Vanilla Honey Yogurt. Yum!

I made a delicious vanilla honey yogurt this morning.  Sophie is cleaning the bowl right now.  She likes it too.

I have sun poisoning from being out in the sun Saturday and Sunday.  I did not get that burnt.  But I did get a little red.  Monday was a beautiful warm sunny day as well, but I was inside at work all day.  Closed up in a room with no windows. Ugh!

Today's Quote

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)

Another beautiful day

Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park.

I don't know what these are.  I will look them up.

****

Sophie approves of the homemade yogurt! and so do I.  It was delicious. Much better than what you buy in the store.  I ate it plain with fresh strawberries on top.  No sweetener needed.  No bitter taste.  It was delicious.  I will make it again.

Crockpot Yogurt

Heat 1/2 gallon of milk on low in crockpot for 2 1/2 hours.  

Unplug and let sit covered for 3 hours.

Scoop out 2 cups of milk.  Stir 1/2 cup of yogurt (with active cultures) in the milk.

Return to the crockpot.  Stir.  Cover.  Wrap the crockpot with bath towels.  Let sit overnight for 8 hours.  In the morning you will have delicious yogurt.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the homemade yogurt for the starter yogurt of your next batch.

Yogurt will stay good for 7 - 10 days.

Serve with fresh fruit.

Miniature mums I bought at Trader Joe's Easter day.  

They are still cheery and beautiful

Angel relaxing in the window hammock.  

Doesn't she look comfortable?

It is a Most Beautiful Day

I could not have asked for a more beautiful day.  For those not from Western PA, it was sunny and a dry 89 degrees.  My day started by reading Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl at Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park.

 I ate lunch then hiked for 50 minutes. 

Beautiful lavender flower.

Small crick through the park.

Leaves on the trees are just starting to come out.

Trail at the top, ready to start the decent.

  I drove back over to the lake and read for a little while.  I started getting restless, so I drove to Knit One North and visited with Karen.  

I worked out at the gym at work.  Showered.  Spontaneously stopped at Giant Eagle and bought 1/2 pound of scallops to cook up for dinner. And, more milk and starter yogurt to try the yogurt recipe again.  I put a little butter, well actually, a lot of butter in the skillet with diced garlic.  Sauteed for a bit.  Added the scallops.  Cooked slowly until tender.  They were delicious. 

 The sun is still shining brightly in my front rooms.  I am on a natural high it is so beautiful.  I made camping reservations for the near future.  I cannot wait to go camping. I reserved the the site where Molly and I always camped.  It will be sad not to have her there, but it is a premium site.  Secluded.  Across from the water spicket.  

I started another batch of hopeful yogurt.  When I wake in the morning I will find out if it turned into yogurt. I will post the recipe if the yogurt turns out.

Step outside.  It is a beautiful day.

Recycling Sweaters.  A man's X-Large Tommy Hillfiger sweater will soon be a medium hand knit 'fisherman' sweater for me.  Yellow is my favorite color.  Connie found this at the local Goodwill and gave it to me.  Notice the sleeve is missing.  It is being unraveled into the ball of yarn.

It was not a good day for growing bacteria.  I don't know what happened for sure, but I suspect the yogurt did not grow because I used a metal slow cooker and not an actual crockpot.  I ended up with 1/2 gallon of spoiled milk instead of a 1/2 gallon of plain yogurt.  I will try again, but with a different process.  Last time I made yogurt I set the bowl of milk and starter yogurt on top of my stove with the pilot light under it.  I have an electric stove now.  I don't have a crockpot.  Mom does not have a crockpot. One alternative is to make it in the oven with the oven light on for the heat.  My oven light is burned out.  Maybe it is time to invest in a new oven light.  

Homemade Yogurt in a slow cooker

I drank a large glass of chocolate milk before going to bed last night, consequently I am awake at 3:55am.  I've been wanting to make yogurt.  I have not done it since the 80's.  I am making it in the slow cooker I inherited from my grandmother.  If it turns out I will post the recipe here.

