missing me?
you can find me more frequently over at my other blog MommaCrafter. stop on over!

It's official.

Our tree is decorated all the way to the top with a nice bright star to light the way!
This weekend we have a great one planned.
Saturday Night My husband and I are going with some friends to see Fireproof. I'm super excited my family (sister, mom and dad) said it was really good. And this is the first time it's been around here. It's actually in a really cool theater around here they have a great cheap date. They wait a little longer to get the movies but it usually is well worth it. It's not very often you can see a movie with popcorn and dinner for $30. I'm wondering if they're going to get House. I'd like to see that movie as I love Ted Dekker's books. and i love a good scary movie.


Then Sunday we're going to friend's to celebrate 2 of their son's birthdays. For the one he love star wars and I knit him this hat. It has all kinds of star wars guys on it and of course says "may the force be with you" around the bottom. I fear it's going to be a little big on him but I'm sure he'll like it regardless. The inside looks a little crazy. But the yarn I used was really soft so it shouldn't bother him. I had ribbing on the bottom but then the hat would've been way way way tooo big so i folded it up and sewed it down so when he gets bigger he can take that out and still use the hat. The whole time I was knitting it my DH was pestering me for one. So I think I may have to surprise him and make him a star wars hat. actually he'd really like a storm trooper hat. so I told him after Christmas I'd make him one. but secretly I'm going to try and make it for Christmas.
Oh the joy of gift giving. I love it so much!
speaking of gifts If I don't get cracking no-one is getting anything... of to work!

few and far between.

My posts here have been few and far between haven't they? It's that time of year I think. For thanksgiving we went and visited my Grandma. It was a great relaxing weekend for all of us. The kids got to sled ride on the same hill I used to when I was younger.


While there I finished an amigurumi for my niece for Christmas. isn't He cute? it's from one of those Japanese books I've got. (which I told my DH I'd like book 5 & 6 for Christmas)


When we got back I started a Hat for a little guy I know. (he's a son of friends of ours) His birthday is coming up and I know he loves star wars. The whole time I've been making it my DH has been bugging me for a storm trooper hat... so I think to surprise him for Christmas (if I have time) I'll make him one. I didn't know he's be so obsessed with it. Seriously!


Here's my month of November in one mosaic. (at least my project 365 photos that is.) So you can see what I've been up to. Well I've got lots to finish. I just wanted to check back in and tell ya'll I'm alive! I'll be back soon I promise.. (for those of you who still read my blog that is)

It's time....

Time for Turkey. I'll be back later gater...
YUM i got to make the cranberry salad for tomorrow. I also get to make some bread YEAH!
Friday we're going to go visit my G-ma. It will be a nice and MUCH NEEDED rest for all of us. Esp my DH. He needs the time away...
have a wonderful Thanksgiving people!

A wintery day.

This past weekend I went on a knitting retreat with my LYS. We went to Autumn House Farm. I talked a little bit about it on my other blog. I have a flickr set with some photos if you're interested. Aside from the ones I am showing you here. Some of my photos didn't turn out something with my camera hiccuping. We got to get up close and personal with the sheep and learned how they care for them (the industry side of it) We also got to shop at the store. We also met with a weaver who works there also She designs some beautiful things. I had her card and all that info ready to share but I'm not sure what happened to it. (I'll look for it)
We had a lot of fun. (well i did that's for sure)
While there I finished my Tilted Duster. I used the called for Berroco Peruvia and I love the yarn . it's super soft and knits beautifully. The pattern said i would need around 9 skeins but really I only used 8. so that's a good thing. I found some ceramic buttons at joann's for the sweater. I blocked the sweater and it was finally dry this afternoon so I dragged my DH outside for a photo op! (it was a tad cold) I'll be taking it in to the store to stay for a while. I'm sure the more people look and feel that sweater the more will want to make it.
Now I'm on to my Christmas presents. I'm currently working on some Star Wars Amigurumi's. Starting with Princess Leia. off to work!

Name this photo!

I've been trying to post a blog for the past couple of days and I keep getting distracted!
Yesterday while I was finishing up the 2nd of the 2 stockings I made for a lady at church, Simba started playing with some of the string that was hanging around waiting to be sewn in. So i stopped knitting and started playing with him. And snapping some photos b/c it was really funny! and I came up with this fun photo. and it says something so I'd like to know what do you think it says?

