Week 48: Brr! It's Cold Outside!

New 3-year old. I find myself constantly praying for this boy. He has such a quiet nature about him, and a dry sense of humor. Terrible eater. BEST laugh I have ever heard. Loves to hold hands on the couch and do puzzles on the floor and have random dance parties. With all of my heart, I love him.

 

 

New crochet whimsey: Free-hand snowflakes. Easy and fun to make!

New breakfast: adding 1 TBS of olive oil to my oats or cream of wheat. Got this idea from Giada Delaurentiis, and it is sooo yummy in this electric-dry, Kansas cold.

New children's fiction (for b-day): Bang! Boom! Roar! and Waking Dragons. Both books are so cute, and once again, Momma has grabbed a Jane Yolen goodie in Waking Dragons, a story about a little boy whose job it is to wake up the dragons and get them ready for school (he brushes their teeth, feeds them, it is very sweet.). "Bang-Bang Rwraaaaar!!!!" as Henry calls it, is the clear winner of the entire year of new children's fiction. We read this book 1,000 times per day. Dinosaurs + construction equipment + a little I-Spy + good morals. We highly recommend both of these!

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(Not my photo: photo credit Simply Crochet) New project idea: This beautiful crochet garland (I would also like those gold drapes, the vanity, the vintage outfit, and the door, if that is possible)...

New beverage: German mulled wine. My neighbor introduced this to me, and it is quite tasty during a cold winter's happy hour :) I think I am sufficiently sick of it though. Kind of like egg nog, this will be a once-per year purchase. I'm just not a big sweet/flavory drinks person.

New (almost finished) crochet project: Summer baby blanket! This is 100%, American-made cotton, and there will be just a few, little lemon-yellow flowers decorating this as well. One of my sweet neighbors is having a baby girl next month, so my idea sprang from having a 6-month old in 108 degree, humid KS temps...

I also tried 2 new recipes this week. No photos have been included because they were both huge fails! One was a crockpot Thai chicken, which received great reviews on Food.com, but I just did not like it. Perhaps I was not in the mood for the peanut butter (I use Sunbutter), or maybe I added too much soy. It is always weird when I don't like a food of any kind, so beware! I also attempted to make a chocolate cream pie for Thanksgiving and burned the chocolate pudding. For the record, I am terrible at puddings and custards, but I LOVE to eat them. My Mom happens to be so talented at these types of yummies, and there is no way I can do the pudding from the box. My issue is that I always burn it. Do I need more patience? A double-boiler, perhaps? Less over-thinking? :) OR, maybe I should just stick to making what I don't screw up: fruit pies (for which, I credit Southern Living and The Joy of Cooking for teaching me how to make a good pie crust and fruit pie filling).

Week 47: For The Kids

What's new?

I have no idea where Week 47 went, nor can I seem to do anything right now ('specially write) that does not include making up new voices for characters like dinosaurs, trolls, ogres, goats, slugs, or lichen. Bet you didn't know lichen had a voice? Bet some of you don't even know what lichen is :)

New children's fiction - Oh yes. Henry's Amma got him 2 very cute reads, Dinosailors (Lund and Pine) and Where Would I Be In An Evergreen Tree (Blomgren and Gabriel). Dinosailors is a fun, sing-songy rhyme with made up words and silly adventure, of which I am a huge fan. Where Would I Be In An Evergreen Tree is get-out-of-town-ridiculous-my-dream-of-writing-something-like-that-one-day, so I am obviously biased. It portrays the ecosystem of an old-growth tree on the coast of Washington/Oregon, is quite species-specific, and the artwork is stunning. I liked it because Blomgren doesn't just describe this ecosystem, she creates a living thing out of it. Henry loves it too, by the way. After all, these are for the kids, folks. Ahem.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff was one I got him a couple of weeks ago and forgot to include somewhere along the way. An age-old story of facing, outsmarting, and overcoming your fears, and in a time where my preschooler is constantly discovering new things to be afraid of, I thought it particularly appropriate. Plus, I do a wicked, mean troll voice, and when he gets pushed into the water, I flail around and splash and die dramatically. Again, for the kids.

What else?

