Dances with Wood

Many know and understand this phrase. Having a wood cook stove as well as an outside wood furnace means that we are in a constant waltz. Last night we fired up the wood furnace for our home and helped the neighbor with hers. Weather.com said that the high today was going to be 70; they lied (currently 57.2). Last night brought a light frost. Ronnie thought we fired up the wood furnace early this year until I came out to blogland and found the entry where the furnace was installed - October 1st! Nope, not early, right on time.

And now for the Halloween blog party, we adore this holiday for numerous reasons. One of my favorite phrases is listed below; I've always wondered who coined this phrase...

Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble
--William Shakespeare Witches in Macbeth 

and now I know. =) Perhaps I can have it memorized in time for October 31.

Tonite we head to James River for an away volleyball game. Have a great October 1!

I had a Meadowlark moment

You know the one Meadowlark was referring to? Where I would be overcome by the urge to scream and throw my work against the wall? Yup. Dat's me. Now it is not the pattern 'cause it does make sense to me, it is totally the knitter. As a old time crocheter, I've not EVER needed to use stitch markers before; something one MUST use when beginning to knit the gusset. And the finished piece just does not look right once the work has been unraveled and then re-placed on the needles. I am not going to pull the work out of the gusset; when the moment is right, I will pick that piece back up, and correct it where I am - including markers! *sighs* I also need to pay attention to when I am knitting instead of multi tasking - something I did often while crocheting.

Over the weekend I did find myself in the Barnes & Noble in Harrisonburg (we were waiting for the teens to finish up in Walmart) and with a white chocolate mocha in hand, I began perusing the knitting books and found one that I loved - the Joy of Sox. LOL Love the title and how the author explains the purpose of the 3-4 needle knitting style for socks. I did not purchase this book at the time - watching the cash-o-la.

Late fall/early winter has set into our county; 48.2 is the high so far! I went home for lunch and had to leave my coat on while in the house. *shakes head* Looks like the wood furnace gets fired up tonite which means wood cutting later this week. I am excited, in a way. Sad that what little summer we had is gone and that fall/winter has come in so quickly. I love this time of year though so not too sad; enjoying the change in seasons.

Adding to the Family

Today I am writing over at Homemakers Who Work. Are you ready for if/when the time comes for a new addition to the family???

*sniffles*

Yes, I am home from work today and have just begun to move around; it is about 1:05pm. Katelyn had a 24 hour flu over the weekend and even though I was in the room long enough to help her, bring food, check on, etc. I think the cootie has found a new home. *sniffles*

The need to eat, read, and knit have brought me from my cootied induced slumber; cook stove is now going with a chicken carcass stewing for soup later on today. That will be our Mabon/Fall Solstice dinner: Chicken noodle or rice (have not decided which one...yet) soup made with carrots from the garden, celery and some onion, homemade bread, and cheap wine. Thank you MrsB for naming our dinner tonite. =)

Mabon/Fall leaves a sweet melancholy feel to my soul. I leave you right now with this:

Socking it

As promised, I have pictures! The cuff still has a few hiccups and I cannot explain why other than this is a learning process. The heel went well and this picture was taken prior to my pulling it out - yes. I pulled out the heel and am redoing it now that I know what I am doing. *cough* What did I learn? At the end of each row you must either knit or purl, depending on the row. You cannot let that last stitch be a slip or it creates a fubar situation. Allow me to demonstrate. . .

This is what it looks like when you slip the last stitch; there should not be that one loop that kinda of runs through each row - this loop does not grow and becomes tight if you have enough rows completed. Thus my, you cannot end a row with a slip; either purl or knit. And this is why I am pulling the work out. If not corrected now, it will create a problem later on. Every row, on both sides, should look like this.

While I was creating, brainstorming, and unraveling, my oldest and her friend finished this pinata for a Spanish class project. This is for decorative purposes only and is not to hold candy and beaten to death with a bat by blindfolded children.
It basically says that our every action affects the earth.

This weekend included 9 pints of apple sauce along with pickling brussel sprouts and banana peppers. Tonite, since I am out of canning materials (namely fruits and veggies) looks like it will be an evening of soup making and knitting.

Oh, I had some beef fat that I had saved to boil down for the tallow (soap making) and I think it burned - smells HORRIBLE! I believe the cook stove was too hot. =/ Any tips/hints on how to boil this down into a usable form? What should it look like when it's done? Is dark brown unusable? *bleck*

Heel time!

Yes, I have 8" of cuff and am ready to begin the heel for my first ever sock! =) Oh, happy day! I pick the girls up from practice at 5:45, come home, change, eat, and then head to the next county for a football game. Normally we would not spend the gas to attend an out of county activity; however, Mariah is supposed to cheer and we need some supplies so it will be a combo trip. I will be knitting! =)

And now for some sweet Giveaways. . .

