lines... in pleasant places

Dressing up

2011-11-09T12:12:00.004-06:00

A few days ago Joan dressed Marley up and took pictures. I wish this style of clothing would come back! The hat is of bird feathers, and the suit is of a nubby weave, made in Canada back in the '60's. The gloves are also '60's-era, while the beads are '80's and the shoes were bought a couple of years ago by one of her sisters.

Unbroken

2011-11-08T11:28:00.003-06:00

Laura Hillenbrand's book, Unbroken, is my latest "favorite biography." It's the story of Louis Zamperini and chronicles his life from willful toddler, to juvenile delinquent, to Olympic athlete, to WWII airman, to POW, to husband and father, to alcoholic, to - finally - a man redeemed and able to forgive his captors. I started it Saturday night while watching the LSU-Alabama game and within minutes the game was unable to compete with this book for my attention. Had I not had to go to sleep - and to church the following morning - I would have read it straight through. As it is, I finished it after church. It was unputdownable and the best read I've enjoyed in many months.

I have to admit that I knew about this book and have read several good reviews by other readers, so I knew it was good before I read it. But what prompted me to go ahead and finally crack open the cover was a new service by Goodreads. They recommend books for you based on your ratings of other books you've read. I think their system is the best and most accurate one I've yet to encounter, so when Unbroken was suggested as a book I'd enjoy, based on my rating of other books, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge. I'm so glad I did!

More knitting

2011-11-08T11:11:00.005-06:00

I told Jenny I'd knit her a pair of Auburn socks now that she's at Auburn studying nursing. They are done and ready to warm her toes on these cool autumn mornings.

Angela saw Sarah's mustache cowl and loved it (what is it with these girls and mustaches?!) so I knit her one, too. She told me she wears it as she walks to classes and it keeps her face and neck protected from the wind. Now on to more socks, and maybe a few bibs for Bear... .

My Work Is that of Conservation

2011-11-04T21:54:00.003-05:00

Before I read Mark D. Hersey's book, My Work Is that of Conservation: An Environmental Biography of George Washington Carver I knew next to nothing about George Washington Carver.

I was almost put off by the adjective "environmental" in the title, but decided to give the book a try anyway. It was a fascinating look at Mr. Carver's life and his passion for nature, which he saw and celebrated as God's amazing creation. He was way ahead of his time in advocating organic fertilizer as not just a good and cheap way to add nutrients to the soil, but also as the only way to restore healthy physical qualities to the soil. (That just overwhelms me, as the physical composition of "good dirt" is something I've never thought about before.)

His kindness and willingness to help students during his long tenure at Tuskegee Institute, and his desire to alleviate the hardships African American farmers in the Black Belt of Alabama faced with their poor farms and poverty occupied him his entire adult life.

This biography was so good, I bought a copy for my dad and gave it to him for his birthday.

Death Comes to Pemberley

2011-11-04T11:39:00.004-05:00

Am I the only person who didn't know that P.D. James has a new novel, Death Comes to Pemberley, coming out on December 6? Yes, I've already pre-ordered my copy, and although I am disappointed that it's not another mystery featuring Adam Dalgliesh, I can't help but be excited that it's a book where Jane Austen and P.D. James mingle. Kind of like a literary Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Mustaches

2011-10-21T12:50:00.004-05:00

For the past year Sarah has been fascinated by mustaches. She has a mustache necklace and a mustache ring (I think). When she saw the Incognito cowl that Joan made for Marley, she begged for one, too.

Bear is keeping Joan a little busy, so I decided to knit the cowl myself. It took just one evening, and I read and watched TV while knitting it. I used Cascade 220 Superwash, size 9 circular needles, and size 10 circular needles.

Stay warm, Sarah!

Because she asked so sweetly

2011-10-19T12:59:00.004-05:00

Last weekend Glenn, Amy, and our granddaughters came for a visit. We had them for three days (and I forgot to take pictures, ugh!) and were so disappointed when they had to leave for home.

While playing, Hayley saw the quilt I made for Marley. She came to me and shyly and sweetly asked, "Grandma, will you please make me a quilt?" After supper that night, we went out to my yarn studio and she looked through my fabric and fabric remnants and selected colors and pieces she liked. Today I found a cotton with a design I liked a lot. It's called "Family Tree." I think it will be good as the quilt backing.

Working on David's blanket

2011-10-12T09:42:00.002-05:00

David's blanket is slowly growing - miles and miles of garter stitch and it's worked all in one piece, so I have to be home to work on it. It's a warm, cozy project now that the days and nights are getting cooler.

Jenny's purple socks

2011-10-11T14:16:00.003-05:00

I offered to knit two pairs of socks for Jenny. She asked for a purple pair, and an "Auburn" pair. The purple pair is finished, and I've just cast on the first of the orange and blue pair. Happy warm feet, Jenny!

Fiber festivities with friends in the fall

2011-10-07T11:06:00.003-05:00

We had good time! I came home with yarn for a shawl, yarn for a vest, and yarn for a pair of socks. My goal is to knit them all before next October.

Fiber in the fall

2011-09-28T11:58:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again - time for fiber and sheep & wool festivals all over the USA. Last year I was in Taos, NM, for a fiber festival. This year I'm heading back to Montpelier, Virginia, for my favorite Fall Fiber Festival. It's small, but always has good vendors, tasty food, and exciting sheep dog trials. The best part, though, is that my Virginia friends go to it, too, so I enjoy delightful fellowship there.

Marley's quilt is done

2011-09-08T11:47:00.003-05:00

It's been washed, dried on the clothesline, and is now on her bed. It reminds me of her - bright, cheerful, happy!

Reckless Endangerment

2011-08-26T15:54:00.004-05:00

Reckless Endangerment: How Outsized Ambition, Greed, and Corruption Led to Economic Armageddon by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner is a timely, well-documented, tell-all book detailing the people and the agencies that engineered the housing bubble and its collapse. This might easily been subtitled "How James Johnson got away with Fannie Mae." If you're like me and you remember bits and pieces of what was going on from about 1995 up to 2008, this is a fascinating book that puts all the pieces together, AND gives all the information about what was going on behind the scenes that the average American didn't know about. Who did what; who was in whose pocket; what deals/scams were made; who knew and looked the other way, etc.

No hyperbole here - just a grim account of the facts and the reasons why the real estate and mortgage industry are in the state they're in now.

The Marriage Bureau for Rich People

2011-08-26T15:38:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday morning, while rocking my grandson to sleep for his morning nap, I began reading Farahad Zama's novel, The Marriage Bureau for Rich People. The back cover billed it as a blend of Jane Austen and Alexander McCall Smith, so I thought it would be worth reading a few chapters, at least. Several hours later I was almost to the end of the book and found myself hoping that the author had written a sequel.

Forget Jane Austen - except for a female character who is sensible and hard-working and is clearly aware of where she fits into society - this book is much more akin to The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, but instead of crimes and a detective agency, there are people looking for spouses and a match-maker (which might possibly remind one of Austen, I guess).

The novel takes place in India with Mr. Ali, a retired government worker, who starts a marriage bureau in order to have something to do. To his and his wife's surprise, the business becomes so successful that he has to hire a helper - a poor, but admirable girl who helps support her parents and sister with her earnings. Mr. Ali and his wife also have a son who gets into trouble protesting the government takeover of a small village. The novel is interesting and funny in places, but also gave me a glimpse of modern India.

Thankfully (for me), there are at least two more books in this series, and they're both on their way to me now.

Baby Ripple Afghan

2011-08-16T18:51:00.004-05:00

A few days before Bear was born, I started crocheting a Baby Ripple Afghan using the free pattern from Lion Brand's website. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn and a G hook, and I finished it up yesterday. It was fun to make, and I like the feel and look of it, but it's nothing without the sweet little baby boy it was made for!

