Holiday knitblogging and the usual suspects

OMG it's still October, right? Then why the #%$*@ is there xmas stuff everywhere? What happened to xmas decorations and advertising after Thanksgiving? I can understand how greed has convinced merchants to start the xmas push right after Halloween -- xmas is the biggest holiday after all. But we've now seen this stuff since the first week in October. And one store was even playing carols. Ugh!


The xmas displays did prompt us to make our holiday knits lists. And we've started buying the yarn and collecting patterns for the gifting. And then today I realized: I cannot blog about most of those projects because our families read our darned blog. Ahhhh!


Therefore, there isn't much to report in knitting news. The Opinionated Knitter arrived. Immediately thereafter I bought a bunch of Koigu Kersti and CO for the BSJ. The yarn is heaven and the price . . . geez. But it is worth it. Now if I only had a baby. But only as a model. I'm not having vomit on my Koigu BSJ.



Otherwise, we bought yarn and needles. Whoopie! Too bad I can't talk about upcoming projects.

In construction news:


The shed is painted and shingled! We bought two small windows to install. The shed must have a ventilation system and we decided that shutters and flower boxes would be way cuter than stinky old vents.


Plans have begun for the spring gardens. We bought a bunch of bulbs -- tulips, hyacinth, daffodils, crocus -- that will be going in the ground soon. And we've set up the indoor greenhouse to overwinter a few plants and to store all of Tony's Orchids that we still need to move over.


In baking news:


This is Confetti Bread: shredded carrots, zucchini, green onions, red bell pepper, thyme and yeasty goodness. It's like a salad and bread all mixed together and it smells like a Mazzio's Pizza restaurant.


This is my fourth loaf this year. We made two of the pumpkin breads and one plain white loaf prior to this one.


Before anyone thinks I'm a bread genius I should disclose that all my bread recipes come from Better Homes and Gardens: The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking. Which can be found here. I think this is an excellent book and have yet to make a bad loaf.


Finally, we have two orchids in bloom. I think this one is very sweet.




This one, on the other hand, is just scary. Of course, it is Tony's favorite.

She sits on my desk and perfumes the entire room. Not in a good way. Tony loves the scent but I think shes a bit stinky. To me, she smells like old people: flowers and ointment. blech!

Later all,

Eric