Cautiously Optimistic

I feel better.  Make that "much better."  "Much, much better," even!  Of course, I'm comparing how I feel today to how I felt a couple-three weeks ago, when I couldn't get out of bed without major meds...and I couldn't function because of the fuzzy-head feeling from said meds.

Since then, I have had excellent results from a nerve block, and I'm pleased-as-punch with our new FIRM mattress set, which was delivered last week.  I now get up and get going with just a couple of Bayer Back and Body capsules these days...slap on a LidoDerm Patch, and I'm good to go!

Mr. T has returned to his regular work/travel schedule, after sticking close to home to be here for me during the worst of it. When he left for the funeral services for his manager (held in New York), Bro T was here from KY to be with me.  I have had such wonderful care!

So, of course, this makes me think I can resume life as usual...no caution flag.  Tote that laundry bag, lift that hound dog! Hop a train and go for a trip!! I'm such an optimist...:)  

No, I'm not all the way back to normal (whatever...or wherever that may be...:), and I find being at the half-way mark a treacherous place to be.  My brain says "now, remember the Dr.'s orders to take it easy," but the siren call of the garden is bypassing my cranium altogether and going directly for my soul. Things to do...places to go...people to see...!

Looking out our back door...around midnight
The deck in snow, 2/19/12

Bird feeders are empty...for the moment
2/19/12

Thank goodness, we had our first winter snowfall last night...a record-breaker for this day, with a little over an inch (see photos, above), thus giving my back another brief reprieve.  At least I won't feel frustrated at having to "take it easy" for the next few days of chilly temps.  I have NO problem staying inside by the fire when the thermometer stalls in the forties, and the snow turns to sloppy, slush. And, when I have fun activities to keep me occupied, such as:

• knitting...I'm making steady progress on my Ana Banana cardigan in Berroco's Weekend Peruvian cotton-blend yarn, having almost finished the back section; 
• reading...I've just downloaded Philippa Gregory's The Lady of the Rivers...the third in the Cousins' War trilogy...to my iPad...; 
• playing Words With Friends online...I've got 20 games going with friends far and near...and just received a message that I couldn't start any new games until I finished one...I'm apparently at the limit!;
• watching the Downton Abbey Season 2 Marathon on PBS; and 
• participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count...which I completed earlier today from my easy chair in the Morning Room, cuppa coffee in hand.  

I also had just enough energy left to make a 7-Up Pound Cake...my first "real" baking since Christmas (recipe below)...and then, while the oven was hot, I switched it over to the Timed Clean setting.  Ahhh....I think I see Normal, there in the distance...just over the horizon...

But, look out:  possible problem ahead:  our Weather Wonk is predicting upper 60's for later this week.  Will I be able to "take it easy" with all that temperate temptation?  Maybe we should padlock the garden shed door, no?

I know I must keep the bit in and the breaks on...at least until after March 5th.  I'm scheduled for an epidural steroid injection (ESI #1...of  3 or 4) that morning.  No, I'm NOT looking forward to the procedure, because it involves three of my least-favorite things:  needles, IV insertion, and pain. But, I'm practically salivating over the prospect of good results! [I had these done in Missouri in 2007-8...and probably wrote more about them then than you wanted to know...:)]

I will also hear Dr. Ford's report of my recent MRI...preferably before they give me an extra large dollop of the stuff in my IV to make me relax and "feel no pain."  If only...

No, none of it sounds like a walk in the park...but, as Missy M says:  "it'll make a walk in the park a much nicer experience."

Amen, my dear daughter.  Amen!

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7-Up Pound Cake


Ingredients:
1 cup butter (two sticks, at room temperature)
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1 vanilla extract
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
7 ounces 7-Up (Do NOT use diet; can use Sierra Mist)


Glaze (optional):
1-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, more or less
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare a large Bundt pan (I use a spray like Baker's Joy).


In a large bowl (I use my Cuisinart), beat butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy and well-mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat again until blended in. Alternately, add in the flour and the 7-Up. Mix until smooth and creamy.


Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees; lower oven temperature to 300, and bake for one hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  If the top starts browning too much, tent lightly with foil for protection.


IMPORTANT: remove cake from oven and let it sit for thirty minutes before turning out. I invert mine directly onto the cake plate as soon as I remove it from the oven, but I do NOT attempt to remove the pan before it has rested for 1/2 hour.


Combine all glaze ingredients and stir until smooth. Add more milk if too thick, more confectioner's sugar if too thin. Pour over cooled cake.


Enjoy!


[This cake brings back such fond memories of my freshman and sophomore year at Mississippi University for Women. My suite-mate...and fellow Rosette...KD's sweet mom would send one of these yummy cakes to her.  And we would devour it!  I later discovered the recipe in the Southern Living recipe book and began making them myself.  It became Missy M's favorite pound cake, and she once wrote a report on making it...and got an A+!  Ah yes, fond memories, indeed...and tasty, too!]

Before We Go Too Far...

Well, 2012 appears to be starting off in hyper-drive already. Before he left on the current week's itinerary (which will have him in 4 states in 4 days...:), Mr. T filled the birdfeeders...again...and he checked to see what the Bird Cam had captured since he changed the batteries and the memory card last week.

Ahem.  As you can see in the photo on the top (above), we have a squirrel eating at will from the SQUIRREL PROOF FEEDER.  Folks, that's a real, unPhotoShopped photo.  The squirrels have figured out how to brace their hind legs against the 4x4, taking their weight off the feeder-bar...which is what is supposed to snap the food tray closed when something heavier than a couple of birds land there.  If you watch one at this task, it appears he is doing his calisthenics. Oh, I know what you are thinking:  why don't you give the squirrels their own feeder so they will leave the others alone.  WE HAVE...we have 2 corn-cob feeders, as well as one ground feeder...and they eat from them, too.  I guess they just love a challenge.  Fortunately, Mr. Squirrel left enough food for Mrs. Cardinal (photo, bottom/above) to have a taste.

Ah well...moving on...