Recipes from an Old Farmhouse

2011-08-13T09:21:00.002-05:00

While re-reading a book by Miss Read, I made note of a writer she mentioned named Alison Uttley. Over the past year I've acquired a few books by Mrs. Uttley and have enjoyed them, as they are similar in tone to novels by Miss Read. She wrote fictionalized accounts of her childhood years in Derbyshire, England, and her books are pleasant and soothing to read.

In Recipes from an Old Farmhouse Mrs. Uttley provides a collection of favorite recipes from her childhood in the late 19th century, pieced together with reminiscences of holidays, family times, and life on the family farm.

It's a short little book, charmingly illustrated by Pauline Baynes (probably my favorite illustrator!) and will instantly transport one to a calmer, gentler, possibly more civil time.

So much baby, so little time...

2011-08-11T12:58:00.003-05:00

They're home and he's now a week old. I didn't get to help Amy when our granddaughters were born, so helping Joan with Bear is a new experience for me - and one I'm thoroughly enjoying. My mother came and stayed with us for one to two weeks after each of our children were born, and she ran the house, took care of the children, and took care of me during that time. I appreciated it then, but I have a whole new and deeper appreciation of her great service to me and to my family now that I'm the go-to helper for Joan. And I'm grateful to God for work, for an opportunity to serve those I love.

There hasn't been much time for reading, knitting, quilting, etc., but these infant days are so fleeting that I'm not missing those past times - much.

It's a family

2011-08-05T12:48:00.000-05:00

Baby days have begun!

2011-08-05T10:17:00.006-05:00

At 6:39 p.m. last night Joan delivered her baby. Bear is 8 lbs., 5 oz. and is 21 inches long. Thank you for praying for Brandon, Joan, and Bear. He's beautiful (of course!) and his mama and daddy are quite besotted with him!

She's in labor

2011-08-04T14:44:00.002-05:00

Please pray for Joan. Her doctor admitted her to the hospital yesterday and she has been there over 24 hours now. Labor is VERY slow and she's exhausted and a bit discouraged. We're hoping and praying for Bear's birth to be before this day is over, and we're all doing our best to trust that God will see her (and the rest of us!) through it.

The 1st of August and we're waiting...

2011-08-01T17:51:00.003-05:00

Joan's first due date according to the medical people is August 3. They later gave her a second due date of July 29, but I told her if she set her sights on that one she was probably setting herself up to be disappointed.

After a few tears, many prayers, and a mental and emotional "reset," Joan is now looking forward to her birthday, August 17, and hoping the baby comes before that date. The heat and the general discomfort of late pregnancy are not pleasant to endure, but the end will be here before we know it, and all the unpleasant bits will be forgotten in the rejoicing.

So pray for Joan; pray for Brandon; pray for Baby Bear. I promise I'll make the good news known when the little one arrives!

Free books and free books

2011-07-22T14:48:00.005-05:00

Our regional library is constantly discarding books. The librarian takes the discarded books and shelves them for anyone to come and take. I check the stacks once or twice a week, and if she sees me, the librarian will tell me what books she's going through and discarding at the moment, like adult biographies, juvenile histories, juvenile or adult fiction, etc. Rarely do I not find at least ONE book to take home. Far too often I find an armload or two, and at times I've been known to fill my car's trunk with discarded books.

My one grief in the midst of all this biblio-largesse is that I cannot take all the discarded books. I try to find homes for them - even email other readers and homeschooling families and ask if they would like me to ship them a box or two of books. Back in the spring I shipped off several large boxes of juvenile biographies all over the country to various families. I fervently wish I had more reading friends living nearby who could help me save the books from their eventual demise in a landfill.

Since the arrival of my Kindle I have found another pleasant source of free books: the Amazon Kindle Store. Now I can pleasantly squander too much time by looking up in the Kindle Store authors of the discarded books I pick up from the library. This week from the library I brought home two books by E.F. Benson: Trouble for Lucia and Lucia's Progress. And in the Kindle Store I got (for free) Miss Mapp, Daisy's Aunt, and Queen Lucia. I found All the Books of My Life by Sheila Kaye-Smith at the library, and at Amazon I found Kaye-Smith's novel, Joanna Godden. The last discarded book I picked out was Dog Days: Other Times, Other Dogs; the Autobiography of a Man and His Dog Friends through Four Decades of Changing America by Stewart Edward White. I looked him up in the Kindle Store and hit pay dirt! White was a prolific author of travel and adventure books. (He also dabbled in some paranormal stuff, but I avoided those books.) The Forest, Arizona Nights, and Camp and Trail looked interesting enough to download.

If you have any free e-book recommendations, I'd love to know about them.

The Gentle Art of Knitting

2011-07-22T13:17:00.003-05:00

Two days ago my copy of Jane Brocket's latest book, The Gentle Art of Knitting arrived. I have had the best time reading it and reveling in the lovely photos and picking out future knitting and crocheting projects from the patterns included.

As with The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking, Ms. Brocket has stripped away rules and intimidating "must-do's" to make knitting and crocheting accessible to everyone who would like to create something with yarn. She emphasizes color and texture, and has written patterns for a variety of projects to showcase those elements.

This book is written to inspire and encourage knitters of every skill level, and those who would like to learn to knit.

The perfect job for a reader

2011-07-22T10:28:00.004-05:00

Since graduating, Jacy has interviewed for several jobs. In June she was hired to temporarily fill a position that could become permanent. The work, while not in publishing, which is what she thought she wanted to do, is within her capabilities. She likes the people she works with. She has good hours, and she's still close to home. We're praying this turns into a permanent position for her.

But the best part, in my opinion, is that when it's a slow time at work, she's allowed to read. She's allowed to read whatever she wants to read. She sits at her desk and reads. Earlier this week she told me that in the last ten days she's read three books, each with 800+ pages. And not technical manuals. (She already read all of those.) She's reading classics.

The work tempo will pick up in the fall, but for now, I think she has the perfect job.

No Time on My Hands

2011-07-15T16:06:00.005-05:00

"I grew up on the high plains of Custer County, Nebraska, where, as a child of seven and up, I wished three wishes and dreamed three dreams. I wished that I might grow up to make the most beautiful quilts in the world, to marry a cowboy, and to look down on the top of a cloud. At the time I dreamed those dreams and wished those wishes, it seemed impossible that any of them could ever come true."

Grace McCance, her two sisters, and her parents moved to Nebraska in 1885 to homestead. They raised cattle and farmed and Grace's story of her life on the prairie is fascinating. Similar to Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, but perhaps a bit grittier, Grace's portrayal of daily life inspired me to be thankful for my life. Unlike the Ingalls family, the McCance family remained rooted in Custer County and despite hardships and adversity, they successfully homesteaded.

Over the years more children were added to the family, and all of them worked hard to help their parents. Grace's particular job was to herd the cattle all day. She would take scraps of fabric with her when any were available, and piece them together while she watched the cows. She missed a lot of school, but even so managed to catch up and take teaching courses in order to teach tiny one-room classes further out on the frontier in order to help her parents and her siblings.

On the day one of her sisters was to be married, Grace's mother had put the baby on a blanket in the yard while the family set up everything for the wedding. At one point she looked over and saw a rattlesnake on the corner of the baby's blanket, coiled and ready to strike. Grace killed the snake while her mother grabbed the baby. The wedding was postponed for a day because of something the groom had to do, so Grace's mother pointed out the spot near the house where she thought a nest of rattlesnakes was likely to be and told Grace they must kill the snakes. And without argument or discussion (I could barely even imagine this!) Grace assented and she and her mother - by Grace's account Mrs. McCance was always a small, slight and frail woman - went up on that ridge and killed 22 rattlesnakes.

Grace McCance Snyder lived from 1882 to 1982 and saw all her dreams come true. She made some of the most beautiful quilts that won prizes and were on display in quilt shows in Texas, Virginia, California, Washington, Tennessee, Louisiana, Michigan, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, and Utah. She married a cowboy and they raised a family in Nebraska. She flew in an airplane and looked down on the top of a cloud. Grace and her daughter, Nellie Snyder Yost, wrote No Time on My Hands in 1963.

