A Little Liveliness and A Cat Nap

Every once in a while we need a little change. We need something new and different to keep our lives interesting and inspiring.  Something as simple as a colorful, crocheted pincushion can bring a little liveliness and happiness to my life.

With some cotton, #3 thread, I crocheted a new home for my yarn and common needles.

It looks like a pretty, little hat.  It makes me happy to see the vibrant colors.  It inspires me to create and surround myself with more brilliant hues in an otherwise drab life.

I took a couple of pictures of my little buddies, Frankie (the little one) and Luna.

I have never experienced two cats that get along so well.

Not once, have I seen or heard any aggression from either one of them. They aren’t always this calm. When they play chase and tag, they can rock the house.

Hanging Crochet Owls

I have a fondness for whimsical owls.  I have seem some really cute, decorative owls around the web and I wanted to crochet one to hang in the kitchen.

Having many beads, buttons, and sparkly notions, I crocheted the one below.

The owl is a combination of patterns I have seen around the web and one I crocheted two years ago (Sunflower Owl).

For this hanging owl, I used Lily’s Sugar ‘N Cream Cotton.  I attached a hanger using seed beads, jewelry wire and jump rings.  On the back, I sewed a piece of felt in the shape of the owl to give it a clean finish.

Then from “Bunny Mummy“, I crocheted this little guy using Aunt Lydia’s #3 crochet thread.

Using thread rather than worsted weight yarn, the little owl is smaller than a steel crochet hook.

I promised that I would bake cookies today. Therefore, I better get away from this page and get busy in the kitchen.

Wishing you all a happy weekend!

Teassert and Crochet

On most day, late in the afternoon, I make a small pot or a cup of tea. One of my go-to-teas is Earl Grey. It’s one of the perfect afternoon teas.

“The aromatic bergamot adds a refined, tart citrus, taste.”

It awaken my senses and soothes my soul.

I saw a recipe, online, for Earl Grey cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream frosting and got busy baking.

Delicious!

The lemon buttercream is the perfect accompaniment to the fragrant, citrus bergamot flavor.

You can find the recipe at “Foodie With Family“.

I crocheted another vintage-type pot holder using Aunt Lydia’s #3 crochet thread.

I enjoy crocheting vintage-type pot holders. Although, I don’t use them as “pot holders”,  I think they would look pretty displayed on a kitchen wall.

Maybe, someday, I will do just that.

She’s Back!

After two years of hosting my own site, I have decided to come back, here, to wordpress.com.  Although I loved having the freedom of using plugins and making my site my own, it was tiring keeping up with all the updates, maintenance and backups I had to do to keep it secure and running.  I have kept my domain-sayverysweetthings.com.  So, if you click on sayverysweetthings.com, you will be re-directed here to Say-very Sweet Things at nonnaluna.wordpress.com.

I did buy the WordPress.com Premium that is offered here, but I still have to decide if I want to add a registered domain name for here.  I am not sure if one site can have two different redirects. It is frustrating when you can’t talk to anyone to ask.

All of my logos will still display “sayverysweetthings.com”/”Say-very Sweet Things“.

In the meantime…

I saw this pattern for a tartan dishcloth over at “Happy Berry’s” and had to crochet one to add to my collection of crocheted dishcloths.

Before I made the dishcloth, I crocheted one big and one small medallion/mandela. The small medallion I used #3 crochet thread and add small bead to the edge.

For the larger medallion and the dishcloth, I used Lily Sugar ‘n Cream cotton.

Click Crochet Tartan Plaid Wash Cloths to find the pattern for the dishcloth.

Crochet Vintage Pot Holders

I love to crocheting vintage-style pot holders .

Although, I have been feeling down-in-the-dumps as of late.  However, these are three of my recent creations to show.

Summer vacation is over!  School starts back this Tuesday.  I will never get used to school starting in August.

Wistful Thinking

I couldn’t help myself.

I saw some crochet thread stored away and something inside of me was nostalgically compelled to crochet. I guess it is just in me to crochet. I have been doing it all of my life.  It is a part of me.

To satisfy my need for hooking, I crocheted these two baskets-

I added a decorative design and beads to the top of the cover.

It’s not like I don’t have enough of these baskets already.

