Here's our new baby!! We are going to Florida next week to get her. We don't have a name for her yet any suggestions???? We can't wait to get her. She's 7 weeks old now. She's a catahoula, just like our beloved Ollie Valentine.

Knitting for Iceland

Paul and I are headed for Iceland this year, can't wait!! So I decided I needed to knit myself an Icelandic cardigan. What would be more exciting than to wear my Icelandic cardigan in Iceland!! I had knitted an Icelandic sweater for my daughter Erin years ago when she went to BYU in Idaho, formally known as Ricks College. (I also started one for my daughter Serene when she went off to BYU in Utah, she informed me that she did not like sweaters so I never finished it for her. Pieces of it are still in a bag somewhere.) I borrowed Erin's sweater for Paul to wear in Iceland, so we both can have Icelandic sweaters to wear. I found an on-line store in Iceland, he's trying to get a store but for now he works out of his home, and ordered my yarn to start my cardigan. I finally received it the other day and have cast on. Hopefully I'll get it finished in a few weeks and I'll post a picture of it. If I can figure out how to get a pic of it before it's finished I'll do that. The pattern that I am using is here if you're interested http://www.istex.is/Files/Skra_0039927.PDF It's a free pattern and I'm pretty excited to get it finished!!

A view from the top! She does look pretty!!

Today I made a loaf of Artisan Bread! I have to let it set for 1 hour before I cut it. It does look yummy.
I also made 4 loaves of my normal whole wheat bread. I didn't take any pictures of that because I make them every 2 weeks.
My Irish Soda Bread is almost gone. Brandon ate 1/4 of it and Olya ate the other 1/4 and I gave some to Janet across the street. I have a wee bit left and it is definately yummy!!

That's my "buttermilk plant" in the jar in the background. Hope it turns out, I'll let you know!

I've decided to make different kinds of bread. Here is my Irish Brown Soda Bread that I made this morning. She turned out beautiful and it is so easy. In Ireland this bread is was served to us every morning with our breakfast. It is made with whole wheat flour, white flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. You mix it, pat it, shape into a 2" circle, and then you cut a cross in the top of it to let the faries out. You certainly don't want to cook faries in your bread. It is a very basic, life sustaining bread but you put some jam on it and yum, yum!! I've found a recipe to make my own "buttermilk plant" so that I will always have my own buttermilk. I'm going to give it a try and see what happens.