We'll Sing In The Sunshine

Sunshine Muffins

The name of these muffins makes me want to sing all the sunshine songs! 

How many can you name or sing?

I am so aware that it's been a minute since I've posted. It seems like these posts get further and further apart. Let's just blame it on old age. And staying busy with all the things that "old people" do. But I want to catch up a bit and get this recipe in my "recipe box" here. That's in case I can't find the paper that it's written on. I know it will always be tucked away safely here.

Daddy-O and I were on grandparent duty about a week ago. Little Sister and Mommy were both away at the All-State Choral event. We spent a few days with Baby Girl—who is certainly no baby anymore. But she told me she liked the name. When they were here over the long Christmas break, she asked if we could make these muffins and we never did. She had made them here during Mimi Camp. 

The recipe came from good friend Joanne. She told me that her grandchildren love these. I can see why. And the recipe is easy enough for a 10-year-old to manage alone. Big thanks to Daddy-O who washed two sinks full of dirty bowls and pans when she was done. 😊

Seeing the handwriting of the one who shares a recipe makes it so personal. But handwritten recipes are nearly a thing of the past. I have mixed feelings about them. I love seeing recipes that my mother and even my grandmother wrote down. But my own handwriting is pretty awful and hard to read. And it's so much quicker to use a keyboard. Here is my legible version for you to copy and paste if you want to print it out.

SUNSHINE MUFFINS

1 box Lemon Supreme cake mix

1 (3-3/4 oz.) box instant lemon pudding mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

4 eggs

    Glaze: 2 tablespoon lemon juice

               6 tablespoons orange juice

               1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

               3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix the muffin ingredients together, blending well. Spoon into greased mini-muffin tins. Bake about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. (Baby Girl filled hers really full, so they took longer to bake.)

While muffins are baking, mix the glaze. When muffins are done, remove from muffin tins. Dip the mini-muffins into glaze while warm and place them on a cooling rack. (I put wax paper under the rack to catch any drips.)

I'm not sure how many muffins Joanne gets from this recipe, but it's a lot. That makes it a good party recipe. Baby Girl made 2-1/2 dozen mini muffins and 6 regular size muffins. 

Things have changed on the farm since Hurricane Helene blew through months ago. It has changed our lives. Downed trees are everywhere.Too many to count. Barns are in the process of being repaired or rebuilt. Our lake house is nearly mended.

The trees fell on all the fences, so the remaining cows were all sold. And this is probably the last hay that will be baled by Daddy-O. We are no longer a working farm. The upside of that is that Daddy-O got to come stay with me and Baby Girl last week while the others were away. He has a little more freedom now.

We used to dread "hay season" because it's such hard work. Long hours in the field on a tractor. And often the weather would complicate things. It would be too dry or too wet to get a good cutting. Or it would rain on the cut hay before it was baled. But I'll miss seeing these bales in the field. 

See the downed trees at the edge of the woods? There is still so much visible damage around. Crushed houses in town. Bright blue tarps on roofs. Huge up rooted trees in yards. Piles of debris are still visible although crews have worked tirelessly hauling away tons and tons of it. And I still remind myself that we were on the edge of the bad damage. 

Trifle Wrap, pattern from Helen Stewart

Knitting! You haven't heard me mention knitting in ages. That's because I don't knit as much now, but I have not completely stopped. I enjoyed a long weekend at a knitting retreat last month. And I just finished this large wrap for a dear friend. It's huge and soft and squishy. I hope it will feel like a hug from me when she wears it.

The Kindness Of Knitters

Finished with love. ❤️

This little heart marks where Bev's knitting ended and the new knitting started. 

We will mark each project like this, to honor the work she did.

I am moving in slow motion this morning after an intense—but totally wonderful—weekend. Two knitting friends drove up from Atlanta to help make and carry out a plan to deal with all the yarn left when our dear friend Bev passed away a couple of years ago. We had all met at a knitting retreat years ago and attended other retreats together. Knitting retreats are meant for learning new skills and making new friends. If you're lucky, these friendships will last a lifetime.  

This was a fraction of the yarn we sorted. If you knit and are like most knitters, you have accumulated a yarn stash. Likely more yarn than you could possibly knit in your lifetime.

Luxury yarns bought on travels around the globe, souvenir yarns, and yarns bought with specific projects in mind. Those were often bagged along with the pattern and needles. So much yarn. And so many memories. We had fun telling stories and laughing about the experiences we shared. 

In addition to sorting the yarns, these amazing friends also worked to complete unfinished projects, like this colorful blanket. There are multiple names for this blanket pattern, but I like the one that calls it "The Kindness of Knitters Blanket." This one truly is. We are still working on some other projects that could be taken home and finished after our weekend was over. But they will all be done soon and returned to her family.

