Here it is! Ha'il is our last stop on the Incense Route before we must trek into open desert. I am really proud of this sweater, as it turned out nearly exactly as I imagined it. I hope you enjoy making and wearing it as much as I do. The contrast of the soft, feminine shape with the rigid walls of the city by which it was inspired.

Ha’il is the fortified city which was the last stop to the north before the open desert, it is styled in a similar fashion to the traditional textiles of the area, with a color work pattern that imitates the shape of the mud bricks of the fortress itself. This pullover is knit from the bottom up with a modified Dolman sleeve and is knit with positive ease. Both the bottom edging and the cuffs on the sleeves are knit in a highly contrasting corrugated ribbing, then continues in a geometric diamond chain design before the striping begins.

It is now available on PayHip, Ravelry, and LoveCrafts. If you use the coupon code IncenseRoute, it will take 75% off for the first 10 customers, then 50% off for the next 10 customers, then 25% off through the end of the day (PST) December 6, 2023. The collection itself is available on both PayHip and Ravelry, and is priced about 30% off the price of all the patterns included.

I am also trucking away on my GAL projects. This first one isn't finished, mostly because the tire place took such little time to get my snow tires on my car. I was hoping to finish it tonight at knit night, but the snow started in earnest (we've had some of it, but not a lot of it, so far - just flurries and light dustings here and there), and nobody wanted to be on the road in the dark. So, instead, I will be wise and rest and work on it tomorrow.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Giftalong, Homemaking, Incense Route, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 5:04 PM 0 comments

Blessed feast! Today we remember that Christ is King as the Church year ends. It is a Western, relatively new (instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925), feast that we love. Even the older liturgical calendars emphasize His kingship on this day, so it is really a celebration of what was already remembered. In our world today, that is more important than ever.

This is what Pope Pius XI had to say about its importance:

“If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.”

Pious tradition in the Catholic and Anglican worlds is to start preparations for your Christmas cake or pudding, too. Because the collect begins with "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord," and continues with "that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded," it serves both as a spiritual reminder and a fun one for Christmas preparations. We are plenteously rewarded when Christmas Day comes and our cake or pudding is ready. For many and sundry reasons, I will be stirring up our fruits and brandy later this week, while I focus on other things first.

Advent in the West begins later than it does for the East. It is more a Saint Andrew's fast than a Saint Philip's fast. This year, it is even shorter because the Nativity is on a Monday, so the fourth Sunday of Advent is Christmas Eve. In some ways, it feels like a grace from God that it is shorter. This has been such a hard driving year. Also, as the Advent fast is a little lighter until the last week of it, we are still permitted fish, wine and oil on most days, and we, as a family will be having dairy on the weekends to accomodate others and permit some shared hospitality with a culture that doesn't really observe any spiritual preparation or penitence before the Nativity.

We still have loads of tomatoes, both ripe and green, from our garden in our barns, and we are using them up as we can. A friend shared a recipe for a green tomato mincemeat that I plan to make and can and use for Christmas this year. Since we do have an extra week without the Nativity fast, we are enjoying more of our pies. Rich is taking some to work, for them to enjoy our bounty, as well. I'm trying a recipe this week that can only be described as "white people tacos," and I already know that Rich will only be so-so on it, but it sounded like something we could modify and improve. We shall see if it is worth that effort. Since we are using up tomatoes as much as possible, we are eating loads this week.

Between the holiday and the busy-ness of the last week, I still haven't shared the recipes I meant to, so I will try to do that this week. What are you eating on this final week of the Church year?

