spring cleaning

spring is here, according to the calendar... not the temperature. yesterday I took down some of the frames in the front hall to put in some newer photos. this has been loooong overdue. There were no photos up of our trip last spring that we took to europe. we took so many great photos and had such a good adventure there with the boys. I think I was putting it off partly because I wasn't sure which pictures to put in, then finally, yesterday I decided that was a stupid thing to be holding me back, wanting to make it just right, and that I should do something rather than stagnate about it. so I took down the biggest frame that had lots of photos from Vinalhaven, (there are 2 more frames with Vinalhaven photos in them too), and I just grabbed the stack of photos from the trip and chose a pretty good selection. It can be changed, but now I feel like I at least made progress and did my 2% in some direction. I also put the photo of Eli into a frame with his target that he shot a bull's eye with a crossbow, when we were in Prague. It looks great.

stinkin' cold

spring is not in the air. It's cold. we had a fire going in the fireplace all day yesterday, which was nice, but.....
I am so ready for some sunshine and warmth, even though I love winter and cold. I think I really just need the quick fix of a week in somewhere sunny and warm, and then I can get back to enjoying the cold here. The other day I was supposed to take emmett to swim at the pool with his friend. I was dreading going out in the cold and the thought of disrobing, even in a heated environment. I sucked it up, and went, as I knew it was good for emmett to get him going with swimming, since he was psyched to go with his best friend. We got there, got in, and ..... it was great! we got into the hot tub afterwards too. loved it. it warmed me to the core. I even thoroughly enjoyed seeing the flurries as we drove home!
next year I need to make sure to figure out a way to get a week in the warm sun in February or March.

good tunes, flye point

This morning I was listening to my favorite Friday morning radio show- on WWUH with Steve Theaker- he played a tune by Jonathan Edwards and I was immediately transported to last summer in Maine where I got to see Jonathan Edwards up close and personal at Flye Point Music Festival. Flye Point is about halfway up the coast of Maine and at the tip of a penninsula. It is a privately owned piece of property that has a large guesthouse on it: the Lookout- check out the aerial photos of it on this link!

We started in the morning and I helped park cars for a while with some friends until noon, then we jumped into the back of a pickup truck that took us down to our arranged free entrance into the festival. We walked down the lawn and could hear the music. It was a wonderful and casual atmosphere. There were several thousand people, vendors with great food, and some fun wares. It was windy and there were quite a few people flying brightly colored kites that were spectacular against the brilliant blue sky. It was such a great day, with tons of sunshine and one of the most heavenly views one can imagine. The stage was at the edge of the sea. We were all flocked around looking at the stage, and beyond across the ocean and at the many islands in the distance. The music was fabulous and I was there with my little Emmett who was having a great time dancing freely to the music. sunshine, great music, great view, and good company. loved it.

emmett's sweater!

Finally! some progress and gratification in finishing a project after all of that ripping out. and it is great, looks wonderful and is a cool sweater. It is machine washable wool. Emmett so far is not into wearing it despite the fact that he was completely involved in the creating of it, with color choice, pattern approval, etc.
He was willing to put it on just for one photo, but he doesn't seem to want to actually wear it. Which is okay, as it is a bit too big, and will fit wonderfully next fall/winter. He was eager to be out riding his bike, but it was warm enough that he didn't actually need a sweater, so he wanted it off right after I snapped the photo.
Now I will be on to making the one for me again, without the skein that was a different dye lot. In the meantime, I am looking for jobs somewhere other than here, as I really need a change and we could all use a new location!

ripping out....

okay, now I am going nuts since Emmett decided he wants a green sweater, despite the fact that I have just about finished the blue norwegian-ish sweater! which I had to rip the sleeve out once to make it smaller. Now, all I needed to do was some finish work, and also the collar. When I tried it on him, he said, " I want a green sweater, mommy." I asked him if he will wear this one, and he said no. aaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh!


