SunnyBrook Yarns

2012-01-22T21:45:00.005-05:00

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

A snowy road

Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

My favorite bridge

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Amish buggy in the snow

I've begun another project. Two warm winter hats, knit at the same time on two circular knitting needles, using the same technique I use for socks. I haven't had a lot of experience with color work, and so this project is a bit of a challenge for me! I hope to have finished them by the time I leave for Germany, which will be in just a couple of weeks.

Ogiku hats begun

Ogiku hats on the needles

Snowy me

Have I mentioned that I love winter?

When my cousin, Beth, saw this post on Facebook, she told the following story: " One of my favorite poems......when I taught third grade....I always presented a unit on Robert Frost. Whe Eric and I visited Vermont, we went up early for a Vermont Symphony Concert. It was being set up at Robert Frost's home. I was taking pictures of the house. When one of the men who was setting up noticed, he asked why I was taking pictures. I told him about my third graders. He asked if I would like to go inside....generally not allowed.....I said yes...very surprised. When I asked him why, he said, "If Mr. Frost knew you were teaching his poetry to third graders he would be thrilled." I still have those pictures. What an honor it was!
And, Becky, please add that after intially presenting the unit, one of my students....would walk in each morning and ask, "Can we please read one of Mr. Frost's poems today." Still brings a smile."

There are several books that I loved and always read in the winter to 'my' children when I ran our elementary-school library. I hope that you will share them with the children in your lives!

The Mitten, adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett

One of the teachers with whom I worked made and donated to the library a HUGE fleece mitten, big enough for several children to climb into, with a matching normal-sized mitten. I would use it when I read the story. I left it behind when I left the library to take another job. I hope it is still there and still being used!

Katy and the Big Snow, written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton

Especially good to read aloud on a very snowy day!

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, written by Robert Frost and illustrated by Susan Jeffers

Ms. Jeffers used black-and-white illustrations with just the perfect touches of color, exactly the way a very snowy winter looks.

2012-01-12T20:53:00.001-05:00

I love these socks :)

I already posted them, but here are some better pictures.

Opal Unicolor yarn in forest green and cocoa brown. I don't think I've ever been happier with a finished project.

I'll be visiting the factory where the yarn was produced in just a few weeks!

pretty socks, beautiful new hardwood floor!

my green socks

Michelle's brown socks

2012-01-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

Small Moments of Happiness

Often during my day I see small events and vignettes that make me smile for no tangible reason. They pass so quickly that I rarely have time to save them with a camera. Instead, I save them up in my mind, take them out in idle moments, and thumb through them like photographs.
A pair of beagle pups, joyful, with ears flying, noses to the ground, and tails in the air, do what beagles do best.

Bicycles and buggies line up neatly beside the little one-room Amish schoolhouse I pass on my way to work.

Two young Amish girls ride in a pony cart in a snowstorm, a scarlet blanket wrapped snugly around their legs and vivid against the gray/black/white world, snowflakes gathering on their shoulders and laps.

Three white-tail does in a cornfield raise their heads and watch as I pass.
A man jogs alongside the road with two white dogs on leashes.
A vee of geese fly south against the winter sky.
The sun sinks behind the hills surrounding a local lake, and the last rays set the opposing shore afire.

Old chairs and bits and bobs of odd household items lined up on the grass in front of a great red barn to be sold to passersby.

The shepherd dog tied in a farmyard who runs back and forth at the end of his rope in an ecstasy of territorial protection every time I drive past.

Bright red cardinals in the trees behind my house.

Small moments of happiness.

It is a good season for knitting. I've been doing a lot of it. Here is another pair of socks, finished last week. The yarn is Fortissima and the diagonal rib pattern is from a knitting stitch dictionary I own. I used my favorite Eye-of-Partridge heel flap stitch, and a Dutch heel.

On my needles: an experiment in toe-up sock-knitting.

A Mystery Sock pattern from one of my Ravelry groups

A test of a fingerless-mitten pattern for another designer.

I'm becoming very excited about my upcoming trip to Germany!

It's less than a month away now.

I still can hardly believe that it's really going to happen...I'm betting on a three-day blizzard, beginning on February 7th, and preventing my plane from leaving Detroit.

Another adventure at work...

I performed my own scientific test in the store the other day.

Two ceramic salad plates, one persimmon in color and the other vanilla.

My question was apparently to find which color of glaze makes a stronger plate.

Here is the result:

When dropped at the same time from a height of approximately seven-point-five feet upon the head of a five-point-five-foot person,

persimmon-glazed plates are harder than the person's head AND the floor.

Vanilla-glazed plates are harder than the person's head but NOT the floor.

The person's head, however, will be bruised equally by both colors.

This experiment will not be repeated.

I hope.

2012-01-01T00:06:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year
Last year, one of my dearest friends asked me what my goals for 2011 were. I answered, flippantly, "To survive it." I had no idea what was in store for the year, and how hard it would be to attain even that silly goal. This was a tough year, and I am very happy to see it in my rearview mirror. I lost a couple of friends, made some new friends, had some hard times and some happy times. I've done a lot of knitting, a lot of grieving, a lot of laughing, and a lot of thinking. I would not want to repeat the year, but I'm glad I lived it.
I have a lot to look forward to in 2012. I have a trip to Germany coming up very soon, a lot of hugs coming from the grandkids, a great many days of sunshine and laughter on their way.
I have a closetful of yarn and a headful of know-how, and will knit many more things in the months to come.

You all have a wonderful year. My dear friends and family, you are indispensable to me. Thank you for another chance to enjoy your contribution to my life, and for letting me be a part of yours.

Happy new year!

2011-12-28T22:59:00.000-05:00

December Miscellany

December is nearly over. I took Christmas off this year. I couldn't find it in my heart to decorate. I didn't put up a Christmas tree at home, nor did I bake a single cookie. There was no chocolate-walnut fudge cooked or consumed in my house.

It felt pretty good!

Back to the mess next year, though. I missed the Christmas tree.

There were some beautiful sights, even without all the trappings and tinsel.

Cardinals at the birdfeeder

A snowy path

All the time that I would have spent carrying boxes in from the barn, assembling and decorating the Christmas trees, setting out, wiring, and lighting my ceramic houses, baking, decorating, and cleaning up was put to very good use.

A pair of socks in an old Opal test colorway, and a neckwarmer/headband in DK-weight wool.

Another pair of socks in hand-dyed wool for my niece, Dawn

I found a pattern for knee-high kilt hose knit in worsted-weight wool in the Fall, 2011, issue of 'Knitting Traditions'. I love the look of the stockings, but I don't wear knee-high socks, and I didn't have any superwash worsted-weight on hand.

I adapted the pattern, called Borreraigh Kilt Hose, and this was the first result:

The yarn is Opal Uni-color in forest green.

I wasn't happy with the way one of the panels worked out, so I got out my pencil and re-wrote the pattern, and it turned out like this:

Also Opal Uni-color in a dark chocolate brown

This pair will be traveling to Germany with me in February as a gift for my friend, Michelle.

I wish you could see them in person...I think they turned out really well. I'm calling the pattern Inspired because it was inspired by a truly lovely design.

My adaptations include changing the number of stitches, using a different cast-on, re-drafting and changing the spacing of the cuff diamonds, then working the cuff inside-out because I like the wrong side better, using a different style of heel flap and heel turn.

If you try to knit this pattern as published, be aware that there is an error in the stitch count! It didn't matter for my socks, but I contacted the editor in charge of errata at 'Knitting Traditions' and the correction will probably show up in the next issue and/or on their Web site.

A Silly Story...

so, I was at the store a few weeks ago, moving some things around to make room for new stock. I reached over the counter and grabbed a stack of merchandise to put out, walked to the display-in-progress and set up the items. As I stood back to see how it looked, I thought, "Dang, I am having the WORST hot flash EVER!"

It was an odd one, though, focused under my right upper arm and down my right side, and it was HOT! It didn't go away, either, and I stretched across with my left hand to feel my sweater...

and then, I remembered this.

The sign reads, "Caution! Wax may be hot!"

Yes, that is a tart-warmer, and that IS melted wax in it, and yes, yes, I DID reach across my own hand-written sign, thereby dipping my sweater sleeve into hot, melted wax.

My mom was right, I AM 'special'.

It was my favorite sweater, too. I managed to get all of the wax out of it, but I killed the sweater in the process.

(sigh)

Soon, a New Year. I am ready.

2011-12-16T21:08:00.001-05:00

The Library by Sarah Stewart
Illustrated by David Small

Those who know me know well my love of books and libraries.

I have always lived in a home that was filled with books.

Books were always my first request at gift-giving times, and a stack of books was often to be found wrapped and tagged with my name beneath the Christmas tree.

The memory that may be my very earliest takes place in the tiny library in the town were I grew up. I remember being at Story Hour, maybe three years old, sitting in a little wooden chair at a little wooden table in front of a sunny window with other little boys and girls, and coloring and cutting out a picture of an igloo.

Miss Lee was our librarian, and I suppose on that particular day she had read to us a story about children who lived in such a structure, and the 'art' project was meant to support the book.

Miss Lee...

oh my.

A tiny, ageless woman, who wore white blouses with short sleeves and Peter Pan collars, and full, pleated skirts.

She knew our families and our favorite types of books. She knew what we had already read, and what we would be most happy reading next.

She knew our faces and names and library numbers. It was never necessary for her to present library cards to us, for she had our very important borrower's numbers safeguarded in her memory.

Mine was 694

To this day, whenever I see that combination of numbers, I am transported back in time to happy days lost in the pages of a book.

Miss Lee had the MOST magical tool that she used to give us the greatest power in the world: the power held between the covers of books!

Her special tool was a little metal cap-thing that perched on the eraser end of her pencil. It held tiny pink-rubber blocks with reverse-cut numbers and letters.

The little blocks were kept in a box in Miss Lee's large wooden desk. Every day the library was open, her first task was to change them. She had a pair of tweezers with which to pluck the rubber pieces from the box and carefully insert them into the metal holder. For each book I presented to her, she would press that end of her pencil against her well-inked stamp pad and then upon a slip of paper glued into the back of the chosen book, and voila!

Mar 6 60

My borrowed books were due back on the date stamped there.

She would reverse her pencil and use the point to write my own special number, 694, on the borrower's card and file it away to await the return of the precious book.

Miss Lee then handed the stack of books across her desk and into my eager hands, smiled, and sent me on my way.

I loved the library! I love libraries still.

I have spent countless hours in my life with my nose buried in a book.

Even better, I have spent approximately seventeen years of my adult life doing much the same work as Miss Lee: putting books into the hands of children.

Through a series of poor career choices, I no longer work in libraries. I miss that work every single day. It was, with no debate, the most rewarding job of my life.

I still love books, though, and I read to my grandchildren whenever possible. I wish I had many, many more children to whom I could read!

