Leftovers, anyone?

Well, I hope you like leftovers, because I need to post about these now or forever hold my peace. Spring is here, and it's "out with the old and in with the new" from now. Lately, I was working on writing up the "Punk Rock Tunic" pattern, while knitting my second one, but I'm planning on frogging it and testing out a different way to go about the way I textured the raglan. I want to make this simple pattern even more simple while having it look the same as the original. I need to buy different needles now, so it'll have to wait until I have them in my hands. I was also debating about using another type of yarn as well, so I'll have to scour the store for a bulky yarn of the same thickness. But anyways, here are some things that have been going on:

These two snowy photos are leftovers from the last snowstorm (hopefully the last) of this Winter season. I love ice and snow shots; they seem so beautiful and artistic.

The onion. Oh how it grows! Joe and I had this onion that sprouted leaves randomly, and we thought it was cool...so we let it grow a little more. Then, when it just got too funny because it really took off growing, we thought it was too amazing to cut for cooking because it looked like a real plant, and I didn't have the heart to ruin it. Then the leaves got really twisty and spirally because the leaves had nowhere to go.

I keep telling the other onions, why can't you be more like your cousin?? I guess I "had it coming" when the other onions instead made me cry.

I was inspired by those "kneadless" books to make bread. Since it's the whole Easter season, I decided to make Challah bread (it is Jewish, but one religion came from another and it seemed fitting). I thought the recipe called for a lot of dough, but I had no clue of the magnitude of this recipe. In retrospect, I would have frozen half of the dough before baking...

In the bowl, it spins all innocent, so small...until bing-bada-boom...it takes up the entire oven! It was so heavy that I almost dropped the pan while taking it out. Everyone who looked at it shook their head and said "that's a lot of bread." (They might have glanced at it again and repeated themselves too.) I ended up freezing some of it because I didn't want it to go bad, and we later sliced it up and made French Toast out of it. It was yummy though. I might make it again soon. In a smaller batch.

Spinning!

I spun some more of this pink fiber-goodness from one of the Stitches Midwest, I believe. It's going to be a singles type of yarn. It's heathered-style because there were lighter pink strands mixed in while spinning, and I think it looks really nice. This yarn let me practice not drafting all of the fiber in bulk, like I did when I first started spinning. This one, I was drafting as I spun. It's a little tricky, and I need a lot of practice before I can call myself a proficient spinner, but it's a good start for now. The yarn is (relatively) the same thickness throughout. Score!

I might spin a little more with the spare pink fiber, but it won't be significantly larger on the bobbin. I'm still thinking of what I would like to make out of it. I don't know how many yards I have yet, but when I do, maybe you guys can pop ideas into my head.

I've been busy, busy, busy working two positions at the library while also teaching 15 students piano. I'm liking my new position working as a "Circ Clerk" (checking materials out, being the "operator," checking things in, etc.), and I haven't had too many bad experiences. I have noticed that although the weekends are very busy, people seem to be angrier and less able to be satisfied on a Saturday compared to Sunday. Maybe it's the whole "I just went to church, I'll be less of an......today." Besides overdue fees, the number one reason patrons yet really angry at a Circ Clerk is because if they are not in the computer, they are required to show 2 proofs of current address, not 1...on their license. Really, people get very, very angry! When they do find the second, they start telling you that they can also bring in 5 more the next time they are in because "you don't believe their word" that they live where their license says. Or, some toss their proofs your way when they do find it. It's very frustrating because although I'd love to take their word, I have to abide by the library's policies. I do want to keep my job. Shocking, I know.

Anyways, at least at the library I work in, we do everything we can to please the patrons, and shelvers really do ruin their limbs shelving if they've worked there a long time. If you want to do something really amazing, thank or compliment a librarian the next time you're in...it'll make their week. No joke.

Let's go ahead and end on a happier note though (lol). Since it's already springtime, I've decided to plan a small veggie garden for my balcony. I'm using that Jiffy Greenhouse Starter kit, and the radishes and tomatoes have already sprouted! I'm planting two types of tomatoes, two types of greenbeans, green onions and radishes for now. I'll give you a picture update a few days on their status. Meanwhile, I just finished the book "The Forgotten Garden" and I'm trying to finish up Charlaine Harris' "Dead to the World." Goodness, that girl needs to get with Sam. He's such a great guy and he's barely in the books anymore!