My passion for crafting and crocheting is gnawing at me.

Having so many ideas I have become manic.

Since yarn and other crafting supplies are so expensive, I need to sell some product in order to purchase yarn and supplies in order to satisfy my mania.

Phew!

It is all about confidence (which I sorely lack). Having confidence in oneself helps one to succeed.

[signoff][/signoff]

Today’s Specials-UGH!

Why dedicate almost a full post to food and cooking? Because that is all I seem to be doing.  At times, I feel like I am running a small restaurant.

Seeing that I pay for this domain and the name, I should be justifying the expense by posting something.  ANYTHING!

Lately, I have been craving fresh raspberries to put on a green salad with grilled citrus chicken drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette then sprinkled with semi-toasted almond slices. This evening, for supper, I satisfied that craving-

With vanilla ice cream and the leftover raspberries, I topped slices of the Torta di Arancia/Orange Cake I made the day before-

I had more raspberries in the bowl, but Brian ate most of them before I could snap a picture.

The Torta is a sponge-like cake. The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I omitted ¼ cup of the all-purpose and used ¼ almond flour instead. It came out delicious and so moist. I use the recipe from this book-

Because eating out isn’t in the budget, I do all cooking and baking here. Most days, it’s a lot of heavy cooking.  Beside, around here, the only restaurants and bakeries to speak of are McDonald’s, Burger Kings, Pizza Hut and many BBQ joints and supermarket bakeries…Well, you get the idea.

My daughter, who moved back to New England a few years ago, shipped down to us a quart of shucked clams and fresh haddock from Ipswich Fish Market in Massachusetts for Father’s Day.

The Friday before Father’s Day, we fried clams and haddock along with french fries and a side of coleslaw. Sometime we crave the tastes of back home. I froze the rest of the haddock and for Father’s Day, I made baked stuffed haddock. That’s the day I made fresh cinnamon rolls.

Last week I wanted a gyro. Knowing that I wouldn’t get one around this area unless I made one, I did just that-

Unable to get ground lamb (or any lamb) around here, I substituted the lamb with hamburger and ground pork for the meat. I made tzatziki and the pita bread.

A couple of days later, so as not to waste the leftover yogurt used to make the tzatziki, I made a Greek-type blueberry yogurt.  Into a coffee filter, I strained the plain yogurt into a strainer for a little over an hour until it was thick and creamy, added a little sugar and vanilla and added blueberries (thawed) that I had in the freezer.

Waste not, want not!

Also with the  frozen blueberries, I made a blueberry buckle-

I am tired I tell yah! Tired of cooking and tired of meal planning.  But, If I want something other than frozen or prepared foods, I have to cook and or bake. Like today, we are making homemade pizza. We have the pizza sauce all made. All we have to do is make the dough.

I am tired I tell yah!

Simply Irresistible

Twelve days ago (on a Sunday night) while I was sitting on my front stoop, a guy holding a kitten asked me if this was my cat.  He said that it was crawling in and out of our fence.  It looked about 2 months old.  I said no and noted that the little thing had a cut on the side of his eye and looked to be infested with fleas and ear mites.  The fur on his back and his head was covered with a maroon-ish stain. The little kitten wiggled out from his arms and ran up to my front door.  I quickly picked it up for fear that it would run into the road.  While I was holding the kitten, I asked him what he was going to do about it and he said that he couldn’t have any animals and that he was going to let it go. I just could not let that happen!  The poor little thing looked so helpless.

Sooooooooooooooooooo, now we have a kitten.  We already have a cat and I was afraid that she would become infested with the fleas and mites plaguing the kitten. However, we took it in, fed and watered him and made a little box for his bed where he stayed all night away from my other cat.

The next day we took him to the vets where they gave him a pill for the fleas and medicine for the mites.  I was astonished, that within 30 minutes the fleas were falling dead from the kitten.  It took 4 hours for the kitten to be flea free.  After that, the little guy came to life and was doing everything a kitten would do.  Before that, he was somewhat listless. I had never heard of a flea pill before. The vet did confirm that it was about 2 months old.

After all the fleas died, I washed and rinsed his back and head with a little baby wash, and it appeared to be blood from another animal. I can just imagine how he got that blood on him.

