Lynne Lynne with that big grin
How does your garden grow?
(sorry it had to rhyme!)

with basil, oregano, epazote, savory, thyme, sage & red rubin basil,
thank you very much!

With our Christmas present: the Aero Garden which grows plants hydroponically.

Right now we have the herb version “planted.” The seeds were started a few days after Christmas. It was fun watching them germinate—which they did rather quickly—and get large enough to take their plastic caps off. You can see how nicely they’ve grown since, especially the regular basil. Before too long we’ll be snipping away at our fresh herbs!

You can also grow different lettuces, cherry tomatoes, beans, and flowers. I would have to see the cherry tomatoes and beans to believe it!

I had originally planned this post for a week or so back so I had taken all the photos at that time. Here are what the herbs look like today just a little over a week later.

They are really taking off!

This weekend we had arranged a walk for us and a play date for the dogs with a friend and his Golden Retriever. When we got to Jungle Habitat we were greeted with a barrage of cars, people, and a lot of activity. What the heck? we thought, is going on here? The vehicles with “State Forest Police” emblazoned on their sides were particularly worrisome. We decided to park and see what all the fuss was about before getting the dogs out of the truck. As it turned out they were only there to set markers on the paths regarding certain hazardous spots. They said “an accident” had occurred back in December. When I asked about taking the dogs for a walk he said “sure, the trails are open but remember it’s hunting season.” I mumbled something about probably not safe to let the dogs off lead and he was quick to point out to me that dogs were supposed to be on lead in the park, never off. oops. I never knew that. Every time we’ve been there people have their dogs loose all over the place. We opted not to be drug around the Jungle by our dogs on lead, so we headed off to Green Turtle Pond instead and we parked at the top of the road and walked down.

Bella likes her Golden friend, Kayla. At first Bella is a bit overwhelming for Kayla, being too pushy and a tad dominant. She just wants to play and Bella has always played hard. Before long they settle into a happy companionship that consists of running. A lot.

The call this shot “the three amigos.” (Alex, Kayla & Bella)

The snow has mostly melted but the road was still icy in spots and we really had to watch our footing. Bella did pause now and then to offer me a good shot of her by herself. Can you believe how big she is?

We thought they would wear down after a while, but they were still at it on the return trip. Of course, they had to find a puddle of mud to play in! Kids!

We hope to have more play dates/walks in the future. Next time we’ll try our normal Jungle walk, hopefully without all the state brass!

Lately I’ve been hooked on these yummy smoothies for breakfast:

Packed full of good-for-me things and loaded with antioxidants: pomegranate juice, frozen blueberries, greek nonfat yogurt, a dash of honey. Yum. Take a closer look if you like.

Anyone who knows us or reads this blog knows that Rick and I both love to cook and eat. I don’t think we eat badly either. We don’t eat much in the way of processed foods and you won’t find our freezer filled with frozen ready-made dinners. We’re all about cooking fresh. We don’t eat out very much because we enjoy our own food more. Plus, when you eat out you cannot control what you are eating. You have no idea how the food was prepared (what fats, sugars, etc. that they might have used) and are probably taking in way too many extra calories loaded with things your body doesn’t need. As far as portions go, restaurants today give you so much more than you could or should possibly eat that’s it’s ridiculous! Many times Rick and I will share an appetizer and an entree (if we can agree on the same one!) and that works out very well.

For several years (before we moved to New Jersey) Rick and I followed the South Beach Diet and we both got downright skinny. It got kind of old and boring. (The diet part; not the skinny part!) Then we started eating a more modified South Beach by letting in some pasta, potatoes and bread. Then we pretty much threw out the South Beach plan and just ate everything in moderation which pretty much worked but neither of us were as skinny as we were. But like I mentioned before, we got lazy over the past few months and noticed a slight gain. Funnily enough, we both started complaining at the same time. It was time to put a new eating plan into action, so since the start of the year we’ve been South Beaching it again. It’s working, slowly but surely. There is a difference.

I’m always looking for new recipes that are both good for you and good tasting at the same time. And let’s face it, at the beginning of a new year doesn’t everyone think about eating more healthily? Losing one or two stubborn pounds that may have crept up when you weren’t looking? I bought these two great books recently (smoothie recipe came from Cook Yourself Thin Faster) and have been pouring over the recipes and tips.

They are not really “diet” books, just guidelines for eating things that are good for you and avoiding the things that are not. They are all about not depriving yourself of the foods you crave, just making small adjustments to them to make them more calorie friendly. You might not notice the weight loss for several weeks it’s so gradual, but it’s there.

Cook This Not That is a wonderful little book! Packed full of all kinds of helpful things, it begs to be read from cover to cover to glean all the little hints and tips on every (colorful) page. “Score card” pages show nutritional and dietary comparisons of dairy products,  bread, rices, grains and pastas, meats and fats so you can see at a glance the differences. Other pages include “Matrix” pages where you mix and match different ingredients for skewers, homemade salad dressings, pasta and toppings, crock pots, smoothies and more. Full color photos of each delicious looking recipe adds to the allure of this great little book.