• Sunday - Feast of Christ the King
  Breakfast: Dirty Eggs, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftover Casserole, Salad, Chestnut Dressing, Bread Stuffing, Pies
• Monday
  Breakfast: Pie, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch Slaw, Rice, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Yogurt with Jam, Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Lamb and Guinness Stew, Soda Bread (the recipe is formatted a little oddly, the raisins are optional, not the buttermilk), Last of the Pies
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Chopped Apples, Raisins, Brown Sugar and Cinnamon, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Shorbat 'Addas, Tamis, Tomato and Onion Salad, Fruit Plate
• Thursday - Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle
  Breakfast: Labneh, Chopped Tomatoes, Za'atar and Olive Oil on Toast, Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pork Chops Pizzaiola, Garlic Pasta, Roasted Veggies, Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Ful, Toast, Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Duqqus, Kalamata Olives, Mandarin Oranges, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Tomato Fritters, Battatas Harra, Roasted Squash with Taratoor and Pine Nuts
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Milopita to break the fast after Liturgy
  Dinner: Not Texas Chili, Cornbread, Chopped Red Onion, Cilantro, Avocado, Cheese, Sour Cream, Cookies

Labels: Christ the King, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Preserving the Harvest, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 9:45 AM 0 comments

This is nearly the end of the road for my pattern collection. Nabati is the fourth pattern on the Incense Route and is a quick knit project, perfect for Christmas presents. These long cuffs are really wonderful, and keep the dreaded coat gap from chilling you. My sweet husband scoped out the location for the photography early in the morning, on a rather cold day, and we took the pictures near the lake. We were both pretty chilled, but we got some good photos. I love these mitts, and especially the long cuffs, and how the colorwork represented the pottery which inspired me so well.

Nabati takes its name and inspiration from a people group, rather than strictly a location. The Nabateans lived in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia. Their civilization was a part of the incense route, as it headed west toward Israel and Egypt and southeast toward modern day Saudi Arabia. Modern Saudis are cultivating an interest and study in the traditional crafts, art, architecture, and artisans of their own history. These mitts are knit in the round, with a thumb gusset that is returned to and picked up at the end, and sharing the two color patterning which recalls the pottery of this area.

It is now available on PayHip, Ravelry, and LoveCrafts. If you use the coupon code IncenseNabati, it will take 25% off the pattern price through the end of the day (PST) November 28, 2023. The collection itself is available on both PayHip and Ravelry, and this is the final week of a lower price, before the last pattern is added to the collection.

I am proud to be a participating designer in the Indie Design Gift-A-Long on Ravelry again this year. Come KAL with hundreds of crafters, and interact with your favorite independent designers through the end of the year. Win prizes, chat with creative people, be inspired by beautiful projects, and have fun as you craft up a storm for the gifting season. I have a sale bundle of 20 patterns on Ravelry which are 25% off during the Gift-A-Long sale from November 27 at 5pm EST to November 27 at 11:59 pm EST with coupon code giftalong2023. The event goes on through the end of the year, however, and does not end with the sale period.

For those of you who have difficulties with Ravelry, you may participate in some of the games and in sharing project photos and seeing other people's projects, on Instagram. I also have the same 20 patterns discounted on PayHip with the coupon code NativityKnits. I hope you will join in the fun through one of these platforms.

I have started one of a few projects I intend to complete for the Gift A Long, and am sharing them on Instagram, as well.

I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to design knitwear for the public, and for the people who buy my patterns. To thank you for supporting my small business, I'd like to offer a never before offered discount for Small Business Saturday. I have a special discount on all my e-books and collections, of an additional 30% off, for Small Business Saturday. Besides that, every purchase that day enters the buyer in a drawing for a free pattern of mine. Use the coupon code Thankful on either PayHip or Ravelry all day November 25, PST, for 30% off any and all of my e-books.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Giftalong, Homemaking, Incense Route, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 9:13 AM 0 comments

Thanksgiving is almost here, and we are hustling! There is so much to do, and we have had other deadlines going on in the background.

Mostly our meals this week have had to do with making room in our fridge and freezers. It is going to be a big gathering this year, and there will be tons of food. Because of Thanksgiving, most jurisdictions give a special dispensation not to keep the fast over this weekend. Since Advent doesn't begin in the West for two weeks, we also have more time to eat up pies!

Dominic is going to be home for Thanksgiving, and he is bringing his fiancée with him. We all knew and expected that he would ask her to marry him, but a little over a month ago, he talked to us about it, and a couple weeks ago, he asked her. We are so excited to be welcoming another daughter into our family. We have so much to be thankful for, not least of which is the bounty we have to share with others. I pray that you will see God's goodness in your life and praise Him.

