Starting the week, and

... Snowing again.

Although a little shuffling to do of next's week schedule due to rescheduling today's work,  am happy that I'm in and don't have to venture out.  Spent the early morning hours cleaning, washing, drying with a bit of time for crocheting which I plan on getting back to after lunch.

Almost a week now on Weight Watchers.  I think its going ok, the scale will tell.  All I know is that I feel a bit more comfortable.  Hopefully the scale will reflect this in a lower number!

I haven't added any more to the temperature scarf, now will have 3 days to add which will take minutes, if that, so I probably will do this maybe weekly instead of daily.  Makes it easier to see if I should carry a color instead of fastening off.  I think that the marker that I may use to highlight special days may be beading.  This is such an interesting, fun crochet.  So many ideas floating around in my head resulting from this and the tunisian stitch. Ya know, I could make a full time job out of crocheting and crafting.

Popping a pan of chicken, red and green peppers, onions, carrots and potatoes into the oven this afternoon for super.  I love them baked all together.  I usually cover with cream of mushroom soup but I think today will use Good Seasons dressing.

Keep warm and safe ... or cool and safe for those who are in those warmer places.

Blessings,

A Fun Crochet

There are some fun crochets going on ... a mood scarf by Bev of One Yarn After Another, and a  friend of mine is making a Sky Scarf.  Obviously based on what they are named ... mood that you are in ... brightness, color of the sky.  I do like both but wanted something more of a seasonal type so, of course, my friend was kind enough to find something to fill the order.  The Temperature Scarf hosted by Bernat. 

This CAL/KAL is starting on February 1st.  I'm using yarns from my stash and not Bernat and as my friend started her sky scarf January 1st I decided to do the same going back to get the temperature degrees from then to the present.  I have 8 yarns picked out to take me through the four seasons.

Yesterday being a quiet, nurse a cold day at home I settled in with cuppa and Tunisian hook ... its been years since I did Tunisian, in fact so long that we called this the Afghan Stitch way back then ... and I am up to date.  I think its going to be a fun crochet, a diary of the year's weather.  I'm also thinking I want to mark the days of significance in my life ... birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. and want to look for tiny charms to affix to those days.  The added bonus to this was realizing how much I enjoy the Tunisian stitching.    Enough so that I will be looking for finding more about it then just the basic stitch.

The scarf begins with a border (the white) and will have a line of white separating the months.
 

 

  Come and join in, we'll have a great time!  Let me know if you're doing one!  The orchid line, the last one is the color I am using for temps 22 and below, another one to be added for today as its 19 degrees.  I'm using the high temperatures of the day.

 

Happy Weekend!

What's Doing Wednesday

Woke this morning to single digit temps and out and about at 10:00am to not much warmer.  It is so cold ... how cold do you ask?

Yes,  I know ... this is a little weak, but it did tie my morning jaunt together as speaking of Weight Watchers, I am one again now.   With an unexpected day off, decided its time to get on the straight and narrow.  Signed in, sat through the meeting and I'm off and running the eat healthier race again.  I certainly treated myself to more then I should have over the holidays and not only do I want to shed a "few" pounds (ahhh, maybe a bit more then a few pounds) but I know how much better I feel when I do.

Here's looking to a slimmer spring and summer with great expectations on maybe reducing some medications.  Now that's a super incentive too!

Heard yesterday that we're supposed to get 10 inches of snow on Friday.   We haven't had a winter like this in years.   Time to get the soups and stews simmering.

The plans of the afternoon are steaming hot coffee and hook and yarn.    Have a great mid week day.

Joy and blessings,

Crochet Update and a Mini Square

The blackberry salad stripe blanket is coming along with the 22nd stripe just being added.  Then a repeat of the 22 stripes.    There will be two repeats for a total of about 65 inches in length at completion.

After each stripe I have begun making a mini square.   Very simple, very easy and I'll have the makings of another ghan when the stripe blanket is done!  Just a starting chain and two rows for a 3 inch square.


Patiently (not) waiting for my newest book, crocheted afghans by Melody Griffiths.  This has the gingham pattern that I wrote about that Sandy of Teacup Lane did.    This may be the next project.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

Happy Sunday

The temperatures are bouncing around in the low twenties this morning and although the sun is shining the wind is whipping.  I cannot image what the wind chill factor is doing to the temp but about to find out shortly.   Getting ready to bundle and hold my breath as we venture out.

