Creekside Contemplations

I was looking for a sign

2010-10-05T13:18:00.001-07:00

Checking my post archives I was hoping to find that I had started my blogging around the beginning of October. That way I could say that I had been on an online literary stint for exactly 3 years. But, alas, it was December. A round number would have been so satisfying. But in any case, here is the sad news. After 2 years and 9 months I am regretfully giving up blogging.

pregnant pause of reflection

Why you ask, agast? Well, the tickling of the idea was forming over the summer as time to book review just didn't appear. Then this fall I attended a meeting that emphasized self-awareness in prioritizing your life and it really hit home.

I am not a multi-tasker. Horrors in this day and age, I know. The simpler the better. Everyone around me benefits when my workload is contained and my mind is not going in a dozen different directions. Blogging was becoming a weight on my shoulders (even when I didn't do it!) and the posts were blah to say the least. So, my contribution to the blog world completed, I move on.

Catch me on Ravelry if you are knitting inclined (teachermom). And otherwise, I hope to see you in person to talk books.

Go with God.

keeping it brief

2010-09-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

A technique that I have used in teaching writing to my children is the three word rule. They read a passage and then condense each sentence of the passage to three keywords. The next day they rewrite the passage using only the keywords that they've selected. It's a way to get kids writing without the fear of "what do I write about?" that most of them are prone to.

So here's my take on the three keyword book review:

House Rules by Jodi Picoult - insightful; unsettling; captivating

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander Mccall Smith - amusing; entertaining; perceptive

P.A.C.E. by Al Sears - quick; commonsense; motivating

And that's all she wrote!

Mystically Wired

2010-08-25T18:31:00.001-07:00

Talking to God - a person that we can't see - is not a habit that our culture actively cultivates. Ken Wilson, in the book "Mystically Wired", submits that human beings are meant to be pray-ers. He claims that indeed, we are wired for it, but our society doesn't lend itself to the quiet and contemplation that will allow us to go beyond our conventional ideas of prayer.

In his book he explores various methods of praying and relaxation techniques that you can use to "go deeper" with prayer. Some of these will take patience, persistence and a willingness to push beyond your comfort zone.

The book is written in a very personal way that draws you along the author's journey of exploring different types of prayer other than the standard ones found in modern homes and churches. Having been exposed to early Christian writings as an immature Christian, his thoughts resonated with me and I found myself wishing to consider his discoveries further. Mr. Wilson doesn't just give you his theoretical thoughts on prayer. This is a how-to manual, so you can begin right away with the practices.

Are you looking to go deeper? Is your prayer life getting a little dusty or few and far between? Check this book out - even adopting one of his suggestions will be a step in the right direction.

No lazy days of summer for me

2010-07-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing and as usual, is moving along much too quickly. But we finally have some sunny July weather, so it feels like summer at least. I've been reading and knitting and doing some organization (but not as much as I'd like!). A shift is in the wind - more on that in the next weeks.

Books I haven't set aside:

The Boy in the Moon by Ian Brown tells the true story of a boy born with a very rare medical condition that affects his looks and mental and physical development. Written by the boy's father, it is at the same time inspiring and gut-wrenching.

The Alchemist's Dream by John Wilson takes place in the late 1600's and mixes true tales of the search for the Northwest Passage with seemingly fantastic, but also true tales of alchemy and occult.

This Time Together by Carol Burnett is filled with a collection of stories of Carol's life in show business over the long span of her career. The snippets from here and there served to give a better picture of the personality of this well-loved actress. I grew up watching Carol Burnett and truly enjoyed reading about her acting life. What fun she had!

On the knitting front: a mohair/acrylic shawl modeled by my son under great duress (Estelle Watercolours) - my third time to use this yarn and make this shawl. Yellow socks out of Bambino yarn by Chameleon Colorworks. I look forward to cooler weather so I can test out the bamboo. And lastly, some socks for a fundraiser next fall - Regia Jacquard color.

I'm not a feminist, but....

2010-06-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Reading "The Heart Specialist" by Claire Holden Rothman was a glimpse into life before women were treated as the equals that they are today. Agnes White is passionate about all things scientific and aspires to be a doctor like her father. However, the year is 1882 and things like that are just not done. Women don't even go to university, let alone spend many years there learning. They just aren't made for stuff like that. This book is inspired by the true story of one of Montreal's first female physicians, Dr. Maude Elizabeth Seymour Abbott. It was a page turner and I highly recommend it. Many twists and turns.

Do you ever read any of the blogs in my sidebar? Josh Harris's "Mark Driscoll's: Church is not a restaurant" video clip is right on the mark. Take a few minutes to listen in.

We are having a new baby in our church next month. I made a baby sweater that will hopefully fit in the winter. It's made with a yarn that will be washable for the new mom - Red Heart Eco-Ways, in a soft light teal colour. So soft after washing.

Thank goodness for libraries

2010-06-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

I've spoken before of my love of libraries. If I ever spend time in a new town for any reason, I usually check out their library. They are such comfortable places. Think of all the money they save us! One day I'll sit down and estimate how much money I would have spent if I had bought all the books I've taken out of the library. In my present Connie Willis period, I would be in the hundreds of dollars by now. The latest is "The Winds of Marble Arch and other stories". Short stories are satisfying to read, as they can be nibbled at here and there. This is a huge book containing 23 stories of varying lengths. Some are in the time travel vein that I've come to expect of her and others general SF. It was interesting to see how diverse her writing skills are, while keeping to the SF genre.

While camping this past week I finished off a pair of socks for a colleague/friend who recently lost her mother. They will be warm and comforting on cold winter days. Online Linie 3 Highland Color; Farbe 842; Partie 69469. Pattern: K3, P1 down the leg on a standard sock.

Traveling to other times

2010-06-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Science fiction - you've got to love it. SF stretches your mind with possibilities that are sometimes brain exploding. I find time travel to be that way especially. What are the ramifications of traveling backwards in time? What if you change something? What if you step on a butterfly or save a life or merely have your atoms share space with a world that didn't have your atoms in it before? When you mix questions like these with a rousing good plot, the result is a story that begs to keep you up late at night. "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis (my current favorite author) was a delight to read. Set during Medieval times, it had all the historical accuracy and engaging tidbits I love to learn about, coupled with interesting plot turns and complex characters. These were characters you became close to, laughed with and ached for. We are not solitary creatures wandering the earth - we're meant to live in community. Sometimes that isn't easy, but strengthing our understanding of other people is highly worthwhile.

Are you green? Do you carry around a reusable shopping bag? I find that the more bags I have, the more likely that I'll have one when I need it. To that end I knitted a simple bag out of soft cotton that I will feel very trendy carrying to the farmer's market, should I ever get there. Knit Picks Simply Cotton Organic Worsted yarn; Fantasy Naturale Market Bag.

Racism strikes at our hearts

2010-05-31T19:09:00.001-07:00

"The Help" is an exceptional first novel by Kathryn Stockett. I haven't read a book that captivated me like this one for a long, long time. Well, in actual fact I didn't "read" this book at all. I listened to it being read by some incredible narrators. That added immensely to the experience. "The Help" is a story that takes place in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960's. Black housekeepers and nannies are known as "help" in that state. In this novel, a group of them are interviewed by a white journalist and their stories are compiled into a book. These stories will draw you in, make you laugh, make you cry and make you ache for the evil that is racism. I did not want to stop listening; I wanted to put my life on hold till I found out what happened to the women involved. A good book should make you a better person and this one certainly gave me a much greater appreciation of the race situation, relationships, friendships and much more. A minor take-away from the reading - one of the characters was in the habit of writing out her prayers every day. It ended up making her a better writer all round. I think this would be a great habit for me to get into.

Do mothers still put hand-made sweaters on their babies? I hope so because I've found them very satisfying to make - quick and so adorable. I recently finished another yoked cardigan for a baby shower gift. Made out of Moda Dea washable wool, it should be an easy item to take care of.

For the men in my life

2010-05-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

Men – what could you do with a map of your spiritual life? Do you think that it might make the Christian life easier to follow? You bet! “The Map” by David Murrow is just that. Using the interesting format of a thriller novel, plus insights he has derived from scripture, Murrow develops the theory that the bible has imbedded in it the image of a map that will help men become deeper followers of Christ. The book was interesting to read and the map concept wasn’t farfetched. I could see it all coming together as the three journeys were laid out. So even if scripture wasn’t arranged to provide this message, a man could gain some valuable direction using Murrow’s ideas. I’m not a man, but after reading this book I was left thinking that I wished a similar book for women was available.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Is Weight Watchers our friend?

2010-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

Matt Stone is a favorite blogger of mine. He's also written ebooks. He has an interesting perspective on the weight loss/health issue that runs contrary to much that we hear in conventional circles. He makes a lot of sense, but I haven't totally wrapped my mind around the "putting into action" of his theories. Makes for interesting reading/listening though.

Life moves along

2010-04-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

A reading blog should have some book reviews on it. Well, how about a list of books read? Better than nothing, and proves that I have been doing something these last few weeks. These are the books I actually finished. The list would be a lot longer if it included those I started and abandoned. Time is too precious to finish a book you're not enjoying.

Oolong Dead - Laura Childs (knitting themed mystery)

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built - Alexander McCall Smith (detective)

Far North - Marcel Theroux (science fiction)

The Liberation Diet - Kevin Brown (health)

Home Safe - Elizabeth Berg (slice of life)

Blackout - Connie Willis (science fiction)

Passage - Connie Willis (science fiction)

Knit Two - Kate Jacobs (knitting/slice of life)

The Raphael Affair - Iain Pears (mystery/historical)

The Kalahari Typing School for Men - Alexander McCall Smith (audio book - great for learning the correct pronunciation of the African names)

And I've been knitting too. But not a lot. A pair of socks are taking me an age to finish. 1 1/2 shawls that I'll take pictures of soon. And the cutest little baby sweater that was so easy to make. I can't stop looking at it - it's that sweet. Fits my son's baby doll - so it's newborn size. (Bernat Worsted; Yoked Cardigan by Hannah Fettig)

I've just returned from Africa

2010-04-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

In this age of video it is possible to travel to distant lands without leaving your seat. That's what I have been doing in my spare time for the last few days. One of my favourite book series is "The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith. A friend put me on to the fact that there is a TV series based on the books. I've been devouring the DVDs and have been captivated by the scenery and customs of Botswana, Africa at the same time. You can get the flavour of the people through the printed word, but for the beauty of the countryside you need to have visual. Highly recommended! (and available at my local library to boot!)

My last pair of socks turned out so "me" that they stayed in my sock drawer rather than become gifts. The yarn is a mystery since I've lost the ball band, but it's a wool/nylon blend of some sort, knitted in my standard plain sock pattern. It's almost too warm to be wearing wool socks now, though. Time for cotton.

Count your many blessings

2010-03-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Today is a GOOD day. Shall I count the ways?

1. Right now I am totally alone in the house. I love my family, but sometimes it's nice to be alone too.

2. My son and I got a lot of cleaning up done today. The light is still not visible at the end of the tunnel, but I feel like we've made some headway.

3. I'm humless for the moment (that makes being home that much more special).

4. Supper is simmering on the stove.

5. The sun is shining in the window.

6. I'm drinking a great fruit kefir smoothie.

My knitting mojo has been hibernating lately. There are too many balls being juggled and knitting has sifted to the bottom of the priority pile. A little gets done each day, but that doesn't translate into many finished projects. A cool item I finished about a month ago is a biscuit blanket (it's like a giant dishcloth to keep biscuits/buns warm in). You just have to love that name! And when a friend gave me a kit to make one, I was so happy. Now I have the pattern and can make more. The cotton yarn was sooo wonderful to work with. It has me spoiled and I won't want to go back to the cheap dishcloth cotton.

How I cope

2010-03-17T10:10:00.001-07:00

Cotton dishcloth knitting is what I gravitate to when life becomes stressful. The feel of the soft cotton between my fingers; the mindless garter stitch. The process calms and relaxes me. I've been knitting a lot of dishcloths the last few weeks. Enough said.

