce the liquid. Turn to low and simmer for at least 5 minutes, longer if you have time. At the last minute add the coconut milk. The amount depends on your tastes, I usually add 2 cups. You just want to heat the coconut milk but not have it boil

Serve over rice or rice noodles. Serves 2 big eaters or 3 smaller eaters.

Notes - Sometimes I double the recipe and add both chick peas and lentils.
- I use canned but you could use dry ( that you have soaked and cooked ahead) and add about 1/4 cup of water in place of the water in the can.
- I rinse the can contents well due to the amount of salt that is in the liquid they are canned in.
- This is not a "hot" curry, I can't eat really hot things but it is tasty. P. makes his hotter with pickled mango added on to his plate.