Random Tuesday

Unlike my last "Random" post, this one will truly be random. Last time I got interrupted, and only posted about Houses of Hawk Run Hollow.

I forgot to add this link:
Every Day with Rachael Ray Recipes - Chicken, Biscuits 'n' Gravy Casserole

I found the recipe on another blog(can't remember who's blog right now) a few weeks ago and OMG! It is the best, absolute BEST chicken casserole in the world. A few extra steps(which means you do something a little more involved than opening a can of cream of mushroom soup)but making it from scratch was so easy. I managed to impress myself and I don't do that very often in the kitchen. It will definitely be added to the meal rotation.

Very little stitching has been accomplished in recent days. Too many other things going on. I've stitched a little on House #2 on HOHRH but not really enough to take a picture of right now.

I have some sunflowers sprouting in a couple of pots I have around here, and I'm excited about that. These sunflowers are supposed to get 6 feet tall but I planted them in smallish pots and don't expect them to grow that large. If I can get a few blooms I'll be happy. I planted some cosmos seeds around three cosmos plants I bought at the store who shall not be named, I'm interested to see how these do in the front flower bed. I also have a packet of cosmos seeds in assorted colors, the ones I planted are gold, the seeds I have are in the pink family. I'm going to plant them on the other end of the flower bed near my butterfly bush. I'm thinking about getting another butterfly bush but my flower bed isn't that big and I think that two budlias might just take over the flower bed.

Our watermelon plants are getting bigger, time to transplant, but we didn't get around to it last weekend because we were busy being slugs. My bell pepper is getting huge! It'll be big enough to stuff in no time! I can't get over how excited I am about my garden. I don't know if I'm more excited about growing food or flowers. It's a tie. Truthfully, I'm in love with the idea of flowers everywhere. They serve no purpose other than to add beauty to the world. Well, I know they help out the animals and that's great and all but nothing makes me happier than seeing tons of blooms all over the place, butterflies & birds coming around to visit. I love that. I wish I knew why but those things, small as they are, just make me happy. (I know D-O-R-K that's me)

I've been trying to crochet an afghan for my mom. She moved into a new house late last year and I had intended the afghan to be a housewarming present, never got around to starting it. Then I thought it'd make a nice Christmas present, didn't get around to it. So this weekend I think this will be a breeze, no reason I couldn't start it and finish it in a few days. YEAH, RIGHT! The pattern is a freebie from Lion Brand and for some reason I can't get the square right. Once I get the pattern figured out I think it'll go pretty fast. I don't know if it's me or if the trouble is with the Lion Brand Homespun I'm using or a combination of both. I'm going to do a test block this morning with some plain old Red Heart so I can see the patten. The Homespun is great yarn to feel, to look at, but to crochet with, it's hard to see the stitches because it's lumpy. Am I making sense? Probably not but once I make a square with Red Heart I'll have a better idea about the stitches and the pattern.

Here's a link to the pattern I'm using:
Homespun® Five-Panel Throw

Looks simple enough doesn't it?