a gypsy caravan

impish

our carrots

I was a bit late in harvesting the carrots from our garden this year.  The nice thing about carrots is that they just sit there waiting patiently until you can get around to pulling them up. Our family went on vacation for part of October and, when we returned, I found the carrots were more than ready to be dug. After much scrubbing, peeling and slicing, and with our bellies full of raw carrots, we have plenty frozen for this winter's suppers, soups and casseroles.  

A couple of cookbooks that have some nice recipes for carrots:

Tender by Nigel Slater

The Practical Produce Cookbook by Ray Hoover

I have to say the latter is one of my favorite cookbooks because it is divided alphabetically by vegetable type. For example, the carrot section comes between cabbage and cauliflower. It contains 21 recipes that utilize carrots. Very handy and, well, practical. :)

Some more carrot reading:

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Carrots Don't Talk by Kathryn Lewis

What Will I Do With All Those Root Vegetables? by Elaine Borish

Carrot Soup by John Segal

The Giant Carrot by Jan Peck

don bosco

Christopher makes his confirmation this coming spring. He's chosen his brother, Ben, to be his sponsor. There was a saint pagaent recently where each of the candidates for confirmation were to dress as their patron saint. Chris chose St. John Bosco as his patron which has always been his favorite saint for a number of reasons including Don Bosco's love of juggling and magic tricks. Blurry iPhone snapshots but you get the gist.  

Borrowed cassock and homemade biretta made from this pattern. It is made from cardboard and spraypainted black. 

squall hat

I haven't been knitting much lately. Not sure why but we've just been busy.  I did manage to finish the Squall Hat which I was making for myself. Turns out I have an exceedingly large head and it didn't even come close to fitting me. So I gave it to Anne, who looks ravishing in that blue. Don'tcha think?

Here is the pattern. I'm gypsycaravan on Ravelry though I often forget to post my projects. The yarn is Sweet Georgia's Superwash Chunky in the Hush colorway. Though I think they should rename the color "Exactly Anne's Eyes".