I've been trying to get my calendars marked (special dates, scheduled meetings, etc.) and coordinated...and I'm apparently behind already. I had planned to get the house de-Christmased by Epiphany (last Friday, January 6th), but an unexpected visit from one of my nemeses (BPPV...benign paroxysmal positional vertigo...what a mouthful; now you understand why it's almost always abbreviated...:) knocked me off my feet and off my game plan this past weekend.

Fortunately, it was a mild episode as these things go, so I only lost 3 days...and that was probably a good thing: enforced voice rest ("no talking, please") is exactly what the Dr.'s ordered for this persistent sore throat I've had. "If it ain't one thing, it's 10 others," to quote Nana/Momma/Edith.

An aside...

N/M/E always wondered if we would quote her sayings after she was gone...like we still do Big Daddy/Sidney's...who has been gone for nearly 22 years now. I assured her there was no doubt in my mind that we would. She smiled then...and she's smiling now...:)

Anyway...

Before we get too far into January, I wanted to post some photos from our Christmas trip to Louisville as I promised in a December post. We had such a good time with Missy M, and with the Bros. & SILs for our family Christmas.

Lunn Family Christmas
in Louisville

The first few pix are from the Lunn Family Christmas. I didn't do a great job of getting photos of everyone, as you can tell: the one on the left is of the back of Bro J's head (he's wearing a Santa stocking cap...we're all actually wearing Santa caps at that point, since he had just handed out caps and Christmas socks in memory of Momma...:); you can barely see Mr. T in the chair under the big clock...but it's a bit clearer of Bro T (in front of the window) and SIL LaD.

The next two are clear as day of Bro J...but you might question the content.  Remember?  Missy M once brought her Uncle J a silly hat from Manchester, England...a wild & woolly knitted cap for the Arsenal soccer team.  And, every year since, we have tried to find an even sillier version of the Silly Hat.  This year's version is an Elmer-Fudd affair, but with reindeer antlers that move and Christmas lights that really light up when this little hidden button is pressed.  The battery also supports the playing of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer."  I took a video of it with my iPad (a first!...and you'll recognize that by all the background noise that probably shouldn't have been there...:) before I wrapped it up for him, and if all went well, it loaded (below) and you can hear it play (if you click the play button...and turn your sound up...:).  I also found reindeer antler headbands for the rest of us to wear as he opened his gift; you can see one of those on SIL J's head in the pic on the left.  Too funny for words.

And, last but not least are the photos we took on Thursday, December 22, when we went to the Performing Arts Center in Louisville to enjoy The Nutcracker ballet.  I have described it as "a magical evening," and I meant every word of it.  Missy M treated us to a private box, which had three...and only three...very comfortable chairs.  It was like our own private performance of our favorite Holiday event!  Obviously, Missy M took the first photo, then she and Mr. T switched places...and told me to "hold that smile!"  Since the box was a cozy affair, we got "close-ups!"

OK, back to business.  I have gotten most of the Christmas stuff (and remember, I didn't really decorate very much this past year...:) corralled into the dining room.  The tree is still decorated, but I did unplug it, along with the window candles.  I'm not chancing a trip to the attic to bring the storage totes down (what I do NOT need is a visit from my other nemesis, Bad Back); that can wait until the weekend when the cavalry arrives home from...where will he be on Friday?  Maryland?  Virginia??

Tomorrow is dedicated to Master Gardening activities, which move into high gear with the Mentor Intern Breakfast...followed by two (or is it three?) committee meetings...followed by a Board meeting.  And, I'm supposed to refrain from talking?  You must be kidding!

And, I still have one more calendar to sync...and then I'll be ready to start the New Year. Or, rather...to catch up with it...:)

Starting 2012 Off Right

Happy New Year!  I'm so glad to advance all the calendars, aren't you?

Mimosas at Midnight -
Welcome 2012!

We stayed up to welcome in the new month with Mimosas (champagne and orange juice, served in our "Cheers to the New Year" glasses - photo, left)...although I will admit to taking a little nap in the early evening.  After a midnight kiss and a toast to a better year ahead, we went out on the deck to check out the beautiful moon on the crisp, clear night.  The neighborhood behind ours seemed to be Fireworks Central, with plenty of noise to frighten away any lingering evil spirits (well, that's the superstition, don't you know?).  Surprisingly enough, Duche$$ didn't go through her usual fear-act about the fireworks; we decided that it was because she's so deaf now that she can't hear them.  And that's OK...



Speaking of superstitions...

Gibbs:  Don't tell me you're superstitious, Leon?
Director Vance:  Well, I'm a little 'stitious.
 --From dialogue on NCIS

Anyway...about those New Year's Day superstitions...

I've always heard that you have to eat black-eyed peas, cooked with a ham-hock, on New Year's Day for good luck (peas) and good fortune (pork)...and we will hold to that tradition, serving Braised Brown Sugar Pork Chops* (recipe, below) slow-cooked with apples and carrots, and topping our peas with some of the green-tomato relish I made last Fall.  To ensure wealth, you're supposed to eat greens (always turnip greens and collards in the Lunn house).  Over the years, we've added a couple of good luck foods to the menu:  rice and grapes.  And, because Mr. T won't touch greens with a ten-foot pole, I prepare cole slaw (because cabbage is the "green" of choice for many cultures)...he will eat that.  We also make sure to serve pork for all meals (bacon or ham for breakfast; pork chops or roast/BBQ for lunch or dinner), and never, ever chicken or turkey.  [Poultry scratches around for everything; pigs move forward and make progress...or, so it is said.]  I'm not really superstitious.  I'm just saying...:)

To show you that I can laugh in the face of superstition, I made sure to leave our Christmas tree up past New Year's this year.  Momma always said it was bad luck to have the tree up on New Year's Day...but, I think she made that up just to get a dry tree outta the house (she was justifiably terrified of house fires).  Since we have an artificial tree this year, I don't have that worry...and, I am just not ready to say goodbye to all the pretty lights and decorations yet.  I think I'll hold off until Twelfth Night (Epiphany)...it's still part of the Christmas Season, and I certainly don't want to miss the visit of the Three Wise Men!

