Betty Smith's Wisdom and Spring Signs

April and we are still having a fire ....

But our wood supply in the garage has steadily dwindled and is now at this stage, a sign of spring.

Sometimes a few surprises are found amongst the chunks of wood.  This tiny withered nest was perfectly preserved between two pieces.  I assume the birds had vacated before the farmer had started transporting his wood pile and it became ours.

This little round ball of fluffy material below was found under an opening between the bark and a log.  We know it is a mouse house and was home grown right here because it contained a lot of Rex's hairs.  By the way, when I held it in my hand, I could feel the warmth of those hairs.

Yesterday the sky trains of Canada geese began; for most of the morning, their very loud honkings filled the air.  Another sign of spring here in Ontario.

Changing the topic.and while I think of it, I had this little piece from Betty Smith's  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in my chewed up journal.




I really like "Only let me be something every blessed minute."
Another of her quotes  is "Look at everything like you are seeing it for the first or last time.  Then your time here on earth will be filled with glory".

Interestingly, Betty Smith grew up poor and was allowed into university even though she had never finished high school.  She became an award winning dramatist and author, but that is not what intrigued me about her.
Personally, I like how so much of what she had to say was about living life to the fullest and in particular, forgiving and forgetting.  She was one of the first to write about the valuable therapy of 'letting go' of the past, trying to rise above any hardships and finding the joy in the little things here and now. However, Betty was a complex woman and held many views that would be considered ahead of her times.  One I smile at is she believed women were superior to men.

April, On the Trail and Chocolate Ears

Out on the trail today, Murphy is pulling on the lead anxious to move faster.  Her old mistress can only go so fast.  The snow was partially melted and seemed slippery somehow. It wasn't easy to get traction is my excuse.

Below going through the hawthorn grove, which is very thorny, no mistake.  You really don't want to brush up against any of those branches; I've read a prick from one of the thorns in your eye can cause blindness.  I wonder often why the pioneers made a point of cultivating a whole grove of hawthorn not that far from where the original house stood. These days they are so old they no longer flower but the sharpness of the thorn has not lessened.

And I wonder what made its home up there....

Dead trees make useful houses for an array of creatures.  By the number of holes in this tree, it has had a few inhabitants.

 The dead tree with the holes is there in the center of this photo.  Still lots of trees for Hubby to cut for firewood.
  Back home and feeling the need for reward after my big tramp; my Easter chocolate is calling my name.      I am so tempted.

 Perhaps just the ears....

Yum...

Two Stitch Basketweave And Warmth Where Are You

I am still full from the wonderful meal we had at Daughter's yesterday...a combination Easter/birthday celebration that saw us sitting down to turkey and ham with all the trimmings and a Bailey's cheesecake for dessert.  I'd never tasted that before but it was surprisingly mild and light and delicious.  The sun was shining and young grandson had a ball chasing balloons much to the delight of his grandparents and assembled aunts and uncles.  It was one of those very nice get-togethers that will stay in memory; at least I know it will live on in mine.

My Andes wool is wound and resting prettily in my basket,  all ready to use...

And I have settled on a pattern for the blue Paton's Classic, above on the right.  It is a 2 stitch basketweave and is working up nicely and completely reversible. The pattern is simple, very simple but the effect is pleasing.
Here is a look at the beginning...

The pattern is a combination of knit and purl.  It is surprising how many pretty patterns there are with just those two stitches.

Cast on 20 stitches
Row 1  Knit 2 Purl 2  Repeat to the end
Row 2 Same as Row 1
Row 3 Purl 2  Knit 2  Repeat to the end
Row 4 Same as Row 3

It is making a rather skinny scarf but one that will be very long.  I have the pattern committed to memory but forget myself if I get caught up in a show.  One of the hazards of 'watching' t.v. while knitting.  At least on a scarf minor mistakes will be forgiven (I hope).

You have every right to be thinking what the heck is she showing me here.  I couldn't resist having a look at where exactly that chipmunk was dropping while I was watching from the window.  Here is his little burrow.  I guess the snow melt over the opening was his signal to come out.  Wouldn't I love to see the inside.  Come to think of it, I could use Hubby's Christmas gift, the gadget with the long hose that has a camera to see inside things.  Must remember to try that.

Easter Basket Cupcakes and Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes

This business of WIP's (works in progress) and UFO's is a serious one around the craft blogging net.  I read a very clever little post by someone who claimed to have too many UFO's to count and instead of settling in to finish any of them, proceeded to begin three more!  She says clearly I have a problem so don't comment on this post unless you are willing to send me help.
I have some news about my blue scarf, the one in horsehoe lace.  I did learn that pattern and feel pretty good about myself for that; it was actually surprisingly easy once I settled down to it and didn't try to listen to my shows while knitting.   However, after knitting about six inches or so, I realized this pattern creates a "wrong" side. That is a side with garter stitch or at least the way I knit it up it did.  Now I like garter stitch but it was not as pretty as the lace side so I stopped knitting it and raveled it back. My thinking was this: you wouldn't want to always be adjusting your scarf so just the pretty side is showing.
  Now I'm looking for a pattern that is totally reversible.  Always learning, that's me.  Sigh

This was dinner recently...tomatoes stuffed with quinoa.  I cooked the quinoa (according to the directions on the bag) and mixed in a little chopped onions and dates, salt and pepper.  I sprinkled a little cheese on top and roasted them in the oven at 350 degreees for about 30 minutes.  We had bread with a dipping sauce of basalmic vinegar and olive oil to go with it.  All so simple and it was tasty and filling.  I liked how easy and tidy this meal was; cleanup was a breeze.

Daughter made these Easter basket cupcakes to bring to work and Hubby got a few as a treat.  He loved the red licorice 'handles'.

