ARAs want feral cats CAGED!!!?

The old man and the six-toed cats: Hemingway home in dispute

  ¶ 9:54 AM 0 Comments

  Stuff... Miscellany Main Entry: mis·cel·la·ny 1 a plural : separate writings collected in one volume b : a collection of writings on various subjects
2 : a mixture of various things

I'm not a big gardener. I love fresh vegetables on the table but I HATE the growing and harvesting thing. Some years the idea of fresh food convinces me to suck it up and grow a garden. This was one of those years. One of my favorite garden foods is Summer Squash and Zuchini (yes...I actually love having tons of zuchini and no, I don't make bread out of it.) Well, I was all ready for some Summer Squash steamed gently and soaked in butter until my husband brought in this one....


I WAS hungry...suddenly...not so much.

Every time I begin to take the knife to it someone in the house cringes.
My hubby wants to know just WHAT sort of seeds I'm planting in that garden.



I did some shopping with my friend Christine this weekend too. I did pretty well, some gorgeous beads, some of which are special and intended for gifts so no pics. GREAT bead store though. (and if I can remember the name of it, I'll add it in.) The yarn shop can remain anonymous. It was a great store if you like overpriced acrylic novelty yarns. Me? I felt about them just slightly less revulsed than by the squash. And then the quilt store (also a name I need to find). Fantastic little shop. They didn't have the most fabric or the most books or the most room...but they had two of the nicest ladies running the place who might have invented the term 'salesmanship'. They verbally and sincerely made us welcome, let us know they wanted to help us and also wanted to leave us to our shopping. I came home with purchases. One of which was this:



Now, the primary attraction for me might be rather obvious, no? it's a quilt of bunny applique's. Very cute. But can you see the price tag at the bottom? $20 for outlines of bunnies that honestly are not what a show breeder ever wants to see in their barn. Great idea, cute concept, one of those things I could work out on my own a little more to my taste and a little pricey....


Until I turned the booklet over and saw the title...




Damn. That's just not even fair. Stupid thing just hopped right into my bag. I swear I had no control over it.   ¶ 3:39 PM 4 Comments

  COLOR!!! I found a quilt shop today that just might be a 'home base' type store. Burkholder's Fabrics in Denver PA. The fabric selection was outstanding! The fabrics are arranged by color and novelty making selecting fabrics so much more pleasant and makes the store look just gorgeous. The book selection is good; not huge, but balanced. The pattern selection was likewise; not huge, but well balanced. In general the store is clean, spacious and never makes you feel cramped in. The owner was so sweet and welcoming! That's always a bonus. Apparently she bought the store recently and is doing some overhauling of sorts. I was impressed. I bought a few things. ;)


A selection of blues...




















...greens...
















...purples...










...florals...










.
...neutrals...









This is supposed to make you think of Ireland...













...and this of Thrianta bunnies...















..This is just HOT!




  ¶ 3:19 PM 1 Comments

  Not a happy post today, sorry.

Three charged with second-degree murder in Katrina hospital deaths

Tuesday, July 18, 2006; Posted: 9:10 a.m. EDT (13:10 GMT)

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- A doctor and two nurses were charged with second-degree murder Tuesday after Louisiana's attorney general launched an extensive investigation to uncover whether hospital staff euthanized some patients after Hurricane Katrina hit, a source close to the case told CNN.

Late Monday, Dr. Anna Pou, Lori L. Budo and Cheri Landry were arrested in connection with the alleged deliberate deaths of some patients at New Orleans Memorial Medical Center after Hurricane Katrina hit, a source close to the investigation told CNN.

-------------------------------------

This makes my nurse's blood run ice water cold. I've posted on this blog about the trust, the responsibility, the avocation, the commitment that is nursing. As medical professionals, we are entrusted with the knowlege of how to kill in order to know how to save and then TRUSTED to never, never, never misuse that knowlege. This has nothing to do with Right To Life decisions or medical euthanasia. This is MEDICAL MURDER. Can there possibly be a more vile, more anti-social crime? Even a mother murdering her children doesn't affect me as strongly as this. Vile in the extreme, yes, but this is so much more calculating, more cold blooded, less emotional on the part of the murderer.

