But I do enjoy the rewards!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Fresh From the Garden!
This was part of my dinner tonight - it's so hot here, that going to water my sis-in-law's gardens while she's been away has been very challenging (I'm just not able to do this outdoor stuff these days...
But I do enjoy the rewards!
But I do enjoy the rewards!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Where's The Surprise In This?
| You Are a Ring Finger |
 You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger |
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 02, 2007
Fresh From the...Well?
Ok. I tried. But with all the work I needed to do for the upcoming cat show in Roanoke, I didn't make it to my farmer's market this weekend. I did, however, get to my local store for some traditional (sort of) July 4 fare...
That's a black bean vegie burger made MY way: with cheddar cheese, salsa and jalapenos on a whole wheat burger roll, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and yellow/white corn on the cob. Don't know that it's possible to have fresh corn in these parts yet, but come the end of the month, there should be some.
Anyway, it was delish.
:)
That's a black bean vegie burger made MY way: with cheddar cheese, salsa and jalapenos on a whole wheat burger roll, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and yellow/white corn on the cob. Don't know that it's possible to have fresh corn in these parts yet, but come the end of the month, there should be some.Anyway, it was delish.
:)
Friday, June 22, 2007
On the Day I was Born..
Ruinwen put this on her blog and invited others to participate, and I thought, why not?
According to Wikipedia these are the three events, two births, and one holiday (those numbers are what's required in the meme) on July 11. (You just have to type in the month and date folks!)
Events:
1616 Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec. Ok...this spoke to me because I spent many happy summers at my aunt's old-fashioned 1950s-style "camp" on Lake Champlain in Vermont (my aunt was also a French teacher in the Burlington VT public schools).
1804Aaron Burr kills Alex Hamilton in a duel (when I was studying US History, this story just caught my fancy. I probably knew this was on my birthday back at that time, but it had slipped my mind!)
1955 The phrase In God We Trust was added to all US currency. (very appropriate considering my main occupation as an accountant!)
Births
1920 Yul Brenner - and I've had an infatuation with men who have no hair all my life - I LOVED Yul in The King and I!
1955 Sela Ward - I remember watching her biography on Lifetime and hearing that she was not only born on the same day as I, but also the same year - we are the same AGE!
Now why on earth don't I look as good as she does???
Holiday
World Population Day. I have always been a family planning supporter meaning: make sure you're ready to have a family, and can afford to have children, and don't have more than you can afford, financially and emotionally, to care for! In short, be a responsible parent...(my ex wasn't, and I've had years to pay for that)
Ok...I'm not tagging anyone either (Ruinwen didn't), but if you'd like to do this - that's cool!
According to Wikipedia these are the three events, two births, and one holiday (those numbers are what's required in the meme) on July 11. (You just have to type in the month and date folks!)
Events:
1616 Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec. Ok...this spoke to me because I spent many happy summers at my aunt's old-fashioned 1950s-style "camp" on Lake Champlain in Vermont (my aunt was also a French teacher in the Burlington VT public schools).
1804Aaron Burr kills Alex Hamilton in a duel (when I was studying US History, this story just caught my fancy. I probably knew this was on my birthday back at that time, but it had slipped my mind!)
1955 The phrase In God We Trust was added to all US currency. (very appropriate considering my main occupation as an accountant!)
Births
1920 Yul Brenner - and I've had an infatuation with men who have no hair all my life - I LOVED Yul in The King and I!
1955 Sela Ward - I remember watching her biography on Lifetime and hearing that she was not only born on the same day as I, but also the same year - we are the same AGE!
Now why on earth don't I look as good as she does???
Holiday
World Population Day. I have always been a family planning supporter meaning: make sure you're ready to have a family, and can afford to have children, and don't have more than you can afford, financially and emotionally, to care for! In short, be a responsible parent...(my ex wasn't, and I've had years to pay for that)
Ok...I'm not tagging anyone either (Ruinwen didn't), but if you'd like to do this - that's cool!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Eat Local Challenge (Redux)
I'm going to participate again in the Eat Local Challenge this time promising to eat one main meal each week from mostly local sources of food and blog about it here! Actually began that this weekend (tho' it's only supposed to be starting on June 24) - see the post below!
I'll add that I'm going to do my best to make that one meal a (lacto-ovo) vegetarian one.
I'll post the button in the sidebar...the main premise is to think about where food comes from, be intentional about choosing healthier foods (without additives, trans fats, as organic as possible - that sort of thing).
