Purling Oaks

Saturday's this and that

To borrow a phrase, "...I'm a bad blogger."   However, I'm here now with some general this and that stuff for this post.

• I realized on Friday that I was actually a walking zombie the previous day.  I'm doing such a good job at ignoring the travails of travel that I didn't recognize I should have pulled the covers over my head and called it a day Thursday morning.  It was a rough travel week.  I think I spent 14 hours traveling including waiting time in airports on Monday (which included two tries at the runway in a lightning storm, obviously one try was successful) and 9 hours on Wednesday.  Mental note:  If this happens again, don't try to "power" through any fatigue, it won't be productive.
• Friday, however, was productive and today is starting out that way.  I watered the new landscaping, washed most of the windows on the south side of the house (not at well as Wilson, but light comes through now), cleaned the bird bath, gazing globe, and statuary; started a load of laundry, and all this before coffee.  I may take a nap this afternoon, though.
• I have two ripe tomatoes as of Thursday afternoon.  Yippee!  BLT salad, here I come.
• Wilson has been Up North for a few days with Tom, the best man at our wedding, fly fishing for muskies and other various fishing.  He'll be home late tonight.
• As mentioned, the front yard is getting a make-over, including a new sidewalk.   
• There are some interesting flowers in the woods.   
• The stream is still flowing although not with the vigor that Spring supplies.  It changes with the seasons, providing a new source of water for the local wildlife, a home for minnows, and more food for the birds and animals that like aquatic snacks.   
• I hope to go gather some more berries. 
• Happy Saturday.  It is Saturday, isnt' it?

Happy Saturday photos

This photo makes me happy.  Blue and White Dot, geranium, my spinning wheel, a comfy chair, and a little Saturday sunshine.  Of course, there are things the photo doesn't show, which are fine, such as:

• Both cats (and their sisters) want to go outside but can't because Wilson and I are going up to the Farm in a few hours and we can't have the kitties running a muck while we're gone.
• The sunshine was only visible for about 60 seconds so far this morning.  The high temperature yesterday was 61 degrees F.  This is July?
• That's the same bobbin I started Tour de Fleece with--it is loaded up a bit more but the time allocated to spinning hasn't been too extensive. 

Speaking of Tour de Fleece/Team Crankypants.........You know the Groucho Marx scene where the phrase "Doctor, it hurts when I do this!" and Groucho says, "Then don't do that!"?  Well, I have to put my spindle on the sideline because I'm aggravating my shoulder and ribs somehow.   I'm taking action to heal up but no spindling for a while.  The wheel is still in action so I'm still cheering for Team Crankypants.  Good thing this was a no-stress event.  :D  I am happy that I've been spinning more, and that's what counts.

Our trip up to the Farm is because Dr. E is there visiting our mom.  He's only here for a short time so we're heading up this afternoon to say hello and meet with other family at the Roxie in Oshkosh for dinner.  He's back from vacationing in Europe with his two sons and will be able to tell us more about running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain ( o.O ) as well as the other fun stuff the three of them did.

The garden is coming along despite my absence. 

Happy Saturday!

Making room for one more thing....

Some unscheduled events can be very tasty........

I had a full list of things to do yesterday.  However, sometimes you need to make room for one more thing, especially when Mother Nature is involved.  The cherries were ripe yesterday so I grabbed the step-ladder and a bowl and picked (and pitted) about five cups of tart cherries.  I'm actually glad they ripened yesterday.  Ripening on Monday would have meant the birds got to enjoy them all.  I picked just the ripe ones with many left on the tree.  So, we're sharing.  Of course, once they were picked and pitted, I was faced with the horrible task of deciding what to make with them. 

Horrible.  Riiiight.

Cherry and Nut Muffins using the Joy of Cooking recipe for basic muffins-full fat version.  I added 1.5 cups of tart cherries, and about 3/4 cup of nuts (pecans and walnuts), filled up a jumbo muffin tin and  presto......Breakfast!

and Snack.  and Lunch.  and Late afternoon snack.  Just Kidding.  Maybe.  Definitely tomorrow's early breakfast.

