Knitted Together

I am blending my two blogs together into one blog.

What you will now see in this new and (hopefully) improved blog will be more than just knitting.
I will keep updating on my knitting and what I have for sale, but I will also write on my family life.

You can expect to see posts on "Stomper" my son, what I am cooking up in the kitchen, the garden, things I am designing, and other parts of family life.

I hope you enjoy the new format!

Mimi & Stomper

Here are two videos of my Mother-In-Law being silly with my son.

Something Silly, Something Sweet

Silly

Peppermint Mocha Mama had this on her blog and it gave me a laugh.. thought I'd give it a go. If you want to try click here.

My Name Is:

1. My Real Name:
Delia Hamlin

2. Witness Protection Name:
Mae Harry

3. Nascar Name
Winifred Walter

4. Star Wars Name:
Hamde

5. Detective Name
Blue Dog

6. Soap Opera Name
Mae Manchester

7. Superhero Name
The Green Coffee

8. Fly Name
Dein

9. Porn Name
Mr. Rogers South

10. Gangsta Name
Hamizzle

11. Goth Name
Black Piper

12. Stripper Name
Black Amethyst Chocolate

Sweet

Finished up this little sheep just in time for a Birthday Party

Can Share



about half of last years relish



I ran into this idea via MommyCoddle on Twitter. It was actually on (in?) a web page she shared as a link. She called it a Jam, Jelly, & Preseve Swap but many of the presevers I know also freeze, because it is cheaper and faster so I am going to call it Can Share.



The reason that I want to do this, is that last year I made gallons of green tomato relish not realizing how much I was really making, and I still have tons of it. It would have been nice to have gone to a swap or share and "off loaded" my relish. Also, I'm not much of a jam or jelly maker.

One year when I was a pre-teen I made a batch of grape jelly from the wild (well, uncultivated) grapes that grew at our house. I remember not having much fun, but feeling proud of my accomplishment. I don't recall my Mom helping she told me it was MY project and I was more than capable of doing it myself. The other reason that I don't make jam or jelly is that it is so easy to buy that stuff at the store and so much work to get the berries from the bush to the kitchen (picture me fending off my husband and son from eating such yummy goodies).

I know what you are thinking: "Really Delia, you are afraid of jam? You who made how many gallons of relish?"

Yes, well, the tomatoes were right outside my door and the other ingredients a very short drive to the store so it didn't feel so much like work.

I am going to open our swap to anything you have preserved in 2011 including but not limited to:

relish
jam
jelly
sauce(s)
blueberries
other berries
pears
apples
tomatoes
zuccini
summer squash
pickles

The rules:
1) Whatever you share needs to be packaged and ready to be tossed back into the freezer or put on the shelf.
2) Bring 10-12 of each item you wish to swap with (10 jars of jam, 10 gallon bags of pears) PLUS one to open for tasting --if you item is frozen please prepare a thawed batch for tasting
3) If your item is unique or not usually preserved (I am thinking of my Mom's frozen pears) please type or neatly write a recipie on how to use it
4) Label your items with your name, what the item is, and what month and year it was preserved
5) And this one is obvious --preserve with care we don't want anyone sick!

I hope to plan the swap for mid-September or mid-October depending on how well the canning goes. I think for the swap I will bring something pickled and maybe something sweet or frozen? Not sure yet I have tons of time to think and dream.

This is what I hope to preserve this fall some canned some frozen:

pickled beets
pickles
carrots
beans
relish (maybe)
apple butter
pear butter ?
pear sauce (frzn)
apple sauce (frzn)
tomato sauce (frzn)
shredded zuccini (frzn)
shredded summer squash (frzn)
berries (frzn)
sugar snap peas (frzn)
rhubarb (frzn)
(frzn) = frozen

Also in addition to my own small stash of relish I am making gallons for my cousin, yes gallons. I sent him a quart of relish about a month ago. I saw him at a wedding reception this past week-end:

cousin: "That relish you made tasted just like Grandmas."
me: "Good. It is her recipie, I'm glad you like it."
cousin: "Can you make me more this summer? I'll pay you."
me: "I still have a some you can have it."
cousin: "Well, I want a lot of it."
me: "How much is a lot?"
cousin: "Well, I could eat a jar a week." --I'm not sure if he meant a quart or a pint a week
me: "I'll plant more tomatoes just for you."
my husband: "How about you buy two things of jars one for us and one for you?"
cousin: "Sounds good."

