Month: August 2015

Finished Project–Ugg-Inspired Knitted Slippers

slippersI finished these slippers this weekend, after putting them away for a few weeks. I originally started them when Mom was first admitted to the hospital. I thought she would love some toasty, Ugg-inspired slippers to wear as she recovered. After she passed away, I didn’t have the heart to work on them, but I finally picked them back up on Saturday and sprinted to the finish line.

slippers 2

Here’s the details:

Pattern Name: Little Red Riding Slippers by Drops Designs. The original pattern was poorly written, so after searching Ravelry, I found rewritten instructions for both the main slipper and cable cuff.

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick Solids. Spice colorway. Required two full skeins plus a little more from a third. I made the largest size so the smaller sizes could probably get by with two.

Needles: Size 10 DPN.

Overall, I liked the way these turned out, and they were a quick, fun knit. Since I am not a fan of the yarn, I would probably select something else next time. However, as a rule, I buy bargain yarn for slippers as you really do have to factor in the wear and tear element.

Next on the knitting docket is something just for fun with a beautiful yarn I picked up on vacation earlier in the summer. However, I did spot a pattern for adorable pumpkin dishcloths this weekend that may be calling my name too.

But alas, it’s Monday. You know what that means, right? My house looks like a tornado ripped through it and I was hit with a rush job from a client first thing this morning. Guess I better get to work, because contrary to popular opinion, the fairies don’t keep this circus running.

 

Tasty Tuesday–Hot Sausage Cornbread With Jalapenos and Black-Eyed Peas

I’m back in the kitchen so let’s make something tasty, shall we? This recipe of is one of my husband’s favorites. My mom used to make it frequently, and it’s practically a meal unto itself. Laced with spicy sausage, corn, cheese  and black-eyed peas, it’s a snapshot of southern traditions. You can serve it plain, or add some salsa or sour cream on the side if you’re really feeling rebellious.

bread

Hot Sausage Cornbread with Jalapenos and Black-Eyed Peas

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Servings 44 mini muffins

Notes

Ingredients
  • 1          lb         hot bulk pork sausage
  • 1                      medium onion, chopped
  • 1          box      corn muffin mix (Jiffy Mix)
  • 2                      eggs
  • 1/3      cup      vegetable oil
  • 1          cup      buttermilk
  • 1          cup      grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/4      cup      chopped jalapeno (jarred jalapenos are fine)
  • 1                      (15-oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1                      (7-oz.) can cream-style corn
Preparation
1) In a medium skillet, brown sausage and onion until the sausage is thoroughly cooked. Drain off any excess fat, and set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, combine corn muffin mix, eggs, oil and buttermilk, stirring until blended and smooth. Add cheese, jalapeno, peas, corn and sausage mixture, stirring well to combine. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 casserole.
3) Bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and let sit for at least 20 minutes for bread to set before slicing and serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

The Point at Which My Heart Broke

B and G

So, yeah. I don’t even know how to start. Last summer was, what I thought, the worst summer ever. I lost my grandmother and dealt with the grief that came from realizing how much her passing affected relationships with our extended family. Dealing with that grief was a long, slow climb to acceptance, with plenty of setbacks along the way. My sister and I vowed that this summer had to be better. We’d have fun, and wash away the last of those bitter memories.

And then my mom called. She hadn’t been feeling well and the doctor sent her to the hospital for some tests. She told me not to worry, to enjoy my weekend, and talked about taking the Heathens to a movie that next week. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there and that’s a long story for another day. Three weeks later, we lost her after an exhausting fight for hope and healing. She was only 57.

Grief like this is an acid that is constantly bubbling in the back of your throat. It robs you of common sense, good judgement, and makes you do and say a lot of things you regret. That’s why I don’t want to write about it just yet. I need time to let wisdom come out of the chaos. However, in the midst of the suffocating fog, there have been incredible family and friends who lifted us up and carried us through. That has helped me get barely back into perspective, and is holding me up as we try to move forward. Right now, every day is a battle to breathe, but I know I’ll learn something through this process.

What I realized so far is that I have been so busy working and keeping things going over the past year that I’ve stopped doing so many things that bring me joy. My camera has a layer of dust on it. My knitting bag sits abandoned. I’ve thrown together meals thoughtlessly when I love to cook. I can’t even tell you the last time I went to the gym or finished a book. I’ve just been plodding along, and if I look back over the past year, I feel like it just passed me by. Then, this tragedy changed my world overnight.

So, if there is one thing my mom taught me, it’s that if you don’t like the way things are going, get off your ass and do something about it. She was the hardest working person I knew, and her memory reminds me that my family deserves a mom who checks back into life and promotes joy in all things. One day, when I can write about this, I will. But for now, I’ll commit to making the effort to shake off this fog and live. If that wisdom and serenity part could just hurry up, I sure would appreciate it.