Other Week 47 Newness:

• New glass salmon sculpture from my trip to the PNW. Because not only do I need more salmon art, I need more glass things since we move every 2 years.

• New concealer. Here's one I don't often write about: new makeup. Since my makeup typically consists of lotion, concealer, and blush, there isn't usually a lot to report on in the newness for this category. Neutrogena Skin Clearing concealer is a new product in this line, and since I am a sucker for trying new products and my Proactiv concealer just ran out, I picked this little goodie up. It is AMAZING!! 5/5 for covering up scars on your chin from years of picking your face. 

• New crochet projects. The little trinket above was a throw I finished for my Father-in-Law as a Christmas present using Lion Brand Thick n Chunky yarn. The oversized granny square pattern for a throw is always fun because you can finish it rather quickly.

• Henry randomly started singing Jingle Bells, which I am assuming he learned at preschool? I have also realized, now that I can understand him better, that he knows most song lyrics and cuss words. A listener, this one. 

Week 44: With and Without Time

What's new?

Week 44 was a memorable one, for so many reasons. I was racing against the clock, trying to get my Mom's blanket finished before we flew up to Washington. This project has been in the works for a while, evolving and growing with and without time, just like my Momma always did, in my eyes. I suppose it knew all along who it would be created for, which explains why it was such a cantankerous creature and why Amma's Grandson was suddenly so angelic all week long so I could finish it :) One morning, during the finishing process, I woke up at 4:30 and turned on AMC, and low and behold, The Grapes of Wrath was on! I had never seen this movie, and I was particularly excited to watch it because that is the next book on my pile. BEAUTIFUL story and well-done movie - I highly recommend seeing it, if you have not. Henry and I got up to my parents' house the day before Halloween, and I was so excited to take him trick-or-treating for the first time with some of the cousins. These little boys were so cute :) Henry dressed up as Curious George, and I was The Man With The Yellow Hat. However, we were still playing catch-up with the timezone change, and we passed out just as the festivities were getting underway! Next year...

The best treat of all was the arrival of my newest Nephew, baby Miles, on Halloween morning. My Sister-in-Law, Whitney was blessed with what was one of the easiest birthing stories I have ever heard (17 minutes of labor). It has been such an amazing feeling, seeing each of my 3 brothers bring sweet sons into the World, but seeing my babiest brother with his new youngling was a particularly memorable moment for this big sister.  

My Mom sent this blog to me a while back created by this writer who had collected a bunch of poems related to knitting and writing. The two for me are quite a similar process. I found this beautiful poem in her collection, though she did not have the complete piece on her blog, for some reason. At first, I read this and pictured an old woman, knitting because she had to knit as much as she had to breathe. Then you realize that she is not necessarily talking about her death, but Death as a facet of time. A memorable and inspirational find, and how appropriate as we celebrate new life, to reflect upon.

The Knitter 

By, Jackie Kay

I knit to keep death away

For hame will dae me.

On a day like this the fine mist

Is a dropped stitch across the sky.

I knit to hold a good yarn

For stories bide with me

On a night like this, by the peat fire;

I like a story with a herringbone twist.

But a yarn aye slips through your fingers.

And my small heart has shrunk with years.

I couldn’t measure the gravits, the gloves, the mittens,

The jerseys, the cuffs, the hose, the caps,

The cowls, the cravats, the cardigans,

The hems and facings over the years.

Beyond the sea wall, the waves unfurl.

I knitted through the wee stitched hours.

I knitted till my eyes filled with tears,

Till the dark sky filled with colour.

Every spare moment. Time was a ball of wool.

I knitted to keep my croft; knitted to save my life.

When my man was out at sea; I knitted the fishbone.

Three to the door, three to the fire.

The more I could knit; the more we could eat.

I knitted to mend my broken heart

When the sea took my man away, and by day

I knitted to keep the memories at bay.

I knitted my borders by the light of the fire

When the full moon in the sky was a fresh ball of yarn.

I knitted to begin again: Lay on, sweerie geng.

Takkin my makkin everywhere I gang.

Een and een. Twin pins. My good head.

A whole life of casting on, casting off

Like the North sea. I watch wave after wave,

plain and purl, casting on, casting off.

I watch the ferries coming back, going away.

Time is a loop stitch. I knit to keep death away.

