News From The Nest

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve.  The end of 2009.  

What a year!  2009 began with us packing Andy up - getting him ready to move to Ohio to live in an apartment and traveling back and forth every other weekend.  He left on January 5th and we didn't know where in the world life would lead us.  

2010 will see itself in with us settled into a house that we love, with Taylor and his girlfriend here, and a feeling of a little more security than we felt as 2009 began.  

Taylor and Rachael arrived yesterday morning and it's SO much fun having them here.  We sing and dance and laugh.  They're soooo much fun to be with.  And, they love the house!  We've been vegging yesterday and today.  Tomorrow, we may go to the Air Force Museum.  Saturday, we're going to Andy's parents' house in Indiana for lunch.  Since it's going to be such a heat wave on Sunday  - 27 degrees - we may go to the Cincinnati Zoo.  

Taylor is my chef son and he can't go long without cooking.  It's his passion.  This afternoon, he made dough for baguettes.  I need to make the baked spaghetti casserole tonight.  We'll have both tomorrow night.  YUMMY!  

Rachael made Almond Crunch Biscotti.  I've always wanted to make biscotti.  It wasn't hard at all.  Once baked and cooled, I dipped them in Ghiradelli chocolate.  More YUMMY!  Some of them broke in half - we cut them a little too thin.    That's okay though -- breaking them in half makes more ends to dip!

I'm knitting a Multi-directional Diagonal Scarf for Rachael and should get it finished before they leave next week.  I using Noro Silk Garden, of course!  She got a new black coat for Christmas and I think this will look great with it.

Andy finished painting the sun / breakfast room off the kitchen.  It's gorgeous!  Sherwin-Williams Sierra Redwood.  I think he's getting the hang of this painting stuff.  We have the 1/2 bath, the kitchen, our bedroom and bath, the library, and the hallway up and down left to do.  Sounds like a lot but it's six less than it was at the start. 

Here are before and after pictures.  

The "before" room had white walls. 

The "after" room has GORGEOUS color! 

As 2009 comes to a close, I want to thank each and every one of you for reading this blog.  I'm delighted that you think my life and adventures are interesting enough for you to follow. 

Happy New Year!  May 2010 be full of color for you!

The Changing Of The Sheets

I had an 8:30 AM work appointment this morning in Cincinnati so left home about 7:30 AM to allow plenty of time in case the road conditions were a bit slippery.  I was happy to see they were fine.  Mom and Daddy waited until about 8:00 AM to leave for Virginia.  This should put them home around 5:30 PM today.  

So time to change the sheets, wash the towels, vacuum and dust to get ready for Taylor and Rachael who are due in Wednesday morning.

I checked the weather on the computer last night and it said "27 degrees - feels like 12".  Just a tad chilly here!  The cats are hunkered down in the garage today with the door closed.  They peeped out but that was about it. 

Mom finished this baby blanket last night.  The color is a bit off. The yarn is a soft pink and a white with flecks of color.  Very pretty.

I drove across the Caesar Creek Gorge this morning and got this shot.  This view is just beautiful no matter what the season.  I think this is the first time I've passed and haven't seen any cars parked in the lot.

The view from my office window is pretty, too.  But again, this is not a GOOD snow.  I can still see blades of grass sticking through.  So, I'm still waiting.

Well, it's end of the month and I need to get hopping on my work reports.    

Stay warm!

  

A Quiet Christmas

This has been a very low-key Christmas.  The first one without my boys around. We  really didn't even go anywhere.  To Kroger's and Dorothy Lane Market a couple of times - that was it.  It has been nice.  Gave me lots of knitting time!

Here's Lily posing for a Christmas picture in front of the tree.  She spent most of her time sleeping on this little mat.

Lily has had fun exploring outside on her walks - especially around the pond.  Tonight it's snowing like crazy and she doesn't think much of that.  Doesn't like to get her feet wet.  She has such a sweet personality and is great company for Mom and Daddy.  