There are many feasts this week, including the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, and Yasmina's name saint, Saint Catherine. We are blessed by our brothers and sisters who have gone before us to pray for us and the world. Where would we be without them? Glory to God in His saints!

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
  Breakfast: Smoked Salmon, Crackers, Crumpets with Lemon Curd, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Slow Cooked Greek Lamb Kleftiko, Rice, Salad, Mandarin Oranges
• Monday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Dried Berries, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Tagliatelle with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese, Fruit
• Tuesday - Feast of The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham, Sopressata, and Provolone Sandwiches, Salad, Pickles, Fruit
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Potato Vegetable Hash Burritos, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Pasta Trapanese*, Salad, Fruit
• Thursday - Feast of Saint Clement of Rome
  Breakfast: Farmer Casserole, Blintz Casserole with Raspberry and Pomegranate Preserves and Sour Cream, Mandarin Oranges, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Deviled Eggs, Relish Tray, Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potato Rolls, Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans, Bread Stuffing with Chestnuts, Corn with Peppers, Pumpkin Pies, Cranberry Cherry Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Apple Pies, Fresh Pear Crumble Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Prosecco, Red Wine, Eggnog, Hard Cider, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider, Mexican Coca-Colas
• Friday
  Breakfast: Pies, Coffee and Milk
  Dinner: Turkey Tetrazzini, Green Salad, Leftover Desserts
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Catherine the Great of Alexandria
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: After Thanksgiving Soup, Sweet Potato Rolls, Leftover Desserts

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Name Day, Tales from the Kitchen, Thanksgiving

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 10:43 AM 0 comments

We have reached the midpoint on our journey; Najran is our next stop. It is a city in what is southwestern Saudi Arabia now, nearly in Yemen, in the mountainous region (did you know there were mountains there? Even snow, sometimes), and was a major city on the incense route. It was a hub for commerce in multiple directions, and served as a distribution center not only for incense, but also spices and textiles. In fact, it was a center of fabric production in the ancient world. This rectangular stole is knit end to end in wide stripes, with a fine stripe between them. The edging is picked up and knitted in the round, in a mosaic chevron stripe pattern, like waves. The stripe and border designs are taken from traditional Saudi textiles, and are a nod to the name of the city, which can be translated to thirsty.

Najran is luxurious in the Malabrigo Caprino yarn. It feels like water flowing over you. It also keeps you quite warm and comfortable. This is one of my favorite items in the collection. Najran is suitable for dressing up as well as with jeans, as shown in my picture above. The main body is fairly simple to knit, and the edging only uses one color at a time. This could easily be made either as a gift for Christmas this year, or as an accessory to wear to holiday functions for yourself.

It is now available on PayHip, Ravelry, and LoveCrafts. If you use the coupon code IncenseNajran, it will take 25% off the pattern price through the end of the day (PST) November 21, 2023. The collection itself is available on both PayHip and Ravelry, with a low introductory price that will rise as each pattern is added to the collection this month.

Nabati needs washing and blocking, and the ends woven in, but is otherwise finished and ready. I will have photographs of Ha'il for you soon. Then it will be the baptismal gown, I hope.

Only a little progress in Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages, but I did finish Thicker than Water. I found it interesting, though the suspense built for the secret kind of gave it all away. She is a very different woman than I am, but our similar ages, and educational experiences, and backgrounds were interesting and familiar, in a way. I think I would enjoy having dinner with her, though I would disagree with her on quite a lot.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Incense Route, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 7:33 AM 0 comments

Well, it turns out that it was a good thing Rich had Friday off, but not for the reasons we initially thought. We had a horrible stomach bug go through the family. It started Monday with Nejat, then me, then Rich, then Jerome. Rich and Jerome just generally felt queasy, but Nejat and I were violently ill. However, after a day and a half, it settled down. The other kids seemed untouched, and Mariam, God bless her, took on helping me on Monday, and roasted a chicken over potatoes for the first time (also her first time making an entire dinner on her own) with just my talking her through it. By Friday, it seemed like we were in the clear, and nobody else would get it. Little did we know.

