mistake

it has been some time since i made those Hot Cross buns…. don’t add the yeast to the dough with out proofing it first… just tried it and it is taking forever to rise… mix yeast with some of the milk (i use water instead of milk).. i think the yeast they suggest must have been the rapid yeast…so sorry…

Broken puter

After that big scare about that awful virus, i got a really bad spyware thingy.. couldn’t do a thing with the puter, so took it into local puter gal, and she fixed it up… had to laugh at Larry, he has always said he hated computers, but since he has been working on these old hit and miss engines, he has been looking for pictures and parts and books, well he was just pacing the floor waiting for the computer to come back…he almost knocked me out of the way to get to it…

The weather has been great the last few days, we went to Kamloops on Monday to get our passports, our pictures were rejected so had to go and get new ones, i was worried about the guarantor, but they just kept the original pictures and sent them along with the new ones., i have to go to  our local Wal-Mart and complain…those pictures cost me $22..they should know that their pictures are not good… one thing with “Service Canada”, they put you back in the front of the Queue when you come back… that way you don’t have to wait again, and again..

Sheep shearer was here last week too… he did 10 Shetlands, 4 alpacas, and the llama in 2  hours… he is fast, Larry had to remodel our barn, we have always sheared in the lean too next to the shop, but the barn works much better, that reminds me that i have to go out there and sweep up all the crappy alpaca fibre… their fleeces are very hairy… and the llama’s is terrible… I have finished spinning up the BFL(superwash), just need to ply it,dye it, and find the right pattern…Guild meeting today, i am starting on some lovely alpaca fibre from Kathy.. I also finished up Navajo plying some hand dyed silk… it is okay, my Navajo plying is not good… won’t be doing that again…going to get the pictures of the shawl done today, kind of hard to wear the shawl and take pictures of it…Spinning retreat the weekend after next… not fully booked, but will be nice..  Last summer we had a pair of Great Blue Herons living in the trees in the back, and we saw them back yesterday, so we are hoping that they will nest here this year… we are off the busy road, and right next to two rivers, Nicola River is a mile away, and Spuis Creek in 1/4 of a mile away..so easy fishing for them..

Jesse and i have several agility trials this summer.. there is a new group having a single day trial the end of May, so I have decided to put Dixie in it too, just for one class… costs $12 a class, and they are having 4 classes for her group, and i will probably kick myself for not entering her in all 4, but i don’t think she will do well, although she might surprise me… i am going to take her back to agility classes as a drop in, to get her back into the swing of things..I have going to the pool, riding the stationary bike, and exercising in the pool for an hour or so… just to get fitter, if that is a word..

Back from Guild meeting, not many of us there, but we had a few good laughs…I ended up taking Dixie with me, as she was sitting beside the truck waiting for me… she was good, visited everyone, and then laid down with her nose at the door, she would have loved to go walk about..got the pictures taken of my gift shawl, you will have to wait till after the retreat to see it..it turned out good..

Here is an excellent recipe for Hot Cross Buns

3.5 –4 cups flour

2 packages yeast (or two tablespoons)

1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup raisins

3/4 tsp salt

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast,cinnamon, heat milk, oil, sugar and salt, till warm 115 degrees

add to dry ingredients, add eggs, beat low speed for 1 minute to mix, then 3 minutes, add raisins, add remaining flour for a soft dough, shape into ball, grease and let rise till double, make into buns, let rise, brush tops with eggs whites, bake 375 for 12 to 15 minutes… ice the tops…enjoylll

 

I love WLW

Oh my goodness… it so much easier to insert pictures with this WLW… click on the picture and it is there, instantly…. no waiting… amazing…   this is Dixie after a trip to town with Larry, she won’t get out of his truck(also know as the chick magnet),..1985 Dodge Diesel ram… it is falling apart, but he loves his truck, good on fuel, 4 wheel drive, but it is like Fred Flintstones car you can stop it with your feet… holes in the floor boards… oh my goodness i love the easy of downloading pictures with WLW.. this is the first flower on my Hoya… Larry moved it outside last year, it was huge, probably 30 feet long and then i couldn’t get it hung back up, so i chopped it up, and took off two black garbage bags of tendrils.. i was afraid it wouldn’t flower this year, but it is growing like crazy and blooming.. and this is the Alpaca fleece that Barb McDonald sent me last week… lovely cinnamon, and a rich mahogany..i have decided to make a sideways vest.. with hand carded thick yarn.. i have some white from one of my old alpacas, i think the three colours will make a nice winter vest for agility…got my last gift shawl finished and blocked.. it looks good, will get a picture of it at next guild meeting, and will put it up when she gets it… Larry is off picking up some good junk from a neighbours… they have to move a hay shed, and it has tons of good junk around it… he has been there all day..so i am sure his truck is full…. can hardly wait to publish this, it is so easy now….try it out…

Technorati Tags: alpaca,hoya,dodge ram,dixie

Windows live writer..

