Jewel Tomes

Winter Solstice Swap

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:32:00 +0000

Sorry I've been so quiet lately for those of you actively paying attention.
I'm still sucked in the amazing world of Facebook, although I did leave that site long enough to wander over to Ravelry and join in on the Winter Solstice Swap.
I like doing swaps, but I don't think I could do them every month, although I certainly do love receiving the packages.
They can be expensive though, so this is why I try to be selective about which ones I join.
When I saw this swap I knew it was the one for me to break my swapping dryspell, and I am so glad I did.
My swap partner is Gina aka Brownie Knits.
Of course talk about nerve-wracking - this woman works in a yarn shop part time and designs her own patterns!
How to be creative without being derivative - it's a challenge, but I'm putting her package together and trying to make it just as special as she is.
So look at what I got in the mail:

Isn't that Lantern Moon bowl gorgeous?
And all that blue - from the yarn, to the goodies - and what I didn't show you is the pattern she sent me via Ravelry for her Kitchen Sink blanket (the yarn is for this pattern - and you can find the pattern on Ravelry and more pictures on her blog).
The idea for the swap was to send something that will keep the recipient warm, and I can just imagine sitting in my living room watching tv (of course), and knitting on this blanket.

Blue is such a soothing color, don't you think?
And because Gina knows what many good knitters need to get through the hour (day, week, year) is chocolate, so look at what was stashed at the bottom of the basket:

Yummy.
All of it is just so yummy.
Thank you, Gina!

Book Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:24:00 +0000

I'm sure you've seen this before, but it never ceases to amaze me.
I love how the publishing world is using videos to market books, specifically creating a trailer for the book.
Here's one I found this morning for Caroline Rance's Kill Grief:

I have to admit that reading about this particular book has created more of a desire to read it, because the trailer is not really doing it for me, but the fact that they are making videos to market a book is amazing.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
I guess it's worked for movies all these years, but does it symbolize that we're having to lure people back to reading books?

And now it's harvest time

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:32:00 +0000

Wait, the harvest is over, most of it is in.
The only thing we're waiting on is the picking of the last of the apples, and maybe clearing those pumpkin fields.
Fortunately I got my own harvest done, and I finished this hat in the nick of time.
On the morning of October 31, if you can believe that.
We were getting ready to leave for Jamestown to watch SN2's soccer game, and I really wanted to gift this hat before we left.
You should have seen me frantically searching for a yarn needle so I could stitch the leaf on, and weave in the ends.
I found one and got it done.
What a mess.
The result, though, is worth it.
Here's my version of the pumpkin hat from Susan B. Anderson's Itty-Bitty Hats:

I used the yarn called for in the pattern which is Rowan Cashsoft DK RYC in Clementine.

Interesting Fact

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:03:00 +0000

I've discovered an interesting fact about myself in the past few weeks, and I've been chewing over it for a while.
What I've found is that I really enjoy the dark, yet sometimes funny, Germanic and Scandinavian films over the absurd, yet bright, films of the south, such as the ones done by Fellini.
You may not find this to be a revelation, but I am surprised.
Any ideas why?
Are there any foreign films that just don't leave you once you've finished watching them?
Is there anyone in particular that you like?
While you speculate and navel gaze, here's a preview from a film I watched (again) yesterday:

Perhaps there is absurdity in the dark too.

Misplaced Mojo

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Why is it that I get my knitting mojo back at the same time I'm supposed to be focusing on reading books and writing papers?
I've been waiting all year (literally) for this independent study course.
For the five books I've read so far, do you know how many papers I've written?
None!
NONE!
It's obscene!
They are only 1-2 pages long, but I can't put down my knitting long enough to write.
What is wrong with this picture?
In the past month, however (no pictures, sorry), I have knit the following: a pair of hand warmers, finished a 7 foot scarf that has been in progress since February, one hand warmer, and a shawl. Yesterday I picked up the Who? Hat that I started back in January which has the 2" of K2 P2 ribbing already finished and I've knit so much on it yesterday that I am getting ready to start the decrease rounds.
Knitting mojo, where have you been all year, and why do you choose now to show up again?!?!
Begone (for a while), I have work to do.

Cutie Patootie

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:21:00 +0000

Here's SN2 in his college soccer picture:

What a cutie.

