Wahsega Valley Farm

Angel at Costco

Last night was one of those times when one feels the "Christmas spirit". At least I did. Mike and I were running errands and our last place to go was Costco to pick up food and supplies for the cabin. We were both kind of burned out since we've been running around trying to get things lined up to move to the farm part-time starting this weekend. The earlier-than-planned-move abruptly stopped any Christmas decorating, gift making and leisure time we had and threw us head-first into overdrive. That's okay and it's temporary, but I think last night I must have been distracted when we left Costco.

We drove home and just as we were about to pull into our neighborhood, Mike's phone rang. I heard him say, "Holy 
#$%@!! We'll be right there!" He turned the car around and headed back to Costco.Turns out I'd left my pocketbook in the parking lot. Just sitting there - full of log-ins to my bank accounts, my credit card, cell phone, wallet and so much information that could cause dire problems if gotten into the wrong hands.

My stomach started to churn because the woman who called didn't say if the wallet, etc. was in the bag or not. We arrived and I ran in. The three door people seemed to know who I was. I guess I had "STOOPID" written on my forehead, but they were very nice and told me a very kind man turned my pocketbook in and it was at the desk. I retrieved it, after showing ID from the pocketbook, and ran to the car to check the contents after thanking the folks at Costco several times for calling Mike.

I pawed through the bag and it appeared to be undisturbed. All my things were there, including the little notebook that has the comprehensive list of things Mike and I need to take to the farm. And my other little notebook with all my bank log-ins was there. And my wallet. A big sigh of relief and a moment of deep gratitude and thanks came over me. What are the odds - especially this time of the year - that someone would turn in my bag from a parking lot? How easy would it have been to grab it and run? I got quite emotional and my eyes teared up.

This morning there was a message on my cell phone from the man who turned it in - just making sure I had retrieved it. He said he hoped I didn't mind that he looked in my address book to see if he could find my phone number. And he said that I didn't need to call him back and then wished me a Merry Christmas - and was gone. But I did call him and told him how much it meant to me, getting teary-eyed once again. What an angel he was. And what a way to make me feel grateful for all that I have and to be reminded that there are still kind souls walking amongst us.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Mike and I drove up to our little farm this past weekend to take a peek at the cabin, hoping to see it unfurnished at long last. We kind of expected our tenants to be in the midst of chaos and clutter, but they had moved most everything out already and the place was really quite clean under the circumstances. We saw for the first time how the cabin looks empty and for some reason expected it to look bigger. But in fact, it looked smaller! It's a tiny little cabin, but so cute and rustic. Downsizing will be an experience and the first thing Mike has to do is build a temporary pole building to hold all of our belongings and his tools through the moving process. Though we'll be living there only on the weekends initially after the holidays, we want to put our current house on the market and sell it as quickly as possible. Our stuff - most of which won't fit into the current, not yet remodeled cabin - has to go somewhere and that's where the pole building comes in.

Tonight we're going back up with a car-load full of dishes, towels, cleaning supplies and other things we'll need. We're planning to spend two full weeks there starting this Saturday, after moving up some furniture and necessities on Friday. It's all quite exciting, yet stressful at the same time. Ch-ch-ch-changes, y'know. Disruptions of "regular living" and all that. But we can't wait to get there and have all the moving and transition behind us. And I like the idea of downsizing... getting rid of items that are rarely or never used - and becoming less encumbered.   

While there tonight, Mike needs to measure the area for the pole building and figure out some plumbing and electrical issues, and I need to get a better look at the kitchen area and bathroom to see what needs to be done there. The kitchen currently has an old electric stove that I'm gunna dislike greatly after using gas flames for so long. Slow reaction time y'know. We might look for an updated replacement because it will take some time to remodel the cabin and I'm not so sure I can cook on that slow movin' relic every day!