New Year's Day 2012
Harvest

Following the directive that "what you do on New Year's, you will do all year long," I have spent a wonderful, stress-free day.  Mr. T and I took advantage of the beautiful Spring-like weather this morning and worked in the garden a little bit.  He trimmed up the asparagus plants, snipping the frost-nipped fronds to the ground. I picked turnip greens and collards (which you might expect to still be producing) for our "good luck" meal tonight (see photo, right), along with leaf-lettuces, spinach, and even a tiny sweet bell pepper (which amazed even me!).  I noticed that we had cabbage leaves on plants I put out last Spring, and the garlic which did not get harvested in July seems to be taking on a new life.  Remarkable!  We'll have to see how that plays out.

Newest bird feeder...
Tree Face!

Then, he helped me plant a row of Wando sweet peas ("English" peas) along the back of the pea-fence...which still is supporting a good stand of pea plants from a late-season planting I did along the front side.  These plants are even flowering at the moment!  Of course, since we have bitter weather on the way tonight, we "wrapped" the pea-fence front-&-back with row covers (anchored to the top with clothes pins, to the bottom with rocks and stakes)...and tried to give the greens a little more protection (they already have row covers in place).

Mr. T then spent some time filling the bird feeders with the goodies we got yesterday on the Tractor Supply run.  He also got the three newest feeders up and in play:  a window-mounted feeder, a new squirrel corn-cob feeder, and a Tree Face (photo, left).  We had one similar to this at the house in MO, and I was thrilled to locate one while shopping at Mast General Store in Boone.

I did NOT do laundry, pay bills, or do any housework.  Each of those activities carry negative cautions in the superstition department...and none of them is particularly fun for me, so I don't want to be tasked with too much of any of them this coming year.  I did read some of my newest book (I finished Sue Grafton's V is for Vengeance and Three Day Town by Margaret Maron; I'm now reading Laurie R. King's O Jerusalem, which I downloaded from the High Point Library's Digital site to my iPad...a first for me!).  I played Words With Friends...with friends.  I fixed a nice Brunch this morning, and then cooked the "good luck" meal.  I downloaded pictures from my camera, iPod, and iPad...and did a little organizing of the picture files on my computer.  And, now...I've written a post on my blog, always a treat for me, even though it appears that Google has done some strange things with Blogger while I was away (and posting on my iPad).  Mr. T just suggested a walk around the block since the rain we had this evening was brief and light.  Yes, dear...just as soon as I finish this row on my new knitting project...:)

All-in-all, a good way to start off the year...

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*Braised Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 2 pork chops, boned and butterflied
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt (I use Paula Deen's House Seasoning)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
• 1 large apple, halved, seeded, and sliced (I used Fuji)
• 10-12 baby carrots (more or less)
• 1 cup apple juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine (or use water or chicken broth)

Preparation:

1. Rinse chops and pat dry. 2. Combine flour, seasoned salt, and pepper in a plate. Coat chops with the flour mixture.
3. In a large skillet (which has a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the onions then remove to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and brown the seasoned and floured pork chops, turning to brown both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions back to the skillet. Add the apple slices and the baby carrots to the skillet.
4. Combine the juice, vinegar, and brown sugar; pour over the chops. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.  Or, transfer the covered skillet to a 325 degree preheated oven for 1 hour.
5. Remove pork chops, apples, carrots, and onion rings to a plate or serving dish and keep warm.
6. Bring sauce mixture to a boil and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Pour over the pork chops. Add wine (or use water or chicken broth) to the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring to get the browned bits. Pour the wine mixture over the chops.
Serves 2.

The Snow that Almost Didn't Show

Mr. Cardinal...waiting for the snow to show

We waited.  And we waited.  And we waited.

We had been warned...repeatedly...that snowfall was imminent.  Familiar locations and friends to the south and east of us were reporting inches of the fluffy, white stuff.  We saw pictures of the half-foot of snow that Wrightsville BEACH (!) had received.  Even Charlotte, only about 90 minutes to the south, had snow...causing havoc on the streets and at the airport, I might add.  But, no, no, no...we had no snow.

What went wrong?  We'd done as we were supposed to: gone to the store for bread and milk; put a pot of stew on the stove; and dressed in layers to combat the cold (which we DID get).  Mr. T had filled all the bird feeders to the max, and they had attracted hundreds of our feathered friends.  That told us that the birds agreed with the weather folks:  we were in for snow.

Still, nothing was falling.  Nada.  Zip.  Zilch.

Gotta do something 'cause we all know I hate to wait.  As I had finished my "Just Enough Ruffles" scarf I was knitting for Missy M out of the Ultra Alpaca Blueberry Mix (of which I won't show a photo yet, since I haven't given her the scarf...:), I decided to get another project going right away.  I needed something "mindless" (read that:  nuthin' but knittin') to work on during the Big Game last night, so I started on this interesting pattern by Kirsten Johnstone called Sev[en] Circles I got from Ravelry.com, after reading about this unique scarf on String Theory Yarn Company's Facebook wall.  Missy M had given me some soft hand-dyed 100% merino wool in purples, pinks, and greens by the Plucky Knitter for Christmas, so I wound it using my new yarn winder and swift (thanks bunches, dear Santa...and KnitPicks.com!) and cast on to swatch while the washer and dryer were doing their Monday morning thing.



Platform feeder visitors at mid-afternoon



Then, by mid-afternoon, we began to get a few snow showers.  Here a few, there a few.  By night-fall, we had about an inch on the ground, with more falling.  And, in the night, we got the dreaded "wintry mix," meaning we had a layer of ice on top of the snow when we awoke this morning.  A great day to stay inside.




Apple fritters

 I had made apple fritters on Sunday morning (photo, right); a tasty treat...but one that leaves a nasty reminder...more on that in a second.  I can't make or eat apple fritters without thinking about a special weekend in the late '80's when my parents had retired to Smithville, TN.  We were visiting them, and Mom suggested that she and I take a day-trip up to Rugby, TN...a town on the Cumberland Plateau that was founded by British author, Thomas Hughes.  They were having their annual festival, so it seemed like a perfect idea.