I think I can do that!
(((hugs)))
I'll add that I'm going to do my best to make that one meal a (lacto-ovo) vegetarian one.
I'll post the button in the sidebar...the main premise is to think about where food comes from, be intentional about choosing healthier foods (without additives, trans fats, as organic as possible - that sort of thing).
I think I can do that!
(((hugs)))
Saturday, June 16, 2007
To Market To Market...
But not for a pig.
lolol
A few vegies for Fresh From the Market...plus a loaf of On The Rise bakery's Rosemary Sourdough bread. I'm trying to eat more simply, more healthfully.
So new and different squashes! An amazingly good tomato...I'm told you cook the squash the same as summer squash - so I added Mrs. Dash and steamed them. Absolutely delish! The bread and tomato were wonderful, too. Unfortunately, the vegies aren't local yet. They're from South Carolina. But the bread is Roanoke, thru and thru!
Then while on the market I got a couple of basil plants and a curly leaf parsley (I like it better than flat leaf) to go with the two little yellow pear tomato plants my SIL finally found. Couldn't find the Sungolds I planted and fell in love with last summer, but I do like these. So here is my "front yard garden" - yes, I'm still planting in pots!
lolol
A few vegies for Fresh From the Market...plus a loaf of On The Rise bakery's Rosemary Sourdough bread. I'm trying to eat more simply, more healthfully.
So new and different squashes! An amazingly good tomato...I'm told you cook the squash the same as summer squash - so I added Mrs. Dash and steamed them. Absolutely delish! The bread and tomato were wonderful, too. Unfortunately, the vegies aren't local yet. They're from South Carolina. But the bread is Roanoke, thru and thru!
Then while on the market I got a couple of basil plants and a curly leaf parsley (I like it better than flat leaf) to go with the two little yellow pear tomato plants my SIL finally found. Couldn't find the Sungolds I planted and fell in love with last summer, but I do like these. So here is my "front yard garden" - yes, I'm still planting in pots!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Being Green...
Birdsong and Carole have been posting about how Easy It Is To Be Green in a meme and I wanted to add my practices. I think, tho' that's it's best if I do this here, rather than my knitting blog as it pertains more to this one...and while I'm sure I can't hold a candle to the things I know my friend Jane does, I was raised by one of the best Depression Era Penny-Pinchers and New England Tightwads, so some of the things I do, I might not want to admit to publicly! lololol...
1. I have one of these. I rewash ziplock bags (as long as meat hasn't been inside) and this little device allows them to dry very quickly! I used to wash and reuse aluminum foil, but since I rarely use it anymore, it's a non-issue. I gave these wonderful contraptions to several households on my Christmas list one year and I know they ALL use them and LOVE them! It saves $$, and keeps a lot of plastic out of the landfills!
2. I pack my lunch and eat at my desk most days of the week. I use washable containers and limit the amount of single serve packaging unless it's recyclable - like aluminum cans. I like to have V-8 as a snack at work, but usually I buy a bottle and portion it out into small containers to take in my lunch.
3. I don't actually "buy in bulk" b/c I'm only one person. But if I buy enough for a family of 4 or 6, it's still reducing the packaging considerably. I'll make a stir-fry and package in reusable (washable) containers in the freezer. I've always heard how hard it is to cook for one. I don't. WHEN I cook, I do enough for 4-6 and freeze the rest in single serves - for lunches, for dinners. I've been bad about this for a couple of months...gotta fix that!
4. I reduce, reuse, recycle. Since my move, I'm 2 blocks (I know that sounds awfully close, but they are long blocks!) from the recycling center. When I moved, I collected boxes from the liquor store for packing and gathered newspaper from friends. When I was finished (yeah, sure, I'm STILL unpacking), there was a friend in the office getting ready to move. I brought her boxes as I unpacked them and she used them, then took them to the recycler! (I love that...) The liquor store would have trashed them.
5. I trip chain. I try very hard to plan where I have to go and combine my errands so I have limited back-tracking to do. Our public transportation system leaves a lot to be desired. :(
6. Thrift stores, yard sales, and reuse shops (including book exchanges) are some of the most fun ways to shop - tho' I must admit with the cost of gasoline, I doing fewer and fewer yard sales these days. (Most of my furniture is at least second-hand, tho' I do often have it re-upholstered - I like antiques)
7. I check out books/videos/books on tape fro my library. I pre-screen (as much as possible) knitting books before I buy. I'm trying to get to the point of releasing my current books (not knitting books!) into the second-hand market...it's hard.
