THE LAST STAGE (HOPEFULLY) OF THE SAGA

I am quite sure that none of you out there who just might be following this blog are 'chomping at the bit' to hear about my cabin basement project, which I have seemingly abandoned. (Well, only at the times I've been heartsick about it all.) Anyway, chomping or not, here is an update:

Here she stands!

As you enter the upstairs...my Herald Loom on which I have woven rugs and some long-ago place mats.

I had removed this chair to the house when I purchased another floor loom, and it is now reinstated in the cabin proper. It is a welcome sitting space on busy days.

My old stand-by, first loom...Union #36. It has served me well, having woven countless rugs, and perhaps is still my favorite loom.

This is my sewing 'station' and craft cupboard.

My computer corner...

...just leaving the upstairs...

...last glance, a lovely handwoven vest I found at Goodwill, and bought thinking I'd re-purpose it as a bag. It is just too beautiful to cut up, so I just look at it.

And on to the BASEMENT....

...just upon entering the door...

a look to the left into the display area

this is the old Union Costume Loom I was given, and which I have yet to 'mess' around with because...

...this is my latest 'problem'...a lovely little blue enamel LP stove, that seems to be malfunctioning. Old Wisconsin Heart, from which I bought it, has ordered a new regulator conversion kit, and a new thermostat, so hopefully I can heat the basement over 60 degrees without spending many $$ per week. Anyway, it has been too cold to spend much time in the basement as of yet.

this is just another of the looms patiently (I think) waiting for me to get to it!

A lovely old kitchen cupboard base that had been in our basement ever since we bought the place. A coat of paint in and out, and it is wonderful here.

...towards the display area...

This rug rack used to sit in the barn waiting for shows. It is so nice to be able to have the space to keep it up and useful.

...looking towards the door from the display area...


There are still days when it seems too painful to think about this basement project, but I am hoping that within the next week or so, the heating problem will be solved, and finally after all these months, I can step into it and stay for the day, and be grateful.

SAME OLD, SAME OLD

This has been a week of cooking and baking for me. Not that I mind, it is a deep love of mine. Despite that, I have had time to put new warp on one of my looms, and to actually start a rug. It seems way too long since I've been at the loom.

Still, this post will be devoted, however briefly, to the cooking/baking creations of the past week. Below is the Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake I made for auction (among other things) for the Kickapoo Valley Reserve's annual Winter Festival. It is sometimes difficult to 'give' up this cheesecake, it is one of those sinfully decadent chocolate experiences. It did bring in good money, though.

On another note, I received for Christmas a cookbook, that my daughter had requested for her birthday. It looked like one that I truly wanted in my collection.

After sitting and reading it night after night, I selected Butternut Squash Gratin with Sage and Onions as the first recipe I'd cook. I still have a tub full of butternut squash along with a small basket of onions from the garden in my basement, so this was a fitting choice.

Butternut squash dusted in flour sauteing in olive oil.
They get spread out over a deep layer of caramelized onions, to be topped with cheese, sage and thyme and milk, then with fresh breadcrumbs.

It was a dish with a deep and complex flavor, and despite the addition of no sweetener, the sweetness of the squash and the onions were piqued to their utmost. It's sweetness was never over the top cloying but rather a burst of wonder in the mouth.


I have also been experimenting with making a cranberry, wild rice bread. I made three batches, the first simply OK, the second really good, and by the third, I think I nailed it.

...cranberry, wild rice bread...

...sliced...

the old stand-by...Naan...

and an Italian Peasant loaf.

We ate well this week. I must say I stopped a couple of times during the cooking/baking, looked down at my simple white apron, and thought, how does it get better then this, standing here in my sunny kitchen, stirring and sauteing, kneading and baking. Sometimes I am filled with the wonder of it all.

'OWED' TO VINCE

Two 'found' long-ago friends, now living in Texas, read this blog, know about my love for cooking (and eating good food), themselves, I imagine good cooks, Nora and Vince. We have, over the last year or so, been in touch by email, and they often comment on one dish or another, one particular dish being the Butternut Squash lasagna.

Vince mentioned that Nora is herself a great Italian cook, her specialty being Lasagna. He further said he, himself, did not cook, but his contribution was making homemade ricotta. He graciously sent me the recipe.

WOW!

Jonel and Andy recently went to the Twin Cities and left with me a 1/2 gallon of organic whole milk. As I was trying to decide whether to freeze it or not, I thought of Vince's recipe and quickly decided to make Spinach Lasagna with homemade ricotta.

(I recall Vince's folks had a little Italian store directly across from the church we attended as kids. One of the things I most recall purchasing was in a glass cooler in a large stainless pan...fresh RICOTTA. We often bought it, and even eaten straight up, it was delicious.)

Well, Vince's recipe brings back that taste and aroma, and is just as delicious, if not more so.

Just out of the oven.

On the plate with a salad of fresh greens...and honestly, it was the best spinach lasagna we'd ever eaten.

THANKS, VINCE!!

HOW I AVOIDED THINKING ABOUT THE BASEMENT

The basement saga continues, and I am still reluctant to talk about the latest snag...unrelated to all prior snags. Luckily I have been able to fully channel my creative energy into the making of Christmas gifts!! ...and bypass the ever so frequent depressing thought about this basement project. Thank goodness for grandchildren.

