2016 Knitting Review with a side of reading

2016 Knitting Review with a side of reading

The knits and the books are so good this week!

Thirteen days of peace knitting are done – 8 more to go! And, yesterday I managed to get the PussyHat Project Hat cast on as well!

All other knitting will be kept secret until after the arrival of Christmas (or it is on hold until the Christmas knitting is complete!!)

This has been a very good year for knitting projects here!

I am on track for 30 finished objects in 2016! Which is quite insane – really!

However, the reading – oh my! Currently I am enjoying The Mysteries of Pittsburgh – I should have this one done today – which is a very good thing because it is due back on Friday! Add to that the book waiting in the wings is tempting me so I need to get it finished!!

Linking up with Ginny’s Yarn Along. Happy Wednesday and Happy Knitting and Reading!

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness. Oscar Wilde

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On a grey and rainy Monday

On a grey and rainy Monday

After a warp-speed weekend, Monday dawns dull and grey with rain showers and milder temperatures. It is hard to feel excited about the week when it starts off like this! We did have a dusting of snow when I woke and Saturday – it looked so beautiful outside. However, the rain has washed every bit of snow away. Boo!

However, the weekend was nice – happy hour on Friday was particularly wonderful. Good eats, good companionship, and great cocktails. Ones that were so good you needed a second to confirm that you loved it so much! I am sharing the recipe with you all – it was that good.

I really love classic cocktails, and a Sidecar with Remy Martin V.S.O.P. is one of my favorites this time of the year. But, I like to tweak things – improve them a bit, and especially take advantage of what I have on hand. Oranges are so lovely at the market right now – sweet, juicy and packed full of goodness add to that – my thyme is still growing like mad, despite the cold frosty days we have had. So how could I improve on the classic Sidecar with a bit of thyme and the fresh oranges. Here is my recipe:


Orange-Thyme Sidecars

Makes 2

  • 5 ounces Remy Martin VSOP
  • 1 ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec (I used Triple Sec, which is what I had on hand)
  • 1 ounce Thyme simple syrup*
  • The juice from 1.5 oranges **
  • The juice from half a lemon **
  • 2-4 drops of Orange Bitters
  • Sprig of Thyme for garnish
  • Orange zest for garnish

Combine all liquid ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake briskly. Pour into chilled martini or coupe glasses and garnish with an orange zest and a thyme sprig. Enjoy!

*To make the thyme simple syrup – combine equal parts water and sugar and heat on stove top until sugar has melted completely. Remove from heat and add 8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme. Cover and let steep 10 minutes. Remove thyme and cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. Syrup will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

** I juiced 3 oranges and 1 lemon and made 4 cocktails


I completed the final bits of Christmas decorating and I did some reading and a wee bit of knitting. I finally finished Burial Rites and was not impressed – it was a story with so many questions and many of them unanswered. I started reading The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and so far, so good!

On the schedule for this abbreviated week (Steve is taking his last vacation day on Friday!!) is to finish the last bit of Christmas shopping and get wrapped and in the mail.

How was your weekend?

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Dear, Sweet Friday!

Dear, Sweet Friday!

My dear, sweet Friday – what took you so long to get here?! Was it just me, or did this seem like an exceptionally long week? But, Friday has made it and I could not be happier! Add to that, it was a very grey week here – so these orchid certainly brightened the week considerably!

There have been bits of knitting here and there – but peace knitting is what really kept my sanity this week! I am happily keeping up with each day’s pattern repeat – and I love that it is a simple to put down, simple to pick up knit!

I have also begun part two of the secret Christmas knitting and it is also at the point of simple to put down, simple to pick up. And, it seems to be cruising right along. I should have this gift done next week, which will give me more than enough time to get one more project in for 2016 completion!

Now, how about some links?

Gamallegur

Xuan Wrap

The New Knitty has some lovely things!

Romi has a new design that is stunning.

Are you a spinner? Jillian has A New Slant Scarf that might interest you!

Wassail Mittens anyone?

Find Your Fade

Simmer Dim appeared on my radar this week and I can’t stop thinking about it!

And, finally – Tiny Window Cats

That’s it for me this week! Have a fantastic weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!!

Christmas Time is Here

Christmas Time is Here

This week’s Think Write Thursday topic is to write about my favorite holiday tradition – what I love about it, how it started, and why it’s important to me.

So, here is my favorite holiday tradition that absolutely makes my Christmas brighter:

Christmas music – hundreds of hours of it. And, an eclectic mix of it that is heavy on English Carols, but includes Aaron Neville, James Taylor, Vince Guaraldi, and lots of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Those are the sounds of Christmas to me – but the best part of all were my mom’s Firestone Christmas Albums. And, singing along – so much singing along – loudly and with much joy! The Julie Andrews albums were my favorite. I came from a musical family, and every Christmas it feels good to be immersed in musical memories.

This pairs with the tradition above and involves more singing! But this singing is in church choir on Christmas Eve. To lift my voice in joyful song – there is nothing better in all the world. I have sung in choir since high school and cannot imagine Christmas without it.

But, what about you? Do you have any Holiday Traditions?

If you would like to join Carole and I for Think Write Thursdays, you can sign up here! We would love to have you!

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