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The calm after the storm.....

3/27/2014

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Hubby standing behind the drift. Notice how there is no snow on the driveway in front of it.

This is the snowless stairway this morning. Yesterday afternoon all you could see was snow.

No shoveling on this driveway!

What an incredible ride! Yesterday’s storm was a powerful force of nature. The whiteout conditions were such that you couldn’t see the highway from the dining room window, less than a hundred feet away. The house rocked and shimmied on its granite foundation as the wind beat against it. The curtains moved ever so lightly from the wind’s force, seeping through the tiniest cracks and crevices to invade our warmth. Snow infiltrated past the front storm door and the inside hall door, depositing a small drift on the braided rug that totally perplexed the dogs. Mother Nature wind swept tons of snow around our property and then with a change in wind direction, whisked it all away.   The harbour convulsed under the power of the wind, leaving little doubt that any vessel would not find a safe haven there. The tidal surge was probably over the highway in its lowest part on the way to town considering it submerged the stone and piling wharf across the road. All around was a furry of nature as the nor’easter storm raged on.

I drove into work early this morning to make sure the heat pump was still working so the shop would be warm for opening and I saw all the town folk digging their way out of driveways. Without the wind off the water the snow fell like lead bricks and stayed put. Snow covered cars; feet of the white stuff burying all signs of a yard. But for us, living down here by the water, with the wind force blustering the snow in violent swirls, the driveway was bare, the steps didn’t have one flake and the right side of our house are vertically snowless. Perfect for the pups and no shoveling for hubby.

What a total contrast to the beginning of the storm as the snow built temporary landmarks by our main back door. The cement staircase to the driveway were hidden from sight and there was a drift up the porch step that arched like a huge ocean wave, reaching at least three feet high. By late afternoon the wind changed direction and lifted it all away, planting it now on the other side of the house, targeting the back deck, covering the BBQ and basement steps that were supposed to be protected by a roof overhang. It even filled the inside of the outdoor carriage lamps.   This just goes to show, we shouldn’t have been out shoveling until the storm was over. At one point hubby wasted his time and energy clearing a path to the garage and in just a few short hours it was back higher than ever and then by morning was gone again. If he was out for the exercise no problem, but trying to make headway was futile. It was like hauling away beach sand with a thimble.

So I hooked the day away in front of the fire. I was determined to finish the bunnies, grass and flowers. I would have made it if not for the power going out at midnight. I had been working on one segment of sky and then the blackout hit. I spit and sputtered so much hubby came to my rescue with our hand cranked light and held it over my work so I could at least finished the area I was working on. What a sweetie! The power had been dancing in and out for a couple of hours but it only lasted for seconds, just enough to knock out the TV before it flickered back on.   But this last time I waited and nothing. We lit candles but they weren’t bright enough to hook by and I’m allergic to the oil lamps. The fumes make my glands swell like boiled wieners and cause a headache that feels like thunder in my head.

Annoyed at the interference, I gave up and crawled under the blankets on the sofa to wait for illumination. It was midnight after all and time to cut the play to say good night. One of us had to sacrifice going to bed to keep the fire going, if the power stayed off all night long, it needed constant feeding or the house would be freezing by morning. So Jake, my little black poodle and I pulled the short straw and we snuggled on the sofa. At some point I fell asleep not waking once to tend the stove so the fire was dead by morning, but luckily, after the power came back on, the electric heat kicked in to subsidize so I didn’t have ice cycles hanging off my nose.

Today is lazy. I’m not sure if I even want to go into work. Shane is there and can handle things but several people have phoned to talk to me so I guess I’ll have to make an effort. I just want to play hooky to finish my rug. If I had a 9 to 5 job somewhere I would have phoned in sick, I used to do that sometimes when a book was too juicy to put down. When I get involved in a project I don’t want to stop…it becomes an obsession. I have only a few short days until April and that’s the deadline for this piece. This rug has been hanging around for several years and I want it done and off my plate. Another scratched off item so I can move on to bigger and better things. I’m hoping it’s a lucky talisman and when completed, Spring will kick winter’s arse and bloom with all its splendour.   Maybe this rug is what’s keeping winter around, maybe it’s all up to me, oh the pressure….I can’t let everyone down. God forbid we have a white Easter!   Maybe I’ll shower and dress and go into the shop to sit and hook, at least my presence would be there while I get the work done…kill two birds so to speak. One way or another I want the inside of the rug finished by the end of the day. I can crack off the border pretty quickly and win this race against time……go, go, go!

