…Well, spring may be an overstatement but since the snowy photos from our weekend the weather has been decidedly kinder to us. The wind is cold but the sun is warm and the snow is melting. I’m ignoring the weather forecast which is predicting snow over the weekend.

Thank you for all the warm wishes. I think they worked – just look at that melt!

I was very pleased to be able to take my fisherman outside in his sweater to get some pictures without donning hats and coats. He was so excited when I announced it was his for wearing yesterday (although unblocked) and proudly modelled it for his big sisters – who have wasted no time in putting in their sweater requests.

I’m really happy with how it turned out. The colour is great and he loves that it matches his bow tie (pattern found here). “Can I wear it with my bow tie?” was one of his first questions. It is warm and cozy and hopefully has enough length to fit him through next winter.

The pattern was difficult for me. It was only my second time tackling short rows and my first attempt at raglan shaping. I did the yoke four times before I worked it out (due to my inexperience with short rows), then had some problems with the garter stitch panel at the front. The front panel kept wanting to grow, not sure if I was missing a stitch marker or what but I caught on (a couple rows too late) and adjusted to correct it. I love the design and I certainly admire the designer‘s other patterns but I don’t know if the pattern was unclear or if I just couldn’t make sense of it. I know I’m not the only one to have trouble with it but now that I’ve done it once I will definitely try it again someday.

The wool is used is Quince and Co‘s Puffin. It was a dream to work with – so soft and I loved it’s chunky texture as well as the feel of the single ply. I am fearing it was the wrong wool to use for an active boy’s new favourite sweater, though. It is an incredibly warm sweater (perfect for a boy who in the past has needed convincing to wear shorts on hot summer days) but the single-ply is pilling already! Already! That’s after only a few hours of wear! Live and learn, I guess.

This boy never runs out of crazy faces.

Because of the pilling and the boy I’ve given it to, I’ve decided to let this be an everyday sweater. There is really no reason to keep it for special occasions although I’ll admit to a little shudder when he came in from playing with mud caked up to the elbow.

Liam requested this pose, “Look, it’s like I’m saying peek-a-boo.” Followed quickly by, “Now you should shoot a video.” Oh brother.

I got the warm fuzzies watching him run around in it yesterday, proudly displaying it to anyone around and in his usually sweet way complementing me on different aspects. I am continually amazed at how genuinely thrilled these kids are to have something made just for them. That simple fact is enough to keep me making and creating for them – the added fact that I thoroughly enjoy the process is just a bonus, right?

Thanks for coming by – especially to you non-knitters who may just think I’m crazy to get so excited about a sweater.

So I’m going to be a little mean with this week’s yarn along so bear with me. I finished the Fisherman’s Pullover (apart from the blocking) but I am only giving a peek of it here today. There was no way I could stick anywhere close to the single picture rule of yarn along after all the sweet pictures I got of my guy modelling his new sweater today. He obligingly pulled out all the ham he could muster so I decided there would have to be a special post tomorrow.

In the meantime, though, I’ve finished off one of the fingerless mitts I started for my six-year-old. She’s been wearing the single mitt around today and asking often if I’m done the second one yet. I used this pattern as my guide (Ravelry notes here). These are so simple and quick – very satisfying!

I’m also starting on this raglan pullover for my almost two-year-old (yes, I keep mentioning it but I am really going to get past that cast-on tonight). I’m really excited to see how it goes and even made a swatch. I thought the wool I chose might be too fine but the swatch seemed alright…fingers crossed. The designer, Jane Richmond, has a 3-for-2 sale in her Ravelry  shop right now if you wanted to grab any of her patterns. I went a little crazy buying patterns when she had a similar sale last year.

I had some great books come in for me at the library this week. I’ve heard good things about both of these books: The Backyard Homestead, which I’ve been excited to read for some time, and Knitting Rules, which someone recommended on the yarn along last week (sorry I forgot to write down who suggested it). On the topic of the first title, my husband and I have been talking about homesteading and what it would look like for our family for a couple of years so I’m hoping this book will get us thinking about it a bit more realistically. After my husband watched a couple of the videos here this week, he is even more enthusiastic about how we could make this dream a reality. I haven’t read any of Pearl-McPhee‘s books but I’m hoping that Yarn Harlot will teach me how to properly do some of the knitting techniques I’ve sort of guessed at over the years. I have a feeling both of these books are going to end up on my book wish-list, at the mercy of my non-existent book budget.