They Rang Up the Police

2011-07-15T15:37:00.004-05:00

They Rang Up the Police is the first detective novel Joanna Cannan ever wrote, but it may be the best detective novel I've read. It definitely ranks in my top ten favorites.

This mystery was published in 1939, and introduced Inspector Guy Northeast. Mrs. Cannan went on to write only one more novel with him in it before abandoning him because, according to her daughter Josephine Pullein-Thompson, he was "too nice." Inspector Northeast is a sympathetic and likeable police officer in this story - one who never is credited by his suspects or his superiors for the information he digs up, or even for solving the case. Perhaps that's what makes it such an interesting mystery.

Guy Northeast is called in, sort of as an afterthought, to find information regarding the whereabouts of a missing middle-aged spinster who lives with her two middle-aged sisters and her elderly widowed mother. At first glance the family appears quite devoted and without secrets, but of course, that is not the case.

To tell any more might risk spoiling the story. It's worth looking hard for a copy of this book, either to buy or to borrow. Then pass it on for someone else to enjoy.

Staying busy

2011-07-06T06:28:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I bought 60 Quick Baby Knits and the suggested yarn (Cascade 220 Superwash) so that Joan could make more cute baby things.

In between sighing for the baby's due date to hurry up and get here, Joan picked up knitting needles again and knit these little slippers. She plans to knit mitts and possibly a hat to match.

The book is full of adorable and quick projects. There are garments suitable for girl babies and boy babies, as well as many that could be for either. And the blankets are beautiful! Between the two of us, I think we'll make quite a few of the items listed in this book. Definitely worth the money spent!

Fried green tomatoes

2011-07-05T07:14:00.000-05:00

I could eat them every day. However, it's good to practice moderation in all things, so just a few times over the summer we have these and allow the rest of the lovely tomatoes to ripen.

Marley's quilt

2011-07-01T06:52:00.001-05:00

After I finished a quilt for Jacy in May, I immediately wanted to begin another one. So Marley took the squares I'd cut for her, and she arranged them herself into a pattern she found pleasing. We looked for fabric to use on the back and I asked if she'd like to use one of her great-grandmother's sheets. My grandmother could not resist a bargain and if she found something she liked at a good price, she'd buy several and give the others away as gifts. Back in the 1970's she bought quite a few "jungle print" flat sheets, and I have some of them.

I sewed the pieces together pretty quickly, Marley chose the color thread she wanted me to quilt with, and I started quilting. I took it to the lake with me and worked on it for a couple of nights.

I'm almost half-way through the quilting, and then I'll sew up the binding and stitch our names on it and be done.

In which I confess

2011-06-30T08:40:00.003-05:00

I now have a Kindle.

Several friends and relatives have had e-books for quite a while and have shown me theirs. They shared all the details about the usefulness of such things. While I was happy for them, I just didn't feel like I needed or even wanted one.

Then back in March while I was packing a bag of books to go to the beach (I packed 20 - just in case - and managed to read 6), Penny called and talked about her Kindle while she was packing for a camping trip. I said, "So what books are you taking to read?" and she replied, "Just my Kindle. I have lots of books on it." That stuck with me.

In May I met some knitters in Mississippi and they talked about their Kindles and Nooks and about all the free books available for them.

In June we went to Virginia Beach and while there Meg and I got to visit. Meg had her Kindle. And she shared more details.

When we got home, I learned that Tammy was reading Anna Karenina on her Kindle while knitting. Then Penny sent me a picture of her knitting while reading her Kindle.

I told Steve that I might want a Kindle for Christmas. Or for several special occasions rolled into one.

Three days ago Steve had to leave on a business trip. Minutes before he left he ordered a Kindle for me which arrived yesterday. Before it had arrived he told me it was on the way (he's so sweet!), and I promptly "bought" 154 free books so it arrived fully loaded yesterday.

When I told Jacy that I now have a Kindle her response was, "Oh. Now you've joined the Dark Side." But I protested that I haven't done any such thing! I still read and acquire paper and ink books. In fact, some of the books I got for my Kindle I have on my shelves, but they're fragile and I don't want them to fall apart - like the "Rollo" books by Jacob Abbott. Or the "Makers of History" series also by him. Or my copies of Montaigne's essays that belonged to my grandmother and have her annotations in them. Or they're thick and unwieldy, especially if I want to read while knitting - like Tolstoy's novels, or Plutarch's book of famous Romans and Greeks.

But I think I may have found something that will persuade Jacy that my Kindle isn't all bad. She loved the "Five Little Pepper" books when she was younger, and she and I found many of the sequels in old bookshops and antique stores and junk shops over the years. I told her yesterday that I'd gotten three we didn't have (free!) , so maybe... just maybe... she'll take a look.

Lake time

2011-06-27T10:22:00.003-05:00

No internet. Not much cell signal. No interruptions.

Books. Knitting. Picnic basket. Sunscreen.

What a Monday!

The Secret Knowledge

2011-06-24T06:18:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I listened to an interview with David Mamet about his new book, The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture. Before the interview was over I'd already ordered the book.

I've seen a few of Mamet's movies (my favorite is The Winslow Boy ), but until listening to that interview I didn't know that he'd become conservative in his way of thinking. His book tells all, and according to him, he'd "never knowingly talked with nor read the works of a Conservative before moving to Los Angeles, some eight years ago."

These are the collected musings of a man once a dyed-in-the-wool Liberal who has made a 180-degree turn, and who wants to convert others. He attacks the ideology of the Left, and explains how those lofty ideals work out in real life. He refers to and quotes Thomas Sowell (my favorite economist), Nevil Shute (a favorite 20th century writer), and Anthony Trollope (my favorite 19th century novelist). This book was destined to be a favorite of mine from the start!

My only gripe - if it can be considered to be a gripe - is that his thoughts move so fast that at times I had trouble keeping up with what felt like hyperlinks. Thankfully, he provides nice footnotes when appropriate, and an impressive bibliography that's worth keeping as a reading list for the future.

34 weeks and counting

2011-06-23T06:32:00.000-05:00

Waiting for something good and exciting is so hard, isn't it? Joan had a routine OB visit today. She's fine. Baby is fine. We just wait while he grows a bit more. Everyone has plenty to do to stay busy, but we're all beginning to wish the big day would hurry up and get here.

Recently my niece, Page, took pictures of Joan and Brandon for Bear's baby book. She did a terrific job. I'm hoping she'll be around when Bear is born and can take more pictures then.

Buttons and bibs

2011-06-22T07:34:00.000-05:00

This is the summer of babies and I am knitting baby bibs like a mad woman. As soon as one comes off the needles, another one is cast on. Lately I've been letting them pile up a bit, then I take four or five and weave in the yarn ends, then sew on the buttons. All the buttons come from my late grandmother's large button stash, and it's fun to rummage around in the super-huge, short-bread cookie tin in which they're stored to find the perfect button for the particular bib. I need to knit about six more, then I think I can rest from bib-knitting.

Unless, of course, I find out that someone else is expecting a baby!

More knitting for Bear

2011-06-17T07:44:00.000-05:00

While we were in North Carolina over spring break, Joan and Brandon chose some yarn for me to knit a cardigan for their baby. I had enough left over to knit a hat for him, too. Joan also chose some cotton yarn so I could knit a few bibs for the baby, and before we knew she was having a boy, I started knitting a pair of cotton bootees - in fact, I was working on them in the waiting room while we waited to go in and see the ultrasound that showed us the baby was a boy.

Joan's handiwork

2011-06-16T11:42:00.000-05:00

Thus far, for her son, Joan has knit a cotton beret, a cotton bib, a wool/cashmere/microfiber blend ear-flap hat, a cotton bunny-blanket toy, a wool/acrylic blend vest, a wool soaker, a pair of cotton slippers and a pair of wool slippers. Not bad for a beginning knitter!

As she's waiting for Bear's birth she's also taking piano lessons and learning how to use coupons more advantageously. Next up on her list is to sew a pillow cover or two for the Boppy she received as a gift.