Mom and I cooked all day today.  We made her famous Snappy Cheese Wafers and also Sausage Balls, Coconut-Pecan Haystacks, and Nut and Fruit Bark.  Everything turned out really well.  The Haystacks and Bark are new recipes but I will make them again.  YUMMY! 

In the picture to the right, Daddy is grating cheese.  It's like a neon light went off saying --- LILY, GRATED CHEESE ----- HURRY!  You can't really tell by the angle of the photo but she's standing up on his leg.  Waiting .....

Mom and Daddy were planning on heading home around 7:00 AM tomorrow morning but it has been snowing here since late afternoon.  It has been beautiful to watch.  The wind has been whipping making the snowflakes dance in all directions.  I'd love for them to get snowed in here but know they're anxious to get back home, too.  I already miss them.

I finished the shawl and it's lovely.  It's a triangular shawl and not very big.  Perfect for the recipient, though.  Even with that booger of a stitch   where you YO, K 7 st and leave on left needle; YO, K same 7 st and leave on left needle again; YO, K same 7 st and finally take them off left needle.  That one stitch made me cuss out loud on many occasions during the course of knitting this shawl.  Lace knitting is not for the faint of heart or the genteel ---- makes me cuss like a sailor!

I used Panda Silk for the shawl in a chocolate brown and knit it on a #4 Addi Turbo lace needle.  If I do this pattern again, I will use at least a #6 needle.

I also finished these socks.  This picture makes them look so funny! The legs look very skinny.  The stitch pattern is K2, P2 so they are very stretchy.  I can't remember the brand of sock yarn - I started these so long ago. This was the first   pair where I used reinforcement thread when knitting the heels and toes.  It made them considerable thicker.

Andy finished painting Guest Room #2 right next to the hall bath he finished painting earlier in the week.  It's a little different than the greens and golds he's been painting but has more colors in its family soon to come.  Here's a quick peek.  I took this at night with the flash so the colors are not very accurate.  I'll try again in the daylight.  The color is Sherwin-Williams Brandywine (a shade of terra cotta).  This will also be the color of the master bathroom.

Mom made these reindeer for her friends and brought one for Andy, Taylor, Rachael, and me.  They are so cute!  She took two candy canes and wrapped them together side-by-side with brown yarn.  Then, she glued wiggly eyes and a red pom-pom nose on.  Last, she glued on more red pom-poms for holly berries and construction paper holly leaves.  

We took our holiday pictures on Christmas Day.

Never in our wildest dreams could any of us have predicted we'd be in Ohio this Christmas.     

Life's curve-balls.

If Mom and Daddy decide to leave tomorrow morning, please keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer for their safe travel back to Virginia.

Next Up: 1) a new room to paint, 2) a knitted hat, 3) a multi-directional diagonal scarf, and 4) Taylor and Rachael are arriving on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas!

As usual, December 25th came in a hurry!  I don't know why it always seems to sneak up on me.   
I'm almost finished with the shawl and socks. Hopefully, I will get them in the mail on Monday to their recipients.  Then, I have another hat and scarf to knit.

This week has been a very busy week.  Monday and Tuesday were slam-full with five work appointments. One day, I drove almost six hours and went through places with names such as, Indian Lake, London, Marysville, etc.  I had appointments in Marysville, Celina, and then back in Kettering for a 6:00 PM appointment.  The scenery was beautiful - mostly covered in a dusting of snow.  I passed the turn-off for Mad River Mountain (and here) near Bellefontaine, OH and could see skiers swooshing down the slopes as I drove past.  I felt as if I could have helped Santa Claus with his Ohio deliveries, I covered so much of the state.

Andy finished the upstairs bathroom and it's beautiful.  The color   card I have has one name and the paint jug has another - San Antonio Sage.  Doesn't matter -- it's a very pretty shade of sage green. These pictures do not do the color justice.  We replaced the lights over the vanity with new and put in new double towel racks, toilet paper holder, and hand towel holder.  If we ever have guests staying in both guest rooms, the double towel racks will come in handy.  Even with just Mom and Daddy here, they now have an extra rack on which to hang wet towels to dry.

