All the Rest of My Life

Week 3: Homecoming

2012-01-15T08:36:00.002-08:00

My knitting/quilting time has been limited this week due to pain in my shoulder. The tentative diagnosis I have is rotator cuff calcific tendonitis. I could not raise my arm very high last week; the worst part was that my husband had to comb my hair. I also haven't been sleeping well. I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon on Monday, although my condition is unlikely to require surgery. I am grateful that it appears I do not have a rotator cuff tear. I will, however, have to limit my activities for a while and will probably need to have physical therapy. Blech.

I did make this tree:

and six log cabin blocks. I've sewn two together and plan to applique a couple on it.

Here are a few of the many books I'm using for patterns and inspiration.

I did manage to finish a house block.

Everything about it seems a little wonky, but then, that's what my week has been like.

Week 2: Homecoming

2012-01-07T11:40:00.006-08:00

I made another large house block this week.
House with Trees 12" x 20"

What?! You've never seen a pink tree? Or a purple moon? Making anything any color I want is one of the most fun parts of quilting. It makes me think of a line from Dylan Thomas, A Child's Christmas in Wales, which I read every Christmas. Describing Useless Presents, he writes "...and a painting book in which I could make the grass, the trees, the sea and the animals any colour I pleased,and still the dazzling sky-blue sheep are grazing in the red field under the rainbow-billed and pea-green birds."

And see that blue fabric I used for the roof? I thought I'd used the last tiny bit of it in a doll quilt. Then I found a good yard and a half of it in my stash. I have too much fabric. NOT!

I made fifteen smaller blocks too.

Books Read--January, 2012

2012-01-01T16:10:00.007-08:00

1. The Wyndham Case by Jill Paton Walsh
2. Dying in the Dark by Sally Spencer
3. Breakdown by Sara Paretsky
4. Well-offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade
5. Private #1 Suspect by James Patterson
6. New York Dead by Stuart Woods
7. A Little Gentle Sleuthing by Betty Rowlands
8. Party to Murder by Betty Rowlands

Week 1: Homecoming

2012-01-01T11:34:00.001-08:00

I considered several names for this quilt including Country Life, It's a Wonderful Life, Home Sweet Home, Rural Home, Life is Beautiful and, finally, Homecoming. I chose Homecoming because it's short and it encompasses everything I want to express with this quilt.

I found the freezer paper and a glue stick that wasn't all dried up. I set up my ironing board in the guest room now that the Christmas guests are gone. It ended up in front of a window instead of facing a blank wall and I can't tell you what a nice difference that makes!

I'm using a small red/white check fabric to bring everything together, making several larger blocks, using this as the background fabric. These will all be houses. The smaller blocks will also be hand pieced and hand appliqued and they'll include flowers, stars, birds, sheep, trees, dogs, cats, chickens, the sun and moon, baskets, rabbits, children, log cabins, an American flag and a maple leaf plus others. I'm considering whether or not I want to add an applique border, but I haven't gotten that far yet. Many of the patterns will be from Jan Patek's books and patterns and I'll use others as well.

The first block I made was this one. Only later did I decide to use the red checked fabric for the background. I've put this block aside. I'll either use it on the back or it may become a doll quilt.
House Block 8"x 10"

My applique skills are very rusty (I use needle turning) so I made these two stars.
Stars 5" x 5"

Once I decided on the theme and the background fabric, I made these blocks.

Cat on House Block 10" x 20"
I kept auditioning fabrics and must have pieced each block three times apiece with different fabrics until I was happy with what I had. The patterns are from Jan Patek's book, Angels. And that reminds me; I want to add a guardian angel block to my quilt.

Snowbound Quilt

2012-01-01T06:59:00.006-08:00

I made this quilt in 2005 and sleep under it every December. I've just put it away for the year which made me want to make another quilt like it. There are blocks with hearts with my name, my husband's, and each of my four sons. I have four boys sledding and singing carols although my husband said I would never be able to make them wear those silly hats! There are sheep and a rabbit and a dog, all with family stories attached. I had so much fun making it and I was sad thinking I'll have to wait another year to use it again. How fun to make another, one I can use whatever time of year it is!

Serendipity Scrap Quilt

2011-12-31T12:34:00.002-08:00

Today, the last day of 2011, I've begun a full sized quilt. I hope to have it finished before the end of 2012. I've begun by gathering up scraps and putting them in a large bin and looking at block patterns I may want to include. I'm not going to graph this quilt out, but will assemble it like a jigsaw puzzle. I want it to be full sized, very scrappy, have both pieced and appliqued blocks, and it will be hand quilted. I'm still looking for a theme and a fabric to tie everything together.

I will post a photo of the first few blocks tomorrow.

Christmas Cross Stitch

2011-12-07T11:04:00.003-08:00

I haven't done cross stitching for many years, but this project enticed me. It's from
With Thy Needle and Thread. I may use different motifs from it to make small Christmas tree ornaments too, if I have time.

Books Read--December, 2011

2011-12-06T14:47:00.012-08:00

1. Exploding Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
2. Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron
3. A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry
4. Crime Machine by Giles Blunt
5. The Suicide Murders by Howard Engel
6. Death of an Innocent by Sally Spencer
7. A Victim Must Be Found by Howard Engel
8. Murder at Swan Lake by Sally Spencer
9. There was an Old Woman by Howard Engel
10.Tag Man by Archer Mayor
11. A Burial at Sea by Charles Finch
12. The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin

Books Read - November, 2011

2011-11-07T14:00:00.009-08:00

1.Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein
2.Ho-ho Homicide by Corinne Holt Sawyer
3.The Strange Death of Father Candy by Les Roberts
4.Dead on Cue by Sally Spencer
5.A Killer's Christmas in Wales by Elizabeth J. Duncan
6.V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
7.The Black Cat by Martha Grimes
8. Crime Stories by Dashiell Hammett

Books Read - October, 2011

2011-10-02T13:33:00.013-07:00

1. The Paradise Job by Sally Spencer
2. Skinner's Rules by Quintin Jardine
3. The Enemy Within by Sally Spencer
4. Skinner's Festival by Quintin Jardine
5. Killing the Blues by Michael Brandman
6. Worst Fears Realized by Stuart Woods
7. The Rose of the World by Alys Clare
8. The Hanging Wood by Martin Edwards
9. The Butcher Beyond by Sally Spencer
10. Son of Stone by Stuart Woods
11. Smoke and Whispers by Mick Herron
12. A Spider on the Stairs by Cassandra Chan
13. Trick of the Mind by Cassandra Chan

Books Read -September, 2011

2011-09-04T09:22:00.010-07:00

1. The Salton Killings by Sally Spencer
2. The Bitter Truth by Charles Todd
3. The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
4. Dirt by Stuart Woods
5. Echoes of the Dead by Sally Spencer
6. Play Dead by Harlan Coben
7. Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen
8. A Sight for Sore Eyes by Ruth Rendell
9. The Vault by Ruth Rendell
10. The Devil on My Doorstep by Stuart Kaminsky
11. Triptych by Karin Slaughter

My Week-End

2011-08-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

I started a pair of mittens yesterday but I wasn't happy with how they were turning out. I tried several types of ribbing, different sized needles, and even tried stripes, but I didn't like any of them and ripped every attempt. I think worsted weight yarn is too thick for mittens; I'll try again with DK or fingering weight yarn.

I did made a red and white child's hat this morning. It still lacks the pom-pom on top. I will make more of these using the worsted weight, but there will be some changes.

It's cooler today with highs in the lower 80s. I've started a second hat with the worsted weight yarn and will post photographs of it and the red hat once they are finished and have their pom-poms on.

We're having spaghetti and salad for dinner tonight.

Yesterday I collected only one egg from the chickens. We have three hens and have been getting two to three eggs per day, the weather has been hot and I'm sure that's one reason why. They've also just started laying and when we get eggs will probably be erratic for the next few weeks.

I watered all the flowers early in the morning and then put the laundry out on the line. I didn't quilt yesterday but I did finish reading a book. Supper was a hamburger patty, tomatoes, cucumbers, and corn on the cob.

Books Read - August, 2011

2011-08-03T20:47:00.013-07:00

1. The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood
2. File Under Jeopardy by Sarah Lacey
3. Sins of the Father by Sally Spencer
4. One Summer by David Baldacci
5. File Under Arson by Sarah Lacey
6. The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller
7. Fatal Quest by Sally Spencer
8. The Midsummer Crown by Kate Sedley
9. Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier
10. The Dead Hand of History by Sally Spencer
11. The Witch Maker by Sally Spencer
12. Dangerous Games by Sally Spencer
13. Sante Fe Rules by Stuart Woods
14. Dying Fall by Sally Spencer
15. Death of a Cave Dweller by Sally Spencer

Bowtie Quilt

2011-07-13T06:53:00.005-07:00

One of the first quilts I made was a bowtie quilt. I've fallen in love with this one and apparently I'm not the only one as I've heard that a number of bloggers are working on/planning to make this quilt.

