Stocking cap

This is the beginning of a stocking cap, using Maggie's Rags Witch's Hat pattern as the basis for the beginning.

This gorgeous yarn was a terribly thoughtful gift--Opal, "in Variation nach Hundertwassers Werk, "Good Morning City." I'm in love with the colors!

I started this because the sprain in my hand occasionally acts up, and knitting with smaller needles is much more comfortable right now that with larger needles. Also, kntting in the round lets me do just a little bit, and then stop anywhere if I get any aches or pains, so I'm sure not to push it.

Why am I making a stocking cap rather than the socks from the pattern on the yarn's label? Because, well, I really don't like knitting socks--don't tell anyone!

The colors in Harrisville Designs Heathered Bulky

The sprain in my hand is healed enough that I can do a little knitting here and there, so I'm working on the strap to the purse (Aran Pocketbook by Edie Eckman). I am struck by the wonderful colors in this yarn--the bright blues, the soft pinks--the strains of bright colors complement the base purple so beautifully. The name of this color, "periwinkle," doesn't due the variety of color justice. Sure, the purple is very true to the periwinkle blossoms in front of my home, but the gorgeous bright blues and pinks surrounding it are absent from the flower--but delightfully present in the yarn.

Slightly wheat challah

My favorite recipe for challah (OK, the only recipe I know for challah!) is King Arthur Flour's Four-Strand-Braided Challah. It always turns out beautifully, and is delicious.

This time, we tried substituting some home-ground flour for white flour, almost two cups worth (from one cup of wheat berries).

It was fantastic. This is the way I'll be making challah from now on.

Round

The April Ravelry pie challenge is "round," and we're a bit in between fruit seasons, so the fresh fruit choices were apples and rhubarb--but although I love those together, I didn't love them enough to make another apple rhubarb pie so soon, so it was off to the frozen food aisle. We've been paying attention to the EWG's food news (about pesticide levels in some foods), so got the organic strawberries--and in the same section they had blueberries and raspberries:


They made a delicious pie. I used a cherry pie recipe, figuring that the berries matched the sweetness level of cherries, but omitted the lemon that I usually add to cherry pie, since the raspberries probably added some tartness. It was delicious! (I also made Slightly Wheat Water Rolls, and lasagna for dinner):

The theme was green

The Ravelry pie challenge group's March challenge was "green." I had been thinking of spinach pasties, or green peas in chicken pot pies, but the springtime fruit caught my eye--I started with these:



And ended up with an apple rhubarb pie:

Happy Pi Day

Happy Pi Day, or, 3-14.

We celebrated with apple turnovers.

(The little piece of paper says, "POINT"!)

Home ground flour

Fresh wheat berries, ready to be ground.

We just got the Kitchenaid grain mill attachment, and it's wonderful! A local market (Monterey Market) carries wheat berries, but if you're not near there, Whole Foods has them as well.

And this is the first loaf we made--we substituted 1-3/4 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour for white flour, and the bread has an almost buttery taste, in addition to the complex nuttiness of the freshly ground whole wheat. It's just amazingly delicious.