My Veteran

In honor of Veterans day my DH got all dressed up and went with the VFW to honor the vets who weren't able to come home. They did a nice ceremony.
It was rather chilly here this AM so we were all bundled up. Then we went out for lunch.
so all in all it was a really slow and relaxing day.
well for the most part. the girls have been a little stir crazy lately. supposedly this weekend it's going to be nice out so maybe we can get them to play outside. WAIT a min. This weekend is my LYS's knitting get away YIPPIE! I'm not even going to be around. I'm sooo looking forward to that!
oh hopefully my DH will be able to get the girls outside for a while so that they run off some steam. If it's not too bad out tomorrow I'll try to send them out and on Thursday.
whoo hoo this weekend is coming fast and I'm super duper excited!

A quick look back

This is what my month looked like. Very busy and I've neglected this blog again.
Lately I've been knitting baby items and listening to a few books on CD. It helps to get things done faster.
I'm anxiously awaiting the elections on Tuesday. Mostly b/c I'm sick of all the commercials, junk mail and the phone calls. I'm sure I'm not the only one! But also I am looking forward to voting!
i hope everyone else also goes out and votes!

Hmm I've been away for a while and I'm trying to think of what to share with ya'll. Things have been busy around here. All last week I watched a friends kids while she worked. It was crazy around here. I'm going to use the money to get a new Ipod. my shuffle is just too small and doesn't hold all my music. I'd also like to be able to "see" what is playing and also see what genre I'm listening too. (not that i can't tell by listening)

Sunday we had our small group over and I made some Caramel turtle brownies. It's like heaven in a box! These puppies are sooo freakin good!
Sunday we also went to a baby shower. I knit a hat for the baby. it turned out really cute. (you can see photos on my other blog) I'm also working on another hat for another baby. I'm still trying to finish up a few things so I can start Christmas presents... sigh I'm such a procrastinator! well I've got to get knitting TTYL!

Stitch Markers

These stitch markers were inspired by the Twilight Saga books. The first row is just inspired by the books themselves. The secon is from Bella's dream talking "it's too green" and the last row is inspired by Edward himself. (his eyes and room from the books) I'm going to put them up at my etsy store. I've got to make some cute cards to attach them to first though. anyways what do you think?

Twilight Teaser

I can not wait to see this movie! it's actually coming out 11-21-08 not in Dec like it says at the end.
I heart Edward!

a contest

JC over at Garnfiti is having a Halloween Contest where you can win some fabulous HP inspired yarn. You get an entry for commenting and also for posting about it on your blog and if you make something Halloween related too. I'm off to ponder what to make.. sooo exciting. I've been thinking about re-reading the HP series. I just finished watching the Movies again and I'm anxiously waiting for the 6th movie.

on other not waiting news. I got a new George foreman. We've sorely been needing one. the one we had we got when we first got married (over 9 years ago) and the stuff was flaking off. We didn't use it much lately. So i bought a shiny new RED one.. pretty spiffy b/c it has different grill plates that you can change and do other things. There's a waffle iron, the traditional grill plate and a skillet plate that you can bake on. also there a little tabby that you move and it either tilts the grill forward or makes it level. Yes it's the highlight of my weekend.

LOL not really.

flowers

some flowers for you! straight from my garden.
they are growing like crazy. almost taller than I am! so I snipped a few for my table.

my september

Since I haven't been very good at uploading my project 365 photos to share with ya'll I thought I'd do a whole month at once for you to enjoy. If you go to flickr and check out the photos I describe them and what they are etc. I need to get back in the habit of posting daily to my blog, I've been such a slacker lately. well at blogging at least. I've been knitting a ton lately and I just found the next sweater I'm going to knit. I can't wait to get started... i just have to finish some projects first....
speaking of finishing I've got projects to knit! TTYL

Some knitting going on!

