How I Earned My Outdoors Bead: Part I

The time has come. I am ready to talk about it now. Many of you have probably already heard the story, so you can skip on down to drool over Indian food, or keep reading and have a laugh all over again.

I believe it was day four of our FIG Road Trip 2007 MN-ME. We had been camping at Split Rock Lighthouse and already canoed in Lake Superior. We were paddling road warriors ready for more adventure, no challenge on land nor sea would be too daunting for us. After having traveled for the whole previous day, topping the night off with a sauna and delicious meal, we felt refreshed and ready to explore the gorgeous town of Marquette, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Janet and Gary Graham, our illustrious hosts, suggested a leisurely trip down the Chocolay River, which eventually opens into Lake Superior. The plan was to drift downstream until we reached the lake, have a picnic lunch, and then paddle back upstream before an impending storm reached town. It was a hot, mostly sunny day, with some brisk wind coming from the lake and dark clouds in the distance, promising to arrive by late afternoon.

We put in at the designated launch, bringing along Mobi, my camera, and a packed lunch. I was wearing a cardigan (not handmade) to protect me from the sun and for some reason, Juan was wearing some sort of outerwear that was not really appropriate for the weather. We paddled along the winding river, seeing lots of ducks and geese and marveling at the houses with such a beautiful location to call home. It was quiet and peaceful and we were really enjoying ourselves.

All too quickly, we turned a bend.In the distance, beyond the bridge, the lake appeared. Though slowly at first, as we got closer its vast expanse grew larger until it filled our horizon. Here we were, face to face with the mighty Lake Superior. So big, a drop of water remains in the lake for 191 years. So grand it manifests itself like an ocean, with tides and waves and storms so fierce they have sank 350 ships, including many carriers. This is not a body of water you want to mess with.

The strength of the river's current quickly increased as we approached its mouth. We steered the canoe towards the beach, pulling it onto a deserted stretch of sand. Marveling at the privacy afforded by no road access, we stretched out and had lunch while Mobi tore around, enjoying herself immensely. The wind was blowing quite strongly, so despite the hot sun we were comfortable.After 30 minutes or so, full and happy, we decided to take a walk along the beach before heading back. I took off my cardigan and Juan his jacket, leaving them in the canoe. At the last minute, I grabbed my camera"just in case" and pulled the canoe a little further from the water before setting off down the beach...

Something to read while I gather myself together

I am currently working on writing up one of our interesting adventures this summer, involving a red Charles River canoe and the Marquette, MI, Coast Guard. Writing about it forces me to relive the trauma, so it may take a while to get the whole story out. In the meantime, I'll give you something else to read.

Gaby and Alejandra have both posted a game where you take the 5th paragraph of page 161 of the book you are reading. Curious, I grabbed the closest at hand to see what came up. This is from a new book of Adolfo Bioy Casares's diary entries and notes about his good friend and collaborator Jorge Luis Borges, titled, aptly, Borges. The book is over 1600 pages long, so I just try to read a few entries a day with no particular goal for finishing. The entry goes as follows:

martes, 8 de mayo [1956] "Despues del almuerzo, la madre de Borges me hace leer una pagina de Borges que se titula "Borges y yo": algo muy sencillo, escrito de una manera llana, triste, noble."

My translation:
Tuesday, May 8th "After lunch, Borges's mother had me read something of his called 'Borges and I': something very simple, written in such a plain, sad, noble way."

The text Bioy is referring to is below, in translation, copied from here. For you Spanish speakers, the original text can be read here.

To the other one, to Borges, is to whom things happen. I walk through the streets of Buenos Aires and I delay myself, perhaps almost mechanically, to look at the arch of an entrance hall and the grillwork on the gate; from Borges I find out through the mail and I see his name on a list of professors or in a biographical dictionary. I like hourglasses, maps, eighteenth century typography, the taste of coffee and the prose of Stevenson; he shares these preferences, but in a vain way that turns them into the attributes of an actor. It would be an exaggeration to say that ours is a hostile relationship; I live, let myself go on living, so that Borges may contrive his literature, and this literature justifies me. It is no effort for me to confess that he has achieved some valid pages, but those pages cannot save me, perhaps because what is good belong[s] to no-one, not even to him, but rather to the language and to tradition. Besides, I am destined to perish, definitively, and only some instant of myself can survive in him. Little by little, I am giving over everything to him, although I am quite aware of his perverse custom of falsifying and magnifying things. Spinoza knew that all things long to persist in their being: the stone eternally wants to be stone and the tiger a tiger. I shall remain in Borges, not in myself (if it is true that I am someone), but I recognize myself less in his books tha[n] in many others or in the laborious strumming of a guitar. Years ago I tried to free myself from him and went from the mythologies of the suburbs to the games with time and infinity, but those games belong to Borges now and I shall have to imagine other things. Thus my life is a flight and I lose everything and everything belong[s] to oblivion, or to him.