8. I only wash full loads of laundry on cold.
9. When I moved to this new house, I realized that even by filling the dishwasher to capacity (which takes a long time for one person who really doesn't cook much) I would still use less water if I half-filled two dishpans with water - one to wash, one to rinse - once or twice a week! The water is then saved and used to water plants and shrubs in front of the house.
10. I moved into town and reduced my commute by 15 minutes each way. I try to keep my car tuned up, air in tires, all the stuff you're supposed to do to get good mileage. While I have a small SUV, it's an "economy car" according to the insurance company and gets 27 mpg on the highway. But I have a dream of owning one of THESE, at least for around town...
Wonder if I can find one in Grape (oh, I know it should be GREEN, considering the title of this post - but I am not THERE in my color preferences...)?
1. I have one of these. I rewash ziplock bags (as long as meat hasn't been inside) and this little device allows them to dry very quickly! I used to wash and reuse aluminum foil, but since I rarely use it anymore, it's a non-issue. I gave these wonderful contraptions to several households on my Christmas list one year and I know they ALL use them and LOVE them! It saves $$, and keeps a lot of plastic out of the landfills!
2. I pack my lunch and eat at my desk most days of the week. I use washable containers and limit the amount of single serve packaging unless it's recyclable - like aluminum cans. I like to have V-8 as a snack at work, but usually I buy a bottle and portion it out into small containers to take in my lunch.
3. I don't actually "buy in bulk" b/c I'm only one person. But if I buy enough for a family of 4 or 6, it's still reducing the packaging considerably. I'll make a stir-fry and package in reusable (washable) containers in the freezer. I've always heard how hard it is to cook for one. I don't. WHEN I cook, I do enough for 4-6 and freeze the rest in single serves - for lunches, for dinners. I've been bad about this for a couple of months...gotta fix that!
4. I reduce, reuse, recycle. Since my move, I'm 2 blocks (I know that sounds awfully close, but they are long blocks!) from the recycling center. When I moved, I collected boxes from the liquor store for packing and gathered newspaper from friends. When I was finished (yeah, sure, I'm STILL unpacking), there was a friend in the office getting ready to move. I brought her boxes as I unpacked them and she used them, then took them to the recycler! (I love that...) The liquor store would have trashed them.
5. I trip chain. I try very hard to plan where I have to go and combine my errands so I have limited back-tracking to do. Our public transportation system leaves a lot to be desired. :(
6. Thrift stores, yard sales, and reuse shops (including book exchanges) are some of the most fun ways to shop - tho' I must admit with the cost of gasoline, I doing fewer and fewer yard sales these days. (Most of my furniture is at least second-hand, tho' I do often have it re-upholstered - I like antiques)
7. I check out books/videos/books on tape fro my library. I pre-screen (as much as possible) knitting books before I buy. I'm trying to get to the point of releasing my current books (not knitting books!) into the second-hand market...it's hard.
8. I only wash full loads of laundry on cold.
9. When I moved to this new house, I realized that even by filling the dishwasher to capacity (which takes a long time for one person who really doesn't cook much) I would still use less water if I half-filled two dishpans with water - one to wash, one to rinse - once or twice a week! The water is then saved and used to water plants and shrubs in front of the house.
10. I moved into town and reduced my commute by 15 minutes each way. I try to keep my car tuned up, air in tires, all the stuff you're supposed to do to get good mileage. While I have a small SUV, it's an "economy car" according to the insurance company and gets 27 mpg on the highway. But I have a dream of owning one of THESE, at least for around town...
Wonder if I can find one in Grape (oh, I know it should be GREEN, considering the title of this post - but I am not THERE in my color preferences...)?
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Is it? Love? Infatuation? or...
a serious emotional disorder?
No. No male could begin to get me thinking this way. No male has the "power" to make my heart go "pitty-pat" these days...not like this, anyway!
It's Ravelry!
I'm obsessed with finding all the neat things it offers, adding in my projects, linking to KALS I run (or co-run), photographing my stash, uploading my library, finding my friends and making new ones.
This is another example of the addiction that knitting and the internet communities concerned with this craft is for me. I am possessed by Ravelry. Amazed at the creators ability to envision what this could become...
I really really hope, tho' that this time the bloom won't come off THIS rose!
lololol
(make sure you sign up, okay? It took about 2 months for me to get in, don't let another day go by before you knock on the Ravelry door!)