Friday night, just after midnight, Yasmina was rather ill, then Mariam, who has the least room for illness, was sick just about every 20 minutes from a little after 1:00 until 6:00 Saturday morning. She didn't sleep more than 30 minutes until that point, so neither did we, but she really had a rough night. We hoped getting all of it out of her system would mean she was well faster, but she spent all of yesterday on the couch, with us trying to get her hydrated, and her feeling miserable. No more sick, though, but the pain remained. We found some anti-nausea pills and gave her some ibuprofen for the pain, and she is much better this morning, glory to God!

Anyway, that made for a lot of shifted meal plans, and no St. Martin's rolls. It also meant that Rich didn't get all his Veteran's Day free meals because we didn't want to go out and make others sick or eat garbage on sensitive stomachs. It also meant that we missed a Veteran's Day dinner to which we were invited, because we really didn't want to get all those people sick. And, no Saint Martin's Day rolls or lantern walk. In fact, we had a trip planned to Sun Valley for Rich's work, and we were also going to spend our evenings with the airport directors' and their wives, but with how sick everyone was and how it seemed to have a long incubation, we decided to reschedule. In many ways, that makes our lives simpler, anyway, with some emergency safety classes Rich is taking, my design schedule this month, and Thanksgiving coming up, so it was a blessing in disguise - a big, heavy, unpleasant disguise.

Because of all of those schedule issues, the dinners this week are also fairly simple. They are either things that I can make quickly, or the kids can do with a little instruction. We are all busy and a little stressed and trying to work through not feeling well. We are still cooking through our freezers, and will be putting off butchering until December, also because of our schedule. On the plus side, it means that it will be cold enough that there will be no need to rush through any of the butchering process.

Speaking of cold, although it is cold here, it has been consistently about 20 degrees warmer than it was last year, for which I am grateful. Yesterday a big wind came through, though, which does not bode well for the end of this month. Those winds usually bring severe temperature changes, and I doubt we will be seeing a heat wave. But, God is good, and He is glorified in His saints. So many people have blessed us with firewood, our heaters are working well, we have a snug house, plenty of woolens, blankets, and so we will survive the winter. I am thanking God that the brutal cold was put off a little longer than usual this year.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Pancakes and Raspberry Syrup, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Broiled Bratwursts, Sour Cream Noodles with Onions, Roasted Cauliflower, Mandarin Oranges
• Monday
  Breakfast: Vegetable and Potato Hash with Diced Ham, Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Easy Persian Kabobs, Persian Herbed Rice, Fresh Pear Crumble Pie
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Moroccan Eggs with Lamb and Harissa Yogurt, Roasted Cauliflower, Salad with Lemon Vinagrette, Sliced Oranges
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Ful, Toast, Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Harissa, Radishes and Kalamata Olives, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Sauerkraut Bean Soup, Rolls, Sliced Apples
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Syrian Rice Pudding with Dried Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Thai Style Ginger Chicken with Eggplant, Jasmine Rice, Mandarin Oranges
• Friday
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans, Salsa Rice, Sliced Oranges
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Brudet to break the fast after Liturgy
  Dinner: Potato Dressing, Sausage Gravy, Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette, Fruit Plate

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 10:56 AM 0 comments

Taghlib, the second stop on the Incense Route, is a shoulder hugging, semi-circular shawlette. The name is taken from a tribe that is among the more ancient tribes of the Arabian peninsula, settling in the Nejd (in the central Arabian peninsula). Their resilience and strength are what permitted them to survive as a people, in commerce, and in battle, not to mention in the harsh conditions of the desert area they inhabited. The central cable represents the two horns that are emblematic of this trading tribe. I have to admit that the contrast of the somewhat light accessory with the fortitude of its inspiration delights me. It is also a unisex item, that is suitable for both men and women.

It is now available on PayHip, Ravelry, and LoveCrafts. If you use the coupon code IncenseTaghlib, it will take 25% off the pattern price through the end of the day (PST) November 14, 2023. The collection itself is available on both PayHip and Ravelry, with a low introductory price that will rise as each pattern is added to the collection this month.

As an aside, I realized after I set the release schedule for these designs, that I should have done them in an order that you could actually follow on the map. I didn't. Next time, that will be something I keep in mind, though. We have gone from the central west coast of the Arabian Peninsula to the eastern/central part, and next week's release will be back on the western side, though farther south, the week after that still west, but up north, and then back toward the east. I should have started in a different place.

