THE PINEAPPLE - HOSPITALITY, FRIENDSHIP and in my case - LOVE!

 What a year this has been!  It certainly did not turn out the way I had planned or hoped, but that is all for another post - or maybe we should just skip the whole thing entirely.

I planned to get back to this blog so many times this year, but like they say - better late than never!

I am doing Vlogmas 2024 over on my Youtube channel Erndales - and this week I am sharing a tutorial on a beautiful crochet ornament - A Traditional Pineapple with a tassel.

The pineapple Motif is one of the most popular motifs in the crochet world.  Probably one of the oldest as well.  Through the ages the PIneapple as become a symbol of hospitality and friendship - which perhaps is one of the reasons it was so often featured in tablecloths and doilies alike.  

Where better for one show show hospitality, than around a table setting -  food and drink with friends and family.  Along with the pineapple cloth, it was tradition in the Victorian era to not only serve pineapple treats to their guests, but pineapples were also included in the large floral arrangements that decorated dining room tables. 

When I was trying to decide which ornament to work on with my Youtube community, it seemed only fitting that it be the pineapple ornament.  Not only is it simple, and elegant - it signifies the atmosphere that I try to bring to my channel.  

I hope you try this pattern, it is truly beautiful - and while it was designed as a tree ornament - it is perfectly adaptable to any season.  I plan to hang mine in my studio window and leave it up there for all seasons.

 Enjoy!

PINEAPPLE ORNAMENT

Materials:

Crochet Cotton (size 10 or Bedspread weight)

Size 6 or 7 Crochet hook

Ch 8, sl st to form a ring.

Row 1: Ch 5, 2 dc in ring, ch3, 2 dc in ring (shell made). Ch 3, 2dc, ch3, 2dc in ring.

Row 2: Ch5, turn.  2dc, ch3, 2dc in ch3sp of first shell ( shell in shell).  Ch8, sk next ch3sp, 2dc, ch3, 2dc in ch3sp of next shell.

Row 3: Ch5, turn.  Shell in ch3sp of first shell.  Ch3.  12 trc in ch 8 sp.  Ch3.  Shell in ch3sp of next shell.

Row 4: Ch5 turn.  Shell in ch3sp of first shell.  Ch3. 1 trc in first trc. (Ch1, 1 trc in next trc) 11 times.  Ch3.  Shell in ch3 sp of next shell.

Row 5: Ch5 turn. Shell in ch3 sp of first shell.  Ch 3. Sc in first ch1 sp. (Ch3, sc in next ch1 sp) 10 times.  Ch3. Shell in next shell = 10 ch3 lps in pineapple.

Row 6: Ch5 turn. Shell in ch3sp of first shell.  Ch3. Sc in first ch3 lp of pineapple. ( Ch3, sc in next ch3 lp of pineapple) 9 times.  Ch3. Shell in next shell  = 9 ch3 lps in pineapple.

Row 7-14: Rep ROW6 eight times working 1 less ch3 lp in pineapple per ROW with only 1 lp in last ROW.

Row 15: Ch5 turn. Shell in ch3 sp of first shell.  Ch3. Sc in last ch3 lp of pineapple.  Ch3. Shell in next shell.

Row 16: Ch5 turn. 2 dc in ch3 sp of first shell.  2dc in ch3 sp of next shell.  Ch1, sk next dc, work 1 trc in last dc of shell from previous ROW.

Row 17: Sc in joining lp.  Ch5, turn.  Sc in ch5 lp from previous ROW.  Finish off.

BLOCKING:

dip pineapple in stiffening solution and pin flat.

TASSEL

Materials:

Crochet cotton (size 10 or size 5)

Size 6 or 7 steel hook.

Ch5, sl st to form ring.

RND1: Ch2, ( first hdc), work 9 hdc in ring.  Do not join, but work in continuous RNDS = 10 hdc.

RND2: Work 2 hdc in each hdc around = 20hdc.

RND 3-6: Work 1hdc in each hdc around.  Stuff lightly with stuffing of choice.

RND7:  (Dec - Work 1 hdc in next 2 hdc at the same time) 10 times.  Join in first hdc of this RND = 10 hdc.  Finish off.

FRINGE:

Cut 30 pieces of cotton 11 " long.

Fold 3 pieces of fringe in half, insert hook under any stitch of last RND and pull folded loop through.  Bring all 6 ends through the loop and pull to form a tight knot.  Rep for each of 10 sts around.  Take a 15" length of cotton and tie a wrap at the top of the fringe.

Cut fringe to even bottom.

HEALTH CRUNCH BREAD!

 

A few weeks ago, I made a new bread recipe, I recorded a video on it as well, which I will link below if you are interested in watching it.

I thought it would be a good time to share a recipe with you ( it's been awhile) and this one is so good that it was my first choice.

If you are not into bread making, this is a nice easy recipe, although when I made the recipe on video, I discovered there was a few things left out in the original recipe that came from a 1980's cookbook that I often use.

So here it is Health Crunch Bread... with corrections included!

