Winter Walk

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We've had a bit of a winter storm the last couple of days...

Looking out

Footprints

Corner Stop

Sitting Waiting

Long Walk



Snow...

Blue Skies

Wordless Wednesday- Feb 24th

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All Made Up

Books 1-3 for 2010

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The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis

While the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is my favorite of the Narnia chronology this is my least favorite.  Not to say the book is without its merits.  It’s a wonderful introduction into the history of how Narnia comes to be.  It’s filled with imagination and wonderful sense of humor.  The story itself, however, is fluffed up with clichés and redundant actions.  I understand riding oneself of an evil witch from another world would prove difficult, but surely this task could be completed in a more timely and concise manner.  Or perhaps without the constant meddling of the boy’s uncle who proves to be more of a clichéd nuisance than any help at all.

Rating: 3/5 (higher for a younger (or young at heart) reader who may be more inclined to find the magician’s lovesick follies amusing.)

By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder

As the she grows the world around Laura shifts, reshaping itself to meet this new perspective.  While this subtle shift in narration is present in the prior books, this is the first that addresses this directly.  Following her family’s illness and her sister Mary’s subsequent blindness Laura’s view of the world  matures while still maintaining that quirky temperament and humorous outlook she’s always had.

Like the books that follow, By the Shores of Silver Lake sheds light on the development of the world outside the Wilder family.  The building of the American railroad system is featured heavily, mention of woman’s fashion and of proper education surface more often than in the prior books painting a wonderful picture of American pioneer life.

While it was the first two books (Little House In the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie) that I most adored growing up, By the Shores of Silver Lake in no way lacks the things I love most about this series.

Rating: 5/5 (for both lovers of historical fiction and for those just looking for a good read.)


A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

I absolutely loved the narrative voice in this book, halfway through the first page and I was hooked.  Nomi the narrator paints a beautifully tragic picture of the world from her vantage point within a conservative Mennonite town.  Her love of sarcasm and her rebellious nature persistently show themselves as she draws out the tale of her life.

The book starts with Nomi revealing the recent departure of both her mom and older sister, setting the stage for the struggle Nomi endures; as the story unfolds her life unravels.  Given the unconventional plot structure laughter becomes sorrow with a turn of the page.  Each flashback creates a piece of the puzzle that when put together leaves you at the end of the book much like Nomi.  Sitting waiting to see where her life leads and as with the rest of book hoping she finds what she really wants: her family.

The book does have an occasional slow spot, but does pick up rapidly afterwards.  There are also several places where Nomi’s intent is unclear as she strings together seemingly unconnected events.  This can lead to some confusion, particularly in the middle section of the book.  Personally I found this charming; these sequences were the puzzle pieces with the unidentifiable patterns, the oddballs that in their own way draw everything together.

Rating: 4.5/5

Don't break My Heart- Knitted Heart Pattern

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Knitted Heart...

This month’s theme for the Ravelry one skein KAL is ‘February is for lovers’, at the beginning of the month I didn’t have any projects in the running (since then everyone seems to want something ;) ) so I decided to do up a bunch of hearts.  I figured they’d be quick, something fun I could do while watching tv or during study breaks.  The only thing was I couldn’t find a pattern to make them up in the round, so I modified one by Mochimochi Land.

Supplies:
Yarn
Two circular needles to fit yarn weight (you can do this with dpns as well but you’ll need a different cast on and a stitch marker to mark the halfway point in the round where the pattern repeats)
Yarn or other large-eyed needle
Stitch holder of some sort (a third circular needle or piece of scrap yarn works best)
Favorite fluffy material/fiber fill

Cast on 6 stitches using Judy’s Magic Cast-on
Row 1: k1, kfb, knit to last stitch on needle kfb, repeat on the second needle
Row 2: knit

Repeat rows one and two 6 more times (34 st)

Row 15: k7, kfb, transfer the remaining 9 stitches and the first 8 stitches from the second needle to a stitch holder, k9
Row 16: knit (18 st)
Row 17: k1, k2tog k6, repeat on the second needle (16 st)
Row 18: k1, k2tog, k3 k2tog, repeat on the second needle (12 st)
Row 19: k1, k2tog, k1 k2tog, repeat on the second needle (8 st) Bind off. Cut a 20-24" tail. Pull yarn through both sides of the heart (bring yarn around front and thread to back--to close the top)and then weave tail down to remaining stiches. Stuff bottom section and finished side of the heart.