I started my wellness program at work last week.  I am back into the exercise.  What is difficult is the nutrition program.  I have a terrible sweet tooth and have severe cravings for sugar.  Fruit just does not cut it.  The two things that satisfy my sweet tooth are sweet tea and chocolate milk.  They both keep me up at night.  So I have good reason not to drink them.  But the cravings are terrible.  I seriously think I have a physical addiction to sugar.

I Love This Woman

Susan Boyle is my hero.  If you have not watched this, watch it now.  How sad how our culture judges people by the way they look.  Visit the Susan Boyle Fan Site.

Elizabeth Zimmermann

I have fallen in love with Elizabeth Zimmermann (EZ) aka the Opinionated Knitter.    Born in 1910 in England, educated in Art schools in Switzerland and Germany.  Died in the USA in 1999.  

She developed the EPS system for knitting sweaters.  I started an EZ sweater.

I measured a sweater that fits me well.  It measured 47 inches across the chest.  I knit a Cap Swatch Gauge.


I figured my gauge and cast-on the appropriate number of stitches.  I did my calculations by hand and made errors.  So already my sweater is not a 'true' EZ sweater.  I cast on 198 stitches,  knit a k2, p2 rib.  Increased to 212 stitches and will knit in stockinette stitch until I reach the arm holes.  I am bummed that I miscalculated my cast-on stitches.  I should have cast on 192 stitches.  Maybe this error was meant to be so the ribbed edge will fit nicely around my large waist and budding buttocks.  

This sweater will go fast as I am knitting with Heavy Worsted Cascade Pastaza yarn.

A Day in the Park

The state park that is.  Morraine State Park. 

 Hiking.   See evidence that Spring is here!

This is a little creek running through the park.

It is hard to tell in this picture, but in the low-lying areas the trail was muddy.

These are the only flowers I spotted.  Can you find them?  Small white blossoms.

A view from the top of the hill.

It was an overcast day, but a warm 67 degrees.  I hiked in my shorts and short sleeve t-shirt.  An invigorating hike.  There is a sign for "short trail" and "long trail."  No mileage is posted.  I've hiked the short trail before and know it takes me about 25 minutes.  I've started the long trail before  but always get scared in the middle of the trail where the short trail intersects it.  I don't know how much longer the long trail is.  Because I am tired I turn onto the short trail and finish the hike in 45 minutes.  After I get in better shape, I will do the entire long trail.

A Friend Revisited

I met Dean when I was on a family vacation in Florida when I was in high school.  I have not seen him since 1982 when I lived in Oak Park, Illinois.  I was still in college.  He had just gotten out of the Army.  He must have rejoined the Army because in his email he said he was retired from the Army.  I googled him and he is still running in races.  He must not be 50 lbs overweight like I am.  

At least I am the same person inside, but actually I am not.  At the core I am still the same person, but I have blossomed.  I am more outgoing and a better conversationalist.  I'm happier too.  I wonder what he has been up to?  He wanted to be a chef.  I wonder what he did in the Army?  He is now self-employed.  I wonder if he has a restaurant.  He wants to talk but I want to exchange emails.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult was very good.   A great read!

Angel sleeping in her favorite chair.

A Snowy April Day in Western PA

I drove in white out conditions this afternoon.  Doina and I went to the Strip District.  Had lunch at Rolands and shopped the Strip.

Look Mom, No cavities.  Good news from the dentist office.

Staying inside trying to stay warm.  Reading Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult.  A tough read.  Heavy.  Depressing.  Why do I do this to myself?  The book is addictive.

Been watching a DVD tutorial on Blogger.  It was created in 2004.  Many things have changed since then, but still very informative.

Today's Quote

If you are capable of living deeply one moment of your life, you can learn to live the same way all the other moments of your life.  - Thich Nhat Hanh

Knit One is now collecting Helmet Liners for our Military Personnel.  I think this would be great for me in the winter time.  I might make one for myself in Cascade 220 to match my Reversible Cabled Scarf.