Yesterday I did branch out from my standard Grandma's Favourite dishcloth pattern and tried Eloomanator's Diagonal Knit Dishcloth. Almost as easy as Grama's Favourite, but with a twist. Doesn't it look pretty?

To catch up on reviewing some of the books I've read in the past month, I'll start with "My Life in France" by Julia Child. This book was a birthday gift that I saved for my trip to Mexico. What a wonderful read, on the beach or otherwise. Of course, I came away wanting to be Julia Child, I admired her so much. She knew what she wanted and with energy, just headed there. The descriptions of the food and countryside made me want to travel and cook and eat. The book "Julie and Julia", based on Child's life as well, I quietly returned to the library mostly unread, very unsatisfied with the vulgar tone. Watch the movie, it's far better.

Spring is in the air

2010-02-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

I am seeing lots of people out working in their yards already and have to confess that the digging-in-the-dirt thought has been floating through my mind as well. But it's only the beginning of March!

A book to wet your appetite to do things the organic way is "Diary of a Compost Hotline Operator". Uniquely written; local(Vancouver, BC.) Everything you ever wanted to know about setting up and maintaining a composting system set down in a humorous and easy-to-read way. This was a fun way to begin the gardening season. Now to keep up the momentum.

I finally finished a pair of socks that have been languishing in a corner for well over a year. Showing how much my knitting has improved, I whipped through some lacework that had me stumped back when I was working first on them. However, my tension has loosened up quite a bit, so the second sock is considerable larger than the first. But they're done! I got to cross them off the list - very satisfying. (Knit Picks Essential yarn; Girl's Best Friend Anklets Knit Picks pattern) [Ravelry picture - I think we lost all our pictures with the computer crash]

If we all take one small action...

2010-02-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you feel powerless when seeing all the tragedy around the world. You want to change things; make a difference; have some significance in your life.

Today is Freedom Sunday. A day when people around the world of every faith and non-faith, come together through action and prayer to take one step closer to freedom from human trafficking. Join hands with us.

Freedom Sunday from David Hepburn on Vimeo.

The music never fades

2010-02-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

Stories are plentiful when it comes to "The King of Rock and Roll", Elvis Presley. Some are written for money, some for the love of the man himself and some to set the record straight. "The King and Dr. Nick" is a first-hand account of Dr. George Nichopoulos's 10 year relationship with Presley as his personal physician. After Elvis died, Dr. Nick was accused of wrong-doing in the death and spent years defending himself and trying to clear his name.

While I didn't find the story riveting, a die-hard fan of Elvis Presley will be fascinated by insider stories and little-known facts about the behind-the-scenes life of this infamous man.

The book is written in a day by day manner, so either Dr. Nick has a really good memory or kept a journal. The many photographs make reading that much more interesting and also included are a number of photocopies of original documents, lending an air of authenticity to the research.

I would recommend this book to someone interested in learning everything they can about Presley. A less devoted fan might find it a little dry.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Learning curve

2010-02-16T21:53:00.000-08:00

My computer died. I have a new one. I'm getting to know it. That takes time...

In the meantime, here's a quick video promoting a new book out there that I'm anxious to read and maybe you will be too. Josh Harris, our darling boy from the homeschooling years, who made good and seems to get better. Check this out.

DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

Back home again

2010-02-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

Mexico is a fantastic place to relax and regenerate. The sights, sounds, smells and gastronomic delights soothe you into believing that this is reality. Of course, it's not - for me, at least, but for a short week it was nice to take a step outside normal life and experience something totally removed from my routine. (for my pictures, check facebook)

So...3 books and one pair of socks later, I left Cabo San Lucas a little browner and feeling like I have enough Vitamin D stored up to last till we start getting our own rays here in the dreary northland.

Having forgotten to take a picture of the socks ON the beach like I had intended, I created a pseudo-beach for our dining room table centerpiece and that will have to suffice. The yarn I chose from my stash before leaving turned out to be the perfect colourway for beach knitting. (Drops Fabel - colorway 910) There's a little sun, a little sand and lots of water symbolized in the colours. These will go to a woman at church who's going through some parenting struggles with a wayward teen. From one mom to another - a little love and lots of prayers.

Book reviews to follow once I've figured out how to get back to normal.

Challenge yourself

2010-01-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Challenges abound in the cyberworld and on Ravelry, the knitting/crocheting/weaving online community, there are dozens to choose from. You can knit a pair of socks a week/month; a sweater a month; 10 shawls in 2010. You name it - someone has created a challenge to move you beyond your comfort zone. That is a good thing, as long as it doesn't make you crazy in the doing. Crafting, after all, is supposed to be a relaxing, re-creating activity.

That said, the 52 in 52 challenge intrigued me. Could I make at least 52 projects in 2010? One item a week? I suspect it's possible, because since joining Ravelry about two years ago I have posted 113 projects. So...it's doable. Onward and upward. So far I am four for three, but I'm going away next week. A skein of sock yarn will accompany me, though, so here's hoping for lots of beach knitting.

Charity hat #1 - Vanna's Choice Yarn in navy and (I think) pea green. Crocheted Cat and the Hat Rib Cuff Beanie (I'm finally getting the knack for the joins!)

My listening-while-knitting choice was "Letters of a Woman Homesteader". A fascinating, true story told through letters written to a friend, by a single mother who homesteads in Wyoming in the early 1900's. The irony was that most of my listening was done while cozied up in a comfortable chair, covered in warm fleece, as Elinore Pruitt Stewart sloughed through snow to feed the animals, canned a million jars of fruit, raised children on virtually nothing and enjoyed the whole thing to boot. I lived through it all, vicariously, and that's really how I want it to be. A pioneer woman, I'm not. Elinore is a down-to-earth, marvelously intuitive and transparent woman who you will come to love and admire.

This could be a challenging read...

2010-01-16T11:20:00.001-08:00

I recently came across a book to add to my "to read" list. It was reviewed on a blog that I follow, Passionate Homemaking.

"Womanly Dominion: More Than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit" appears to be a book that could be relevant at any season of a woman's life. She's having a contest right now to win the book - so hop over there and make a comment. It just might be what you need to help you see God's call on your life at this point in time.

Do I have blinders on?

2010-01-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I come across new information that is so mind- boggling, so radically opposed to what I have always believed that I wonder how I possibly got to where I'm at today without knowing it. A big part of the answer to that is that it's usually not "politically correct" information and therefore, not readily available. So it is with two recent areas of interest - politics and health.

Richard Maybury and his book "World War I : The Rest of the story and how it affects you today" has blown my ideas of politics and how countries function in relation to each other out of the water. The funny thing is that I have had his books on the required reading list for my high school students, but had never read them myself. They were just accepted to be good reading and I didn't go any further than that. Now I want to read the whole series (I'm partway through WWII and am having to stretch my thinking once again). Basically, Mr. Maybury says that we should have as little government as possible - only the bare minimum. His perspective on war, and in particular the cause of WWI, is well-researched and fascinating. Prepare to be challenged in your thinking!

On the health front, a recent blog post from a radical health nutter that I follow included the following video. It's long, but well worth the watch. It's called "Sugar: The Bitter Truth". In a nutshell, he considers fructose and high fructose corn syrup, toxins, and spends considerable time sharing information that proves his assertion. He's got me convinced.

Not so healthy

2010-01-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

We are in the midst of an epidemic...5 of my 6 kids have the chicken pox. That might not be so unusual, except that the older ones are 17, 23 and 24. And the older two are in agony. I feel for them, but there's not much I can do except comfort them and send food.

This picture is of my 9 year old, who probably had the least number of spots.

My 19 year swears that he will. not. get. chicken pox.

I'm torn. Part of me hopes that he doesn't. But it would be nice for him to get it over with. It's out of my hands, though.

Of hats and hardship

2010-01-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

It’s fitting that my first finished project of the new year is a crocheted hat. In 2010 I want to get better at crochet, which I have just dabbled in during my lifetime. The only way to get better at something is to do it a lot, so my hats for the homeless will be done with hooks and not needles. Yarn: Noro Silver Thaw (wool, angora, nylon) Pattern: Cat and the Hat Rib Cuff Beanie

I had lots of time to read over the holidays and pulled out a book that has been languishing on the shelves for a few years. “Gap Creek” by Robert Morgan is an Oprah Book Club selection. Her choices aren’t always my choices, but I like to give them a try. This story of a young Appalachian country couple during their first few years of marriage carried me along from start to finish. Not all of it was pleasant reading – life was very hard, both because of the times and because of choices made. It made me thankful for my life situation and prayerful that my children will look to God for their choices and not necessarily to their hearts and emotions.

The Power of Respect

2010-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

The criteria for calling a book “good” is that it touches you in some way or causes you to think – even to become a better person. “The Power of Respect” by Deborah Norville was such a book.

Norville’s definition of respect - “Acknowledging the value and uniqueness of others and being mindful of their feelings, while at the same time trying to put myself in their position.”

Reading through her seven steps to understanding the power of respect caused me to examine my relationships at home and with colleagues and friends. Do I afford them the respect due a person, solely on the basis of being? In some cases, I came up short and so the book was the wakeup call that I needed to be more mindful of others.

A short list at the end of each chapter highlights the key themes that were dealt with. These reinforce the many examples included within the chapter itself. Respect begins at home, so a fair number of pages were taken up with that, but respect in the workplace and self-respect were also covered.

Some noteworthy quotes:

“Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.”

“People perform to their expectations.”

“Respect is a door that swings both ways.”

Respecting others can take a lot of work, but this book explains why it is vital to any relationship and also provides practical steps to successfully achieving your goal.

The year begins on the right foot

2010-01-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

I've been mulling over how to approach the resolutions question and reading other's thoughts on the matter - should I or shouldn't I? . Then I read January 1 of my "My Utmost for His Highest" daily devotional calendar. He says it all in a nutshell:

Let us keep to the point...my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed...Philippians 1:20. It's as if Paul were saying, "My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest - my best for His glory." To reach that level of determination is absolute and irrevocable surrender of the will. Shut out every other thought and keep

yourself before God in this one thing only - my utmost for His highest. I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and Him alone.

Do this and everything else should fall into place.

Yes, I will make lists and write down goals. But first and foremost will be my spiritual growth. A pastor I had many years ago put it this way. It's like a car going up a mountain road with no brakes. If you take your foot off the gas, you start to go backwards - you don't stand still. So it is with our Christian journey. We need to keep growing, and that only comes from getting closer to God.

In the meantime the knitting goes on. Luxuriously soft angora - Peter Rabbit by Fleece Artist. Cabled fingerless mitts and keyhole scarf - so warm!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T09:50:00.000-08:00

I'm still thinking about how I will approach this coming New Year. For sure I won't be doing the long list of resolutions that I did last year at this time. Not because I didn't accomplish them - for the most part I did. But are resolutions the way to go? Is that what made the year zip by so quickly? What's important in life anyways???

In the meantime, our traditional tourtierre supper is ready to be taken to our becoming-traditional-part-time-family get-together this evening. When you have young adult children, you take them as you can. Enjoy your celebration, however that looks to you. All the best in the New Year!

Thinking about the last year

2009-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Some wise words to ponder as we go into the last days of 2009. Josh Harris talks about what is really important in life.

http://www.covlife.org/resources/3538625-YearEnd_Evaluation

Post Christmas review

2009-12-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas was REALLY nice this year. Time with friends and family. Lots of good food. (Ihaven't really eaten a regular meal since then - it's been nibbling on leftovers for me) A meaningful Christmas Eve service. And...once the planning for the Christmas Eve program was over, I realized that my New Year's resolution to have a "simpler Christmas" really did come true.

A fun read while all the preparations were going on was Sadie Shapiro's Knitting Book by Robert Kimmel Smith. One of those "slice of life" books that makes you laugh, cry and ponder the ways of the world.

Now I can share some of the knitting and sewing that has been going on for the last few weeks. Icelandic lopi hat for my skiing husband, small needlecases for knitting friends (I'm always losing my darning needles myself) and an apron for a friend who loves owls.

Just sayin'

2009-12-18T10:17:00.000-08:00

Attention all women:

1. Drink your fluids

2. Take your cranberry or vitamin C capsules daily

Avoid pain.