One bunny, one tulip and a bit of sky and done! The border will be simple. A light pink or violet for the scalloped lace and I have an order-dyed plaid for the border.

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MORE SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3/25/2014

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I guess we’ll spend the evening battening down the hatches, hauling in dry firewood and securing the BBQ for another winter snowstorm and high winds.   "Winter Wednesday" will hit us again, this time with even more punch.   Funny how all the major storms seemed to hit us in the middle of the week this winter. I know this because most of the cancellations for our Wednesday evening hook-ins and Christmas party were due to the weather. Hump day which normally means the middle of the week, or peak, now stands for how much snow we get.....humps of it!

I personally think we’ve had enough winter but Mother Nature has the last word and she's a sassy, independent dame. Maybe Father Time did a dirty on her so she's taking it out on us, a woman scorned and all. Who can even say if this is the last of the snow for the year? Maybe we’ll have a white Easter, or worse, a white summer! It’s never over until it’s over and these days with weather a bit more erratic, who can call it? For goodness sake, we aren't that far from April.....will we be able to say 'April Showers Bring May Flowers'?

I would imagine the grocery stores will have bare shelves by the end of the day as people scramble for provisions in case there’s a power outage or conditions prohibiting trips to the store. I’ll be one of them so I hope there is something left by the time I get there after work. I don’t buy canned or packaged anything and usually the raw foods are left behind but that only lasts a few days before spoiling, especially if the power is out. That means hubby, the pups and I will be the first to perish of starvation if a natural disaster ever hits. We’d be hard pressed to find anything more than a can of tomato paste on our pantry shelves or maybe a box of linguini, but that’s it. There’s a few baking supplies, a bag of almonds and a few walnuts and of course flour but that will go down hard without water.   I often think about it, I like to be prepared for situations but we don’t eat processed food and hate to buy it just to sit on a shelf in case the tsunami hits. And, in that scenario, any food would probably end up in the neighbour’s yard or miles down the road anyway.

Speaking of a Tsunami.   It doesn’t hurt to be prepared. We’ve been talking about an evacuation plan since the town had a meeting to discuss what will happened in a natural disaster…which areas will flood and receive the most damage. Pretty much the entire town is on a flood plain including my shop, so it will be washed away, ending up somewhere on the west side of town, probably merged with what's left of our iconic Three Churches. All my beautiful wool washed away! Help yourselves gals! Pick it out of the trees. Call it a disaster sale, all you can carry, free for all!

It never hurts to have a plan. You’d be surprised how disoriented you can get in a panic, do stupid things that cost precious minutes that prevent you from making it to safety. If we see the harbor emptying of water, which is what occurs before the big wave hits, we will have about 5 – 10 minutes to get in the vehicle and ride up the neighbour’s hill to the crest were we have a bird’s eye view of our beautiful house being lifted off the foundation, smashed into splinters and head to town with all the other homes, cars and debris that were destroyed before us along the road.

We dearly hope our home is high enough to sustain minimal damage, but it’s not just the water surge, it’s what’s in the water. Ron White, a comedian has a funny bit in his routine that comes to mind. “A guy in Florida tied himself to a tree and said that he was physically fit enough to withstand hurricane force winds….and Ron says, “It’s not that the wind is blowing, it’s what the wind is blowing. If you get hit by a flying Volvo, it doesn’t matter how many stomach crunches you did that morning! “

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NO SPRING CHICKEN? Heck...no spring!

3/24/2014

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We must never forget.......

3/24/2014

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I had a difficult Sunday. The shop was really busy Saturday and by the time dinner was over I was useless for anything except warming the sofa with my backside. Every now and then hubby and I do a marathon of TV so we watched two movies that had been around a while but had escaped my radar. The Help was the first and although there were comedic parts I found little to laugh over, except of course for the payback pie which I applauded vigorously. The way Black people were treated then, and still now, is an abomination, and I get choked over the travesty of it all.

So already in a sad mindset, I definitely made a mistake when we noticed Schindler’s List was on and started watching it. I sat through the entire movie with my mouth agape and tears in my eyes. The acting was very realistic, showing the callous indifference to human life it its rawest form. It was horrific to watch the suffering and murder of so many men, woman and children whose only crime was the culture they were born into. We all know of the atrocities Hitler committed against the Jewish people but seeing it so graphically portrayed made the truth even more real.

