I have the shakes!!!

rav_outofcommission


Originally uploaded by RockyMoreno

It was a bright and fresh morning, I awoke ready to knit another day. First, feed the family, fresh homemade potatoes, some bacon, some fresh over easy eggs, and orange juice.



Well, before I could get cooking, there was the task of freshly ground and brewed coffee.



As I sat and watch the recorded premiere of "Heroes", I knew I had no plans today, except to catch up on knitting, and my other crafty things.



So, flash forward to post-breakfast and I'm relaxing, watching for the umpteenth time the movie "The Devil Wears Prada", and realizing I could use this time to also catch up on my blogging, and blog stalking *-)



I leaned over the side of my bed, picked up my laptop and turned it on, launched Firefox and quickly hit Ravelry.



Everything seemed normal, messages in my Inbox, posts to reply to, but wait! OH NO! What's this??? I keep getting BOB's cute face telling me something I don't want to hear, my knitdrug, Ravelry is down! I'm suddenly going through withdrawal, hoping this is only temporary, as I F5 repeatedly to get a good page.



So far its been intermittent, but I hope doesn't last long. I had to share this with you, are you addicted to Ravelry too???

Falling for Ewe Question of the Week #3 9-25-08

For my swap, Question of the Week #3:

What meals or foods mean Fall to you?



Since Fall is such a happy time for me spiritually, it is also one of the best times to show off real good home cooking. I'm not big on eating out, my family and I do eat out, or eat in, but I really work at making a fresh meal for my family nightly. I really love to cook and really care about the quality, presentation, and tastefulness of the food I cook. All I want from someone I serve is for them to enjoy the meal.

It's pretty funny, I'm a very strong willed person, but for things such as cooking, I'm utterly and completely at the mercy of my guests and family. I know it sounds weird, but my cooking and results mean so much to me, I'm always looking for facial expressions to see if the person is enjoying the food I made. Did I mention I was neurotic???

Well, besides being neurotic, I'm the same way when it comes to actually prepping my food, whether it's for a meal, appetizer, or baking. I use only the best quality products and freshest products available. I have a few favorite "Fall" Recipes, that I only make between October and November yearly.

The first, and my family's favorite, is Cranberry-Pumpkin Bread. I came across this recipe a long time ago, it was given away by a restaurant owner in New York. After about 2 yrs. making the recipe, I added my own secret ingredients to it, but all I can say is it is the most yummy and sweet & tart bread you'll eat. You make it with fresh Cranberries, Pumpkin, and Walnuts. The walnuts are optional. I'll share the foundation recipe with you, it is just scrumptious, if you ever get the chance to make it, I'm sure it will be a fave for you. Please keep in mind that the recipe makes a rather large quantity of bread, with one full batch I can usually divide the batter evenly to 4 standard sized bread pans. I love it warm, and fresh!

Here is the foundation recipe, which can also be found on FoodTV's website.


Ingredients

* 4 eggs
* 2 cups pumpkin puree
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 4 cups sugar
* 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In bowl combine eggs, pumpkin puree and oil. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add cranberries and mix well. Divide dough into 2 (8 by 4-inch) loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes.


Besides the yummy bread, others I make specifically in the Fall are:

*Pozole - A Mexican style soup. I make it as healthy as I can using boneless-skinless chicken breast, cubed, my own homemade chili-sauce (I make this in huge quantities during Tamale season and freeze it, it will as forever in the freezer), fresh chicken stock, hominy, cumin, mexican oregano, many other spices.

*Sarma - I was introduced to this food by my husband's Mother. She made it one day, and I was very hesitant to try it, but once I did, I just loved it. It is basically very lean ground beef, flavored heavily with mint, salt, pepper, seasonings, finely chopped bell pepper, onion, etc. You mix up the meat thoroughly with the ingredients, then take cleaned, stemmed whole grape leaves, and put some meat in them, roll into an eggroll shape, layer in an oven pan, pour some chicken stock over them, with some tomato paste, cook in oven until meat is no longer pink. Serve with homemade Rice Pilaf, no boxes! This is an absolute delicious dish, and great for your body!

So those are a few that I like and make seasonly. Now how can I leave you without sharing another yummy treat, hmmm.. fresh new yarn! Even better, from my Yarn Pirate Booty Club installment.

It's as if this yarn was waiting for this post because it fits the "Fall" theme to a *T* 8)
Yarn is Superwash Merino in colorway "Hard Cider"
Have a good weekend everyone!
~Rocky

Traveling through history

Where do you travel? Where have you been? Where do you want to visit?

For me there are so many places I dream to visit, and really hope I'll be able to during my lifetime. I love history, all history, you name it, I love it. I can sit and watch documentaries, specials, (real "6th period" stuff as my kids call it), all day long. I love archaeology, I love books on history, beautiful landscape pictures of historical sites. It really is amazing to stop and think of what it was like, long, very long ago.

What must it have been like to build the Pyramid of Giza, or Sphinx? To revel in the monumental and geometric definitions? Not to mention the astrological connections?



We could probably liken it to the monstrous skyscrapers in New York, though I've never been there, I can only imagine how humanizing it must feel to stand next to structures of such magnitude.

