Spring beads

Along with all the spring buds, I have spring beads. Yes, been busy beading. And have more projects to make, this week for a youth fundraiser at our church. These are the most recent creations, all of which I have given away, except for that orchid piece. I am usually not a pinkish/purple person, but I am partial to orchids. At least now that I took a class on how to understand those temperamental darlings!

My Kitchen Window

It's finally, hopefully, spring. Or at least it is today. Last week I did some spring cleaning, pulling all my jars of pasta and beans off the kitchen bay windowsill, and putting them in the pantry. Then I moved the orchids downstairs to give them a better view of the world, and more humidity, and discovered I liked the greenery there, so probably when the orchids move out to the screened porch (when the nights really warm up properly), then I will move the African violets to the same spot for the summer. Sort of a flowering rotation. With any luck, the orchids will launch some blooms for me next winter, after their summer vacation outside. Well, I can hope, can't I? And I have some young Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter cactus plants ready to fill in empty spots. Those always seem to be eager to bloom.

Book Pages

I love books and reading, so when I chanced on a new book about a book, I snatched it up, and got caught in its pages, and wanted to share the news. "The Book of Unholy Mischief", by Elle Newmark is a great historical novel about the Borgia pope in Italy and his minions. It takes place in Venice, in the Doge's palace, and especially the kitchen, where a master chef stirs up more than merely food. His concoctions have "special" spices which create moods in those who dine at the Doge's table, and these same spices have their origin in a mysterious cabinet, which houses a mysterious book. The chef takes pity on a young boy caught thieving in the marketplace, and brings him into his kitchen to train. Little by little the boy learns the cooking secrets of the chef, until he realizes that the cookbook in the mysterious cabinet might be the "book of alchemists" sought by the Pope and Doge. The plot thickens, drawing the boy's friends and enemies into the mix, and ultimately into the open, when both boy and master chef are forced to flee for their lives. Ms. Newmark's descriptions of pre-Renaissance Italy, its people in their public and private buildings, and the philosophical and scientific ideas which we take for granted but were only visions at that time, all combine to draw the reader deeper into a thrilling tale of culinary and theological mystery. This author has certainly stirred up a cioppino of delightful reading!

A Spring Walk

We heard the weather report last night about more rain and snow moving in to KC tonight. But this morning's temperature was mild, though extremely windy. So we decided to do our Powell Gardens walkabout instead of the treadmill. After indulging our senses in their orchid display at the main building, we trekked on out and about the pathways, avoiding geese as they gabbled about and considered nesting spots throughout the garden. My daffodils are in full bloom at home, but nothing beats seeing a whole sweep of daffodils in a big garden!Here and there you could catch sight of anemones in the grass, star flowers (same as mine), orangey-red tulips, magnolias which had most of their blooms, despite the frost and snow last week, redbuds almost opening, and yards of daffodils in all different bloom shades. White with apricot, white with yellow egg yolk, bright yellow, yellow with orange, yellow with white, just total feasts for the eye and soul!

Book pages

For those of you who know me, you know I am a BIG Paula Deen fan. It was almost a pilgrimage to eat at her restaurant in Savannah last year, "Lady and Sons" and if you skip WAY down my blog to the Savannah trip you can see that I was able to meet her ( well, not really, but it was a great replica cardboard cutout). So when I started reading a book by Kate Jacobs, the author of "The Friday Night Knitting Club", I was hooked. "Comfort Food" lives up to its name. It reads like a fictionalized account of another Paula Deen out there, Augusta Simpson. She used to run a luncheonette, was widowed, and had to raise her two girls by herself, and has two cats, Salt and Pepper. And she is a hostess of a cooking show on Foodtv. Well, as you can see some of the similarities, you can detect far more in the character study of Gus. I could visualize a Paula as she talked and interacted, through that entire book. It was awesome! It told a great family and relationship story, had great food, suspense (because maybe her show was on the rocks and getting canceled if she and it didn't change), a villain or two (her producer, and Miss Spain--I won't tell you how That one turns out), and funny dialogue. Kept me comforted indeed!

Easter chickies

Wanted to send off Easter boxes this week to grand nieces. Had some paperback children's books stashed, which I had bought at our church Book Fair a few weeks ago. Got some peeps, because how can you have Easter candy and NO peeps?!? Then I realized I didn't have any stuffed toys. And they had to be SMALL! To fit in the boxes. So got out some bright yellow yarn, made some pompoms, whipped them together, cut out orange beaks and black eyes from felt, glued them on, and stuffed them into the boxes, just barely fitting in. Best of all, hubby got the boxes mailed off today.

Cozy Knitting

Finally finished my winter time project, a shawl made with Lion Brand organic cotton. Started it back in December, but finishing it in time for Easter is a good thing. It is probably the most soft and cozy yarn I have ever worked with. I make dishcloths from cotton, but no cotton feels like this stuff. When our daughter-in-law comes for Easter dinner this year, she will have a new wrap in addition to a chocolate bunny!