Happy Mothers Day to Me!!!!! Espresso Anyone?

This fantastic package came for me from my Darling Daughter!  Thank you Christine.  She told me something was on the way, but would be delayed with shipping and that I might be able to make something...see me smile, that means yarn, wonderful wonderful yarn.  This is hand dyed, DK weight from Honey Girl Farms. 218 yards each..........

AND

Look at the reverse side of the labels.  Click to enlarge if you can't read the names.  This yarn is from The Outlander Series!!!

The gold is Fall at the Ridge (when they were here in the states at Fraser's Ridge.

 Jamie Fraser is the darker blend right next to the gold.

This series is soooooooooo good.  I'm not done watching, so no spoilers please.  I watch this with 2 girl friends when we have "Girls Week" in Hilton Head, typically in the spring and fall.  Though this years spring trip was cancelled due to Covid.

Lallybroch Castle, Jamie's home in Scotland (fictitious name for the series).  It's actually called Midhope Castle.  I got to tour that castle with one of my girl friends several years ago on a tour we did of Ireland and Scotland.  Was very cool to see it in person.  It's the purple blend on the far right.

This is Brianna MacKenzie, Jamie's daughter.  I think I need to find a pattern like the shawl she's wearing.  For some of this yarn.  This blend is the one on the left, blues and some lavendar primarily.  

Will take some time to decide what to make with this yummy yarn.  I like Jamie Fraser and Fall at the Ridge together, so might pare those.

Soooooo excited.  Love you Darling Daughter and thank you for this awesome Happy Mothers Day Gift.

 Trying to show you a close up of Espresso.  It's grown about 3 x the size when I last showed you.  Please click to see the pattern.  I'm in section 2 now where I'm reversing the garter and purl blocks.

It's a bit hard to photograph, as it curls a bit.  No doubt will need a substantial edge when completed.

AND because we've had lots of bad news lately with Covid cases climbing...thought I'd post a wee bit of hope.  Please stay safe.  Stay home as much as you can, avoid groups, wash your hands, and wear your masks when you have to go out.

Looking to get cash back when you shop on line?  I just joined this a few weeks ago and have already gotten money back.  Join today, you've got nothing to loss folks.  https://www.rakuten.com/r/SANDYC3117?eeid=28187

COVID, What's for Dinner?

An amazing photo my older brother took recently.  Thought it was worth a share.  

Equating this to the people who don't believe anyone should be told to wear a mask, or do social distancing.  Many say, the government doesn't have a right to tell them what to do.  

And virtual classes at home continue, thought some of you with children at home might get a kick out of this.

Have made some headway with my brown afghan, which thanks to suggestions in my previous post has been renamed, Espresso.  It's maybe twice as wide, but I didn't bother to take a picture...you really can't see much improvement or the design until I get to the opposite stitch block part.

Stuffed mushrooms were served during our cocktail hour last night.  Finely chopped zucchini, bacon bits (real bacon cut small and precooked, not the crunchy type), Parmesan cheese.  Cooked about 15 minutes on 400.  We had Old Fashions.  Showed you a picture of my mad cocktail talents in the previous post.

My version of chicken pastry.  One sheet of Pillsbury Crescent, but the sheet if you can get it.  Roll it out in lightly greased casserole/loaf type pan. Filet one large chicken breast (our use 2 thinly sliced pieces).  Put one piece down on the dough, salt and pepper and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, top with lots of fresh spinach leaves, add 2nd piece of chicken, add more cheese.

Bring sides of dough together and crimp ends closed.  Served with seasoned brussel sprouts (salt, pepper, olive oil and garlic powder or celery seed).  I used celery seed this evening.

Cook on 400 until pastry is nicely browned, sprouts soft, but a bit caramelized.  I'm not one that times things much...I can generally tell how things are coming along by the aroma while I'm sipping my cocktail........20-25 minutes would be my guess of how long it cooked.

Forgot to take a picture when I sliced the stuffed chicken.  Sorry.  But, when you slice it you get what looks like a chicken roll up with the spinach in the middle.  The pastry has a nice crunch/crust almost like a good bread crust, but moist inside.  The chicken comes out nice and moist.  I sometimes use a meat thermometer, chicken should be 160-165.  Since so many on social media are sharing pictures and recipes of their baked goodies, thought I'd share my dinner.  I don't bake.  Don't like it, and don't need the calories.