Moving on, Andy has started painting guest room #2 with Brandywine.  It's a giant departure from the other golds and greens we've been using!  Wait 'til you see!  Hopefully, it will be finished before Mom and Daddy leave next week and Taylor and Rachael arrive on Wednesday.

Mom and Daddy arrived Wednesday afternoon.  The trip takes them about nine and a half hours with stops along the way.  Mom didn't want anything she had to dust or find a place to put so that left one thing --- a PEDICURE!  I gave her a pair of Rudolph Christmas socks with a note that her toenails would glow like Rudolph's nose.  So, we went to Square One Salon in Centerville Thursday, wore our Rudolph socks and got our toenails painted with OPI Dear Santa.  Very pretty Christmas polish - red and glittery!  Very festive!

This morning, we had breakfast and now a ham is cooking in the oven for supper tonight.   For the first year, I have walls, and not insulation board, behind my Christmas tree.  For so long I've wished for a Christmas picture of the boys in front of our tree without RMAX insulation board or batting showing in the background.  Now, I have walls but no boys to take a picture of.  I so wish I had them here in this finished house to take some photos of them.  Maybe one day.

We got another Fraser Fir this year - much shorter than our usual 10' tree to accommodate the new lower ceilings.  Andy is not complaining about the smaller tree!  Fraser Firs make such beautiful Christmas trees. We finally got the tree up last Sunday night.  I've never been so late putting the tree up.  It's just been so busy here.  I'll keep it up for several more weeks.  With the snowman theme, after Christmas it becomes a winter tree.

Something happens at Christmas time to ordinary evergreen trees.  I so love the transformation from ordinary plain tree to the spectacular magnificent tree with lights and ornaments.  It just does something to me every year when I view the finished tree. 

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Here's hoping each of you has a moment to sit and relax in the light this Christmas.  Whatever holiday is celebrated, the light seems to play a very important - comforting - part.  May each of you feel the comfort and peace of the holiday.

Robin

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December 21st

Happy 59th Anniversary, Mom and Daddy!!!!  

What an achievement!

Congratulations and lots of wishes for more happy years together.

Love you!

Robin

The Weekend Of Christmas And All Through The House....

...boxes were emptying and filling the rooms.  Paintbrushes were swinging and needles were flying.  Santa and her elf were bustling about.  But, wait!  Something is wrong.  Look around .... look around....  There's ne'er a Christmas tree or decorations in sight!!!  Three days 'til Christmas and NO TREE!  No decorations. No wrapped gifts.

YIKES!

Do you get the picture??  The holiday is zooming towards us with warp speed and I'm NOT ready!  I have a terribly busy week of work appointments, Mom and Daddy are arriving Wednesday (weather and road conditions willing), a shawl to finish, shopping to do, tree to put up, house to decorate, gifts to wrap, etc. etc. I've NEVER been this far behind!   

 Saturday, while the state of Virginia got socked with eight inches or more of snow, we had about two-three.  I move to Ohio and THEN Virginia gets a good snowfall.  HMPH!  We got a little more than a dusting - a very wet snow.  When I returned home from running errands, it was almost gone.  We continued to have a little very fine precipitation on and off all weekend so now have some white on the ground.  In my opinion, a snow isn't a good snow until ALL the grass is covered!  

I made yarn ornaments for the ladies I knit with on Saturday morning.  When I went to deliver them on Saturday, no one was there!  The weather must have kept everyone at home.  

The birds have flocked to The Robin's Nest Cafe and Spa.  This woodpecker was going at this suet like he was drilling for oil!

What we did get done this weekend ---

Andy painted the upstairs hall bath and we put in new fixtures.  Very pretty!  Sherwin-Williams Garden Sage.  I'll take a picture of it once I get it all clean, hang the towels, etc. 

I have only three (maybe four) more repeats left on the shawl.  The rows are getting longer and longer so each one takes more time to complete.  I have just got to get this done!  Won't be there by Christmas but will reach the recipient soon after.  Then, I need to start on another one!