I don't have any cheddar fabrics in my stash, but I do have quite a bit of what is unabashedly orange and that's what I'm going to use. Here are my first three blocks. They are 6" and I plan on making 48 and setting them 6x8.

Books Read - July, 2011

2011-06-30T18:12:00.017-07:00

1. Inspired by Tradition by Kay Mackenzie (NF)
2. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear
3. Orchid Beach by Stuart Woods
4. File Under Deceased by Sarah Lacey
5. Orchid Blues by Stuart Woods
6. God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours by Regina Brett (NF)
7. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
8. Fast Fade by Arthur Lyons
9. The Ring of Death by Sally Spencer
10. Whiskey Sour by Joe Konrath
11. Rusty Nails by Joe Konrath
12. The Sixth Man by David Baldacci
13. Dirty Martini by Joe Konrath
14. Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich
15. Infernal Angels by Loren Estleman
16. The Body in the Gazebo by Katherine Hall Page

Books Read - June, 2011

2011-06-06T08:58:00.015-07:00

1. Vintage Knits by Kaffe Fassett (NF)
2. Orange Peel: New Quilts from an Old Favorite by Linda Baxter Lasco (NF)
3. Short Straw by Stuart Woods
4. The Prince of Beverly Hills by Stuart Woods
5. Hard Trade by Arthur Lyons
6. Buried Prey by John Sanford
7. All God's Children by Arthur Lyons
8. A Cool Head by Ian Rankin
9. Mystery by Jonathan Kellerman
10. Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton
11. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
12. Broken by Karin Slaughter
13. Dark Harbor by Stuart Woods
14. The Killing Floor by Arthur Lyons
15. Castle Burning by Arthur Lyons
16. Trader of Secrets by Steve Martini
17. Dead Ringer by Arthur Lyons
18. The Dead are Discreet by Arthur Lyons

Thinking of the Future

2011-05-18T09:44:00.004-07:00

This scrap four patch quilt is 38" square. The top was pieced by my husband's great aunt, Clara Wooster, and I hand-quilted it a few years ago. My thought was that it would make a lovely crib quilt for a future grand-son and I've put it aside for that. As I quilted and bound it I thought of what that little boy might be like and smiled the entire time.

And if you want to see some gorgeous quilts, check out the Bloggers' Quilt Festival here.

Books Read - May, 2011

2011-05-07T11:11:00.007-07:00

1. False Pretenses by Arthur Lyons
2. Sixkill by Robert B. Parker
3. Live Wire by Harlan Coban
4. Three with a Bullet by Arthur Lyons
5. The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
6. Bel-Air Dead by Stuart Woods
7. A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block
8. The Girl Who would Speak for the Dead by Paul Elwork
9. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
10. At the Hands of Another by Arthur Lyons

Chickies Moving Outside

2011-04-29T10:46:00.007-07:00

John put a tarp on top of the chicken yard so the chickies won't get too wet if it rains hard. Chickens aren't very smart; their heads aren't all that big and it's mostly fluff. The tarp also helps to keep it a little warmer in there. They're mostly feathered out, but not completely. They will be kept in their house (which John still needs to do some work on), which has a heat lamp, during the nights until it warms up. John built some raised beds outside the yard. That's radishes you see on the right.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T07:21:00.004-07:00

A quiet, rainy Easter Day at home for me. I will quilt and knit and visit with the sons who come over or phone. Have a wonderful Easter Day!

Thank you!

2011-04-22T12:52:00.003-07:00

Thank you to Nancy (and Bailey)! I was lucky enough to win a copy of the first issue of a new magazine, Primitive Quilts and Projects. Yay!

More Pink Tulips!

2011-04-09T09:43:00.002-07:00

This is what I found when I got home from work. I love pink tulips and my dear husband who thought of me.

Books Read --April, 2011

2011-04-03T20:08:00.010-07:00

1. Dance for the Dead by Thomas Perry
2. Death of a Hired Man by Eric Wright
3. The Highly Effective Detective by Richard Yancey
4. Paradise Lost by J.A. Jance
5. Santa Fe Edge by Stuart Woods
6. Mist Over the Water by Alys Clare
7. The Price of Love and Other Short Stories by Peter Robinson
8. Loitering with Intent by Stuart Woods
9. Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden
10. Gone with a Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West
11. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch

My Chickies are Artists!

2011-04-02T16:33:00.004-07:00

John has been giving our little chicks pieces of bread now and then, along with their feed. Here is a photo of what they did with the last slice. They are so talented! I could sell this on Ebay!

Flowers

2011-03-30T06:48:00.004-07:00

I kept some of the potted plants in the garage this year and they over-wintered very well. It'll be time to put them outside again soon.

The Chickies

2011-03-26T12:05:00.005-07:00

I am so happy we are going to have chickens again! We bought six chicks yesterday. The three Rhode Island Reds are named Lucy, Rita, and Maureen. The Barred Rock Three are Lizzy, Squeaky, and Martha. Here is a couple of photos. They're shy and didn't like the camera flash.

Books Read-- March, 2011

2011-03-02T16:33:00.008-08:00

1. Strategic Moves by Stuart Woods
2. The Big Gamble by Michael McGarrity
3. Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton
4. Mermaids in the Basement by Michael Lee West
6. Strangers in Town by Ross McDonald
7. First Thrills ed by Lee Child
8. Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden
9. Bless the Bride by Rhys Bowen
10. When the Thrill is Gone by Walter Mosley

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T13:59:00.002-08:00

Tulips -my favorite-- and a card from my sweet husband. Happy Valentine's Day sweetheart!

Quilting Another of Aunt Clara's Tops

2011-02-06T14:45:00.003-08:00

I've finished the Rob-Peter-to-Pay-Paul Snowball Quilt--except for the binding-- and have just put this four-patch in the frame.

Books Read--February, 2011

2011-02-03T12:05:00.013-08:00

1. The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman
2. The Left-Handed Dollar by Loren Estleman
3. Remembering Adelia: Quilts Inspired by her Diary by Kathleen Tracy (NF)
4. Word Play Quilts: Easy Techniques from the Unruly Quilter by Tonya Ricucci
5. Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health by H. Gilbert Welch (NF)
6. Cold Paradise by Stuart Woods
7. Choke by Stuart Woods
8. American Folk Art Quilts by Maggi McCormick Gordon (NF)
9. 365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life by John Kralik (NF)
10. Kisser by Stuart Woods
11. Give Me Your Heart by Joyce Carol Oates
12. Killing the Lawyers by Reginald Hill
13. Knit. Sock. Love. by Cookie A. (NF)
14. A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch
15. The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman
16. Born Guilty by Reginald Hill
17. Blood Sympathy by Reginald Hill
18. Music of the Distant Stars by Alys Clare
19. The Civil War Sewing Circle by Kathleen Tracy (NF)
20. Singing the Sadness by Reginald Hill

Quilt in the Frame

2011-01-24T07:05:00.003-08:00

This is the quilt I put in the frame yesterday. The pattern is a Robbing-Peter-to-Pay Paul variation of Snowball hand-pieced by my husband's great-aunt Clara, circa 1950. The blocks are 7" square and they are set 8 blocks by 11 for a size of 54" x 77".

January Goals

2011-01-21T15:02:00.007-08:00

My quilty goals are to finish quilting, bind, and label my Happy Baskets Quilt (a variation of the one shown in the photo) and to bind my Jockey Cap quilt. The Happy Baskets is a liberated basket from a book by Gwen Marston and Freddy Moran. The Jockey Cap is a Kaffe Fasset quilt kit I bought from Glorious Color. The quilt is based on one in the Albert and Victoria Museum. I also want to finish piecing Persian Garden, another Kaffe Fasset kit.

My knitting goals for this month are to finish my Sage socks and perhaps even knit another pair of baby socks.

That's a lot and I'm not sure I'll be able to finish everything.

50 Things that Make Me Happy

2011-01-20T06:38:00.009-08:00

I've been reading Willa's Journal for many years. It was from her I first heard about "blogging" and she inspired me to start one. Of course, now I have ummm...several (I'm not counting them!), but that's not her fault.

Not long ago she listed 50 things that make me happy. I've decided to copy her and do the same.