No. No male could begin to get me thinking this way. No male has the "power" to make my heart go "pitty-pat" these days...not like this, anyway!
It's Ravelry!
I'm obsessed with finding all the neat things it offers, adding in my projects, linking to KALS I run (or co-run), photographing my stash, uploading my library, finding my friends and making new ones.
This is another example of the addiction that knitting and the internet communities concerned with this craft is for me. I am possessed by Ravelry. Amazed at the creators ability to envision what this could become...
I really really hope, tho' that this time the bloom won't come off THIS rose!
lololol
(make sure you sign up, okay? It took about 2 months for me to get in, don't let another day go by before you knock on the Ravelry door!)
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Put a Little Soy in Your Life?
Ok...this was last night's dinner. Looks good, huh?
Please don't ask for the recipe...I did a number on the seasonings - and it wasn't as good as it looks...which made me very very sad.
The vegies, tofu (omg, when did they start selling PRE-cubed tofu? Whee!), and brown rice were fine.
But it was extremely bland...(sigh)
Maybe I'll follow a recipe next time. LOL
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Just as a Follow-up
I think this is a great blog (all the way around!) for vegan recipes but I can't wait to try THIS very, very soon!
That Time of Year Again...
so because it's the growing season, and I somehow always pick a place to live that makes it hard to grow anything (it's completely out of the question where I am now!), and because my history - and my family's history - is that of vegetarianism, and because what I put in my mouth matters to me....
It's Fresh From the Farmer's Market time...Or Eat Local Time...(take your pick! Or better yet, do BOTH!)
For me, it really is about health. So I've been spending a lot of blog time recently seeking out vegetarian (and vegan, and macrobiotic) blogs...collecting recipes (I'm reminded of the early days of learning about blogs and knitting - I was consumed). This focus works in well with my general life view anyway...
I was at my local Co-op on Saturday and discovered a freshly prepared and packaged macrobiotic meal (they have a deli, and oh, my, it's beyond anything you've ever seen in the grocery store, let me tell you!). I was intrigued, as I've been eating more and more whole grains and vegies, less and less white flour/sugar and prepared items...Once I had tasted it, I was over the rainbow (tho' I must admit anything with lots of garlic easily wins me over...), three different items: a brown rice and lentil mixture, a narrow lazagna noodle with pickled coleslaw filling, and a spicy pasta and minced vegies mix - I couldn't believe how good it all was!
I'm probably not going the vegan route, or even going back to the lacto-ovo vegetarian I used to be. I'll always eat fish, as it's vital to my heart health. And I just can't see why nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are not considered healthful (as in macrobiotics) so don't look for them to leave my diet, either.
But I can surely get on board this Fresh From the Farmer's Market bandwagon.
And frankly, I think it's all about making the most healthful, and freshest choices you can make! I'll try to share links and recipes I create (b/c I do tend to be that kind of cook - give me a basic idea and I'll morph it...) so you can see what I'm up to.
This won't become a food blog - it's really all about my current thinking on a hodgepodge of lifestyle and craft ideas, anyway! And cooking is just another craft in my mind...
(((hugs)))
It's Fresh From the Farmer's Market time...Or Eat Local Time...(take your pick! Or better yet, do BOTH!)
For me, it really is about health. So I've been spending a lot of blog time recently seeking out vegetarian (and vegan, and macrobiotic) blogs...collecting recipes (I'm reminded of the early days of learning about blogs and knitting - I was consumed). This focus works in well with my general life view anyway...
I was at my local Co-op on Saturday and discovered a freshly prepared and packaged macrobiotic meal (they have a deli, and oh, my, it's beyond anything you've ever seen in the grocery store, let me tell you!). I was intrigued, as I've been eating more and more whole grains and vegies, less and less white flour/sugar and prepared items...Once I had tasted it, I was over the rainbow (tho' I must admit anything with lots of garlic easily wins me over...), three different items: a brown rice and lentil mixture, a narrow lazagna noodle with pickled coleslaw filling, and a spicy pasta and minced vegies mix - I couldn't believe how good it all was!
I'm probably not going the vegan route, or even going back to the lacto-ovo vegetarian I used to be. I'll always eat fish, as it's vital to my heart health. And I just can't see why nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are not considered healthful (as in macrobiotics) so don't look for them to leave my diet, either.
But I can surely get on board this Fresh From the Farmer's Market bandwagon.
