...from the handiwork journal

 I have not ordered or purchased yarn in a while, because I am trying to use up my supply I already have.   However, at some point in the past, I purchased cotton yarns from Herrschners online.  

Beware, that the Village Yarn they sell, is made in China.  They do not tell you that on their online store.  They simply say "imported" and I somehow missed this.  Luckily, I only have a few balls of their yarn, but wanted to let all of my crochet/knit people know.  I also feel it is thinner than the typical 100% cotton yarn from Peaches & Creme/Sugar & Cream.

. . . I am back to knitting dishcloths for a winter Holiday craft show.  I thought I had a bunch of dishcloths already made, but when I looked through the totes, I did not.  I have a lot of cotton balls of yarn, as it was one item my Mom always liked, and purchased from me (she was always gifting someone).  It takes me almost 3 hours to knit one of these.  I make mine 52 stitches.  I will not offer a 3 for $ price on these this winter.  They take took much work to make.  Or am I just a slow knitter?

. . .I have had a request from someone for an XL hot pad, so that is on the afghan hook.   These are crocheted, and my own pattern.  I am limited to colors for this, as I need my cotton yarn to be on a cone.  They have discontinued many of their yarn colors that are sold by the cone.

We are getting rain.  I think the rain will not end until Friday this week.  Sunday looks great though.  I changed the menu a bit, and we had home canned tomato soup and grilled cheese last night.  My husband wasn't feeling all that great.  

A co-worker that works with my husband came to work sick last week, and now my husband has a sore throat, feels fatigue and not well.  Wonderful.  He has been taking Four Thieves Vinegar.

I'm busy in the kitchen, but hope to get a bit of order back in the rest of the house.  I gave up on finding some grocery items I needed, and placed an online order.  It's frustrating, that I cannot find healthy ingredients in the stores anymore.

If the rain quits a bit today, I hope to go check on the hot peppers and bell peppers today.  I am trying to focus on getting the herbs either dehydrated or frozen before the fall frost arrives.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We woke up to a bit of rain, which was not in the forecast.  I am thankful for that, as the bell peppers are still producing, and the vines on the spaghetti squash are still producing more squash.

I have 90 drafts on my blog right now.  Sheesh.  I believe I will try and clean those up, or write them, on the next rainy day.  I still need to read my emails.  

I had a saved glass jar, so I made a jar of homemade taco seasoning for one of the kids.  We had them over for dinner recently, and her boyfriend loved the taco seasoning in the chicken quesadillas we made.  I buy most of my organic ingredients bulk, so they were gifted a jar.

I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  

The weather . . .

We are in the 70's all week with rain about 3 days this week too.

As I look outside my window . . .

It's still pitch dark.

Right now I am . . .

Sipping coffee and getting this post up.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Work on the chicken coop is hit or miss around here. My husband was sick Sunday.  I am wondering what day we'll go get more supplies to finish it.

I'm thinking about making a list of medical supplies. I want us to be stocked up for winter, and when I last shopped I could not find everything we needed at one store.

One store sells water-cress, and the leaves were all brown and looked terrible.  Check your expiration dates too.  Stores don't care anymore.  They had cottage cheese that has expired a month ago in their case.  So many things are just being sold old.

Listening to . . .

Country music in the kitchen, but about to put on work out music.

How I am feeling . . .

Tired.  

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover breakfast casserole.  Just something I threw together.

On the lunch plate . . .

Have no idea yet.

On the dinner plate . . .

I think I will make the sheet pan dinner tonight.

What I am wearing . . . 

Still in jammies.

On the reading pile . . .

Nothing currently.  

On the TV . . .

Movies on netflix.

On the menu . . .

-Chili
-Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash
-Sheet pan dinner (Sweet potatoes, chickpeas, broccoli, and red onion)

Looking around the house . . .

I am still trying to get order back.  I have one kitchen counter that is driving me nuts.  It's on the list for this week.  Everything needs to find their home again.

To do list . . .

-make homemade granola
-make homemade granola bars (these two are for the week, as I need to grocery shop for some ingredients)
-start a jar of garlic/honey
-laundry
-check garden for more bell peppers/hot peppers
-bake a breakfast  (something with our apples perhaps)

-make banana muffins (sugar free, flour free)

-work on upstairs floor in spare room

From the camera . . .

Devotional, thoughts, prayers . . .

Update on our friend's daughter who had a brain bleed.  She is up and sitting in a chair, and is able to run the TV remote with one hand.  So far, the progress reports are coming in good.  thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and good mojo!