I do not know which of us has written this page.

Indian Food at Home

I recently made two fabulous Indian dishes at home, thanks to Cook's Illustrated.
Recommended viewing accompaniment: Water: the latest film by Deepa Mehta

While I was feeling ambitious and full of culinary energy, and so decided to tackle both at once, I would recommend doing the chopping, dicing and spice measuring ahead of time, so when it comes time to cook, you just have to throw it all together.
This is Chicken Tikka Masala, a tomato-based dish.This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Tikka
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

A great vegetarian option is veggie curry, which includes cauliflower, peas, and potatoes.This curry is moderately spicy when made with one chile. For more heat, use an additional half chile. For a mild curry, remove the chile's ribs and seeds before mincing. Onions can be pulsed in a food processor. You can substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the garam masala. Serve with Basmati Rice Pilaf, passing yogurt and at least one type of chutney or relish at the table.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces Red Bliss potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 1/2 serrano chiles , ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 medium head cauliflower , trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with 1/4-inch pieces visible
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
Table salt
8 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

1. Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)
3. Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat florets, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.

What I've NOT been knitting

My knitting decreased towards the end of the summer, in spite of the fact that I was traveling quite a bit, which tends to be my most productive time. So, I will display for you my unfinished projects of Summer 2007 and you can decide if my excuses are valid enough to justify such a vacuous knitting month:

This project I WILL actually finish, but since I won't be seeing its recipient for a couple more months, I've had no motivation to get it done right now. I started knitting Julian a sweater in July or so, in his favorite color. The pattern is Sherwood from Knitty.com. I modified it by not including the cabled pattern on the sleeves, because I thought it looked cooler with ribbing only.
Just a sleeve, the collar and some loose ends to go!
More detailed shot of the "tree" cable pattern.

My next unfinished project involves, surprise surprise, that cotton yarn I can't seem to do anything with. I was going to make a really cute racer-back tunic, but the smallest size was coming out way too big, a problem I later learned most knitters had with this pattern. It's called the Prairie Tunic, and is supposed to look like this:Soooo cute, right? *sigh* After traveling to Spain and back in my suitcase without being knit once and looking a bit worse for wear, I'm thinking this is going to be frogged as soon as I can bear to do it. I was really excited about this, but I can already tell it's going to be way too big and I'll never wear it. I'm really starting to think this yarn is cursed.The other pattern I was sure I was going to love, but that soon turned my thoughts dour was to be my second pair of socks. Hundreds of knitters on Ravelry have managed to knit out a decent pair of these socks, but I am really not liking the "Magic loop" technique called for. It leaves an obvious stretched line down the side. I knew they were destined to be frogged when I was at my knitting group, and someone commented on how pretty they were. My response? "I HATE these socks!" Wow- tell us how you feel Vanessa... The worst thing about these socks is that when I finish the first one, I have to make another.

So, after all these false and/or stalled starts, I just stopped knitting for a while. Luckily, I've since regained my senses and I have started a new project- my favorite kind. A sweater for me. I love making things for other people, but there is a lot of stress about how it will come out, will they like it, will it fit/work for them, so, with me, at least I know I'll wear it. It's also been tricky to find knitting time because we no longer have tv, so there's less excuse to knit. Though we do still have Netflix. I'm currently working my way through the second season of Rome, one of the best shows ever made.This blob here is the back of my sweater. It's a raglan decrease and there is some dart shaping at the waist, I just couldn't get it to lay flat for the picture. The next shot is of the sleeve that I'm expanding to make one front half of the Sunrise Circle Cardigan, from Interweave Knits- last fall's issue, I believe. Here's what it's supposed to look like when I'm done with it:

Beads, Badges, and Campfire fun!

