My brain is significantly challenged of late - maybe it has spring fever - maybe it has shut down completely because this year it seems as if spring is nowhere to be found.  Maybe my brain is just overloaded with things in life that are getting it down - whatever it is - I find myself totally unable to come up with today's post.

So I went back to last year's post on this day.  I seems this day a year ago I was starting my mini-series on the old travel trunk I lugged home from the church rummage sale.  Do you remember that story?

I had forgotten it myself, so I spent a little time reading my posts of last year.  That old trunk is kinda cool and the journey it took me on (without leaving my house) was cooler yet.

So today I'll take you back a year.  If you have already read this - then you get a day off...

Happy Travelling!

http://erndalesnmore.blogspot.ca/2012/04/its-all-about-case.html

It's Got to be MONDAY!

Happy Monday!  Hope it is a nicer day where you are than where I am.  We are having yet another snow storm, and for April 15th - it is pretty depressing.

As I stepped out the door at 6:30 this morning - this is what greeted me  - funny how the flash makes the snow look like big white blobs.

 And my morning commute looked like this...

Mostly wet on the roads but will all turn to ice if the weather gets colder later today and tonight.

I kind of like this last picture - looks like something artsy -fartsy from a different part of the world - but it's good old River and Osborne this morning@ 6:45.

And here I was worried about what I would blog about today - silly me!

Pucker Up!

We made it to the end of the work week - I think we deserve a treat for all our hard work this week!

And have I got some awesome treats for you!

For some reason I have been fixated with lemons of late.  It started at Easter when my SIL made a delicious Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert.  I only had 1 piece but for some reason it whet my appetite for more Lemon.

On Tuesday one of the doctors I work for took me out for lunch as a thank you for all my hard work.  This lunch was supposed to happen at Christmas time, but we just were never able to schedule it.  Anyway we went to a French Bistro, and I had a lovely Broccoli Quiche - which was so good, but the highlight of the meal was the Lemon Torte we had for dessert.  The crust was made from Almonds, and the filling was definitely not from a box.  It was the most incredible lemon experience of my life - seriously - it was out of this world amazing.

I really hope you like Lemon - cause you are going to get a lot of it in the next few minutes.  Nothing says spring and summer like Lemon - both the color and taste.

So my gift to you for your long week is these incredible recipes.  Of course you have to do the work to enjoy my gift - but I'm sure if you are a lemon lover, you will be more than anxious to try these out...  Try one, or try them all - the choice it yours - so Enjoy!

My thanks to all the wonderful creators of these recipes...

So here we go -


Main Courses:


Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken
http://www.therecipecritic.com/2013/03/slow-cooker-lemon-pepper-chicken.html

Lemon Roasted Potatoes
http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/roasted-lemon-potatoes

Roasted Lemon Garlic Herb Shrimp
http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/roasted-lemon-garlic-herb-shrimp

Lemon Pasta Salad
http://thepajamachef.com/2013/04/03/neelys-lemon-pasta-salad

Lemon Pepper Asparagus
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/lemon-pepper-asparagus/

Lemon Chicken Spinach Soup
http://www.diettaste.com/soups/lemon-chicken-and-spinach-soup.html

Lemon Pancakes with Lemon Syrup
http://www.jensfavoritecookies.com/2013/03/22/lemon-pancakes-with-lemon-syrup/#.UWbFmaJQFc0



Desserts:

Lemon Supreme Rice Krispie Treats
http://www.sweetasacookie.com/2013/04/lemon-supreme-rice-krispies-treats.html

Lemon Blueberry Bread
http://www.ericasweettooth.com/2012/05/lemon-blueberry-bread.html

Lemon Pudding Poke Cake
http://www.ilovemydisorganizedlife.com/2013/04/lemon-pudding-poke-cake.html

Light as a Cloud Lemon Mousse
http://amusingmamma.blogspot.ca/2013/03/light-as-cloud-lemon-mousse.html


Have a safe and Happy Weekend!