Normally don't mind winter but I think today is going to be one of those not cared for cold days.  Oh well, to be sure the hook will be moving this afternoon providing crochet enjoyment and warmth!

Have a lovely, joyful Sunday.

Warmest blessings,

Friday Finish

Its a wrap ... finished.  Just have to pop into the washer and dryer and then on its way to a very special friend.  Not sure if it will be mailed or hand delivered, got to check some weather forecasts.  I hope that she will enjoy this as much as I did in making it.  My second wool eater.   Such a great crochet.  So satisfying when a larger one is completed.

Now onto one of the several projects that I also have going.  Keeping this short as having difficulty in getting this posted so I'm hoping this time it will show up.
More to chat about later when Blogger a little more cooperative.

  Have a lovely weekend.

Abundant blessings,

Thursday Thoughts

You are never too old to set another goal

or to dream a new dream.

-C.S. Lewis

What the hook has been doing.

Oh yes, the hook has been moving and in several directions.  Quite fickle it is!  There are so many afghans that I want to make.  The wool eater is coming to a finish with a few more rows to do.  I'll save that picture for its completion.  My black berry salad stripe blanket is now 17 stripes strong.  Its 60 inches wide so I think I'll be making that between 60 and 70 in length.  Will be a great size for the bed for the nippy cold winter nights.


Rummaging through my stash the other day, decided that I needed to add a baby blanket to the mix.  I found this yarn over a year ago on sale and and decided its time to take shape.  A simple shell stitch blanket,  Bev's 5 Day Blankie is a very nice, easy crochet.    I really like how it is coming out in the variegated. 



 And of course, at this time of year, hearts seems to come to mind.  This darling heart and flower goes up in one sitting.  The links for the heart and flower and leaves can be found at Attic 24.  I especially like the flower, its amazingly easy.


And then I saw this over at Teacup Lane ... is this a beauty?  Yup, got to have a gingham one too.   
This will be something very new for me, never have worked with carrying colors.  If you hop over to Teacup Lane you'll also see a gingham dish cloth Sandy is working on.  Very pretty.

That's all I'm going to tell you about what's on the hook or will be going on the hook for now (which means there are other projects).   I have mentioned before that I am addicted to crocheting ...

Best to your week ...

blessings,

Happy Friday

and a happy weekend.

Monday Menu

Crock Pot Red Beans & Rice


Going through my recipes to try folder I came upon this one and don't remember where it came from online, but when I can find the source I will post.  This is an easy and tasty meal for these chilly winter nights, and is great as a leftover.

1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
14 oz. andouille sausage, sliced
3 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 lb. dried red kidney beans
7 cups of water

white rice

Please first 8 ingredients into crock pot and cook on high for 7.5 hours.  Remove the lid partway for the last 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.  Serve over cooked white rice.

NOTES:  I didn't have Creole seasoning, so I sprinkled in some cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme and garlic powder.  I'm not a fan of spicy so I went very light on the cayenne, actually may not use next time.  Also added two chicken bouillon at the end.  I found that this was cooked quite a bit before the suggested time, so I would suggest checking after about 5 hours.  Next time I am going to try this with italian sausage.  Its a nice meal and going into the keeper recipe file. 

Feast of The Epiphany

The obedience of the star calls us to imitate its humble serivce: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace that invites all men to find Christ.

(Saint Leo the Great, pope)

Blessings,

Brrrrr

It is cold!  Below zero this morning with subzero tonight again.  Looks like the ground will be a winter white for quite a while.   A fine job being done in preserving the snowmen this year.  So, what's one to do when the temperatures are freezing???

Crochet!!!

Its an especially good time to have the hook moving.  The wool eater blanket is now large enough to cover me as I continue adding rows, I think 14 more rows will do it.  So cozy and warm.  I just love this blanket.

The blackberry-salad-stripe-blanket is another great crochet.  Simple but oh so stunning.  The pattern called for a starting chain of 115 for baby blanket size  but I increased the width to 175 to use on my bed.  Have used eleven different colors so far with a few more to be added before I do a repeat.  This one too will be warm.  A wonderful way to use up all that stash.

And another project I have in the works (among many) is a pattern called  squircle-v-3 found at Dly's Hooks and Yarn.  The designer is Debi.  Her patterns are fun to make, well written and easy to follow.  She has a wonderful blog and many wonderful patterns. 

And that's where I'll be through this weekend chill ... covered in yarn and moving the hook, ever so happily.

Keep safe and warm.  Blessings in abundance.