This and That at Year's End

Making vanilla essence.

My first apple pie ever.

Reading (a Christmas gift).

Knitting new place mats.

My desk all clean and ready for 2010.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and very creative NEW YEAR!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Yumm!

Bread pudding with fresh cranberries and apples.

More Snow Pictures

These were taken the morning after the big snowfall, cat carefully checking it out (before coming back in where it is warm and dry).

Snow Day and Houseguests

We have a lot of snow and since it changed to icy rain during the night it is frozen solid, so hard, that the cat who actually ventured out into it, did not even sink in.


We currently have 5 house guests, they spent the night in the basement and are still there. It is the best I can do for them but much better than having to be outside in this weather. I am glad they got along and there was not fighting at all. The fifth one was hiding when I took the photos, she is the one that has been with us the longest (since we moved into the house) and does not really approve of having to share "her" basement with other cats.

Del came home early yesterday because of the weather and picked up the groceries we needed on the way, so we are all set for a cozy weekend at home or longer if they conditions don't improve. I don't even have shoes fit for this kind of weather and because people down here are not really used to it it can become dangerous, especially on the roads. I mean, why slow down, just because it is slippery? So we will not be going out if we don't absolutely have to.

Finally!

It took me a long time to find buttons I liked and then it took a while until I felt like sewing them on, but it is finally finished. My version of the Garter Yoke Cardigan. Made with a rather thick yarn and more of a jacket than a cardigan. I will probably make another one in a thinner yarn some day.

And Miss K. really likes the granny rectangle blanket I started a while ago, even though it is by no means finished. I actually found her sleeping on my shawl the other day which I had hung over the chair while I was washing dishes and since I need my shawl I gave her the blanket instead and she is happy.

Christmas Cards

A bit late this year but my Christmas Mojo ran off with the circus. ;-)

Christmas Decorations

I felt like I over-decorated a bit last year, so this year I kept it simple.

Dining Room

Living Room

View from the Kitchen Sink

Spotted the other day while washing dishes.

Thanksgiving Dinner

11,111 Giveaway Winner

And the winner is:

Maria in Australia

Congratulations. Please email me with your address and a little surprise will make its way to you.

11,111

This morning when I logged on the counter on my blog showed 11,111 visitors. I thought this needs to be celebrated.
If you would like to receive a surprise gift from me, leave a comment on this post before December 1.

Monday, Monday

The sun is shining, the cats are happy and three loads of laundry are fluttering merrily in the breeze.
Our stash enhancement trip to W-S on Saturday was not as successful as I hoped it would be. Neither one of the two fabric stores had what I was looking for. I did find a very nice Winter themed fabric at our HobbyLobby, the other fabric is for a special project.

I did get some yarn for ongoing and future projects and I also bought some books at the book sale for the library.


It was a rather warm day and I came home exhausted and with a headache.
I hope the weather will stay nice this week and I can get all the laundry done and maybe work a little in the garden.

My Latest Project

I am currently knitting the Lacy Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls. I got a lot of it done during the bazaar.

The storm is still on here, it is cold, windy and raining buckets. Our telephone line got knocked out sometime yesterday and it is still not working and the internet connection comes and goes. Del has a job interview today in Greensboro, he applied for a supervisor position within the DMV.
Brownie and Mamacat have been staying in the mudroom and basement since yesterday morning and neither one of them is inclined to go outside. I feed the two boys in the dry part of the carport and they are obviously staying in the shed together. There is a big box with blankets in the potting shed.

Last night something weird happened. Around 8.30 pm somebody knocked on our front door and after checking carefully who was outside Del opened it to a police officer standing on the front porch. He said they received a 911 hang up from this location and asked if everything was okay and if he could come in just to make sure. He came in and looked around, using his little flashlight apologized for the disturbance and left. I wonder what happened, maybe it was a glitch in the telephone line due to the weather.

I think I must bake some more brownies today. ;-)

Stormy Weather

We are getting hit by the remnants of storm Ida and it is way too nasty to go out if you don't have to. So we postponed our stash enhancement trip to Saturday, after the visit to the book sale of the library. Our power went out for about half an hour this morning and it showed us how much we depend on electricity. It was too dark in the house to read or knit, the sump pump was getting ready to overflow and if it would have lasted for a long time our turkey would have thawed and gone bad because we can't cook without power either. Yikes.
I was in an experimenting mood last night and this was our dinner. Baked acorn squash stuffed with onions and peppers, mashed potatoes, orange chocolate brownies, pomegranate seeds and a little leftover cream. Yum, yum.

Rainy Day

Outside - cold and wet.

Inside - warm and cozy, bread dough rising and brownies cooling.