And, it was!  We spent the whole day there, ending our visit late in the afternoon.  Just as we were walking to the car, we passed the booth where they were preparing apple fritters...and OMG they smelled wonderful!  We bought a bag-full, saying we wanted to "take them home for Daddy and Mr. T."  Yeah, right.  I'd be surprised if we made it home with two fritters left in that bag!  But, they were de-licious.  And, it sealed the deal on a fond memory.



Apple fritters...hot outta the pot,
dusted with powdered sugar

 The Apple Barn in Sevierville makes fantastic fritters (which they serve with their own yummy apple butter, of course), and they even sell bags of the mix so you can make them at home.  You add the fresh apple bits...and the pound of powdered sugar sprinkled on the fritters when they come out of the hot oil (photo, left). Love. Them. 

But...and, here's the scoop on the "nasty reminder" thing...

After you make them, your house will smell like a grease factory for 24 hours or more, and you will be left with a pot full of melted Crisco.  Yuck. 

Oh well, I had set the pot of hot fat aside to cool until I was ready to deal with it.  Just before I got rid of the residue today, Mr. T piped up with "Wouldn't that make some good suet for the birds?"  Great idea!  We looked up a recipe in the booklet "For the Birds" (photo, below/right) Missy M had given him for Christmas, and we were in business.

Making homemade suet cakes

I heated the fat back up to liquify it and added 1 cup of peanut butter to melt.  Meanwhile, in a big bowl,  I mixed 1 cup (more or less) each of wild bird seed, black-oil sunflower seeds, oats, and cornmeal; then, I added some raisins, some dried cranberries, and some broken pieces of pecans. 

I poured the hot liquid over the dry ingredients and stirred until well-combined.  Then, I spooned the mixture into the cups of 2 muffin pans (right) and a couple of plastic containers, and put them in the fridge to chill for a few hours.  Voila!  Homemade suet!  And, better still, no waste with the "used" shortening.

The cold and the snow make the birds really hungry...and now I hope we can make them really happy!

Think Happy Thoughts

"Your success and happiness lie in you.  Resolve to keep happy, and (together) your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."
                                              -- Helen Keller (emphasis mine)

It's another one of those cloudy and cold days that tend to populate the thirty-one days allotted to January on the calendar, making it difficult to remember a New Year's resolution to keep happy.  As I gaze out of my droffice (where the dining room and I share a space...:) picture window, I see the once-beautiful Christmas tree, now stripped of all ornamentation and lying on its side at the curb.  I know that it is awaiting its next mission in life:  to provide healthy mulch for the city's planting areas; but, I am nonetheless sad to see it looking so forlorn.  Even the outdoor decorations look like they are wishing they were all packed up and back in the attic, where at least it is a tad warmer.  Still, it is too cold for me to tackle that task.

I sigh and return my attention to the chore that awaits me indoors:  the last of the packing up of the Holiday decorations.  There are Rubbermaid(tm) containers in bright green and bright red, packed and stacked away from the main traffic areas (so as to allow Elmo room to roam without challenge), awaiting a stronger back that will move them to their allotted space under the rafters.  I continue to find the stray reminder of the Season, here and there:  Christmas-themed hand-towels in the half-bath; a token from the Christmas crackers that must have rolled under the table when we popped them; and fir needles in the oddest places.

With Mr. T on the road again (it's that time of the year when he has to travel to every one of this dealerships to get Dealer Development Plans signed), and not around to lift my spirits, I could easily sink into a post-Holiday funk.  Even re-reading those first paragraphs is getting me down.  No, don't want to go there.

Where is Helen Keller when you need her?  Must. Think. Happy. Thoughts.

Let's invoke the "Sound of Music" solution!  Here are a few of my favorite things:  birds at our feeders, projects and finished objects, and something to look forward to...a goal, a plan, anything!




Starling at the Blue Glass feeder

House finch seems to say "What's that thing?"



Red-bellied Woodpecker
at the so-called squirrel-proof feeder

Early morning squirrel calisthenics
at the so-called squirrel-proof feeder

Hey, it's working!  I can feel the doom-and-gloom, lifting slowly from my shoulders.  Let's try another one of my favorite things.



Patricia's Picchu-Picchu
in Ultra Alpaca:  Blueberry Mix

You know, I love starting projects.  If I didn't, why would I begin so many?  Anyway, I think the real reason I love starting projects is that I know I will be over-the-moon when I finish them!  So, I present to you, photos of my Picchu-Picchu sweater, knitted in ab-fab Ultra Alpaca in a color called Blueberry Mix.  I got the pattern (available free from the Berroco website here) and the yarn in a kit from a Facebook link to Appalachian Yarns.  I really believe this will be my favorite finished sweater project for some time to come. Love it, love it, love it.



Details of Patricia's Picchu-Picchu
in Blueberry Mix Ultra Alpaca

I plan on wearing it tomorrow for the first time (not counting the numerous times I've "tried it on" when I see it in the closet...:).  I've been saving it for a special occasion, and I think tomorrow morning's Master Gardener Mentor/Intern Breakfast qualifies.  I get to meet not only my Mentor who will serve as a guide through the coming weeks and months of classes, but also the other MG Interns who will be joining me in the Class of 2011.  Something to look forward to, right?  I'm excited! 

I'll be posting about my experiences as I learn and grow (pun absolutely intended...:), and as I make new friends with similar interests.

Hey, if I don't watch out here, all these happy thoughts will have me breaking into song.

How about a chorus of Zip-a-dee-doo-dah! Mr. Bluebird may not exactly be on my shoulder, but he certainly is on our feeder:




Mr. Bluebird...and Mrs. Finch...at the feeder

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Eastern Bluebird at suet feeder

Good morning!  And, welcome to the New Year!!  After two days of rain and drizzle (AKA:  yucky weather...:), the third day of 2011 dawned bright and beautiful...albeit a bit on the nippy side (still in the 20's at 9:00 a.m.).  This photo (right) of an Eastern Bluebird was actually taken with Mr. T's new BirdCam last week/last year, but I still thought it was appropriate to the title.

