Wednesday, January 20, 2021
A New Beginning
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Free Pattern - Crocheted Bookmark
Here's a quick pattern for a crocheted bookmark. I used size 10 cotton crochet thread and a size 1.25 mm aluminum crochet hook.
ROW 2 - Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet). Work 19 double crochets (DC) in
ROW 3 - Chain 4 (counts as first DC and chain 1). Work
ROW 4 - Slip stitch to the first chain 1 space. Chain 3. Work DC in same space, chain 2, and work 2 more DC in same space. *Skip next chain 1 space. Work cluster of 2 DC, chain 2, and 2 DC in next space. Work from * around. Join
ROW 5 - Slip stitch to first chain 2 space. SC in chain 2 space. *Work 3 DC in same chain 2 space. Chain 2. Slip stitch in base of the chain 2 to form a picot. Work 3 more DC in the base chain 2 space. Single crochet in between the clusters in the row below (1 crown completed). Work from * around. Join with slip stitch.
To finish, weave in ends. Thread an 18-inch piece of ribbon through the space between two crowns.
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
A Healthier Potato Salad
I love my Mom's traditional potato salad, with russet potatoes (that become a bit soft when cooked and lend to the creaminess of the salad), dill pickle, hard cooked eggs, celery, mayonnaise, and (here is the secret ingredient!) finely minced radishes. But I wanted to create something a bit lighter this evening. So I used Yukon gold potatoes (a less starchy potato that remains firm when cooked), some fresh herbs, and an acidic dressing rather than mayonnaise.
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
- Place potatoes in large pot with lid. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender (a sharp knife inserted in the middle of a potato will enter easily).
- Drain the potatoes and place on chopping board. Let sit a few minutes until cool enough to handle.
- Remove the skins from the potatoes. They should slip off easily with the tip of a knife. Chop the potatoes and place in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the lemon zest, dry mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice. Drizzle over the still warm potatoes. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper and toss again.
- Just before serving stir in chopped parsley. Salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.
- Use the proper potato—Mom always used russet (Idaho) potatoes. Russets are wonderful baked or used in casseroles; their low-moisture high-starch flesh is the perfect foil for cream and butter. But cook a moment too long and they make horrible potato salad. A better choice is the Yukon gold. With their rich, buttery flavor and a moist, creamy texture they make exceptionally good mashed potatoes, French fries, and potato salad. Their medium starch content makes them a good all-purpose potato suitable for both boiling and baking.
- Shake the salt—High blood pressure is at epidemic levels in the United States and our passion for sodium-laden fast-foods and processed foods is a major contributor to the problem. How do you add flavor to your foods without using the salt shaker? In this recipe, lemon zest and lemon juice provide a tang and brightness without the addition of sodium.
- Parsley is more than just a pretty face—This ubiquitous garnish on dinner plates is so much more than a decorative afterthought. Parsley is a nutritional powerhouse--a source of vitamins C, K, and is rich in anti-oxidants.
The two most popular types of parsley are curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. The Italian variety is more fragrant and less bitter than the curly variety. When shopping for parsley select a bunch that is deep green in color and looks fresh and crisp. Keep your fresh parsley in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Don't wash it when you bring it home. It is highly fragile and should be washed just before using. The best way to clean it is just like you would spinach. Place it in a bowl of cold water and swish it around with your hands. This will allow any sand or dirt to dislodge. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl, refill it with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt remains in the water.
Saturday, January 9, 2021
The Legacy of "45"
“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” —Vladimir Lenin
“There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent.
The Governor of California is sending Ballots to millions
of people, anyone.”
“RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES!”
Because of MAIL-IN-BALLOTS, 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history onless this stupidity is ended.
We voted during World War One & World War Two with no problem,but now they are using Covid in order to cheat by using Mail-Ins!”“There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent.Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed.“The Democrats know the 2020 Election will be a fraudulent mess.Will maybe never know who won!”
On January 6, 2021 the unthinkable happened;
bullets and tear gas filled our Nation’s capital building. Hundreds of rioters
encouraged by President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol crashing through
police lines to lay siege to the building and force a halt to the
constitutional process of certifying the Electoral College count after the Nov.
3 presidential election. Since April, 2020 President Trump has stated more than
2,000 times that vote fraud will be widespread and rampant.
Trump lost both the
popular vote and the Electoral College. Nevertheless, he has
refused to acknowledge his loss to Biden, and his falsehoods about election
fraud have only escalated. He spent several days encouraging supporters to
gather in D.C. on January 6. He
encouraged disruptions of Wednesday’s vote in hopes of delaying the
certification of his loss and called on Pence to reject the legitimacy of state
electors–a power the vice president does not have under the Constitution.
The night before the riot, Trump wrote on Twitter that Washington would be
“inundated with people who don’t want to see an election victory stolen by emboldened Radical Left Democrats.”
“Our Country has had enough, they won’t take it anymore! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
In a speech to the crowd outside the White House on Wednesday morning, he encouraged them to march toward the Capitol and told them that he would be with them. As he stood behind the shield of bullet-proof glass he said
“Now it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on democracy, and after this, we’re going to walk down – and I’ll be there with you – we’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”“And we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you’ll never take back our country with weakness.
You have to show strength.”
“We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We don’t want anybody hurt. It’s a very tough period of time, there’s never been a time like this where such a thing happened, where they could take it away from all of us. From me, from you, from our country. This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home, we love you, you’re very special. You’ve seen what happens, you’ve seen the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home and go home in peace.”
"Leaders, true leaders, take responsibility for the success of the team, and understand that they must also take responsibility for the failure." Donald Trump, 2013