I don't actually have much to write about. I've been working on a pair of kilt hose (knee socks) for my daughter for Christmas. I really need to put more charms on my needles so I can get all my projects done, but then I don't get the satisfaction of actually doing it myself.
DH is taking the three young wizards out into the woods this weekend to work on hiking and camping skills. I look forward to hearing how their fair upon their return.
My little witch and I are going on a yarn crawl. Our area has a yearly yarn crawl and we are going to try to hit all participating shops in a two day span. It's supposed to last all weekend for a total of 3 days, but she has a birthday party on Sunday and I have the Quidditch match.
I'm not even sure we're going to even be able to play Quidditch at this point. We have all our team members (GREAT RAVENCLAWS), but the opposing team, Gryffindor, is having trouble getting a team together. I had a team meeting tonight and four of the six team members were able to attend. I think we are prepared. I'll have another team meeting starting an hour prior to game time to make sure we're all set.
Well, I'm not feeling well, so this is not going to be a long post. I think I'll hit the hay early tonight ... although, ice cream sounds good right now. I have a really swollen gland and nothing has relieved it today. Thinking cold might do the trick. We shall see.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Potions Homework - Part 3
Now it's time for the third part of my potions homework ... concocting something. What fun!
This was created today. However, it was NOT as flavorful as I had thought it would be and if I had to do it again, I'd do something completely different. But, it was cold, and if you needed something cold on a hot day, this would be it. Probably would be very good on coffee ... to bring down the temp.
I started out with about 3/4 cup milk, and added a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a scoop of chocolate ice cream. To that I added 3-4 drops of peppermint extract. (In the future, I would add more ... the aroma was there when it went in, but the flavor was nil.) I also added peppermint vanilla chips. Also, not enough vanilla. To this I also added about half a waffle cone.
I churned it all up in the blender, which took some doing, as I'm not sure what stuck in the blades, the waffle cone pieces or the chips.
Then served it in a pretty glass, garnished with a few more peppermint vanilla chips.
As for flavor, I thought it was bland. I needed more mint. I would have liked to have been a bit more creative, perhaps more on the healthier side of things. My first thought was homemade hot cocoa ... which we have. But, we were out of the ingredients. So, my mind must have been on unhealthy chocolate things.
My mind also went to Bailey's Cream, which I haven't had in YEARS, and therefore explains the reason we do not have any in the house! In years, I mean late 1980s ... before I was ever married! That would have made me feel all warm and cozy inside!
Now the question comes to mind, WHY did I concoct something cold, when I have had problems all day with not being warm? I have been cold since the moment I woke up this morning and still have cold hands/fingers, and chills. Brrr ... I need something hot!
Well, this is all my homework! Yea! I made it through all three parts!
This was created today. However, it was NOT as flavorful as I had thought it would be and if I had to do it again, I'd do something completely different. But, it was cold, and if you needed something cold on a hot day, this would be it. Probably would be very good on coffee ... to bring down the temp.
I started out with about 3/4 cup milk, and added a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a scoop of chocolate ice cream. To that I added 3-4 drops of peppermint extract. (In the future, I would add more ... the aroma was there when it went in, but the flavor was nil.) I also added peppermint vanilla chips. Also, not enough vanilla. To this I also added about half a waffle cone.
I churned it all up in the blender, which took some doing, as I'm not sure what stuck in the blades, the waffle cone pieces or the chips.
Then served it in a pretty glass, garnished with a few more peppermint vanilla chips.
As for flavor, I thought it was bland. I needed more mint. I would have liked to have been a bit more creative, perhaps more on the healthier side of things. My first thought was homemade hot cocoa ... which we have. But, we were out of the ingredients. So, my mind must have been on unhealthy chocolate things.
My mind also went to Bailey's Cream, which I haven't had in YEARS, and therefore explains the reason we do not have any in the house! In years, I mean late 1980s ... before I was ever married! That would have made me feel all warm and cozy inside!
Now the question comes to mind, WHY did I concoct something cold, when I have had problems all day with not being warm? I have been cold since the moment I woke up this morning and still have cold hands/fingers, and chills. Brrr ... I need something hot!
Well, this is all my homework! Yea! I made it through all three parts!
Potions Homework - Part 2
The professor has put forth another part to the potions homework ... this quiz. Time to hit the books and find the answers:
Part 2:
Part 2:
Answer the following potions questions:
1. Sneezewort, scurvy grass, and lovage are used to make what?
B:Confusing Draught
2. Porcupine quills are to be added when to a Boil Cure Potion?
D: After it is removed from the fire
3. What potion, if brewed correctly, should change color numerous times throughout brewing including deep purple, lilac, and finishing clear?
A: The Draught of Living Death
4. This ingredient in the Draught of Peace, would likely bring you permanent peace since it is poisonous, what is it?
D: Hellebore
5. Chopped daisy roots, skinned shrivel-fig, sliced caterpillar, one rat spleen, dash of leech juice are all ingredients to what?
C: Shrinking Solution
Potions Homework - Part 1
Homework ... a chance to learn something new and see what turns up while "cooking up" concoctions! This week it's potions.
Part 1 stipulated I needed to take photos of five different plants, herbs, or flowers that might be used in potions. I went overboard and took six. I hope this won't detract from my grade. I just had to add in the final one because after I looked at it on the computer, I noticed something different which I had not seen when I took the original shot!
Rhododendron blossom. We've been studying plants and this was a great example of the stamen and it's anther and filament, as well as the pistil and it's stigma and ovary (at the base). I additionally like how the photo came out with the water droplets. These shots were all taken after a rain storm. As you may be able to tell, the petals have a soft appearance to them. It is for this reason I use them in lotions. With age comes wrinkles. Dewy petals = dewy skin! At least that is what I'm hoping for as an end result.
