Recent Knitting

I have slowly been working my way through my yarn stash for about a year and a half now. I am not one to buy yarn just because I like it; I need to have a project in mind for it. Thus, my stash has never reached out-of-control proportions. However, sometimes I get yarn for something and lose interest in the pattern or realize the yarn and pattern don't jive, or end up not needing that last ball after all. I also get yarn here and there from people and don't immediately have something in mind forit.

I had the cardinal hoodie in my Ravelry queue for about a year and one day in Marchsuddenly realized that I had enough yarn in my stash to make it. So, I began a project that took me until about a week ago. This spring I was very busy with the dissertation, so rarely gave myself time for knitting. It really is a pretty quick project. And it felt so good to use up that yarn for something so nice. That's the best part about working from your stash: the surprises that arise when you get the perfect combo of pattern and yarn- without having to spend any money!
Alternately, it is also thrilling to buy new yarn here and there to get new color and texture into your collection and anticipate the project you want to use it for. My neighbors recently had a baby, and they are big into giraffes. So, when I bought Susan B. Anderson's Itty-bitty Toys, I knew one of the first projects I would be doing.Susan's patterns are always full of tiny details that really make her projects special.
This giraffe has an embroidered face, a pom pom mane, tail, and horns (Do giraffes have horns? What are those things on their heads?)
And spots, of course!

Sunflower Chicken

We visited Lawrence, KS at the end of May, and the first meal I had in town was at the Free State Brewery. I got the Sunflower Chicken. It was so good, I had to give it a go at home. Here's what I did.

1. Take two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and marinate them for an hour in buttermilk, sesame oil, and soy sauce. (I used buttermilk because I had extra on hand).
2. Mix 3/4 cup each of barley, brown rice, and wheatberries into 7 cups of water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 45 min to an hour.
3. In a saucepan, mix a cup of sherry with a tablespoon of miso, boil on medium-high until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, then add it to the simmering grains.
4. Once sherry/miso reduction has been added to the simmering grains, chop up your veggies. I went with the following, adding more than the restaurant had.One package of shitaki mushrooms (8oz?); a handful each of chard (with veins and leaves), napa cabbage, and baby bok choy; three carrots, cut match-stick size; snow peapods; 1 red pepper, three cloves of garlic and an inch or so of fresh ginger.
5. With about 15-20 minutes left of the grains cooking, I heated up a couple of tablespoons of canola oil and threw in the carrots. After a minute or so, I added the greens, garlic, and ginger. Another minute or so I added the red pepper, snow peas, and mushrooms. Cook until desired tenderness, then get the veggies out, reserving as much oil as possible.
6. You can add a little more oil if you think it is necessary, heat it up and then add the marinated chicken breats, cut into inch-sized pieces. Brown them and cook through.
7. Mix the veggies, chicken, and grains all together, adding in 1/4 cup or so of roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds.
Enjoy! I served my sunflower chicken with homemade rhubarb lemonade, but a nice wheat beer is good, too.

First Mother's Day

We went big for my first mother's day. I got a necklace, brunch, a book, and a massage. It was a really nice day.

The Long Haul is Over

Well, it's finally done. I successfully defended my dissertation on May 18th. I won't get my diploma until January and can't walk until next May, but the important thing is that all the writing is done and all the paperwork turned in. I can officially sign my name with Ph.D. on the end of it, if I want to.

So, we're home for the summer and I think I will have time to resurrect this blog. There's lots to catch up on. Our trip to Maine and Spain over the winter break, another trip to Maine last month, E's one-year birthday, our trip to Lawrence, KS...

Stay tuned! There's lots to see coming up!

My parents came down to Boston for the day to attend my defense. Meridith watched Elías during the process.Then we met up with Julian and Kira to celebrate with pizza and margaritas.I got a beautiful bouquet of flowers and some sparkling cider by the river.