so, I searched for an simple pattern that I would like, and finally found a great one. It is a Debbie Bliss one from a book called Junior Knits, and the pattern is called Woody. It is great. So then I had Emmett with me the other day in a craft store, and he found a green yarn he liked. It's acrylic and I figured at $2.17 a skein (and I'd only need 2 of them) it would be okay. SO I started knitting it, but the gauge was way off, so rip it out and start again. Then he changes his mind about which green (I had bought 2 shades). So I start again (but bagged ripping it out this time). SO I start a third time, and figure I will do it a little different at the bottom since it curled last time. Now I am about 6" into it, and it is still curling, and I think it is from the cheap yarn. again: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!
(post note- see finished sweater done in beautiful washable wool here...)

So, I put it down and decided to work on the wonderful one for myself with the marled blue-ish green yarn. I am doing a pattern from the new Interweave Knits, and it is a ridged turtleneck sweater. I started it but didn't have enough of the right color, so I was knitting it with a stripe of yellowish yarn in it to compensate for too little of the great color. Then I ripped it out as I found more of the yarn I need and really only want to tip the edge, and not have a big stripe.... and because I found that in my eagerness to start it I only used half of the stitches I needed to make it in the round. So, I started again. but only because I knew that in the end I would be glad I did, and have something that I really like and enjoy wearing.

Okay, so rip it out I did, and then got most of the way done with the body, before realizing that one of the skeins that I used (obviously the one without a label on it) was a different dye lot. You can see the wide stripe from it. So...... now I will yet again be ripping it out. What I did find was that it fits great, and I love the pattern. But since I need to feel like I am getting somewhere, I may start on the sleeves next before ripping this out, and also knit them both on the needle at once so they are really the same.
But not sure, I think I need a break for a little bit. I know knitting is therapy, and I have needed it...... but how much therapy can I take without something to show for it?!

knitting now.....

this is the poncho I was knitting for my friend Stef-

it was huge!! it is knit from the top down, and just goes around and around, so if it weren't for some color changes with the funky yarn she chose, I would have been bored to tears, especially at the end when it got to be more than 700 stitches in each round! yikes!
but.... it got me inspired to knit again, so now I need to do more.

I bought some great yarn at the local knitting shop and need to make something comfy with it. I had bought the wool to knit some "cuffs" but decided that I liked it too much for just little cuffs, and needed a whole sweater out of it.
here is the yarn- beautiful soft "renaissance" by classic Elite yarns. I chose a pattern from the new Interweave Press. It is a turtleneck that I need to amend a bit to make it be what I really want. Psyched to start it but still have another project that I should finish first. we'll see.

Off for the Summer

This summer brings new adventure, as I will be in Maine as a director of a small day camp. I will be living with friends in Brooksville (near Blue Hill, and Deer Isle), and the boys will be with me there.

I will write more about this as the summer goes on, but for now I will be brief. I have many things to share, and I am trying to figure out how to attach my database file of recipes, so that the entire collection will be available online.

I am still doing my haiTea business, although, on a limited scale at the moment, as there are issues that need to be resolved with it. It requires attention that I don't have at the moment to give to it.

I am looking forward to being in Maine,and in camp. I always have loved being in Maine, and also being at camp- being a part of a group and around alot of children and creative youthful energy on a daily basis. So I am looking toward this summer to feed my soul a bit.