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Tour de Fleece 2009 Update

Yesterday's spinning is the bump part on the bobbin.  How I managed that odd bump I'm not sure.  All the cherry picking/pulled-pork making/laundry tired me out but I did make progress!  

I've got just a bit of this fiber to spin....I'm hoping to make a sweater with it whenever I finish spinning.  It is a warm neutral which should be perfect for a basic cardigan.

 

Geranium Update:

Happy Sunday!

Some actual knitting...

I have been knitting and here's some evidence.     I've been working on increasing my speed but, of course, for me with speed (I use that term loosely) comes .......... a hole.  I found it yesterday just as my plane reached cruising speed to Madison; a short flight so not that much of a loss.    I think I have a spare yarn-over there but I'm not sure.  I've been researching my Knit Fix book for a solution to that and all Lisa Kartus says is to tink.  /sigh.  Is it possible to just "drop down" and fix it?  I've got errands to run this morning so I won't be playing with it too soon.  I will be seeing my DSIL Anne tomorrow, I think, and she will probably know how to fix it....besides tinking, I hope.  *g*

I walked around outside early this morning and found some things to share with you.  Here's a blue flag iris growing in the stream, which is still flowing but the volume of water is much reduced.

The thyme is blooming...... 

I've been walking a lot lately and feeling really good.  I've even been feeling skinny-er but when I step on the scale it says "so what if you've been walking.....walk more!"  So, I'll take the mood improvement and hope for more as I keep walking.  I've found a place to stay about two blocks from the office in DC so I'll be able to avoid the "sweaties" in the morning.  I plan to walk to and on the "Mall" in the evenings so I can keep up the walking and walk in a place where there will be a lot to see.  I'll have to walk a few blocks to get to the Washington Monument end.   I'll be able to gauge my progress by how far I get on the Mall.

Happy Friday!

A Bluebird and Enchiladas

Mr. Bluebird - Saturday Morning

I had a pretty good week overall, despite completely forgetting about the humidity levels in DC and having the worse "hair" week of the last decade.  This was my first week of a year-long detail in DC and I'm having the opportunity of experiencing what it is like to have my own office....with a door.  No exterior window, so don't get too excited for me.  Normally, for work I get to sit at a folding or conference room table in chairs ranging from folding chairs to kitchen chairs to pretty decent office chairs, so a "real" office is a treat.  My hotel is about 12 blocks from the office so I did get a lot of walking in....and also more showers.  I'm going to have to strategize (is *so* a word!) my day so I don't feel like a wrung-out rag when I arrive for work in the morning.  I am such a walking wimp since I really hate being sweaty in work clothes.  *whine*  On the other hand, I am happy with the exercise I got this week.  I've found there is a work-out room in the building so I may be able to include it in my campaign quest to be more fit.

I definitely got behind in personal email answering and blog reading and commenting this week on the road.  When flying, I can't carry everything I would normally just chuck into the Jeep, so I'm minus my MacBook.   I may be in the market for one of those little net books things but I'm really waiting for the rumored Apple netbook of early 2010.  My telephone and some blog comment applications like those for Joan's and Carrie's blogs, to name just a couple, do not play together at all.  On top of that I just don't like typing long sentences on a micro-keyboard.  Access to blogs via work is just not the thing to do with my employer.  So, I'm working on it.  Please don't forget about me.  :D 

Wilson and I don't really have the "yard beautiful" thing going on but sometimes stuff just needs to be trimmed.  A new gardening tool arrived this week that I ordered from Amazon and I'm very pleased with it.  It is a cordless Black & Decker 18V string trimmer.  It is light enough for me to use easily in the yard compared to the stinky gas models.  Wilson charged the batteries for me during the week so I could play with it Saturday.  I trimmed just about everything using the first battery (it comes with two rechargeables) yesterday afternoon.  It also is far less noisy than the gas model.  We have an electric model but an extension cord only goes so far around here.  On top of it all, this is going to be an excellent upper-body strength builder based on the way my arms feel this morning.  Ouch.  (I am such a weakling.) 