1. Savoring a cup of coffee au lait early in the morning
2. Burrowing in under flannel sheets and quilts on cold, dark winter nights
3. Waking up to birds singing just before dawn
4. Blueberries, especially a bowl of blueberries with milk and brown sugar
5. Starting a new quilt
6. Finishing a quilt
7. Opening a book by one of my favorite authors and beginning to read
8. Wearing hand knit socks
9. Spending the afternoon quilting on a rainy day
10. Saying something funny and watching John smile
11. Putting on a wool sweater
12. John fixing breakfast when I sleep in late and dinner when I work late
13. Wildflowers
14. Hearts on valentines and on quilts
15. Doll quilts of all kinds
16. Knitting a complicated pattern and finally "getting it"
17. Making applesauce
18. Eating warm applesauce
19. Babies giggling
20. Eating a piece of toast with marmalade with a cup of Earl Gray tea
21. Finding just the right journal article for someone at the reference desk and watching their face light up
22. Believing I have a guardian angel
23. Walking hand-in-hand with John
24. Seeing or hearing from any of my sons
25. Watching chickens and hearing them softly clucking, which sounds like singing
26. Hearing the clock tower chimes at the university where I work
27. A fire in the fireplace
28. Watching snowflakes falling
29. Thunderstorms in summer
30. Lilacs
31. Finding a Quiltmania magazine I don't have
32. Baskets of all kinds
33. Time to do whatever I want
34. Falling asleep when reading
35. Playing with my fabrics and deciding on a new quilt
36. Sewing doll clothes
37. Realizing I need new clothes a size or two smaller than what I'm wearing
38. Listening to Mozart while driving near the river
39. Picnics
40. A small slice of homemade blackberry pie with ice cream
41. The smell of vinegar and spices when making bread and butter pickles in August
42. The sun warm on my face
43. Petting a cat
44. Watching sheep herding dog trials
45. Hearing a really funny joke
46. Writing with a very sharp pencil
47. Dark green
48. Smelling bacon frying and freshly brewed coffee when waking up
49. Using my mother's Featherweight sewing machine
50. Sweet peas (the flower)

This Time of Year

2011-01-06T07:24:00.001-08:00

I love this time of year when everything is bare and stark. There are touches of color here and there, but not much, and the colors that are there are muted.

Books Read--January, 2011

2011-01-03T11:20:00.009-08:00

1. Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book One by Anne Rice
2. Of Love and Evil: The Songs of the Seraphim, Book Two by Anne Rice
3. Interweave Presents Knitted Gifts: Irresistible Projects to Make and Give by Ann Budd (NF)
4. The Short Forever by Stuart Woods
5. Not a Girl Detective by Susan Kandel
6. Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell
7. Beautiful Sheep: Portraits of Champion Breeds by Kathryn Dun (NF)
8 Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag
9. I Still Dream about You by Fannie Flagg
10. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
11. The Attenbury Emeralds: A New Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane Mystery by Jill Paton Walsh
12. The Sentry by Robert Crais
13. Tick Tock by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Quilt Kits and Heirloom Tool Chest

2011-01-02T16:24:00.007-08:00

I have a lot of quilt kits. I don't know exactly how many because they're scattered in different boxes, cupboards, and closets. I'm going to find out though because John offered me the use of his great-grandfather's tool chest to put some of my things in. I'd thought first to use it store quilt tops, but was afraid they might get snagged or stained. Then I thought about yarn, but same worries. Most of my quilt kits, however, are packaged. And those that aren't can be.

Some background about this tool chest. It's over 100 years and was used by my husband's great-grandfather, Niels Rasmussen. He was a master carpenter and moved to the United States from Denmark at the turn of the century. This was not his master carpenter tool chest, but a rougher one he used every day.

Then the scary part. Finding out how many quilt kits I have. I suspect I have more than will fit in the chest. The good thing is that maybe I'll actually start making some of these quilts.

Later: So far I've found 16 quilt kits and 2 hooked rug kits.
Much Later: Oh, Lord, I've found more than 30 quilt kits. The chest is now packed and I still have more. I'm thinking I may be selling some of these on Ebay.

My Practical Resolutions

2011-01-02T05:29:00.014-08:00

These are my more mundane resolutions for 2011.

1.Continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise
I began this a couple of years ago and now that I am a "woman of a certain age" or, more truthfully a "woman of a certain age, plus", it's even more important. A health scare last year really made me aware of why this must be a priority.

2. Update my blogs more consistently
I've let some of my blogs languish. The problem is, of course, that I have too many of them! I am focusing on four this year and this one is the first. I'm not going to put a number out there--post twice a week or four times a month--but letting almost an entire year go by without updating is just unacceptable.

3. Knit 2 pairs adult socks and 1 pair baby socks a month.
I was overly ambitious last year and tried to finish 4 pairs of adult socks and 2 pairs of baby ones every month and I did it for a time, but eventually I burned myself out. Knitting Only Socks is the second (the first one is this blog) that I will post to more often.

4.Do more charity knitting.
I will post about this on yet another blog, Knitting for Peace.

5. Complete 2 doll quilts a month and 4 full size quilts this year.
I have plenty of ideas and plenty of fabrics. What I don't have enough of is time. This may be overly ambitious and I may have to modify this goal. I will post updates on my doll quilts on Only Doll Quilts. I'll write about the full size quilts I complete on this one.

6. Remember to list the names of the books read (at least 100) I read this year.
I easily read 100 books a year, but I forget to keep track of them. I'll try to do better.

7. Learn to play the violin.
I have to admit my husband is not too thrilled with this one, but this is something I've talked about doing for the past year and haven't followed through. A friend gave me some great tips about where to find a teacher willing to take on a more "mature" student. And really. My husband should be thankful I've decided to give up the idea of learning how to tap dance!

Oh! And one more resolution! Don't start any more blogs!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T10:25:00.004-08:00

I wrote this at the end of 2004. I'm still working on them.
********************************************************************
Every New Year's resolution is a small gift wrapped in shiny paper that I give to myself and I want to chose it carefully. It wasn't until two weeks into 2004, after a great deal of thinking and considering different ideas, that I decided on nurturing serenity as my resolution. So, again, I begin the process. My resolutions aren't always practical or concrete or measurable. They're certainly not easy. I can't claim that I kept my resolution of nurturing serenity all the times I could have last year but I do feel more patient and calmer and that was the whole point.

Simplify.
After spending yesterday evening at my in-laws house, a house crammed full of stuff everywhere you turn, where it's impossible to focus on anything because there is just too much, my resolution includes to get rid of things that I don't need, don't want or will never use. There are some things I will keep for sentimental reasons, others because they're practical, but I will begin looking at the things in my house with a far more critical eye. Some things will be stored, others given away and others sold. I do not want to be eighty years old and spending most of the little time I have left on this earth taking care of inanimate objects while also trying to figure out how to get rid of them like my in-laws are doing now.

I also want to simplify my inner life. I have a tendency to make everything much too complex. I examine things too closely, try to determine all the possibilities beforehand and spend inordinate amounts of time making decisions about things which really aren't all that important. I do that partly because I dislike unpleasant surprises, have a tendency to be a perfectionist and want to feel in control. Yes, I am aware of how ironic it is that I will spend so much time determining my New Year's resolution but I'll argue that it doesn't apply because the resolution I decide on is not unimportant. At least, not to me.

I want to include three of the components I had last year.

Pray
I pray in bits and pieces throughout my day. I don't use long and formal prayers. I pray when I'm driving, when I fold laundry, when I cut carrots and roll out pie dough. I pray when I sweep the front porch or water flowers or see birds or sing. Prayer is an important part of my daily life.

Expect Joy
Sometimes I miss the little pieces of joy that are around me.

Accept Grace
Accepting grace is far more difficult than it seems. Part of it is having faith and sometimes mine wavers.

That's a start. I'll see where it leads me in the next few weeks.

Making Lists

2011-01-01T08:34:00.004-08:00

I am an inveterate list maker. I make all kinds of lists. I even make lists of lists! I find it's the best way to get things accomplished and crossing an item off a list is very satisfying.

I've made a list of socks I want to knit and other items (hats, mittens, and scarves) as well. Some are for charity, some for gifts, and some for me! Others are class samples as I want to teach at least one knitting class a month. I'm also thinking of knitting a sweater for myself, but I have yet to find a pattern I like. I've made a list of quilts, both doll/small sized and bed size, to make. I want to read at least 100 books this year and this time keep track of them! I'm determined to lose the remaining excess weight, to eat healthier, and to exercise.

Today I'll take Christmas down and put it away until next year, catch up on laundry, and plan meals for next week. I've had three weeks off work, but go back on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting next week. This first week I'll only be working half days.

I hope you have a very Happy New Year!

I'm Back!

2010-12-29T07:37:00.001-08:00

Yes, it has been almost a year since I've last written. I did read well over 100 books in 2010, but didn't continue my list. Ah, well.

I've made doll quilts, knit socks, hats, and mittens and begun teaching knitting classes. I've lost quite a bit of weight by eating healthier and going to the gym three times a week. I'm still working two days a week as a reference librarian/archivist at a university library. Next year? I'm still mulling it over. Oh, I'll continue everything I did last year, but I love new challenges.

One idea I've been considering is to research a woman's diary in the university archives where I work and use that as a basis to write a book including either knitting or quilting projects focused on the time frame of the diary. That could be a fun as well as a daunting project.

2010 100 Book Challenge

2010-01-03T07:06:00.038-08:00

Again, I have as my goal to read at least 100 books in 2010.