We spent yesterday watching the pro football games on TV, while taking down the tree and packing up Christmas around Casa 3917.  It may take us a week or two to de-decorate the outside, though, since we'll have more of the same type of weather throughout this week, with snow expected again next weekend.  Having reindeer in your yard on Valentine's Day isn't too terrible, is it?  We could start a new trend in Sailing Point.  Hey, if one of my neighbors can have a live goat, who could possibly object to a couple of lighted, white-wire reindeer?

You'd think we'd be sick and tired of football after watching multiple bowl games over the past few days, but you'd be wrong.  At one point, we had two going at once, using the picture-in-picture feature to swap views on the Alabama game with the Mississippi State game.  SEC 2, Big Ten 0.  Hoo-rah.



Masa Mittens for Me -
First Finished Object for 2011!

 I actually do love watching football games, 'cause you couldn't ask for better knitting time.  On New Year's Eve, I started a pair of mittens for myself with some yummy-soft Ultra Alpaca in a warm yellow color called Masa.  I had picked up this skein in the Orphan Skeins bin at Common Threads last week for 25% off regular price...a find!  As it was basic pattern, modified in length to fit my short, stubby hands and worked on US 7 double-points over 40/41 stitches, from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, made for warmth and utility more than for show, I was able to finish them in a day (photo, left).  Now, my hands will be warm on my walks. 

BTW, I find it a wee bit humorous to report that I purchased the 5" double-points I used for these warm, (alpaca) woolen mittens on my trip to Arizona last year.  They are the perfect length to use for mittens and gloves...so what if they came from the desert?

We made sure to welcome in our New Year with all the foods that are supposed to bring good luck and financial rewards throughout the coming twelve months:  sweet rolls and grapes with our Mimosas for breakfast; then for dinner, black-eyed peas (out of the freezer, packed from our own garden!), pork chops (seared then slow-cooked), turnip greens (or cabbage-slaw for Mr. T, who won't touch either greens or sauerkraut), rice, and sweet corn muffins.  As a child of the South, I grew up with the peas, greens, and pork lucky triumvirate, but we've added the sweet rolls (as a substitution for the sugared donuts, which would be acceptable but require more attention to detail early on New Year's Day...:), rice, and grapes over the years and the moves we've made to other parts of the US.  I sure hope we covered all bases with our menu!

I'll make this post brief (well, brief for me...:) as I want to take advantage of the sunshine and get my walk in this morning, wearing my new mittens of course.  Before I leave you, though, I'll share a couple more of the BirdCam shots:  the one on the left (below) is a Northern Cardinal and the one on the right is...well, you recognize the biggest "bird" we have at our feeders, don't you?



Northern Cardinal at feeder

Guess who?  Grrrrrrrr.

2010: That's a Wrap!

Welcome to our world, Dixie girl!

It's that time again.  Time to say goodbye to the old year...hello to the new one.  As we prepare to welcome in 2011, we are also welcoming a new Drool Gang member into the (extended) family, so I thought I'd lead this post off with a photo (right) of Dixie.  She is such a cutie-pie and is joining Missy M and Ella Rae (who I'm not supposed to refer to as my grand-dog...:) in L'ville.  She's 2 1/2 years old, with red and white coloring (she looks a lot like Elmo, don't you think?).  And, she's got a big voice for such a little girl.  I haven't met her in person (canine?), but I have heard her bay over the phone.  Woo-woo!

So, it's New Year's Eve.  Most people celebrate by going out on the town, putting on party hats, and toasting with champagne at midnight.  Us?  Well, we are such party animals (NOT!) around here that our agenda for the day has been a bit different.

We have been enjoying the results of Mr. T's BirdCam that he got for Christmas.  We've taken lots of pictures (which I'll post at a later date)...or, I should say it's taken lots of pictures, and we are trying to refine the results.  Oh, the camera itself is working great, and we are loving the pix we've gotten so far.  We do seem to be getting more than our share of bird-butt shots however, either because of the shape, size, or location of our feeders.  Solution?  Get some new feeders...and put them in some new locations!



N/M/E is all smiles at Tractor Supply
in Oak Ridge, NC

 So, we spent the last day of this year in Oak Ridge, NC, at the Tractor Supply (our other home-away-from-home), loading up on new feeders, as well as gluten-free dog food and dog treats.  Hey, around here, it's all about the birds and the dogs!  That's a shot (left) of Nana/Momma/Edith in the back seat of Mr. T's Outlander as we were leaving the store.  He's on the other side of the vehicle, trying to tie-down the 4 new feeder poles on top of the car.  Tee hee.

After our little shopping spree, we headed across Highway 150 to J.P. Looney's for a celebratory lunch...and a little bowl-game-watching time on their big screens.  N/M/E was still bummed out because her Tennessee Vols had lost a tough one to the UNC 'Heels in double-overtime last night in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.  No comment about that.  Sure, we'll pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly at the stroke of 2011, but we'll also be happy to stay home for the evening and off the roads.  (I guess you might say we'll drink, but we won't drive...:)

Before we close the door completely on this busy year, I wanted to take a few moments to put some projects in the record book, marked as "finished."  So, here goes for the FO's:



Mr. T in his Christmas Cable Vest

 As I've posted before, I completed the Cable Vest for Mr. T in super soft Tahki Stacy Charles Savoy yarn (a 52/48 silk/wool blend) in a rich red (photo, right).  Got it all wrapped up and under the tree for Christmas.  He seemed geniunely surprised when he opened the package, saying "when did you do this?!"  Of course, the answer is, as always, "when you were out-of-town, dear."  One reason I have so many projects going at a time (I tell myself...:) is that I can work on one that is unrelated to the giftee when he/she happens to be in the same room with me; then, when said giftee is away or goes to her own room, I can pull out the project related to that person.