The other book, Cook Yourself Thin Faster is the follow-up to her first book Cook Yourself Thin. I have both books, but I think the second one has better recipes. We made one the other night “Cod Saltimbocca” which was absolutely delicious! We both loved the cannellini bean/radicchio side. Here’s the photo from the book.

I can’t wait to try more of them out! And no, I don’t own stock in the companies, nor do I know the people personally. I just think they are great little tools to help you eat right. If you happen to buy one or the other I don’t think you’ll be sorry!

I know I mentioned these slippers briefly in a past entry and I promised to follow up on them and give more information, so here it goes.

The pattern is from Fiber Trends: Felt Clogs which can be found by following the link. I swear this pattern is like magic. Like any good recipe, it never fails. And it’s so much fun to knit up. I especially love the shaping parts. Once you know the pattern you really don’t have to keep reading because you know when you come to your slipped stitch it’s time to decrease and turn.

I first learned how to knit these cozy slippers (to me they are not clogs!) in a class taught by Julie at My Sister Knits back when we lived in Ft. Collins. {OH! How I miss that yarn shop! I could cry just thinking about it.} After that there was no turning back. I couldn’t be stopped from offering to make them for everybody I could think of.

The actual pattern calls for using two strands of worsted wool, but I knit them the way that Julie did. With Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky, so only one strand is needed. Plus, the Lamb’s Pride is 85% wool / 15% mohair which gives the slippers extra fuzziness when felted. I can’t imagine using anything else although I have seen other yarns used with the pattern and I didn’t think they came out looking as nice.

I always make them two color: one color for the sole and cuff (you’ll need two skeins of whichever color you choose); and one skein of yarn for the body of the slipper. If you make the largest men’s size you may need an extra skein for the body, as when I made Rick’s I had just barely enough! I double sole them, so the first sole is knit first and incorporated into the body of the slipper. The second sole is worked separately and joined on to the first. Some people put leather soles on them but we like them better without it. The leather sole takes away the soft, cushy feel. Of course without the leather soles you can’t walk outside when it’s wet in them because they work just like a sponge!

Here is the slipper with only one sole, the seam still needing to be sewn.

The pattern has the slippers being more of a scuff style where you can slip them on your feet but we prefer a higher heel, so I knit four extra rows before continuing with the cuff.

Close-up of the cuff.

The pattern calls for a more complicated joining of the outer sole, but again, I follow Julie’s easier join. It’s a matter of picking up a stitch from the first sole, knitting that stitch plus the next stitch on the needle together, then binding off as you go along. Simple!

The outer sole joined but not seamed.

Here is the slipper before felting next to Rick’s foot and next to his old slippers to give you an idea of how big they are to begin with. At this point you are wondering if they are ever going to fit properly!

Now for the felting process! I toss the slippers in a pillowcase using a rubber band to keep it closed. I also toss an old pair of sneakers into the washer along with the slippers to give extra friction for faster felting. Use the hottest water possible, only allowing the cycle to run until it’s ready to spin. Don’t spin your slippers!!! Take them out, gently squeeze the excess water out of them (I am lucky enough to have a laundry tub next to the washer) and reshape them while letting your washer finish its cycle by itself. Here they are after the first run-through.

Reshaping the slippers after each cycle helps to keep lumps and bumps from getting set in. You want a nice smooth surface for your slipper, now don’t you? Put them back in the pillowcase and repeat the process until you reach the desired size. Mine typically take three wash cycles before they reach the right degree of felting and sizing. Here they are after the second cycle.

And the third.

See what the mohair does for them? Look at the fuzz!

When you’re satisfied, gently press most of the water out of them but don’t wring them out. Shape them carefully by getting out all the little dips and kinks that might have popped up during washing. Just remember that they will dry in whatever form you put them in!  Place them on a thick towel to dry. I like to stuff mine with balled up plastic grocery sacks for the first day or so. It helps them to keep their shape. You can take them out when the slippers have dried sufficiently to hold their shape on their own. It will take several days before they are fully dry. Sometimes I put mine on our heated towel rack to speed up the process. Don’t worry about right and left; the slippers will conform to your feet once you start wearing them.

Behold the finished slippers!

Nothing else left to do now except put them on your feet and let them glory in the warmth and coziness! Rick swears he never needs any other kind of slipper ever again!

I am making myself a new pair now as my old ones are worn through. It’s time, don’t you think?

On the day I took my walk the sun was shining brightly. Everywhere I looked the crystalline quality of the snow was catching the light and acting like a prism. Just like someone had strewn jewels across its surface. It was beautiful. I tried capturing it so many times and each time when I viewed the photo back the colors were not there. The snow was glistening, but no prism action was happening through the lens. I took the camera off the mode I was using and tried a few different things. I finally got this image by using a slower shutter speed on the shutter priority setting at 1/320.

Well? What do you think?