Besides trimming, laundry, and errands, I also cooked!  Really.  I was browsing in the cookbook bookcase and came across Jane Butel's book and decided pork and green chile enchiladas, New Mexico style sounded great.  The recipe was inspired by Jane but isn't in the book, exactly. 

Now, I'm just taking Jane's word that this are really New Mexico-style enchiladas since I didn't research them the one time I visited in Roswell.  (I'm hoping to amend that this October in Taos.)  However, these were yummy even if they were just Angie-style.  I also made some tomatillo salsa from last summer's frozen tomatillos.  I collapsed in my armchair the rest of the evening.  :D

Saturday sharing

Technically, that is Friday Sky but let's pretend, okay?  Today's gray sky is not that pretty, not bad, but not that interesting for blogging about.   The florentine irises are all in bloom and just gorgeous.  This is the time of year when I'm glad they are so prolific.  Later in August.....not so glad.  :D  However, it does let me share the lovelies so let me know in the comments if you would like some of these irises later this summer.  Don't worry, it takes several years for them to get to the dividing stage.   Nora, if you still want some, I'll mail them this year, rather than trying to deliver.  :D  I know Stacey is on the list for this year, now that she is settling in on her lovely lake.

Peg in South Carolina posted about creativity this week and linked to an article by Elizabeth Gilbert.  There was also a link in Peg's comments to this YouTube video of Elizabeth Gilbert talking about a new way to think about creativity.   (The video is long but worth it.)   I think I'll come back to read and view each of them again as there is a lot of "stuff" there to think about.   I think she's found a way to maintain "mojo" more consistently and to avoid our inner critic limiting or killing our ideas and output.  Ms. Gilbert's topic focuses on writing since that is her profession but the concepts, I think, can apply to any creative endeavor including knitting, painting, crocheting, or weaving, which is Peg's choice.  I didn't want to forget about these links, so I'm sharing them.  What do you think about Elizabeth Gilbert's article and presentation?

Happy Saturday!

My pretties....

I came home Friday to this sight. 

I just love these flowers.  The florentine iris are beginning to bloom, just a week or so behind Joan's blooming plants.  This is the first plant to bloom and I was feeling a little Georgia O'Keeffe inspiration. 

Come here, you handsome bee, you......

We had a frost on Sunday morning but it appears the iris blooms and buds escaped any physical damage which was a happy discovery.  I may risk it and try to put my basil plants in the garden late this afternoon since I have to hit the road tomorrow morning.  Today I'm hanging around here for a two chiropractor visits, this morning and tomorrow morning.  The neck is feeling better, just a small and occasional knife feeling rather than the large and all the time knife insertion.    :D   I think trying out the local practitioner was a good thing.  So, the knitting and spinning have been on hold for a bit but I'm hoping they'll start up again soon.

We think somebody is hiding a fawn in the woods behind the house.......

She's been a frequent backyard visitor this weekend.  She's pretty with a dark blaze on her face.

White Dot has been challenging her ..........it is his yard, you know.    Just before this photo was taken, they had faced off for a bit near the stream.  Then she had enough of the little black furry creature and took off for the orchard.  My brave little cat was chasing her as she ran across the yard!!  However, when she turned around to face him, White Dot wisely headed toward the house and away from Mrs. Deer.

 

(Just ignore the septic tank, the tall "pampas" grass is still in the growing stages.)  Country life.

Happy Monday!

Where are my jammies?!?

Yesterday I ventured out to run errands in the afternoon.  Cat food, bank, and clothes shopping.  I am usually inspired to shop when I have an event coming up, like the meeting in Chicago coming up this week.  (Yes, I finished the presentation materials and in a quite satisfactory manner, if I say so myself.)   So, shopping I did go.   I found a new top or two, which was my goal.  Without too much detail, the changing room is not a favorite room of mine, increasingly so.  I'm glad I've signed up for the Spring into Summer; my typical response to stressful events is to find comfort in food.  Oh yeah, the scale reflects the comfort I've found lately, for sure, so this is a good time to pay more attention to being more fit. 