Case in point:  N/M/E's afghan.  She also seemed surprised when she opened the big Santa sack that was nearly full-to-overflowing with the Galaxy Ripple Afghan in Natural, 2 colors of Periwinkle Blue, and Velvet Night (which is a beautiful Royal Purple) Bernat Berella 4 yarn (photo, below/left).  "When did you do this?!"  I'd worked on this project whenever she was in her room and late at night after she'd gone to bed...and I had also taken it with me for the long flights to-and-from Hawaii.  She did walk in on me as I was crocheting the strips together, but I was able to cover up my work before she realized what I was doing.



N/M/E's Christmas Ripple Afghan

 I've posted about this pattern before, so forgive me if I'm repeating myself here.  I completed the "original" Ripple afghan for N/M/E over 31 years ago, using a kit with 4 shades of olive green I got I don't know where.  I took so long in finishing that first one (I was going through my counted cross-stitch period, when knitting took a back-seat...:) that she had changed colors in her living room (as well as changed locations of the living room from Covington to Barlett, TN...:).  I had to get creative and add two more strips along with crocheting a border in her new color (peach).  I had originally sewn the strips together as the pattern directed, but taught myself how to crochet the strips together after I'd repaired that first one so many times.  She still has it, by the way!

Since then, I have made I-can't-even-begin-to-count-how-many afghans using this wonderful pattern, which...wonder of all wonders, I still have the original directions.  You may have gotten one from me!  It is knit in strips (usually 8, two each in 4 colors) with a 6-row repeat, so it is easy to memorize, easy to take with you anywhere (I've knit the strips in my chair, in the car, at sporting events and symphony concerts, and on flights all over the US and Canada, as well as to-and-from France, the UK, and Brazil!), and easy to pick it up and know where you are in the pattern.  I don't think the pattern is copyrighted...if it ever was, it has probably expired by now.  I've searched online for it without success; if you search for Galaxy afghan, you get links to a crocheted pattern.  I thought I'd share this jewel with you, so check the bottom of this post for the particulars, if you are interested.



Missy M's Traveling Woman Shawl -
a 2010 Christmas gift

 I finished knitting Missy M's Traveling Woman Shawl on the last leg of those long return flights home in September.  I had wanted to honor the spirit of the pattern, so I used a bamboo-blend Seacoast handpainted yarn called "Rain" from New Hampshire via Louisville, and I did most of the work while I traveled...with the Traveling Shawl.  That photo is of the shawl (right), in progress, on the lanai of our room in Maui. 

After the knitting came the blocking.  Good grief!  What a chore, when you don't have a blocking board or wires.  So, guess what I asked Santa for this year?  You betcha!  And, because Missy M is really getting into lace knitting, Santa made sure that she too had a blocking board and more T-pins.

For my beautiful sisters-in-law, I did a "Just Enough Ruffles" scarf in Ultra Alpaca/Blueberry Mix (for SIL J) and a "Magical Moebius" cowl (with a pattern from Cat Bordhi), in a "Kentucky Blue" chunky hand-dyed Araucania wool yarn (for SIL LaD).  I loved doing both of them...and I forgot to snap a shot of either before wrapping them up.  Well, I do have a photo of the Ruffles scarf around SIL J's lovely neck, but she is wearing the Silly Santa Hat we gave Brother J in the same photo...and I've promised that I won't publish those pictures unless provoked.

I also forgot to get a photo of the Sophia "Wise Woman" Cowl (from a pattern in the One Skein Wonders book) that I knitted for N/M/E's BFF AW.  I had just enough yarn left to try out a mitten pattern called Smitten, that Missy M shared with me, for a gift-tag .  M found it on KnitPicks.com, where it was originally designed as an Advent-type garland.  She had knit several as ornaments for her tree, and they looked so cute.

Amazingly, I also had time during the Holidays to finish my own Picchu-Picchu sweater, knit in Berrocco's scrumptious Ultra Alpaca yarn!  I'll save the photo and description for another post, however.

That's the wrap-up of the FO's...and the wrap of 2010.  Hope you and all of your family and friends have a safe and happy New Year!  See you again in 2011!!


======================================================================

The Pattern for the Galaxy Ripple Afghan (for Bernat Berella 4 yarn) - approx. 48" x 60" finished

• CO 16 stitches.  [Bernat Berella 4 is an acrylic yarn, developed especially for afghans.  You'll need 8 oz. each of 4 coordinating colors of worsted weight ("4") yarn; this used to be 2 skeins each color when Berella "4" weighed out at 4 oz.  Now, since it weighs out at 3.5 oz per skein, you need 3 skeins each of 4 colors, especially if you crochet the strips together and add a border to finish.  It knits out to a gauge of 16 stitches = 4.5 inches, using US 10.5 needles.  I knit fairly loosely, so I've found that I need US 10's to get that gauge.  However, I do use a larger needle when I cast on and when I bind off, so it won't be too tight.  Try a US 11 for this only.)
• K 8 rows (4 ridges) in garter stitch.
• Begin the 6-row Pattern Stitch (below) for 50 patterns.
• K 8 rows (4 ridges) in garter stitch.
• BO loosely (remember to use a larger needle to bind off).
• Make 2 strips each in 4 colors.
• Sew strips together as follows:  Color A, Color B, Color C, Color D (center of the afghan), Color D, Color C, Color B, and Color A.  (I have found that I prefer to crochet the strips together with a simple slip stitch; it makes the seam/join so much more sturdy.)
• Steam-press lightly to relax the seams.
• Either crochet a border around the whole afghan, or add a fringe (knotting ten 10-inch strands of yarn in every 4th st across the two short ends).
• Enjoy!

Pattern Stitch for the Galaxy Ripple Afghan:

1. K4, * wrap yarn around needle TWICE, K1, repeat from the * to last 4 sts, wrap yarn around needle ONCE, K last 4 sts = 33 stitches
2. K4 *, drop 1 wrap st, P2, repeat from * to last 4 sts, K4 = 24 stitches
3. K4, K2tog, K12, K2tog, K4 = 22 sts
4. K4, K2tog, K10, K2tog, K4 = 20 sts
5. K4, P2tog, P8, P2tog, K4 = 18 sts (this makes the "bump" or ripple row)
6. K4, K2tog, K6, K2tog, K4 = 16 sts

Repeat these 6 rows for the pattern stitch.