Just sayin'

Lesser known kefir facts

2009-12-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

1. Kefir eggnog is actually quite tasty.

2. Drinking kefir on a regular basis will ruin your sweet tooth. Be warned...you may need to find new comfort foods.

3. That white stuff in the margarine tub - it's NOT margarine.

One piece of Christmas knitting I CAN share...Opal socks for the piano teacher. This dear lady comes right to my house for lessons - she deserves a medal for that, but must settle for wooly socks.

And the knit goes on...

2009-12-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

My latest knitting project must remain unseen for the moment. You never know who is reading this blog. Suffice to say - I now know the attraction of Addi Turbo needles. They were there; I bought them; I loved them. They made the mystery project really fly along. So...this item required a 16 inch circular needle and also involves a pompom. Say no more. Oh, yes I will say more. All the colours in the pompom were used. Ah huh, a stranded something or other. Be impressed.

Since I've been knitting so much, the reading has been listening. "The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette" by Carolly Erickson was fascinating. I'm trusting that her historical details are accurate, because this is how I will always think of Marie now. My French history was a little hazy before, but this book cleared things up somewhat. It is written in diary form, which I usually avoid, but in a spoken form it was fine.

Saturday blog break

2009-11-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

I have solved the problem of socks taking a long time to knit...don't knit the leg! Seriously, if you're knitting for a kid, they often shove those legs down to their ankles anyways. Taking that information to heart, I thought I'd whip up a pair of quick socks for my youngest - my baby. As it turns out, my baby has the same length of foot as me! But because I didn't do a leg, the pair was done rather quickly. These were made from left-over yarn from some gift socks (opal 6 ply).

If you can tell me what is different about these socks over any other pair I have knitted (other than the short leg) I'll give you either a) a knitting lesson or b) knitting advice or c) chocolate. Your choice :)

An "almost comfort" book was Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy. "Almost" because of the (sadly) immoral values of a number of her characters. True to life, though, unfortuately. And they usually come round in the end. Her books are comforting in the fact that you come to know the characters and settings like old friends. Some days it would be fun to jump into this Irish village and spend a few days.

Taking a vote

2009-11-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

My husband wants to go on a holiday to somewhere warm. I'm dragging my heels, because the calendar is just soooo full. So...should we go somewhere? And where should we go if you think yes?

No, I will not take you along.

But I will post pictures afterwards.

I need some comfort!

2009-11-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

These are comfort books: Tears of the Giraffe ; Morality for Beautiful Girls. These are the kind of books that don't shock you with bad language. They make you think a little, but confirm your worldview. Other comfort books that I've read in my life include The Blue Castle (over and over again when I was a teen) and The Ice Child (I finally bought my own copy as I was afraid the library would discard it).

My hats are off to the bloggers who continue to delight me with daily writings. Thank you for the slices of life that I enjoy dipping into each day.

I will delight you with a small gallery of finished knitting. Knitting keeps me sane these days.

The shawl is for a lovely lady at church - to honour and bless her for her tireless serving and devotion to God (Multnomah shawl; Smooshy yarn). The fingerless gloves were a commission knit from a co-worker of my son's, who had admired the ones I made for him (Red Heart Comfort Sport yarn; generic gloves). Gloves are a challenge! The cabled slipper socks were also a challenge, but not as hard as I thought they would be (Log Cabin socks; Cascade 220 Superwash yarn). They are for a man at church who is taking chemo treatments. I call them comfort socks :)

Life as a homemaker

2009-11-03T10:24:00.001-08:00

Two reasons I have a hard time doing housework…no, three.

I actually often feel guilty doing it. There are so many other pursuits that seem much more important. Like playing/talking with my kids, knitting something for another person, reading to improve my mind. I have to remind myself that a clean house is a blessing to my family and so has intrinsic value in and of itself.

Around here, you no sooner clean something up, and it’s messy again. I have kids in the house 24/7. You make a meal and it’s gone in 10 minutes. Imagine spending the day at the office drawing up the blueprints for a building and the next day when you go in, all your lines are gone; erased. A lesson in frustration. To reduce the frustration level, I have simplified some jobs so that my expectations are less. For example - I used to keep my towels upstairs in the “linen closet”. After wash day they would all be nicely folded and stacked. The sight would warm my heart. The next day they would be in disarray and half gone. Now, I roughly fold the towels straight out of the dryer and store them on a shelf beside the dryer. They never leave the basement laundry room until someone wants one. And the only bathroom that I stock with towels is my own. The kids can grab one when needed. Now my linen closet holds games and yarn. A good trade-off J

The third reason has a little to do with laziness and a little to do with “messy syndrome”. I have a jumbled mind that can’t make mental lists; I'm easily distracted. You could call me organizationally challenged. So written lists and planners are my friend. It’s the keeping up with them that presents the problem and therein lies the fact that at any given time if you arrive at my house unannounced, you WILL find creative mess around. So if you’re concerned about that – give a call before you come. If you’re not…I welcome you in J

Knitting notes: I finished some Christmas gift socks. They’re out of Opal yarn (Rendez-vous, 2063). The contrast heel and toe was fun to do and keeps the stripe patterning consistent. The cream yarn was Paton’s Kroy.

One chapter down...

2009-10-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

The problem with having a blog with a reading theme and containing mostly book reviews is...what if you aren't reading? It seems I can hardly take a breath these days as I deal with the "stuff of life". Books are being read a page at a time, rather than gulping down chapters as usual. So a standard book review will have to wait.

In the meantime, a well-known (to homeschoolers, anyways) young man (and author and pastor) has written a new book. After reading the first chapter I am anxious to continue and put it on my Amazon wish list. It is interesting to see this man, who I first got to know when he was just a teen, becoming so mature. He continues to influence and God is blessing his ministry. In fact, I regularly listen to his church's sermons. http://www.covlife.org/

Since the weather is becoming a little nippy and I had some so, so, soft baby camel yarn from China to play with, here is a so, so, cute pair of fingerless mitts I made the other day. About 6 hours from start to finish, they are a warm treat to wear and a pleasure to fondle. In fact, I keep them in the car beside the seat, to do just that.

2009-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada. It’s fitting that at least once in the year we take some time to reflect on what we are thankful for. As Christians, of course, we should be expressing our thanks to God daily. I am thankful for a God who loves me and brought me into his family at a time when I was most needy. My attitude towards life changed, even though my life circumstances didn’t right away. The bible tells us to acquire wisdom. I am thankful that today I am wiser than I was 24 years ago, pre-Jesus. But it’s humbling to realize that the “growing in wisdom” never ends.

I am also thankful today for my hard-working husband who puts up with my ever-eccentric interests. I’m thankful for my children, who are all developing as interesting individuals and who all are following the Lord in their individual ways. I’m thankful for the rest of my family, all living close by. What a blessing that is! My good friends are also something to be thankful for. They keep me grounded. God’s grace is sufficient for my needs and I am eternally thankful for what He has provided.

It is fitting that I read The Book of Negroes this week. This tale is a reminder of the suffering that Africans went through for so long in the slave trade. I was on the wait list at the library a long time for this book – it’s obviously popular, and for good reason. It is well written and engaging. My heart broke all along the way and finally on the last page my tears came. This book is not for the faint of heart and is very graphic in its descriptions of what went on. But you will finish it having developed a relationship with the main character and will keep her with you for a long time. What really struck me as we followed Aminata through her life is how long the slave trade went on. When she was captured as an eleven year old and taken to America, there were slaves there who had been born in the United States. And then when she was old and working to end the slave trade, there were still Africans being kidnapped and exported; generations of people forming a tide of suffering, shame and humiliation. We must continue to read books like this one, so that we will never forget and hopefully, never repeat what went on.

One of my WIP (works in progress) resembles a Thanksgiving cornucopia. Can you guess what it’s eventually going to be?

Pets anyone?

2009-10-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have some new pets.

Now keep in mind that I’m not the traditional dog/cat kind of person. We have two outdoor cats – allergies keep them in their proper place outside the home. I'd have a cat in the house in a flash, but husband and some kids would be miserable.

We’ve had dogs over the years. According to the experts, having a dog can build character in your children. Ours always tend to die or get killed; the last one was a barker and went to the SPCA. So I’ve found that worms make the greatest pets. No fuss; no muss. They mind their own business and produce fertilizer to boot. How can you go wrong?

But just when I thought that worms headed the list as the go-to pet, along came kefir grains. My kefir grains came dehydrated through the mail. A quick 24 hour soak-in-water later they were plumped up and ready to do my bidding.

It took about a week of regular 24 hour milk changes, but now those grains are producing a luscious, creamy, tangy milk kefir. I don’t know that it’s that much different than the product that came from the store-bought starter. But using the grains is so cool! Each morning I strain the baby grains out of the kefir and add them to a mason jar of fresh milk. That jar sits on the counter till the next morning, when I do it over again.

Right now I’m making just enough to drink in one day with a little extra for guests J. (Yes, I’m the only one in the house that enjoys this healthy drink) Apparently the grains continue to grow, so just like my worms, at a certain point I should have grains to share. Any takers? J

Lots of knitting has been going on, but the only finished project is a crocheted dishcloth. Having made many knitted dishcloths over the last few years, I had a bag of leftover cotton yarn on hand. Experiment time. Most crocheted dishcloths are too stiff for my liking. So I tried a granny square one for a change and actually quite like the prototype. It looks nice, works well and dries quicker than the others. So I’ll make more of them. Doesn’t this one match my dishtowel well? Purely accidental.

The Definitive Mac and Cheese

2009-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

What does it say about me that one of my life goals has been to find the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe? I have already accomplished another – the perfect chili recipe. I was half-way to a successful life. And now, fait accompli – macaroni perfection. (these last four words must be said with a heavy French accent).

I discovered an excellent cooking magazine in the library the other day. It was supposed to be for my “loves to cook and bake” daughter, but she wasn’t interested. So I took a look through. You know how “Julie and Julia” made you want to go out, get Julie Child’s books, start at the beginning and recreate the movie? This magazine did that for me. (actually I did take 3 of Child’s books out – I’m not loving French cooking, but the thought was nice).

“Cook’s Country” magazine is taken from a Public Television show called “Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen”. Each recipe comes with a short essay on the technique used or the history of the recipe development. It’s a mini cooking course with sidebar tidbits of food lore and diagrams. The food is more down-to-earth and eatable for my family.

I love this magazine so much I’m having to hold myself back from ordering the DVD’s of season one and two of the show.

Back to the mac’n cheese.

The recipe is actually meant as a make-ahead. Imagine that! Making ahead a pasta dish. I’ll have to try it. For this time we snarfed it up for supper and left-overs went with my son to work. The secret ingredient was the chicken broth and cayenne pepper that made it sooo flavourful. And if I had had the heavy cream that it called for instead of milk, the flavour would have been over the moon, I’m sure. I don’t have a problem with butter and cream. God made ‘em; they’re good.

Another goal accomplished yesterday – slipper socks for a former homeless man our church has befriended. He is going through cancer treatments and the weather is getting colder. His feet will appreciate some cozy socks. Cascade 220 superwash (in the best colour yet! – 863, a dark, rich burgundy)

Is fat my enemy?

2009-09-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Reading about nutrition and nutrition trends is a hobby of mine. It has been since I was about 13 or 14. (40 years!) Fads come and go; science learns new things; popular knowledge continues to be influenced by big business. In the area of health, it is important to keep your perspective. So many people have an agenda or a bias. Just as in everything else in life, you must consider the source; consider what they might gain by what they are putting forward. A friend asked how to judge what you are reading about, since there are so many differing opinions and theories on what constitutes good health. I told her that one thing I do is look at the footnotes and scientific studies quoted. Can they be substantiated? Does the science work? Are there conflicting messages?

A blogger that I follow posted these guidelines, which I think can keep the confusion in perspective:

This is my method: first I ask God to guide me, and then I ask myself these questions

What is the most natural, traditional way…the way God originally intended?
How did our ancestors eat?
What makes the most sense?
Whatever I’m reading at the moment, what are they selling or how do they benefit if I believe what they say?

