Goals, Growth and Gains

May is a big month for us. For starters, Virginia sets herself a goal of knitting 52 pairs of socks each year, with May being the final month. She made her goal, ending with a cabled sock knit using lovely Casbah yarn. The pattern is by Cynthia Levy (Ravelry link)

Socks (52 of 52)

May is also when plants really start to take off in the garden. Last year, I spent a lot of time hearing about all the growing things on a secondhand basis, and imagining it weeks at a time from my very beige and closed-to-the-world room. I am happy to say the tomatoes, peppers, beans and who knows what else I started are faring pretty well.

Bean Sprout

Two days after I took the picture of the above bean sprout, it was practically a foot high. And, our potted tomatoes seem to be enjoying their location on our deck. Portability equals access to more sunlight in our tree-heavy yard.

Potted Tomato

Of course, not pictured here are all the wild and crazy weeds that also love this time of year. But, green is good and being able to get my hands dirty is also good. Even while tackling the toughest of weeds, I need only remind myself of last year, and the chore suddenly turns into a privilege.

And, last, but certainly not least, May is when we gain another year on our anniversary count. As of May 26, we will have been married 9 years.

May 26, 2001

Time flies, a lot good and bad things happen. But, I believe, not a better pairing will you find.

May 26, 2001

You Are Old, Father William

A little inspired needle felting from some recent bed-time reading:

Rabbit and Caterpillar

‘You are old, Father William,’ the young man said,
‘And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head –
Do you think, at your age, it is right?’

‘In my youth,’ Father William replied to his son,
‘I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I’m perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again.’

‘You are old,’ said the youth, ‘as I mentioned before,
And have grown most uncommonly fat;
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door –
Pray, what is the reason of that?’

‘In my youth,’ said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,
‘I kept all my limbs very supple
By the use of this ointment – one shilling the box –
Allow me to sell you a couple?’

‘You are old,’ said the youth, ‘and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak –
Pray how did you manage to do it?’

‘In my youth,’ said his father, ‘I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw,
Has lasted the rest of my life.’

‘You are old,’ said the youth, ‘one would hardly suppose
That your eye was as steady as ever;
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose –
What made you so awfully clever?’

‘I have answered three questions, and that is enough,’
Said his father; ‘don’t give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
Be off, or I’ll kick you down stairs!’

In case you couldn’t guess, that was from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. Now, if I could just figure out how to make a wee little hookah…

Rabbit and Caterpillar

Shepherd’s Harvest

Sheep

This time last year I was stuck in an emergency room waiting to be checked in to the hospital for my second extended stay. Needless to say, we wouldn’t be visiting our favorite festival. So, when this year’s festival rolled around, I felt like I was having to make up for lost time (and, I’m sure the vendors were quite happy that I was).

Hanging with Siblings

I’m happy that the festival has grown so much in the last couple of years. It was not that long ago that all the vendors could fit in one building. This weekend, it took four buildings to house them all. I’m only happy to support some of the amazing producers, spinners, dyers, etc… that show up every year with their wares. I think my favorite for this year was a couple who use natural dyes to produce some amazing colors in their roving and yarn. See for yourself! There should be some sweaters spun and knit from this stuff in the near (or distant) future.

Goat

Of course, I’m a sucker for all the animals, and I certainly enjoy checking them out. I wonder if our neighbors would notice if we had a cloven-foot animal wandering around our yard? At least our grass would stay short…

Food on Face

I’ve got my work cut out for me this next year. Uh, who am I kidding? I think I have enough to last me for a couple of trips around the sun. Here’s just a wee glimpse:

Fiber

Baking Recovery

It’s been so nice to finally have all of my energy back, and I feel like I might be making up for lost time. Not that I didn’t do any baking while I was recovering from the cancer treatment, I certainly had curtailed the activity.

Well, curtail no more. I’ve been playing with the master recipe from Artisan Breads in Five Minutes a Day (the recipe gives you about 5 one-pound loaves to make over the course of a week, so there’s lots to play with). This particular iteration may have to be part of our routine. It’s a cinnamon-raisin bread that toasts nicely and is perfect, really, any time of the day (I was going to say “breakfast,” but who’s kidding who).

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Basically I pulled off a pound (or grapefruit-sized hunk of dough) and, using a rolling pin, flattened it into a 9 x 12 inch area. After sprinkling generously with cinnamon and raisins, I rolled it back up into a log-like shape (tucking in the ends) and continued with the directions as is.

What I haven’t mentioned is that I acquired a baking stone, and that has pretty much changed my life. Why did I wait so long? The crust on this bread is thick, the custard resilient (but not too spongy), and, frankly, it’s amazing there is enough bread left to take a picture of.

Of course, bread is not the only baking that I’m doing. I’ve started experimenting with vegan cakes, and I’ve settled on a perfect batter that goes well with all manner of inclusions. Last week it was rhubarb. This week a combination of lemon, blueberries and poppy seeds.

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Recipe for Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

  • 1 cup white flour
  • 1/3 cup (heaping) whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup (or less) of sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 teeny pinch of salt
  • 4 Tbsp poppy seeds

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, then add:

  • Juice of half a lemon, combined with enough warm water to make 1 cup
  • Zest of that half a lemon
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar

Mix until batter is nearly combined, then add:

  • 1 cup blueberries (we’re cleaning out our freeze in preparation for this season’s fruit, so I thawed some blueberries for this cake)

Continue mixing until all ingredients have been incorporated (don’t over mix). Pour in to 9-inch round cake pan and bake at 350º for 30 minutes (or until toothpick inserted comes out clean).

Let cool and top with glaze made from the juice and zest of the other half of the lemon (basically add some powder sugar until the mixture is pourable, but not too thin – it’s really hard to screw this up, so I just toss a bit in at a time and whisk the mixture until it seems like a good consistency).

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

I’d better start getting out on my bike more regularly, because with all this baking in the house, and only two people to enjoy it…