Love it.
If you are a knitter reading this blog, you know all about the Clapotis. On Ravelry, well over 14,000 people have made it, a simple yet dramatic looking scarf or wrap made by purposely dropping columns of stitches. This one, in an alpaca/wool blend, was a gift for my stepmother. I blocked it extra long because the one I made for myself in 2005 was a bit too short to stay wrapped around my shoulders. I lost it shortly after wearing it out in public, anyway...
Sometimes I think it's pathetic when I make things that every other knitter is making or has made; then I think, there's a reason why everyone knits it. This was a fun knit and I love the way it looks.
It finally snowed in Vermont, after snowing everywhere else. But my outside photos are from over a week ago, when the ground was bare.
Remember this guy on this right? That's Bo.
He's a young tom (a "jake," as turkey hunters would say), one of the few born last summer that survived. His mom was a bourbon red turkey, his dad was a blue slate. He is almost white; go figure.
Anyway, Bo is one of four male turkeys we now have, and he thinks he's something pretty special to the ladies, at least when there's no competition. But one of the older guys always seems to show up when Bo's doing his thing.
He's too young to stand up to the big birds. So when they come around...
... he remembers he has something else to do....
and bows out gracefully.
Last weekend, we were away at the Div III New England Wrestling Championships, a two-day tournament at which my stepson took third place at 165 pounds. Not bad!
That's him in the black. :-)
The whole family went,
but I suspect he was happiest to see one person in particular.
Meanwhile at home, things are pretty normal. One small smile in my day is always the rainbow of eggs I collect from the chickens.
And I'm still making a lot of homemade bread. Last night I finally tried making it in a covered Dutch oven, as the recipe calls for:
This stuff is incredible. In fact, I wrote a column about it this week for the paper (less about the bread but more about why so many people are afraid to bake bread, and how my co-workers and I are cranking out more loaves than the Wonder Bread factory). Anyway, the recipe is now posted online, along with some of my own modifications.
Bake some bread. It's easy. You'll thank me.
It's winter in Vermont. Still. Nothing exciting going on but bread baking. And taxes.
I leave you with Milo. Here's he's relaxing and watching some Olympics with my husband. But don't be fooled -- you can see the crazy in his eyes and it's just the flip of switch before the claws are flying.
Besides his regular habits of shredding calves and wrists, this week he jumped into the fridge when I left the door open, and has a new habit of opening one of the lower cupboard doors and dragging out paper napkins (great for ripping apart), as well as plastic storage containers, paper cups, and a plastic pitcher. It's like having a toddler around, if the toddler was evil.
The cat is insane.
Nice knitting! The clapotis looks great, and so does that bread, mmm. The reason I don't make it is only partly nervousness; it's also that I don't need to be eating whole loaves of bread, and I would if it turned out right.
I love the cat on the edge of turning picture too. In an instant...
Posted by: ccr in MA | February 27, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Poor guy -- having to slink away in the face of superior turkey-testosterone!
I had a cat like Milo; the euphemism for her behavior was "shifting boundaries." I finally had to put her down (at 10 years old) because she had ambushed and savaged my elderly neighbor. Her vet said, "Well, this cat lived 9-1/2 years longer than I expected." Which made me feel both better and worse.
Posted by: martha in mobile | February 27, 2010 at 10:36 AM
The crazy is definitely visible in Milo's eyes.
Posted by: Kristen | February 27, 2010 at 11:02 AM
I guess I should be glad my cat only hates me, doesn't feel it necessary to attack!
Posted by: Wendy | February 27, 2010 at 11:32 AM
You have a turkey that's red, white and blue?
Posted by: Kitten | February 27, 2010 at 01:25 PM
I second the motion on bread. To keep myself from eating the whole loaf in one sitting, I give some away and put some in the freezer. And really, the bread isn't the problem, it's what I put on the bread. PB&J anyone? Your Clapotis looks lovely! Like you, I hesitated to make something everyone else was making, but it's in my queue. Great photo story on the toms, too!
Posted by: Abby | February 27, 2010 at 02:02 PM
Nice clap! ;o)
Yeah, that cat has a skeery crazy look in his eye...
Posted by: JessaLu | February 27, 2010 at 02:42 PM
That's just his "I could kill you if I wanted to" look, not his "I'm about to kill you" look, which is more common. His pupils get to be like giant black marbles, and he yowls just before he strikes.
Fun.
Posted by: jessie | February 27, 2010 at 05:41 PM
I've baked a lot of bread this winter, too. I'm not sure why, except maybe because I've been cold this winter and baking bread is such a warm activity!