We began at the beach

2011-06-15T18:59:00.005-05:00

Our summer started two weeks ago and last week Steve, Sam, and I went to Virginia Beach. We were there for Steve to attend the PCA General Assembly, but we also got see several old friends, made some new friends, spent lots of time on the beach and in the water, and I had time to knit and read. It was a great way to begin summer vacation.

Knitting for Bear

2011-06-14T10:07:00.003-05:00

With about 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy left, Joan is starting to nest. She's been knitting all kinds of things for her baby "Bear." This is becoming the summer of babies, so I've been making lots of bootees and bibs to give as gifts, and am enjoying the evenings Joan and I spend knitting together. Baby garments are so quickly made and so cute!

Meeting unexpectedly

2011-03-26T14:51:00.004-05:00

Ellen brightened my stormy Saturday by dropping in on her cross-country trip home. It was lovely to see and talk with her in person (and with two members of her family) for a few minutes. What can I say? She's warm, friendly, and beautiful inside and out - and she loves the Lord and knows how to encourage others.

Next time she comes this way I hope we can see each other again.

Quilting and knitting

2011-03-07T11:33:00.003-06:00

Penny came for the weekend and we spend three fun days quilting, knitting, and making a couple of trips to antique stores. Now it's back to life as usual, but with happy memories of good times with my friend to brighten my days.

Sanctity of Life Week

2011-01-23T13:21:00.002-06:00

This year, Sanctity of Life Sunday and Sanctity of Life Week are especially poignant for our family. My daughter, Joan, is pregnant and her baby is due mid-summer. She wrote this letter to her baby last night, and allowed me to share it.

"Dear baby,
Right now you are thirteen weeks old. You can hear and your vocal chords and teeth buds are forming. Every week you grow more, and can do more things. Your life is a blessing, and truly amazing.

I didn't plan on having you at age eighteen, but God did. He knew from before I was born, that I would have you at only eighteen. He knows now if you are a boy or girl, and He has a plan for your life, as well as mine. No, I didn't plan on having you. And when I found out I was scared, because I'm not married yet. But your daddy and I are going to be married a month after you are born. And we both love you so much! We cannot wait for you to get here.

Baby, you have turned my life upside down in the best possible way. I wasn't living my life according to what God would want, and I distanced myself from him, and was into bad things that I shouldn't have been into. I wasn't praying daily anymore like I used to. I never touched my Bible. And I definitely wasn't going to church. But God had a plan to save me, and His plan was you.

Telling everyone was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, baby. Especially my parents. I love my parents so much, but I sinned when I conceived you. But I wouldn't take it back for the world, this is what God had planned. Even so, I was in the wrong, and I knew that. And I was scared to tell my parents. I knew they would be sad, and disappointed, and even angry. But my sweet child, I never could abort you. I have always been Pro Life, but when it comes down to living out my belief, and not aborting you, it was hard. I knew I wouldn't do it, even if it was the easier way out. Your life is a miracle. And I smile every day because I know God made a beautiful creature that grows inside me every day. I get up and go to my classes at Auburn University even when I really don't want to, for you. I'm striving to get A's in all my classes because I want to be able to finish college and get a good job so I can help your daddy support you. I want you to have a wonderful life, and I pray that you seek God every day of it.

I also want you to know about how many other wonderful people you have out here who already love you and cannot wait to meet you. You have two sets of grandparents, and even some great-grandparents! You have four sweet aunts, and five loving uncles! You also have four cousins and many many other family member that love you.

I wrote this letter to you because it is the sanctity of life week, and I want you to know about how your life started. I also want you to know that I love you so much, and God loves you more than you can fathom. I will love you forever, and I will always be here for you.
Love,
Your Mommy"

Brad's Auburn socks

2011-01-18T10:18:00.002-06:00

Brad wanted orange and blue socks for his second pair of handknit socks, so I found two skeins of Opal sock yarn in the appropriate colors and started knitting. They were finished in time for him to take them to Arizona and wear to the BCS National Championship game. And Auburn won!

Now I'll use the leftover yarn to knit David a pair of Auburn socks, with the colors reversed.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T10:38:00.004-06:00

C.H. Spurgeon's sermon on God's unspeakable gift

Old Friend Pullover

2010-12-23T20:08:00.003-06:00

Jacy says her sweater is warm. She'll get to try it in Massachusetts next week. Who knows?-- maybe I will knit more of these for the rest of the children soon. (Details on the sweater here.)

Blocking

2010-12-23T10:32:00.004-06:00

The simple pullover I started for Jacy last month is finished. I blocked the pieces, seamed them together, crocheted a border for the wrists and neck, and gave the sweater to her last night. Yesterday was delightfully warm, but today the wintry air is back so I should be able to get a picture of Jacy in her "blanket that you wear" today. Sarah, Joan, and Sam all say that they want a sweater like Jacy's. I'm hesitant to make any promises because I have a backlog of knitting to do for others already. Maybe... .

Sam's new blanket

2010-12-17T16:58:00.005-06:00

Sam's blanket is done, and he is happy with it. I used less than a full skein of each of the twelve colors he chose, and crocheted a border in gray yarn. All the girls saw it and each says she wants one out of the same colors. However, all of the girls except for Marley have their own knit blankets and I think I've got the ripple afghan out of my system - for a while, anyway!

Learning something new

2010-12-13T10:00:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday Steve made what he termed "a command decision" (old Marine habits die hard) and upgraded my phone. My cellphone was almost 5 years old, worked perfectly well, and I understood it. But Steve feared that its days were numbered, and he didn't want me to be in a place or situation where I had a cellphone that was not functioning.

I am very grateful for his loving concern. However, I'm wondering how, after 28 years of marriage, he could have ever imagined that his choice of phone was the right one. I had mentioned to him before that when I got a new phone, I needed to get the simplest, most basic model available. He came home with a Blackberry. He's had one for years and loves it. But Steve is like a sleek cigarette boat - quick, agile, able to spin around in the water and race from point to point. I am like a slow-moving tugboat - no, better yet, I'm like a heavy, awkward barge that the tugboat moves. I can be pushed in a direction or I can be pulled in a direction. But forget about turning or making sudden starts or stops.

Thankfully, I have many children willing to help me learn this phone ("Mom, that's YOUR phone ringing - you need to answer it") and a Christmas break coming up that might afford me the time to familiarize myself with the manual.

Definitely worth the wait

2010-12-02T13:00:00.008-06:00

When we moved into this house with its three outbuildings Steve said to me, "You're going to have a yarn studio where you can sew and spin and knit."

That was five years and many plans ago. Earlier this week Steve moved his office to another outbuilding. I scrubbed his former space. David, Marley, Sam, Steve and I moved furniture, bins, and books yesterday. Today I have a yarn studio.

Now the question is, how often can I get out there?

No more leftovers

2010-11-30T13:13:00.002-06:00

This year, our Thanksgiving leftovers were consumed in record time. For the past four years the holiday turkey leftovers would languish, undesired, in the fridge until I tossed them out.

I couldn't figure out why my family suddenly had no taste for turkey - that had never happened before. This year I found a free-range, hormone-free, antibiotic-free 20-lb. turkey, and once again, the family loves turkey. Then I remembered that for over a decade all I bought for our family was organic or free-range poultry. But when we moved here four years ago, we had no source for that anymore, and had to get what the grocery stores offered. Ugh.

There's a huge taste difference in a free-range turkey and a conventional grocery store turkey. Everything made with it - the dressing, the gravy, turkey sandwiches, turkey noodle soup - tastes different according to the bird used.

So the tasty bird and its carcass have been eaten up - every delicious morsel.

I am thankful

2010-11-26T11:42:00.006-06:00

I am so thankful for friends and family, places, pets, food and shelter, good times and trials, and remember that it all comes from God. It's His to give, and His to take away.

