Shoots

I did two photo shoots last weekend.  The first was on Friday afternoon, and I was afraid it wasn’t going to happen.  The weather was supposed to be clear, and we had planned a lovely outdoor fall shoot.  Well, it rained.  I am impressed that I could actually get a makeshift studio set up in my soap room in about thirty minutes.

I’m more impressed at how the pictures turned out.  It was part family pictures

and part maternity shoot.

When we finished, the rain had quit, so we did go do a few more at my mom’s house.

The next morning, we did the six-month shoot for my great-nephew.

Henry

His older brother, the Little Farm Hand, joined him for some of the pictures.

Henry and Grady

I am liking the soap room studio!

Hauling Wood

My dad has been working on cutting some of the trees that went down in the derecho.

This weekend, I helped him haul it out of the pasture.

I am definitely feeling my age after all that work.

This barn was the one I grew up with–where I had my horse.  It was my favorite place.  My dad has done a lot of work on it in the last year to keep it from falling down, and now it’s almost full of wood.

The Little Farm Hand and his dad stopped by while we were unloading it to see us.  I can’t resist taking his picture.

Such a little cutie!

Around the House

Winter gives me a lot more time in the house.  Usually, my time is divided between reading, knitting, and playing with food. Currently, I’m reading about the 1918 influenza pandemic.  Why wouldn’t I be reading about a pandemic as we’re trying to survive another one?

I last shared my knitting work in progress that I was trying to salvage.  It isn’t quite how it’s supposed to be in the neck, but I’m going to call it a success.

As a bonus, it actually fit the Little Farm Hand!

the Little Farm Hand and his dad

trying out the front pocket (he was tired from sledding)

I still have plenty of help whenever I try to knit.

Bob Cat

I have also managed to finish another infinity scarf.

I also finished a headband for a local lady.  I am in a rare moment of not actually having a knitting project going, but I am thinking of doing Hedwig (from Harry Potter) next.  I’ve ordered the yarn for the wings and the eyes, so I’m preparing for it.  I do have a sweater I started months ago that I could try finishing, but that seems rather tedious now.  We’ll see…

I did get my potato planted.  It was just kind of hanging in there, but I couldn’t figure out why.  Well, I caught Rocky trying to pee in the pot.  Brat.

Rocky–don’t let the innocent look fool you.

I covered the plant with clear plastic, and now it’s doing amazing!

Not only is the cat not in there, but it holds the humidity in too.  I think it likes that.  Hopefully, it continues to do well once it gets too tall for me to have it covered.

I just added another layer of dirt to cover those roots and “hill” it up.

My celery I tried rooting collapsed into a puddle of mush.  I’m trying again.

celery

The stalks look good, but the base is getting mushy, and I don’t see roots forming.  I might just put them in dirt and see what happens. I keep trying new recipes to avoid all the sodium-filled highly processed foods.

homemade seitan pepperoni and a cauliflower crust

I swear I feel like I’ve never cooked in my life.  Hopefully, all my playing pays off and I can eat delicious and healthy vegetarian foods eventually.

I have to say, the burgers turned out amazingly!  I might finally be getting there.