Or I wonder what the minds & pressures of Rebecca Nurse were while she endured the Salem Witch Trials?



I'd liken it to our modern day equivalent of gossip in our groups of people we congregate with. Do or say something wrong and you could become a cast out. Although I'd hope that present day society wouldn't lead to such hysteric and fanatical acts; though I'm afraid it is still a very real event that can happen again.

I always wondered if I were able to go back in time and visit a real Colosseum event, would I enjoy it or be aghast at the primal and vicious games that were played at Rome's Colosseum ?



All these historical sites are just a few I dream to visit, and can sit and read, listen, or watch anything about. Which brings me to a couple of my most recent projects, the "Traveling Scarves" groups formed on Ravelry. The premise is to knit or crochet a starter or "seedlet" section, about 6 x 6 inches, give or take, and then mail on to your downstream TS pal. There are usually about 10-15 people in each group, and the Mods for each group put a travel itinerary together for the members to routinely send their sections downstream to the same person, and will receive new sections from their upstream TS pal.

What you get is a round-robin effect, where all members of the group can add to the seedlet section there own knitting or crochet, and by the time you get your seedlet back, its blossomed into a completed scarf that has traveled great distances and been welcomed in households by your fellow knitters or crocheters.

The turn around is about 6 months to get a completed scarf, and the benefits are you meet other crafters, you get to add your personal touch to the scarve sections you receive, and you get a finished scarf in the end.

I joined the Traveling Scarves Group 25 Significant Others group where there the theme is to knit a scarf for your significant other. I mailed off my seedlet the other day, and I decided to request only gray & black color yarn, because I wanted it to have a more masculine feel to it, so my hubby can wear it 8) I went with a Basketweave pattern for my seedlet with a 2 stitch garter border. I used Lamb's pride superwash wool in gray.



I also joined the Traveling Scarves Noro Group 37 Kit or Crochet group, only requirement is you can only use Noro yarn. I thought this would be a great way to get a Noro scarf! I also took on moderating duties for this group, along with my Co-Mod "TrustCrazyIdeas". Since this group allows crochet, I crocheted my first granny square. I just love how the Noro yarn colors transition. I'm sorry about the picture, my camera wasn't in a good mood during the photo shoot 8(



Where are my scarves traveling?

Group 25 SO Seedlet I know will definitely be visiting some of these destinations...

Missoula, Montana, Lewis & Clark traveled here



It will also be visiting the state of Michigan, I don't know what city, but Michigan was home to one of the great writers, Ernest Hemmingway, this is a picture of the cottage he grew up in on Walloon Lake.



For my Group 37 Noro Seedlet, it will get to visit Maine, there are many "haunted" sites in Maine, here is a really cool picture of Booth Bay Harbour in Maine, I love this picture. I can just see myself all cozied up with some handmade scarf and jacket basking in the airy fogginess.



Another really interesting location, is Charlotte, North Carolina which is home to the Andrew Jackson State Park in honor the 7th United States President. Andrew Jackson was the U.S.'s first "citizen president" in that at the time represented the common man. He was a member of the Continental Army and also a former prisoner of war.



There are many more places both my seedlets are traveling through, it is as if they are traveling through history because really, what place doesn't have a history on this old earth of ours? I would love to follow my scarves and take in the scenery and history.

I hope I didn't bore you too much with my digressions into my love of history. Again, like my kids and even my husband say "Mom's teaching 6th period again", they also call me "The Teacher" =-) They say this because they feel my books and documentaries remind them of that 6th period class in school that you'd have to sit through some movie documentary. I loved when my teachers would play informational videos, I would actually stay awake watching them while the rest of the students snored 8)

Happy Wednesday!
~Rocky

The Death Hat Knocks

Can you hear the Death Hat knocking???

I mailed my "Fibonacci Frequency" Death Hat bright and early this past Saturday morning. I took a few pictures of it, and I must say it is very cozy and comfortable. My death hat is set to kill "redhead1968" on the warrior list for HAT ATTACK 2. I've given fair warning of the impending death to Red Head, and she's happily replied "Bring it On". As a bonus, I got a USPS notification this afternoon letting me know they successfully delivered the package to Red Head, and now I can't wait to see her death on the scoreboards!

Although my bloody victory might fall short, as my own assassin has forewarned me of my impending death, which is in the mail as I type! I must say that I actually did enjoy knitting this hat, more than any other competition I've been in thus far. I know originally I had wanted to drop out, but just couldn't bring myself to do that because I'm just a huge competitor at heart, and now I'm very glad I didn't. The pattern really was a very pretty one, of which I know I'll knit again.

Here go the glamor shots!!

Side View


Front View


Back View


Me, tired looking, but sporting a lovely hat... did I mention I hate this photo???