During the two weeks we plan to stay there, we'll still have to run back to our house occasionally to pick up additional things we'll need - and to check in on the computer and news, etc. We really don't want to spend money on a tv and computer hookup yet, though might change our minds once there. I envision getting a lot of reading done in the evenings for a change, and not missing the noisy television at all. And our cells phones don't work that far out in the boonies... we'll be cut off from the world! So, we'll see how that goes...

Once the sun comes back out and the rains goes away, I'll start taking some pictures and posting them here. We want to document all the changes we make along the way and this is where I'm going to do it. We're excited and ready to get going! More soon...

Crunch time

I like being busy, but I don't like being this busy! The holidays are looming just over the horizon and so is our move to the farm. True, it is for living there only on the weekends, but we still need most of what we use in our normal day-to-day living at the "big house"... just on a smaller scale. We have a list of "essentials" that is growing by leaps and bounds. It's all very exciting, but at the same time I am trying to finish up some Christmas gifts I am in the process of making and feeling crunched and smooshed. My fingers just aren't moving quickly enough!

On Friday night we spent some time in the basement and starting pulling stuff upstairs. The foyer is now a growing pile of household odds and ends. And we've only begun to scratch the surface. The good thing is that we have almost everything we need for the cabin for the time being. We won't have to buy much of anything. When Mike and I merged eight years ago, we kept most of our individual things, and what we haven't used day-to-day has been sitting in storage in the basement. The only thing I think we will need to purchase is a set of casual dishes. His were quite garish and were given to the Goodwill awhile back. I remember they were white with some splashy, very colorful flowers on them. I like subdued and earthy and so does Mike... how he ended up with those I have no idea.

I wanted to post some of the recipes I used for Thanksgiving, but just haven't had the time. The stuffing wasn't good to Mike or me, but the rest was wonderful. Both vegan desserts were near-perfect and the stuffed acorn squashes were so good for a vegan like me. I'll get around to posting them one of these days just so I can find them again.

We got a little snow on Saturday! A magnifying glass would have helped to see the flakes, but when we get snow in the South, we get snow no matter how little and insignificant it is! I'd love to get a white Christmas at the cabin. That would be a beautiful thing.

Christmas at the farm

Mike and I are quite excited! Our tenants, living in the cabin on our farm, asked if they could move out by the 17th of this month instead of what we'd all planned - at the end of next summer. Do you know what that means? We can spend Christmas in our cabin this year! And, I will finally see what the cabin looks like empty. It's been hard getting a good idea with all their furniture and belongings; they have bookshelves covering windows and other bookshelves blocking other views that make it look very closed-in and dark. With all that removed, I'll finally see how light it is in there. Even though we're going to remodel the cabin, we'll have to live in it at least part-time as it is now. So I'm really looking forward to seeing it bare-boned. Here is a repeat picture of the current main floor with our tenants' things:

(The stairs lead up to a large loft that will be our temporary bedroom.)  

So... we need to start moving some things there to make it livable on the weekends - Friday nights through Sundays. This is so good because it's going to make our transition much smoother and not so rushed - and we can start right away on some of the work we want to do. We will lose about seven months of rent from our tenants, but they weren't paying all that much anyway, so it won't be a huge difference. And, they are moving right "next door", which will work out well for all of us.

I need to make a list of everything we will need! Gotta go down to the basement and start pulling out dishes, a couch, chairs, a table, bed and mattress and everything we'll need to live there part time. There is already a washer/dryer, freezer, stove and refrigerator, though eventually we will replace most of them. But for now, it's perfect! 

What a nice surprise; we're finally getting started! It's hard to believe that it's been three years since we bought our little farm. All I can say is... we're ready!

It's going to be a Merry Christmas indeed.

Ordinary Miracle

It's not that unusual
When everything is beautiful
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when it's time to snow
Don't need to teach a seed to grow
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift, they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up, and find a way
To give some of your own

Isn't it remarkable?
Like everytime a raindrop falls
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday
Please don't throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
'Cause we are all a part

Of the ordinary miracle

Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle

It seems so exceptional
That things work out after all
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sun comes out and shines so bright
And disappears again at night
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

On the menu...

