Off the Needles | Journey-along

Today I want to share a couple Journey-along FO's with you...

First up is my Swift and a very rare selfie. I seriously love this hat - both the knitting and the wearing! This is the second one I've knit since the first is a shop sample and I just had to make another for myself!

Pattern: Swift by Shannon Cook

Yarn: Sport Weight by Blue Sky Alpacas (color 510 Black)

Raveled: Swift in Black

Another project I want to share with you is this fabulous pair of socks from Journey that were knit by the talented Sandy for the Journey-along:

Aren't they great?! I love the color combo!

Pattern: Climb by Jane Richmond

Yarn: Sock by Shibui Knits (color Jackie) and toe in Fine by Spud & Chloe (color Shitake)

Raveled: Climb Socks

It's been a lot of fun seeing the Journey projects online and in the shop, and the enthusiasm for immediately casting on new projects has been contagious! I'm currently down to one Journey WIP, so I'm trying to decide on the next project to cast on. Probably one of the sweaters, but we'll see....

February was a whirlwind with class prep for Firefly Fibers and now that March is here and the spring classes are posted, I have a little breathing room. Hubby is home today, so this afternoon we're headed out to pick up a toy for me (I'll share the details on that soon). I better gather up the car knitting so we can be on our way!

Cheers!

In the Kitchen | Pho and Eggs

It's been refreshing to think ahead to spring and warmer weather as I'm finalizing the details for the upcoming classes at the shop. I tend to go into hiding right before posting a new round of classes as all the loose ends get tied up, but I've been trying to find some balance by spending a little time in the kitchen. A couple weeks back, I decided to make Vietnamese Pho - a soup with a spiced broth, rice noodles, herbs and we enjoyed ours with beef. I've never made Pho before and decided to take the completely from scratch route, including making broth with beef bones. Granted, this was a lot more work than just using beef stock - it had to simmer for hours for the flavor to develop, then it had to be strained and cooled skim off the fat - but it was totally worth it!

When the broth was ready and the Pho was assembled, it was beautiful meal full of delicious light and fresh flavor.

I love fresh veggies and herbs on just about everything, and this soup had plenty with bean sprouts, red bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, basil and a nice squeeze of fresh lime juice.

I used this wonderful recipe and video tutorial for the broth and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to make Pho completely from scratch. Sure, it took more time and effort, but it yields a stockpot quantity of delicious broth and we have plenty frozen for future use now - I can't wait to enjoy it again this summer with fresh garden goodies!

On a less time consuming and complicated front... a friend of mine has chickens and she very generously shares her super-fresh eggs with me on a regular basis. I love hard-boiled eggs, but the eggs from my friend are SO fresh that half the white - along with half my patience - is lost when trying to remove the shell after boiling. So, I asked her for advice - I figured there has to be a better way, right? She suggested baking them in the oven. Well, I'm happy to report that it works and it really couldn't be easier!

Here's how you do it:

• Place one dozen eggs in one muffin pan (a mini-muffin pan might work better so they can stand up, but this is what I have).
• Bake in the oven at 325 for 30 minutes.
• Using tongs (careful, the eggs are HOT), transfer the eggs in an ice bath until they're cool enough to handle.
• Eat right away or store in the fridge. The end.

These eggs are perfectly cooked with a creamy texture that is so much better than traditional boiled eggs and they peel SO easily! Honestly, I don't know that I'll ever boil eggs again.

I guess I better get back to my class prep, shop knitting and the Journey-along, but maybe I'll sneak into the kitchen later to make some deviled eggs - I'm sure hubby would love that!

Cheers!

Inspiration | I have never...

I love winter, but this has been a trying winter and I'm ready for spring. Each year, I anxiously wait for the first snowfall, but it's just been too cold this year. I moved to Wisconsin from North Dakota and Minnesota, so I'm familiar with cold. Very familiar. I know this winter has been trying for a lot of people, so today I feel like sharing a little inspiration to keep us moving forward. I hope you enjoy!

Meet my amazing friend, Caleb. He's on a journey - a 365 day journey of exploration of self-discovery. What is that all about, you ask? Well, here it is in his own words:

"When is the last time you tried  something new?" It's a question most people have to think about before they can answer. For any number of reasons, we often rely on the familiar and avoid exploring the unknown... But that's not me. I'm tired of the routine. As a result, I decided my 30th year would be one of new experiences. I intend to see, learn, or do something I have never experienced each day over the next 365 days. In what is bound to be one crazy experiment, I hope to take away as much as possible from my 365 day journey of exploration for self-discovery.

This exploration began on his 30th birthday - Monday, May 13th, 2013 - and today is day 278. That's a lot of "never's" to experience. Kind of crazy right?

... I  intend to do something I have never done everyday, and to post a photo of my daily "I have never..." on this blog.  I realize it will be difficult, and I know it may not happen.

I for one, had no doubts that he would make this happen - if anyone can and would do this, it's Caleb. Here are some of my favorite highlights:

This is Michael. He got away before getting his haircut.

Caleb had Daniel and the Lion at his house for a concert.

Ireland has now moved up on my list of places to visit.

And random acts of kindness.

And then... for a little fun, there's a pole dancing class.

A food "never" is always intriguing and tempting for me - even stomach.

I admire Caleb's open-minded approach to each "never" and being able to follow along has inspired me and makes me realize I should be doing more. Often the "never" is something that one probably would NEVER experience in their lifetime, but we can changer that. Admittedly, I feel like I just don't have time, but really, shouldn't we all be making time for new experiences?

You can find Caleb's 365-day journey at never365.blogspot.com - take a look and I hope you follow Caleb as his journey continues to close in on day 365. Maybe you'll even find a little inspiration for a "never" or two of your own.

~ Many thanks to Caleb for sharing his 365-day journey and for his permission to share his photos.