April 16, 2008

G is for Garden

I resisted doing G is for Garden since I just posted F is for Flowers. I thought perhaps I was being redundant. But last week I raked out the perennial bed and now every time I walk by it I can't help but notice how fresh and green it looks. And since there are no flowers this time of year, I think perhaps it's not redundant after all.

This is my perennial garden. Please ignore the big brown patch in front - yes, we need to re-seed. I moved many of these plants here from my old house when Dale and I got married nearly 11 years ago. People told me it was the wrong time of year and the plants wouldn't survive and I was wasting my time. They were wrong.

Look at these day lilies. They came from a neighbor at my old house. She was very very old and said these day lilies had been in her yard since she was a little girl. I cannot find this variety in any book. I've even checked with a friend who is a day lily expert and she hasn't been able to identify them. They'll be in bloom in about a month and I know I've posted about them before but I'll be damned if I can find it.

See the ground phlox? My mother bought me one small flat of this on my first mother's day in 1993. It has spread and grown and every year when it blooms it brings back such sweet memories.

The peonies are just starting to send up their red shoots. These are the plants everyone said wouldn't survive the move. I'm really glad they did, though! The gorgeous white blooms always come right in time for Dale's birthday and he loves them.

This poppy is the first successful poppy I have ever grown. I planted them for years and they never came back but this one is back for the third year running now. Hooray! I love their papery thin bright orange petals.

The iris I could probably live without but they do make a nice tall green back drop for the other plants. And they grow without any effort and there's a lot to be said for that.

Later in the season there will be tall phlox and hollyhocks, black eyed susans and more, but for right now I love seeing all my plants coming back to me after the long cold winter. It's the fulfillment of a promise we made to each other. I plant and weed and care for them and they grace me with their beauty. It's a pretty sweet deal.

Posted by Carole at 6:30 AM | Comments (26)

April 2, 2008

F is for Flowers

I tried to come up with something more original for "F" but I kept drawing a blank. So, flowers it is. I love to take photos of flowers. Whether I've got a bouquet or I'm in a garden, whether it's wildflowers in the woods or poinsettias at Christmas time, give me some flowers to photograph and I'm entertained for a good long while.

I've taken lots of photos of flowers since I started blogging. So I took a bunch of those flower photos and made a mosaic.

I like it. And I hope you all do, too.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (33)

March 19, 2008

E is for Egg

I know that E is for Egg is not exactly original. Nevertheless, here I am, doing it. Why? Because I love eggs!

I get my eggs from Blogless Sharon's farm. They are organic, they come in pretty shades of brown, green and blue, and they are delivered right to my door by my dear friend.

They are also fresh. The yolks are a beautiful bright yellow and they taste absolutely delicious whether I'm baking with them or cooking them for breakfast.

I enjoy eggs prepared in a variety of ways, from fried to scrambled to hardboiled, but my favorite is a simple poached egg. Sadly, I cannot make a decent poached egg. I keep trying, but with disappointing results. It's okay, though, because this way poached eggs are an out-to-breakfast treat.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

How do you like your eggs?

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (45)

March 10, 2008

D is for Dog

Of course, if C is for Cat then D must be for Dog. A dog named Dixie.

Let me say right up front that I am not a dog person. I never had a dog growing up (well, except for the brief and ill-fated attempt we had with an Irish Setter puppy in the winter of 1971 when I was 6) and I am very much a cat person. Dale, however, is a dog person and therefore we have a cat for me and a dog for him.

Truly, Dixie is a very sweet dog. She's loyal and friendly. She jumps like a kangaroo when she's excited to see you - and honestly, she's excited to see you if you've been gone 5 days or 5 minutes. She's a shameless food begger and has wonderfully expressive eyes. And those eyes clearly work to her advantage when she's begging for food. She's good company and loves to take us for a walk. She captured my heart when she was a puppy and she's never let it go.

Maybe I am a bit of a dog person after all.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (38)

February 11, 2008

C is for Cat

Of course, C is for Cat. You all know Mason, right?

Isn't he beautiful?

I've always had a Siamese cat, even before I was born. You see, when my oldest brother was 11 he started begging for a cat. My parents agreed and sought permission from their downstairs neighbor and landlord. The landlord said okay but only if they got a Siamese cat because that's what they had. My mom went out and got a book on Siamese cats and the search for the Siamese kitten began. It wasn't long before they found one and they named him Simba, after a champion Siamese cat in the book my mom had purchased. Please note this was way before the lion king - this was 1964.

I came along in 1965 and Simba lived to be 18 so I really did have him my whole life. I was devastated when he died of old age as he really was the most wonderful cat. My parents eventually got another Siamese but I was in college then so I never really bonded with him. When I got married, of course, I wanted my own Siamese cat and we got Maxwell. He was wonderful and friendly but rather independent. I know, I know, he was a cat and that's their nature but Max just never really needed people all that much.

When I married Dale I brought Max along with me to the marriage. He got along fairly well with Dale's dog but I worried about him a lot because he was a cat who was used to going outdoors and we now lived on a very busy street. My worst fears came true when Max was hit and killed by a car. I shall pause for a moment now for all you cat lovers to collect yourselves.

I grieved for Max for a long time and it was over a year before I was ready to let another cat into my heart. But then came Mason. We got him on Valentine's Day, 2002. He was so tiny he could sit in the palm of my hand. I was sewing a lot in those days and he loved to lay on the arm of my sewing machine, right under the light. He was truly the sweetest and cutest kitten I had ever seen.

And he has grown into the most wonderful cat. He sits with me while I knit and he sleeps in the crook of my arm - under the bed covers - most nights. He is quite vocal and has whole conversations with me about what he does all day when I'm at work. He is my buddy in every sense of the word and I love him far more than any woman should love a cat.

