Spring Cleaning...

...we are deep in the throes of Spring Cleaning around here...

...Scout is really good about taking everything out of his room and cleaning it all...

...but, because every horizontal surface in his room is covered by an aquarium/habitat/terrarium...

...he probably has a bit more work to do than most teenage boys when it comes time for spring cleaning...

...he put his fish in the travel box (which is really a plastic crab habitat) and proceeded to clean the entire tank...

...he also switched from the (difficult to clean) sand bottom to a pebble bottom - so now Cattie lives in a pebbly creek instead of a sandy river...he seems to be adjusting well - he's hiding in the log as we speak...

...and to quote Monty Python...and now for something completely different...

...I've started the Isabeau Purse that was supposed to accompany my Easter outfit...

...It calls for size 8 needles...I love it when a pattern uses size 8s...as I get to use the very first pair of knitting needles purchased by my Mom...just for me...love that!...

...so...what are you working on?...and how's your Spring Cleaning going?...so far here - only Scout's room and the Laundry room have been tackled...

Gunpowder Tea...

...we did make a quick trip to Grand Forks last week...Scout's braces were tightened for the first time and he got this chain of rubber bands put on as well...he was pretty sore for a few days but he's all better now...we ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant...they have vegan beans and lots of other vegan options...Scout was bummed because he couldn't eat the chips...I would be too - I think it's my favorite part of the meal...Nah!

...anywhooo...of course we went to the natural food store while we were there...and Scout was intrigued by a bulk jar of 'Gunpowder Tea'...so we bought the tiniest little packet...it was outrageously expensive...

...it apparently gets its name simply because they thought it looked like black powder grains - it has nothing to do with the flavor of the tea...


Gunpowder tea (珠茶; pinyin: zhū chá) is a form of green Chinese tea produced in Zhejiang Province of China in which each leaf has been rolled into a small round pellet. It is believed to take its English name from the fact that the tea resembles blackpowder grains. This rolling method of shaping tea is most often applied either to dried green tea (the most commonly encountered variety outside China) or Oolong tea.

Gunpowder tea production dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618–907) but it was first introduced to Taiwan in the 19th century. Gunpowder tea leaves are withered, steamed, rolled, and then dried. Although the individual leaves were formerly rolled by hand, today most gunpowder tea is rolled by machines (though the highest grades are still rolled by hand). Rolling renders the leaves less susceptible to physical damage and breakage and allows them to retain more of their flavor and aroma. In addition, it allows certain types of oolong teas to be aged for decades if they are cared for by being occasionally roasted.

When buying gunpowder tea it is important to look for shiny pellets, which indicate that the tea is relatively fresh. Pellet size is also associated with quality, larger pellets being considered a mark of lower quality tea. High quality gunpowder tea will have small, tightly rolled pellets.

from Wikipedia

...so we brewed some up...

...and watched the little leaf pellets uncurl...

...don'cha jus' luv my sweet little tea cup that my sweet sister brought back from China for me...sisters ROCK!...

...I love it's little lid/topper that keeps the tea nice and warm while you sip...the tea, by the way, is delicious...

...in other news...we got some organic fresh veg while we were there too...swiss chard...collards...and green beans...and some staples too...except for the drive - I'm kinda liking this bi-monthly trip for stocking up on goodies...

Seed Swap

...what I got...

...from Cassie at Vegan Fox in the Snow...as you can see - I really lucked out...I even got OKRA!...

...what I gave...

...the tomatoes are heirloom Rutgers (may favorite tomato)...just grown at the end of our front porch last year - they're easy to save - just mash up the seedy part of the tomato and let it dry...I'm definitely hoping for a proper garden this year...we'll see...

...and the basil is from the bush that grew at Nanny's kitchen door years ago...I labeled it Sweet Basil - but I'm not at all sure of the variety - I can, however, say that it is sweet...and here's a sweet article on how to save those seeds...

...Cassie's doing a Poetry Swap for May - so hop over and join the fun...you know how much I love poetry...Guess what poem I'll be sending...

Vegan Easter Eggs...

...I almost forgot to mention that we also made our cute little Vegan Deviled Eggs again for the Easter celebration...

