News from the Nest, April 18
Buongiorno from Praiano!
When you read this we should be on the Amalfi coast, in the small town of Praiano. On Wednesday we will tour Pompeii and then catch a train to Tuscany, where we will meet up with our friends and stay in a farmhouse with them for three nights.
On Saturday we head to Florence, where we will stay until the following Thursday when my husband and I head to London for three nights. I’ll be gone for three weeks, but I know it is going to fly by.
We have plans to do some olive oil and wine tasting, take a pasta-making class, climb the bell tower of the Duomo and tour the Uffizi. We will surely plan some other ‘events’ while there, but the rest of the time we will just wander the streets and take in the sights. This is our second trip to Florence, but the first time was very rushed. I’m looking forward to just ‘being’ in the city. We are staying in some fantastic-looking 🤞🏻 Airbnbs, which is our preferred lodging. We love staying in the neighborhoods where we travel and trying to act like we live there!
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New on the Blog
- I finally got my act together to publish the Knit Journal and Organizer! I’ve been working on and off on this organizer for two years. I wanted one place where I had my knit resources and patterns, but most important to me was a way to ‘inventory’ and catalog my yarn, past and present.
I know everyone has their own way of organizing, but you may find bits and pieces of this Journal/Organizer that work for you. If nothing else, do check out the Yarn Organizer part of it.
Going forward, I’d love to create an app so that much of this info could reside on your phone. I have a mock-up but need to press forward on that. And I’m working with someone to create a better, prettier cover…stay tuned. I’d love any feedback you have on this Organizer. It might always be a work in process as I do plan to continue to add to it.
- And speaking of Knit Organization, how are your circular needles looking? Mine were a HOT MESS 🔥 before I organized them…and it was really simple.
- I also published this post on Dehydrating Apples without a Dehydrator. In my ongoing quest to reduce food waste, I like to dehydrate apples when they start getting a little wrinkly so that they don’t go to waste. These apple crisps are great travel snacks!
- When we travel, I like to read books that are set where we will be traveling. Right now I am reading Pompeii by Robert Harris. A bit of historical fiction. That will be followed by Peter May’s The Lewis Trillogy, set on the isles of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. I will be spending a few days there with my girlfriend before I head back home and am anxious to get a feel of the place through these murder mysteries. And while typically a devoted real book person, I did download all these books to Kindle so that I only need my tablet with me.
- Marina recently sent me a picture of her waffle stitch dishcloth knit in a fun and vibrant mustard color. She added rows of garter stitch instead of the crochet border. Doesn’t it look great? Here are her instructions if you want to do the same: “Garter stitch the first and last 3 in each row. I also started and finished the dishcloth with 6 rows of garter stitch. And I added rows 1 and 2 (only) as the last 2 rows before starting the last 6 rows of garter stitch.” I love to see how knitters take our patterns and make them their own!
- Lots of purchased and handmade gift ideas for the moms or other important women in your world.
- Hosting a Mother’s Day Brunch or other spring gathering? These lovely desserts will surely make an impression.
- Can I brag on my husband for a second? I leave the UK to come home on May 8, which is Mother’s Day here in the US. Since I’m not going to be here, Terry made a brunch reservation for mom and him to celebrate the day! Isn’t that sweet?!
- And I’m also gone for Cinco de Mayo! Don’t forget to make my dads’ recipe for the BEST Margaritas to accompany your Mango Habanero Salsa and Short Rib Tacos!
OK, my friends. I am signing off for the next three weeks! I hope you have a festive Cinco de Mayo and a fun Mother’s Day. Enjoy the Spring (or Fall) weather. We will have lots to catch up on when I return.
Sending three-weeks worth of hugs your way!