Living in a Yarn House

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:46:00 +0000

Do you ever stop and look around your house, and wonder, "Why do I have SO MUCH yarn?"

It's not the fiber you eat

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:19:00 +0000

Today was day one of the Finger Lakes Fiber Fest.
DH and DN2 came along with me, and the only thing I would wish for beside more money to spend is that we could have had more time.
We only had about 3 hours there because SN2 had a soccer game at 2:00.
You know as well as I do that 3 hours is just not enough time, but the little time we had was well spent.
I need to take other pictures of my goodies, but here are a couple of pics from the day.
DN2 wants to learn how to use a drop spindle, so of course we bought her one.

Some habits you have to encourage (usually by throwing money at them).
The man who sold it to us insisted she have a quick lesson, so DH watched and learned as well.
We may get him into yarn eventually.
Later DH tried to pet an alpaca (that is an alpaca, right?), but it got camera shy because another lady was pointing her camera right in its face, so it turned its back on both of them:

DN2 was fascinated by the silkworms. They're so soft! she cried.
Well yeah, they feel kind of, oh, I don't know, silky.
I didn't want to scare them with a flash the way the alpaca was not loving it, so I was trying to be as surreptitious as possible:

When we got to the game the father of one of the kids asked DH how he liked the fiber fest.
DH redirected the question to me.
So I said that it was really good.
He asked, what do they sell there?
Funny thing, I didn't realize he thought it was the fiber you eat, so when I started talking about yarn the lights went on.
Too funny.
The game was a nail biter - two overtimes and the score ended in a 2-2 tie.
Heartbreaking.
Here's SN2 at the game:

When we finally got home this evening I had to wind one of the skeins I bought.
My yarn swift is currently MIA so I used DH instead:

How sweet.
Now it's wound and I need to start knitting.
And of course I'm being stalked.

They love the smell of the animals.

Julia

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:43:00 +0000

DN2 and I went to see the movie Julie and Julia this week.
I read the book a few weeks ago, and I wanted to see Meryl Streep portray Julia Child.
Growing up Julia Child was a fixture on our tv, not that my mother ever cooked her dishes. No, she just loved her style.
There may be some of her cookbooks, I'll have to check.
My mother laughed along at the original viewing of Dan Ackroyd's SNL sketch of Julia Child, seeing the humor, but knowing it was done not out of maliciousness, but because Julia was unique.
We've even been to see her kitchen at the Smithsonian.
In the movie the focus was definitely on Mrs. Child over Mrs. Powell, and I think that was a more interesting story.
Buoyed by our common interest in Julia Child, DN2 and I searched eBay and Amazon for Julia Child DVDs and books.
Wow!
Have you checked out the prices lately?
Apparently everyone else is interested in a Julia Child revival as well!
There's even a reissue of Mastering the Art of French Cooking that is a movie tie-in!
Marketing.
Wow.
Anyway I think we'll try the infamous Boeuf Bourguignon recipe first before we drop too much money.
It's free on the Knopf Doubleday website.
Check it out.
And let me know what you thought of the movie.
Do you revere Julia Child?
Did you like the book or the movie better?

The End of Peter, Paul and Mary

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Mary Travers from Peter, Paul and Mary has died of complications from treatment following a bone-marrow transplant. She had been battling leukemia.

Peter, Paul and Mary sang many of the songs I heard growing up, my favorite album being, of course, Peter, Paul & Mommy.
I bought the CD as an adult and would often play it in the car, even when there were no kids around.
Instead of leaving you with a stirring rendition of "Puff the Magic Dragon," however, I'll post instead one of my all-time favorite PP&M songs:

...and the music lives on

(Why is John Denver there, you ask?
Of course you know he wrote this song.)