Luckily, my other cat didn’t get any fleas on her or mites and took to the kitten without a problem.

Brian named him Frankie, but I wanted to name him Mr. Clawsby.  So, his full name is Mr. Frankie Clawsby.

Taken a couple of days after his arrival. This picture shows his little cut on the side of his eye. He likes his little blanket I crocheted for him.

This one was taken a few days after the previous one. He is looking much better and the sore on his eye has healed.

An added expense that we really can’t afford, but I couldn’t let the little thing suffer.

For father’s day, I made homemade cinnamon rolls

The Simple Things In Life

Some of us have heard the saying, “The whiter the bread, the quicker you’re dead!”  But, white bread taste so darn good!   That’s not to say that I don’t like other types of bread, but white bread is my all-time favorite.  

The Italian Semolina Bread I made the other day was delicious.  This bread is an artisan peasant/rustic type bread cooked on a pizza stone.

Many agree peasant bread in any of its incarnations is extraordinarily good comfort food. It can be served in hunks or slices with hearty soups or stews, and is excellent for dipping into sauces. With the near limitless recipes available for various renderings of this simple bread, you’ll find plenty of ways to experiment to make your own bread. —source

The book which includes this recipe and many more can found here.

Such breads are known for their hearty crumb, a bit of stiffness and crustiness, and generally for their coarseness as compared to breads made with more refined flours. You’ll find numerous recipes online for these rustic breads, with many different suggestions on ingredients. Most are very simple, though, with yeast, flour, water and a little salt being the predominant ingredients, and many are shaped into round loaves. —source

This is a no-knead bread mixed with a spoon in a lidded, plastic food container.  After mixing, you let it sit out for two hours, cover loosely with lid then refrigerate. This dough is best used the next day as it is really sticky and would be too hard to handle. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 10 days.

Rustic/peasant cooking and baking are simple, easy, and delicious using minimal and inexpensive ingredients.  That’s what rustic/peasant cooking is all about and what my Italians grandmother would call “Cucina povera”. 

The simple things in life are the best of life.   

Tutti mangiare!

Bread, Thread and Sauce That’s Red

I changed my site around a little by adding a background I made (using psp7) and changing some of the css. My blog was looking cluttered. I got rid of some of the sidebar contents and made some little social icons-using templates I found online-to replace the content that I took down. I still have a little more tweeking here and there to do.  Then maybe, I will just leave well enough alone.

“La donna è mobile.”

It has been one frustrating endeavor to put meals on the table as I had mentioned in an earlier posting. Pricing being a factor then compound that with trying to find the ingredients you need for a recipe in the grocery stores.

Yesterday, we made a large, basic spaghetti sauce/marinara sauce, meatballs with Italian sausage. I can get two meals plus enough of the sauce to freeze for pizza, etc. for another time.

Tom and Brian had spaghetti-

and I had penne.

I love spaghetti, but spaghetti doesn’t agree with me-I just can’t seem to digest it since my two stomach surgeries.

Tonight, I am baking bread using a recipe (Italian Semolina Bread) from this book–

The recipe calls for semolina flour, of course, the grocery stores here don’t sell pasta flour/semolina flour here (I was hard pressed to find rye flour until I saw that they stocked it in the ethnic section in 2 lb. bags only.  It is some off-brand, organic type that I never heard of before) I had to order-the semolina flour- online from Amazon-FREE SHIPPING. A 2 lb. bag cost 11 cents an ounce, which is cheap enough, but the downside is that for that price I had to buy 6 bags. We wrapped the other 5 bags and put them in the freezer for later use.

As I had mentioned, my passion for crocheting or crafting had waned. However, the other day I came across a crochet project I had worked on and picked it up again a couple of weeks ago. It’s an infant dress crocheted using #20 cotton thread. I just about have the yoke complete-

Yet, for some unknown reason, I have put it aside again. I want to finish it, but I just can’t seem to settle in one place-my mind wanders all over the place.

But, hey!  At the very least we’ll have bread and pasta.

Pineapple Cake

Added a plugin for embedding tweets.

Looks delicious!

It's the weekend! Let's eat cake! Pineapple Cake Recipe http://t.co/TkakHTsWbU #recipes #cake pic.twitter.com/d5bxg4mQI5

— Amy Johnson (@WearsManyHats) May 23, 2014

Yay!  It worked!

