Felt Like Knitting

New glasses!

My new glasses came in!  I have needed progressive lenses for several years and haven't found anything that worked for me.  Well, I'm trying again and this pair seems to be okay.  They are similar to my reading glasses, just not quite as heavy and a little larger.  I am relieved to be able to see again!

Have you ever tried to get a perfect photo of yourself?  I think it's impossible!  There was something wrong with every pic I took, but I'm going with this one - flippy hair and all.

Time to get the house cleaned and do some laundry.  Enjoy your day!

Ten on Tuesday - 10 Everyday Things That Make Me Happy

Not in any particular order...

Our dog

My family

Our garden

Scented soap (especially bayberry - Does anyone have a good source for handmade scented soap?  I'm about out.)

My iPhone!!!  (I love my phone!  It makes my life easier.)

Unsweetened iced tea

Hair clips (This one is odd, but I love having my hair up out of my face while I'm doing things at home.  I get downright grouchy if I don't have a hair clip available.)

 My guitar and playing in the band (Aside from being with my family, I think band practices and Sunday mornings are my happiest times.

 Knitting (or any other creative outlet)

Food (Lately it's been homegrown tomatoes and basil in my caprese salad)

I know I probably shouldn't count my dog and family since they aren't things, but my life really wouldn't be happy without them.  Plus I'm really tired and I can't think of anything else right now.  :)

What makes you happy?  Join us over at caroleknits.net to share your answers.

Finished Object Friday

Finally there is knitting to show!

Rosaleen Shawl (by Rachel Coopey) knit from Blue Sky Alpaca in the Papaya colorway

Botanic Hat (by Stephen West) knit from Spud and Chloe Sweater in blue and gray

Both projects are gifts and I am happy with them.  I love the pattern on the hat and how the decreases are made.  Stephen West did a very nice job with this pattern.

Update on Google Reader / Typepad:  I figured it is probably a Typepad issue because nobody else is complaining about their feed taking too long to show up on Google Reader so I opened a help ticket with them.  Then I noticed that the post I was waiting on finally showed up.  This is really weird.  The day I posted to ask you all about it, the first post showed up all of the sudden.  And then when I write to Typepad, the post shows up.  Probably just a coincidence, but very weird.

Have a great weekend!

It's a List Thing

Mary recently posted about It's a List Thing and I thought I'd join in.  When you sign up, you get a prompt each month.  You send your list in and Xanthe and Fransesca then make it look pretty (mine just happens to look like Mary's list!) and post it to their blog.  It's sort of like Ten on Tuesday but you're not limited to ten items, your list is posted on a different blog and it's only once a month.  You can also include photos or links in your list.

July's prompt is Things That Make Me Feel Grown Up.  Pretty appropriate for me since I was just moaning about having to be grown up (see #2 on my list)!  :)  I found myself having trouble separating feeling grown up versus feeling old.  I need to focus on the positive things on being a grown up!

You can still sign up and participate in July's prompt.  Have fun!

What I'm reading: past, present and future

Okay, so one bad thing about using a Kindle is that it doesn't make for a very interesting photo!

Just read:  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - I learned a lot about medical research issues and I enjoyed reading this book.  I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads because I did enjoy reading it.  However, I have to agree with what one reviewer said:  The book contained a little too much about how the author wrote the book.

Currently reading:  The Distant Hours - This is our July book club selection.  At first it reminded me of Rebecca and I got sucked in right away.  But soon it started to lag.  I'm at page 100 right now and I hope it picks up soon.

Chomping at the bit to read:  Shadow of Night - I cannot wait to read this book!  We read A Discovery of Witches for book club a few months ago and I couldn't put it down.  So I'm not letting myself pick this one up until I get other reading done first.

I'm also reading City Quilts and Sunday Morning Quilts, but I'll probably talk more about those books later.

What are you reading?

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things That Are My Favorite Color

What things are your favorite color?

Head on over to Carole's to play along!

Google Reader?

How long does it take for your new posts to show up on Google Reader?  I posted this morning at 9:18 and it still isn't showing up now at 5:09.  This isn't really a big deal except that I wanted to get your opinion on something.

I need to practice my quilting!

This weekend I practiced free motion quilting on this pillow case.  I quickly decided that I need more practice at free motion quilting!

But now I've decided that I also need practice quilting circles (used my walking foot).

Here's a shot from farther away.  What do you think?  Should I keep going then rip out and requilt these first few circles if I get better with the others?  Or should I start practicing on something that doesn't matter and come back to this?  I really want to finish this quilt, but I do want it to look nice.

Herbed Zucchini Casserole

My zucchini plants are once again not doing well, but my crookneck squash are okay.  Combined, there was enough squash to make my favorite summer squash recipe.  This is a recipe my mom used to make and I don't know the original source.  And I don't know if I have shared it with you before.  But I do know that it's yummy!

Herbed Zucchini Casserole

4 cups zucchini chunks

3/4 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup chopped onion

6 tablespoons butter, divided

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cup herbed stuffing cubes, divided (I use Pepperidge Farm.)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly cook zucchini chunks in slightly salted water.  Drain.  
• Saute carrots and onion in 4 tablespoons butter. 
• Mix vegetables with soup, sour cream and 1/2 cup stuffing cubes.
• Put in buttered casserole dish.  Top with 3/4 cup stuffing cubes tossed in 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

You can make it a little lighter by cooking the carrots and onions in water and not buttering the stuffing that goes on top.  (I just topped with plain stuffing yesterday and it worked fine.)  I have not tried it with reduced fat soup or sour cream, but that would probably work well.  

Have a great weekend!

 

Being a grown-up

I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday.  We enjoyed our dinner and fireworks with friends.  I even managed to get a good fireworks photo.  Oh, and I got to try hard cider.  We had just heard an NPR report on how it was popular in early America and that it is popular again.  So when my friend offered me some, I was eager to try it.  I liked it much better than beer (can't stand the taste of that!) and it was light and refreshing.

Today I finished Emma's quilt layout.  Now I'm going to be a grown-up and run errands instead of staying at home to quilt and knit like I really want to do.  Do you ever have this problem?  You get a little bit of free time to be creative then you want more, more, more.  And before you know it, the floor is covered with dust bunnies, there is no food in the fridge and the mail is stacked up on the counter.  Maybe it's just me...  

Before I switch gears to responsible grown-up, I have a quick question for the quilters out there.  How do you decide on a quilting pattern?  For the baby quilt, I am leaning toward quilting circles like this quilt has but I'm wondering if that will be too busy with all that is going on.  I can try it and see what I think, but I'd like to learn from your experience, too.  Thanks!  (FYI:  I just found a contest for this book that I think looks really helpful.  Name will be drawn tomorrow.)