This is worse than a single doctor or nurse acting on their own vile intentions. If true, this is calculated, planned abuse of the system we all must trust in order to remain healthy.

Every single doctor and nurse at some point must come to terms with whether they are acting on behalf of the will of a higher power or on their own human ego. The healthy minded of us learn in some way or form that we are the instruments of a higher power, not the conductor. G*d - in whatever form one sees it - gives us the ability, the knowlege and the will to heal. As in all things though, he allows us free will to use or abuse what he gives us. Clearly, this is abuse in it's highest and most disgusting form. If these people are guilty of what they are accused, I can think of no more fitting punishment than to send them straight to the G*d whom they betrayed.

  ¶ 9:51 AM 0 Comments

  Catching up...again... I'm really sorry about not posting the past couple of days like I promised. Blogger wouldn't upload posts. I have no idea what that was about but it was the same on all my accounts so must have been a Blogger issue. I'm not complaining, it's a free service and you get every penny's worth.
First the knitting update I promised on EZasPi. This is the Elann Pinwheel Sweater in the children's size. I used Sirdar Denim yarn in the sport weight in two different shades. I really love how it turned out and I think it will be darling on Miranda. I do need to find a good button. The only improvement I would make a second time would be a wider garter stitch border BUT! my concern became the length at the center back and the width of the collar. I suspect the answer is in some well placed short-rows in front of the sleeves. Fortunately the fabric has so much drape and give that I dont' think it will be a problem.

Well a big THANK YOU to everyone who voted in my poll! I didn't realize it would be so popular. Looks as though many who don't really care to leave a comment are just as happy to click a choice. That's fine with me. I'll use the poll feature a little more often then. So the results of the poll were interesting. Out of 42 votes, 60% favor the Rose Window block, 24% the Cathedral window block and only 17% the Jacobean block. I suppose that explains why finding books and patterns for the Jacobean designs is a bit challenging. :) BTW, if any of you 17% out there know of new books on that, do let me know. I suspect I'll have to start looking more to embroidery books for inspiration.

I did get a couple of the blocks finished but not exactly in the order of preference. In all fairness, I didn't give you all the background on why I have those particulars designs going at once. I'll explain a little more today. It's exactly like my knitting; I have pieces that are more brain bending (like lace knitting) , pieces that are small and easy to travel with that don't require special materials or technique (like sock knitting), and some in between that are not difficult but you can still hold a conversation while working. (like cables). One of the pieces also has special emotional ties to it too.
The first that I finished was the Jacobean. These blocks are my stay at home with no interuptions type applique. The placement of pieces, many shapes and angles and need for excellent stitching technique and the finest needles and silk thread, make it more challenging. Since I need to get my skills back up to par (and because there really wasn't all that much left to do and I like instant gratification) this was the first block I chose to finish. I absolutely love the juxtaposition of the brilliant flower colors to the more sedate leaf and stem fabrics used in these designs. The flowers are intended to just jump out of the photo. I also get a kick out of using the design of the fabric to mimic realism. Check out the veining on the lighter leaves and the bark of the branch. fun!
And at right is a new block that I put together this week. It takes everybit of a full day to compare fabrics, trace and cut the design, place it ever so carefully and baste it down...but WHAT fun! Looks like I was feeling a bit flamboyant wasn't I? LOL

