falling snow

Christmas Stockings

Last year, Adrienne spied my stockings and requested some for her and her new husband. How could I not oblige?  Stockings are so much fun to knit, especially this pattern, on large needles and soft colorful yarn.  Take a look at this video for the two color cast on, this video for the chevron border, and this video for the crochet chain stitch embroidery for the names.  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Tomorrow's weather forecast...  SNOW and COOKIES

wintery

Outside: cold, biting wind, flurries of attempts to snow
On the needles: Christmas stockings (still, but I will show you soon!)
Listening to: trace bundy, the Christmas album (busted), but it's beautiful
In the oven: orange gingerbread with cream cheese frosting and pomegranate seeds.  Adapted to be GF from this wonderful recipe, with help from this book.

As you can tell, I am feeling extra wintery this week ~ the cold weather has me huddled up in the house with hot coca, baking and wrapping.  I am really starting to look forward to the holidays.

How about you?  Are you dreaming of some white fluffy stuff for your holiday, and is it snow or cream cheese frosting?

stripped gloves

For Grandpa

To match his scarf and hat.  I love this pattern; I may never use another to knit gloves again.

I am finally making a little bit of progress on my holiday knitting!  ... but not nearly enough.  I had grand ambitions which will ultimately not be realized before the 25th of this month.  Now I am having to backtrack and think of non-knitted gifts.  How does everyone do this every year?

Mostly what I've come up with is pretzel  and popcorn snacks, bottles of homemade wine, or jam with labels.  Does that sounds good to you? What do you make for the holidays?  I hope you are enjoying the season so far....

~ Happy December! ~

thankful

For a quiet day at home, flowers in the window, leftover turkey sandwiches, wonderful memories of family and friends gathered here at my house.  Life, really, is pretty awesome.  Thanks for being a part of it!  Happy Thanksgiving!

what I do

So, maybe you are wondering what it is I actually do all day.  Maybe not.  To be honest, science is incredibly boring.  I spend a lot of time pouring through data, organizing numbers, making and analyzing graphs, doing calculations, going through protocols, writing reports.  Throw in grading homework, making quizzes, emailing students, and several large cups of chai and you've pretty much got my day.  Then I go home and make a white pizza with sausage, spinach, and tomato on a gluten free parmesan crust.  That's my favorite part.

So there you go... just a real glimpse into my actual everyday life, in case you were wondering.

What do you do all day?  Are you looking forward to taking some time off this week for the Holiday?  I certainly am.

Recipe of the week for you:  Squash Harvest Loaf 
Have a good one!

hello, november

Outside: clear and cold, chance of snow tonight
On the needles: presents for Christmas (I am very behind this year)
On my wish list: an orange sweater and a watch
Reading: getting in on this one, finally (hunker down)

And the very best thing about the cold weather: (Cats and dogs living together.... mass hysteria!)

VOTE

Vote!  Stand up for what you believe in !

Today and Everyday

happy haunting

Leaves on the ground, sunlit sky, spooks on the wind, it's the perfect October weather.  How's the weather where you are?  Are you holding out in the storm?  Come to Colorado.  Come over for dinner.  I'll be making food with pumpkin and pumpkin cake.  Pumpkin food is the best.  Also candy.  And not dressing up like a sexy panda.  Stay warm and dry, and have a wonderful Halloween!

all the trees

Today, as promised, a FO (finished object)!  This one is for me.  I haven't knit a hat for myself in many a year, and I have never knit one that actually fit.  This feels very indulgent.  The yarn is alpaca.  The color is olive.  This is my favorite hat ever, just in time for the cool weather.

Pattern and details here.

seasons

Outside: blustering winds, changing colors, cool days beautiful sunshine
On the needles:  This hat (still) but I hope to show it to you soon
Reading: Make the Bread, Buy the Butter
In the oven:  Pumpkin bread

And you ?  Are the winds changing where you are?

~ Have a lovely day in the autumn sun ~

because it is fall

More in the series of things that make my life wonderful; look out, because it's a shameless plug for being married to my favorite person ever.

These are for me, from my DH, because "It's fall, and you like fall."  I do like fall, and I like flowers.  Thanks to DH and thanks to you my friends for being so kind to me always.  Also, puppies playing in the snow outside.  Life is good.

gluten less cookies

You know what else helps?  COOKIES

I know, it hasn't snowed yet, but there has been cause for cookies around here.  This was my first real attempt at cookies sans gluten, and I must say I was very happy with the results.  Adapted slightly from the recipe here, which was just a bit fancy for my taste.