Porch knitting before dawn.

The first night we watched a movie while the blanket knitting was happening. The last morning the knitted started before the sun came up as we raced to complete what we wanted to do. And in between the first night and the last morning, it was non-stop yarn sorting.

    

 

These knitting friends were also wonderful houseguests. They knew we had a lot of work to do. And to make the weekend easier for me, they brought food. Homemade muffins and fruit for breakfast, butternut squash soup and chicken salad for lunches. 

I made these crackers in case we needed an afternoon snack. (We did.) I have loved these! If you count WW points, an entire sheet of lavash made into crackers is 2 points. I never eat that many at one time.

LAVASH CRACKERS

 1 package Joseph's Lavash Bread

 Pam olive oil spray

 Seasoning of your choice, such as Everything but the Bagel or Ranch

Preheat oven to 375º.

Put one sheet of lavash onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use pizza cutter to cut into cracker size pieces. Spray with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with seasoning. Carefully slide parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned.  

Watch closely because they can burn easily! I rotate the sheet while baking.

These are so crisp and they stay that way. Such a good snack when you want a crunch in your mouth.

There were nearly as many knitting notions as there was yarn. That was all sorted and packaged in to 40 sets to be used for goodies at a knitting retreat.

And while they were hard at work sorting and counting and packaging, I was busy in the kitchen. We took a break in the late afternoon, sharing good memories of our friend as we shared an appetizer.

These ladies brought breakfast and lunches. My job was to provide dinner. I tried to keep it easy and healthy. All of the food I made is here on the blog and I've linked the recipes. The first night I made Chicken Taco Soup and baked the Artisan Bread that I love. (I originally got the recipe from one of these friends!) 

The next night we invited another local knitting friend to join us for dinner. After the baked brie, I made Tuscan Garlic Chicken, roasted potatoes, watermelon feta salad...and these girls twisted my arm and I baked another loaf of bread!

The entire weekend we felt Bev smiling down on us, chuckling from time to time as we tired to figure out what she was doing...forensic knitting, detective work, mind reading. It took all of our skills. And I am sure that she would approve of how we shared the yarn—some went to friends who knew and loved her, some went to high school knitters who have not experienced the pleasure of using "good" yarn, and some went to knitters with limited budgets for indulging their hobby. Another batch was packaged for use later at an event. My dining room no longer looks like a yarn shop. The table is finally empty! 

 

**If you are looking for the lavash, this is what the package looks like. I found it in the deli section, near the pita breads and wraps.

October Turns Into November

We have been waiting on a new refrigerator and freezer for a few weeks now. We are caught in the supply chain mess that complicates shopping now. Every Monday I think "this is the week." But we are still waiting. So my grocery shopping has been limited because I want to keep them as empty as possible to make installing the new ones easier. That means no recipes to share. Sorry.

But there has been knitting. New purple socks for Baby Girl.

How could I NOT make her a pair after finding this note she left me 

stuck above an old pair of socks. 

I put a caption there because pencil on dark paper is hard to read. 

Somewhere along the way I started a hat for the new baby (a BOY!)

due in January. A winter baby needs hats.

And finished it while I was at their house helping with the move.

Good thing I had tucked another skein of yarn in my bag.

Before I left, I found time to make one more hat to keep this baby warm.

And you know I couldn't make Baby Girl a pair without making another pair for her sister.

But when she tried them on I realized I had not seen her in a long time. 

Oh, how she's grown. This pair barely went on.

 Maybe she can wear them a couple of times, then save them for her sister.

So I've started another pair for her. And now I'm worried they will be too big!

I'm envious of grandparents who live close to their grandchildren.

And at the same time counting my blessings that a drive to visit only takes a half a day.

They are no longer a half a continent away like they were for years.

And they are not a half a globe away like some of my friends' grandchildren.

 

Making An Old House Into A New Home

Every muscle aches. Every bone is weary.

But some of my moving "chores" were restful.

There were little sewing projects.

And there were bigger sewing projects.

A couple of old windows were freshened with simple new curtains.

And betwixt and between the unpacking there was time to knit.

Two new hats for baby brother who is due in January.

"May this home be a place of happiness, of good health,

of contentment, of generosity and hope.

A home of destiny and kindness.

May those who visit and those who live here

know only blessings and peace." *

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

]

This quick and simple baby hat makes the best gift. I've made over 50 so far. Include care instructions if you're giving one away.

ROLLED BRIM BABY HAT

DK or sport weight yarn, suitable for a baby

size 5 or 6 needles (16-inch circular and DPNs)

Cast on 72 stitches for newborn size. Join, being careful not to twist stitches and place marker at beginning of round.

Knit to 5 inches. (I add 2 or 3 extra rounds; extra length lets baby wear it a little longer.)

Begin decreases — K2tog, K6 around to marker.