                                                               Aren't they cute?

Little Journals For Big Ideas

My little book of ideas...

I love to keep a record of different ideas I come across. There are so many!  I use various designated little journals and books for these different purposes.  I love how you can find these little books all over these days and even the Dollar Store stocks an inexpensive selection.  If  the idea that tweaks me is in an old magazine or catalogue I now cut out the pictures to keep.  This little one above has been on the go for a couple of  years and it's interesting to look back through its pages from time to time.  I just notice now that Thimbleberries tote bag that I love.

The tiny book below was my record of interesting sayings, phrases and words that I had been noting down for several years.  Murphy loved it or hated it, I don't know which but decided it was worth a good chew anyway. I was upset at the time and especially when I realized I couldn't piece together so many of the sayings.

Now compared to the three library books she chewed and I had to pay for, it's not so bad.  I honestly thought her younger, chewing days were safely behind her.  Hubby thinks the glue in the binding might have attracted her.  Who knows and does this look like a face that cares?

                                     Lucky for her she is so loved....

Meanwhile, first sighting of a chipmunk so it must be spring.

                                                            But this is what he saw

                                     An expanse of snow and ice and it was minus 13 at the time.

He was stationed there just above his hole and any time a blue jay came close to him, he would drop out of sight.  He didn't bother with the seeds at the nearby feeder because I'm thinking he had himself situated quite close to that food source and had had plenty of food all winter. I don't call chipmunks canny for nothing.  He seemed to be taking in the view, just rousing himself from his long winter's nap.  Chipmunks are usually darting little creatures but this little guy stayed looking around (between drops in the hole) for much of the morning.
 I know, I know a very small thing and small things amuse small minds, yes, guilty.

Small Appliances I Really Really Want and Other Drool-Worthy Items

Small Appliances I want but don't really really need. (Yikes now I've got the Spice Girls singing "so tell me what you want, what you really, really want" in my head. That is a catchy line. )

A new bread machine 

The old one here in the house served well for at least a couple of decades. Dutifully  retired to the BSAG,  Basement Small Appliance Graveyard now (Hubby thinks parts may be useful for something...does that sound familiar in your house?) and it is sadly missed.  I loved making pizza and touten dough and the odd fancy smancy bread loaf in it.




This is the Breville Bread maker which is supposed to be the most advanced one on the market.  Lots of computerized dodads.  We like our Breville electric kettle very much so...

A T-fal fryer  

Honestly, I'm a little afraid to have this one in my kitchen.  Would I go crazy with the deep frying?  I'm torn because 'deep fried' simultaneously conjures up two thoughts to me...unhealthy and tasty...warring words. But then there is tempura which I love, so...

An Ice Cream Maker

Not so much for the ice cream, but the sorbets and cold fruit mixtures, so says she. I do think I would be using it to make frozen fruit desserts mostly, but it would be nice to be able to make homemade ice cream for  special occasions too.


This Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker gets a very high rating from Good Housekeeping.

I grew up on a street and during a time when women got a new toaster for their birthday.  I'm not adverse at all to getting a small appliance for mine, just for the record.

Speaking of toasters, I'll direct you to a catalogue that is famous for offering the very first pop-up toaster and that is Hammacher Schlemmer, which says it offers the best, the only and the unexpected and has the distinction of being the oldest catalogue company in the U.S.

I've been loving this catalogue for many, many years and presently have two of their products, a cashmere cardigan and a leather travel purse.  I have my eye on the County Kildare Reading Shawl made in Ireland and marketed perfectly to people like me (wool lovers, readers and dwellers in cold lands).




Not especially fashionable but as the blurb says, great for curling up with a good book on a cold night.
A link to their website is HERE and their mail order catalogue with many, many drool worthy items is free.

Leek Quiche..Comfort Food and My Pastry Recipe

With grandson and watching Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 and there it is, a leek joke.  The crew and talking vegetables are in a boat and someone shouts " there's a leek in the boat" and of course mayhem ensues with even the leek itself freaking out. In fact, people enjoyed his  little scream so much it got replayed over and over on Youtube.



I showed you a photo of a bunch of leeks I had that needed using up.  Sometimes I get ahead of myself and seem to have the fridge loaded with fresh food that all need to be put to use at the same time.  I was tempted to make a potato and leek soup, but I've been making a lot of soup lately it seems and Hubby loves anything to do with biscuits or crust, so I decided to make a quiche.

First I made the pastry and I always use the same recipe, my old faithful originally copied straight from the Crisco can...

I put about a cup of grated swiss cheese in the bottom of the crust and sprinkled a tablespoon of flour over it.  Then I heated olive oil in a fry pan and sauteed an onion, my chopped leeks ( I had 4 in my bunch), a handful of kale and a few zucchini that I 'discovered' in the fridge crisper. ( I can never seem to leave a recipe alone; I've always got to tweak it or add to it my own ingredients.)

I beat together three eggs, 1 cup of cream, a little salt and pepper and a pinch of thyme.  That was all I put in it this time.  Sometimes I've added bacon and in fact, Hubby was disappointed this was not one of those times.  This is one of those dishes it is recommended to start in a very hot oven.  I had mine at 400 F for the first 15 minutes, then reduced it to 325 F and continued the baking for another 30 minutes till I felt it was brown enough.  In fact, when I took it out, I felt mine looked too brown and I shouldn't have left it for the full 30 minutes.  This is when multi-tasking while baking doesn't always go hand in hand.

I made a salad of purple cabbage and more kale to go with my quiche. I wish I'd taken a photo of  that but it slipped my mind.  The quiche was fine; Hubby said it was tasty especially the crust.