And frankly, I think it's all about making the most healthful, and freshest choices you can make! I'll try to share links and recipes I create (b/c I do tend to be that kind of cook - give me a basic idea and I'll morph it...) so you can see what I'm up to.
This won't become a food blog - it's really all about my current thinking on a hodgepodge of lifestyle and craft ideas, anyway! And cooking is just another craft in my mind...
(((hugs)))
Thursday, May 10, 2007
What Do You Think?
Click Here to take a test to agree or disagree with my answers and refine my Daemon...and while you're there, take the test for your OWN!
Monday, May 07, 2007
LOL! Nope - No Accent Here...
This came to me via Jane who does indeed sound as if she comes from the region of the country that she's lived in all her life!
My parents were determined that I'd not pick up the Southern accent they heard when they moved here in the 50's. By the same token, they didn't want me to sound like the New Englanders they were coming from....especially that oft-mentioned "aye-uh!" I remember being brought back into a room to "say it correctly before you leave...." Drove me nuts, till I did the same thing with my grammar students!
:)
Guess Mom & Dad did a good job, huh? I really don't have an accent, unless I'm trying to play-act with whatever region of the country I'm visiting! lolol!
My parents were determined that I'd not pick up the Southern accent they heard when they moved here in the 50's. By the same token, they didn't want me to sound like the New Englanders they were coming from....especially that oft-mentioned "aye-uh!" I remember being brought back into a room to "say it correctly before you leave...." Drove me nuts, till I did the same thing with my grammar students!
:)
Guess Mom & Dad did a good job, huh? I really don't have an accent, unless I'm trying to play-act with whatever region of the country I'm visiting! lolol!
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta. | |
| The Midland | |
| Boston | |
| North Central | |
| The Inland North | |
| Philadelphia | |
| The South | |
| The Northeast | |
| What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz | |
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Blogging Against Disabilism Day
A Cause near and dear to my heart. "Nothing about us, without us (James I. Charlton)."
I work for an Independent Living Center. I have a physical disability - one that can't be seen: SLE and heart disease as a result of it. There are so many people who live successfully with physical disabilities, but have to put up with the negative attitudes of others that keep us from leading the full, involved lives we deserve.
And for those with "hidden" disabilities, it's hard, too. Because you might very well look "healthy." And not be.
"So what's wrong with you?"
Oh, honey...if only you knew. It's starts with THAT question!
There might be much "wrong" (at least by the questioner's definition). But there's even more RIGHT. How about a change of mind? Of thinking?
Attitudes are the REAL disability!
I work for an Independent Living Center. I have a physical disability - one that can't be seen: SLE and heart disease as a result of it. There are so many people who live successfully with physical disabilities, but have to put up with the negative attitudes of others that keep us from leading the full, involved lives we deserve.
And for those with "hidden" disabilities, it's hard, too. Because you might very well look "healthy." And not be.
"So what's wrong with you?"
Oh, honey...if only you knew. It's starts with THAT question!
There might be much "wrong" (at least by the questioner's definition). But there's even more RIGHT. How about a change of mind? Of thinking?
Attitudes are the REAL disability!
Friday, April 13, 2007
I Suppose NOW I'll Have to Rent the Movie?
If you say so. I've never seen Spiderman!
| Your Famous Movie Kiss is from Spiderman |
 "I have always been standing in your doorway. Isn't it about time somebody saved your life?" |
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
How Many Have YOU Read?
Another meme I found (somewhere, not sure now where). Take the following list of books and highlight the ones you've read. 31% is not bad….I guess. But there are a LOT of newer books (the Harry Potter series, for example, that I’ve not read)
I'm not tagging anyone - do this if you'd like!
1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkein)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)T
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Ablom)
45. The Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
I'm not tagging anyone - do this if you'd like!
1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkein)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)T
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Ablom)
45. The Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Roanoke, VA - 125 Years Young!
It wasn't the best of days (a bit chilly and showery) but today was Roanoke, VA (my hometown) 125th anniversary. I wanted to attend the festivities, as I was born here, and have lived here most of my 50 years. A parade of dignitaries arrived at the Roanoke Civic Center in a light rain shower. This horse-drawn carriage transported our Governor, Tim Kaine, to the event (and yes, I'm a bit slow, he's behind the carriage, so the photo is obviously not the best!). Today was also the grand opening of the new Exhibition Hall for the Roanoke Civic Center, and most of the photos here were taken there. The lighting left a lot to be desired, mainly because they were showing slides, and later a video, on the history of the city, so the lights were quite dim.
