Needle and Thread

Purchased in the mid 1970's, my trusty Kenmore sewing machine should soon qualify for antique status. Although I can't sew MaryJane shoe straps back on or mend a canvas tent as I could with my even older Singer, made, as I was, in the late 1940's, nevertheless my Kenmore has been a good sewing machine. Although it doesn't have all the abilities of the newer machines, I'm certainly not about to throw it out on the dung heap just because of its age. Let this be a lesson to my children. :-)

So now I have the old black Singer and an even older treadle sewing machine that we inherited from Kevin's mom which she, in turn, inherited from her mother. I was going to photograph it as well, but unfortunately it is currently buried under other items too numerous to move. I actually used it once, and remember that it has a really interesting bobbin/shuttle setup.

Although I managed to crank out several items of clothing for my children on both of my sewing machines, I really do very little sewing these days. Yesterday I located my much-neglected Kenmore (and no, my stack of life-organizing notebooks was not with it), dragged out an old jumper pattern, and began sewing as part of a church project.

I think the lovely fabrics available now are quite inspirational. What I purchased was a cotton plisse'. I still have no idea what plisse' means, but the fabric was lightweight, mostly cotton but enough of a synthetic to make it wash well, and the prints were gorgeous (see photo). A definition I found online for plisse' is: 'A puckered finish given to fabric by treating it with a caustic soda...' That sounds like it started out as an accident, but because I've been spending so much time lately making lovely, moisturizing soaps using caustic lye, I remain undaunted.

Yes, one can buy clothes pretty cheaply these days, but there's something really special about a little sun dress or jumper that's handmade, that has nice, wide seams, is well finished, and won't fall apart in the washer. I'm hoping to remain inspired until spring, when I'd like to make a few Regency-period dresses. How fun would that be!

Beef Stirfry Recipe Gluten Free

One would think that there wouldn't be a gluten problem with something as simple as a beef stirfry, right? Well, if you were eating at a restaurant, it wouldn't be at all surprising to find that there is a sauce or seasoning that contains gluten - even in a simple beef recipe. I have this developing theory that most people are so used to eating additives and preservatives that they don't know what it feels like to feel well!

Avoiding gluten, corn, soy, MSG, sodium benzoate, and nitrites, just plain makes me feel so much better. Do I always do this? Of course not! Sometimes, when it's been a long while since I've fallen off the wagon, so to speak, I cheat. And what entices me to cheat? Stupid things like Laffy Taffy and Good'n'Plenty! How stupid is that! Do I know I'll feel miserable afterwards? Um, yeah. And I pay for it. Actually, the times that I cheat are getting fewer and farther between. So either I'm becoming more conscientious or I'm developing a better memory. Either way, things are looking up.

So, since this is a very tasty and healthful recipe, I thought I'd share it with you.

• 1# beef sirloin, sliced into thin strips*
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/2 -1 onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into narrow strips
• 10 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• Sea salt, coarse pepper, cayenne

A good piece of beef doesn't need seasonings and breadings. It has a good taste all on its own. So, in a skillet, stirfry the beef and garlic in about 2 T. olive oil. Remove beef from skillet onto a plate. In the skillet, stirfry the celery, onion, jalapeno, and red bell pepper until just barely tender. Now add the mushrooms and the beef (again). Stirfry a minute or two longer, just to heat thoroughly. Season only with salt, pepper, and a little cayenne. This is delicious! It will serve about 5 people, but if you make brown rice or basmati, you can serve it over the rice and 'stretch it' to serve more. Make a nice green salad and heck, you can feed a crew!

*When trimming any fat from the beef, be sure to toss it to the dogs who are waiting patiently for a treat. They can smell that beef and they deserve something besides dog food now and then!

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Have you noticed that wonderful squeak that snow makes underfoot when the temperature is well below zero? I absolutely love that sound. It seems to be especially noticeable at night, but maybe that's just because there are fewer distractions then. That beautiful squeaking sound is something that people in warmer climates will never experience! I realized today that this has been a pretty good winter. It's already February, and although we've had some pretty cold spells, we've also had some bright, sunny days. Sunny days without wind, no matter how cold it gets, are just far more tolerable - and cheer me immensely. But put that sun under a cloud and whip up a little breeze, and it seems like winter has always been here and will never go away. Then it reminds me of Narnia: 'always winter and never Christmas.' But here we are on the 4th of February and the days are getting noticeably longer. It now stays light until 5:30 or so. That's a great improvement from just a month ago!