Continuing with the clothing shopping expedition.....I was also looking for new pajamas.  I've noticed lately that several items of my nightwear would be better off in the rag box.   I found none that were satisfactory yesterday.  I did not think I was that picky---I would like a nice long t-shirt or a pretty cotton gown and I would be happy.  There are plenty of t-shirts at Vicky's Secret but they would be a bit drafty.  My torso must have lengthened in the past decade, right?  *g*   Other choices (at other shopping establishments) included pants with a short t-shirt (just not me) or some gowns that I would have to have a green mask plastered on my face to complete the look.   /sigh  Any suggestions for places to find satisfactory nightwear?

In gardening news, the cats pointed out some catnip that is/was greening up.  It is interesting that it is growing from between the bricks.  I'm going to let it grow there, it adds character to the garden.  There was some sampling (not by me)....just to make sure it was catnip, I'm sure.
 

Apple crisp and other homey things

The kitchen kept me busy today, which is nice since it has been raining all day.    Yesterday's trip to the orchard
 resulted in a half-peck of Cortland apples and one caramel apple, not available for a photograph.  *ahem*  Apple crisp was a success using this recipe.   I also prepared this recipe of Beef, Leek, and Barley Soup for today's lunch and I definitely recommend it.  I could not find bone-in short-ribs at our local Piggly Wiggly, so I used a pound of boneless short-ribs.  Three hours later we had a warm delicious, nourishing lunch and a few more servings frozen for future fall lunches.

The bread machine produced a fine loaf of bread today, too. 

Saturday was a sunny and chilly...a perfect early fall day.  Each year I plant a few more daffodils to enjoy when Spring arrives.  I've found a new method of planting.  I purchased the auger at the hardware store.  I was looking for a wider and longer auger but since I'm a bit late with this project, I am happy with what I have.  DH set me up with the cordless power drill.  It is really a monster but very handy.

 
In the interest of full disclosure, the battery ran out of juice about a third of the way through my bulb planting.  So, I'll be planting more next weekend.  No, the shovel was not an option.  Really.  My theory is that our yard is part of a glacial deposit of stones.  Little ones and big ones.  It is an excellent place for raised garden beds.

I'm going to pick up Williamsro again this evening and try to make a bit more progress.  I tried to knit in the hotel while watching television this past week and I found my fingers were still while my mind was sucked into the program.  Any hints how to do both will be welcome.

More photos of the almost finished studio soon!

Night venture, night sky

It was a full week of work out of state but I'm home now and there's lots to see and tell you about.  However, sometimes a girl just has to sit and unwind.  I was just sitting down to a beverage Capital Brewery Prairie Gold ale when I, by chance, checked the weather.  Yup, frost advisory.  DH and I slipped off our slippers, found our boots and flashlights to head out to the garden with some old blankets and rugs to save a few garden plants.  Yeah, flashlights....it gets dark at 7 pm now and our venture started an hour after that.  I hope the eggplant and tomatillo make it....I wasn't quite finished with them yet.  I harvested the tomatoes but the basil was all ready a casualty, probably from earlier this week.  Stacey's hollyhocks are going strong and they told me they "don't need a mamby-pamby blanket."

DH went back into the house to work on dinner while I finished bagging my tomatoes.  It is a lovely clear night.  I could say quiet except the neighbors dogs were passing along the early evening gossip.  (Come on...why else bark?)  The night sky is spectacular since we are a good distance from any larger cities.  I definitely identified the Big Dipper but I'll have to brush up on my fall sky astronomy if I want to name other constellations.  It is a beautiful night and I have to be thankful for the frost advisory for getting me out there to enjoy it. 

Enjoy your nights and more news later this weekend.