Knitting along. And some good cookbooks.

Still knitting on this shawl. I knit while I'm sitting with Mrs. T on Friday and Sunday. And whenever I can anywhere else. I wanted to see how long it was taking me to knit across a row. So I set my stopwatch on my phone. Ugh! It took me 20 minutes to go across one row! I think there are about 320 stitches right now. That's a long time to just be knitting 1 row. I might be knitting this shawl the rest of the winter. Have you ever timed yourself knitting before? Don't do it!

I bought a nice grass fed tenderloin a few months ago from Main St. Meats in Chattanooga. I have never cooked one before. So got out my cookbooks to find a recipe. I really love The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. I have made several of her recipes so far. And found one for tenderloin! So I made that last night. It looked just like her pictures too, when I was cutting it. The cutting board was all bloody, from the very rare tenderloin. She said that's how men and wolves like their meat.

So while I was looking, I got these 2 books out. I love them. I really like a cookbook with stories and good pictures. These 2 are really good. Cooking With Shelburn Farms by Melissa Pasamen. And Fields of Plenty by Michael Ableman. That last name might be wrong, I can't read my own writing. Both really good books with stories.

Good food for a cold day.

 Well, today, we are supposed to have a BIG snow storm! Schools have been closed. Ga. is already declared a state of emergency. It's really supposed to be awful dangerous to be out in it.

But there is NOTHING happening out there! Nothing at all. It's not even really cold.

And this is Wednesday, my day with mom. We were thinking we'd not be able to get out today, because of the snow and all. But as of right now, I think we'll be going out.

But if you are snowbound, unlike us, here is the best recipe for a day like this. This is from the latest edition of Taproot, my favorite magazine. I have already made this twice. We love it. I hope you can see the directions here. If you click on the picture, you can see it. You have to try it at least once. It's so good. And is even better the next few days. Because it makes a lot.

I keep forgetting to talk about my weight loss. I've been afraid to weigh myself lately, because I feel like I've gained about 15 pounds. I really haven't changed anything in the way I've been eating. Just the same foods. But it's been cold and not getting out and being more mobile is a problem for me. And I hate exercising.

So I got on the scale last week and I weighed 206. So I have gained 5 pounds since before Christmas. And I only had one tiny teeny little slice of my mom's home made pumpkin pie, without the crust. Maybe 4 bites. I feel like I might have lost a few pounds since I weighed. I've been at Mrs. T's for the past several days. When I'm there, I sit a lot, knitting or reading with her. Like the whole day. She cannot be left alone for more than a few minutes, so we can't do a whole lot while there.

I can't wait for spring, so I can get out and garden again! I am really excited about planting a garden full of plants to dye with. I'm reading a book about plants to dye for. It's called a Garden To Dye For. So fun! I really want to learn to dye my wool with natural plant based dyes. So lots of planning going on in my head right now.

I hope you all are warm and safe where ever you are. Happy hump day!

More cleaned studio.

 I have been working over here in my studio as much as I can. I've had to go to Mrs. T's the past few days because one of the caregivers has been sick. So I get to fill in for her. So not much time to work here. But it's getting slowly cleaned up and organized.

Do you ever find an unfinished project you started years ago and wonder what the heck it is? I have found a few so far.

This is my sewing shelves. I found this 3-drawer storage container at Walmart last week. I put all my thread and needles and s]little things like that in there. And most all my material and patterns and quilts I need to get finished.

                                                      I also got all my hoops hung on the wall.

This is where a lot of my material has been. I got it all cleaned out. I put this purple shelf under the table and have all my needle felting stuff on it. And I have this 3 drawer thing to put stuff in too.

                                                 I decided to just put crafty things in the old pie safe.

My sewing table now, all cleaned and ready for some sewing projects to happen.

 I found a big huge folder at Goodwill for .99. It has those plastic sleeves in it. So I put all my knitting patterns in it.
                                                   

And I have needed a bookshelf over her for a long time. So this is my little reading nook.

                                          And here is all my clean fleeces. Ready to be spun!

Just some art work from my daughter Abby and grand daughters Chloe and Kansas.

Isn't this pretty? We got down to about 13 last night here. Lots of frozen ponds. This is my little frog pond.

Still a lot to do. But it already feels so much better in here. Like I can breathe again! I know there will be lots of creating in here now.