You can’t go too wrong following these guidelines.

A recent, fascinating read was "Rethinking Thin" by Gina Kolata. She studied diets and dieting and challenged conventional wisdom regarding weight loss. Can we lose weight and keep it off? Do we need to lose weight? The answer might surprise you. The conclusion she came to (and yes, she has pages of footnotes) was that contrary to what we've been lead to believe, being overweight is not necessarily the health hazard it's made out to be. Our culture's standard of allowable fat may tell us that those rolls shouldn't be there. But health-wise, longevity-wise, maybe you can keep them and still come out ahead. Of course, bucking the image when it's in our face constantly is another story.

Impact

2009-09-26T07:10:00.001-07:00

I've never been a mother that could blithely go to sleep before all of her children are tucked safely in bed. The 17 and 19 year olds, maybe, but not the 14 year old. So last night, in spite of being somewhat sleep deprived since early afternoon and after a satisfying knit-night, I said no to the comfort of my covers and grabbed my husbands rental DVD to continue the knitting till said son arrived home.

My husband had had to exchange the Harrison Ford movie (which I was looking forward to) for a war movie, he told me. Ugh! But I plugged it into the computer, started the needles clicking and settled in.

Well...have you seen the movie Valkyrie yet? It is well worth watching - in fact, not to be missed. It's a true story of a German hero towards the end of WWII. And the ending... that's where IMPACT comes in. I won't give it away, but suffice to say I was stunned and there were tears.

See this movie.

So what did I knit on while watching this, you wonder? The substitute socks I started after realizing the last pair weren't going to work (see last post). The funny thing is that my friend at knit-night pointed out that the Opal yarn I was using was sport weight (I didn't even know that Opal made sport weight). Of course, I hadn't adjusted my plain jane sock pattern to allow for this. But it seems to be alright. The socks are a little heavy, but will be good for boots. A little stiff, but will hopefully soften up with washing. A little big, but she might have bigger feet and legs than me. I hope I have a little more luck with my next project. I seem to be on a roll of little miscalculations these days.

Opal ZwergerGarn Best of Opal 6 fach Colorway1711

Chivalry is not dead

2009-09-23T07:48:00.001-07:00

Picture a crowded medical clinic waiting room, everyone clutching their precious number in their hands. Seats are at a premium - being juggled, as one by one, numbers are called and new people enter. There is rarely a free chair.

In the door walks an elderly Chinese man and woman, clearly husband and wife. True to their time, the wife defers to her husband and he sits in the only available seat. Immediately an older gentleman jumps up and offers his place. She motions, "No, no, no", and goes into the corner to lean against the wall. He says, "Sit, sit." No, she will continue in her corner. The polite gentleman settles on his part of the wall, opens his book and begins to read. Someone else enters the clinic and takes the open seat. A number is called. A chair becomes free. The reader motions to the woman to take it. No, she'll stay where she is. This interchange goes on a few more times. Finally, the woman overcomes her natural instincts and upon a final motioning from Mr. Chivalrous, she laughingly sits down.

It turns out she is the one that needs the medical attention.

But I'm sure there was never any bitter feelings on her part. Cultures can be so different.

Which brings me to an interesting but a little weird, book I read this summer.

The Hundred Secret Senses was written by the well-known author Amy Tan. Dealing with the occult, I several times almost set the book aside. It was just strange sometimes. But the story-line did pull me in and was written well enough that I kept going. All ghost-like stuff aside, the culture and customs of China were what drew me to keep reading. The characters are well developed and complex. If you have any interest in China, you'll probably like this book.

Socks on the needle: Meilenweit Mega Boot yarn, with contrast heel and toe in Waikiwi. I was going to gift these at Christmas, but just realized today that the contrast is not a machine dryable yarn. Drat! It's back to Opal for gift socks, and these will either have to be for me or someone I know doesn't toss socks in the dryer.

Take me away from it all

2009-09-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

Summer books I've read continue to filter through from my long term storage. "Taken" was an interesting change from more serious reading. Apparently based on a TV miniseries, but I haven't seen it. The author used a technique where a number of different people are brought in one by one and eventually you start to see the connections. (This book is not to be confused with the movie of the same name. That movie will convince you that your daughter should NEVER travel overseas without you.)

My knitting news is that I'm starting to slow down. I had a very unfortuate experience about a week ago. After knitting on a cabley piece of satisfaction for about 8 hours, I decided that it wasn't living up to my expectations. So...I pulled it off the needles. But my mojo was gone. I could not start this shawl again. In a moment of madness I yanked out my crochet hook and some gorgeous variegated yarn and went to work. A week later it was done. Today I'll show you the "unfortunate experience". When I can get a stunning model to put on the finished shawl, that picture will follow.

Reading about nature

2009-09-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I am an armchair naturalist. Reading about nature; watching nature shows - that's where I'm most comfortable. I enjoy being outside, but have to push myself to get there. So I admire people who are "at home in the outside". Edith Holden was one of those people. She was an artist who regularly spent a good deal of time on walks or bike riding in the great outdoors. "The Edwardian Lady" by Ina Taylor is a biography of her life that gave a great deal of insight into life in the late 1800's and early 1900's, as well as a description of Edith's life. It was also wonderfully illustrated with photos and the artwork of Edith and her sisters . Four interesting points from this book:

1. Edith was 39 years old when she got married, but there was no indication that she was pining away all those unmarried years. She got on with her life and it was a very interesting one, indeed.

2. Most people of the day went to church, but amazingly many were also into occult activities. One wonders how they managed to reconcile that fact.

3. Edith Holden Smith died tragically about 9 years after her marriage. She was attempting to collect specimens for drawing, and fell into a creek and drowned.

4. Edith authored a well-loved book "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" (link is to several copies to be had for $0.10!) When I found this book in a used book store years ago my heart began to beat wildly and my palms broke out in sweat.

What else would I have finished knitting right now but another hat. Again in Paton's Classic Wool Merino and the Classic WWII watchcap pattern. It does have a zig zag pattern on the ribbing, but being black you can't see it very well. I loved working with this yarn and would like to make another to keep.

2009-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ravelry is an online knitting group that has taken the (knitting) world by storm. Being a member opens the door to thousands of other crafters, vendors, patterns - just about anything having to do with yarn or fiber or the people involved with it. I could literally spend hours on there, browsing.

Anyhow...reading a post on the Prayer Shawl group right now reminded me of another book that I read this summer. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

From the Amazon.ca site: If Miss Marple were fat and jolly and lived in

Botswana--and decided to go against any conventional notion of what an unmarried woman should do, spending the money she got from selling her late father's cattle to set up a Ladies' Detective Agency--then you have an idea of how Precious sets herself up as her country's first female detective. Once the clients start showing up on her doorstep, Precious enjoys a pleasingly successful series of cases.

This was a delightful and insightful book. My only question is - how does a male author know so much about women?

My Procrastination Hat came about from trying to avoid doing all the Children's Ministry and homeschooling organizing that I KNEW I needed to do. A hat for the kids to wear come winter. Marks and Kattens Eco multi ull yarn done in the standard Classic WWII watchcap.

Moving backwards

2009-08-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

I've done a lot of reading this summer. So many books, in fact, that I'm having a hard time remembering them all. So I'll begin with the most recent - that my brain can handle.

A new author to me is Maeve Binchy. She's written many books and fortunately, the library has most of them. So it may be a Binchy binge for the next while. "Quentins" was a delightful read - a look into the lives of a number of interesting people, the morals of some being questionable. But for the most part, the consequences of poor decisions come through loud and clear. It's written in the tone of the Jan Karon/Father Tim novels (which I love, by the way). Set in Ireland, this story made me want to visit that country even more.

Another "Hats for the Homeless" project down - 6 to go. (I may have to revise that New Year's goal - too many other "must knits" seem to come along). Again, I used Paton's Classic Merino Wool. I can get it for a really good price at Michaels with a 40 or 50% off coupon. Wool is lovely to work with and warm for winter. The basics of the Classic WWII watchcap pattern have been memorized, so the stitch pattern is the only thing that has to be concentrated on.

Smooth, creamy goodness

2009-08-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

My latest nutrition find is kefir. My husband calls it rotten milk. The kids won't go near it. But I can't get enough of it. The store-bought kefir is OK. What I make myself is so much better. And it's one of the easiest traditional foods you can make. Truth be told, getting back to eating traditionally is a lot of work. Making everything from scratch takes time. But to make kefir you merely stir some culture into the milk, sit it on the counter for 12-24 hours (or longer) and you get a smooth, sour drink that doesn't taste anything like sour milk. I promise. I mix mine with a little yogurt or juice concentrate or, my favorite, a smidge of real maple syrup. Yummy!

I've spent the last number of hot weeks knitting on a project that normally I wouldn't choose for the summer - a moderne baby blanket.

However, it is a gift for a young lad in our church who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. So sad. I hope that this blanket will remind him of how much he is being prayed for. I made it out of Vanna's Choice yarn from Michaels so that it

will be fully washable. My youngest son gave it the cuddle test and it passed with flying colours.

On the weekend I made a classic WWII watchcap. Apparently a million of these were made during the war and sent over to the troops. I like a little history with my knitting. The pattern comes with a few variations, so I may be making these for a while. They will go to our "Hats for the Homeless" program at church. Made out of Paton's Classic Wool on size 4.5 mm needles.

Is God stupid?

2009-08-06T22:50:00.000-07:00

I don't think so... listen below to what the underground wellness guy has to say.

This guy is great. I follow his podcast and recently came across some youtube videos. I'm deep into nutrition research right now and feel like something finally makes sense. In past posts I've talked about the traditional diet as espoused by Weston Price and Sally Fallon. My knowledge base continues to grow - it's fascinating stuff to someone who has always been interested in nutrition.

Am I knitting? You bet! Miles and miles of garter stitch. On the needles is a blanket for a family that is going through a tough time with cancer in the 11 yo son and the father. So all other projects have been put on hold till that is done. And a power outage fried my hard drive the other day, so pictures will have to be another day.

On holidays...

2009-07-23T00:15:00.000-07:00

I've been away for 11 days and leave again tomorrow for another week. Imagine if you can...sandy beach, warm water gently lapping the shore, horizon that stretches forever, mountainous skyline. Yes, I am incredibly blessed to be able to spend time in this little corner of God's amazing creation. Add to that beautiful yarn and enough projects to keep me knitting for hours a day. It doesn't get much better than that.

My first vacation stint came up with a pair of slipper socks, three pairs of unfinished socks completed, and 4 dishcloths. Pictures to follow when I get back.

I won't list the projects I'm bringing this time. You'd think I was crazy.

Books I HAVEN'T read...

2009-07-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you start reading a book and for whatever reason, you quit. In my case, it's often the bad language. Certain words really grate on me, especially in an audio book, where you can't slip past them. A book has to grip me to keep me going - there's too many books out there to endure something that's boring or offending. So here's the most recent list of books that I began but gave a pass to. This was all in the same day, mind you.

A yarn that I have come to love is Cascade 220 superwash. Unfortunately, I can't get it locally. But wool-thyme.com has reasonable shipping, so I ordered a swack of the stuff to make slipper socks. The pair I just finished are going to a former pastor who just lost his wife. I hope that they will keep his feet warm in the winter now that she is no longer able to. The pattern is from tropicalyarns.com. The cool thing is that if you're on Ravelry and find projects for this pattern, the featured pair is mine! These are really easy to make with 100 grams of worsted weight yarn, which is knit doubled, so they work up quickly.

Do you know why they call it "220"? It's because there are 220 yards in the 100 gram skein. It took me a while to figure that out.

2009-07-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

A while back I read and reviewed a book called "Shackleton's Stowaway", by Victoria McKernan. Her writing impressed me so much that I bought "The Devil's Paintbox". I tried to borrow it from the library first, but no luck. Once it came in the mail, the cover illustration was enough to convince me it is a book I want on my own library shelf. But that might just be rationalizing a purchase :).

