Friends, Porch Knitting, & Cold Soup

Cold Curried Squash Soup

I am determined to get this posted before the week is over. And it's Friday already! I'm behind. Our seemingly endless rain has finally stopped, so we've been busy with other things. Now it's hot and muggy. Not complaining. It is what it is. But that means you might need a cold recipe to make for lunch or a light dinner this weekend. You need to make this soup.

As much as I enjoy knitting, the best part of the Mason-Dixon knitting retreat was the people part. The time spent with friends I've made at other retreats in previous years. One of these sweet ladies invited us to stay at her mountain house that was just down the road from the retreat location. (A campus dorm room isn't that bad, but I didn't hesitate to say yes when the offer was extended.)

Her house there reminded me of our lake house. Not in how it looked. Certainly not the size! But I could tell there were years and years or memories seeped into the walls. Lots of charm and character everywhere you looked. It was a "make-yourself-at-home" house that begged you to relax. Most of our time (when we weren't at the retreat) was spent on the porch where we knitted and nibbled and chatted. White wicker. Blue cushions. Picture perfect.

My favorite part of each day was the quiet early morning when I would tiptoe downstairs, push the button on the coffee pot, sneak out on the porch still in my pajamas, and knit while I listened to the birds and waited for the coffee to drip. Actually, my MOST favorite part of the day was when the others would wander down one by one and join me.

Our gracious hostess made sure that we saw the sights in this tiny town. Such gorgeous buildings on the nearby college campus.

I was in awe of the chapel interior and the dining hall.

Now, before you think that we had a quiet meditative few days on that blue and white porch...ummm, no. We had a few ukulele lessons out there, and talked a mile a minute, told stories, and laughed a lot. Thankfully, it is totally possible to knit and talk at the same time. That's one reason it's a great social hobby We all came home with a list of books to read, movies to see, and TV shows to binge watch. There were knitting patterns recommended, yarns suggested and a lot of discussion of quilting (which I don't do.) I know which shoes are super comfortable and where to find bargain jeans. I should have been taking notes. Fortunately, there are text messages and emails to keep us connected even though we all live in different states. I can ask if I can't remember!

Our friend had easy lunch fixings ready for us to help ourselves the day we arrived last week. This soup was one of the choices. It's perfect for hot summer days. And because it's a make-ahead recipe, it's a good choice for entertaining and help-yourself lunches at home. This knitter is a fabulous cook, so we all thank her for sharing the recipe. Here it is, along with her notes:

COLD CURRIED SQUASH SOUP
(nothing has to be exact)

2 lbs squash (yellow or zucchini), cut into chunks
1 large or 2 smallish onions, cut into chunks
3 cups water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
8 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks (I have tried reduced-fat and it is fine but usually use regular)
curry powder* to taste
salt & pepper

• Put the squash, onions, water and bouillon cubes in a big pot and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
• Allow to cool a little bit, then add the chunks of cream cheese and curry powder and purée in batches.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Good cold or hot.

*(Our family likes heat, so I use a good teaspoon, but I would start with 1/2 teaspoon and add according to what you like.)

I did ask what kind of curry powder she used. And she said that she likes Penzy's Hot Curry powder, but this time was out of it, so she used McCormick Organic Curry Powder. That's what I just bought because I want mine to taste like the bowl I enjoyed.

As much fun as that weekend was and as wonderful as every minute was, I am also happy to be back home. Dorothy was right..."There's no place like home."


Just as I was about to hit "post," I got an email from another knitter, who stayed at the mountain house with us, saying she had stumbled across this TED Talk by Kate Davies. It's about creativity and limitations. If you keep a list of interesting books, movies, shows, etc, add this to the list. When there isn't time for a movie or even a television show, TED Talks last about 15 minutes.