 

took Damesfly’s advice and downloaded this new program… looks interesting… Have had a busy week… but didn’t get much accomplished…pool on Monday, Guild meeting on Wednesday… and pool again to day…  had Thursday all to myself, Larry went off to Lytton to get some parts for his engines sand blasted .. you can even change the font on this writer… i have been knitting a stole for a friend’s 60th birthday.. a lovely royal purple Merino from Aurelia Wools..i knit for a couple of hours after supper, and when i get tired i spin… been spinning up that “superwash BFL”  i wish i had found BFL years ago, i would have changed my little herd of sheep..i really like the fleece… got half a pound spun, and am going to start to ply it tonite…

Mom, brother, and his wife, and Mom’s friend Ham headed off to Reno this morning.. Gerry got the use of a timeshare condo for a week…not sure how Mom will handle being away for 10 days..she just turned 83..and it takes her a while to get moving in the morning these days… i am sure they will have a good time… it will the most time she has spent with Gerry since he left home 40 years ago… i am going to publish this just to see what it looks like…

Fibres West

Sheila and I met early this morning and headed out to Abbottsford for the 2nd annual Fibres West... first time i had been there... and it was good... Sheila and I arrived about 10:30 and were heading across the parking lot, when we heard "hey you guys" and turned around to see Lita, what a lovely surprise.. walked in the door and saw two old friends Irma and Vanessa who i haven't seen in years... 5 at least..it was great to see them... took me at least 20 minutes to get away from the front door, as friends kept coming in the door... lots of friends from the Retreats over the years, even met a lady that was at the very first retreat that i went to with the Chilliwack guild..that had to be 20 years ago...saw lots of good stuff, although i didn't need a thing..and was really good until i found some BFL superwash roving... i have a plan...so it is okay... i don't always have a plan, but i do have a plan for this stuff... it felt so nice... going to spin fine (what else) and dye some shade of pink... for a 60th birthday shawl... Karen dear Karen gave me some lovely stitch markers...can hardly wait to try them out... it was a nice day, we left about 2:30 and got home just before 5... i stopped for some Chinese take away... and was home by 5:30.... i am tired, so will finish this and head off to bed... agility tomorrow..
It was wonderful to see all my spinny buddies..wish i lived closer sometimes...oh well... Sheila and Andrea signed up for a weaving workshop in 100 mile, given by Eileen Shannon... wonderful spinner and weaver... she gave our guild it's very first fancy yarn workshop over 20 years ago..well i had better go to bed... read for a while and then crash... it was wonderful to see ya all... HUGs

Spring is almost here

Spring is almost here, but you sure couldn't tell it... it snows every night.. only a skiff, but snow none the less... our new neighbours(604's who are part time country folk) where up this past weekend, and went to Kamloops to buy some fruit trees... the ground is still frozen.. not sure what they bought or where they put them... I have been looking at the Alberta nursery catalogues, as we are losing all our pine trees, so we need something to replace them... they have good prices on oak, elm, ash, birch and willow trees, think i might buy 5 of each and just plant them in a garden box for a year or two... let them get bigger and acclimatized... they also have a "Honey berry" they say it is like a blueberry, but tastes like a wild blue berry...and is about 5 feet high and wide... going to get a pair (need a pollinator) for myself and two girlfriends who love blueberries...
Guild member and fellow spinner and I are off to Fibre West on Friday... should be fun... going to leave here about 8 am, it opens at 10 am so we should be there about 11... and should be home by supper..
Had the gang over for supper and cards on Saturday nite... roast beef done to perfection, mashed spuds, turnip and carrots, cauliflower and broccoli... and Yorkshire puddings..that didnot rise like they were suppose too... looked like hockey pucks... i just can't figure out why they were HUGE last time, and hockey pucks this time..oven was hot, oil was hot, and i mix them up around 2 pm, and beat them up every time i walked by them (Granny's recipe)..oh well will try again... and then fudge cake(another Granny recipe) for the guys and Angel food cake with raspberries... half a cake is only 160 calories...what a bonus for us girls..
I went to the pool yesterday, rode for a mile on the bike, and then spent an half an hour in the pool and 10 minutes in the hot tub... got home and fell asleep in my chair, and just couldn't wake up... slept for about an hour..sure felt good though
Got my last shawl finished last night... now just have to dress it, and that is my friends gift done... I have been spinning some lovely teal silk, not sure what i want, but i love to spin it... now i have to start another shawl, another friend is turning 60 in August... going to use a lovely royal purple from Aurelia Wools...not just have to figure out the pattern, i am thinking about the Feather and fan pattern, easy and would be great for her as she is very tall, and athletic, my Veterinarian, she says she is going to skip this birthday...
better go and get my books for the business done, the very last time....hopefully will see some of ya in Abbottsford on Friday....

What happened to Global warming

-9 here this morning..and only warmed up to -5 during the day...sun is shining and the wind is blowing..have no idea what the wind chill will be... too damn cold that is for sure...

Jesse and I went to Agility trial in Kamloops yesterday..the arena was on the Thompson River, and the wind was blowing..it was really really cold...lucky we were inside, but Jesse wore her sweater all day, we had a good day, although we didn't qualify in anything...we ran a clean run in Jumpers , but over time... they gave us 47 seconds and it took us (me) 62... then we messed up in Gamblers,she missed the last two jumps.. then Jesse decided to go around the first jump in the Standard, something she never does..so we had 5 faults that time.. and then in the Steeplechase, we were 1.25 seconds over the time. We did have a good time though... next one is in May, so we will have to work on our times, and i will need to start going to the pool, and walk on the tread mill there and then swim for half and hour, and then start walking the dogs every day.. I didn't eat enough while i was at the trial, and ended up with an upset stomach and i have a very queasy tummy...plus i didn't sleep very well on Saturday nite, and that always gives me an upset tummy... didn't make it home without upchucking(sorry to be so graphic) crawled into bed and stayed there till morning... still feeling weird today..
I have been working on the gift shawl and am not making any mistakes, which sure feels good...must try to get it finished soon...only about 15 rows of pattern left to do... well over 400 stitches in a row...
Did a bunch of laundry today... usually try to do it Sunday, but not this week...having the gang over for cards this weekend, need to figure out what we should have for supper...might just have roast beef, yorkshires, mashed garlic spuds, and veggies, fudge cake for the guys and Angel food cake (really low in calories) with blueberries for the girls..
Dont ya love the day light savings time... 15 to 7 and still daylight..
better go and get some knitting done....nite