January
1. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
2. Made in Brooklyn by Jared Flood
3. St. Albans Fire by Archer Mayor
4. Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters by Donna Druchunas
5. Classic Quilts from the American Museum by Kate Hebert
6. Occam's Razor by Archer Mayor
7. Dare to Die by Carolyn Hart
8. Things I Learned from Knitting --Whether I Wanted To or Not by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
9. Call the Devil by his Oldest Name by Sallie Bissell
10. The Good Son by Russel D. McLean
11. In the Forest of Harm by Sallie Bissell
12. The Catch by Archer Mayor
13. The Red Door by Charles Todd
14. The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton
15. The First Rule by Robert Crais
16. Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, a Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese by Brad Kessler
17. A Whisper to the Living by Stuart M. Kaminsky
18. The Paths of the Air by Alys Clare
19. The Girl in a Red Tunic by Alys Clare

February
20. Mostly Mittens : Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia by Charlene Schurch
21. Doors Open by Ian Rankin
22. Fortune Like the Moon by Alys Clare
23. 99 Yarns and Counting: More Designs from the Green Mountain Spinnery by The Green Mountain Spinnery Cooperative
24. The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future by Robert Darnton
25. Vintage Quilts: Identifying, Collecting, Dating, Preserving & Valuing by Bobbie Aug, Sharon Newman & Gerald Roy
26. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
27. Knitted Lace of Estonia : Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions by Nancy Bush
28. War Dances by Sherman Alexie

March
29. Ashes of the Elements by Alys Clare
30. Out of the Dawn Light by Alys Clare
31. Mother's Best: Comfort Food that Takes You Home Again by Lisa Schroeder
32. The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman
33. The Sonnet Lover by Carol Goodman (audio-book)
34. The History of Hand Knitting by Richard Rutt
35. A Rumpole Christmas by John Mortimer
36. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
37. Great Poets of World War I : Poetry from the Great War by Jon Stallworthy
38. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
39. The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield
40. Listening Below the Noise: A Meditation on the Practice of Silence by Anne D. LeClaire
41. Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton

April
42. The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear
43. Ontario's Heritage Quilts by Marilyn I. Walker
44. The New England Quilt Museum quilts: Featuring the Story of the Mill Girls by Jennifer Gilbert
45. Quilts, 1700-2010: Hidden Histories, Untold Stories edited by Sue Prichard
46. Wheel of Fate by Kate Sedley
47. Liberated Quiltmaking by Gwen Marston
48.

John Nilsen Concert

2009-12-05T17:45:00.025-08:00

Twenty-three people enjoyed the wonderful music of John Nilsen this afternoon at the Halsey United Methodist Church. We are so blessed to have this terrific pianist and composer come to our little church and regale us with an hour of music.

John's CDs and tapes were available for purchase after the concert.

Cheese and crackers, cookies, brownies, and other goodies, as well as coffee and Rosalie's delicious spiced wassil, were served in Wesley Hall.

Here is Pastor Karen with a cup of Rosalie's wassil.

Checking out the cookies.

Local Treasures-- A Special Collections Workshop

2009-12-05T11:20:00.024-08:00

I attended this workshop, sponsored by PORTALS (Portland Area Library Association for Continuing Education), and held in Portland at the Central Branch of the Multnomah County Library yesterday. The program was organized by Roberta Richards, and the discussion was moderated by Bob Kingston, who are both librarians at Portland Community College. Presenters from archives, museums, libraries, and special collections discussed their institutions and treasures. They included

* The Oregon Historical Society Research Library - Shawn Gandy
* The City of Portland Archives and Records Center - Diana Banning
* The Multnomah County Archives - Terry Baxter
* Central Library's John Wilson Special Collections - Jim Carmin
* Oregon Jewish Museum - Anne Prahl
* Oregon State Library - Dave Hegeman
* Lewis and Clark College Special Collection - Robyn Ward

A wonderful resource page for the workshop is available on the Northwest Central webpage and can be found here.

~~I will be writing a more formal blog post describing some of what I learned on the Oregon State University Archives webpage later.~~ You can find the post here.

I arrived early and immediately went to Children's Library. Two features I especially love are the the Alice in Wonderland sculpture by Florence Thomas, circa 1930.

and Bronze Tree

I still had some time so I went to the Friends' Library Store where I purchased some fabulous presents. Because some readers may be the recipients, I am only going to post photographs of two items I purchased for myself. One was a postcard book

and the other a Christmas ornament.

I loved the program and knew most of the presenters. I worked at the Oregon State Library when I first began library school and input almost 1,000 photographs in Past Perfect under the direction of then Special Collections Librarian, Merrialyce Blanchard. I was delighted to see that the photograph of the musical family on their homepage is the very first one I researched and put in PastPerfect. It was working there that made me want to become an archivist.

Evidence

2009-11-03T18:54:00.006-08:00

I am reading Jonathan Kellerman's latest novel, Evidence. I am an avid reader of this author's books and have read all of the Alex Delaware novels. But I've found factual errors in every one. Some are glaring, others aren't. The problem is that they distract me from the plot.

Here are the ones I found in this book.

Page 5: "He'd brought a good lunch today, roast beef sandwich from Arby's, too bad there was nothing to heat the gravy with."

I've eaten at Arby's and they do have roast beef sandwiches, but I've never seen one on the menu which includes gravy. I looked at the Arby's website and they have sausage and biscuits with gravy, but no roast beef sandwiches with gravy. So where did this guy get the gravy?

Page 65: "We found some soda cans toward the back of the property, dented and rusty, like they've been there for a while."

They must have been there for a very long while. Most soda cans have been made of aluminum since the early 1970's and aluminum doesn't rust.

And lastly, on pages 142-143, there is some discussion about $50,000 in $50 bills. "Two large suitcases full."

No. That's totally wrong. $50,000 in $50 bills is a total of 1,000 bills. A bill is 0.0043 in thickness. A stack of 1000 bills would be less than five inches high. "Two large suitcases" would not be required.

I know I am being picky, but why can't authors (and their editors) catch these factual mistakes before the book is published? They're not huge errors, but they detract from the story.

Possessives, Contractions, and Plurals

2009-10-14T10:41:00.003-07:00

This is my latest pet peeve. Don't schools teach this anymore? I am astounded by the number of times I've seen these used incorrectly in books and on professional blogs.

Here's a brief review:

Ownership by one person or thing: school's John's
Ownership by more than one person or thing: students'

Using its and it's:
When used as a possessive, use its: The truck lost its muffler
When used as a contraction--"it is": It's best not to question a judge in a courtroom.

When a word ends with the letter "s" (including a plural) to make it possessive use an apostrophe after the "s" without adding another "s": snakes'

How hard is that?

Autumn Rains

2009-10-14T09:24:00.002-07:00

I woke last night to the rain beating on the roof although there were pieces of blue sky this morning. There may be a day or two of bright sunny weather in the next couple of weeks, but the rainy season is upon us. I need to find my wool hats and gloves and my umbrella. I'll be using them often for the next six months.

The Last of Summer's Flowers

2009-10-11T11:41:00.004-07:00

The sun was warm when I went out to water my flowers this morning, but the air is cold. Yes, autumn is here. Next weekend I'll need to clear them out and get the flower pots ready for next spring. The lavender, sage, chives, oregano, and rosemary will winter over. The basil is in John's office. The Thanksgiving cactus has been put away in a dark closet to force it to bloom.

When I Know Summer Really is Over

2009-10-07T11:55:00.003-07:00

There comes a time when it cannot be put off any longer. The radio warns of a killing frost coming that night, and you must say good-by to the garden. You dread it, as you dread saying good-by to any good friend; but the garden waits with its last gifts, and you must go with a bushel basket or big buckets to receive them. ~ Rachel Peden

Blackberry Eating

2009-09-17T19:25:00.002-07:00

Blackberry Eating

I love to go out in late September
among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries
to eat blackberries for breakfast,
the stalks very prickly, a penalty
they earn for knowing the black art
of blackberry-making; and as I stand among them
lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries
fall almost unbidden to my tongue,
as words sometimes do, certain peculiar words
like strengths and squinched,
many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps,
which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well
in the silent, startled, icy, black language
of blackberry-eating in late September.