You need:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup raw sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup amaranath flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips or peanut butter M&Ms (YES)

What to do:

1. Cream together the butter and sugars.  Add vanilla and egg, mix well.
2. Add your dry ingredients, mix well. 
3. Fold in chocolate of your choice.
4. Put dough on a piece of parchment paper, and using the paper roll into a log 12 in long, 2 in thick.
5. Refrigerate for at least an hour, this helps!
6. Preheat oven to 350F, then cut your log into 1/2 in discs.
7. Place on prepared cookie sheet (re-use your parchment paper), 2 in between each cookie.
8. Bake for 10 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then cool the rest of the way on a plate.
9. Or just eat them right away!  Hooray cookies! 

the path ahead

I've been learning a lot these past few weeks about what it is going to take to finish what I've started.  I've always been a hard worker, but this requires something more, something I've never really had before; Tenacity.  I am going to have to fight for this. I am going to have to stand up and yell back, make demands, and be bold instead of weary. I am exhausted, and extremely frustrated, but I know I have what it takes to press on.

Thank you for checking in on me.  I may not have many new knits to show you any time soon, but I promise to return to let you know that I am still alive, well, and moving forward.

almost autumn wip

Some things never change.  It's almost fall... and I'm knitting again.  Work is busy and exhausting friends, but hopefully there is time enough for a wonderful knit hat before the weather turns cold. 

Outside: cool nights and mornings, leaves fluttering, apple picking
On the needles: Sirle hat (pattern here)
Reading: Emma by Jane Austen
In the oven: zucchini bread (every week), and soon, hopefully these cookies.

Happy almost autumn, happy knitting ~!

third annual birthday backpack

Crestone Peak

This was our challenge hike for the year.  We backpacked in 5 miles to camp over night at the lakes, with the Crestone Needle looming above us.  In the morning we would summit the ridge, then climb down into the valley beyond.   To summit the peak, it's a class 3 scramble up the side of a waterfall for nearly 3 miles of steep terrain!

We reached the summit and were rewarded with toosie rolls and views of the sand dunes and surrounding peaks.  Then it was back down to the valley, back up to the saddle, down the pass to the lakes, pack up camp, and hike back out and drive back home- it was a very long day!  But well worth the fun.  Thanks to everyone who joined me this year ~ and looking forward to another bag next year!  What a great 14er season!

Also, check out this amazing video of the hike that Brennan made!  Wow!

last days

Are we really already in the last days of summer?  With school starting this week, the sun setting at noticeably earlier hours, the chill in the air in the morning and evenings, it might be so.
 

 
Went to the farmers market with Soca to stock up on peaches for breakfast, and ended up having to make a whole pie.  This recipe but with peaches and my favorite GF pie crust.  Double the recipe for two layer pie, but be sure to pre-bake the bottom crust at 350 for at least 15-20 minutes.

Have a slow Saturday morning, with laundry on the line, a pie in the oven, and peaches in your yogurt with your coffee.  Have a lovely day, wherever you are~!

reunion in the mountains

Amazing anniversary/reunion extravaganza in Telluride last weekend.  Couldn't ask for anything more.  Thanks family and friends for a wonderful year and many more to come.  As far as I can see, we should get together and celebrate every year.  You're invited... can you come? 

fish and lily

Hi friends.  Things have been kind of crazy over here with this PhD thing I am trying to get.  Can't remember why I started, but now I've got to finish the thing.  Hey, let's talk about things that are already finished... did I ever show you this awesome bag I made for Kara?

It's a laptop sized messenger bag, lined with some amazing fabric she brought back for me from Africa.  The strap was my first double knitting project.  Based off of the pattern in this book, with some construction changes (details here), I was quite happy with the results.

Here's to getting things done!
How's things where you are? 

mt. holy cross

number thirty eight

At 10 miles, this one took us about 9 hours to complete (there and back), probably because you have to climb down into the valley past half moon pass to reach the peak, and climb back out again on the way back.  It's a trek, but it's beautiful!  Thanks to Brennan for joining us on this hike (and for the above photo oh Dad and I).  The pups bagged their 5th, and good fun was had all around (despite the risk of rain, fire, bikers and more!)  Below... DH with Soca, and Brennan with Sasha.  Thanks for a great hike!

paneer cheese

What exactly is going on here?