Divide remaining stitches onto two circs, 8 and 9 stitches respectively
Row 20: k7, kfb, k9
Row 21: knit (18 st)
Row 22: k1, k2tog k6, repeat on the second needle (16 st)
Row 23: k1, k2tog, k3 k2tog, repeat on the second needle (12 st)
Row 24: k1, k2tog, k1 k2tog, repeat on the second needle (8 st) Stuff remaining portion of the heart. Bind off (and add extra stuffing if desired). Close the top of the heart as above and thread tail to the center of the heart to close any gaps. Sew in ends.

For private use only.  Credit for the original heart shape goes to Mochimochi Land.

Winter…

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Becca and I have been discussing the merits of the seasons.  I’ve been pining for weather warm enough to wear a dress and she’s been itching for snow.  Mostly she makes me jealous of blue skies and green things and I tease her with photos of snow and fun wintery things.  This is one of those posts, complete with gloomy winter photo.



Winter Storm Warning
 Sandy, Blue Skies
 Frosted
Winter Travel

Wordless Wednesday- Jan 17th

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….and the groundhog saw his shadow

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Summer's Here

How to tell you’ve got cabin fever
  • It’s 20 degrees and snowing when you left this morning but it feels like spring
  • You’ve started knitting a hat for spring weather
  • You’re currently sorting through projects you haven’t touched in years looking for one to finish/discard
  • You’ve been baking up a storm
  • You’re pouring over seed catalogues and diagramming gardens
  • You’re counting down the days till the baby chicks arrive at the farm store
  • You step in every mud puddle you can find because it’s MUD
  • You’re tempted to buy green veggies shipped from New Zealand because their green and springy
  • You forget to turn the hot water on in the shower until you get in
  • You run out to get the mail without your shoes on
  • You picked out a skirt to wear until you realized you’d freeze before you even made it to the bus stop
  • You think warm weather is almost here…in another three months

Wordless Wednesday- Feb 10th

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Waking up


Cooking From Scratch-- Crackers

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I’ve got a couple of book/movie posts coming so I figured I should post something a bit more typical of me before I got started with all that.  I’ve made mention to several people that I’ve started making my own crackers.  This tends to be met initially with surprise and then curiosity.  When I first came across the recipe I was quite surprised myself; I’d considered making pretzels but had completely skipped over crackers.

The recipe I’ve included in this post is one shared by an Alberta 100-mile dieter with a knack for picking out some awesome recopies.  The original post for anyone interested is here.

I’ve learned a couple of things having gone through this process quite a few times now:
  • When using whole wheat flour add the extra liquid required (I use about double) but hold off on adding extra flour until after you’ve let the dough set for 10 or so minutes.
  • Do chill the dough.  It makes rolling it out immensely easier.
  • I prefer my crackers crispy and golden, rolling them out thinner than not helps with this.
  • Using a dough scrapper works better for removing and transporting the crackers from where you’ve rolled and cut them.  Using a knife works well but it tends to fatten up your crackers which is counterproductive to my above objective.
  • Make lots and lots of these crackers at once.  They don’t stick around very long.

Flax Crackers
Ingredients:
1/4 cup whole flax seed
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp butter or non-hydrogenated margarine (I used organic, 20-mile canola oil)
1/2 skim milk (I made the milk from dehydrated skim milk powder left over from camping trips)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325F (160C)
2) In a bowl, combine whole flax seed, ground flax seed, flour, baking powder, salt and butter/margarine. Using a pastry cutter or a mixer on low speed, mix well.
3) Using a mixer, or by hand, sitr in milk and mix until mixture forms a soft dough.
4) Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
5) Divide the dough into quarters. place one of the quarters on a lightly floured board and using a rolling pin, roll it into a very thin rectangle, about 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick cut into 2 1/2 inch squares.
6) Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.
7) Repeat steps #5 and #6 with the remainder of the dough.
8 ) Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until crisp and golden.