I cannot wait to see some growth in the garden!

Teacup Teddy

She is finished!

This is Teacup Teddy knit for the same customer who ordered Teacup Baby.

Isn't she the cutest? Don't you want one?

The Color of Love

I think the color of love is brown. A rich, deep, dark brown, so brown it's almost black. It's the color of my toes this afternoon after I spent twenty minutes in the garden helping out my husband in my bare feet. Brown has made it onto my floors and across my porch as dirty boots trod inside from a hard days work tilling up the gardens. Brown reminds me of hope as we plant and hope for a good nights gentle rain and just enough sun and rain through out our summer while our garden grows. I love that we are using up the space we have been given to prepare for the winter. I love that this summer, fall, and winter 

we will be able to munch on veggies that we have planted.

Click the picture to View it Bigger

Most of the planting was accomplish by my husband today. I was able to help plant the potatoes and onions before I had to go inside and tend to Stomper. More planting is planned for Saturday during our Anniversary Week-end at Home. We have found places for the dogs and Stomper to go so that we can have the house to ourselves and not have to worry about feeding anyone, 

changing diapers, or letting anyone out to pee. 

Work has begun on the Squash Garden. The lawn is too long to for the tiller and the mower is not working. Jason believes we just need a spark plug to fix the mower and then the lawn can be mowed. Once the lawn is mowed Jason can till it up, and then we can plant some more.

In the meantime I like looking out my window and seeing that dark patch of brown in our lawn.

Soon the brown will be spotted with small green growing things and then my new 

favorite color will be green.

{This Moment}

I realize this is not a photo, but I didn't take any this week, only 
this video and it pretty much sums up how our week went.

{This Moment} A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

~via SouleMama

Tilled

We ended up snagging the roto-tiller my Dad had that belongs to Jason's other Great Grandfather and used it to till up our garden, in the rain.

Our tiller needs a carborator kit (not sure what it is, just that we need one). We have a friend who works on small engines for a living and he will order it for us.

This morning Jason says to me: "I should till up the garden every day, I slept great!"

This is our main garden. Jason is planning on breaking new ground for a squash garden (pumpkins, zucchini, summer squash, acorn squash, ect) near to this one, but not adjacent. 

Here's to hard work and a bountiful yield!

"This is a unique situation"

"Unique" only begins to describe our Adoption Story.

Yesterday we went before a judge to officially become Temporary Guardians of Stomper (for the next 6months) while we wait for all the adoption stuff to go through. The judge looked at the three of us, took off his spectacles, and said something along the lines of: "This is a unique situation, could you tell me how this all happened?"

Uhhh.

"Well my Great Aunt works at a homeless shelter...."

I told the judge as much as I knew about The Birth Mother, where she came from, where she was going, her family, where her family may be living, what her intentions were concerning the adoption. I hope I was clear enough when we were talking to him. I did my best and stuck to the facts and left our theories out.

I think he was concerned that we convinced The Birth Mother to give up her baby and that it wasn't all her idea. As far as I know, it was her idea. I'm sure other people came before us and suggested it to her, but by the time we entered the story she had already made up her mind.

I wish so much that she was around to go before the judge and say: "I want these people to love and raise my baby." I think it is easier for her though to not be around.

The worst case scenario (if the home-study isn't finished, if we are still running ads in the paper to find The Birth Parents, ect) if he is not adopted before the Temporary Guardianship is up our lawyer will file for us to become Permanent Guardians of Stomper until we can once and finally adopt him.

As always God is in control.
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Sandbox

When to Grandma's Daycare and played with the kids there and in the sandbox!

Please click the link for even more cute photos!