Unpacked about a dozen boxes of clothes, shoes, pocketbooks, scarves, socks, etc.  I have sorted them into piles - summer (T-shirts, short-sleeve shirts, summer pants, etc.) and winter (sweaters, long-sleeve shirts, long pants, etc.).  Now I have to find places to put everything.  Our bedroom closets are no-count. Odd shape - not very usable and only a little narrow wire shelf to stack folded clothes on.  The closet also has to hold towels and sheets because there's no linen closet downstairs.  I might be taking over the two closets in the guest bedrooms upstairs - make one summer stuff and one winter.  I don't hang a lot of my stuff - fold most things - so I guess I need to look into those plastic stack units with pull-out drawers.  We don't have a bedroom suit so don't have that option.  A friend suggested space bags.  It might come to that!

Gotta run!  

More On My Imaginary Trip Through Autumn

Tuesday was supposed to be our last day to post our painted assignments to the Imaginary Trip Through Autumn blog.  With all the goings-on this fall (art supplies all packed up, redecorating the house, etc.), I fell woefully behind in completing them.  Luckily, Laure agreed to keep the assignments and the videos up a couple of extra days.  With the extra time, I was able to watch all the videos and take notes on how to do the paintings.  Last night, I did two more assignments and hope to finish the rest over the weekend while the lessons are still fresh in my mind.  

Here's the Indian Corn painting.  I rushed through this and am NOT pleased with the results - the corn part.  The kernels are a little too muddy.  Laure started us out on this assignment by outlining the kernels and then filling in with colors.  My outline wasn't dry enough and, in many spots, bled into the kernel color.  I am okay with the husks.  

The next assignment was a scene of fall trees against a background of mountains with mist rising from between the trees.  I have often wondered how artists achieve this misty foggy look.  Now, I know!  

When painting this, I didn't realize that the shadows and mist were forming a star pattern on the top of the mountain.  You really see so much more depth once the picture is uploaded onto the computer.

Laure is offering three more "trips" in early 2010.  I am going to sign up for the "trip" to the beach and am thinking about the one to England.  Not sure yet whether or not I'm up to that many assignments time-wise.  Please go check out Laure's website, blog, and the imaginary trip site.  I highly recommend her classes.  I learned as much, if not more, as I have in many in-person classes.  You can watch the videos as often as you want - they are very clear and full of tips and techniques.  Laure's critiques and availability are also top-notch.  Great format!!!

Here is a picture of my journal so far.  I have sketched the assignments I still need to do on the back pages so, once finished the whole thing will be feature "pages" of paintings.  Laure has shown us how to punch holes in our finished journal and add a ribbon to tie the journal closed.  I want to look for two ribbons - an orange and an olive green - for my journal. 

I just love the colors of Fall!!!

In doing these paintings and posting them to the computer, looking at them through the camera, or even walking a distance away from them, I am still amazed at how a little distance makes such a difference.  When I step back to observe my work, things look so different - so much better.  I'm able to see more depth, mistakes aren't as noticeable, etc.  The overall result is usually much more pleasing once I step back and take a look. 

A lot like life, don't you think?  Things seem so stressful at times but if we just step back and take a look, we realize our life - even with its quirks and pits - is overall OK!

Hope each of us has some of these "step-back" moments during the rush of the holiday season. 

BUSY BUSY BUSY!

Busy here!        

Andy is finishing up painting the dining room tonight.  I LOVE that green!  We got the pineapple chandelier from the Virginia kitchen hung over Thanksgiving and I love that with the green!

Jenny, from Central Carpet, came to deliver the dining room chair cushions today.  They are gorgeous! I can hardly wait to get them back on the chairs.

I've been cooking!  No, really. Cooking - as in food preparation.  I made barbecue over the weekend using a 5 lb. Boston Butt.  Tonight, I made Beaufort Inn Country Pie (recipe makes 2). Yummy! Mom and Daddy and then Taylor (younger son) and his girlfriend, Rachael, are coming to visit soon so I stuck the barbecue and one of the pies in the freezer.  Both of these recipes are from the cookbook our rug hooking group in Virginia put together several years ago.  Below is a picture of the pies and I've included the recipes for you.