all for now-

Lindsey

End of School

What a whirlwind the last two weeks have been!! Trying to get in everything that needs to be done before school ends is unbelievably exhausting. Eli's class did a performance down at the school pond that was all about the animals and life at the pond. The resident bullfrog croaked throughout, as if knowing he had a wonderful audience. I made my froggie cupcakes (but made with banana bread) for the refreshments afterwards for the kids. For the grown-ups I made Blueberry Lemon Bread and little cucumber/ herb cream cheese sandwiches. So that night had me up cooking and assembling. During the school year, I have Emmett's nap as down time during the day that is peaceful and I can get things done, uninterupted. When Eli is out of school, Emmett's naps are for spending quality time with Eli, doing things we can't do while the little one is around- play games with little pieces, do puzzles, even just really pay attention. So my down time has just vanished. Emmett is also still somewhat portable, so doing errands is still a reasonable task with him. Eli, on the other hand, expresses his displeasure in such activities, and is so against being forced to participate that it is way too much of a chore to do them. Thus, I now will go grocery shopping, etc., at night after the kids are asleep. I was up late last night writing thank you cards to teachers for giving Eli such a fabulous year. I was so tired, but at midnight, was still telling myself that it was way too important to put down until done. They really deserved the praise, and had worked hard all year. The least I could do was adequately acknowledge it. So, write I did, into the night. Thank you Mrs. Rago, and Thank you Mr. Arnold. You provided Eli with a much needed base to work from and allowed him so much growth. You dwelled on his unique qualities and made him feel so good about his abilities. Your caring, communication with us and constant attention to Eli amidst his classmates provided him with a fabulous environment for the social growth he really needed. We can only hope his teachers in the years to come are as good for him as you two have been.  Thank you!!!! Banana Bread This recipe is from an old Haviland cookbook. Everyone always says it’s the best banana bread they have ever had. Try it and you’ll see! 3 or 4 really ripe bananas(the blacker, the better) cinnamon 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter- melted 1. Preheat oven to 325¾. 2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl and generously sprinkle with cinnamon. 3. Mix in flour and baking soda. 4. Beat in eggs and then the melted butter. 5. Stir in the sugar and mix thoroughly. 6. Grease a loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. 7. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake at 325¾ for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. This can also be made into muffins (adjust cooking time). -note - if you find you have one kind of blackish banana hanging around, squeeze it out of it's peel into a ziploc baggie and pop it in the freezer until you have more. Froggie Cupcakes... These look great all on a platter together- always impressive! The kids love them! Frost cupcakes with green frosting (I use cream cheese frosting, colored with paste food coloring, on banana muffins). For each set of eyes, cut one green gumdrop in half, push one white chocolate chip into the cut side of each half, then drop a dot of brown decorating gel onto each "white". The eyes stay on best if the tops of the cupcakes are trimmed flat. Blueberry Lemon Bread A nice change from banana bread as a quick bread. Good smeared with butter. From The Wooden Spoon Bread Book. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 tsp baking soda 6 Tbsp butter 12 Tbsp sugar 2 eggs zest from one lemon, cut into thin strips (or use a zester) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice enough milk to bring lemon-milk mixture to 1/2 cup 1 cup fresh blueberries 1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a small loaf pan with cooking spray.       (I make all of my quick breads now in a long "danish" loaf pan from Baker's           Catalog. it makes a good size for slices for tea, breakfast, or brunch.) 2. Mix the flour, salt and baking soda together and set aside. 3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar 1 Tbsp at a time- creaming well each time. 4. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each. 5. Stir in the lemon zest 6. In a measuring cup, mix together the lemon juice and the milk to bring it to 1/2 cup. 7. To the creamed butter mixture add the reserved flour mixture alternatively with the lemon-milk mixture, beginning and ending with hte dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition. 8. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. 9. Fold the blueberries into remaining batter, and spoon into the pan. The berries have a tendency to sink to the bottom of the loaf when baking- this tactic will achieve a better distrubution. 10. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cucumber Sandwich Rounds Slice the cucumber with a mandoline (also called a v-slicer)- *see note* Lay the rounds on paper towel for about 1/2 hour to get the moisture out. Use a decorative cutter to cut rounds from white bread. Spread chive cream cheese (comes in a tub- or use another herbed one) on the bread. Top with a cucumber round. *note* The best one is the Ultimate Slice and Grate from the Pampered Chef. I have the one from Williams-Sonoma that is the same price and it is not nearly as well planned out: for example, there is nowhere to store the blades, they get jammed into the box with it. And, for the same price ($45), there are many more features. I'm dying to get the Pampered Chef one, but I can't justify it since I have the W-S one.