Preparing for winter

This year I have a new farm for CSA, Bending Bridge Farm in Penn. I am using the newish model of paying upfront for the CSA, like normal. The difference is I get to pick out what I want every week because they are at the Bethesda Central Farm Market every Sunday. I do my shopping and they debit my total from my share. I am so happy with this model because I am not getting stuff I don't want in quantities I could never finish in one or even two weeks. If you are in a CSA, I highly recommend this new model. And my farm has great selection: red and green peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, garlic, wax beans, green beans, Asian egglant, greens, lettuce, watermelon, cantaloupe, and more.

And being at the farm market every week is great because what Audrey and Cameron do not have, like peaches, I can buy from the other farmers. I am spoiled by the peaches (at about $2.50/lb) and would like to freeze some for use later. After trying the popular cooking web sites (for example Epicurious and All Recipies) and finding them completely useless, I found some large university extension services with great resources on freezing fruit and vegetables:
University of Minn. Extension
Colorado State Extension
University of Ga. Cooperative Extension

This will be my project for the week.

Living trust and will? Done.

Every once in a while I do something that reminds me that I am 41. An adult. Who needs to handle her life like an adult when necessary. Today I finalized my living trust and will.

It has been on my to do list literally for years, ever since I bought property. One reason it took me so long is I did not really know how to start to the process*. Arlington Adult Ed can take the credit for pushing me along. I attended a class this summer about getting the will written, knowing that I need to take the first step in attaining that goal. The lawyer who taught that class was very sensible, not scary or threatening, and drove the point home to me that this is something that I need to complete.

It really was not that hard, just time-consuming. Choosing beneficiaries and executor was thought-provoking and kind of difficult. I have two brothers and I did not want to offend the one I did not choose, but in the end I know I made the right choice. And there is nothing that can't be changed if my choices are eating away at me.

So I feel a big sense of satisfaction today.

*I don't think I am alone in not really knowing how or where to begin. For example, as I was leaving the office this afternoon to head over to the lawyer's, I rode the elevator with a colleague. A very smart guy, slightly younger than me, with a wife and children. He revealed that he does not have a will. What? Dude, you have kids!

Thanks DC Blogs

for the mention last week:

http://dcblogs.com/?p=3078

It's the only time I get hits! BTW, I got a email from a knitter who read my post about the guy subletting the apartment from the psychiatrist who requires he be out of the apartment 3 days a week. She is also a psychiatrist and laughed. I thought that was a pretty good coincidence.

Time to start thinking about Christmas gifts, knitters!

Time to start thinking about Christmas gifts, knitters! I found some nice yarn on sale on Elann today, for a new scarf for my father. Thanks to the yardage estimator here and the random stripe generator here, I think I figured out the yardage and some fun stripes.

Yesterday I met-up with the DC Threads meetup for the first time. Very nice women, and a small group which I prefer. We had knitters, crocheters, and a cross-stitcher, so there was good representation. The group meets in the atrium of the American Art Museum, a very public place, and it was funny the people who stopped to chat with us. One woman belonged to a card group that has never played cards, in the 43 years she has been part of the group, so she was impressed with us actually doing what we meet to do. I made some progress on Tudora, but I realize I can't knit and talk at the same time!

Snap out of it

I found some nice buttons on Etsy today; thinking about making another Tudora so I will need another funky button. It was a fast project and I have a whole ball of yarn leftover. It will make a good Christmas gift.

I was off today, another long weekend before the end of the summer. I considered driving to the beach but the total of 6 hours driving made me think twice. I hate living so far from the ocean! It has bugged me for as long as I have lived in D.C.

This summer has been a drain on my psyche for some reason. Have not figured it out yet. I hope the reason for all of the angst and feeling so low will become clear in the coming months. I just can't seem to snap out of it. A breakthrough has to be on the other side of this.

Now that I can cable

Now that I can cable, I feel like I have a whole new world of knitting in front of me. I used to avoid patterns w/cabling, shrinking in fear. Oh no, not cables!

Here's the progress on Tudora. I am psyched about my Berroco Blackstone Tweed yarn in Salt Water. The color is great (and what a great name), I hope it translates on the Web. It's a very blue teal color, w/little flecks.

Sublet with a catch

Had the most fascinating conversation yesterday afternoon with a guy living in D.C. on a temporary assignment at NIH. I met him at the bar of a mediterannean restaurant in my 'hood.

Having the day off, I went to the spa for an afternoon facial and manicure (thanks Groupon). Feeling all relaxed and shiny clean, I decided to stop in for a glass of red wine on my way home. This restaurant has a great selection of South American red wine and I knew I could grab a mezze or two if I was hungry. I love afternoons like this and I don't have them very often.