Health Crunch Bread - Makes 4 loaves

2 c. milk (scalded)

1/2 c. lard ( I used shortening)

1 c. lukewarm water

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. yeast

1/4 c. molasses

3/4 c. oatmeal

1 c. wheat germ or crushed flax seed ( I used flax seed)

3 c. whole wheat flour (+) 4-5 cups more ( will explain below)

1/2 c. sesame seed( Opt.)  ( I included it)

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of the lukewarm water with 1 tbsp of sugar added, set aside until yeast has risen. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, 3 cups of whole wheat flour, wheat germ and sesame seed.  mix in salt, and brown sugar.  Cut in the 1/2 c lard or shortening into flour mixture. 

In another bowl, mix milk, the remaining cup of water, molasses and yeast mixture.  Make a well into the flour mixture and pour liquid ingredients in.  

Mix well.

Gradually add the additional 4-5 cups of whole wheat flour and mix until dough can be kneaded until it no longer sticks to your hands.

Cover and let rise until double in bulk, punch down and let rise again.

Shape into loaves ( makes 4) and let rise 1 hour more.

Bake in a heated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

...

I hope  you give this special bread a try.  It is deliciou!

Here is the video I made of me making the bread for the first time.  If I seem a bit confused, its because the original recipe omitted the additional whole wheat flour.  It's a very good thing that I am a seasoned bread maker, or I would have completely wasted a bunch of ingredients.

https://youtu.be/WWxg6USXCjQ

Why are there no Male Angels?

For years I have been making angels from all kinds of mediums.  Here are a few that I have made over the years - some of you will recognize some of these from years ago.

Nothing all that spectacular about any of these creations, but notice that they are all female!  Well mostly all - the one with the little boy and girl, happened because I altered the girl pattern to be a boy.

Every Angel I have seen in photos, in sculpture, handmade or purchased, has been in the female form.

Why is that?

Can't a male be an Angel?

Funny thing is, if we go to the source of where the Angels are first mentioned, and pretty much where we understand the Angels to have actually existed ( The Bible) - Angels are male, not female.  

The Angel Gabriel, is well know because of Christmas songs about him - he was the one who was the messenger about the birth of the Christ Child. Then there is Michael the Archangel, he is reported to be a most powerful Angel who battles Satan and casts Satan out of Heaven - forever!

Nowhere in the Bible is there mention of a female Angel.

So how come the images, reproductions, patterns etc of Angels we humans see, are all of female Angels?

 Why does this bother me?

Well because as a human, I have my own idea as what constitutes an Angel.  For instance - no  one will dissuade me from the notion, that the surgeons and physicians who cared and cured me of cancer, not once but twice, were indeed Angels here on earth. 

 Incidentally - all were male.

When I look at a sleeping male infant - to me that child is just as much an Angel as a female infant.

There have been so many times as a maker,  that I have balked at the presence of patterns for female angels and longed for the pattern to also contain the male counterpart.

It happened again recently.

I really like a little cross-stitch Angel ornament, which I have made several times.  Here is the very first one I did, I  kept her for myself.  She is Joyful Judy, designed by Diane Arthurs - the pattern can be found in the 2001 Edition Christmas Ornaments Just Cross Stitch 2001 Special Issue.

I decided to make a senior version of this Angel...

And the moment I finished her, I knew I wanted to make a Male Senior Angel to go with her.

So, I have started to design one of my own.  I have used the basic outline of Joyful Judy, but completely changed the rest, and I am currently stitching him .  I can't wait to get him finished and show you my creation.  

SO, what do you think?  We should have more Male Angels?

Yes?

I knew you would agree!

Till Next Time!

Returning to Stay!

 I have been thinking about my blogging days of past, remembering how I looked forward to writing my thoughts, sharing my makes, telling stories - all those things, and I wondered why I stopped!

Well I know why I stopped, because I started Vlogging instead.  As nice as that activity is - after all this time away, I have decided that I still love this platform best.

So although I will continue to Vlog,  I am returning to what I love best - writing and sharing!  If this past year taught me anything, it has reminded me that time is moving on, the future is promised to no one, and if we plan to do something  - then now is the time to do it  - especially at my age.

I am working on my "Return Post".  And I'm starting off with a question that has plaqued me for years.  

In the meantime - I have been keeping busy as usual - crafting, gardening, cooking, baking, and enjoying country life.  I have started on my Christmas knitting and making, with the hopes that this year I won't be rushing to finish things at the last minute.

Return Post coming tomorrow!

Till then, stay well every one!

Dale

 How can it possible be February 3rd already?  It seems like it was just Christmas!

I had every intention of posting a couple more blogs in January, even wrote a draft of one, but never got around to finishing it!

January was a weird month.  We had mostly mild temperatures ( for us) and although I had so much to do, I was somewhat restricted in what I should be doing.  I woke up one morning and my vision had drastically changed overnight.   I felt like I was looking through a cloud of black pepper.  Millions of tiny black specks and one large flashing spike covered the vision in my right eye.  I was sure it was a detached retina, and I had experienced this in my other eye several years ago- so off to the eye doctor went I!

I was partially right - It is the retina, but it has not quite detached yet - it's getting close, but it still is intact.  I have a followup in 2 weeks to see if anything has changed, and I am pretty sure I will be sent back to the same specialist who did laser on my other eye, eventually!  In the meantime, I can't drive, which is not great: I can't shovel snow - which is great: and I shouldn't overstrain my eyes - that's a tall order for a crafter like me!

