Because...

You can't have nothing on your needles, right? Even if the stitching up isn't finished, you start something new. Heaven knows you just gotta have something else started. Can you figure out what this will be? I can't tell you yet, stay tuned! Click, click, click.....must go knit now.

Ya know what this means?

Mom should be ready to pick out buttons this weekend!

Happy 4th to you and yours!

 

Slowlyyyyyyyyy......

 These days I'm not knitting a sweater in a month. Not.even.close. But, there has been some progress on Mom's yellow cabled sweater.

Remember, I like to knit things in one piece-all your pieces have the same number of rows up to the armpits, your tension is the same on the same rows, and when you're at the top, you're done! So, I use a garter stitch for the edge of each piece stitches, to give me easy peasy mattress stitch guides for faux seams.  Seams give your sweater some stability, and then looks like you had to sew it together.

 Next up, sleeves. I like to do them two at a time. DA! When you're done, you're done. But, with increasing and cables, and not being able to sit these days and just knit away....I make my own little written chart. When I have to stop and tend to 'other things' and special people, I don't have to guess a week later where I left off. How many of you do the same thing? Gadgets are great, but sometimes pen and paper beats all in my book. (Just don't forget where you put it!)

 After I started these while sitting over at Mom's Day Program, I got to thinking, next time go around I want to do them two at a time in the round, like I've been doing socks. DA! No seaming! Lesson learned.

The chart says I have just a wee bit to go before they're done! We'll see how much farther up Mom wants them to be. She likes to cuff up her favorite sweater, so I want to be certain to give her enough length. We are looking forward to picking out buttons! And then.....onto so many more things waiting in the wings!

Happy knitting!

Guess who has a new address?

 After one day short of nine months, Mom has come home to live at my new house! It's been a very long process, and she has gone through some very unpleasant experiences, but she is now HOME!

 In a few short days, she's getting the shower and shampoo treatments she deserves, we've worked on puzzles together,

 Started a great new breakfast buddy relationship with some beautiful robins and their friends who have welcomed her home every morning.

 While she points out all the weeds that she wants me to pull,  ;-)

Started a new collection of pine-cones from our own back yard, as she's relearning to trust and participate in every day tasks. She has a very long way to go! But we couldn't be happier!

And yes, I have had the opportunity to go for a short visit to meet two very important little men in my life. We've been through some very hard and difficult days, but today, it's a great day!

 

 Once things find their flow for a new routine for us, I can't wait to get back to working on a special yellow, cabled sweater for my best knitting fan, who will never again wear it in the room she was in when I took that picture.

Ever.

(For those who have sent messages and inquiries, please understand I have never forgotten about you readers and followers of this blog. However, sometimes, things are out of our control that strange as it may seem at times, are far more important than knitting. Thanks for sticking around and asking me to come back. I really hadn't left, I just had a very special lady to concentrate on. She's now in her new home with me and we shall celebrate that event for the rest of our lives! Knitting has restarted again, and with a little luck, lots of prayers, and more unpacking...we can resume all things vital and important around here. Thanks for your care, concern and support!)

And....

GRANDMA, AGAIN!

This makes two precious baby boys!

My New Title....

GRANDMA!

Still waiting to hold that little precious of love...

'nuff said......

What could be better.....

....than waiting for one grandbaby to arrive? Well, how about two grandbabies to arrive? Nope, not twins. Congratulations are in order for my middle daughter, Jennifer and her husband, Martin! Duckie's cousin is due next March! And I know of some aunties who are over the moon excited for these little arrivals. More babies for this Grandma and Mom/Great Grandma to love!!!

Farmer's Market Days

Life around here has definitely changed over the past 2 years. For one, I'm back to cooking.  A lot of cooking. We don't go out to eat very often because so much of what's available is deep fried, fast food that neither my daughter likes nor my mother should be eating. When we do we're very selective in between days when we 'save up' the carb points. Where does that leave the rest of the meals? Cooking from scratch. And what is this area lucky to have? Lots of farmer's markets! Most of the time Mom is at her Day care program when I go pick up some of the wonderful fresh veggies that come home with me, but here she was the first day we made it over to Midland's Farmer's Market this year. We had a blast!