Saturday I finally finished those pac man mittens (rav link) i'd been working on for my brother since last year. I mailed them this morning so he should be getting his Christmas present within the week. Yeah I'm a super duper procrastinator! All I had to do was finish the power pellet I-cord. So i bit the bullet and finished. I hope he likes them. (and uses them)
After finishing (and the reason I quick finished) I started a traditional stocking for a lady from my church. Actually I'm making 2 of them one for her DIL and one for her Grandson. I'm actually further on the project from working on it on Sunday I just haven't uploaded the photo yet. I'm all nervous about it now.... sigh. I'm sure the yarn will soften up when I wash it. it's kinda stiff (and yucky) right now.
so what do you think?

Worth 10 min to watch.

I found this video on another blog and thought it was interesting and worh sharing. I'm undecided for the most part but I am watching and looking at what is going on so I can make an informed decision

a story to ponder

I found this story on Ravelry and thought I would share!

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, Mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

–Author Unknown

completely obsessed!

I am completely obsessed. There is no other way to explain it. I just finished (yesterday) reading the whole series for a 2nd time in a row.
I'm not sure about you but, when I'm in the car I do a lot of thinking. I got a notebook and started writing down what I've been pondering. I'm not sure why but the twilight series has me thinking.
So yesterday after taking the girls to awana and dropping off the redbox rentals I sat in the car and just wrote down every stray thought I was thinking. It was very cleaning.. so to speak.
It's not very often that a series of books or just a book hits me so hard that I love them so much.
Next I think I'll re-read Ted Dekker's Black, Red, and White series...
that's another series that hit me hard and got me thinking.

Nothing to read?

I thought I would do this one some of these are ones I read in HS but hey I read them! It's hard for me to say i want to read a book unless I read it's back cover.. etc. but I love to read so i'm game!
This meme is a fun one to see how many books you've read...

The National Endowment for the Arts believes that the average American has read only 6 of the books on the list below.


1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline (or mark in a different color) the books you LOVE
4) Reprint this list in your blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve read only 6 and force books upon them

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan the movie was pretty good. but also sad
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding This is one of my fave movies, I'd love to read it.
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl the org. movie is my fave.
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Finished, sent and received!

I spent the last 3 months or so knitting and praying for my SPSS2 partner. I was also writing up the pattern for these socks. I sent them off to my partner on Tuesday. I hope she likes them when she gets them. I didn't have time to block them so they're rough so to speak. I also sent a prayer book and a sock bag that I made. I always get nervous when I've sent a package. UGH.
Anyways I got my package in the mail today. It was a lovely package as you can see. The soap smells wonderful btw. I keep smelling it over and over. YUM! The stitch marker is sooo cute and the wash cloths are wonderful. I got sooo spoiled. The socks are the best colors, purple, green and brown. The pattern is great. I'm not sure what it is so I asked my partner.
I'm working on quite a few projects these days. I finally finished my reusable grocery tote. I started using the Elisa Nest Tote I modified the pattern a bit. I've decided that it's my fave bag that I've made so far. It's easily used for everything. I think if I make another I'll follow the Grrlfriend Market bag pattern (rav link). But that's b/c I like the way the bottom works.
anyways off to knit on the I-cord for my bro's Christmas present (last year's) I'm about halfway done! YIPPIE!

The Horror

As I looked out my back door Tuesday I gasped. To my horror my tomato support structure had fallen over. I ran out to my garden to see up close and fix the problem.
I had to trim/cut off about half of each plant. I harvested all the big tomatoes, most of them green. A couple of weeks ago I tried some fried green tomatoes and I didn't like them too much. It could have been the recipe I used. I've set the tomatoes on my window's ledge to ripen.
I was so upset I forgot to snap a photo of the horror, but I did remember to snap when I was done. I'm not sure if you can tell but the plants are really trimmed down now. I'm hoping it won't hurt the tomatoes still on the vines.
Today it rained on and off all day so my garden is getting good and watered. It was a good day to curl up and read. so that's what I did. Now i've got to go to the library and pick up some more books. Maybe tomorrow.

Let's not talk about it.

