helmet liner

Finished just in time for the Big Snow.

I knit this from a pattern in Knit On Down, though you can find a pattern similar to it here at Packages From Home

I don’t mean to be boastful, but I do believe mine looks better than that brown one there. Of course maybe it is the vibrant red yarn (Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red, selected by Nic) or maybe it’s the very handsome model, with gorgeous brown eyes.

It got lots of use these past few days. Nic reports that it is very warm and just what he needed to keep the snow off his face and, especially, his chin.

I’ve already cast on one for Theo…in blue of course, Theo likes everything to be blue. I might even finish it up tomorrow. And there is PLENTY of snow to try it out.

Oh, I almost forgot. I am thrilled to add another new skill…this was my first project that called for a provisional cast on. I used the video here to figure it out. I know that there are various ways of accomplishing a provisional cast on…but this one was fantastically easy and let me finish off this project quickly. Easy-Peasy.

butterscotch chip cookies

What better way to be snowed in than to have these awesome, wonderful, delicious, made-from-scratch cookies with farm fresh milk?

I made 6 dozen, so if anyone wants to plow and dig their way in to the house, we’ll be more than happy to share.

RECIPE:

1.5 cups butter, softened
1.25 cups granulated sugar
1.25 cups packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
.5 teaspoon salt
1 (24oz) bag of chips (I used about a 1/2 bag of butterscotch chips)

Heat oven to 350F.
In large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs on medium speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt (dough will be STIFF.) Stir in chips

On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls, flatten slightly.

Bake 11-13 minutes or until light brown — centers may still be soft.

Allow to cool 1-2 minutes and then move to cooling.

Yield: about 6 dozen cookies.

The Big Snow

Biggest snow in 100 years around here? Maybe. And our first winter in this beautiful place. Enjoy the pix! We’re enjoying being well-stocked, reliable power, good books and lots of projects.

The vehicles yesterday.

The vehicles today.

Nic NOT getting to the vehicles. We were actually just out there clearing off the porch and digging a ‘potty tunnel’ for big dog.

Here’s the craziest part about it…the snow on our deck. That photo was taken from a basement window and the snow is much higher now. In the middle of the deck it comes up almost up to the height of the rails. It looks like a bounce-house floor out there.

It is beautiful. And we are safe and warm inside. We have plenty of groceries and other necessities. There’s plenty to knit and plenty to read and always movies and board games. We’re not going anywhere for days. Jut thought you’d like to know.

So, what’s the right path?

I read books like Radical Simplicity and Nourishing Traditions, see the contradictions and am torn.

In Radical Simplicity it is pretty clear that a vegetarian diet is what the planet needs of us. I get that. I understand that my ‘footprint’ will be smaller without animal products.

In Nourishing Traditions it is equally clear that a diet rich in unrefined/unmolested animal products is crucial to health.

So what is a person to do? I want the planet to be healthy but not at the expense of my own ability to live a long, healthy life. I want to be healthy personally, but not at the expense of the planet’s ability to meet the needs of a growing population.

Here’s where I am right now: working to be a Locavore. If I can get most of the animal products of our diets from local sources (like milk, eggs and chicken from a neighbor) then I can be certain of the quality of the food. But I can also ensure that the animals are cared for humanely and on land that would not be useful for crops.

I’m not sure if that’s enough. But it is what I have.

Nourishing Traditions

I picked this book up from the library today. My dearest dear friend Anna had this listed on her awesome blog and it caught my attention.

Aside from her recommendation (and that carries great weight for me) there is the title to tell me that it is worth my time:

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

I’m eager to jump in.

Mary

Marble Art

The last time we went over to the Maryland Science Center Whinnie and Theo created ‘marble art.’

Simple project. Just get a jar, can or bowl with a tight fitting lid. Cut pieces of paper small enough to go into the container and curve around the inside wall without needing to be folded up.

Get paint and marbles. Put a bit of paint in a small bowl, add a few marbles and roll them around in the paint. Then put the marbles in the container with the paper.

Put the lid on the container and roll the marbles around. Voila! Marble Art.

Have fun, experiment with rolling some marbles in one color and others in other colors. Experiment with rolling the marbles around a little or a lot.

Wildcraft!

We really enjoy this game. The boys and I play it together frequently, when Chris is around to distract, subdue and/or hogtie Whinnie.

I thought Nic would like it, but the real surprise is how much Theo enjoys learning about all the herbs. And that they both have the patience to play an entire game.

We’ve change the rules to suit us — like always being able to help one another with their ‘troubles’ instead of only when one possesses a ‘cooperation card.’

The last time we went to the store for some dried herbs both boys enjoyed finding ones that they’d learned about. It is so exciting for me to hear, ‘oh! Comfrey! that helps bumps and bruises.’

Nic and I are looking forward to some real Wildcrafting in the forest around our home this summer.

Welcome February!

I greet the arrival of February each year with silly glee. February means that spring weather is coming very soon. Yes it is still cold; here we still have most of Saturday’s surprise snow storm. But the end is near.

I made a commitment to myself to blog every day last month and I did it. I love fulfilling commitments to myself.

What about February? It is such a dear *little* month that I think I’ll do the same.

with dreams of spring breezes and new growth,
Mary

snowy day

Yesterday the forecast called for a ‘dusting’ of snow…maybe up to an inch. Right.

Unfortunately the 8 or so inches we actually got cancelled Papa taking the boys to a lego competition in Baltimore and very nearly kept us from getting back home at all.

But I endeavor to leave the stress of that white-knuckle drive home behind. Instead I’ll share with you a few photos of our beautiful, beautiful view.

Mystery Camera

The boys love taking pictures with our digital camera. Mostly they use it to snap shots of their various Lego creations.

Sometimes when I download the photos onto the computer I am surprised. Here are several of their ‘works.’ I *think* that last one might be an out-of-focus look at Theo’s nostrils.