C is for cat. A cat named Mason.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (54)

January 31, 2008

B is for Breakfast

One of my goals for this year is to eat better. I'd like to lose weight and I'd like to exercise more but the bottom line is I need to eat better. And the more I read about eating better the more I read that people who do eat better (how many times can I use that phrase in the first paragraph of this post?) eat breakfast. Every day.

Now, I love breakfast. I love it on Saturday and Sunday mornings and I love it to consist of eggs and pancakes and bacon and sausage and hash browns and toast and baked beans. Yes indeed all of that at once, please. Howsomever, I don't think that's what the people who advocate eating better and eating breakfast actually have in mind. Something tells me if I ate that every morning I probably wouldn't lose any weigh. Heh.

Nevertheless, I'm here to tell you that I have eaten breakfast every morning for the past 27 days. I haven't eaten breakfast that many days in a row since the 6th grade, I think. But I'm doing it. And I like it.

Some mornings I have cereal with banana along with wheat toast and peanut butter.

And some mornings I have a one egg omelet with a low cal English muffin.

And other mornings I have oatmeal with almonds and craisins and that piece of wheat toast with peanut butter again.

Variety is the spice of breakfast, apparently. So, there you have it. B is for Breakfast. Every morning. I think I'm eating better, kids.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (61)

January 17, 2008

A is for Ambrynn

When I did the 2006 ABC Along I had a rule that I wouldn't use any people for my letter posts. This time around, though, things are going to be different. I mean, really, how could I not choose my beautiful little granddaughter to represent the letter A in my life?

This little angel stole my heart from the first time I saw her (you can read about that here, if you'd like) and I miss her desperately now that she has moved to Florida with her mom and dad. She's 2 1/2 and time is passing too quickly. Her father tells us that she has developed quite a stubborn streak and the terrible twos have arrived in full force. But I'm her nana and it's hard for me to imagine her as being anything other than sweet and lovable.

Soon, though, I won't have to imagine at all. You see, A is also for Airplane and on Saturday Dale and I will be boarding an airplane and flying to Florida for a little visit.

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Turns out A is also for Anticipation.

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (49)

January 2, 2008

Public Service Announcement

The holiday merry making is over and now it's back to work. Ugh. I do have two things to tell you about that might help you start your new year off right, though. They are fun things that you and I can do together.

First there is NaSpiMoMo. This is the brain child of Margene, although I did make the button and I'm helping her administer the Ravelry group. (Speaking of the button, I used a photo that Maryse took of my wheel as the background. I want to take photos just like Maryse when I grow up.) Anyway, the idea behind NaSpiMoMo is to spin as much as you can in January. That's it. No rules, no contests, no give aways, just spinning. You can't go wrong with that! I hope you'll join us.

Second there is the ABC Along 2008. It's back and it's all thanks to Vicki. If you missed this in 2006 now is your chance to join up. To quote directly from the Ravelry group, "Members in this year-long group . . . post a photo to their blog and/or the Flickr group every two weeks to correspond with a letter of the alphabet. Photos can be related to fiber, but do not have to be; they should reflect the personality of the photographer, and something of importance or meaning to them. Post at least one photo in each 2-week period to match the corresponding letter of the alphabet."

Don't those two groups sound like fun? And we could all use a little fun to get us through the bleak midwinter!

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (26)

December 28, 2006

Z is for Zeppy's

Bagels were not mainstream when I was growing up in the late 60s and early 70s. But my mother's best friend was Jewish so I was eating bagels long before they were a popular breakfast food. I was also eating noodle kugel and Goodman's Noodle Soup and potato latkes, in case you're wondering. But this post is about bagels. Specifically, Zeppy's Bagels.

This Jewish bakery has been in existence since 1925 and you can read more about it here. I'd never actually been there myself until I had Dale drive me there the other day to take the photos for today's post because nowadays you can buy Zeppy's bagels at the grocery store. But, as I said, you couldn't buy bagels just anywhere when I was a kid. Or, at least, not good bagels. So, on Sunday mornings before church my dad would drive to Randolph and get Zeppy's bagels. My favorite was onion but I'd settle for egg if the onion bagels were sold out. I liked Temptee Whipped Cream cheese - you know, the one in the pink tub - the best. With lox, please, although that was only on special occasions. And don't toast it.

And you know what? An onion bagel with lox and cream cheese is still one of my most favorite things for breakfast. So much so that it's what I requested for breakfast on my wedding day. Both times. Ahem.

And from Zeppy's, of course.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (33)

December 13, 2006

Y is for Yuengling

As much as I love my martinis, I also love a good beer. Several years ago, Dale and I had the good fortune of being introduced to Yuengling beer. It's the oldest brewery in America, you know.

It was June of 2001 and we were staying at the Cashtown Inn, just outside of Gettysburg, PA. And Dale ordered a Sam Adams. The waitress asked him if he had tried a Yuengling yet and when he said no, she insisted that he give it a try. It's better than Sam Adams, she said. Dale loved it and has been hooked on Yuengling ever since.

In fact, I have a funny story about this beer. We were in Gettysburg for our first Remembrance Day visit. We met up with friends at a bar/restaurant after the parade and everyone was drinking pitchers of Yuengling. We joined in and had a great time laughing and reminiscing and drinking this wonderful beer. Later in the evening, other friends of ours joined us and we headed upstairs in this same restaurant to have dinner. The waitress came over to take our drink order and we asked for, of course, a pitcher of Yuengling. She came back a minute later and sadly reported that, "there was a really big party downstairs and they drank us dry. We have no more Yuengling." The look on Dale's face was priceless. He was disappointed that he couldn't get anymore of his favorite beer. But he was also hugely proud of having been part of the group that drunk them dry!