Galway Kinnell (b. 1927)

What I Did Today

2009-09-11T09:52:00.007-07:00

Today I:

* paid the utility bills
* cut out fabric for a doll quilt
* made a pumpkin nut bread
* saw that the weather forecast for the next two weeks is for 70-80 degrees every day
* did two loads of laundry
* started a list of what I want to do this weekend
* knit a pair of pink mittens
* began knitting a pair of baby bumblebee socks
* mopped the kitchen floor and did some other maintenance housework
* watered my flowers and herbs
* put stale bread out for the birds and filled their bird bath
* thought about getting out the Fall decorations, but decided to wait
* swept the front porch
* ironed John's work shirts for next week
* made an appointment with a heating contractor about installing a new furnace
* picked up books, DVD movies, and books on CD at the public library
* looked at possible new curtains for the bedrooms
* ate leftover pizza for dinner
* began reading Charles Todd's A Duty to the Dead
* said a prayer for all those affected by 9/11/01

Summer's End

2009-09-07T18:21:00.002-07:00

No! Sob! I'm not ready! Yesterday evening I realized it was getting dark much earlier. A few leaves are turning color. It's cooler in the mornings. I can still keep the screened, sliding glass door next to my desk open and listen to the wind rustling in the leaves and the birds singing, but how much longer will it be before it's too cold and the leaves and the birds are gone? Last night, just before I fell asleep, I heard a flock of geese honking as they began their long trip south.

I'm going to go eat another fresh peach, knowing that soon there soon will be no more, and muse over summer's end.

Oregon State Fair

2009-08-30T07:06:00.022-07:00

John and I went to the fair yesterday with our son, Owen, and daughter-in-law, Sarah. We left at 8am and picked them up in Eugene at 9am, arriving in Salem shortly after the fair opened for the day. The weather was perfect; warm, but not too warm, with an overcast sky.

We headed straight to the animal barns. First, came the sheep! One of my favorite breeds is the Navajo-Churro. Their wool is gorgeous and comes in marvelous colors and if I had this breed I would take up spinning and weaving.

The second breed I like are the Shetland sheep. These are the sheep I would probably get if I moved back to the country and we had sheep again. They are small and could be managed much more easily than larger breeds. They also have lovely wool and I could again see myself learning how to spin and using the yarn to knit.

At the end of the sheep barn, there was a large stall with people crowded around. We went over to see what was there and found a sow with her piglets!

Next came the chickens!

Here are Sarah, Owen, and John entering the building.

I'm not especially fond of the strange looking, fluffy, poodle-looking like chickens, but it was lovely to see examples of the breeds we used to have--Barred Rock and Rhode Island Red. I'll admit I became enamored of the small and delicate old English breeds. The building wasn't conducive to photography, but I did get this one photo.

We also saw Toulouse geese like the ones we had. There were also some Welsh Harlequin ducks. I had forgotten how beautiful they were.

I did manage to get a photo of John with a rooster which belongs to his co-worker, Lee. The rooster's name is Stella. I don't know why.

After thoroughly washing our hands at one of the many hand-washing stations set up outside the barns, we looked for something to eat for lunch. We ended up with barbecued ribs, coleslaw, and beans. After washing our hands again we found the Americraft Center.

There was a lot of competition in the baked goods divisions, but it was disappointing to see so few canned fruits, vegetables, and jams. I had looked forward to seeing the knitted entries, but there were surprisingly very few. I could only find three pairs of socks. There were several small lace shawls and they appeared not to have been blocked. There were many, many quilts. Quite a few were hung high up on the walls making them difficult to see.

There was one area, however, where quilts were hung up so that viewers could see them close up and here is where I took many photographs.

Blackberry Pie

2009-08-23T17:37:00.001-07:00

It's not the most beautiful pie in the world, I know. When my four boys were growing up, my goal was to make pies faster than they could eat them. They didn't care what they looked like, only that they tasted good. And they did.

Why I Don't Go to the Movies

2009-08-05T09:20:00.006-07:00

When someone asks me what's the last movie I saw at a theater, I have to answer that I don't remember. It's just too long ago. I think it might have been one of the 007 movies--one with Sean Connery--but I'm not certain. In any case, it's been many, many years. When I'm asked why I don't go to movies I give conventional, generally acceptable answers like:

1. It's too expensive
2. The closest movie theater to where I live is a 50 mile round-trip drive
3. There are no movies at the theater I really want to see that badly.
4. There always seems to be some jerk who won't stop commenting, a crying kid, and/or a ringing cell phone or some other distraction which ruins the movie for me
5. The snacks are too expensive
6. The air conditioning is too cold and I don't want to wear a sweater in the summer
7. The sound is too loud
8. The best seats (half way back, in the middle) are always filled before I get there
9. I can't put the movie on pause if I need to leave to use the restroom
10. The person sitting next to me always wants the armrest and/or someone very tall sits right in front of me so I have to lean over to see the screen.

Well, those are the reasons I give. But the truth is I am just so easily distracted by the big screen that I forget to pay attention to the plot. If it's a period piece I'm looking at hairstyles and clothing. If someone is wearing a handknit sweater that's all I'll pay attention to. (See Knitting in the Movies for a list of DVD movies which include knitting.) I'm looking at architectural details and listening to accents or choices of words. I look at how the movie was made-- colors, lights and shadows, point of view, depth of field, props, and angles of shots. In short, I'm paying attention to everything except the story.

No, if it's a movie I really do want to see I'll wait for it to come out on DVD. The smaller television screen isn't as distracting and I can watch it as many times as I wish and at some point I'll pay attention to the movie itself instead of all the details. That works for me.

Thunderstorm Warning!

2009-08-02T07:45:00.003-07:00

There is a high possibility of thunderstorms this afternoon. I know this means we may lose electric service and so I am doing my baking and cooking now. I'm making a macaroni salad for dinner, cooking some rice for the left-over stir fry to put in John's lunch tomorrow, a potato salad to eat with sub sandwiches, and a blackberry crisp. As I began this morning I found I was out of milk, brown sugar, salad macaroni, and potatoes so I will need to go to the store when it opens at 8 am.

I plan to spend the rest of the day knitting and reading.

Blazing Heat

2009-07-28T06:10:00.002-07:00

I don't generally write about the weather because, really, what is there to say? Well, today it's--- It is really hot! It was 104 degrees yesterday and the forecast is for 105 degrees today and it is really hot! And it's not cooling down at night either. It's 6 am now and it's 71 degrees outside. I have to rely on it's cooling down at night to cool down the house, but when it doesn't cool down at night it just doesn't work.

And did I tell you it's really hot?

The Best Part of Summer

2009-07-24T17:41:00.005-07:00

The best part of summer is coming up. It's the time of blackberries, corn-on-the-cob, tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden. Every flower is in glorious bloom. The birds are singing their hearts out. Dawn and twilight are the most beautiful. And mid-day, when the sun shines down on us all, bright and warm. At night I stand outside where there are no outdoor lights and I see stars going on forever. I hear the children laughing and talking on the swings and slides and playing baseball and tag at the school playground a few blocks away. The bees are buzzing, the little wild rabbits hide under the snowball bush, and the birds splash in the bird bath.

Summer is truly here. Life is good.

Trip to Oregon Coast

2009-06-26T18:02:00.008-07:00

John and I went to the Oregon Coast today, traveling to Waldport and down the Coast Highway through Yachats and Florence before heading home again. It was sunny with a cold wind so we didn't spend very much time on the beach, but we did take a lot of photographs. The weather was perfect, there weren't many people, and we had a wonderful time.

Backyard Flowers

2009-06-11T13:45:00.001-07:00

Little Birthday Cupcakes

2009-06-11T09:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday John and I went to see his father who is a nursing home as he gains strength to go back home. It was his 89th birthday and we brought him some mini-cupcakes made by the local Cupcake Cafe. We didn't stay long as he was very tired and wanted to sleep.

Some Quotes

2009-06-09T12:50:00.006-07:00

These are from Hannah Coulter: A Novel by Wendell Berry.

***************************************************
Love is a great room with a lot of doors, where we are invited to knock and come in. Though it contains all the world, the sun, moon and stars, it is so small as to be also in our hearts. It is in the hearts of those who choose to come in. Some do not come in. Some may stay out forever. Some come in together and leave separately. Some come in and stay until they die, and after.

Life without expectations was still life, and life was still good. The light that had lighted us into this world was lighting us through it. We loved each other and lived right on. We sat down to the food we had grown and ate it and praised it and were thankful for it. We suffered the thoughts of the nights and at dawn woke up and went back to work. The world that had so often had disappointed us and made us sorrowful sometimes made up happy by surprise.

Anytime an eighteen year old boy tells you not to worry, you had better worry.

After each one of our children went away to the university, there always came a time when we would feel the distance opening to them, pulling them away. It was like sitting snug in the house, and a door is opened somewhere, and suddenly you feel a draft.

To be the mother of a grown up child means that you don't have a child anymore and that is sad. When the grown up child leaves home, that is sadder. Maybe if you had enough children you could get used to those departures but I never did. I felt them like amputations. Something I needed was missing. Sometimes, even now, when I come into the house and it sounds empty before I think I will wonder, "Where are they?

Driving Down Peoria Road

2009-06-09T11:45:00.007-07:00

I work at Oregon State University and I always drive to Corvallis by way of Peoria Road. The road follows the Willamette River which means it curves a lot but then, that makes it fun to drive even if one is driving a navy blue SUV with automatic and not a little red sports car with a stick shift.