And now the LOWDOWN:

Pattern:
Fibonacci Frequency
Skill:
Knitting
For:
HAT ATTACK 2 '2008', Target "redhead1968"
Started:
9/17/08
Finished:
9/19/08
Tools:
1 US 6 24'inch Addi Turbo Circular, 1 Hello Kitty Stitch Marker
LYS Shout Out:
Yarn purchased at Green Planet Yarn in Campbell, CA.
Yarn:
1 skein of O'Wool Organic Balance Yarn in Slate 2215 (green tweedish), 1 skein of O'Wool Organic Worsted Weight Yarn in Graphite 9118 (Grey Tweed).
Yarn Specs:
50 / 50% certified organic merino / certified organic cotton
weight: approx. 1.75 ounces /50 grams
length: approx. 130 yards / 120 meters
needles: 5-7 US / 3.75 - 4.5 mm
MODS:
None, in the heat of battle, the Oracle won't allow any MODS.
To Knit or Not Knit again???
YES! I will knit this pattern again, including using this yarn again.
NOTES:
While I like the pattern, I think the initial Cast on of 100 stitches is a bit much, at least for teeny hides like mines, so I would probably drop it down to 80. Plus, I wouldn't make the length as long as required for the competition, which was 9' full inches of pattern repeats then decreases which added about 2 more inches, in total about 11 inches long. (approximate). The hat is meant to be rolled up, so the longer length fits but for me, I would probably make it a total of 9 inches, including decreases. Did I mention this yarn was green friendly? O~Wool hand knitting yarns are spun from 100% certified organic fibers and processed in accordance with the Organic Trade Association’s Fiber Processing Standards. O~Wool uses no harsh chemicals in processing making it durable, long lasting and a well-wearing fiber.




knock_knock

The Fibonacci Experience

I know I said in a past post that I would be dropping out of HAT ATTACK 2, but damn if the competitor me wouldn't let me quit! I stood in folks, and got my victim this past Tuesday from the Oracle.

Now, remember why I wanted to drop out??? I've been so busy lately with too many things going on that I just couldn't commit time to making a Death Hat, well since I didn't drop out, I ended up having to scramble for my tools to kill with. This includes, 2 coordinating colors of yarn, worsted weight, a stitch marker, US size 6 24' inch circular, and a few other items, highlighter, ruler, etc.

The competitor in me wouldn't give up and in no way shape or form wants to be forced to have to send a WIP to an assassin! I luckily found in my stash, 2 colors that I thought hopefully most anyone would like, a grey tweed and a light green tweed from O'Wool's Organic yarn line. I fell in love with this yarn when I first found the gem "Green Planet Yarn". Beth, (GPY's owner), stocks up on a huge assortment of "green" friendly yarn, and O'Wool is one of them. The quality is very good, and soft to touch, and the colors are soothing.

I've completed my death hat and need to ship in the mail, hopefully today, if I can make it on lunch, otherwise it will go to the post first thing tomorrow morning. I don't have any pics yet of the FO, but I do have some pics I took on Wednesday to share.

This is a pic taken in my car Wednesday as I was knitting this killer hat!



Do you see my Hello Kitty stitch marker??? I just had to use it for this project, the little kitty follows me around in circles!

Another pic...



The pattern used for the Death Hat is called "Fibonacci Frequency", it really is a creative pattern. My hat's off to S.Quinn, pattern designer.

Fibonacci is a sequence of numbers named after Leonardo of Pisa. Each number in the sequence is equal to two numbers before it is added together. If you've seen "The Da Vinci Code" or read the book, your familiar with it. If this has sparked your interest, go to Wikipedia, where there's a wealth of info there.

I'm just amazed at how the designer soley based their pattern on the Fibonacci principles. When I was reading through the pattern pages, I couldn't imagine that the pattern would be something so pretty, and my proof is how it's knitting up. It's so simple, just combination's of Knits and Purls using the Fibonacci method, so simple yet so complex. From the pics I posted you can see it creates kind of a wave, or design that is pretty cool. It almost reminds me of a Monet painting, from far away the design really comes out, up close there's still a design, but it's different then the view from far away. I'll have to make me another one of these hats, there super easy and super fast.

On the list this weekend, in no particular order, except for No. 1, which is of high importance:

1) Take pics of dishwasher appliance and stove to sell on Craigslist to earn some extra, but needed $$$

2) Finish Clue 2 of MS4

3) Finish Hint's 2 & 3 of SSiii

4) Finish Tree square of Tech Afghan

5) Start Log cabin square of Tech Afghan

6) Work on section received for Group 25 Significant Others Traveling Scarves

7) Send out my seedling section for Group 25, must be done SAT!!!

8) Send out my seedling section for Group 37 Noro Knit/Crochet Traveling Scarves

9) Work on section for Group 37 Noro, received from herebedragons

10) Put the finishing touches on my swap packages for Day of the Dead, and Falling for Ewe 8)!!!

11) Chat it up with my new swap buddies from the Tea Swap and Hollywood Glamour 30's & 40's

12) Clean house

13) Work on pattern bag with my sewing machine

14) Go through kids clothes and get ready for a yarn sale

15) Give Rosie (my doggy) a bath

16) Bring out Autumn/Fall decorations

17) Finish organizing office

18) Celebrate my Aunt's Birthday, she's my Godmother

19) Celebrate my Mother's Birthday

20) Anything else I can't remember!

It will all turn out good, I'm thinking positive 8-).

Happy Friday Everyone!