The Long Snooze

Hi again.  I meant to be back for another post much, much sooner.  I want to thank all of you for the nice words and warm welcome back!  
I mentioned in previous post how we had all been sick over Christmas.  Well, as is often the case with me, any time I have a lingering cold or flu, I have a tendency towards bronchitis.  Last Wednesday, I was feeling pretty punk.  By days end, I was feverish, and really punk!  I knew bronchitis had set in good.  I took my sorry self to the Urgent Care that evening, and was told I had full blown bronchitis, with possibly pneumonia setting in too.  I was very rattly!  I got my meds, and stopped for a humidifier, and went to bed for 4 days!  I kid you not!!  Today was a big turn around, and I am feeling much better!!! 
I had a couple of people message me that they would like the recipes to the breads I made in last post. 
First is English Muffin Bread.  This is my go to bread.  A perfect bread for morning toast!!!! 
This makes a small loaf:
1 1/4 cup tepid water
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 Tbp nonfat dry milk
3 cup bread flour
2 tsp yeast ( I use 1 packet )
Add ingredients to machine as per your machine's instructions.  Turn to white bread cycle.  This is a flavorful bread, with lots of nooks and crannies, just like the muffins.

The other loaf was a banana poppy seed loaf.  I cannot find the recipe to save my soul.  I will keep looking and post it when I do.  I hope I didn't throw it out. 
Before I got to feeling really bad, I finished my Nordic hat.  Despite the mistakes I made with reading the graph wrong in that first block of red, I wound up enjoying the process and really loved the color work.  I will do it again.  In the below photo, I am pointing to the area that was done wrong.  Instead of the intended pattern of x's and diamonds, it looks like c's and arrows.

I soldiered on, and finished the hat.  It was much larger than I thought it would be.  If standing atop my head, it looks very Seusical. 

It is very warm, as it is made with bulky weight yarn, and is large enough that the ribbed band can be folded over by several inches.  I will probably never wear it, but my husband has his eye on it, being Nordic and all. 

I have gotten quite comfortable using DPN's to finish off hats now.  I think I may be ready to venture into sock making once again.
I haven't done a bit of cooking since I was sick.  But this morning, I put on a peppered beef roast.  You take a nice size chuck roast, trim off fat if desire.  Put slits into meat and insert whole cloves.  I used about 6.  Then place into crock pot, and cover with entire large jar of pepperoncinis, juice and all.  Cook on high as long as possible.  10 hours at least.  Shred with two forks and allow the meat to absorb juices.  Serve on toasted hoagie rolls with melted provolone.  Wowzers...are these good!!

Several months back, I had gotten another small batch of baby chicks.  They were various ages and sizes.  One has grown to near twice the size of the others, and is suddenly looking quite regal with her fan of tall tail feathers cascading down.  And her crest of feathers raining down her breast and around her shoulders.  Her comb and wattle is bright red, and I have wondered.  Could she......nah.  She is mature now, and the others are laying eggs.  Is she?  I don't know?  Surely if she were a he, he would be cock a doodle doing by now.  And then it happened.  This morning as I was just walking out in the breaking light to open their coop, I heard it.  At first, a muffled noise.  A sort of cock a doodle doo.  But more a rarrr....raarrrr....raaarrrrr.    I listened......and no mistake could be made, He is a ROO!  And cock a doodle doo, he did, several times!

He is a very handsome boy.  A Buff Wyandotte I was told.  He has not shown any signs of aggression.  Yet.

A good looking fellow he is.  So much bigger than the rest of the flock.

I would love to keep him and raise my own baby chicks.  But we shall see how the cock a doodle doo develops as he matures.  I wouldn't want to upset my neighbors!  We do live on one acre parcels.  The houses are not close to one another.  But still, I would never want to risk upsetting a neighbor with that if it were bothersome.
A few days before I got sick, I ran into Joann's to stock up on thread since I had a coupon for 50% off.  Thread is very expensive these days!

I was able to get a lot with my coupon deals.  But I sure go through it fast!  I am eager to get to some sewing now with school back in session.  The kids here were off for three weeks!  Way too long, if you ask me!
When I was sick, my best friend Jae brought a gift and left it at the door.  It was the cutest pair of pink sewing themed pajamas!!!  I will post a pic next time!  She is so great.  I love Jae!!!
Have a good week everyone!  I will be back soon!
XO  Kris