50 mile garage sale

The beautiful lady is for Molly's birthday  (3 months late). Molly has always had a penchant for romantic portraits (as have I).

I think she will adore this bud vase as well. It is so sweet.

The panels of my skirt are nearly done. I am taking way longer than necessary to make this skirt. I am not sure why. Maybe I am afraid it won't fit and I am putting off the agony. Time to slow down on the ice cream.

Look at Recipe below again I forgot an ingredient!

thursday morning in July

Dill for Dilly Beans! And regular pickles, of course.

Procreation and Japanese beetles. Is that all they can think about? 

Asian Noodle Salad

This is more of a list than a recipe. I made this for the MEN at the site yesterday and they liked it. It is my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant in Amherst, Fresh Side. Fresh Side offers inexpensive, mostly healthy Pan Asian cuisine. Sara eats there several times a week and it is the place we go when we have visitors or anything to celebrate. I knew the main ingredients but was intimidated by making the dressing so I emailed Stella, the owner and gushed ( luckily, I excel at gushing) about the food before begging for the dressing recipe.

wide noodles, such as fettucine

cilantro

cabbage, slice into thin strips

crushed peanuts

scallions

strips of baked tofu ( Ithaca's Tofu Kan is really good) or for non-veg, try chicken/pork 

soy sauce

a large amt. minced, microplaned is best, fresh ginger 

rice vinegar, my favorite is Marukan

Toss together.

More is better.

If serving the next day be prepared to make more dressing.

Serve cold.

 

fermented vegetables... finally

Yesterday, I submerged radishes and carrots in salt water, left to soak overnight.

I used a plate to submerge them.

Today I made a paste of ginger, garlic, onions and hot pepper.
I added the paste to the softened, drained veg. and some chopped cabbage, stuffed them into jars, submerged in brine. I will let them sit for about 5-7 days before putting in fridge. A proper recipe will follow as soon as I get a moment, I promise. I think it will be quite tasty.  

fubar priorities

I just had to use that word/acronym... so retro nineties. 

What is worse, baggy pants that hang below your boxers or violent crime? 

Apparently, the new police chief in Flint, Michigan has ordered his officers to arrest anyone with exposed boxers.  He has a lovely policy, you get a warning for an exposed wasit band, disorderly conduct for pants below boxers and indecent exposure for the smallest amount of crack . I can't help but think this is ridiculous. Flint is infamous for it's crime, depressed economy etc. Shouldn't they be focusing their attentions elsewhere? 

hula girl

I have a custom made hula hoop. Sounds crazy. I know. Blame Laurie. This beautiful hoop with its shiny red, yellow orange and white stripes and mostly hollow interior (a tiny bit of water aids the centrifical force) makes me happy. It provides the same kind of connection with my youth that a handful of licorice jelly beans and a skinned knee or , as I found most recently, falling off a rope swing from 6ft. high onto hard ground does.

  Yes, I match my hoop.
Thanks to Henry for the photos. He is learning.
We may not get to the ocean until early fall this year. Here are some seashells, collected on past trips.

the skirt

this red skirt is NOT my skirt..this is the skirt in the book I bought that has the pattern to make said skirt...

Here is my birthday skirt. I would have loved to find red jersey or even a few big red tees, alas I am using brown and blue (and red fabric paint) This is from the Alabama Stitch book. I love the projects in the book. Evereything is hand sewn and rustic/crafty style which I love.  Jersey is a bit of a pain to work with but I am learning. The smaller projects in the book can be made using teeshirts.
This panel wil be redone because I did not double the thread. Note that I left the ties on the outside. I love that. The stitches are supposed to be that big btw. Also, I really love the look of the reverse applique all the way up the panels but I sort of want to wait and sew the skirt together first. This is the kind of project that you can wear as a "work in progress". the binding at the top is fold over elastic. On my fave craft blogs they have been talking about "foe" a lot.It comes in many colors and is easy to use. 

the big pour

It was hot, steamy, and not a little bit tense as many tons of concrete were poured into the wall forms. Is that what they are called? Since I don't know what I am talking about, here are the pictures.

We emerge from the gully.

The barn I would gladly live in.
Marko's bees.

they provide

I love babies. Just when I decide that two is enough for me and start bemoaning the future absence of babies in my life, they start coming. Here is Henry with Jazmyn Aaliyah, Shamika's little girl. Henry really loves babies and would start babysitting if I let him. 
Nana's first cucumber.
Henry was really proud of wrestling this stick off a tree (mostly dead I hope, but I am not allowed in there) in his hide-out. He was all gestures, squeaks and throat clearing when he described the fierce action of pulling it out.  

the life

black raspberries to be made into pie for marknsusans dish-to-pass outside movie party...
flying boy
flying boy again
the lake view from my parent's house...
currants to be preserved
preserves to be given away and/or eaten...
husband to be smooched...and nagged once in awhile...sorry
organic cotton jersey panels to be stenciled,reverse appliqued, sewn together by hand ala Alabama Stitch book style, and worn...

live from New York!

coming soon...