Double Cute

A quick, cute baby gift!



I merged two patterns.

For the bib, Grandma's Favorite (Ravelry link) from Nekkedknitter (Scroll down--the pattern is towards the bottom of the page.)

Since I'd never done an applied i-cord, I followed the applied i-cord instructions from the Baby Bandana Bib (Ravelry link,)

Yarn: from Pisgah Yarns--Peaches & Creme
Needle: Size 8--but I used size 7 for the i-cord.

Something Different

Actual, real, live KNITTING being shown on this KNITTING blog!



And--get the smelling salts ready-- by Monday, there may be more knitting shown here!

Stay tuned! Have a terrific weekend!

Old Friends

The cameras at Yankee Stadium caught these two fans last night:



Recognize them?

Yep, Simon & Garfunkel. I can't help but think of this beautiful, brilliant song.



And I wonder, when they sang these words, if they had a glimpse of their future--
"Can you imagine us years from today,
Sharing a parkbench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy"

In 2011, both will be turning 70.

When did my world get so old?

J is for

jicama!

Jicama is a Mexican root vegetable--it's crispy and sweet and easily found in NYC markets.



Sonja and I had been having an email discussion about jicama because she found an interesting cole slaw recipe where jicama is an ingredient. She wasn't familiar with the vegetable and asked me about it. During my low-carb days, I used to prepare jicama as a snack food and I had forgotten how much I like it.

Here's what I do:

Peel the jicama.
Cut a slice off each end so it easily sits on the cutting board. Since the outer layer is quite thick, take a sharp knife and make a slit. You can then peel it off in strips. Use your hands--it's like peeling off wallpaper. I cut off those brown bits,



slice up the jimaca and put the pieces into a ziplock bag.



Squeeze limes over the slices (I used two limes for this jicama--but I wish I had a third one.)



Chop and add cilantro.



Shake the bag and put in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.



Tasty and refreshing on a hot summer day!



How to serve it:
Add salt, chili powder or hot pepper flakes and crunch away.
Scoop up salsa, hummus or dip with the jicama slices.
Make a margarita or mojito and enjoy!

I is for

interlude. Something short and simple between the drama of the sweater and the spectacle of the stealth project. A thing that can be thrown in my purse for when I know my knitting will be interrupted.

An intermission. A break from stitches, rows, pattern. Just garter stitch and an increase every fourth row.



Something not-very-interesting and boring to chill out with on these warm days.

Hot Dogs and Headbands

Everybody knows about the NYC dirty dog--the hot dogs that sit in lukewarm water and are sold out of carts. But, for me, the tastiest NYC frank can be found at Papaya King. **

Papaya King is a tiny take-out on the corner of 86th St. and Third Ave. Red and yellow "decor," no seating. If you want to eat there, you stand at a counter. Papaya juice and hot dogs? Sounds crazy--but surprisingly good together.

I was having my "two, well, plain and a papaya" the other day--and over the sounds of people ordering, the rumble of the subway underneath, the brakes on buses that stop on that busy corner, people walking, talking shouting outside, I could hear Aaron Copand's Appalachian Spring playing on Papaya King's boom box. *** The Simple Gifts section started and I couldn't help but think how much I was enjoying the "simple gifts" of the sounds, sights, tastes and even the smells of NYC.



(I didn't think to take a photo till I was finished. Sorry! )

Standing next to me was a woman wearing an attractive headband. The colors of it complemented her hair and, being the old lady who speaks her mind that I'm turning into, I told her that I liked her headband. Not to my surprise, she told me that she had made it herself. Crocheting and yarn and wire were all involved. To add sparkle, she clipped on a large earring.



What a precious and "simple gift" this woman gave me when she shared not only her know-how but also told me of her granddaughters and how they ask for headbands to match all their outfits. "Too many crazy colors--but, I make them."

** There are other hot dog and papaya stands in NYC--but don't be fooled by these impostors. Papaya King on 86th and 3rd is the best!

*** Yeah, Appalachian Spring was really playing. Beyond bizarre. Papaya King's ambiance doesn't exactly shout classical music.

Ready for Summer

One for the pattern, two for the yarn, three to get needles, now go, knitter, go!