The First Day of Spring!!!
From here until fall the days are longer than the nights. For a person who enjoys light, this is a significant milestone. Yes, we'll still have some below freezing weather occasionally, but this means warmth will prevail!
I've been neglecting my blog lately because I haven't had much for show and tell. No rug hooking is happening. I've been knitting and cooking. The search for the 'perfect' loaf of bread goes on.
This one is getting close.
This week Weis market had cod on sale for a very good price. Last evening I made fish chowder which we ate with the homemade bread. Pretty yummy!
Fish Chowder
3 medium potatoes
1 medium sweet onion
2 ribs of celery
1 can of corn
1 1/2 lbs. fish of your choice (cod, catfish, talapia)
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tablespoon parsley
salt, pepper and cayenne, pinch of each
1 can chicken broth
about 1/4 cup flour
milk
Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces, leave the skins on. Chop celery and onion. Put veggies in a soup pot, add corn (do not drain) and chicken broth, and spices. Cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost done. Add fish and cook until it flakes easily. Sprinkle the flour lightly over the veggies and fish while stirring the mixture. Add some milk and cook a few minutes longer till soup thickens slightly.
Fast and Easy!
My knitting is progressing. I haven't done much knitting in recent years because it's soooo slooooow! That's why I don't have much to show for the past two weeks of work.
The sleeves are done but not blocked yet. They are done in a ribbing pattern.
I had planned on taking a little break after the sleeves and do some hooking, but the lure of the cables was too much for me. I had to start the back! Just to see if I could do it without too much problem.
A closeup of my first little cables. Aren't they cute!
Since I took these pictures, I've gotten another three inches done. The cables take some thought but are not difficult. But I was lying in bed this morning thinking, 'why am I spending all this time on a sweater that I won't be wearing until next fall?' Good question! No answer...
The kitties are enjoying the return of the birds and squirrels outside in the yard. They also keep a watch on the neighborhoods cats who roam through. Next month the girls will be a year old. They no longer look like kittens! They are becoming more settled and willing to sit and be companionable.
Maybe too companionable! This is Zip's fly tying desk in the evening. They LOVE Daddy!!!
Deiter, Isabell and Reggie
I don't know what Penny was thinking about, but those eyes just make me smile!
Hope all of you are having a good weekend.
Happy First Day of Spring!!!
Happy spring to you also. your fish chowder looks yummy. My husband is not a fish eater so I never make it.
ReplyDeletecathy
Pat,
ReplyDeleteThe chowder looks great. I make fish chowder a lot, but instead of corn and celery I grate a carrot into it. I sometimes use leeks, but lately just a yellow onion and the potatoes. I thicken it with flour and butter, then add the half and half. But the final little secret is a splash of white port! Yum. The bread looks so good...will you share the recipe for that too? I love your sweater. Cables are fun, aren't they? They look so sophisticated!
Courtney
Happy First Day Of Spring! That bread looks perfect! AND the chowder..yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Enjoy today...celebrate for Spring has arrived!
ReplyDelete~~Patti~~
Its my favorite day too. I love Spring!! Your fresh bread looks fabulous. I can almost taste dipping it in the chowder. I add velveeta to my chowder. It melts in and adds a little zing.
ReplyDeleteOh Pat! I love the pic with the cats at Zip's table! Reminds me of an office after the boss leaves for the day! lol! The bread and chowder look scrumptious... I just might give the chowder a try next weekend... the reason to spend so much time on something you won't wear until the fall is because you are enjoying the process of knitting it! Those cables look fabulous! You are one talented woman!
ReplyDeleteYour knitting looks perfect - they are cute and probably so rewarding as they come out! I can hardly believe the babies will be a year old - where'd the time go? Seriously! That pic is too cute with all flopped about
ReplyDeleteYou always have something interesting going on whether you think so or not! Love the food pics - yummm!
HAPPY SPRING TO YOU!
Love that kitty in the middle of the work desk ~ it's that way all the time here! Either my office desk or my hooking table and the amounts to everything covered in HAIR!!!!!!!! Yikes!!
