Veggies, Knitting and Counry Living

   One of the joys of living in the country is having a garden.  Well, these past 2 years we haven't been very 'joyful' because Jeff's had trouble with his back and wasn't able to work a garden.  Last year we suffered without fresh veggies but this year we've been blessed.  My old college friend, Maggie Schanz, and her husband have been giving us veggies!  Today I found a of couple bags on the doorknob!!  

Jeff had used last week's veggies in the stew he made in the crockpot and I used the zucchini last night when we had pasta for supper.  Nothing like breaded and fried zucchini with a dish of pasta!  (Jeff finished the pasta and meat overnight and I had the zucchini for lunch today.)  Actually, I had made braciole...stuffed beefsteak...for only the 2nd time and it turned out even better than the 1st.  I can honestly say it tasted better than or at least as good as my mom's!  Jeff really liked it, anyway.  

   

I got fancy and strung up Horst's garlic.  It will stay firm longer than way and it looks good hanging in the kitchen window.

  Oh, Maggie had included a zucchini bread but it didn't last long enough to have it's picture taken.  It did taste good!

   I've been getting ready to work in the shop tomorrow...not that I've been selling much but that I've been trying to come up with some new things and I've been finishing some WIP that have been hanging around for awhile.  I've got a ladies cotton 

hat ready to go to the shop

and a pair of ladies socks that have to be mailed to my cousin in Wisconsin.

I've started a lacey shawl that's coming along nicely.  The first half is just stockinette and goes rather quickly.  The bottom will be lace and that may take a bit longer.  I'm doing it on a circular US7 with a gray wool baby yarn that I got in my Yarn Pal package from Australia.  It working up very nicely and is so soft.  The pattern called for sock yarn and smaller needles so my shawl will be a little bit bigger but I rather like it.  Have to wait for the photos.  I also volunteered for and was chosen to do a test knit for The Stitch Angels to benefit US veterans, active duty, and wounded warriors.  The pattern I'm testing will be available for purchase on Ravelry in early September.  It's the first time I've ever done anything like this so a few prayers and good wishes for nimble fingers and a clear mind couldn't hurt.  And now it's time to get back to the baseball hat that I have to replace tomorrow.  At least something is selling!

The Wonders of Yarn Pals!

    I was just sitting here at my PC just now when there was a 'beep beep' in the driveway.  That usually means the postman has something special to deliver and today was no exception.  She had me sign for a soft and squishy package that had traveled all the way from AUSTRALIA! (Half the fun of these Yarn Pal swaps is where the package comes from!!)   You can 

see from the photo that it was full of some pretty neat stuff.  That stuffed tiger and kola are dog toys! And at the back of the photo is baby pattern book with some of the cutest baby things!  I can't wait to knit some of those things!  There is a tape measure and a needle case.  Oh, and a bag of chocolate covered cherries!  Aren't Yarn Pal packages great?  Oh, my Australian Yarn Pal's name is Arlene Fulton.

Wanna Go For A Ride?

     Zoey loves to run...down to Wally's and thru the old horse pasture between our properties.  Jeff usually gets onto the Cub Cadet to go after her and gives her a ride back home in the utility trailer behind the tractor.  She loves that!  He also takes her down to the mailbox that way.  Fanny, on the other hand, does not 'run away'.  She walks...almost strolls...away from the house into the horse pasture.  Jeff uses the Cub Cadet to track her down, too, but he tends to 'herd' her home...she won't get into the trailer (don't think she'd fit, anyway!) or get too close to it (it makes too much noise for her.)  Fanny usually won't even stay outside if Jeff is mowing the lawn on the Cub Cadet!  Zoey wants to be in the trailer but he won't let her so she's either tethered or inside baying and barking up a storm when he's mowing!
   Yesterday my college friend Maggie stopped for a few minutes with her husband, Horst.  They brought us a bag of homegrown veggies and several jars of homemade jam.  Maggie had given me a jar of her strawberry jam earlier this summer and I've been enjoying it...and trying to make it last.  She brought more jars of strawberry and some seedless black raspberry jam that sounds delicious!  They had just picked blueberries and I politely declined any blueberry jam.  Now, if they were to offer some blackcap jam....
   Jeff had gotten a deal at Hannaford's on a pork butt earlier this week and had put it in the crockpot Wednesday night to cook with potatoes and carrots overnight.  When he realized how much there was, we called my cousin Ed and invited him over for supper on Thursday to help us eat it.  The meat was so tender it just fell apart...and so good!  I got some corn on the cob to go with it and Ed brought an apple pie for dessert.  We ate well that night...except that when I went to make a pot of coffee nothing happened.  I filled the pot with coffee grounds and water and turned it on but when it was time to pour the coffee...the water was still where I had poured it!  So we had pie and ice cream without coffee for dessert.  I don't think it bothered Ed or me but Jeff quickly rigged up a French-press type coffee pot after supper so he could have COFFEE!  We got a new 'Mr. Coffee' yesterday.   I guess a machine that costs less than $20 can't be expected to last more than 2 years...especially with the kind of water we have (no matter how many times you run it thru a filter before you use it!).  Maggie & Horst told us that they use a French-press for the same reason but Jeff wants a HOT cup of coffee available all hours of the day and night, so a French-press wouldn't work for us.
   In Maggie and Horst's bag of veggies there was a nice size green pepper and several red tomatoes so last night the pepper got fried up with some potatoes and one of the tomatoes got sliced up to go on top of the 'burgers I cooked.  Jeff really cleaned up his plate! (So did I!)  We both miss having a garden this year.  Maybe next year Jeff's back will be up to it.
   Just got word that the shop had a record-setting day in sales yesterday!  The member who worked, Sharon, is a very talented lady and she creates a wonderful atmosphere where tourist like to spend money.  I've been planning a trip down to restock all week and have been putting it off and now it's pouring!  Maybe tomorrow.  At least I can knit another hat or two!