                                K2tog, K5 around marker.

Switch to DPNs and change to locking marker fastened between stitches at beginning of round. Place 3 decrease sections on each needle.

Continue decreases. 

                                K2tog, K4 around...

                                K2tog, K3, around...

Continue decreasing in this manner until a total of 5 stitches remain. 

Work 6 rows in I-cord.

Then K2tog twice. 3 stitches remain. 

Cut yarn and run yarn tail through 3 remaining stitches and then down through "stem" of hat.

Weave in yarn end. And weave in cast-on tail.

                                

*New home blessing borrowed from eunamae's Instagram page.

Food And Family

Cheddar Beer Bread

What a week we had! For the first time in months we got to spend time with our sweet smallest granddaughter. She and her mommy were here for over a week. We cooked. We ate. We crawled around in the floor behind her. We played blocks. We sang songs. It was heaven.

We made so many good recipes while they were here. It's the most cooking I've done in ages. Now, you know I cook a lot. But I don't always cook every day. With just two of us here, we count on leftovers for dinner at least a couple of days a week. 

I'll share a few of the favorite recipes in the coming weeks. Maybe the most favorite...and the easiest...was this cheddar beer bread. Mommy sent the recipe to me and Jessica several weeks ago. And before she came to visit, Jessica made it twice at her house. We SHOULD have made it twice here. Yes. It's that good. It is perfect to serve along side a bowl of chili or soup. Or, toast slices for breakfast. It's good by itself.

If your first thought is "I can't bake bread. I don't know how to do yeast recipes." don't skip this recipe. This is a quick bread. It's more like stirring up a batch of muffins. Trust me. You need to make this.

CHEDDAR BEER BREAD

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese, divided 

1/4 cup melted butter, divided

1 (12-oz) bottle or can of beer

Preheat oven to 375º. Spray an 8-1/2-inch loaf pan with PAM (or similar) cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, pepper, 3/4 cup shredded cheese, and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter. Add the beer and stir well. Batter will be sticky. Pour batter into loaf pan.

Top with remaining shredded cheese and drizzle with the remaining butter.

Bake bread for 45-55 minutes, or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

General rule is to check the bread at the shortest baking time and see if it needs more. All ovens are different.

Jessica said she used white cheddar at her house because that is what they buy. I always have yellow cheddar here. She said it tastes the same but the yellow cheese makes a prettier loaf.

Pattern:  Tchaikovsky Hat, size Child

Yarn: Jodie Young Ciao (DK), Nougat colorway

Needles:  4 & 7

Last year I knitted a nice wooly hat for Jessica with a fur pompom on the top. She asked for a matching hat for Little Lady. That particular pattern (Entwined by Susan B. Anderson) didn't include small sizes and recalculating the cable design was more work than I wanted to tackle. So I used a similar color yarn and made one of my most favorite knitting patterns—the Tchaikovsky Hat from Curious Handmade. This pattern from designer Helen Stewart is written for four sizes...Baby, Child, Small Adult, Large Adult. I made the child size for this 9-month old. (We measured her head and it was close to the child size.) She will be able to wear it for a few years, I think.

We are going to miss our little busybody this week. She is crawling everywhere, pulling up and walking as she holds on to furniture and "tasting" absolutely everything she picks up. 

 

Happenings Out Of The Kitchen

Pattern:  Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart

Yarn: A collection of bits and bobs of fingering weight yarns

Needle:  size 6

While it seems to me like I live in the kitchen now, that of course, is not completely true. I expected to do so much knitting during this stay-at-home period of the pandemic. And I have had time. Plenty of time. But I have not always had the concentration—or desire—to work on even the simplest projects.

So I was completely thrilled with myself when I cast off (that's knitter speak for "finished") this throw. Any blanket is just a LOT of knitting because of the size. This one measures 48x48 inches. It is not intended to be a full blanket, but a lap throw. Mine ended up a little larger than the pattern because I had plenty of yarn.

 And like everyone else who owns a sewing machine and has fabric on hand, I have made a few masks. I only had a little fabric tucked away but it was enough supply family and friends. This last batch was my favorite because I liked the colors. They are the same colors I always like.

Pattern:  Perfect Newborn Socks by Tabitha Gandee

Yarn: iknit2purl2 Supra in Castaway color

Needle:  size 1.5

And this sweet thing needed more socks, slightly bigger than the first ones. I used the same pattern but went up a needle size. Added a one repeat in the heel flap and a few more rounds in the foot length. These will last until fall maybe. Maybe. She is four months old now.

And then I ordered a new project. A kit that included the yarn and the pattern. Straight from a Facebook ad from a shop I had never heard of. I would have never done this pre-quarantine. (I am very suspicious of Facebook ads.) But I did it. And I love it.

