Tag Archives: Features

Sunday in Pictures

Posted on February 24, 2013 by | Comments Off on Sunday in Pictures

I took a photography class on Saturday and this morning I was super excited to get outside and take some pictures of the animals. The animals were less excited. The sheep- having just received a fresh bale of hay- had no time for posing. Gnocchi was pretty sure that I was only in the pasture to play with him and he made a complete pest of himself while I tried to get my exposure right. And the cows walked away every time I got anywhere near them.

In spite of their mutinous antics, I managed to get a few shots that I’m happy with.

Lovely McPhee

These days, it’s only possible to get a picture of Gnocchi when there is a fence between us.

McPhee again.

Cini didn’t mind posing for a moment or two but then he had to get back to his nap.

Churchill

Pig nap!

It turns out that sleeping animals make the best subjects. Go figure.

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Green Dreams

Posted on February 20, 2013 by | Comments Off on Green Dreams

Luna

Churchill

Grazing Lamb

Feenat

I’ve been looking through some old photos this morning and I can’t get over how green the grass is in these. It seems perfectly impossible that grass could ever be so green!

I go through this every February. It’s the point at which Spring starts to seem like a story someone made up. But before we know it, it will arrive in all it’s verdant glory.

Any time now…

 

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What I’m reading now.

Posted on February 20, 2013 by | Comments Off on What I’m reading now.

I have been bingeing on Agatha Christie books for the last few weeks, though I’ve read most of them a dozen times or so. The thing about Agatha Christie is, even when you know who did it, the writing is really good. I find something new in her books on every reading and the characters are so well developed. To me, that’s the mark of a great book.

I also appreciate that the murders very rarely happen “on screen”, as it were. I’m interested in mysteries but not gore.

These are the ones I return to again and again.

Mrs. McGinty’s Dead

Murder Is Easy

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

A Pocket Full of Rye

A Murder Is Announced

I just received three new knitting books that I am super excited about:

Scottish Knits: Colorwork & Cables with a Twist. My friend Kris and I are going to Scotland in July and I consider this book research. Look at all that gorgeous color work! I am completely obsessed with fair isle right now and you can expect to see lots of it in our Fall 2013 collections.

This book is just plain fun! Medieval-Inspired Knits: Stunning Brocade & Swirling Vine Patterns with Embellished Borders is as lovely as it can be, and I give mad props to Anna Karin Lundberg and Trafalgar Square Books for putting out such a daring title in the current publishing climate.

Shades of Winter: Knitting with Natural Wool

 

Knit to Flatter: The only instructions you’ll ever need to knit sweaters that make you look good and feel great!

Okay, this book isn’t going to be released until April 2nd but I have already ordered my copy and you should too. Amy Herzog is a knitwear designer who has created lovely, wearable patterns for ages, and her book is going to be a smash hit!

Stylish Dress Book: Wear with Freedom

I would really like to become a good (or even competent)garment sewist, but I never seem to have the time to sit at the sewing machine and work at it. On the other hand I have plenty of time to drool over the Japanese pattern books by Yoshiko Tsukiori. Her simple design make sewing look so easy! Maybe one day I will find out if they actually are.

Are any books inspiring your crafting these days?

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Yarned by You: Findley Shawl Gallery

Posted on February 14, 2013 by | Comments Off on Yarned by You: Findley Shawl Gallery

Susie told me that Findley Dappled is KFI’s most popular spring yarn line! That is hugely flattering. I can see why, though! Findley is a laceweight yarn with lovely sheen and drape and holds up very well to wear. Everyone seems to love working with it! And do you know what people love making with Findley? Shawls! There are tons of shawls on Ravelry using Findley! So I thought I’d share a few of them with you for today’s post.

alenegrini used Dove to knit Holden Shawlette. She purchased the yarn at one of my LYS!

LynsYarn knit this Zetor. I’m thinking for projects like this blocking wires are a necessity!

knitgirl389 knit DeepintheMeadow in Fresco and Crocodile. If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s beaded!

Cheetah2011 knit this Tuch / shawl *Filigrano* in Atmosphere. This picture shows off the color amazingly!

I’ve featured Handmadebykoren’s before. I couldn’t resist showing this Doubloon in Malachite.

cjspensley knit this super-popular Traveling Woman in Clear Blue Sky. I can’t decide what her blocking board is!

What do you knit with Findley? What would you like to see in next week’s Yarned by You?

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Probably something you would like…

Posted on February 10, 2013 by | Comments Off on Probably something you would like…

This Dutch Canal House embroidery by Pam at Gingerbread Snowflakes knocks me out!  With a free pattern PDF in case you are inspired to make your own. (via Diary of a Smart Chick.)

 Also via Diary of a Smart Chick, There’s a Neon Museum in Vegas!

