Labels: cranberry, free knitting pattern, holiday recipes, unoriginal hat, Yarn Harlot
Ingredients:
2 - 12 oz bags fresh cranberries
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 giant (Christmas stocking type) Navel orange- zested- then pith removed and cut into large chunks
1) Wash- pick over cranberries (It's our traqdition to have the kids do this part)
2) Zest orange (I use a very sharp peeler- make sure you there is no pith- it's nasty-bitter)
3) In Food processor- pulse the sugar and orange zest together
4) Add your cranberries- pulse to a coarse chop
5) Add the orange chunks- pulse till your preferred consistency.
Caution- my oldest has been known to eat this by the bowlful. (SO has my step-dad) Also great with pork- and chicken. My FIL requests it.... He's diabetic- and I've subbed in splenda for him- it works- but isn't quite the same.
I will be making 3 huge batches.
Refrigerate over night. Serve with turkey n trimmings;) & a side of handknits if you got em;)
At the bottom of the mosaic you can see 2 more Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hats- one in Ironstone Orange yarn and one in Malabrigo Chunky- Snowbird... the CHristmas knits continue;)
Tomorrow I'll be baking my "famous" apple pie- want a tutorial? *** my guys call my simple apple pie famous- what can I say;)
Labels: deer season, free knitting pattern, hunting, Yarn Harlot
It's that time of year. When the men of my home and heart- leave each weekend (though this week for most of the week) and become one with the woods. It's weird.
It starts in October. With "archery season". For which- our yard is graced with a 3-d deer target. The neighbors probably think it is some strange very early Christmas decoration. Until- the arrows fly. My guys then stand on the patio- and proceed to shoot Rudolph. Which- is probably payback for the whole "santa" thing. (ummm will refrain from explanation- but suffice to say- they finally figured it out;)
Arrows often also land in the pond/swamp behind our yard. Once convinced they are "on target"- they drive an hour and a half before dawn to sit in the dark in a tree and wait to see if a deer comes out. They sometimes fall asleep, but don't admit to it. (One can only wonder how one falls asleep in a TREE... but will I not ask.) After dark again- they drive home- eat the chili that has been cooking all day- a fall into a stinky deer riddled sleep.
They have survived Archery season. And- at least in regards my hunting men- so have the deer.
However- archery is not the end of the "season." November 15 started "gun season."
This is counter intuitive to everything that is within a mother. A mother is wired to protect her babies- never mind the fact they they may be the size of a full grown grizzly bear. (Have I mentioned that my oldest is a rather big boy?) A mother is wired to teach her children to stay clean, not to touch hot stoves, or play with dangerous things. We teach them to be kind to animals- not to pull the dogs tail chase the cat or burn ants with your glasses or magnifying lens.
Then-in November out come the guns. Not toy guns. REAL guns. (No target practice in the yard for this one- the neighborhood association would frown on that idea;) They sit in the kitchen, cleaning them. Every "ch ch" of the empty guns being cocked, makes me cringe. "Don't point it towards ANYTHING!" I yell. They shrug. They are well trained in gun safety. I am not. They know it.
They look at me as if I am - both crazy and lame. (Including the Daddy) I keep the youngest in the livingroom. I knit. FAST. A LOT. The youngest proceeds to turn the dog into a deer and make every toy he owns into a gun. He stalks her. He shoots her. She licks him. I finish hunt hats.
They prepare to leave for the "hunt trip." Packing who knows what. For hours. I put their hats on their heads. I tell them the hats are my protective, warm (trying not to be smothering) love- following (stalking) them into the woods. They acknowledge my craziness. They leave.
I knit. I clean. Two of my favorite coping skills. Along with prayer and cin'ocolate. During deer season- I combine them all. I knit more hat's from The Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat pattern. I knit LOTS of hats. 8 so far.
I remind myself that God is sovereign- even in the woods. I remind myself that this time together with their Dad is good for them. I remind myself that knitting is just as crazy to them. I remind myself that they will mess up the house when they get home. I remind myself of the hunt camp stinkin laundry about to arrive in my laundry room.
I savor a few days of eating off of "zoopals" with the little guy. We watch Shrek the Third - 497 times. We eat popcorn, drink cocoa and use FIRELOGS. (the men around here think wood is much better.) We stay in our jammies. ALL DAY. WE play with the tangrams for homeschool. We try not to miss the big guys. We pray they get a deer- and we pray the deer escape;)
Conveniently coinciding with deer season-The Christmas knit season of 07 has begun. Aside from the ocassional accidental falling asleep with a cable needle in my cleavage.... (ummm... it happens to be a rather convenient place to stow it between cables.....) it is considerably safer than deer season. At least in theory.