"Naked came I from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." ~ Job 1:21

Sewing desk

2010-11-22T15:24:00.004-06:00

Our local antique store often has items at thrift store prices, so I regularly check there to see what's new - or newly priced. Last week I found this sewing desk with its own bench. The price was right, and I knew just where I'd use it, so I bought it and brought it home. The drawers and the bench are set up to hold patterns and sewing notions - the boys were enthralled!

In the next few weeks we'll be shuffling rooms around again, and I'll have Steve's former office for my knitting/spinning/sewing room. The new sewing desk will go in my new space, and my old sewing desk will remain where it is in the children's playroom - but Marley's sewing machine will be on it instead of mine.

Going to Apron Thrift Girl to see what others found over the weekend.

Irish Diamond Lace Shawl - finished

2010-11-17T14:30:00.002-06:00

Mom's purple shawl is finished and ready to deliver to her. It was fun to knit, didn't use up nearly the amount of yarn I bought to make it, and feels warm but light when worn. (Project details here.)

Now on to the next project!

Bright November days

2010-11-11T10:26:00.004-06:00

The weather has been cooperative for hanging out the clothes to dry. I do have a small drying rack for using indoors when it's raining or too moist outside to effectively dry anything, but clothes, towels and linens smell so much better when they've dried in the fresh air.

While grateful for these warmer-than-usual days, I know colder days will be upon us soon, so I'm knitting Jacy a pullover. She asked for a sweater that would "essentially be a blanket to be worn." Peace Fleece had a pattern that fit her specifications, and I'm using a Peace Fleece yarn that's a blend of merino and mohair.

October at the beach

2010-11-04T16:27:00.009-05:00

Thanks to the fabulous generosity of one of Steve's co-workers, we spent the final days of October in Rosemary Beach, Florida. Kathy loaned us her lovely house and we stayed from Tuesday through Saturday. It was peaceful and beautiful.

I knit beside her pool...

...and at the beach.

We put together a jigsaw puzzle.

We rode bikes for miles (no hills!).

Every morning I read the newspapers and had coffee outside in the sunshine.

And David, Marley, and Sam made an intricate maze of tunnels in the sand.

It was a memorable and restful end to October.

Taos was lovely

2010-10-22T10:15:00.007-05:00

The countryside around Taos was absolutely breathtaking - and we took a lot of pictures.

Our room had a wonderful balcony with two chairs and a small table. We spent as much time as possible out there enjoying the view of the mountains, the trees, and the sky. We ate, read, and knit on that balcony. It was so serene.

Penny and I spent a good bit of Friday afternoon and Saturday morning walking around Bent Street. There was so much to see and do in that tiny bit of town.

(I really liked this truck that was parked on Bent Street!)

While we were there, I worked on this pair of socks, finishing them the day after I returned home. Now they remind me of our time in Taos, New Mexico. A perfect souvenir.

Soakers

2010-10-18T09:04:00.007-05:00

I love the Curly Purly soaker pattern. Since June I've made seven of these diaper covers in two sizes. They're such a quick, easy, and mindless knit, and small enough to be portable. Yarn used is Elann Peruvian Highland Wool, and I used needles in sizes 3, 5, and 7. I did not use the short rows option, but instead added one inch to the ribbing. The small size took one skein of wool (approximately 109 yards) and the medium size took slightly more than one skein of yarn (possible about 140 yards).

Wool-gathering

2010-09-30T13:38:00.000-05:00

Penny and I have "gone fishin' " - except that we're actually wool-gathering. We're in New Mexico enjoying the sights of various sites, and attending a Wool Festival. Be back next week!

Double Strap Booties

2010-09-30T06:27:00.000-05:00

This pattern by Sylvia Heddwyn is cute and so easy. I crocheted the 6-month size using Caron Simply Soft yarn and a size E (US) crochet hook. I think I will give them to my great-niece, Elizabeth.

Top-Down Cardigan

2010-09-29T06:17:00.001-05:00

The cardigan is done. All ends have been sewn in, buttons are on, and I wore it Sunday night to test its warmth. Now it's ready to be used on my trip.

I must say that I'll probably knit more cardigans with this pattern. I did enjoy not having any pieces to seam together, and it used less yarn than I thought it would.

Time for another quilt

2010-09-28T06:23:00.000-05:00

I've been looking at this batch of fabric for a couple of months now. Quilt books, magazines, other people's quilts have given me much to think about and consider. Perhaps in October I'll be able to start a quilt for Jacy. I'm ready to get busy with needle and thread again.

Last thrift for September

2010-09-27T09:11:00.005-05:00

The thrift store had glasses half off, so I bought four more juice glasses. I also found three china plates just the right size to hold a couple of cookies, or a piece of toasted and buttered homemade bread to go along with a cup or two of tea in the afternoon.

And there were lamps! Three glass bedside lamps that need shades.

But the best find was a pre-thrift-store find. I was at Mom and Dad's and saw that they had a large bag of bed linens ready to be taken to the thrift store. On top of the bag were a few sweaters. I asked Mom if she wanted me to take the stuff to the thrift store for her, then I looked at the sweaters and asked if I could have them for Joan. I thought maybe she could use them for an art project at school.

On closer inspection however, and after trying them on, I decided I might like to use them for actual wear. The blue one is of Shetland wool, the gray of wool and acrylic (and is machine-washable) and the yellow cardigan is a '50's or '60's era piece made of "100% Virgin Nylon." Oh, my!

(Apron Thrift Girl is keeping "Thrift Share Monday" going all year long.)

Advice, please!

2010-09-24T06:12:00.000-05:00

I'm going on a trip soon. I will have to fly to my destination. I will have to pack more than a carry-on. So here's my dilemma: do I take three (or more) paperback books that I think I will enjoy reading, because they are fairly light in weight?

Or do I take three (or more) hardcover books that I am certain I will enjoy, because I have enjoyed the other books these authors have written? Although I don't anticipate having loads of time for reading, it's likely that I could have at least an hour a day for reading. And I will definitely have my Bible with me.

What should I do? What would you do?

Practice ripple - edged

2010-09-23T07:10:00.001-05:00

I crocheted a border/edge for the "swatch" ripple blanket and now it looks and feels finished. Finally!

The practice ripple - revisited

2010-09-22T07:22:00.000-05:00

This is the ripple "swatch" I made for Sam out of leftover yarn two years ago. He uses it faithfully, but I've never been happy with the unfinished look it has. It was just for practice, but I've decided to get more yarn and crochet a border around it. It's won't be much bigger, but it will look more finished.

Jezebel Sauce

2010-09-21T07:11:00.000-05:00

On the menu at a fancy restaurant we sometimes patronize is an item called "Jezebel Sauce." I've eaten it twice and loved it. It's sweet and hot, and has an impressive after-kick. A few weeks ago, while flipping through some of Mom's old cookbooks I found a recipe for it and decided I had to make it right away. Glenn and Aric were home, and I knew they'd eat it with me, but our supper that night was grilled chicken, which was probably not the best partner for the sauce. We ate it anyway. Lots of it. It was just as delicious as I'd remembered. And it tasted good with chicken, although we all agreed it would probably pair better with beef or pork.

Jezebel Sauce
16 oz. jar of apple jelly
16 oz. jar of pineapple preserves
1 small can of dry mustard
1 jar of horseradish
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper

I halved the recipe, and we still had way too much for us to handle at one meal. But it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Autumn ripple blanket

2010-09-20T15:03:00.005-05:00

I'm almost done with the top-down cardigan and am still working on Mom's shawl. That means I will soon be without a "mindless" knitting or crocheting project. So while I was out this past weekend, I bought a few skeins of inexpensive yarn and started a ripple afghan for Sam. The colors are very good for autumn, and he likes them and keeps asking when the blanket will be done. (I just started it Saturday evening!) I told him perhaps by the end of October. Too bad that it will not be a small project that travels easily. Oh, well - there are always dishcloths and baby bibs to be knit, too!

Chestnuts

2010-09-16T06:37:00.000-05:00

This year looks like it's going to be a good one for our chestnut harvest. Last year we had very few, but already this year the chestnuts are everywhere.