Shortly after I sat down at the empty bar and started sipping my glass of Argentinian Malbec, in walks a regular. Ann, the bartender greeted Ron by name and uncapped a Yuengling. There was some small talk, he lives in Seattle, going to Hawaii next week for vacation with his wife who is living in Seattle, blah blah. Then Ann brings me up to speed in Ron's living situation and the sitcom they have been planning over the many weeks that Ron has been visiting the bar.

He is subletting a studio apartment in NW from a psychologist. The psych lives in south Florida, but three days a week she comes to D.C. to see patients. On those days, Ron has to put all of his "stuff" away and stay out of the apartment from 8AM to 8PM. Oh the story lines this TV show could have! We were on a roll, I just hope we can remember them all after all the wine and beer.

I love this sort of stuff. And of course he found this apartment on Craigslist. Where else!

Coquille is cooking right along

Here are a few new pictures of Coquille. This is turning out to be an easy pattern to remember, a quick knit. I look forward to wearing this in the fall. The weight of this yarn (Mini Moochi in Violet Rainbow) will be perfect for the fall and winter in Washington, DC.

Coquille already had a do-over

About 6 inches into my new scarf project Coquille I realized I was reading the pattern wrong, missing a few of the short-row gussets. So I pulled it out last night, but it was okay, I had messed up the very beginning, too, so this was my chance to fix it. This pattern is easy to remember, something I really appreciate so I can watch TV and knit without having to stop and look at the pattern.

Here's a picture pre-frog to show how the color of this yarn (Mini Moochi Violet Garden) is striping. I studied a number of pictures on the Internet to get a good idea of how these colors would come together.

I think a single color yarn with a value change would look really nice, too, like dark blue to lighter blue or dark gray to silver.

Help Bethesda (Md.) Central Farm Market Be America’s Favorite Farmers Market!

It’s summertime and that means two things: 1) There are loads of delicious farm fresh produce available at Bethesda (Md.) Central Farm Market farmers market every week; and 2) American Farmland Trust’s America’s Favorite Farmers Markets™ contest has kicked into gear and we need your votes to win!

The process is simple. To vote for our market, all you have to do is:

1.) Go to www.farmland.org/vote

2.) Type in Bethesda Central Farm Market; and,

3.) Click “Vote”

That’s it. That’s all it takes to bring Bethesda Central Farm Market one step closer to being America’s favorite farmers market!

Now American Farmland Trust has introduced leader boards where you can keep track of the Top 5 markets receiving votes in Maryland.

Want to support multiple markets in Maryland, Virginia, or D.C.? Search by state and you can vote for more of your favorites - just remember, you only have one vote to cast per market!

According to American Farmland Trust (AFT), the purpose of this contest is to re-connect local consumers to local farms, with the ultimate goal of keeping our nation’s farm and ranch land productive and healthy! Buying at the farmers market keeps money in the local community and helps farms and ranches remain economically viable. By voting, you’re helping support farms and communities across the nation. As American Farmland Trust says, “No Farms No Food™!”

So don’t forget to vote forBethesda Central Farm Market at www.farmland.org/vote and spread the word!

New project for fall

After browsing the Summer Knitty, I found a scarf that I love - Coquille. It looks pretty quick, too. I really like the way to yarn stripes, it will really enhances the colors in the yarn. I will be using Mochi Mini in Violet Garden.

There is a meetup group that knits at the Smithsonian's American Art Museum that I have been wanting to join, but I have not had an easily transportable project! (One small detail.) Once the yarn arrives in the mail, I will be all ready.

I don't knit very much in the summer because the yarn gets so hot and scratchy. Do you have the same problem? I can't even imagine wearing a wool sweater when it is in the 90s and humid. Ugh. So my desire to knit is gone. This is also the time to start on Christmas knitting. Dad needs a new scarf. I made him one a few years ago, which really did not turn out all that great, too short, not wide enough, but he still wears it! How flattering.

Koala collar to big

I added the collar to Koala Cardigan last night to realize that is was too wide, it was too thick and chunky for the sweater. So I reduced the CO to 15 (from 20) and will see if that looks better. I won't finish this weekend like I had hoped, but this is time well spent.

All in good time

Back to the knitting! I am slacking, badly. This really great, easy sweater I was all psyched to wear this winter - this cold and very snowy winter in D.C. - is still laying on my livingroom floor. I thought, "If I put it in the way, I will get tired of stepping over it and finish the darn thing." Not. But you all know how that goes.

I have been using my time constructively though. I have been exploring my highly sensitive personality and working on myself. I guess this all started last summer when I went to Kripalu for a yoga retreat. And then I tried a therapist. And then I found Jenna Avery on the Internet, by accident, or so I thought. And then I read "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life" to get my condo feng shui in order. So this is all unfolding as it should. I was waiting for the bolt of lightening that would bring all of the clarity I am seeking, but that's not coming. All in good time. That is my new mantra.

So before I get started on my new project, Geodesic cardigan, (in the winter/spring Knitscene) by Connie Chang Chinchio - she has some great designs - I am going to finish this cardigan this weekend. Promise.