First, this rail fence block...
I kind of like that configuration of the rail fences. Then this "monarch" butterfly...a cute design with no paper piecing, which I hate.
There is another Tiny Tuesday block out today in June's blues. I'll get to that one later this afternoon. (Okay, I just checked, and there's nothing yet. Maybe tomorrow.) Before I quit for the day yesterday, I had the pieces cut for one of my Rainbow Scrap projects, The Charm Stars. These take 6 darks and 2 lights of the blues, and then 6 neutrals. Since I'm making two blocks, I need twice that many. The biggest challenge with these blocks is getting good contrast so the stars will show up when they're all sewn together.
Smitty helped me choose the fabrics. He's not at all happy with his new stay-inside rules. He sat looking slitty-eyed at me all day long.
Sadie turned her back on me and won't look at me until I mend my ways.
We're hoping this new stay-inside policy isn't permanent because the coyotes generally move around during the year, and eventually, they'll move on down the hill...or up the hill. I don't care where they go as long as they go. Mike is going to head down into the woods and over onto the neighbor's property to make sure they haven't set up housekeeping nearby.
Smitty was on the wagon for about 45 minutes, but this new policy has him returning to fixes of catnip to take the edge off his psychological pain.
I was out just briefly yesterday to fill the bird feeders. While I was out I cast my gaze toward the weed patch formerly known as our vegetable garden. I noticed a wild foxglove growing there. We tried to grow foxglove in a shaded area a while back. It grew for a while, but never really thrived, and eventually, it stopped coming back at all. Probably it didn't get enough sun. Seeing this, I decided to keep an eye on it and try to capture some of its seeds. Maybe I'll try again with the foxglove and give it a better home this time. It was windy, and thus, the blur.
Also, I baked off one of the bread loaves yesterday. You might recall I used regular "active" yeast in this dough rather than the "instant" I've used in the past. The texture was much improved as a result of the change. It was good with the instant yeast, but the active yeast made it a much crustier loaf. It's wonderful for toasting. Here's a look at the interior. Some nice holes like sourdough.
I still had collard greens from our most recent CSA share, and so I tried this recipe from the NYTimes, Pasta with Collard Greens and Onions.
Before we started getting CSA shares, I'd never eaten collard greens, and I didn't know how to prepare them. We get them fairly regularly in our shares (sometimes with enormous leaves!), and I've grown to love them. I think, of the greens, they might be my favorites. Anyway, this is a great recipe...easy, and the collard greens are delicious with the pasta. There is essentially no sauce on this pasta, just the cooking water from the collards. At the end, I was supposed to add a half cup of the pasta water to the dish, but there was enough liquid left in the pan that it wasn't necessary. You can use any shape of pasta with this. I had several opened packages of farfalle, and that's what I used.
Today I need to head to the grocery store, and then I'll get back to my sewing. The kitties are already hounding me for an open door. It's hard keeping them in. They aren't happy about it, and neither are we.
7 comments:
Poor kitties! We have an enclosed space for our kitties and they give me that sane stink-eye look in the fall when it's too cold to let them out any more... we just leave the window open... Our road is just to busy, though the hubby claims to have seen a coyote in our driveway a few years ago. Hopefully your sewing and the catnip will give them alternate fun.
We had the problem with coyotes last year. And they got right up next to the house or our sidewalk and made a huge mess. Very wise to keep Sadie and Smitty safe instead of being those eating machines dinner! I actually had to make up a bleach solution to spray down the deck and sidewalk to get rid of their smell....and it helped keep them away from the house. Here's hoping your visitors move on soon.
Sadie is giving you the 'stump' disgust look. I'm not sure I could sleep at night with a cat as angry as Smitty. Have you opened the bunkhouse?
Why don't the kitty cats just go out to the catio? Wouldn't that be better than nothing for them? Coyotes are certainly a worry for your furry friends. Have you ever thought of getting one of those cat tunnels? I understand that a lot of people find they are a good solution and the cats would be safe.
My husband was reading an article on Cats on the internet and it said that cats are better by themselves than with other cats. Apparently when there are two or more cats they are both under a lot of stress and there is constant rivalry. While pet owners are always happier with two cats, the cats aren't. I have never heard this before and always assumed that when we got cats again that we would get two. Our last cat was an only cat and I had always assumed he'd be happier with a friend. Not so, says the article. Anyway, I thought you might find this info interesting as it's a different opinion. In your case, it's
academic at this point, as you have your two buddies and you're committed.
I wonder if you would get the same results substituting active for instant in other bread recipes. I know the one my husband always uses calls for instant. Oh, and he loves collards. He discovered them in Texas years ago. To me they taste like licking the blades of a lawn mower. Yick.
Sorry about the coyotes. I hope Mike is careful when he goes to check out the property; does he go on an ATV? That look Smitty is giving you, poor guy. Hope they can go back out soon. I've never tried collard greens, but that dish (and the bread) looks delicious!
I love the configuration of the rail fence. configuration of the rail fences. I especially like the slightly darker rails in the middle. i can't bake with yeast. I never can get the rise/rest thing down. But then I don't do much in the kitchen anymore. Terry just eats like a sparrow and won't eat meat so I just don't get too inspired to cook/bake anymore.
I live three houses of a small connecting State Road. The other side of the highway is pretty much undeveloped. I know there are coyote there because one of my friends used to live across the highway and he would put out food for them. I know they come to MY side of the highway because I have seen there tracks in the snow. They don't seem to be a problem at this point. Hope the coyote near you stay away.
xx, Carol
your bread looks fantastic! Wonder how that recipe would come out with some whole wheat flour?
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