Illuminati: The Game of Conspiracy. I haven’t played this game but the idea cracks me up. “Two to six players compete to take control of groups ranging from the FBI and CIA to the Dentists, increasing their wealth and power for further takeovers, until one rules supreme.”

I was thinking of ordering a couple of packs of these King Cake Babies and hiding them in food, like lasagne, on random days of the year. Why should Mardi Gras have all the fun? By the way, isn’t the baby a little…creepy looking? Something about his head…

HOW MUCH HELIUM DO I NEED FOR MY PARTY BALLOONS? (not sure why this headline is yelling at us, but still, it’s good info.

 Danavore’s stick figure drawings never fail to make me smile.

Hand Font: Lettered Wrapping Paper. This is such a lovely, simple idea.

Heavenly Mashed Potatoes from Spoon Fork Bacon. I made these for Christmas dinner and they were amazing.

30 Lessons We Learned From Amy Poehler In 2012

Covered in Ink, Cross-sections of Trees Make Gorgeous Prints

How to Change My Knitting Pattern to Make Gauge Yarn. This is so important, y’all. Most of the time when knitters are disappointed with their knitting, it’s because they failed to achieve the gauge the designer used in the pattern.

No loose ends. This is a great tutorial on knitting in your loose ends as you go, so there are none to weave in at the end of your knitting.

The Law and Order Database: All 20 Seasons. Somebody had a lot of times on his hands and we are all the better for it.

I hope you are safe and warm this weekend.

 

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Recipe for a Snowy Weekend: Cinnamon Shortbread

Posted on February 9, 2013 by | Comments Off on Recipe for a Snowy Weekend: Cinnamon Shortbread

I love to bake, but don’t do it often enough. So, when Susan asked me if I would like to try out some recipes using King Arthur Flour Flav-R-Bites, I don’t think she had even finished her question before I said yes.

The first question was what to test them in, and I decided that I should keep it simple, so that the bites would stand out and I could see what they added to the recipe. One of my favorite basic cookies is shortbread, which I have found is a great base for adding flavors.

When I was younger, my dad and I would make shortbread around the holidays for when friends would come by. Then, as time past, we started giving it as gifts. Eventually, my dad and I became shortbread slaves between Thanksgiving and New Years. Every day brought a fresh list of people we simply had to give shortbread to! My mother is a very generous person. After a while I got sick of the sight and smell of my once favorite cookie. At some point the Shortbread Sweat Shop closed. For years I couldn’t look at shortbread in any form. Then one day someone gave me a piece of packaged shortbread, Walkers if you must know, and I ate it to be polite. My love was instantly rekindled! I called my father and got the recipe that we had made thousands of times and began making that classic, dense shortbread again.

The shortbread that I made when I was younger was the hearty shortbread that comes in thick squares made by pressing the dough into a baking pan. I hadn’t really every seen a dainty shortbread cookie until I worked at the restaurant at the Takishamya department store where I made their green tea shortbread cookies. This was the first time I had made shortbread that was flaky, from the powdered sugar, and added flavor, the green tea. Honestly, I didn’t much care for the green tea, but I did experiment with other flavors, which was fun, and a really nice variation for the return of the holiday shortbread baking.

Before I picked up the Flav-R-Bites I wanted to make sure that I had a really good shortbread, a combination of the flaky and the dense. After several test batches, I found the combination of granulated and confectioners’ sugars that gave me the texture I wanted. Then, I added the Flav-R-Bites and wow! These things are great.

Cinnamon Chip Shortbread
2 sticks sweet, unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup King Arthur Flour Cinnamon Flav-R-Bites* ($7.95/16 ounces)

Butter an 8”x8” square tart pan or baking dish.

Beat the butter and sugars together in a mixer with the paddle attachment until they are fluffy and light in color.

 

Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt and flav-r-bites together in a bowl. I like to use a whisk for this as I find that it mixes well and fluffs up the flour.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture and starting on slow speed so that the flour doesn’t fly into the air, combine until the dough is just uniform. Do not over mix or your shortbread may lose some of its eventual flakiness.

Press dough into prepared pan or dish and score into squares or rectangles with a butter knife. If you forget to score the dough at this point, it’s really not a problem.

Chill for 1 hour, then place in a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour until just golden brown.

Allow to cool a bit before slicing along scored lines. Once the shortbread is out of the pan, continue to cool as long as you can resist eating it.

This shortbread is wonderful warm or completely cooled. If it lasts overnight, the texture changes and becomes a little crumblier, but they are still just as amazing as warm out of the oven.

*We also tried this same recipe with the maple Flav-R-Bites and we love it just as much.

 

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Weekend Reading

Posted on February 8, 2013 by | Comments Off on Weekend Reading

THE ELEVATOR-RESCUE TEAMS OF MOSCOW from The New Yorker. (via Kitty V.)