Help and Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:53:00 +0000

I need your advice.
And then I might possibly need your help too, but advice first.
I've talked before about how I have a group that knits for charity.
It is a good group of people, but involvement is sporadic.
Plenty of reasons why, but you know if people willingly want to give of their time, great; I won't demand it.
We've been knitting hats, mittens, and scarves to give to the local school districts for kids in need, most of whom live in an area that is rural with little industry (beyond Wal-Mart, and that's more a company store and a rant for a different time).
There is also a local coat drive that takes place in the area where they collect used (or new) coats and pass them out to those in need.
I said to my friend, Flower, the other day, "Wouldn't it be great if we could have a hat to pass out with each of the coats?"
Ding!
Great idea, right?
I think so, but I'm at a loss as to how to make this bigger than what I have now.
On top of this I read in our church bulletin that there are 30 homeless families in our small town.
These numbers may not seem so terrible if you compare them to the national average, but we have a town of approximately 8,000 where the median family income is $50K.
Could you run your family on that much a year?
And might I remind you that we live in the great white north where the Farmer's Almanac is calling for snow in October.
Brrrr.
So I want to expand my hat, scarf, and mitten contributions, but specifically hats.
Any ideas on who I should approach in the town?
Should I contact the coat drive coordinator, the school social workers, or my pastor?
I've even considered contacting the group that runs the learn to knit program at the local women's prison to see if some of the prisoners might be interested in helping out.
Do you think I should get in touch with the Rochester knitting guild for contributions? They put out a call to the area for these same items and got over 2,000 pieces donated; however, all of those articles are going to the kids in the Rochester City School District.
The urban poor get more attention than the rural poor, that's for sure.
Please let me know how you think I can make this into a bigger project.
I'm not doing this for attention, but because I can't imagine sending a kid out into the winter weather if they are not properly clothed.
There's got to be a way we can help.
Thank you!

Knit Picking

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Have you seen the latest KnitPicks catalog?
They are now carrying DK weight tweed yarn!
I'm so excited!
Want to know why?
Because I have this great book, Scottish Highland Knits, that has some great projects in it.

There are things that I can knit. I say "can" because remember I'm not that good of a knitter.
I'm much more trial and major error, then trial and error = success.
What can I say, it's an expensive hobby that I will be working at the rest of my life.
Anyway, all the patterns in the book use Rowan Tweed, some of which I believe is discontinued.
I don't know about you, but I can't afford to knit a blanket that takes 17 skeins (or balls!) of Rowan Tweed.
While I love the patterns, I just haven't taken the time to look for other yarns to use in place of the Rowan, but now KnitPicks has taken care of that for me.
Part of it anyway.
Their tweed yarn is in DK, heavy worsted, and fingering weight.
Now they just need to make some chunky tweed, and we'll be all set.
Oh, and what motivates me even more to want to knit from this books is because I've been watching Monarch of the Glen on Netflix.
Great show!
And it makes me want to go live in the Scottish Highlands.
Oh, and speaking of Netflix, does anyone use the instant watch option on an X-Box?
Does anyone here even use an X-Box?
Well it's not just for games, but you do know that you can play online with friends, right?
With Netflix on the X-Box you can also watch movies with your friends too, but they don't have to be in the same room. You can schedule a date night, or a dinner and a movie with someone, and watch it from your respective living rooms.
Perfect dating practices for agoraphobes!
Life is good!

Lion Brand's Big News

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Have you heard the news from Lion Brand?
All of their patterns are now free.
The only ones that cost money are from certain designers.
Here's the quote from Facebook:

Enjoy some inspiration! All Lion Brand patterns are now free! Please note that we do still have a few paid patterns from outside designers.

Pretty cool, don't you think?
They do have a lot of nice patterns that can be modified for different yarns.
You still have to register on their website, but that's not a big deal.
I'm sure you're like me and have registered on 100 different websites just to look at one pattern, and I love free patterns.
Well I just love things that are free.

Friday Kittens

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:24:00 +0000

Being a cat person I enjoy looking at pictures of cats and kittens, so when SN2 showed me this video this afternoon, I had to share.
You may have seen this before, but it's worth a repeat viewing:

Happy Friday!

Adventures in Canning

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:33:00 +0000

Last night I took care of something that I simply had to do because I couldn't let fresh carrots go to waste.
So I cut up those carrots, cut up some pears, and then I added pineapple, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Can't you just smell the cloves?

