Summer Sky: Learning as I go

Back in Seattle again

Oh, before I forget: I have a nature walk post up over at The Magnifying Glass. Check it out if you have a moment. Thanks!

 

The kids and I visited my parents last week. D had to work, and stayed behind, poor guy.

We started out our visit doing the exact same things we did two years ago.

We did that partly because those things were so much fun the first time, but also because N was only 4 then and he doesn't remember anything from our last trip.

That made me a little sad. That he had forgotten, I mean. But then, how much does any of us recall from when we were 4?

We took the monorail. Because it's there. We jumped off the train and right back on again. The stationmaster was a bit surprised.



 

 

 

We went up the Space Needle. It was much less crowded this time, but also much cloudier. Still, it was a thrill for N who has cherished a desire to go up the Space Needle for years now. (Yes, even though he had already done it once. I think I mentioned he was 4 the first time?)

 

 

As far as the whole trip went--we had the usual issues--the super long plane ride; waking up at 5:30 in the morning the first couple of days (which I considered excellent, considering that was 8:30 am by their internal clocks); and then E had a fever for the second half of the week. And so we were housebound for several days. But we were with my parents and the kids ate up every bit of love grandma and grandpa had to give. Which, as you might imagine, was quite a bit.

Happy Easter

For those of you who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter, and for those who don't, have a lovely day! Blessings to you and your loved ones.

 

The påskris is a Swedish tradition with a somber past. We make ours from seasonal branches (pussy willows in early Spring, fruit branches when Easter falls late). Each year the kids paint tiny wooden eggs to add to our collection.  We hang them by thread from and forgo the traditional feathers.

 

 

 

Earlier in the week, N and his friends had an Easter egg hunt at a local park. We walked through the neighborhood to get there, admiring the blooms along the way.

 

 

 

 

{this moment} + Happy Earth Day!

Inspired by Soulemama.

 

We've been celebrating Earth Week over at The Magnifying Glass; be sure and stop by.

Alphabet Glue Winner :: Cherry Blossom Rain

Thank you to everyone who participated in Annie’s Alphabet Glue giveaway!  And the winner, drawn by random number generator is Kris, with this comment:

The magazine looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing!

I just took a look through Kris’ blog, Two Nukes, which she authors with her good friend Stacey.  They post sweet photos of their two “nuclear” families.

Thanks again Annie, for this fun giveaway!

* * * * * * * * * * *

I had wanted to go see the cherry blossoms by the Tidal Basin again this year with the kids.  We don’t go every year, because of the crush of tourists and the vagaries of spring weather that can freeze the buds or blow down the blooms before you have a chance to see them.  And, as every native knows, you don’t go on the weekends.

So we finally went last Tuesday, late in the afternoon.  The day before the thermometer soared to 80 (it’s back down to the 40’s now) and I knew that meant the blooms would be past their peak.  The leaves would be starting to pop out and the blossom petals would be floating into drifts a couple inches deep.

 



We walked around the whole Tidal Basin, which takes quite a while with little ones.  There is no fence around the water and I had to emphasize several times how very difficult it would be to fish someone out.  But the light was so beautiful and the kids were in happy moods and the outing took on a magical quality that no amount of planning can bring.  (That night, N told me the visit was “boring” as he drifted off to sleep, but the very next morning he begged to go back.)

As we were wandering, a young woman walking the other way told her companion that she never takes pictures of the cherry blossoms “because the definitive photos have been taken already.” And I thought, how sad to think that way.

Here's a slide show of our afternoon--"definitive" to us, if to no one else!  Please feel free to share the memories of your week--I'd love to hear them.

 

"Cherry Blossom Rain"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

WIP Wednesday :: how's the sewing?

Still time for the Alphabet Glue giveaway! Don't miss out!

No yarn along this time. In fact, I ripped out the knitting you saw last week and started over 12 times already. Size 2 needles + me = do not mix.  But I’m determined, I tell you; I really want to make this sweater (plus knitting is like Tetris to me, I can't say why, but I don't mind a set back).

In the meantime, I have a little bit of sewing WIP to show. I will come back and show the finished skirt, I promise, it turned out well but I still need to hem it. However, onward and upward, sewing class schedules wait for no man or woman and I’m now taking a tailored shirt class that is making me so happy.

 

A muslin, or mock-up, of the shirt

 

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve sewed up plenty of patterns, I somehow gained quite a bit of sewing knowledge (via osmosis) from my mother (who was always sewing something with me in the room). But I still felt I could use some guidance, and I’ve recently found it in spades.

I had held off for years from taking these local sewing classes—mostly because I had no babysitting to speak of and the timing never seemed right. I also pictured sitting patiently while the teacher helped everyone thread their machines again (yawn) or else feeling like I was holding everyone else back (the more likely scenario).

Instead, the fabric store is letting the classes move forward even if there’s just one student (me!). And did I tell you I love the teacher? Antoinette is a fascinating person and if she would just get her blog up and running I would share it with you. She is just brimming with creative ideas and it is fun to talk to her about almost anything, not just sewing.

