Emptyknitster

I finished my third annual Stash Dash Sock Leftover Afghan and am happy with the results. What a lovely way to use up all the sock yarn leftovers! Pattern: Make a Long Story Short by Wanda Sowizdrzal Yarn: Leftover bits and bobs of 80%/20% sock yarn Colorway: all sorts of colors!! Needle Size: US Size 4 Pattern: Vanilla Socks Yarn:Schachenmayr Regia Twed Color 4fadig/4ply Colorway: 7495 Winterzauber Needle Size: US Size 1 Total as of today: 6,661.8 meters

We had another fun Friday on zoom with the family. As always everyone thought the picture of grandpa and grandma was "the hardest yet."   (Above is this week's winner.) In the 1930's and 40's muscular men were known as "beef cakes" and cute little gals were called "cupcake" or "sweetie." Obviously the husband still sees himself as a real beef cake!

Last December I picked up a couple of cans of pumpkin for pumpkin bread and pumpkin curry soup. The family loves to have a slice of pumpkin bread toast in the morning with their coffee or soup for a quick lunch. But when I got home it was pumpkin PIE FILLING and into the pantry the cans went. The next time I stopped by the grocery store, I bought several more cans of pumpkin only to get home only to find they too were cans of pie filling. In the end there was no bread or soup for the family. We are not a pumpkin pie family so they've been sitting in the pantry gathering dust. These days of Covid and trying to staying home as much as possible, I've been trying to use as much of the existing stored food as possible. I found this recipe, and  feel it's good enough to share.  Pumpkin Muffins  (makes 24)     1 ½ cups whole wheat flour     1 ½ cups all-purpose flour     5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice     2 teas...

This week's art challenge was my choice. I thought we'd chill and produce a still life. I was impressed by everyone's artwork. Still Life With Apples (1893-94) Paul Cezanne  Above is this week's winner. Some artist's grocery orders arrived late, others went to the store but didn't like apples and bought tomatoes so there would be no waste, others just went to the store, bought the apples and will eat them whether they want to or not!

Yesterday it rained all day and gave us an inch of moisture! No better way to spend my afternoon than to finish the quilt I'd started weeks earlier. This quilt was made from leftover fabric from the puppy dog quilt, nice but not a favorite. It will keep a baby warm someday!

This week's art challenge was inspired by our stay on the Tongue River Reservoir...  by Hubby   by Vincent Van Gogh  Above is this week's winner. All the family feels a bit stagnant, but live is changing slowly. Some family members are back at work, some starting new jobs, another can stay home until they are "comfortable" returning. College finals have been taken this week and a new quarter starts next. Hubby and I have three acres almost weed free. All's well with the new normal.

Once again Hubby is the documented winner of the family First Fawn of the Season Competition. The finish is a bit early this year but won fair and square.

I finished another pair of So Ugly They're Cute Socks and a Wrap Me Up Sweater Scarf. Pattern: Wrap Me Up Sweater Scarf by Knitatude / Chantal Miyagishima Yarn: Lion Brand Touch of Merino Colorway: Oxford Grey Needle Size:  US Size 6 and 10 Pattern: Fish Lips Kiss Heel Yarn: Leftover Bits and Bobs Colorway: Whatever Needle Size:US Size 1 This year I'm dashing to the 10,000 K finish line... 2,102 meters done... 7,880 meters to go!

Yesterday, the family spent the morning with Nonna Nerina making cannelloni virtually from Italy. What a special treat! Nonna was more the helper than chef but her grandaughter, Chiara, was an outstanding instructor explaining everything in English while visiting with Nonna in Italian. The girls and I had all ingredients bought and prepped before we logged into the site, "traveling" 30 miles from Rome into Nonna and Chiara's castle. Nonna and her family have lived there for many years. Nonna's husband had made wine on a press located in the kitchen but no an uncle uses the press only occasionally to keep the tradition alive and granddaughter, Chaira, knows the old family pasta recipes which they still use on a daily basis. Nonna showed us how to use a pasta rolling pin which is approximately three feet long while we struggled to roll our pasta dough out with a standard size rolling pin. We were told how to make the pasta dough on the wooden boards and then...

This week's art challenge, The Therapist, 1937 by Rene Magritte. The Weary Traveler:  In this artist rendition the Weary Traveler feels the use of a face mask represents the feeling of being trapped in a cage, the margarita represents the alcohol he uses for a crutch and the white owl represents the wisdom he possesses internally to navigate through these trying times.    Above is this week's winner. The Tipsy Bohemian Backpacker