One of the main reasons I wanted to attend were the antique cars I knew would be there...
This is the hood ornament of the "Woody" in the photo above it. The photos of the Woody simply could not do the restored (and HIGHLY polished) wood trim justice - this car is just gorgeous...
(oh, did I mention my landlord owns these? I came home from work last night to discover several of them parked in front of my new home!)
Then there was a delightful display of handcrafted dolls wearing vintage costumes! I couldn't get all of them photographed, but I probably still went overboard in sharing them with you. I was quite taken with them...especially the period detail! Just exquisite...
Our History Museum had a display of photographs and period items from the day...I know I was born in the wrong time, as I'd feel so at home in this setting! (Ok...I'd have been a Suffragette, but I'd still have been happier living in Victorian times...)
Before I began making bags and knitting up a storm, I thought I wanted to be a Crazy Quilter. I've studied it and studied it, but discovered that, although I can quilt and embroider, both, I'm not cut out for this art form - I really need order, not random placement! Still I adore crazy quilts, and this vintage example took my breath away...look at that butterfly!
This is really not a good photo, but one of the guest speakers was none other than Earl Hamner, creator of The Waltons and Falcon Crest. Mr. Hamner is now 83 and reminisced about visiting Roanoke when he was growing up just down the road a bit in Schuyler, VA (okay, it's north, but around here we go "up" to go south and "down" to go north, so go figure!).
We realized the festivities were going to go on a lot longer than we'd expected, and we both had other things to get done today, so we left. As we returned to ground level at the Civic Center I realized we really do have a lovely view of downtown from there...you can see how gray a day it was...
One of the main reasons I wanted to attend were the antique cars I knew would be there...
This is the hood ornament of the "Woody" in the photo above it. The photos of the Woody simply could not do the restored (and HIGHLY polished) wood trim justice - this car is just gorgeous...
(oh, did I mention my landlord owns these? I came home from work last night to discover several of them parked in front of my new home!)
Then there was a delightful display of handcrafted dolls wearing vintage costumes! I couldn't get all of them photographed, but I probably still went overboard in sharing them with you. I was quite taken with them...especially the period detail! Just exquisite...
Our History Museum had a display of photographs and period items from the day...I know I was born in the wrong time, as I'd feel so at home in this setting! (Ok...I'd have been a Suffragette, but I'd still have been happier living in Victorian times...)
Before I began making bags and knitting up a storm, I thought I wanted to be a Crazy Quilter. I've studied it and studied it, but discovered that, although I can quilt and embroider, both, I'm not cut out for this art form - I really need order, not random placement! Still I adore crazy quilts, and this vintage example took my breath away...look at that butterfly!
This is really not a good photo, but one of the guest speakers was none other than Earl Hamner, creator of The Waltons and Falcon Crest. Mr. Hamner is now 83 and reminisced about visiting Roanoke when he was growing up just down the road a bit in Schuyler, VA (okay, it's north, but around here we go "up" to go south and "down" to go north, so go figure!).
We realized the festivities were going to go on a lot longer than we'd expected, and we both had other things to get done today, so we left. As we returned to ground level at the Civic Center I realized we really do have a lovely view of downtown from there...you can see how gray a day it was...
Friday, March 16, 2007
Getting Philosophical on Socks!
A little over a year ago, I started knitting socks for the first time. I didn’t think it would be a big deal, I’d just take a class, learn to knit them toe-up and then cuff-down, and be done with it. Something else accomplished. Marked off my list of “wish I knew how to...”
Well.
I’ve now knit 5 pair (only one was a gift). All toe-up, as it’s the method that fits my feet the best, so why bother with another way? My time is limited…
This is an amazing feat – no I did not intend the pun – as I have also churned out well over 200 Nana Sadie Rose bags in that time, plus assorted knitted items and even read a book or six, worked a full-time job, taken care of a part-time business client, maintained friendships and family ties, and also managed a major move under extreme pressure.
And the most frequently asked question I get when people see me knitting a pair of socks (ok...they only see me knitting one sock at a time!) is:
“Why would anyone pay $20-$25 for yarn and spend hours and hours to hand-knit ONE pair of socks when you can go to Walmart and buy 6 pair for $5?”
Actually, it’s really a fair question, in spite of the fact that I tend to look the questioners squarely in the eye as if they are from another planet.
I had the same question over a year ago (before I knit my first pair).
