The F Files: fibre, farming, food

Taking Turns, Taking Care

2026-03-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

March 25, 2026

It was too good to be true. None of us had been even close to ill for years. We were going to get hit by some bug or other at some point. At work, and while out, there was talk about the "new cold." I should've clued in immediately that it was the latest version of Covid. A server at IHOP, where Bestie and I meet for breakfast every other week, said her throat had been beyond sore for days, someone else said: oh, my sil had that; it was bad. How bad you might be asking....

As the saying goes I wouldn't wish this new version on my worst enemies, of which I do not think I have any...that I'm aware. Do people have worst enemies? That's kind of a grade three thing, isn't it? Are we kicking ourselves for not getting vaccinated this past fall. Yes. My dil, Cookie, caught it on the plane home from vacation or so she thinks. KiKi caught it at Uni, at work, on the SkyTrain, her fave thrift store? I'm not pointing fingers at anyone. Naturally, the IceMan caught it from me. I'm so sorry, hubs!

To say "sore throat" isn't even close. For five days, swallowing was a harrowing experience. I liken it only to swallowing shards of glass. The headaches, stuffed sinuses, body aches were of zero consequence to the shredded throat. Sleeping wasn't really happening for any of us. The IceMan and I stopped sending each other Instragram stuff, laughing hurt far too much.

What to take to sooth our frayed throats kicked into high gear. KiKi clutched her bottle of Buckley's. The IceMan bought us boxes of Tylenol cold and cough drops: mine were extra menthol, his were cherry. They say opposites attract. In our case, it couldn't be more true. Two cases of chicken noodle soup were purchased and it wasn't even a Save-On case lot sale.

I started to look forward to 8pm, the time I'd deemed ripe for a shot of Nyquil. Around day seven, my throat was feeling less raw, although talking was painful. I've never drank so much cold water so slowly in my life. Yes, we were all big babies, except for the throat part. All of us rarely get sick, I think it's the amount of garlic we eat. Either we are repelling people or people are just naturally avoiding us.

KiKi is feeling much better and is quite enjoying her cough-induced raspy voice. The cough is epic. It's like the IceMan and I are trying to see who has the deepest, rumbliest, nasty sounding like hard smokers cough. Safe to say we've entered the expectorant stage of this version of Covid. We routinely disgust each other, then laugh, then regret laughing about it. In this case, laughter is not the best medicine. Watching the news is worse.

Second Son, asked if we'd like a pizza tonight for dinner, his treat. That's awesome, but no. We are still on a soup and soft food kind of diet. I've eaten far too much chicken noodle soup of all types: canned, dried, homemade, et al. The IceMan requested spaghetti with butter for dinner tonight...maybe, your homemade tomato sauce he said, because I'd over blitzed the last batch I made into a super smooth version. Look, it was just so mesmerizing watching the hand held blender do it's thing. As I can't taste anything, I don't care what we have for dinner. The thought of more chicken soup was even too much for the hubs. We had pizza for dinner. Second Son's fave pizza place makes thin but chewy pizza. It looked great. Tasted like cardboard, if I'd ever eaten cardboard...smelled like cardboard...

The IceMan likes being outside right now. It's cold on me, were the only words he managed to choke out before coughing like he was hacking up a lung. Anyway, he's happily outside, filling seeding trays in order to begin this year's batch of tomatoes. I'm not sure how many types he's growing this year but most likely if I were to wander over there would be Sungold, Sakura, Black Krim, and Early Girl. Toms are the IceMan's babies and I leave that up to him. So far, and it's a little late because it's been so wet, the hub's has seeded kale, chard, zinnias, lettuces, and some other green things my cough-addled brain can't remember at the moment.

Of course, life goes on whether one is feeling well or incapable of walking up stairs without feeling exhausted. The chickens and ducks needed tending. A coyote jumped the electric fence and made a meal of one of my Lavender Legbars and one of the white Muscovey hens. It's always a risk when there are a few birds who refuse to stay inside the safety of the coop and fenced yard. Despite out best efforts to keep them safe, a few insist on literally flying out. It's always, always disheartening seeing that pile of feathers, seeing the paw prints, but that's farming. There will always be some losses.

We were very thankful that there wasn't any damage done to our place despite the multiple Pineapple Expresses that hit the Lower Mainland. It was insane amounts of rain and we've seen a great deal of rain in the past few months. We were all grateful it wasn't snow.

A close friend recently spent a few weeks in Hawaii. I can't remember what island she was on, but she was on the windy side, so they escaped the flooding situation happening there. She said the wind was crazy, that it screamed around them when they tried going for walks. Ear plugs were a must, apparently. At least it was warm, she said, and we made it to the airport.

While we were all wrapped up and spent the majority of our days in what passed for pj's, we amused ourselves by watching the women's World Curling Championships. It was wonderful to see so many new teams arrive on the scene and play like seasoned professionals. Canada came second to the very young Swiss team who played exceptionally. And, yes, we will be watching the men's World Curling Championships when they begin on Friday.

A knitting buddy asked me if I was knitting through this version of Covid. I said, sometimes. I knit a great deal when my throat was ragged, it kept me from thinking about it so much. I finished a pair of socks for a friend, two store samples, and started another pair of simple ribbed socks for me to wear this summer in my barn boots.

Well, I think I've complained enough for now. Time to chuck in a load of laundry, maybe pick up that sock and watch the latest episode of Game of Wool: Britain's Best Knitter.

Take care,

Cat

Chocolate IS NOT a meal!

2026-02-02T22:34:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2026

When we were on the way home, the IceMan decided he needed to stop at the grocery store for "some stuff and something for dinner tomorrow." Having eaten all of the chocolate in the house after a particularly stressful January, much to the dismay of KiKi, I asked him to pick up some chocolate for her. "What kind of chocolate, what kind, with nuts, without nuts, what?" Whatever is on sale I said.

Okay, so I rarely go into any store with the husband. Why? Because he strides through the store at great speed and with equal determination to get his list finished as quickly as possible.Obviously, its a competition happening only his head. My arthritic knees and I can't keep up, nor do I want to truth be told. The only thing that deters the man is a slow stroll through the cookie aisle. The IceMan loves all cookies with the exception of oatmeal chocolate chip/raisin. My personal favourite, of course.

Anyway, he comes back to the car and immediately (and loudly so the non-existent people in the back seat can hear) says: "chocolate is not a meal!" I purse my lips but can't contain my laughter. I tried, honestly, I tried not to laugh, but it was impossible. I alternately laughed, giggled, snorted...I bit my lip, I bit the inside of my cheek, hard. Nothing worked. At one point, I did manage to point out that he'd never experienced a menstrual cycle, pre/during/post. Also, not pre/during/post menopause or a day in the life a female person, ever. Chocolate may not make a great meal, (it's not like I haven't tried...) but it can be a great and instant healer for all sorts of things.

So, we make it home with me still trying not to laugh. He turns and looks at me and says: I'm so glad I amuse you!" To be fair, one of the things I love about the IceMan the most is his terrific sense of humor. He's terribly funny, to me. Do I care if his family never sees this side of him (and don't believe it exists) or that the kids rarely see him as being funny, no, not a bit. Now, granted, this was unintentionally funny. Perhaps, this is when he's the funniest. He doesn't get mad, or tell me to stop laughing, because he's happy I'm laughing and knows he has little to no understanding of what it's like to be a female human being.

We've all been unintentionally funny at our own expense. One of my dearest friends sends me a picture of whatever shirt she's wearing that day, buttoned wrong, every year on my birthday. This incident, me wearing my shirt buttoned wrong and her laughing and pointing at me--at least she didn't trip over the curb and hurt herself--happened at least a quarter of a century ago. Alas, I didn't take it as well as my husband did this afternoon. I blushed a brilliant red because my lack of perfection was embarrassingly on display and was not so humbly pointed out to me. Twenty-five birthdays later, I laugh and smile every time my friend sends me a new birthday pic. It's a wonderful reminder of how much our lives have experienced since then and how we are still really great friends even if we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like.

Speaking of chocolate, I've been spinning my way through this gorgeous chocolate brown Corriedale lamb fleece I bought ages ago. Its lovely. I openly swoon everything time I sit down at my wheel and spin it. Honestly, I think I'm taking my sweet time because I'm going to be sad when I've finished with it. The current plan is to spin the entire fleece, three-ply it, and then knit a perfectly practical cardigan for myself with the yarn.

Stay you and eat chocolate.

Take care,

Cat

Changes in the ... weather?

2026-01-28T00:19:00.000-08:00

January 27th, 2025

It was too good to last, all this rain-free, cool/cold clear skies weather. Alas, rain is happening for the next few days. Dare I say "we need it," given there are predictions of "one of the hottest summers on record" forecast? We never did get snow--all the other provinces and territories got that. Rain, of course, means these past two weeks of non-muddy eggs will be a thing of the past. Washing eggs is one of my favourite things to do; I rarely consider it a chore. There's something so satisfying about lining up the freshly washed eggs row by row on a clean tea towel and admiring how different they are from each other.

The Isa Browns in particular are more creative with their varying shades of red clay brown. Some are heavily speckled, some smooth and dark, others a little rough on the narrower end with artistically placed extra bumps (these are usually laid by older hens). I'd really like to know who is laying the pale beige egg with the dark circles on either end. Suspect number one is our only Barred Rock Hen (who was supposed to be a rooster), Purdy. She's a big girl, beautifully feathered and matches with Handsome--who really is a rooster. Handsome is a brilliant boy, fully in charge without question from the other roosters. Ben Ben and Ben Bo (look, after a while, it's hard to come up with names) are both White Leghorn roosters. Neither are particularly large, which is good. I don't need a rooster that is the size of a medium dog!

We've got one home grown rooster, Play Boy, fathered by one of the White Leghorns and a Isa Brown hen. He's almost pure white, but has a cream collar and wings tinged with rust. Play Boy knows when a hen hasn't come back when it's time to head into the coop. How he knows, I've got no idea--can he count, are the other hens gossiping about "that Penny, Laverne or Lexy?" Given all of our Isa hens are called Penny, the leghorns Lexy and the Leg Bars Laverne...anyway, we know someone is missing because he refuses to go into the chicken run and clucks frantically until one or more stragglers come running back.

One of our neighbors was surprised the boys rarely fight. I shrugged and said, they've got it made, why fight? It's true. Everything living or born on the farm gets to stay that way until they pass. When I go into the chicken coop, I'm not looking for dinner! Supposedly, this makes us not real farmers. So? I just can't eat anything that comes when you call it by name or peers at you through the kitchen window or knocks on the back door for treats. I've no problem yanking turnips or carrots out of the ground--supposedly, they scream. I happily cut tomatoes from the vine, slice zucchini's from their mother stem, dig up potatoes, and make decidedly precise cuts into a homegrown cantaloupe. I decapitate parsley, sage, rosemary and cilantro without a thought other than how much better dinner will taste with them sprinkled or stirred into it. I'm really glad I didn't get the "soap taste" gene when it comes to cilantro.

The husband has been ordering seeds and spuds tonight. I'm not sure what he's ordered other than we had a ten minute conversation about trying a new potato variety, Kennebeck. Why the new spud? The ones we usually order were not available. For us, it was a rather short discussion. Over the years, we've stuck with the staples that goers to our farmers market prefer along with trying a few new things every year just because. Last year, a chef we sell quinces to asked us to grow Sun Chokes. After a very long growing season, a hard frost is necessary to sweeten the chokes and stunt its gassy nature. We weren't sure what we'd be digging up--it took a long time for that hard frost to happen last year. Finally, it frosted hard. Pictures we'd seen showed golf-ball sized tubers...well, ours were enormous. The harvest was huge, too. Of the ten tubers we bought, only seven survived. Seventy pounds. Seventy pounds of knobby, weird looking alien-things were dug up. With the soil washed off, too. Our chef was delighted. He bought all seventy pounds to make chips, purees, whatever else one does with Sun Chokes. I still haven't eaten one...

Well, I've managed to avoid watching the news again tonight. Hopefully, there will be no tossing and turning, stewing and sweating over things I can't change and wish weren't happening, but are. Good thing I've got plenty of knitting and crocheting project to work on. Now, if only I could stop clenching my jaw.

Take care of you,

Cat

Happy 2026!

2026-01-23T15:24:00.000-08:00

January 23, 2026

It's been incredibly wild weather-wise here on the Lower Mainland of BC. We've had at least two, "pineapple expresses," Abby flooded again (as did parts of Washington State). We're now experiencing a couple of weeks of sun with snow expected tomorrow and rain possible by Thursday. It's always a surprise, every day.

The week before Christmas was ridiculously warm. So warm that what remains of our hazelnut orchards began blooming. It's a good thing we don't rely on the orchards for income because there will be few to no hazelnuts this year. While it was warm, lovely, it wasn't warm enough for honey bees or bumbles to come out to and get down to business. Good thing I planted all those varieties of willows decades ago--still looking to make time to learn how to make baskets. The pollen produced by those trees (many varieties with staggered bloom times) will at least give the bees some sustenance until the fruit orchard starts to bloom.

