Randomly Friday

Randomly Friday

Watching: I finished House of Cards this week, and that is all I will say about it. No spoilers here! And, Netflix added in more episodes of Happy Valley. Plus, The American’s is back on Wednesday nights!

Prepping: For Easter – this involves menu planning, and shopping. Also, I am looking for dessert ideas and I’d love it if you’d share!

Spinning: I have been working through a bit of Sheepspot Clun Forest/Babydoll Southdown roving – it is spinning up so effortlessly. I really am happy with it. I also have been carding a Shetland fleece that I washed up late last year. My plan for these lovely rolags – yarn for Rock the Lobster. They will pair up with the salvaged Briar Rose Fibers yarn from earlier this week. I have a bit more carding to do though before I am sure I will have enough.

Mar 18 collagePlanning: What we will be planting this year and where it will go – crop rotation, you know! I am happy that I have herbs sprouting, and the rhubarb and raspberry plants made it through the winter! And, it appears a salvaged Lilac will have a good year as well.

Celebrating: Since Pi Day and the Ides of March both passed quietly, we did have a bit of a St. Paddy’s day feast – Lamb Stew, Guinness, and Irish Music counts as a celebration in my book!

Discovered: Duolingo and I am working on Danish right now. So. Much. Fun.

Counting: The minutes until the day is over and the welcome to the weekend can begin. There will be Manhattan’s and good eats coupled with the best companionship and conversation.

I hope your weekend starts off just as nicely! See you back here on Monday!

Comfort and Joy

Comfort and Joy

If you have extraordinary bread and extraordinary butter, it’s hard to beat bread and butter.  Jacques Pepin

Carole has given us perhaps the greatest topic of all time for this week’s 10 on Tuesday:

10 Favorite Comfort Foods

Now, the hard part is to limit this to only ten!PicMonkey Collage 315 (more…)

A Springtime Throwback to Van Raalte Farm

A Springtime Throwback to Van Raalte Farm

Outside the birds are a cacophony of song, grass is greening and growing, and in my garden the rhubarb, raspberries, and chives are poking their little green heads through the rich black soil.

And today, it is gloriously grey outside, with promises of rain which will give everything a gentle washing and a much-needed soak.

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It made me think of how much I love springtime at Van Raalte Farm in Holland, Michigan. 160 acres of land and miles and miles of walking trails make for the perfect place to immerse yourself in spring. It is beautiful to walk in every season, but especially spectacular in the spring. If you are nearby, you should definitely go – you won’t be disappointed!

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Venturous Harbinger of Spring

Venturous Harbinger of Spring

These brave little snowdrops brought to mind the poem by Wordsworth…
To a Snowdrop

Lone Flower, hemmed in with snows and white as they
But hardier far, once more I see thee bend
Thy forehead, as if fearful to offend,
Like an unbidden guest. Though day by day,
Storms, sallying from the mountain-tops, waylay
The rising sun, and on the plains descend;
Yet art thou welcome, welcome as a friend
Whose zeal outruns his promise! Blue-eyed May
Shall soon behold this border thickly set
With bright jonquils, their odours lavishing
On the soft west-wind and his frolic peers;
Nor will I then thy modest grace forget,
Chaste Snowdrop, venturous harbinger of Spring,
And pensive monitor of fleeting years!

 

A Grandbaby’s a ‘Comin

A Grandbaby’s a ‘Comin

In a few short weeks, my first grand baby will be here and I could not be more excited. As you can imagine, I have been doing some knitting for this little one. It was a pleasant task to knit my favorite baby sweater pattern – EZ’s Baby Surprise Jacket for my first grand baby! I think it turned out beautifully and it will get some use before she grows, as it is chilly at night in Northern Michigan. I made a pair of Saartje’s Booties and a rolled brim hat with the remainder of the skein. I am eager to head to Michigan tomorrow to spend some time with my daughter, attend her baby shower, and enjoy all things baby for a few days.

Baby Knitting

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