Linking up with Party in Your PJ's

Martini's and Face Masks, Strange Times

It's only happened once so far.....but it was nice to sit outside and have cocktails.  Life has been crazy for all of us lately, so this "normalcy" was very much enjoyed.  We love our cocktail hour, and we love to be outside, and so this was a bonus.  Short lived for sure, been cold, windy, and wet pretty much since.  **Edited to add I'm join The Flaunt it Friday Linky Party** A first for me, but sounds fun.  I'm Flaunting my bar tending skills.  Which are so good, truly...even if the bars were opened, we would cocktail at home before going to dinner.

Double thickness, with a pocket where a filter can be inserted, and nose clip.  I've tried multiple times to order masks on line without much success.  Sarah S a lady who's donated through the years for Bridge and Beyond made these.  She sent 2 for me and 2 for my husband........Thank you Sarah S.  These masks are so well made.  I had purchased some from a lady in the neighborhood, but they were too big for me, and too small for my husband, no pocket and no nose clip...soooooooooo appreciate having one that will work for us.  Dr. Brix indicates social distancing is going to be with us for a while...throughout the summer.  So want to be prepared.

Don't know how well you can see this. Remember you can click to enlarge it to see it better.  It's a start, a slow one for another afghan.  20 stitches garter, followed by 20 stockinette and back to garter.   Once I get a good amount done to have a block (every other), then will switch and do stockinette, then garter and back to stockinette.  The 2 small sections at each end are 5 stitches of garter so when the stockinette block is the end block it won't curl.  It's not coming a long very quickly, as the brown is hard to work on at night and even during the day we've had so much rain and gloomy days lately, it's not as easy to see.  When I put this brown yarn in a project bag I wrote the name Brown Marble...but I'm not sure I like that name.  As most of you know, I always name my afghans...suggestions anyone? **Edited to add I got 2 suggestions in the comments thus far, one from Elephant Child who said something about coffee, and one from Ellie Foster suggesting something about chocolate.  I'm not a chocolate lover, so decided I'd go with the coffee idea.  I recently completed an afghan I named Coffee Latte, a mix of browns and variegated.  So settled on Espresso for the name of this afghan.  It's not completely solid brown, but very close and is dark...strong, like Espresso.  Thanks ladies for the suggestion.  AND my knitting would also be something I'm flaunting.

One needs to keep laughing during these strange times.  Now I'm not a beer drinker, but could put a Martini in one room, or perhaps 

A Manhattan, and or an Old Fashion

Variety is nice, don't you think!

**Some Monday Fun** Click on the picture for the linky party

Easter, Brickyard, Be Responsible, Stay Home and Stay Safe

My Dad got a visit 2 days ago from The Easter Bunny.  Dad is 94 and is living in an assisted living center.  Despite being on lock down during the Covid period, the staff has really gone out of their way to bridge the gap for residents and their families who can't get together for visits.  Loved the teeth on her mask.

So you can see her full costume.  Pretty cute, don't ya think!  They passed out puzzles, coloring pages, and some Easter Candy.  I'm sure most of the residents got a nice lift from seeing the bunny.  I happened to be doing a video chat with my Dad on Facetime when she happened into the room, so I got to see.  Then nabbed these pictures from their FB page.  Despite being busy, the staff is willing to set up video chats for families who can't visit.  My Dad doesn't have a phone in his room.  Having a phone earlier caused him great confusion, so we removed it.  The video chat is initiated by the staff on a cell phone or ipad.  

Did you know how the Easter Bunny came to be a part of Easter?  In the 1700's German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought their tradition with them.  An egg laying hare called "Osterhase" or Oschter Haws visited nests that children in the various villages made and left eggs.

In the 19th century it was common that rabbits gave birth to litters of kittens, (baby rabbits) thought to be a symbol of new life.  The eggs they laid were also symbolic of new life and thus the tradition of bunnies, and eggs, and Easter.

Brickyard is completed.  It's laid out here drying and being blocked, after being laundered.  It will soon be donated through my charity, Bridge and Beyond.

