Friday Night Beer Review - Lizard Style

It has been way too long since I've done a Friday Night Beer Review -so here we go.   This is not a retail beer but - yep - you guessed it - a home brew!  This is one of the Lizard Lick Brewhaus' specialties. This is an attempt to clone a beer we tried at one of our favorite breweries - Roth Brewery - love those boys!  They make an amazing Cinnamon Porter (along with some other delicious beers) that I cannot get enough of.  We tried this beer when they hosted the Piedmont Brewers Cup a while back and I fell in love with it.  We even went back one night for this beer and the place is 34 miles, one way,  from home.  That's a long way to go for a beer, but so worth it!  I have worried my personal brew master (Hubby) to pieces to make us a cinnamon porter and I must say for a first try he did pretty darn good. I guess that is why we have to refer to him as "Award Winning Brew Master"!  This is a great warming beer.  It is dark and rich and has just a hint of spice on the back side.  I am very pleased with Hubby's version and know that it will be one that he will have to make over and over.  

What do you think about the pint glasses that Hubby got for Christmas?  It was a bit of work but we pulled it off and surprised him.  Every brewer needs pint glasses with his brewery logo! 

Roses and Toes

This week Little Girl celebrated her Sweet 16!  Can you believe it!  I tell you time really flies.  It wasn't that long ago she was just a baby (she always will be to me).  She got her licenses on her birthday and I have cried every time she has left the house to drive on her own.  I don't know why really.  I think maybe reality is sinking in that the baby in the family is growing up and will be flying from the nest before we know it.  

We had a great celebration and made the day as awesome as it should be.  Little Girl commented that things were "marvelous".    Above are the orange roses her big sis got for her.  Little Girl loves the color orange.  We had a great family dinner and we all tried Sushi.  That was a really big deal but lots of fun.

Me and the girls decided we would have a special "girl time" and the three of us went to get pedicures today.  Earlier in the week when we talked about it we were discussing what color we would each have our nails polished.  I told Little Girl in honor of her birthday I would let her choose the color for my nails.  Big Girl said I was crazy.  Little Girl got her nails french, Big Girl got a beautiful shade of pink called "Cajun Shrimp". 
Guess what I got.......

Yep  - ORANGE (with glitter). 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Wrap

The Good, the Ugly and the Bad Wrap

I don't think it is any of those things, but that is what my dear Hubby named it because of the style and colors.  He says it reminds him of the poncho Clint Eastwood wore in the movie.  He even whistles the theme song when he sees me in it.  I do love him.  And I love Clint Eastwood too - he is still good looking even after all these years.   

This is the wrap I started working on last week during our ice mess.  I really like the colors and the weight of it. I decided to add a couple of buttons to the front so I could close it and let it just hang. I really do like it. It is different and unique and it is mine. I was telling my Auntie J about it the other day and she was surprised I was knitting something for myself. I don't think knitters do that often. We get so much satisfaction from knitting for others. Any way I do like it and wore it out last night and plan to wear it again today.  I can't wait to wear it to work to see what some of my knitting buds think.  I know it is different, you don't have to be shy in telling me that, but I would like to know what you think. 

Remember the hat I knitted a few weeks back?  You know The Midnight Suns Hat pattern that my friend Kathy Rollins designed - it is on KnitPicks.  She is so excited and I am for her!  Go check it out.



Icy Day for Knitting

Well the great NC weather that I am always talking about has struck again.  Last night we got a good coating of sleet and freezing rain at our house.  There is a thin sheet of ice on everything.  This is the back deck at 12:45 this afternoon.  It's not going to warm up too much today so the ice will be here for a while.  When we have this kind of weather I learned a long, long time ago to stay home.  If you wreck enough cars and climb out of ditches enough you eventually quit trying to make it in to the job on days like this.  Sometimes it's just not worth it. 

I made sure to put out plenty of bird food before the weather got bad.  It has been interesting watching the birds slide across the deck railing.  Poor things.  They are very persistant.  I wish I had pictures.

I started a knitting project last night in anticipation of a knitting day today.  I went through my stash and found some yarns that I thought would knit up quick.  I have been wanting a wrap/shawl to have at work for those days it is freezing in my office (which is often).  I really like these colors and thought I would just knit a simple basic shawl. You know one of those knitting projects that is nothing fancy, kind of mindless, but productive.  This is what little I got done last night.  I am planning on sitting down with it in just a little bit to see how far I get.  I'll let you know how it progresses.

I hope you are warm and snuggly and enjoying all that winter has to offer.

Happy New Year - Happy Blogiversary (is that a word?)

December 31, 2010

January 1, 2011

Happy New Year!

Yes I'm eating a bowl of blackeye peas while I blog.  All good southerners know you have to have blackeye peas, collard greens and pork on New Year's day for good luck.  The peas are done, collards are on the stove and the pork loin is on the grill.  I will fry some cornbread to go with it all for supper tonight -can't wait - one of my favorite meals!

Well I told you I would update you on all I had accomplished on my week off.  I did finish my knitting project - love it! Pictures are below.  I did a little cleaning (should have done more), watched a bunch of movies, watched the Wolfpack play and win the Champs Bowl - GO WOLFPACK, ate way too much and talked on the phone to family and friends.  Oh, almost forgot - drank some beer.   Pretty much a good week!  Not exactly what I had intended, but good anyway.



A friend of mine, Katherine Rollins, asked me to test a knit pattern she has written, "Midnight Suns". It will be available on KnitPicks soon so keep an eye out for it.  This was my first try at knitting from a chart.  I will admit I was a little intimidated but it was simple.  The pattern is awesome and makes a great looking hat.  Katherine has designed several patterns that are great!  I am glad I get to share this with you all. 

 I can't believe it has been a year already that I began this crazy blogging adventure.  I read my first post last night and laughed, yes I'm still crazy!  Thank you to all of you who read and check in on me from time to time.  I hope you will continue.  It means a lot that you are interested in seeing what goes on in my small part of the world.  I wish you all a prosperous and crazy happy new year.  May it be filled with love and happiness for us all.