I'm inside today doing some much needed laundry, cleaning, and keeping an eye on the pot of beef bone broth I've got reducing on the stove. This batch I've deemed "medicinal" given it's got two full heads of garlic, a large red onion, and a big knob of ginger simmering in it. I may be the only person drinking this and I'm okay with that. After dispensing this batch into containers, I'm starting another batch for beef barley soup. Everyone in the house loves that.

Knitting and crochet projects are currently tied with which one(s) are calling for my attention. Currently, I've got a pair of socks on the go which should've been finished ages ago...my fault as I decided to knit them two at a time but using two different methods. Double points and two sixteen inch circular needles. I keep alternating between them, so neither seem to be working up all that quickly.

Crochet is so much fun and so very different from knitting. I love it. I'm keeping myself away from doing anything more than admiring Janie Crowfoot's latest offering. No time, no time, no time for starting anything new, I'm afraid as I've several other projects I'd like to potentially finish this year. Right now, I'm focusing on the blankets I've got started and remain unfinished. Did this stop me from hooking up a square linen stitch blanket, no, it did not. The center square is wonky, was wonky every time I restarted it and finally just left because who doesn't enjoy a little wonky in their life? As that particular blanket is going into the "for whomever needs a blanket bin" I'll have to leave a little note with it saying just that: enjoy the warmth and wonk!" Hmm, does it sound a little weird? Oh well.

The world is more than a little wonky right now. Let's just say I've decided I'm going through my stash as a mental health exercise and have listed several projects on my Ravelry page that will not only use up my stash (hopefully more than several skeins) with the resulting knitted and crocheted items going to a friend who has two charity craft sales a year. The entire monies collected go toward what I consider to be a very worthy charity. Will my efforts makes a difference? I hope so. I will always choose to hold onto hope.

The husband has been programming again, this time (or should I say: once again) for the new Commodore 64. I can see his brain moving under his skull--okay, not really, but those gears turning are loud. He's so happy! Unlike watching him do "math with no purpose yet" when he went back to university in his forties, he's not holding his head and telling me his brain hurts can you make me a cup of tea. When I do math in my head it never hurts, just saying.

There is a surprising amount of math used for knitting and crochet projects. All those people saying knitting, crochet, weaving, and embroidery are just old granny crafts--well, so? Should I also point out that without those "granny crafts" no one in ancient times would've survived. Some will never get the point--they clearly don't do math in their heads.

I've no idea how my Suffolk-born Gran, Florence Annie, knit sweaters without a pattern or how she knit me beautiful sweaters just by looking at me. The sweaters always fit well, with a bit of room to grow, she'd say. I regret not keeping the last sweater she knit me--who knew it would be the last--but I wore it until I was through the elbows and well before cropped sweaters were a thing.

Well, the washer is telling me another load is done and it's time for an afternoon cuppa.

Take care of you,

Cat

Knitting, Crocheting & Farming to Stay Sane

2025-06-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

As much as I like to stay informed, there are days when I wish I didn't need to. Canada has become enemy number one in the Chief Cheetos mind. Every day things get a little weirder, and then weirder again. It's difficult to explain how one feels when someone, out of the blue, ruins decades of calm alliance and decides your country should be part of theirs. Think about how you'd feel if someone decided that about your country. You wouldn't like it either.

To counteract all the negativity, I've been knitting, crocheting and seeding trays with a plethora of things to ease the tension determined to stay right between my eyes. The zinnias are beautiful. The chard and kale are positively shiny with health. The snow and sugar snap peas are fairly bursting with crunchiness. The chickens and ducks are happily running around in what's left of the hazelnut orchards--there are days when I never ever want to leave the farm.

Nervous, sometimes angry energy meant several baby blankets were cast-on and then undone after I decided I should finish the two, three or four I've already started. Knitting two or three squares on my mitered square blanket a day is a rainbow flag of colour and reminds me that grey skies usually mean rain--which is good for our farms crops. The weather this spring has been interesting? Typical Wet Coast stuff involving rain, sun, hail, sun, too much sun, too much rain, and then a few mercifully cooler days thrown in for good measure.

I'm still on my search to yarn match the various shades of blue-green eggs our two remaining Ameraucana hens lay. Somehow, we managed to put ten of their eggs in one of our incubators. It was a dice game to see how many would hatch and how many would be hens or the not much needed roosters. Roosters are pretty, though, even if they are almost-but-not-quite useless. Turned out to be our worst hatch ever! Two chicks hatched, one creamy yellow and one black with a white dot on the top of it's head. Somehow, we created our own version of a sex-link! Unfortunately, what I assume would've been a rooster, the black chick had struggled to hatch and never really got off the ground.

The creamy yellow chick needed friends, although she seemed settled with beanie baby cow and the mirror I put in for her. Anyway, I contacted a friend who runs a small hatchery and purchased five Lavender Legbars. While I know the Legbars will lay blue eggs, I've got no idea what colour of eggs the half Ameraucana, half: White Leghorn or Isa Brown (the males look like Barred Rocks, the females are coppery brown with cream) or Columbian Rock will lay. Time will tell.

The puff stitch blanket I was crocheting for KiKi's boyfriend was put on hold some time ago. While crochet does eat yarn like there's no tomorrow, and even with all the lovely shades of blue, green, yellow, orange, and red--I got a little disinterested. Another crochet project is a rug done in neon pink, green, blue, and two shades of purple--this time in single crochet. Going through my stash, there were significant amounts of worsted-weight cotton that was just begging to made into just about anything. Plus, there are at least two granny square blankets I started last summer...When the farming gets less intense, I'll take some pics and post them and hopefully finish one of them.

Every year is different for farming. Weather and seed availability dependent, it's the ultimate act of hope and gambling. Today, I finished pulling scapes from the four beds of garlic we'd planted in the fall. Four beds, four cloves across, fifty feet long. We've got scapes by the bushel! There are a lot of sturdy green, curly and edible flower stalks sitting in the cooler portion of our shipping container waiting for sale or for me to do something with them. Unless you grow garlic, or have a friend who does, you may never have seen a scape. Some Asian restaurants serve garlic scapes in stir fries using them much like green beans. While often described as mildly garlic flavoured, I tried one raw...there was nothing mild about that particular scape! A zingy, strongly garlic bomb burst on my tongue in a pleasantly unexpected way--whatever ailed me that day was surely cured.

Finding recipes for garlic scapes is easy, but this link offers a variety of ways to use this spring-time-only flower turned veg. While onion-like in their bloom (think chive blossom but white and larger), scapes take a lot of energy from the garlic bulb, which is why we remove them. As we've discovered at the farmer's market, bigger garlic heads sell better than the smaller ones. Interestingly enough, it's the smaller heads that make the best seed garlic. In late October, evenings are spent breaking apart the garlic heads into individual cloves. It seems impossible that a single clove creates an entire head of garlic by mid to late summer but it does! The rules, or lack there of, of how and when to harvest garlic tend to be wildly diverse and personal. Typically, six weeks after the scapes appear, the garlic is ready to be pulled, cleaned, and cured. Like so much in farming, this doesn't always hold true from season to season. But, it's garlic. Perhaps the most forgiving crop one can plant...mostly.

It's late. Time for bed. Although, truthfully, I'm thinking about harvesting the three types of chard (red, white, yellow) and kale (Lacinato, curly, Russian Red) I'll be harvesting tomorrow. It's supposed to rain on the weekend, so it will be a bit of a soggy market. At least the greens won't wilt from the heat!

Take care,

Cat

Everyone Saw Their Shadow

2025-02-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

February 8, 2025

Even if everyone didn't see their shadow on February 2, it felt that way. Some ran away kicking and screaming while others just hid. It's been that kind of year, so far. It's the year of the Snake if one is inclined to follow the Chinese calendar. Taylor Swift is a snake, as is my KiKi. The Snake is a sign of mystery, creativity, renewal, resilience and intelligence. One is apt to focus on personal growth and consider letting go of the past, releasing unrealistic expectations and bad habits. Hmm, does this apply to just people born in this year because that last sentence could be useful to just about everyone. Letting go of "things" is difficult. As I've discovered with my continuing home de-cluttering. Frankly, it's a bit of a clusterduck! As per usual, whatever I've donated, I need two weeks later!

The Husband decided to get us Netflix for Christmas. I've binged watched Emily in Paris, Bridgerton, The Night Agent, The Diplomat, Five Star, but I'm hooked on Formula One: Drive to Survive. My more environmental friends are horrified. How could I possible watch something that uses so much non-renewable resources? To be honest, I'm unapologetic. Much like my fifteen-year boycott of acrylic yarn--during which time the market for it seemed to triple in both consumption and yarn types--my boycotting a TV show isn't going to stop F1 from happening. Boy sh*t is far more entertaining that watching women continue to fall prey to the male edict of conspiring against one another. For what? That lesson was repeated often in Bridgerton. Our oldest son used to race motorcycles professionally, Husband used to design racing games for EA back in the day--is it any wonder I enjoy motorsports and curling...

Over the holidays, which were very quiet (no gifts, just food and the company of close family), there was a lot of Christmas movie watching (gag) and a plethora of commercials trying to sell me allover body deodorant. Literally, what the duck? How on earth does the back of my knee and my inner elbow smell offensive? I saw exactly two commercials for similar products for men. This is yet another low in the marketing of products towards women. Honestly, I'm appalled at how heinous the big brands have become towards women. I'm just hopeful women don't fall for yet another product meant to embarrass us for being human, again.

There's been a lot happening both sides of the border since January. I'm fearful for our American friends and family and hopeful they will not be targeted by those who should know better, but don't want to. It's like watching Margaret Atwood's "the Handmaid's Tale" come to life in real time. Crazy doesn't begin to cover what we see on the news every night.

Because of the above, I've been knitting and spinning like crazy. The weather up until the past week or so has been incredibly mild. The hens were laying like it was spring, the hazelnut trees were blooming, the rhubarb was coming up and some of my raspberries were blooming. Now, we've got several inches of snow on the ground and it's been incredibly cold. The Fraser Valley experiences blistering winds from the East this time of year, which creates enormous snowdrifts on the road leading to our farm. Getting in and out is challenging and usually involves tractors and wonderful neighbours. The good thing about this bitter cold is that it kills viruses like Bird Flu. Not sure what kind of harvests we can expect from the rhubarb and berry crops this coming year. The hazelnut crop is likely a non-starter.

But, like all farmers, we always have hope that this coming year will be successful. We will endure and hopefully thrive regardless of the challenges Mother Nature and politics throws at us.

Take care,

Cat

Who Says Romance is Dead...

2024-12-13T20:55:00.000-08:00

The seed ordering has begun! The first of many boxes has arrived. Packed in with the Vesey's order of Blue Curled Scotch Kale, Black Magic Kale, Halona Muskmelon, Atlantic Giant Pumpkin, Sungold and Sakura Tomato seeds were five packages of Zinnia seeds. I didn't order those. I didn't even ask for them. It was a gift from the husband which he handed to me this morning over our giant mugs of tea. Honestly, it was the unexpected surprise given this past year he complained about how much space "my flowers" were going to take up in the veg fields. It's a lot of seeds. And that's how I know my version of romance isn't dead.

Can a pair of Buff Geese be far behind? A small flock of Shetland wethers? A grey dappled pony...okay, that's pushing it...anyway...

Zinnias are big, showy and as gaudy, according to some, as dahlias. I love both and their bold, unapologetic nature. Maybe it's being more than sixty this year, but most days I'm unapologetic, too. Or that could be I've learned to think before speaking? Being bold is a work in progress. Although, I did just buy two skeins of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair in Pink Daisies with the matching merino. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. It was an impulsive purchase. Mostly, because I'm never going to buy a home in France.

A woman I helped at work bought enough Pink Daisies, both mohair and merino, to knit herself a a cardigan to wear in her new-to-her home somewhere in France. The home's exact location is lost in my grade nine brain which swirls with bad French and bad memories of a fake British-accented teacher who thoroughly enjoyed calling me an idiot. Yeah, sometimes Junior High never lets you go! The thought of moving to France, Spain or Italy got me through a lot of the pandemic. I've watched a lot of YouTube channels offered by those bold enough to have actually bought a home (usually in need of great repair) to know I really love being a farmer in Canada.

The phrase I hear most often this time of year is: there must not be much to do on the farm right now? I know, it's being offered with the hope the husband and I won't have to work so hard and I appreciate that. There is so much to do on the farm over the winter. It's boring stuff: weeding, weeding, weeding and cleaning up the beds, putting chips down on the pathways, taking down and moving trellises, blowing out the irrigation lines, harvesting the last of the salad turnips and lettuce, tidying up the coops and making sure the deicers are working, etc. It's a lot. Avian Flu has hit Abby hard this year. I am not a bad person for being glad it's not us. That was us last year. First the Avian Flu hit and then the dog died. Which is partially why I'm knitting something brightly hued this holiday season.

Currently on the needles is a second pair of socks because I actually managed to finish the first pair cast on way back in March. The first pair is pink and cream in a self-striping cotton and nylon from Mary Maxim over 64 stitches. This second pair is worked in 2x2 rib, nothing fancy as the Schoppel-Woolle Zauberball Crazy yarn I chose is the highly colourful Frische Fische. I'm finished the first sock and there's yet to be a colour repeat on the almost finished second.