Delicious.
After it boiled for 20 minutes I added powdered pectin and sugar:

A lot of sugar.
Can you guess what it is?
You've had plenty of hints.
Give up?
Okay, I'll show you.
This is the final product:

It's Carrot Cake Jam!
Well, and Carrot Cake Conserve too.
Do you know what a conserve is?
It's a jam with nuts in it, that's the only difference.
Pretty simple, eh?
I'm excited to try this, but I'm also dreading finding room for it.
One of the reasons I haven't been blogging much this summer is because I've found a new summer obsession: canning.
Here's a list of all I've created so far this summer:

Danish Cherry Sauce - Cherries in sugar syrup with cinnamon and almond extract
Spirited Apricots - sliced apricots in sugar syrup with rum
Raspberry jam
Old-Fashioned Strawberry jam - no pectin, just sugar and fruit (took Hours to do but it is the best, by far)
Summer Solstice Preserves - blueberries and cherries
Victorian Barbecue Sauce - rhubarb, raisins, brown sugar-based sauce
Black Forest Preserves - cherries, sugar, and chocolate
Blueberry Pie Filling
Crushed Tomatoes
Strawberry Freezer Jam
Raspberry Blackberry Freezer Jam
Carrot Cake Jam - carrots, pears, pineapple, spices
Carrot Cake Conserve - same as above but with walnuts

You know this has meant hours of labor in the kitchen, but I think the end product is worth it.
Well here, I'll show you:

For some people this might not be a lot, but you have to realize that I have never canned before, so this whole process is totally new to me.
My mother gave me all her canning supplies, as well as her jars, so that has helped, but it's all been one big food experiment, and I love it!
(I don't know how it all tastes, but we live in hope that come December when we open a jar the taste will remind us of the rainy summer day on which it was made when all the ingredients were fresh from the market. And yeah, rainy, because that's ALL it's done this summer.)
The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving has been my guide throughout this process.
Indispensable.
And just think, it's only July - apples haven't even been harvested yet!

Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Last night we had a wonderful dinner.
DN1 made pesto:

It was so good, the basil taste was so fresh it was unbelievable!
Of course it was fresh, because she sat there and picked off 2 cups of basil leaves from the plant, and then ground it up in the blender with pine nuts.
I love basil, it is definitely my favorite spice, so of course I had to add a bunch (or rather more than the recipe called for) to the bolognese sauce I made:

We served both sauces (separately, of course) with the ravioli we buy from the Public Market.
This ravioli is so delicious, and so filling, that I can only eat three, okay four, before I'm as full as a tick.
Wonderful stuff, and they fill it with great ingredients. DN1 had feta and spinach last night, I had 3 cheese, and then meat, and we've also tried gorgonzola and some other flavors.
The stuff isn't cheap, but it's the best I've had.
I'll let you know when we're cooking again so you can come on over.

Why Reading Nancy Drew is like knitting a dishcloth

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Did anyone else grow up reading Nancy Drew?
I did.
I remember taking my birthday money to the local bookstore and buying copies of Nancy Drew books.
Believe it or not I still have them, and every once in a while I'll take one out and read it.
Could you stop reading when the chapter ended, or did you have to read on to the next page to see what came next?
Those chapter endings were so suspenseful to me as a child that I couldn't put the book down at the end of the chapter; I would have to read on to see what was going to happen.
I still do that to this day.
I read a lot, and by a lot, I mean usually constantly, with several books going at once (and some actually being finished!).
So in that, knitting is a lot like reading.
Sometimes it's hard to focus on just one project, and sometimes a project is just so overwhelming and difficult that I have to put it down and return to a simpler time.
Think dishcloths.
My first knit (thanks Major Knitter!).
Every once in a while the books I read become too overwhelming for me, so I do return to easier reads, and that's where Nancy Drew comes in - she is my dishcloth.
With her I can relax and refocus.
That girl has everything going for her.
I know that there are many of you who were Hardy Boys readers, but not for me, I was a tomboy who read all girl books.
Really I don't leave these books behind even as an adult, and I've just discovered a new series written in 1972 about a girl named Kim Aldrich who solves mysteries.
I only have two of the four books in the series, and I picked these up at an antique store, so now you know I must get the other two, come hell or high water.
And what prompted me to write this blog post was not only that I'm trying to get more information about this new to me series, but I discovered that there is an annual Nancy Drew Convention.
Who knew?!?
I didn't, but it sure looks like fun, don't you think?
Perhaps next year, I can meet up with some of my other Nancy Drew/knitting friends.
How about it?

We've Been Waiting for this Day

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:03:00 +0000

What can I say.
Three down, one to go for starters.
Only DN2 remains, and she won't graduate for another 7 years!
Sure our seats were kind of far away, but at this stage of the game, what did it matter. He was down there with his classmates.

