The Sweet Scent of April Showers

We returned from a sunny yet crisp, extra long Easter weekend in Vermont
To find greener grass and bigger blooms.
While we were gone, our daffodils, shaded on the north side of the house, grew tall and flowered.
A playful morning at the park
Making new friends
Lunch on the porch
Now followed by some April showers.
 I sit to continue the job hunt with fingers crossed and high hopes.

Ice Cream, Part 2

I almost forgot!

Caught in a nick of time, before I washed the dishes is an empty bowl from the Simple Chocolate Ice Cream recipe.

In case youre wondering, it was delicious!

My super cool husband's cousin and his wife came to visit us this evening.  After a grand time in the park, with our wee one climbing up the big kid spiral slide and bumpy slide, we came home and had to hurry to make the ice cream.  We didn't want to take the extra time to make a custard base.  

I am not disappointed, just even more excited to try more recipes!

Sorbets.

Gelatos.

I think I may have seen some frozen adult refreshment recipes, too!

Ice Cream

My grocery list yesterday included heavy cream, whole milk and eggs.
Why?
Because this weekend we want to try out our new ice cream maker!
There are so many different recipes for ice cream, I just don't know what to choose.  I am kinda hoping for chocolate, but I don't know, a really good, custard based vanilla for the very first batch might be the way to go.
Decisions, decisions!
Homemade ice cream also requires some thought about which bowl to use.
Don't laugh, it's a serious matter!
It will have to be one that I made, it just wouldn't seem right otherwise.
Hopefully I will remember to take some photos of our delicious adventure and the finished product.

We also need to find a new ice cream scoop.
Maybe one of these Zeroll scoops.

Did you know you can get them customized?!
(Neither did I.  I just found that out.)

Also slated for this weekend, I will be at work making some glasses, and I need to sit down and get some jewelry designs out of my head and onto paper.
This little ring really got me thinking!

How does your garden grow?

Between the clouds was vivid blue sky.

Wind whistled through the trees. Birds sang and dogs barked.

Today I started to clean out my garden.

Amid the brown, crisp leaves, leftover from fall, there were green hints of life.

Welcome back, parsley and chives.

Hello, spinach.  I am glad to see you braved the winter and decided to pop up as the spring sun begins to warm the air.

Don't worry, I put up a fence to keep those pesky bunnies and squirrels out.

Now, just go on and do your thing.

Grow, grow, grow!

Happy Birthday to me

How will I spend my birthday this year?

Will I go play in the park with my daughter?

Maybe have a delicious dinner with a glass of wine?

Cake?

I don't know, but I bet it's going to start with breakfast.  Maybe I will make myself a sweet latte, too.  Probably not.  The coffee is enough to have me buzzing around.  I wish I could spend the day relaxing with my husband along with my daughter.  We will have no such luck, though.  I should find places yo go that give you free stuff on your birthday!  Hmmmm.  The only thing is, the guys have band practice at night, so if I want in on any birthday freebies, I have to start early.  I am really hoping the ice cream shop partakes!  

Meanwhile, I spent some time at my bench yesterday.

Spinning.

Red.

Dot.
Check Etsy, it might be there!

I do feel like I am finding my style again. Not that I had lost it, but I wasn't making work the same as I used to.

It usually comes down to movement and color. (And any combination of dots, geometry and symmetry.)

At any rate, it was kinda nice.  I feel like I am doing something productive, and it's even possible someone will like what I made!

Mom-in Law got me this for my birthday.

ICE CREAM!

And a few years ago, they got me a grill.  (These things are all for Us really, but that is ok by me!)

I'd just like to say that I lucked out with some of the best in-laws out there.    

And I'm not saying that because of the great gifts (but they are great), but because they are just so NICE, too!

Anyhow, the job hunt continues. 

What should a  super smart, jack-of-all trades kinda guy do for work, after he has been teaching alternative ed and emotional support for TEN years?  
He was even told twice yesterday that he is the model teacher, by people who have been working in that setting for years.  
The problem is, it's been 10 years, and he is ready for something 
New.  
Different.  
Better.   
Less stressful.  

Time to get the little lady who is singing to her animal friends up in bed!
Wish us luck in the hunt for a new career.

New Sock Knitting

This will be my first try at knitting socks!
I am looking forward to it.

It all started back in December when my mother gave me some beautiful blue, and ultra soft sock yarn for Christmas.  Since then, I have been a little bit busy with life, so I just started looking for patterns.

There are so many great ones out there, I am not sure which to choose, but I think I have narrowed it down to three choices.

Brienne

Kontio

By the Seine River

Like I said, this will be my first try.  I shouldn't get too crazy.  That's not to say I didn't consider doing these…  But let's be kinda realistic here!

In addition, just because I am about to choose a pattern, that doesn't mean that I am going to get to making these anytime soon!
There is still jewelry to be fabricated and polished and photographed, and there are jobs to be found, and laundry to be done and cheerios to vacuum.  But I'm getting there.

Weekend Wins.

Silver and chrysoprase.

What do I like more than that combination?

Really high carat gold paired with a really deep green chrysoprase. 

But lately, call me crazy, I am going for the more realistic, somewhat more "economic" route, if you will.  

Don't get me wrong.  I will happily make things with gold!  As of now, though, I would want to work on the designs more, to make them really *Pop*  with the placement of color combinations.

But these fun ones are done and waiting to be snatched up by the first lucky bidder.

I also finished a fun spinning ring and some sparkling square studs.  A new endeavor.

 *More Fun Things To See Here*

This weekend was a bit crazy.  

Saturday we had a great dinner with some wonderful friends.  

Apple and Brie soup, followed by rabbit, polenta, fennel, and roasted garlic.  Then a cheese plate with some coconut gouda, cambezola bleu, midnight moon (if I remember correctly), and a mustard one, which I can never seem to remember the name of, from The Savory Gourmet.   Then we had a carrot cake that I made and decorated.

Did I take a picture?  Of course not.  I was too busy trying to clean up the kitchen that was littered with cake making and decorating stuff, as well as scraps from making a marinade for indian food.  That was my husband's doing.  

Because… Sunday, we had an indian food fest.  We did chicken tikka masala, toasted chickpeas, rice, and made the naan.  Our friends made pakora and chicken makhani.  

It was a delicious weekend.  

Now back to the week.

Laundry is already going.  

I hear little sounds coming from the wee one. 

And my coffee is getting cold, as always, while I type!

Here's to good things to come.