Then I couldn’t sleep. I am a very sensitive person. When upset I stay upset for a long time. It doesn’t roll off my back easily. I’ll go to my grave trying to understand how flesh and blood people can be viewed as non-human; vermin; rats.   I know a fair amount about the Nazi’s, have seen a lot of documentaries and read several books on Hitler. Not out of fascination but trying to understand how such a monster can walk among us. I think I was 20 when I read the Nuremberg Trials, trying to understand the thinking of madmen.   It’s so big you can’t get your thoughts around it all and if you let the heaviness consume you, you would sink to the depths of despair and never resurface.   Maybe if I had a bit of prejudice in me I could understand the insanity of their logic, but I’m a clean slate on that front. I’m a product of my mother who believed we are all equal, the only separation is whether we are kind or evil.

So there was a lot of tossing and turning into Sunday morning and then discussions all day with hubby.   A lot of times I am ashamed to be part of the human race and maybe why I find so much solace in my dogs.

So while I was in that dark place I opened my novel and did a bit of writing. The blackness that engulfed me was the perfect mindset for delving into the psych of a killer. So I spent the day reading to get reacquainted with the story, editing and adding thoughts to The Charnel. It was stimulating to be back in the saddle and I really need to squeeze out the time to work on it this close to the finish line.

Finding extra time in a day is a challenge. Maybe I need to dump the cable TV. I bitch how there is nothing on and get angry at the crap that is offered.   Most of the favourites we follow could be watched on the computer. It’s just so easy to plunk down on the sofa and snuggle with the dogs and get lost in the comfort and warmth of the fire. Although now, that even comes with a mitt full of guilt. We just watched a show on PBS that said sitting is a killer. Our bodies need to move, and move frequently. Get up often for breaks, a drink, a snack, just walk around, don’t sit for a prolonged time because it is the short road to health problems. Sorry, I guess I am still full of doom and gloom from the weekend…..and after watching the weather channel to be told of the pending storm and winds about to bear down on us, maybe I won’t crawl out of this funk until later in the week. WHERE THE HECK #*(^#!^*@%&? IS SPRING?????

So to lighten the mood……A lot of you are following Armenia Corkum’s progress on Facebook on her Crocks & Jugs showpiece. She’s using all plaids, herringbone and textures for the crocks and jugs, a beige plaid for the background and the borders will be decided last. The jug on the far right is a light grey herringbone not in the picture below. The rusty orange herringbone jug in the center is spectacular and that wool will probably be used as a thin line before the border to tie it in. She is having a lot of fun with this project! I was told Saturday that she will do a second one for a gift for a loved one. She bought a lot of the plaids when we had the sale so there is enough to do the second rug.

The plaids are numbered from left to right and show on the website.
#065/054/056/048/068/069
To view on the website click this link:
http://www.encompassingdesigns.com/plaids--textures.html

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Thanks all for sharing!!!

3/21/2014

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Hello Christine!

I continue to enjoy your blog. Check up on you everyday.Thanks for taking the time. Sometimes I read a paragraph or two, out load, for my wife to enjoy. She's the hooker in the other recliner on the far side of the wood stove. I always wanted a Grenfell rug…maybe someday, but in the mean- time this adaptation of one I saw in an Antiques magazine will have to do.
Keep up the Great work,
See you this Summer!
Sincerely,
Dick Barr

Hi Christine:

I had ordered some wool a few months ago and was very pleased! I am attaching my Santa rug which I just completed using these wools. I am so pleased with the results. (The lighting isn't that great in these pics and don't do the rug justice)

I was diagnosed with Parkinson's 4 years ago and haven't been able to hook for a few years. My doctor has prescribed a new med which has made such a difference. My motto since receiving my diagnosis is "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain!"

I decided to try hooking again and am glad to say that I am able to and believe the hooking is actually helping my hands. I am so excited to be able to hook again!! My only problem is which rug to hook next!!

Have a great day!

Wanda Golds

Fine Beer Served Here by Adena Clark. This pattern was designed in my first year of business. No one seemed to like it so it never sold. I never knew why, it had a splendid message and who doesn't like a fine beer! #1 selling alcoholic beverage in the world?....probably? Adena found it in my seconds bin, a place for patterns that don't sell or have a slight mistake in the drawing and had the same thought as me....sweet mancave piece! I was so happy someone finally saw the merit of this piece so now it has a hooked face and is very lovely! Then by chance someone else ordered the pattern only last week before I had the finished picture so maybe the vibe is out there! Maybe I should do one, "Fine Wine While You Dine"?

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One helluva hook-in!

