Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Some Days Are Just Like That

I am still sick, not as bad as last week but still not myself. I am very congested, unable to smell a thing and only able to taste sweet, salty and sour; hence no meatless Monday post as I can't be trusted with seasonings yet. Nana has picked up the slack and created some wonderfully vegan soups, sauteed greens(Tuscany kale, cabbage, parsley, onion, garlic, ginger, and red and green peppers), and chili.

I, on the other hand, have slept a lot, most of last week in fact. I went to the doctor, but I did not have an infection, just a really stubborn cold virus, so no anti-biotic. The doctor told me to keep doing what I was already doing: rest and drink plenty of liquids. She also said it could take around six-teen days to recover. Not the news I wanted to hear. Nana has been wonderful, because she has watched the Bumper every day since I became ill. The Bumper loves her Nana time. Unfortunately this also means she has taken advantage of the the situation and decided to act out knowing I have been too sick to discipline her properly or consistently. She got quite a shock today when I started clamping down and nipping the unruliness in the bud. It will take a few more weeks for us to get back to normal ( it just takes a bit for her to understand than Mom means business).

Spring has finally decided to grace us with its presence today and the daffodils are blooming. The weather has been mild enough for the Bumper to play outside or help Nana plant more flowers. I have even been able to sit outside a bit and soak up the sunshine. I just took some more cold medicine and am going to head back to bed. Nana and the Bumper have headed out in search of baby chicks.
I hope to be back to more regular posting soon, but in the meantime I am taking it one day at a time.

P.S. May your Holy Week (if you celebrate it) be a prayer filled and fruitful one.

Kim

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Sick Day -- er-- Week

This Blog postponed due to illness.
See you when I get better. I have been to sick to even knit, crochet or read ( if you know me in RL you know how serious that is).
I'll be back next week.
Kim

Friday, March 20, 2015

Friday Focus - Books

As usual I have more than one book on my nightstand. This month it has been a mix of devotionals, non-fiction, and book club choices.  Since the first day of spring is cold and rainy, it gives me the perfect excuse to cuddle up with a pile of books and read (At least until the Bumper comes home from school).

1. Beside Still Waters is a monthly Bible devotional that I have been reading during Lent. It has the days readings on the top of the page and a short one page application story. This has helped me in taking that extra time out to spend with the Lord each day.

2. Falling Upwards: How we took to the Air by Richard Holmes charts the development of hot air balloons from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  Since I generally like history I am enjoying this, but I am really interested in the technical aspect for my next novel.

3.Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty this was my book club's pick for the month of March. It starts out as telling the rather banal stories of upper middle class housewives, but turns into a riveting exploration of infidelity and domestic violence.

4.  Quinine: Malaria and the Quest for a Cure that Changed the World by Fiammetta Rocco. I had never before realized the importance of the tiny little pill we took as a matter of course in the Peace Corps. This is worth a read for both students of history and medicine.

Happy Reading and Happy Week End
Kim

Thursday, March 19, 2015

A Quick Jaunt to the Seaside (Which sounds more adventureous than a "Drive to the Beach")

As is the way with March around here, Wednesday was glorious. Temperatures in the mid to upper sixty degrees Fahrenheit. The Bumper could hardly be kept indoors and I did not want to keep in. We found every excuse to be outside. Checking the mail, getting the morning paper, feeding the birds, prepping her raised bed (Nana helped the Bumper with that), I even opened up the windows and doors to let in fresh air. We could practically feel the warmth of spring on the breeze and we basked in it.

And then there was yesterday. Yesterday was cold and blustery enough to make Winnie the Pooh proud. It was rather a nasty shock, as it meant the Bumper and her friends had no playground time at school. Maybe it was the splendor of the day before which prompted her, but in the middle of all our grousing and complain about the shift in weather Nana suggested we go for a drive. Since being stuck for the rest of the afternoon with a grumpy, pent up four year old was not in the least appealing I readily agreed. The Bumper on the other hand, took some convincing. She wanted a firm destination; she wanted to go to a playground, but it was too cold.  So Nana told her we were going to listen to the frogs sing. This intrigued the Bumper enough to get in the car are we were off to find spring peepers.

I'm sure the cars behind us though we were crazy as Nana stopped the car every so often and the Bumper stuck her head out the window occasionally exclaiming "I hear them Nana! I hear them!"
I meanwhile ,bundled up in my coat, tried to crochet. I found it was better to pretend to concentrate on my work, than to let the Bumper think I was laughing at her enthusiasm. I wasn't really, I was very happy she was so excited y something as simple as springtime frogs. On and on we drove in this fashion until we finally arrived at Assateague Island National Seashore.

The wind coming off the ocean was far too bitter for us to go walking, but that did not stop us from spotting and taking pictures of the islands most famous inhabitants: the wild ponies.  Apparently the Bumper did not remember seeing them last year, she was enthralled and asked a whole bunch questions and even took some pictures all by herself.


All in all the drive did us good. We got out of the house, got the hear an evening chorus of frogs, watching the ever shifting blues of the ocean and even spotted a lone para sail! We return home in much better spirits than when we left.

I am eagerly awaiting for the warmer temperatures and longer days I know are coming, in the meantime I will make the best of what tempestuous March has to offer.

Kim

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

WIP Wenesday

I wanted this to be a wordless Wednesday with nothing but the pictures of my finished craft projects, but as I did not finish any of them that is not going to happen. So what I have instead is a W.I.P. (Works In Progress)Wednesday. A jumble of all the things I current have on the needles/hook or in my notebooks.

First up is a plain knit dishcloth. I started this sometime last year with the idea that I needed to refresh my knitting skill and re-learn the essentials: cast on, cast off, knit and purl. I pick it up when I want to practice a stitch to improve my speed.

