It's Wednesday and that means it is time for another yarn along.  How I love to join Ginny and the others for the weekly reading and knitting update.  I got quite a bit accomplished in the yarn department this week.  I finished my first Miranda hat.  Woo Hoo!  It's not the best picture of the hat, it really is quite soft and pink.  I pulled out some stash yarn to make a second hat, but it will have to wait.  I cast on another Aviatrix.  It's for a little guy who is about to turn one.  Both of his parents are pilots.  Seems to be a fitting hat.
I got another copy of Fifty Shades Freed.  If you remember, I lost my copy halfway through the book.  The person who was next in line for my book couldn't wait for me to find it so she bought a copy, read it and then gave it to me to finish before I pass it to the next person in line.  I haven't had to time to read yet.  I haven't even looked for my spot in the book.  I'm hoping to get some quality knitting and reading time in this week.  I know I say that every week, but I mean it this week!

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

Our weekend was spent in Pennsylvania.  We took the red-eye into Philadelphia and arrived (very red eyed) Thursday morning.  Bryan had not been to the Liberty Bell or Independence Hall and that was our reason for flying into Philly instead of Harrisburg.
Really our whole purpose of going to PA was to attend my dads Vietnam Troop reunion.  Every two years the guys and their families get together (every fours years the reunion is in DC).  My dad is president of the group.  This time the reunion was held in Gettysburg.   Again, Bryan had not been there.  I have.  Twenty years ago.  My mom and I went with my cousins S & K.  S is Civil War history buff.  We had an expert guided tour.  And it was July 2nd.   Re-enactors were every where. We got to see a lot that Bryan didn't get to see this time.

As taggers-along for the reunion, we get to stay at the hotel at the group rate, attend any tours or lectures and we can hang out in the hospitality room, but we don't have to attend any of the meetings.  The one event do attend every time is the memorial service.  Someone reads the names of the guys killed in Vietnam and the men line up and place flowers in a wreath.  This year they read the names of the men who have passed away since the last reunion.  It seemed to me to be a much longer list this time.  Not a lot of dry eyes during the service.

The tour we were most excited about was the guided walk we did of Picketts Charge.  I didn't get to hear a lot of what the guide said.  (I didn't realize how hard it would be to tour with a 19 month old...).
It was a great weekend.  And with most weekends, it went by way to fast.  Part of our problem though is we plan way too many things to do.

It's Wednesday and that  means it's time again for the weekly yarn along.  Books and knitting.  Two of my favorite things.  I did get some time this week to do both!  I worked on the Miranda hat, my 5x5x5 blanket and my log cabin blanket.   I got quite a bit done on the hat.  Now that the Olympics are over I should make even more progress since I won't have to work backwards!  Hopefully I'll finish this week or at least come close.  We are going to a reunion in Gettysburg and I think during nap time I'll get some quality knitting time in.

I picked up these two books at the library this week.  I don't have bees yet, but by next spring I hope to be set up so I thought I'd pick up the book.  I'm pretty excited to read the canning book.  I make a lot of stuff out of the garden, but I think there are some interesting sounding recipes.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

Yesterday was a very busy day in the kitchen.  I hadn't planned on being home and when plans fell through I had an unexpected day free.  We made one large loaf and four mini loaves of zucchini bread, a casserole and pickled beets.  I had a small baseball bat size zucchini.  Corrine loves zucchini bread (actually she loves any kind of bread) so I made some for her and some for a friend.  And I still had some shredded zucchini left to freeze for later.

I made a buffalo chicken casserole.  A small one for us and a larger one for a friend.  Her husband was just in a very serious bike accident and has been in and out of the hospital all week.  She needs freezer meals for the next month or so while she cares for him.  This was our chance to give back.  When Corrine was in the NICU we had lots of donated freezer meals and this friend made a huge casserole for us.

The beets were ready.  Actually some were past ready.  Bryan and Corrine love pickled beets.  So I made pickled beets and some beet chips.  The beet chips didn't turn out great.  I didn't have a slicer so I hand sliced them and they were way to thick to bake.  Next time.
I got the recipe I used for the pickled beets from our 96 year old neighbor.  Bryan like the jar that he tried and it was a very easy recipe.

Cook beets until tender, skin and cut as desired.  Put in sterile jars.  For quart size jars put 1 tsp salt on top.  For pint size jar put 1/2 tsp on top.  Then pour the following mixture over the top: (I mixed in a bowl and then poured) 2 C water, 1 C vinegar and 1/2 C sugar.  Use a half and half mixture if a more vinegary taste is desired.  Seal jars in a boiling water bath.  That's it.   Easy Peasy.  Almost completely done in a nap time.
I sealed 7 jars, but made 8 and a half jars.  Bryan will eat the beets that are in the jar in the fridge for his lunches.

It's time once again for the weekly yarn along.  Books and knitting.  Two of my favorite things.  I actually got some of each done this week!  I've been working on the Miranda hat with some pink fuzzy yarn from my stash.  I should be much farther along than I am.  It's hard to follow pattern and watch the Olympics.  I've had to back up three separate times.  At least I caught the mistakes before I was too far into each of the rows where I made the mistakes.
I finished the book Twelve by Twelve.  It's basically about living off the grid in North Carolina in a 12x12 "house" because that size is considered a shed and not taxable.  The author stayed in a 12x12 for 40 days.  I expected the book to more of a journal of his stay.  The book was too philosophical for my taste.

I just started The True Story of Hansel and Gretel.  The story takes place in Poland during World War Two.    Two Jewish children are dropped off in the woods by their parents.  It is their best chance to survive the Nazis.  They are taken in by a "witch" who lives in the woods outside of a village in Eastern Poland.  I love books about World War Two and I'm enjoying this one so far.

Corrine checked out the Very Hairy Bear today at the library.  We've been on a bear kick lately.  It's a cute read.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

This is only a test. Well really two kinds of a test. The first and definitely the most fun. I downloaded the Blogger app for my iPhone. So I'm trying this post so I can do more posting while I travel. I HATE traveling with my laptop. And I don't have an iPad yet. (Maybe when Corrine is older).

The second test was the one I had to take for my recurrent training class. It's something that I need to know to do my job. But it's a "test" and I just about have an anxiety attack right before hand. It's done and over for the next year.

Driving to the headquarters this morning I drove by this beautiful field of sunflowers. I love sunflowers. They are such a happy flower!

Time once again to join the weekly Yarn Along.  Books and knitting.  I'm definitely not getting much of either done this summer.  I am waiting patiently through this heat to knit again.  I started the Miranda Hat that Evelyn from Project Stash designed.  I've only done two rows so far.  I thought I needed a cooler project than a blanket sitting in my lap.  Even in the AC.  I'm using some of the softer yarn in  my stash.
I picked up Made From Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Wogrinrich at the library when we went for baby story time last week.  The author decided to learn a few of the skills she needs to be a homesteader.  Only one chapter in, so I have no opinion of the book yet. 

I am also reading the last Fifty Shades book.  I must say I am so over Christian Grey.  There is at least some sort of story line in this book, but I don't like his controlling tendancies.

OK.  I WAS reading Fifty Shades Freed.  A couple of hours ago, I realized that I left my book on the airplane behind my jumpseat.  I'll be lucky if I ever see it again.  Maybe I was subconsciously done with the book.  But I really want to see how it all ends.  Ugh!

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!