everblooming valentine orchid

It has been more a year and the Phaleonopsis we bought on Valentine's Day last year is still blooming.  The bloom spike, unwound, measures 61 inches.

From orchids

From orchids

Bearss Groves is on my way home from work.  I stop there every week for fresh squeezed orange, or tangerine, or grapefruit juice.  Lately, they've also had Phaleonopsis orchids by the register, one for 8 dollars, or two for 15.  I cannot resist!  I've bought four of them in the last two weeks.  Maybe there will be another perpetual bloomer.

hand painted t-shirts

Thanks to R.Balliot for the phrase, "there's a book for that".  I painted two more shirts recently.  I make them for friends.  They're not for sale.  I painted the first one for me over a year ago.  I wear it occasionally on casual Fridays.  It never fails to get comments from library patrons.


I use Neopaque acrylic paint by Jacquard and a stiff synthetic bristle brush.  Masking tape helps me to keep the lines straight.  After painting, the fabric air dries for a day.  Ironing for 30 seconds front and back sets the paint.  I've washed mine dozens of times and the paint is still fine.

name the bookmark

What the hell happened to the month of January?  I blink and it's gone.

I've been busy knitting, drawing, writing with an actual pen on paper...more about the pen and the paper later.  I did make a new bookmark, but haven't graphed the pattern, yet.

This is a picture of the 2 test knits for said bookmark.  The third and the one I like best is blocking.  I need to name it.  I'm open to suggestions.

happy chocolaty new year

Hershey's Special Dark makes a superior s'more.  The new fire pit works great.  We spent hours last night talking, imbibing and making s'mores with our neighbors, Rick & Melinda.  In case you've never made s'mores, roast a couple of marshmallows to your preferred level of doneness.  We used some bamboo sticks cut to a point and soaked in water so they wouldn't catch on fire easily.  Take two halves of graham crackers and place a generous piece of dark chocolate on one.  For a special treat, use peanut butter to glue the chocolate onto the graham.  Smash the roasted marshmallow on top with the other graham cracker.  Enjoy.

We're going to do it all over again tonight.  The weather is calm and warm.  Happy New Year to you and yours.

fire good.

xmas tree parts make it sizzle.

fire in the garden

Shopping list:
marshmallows (chocolate ones, too)
hershey bars
graham crackers

There's nothing like a toasty fire on a cold Florida New Year's Eve.  Thanks, Dave and Kim, for the fire pit.  Purchased at Home Depot, this fire pit comes with a pivoting ceramic grill (not pictured).  We'll post pictures of the first good blaze.

Tibetan singing bowl o'nuts

From Blogger Pictures

Things have been a bit hectic of late, what with baking and knitting and putting up the holiday bling.  I haven't had time to check in here.  I will have a new bookmark design up after the holiday.  In the meantime, here are pictures of what we've been doing around the homestead.

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

I found these beautiful little boxes at Pier1.  They're a perfect size for a gently rolled up bookmark.

From knitting

This fun dish or wash cloth is from KrisKnits.

From knitting

I baked six loaves of Zucchini Bread and six loaves of Cranberry Orange Nut Bread as well as dozens of Pistachio Pecan Cookies this weekend.  The breads are from Beard On Bread by James Beard.  They are delicious and make the house smell fantastic.

holiday knitting delay

Cats and yarn.  I usually knit at my kitchen table.  My cats (we have 4), mostly do not bother me when I'm knitting.  Sasha, the youngest at five, has decided that evenings are best spent in my lap.  This never happens if I'm reading the paper.  Or if I'm eating dinner, or if I'm painting at that table.  It only happens if I have needles and yarn in my hands.  She then feels compelled to gradually get as close as she can.  She may try to go for the yarn, but mostly just wants to stop me from knitting.  Or so it seems.