It hasn’t been a very exciting week around our place and I doubt anyone wants to read about our icky weather. We purchased a brand new John Deere skidsteer in 2000 when we owned an excavating business. It’s our most used piece of equipment and my favorite to run. The tires were original and it was time to purchase new ones–you think car tires are expensive–try buying these!–
I’ve done some cooking this week–made hamburger buns so we could have Pioneer Woman’s sloppy joes. I’ve made Instant Pot oatmeal a couple mornings. I combine regular oats and steel cut oats, add a bit of brown sugar, a chopped apple, water and milk, cook for 4 minutes and we have breakfast. I’ve seen it said, “there is nothing “instant” about an Instant Pot” and that’s the absolute truth. I timed the oatmeal this week–by the time the Instant Pot comes up to pressure, cooks, and sits to allow some of the pressure to escape it’s 15 minutes. The oats only cook for 4 minutes but there is all that “pressure” stuff to add to the time.
Finally after more than six months, probably closer to a year I am back to doing yoga. I can get down on the floor with my new knee and even kneel on the knee if there is some padding beneath it. I love yoga!
I’ve been creative. I made two of these bags as Christmas gifts for Katie and Laci, our granddaughters, from fabric that was in their mother’s stash when she died. I liked the bags so much I decided I needed one, and I can see myself making more of these bags.
And I’m knitting. I’ve started a sweater and have a shawl in the works too. I normally only do one project at a time but the sweater requires all my concentration and I can’t knit the sweater plus watch TV. So, I started this shawl from a kit I purchased in 2020 during covid–it’s mindless knitting although I’ve had to rip back a few rows twice now from not paying attention to which row I happen to be knitting!
I’ve read some books lately–City of a Thousand Gates by Rebecca Sacks, From Scratch; A Memoir by Tembi Locke, and Into The Water by Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl On The Train.
Geoff, Nancy and Shirley came for Sunday brunch. It’s the first time we’ve seen them since October last year. I made an egg casserole–I’ve had the recipe forever and I made monkey bread plus a fruit salad. We had such a good time eating and catching up. Nancy is a great gardener and brought me these beautiful tulips which will reside inside!
And yes, that is still snow out the windows beyond the tulips!
Restoration Cowboy Style 
I’ll have to check out PW sloppy joes. I love sloppy joes.
Your bag is beautiful, love the fabric.
I made cheese grit and sausage casserole for breakfast yesterday. We like it better than most egg casseroles. It does have 3 eggs in it!
Have a great week. We start our blacksmith conference Wednesday. We’ve got the Casita all shined up!
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I would love cheese grits with anything–the Cowboy–nope! Enjoy your week with all your blacksmithing friends!
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Those bags look real handy! Egg casserole huh? Recipe pls😁 Sorry you still have the snow up there but hopefully it will slowly melt soon & not cause flooding. Enjoying 70s weather here in Az. Glad you are able to do more normal stuff now with that new knee. Stay safe, Chloe
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Good to hear from you Chloe! My knee does feel like it belongs to me now if that makes any sense! I will send you the casserole recipe.
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How wonderful that you’re able to do yoga again! I love yoga and am missing a regular practice. I’m looking forward to getting back to it once we get settled in our tiny house community.
You always have so much in your posts that catches my attention: love your fabric bag, wondering if you recommend those books, and when the heck is spring coming your way??
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We normally don’t get leaves on our trees before about the 15th of May. I don’t put any planted flower pots outside until the first of June and even then I might have to bring the pots inside for the night if the temps drop too low. It will be spring soon and at least I wasn’t in Montana for the entire winter as some of our friends were! I will send you an email about the books. I can’t wait until you start writing blogs about the building of your tiny house.
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You are so brown and white and we are so green and colorful here in Arkansas. Brother dear has already cut one field of hay from winter grass planted late last fall. Love the bag! Do you recommend any of the books?
Love you,
Ann
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Yes, we are brown! There are some green shoots of grass starting to come up. I will send you an email about the books.
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Hi Janna! I think your week has been wonderful. I’ll take that over exciting any day! I love your bag! And you always pick the prettiest color yarn for your projects. We will have to swap egg casserole recipes sometime…I also have one I have used for years. It was always requested for Christmas morning for as long as I can remember. Sometimes, Joe and I have it for dinner. Your tulips sure add a touch of spring…fingers crossed it won’t be long. And I know you say the weather there is icky, but your pictures are so gorgeous! I can only imagine how expensive those tires were. I was shocked at the price of the 37” tires our jeep got last spring. Have a great week! I can’t believe it is already the last week of April…🤪
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We do love our lives don’t we Gay! I love color! I would love to have your egg casserole recipe–the one I use is so easy because you can prepare it the night before. Those tulips are making me smile–Nancy always brings the best hostess gifts! Snow on the mountains and blue skies does make for pretty photos.
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I love the bag. What pattern did you use?
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It’s called Sew Many Creations Tourist Tote Bag.
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I need that bag pattern. It looks like great fun and I could sure use a way to use up some of my stash. Quilting and knitting have taken a back seat lately. Every time I read your posts, I think I need to get out some knitting…but so far it is just thinking about it. Somehow life gets in the way. The last two weeks is a huge blur, since the Covid thing finally got me when I returned from the Rhine River cruise. Daughter didn’t get it, Mo didn’t get it, I got it for 13 days of moderate hell. But…testing negative two days in a row now…it is over at last. Maybe I can think about knitting or quilting again, or making a bag. Curious which egg casserole you made. I have a couple of recipes and think I will make one for the book club brunch next month. Hope you can find a book club there in Montana like you did in AZ. Happy spring…and wishing for you some flowers and daffodils sooner or later.
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I sent you a link to the bag pattern and the recipe in an email. I too am hoping we have spring soon–those tulips Nancy gave me as a hostess gift are making me happy!
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You’ve certainly had lots to keep you busy. Love both colors of yarn you are working with. The bag is awesome!! Great job. The tulips will remind you that spring may come your way soon:) Yes, still lots of snow in Utah. We had a little rain last night but the Henry’s got a fresh covering of snow. Lots of melting to happen up there.
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Lots of melting is going to happen in our mountains too–tons of snow up high! Yes, those tulips are making me smile! I’m going to make more of those bags–I just love them!
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Every time I see one of those skidsteers whipping around a field I think how much fun they must be to drive! Your cooking and crafts are sure keeping you busy – love the bag and knitting. I’m sure your tired of it, but those snow pics are so lovely.
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The skidsteer is so fun to drive! Thanks Jodee–spring is coming–our weather pattern seems to be changing for the better.
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It’s been cold and windy here as well. Looks like next week warms up.
I bought skid steer tires last year so, yes, I know how stud crazy they are. I was lucky enough to trade a cattle guard for a couple of them though!
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Mike does that some times–trades.
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