• Herbal Art Prints
• Sew Mama Sew
• Not Dabbling in Normal

Enjoy your Friday and I will have pictures at some point this weekend.

Ciao.

an overcast day

It was warmer this morning, than in the past few weeks, yet the leaves continue to change; some an uninteresting brown, others flaming red. We did not think the colors would be much since the summer saw so much rain. *shrugs*

The dying is not over, sadly. My laid off coworker's mother in law passed last night while her mother is not doing well. These mothers and in-laws are in their 80s. Ronnie said that odd number years were the dying years - I believe he is right!

In other news, the girls have a home volleyball game this eve and I will be in attendance; sock knitting in hand! This little project has attracted so much attention that perhaps a few ladies will want to get together and learn! I'd love to be part of a little knitting circle.

Other than that, all appears to be quiet. I hope to be more exciting tomorrow! =)

Hormonal Teens

Today I am posting over at Homemakers Who Work about hormonal teens (eek gads!)

Quietly canning

Yes, life has been quiet yet very busy at the Ward House. The quick and dirty:

• I've been in a canning frenzy and have most of it done. Lost a pint of ketchup, though, to a quick drop and a fast stop. Not only did I loose several hours of work but also the jar and lid. *sigh*
• Girls are doing very well in Volleyball (see article below). Katie missed some practice due to a growth spurt. This spurt occurred so quickly that her muscles were unable to lengthen quick enough to accommodate and she was unable to straighten her left leg. Lots of icing and two visits to the physical therapist have her back on track.
  
• It's wood cutting time.
• Working on my sock... still on the cuff. One thing about Katie's P.T. appointments is that I got alot of knitting done.
  
• Work is still crazy. You know. The whole more-work-for-less-money thing.
• An acquaintance and coworker passed away suddenly on Saturday. I'm still in shock over that.

That about sums it up. Today has been more stressful than usual and I broke down and bought a Mountain Dew to wash down some Cheetos. *shudder* So bad for me yet tastes soooo good!

Are you hangry?

It is amazing what one finds when trying to start a fire. In firing up the cook stove and putting back the extra newspaper, I found the most delightful article. This is from the 9/2/09 edition of the Washington Post; page E8 and written by Joe Yonan. I was unable to find it online, so have quoted the parts that I liked the most here. The article title is "When I'm Very, Very Hangry".

The idea of appetizers for one sounds silly: What would I do, pass an hors d'oeuvre tray from one hand to another? Silly or not, at the end of a long workday, I'm so cranky from hunger (what I like to call "hangry") that I need something to snack on quickly while I'm cooking. Otherwise I cannibalize dinner ingredients as I go, turning something like shrimp in tomato sauce over linguini into a multi-course non-meal of shrimp followed by tomato sauce followed by linguini, each element lonely and relatively tasteless without the others.

He goes on to say,

...what I've needed is something vibrant, sharp and satisfying, not bing-inducing".

I can definately relate to being in a hangry state, especially while getting ingredients together and waiting for the cook stove to heat up. What's a hangry girl to do? Have some satisfying, non bing-inducing snackage ready to roll. Mr. Yonan then described some of his favorite snacks including bruschetta. I LOVE bruschetta, however it would take me almost along to throw that together as the meal I was supposed to be creating. The key, I believe, is thinking ahead and even prepping some of it ahead of time. You already know that; I know that. It is one thing to know, another to have it together enough to actually do.

Last month, I bought Artisan Bread in 5-minutes a Day and found the main recipe very easy to use. There are numerous other bread types listed and those I will try someday. Until then, the master recipe is it - so lovely with some goat cheese and a slice of tomato... or not. The veggie or lack thereof, will depend on what is in season, with exception to kale. I am not putting kale on my fresh bread smeared with goat cheese. *bleck*

I know you have some great snack ideas and are dying to share them with me as I appear to be snack challenged. What do you keep on hand to nibble on while you cook?

Rice filled heating pads.

Having worked for a physical therapist, having my personal training license and two daughters in sports, has taught me much about icing and heating; the when's, where's and why's.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional and this is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advise.

Making your own, slushy ice pack is simple: using a ratio of 1:1 rubbing alcohol and water, fill a zip lock bag and seal. Place in another zip lock bag and seal; the second back is for just in case the first one leaks. Then into the freezer. The rubbing alcohol prevents the water from turning to ice so you have an extremely cold ice pack that is moldable. If you really want to benefit from the ice, before placing the pack on the injury, take a wash cloth and get it wet using hot water - as hot as you can stand it - place on the injury first, then the ice pack on top. Top with a dry towel and wait 20 minutes. You can ice, not more than 20 minutes at a time, every 2-hours. I know you are wondering about the hot wash cloth - isnt that contrary? Not really. The hot opens the pores in your skin and pulls the cold in faster and deeper while the fabric prevents direct contact of the cold pack on your skin (can you say frost bite?).

