Knitting for Me

With all the exchanges and swaps completed, it is now time to knit for 'me'. As much fun as I have doing these exchanges, it feels good to have them all completed for a time. I will be able to knit for myself without feeling quilty thinking I should be working on this or that other project.

Here's some photos of my last exchange. The 'mess' and the replacement for the 'mess' that I knitted mostly during our car trip south. I love the replacemnt but am still 'ticked' with the author of the pattern for 'the mess'.


Actually, the Wotton Bag (named for a wool mill town in England) is so much fun to knit (a four row repeat pattern keeps it interesting) I am ready to knit one for myself and my daughter, Melody. It's not a large bag but it does hold a lots and it's smart enough for her to use at work.

Yesterday hubby and I went shopping. We didn't buy anything, well, thats not exactly true, we didn't buy what we went shopping for, but I did buy a new bathing suit. (Needed a new one from the weight loss I took with Hodgkin's disease and the chemo treatments.) We were shopping for a new range and for kitchen and bathroom floor coverings. We were astounded at the price of the stoves - the style we have to have is double what a standard range or cooktop cost. Our current one slides into a stand alone counter and is a standard stove without back and sides and rest flat on the counter like a cooktop. We finally found an affordable one, when it goes on sale over weekend; the salesperson was nice enough to let us know if we waited, we could save about $300. We checked out floor samples from two different flooring stores and I think will be able to decide on a new floor cover using the samples.

On Monday we had a couple over to make their own batch of pickles. They brought the jars and ingredients and DH and I showed them how to whip up a batch in an afternoon. They were so proud of the colorful jars of pickles and couldn't wait to dive into them. Since they were still hot and would be for most of the night, I gave them a jar from my pantry to take home and enjoy with their dinner. Here's the recipe and don't let the word 'squash' scare you. They are wonderful, like a yellow bread and butter. I want to share the recipe with you.

SQUASH PICKLES

5 - pounds yellow squash washed thoroughly and sliced thin
3 - medium sized white onions peeled and sliced thin
1/2 - cup table salt
Ice cubes or crushed ice
1 - teaspoonfull celery seed
2 - teaspoonfull mustard seed
1 1/2 - teaspoonfull turmeric
5 - cups sugar
5 - cups cider vinegar

Wash and slice the squash. Peel and slice the onions. In a large container, layer the squash and onions sprinkling each layer with salt. Cover with a thick layer of ice cubes, mixing the ice into the squash and onions. Cover and weight down with a cutting board or other heavy object. Let stand 2 -3 hours.

While squash are resting in the brine water, wash and sterilize the jars and keep warm. (I use the dishwasher for this purpose.)

Rinse and drain the squash.
Combine remaining ingredients and heat slowly, just to a boil. Add squash mix and let the mixture return to a slow boil. Let mixture cook for just a minute, the squash should be slightly cooked, yet still crisp.

Just before adding the squash to the jars, heat t he lid flats in a shallow pan of boiling water.
When squash are ready, spoon them into hot, dry jars. Pack the squash down by running a knife around the inside edges of the jar and pushing down on the squash. Add more squash, and pack down until the jar is filled up to its shoulder. The squash should be covered with the boiling liquid. Wipe the mouth of the jars with a damp cloth and place a flat on top. Screw on a lid ring and tighten slightly. Turn the jar upside down on clean dry towel for several hours. You should hear a ping every so often, that will be a jar sealing. When cool, place in a cool dry cabinet or pantry. As long as the jars are sealed the squash will keep for a couple of years. After opening a jar be sure to refrigerate the remaining pickles.
Makes about 15 or 16 half pints, or 7 or 8 pints.