I am trying very hard to comply to all the shouldn'ts!

I set aside the tiny stitching I was doing on my fox from THE YEAR IN THE WOODS, but I have continued my daily stitching journal - and I finished the month of January.

Check it out!

I'm so happy with how this first month turned out!  I love that every day is just randomly stitched with whatever I feel like stitching that particular day.  I have added a few special days on this one,  For instance, January 12 would have been my parents anniversary, so I stitched the day and year they were married.  The 13th was the day my Dad passed away, he loved birds, so I stitched a bird: and the 21st was my brother's 64th birthday so I added that as well, I will continue adding special days or moments on future months as I go, to give the whole project a journal feel.  At the end of the year, when hopefully I have 12 journals stitched, I am thinking about making a quilt with these blocks.  I should add that each month's block is the size of a piece of photocopy paper (8.5x11).

I am also stitching a denim bag I am making out of a pair of blue jeans - but I will share that with you next time.

I have a bit of spring fever, I have ordered my seeds and have been harvesting seeds from flowers I saved last year.  At the end of this video is a beautiful 3minute segment I put together and set to music using beautiful images from my gardens.  The groundhog said we are in for 6 more weeks of winter, but I'm thinking beyond that already - what does a groundhog know anyway!

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/gjEVTl2Vg_4

A Busy, Fun, Creative Week!

 I've had a busy, very creative week!  How has your week gone?  Hope everyone is well and adjusting to the start of a New Year!

Can we talk about the weather?  Wow, this week has been gorgeous.  Much warmer temperatures, bright sunshine, and a feeling like spring can't be far away - even though we know there is not a chance of that any time soon.

Still I have that "feeling" coming over me.  You know the one that happens when you open up a new seed catalogue for the first time.  I get through the vegetable section without a twinge, but then when I hit the flowers section - well, then I want to get out the pots and start planting.  Of course I didn't do that  - but I did haul my seed starting greenhouse up into the south window of my studio.  I did not however put the cover on it - for now I am using it as a drying rack for some pretty crazy fun project I discovered this week.

I am taking a bit of a break from knitting for awhile.  Even though I have some socks on the needles that I should finish, for once I am listening to my body when it tells me (via lymphedema in my arm, and carpal tunnel in my wrist) to stop for awhile.

So stitching and journal making have come to the top of the list for awhile.  

I finished a very simple Gratitude Journal, and have been writing my gratitude of the day, every evening before I head off to bed.  I thought it might be a challenge to think of something positive about the day, every day - but that has not been the case at all.  I could fill a page a day if I let myself, mainly because I am letting the negative go and concentrating on the positive, in the process realizing that there is so much in my day that is truly good!

I started my stitching journal as well, which is another calming activity.  Every day I stitch a tiny block , letting myself just enjoy the stitching, wether it is perfect or not ( usually it's not).  I have stitched a full week now, and it is really pretty. ( I will share a photo next time)

I also started a new cross stitch piece.  I'm doing the Fox from last year's  A YEAR IN THE WOODS, by Cottage Garden Samplings.  I love this piece and making really good progress on it.

 

MY PROGRESS

But the most fun this week, was the new thing I discovered.  Did you know you can make Faux leather from paper?  Oh my gosh, what fun I had using really pretty wrapping paper and turning into a beautiful fibre that I can use to make covers for the journals I am going to be making.  If you are interested in seeing how it's done, check out the video below.

Well that's it for this week.  If you have a few minutes, check out my video ( below).

Stay well, and I will see you next week!

https://youtu.be/NMi_daoHNJY

Happy New Year! 2023

 Happy New Year Everyone!  

It's been way too long since I have been here, but my plan is to get back into the practice of updating my blog on a regular basis.

Since I have started my Youtube channel  (Erndales), I have neglected this platform in order to get that one up and running.  While Vlogging is fun - I still prefer to write my thoughts and stories instead of speaking them.  

So lets catch up - 2022...

Good place to start....

I started the year under another threat of cancer.  I had been to see a new family doctor and she had sent me for some tests that suggested I might have cancer of the Uterus.  That was finally confirmed in early May after some surgery, and I was booked for a Total Hysterectomy.  In the meantime, my oldest brother who had been battling leukemia for over 4 years really started to decline.  He lost his eye sight, then the use of one side of his body, and worse of all - he lost his spirit.

Spring came and went - I started my garden with enthusiasm, but after the surgeries started happening, my garden plans just seemed to vanish.  Summer was eaten up with major surgery - fall disappeared while I recovered from surgery, and the world came to a screeching halt for me when my brother passed away in October.

My brother Wayne and I

To say I am glad to see the end of 2022 - is the understatement of all time!

This Christmas season has been a reset for me.  I didn't put my tree up ( first time ever), I didn't cook a big turkey dinner ( first time ever),  I just allowed myself feel the emotions that I have been storing up all year.  It was overdue, and it was a peaceful resolve to re-invest myself back into the life I have with Gary and Jonathan, our son.  