Yesterday was my day off. I had a small extra job to do, but it took less time than I'd allotted for it, so I cast about for something to fill a couple of hours.

I drove to my oldest grandson's school and asked if I could do some volunteer work there.

Maybe I could help the library aide?

The school secretary handed me a form to fill out for a criminal record check (yes, even volunteers have to undergo these things to work in a school now), phoned the Superintendant of Schools office, and said I could, indeed, work in the library!

JOY!

It may seem strange, but it was among the happiest two hours I can remember!

I shelved books.

It sounds silly, doesn't it?

I carried stacks of books from the shelves behind the aide's desk and placed them in their homes on the shelves, to await the next interested child.

It was like a reunion with old friends.

I saw titles that I knew so well from my nine years in the elementary school library.

I remembered finding them for the children, placing them in their eager hands, reading them aloud during class library visits.

What fun!

I even found a few stray children to listen as I read a paragraph or two aloud.

When one asked, "How do you know where the books go on the shelves?"
I explained that the number on the spine of every book is its address, like the address of the child's home.

That number tells us where the book 'lives' and how we can find it.

It was a marvellous afternoon.

I will go back and do it again as soon as I can!

2011-11-30T20:09:00.000-05:00

First Snowstorm

Yesterday was the first Big Snow for this winter. It began in the afternoon, and by evening several inches had fallen, making roads slick and difficult to travel.

My usual twenty-five minute drive home from work took over an hour.

Early evening, Amish horse and buggy

The wet, heavy snow brought down branches and broke electric lines, causing power failures throughout the area. Service was restored to my house at around 2:00 am.

I awoke this morning to sunshine and the special silence of a world blanketed in snow.

Even the wire fences were jacketed, and every fence post had its snowy hat

A stretch of open water along my drive to work

Brilliant sunshine on icy branches

The daylight hours are growing very short, and I need my headlights for the drive home from work now. In less than a month, though, the days will begin growing longer once again.

Spring will come, as it always does.

Until then, we have snow and the beauty of winter.

Life is good!

2011-11-27T16:07:00.000-05:00

A single yellow flower

Because yellow is my favorite color, and it is a dark and dreary day here.

Yellow cheers me, and reminds me of good friends.

and two pair of finished socks for my grandsons.

The little ones are Ethan's, in some leftover Regia (I think) from my sister's stash.

The larger pair is Robby's, in DK weight, I think Emu, from my stash, in Green Bay Packers colors. He wanted house socks in orange (his favorite color), but I didn't have any DK orange in my stash, and I am knitting entirely from stash at the moment.

Nothing much new going on. Thanksgiving was very nice and I am now a year older, having turned fifty-five on Thanksgiving Day.

I qualify now for the Senior Discount at the movie theater.

(sigh)

2011-11-24T08:46:00.001-05:00

Giving Thanks
It is Thanksgiving Day in the USA today. The turkey is roasting, pies are baked, the cream is whipped, the gelatin dessert is cooling in the refrigerator. In a little while the second flurry of preparation will begin. I will have eleven here for dinner today, and the table will be full! I'm looking forward to all the good company, good food, and hugs from my grandchildren.

This is a time to remember and give thanks for the blessings of the previous year, although I do try very hard to do that every day. This year I am thinking much of my sister, who left us in 2010, the two dear friends I lost in the spring of this year, my mother and my husband's parents, gone so many years now. I remember the family and friends who are far away, and the ones who are near. I remember the sunny days of my childhood, and many, many happy times over the past fifty-five years. It's a good thing to stop and make a special effort to do this, as we so often lose track of those we love, in our busy lives and day-to-day worries.

I am thankful for all of the wonderful people who have graced my life and for all the special and also the ordinary places I've seen. I'm thankful for good health, strong hands, hugs and kisses, sunshine and snowfall, all the creatures of this earth (well, maybe not so grateful for spiders, but I suppose they have their place, too), for the flowers and the trees and the grasses, for lakes and rivers and especially for the little stream that cuts through my back yard. I am so very thankful to be alive and well and able to prepare a feast for some of the people that I love.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-18T07:48:00.000-05:00

Small Joys...

Someone once told me that we are never farther than three miles from open water here in Michigan. This little lake is the site of many happy days in my life. My uncle and his brother-in-law built a tiny stone cottage on its banks many years ago and that is the place where my family reunion has been held every summer, for as long as I can remember.

Marl Lake Sunset

Last evening, there was a particularly lovely sunset and I stopped on my way home to snap a couple of quick shots with my phone camera. I need to remember to carry a regular camera in the car!

A delightfully tacky Christmas shirt

Christmas colors:

...and socks colorful enough to give the shirt a run for its money.

Santa is something of a landmark in the town where I work. He has been at the window of my little shop for many years. This year I took him home and replaced his faded trousers with a new pair. Last year he fell out of the window during a windstorm, and it looked for all the world as if Santa had actually fallen from the sky and died on the roof of Apple Creek Alley...we got him down as quickly as possible, so as not to traumatize any small children!

2011-11-11T22:17:00.001-05:00

Twenty-four hours

Thursday morning.

Most of the autumn color has gone now, but this small pear tree, planted two falls ago, retains its bright leaves.

The marsh is preparing for winter. The grass is still green, although it has stopped growing.

In the afternoon, it began, the first snowfall of this winter.

The sky darkened and the snow fell;

great, splashing flakes that quickly covered the ground.

The ride home was white and wet and I was filled with wonder at the beauty of this fresh winter.

I must re-learn now to move a bit more slowly, to drive more carefully, to mind my steps and take my time.

There was a full moon in the night.

It cast its light on the snow-covered earth and woke me.

I burrowed beneath the covers and went peacefully back to sleep.

And, in the morning, this:

...and this:

I love the snow.

It is a balm, a comfort, a quilt of crystal-white to cover a sleeping world as it rests and dreams, perhaps, of the coming spring.

It would be very easy to forget that winter can also be an enemy,

a predator,

a force with which to be reckoned.

Living where I do, I know that we must learn to work with winter, to prepare, to watch, to be aware of sudden changes in temperatures and conditions and even then, sometimes, humans lose their battle with the elements.

Even so, I love winter, and I cannot imagine living where it does not come in this way.

2011-11-03T17:08:00.002-04:00

A Wintry, Blustery Day

It has been gray, cloudy, and windy, but still relatively mild for the third of November. The skies have been pewter-colored all day, and it is lightly raining right now, with a temperature of around 48 degrees F.

I had the day off and around eighty miles of errands to run. I had not visited our local covered bridge in many years, so I stopped along the way to do a little sight-seeing. The river is wide here, and it must have been a cold and windy trip indeed, crossing the St. Joseph River before the bridge was erected.

The Langley Covered Bridge has been carefully preserved over the years. It still sees quite a bit of use, as the country road crossing it leads directly into Centreville, Michigan, the county seat. In the five minutes or so that I spent there taking pictures, at least a half-dozen passenger cars and trucks rumbled across.

Hats in progress

Done, and done. Two "Jacques Cousteau" hats for my friends, Steve and Bob, and the Wild and Wooly Socks pattern test for Kathy Nehrenz. As you can see, the chrysanthemums have faded considerably in the past week.

This is a wonderful pair of billboards that I pass on my drive home from work every day.

I was a great fan of Jim Henson and his Muppets.

I've always listed these three things as my Impossible Dreams:

1. Work for Jim Henson at his Muppet Workshop

2. Go up in the U.S. Space Shuttle

3. Sing backup for James Taylor

Well.

1. Jim Henson died

2. NASA never called and there will be no more shuttle flights now

3. James Taylor has been singing with the same group of backup vocalists for at least twenty years now.

(sigh)

And the other one...well, you know who you are.

The red billboard reads,

"This year, thousands of men will die from stubbornness"

Get a physical.

Stay healthy.

We care.

2011-10-30T18:32:00.005-04:00

You can fly...

Another song by Reinhard Mey

Lilienthals Traum (english) lyrics

Lilienthal's Dream

He knows that his journey will end here,
on this wagon bed; he hasn't ever erred.
The doctor and Gustav whisper
and they whisper about him.
Came to Stölln to fetch him home to Berlin.
Wheels hammer on the tracks,
Images running past fast:
Mother at the piano, playing Schumann's "Traemerei".
Family home in Anklam, school, failure and goodbye.
Hiding for days with Gustav in summer meadows.
Watching the storks weightless rounds,
Their rising, soaring, now understanding and suspecting:

You can fly, yes you can!
Let the wind blow from before,
Spread your wings, you'll see:
You can fly, yes you can!
First flight attempts ,the villagers laughed.
To escape ridicule, he tries only at night.
A new construction, a new technique.
The number 4771, his first patent!
Agnes by the house and garden in long black robe,
Agnes of full zest for life, Agnes, full of warmth.
Going with the children to the windmill hill on Sundays.
Seeing the world from bird's-eye view,
On giant cotton covered willow rod wings.
Summer 1891 and now he'll succeed!

You can fly, yes you can!
Let the wind blow from before,
Spread your wings, you will see:
You can fly, yes you can!

How the bars creak, how the wind sings in the wires.
How the wing gently and eagle-like swings o'er the horizon.
How the rise and fall of the air lifts his flying machine!
His legs are quite numb,
how long has it already been?
The doctor from Rhinow says the blow
Hit the third vertebra, whatever this means.
What will Agnes feel, and the children, when they'll know?
Agnes was anxious, never without fears all these years.
One can't explain this longing to fly,
one must experience it by
those three steps to the precipice
and then the floating happiness !

You can fly, yes you can!
Let the wind blow from before.
Spread your wings, you will see:
You can fly, yes you can!

A good wind from the east
on this Sunday in August.
Already the first flight floats far to the valley,
And now soaring his desire, for
The second will go still further.
But the wind tears him steeply upwards there,
standing almost still; he pulls his legs and torso up
The wind's veering him 'round, he is no longer calm,
And now he's rushing down at earth from sky.
He cannot change the fall , uncontrollably gone.
With a crashing comes the right wing.
Was he reckless? Or an accident,that he crashed?
He will never let his dream be dashed.

You can fly, yes you can!
Let the wind blow from before.
Spread your wings, you will see:
You can fly, yes you can!

Then sleep comes like a good, dear friend.
Good that he is returning home again.
This Man's first step towards flight,
It was worth it, by God's might!
Others will succeed, and man will yet
fly 'round the world ,if he wills.
And then will he escape from narrowness and bonds.
With all limits and struggles overcome!
He hears the children's voices,he feels Agnes near.
In this darkening wagon,
He is quite near to his dream now
He sees the storks flying;
sees himself in their bright round dance.
Free and weightless, knowing now,
how to soar heavenwards in the sunlight.

