When it comes to my knitting I’m big on self-imposed deadlines. I generally set a deadline any time I start a new project and I usually stick to it pretty closely. I might have to revise a little but it helps me to stay focused on my current projects and I get a great sense of satisfaction every time I finish something on time.

The original deadline on my current pair of socks was 3/31. That came and went.

The revised deadline was Easter Sunday. That came and went.

The current deadline is tomorrow, 4/13.

Unless a sock knitting miracle occurs, I have a feeling I’m going to be revising that deadline, too.

A couple of months ago I got an email from Margene that thrilled me. She said she was coming east for a family gathering on Smith’s side and that she wanted to see me while she was here. I quickly realized she was talking about Easter weekend and I immediately told my family that if the only day we could meet up turned out to be Easter Sunday then they would just have to make their own damn dinner. Heh.

As it turned out, Margene had a very small window of availability last Friday afternoon. Plans were made to gather at Terry’s house since Margene had to be in that area for her other commitments anyway, and Terry happens to be sort of in the middle for Kim and I. We had a wonderful mini-reunion of our September 2007 trip to Salt Lake City that also included, at the last minute, another frequent Utah traveler, Laurie.

We ate yummy food and chatted and knit. We laughed and told stories and reminisced of our trips out west. Best of all was that Dale finally got to meet Smith, something I’ve been wanting to happen since the first time I visited Margene in June of 2006. They hit it off as well as I knew they would and made grand plans for a visit to Yellowstone together.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again – the friendships I have made since starting this blog are amazing. Kim, Terry and  I are in contact all the time, ever since bonding on that trip together. And even though Margene lives over 2,000 miles away we still talk frequently, email daily, and text regularly. We have worked on building a friendship that lasts despite distance and that grows despite busy lives.

Getting together in person every couple of years, though, that’s the gravy.

It’s Passover this week and I know that presents dietary challenges for my Jewish friends. The other day my friend Kathy commented that her first full day of Passover was made possible by the Incredible Edible Egg. And that’s why this week’s Ten on Tuesday topic is 10 Favorite Ways to Prepare Eggs.

1. Hard boiled. A hard boiled egg is the perfect portable snack.
2. Scrambled. With ketchup, please.
3. Poached. I don’t have much luck poaching eggs at home so I order this way almost every time I go out to breakfast.
4. Omelettes. I like mine with fresh broccoli and American cheese.
5. Fried. Sometimes I like mine over easy and sometimes I like mine over medium but I never like mine sunny side up. Blech.
6. Egg salad. A little salt, a lot of pepper, some celery and a small dab of mayo. I like it best on toasted whole wheat bread.
7. Deviled. These are always popular at our house, I even made some on Easter because Hannah asked for them.
8. Scotch Eggs. I have never actually made these but I’d like to try them some day.
9. Pickled. The first time Dale offered me a pickled egg I wrinkled my nose and wouldn’t try it. And then I took the plunge and discovered a wonderful treat. I make them myself and they are so good!
10. Quiche. I love it best with mushrooms and Swiss cheese.

A weekend that includes a holiday and a lot of socializing doesn’t necessarily leave a lot of time for knitting
Nevertheless, gatherings of friends and family are worth the sacrifice of some knitting time
Especially when one of those gatherings is with a family member who lives in the next town over but that I haven’t seen in over 30 years
Catching up over dinner with our spouses was amazing
I learned stuff about our family history (my great grandmother was a full blooded Cherokee Indian) and shared great stories and ultimately can’t wait to see them again
In between all that socializing there was cooking, baking, and prepping for our annual Easter gathering
And recognizing that Easter Sunday marked the 29th anniversary of my brother’s death
Gathering our family under one roof for a holiday is an opportunity not to be squandered
Life is fragile and fleeting, connections are important

The grape hyacinths are up and flourishing in my garden. I took this photo the other day and had a little post processing fun with RadLab. If you haven’t seen RadLab before now, you might want to check it out, especially if you are someone who has been using Picnik. RadLab isn’t free but it’s amazing – trust me.

I hope you all have a joyous Passover, blessed Easter, and wonderful weekend. That ought to cover just about everybody, right?