Week 43: Being Fruitful

What's new?

I am MOMENTS away from completing a major crochet project. You know when you give a project a name, that it has taken over your life and spread its tendrils into the nerve center of your brain. Your children are eating toast for every meal (well, mine basically does anyway), you haven't cleaned or gone grocery shopping in 2 weeks. The house smells like pee and burned toast and you don't care. It. Must. Get. Finished. The reason, my creative fellows, is that you cannot be fruitful again until you have produced this thing. Being fruitful is important because that's how you get Joy. If you're not fruitful, you don't have Joy. And if you aren't producing, you can't be fruitful. I don't make the rules, people, but I do like to try new things. 

The newness of Week 43 was so awesome that I barely noticed the pee smell:

• First field trip. Henry's preschool class took a field trip to Lamborn Farm in Leavenworth, KS, and it was wonderful. A family-owned, small-farm who actually grows their own pumpkins (rather than have them shipped in, like all of the other farms with "pumpkin patches"), raises beef, sheep, and pigs and has a little hay maze for kids as well as a playground? Priceless. Plus, this farm has recently been put on the National Historic Register, which is very great for this family. This farm has been in existence since 1877! The kids had fun and were so adorable to hang out with for a couple of hours. It was also interesting to see Henry with his class for the first time. He is definitely that kid who they give jobs to, and I realized that is probably how they get him to transition from one activity to the next or to do anything, in general :) Give him a job. He takes it very seriously :) I keep saying that I need to do more of this, but I think that this needs to be more of a focus of our day now, rather than a cute little thing he does. You judgers out there who are thinking, "oh, but kids should play and have all play-based learning..." Meet my son. He likes working, this one. 

• New Children's Fiction. Steam Train, Dream Train (by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld), like it's predecessor, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, is ADORABLE, long-winded, and the perfect bedtime story, with lots of onomatopoeia and make-believe, as well as beautiful artwork. Henry gives this 5/5 stars. 

• New app!! Charity Miles - Have you heard of this wonderful fitness app? It is legitimate! A fairly new invention, you can run, bike, or walk for a number of fantastic charities of your choosing. The app lets you track via miles or time, and you start and stop the GPS when the workout is finished, which then reports the total on your behalf. I like it because it keeps track of your history, but I wish it would keep track of which charities you gave to as well (it only tracks distance or time). You can also create teams, which is how I found out about this (via the Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation). I was just telling Ted that I don't think I will ever be able to do a run again without using this app. Why would you?? It would be nice to know exactly how this works and how much money you are raising, but, I also believe in the Placebo Effect. In other words, even if this is totally bogus, when you dedicate something to a cause and meditate on it (your heart's intention), I believe that energy can only be used for good in the World. Like if you go around thinking, "I just ran 6 miles for Parkinson's research," and you keep doing stuff like that, at some point, that energy is going to be fruitful. And being fruitful creates Joy, which hopefully, eventually, generates awareness and healing and something tangible, though it may not help a person write actual, for real, grammatically correct sentences whilst blogging :)

• Fleece-lined running tights. Um. Are you serious? 100/5 stars for Sugoi running apparel. How I have lived in KS without these, ever, is beyond me. I recommend them for runs >30 degrees F, with wind or without. They are breathable, so you can't overheat. I basically want to marry them. They weren't cheap, but still less than a gym membership.

Week 38: Our Brains Are Alive (and Melty Is Too A Word)

What's new?

Oh, how I missed you, Wally Lamb. Reading favorite authors is like stepping into a nice, hot bath. You can confidently just let their words completely absorb your melty, porous brain because you're not tripping over their shitty, cliche, underdeveloped characters or bored out of your mind or disgusted because once more, someone mistook a pessimistic point of view for good writing. It is like knowing in advance you are going to get a brain massage and a good laugh and your imagination is going to come alive and be free. The Hour I First Believed is a similiar style to I Know This Much is True, where he ties deep, historical roots with regard to the protagonists family history into the current day. This story centers around a couple going through marital problems who deal with the after-effects of the Colombine massacre. Deep, complex, believable, and thought-provoking.