Unfortunately, we cannot buy this beer in Massachusetts. If we have reason to be in New York (like for Rhinebeck!) we always bring some home. And, our trip to Gettysburg for Remembrance Day every year always involves a stop at the "beer store" to stock up on Yuengling. Usually 5 cases make their way home with us. We try to ration it and make it last but, well, you can imagine how that goes.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (40)

November 28, 2006

X is for Xmas Decorations

Boy, coming up with a post for the letter X was tough! And I'm breaking one of my strict rules because I don't ever refer to Christmas as Xmas. The things I'll do for the blog, man oh man. So anyway, yeah, X is for Xmas Decorations. I have a few shitload.

This is the mantle in the living room. The print that hangs there is one that Dale and I bought together for our first married Christmas. It's the first Christmas decoration that goes up, usually on Thanksgiving night.

A close up of the mantle shows the Nativity that I cross stitched on perforated paper about a million years ago. It was actually a really fun project and I'm so happy to pull this out every year.

Also from the living room, this is how I decorate over my windows. Of course the greens are artificial (remember W is for Woodstove) but I think they're pretty with the red berries and pine cones.

I have four of these Swedish Dala horses. I think I started collecting them when I was in college. My mom used to buy me one every Christmas but as they got bigger they got more expensive so she stopped. I'd love to get more, though. (hi Dale! hint, hint)

Finally, there are the many, many snowmen. These guys hang out in the dining room on the hutch.

And these guys hang out in the kitchen. There are more snowmen on the piano and on the kitchen hutch, too.

Of all the snowmen, though, this guy is my absolute favorite. He has to be placed on top of the refrigerator, though, because Mason has a thing for his fur collar. I kid you not when I tell you that the cat will drag this snowman, and he's pretty heavy, through the house and hide him from me if he's not placed somewhere beyond reach. So, it's the top of the fridge for this guy. I think he likes it up there, though, where he is Lord of All He Surveys.

Of course, this is just a sampling of my Xmas decorations. There are more greens and more lights. There are wreaths on the doors and lights on the bushes and a decorated sled by the back door. There's no tree just yet (remember again W is for Woodstove) but things are quite festive at Chez Carole Knits.

I told you yesterday that it looked like Christmas had thrown up all over my house. Now you know I wasn't kidding!

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (45)

November 20, 2006

W is for Woodstove

There is something incredibly soothing and spiritual about burning wood. It provides heat, of course, but it also provides entertainment as I never get tired of watching the flames. I grew up with a fireplace, the first house I purchased had a fireplace, and while I do sort of miss the open-ness of a fireplace, a woodstove is a pretty good consolation prize.

The woodstove we have is a very efficient, as well as aesthetically pleasing, model and we bought it 10 years ago when we got married. It seemed right for our first major purchase to be something that would be a source of heat and comfort for our family for many, many years. While heating with wood doesn't necessarily save us much money, it provides a warmth that's comforting and soothing and it pleases us.

Well, it pleases me. I'm not the one who stacks the wood and carries it into the house. I'm not the one who gathers kindling and starts a daily fire in the fall when it's not cold enough to keep the fire burning all night but not warm enough to not have a fire at all. And I'm not the one who gets up in the night to check on the fire and add wood.

I'm just the one who sits by the stove and enjoys the comfort and warmth. Old fashioned, for sure. But we I wouldn't have it any other way.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (38)

November 7, 2006

V is for Viking

I bought my first sewing machine in 1997. I remember calling my mom and asking her what features I should look for in a machine. She told me to cover the basics and then make sure it also made nice buttonholes and had a blind hem stitch. At the time, I didn't even know what a blind hem stitch was, but I trusted my mother's advice completely and off I went.

You know where I wound up, right? At Saftler's with Lois. She pointed me right to the Viking's. Whooo boy, they had all those features my mother mentioned and then some. And a big fat price tag, too. And that's when Lois said the magic words. "You know that Viking is made by Husqvarna, right? The chain saw people." And she smiled knowingly.

You see, before Lois became my best friend, she was Dale's best friend. And she knew that nothing would sell Dale on a hefty-price-tagged sewing machine like the knowledge that it was made by his favorite Swedish chain saw company. Off I went, home to convince Dale that $600 for a sewing machine that I didn't have the faintest clue how to use was a perfectly reasonable expense.

You all know Dale pretty well by now so you know that of course I wound up buying that sewing machine. And then 10 months later I turned it in for a fancier model. And then 10 months later I did it again. You see, Saftler's has a a wonderful trade in policy. If you trade in your machine in less than 12 months after you purchased it, they give you 100% of your purchase price towards your next machine. Sweet.

So, it took me 3 trades but I finally wound up with the Lily, my dream machine. She and I have been together for several years now and I wouldn't trade her for anything.

V is for Viking. A wonderful sewing machine. Made by the chain saw people.

V is also for Vote. Today's the day. So go out there and vote. It matters.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (35)

October 19, 2006

U is for Uniform

I think practically every woman I know loves a man in uniform.

Here's my man in his Civil War reenactor uniform. What's not to love?

Now Dale could tell you all about his various uniforms. He could tell you why they are made of wool and what the insignia signifies. He could tell you about his sword and his sword belt and the sash and why it's maroon. Believe me, he could go on and on and on about all of this.

But for me, it comes down to two elements.

The boots.

And the hat.

Hot damn. I can never decide which I love more.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (36)

October 12, 2006

T is for Tree

This maple tree is in the back of the library parking lot. I see it every morning when I round the corner and head for the staff parking area. At this particular time of year, when the colors are vibrant and the sun hits it just right, it's absolutely breathtaking.

In just a few days those leaves will be on the ground.

In a few months there will be snow on the branches.

And then a few months later there will be loads of teeny leaves in my favorite shade of green.

Very shortly after that the leaves will grow and darken into a rich deep green.

And then they will burnish and turn red all over again.

