Enjoying my day with December dreams shared and learning...

This is unusual, It's Saturday morning and I am home and alone.  Ahhh..., the quiet is pure heaven. There is no television droning on in the background just hearing the ticking of the living room wall clock, no one to make a meal for or chaperon, the day is mine for a little while anyway to do as I like.
With so many possibilities then what is my intention?  Of course it's to write a simple blog post with some links on my December's intentions.  I'm linking up with Melissa of A Lovely Year of Finishes and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts. 

First up is this that needs to be completed by the 20th hopefully.  I did start it this summer and was going along until I saw that the lettering was puckered for PGD#1 name.   Not being sure what to do to fix it, it became a K-UFO.
While my sister Beth visited while her husband was working on the deck recently I shared it with her and asked her opinion.  Rip it out?  Start a new one?   Cut some of the connecting yarn carries?... were the options I had considered.  She said I was being way too picky, I just needed to continue knitting it as it was.

Thanks Beth!   I am proceeding now but am so out of practice knitting wise that I continue to TINK (that's knit backwards, LOL) rather than make any headway but the rhythm is slowly coming back.  I recently joined a knitting group at the local Senior Center to be able to ask for help since this is my first sock.
At the group, a lady said "Oh, you're doing Intarsia knitting."  Of course I've heard of that term before but didn't realize what it was.  So another tidbit learned.  She also shared that the puckering seen on Intarsia knitting was a common sight for newer knitters and was good enough.
Finished by the self imposed 12/20/15 deadline that was shared here.


Then there is this community quilt that still needs quilting and hopefully binding before next Saturday.
That way it'll be turned in and not hang around here any more! Tomorrow is the day I've slated for that, so will be linking up with Kathy at Slow stitching Sunday.
Finished by December 12th and was posted here.


Another little project I thought of clearing up this month is this Christmas Panel.  Either I'll be gifting it away (there's a quilty auction going on at my guild next week or making it into an apron to perhaps give during the Chinese/Yankee gifting exchange at my December Book Club Gathering or perhaps even create a little something that it screams at me to make and keep.
1/3/16 editing this as this wasn't completed due to having more medical issues along with the craziness of the Holidays.  I will be placing this on my January's WIPs be Gone with Angie of A quilting Readers Garden.

This will be a surprise for both you and me.  LOL


The counted cross stitch is at a stand still for now until my thread order arrives from ABC stitch.  I've run out of one of the main color surrounds of Cocoa so took advantage of the black Friday sales and purchased numerous threads and a couple more patterns.
The only thing that slightly irritates me with doing business with them is they don't back order all the items from your order/purchase.  If it's not on hand, then they eliminate it all together and adjust the invoice accordingly instead or trying to fill your order completely.    8 (  
That being said though,  I do agree to their policy so I can get the supplies I need - that's why it's rated as a  minor irritation.


My last intention which is slated for today is to finish reading this month's book selection of Delicate, Edible Birds written by Lauren Groff.  It's a compilation of stories which has me befuddled most of the time.  Each story is about 30-40 pages and with each one it seems to start out with some characters named, her, him, the old lady and then on the next page your some place else with the Doctor and the sunset and swimming in Key West, then in NYC with a child and an imaginary friend, what, uhh?  The author writes well but I personally don't care for her style of writing stories in this manner.  I love a good read that just sweeps you in, intrigue, clinical even , drama and plot twists are all appreciated but not this one for me, thank you very much, it was just too disjointed with each story delivery that I was flipping back to learn the characters better!  Would you believe I created some personal "Cliff Notes" for each story on my cell phone so I could remember the whats, whys, who-s, hows and wheres were as a handy note for the discussion during our book club gathering!  Just a personal FYI- in my book, reading is suppose to be fun and not work!  Finished this by the 13th! (edited on 1/3/16)

Another activity that has kept me busier than my normal is the additional cooking being done.  I've found out at the ripe age of 59, alright y then, recently turned 60, that I'm gluten intolerant and perhaps Dairy sensitive too- the jury is still out on that last bit.  So I have been learning to cook and bake differently.  I ordered this set of three books from Amazon and they have shed some light on this recent journey.  Nice books and so far so good.   My cupboards have been getting striped of gluten products and stocked to hold the supplies needed since I enjoy cooking and will oft try new recipes.  It makes it difficult when I don't have the pertinent ingredients in, so have been shopping wherever I can find them; here, out of state and on the net.  If you have ever eaten gluten free bread from the grocery store, you'll know why making them yourself is so much better and it has a much better texture and flavor than what is available on the shelf.

Julie from the blog Mennonite Girls Can Cook where she shared her GF (gluten free) flour mix and some delicious recipes that I've made is a beautiful soul. When I commented on a post to thank her for sharing her knowledge, I mentioned I had some bananas over ripe and was there any magic formula to consider while cooking GF.  Would you believe she wrote back with in 24 hours had a new recipe of a GF banana bread muffins she whipped up that morning before a meeting!  Unbelievable and I am really grateful.  I tried that too and SCORE!  Another winner!   Thanks Julie!
This post actually links to another of her recipes   I would like to try before the Holiday season arrives, the GF lemon butter ice cookies.  8~ )
Another blog found that sounds hopeful with GF recipes is Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Recently I tried another King Arthur Flour Rustic bread too and that came out beautifully from the book How Can it be Gluten Free Volume 2 (page 158).  So two loaves were made at once and I was able to freeze the second loaf for ease later.

All of this takes time since I've had to grind my own navy bean flour, or needing almond flour immediately so had to grind up some of that too. Seems like each recipe takes forever!  Am hoping this will be easier as I practice and hopefully be able to streamline the production.


So much for a short post! Ha!
I'll share a favorite tool of mine ours in the kitchen since DH likes to cook at times too.  It's this slotted fingered spoon that we've had for years. While Thanksgivings Turkey leftovers were being cooked into stock, I threw in a couple of scrubbed Russet potatoes in the pot to not only cook, but too share the nutrients with in it and so I cook have a dairy free mashed spud for hot turkey leftovers so used it to fish them out in a  timely manner with it.    We both use this spoon practically every day twice. I always need to fish it out of the dishwasher to use for another dish.   This spoon is so handy that I'd love to acquire another one as a gift for a good friend, if you happen to see one somewhere, please let me know, I'd appreciate it.  The source I got it from no longer carries them.

Getting off this thing to get busy, TTFN
Jane