This story is set in the late 1800's, as a wagon train sets out on the Oregon Trail. It was well researched and thoroughly fascinating as a brother and sister encounter page after page of new adventures and set backs. Three stars.

I forgot to mention in my last post on the bunny toy - a new technique I learned was double knitting. To do this you slip every other stitch on one row and then coming back you knit (or in my case, purl) the slipped stitch and slip the knitted stitch. This results in a double fabric. I did it for the bunny head and was then able to stuff the head in the pocket created. Cool! I see online that there are other ways to double knit as well that involve two colours, but I'm not there yet.

Skeletons in my closet

2009-07-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I visited an art supply shop with my oldest son. They had a life-sized wooden skeleton for sale there that I almost splurged and bought. What stopped me? The price, of course. It was $600 and hard to justify. And where do you hang such an item? Skeletons do fascinate me, though, and I have a little Halloween one hanging on my bedroom closet door.

Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker was a murder mystery having a lot to do with skeletons. Or at least, the bones contained within human flesh. Having read a number of Dekker's books that had a Christian theme, I was surprised by the storyline of this one. But he didn't let me down. There was definitely a redemption message throughout the whole book. Boneman's Daughters is not a book for the squeamish. But it was a good read - a quick read by necessity, as it was only a 7 day loan from the library. I'll give it three stars.

My newest yarn choice was a sale item from www.elann.com. I had been wanting to try knitting linen and this yarn jumped out at me as the perfect fit for a woman I've been hoping to knit a prayer shawl for. She recently lost a friend who she was also the caregiver for. The shawl was easy to knit and there's enough left over to make another small one, so I may get one for myself. The pattern was a free one from Lion Brand - the easy triangle shawl. The yarn is Needful Yarns Geranium (acrylic, linen, rayon blend).

2009-07-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have had a pro-life stance ever since I had occasion to view in-the-womb models of fetal development. That opened my eyes to the reality of the humanity of the unborn. Much later I became more involved with activism and through much reading and listening came to understand the heartache associated with abortion. Not only is a life lost, but the remaining lives are changed forever as well, and not in a good way.

So I was interested to read Jodi Picoult's book "Handle with Care", as I'd heard it took on this issue. And indeed it does, as it tackles the subject of wrongful birth. Early into the book I made the decision not to read it. The story threatened to be a heartbreaker and I didn't think I wanted to put myself through it. But...I was hooked and went to the end. You will find yourself moved by the struggles the characters go through as they try to make sense of tragic circumstances in their lives. Ultimately this book confirmed my prolife stance and I came away comforted by the reassurance that there is a God in heaven. He knows the beginning and the end and everything in between. Did Picoult state this? No, but that's the message I got and for that I'm satisfied to have finished the book. I'll give it three stars.

Lazy hours of summer-time knitting haven't arrived yet, but I did finish something. A cute little Bunny Blanket Buddy toy to add to a baby blessing basket being given to a new mom in a few weeks. It was a spur of the moment distraction that grabbed me after I saw someone else's version on Ravelry. I made it out of Lion Brand cotton-ease, so it's washable. I'm sure it will spend a lot of time in the baby's mouth.

Memory - friend or foe?

2009-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some books I must have choosen because the contrast between me and the subject matter fascinates me. For example, the allure of reading about the Arctic and Antarctic is that it's unconceivable to me that anyone would choose to spend time in absolute cold. "The Woman Who Can't Forget" is a true story about a woman who remembers everything she ever did or read or heard. It boggles the mind! I have a hard time with several hours ago! She even remembers things from others people's lives. As long as she had contact with the person or information, it's filed away in her brain. In a instantaneously retrieved mind file.

I can often remember information. It just takes my file manager several hours to bring it up from cold storage to the front of my mind. Of course, by then the moment may have passed when I needed it. Such is life - I've always had a memory like this, it just gets worse as time passes. This quote sums up my experience with memory: The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Even more than a look into this woman's life story and what having the most remarkable memory known to science means to her, this book gives a great deal of insight into how the mind works and memory in general. An absorbing read. Three stars.

I learned a new knitting technique the other day. The project got frogged and turned into something else (see Aviatrix baby hat), but it was a learning experience in any case. To get a knitting project started, you must first cast on (CO), which is setting up the yarn onto your needles so that you can proceed with the actual knitting. I have always CO in the manner that I learned as a child - a form called the long-tail cast on. I really didn't know there was any other way to do it until I took up knitting again in the last few years. Now I know that there are many, many different ways to cast on. The cable CO is the one that I just learned. It created a nice looking edge, but was more time consuming than I'm used to, so only if the pattern calls for it will I use it. Here's a video that shows how it's done:

Time to think about summer reading

2009-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Good beach reading would be "Bone by Bone" by Carol O'Connell. A murder mystery that kept me turning pages long past the time I should have been in bed. I'll have to check out her other books. I'll give it two stars.

I told a friend recently that since I had so many knitting projects started I wouldn't be casting on anything else till some were finished. Well...a tiny baby hat that matches the baby blanket from the last post doesn't count. After all, it's part of the same project (in a way). It's the same yarn. And it worked up so quickly that someone blinking might not have noticed. It sure was fun to knit, though! Pattern: Aviatrix Yarn: Paton's Decor Needles: 5mm & 3.25 mm

Giving Koontz another try

2009-06-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Dean Koontz is an author that I can't always be sure of. Some of his books I love and some I have to put down rather quickly. "Odd Hours" was one that kept me reading, even though I contemplated giving up several times. The supernatural nature of the storyline was unsettling to me. But his writing fascinated. The protagonist in this book has psychic powers. He is also a very transparent, funny person. It was his personality that kept me going. And Koontz has a way of turning a phrase that, while not elevating him to the classic book realm, gives real pleasure to a literary mind. Will I be giving myself away as a non-scholar if I rate this book three stars?

I recently finished a baby gift - a cozy blanket knit from a washable acrylic/wool blend. The pattern ended up being adapted from the original it started out as. A math miscalculation made following the pattern impossible. Of course, the baby will never know what the gift was supposed to look like. Pattern: Hap Blanket, adapted Yarn: Paton's Decor Needles: 10.5 mm and large crochet hook

Photo shoot

2009-06-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

Life is constant motion

No time to reflect or pause

Yarn soothes the numb soul

Wasted calories

2009-05-20T23:07:00.000-07:00

One unexpected change that has come with my aging body is that I can no longer eat anything that I want and maintain a healthy weight. Every calorie that crosses my lips must be considered for its nutritive value and pleasure factor. That's why the ice cream snack I had the other night was such a waste! A little background - the grocery store that I regularly shop at has discontinued selling our favorite 4 litre bucket of ice cream. Despite many dissatisfied customers, they have decided that our opinion isn't worth bringing it back. So I was forced to buy the other brand (which is more expensive). Upon bringing it home I thought I'd give it a try. Bad, bad, bad. Taste that is. I wasted my snack calories on substandard ice cream! And once it's down the gullet, there's no going back. At least, for me there's not. Now I will be in search of another brand of ice cream and will have to break my rule of only food shopping at one store.

Our one camping trip of the year takes place this weekend. Major packing up of gear. Major headache. But it's all worth it once we get there. We love our homeschool campout. As a knitter, the question becomes - what projects to take? how many to take? will I take enough?

I had decided on three sock projects. One pair is

just about finished - I just love this yarn! So instead of tucking it into the luggage to bring along, I had to keep on knitting. The foot will get finished at the campground and I should get to wear this luscious, glowing wooly gem. Unless the weather warms up, of course, which we're all hoping for. Then I'll just wear them to bed. (Chameleon Colorworks Footsie Yarn in Figgy Pudding Colourway; Roundabout pattern on the leg)

Revisiting those New Year's Resolutions

2009-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Experts say that to get anywhere with your plans you have to go over them regularly. My New Years Resolutions are on the wall right beside my desk. I DO look them over periodically. But in the hustle and bustle of everyday life I haven't assessed where I'm at with them. So here goes...

1. reread "The GI Diet Book". Not done, but I have been reading lots of other health/diet books. Does that count?

2. knit one charity hat per month. On track. I've been thinking, though, that in the summer I need to do TWO hats a month. These hats get given out in October. So November and December hats need to be done by then.

3. knit one Christmas gift per month. Well, that's a hard one. First - I haven't got a list. Second - birthdays come up during the year as well. So I have two Christmas gifts and one birthday gift done. I may rethink this resolution.

4. listen to the entire Bible. I think I'm on track here.

5. simplify the family meals and make more bulk meals. Simplifying I've done. Bulk meals, not so much. Make that - not at all. Maybe that will be a summer goal.

6. be more organized with my knitting projects. Check that off. My notebook is stuffed with notes, yarn samples and swatches.

7. learn one new knitting skill per month. Hmmm....I got the DVD's....watched one of them...I'm SURE I've learned stuff...

8. try one new alpaca yarn per month and become an expert on alpaca. The "becoming an expert" continues with reading. The "one new yarn a month" is scrapped. That was too ambitious.

9. make good use of the 4 month gym membership. Well, it turned out I only had a one month membership and after that one month I choose not to renew. I was getting stressed out trying to fit in going to the gym around all the other things I need to do when I'm out. And, no, I haven't been keeping up with the exercise at home. Whip me with a wet noodle to get me going.

10. have a relaxed Christmas. Still to come! I'm looking forward to this!

Now I want to add a #11 to the list. Get those photos organized and into albums. I'm caught up to year 2000. That's not caught up! That's way behind! This summer I MUST work on albums.

Summer reading...a little early

2009-05-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've just finished up two fiction dramas. Both had child abduction as a theme (I usually avoid reading books of this nature - my kids are too dear to me to even read about such possibilities), so I got them mixed up sometimes. One is a paperback and the other I listened to on my ipod.

Six Seconds by Rick Mofina is a suspense/mystery that had several plot lines

coming together to create a page turning story. Suffice to say that I put off bedtime last night to finish it, so it was a good read. I got this book from the library.

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline was an audible.com purchase. When this suspense story came to what I thought was the end, there was still 2 hours to go. Incredibly the plot took an unexpected turn and when on for the extra time.

I give both of these books two stars - great entertainment.

I have a new knitting trick I developed over the last number of socks I've knitted. When knitting the gusset of a sock you decrease every other row. I had been putting a plastic safety pin on the heel of the foot when decreasing and moving it to the base when knitting around. But what happens when your safety pin isn't handy?

My new method is to turn up the cuff of the sock when decreasing and let it down on knitting around. No extra tools to have on hand - it's quick and efficient. Here's the trick used on the pair of socks I just finished - Opal Rendez-Vous, colour 2062.

Decrease row.

Knit around row.

Daughter sized hole

2009-05-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

My daughter has gone on an exciting trip to another province to sing in a choir competition. This is a wonderful opportunity for her to experience new places and challenge herself. For me - not so great. When any of my children are away, I feel a gap that is the shape of the particular child. It doesn't last forever, but it does make for an uncomfortable feeling for a while. Fortunately she will be home soon.

Latest book - Shackleton's Stowaway. Excellent! (three stars) It was so good, I'm reading it to my two youngest now along with a study of Antarctica. Great "boy reading". For them, I'm editing some language and objectionable content as we go. Those sailors were a little rough around the edges!

On the knitting scene I'm challenging my patience and math. I began a baby blanket that I was anxious to make, but I wanted it larger than the pattern called for. So I cast on more stitches and thought that the pattern would work out. It's not working. The pattern calls for a plain centre with feather and fan edging added on. The edging numbers are not matching my centre square. So back to the table to refigure. At least all my knitting up to this point would not be in vain, as I could just decide to do a more simplified border on the edge of the garter stitch square.

Oh what a difference a voice makes

2009-04-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

I have finished "The Appeal" by Robert Ludlum and enjoyed it very much. Shall I tell you where I finished the last two CD's? In the car...late at night...on my way to Abbotsford...to rescue my son and his broken down car. Truly an adventure of love, but the book made the trip much more enjoyable. Listening to professionally-made audio books makes you appreciate the amount of work that goes into them. This narrator had dozens of different characters to deal with and every one had a dialect or inflection of their own. No doubt he had to read the book a number of times and just keeping track of the changes boogles the mind.