Pork Barbecue (contributed by Chloe)

1 (5-lb) boneless Boston butt roast (I used one with the bone - was all they had at Kroger's)

Place roast in crockpot and cook on low for 12 hours.  Remove from pot and cool.  Chop up, discarding fat.  Prepare sauce.

Sauce:

1 c. water, 1 c. ketchup, 1/4 c. vinegar, 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 c. onion (chopped), 1 T. Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt (I omitted the salt), 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/8 tsp. thyme

Mix sauce ingredients together and simmer for 45 minutes.  To serve, heat the desired amount of pork mixed with a small amount of sauce.  Serve on sandwich buns with extra sauce.  (Andy had some for lunch and then I placed the remainder in a container with the sauce and stuck it in the freezer.)  

Beaufort Inn Country Pie (contributed by Donna)

2 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shells, 3/4 lb. sausage (cooked until lightly browned) (I used 1 lb.), 4-5 eggs (lightly beaten), 1 c. milk (I used skim), 8 oz. Cheddar cheese (grated), 8 oz. mozzarella cheese (grated)

Preheatoven to 400 degrees.  Bake pie shells for 9 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Cook sausage until lightly browned and crumbled.  Drain and set aside.  Mix together the eggs, milk, and cheeses.  Add sausage and pour into prepared pie shells.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  

Recipe Note: Donna uses 1 lb. of sausage.  You can use crumbled bacon.  I added broccoli and onion. Mushrooms would also be good.  These pies can be frozen and reheated when needed.

 Look what my friend Nicole sent me!!!  These guys arrived today in the mail.  Looks like they're just in time to help me finish my Christmas knitting!  Thanks, Nicole!

I mentioned the "Imaginary Trip through Autumn" watercolor journaling class I'm taking online several weeks ago.  It started October 29th with two lessons per week.  I have fallen so far behind and the instructional videos will be taken down tomorrow.  I did two of them last night but still have five more to do and have tons of work to do, as well.  (Work just REALLY gets in the way!)  Here are the two lessons I did last night.  I thought they complimented each other so I painted them on facing pages.

Gotta run! Painting to do, reports to write, shawl knitting to do, and a sock, too!

Feline Sightings And Shopping, Too

Today, I met with the ladies at Panera's and knit a bit after having my weekly Fuji Apple Chicken Salad.  I knit about one row on the shawl and stopped.  Seems I have an extra stitch.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I fell asleep on the sofa last night while knitting it.  When I came to, about seven   stitches had jumped off the needle.  DRAT!  Those stitches jumped off that   needle faster than the 10 Lords-A-Leapin'!  Need to see what the heck is wrong and fix it after I finish this post.

After Panera's, I drove to Yellow Springs to In A Frame Gallery to purchase a gift and then poked around that cute town.  Lots of interesting shops.  There were horse and carriage rides to be had if you were interested.  Very festive.

I also had to make a stop at Grandma's Garden today to pick up a couple of gifts.  Their kitty (don't know his name) was making himself useful as a cat hat.  This fellow kept a stone-face and a stiff upper lip.  He didn't seem to   mind his feline head 

 warmer.

While running my errands today, I saw four shop or business kitties - three of which were black.  Good thing I'm not superstitious.  (Repeat, I'm not superstitious.  No, really I'm not.)  

This black cat, named Emmy (short for Emerald) went in the glass shop in Yellow Springs ahead of me to get warm.  As I looked around, I found that he had settled high up on this shelf in the warmest room in the shop.  His friend, Sylvester (white and black), was too busy   playing to be cold.

This cat was outside the wine shop and looked hungry.  Made me wish I had some Kibble in my pocket.

i finished my day with grocery shopping.  Sigh.  

When Andy got home from work this afternoon, he got up on the roof and repaired it where the shingles had blown off.  He had more that were in need of gluing down.  He has also started back painting on the dining room.  It should be finished tomorrow.  Hopefully.