Stash Buster Thursday - Knitted Dishcloth!

One of the best ways to learn new crochet and knit stitches is in making test squares.  I do it all the time when I am learning a stitch - I make a square.  After awhile if you are like me, you tend to end up with totes full of  squares - of course with the intention of someday putting them together for a fabulous sampler afghan - or two - or three ...

Help is on the way!  If you really want to make the afghan - or 2 or 3 - then by all means go ahead and use up your yarn stash in this way.  Personally I favour the idea of making those test squares into something a bit more useful - like for instance - dishcloths!

Can you ever have enough dishcloths?  I don't think so!

So if I see some Handicrafter Cotton on sale in the pound-sized balls I buy a couple.  I love the variegated ones, but for my own kitchen I prefer the white or ivory  because I tend to bleach my dishcloths to death - so no sense waisting all that pretty color.

I'm going to start the dishcloth series with a couple of fairly basic stitches.  Today's will be a knit square using knit and purl stitches only- and creating a cute striped and checked pattern.  If you don't want your dishcloth as large as mine ( 8"x 6.5")  reduce the number of stitches you cast on in  multiples of 2!  This is a perfect beginner dishcloth, and when finished has some nice texture to scrub those dishes clean!

Knitted Dishcloth.

Worsted Weight Cotton
Size 7 (4.5mm) straight needles.

Cast on 42 stitches.

ROW 1 & 2 - Knit

ROW 3 (RS) - K2, *P2, K2; rep from * across

ROW 4  - P2 *K2,P2; rep from * across

ROW 5 & 6 - Knit

ROW 7 - Repeat ROW 4

ROW 8 - Repeat ROW3

Repeat ROWS 1-8  (5) times, and then ROWS 1-6 once more.  Bind off.


Next week I will have a pattern for a very pretty round dishcloth in Knit. 

Happy knitting!

Why Dolls?

Isn't this the neatest picture?  It surfaced on one of my doll groups on Facebook last week and I just had to share it with you.  This is Charlie Chaplin - and his doll.

So many people think that doll collecting is weird.  I've heard us referred to as "strange", "lonely", "deprived as children" etc.  Some say it's downright creepy... and yet there are thousands of us out there... probably millions.

This says it perfectly - taken from curiocabinetspot.com
http://www.curiocabinetspot.com/collections-in-curios-doll-collecting
The history of humanity is full of unique and beautiful works of art. Paintings, sculptures, great works of literature, all of these things show us how we as a species have evolved by showcasing the gradual progression and shifting of styles in these various works. Dolls are one of these art styles that have existed for as long as we have. Dolls have been in existence from the time of the very first humans and are likely to continue to be created for years to come; and for nearly as long as they have existed, people have loved to own, create, and collect these works of art.

The varieties of dolls that exist are many and the people who collect them can are as varied as the collections themselves.

How is it creepy?  They are pretty (mostly) childhood toys - what's so creepy about that?  We are not talking about gross things like stuffed dead insects, we are talking about pretty dolls dressed in pretty clothing of their era.

Charlie Chaplin was obviously enamoured with his doll, as have many celebrities been over the years.

Many people, male and female collect dolls; people from all walks of life.

Here are a few you might recognize.

Actress Demi Moore - has a massive doll collection.  She has over 3000 contemporary art dolls and thousands of Barbies and GI Joes.

Novelist Anne Rice collects dolls...

John Wayne collected Hopi Indian Kachina dolls... his large collection of dolls are now in a museum.

Britney Spears has a large porcelain and antique doll collection.

Annette Funicello collected dolls - and she also had a doll made in her likeness in the 1960's... strangely enough I was researching this very collector on Monday  - the day she passed away.

Well call me creepy - I love dolls.  They are happy and pleasant to look at  - and NO their eyes do not follow me around the house...

It's a hobby - a darn fun one, too... and at some point, I'm hoping it might be a great retirement business - if I can actually part with them - that is!

The Power of Love!

