Just Call Me "Peaches"

I ran to the grocery store at the crack of dawn to lay in supplies for more experimental cooking in my "test kitchen." When we built this home 6 years ago, I spent a lot of time designing the layout of my kitchen, despite the fact that with no kids at home and a husband who works 80 hours a week, my kitchen only really gets to strut it's stuff for holiday dinners, maybe twice a year. With 4 dogs at home, we usually meet friends at restaurants for dinner. So other than the microwave and the coffee machine, the kitchen appliances get pretty lonely.

It's probably my imagination, but my kitchen is looking, well, cheerful? The oven, the stovetop and the stand mixer are looking pretty proud of themselves. And I have to give it up for them -- they have been making me proud, too. Yesterday, we were tinkering around with Peach Cobbler and my final version was yum, yum, yummy. I had to move it out of the baking pan into a saver bowl so my husband wouldn't notice just how much of it ate for "brunch." And for breakfast this morning. Hey, it has lots of fruit in it, so it can be breakfast. Don't judge me until you try the recipe!

Oh, I almost forgot....the origin of the title of this post. When my parents took me to Columbus, Mississippi for my first year of college, they teased me about heading into a very Southern place without a Southern accent or a stereotypically Southern nickname. My father told me that I should just call myself "Peaches." As they drove away from my dorm, my father rolled down the window and called out "Bye, Peaches!" I can't look at a peach without thinking about that.

Today, I'm thinking Red Velvet Cake. Or maybe a long nap. Maybe both. I'm also working away on pattern designs for the book, knitting up test swatches and writing first draft instructions for me to follow, and edit, as I knit the patterns. I'm working on a beach mat, afghan, boa scarf, decorative pillow, and felted bag so far. And I'm still spending time working on some sweaters for my non-book related vacation this Fall to Alaska with Mr. PurlQueen. My knitting is all over the house but my husband isn't complaining one bit. Maybe it's all the desserts coming out of the kitchen? If I'd known he was this easy, I'd have started baking for him 20 years ago.....