Earth Hour has started! The only light in the house is coming from two candles and two laptops (on battery power).
Month: March 2009
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Lamb and Barley Stew
Lamb and Barley Stew
The Snook and I watched the “Barley” episode of Good Eats last weekend, and I became obsessed with his lamb and barley stew. I picked up the ingredients Monday night (one lamb shoulder, one bag pearl barley, three carrots). I soon realized I had a problem. The original recipe actually calls for barley grits. Well, neither Coles nor Harris Farm had that. Snookums did some research and found this recipe, where someone in the same dilemma decided to make her own. We decided to follow her advice. (You can’t just substitute plain pearl barley, as it takes a lot longer to cook.)
 
Thursday night Snookums roasted the barley in a pan on low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally. Then he whizzed it up in our spice grinder (an old coffee grinder) to chop it up a bit. Meanwhile, I went to town on the lamb shoulder with a big sharp knife. We browned the lamb in seasoned flour, then combined the carrot, lamb, barley, and chicken stock. It then cooked for about 35 minutes. I was worried that with so few ingredients, it might be bland. I WAS SO WRONG. It was all nutty, roasty, lamby goodness. I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s so warming and filling. This is the perfect recipe for winter. I highly, highly recommend it, especially if you can find the barley grits pre-made. But I’d say it’s still worth the extra work even if you can’t…
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Na Craga
It’s finished! I dragged the Snook out for a photoshoot this morning. There’s a slight visible line from my drying rack across the front, but I’ve already steamed it out for Show delivery. The light was too nice not to go for the photographs right away.
As I said on Ravelry, I kinda feel like crying a little bit, like when I finished my first half-marathon. This WAS a marathon. Getting to the finish line is just such a relief. Regardless of whether it wins anything, I think this may be the knitting project that I am most proud of. Thanks to all you guys for your great comments, advice, and encouragement.
More photos are on my Ravelry project page and on Flickr.
The pattern is “Na Craga” from Alice Starmore’s Aran Knitting. Unfortunately the book is out-of-print and used copies sell for hundreds of dollars. Luckily a kind Raveler was willing to share hers with me so I could knit it.
I ended up using 19 skeins of Naturally Harmony 10ply. The last skein (used for the collar) is a different dye lot, but I can’t spot the difference at all. The twisted ribbing was done on 4.5mm needles, with the body and sleeves being done on 5mm. It took me nearly four months to do the actual knitting, and then the sewing up took another two weeks. It’s being entered in the 2009 Sydney Royal Easter Show Arts Competition in class #119 (Aran Knitting). I’ll update if/when it wins a prize!
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Shared today on Twitter
@randomknits Woot! Na Craga is blocking at home as we speak. Did you spot any worthy competitors on the tables?
@wookie_man Some random chicks: http://twitpic.com/2hfex. You only just missed out though!
@kellymcmahon You forgot to add: “Also, I’m in love with her.”
is lamenting that my blog seems to be momentarily borked. Will give the host a few more minutes before blasting off a support ticket.
is a fan of Quadrahosting, really, but I’m getting sick of support msgs that assume I’m a complete dumbass. THE SITE IS DOWN FOR A REASON.
@knitness I told you it was an addiction! Socks are like the crystal meth of the knitting world.
@acatinatree Well, you’ll have one more newbie on Monday, finally! Although if you can get him to sign up to Twitter, I’ll eat my hat. 🙂
is happy that my site is back up. Enquiring minds need to know the potential perils of not shampooing and the merits of pet goats.
is drinking beer and contemplating which Guitar Hero song to perform. Friday arvos rock.
@randomknits @knitabulous Seriously? An all chick rock band is a personal dream of mine. I claim bass or vocals.
is relieved that both of my fears were unrealized. Na Craga is nearly dry and ready to be delivered. And my hangover is manageable. WIN.
is at first meeting of new Guild Exec meeting. Trying to keep my head down and avoid drama!
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Mikey Filmmaker and his Monkeys
Hooray! Mikey Filmmaker (who won this year’s Oscar Contest) has finally received his Batman and Joker sock monkeys. I’m glad they went to somebody who truly appreciates them! 🙂
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Good Morning.
Good Morning. I feel the best I have in the past fortnight. I did my first boxing workout in a week yesterday, and it felt great to be active again (though I’m pretty sore today!). The Snook and I tried out a recipe from Good Eats last night that turned out GREAT. (Recipe and photos coming soon.) I got a good night’s sleep. When I weighed myself, I found that the extra pound I picked up last week had vanished. (It really was just water weight, presumably related to getting sick.) I finished Na Craga this morning, soaked it with water, and pinned it out to block. (Wool is amazing. For all my lamenting of my tight tension, once I got it wet I was easily able to pull it out to the correct dimensions.) When I got to work this morning, there was a bottle of champagne on my desk as a birthday present from my company. (All the March birthdays got one.) And today’s the Snook’s last day at Komosion, so we’ll be celebrating tonight. He starts at Geekdom on Monday.
And how was YOUR week?
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We Support Notre Dame
We support Notre Dame and its President, Father John Jenkins, for inviting President Obama to speak at the 2009 commencement. Sign the petition, folks.
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Shared today on Twitter
RT @balsamiq Good article about prototyping tools from #AdaptivePath: http://is.gd/oXWM (I didn’t realize there were so many!)
likes to mock Dave Matthew Band nowadays, but when it pops up on iTunes randomly, I don’t turn it off. It’s totally 1997 in my head!
@knitabulous Remember to keep your eyes peeled when you walk your stuff to the table & let me know if you spot any serious Aran competish!
@realtimshady I once read the whole thing IN ONE NIGHT trying to make deadline for a paper in college. I couldn’t see straight the next day.
@mrs_sockvictim Me too. Trying out a new recipe. If it works, you may want it yourself! (Lamb, carrot, and barley stew.)
wonders why I never notice all the white cat hair on my black T-shirt until I step out the front door.
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Fun with the Muggles
Fun with the Muggles
I took Na Craga in to work today (since I’m hoping to finish it off at the Stitch & Bitch tonight). I was showing it off to a couple people in the office.Co-worker: How long have you been knitting for?
Me: Oh, five or six years. This jumper’s taken me about four months.
Her: Can you purl too?
Me: Yeah. I can purl too.