We have always used cold and the P.T. I worked with preferred cold; however, heat was sometimes necessary. We do not own a heating pad and I don't want to buy something that I need to plug in. What's a girl to do? Well, make her own rice filled heating pad! Here is a list of some great tutorials:

• Sectioning a homemade heating pad
• Homemade Lavender heating pad
• Sew-Mama-Sew heating pad
• The Family Homestead
• Tipnut tutorial

Add this to my list of items to create once I have the time. FDL. Perhaps this is why I use mostly ice - no sewing!

Socks

My friend and fellow sock knitter, has hit a snag and it has now become my quest to see if I can find a solution for her. In case you missed the comments from here, she is using Toe Up Techniques for Hand Knit Socks and the pattern says that she must "knit into the purl bump" while in the first row. This really had me floored until I read this from Knitty:

Look at your chain. One side of it will be smooth and look like a row of little "vees." The other side will have a bump in the center of each vee. Using your sock yarn and 2 dpns, knit 1 stitch into the bump in the center of each little vee on the back side of the chain until you

Meadowlark, could this be what the book is talking about???

If we leave the county this weekend, I will pick up a copy of this book.

Let me know Chica!

I have done the unthinkable

No, not that.... or that.... What? Heavens NO! ... Ok, ok. Just stop guessing. I will tell you. Remember my sock knitting? Well it is gone. Yes, pulled everything out, all 4.5 inches of it! I have a very good reason. Remember those strange, invented stitches? Those could not stay. So I've started over. No big deal. Patience? No, not really but apparently so when it comes to knitting.

I hope to have some pictures for you soon.

Ciao!

Tired

I do not have much to say today; kind of worn out. Over the weekend I did a slew of canning and even made ketchup for the first time! And yes, the wood cook stove was used for the whole process. Ronnie bought another bushel of beans so looks like this weekend will involve more canning. I know there were be many sounds of gratitude come this winter; just not feeling it at the moment. =)

I will leave you with this. . .

Going to the County Fair!

I've never been to a county fair before so attending the Highland County Fair was exciting. We missed the farm animal shows (what is the other name for this) but were there for the truck/tractor pulls. It was an exciting day.

We did not leave for the fair early as we were waiting for all the kids to be up (they stayed up late the night before - slumber party) and while waiting, Ronnie and I went out to pick grapes and came back with a bowl full. I think, though, this is all we will get; last falls pruning made this years harvest smaller. Next years should be amazing.

I am thankful for the extra day off (Labor Day) for much cooking and canning:

• (8) half pints of kiwi jam - the neighbor bought more than they could use so she brought it over. We love kiwi. =)
• (7) quarts dill pickles
• Quart of potato soup - this was eaten promptly; no canning.
  
• (2) quarts potato salad for the cookout we attended this evening
• Granola
• biscuits
• (1) pint ketchup

The brussel sprouts are ready and I believe some of these will be dilled. Mmm Mmm Good! Needless to say I am one whipped puppy. Not too whipped, though, to share in the saga of "One girl, four needles and one sock". You can see in the work where I was distracted or had to lay it down mid needle. Some important tips:

1. make sure your yarn is in a ball prior to starting.
2. finish knitting a needle before putting down your work

Once the 'neck' is 8 inches I can begin the heel. Won't that be fun.

Nite all!

Sunday Stills - Rule of Thirds

Yes, you read it correctly; it is the Rule of Thirds and is not related to the Charmed ones. =) Anyway, Ed sums it up nicely here:

As any good photographer can tell you the subject, unless macro should be in the top or bottom third of your viewfinder or the right or left third. so this weeks challenge is to use the rule of thirds. Any subject will do, just make sure it is either in the top or bottom or left or right of the picture.

Example: if shooting the sky have the horizon at the bottom of the pic, if shooting a horse pic have it off to the right or left with a pasture filling the screen. It just takes practice since we all tend to center the subject.

Based on this direction, I would like to submit this praying mantis that was peering in on a little family get together we had a few weekends ago.

For more thirds, please visit here.

Yogurt and ads

Today I am posting over at Homemaker Who Work; brewing probiotics. This does not mean I will not post anything else here today. One never knows.

The sock knitting is going well, though not as fast as I'd like. I carry it with me everywhere so if there a few minutes of nothingness going on, I can whip it out and start knitting. This aways generates questions of "what are you making?" which means I put it down to chat and then the time just slips by. As this projects grows, I am thinking that it would make a great pair of leg warmers. Now, some of you are more experienced (as I am) and grew up in the 80's; these are not the leg warmers to which I refer. The size needles I am using are creating a nice, tight little weave that would be perfect. I know, I know - pictures please! Those will arrive this eve.