To answer the question- "Does Harlot's Unoriginal hat fit in the woods?" The answer is yes. In orange. The oldest called me to say his hat was "Perfect" And toasty. And awesome.
Score. ;)
Labels: free knitting pattern, knitting, prayer request, Yarn Harlot
My I present the first set of "Unoriginal Hats"
In my artistic series- titled "unoriginal hats for all."
Sounds so much better than admitting to my OCD like tendancies are once again running free... but count them- 6 hats done! (bring on the Christmas knits!)
Clockwise from the top- Malabrigo Chunky in Olive for my middle son. (US size 10.5)
Malabrigo Worsted held doubled for my niece. (US 10.5)
Berroco Ultra alpaca haled doubled for hubby.
Paton's classic merino camoflage for my oldest. (size 11 he has a pumpkin sized head;)
Jaeger Natural fleece- for my FIL- us 11 should have gone down a size on this one.
And Lion brand chenille- size 11 should have gone down a size here too.
More hats in the queue- Malabrigo chunky in teal for my step dad....etc....these are quick and simple- but cute- sorry no one would model for me-- and well- I look like a dork in hat;) (hair too short- none sitcks out- makes me look bald;) which would be fine if I WERE bald... but I'm not and I have too much invested in hair dye to not let it be seen;)
Can you do me a favor- I have a few friends (a bunch actually) with health issues that could use prayer -- a young woman, a new mom, a dad, a pastor.. my SIL and well my hubby too--- seems like when it hist the fan--- it really hits the fan and spreads. thnx
ps the boy's face is still healing- looks like he's a foot ball player now- down to dark marks under his eyes a aross his nose.... what a month!
(Wins a "bloggy" for longest title, evah!) Yesterday was a day off and a day, out. My SIL and I went to the Ann Arbor Library to see Stephanie Pearl McPhee- The Yarn Harlot. I went over the summer- (Aug I think) and it had been packed- they had to hook up a video feed to another room. I wanted to arrive early to make sure were "in the main room." Labels: Something Red, SP 10, Yarn Harlot
Boy, we were early. Arrived around 1. Event was scheduled for 2. Early- as opposed to my typical tardiness- I should have known there'd be "issues." Knitters were everywhere. Yarn was flying- the hand-dyed yarn fumes were intoxicating. It must have been medicating as well- because barely a knitter batted an eye when told the poor "Harlot" had been delayed. A fog had rolled in and her flight turned back- to Chicago. We'd have to wait.
Out came the knitting and around turned the chairs. The knitting community, communed.
A Knitting circle of rather eclectic make-up, was born. I've never been to a knitting group- but I'd like to go now! It was great! I met: Dana, Beth, (Whom we could not allow to walk to her car in the rain...and tolerated my dirty car- graciously) Kim ,Khadijah...and a bunch of others!
We sat- we chat and we knit. New skills were acquired- socks on 2 circs demonstrated. FO's were petted and fawned over. (Some, while still on the wearer- including my blue "Central Park Hoodie") Yarns were fondled, some were openly coveted. I tried to slip Kat's in progress- hot-pink "Simple Knitted bodice" into my bag--until other knitters, kindly intervened. (Sorry for trying to steal- I'm not usually a stealer- but it WAS my size- AND PINK)
I "Cast-Off" my black "Something Red Sweater" while we waited. It didn't take much cajoling to get me to try it on. To my surprise- and delight- I (my knit) was literally cheered for;)
I highly recommend casting off at a "Cast Off" event- or Knitting Circle- completed knitting- met with cheers is all the cozier and lovelier! (Will post more pics after it's ends are woven and it's blocked;)
We didn't wait while the ever gracious, Harlot signed loads of books. We were starving- for food and yarn. We went to the closest knit shop- Busy Hands. A great little shop! I picked up a fused glass button for my new sweater. Some Malabrigo Laceweight and some of the new Soft Sea Wool by Reynolds. Then we went to dinner! (During the course of the day, We covered all the comfort bases- people- knitting, shopping and Cracker Barrel.)
(Normally I'd apologize for a blurry pic- but with the day The Harlot had, had- it's entierly possible that she was actually blurry- not the camera;)In other news- my Sp 10 has already sent me a package! If I'm quick I should be able to use a new felted Easter Basket this year! THNX SP10! I love it!
Michigan Knitters- You're GREAT!