Today's Quote

"Be Kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Plato

Life is Always Good...

My Booze & Books group met today to discuss Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  Who killed August?  Was it Marlena or Rosie?  Mandi thought is was Rosie, the elephant.  Karen thought it was Marlena.  I thought it was Marlena, but Mandi convinced me it was Rosie.  I wanted it to be Rosie so she could get her revenge.  Our next book is Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl.  

I finished the Reversible Cabled Scarf. 

It is knit with Cascade 220 100% wool yarn.

Happy Birthday Pam!

Mom and Pam (my sister) 53 years old today

We went out to eat at Aladdins at The Streets of Cranberry. It was absolutely delicious.  

Friday is my favorite Day of the Week

Friday morning knitting at Barnes & Noble.  Not pictured are Celeste, Marilyn and Mary Ann.  I took a picture of them but it was not flattering, so I did not post it.

Vilma is my Spanish mentor.  She is from Columbia.  It is a delight and joy to spend time with her.  Here she is knitting on her Sampler Scarf which is turning out beautifully.

Connie (left) is helping Wendy (right) with a new crochet pattern.

Koley is back in town...for Spring Break.  I spent the afternoon knitting with Connie and Koley and then we went to Eat-n-Park for a light meal.  It was fun being around Koley again.  Believe it or not she is 17 years old.  I can't believe it.  She is a good kid.

I cast-off my Nora/Pastaza Striped scarf.  One more finished object down.  I still have two open scarf projects.  The Noro Plaid scarf and the yellow reversible cable scarf.

Hoy es casi fin de weekend.

Today is my Friday.  I feel so happy on Thursday nights.  I went to K1N tonight to knit with the Thursday night knitting group.  Vilma and I were the only ones there.  We conversed in Espanol.  and English.  Honestly, mostly in English as my espanol is very limited.  I help Vilma with her knitting and she helps me with my Espanol.

My Noro Plaid scarf is coming along nicely.  My camera is out in the car, so I will need to post a picture at a later time.  Maybe I will finish the scarf this weekend, then back to the yellow cable scarf I go.

I have heard the name Elizabeth Zimmermann for a few years, but only recently have I gotten to know her.  I love her books.  I bought several skeins of Cascade Pastaza in blue and green and plan to make an EZ sweater using the EPS system.  I will log my progress on the blog so you can follow me and the results.  I have high hopes that the sweater will be wearable.

I am very conscious of the dangers of my current eating habits.  Diabetes is preventable, so I am trying to eat a lot healthier and get my weight down.  Slowly old habits get transformed into healthier habits.  More fruit.  My vice is Southern-style sweet tea.  I think I need to cut it out of my diet altogether.  Because once I indulge once I am off and running and indulging every day.  I'll let you know how I do.  Tonight I ate a Morning Star Veggie burger with Avocado.  I won't tell you what else I ate with it because it was not a healthy choice, but I am working on it.  Small change by small change I will get to a big change which will result in me looking and feeling better.

I signed up for the Wellness program at work today.  It is a 13 week all inclusive wellness program which includes a weekly personal trainer and monitoring of nutrition.  A year ago I did this with the goal of improved mood.  This time I am doing it with the goal of adopting much healthier eating habits, along with a moderate exercise program.  I am excited about the program and plan to commit to working out 3 times a week plus doing 30 minutes of cardio 4-5 days a week.  I think I will join the local Y and start swimming--an excellent exercise with minimal impact to the body.

Today's Quote

Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching. - Mark Twain

Life is Good...

... and getting better.  Mom tells me I am in the prime of my life.  I agree.  Life is the best it ever has been, minus the facts that Molly and dad are gone.

K1N had a 25% off sale on all 100% wool yarn this weekend.  I bought yarn to knit a ______ for mom.  I am so glad I have her to knit for.  She wears things that I would not.  Clothing that I think is pretty, but would never wear.  I am crocheting her a Plaid Noro scarf  with Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn.  Mom, please do not click on the scarf link.   I cannot tell you what the next project will be because I want to surprise her.  So stay posted for pictures.  It is absolutely gorgeous.

