Virginia crocheted this from a selection of six colors of Palette yarn. It will brighten and warm the cloudiest and coldest of days. (It seems hard to believe that the temperatures can get so cold when we’re slogging through one of the hottest and muggiest summers on record, but it will and we’ll be ready).
I’ve discovered some fascinating things about owls these last couple of weeks. There’s more to them than meets the eye.
They are inquisitive.
They look for love.
They are true.
They make great companions.
Great parents, too.
They like a little romance.
They get hungry.
Some are even vegetarian.
Unfortunately, they are just as susceptible to zombie attacks as we are.
But, most exciting of all, they know how to knit.
‘Tis the season of linen and cotton, and so Virginia has finished a couple of summery tops that take advantage of the properties those fibers have to offer.
Gretel
Pattern by cocoknits, this airy top is knit using Habu Cotton Gima.
Pure
Pattern by Kim Hargreaves, this top is knit using Louet’s Euroflax Linen.
Finding a steady supply of probiotics has been such a necessary step in restoring the balance of bacteria in my gut (yes, this is a little on the TMI side of things, but even after two years, I am still experiencing the effects of chemo, but I think even more so from the heavy antibiotics I was on). I got hooked on Fage a little while ago, and while I love the thick, creamy yogurt, I was really hoping for something organic.
I brew. I bake. It was only a matter of time before adding yogurt to the list of staples made from scratch (is beer considered a staple?). I finally took the plunge last night, and the steps were almost too simple to think they would actually work, or result in something edible. But, I’m happy to say, that less than 12 hours later, I’ve got a couple of pints of delicious, homemade (organic) yogurt in the fridge. I found the basics for this recipe here.
First, heat 1/2 gallon of milk to 180º F (gently, preferably in a double boiler). Once temperature has been reached, remove from stove and pour into a bowl to let it cool back down to 110º F.
At 110º F, stir in three tablespoons of yogurt (with live active cultures, of course). Cover, wrap with a towel and place in an oven with the light left on. Leave overnight (or for eight hours). At this point, you should have yogurt. But, I really like greek-style yogurt, so the next couple of steps are for that.
Line a strainer with four layers of damp cheesecloth, set in a bowl and fill with the yogurt. Let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour, then collect the whey that has strained out of the yogurt. Of course, you can just toss this, but I’m thinking there’s some bread in the near future made with this:
Put the strainer back in the fridge for another hour. I suppose you could keep straining this for as long as you want, until you achieve the density that you like. But, after about two hours I had a consistency that seemed good.
The next step, as with everything else we do around here, is to enjoy!
We just got back from a few nights away at our home away from home (not sure if the proprietors would completely agree, but as long as we keep coming back, they probably won’t care what we call it). It’s a cabin just a few yards from the shore of Lake Superior, with a commanding view of the moody waters.
The next couple of days were a perfect combination of crafting, hiking, eating and drinking.
We spent the first full day hiking in the Split Rock State Park, with bright birch and aspen trees framing the various views of the lake and surrounding shorelines.
On Thursday morning I woke up at the crack of dawn (actually, a little before the crack) and found myself facing a serenely calm and beautiful display of light and water.
After breakfast we made our way over to Gooseberry Falls State Park, for another couple of hikes. The sky was bright, the sun full (luckily I remembered to wear a hat) and the trails pretty empty in the morning hours.
Virginia got the prize for most adventurous, hanging out with feet dangling over the Upper Falls.
I stayed a more comfortable distance from the edge.
Back at the cabin, we enjoyed the last of our growler (added bonus: the owner decided to open a brewery earlier this year and had several varieties available – I think he brews in 93 gallon batches, so it’s a small operation, but one we were quite willing to support) while sitting by the fire, all the while wishing we had a few more nights booked.
Still, the trip did the trick. We wore ourselves out during the day, slept well at night, worked on some creative projects, and felt ourselves being restored by the powers of that giant lake.
