Iowa State Fair, Some Finished Objects and a Recipe

The Iowa State Fair is already over for another year, but I was lucky enough to make it back to Des Moines for the first two days of the Fair. Once again, it was a great time!

Megan in the tunnel at the Master Gardeners' gardens. I have a photo of her in this same spot over the last few years. I think she was able to stand up in the the tunnel the first year I took this photo.



Noah found his favorite spot in the same gardens



Megan got to try on the Fremont County Fair Queen's tiara. So sparkly!



I could have sat and watched the baby ducks all day. Too cute!



And future farmers...





It was a good fair.

I've also done some spinning.

This...


Became this...


And I finished my very first lace project in July. The Girasole shawl. It is made out of my merino/silk handspun and was a wonderful pattern to knit. Now, I'm trying to figure out my next lace pattern to tackle.





If you've made it all the way down to here with all of those photos, I'll reward you with a recipe. This is one of my favorite cookies that my Grandma makes. They're called Butterscotch Squares, but I've always called them Red Hot Cookies. No matter what you call them, they are yummy!

Butterscotch Squares

2 Sticks margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Red Hots
Chocolate chips
Nuts (optional)

Melt the 2 sticks of margarine over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool. Stir in and dissolve sugar and brown sugar. Add two eggs (make sure your batter is cool - you don't want to scramble the eggs).

In another pan, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this mixture to the batter and add the vanilla.

Place mixture in a 9 x 14" greased pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and red hots and grind the nuts on top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (may vary based on your stove).



Let me know if you try this recipe. I'd love to hear what you think.

Finally, I went to take Xena's photo the other day, and you'll never believe what happened. Those crazy squirrels are trying to get in everyone's photos.

I'm moving

Like I said in my last post. The last month has been a whirlwind. The week before Ironman, I was approached about a new job opportunity. I wasn't looking for a new job. I was actually quite happy with the one I had, aside from where it was located. But the more I heard about the new position...it's a growing company, the position is new, the department is led by someone I knew from a previous job and really admire...the more interested I became. And to top it all off, the job is in Denver.
I've always loved visiting Colorado, and always thought how lucky people who lived there were, but for some reason, I just never thought I would have an opportunity to live there. But here was my chance. So, four days after Ironman, I managed to get myself to Denver and spend a day interviewing for the job. The next week, they made their offer and I accepted. I'm going to be the director of corporate communications for this company. I'll be developing an employee communications program along with providing communications support for a change program they're working on. It is a fantastic opportunity for me and I can't wait to get started!
My last day at my job here was Friday, and I'm taking this week off to relax a bit and determine what I need to take with me. It all has to fit in the Xterra. On Saturday, the three kitties and I will set off on our 10 hour drive west (that's the part I'm really not looking forward to). We'll be living in temporary housing until the house here sells and I can buy something in Denver. Hopefully, that will all fall into place quickly.
So, I have had some productive knitting time the last couple of days. I finished the Tulips sweater.



And I'm determined to finish a pair of socks before I leave, but the sock will be put to the side once the supplies for a Harry Potter sweater arrive in the mail. My niece is going to be Hermione for Halloween, so she needs her house sweater. This will be my first try at a non-baby sweater, so we'll see what happens.

The kitties are not very excited about all of the move activity that has been taking place. Xena really doesn't appreciate being locked in a room with the kittens every time someone comes to look at the house. It is so beneath her. She would prefer staying in the cat cave. So much more dignified.



And Purl is still able to vamp for the camera even with her sister squishing her. Nothing can stop the cute.

Movin' on up

I brought home a surprise for the kitties this weekend and while it doesn't come close to matching the decor, it has been a big hit. Xena has made herself at home in the penthouse, but the downstairs neighbors have been a bit pesky. It's unfortunate she wasn't able to choose her neighbors.



Only 2 days until I leave for Ironman. I was finally able to get back in the pool today, so I was able to confirm that I can still swim. I won't be breaking any speed records in the water, but at this point I'm fine with surviving. Now, i just need to finish my laundry and figure out everything I need to take with me. So far, the weather report is 68 degrees for the high, partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Minus the rain, it sounds like a perfect day for a race. I'll be prepared for every type of weather, though. The weather in Madison can be a bit unpredictable in September. When I did the race in 2004, it was 75 degrees every day leading up to the race, and 95 degrees and sunny on race day. Last year, it was 40 degrees and raining. I'd prefer the 95 degrees. I'm a fair weather triathlete.

In fibery news, the mailman brought me this today.



It's superwash merino in the Summer Garden colorway from The Sweet Sheep Fiber Club. I love it. And it's the perfect color for a baby sweater for a baby girl. Good thing I know so many people having baby girls this winter.

I made progress over the weekend on my first baby surprise jacket, but unfortunately I ran out of yarn. So now I have to try to recreate this colorway so I can spin more up and finish the cutest baby sweater ever. Purl doesn't like me calling something other than her the cutest ever, so she tried to outcute it.



The next couple of weekends are going to be a bit busy, so it will be a while before I am able to find time to dye and spin the fiber. I need to dig through the stash to see what wants to be knitted into a baby sweater next. I might have to try some of the sock yarn from the State Fair dye day.

And as always...KITTENS!

Back to back


Front to front


Back


Front


Belly!

Growth Spurt

I was away from my house for one night at a work retreat, and I swear the Purl and Ashford have doubled in size. Just two weeks ago, they were tiny little babies, and now they're so big. I wish there was a way to keep them tiny and cute. Although, I am looking forward to the day when they are able to jump up on to the couch without too much effort. I cringe every time I hear Purl latch on to the couch with her sharp little kitten claws.

I have some catching up to do on showing off my handiwork. And because the Purl and Ashford have learned that if the camera is on, they are supposed to be in front of it, the kittens will be modeling.

This is Purl with the Coopworth/Silk Blend my sister and my niece picked out at the Iowa Sheep & Wool Show. The colorway is Pandora's Box. So pretty!



This is the Ashford coyly showing off the first Monkey sock I've completed. I think it's taken me 4 months. I am amazed at the knitters who post the start photo on their blogs one day and have the finished pair the next. I need a lot more time, and three less kittens to be able to do that. The yarn is from Yarn Pirate in Crocus.



Such lovely yarn. The photo doesn't capture how cool the lime and purple colors look. I should be posting a photo of the second sock here sometime in November. By then I will have added at least 3 more skeins because I'm a member of the Yarn Pirate Booty Club. I can't wait for my first shipment! Hopefully, it will come before I head up to Iowa for my little sister Mary's wedding.

And finally, the next photo (minus kittens) is the Perchance to Knit superwash merino roving I spun for the Tour de Fleece. I really love how this turned out. The colors are so vibrant.



On the schedule for this weekend...I have a long bike ride and a long run, then I'm hanging out with the kitties and my spinning wheel.

The race is on

You wouldn't think that buying yarn would be a full contact sport, but last night I discovered it can be pretty cutthroat. For my birthday, my sister and her family bought me a gift certificate for a really cool online yarn shop called The Loopy Ewe. They specialize in sock yarn, my latest obsession, and they carry brands of yarn that are made just for the shop. She received a big shipment of yarn last week and her blog promised that the store would be updated last night between 8-9 p.m. When I got online, I was not disappointed, and there were a lot of other people who were just as excited. It was a mad dash to look through all of the new, beautiful skeins of yarn in every color scheme imaginable, and decide what to order before it all sold out. I'm very excited to receive my package in the next few days. I'll post photos as soon as it arrives.