Chat Back for October 8

Responding to comments left since the last time I did Chat Back.

Judy S. asked . . .

I just noticed the crocosmia in your header~great color! How much sun does it need?

Mine gets shade for a few hours a day, but is mostly in full sun.

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Judy S. asked . . .

How about sharing the recipe for Orange spice nuts?

Orange-Spiced Pecans

8 oz package of pecan halves
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt

• Place pecans on an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan
  
• Bake at 275 degrees for 10 minutes
  
• While they're baking, make the sauce:
  
• Combine sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small saucepan
  
• Cook and stir until mixture boils and then 2 minutes more.
  
• Stir in hot pecans until evenly coated.
  
• Spread in a single layer on a foil lined 15 x 10 x 1 in baking pan to cool.
  (My pan/cookie sheet is no-stick, so I don't use the foil. Works fine.)

Makes about 2 cups.

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Kathy B. asked . . .

I'm thinking of getting a bird feeder than shuts when a squirrel gets on it....have you used this type? Does it work?

I did have one long long ago, before we moved here so it was over twenty years ago. It was made of metal and the squirrels dented it so it wouldn't open for the birds.

Maybe they've improved since then?

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Judy S. asked . . .

What's your favorite cable needle, or do you cable without a needle?

If I'm only crossing one or two stitches, sometimes three, I cable without a needle. It's much quicker and eliminates the problem of what to do with the cable needle in between cables.

For wider cables there is too much yarn stretching when I don't use a needle. I use a 4 inch straight #1 needle for just about everything.

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Stringplay wrote . . .

I love Retro Rib socks by Evelyn A. Clark, from an old Interweave Knits. A classic pattern that works for men or women.

I've used this pattern before and like it a lot.

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Dorothy wrote asked . . .

I've sworn off buying more cookbooks, but I'm thinking I may have to get that Taste of Home book. I'm tired of throwing out leftovers!

Instead of cooked left-overs, cooking small meals leaves you with ingredient left-overs. I just bought a bottle of Worcestershire sauce because a recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon.

It’s the partial cans of things that stump me. For example, a recipe might call for a quarter cup of tomato paste. What to do with the rest of the can. Do I really want to keep it? Well sure, no problem. But the little left over dabs of ingredients multiple rapidly and then I feel like I should keep an inventory of what I have and it all gets more complicated than I like.

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Lynn asked . . .

I would love to see those socks that are 10 yrs old!!!!

They're in the laundry right now, but I'll try to remember to take a picture when they're clean again.

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Jolyn asked . . .

The stitch pattern in Dave's socks looks interesting. will you share the stitch pattern?

AND
Vickie asked . . .

What is the pattern that you're using for Brother's wild socks? I really like it!

It's a basketweave variation.

Multiple of 6 stitches: (I'm using 72 stitches for a man's sock)

X O X X X X Row 4: p4,k,p
X O X O O O Row 3: k3,p,k,p
X X X O O O Row 2: k3,p3
X O X O O O Row 1: k3,p,k,p

X = purl
O = knit

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Ann P. asked . . .

I hesitated to bring up this delicate matter before but since you mention it...would you share your method for collecting urine from your dogs?

This is my routine for a female dog. I have no male dog routine. I'm guessing male dogs are more difficult, at least I don't know a good way to do it.

I use a pie plate shaped plastic dish, a funnel, and something to carry the urine in.

The pie plate is labeled so some unsuspecting person doesn't find it and decide it's just what they need for their food or whatever.

• Take the dog out on a short leash and walk to a place you know they like to pee.
  
• When the dog squats, they're committed. Slide the pie plate under their butt. Gotta be quick for this.
  
• When they're done, walk them away or let them off the leash.
  
• Use the funnel to get the urine from the pie plate into the carry container.