Several readers requested the recipe for the Parmesan Mashed Potatoes that I mentioned in Tuesday’s post. I couldn’t find this online anywhere to link to it so I’m writing it up in this post. It comes from The Woman’s Day Cookbook by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, published in 1995. I believe this cookbook is out of print, which is a shame, but it’s available used and probably from your local library, too. Okay, on to the recipe!

Parmesan Mashed Potato Casserole
Serves 12

5 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 stick butter
1 cup milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish.
2. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 15-20 minutes, or until tender when tested with a fork. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
3. Add the butter to the potatoes and mash until he butter melts. Add the milk, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Mash until smooth – some small lumps are okay. Put the potatoes in the prepared dish. (The potatoes can be refrigerated at this point and baked the next day. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
4. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

Every Wednesday, Amanda asks what we are knitting and reading right now and this week I am going to answer her question.

As always, I devote more time to knitting than to reading but every day of my life includes some of each. I am currently knitting the Beach Glass Shawl and I am enjoying every minute of it. I’m actually almost done and I’m going to miss working on this. Kim’s yarn is so soft and squooshy and the pattern is mostly garter stitch and it’s a very soothing knit.

My bedtime reading for the last few weeks was consumed by The Hunger Games trilogy but I have moved past those and am now reading the latest Hannah Swensen mystery for a bit each night when I climb into bed. I’m also perusing the other books in that pile: a new knitting book, a memoir on loss and recovery through pie baking, and a travel guide for our upcoming vacation. Some of it’s light, some of it’s inspiring, all of it’s entertaining.

Gee, that sounds a lot like knitting.

Both Easter and Passover are this coming weekend and I know for many of us that means planning and preparing a big family dinner. While the main course is usually some sort of roast (in my case it will be a baked ham and an oven roasted turkey breast) the side dishes can be a challenge. And that’s what prompted this week’s Ten on Tuesday topic: 10 Favorite Side Dishes to Serve at a Family Dinner. As I said in my email to the Ten on Tuesday bunch, what do you serve with your main course that everyone loves?

1.  Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. I think I only make these on Easter because they are not suited to be served with gravy and there’s no gravy at my house on Easter. It’s almost like a mashed potato casserole and it includes eggs and Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and they can be made ahead of time. I think that’s the best part of all.
2. Carrots and Parsnips. I steam them and mash then together with butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Delicious and pretty, too.
3. Martha Stewart’s Green Bean Casserole. I’m making my sister-in-law, Mary, make this for Easter. I absolutely love it and it’s so much better than the one made with cream of mushroom soup!
4. Macaroni and Cheese. It goes great with ham.
5. Au Gratin Potatoes. I’m actually torn between these and the Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. Hmmmm.
6. Peas and Onions. They are bright and colorful. My only issue is they get cold so quickly.
7. Glazed Carrots. This sounds like a big deal but it’s just steamed carrots that are tossed with butter and a bit of brown sugar. If I’m feeling extra festive I throw in a handful of raisins, too.
8. Asparagus. This can be tricky if you have a lot of people coming – it has to be cooked at the last minute and, like those peas, it gets cold very quickly. For a small gathering, though, I think it’s a must, especially for Easter.
9. Corn Muffins. Mary makes these for me, too, and everyone gobbles them up.
10. Jello Salad. Okay, I don’t actually make this anymore but my mom always made this green one for Easter and I loved it. She made individual molds of it and served each one on a little plate with a lettuce leaf and a dollop of sour cream. It was so good!

It’s April and that means it’s time to show you the mosaic of my photos from the month of March. Ready?

With March came flowers – daffodils and crocus – and also more knitting and daily life photos. You can click on the mosaic to make it bigger to get a better view of all those photos. To get the best view, visit my 2012 flickr set.

On a completely unrelated note, Kym is having a contest to determine which of her current projects is going to become her March Madness Champion. Please go vote and tell her Carole sent you. Thanks!

I read somewhere that the cooler days we are now having will slow down our flowers and make them last longer – kind of like sticking them in the fridge. I hope that’s the case because daffodil season is far too short for me!

My weekend is gloriously without plans! Hooray!