3/20/2014

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Today is another eye candy day! We have incredibly talented rug hookers in the Main Street Hookers group...and I don't think I'm bias, but if I'm blowing steam up your nose, let me know! Their varied work speaks for itself. There's always diversity in design and unique colour plans happening. It wasn't a large gathering last evening but it was packed with punch. Here's an update on works in progress and finished pieces. Stay tuned for updates on these fabulous rug hooking journeys.

LINDA RUTH'S HUMPHREY

ANNE'S GEOMETRIC

PAM'S STEPPING STONES

MY BUNNIES WITH TULIPS

AUDREY'S MORNING GLORIES

SHELLEY'S TEA POT BOOGIE

GINNY'S FINISHED BLUENOSE SCHOONER

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Whipping - Yes, no, maybe so?

3/19/2014

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I’m a whipping fool. From the very first rug I finished, I loved to whip the edges. Most told me, with rolling eyes, that whipping was tedious and boring and took forever and at first I thought it would be daunting. Until I tried it and took to the chore like a knife running through butter. What a lovely way to finish off a project that has been a labour of love? We spend so much time making these beautiful rugs, lovingly placing each loop to construct an incredible heirloom, these pieces of ourselves that will bring pleasure for years to come, maybe our lifetime! For me whipping is the polished end to a fabulous story.

I’ve heard few rug hookers say the same. Most dread the whipping, try other methods just to avoid it. I’m asked constantly what else can be done? Some say it takes forever and ever and ever so the joy evaporates, sort of taints all the fun of making the rug. Yes, it is a repetitive, somewhat boring, although I hate to use that word…it should be banned from the dictionary so our children don’t get a hold of it!…..but it’s perfect for sitting and watching TV, at a hook-in where chatter is sometimes more prevalent than loop pulling. Think of it as framing a painting, putting that professional polish on your piece.

I’m a fast whipper. That could be why it sits so well with me. I feel the mindless act of a yarn finish is sometimes cathartic, draining away the work and challenge of the rug, slowly winding down as I mentally begin preparation for the next project, the next colour plan and design. It’s the last loving touch on this incredible artistic journey.

I really enjoyed the simplicity of the Log Cabin design. Straight lines almost hook themselves! I hooked the green one first and then thought a cranberry one would be a nice compliment. I hooked it several years ago and just found it in my knitting cabinet, dug it out last evening to start whipping and hope to finish it off at the hook-in tonight.

This is what I’ve learned about whipping. Three yards of 2 ply yarn will whip approximately nine inches along the edge. You don’t pull the wool tight, it is loose but not floppy.   Whipping with cording inside the fold is best to provide a nice rounded edge to work around. Cording also makes for a stiff edge to wrap the yarn around and especially keeps the edge straight if you are working on a round or oval rug.

Whipping should be done with 100% wool yarn and 2 ply works best for cover-ability. One ply might need to be doubled to cover the edge. Using acrylic yarns will pill and attract fuzz and will wear faster.

Buy a decent whipping needle as that makes the work go more smoothly. Any struggling can put you off so have the proper tools. The ones I sell have a large threading hole for those of us who are now into progressive lenses. They are easy to hold in your fingers and also make a larger tunnel than a regular darning needle so the yarn pulls through the hole better, without snagging and knotting.   Spending time correcting snags and unknotting the yarn can be what is turning you off.

I don’t mitre my corners, I find that more bulky than just folding one side and then the other. Sometimes I will go around the corner a bit tighter at first, feed the yarn back to where I started and go over it the second time to ensure the corner edge remains covered.   If there is a bit of backing peeking through on the corner point, I’ve taken a marker and dabbed it to darken so it doesn’t show.

I like my whipping yarn to match the colour of my last row of hooking so I will take the time to dye it to make sure my anal eye is pleased. I do love the professional look like the real wool carpets that are whipped along the sides to protect them. I have no problem if someone says my rug looks machine made. To me that’s a a big ole compliment....it means my rug looks neat.

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Hook-In Times and Dates

3/19/2014

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Daytime Hook-in - Everyone Welcome!
2nd Wednesday of each month
1:00 - 4:00 pm

Nighttime Hook-In - Everyone Welcome!
1st & 3rd Wednesday of each month
7:00 - 10:00 PM

No fees to pay, coffee and tea available...snacks!

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Early to bed, early to rise.....

3/18/2014

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This is close to what hubby described that he saw.

I did something last night that’s so rare I suffered a bout of confusion.

