Lutheran World Relief Quilt #4

...remember all of the fabric is donated (unless I have to buy just a little bit as a filler here and there)...

...I love looking at all of the pieces and choosing favorites...

...can you read the text? - it says 'mother hen and her chicks'...

...I absolutely love this little chick print - and I can just imagine someone's little baby crawling around on it and eyeing these little chicks...

...I also love all the orange in this quilt....

We're down to the wire now with our Lutheran World Relief quilts - they have to be in Church next Sunday so I'm probably only going to get one more done - but I'm trying for two (at least)...Wish me luck!

A New Dishcloth

I have been tweaking my dishcloth pattern a little bit...

I normally knit these dishcloths in the dark on size 10 needles and then just do a simple contrasting crochet border...

...but I wanted a little bit of a 'floppier' dishcloth if you know what I mean - I'm very particular about the texture of my dishcloths and if they're too thick or too thin I just don't use them...

...So I cast on 24 stitches on size 13 needles and knit for 40 rows - cast off - and then using the same yarn I did a shell stitch border - easy peasy and took about an hour start to finish...

...Are you particular about your dishcloths, or will any old rag do?...

Ma Brown's

Scout and I found this little treasure for a quarter at the thrift store...

...I searched online for 'Ma Brown Apple Butter' and found nada...

...I also searched for the Squire Dingee Co., Chicago IL... and found this interesting article...

"Fruitdale had an earlier claim to fame, pickles! Many of the area residents grew cucumbers. What started that? Well, the Squire Dingee Co. built a recieving station along the railroad tracks. It was owned by Squire Dingee Co. which ran through Chicago and Illinois. The Squire Dingee Co. was one of the oldest established pickle packing industries in the United States. It was established in 1856. The Squire Dingee Co. came to the area to look over acreage possibilities. Many of the farmers participated in the pickle works. ``The smaller the gherkin the higher the wages were.`` Recalled George Higashi. When the gas rationing and the rubber shortage was taking place during World War II, (WWII) the United States Government bought 25% of the company. Pickles were used to balance the soldiers diets. They felt that the boys who couldn`t get fresh salads daily must have the nutritional benefit of the acetic and lactic acids from pickles."

...have I mentioned that I love the internet...

...notice that the price is marked in ¢ - and it's probably been quite a while since apple butter (or anything else) was marked in ¢...

...I'm sure you've heard me lament the lack of White House Apple Butter up here - but since I make my own in the crockpot now it really doesn't matter...

...we washed it really well and then I got a jar of my homemade apple butter out of the freezer...

...and filled up my little antique jar - it's only 14 oz. instead of a pint - so I'll just have to have some toast and apple butter right now...

Lutheran World Relief - Health Kits

It's time to set up your assembly line again...

...and gather all the things for your health kits for Lutheran World Relief...

...seriously - any amount will do - one would be awesome too...

...tie it up and get it back to your Church - or shipping center - and make someone's world a little bit better...

SALADE À LA D'ARGENSON

We've been having some lovely spring weather so - I spent some more time (and I really mean a lot of time) in the kitchen with Julia - making this lovely beet salad...

...it was super yummy and no one at the picnic had ever had anything quite like it...

...all of the dteails for the FOUR recipes comprising this dish are at The Vegan Version

I fixed the grill...

Our grill is 5 years old - and it was on it's last leg at the end of the summer last year - so we knew we needed to do something before the grillin' season this year...

...and being my frugal self - you know that I did not want to run out and by a shiny new one...

...so I went to the local Stuff Mart and bought one of those 'universal' grill kits...

... removed the old parts and dirtied up my counter with them - so that I could see how everything went together...

...then I just followed the instructions that came with the kit - it really wasn't difficult at all - all I needed was a screwdriver and a pair of pliers...

...then I popped the new one in place...

...tested it out - it worked perfectly on the first try - I was so glad - the booklet tells you how to adjust if your flames are not blue tinged with yellow - thankfully mine were...

...then I put the new little shield thingy on - and I was done - $35 and about an hour as opposed to who knows what for a new grill...there's grilled seitan on the menu for tonight...

...How about you? Do you feel all empowered if you fix something yourself - and go on with your 'Can-Do' attitude all day?...

Black Soybeans / Soy Milk = Black Tofu

I feel like the narrator for Monty Python and that I should say "...and now for something completely different..." - except that it really wasn't that different at all - in flavour anyway...
...but it sure was in appearance...
...I had some Organic Black Soybeans that I wanted to use up - I had tried using them like black beans - but I never could get them remotely close to soft enough - so I had the brillant idea of just turning them into tofu - they ARE soybeans after all - and I make tofu all the time - right?...