I challenged myself to do Vlogmas on my Youtube channel during the month of December.  A different video every day for 24 days.  I reached deep within myself and shared so many wonderful Christmas memories, which really helped me find the inner peace I so needed.  Sharing my passions for music, writing, crafting, story-telling and most of all, family - reawakened my own spirit.

I'm ready to take on 2023!

Today I am spending the day, preparing a nice meal for Gary and I.  I am delving into my seed catalogs and making my list of seeds to purchase for the gardens.  

I will be making the first entry into my Gratitude Journal, and filling in the first square of my Stitching Journal... both activities I plan to continue all through 2023.

I have plans - lots of them - but I promised myself my first activity of 2023, would be to write this blog!

Mission accomplished - and it feels so good!

So, I hope you come back to me  - my friends and followers out there in the vast cyber world we call the internet.  Lets get this year going together!

I did a little Video yesterday, on making a Gratitude Journal and a Stitching Journal... Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/iwXWWVr2Vwo

 

ODE TO A CRUMMY POEM AND A MIXED UP DAY!

 I signed into my Blog today, for one purpose only - to print a poem that is on here so I could read it on my Youtube Channel later today.

When I opened my page, and saw how long it's been since I even looked at this page,  it made me pretty ashamed of myself.

Before I started recording Vlogs on Youtube, this was one of my favourite places to be - writing these blogs was one of my favourite things to do... why did I quit?

I suppose the lure of being heard and seen more easily - but in fact I have come to discover that it takes much less effort and time to write a blog, than it does to record, edit and publish a video.

If I am totally honest, making videos, and growing a Youtube channel has left me flat, more times than I could count!

With the millions of Creators,and the amount of available content to view - my channel has still not even reached 1000 subscribers.  I have thought of quitting many times - but now that I do have some regulars who actually do get excited about my content - I have the feeling that I should press on - so I will.

I do need to remind myself that I also had regular viewers here at one time - and I have let them down... so here's me, saying  I'M SORRY  and I'm going to try to at least do one blog a week, starting today!

So what was the poem I was looking for?

Ode to a CraftRoom - written many years ago - or so I thought!  I couldn't find it on here, so I went through my paper files (which I also haven't looked at it years), and I found a hand written draft of the poem that I thought I had finished years ago.

It's horrible - no wonder I haven't finished it or typed it and published it anywhere.  So I guess you know what happened next?

Yes I did - I started re-writing it!  This is not how I wanted the day to go!

So, I have done another about face - I set the poem aside, saved what I have re-written, now I will finish the video without the poem, edit it, upload it, and then get on with what I had first planned to do - and that is continue making crumb blocks for two baby quilts I am working on.

See - not much has changed here at all!

More about the crumb blocks later, but in case you are wondering what I am doing - here's what I am up do at the moment.

See You Soon!

 

Welcome Back To Erndales!

WElCOME BACK EVERYONE!

It's been a very long time since there has been any activity on this Blog, and I know I have probably lost a lot of my readers over the many months that I have been away - but I am hoping with time, I can coax you all back once again.

I hope everyone is doing okay.  These have been challenging and at times, heartbreaking times.  We have all suffered - but I am hoping wherever you are in this world we live in, that things are starting to change for the better.

If you are new to this blog - Welcome!  There are years of posts all written by me, on this site.  Go back and have a look at my content... I really do believe there is something for everyone here.  Stories, photo's, crafts, recipes, a couple of my Novels are published here, some of my Poetry, and just a lot about my life, my interests and my loves.

I have been busy recording video's on Youtube while I have been away - you can catch me there as well.  My video's are a mirror image of this Blog - you will find a variety of things on there as well.

My Youtube channel is simply called Erndales - don't forget to subscribe, like and comment if you like what you see.

So - what's in store for the future of this blog?

I am going to keep doing what I have always done, with a few changes thrown in.

To begin with I am going to link all the Tutorials I have done on Youtube to this Blog.  If you are a crafter and you want to learn to a skill or a particular craft that I have done - check here first.

I am also going to be publishing my patterns here and they will be free for subscribers to this blog.

The other thing I am working on is a new Etsy shop.  I am just in the process of putting that all together, but I will be posting new items that will appear in the shop, here on the blog the day before they go live in my shop, so my subscribers have first dibs on anything listed there.

To get us started, today I am linking a tutorial I did on Youtube  5 months ago.  It is my method of knitting  -  Continental Knitting  - and I cover the basic knit and purl stitches.   Dig out your needles, and lets get started!

Stay well everyone  - I'll be back soon!

  

ITS AS GOOD AS THE MEMORY!

 Do you ever long for a special meal, or soup, or cake, or cookie from someone who is no longer with you?  Something that a special person prepared without even knowing the effect that food item had on you, and maybe not realizing the effect they had on you, themselves?  Maybe you didn't realize their effect on your either - until they were gone!

I was a very lucky person growing up.  I had so many special aunts who in their own way helped shape the person I am today.   Each one gave me something special - some skill, some advise, some wonderful memory that I can relate to only them.  

It might have been a story of my ancestry, or a lesson in crochet, a warning about the perils of youth...  A lesson in gardening, a passage from the Bible - a shared family recipe....