Basil, a lovely herb in one of our garden boxes. My daughter and oldest son were out pulling off leaves so they could sniff their heady essences. This leaf I use for food and creating gastronomical deliciousness. Wonderful as a pork rub. The leaves, also have a fuzzy, soft texture. They would lend themselves nicely as a wrap over a cut. Perhaps the plant has hidden health qualities not only through digestion, but also as an applicant. Something worth trying out.
Parsley. Oldest son's instructions? Pull off a leaf, roll it up, stick it inside your nostril, squeeze your nostrils shut, blow out the leaf, and then inhale through your nose. Essence of parsley! If this isn't nature's way of waking you up, I don't know what is! Perhaps better than smelling salts. Will have to inquire with Madam Pomfrey if this is something I could keep in a vial in my pouch for just such occasions.
Lemon thyme. I love the aroma of this plant and it's wonderful for cooking. This photo came out so well, you could see the minute details of the hairs on the leaves! Again, another soft plant to the touch. Like a lamb's ear. Great for gastronomical discoveries, but I'm wondering if it, too, might be good for lotions for the face, due to the softness and aromatic qualities. Would make a wonderful shampoo, as well, leaving a very fresh smell to ones hair and skin.
Lilacs, my husband's favorite flowers. They have such a divine fragrance. The color is superb. I would love to have my house surrounded by all varieties of lilacs. But, sadly, we only have the two bushes, and only one is flowering at the moment, and this is the extent of it so far. I would include the nectar from these flowers in a love potion. It is very heady and sweet and soft smelling.
Lastly, the chives were flowering and my son had plucked off the heads. I picked up this really pretty one because I just love the purple color. What I didn't notice when I was shooting it was the livestock inside! Look closely. Can you see the inhabitant? This one I would use for the color properties only in just about any potion. However, I do not like the aroma from the chives, so I'd have to find a way to omit this particular element. Will have to use only the petals in the potion and make sure not an ounce of nectar makes its way into whatever I'm brewing.
Part 1 stipulated I needed to take photos of five different plants, herbs, or flowers that might be used in potions. I went overboard and took six. I hope this won't detract from my grade. I just had to add in the final one because after I looked at it on the computer, I noticed something different which I had not seen when I took the original shot!
Rhododendron blossom. We've been studying plants and this was a great example of the stamen and it's anther and filament, as well as the pistil and it's stigma and ovary (at the base). I additionally like how the photo came out with the water droplets. These shots were all taken after a rain storm. As you may be able to tell, the petals have a soft appearance to them. It is for this reason I use them in lotions. With age comes wrinkles. Dewy petals = dewy skin! At least that is what I'm hoping for as an end result.
Basil, a lovely herb in one of our garden boxes. My daughter and oldest son were out pulling off leaves so they could sniff their heady essences. This leaf I use for food and creating gastronomical deliciousness. Wonderful as a pork rub. The leaves, also have a fuzzy, soft texture. They would lend themselves nicely as a wrap over a cut. Perhaps the plant has hidden health qualities not only through digestion, but also as an applicant. Something worth trying out.
Parsley. Oldest son's instructions? Pull off a leaf, roll it up, stick it inside your nostril, squeeze your nostrils shut, blow out the leaf, and then inhale through your nose. Essence of parsley! If this isn't nature's way of waking you up, I don't know what is! Perhaps better than smelling salts. Will have to inquire with Madam Pomfrey if this is something I could keep in a vial in my pouch for just such occasions.
Lemon thyme. I love the aroma of this plant and it's wonderful for cooking. This photo came out so well, you could see the minute details of the hairs on the leaves! Again, another soft plant to the touch. Like a lamb's ear. Great for gastronomical discoveries, but I'm wondering if it, too, might be good for lotions for the face, due to the softness and aromatic qualities. Would make a wonderful shampoo, as well, leaving a very fresh smell to ones hair and skin.
Lilacs, my husband's favorite flowers. They have such a divine fragrance. The color is superb. I would love to have my house surrounded by all varieties of lilacs. But, sadly, we only have the two bushes, and only one is flowering at the moment, and this is the extent of it so far. I would include the nectar from these flowers in a love potion. It is very heady and sweet and soft smelling.
Lastly, the chives were flowering and my son had plucked off the heads. I picked up this really pretty one because I just love the purple color. What I didn't notice when I was shooting it was the livestock inside! Look closely. Can you see the inhabitant? This one I would use for the color properties only in just about any potion. However, I do not like the aroma from the chives, so I'd have to find a way to omit this particular element. Will have to use only the petals in the potion and make sure not an ounce of nectar makes its way into whatever I'm brewing.Saturday, May 1, 2010
Divination - Extra Credit Quiz (Hogwarts @ Ravelry)
These stitch markers are made for extra credit in Divination Class at Hogwarts at Ravelry.
Reducio 10
I received my parcel for Reducio 10 today.
Claire Clovenhoove (Holly) sent me some crocheted socks and a special broom, with a core of DPN :) Love that!
She also sent bookmarks for the kids, some Bertie Botts Beans, some Gryffindor colored tic-tacs, G sticky notes, and tea in house colors.
Boo-Hoo ~ Ravenclaw lost to Slytherin
Sadly we did not win this match.
But I am SOOO proud of my team. They really pulled together in the locker room and I couldn't be happier!
I am proud to call myself Ravenclaw!
We put 3 goals in, but Slytherin found the Snitch.
Score: 30-160
There's always the match against Gryffindor on May 16!
But I am SOOO proud of my team. They really pulled together in the locker room and I couldn't be happier!
I am proud to call myself Ravenclaw!
We put 3 goals in, but Slytherin found the Snitch.
Score: 30-160
There's always the match against Gryffindor on May 16!
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