It Takes A Village Idiot

It takes a village idiot to keep posting about things that are of no interest to others.  Hence, my post complete with a village.

Another folk-type sketch I did in pencil-

Then, from the drawing-using my paint shop program-I drew this, “Daytime in the Village”.

Adjusting the brightness and contrasts, adding a few more touches and omitting the hills,  it becomes a nighttime scene.

In all its childlike qualities I say, “Good Enough!”

“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.” –Vincent Van Gogh

Who Were You

Holidays, regular days, birthdays, anniversaries, milestones for us, are what it has been for us for the past twenty-three and a half years. They have been lonely, depressing and endless reminiscing.

You would think that after this long we would have learned to accept our lot in life.

It has been tried and tried and failed and failed.

Over three years ago, when we took a big leap in life and up and moved back…we came back here with our tails between our legs.

Right back where we started from twenty-three and a half years ago, giving up job and security.

It appears that all that’s left are dreams.

Dreams are life…as long as we still have our dreams we have hope.

Right?

One day, you wake up and realize that you are in the autumn of life and people have moved on because you are so far away.

Is it that we are so far away?  

You find that you are tired…so tired of trying to find that one piece of familiarity…After twenty-three and a half years one would think one would become familiar with ones surroundings.

One would almost think, wouldn’t one?

Yet, if my wish were to be granted, I would refuse. In a strange way, that most will not understand, desolation is my companion.

I would feel awkward.  

Desolation is a miserable companion, but desolation is all I have known for most of my life.

Maybe desolation is my familiarity.

“All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”

Folk Girl and Crackers

Since I am not crocheting or doing other crafts, to keep busy, I have been sketching/drawing.

Well…I have been trying anyhow.

I found my drawing pencils the other day while cleaning out the craft room.

This is my pathetic sketch of a folk girl.

After I drew the sketch, I used it as a guide to draw the ‘folk girl’ on my computer using my paint shop program.

She looks like a space alien with those big eyes.

It has been rainy and cold here.  While I was sketching, hubby cleaned out one of the kitchen closets. He called me out to look at the progress he made, and to show me the jars and other useless junk that he was going to throw out. I had no qualms about throwing out all those jars that I had saved. Why on earth do I save jars! I never have use for them. Needless to say, I was happy with him and his results. 🙂

The other day I made some homemade Wheat Thins. Yes, it is much easier and convenient to buy a box of them, but I had all the ingredients on hand. I wanted to prove to myself that I could make crackers that looked and tasted like the store-bought box of Wheat Thins.

They were really good.  However, next time I make them, I am going to add a touch more vanilla. I found the recipe here.

Since I am straining to find the words to write an interesting post-and failing miserably, I will stop tormenting myself (and anyone who actually visits and reads my postings) and make myself a small pot of tea and watch the rain.

Less Confusion Equals Less Stress

Continuing with my quest for simplicity and harmony-

The other day I got my kitchen drawers cleaned out and organized along with a couple of cabinets.

Today, some computer files, bookmarks, and flash drives, pertaining to all things crochet and crafting,  were deleted.

Poof!  Gone!  

Less confusion=less stress.

The other day while cleaning out the closet in my computer room, I found a book tucked way back on a shelf. I had forgotten that I even had it.

It contains five complete novels by Charlotte and Emily Bronte:

• Jane Eyre
• Shirley
• Wuthering Heights
• Villette
• The Professors

It looks like I found my summer reading.  Although I have already read Wuthering Heights, I am looking forward to the other four novels.

While I still have more to do with “simplifying”,  today was a pretty relaxing day.  I made a large pot of chili con carne and hubby put together a huge tossed salad.  While the chili was simmering, I sat on the front stoop, in my rocker, and read for a while.

Right now I am reading , Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. I started reading it a while ago, but put it down as I had too much on my mind and couldn’t concentrate on the words.  I saw the movie when I was a child and forget most of it and I know that a movie will never do the book justice.

my read shelf:

In spite of the fact that I am still feeling pensive, I am off to make a cup of tea and happily ponder about the coming days ahead.  Hanging on to a little hope is what keeps me wanting to go forward.

