Major Knitter

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?

I don't know about Mary, but Jennifer's garden is looking mighty fine these days.  Well, at least my hydrangeas are bursting forth with color.

And as usual, the true blue color isn't showing through.  These look faded and burnt.  I assure, they're not.  But you'll just have to trust me on this one.  I first fell in love with this gorgeous flower in Brazil where they're called Hortensia (as they're called in many parts of the world).  What name do you give this flower and which color is your favorite?  Terry - we already know yours is blue!  ; )

 

 

Pink is Perfect for Shopping!

Here's Take II on the Market Bag

This is Beth's Re-Usable Grocery Bag with optional side seams.  The pattern is quick and easy so I highly recommend giving it a try.  I opted out of the optional side seam because my brain got distracted and erroneously decreased the size of the bag on my first try.  This time it's absolutely perfect and my pink bag can hold lots of groceries!  It's also very happy.  I think I should make some more.  How about you?  Have you cast on for your market bag yet?

Details:

US Size 7 circular needles
US Size 15 circular needles
Worsted weight Brazilian cotton yarn from my stash (or use Sugar n' Cream, etc)

It's quick and easy.  I hope you'll make several, too. 

Even Tom and Julia are Knitting

Even Tom Hanks.  OK - not really.  But he played a great practical joke on a knitting celebrity, Julia Roberts, during the filming of Larry Crowne.  Check it out.

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My favorite quote?  "And that's all you need in knitting is just a girlfriend to get you started" - Julia Roberts.

I think I'll have to go see this movie now, just because of this.  How about you?

Happiest Day

I'm bursting at the seams.  Primogeniture passed his Eagle Scout Board of Review!

Now, pending approval by national BSA, he'll officially be an Eagle Scout as of this week.  

It's been a very long journey, and I couldn't be prouder of you.

Not a Crumb

Not even for Wilma.  That's probably just as well.  She's not supposed to eat chocolate.

Doesn't she look forlorn?

"How come they're not paying any attention to me?"

Poor girl.  I think she's hiding under the table, just to be in the thick of things.  

Our Family Favorite Birthday Cake

Or, Oh Fudge!

Mmm - Brazilian chocolate fudge cake - Bolo de Brigadeiro.

That's a chocolate caramel goo that's flowing down the sides.

Why yes, those are Hannukah candles on top the birthday cake.  OK - so you've NEVER run out of birthday candles?

It was a huge hit.  Not a crumb remained.  If you want to give it a try, here's the recipe.

Happy Birthday!

Market Bag

Yesterday, someone posted a great market bag on my Finish or Frog It group page in Ravelry.  I loved it.  I immediately had to cast on for a market bag for myself.  OK - technically the pattern is called the Re-Usable Grocery Bag by Beth Bartlett.

I have several leftover spools of worsted weight cotton from a large purchase I made in Brazil in 2002 - and I decided to give it a try.

I picked the aquamarine colored yarn and immediately cast on for my very own Market Bag.  

OK - I should have noticed sooner that I was randomly decreasing the number of sts - but somehow it escaped my notice.  I have the funniest shaped market bag I've ever seen.  I might have to give it another try.

How about you - do you have a favorite knitting pattern for a reusable bag?

Monkey Business

I just got back from my Marine Corps drill weekend.  It was fabulous.  I worked hard, learned a lot, enjoyed the camaraderie of other Marines and managed to get in a bit of exercise, too.

The best part was one of the Marines told me that he brought something that his daughter instructed him to "Show Major Knitter."

Isn't it adorable?  It's a very large crocheted monkey with the cutest hands and feet.  Of course, it even comes with its own banana.  I wish I had taken a picture of the monkey in my lap so you could get a sense of how large it is.  It's about the size of a toddler.  Isn't it adorable?  Did I mention that its creator is only 16 years old?

Congratulations Savannah on an exceptionally well done project.  Thanks so much for sending it in for the drill weekend.  I can hardly wait to see what you make next.

Patches!

One of the favorite hobbies of Scouts is collecting patches.  This year one of the Scouts in my troop gave me a complete 2010 Jamboree set from the Pine Trees Council in Maine as a thank you gift.  It's amazing!

It's the front and back of a totem pole with all things Maine:  moose, wicked kitty, cattywampus, lobstah, and a snapping turtle.  Isn't it great?

The best part is that I had it all out to take this picture and Secundogeniture saw it and said "Where'd you get this?"  Keep in mind he's an avid patch collector.  I could tell by his voice that he already had his eye on this set and was hoping it was for him.  But I quickly disavowed him of that notion.  I told him it was a gift and that it was a Jambo set from the Maine contingent from last year's Jamboree.  He quickly replied, as only a teenage boy can, "I know, Mom." 

Ah... we've entered the teen years of knowing everything.  I think of my favorite quote attributed to Mark Twain about parents and knowledge:

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven years."

 

Fresh Off the Farm

The summer produce is enough to make me smile all over.  Check out this week's bounty from the farm.

Doesn't it look delicious?  Just look - cabbage, kohlrabi, radishes, zucchini, yellow squash, bok choy, kale, collard greens, salad, cucumbers, salad turnips, beets,  and even more greens than I can count.  But did you get a look at those eggs?  Look at the green eggs?  Aren't they a hoot?  Apparently they come from the Americana hen.  I never knew that!  I can't wait to taste them.  This week I was late picking up my share, so there was plenty of unwanted to claim.  I took several bunches of collard greens.

I love to chiffonade the collard greens (after washing them thoroughly and deveining each leaf).  I then saute them in some olive oil where I have first sauteed either some diced onions or garlic.  I add a little freshly ground salt and pepper and have a wonderful side dish with a rich, slightly bitter taste, that is high on the list of power foods.  When they tell you that you're supposed to eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, this is what they're talking about people.  Give it a try.  I also put very finely diced bits of collard greens (or kale or kohlrabi greens) in the boys' food.  I dice it so fine that it has the look and feel of fresh parsley.  It's good for them and they really don't know they're eating a superfood!  

Give it a try.  If you're not accustomed to the taste, perhaps you'll try the "parsley replacement" method first.