Every so often, if we are lucky, we are blessed to witness the true power of what Love can do.

I had one of these moments last week.

Friends of ours - a couple who have been married for 30 some years have recently been going through a very rough spot in life.  They have weathered many rough spots before, but this has been extremely difficult for them both.

Last year, they decided move back to Manitoba, and so they started the ball in motion that would get them here.  Their plan was solid, they took all the right steps to make the move from one province to another and almost right from the beginning - nothing went right.

They have no children - so it's been just the two of them all their years together.  So they put their home up for sale and bought a different home in their new location.  She moved to the new home in November, started a new job and he planned on joining her once their home sold.  It should have been straight forward - but it wasn't.

She got sick as soon as they moved into the new house.  Seriously ill - cancer.  She had started her new job, but had to quit to start cancer treatments right away.  He had to return to sell their home and work his job, until the house sold.

Every prospective buyer fell through.  Christmas came and went, he came for a weeks visit, but had to go back again.  She was slated for major surgery in February, and he was able to get a month's leave to be with her through the surgery.  But again he had to go back - their property still was not sold, and he still had his job.

They both struggled, but I only saw her in the months through this ordeal.  She was fearful of the future, she struggled to understand the whys of their situation.  She mourned the property they were selling and she began to resent the new home that they had planned to spend their future years in.  She missed him terribly, and he her.

Their property finally sold - 5 months after this journey had begun. Finally their stars seem to be in the right place at the right time.

She continues treatment, and he was back for Easter last week.  In three weeks he will be here permanently.

We spent some time with them last week, it being the first time I had seen them together in quite awhile.
I was amazed at the difference in my friend.  Her eyes shone, her smile was radiant, and she was so happy... and it was because he was there.

If there was ever two people who need to be together - it's these two.  I watched them as we visited.  When she talked, he listened and smiled.  When he talked she listened, and smiled.  Their joy at being together was so obvious and so refreshing, it made me smile.

The power of her love for her spouse, and his for her,  has brought my friend back.  Yes she still has a steep hill to climb - but climb it she will... and so will he, right beside her every step of the way.

That's the true power of Love...


And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

I'm Back!

How is it possible that a weeks vacation can fly by so quickly when a work week does not?  I am feeling very out-of-sorts having to get up early this morning and get ready for work all the while my mind is on something else I'd much rather be doing at home.

So please allow me my small pity party for one - just for today!

What did I do on my week off?

The week off started with an awesome Easter dinner with my brother and his family.  Thank you Dean, Wendy and Leigh for the wonderful meal and a great evening.

Then it was me time.

 I read three books from my collection of my favorite author, Lavyrle Spencer.  She no longer writes, but I have all her books and it has been years since I sat and read any of her stories.  Total enjoyment was mine as I read "The Gamble" and "Vows" and my forever favorite "Years".  I have read "Years" so many times, and it still is my favorite book of all.

I did some crocheting (shoes for Cathy). Which I then starched with Stiffy and embellished with sequins, beads, bows etc.  They turned out adorable but I have yet to take pictures  - I'll try and get that done this week.

I tried sewing a dress for one of my Cathy's - but the bodice ended up being too small.  I didn't have any spare material so I chucked it in the trash and am now waiting for some Divine inspiration to make use of the skirt part of the dress.  Hummm....

I had a nap almost every afternoon at 2...

 I had a wonderful visit with some friends...

And I inherited a glass fronted bookcase for my dolls, which I intend to completely revamp, but for now I cleaned it up and filled it up in my now very crowded work room.

I did manage to finish one outfit.  This is one I have been knitting for awhile.  This doll is one of my own childhood dolls, and I wanted to dress her in something that would fit her age - since she is a early 1960's gal, I thought I would dress her as a Mom of that era - I think she turned out perfectly... she looks like a 1960's Mom ready for church...  what do you think?

She looked so lovely standing in my dining area, but she since has been moved to the cabinet in my work room.

And that was pretty much my week...