a touch of fall and waiting for weather

I got to go to my quiet happy place!  The mountain.  It was a bit of a wild week.  Koda Bear came to the mountain for a day.  Maybe a little more.  Then, we went and took him back to the Tall Short Person's for school to start.  Then back to the mountain we went!

It was mostly summer there still.  But the nights were cooling way down.  There was a touch of autumn in the air.  I did take a few minutes to sit by a small fire and work on a dress.  A very small fire.

Up until the very last, the nights were gorgeous.  It is so funny when needing a blanket brings such joy!

I learned a lot this trip.  I drove the tractor for the first time.  I used a chainsaw taking out trees.  I have so many more trees to take out.

My Dad listened when I said I wanted a scythe.  He found me one at a garage sale.  It is too big for me.  It is probably the wrong blade for what I really need it to do.  But it is one of my favorite tools.  It is the best tool I know for cutting down salmon berries and cutting blackberries.  I found it was more work to use the chainsaw!

The night before we were to leave it started to rain.  The mountain is the first mountain or hill in the Cascade range out of the Frasier Valley from Canada.  There is interesting weather there.  This rain was part of it.

The broadleaf maple on the road was green when we got there.  It had changed color by the end of the week.  Autumn was definitely coming there.  I miss it.  

Waiting for weather in my title is that there is a depression that may bring a lot of rain in the Gulf.  The funny thing is, the local news stations are saying we may get weather from Florence.  Specifically rain.  I am a little concerned on Issac.  I am not sure that I am ready to sit out another storm.  Especially a large storm.  I will just keep watching and waiting.

Maybe I will just pretend I am here.

end of summer

It is time to take Koda Bear back to the Tall Short Person this week.  It makes me sad.  Especially since I did not get to spend as much time with him as I thought I would.  I am going to try to steal him away for some weekends this autumn.  I am scoping out fiber fairs in the Pacific Northwest.  There is even one that my father has been interested in going to.  That one I know I would be talking sheep and goats.  That is the who my father is.

When we brought Koda Bear here, my parents sent projects home with me.  I just laughed.  But I cut off the sleeves on my Dad's shirts and hemmed them.  He will get more wear out of them now.

My Mother does not see herself as creative.  And in recent years, I would have to say she has narrowed her creative endeavors down.  She has always been very good at following directions.  She used to make all of our Christmas cards, silk screen and linoleum cut printing.  She learned cake decorating for birthdays.  She learned how to do calligraphy so she could write in a fashion she was pleased with on those cards.  

She choses not to do any of that anymore.  And that is very okay.  She follows directions for projects others find for the craft sale at her church.  One of those friends is a knitter, but does not enjoy crochet.  That friend fell in love with this cradle purse.  My mother knew I crocheted and asked if I would make it for her friend.  I said I would.

The cradle purse, by kit, is now finished.  Did I follow the pattern exactly?  No.  But it is close.  And it is done.  It really did not take that long but I did find it hard on my hands.  That could be the rock climbing too.  It is kind of scary to me but I think that is the plastic doll.  I would have done something different but I am not the one who fell in love with it.

I will not be in this space for a bit.  There will be parts of the next two weeks I will not have phone service!  This is exciting too me.  I may post on Instagram if I do.  I may not.

poke bowl

I was curious about what a poke bowl was when a poke bowl place opened three blocks away.  I went and tried one.  Then I decided to make them at home.  They are becoming a lunch standard.  Or maybe an early dinner.  Especially when I am coaching.  

Poke bowls purchased out taste a lot like sushi to me.  Made at home, I start with fish and rice then add vegetables, fruits, and sauces.  Even occasionally a Mexican feel.  Which I know is not standard but works.

The bowls usually start with rice.  Either sushi rice or indian rice.  I set a cast iron fry pan on medium with a couple tablespoons of butter in it.  I let the butter melt.  I sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of miso sauce over the rice as it cooks.  (The miso sauce recipe is below)  I add the rice and let it heat until crispies are created.  It takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  The crispy bits add a nice texture.

I usually add fish.  I normally use canned fish because it is easy.  It is hard to find sushi grade fish.  Canned fish I can doctor and it is already cooked.  Mussels and scallops usually end up in the bowl. 

Canned tuna and salmon I usually doctor.  I add a couple tablespoons of skyr to moisten the fish instead of mayonnaise.  That way if the bowls are stuck in a back pack for later, the bowl has less chance to go bad.  I also add a teaspoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of wasabi.  Then a couple of tablespoons of fish on the rice.

At this point, avocado, cucumber, mango, or pineapple can be added.  Or jalapeno.  Or any type of vegetable or fruit that may sound be good.

Soy sauce or ume can be added now to season the bowl.  I have been making a miso sauce that I found for yaki onigiri which is a rice ball.  That is really what started me down this road.  I use the miso sauce when I heat the rice and as a topping.  It is tasty.

Poke bowls are really an experimentation.  Play with them.  Koda Bear also likes the rice with an egg on top instead of fish or veg.  Anything goes.  But use the miso sauce below.  It is worth it.

miso sauce

Note:  This is a sauce I found for yaki onigir made by Bake Street.  It is a lovely sauce.  I have used multiple types of miso and vinegar.  All give a lovely flavor. 

1/2 tablespoon white miso paste (I have also used red)

1 teaspoon Mirin (or a sweet vinegar)

1 teaspoon sake

3/4 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon water

Mix all in a bowl.  Use on the rice and the bowl.

octopus

It may sound crazy but I have been working on crocheted octopus this weekend.  I have a baby shower to go to and I decided to make one as part of a gift.  I usually bring a hat I have made.  A hat is a simple thing but actually is shown to increase mortality rates in babies.  It has everything to do with small babies do not regulate their temperatures well.  

Recently, it has become apparent that crocheted octopus calm babies.  Especially newborns.  Then tentacles feel like the umbilical cord.  It is especially true with premies.  They do not pull out all the cords and tubes they are attached to if they have an octopus near.

This green octopus and hat are going with me to a friend's baby shower this weekend.  I do not dread my friend or the giving of gifts.  The shower has on the other hand.  I do not enjoy parties like this so it will be interesting.  I can always come home for a cup of tea and hide in a book afterwards!

I stuffed both of the octopus with wool.  They are machine washable and the wool heads will act like a dryer ball in the dryer.  The yarn is cotton.  Wool is antibacterial so life is good.

I made the yellow one for Koda Bear.  I figured why not.  The green one I kind of followed a pattern.  The yellow one I did not.  I like how I made the yellow one better.  I know of one more baby that will need an octopus so that is a good thing.

Koda Bear said the green octopus for the baby did not need a face.  I liked the short person's opinion.  But he did believe the hat should be worn by the octopus.  If you pull the hat down, the octopus looks more like a squid.

floral wool shawl

While I was making the striped shawl, I was also making this floral shawl.

I spun the brown yarn from the last of the BFL/Cormo lamb fleece that I had.  It is so soft.  It is rather large and cozy.  Another good shawl for being cozy with a cup of tea and book.  It is not as heavy at the striped shawl but I think it may be warmer.  That may be because the lamb fleece is softer.

All the variations of brown are from the fleece.

I have been enjoying embroidering flowers on wool.  So I did it here.  All the yarn is from other projects.  Mostly hand dyed from other artisans.   It makes me happy.

It is going to be for sale in my shop.  Even though I would rather keep it.  But that is part of what happens with almost of everything I make recently!