Earlier in the week, I took a detour on the way home from Cincinnati.  I found two wonderfully quaint towns - Madeira and Milford - and want to go back soon. I didn't stop and get out but was getting whiplash trying to see all the little shops on both sides of the street.  One thing I've learned since moving here -- these Ohio folks are serious about their desserts.  I see cake shops, dessert shops, and bakeries all over the place!

OK. Time to go tackle that extra stitch.  GRRRR!

601

601.  This is post 601.  My blog is three-and-a-half years old and this is post #601.  That's hard to believe!  I remember Andy telling me that it wouldn't last.  Oh, he of little faith!  601.   

I have really enjoyed writing the blog.  I find that I'm much more observant - always looking for something blogworthy to take a picture of or write about.  I have tried to keep the posts up-beat and not use the blog as my soapbox.  I hope I've succeeded.  I really enjoy going back and reading the archived posts.  It's my diary with pictures.  Very cathartic.

Through the blog, I've linked with people - readers, commenters, other bloggers, other knitters - all over the world.  When I moved to Ohio, I knew there were several readers who lived there and I hoped we would have a chance to meet soon.  It's also a great way to keep in touch with those family and friends I left behind in Virginia and North Carolina.  It's been and will continue to be a wonderful way for me to communicate with those I know and those I have yet to meet.  

601.  WOW!    

Christmas is right around the corner - only 13 more days!  I need to do a thousand things.  The tree is standing outside in a bucket of water - or, rather a bucket of ice given our temperatures lately.  Need to get it inside this weekend and get it decorated.  Ii can hear all those snowmen in the boxes in the basement hollering to be let out.  Need to make my gift list - there will probably be a lot of gift cards - they mail well.  I need to try and do a little more unpacking and cleaning around the house.  I REALLY want to locate my soap supplies - enough to make at least a couple of batches of soap.  I'm not too sure that's going to happen before Christmas.  We'll see.    I need to finish up my online watercolor journaling class this weekend as all the instructional videos will be closed on the 15th.  So many things to do!

I'm also doing some Christmas knitting.  I think I will get everything finished that's on my list.  I'm knitting the Starry, Starry Shawl out of Panda Silk from Crystal Palace Yarns (43% Superwash Merino Wool, 5% combed Silk).  I love this yarn.  It knits up well with great definition and feels wonderful!  Hope I can find my blocking wires and pins.

I finished this Turn-A-Square Hat.  This is a free pattern by Jared Flood.  Jared writes the very popular blog, Brooklyn Tweed.  He has an absolutely GORGEOUS honeycomb and cable scarf pattern pictured now.  Go check it out!  I knit the hat pictured with an acrylic / wool blend.  But, with only 20% wool (I think) it has too much of an acrylic feel to it.  I've decided the only acrylic / wool blend yarn I like is Encore.  I had to drop down a needle size the ribbing and for the body of the hat.  I'm going to do this hat again in Cascade Superwash Wool.  

We've put all the window candles in the windows.  Andy was able to adapt the candles we've used for the past 25 years to fit these windows.  We had just enough which was good because I looked everywhere and couldn't find anymore like them.

We have this wonderful window above the front door with a ledge.  There are outlets on each wall to the left and to the right.  Thank goodness for that.  Also, one of the light switches beside the front door operates those outlets.  Thank goodness for that, too!  Otherwise, that ladder would be a permanent feature for the duration of the holidays to turn that window candle on and off.

Here's a picture of the house all lit up.  We have some spotlights that we used on the house in Virginia but I don't think they'd work here.  The row of bushes is in the way and would probably cast shadow on the house.  

We had a little more snow on Wednesday but BOY the winds!  60 mph.  We lost some shingles and had to round up the porch furniture.  Good thing we tethered the wreath to the door with screws and wire.  Beside the front door, Mr. Snowman stood firm through all the wind.  He's a tough one!  Ready for the winter weather.

Hope each of you has a wonderful pre-holiday weekend!  Take time to sip a cup of cheer and relax.