Audio books are probably worth the big bucks that goes along with them, but personally I appreciate the lower price of audible.com or the even lower price of the library.

A pen and paper book that is well worth reading is "I am Rembrandt's Daughter" by Lynn Cullen. While this is a fiction novel, most of the facts are historically true. The author used the technique of changing between time periods in alternating chapters, which took me a little while to keep straight. But it was a fascinating glimpse into life in the 1600's in Amsterdam/Europe and the life of a master painter, Rembrandt. A man out of step with his times, creating art from his heart rather than what was commercially desired. A man (apparently) of God, yet a man of weaknesses. We can all be used by God in whatever we do and four hundred years later, this man is still impacting people.

OTN I have a small puddle of colour that, hopefully, will shortly become a stunning, blocked shawl. That's the thing about circular needles and lots of stitches. It keeps you wondering until the project is finished. The yarn is Kureyon Sock Yarn and the pattern is the Gaia Shawl.

Oh what a difference the weather makes

2009-04-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what a little sunshine can do for your spirits. Cold, snow and dull days going on and on tend to end up bringing you down. A clear, sunny day - especially if spent vigourously attacking the shrubbery - changes attitudes like no medication could. I'm happy that spring is here, needless to say.

I know that I have listened to a book in the 10 days or so since I last posted, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. And it went back to the library. So...no review. Right now I have "The Appeal" pumping through the ear buds. (the narrator of this audio book is excellent! He gives every speaker there own voice/accent - and there are a lot of different ones, it takes place in Mississippi) Also, "Knitting" by Anne Bartlett on the computer. Two totally different novels. While Grisham's book is interesting, it does tend to lose me in places. The problem with a book-on-tape when you read late at night, is that if you fall asleep, the book continues on! So you are faced with the problem of trying to figure out where you left off. That's happened to me with this book. Barlett's novel is more relational and homey. Different books for different moods.

Have I been knitting? Not so much. After the marathon baby blanket knit-in I wasn't prone to pick anything up for a bit. But now I'm continuing to work on the gorgeous Opal socks. I try to keep Opal for gift socks because it is so easy to care for. But these have to be for me! If I could manage to track another skein down, I'll make them again for someone else. The knitting has been so pleasureable. What does it say about my state of mind that I am so drawn to browns and beiges and greys these days? For wearing, at least. I love to look at the coloured yarn and even knit it up. But to put on my body? Give me some neutrals.

I'm chewing a lot of gum these days

2009-04-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

One of the hazards of being a stay-at-home mom is that ....I'm home a lot. Which I like. Make that - love. But...I find that I constantly want to snack. So I decided that every time I feel like putting a little something in my mouth, I'll stick in some sugarless gum.

My jaws are getting sore.

Is anyone sick of Edward and Bella yet? After speed reading through the first Twilight book, I was ready for a break. But my daughter brought home the last 2 in the series of four, so even though I had sworn I wouldn't buy the second book - I did. Read that this week and am now half way into book four. These are "quick reads" from the library. $1 a day overdue fines! So my daughter and I are fighting for reading privileges as we hurry to the ending. (at least I hope it's the ending!)

Between book one and two I watched the movie. Give it a pass, unless you just have to see it. Very melodramatic and bad acting. After book two I was ready to give Bella a knock over the head with a two by four. I did not like that girl! How selfish was she?!! If she could come up with a plan to put anyone that loved her in danger she would do it, all to satisfy her own wants and desires. Book three I skipped over a lot. Let's get on with it! Now in book four there's not so much Bella and it's going much better. But I'll be glad when it's all over and I can get back to my life. (note: I've now finished and wasn't totally happy with the ending)

In the knitting realm I've been working feverishly on a baby blanket - garter stitch takes forever. But it came out nicely and I'm happy with it. The pattern will be a keeper. Of course, there are some socks on the needles, too. A loverly Opal yarn.

A haunting tale

2009-03-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

I often search out the book that inspired the movie - in this case "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". This is a haunting story of the holocaust as seen through the eyes of a naive young German boy. This segment of history should never be forgotten and this book and movie ensures that the story will continue to be told.

I did some fun knitting today. I bring you ....the Hannah hat! This hat was designed for girls who wear ponytails. The part with the button separates to allow the pony to swing free and not be tucked up under the hat. Ingenious! Luxurious Debbie Bliss yarn - baby cashmerino, in a deep red. Choosen by my daughter for her custom made hat. The yarn is a little pricey, but took less than two balls, so it wasn't out of this world expensive. I had purchased an extra skein just in case, so will now have enough for another small project.

I hope to get a photo of her wearing it to add in here. Flat hats are just that - flat!

Reading and finishing projects

2009-03-22T20:19:00.000-07:00

This past week I read a book and listened to a book - right to the end! It's been a while since I haven't made a book stretch on forever 'cause I couldn't get to it.

"Twilight" kept me up long past my bedtime for two reasons. It was a good read for one. And it was a library "quick-read" for the second. My daughter pointed out that quick-reads are only out for one week and there's $1 fine for each day overdue. So...read, read, read! The book was enjoyable, though; I can see the attraction. I'd put it in the Harry Potter category. Two stars for pleasure only. But...I refuse to buy the sequel even though I am #49 on the wait list!

"The Hunger Games" has more of a moral point to it. Man pitted against man. The abuse of power and authority. What depths will you sink to when your life is on the line? So three stars, for making me think a little. The ending was disappointing, though. Is the author anticipating a sequel? I got this book from http://www.audible.com/ on a $5 sale.

In the knitting realm, I finished my dad's wool socks and just love them. They fit my husband, so should fit my dad as well. They'll keep his feet nice and toasty (they look beige here, but are really a gorgeous light grey).

My son's socks got finished as well. I love the color even if it is kind of camouflagey, which he says I couldn't wear. He's happy with them.

Back from a black hole

2009-03-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

No, I did not disappear off the face of the earth. But I do feel like the last two weeks were sucked into a black hole. During that time I spent four very relaxing (yet stressful - can the two go together?) days taking care of my father, who had just broken his leg and needed tending to. I knit, I visited, I knit, I visited.....you get the picture. Once back at home things proceeded at high speed as I made up for lost time. Hence, the black hole.

Today in honour of St. Patrick's Day my 14 yo son (a budding chef) made a wonderful Irish meal for the whole crew. Irish stew, mashed potatoes (champ or poundies) and soda bread. I have two weaknesses - fresh chocolate chip cookies and bread. This Irish soda bread was irregular and crusty on top and soft and buttery on the inside. Yes, I did succumb. A piece with the stew and several pieces afterwards, topped with butter and homemade raspberry jam. Heaven....

Served with the obligatory strong tea.

In the world of knitting, I am plunking along on my various sock projects. The Finnish socks were finished. But something weird happened on the second sock (did I somehow change needles between one sock and the other???). The gauge was out. All the way along I was in denial, sure that it would all block out fine. (I should know better - I've read so many other knitter horror stories of this same thing). Anyways, I decided to rip out the foot of the second sock and reknit. It's almost done (maybe tonight?)

The other men's sock will take me a while. In a moment of madness I tried to figure out just how long these size 12 socks were going to take to make. 24 hours! That's a lot of tiny knitting. I could make a large shawl or a sweater in that time! So I'm not pushing myself on these.

My son's socks are almost finished. A few more hours should do on them.

In the meantime, other projects beckon me, but remain dreams.

A very odd book

2009-03-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

I follow up book leads like a dog sniffs for rabbits. Books that are recommended by others, books I see on the shelves of movie characters, titles I hear people talking about. Occasionally I come across a gem. Where "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson came from I have no idea. Suddenly, there it was in my reserved pile from the library. Having a short memory makes for some unexpected surprises. In any case, this is a very strange book. It won the Pen/Hemingway Award, which sounds impressive. The whole book was like a dream that threatened to suck me in. Do you ever read a book like that? A book that somehow captures you (not necessarily in a pleasant way) and you almost become one with the story, your own existence slipping away? Housekeeping almost did that to me. A story of childhood and growing up and apart and mental illness. A good book for a book club - lots of fodder for discussion. But I was never one for book clubs, so I'm going to give this book one star.

On a more positive note - I received a gorgeous skein of yarn in the mail yesterday and have already knit 1/2 of a sock out of it. I just had to see how it would look! The yarn is Footsie by Chameleon Colorworks in the Figgy Pudding colorway (how can you resist a name like that?!!) Lots of ribbing and then the Roundabout pattern.

From this:

To this:

I finished a pair of socks over the weekend. Photographed on what is hopefully the last of our snow. Opal Winter Night.

Ah....organization...chaos tamed

2009-02-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

When you have as many books, magazines and other resources as I have, you MUST be organized with them if you want to use them to their full potential. I'm getting there.

Kid's fiction is arranged in alphabetical order by title; non-fiction is grouped by category (eg. science, math, language arts etc.) I have a bookshelf for Christian books arranged by title. Or author if he or she has written more than two.

There are two "hot spots" that I'm attempting to get under control these days. One bookshelf in my living room has all the others. These are books I want to keep handy for reference or am planning to read or they just make me feel good. It needs to be gone over as it's become a dumping spot.

And then there are my magazines. Especially now the knitting magazines. Tea times for the last few weeks have included magazines and post-it notes. As I go through the issues I put in a post-it with either the item I'd like to make or the technique being shown. Most are now sitting happily in my filing cabinet with little flags flying, enticing me to "knit me, knit me". It's amazing what a contented feeling you have when chaos is tamed.

A quick update on my knitting progress: I got the ww sock to where I thought the toe decreases should start and began the other sock. In the meantime I tried it on my husband and it will have to be ripped back an inch to start the decrease. That's good news, as it means I'll have more yarn available for the second sock. There's about an inch to go on the Knit Picks socks before the heel turn - I'm making these babies LONG to handle size 12 EEE feet. And yes, there is another sock cast on in the middle. For my son; it had to be done. Variety is the spice of life.

Oh...I learned a new computer trick. I downloaded Passchendaele from itunes (took two hours!) and watched it the other night. Why was I so anxious to watch this I ask myself? One of those movies you feel you should see, just for the historical significance. But lots of war-type violence and some other scenes I could have done without.

Definitely not neck in neck

2009-02-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

Well, it's not really a race, but if it was the worsted weight would be winning.

My dad up and broke his leg a few days ago so my free time has been spent with him. As I've sat with him the Knit Picks yarn sock has progressed slowly, but steadily. Nothing can beat the worsted weight, though, for quick progress.

However, I'm started to get a little worried about this sock. I squeezed the ball today and there doesn't seem to be much left. Was the leg knit too long? Will there be enough yarn to finish both socks? Ah, life is nothing if not for a few risks. I will continue on this sock to the toe decreases and then begin the other. If needs be I can make the toes out of a contrast. And if there isn't enough for two socks??? Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit and start over again. Good thing I love to knit.

2009-02-18T22:49:00.000-08:00

I've discovered a new, healthy taste sensation. Sauerkraut. Who would have thought? All these years I've avoided it like the plague, thinking it was so awful. But it's not - it's quite delicious. And if you can believe the traditional diet people it's also very good for you. Check out this article. Now if I can only get the rest of my family on board...

I made great strides in knitting this evening. It's amazing how quickly worsted weight yarn knits up into a sock. My current project is almost the same length after a few hours as the other sock that I've been working on for four days. Both gift socks for special men in my life - one a sophisticated grey and one a rustic oatmeal. Both a real treat to work with. I love knitting!

A crafty few days

2009-02-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

I've made progress these last few days on knitting projects. Not so much on reading. The 52 in 52 has gone by the wayside. 26 in 52 might be a more manageable undertaking. What I did learn in my reading today was that you can actually knit unspun fiber. This will have to done to be believed because I just can't get my mind around how it can work. I did pick up some unspun fiber at the thrift store the other day, but I have it earmarked for a thrummed hat. Sailing knitter very generously shared her pattern for this kind of hat and I'm anxious to try it out.

My WIP (works in progress) and FO (finished object): fingerless mitts (second of the pair); gift socks for George; fingerless mitts (customed designed by my daughter).