My standard answer is also pretty simple. “If you’ve never worn a pair of hand-knit merino socks, you cannot understand. Once you do, you’ll never again question it. And no, I will not knit you a pair, it takes me too long to knit my own, and I’m going to have a drawer full before I stop...but I’ll be happy to help you learn to knit your own...”
Why Socks?
1. Warmth. There is no way a pair of cheap cotton/acrylic socks from Walmart can keep my feet as warm as merino wool.
2. Quality. These socks FIT my feet. I have very small feet (size 5.5). The standard Walmart sock “fits women’s size 6-9” which means I have a LOT of sock stuffed in around my heels and toes that is not needed.
3. Sensuality. There. I’ve said it. If you’ve never worn silk underwear, if you’ve never felt velvet against your skin, then you can’t imagine the sensual quality of merino against the soles of your feet. Imagine a hot bath in steaming scented oil of your favorite flavor, the water slipping over your skin…imagine velvety rose petals strewn across slick satin sheets…fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate…
4. Peace of Mind. The process of knitting keeps me sane, and the small needles (usually size 1 bamboos) and fingering weight yarn combined with a portable project means that wherever I am, I can indulge in a bit of emotional release just about anytime.
There’s more of course. But a list is so ... cut and dried. I’m working for the soul (!) of knitted socks.
Once upon a time, I danced. My very highly-arched feet were stuffed into toe shoes that made it possible for me to bear the entirety of my weight upon my ONE BIG TOE. I spent hours and hours every day in those shoes, on first one and then the other of my big toes. I was…”A BALLERINA.”
I never made it to NYC, but I danced daily in preparation for it. At the end of every day, my toes were dented and bruised and very, very red. The end result has been misshapen feet, with an early propensity to bunions and corns in both traditional and non-traditional places. My arches ached and often got the worst “stitches” and cramps in them…charley horses? In my calves…all the time.
As beautiful as ballet is, it’s a hard, painful life. There’s a reason why ballerinas have to end their careers in their early 30s. Their bodies simply cannot handle the demands the art places on it beyond that time. (Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but usually ballerinas become dance teachers, and they spend their remaining lives in ballet shoes, not toe shoes, for a reason!)
The arthritis that has developed in my middle toes (I’m convinced from being scrunched between the big toe and the outer toes for years on end) is eased by the softness and warmth of hand-knit socks. Wearing hand-knit socks also means that I must wear shoes with a wider toe bed, which is certainly healthier for my feet. Clogs just fit the bill (they also help keep the heels of the socks from wearing out faster).
And may I offer a hint to those gentlemen who might be reading with whatever measure of interest in Nana? The fastest way for a man to make it into my life is to offer to give me a foot massage. Spend long periods of time, with warm oil, gently stroking my toes, the arch of my foot, the heel and back around again, and I’ll probably agree to do just about anything.
;)
(But be careful, because tickling those same feet sends me in the opposite direction really, really fast!)
But this IS about socks, right? Well...what I learned with my first pair of merino wool socks is that those handcrafted, form-fitted, ideally-shaped-to-MY-foot toe-up socks, knitted in stockinette is a very close second to a foot massage in my book. My toes are enveloped in softness, comfort, and warmth that lasts all day. There is no bunching, no excess fabric, the socks fit like a glove, if you will…
Especially if the sock yarn is 100% merino. Sinful luxury. And the price of $20-$25 per pair? Peanuts.
All the colorful hand-dyed goodness is just eye candy. Pure fluff. Tons of fun. And I look for fun wherever I can find it now that I’m a Woman of a Certain Age.
So go ahead. Buy your Walmart mass-produced, low-quality cotton-acrylic blend socks. Keep your toes chilly.
But I’ll keep knitting my “expensive” socks. It’s a therapy unrivaled…a combination of process (knitting) and product (the socks) that cannot under any circumstance be surpassed. And actually, when you think about it, hour for hour, $25 for gorgeous sock yarn is a lot cheaper than either psychoanalysis or therapeutic massage would cost me.
JMHO!
Well.
I’ve now knit 5 pair (only one was a gift). All toe-up, as it’s the method that fits my feet the best, so why bother with another way? My time is limited…
This is an amazing feat – no I did not intend the pun – as I have also churned out well over 200 Nana Sadie Rose bags in that time, plus assorted knitted items and even read a book or six, worked a full-time job, taken care of a part-time business client, maintained friendships and family ties, and also managed a major move under extreme pressure.