She is just the mentor I needed! She is letting me make a tailored shirt for N (fingers crossed, in time for Easter) rather than for myself; she is letting me use an Ottobre pattern; and because I’m the only one there, I can spend 15 minutes discussing very precisely how to pin the inset sleeve into the shoulder with a teeny bit of gathering but no pleats.

This is the shirt I'm making, from the Winter 2009 edition of Ottobre. It comes in a 'little boy' version, but it doesn't have all the same details, so I'm doing the little boy shirt with the big boy pockets, cuffs, and topstitching you see below.

 

I’m craving my two hours on Tuesdays now. I’m going to keep right on taking these classes as long as everyone else lets me.

And here’s one last photo of some forlorn looking fabric that I have a fun idea for. But that’s for another day…

Linen towelling. Whatever for?

 

Are you enjoying the thrill of learning something new? Please share ~

 

Giveaway :: Alphabet Glue, an e-zine for kids who love books

 

 

Giveaway winner announced & commnets are closed! Thanks for participating!

If you have never had a chance to visit Annie’s blog, you must do so straight away.  I am always delighted to read her reviews of children’s books, many of them gems that find their way to our reading basket. (Full disclosure: Annie is a fellow contributor to The Magnifying Glass.)

Now she’s turned her love for children’s literature and all things library into a sweet downloadable magazine (or e-zine), Alphabet Glue, that is chock-full of fun activities and ideas for kids who love books. Volume 1 is 28 pages long and has 9 activities plus Annie’s own suggested list for great Spring reads for kids.

If you want your very own copy, it’s available by download via this link for $4 per issue ~ truly a bargain for all the wonderful ideas Annie provides.

Today, I’m privileged to be able to offer one lucky commenter their very own copy of Volume 1 as a giveaway, compliments of Annie.  Just leave a comment in this post by midnight, Friday, April 8—I’ll be leaving comments open for one week.

The winner will be selected via random number generator and posted Saturday, April 9. Please be sure to include your e-mail (kept completely private) so I can contact you if you win.

And feel free to spread the word about Alphabet Glue!

 

Inside Volume One:

a reading list for spring

do-it-yourself library catalog cards

mix and match story cards

a printable reading record

a library scavenger hunt

tiny box accordion book tutorial

felt bracelet book tutorial

paper story character houses

wildflower seed pods

 

It is chilly and rainy this week, but an afternoon trip to the library with Annie's scavenger hunt will be just the ticket ~ thank you so much Annie for creating this labor of love.

 

Yarn Along + Wednesday WIP

Once again I've been posting over at The Magnifying Glass--we've made a mason bee nest and I've provided the instructions. Also, Dawn is hosting a fool's gold (iron pyrite) giveaway on TMG--check it out.

And, before I forget, be sure and come back here tomorrow for a giveaway for kids who love books.  I'm sure you know a few! So don't miss out.

 

Is it totally obnoxious to pair these two up--Wednesday WIP and Ginny's Yarn Along? Oh, well. So be it. A cup of tea and a window into what others are reading and knitting--that is the Yarn Along.  What could be better? I've been sitting on the sidelines but it's time to jump in.

 
What am I reading?  Well, I'm still trying (in vain) to keep up with Lifetime Reading Plan.; Even though I am deeply grateful that she is giving us plenty of time, I can't just "whip through" The Iliad or Gilgamesh. I'm still so happy I've committed to this, I'm trying to go easy on myself and giving it my best shot.

Up and Down Stairs--I started reading this last fall before the Downton Abbey craze.  My D (who knows me well) gave this to me as a gift a while ago.  It's a little meaty / historical--it is not fluff--and a good counterpoint to Downton Abbey which I love. (So glad there is a 2nd season--and even a holiday special--in the works!)

I'm also enjoying In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite--another rec via the Splendid Table--I have it checked out from the library and it must go back today.  My family travelled throughout Europe when I was a child, so I could picture myself in some of the stories about being a kid in a European restaurant during (what I assume) was the 1970's.  Except (sadly?) I was eating pommes frites and korv, not pickled herring or escargot.

And my knitting--well, my IRL friends are laughing right now--they have watched me try to start this sweater from Vintage Baby Knits so many times I could've knitted 3 of them by now.  For some reason, getting started is always hard for me but once I get past a certain "hump" I'm good to go.

Very last, I'm playing with the camera--I've been shooting in manual for a year but I want to take it to another level.  Sometimes the light works just so.  This photo is totally untouched--it came this way out of the camera--almost like a painting if I do say so myself.

I'll be back tomorrow for that giveaway...hope you'll join me.

Heavy hearts on St. Patrick's Day

I had planned since last week to write a cheerful St. Patrick's day post full of news of our two parades.  E and her Irish dance classmates marched in the National St. Patrick's day parade down Constitution Avenue.

However, the news from Japan keeps getting worse and it's all D and I can think about.  The everyday becomes so frivolous at times like these.  At night I turn on CNN around 11 pm and watch until I am so tired I must go to bed.  Then, first thing in the morning, I check facebook to see if our friends in Japan have news we won't see here in the U.S.--and they usually do.

