Tuesday, August 7, 2012

A Different Direction and Something New

For the past couple of days I've been enjoying homemade banana bread compliments of my girlfriend, Melissa, who dropped a loaf off a few nights ago.  A slice with a little bit of light cream cheese along with my morning coffee is a delicious way to start the day.
Today's walk took me in a different direction.
Down a little alley way. 
Seeing such deep blue skies puts a spring in my step. 
Over to the next block. 
Where I spied this metal rooster hiding amongst some vines.
Around to the next street.
 Where this pretty concrete fence encircles the mosque.

Beautiful grass, bushes and palm trees were on this street corner. 
Where I heard a little cluck, cluck, cluck as hens darted away.
I had a late start so the sun was high in the sky at this point. 
Finally around a corner and onto another street. 
Where there was a moment of lovely shade from a row of trees. 
Need to stop for a rest? 
Into the home stretch now.
People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle.
(Thich Nhat Hanh)

Last night I finished up a trellis scarf.  My cousin taught  me the stitch which is just chains of 5 joined in the middle of each set of chains.  I don't even remember where I got this funky yarn, but one ball was just enough to make a long skinny scarf ... my favorite kind to wear.
Christy at Crochet Happiness is crocheting scarves for her local soup kitchen in Michigan.  She would like to have 100 by Thanksgiving Day, so if any of you have scarves you've made or could make and are willing to donate, she provides her address in this post.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Soul Happiness

There's a saying "busy hands, happy heart" which I totally agree with.  I enjoy crocheting and crafting each and every day, but what about soul happiness?  For that, I need quiet time -- which I am getting a lot of -- and I need to move.  It hit me this morning.  Enough is enough.  I need to walk.
So with blue skies back and despite the heat (115 degrees), I drank a big glass of water and then headed out; something I haven't done since our walks in Sri Lanka a month ago. 
Just down the street I was surprised to see a few moss roses since mine at home aren't blooming at all.
I spied this bunch of bougainvillea in three different colors blooming next to an empty lot. 
Always nice to see that homeowners have created an oasis around their property when so many would rather build a bigger house than have any green space.
After 15 minutes of walking, I was already beginning to feel thirsty, but during Ramadan, drinking and eating in public is not allowed.
I was going to head home but got to thinking about all those people in desert countries who have to walk miles and miles just to retrieve a bucket of water.  Do they have water to drink while they are making that trek every day?
So I pushed on a little further.
The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose. 
(Charles Dickens)
I hope your week is off to a great start!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Getting it Right

We are still having hazy weather after Friday's dust storm.
Yesterday I was sweeping, wiping, cleaning, dusting.  When hubby came home from work he wondered why I even bother.
There's no such thing as spring cleaning.  It's just a matter of trying to maintain everything as best I can.
Doing that means I then have peace of mind when I spend the rest of the day (and night) crocheting.
I bookmarked a new doily pattern called stacked shells mini-doily but my first attempt turned out to be more like rounds of ruffles.
I looked over the pattern again and realized I had way too many stitches in the 3rd row so made another one.  Much better.
And since it was so easy, I made a few more. 
Today is the 17th day of Ramadan (the holy month of fasting).  For dessert the other night I made a traditional Ramadan sweet called qatayef.  Sticky pancakes are normally filled with nuts or cheese then fried and served with a simple syrup.  I filled mine with a little bit of thick cream, then dipped them in a mixture of chopped pecans and cinnamon sugar.  Nice and fresh, no frying, with a drizzle of honey for serving.
Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar.
The August full moon made its appearance the night of August 1st.  The Full Sturgeon Moon.
Also known as the Green Corn Moon or the Grain Moon.
I hope all is well in your corner of the world.
Have a peaceful, restful day.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Blah Made Better With Borders and Bookmarks

It's dark here today.
There are no clouds, no claps of thunder or flashes of lightning.
No sound of rain.
But there's dust.
Lots of dust.
I had to pick Zack up from a friend's at noon.
After we arrived home, the storm turned everything orange for awhile.  A very blah day for sure.
But, it's been about a month since the last dust storm so I guess we were due for one.  What would I do without my hobbies to keep me productive and happy?  Today I finished two more granny border towels.
And while watching coverage of the Olympics, I'm also making these easy flower bookmarks found at Lulu Loves.  A great pattern for stash busting.
Have a fabulous Friday!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Towels Take Two

I discovered a lovely new blog called Sanna & Sania.
And while browsing through some of their older posts, I came across this one that featured a bathroom towel.
So in addition to the crocheted borders I've been making, 
I'm now doing tiny granny square borders.
My first one was finished yesterday in blue and white.
Squares in two rounds that are crocheted together and stitched on using the same cotton yarn.
So sweet.  So quick and easy.
My mom's birthday is today so I called her this afternoon to wish her a happy birthday.
This picture was taken 2 years ago on my Uncle Danny's front porch in Ohio.  Aren't those flowers gorgeous!
Aunt Kathi on the left is the one who was recently in a car accident.  She's now been moved to a rehabilitation center.  My mom is in the middle.  And Aunt Elaine is on the right (she has her own blog called At Home With Elaine.)  

Back to crocheting more grannies and lots of other things.
Have a great day!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Things and Thoughts for a New Month

Breakfast rice pudding:  2 cups of milk (I used almond milk); 1/2 cup quick cooking brown rice; 1/4 cup rolled oats; 3 TBS light brown sugar; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; dash of salt; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/2 tsp vanilla.
In a saucepan, bring 1-1/2 cups of milk to just a boil.  Stir in rice, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Return to boil then reduce heat and cover; simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Stir in additional 1/2 cup milk and raisin.  Cover and simmer a few more minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  If needed, add more milk.  (Your breakfast rice pudding should be nice and creamy.)  Serve plain (or sprinkle with pumpkin spice and chopped pecans like I did) or with berries.

Happy August everyone!
Yesterday I was able to watch girls team gymnastics and men's team swimming where the USA won gold for both events.  That was very nice to see after all the speculation regarding Jordyn Weiber and Michael Phelps.  I even sent a message of congratulations to my beautiful girlfriend, Elena, who is from Romania.  The Romanian girls team took the bronze in gymnastics.
I meant to join Kimmie at Art in Red Wagons for tea yesterday but got caught up with grocery shopping, Olympics watching, cooking, baking and crocheting.
 Monday's three little cross-stitchings have now been attached to three little gift bags.
The brown rice I used for my breakfast rice pudding was actually leftover from a new recipe I tried.
Mediterranean Lentils.  It was supposed to be served on couscous but I didn't have any so used brown rice instead.  Healthy and delicious (though I would leave off the kalamata olives next time.)
Our weather has been extra hot this week.  52 C yesterday (that's 125.6 F) and predictions are that by tomorrow, it could top 130 degrees.  If you look at this weather map, you can see Kuwait (down there in the bottom right), has the highest temperature in the region.
I really think this country needs to invest in planting more trees to reduce the heat.
Hard to believe a new month is upon us once again.
Aficionados of August revel in relinquishment.
When it's one hundred degrees in the shade, 
it's too hot to be anything but receptive and reflective. 
Let a seasonally sanctioned sojourn of slow joys
refill the authentic reservoir of creative energy.
(Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy
by Sarah Ban Breathnach).
Have a wonderful day!
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