heat of the day

I'm trying to get back to my usual posting of at least twice a week. I used to do it on Sundays and Wednesdays, but got off schedule somewhere. The sad thing is that I may not be my charming self on the appointed posting days! You'll have to make do with what's really going down around here...we're "in between" two visits this week from relatives. The guestroom sheets have been washed, dried and are on the bed again. The house is being tidied up. I'm fitting in that thing called work between all the household activities.

Several people wanted a shot of my dogs in their fancy new coats for Winnipeg winters. I too hope to take a photo of them looking chic--but it will have to wait. I've yet to receive the second coat in the mail, and we've been having some pretty hot summer weather..which is normal for Kentucky, we haven't moved yet. (Think mid to high 90'sF or 38 or 39C, with humidity to boot.) I'm not going to torture my furry friends with additional clothing! Sorry! If you think the heat makes me peevish, (and it does) it's hard to imagine how it affects these rugs lying around---that we call dogs.

Instead, I've decided to cover myself with fur and spin a bit...in front of an air conditioning vent. I've finally plied up some yarn I spun more than a month ago. This is a soft dark gray Romney wool with bits of aqua dyed into it, plied with a variegated aqua Merino/silk roving. In total, I think it is a worsted weight, about 300 yards and between 8-9 oz. Once the skeins dry, it will go into my "handspun yarn" pile! I'm working hard on designing knitting projects with commercial yarns for my next book. Given the "economic downturn," (psst: can you say recession?) I'm not sure I'll find a gallery interested in selling these, but I'll keep spinning in the meanwhile, of course. It's hard for me to consider NOT spinning! I haven't had success in selling handspun on etsy, either. So, if you've got a hankering for handspun, let me know! I may be able to help. :)
Mostly I seem to want to lay on the couch in a heap (not touching anyone else!) and read when the temperature's this high. Air conditioning can only do so much... Here are a few work-related books for research that just came in the mail. Any good guesses about what book #2 might be?

Cooking continues apace here for relatives and friends. Homemade crusty whole wheat bread, roasted eggplant salad, tomato sandwiches, white peaches, fresh cantaloupe and other summer delights take center stage. That said, you're not likely to read a lot of recipes here. Why? I do my bit of technical writing--knitting patterns, etc. for my job. I even baked breads and desserts at a restaurant one summer--for pay. Writing recipes (or even retyping them) is a lot like work for me. Cooking, like spinning or knitting, is my creative fun--when I don't have to write all that designing down! I read a lot of cookbooks, foodie magazines, listen to The Splendid Table and think a lot about food because, well, I like it. The best secret I have? Maybe reading all of the above, cooking a lot, and exploring on your own. The lemon curd recipe? It came from here. Yup, The Joy of Cooking--an oldie but a goodie.

My friend Janet is kind enough to post her recipes online at her blog, Foodperson.com: You are What You Eat. There are probably hundreds of foodie blogs online, but hers is the only one I read. It's that good, and I agree with her opinions about local food and sustainable agriculture.

The garden is flourishing...green tomatoes, basil, squash blossoms, cucumbers, kale, jerusalem artichokes are all going non-stop! The collard seeds I planted are just coming up. Photos of these will follow...when things cool down and the mosquitoes take a little break. Until then? Feel free to join me, with a glass of cold tea, on the couch. Just Puh-leeze--don't--get too close!