You can fly, you can!
Let the wind blow from before.
Spread your wings, you will see:
You can fly, yes you can!

translated by Karl S. (dec. 12,2008)
( From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/r/reinhard-mey-lyrics/lilienthals-traum-(english)-lyrics.html )

And in German:
Er weiss, dass seine Reise hier zu Ende gehen wird,
Auf diesem Feldbett, in diesem Waggon, er hat sich nie geirrt.
Der Arzt und Gustav fluestern und sie fluestern ueber ihn,
Nach Stoelln gekommen, um ihn heinzuholen nach Berlin.
Die Raeder haemmern auf die Gleise, Bilder ziehen schnell vorbei:
Die Mutter am Klavier, von ferne Schumanns "Traeumerei",
Das Elterhaus in Anklam, Schule, Misserfolg und Zwang,
Versteckt in Sommerwiesen mit gustav tagelang
Dem Flug der Stoerche nachzuschau´n auf schwerelosen Bahnen,
Ihr Aufstiegen, ihr Schweben zu begreifen und zu ahnen:

Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!
Lass den Wind von vorne we´n,
Breite die Fuegel, Du wirst seh´n:
Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!

Die ersten Flugversuche von den Doerflern ausgelacht.
Um den Spoettern zu entgeh´n, unternimmt er sie nur bei Nacht.
Eine neue Konstruktion, ein neues Flugexperiment,
Die Ziffern 4771, sein erstes Patent!
Agnes vor dem Haus im Garten, in dem langen, schwarzen Kleid,
Agnes voller Lebensfreude, Agnes voller Herzlichkeit.
Dann sonntags mit den Kindern ´raus zum Windmuehlenberg geh´n,
Die Welt im Fluge aus der Vogelperspektive seh´n,
Auf riesigen baumwollbespannten Weidenrutenschwingen,
Sommer 1891 und jetzt wird er es erzwingen!

Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!
Lass den Wind von vorne we´n,
Breite die Fuegel, Du wirst seh´n:
Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!

Wie die Holme knarren, wie der Wind in den spanndraehten singt,
Wie der Fluegel ueberm Horizont sanft und adlergleich schwingt,
Wie das Auf und Ab der Luefte seine Flugmaschiene wiegt!
Seine Beine sind ganz taub, wie lange er wohl schon so liegt?
Der Doktor kommt aus Rhinow, und der sagt, ein hef´tger Schlag
Traf den dritten Halswirbel, was immer das bedeuten mag.
Was mag Agnes fuehl´n und was die Kinder, wenn sie es Erfahr´n
Agnes war immer besorgt, nie ohne Angst in all den Jahr´n.
Man kann die Sehnsucht nicht erklaer´n, man muss sie Selbst erleben:
Drei Schritte in den Abgrund und das Gluecksgefuehl zu Schweben!

Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!
Lass den Wind von vorne we´n,
Breite die Fuegel, Du wirst seh´n:
Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!

Ein guter Wind aus Ost an diesem Sonntag im August,
Schon der erste Flug geht weit ins Tal hinunter, eine Lust!
Der zweite wird noch weiter geh´n. Da reisst´s ihn steil empor,
Fast steht er still, wirft Beine und den Oberkoerper vor,
Der Wind schlaegt um, er bringt den Apparat nicht mehr zur Ruh´,
Und senkrecht stuerzt er aus dem Himmel auf die Ernde zu.
Den Sturz kann er nicht mehr parier´n, unlenkbar sein Verlauf.
Mit einem Krachen schlaegt er mit dem rechten Fluegel auf.
War´s Leichtsinn? War´s ein Unglueck? War´s sein eigner Fehler eben?
Nie und nimmer wird er sich seinem Traum geschlagen geben!

Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!
Lass den Wind von vorne we´n,
Breite die Fuegel, Du wirst seh´n:
Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!

Der Schlaf kommt wie ein guter Freund. Gut, dass er jetzt heimkehrt.
Ein erster Schritt zum Menschenflug. Gott weiss, er war es wert!
en naechsten werden andre tun, der Mensch wird irgendwann
Die Welt umfliegen koennen, wenn er will, und dann
Wird er sich aus der Enge der Gefangenschaft befrei´n,
Mit allen Grenzen werden alle Kriege ueberwunden sein!
Er hoert die Kinderstimmen und er spuert, Agnes ist da
In dem dunklen Waggon. Jetzt ist er seinem Traum ganz nah:
Er sieht die Stoerche fliegen, sieht sich selbst in ihrem Reigen
Frei und schwerelos, durch eigne Kunst, ins sonnenlicht aufsteigen!

Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!
Lass den Wind von vorne we´n,
Breite die Fuegel, Du wirst seh´n:
Du kannst fliegen, ja, Du kannst!

2011-10-30T13:35:00.000-04:00

Views from the Road

Some of the things I see on my drive home from work.

What great beauty and joy lie in this Earth.

Along the edges of the clouds were wispy trailers on this day, bringing short bursts of rain.

This is a lovely time of year here in Michigan, soon to be followed by winter, which I love equally. The mornings have been frosty lately, so snow will come before long. Some areas near me have already had snow on the ground.

I saw a late bluebird this morning, sitting on the swingset in the back yard. I hope he heads south very soon! I've put off buying birdseed and filling the birdfeeders, because feeding the migratory birds will sometimes encourage them to stay North for far too long.

Last year at Christmas, when I asked Robby what he wanted Santa to bring, he said, "Lots of food for the birds!"

He loves to help keep the feeders filled, and to watch all the birds through the living-room window.

I have three projects on the needles that are within one day of completion.

Next up, socks for Layla, Ethan and Robby, then probably something for Andrea. I need to see if they are in need of hats and mittens for this winter.

We attended a good friend's seventieth birthday last evening. He is a great guy, one of the 'good ones', and we've enjoyed his friendship for nearly thirty years.

I am so blessed in my friends!

2011-10-26T12:49:00.001-04:00

Random Things

I had a lovely day with Robby on Saturday. He spent the night on Friday, and after breakfast and showers, we went shopping, had lunch, stopped for ice cream at my favorite place, bought pumpkins for him and his sisters and brother, and just generally had a wonderful time. He is always good for what ails me!

This is a pair of socks that I'm knitting to test another designer's pattern. The design is called "Wild and Wooly" by Kathy Nehrenz. The yarn was hand-dyed by Destination Yarns in Cleveland, Ohio, in the "Wooly Bear" colorway. A terrific design by Kathy and a lovely color in a very nice yarn.

Wooly bear caterpillars are used by folklorists to predict the severity of the coming winter. The darker the caterpillar's fur, the harder and longer will be the winter.

I have only seen nearly-black ones this fall!

My chrysanthemums are glorious this year, especially considering that this is only their first year in the ground. You can see some of them there behind the socks.

The weather is gray, damp, and chilly, and is predicted to stay that way for a few days.
Time to break out the sweaters and wool socks.

Soon we will have snow.

Some things in life are difficult to bear, and we don't know how we will get through them. This has been a tough year, with the loss of my sister, my son's family troubles, and the deaths of two of my dearest friends.
It is good to have friends on whom we can lean. I have leaned very, very hard on some of you this year, whether you have realized it or not, and I want you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I value you all, each and every one of you.

You have preserved me.

Thank you.

2011-10-21T22:33:00.001-04:00

Stormy Skies

Some pictures from a passing storm a week ago. It was quite impressive-looking and rolled in very fast. These three images were snapped just moments apart.

The storm brought some thunder and lightning, but blew through almost as quickly as it came, leaving only a little rain behind.

By this time last year, we'd had our first snow.

The following was posted on Facebook:

Well.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

And now for something completely different:

It has been an extremely wet summer here,

resulting in odd and unusual fungi growth all over the yard,

the likes of which I have never before seen.

This Very Happy Fellow,

who was about ten inches tall, I kid you not,

appeared just outside the back door:

I mowed him off...sorry, guys.

His friends came to avenge him and there is a small forest of these things out there now.

I'm a little bit afraid to go outside...

2011-10-16T13:29:00.006-04:00

Was Keiner Wagt
I ran across this song in a Ravelry group, and was instantly entranced by it. I don't speak German, but the singer has a sweet, yet world-weary voice, and the tune is so lovely I had to listen several times. With the help of Bing Translator I was able to get a rough translation which I then attempted to convert to understandable English.
This song illustrates beautifully that which I tried to convey in a recent post: Go forth, and make the world better.

This song is performed by Reinhard Mey, appears on the album Mairegen (2010) and features Konstantin Wecker.

Was keiner wagt, das sollt ihr wagen
Was keiner sagt, das sagt heraus
Was keiner denkt, das wagt zu denken
Was keiner anfängt, das führt aus

Wenn keiner ja sagt, sollt ihr's sagen
Wenn keiner nein sagt, sagt doch nein
Wenn alle zweifeln, wagt zu glauben
Wenn alle mittun, steht allein

Wo alle loben, habt Bedenken
Wo alle spotten, spottet nicht
Wo alle geizen, wagt zu schenken
Wo alles dunkel ist, macht Licht

Wo alle loben, habt Bedenken
Wo alle spotten, spottet nicht
Wo alle geizen (Alle geizen)
Wagt zu schenken (Wagt zu schenken)
Wo alles dunkel ist –Macht Licht

My translation, and all mistakes are my own:
What no one dares, then you shall dare it
What no one says, then you speak out
What no one thinks, then dare to think it
What no one starts, then you must do

If no one says Yes, you should say it
If no one says no, then you should say
When all doubt, dare to believe
When all join, stand alone

Where all praise, you have concerns
Where all mock, do not mock
Where all skimp, be generous
Where all is dark, make light

Where all praise, you have concerns
Where all mock, do not mock
Where all skimp (All skimp), Be generous (Be generous)
Where all is dark, make light

Recordings by Reinhard Mey are available here: Amazon

2011-10-07T19:36:00.001-04:00

October

Semi-precious

I went for a walk in the marsh last evening to see how the colors are coming. As I entered a clearing just behind the barn, I found this young whitetail deer, grazing across the stream about twenty feet or so away from me. It was old enough to have lost its fawn spots, but not fully grown. We watched one another for several minutes while I snapped pictures as quietly and calmly as I could. I was able to take several small, slow steps toward it, but finally got too close for its comfort, and it turned to run away. It slipped in the damp grass and fell, hard, but soon gathered itself and disappeared into the woods.

Some early fall color in the marsh:

Wild grapes

Rose hips

Moonrise

Frankly, scarlet

2011-10-04T05:23:00.000-04:00

September

Birthdays: Andrea turned seven, Robby turned five

There is a new puppy in their family. His name is 'Thor', which was Robby's in-utero name before we knew he was a boy... "Thor-ina" : )

The puppy is adorable and doing well in a home where his greatest danger is being loved to death!

September is also the month where the sky looks like this:

...and we begin to think of winter. We had our first frost of the year on the first day of October. The leaves are beginning to change, and if it does not become too windy and wet, I suspect that it will be a marvellous year for fall color.