Lastly, I am trying something new with this blog and need to know what you think - it is about advertising. Ads are something I am used to seeing on other blogs, sometimes there are too many and others are just right. My questions being: do you use advertising and if so, which company? Not sure I like where mine is positioned on the page. *bleck*

The death of a washer

There was a noisy, painful sounding death at our house last nite. The washer part of our 4 year old, stacked washer/dryer made a horrible racket towards the end of the final rinse and then refused to spin that last time. Well, she spun some, in a 'I'm trying' way so we could at least wring out some of the remaining water prior to hanging the sheets outside. Now, if the dryer broke, that would be non issue as everything gets hung up outside on the line, or if it is too cold, is draped on the wooden drying racks. So today the repair guy comes out to have a look and can hopefully fix it in an hour; paying him to repair is still cheaper than replacing.

This evening it is off to Buffalo Gap to watch the girls play volleyball. From there Ashley and the rest of the varsity team will head to Richmond for a 2 day tournament; she will be home Saturday eve. Finances will not allow me to attend, so I am depending on others for pictures, updates, etc.

** UPDATE **
The repair guy just left and it appears that we need a new spring and belt - the parts will be in tomorrow. Yeah! Just in time for weekend washing. =) It is scary how much I depend upon this machine.

Knitting socks

A busy day today. After getting home, Otis and I went to the garden and found these baby shield bugs (evil) that have been killing my squash plants. How does one get rid of them?

Then Otis enjoyed a dirt bath while I was collecting some tomatoes and peppers. Then it was in to the house to begin dinner and canning. Can you tell I was having some fun with Picasa3?

Now, for the knitting. This is how far I am on the socks. This KPKP combo goes on for 8 inches! I do not believe I am using a large enough pattern. Oh well, these will be good for my niece.

Its on now

Meadowlark and I have been chatting about knitting socks and I even posted about how I wanted to learn to knit a pair. She was gracious enough to send 4 double pointed size 3 knitting needles to complete said project and then posted about how I was going to knit socks! So, it's on now. I have no choice but to begin, especially since falling off the DNTC. *dutifully holds yarn and needles*

So begins the saga- one girl, four needles, one sock.

Giveaways

Tell, me who does not enjoy some giveaway love! Here are some great reads complete with giveaways!

• Rue and Hyssop
• Fabulous Fun Finds
• Life, Craftiness and Everything else

Some great ideas for those participating in the Halloween blog party.

Why do you Homestead?

If the term Homesteading is too broad for what you are doing (large garden, chickens, etc), then revamp the question to Why do you do what you do? My desire to homestead comes from, I believe, growing up with my special forces, let-me-show-you-how-to-make-napon-at-6-years-old, you-need-to-know-how-to-survive, gloom & doom dad with some disgruntlement over current affairs sprinkled on top for color.

What lead to this question was a thought provoking (for me anyway) post from The World To Muse While Waiting For Roanoke (my hometown). His observations, along with those from Sharon over at Casaubon's Book, and Phelan at Homesteading Neophyte (or was it Kansas Preppers) placed in a bright light what it is we are trying to do/live here in Hot Springs: relearn those forgotten skills that will give the largest possible chance at survival. This skills set promises a more healthy lifestyle, better food, sense of personal satisfaction and of community (hopefully).

Oh, good news! Ronnie is bartering work (fixing a window) for a pressure canner with the little weight! Whoo Hoo!

Anyway, this is not to create panic but hopefully a chance for reflection - why do you homestead? What brought you to this lifestyle?

I heart Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite plants, though I have not been successful in wintering it over. This year it is growing in a different spot; someplace that will give it sun through the winter and a warm wall to reflect some heat. Cross your fingers.

I grow herbs that I love to smell and use in the kitchen. If they have a medicinal use, all the better. Rosemary is one of those herbs. Tansy's post over at Not Dabbling prompted me to surf for a medicine chest use for this rosemary and before sharing what was found, allow me to enlighten you as to the most frequent booboo's in our family; scratches and scraps with some occasional splinters sprinkled in for added fun. Rosemary's antibiotic properties are perfect for making a wound wash: 1/2 cup rosemary needles steeped in 2C 90% proof vodka for 6-8 weeks, shake once a week then strain into a dark bottle. I plan to start the steeping tonite!

I've also read where the rosemary scent is good for helping memory recall. This is true if you smell the scent while, say, studying and then smell the scent while taking the test. Can you tell that I tried this? Cannot say if it really helped me or if I was just naturally brilliant on that test. LOL The power of scent is no secret.

Next - Calendula (which is currently in bloom).