 When I was a kid, the local county farmer's market was fun to go with Mom to see. Truck after truck after truck was backed up under the metal roof with bushel baskets over flowing with all kinds of just picked foods. Mom didn't really can, but she would make a little bit of bread and butter pickles and some freezer strawberry jam. Neither are my choices. But I do love what you can do with the fresh veggies for dinner!

 As I've been working to keep Mom's A1C low enough to keep her away from insulin and other drugs, we've really been piling on the veggies, leannnnnnnnnnnnnnn chicken or salmon and a whole lot of fresh spinach and kale. Here was the first time she had quinoa and she liked it! We've also discovered spelt pasta as another nutritional source. I've always been one to try new cooking ideas going farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr back into time when I was newly married moving to California. We were within walking distance of 4 grocery stores and a health food store that carried a lot of fresh foods. Life got busy, the kids grew up (who gave them permission to do that?!) and then I wasn't cooking for 6 people anymore. Being here with Mom is changing that all over again.

 Here's the 'bounty' from a couple of trips ago. Can you see the little bear down front? There is a 'honey' lady that comes to both the little farmer's market here in town and the bigger one over in Midland. She sells REAL honey! And get this, she infuses some as well! OOOOOOOOOOOH boy! Have you ever had Raspberry honey, or peach honey, or chocolate honey? Or, or, or??????? Died.and.gone.to.heaven. I tell ya! Did you know that nearly all of the 'honey' sold in the grocery store technically isn't honey because it doesn't have the pollen in it? Find yourself a local beekeeper honey supply source and you'll be happy. Over the winter I made a jar of lemon and ginger slices and mixed it with raw honey. One good dollup into a cup of hot water at night and neither Mom nor I  had a single cold all winter long! Why is that good? Mom has a long standing history of multiple bouts of bronchitis every winter. And not.one.cold! This year! 

 I've been reading a ton of new cookbooks and books on nutrition. Fresh onions and garlic and green onions are regulars in our cooking here, too.(Great immunity booster there with the onion family!) Nice, fresh, just picked from another farmer's market day here recently. And, what this township, turned city girl, turned full time family caregiver has learned, if you get your onions this fresh, I don't have much trouble cutting them up without too many tears!

Most recently another new thing I've done, is started with a lot of infused waters. With all the nutritional reading and things I've learned, I've stopped drinking diet coke. If I'm cleaning up Mom's diet, then I have to clean up my secret bad habit. And that's been a really big deal for me. My Dad would have been thrilled that I've finally done it. But, sometimes, just plain water needs a bit of flavor added to it and the possibilities are endless this way.

While I've made strawberry jam living in California next to many of the strawberry fields, that had been the scope of my 'canning' experiences until last year. The more I went past just reading labels, the more sugar I found in foods that just can't 'fly' around here anymore. Soooooooo, what's a girl to do? When your daughter introduces you to greek yogurt that is plain and non fat and then shows you that Trader Joe's makes a low sugar jam that she puts in to avoid corn syrup and high sugar/chemical additives in the pre-fruited yogurts, you start playing in the kitchen! Last year in a few short weeks I learned to water bath and pressure can and there is no turning back now! This year I've already started with the new seasons worth of yummies and won't have to try and get it all done in the last 3 weeks of the farmer's market season. (yeah say my hands!) Here's some apricot butter (like apple butter, only with apricots!)

Apricot jam....

Chicken stock! Let me tell you how easy that is ! In the crock pot over night...no added sodium, skim the fat and you know exactly what's in your stock to start your soups! Be prepared to dream of food while you're sleeping and your crock pot is doing allllllllllllllllllllllll the work! Organic veggies, Amish grown chicken.....bring on dinner baby!

 Life has not been totally spent in the kitchen....Melissa and I took in a baseball game when the Angels came to town-her favorite team vs. my beloved Tigers. (Thanks guys for making the daughter happy when the Angles won that night....)

 And to make sure that grandbaby to be is raised correctly, we 'infused' some Detroit Tiger goodness into the Grandma blanket knitting that night!

