Saturday, August 14, 2010

All Over the Place


CLEAR BEGINNING
This is one of those posts of bits and bobs that seem to crop up here and there. One (or a few maybe), of my old English teachers would say without direction. Myself, I argue that while the subjects are varied there is a clear beginning, middle and end.

CLEAR MIDDLE
Dennett, my 17 going on 18 year old dog caught himself a lizard last evening, twice! He isn't totally blind and with his still great nose can do fair bit of hunting. Yes, I saved the lizard both times.

Stella has passed the jumping on furniture mile stone. She can now get herself up onto the comfy chair (much to Peters dismay) and into my lap. She celebrates each time by jumping on my chest and poking me in the face with her nose, sometimes the tongue is right on with the timing, other times, it's just a wet nose. But a very happy one. She then either goes to the business of bothering Peter (we do discourage this as comfy chair time is for everyone to enjoy) or plops onto available real estate to snooze.
She has also outgrown her puppy harness and is into a new larger harness. She still loves curling up with Uncle Smoochie though.

It's getting tight in that bed! Car ride trips are planned for next week.

I only saw my looms in passing yesterday, but I did get some mighty fine hand spun yarn plied and soaked.

This was all done on the Ladybug spinning wheel and I have to say, I did much better getting a finer even yarn than I have ever done on the Timbertops.

It's not perfect by a long shot, but there has been substantial improvement. The fiber came from Cindie at Eweniquely Ewe and is BFL.

The Perseid Meteor Showers have lived up to all the hype. Between 3:30 yesterday morning and 5:00, I saw over 30 shooting stars. Forget Bearwatch, the eyes were on the sky and we are lucky enough here up in the mountains not to have any light pollution. It was just wondrous. It also made me count my blessings. The recent news from all over the world is both horrifying and saddening on so many levels. How lucky am I that I can sit on my duff, (overlooking one of the most beautiful places I know), and spend time watching stars shoot? Juno brought me back to myself by bringing me a present. I can say without exception, that mouse did not get much enjoyment from the Perseids.

CLEAR END
Finally, one thing that has been kind of irritating me and that is the heavy handed use of garlic in what seems like EVERYTHING these days. Now I am not a big fan of garlic but I do enjoy it roasted and as a seasoning to enhance my cooking. But good lord, I don't want it slathered on everything. I like my mashed potatoes to taste like spuds, I like to be able to taste my meat and any other seasonings that might be present. I don't like it snuck into mayo, bread or a hundred other things. If I want that much garlic I'll eat garlic, not something else that has now become completely garlic flavored. I have actually stopped eating at a number of places because it seems everything now tastes the same and yesterday I got to cross another off my list after having a quick (and rather expensive) lunch of something that ended up being nothing more than a carrier for garlic. I saw the roast beef with my eyes, but you sure couldn't taste it.

10 comments:

LA said...

It must be all the vampire books, movies and TV shows....you think??? With garlic, I think that a little dab will do ya! I saw one shooting star last night...and felt lucky about that one...it was slightly overcast. But that one sure made me smile!

Anonymous said...

I have been getting up to watch the meteor showers as well. Such a beautiful time and yes we are so lucky. I have been completely off garlic for a few years and used to really like it and now cannot abide the smell.

Cindie said...

Looks like Stella is gradually pushing Uncle Smoochie out of the bed. He looks oblivious to it though, snoozing away.

I love roasted garlic, it's nice mild flavor, but I agree many places have crossed the line with how much garlic they're using in dishes.

Theresa said...

I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one who thinks the garlic craze has gotten out of hand!

Evelyn & LA glad you two are enjoying the met. showers too. The Leonids (sp) come in the winter and it's just too dang cold out to really enjoy them usually, or cloudy, so this is a treat.

Cindie, If Stella can't make room in the bed with Smooch, she plops on top of him. He moans, he attempts a growl and then slips back into sleep. He is the heaviest sleeper of all the dogs. Charlotte hears a pin drop and is up and alerting everyone in a second flat. The rest fall somewhere inbetween.

Life Looms Large said...

Great dog pics, as always!!!

We've been looking out to see the Perseids, and even had enough clear sky to drive to the end of our neighborhood at 3 a.m. on Thursday morning and hope to catch shooting stars. We saw a few, but then it clouded up again. (Bailey thought we were nuts sitting in a field frequented by foxes and coyotes at 3 a.m.!!! The neighbors might have thought so too!)

Beautiful yarn that you've spun!!

That's amazing that Dennett can still catch lizards!

I don't think the garlic craze has taken over New England, but maybe that's just me!

Sue

Sharon said...

I don't cook so can't comment on the vampire issue, though we did have a nice garlic crop - just in case. I did see my looms too - when I went upstairs to get the guest room ready for Alexia.

Stella is coming into her own, I must say. I'd much rather an exuberant dose of JRT than our zealous lab. She's so young and will live so long - all of her. Sigh.

Maggie said...

I hadn't noticed the garlic thing! I don't think our chefs use more than they ever have. Sounds like an easy out, which is kind of stupid this time of year. Go get some fresh herbs, silly, lazy chefs! And I haven't noticed it while eating out, either. Maybe just your area? If you're going someplace fancy, call ahead and tell them you're DEATHLY allergic to it, and see if they back off.

DEEP END OF THE LOOM said...

I don't mind garlic, but then again in Cuban food everything has garlic so I don't even pick up on it. I have though found that in our area everything is swimming in olive oil, yet another ingredient that I think is over used in alot of places.

I love the doggie picks, they are so cute, seems like Stella is pushing to get the bed to herself.

Leigh said...

Perfect yarn is in the eye of the beholder! I love the subtle color and texture variations.

I didn't realize garlic had become so popular. Which shows how often we eat out. I do love garlic, but I have to agree that other food flavors are nice too!

Kris said...

I'll beg to disagree on the garlic, I can't get enough. Maybe I'm a vamp(ire) in disguise? Although, since I work retail, I do have to be somewhat careful ;-)

I completely missed the shooting stars this year, rats. Probably wouldn't have seen much due to all the lights in this area, anyway.

Loving your handspun! It's gorgeous. I've got some of Cindie's fiber I need to ply, can't wait to see it finished. Oh, speaking of fiber, we just received 4 colors of BFL from Frabjous, talk about amazing! Come see, and hopefully bring Stella?