Quote by Robert Tew

To Simplify Feels So Good

Hooray!

I dug my heals-in today and uncluttered my computer/craft room.  I couldn’t believe that I had let my crafts get that overwhelming.

It took me six hours to toss a stockpile of useless things and fill two bins with crafting supplies/materials that I had amassed over the years.  At a later time, when we finish with the rest of the house, most of the things in bins will be sold.  We talked about one, big yard sale.

I have many empty drawers and the closet is sparse and organized.

Mmm!  The desk still looks cluttered to me.  I think the mural makes it seem cluttered in the photo.

Nonetheless, I am starting to feel a sense of peace.  

Being overwhelmed with useless things made it so hard to clean.

Being overwhelmed with useless things made my mind spin to the point of wanting to shut down.

I can’t wait to get started in the other rooms.  We can free ourselves from the burden of material possessions and focus on living without worrying about so many needless, useless things.

To simplify, simplify, simplify feels so good!

Striving For Simplicity

Taking my time, I have been ridding myself of things and stuff that have accumulated in my home. I envision a life of simplicity. I want to walk into a room and not be overwhelmed with needless stuff. When my surroundings are full of needless things, my mind becomes cluttered. When my mind is cluttered, I shut down.

As close as two months ago, I was an avid crocheter-crocheting things that served absolutely no useful purpose for me or others. I was crocheting so that I would have something to post and hoping at the same time that others, who also crocheted, would notice.

Alas and alack!  It was just never meant to be.

I shamefully slobbered over other crocheter’s blogs.  I left little comments telling them how wonderfully talented they were and how much I appreciated all the time and work it takes to create an item. I answered all email inquiries about a pattern that I had posted or one that I wasn’t sharing with the public.  I finally decided to lay all that aside and relax. I was crocheting for all for the wrong reasons and was finding it very tiring and time-consuming. Crocheting was quickly becoming a chore and an unaffordable expense. My home became cluttered with “all things crochet”. All the while, neglecting other things that I enjoy doing.

Therefore, taking my time, I am packing-up and tossing-out all things relating to crafting.  At this time, I have no interest in perusing anything to do with designing or fiber art.

Onward to the next phase of my life!

When Passion Wanes

A little kindness and recognition goes a long way.

My Mind’s Journey

Painting by me-1992. Longingly gazing out a window at Portsmouth, NH. The tumultuous water of the Piscataqua River, is a reflection on how I feel about leaving my hometown. The sparse surrounding reflects the emptiness I feel in my new surroundings. My cat, Baby, and my books comfort me in times of loneliness and despair-the red flower brings color to my drab life.

MY MIND’S JOURNEY

I will always have this sense of home in my heart-
Of emptiness and melancholy when we’re apart.

In thought, I journey home everyday
Now, I live hundreds of miles away,
As a child, I never thought I would
Be homesick for my old neighborhood.

The town druggist was very well known
For his jimmy-topped ice cream cone.
Pennies could buy you a bag of sweets,
Tasty confections this sack of treats.

The hot dog cart was fined everyday
For parking in a restricted zone (this hot dog café)!
A well-known person biked through the town
With a folksy wave for all around.

(Off) in the distance, I heard a tugboat
Near the port, I could see it afloat,
Tugs escorted big ships through the tideway (away from the shore)
On the great Piscataqua River, (that holds tales of folklore).

The redolence from the salty breeze
Blew so gently, it was sure to please.
Past sandbars fishing boats made headway-
A rousing sight this did portray.

At the South Playground, I’d swing as high as a jet,
I played so hard I worked up a sweat.
Heading to Pierre Island to swim in the pool
With bathing capped head, I strived to get cool.

Snow veiled the earth it glittered and glistened,
Lulled by the crystal sights, calmly I listened,
The silence was deafening, but I could only hear
The sound of my heartbeat pit-a-patting in my ear.

Winters were harsh with plenty to do-
Skating on (frozen) puddles till the early curfew,
Cold were the nights the days just the same-
A picture in mind, a picture I’d frame.

Thoughts of this town leave me void and sad,
(Envious) of others sharing what I once had,
(In thought) I journey to Portsmouth everyday.
Now I live hundreds of miles away.