One of my Aunts, made the most amazing Apple Kuchen.  From the time I was just a little snot, I remember her in her kitchen on the farm, encased in her generous hand-made apron, rolling out dough on her kitchen counter.  Her home always smelled of baking, and warm milk, with a tiny hint of fresh hay added to the mix.

She said Kuchen, with the German way of pronouncing a K.  Like the K was caught deep in her throat and she had to get it to her tongue first before she could spit it out.  No one said Kuchen like her... at least no one, I knew.

And the taste!  My Golly, the taste!  Her warm Apple Kuchen right out of the oven had no description at all - just pure taste followed by complete satisfaction.

Being a kid, I wolfed it down in less than two bites, but even so - even now, I remember the flavour.

So I started trying every Kuchen recipe I could find.  None of her family had her recipe, because she never used one.  Of course she didn't - that's why it was so darn perfect!

None of the recipes I tried were anything like her KKKuchen.... ( that's not a typo)!

Until last week...

I was back on the hunt again, and found a recipe that turned out to be really good, actually - it is almost the same, but not quite as wonderful as My Aunt Anna's Apple Kuchen recipe.

I have actually figured out the missing ingredient in every recipe I have tried -  it's her - she is what is missing.  Her and her generous home-made apron, her kitchen that smells like baking, warm milk with a hint of fresh hay, and her pronunciation of Kuchen.

As it turns out the recipe could not be any simpler than it is.

So just in case you have had this very same dilemma - I'm going to share the recipe I found, with you.

Enjoy!

Apple Kuchen

1 cup flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup butter

Mix with pastry blinder and press into a  8x8 square pan

..............

4 cups apples peeled and sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and place on top of crust in pan.

.........

Topping:

1/2 flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together and sprinkle on top of apple layer.

Baker at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.  Refrigerate leftovers ( if you have any)

A COLLAR FOR CHRISTMAS!

 This post is extremely personal to me.  That's because it is about my husband, Gary.  

It was not an easy decision to make this post, because Gary is a very private person who doesn't like to be in the spotlight - in fact if truth were told, I had to really work on him to convince him that his story was special enough to even be told!

If you met Gary for the first time, you would say he's a quiet fellow, friendly, a nice guy.  All those would be true.  His gentle soul was what first made me love him, all those years ago.

But he is also fiercely loyal to those he loves, and he also has a generous amount of stubborn determination, when life demands call on him to use it.

Gary was born in Chicago in 1956, he is 64 yrs old, and we have been married for 36 years.  

In 1977, when Gary was 21 years old, he had a tragic accident, that should have ended his life - He fell 32 feet from a Ferris Wheel at a small amusement park in Justice Illinois.  

The accident was remembered in a column in the Chicago Tribune called "What Ever Happened to..." in 2009.

Have a read:

Gary recovered his injuries, but what he didn't share with the press in the Update above was his recollections of the fall itself.  Only those close to Gary know what he felt as he plunged the 32 feet to the ground.  

He recalls having no fear in the seconds it took for the bar of the cage he sat in to swing out, and for him to reach the small arcade roof, which he crashed through, essentially breaking his fall before he hit the cement pavement.  What he did feel was a presence, as if someone was with him, cradling him as he fell... a feeling that has stayed with him all his life.

Fast forward thirty years or so.  Gary's vision which has been poor due to severe myopia is deteriorating rapidly.  After being assessed by several specialists, Gary is told that he is going blind and there is no cure.  He can no longer drive, or work, and is now confined to our home.  He has begun falling down stairs and having accidents around the home due to his inability to see.

Instead of becoming a victim of his circumstance, Gary walks to a nearby Lutheran church, where he once was employed as an organist.  He meets with the Pastor, who has known Gary for a long time.  He explains his need to feel useful, and his desire to do something, even though his options are extremely limited. 

The pastor points Gary to a organization called Lutheran Volunteer Ministries, where volunteers are trained to visit shut-ins in hospitals and care homes to bring spiritual care and comfort to the people they visit.  Soon Gary is Volunteering at Misericordia Hospital and participating in personal visitation as well as group spiritual care gatherings.  His vision continues to deteriorate, and in desperation he visits his local optometrist who refers Gary to one more specialist for consultation on his blindness.

After several visits to the new specialist, Gary is slated for surgery ( removal of massive cataracts) and within months, he can once again drive and work and function in the normal world.

Gary is offered the position of co-ordinator of Lutheran Volunteer Ministries, which he accepts and he throws himself into his new vocation with all he has.  He begins study in Theology and progresses from

Lay-Minister
to a Deacon.  He begins performing  monthly church services in Personal Care homes, and then progresses to church services to congregations in a church setting.  

Gary continued his studies and now he has received Ordination from the Independent Lutheran Synod as a Pastor.

At 64 years of age, Gary has achieved his life- long dream, and I am so proud because I know first hand how difficult this journey has been.

If ever a life has been powered by the hand of God -  Gary's surely has.

- - -

I was going to get him a new wallet for Christmas ( he needs it), but instead I am shopping for a special shirt and a special collar. 

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

Pastor Graumann.

IT IS A WONDERFUL WORLD!