I drive by Mennonite farms with their neat gardens, clotheslines, orchards and houses with wide front porches, a blueberry farm with row after row of bushes full of berries, and then through the little unincorporated town of Peoria itself with its beautiful old church and its notorious speed trap. Yes, I remember to slow down.

I see flashes of the river as I drive and hawks hovering above grass seed fields on my right hunting for garter snakes and, on my left, others over the river looking for fish. Sometimes I'll see a blue heron and once in a while, a fox or a deer. I drive by the boat landing which is crowded with cars at this time of year. There is usually very little traffic. No tractors, no one tailgating me because I wouldn't go faster than the speed limit and no one dawdling, making it necessary for me to watch their driving instead of the scenery.

And even better, the drive will be almost exactly the same when I drive back home late this afternoon.

Rain

2009-05-06T09:22:00.008-07:00

It's raining again. I fall asleep to the sound of rain on the roof, waking in the middle of the night when it pours and pounds in the gutters, hear it splatter against the windows when I wake, look through the raindrops at the little wet birds eating seeds from the feeder in the snowball bush, feel it hit my head when I look out to see if the apple tree is in bloom yet.

I am reminded of the taxonomy of rain Alice Hoffman mentioned in her book, The Probable Future: fish rain, rose rain, daffodil rain, glorious rain, red clover rain, boot polish rain, swamp rain, and the fearsome stone rain. Today's rain is somewhere in between a rose rain and a stone rain. It's not the hard, harsh almost pellets of ice we get in the winter, but it's also not a soft, misty spring rain either.

Quilt Show

2009-05-03T08:57:00.008-07:00

I've spent the last two days at our church's seventh annual quilt show. I helped set up to display the quilts, worked a bit in the kitchen, spent time with old friends and made some new ones, and talked about quilts, raising children and chickens, gardens, recipes, and the state of the world. I ate homemade vegetable soup with homemade rolls and homemade pie with coffee. I took photos of the quilts and talked to those who made them or inherited them. I am inspired now to begin quilting again. I'd stopped when I began library school and haven't quilted in almost three years. I put a quilt in the frame a couple of months ago, but became distracted with knitting.

Rejection Letters

2009-04-27T15:14:00.003-07:00

Many of my friends are applying for librarian jobs and getting rejection letters. They are smart, talented, creative, kind, skilled, full of energy and ideas, but they're not finding jobs because of the lousy economy. I wish they weren't getting rejection letters but, if they are, I hope the letters they receive are not harsh or impersonal ones. I hate those. They hurt. They really do. Those kind of letters diminish one as a person and they diminish the writer as well.

I hope that if they have to get rejection letters, that they get one like the one I received from Ravelry. Along with about a gazillion other people (actually about 1500, but who's counting?) I applied for a position as their community support person. What a fun job that would have been! I spent a few hours writing out my application and resume and sent it off to them on the very last day they were accepting applications, not with the expectation of actually being offered the job, but just because it was fun to do and who knows? You don't get anything if you don't ask, right?

Still, it was no surprise to get a rejection letter. It didn't hurt. Perhaps because I hadn't had my heart set on the job. Perhaps because I'd only applied as a lark and wasn't serious about it. Not really. Well, maybe just a little bit.

I knew Ravelry had sent out hundreds and hundreds of identical letters to all the other rejected applicants and in fact, they admitted it was a form letter. But still, their letter was gracious. It was kind. It didn't say "sorry, we found someone else and the position is closed". It didn't imply I was somehow lacking or inept or "what in the world were you thinking applying for this job!" After reading it, I felt okay with Ravelry. And okay with myself.

So for all my friends still looking for that perfect position, I know you will find it. It's right there, over the horizon. Be patient. It's coming. And I hope, as you wait, you do not allow rejection letters to discourage you and prevent you from looking and sending in more applications because that next one may be the one. I believe that. And, more importantly, I believe in you.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T13:40:00.003-07:00

Sense and Sensibility (and Socks)

2009-02-12T07:54:00.005-08:00

Okay. I'll admit it. I've never read any of the works by Jane Austen. But that is changing after today. I begin with Sense and Sensibility.

And if you know me, you know there's more. I've also joined the Jane Austen Yarn Club. The first project is the Sense and Sensibility Sock, pictured here. I'll be combining two of my favorite pastimes--knitting and reading.

Courting, Marriage, and Valentine's Day

2009-02-12T07:04:00.003-08:00

I know it isn't Valentine's Day yet, but in case you forgot think of this as your head's up. Here are some thoughts about courting, marriage, and Valentine's Day.

My desk, where you'll usually find me when I'm home, is next to a sliding glass door. There's a snowball bush at the fenceline where John has put a bird feeder and nearby, a bird bath. I love to take a break when I'm reading or knitting to watch the little wild birds. Yesterday there were two small birds on the ground, dancing and chattering, jumping up and down, bowing, and flying a few feet away from each other and then flying back. They kept this up for nearly five minutes. Clearly they were courting. It was both comical and endearing.
****************************
I was leafing through an old magazine when I came across an article entitled "the secret to a lasting marriage" and, of course, I had to read it. There weren't any surprises. The "secrets" included playfulness, choosing to stay in love, unusual gifts, communication, going on dates, kissing every day, and having a sense of humor. The secret the editors judged as the best one, though, was "Marry someone you love exactly as they are and be sure they feel the same. That way you'll never expect more of each other than you are each happy to give." I thought about this and it's true, but only true to a point. The reality is that we change and grow as human beings and as marriage partners. We adapt to each other and, if we're very lucky, we bring out the best in both ourselves and in our spouse as we grow older. We adapt, we are flexible, we listen more than we talk, and, as the years pass, we have shared memories, private jokes, and code words. We continue to chatter to each other in our secret language, we fly away from each other and then back again. In many ways we act very much like the little wild birds I described above.
*****************************
I know there are some who don't like Valentine's Day and view it as being just another commercial holiday and another way for retailers to encourage people to spend money. This commentary entitled Don't Be My Valentine sums that argument up quite well. And I think this is true if one believes that all Valentine's Day means is chocolates, flowers, cards, gifts, and dinner out.

That isn't what Valentine's Day is for me. By mid-February I've become tired of winter. I am not entranced by snow or the idea of snow. I see treachery in ice, not beauty. I'm sick of gray skies, bitter winds, and cold rain. I long for warm sunshine, rows of hollyhocks, and sweet peas along the fence. And I know I'll have to wait weeks more for spring. Valentine's Day represents hope that spring will come again. And it reminds me that sometimes we have to live through some unpleasantness and hard patches and just wait and be patient.

The 2009 100-Book Challenge

2009-01-06T06:52:00.059-08:00

I have joined the 100+ Reading Challenge and will be updating this post throughout the year to list the books I've read in 2009. All of my books will be obtained through my public library, unless otherwise noted.