Thanksgiving is upon us! And since I've gotten several inquiries about what I'm cooking - vegan-wise -  I thought I'd write a quick post about it. It's not too difficult melding a meat-eater with a vegan for a fun meal, especially if the meat eater isn't too picky about side dishes and desserts. Here is what I'm cooking today and tomorrow:

Exclusively for Mike:

• turkey thighs
• gravy

For me (vegan) and Mike:

• stuffed acorn squash with apples, leeks, mushrooms and walnuts (my "main")
• chestnut stuffing
• roasted asparagus and cauliflower
• mashed potatoes
• corn in some version (Mike's request)
• double-layer pumpkin cheesecake
• chocolate-pecan pudding pie

That's it! The turkey will be rotisserized and gravy made the traditional way. I won't eat either one of them; they're for Mike.

My main dish will be the stuffed acorn squash. I got the recipe from a book Heidi Swanson reviewed on her 101cookbooks website, Big Sur Bakery Cookbook that I checked out of the library. I've never made it before, but the ingredients are right up my alley, so I have my fingers crossed.

The chestnut stuffing has all kinds of fun ingredients in it and today I need to roast the chestnuts in preparation. The recipe came from the Vegetarian Times, November - December issue. The picture they show looks beautiful.

I totally lost my recipe for the vegan pumpkin pie I wanted to try; there is no telling where it is since I have recipes all over the place. But I found a good substitution - double-layer pumpkin cheesecake from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen. Check it out. I'm making my own crust from graham crackers, walnuts, Earth Balance and a touch of agave or sugar. No gluten folks can switch out the graham cracker crust with something else I'd think or go crust-less altogether.

The other dessert, Chocolate-Pecan Pudding Pie also came from the November-December issue of Vegetarian Times. It's got almonds, pecans, banana, maple syrup, coconut, dates and all kinds of good stuff in it. It's not gluten-free though, but seeing as it only includes half a cup of whole wheat pastry flour, I'm sure it could be made so very easily.

Don't ask me why I'm making two desserts; I guess because I rarely bake and it's fun... and I don't usually have sweets lying about.

Mashed potatoes are easy to make vegan as are the rest of the items on the list - and they taste just as good; even Mike says so. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything turns out. It will be a fun day tomorrow.

Today I'm making at least one of the desserts, roasting the chestnuts and other prep work. Then I'd really like to finish Margo's blanket. I'm attaching all the pieces now and could finish it today. By Friday for sure! Then I start on Brooke's blanket. Brooke is Mike's new granddaughter. I sure wish I could post a picture of the blanket; it's looking real purty! After Christmas I will.

Right now I need to check in with some online friends and then get busy!

Busy busy busy

I'm busy! Too busy to write here right now, but it seems like a long time since I've checked in. I'm in the middle of making Margo's blanket and also have another blanket to make for Mike's first granddaughter, Brooke (he also has a grandson who is already 5!). Thanksgiving is Thursday and I'm in the midst of planning the menu - well, make that two menus: one for the meat-eater husband and one for me, the vegan. What I cook for Mike will be boring compared to the symphony of textures, colors and flavors I plan for myself. Yessirree. And, I am making a vegan pumpkin pie that looks awesome on paper, so we'll see how it turns out. No evaporated milk or eggs? How can that be? Well, I'll be finding out real soon.

I'm on vacation this coming week, which is good because there would be no other way I could get everything done. I'll go grocery shopping Tuesday morning at the crack of dawn, hopefully before the masses hit the market, and then hunker down at home for the remainder of the week. Bliss I tell ya... bliss.