I love the shape and the shade of our chestnut trees, but I do not like to eat chestnuts. They are probably the only nut I have tried and have disliked.

And while the prickly green case of the chestnut looks so pretty and fluffy on the tree,

when it is ripe and ready to be harvested one should not have tender fingers.

Dad picked a bag of chestnuts in about 15 minutes. I'm giving them to my friend, Faye, who loves chestnuts and will actually eat them.

Leftover lunch

2010-09-14T06:30:00.001-05:00

For Sunday lunch I made pasties and served them with a romaine lettuce salad.

Yesterday we ate all the leftovers and Marley got the last slice of the pasties, along with some steamed sugar snap peas. Now the fridge is cleared of leftovers and I can start with new meals today.

Cardi is coming along

2010-09-13T13:39:00.000-05:00

Only four more inches to go on the body, then I'll start the sleeves!

Mid-September thrift finds

2010-09-13T09:28:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend I took a bag of summer clothes I didn't wear this past summer (I hate to say I'd outgrown them, but some were definitely either too tight or too youthful for me to wear comfortably) to the thrift store and while there looked around. I wasn't really looking to buy anything in particular, although I did want to see if there were any pieces of the Cortez/Aztek flatware that Apron Thrift Girl is searching for.

No flatware in that style, but for us I found a set of six white Termocrisa coffee cups at 25 cents apiece, a lovely small Thermos for $1 ( I love Thermos jugs and picnic baskets, and we do actually use them, but I'm probably reaching critical mass here and don't need to get any more!), four small juice glasses at 50 cents each (and they obviously once held jelly, or horseradish, dried beef, or something of that nature) because we have broken most of our other jelly-jar juice glasses, and a green crocheted afghan for $3.

I was very pleased with the afghan, because as the temperatures drop outside, they drop inside our house (we keep the thermostat on 60 during the winter) and the children like to wrap up in afghans while doing their schoolwork. I used the Thermos yesterday and found that it held two servings (approximately 6 ounces each) of coffee. Perfect.

As it turns out...

2010-09-10T06:56:00.001-05:00

... I enjoy target practice. Tom took me to the shooting range his gun club owns and had me shoot two handguns and a shotgun. I think the last time I shot a shot gun or a handgun was when I was in junior high school, and my dad made me practice some "Just in case."

Since then I have had no desire to be anywhere near a gun, although my sons enjoy hunting and Steve had to keep up his skills as a Marine.

But back in June we had an "incident" one night when Steve was away on a business trip and I was alone with our three youngest children. I think what we experienced was a failed home invasion ploy. Failed, because I called Tom (who lives behind us) and he swiftly came in through the back door with his Glock, and confronted the two men at the front door, who knocked on the door at 12:30 a.m. when the house was dark and everyone was sleeping. And who stood silently when they saw the gun. And whose companion in the car said they needed gas to make it to the gas station a half a block away.

Two weeks later an elderly couple in a town 40 miles from us had the same thing happen. But they were nearly beaten to death with a hammer and robbed.

Since then I've been thinking I wouldn't mind relearning how to use a gun, "just in case" I ever have to defend my children.

What we found under the ivy

2010-09-09T06:34:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday Aric and Sam attacked some of the ivy that plagues our yard. Sam hacked at it with his machete and Aric raked away and they uncovered the low stone wall on the west side of the house. What we had thought was a stone or concrete stanchion at the end of the wall turned out to be:

An ornamental concrete planter. Why in the world would someone plant ivy in a planter? It took over and is so entrenched in the fabric of the concrete that the stump and roots are impossible to get out. It's too bad, because I would love to use it as a place for seasonal, annual blooming plants.

Any suggestions for poisoning unwanted ivy roots without permanently poisoning the container?

Can a woman have too many cardigans?

2010-09-08T06:22:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I cast on stitches for another wool cardigan. The pattern (a top-down cardigan) is one that I bought years ago from my favorite yarn shop in Fredericksburg, Virginia (sadly, now out of business). It's also easy and mindless, which is what I needed while the house was full of lovely guests. I knew if I tried to work on Mom's shawl I'd make a mistake, or drop stitches, or who-knows-what. And the yarn is some I bought years ago at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

Mom asked why I was knitting something in such an awful color and I'll admit this color ("Willow") is not one I typically wear. But I do wear a lot of turquoise and a lot of orange in the fall and winter and I think this color will work well with those colors. Besides, I have no brown, beige or tan cardigans. That's an oversight that must be remedied.

A fantastic weekend

2010-09-07T10:35:00.008-05:00

Glenn, Amy and the girls arrived Friday and the rest of the family and friends trickled in around football and mealtimes. Chuck and Kim and their children and grandchildren came to the lake, along with friends of theirs. From Friday through Monday we all enjoyed our time together - Mom and Dad, their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and many, many friends. And many dogs.

Mom and Dad had Chuck's family and his friends stay at their place. We made room for 18 people (including all our children and grandchildren) to sleep at our place. Amazingly, it was never chaotic - and all the right football teams won (except for Navy).

Irish Diamond Lace Shawl

2010-08-25T06:24:00.001-05:00

Mom's Irish Diamond Lace Shawl (pattern from Cheryl Oberle's book, Folk Shawls) is coming along well. I like the pattern and it's not too tricky, although each row takes a while to knit - and the rows are only going to grow longer still. My goal is to have it finished by the time cooler temperatures arrive.

(Jack just wants me to set it down anywhere because he likes to sleep on wool. This exasperated look from him was because I would not allow him to settle down on the shawl for his afternoon nap.)

I've missed my knitting group

2010-08-24T06:59:00.000-05:00

Our knitting group meets on the fourth Sunday of the month from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. I missed in June because I wasn't feeling well. I missed in July due to family upheavals. I was determined to make it to the August gathering last Sunday.

Our group's name is "K2Tog" or "Knit two together." We are knit together in so many ways: through friendship, fellowship, shared burdens and joys, and by helping one another with our various knitting projects.

After a very busy summer I needed face-to-face time with my fellow knitters. There was happy news from one, funny stories from another, and plenty of laughter and encouragement. It was good for my soul!

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." ~Proverbs 17:22

White elephants

2010-08-23T08:47:00.006-05:00

Last weekend Mom, Dad, Tom and I went to a "Taste of the Town" event that was a fundraiser for scholarships. There was food from all the area restaurants, live jazz music, and a white elephant silent auction.

The food was delicious, and it was fun to see so many of our town's population in one place at one time. Dad asked if I'd looked at the items for auction and I said that I hadn't. He said that there was nothing there that he'd bid on.

But after eating and chatting awhile, Tom and I moseyed through the three rooms of "stuff." Almost all the starting bids were $1! How could we resist? And the "junk' was interesting.

I was drawn to a massive old stainless steel "vacuum" beverage dispenser that held somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 gallons. As I gazed at it admiringly I realized that it would be impossible to lift once it was full - or even half full. And it was so HUGE! The opening bid was $1 and no one was bidding on it. Discretion finally won out, and I turned away from the beautiful and impractical beverage dispenser.

Tom bid on a trio of model ships, a trio of brass sailboats, a lamp, and a pipe rack. I bid $3 on a pair of American Tourister suitcases.

At the end of the evening, after we'd already come home, our neighbor dropped off our winnings. Tom won the pipe rack and brass boats (for a total of $4), and I won the suitcases.

I use old luggage in the linen closets for storing sheets, but these two are for storing wool yarn. I immediately filled the larger of the two with the yarn I have for my next large project, David's blanket.

I'm going to check Apron Thrift Girl's site to see what antiques/thrift finds/white elephants others found over the weekend, too.

Percolator bliss

2010-08-16T09:17:00.002-05:00

Last week as Joan and I were looking for a small table at the thrift store, I found a small Corning coffee percolator. It holds 6 cups, and the inside and outside were so clean and scratch-free that I initially believed it had never been used. But the cord was missing. And without the cord, how can one use an electric percolator? So I put it back on the shelf.