The Sun Returned, the Shed's Still Standing, So Let's Celebrate!

Good news!  The wind and the rain huffed and puffed on the new Garden Shed walls...but to no avail.  They're still standing after a long night of rough weather.  Whew!

And, today dawned bright and glorious.  Carolina Blue skies...red, gold, and orange leaves...clean and fresh breezes...just an absolutely beautiful Autumn day.  As Mr. T is still out-of-town, I'm putting away the hammer and nails and declaring this a no-construction zone day.  I decided to leave well-enough alone, as they say, and celebrate our good fortune.

A celebration calls for...cupcakes!

I have been craving a cupcake for the longest kinda time.  Devil's Food chocolate cake with creamy vanilla buttercream icing...and lots of it!  Hey, I'm making 'em, so I get to choose the flavors, right?

I checked the pantry and decided to do my best imitation of Sandra Lee...you know, the "Semi-Homemade" lady on HGTV?  "Keep it Simple, keep it smart, keep it sweet, and keep it semi-homemade."  I love her!  She advocates the 70/30 Semi-Homemade philosophy, which combines 70% ready-made products with 30% fresh touches, and she always plans the whole meal and a "tablescape" to match...along with cocktails and mocktails.  Of course.



Craving a cupcake

 I just wanted a cupcake...so I got a box of Devil's Food cake mix off the shelf (the ready-made ingredient), along with all the fixings for the buttercream icing (the "fresh touch").

I've gotten to where I don't always use my big ol' stand mixer...I revert to my childhood and the hand-held.  Since Missy M wasn't here to lick the beaters and the bowl, I washed 'em up after I got the muffin pans filled with the batter and all settled into my new oven on the "Cake" setting.

Did I tell you that I got a new stove?  I recall mentioning the refrigerator and the dishwasher that arrived, thanks to a little "stimulus" help from the state of North Carolina earlier this year:  they gave instant rebates of 15% for replacing your old appliances with Energy Saver models, and Sears matched that amount in savings.  Couldn't pass that opportunity up, now could we?  If you've been to our house, you know that the previous owners had a hodge-podge of mis-matched appliances in the kitchen...a couple of which probably pre-date the age of the house.



Cupcakes baking in the new stove



One of those would have been the stove.  Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an Energy Saver model of a stove (or a dryer, for that matter), or I would have gotten a new one when I got the fridge and DW.  Still, the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to cook another Holiday meal on the monster we had.  Then, it had a fit one day recently...heated itself up much higher than what I had dialed in...and burned yet another dish.  That had happened last Thanksgiving with the sweet potato casserole...and that did it.  I headed to Sears and pointed out the one I wanted.



Anyway, the new oven has settings for "Cakes" and "Breads" and "Roasts," oh my.  It is both convection and electric (I don't have a gas connection in the kitchen, unfortunately), and the cook-top has 5 burners, including a warming eye.  Woo hoo.  Now I'm cooking with gas  well, electric...!

While the cakes were baking, I whipped up the icing: 

• 4 cups of powdered sugar,
• 4 T. softened butter,
• 1 T. real vanilla,
• a pinch of salt, and
• enough milk to make it creamy, but still hold its shape when spread.



Twelve cupcakes for now, twelve to freeze for later



I made 12 of the cupcakes for "now," and baked the other 12 in Christmas-themed liners to freeze for "later."  I imagine they will taste good with a cup of tea or hot chocolate on one of those really cold December days...when I don't have the time to bake something special.

As I was putting the ones I had frosted for "now" in the cake stand, which is on the low-boy chest in the bay window in the morning room, I happened to look outside at just the right moment.  There on the suet feeder was a fat Eastern bluebird!  I haven't seen much of them lately, but as I watched, I noticed another one on the bird bath.  Get the camera!



Eastern bluebird returns to the suet feeder



I took that pic (right) through the window, since I didn't want to take a chance on spooking the pair by stepping out on the deck to snap the shot.  Doesn't do justice to its colors, does it?  Still, it's so good to see them back in the back!

Tomorrow will be a busy day.  We have to get up early and dismantle N/M/E's bed because the Medical Supply store is delivering a hospital bed.  At the visit with her pain management doc last week, we received a prescription for a bed, hoping it will relieve some of the pain and pressure she has with her torn rotator cuff.  "Aging in place" means having to get just-the-right-mix of care, medications, and equipment.  Her beautiful cherry-finished Lillian Russell bedroom suite and double bed have served her well for nearly 60 years, so it will be like saying goodbye to an old and dear friend.  Still, she has a good attitude toward this change...and is hoping for good things to come from it.

Meanwhile, let's all have a cupcake!

The Good, The Bad, and the Almost Downright Ugly

I am thrilled to report that the hummingbirds have come back to our feeders!  The two we have are attached with suction cups to the window in the morning room overlooking the deck, as you can probably tell in that photo on the left.  The larger one (a bottle feeder...not pictured) is glass and quite heavy when filled with sugar-water solution (which I make myself:  4 parts lukewarm water to 1 part sugar, with a few drops of red food coloring; stir to dissolve all the sugar; keep any leftover in the 'fridge until needed). 

The smaller one (shown in the photos) is glass, too, but with a fluted metallic top, in the shape of a flower.  A clever design by a Tennessee artist, Mr. T found it at the Apple Barn in Sevierville and gave it to N/M/E last Christmas.  The hummers seemed most interested in it at first...as are the ants that have a constant trail up the window sill and panes, no matter how many times he has washed it off with either vinegar or Windex...or both.  Now, the hummers are paying more attention to the bottle feeder for some reason.  Same solution in both.  Guess the novelty has worn off.

