I’ve been busy here, with one thing and another. Now to catch up a bit . . .
The view to downtown (south from my Mum’s place) a couple of days ago. We have dark clouds again this evening and I’m hoping for rain through tomorrow . . . for brunch that day, I added these
to this
and ended up with
. . . thanks to Delicious Delilah, whose output of kefir is increasing in quantity, so I have had to start being inventive with ways to use it all up. No pictures, sorry, but I did make some ‘cream cheese’ (1% milk, remember), added a bit of dried onion soup mix and let it sit while I cooked up a cup of the Lundbergs’ heavenly Brown Basmati rice. I used two cups of whey as the liquid and it gave the rice a bit of a tang. Then I mixed in more than half of the dip/whatever and I ate some hot and some later on cool. Just like the Pease Porridge (am I dating myself here? lol), it was perfect. I suspect it would be after nine days, too, but it won’t last that long. I’m drinking a smoothie a day, too.
Remember the shawl (the ‘simple garter stitch’ one? LOL). Here’s where it was at last time I mentioned it to you. And here’s where it’s at now . . .
When my Aunty first modelled it, it looked like this:
Now it looks like this:
And the ‘Mystery Crochet Project’ has also progressed:
And then, one of my best/worst habits sang its siren call once more. Having no mast to be tied to, and no trustworthy companions to tie me to it, I succumbed without a struggle . . . Isn’t this lovely? Too bad it’s just acrylic, but I’m not in a position to be buying lots of wools, etc., when I have a perfectly usable stash (and no, this is NOT from the stash . . . just don’t tell my family . . .)
This is a poorly lit picture of the first day’s work with that yarn:
This photo shows the colours more truely (can you see it’s been growing?):
This picture is brighter, but the colour washes out . . . did I mention that I’m designing it as I go? One of my favourite things and this one seems to be working out ok. I’ve done quite a lot on it today, so will have to post a picture once I have one to share.
This was the sky late in the afternoon yesterday, looking directly west from Mum’s balcony:
And from the balcony looking to the north:
. . . and more of that is passing overhead today, too, with bits of rain and lovely coolness. I do love rain, rainclouds, storms and all . . . but I can do without any hurricanes or tornadoes, thank you very much! Mum likes to scare me by saying we just might get a tornado; I’d never get all our stuff off the balcony before it lifted off and went to join Dorothy and Toto . . .
On the other hand, if it would take only me to the land of Aus . . . and back again, of course . . .
A Random Harvest 
I love the crochet 🙂 Apparently it’s only knitting that makes you old so I am safe! (I KNEW there was a reason I didn’t knit! 😉 ).
When I come to visit, I will teach you . . . 😉 But you still will never be as ‘old’ as I am! hahahahahahaha
Let me just say, that I enjoyed “catching up” with you as you caught up! I love the do-as-you-go project – it’s beautiful, colors and all. I find that I’ve been a bit lazy lately. It’s really heating up here in the Deep South which lends itself to a lot of sitting and contemplating rather than doing. But contentment does seep into the picture, especially when I can follow my cyber friends’ escapades. ❤
Thanks, Stacy. It’s hard to believe that I’m now working onn three projects (two crochet and one knit) that are new, when I’ve got so many unfinished projects. I guess it’s partly that I don’t feel I have to pay quite so much attention when working with acrylics (’cause I don’t like acrylic much, colours or no), which leaves me more free to pay attention to my Aunty.
We have not been heating up, for which I am grateful . . . the last two nights, I actually closed the balcony doors! I like the extreme coolness at night, but I’d hate to freeze my Mum . . . When I lived in the Okanagan valley, it would be in the high 30sC (90s or more F); we’d get up before sunup, work ’til around 10 or 11 (moving irrigation pipe is hot work!), knock off until after supper, then finish up for the day. If it was really hot, we’d take a couple of blankets, some food and our books (along with our son, then 4) to where there was an irrigation ditch with some groves of willow, etc. We’d lie in the water until we were chilly (that water came from the hills and was never warm), then lie on the blankets until we were hot, then back into the water to cool off . . . it was great!
There’s a lot to be said for living vicariously, I’m finding . . . no work, all fun!
Well said! ❤
I love your crochet project, it’s lovely. You have been busy! The shawl is shaping up nicely too.
Oh and the photo with the dark brooding clouds is wonderful 🙂
I like it, too, Kym. Wish I’d been less lazy and taken one from yesterday; I’ll post later and update everyone on our weather . . .
Thanks, Kymmie! 🙂
I’ve done a bunch more and used up two+ skeins already! Will have to post a photo . . .
Your shawl is lovely as is the crochet. I have no idea what kefir is so that’s a research job for me tonight I think, everybody mentions it! I haven’t had pancakes for such a long time, due for them me thinks.
Thanks, QAL; I had kefir ‘grains’ years ago, but never got it going properly, then moved and forgot about it.
This time, I was generously given grains by Christi from the ‘Farmlet’ blog. She sent me some information and I googled more. I had no trouble getting it going this time and get about 3 cups or more daily.
Kefir is similar to yogurt, with a lot more pro-biotics (I read as much as 30,000 times as much). It doesn’t need to be at a certain temperature, like yogurt. I keep mine in a glass Mason jar on top of Mum’s fridge.
It’s a bit tangier than yogurt, which makes it ideal for salad dressings. I use it in smoothies mostly, but also as liquid for pancakes (today I made French Toast and poured lots of kefir on top, then added maple syrup. Yum!! It’s also good as liquid for baking; or you can put it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter to make a ‘cheese’ (good for dips, adding to rice, making dips or spreads); the whey can be used in baking, cooking rice (tangy), etc.
You might be able to get starter from rabid little hippy or Narf77, both in Australia.
Hope that helps. I bookmarked some sites. Let me know if you want me to forward them to you.
Ah ….ok. Sounds unusual but something I would like to know more about. Thanks. Yes, if you can be bothered that would be good ta 🙂 🙂
I’m putting together a few links and will email them to you in a while. I used to make yogurt, but kefir is easier. Be prepared to bake if you don’t drink it all. I understand a lot of dogs like it, too, so maybe if you have animals . . . or do a deal with someone to give them part of your output. I’d do that here, but my friends would have to come collect it; not always convenient, as they are all working.
Cool, thanks for that Linne 🙂 Sounds very interesting