Knitting

Knitting - Knit

–verb (used with object)
1.to make (a garment, fabric, etc.) by interlocking loops of one or more yarns either by hand with knitting needles or by machine.
–noun
1. fabric produced by knitting.
2. a knitted garment.
3. a style or type of knitting.

The basic stitch in knitting, formed by pulling a loop of the working yarn forward through an existing stitch and then slipping that stitch off the needle.



Knitting has long been my yoga.  This is my newest creation, finished just in time for Easter.

Its Maple Season in Vermont

Vermont Maple Cookies


½ Cup Shortening
2 Eggs
1 ½ Cups brown sugar packed
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Maple Flavoring
2 ¾ Cup All-purpose Flour
½ Tsp. Soda
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Cup Chopped Nuts

Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sour cream and maple flavoring. Measure flour by dipping method. Stir together flour, soda, and salt; blend in. Mix in nuts.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough about 2” apart on greased baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly. When cooled, spread with maple glaze.

Maple Butter Glaze

Heat ½ Cup butter until golden brown. Blend in 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar and 2 tsp. Maple flavoring. Stir in 2 to 4 tbsp. Hot water until icing spreads smoothly.

Love Letters...

                         I found this on the breakfast table this morning. Tom was up at 5 and gone
                  leaving another love letter along with cereal, fresh strawberries, and a pot of coffee.
                                                                  I will wait for him.

Welcome...

We welcome two new members to our family today.  They are fluffy and soft and full of love.  My niece, Christie, is their proud mom.  Looks like they are right at home and have been with us forever.

Loyalty

You can't buy loyalty, they say,
I bought it though, the other day
You can't buy friendships, tried and true
Well just the same, I bought that too.
I made my bid and on spot
Brought love and faith and a whole job lot
Of happiness, so all in all
The purchase price was pretty small
I bought a single trusting heart,
that gave devotion from the start
If you think these things are
NOT FOR SALE
Buy a brown-eyed puppy with a wagging tail.
Unknown

Against all odds...

Basil

Its blowing a gale today, with high winds and snow qualls. 

Celebrate...

All winter we have been driving by a new pizza restaurant with a sign that said, "Coming Soon."  Today the sign said, "Grand Opening."  Pizza for two, a Greek salad, and drinks for under 12 bucks.  Now that's a reason to celebrate!

Knit Lit

My Wednesdays every week are full and happy.  My Knit Lit knitting group meets at the library at 12:30. 

This morning I baked coconut pineapple muffins and made deviled eggs to take with me.  The two Beverlys are in charge of food this week, me being one of the Beverlys.  The other Beverly was making macaroni salad and tuna stuffed tomatoes.  I would come to Knit Lit even if I didn't knit just for the food.

This is my friend Maryjane.  Lucky me.      

So many miracles, so little time.

No amount of technology beats this.

Quahogs

Baked Stuffed Quahogs...

I woke up to a gentle spring rain and to the aroma of Chorizo simmering on the stove.  Tom is always up early nudging around in the dark looking for something to do or someplace to go.  By the time my feet hit the floor at 6:30 he had onions chopped along with green peppers simmering in that big old black pan that he favors.  

Tom moved to the Cape back in the 60's and literally lived off the sea in the early days.  The quahogs he was cooking with today were generously donated by our son-in-law, Steve, who is also up at the crack of dawn most days.  On Saturday morning Steve headed for the bay at low tide and scratched up close to a hundred quahogs.  Its not the 60's but even now with some effort you can live off the land.  The adventure is endless...really.

Its a Rock Harbor Sunday

The second day of Spring proved as uplifting as the first. It was a Rock Harbor Sunday! The docks were not in yet, there was only one boat and it lives there year round. Did you ever want to be a boat?

We started the day on a rennet and citric acid hunt. My niece is here for two weeks and we are hot on the trail of some mozzarella cheese. I used to make cheese on my farm in NY way back when but never mozzarella. Rennet was easily attainable in upstate New York but not on Cape Cod. We went to one health food store after another searching, searching, searching. Then I remembered that drug stores often carried it in NY so off to CVS we went. They were willing to order the citric acid but not the rennet. Orleans was our last hope and BINGO, we are lucky suckers today. On my way out I noticed a poster on the door announcing an upcoming cheese making class. Hello...

The First Day of Spring

Today is the first day of Spring and the first day of my new Blog. The beach is deserted and strewn with driftwood and litter. Too soon the tourists will pick it clean taking everything burnable to feed their campfires in nearby Nickerson State Park. But that will be later. Today I celebrate the start of a new season and the lack of tourists.

It was a bad winter for beach glass; I found none and today my luck was the same - none. I picked up a tiny rust colored stone that I am sure is a chip off a brick. I always wonder the origins.

As always, my goal is to make it to the riprap around 400 yards down the beach. I've walked this same 400 yards so many times. Now each step is a struggle. I've replaced a hip and one knee but this old body demands more, replacements, that is. It doesn't like me anymore. But it will not win. I will never stop trying to walk.

I lift my face to the sunshine and breathe deeply enjoying every single second of every breath. I am believing there is no place on earth as special as Cape Cod Bay. I bend over to scoop a handful of sand and enjoy its salty aroma as well. How slow can you go, one step, one step, something makes me go on. Its so close now.

At last, I wedge between the rocks and find my spot. There are two rocks that are the perfect height to sit and watch the tide change. I am about ten minutes early judging by how close the water is to my shoes. But my goal today is to be there exactly at 1:32 EDT when the sun passes directly over the equator and the season changes. At exactly this minute the sun's rays are perpendicular to the surface of the earth and I am here.

As I rest my bones, the tide splashes my shoes and I know its time to move on.