Friday, January 24, 2014

brrrrrr…...

I have not left the house since Monday, except to walk to the mailbox up the street to retrieve the pile that was held for me while I was away.   Next week promises another Polar Air attack but I will be elsewhere.

So what have I done all week? 

Over the weekend I picked up the 1880's mantle clock I took from my mother's and had fixed by the antique clock expert who also fixed the 200 year old grandfather clock that my son inherited.  Honestly, I was going to give the mantle clock away, since it didn't work - but when the clock guy spotted it and raved, I had to let him fix it.  It is here now, ticking away.  It dings on the half-hour and has a beautiful, mellow chime on the hour.  I find it very comforting.  

Monday I spent all day at IKEA looking for storage solutions for this sewing room/office.
I have made lots of progress; you just can't tell from this picture - LOL.

Took lots of measurements and notes and will go back in a few weeks to sit down with a design helper that can work on planning the space with me.  The wire basket (purchased on Monday) is now a repository for Helene's hand-dyes, which I seem to have been collecting since 1997.  Still working on ironing/cutting/sorting by color and am wondering why I have so many drawers and bins of other fabrics.  A few years ago I gave away a ton of fabrics to a friend, but you'd never know it now.
Found this old card while I was going through the family stuff (still cluttering up that end of the room in the picture.  

Yesterday, I finally got out the strips I had been auditioning in Paducah and put them on the bulletin board/mini-design wall.  Who knows what this will be, if anything??  But it is keeping me amused and I am working with color combinations I don't normally use.
I have been making gallons of soup. First, a divine wild mushroom soup (minus the garnish) inspired by the one we had in a restaurant last week.
 Next, a to-die-for butternut squash, white bean, kale soup that was the best thing I have ever tasted. (well, top of the list, anyway). It is a bit of work, but worth it. 
This recipe comes from a blog called For Love of the Table.

I was so cold yesterday (and out of soup) that I couldn't contemplate a cold dinner.  So I got out the head of cauliflower I had bought on the weekend and made Mark Bittman's Curried Cauliflower Soup.  There are a million recipes for this if you google it, but I like Mark's because it is quick and doesn't have any fat or potatoes.  I used light coconut milk and was out of cilantro, but I ate it twice today, it was so good.  Actually, this recipe looks excellent, too - and I might try it next time.  


Oh - and today I wrote my Winter 2014 newsletter and sent it out tonight.  If you want a copy and don't already subscribe, just add yourself to the link on the sidebar and I'll make sure you get one.

Well, my clock has chimed 12 and I should get a good night's sleep.  I must admit is is a luxury not to have to get up at the crack of dawn.  Tomorrow - boring old chicken soup.

4 comments:

Judy Sall Fiber Art said...

Love mantle clocks! My Grandma had one when I was little that had the sweetest silvery chime... can't wait to hear how your session goes with the IKEA designer. Would love to have that done, but just need to keep plugging along, buying new storage bins as needed. And the soups sound yummy! Stay warm...

patty a. said...

I am so happy for you that you are making progress in wrangling your sewing room/office into a more organized space. I have been making soup too! I made a huge pot of vegetable beef. I froze a bunch so I have it for a hardy quick meal. I also have my Vita Mix at the ready for making a hot soup in 5 or 6 minutes. Lately it has been white bean soup or salmon bisque. Warm and filling on these cold days!

Cate Rose said...

Oy, that mess!! Hope you have a good weekend ~ warm, cozy, filled with luscious soups. All the soups I make are from the Moosewood Cookbook, the first one, revised edition. Too lazy to go online to look for recipes. If I like something, I'll keep making it, interspersed with others I love.
If you have any old stacks of papers left from your mom's, I wouldn't mind taking some off your hands. Postcards, letters, envelopes, general ephemera. Just let me know. If not, no worries.
Be well. xoxo

Linda Hicks said...

You do it all...wonder woman!

soup weather in June and a little more

DISCLAIMER: Blogger is giving me grief tonight, which you will see by the varying sizes of the type. Ye p, soup weather and it's ...