I went to bed before midnight!!!! I switched on the radio alarm which shows a red light and was puzzled by the second little red light above it. As the fog cleared I realized it was the PM light! I rarely go to bed on the left side of midnight and the AM time doesn’t have a light. I was in bed before 11:15 PM, although the initial plan had been to try for 10:00 but wow for me! The best sleep, the restorative sleep is between 10 - 2 and I'd like to take in a bit of that considering I'm probably tempting fate always missing it.

I fell asleep pretty quickly and slept soundly until a strange noise rudely blasted me awake at 6:30. The synthesized musical sounds of nature ripped through the bedroom and it was served with a tongue full of dewy kisses from Jake. The pups sleep like babies until the morning alarm wakes them and then they’re ready for action, so get up mom!!! The culprit was hubby’s phone alarm, set to rise early to catch a glimpse of the International Space Station, ISS, that was reported yesterday to be passing by around that time.

Hubby, my very own ISS, International Silly Scientist bolted out of bed at that ungodly hour expecting me to be just as enthusiastic.   He’s very supportive of my interests so I figured I should fake a bit for his, so I crawled out of bed. Half awake and vertical I was quickly in need of the bathroom and the time it took for me to empty my bladder was just enough to miss the event. The thing had faded from view, losing the light reflection off the solar panels as it traversed the sky. It goes around the earth 15.729 times a day. Hubby said it was as bright as a street light glowing from the other side of the harbor.   Ah well, maybe next time. We both crawled back into bed until my alarm signaled a more respectable beginning of the day!

So why did I go to bed so early considering it’s so out of character for a night crawler like me?  I’ve started a two day fast of 500 calories per day. So far one day in and I’m feeling fine and not at all hungry but last evening we ate dinner as soon as I got home from work so by 9:30 my tummy started growling and I knew if I stayed up late I would be too hungry to go to sleep and all my hard work during the first day of the program would be ruined if I went beyond my 500 calorie limit. So to stave off hunger we had an early evening, at least for us night owls.

I watched a PBS program that did a run down on an interesting fasting regime. When I looked up a 500 calorie list of foods on the net it came up with the 5:2 Fast. You fast for two days and then eat anything (anything!) you want for the next five days and then repeat. There is no serious deprivation involved to put your body in a starvation mode so it stores fat, instead it helps burn fat, lowers blood sugars and the cells repair themselves instead of quickly multiplying which is apparently what causes cancers to form and screws up insulin production. So it sounded pretty simple. The guy who went through the process to prove the point of it all had very interesting results and I’m always looking for ways to lower my blood sugar naturally.   There is no real pain to this, so well worth the effort to see if it will benefit my body.

For breakfast I’ve had a boiled egg, ½ grapefruit and ½ orange. Lunch consists of a small tomato, celery, and a Babybel size of cheese. For dinner I had a deck of cards sized piece of wild salmon, a roasted pepper and 15 pieces of Asparagus.

To take the edge off before bed I did indulged in a mouthful of Dulse which quieted the stomach and let me fall asleep easily. I’m on day two now and I feel really good. We humans eat way too much food and they have proven with lab mice and people, that eating less calories a day prolongs your life and prevents heart disease, kidney problems and other sicknesses such as Diabetes and Dementia.   If we are overweight, that means we eat more food than our body can burn so we store fat. It only makes sense then that a reduction in our intake will burn the access of fat in our system. I am always interested in losing that stubborn 20 pounds that likes to hang on so maybe this will help, but my number one priority is to regulate my blood sugar. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted.

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Family Tree

3/17/2014

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Rough draft of FAMILY TREE OF LIFE

Sunday morning was actually its namesake. A Sun day. As pure gold streamed through our windows, Spring no longer seemed impossible. But....I won’t hold my breath, a lot can still happen. Mother nature is never one to bet on. She has a mind of her own and takes advice from no man.

I fought the urge to go into the shop because I didn’t want to get sucked into the sofa for an afternoon of long naps and intermittent TV per the usual and waste such a gorgeous day. Hubby is home now so I can’t blame loneliness for my laziness. Not that I'm ashamed for him to see me curled up in a ball wasting my day off in dreamland, he would be the first to encourage me to catch up on rest from all those sleepless nights, but I feel guilty that he will be ignored when we share so little time together. I felt we should do something together as a family. He suggested a drive to a beach for a romp with the pack but it was way too cold for me in my jammies.

Our family consists of mom, dad and four poodles and we opted to stay home and take them outside to throw ball up on the garage roof. The gang wiggles and squirms waiting for it to come rolling off the edge and they all jump to catch it in the air. Then they run laps around the yard, the winner of the ball in the lead teasing the rest, who follow in hot pursuit in case it's dropped. Such fun and great exercise but the wind was stabbing through my coat with icepick ferocity so a half hour was all that I could bear.