–Elizabeth Fecteau-Woodward (1991)

My Mind’s Journey-Missing my Hometown. I painted this picture around 1992. The poem, written by me in 1991.

I never said I was an artist or a poet, just something I enjoyed doing.

In My Travels

I have been to many places.

I’ve been in Cognito…no one recognizes you there.

I’ve been in Sane, one has to be driven there…I have been on several of these trips.

I’ve never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can’t go there alone.

However, I did jump on over to Conclusions and found bliss to have never been in Cahoots.

Life Is About Choices

Life is about choices.

If I choose to let the value of my worth be determined by others, then I cannot move on.

As we approach the “Autumn of our Lives” we think about the most important things in life. Whatever I have been doing in the past is only making me depressed and confused. Time is so short and what is left of this life I must be true to myself and rid myself of sadness caused by the lack of interest by others.

My accomplishments have been achieved in vain. I have gathered and accumulated tools and materials to produce and amass a stockpile of useless things. Again, all done in vain.

Therefore, I am going to focus on the latter part of my life and rid myself of the weight of useless possessions, obsessions and competitions. I am going to be true to myself and return to simplicity, individualism, nonconformity.

I have never been one to follow a crowd for the sake of acceptance. However, in the last few years I have searched for acceptance and approval. I am finished seeking approval and acknowledgement from those who thrive on approval and acknowledgement.

My self-worth comes from me and not from others. Or, does it?

Without Praise

After A While

After a while, the passion erodes.

I have laid aside my crochet hooks and yarns.  For how long, I don’t know.  At this time, I have lost the passion for any type of creativity.  As I have stated before, “I already have too many, useless crocheted items.”.

However, before I put aside my craft, I crocheted a couple inane items.

A floral banner with little leave at the end-

A little elephant pouch/container/basket using crochet tapestry. I found the chart online, but the idea and other designs are mine.

And a little change purse/pouch using crochet tapestry. The pattern is one I designed using basic tapestry patterns-

Crochet Child’s Poncho

Using my imagination and left-over yarn, I crocheted this poncho for my far-away, granddaughter.

I haven’t seen her in over two years.

I am but a stranger to her now.

She was two years old the last I saw her.

This year she turns five.

Life is so short and the days zoom by.

I guess most wonder when.

From Cloths To Rags

In keeping with the symbol for Valentine’s day, here are two (insignificant) dish cloths rags I crocheted a couple of weeks ago.

I used Lily® Sugar’n Cream® yarn (insert chirping crickets here).

I was going to post the pattern for these rags, but they are so easy and simple that a chimp could figure out the stitches and pattern.  Besides, it’s not like anyone would be ooh-ing and aah-ing over these.

I think I have enough hearts, in crochet, for now.

Onward and forward to my next trifling piece of crocheted work.

Valentine Dishcloth or Potholder

So as not to waste time with frivolity, I will quickly post a couple of pictures of potholder/dishcloths that I crocheted.

I didn’t completely follow their pattern, and on one I made it into a square.

I used Lily® Sugar’n Cream® yarn.

You can find the dishcloth pattern here.

And, since I took a picture of the soft, oatmeal cookies I baked, I might as well post that picture also.

Color My World

We, in Southeastern Georgia, are keeping an eye on a winter storm.  It is not that I am afraid of a few snowflakes or ice-I am from the New England seacoast (born and bred) and have seen and lived through my share of winter storms.

But here, living 3 miles from the Florida state-line, you don’t expect to see snow or ice. There are no warehouse or garages full of snow plows or salt and our vehicles aren’t winterized.

The motto here, seems to be, “Nature put it here-nature will take it away“.  Hopefully, it won’t be too bad.

In the meantime, we will try to keep warm and hope that everyone stays safe.

I will continue to crochet and think of what I want to do for my next project.

Lately, it seems, that I have an obsession for little mats and hearts. I like to put little, colorful mats under my teapot when I make tea or use them as hot mats for casserole dishes, serving plates and bowls.

I found the pattern for this heart at Bunny Mummy.

I used Lily Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn for my mats.

All the pretty colors lift up my spirits and reminds me of Spring.

Then, when Spring arrives, I’ll forget how I felt this past Winter.

A Patch of Old Snow

There’s a patch of old snow in a corner
That I should have guessed
Was a blow-away paper the rain
Had brought to rest.