It is also a time when I begin to think of 'time too short, and running fast'.

I told a friend recently that when I look in the mirror I can see every minute of these past few very difficult years on my face, and especially the marks of these most recent thirteen or fourteen months. I think that I am beginning to try to come to terms with my own mortality, and I am not liking it much, I fear.

I guess we all reach a point where we must face our life's accomplishments, or the lack thereof. I had thought, by this time, that I would have 'made a difference' in this world, but I don't know that I have, or, if I have, that it is a positive difference.

There is much that bothers me, and I have many regrets. I have always believed that every person is obligated to do something to justify their presence on the planet, and am unsure that I have done my part. Perhaps we don't know what our impact has been, and only those we leave behind us will see it.

So often, I meet someone who knew my mother and it warms my heart to hear their comments about her. She was a dear soul, always ready to give more than her share, always there to help a friend. She was deeply loved by so many! I hope that those who loved her told her so, often, and while she was still alive, but fear that that was not the case, as we do not do these things nearly enough.

On a different but somewhat connected note, I had something happen the other day that made me smile...I was at work in my store, and a man and woman walked up to the counter. The woman looked closely into my face and asked where I was from, as she was certain that she knew me. We conversed for several minutes, sharing life information and details. Her face was familiar, but I could not dredge up from my memory the details of our connection, and nor could she.

Then she asked, "Did you ever work at Concord Mall?" and I knew then how she knew me. We worked together thirty-two years ago in a Montgomery Wards store, she in Appliances, and I in Paint and Hardware. We had only seen one another once or twice in the intervening time, and the last encounter was decades ago.

She recognized my voice, before she even saw my face.

This has happened twice now, in less than two years. I never thought that my voice was particularly distinctive, but apparently it is so.

We cannot know the impact we have made in our lives. Let us try to remember, and measure our words and actions against those who witness them.

2011-09-18T20:49:00.000-04:00

Summer Knitting

I've done some. I have lots of projects on the needles, started one pair of socks three times and ripped them back twice. They may never be finished.

Knitting is therapeutic. It helps keep my hands occupied and my brain busy. I've needed that. I'm glad that my friends let me knit for them in order to preserve my sometimes fragile sanity!

Socks for Robin in New Jersey

Fingerless Mitts for Jen in New York

Hat and socks for Miss Pepper in Louisiana

Sample Toddler Sock for a small class I taught last Spring

Socks for oldest granddaughter

The beginnings of a pair of Pay-It-Forward socks. I am not loving this yarn and having a hard time making myself knit with it.

If you look closely, you can see three hummingbirds in this picture. There is a feeder outside the back door, and we're visited there every day.

2011-09-13T23:30:00.001-04:00

Late Summer in the Marsh...

Cattails

Just a few images from my little slice of Heaven. There are approximately five acres of marsh behind the house, containing abundant flora and fauna. We've mowed some small paths through the brush, but have left it mostly wild. It is quite lovely and peaceful, and there is always some new sight to see.

Winter food for the birds


A small exercise in waterway diversion

Wildflower-lined path

A view from the bridge

Sunny clearing


This is a very good place to be...

2011-09-09T07:59:00.002-04:00

I find that I need a memory refresher! I do, indeed, know what constitutes music a cappella...music performed with only the human voice as instrument. Some of the songs I posted here are NOT a cappella at all. I can only plead that when thinking of these songs I remembered only the vocal parts and not the instrumentation that accompanied them. Still good music, still amazing vocal arrangements and performances, but most definitely NOT a cappella. oopsie...
And now, for your listening pleasure...
I love music a capella. There is a TV show coming for another season called "The Sing-Off" that is all music made with just human voices, no instrumental accompaniment...I think I'm going to love it! Here are some singers I admire and some songs they've sung a capella .

James Taylor, of course:

Is That the Way You Look? Click on the linkie thingie there to the left. I couldn't find a video of Taylor performing this song, but found this very silly video of a couple of kids 'dancing' to it. The song is not entirely a capella, but still great.

and another James Taylor:

Noticing a theme here? What can I say? The man can sing!

A Huey Lewis cover of a classic hit:

I've been playing that one in my car a lot lately...very, very loudly!

And one from Billy Joel:

Be aware that my dialup Internet connection prevents me from previewing any of these links, so I hope that I'm giving you the right ones! :D Enjoy!

2011-08-24T19:09:00.001-04:00

Another Family Reunion

My husband's family this time, and a wonderful time it always is!

There were people from Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan, and Florida. There was a LOT of wonderful food, many hugs and kisses, countless stories told, and much love shared.

Cousins Rose and David arrived at our home on Thursday and set up camp in our side yard. We always look forward to their visit!

Some of us gathered at Uncle Ervin and Aunt Bonnie's on Friday night for pizza and to wait for the Kansas branch of the Mullets to arrive.

The family met, as always when the reunion is held in Indiana, in Goshen on Saturday for lunch, and then we were honored, as we have been for the last three years, with an after-party of sorts at our home for playing, and talking, and eating, and mosquito-slapping and s'mores, and wading in the creek on Saturday evening.

On Sunday evening we had an abridged repeat of Saturday's fun with another, smaller gathering at our house to clean up some leftovers, wander the marsh behind us, chat and laugh, and singing along with Three Dog Night in the kitchen.

Only one lawn chair was killed in this year's adventure, and all frogs caught were soon released. As always, there were far too many pictures to upload and far too many of you are not shown here, but it was so fine to see every one of you. You are all loved!

Thank you, Marti, for sharing your photos.

There were 1:

Two:

Three:

Four:

generations represented.

There was frog hunting:

and wading in the stream

and pizza

and a brand-new tattoo

And Cousin Rita has found her signature pose.

I am so lucky to have married into this family!

2011-08-24T17:25:00.001-04:00

Time to Catch Up
August is nearly over, and I am behind. I have enough blog posts to last a week, so will begin with a weekend with friends.

The Dan Barr Memorial Golf Outing
Ten years ago, our friend, Dan, convinced me that it was safe to ride a motorcycle. We had a couple of short rides with Dan & Peg, and one wonderful ten-day trip to the Outerbanks and back with them. In July, 2003, Dan was killed on his bike when a driver made a left turn in front of him.
Every year since, in July, his family and friends hold a memorial golf outing, to commemorate a wonderful man and his life. The proceeds raised provide college scholarships to graduating high school seniors in his town, first to the children of firefighters, policemen, EMTs and so on, and then to any young man or woman who graduates from Hubbard High School. So far, there have been around SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of scholarships given away.
Every year but one, when I was ill and my sister was in her final weeks, Rich and I have gone to the outing. He golfs, I help with the chili dog table at the turn. We've watched Peggy & Dan's family and legacy grow with the years, and hope to be able to be there for many more years.
The following, in no particular order and with apologies to all who are not shown here, are some of my favorite faces in the world:

And then, we returned home, and found two more beautiful faces that we love:

And many very beautiful days.

2011-07-17T19:36:00.003-04:00

It's Reunion Season!
For as long as I can remember, and in fact since many years before my birth in 1956, the third Sunday in July has been the day for the annual reunion of my father's side of my family. We meet at around noon at a cottage that was built many years ago by my uncle and his brother-in-law at Marl Lake, near our home town of White Pigeon, Michigan, and sit down to eat at 1:00 pm. My cousin Don and his family are often the first to arrive, and if you don't get there before Roger, you KNOW you are late!
Traditionally, Uncle Bob would grill hot dogs, and Aunt Velma made her signature pork and beef BBQs. Every family brought dishes to share, every woman had her specialties, and we all had our favorites. Grandma usually baked raspberry pies and made cole slaw and chicken and noodles. Aunt Evelyn was famous for her baked macaroni and cheese. There were always a couple of pots of baked beans and two or three plates of deviled eggs, and plenty of wonderful desserts.
When I was a child and my father and his four brothers were all young, nearly everyone would go swimming in the lake at some point. The lake is not great for swimming, with it's mucky bottom and cloudy grey color, but we never minded and we always had a splendid time.
There was usually a pinochle or euchre game going, and at some point in the day, my uncle would take any of us who were interested on a pontoon-boat ride around the lake. Grandma would put on her big-brimmed straw hat and sit on a lawn chair on the boat. I think she looked forward to the pontoon ride as much as we children did!
I believe that I have only missed two Lutz reunions in my entire life. One was in 1974, when I was a newlywed, living in North Carolina and too poor to make the trip home, and one within the last few years when we were at the Dan Barr Memorial Golf Outing in Hubbard, Ohio on reunion weekend.
I look forward to the reunion all year, to seeing my cousins and their children and grandchildren. My grandparents, born in 1888 and 1890, have been gone since 1979 and 1975. My father, their youngest son and now nearing the age of eighty-five, is the last of his generation.
Some years we have a large turnout, and some years not so many show up. Some never miss, and some never attend. This was an average year, fifty-five of us in all. The first cousins, my generation, range in age from nearly seventy-three years old down to around fifty. This year, there were at least four generations of my grandparents' descendants represented, with the youngest in attendance, my cousin Roger's newest grandson, only two weeks old. My grandchildren spent nearly the entire time in the lake, taking just a short break to eat and to swing for a little while in the hammock, while their dinner settled. They are pink from the sun and tired from their day, and they will sleep very well tonight.
We spent the day with people we know and love, trading stories, eating wonderful things, laughing and just enjoying the company of family. We are so blessed! Our next reunion will be the first weekend in August, with my husband's family. That weekend we will have nieces, nephews, brothers and cousins camping at our house, and it will be splendid, although not so very good for my weight-loss diet. :) Happy Reunion Season!

2011-07-12T23:39:00.001-04:00

Gallstones...
Yep, I've got 'em. I'm pretty sturdy when it comes to physical pain, but that was a whole new level of hurt. I will be seeing a surgeon Monday to see if I have to have my gall bladder removed. I am oddly nervous about this. I've only been hospitalized three times in my life: when I was born, when I had my tonsils out at fourteen, and almost thirty-two years ago when my son was born. I don't care for this surgical prospect at all.

In other news, I have never been one to wish to live my life over and make changes. That said, I've recently found myself wishing for myself the ability to go back about two years, maybe three, and freeze time at that point. Rich hadn't yet had the accident on our beautiful yellow bike then, and my sister and two of my best friends were still with me. There have been lots of things that have happened in my life since the summers of 2008 and 2009, and not nearly enough of them have been happy.
I often think I should try to change myself in some very major ways. I should try to be less trusting, less open, less giving. I should be more skeptical, more reserved. I wish that I could be stronger, smarter, more sophisticated. I wish that I could learn to look askance at the things I'm told and not be so ready to simply accept people as they present themselves. I should be realistic about my possibilities and prospects.
I should stop writing my own fairy tale.
Fat chance.

