Mossy Cottage Knits: What Is This Thing You Earthlings Call "TV?"

June 20, 2009

What Is This Thing You Earthlings Call "TV?"

[Picture-heavy post, Dear Readers.]

Some updates.

First, an indignant Benny the Flying Cat says...

Who me? How could you tell all those lies, Mom? In fact, look at me. I'm so earthbound I'm flat.

Notice, however, that he is very close to the microwave in case an opportunity presents itself, never mind the fact that I'm taking the photograph from outside. The further fact that Joon is occupying the top of the microwave is also of no consequence; he will ricochet off her face if he has to.

Secondly, it’s day nine without the boob tube. I have learned three things.

1. This has been a lot easier than I thought it would be.

2. My knitting is paying the price. I knit almost exclusively in front of the TV so during the last week I knit…

3. I’ve discovered the freedom of not being controlled by the exactly 7 p.m., exactly 8 p.m., exactly 9 p.m., and exactly 10 p.m. TV schedule, with the occasional exactly-30-minutes-after-the-hour thrown in. Who knew you could eat dinner from, say, 7:49 p.m. to 8:12 p.m., swing right on past that sacred at-the-hour, on-the-hour 8 p.m. time, and no earthquakes, no frogs falling from the sky, no rivers running red with blood? Seriously; I look at time completely differently.

(However, I have admitted to myself that I will never survive a Seattle winter without a TV, so something will give eventually.)

Much thanks to the kind commenters and emailers who wondered, and quite rightly, knowing how low-tech I am for someone who works in IT, if I had scanned for channels but, yes, I dutifully did. About three or four times on each TV, just to be sure. Both converter boxes said they found channels…but then said "neener, neener" and declined to share.

In the gardening arena, I am inadvertently growing rude things:

Despite their resemblance to alien genitalia, these are in reality Hungarian Yellow Wax Peppers. No comments from the more smutty-minded among you since I'll be leaving myself wide open with practically everything I say in the next sentence but here goes: When these ripen, I'll have no idea what to do with them, especially since I'll probably only have one to work with at any given time (see? Wide open.). I’m thinking of maybe a roasted-chili and fresh-herb butter for chicken or steak. Any other suggestions?

I’ve also learned that when the weather is wacko (90-degrees some days, 50 some others, and we just finished a 29-day record-tying dry spell*), and your plants aren’t producing armfuls of beautiful flowers (note the atmospheric gloominess of the photo; very representative of our current weather)…

…cheat. Bring in other, already-blooming dahlias plus some miniature roses:

For more color, I also planted two calladia (?), this one, which is too whimsical for words...

...and this one, which pleased me no end by cradling a beautiful drop of water:

This last was not taken in my yard but in one of the six yards knitting peeps Diane, Gail and I visited today on a fun and idea-generating local fund-raising garden tour. No lie; I would sell my very soul for this rose (if the soul in question weren't already in hock for yarn):

*Notice I said record-tying, not record-breaking. We were thisclose to breaking the record but with eleven minutes to spare, it started raining. Curse you, Mother Nature!

Posted by Ryan at June 20, 2009 08:36 PM

Comments

If the box found channels but they don't show on the TV - maybe the input from the box is in the wrong port on the TV? if you have more than one... it goes into the same one where the antenna or cableTV line would go in... ?? I'm sure you already have that right as there are not many choices...

On the other hand I'd never advise someone to give up giving up TV....

Posted by: Caroline on June 21, 2009 05:28 AM

I'd kill for 29 days of dry weather. It feels like it has been raining here all spring. I think it has really been closer to all of June (with a few sunny days just to tease us) but it certainly feels like longer. The colors of the flowers look great!

Posted by: Emily on June 21, 2009 06:13 AM

Re knitting and TV - try audio books! I highly recommend "The Golden Compass" trilogy. Or since you are into gardening this year, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. Your local library probably carries these, and many more!

Posted by: Abby on June 21, 2009 06:56 AM

I second the vote for books on tape (or on CD which you can then legally put on your iPod as long as you delete it when you're done) for knitting. Heck, also for gardening, walking, and working in the yard.

I also HEARTILY second your willingness to sell your very soul for that rose. WHAT IS IT?!?!?

Posted by: MaryB in Richmond on June 21, 2009 08:23 AM

I'll be in the naught corner if you need me.

Posted by: Cookie on June 21, 2009 10:31 AM

Ooh, I collect Caladium(s?)! I have the red one and several patchy ones. I especially like that they are bulb-based, so they survive our transfers and my indifferent care. In fact the red one, which I thought was dead, popped up again and is currently thriving after my pots moved to where they now catch the monsoon freely.

Posted by: Swapna on June 21, 2009 11:53 AM

Can you use them in salsa?

I make salsa thusly: 1 roma tomato, 1/2 jalapeno (seeds removed - I'm a wuss), 2 green onions, 1/3rd a bunch of cilantro (I like cilantro), 1/3rd a red or orange bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic. Mince everything as fine as you can be bothered to, then add 2T lemon juice. Add/remove/sub ingredients at will.

I've heard it's better if you let it sit in the fridge 12-24 hours, but mine's never made it past the 1-hour mark.

Posted by: Erika on June 21, 2009 12:46 PM

Oh Hungarian Peppers! Stuff those babies! Or just eat 'em! Or roast 'em! Or smear them all over your body and... Oh dear. Perhaps I should stop right here with this comment.

Posted by: Kristen on June 21, 2009 04:43 PM

As far as the peppers go...split those babies and stuff them with feta cheese and basil. Mmmmmmm.

Lack of tv...hulu.com and netflix. All the BBC goodness a knitter could want.

Posted by: carlarey on June 21, 2009 06:19 PM

That is some rose! Love the cats

Posted by: tayloe on June 22, 2009 06:13 AM

Here's my idea for the wax beans:
scoop out the guts
stuff with cream cheese (maybe lime cream cheese)
pan fry in butter
Enjoy! I did tons of this last summer :)

Posted by: Diana on June 22, 2009 07:47 AM

I third the books on tape/CD idea. I can hardly knit anymore without having someone reading me a story. I'm into the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson and any Spenser books. Good writing. And thanks for the salsa recipe, Erika. Gorgeous garden and beautiful flowers. Silly cat.

Posted by: Barbara on June 22, 2009 10:21 AM

The beautiful variegated rose could be "DELkibis" from France (no less). It's the only similar rose I could find on a time-limited internet search. It's so pretty - hope you can find the source.
Peggy

Posted by: Peggy on June 22, 2009 10:40 AM

I can't say anything clean about your troika of peppers. They are the naughtiest looking vegetation I've seen in a long, long time!

Posted by: Seanna Lea on June 22, 2009 12:12 PM

Glad to see you doing so well without TV. I barely made it for 5 1/2 days! The house was way too quiet. But then I don't have cats. Cats are very entertaining.

Posted by: crzjane on June 23, 2009 07:13 PM

Oh, I think my husband brought the rain. We were out there last week due to a death in the family. Down in Tacoma. We came to Seattle for one day, but that was all we could spare. It's darned beautiful in your neck of the woods--spoken by one who comes from another darned beautiful neck of another woods.

Posted by: LauraSue on June 25, 2009 05:46 AM