While crocheting yesterday I watched the old 1951 movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still. It is just as relevant today as it was back then and I enjoyed it immensely. It coincided nicely with a book I'm reading about life in other galaxies. "Gort, 'Klaatu barada nikto!' Just what exactly did that message mean? No one really knows...

And now I must get back to it, folding some laundry first and then kicking back on the couch in front of some other interesting movie that Mike wouldn't like - ha!

Baby blanket and silly men

I started Margo's baby blanket this weekend and the colors are turning out much better than they looked in their wound up, separate states. It is a color combination I would never have chosen, so I'm out of my box so to speak - and I like it. They are based on the colors Sarah wants to decorate the nursery in... light purple, green, some blue and a touch of red. Very untraditional girlie colors - and I like that! I won't be able to post a picture of the blanket here until after Christmas though since Sarah or Jesse might stop by. Don't want to ruin the surprise y'know. They know I'm making it... they just don't know what it's going to look like.

I spent a few hours yesterday crocheting and watching old movies on TV. I was deep into the 1939 version of Wuthering Heights when Mike got home - about three hours earlier than I expected him. Glad to see him, I took a break from both the movie and crocheting and we went out on the deck and hung out for awhile chatting, until a neighbor starting mowing his yard. It was too noisy, so I went back inside. I settled back down into my crochet and movie after rewinding to where I left it - and became absorbed in Merle Oberon's death scene with Laurence Olivier. Ah, love... sniff, sniff... 

That's when Mike came in and started glaring at the TV. For a minute I thought I saw a glimmer of interest... a warming of the heart in his eyes. Is he feelin' the love? Uh... not a chance. He quickly started making fun of how the characters talked, what they said and ended up by making the proclamation that all old black and white movies are either very serious or are comedies and insinuating (in my mind anyway!) that one would have to be missing a brain to watch and actually enjoy one. And completely missing the whole thing. Geez. Men. I told him the movie was almost over - hoping he'd leave me and my attachment to the scene in peace. And sure enough, he pranced away - not aware in the least that he had succeeded in ruining the most emotional part of the movie. Not intentionally though... he was just giving me his in-the-moment opinion.

When the movie was over, he came back and flipped to one of his crass shows that has half-dressed men doing all kinds of ridiculous stunts that sometimes get them hurt. Mike laughs so hard at some of the stunts that I just have to sit back and watch - him. I'm wondering... what in the world does he see in that show - just as he was wondering what I saw in Wuthering Heights. Sigh... how can men and women be so different yet still love each other so much? I had to chuckle at the whole thing. And it's funny; I can say all kinds of disparaging things about his man shows and it doesn't bother him one wit. But dare he say anything about my old movies - well, that is an affront to my whole heart don't ya know?

Fortunately, when we watch a show together it is usually somewhere in-between the crazed antics of stunt men and the throbbing hearts of often lovelorn women... we kinda meet in the middle, which works out well.

Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew (vegan)

I made this two weeks ago and liked it a lot. It's spicy, but not toospicy and I loved the flavor and texture. I will do it slightly differently next time though and cut the carrots and squash into smaller pieces and possibly add a sweet touch, such as raisins and a sweet potato, to the stew. And maybe some chick peas for extra texture and a dash of cinnamon. I used white quinoa, but try red; it's so pretty. The cilantro really gives it the crowning touch, but if you don't like it, leave it out. This recipe came from Epicurious, and I'm adding it almost as it is written on their site. I just want it here for easy access the next time I want to make it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew

A gorgeous, satisfying vegetarian main course that's easy to make. Quinoa requires no pre-soaking, so it's as simple to do as rice.

INGREDIENTS:

Stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
~~~~~
3 garlic cloves
~~~~~
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of saffron
~~~~~
1 cup water
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons lemon juice
~~~~~
3 cups 1-inch cubed peeled butternut squash (from a 1 1/2 pound squash)
2 cups 3/4-inch cubed peeled carrots
~~~~~

Quinoa:
1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon butter or Earth Balance
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water or vegetable broth
~~~~~
Chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION:

Stew:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; saute until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic; stir 1 minute.

3. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients (through saffron).

4. Add 1 cup water, tomatoes and lemon juice and bring to a boil.

5. Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally - 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

This can be prepared 1 day ahead. If so, cover and chill.

Quinoa:

1. Rinse quinoa; drain.

2. Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat.

3. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

4. Add garlic, salt and turmeric; saute 1 minute.

5. Add quinoa; stir 1 minute.

6. Add 2 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.

~~~~~

Rewarm stew if made the day before. Put quinoa in bowl and spoon stew on top or to the side. Sprinkle with cilantro.

It tastes like dirt

I don't think I've ever made a pot of home-made soup that I didn't like. Some are better than others, but they've always been good... until this last batch that I made on Sunday. It tastes like dirt. Dirt I tell ya! And I know what's causing it, but I don't know why. It's the beautiful rainbow Swiss Chard that I put in it. I've eaten braised Swiss chard many a time and have never noticed this strong dirt taste before, but I can tell you I'm not going to be putting any more chard in my big ol' pots of soup from now on. And, to top off the dirt taste, I was out of fresh thyme and doubled up on the rosemary. Big mistake... I love rosemary, but it and the dirt taste rule in this soup. I should call it Rosemary Overdose Dirt Chard Soup. I'm eating it because it has other awesome ingredients in it (that I can't taste), but I can tell you I'm not enjoying it very much. And, did I double the recipe to make sure I had plenty? Of course.

Farm scenery

Mike and I drove up to our farm Sunday morning to see if his new plan for moving our driveway was feasible. Turns out it will be perfect where he wants to put it. Sooo much better than the previous plan, because it will leave the pastures alone. That's a wonderful thing because it was going to cut right through them. Now it will off to one side, quite inconspicuous.

The weather was beautiful, though most of the leaves had already dropped from the trees there. Even though it's only about an hour north from where we live, it's in a different weather zone because of the mountains, and is usually around ten degrees cooler. So, while most of the leaves are still on the leaves here - and quite colorful - it looked like winter at the farm. 

I took a few pictures...

Here are leaves on some gorgeous moss near our creek. I used a cool filter on some of these shots; click to blow up and see.

 

A part of our pond, looking through the bare trees...

Looking at the same trees from the other side of the pond...

Mike, checking things out in one of the pastures...

The sky was beautiful, and the clouds were doing crazy things...

We didn't go up to the cabin since we didn't want to disturb our tenants, but we traipsed around the pastures and pond quite a bit getting quite excited at how soon we will be spending time there and doing all those things we've been thinking about doing for years now. We left feeling exhilarated and ready!

Happy Friday

It's Friday and that makes me ever-so happy. Tonight after work I'm going to stop by JoAnne's and buy some yarn to start Margo's baby blanket. I'm still chewing on the design, but having the yarn to test out a few I like will help me decide. Picking out the yarn tonight though will take awhile since I will have pick up, feel and ponder over each and every one that fits the color scheme.

On Saturday I will probably be cooking up a storm - I make all my breakfasts and lunches that I take to work, so always cook enough to get me through the upcoming week. Not sure what I'll make yet, but I know lunch will somehow include the most beautiful bouquet of rainbow Swiss chard I have ever seen.

And on Sunday Mike and I are going to the farm. Once again, it's been way too long since we've spent any time there. He wants to reconfigure the driveway up to the cabin once we move there and came up with a new idea that I'm very happy with. It won't cut through the front fields, woods around the cabin or any part of my garden area like the original plan would have. I disliked that plan greatly. The new plan will have a much smaller footprint and should be almost invisible. That's what I'm talkin' about! So we're going up to make sure it's as feasible as we think it will be.

If I have time I will try to catch up on emails this weekend, but it's not looking very good right now. I know who you are and I'm thinkin' about you... does that help? Oh... the guilt... the guilt...

In the meantime, happy Friday!

Desert Essence Green Apple & Ginger Thickening & Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner

I recently started using a new shampoo and conditioner that I love. This is unusual for me; most new hair products disappoint and I don't want to use them after the first two or three attempts, shoving the outcast bottles into dark places to gather dust until years later when, with renewed hope, I give them another chance. And for some reason, after using certain shampoos and conditioners I am truly impressed with and use on a regular basis, they morph into their opposite selves and don't do what they originally did for my hair. Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose is a good example. It used to make my hair so smooth and shiny and easy to comb, but now for some reason, it makes my hair stiff and tangly. So, I put it in the rejection zone to pull out at some future date when maybe it'll work again. I am still loving Whole Foods 365 Lavender Blend combo, but I really like to rotate at least two different sets of shampoos and conditioners, preferably three.

So, as I was shopping at Natural Foods Warehouse near me, I decided to check out the hair care section. I'd heard of the brand Desert Essence before, but they'd changed their packaging and it jumped out at me. I read a label and liked the fact that the Green Apple & Ginger Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner is organic and that the company doesn't test on animals. There were several types of shampoos and conditioners to choose from, but since I'd been going through a heavy shedding period lately, leaving my hair feeling thin, I opted for the apple/ginger thickening combo... while keeping my fingers crossed.

I really really like it! I've used it at least six times now. It lathers a lot (without any sodium laurel/laureth sulfates), smells light and slightly fruity and leaves my hair clean without that horrid "squeaky" clean feel I dislike so much. My hair is easy to comb out, is super shiny and easy to comb all day once dry as well. It's an awesome shampoo/conditioner combo for my fine hair. And maybe, just maybe it feels a tish thicker too!

And look!

• 100% Vegan
• Wheat and gluten free
• NO Parabens
• NO Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfates
• NO Phthalates
• NO Artificial Fragrances or Colors
• NO Silicones
• NO EDTA
• NO Glycols
• NO Petroleum based ingredients
• Cruelty free
• Biodegradable

Shampoo Ingredients:
Aqueous Infusion of Certified Organic Extracts: Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit (1), Urtica Dioica (Nettle) (1), Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root (1) and Macrocystis (Kelp) Pyrifera (1), Cocoamidopropyl Betaine**, Sodium Coco-Sulfate**, Decyl Glucoside*, Polyquaternium-7**, Ginger Spice, Panthenol, Certified Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil (2), Proprietary Blend of Natural Essential Oils, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate.1 Certified by QCS 2 Certified by QAI * Sugar Derived ** Coconut Derived

Conditioner Ingredients:
Aqueous Infusion of Certified Organic Extracts: Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit (1), Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root (1), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit (1) and Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) (1), Certified Organic Sunflower Oil (2), Certified Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Oil (2), Emulsifying Wax*, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Prunus Amygdalus (Almond) Protein, Polyquaternium-7**, Proprietary Blend of Natural Essential Oils, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Gluconate.1 Certified by QCS 2 Certified by QAI * Vegetable Derived ** Coconut Derived

Price range: around $9.00 each 

After trying the Green Apple & Ginger Thickening & Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner, I now want to give the Italian Red Grape with Antioxidant UV Filters combo (for color treated hair) a go as well.

When I grabbed the hair products, I decided to give Desert Essence's Coconut Hand and Body Lotion a try as well, since I am out of my body butters and won't have time to make any for awhile. Well, I must say! The smell (if you like coconut and I know some of my readers don't like coconut!) is beautiful and it feels luxurious on my skin. I just might not make body butter this year and use this instead! And there are others whose scents I want to check out as well... almond, lavender and vanilla chai.

I think I need to check out Desert Essence a bit more; so far I am quite impressed.

Checking in...

Time is flying by so quickly that this blog is getting away from me. I really love blogging, so I need to somehow schedule more time here. I don't have a topic for today, but instead thought I'd just do a catch up post...