A day well spent

2009-02-13T22:49:00.000-08:00

Having some time to kill yesterday I wandered into a branch of the library that I don't ordinarily visit. The craft section didn't offer much, so I made my way to the oversize shelf. Gold mine! A beautiful, coffee-table book of knitting. "Knitting in America" by Melanie D. Falick is a book about people who are passionate about wool, yarn and knitting. It is so inspiring to read about men and women who have turned something that they love, into their life's work. And then tonight I watched the movie "Last Holiday" which is one of those stories that are all about what's really important in life and living life to the fullest.

If I had a day job that I hated...I'd be quitting it now.

I made a little progress on the second after-thought

heel sock. It is now relegated to "van knitting".

There are too many other, more pressing projects in the queue to be spending valuable home time on them.

Today I made one fingerless mitt for myself. These must be finished before it gets too warm to need them. I love the pattern (jack-in-the-box mittens minus the box) and the yarn (Paton's Classic Wool). They have a beautiful cable on them called the staghorn cable. I used the great tutorial at this address to do the cabling without a cable needle. So much easier.

On your mark, get set, START!

2009-02-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

Today I started three new books.

1. In paper: "Raising a Modern-Day Joseph" by Larry Fowler. This promises to be a break-through book in terms of raising up children who are true to their faith and life-long servants of Jesus. It uses the example of the Old Testament Joseph as a model of someone who was put into adverse circumstances at a young age and didn't waver in his love for God. This will be a great book for churches hoping to come along-side parents in raising their children to be strong Christians.

2. Audio: The Pilgrim's Progress. The version I'm listening to uses the old English, but I'm managing to handle that. Probably because I've read it several times before.

3. Audio: "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick. This was recommended somewhere in my wanderings online. It's science fiction/alternate history. The write-up sounded interesting, but so far I haven't gotten hooked. My mind wasn't completely on it, however. I may start over and give it another chance.

On my needles: I finished the first sock of the after-thought heel pair. They fit really well (although they aren't for me). The yarn is Felici from Knit Picks. Love it! Effortless, even stitches.

I put the button on a calorimetry I made last night which will be winging it's way to Surrey ASAP. It's for my niece who had a birthday at the end of January. The yarn came from a HUGE ball of Bernat Worsted (acrylic) that I bought to make the pig puppet because it was the perfect colour. I may be knitting projects from that for years.

Good listening

2009-02-09T23:18:00.000-08:00

The Internet is wonderful for acquiring new listening delights. I get a regular newsletter from Koinonia House and the most recent one had an advertisement for a new resource - available in DVD, CD or mp3 download. Within a few minutes I was happily listening as I knit on my newest project. "Through Hebrew Eyes - A Messianic Journey" is fascinating! A Messianic Jewish man talks about the feasts of Israel and explains how they are a shadow of Christ and of things to come. And the fellow is funny to boot! Well worth the listen.

On the needles I have my February "new technique" - the afterthought heel. Basically you knit a tube sock, but part-way through, where you would normally start the heel, you knit half the stitches with waste yarn. Then you continue around knitting over the waste yarn and do the foot and toe. At this point you go back to pick out the waste yarn, put the stitches on needles and knit another toe! It's one of those magical moments of knitting that don't seem to make sense, but work out none-the-less. Google afterthought heel for great explanations and probably video on this technique. I went back to make the heel before I finished the sock because I wanted to figure out how long to make the foot after the waste yarn. One tip - if you have a pattern on the leg (like I did) make sure to only do it on the instep after the waste yarn. Otherwise you will have pattern on the bottom of your sock as well (don't ask me how I know this!). The heel is very well fitting and I think that once I have done it on a few pairs of socks I'll get the bugs worked out so that it doesn't look quite as amateurish as it's doing now. It works well for self-striping yarns as it doesn't break up the stripes like a heel flap will do.

Odds and sods

2009-02-08T22:26:00.000-08:00

My day of rest didn't include much resting today, but lots of family and friend time so that made it OK. The day started with the challenge of teaching the older children in the kid's class at church, lunch with family, awesome music recital of my two nephews and ended with an movie with friends.

I did get a little reading time in over breakfast this morning. I'm reading through the July/August 1998 issue of Piecework magazine. The only issues of this magazine that I bother to get have an article on knitting in them. This one features the history of cowichan sweaters. Since I've actually made several of these and they are quite common to where we live the article was of special interest.

The name cowichan comes from the Cowichan Valley of Vancouver Island, where the Cowichan band of the native Coast Salish people lived. The sweaters are a story in themselves as they include many of the animals important to these people, such as whales, horses, eagles etc. The Cowichan had always spun goat and dog hair, but when the settlers and missionaries came in the 1840's they brought sheep and these began to be used for spinning as well. The articles goes into some depth and there is also a pattern for a sweater included.

My new technique for January was the linen stitch heel flap. This picture doesn't do it justice, but what you don't see is the typical ribbed ridges of the traditional heel flap. It makes a nice flat surface that is much thinner than the traditional. My version is a four row repeat - google to find instructions. Mine came from a pattern that has gone missing.

In January I also made two charity hats and a pig puppet from the Creative Knitting website. This is the pig partially

made. I made some mods to the pattern to make it more "pig-like". I couldn't find the other hat, but it was called Thorpe.

Oh, I also made a pair of striped socks.

2009-02-05T23:02:00.000-08:00

Reader's Digest has been a big part of my reading material for as long as I can remember. My family always subscribed to it and when I finally settled down myself, I began the tradition. It's filled with inspiring stories about real people who are doing things in the world and making a difference. I laugh and I cry through each issue.

One article in the latest issue left me feeling rather sick to my stomach. It was an interview between the recently elected President of the United States, Obama, and Pastor Rick Warren, one of the most popular speaker/authors in Christendom.

Obama certainly talked the talk of a fervent born-again Christian. But his first pro-choice actions upon taking office certainly don't seem to be walking the walk. The contradiction between his words "I think that the country's greatest moral failure in my life-time has been that we still don't abide by that basic precept in Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me" and "I am pro-choice" is chilling.

I think that we had better watch this man very closely.

Convictions

2009-02-03T23:53:00.000-08:00

Convictions can lead to discomfort and inconvenience.

Tomorrow I will watch a film that documents the practices of Walmart. I understand that many who have watched this film have chosen to not shop at Walmart as a result. Since I love to shop there - the selection and prices suit me - this would necessitate a big change for me. So I'm hoping my convictions don't kick in.

A new book "Knitting for Good" is written in a similar vein. The subtitle is A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change, Stitch by Stitch. The chapter I just finished challenged us to read the labels of where our clothing was made and do some research to find out how ethical the manufacturing practices are. It's all about choices - making choices that lead to positive change in the world.

Sometimes I just want to remain ignorant, but that's the cowardly way out.

The Well-Educated Mind

2009-02-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

Each day purpose to learn something new; something life-enriching; something that makes you a better person. Help is sometimes needed to point you in the right direction, given the mass of knowledge available today. This is where Susan Wise Bauer comes in. She has written a book titled "The Well-Educated Mind" that gives you a game plan. The first section of the book goes over the why's and whatfor's and howto's of reading classic literature. Then she dives into a selection of books themselves. All the choices have been made for you. There is no excuse not to begin the process of self-education.

Why then have I had this book for several years and am no further ahead than before I got it? Because the book that she starts with is Don Quixote. If you know anything about this book you know that it's just plain weird. I've tried and tried to read it but it's just too....weird. And being the linear person that I am, if I couldn't read the first book on the list, I couldn't move on. Well, I'm over it. I'm turning the page and going on to The Pilgrim's Progress (which just happens to be one of my most favorite books of all time - isn't that fortunate?).

The Pilgrim's Progress is also available as a recent movie, but I'll hold off watching it till I've reread the book (as I always insist on for my children).

I have been defeated by a book

2009-02-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

And that book is The Shack.

I have exactly 2 hours of listening time to go on this book and I vowed I would finish it today. But it's not going to happen. The book does not appeal to me. Admittedly, there have been some intriguing ideas put forth. No doubt I would find a few more should I perservere. I won't, though, because my time is too precious and I'm not convinced that the book is important enough to warrant spending more than I already have on it.

Here are some of my notes while reading the book. Some I agree with, some I have problems with.

It's all about me and everything is about Jesus.
God loves us just because we are. We don't have to do anything more.
We don't have to follow rules or have special ways of behaving or fulfill roles. The bible doesn't teach you to follow rules; it gives a picture of Jesus.
Just give yourself over completely to God; give up your independence and become dependent on Him, accepting His goodness and love. All evil flows from independence.
Live in the present. Don't fret about the past or worry about the future. Have no fear.
Take the risks of honesty with everyone - lies damage all.
Check your perceptions; check your paradigms. Just because you believe something doesn't make it true.

I'm not sure how to rate this book. Three stars for somewhat life enriching, but 1 star for the pleasure factor.

What do others think of the book? Well, hundreds love it. So I won't bother to give examples of those here. Many don't love it - in fact, think that it is harmful. Here are a few examples to get you thinking.

Michael Youssef
Tim Challies

Let your brain bloom

2009-01-31T16:42:00.000-08:00

It must be said that I read a lot of children's books. For many years that has even meant picture books (I still read those - a good book, is a good book!). Now, though, it's mostly upper elementary and junior high level. There are several reasons for this.

One is that I like to preview material for my kids to see if it's something that I either know or hope will interest them. Or to check if the content is "suitable".

Another reason is that when checking out a new topic of interest for myself, often reading a book that is geared to younger children will explain it in simpler language. You can get the big picture first, and then go on to the finer details.

And then sometimes the book just has an appealing storyline - no matter your age.

These books have their place. There comes a time, though, when you must read at a deeper level. Here's where Bloom's Taxonomy can help out.

Benjamin Bloom came up with a structure of "knowing levels", from the basic knowledge level through comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and ending with evaluation. Different groups over the years have used his levels for their own purposes, such as teachers making exam questions. But they can be helpful to individuals who are intent on self-education as well. After you have become familiar with the facts in an area of self-discovery, challenge yourself with the higher levels to see how much thinking is going on. You don't just want to be able to win a place on "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" or "Jeopardy". You want to have a relationship with the people you are reading about. You want to know why they behaved the way they did, what the implications of their behavior were and ultimately, you want to see the hand of God moving through history.

Full plates and other randomness

2009-01-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

There is so much on my plate right now - either real obligations or projects that I'm choosing to take on - that today I could not make a decision to do any of them. No knitting took place; very little housework; no reading (beyond email and blog updates). Unable to make a decision about what to do next, I did nothing.

But...I did learn one useful thing. Windshield wipers are not sold in pairs. When the fellow says they are $28, he means each. So our van now has the most luxurious set of blades it will ever own.

And to get even more random, about six months ago someone sent me an email with the word chuffed in it. It seemed like a positive word in the context that it was used, but I had no idea what it meant. A quick click over to the online dictionary gave me this:

informal - pleased or delighted: I suppose you're feeling pretty chuffed [origin unknown]

Now I see that word everywhere! It's always English people using it (as in from England). I feel like an insider now when I see it and know what it means. Language is so funny.

I'm pretty chuffed to know this word.

Nutrition Nugget

2009-01-29T23:47:00.000-08:00

I just realized that I have been a follower of Centre for Science in the Public Interest for over 25 years. They have changed a lot in that time. While I do detect some bias these days in their editorials (toward vegetarianism), they continue to be set apart from big business and therefore can "tell it like it really is".

The magazine that they put out, Nutrition Action, has a theme for each issue. January/February 2009 is on inflammation in the heart. Very interesting. There is also an article on kidney stones (my husband had these once and thought he would surely die). A regular feature is recipes and this time they all look yummy. Vegetable were rated from best to not-best-but-still-good. In other words, with vegetables it's hard to go wrong. Me and vegetables aren't best friends I have to admit. I spent so many years not being able to eat them because of gall bladder problems that I have a slight aversion to them. But eat them I must and I will develop a taste for them.

