Update

Here is more info on the tree my uncle so kindly let us know about.

Lake Driveway and randomness

This is the (some time ago) promised picture of our driveway. This view is from the top looking towards the house. We have sunshine, blue sky, and it is almost up to 50° here. It is actually warmer now at almost five pm than it was at three this afternoon.

This wonderful weather leads to this. Can you see Lake Driveway forming? (You might need to biggify.)



Here is a close-up with a reference point.

 

Sadly, this is what NOAA says is coming

Tonight: A chance of rain, snow and sleet after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. West wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Total nighttime snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind around 11 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19. North wind around 11 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. North wind between 11 and 13 mph.

At least the lake will have a chance to grow during the day even as it ices over at night. Fortunately it won't require anything like this like spring in Duluth does.
These are the slippers I have been working on for Hubband. They are all ready to felt, once he gets back home and a we get a picture with them on his feet for a "Before" picture to go with the inevitable "After."

 

Here is the latest on my hat project
#10

#11

 

While wandering the 'net today, I came across this pattern. I might have to make one for Oribel's bathroom. Not that she would use it for anything besides dropping in the dog's water dish. I'm thinking Jessi needs one just because of its name.
I also came across two patterns related to my favorite dishcloth pattern.
This one is really cool (and I am thinking I will get sucked into getting a copy of the pattern). Gorlitsa, the adapter of the pattern donates a (fair) portion of the proceeds to the wider knitting community. However,this pattern seems like a bit much to me.
My uncle posted this, so I thought I would share it with those of you that don't read him on a regular basis.
Tomorrow is an important international holiday of a certain segment of the geek population. What are you making for dinner and/or dessert? Mine will probably involve chili rellenos and caramel apples.

If I could, I would might

I was finishing up making a Mystery Yarn Ball for a swap, and I was beginning to feel like I was making a Katamari. This is a seriously popular/addictive game, from what I have seen around here. According to Wikipedia, some would even say it is good for you

University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor James Paul Gee has stated that he believes that Katamari Damacy is one of, if not the, most beneficial games released in terms of how it helps brain development.

I had a lot of fun winding stuff up into the yarn, and will be interested in seeing what the person it is going to thinks of it. (I am also looking forward to mine showing up at my doorstep.) I would make a "real" Katamari if only I knew how to crochet. Well, if I made one, I would probably have to make at least two and probably three or four. Might be safer to not learn.

This could be my neighborhood

So I was listening to my regular radio stuff yesterday and heard about this. The radio report didn't actually say where in Olmsted County it took place, but when I mentioned it to Hubband, he had the same thought I did. "Boy, I hope it wasn't our wolf!" It has been a couple of years since we saw it around the yard, but they wander.

Hat # 8

I finished up hat #8 this afternoon. It is made with Bernat Softee Chunky Twists Taupe. The Pattern is called "You Don't Know Our Women" by Kelly-Green Rogue and can be found here.

Hat #4

This is hat #4 and the pattern can be found here. I love the way it looks, but I have to say that 1x1 rib gets old really fast.

Another weekend update

 

We got the second cabinet assembled (without so much help this time) and both of them have been filled. There are a few more things about that probably need some protection, but the major items are covered. The rocks and minerals are items that my maternal grandparents collected years ago and I have become the keeper of them since my grandmother passed away.

The spheres of rocks are also things they collected, but they were in rough form. My grandfather made the machine to shape and polish them before such things were popular. At one point in my life (several decades ago) the only places I had ever seen rock spheres were a Natural History Museum and their house. My big decision that we needed these cabinets came when I walked into the front room and found the large sphere in the back right corner sitting in the middle of the floor instead of on the top of the bookshelf where it belonged. That was when they all got put inside a cabinet until there was a safer life for them.(Oh, those pottery items that also needed a safe haven weren't my grandparents. I made those several years ago.)
We also wound up rearranging some furniture in this process. I have never known a cat to hop into a moving bookcase for a ride before.

 

For Sunday's potluck I made potato gnocchi. I forgot to take a picture after they were all done (it was time to leave for said event), but they didn't look that much different. All I did after that picture was boil them and then saute them in browned butter and herbs.
I also finished hat #4 this weekend and have started #8.

Sleeping Beauties

I thought I would share these pictures of my sleeping beauties. Well, Oribel had to stretch a little, but then went right back to sleep. The landing is one of Sadie's favorite places to sleep.


Simon's favorite place is on Hubband's feet. It makes it really hard for him to escape very far that way. It is kind of funny when he does manage to sneak off to fill up his coffee cup and Simon wakes up to missing feet. He dashes all over looking for them.

More Hats

Hat #4 and I are having issues, but it might be back on track. Here is how the rest of the week in hats has been shaping up.

#5

#6 Ray's Hat

 

#7

What I did last weekend

Yeah, maybe I am running a little behind here....
Last week I decided to make tamales for our Sunday night pot-luck, so I started on Friday night with putting the meat in the slow cooker all night. Then on Saturday I made the meat mixture, the red sauce, the tamale dough, soaked the corn husks, and assembled the tamales. I waited until Sunday afternoon to steam them so they would be nice and hot for dinner.
Most of the pictures I took of the process didn't turn out supper well, I think it had something to do with taking them one handed with the other hand a bit messy. I should have just asked Hubband to come run the camera for five minutes, but as you can tell, I didn't. I think you will still get the general idea of how it was done. (You might only notice the lack of picture quality when you click on them.)

Everything in place.

Dough and meat spread on corn husk.


Wrapped up in the husk and ready to put in the steamer.

Cooked and almost ready to eat.


Fresh, hot tamale with tasty red sauce all ready to eat. (I made twenty-nine plenty for both the pot-luck and for us to have leftovers the next day.) They are excellent with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt too!