Ha'il is just about ready, and I did some revisions on Nabati, as well. Unfortunately, this week was a rather rough one, because we had a horrible stomach bug go through Monday. We are still a little shaky. Nothing was accomplished with the baptismal gown this week.

Again, not much progress in Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages, but I did read a little more in Thicker than Water. It is an interesting memoir, though I find it odd to be reading a memoir from a woman who is six months (almost to the day) younger than I am. She and I have very different perspectives on life, culture, society, politics, religion, but I do like her as an actress, and she grew up in an area I visited a bit as a kid, and there are some shared views and experiences that we have. There are two things I really wanted to read about in the book, and one has been teased since the beginning, but I'm more than three quarters through the book and she still hasn't shared it. The other, I don't know if she will tackle. I know it is considered poor form to comment on anyone's choices or appearance, but in this case, it is part of her public persona and I have to say that I was disappointed in her getting a nose job, which turned her distinctive, beautiful, ethnic face into something that seems more generic Hollywood. The first time I saw her after it was done I didn't recognize her, and that made me sad. It was part of what made her distinctive and unique, and I kind of want to know what went through her head that she changed it. Especially because she is so open and clear about living life as a Jamaican heritage, African American woman. Why erase part of that appearance? I don't know, maybe her nose was rearranged in a car accident like mine was, but I'd like to hear about it. Maybe part of that is because I have never been happy with my ethnic nose. Not enough to go through surgery over it, but it was another thing that marked me out as different (which almost always equalled wrong). Rich loves my Arab nose, and he has a pretty distinct nose, too, so we are quite the pair on that score.

Anyway, I think I forgot to mention that the kids and I finished Persuasion, and will be beginning Northanger Abbey. (Also, can I say that one downside to my finally doing more reading on our library app is that I can't get pictures with the book in them).

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.

If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.

Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Incense Route, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 11:51 PM 0 comments

We are so blessed to live in a rural neighborhood or actual neighbors. In the country, a neighbor might be someone more than a mile away, sometimes even farther, but they are there for each other, and friendly. We are one of the last country neighborhoods in our area still to have any sort of community organization, and we put on several events throughout the year. Last night was our harvest dinner. Folks come together with foods they grew or raised and made, and share with each other, give thanks and share our lives. I'm sure that originally, all the meat served was raised here in our neighborhood, but now the board buys and cooks it for the community. I made a gratin of root vegetables, all laid out in columns that was quite delicious and lovely, some puff pastry twists with gorgonzola, walnuts, and thyme, and the spiced pumpkin pudding that my kids love so much. The board provided roast beef and ham, and everyone else brought sides, salads, preserves, and desserts. It's great to see our neighbors and connect with them.

Our pork opportunity fell through, but it was a blessing. The woman offering the piglets had been a little cagey about them, and on further inquiry, we found out that they were not castrated, and were too old for that, as well as old enough already to have boar taint. I had to work pretty hard to get answers out of her, and she wanted nearly 30 of our muscovies in exchange for pigs that we really couldn't eat. On top of that, since they were all male, we couldn't even get a breeding pair to get piglets in the spring. However, since it would have required getting fencing in right away, that we had planned on doing at a little slower pace over the fall, this saves us that trouble. It was a little frustrating that the woman offering them for trade was not forthcoming about their ages, the fact that they were intact, or even what she was looking for in trade. She just said that she wanted poultry, and when I asked how many she was thinking, she wouldn't give me a number. It took much more effort just to get information, so, I guess finding out about the age and maturity at this point saved us dealing with that even more.

This week is still pretty busy for me, but I would love to share some recipes of things we have made and enjoyed recently (and some from before). We found a recipe for Irish farls, and thought they were delightful. I liked them quite a bit more than boxty, or the leftover mashed potato pancakes people make. I did think they would be improved with some fresh herbs like chives or scallions, or even parsley, added to them, but I don't know if that is traditional or not. We also made a biscuit breakfast bake that I have made several times, but really should put the recipe out for folks. It's super simple, even with mixing up the biscuit dough, and really tasty.