I love living in New England.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (30)

September 28, 2006

S is for Scalloped Potatoes

My family loves scalloped potatoes and I'll bet yours does, too. I don't make them very often but when I posted about finding my mom's recipes a few weeks ago my college buddy Chrissie left a comment about how much she loved my mom's scalloped potatoes. I had been craving them ever since so I made them last Monday night.

I know all about making traditional scalloped potatoes with a white sauce. And on holidays or special occasions, that's what I do. But my mom's version, and now my version I suppose, is much simpler and easier for week nights. Here's my non-recipe for scalloped potatoes.

Potatoes, about 2 per person depending on how big they are
Onion, usually only 1 unless you're making a huge amount
Butter
Milk
Flour
Salt & Pepper
Kellogg's Corn Flake Crumbs

Peel and slice the potatoes and the onion. Now, get out a casserole dish. You can spray it with Pam or something if you'd like to help prevent sticking. Place a layer of potatoes in the casserole dish and top with all of the sliced onion. Now sprinkle with flour. I'm not sure how much, just put some on a spoon and shake it all over the potatoes and onions. Add salt and pepper and a few thin pats of butter. Top with another layer of potatoes (no onions this time), flour, salt, pepper and butter. End with the final layer of potatoes and then sprinkle Kellogg's Corn Flake crumbs all over the top. This makes them nice and crunchy on top. Now, pour some milk in. I do this over on the side so as not to wash off the corn flake crumbs. I'm not sure how much milk. Enough so you start to see it come up the sides about 1/4 - 1/2 inch or so. Put it in a 350 oven and bake for an hour or more until the potatoes are soft when you stick a knife in them.

That's it. The flour and milk and butter make a sauce that cooks up between the layers and it's just delicious. Sometimes I add some grated cheddar cheese between the potato layers, too, but mostly we love them just plain. And my mom always made them with pork chops on top. Mmmmm.

Thanks for reminding me that I love these, Chrissie. I not only had them with roast pork on Monday night but I also had them for breakfast on both Tuesday and Wednesday morning because they re-heat great.

Let me know if you try them!

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (43)

September 13, 2006

R is for Recipes

Guess what I found at my dad's house the other day? My mother's old recipe box. What a treasure! See, my mom died eight and a half years ago and it was a very, very difficult time for me. I wasn't able to help my dad sort through a lot of her things because it was just too painful. Now, of course, I'm sorry that I didn't make more of an effort to help out because my dad threw away things I would have wanted to keep. So, when I found this recipe box it was like a gift from my mom.

The recipes are old and yellowed. Many of them are stained from being used so frequently. Of course, that's how I know they're good! And it's not so much about the recipes themselves as I have most of them anyway. It's having the recipes in my mother's handwriting that really makes it special.

Like her grapenut pudding recipe.

Not a lot to go on there for directions, eh? And didn't my mom have beautiful handwriting?

And this recipe is signed "Mother S" and that was my grandmother on my dad's side. So neat to see her handwriting again and remember all the delicious Swedish foods she prepared.

The recipe for "soured" cream coffee cake comes from my mother's best friend, Miriam. And this is one recipe I didn't have and let me just tell you, it's the best coffee cake I've ever had. I'm really excited to be able to make this myself now! Miriam's recipe for Kugel is also in the box and we used to have that every year on Christmas.

I still miss my mom very much. But finding her recipe box brought back some wonderful memories of times spent together cooking, laughing and eating. You can bet that I'm going to treasure this recipe box for the true family heirloom that it is.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (58)

August 22, 2006

Q is for Quilt

I made my first quilt in 1998. Since then I've made lots and lots of quilts, all by machine. Since I started knitting so much, though, I hardly ever quilt. In fact, I have 3 quilts in progress right now and I don't think I've touched any of them in months. But you know what? It's sort of okay because my house is full of quilts. Want to see?

There are quilts on beds, of course.

And quilts on the backs of couches for snuggling on chilly nights.

And quilts on quilt racks.

There are quilts on tables. Some are tablecloths.

And some are placemats.

There are sometimes quilts drying on the deck railing.

And there are even quilts on the walls.

So, while I am determined to finish those 3 quilts that I've started, it's not like we're having a shortage of quilts over here at Carole Knits. Because, you see, I used to quilt obsessively. Kind of like how now I knit obsessively.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (47)

August 3, 2006

P is for Pizza

There are all kinds of pizza and everyone has a favorite. Mine is bar pizza because it's the pizza I ate when I was a kid. And, if I'm going to be really specific, my favorite is bar pizza from The Cape Cod Cafe in Brockton. Nope, it's not on the Cape but they've been in business in the same location since 1939 and I think it's the best pizza in the world!

I have so many memories associated with this pizza. When I was growing up, Sundays meant church, dinner (which was always a roast of some kind) and then pizza for supper. We always got it from "The Cod" because it was the closest to our house but also because it was my parent's favorite. My mother used to say that when they were really poor they used to count their pennies on Sunday nights to see if they had ten cents to buy a plain pizza. Things were much different by the time I came along and we pretty much bought a pizza per person. Mine was always pepper and onion.

Nowadays The Cod is a respectable family style restaurant but years ago it was basically a dive and we always got our pizza to go because my parents wouldn't have brought my brothers and I there to eat. We would phone in our order and my dad would go pick it up. In fact, the phone number to this restaurant was probably one of the first phone numbers I memorized other than my own! And I still know it by heart and I still call in the order only now it's my husband, not my dad, who goes to pick up the pizza.

P is for Pizza. It's more than just a food, it's a memory!

Posted by Carole at 7:35 AM | Comments (33)

July 26, 2006

O is for Ocean

Martha's Vineyard

I have always lived near the ocean. Well, near enough, anyway. We can be at a couple of different beaches within 40 minutes. And we can be on Cape Cod in under an hour. I guess, when you spend your whole life living near the water, you take it for granted. So I want to use this post to write down what I love about the ocean.

