HSKS Trivia Question

Question: Who says, "You will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform..."?

Answer:Voldermort

Swap update: Well...I haven't gotten anything for it yet, but I did just get my partner! =)

HSKS Questionaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into?
Ravenclaw

2. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length.
I don't have favorite brands yet...but I like 7" metal needles (the ones I like are blue-colored and from Hobby Lobby...aluminum maybe? ;)

3. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length?
Most needles would be new to me, but I prefer metal over wood or bamboo


4. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference?
As much as I like to stay true to the book, I really prefer the movie colors

5. If your pal decides to send candies or chocolates are there any that you don't like? Gosh, I love dark chocolate, chocolate with nuts, more chocolate, sour candies, etc. etc. but I don't like white chocolate, reeses pieces, snickers, butterfingers, or suckers


6. What are your favorite scents?
cucumber melon, fresh/outdoorsy type scents (rain, grass, etc), mint/peppermint, coffee, and all those candles/scents that smell exactly like baked goods =)

7. Do you have any allergies?
Nope

=)

Swap!

As you can so from my new badges, I'm doing the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. I'm really excited about it!! Yay Ravenclaw!

And the first trivia question...
Who's talking in this conversation...."There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" "You are quite wrong. Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness."

Answer: Voldermort and Dumbledore

New Glasses!!

They came in today! =) I'm really loving them!

Yay quizzes!!

Find out which Jane Austen Heroine you are here

According to the quiz I am Fanny Price(and with my awful memory, I can't remember who that is or which book she was in)but it means that I am...

"Quiet, shy, and analytical, you observe and feel much more than you can convey. You're patient with others to a fault; people may take advantage of your compliant nature. However, in matters of great importance to you, you will stand your ground, as you always care for your beliefs and convictions. Others view you as the standard of moral uprightness."


Jane Austen Leading Ladies
created with QuizFarm.com


And, I don't want to leave my male readers (well...my boyfriend) out...go here to find out which Jane Austen hero you are!

Razor Cami, Take Three...

enough said ;)

I was very frustrated two days ago when I realized I'd messed it up again, but tonight I am REALLY tired and the idea of couch + knitting + a new Grey's anatomy makes me incredibly happy.

We had a work conference in Paducah (far Western Kentucky, 5 hours from here)...the drive there was uneventful...I'd even forgotten about the time change (it's in the Central Time Zone) which totally saved me from being late and gave me time to stop for breakfast...

Then coming back, I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the directions, got to Elizabethtown, missed the road that takes you to Lexington and was all the way to Louisville before I even realized something was wrong (well...when I saw a sign that said "Louisville 17" that seemed a little wrong)...it was only about 30-40 miles added on to the trip, but I can't get over the ridiculousness of thinking I was getting closer and closer to Lexington and then wham!! being in Louisville. ;)

I have once again learned the lesson that I should read the entire directions before I start driving and probably look at a map...

Razor Cami, Take Two...

Well yesterday I got my yarn and circular needle (yay!) and started on my very first tank top....

actually, since I had twisted the stitches before I started the first round...I actually created my very first knitted mobius strip...oops! It was kind of interesting but not quite what I was going for ;)

So, we'll see how the second time goes...

What I've been doing...

I've also been doing some planning for my friend Amber's baby shower, and I'm so excited about it! I'm still working on the food. It'll be in the afternoon...so if you have any wonderful food suggestions, I'll be glad to take them!

=)

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Yarn is on its way!

Yep, I just completed my very first online yarn purchase and should be seeing my yarn early next week. I also had to get my very first circular needle (or would it be needles?), so that'll be exciting, too!

New things...

I just ordered new glasses today (not that I don't like the glasses I have, but they're four years old, my prescription has changed slightly, and I actually have eye insurance to help out with the $$)...so I'm hoping that they'll get in soon...so I can post an awesome picture of them and me! =) I was going to link a picture of the frames....but that would ruin the surprise...you'll just have to live in suspense ;)

I am also plotting a new knitting project. It's http://ohmystars.net/craft/knitting/prazorcami.html
except I think I'm going to do it in Elann Collection Esprit, French Blue (hehe...I say that like I know what it is, when really I got the yarn idea from here) so thank you to those ladies for the wonderful ideas and knitting skills! I can't wait to make something cute for me...and something that's not a toddler sock (sometimes I get into a little bit of a rut... ;) ). I've never made a tank/shirt/anything like that before, but the pattern sounds doable...so keep your fingers crossed! (and now since I've told everyone about it, I better go get that yarn out of the "cart" and actually check out!)

I also already made my new recipe for the week--balsamic pork chops with grapes--it was okay...but not good enough to bother typing up ;) Hopefully next week's recipe will be worth sharing...

So...

...which Grey's Anatomy character are you??

Find out here

I was very concerned that I'd end up being an Izzie (sorry if you like her, I'm not a fan) but thankfully I'm an Addison (well...not so much an adulteress, but amazingly gorgeous and intelligent, I can work with that ;) )

Edited to add...

I haven't touched the soup again since I had my first bowl. I think I may have been more impressed with the idea of the soup, rather than the soup itself...

Not that you shouldn't make it if the recipe rocks your world, but for my part, I won't be making it again.