With all that is going on, and has been going on in our world this year, it is very easy to get caught up in the negative sentiment that seems to be prevalent everywhere you go, and pretty much with most of the people you meet or associate with.

I suppose it is our own choice as to whether we join that sentiment, or not.  I choose the not version of this conversation.

That's why for a very long time, I have been searching and finding like-minded people on social media.  

That statement might immediately turn you away from this blog post.  So be it!  That also is your choice!

Last fall I happened across a You-tuber from Northumberland England called Kate.  Her Youtube channel is called The Last Homely House.  When I started watching her channel it was The Last Homely House East of the Sea.  Why wouldn't you check out someone who had a channel name like that?  It was her channel name that first drew me to check out her channel.

Kate is almost exactly the same age as I - right down to the month - and I often think we could be twins in our thinking, our love of gardening, animals, and crafting. 

Her channel is not over the top - it's just Kate being Kate - doing what she loves and taking you along through her ordinary day - even when it's just cleaning out her craft room drawers.

When the Pandemic hit and lockdowns were occurring all over the world, Kate created a virtual "LIME GREEN SOFA" in her home, for all her beloved subscribers and viewers.  It was a place we all could gather together to sew or knit, visit, have tea, snacks and conversation.  In other words - she invited her viewers to connect to her and to one another through her channel.

Her idea sky-rocketed!  People from all over the world, including myself started participating with the idea of the "Lime Green Sofa".  Her comment section became a place to have a conversation with other like-minded people, and so Kate took the idea one step further and introduced the lime green sofa to Facebook on her group The Last Homely House East of the Sea.

The Lime Green Sofa Facebook group has only been up for a few weeks, but it too has just exploded.  I have no idea how many members are there already, but the group continues to grow daily.

One woman!  One woman sitting in the comfort of her sewing room where her computer sits off to one side, has connected thousands of like-minded people!

I don't know about you, but it seems to me that she has accomplished more in her short time on Youtube, than any celebrity or politician has in their entire lifetime.

Well done Kate...and Norma, and Eileen....

Who are they, you ask?  

Not telling - find out for yourself!

I have found new friendships, some even close to my own home.  Think of it - a woman half the world away has introduced me to someone in my own area. 

Let that sink in awhile - 

The World IS a Wonderful place - because of people like our Dear Kate.  

Kate  - Thank You from the bottom of my heart.  You have made a difference - and in my mind - that counts for so much more than most of us can hope to accomplish in our lifetime!

October is Out - November is Moving in!

 It seems to me that October went by very fast this year!  

As October's go, it was a particularly special one this year.  I turned 65 on the 13th, and although I really don't get into the number aspect of age a whole lot, I have to admit that this one stung, just a tiny little bit.

The very first thing I thought about on my birthday was my Mom.  She was 61 when she passed away in 1984 - four years younger than I am now, and yet somehow, I considered her a lot older than I believe people consider me.  Does that make sense?  Maybe I am the only one who thinks this - maybe everyone else does think of me as an elderly person - who knows!  

But all that "thinking" has passed now, and instead of pondering my age, I am moving forward to new ventures.  My body may reflect my age, but my mind is that of a much younger person... or again - so I believe!

So what new ventures are ahead, you ask?

Well for one thing, I really want to get my Youtube channel running better than it is.  I need a better camera and some editing capabilities so I can progress to more professional looking Vlogs and Podcasts.  My equipment is pathetic and very frustrating to work with - that has to change - and soon!

Secondly I am determined to get my Etsy shop up and running before Christmas.  I have a lot of work to do towards that end, but hopefully now that gardening season is really over I will have time to really devote to this task.

To that end, I am organizing my studio ( again).  I need space to store my Etsy inventory, I need space to do my packaging/ shipping stuff, and I need to get my computer organized to handle all the "business" end of my shop.

Filling the shop won't be a problem - I have more than enough to open the shop already.

I also am planning A Special Advent Calendar Event on my Youtube channel for this season's Advent.  Starting on Sunday November 29th, I will be doing a video a day for Advent.  Consider it a door opened every day, but instead of getting a piece of candy or chocolate, you will get some kind of Advent treat - from me.

There will be music, crafts, stories, baking, readings, decorating... something different every day from November 29 until Christmas Eve.  

I will be co-ordinating my event with my blog.  So for instance, if we are going to make something together - I will post the pattern or recipe, here on my blog several days before the video - so you can gather your supplies and make along with me.  

I will also post the schedule for the videos a week in advance here on the blog, so you can see what is coming up every day for that week.

I can't wait to get started, I think it will be a fun way to get us to Christmas Eve during a time, when fun is difficult to imagine.  If you are stuck at home - join me - I think you will be entertained enough to want to come back every day for the entire month.

So Out with October 2020 - November is just around the corner - and it's going to be a busy Month!

Stay well everyone.

OCTOBER IS HERE!

 

Can you believe it's October 1st already?  Where on earth did the summer go?

Here in Manitoba Canada, we are just weeks away from our first snowfall.  Yes, snow!  Typically our first snow is around Halloween, but last year we had a huge snowstorm on the Thanksgiving Long Weekend ( the second week of October).  

That wasn't normal, and no one was near ready to start winter that early - but we did - the snow stayed until April... it was a very long winter indeed!