For the longest time, I was obsessed with knitting socks. I still love knitting a pair of socks, but I'm not trying to knit a pair a week anymore. I never did knit 52 week of socks! What would I do with that many pairs of socks? I mean, it would be a challenge, wouldn't it? I'm tempted but then I think of all the other projects I wouldn't have time to start or finish. Like what to do with that brilliant pink yarn? There is so much to knit and maybe not enough time to get it all done, which is kind of the point, isn't it?

Take care,

Cat

Technical Difficulties...sort of

2024-11-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

While I'm overly pleased with myself for returning so quickly to my default spinning mode (medium-ish lace-weight), there were several things that completely slipped my mind, important things.

Such as:

1. Weighing the total amount of carded batts I intended to use to make this 3-ply yarn (that is already finished and beautifully balanced in my mind!).

Weighing the batts would've ensured a three-way even distribution of fibre. Now, I'm kind of weighing everything by eye and will more than likely end up playing fibre chicken. Although, I'm still thinking it was a huge fleece and I'll have more than enough. Fingers crossed.

2. Not weighing the empty bobbins before using them.

I've always meant, and clearly never got around to it, to weight each bobbin and label them with their weights. Oh, best laid, forgotten about, plans. Next time. This time, I'll be playing "let's hope all the bobbins weigh the same" when I'm calculating the weights of the three bobbins I plan on filling to maximum capacity.

3. Taking the time to re-card the fibre when I realized it was not "nupp-free."

Uh-huh. Patience and I are still learning to work together. You know, I just wanted to get to spinning. The dining room is not that far away from the family room--I think the kitchen just acts as a funnel--so, I can still hear all those Christmas movies in all their sickly sweet glory.

Re-carding would've given me an opportunity to remove the nupps more easily. My wheel protested being stopped for nupp removal and then re-started by unwinding the flyer several times...so, I'm either going to learn to enjoy the nuppiness of the yarn or remove them as I knit whatever it is I'm making with the yarn.

Still, I'm impressed with how much my carder was able to manage. The batts it created are thick and very even. I'm able to peel and pre-draft long lengths of fibre. Having said that, my carder was made by Patrick Green. I was so excited to drive to his home to pick my carder up. His barn was amazing and, while our conversation would never be long enough, it was an honour to meet him. His knowledge and enthusiasm for carding fibre created a whole new world for spinners and I want to keep my carder in great shape before passing it on.

While patience mostly eludes me, practicality and I are best friends. Keeping good notes is nearly a past time for me, so I'm more than a little annoyed with myself for not taking the time to ensure this spinning project could've been better. My knitting project bags all contain small note pads and pencils (yeah, one exploded pen, one ruined skein of very expensive yarn, a favourite project bag made into garbage...), a reused tin of stitch markers, tiny scissors, a tape measure, plus all the usual suspects. My Ravelry project pages are mostly meticulous and I still make handwritten grocery lists on scraps of paper.

But, this spinning project it is what it is. The yarn I'm creating will work out and be just fine. Still, it could've been better.

Next time.

Take care,

Cat

Spinning, in general...about Christmas

2024-11-26T01:28:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. You know, Christmas is a month away and if you haven't decorated, shopped, written the yearly letter, figured out what you're going to wear, and begun meal prep...what the heck is wrong with you? Absolutely nothing. There's nothing wrong with you or me. I haven't done any of the above, nor do I intend to. The supposedly most wonderful time of the year can be debilitating in so many ways.

As an adult, I've mostly opted out of Christmas. The husband's family didn't really do Christmas. My childhood memories of Christmas are not comforting ones. My kids didn't get that perfect Christmas. The perfect tree, light display, turkey, or flaming dessert were never going to be something I aimed for. I created traditions around food, it was neutral ground: waffles and bacon for breakfast, cheese boards in the early afternoon, and lasagna for dinner. Some Christmas Eve's I make a big dinner, sometimes I don't. Waffles and bacon, cheeseboards, and lasagna still happen regardless of whose home or not.

Presents were kind of hit and miss--boys are not any easier than girls to buy for, honest. I became famous for my not so great gift wrapping skills until the husband saved me from myself and adopted the "for environmental reasons" gifts would remain unwrapped.The husband and I stopped exchanging gifts decades ago. The kids are adults now--cash money is more welcome--no one needs another multi-tool or another pair of slippers. And, as much as I love knitting them, no one needs another toque, cowl, or scarf...requests would be gladly accepted, though.

While the husband loves, loves, loves his Christmas movies, I remain unable to cope with such horrific nonsense. Not even Hot Frosty can get me to stay in the same room. In an attempt to remain lovingly sane, I hauled out my spinning wheel which is located in an entirely different part of the house! It's been a long while since Suzy and I worked together, long time, like ever since Son 2.0 vacuumed up her drive band! Thinking I'd have forgotten everything I'd learned, or thought I'd learned, I was just treadling my wheel rather gingerly when our daughter brought me a cup of tea and asked what I was waiting for. I admitted my fears. "Mom, give yourself some minutes, you'll be back in the groove in no time." Her words were a gift. Plus, she was right.

After going through my rather ancient fleece stash, I chose a Corriedale bought ten years ago at Black Sheep Gathering back when it was held in Eugene. My tag lists it as a black fleece, from a sheep called Nin, and that I'd declared it nupp-free after carding. Only the second thing is true. Nin's is a dark chocolate brown fleece with a lovely long staple, but there are nupps aplenty. The current plan is to create a three-ply DK-ish weight yarn. The carded batts filled up an enormous vacuum sealed bag and more than a dozen large freezer bags. Should I be proud of myself for how much I'd managed to cram into those freezer bags...? No moths after a decade so it's a win!

My carding game, I'll be critical of that, thinner batts most likely would've been easier to draft and remove those darn nupps from. If I ever get back into buying raw fleeces, I'll be on the look out for "snow" (those little bits created when the shearer goes over the sheep a second time to tidy the sheep up). Remembering the work involved in properly scouring a fleece, plus having stockpiled several washed and carded fleeces, I'm in no rush for new one. Although, I've spent several spinning hours thinking how a small flock of Shetlands would look really nice grazing on the farm. There are eleven whole colours of the breed with many shade variants inbetween. I've run the gamut of a herd comprised of cream through dark fawn, to one of each (LOL), to narrowing it down to just three: cream, medium grey and dark grey. And then I remember how much rain we get, how soggy the fields can become, that hoof rot is a real and painful thing and then a flock of geese seems like a better idea.

Am I having fun yet? Yes. One bobbin is mostly filled and I've started on the second. I'd forgotten the spinner I bought my wheel from had signed her name on the bobbins that came with her Suzy Pro and that I'd signed my name too. While I say it's my wheel, I've always felt that it's our wheel and that a some point Suzy will be passed onto another spinner who will hopefully add her name to the bobbins too.

Will I ever be a spinner who uses technical terms? Maybe...? I've put the drive band on the third pulley groove and on the second groove on the drive wheel...I think. I'm currently working a Z Twist, which means I'm spinning clockwise. When I ply, I'll spin the wheel in the opposite direction for an S Twist. Don't ask me about ratios... it's math! Something, something about how many times the flyer spins compared to how many times the drive wheel rotates. I mean, does it matter if I set up my wheel the same way every time? Yes, I know, experiment a little, go up a groove, down a groove, try all the grooves. And yes, I had to look all these terms up.

Okay, so I'm considering making a wreath for the front door. The Yew tree needs to be trimmed considerably. It would be a shame to just waste all those beautifully fragrant branches. I might even knit a bow to put on it.

Take care,

Cat

Hey, It's Me!

2024-10-08T22:55:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2024

Much has changed in our lives since I last blogged in 2021. Covid 19 morphed into so many different versions of itself, we've all lost track. Unhinged things have happened, and are happening all over the planet. Most nights my head is spinning and my heart is aching for the no end of ways humans find to harm each other in the name of something or someone.

The climate is changing whether we want it to or not. The past few years have proven time and again that we are all in for a bumpy ride--best fasten those seat belts! As of tonight a massive category 5 hurricane is headed for Florida!

Despite all the horribleness, I've found hope within the people I've been fortunate enough to meet, grateful for those who have welcomed me into their communities, and humbled by the ones who always were or are now dear friends.

Sad things have happened, too. My mother, The Power That Be, died and I'm learning that being her executor is something I wasn't prepared for. I'm working through not calling her every night at 6:30, still, it's been nearly two years and I still look at the phone.

Little things like I'm turning more than 60, which makes me laugh, out loud, every time I think of myself being that old. Isn't there a line from a Deana Carter song: I remember when 30 was old...

Our beloved Mr. Moonie died rather suddenly last December and not in the way one would wish for anyone they loved to pass. Life, in all of its despair and glory, continues.

Becoming full-time farmers has changed the IceMan's life and mine for the better. The lens we look through is sometimes muddied with compost and brow sweat! Our hands are calloused, our knees are a little achy, and the work of turning our farm into a fully regenerative operation leaves us tiredly happy at the end of the day. There is always so much to do, and never enough time. But the promise of seed catalogues arriving in the mail before Christmas is all the gift we've discovered we need. Who knew there were so many types of zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, kale and weird things to grow? We plan to try growing all the weird things.

Vending our veg and eggs at a local farmers market has taught me so many things. I've met so many people and learned so much from just listening. My sales skills have improved. Taking criticism is a work in progress:

No lettuce? Its rained for a month, lettuce hates that. Yup, it's been hot for the past two days. Lettuce hates that too. Next week? Nope, it takes a month for a head of lettuce to grow. 70 days for a proper carrot, and no, spinach does not like to grow in the heat of summer...just saying.

Stop chucking the veg about. Yes, you, I'm talking to you! It took me 50 days to grow that! Sure, just walk away, sir, after bashing zucchini about!

Yes, that really is the price for the sugar snap peas. Why? Because it's a labour intensive crop. No, I don't have migrant workers. It's just me and the IceMan. Yes, you can buy the peas cheaper at Walmart. Bye.

No, I don't barter. Really, I don't. Why? I find it insulting. No, I don't discount things by half at the end of the market. Why? Because I've worked hard to bring it to the market and I find that question insulting. See ya!

No, we don't have organic certification. Why? $3500 bucks and whole pack of ever changing rules is why and I'd have to jack our prices or go to a closer-to-Vancouver market. Yes, that would be too bad, wouldn't it? Yeah, no, farming is not lucrative...

Eggs? Yes, what size would you like? Medium, large, x-large, jumbo or duck? Why so many sizes? We have different sized chickens and they all lay different sized eggs. Can you bring one the market? One what? Chicken. No. Why not? I don't want too. Can I come to your farm and play with your ducks? No. Why not? Best farm practises is to keep outside foot traffic to nil. What size eggs would you like again?

I've learned to say all of the above with a smile on my face--I think it might be more of a grimace, though, sometimes.

As for my knitting and spinning life, 2024 was the year I'd decided to get back into spinning as my wheel has sat in a corner looking dusty and a little grumpy. And it's October and it's still sitting in the corner looking more dusty and just resigned now. My project page on Ravelry is full of wips,so this was the year I either finished it or frogged it. It would be a big help if I could stop myself from adding new projects... Crochet has become a favourite craft as well. In fact, it's become a bit of a obsession. I'm not quite stalking Janie Crowfoot, but she certainly has inspired me to try lots of new designs and colour combinations.

Youtube University is full of great channels and helpful instructions. Mostly, though to be honest, there are lots of very good, distracting channels to watch and enjoy while I neither knit or crochet. I've settled on several people restoring French Chateaus, homesteaders, all things electric and solar, proper fencing techniques, and a plethora of flower growing channels. Zinnias have become a bit of obsession. Like Dahlias, some find these big in your face flowers gaudy--yup, life is too short not to enjoy the incredibly bright colours, plus they have the bees seal of approval.

With the days getting shorter, thankfully, it's been a long and challenging growing season, I'm looking forward to snuggling up on the chesterfield with a blanket, a hot cup of tea, and a new or old project in my lap...while pretending that Mr. Moonie is warming my feet and my mother is just a phone call away.

Take care,

Cat

Was It Something I Said?

2021-04-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

It was bound to happen at some point. After nine years of blogging, someone complained about something I posted. I've got no idea what or why, though.

On April 9th, I received a vaguely worded notification that "some one had complained about a blog I'd posted on March 8, 2021. That post revolved around my memories of hosting friends visiting BC, the grilled banana bread and sour cream ice cream dessert we shared, the Canada Day fire works visible from the Burnaby Mountain restaurant we took them too, the 'sails' adorning Canada Place (also visible from the restaurant), two banana bread recipes from two different food recipe web sites, a sour cream ice cream recipe, (also from a food recipe web site), and a photo of a shawl with links to the designer.

Blogger removed this offending post and have deemed it unacceptable. I'm still looking for the e-mail I was supposedly sent on March 8, 2021 and well, I never got it. Thanks for notifying me a month later...? Somewhere I'd managed to overstep in giving people full credit for their work, I guess? There's very little information to go on, it's nearly impossible to find where I'm to contact Blogger to get further information--other than the reams of unhelpful legal jargon pages I was directed to in order to formulate a response...?