Next is a crochet doll blanket that I started when the Bumper was a year old. It was supposed to be a baby blanket for her, but it turns out she grew faster than I could crochet.

Then come the hats; the green is still on the hook, but I have finished two yellow ones.

For a lark I picked up a drop spindle kit at the Ocean City fiber festival, because why not learn how to spin while I am at it?

There is of course the ever present sock.

And because I have a terminal case of start-itis something new. Can you guess what?

Lest anyone think that my start-itis limits itself to the fiber arts rest assured it invades other parts of my life.  I carry around a spiral bound notebook crammed almost to capacity with the beginnings of short stories, poems, and novel ideas.

These are the things I am working on, I hope to finish all of them; in the meantime I am enjoying the creative process.

Kim

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Could it be that Spring is just around the corner?

First to Bloom
Mother Nature gave us  a break this week and we have had spring like temperatures the last few days and if you as me not a moment to soon. I am more than ready for spring, ready to be outside, ready for more daylight and walks in the park. I live in a place where the winter's don't typically get very cold for an extended period of time so we don't have the proper clothing to be outside for long. Knowing the Mid Atlantic region, however, I know better than to be lulled into a sense of complacency.
There are Buds on the Tree!

Today the Bumper and her friends finally after what seemed like forever, although was really only about a month, were able to have outside recess and because the Bumper had a good report from her teacher she went on the playground after school as well. It did my heart good to see her racing at breakneck speed to join her friends on the jungle gym and slide. Hearing her laugh and squeal with glee as she shot down the slide and swung ALL BY HERSELF on the swings made the rough patch of the last two days fade into memory like a bad dream. I let her play for over an hour whilst I chatted with some of the other mothers and it felt good for me to have adult conversation. We took a kite out for the first time over the weekend. The Bumper loved it, even if she felt a little disappointed the wind was not quite strong enough to bear the kite aloft for more than a few minutes at a time. Fortunately we live near the beach and Nana has promised this summer to take the Bumper kite flying near the ocean.
Nana and the Bumper Checking the Garden Hose

Now that the ground has started to thaw, Nana and the Bumper have started getting the garden ready for spring planting. In the next few weeks they will be prepping the vegetable garden and the flowerbeds. The bulbs we planted last autumn should be starting to push their way through to the surface and I can hardly wait for our walk way to be lined with daffodils. We did plan tulip bulbs last autumn as well, but have sneaking suspicion the moles have used them for a winter feast. One of the more unpleasant tasks has been ridding the greenhouse of our feline squatters. In fairness we did not want the cats to perish in the harsh storms, but enough is enough! Mint, parsley, and basil can survive many things, but the territorial markings of male cats are not one of them. Since warmer weather is once again upon us the cats must vacate.
They don't look like much now wait a few weeks!

Surprisingly one of the vegetables to survive were the carrots the Bumper planted last summer. They were not quite big enough to eat. This year they are ready and we have been pulling them and crunching on them as often as we can. I am not sure which pleases me more: eating the tasty carrots or the happiness in the Bumper's eyes when she declares: "Look what I grew Mom!" She is learning the pleasure of growing, preparing and eating fresh food. There is no price tag to be put on such a thing.
Third Hat

It is starting to resemble a sock.

I am in the slog of the sock. I am so very near the toe, but not quite there yet. I have almost finished a third baby hat; as soon as I have done up a fourth I will send them off.

Happy St. Patrick's Day
Today is St. Patrick's feast day. The Bumper's school celebrated yesterday so there is green glitter everywhere in the house. We don't typically celebrate the holiday very much, yes there is Irish in my ancestry, but it is kind of way back there. The Bumper has requested some green themed foods so I am whipping up an avocado mousse or maybe some green beans sauteed in garlic. I am also mindful of the Christians who are in parts of the world who are being persecuted. The Christianizing of Ireland came at price, and in spite of what the legends say it was not entirely peaceful. I wear green in both celebration and remembrance.

Kim

Monday, March 16, 2015

Meatless Monday - What's in a name

I finally did it. For months and months, ever since last August, Pumpkin "Cheese" Sauce has been smeared all over food blog territory, and last week I finally gave it a go. I had been reluctant to try this for two reasons. My Bumper does not like Macaroni and Cheese unless it is totally made from scratch. She can't stand "Kraft Dinner" (which in spite of being totally bad for you, I love), and prefers her pasta plain or with butter and secondly while I love things like pumpkin pie and the occasional pumpkin soup I was skeptical about it being something I would like.

Sure a rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but pumpkin as a substitute for cheese? I wasn't buying it. See the thing is if I hear cheese, my mouth immediately sets it self for the distinctive tang of dairy cheese; otherwise I am disappointed. In spite of my misgivings I tried it.  I used the recipe from "Oh She Glows" http://ohsheglows.com/2011/10/13/vegan-pumpkin-mac-n-cheeze-sauce/ .

Three things: It was good, so good in fact; I could not stop dipping my spoon in for 'just a taste', so good I am thinking of having more after I finish this post. Two I will definitely be making it again. Three it did not taste like cheese, no way no how-- at least to me.

Yes it was delicious, AS A PUMPKIN SAUCE.  As a spot on replacement of cheese? NOPE.

Here is to telling it like it is: I will make and enjoy this Pumpkin Sauce (though I may cut back on the mustard and nutritional yeast next time) over pasta or as a dip for nachos. As an aside neither the Bumper nor Nana liked this so it is a good thing I did because the recipe makes a lot.

Happy Eating

p.s. when I made Chocolate Covered Katie's "Cheese Cake" http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/06/26/raw-cheesecake-recipe/ I made sure I told the people at the gathering it was a Cashew Creme cake. I know a few people with severe nut allergies and I would not have wanted them to think it was made with dairy.