The theme for series five of the cast-on podcast is Campfire fun.Now, I was a campfire girl before moving on through several levels of Girl Scouts, and many of my young weekends were spent earning badges. Ridiculous numbers of badges. I loved being faced with a variety of challenges, doing them, and then getting a really cool embroidered badge for it. (hmmm... indication of a later interest in fiber arts?) It was satisfying on numerous levels: 1) yankee mentality that sees all free time as an opportunity to be productive 2) exploring, creating, thinking, learning 3) immersing myself in a particular topic for a while and then moving on to something else 4) accumulating pretty little tokens that I could show off to others.

Fast forward oh, let's say 15 years or so, and in steps Brenda Dayne to bring it all back. On her website, you can see a list of requirements from the 1914 edition of the Campfire Manual for the HOME bead. Some of my personal favorites are the following, with my commentary, because, well, it is my blog, isn't it?

Cooking: a) Prepare a gruel, a cereal, an eggnog, and milk toast and arrange an invalid’s tray attractively. (Is this supposed to be the invalid's meal?) b) Write out a menu for three weeks suitable for a school girl who is inclined to be too stout. ("inclined to be stout"???)

Marketing: Market for one week one week on one dollar and a half per person, keeping accounts and records of menus, etc. (If only!)

Laundry: a) Do a family washing, using modern labor-saving devices if possible. (Heck, I should be getting THREE badges a week!) b) Use two agents for softening water, two soaps for different uses, two kinds of starch for different uses, two methods of bluing, and two household methods of bleaching. (you mean, I can't just divide lights and darks and be done with it?)

Housekeeping: a) Wash and wipe dishes and leave the dining room in order, after one meal a day, for two months. (Ok, make that five badges a week) b) Take care of the milk and cream from at least one cow, and see that the pails and pans are properly cleaned for two months. (um, anyone got a cow I can borrow?) c) Repack a faucet. (I'm sorry, what?) d) Install an electric bell and care for it for three months. (And again... huh?)

Baby Craft a) Know how much a baby should grow in weight each week for the first six months, in height for each month for the first year, the relation of weight to disease and vitality. (Isn't that what the Internet's for?) b) Know and describe three kinds of baby cries and what they mean. (Can I substitute Mobi sounds/behavior?)

Next up, still under the HOME bead, we have Entertainment. Because after you've planned and prepared all the household meals, cleaned the place top to bottom and cared for all the children and infirm, you are expected to provide the entertainment of the evening. This could include such fun as a) Play from memory five piano pieces of the difficulty of Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood, or perhaps b) Commit and recite five hundred lines of standard poetry, or maybe you'd rather c) Know and tell five standard folk stories. I think I'll take d) Plan and give a pantomime entertainment

Computer Lady

That's what Juan calls me whenever he sees me in front of the computer at home. (There's a song that goes along with it, but lucky for you there is no voice-recording option on blogger.) Ok, and yes, there are times when I really get into my favorite blogs and websites and my nose starts inching towards the screen and I forget to blink... but that hasn't happened in a while. I'm still catching up on reading blogs and listening to my podcasts. School is already in full swing and keeping me away from such fun pastimes.

All that to say I'll be posting lots this weekend and catching up on everyone else's blog, hopefully. If I can get an internet connection at home.

Where Did Summer Go?!?

As usual, when I am busy doing interesting things, I don't have time to post to the blog. Though, this past month it was more about not having Internet access for long periods of time. Which means that I have a lot of blog reading to catch up on. In terms of writing, I'm going to sum up for you in photos some of my summer highlights that have not been mentioned yet.

Julian's Visit
He spent over three weeks with us in Maine during June/July. It was a really fun, exhausting visit. We did a lot- camping, canoeing, Funtown, the beach, the children's museum, soccer, baseball, mini-golf, bocci ball, kickball, swimming, jungle gyms...

Woodland, Maine
I already mentioned my spoiled weekend in Woodland, but I don't believe I mentioned the motorcycle ride. Behind my Uncle Dick you can just barely make me out there under a helmet and a little leather.

My New Green Pot
That would be a Le Crueset oval dutch oven, thank you very much. As a gift for successfully completing my oral qualifying exams this spring, Juan generously offered to buy me "whatever I wanted." He was thinking a beautiful dress or a nice piece of jewelery-I told him I wanted a pot. A bit taken aback, he reluctantly agreed, on the condition that when I tell people about the gift, I am crystal clear that he did not just go out and buy his wife a pot, but rather he merely acquiesced to her bizarre wishes. Duly noted for the record.