2011-07-02T18:24:00.002-04:00

We're having a summer thunderstorm this evening, and I sat on the porch to watch it for awhile. I used to write poetry, nothing good, but mine, and I haven't written any for many years. As I sat there and enjoyed the little storm, the beginnings of this poem came to me as if poured into my brain:

Summer Poem for Missing Friends

Come, sit with me on this summer porch,
and watch the rain,
hear thunder boom and roll and gutters drip, drip, drip,
the skies awash to whisk away the evening heat.
We could speak of many things,
of spider's webs and dragonflies
and kites and shoes and motorcycles,
sip our sweet, sweat-beaded tea
the bits of ice dissolving into pools atop the glass.

The wooden bench-slats flex beneath our weight,
damp concrete floor cool underfoot.
We'd loll and laugh and linger there,
our voices soft, our friendship strong,
a gentle breeze to tease my hair
and cool our heated flesh.

The smell of fresh-cut grass is good,
and, too, the scent of rain-soaked air
so clean, and light, and perfect.

And how are you today, dear friend?
I've missed you so.
Will you please come and sit with me a bit?
I've saved a special place for you, right there.

It's been so long since you and I just sat, we two,
and spoke
and shared a glass.
I've missed you so.
I hope you're well, and have you changed?
I feel you, still, beside me here,
as if I could put out my hand
and take yours up within it.

There are such things that I would say
were I to have you here with me
to sit and watch this summer's rain
and hear the drip, drip, drip
of time too short and running fast.
I miss you so.
Come sit with me.

Rebecca Yoder
Second Day of July, 2011

2011-06-22T21:48:00.000-04:00

Nothing Says Summer Like

Kids & Watermelon!

2011-06-13T17:06:00.001-04:00

Summer's Here!
Click on the title to hear James Taylor sing it...
It's been a month or so since I posted. My heart just hasn't been into much of anything lately. I've done some knitting, and I went on a trip to North Carolina on the motorcycle with my husband. The grandkids are out of school for the summer. One will be a first-grader in the fall, and another will be in Kindergarten. Another may perhaps be in pre-school.
The house is rarely quiet, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. My son and his family have lived with us since the first of March, and will be moving on by the end of this month, if all goes as we hope. It's a different sort of thing, to have grown children move back home, but lots of folks are going through it these days. On the one hand, we get lots of time with the grandchildren. On the other hand, we have LOTS of time with the grandchildren... ; ) And then there are the additional issues connected to having offspring in the house after being empty nesters for awhile. Those of you who know me well will know how that has gone...the rest of you don't need to be subjected to it. :D
First, the bike ride:

The First Annual Mysterious Swamp and Seafood Tour

We lived in Swansboro, North Carolina the first two years of our marriage, while my husband served out his enlistment in the Marine Corps. One of my friends from our motorcycle forum is a Navy captain who lives there now. He had been asking us to come visit for some time and when he planned a gathering for our motorcycle forum, we decided the time was right to head South.
The ride there was cold and wet. We rode all one day in rain with temps hovering around 50 degrees. Leaving after work on Wednesday, we rode to a point just south of New Castle, Indiana and stopped for the night, wet and tired. The second day we made it as far as Asheville, North Carolina' before we saw sunshine and we finished our day in Hickory, NC. The third day was sunny and hot, and we pulled into Swansboro in the late afternoon, showered and changed, and met our group for supper. Our friend there had insisted that we stay in the apartment over his garage, and he and his wife were the most wonderful hosts! The picture above shows the view from their back porch.

This is Main Street in Swansboro, mostly unchanged since we lived there in 1974-75, but slightly re-organized by various hurricanes and tropical storms. The town has become somewhat 'touristy' in the interim, but looks much the same. When we were in Swansboro in 2002, we tried to find the building that used to house Swansboro's tiny public library. When we lived there, I would walk the three miles from our trailer park and three miles back, just to get books to read every week or two. On this trip we located it, across the street from the fire station. It was a place that saved my sanity and introduced me to Hemingway and Fitzgerald when I was a young Marine's wife and far from home.

This is a little slice of heaven called Yana's, and I highly recommend a visit if you ever get to town. The restaurant is jam-packed with movie memorabilia, featuring Elvis Presly, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean. They serve a freshly-made fruit fritter that is one of the best things I've ever eaten. I must admit to eating at least two of them while we were in town.... :D

The "mysterious swamp" part of the tour was a joke between two of our forum friends...Polecat, this picture is for you. I'm so sorry you couldn't be there to see it in person!

While we stayed in Swansboro, we met up with a few other folks from the forum, rode, ate, had a marvelous tour of Camp LeJeune that was arranged and led by our host, rode and ate some more, and had a generally wonderful time. We were lucky enough to meet up in Swansboro with a young Marine who had just returned from deployment overseas, and his wife, who is the daughter of friends in Hubbard, Ohio. There were eleven states represented at the gathering, some people we'd met before, and a few we met for the first time. It was a wonderful time, and we're so grateful to Bob for setting it all up!

The foothills of the Smokey Mountains

We took leave from our friends on Sunday morning and headed for home in perfect riding weather, stopping for the night in Bristol, Tennessee.
The weather for our ride home was clear and hot. We had to take cover and wait out some storms in Bristol, TN, and just south of the Ohio River in Kentucky, but otherwise had an uneventful time.
We rode around 2,500 miles on this trip, and had such fun!

How the Smokies got their name

A storm rolls in over Bristol


After the storm

Almost home again, in Indiana

Maybe I'll show what I've been knitting in my next post :)

2011-05-13T14:16:00.000-04:00

Finished!

March Mystery Sock from the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry. Pattern is Cadence by VeryBusyMonkey. Lovely pattern, delivered in four parts on four consecutive Mondays. Yarn is Opal and quite nice!

2011-05-13T13:55:00.000-04:00

This is a reprise of an earlier post. My husband thought it was too personal so I pulled it, but I decided that it is just too indicative of my friendship with Tom to take away, so here it is, back again, with a few edits. Thank you all for your kind comments when it was posted the first time.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011
You cannot change the direction of the wind...only adjust your sails...
A dear friend said this to me some time back. I am at a point where I cannot decide whether to furl my sails, hang on, and ride out the storm, or to put them all out and run away before the wind.

I lost another friend today. In January of 1978, I got a job at Montgomery Ward in Elkhart, Indiana, where I worked in the paint department. My department manager there was a man named Tom. We worked together there until July, 1979, when I left to take maternity leave for the birth of my son. Here is the story of a friendship born amongst the paint cans and brushes.

Tom and I were the very best of friends from our first moments working together. We had so many good times, it's hard for me to choose just a few to share here. He visited me in the hospital when my son was born, and brought me an issue of Playgirl as a joke, as if that was anything I wanted to see while recovering from childbirth! He and my husband became close, too, and our son thought of him as a family member.

We drank gallons and gallons of coffee over the years, smoked many cartons of cigarettes together...as a matter of fact, it was not until Tom moved away that I was able to quit. I could avoid smoking around anyone but him, as it was an integral part of our friendship.
We finished each other's sentences and read each other's thoughts. I remember one workday conversation with Tom. He asked, "Did you watch Johnny Carson last night?"
"No, I went to bed early. Who was on?"
"Oh...you know... the guy with the mouth?"
"Don Rickles?"
"YEAH!" he replied, "THAT'S the one!"
There was another conversation where I guessed who "That guy who sings" was. = )

We called one another first, whenever there was good or bad news to be shared. I told Tom that my pregnancy was confirmed before I told my husband. Many times over the years I would find that he was weighing heavily on my mind or making appearances in my dreams, and would call him to find that he was in the midst of a health or personal crisis, and he did the same with me.

Tom was a hard-working man, and hated to take breaks for lunch...there really was no need, as in those days we could smoke on the sales floor at Ward's, so why bother taking a break? :D At one point, I began insisting that he take a few minutes and go to lunch with me each day, so that he would not go hungry. As we were walking to lunch one afternoon, he said, "You know I'm getting FAT, and it's all YOUR fault!"
I replied, "Ok, but if you're going to blame getting fat on me, I'm going to blame my getting fat on YOU!"
I was pregnant.
I told my husband about the conversation and we both laughed. A few weeks later, we were having dinner with my parents, something was said about the baby, and my husband said, "It doesn't matter, it's Tom's, anyway..."
My mother was somewhat nonplussed, to say the least, and called later to make sure that I was not having another man's baby!

Tom was married for seventeen years to a wonderful woman. They had two sons and adopted a third, and divorced when we'd known him for two or three years.. Then, one evening, he sat down with us and told us that he was gay. It was a difficult thing for him to do, and a difficult thing for us to hear. He was a teenager during the 1950s, and that was not the best time to be gay, to say the least. My heart aches for all the pain he had to endure before finally coming 'out'.
A short time later, he met Kenny, and the two of them have been together ever since, through heart attacks and cancer, hepatitis and jaundice, diabetes and giardia, and of course through many, many good times. They moved to Florida a few years ago, leaving a terrible void in my life, but Tom always hated snow and cold, and Florida was perfect for him. They are the very best example I can think of for life-partnership. Kenny will have a terrible time going on alone and I wish he was close enough for me to hug him.
Tom and his ex-wife stayed very close, and my heart goes out to her and their sons and grandchildren, as I know they are devastated today at this news.

I could not knit when talking to Tom. He would get completely lost watching the movements of my hands, and would just trail off in the middle of a sentence, transfixed. I soon learned to put my knitting away when he was with me, or to hide it beneath the table so that he could speak.
We rate movies by whether Tom could get through them without crying...he always wept unabashedly during movies.
He was fiercely opposed to wearing a seat belt, and I gave him no end of grief about that. It worried me.
He had a hate-hate relationship with law enforcement officers and people in authority. He once got stopped for having an unrestrained child riding in his car...the 'child' was his dog, Dougal.
He once was refused a job because of his apparent alcoholism...he wasn't an alcoholic, and rarely consumed any alcohol at all, he just had one of 'those' faces.
He and Kenny once lived in an apartment that was in a very bad neighborhood and they were robbed frequently. He said he was just going to put a sign out that said, "Come in and take whatever you want, but please stop breaking down my back door!"
Tom once went to the grocery store for dog food, shampoo, and a pack of cigarettes. He picked up the cigarettes as he entered the store, then picked up the shampoo, and when he came to the dog food, found he had no free hands so put the cigarettes in his shirt pocket. Unfortunately, he forgot they were there, and left the store without paying for them. He spent the night in jail for that one. When the prosecuting attorney came in the next morning and heard what had happened, he was furious, dismissed all charges, and sent Tom home.
Tom and I both loved MGs. He had an MGB and I had an MG Midget. He loved our motorcycles, and always enjoyed seeing Rich and me ride.

There are so many stories...