And poor Bo! Someday he'll be one of the big boys, too.
Posted by: janna | February 27, 2010 at 07:26 PM
yeah... he looks a little nuts. I was laying in bed this morning thinking "maybe I'll bake bread today"! I started one of those clapotis a year or so back (well after the hullabaloo), but didn't get past the first few rows. Maybe I'll go back to making one. I have mixed feelings too about making what everybody is making. I learned a couple of years ago at Rhinebeck that even if I make what everybody else does, I won't wear it there!
Posted by: lisa | February 28, 2010 at 09:02 AM
Love the Bo series. Do you have enough female turkeys for all those males? (Though I guess they would think the answer was "no", no matter how many you have...)
You could try installing those toddler locks on the cupboards. At least it might slow him down.
Posted by: gayle | February 28, 2010 at 09:31 AM
"it's like having a toddler around, if the toddler was evil" - too funny!
Nice Clapotis! I didn't join the Clapotis crowd for years but I liked mine so much I made myself another, in a smaller scarf version. It's such a great pattern; I'm sure I haven't made my last one.
Posted by: (formerly) no-blog-rachel | February 28, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Sounds like you ned to "Milo-proff" the kitchen-lol! Nice Clapotis! I have yet to make one btw. :-)
Posted by: Manise | February 28, 2010 at 07:02 PM
A friend just finished a Clapotis out of Noro Silk Garden. BOY! It is gorgeous! I want to make another one. It is just a great and fun pattern. Love running those dropped stitches! Who knew turkeys had such macho personalities. Great pic of the family. Everyone's talking about that kind of bread baking. Printed off your recipe to give it a try. Why can't bread be a protein?????
Posted by: Robin | March 02, 2010 at 05:58 PM
Aren't cats great? I have 3 cats and my Thomas Henry has a habit of opening my towel drawer in the kitchen and crawling inside and sleeping. The baby of my cat family, Morgan, is like your Milo, one minute you are petting him and the next you are extracting his teeth and claws from you arm. He doesn't really dig in, he just plays, but he is a little rough.
I like your shawl, but I would probably never finish it. I am great for starting projects, just not so great for finishing them.
I used to bake bread when I lived in Rhode Island.
Posted by: Janice Kuykendall | March 11, 2010 at 08:12 PM
My Mr. Bailey used to hang out on top of the frig. That is, until, I swung the door to close it and his head was in the way (I didn't know it). He still gets on the frig but avoids the door. In fact, he glares when I shut the door. Heehee!
Posted by: Angie | March 12, 2010 at 02:17 PM
Is 1/2 teaspoon yeast the right amount for the bread recipe? When I make bread, I usually use a full packet, which is something like 2 1/4 tsps yeast...just wanted to check before I tried the recipe..
Posted by: Rhonda | March 29, 2010 at 09:06 PM
Are you eager to secure funds for that dream project of yours?
Posted by: RamonGustav | August 24, 2010 at 02:27 PM
The new year is already knocking at the door, let it will bring only happiness and joy.
Posted by: Antivirus_man | December 05, 2010 at 10:24 PM
You write well will be waiting for your new publications.
Posted by: JOBS_frend | December 25, 2010 at 10:20 PM
Hi Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Posted by: school_dubl | December 29, 2010 at 03:57 AM
Cialis Price generic cialis reviews http://cialisexpert.com/ taking viagra with cialis generic
best generic cialis
Posted by: Buy Cialis | January 26, 2012 at 03:50 AM
http://fairfax-home-loan.com/ payday loans savings account payday lenders quick payday loans no credit check http://clomidexpressshipping.com/ how to buy clomid clomid online buy clomid post cycle generic xanax 2mg xr buy online picture of lunesta tablet buy xanax without prescription http://xanaxcom.com/ buy xanax no rx buy adipex order sale buy adipex http://adipexexpressshipping.com/ real sale buy adipex
Posted by: Buy Adipex | February 13, 2012 at 04:19 AM
cheap propecia buy propecia doxazosin http://propeciaexpressshipping.com/ buy propecia discount zithromax cost tuberculosis azithromycin drug http://zithromaxexpressshipping.com/ bijsluiter azithromycin generic cheap xanax pictures generic xanax sodium oxybate http://xanaxcom.com/ order xanax online ambien http://buydoxycycline100mgrx.com/ doxycycline for acne treatment doxycycline kaufen generic for doxycycline
Posted by: doxycycline | February 14, 2012 at 04:08 AM