My mind slips along two grooves. On one hand, it seems wrong to go about our everyday lives when others are suffering. On the other hand, my senses seem heightened to bits of beauty around us. I feel the texture and hear the crunch of the vegetables as I cut them for lunch.  The air is chilly but clean and fresh.  There is no line at all at the grocery store checkout. The local tulips in their vase are still closed tight.

I savor N's pure joy at discovering three little crocus blooms by the front stoop. He is only 5 but he's taught me so much.  His joys and sorrows are felt very deeply, but he always sees the good even when I cannot.

: : : : : : : : : : : : :

On giving:  I've been reading these thoughtful views about donations for Japan, which, while suffering an enormous (ongoing) tragedy, is the third largest economy in the world.  After reading a number of aid-watch blogs, the answer seems to be:  give to a charity with low administrative costs, that is transparent in how they use their funds, and do not earmark  your donation for any specific disaster.  That way, the money will reach those truly in need and achieve its maximum benefit. 

The aid groups that are mentioned most often as worthy of support are Doctors without Borders, The Red Cross, and Save the Children.

If you are ever in doubt, I find Charity Navigator, GiveWell, and GuideStar to be useful for choosing charities.

 

It's that time (again)

We are again thinking about people in need. We are thankful that our family's friends in Japan are all safe, but our hearts ache for those who have lost so much.

 

It's that time of year again--when many schools hold their annual benefit auctions to raise funds for the school. We never had school auctions growing up--so I wonder sometimes how they came to be here in the U.S. But regardless, it is fun to use them as an excuse to do a little quilting.

 

Last year, I sewed quite a bit more for the auction--I believe I sewed 8 items? Yikes! And I complained then about how few photos I take of the things I make because I'm working right up to the last minute.

For example, I made a doll quilt last year but never did post the picture of the finished quilt. I think I was being way too hard on myself because it was the first quilt I'd ever made and of course I see all its flaws! Well, I went back and looked again and I guess they weren't as bad as all that. So here is one of last year's doll quilts, front and back.

 

This year I undertook a more reasonable amount of sewing, and 'only' made two doll-sized quilts. I used fabric on hand. Again, the photo was very last minute and taken in dim light so it's been photoshopped within an inch of its life and the colors might not be quite true.

 

I do think my quilting abilities have vastly improved--but I'm not super crazy about these fabrics. The one on the left is cheery enough, but it's very 'matchy-matchy' for my taste. I like the more ecletic look of the one on the right, but the palette is a little too subdued. Anyhow, I hope you read these words with a grain of salt; I can be hard on myself and I tend to second-guess my creative choices.

I should also mention that the doll's quilt on the right contains three or four fabrics from a bunch of scraps I bought from Erin way back when. (More recently, I did try to buy some of Sally's but I think she's all sold out. And I joined in Amanda's giveaway via Alewives and I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Hey, you can never have too many fabric scraps!)

The school auction was this past Saturday and I'm not sure who won these quilts. I only take one peek at the bidding sheets to make sure somebody loves me has placed a bid. But in the end, the process of sewing and quilting is for me. Though I'm hard on myself, I don't worry too much about what other people think ~ the joy is in the making.

 

 

Holding them in our thoughts

 

Health and sickness have been much on our minds lately around here.  While our family is well, we have various friends and acquaintances, here in town and out in the blogging world, who are undergoing various treatments, surgeries, illnesses, hospitalizations . . . and we are keeping them in our prayers.

 

::    My friend K’s mother, who was in a car accident but thankfully survived. She has broken various bones, including both her ankles, and will need extensive therapy and has already undergone five surgeries since last week when it happened.

 

:: My friend M’s husband P, king of the barbecue (seriously! the kind of guy who will spend the night in the cold in downtown D.C. just to monitor the meat in the smoker), great dad and all around good guy. He is in the hospital with a very sudden and serious blood infection.

 

::  My friend A broke her foot several weeks ago. She is on crutches and is recovering well. But her house is perched on one of the highest hills in town with the steepest set of stairs and she has two little ones.

 

:: Little Rainer has suffered a seizure and we await more news. He is a tough little dude who has been through more already than his years might suggest.

 

:: Eren’s brother is in the hospital but miles away from her.

 

:: Steve, Amanda’s husband and father of four, photographer and raconteur, is undergoing a full hip replacement, perhaps as we speak.

 

:: Kyrie, who broke her ankle last December and required lots of metal to put it back together. I know she’s doing much better, through all this she was pregnant and in January I believe gave birth to a sweet healthy baby they call Bear. But, speaking from personal experience, I know she still has a ways to go and I think of her often.

 

:: Lachlan, Meg’s newborn (like brand new) who has already undergone a much-anticipated heart surgery and apparently is pulling through like a champ.
 

I feel like I’m missing someone . . . I sincerely hope not.

Noticing the sun today, it is shining very bright.