Sunday, December 30, 2012

Episode 151: Holidays, Snowdays


Please go to our Ravelry group or to www.cogknitivepodcast.blogspot.com for show notes.


Check out this episode!

Episode 151: Holidays, Snowdays

yarma

Suddenly, SNOW! My son doesn't quite know what to make of it....while I realize with horror that he has no mittens or scarves! (He has always refused them, until he just asked for them a minute ago...)

yarma

Celebrating our listeners who have joined the CogKnitive 25 – , 50 –, and 75 – Bear Clubs for MBP. You can see who they all are right here. Great work!

Have YOU completed 25, 50, or 75 bears for Mother Bear Project? Send me your snail and a link to your Ravelry projects page, and CogKnitive will send you a special wristband to celebrate with you.

Add yourself to our CogKNITive Listeners Map.

We have a website at http://www.cogknitive.com/. You can find older episodes there.

You can now subscribe to the BLOG on your Kindle or Kindle app.

I am gemmadw on  Twitter and DrGemma on Plurk.

The Annual CogKnitive Mother Bear project CAL/KAL will run from Jan1, 2013 until I get to Stitches West in late February. Get your materials ready!

What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:

Still in Progress:

The Tehachapi Project Shawl. Almost to the D chart section!.

The 3rd and 4th Scraptacular Blankets come out of hibernation to support stash reduction. Their big sister is hanging over the back of the chair.

yarma

My Hitchin' a Ride Shawl in crochet, finally sent to hibernation, probably on way to The Pond.

Finished:
The second Calm Cowl....from my handspun silk/merino in the Jasper colorway from Sunshine Yarns.

yarma

Dizzy Blondes:

Finishing the bright yellow singles in SWM/alpaca. About 300 yards.

Started 50/50 silk/SFMerino from Red Fish Dyeworks on my Jensen.

yarma

Strategy:
Get feedback from someone you trust. Cultivate a mentor or advisor.

Something I Really Like:
Myfax--email faxing service for $10 per month.
Dragonvale update.

Put A  Lid On It:
Crisp Pickle Controversy.

Blather:
Snow on the farm, Mother Bear CAL/KAL starts on Tuesday, Jan 1st., looking forward to Stitches West, Windows 8.

And there's nothing like hot chocolate, peanut butter, and Star Trek while wrapped in a Scraptacular blanket, after a cold hour in the snow with alpacas and Newfie dogs.

yarma

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Episode 150: Lex Lends a Hand


Please see our group on Ravelry or www.cogknitivepodcast.blogspot.com for show notes.


Check out this episode!

Episode 150 Lex Lends a Hand

IMAG0587

Yep, I spent an afternoon with Lex, who helped record this episode, but totally forgot to take any pix! So here is an older one of her, from Stitches West last year.

Celebrating our listeners who have joined the CogKnitive 25 – , 50 –, and 75 – Bear Clubs for MBP. You can see who they all are right here. Great work!

Have YOU completed 25, 50, or 75 bears for Mother Bear Project? Send me your snail and a link to your Ravelry projects page, and CogKnitive will send you a special wristband to celebrate with you.

Add yourself to our CogKNITive Listeners Map.

We have a website at http://www.cogknitive.com/. You can find older episodes there.

You can now subscribe to the BLOG on your Kindle or Kindle app.

I am gemmadw on  Twitter and DrGemma on Plurk.

The Annual CogKnitive Mother Bear project CAL/KAL will run from Jan1, 2013 until I get to Stitches West in late February. Get your materials ready!

What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:

Still in Progress:

The Tehachapi Project Shawl. Onto the second B chart section!.

My Hitchin' a Ride Shawl in crochet, not worked on this week.

Random sets of bear legs were passed off as pants for his own bear to my son, who did not buy it...

Finished:
Yet another Calm Cowl....

 
 

Dizzy Blondes:

The SpinOLution Bee Wheel as spun upon by our Lexicom. The Sidekick by Schacht.

Lexi with Babette, her 19th-century Czech wheel:

IMAG0426

Plying the cream alpaca into the bright yellow singles in SWM. About 300 yards.



Strategy:
Don't talk to Dr. Gemma about guns right now, unless you want to hear the rant against firearms. Real strategy next episode...

