Off The Grid NeedleArts

I don’t think I’ve ever joined as many group type “alongs” in my life – this makes three this year. They do seem to motivate me to keep working just a little longer on each project before I’m shiny nickel’ed on to the next.

Marion’s name was chosen for the Lizzy Kate pattern, so I’ve sent you an email and will mail it out to Australia later this week. I have another pattern ready to go to giveaway and it’s a special one for the Canadians who read so be watching this space maybe the week after next (?) depending on how together I am after Thanksgiving. I will be cooking a meal for 30 people and might need to sleep for a week when the party stops!

To begin – if you are at all interested in a small Lizzy Kate cross stitch pattern that I’ll be giving away – go HERE and leave me a comment – Nicholas will choose a name out of a hat tomorrow night, and please don’t forget to leave me your email address.

Honestly, how am I supposed to get any work done? Two of my very best friends right here – they follow me from room to room during the day and make sure I stay on track and slip them the odd treat from my pocket now and then. I managed to get Eddie in the picture for my friend Shani who lost her beagle this past summer to cancer. Eddie is afraid of cameras and I had to be a bit sneaky with the phone but managed to capture the sweet little face. Daria is a true lovey mooch and just wants to be glued to your side every minute of every day.

We adopted Eddie just over a year ago from a rescue organization called PAWS United. His past, what we know of it was pretty horrendous and was used purely for breeding. He spent his entire life up until his rescue on an extremely short chain, outdoors, year round. Canadian winters can be brutal and that he survived without frostbite damage is miraculous. Our vet guesses his age at around 9 now. It has taken the whole year, but this little dog who spent the first three months with his tail tucked between his legs, cowering anytime you had something in your hands anywhere near him has blossomed. He is now completely house trained, loves to sleep on the couch during the day and comes to all of the family members now for affection. Last night, for the first time ever – he came into the kitchen where I was coaching my flute choir (7 ladies, a ton of noise and fun) he sniffed and wagged and lay down on the dog bed in the kitchen with us for the remainder of the hour. Please consider a rescue pet if you are so inclined, or leaning that way – there are so many animals in desperate need of a loving home – especially the senior dogs who are so often overlooked in favour of the cute little puppies.

At Tuesday rehearsal I had to snap a quick picture of my friend and clarinet player extraordinaire who knits at every rehearsal because I had mentioned her before and I thought I should show you some proof that it was possible! She’s the coolest person I know. See to the left of her? That would be a motorcycle helmet. I made sure to ask what the project was:  137-32 Charme by DROPS design and the yarn is a light cotton from Grand River Yarns. This lady is so talented and I’ll have to tell the story of John’s sweater someday – the one I gave to her in pieces and begged her to sew up and put a zipper in. I’m amazed she still speaks to me.

My garter stitch blanket has one row complete. I do love the soothing nature of knitting garter stitch and this blanket is floating my boat in every way. I’m even looking forward to seaming it together! Nicholas left me his Bionicle to play with while he’s at school today.

It’s rehearsal night tonight for Sarah, which means we need to gobble dinner by 5:30 and then I can have some knitting and coffee time while the kids work hard at their pieces. My rehearsal night is tomorrow and though the my favourite clarinet player there brings her knitting and can knit just a few stitches and drop it on her lap whenever she needs to play (it is the most amazing skill) I get too distracted and would be in trouble for sure with the conductor.

So soup to the rescue – I’m making a huge pot of split pea soup and hopefully with a loaf of bread and/or salad it will feed us both nights. This really is the greatest soup. Don’t be afraid if you hated pea soup as a kid – this is really good!

It’s only 5 ingredients. I roasted a ham for dinner last night so today all of the leftover trimmings, the bone and any left over ham get chucked in the pot. I use a large stock pot and cover the ham and bone and fill until about 3 inches from the top – maybe 12-14 cups water?

Finely dice half an onion and add along with 2 cups split green peas. I used a bit more than that just to finish off the bag. I’m a terrible recipe follower, I tend to cook by feel. Bring to a hard boil and turn down heat until it’s simmering hard. I do not use a lid, because it would boil over and make a huge mess. This is going to simmer most of the afternoon and reduce down, so I don’t bother with a lid. It will look completely disgusting when you first start it.

See?

Looks like dishwater. I promise, in a few hours – 3-4 hours, the peas and finely diced onion sort of melt and everything looks a whole lot more appetizing. If it’s reducing more quickly than it should, turn the heat down to a low simmer. If you get a foam on the top, skim it off. When the peas are dissolved, take out all of the meat, bone and fat. Take any meat off the bone, trim any and all fat and put the meat back into the soup. Salt to taste (this can vary wildly, depending on your taste, how salty the ham is etc) My family likes it quite salty so I use a fair bit and put the shaker on the table for Sarah who always likes just a bit more 🙂 The kids like it, John likes it – I once served it at the cottage to a rather horrified 14 year old picky eater son of a friend who proceeded to eat 4 bowls.

I think the hang up with some food is that we all have some kind of bad childhood food memory and it’s surprising to me with how many people that terrible memory involves pea soup. I’ll be honest – I didn’t know it existed until I met John because my mother hated it so much that it was a “never eat” food at my house growing up. I have yet to get my mum to eat this, but I will – mark my words. So two tricks that I think transform it from yuck to yum? Finely dice the onion – (think it’s small enough? keep dicing) so that it disappears. Nicholas hates onion and doesn’t notice it here. Also – remove ALL the fat.  I wish I had a finished soup to show you, but take my word for it – the house already smells great and it’s got 3 hours to go.