So sorry I've been absent lately. Things are going crazy! but I am alive. I've been posting every other day or so on my other blog. You can go over there and check it out occasionally and see what's going on. Not to mention I've also been on a no knitting only reading books marathon. But that seems to have passed now and I'm glad b/c I'd like to finish the projects I'm working on. I esp have to finish my swap socks before the 1st. I can do it I've only got the top of the legs to do. I'm not sure what's up with me lately. I've been kinda in a funk. Hopefully it will pass.
Today I had my SIL and BIL and niece over for dinner, it was nice. I made Roasted Caprese Spaghetti. It's a recipe from Rachel Ray's website. It's really good. I also made some bread to go along with it. Yum! I have some left over so I can have some this week too! YUM! I've found myself watching the Rachel Ray show a lot lately. It's pretty cool and the recipes she make always look delish. If you've never tried out her recipes or watched the show go ahead you'll be happy you did! (I'm not getting paid for this at all btw)
I'm off to knit!

walking?

Is walking your thing? How about helping to raise funds for a disease that affects many people? If you said yes then the Alzheimer's Memory Walk is the walk for you! Alzheimer's is the 6th leading cause of death in the US! Chances are you know someone with Alzheimer's. Why not take some steps to help?
If you live in the Johnstown area mark down September 6th on your calendar.



Once you find a walk in your area you can become a team captain and start a team. It's as easy as inviting 3 friends! "Starting a team is easy. Invite three people, and they'll invite three people - and before you know it, you'll have a team. Recruit family, friends and colleagues to join your team - and ask for donations." (from the website)
The website has PDF files and all the tools you'll need to start a team. If you'd like to just walk you can also find a team to join on the site. It's really worth it, why not join other in your area and MOVE?

Project 365 update for ya'll

going from left to right
1. girls playing train
2. pickled hot peppers
3. new books!
4. salsa, some from garden
5. beans from garden
6. flowers from garden
7. what I've been knitting on a grocery tote
8. a close up of the tilted duster I'm knitting
9. ice cream truck across the street
10. Sailor Moon DVD's my Fave!
11. Homemade croutons
12. girls rolling down the hill.

sorry it's been so short we're super crazy here trying to squeak the last out of this summer! School's only one week away! EEK!

TriScents

About a month ago I signed up to get a Renuzit TriScents air freshener. When I received my package I was so excited that I snapped a photo of it. Then I immediately plugged it in.
After a few minutes we could smell it. We have a living room and dining room combo and that's where I plugged it in. I figured it's the largest room where we do the most and it is the room you walk into. And the best way to "change" your house is to add smell! Not to mention it really freshens up the whole house. sometimes at night I can smell it up in the hallway. It's lovely! I got the Morning Meadow scents. Each time the scent changes I find myself going "whoa! that smells good". I would recommend anyone who likes their house to smell good to get one! I keep meaning to buy another one for upstairs. You can go to the website and print a coupon and get your own starter kit. Also on that site are some "transforming tips" from Tanya Meme. (I got a print out version in my package) It has some wonderful ideas and hints for changing your house to look (and smell) the way you want! Go check it out!

just call me Ginny

I saw this quiz on another blog and thought I'd try it out. since I really love the HP series, I wanted to see what would happen! what fun!

Your result for The Harry Potter Husband Test...

Mrs. Harry Potter

Your perfect HP man is Harry Potter.

You like a guy who's not afraid to fight evil when evil picks a fight. There's a lot to say for bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, even if it does come with a prejudice against people who don't fit into his conception of "good guy" and a penchant for hurling objects across rooms when he gets angry. But in fairness, for an orphan who's spent the better part of his life being hunted by the most evil wizard in existence, he's turned out pretty well. Just be prepared to name your kids after everyone he's ever lost, because he's got a bit of an obsession about the past.

Take The Harry Potter Husband Test at HelloQuizzy

Click around!

Have you seen it? Blog the recession? Motherhood Uncensored has started a movement. It's all about us clicking through the RSS reader to the blog, no obligation whatsoever. You don't have to leave a comment just Click around a bit! But she's said it much better and I'm Quoting from her site.
"The premise is simple. If you read blogs, then for the month of August, make the "pledge" to click through from your feed reader. No obligation to leave a hilarious comment or send a long stalkerish email (although both, within reason, are always lovely). Just click through to the blog (not on ads unless you are so led) and if you're feeling generous, click around to their older posts."

Don't take my word for it go check out the Blog the Recession post over at Motherhood Uncensored. It's a brilliant idea! Plus there's prizes! so why not join?