Plymouth Beach

I love to listen to the sound of the surf. When I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time on Orr's Island in Maine. And I loved falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks.

I love walking on the beach and finding beautiful shells and unique rocks and sea glass. Years ago I found a rock that's shaped like a heart and it's been sitting on my bedside table ever since.

Old Silver Beach, Falmouth

I love to swim in the salt water and ride the waves. A couple of summers ago Dale and I spent a day at Goosewing Beach in Little Compton, RI. The waves were fantastic and we had a blast in the water that day. I was exhausted by the time we went home.

I love to eat at restaurants that are on the water. There's nothing more relaxing than drinking a cold beer and admiring the ocean view.

Nelson Beach, Plymouth

I love to knit on the beach. It's relaxing and soothing and a great way to pass the time.

I love the availability of fresh fish. Lobsters and clams and fish aren't always cheap around here but they are always available and they are definitely fresh. We had someone give us two freshly caught stripers a couple of weeks ago and we had a fantastic meal of fish cooked on the grill.

I guess mostly I just love being at the ocean. Whether it's eating or relaxing or knitting (or all of the above) I truly love the ocean.

How about you? What do you love about the ocean?

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (40)

July 19, 2006

N is for Nor'Easter

During these dog days of summer, I feel it necessary to remind you of what we have to look forward to in just a few short months. Remember this?

Yeah. That's a picture of our house from a Nor'Easter that hit in December of 2003. It dumped over 2 feet of snow on us. You know what a Nor'Easter is, right? It's basically a blizzard and it's a particularly nasty type of snowstorm we mostly get here in the North East. Lots of wind, piles and piles of snow, power outages, and days off from school.

I have great memories of the Blizzard of '78, one of the most powerful blizzards in my area. The storm took everyone by surprise. I was actually at school that day and they let us out early because it started snowing so furiously. And it just kept snowing - for 32 hours. People were stranded trying to get home from work. Snow plows were unable to pass on the roads. I remember when we finally got the driveway shoveled and we had to literally step up two feet to walk onto the road. I also remember walking to the grocery story with my parents, pulling a sled to haul the groceries home. People were friendly and helpful and it was a really pleasant time once everyone was safe.

And we have the fabled Blizzard of '78 to thank for the present state of panic that everyone feels around here once the least little storm is predicted. It's been nearly thirty years and grocery stores still run out of bread and milk right before a snowstorm! Frankly, I have never understood the urgent need for bread and milk when a snowstorm is predicted. Me, I buy cookies and potato chips and booze. But, whatever. To each his own and all that.

You won't hear me complaining about the heat. Especially after looking at these photos and remembering just how cold and miserable it can here when a Nor'Easter hits.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (51)

June 29, 2006

M is for Martini

No big surprise, eh? You all know how I love my martinis. But I'm going to tell you the story behind my martinis. And then I'm going to tell you how to make a martini just like I do.

Okay, flashback. January, 2004. I read a book called The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr. The book tells the story of a quirky librarian who sets her eye on the conductor of an orchestra. And drinks Dirty Grey Goose Martinis. Up until this point in my life I had never had a martini. I can't abide the taste of gin and I didn't know you could make one from vodka. By halfway through the book I had researched exactly how to make a martini like the ones the librarian in the book was drinking. And by the end of the book I was drinking a martini along with her.

Here's my recipe:
3 oz Grey Goose Vodka
1/8 oz Vermouth
1/2 oz olive juice
2 olives

Put all ingredients except the olives in cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Shake vigorously. Pour into chilled martini glass and add the olives. Drink. Relax.

I'll be having one or two this weekend. I will not be sharing with the cat.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (32)

June 12, 2006

L is for Librarian

As librarians go, I'm fairly unique. You see, most librarians don't set out to become librarians. It's usually a mid-life career choice or something that someone sort of backs into, if you will. But not me. I've known I wanted to be a librarian since I was in the 4th grade.

This is a photograph of the branch library I grew up visiting. I went with my mom once a week and we picked out books together. I remember practicing writing my name so I could get my own card. I was so proud the day I marched up to the Circulation Desk and wrote my name on my first library card. I also remember the first time I was allowed to browse in the Children's Department on my own while my mom looked for her books in the adult section. I felt like such a grown up! There was a whole world to explore in that tiny branch library and I wanted to soak up every part of it.

The branch librarian was Miss Keane and her assistant was Mrs. Berger and they were a fantastic combination. Miss Keane was friendly and fun and Mrs. Berger was rather abrupt and gruff. Sort of like good cop/bad cop for librarians. Anyway, without meaning for it to happen, Miss Keane became my inspiration. This one day I was at the library and I asked her a question. I don't remember what the question was but I clearly remember that Miss Keane knew the answer. And I said to her, "Miss Keane, you're so smart. You must know everything because you always know the answers to my questions." And she said, "Oh no, Carole. I'm not especially smart, I'm a librarian. And, while librarians don't know all the answers, they do know where to find all the answers." Ah ha. Light bulb moment. I knew in that instant that I wanted to be a librarian and I wanted to spend my life helping people find the answers to their questions.

Fast forward another 7 years and I wound up working with Miss Keane at this branch library. I told her the story of why I wanted to be a librarian and she was utterly surprised to know that she had been my inspiration. She was also very, very proud of having nurtured a budding librarian. I worked at this library, with Miss Keane and Mrs. Berger, until I went off to college.

I have worked in a library of one sort or another for 25 years and I have devoted my professional life to being a librarian. I have done everything from shelving books to secretarial work to checking out books for library patrons. Of course, the reality of what I do now is somewhat different than my childhood dream. As a Library Director I spend most of my time on administrative functions like staffing and budgets. But, every now and again I get the chance to work with the public. And there's really nothing better than being at the Circulation Desk or the Reference Desk and succesfully answering someone's question. It reminds me of why I became a librarian in the first place. And it reminds me of Miss Keane and Mrs. Berger, too.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (50)

June 6, 2006

K is for Kissing

I hope I don't sound too shameless, but I love kissing my husband. The man can stop me dead in my tracks with his kisses. I am completely incapable of coherent thoughts when Dale works his magic. And there's nothing more magical than wedding day kisses.

