It was a really productive weekend hither at the Three Cats Ranch. There were several items on my to-do list, in addition to I finished everything. I could convey made the listing longer, but it worked out precisely right. At the move past times of the listing was to complete the Republic of Guatemala quilt (aka Quiltemala). There wasn't a adept house to lay it downwardly for a picture, in addition to and hence I took it exterior in addition to hung it on the deck railing.
Smitty's business office inwards this examine was to sit down on my move table, looking handsome in addition to pettable.
Also, he helped me create upwardly one's heed where to start when I pieced together the back.
These adjacent 2 are terrible pictures, but the quilt dorsum was fifty-fifty larger than the quilt top, in addition to and hence I didn't convey a really adept house to lay it down. I ended upwardly laying it on our never-used puddle table. I had large swaths of textile that I sewed side past times side in addition to row past times row until the dorsum was both broad plenty in addition to long enough.
In the process, I used all but only a few bits of scraps. I'll purpose them for something...someday...when inspiration hits.
The fabrics frayed in addition to hence badly in addition to the sewing room was a consummate mess when I finished all of this. I had to vacuum because I couldn't stand upwardly it. It also made a lot of dusty fibers everywhere, in addition to I had to dust off all the surfaces. I've told Matthew he tin convey the quilt when it's finished, in addition to I committed to having it finished for his birthday adjacent April.
Also, the snowman seemed to mend his ways when I returned to it yesterday morning, in addition to I stitched him this far.
Checking on the poppies, I noticed the get-go bloom is fading, in addition to i of the petals has fallen off. The bloom centre is interesting because you lot tin run into the seed pod inwards the middle now. Eventually this volition plough chocolate-brown in addition to last total of poppy seeds.
This bud has looked the same for days. I'm sort of surprised it hasn't opened yet, but I haven't checked this morning.
These are some volunteer pansies. They're growing inwards the whiskey barrel amongst the cherry tomato.
The dappled willow mightiness last at it's peak now. It's difficult to know for sure. When the cracking bits start turning green, I'll know it's finished. For now, it's looking really pretty. It sure has kept me entertained this spring.
The roses are around opening, in addition to and hence the deer should last dining on them whatsoever twenty-four hours now. I detect a spider has built a spider web over this cluster, in addition to that should deter the aphids.
Here are 2 of the kits. I've indicated the not-yet-ripe strawberry adjacent to the feet of the i on the right. They're eating the strawberries land they're notwithstanding green. It looks every bit if they'll larn a reprieve from the kitties. We're keeping them within for the fourth dimension being. Too many coyote sitings only now. I've been reading one-time weblog posts in addition to seeing dissimilar memories from Facebook, in addition to it seems the coyotes movement through this fourth dimension of year. They've been bold in addition to "present," in addition to and hence it's non rubber for the kitties to last out only now. They volition last really unhappy most this alter inwards conditions.
Okay, in addition to I know you've been waiting on tenterhooks wondering how the Fresh Strawberry Mousse for Two turned out. I'm happy to study that it was delicious. I upped the amount of gelatin past times 1/3 in addition to that did the trick. When I finished amongst it, I position it inwards some pretty piddling spectacles only inwards representative nosotros ended upwardly drinking it again. Also, I made this a recipe "for two," but you lot tin double it to larn far for four.
This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. Ordinarily, I'd last maxim I can't reprint the recipe because Cook's requires a membership. Even if I linked to it, you'd require a membership to opened upwardly it. But since I changed this one, I tin give it to you lot every bit my ain adaptation. So hither you lot go:
Fresh Strawberry Mousse for Two
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Ingredients:
2 pounds strawberries, hulled
¼ loving cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar, divided
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 ounces cream cheese, cutting into 4 pieces in addition to softened
¼ loving cup heavy cream, chilled
Directions:
1. Cut plenty strawberries into 1/4-inch die to mensurate 1/2 cup; refrigerate until prepare to garnish. Pulse remaining strawberries inwards nutrient processor until most pieces are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick (some larger pieces are fine), vi to 10 pulses. Transfer strawberries to bowl in addition to toss amongst 2 tablespoons carbohydrate in addition to salt. (Do non build clean processor.) Cover bowl in addition to allow strawberries stand upwardly for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Strain processed strawberries through fine-mesh strainer into bowl (you should convey most 1/3 loving cup juice). Measure out 1 1/2 tablespoons juice into modest bowl, sprinkle gelatin over juice, in addition to allow sit down until gelatin softens, most v minutes. Place remaining juice inwards modest saucepan in addition to create over medium-high rut until reduced to 1 1/2 tablespoons, most v minutes. Remove pan from heat, add together softened gelatin mixture, in addition to stir until gelatin has dissolved. Add cream cheese in addition to whisk until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
3. While juice is reducing, provide strawberries to now-empty processor in addition to procedure until smooth, fifteen to 20 seconds. Strain puree through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to take away seeds in addition to pulp (you should convey 3/4 to 1 loving cup puree). Discard whatsoever solids inwards strainer. Add strawberry puree to juice-gelatin mixture in addition to whisk until incorporated.
4. Using stand upwardly mixer fitted amongst whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, most 1 minute. Increase speed to high in addition to whip until soft peaks form, 1 to iii minutes. Gradually add together remaining 2 tablespoons carbohydrate in addition to whip until potent peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk whipped cream into strawberry mixture until no white streaks remain. Portion into dessert dishes in addition to chill for at to the lowest degree 4 hours or upwardly to 48 hours. (If chilled longer than vi hours, allow mousse sit down at room temperature for fifteen minutes earlier serving.) Serve, garnishing amongst reserved diced strawberries.
Notes: This recipe plant good amongst supermarket berries in addition to farmers’ marketplace berries. In footstep 1, last careful non to overprocess the strawberries. If you lot like, substitute 3/4 pound (2 3/4 cups) of thawed frozen strawberries for the fresh in addition to skip footstep 1 (do non procedure berries). Proceed amongst the recipe, adding the 1/4 loving cup of carbohydrate in addition to the common salt to the whipped cream inwards footstep 4. For more-complex berry flavor, supplant the 1 1/2 tablespoons of raw strawberry juice inwards footstep 2 amongst strawberry or raspberry liqueur. In add-on to the diced berries, or if you’re using frozen strawberries, you lot tin serve the mousse amongst Lemon Whipped Cream.
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Scott the window guy is coming today. Scott has been cleaning our windows for most thirty years. We used to convey them done to a greater extent than often, but directly nosotros create it only i time per year. They require it badly. You guys ever give me a bad fourth dimension most "the window guy," but in that location ain't no agency I'm getting upwardly on our steep roof to launder the windows. In truth, in that location ain't no agency I'm washing windows. Period. There is breadstuff proofing on the counter downstairs, in addition to I'll larn dorsum to my "meat in addition to potatoes" sewing of Rainbow Scrap projects, catching upwardly on Tiny Tuesdays, in addition to the park materials I create each month. There's no existent excogitation for the day, in addition to hence I'll only convey to run into where I cease up.