Tom hated shopping, and holidays, and buying gifts, not because of any lack of generosity, but simply because he never thought he'd found the perfect gift, and it bothered him. In no particular order, he loved art and nature and dogs and cats, technology, his kids, his ex-wife, his grandkids, Kenny, and everything the world had to offer. He loved me, too. I am immeasurably better for his presence in my life. I will miss him dreadfully.

June 18, 1939 - May 3, 2011 Rest well, my dear, dear friend.

www.itgetsbetter.org

2011-04-26T04:24:00.000-04:00

...and we go forward...
Spring is here, cold, wet, leaden of sky, but here nonetheless. We go on.

It's been a month of odd-ish socks. These are pedi-socks, for keeping one's feet warm whilst one's toenails are being painted. Pattern designed for a Ravelry group to which I belong. Crystal Palace Panda Wool for the green (I don't usually use non-superwash for socks, but these won't get washed all that often) and Opal for the cream. I like the lace pattern and will probably knit another pair from this pattern one day, with toes.

These, and the following pair, were designed as a part of the "Pay-It-Forward" thing I did on Facebook earlier this year. Opal, in a Uni-color red/brown, and in a speckled/striped yarn that was a test-skein I purchased from Soxie, the former sole importer/distributor of Opal yarns in the USA, a couple of years ago. Test skeins are produced in limited numbers, and can be quite hard to come by, I've heard.

I alternated the two yarns: cast on in one color for each pair and worked the top ribbing, then switched to the other for cuffs, switched again for legs and feet. I knit both pair at the same time on two circs, and had plenty to finish both pair, even with the longer turn-down cuff.
The striped/speckled yarn pooled oddly, but I decided to just forge ahead rather than try to change that. The pooling did change a bit on one of the socks, after a cat chewed off the yarn and I had to splice it back in. Geeze...I have never had cats that bothered my yarn before, and these two that belong to my son and his family are a real trial.

My friend Suzanne, in Texas, will receive the pair with dark feet, and the pair with light feet will be mine... sister socks, if you will, similar but very different. : ) She is going to name the pattern, as it was designed specifically for her.
The socks have a ruffled top, a pretty ribbed lace pattern from one of the Barbara Walker books for the legs and insteps, eye-of-partridge heel flaps and a Dutch heel.

My tulips bloomed early this year, and with the cooler weather they are lasting a long time. This is the second year since Robby, then just two years old, helped me plant them.

I have been told, "Every time you see a tulip, someone in The Netherlands is thinking of you." I cannot imagine who that would be, now that my Dutch friend is gone, but it's a lovely thought all the same.

2011-04-14T08:56:00.001-04:00

Serving Notice!

To all my friends: please know that I am expecting you all to live a long time, as I am planning to be very, very old when I die, and I do not want to outlive any more of you. It is just too painful.

In other news, Rich will head off to the Tennessee Lunch Run this afternoon, for a weekend of good riding, food, and friends. I wish with all my heart that I could have gone along, but had to miss the trip this year. You all ride safely, and have a wonderful time!

I have several projects on the needles: three pair of socks nearing completion, one about half done, and one just begun as a test of a friend's new pattern. After that, I have promised a pair to my oldest granddaughter. Idle hands ARE the Devil's playthings, after all! ; ) (edited 4-26...geeze)

2011-04-03T06:05:00.000-04:00

Day seven: 3rd April. Your knitting and crochet time.
Write about your typical crafting time. When it is that you are likely to craft – alone or in more social environments, when watching TV or whilst taking bus journeys. What items do you like to surround yourself with whilst you twirl your hook like a majorette’s baton or work those needles like a skilled set of samurai swords. Do you always have snacks to hand, or are you a strictly ‘no crumbs near my yarn!’ kind of knitter.

I knit anywhere, anytime. I always have several projects on the needles, and carry two or three with me wherever I go. I knit while watching tv, while waiting for my slow dialup Internet connection, while walking, while talking with friends, during slow times at work (but not often!), while riding down the road on the back of our motorcycle. I knit while reading, if the pattern is a simple one.
I don't have any special items surrounding me while I knit, just whatever happens to be in the vicinity. If there's food, that's ok, but I don't have to have it, and in fact find that I eat less while knitting.
My favorite knitting bag has an adjustable strap that I can fasten around my waist or hang over my shoulder. It is a Knit Knack Sack from Nancy's Knit Knacks, and I've had it for years. The bottom is becoming a bit frayed, but it's still sturdy. It's almost always with me, usually within arm's length. I've carried it with me on many car and motorcycle trips, and on airplanes to Atlanta, Georgia and to London, England. I would have liked to carry it with me to The Netherlands one day, but since I got word last evening that my friend there has passed away, that is unlikely to happen now.
So here we are at Day seven, and the last day of Knit & Crochet Blog Week. Thanks for the opportunity to share...it's been a busy and trying week, so I haven't had much chance to check out others' posts, but hope to do that as soon as things get a bit easier here.

2011-04-02T01:37:00.000-04:00

Day six: 2nd April. Something to aspire to.
Is there a pattern or skill that you don’t yet feel ready to tackle but which you hope to (or think you can only dream of) tackling in the future, near or distant? Is there a skill or project that makes your mind boggle at the sheer time, dedication and mastery of the craft? Maybe the skill or pattern is one that you don’t even personally want to make but can stand back and admire those that do. Maybe it is something you think you will never be bothered to actually make but can admire the result of those that have.

I would like to master the art of knitting toe-up socks with a traditional heel turn and heel flap, rather than the short-row heel. I've tried short rows a couple of times, and never had much success with it. In addition, I have farm-girl feet, with 'sturdy' ankles and very high insteps, and a short-row heel will almost always cause my socks to slip down into my shoes and bunch up at the ankles.

2011-04-01T02:33:00.000-04:00

I am skipping the Day 5 subject.

2011-04-01T02:23:00.002-04:00

I missed my post yesterday. A slow Internet connection in the morning, then an evening spent in a chat room with the daughter of a very ill friend kept me from it. Right now, my heart is very heavy because of the ill friend, but I'll try to catch up today.

Day Four: 31st March. Where are they now?
Whatever happened to your __________?
Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.

I've knit a lot of things, mostly socks, for a lot of people who live in a lot of different places.
Socks for the following:

Meesh in NY state
Woody in Wisconsin, who is on his second pair now, since he wore out the first ones

A gi-normous pair that I sent to Rickey in Arkansas when it became obvious that they would be wayyyyyy too big for anyone else!
John in Louisiana, whose socks are known as "The Show Socks" because his wife won't let him wear them and they languish in a drawer (they're 'too nice to wear'), only brought out to show to visitors = )
Jerry in Detroit
Ralph in South Carolina
Larry in Arizona, as a thank-you for the beautiful cutting boards he built as a housewarming gift for us
Ms. Nina in Alabama
Michelle, currently deployed with the U.S. Navy Reserves in Germany
Ross and Joyce in Indiana
Steve (Polecat) in Ohio
Baby socks for our grandson in Michigan and friends' grandkids in Indiana and Texas
Derek in New Jersey
Dave in Indiana
Socks for the whole family of my friend Peggy, in Ohio...yes, I know there are lots more of you now, and you all need socks! = )
Jeannie in South Haven, Michigan
Lots and lots of socks for me, here in Michigan

Miscellaneous things:

A hat for Rick in OK
A hat for John in Louisiana (of 'Show Socks' fame) who was prevented from collecting it when his trip to visit us was sidelined by a Mardi Gras Parade Incident Resulting in An Injury... ;)
Hats and mittens for our granddaughters and grandsons (socks, too!)
Fingerless mitts for Linda in Ohio, my brother and his friend in Canada, and Michelle, with the Navy in Germany
A hat, for Jeffrey in Indiana

The most difficult for me now is these:

They were designed and knit for the ill friend who is mentioned above. He is a very good man who has done so many wonderful things for this world. I once called him a superhero, and he said I should knit him some Flashing Red Superhero Socks. I even figured out how to make them flash!
Then he found out that he was ill, and I didn't think that I would be able to finish them for him in time, so I changed the design. The lightning bolts that were intended to run down the legs were moved to the soles of the feet, and the name of the pattern name changed to 'Mourning Becomes Electric'. I think that I will wear them myself, in his honor and, eventually, in his memory.


Lightning Soles

The sun should hide its face with grief when he passes.

2011-03-30T05:06:00.000-04:00

Day Three: 30th March. Tidy mind, tidy stitches.
How do you keep your yarn wrangling organised? It seems like an easy to answer question at first, but in fact organisation exists on many levels. Maybe you are truly not organised at all, in which case I am personally daring you to try and photograph your stash in whatever locations you can find the individual skeins.

A few years ago, our lives changed rather drastically, and we bought a new-to-us house. The renovation of, and addition to, that tiny old house are subjects for another blog entirely, but one of my favorite things about the new house is the Stash Closet my husband built for me. It has adjustable pull-out shelves that go from floor to ceiling, and should surely have been enough room for the ever-growing stash.

...au contraire.
The collection of fibery goodness had already outgrown the Wonderful Closet before I even began to organize and store it away. Then my sister died, and I inherited her stash, too.
<----here is a small part of that.

THEN my son, his wife, and their four small children moved in with us, and everything got hurriedly removed from the downstairs bedroom as part of the effort to make space for them...and stowed in what will one day become our dining room/my library.

<----- It looks like this now. : ( I can't even get to a fairly large heap of yarn that got shoved behind this mess...

In addition, I have baskets and bags of yarn and needles and WIPs and prospective WIPs everywhere in the house. I usually have a project or two in the car, too, just in case.

So I guess that I am partially organized...although it's more like marginally-contained chaos. = )

2011-03-30T04:36:00.000-04:00

Chat-back from recent posts:
On my Time-Traveler's Wife thread:
"Sue said...I loved this book wept buckets at the end."
It is an especially poignant book for me. I have a dear friend who traveled a great deal for his work, and would pop into and out of our lives, much as Henry deTamble did, never naked, of course : ) but often tired, or ill, or cold, or discouraged at the nature of his job. He would often be away for weeks at a time, sometimes with no contact with us. I think of him often when I read this book.

PandaBearofDoom said...I haven't tried socks yet, but I can't wait to
Love your user name! :) Socks aren't hard at all. If you can knit and purl and do a couple of basic decreases, you can knit socks, and they're nearly-instant gratification. I'd be glad to help you learn.

josiekitten said...Well done you for writing your own sock patterns. That's something I'd like to have a go at too. You're right, knitting is great therapy. I always turn to my knitting at times of stress.
Writing patterns is not too difficult, either. You just need to know basic sock construction and a few measurements, and you can do it! I can work with you to show you, if you like. I get bored easily, and I have rarely knit the same pattern more than once. I knit all my socks two-at-a-time on two circular needles to help prevent Second Sock Syndrome. I have a whole pile of singletons around here somewhere that were knit as samples for my published patterns...I don't know if they'll ever meet their mates!
Working with yarn is the very best stress-reducer for me. Even sorting through my stash, untangling snarls of yarn and winding balls will relax and center me.