We were just glad to be there.
And I think he looks pretty happy too now that it's done.
Both here with my mother:

And with the whole family:

The funny thing is I sent DH out to the lobby to find SN2 so he could take pictures while I helped my mother get to the lobby.
Once we found them I asked DH where SN2 was; DH said that he had already gone to turn in his gown and get his diploma.
I asked about pictures, and he said they hadn't taken any.
What?!?
We had NO pictures of him in his cap and gown.
None.
But you know, I let it go, because SN2 was actually done and had graduated.
We hoped.
He still had to see if his diploma was in the envelope, or if there was a dreaded note that told him to call the school counselor because he had not met all the requirements to graduate.
Our greatest fear.
When he came out with his diploma cover I had to ask; he looked at me and said, "It's in there."
Woo hoo.
Then he did something really sweet. He went to his friend Jay and asked if he could borrow his cap and gown so we could get some pictures.
And even better, Jay's family waited patiently while we took our pictures.
That was nice.
(Jay was actually one of SN2's first friends when we moved up here, and it's nice to see they're still friends, don't you think?)
So actually this is not the cap and gown in which SN2 graduated, but again, at this stage in the game, who cares.
He's done!
Now isn't this the walk of a young man feeling a large sense of relief?

I think so too.
Congratulations Pooh Bear - well played.

June 25th - What a Day

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:12:00 +0000

Was yesterday an outrageous day, or what.
We had severe weather here, so that did not affect your part of the country, but I know we're all still reeling from the news.
First, Farrah Fawcett.
I always liked her a lot.
Remember when she was married to Heath Barkley aka Lee Majors? What a power couple.
Next, a fierce thunderstorm rolled through in the afternoon, and it was accompanied by lightning. The sky became so dark by 2:00 that it looked like twilight had come early.
At 3:10 exactly the power went out in the entire building.
Since there were only 4 of us on our floor at the time, we just looked at each other.
My first words were, "Oh, guess it's time to go home!"
(An old Marine Corps saying - there's no cure like se-cure.)
We did go home 20 minutes later because we had found out that power was out across the entire campus.
Once we were in the lobby we then heard from some other employees lounging there (who can work in the dark, right?) that there were people stuck in one of the dorm elevators.
Egads.
We exited the building into a pouring rain which surprisingly cleared up shortly afterward.
It became so clear that by 6:00 we were sitting on the sidelines watching DN2's soccer game, facing west and staring into the bright sun.
Strange.
Then DN1 walks up and tells us the unbelievable news: "Did you hear that Michael Jackson is dead?"
WHAT?
It was difficult to focus on the soccer game after that news was delivered.
For all his wackiness, Michael's voice was an accompaniment to my youth, and was there as I contemplated that unanswerable question: Who do I like better, Donny Osmond or Michael Jackson?
Ah, to be 10 again.
So folks, tomorrow is SN2's high school graduation.
I think we're safe because his name was in the paper along with the rest of his graduating class, so congrats to him.
Let's just not ever repeat yesterday.
What a day.

I Found My Camera!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:18:00 +0000

I found my camera this morning!
Amazing what shows up when you clean a bit.
And surprisingly enough I also have the charger on hand, although I'm missing the case, so the battery is at home being charged right now.
Pictures!
I can take pictures again!
Not necessarily good ones, but pictures.
Now, let's see how long I can hold onto this blessed thing before I misplace it again.
Any bets?

Haunting

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:26:00 +0000

Sometimes images never leave your head, even after many days, and sometimes they may haunt you forever.
I saw this video on YouTube via Facebook a few days ago, and I can't stop thinking about it.
Some may find the images objectionable (so says YouTube's rating), so if you have an aversion to violent images of people fighting for freedom and democracy, don't watch.

I constantly have to remind myself that this is 2009, not 1979.
The comparisons are there, although with startling differences, because I like to hope that they will fix what got screwed up back then.

