Knitting Into Spring

April 28, 2015 A Labour of Love 2 Comments

Pink, blue, yellow and red
Yarn all around me
Taking shape in my head.

Knitting, crocheting and tatting galore
It’s a hobby and love
Not a chore.

Coffee in one hand
Pattern in another
It is decided and the outcome is grand.

Knit, pearl, yarn over, slip stitch
It’s all like a poem
Fitting together without a glitch.

Looking online one surely can find
Pinterest is incredible
Designed to blow one’s mind.

Patterns for women, men and children
From sweaters to gloves to scarves
To blankets to monkeys to things for the kitchen.

It’s not for the feeble or tender at heart
For one mistake
And it all falls apart.

Hands and needles coming together
Clicking along as if singing a song
It all comes together showing one’s love for another.
– Sherry 2015

Around Christmas, my neighbor woke up to find her beloved sweet kitty was in a coma like state. Upon taking him into the ER it was determined he was not going to come out of it. The loss of her sweet little Oscar still leaves her with a broken heart. I happened to speak with her as she was returning home after his death, and I felt so bad I just needed to do something. I found a pattern for a kitty and hence the picture above. I finished him on our way home from our vacation and I took this picture, sending it to her to let her know Oscar Jr. was on his way home to her. It was a sweet moment when she held him and put Oscar Sr.’s tags around his knitted neck.

Since that project, I turned my affection to a sweet little gal that was born to a wonderful couple at church. We prayed for the couple for many years, that they would be blessed with a child of their own. God’s graciousness was upon them and he answered our prayers. Her majesty needed this little dress. It took me a few weeks and was the very first outfit I have knitted. After several attempts prior to this, I swore I would never knit or crotchet clothes. Well, I actually did it… and I finished it. She looks adorable in her sweet little dress. (Yeah it turned out.)

I’m so glad that my hands are working well enough that I can once again knit. Something I feared was not going to happen. I once thought that all of those who received the fingerless gloves one Christmas were to be the only recipients of any hand made gifts from me. So happy to report that is not the case. Click, click, click… I’m still knitting… 🙂

Menus / Recipes, Why?

Breakfast on the Grill… Yum!

April 21, 2015 A Labour of Love 2 Comments

We had a wonderful vacation, visiting friends and family, enjoying the warmth of the south and the ability to spend 90% of our days outside.

One of our favorite things to do when we are camping is cooking nearly every meal on the grill. One of the highlights was our eggs benedict breakfast for Easter. All done on the grill.

Salmon Crabby Patties

Two Salmon Fillets, cut up into 1 inch pieces

1 can crab

1 small sweet pepper, chopped finely

2-3 green onions, chopped

2 eggs

1-2 gluten free, rice free pieces of bread (enough to bind the ingredients, you could alternatively have used some Almond flour)

1 tsp. dill, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Seasonings and

1 TBS dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add enough of the bread so that you can firmly form patties. Place the patties in a coconut oil or grape seed oiled skillet on the grill. Cook on low while you make the hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce

3 Organic egg yolks, well whisked

Melt approximately 3/4 to 1 C. butter, in a small pan over the grill

Using a larger skillet, lay a canning ring on the bottom and add water just covering the ring. Place your mixing bowl on top of the ring and this will make your double boiler. (Make sure your mixing bowl is of a heat proof material.)

Whisk the eggs in your double boiler along with 1 TBS. water until it begins to thicken. As it thickens, slowly add the melted butter and continue whisking.

After you pour in the butter, drop in your eggs on the already buttered skillet and cook just so they are over easy. When nearly done and the eggs have been cooked over easy on the grill, remove the mixing bowl and whisk in 1 TBS Lemon juice and a dash of salt and Cayenne Pepper.

Place one of the patties on the plate, topped with one of the eggs and add the sauce on top.

It may not look as beautiful as it would if you went out to eat, however, the taste was absolutely a winner. Especially for those children who are not fond of either salmon or crab. 🙂

Lymes

Lyme Awareness Education

April 18, 2015 A Labour of Love 1 Comment

With May just around the corner, it’s important that people understand Lyme disease and chronic illness. The warmer weather is approaching, the birds are chirping and the ticks are already awake and ready to begin their vampire behaviors. As I look outside I see my son working outside to do some spring cleaning, I pray that he will be diligent about checking himself for the little buggers when he comes in to clean up. I also pray that he will not find a tick nor be bitten by one.

Jenna’s Lyme Blog had a wonderful post yesterday that included a YouTube video of Dr. Alan MacDonald and his expert insight into this disease that has wrought our country and world with ailments in the healthiest of individuals. He is a pathologist who has studied Lyme Disease for over two decades and worked alongside others who have and continue to pioneer in the study and research necessary to one day better understand Lyme. His interview is the most explicit and in depth that I have yet seen and for someone who do not live with Lyme, it is very much a learning opportunity that should not be missed.

Please take this time to view all three of the YouTube videos on his interview from the perspective of an expert pathologist. In honor of those whom you know, love and pray for, please help us educate others and spread the word about Lyme Disease. After all, May is Lyme Awareness Month.

Alan MacDonald, PhD; The Biology of Lyme Disease: An Expert’s Perspective: http://youtu.be/r8tESJVvM88

memories, Why?

Traveling Memories Week 2

April 3, 2015 A Labour of Love 1 Comment

Riding one of the “child friendly” roller coasters with our son. Front seat wasn’t so bad as it was well tolerated. Yesterday I rode the Rockin Roller Coaster with the kids. You could say I had a brain lapse and got on the ride thinking “Oh there aren’t any drops it just goes fast.. I can handle this..” I knew that I was in trouble from the moment it went from zero to sixty… Yes, this is what this ride is all about. Okay, to stop any additional adrenaline rushes and cortisol waste, I closed my eyes and did Lamaze breathing. As my friend reminded me it was already dark in there. I told her I hadn’t noticed as my eyes were already closed. ha ha Hey, it worked and I walked off without any screams leaving these lips and I wasn’t spent from cortisol use.

Selfie with Cheshire.

Notice anything? The Hat is gone… Boo hoo!

Although we do like the new look it’s a little strange….

A little too close for comfort. Believe it or not he was actually under my chair.

To be my friend you have be able to take a joke or be the butt of one. So if you’re camping with me and you wake up with a red eye that lasts for 2 days you deserve to wear what I buy you. (Okay, I didn’t buy it, but I was ever so close and the kids almost made me… )