I MADE CHEESE.  Paneer cheese.  It was surprisingly easy.  The recipe is here.  I used a quart of milk, 3 Tbs fresh lime juice, and 2 hours under cutting boards and books.  Then I browned the cheese cubes in butter and used this recipe to make saag paneer, and it was amazing.  Please make this, you won't be sorry.

lungbuster

DH and I have a life goal to go to some awesome frisbee tournaments.   This past weekend, we went with our club team to what is claimed to be 'the highest tournament' in elevation, Breckenridge, CO; 9,600 ft.  Our team played really well and we had a fantastic time!  Photo credit goes to Cristy Doyon.

thirty four thru seven

Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, Bross


This past weekend we hiked 4 14ers in one day.  Four!  Yes, be impressed.

Here we are on the top of Dem...

 But really, with a trailhead elevation of 12,000 ft and only 7.25 miles of trial, I would recommended this hike even to newbie 14er baggers. Check out the route here.

Jumping over Mt. Cameron....

 


We had a beautiful day of hiking, and it was the pups' first bag!

Here they are on top of Lincoln.

And here we all are on Bross, just before the hail started.  What a great day!

  Let the 14er season commence!

well wed

I have been away for the last weeks for two weddings on the east coast.  Two amazing weddings, so many friends and family, bonfires, hairy towels, scary movies, games, learned to sail, beach, rocks, rolling corn fields, farms, a pool party, good food, much traveling, oh so wonderful to see everyone and so happy for the two couples.  And happy also about our own one year anniversary.  It has been a good year, and many more to come!  How soon can we all get together again please?  Awesome photo credit goes to Alex Exner.

gluten less pop tarts

DH's request; one of those things he dearly missed from his days of gluten. 

I used this recipe, with my favorite GF pie crust recipe, rolled very thin.  Even if you are into gluten, you should check this one out.  They were awesome.  Pop tarts! Yeah!

weekend outside

Outside: on the deck, watching Soca play in the grass
Reading: The long dark tea time of the soul by Douglas Adams
Drinking: Homemade Chai tea
On the needles: alpaca legwarmers

It was a lovely long weekend filled with family, frisbee and friends, with time enough to remember what a wonderful life we have.  Happy Memorial weekend ~ 

gluten-fail

I am having a bit of an existential crisis over here, and I was hoping for your input.  It would appear that I can no longer bake with gluten.

 Last week, DH asked me to make some brownies for his class, who had impressively earned enough 'brownie points' to get the brownies.  I turned to one of my favorite standby recipes from the old days (gluten filled).  It's been years since I made brownies with gluten.  And between now and then, I have lost the ability to work with it, apparently.  These brownies were a disaster; they wouldn't solidify and finally I burned the bottom to a hard rock trying to get them to form into the deep delicious brownies I had baked before.  Brownie fail.

And this is not the only crisis I have faced!  Only last month I tried to make Carrie's amazing looking carbomb cupcakes, and they imploded.  Carbomb fail.

I've lost my gluten intuition, the guiding force of baking without failure.  Should I just let the gluten go?

immersed

Outside: Summer weather, playing frisbee
(Finally) Reading: The Hunger Games.  Already on book 2.  Actually it took a lot of effort to come here and tell you about it instead of continuing to read.  I'm hooked.
On the needles: Yosemite (still)
In the oven: An goat cheese apple tart with my favorite gluten-less pie crust.

You need:
1 1/4 cups white rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick of cold butter
1/2 cup of milk

What to do:
1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Add butter, 1/2 TBS at a time, and then mix with your fingers to form a crumble.
3. Gradually stir in the milk, then form into a nice ball.
4. Put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 2 days, or freeze for later.
5. Pick up the directions to finish the tart in the link above. 

This crust is adapted from GF Everday, still my favorite gluten less cookbook of all times.

Nice to see you all!  And now... back to the arena... 

almond flour cranberry orange muffins

Muffins and coffee for breakfast ~ sit outside in the sun

 Recipe here; I used orange juice and a little zest instead of chamomile, then fold in cranberries after wet and dry ingredients were combined.  I doubled the recipe so we'd have muffins all week.

 

What are your plans for the weekend?  We'll be making tostadas and margaritas tomorrow!
Have a good one ~

in (a little) down time

 

Outside: rain, then sun

Reading: about ice cream.  what flavor should I make next?

On the needles: Yosemite (again)

Watching: This video.  I want to be my dog. 

Also, is it summer yet?