Haven't yet decided which project to work on next.  Took some time earlier today to watch some video's of a possible knit stitch I might like to use as well as a crocheted one; but.........I also still have many project bags with pieces parts and yarn to join, sooooooooo we'll see what I feel like when I get this up and folded after it dries.

I liked this chalk art, but blocked out the face of the artist, as she's a teen and I don't know her to know how she would feel about her picture being out there.  Please stay at home as the orders indicate for everyone's safety.  Only leave for essential grocery shopping etc.  AND make sure your trip is in fact, essential.  Minimize your time away, wear a mask, and wash your hands.

This is NOT the way to wear a mask.  Wearing one correctly is imperative.  If you're not familiar, please google or search u-tube video's.  If you're not wearing correctly, you're not protecting yourself or anyone else.

PLEASE!! Don't be self absorbed and think the rules are for everyone but you.  PLEASE stay home, you put yourself, your friends, your neighbors, and your family's at risk when you ignore the rules/laws/orders.  AND then you shop for groceries and put all those in the store also at risk.  

Brickyard and Corona Virus

Have made some headway on my current project.  This afghan named Brickyard.  You can see some are edged, some are connect.  I named it Brickyard because of the red and yellow bricks that the Indianapolis Race track had originally been made of.

I intended to blog after taking the first picture several days ago, but never got that far.  So since then, you can see further progress has been made.  The colors in the first photo are a bit more accurate.  Natural day light vs the light on in the evening in the 2nd picture.

I've not worked on my scarf now for quite awhile, but perhaps I'll work on it again after getting this afghan finished.  If you've visited my blog before you know I donate the afghans through my Charity Blog, Bridge and Beyond, that benefits the homeless.

I know we're all dealing with a lot of changes in our lives due to the Corona Virus.  Most of us are under stay at home orders.  There are only 11 states that have yet to join the rest of us.  I don't understand why they haven't.  To be successful it seems to me everyone needs to be on board.  

Thought this was food for thought.  There seem to be too many people who think somehow their are magically protected and fail to understand it's not just about them, but about their friends, their neighbors, their family, and perhaps people they don't know.  We really all need to fight this.

Thought this was cool, spotted it on Facebook the other day.

PLEASE, stay home and wash your hands.  Stay safe.  Do your part.

Rollins Hills, How to Burn Calories During Covid 19

This was step 1 of the afghan I named Rolling Hills.  These strips were donated, to me through my charity, Bridge and Beyond, intended to be scarves, but weren't sized appropriately, so I am re-purposing them into an afghan.   I tucked these strips aside until I could work with them.  

Here's the completed afghan as it's being blocked and drying after being laundered.  The colors in the first picture are more accurate.  So weird how differently light affects these pictures...even though I tried to edit it.  It was pretty narrow, but I was able to add several inches to each side to make it a nice size.

Little different view.  Now, what to work on next?

Tried a new recipe.  

1. 6 thin sliced chicken breasts
2. 1 container green onion cream cheese
3. 1/4 cup olive oil
4. 1/2 cup chicken broth
5. 1 Large package sliced mushrooms
6. 1 small bag fresh baby spinach
7. 1 dash Weber Herb and Garlic Seasoning
8. 1 dash pepper
9. 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
10. Mix seasonings and liquids into the cream cheese. 
11.  Place chicken breast in dish, cover with lots of
12. spinach and mushrooms, poor liquid over.
13.   Cook on 375 covered for 20 minutes, uncover, add
14. Italian cheese, cook another 10-20.    I served it over Polenta to keep it low carb.

Hubby and I were able to vote early...right before the Covid 19 restrictions.  Glad we were able to vote in the primary with things being on hold for so many areas.  I hope many of you were able to take advantage of early voting in your areas.

A graphic I thought was very powerful during these times of social distancing and staying at home orders.  I hope you and yours are safe and healthy.  Stay home, wash your hands.

And because we must not lose humor, it helps to keep us sane.  Burning calories with bad weather is difficult, so I've been in a lot.  I caught a cold, so even before the stay at home orders, I wasn't going out.  Gym's of course are closed.  My Echo Dot (Alexa) is helping a bit with 5 minute plank routines, and 7 minute work outs.  You can find them in the skills section of the Alexa app.  Exercise also helps us stay sane and healthy.