We didn't really put up much in the way of fruit or preserves this year. That is now weighing on me, but we will make it work. We do have some corn we grew to blanch and freeze, and that will be a blessing this winter. However, we are using the last of our canned fruit this week, and though we have relishes and pickles, jams and jellies, and some tomatoes and sauces, still, it troubles me that we didn't put up as much as we could have this year. Our life was just so busy. I don't know how we can get our life to be a little less busy next spring and summer, but we need to find a way. I do have cherries and cherry juice in the freezer that can become jelly, butter, and syrup, so I think I will take some time on that this season. Most of our menus are still largely being planned from our freezers and pantries, which is saving us all sorts of money and time. I think my goal this season is to fit in one day of some kind of preserving each week. If we can clean up my pressure canner, I can even start getting our stocks and broths canned so they aren't taking room in our freezers and don't need to thaw when we use them.

I'm so happy that Rich has Friday off for Veteran's Day. It will be great to have him at home, and he can get some things done that he has been wanting to do around here. We will celebrate Saint Martin the following day (on the actual Veteran's Day), and have some food and lantern walks and all sorts of fun.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Leftover Arabic Pumpkin Pudding, Bleu Cheese Puff, and other Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Instant Pot Mensaf, Rice, Cabbage Salad with Cumin Dressing
• Monday
  Breakfast: Vegetable and Potato Hash with Diced Ham, Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Roast Tikka Chicken with Potatoes and Cauliflower, Rice Pilau, Apple Almond Cake
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Cheddar Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits, Sausages, Canned Peaches, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Instant Pot Chicken Shawerma, Tamis, French Fries, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions and Olives, Toum, Harissa, Taratoor, Fruit Plate
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Ful, Toast, Chopped Tomatoes and Onions, Harissa, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegan Dan Dan Noodles, Green Salad with Citrus Sesame Dressing, Fruit
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Papas con Chorizo with Salsa, Sour Cream and Sliced Avocados, Fruit Plate
• Friday - Feast of Pope Leo the Great
  Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Croatian Roux Soup with Croutons, Salad, Fruit Plate
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Martin
  Breakfast: Saint Martin's Day Almond Crescents, Loaded Home Fries, Bacon, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Peruvian Kebabs with Beef Heart and Grilled Lamb Chops, Super Crisp Peruvian Roasted Potatoes, Fried Olive Bites

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 4:14 AM 0 comments

This is something I am so excited and proud about, and I hope you like it as I do. Yathrib is the first in a collection of five patterns inspired by the Incense Route which went through the Arabian Peninsula, crossing the seaside areas, as well as the mountains and desert. Each piece is named after a particular stop on the route or a tribe that was involved in it. They are designed with certain features from the art, textiles, and even climate and terrain of these people and places. These garments and accessories have fairly simple lines, with more interesting construction, using color work and cables to communicate these design elements. The colors of this collection reflect the bright colors found in textiles and art throughout the Arab world, and specifically in these locations and tribes.

Yathrib is the ancient name for the modern city Medina. It is not far from the Red Sea, so has a windswept climate, but is also situated in the desert. Reversible cables mimic the swirling sand and are a nod to the cooler nights. This one color, buttonless jacket is worked from the top down in one piece, then divided to work the 3/4 sleeves separately. Faux side seams are created by a single column of garter stitches at each side of the body with waist shaping on either side of this “seam”. The edging is attached to the front and neck, as well as the cuffs, to make a seamless garment.

This jacket is now available on PayHip, Ravelry, and LoveCrafts. If you use the coupon code IncenseYathrib, it will take 25% off the pattern price through the end of the day (PST) November 7, 2023. The collection itself is available on both PayHip and Ravelry, with a low introductory price that will rise as each pattern is added to the collection this month.

Much knitting was also done on Ha'il, and a little on the baptismal gown. I will have more to share next week, along with the next pattern in the collection.

Not much progress in Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages, this week, because of all the preparations for the pattern launch, but I did finish Hot Thai Kitchen.

Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.

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Labels: Books, Design, FOs, Homemaking, Incense Route, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 6:43 PM 0 comments