AC said...I need to learn how to use up odds and ends!
AC, a good friend taught me a wonderful way to make this work. Sort your small balls of yarn by colors. Since I knit 2 socks/2 circs, if the yarn is self-striping, I usually will try to divide it into two balls, making the stripes repeat the same way in both, if it's solid colored, I just work from both ends of the same ball.
Use a simple, pretty lace pattern for your socks, and change balls of yarn every two to four pattern repeats. You'll be amazed at how well they'll turn out. This is how I knit socks for my granddaughters last December, using up small bits of yarn from my late sister's sock yarn stash. Scroll down for that entry "Girly-girl socks" to see them.

katiemckinna said...Looks like you've done alot this year. Your blog tripped me out, because it looks almost identical to mine. It was confusing for a moment! :-)
Katie, I just looked at yours, and we've used the same Blogger template! Love your 'Anatomy of a Sock', by the way. = )

2011-03-29T02:44:00.000-04:00

Day Two: 29th March. Skill + 1UP

Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year.

I've knit quite a few non-sock items over the last year: several pair of fingerless mitts, a couple of tams for the granddaughters, hats for friends.
I've become much more comfortable with mixing up odds and ends of leftover yarn to make some amazingly attractive items.
I've become much more adept at determining the beginning of a pattern repeat, so as to make socks and other paired items match.
I've begun to teach a couple of ladies to knit socks.
I've written a number of brand-new sock patterns for my own use.
I've learned a different heel-turn technique (the Dutch heel, which I like very much) and tried the short-row heel again for the first time since my very first sock-knitting attempt (and I don't like it any better now than I did then!).
I have learned (or perhaps re-learned) just what good therapy knitting is, through the death of my sister and during the ongoing terminal illness of a dear friend.
I am learning the ins and outs of using Ravelry as a social knitting network (I'm bookish98 there)

2011-03-28T19:06:00.001-04:00

Day One: 28th March. A Tale of Two Yarns.

"Part of any fiber enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them."

I love to knit socks with Opal and with Trekking. I always know that the socks will turn out well, that the colors will be wonderful, and that the finished socks will wash and dry beautifully. I have quite a lot of Opal in my stash, and often hesitate to use it because then...it will be GONE! 8- 0
Love the striping, the slow color changes in Trekking, the fair-isle stretches in Opal, everything about both of these yarns!

2011-03-24T04:06:00.000-04:00

A Good Read
I am re-reading The Time-Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger. This is my second time through. I've seen bits and pieces of the movie, but read the book first. I've always been intrigued by time-travel stories, but this is by far the best I've read. The prose is elegant, the storyline heartrending, the characters fully-fleshed and ready to jump from the page into real life.

I am a speedy reader: I skim, I rush, I read with one part of my brain while solving problems and re-hashing conversations in other parts. Those who know me, know that I am an unrepentant multi-tasker. With this book, I long to slow down. Savor. Immerse myself. Alas, if I am reading silently I seem unable to read slowly, and I have no one who wants to be read to, at least no one older than my grandchildren, and this would not be an appropriate bedtime story for two- to six-year-olds. = )

This is writing that begs to be heard. If I could speak the words as I read them, it would force me to linger, to infuse the prose with all the meaning the author intended to convey. The story is written alternately in the voices of its two main characters. It would be especially lovely to read the book aloud with a man, who would read Henry's parts as I read Clare's.

I don't know why this particular book has affected me so, but I will read it again now, and will read it again in the future, I am certain. Each time I read it, I will take something new from it. Maybe one day I will even watch the entire movie...

2011-02-25T21:41:00.003-05:00

Still Life with Wine and Apples

Still Life with Wine and Apples

A package came from one of my chat room friends today. I knit a pair of socks for him as a gift, so that he would stop complaining that his feet were sooooooo coooooooold... He sent me these lovely wines as a thank you. Derek, who goes by the name NJRef in chat (he is a soccer referee in his spare time), is a gourmet cook and wine aficionado who has been attempting to teach some basic wine appreciation to those of us chatters with any interest.

NJSocks

Son and his family were down tonight for supper, and I gave the three oldest ones their new socks.

Kids new socks, Andrea, Robby, Layla

Andrea lost her first baby tooth!

2011-02-22T17:34:00.000-05:00

And still more winter!

Sevison Road

The sun came out today and shone on all the world. I think we might have six to eight inches of fresh snowfall since yesterday. I just can't help myself...I love it. I promise I'll get bored with winter one day, but until then, enjoy!

Sun on icy branches

Sunshine is better than medicine!

Yellow!!!

I love our red barn :)

2011-02-21T15:24:00.000-05:00

Just in Case...

...you haven't had enough of winter yet, I am still enjoying it, and look what we are getting today! I was sent home from work early this afternoon because of the weather. During the drive home, there were times when visibility was down to maybe one-quarter mile. It is just beautiful out there, and coming down even harder now than it was when I was driving. The pictures can't begin to show how lovely it is.

It is a very good thing that I enjoy this sort of weather, living where I do. So many folks here are absolutely miserable when it's cold and snowy, and I feel badly for them.

The little taste of spring we were given last week was nice, but anyone who has lived here for any length of time knows that we are nowhere near being close to the end of winter in February.

Hope you like snow as much as I do!

Gazebo and dining area, Breadbox Bakery and Cafe

Snowfall at the shop

Old barn along the way

Ice on the trees

The Thomas Road bridge

Barn in Snow

View toward the marsh

2011-02-20T20:43:00.001-05:00

February Odds and Ends

Girly-girl socks for Andrea and Layla. The cuff pattern was adapted from a design by Janet Rehfeldt. Her pattern was called "Bubble Yum" and I found it in SOCKS! Digest, March, 2003. I cast on double the required stitches to make a little ruffle at the top, and knit a turned-down cuff instead of knitting the pattern down the leg. The yarn was a mixture of special small bits from my sister's sock yarn stash. All four socks were knit at the same time on two circular needles. I think they turned out very pretty, and they're certainly girly! I knitted all four at one time on two circs.

My cousin Jeanie's gift socks had a dropped stitch, so she returned them to me for repair in an enveloped addressed to the Sock Hospital! :) I just love Jeanie! Chuck, what a good choice she was.

Nearly all of our snow melted off in the thaw last week, leaving just a few stray patches here and there. Today we got fresh snow, and in HUGE flakes. I wish you could see how big they were in this picture.

The big SPLAT on my arm was all one snowflake until it landed.

The sunshine last week and warmer temperatures were most welcome, and better than medicine for a winter- and stress-wearied soul. Now for a few more weeks of winter and then spring once again.

2011-02-01T19:41:00.001-05:00

Random things

A pair of socks and another pair of mitts for some friends.

Two pair of fingerless mitts for my brother in Canada, mystery yarn from my sister's stash

Another pair of gift socks, this time in an old self-striping Opal colorway


SNOWZILLA 2011...our first blizzard of the year

I have little to say this time. It's been a difficult winter in many ways, and there's been enough sadness shared here lately.

I did have some lovely times this past weekend, though. I took my son, his wife, and three of their children to the Davis Mercantile in Shipshewana, where I used to work. The merchants of the Merc were hosting a special benefit for a very nice young couple who own and operate a restaurant on the top floor of the building. They had a house fire last summer, lost everything in their home, and she was very badly burned. After several months in the hospital and much pain and suffering, she is finally able to be back to work at least part time.

The couple's church baked hundreds of marvelous cookies. We began by buying a box at the restaurant, then visited every shop in the building to fill it with cookies, a different kind of cookie at every stop. It was my daughter-in-law's first visit to Shipshewana, and she had a great time exploring the different shops.

Of course, no visit to the Merc would be complete without a ride on the carousel and a fresh, hot, soft pretzel at JoJo's.

Guy Thompson entertained us with a special performance of his wonderful marionettes. A free-will donation was taken, and all proceeds donated to the benefit. Guy and his wife, Christine, used to run the Mousetrap Puppet Theater on the top floor of the Merc, but I'm very sad to say economic considerations caused them to close the theater a couple of years ago. He currently does shows at WanaWaves, the indoor water park in Shipshewana on Saturday evenings at 7:00. Don't miss it when you're in town!

Mercantile merchants donated a portion of their sales for the day to help with the family's medical and personal expenses. It's good to work in a small town, where people still care for and reach out to help one another.

2011-01-09T16:16:00.000-05:00

A Touch of Winter

As I've often said, I love winter. It is such a quiet time. The snow muffles the sounds of the world around me and covers the debris and detritus of the rest of the year with a fresh coat of white. It's a time to reflect, to slow down, to burrow deep beneath the covers...to breathe. We must consider each step in the winter, look about us for slippery spots, drive a bit more carefully, make sure to dress warmly and prepare for extreme temperatures.

We put suet cakes and mixed seeds out for the birds. They add a touch of color and busyness to an otherwise stark and quiet landscape. We get a wide variety of winter birds here: cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, phoebes, woodpeckers, titmice, grosbeaks and others.

Fresh, untracked snow is the main reason why I don't like snowmobiles. Of course, they are also noisy machines, and their ruckus interrupts my winter peace.

If you look very closely, you might see a cardinal perched in the branches of the tree. When I first looked out, there were three males, all in bright-red plumage, but I wasn't fast enough to get that picture or, for that matter, close enough to get a good image here.

It's very cold here today, below zero early this morning, and not warming up very quickly at all. The furnace is working hard to keep the house comfortable, but the sun is shining brightly so it doesn't feel quite so chill. There was a lot of snow near us yesterday, but we got just a few inches. A niece who lives a few miles to the west of us reported that at one point yesterday, they got nearly four inches of snow in a half-hour period. There is also snow falling and predicted to fall all over the South, so there will be many children there who may be experiencing their very first snow! I hope that they'll get enough to have some fun in it.

2011-01-01T15:55:00.000-05:00

More on Christmas
I got two boxes of chocolates from my kids and grandkids for Christmas...click on the image at left for a better view of the tags. The little ones were up and around before their parents on the day before Christmas, and they opened a few of the gifts before they were supposed to. They also helped themselves to my chocolates. The other box of chocolates looked very similar to this one, but with more empty spaces. = )

My friend Shelly is deployed to Germany at the moment, and she sent this MOST excellent polar bear hat for my grandson. Robby loves it, and has been wearing it almost constantly since we gave it to him. I have some wonderful friends.

And so, for 2011.

I am not a believer in new year's resolutions as they are rarely kept, but there are a few things I would like to aim for.

