ruby crowned kinglette

where did my days go?

some weeks just seem to sneak by without my realizing what is going on... this last couple did just that.  i suppose when i take little blog breaks it is because i need to.  i was feeling a bit neglectful in other areas of my life and usually somewhere among the reasons is this blog, but it isn't until i am feeling a bit panicky that i realize that.  so, anyhow, it seems i have balanced things out a bit, at least for now.

i am experimenting with an idea for some pillows that incorporate embroidery and wool felt applique.  this is my first.  it is stitched on a natural linen ground with a zipper closure, but i didn't have a 18 inch form, once i do i will take a real 'pillow' picture.  i have many other animals in mind to do in the same technique and am kind of excited to get working on them....

these are leaves i cut out last night.  i have the same application idea for these as well, but the design is not yet quite set so they will wait in a little pile for the idea to get straightened out.  i love how the three test leaves worked and of course i am a freak for the wool felt so really there ain't nothing bad about this one.  i started cutting these leaves using a paper punch... until it broke (ok, that was bad). cutting them by hand wasn't all that difficult - next time i will try that first. should have tried that this time and saved the punch....?

these piggies are standing around trying to determine who gets which ears... since they don't have eyes they are having a difficult time of it.

and finally, this little army of farm animals is considering a work action to protest their missing ears, eyes and wagging parts - but again, communication is difficult, and therefore, so is the organizing.

so there; the works - some done and some still in progress. i shall be back, soon(er than later)

something spring

i was getting tired of seeing the bread here every day this week, so you must have been too... i have been busy with other things so not much to talk about here, expect how lovely this little crabapple is.  i got it last fall from the city of seattle and their effort to have more trees planted in the city.  this one isn't actually planted yet, but will be soon.

have a wonderful weekend. i will, and even have two more loaves of bread in the works!

i am now one of them

ok, i will admit that i was skeptical, really skeptical, when i heard about this no-knead bread.  i am pretty sure i was reading megan's thoughts on it over at not martha when i first read of the phenomenon.  this is what i thought...

self? isn't the best thing about making bread kneading it? how in the world can a bread be good if you don't knead it? it's too gimmicky, it won't be good, i will stick to what i know {it has been pointed out to me that i think i know everything, and not it a good way}.... 

i thought that for several months. then, within the same week {or it seemed like the same week}, both alex and amy posted about their experiences making it... then, this is what i thought.

self? well shoot, these are looking mighty good, maybe you should check into this and try it out. you, know, get off your ass and don't just dismiss this out of hand. don't only stick to what you know because how will you learn new things?...

i went to the new york times' site and read the initial article, and watched the accompanying video - which i found very helpful because it is always nice to see something being done.  then to chow.com to see what some of those {very opinionated} folks thought, and a few more places that i have now forgotten.

today {ok, yesterday} i finally got around to making it and took it out of the oven about half an hour ago.  it is simply beautiful and smells delightful - even chet thinks so as he was nosing around the table while i was taking pictures - that dog loves his bread.  i am going to a friend's home for dinner and will find if it tastes as scrumptious as it looks.

this is the link to the recipe itself.  i modified it to include 1 3/4 teaspoons of salt and used 1/3 teaspoon of active dry yeast rather than the 1/4 teaspoon of rapid rise {instant yeast} called for in the recipe; this based on one article i found. it took a while to begin to rise, a result of minimal yeast {which is a good thing} and my cool house {which is not so good, according to some}. the change in salt was due to reviews that said the original recipe needed it, and then some subsequent variations having too much; i ended deciding on somewhere in between. i also used all-purpose flour rather than bread flour because that is all i had.  generally i try not to modify recipes the first time out... sometimes it seems i can't help myself.

isn't she pretty?

the chickens underneath are on a dish towel my mom gave me for valentine's day, i haven't actually used it yet because it is too cute, i did wash it and then iron it though...

will be back with the results of the taste test.

later that night

ok, this was good. g. o. o. d. good. 

a couple of things. i baked in the covered pot for the 30 minutes per the recipe, then uncovered for an additional 23 minutes.  the recipe suggested between 15 and 30 minutes or until it was a dark golden brown.  i got a tiny bit nervous and decided to take it out at 23 minutes.  the bread was crusty and lovely inside, but still a bit soft and heavy, not that hollow empty sound you should have with a loaf of holey crusty bread, so i would go with the full 30 minutes uncovered next time - all things being equal.  i also dusted the towels it was risen on with flour only and would do this again in a heart beat.  i loved the deep toasty almost earthy taste of the flour on the crust, and i can not tell you how much i love the look of that cracked flour on the surface. we only ate half, and i left half of what remained with jim. i've read that it goes stale in a day so it won't be long before i learn if that is true.  i will be wrapping it in the chicken towel to preserve the crust so i shall see in the morning how it holds up. make it, it is worth it, and really quite easy.

   

red friday

it's the last day of 'colour week'.  thanks julie.  i love these world wide participations... it is always so great to see how everyone interprets colors and themes.  these glass flowers showed up in my bird bath one week, the robins don't seem to mind... one day i will have to remember to ask amy and gary (my neighbors) if they offered them up.  and, these too are right by the steps up to the front door.

 

yellow thursday

more color within 5 feet of my front door... so far, everything this 'colour week' has been right around the steps into my house, who would have guessed? 

tomorrow? red.

pink wednesday

in honor of julie's 'colour week'.... this ranunculus also graces the entrance to my house this season.  such beautiful flowers with their dark, dark centers.

tomorrow? yellow.

green tuesday

it's another day of 'colour'.... today, the fresh, young green leaves of the japanese maple outside my front door.

tomorrow? pink.

turquoise monday

this week i will be taking part in julie's colour week. come and join in the fun.  if you don't have a blog you can still play, all you have to do see how many turquoise things you can spot today....

tomorrow? green.

what does it say about me...

that my favorite dinner is a big, fat, cold, tasty gin and tonic?

well, i think it says that i am a damn fine connoisseur of dinners, that's what i think.

today, the high temperature was 81 degrees!!!! do you hear that, you people in maine? you people with 4 feet of new snow? ok, really, meg, that's for you.

so then. what is better than a very warm and wonderful spring day? well, it's a big, giant gin and tonic, that's what. my dinner plans nearly came to a screeching halt when my go-to lime was a bit shrunken and moldy, thankfully there was a back-up in the fridge.  i'm of the mind that tanqueray is the best gin for the drink of the gods.... i like that it is herby and not entirely smooth.  you can see in the picture above that i have used a previously gin filled bottle for my dish soap dispenser.  i kind of feel it is one of my best kitchen accessories.  another goodie is a painted pottery piece i brought back from florence - it looks like jay leno.  i will post about it some time with my other italian pottery - man, i gotta get back there and bring back more of that good stuff.

wouldn't this be a great world if i was this size and that glass was my swimming pool? oh yeah, that would be nice.

happy easter everyone; especially you fine folks toiling away in the distilleries of london.

 

coins? candies? lipsticks?

sure! these babies can hold them all. or, maybe they would work as a nice little mother's day gift?  oh, the possibilities.

i made more triangles, because, well.... it seemed like a good idea. you can find them here if you are interested.
 
the weather here is spectacular today, i think i might just go take advantage of it and get that lawn mowed and then read in the sunshine. ahhh, spring.