pumpkin pie for me!

I really do not like cake so I always asked for pumpkin pie for my birthday.  And then I started to make it myself.  I have actually started to modify the recipe (do not look at the crust, I am playing with that too.  What else is new, huh?).  I start with Libby's pumpkin pie recipe:

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/LIBBYS-Famous-Pumpkin-Pie/detail.aspx

I changed the white sugar to brown sugar.  Added a tablespoon of vanilla and increased the ginger to 1 teaspoon.  It is pretty fabulous.  Just the thing for all celebrations!

And see what Russell has been working on:

Paring knife.

Camp knife.

The paring knife works like a dream on potatoes.  They are both for sale if anyone is interested.  Just let me know.  Maybe the will find a home in my kitchen.....  I get all the seconds and rejects!

gift from Russell

It has been a long day and I am tired but I wanted to share this with you.  Finally!  I know I am slow.  Russell forged this blade and made me this knife.  It works like a dream in the kitchen.  I like how the handle feels.  He tweaked it until he got it just right because I did not like the original handle.  The blade comes from the first blade workshop he took.  It slice horizontally through on onion like a dream.  In many ways, that is my litmus test.  All my knives are sharp enough to cut tomatoes well but do they cut onions horizontally?  This one does.

Another reason to smile.  Maybe I will be feeling more creative tomorrow.

winter garden and Russell's newest knife (that left the house already!)

I got the winter garden in last weekend and I am waiting for my seeds to sprout.  I had some of the grass come back already.  I may need to go to Joshua's and get some vegetables to transplant.

The one eggplant bush that made it is turning into a tree again.  There are three or four eggplant that are growing and just need to get bigger.  The tomatoes and watermelon have blooms so I am hoping that we will get some fruit and vegetables.  By the way, did you know that tomatoes are fruit and watermelon are vegetables?

The peppers are a profuse as ever and I need to fill the freezer with chili and chilaquila.  

Russell finished this knife while I was at work.  It is a seven inch Santoku style blade.  It is absolutely beautiful and well balanced.  He took it to our naturopath's office and one of the ladies there bought it!  He sold a knife within a hour of finishing it.  Just amazing! Before I even had a chance to hold it!  And it was the blade of the two he cut out that I liked best.  Just an absolutely fabulous knife.

I have a feeling it is going to be an interesting weekend and potentially an interesting spiral path we are to walk.  Is that not a Chinese cures?  May you live in interesting times.  It does make me smile.

skirt and this and that

The other half of the experiment while camping was the top layer of the skirt.

It has just become one of my simple skirts.  I buy homespun fabrics and they are so soft but they do not wear well so I actually can have a few in my closet at once.  It makes it feel less bad that I have too many clothes.  My daughter's puppy jumped on me yesterday and I believe I will be putting another skirt into the "only work at home or in the yard" selection soon!

I did get carried away purchasing patterns from Sense and Sensibility this week.  I have been looking at these patterns for years and finally just bought them.  It does not help that Russell just smiles and says good!

At least they all fit in one box (wry smile)!  The funny thing is that I will always change something.  I never keep a pattern as is anymore so I just think of these a really nice guidelines.  There are some really nice girls clothes in this bunch for girl short people in my life.  

And do you see my worktable?  Russell has been finishing it.  The bee lady is out of beeswax furniture polish at the farmer's market and that is going to be the last coat.  I may sneak in cutting out a dress or kilt on it this weekend!  Huzzah!

I just had to show off Russell's newest knife because I am proud.  He forged this blade in the workshop he just finished and this handle feels so good in the hand!  He said he would change the one he made me to this handle and I am so excited about it.  I get spoiled with homemade knives, even if some of them are what he would consider seconds.  They are absolutely lovely!

I am so tired after a day at work and one errand.  The library was a must because we had movies and books do.  Now I just need the energy to cook dinner.  Some type of soup I believe.  It is just about finding the energy  to get out of my rocking chair.  Or Russell will get tea and toast for dinner and I know that is not enough for him.  

You may laugh at me!

six inch chef's knife

We went on vacation so Russell could take another bladesmithing class.  He was learning to forge Damascus.  Which meant that he motivated to come home and finish what he already started.  He has learned so much over the last six months that some of the knives he is finishing are just not quite what he wishes them to be.

I get all the "seconds."  This beautiful six inch chef's knife is not completely done but Russell wanted it off his work table so it ended up in the knife block.  Which means I started using it.  He still needs to sharpen it a bit more because I have gotten used to scary sharp.

The handle is beautiful!  I like a bit more rounded but it works.  Russell said he would work on it a bit.  I know he would rather be building a forge though (evil grin)