I took a nice walk with Doina this afternoon in 60 degree warm sunny weather around Bradford Woods.  My friendship with Doina started as walking buddies.  She is a treasured friend.  Very kind and giving.

I cooked Spinach Fettucini Alfredo with Steamed Broccoli tonight.  A New Years resolution was to cook at least once a week.  I figure I have all year to achieve this goal.  This is a beginning.  Here is the recipe given to me by Gayle from work:

Quick & Easy Alfredo Sauce

1/2 stick of butter (salted)

3-4 gloves of garlic (to taste)

1 pint heavy cream

3/4  cup of parmesan cheese

1 T. flour

1/3 cup cold water

Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in medium sauce pan.  

Press the garlic cloves and heat with butter.

On low heat, add cream stirring constantly.

Add cheese, continue to stir.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

In small container add the flour to water and shake until mixed well.

Slowly add small amounts to the sauce, stirring constantly until thickened.

 

I cooked spinach fettucini.  Topped with steamed broccoli and alfredo sauce.

It was easy and tasted delicious.

Today's Quote:

Change always comes bearing gifts.  It is our choice whether or not to accept the gifts.
- Price Pritchett

Life is Good ...

when you wake up and hear the birds singing.

What's wrong with this picture?  Molly is missing.  I am thinking about getting another dog.  It is camping and hiking season and I need a buddy.  I am making plans for my first camping trip of the season.  I cannot wait to go.  I may head south where it would be a little warmer.  But I am always hesitant to go to a new and unfamiliar campground. 

I went on my first hike for the year at Morraine State Park.  I hiked the 'short trail' which took me about 30 minutes.  The trail had a few hills which was good for my heart and respiratory system.  I need a hiking buddy.  I looked for sign of greenery, but only found it in the moss on the stumps and the pine trees.

I am knitting the Jared Flood Noro scarf to go with dad's winter coat.  It is knit with Cascade Pastaza yarn: 50% Llama 50%, instead of Noro Silk Garden.  Pastaza is made in Peru.  It is my all-time  favorite yarn to knit with.  Soft yet warm. Just luscious.  I would like to make a sweater out of it.  I'll have to keep an eye out for sweater patterns knit with heavy worsted yarn.

I finally cast-off Pam's reversible cabled scarf.  It will go in the mail this afternoon.

I crocheted these washcloths for the Free Crochet class offered at Knit One North this coming Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 1 - 3PM.   I take my favorite items camping with me.  These are for my camping gear.

Life is sometimes good and sometimes not so good.  Today was somewhere in between.  Tomorrow is my day off.  I am looking forward to finishing up four knitting projects, photos will be posted tomorrow.  I currently am working on two scarfs which I hope to finish up soon.  I knit a swatch gauge for the Central Park Hoodie.  AFter knitting the swatch I am thinking twice about the project to knit with the yarn.  Part of me wants to knit the same sweater I knit for my first sweater.  Something I would get a lot of wear out of.  I don't know.  I really like the yarn.  I'm undecided.

Happy WARM Saturday!!!

It is warm today.  OMGosh am I happy wearing my cargo shorts and crocs.  It was a warm 73 degrees.  I started my day going to the theater to watch Slumdog. I was thinking that Slumdog must be a great movie because it won so many awards.  It was not meant to be though. The sound system in the theater was not working so I was refunded my money. 

 I drove to Knit One North to knit and Connie, Dawne, Rose, and several of Rose's female family members were there.  Karen was working.  What a wild time it is when you spend time with Rose and her family.  A delightful afternoon.

I called mom around 4pm to tell her I wanted to come over and cook dinner but she had already eaten.  Do senior citizens eat their meals early?  So I will have to do that another time.  I know, I did not give her advance notice.  That was my fault.  

Tomorrow is a busy day.  I am having lunch with my nephew Alexei, then spinning with a spin-along at Knit One North. It sounds like it will be  an enjoyable day.