And the most frequently asked question I get when people see me knitting a pair of socks (ok...they only see me knitting one sock at a time!) is:
“Why would anyone pay $20-$25 for yarn and spend hours and hours to hand-knit ONE pair of socks when you can go to Walmart and buy 6 pair for $5?”
Actually, it’s really a fair question, in spite of the fact that I tend to look the questioners squarely in the eye as if they are from another planet.
I had the same question over a year ago (before I knit my first pair).
My standard answer is also pretty simple. “If you’ve never worn a pair of hand-knit merino socks, you cannot understand. Once you do, you’ll never again question it. And no, I will not knit you a pair, it takes me too long to knit my own, and I’m going to have a drawer full before I stop...but I’ll be happy to help you learn to knit your own...”
Why Socks?
1. Warmth. There is no way a pair of cheap cotton/acrylic socks from Walmart can keep my feet as warm as merino wool.
2. Quality. These socks FIT my feet. I have very small feet (size 5.5). The standard Walmart sock “fits women’s size 6-9” which means I have a LOT of sock stuffed in around my heels and toes that is not needed.
3. Sensuality. There. I’ve said it. If you’ve never worn silk underwear, if you’ve never felt velvet against your skin, then you can’t imagine the sensual quality of merino against the soles of your feet. Imagine a hot bath in steaming scented oil of your favorite flavor, the water slipping over your skin…imagine velvety rose petals strewn across slick satin sheets…fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate…
4. Peace of Mind. The process of knitting keeps me sane, and the small needles (usually size 1 bamboos) and fingering weight yarn combined with a portable project means that wherever I am, I can indulge in a bit of emotional release just about anytime.
There’s more of course. But a list is so ... cut and dried. I’m working for the soul (!) of knitted socks.
Once upon a time, I danced. My very highly-arched feet were stuffed into toe shoes that made it possible for me to bear the entirety of my weight upon my ONE BIG TOE. I spent hours and hours every day in those shoes, on first one and then the other of my big toes. I was…”A BALLERINA.”
I never made it to NYC, but I danced daily in preparation for it. At the end of every day, my toes were dented and bruised and very, very red. The end result has been misshapen feet, with an early propensity to bunions and corns in both traditional and non-traditional places. My arches ached and often got the worst “stitches” and cramps in them…charley horses? In my calves…all the time.
As beautiful as ballet is, it’s a hard, painful life. There’s a reason why ballerinas have to end their careers in their early 30s. Their bodies simply cannot handle the demands the art places on it beyond that time. (Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but usually ballerinas become dance teachers, and they spend their remaining lives in ballet shoes, not toe shoes, for a reason!)
The arthritis that has developed in my middle toes (I’m convinced from being scrunched between the big toe and the outer toes for years on end) is eased by the softness and warmth of hand-knit socks. Wearing hand-knit socks also means that I must wear shoes with a wider toe bed, which is certainly healthier for my feet. Clogs just fit the bill (they also help keep the heels of the socks from wearing out faster).
And may I offer a hint to those gentlemen who might be reading with whatever measure of interest in Nana? The fastest way for a man to make it into my life is to offer to give me a foot massage. Spend long periods of time, with warm oil, gently stroking my toes, the arch of my foot, the heel and back around again, and I’ll probably agree to do just about anything.
;)
(But be careful, because tickling those same feet sends me in the opposite direction really, really fast!)
But this IS about socks, right? Well...what I learned with my first pair of merino wool socks is that those handcrafted, form-fitted, ideally-shaped-to-MY-foot toe-up socks, knitted in stockinette is a very close second to a foot massage in my book. My toes are enveloped in softness, comfort, and warmth that lasts all day. There is no bunching, no excess fabric, the socks fit like a glove, if you will…
Especially if the sock yarn is 100% merino. Sinful luxury. And the price of $20-$25 per pair? Peanuts.
All the colorful hand-dyed goodness is just eye candy. Pure fluff. Tons of fun. And I look for fun wherever I can find it now that I’m a Woman of a Certain Age.
So go ahead. Buy your Walmart mass-produced, low-quality cotton-acrylic blend socks. Keep your toes chilly.
But I’ll keep knitting my “expensive” socks. It’s a therapy unrivaled…a combination of process (knitting) and product (the socks) that cannot under any circumstance be surpassed. And actually, when you think about it, hour for hour, $25 for gorgeous sock yarn is a lot cheaper than either psychoanalysis or therapeutic massage would cost me.
JMHO!
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