Next in line was the Cathedral Window. Lest you think I am neglecting my poor sweaterless son, that would be the sleeve of his Aran getting longer. The cath blocks are like sock knitting. Almost mindless. But my particular Cath coverlet (Cathedral Windows are not truely 'quilts' but coverlets because they never get layered with batting and quilted together) has some real history. I can since my earliest memories remember my mom always having some project in her purse to work on when we had to wait. We were a Navy family...we did lots of waiting. I still have very clear memories of her working on Cathedral window blocks sitting in the waiting rooms of Portsmouth Naval and Boone Clinic (always for my doctor needs BTW). I still have 2 of the larger pieces she was working on. In the photo, you can see them in the background. These pieces are priceless to me. Not only did my mom make them, but those squares of dated funny fabric came from clothes she sewed for herself, for me, for my sister and brother, for my dad's famous necktie collection and from clothes passed down to us from other people. You might see that some of the muslin is different shades and some is even pinkish from the dye in the squares running. I also have almost always had a small block of Cathedral window going. Unfortunately, almost all of mine were burned in the fire ~7 years ago. Back then, I was part of a large quilting email group very reminiscent of the EZasPi knitting group today. We used to exchange 'squishies' which were envelopes of fabric squares including one square with a signature of the sender. I was putting these squares into Cathedral blocks of my own. When that group heard about our house fire, they set out to replace all my squishies, my quilting tools, my entire sewing box (which was the first thing replaced even before clothes!) and the even sent 'thank you' gifts to my mom and dad who took us in. See that box at right? there are over 1000 fabric squares in there! Actually, if you look in my quilt album, the pieces I worked on right after the fire are the Mariner's compass block (which was a challenge with my middle son - he made one too) and the Christmas Cube. Working on those pieces was what kept my emotions and shattered mind together. The Cathedral blocks I've made since always end up reflecting my mood at the time I pick out the squares. The toile fabrics? A very formal and conservative point in my life while preparing our gorgeous burned and restored victorian home for sale. Can we say 'detatchment'? the dark squares of browns and black and forrest green that haven't been sewn up yet? a low point in my life when that's just what I saw (we don't need to elaborate there do we?) They haven't been sewn in yet, but they will. They are a legitimate part of where I was at the moment. The newer blocks of blue and yellow and BRIGHT fabrics? those were put together about the time I went back to nursing and reaching out to the world again. Blue and yellow are the happiest colors I know. Some of those squares are actually fabrics from the scrubs I made to work in. So what will the next block be to represent today? Actually, today will be represented by sewing up and reflecting on the older blocks that I haven't sewn in yet. I think that's what I really need right now; to reflect on the past and consider the future.

OK, after all that, the first choice in the poll ...the Rose Window! this is my everyday, think a little, talk alot, ooh and ahh at the pretty colors block. Yes, I'm working on it currently and it's something I can pick up and put down and it inspires conversation and smiles. This is the current thread of my life. This is my own design and my own presentation of ME! This is what I like for people to see when they make a first impression of my as a person. Complex, colorful, connected, centered...alliteristic apparently. ROFL... I guess I'm really happy that it was first choice in the poll since it most represents my perception of "me". I want to be pleasing to people and I enjoy people enjoying my work.   ¶ 8:47 AM 1 Comments

  Oh Bugger! Pirates of the Caribean: Dead Man's Chest.... SEE IT!!!
I LOVED this movie! It was a 2 1/2 hour thrill ride. The action started in the very first minutes and didn't let up even in the last moment. The sets and scenery are gorgeous and the male eye candy...well...Let's just say Johnny Depp is amazing.

You scored as Captain Jack Sparrow. Roguish,quick-witted, and incredibly lucky, Jack Sparrow is a pirate who sometimes ends up being a hero, against his better judgement. Captain Jack looks out for #1, but he can be counted on (usually) to do the right thing. He has an incredibly persuasive tongue, a mind that borders on genius or insanity, and an incredible talent for getting into trouble and getting out of it. Maybe its brains, maybe its genius, or maybe its just plain luck. Or maybe a mixture of all three. Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

  ¶ 10:24 PM 0 Comments

  A quilt worth remembering... Yes, it's a quilt...a quilt with a message. The quilt was made by Terese Agnew out of garment labels. "Portrait of a Textile Worker makes one person among millions of unseen workers, visible. Her image was constructed with thirty thousand clothing labels stitched together over two years. The idea came from a simple observation...." Please click the link to read the rest of Therese's explanation of the quilt, it's purpose and then follow her link to the National Labor Committee to learn more about the fight againse Sweatshops and what we can do.

