Not much, you?

Here near the ides of December, I'm indulging in a few cherished end-of-the-year rituals. I have already ordered my office calendar from Despair, Inc.-- one of those do-it-yourself numbers. I'm straightening up my workspace, and I put in for the last of my use-it-or-lose-it vacation days. I'll be on vacation between Christmas and New Year's and plan to take some of that time to get my craft basement in order. Clear out, sweep up, start fresh. As one of my friends put it, it will be nice to have 2006 behind us.

At the rate I'm knitting, I'll have the Sienna Cardi finished by Christmas. I'm about two thirds of the way through the first sleeve already!

On Sunday, I spun up the entire half-0unce of Buffalo Gold roving, and it doesn't make much, even when spun really fine. The buffalo was light, lovely, and easy to spin, and it's unmistakeably buffalo-colored. I'm thinking of getting another half ounce, spinning it to match, and then plying it with another fibre, but I'm not sure what yet. Should I spin up a nice wool? In my former spinning guild, one of the members plied some gorgeous handspun with a commercial sewing thread, and the result was stunning. Maybe I could get some gold thread, or some golden silk, and ply the buffalo with that. I figured that it would take about seventy five dollars worth of Buffalo Gold to spin enough two-ply fingering weight yarn to make a pair of average socks. That's unthinkable for me! but if I ply the buffalo, I can make it go farther and maybe get a satisfactory finished product out of it. Like a lace something.

Here's an easy recipe for your dining pleasure. It goes together in a snap, so I like to make it on work nights. Enough for four hungry people, or six moderate eaters. Excellent as leftovers.

Pan Ziti

One pound ground meat (I use bison)
One jar Classico Tomato and Basil pasta sauce
About a cup and a half of shredded mozzarella cheese
Three cups of whole wheat penne pasta

Place meat in large, lidded frying pan and cook it until browned, breaking it up as you go. Meanwhile, put on a pot of water and when it's boiling add the pasta. When the meat is browned, pour the Classico over it and mix it all up. Pour a little water in the jar, put on the lid, shake it up, and then add this to the sauce (you don't want to waste it, do you?). When the penne is cooked, drain it and add to the sauce mixture. Stir it all up, and then cover it with the mozzarella cheese. Clap a lid on it, leave it on the stove on low, and walk away for fifteen minutes. Serve it with a green salad.

Bon appetit!