What exactly I did remains a mystery and I'm still waiting to hear back anything at all from Blogger. Although the notification has now disappeared from my page--what is going on?

Still, this has been very disheartening. I don't know what I did. I don't know what I said and where's this e-mail? And why, suddenly, are my site visits down from roughly 150 visitors daily to just 10? Who's blocking who? I guess I could just say "everyone got bored of my blogging" and have gone somewhere else--but really, all of you at once?

Was it that I talked about grilling the banana bread? Was that an inexcusable thing to do--like how dare you take a piece of perfectly good banana bread and grill it? Was it the sour cream ice cream? Unbelievably delicious but a step too far? Was it taking about our friends? Was it posting a photo of a shawl I'd like to knit? Was it openly discussing what yarn to use? At this point, I've got no idea.

I've thought about not blogging anymore--I'm still undecided. Maybe nine years is enough? If and when I do blog again--maybe on this platform, maybe on another--there will be links only to recipes, knitting designs, and other things only. The pictures I'll post will be of my own taking.

That's where I'm at the moment. Thanks for stopping by.

Take care,

Cat

Thursday Morning Freak Out = Grocery Shopping

2021-04-08T15:26:00.001-07:00

I know, talking about Covid--who wants to hear or think about it anymore? Well. It's a reality even if we'd like it to be over. With Ontario going into lock down (but with plenty of confusion over what "essential" means), and BC's Premier mulling over maybe using his "Dad" voice again--all while wondering if calling this latest whatever it is "circuit breaker" was a good idea and can he just leave (like that guy from the NRA who runs to his biggest boat every time "things" get really bad so he can feel safe) and go play Frisbee Golf? Oh, let's be grown-ups and call it "disc golf." This afternoons Covid numbers are bad--we are in the thick of it again and this time, it's even worse!

So, I'm baking with butter and lots of sugar to make things at least taste better while cooking with what I've got. But, I've been lazy the past month in keeping up a good stock of what I consider essentials in the house. And this morning I had to go grocery shopping. For the first time in a long time, I'm feeling a bit nervous about it. Plus, my back is acting up like a little f'n baby and I'm having to take the stuff that makes my stomach unhappy. The "hard chairs" are now my best friend because getting up off the chesterfield is simply an exercise in my back muscles (just the right side, mind) going into spasms. Always a good time. But just half my back, so really, I can't complain with a straight face...

Way back last year, I remember freaking out, (in my mind but then blogging about it), when a person in Costco (who was wearing gloves) was touching all the packages of pork ribs without any consideration to anyone else. Sure, her hands weren't in direct contact, but her gloves were and what else had she touched previously? It's like wearing your outdoor shoes in the house--where and what have those shoes been in contact with and do your kids play on the floor? I'm not even a neat freak and that freaks me out entirely.

This where that container of hand wipes comes into play. I keep a dispenser of them in the driver's side door of my vehicle and grab one upon exiting--after double masking--I shove it into my pocket--it's unseasonably cool here and my thin down vest is perfect--plus pockets. The grocery store I go to has someone sanitizing the baskets (handles and all) and I prefer those over a cart anyway. We can bring our own reusable bags for packing our purchases in again, which I much prefer. Although, having said that, despite our efforts to use less plastic there just seems to be so much more of it at the moment. When I get back to my vehicle, I put down the bags, take out the wipe and clean my hands, put the bags in the back, wipe down the door handle and the steering wheel and put the wipe in the garbage bag I keep on the floor. It all feels so normal now.

After reading the above, it seems like such a procedure. In reality, it's not. It takes maybe ten extra seconds to put two masks on and grab a wipe. Sure, it's not like the before times when you just grabbed a cart and strolled around the store with or without that list you might have left on the kitchen counter because you're old school and like to write things down instead of using your phone. Now, I use my phone--which has nearly had the life wiped out of it. I've always meal planned, but have become almost a micro-meal planner--does that make sense? I guess it's a way for me to feel like I'm in control of at least dinner!

Tonight's dinner is pork roast. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Maybe not. I don't know. It's what we are having with roasted carrots and onions and maybe stuffing because I found a couple of boxes in the back of the pantry. There are quite a few different ways to make the perfect pork roast. Cook the Story uses the reverse sear method, which I think I might try today as I cooking two for three separate meals. Although, I'll have to get the roasts out of the fridge soon. The Stay at Home Chef uses a combination of dry roasting and then simmering in liquid plus veg method--which makes a meal all in one pot. Jo Cooks does the skillet sear then finishing in the oven method using lots of herbs and garlic. The Kitchn has pages of roasted pork recipes, most featuring pork loin. I don't buy pork loin. It's expensive compared to other roasts and has the least amount of flavour to offer, although if cooked properly the meat is incredibly tender--but tasteless unless one puts a whole whack of stuff on it, so what's the point, really?

Martha's Roasted Pork with Onions and Citrus is interesting because of the amount of garlic, orange and lime juice involved! This would be great sliced and wrapped up in a tortilla with lots of crunchy greens or in a lettuce leaf with beansprouts and rice.

Ina's version of Slow Roasted Spiced Pork, also includes lots of limes. Where have I been that I did not know about pork and limes? Whole pork shoulder roasts are actually quite hard to find where I shop (at least), so I'd be adapting this recipe to what I've got--which is probably part of the whole shoulder--which is actually the butt? Photo: Quentin Bacon

As for that baking--I'm going to be trying a recipe from Milk Street. Created by chef/baker/business owner, Briana Holt, her unique version of Pineapple Upside Down Cake involves an interesting mix of whole wheat flour, corn meal, buttermilk, and ricotta. She would no doubt be disappointed I'll be using canned pineapple, but that's what I've got.

Time to get those roasts into the oven and a cup of tea.

Take care,

Cat

This Masked Life: People, Politics, & Pandemcis = KNITTING

2021-04-06T18:52:00.003-07:00

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

These newer Covid variants are really spiking B.C.'s Covid 19 numbers. Again. I'm at a loss as to know why people aren't understanding how different these new strains of the virus actually are. Young people are now making up the majority of new hospitalizations. These are not all young people with underlying medical conditions either--they are fit and healthy with everything to lose. I don't get it. The Canucks are down for the count with nearly the entire roster out with Covid and they get tested daily...

Seriously. Everyone is tired.

Ontario put new restrictions in place today, as did Alberta. But, by the looks of things, are people making any type of real effort to stem the tide of what is being described as the third wave? Are we going to wait, like surfers, for that supposed perfect seventh wave before the severity is fully understood? Do people actually need to lose a family member to Covid to get that it's real?

B.C.'s shock wave, or whatever this version of "new measures" is being called has had little affect. Young people are partying up on house boats in the Okanagan, people are screaming at each other over parking spaces at the Provincial parks, and not many of the people out and about on Sunday morning were wearing masks or socially distancing. What possibly more can be said. My version of non-essential travel does not include going to a yarn shop in Vancouver or Surrey. My version of NET does include only shopping when I actually need to and not because I'd just like to get out of the house and do something different. At this point, to me, being alive and well is doing something different!

Of course, all of the opposition political parties are trying to attract attention by asking for "inquiries" into why the pandemic happened and what we can learn from past mistakes. And this is said with a straight face. Hindsight is a useful tool and one most politicians are eager to use to their advantage when it's not them or their party having to make the hard decisions currently facing most governments. Stop trying to score points for elections that aren't going to be happening because, you know, there's a pandemic on. How about you say: "how can I help?" Imagine that...

To counter balance the growing angst I'm feeling while waiting to hear back from Shopper's Drug Mart as to when I can go in and get the jab--I've been searching Ravelry for new projects. At least I have Covid to thank for potentially too many new to the needles projects. If one can't cast-on like crazy during a pandemic, I don't know when it would be appropriate.

This is a beauty, non? Festival of Stitches by Lisa Hannes immediately caught my eye. The tri-fecta of colours, all that lovely texture. Yes. I'd like to find yarns as close to the original as I can in my stash or perhaps, I'll come across a new one that equally appeals to me. This shawl would make both an awesome project and a gift. A few years ago, I purchased quite a bit of Rowan's Wool Cotton and I think it would work great for this project.

Float, designed by Dawn Barker, is an intriguing design using contrasting stitches to define areas of a two-colour yarn to create texture and interest. This is going to require careful yarn selection, but I think it could turn out to be quite fun. Each piece would be entirely unique.

Wellerman, designed by Caitlin Hunter, come in two sizes and offers loads of texture. Look at all those yummy cables!

There is something ruggedly appealing about Paris Toujours, designed by Isabell Kraemer. While worked up in DK, the fullness of this shawl is just so toothsome? I've got no idea what yarn I'll be using but I'm sure I can find something worthy.

Walk in the Woods, by Lisa Hannes, is high on my list of things to cast-on--as soon as I cast something off. That should be the deal right, no new projects until something else gets finished. But. But. But.

Covid.

Wear a mask even if other people aren't. Keep your distance the best you can. Stay home when you can.Take your own health seriously, even if other people would rather you didn't.

And may the only "bubbles" you burst be of the bubble gum variety.

Take care,

Cat

The F Files: Nine Years Later

2021-04-02T20:08:00.002-07:00

On April 1, 2012 I wrote my first blog post. It was about putting up fences. Just a few days ago, the IceMan and I spent a day putting in stronger corner supports and re-stretching the first part of that same said fence. It's remarkable to me the fence is actually still standing and is in as good of shape as it is. The IceMan reminded me how much that heavy-duty horse fencing initially cost us and I said: well, for that price it should still be standing!

We didn't know much about putting up fences back then, only that we needed to keep our neighbour's (always running around but not on their own property) dogs off of our property. As people who loves dogs, we didn't understand that attitude and still don't. Just the general danger of allowing one's dog to roam free on a road where drivers don't go slowly at all--there's no telling what they could get into or what they might do or what other dogs might do to them.There's this whole misguided myth that farm dogs can just wander and everyone is okay with that--nope. Not okay. If one does not want to ensure their dog's safety, and/or don't want to pick up after it, don't get a dog. And cats--dear god--outdoor cats are like walking menus for all the eagles and coyotes: do I feel like that black white tuxedo cat or that orange tabby in the other field tonight? Outdoor cats are extremely prone to getting hit by cars or drinking antifreeze which makes them die.There, I've vented my frustration with what I see as negligent pet parenting.

The new gates we will be putting up soon will keep out most everything, but mostly keep in the guardian dogs we are considering getting. It's an enormous decision and one we don't want to make without putting a great deal of thought into it first. The list of possibly candidates is varying in length day by day--no consensus yet, probably not for a long time.

KiKi's vote is for a Shiba Inu, but I'm not convinced. One glance at that face, however cute it may be, tells me that dog is going to be getting into a lot of mischief and potential "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to kill the chickens--um, I was plucking them for you" kind of trouble!

I think a gaggle of geese would work just fine, too. Geese would be a lot less involved. We haven't had geese on the farm since Reynard (the white lead goose) died. I miss seeing geese on the farm with their ridiculous bums swaying back and forth as they attempt to walk regally to wherever it is they're going. Someone needs to keep those chickens in line!

The IceMan has been tilling two new very large veg garden plots well away from what has now been deemed "my little garden." Apparently, "the farm school instructors" do not believe in the "no till method." So there! Take that! I feel how I did when the boys started kindergarten. They'd come home that first week telling me their teacher knew everything. Not sure what they thought this made me, but that attitude was quickly-yet-respectful-to-their-teachers-and-myself dealt with. Anyway, I'm not sure who the IceMan is thinking is going to be weeding those plots, but I'm busy not being a real farmer working in my "no till" little veg garden and planting various types of willow cuttings in the swale.Yeah, also drinking tea and eating a butter tart. So there.

Two farm school classes and endless watching of the YouTube and the hubs is now an expert. Should I have thought anything else would happen? I'm trying to find the humour in all of that, seriously, I am. Not being an expert at anything--more cups of a tea and another butter tart might do the trick. At any rate, I've plans for my little garden that don't involve tractors or enormous sheets of black plastic or using and the complaining about the selection of my thoughtfully curated seed collection! I'm taking my frustrations, I mean my extra energy out on the raspberry patch.

After cutting down everything that was standing upright in the old patch a couple of weeks ago, I'm still waiting for new shoots to emerge. My first priority is to thoroughly rake up the surface and pull off all that moss that is growing in there. The moss will go into the coop nesting boxes--maybe the hens will like it better than this current batch of shavings them seem to not like much.

Moss is an indicator of acidic soil, which is common here on the West Coast. All the rain we get creates the perfect conditions for moss, which is lovely, but not in one's veg garden. While raspberries do like acidic soil, I'm thinking a bit of compost and some bone meal might make them happy too. My plan is to dig up any "new" plants that emerge from the old plants and recreate the original rows I'd first planted when we bought the farm. And this time, I'll keep the paths somewhat weed free by sprinkling the bare ground with clover seeds. I don't mind clover at all. The bees love it, it's a nitrogen fixer, and I don't have to mow it. Plus, once established, it keeps that nasty crab grass at bay! Clover for everyone!