As we were about to leave the store (without finding a suitable table), I changed my mind and bought the percolator. It was only $3 and I reasoned that at that price it would be worthwhile to look for a cord, and if my search brought no results I'd just donate the percolator back to the thrift store.

As soon as we arrived home I went online and immediately found a replacement cord - never used and still in the original box - for $10. In a couple of days the cord arrived and the pot perks the most delicious coffee. And it's half the size of our other percolator, which makes it just right for coffee for one or two!

Follow the red brick path

2010-08-12T10:05:00.008-05:00

Months ago Aric brought home a trailer-load of paving bricks he was going to use to build us a parking area beside the garage.

He ended up using only a few to create an outline for the parking area, which he filled in with crushed asphalt and gravel (and we've been very happy with it).

I thought it would be nice to use some of the bricks to pave the beaten path everyone walks from Steve's office (the former smokehouse) to the garage. I only needed labor...

...which God handily provided in the form of Josh, Tom, and David. Yesterday they soaked the rock-hard ground (over a month of 90+ temperatures every day), and with a pick-axe and a couple of shovels they dug a bed for the bricks, then set them.

Before the path was completed, looking from Steve's office to the garage:

Before, looking from the garage to Steve's office:

And after, looking from Steve's office to the garage:

After, looking from the garage to Steve's office:

Thanks, boys!

(Now I have another idea for the remaining bricks... .)

Southwest Diamonds socks

2010-08-09T06:46:00.000-05:00

(Never try to get a 15-year-old boy to take pictures of socks.)

The Southwest Diamonds socks are finished and ready to be worn in the fall. Penny and I both knit a pair of these (using different yarn) to wear on our trip to Taos, New Mexico this autumn. It was a fun "get-ready, get-excited" preparation for traveling, and I hope it will be cool enough there to wear them comfortably.

One woman's thrift find is another woman's treasure

2010-08-06T15:35:00.003-05:00

Halima of Old World Knits hosted a give-away recently and I won! The package arrived today and I am so excited about the contents: A Welsh tea towel, a Fire-King bowl, a dish and comb made from Hawaiian wood, a cotton bread bag, glass-topped wooden knitting needles, and a ball of gorgeous turquoise mohair.

It's a happy end to this week and a good beginning to the weekend.

Trip Around the World Blanket - all done!

2010-07-14T06:52:00.001-05:00

The Trip Around the World blanket for Tom is finally done. I crocheted a border on it and wove in all the ends, took pictures of it on Joan's double bed, and am ready to give it to Tom. He has a queen-size bed, but I think the blanket will cover it, too.

Better not quit my day job

2010-07-13T06:41:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago I decided that it was time to paint the family room. Despite my preference for bright white walls, I bought yellow paint and started painting. Steve was out of town, and when he returned to the chaos and the beginning of yellow walls he was dubious as to the wisdom of my choice. Fortunately, the color looked much nicer as it dried, and the children and Steve all said they liked it. So I continued moving furniture and books and painted those walls.

While I was at it, I thought I might as well go ahead and get rid of the ugly blinds that covered the family room windows and replace them with curtains. I wanted white curtains, but could not find any in the style I had in mind. So I bought blue. And the family likes them.

Sadly, my paint job was not up to Joan's standards (she had been away at camp, and she is the best painter) so she offered to re-do some places and touch up the ceiling where I'd gotten yellow paint streaks in my slap-happy exuberance. Now it looks much better and I think the room is done.

I think the laundry room would look nice painted a high-gloss bright white... .

Thrifting with Joan

2010-07-12T08:58:00.014-05:00

Joan and I went to several thrift stores last week, looking for items she will use this fall at school, and for a shower curtain and curtain rings for our upstairs bath.

The new thrift stores were disappointing, both in selection and in display, but our favorite store delivered plenty of finds.

For her walls, Joan found a framed print and a wall sculpture of hammered and welded metal that she'd been admiring for months. One of the thrift store employees told us the story behind that particular piece of art, and told Joan she could have it at a much lower price than it was marked.

She also found a couple of ornamental dishes that she liked...

...two brightly colored flower plates, two new beaded picture frames, and two clutch purses, also new.

While Joan was shopping, I found a pink straw purse with silk and bead flowers embroidered on it, a cotton full-size sheet to use as quilt backing, and an oval linen tablecloth with just a small stain - perfect for using outside.

We rounded out our purchases with a few Pyrex and Fire King pieces to use at home.

No shower curtain or curtain rings this time! Going over to Apron Thrift Girl to see what others found last week... .

Book purge

2010-07-08T06:02:00.000-05:00

It's time for my annual summer book purge. In a few weeks I'll start planning the school year for David, Marley, and Sam. Before I plan, I go through our personal library, see what I'd like to use for the year, and cull any books that we're not likely to use again.

With only three children left at home to teach, and those getting older by the minute, I'm going to try to get rid of more books than I usually do. This year I hope to weed out two thousand books. At least. Yesterday in just over an hour I pulled 15 boxes averaging 16 books per box.

All the books will be donated to a used-book store, and Tom will deliver them for me and bring the boxes back so I can refill them. I think I may reach my goal in just a few days and I'm hopeful that the books will be read and used by someone else.

Exhibit 1

2010-07-06T08:52:00.004-05:00

My "Jury Duty" socks. I did take a book with me, too, but for the two weeks I sat in the court room and jury room doing my civic duty I worked on these socks most of the time. They're knit with Noro yarn on size 2 needles, and I was distressed to find two knots in the yarn! Unheard of, quite annoying, and oh, so obvious in the sock on the right.

"Your roof is beautiful."

2010-07-01T11:08:00.003-05:00

It's so nice to hear the insurance man say that our roof looks beautiful and that the reason for the leak is a cracked shingle - a minor repair will take care of it.

Bowie is well again and enjoying his doggie life. The 4th of July is near and extended family will gather at the lake to celebrate together. Sam is healthy and no one else is sick.

Next up on the horizon: cleaning out cupboards and closets and getting kids off to camp.

Morning view

2010-06-28T06:04:00.001-05:00

Each morning for nearly a month now, this has been my view from about 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. The newspaper, a book, coffee (and more waiting in the heavy-duty thermos), and some knitting keep me occupied while I watch the puppy play.

Not being a morning person, this early routine was not something I looked forward to at first, but as the days passed I liked it more. It's pretty quiet here in the morning. Not many vehicles pass on the street. Occasionally a few people out for their morning walks come by, but mostly I have the morning to myself. Well, I share it with the puppy and with the other dogs. And the cats. And the birds. It's been a good way to start the day before the busyness takes over.

And in the evening from 6:00 p.m. until about 8:00 p.m. I watch the puppy again, but usually with great company.

Jury duty

2010-06-21T17:48:00.003-05:00

Last week I had jury duty. This week I again have jury duty. So far, I have not made the cut to actually sit on a jury. But I live in hope.

Last week was one of those weeks I'm glad is now in the past. In addition to jury duty I also had museum duty (and could find no substitute). Sam got sick - sick enough to have to go to the doctor and get antibiotics. Bowie, the dog, got sick. All over the family room floor. All night. From both ends. It was not a happy sight that greeted me when I walked into the family room at 6:00 a.m. He managed to be sick ONLY on the HUGE oval area rug that cover(ed) the entire room. At 6:30 a.m. I was moving furniture and rolling up the rug and coaxing sleeping teenagers to get up and help me get the disgusting piece of textile out to the road. Then I showered and went to the courthouse. And called another family member to take the dog to the vet. Where he had to have treatment and stay overnight. For two nights. $$$$.

On Saturday we had rain - yay! The garden needs it. But Sarah, Marley and Joan came downstairs and said, "Mom, the ceiling in the playroom is leaking. Over your yarn and sewing machine." Oh, dear. A new roof was not on my horizon - at least not that I knew. Our roof is only 8 years old...