Hopefully there won't be a repeat of that event this year.

As nasty as last fall was, this fall has been glorious.  The colours have been brilliant this year, and although a lot of the leaves are already on the ground, there are still some places around where you can find some gorgeous fall colours.

I took these photos a week ago on one of my morning walks...

As pretty as these colours are, nothing beats our unbelievable prairie skies - especially when they frame a golden crop of corn waiting to be harvested.

I took this photo this week while we were stopped on the highway for construction vehicles to pass.  There was a storm promised for later that day, and in this photo you can start to see the clouds moving in to the area.  The combination of blue sky, huge puffy clouds and the golden dying stalks of the corn just took my breath away.

Is that not a beautiful view of a approaching storm?

I hope we get more days like this one through the month of October.

So much nicer than snow...

MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL - LITERALLY!

 Yesterday I walked past my front steps on the way across the street to my neighbours house.  As always my eyes sought out my flower beds that flank each side of the stone steps leading to my front door. 

My eyes were checking out my fall daisy plants which are just about ready to burst out in beautiful little purple - blue blossoms, and then I noticed a pile of dirt, which I couldn't remember being there before.

I stopped walking and really took a good look and there was not one mound of dirt, but 6 mounds in formation that loosely resembled a question mark.  it took me a minute to realize that I was looking at a series of mole hills appearing like a mini-city in my flower beds and front lawn.

It's not the first time we have had moles on our property.  The last time was about 4 years ago, when mounds started appearing in our large garden in the back yard.  It was early spring, and I had not yet planted my garden, but it took no time at all until the yard was covered with hills.  

I had seen mole hills many times at my Uncle's farm, I knew about them, but never was much concerned whether they were there or not.  Mole hills in my own yard - well that was a horse of a different colour.

I immediately set about trying to find someone in town to "deal" with my problem.  I remember asking several people what I should do.  One suggestion was stick some Juicy-Fruit gum in the hole for them to eat - and then they would blow up!  Yuk.  

Another suggestion was to put a hose down the hole and drown them out - Yuk, Yuk!

We went to the hardware store looking for a trap and honestly there were no traps at all!

In the end a kind old fellow came to my aide, and with a trap that looked like a guillotine turned supreme torture chamber -  he trapped and disposed of the critter without my even seeing it. Yeah!

So here we are - four years later and they have decided to take up residence in my yard again.  Once again I am asking for help from my neighbours - mostly retired farmers.  You'd think they have traps?

Apparently not - they left them on the farm -  have never needed them in town! 

Really?  Never?  I'm from the city, and now I have needed them twice!

Again I get the advice on how to trap them.  Find the hole, put the trap in, don't cover the hole, some say... cover the hole tightly, say others!

I'm told they have claws like a badger... are the size of a large rat.... are ugly beyond description.... 

Do I want to do this?  Do I want to see this mole?  NO and NO!

And then I look outside and overnight they have added another house to their town!

Now I am told that each mound of dirt is a room.  You know - one to store food - a birthing room - I guess they have a living room and a bathroom?  No Sunroom tho - they don't like light.

Hubby has warned I am on my own with this -and I just want to stay up in my studio and keep writing!

Am I making a Mountain out of several Molehills?

You bet I am!  I'm procrastinating too!

I don't even have a trap yet!

OH could someone please come over and deal with this for me!!

I can't call the old guy who helped me before - he was killed in a tragic accident just months after he got my mole.  I'm so sorry Mr. Blake - we all miss you so much!

I think I am being tested.  Buck up, city girl - you're in the country now - get some grit!

I need to take a deep breath, get off this desk chair and get to the hardware store!  Do I really have to do this?  Really?

Pray for me... or pray for the mole... I don't know.  Maybe pray for us both!

Wish me luck?

I'm getting off the chair now....

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN FALL - EXCEPT MAYBE THIS "OVEN APPLE PANCAKE!"

 I'm not sure there is anything better than the season, of Autumn /Fall.  Mother nature pulls out all the stops on this the last true season of the year, and even if for some of us the season is rather short - it still is as beautiful and glorious as they come!

It happens to be my favourite season.  I was born in this season, so that might explain why I love it so much, but I think it's the way that fall prepares us for a different pace that I love the best.

The colours are spectacular, but then the leaves are shed and cover the ground... Mother Nature is saying "Gather your blankets, harvest the food that I have grown for you, rest now, gather your strength - I'll turn down the light and make your days shorter."

I try to allow Fall's influence into my life, by doing some of the things that the season suggests.

I gather my harvest and store it for the winter.  I pick up my knitting needles that have been sitting in a bag most of the summer forgotten, and I get back to making those socks, and blankets, mittens and shawls. 

 I go to bed earlier,  I sleep much better;  I make more hot satisfying meals, and I take more time enjoying those meals.

Fall is the only time we get to pick apples from the tree and this year the apples are plentiful in our community.  On my walks around town I have been watching trees load themselves with plump apples for the past couple of months.  And now they are ready to pick.

Everyone is giving apples away here, it's been an incredible harvest this year.

My neighbour picked 500 lbs of apples from one little tree and very kindly shared a garden-wagon full of them with me.