I do have some of my own progress to report but I thought it could wait a little, this is important. I thank EVERYONE who voted in my poll. What a response! it's really fun to hear what you guys think. Keep voting! I'm still working and you don't know what on yet. ;)   ¶ 11:43 AM 0 Comments

  Redneck times again... The National Transportation Safety Board recently divulged they had covertly funded a project with the US auto makers for the past five years, whereby the auto makers were installing black box voice recorders in four-wheel drive pickup trucks in an effort to determine, in fatal accidents, the circumstances in the last 15 seconds before the crash.

They were surprised to find in 44 of the 50 states the recorded last words of drivers in 61.2 percent of fatal crashes were, "Oh, SHIT!" Only the states of Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Texas were different. There, 89.3 percent of the final words were: "Hold my beer and watch this."
  ¶ 8:31 AM 0 Comments

  old and new...
I managed to get myself together early today. cool.
Alright, last evening I promised to show you a better picture of the Pinwheel Sweater. On the left is a photo of the whole thing as it stands now. You can see on the left is the 'thumb trick' stitches held on a piece of green ribbon. On the right of the sweater, the first sleeve is being worked on DPNs. what have I learned so far?
1. Work the thumb trick stitches one stitch in from the spiral row of yarn overs and work a K2Tog at both ends of the sleeve slit and
2. leave a bit of extra working yarn (float) in the back of your thumb trick slit especially if you are knitting in COTTON. I'm a little nervous about my woven in ends holding. I'll probably duplicate stitch some reinforcement in the 'pits'.

And in the Quilting Corner! Update: I figured out how to get the poll feature to work. WOOHOO! Feel free to vote. :)


OK, this is the selection of my current quilt UFO's. A bias strip stained glass 'Rose Window' (of my own design thankyouverymuch), A Jacobean applique piece in some really cool reds and wood tones (I love special effect fabrics) ... and one of the many pieces of Cathedral Windows that will someday all come together to be one incongruous quilt that will probably represent my incongruous life better than any prose.
So I'm taking votes....what should I work on?   ¶ 8:22 AM 4 Comments

  Back to the future...



Some of my friends actually know that knitting and spinning isn't how I've ALWAYS spent my crafting time. About 20 years ago I taught Heirloom sewing by hand and machine, lacemaking, smocking and quilting. Well, recently, I've been really itching to get back to some handsewing especially the applique. I still find the actual quilting to be really painful to my hands, but the piecing and applique has always been my favorite part anyway. While contemplating this, I dug out some of my old blocks that have yet to be finished and realized that I had no photographic record of them. One only suffers a house-fire once to appreciate photo records. Unfortunately 90% of my quilting fabrics and work was destroyed in that fire and I dont' even have a picture of any of it. All the blocks in my album in the sidebar (it's at the bottom) are from Winter 1998 to early 2004. Winter 1998 was when my life was burned around me and 2004 is about when we moved to our present house and for some reason it's taken this long to pull out the fabrics again. I know the project I'll be working seriously on over the next months but it's not ready for public unveiling yet, so I'll pull out a piece of Jacobean applique that is a UFO waiting for revival in the meantime. Photos of that tomorrow maybe. In the meantime, you may peruse my older work as you like.

I'll try and post a photo of the Spiral Pi sweater tomorrow too. I finished the border and took photos to show the way I managed the sleeve openings, but all the photos are horribly fuzzy. I'll try again. This time I should be able to get pics of the way I held the stitches for the sleeve and a sleeve in progress on DPNs.  ¶ 10:27 PM 0 Comments

  It's a dog's life....
Update: I added a Flickr album of Duncan and my dad. You can veiw the photos by going HERE

This is Duncan. He's a 10 year old male Sheltie that has come to live with my Dad and Mom. I can't say they 'own' him anymore than one 'ownes' a best friend. That's how my dad thinks of his dog-buddies. I mean...he's sleeping on a pillow...MY pillow! But that's just until he gets home and can sleep on my Dad's bed of course. Duncan was very accomodating at having to 'make do' for the ride home. LOL
Huge thanks to Daniella and Jan Stanley, Capricorn Shelties (Duncan's breeder) for making my Dad so very happy and for facilitating a new loving friendship. I'll try and post more pictures in the next few days. This boy is so gorgeous that he just deserves some good press. :)  ¶ 1:16 PM 2 Comments