Week 38 New Stuff:

• Henry has given up naps. Oddly, he seems SO much happier and content on this schedule. No more spending 2 hours a day fighting him to take a nap, then fighting him to eat, then to go to bed. He sleeps from 7:30-7ish; eats more; talks more, is more affectionate and playful. I think this is actually working! Quiet time for an hour in the afternoons is a must, and I am learning as I go. Time Management...this is something that is being quickly readjusted :) Not sure if I will ever crochet again!

• Cod liver oil - A lot of great research exists on the benefits of cod liver oil on brain development, the prevention of learning disabilities, and even various disorders of the Autism Spectrum, not to mention nerve disorders. I just don't think it can hurt, especially since our boy is such a picky eater!  

• I signed up for a half marathon on Post the first weekend in October. One of my girlfriends offered to come hang out with Henry that morning, and having that possibility made me more excited than waking him up early to take to someone else's house while also trying to get ready for a half marathon. While I am no stranger to half marathons, it has been a year since I have run one!

• New green smoothie recipe from Green Smoothie Revolution. I had been wanting to try this one for a while because it only had 2 ingredients and looked extremely refreshing; 3 cups of cubed cantelope and 1 bunch of parsley. That's it! I add a little water to mine every time just because I have a blender from 1994, but you fancy VitaMixers need not add water. I THOUGHT this was going to be good. I am obsessed with parsley. I love anything with melon. I had both ingredients handy. However, it didn't really sit right with me. The flavor combo was not doing it. Green apples, sour berries, lemon, other greens...those are things that work with parsley. Cantelope is too sweet or too melon-y or something. Blech. Like all of those fruit and mint candies and gums? Those also gross me out, and this was kind like that (1/5 stars).

Week 37: Transplanting a Walnut Grove

What's new?

Do you ever find yourself compiling random lists of memories about a person or a situation in your life that you want to write about? In week 37, I created a character list for and found myself thinking a lot about my Great Grandmother, and how, during those times in life where I think I might have a total and complete meltdown, my simple memories of her and our conversations during my childhood give me comfort and strength.

Years ago, while I was going through a very painful separation and divorce, I got rid of almost everything in my house, including all artwork and photos on the wall. My Mom gave me this pillowcase that Grandma had made, and it was the only thing on my wall for almost an entire year.

As oddly dramatic as this is going to sound, I feel this spun out of control and on the verge of a meltdown EVERY time before we are about to move. And, compared to people who met their spouses early on, I haven't even moved that much! I don't think most people have this kind of emotional root system that they have to rip up every time they move, especially when it is a way of life for them. But this is how I feel about it, for whatever reason - It is very painful. It's just who I am. I put down roots in my environment and suck in the air such that it becomes the essence of my very cells. And so, my poor Husband...a Military man to his core, who, it seems, loves moving, must literally transplant a walnut grove every time. Though, he has turned out to be a pretty good arborist, so far.

Week 37 Newness:

• Found a preschool in Virginia for our Buddy (for a January start)! SO relieved and happy about this very huge answer to our prayers. He was on 5 waitlists, and we are picky. We also have found some great potential places for the 2015/2016 school year (when I plan on heading back to work full-time), which is a load off. 

• New collapsible crochet bag to hold my project yarn! In 20 years of crocheting, I have never owned one of these! It is actually a picnic basket, ha! But it is perfect for what I needed. A joyful little gift to self :)

• Grandma Susie's Backdoor Bakery zucchini coconut bread from the Parkville, MO farmer's market. Might just be the best thing Henry and I have ever eaten. It is very moist and flavorful, and worth the price just to try it at least once!

• Backfire BBQ at Legends! Oh my goodness, this place. We went with some friends who had been there before - Choppers and tattoos everywhere. Delicious barbeque, sweet and family-friendly staff (really, you guys have no idea). AMAZING bar. Though my Husband is not as into choppers and tattoos as his walnut grove wife, he would have loved this place to watch college football every Saturday :)     

Week 31: An Old Woman Lives in My Bones

What's New?