1. The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art and the Comforts of Home by Jane Brocket
2. Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop by Elizabeth Zimmermann
3. Cruel Intent by J.A. Jance
4. The Judgment by D.W. Buffa
5. Pepper Pike by Les Roberts
6. Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman
7. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
8. Essential Knits for Kids by Debbie Bliss
9. A Matter of Justice by Charles Todd
10. A Private Patient by P.D. James
11. Bright Futures by Stuart M. Kaminsky
12. The Runner by Thomas Perry
13. A Demon in My View by Ruth Rendell
14. Mermaid by Margaret Millar
15. The Fallen Curtain: Stories by Ruth Rendell
16. Divine Justice by David Baldacci
17. Death in Paradise by Kate Flora
18. A Judgement in Stone by Ruth Rendell
19. Lethel Legacy by Linda Fairstein
20. Birds of Prey by J.A. Jance
21. All the Colors of Darkness by Peter Robinson
22. Night and Day by Robert B. Parker
23. You're Invited!: Quilts and Homes to Inspire by Barb Adams and Alma Allen
24. The Legacy by D.W. Buffa
25. Rhapsody in Green edited by Roy C. Dicks
26. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off by Cookie A.
27. Birds of Oregon by Roger Burrows and Jeff Gilligan
28. Knitting socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol Sulcoski
29. The Opinionated Knitter: Elizabeth Zimmermann Newsletters 1958-1968 by Elizabeth Zimmermann with additional text by Meg Swansen
30. A Thin Dark Line by Tami Hoag
31. The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook by Lynne Vogel
32. Red Bird by Mary Oliver
33. The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
34. Run for Your Life by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
35. Going West!:Quilts and Community, introduction by Roderick Kiracofe with contributions by Sandi Fox
36. The Associate by John Grisham
37. The Boxer and the Spy by Robert B. Parker
38. A Mortal Curiosity by Ann Granger
39. Wicked Prey by John Sandford
40. Quilting Designs from the Past: 300+ Designs from 1810-1940 by Jenny Carr Kinney
41. Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting by Lorna Miser
42. Aurora: An American experience in Quilt, Community, and Craft by Jane Kirkpatrick
43. The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman
44. Family Practice by Charlene Weir
45. Making History : Quilts & Fabric from 1890-1970 by Barbara Brackman
46. Kaffe Fassett's Country Garden Quilts : 20 designs by Kaffe Fassett
47. Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich
48. Material Obsession: Modern Quilts with Traditional Roots by Sarah Fielke
49. Swimsuit by James Patterson
50. Massachusetts Quilts: Our Common Wealth by Lynne Zacek Bassett, editor
51. Vintage Baby Knits by Kristen Rengren
52. Fiber Gathering by Joanne Seiff
53. Finding Our Tongues: Mothers, Infants and the Origins of Language by Dean Falk
54. Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces by Robert Shaw
55. The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
56. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
57. Fire and Ice by J. A. Jance
58. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
59. The Osage Rose by Tom Holm
60. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
61. A Plague of Secrets by John Lescroart
62. The First Cut by Peter Robinson
63. True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman
64. Dead of Winter by Rennie Airth
65. True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman
66. Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen
67. Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave by Ann Budd & Anne Merrow
68. 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs
69. The Language of things: Understanding the World of Desirable Objects by Deyan Sudjic
70. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
71. Minnesota Quilts: Creating Connections with Our Past by Minnesota Quilt Project
72. The Mitten Book by Inger and Ingrid Gottfridsson
73. LA Requiem by Robert Crais
74. The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Isles
75. Free Fall by Robert Crais
76. The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais
77. Hardball by Sara Paretsky
78. Cats on Quilts by Sandi Fox
79. The Big Book of Socks: The Ultimate Beyond-the-Basics Guide to Knitting Socks by Kathleen Taylor
80. Quilt Romance by Kaffe Fassett
81. Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts by Pam & Nicky Lintott
82. Rough Country by John Sandford
83. The Professional by Robert Parker
84. Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly
85. The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell
86. Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman
87. The Library: An Illustrated History by Stuart A.P. Murphy
88. The Reason for Crows: A Story of Kateri Tekakwitha by Diane Glancy
89. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
90. The Knitter's Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Loving this Most Fabulous Fiber by Clara Parkes
91. The Knitters Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying yarn by Clara Parkes
92. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
93. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosely
94. Evidence of murder by Lisa Black
95. Takeover by Lisa Black
96. How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal by Claudia Nice
97. Wolf to the Slaughter by Ruth Rendell
98. Ontario's Heritage Quilts by Marilyn I. Walker
99. American Quilts in the Modern Age, 1870-1940 edited by Marin F. Hanson and Patricia Cox Crews
100. American quilts: Nature, Art, and History by Robert Shaw

Spring Bulbs

2009-01-04T13:21:00.004-08:00

I planted some narcissus bulbs and an amaryllis. This is a photo of the narcissus bulbs. The shadow to the side is of the Christmas tree, stripped of all its decorations.

One of Our Christmas Guests

2009-01-04T13:18:00.002-08:00

This is Gavin and Jessica's dog, Jake. He visited us on Christmas Day and greatly enjoyed playing with the toy we gave him. Jake is a funny and fun little dog.

Christmas, Disassembled

2009-01-04T10:29:00.002-08:00

I took down the Christmas decorations for this year and they are now all neatly packed away in boxes, awaiting next year's festivities. I enjoy looking at the cards from friends and family once more, the ornaments made by the boys from when they were small, and those John and I made for our first married Christmas. They will lie, safely in the boxes in the cupboards, until we're ready to enjoy them once again.

Domesticity

2008-12-31T09:34:00.003-08:00

If you, like me, enjoy knitting, quilting, baking, and gardening then I suggest that you immediately go find a copy of this book!

Unfortunately, the photos of knitted items and quilts do not come with patterns although they do offer inspiration. There are many personal stories, but it is the photographs that make this book. I like both the coziness and the colors.

You can read more about the author here. Her blog is titled Yarnstorm

John's Parents

2008-12-20T10:56:00.002-08:00

I found this photo of John's parents on his camera. It was taken several years ago.

Skitty Sitting

2008-12-20T10:03:00.005-08:00

Skitty the Pretty Kitty belongs to Owen and Sarah. We are Skitty sitting while they are on vacation. Skitty is a very well-behaved cat, although he tends to get mischievous at night. I can sometimes hear him trying to get into the bathroom cabinets and I often find one or two Christmas ornaments under the tree in the morning.

The Weather Outside is Frightful

2008-12-19T10:58:00.007-08:00

And beautiful as well. This is the view I saw this morning when I sat at my desk. The bird feeder is in a snowball tree, apply named today.

Hunkering Down

2008-12-12T09:01:00.016-08:00

The weather predictions are that the Arctic Express is on its way. If that's true it means we may have some harsh weather for a week or so. It begins with winds of 35-45 mph this afternoon, followed by snow tomorrow which will continue for a few days, perhaps a week, with temperatures in the low teens and snow and ice on the ground.

Too many people don't know how to drive in snow and ice which always means accidents and that means I'm planning on staying home as much as possible. It also means there's the very real possibility of losing electric power and those living in the country and/or small towns are usually last on the list to have it restored.

When I lived out in the country with small children, I always prepared well for these events. I made certain there was plenty of dry wood in the house as our only heat source was a wood stove. I cooked a variety of foods and got out extra quilts, wool sweaters, and socks.

I still get the urge to hunker down. I've made chili, a lasagna, chicken noodle soup, and cornbread. These can be easily heated on the barbecue. There's half an apple pie left and I'm making a couple of batches of cookies. I've made two pots of coffee and one of tea. There's plenty of milk, juice, fresh fruit, and bread as well as potable water and water for other uses. All the laundry is done. I've gotten out more quilts. I've charged up my cell phone and I-pod. I have projects ready that don't require electricity-- piecing jigsaw puzzles, knitting, hand-quilting, reading. And if all else fails, I can nap.

Okay. I'm ready.

Clear Skies

2008-12-09T02:43:00.004-08:00

There hasn't been much rain so far this winter. I especially love the cold, clear nights.

November 11, 2008 Remembrance Day

2008-11-10T09:52:00.004-08:00

Don't forget to wear your poppy tomorrow.

For The Fallen (fourth stanza)
by Lawrence Binyon, 1914

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Isn't It Wonderful Voting Is So Boring!

2008-11-04T16:04:00.006-08:00

At some point in their lives, I brought each of my young sons with me when I voted. This was when we had polling booths in Oregon, before the advent of everyone voting by mail. One son, and I can't remember which one it was, told me when we were on our way home "That was boring, Mom."

My response was "Yes! And isn't it wonderful that it was boring!" He looked at me, confused, and I continued. "We drove five miles to our polling place and arrived here without any problems. In some countries, people would have had to walk half the day or more. No one stood outside the polling place to intimidate us. No one had guns. No one told me I had to vote a certain way or he would hurt or kill us or your Dad would lose his job. I had privacy when I voted and I put my ballot into a locked box. I know it will arrive at the county courthouse safely. The poll worker checked to make certain that I was eligible to vote and later someone will check my signature to make certain it was I who voted and that I only voted once. My vote is secret; I don't have to tell anyone how I voted. I was able to vote freely and easily and I know my vote will be counted. Voting is boring. And oh, we are so very, very lucky that it is."

Saturday Shopping Trip

2008-11-02T08:48:00.004-08:00

John and I did our usual Saturday shopping yesterday. We went to Albany and bought groceries, went to the thrift bread store where I snagged English muffins, bread sticks, and a loaf of raisin bread along with loaves of our everyday bread, and filled the SUV with gas which has gone down in price to $2.13 a gallon. Then we headed for Corvallis, driving by the river, a beautiful drive.

We stopped by the Folk Club where I found a small, decorated star shaped box for my collection and then, as it was still cloudy, but not windy or showery, we went to the Farmer's Market. There weren't many people, only a few dogs, and the babies were all snuggled up in their strollers. Musicians, one a lone violinist and the other a group of three men playing instruments and singing folk tunes, at each end of the market. There were mushrooms, kale, pumpkins and squashes for sale. There was also jars of honey, cauliflower in shades of yellow and purple as well as white, peppers in red, green, yellow, and variegated. I bought a bunch of lovely dahlias. We spent some time at the library, picking out books, CDs, and DVDs and then headed home. It was a lovely, quiet day.

Words and Lists

2008-10-16T08:48:00.004-07:00

I am a list maker. I make lists of my lists. I have a list of 100 things I want to do before I die and when I cross something off I add something else; I hope to die in my 90s and still have a list of 100 things. I have a list of quilts I want to make and even if quilted 24/7 for the rest of my life, I wouldn't make them all. I have lists of books I want to read, places I want to go, things I want to see.

My most common list, however, is my to-do list. Every morning I write down the things I want to do that day. I usually get most of them done. Sometimes I get none of them done. I seldom get them all done.

