Missing Mary

My Friend Mary

 

Last month I lost a dear friend to a sudden, major stroke.  Now, each time I sit crocheting, much of the time spent is in thought of Mary.

 

A sweet soul that I spent afternoons in the sun outside the Timbertown Resale Shop, sharing patterns and recipes, and sometimes naughty gossip as the day wore on and customers came and went with found treasures from the Ahlquist's shop.

Mary treated all with graciousness.  She forwarded baby hats to hospitals, money to the unworthy and wouldn't turn away someone in need.  She was rarely without yarn and hook in hand, working endlessly on shawls and blankets and dishcloths.  If canning peaches or tomatoes, she wouldn't hesitate to share some of her bounty with me, to can as well.

Her words were fun and honest.  When bothered once by a seedy woman, she said, "Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya".  We would laugh, and I knew this was the worst she could spew.

I sit tonight crocheting an afghan for the upcoming winter nights, and listen to a late summer rain storm, and think of Mary.  I picture in my mind how she would hold David's hand . . . look up at her tall man . . . and follow.

Mary is my dear friend who I miss and truly always will.



Weather and Roasted Garlic

What to do when Oregon weather is fun and wild?

Roast garlic and smell the lovely aroma!

I recently received a dozen heads of garlic and decided to open the windows to watch the beautiful weather and process all the garlic for future uses.

It can be somwhat time consuming, but so wonderful when you want the flavors of roasted garlic toast or to use in a recipe.

Pretty easy to process the garlic. . .

 

Cut the tops down to the fresh garlic inside, clean and set in foil and then in muffins tins.

 Drizzle with olive oil,

 which you then want to rub in to the cut tops, and cover with the foil.  Roast at 400 degrees for 30 min.  When cool enough to handle,

the roasted garlic cloves will slip right out of the skins.

At this point you can mash with butter and red pepper flakes to spread on your homemade bread for garlic toast, or you can lay single layer on a lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer.
Once frozen . . . place in a container and take out what you need for a recipe or toast or whatever you please.
You can also place some in a jar and cover with olive oil and freeze.  The oil will be great for cooking with, as well as the cloves.  Just remember to not store the oil covered cloves in the refrigerator for longer than a week, as you risk developing botulism.

 I so hope you take the time to process any extra garlic cloves you may have to use later.  It is soooo worth the effort.   Enjoy!!!

Loos New Crocheted Dog Bed

Loo has made it quite clear that she has not been happy with the dog bed we got her off the bargain shelf!

 

After looking at this sad sight for several months, I felt something needed to be done.

I had quite some time ago started an afghan, then decided the yarn wasn't going to work, so I had an idea that it just might be the ticket . . . to use the squares for a new bed for Loo.

The project seemed to be taking shape . . .

 

 

. . . and done!  It wasn't exactly as I'd envisioned, but it might just work.

Loo tested the waters, seemed to think this might work.

 

 

but the true test was . . .

 

The perfect "puppy wrap"!

I think we're going to be okay - whew!