Now on this blog you know I do Pay Per Post and Social Spark and aside from those posts I don't get paid for blogging here. I just love to talk to ya'll (all 4 of you LOL).
But did you know my other blog MommaCrafter I get paid for you just visiting? (Go a head help a gal out click on over there!)

moving?

If you're thinking of moving to Raleigh, you can use this site for a Raleigh home inspector. If you live in Raleigh you could also check out the site for landscaping, or home improvement. Their certified experts meet all state and local requirements. So you won't have to worry about using the services from Click Smart. The site even links to pool and spa providers! Now is the time to think about vacationing in your back yard. and the best way to do that is with a pool or even better a spa! It’s a handy tool when moving or living in Raleigh, NC. Remember when you need a home inspector in Raleigh ClickSmart it the site to use!

Thinking Christmas

So it's time to start thinking about Christmas.And what you're going to make for your family. I have a pattern I've uploaded to Ravelry that I think may help. I actually made a couple last year as gifts. I didn't stuff them though, they were the gifts, I think (hope) that my BIL and my sister's BF like them. Actually my sister's BF called me and said he liked it (he got the broncos one btw) They make great gifts, to be used over and over. you could also "stuff" it with things for your giftee. For example if it's for a child, you could put some crayons, colored pencils, paper, coloring book, paint, smock etc. If it was for a hunter you could fill it with small hunting stuff, a knife, ear plugs etc. If it were for a mom to be, some bath stuff, chamomile tea. etc. If it's for a new baby some onsies, wipes, diapers, a changing pad etc.

You get the picture right? stockings are the way to go! If you knit why not check out my pattern??

A new cuppa

After reading Apron Thrift Girl's post about cold brewed coffee I decided I should try it out. Luckily she posted a link to the ghetto version. So I didn't have to go and buy a new coffee pot to try it out! I chose some old cups i had laying around. It turned out really good. the coffee is really smooth and flavorful. I'm still working on the best water to coffee essence ratio. I like a good strong cup of coffee. I snapped a photo of my first cup of coffee, and on accident the flash was closed. The photo that resulted is really cool.
Anyways if you're out to find a new way to make coffee that's not acidic this is the way to go!

A walk with me

Walking through my garden is so fun lately. I took all these photos yesterday but didn't have time to upload them to flickr. Since it's raining today I thought I'd share the progress with ya'll.
I'm so excited to see my cucumbers growing! This one is my biggest so far. there's a bunch of little ones and I just can't wait for them to get to the eating point!
I'm also pumped for my beans. The ones I planted this year are of the bush type. So they don't climb as high as the pole variety. Supposedly they taste a bit better. we'll see when they're fully done growing. I have some that look purple like in the photo and others that are green. I'm wondering where the purple comes in.. oh well we'll see soon enough.
I have many many tomato plants in my garden this year. I'm so thankful to my Aunt-in-law for gifting me some of her extra seedlings. Some of them are called burpee Big boy and they're shaped more like tomato shaped. The others are called Big mamma (i think) and they are more Roma shaped. The photo is them up close. I took a photo of the "wall of tomatoes" LOL I had to tie up the pvc stuff b/c the plants were getting heavy and leaning over. Next year I plan on planting every other square or so.. This year was defiantly a trial run. I plan on doing things a bit different next year. Starting with a few more walking areas, and a smaller planting area etc.
On the other end of my garden I have another "fence" for growing other tomatoes also cukes and zucchini. I snapped a photo of the Roma tomatoes I planted. I actually got one that ripened the other day. So I ate it in a salad also from the garden. It was super sweet and YUMMY! I just love tomatoes.
I also snapped a photo of the golden tomatoes planted next to the Romas. you can see the Romas in the background.
I also planted peppers that are growing well. If you'd like to see more photos of my garden I have a garden set over at flickr. You're welcome to check them out.
I'm so excited about my garden, I wasn't expecting much when I planted everything. I was going to be happy with what ever grew. But now I'm just super duper excited. I'm planning on canning some of the extra stuff that grows. There's great info on canning here and more info here. I know there's more out there. but those are ones I've been to lately.
If you have some good recipes or good sites and you'd like to share just leave me a comment!