I use the procrastination buster of telling myself I'm just going to do something for fifteen minutes and then quit and that often jump-starts me. Still, sometimes there are things, simple things, on my list that just migrate to the next day's list and then the next day's list after that. One is "clean desk".

I think I know what the problem is. It's that word "clean". I was a
stay-at-home-Mom for almost thirty years and I did a lot of cleaning. Boy's dirty little faces, counter-tops, floors, sinks, clothes, dishes. It never ended. I know there are some people who get satisfaction from getting something clean. I'm not one of them. I know it's just going to have to be done again. And again. And again. I have an aversion to the word "cleaning". It means work. It means endless. And I'm just tired of it.

What I'm going to do is change the word "clean" to "tidy". I like tidy. It sounds more like a word a librarian would use. So excuse me now. I'm going to go tidy my desk.

Trip to the Coast

2008-09-13T10:28:00.003-07:00

John and I went to Newport on Thursday for our annual trip to the Oregon Coast. We visited the harbor and had lunch in Newport and then traveled up the highway through Depoe Bay and Lincoln City. It's been a long time since we'd been in that direction as we usually go to Florence. I remember Depoe Bay from trips we made when I was growing up. There are a few storefronts which look the same, but most of it has changed. There was a lot of traffic for a week-day in September. The weather was just perfect; sunny and 75 degrees and just a little wind. John and I stopped at several viewpoints to take photographs and we also walked hand-in-hand on the beach. It was a lovely day.

August Heat

2008-08-17T09:59:00.002-07:00

I like reading the police reports in the local newspaper because I so often find strange things there. The heat we've been having the past few days seems to really have caused some people to go crazy. How else can one explain, for example, the recent report "subject is throwing raw hamburger at passing cars"?

Raymond Chandler's short story Red Wind contains this passage

There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husband’s necks. Anything can happen.

I bet he wrote that on a hot day in August.

Blackberry Season

2008-08-16T17:28:00.005-07:00

Nobody needs to pity the farmwife, however scratched and bedraggled she may look, coming out of the blackberry patch. She has got something more than blackberries from the time out there. There is no better place than the blackberry patch for that hour of solitude every farm woman craves now and then.
From Rural Free: A Farmwife's Alamanc of Country Living ~ Rachel Peden

This is probably one of the reasons why August is one of my favorite times of the year, despite the heat. There are times and places when I have an excuse to be outside, by myself, to think my own thoughts and dream my own dreams. Those are rare and special moments, even for women of a certain age who live in small towns.

Traveling to Work

2008-08-16T17:15:00.004-07:00

I work about 20 miles away in a university town. The road I take to go to work follows the Willamette River which means it curves a lot but then, that makes it fun to drive even if one is not driving a little red sports car with a stick shift.

I go by Mennonite farms with their neat gardens, clotheslines, orchards, houses with wide front porches, a blueberry farm with row after row of bushes loaded with berries, and then through a little unincorporated town with its old church and its notorious speed trap. Yes, I remember to slow down.

I see flashes of the river as I drive and hawks hovering above grass seed fields on my right hunting for rodents and snakes and, on my left, others soaring over the river, looking for fish. The boat landing is often crowded with cars and yet I seldom see even a single boat on the river. If I'm lucky I'll see a blue heron or two standing in the fields.

And even better, it is exactly the same when I drive back home.

Sunflowers

2008-08-16T16:38:00.002-07:00

I have a big bouquet of sunflowers on my dining room table.

It's Really Summer

2008-08-06T19:12:00.005-07:00

August has the smells and tastes that mean summer's finally here--sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, cantaloupe, peppers, and cucumbers from the garden, blackberries, peaches and at the end of the month, apples and pears. There is so much it seems never ending. It makes me feel rich. It's the smell of the last of the raspberries coming to a rolling boil for jam at the beginning of the month and the pungent vinegar of bubbling kettles of bread and butter pickles ready to be canned at the end. It's walking by rose bushes lush with flowers with scents so sweet they can make me swoon.

Later in the month comes the county fair and then, at the end of the month, the state fair. There will be animal barns filled with cows lowing and chickens clucking. I love to look at the poultry, the sheep and goats, and the rabbits best. On the midway, there's the music from the merry go round, the happy sounds of those on the rides, the smell of hot dogs and popcorn. I enjoy the flower arrangements,
the baking (oh, those fancy decorated cakes!), and the quilts! I never miss the quilts!

The weather will be beautiful day after day with only a few days here and there that are a little cloudy or have some showers and some that seem too hot, but it will be so lovely for so long it can lull me into thinking it'll last forever.

Oh, there are a few clues summer is ending-- ads for sales for school clothes and supplies, but school won't actually start until after Labor Day so there's time yet. And one thing I've noticed about Oregon--we're always one month behind weather-wise. It's still cool and rainy in June and September is almost always warm and clear and the trees don't even think about changing color until mid-October. So enjoy summer while it's really here. It won't last long!

Post-It For Annotations

2008-08-05T11:21:00.001-07:00

I use post-it notes for many things and one use I especially like is using it for is annotating library books. I often find sentences or pieces of sentences or even an entire paragraph I want to remember, but I don't want to jump up each time and type it into a Word document. Instead I place a small stack of Post-It notes on the inside front cover of the book and when I come across a great quote I just put one right where the quote begins. It doesn't slow up my reading. If I have a pencil handy I might add a few words about why I like it. When I'm done reading the book it's easy enough to transfer the quotes.

I do this for fiction as well as non-fiction, for books of projects and poetry books too.

Father's Day

2008-06-15T14:23:00.005-07:00

Me and Dad (1922-2005)
Summer, 1950
Minnow Lake, Ontario, Canada

Happy Father's Day, John!

2008-06-15T14:03:00.014-07:00

Jack Edward

Owen Charles

Gavin Arthur

Hugh Griffith

Pop or Soda

2008-06-02T14:00:00.003-07:00

It's finally starting to feel like summer although the highs are still only in the upper 60s. I came across this website which has a map keeping track of whether you call a soft drink pop or soda. I guess nobody calls it a soft drink; that must be under "other". Me? I prefer Diet Coke or sweetened iced tea.

Mobile Phone Use While Pregnant May 'Seriously Damage Baby,' Study Says

2008-05-19T08:08:00.003-07:00

The post title is from this piece from FoxNews and if that is truly the conclusion of the study, then I have some questions. Of course, the article's title may not accurately reflect the conclusions of the study. Journalists always tend to simplify things and seem too many times to get it all wrong. They want sensationalism. Subtle analysis is just not a forte of modern journalism.

The article states

Pregnant women who regularly use mobile phones are more likely to have children with behavioral problems, according to a study by a UCLA researcher who had previously had previously written there was no proof of "any adverse health effect."

Mothers who used their mobile phone while pregnant were 54 percent more likely to report issues such as hyperactivity and emotional problems in their children, Britain's Daily Mail and The Independent reported Monday.

One question is which came first, the behavior or the cell phone usage? Is the mother on her cell phone talking to her therapist, friends, and relatives about her youngster's behavioral problems? Or are the child's behavioral problems caused by a mother who's always talking on her cell phone and ignoring her child? Or maybe mothers who use cell phones are more likely to view their children as being hyperactive and having emotional problems (there doesn't seem to have been any outside evaluation of whether or not that is true) because those darn kids just won't behave while she's trying to chat on the phone.

The First Laser

2008-05-16T20:57:00.007-07:00

Google was celebrating the anniversary of the first working laser in 1960 with a laser logo on their home page. I first saw a laser in 1966 when a high senior in my class brought one in with a professor from the University of Oregon physics department for a demonstration. I was entranced. I had no idea what it might be used for, but it was indeed beautiful. I don't remember that student's name although I remember he was admitted to MIT. I wonder if he did anything more with lasers.

August, 1981

2008-05-10T21:05:00.001-07:00

Me and John with Jack (1 month old)

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-10T20:03:00.009-07:00

Me and Mom (1922-2004)
1969

Lilacs

2008-05-03T15:37:00.002-07:00

The second story bedroom in the house I grew up in had lilac bushes under the windows and on warm spring nights I'd open the windows and fall asleep to their scent. I've loved lilacs ever since.

The Plague of Doves

2008-04-26T20:38:00.002-07:00

I am waiting for the publication of Louise Erdrich's new novel, The Plague of Doves. I found a short story she'd written for The New Yorker by the same title. It's available online, here.

Jake

2008-04-24T16:28:00.002-07:00

This is Gavin and Jessica's dog, Jake. Isn't he cute? I smile every time I look at him.

Blessings

2008-04-24T08:36:00.002-07:00

Novelist William Vollman wrote that "the most important and enjoyable thing in life is doing something that's a complicated, tricky problem for you that you don't know how to solve."

Life is a vast and intricate conspiracy designed to keep us well supplied with blessings: interesting surprises, unexpected challenges, gifts we hardly know what to do with, conundrums that force us to get smarter.

I have many blessings.