The yarn is a silk/cotton blend that will be perfect for summer. And since we can have summer temps about 10 months of the year, I anticipate a lot of wear for this one.

I'm loving the simple pattern. This is exactly what my brain needs right now. Very little thinking required. The rhythmic motion of plain knitting is relaxing. And it's fun to see the triangle grow and the colors gradually shift.

And while I've knitted I've enjoyed listening to this audio book series. If you are an audio book fan, you know that most books take hours and hours to listen from beginning to end. (The longest one I've listened to was 19 hours.) So I was excited to stumble across this series. I have been a fan of mysteries since childhood. These are short episodes, each complete story lasts around 3 hours. This story length fits into assorted schedules and it fits into assorted attention spans. Mine is not as long right now as it usually is. Wonder why.

I also discovered last week that I can access Acorn TV with my library card! I have many friends who love Acorn TV which is a streaming service that requires a subscription. I have always felt like I didn't have enough TV watching time to justify another subscription but the lineup of British television shows continued to tempt me. Then I got an email from our library system reminding patrons of the many services they offer. I was so excited to discover that I could access Acorn TV! Not all libraries offer this access but the list was very long. It required downloading the app, RBdigital. And in the set up process you can check to see if your library participates. It is not full access like the subscription service. It's limited to 3 borrows per month. Each borrow lasts 7 days. Plenty of time for me to watch a few things that I've wanted to see.

Funny what good things have come out of this quarantine. All of our time at home has meant a change up in our schedules. Hard times for sure for many people, but there have been little nuggets of positive things. Many of us have learned to Zoom. We've tried new recipes because we couldn't do our regular grocery shopping. And we've had time to just "be." What good things or new things have you found during this stay-at-home time?

Go Make Something

Pattern: Perfect Newborn Socks

Yarn: Iknit2purl2

Needles: size 1

In my last couple of days helping out with new baby last week, I knitted her another tiny pair of socks, making them slightly bigger to fit her growing foot size. These should last at least a month or two. She is growing like the proverbial weed. If you are a sock knitter, these are delightful to make. And the socks actually stay on baby's feet. The pattern is free on Ravelry. What a fun way to use up leftover bits of yarn. I used less than 10g of yarn to make a pair. Or, you can splurge and buy a luxury yarn to make them—and knit a zillion pairs!

I can easily knit a pair in a couple of days. In a couple of busy days. Your knitting speed might be faster or slower than mine, but it's a quick project for anyone.

Right after I headed home, a package for the baby arrived from a dear friend. It contained the most beautiful handmade quilt. The backing fabric has paper dolls on it! Jessica framed a set of vintage Betsy McCall paper dolls I rescued from my dad's house when we cleaned it out to sell after he passed away. They now hang on a nursery wall. How perfect that Missy remembered and found fabric to echo our treasure. Now the baby has another treasure—a quilt made just for her.

When Jessica posted 2 month photos last week, with baby posed on the quilt, she wrote this sweet sentiment:

I come from a long line of makers. Artists, craftsmen, growers of food, knitters and those who sew, amazing cooks, you name it. My mother is proof that a maker’s tribe most often includes others who are the same...and we are grateful to be included in that circle! Thank you for your time and craft, Missy — our baby girl loves her quilt. 🖤

I love that she uses the words "tribe" and "circle." Life is better when we belong and feel included and we are loved. And I love that my friends have pulled my children and grandchildren into that circle.

And this gorgeous knitted blanket arrived in the mail just days after the baby was born. Linda, a long time family friend, used colors that matched the nursery. And she wisely knit this blanket in cotton. A perfect choice for a Southern baby where heat and humidity are legendary.

Jessica posted this blanket to her social media, too:

More handcrafted love for our baby girl from our world of maker friends.

Yes. Jessica is right. We come from a long line of makers. My grandmother hand monogrammed linens. My dad did so much woodworking that we still use and enjoy. I sewed so many clothes for our own two little girls, hand smocking many of them. Those dresses are still in use by this new generation. Both of Jessica's grandmothers were excellent cooks. My older daughter is a maker of music and sang the most beautiful lullaby to this baby on her first visit. Jessica is an artist by profession. Years of study have left us with so many of her projects here at home—handmade books, prints that hang all around our house, and that infamous cardboard sculpture that still lives in "her" bedroom. Yes, we are makers.

Before I left for home, Jessica cast on a baby hat to knit. She's made one before and wanted to make one for a friend. There is something that is immensely human about making something by hand. Now, Jessica and I both can hit the "place order" button with the best of them. But creating something by hand is particularly satisfying. It's as good for the one making as it is for the one on the receiving end.

So go. Make something. Make supper. Make amends. Make time. Makes cookies. Make a mess. Make noise. Make friends. Make peace. Make the world a better place.