One of my favorite parts of the magazine is on the last page. Here they have the "right stuff" (recommended food item) and "food porn" (bad, bad, bad). This time round Eden Organic No Salt Added Beans won the right stuff award. Hey! I had black beans in our bean salad on Wednesday! I love them. But boohoo, Pillsbury Grands!Flaky Supreme Cinnamon Rolls with Icing got the porn award. I've only had these once - yummy. But you don't want to know what's in them. Let's just say - eat them very infrequently.

What was my number one take-away from the magazine this time? Kale! I must start serving kale 'cause it's a superstar vegetable.

2009-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Esau's Lentil Soup

1 onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, sliced

3 carrots, sliced or shredded

1 large potato, cubed
1 medium yam, cubed

2 cups red lentils

1 handful chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a large soup pot and add enough water to just cover.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a light simmer.

Simmer 1-2 hours or till lentils have lost all their shape. Stir occasionally,

Add more water if necessary. You want it to be very thick, though.

Add salt and lots of pepper, if you like that.

Serve with a hearty wholegrain bread for a complete meal.

You don't have to give up your birthright to enjoy this wonderful soup. It's popular with people, too, so it's perfect for making up and giving away. And it freezes just fine.

This post is a part of the Nourishing Soups & Stews Carnival.

Appreciating the traditional diet

2009-01-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

The cookbook "Nourishing Traditions" that I have been reading over the last few weeks is too meaty to plumb the depths of for only the time the library gives me. And I see that someone has it on hold now, so I won't be able to renew. Copies online are expensive, so I'll have to wait for a eureka! moment in the used book store. In the meantime, a good resource for information and recipes is the blog kelly the kitchen cop.

The cookbook has inspired me to get back to making old-fashioned soup with real bone stock and I even made my own creme fraiche (European style sour cream - delicious!) You're supposed to serve the soup with a dollop of the creme fraiche to boost the nutritional value. It's out of my eating comfort zone, but I found it to be wonderful.

Travel with me...

2009-01-26T21:18:00.000-08:00

...to South America. See the grandeur of the mountains, the ruins aged grey with eons of time and weather, the terraced hillsides creating an organic pattern cut into the earth. Llama, alpaca and sheep dot the countryside promising treasures of fiber goodness in the marketplace. Youthful nut brown faces smile happily at strangers. Older generations work herding or spinning or knitting, their faces a maze of wrinkles testifying to their many years spent in the sun.

Travel with me to South America . . . through the pages of Andean Folk Knits. Explore Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru through photos and a well-researched history of the country, especially as it relates to yarn and knitted textiles. Each country has at least one knitting project for you to make as a memory of your "journey".

Written by Marcia Lewandowski, a woman who lived many years in Bolivia, this book was a pleasure to read and one day will make a welcome addition to my bookshelf. In the meantime, I may choose one small project to make as an inspiration to one day take an actual trip to one of these countries.

I give this book three stars.

Confession time

2009-01-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

I have to confess that if it was up to me we would not subscribe to the local newspaper. There - I've said it. I've admitted that I'm not really all that interested in what is going on in the world around me. Some situations are of particular interest to me and those I follow online, through blogs or sites. If anything else of importance happens someone manages to inform me fairly quickly. So the fact that sometimes a week goes by without my reading the newspaper hasn't really impacted my life. A favorite health guru recommended limiting exposure to world news as it tends to increase your stress level. I took that advice to heart - I need all the stress reduction I can get.

At this point I know that I've lost the respect of my well-informed friends. Don't shoot me - just keep telling me what I need to know and maybe I'll knit you a pair of socks sometime soon.

Science fiction anyone?

2009-01-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

The movie "The City of Ember" was based on a book of the same name by Jeanne Duprau. My son and I loved this book and the sequels as well. So we were looking forward to the movie. And the movie is exciting. But if you've read the book be prepared that there are differences. Nevertheless, a great DVD to knit by - I'd forgotten how relaxing it is to knit dishcloths and watch TV.

A new take on a new President

2009-01-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

I told my kids to remember this time because they will always look back and say what they were doing on the momentous day when a black man became President. We have read so many books over the years on the struggle for freedom. I feel privileged to have witnessed this step. This video looks at it in a unique light.

Unfortunately this particular man has views totally opposed to the sanctity of life before birth, so my heart is torn.

Finally...New Year's Resolution #10!

2009-01-22T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is the room decorating look that appeals to my heart and gives me the urge to sew and crochet and craft to create the perfect surroundings that really say "home".

This is the decorating style that appeals to my mind. In these surroundings my mind settles; is less chaotic. I can think clear and orderly thoughts. My constant battle is to maintain balance between image one and image two.

Which brings us to New Year's Resolution #10. Next year, around December 1st (give or take a few days), I will bring out of storage not 6, not 5, not even 4, boxes of Christmas decorations. No, I will bring out one, specially packed box of a tree skirt (yes, we will have a small tree), a few tree ornaments, my nativity sets and four miscellaneous wall ornaments. Yes, next year we are downsizing the Christmas hoopla. I feel less stressed already.

The seed for this idea was planted by Dawn at Knit Naturally podcast. Thank you, Dawn. I love you.

There is a time for everything...

2009-01-21T14:41:00.000-08:00

And the time has come to pack away my nativity sets.

John 3:16-18 (The Message)
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

Have you written your eulogy yet?

2009-01-20T22:26:00.000-08:00

I have to confess that I am a magazine junkie. It's hard for me to resist an interesting magazine and they read so much quicker than a book, so it's a quick "fix" when the reading bug hits.

One of my favorite ministry mags is K! Cutting edge children's ministry info, resources, conferences (can't attend them, though, but they're there none the less) and challenging articles. I never fail to learn something new, something practical that can be used immediately.

The November/December 08 issue included an article titled "Keeping the End in Mind" by Tina Houser. She encouraged readers to spend a few moments writing their own eulogy. Her premise was that seeing how you want the end to come out will determine the direction you should take every day and affect the decisions you make every day. Are you taking steps each day to achieve the end that you hope for - in your personal life, your family, your ministry? What do you have to get rid of or add on? What do you want your legacy to be?

Walking the pages away...

2009-01-19T18:56:00.001-08:00

I listened to the last third of "Red Prophet" while clocking miles on the treadmill. So far New Year's resolution #9 is working - going 2-3X a week to the gym. Listening to a book on my ipod certainly helps to pass the time there. Yes, I know I'm getting exercise, but if I wasn't listening to something the time would seem somewhat wasted. To a certain extent I'm a multi-tasker, as long as the tasks don't take too much concentration. Putting one foot in front of the other on a treadmill certainly qualifies.

The author of Red Prophet, Orson Scott Card, is a storyteller extraordinaire. He weaves a complex plot with characters that come from an phenomenal imagination, backed by extensive research. The story is rich in morals and opinion, but they are so integrated into the storyline that it doesn't come across as preaching. So the book can be read merely as a good tale, or examined more deeply for a message the author wants to impart. It also sends you delving for more outside sources if you are so inclined, because you never know what parts of this alternate early America are true and what parts come straight out of Card's mind.

Caveat: He includes magic and fantasy along with scripture verses, so discernment is needed. This is not a book for the gullible or easily swayed.

I give this book a three-star rating.

I love a good cookbook!

2009-01-18T22:42:00.000-08:00

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon is the kind of cookbook that can keep you up late at night. Besides recipes it includes sidebars on every page with interesting tidbits, there's a general overall nutrition section at the front and each food category begins with information. And the book is thick - 3.5 cm thick! (yes, I measured it)

So far I have skimmed through the whole thing, but read in detail the soup section. My soup making has slowed down lately and I am inspired to get back to it by reading how nutritious soup is - soup that is made from homemade stock that is. That's very important. Many years ago I took a soup making class where we learned to save onion peels, vegetable ends, etc. in the freezer and then simmer them with meat bones to make a nutritious and flavourful stock. Along with a whole grain bread, a well-made soup can make a full meal.

Last week I made a pea soup with stock made from turkey necks that I bought in the meat section of the grocery store. This week I'd like to get some beef bones and try a recipe from the Nourishing Traditions book. Maybe I'll finally get to grinding the wheat too.

Or at least, give the job to one of the children.

Take time to ponder

2009-01-17T23:25:00.000-08:00

A friend gave me a wonderful little book entitled "Lists to Live by for Smart Living". It's the kind of book you can keep by your bed, or easy chair (or dare I say - the toilet!) Read a page here and a page there. It contains snippets of wisdom that are best read in bits and pieces to fully utilize them. Information overload tends to reduce it all to mind fog.

Page 70 and 71 talk about how to remember what you read. One line in particular struck me today - Ponder what you read. As one old sage said, "It is better to master 10 books than just read 1,000."

In this age of books and internet it is all too easy to gulp information like a dying man downs water in a desert. Glug, glug, glug. And then we're on to the next. Better to take time to let it seep into your mind, ponder on it, make connections. That's the best way to milk it for all the benefits the resource has for you.

Easy to say; much harder to do. We live in a fast paced world. The momentum often carries us along unless we take deliberate steps to slow down.

And I'm going to do just that...starting Monday.

Bread the staff of life?

2009-01-16T23:39:00.000-08:00

Wise Traditions, summer 2006 has several fascinating articles on grains and the pros and cons of eating, especially in the case of celiac disease. They don't deny that some people cannot eat gluten, but some alternatives are given and a good case is made that the condition comes about from the way that grain (especially wheat) has been modified over time. A number of gluten-free recipes are given as well.

Reading about the benefits of eating grains has given me the urge to dig out my wheat grinder. Several large sacks of wheat were discovered in storage (leftovers from Y2K if you can believe it!).

Maybe this should be my 10th New Year's resolution?

Peace amongst the pandemonium

2009-01-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

In the midst of a totally hectic day spent running around, I had the opportunity to halt everything and immerse myself in the beauty of Mozart's classical music. Performed by a top-class orchestra, no less. Even though we were surrounded by a theatre full of wiggly children, the excellence of the musicians and the exquisiteness of the timeless pieces managed to transport me for a short time beyond the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The Secret Wish of Nannerl Mozart by Barbara Nickel is an interesting take on Mozart's life, told from the perspective of his sister. This is a book for older elementary children, but I enjoyed reading it myself. Three stars.

Chaos reigns

2009-01-14T11:14:00.001-08:00

The world is in a constant state of degeneration. Nothing brings this home more than living in a house with 4 children. And now that there are four rather than six living at home the rate of deterioration doesn't seem to have changed. I seem to have spent the last 25 years decluttering, organizing, shifting "stuff" and whining about having to do so. When will my conscious mind accept that fact that "cleaning up after" is a normal state of being?

Can you tell I have spent a few hours doing housework with most of my children gone skiing? Will it rapidly go downhill after they come home? Yes, it will, but I just thank God for them all and if it was a choice between clean and kids - I'll take the kids every time.

Elkan by John and Kathy Eytchison is a fictional story about the history of Christianity from creation to consummation seen through the eyes of a young boy. It shows very clearly the reason why the world reverts to chaos, but also the path back to perfection through Jesus Christ. A great read for anyone. A seeking person or new Christian will get a good overall picture of the scope of Christianity through the years and into the future. A more mature believer will find confirmation of their faith and perhaps even illumination into an area that they have struggled with in the past.

I'll give this a three-star rating. I'm taking away a heightened appreciation of the vastness of God's power and love and how incredibly His plan makes complete sense.

Tuesday tidbit

2009-01-13T13:24:00.001-08:00

My "52 in 52" reading for this week will be to finish up three books that I've had going for awhile now. So more on them later this week. Yes, I did revisit The Shack and am finding it much easier going this time.

Tuesday's tidbit comes from Joe Tye's daily email.

DDQ doesn't not mean delicious Dairy Queen, although most everything at Dairy Queen is delicious. DDQ is a copywrited term of Joe Tye's which stands for Direction Deflection Question*. You ask yourself this question to assure that whatever action you are about to do or words you are about to say will get you one step further to being the best that you can be. If you have to answer no, then it's time to assess the situation to see what you could do instead. Do you need to be going in a different direction?

Let's not live by default; let's not drift along; let's live intentionally.

*did you even know you could copywrite a term?!