June 14, 1997
Our first kiss as husband and wife. I love the way the sun is literally making Dale's hair just glow. And I love the way his hands are laced together against my back. Sigh.

This one was outside the church. Do you see that dreamy look on my face? Now that's what I'm talking about.

And, finally, one last kiss before we depart for the reception. I'm swooning with the memories.

Our 9th wedding anniversary is next week and the kissing hasn't slowed down yet. I'm betting it never will.

Posted by Carole at 6:50 AM | Comments (54)

May 18, 2006

J is for Jeep

As you probably all know by now, because I talk about it ad nauseum, I bought myself a Jeep Wrangler last August. I'm pretty sure it was a manifestation of a midlife crisis but whatever.

Here's how it came to be. Dale and I have a niece who lives on Martha's Vineyard with her husband and kids and every summer Hannah goes to visit. Last summer, Dale and I brought Hannah over and planned to stay for a couple of days to tour the island. We don't bring our car on the ferry because it's terribly expensive so we rely on Beth and Stuart for transporation. (Can you see yet where this is going?)

So, on this one beautiful sunny summer afternoon, we decide we want to drive around and visit Oak Bluffs. Stuart says, take my Jeep. And we did. And I fell in love. The top was down and the doors were off and the sky was blue. I was with the man I love and AC/DC was on the radio and all was right with the world.

We came home and I announced that I wanted to go buy a Jeep. Dale quietly pointed out that having a Jeep in real life wouldn't be like being on vacation on Martha's Vineyard. I said I didn't care. I just knew I was meant to have a Jeep.

We shopped and I fell in love with this one.

Never mind that it had no doors and no top, it was love at first sight and I had to have it. So I bought it. With my own money - a first for me. I ordered a top and some doors and figured it would be great for the fall and then I'd put it away for the winter. But then winter came and I couldn't bear to drive any other vehicle. So, I drove this Jeep with canvas doors through cold and wind and snow all winter long.

And now. Now. Summer is almost here. I've had the back window rolled up several times and the side windows out once or twice. I haven't taken the top down yet but someday soon it's coming down. And the doors are coming off. And the AC/DC will be blaring. Or maybe Led Zeppelin for Margene. Because there's nothing like a door-less, top-less Jeep with loud rock 'n roll. It makes a girl feel young and in love, ya know.

Posted by Carole at 7:00 AM | Comments (38)

April 27, 2006

I is for Inside

We often feel like we really know each other through our blogs and yet most of us have never met face to face. And, really, when you make friends you have them over to your house. You show them your stuff and you sit and chat. Since you can't all come over to my house, we're going to try it this way. I is for Inside My House.
Hope you like the looks of things!

This is my kitchen. We did this about 9 years ago and I still love it. While I'd like to replace the countertop with granite, I do love the green color of the formica.

The bay window lets in lots of light and air as all three windows open. And that kitchen table belonged to Dale's grandmother. I roll out my pie crusts here and feed my family. And I like to think of Dale's grandmother hovering over and making sure I'm doing it all right.

The dining room is central to most of our other rooms. The kitchen, living room, bathroom (only one, sadly), mud room and computer room are all off the dining room. The table and hutch belonged to my nana and it's Rock Maple. Heavy stuff, that. And not really my style but I'm stuck with it.

Yes, I made the quilt on the table. That's actually the backside but I like to flip it over now and again for a bit of variety. And the piano mostly just sits there looking pretty but I can play.

The living room is where we all hang out to watch television. It's also where most of the knitting and spinning goes on! That big Longaberger basket under the coffee table holds my current knitting projects!

The wood stove keeps up cozy and warm and the artwork is mostly by family members.

So, here's the bedroom. We searched high and low for that wrought iron bed and finally found it at L.L. Bean about 2 years ago. It's one of my favorite pieces of furniture that we've bought. I made the quilt. And the drapes, too, because it's so much cheaper to make them than buy them.

There are other rooms, of course. Three bedrooms upstairs and the office which we recently wallpapered. But, I'm not showing you that until it's finished and we're not quite there yet - we still need a rug and a curtain.

I hope you've enjoyed this tour of Maison Carole Knits. My house is old! The rooms are small and the walls and floors aren't very straight. But it's cozy and safe and there's lots of love inside those rooms. If you're ever in the neighborhood, I sure hope you'll stop by fer real!

Posted by Carole at 2:00 PM | Comments (48)

April 11, 2006

H is for Hoops

I guess it's a little known fact that I'm a big fan of women's college basketball. So, last week when I announced that I was going to the NCAA Women's Final Four in Boston, people were surprised. I'm sure no one was surprised that I started a sock in honor of the occasion, though.

It's true that I haven't always watched this sport but a few years ago, when Hannah started playing basketball in a town league, I started watching the college basketball games. I learned a lot ahd discovered that I really enjoy watching! Being from New England, I am a UConn fan. But I also love Tennessee. I was thrilled when both Diana Taurasi of UConn and Pat Summitt, the coach of the Lady Vols, were at Sunday night's game to be selected for the NCAA 25th Anniversary Dream Team.

Neither of my favorite teams made it to the Final Four but the games themselves were a blast. For one thing, Duke has a very entertaining band.

For another, Jo Dee Messina sang the National Anthem at Tuesday night's game. In true Boston style, she was flanked by an honor guard of Revolutionary War soldiers.