That's my good news.  That, along with the fact that my SIL LaD has been discharged from the hospital today, heading home.  Not that I equate the two events.  No, I combine them both as my good news 'cause I know that LaD loves the birds...and especially hummingbirds...as much as we do.  She'd like being in the same paragraph, I think.

And, now for the bad news.  I have to report that I've not been in my garden since last Sunday.  And, we are all suffering for it.  You see, I was using my scuffle hoe (called an Action Hoe at Home Depot; marvelous invention, BTW) to weed the Left Garden (the one on the left of the center path...hence the name The Left Garden).  Mr. T and I had spent Saturday removing the damaged corn stalks (remember the windstorms of a couple weeks ago?) and weeding The Right Garden.  Got it looking good again...and planted some English peas in a couple of the resulting rows.  Anyway, I had worked my way down the first row of the Left Garden about mid-day on Sunday, turned the corner, and then it happened.

But first, a pause to paint you a picture.  At the beginning of this second row, I have a new bed I am preparing for next Spring's carrot crop.  After reading about a similar idea in one of my garden books from Jerry Baker, I tilled up and double-dug an area about 3 feet x 8 feet, creating a large trench about 8-10 inches deep; added a bottom layer of leaves; covered the leaves with newspaper, to aid in the composting process; covered the newspaper with a mixture of sand and garden soil, mounding up the soil on the "trench" to create a raised bed of sorts.  Then, to keep this area moist and attract earthworms...who are great composters in their own right...I topped the bed with two unopened bags of garden soil, laid end-to-end.  Neat, huh?  Will be a great place to grow carrots, which need much less compacted soil than our native clay.

Unfortunately, the same principal for keeping the earth moist (putting the unopened bags of garden soil on top of the bed) encourages the growth of a whole host of weeds.  I was scuffle-hoeing the beginning of the row, then started to edge under the bags to get the offending growth when...

Have I ever told you how much I hate snakes?  Fear them?  Am terrified of them?  Have nightmares about them?  Well, just in case I haven't mentioned that fact, I'm telling you now.  I. HATE. SNAKES.

My hoe touched the first bag of garden soil, and out from the gap between the bags slithered a black snake.  "Slithered."  That word just says it all, doesn't it?  Thankfully, he headed in the opposite direction, toward the wood pile in the back yard beyond the picket fence.  I stood, frozen in place.  I am pleased to say that I did not do what I have done in the past when encountering a snake in my space:  scream bloody murder.  My heart was racing, but I calmly made my way back to the garden tool rack on the far side of the garden to replace the hoe, stopped by my work-bench to pick up my gathering basket with the harvest of tomatoes, peppers, and peas I'd collected earlier, then slowly walked through the gate and back into the house.  No, no pictures of the event were taken.

I decided to spend the rest of my afternoon putting up my day's gatherings.  And, I watched my snake from the safety of the kitchen window over the sink where I was working.  He had made himself quite at home in the pine needle-mulched area around the wood pile.  Mr. T went out in the back yard a couple of times, to observe him a little closer.  He asked me if I wanted him to try and kill the snake, but I said no.  I know that a black snake is helpful in keeping the rodent population under control.  And, I know that he was probably more scared of me than I was of him.  I know, I know.

I have moved past "the only good snake is a dead snake" to "live and let live."  So, I have grown.  Still, I cannot seem to make myself go back into the garden.  You see, I am battling a life-long fear here.  When I once encountered a snake in the back yard of our house in Cordova, I tearfully (and, OK, a bit irrationally) told Mr. T to "sell it.  Sell the house.  I'm not going back in that yard ever again."  I know I need to get beyond this 'cause the weeding won't wait...it's only getting worse out there with all the rain and warm weather we've been having.  And there are probably tomatoes, peppers, and peas going past prime.  We are missing out on all that tasty produce.  Too bad.  I'm not ready to be a Big Girl yet.

And what about the "Almost Downright Ugly" mentioned in the Title today?  Well, that refers to my favorite shoes for the garden...or just about anywhere for that matter.  I found these babies called TerraSoles Echo Crossband Ballerinas at Sam's Club earlier this year.  I was more attracted to their ease of wearing and their origins than to their beauty. They are made by a company in Ohio, located in the same town we lived for a few years in the late 80's-early 90's.  It's not every day you see the place-name "Pickerington," so that instantly caught my eye when I spotted it on the shoebox.

Bought a pair of black ones and have since returned for a pair of cool blue suede ones.  They are not exactly the prettiest pair of shoes I've ever owned, but they are definitely the most comfortable ones.  The soles are like recycled tire treads (that sounds worse when I write it), the uppers are a combo of micro-suede and bamboo, and the innersoles are clouds.  Honestly, I could wear these things 24/7/365.  And, because they are washable (I kid you not...in the washing machine, as well as under the garden hose...:), I can!  I keep them on the screened porch, at the ready for me to slip into to make a quick trip to the store, or to go get the paper in the morning, or to go work in the garden.  Then, when I'm done, I wash any dirt off with the garden hose.  Voila.  Clean again.  Every now and then, I add them to the wishy-washy with a load of towels.  You're supposed to take the innersoles out and hand-wash separately, but I keep forgetting to do that step.  No matter.  Just let'em air dry for a couple of days, and you are back in business.  Ahhhhhh.

It's not that the shoes are that ugly.  Well, you be the judge of that from the picture, above.  No, it's the tan lines I've acquired while wearing these darlings of garden that qualify for that designation.  Since we are going on vacation soon, I've become more conscious of how ridiculous my feet look.  No, really.  Check out that shot on the left.  Not only are the "big" tan lines visible...the little "holes" created by the criss-cross straps on the Terrasoles are quite prominent.  What'll I do when we head to the beach or the pool?  Wear 15 SPF on the upper part of my feet and 30 SPF on the toes?  For sure I'll have to do something, or you won't be able to tell the difference between the color of my toes and the color of my toenails (which is called Mango, Mango...:).  Ouch!

One thing I won't be doing.  I won't be going barefooted into the garden to even out my tan.  Not anytime soon.  Not by a long shot.  No way.  No how.