Deb on the Web

Still no photos

Well I'm really starting the year off in a boring fashion. The sad thing is that I am surrounded by beauty today. It is sunny and 35 degrees. Still a little snow on the ground and we are cozy inside.

I've been crafty in the collage zone with a project I couldn't find the inspriation for until today. I started this as a source of inspiration for others several months ago and now I am finally getting back to it. Now I know you'd like to see some evidence and you will! Soon I say, soon. These spindles are going to a local shop this week. Hopefully they won't throw me out for having them so long. Really I will have something to show you:)

In the food area I have a question. We got a Turbot filet last night and decided to pan fry it. It completely fell apart in the pan. It tasted fresh, but seemed to liquify. I've never cooked this fish. Can anyone give me some imput?

As you can see I'm not participating in Project 365. I did think about it, but it seemed silly to give myself boundaries with something that I both will not be near every day this year and I like the flow of creativity that sometimes comes from me since I have never given myself rules about posting. One thing I did notice at the end of 2007 was that my photos of projects were not complete for last year. I forgot that this was the main reason I did start this blog. So I guess I have a second resolution for the year--documenting all projects.
Part of this I'd like to carry over to the garden project.

Okay, this next week will include some husband surgery (now that could be helpful;) ). Hopefully the pain will only get better (for both of us). I feel so bad for him, but man can I see his controlling side. He actually decided he was going to drive his stick shift today. Whatever!

In the knitting area, I am still on the sock obsession in 2008. I'm knitting away on the Duet XXL kneehighs. I decided to knit each foot seperately and then put them both on two circulars (a size up) and knit the legs together to make sure if I start to run out of yarn I have them the same length. As I am typing this I am realizing that I have one ball of yarn. DUH! I guess I'll be doing some rewinding before I get to the legs.
I am ready to get back to Mar'c Aran and finish up the MS3 from last year. I really want to start a new shawl but I feel like that has to be done first.

I love the new beginning feeling of January. I always get in this finish things up mode. I just wish I felt that way come February 1. By then I am ready for something new.

A beautiful day at the mountains!

I feel like that is a total tease as I have no photos to show (I'm not on my computer). But it is amazingly warm with the beautiful colors of Autumn floating everywhere.
This has definitely been a week of missed photos. I think I have 7 times this week "why don't I have my camera right now". At one point yesterday I was thinking maybe I should just keep it around my neck;)
We are now spending most weekends up here at the in-laws. Our house is starting to resemble us a bit and I will have photos of my studio later this week. I enjoyed spinning earlier today while the leavesblew around outside.
I wanted to share a tasty salad we had for lunch today. We spent yesterday emptying out the orchard and have tons of apples. So we slivered up 3 kinds and added shredded jerusealem artichokes, toasted walnuts, blue cheese with a touch of white wine vinegar to keep the apples from browning and enough olive oil to keep everything together. It was sooooo good. And jerusalem artichokes are the best veggie a diabetic can eat. They help the body process insulin.
I have picked up Marc's Aran again and he may have a sweater by Winter at this rate. Our lovely mountain is very rocky still!
Just some reminders to Portlanders for the coming weekend--Blue Moon Barn Sale on Saturday!!!! Wordstock all weekend!! And I have found a new favorite cafe--the Bakery Bar. It is accross from Clark Lewis on Water ave.
Off to enjoy the outdoors....

Let's amend that last post

I'm feeling better today.  I got photos uploaded this morning--stocked older projects on Ravelry.  And here is a little tour around the Nostrana kitchen (with little stops at the stove here and there)-- There's the beginning of that soup mentioned yesterday!
I still don't feel like I can show off my sock club yarns, but here are the boxes I know really no fun at all!  There will be sock excitement soon I promise:)
So who else is in the Fall mood already?  It has been pointed out to me that I am already wearing a fleece lined vest and wool stockings.  I can't help it I'm ready (it goes with the bean soup).  So I am ready to bring back the DH aran sweater last seen in this post.  However, as I have signed up for a class the Ruth Brown Reinsel(so excited) I feel I should wait until after the class to continue.  I am seriously considering ripping the whole thing out and making it a top down piece.  It is a conundrum! 
Back to the baby blanket for me.  I took it to the shower last night where it was oohed and aahed over.  However I think that little one might come a little early so I need to get a move on!
While knitting I have two new (to me) podcasts to which I'm listening--Sweaters for Dragons and Stash and Burn.  Both are great.  It is interesting to me that I enjoy podcasts by male knitters as much as females.  I am finding that I really do like a podcast with some music in it, but the only podcast I enjoy that gets off topic is Lime and Violet.  Others that get off topic I tend to get rid of.  Interesting.