I love how these Wednesday’s keep me going with knitting – although all this knitting is certainly cutting into my reading time. Once again, I’m excited to see what everyone else has on the go over at Ginny‘s yarn along this week. Thanks for stopping by – be sure to come back on Thursday if you’re are interested in hearing more about my son’s Fisherman’s Pullover!

A standing favourite in our house for breakfast, snack or a desperate lunch is granola. I don’t know why it took me as long as it did to make our own but ever since I began a few months ago it has been in hot demand. Earlier this week I made a batch only to turn around and make a second as the littles sat devouring the first batch.

I can’t believe how beautifully simple it is to make and how wonderful the whole house smells as it is baking.

I know many of you already have a favourite recipe for granola. I’m sharing mine – care to share yours? And if you’ve never tried making your own granola I must encourage you to try – this one gets five stars from the five choosy people in this house (the sixth choosy person still hasn’t discovered his love of oats yet…we’re working on it one chocolate-cranberry cookie at a time).

Start with oats, maple syrup, oil and salt.

Pour in that delicious syrup.

In goes the oil.

Add a teaspoon of vanilla.

Add a handful of flaked, shredded, sweetened or unsweetened coconut – I’m happy to take it however I can get it.

Mix it all together.

And, yes, this picture was mainly to highlight my very favourite Pyrex bowl (thanks, Abe, you’re the best!).

Separate the granola between two parchment covered trays and bake until it is beginning to brown. Don’t get cocky like me and walk away – it goes from beautifully scenting your home sending you into raptures of oat-inspired delight to sending your children racing for an open window in a surprisingly short time. For me the perfect oven temperature/time  is 300° F for 12-15 minutes.

If in doubt take it out and give a stir around. It should be dry and lightly toasted. It took me some trial and error to find the sweet spot. When I first started making it I had the oven way too high and it would burn before it had dried out. This has of course provoked my children to remind me each and every time I make granola not to burn it.

After the granola comes out of the oven I dump one tray out on to the other to leave them cooling. Then I spread whatever assortment of nuts and seeds I fancy on the warm tray and put these into the oven for another 5-7 minutes. Dan has “kindly” wondered if I am going to show a step-by-step on how to burn nuts…touché. Long story short – don’t deliver the laundry, check your email or check in on your knitting. Stay close to the nuts – don’t let them burn.

Alternatively, you could add the nuts to the granola a few minutes into the baking time but those choosy littles of mine have varying interest in the toasted nuts (although they will eat them separately) so I keep them apart. Once your seeds and nuts are toasted mix them together with a couple handfuls of dried fruit

See how simple that was? So simple that I had to show pictures of me slowly pouring everything in to make it seem like more than it is. There are so many options for spices, nuts, seeds and other add-ins but everyone here prefers it simple.

Enjoyed with milk, yogurt, honey, dried fruit or just as it is, granola is such a great pick-me-up and sometimes just the thing to make up the gap before lunch, dinner or, in my case, bed.

Granola

5 cups old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup maple syrup (honey also works although I prefer the taste of maple syrup)

1/3 cup oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 cups nuts or seeds (I like sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds)

1 cup dried fruit of choice

Preheat oven to 300° F. Bake granola on two parchment covered sheets for 12-15 minutes or until the granola is dry and lightly toasted. Spread nuts and/or seeds on tray and toast until golden – 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool, add toasted nuts and dried fruit, if desired,  and store in an air tight container.

I’m enjoying mine with a dollop of plain yogurt and a dash of cinnamon, delicious!

The arrival of spring, while always a sure thing (even if it isn’t until June), always keeps us guessing. I’ve enjoyed the journey to spring more and more over the last couple of years but this year the journey seems to be taking its sweet time.

The cold and snowy weather we’ve had this last week is nothing unusual or unexpected. There seems to be at least one May snowfall each year so we could have lots of this weather yet to come. I’m rather hoping not but we are trying to make the most of this lingering winter while dreaming of all the good things going on under the white stuff.

Despite the fresh snow and the snow that kept falling we spent both of our days outdoors this weekend.

You may not want to see this, you probably don’t…but here’s how our spring is shaping up.

Maybe the romance of winter is past but I can’t argue against its beauty.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal

into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our

past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

~Melody Beattie

In the name of gratitude and truthfulness I’ve decided to post a little piece of reality here once a week. Likely just a single picture. See my original post here.

If you’d like to join in with a reality check of your own, please add a link or note in the comments.

I’m grateful that the little feet in this house are warm.

* I found the quote above on Deb’s lovely blog – it said just what I was trying to say. Thanks, Deb!