ReplyDeleteGreat kitty pics! Not a fish fan but boy that bread looks delish!!!
ReplyDeletePat, your bread looks wonderful - share the receipe???? Those cables are coming along nicely - you knit because it is very relaxing and productive!
ReplyDeleteHi Pat,
ReplyDeleteCooking and knitting! Doesn't get much better than that eh?!! I could eat the whole loaf of that bread! LOL It looks SO DELISH! Hard to believe the girls are a year old....... where'd THAT time go now!
Keep knitting because Fall is never too far off :-)
Hugs!
Cathy G
Hi Pat, good to hear from you again.
ReplyDeleteAren't the cats just lovely. Today it has been a really lovely day but Mr.T has a touch of flu or something so we have been inside all day, consequently so have all of the cats. Now, if we had been outside they would have been outside as well, its as if they just love to be close where ever we are. Such a joy to own ( if we ever really own them. lol)
Briony
x
Hi Pat ~
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring to you.... The soup looks absolutely delicious, I remember how good you cook, you had made the soup when Linda had that feather tree class the first time we met, delicious..... The sweater is coming along great. Love the cable work. I did one cable sweater and that was enough, it was for my daughter and she outgrew it before I finished it. My daughter and I decided to give it to the little girl up the street, she was so sweet and very close to our family. She loved my daughter and my daughter loved her. And her mother still has it to this day. So I am really glad someone got to enjoy it..... You also take the greatest pictures, you should have been a photographer... Hope to see you soon. Maybe at one of the hook ins..
Pat ~
ReplyDeleteHappy spring to you, too. Woo hoo ~ it's finally here!!!
Your sweater is going to be gorgeous. Your talents continue to amaze me!
That bread looks so yummy. I could eat the whole loaf.
And that pic of the furbabies on Zip's work desk. Just too precious.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren
I'm so glad that you decided to post on your blog today, I've missed you Pat.
ReplyDeleteYour babies all looks spoiled and so well looked after.
Your bread and chowder looks so tempting it makes my mouth water. I love seafood with a passion. I was raised near the sea and always had plenty of seafood to eat because it was cheap in the good old days. My daughter was very allergic to fish so I couldn't even cook it in the house to my chagrin.
The sweater looks great and I think that you are knitting it because you like to knit. I've been working on my Grandmother's Trunk rug and got about half done. All the harder part have been hooked but I still need to dye some more wool for it. I was wondering if you started to hook a small mat for the Grandmother's Trunk Challenge. I sure hope so, even a tiny one would do this time.
Happy Spring. JB
Pat cant wait to try the soup recipe ...looks good and easy.. my favorite combo!!! The sweater is awesome as usual..coming from such a talented lady!! Miss you and hope to see you soon...bring your knitting to Grant Street...we will have fun!!!
ReplyDeleteHow relaxed and peaceful the kitties are. They are even welcoming in Spring!
ReplyDeleteNo matter what you put your hands on Pat, you do beautiful work! You've certainly been gifted with many talents. Love seeing them all.
I'm going to have to try that chowder--sounds yummy!!!
ReplyDeleteThe cats were just helping "daddy" by protecting his stuff!!!
Oh welcome spring!!!! I am so tired of the darkness and chapped lips and static electricity!! Bring on the rain and the smell of soil and buds and colour and sunlight; all of these things make me so happy :-)
ReplyDeletePat your fish chowder looks fantastic! I just love soup and could live on it almost exclusively! I have copied the recipe and will definitely make it...I'm pretty certain there is some talapia in the freezer just waiting for this. Your bread looks so tasty too, I rarely eat bread but would make an exception for one of your beautiful loafs!!! I try to watch my carbs because truth be told I could eat a whole loaf at one sitting with some nice cheese - LOL!!!
Love the pictures of the cats...so sweet :-) I can't believe the kittens are almost a year old, we must have a party!
I found your blog randomly and have since shown it to my coworkers b/c of the wonderful cat photos! I work at a company where we are kind of obsessed with cats. And we are now all in love with Deiter.
ReplyDelete