Raspberries are one of my all time favourite fruits--I like them much more than I do strawberries. To help things get started I bought a few new raspberry plants. I'm not going to go whole hog with anything this year--I want to see what comes up in the veg garden and keep a decent handle on all of it. I've also got to remember to transplant that red gooseberry bush that somehow I've either forgotten I bought ages ago or it's freakishly self-planted. I don't know much about gooseberries.

There's lots of info on gooseberries, and just about any plant you'd ever want, over at the RHS site. So many cool looking fruit trees.

Time for a late cup of tea and a bit of a knit.

Take care,

Cat

The Sorted Stash: New Projects & New Restrictions

2021-03-30T11:04:00.001-07:00

While I've yet to finish my first Night Shift Shawl--I've cast on a second version. My reasoning: I just had too! It's not often I'm truly happy with my first go at yarn combining for a new project. I do not "have the eye" when it comes to putting differing skeins together in an immediately pleasing way. This is why I have yarn friends who do.

But then, I found two skeins I really liked even before I began knitting with them. For whatever reason, I'd put them into the same bag and spied them while sorting the stash. They were so perfect together, to me, I set them on my writing desk to look at! A fingering-weight version of the Night Shift Shawl was born almost instantly--I had to find the right size needle first...have to work on getting my needles all together in the same room, in the same spot and in the same container.

Proper needles found and, after finishing the first set of single slip rows, I decided to do the whole shawl that way. I love how the yarn looks and that's about all I need to know and see.Yes, I know. I should've weighed the remnants of the DIC Smooshy Chinatown Apple before I started, but you know...I have another skein. Years ago, when I bought a friend's stash after she was told definitively "not to knit anymore" by her doctor--there were two skeins of Sweatermaker Yarns "Murray Merino" in the lot in a lovely melange of cream, copper, sage, gold--just lovely stuff. While there is not enough to make a decent sized shawl--this will give me time to search for a suitable companion/replacement for the Murray Merino pictured below.

Koigu's KPM765

Koigu's KPM834

Koigu's KPM327S

And, after a cup of tea and some searching I then I wondered why I'd decided everything had to be matching? The design is called the Nightshift and I could just as easily transition another "one of" skein with at least two similar hues into the mix, fading the yarns together. Plus, then I'd have the fun of going through the stash looking for more yarn to knit with. I am supposed to be knitting from my stash, after all.

Also on the needles is a simple wrap designed by Purl Soho. Half + Half Triangles Wrap is an easy knit with just enough interest happening with short rows to keep one's attention. Perfect car knitting, I say. Or just hanging out on the back porch or on the front steps. Anytime. Plus, there's the fun, for me at least, of finding enough 25g skeins 2-ply Jumper Weight by Jamieson & Smith ir similar in my stash to create the stripes I'm working for the first triangle. Those stripes will just peek from behind whatever solid hue I choose. It's always interesting to see how far one of those little skeins go. Or is that just me?

The vest I'm knitting, Vest for You, a design from Anna and Heidi Pickles is coming along. Right now it just seems like a large block of 1 x1 ribbing, which it is. I'm knitting the body a tad longer than called for, mostly because it will use up a entire skein without me having to join another part way through one of the fronts. My knitting is far more even when I'm working 2 x2 ribbing but I'm hoping things will even up after a soak and wash. This vest is destined to become a favourite when I'm working outside. It was sunny when I took this picture, and it was a gorgeous day, but the wind from the East and North was chilly. Cold enough for me to run back to the house and pull on a pair of the IceMan's old golf pants to keep my legs warm. Golf pants are the perfect working outside pants, btw. They are very light-weight, considerably waterproof, and they breath unlike my unlined rain pants.

The IceMan and I will be spending a lot of time outdoors, weather permitting, for the next three weeks with B.C. going into a broad ranging list of restrictions again--but not, really. ????? What that means is restaurants are closed for dining-in unless they have a patio area--which, with social distancing means very few places can offer that. Bars are closed. Blackcomb and Whistler are shuttered until April 19th.

Time to wash eggs. The ducks have been far too generous yet again. Those chicken hens don't seem at all concerned by their coop competition, do they? After Sunday's rain, hail, and wind storm the chicken run is very muddy and the eggs are too!

Take care,

Cat

This Masked Life: A Year On

2021-03-28T22:23:00.005-07:00

A year ago, almost to the day, I was writing about the IceMan and I lining up to get into a grocery store. I don't remember us wearing face masks, but everyone was practising the 6 feet of social distancing. Folks were being polite, there was very little grumbling, everyone just seemed grateful to have the cash money to purchase food and necessities. For sure, there were those who were hoarding essential items like milk, meat, flour, canned goods, and rice. And toilet paper--good Lord. Shelves were nearly always "free" of those items. I remember feeling terrible for taking two packages of meat, but it was the first time I'd been able to find any--I must've timed my trip to the store as there was plenty, still, I couldn't look people in the eye.

Chickpeas and lentils became my go to source for cheap protein. I was making a lot of soup. Soup is a stretcher, although, no one needs to know that as long as there's enough veg in there. A found container of diced ham in the freezer became an enormous pot of split pea with a hint of ham soup! And everyone was making sour dough! Or, like me, killing the starter on the regular. While I still make the IceMan his weekly loaf of "plain white bread," sour dough and I have come to the realization that some friendships just aren't meant to last--or even start in our case.

But, a year ago, we simply didn't know what we were in for. Did we?

If you'd told me that the Canadian Army would be deployed to long-term care homes in Ontario and Quebec because some or all of the staff had decided not to come to work--I wouldn't have believed you. The news footage of thousands of caskets being lowered into mass graves in New York--no way! That a half-million people would die from this virus in America. That Spain and Italy would suffer so severely. That the UK, France, and much of Europe would lock down not once, but twice. No way. That Canada would be called gluttonous for pre-ordering yet-to-be-made vaccines by the tens of thousands...well, there's a difference between being polite and nice and planning ahead. And, well, we're still waiting on most of those vaccines. Apparently, no one likes to share when there's global endemic happening. Who knew?

That I would live in fear, and still do, that someone will physically harm or kill my daughter because she's of Chinese descent--well, that haunts me every time KiKi leaves the house alone. She's been verbally abused by customers at the restaurant where she works and has once, been threatened in a way that left her shaken but determined to live as normally as she can. Wrapping my daughter in bubble wrap is an option only I'm in favour of. The IceMan said I couldn't lock her in her room. That there's real potential someone will physically attack my husband every time he goes into a store--my heart and mind race until they are back home and safe. I wonder and worry--will people come their aid if they need it. Or will they stand back, record it on their phone, and silently think they deserve it because people choose to see them as Chinese first and not as "real" Canadians. Was does that even mean anymore, anyway?

I've cried so much this year. Not for myself. But for others who have lost people they shouldn't have had to lose at all. It's unbelievable, but clearly evident enough, that a simple piece of cloth was and has been weaponized. That, I still can't believe. Having said that, I'll never forget the look on that little boy's face in the Denny's we were in the morning of my father's funeral. He was genuinely frightened of us because we were all wearing face masks to keep those around us, and ourselves, safe. The Okanagan can be a conservative place and sometimes slow on realizing that the Coq, Fraser Canyon, and Hope Princeton bring more than "stuff" from the coast up to them. I was stunned and so angry that my siblings felt no need to wear a mask around our elderly mother who hadn't been allowed visitors in months! My god--I wanted to yell at them--how are any of you thinking that that behaviour was okay? Of course, had I said anything, my mother would've accused me of causing a scene and wanting all the attention. When I quietly raised this concern with a relative, she glibbly told me: dont' worry--we don't have that Covid thing up here. Gah!

There are no shortages of anything here on the West Coast today. Gas prices are still high, toilet paper is plentiful, and Costco is as packed as always. Restaurants are open and operating at half capacity. The Iceman tells me that the movie theatres never closed but that people just don't go--where are those movie tickets I got from Shopper's as a gift for buying way too much skin care? Large popcorn with extra butter, please. How can I possibly be missing out on going to the movies and not be bringing half the concession home on the bottom of my shoes! We finally went to the dentist's, a year over due, but I'm getting some fillings replaced next month.

There is literally nothing to complain about. Knitting got me through the craziest parts. Zooming with my friends soothed my sometimes frayed nerves, and a cup of tea in the chicken coop and a walk around the farm thinking of the future takes care of the rest on those days, well, you know.

I will be wearing a face mask for a long time as Covid numbers are starting to rise rather alarmingly again here in BC and the rest of Canada, too. What are people doing? Or not doing? Those variants aren't going anywhere and neither am I. Travelling isn't something I've ever really enjoyed unless it was by car. People, just calm down when you're behind the wheel. You will get to where you need to be--just slow down, use your signals--it's ever so helpful, take a breath, turn off the talk radio, and think about getting home to your loved ones. Yes?

Right now, the IceMan and I are focused on becoming some kind of real farmers...what that looks like--we are still working on "the plan". In the morning we're dropping off soil samples for testing. LOL, I can already read the report: decided lack of anything resembling usable soil found. No humus, no sand, no nothing--consider opening a pottery and/or buying sheep (preferably Shetland in fleece hues your wife likes). Okay, so I made that last bit up just for fun, but the first bit--it's all going to be true.

Tomorrow afternoon we will be tilling--well, the IceMan will be tilling--I think he should wait until Thursday to give the fields time to dry out after today's torrential downpours, hail storms, blasts of cold air and winds that were simply crazy. But, he's the one going to farm school, so...I won't say a word when he comes in after half a pass with the tiller groaning under the weight of so much amassed sticky clay and those big tractor tires flinging clods of the stuff everywhere.

Seriously, there might be a clod throwing contest.

Take care,

Cat

Good Food Friday: Roasted Duck & Leftovers

2021-03-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact we actually raise ducks, we don't eat duck very often. And, certainly not one of our ducks! Duck has always been more of a wedding banquet or special occasion dish when we go out. But, the other day, Costco was selling the famous Quebec-grown Lac Brome or Brome Lake Duck and I decided to buy one. Since the IceMan started farm school, and there will be an animal husbandry section for that are interested, I thought we should at least cook someone else's duck and see how much we liked it. We liked it. It a lot.

Tuesday night was deemed duck dinner night because I had time to cook it properly. Given my utter lack of knowledge when it comes to roasting a duck--I turned the package over, read the instructions, and did what I was told. It couldn't have been easier. Duck on roasting rack over a deep roasting pan. Covered with parchment then tinfoil. Oven at 350. Cook for two hours covered. Uncover and cook for another half hour. Let rest before carving. I cheated a bit by heating my oven up to 400 and then turning it down to 350 once the light clicked off.

The duck and all its wrappings were put in mid-oven. At hour one through the cooking process, I poured about half the accumulated duck fat into a shallow roasting dish and added the yellow-fleshed potatoes I cut into chunks and shoved it into the oven on the lowest rack. My oven is old, put more than one thing in there and it takes longer for everything to cook properly. After I took the duck out to rest for twenty minutes, I tossed some washed asparagus in with the potatoes, shaking the pan so the "gus" would be thoroughly settled and moved the pan to the middle rack.

Right as I was starting to carve the duck, I realized I had completely forgotten to season--anything. There was no salt or pepper on anything! Dinner was naked! And it was delicious. But that's duck fat for you--everything tastes better when cooked in duck fat--especially potatoes. Something happens to them--they get all crispy and deeply golden on the outside but turn creamy and perfect on the inside. And then I had half a duck left over to figure out what to do with.

Enter duck fried rice. As I didn't have any frozen rice, I made fresh--what! After going through the fridge there were green onions and celery that needed to be used. As there were four of us for dinner, I scrambled four eggs with a bit of sesame oil. I didn't go wild adding stuff, I kept the things simple, too simple. I wish I'd grated some fresh ginger and garlic to go into the final dish--it needed a little kick of some kind. The IceMan said it wasn't really fried rice because I'd added Hoisin sauce to the mix. Recipe for homemade hoisin sauce, here.

Well, duck and Hoisin are magic together even in fried rice. Frozen peas got added in at the very end. It was tasty, filling, but not epic. It needed salt maybe some red pepper flakes? As what's left of the duck simmers on the back on the stove, slowly making the beginnings of duck soup, I searched for some more interesting versions of duck fried rice.

Photo: Scott Phillips

Fine Cooking's Thai Spicy Duck & Pineapple Fried Rice sounds spicy and yummy. I might lesson the spice factor somewhat for myself, though. If you've never used Thai Chili Jam before--go easy with it. You can always add more but you can't take it out!

I should've taken the time and gone looking for Maggie Zhu's recipe for Peking Duck Fried Rice before attempting to create my own version. The added addition of an egg ups the protein especially if you make this as a meatless version. Looks so good. I love hot sauce on my eggs. I feel so fortunate to have found the Omnivores Cookbook site. There are so many recipes I want to try--I actually don't know where to start. Salt and Pepper Pork Chops? Bean Sprout Stir Fry? Chicken Noodle Soup...made with duck?

There's no photo accompanying the New York Time's version of Duck Fried Rice. This one is a little different as it features smoked country bacon and garam masala or curry powder. Sounds interesting and just different enough for me to want to try it.

