back!

We are back from our travels.  I have to admit that I would rather be where we were but there is not much I can do about that currently.  Part of that is what that I got a lot of time to sew.  Not to post thought.  My Beloved had an evening where he and the toilet were close friends so I did not even leave the camp site.  Then, we were on the road.  This is my first day I have had the opportunity to post since last week.

I stitched so much while we were traveling and camping that I ran out of thread!

It was a bit frustrating but it did mean that I had time for meandering.

I went for a walk in the mountains.  Most people would call it a hike but then you have to remember my Beloved calls my walks on the beach treks.  I know I walked up and down for over seven miles.  I thought it was easy but then it was not a fourth degree scramble.  I was in a skirt and my sandals.  I just walked in the woods.  It was beautiful.  

I was able to finish many bags.  I will post them.  This one, I loved.  We got the chance to spend a couple of hours with our best friend during our travels.  Miss N was gifted with this bag.  And she bought another!  I made a sale before I could get my store open!

This one was one of my favorites.  So was the other one she purchased.  I am making myself another bag as well.  I find the bags I make keep getting used!  It is a very good thing.

raspberry lemon sorbet

During our traveling, I keep seeing McDonald's advertising frozen strawberry lemonade.  I am not a lemonade person but it really sounded good to me.  I am NOT a McDonald's person so there was really only one answer.  Make my own.  I did pick up the wrong fruit at the grocery which is why this is raspberry.  I will have to try it with strawberry sometime soon.

Raspberry Lemon Sorbet

1 1/2 pounds lemons

1 cup sugar

10 ounces frozen raspberries

Juice the lemons to make 1 cup juice.  Put the juice and one cup sugar in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and let boil one minute.  Put the raspberries in a blender container.  Pour the syrup over them and blend very well.  Freeze in an ice cream freezer per its instructions or put in a freezer proof container.  Stir every couple hours until solid.

This was a VERY rich, VERY tart sorbet.  I may try 1/2 cup lemon juice and a 1/2 cup water next time.  I also wish to try it with a shot of vodka or Cointreau.  I will make this as this is again though.  

curtains

In our wanderings yesterday, my Beloved and I found some fabric for curtains for Aria, our travel trailer.  It is a Liberty of London cotton that has peacock feathers that match the coverlet that we put on the benches.

My Beloved helped me by pinning the edges.  I was actually cutting fabric for other things while he did this for me.

I moved outside, setup my hand crank sewing machine, and started stitching.  The sewing went very quickly because it was all straight edges and we are using the old hardware, until we change our minds.  The only difficulty was it was WINDY!  The clouds were out and it is still a bit chilly.

They are done and up!  It changes the whole space and makes it more of our own.  We have the curtains around our bed still to do but we are much closer!

covering

I may have mentioned that we travel in a travel trailer.  We like having our own bed and our own kitchen.  Maybe it is more I do but I think I have convinced my Beloved that it is a good thing.

The beige is getting to me.

It is beige (like the DMV).  And it collects dust and is hard to clean.  We were in Target and I saw a coverlet that I thought would work very well.

We moved outside with the coverlet cut in half and the raw edges pinned.  I needed my Beloved's help because my hand crank was a bit difficult to use the thickness I was hemming.  But we got it done!

And now the beige is gone!  It make me smile every time I walk into this space.  I also can wash and dry these covers MUCH easier!  I am being very smiley now.  The next is to change the shades to curtains.  We found a Liberty of London print that we are going to see if it goes well.  If it does, curtains are next!  No more silver shades!!!!

More smiles!

traveling

My Beloved is taking a bladesmithing course this week.  I decided to travel with him.  It is why I did not post on Friday.  We had started our travels.  We drove cross country.  Actually, half way.  Houston to Portland.  Portland is very much home even though I have not lived here.  I have family here and it feels right because it is the Pacific Northwest.

We are camping and so far it has been very grey.  But the wild flowers our pretty.

We have picked up supplies to make changes. The horrible tan stripes are going to become the fabulous colors in the quilt sitting there.  It will brighten our space.

We gave ourselves time to play.  But play means (in our lives) that I started a pot of beans for later this morning.  Organic small red beans from the food co-op with onion, garlic, chiplote, ancho, cayenne, and black pepper added.  Later there will be salt and make bell pepper.  I am going to make rice and possilby sourdough biscuits.

I started a mother for biscuits and bread because I forgot my sourdough starter.  I will use it all week.  Bread has been started.

I also cleaned before I left and found some wonderful alpaca yarn.  It is a lovely grey, almost black.  I have started a shawl.  The funny thing was that I was going to finish an afghan that I am working on but I forgot some of the yarn I needed.  I was frustrated with myself.

Today we have been playing.  We had VooDoo Doughnuts for brunch.  My cousin had introduced them to me as a yummy doughnut.  I had not realized they were famous!  Just remember:  YUMMY!

I have been enjoying the weather and the flowers.  It is NOT 100 degrees here.

And there are teahouses.  

Where I get to drink multiple pots of tea.  And My Beloved is kind enough to share with me so I can try more.  Currently, I am drinking sticky rice pu-erh.  I like.

The Tall Short Person and Bandit are missed but I am pleased that we are away.