My mind is in a blur with all the projects I want to accomplish during the next eight weeks - and I'm excited. On the one hand I probably have too many things I want to make and am churning with energy, but on the other hand I have to be careful not to stress myself by unreasonable goals. I'm one of those people who has, for the most part, tried to created a stress-free life. I don't do well with heavy weights pushing in on me. Life is too short to feel like that so I try to be light and enjoy the moment. By light I don't mean shallow; I mean vibrating well with the people and surroundings of my life. So I just need to take my time and enjoy the process... which is what I usually do.

At any rate, I have about twenty books I am trying to read on various topics - including crochet, health, vegan cooking, country life/farming and spiritual stuff. Mike probably thinks I am batty since there are books everywhere I relax... at the kitchen table, the living room, on my desk, next to the tub and next to the bed. Sometimes I even read next to the stove while I'm cooking - providing it's a mindless just-stir-every-few-minutes kind of thing. It's just that there are so many things I'm trying to absorb. I wish I had time for some fiction reading too, but I don't know when that will ever happen.

Speaking of veganism, I just bought a very nice book by Alicia Silverstone called The Kind Diet. So far, I'm loving it and I like her tone. No preachy stuff, no putting meat eaters down. How can one convert anyone if you try to clobber instead of peacefully present your point of view? Show by example I say! I made a scrumptious Moroccan butternut squash and carrot stew with quinoa on Sunday (that I got online) that I will probably post in my recipes section soon. Mainly so I can find it when I want to make it again. I have so many recipes flying around my house I can barely keep up with them. My pile of "to try" recipes is taking over the kitchen table and some of my favorites get misplaced. They come from magazines, books and the internet. It's easy to find them here.

And I am trying to decide on the baby afghan design I want to make for Margot. I know the colors, but the design is giving me a hard time. Do I want something whimsical or more calm and conservative? Geometric or flowing? I'm having a heck of a time deciding, but will decide this week... I want to get the yarn before the weekend.

My herb class is calling me again and I'm trying to figure out when to squeeze it in. I need to make some more tea. I've been giving the cats the catnip I grew this summer that dried in the laundry room; I should make some tea out of it along with the lemon balm I also dried - along with some other herbs I have on hand. The kitties love it so though... I just toss a small branch to each of them and they are absorbed for quite awhile with their "herb". Ha.

And, for my long hair friends, I've discovered a new shampoo and conditioner that I love! It's even organic and reasonably priced. I will post about that this week sometime.

Autumn has finally arrived here and the trees are ablaze with color. Mike and I hope to get to the farm this weekend to see the mountains in their autumn glory.

Life is good, busy and beautiful.

Leaves in north Georgia by PRoachScarling

What am I going to make?

With the holidays around the corner and a granddaughter on the way, my mind is reeling with things I want to make during the next few months. In fact, my brain is all a-clutter trying to figure out how to approach everything I want to accomplish in the allotted amount of time. I have a feeling these next few months are going to fly by and catapult me into 2010 and very close to my retirement date. Time will go sooo quickly. It already is.

I ordered a bunch of books last week on several topics and received three of them yesterday. One book, Candy Crochet by Candi Jensen, is so much fun and I'm inspired to make this outfit for little Margo:

It's just too cute and wouldn't take much time to put together. And I'm thinking about these "Ugg" boots too:

 
That would go quite well with this little kid poncho:

 
There are just too many things to choose from to create! And having a girl to make things for is different from a boy. Here is my son and the sweater I made for him when he was little:

Making things for girls is different because they can wear more types of clothes; at least I think so. Just like grown women can wear more types of clothes than grown men. Generally speaking that is. And girls are usually open to more colors too.

So I have all kinds of images and thoughts popping into my head of things I want to make - and that's just in the world of crochet and little Margo. I need to get my head together for soap and lotion and body butter making too!