Initially I started out just making pajamas for Iris...she wanted pink ones. I selected the material and proceeded to make hers, and a pair of matching bottoms for her doll, Nollie, whom, by the way, Elsa loved as well. So it was decided that Elsa should receive a 'Nollie' doll for Christmas, at which point I offered to make a baby doll. Well, Elsa did get her own 'Nollie' doll, I think named 'Emma', but Jonel thought it would be great for me to make a baby doll for her anyway.

Searching the internet for a Waldorf pattern for a baby doll, I came up with what looked like something I could do. As in fact it was, but to my surprise, the pattern turned out to be a life sized baby doll. Now Elsa is on the petite side and fearing the doll would be nearly as big as her and thinking both girls might want it, we decided it would be for both. I thought making it a baby boy would be good, as well. (Being that the doll was now a gift for both girls, I thought I should make Elsa PJ's as well, and made them to match Iris'.)

After the second pair of PJ's I proceeded on to the doll...

the pattern and equipment

...traced on cloth

...cut out and begun...
A minor portion of this project was done on the sewing machine, most of it accomplished by hand.

It was kind of eery the way this 'baby' kept looking real to me.

...especially the feet and the hands. Here the doll's head is under construction, the final 'skin' needs to be applied.

The skin has been applied and embroidered and the head attached to the wool stuffed body.

Wanting to make it a boy presented a little hair challenge, but finding some kinky yarn and dyeing it with tea gave me close to what I was looking for.

Hair being sewed in place.

...and the complete doll, complete in a set of pajamas. These were made from some old flannel PJ's of mine.

It so happens that Iris also very much wanted a doll house for Christmas. She was being read a lovely book about a girl with a doll house that had a kind of mischievous, perhaps annoying Fairy that lived in it. It was a darn cute fairy, and I wanted to make it for her new doll house. It presented more of a challenge then did the baby doll, as working on such a small scale is not something I love. She was to be only 4-5" tall.

I searched the internet for a fairy pattern and came up with one which was less then ideal, but gave me enough ideas to make a pattern and proceed.

Here she is before assembly.

Here she is assemble, though naked still, along side of a picture of Thistle, the mischievous fairy of the book.

and here she is complete. Making the clothing, which I sewed directly onto the body, was perhaps the trickiest. I used old silk tie pieces to adorn her, unplyed some brown wool yarn in order to get here kinky hair, and took the wire from twisties to form the wings.

All in all, two FUN projects.

Gifts delivered on Christmas Day...


which Freddie and I began with our traditional breakfast of tea ring, fresh fruit and juice.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, too!

A Holiday Sunday

Yesterday was certainly a pre-Christmas holiday for Freddie and me. It began with a trip to Tomah to watch our two grandkids in their Church Christmas program, in what has become a yearly tradition for us. This year, Morgan, the elder had a speaking part, and I must say, she was really good at it, and could be heard as well.

Macy, the younger, the lovely angel on the right, is simply fun to watch as she sings between resting her head on her hands and waiting for her turn.

Then we rushed home to take a friend, who is heading back home to Tennessee after 10 months of midwifery internship, this coming Wednesday. Susan had never skied before.

Susan arrives at the Reserve parking lot. A bit apprehensive as to whether she could do this.

Perhaps Freddie should have been a bit apprehensive???? To his credit I must say the dip represents a swath of ice.

Susan said that skiing in the tracks was a bit of a relief, as she was experiencing some difficulty in keeping the skis straight.

Susan and I...posing.

This field of (unidentified) grass was truly a golden beauty...the color was brilliant and about as golden as the straw that Rapunzel wove into gold.

We did follow the ski trail for a while, but Freddie and I truly love to 'bushwhack' and as Susan brought up the rear and could continue in our tracks, we went off trail to explore along the river. Although Freddie was breaking trail it was pretty easy going, some of the best snow we've ever skied on.

Susan bushwhacks.

Here Susan and I are headed out on the frozen marsh.

It was a glorious day for skiing. Abundance of sun, aerobic exercise aplenty, and terrific company. As it turns out, Susan is an excellent skier, no surprise to me as she is so graceful and very athletic.

We all headed home to Jug Creek, Susan a bit achy having used muscles she'd never used before, to good wine and fresh-off-the-500-degree adobe tile, pepperoni pizza.
A GREAT DAY!

HOLIDAY FAIRE AT PLEASANT RIDGE SCHOOL

I spent seven years as the Preschool/Kindergarten teacher at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School...perhaps the best educational system around. Despite that, I have never had a 'booth' at their annual Holiday Faire, though I have attended most years. This year, I had a 'booth'.

Despite terrible weekend weather on Friday night there was a small crowd and by Saturday afternoon, a pretty good crowd. It was a fun show even though many of the people I thought I might see there weren't or at least did not make it to my booth.

I must say that those who did come by seemed to appreciate my work, and my Grandmother's series of braided woven rag rugs were a hit.

A show I look forward to doing again next year. Made some new 'textile' friends whose work was inspiring, and that is always a bonus!