Oh, and there was basketball played, too! There were two games on Sunday night, North Carolina vs Maryland and Duke vs LSU. The final game on Tuesday night was between Duke and Maryland. Now, I like Duke but most people in the stands were cheering for Maryland - I think primarily because Duke had beaten UConn in the Sweet 16. Anyway, it was an exciting game and Maryland won in overtime.

Between the two late night games and the Daylight Savings Time, I was dragging my ass for most of last week. But it was worth it!

Posted by Carole at 7:10 AM | Comments (16)

April 5, 2006

G is for Great Blue Heron

I saw my first Great Blue Heron of the year on Monday and, while I know they don't migrate to and from this area, I don't generally see them in the winter. The bird was flying over a cranberry bog and it made me realize that spring is really here, today's temperatures notwithstanding.

Great Blue Herons have always reminded me of pterodactyls, with their unique silhouette, long feet and lazy wing beat. I love searching for them on the edges of ponds and swamps. I've seen them from the car when we've been out for a drive and I've seen them from a canoe when we've been out fishing. I'll bet you've seen them, too. And, if you haven't then it's probably because you haven't been looking!

I marvel at their ability to stand so still and be so patient, waiting to strike that elusive fish. I watched one last summer at a local pond. We were there for the entire afternoon and that bird stood as still as a tree the whole time. He never did catch a fish but his patience was something I'll never forget.

You can read a lengthy but good article on these shore birds here. I especially like the description of the rookery, the Great Blue Heron's nesting area. Dale and I actually came upon a rookery several years ago and it was fascinating. We were walking the dog through a marsh area near our home and it was very quiet. Then, in the distance, we could hear these really strange sounds. Mostly there were grunts and snorts, it sounded like a group of pigs was in the swamp! We went further to investigate and suddenly there were Great Blue Herons everywhere. There were hundreds of birds and every tree had several nests! They were all grunting and snorting and honking, it was one of the strangest things I've ever heard but fascinating to see. My understanding is that herons use the same rookery every year but we've never gone back and checked because it seemed too intrusive. Honestly, though, this was one of my favorite wildlife experiences.

So, on my behalf, go out in the world and look for the Great Blue Heron. I'll bet you see one soon!

Posted by Carole at 6:45 AM | Comments (26)

March 23, 2006

F is for Flannel

Coming up with an entry for the letter E was such a struggle. But F? I had multiple choices for the letter F. I considered "F is for Fishing" and "F is for Flowers" and "F is for Family" but finally decided that "F is for Flannel" because I love the way flannel makes me feel.

L-R flannel nightgown, my flannel bathrobe, flannel nightgown, Dale's flannel bathrobe [made by ME]

I'm crazy about all things flannel. I wear long and full flannel nightgowns all winter long. I keep flannel sheets on the bed and have a couple of flannel quilts. I wear flannel pants when I'm hanging around the house (Dale calls it "dressing for speed" when I do this) and there's nothing so cozy as an over-sized (i.e. Dale's)flannel shirt. When we do our Civil War reenacting I have flannel bloomers and flannel petticoats. And there's something absolutely wonderful about a flannel shirt on a chilly summer night!

All flannel shirts of Dale's but consistently worn by me!

That's my flannel story! And I'm sticking to it!

Posted by Carole at 8:55 PM | Comments (24)

March 9, 2006

E is for Embroidery

Okay, so I'm late to the party with my letter E post. So late, in fact, that two of my friends beat me to the punch with the same choice for their letter E. Nevertheless, I will show you my embroidery - which is really counted cross stitch.

I used to do counted cross stitch obsessively. Not as obsessively as I now knit, but I always had a project going. I did pillows, and baby bibs and the occasional sweatshirt. But my favorite thing to stitch was a project that could be framed. There are only two that I had framed that still hang in my house.

This is a sampler I did. You'll note my name was different. But I still have it hung up because it was a crap-load of work, it matches the dining room, and I like it. That's 22 count Aida, kids.

My kitchen in my old house was black and white, so I had to stitch this up. I just love the way the vegetables and letters go together. Except the letter K. What's up with a pie for the letter K? And so what if my current kitchen is green? At least my name is still Carole.

Finally, there's this. This is my one and only, true family heirloom. As you can probably guess, it was not stitched by me but by my great-great-grandmother, on paper no less. Her name was Anna Elizabeth Smith Jones and she actually saw Abraham Lincoln. It hung in my nana's house when I was a little girl and she used it to teach me the Ten Commandments. After she died, it hung in my mother's house, and then when she died, it came to me.

In this photo you can see the pencil marks for some of the designs that she didn't actually complete.

And in this one, sadly, you can see that the paper is deteriorating. I think it's okay in the frame that it's in, as my mother and nana had it re-framed back in the 80s, and it's all acid-free and stuff. But, clearly, it could never be reframed.

I love all my embroidery but this piece is truly a work of art to me.

Posted by Carole at 10:51 AM | Comments (30)

February 25, 2006

D is for Decoys

I'm not a duck hunter but I do love duck decoys - especially antique ones. When I first visited Dale's house I was completely in love with him this decoy.

We're not sure but we believe hope it's a Mason. I love the simplicity of it. I love where the paint has worn away and the wood shows through. It's just really beautiful to me.

A couple of years ago Dale convinced his brother Randy to sell him this decoy so that he could give it to me as a Christmas present.

As you can see, it's very similar to the first one, except that it has the gear still attached to the bottom of the duck. Randy made the stand for it so that it can sit on our mantle and at Christmas time I decorate the stand with fresh greens. Again, we believe hope it's a Mason, but we're not positive. I like to think it is!

We have other decoys around our home, including this one that Dale carved many years ago.

We also have framed prints of decoys from years when Randy and Barry (another of Dale's brothers) each won the Massachusetts State Duck Stamp award.

This is the one that Barry painted and, as you can see, he did two artist's remarques, including one of our dog Dixie, with a bird in her mouth in the lower left corner.