 

 Note to self....when using the food processor to cut up onions, WATCH what part you're grabbing!!!!!!!!!! Hint, the blade, is NOT acceptable for your thumb to press on, hard. And when you FINALLY can start to pick up your needles again after months of horrific pain, it makes knitting very difficult again....*sigh* still learning here...I guess.

 

 This weekend the Tall Ships came to town. But for this afternoon, I leave you with this....

Traverse City Black Cherries! I pitted these last night. I have a new method of doing so.....pit one, eat two....;-) Like it? Yea, I had to go back to the Farmer's Market this morning to buy some more today because we ate a 'few to many' to make some jam last night. And I'm really ok with that. But for now,  I'm off to the kitchen to make some jam before we all start to pick at them again! Oh how I wish Dad were hear to be another taster of all these new things I'm learning to make. He used to loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee cherry preserves on his toast in the morning.

Until next time!....

Some good news....

There is an awful lot going on around here these days, and most of it I can't share. Please forgive me, but no I have not forgotten you all as some have written. My Momma told me, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. However....there is one little thing to share that is good news!

Tonight via face time and a balloon reveal from what feels to be half way around the world....These two are going to be parents of a darling little boy! For now, he's to be referred to as, "Duckie" I am told. Oh how I hate not being there with them. Miss them and all my kids with all my heart!

Merry Christmas!

Did you get finished on time? Did everything fit?

Merry Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

While we're busy getting ready for Christmas, my computer is heading off to the computer hospital. Merry Christmas if it doesn't get back in time!

This started as 'Dear Jennifer'....

Jennifer, First, my apologies for the way your post ended up on the last blog post. I was trying to publish it from my phone and I deleted it. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...doggone fat fingered typing...thank goodness for copy and paste!

As to your questions, I don't have a Foley food mill. I had looked at them the day I bought my pressure canner, and then it hit me that I had the food mill attachments for my kitchen aid mixer that I used for the tomatoes. And I was thrilled with how fast and easy it made everything. The one thing I've had a slight issue with, was my shoulders. I'm so danged short, that from reaching up for all the stirring and pouring I've have to remember to stretch in the opposite direction to keep from getting knots in my shoulders. Love being the short one.

The cranberry applesauce was one recipe that I was patterning after another that I'd seen on Facebook that left the apples chunked-if that's a word. I figured if you don't try lots of different ways you won't decide which way you like the best. For the record, next time I'm going to use my apple slicer/peeler/corer....cook down the apples and then add the cranberries. Cranberries are just find in my whole cranberry sauce for the holidays so I won't mind it in the applesauce. And definitely much less work than fishing out the skins. I have learned my lesson well!

As to the lack of power during Sandy, we here in Michigan were warned that we'd loose power, too. After over 30 years in earthquake country, my survival preparedness skills kicked into gear. After all the canning I'd already done, I figured we'd be ok in the food department. But I was trying to find a way to heat water, soups, COFFEE for Mom and hot chocolate / tea for me that was our big issue. We have plenty of warm blankets, wool afghans (thank you very much) and sleeping bags to keep us warm on the outside. Not to mention a whole lot of wool sweaters, hats, mittens and scarves and coats. (again, thank you very much) But...do you know that the ONLY fondu pot here in the area, and I mean the whole area....was electric!!!!!!!!!! and yes, there was only ONE! Good grief! What happened to all the cheese/chocolate fondu parties that people have had in times past! I really wanted a fondu pot, thinking that if Mom has her coffee in the morning, she's human. (I took her several years ago for a scan at the hospital and she wasn't allowed to have anything before hand. The woman on the other side of the check in window not only had a cup of coffee, but a hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeee cup off coffee. While waiting for Mom's name to be called, she kept pointing out the woman had some coffee. I thought for certain she was about to climb through the window and snatch the cup out of her hands! When the attendent came to get Mom I asked if there was a way to let me know she was nearly done so I could run over to the cafeteria and have a cup waiting for her. Sweetheart of a guy he was, he arranged for an extra large cup for her before he brought her out to me! Yea! Now that's service!) Ok, so back to the story...I figured if we could heat up soups, coffee, etc...we'd have a way to warm up from the inside out, too. Back in California with the non-insulated houses, on the rainy days that seem to permeate into your bones, I would make a big cup of hot chocolate and get my feet under the covers before starting to drink it. Then I'd be toasty warm and fall right to sleep during those days. Worked like a charm! Since no one has seen the 'old fashioned' type of fondu pots that use Sterno cans in stock in the stores for a long time....I bought a small camp type stove that would hold a tea pot/small sauce pan on top and loaded up on Sterno cans. Luckily, we were fine, never lost power, but surrounding communities did. My heart aches for those who are still suffering from all the devastation that super-storm brought with it. Is anyone knitting to send to those who can use some help?

