Mersydotes

There's an old mansion near where we live, and yesterday we went hiking and pic-nic-ing in the grounds and the woods.  It was autumnal and creepy and refreshing- come along and take a look! We started out in the formal gardens, where the flowers were so bright and the bees were buzzing around... Along the way, there were secret little places to sit... Then we followed the path toward the woods through the hedges and the statues... In the woods, the leaves had just begun to turn red... And the puff balls!  Never have I seen so many in one place! Even a mysterious, bright orange mushroom... It was a glorious autumnal ramble in the woods!  Thanks for coming along!

A tart honneycrisp apple + the sharpest cheddar cheese = the ultimate autumn snack!

I had so much fun making these last night!  It was a great way to use up the scraps left over from the flower coasters and few little beads that needed to be paired with a pretty project.  They look so festive all stacked together!  And when they're on my wrist, they don't jingle-jangle like the metal ones do- they''re much subtler! For the braided one, I used two strands wound together, one pink, one purple.  Then, I just single crocheted around the ring, and tah-dah!  It so simple, but I think the color variation/combination makes it look fancier than it is. The beaded ones were really fun!  For the pink one, I just single crocheted around and slid a bead down every 10 stitches.  When I was finished, I twisted the work so that the stitches were inside and the beads were outside. For the purple one, I did one round of single crochet, then a second round of slip stitches, sliding beads down every three stitches. Give it a try and see what color and bead combos

Ever since I was a little girl watching Miss Marple on PBS, I've wondered why little old ladies are constantly winding never-ending balls of yarn while some young relation sits next to them, holding the string in both of their hands.  What was the point of this activity?, I would always wonder.  Was it fun to make ball after ball of yarn?  And why make it change forms if it was already wound so nicely around some one's hands?   This epitome of coziness was finally explained when I discovered the amazing local yarn shop and bought my first hank of yarn.  Nowadays, that's where I pick out all my yarns, and I've become rather adept at winding them single handedly.  Wish I had someone to hold the yarn!  Maybe I can hoodwink my husband into it?  Or Penny?  Her paws are pretty flexible! Here's the newest yarn, ready for another secret project!  It's made from corn and cotton, and I can guarantee it's destined for greatness!  Can't wait!

We have just discovered a wonderful new glee (our term for "gluten-free" around here) treat: puppodums!  We found them in the international isle of the grocery store, and the ingredients were just lentil flour and spices.  Plus, it was labeled as officially gluten-free, which, although not always a definite sign, was very encouraging!  They start out as thin, translucent wafers... And turn into amazing fluffy crackers when you fry them! They are delicious!  We've been eating them with curries and dipping sauces- you must give them a try!  Even if it's just to see the amazing "unfolding" of the puppodums in the frying pan!  I have to admit- I jumped away from the frying pan in shock when I made the first one.  That wasn't a good idea, because then it splashed out of the pan and caught on fire!  But at least now you won't make that mistake! Enjoy!

(This is a guest post by Penny!) Hello everyone!  Today I went hiking with Mama and Papa and their colleagues.  Would you like to follow me along the trail and see where we went?  Be careful!  It's a little bit slippery- I fell into the mud a lot, but that's ok- I'm prettiest when I'm muddy!    Tie on your bandanna, and here we go!!    Follow me through the dappled sunshine... Along the creek bed... And around the bend... The rocks were so big!  I had to scramble over them and jump over the fallen logs! With the colder weather, the shelf fungus was thriving: Towards the end of our trail, we crossed a picturesque covered bridge stretched across the river.  It was scary looking down at the water through the wooden slats, but I was brave!  It was a marvelous and glorious day out!  But there was a tragic ending- Mama gave me a bath when we came home!  Can you believe it!

Can you believe that yesterday I found this gorgeous project tucked away in a drawer, all but forgotten?!!  I stayed up late last night to finish it up- it turned out beautifully! It's made from a deep rose alpaca yarn, and wow, will it be warm in the winter! I love shell patterns, and this one is from Cute and Easy Crochet (by Nicki Trench).  It worked up very easily with a big K hook, and the alpaca was so soft, and ever so slightly shiny.

Would you like to see one of my finished secret projects?  It's a loopy cowl in sea foam blue: Super cozy!  Super soft!  You can wear it long or short: The delicate shell pattern is from the Vogue Knitting Crochet Special Edition, and it was very well-written, and barely took any time at all.  I recommend it!  Fall, here I come!