How One Man Tried To Slim Down Big Soda From The Inside from NPR.

Today’s Polar Bears Trace Ancestry To … Ireland? from NPR.

In Moscow, Scandals Shake A Storied Ballet from NPR.

Small Farmers Aren’t Cashing In With Wal-Mart from NPR.

Chief of Mardi Gras Indians gets ready for the big day from the BBC.

Making it Hyperlocal: The Story of a (Partially) Homemade Pair of Slippers from GOOD.

The Largest Girl-Led Business in the World Teaches 5 Essential Leadership Skills from GOOD.

In Uruguay, Citizens Trade in Guns for Bikes from GOOD.

How To: Build a DIY, Pop-Up Seed Swapping Station from GOOD.

Since I’m no longer keeping up with the news, I would love your links to great things you’ve read this week.

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Today in Pictures

Posted on February 6, 2013 by | Comments Off on Today in Pictures

This photo totally cracks me up. It’s like a picture from the Bible.

 

Sam looks like the angel at the top of the Christmas tree.

Luna

Lyra

Churchill and Charley

Suspicious Bertie is watching you!

Hannah

Feenat

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Propagating Lavender

Posted on February 5, 2013 by | Comments Off on Propagating Lavender

Last Spring I posted here about how easy it to propagate rosemary from cuttings. Today we’re going to use the same techniques with lavender.

My mom always has a few vases of lavender going on her bathroom window sill.

Sometimes they even bloom!

 It’s just as easy to propagate lavender from cuttings, although lavender needs more time to develop a root structure due to it’s less rigid stems. It’s important to change the water whenever it becomes dark, about once a week, to prevent your roots from rotting. I would also advise you to strip away any leaves that fall below the water surface; this keep your water fresher longer.

Once you have developed a strong root system, transplant the lavender to a pot filled with potting soil or (when it warms up!) directly into your garden.

If you want more information on growing rosemary, I found this book really helpful:

The Lavender Lover’s Handbook: The 100 Most Beautiful and Fragrant Varieties for Growing, Crafting, and Cooking.

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What I’m reading now

Posted on February 4, 2013 by | Comments Off on What I’m reading now

What Katie Ate: Recipes and Other Bits and Pieces is mine and Amy’s new favorite favorite cookbook of all time ever. The photography is just brilliant and so inspiring. I keep it next to my bed. The best cookbook I’ve purchased in ages.

Spilling the Beans: The Autobiography of One of Television’s Two Fat Ladies Over the holidays I watched the entire Two Fat Ladies tv series and something Clarissa Dickson Wright said in it made me curious about her. So, it turns out that she’s from an insanely wealthy, eccentric British family and drank away her inheritance in 10 insane years (she’s been in recovery for ages now.) It’s light read and very name droppy but in an interesting way.

Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms: The Story of the Animals and Plants That Time Has Left Behind I haven’t read this next, but it’s on deck. My sister is currently reading it, and she starts every sentence with “Did you that…”. From Amazon: “…a fascinating chronicle of life’s history told not through the fossil record but through the stories of organisms that have survived, almost unchanged, throughout time. Evolution, it seems, has not completely obliterated its tracks as more advanced organisms have evolved; the history of life on earth is far older—and odder—than many of us realize.”

The Uninvited Guests: A Novel  Everybody and her sister has been raving about this book, and I have to admit that it caught me completely by surprise. The beginning is a little slow but stick with it and it may catch you by surprise, too.

After I read The Uninvited Guests, Amazon apparently thought they had my number and they recommended Miss Buncle’s Book. And maybe they did have my number because I found Miss Buncle’s Book a sweet and delightful read!

 ”Barbara Buncle is in a bind. Times are harsh, and Barbara’s bank account has seen better days. Maybe she could sell a novel … if she knew any stories. Stumped for ideas, Barbara draws inspiration from her fellow residents of Silverstream, the little English village she knows inside and out….To her surprise, the novel is a smash.”

As you would expect, all manner of hell breaks loose in Silverstream and hilarity ensues. This is the very definition of light reading but I enjoyed it very much and will be reading more from the Miss Buncle series.

A couple of you have asked how I managed to read so much while getting everything else done. The answer is that 1.) I’m not really doing as much as I used to since I’ve been sick and 2.) I have pretty much given up on keeping up with the news, which really freed up some time for me.

Ever since a Connecticut elementary school was shot up right before Christmas, I just find that I don’t have the heart (or maybe it’s the stomach?) for the news anymore. It was causing me too much pain and I’ve decided to disengage for a while while I figure out how to have a healthier relationship with it.

As a former network news producer and obsessive new consumer, it hasn’t been easy to kick the habit, but I have found myself feeling a lot freer since making the change. We’ll see how it goes…

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