Spain: Biduiera
I have to write more about Biduiera in another post. This is the small Galician town of Juan's father. The first weekend of August celebrates the town's patron saint and all his brothers and sisters and their families come from all over Spain. It's a magical place, so I'll save more details and pictures for a post solely dedicated to it.

Winona Floods
While this cannot qualify as a "highlight" of the summer, it's the biggest news our town has seen in a while. The day after we arrived back in town, Southeastern Minnesota saw some unusually heavy rainfall, causing roads, bridges, and railroad tracks to be washed out. Along the bluffs were deadly mudslides and some of our neighboring towns had to be evacuated. Luckily for us, Winona city proper was mostly undisturbed. (You can see an exception above- taken only a couple of blocks from our house. A click to enlarge the photo will reveal cars almost completely submerged under water). In the car on the way home, I had excitedly planned to spend the weekend biking a trail that has since been completely washed out, rollerblading a path that is still under water, and hitting some golf balls at an indefinitely-closed golf course. Compared to what so many people around here are dealing with, however, my upset plans and inconveniences are null.

Today, incidentally, marked another type of "flood" into town- the college students are back. There is not a parking spot in sight within a half-mile radius of campus, and the streets are teeming with them and their families as dorm rooms are filled with plastic fans, shower caddies, hot pots, cheesy posters and that most ubiquitous of dorm accessories: the lava lamp. I am not kidding, I actually saw someone carrying one INTO the building this afternoon.

I've Been Tagged

These are the rules: Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I like to read cookbooks before I go to sleep- the kind that tell you about a culture through its cooking, with lots of pictures.
2. I collect old etiquette books.
3. In middle school we could choose between taking French or Spanish, and the only reason I choose Spanish is because everyone else took French. I really wanted to take Italian, but didn't get a chance to take a class until I was in Spain.
4. I like eating raw potatoes. In my house this is not weird, apparently elsewhere it is.
5. I wish I were a rock climber.
6. As much as we travel, Juan and I have yet to be on a plane together.
7. I went on a solitary retreat in the Berkshires a few years ago and didn't speak or even interact with anyone else for four days. I wished I could have stayed longer.
8. In third grade I started a card company with a friend, where we made custom-made greeting cards and then expanded to include friendship bracelets. It was called "Cards and Crafts." Our teacher eventually shut us down for soliciting in school.

I'm tagging Wenlei, Doris, Ms. Amelia, Christy, Chris, Monica, Paloma, and Alejandra

Wicked Good Lobstah

I'm currently visiting my mom's family in Down East Maine. This part of the state was named as such by sailors because they sailed downwind along the coast, even though they were going North. Anyway, here you have dinner last night. We got big hard shells, as you can see. Many people have a preference - soft shells are smaller but easier to get into and the meat is more tender, though there is less of it. Hard shells have a lot more meat, but you really have to work to get at it. A couple of the claws needed to be hammered, as the nutcrackers we usually use just weren't getting the job done. I really don't care either way- I just love lobster. And all you need is a little melted butter to dip it in. For dessert, I had Grammy-made strawberry rhubarb pie. I have definitely been spoiled this weekend.

Postcard from Spain #3

This picture is from a Central-Northern city in Castilla-Leon, located along the camino de Santiago. As indicated by his staff, gourd, and shell, the statue is representative of a peregrino, or pilgrim of this route. The city is most famous for its Gothic cathedral.

Scholarly Scarf

As I spend my days tucked away in various libraries around Boston and Cambridge researching for my dissertation, I need a project that keeps my hands as busy as my eyes flying across the page. From the fiber (100% wool) to the colorway (reminicient of a New England autumn day), this scarf is my little way of conjuring up fall's approach. You see, I love heat and really dislike cold weather, but fall has always been my favorite season because of its association with a new school year and hence, new beginnings. And as my time nowadays is spent in scholarly pursuits, I can't help but look forward to the crisp weather that requires woolly sweaters and scarfs. Now, if only we could go from fall to spring...

Actually, I'm not quite ready for summer to be over, as I still have the Spain portion awaiting me. And I can wait a little longer to start teaching again. But I saw this pattern in Ravelry, realized it was perfect for the Manos de Uruguay yarn I've been waiting for years for an excuse to buy and knit, and couldn't resist. The pattern is called "My So-Called Scarf" and is fairly easy, though I have had to undo various rows and reknit them due to reading and knitting simultaneously. I'm using size 13 needles, which are like tree trunks compared to the other needles I've been using all summer. They're cool- they were hand-made in Maine.