Also without picture is Tyler Florence's Duck Fried Rice with Napa Cabbage. I like the idea of cabbage going into the mix as it's a vegetable that's much maligned but delicious. Napa Cabbage is milder tasting and has tender leaves. It makes a great coleslaw.

Brome Lake has an incredible recipe resource, here.

I'm calling this recipe the "epic duck recipe," as it would require the family to get together to make it. But the end result would be epic. Peking-spiced Duck and Mandarin Crepes. Just yum.

Take care,

Cat

Farm Life: Spring Has Sprung

2021-03-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

I must admit, it seemed extra dark this past winter. I know that it wasn't any darker than it normally was, but it felt that way. Perhaps, the chickens felt this way too. We don't leave the lights on in the coop past 5pm during the winter and they are for us to be able to see what we're doing! We did put in a heat lamp this year that was rigged to come on when the temperature dropped below a certain point. Our coop cam showed that none of the hens used the heat lamp, only the roosters.

The chickens have been stingy in their egg offerings all winter. It's unusual not to get at least four chicken eggs every day during the colder months, but up until a week ago there have been exactly none all winter. We've have fifteen hens, so...a lot of them are either past their laying prime or are/were holding out on us for warmer weather. With the longer days and slightly warmer temperatures, we're getting about a dozen eggs every three days. I'll take that. Our chickens live out their entire lives on our farm. None of the girls ever get put on a plate (so, far none of the boys have, either!). When they no longer lay, we don't care. One hen's ability to eat bugs and weed seeds is perhaps more valuable than her ability to lay eggs. I especially like it when they eat spiders. Yes. I know. We need spiders, but I don't like being "suddenly" eye level with them in the chicken coop! Or finding one repelling down from the brim of my hat to say hello, either.

The IceMan has been eyeing the incubator--I know that look. But, I've said no to home-grown chicks for now. When we do add to our flock, it will be by bringing in hatchery chicks. It's good to keep adding to, renewing/strengthening the genetic make-up of our flock. That, or the IceMan had better learn to stop naming the roosters! Just name them all Sunday and Dinner, I say. Why do I say that? It's fifty/fifty for the most part in any hatch. While roosters are lovely to look at and do serve an important purpose on our farm--they crow, a lot. And not just at dawn. Which is why, until we find ourselves able to 'eat' what we grow fowl wise, I'll be bringing in all-female chicks. There's a reason sex-link hybrids were produced. The roosters are born with a white dot on their heads making them easy to identify. What happens to them after that...well, farming is about the only industry where females are held in much higher regard than the males.

Choosing which laying chicks to buy is never hard but it's difficult at the same time. I try to choose a breed we haven't had in our flock for at least five years or more. Chicken genes, in our flock at least, seem to be long lasting! The hatch we did ourselves was an interesting one. Unintentionally, I created a version of the black sex link, sort of. All of the hens were born black, except for one that grew into looking like a pure bred Danish Brown Leghorn. Those were part of our original flock, 20 years ago and I haven't had any since. Another hen, that looks like a small Australorp, is sporting a few sprouting feathers that say there are still some White Crested Black Polish genes still hanging about. Those birds, too, were part of our original flock and I haven't had any for a very long time.

When I first bought chicks for the farm, I did the Martha Stewart thing and purchased really pretty chickens. Twenty years on, I think all chickens are pretty. I find no need to go for the fancy ones. While they are attractive to look at, their feed to egg ratio isn't the best and not all were suited for our climate in the best way.

Cochins, with their feathered feet were excellent when the weather got really cold. When it rained, however, those feathered feet quickly became heavy with mud. And their lower-to-the-ground heavily feathered undercarriages soon were sporting many a mud ball that needed to be removed.

Danish Brown Leghorns are a fun, friendly bird that is great at foraging. But, they didn't lay all that great and easily got frostbitten on their over-sized combs.

The Crested birds we had, both black and gold, were delightfully entertaining but they got picked on by the bigger birds and the hens got "over loved" by the roosters as their Phyllis Diller-style headgear meant they couldn't always see well.

My choices now for new hens would be Rhode Island Reds (although they have tendency to be bullies to smaller hens), any of the Rocks (which are also just beautiful to look at birds), Buff Orpingtons (because they are my favourite--they looked so lovely, like from a painting, running around in the nut orchards), and Ameraucanas because who doesn't love getting a green egg (on the outside only).

The ducks, on the other hand, have been laying consistently all winter, which is unusual. Our Muscovy hens normally stop laying in the late October, but this past winter have simply carried on, laying an average of eight eggs a day. I'm not sure what's going on, but our thirteen hens have laid every day--there's 26 duck eggs in the fridge in two days! I've been scouring the coop and the yard to break up any potential duck hen nest...although, ducklings are so cute and somehow stay little longer than chicks do.

We've got plenty of ducks for right now with the thirteen hens and nine drakes. The largest male is living with the girls in the chicken run while the eight remaining drakes are living in the old sheep run. We've decided to keep our beautiful bachelor boys--they are so very good at slug and snail patrol. Plus, most of them now weight about twenty-five pounds or more--too big for the oven! With the IceMan all excited about being "a real farmer," I'm not sure if he's thinking chicken or duck empire. Most likely both. I'm mostly thinking about potential compost for the veg garden.

Meanwhile, I keep mentioning that Shetland Sheep come in eleven recognized colours and thirty coat patterns and markings and their droppings are tiny and quick to compost. None of this has any affect on the IceMan although I'm thinking three whethers is a good number to start out with, don't you? KiKi wanted to know the possibility of getting the polka dot sheep, which just made me laugh. Wouldn't that be fun! I should probably just order myself this poster--maybe if I hang it in a prominent spot at the IceMan's eye level he'd get the idea. Most likely he'd just ask: why is there a poster of sheep on the wall?

So, sheep and chickens equal compost. Which we've never made in a determined fashion before on the farm. It's all rather been haphazard up until now. When I brought up the subject of compost with the hubs, his eyes kind of glazed over. Then I had to laugh--thankfully, there was no food or tea in my mouth at the time, because after pondering my statement/question for a good half minute, the IceMan says: we haven't got to the composting part of the course yet.

His eyes have been mostly glazed over since his first "farm school" class. I think a good word for it would be: overwhelmed with the knowledge that he knows not as much as he though he did. Isn't that the truth for all of us! We know what we know but what we don't know we really don't know. I think I'm going to make a sign to remind myself of that. It should read something like: all egos please report to the compost pile for constant turning and learning!

It's cold outside and it's cold inside. Time to put dinner into the oven--it's going to be a late one as we had a very late lunch. Roast duck (not one of ours, please--that's not going happen anytime soon!), roast potatoes, and roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Gosh, I really need a cup of tea just to keep my hands warm today.

Take care,

Cat

Good Food Friday: What's in Season

2021-03-19T17:58:00.001-07:00

When I go grocery shopping, my first stop is always the veg and fruit section where I'm immediately looking for the "locally grown" products. Sometimes, I have to hunt for them depending on the store, but most grocery stores are now putting up signs indicating where the produce came from. Many places include the country of origin and the distance travelled as well.

Farmers Markets are just starting to get up and running in most communities here on the West Coast. A few have been running all winter, but most close after Canadian Thanksgiving. The IceMan, in his previous life, didn't enjoy going to Farmer's Markets, although I don't think he'd ever really been to one. Granville Island doesn't count! But now he is all keen because he's going to farm school and will be participating in their farmer's market. Uh-huh. This annoys me greatly, I can't say that strongly enough. ARGH. Like why wasn't it a good idea when I wanted to go? Why does suddenly becoming a student farmer carry any more weight than my opinion. Seriously. Grrr.

Anyway. If you enjoy going to Farmer's Markets do ask the vendors where they grow their offerings. Most will proudly display their farm banners and talk your ear off if it's not too busy about how well they take care of their chickens, how old the cherry trees are, etc. Having said that, it's not beyond people to be a farm poser. Yes, that's now a real thing! You, as the consumer, have a right to ask and know. If a vendor acts invasive, ignores your questions, or outright doesn't answer/know, move on to a different seller. You worked hard for those loonies, after all.

CBC's Marketplace did an expose three years ago on the larger Ontario Farmer's Markets and found that some vendors were passing of commercially grown veg as both organic and farm-grown. Why am I bringing this up? If you are paying for local farm-grown and/or organic, you should expect that and be getting that. Most vendor's are exactly who they say they are, but a little knowledge and observation are always good things. There's nothing wrong with greenhouse grown veg--I buy it all the time but it's labelled as such.

So, how do you find what's in season where you live right now? Typing just that into google got me to the BC Farms & Foods web site and their "what's in season" page. There's a long list going down the right hand side of what will be coming into the market place all year. There must be similar sites like this one all over the world. It's a great place to start one's grocery shopping list. I know gorgeous kale is on offer right now, one our family's favourite and one that sadly doesn't like growing on our farm--at the moment. Finger's crossed our attempt at 'no-dig' gardening goes well. While I love rainbow chard or just chard of any kind, the family is like 'what's chard?' So, kale it is! How can I complain--they love kale.

On St. Paddy's Day, I made sausages in onion gravy (okay, so I made the same supper two times, a day apart--the recipe is delicious and no one said a word other than that the gravy was amazing), served with the family's choice of rice or mashed potatoes, along with steamed cabbage. Cabbage is an often maligned vegetable, but I think that has more do to with how it was cooked in one's childhood that makes it a veg too far for most.

Incredibly good for you, cabbage shouldn't be overlooked or over cooked! There are so many recipes out there now, give it a try. It's especially good as part of a skillet dinner, in soups, stir fries, and just steamed. My childhood memories of cabbage are good ones. My Mum would layer a large pot with potatoes on the bottom, add just enough water to come half way up the potatoes, then layer ham or frankfurters next, then place the cabbage (cut into eighths) on top of that. She'd let everything steam until the potatoes and cabbage were tender. This Instant Pot version looks good too.

Right now, on our farm, the rhubarb is starting to emerge much to my delight. There can never be enough rhubarb as far as I'm concerned. The blueberry bushes are really starting to bud out, the grape vines are also looking interested in waking up and my climbing roses are already leafing out--I really hope there isn't a frost. The Kiwi vine is either dead or playing hard to get! I guess time will tell, but as none of the female vines I planted made it through last winter, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this bachelor plant.

Because the raspberry patch needs to be reinvigorated, I cut down every last cane. It seems a little severe, but the canes were no longer very productive. Whatever plants do come up, I'll be moving to around the chicken coop to as a thorny deterrent and food the farm fowl can enjoy.

One of my favourite sites for good gardening advice on just about everything is the Old Farmer's Almanac. Their section on Raspberries is no exception with advice on growing types best suited for your region, health benefits and lots of recipes. There are newer raspberry plants on the market and I'm eager to try this one as it seems well suited to where I live.

Boyne which is supposed to like acidic soil (check), slight damp conditions (check), and bears huge dark red berries or medium sized berries depending on which site you go to. I don't suppose I'll get much of a crop, if any, this year. And I'm okay with that. Sometimes, you just have to wait. And it's not like the blueberries aren't going to produce well.

Despite me pruning them rather heavily again in late winter--the bushes are looking more robust than ever. Best get on to using up the thirty or so pounds I've got left in the freezer from last year's crop.

Take care,

Cat

The Sorted Stash: Mining for New Projects

2021-03-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

With the stash sorted, how could finding new projects be an issue? While it's not for the most part, narrowing things down to get the most from the yarn I have is proving to be both mind blowingly easy and somewhat limiting. There are so many designs out there that would be just lovely to knit--but does the yarn I have fit within it? Yes, and no.

Take the simple understated styling and utter usefulness of Emerson. A long cardi-coat, designed by Veronik Avery. Meant to be worn oversized, this is the type of knitted item I wear and would enjoy knitting. Alas, I don't have enough worsted-weight yarn in a single colour for my size. I could, I suppose knit the back in a different colour, but do I want to?

And this is the issue I have with my stash. Actually, it's an issue with myself. I didn't put a lot of thought into my yarn collection. I wasn't actively perusing yarn with any future project in mind, purchasing enough skeins of the same lot to make a sweater with or even a shawl. Skeins were purchased because I loved them, and still do. So what to do with all these lovely, single skeins that doesn't involve creating an endless array of one, two or three skein shawls? Not that there's anything at all wrong with that, (as I will be visiting that camp often), I'm in sweater knitting mode at the moment.

Andrea Mowry, oh how I appreciate your skill with designing fades! Is it possible that she too suffers from one-skein-itis? Is this what prompted her to design the many sweaters and cardigans that she has? Probably not. And just how does one choose which one to knit first? Well, gather ye all up those single skeins and see who looks good next each other--time to dump a container or two of yarn onto the bed again.

There's so much to enjoy about this sweater called Shifty! According to the design page, 41 selections are waiting in my stash for consideration. Wow. The mosaic tile look is very appealing and I know KiKi would love the cropped look but would prefer to the wrist sleeves. I'll let KiKi choose the yarns when I'm ready to cast-on another project for her. Most likely, I could find enough yarn to create one of these for myself, a longer version, obviously.

