Obsession

Over the 4th a friend shared some delicious strawberry yogurt scones with us, and as I have a failed batch of (not-quite-set-)yogurt to use up pronto, I did a little research and found a new recipe to try. And oh goodness, these things are sooo tasty, quick, and more than a little addicting. Think strawberry shortcake in portable form; not so sweet, not so rich, and just right for a morning or afternoon snack. I have 2 quarts of yogurt to use, and so far I've made 3 batches of scones, with no plans to stop now. I'm happily filling my freezer.

The recipe, snagged from here:

Oven 425
Makes 8 scones

2 C flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. butter
3/4 C chopped strawberries
3/4 C plain yogurt

Combine dry, cut in butter, fold in strawberries, then yogurt.

Turn dough onto floured surface and knead a few times. Press out into rectangle, fold into thirds, then double. Press out into 9" round and cut into 8 triangles.

Bake on a flour-dusted cookie sheet, approx. 15 min. or until golden.

Meh

My computer still on the fritz, and I'm using all my afternoon down time to knit and/or stream Wimbledon matches on Todd's tablet pc.

Also it was HOT HOT HOT last week. Hard to do anything when it's 90 degrees out, and 80 degrees in your kitchen/dining/living room.

Another (almost) F/O

I've been meaning to make Roo a doll for a while, now that she's starting to show interest in her stuffed animals and cuddling with things other than rulers and calculators. So I knit her this:

(The second arm is still on the needles and coming soon.)

She'll also get a dress, and maybe eventually a pair of pants and a sweater. Roo likes to pull out her hair.

The pattern is Airy Fairy from Zoe Mellor's Knitted Toys, and Ravelry details are here.

Meep!

My laptop screen is on the out. So I'm borrowing Todd's tablet pc (fancy!) when I can, but posting may be light for a bit.

At least it's forcing me to read more! :)

Anniversary!

Celebrating a very happy number six today! This guy's my best friend, and it's awesome that he and I have each other along for the ride.

And on to a crazy busy week we go!

Roo's pillows

I have another fabulous project to share, and this one was in no way conceived nor executed by me. My wonderful friend Bonnie, who has the admirable and enviable talent of knowing how to crochet, made a set of cuddle pillows for Roo. And oh, are they enjoyed! For a while there she wouldn't nurse unless she was clutching both of them, and they now preside at the top of her bed for nightly assurance and encouragement.

So mad props and big thanks to Bonnie for such a thoughtful gift and for making Roo's bedroom an even lovelier place.

(If only they could magically revive that wonderful, brief time when Roo was actually sleeping through the night!)

Picnic Blanket

My friend April gave me some fabric to make two picnic blankets about a year ago, and I finally started sewing the first one together on Mother's Day. I was totally winging it, making the steps up as I went, and it was my first time sewing with either fleece or nylon, but it turned out okay.

Pretty good, in fact. And I think the second one is going to be even better... if I get around to making it near enough in the future to remember what I learned this time around.

It's already been on two picnics with Roo. Also, I love the umbrellas. April has good taste.

Baby Blue

This was another pattern from the same designer; also perfect for little hands to squish. The body of the bird is a lovely egg shape that tempts me to knit a dozen in various colors for next Easter. Lots of fun to squeeze and toss and pack into an Easter basket.

But anyway, this little birdy was also knit in the round, and I decided on stockinette rather than garter stitch for the body. I thought that the garter stitch wings and tail then made a nice contrast.

Ravelry details here.

Little Lulu

This little darling is made following the suggested yarn for the pattern; the only modification being that I knit in the round to avoid a zig-zag seam up the back of the shell. Plus, it's so satisfying to knit something off the needle and be able to stuff it and move on... Seaming = boo.

He was knit from leftover yarn from my massive spate of summer-weight baby blankets. Roo loved him; I need to make her one sometime. They're the perfect size to be smooshed in small hands.

Same pattern as yesterday's f/o. Ravelry details here.

Fin/Ob Week!

Man, I've been sitting on pictures from some spring knitting projects for a while now, so how about a finished objects week?

I knitted this in record-time back at the end of April for the arrival of a friend's baby boy. The pattern makes a tiny, tiny turtle, about 3" nose to flipper tip, with DK yarn; using super bulky yarn and size 10 needles this big guy has a respectable 9" spread. Much better for grabbing.

Details at Ravelry.

Rhubarb pie

For Jen:

Double-crust pastry:
2 C flour
2/3 C butter (or shortening, or a combination of the two)
6-7 Tbsp. cold water

For filling:
combine 3/4 C sugar (2/3 C if you like it extra tart like I do), 1/4 C flour, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon in a big bowl, add
4 C chopped rhubarb, mix gently to coat

Bake at 375 for 45-55min. Top crust should be golden and filling should be bubbly in the vent holes (or around the rim where you didn't quite seal the pastry together :D).

Garden Update

Since our garden this year is exclusively from leftover seed packets from 1, 2, and 3 years ago, with nothing started early in flats, we've pretty much been skeptical from the beginning. Todd threw down some spinach and leek seeds back in late March or early April, and we have some scraggly nascent leek shoots from that endeavor. And then I went for an all-out planting extravaganza at the end of April, or maybe it was May Day weekend, but in any case my diligent watering has yielded two strong lines of minuscule mustard greens, a healthy showing of tiny beet greens, and well, a sprinkling of weeds. Onions, carrots, peppers, spinach - no sign of 'em.

ED: I lied: we have tomatoes and basil coming up! And lots of cilantro from the new seeds. And maybe even a pepper!

My great accomplishment is a small zigzag of chickpea plants - all seven seeds I planted are up - and I'm having surprising success with nasturtiums in the big planters out front and scattered in the front border, probably an 80% sprout rate with those seeds. It seems to have helped that I soaked them overnight before planting.

The sweet peas? Out of the 30-ish seeds Roo and I planted, we have two little vines coming up. I'm still waiting...

Progress

I made massive progress this afternoon, finishing up three knitting/sewing projects. Which I haven't photographed yet, but maybe tomorrow?...

Still in WIP phase is the summer shirt I'm knitting for Roo, and the 'Fish on a Line,' and then there's that quilt I'm making for Roo's first birthday (ha! ha ha ha!) and her Christmas stocking, and then there's the queue. Oh, the queue.

Rhubarb

Nothing so tasty as fresh home-made rhubarb pie. Well, okay, maybe it's a tie with those pork chops we made last Friday.

There's a big art fair and music festival downtown this weekend, and I'm excited to go check out the action. We even have a good friend playing the main stage on Sunday - right when Roo usually naps, so I hope we can figure out a way to make it. Fingers crossed.