Now that Sandy has left her horrible mark, it's gotten me to thinking about how prepared we are here. I've been looking at the type of foods and supplies we have on hand. Being responsible for Mom, there are certain things that shouldn't be in short supply, like her meds. Check...we're good there. Now I'd like to make sure we have protein based foods as well as all the applesauce, etc...on hand. I'm thinking some vegetable soup is around the corner to make sure we have on hand. I do have a lot of dried beans, but you have to be able to heat them up to cook. I did at least fill the canners with a lot of water so we could make the coffee and be able to scald clean the cups, sliverware, etc...we would need had we lost power.

In the meantime, I made some pumpkin cookies with the fresh pumpkin that I had put into the freezer. I really do love those Ball freezer containers! Nothing to throw out! (another thing in California we were trained with-reducing the amount of trash at the curb every week). After all, man doesn't live by soup and applesauce alone. Right?

And then some toasted pumpkin seeds....

And then some cinnamon-sugar seeds (which I probably won't make again...just not quite what I like)...but there is a recipe for some 'spicy seeds' that sound intriguing.

If any of you who are reading this were hurt either in heart or home from Sandy, know that our hearts go out to you. So sad to have seen how terrible the damage turned out to be. As we all shop and donate to do what we can for the rebuilding efforts, please take a moment and make certain your home is prepared for whatever weather situation that may arise in your 'neck of the woods'. Me? Toilet paper is always on hand. But I'm on the hunt for a fondu pot. I have 3 of them back in California that I can't get to right now. Oh, but not an electric one. And, in the meantime I thought I'd start thinking about making some emergency candles. I found a link here today. Aren't they a cute idea? I wonder how they would be in colors for gift giving? Holiday or birthday colors? I have the double boiler and the jelly jars already, now just to find some other supplies. So, again, until next time, stay safe, dry and warm as we enter into the seasons of weather issues that can keep you at home for awhile. And for those were were personally affected by the recent storms, my hugs to you for rebuilding. I am at a total loss for what to say at this point. It's unfathomable, and I'm certain I don't need to tell you that. You're all in my prayers.

While I'm waiting on my hands...

While I'm waiting for my hands to stop giving me grief, I thought I'd share what else has been keeping me busy lately. First off, here's the latest in my 'wrist accessories'. 

I have developed a case of trigger thumb. It's affected both joints in my left thumb. I'm pretty sure processing all the tomatoes that I did awhile back is what set it off. I know, self inflicted, no sympathy. However, I'll not sit and hold them all again and try and cut them into my hand. I have learned my lesson, cutting boards have a place and I will use them freely so I'm not spending 3 days with a whole lot of tomatoes being 'pinched' in my hand.

 

My right wrist has been flaring up again, so while I'm resting one, might as well treat them both to a little 'time off'. Ya...I know, I'm also the one who years ago had to be put into a hard cast when I shredded my pinkie knuckle and insisted on making strawberry jam. Therefore, Doc said the brace didn't get me to stop using it enough. Paaaaaaaaaaaa-lease.....when you have 4 little kids and it's strawberry season, what's a little brace going to do? There was jam to be made! So, I've decided that between messy stuff in the kitchen, etc...I'll wear these and still get done what I'm trying to do. Fair trade for now. So...what shall I get into next?

 

 I decided to make some pizza sauce. Tomatoes and red peppers, a little garlic....

 Roasted in the oven...(lesson learned, do each tray separately. A little bit longer time, but works much better.)