1. Acceptance of things I can't change

2. Not letting the bad things upset me

3. Being happy with what I have instead of sad about what I don't have

4. Shedding fifty pounds

Well, that last one is my doctor's plan for me...skinny little dude that he is (sigh).

Happy New Year to us, every one. Let us hope for a better year to come. If you see me without a smile, lend me one of yours, and remind me that I need to find one of my own.

2010-12-27T20:51:00.000-05:00

Christmas, 2010

It was time. I hadn't had my mom's Christmas cookie cutters out since our grandson was born, four years ago. When we were kids, baking the cookies was a huge deal. Mom would make as many as five or six triple batches of cookie dough and spend the whole day baking. Then the family would gather and help with the decorating. We'd make the entire Nativity scene in cookies as well as dozens of Santas, trees, stockings, stars, holly wreaths, and bells. We would load and wrap plates of cookies and drive around our town, delivering them to friends and teachers. It was a wonderful time

I only baked Santas this year, and only mixed up one batch of dough. The Santa cookies are everyone's favorites. There is a method to eating them, too...you have to eat the pom pom off the hat first, then the hat, then the hat brim, then Santa's face, then the beard. I think there may be a law that says all that.

This is the all-important 'blob'. It's what's left when you've rolled and re-rolled the dough and cut out all the cookies you can from it. The little, too-small-to-make-a-cookie bit that's left over is a 'blob' and you get to eat it as soon as it's baked. You only get to eat the 'good' cookies if they break or burn.

Here is the Christmas tree that almost didn't make it up this year. We were finishing and painting the drywall in the living room and dining room, and only got the mess cleared away a few days before Christmas. I considered not putting it up this year, but I'm glad I did, now. It does bring a great deal of cheer and it's always so pretty, with all of the ornaments collected through the years. My angel stopped lighting up this year, after twenty years of use. I hope that we'll be able to repair her, but if not she'll have to be replaced.

Robby in his goofy hat...

Ethan in his new hat and mittens, knit by Grandma...

Layla modeling her new tam and mittens, also knit by me...

Opening presents and showing off some of their new goodies....

Christmas really IS for children, isn't it. = )

My Christmas was topped off by a visit from my oldest brother, who lives in Canada. He's been here since Saturday morning, and may be here through the first of January. This is about the most time I've spent with him since we were kids, and I am so enjoying every minute of it. My family has become so fragmented since my mother's death in 1998. It's good to still have this one close connection.

A Happy New Year to one and all!

2010-12-13T15:33:00.000-05:00

A bit of this and a bit of that...

I'm not nearly ready for Christmas, but that's nothing new. I have, however, finished a few projects.

A couple of years ago, I knit five pairs of socks for some of my chat room friends. One has yet to wear his, as his wife says 'They're too NICE to wear." Another, however, wore his so much that they were already through at the toes last winter. These lovely blue socks will, I hope, take the place of the worn-out pair. While working the heels and toes, I knitted in a strand of mystery yarn from my sister's stash in the hope that it will help them last longer.

New socks in the mail tomorrow, Kevin!

What a beautiful day I had today to photograph them. We had high winds and a couple of inches of fresh snow overnight, but the sun is out today and the sky is really THAT blue! I do love winter. :)

This little hat and mitten set is in Robby's favorite color. I used one strand of Opal Uni-Color in orange for the hem and then added one strand of Opal Rainforest in "Schmetterling" for the rest of the hat, holding the two yarns together. I divided the skein of Schmetterling into two balls, both beginning at the same place in the pattern repeat, and alternated knitting one round with one ball and the next with the other, so that the self-striping pattern would be longer. He loves them! Next time, though, I will make the hat a bit deeper, as his ears peek out just a bit.

These are the two pair of fingerless mittens that I showed in a previous post, now finished. They are very nice for keeping my hands warm at the keyboard. Next time, i think I'll try knitting the individual fingers. I think they look like turtleneck sweaters for one-armed Barbie dolls!

This was my 2010 entry in the Shipshewana Merchants' Association annual scarecrow contest. She wore a dress that my mother sewed for me when I was in the eighth grade, that closed with buttons from my great-great grandmother's button box.

A bout of hormonally-instigated depression took away my Christmas spirit last week. I had difficulty finding any joy in my heart for those days, but I think I'm on an uphill run again now. For those of you who may not believe in depression, it is real, it is painful, and it is very, very hard to deal with. I have lived with it for forty years and I've learned how to work my way through it, but this episode was a particularly bad one, and I'm glad to be able to see the sunshine again.

This is a terrible time of year for those who struggle with depression. Keep watch on your loved ones. Give a hug when you see it's needed. Try to understand that it's not a sign of weakness, it's not your fault, nor is it theirs, it just is.

Just love them.

2010-12-07T22:44:00.000-05:00

In Appreciation of Small Pleasures...


Two pair of fingerless mittens, and a little boy peeking from my computer monitor

"My" new store

A pair of antlers and a red nose to make people smile

A snowy day

Learning how to wink

What a wonderful world this is!

2010-11-23T03:06:00.001-05:00

A long treatise on chat-room friends...
I have a friend in The Netherlands who once told me that in his country when you have a birthday, you invite all of your friends, put out food, and celebrate your day. I think planning one's own birthday party is a splendid idea! In that spirit, here is my birthday celebration. The friends I choose to invite this year are my friends from the gl1800riders.com chat room, a place where I probably spend far too much time.
These people are an amazing and diverse group, representing many different walks of life. In my six or seven years of chatting with this bunch, I've met a road builder, a wireless communications whiz, a chemist, grocer, tool-and-die maker, public servants, computer gurus (and many who were computer-challenged), a shoe salesman, truck drivers, postal workers, car salesmen, maintenance workers, photographers both amateur and professional, an electrical engineer, nurses, musicians, farmers, and more.
I have chatted with folks from nearly forty states and at least seven countries outside the USA. I have met many of them at various gatherings in various places, several have visited me at my home, and I have visited a few at theirs. I've met up with them in Arkansas, Indiana, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Alabama, and Tennessee. I've logged many, many miles riding with them, and countless hours in the chat room with them.
Most of them use screen names: YellowWolf, Snoopy, Fuzzy, Transformer, MCMom, Galute, Brobubba, and so many more. Others use some variation of their real names: TBeck, Jon, Robeth, and of course, RickMays. Poor Rick used to get so upset that we all had 'fake' names that everyone changed their screen name one night while he was away, and left him to figure out who was who when he came back. :D
We talk about everything in chat, and nothing. The only real rule is that we try very hard to leave politics and conflict outside. We have had nights where we quoted Seinfeld and Monty Python episodes, nights when we played trivia games, and nights when no one said much of anything at all. Some nights the boys want to talk about boobs, always boobs and then they get sent to the corner until they can behave. = )
We have had acronyms and catch-phrases. GANBY? was asked frequently a few years back when a chatter had wrecked his bike and was waiting to replace it (Get A New Bike Yet?). "Warmhogs" became a regular salutation one evening when self-admitted poor speller Fuzzy was leaving and meant to leave me with warm hugs...we used to give spelling scores for things like that; -1 for a minor infraction.
One chatter calls us his 'secret friends' because that's what his wife calls us. Two others enter and greet one another, "Hey Goat roper!" "Hey, Hillbilly!" Another greets everyone by the initials of their user name, "B!" "G!" "Uncle T! "
With the joining of FrigNbored, the prefix FrigN became used for many things...the FrigNditch he rode into on one ride down Push Mountain in Arkansas, the line of protective gear he was going to develop and market: "I'm wearing my FrigNhelmet on my ride today. Has anyone seen my FrigNgloves?", and still is used frequently to describe my FrigNdialup connection.
One chatter used to greet me with "BITE ME", to which my reply was "As always, Rick, no thank you!" One ill-fated evening I learned from the Southern boys the meaning of "shakey puddin'" and that phrase continues to reverberate in chat on a fairly frequent basis.
We have discussed the merits of fresh Road-Apple pies and whether to farkle one's bike or not with useless and unnecessary chrome items.
We have celebrated marriages, births, and anniversaries, retirements, new homes, new jobs and new bikes, and mourned the deaths of siblings, parents, spouses, pets and even children. On one tragic evening, we sat late into the night with a chatter from Minnesota, as he watched the lights from emergency vehicles a mile or so from his home while rescue workers pulled the bodies of kids from a school bus that had been smashed and overturned by a careless driver who did not yield at a stop sign. We grieved with him as he prepared the meats and cheeses that were delivered from his little grocery store to the funerals of children he knew by their first names.
On another evening, two men sat at their computers in two different states, tracking tornadoes in a third state and communicating the safest routes by phone with a chatter who was trying to dodge the storms and get home to his wife. He made it safe and sound that night, by the way. Another night that same man rode home on his motorcycle through a tornado and when he entered the chat room, he told us how he was passed by a tree AND a chicken coop along the way!
Through the journaling skill of that tornado-defying rider, Rickey (Galute), we traveled vicariously with five friends on four motorcycles from Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma on an odyssey to Alaska and back. We held our collective breath when one of the group became gravely ill along the way and had to be flown home. We were sure we'd lost him, and he spent months in the hospital, but now he is riding once more.
We followed in amazement as another of our group, Sheila Winney, also known as MCMom, rode more than 125,000 miles in twelve months on her purple Wing, suffering two crashes along the way. The poor Wing completed the ride, its fairing patched together with heavy plastic and duct tape, and Sheila survived her wrecks with minor injuries. The chat room waited every evening for updates from Rickey and Sheila, worrying when they didn't show up in chat for a day or two, and always asking the same question when they did make an appearance: "Where are you tonight?"
There is a surprising number of men in chat who also like to cook. One evening, several of them were comparing favorite recipes. Finally, in frustration because I am married to a man who does NOT cook, I asked, "Where were you all when I was looking for a husband?" to which Frig replied, "Well...I was thirteen..." Ouch.
We have had Mardi gras incidents, bike tip-overs, wrecks and close calls, bikes lost and bikes gained, HUGE laughs and a few tears. We've had such good times together, and I truly consider these people to be the very best friends of my life, bar none. They have listened and commiserated and celebrated with me during these very difficult last few years, through family problems and family illnesses, the building of a new house and new life, the birth of my grandson, the loss of my sister to cancer.
The group has changed over the years, some have left, others have joined. Lives have changed and taken some to other interests. Black Pirate, oh Jerry, our Jerry, was killed on his trike awhile back, and I believe the sun dimmed on that day. Newbies are welcomed, and usually greeted with, "Where are you and what do you ride?" We teach them the basics of chat, then sit back and get to know them. I miss the ones who don't come in any more, though, and wish you would drop in every now and again. Our lives are poorer in your absence, you know...

And so, tomorrow is my birthday and I invite you all to come. I will put out food, and we will celebrate. Next year, don't wait for November 24th, just come any day, and we will have a party. Until we meet again, in the words of NJREF:

'Be well, my secret friends!'