The 41 yarn suggestions included many versions of sock yarn: Schoppel Wolle's Zauberball, (Crazy or not), Malabrigo, Noro, Cascade, Manos del Uruguay, Hedgehog, Koigu, and Woolen Boon, to name just a few. Yes. It's true, I love sock yarn. I'm sure there's more than a few Shifty's waiting to be knit from the stash.

Cascade's Heritage Sock Yarn, the one combining 75% merino with 25% nylon is not in my stash currently, and won't be for a while in my attempt to use what I have. But, man, I wish it was. It's so soft you'd never know it was a sock yarn. And the colours, well, they glow. With 437y/400m and offered at a good price point, it's definitely going on my wish list.

While Faded Neve is lovely using the fade technique, I can see it looking equally as good in a single colourway. The all over bubbles make it fun, but one could limit them to just around the neck and cuffs, too. The split hem is easily one of my favourites as it makes for easier movement, plus I just think it looks good. I've got ten yarn suggestions in DK-weight yarns to look at. I really like this--could this be a sweater I knit for myself? There's got to be some coordination between my various Sport and DK skeins to achieve a lovely sweater or three.

What I like about this particular hat design is that it doesn't require a lot of yarn. Most of us have bits and bobs hanging about that would be perfect to use in this toque. I know I've got enough mini skeins waiting in a bag for just such a project. Does anyone else enjoy re-skeining small amounts of yarn like I do? I don't think I'm alone in that. Shiftalog, again by Andrea Mowry, uses sport weight yarn. While the designer uses just two different yarns--I'll be using one background yarn and then doing a deep dive into my bag of mini skeins. Hmm, those knitted Christmas gifts of mine just got even more fun.

Stripes, the sweater, is never far from my mind. Is KiKi too old at 19 to be interested in wearing a sweater where every stripe is different? Too 80's for her? Maybe, I should just knit myself one? Is it just I want to knit this or just knit it to use up yarn? And that's a good question to ask myself, too. Am I knitting something because it's adorable, like the sweater above, and because there's yarn in my stash knit it with? Imagine this made from Koigu. Or with every other stripe mingled with mohair and silk. All different but coordinating hues of blues? Or beachy with hues of sand, cream, muted turquoise like beach glass, taupe-grey like driftwood. Or extremely subtle stripes?

So, how to handle my project desires versus my actual time to knit. Nightingale With Needles, tells me she bundles her yarn(s) together with the pattern she thinks she wants to make with it. That's a very good idea. One I shall try to put into use. That, or everyone is getting a Night Shift-inspired blanket in their lives whether they want one or not.

Time to start purposefully sorting the sorted, again.

Take care,

Cat

This Masked Life: Time & Soil

2021-03-16T21:17:00.004-07:00

This past weekend, most of North America participated in the always annoying yearly event known as Daylight Savings Time. This annual travesty no longer needs to happen, but continues on despite most states and provinces declaring it useless.

A general grogginess trails along, following just about everyone for the entire week afterwards. This year, St. Patrick's Day happens on Wednesday, but I'm not sure even the luck of the Irish can make me feel less grumpy.

Perhaps a bowl of Colcannon can make me feel better? Recipe from Bon Appetit. Photo by Alex Lau

The time change does bring about more daylight, so I my grumpiness will be soothed by the fact there's more light to knit by! I've finished the first row of my Coziest Memories Blanket, found a whole whack of other Kauni skeins to use in it as well--so, it's going to be larger than the originally planned for lap blanket.

Being able to get out into the garden is also soothing. This year, we'll be using the "no dig" method to grow whatever we decide to plant in the farm's veg garden. After watching Charles Dowding's YouTube Channel on the subject, we felt this would be the best way to use our heavy clay soil. The video below takes 3 minutes to watch if you are at all interested.

It's not that clay soil isn't nutritious. It is, but it's also not friable in a way that enables us to just plant anything easily, at all. Heavy lifting is required. Having said that, If the number of worms we find when we do dig something up, (usually those blasted blackberry vines and self-planted hazelnut trees), there's a lot going on beneath the dandelions, crab grass, and buttercups.

While all three plants are considered weeds, their deep roots help break up, bring moisture, and air to all that clay. The dandelions and buttercups are favourites of many pollinating insects. My mother talks fondly of spending hours picking dandelion blooms with her childhood best friend--wine making stuff apparently for a neighbour! Apparently, I should also be making beer from all that crab grass!

What we've been trying achieve with our little farm, as interrupted as our efforts have been because life and various careers kept getting in our way, is, well, a traditional small-hold working farm. A farm with the right amount of balance between livestock and land. Growing enough food for ourselves while selling some and providing some.

The IceMan is no longer retired, again. He's enrolled in farm school. We might be closer to sixty than fifty, but we're now able to fully embrace our beloved farm and all that wonderfully hard work that goes along with it. It never feels like work when you love it. Alright, when it's pouring down with rain or the wind is screaming from the East--yes, it feels like work. Still. We've got big plans for our little piece of Earthly paradise.

We're starting with rejigging the fencing and working on the current enclosed veg garden. We will continue to remove the remaining hazelnut trees--that's a huge job all by itself--but the IceMan has it down to nearly an art form now. I'm still uncertain about the new Eastern Filbert Blight resistant varieties--my head and heart are telling me to wait for a little bit longer before ordering any new trees.

It was the hazelnut orchards that always seemed like they were the heart of the farm. It hasn't been easy to let our once beautiful trees go. The photo above, taken on an early spring day, serves as a bittersweet reminder of what the orchards once were. The trees have been telling us it's been time to let go for quite a while now. We've learned so much from these little trees that never rest. I'm determined that there will be a small grove of hazelnut trees on the farm again, one day.

I'm a little behind on getting my seeds going, but I'm not panicking. It is still very cool and often frosty in the mornings; it's going to take some time before even our amended soil is going to warm up. That cold wind blowing through the valley today--requiring me to don a toque with the sun shining--was a thoughtful reminder that winter might not yet be done.

If you're interested in starting seeds indoors, West Coast Seeds has an a resource guide for wherever you live in North America. Plus, the site offer lots of growing advice and how to pages as well. Martha Stewart always has great advice on gardening, too. And no one can say her gardens aren't deliberately beautiful! However big or small your available growing surface is, Martha has the answer for that. Of course.

As someone who likes to plan (even when those plans never get off the ground--best laid and all that), putting your ideas down on paper does help to visualize the end result. This also allows me to use my pencil crayons--what's a garden plan without pencil crayons being used!!!

I'm not sure if plans were ever put on paper for "The Biggest Little Farm." As part of the IceMan's farm school "to do before the first class," he had to watch a few documentaries including the one made about this spectacular 200 acre farm in California. While I found the film interesting, enlightening, and heartbreaking at time, (we can certainly relate to things wanting to kill chickens at an alarming rate), I also realized I'm extremely happy with just 8.5 acres!

Other documentaries on the list to watch are: Kiss the Ground

and Rotten.

Take care,

Cat

The IceMan's Favourite Day

2021-03-13T10:27:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is Pi Day. It's the IceMan's favourite day--something about 3.14 etc. Yes, I'm rolling my eyes as I write this. And, no, I'm not making a pie. I'm buying a pie or pi. As a person who is terrible at math going beyond the basics, I do not understand the joy my husband gets from numbers. When he was going to university, and doing the really hard math, math that doesn't yet have a purpose--yeah, you see what I mean. He thinks math makes the world go round and I don't have a good response to that except that it involves spinning. He didn't get my joke.

Image credit: Joe Lingeman

So, pie for Pi Day. Does cheesecake for breakfast qualify as a good start to this most auspicious day? Yes, I do believe it does. I'll have to make this Blueberry Cheesecake Breakfast Bake tonight for tomorrow, though.

Image credit: Joe Lingeman

Lunch could be this French Onion Frittata if I wanted to give the IceMan an entire day of Pi-shaped food. It's looks just delicious for any day or meal ever!

Credit: Photo: Ghazalle Badiozamani; Food Styling: Barrett Washburne

How about meatloaf shaped as a sort of pie? This idea is just genius to me! What a great idea, MacKenzie Smith. The entire Sunday night meal is worthy of any night of the week, mind. Maybe this coming Tuesday if I can find decent looking Brussels Sprouts.

Who knew there were so many Pi Day songs--certainly not me! I can't believe I watched all of them!

The kids in the last video are the best!

Take care,

Cat

PS: don't type just Pi into Ravelry.....

The Sorted Stash: Ovewhelmed With Ideas

2021-03-12T21:25:00.001-08:00

My relationship with Ravelry is one of true love and self loathing. There's nothing more enjoyable than sitting down at my desk, hot cup of tea to my right, Mr. Moonie snoozing on his bed under my extra-large and ancient Ikea desk, my fave radio station playing in the background and Ravelry up on my computer screen. This week, the main page explained that there are roughly 2,000 new designs added to Ravelry every week. SO. Is it any wonder I feel like I can't keep up with new designs nor can I knit fast enough! And then, really, is this a true problem...yes and no. Mostly, there is some minor guilt on my part for having so much fun scanning Ravelry and drinking most probably a second cup of tea...I should just make a pot!

After sorting the stash, and rediscovering my yarny treasures, I've been slow to cast-on new projects. I finished my first ever Hitchhiker, which remains unblocked as the dining room table is currently occupied with other things. KiKi's Carbeth is patiently waiting for me to finish that very first and complete row of the Rainbow Kauni Coziest Memories Blanket. Why isn't her nearly finished cardigan finished, well...

Only other knitters can understand the "glee" I feel as this particular yarn ever so slowly transitions itself into yet another beautifully dyed colour. The dark purple is casually giving way to that lovely Prairie Blue. The colour transitions start with the occasional blip of the next hue, then a few more appear and then the colours begin to intertwine and slowly there is no more purple. It's a lovely way to knit.

Of course, KiKi's cardigan was supposed to be my downstairs project. The Kauni was supposed to be my "knitting in the car" project. I have cast-on two of the same shawl design prototypes, which have been niggling away at my brain for so long they're probably going to be out of style by the time I finish them. Oh well--they will make lovely gifts for that knitted Christmas I'm aiming for. And then, I realized--there was no upstairs knitting project! One that was easy to knit while watching my current favourite Youtube Channels: The Chateau Diaries which I'm watching in order, Arne & Carlos which I'm not watching in order, 22 Minutes because obviously--Canadian humour, and Tim Thom pson, to name a few. After watching Tim Thompson with me, the IceMan is rethinking our current fencing situation and future fencing plans. It's only when you see what you've done wrong that you can fix it, though.

Really wanting to make something for myself, I cast-on the Vest for You, designed by the Anna and Heidi Pickles. Using yarn a friend gifted me with, Berroco's Uxbridge Tweed, it is a heavier weight than the design called for but I'm liking the results so far.

And then there's choosing Christmas Stockings. So many choices! Ultimately, I went with Faye Kennington's Top Down Christmas Stockings as it's the method I'm most familiar with. Having tried toe-up socks a couple of times, with mixed and rather unsatisfying results, I'm sticking with what I know. Yes, I know, no one is going to be wearing these, but tried and too for now.

Now the task of choosing colours for everyone begins. Oldest Son and Cookie's stockings will be somewhat matching. I'm not sure I'll be able to elegantly incorporate their favourite colours into the stockings. His favourite colours are orange and green and hers is purple. Maybe, I'll just try to keep things understated? Having a quick read through the detailed pattern, maybe I'll line the stockings using everyone's favourite colour? There are clear instructions on how to create a t-shirt lining for the stockings, which is a great idea given t-shirts are thin and will keep the stockings from becoming overly heavy and bulky.

If only knitting didn't take so long! Whine, whine, whine! Says every knitter every day. But then that's the joy of it, isn't it? That it does take time; specifically, your time. Which is why I'm so selective about gifting my knitting now. There are people I love dearly but will never receive a knitted gift and I'm okay with that. Time is a commodity we only have so much of.

It's not difficult to find interesting projects I want to cast-on immediately. But. I'm limiting myself to one design (which I always make two of at the same time--one from my head and one from the instructions I write as I go along). One downstairs project, one upstairs project, and one in the car project. KiKi and Cookie will both be getting their Love Note sweaters for Christmas this year. They were meant to be made last year, but better late than never. So many people are still knitting them because the design is rather timeless and could even fall into the iconic category. Oldest Son will be getting this cowl. Not sure what I'm knitting for Quiet Son beyond his stocking, although he has mentioned needing a warmer toque. The IceMan is getting a Christmas Stocking and that's it--unless he too requires yet another warmer toque.

Everyone else, well, I love them but my knitting is wasted on them, although they will maybe possibly be getting stockings, maybe, if something else doesn't catch my attention that they would appreciate more.

As my mother dementia comes and goes in waves, I find myself having to tell her what day it is every morning and again in the evening when I call her. Often, I find myself questioning if I actually do have the right day! This week has literally flown by, lots of interesting things are happening for us, it's been a bit crazy and today was no exception. This weekend the clocks leap ahead an hour, too. And then this song came on the radio this afternoon, it's stuck in my head now.

Take care,

Cat

What to Cook When...