...they were super easy this time around...

...and I remembered to sprinkle them with paprika...the way my Mom always did...

...Would you have even guessed they were vegan?...

Easter Sweets...

...I made several sweet things for the Easter celebration...one of them was my Mom's Bunny Cake...

...I just used my super simple Vinegar Cake recipe (2 batches)...My Mom always makes hers with coconut...but our guests abhor coconut...so I made a chocolate bunny instead...

...then I had quite the disaster with my Mom's Black Walnut Pound Cake...she makes hers in an Angel Food Cake pan...but I wanted to use my pretty Nordic Ware Bundt Cake Pan that I got for my birthday...obviously the volumes don't match...

...it still turned out perfectly (after I sawed off the top and chiseled it out of the pan) and next time I'll just fill the bundt pan and then make a loaf as well...I don't want to fool with the recipe any more than I already have by making a vegan version...this cake is so delicious and I'm still tweaking the vegan version and I'll post it soon...

...we also got some sweet Easter cards...my Mom sent one that included some box tops for Scout (his school collects those)...and a sweet recipe...

...I haven't tried these yet...but I've posted the recipe here (large size) so that you can try them too...

...let me know how they turn out...we've sort of had sweet overload here - so it may be a while before I try them myself...

Easter Morn...

...of course - the Easter Bunny came and left a few treats and some new summer clothes for Scout...

...we had to be at Church at 7:00...and we found this Bunny Trail of candy - left by the Church Secretary for Scout...so sweet!...

...this is one of Scout's Sunday School projects from years ago...it sits in his Papa's office window...I love it's sweet crookedness...

...the gorgeous Sanctuary...resplendent in White...and scented of incense and lillies...

...the freshly washed and starched White Hardanger paraments...

...we have a set in each liturgical colour...

...but the white is my favorite...

...Scout snapped a couple of photos of the Easter outfit...

...I'm happy with the way it turned out and I love the Jacket a lot...I'll be wearing it with lots of things...

Easter Prep...the A-Line Jacket is finished...

...we let Scout stay up super late to watch The Ten Commandments...it's an Easter tradition carried over from my childhood...did y'all watch it?...

...I was (of course) still knitting...this is the finished collar...the only part of the sweater that didn't get blocked...

...I finished all of the seams except the last underarm and side seam which I saved for Easter morning...I didn't put the button and loop on as I ran out of time...I kinda like it this way...but I may add the loop later...we'll see...

...it was a super easy knit and I highly recommend this pattern...

Tiered Skirt Tutorial

Skirt...Check...✓


...the Easter skirt is complete...

...I started with the waistband...I just turned down about 1 1/2 inches from the top and inserted some 1 inch elastic...

...so that's the little first section...

The formula I used (graphical image here):

First decide on the length of each tier - mine are 10 - 16 and 10...

Then...
1. Measure hips - add two inches - divide by two and cut two pieces of fabric to that size...
2. Then add 1/3 more for the next tier...
3. ...and 1/3 more for the next tier...I only had three but you could do more...


...gather your next tier...

...and pin it right sides together to the bottom of the first tier...

...matching up your side seams...

...this is what it looks like with 2 tiers completed...I tried it on and it would actually be a pretty cute skirt just hemmed at this point...

...on the bottom tier - I went ahead and did a serged hem before I gathered it...

...this is the back side of the serged hem - it's actually been serged twice - which was totally unnecessary - but I had already serged around all the pieces...

...and this is my little 'trick' for the gathers...

...I adjust the tension on the top thread so that gathers form...what could be easier...HA!

...Ta-Daaa! - the finished skirt...really easy...it only took about an hour...

...shown here with the Amity...I can't show you the A-Line Cardigan yet...as I'm currently working on the collar...hoping to finish before midnight...

...the lake in our yard returns...

This is what our yard looks like today...

This was the lake in 2009...

...and shortly after that they cut the road...and installed culverts to drain our field...


...this year it's just not draining because the coulee system that runs through the park is still frozen...as soon as that thaws I expect our 'lake' to drain...

...in other news...the geese are still right in there in our yard...they're so funny to watch...stretching their necks and honking...and swimming in their own private little pond...