It's always a good mail day when books are delivered

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:21:00 +0000

Today was a good mail day.
For sure.
I received two books in the mail: one I had ordered, and one unexpectedly.
In helping to create my syllabus for my class this fall I had to research YA fantasy books.
Sounds pretty easy, right?
Well the problem is if you're not sure what you're looking for, then how do you find it?
Especially when the syllabus has to be submitted for approval by the department chair.
Anyway, I randomly went through and picked out some books, one of which appears to be out of print.
I'm so smart, right?
Fortunately I found it on Amazon for less than a dollar, but then had to pay $3.99 for shipping.
That's me, Mensa ready!
This book is The Island and the Ring by Laura C. Stevenson.
Hopefully I made a good choice, considering I was referring to a two line synopsis when choosing it.
I'd post a picture but even that is not available.
Oh wait, I found one on GoodReads.

Then my oldest bro (one of the real ones, as I call them, and that's a post for another time), sent the family a copy of Excavation by James Rollins.

Apparently it's filled with archaeology, lost Inca cities, graves, gold, death, and as big bro added, evil Mestizos.
That would be in reference to DH's ethnicity.
Not the evil part, just the Mestizo part.
So it's been a good day today - I had a good checkup at the doctor, the sun is shining, and I have new books to read.
I'm so excited I might just have to go take a nap in the sun.

Thinking of Singing

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:33:00 +0000

We went to DN2's chorus and band concert a few weeks back. I was surprised that the 4th grade band could sound so good, with none of that awkward, stuttering music that occurs when the kids play a piece alone.
You could tell they had been practicing their pieces a lot.
It was nice.
She loves band, but I've had to force her to attend chorus.
I want her to stick with it because if they participate throughout her school years there are plenty of opportunities to travel and perform at myriad locations around the state and country.
This is an argument we've been going through all year, and the thing is she likes to sing. What she doesn't like is having to get up early and be at school by 7:30.
So I forced her.
And now she has been chosen to sing with the select chorus at school.
They practice at noon.
Big difference.
I asked her how she would have felt if she didn't make it into this select chorale group, and she said that she would have cried and been really upset.
We've avoided that disaster for the time being, thankfully.
Now we have another dilemma.
She is expressing interest in singing in another chorale here in the area.
It markets itself as a "select" group, but oddly all of the kids who showed up at the information meeting on Monday night were selected.
Hmmmm, is it my kid who can sing, or is it the lure of my money that you hear?
I think the group has plenty of opportunities for her to learn how to sing, and also for her to learn poise while performing. That's something she needs to know, but for $300?
I'm not sure.
Believe it or not, we're leaving the decision up to her because she'll have to learn to manage her schedule with swimming, soccer, and singing practice one night a week in the next town over. Then there are all the sundry games and meets, as well as concerts throughout the year for both singing groups.
DN2 has said she can do it, but she really needs me to buy her a planner.
Really? That's all it will take?
I'll keep you posted.

Bloomsday

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:32:00 +0000

Today is Bloomsday, and you have got to hear this recording of James Joyce.
You can listen to it here at BoingBoing.

It's remarkable, but this is not how I thought his voice would sound.
I don't even know if I gave it much thought, but I agree with the comments where people said it will change how they hear the cadence of the words as they read his works.
Truly remarkable.
Go grab a copy of Dubliners or Finnegan's Wake, get a Guinness, and enjoy the day.

I am in LOVE!! but please keep it a secret

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:59:00 +0000

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I am in love.
And this is big time in love.
I can't escape from it, and you know, I don't want to escape it.
I want to revel in this feeling of ecstasy, and just spend all of my time with this new love.
What an amazing emotion, and it's so fulfilling.
Believe it or not DH knows all about it.
How could he miss it? I've been telling everyone at work, and I just can't stop talking about it even here at home.
I'll tell you too, but you'll have to keep it a secret.
Shhhhh.....here it is:

It's I Like Lemons' button-tab hat pattern.
Oh my gosh, I LOVE this pattern!
This has got to be the best hat pattern ever.
It's so simple and a quick knit, yet it makes this great looking hat that can look completely different depending upon the brim and the button.
So far I've finished one and am on the decrease rounds of the second one, and I'll show you both once I find the perfect button for the second one.
I'm beginning to chain knit these hats because my group at work is knitting and crocheting hats, mittens, and scarves for school kids in the area this year.
We have a lot of rural poor around here who are overlooked when it comes to people helping them out.
(Interesting fact: our school district has the highest amount of subsidized lunches of any of the schools in the area.)
I definitely love this pattern for middle school and high school-aged girls, so I expect to see many of them sporting my button tab hats this winter.
Love it! LOVE IT!!
And what's love unless you share it?