2021-03-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

...no one wants to cook. It's true. There are times when even I don't want to make a meal. Dinners have been thrown together without much concern for anyone else liking it but me. It's what happens when no one else wants to step up to the plate. Sometimes, there's enough "stuff" in the freezer to shove everything into the oven and let it do it's thing for 30 minutes, or until sufficiently crispy, before being dumped onto plates with copious sides of ketchup (catsup), mustard, and mayonnaise.

5-Ingredient Loaded Totchos Recipe from the Kitchn Photo by Joe Lingerman Definitely do cook the bacon (and more than called for the above recipe) in the oven with the tater tots. Who can only cook 8 slices of bacon?

If I'm annoyed enough by everyone's lack of interest in helping out, I might put together a fantastic pot of spaghetti and sauce so delicious everyone should feel guilty but never do--although there's never any leftovers to be dealt with, either--which also annoys me.

I think I feel this way every year. Close enough to spring to anticipate bitter fresh greens hitting the produce shelves but far enough away that even the rutabagas know they're spongy and good only to be left in the store. The last of the cabbages are being brought out of cold storage--those are always crisp and delicious, although the savoy might be looking a bit peeked. Onions need to be given a good squeeze to see that the centres are not soft and about to start sprouting. The off-the-shelf kale is looking good and ready to be put into a large pot of soup--if only someone else would peel the carrots.

There are some nights when soup is a pot too far. So what do you plate up when you don't want to cook but feel bad about saying: "it's find you're own dinner tonight, kids." Okay, I say this about once every six weeks or so--usually when there's only enough really good leftovers for two people. The kids are happy cooking noodles with their various preferences in play. Quiet Son likes his with just the flavour packet and less water than called for. KiKi likes her incredibly spicy ones with mushrooms and an egg cracked into it.

Still, there are nights when I chop up raw veg, stick out some hummus, three kinds of crackers, some cheese, maybe some garlic or summer sausage and call it done. The IceMan is only a fan of this meal if he puts it together. There's absolutely no difference between what I do and what he does except I chop the veg better and the sausage slices are thinner. Seriously. Oh, and he always on purpose forgets to put out the Wasa crackers I love and he dislikes strongly. Sometimes, he one ups me by making hard boiled eggs.

Speaking of hard boiled eggs--here's a truly fast meal to make, too. Jammy Eggs with Feta, Herbs, and Flat Breads is perfect regardless of what bread, cheese, or herbs you decide to use or not. Recipe from Bon Appetit Photo by Alex Lau

What do you serve that's not take out on the nights you don't feel like cooking but needs musts? I actually typed "what to make for dinner when you don't feel like cooking" into Google and lots of interesting things popped up. Most of these recipes involve minimal cooking. I left out anything that required thirty minutes of prepping--that's cooking a regular meal to me!

How Sweet Eats Tortilla Eggs solves many problems. First, it's fast. Second, individuals can choose their own toppings--cheese has become such an individual thing in our household--as have spice tolerance levels. Don't like flour tortillas, use corn or one of the many new varieties available--there's a tortilla out there for everyone and their eating lifestyle now. If not everyone in the family likes eggs, leave them out and create a quesadilla instead.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

The power of eggs is wonderful. They are good for you and easily create a fast and satisfying meal. Egg whites are available in cartons as are eggless substitutes for those allergic too or vegan. A fried egg on a piece of toast can be made in a wonderfully short amount of time--waiting for the pan to heat up and the toast to pop both take longer than cooking the egg does.

Scrambled eggs can be quick and dirty--scrambled them in the hot pan, or offer a little luxury at the end of a long day by cooking them slowly with an extra dab of butter. A Frittata is one of those meals that can be insanely easy to put together if there are leftovers to be had in the fridge. The Kitchn has many, many frittata recipes, but this one covers all of the bases: How To Make a Frittata With Whatever You Have On Hand.

Are you creating your list of items to try to have on hand? Shredded cheese, tortillas, eggs, hummus, and the crackers you like...

When I do manage to get to Costco as it first opens, I'm one of those people that heads for the back of the store where the day-old rotisserie chickens have been packaged up. I grab two, along with salad greens, and the bag of baguettes. If I know the day is going to be a busy one, which was why I was at Costco when it first opened, I plan a meal around reheating one of the chickens served with salad and bread.

If it's not a busy of a day, (and Insomnia and I have been up since before the sun rose), I take the chickens out of the containers and take them apart. The breast meat I usually shred or slice and separate out into meal-size portions usually for enchiladas or pasta with Alfredo sauce. The thighs go into a container whole for another meal, usually one involving the oven with roasted potatoes with veg. The meat gets removed from the legs and saved for yet another meal, usually a veg-heavy stir fry or I'll serve them for dinner if it's just the IceMan and me. I get the wings for lunch and don't feel guilty about it at all. The bones, skin, whatever all go into a large pot of water and get cooked for about an hour and a half before being strained and left to cool.

On what I term a non-busy day, usually one where it's pouring with rain and working outside just is a waste of my time and energy, I'll cook a batch of Instant Pot rice and divide that up for future meals. One does not need an instant pot to make a large amount of rice or mashed potatoes. I'll do the same with mashed potatoes. For sure, it's some work to pre-prepare all of this but for me it's a handy way to get a meal on the table fast using the microwave and the oven. I prefer frozen veg to canned any day and always try to have at least peas and corn on hand in the freezer.

The other night, everyone wanted pasta but we didn't have any sauce. I made a quick white sauce and added peas, garlic, and onion and poured it over rigatoni. It made for a decent and hot meal. Was it as good as if we'd gone out for pasta, no, but it was food. Then, I went looking for a better recipe and found one. This recipe is nothing like the one I make and considered, obviously in error, to be Fettuccine Alfredo. I couldn't be happier to try this next time everyone wants pasta and we have no sauce.

Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott

Bon Appetit's version is so simple a child old enough to safely and confidently, along with adult supervision, could easily make this. There are six ingredients, if you include the water, salt, and pepper! Pasta, parm, and butter. Definitely the grown-up version of noodles and cheese! A good, easy, simple recipe is always one I make over and over. A friend of mine likes to say she's not fancy but fabulous and there's a difference between the two. This recipe qualifies.

Not every meal is going to be amazing. And I'm okay with that. With this endemic, 99 percent of our meals are cooked at home. Last night, we had battered frozen fish with Basmati rice and peas with shallots and butter. I slightly over cooked the fish and the peas could've done with a minute more, the rice got a little brown in the bottom of the pot because I was too lazy to haul out the Instant Pot. No one complained and the leftover rice and peas will go into a stir fry on the weekend with some chopped ham I found in the freezer--if either last that long.

And sometimes, not often, but sometimes we have popcorn, ice cream, and potato chips for dinner because, well, that's what everyone wanted.

Take care,

Cat

The Sorted Stash: Is It Too Early?

2021-03-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Is it too early to start thinking about The Knitted Christmas of 2021? I'm going to say no. Last year I'd planned on knitting everyone their very own Christmas stocking. Did I do that? No. Did anyone get a knitted gift last year? Yes. KiKi, Cookie and a close friend all got tubular toques done in that ancient-artifact stash yarn of glittering gold mohair-like stuff. Bestie received a red wool toque with a black-tipped white pom for Galentine's Day.

The IceMan got two tubular toques for working outside, plus, he abducted one of my toques he somehow felt I had knit for him. He really likes it and doesn't seem to realize, or perhaps doesn't care, that the little tab-tip-thing (where I cast off purposely in such a manner) looks like a nipple on his head. It doesn't do this on my head, which is smaller. Mind, his noggin is much larger--must be all those extra "I can do the really hard math in my head without using a calculator" brain cells I am most definitely lacking. He thinks I smile at him when he wears it because I'm pleased he's wearing something I knit just for him. He's so proud of himself for "making me happy." Which is true, just not in the way he thinks it is.

So, hat nipples aside, Christmas 2021. Epic, right? We will all have gotten the jab twice by then. You will be able to recognize me--I'll be the person wearing the daisy-print face mask when out in public--or a grey or green mask--those are my faves. Things will be back to whatever normal means, barring yet another version of Covid 19. Come on, it will be fun! Everyone will be back to swearing at complete strangers for having the audacity to reach for the same Butter Ball as they were in Costco. Birds of a different feather will be flipped while driving and even more honking will be taking place. The Salvation Army Kettles will be out in force manned by exhausted-looking, wrist-sore volunteers hoping people will stop smiling guiltily at them and just drop a f'n loonie into the kettle! They do take tap up here in the Great White North. No excuses this year--do the tap and get on with that very necessary shopping.

With the entire family expressing a desire for less "stuff" and more "stuffing" this year, I'll be attempting a full-fledged knitted Christmas. Let's start with the what I consider to be the best of the lot--because I've never done them before--Christmas stockings. Do I knit them all over the top Christmas? Do I go subtle and knit massively cabled everything for everyone in a clotted cream? I wonder if there is a scone pattern? There are ten designs, featuring the word scone to be had on Ravelry.

Anyway, stockings? Do I knit them to compliment people's current decor colour schemes? Does everyone get their favourite colour? Orange, purple, green, grey, and coral don't say Christmas, do they? If I knit one for myself--would I knit one for myself? Well, no one else is going to knit it--I guess mine would qualify as a Blue Christmas, then.

I suppose I could do this particular pattern and they could be left up all year! Love this so much--that segment on Sesame Street was always my favourite--I got to watch it with my little brother and my kids. Why, yes--I am that old yet somehow I always manage to not act it. I'm going for my shoe size, 8.5. In reality, I was about ten when our little town finally got cable TV so that would've been around 1972. KCTS9, from Seattle, was included in that five channel package and the only station that offered up children's TV shows at the time although I only remember Sesame Street in the morning and Mr. Rogers in the afternoon. CBC had The Friendly Giant, Chez Helen, and Mr. Dress-Up in the mornings.

This free design by Carrisa Brown, Yip Yips, is wonderfully fun. Now, where do I find those eyes?

And what about that mini stocking and/or mitten garland I've often said "I'm starting this year?" Still haven't I started it, I won't. That's a project for another year, again. Which is maybe a good idea given all the new design choices being offered!

I think I will knit the kid's stockings, which can act as gift wrapping, knitted and otherwise. It's not difficult for me to admit I qualify as an impatient gift wrapper--really, it's the thought that counts more than perfectly sharp corners and well-placed tape. It's what's inside that matters, truly.

Looking at prospects in my yarn stash is kind of dumb at this point--find the design first, then look for the yarn. I'm hoping for worsted-weight.

A free pattern from Patons' Yarnspirations, Sugar Twist Knit Stockings would certainly enable me to get my cable fix. This free design uses 384m/420y of Patons Classic Wool Worsted, which I have a lot of and didn't bother to list in my stash for the most part--it does get it's own container, though. I would probably hold the yarn double to create a larger, thicker stocking.

These fabulously and fine Christmas Stockings, designed by Faye Kennington, offer up a plethora of colour combinations. These beauties could give me the opportunity to add just the right amount of a person's favourite colour into their Christmas Stocking. I keep looking at these and changing my mind as to which one is my favourite. And, this would be the perfect way to sharpen my colour work skills. Using worsted weight yarns, which I've got plenty of, plus all those bits and bobs, make these a somewhat "fast" knitting project for me. What do you think? Toes done in everyone's favourite colour or the heels? Oh, wait, I know--the bit round the top with the loop! Perfect.

Hmm, remember what I said previously about coral...wow! Faye Kennington is masterful, isn't she? Her stockings take things well over the top and right on to coffee! Top Down Christmas Stockings offer up so many design choices, 512 to be exact and the colour combinations pictured are inspiring. I don't think it would be too hard to chart a bubble tea motif for KiKi instead of the snowflake and I know she'd love the coral, white and grey stocking.

Maybe include a single BTS inspired heart somewhere...for all the times we missed their hearts? So sorry, eh.

There are 54 pages of Christmas Stockings on Ravelry. Not going to lie, my eyes got a little crossed after page 6. There are some beauties to be had at all skill levels and yarn sizes. Here a few that appealed to me.

Churchmouse Yarn & Teas always produces excellent designs with great written instructions that include helpful tips and tricks for new and advance knitters. The Basic Christmas Stockings is a good way to learn sock knitting, too. This design uses worsted weight yarn and is easily customized.

Designed by Jenny Williams, this pair of Triangle & Reindeer Stockings offers up colour work on a grand scale. I can see why so many knitters enjoy colour work--the hue combinations are endless and the ability to use up small amounts of yarn is very appealing.

Maybe all this talk of knitting stockings has you interested in knitting an actual pair of socks? The colour combination of these Tree Farm Socks caught my eye immediately--I love the robin egg blue and forest green together. Designed by Natalie Sheldon, Tree Farm Socks would be an amazing gift to receive and wear. This design could also be worked in worsted weight yarn using at least one skein (say Cascade 220) in each colour for a single sock. I'm taking my cues from the yardage requirements of the design below.

Katie Nagorney and Anne Swanson bring us Up North Christmas Stockings. The detail on these stockings is incredible. The stripes next to the heel and the design about the toe--these are the little-but-mighty things about knitting I enjoy so much.

Well, I could literally spend the entire morning (and most of the day), browsing Christmas Stocking and sock designs, but the sun is out and I'm taking a second cup of tea outside to enjoy it before getting on with the work of the day.

Take care,

Cat