So yesterday I spent my day peeling coring and freezing apples to use this winter.  

One of my favourite things to make with apples is   OVEN APPLE PANCAKE.  I thought I had shared the recipe here before, but I can't locate it so, I am going to share it again.  

It's perfect for Brunch, or a special breakfast, or even an evening meal.  We have ours for our supper  along with some sausages or ham.  It is a recipe that you will make over and over again - I can promise you that!

So here is the recipe.

Note:  I make my pancake in a quiche dish, or a very deep pie plate because the batter really expands and will go over a regular sized pie plate.

OVEN APPLE PANCAKE:

1/4 cup butter 

1/3 cup brown sugar

Ground Cinnamon, light sprinkle

3 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

2-4 apples ( enough to cover the bottom of your pan) peeled, cored and sliced

Set oven to 425F

Melt butter in your pie plate or quiche pan. Stir brown sugar into melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon.  Place apples over sugar mixture, enough to cover the bottom of your dish and cook in oven for 10 minutes.

Beat eggs, add milk, salt and flour.  Stir to moisten.  Pour over apples, return to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve inverted so the apples and syrup are on the top.

Enjoy! 

SEVEN MONTHS OF CHANGE!

 It's been seven months since my last blog post.  Looking back at the last few posts I had written I realize that the world is a much different place than it was even seven months ago!

Hello Everyone!  Welcome back to Erndalesnmore!

It has been much too long since I sat down at my computer and wrote anything, quite frankly.  I'm not even sure why that is - but it is a fact!

The Pandemic is here, it hadn't quite reached us here in Canada in February, but unbeknown to us, it was very close indeed!

We have gone through the first wave, and now if the authorities are correct, we are about to hit the second wave.  We have all faced challenges, some who have lost loved ones have faced unbearable heartache.

Personally I believe we should all have learned something very valuable through this experience, however the human race being what it is, I don't think that has necessarily happened.

So Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 have come and gone.  We will never see this time again. 

I hope you kept well and I hoped you kept busy doing the things you love, as much as possible.

Long before the Pandemic I had decided to completely revamp my gardens in our back yard.  I had been planning and drawing out plans for months by the time that spring hit, so when it did I went into action and made that project my reason to get up and outside each and every morning!

I can tell you I worked like a dog!  ( where did that saying come from anyway?)  But I did.  I moved structures, I dug, I planted, I made new structures, I weeded, I trimmed, I chopped, I carried, I hauled, and occasionally I sat and observed and changed my plan.

My Year 1 overhaul plan worked.  My garden plan was everything I'd hoped it would be - and then some.  

I took video of my progress from April to the September, and those video's are all on my Youtube channel "Whatever the weather may be".  If you are interested pour yourself a coffee and check them out.

Here is a brief  view of my progress...

I can't wait for Year 2 of my garden plan to come to fruition.  But until then, it will be more planning, more drawing and more dreaming!

A POSSESSED KNITTER!

It's about bout time I got back on here and wrote another blog, I'm thinking!  Good intentions sometimes don't really turn out the way we intended - that certainly seems to be the case with me, of late.

But I'm here now, and really I have been kind of busy doing a lot of different things.

Let's catch up...

So here we are, already almost halfway through the month of February.  How did that happen?

I've been knitting like a possessed woman - really I have.  I can't seem to help myself.

So here is what's currently on the needles.

 First - The Ardent Shawl - which I am making for my daughter-in law, Sasha.  I have only started this project, so there is a lot to do on this one.

Second, I am slowly depleting my small ball stash of yarn with this project  - the Mitered Square blanket.  This piece is starting to get quite warm to sit under while I work on it, so I might soon put this one away until fall, and finish it then.  It's bright, colourful and will make a nice large blanket to snuggle under when watching TV next winter.

Next I decided to treat myself to a Subscription kit, from Annie's.  This is a knit sampler afghan.  Every month I will receive yarn and patterns for squares until the  afghan is complete.  I received my first month at the beginning of the month, in the kit was two skeins of yarn, bamboo needles, patterns for  the first three blocks, a cable needle, a darning needle and some stitch markers. 

The blocks I am working on are indicated in the picture below,  and the second image is what the completed afghan will look like.

 

I also have a pair of socks on the go.  I'm loving the way these are turning out.

I have completed a few things as well.  

First here is the first Ardent shawl I made - this one for myself.  It turned out beautiful.  I think Sasha's will be even nicer as it is in a much finer yarn so the lace will be more noticeable in her shawl.

Then I made this little bookmark for one of my piano student's who had a birthday last week.

And Valentine's gifts for the grand-daughters - handmade scrunchies and headbands.

As well as a little black beanie hat with a rainbow pompom , which was special requested by 5 yr old Azaria.

See what I mean by possessed?

Seriously I have even out-done my own self!  

However all this creativity has moved time along and today I actually spent time taking slips from last year's geraniums for this year's planting season.  I ended up with 24 new plants for my pots all over the yard this summer.  How wonderful!

I don't know about you, but I have worn myself out... so I'm headed downstairs to watch the final two episodes of season 3 of the Crown.

Spring is coming - and I will talk about that next time!

Till then...