Most of Week 31 was spent taking a large, deep, relaxing breath, enjoying the presence of family, who played with, cuddled with, read to, built things with, pretended with, ran with, and chased after their 2.5-year old cousin/nephew/grandson. It was GLORIOUS, my friends. While this, in itself is not new, it had been a year since we made the trek up to see everyone; enough time to get homesick as hell. I never thought I would be one of those people who only saw their family once or twice per year, and I have never quite become used to it. One day, I will be back, and until then, there is a whole wide world to explore, scattering pieces of my glow-in-the-dark heart as I go.  

Week 31 newness:

• Pinchknitter Yarn! My family lives in the Camano/Stanwood, WA area, and I just now noticed this sweet little specialty yarn shoppe in Stanwood! I spoke with June for a while about their products, and she explained why bamboo textiles are actually horrible for the environment, while hemp is truly environmentally friendly. They have a TON of alpaca wool and a beautiful assortment of wool in general. I can't wait to visit this place in November when we return!

• Gooseberry Patch Freezer Recipes - I am LOVING this life-changing compilation of the art and science of freezing food. The recipes are quite fattening, I won't lie, but for whatever reason, I lose and maintain my weight MUCH easier when I eat 2-3 hearty "meat-and-potatoes" meals a day rather than snacking all day on low-calorie stuff. Casseroles and hearty stews? There goes 5 lbs. No joke. And eating this way enables me to run to my heart's content without becoming anemic or waking up at night with dumb leg cramps. There is your weight-loss lesson of the day. The bestest part about this little book though are the little tips and explanations about proper freeze/thaw techniques. A deployment MUST.      

• BABY!! SIL #3, Whitney, will soon be poppin' out a brand-new baby bee, and we very much enjoyed spending time with this new-momma-to-be at her shower. She is one hard-working woman, and we love her like crazy.

• New art (here are some photos of the new art mom brought last week). "Housetree" by Swedish artist, Mattias Adolfsson. I love his creatures and sketches as much as Hayao Miyazaki's.  

new art

Specialty yarn shoppes and and freezer recipes, goodness gracious, you'd think an 80-year old woman wrote this post! Well, maybe she did. So, in honor of all of our inner old souls, here is new poem:

An old woman lives in my bones.

She smacks her lips and clinks

her teeth against glass jars of whiskey.

Sipping, slurping, rocking.

Creaky wooden chair of 

cracks and fissures,

Rivers of time,

mapping the loves of her soul.

She clicks her tongue with closed eyes

and listens to 

the treefrog chorus.

By, Becca @Allbrandnewin52.blogspot.ccom

Week 28: Climb Aboard, Explorers!

What's new? Photo cred for the hop tree, giant swallowtail, and milk snake go to Wikipedia, all others are my own.

This year has been so much fun, as my 2.5 year-old has become quite the little wilderness explorer and will actually stay near me/stay on the trail. It took quite a bit of training and hiking practice to get him to be able to do that, as he is a definite runner/anti-hand-holder :) Yesterday, as we were out walking, he pointed to a vine of poison ivy and said, "That's ivy. Dooooon't touch it; it'll bite ya!" I've had various people look at me strangely for pointing out things like poison ivy, stinging nettle, and wasps to my preschooler, I guess the thinking being that it is better to not bring these things to their attention at all. I couldn't disagree more, as bringing awareness and the ability to describe your surroundings is probably one of the most important things that you could teach a child this age. Compassion and respect are learned by observing nature. Don't even get me started on the nature deficit disorder hypothesis described by Richard Louv. For the record, we steer clear of most snake habitat. The milk snake (above) was one I saw out on a trail run, and other than that, all we have seen are garter snakes and brown snakes. Momma is good with that :) 

In Week 28, we began our KS/MO bug collection and compiled a species list of new things we have seen in KS/MO this year. I also discovered that I have a new favorite Scentsy, Apple Press (and you know how I am about favorites!). Also tried and loved a new gadget. Many of my British crochet buddies use ergonomic crochet hooks. I am not sure why I never have, considering the fact that I crushed my thumb joint years ago. It kind of took a bit of getting used to, as my "form" had to change (kind of like anytime you switch to an ergonomic version of anything)...Totally worth it though!

Eastern-tailed blue (most common butterfly that we see)
giant swallowtail
great spangled fritillary
gypsy moth
plume moth
milksnake
brown snake (Storeria dekayi)
plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix)
hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata): smells DELICIOUS, FYI!!!