Something I Really Like:
Tunisian Crochet and the Sunset Ruana and 2 weeks in a row of 3 working days...hanging out in a café with a good buddy

Put A  Lid On It:
Oranges in Cointreau from the Ball Canning Book. Lovely and tasty for the holidays. And don't forget the Orange Slices in Honey, Orange Marmalade, the Pickled Lemons, the Pear Pickles, Ginger-Pear Jelly...
The Perfect Scoop for sherbets, etc.
Aunt Mim's Bitter Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Icing (see recipe a few entries back here for the recipe)

Blather:
Weather chat, plans for days off, looking forward to attending Stitches West, Knit Knit Café, friends up in northern CA. Memories of Valley Gurlz..
Dharma Trading Co.
Field of Dreams Alpacas




yarma And here is my Little Guy hiding in his closet to eat the Forbidden Lollipop before breakfast....Merry Christmas, one and all!!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Episode 149: Girl Buys Computer


Please see the show notes at www.cogknitivepodcast.blogspot.com or on our group on Ravelry. Thanks!


Check out this episode!

Episode 149

yarma

Rasheda sends holiday greetings!

Celebrating our listeners who have joined the CogKnitive 25 – , 50 –, and 75 – Bear Clubs for MBP. You can see who they all are right here. Great work!

Have YOU completed 25, 50, or 75 bears for Mother Bear Project? Send me your snail and a link to your Ravelry projects page, and CogKnitive will send you a special wristband to celebrate with you.

Add yourself to our CogKNITive Listeners Map.

We have a website at http://www.cogknitive.com/. You can find older episodes there.

You can now subscribe to the BLOG on your Kindle or Kindle app.

The Annual CogKnitive Mother Bear project CAL/KAL will run from Jan1, 2013 until I get to Stitches West in late February. Get your materials ready!

What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:


Still in Progress:

The Tehachapi Project Shawl. Patience overcomes tragedy, and the shawl is restored to WIP status.

My Hitchin' a Ride Shawl in crochet, not worked on this week.

Random sets of bear legs were joined with pants....

yarma

Dizzy Blondes:

Working on the cream alpaca to ply into the bright yellow singles in SWM.

yarma

Strategy:
Hypersensitivity:  Impulsivity versus hypersensitive response--learn to resist the passionate response: STEP BACK.

Something I Really Like: Plurk! Come join the crowd--I am DrGemma there.

Put A  Lid On It:
Pomegranates again. Clearing out the freezer and combining juices for jellies. Low prices on freezer containers happen NOW, thanks to holiday sales.

Blather:
Please go contribute to Knitting Brooklyn's CAL/KAL for Hurricane Sandy survivors.
More about teaching myself to do evaluations as a psychologist.
Buying my first tablet computer as a woman. It's an ASUS Infinity and I LOVE it!

www.cogknitive.com is our site!

I am gemmadw on  Twitter and DrGemma on Plurk.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

And here is my son's first gingerbread house, assembled with Dad's help.

Here it is, peeps: my best guess for Aunt Mim's dark chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting:

Frosting:
8 oz brick of cream cheese, very soft
1 stick butter, very soft
1/2 bag confectioners sugar
1 tsp lemon juice ( optional)

Cake:
1 box devils food cake mix or a home recipe to make a 13 by 9 inch cake
Fresh coffee to replace the water used to make the mix
3 eggs for mix or however many the box suggests
1 Tblsp vanilla

Make cake while frosting ingredients are softening.

Make cake according to box directions, but replace water with coffee.
Bake and cool.
Make frosting as cake cools. Beat the frosting ingredients together in a big bowl until creamy. Adjust sugar to taste,but it takes a lot. You can add a dash of lemon juice to frosting for a little zing, if you like. Spread over cake. Enjoy.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Episode 148: Foggy Drive


Please find the show notes at www.cogknitivepodcast.blogspot.com or on our group at Ravelry.


Check out this episode!

Episode 148

yarma The Calm Cowl, close up. Celebrating our listeners who have joined the CogKnitive 25 – , 50 –, and 75 – Bear Clubs for MBP. You can see who they all are right here. Great work!

Have YOU completed 25, 50, or 75 bears for Mother Bear Project? Send me your snail and a link to your Ravelry projects page, and CogKnitive will send you a special wristband to celebrate with you.

Add yourself to our CogKNITive Listeners Map.

We have a website at http://www.cogknitive.com/. You can find older episodes there.

You can now subscribe to the BLOG on your Kindle or Kindle app.

The Annual CogKnitive Mother Bear project CAL/KAL will run from Jan1, 2013 until I get to Stitches West in late February. Get your materials ready!