 

While waiting, why not put a little time into a puzzle? (Mom's been a long time puzzle fan!)

 After the skins have been removed from the roasted veggies, gather a few extra items...

 and into the stock pot they all go!

 

Simmer a little bit, and lookie there! You have a veryyyyyyyy yummy pizza sauce-

By the time we were done, I didn't have the patience to wait for pizza dough to rise, so I pulled out the english muffins and ala kid style, made some 10 minute pizzas.

Mom and I are both fans of this one. Next time, can't come soon enough.

I had 6#'s of apples left from the bushel my daughter picked up for me. 1/2 cortland and 1/2 macs. And the cranberries were finally coming into the grocery store fresh style! Soooooo I thought I'd make some more applesauce.

 1/2 c of cranberry cider with the 6#'s of apples, and 3C of fresh cranberries and 2 tsp of cinnamon all into the pot. (lesson learned, I'll peel the apples and process them first next time..

 pulling out the skins after this time was far too much work for me. Then I'll add the cranberries after I've mashed the apples. Less work, faster to the cranberry-applesauce in the bowl!)

 

It only made 4 pints of applesauce, but, I will make some next time I can get more apples. Delicious! (What a shame the apple crops were so small this year.)

Next up, pumpkin time! Remember this post from 2008? Well, I found a little bit of an easier way to work it this year. You're still going to cut the pie pumpkins itnto quarters,

scoop out the seeds,

scape out the gunk using just the side of a spoon....

lay them skin side up with an inch of water in the roaster pan and bake ~ 1 hour in the oven.

 but this year, they cooled off so much faster when I put them in those mesh baskets I was using on the grill over the sink rather than just piling them up on top of each other in a colander. (Don't you love it when you buy a 'kitchen gadget and you find you can use it with multiple uses?)

 When they're cooled off you can just about peel the skin off and put the pumpkin into a bowl

 and get your next batch ready for the oven. I found that 2 pie pumpkins fit both into the roaster well, (with an inch of water) and then the amount of cooked pumpkin fit the bowl I was using just perfectly. (Rachel Ray 'garbage bowl' in BLUE! from Sam's club-but I don't use it for 'garbage'. It's a great size and depth for so many things in the kitchen.)

 Then, rather than using a food processor, or a blender, or a mixer, the immersion blender I've had for a hundred years sitting in the cabinet was put into use lickety split. (I've also been using it for soups often, too! Yea! Why did I wait so long to start using it?)

 In just a few moments, it smoothed out all the pumpkin to the consistency of applesauce. And the clean up was soooooo much easier and faster than the other kitchen toys would be. (Another lesson learned!)

2 pie pumpkins gave me enough for 5 pumpkin pies.

 8 pumpkins gave me enough for 20 pies, or 40 loves of pumpkin bread or 160 dozen pumpkin cookies or 26 pumpkin cheesecakes. (Just in case you were wondering. ;-) ) Aren't those freezer containers just perfect? The local grocery store chain had them on a ridiculous clearance price and then they'll also be reusable without throwing the zip-lock bags away. RRR! Reduce, reuse, recycle. 'Eh?

 And..all these pumpkin seeds! Now that I have them all washed and dried, I'm pouring over a bagillion recipes on facebook looking for just the right recipe to toast 'em up! Sooooooo many different flavors? What's your favorite?

Now, check these out! Remember all the raspberries that started all this jam and canning in the kitchen here? Well, my very generous friend, Kathie, is now raising some laying hens and look what she gave me! You can't get much fresher - or healthier than this!!!!!! Look how dark those brown eggs are! Next up will be some pumpkin cookies with a couple of these babies!

So, do you like to cook, bake, and can in between your knitting projects? The more I'm reading about diabetic cooking and canning, I'm learning so much about the quality of what our food should be, and how making at home can be so delicious over pre-packaged. I'm also thrilled that Mom's blood tests are really looking better. Thanks in no small part to my daughter's cooking for Mom and Dad that really got me to thinking about how important label reading can be.

So, until next time I have some more creative messes to make in the kitchen! (Hands hurry up-I have knitting waiting to happen again, too! I miss you.)