Lucky

This week's new recipe ~ Lucky Chinese Soup




And it really is lucky, because I don't have to type out the recipe! Find it here.

I really liked this soup, and I also liked that it was different than anything I've ever cooked. It was also the first time I've ever purchased or used tofu. I still have half a brick (I guess that's what you'd call it) of tofu left, so I'm hoping to find a use for it.

It wasn't hard to make, but it was so much like something you'd get for take-out or off a chinese buffet, that after a few bites, I was thinking, "Wait...I made this? I started with ingredients and made this??"

Seems a little amazing to me.

New (Old) Pictures

Hi everyone...well, I finally got over my Flickr hang-up of wanting every photo on there to be my best, most perfect, most wonderful and I figured it was time to not be quite so picky...

So there are a bunch of new (old) pictures on my Flickr page...makes it a jumbled mess of Spring, Fall, Winter, Wyoming, Kentucky, South Dakota, Milwaukee, Seattle...but I'm really happy with it...I'm also hoping to get some more local, Kentucky pics up in the near future (have to take them first...)

Baby goats!

If one baby goat is this cute, imagine how cute 44 baby goats are!!

Livestock Club went to C2H2 Farms to visit this evening, and they have all sorts of animals, tons of goats, chickens, cute dogs, rabbits, cows...such a beautiful farm and a perfect evening! I hope I can go back and take some more pictures!

Mmm...

My new recipe for this week was...

Orange Cookies!

I have to say, I am VERY partial to chocolate in all desserts, but I decided to try something new. These are good...and since they taste like fruit (kind of), you can eat several without feeling guilty (if you don't think too hard about the sugar, shortening, and icing). I also halved the recipe (didn't need 12 dozen) but I'll put the whole recipe in here, in case they look so good that you must have 12 dozen ;)




Orange Cookies
From: Taste of Home's "Best Loved Cookies and Bars"

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
2/3 cup orange juice
4 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Icing
4 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/3 to 1/2 cup orange juice

• In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the buttermilk, eggs, orange juice, and orange zest (it looks really funky after you add that stuff--don't worry, it'll turn out okay once you add the dry ingredients!). Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture
• Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• For icing, combine the confectioners' sugar, orange extract, and enough orange juice to acheive desired consistency. Spread over cooled cookies. Yield: 12 dozen
  

And, in case you're not in a baking mood...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjxY9rZwNGU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0jRuASVEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39qdhbkTko4

I do love embroidery and kittens...

;)

Glories of the Garden

Pictures of my pictures in the UK Arboretum "Glories of the Garden" Art Show. The artist reception was last Sunday, and even though I've seen these pictures about a million times, I can't get over how nice they look all framed and hung up (especially the picture that's up at the Singletary Center--the one with the white wall and the fancy name tag).

Spring Foward is "ruff"

I love it being lighter in the evenings BUT the mornings are terrible (well, more terrible than usual) for at least a week.

Anyway, despite my not wonderful feelings about the time change, I got a TON of stuff done today. I caught spring cleaning fever and have been cleaning, and cleaning, and cleaning all day long. Everything in my apartment is cleaner than it's EVER been...except for my second bedroom, which is a wreck. I'm hoping I can tackle it sometime next week...after I got finished with my bedroom I was done for the day.

I did have energy to make dinner and it turned out lovely (!!) and incredibly easy to clean up, which was good because I didn't have the heart to mess up my perfect kitchen ;) This wonderful, incredible meal was...

Pork Chops with Apple Cranberry Sauce (and a baked sweet potato)




Seriously, the best porkchop I've ever had (the picture doesn't really do it justice, but when it comes down to it, I really wanted to EAT the porkchop, not take a picture of it or style the food or do whatever people do to make food look really appetizing and not just like mush on a plate) . I guess part of being inspired by food blogs means I should actually be including the recipe...which I'm planning on doing, but right now I think I need some ice cream. ;)

ETA: Recipe Time!

Pork Chops with Apple-Cranberry Sauce
From: Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy Cookbook

4 boneless pork chops (3/4 to 1 lb)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 tsp. dried majoram
1/4 cup Craisins
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup..I think I used more than this)
2 tsps. cornstarch

1. Spray 10-inch non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over meduim high heat, sprinkly pork chops with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet, turning once, until brown.

2.Stir in 1/2 cup apple juice, cranberry juice and majoram. Cook over medium low for 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries and onions. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning pork once, until pork is slightly pink in center.

3. Mix cornstarch amd remaining 1/4 cup apple juice until smooth. Remove pork from skillet and cover to keep warm. Stir cornstarch misture into skillet; cook and stir until thickened. Serve sauce over pork.

Yum!

hmm...

I'm getting inspired by all the food blogs I've been reading (and I'm getting very, very hungry) so I'm thinking I might start adding pictures of the new recipes I try to my blog...then I'll have more reasons to post AND more incentives to actually try new recipes

=)

A few clicks and...

...when it's not in black and white, the water in this picture is murky green with floating, fuzzy-looking, dark green accents (algae?)...the boys I was with thought it was filled with goose poop (which, it turns out, is a very similar color green)...

Oh, the things you learn during a field trip to Salato Wildlife Center...