And Joan had college orientation and needed a parent to be there. That would be me. As Steve was very busy with an important project and could not take off from work for the three days orientation was going on. (Besides that, he now needs to work VERY HARD to make $$$$ for a new roof. Unless the leak is the result of wind damage, which means someone needs to go up on that scary Victorian roof and have a look-see, and I can't even begin to think that high or far just now.)

God is good. I was dismissed most days in time to cover most of my other obligations, including the museum and orientation. And I survived. And that week is now in the past.

Now I'm looking forward to a new week.

Finishing up a baby quilt

2010-06-08T06:38:00.001-05:00

My mother started this quilt in 1986 for Tom, who was born in May of 1987. She cross-stitched the alphabet squares, and cut and hand-pieced all the squares together before she put it aside.

And years went by. Several years ago she gave the work-in-progress to me so I could finish it.

Now before I start another "new" quilt I want to finish this one up first.

I have the cotton batting ready, but have to find a suitable backing and binding.

Mom bought and gave me this fabric when Tom was born and I made curtains for his room with it. We used the curtains in the children's rooms in every house we lived in until we moved here. I would cut and alter and sew them to fit the windows and I thought I still had enough material for a small crib quilt. But I don't! So I have been going through the other material I have and have yet to turn up anything suitable.

I hate to have to make a trip to the fabric store, but it may just have to happen.

Antique store, thrift store and yard sale finds

2010-06-07T06:16:00.003-05:00

I had high hopes for bargain shopping at a couple of yard sales this past weekend, but my plans didn't turn out as I'd hoped. It doesn't matter - I spent a lot less money than I'd planned to spend, and I still found at least one thing on my list.

The antique store had this set of nautically themed glasses that I got for $5, and a little framed print illustrating the article "The" for $2:

At the thrift store I found a bag full of fabric for $5. (That was the only item on my list that I found.)

And at the yard sale I got a little porcelain hinged box of a cat napping in a chair (for a quarter!) which I gave to Marley:

I still would like to find a suit valet for Steve (he's an inveterate clothes-draper) and a metal coffee table or end table for the yard, but that will be another hunt on another day.

Look at Apron Thrift Girl to see what she found this weekend - lovely treasures!

The puppy bounced back

2010-06-02T06:13:00.000-05:00

The tiny black furball we found two weeks ago in the heat pump casing was rejected by the family we thought would take her. Not because of anything to do with her, but because they are trying to sell their house and feel that a puppy is not something they can handle right now.

Supposedly another friend of Sarah's wants the pup and will take her... in August. I'm afraid that by then we won't be able to emotionally detach ourselves from her, but we're going to give it a shot. Until then, it's puppy training time again for us all.

Sarah's quilt is ready for use

2010-06-01T05:57:00.001-05:00

Sarah's quilt is finished. I am very happy with this quilt. It was my first one to make after reading Jane Brocket's book, The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking, and I was able to use so much of the information I got from her book.

First of all, I don't think I would have mixed different-sized rectangles with squares had I not seen and liked her quilt designs. I also had the firm notion that a quilt backing had to be made with a solid color, and not a fabric with a design on it. Finally, I believed that one had to baste the quilt layers together before quilting, and that is what I had done in the past. This time I just pinned the heck out of the quilt layers and quilted in hand - no basting.

It all worked! And it was fun and much quicker (almost three weeks from start to finish) because I loved working on it.

The back is my favorite part - I loved that fabric when I bought it (paisley is pretty!), but didn't know what I would use it for until Sarah decided that it would be fine for her quilt.

LOST (I feel cheated)

2010-05-31T21:24:00.003-05:00

Many people I know and respect have blogged their thoughts on the final season and the final episode of "Lost." For the most part, they are all satisfied with the ending of the ABC series.

I'm in a distinct minority, and though I continue to read links and posts and essays and opinions, I still feel gypped.

I love mysteries, and the mysteries in "Lost" are what hooked me into watching the show. Steve and I were latecomers to the TV sensation, buying and watching the DVDs of the first four seasons when the fifth season was in progress. Then we bought and watched DVDs of the fifth season in time to catch the sixth season as it aired.

We were so excited! At last, there would be answers! All the neat mysteries and questions and puzzles would be solved!

But they weren't. And as this final season progressed, our response each week became more cynical, and began edging towards bitter. "They aren't answering questions. They're posing more." "They are not tying up ends." "They're introducing more complexities and ambiguity."

Our post-episode conversations became crankier. "Those writers need to hire a stable of hack mystery writers - at least they know how to solve a mystery at the end of a story." "They should get a professor that teaches freshman introductory writing courses to remind them that a story needs a beginning and an end."

Tonight my dad (who has never watched "Lost" but who has shaken his head in bewilderment at his wife, son, daughter, son-in-law, and grandson-in-law who would and did rearrange schedules and obligations in order to watch the show) shared with me a piece by John Podhoretz that was printed in The Weekly Standard. It's called We Wuz Robbed. I am so glad to know that I'm not alone.

Quilting and listening

2010-05-27T08:49:00.004-05:00

This week as I quilted I've been listening to various readings and dramatizations from BBC radio. First up (and my favorite thus far) was a dramatization of Paul Gallico's The Snow Goose. It's only an hour long, but so good.

Of course, I had more than one hour's worth of quilting so I checked out BBC 7 and listened to Alan Bennett read The House at Pooh Corner until I ran out of episodes. Then I heard Prunella Scales read E. Nesbit's Last of the Dragons. Still more quilting to do, so I began listening to a dramatization of The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, which is a book I own, and have assigned to my children to read, but which I have never read.

Today I will begin putting on the quilt's binding while listening to another episode in each of the three books already mentioned, and I think I will add to the mix Agatha Christie's Murder in Mesopotamia.

May/June socks - finished

2010-05-26T08:40:00.004-05:00

While procrastinating on my March/April socks, I managed to finish my sock pair for May and June. Knit from Opal's "Harry Potter" line, these are the in the "Tonks" colorway. Love that pink and yellow!

Now back to my unfinished pair, I guess.

Baby blanket in a bulky yarn

2010-05-24T06:51:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I bought a bulky cotton yarn and a cute pattern to knit a baby blanket with a crocheted border. The store model was knit in green and blue yarn, but by the time I was there the only colors left were yellow and orange. I bought them anyway and knit it up. Now I'm wondering why? Who on earth would like a yellow and orange blanket?!

Oh, well. It was fun to make and I'm sure I'll give it to someone somewhere someday.

Wool for soakers

2010-05-21T06:35:00.001-05:00

Back in December I tried knitting the Curly Purly Soaker and I liked it a lot. Now I have two friends far away expecting babies next month and they both plan to use cloth diapers. I asked both of them if I could make them some soakers, and both said, "Yes!"

So I'm knitting for a baby in North Carolina and for another baby in Colorado. I got a little excited about the color possibilities (can you tell?) and ordered a range of colors in Peruvian Highland Wool from elann.com because it made such a nice fabric with the soakers I knit a few months ago, and because it is so inexpensive.

(Tracy made lots of soakers and she's the one who inspired me on this project!)

48 hours ago

2010-05-20T08:25:00.005-05:00

Early on Tuesday morning I heard what I thought was a kitten outside the living room window. I ignored the sound for quite some time, thinking it was a mockingbird. But then I heard what sounded like a low growl, so I went outside to investigate.

From under the heat pump came a little whimper, then a tiny bark. A puppy, not a kitten! I called all of the children to come outside and help me get the animal out of the heat pump casing. A few minutes later we held a tiny shivering female puppy.

The children started calling friends trying to find a home for the pup. Sarah's friend Matt says he will take the puppy, but Sarah can't get the puppy to him until Saturday.

So in the meantime we have this terribly adorable puppy, who has now been bathed, treated for fleas, had her first shots, been de-wormed and named "Lola" by Sarah.

Keeping a puppy temporarily is dangerous business... .

Green border

2010-05-19T07:46:00.000-05:00

I really like this material that Sarah chose for her quilt's border, I think it would look good as a quilt back, too - and it's 110 inches wide. The lady at the fabric store told me it can be used to back a king-sized quilt!