End of Road Trip MN-ME 2007

Nevermind that I am atrociously behind in my summer blogging- these are the final photos of our trip out to Maine this summer. I've combined the Montreal/Quebec City photos into one Quebec post because I had to be spare with the camera- since we spent four days camping, there was no electricity to charge the battery. But let's not hesitate further, and just go ahead a get started, shall we? (I think if you click on the photos, they get bigger, if you're interested in any close-ups) Here's the only picture I took in Montreal, since we had both been there before and already had many at home:
While Toronto was a definite mix of US, Europe and Canadian influences, once we hit Quebec province it was like jumping the pond right into France. I was surprised that most people really didn't speak English outside of Montreal. But everyone we met was really, really, nice and with their efforts at English and ours at French, things worked out ok in the end.As we were driving through the little towns along the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec, each place would have a stone church like this anchoring the town center.
The famous Chateau at the top of Quebec City
The old part of the city is a maze of tiny winding streets with restaurants, shops, and galleries.

Pretty buildings and streets.Where's Juan?On our last night there, we had a picnic in the park. Though there was supposed to be music that didn't happen, we didn't mind. There were lots of other people there and we enjoyed the gorgeous weather and beautiful sunset from atop the hill. It was a lovely end to a great trip.

Cooking for One

It is high time I posted some food photos, I do believe. Juan is overseas where I will join him in a couple of weeks, so I have been indulging in some cooking-for-one. I love being back in civilization, where you can actually find any and everything at the grocery store. (I love little Winona, but sometimes the culinary deprivation is frustrating. Out East here, whether I'm in Maine or Boston, there's just more selection) The other night I made a corn/bulgur wheat salad. I know the picture isn't great, but do not get me started on this #$%@ing camera. Just don't. I took two ears of corn and cooked them, then cut the kernels and added to them cooked bulgur wheat, some thinly slices of red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, half an orange pepper, about 3 tablespoons each of apple cider vinegar and virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. I got the basic idea from the Contessa's corn salad in her first cookbook, though improved with more veggies and the bulgur wheat to make it a substantial entree. That gave me enough for dinner and two lunches.

Tonight I cooked portobello mushroom raviolis and didn't want a long-cooking, heavy sauce. So I checked out Giada's suggestions and made a variation of her Checca sauce. I cut up the rest of my cherry tomatoes and a couple romas, too, threw in more of that red onion, lots of fresh basil and olive oil, some garlic and Parmesan cheese. Nothing is cooked- it just gets chopped up in the food processor. I had purchased buffalo mozzarella earlier in the week, but it was gone in two days between caprese pizza and a chicken salad, so I had to do without.
Now that I am in decent driving distance of a Trader Joes, I can also get a bountiful supply of decent $3.99 Pinot Grigio. (I don't care what the label is, as long as it tastes good)

For dessert, I've been alternating between lemon and coconut sorbet. I really wanted to make a raspberry sauce, so I just smashed a 1/2 pint of fresh raspberries with a fork, added some sugar and a little lemon flavored vodka, cooked it over the stove for about 15 minutes max- maybe it was more like 10- just get that alcohol taste out of there and a good looking texture in. There are two bowls, not because I am a glutton, but because I shared with Michael, my old roomie and Meridith's still. He's letting me stay here, he can have some dessert, darn it! He even got the larger portion, in case you were wondering.

Isabella is Done and Other Knitting Feats

Here she is, the project that took me about three weeks longer than expected. Knit in two countries, in four different campgrounds on size 1 needles. Knit with lavender Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn in the smallest size, this is more like a shell than a tank top. I actually wore it today, since I spent most of my time in a freezing cold library. Modifications include making the waist longer than called for and the arm parts thinner than the pattern indicated by about an inch. After several headaches, I have to say, I am happy with the pattern, though without my changes it would have been too short and wide. I love the details of it- the eyelets around the waist; the picot edging on the sleeves and bottom; and the lace neckline.