...I made the milk - it was a sort of purplish/dark grey - and added the coagulant...

...checked the curds after about 15 minutes and they looked perfect - a much lighter grey though...weird...

...formed my block of tofu the regular way - and then baked the block with a little bit of olive oil - just like I always do...

...the baking process turned the tofu back to it's original black colour - neither of the boys wanted to eat it - and I'll spare you what the Man said it looked like - but I sprinkled mine with soy sauce (as always) and gnoshed away - I couldn't tell any difference in texture or flavour...

...I'm definitely going to use up the rest of the beans in this manner...and eat it by myself...

Lutheran World Relief Quilt #3

Thanks so much for all the mask love yesterday - yes I slept very well - I don't even have any idea when the Man turned out the light - it definitely pays to be prepared - I'll be packing this for every trip - or maybe I'll make a second one and just keep it in my suitcase...

Now on to the quilt...

I know - we cheated a bit on this one as the entire center was a curtain - I love it though - it's so soft and pretty...

I've got 2 more Lutheran World Relief quilts ready to be bound and hopefully I'll be able to churn out a couple more before the May deadline - wish me luck...and time...

Nightie-Night - A Night-time Eye Covering Mask Tutorial

This picture was taken when I was packing for our recent trip to Jamestown - You see when a morning person (that would be me) travels with a night person (that would be the Man) - you have to take certain precautions...

We had a nice suite with a separate 'bedroom' - but Scout was sleeping on a pullout sofa in the 'living room' - so the Man couldn't really stay awake in there - so I knew I would need to be able to sleep with lights and tv on (maybe not tv - as he would probably be reading - but I had to be prepared just in case)...

...The Hearos are super soft little ear plugs that are comfortable enough to sleep in - but I needed some sort of shade for my eyes - to trick my brain into thinking it was dark - so I made a little pattern for a night-time eye cover...

...I cut it out of some of that same shiny black cloth that I used to line my Easter skirt...

...attached enough elastic to fit comfortably around my head - make sure you don't make it tight at all...

...Stitch around that and clip the curves...

...Turn it right side out...

...leave a little gap (about an inch) in the top for some nice soft stuffing...

...stuff with a little bit of pillow fluff - you really won't need very much...

...pat it down softly and smoosh it around until it is even - try it on and make sure it's comfortable and take out some stuffing if you've overstuffed it...

...then top-stitch around the mask...

...Sweet Dreams...

Baseball Season - Oh Yeah!

Well...it's not quite baseball season...

...but Scout has definitely begun his spring training...

...see how brown everything still is here - our little jaunt to Jamestown - a mere hour and a half south was so much greener...patience...

PS - yep he caught that ball - the angle of the photo is deceiving - the ball was coming sideways...and into the glove...

ARTICHAUTS BRAISÈS À LA PROVENÇALE

I've been in the kitchen with Julia again...

...cooking up something delicious...

All the details are at The Vegan Version

Jamestown, ND, USA

...that's where we were this weekend - so yep - this is another one of those what we did this weekend posts...

...the Man was here - I'm sure that's all very good and important - but not my favorite place to be on a gorgeous spring Saturday...

...so Scout and I went here - that's Klaus Park - we've been here before - every three years synod assembly winds up in Jamestown...
...Oh no! I thought as we drove up - it's closed - those are sandbags - but no - you just drive in past the 'do not enter' sign and proceed up the one way path going the wrong way...

...that's quite a row of sandbags - I can only imagine the amount of work that went into that...

...we had our picnic lunch near this pile of extra sandbags - thankfully, I don't think Jamestown experienced much flooding this year...

...then there was lots of critter spotting...

...and some plant identification too - we think these are Asclepias - our specimen was not the best - funny looking little balloon shaped pods though...

...then there was some rock skimming - Scout's quite good at this - makes you want to whistle the Andy Griffith tune - eh...

...we love this little old fashioned bridge across the river - the first time we came here we parked at the end of a dead end street and walked across this bridge - enchanting...

...it's just fun to gaze into deep water...

...and watch all the swirls and eddies...

...we loved these old rickety steps that lead down to the water too...

...then we hopped on the ancient playground equipment - so much more fun somehow than the new-fangled plastic kind that makes your hair stand on end...

...and some tree climbing - this tree was perfect for climbing...

...then we went back to our hotel for some fun in the pool...

...so glad Scout is still 'little' enough for playing on slides - he really is getting very grown up...

...then we went back to the convention center to do a little shopping - several vendors and organizations set up booths on the balcony of the conference center - each year I buy a year's supply of my favorite chocolate here - it's Equal Exchange and you can buy it online here...
...and to meet the Man for the 'Milestones in Ministry' banquet - our congregation's 25th year - YAY!...