Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Some weaving is done, and a sampler.

What sampler, you ask? The one I wove on the big, restored floor loom, Bam-Bam. But, I'm not going to show it off because it's about as ugly as sin except for the last six inches or so. Maybe I just show off those inches.


The next project in the queue is a standard sized scarf using three different colors of cochineal dyed Blue-faced Leicester from (sales plug) Sonoran Desert Dyed Fibers. The weave structure will be twill in a houndstooth pattern. Way cool.


Probably you'll be wanting to see the Autumn Tartan shawl (a little too big to be called a scarf). It turned out great!


oh, well, not when if first came off the loom. Ugh! Look at those ratty edges! All those threads hanging out! Actually, this is after it went through the wash.  It was even more ratty when it came off the loom. Wannabe Weavers, do not despair!




Yes, I took a cellphone picture. I'm such a dork. And the color isn't quite there - the yellow is more yellow than gold. And yes, that's the headset I use for work.  One of the flute players in the Flute Choir has pictures of us in concert where I am wearing this piece so I'm hoping he'll share those soon.


So there we are. The Autumn Tartan Shawl.





Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Don't poached eggs just make you go weak in the knees?

I like eggs, clean, unspoiled by melted cheese eggs. Scrambled, fried, hard boiled, soft boiled, poached...My dad, Jim, used to make soft-boiled eggs when I'd come to visit. This is when he lived on Erlands Point in Silverdale. Let me say that Jim is not a culinary genius, but he's as good a cook as anyone else who doesn't have their own cooking show on Food Network. He's just no Anthony Bourdain. But when we dipped English muffins into those soft boiled eggs it just made my heart sing. Maybe it was the amazing view of Dyes Inlet out the picture window, maybe it was just about Eating Breakfast with Dad. I was 13 years old. 


Then I discovered Eggs Benedict. Whoa, Nelly! I do kinda like a little Hollandaise on my eggs once in a while, but only if Canadian bacon and an English muffin are between it and the plate. French, Canadian, English, Holland ( hahaha ) how very international. I'm sure I thought I was so sophisticated when I ordered it. There was a restaurant in Seattle, on Denny Way, that served THE BEST Eggs Benedict and hash browns. Again, perhaps it was the atmosphere. After a concert or Rocky Horror, midnight, smoking and goofing off with friends, sitting on the patio in the summer...or on a Saturday morning. It was a 24-hr place.


Dad used to also make corned beef hash with the egg fried in the middle, which essentially poached it...and I'd stick my fork in the middle and mush it around and the yolk would ooze into all the little crevices of the hash that hadn't been crisped...


Huevos Rancheros is best with poached eggs. Try it with roja. Poached eggs are to die for on pancakes with breakfast sausage and a little drizzle of maple syrup - no drenching, just enough to get an occasional reminder that it's there.


I was surfing Chow.com for an appetizer to take to a friend's Thanksgiving dinner and ran across some ideas for leftovers...it included turkey hash and a poached egg. Sounds good to me. See how it derails me? 


I have so many posts "in progress" but this one demanded to be written right now.