What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:

Finished:

The Calm Cowl! What a great use for handspun! What a useful cowl! Easy and fun.

yarma

Still in Progress:

The Tehachapi Project Shawl. Lo, Tragedy strikes....

yarma

My Hitchin' a Ride Shawl in crochet, not worked on this week.
Random sets of bear legs were joined with pants....

Dizzy Blondes:

Finished 2 bobbins of 4 oz each of Merino yellow by Freckle Face Fibers and working on the cream alpaca to ply into these 2...

50 Shades of Teal Shawl pattern by Brenda Castiel
Bertha's Mad Moebius by Ericah64, aka Erica Hernandez
The White Wool by Ericah64, aka Erica Hernandez

Strategy:
Hypersensitivity: Tolerating pain and the odd stray sensation insde our bodies.

Something I Really Like: Manicures! Deluxe, lots o' painted coatings, arm and hand massage

Put A  Lid On It:
Buying in bulk and using your empty jars for storage.

Easy lentil stew:
Big ole stew pot
2 c. red lentils
4 c. water
1 chopped onion
1 Tblsp garlic or garlic paste
handful of parsley
--------------------------
2 Tblsp soy sauce
1/4 c. nutritional yeast (optional)
1 jar of tomato sauce from Trader Joe's
4 c. water and a pound of pasta you like

Cook the first set of ingredients up to dashed line for about 40 minutes on very low simmer. Stir and watch so it does not burn onto bottom of pot. Add the remaining stuff and cook gently for about 15 minutes.
Hearty winter dinner.

Tabouli from mix:
Follow directions on mix, but add fresh or dried mint, chopped fresh tomatos, and chopped black olives

The Joy of Pickling. You want this for a present under the tree!

The Perfect Scoop in ebook format.

Blather:
The 68 bears collected at CFR2012 have finally been mailed!

Please go contribute to Knitting Brooklyn's CAL/KAL for Hurricane Sandy survivors.

The terror of psych evaluations rock my world.

www.cogknitive.com is our site!

I am gemmadw on  Twitter and DrGemma on Plurk.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Episode 147: late Thanksgiving


Please see shownotes at www.cogknitivepodcast.blogspot.com or at the group on Ravelry.


Check out this episode!

Episode 147

yarma

The Boys made apple pie for our Thanksgiving.

Celebrating our listeners who have joined the CogKnitive 25 – , 50 –, and 75 – Bear Clubs for MBP. You can see who they all are right here. Great work!

Welcome FlashyGranny to the 25 Bear Club!!

Have YOU completed 25, 50, or 75 bears for Mother Bear Project? Send me your snail and a link to your Ravelry projects page, and CogKnitive will send you a special wristband to celebrate with you.

Add yourself to our CogKNITive Listeners Map.

We have a website at http://www.cogknitive.com/. You can find older episodes there.

You can now subscribe to the BLOG on your Kindle or Kindle app.

The Annual CogKnitive Mother Bear project CAL/KAL will run from Jan1, 2013 until I get to Stitches West in late February. Get your materials ready!

What's On My Hook/Needles/Spindle:

Finished:

13 sets of bear's feet for the 13 Bears in 2013 project that I plan.

Still in Progress:

The Tehachapi Project Shawl. Lovin' it!

yarma

My Hitchin' a Ride Shawl in crochet, not worked on this week.

Dizzy Blondes:

Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel

I am plying my singles from the cinnamon alpaca. My first true triple ply (i.e. not N-plied).

yarma

Fiber in BFL/Tussah from Red Fish Dye Works:

yarma

Spinning singles from the Freckle-Face Fibers bright yellow SWM.

yarma

50 Shades of Teal Shawl pattern by Brenda Castiel

Strategy:
Hypersensitivity: Accept that you actually need more private, quiet time for recovery than the rest of the world.

Something I Really Like: Chestnuts! Roast them (find instructions in The Joy of Cooking.) And use them in your baked, stuffed pumpkin.
The High Road to Health--Lindsey Wagner's bionic, vegan cookbook.

Put A  Lid On It:
Get your jars back! Inspect them carefully before reuse.

It's time to make citrus pickles and start planning the marmalades. Use organic fruits for these to avoid eating pesticide.

Dried lemons! Easy and soooo useful!

The Joy of Pickling. You want this for a present under the tree!

The Perfect Scoop in ebook format.

Blather:
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
Please go contribute to Knitting Brooklyn's CAL/KAL for Hurricane Sandy survivors.

Thomas the Tank Engine came to Perris, CA!

yarma

My son proves the old truth: Trains are in the blood if you are related to me!

yarma