Still here

It has been a crazy few days at work.  I finally have a chance this morning to get a bit caught up at home and gather the prizes together to create a prize page on the blog.  I'll post a link in each of my posts so you don't forget about all the goodies you could be eligible for!  We are at $265 right now.  Pretty close to the next drawing.
I've been loading projects pics onto Ravelry this week.  Here are my current projects (some of them in hibernation at the moment).  This is Marc's aran--too hot to knit at the moment and the on again off again Chevron Scarf.  More photos tomorrow.

What's up with you?

Well this has been a very long couple of weeks due to vacations (happy that I started rested).
Today we hosted a luncheon with demos of each course for a local charity.  It was a great way to educate people about local foods, sustainability and how all this fits so perfectly into the Italian traditions.
In the mail this week-- The next installment of the Rockin Sock Club.  I love this new silkie sock yarn!  I look forward to knitting it up, but I want to finish the second sock of the Febrary socks first.   Unfortunately I seem unable to knit with size 0 needles.  I have just broken my second set of DPNs. 
I have been wanting a pair of these large sock blockers for a while.  How could I resist the martini blockers from Scout.  I love the adorable detail of a martini stitch marker.  If I can ever get those "Inside Out" socks finished I'll be using those.  Oh wait!  I did finish these Duet socks this week Love this yarn!  Really easy to knit with and fun colorways too!  I have to knit up some of the other yarns I have before buying more though.  As soon as I sew in the ends I'll wash them and put them on the blockers.
Also in the mail this week...yes this was a great mail week:)  Two different fibers to spin up. The blue fiber on the left is from PippiKneeSocks by way of Scout's Swag.  I have heard this Falkland is great fiber and it certainly feels like it.  On the right is merino from Mama E.  I am ready to bring home the wheel and dive in.
Also knitting on the Aran for DH. I had put this aside for a bit after pulling it out for the third time.  I now really like the pattern combination and this Oiled aran yarn is great to knit with.  I'm ready to spend a couple of hours knitting and listening to a book.
Tomorrow I'll have to work as well.  No weekend this week...maybe a few minutes each day to take a break for some sock knitting though.

A busy week but a lovely lazy Sunday

We are now full into pre-Valentine's dining.  It was a busy, hectic weekend.  So I was quite happy to find this in the mail to play with yesterday. Oiled wool from Iriss for the DH aran.  I sat down with a bit of peppermint , some paper, Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns and began to plan.  My brain hurts when the numbers get involved, but this book makes it all so easy.  There is a specific aran that DH wants, but as it is a photo of a sweater with only patterns for two parts of the cables I am adding in an additional cable and some moss stitches along the sides.  I did some swatching to get the feel of the fabric he wanted and then talked him into a more reasonable idea of what it should be;).  I decided on a Saddle shoulder and turtle neck as pulling sagging down was a problem with the last aran I knit for him.  I also think the cable I chose to go up the saddle will look great.  Casting on starts this morning at Knit/Bowl! 
That's right I did say knitting and bowling together.  I have a couple of friends I've been trying to knit with for a while and we have wanted to bowl again after the fun we had a couple of weeks ago.  So why not?
Last night was a movie night at home.  Something I haven't done for months.  I worked on the Six Socks project You may notice that this no longer Knit Picks yarn.  As I worked above the toe I realized that I would never wear such scratchy/rough socks and that I wouldn't feel good about giving them as a gift.  So I went to the opposite extreme and pulled out the Austermann Step (mit Aloe Vera und Jojoba ol).  It feels goooooood, it is stretchy and I love the pink splotches with the green.  This pattern is Spring Time in Paris so why not have some cherry blossoms falling as well.

Here is a beautiful sky photo from this last week.  I didn't even get weird looks from the customers when I ran out with my camera.  We all enjoyed it together. I couldn't get outside so this is a bit washed out but it was amazing!
Hey need some Valentine's ideas check out what we are cooking up at Nostrana (the menu is in the events area).  We are booked for the evening, but will take any walkins if you don't mind waiting a little bit.