In keeping with my lace theme this summer, I am knitting my second pair of
socks: Elfine's Socks from My Fashionable Life. I saw them on Ravelry and decided that they would be perfect in my green yarn that was waiting to be used.I have tried a couple of projects with my ivory Siena yarn that I just don't know what to do with. Here are the failed attempts to get this out of my stash and made into something I like and would wear:First up was the Faux Ruffle Tank from Alterknits. It calls for weaving in ribbon or other novelty yarn to made ruffles along the front in a sort of modern tuxedo style. I was going to use this deep turquoise fur yarn I had made a stole from and was really excited about the ivory with the blue and also using these two yarns I didn't know what to do with otherwise. But I got this far and admitted to myself what I had known all along and yet had decided to ignore: In order to get the gauge I had to knit the yarn double, and I did not have enough yarn to complete the tank top.

So I stopped fooling myself and even though I loved the way it was looking, I knew I didn't even come close to having enough yarn, so I ripped it all out, wound it back up (no easy feat with two balls of yarn tangling themselves together as I unraveled and re-wound.) I then attempted to make the lace tank top from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, again having to double the yarn to get the gauge. Thing is, I really don't like this yarn. I don't like knitting with cotton, and this is 100% mercerized cotton. Second, this color does not look good on me. I had bought it originally to make a crocheted heirloom-style fancy skirt. Problem was and is, I don't know how to crochet. I thought I could teach myself like I did with knitting, but it just didn't work out. So, I've had 7 skeins of this yarn for 2 years now and I want to use it up so it's not sitting in my stash. But I don't like it. So, as I'm knitting this tank top, I really don't care about it. I really don't. And it knows it. I am knitting along, half paying attention to the lace pattern that borders its bottom, letting the stitch markers fall off and placing them where ever... And then I realize that it is obvious I don't care about this. Both sides are knit together in the round and the first side looks great. See: You can get an idea of a pattern forming.
Then, I look at the back:There is no rhyme nor reason to this. The numbers aren't even correct. I cannot face it any longer- this is not working.
So, I rolled up the two skeins simultaneously. Again. And right now I can't even bear to look at this yarn. In fact, I went out and bought some yarn I love and have been coveting for years, just to show it that it cannot stop me from knitting fun.
Hah! Take that evil cotton yarn in unflattering color.

Though I still need to make something out of it...

Toronto, ON

I'm a bit behind in my blogging. There will be a knitting post later this afternoon with projects and yarn store info, but I haven't finished posting our road trip, so I thought I would give you some photos to look at in the meanwhile.

After visiting Jai and the babies in Detroit, we made our way to Toronto, Ontario. My friend Gabby resides in Toronto and her and her boyfriend Sean were gracious enough to let us crash there for a couple of nights- canoe and dog and all. It was actually a reunion of sorts, since the last time we had seen each other was when we lived in London together exactly 10 summers before. (For some reason that sounds so much better than 10 YEARS ago, which is what is was. *sigh*)Here you can see how fun our illustrious hosts are, being all silly for the camera before we are about to cook our dinner. What every good Toronto tourist needs before a day of sightseeing: Canadian moolah and a Tim Horton's coffee. (There is one on every block downtown- trust us, we checked)Statues and fountain.Pretty church framed by trees.Toronto's answer to Times Square.Outdoor seating at great pub that provides rest to the weary in the form of shade, cold beer, and fish and chips.We had to do it, the fish-and-chips-in-a-pub thing, that is. When you're only a tourist for a couple of days, you have to just embrace your tourist-ness and indulge in all the nonsensical whims you fancy, while you can. Yummmm... unabashedly waiting for fried goodness....Yeah! They're here! Eat up!

New Local Yarn Store in Cambridge!!!

We arrived in Boston yesterday because Juan will be leaving for Spain on Monday, and I have to buckle down and start working on my dissertation. (Which means lots of library time for the next few weeks). On our way to dinner last night in Porter Square, we passed a papered-up storefront promising that a new center for all things crafty will be coming soon. I gave Juan's hand a little squeeze hoping to the craft gods that it would be SOON so I could take advantage of it while here since it is in walking distance of Meridith's apartment. After a lovely meal of Thai food at Sugar and Spice, we saw that the paper had been removed to reveal a large, spacious, colorful store with yarn and beads and books and so many other things. We inquired from the very cute girl in retro glasses and a hand-knit shrug who was busy unpacking boxes, just to confirm, that they are indeed opening TODAY!! Stay tuned for a in-depth expose on this latest addition to Cambridge's craft scene. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!