And this is Randy's (although not his newest one, we don't have that print yet) and he also did two artist's remarques, with the geographical outline of Cape Cod in the upper right corner and ducks in flight in the lower left corner.

I think that the folk art character of antique duck decoys suits our home really well. The primitive style and rustic wood really appeals to me. In fact, a few years ago, we visited the Shelburne Museum and Dale had to drag me out of the house where the decoy collection is housed.

Someday, perhaps, I'll have an Elmer Crowell. In the meantime, though, I'm happy with the ones I have.

Posted by Carole at 11:55 AM | Comments (15)

February 8, 2006

C is for Cranberries

Cranberries are a big deal in Southeastern Massachusetts. In fact, Massachusetts is one of the the leading states for cranberry production. Most of the growers are from small family farms with less than 20 acres of bog and the town where I work is a huge supplier of the cranberry industry and this leads to lots of cranberry-type things. There's cranberry sauce and cranberry candy (bog frogs, kind of like cashew turtles only better) and cranberry juice and cranberry nut bread and cranberry pecan pie. The colors of the public library were even chosen to reflect the role that the cranberry industry plays in our community. You get the idea, right? Cranberries are important.

The history of cranberries is actually pretty interesting. For instance, cranberries are one of only 3 commercially grown fruits native to North America. They were first used by the Native Americans, not only as a food but also as a dye and healing agent. The cranberry harvest takes place once a year from mid-September through early November and there are two methods of harvesting cranberries. Dry harvesting involves using walk-behind machines to rake the berries off the vines into boxes or bags. Berries are removed from the bogs by either bog vehicles or helicopters. Wet harvesting involves flooding the bog with water and using a water reel to free the berries from the vines. Berries are corralled and removed from the bogs by pumps or conveyors. More than 85% of the crop is wet harvested and those are the berries that are used for juice and sauce. Dry harvested berries are what you see sold in bags at the grocery store.

Growing up in this area, I took cranberry bogs for granted. It wasn't until I had visiting friends asking me what the bogs were that I realized how truly unique they are. The bogs look different in every season and this time of year they are flooded and you often see people ice skating on them. In the summer they are green and in the fall they are loaded with ripe red berries. There's nothing quite like driving around in October and seeing the bogs being harvested. The sun glints off the cranberries and they look like rubies floating in the water. It's really breathtaking and probably my most favorite time of year for viewing the bogs.

Cranberries are a way of life when you live and work in this area. I'm just saying.

Posted by Carole at 4:21 PM | Comments (31)

January 23, 2006

B is for Bloggers

I'll bet you all thought my "B" entry in the ABC-Along would be books, didn't you? It was going to be . . . until yesterday. Yesterday was a knit blogger's nirvana. You see, Claudia hosted a gathering of knitters, spinners and bloggers at her home. You know what I'm going to say, right?

It was the best time ever! Ever. Ever. Ever.

Blogless Sharon and I went together and right there you know the day is going to be good. When we turned onto Claudia's street, I told Sharon what the directions said about house color, number, etc. Then I looked up and saw the cars. Oh my. Let's just say we didn't have any trouble figuring out which house was Claudia's.

I met up again with dear friends and made new ones as well. It was fabulous to see Norma again! That girl lights up a room just by being in it, even if she can't cook a steak. And my Magic Loop buddies, Julia and Cate, were there! And Sandy, who made really great Swedish meatballs for everyone. And Kathy, who made low fat macaroni and cheese that was really very good. Of course, Stitchy and Kellee and Wendy were all there. And I got to meet Maryse! And Beth and Cindy and Judy and Lauren. It was fun to see Teresa again, too. She, of course, was swatching for Crossed in Translation. I talked to Marcy, who is sadly blogless, and she showed me a great trick for plying on Lucy. Also in attendance was the Queen of the Jaywalkers (no, not Cara) but the pattern designer, Miss Grumperina herself. What fun to meet her and model my Jaywalkers for her!

I know I'm leaving out tons of people and I'm sorry. Go ahead and leave me a comment and chew me out. I can handle it.

Claudia's living room was overflowing with knitters, spinners, yarn and fiber. There were people on couches, people sitting in chairs and covering every available inch of floor space.

It seemed like everyone brought multiple projects and bags were spilling over with charts and needles and yarn. Claudia arranged a yarn/fiber swap in her fiber room and there was stuff all over the floor. I brought a big ole bag of yarn and I know Laura was pleased with at least a couple of my discards. I only brought home a small ball of fiber and some Sugar 'n Cream cotton for dishcloths. You know how I like to keep my stash small and manageable. ;-)

So we ate and we drank (great Sangria, Stitchy) and knitted and ate some more and talked and talked and talked. And boy did we laugh! And we shared stories of knitting disasters and triumphs. There were Rogues and Everyday Cardigans and Jaywalkers galore! Several of us were knitting for the Red Scarf Project and we just had to take a picture of our scarves together.

Sadly by the time we organized this Norma had already headed for home. Sorry Norma, but you were with us in spirit then.

If you weren't there, you were missed and I guarantee we talked about you. In a good way, of course. I hope you can tell by my enthusiasm just how much fun it all was. I feel so blessed to have made some true friends through my blog and there's something magical that happens when we get together. Thank you, Claudia, from the bottom of my heart, for organizing this day, for opening your home, for being an inspiration. Can't wait 'til next time!

Posted by Carole at 9:15 AM | Comments (36)

January 5, 2006

A is for Avatar

Tagged by JenLa to create the Ugliest Avatar, I present:

See that look on her face? She just found out that the frog beside her is just that. A frog. The kiss she planted on his head didn't do anything but give her warts. He's no handsome prince.

So, the romantic evening in the park and the ride off into the sunset? Ka-Put.

It's enough to make even an avatar princess turn ugly.

Posted by Carole at 11:10 AM | Comments (16)