It is speckled with grime as if
Small print overspread it,
The news of a day I’ve forgotten —
If I ever read it.     

–Robert Frost

Life’s funny that way!

I Heart Hearts And Period Dramas

I finished the 68 episodes of “Upstairs Downstairs” (1971-1975). I absolutely fell in love with the series and didn’t want it to end. However, with my Kindle and a nice cup of hot “Tiger Eye Tea“, I started watching Season 1 of “Downton Abbey” and I am already hooked.

It will take me a while to catch-up with the new “Downton” episodes airing now, but I can savor each episode like I did with “Upstairs Downstairs” .  I have seasons 1-3 to view before I will allow myself to watch the newer episodes.

“Downton Abbey“-

The series, set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey, depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era,during the reign of King George V—with the great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy.

I just can’t seem to get enough of these British period dramas.  It is hard to imagine that people live/lived  in such opulence while others serve you and your every whim.

With Valentine’s Day in mind, though I don’t need any more crocheted items, I crocheted this colorful heart.

I found the chart online and it can be found here along with other heart charts

(UPDATE:  It has been pointed out to me that the link to the heart cannot be accessed due to the page having too many redirects.  It worked fine yesterday, but I am not, and I suspect nor are others, willing to accept 3rd party cookies to access the site.  Therefore, I took the link down. Sorry for any inconvenience).

I used Lily’s Sugar ‘N Cream Cotton and crocheted the edging different on my heart than what the chart suggested.

Last, but not at all least…

…our sweet, little Luna keeping an eye on the situation.

Carry on, Luna.

Carry on.

Autumn’s Winter Reflection

How does one know which priorities one should put ahead of the other?  Especially when one has reached the age of maturity.

At 59, I cannot say that I am middle aged. Middle age would imply that I could live to be 118 years old and beyond.

Possible, but not probable!

What was important many years ago doesn’t reflect with my life now.  What I mean to say is that my priorities have changes.  I have less and less priorities today than I did in the past.

The family has moved on (they have for many years) and acquaintances forgot that you-at one time-existed. Therefore, I spend most of my days reflecting on the could’ves, should’ves, would’ves.

I admit that I spend way to much time reflecting on the past.

Or, do I?  I don’t know… I don’t have anyone to ask.  

Maybe reflecting is something that people of my age do most of the time.

Maybe.

I don’t know… I don’t have anyone to ask.  

In between reflecting, I do manage to crochet and do other crafts to keep my mind occupied from reflecting on the past so much. I must admit that I don’t need another dish cloth.

However, I crocheted three more-

Yet, again. As a little gift to me, I bundled them with some twine and a couple of dangling flowers.

And, when-I-am-ready-to-use-the-dish-cloths-I-will-hang-the-little-flowers-for-display…Blah, blah, blah!

Good idea?

I don’t know…I don’t have anyone to ask.

Or, is it that no one bothered to mention whether it was a good idea, a bad idea…

And, I certainly don’t need another mat/doily, or any other table covering. Still, I did crochet this one table mat/doily using Lily’s Sugar ‘N Cream Cotton.

I got the pattern and the idea from Olavas Verden

Even though I don’t need one more crocheted item, I can’t seem to stop putting hook to yarn. It’s in my blood! I will probably keep crocheting right up until I am 118 years old if possible.

Possible, but not probable!

But, I find contentment when I put my mind to my craft.

Ravioli and Collage Part IV

We have been busy for the past two days. Yesterday we made hot and mild Italian sausage. When we make sausage, we don’t stuff the mixture into casings. We leave some loose and make some into patties then freeze for later use.

But, today, Tom and I got out the pasta machine and made homemade ravioli stuffed with our sausage and ricotta and parmesan cheese .

After it was cooked,

we tossed them with a my quick pan tomato sauce.

Then grated some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top after plating,

I love how homemade pasta give that little chew to every bite.  Homemade is so much better tasting then store-bought.  The only downside is that it takes a little work to make.  In the end, it was all worth the time and effort.

 And finally, the fourth of four collages showing some of my crocheting and crafting in 2013.

I am sure that after a while, looking at these collages, gets pretty boring.  I know that I was getting bored posting about them.

Have a great weekend!