Sometimes I get upset, thinking I'm a poor blogger. Like, my heart (or head) really isn't in it.

Sometimes I wish I could get in the right frame of mind to share more of my life with you because my favorite blogs are the ones where I experience a whole submersion into someone else's little world.






Take last night's dinner, for example.

Last night was a lovely night and one that lent some insight into The Works. We cooked a dinner full of amazing spring/early summer ingredients for our two friends.







Here's what you would have seen, had I taken pictures:

Bruschetta with honey butter, basil, prosciutto and grilled apricots

Bulgar wheat with peas, shallots and fennel fronds

Grilled hanger steak and mache and fennel salad

Strawberry granita with marscapone cheese

So, I don't have any pictures to share of the meal - only the aftermath. (No, we definitely do not have a problem going to bed without washing the dishes.) Let me tell you, I could have made a meal out of the first and last items alone. Luckily, there is some granita left over. And marscapone cheese, too. Today's breakfast was a little leftover marscapone and two random grilled apricots on an english muffin. I also firmly believe that leftovers are often the best part of a meal.

So, my little blogger heart is content. I've shared a little bit of my life with you. Now, off to work, and possibly, more inspiration!

I am talking to you from the amazing world of high speed internet connection! Yesterday, Time Warner visited The Works and installed Digital Cable with DVR and a cable modem! Hooray!

When we moved into The Works, almost two years ago, it was a real outpost of civilization. A solitary building where hipsters and squatters and families with dogs lived in harmony with the pickle factories and workshops where they produce Chinese Food Restaurants. We had a ton of space and privacy, but not much else. We had to install a satellite, so I could watch HBO and internet, well, we were dialing up.

Now, two years have passed and the bodega on the corner now sells organic potato chips and micro brewed beer and Danny's Pizza opened up a cafe that has free WiFi. Yep, the neighborhood is really turning around. The gentrification is spreading slowly east-ward from the Hipster Mecca of Williamsburg and we're reaping the benefits. I'm looking forward to reading a lot more blogs and maybe downloading some Pod Casts and watching videos on You Tube. Woo HOO!

And the picture above? Just a distraction. I've been knitting a couple of big, stockinette, solid color cardigans and I wanted something that would make me happy and keep me busy. It's a Feather and Fan lace pattern and I'm knitting with two odd colorways of Noro Kuryeon at a time, striping them and carrying them up the side.

Ta for now! I'm off to brunch.

Allow me to present: The Ivory Buffalo Sweater!

This baby was a long time in production. I started it back in, oh, December, I think. It was a special commission by The Urban Naturalist. If you haven't figured it out by now, The Urban Naturalist is Master P (among others, but I won't get into that now.)

I used the Interweave Press Handy Book of Sweater Patterns as a guide and my good friend, Berhan, made the buffalo chart for me.

The whole sweater was made from five (!!) skeins of Wonderful Wool from Steadfast Fibers. I bought ten skeins, so that means there may be a sweater in my future as well. Hmmm.....

I really dragged my heels on this sweater. The intarsia really wasn't my bag, but once I sat down and really focused, the knitting was a breeze. It was all a matter of overcoming the mental hurdle. All said and done, I am quite proud. Hooray me!

Harrumph. Ugh. I haven't been posting at all! I have a big reveal for you all, but it's only one suede elbow patch away from being complete and I can't photograph it yet. It's cool, though. I'm really proud of it.

I've been working on that Blue Heron jacket that's over on my side bar. I'm kind of excited by the way all the little progress bars are getting all filled up! I love that! I did start a new sweater (on a desperate, last minute train ride to Queens this week. "Go to Queens?! With out any knitting?!!") that's not up there yet. So, I guess I'm kind of back where I started, progress wise.

Instead of showing you any knitting, I'm showing you the fabric I chose for my Simplicity dress. So there. I hope that buys me a couple of more days.

At the moment, I am preparing for my day of, what Master P and my friend, Maria, like to call, The Regimen. They've been on The Regimen since the beginning of May. It sounds very mysterious, but what it is, essentially, is running in the park and various, assorted calisthenics. Wish me luck!

There's nothing like a trip to my parents' house for a little dose of green. I thought I'd share it with you all.

Happy Mother's Day!

I wanted to post this picture quickly before I had to run off to work! While shopping for fabric for a dress at Purl (I'll post more on that later), I got totally ambushed by these guys. Five little fat quarters that may be the beginning of a "flying geese" quilt.

I tend to do a lot more sewing than knitting in the hot summer months, so a quilt seems like a good undertaking. I have a copy of a Denyse Schmidt book and a lot of enthusiasm, so we'll see where that gets me!

(Bev, I may still take that class. Let's talk later!)