I played with a design that’s been in the works for a while. I made a rough draft of a family tree with winding branches and the upper limbs have rectangular boxes for the names of loved ones, immediate or otherwise. There's a bit of tweaking before it makes it on backing but I'm over half of the way there. The tree in itself will be interesting and would make a fabulous rug, so the option to not hook names in each box will be a personal choice.   It’s one of those ideas that I started several years ago and got placed on the back burner when other, more pressing items, arose.   My goal this year is to address the half finished stuff and start fresh. It would be nice to be caught up and just jump on a new thought when it arises.

An update on my hair loss.   It’s been over a month and the shower stall no longer looks like the floor of a barbershop. My fingers no longer get entangled in deserting strands as I wash it. The fact that it no longer falls out in droves is a big plus, but I also see new growth around my bang area. I equate this success to the change in my diet, eating more iodine rich foods to deal with a sluggish thyroid and more iron saturated foods for my blood. In time I might develop a taste for dulse but it's a hard chew and swallow but you have to do what you have to do! I felt better and claimed more energy right from the beginning. I am one of those people who truly believe all changes need to come from within. No cream or shampoo was going to help. So I changed my diet to enlist more of the foods that might have been underutilized and sure enough there is success.

I’ve really been working on the stress thing as well. Not letting major things reach the boiling point and trying to laugh off the rest. Really, unless the reaper is knocking at the door what could be so daunting that my hair fell out? Ridiculous really! I won’t say I’ve totally changed, it’s coded in my genes to be who I am, but I can work on things and reduce mountains to molehills. I is what I is, so I won’t change completely but easing up on a few things has definitely helped. So I'm happy and confident that my hair might come back, and the fear of baldness is now a fading memory.

Sunday went by all too quickly as most days off do. On the way to bed I looked over at the chair holding my project and regretted not hooking but being immersed it this craft six days and evenings a week, sometimes I just need some distance from it. That's the curse of making a hobby a job, there has to be a time away to decompress and regroup or you run the risk of burnout.

My aunt phoned mid afternoon and invited us out for dinner but we declined. Well I did. My day off is just that. A day to myself. If I don’t want to shower, dress in daytime clothes or be in public, that’s my choice.   Besides, a call out of the blue doesn’t give me much time to get used to the idea so as soon as it was broached stress crept in. I could feel it rise up and wash over me like a rogue wave.   My breath quickened and panic started to rise in my throat. Enthusiastic hubby took the call and he’s up for anything while I’m screeching in the background “No!”. You could call that man at four in the morning and he wouldn’t even admit he was sleeping, jump out of bed, dress and be out the door on the adventure. Me, not so much. I need advance warning, as much as possible so the idea can grow on me. I need to plan things, work out all the scenarios. I won’t win any contests for spontaneity and I’m perfectly fine with that.

We have a thing this Thursday and I will work into it mentally with careful planning…what to wear, dinner planned and eaten early, dogs to be fed and run, blog done etc. All that will be planned and I’ll be ready to arrive and have a good time. Walking into a situation unprepared is just stressful, not just for me but poor hubby will have to listen to me whine up until we arrive where we're going. He doesn't fully understand why I react so weirdly to social things but he's lived a different set of circumstances and is emotional stable! It could be a learned behavior. My poor mother always lost it getting three kids and a husband who barely qualified as an adult out the door for any event. Maybe I'm pulling a momsy?

So we turned down the invite, the angst melted away and I was back to my comfortable cocoon until I heard him suggest to my my aunt "pop over for a visit". That would mean I would have to shower and tidy up the house, I do have my pride!!! That would mean frantic work and the death of my peace and quiet, stress free day off. I screamed "No" again. So he retracted his invite and politely asked for a rain cheque for later in the week for dinner. My aunt lived with us for three months during her condo renovations so she knows I beat to a very different drum so she probably wasn’t surprised to hear me scream.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

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Funny little things.......

3/14/2014

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SOLAR STORM

What came first, the inspiration or the dyed wool? For this particular piece Shane came up with the spot dyed formula first and then on a trip to the reading room at home, or bathroom as some call it, I found this copy of Canadian Geographic. The fact that we called the wool "Solar Storm" without even seeing the magazine was a fun coincidence. Of course this piece of wool can be used for a lot more than outer space, especially any kind of fall foliage.

FATHER MOON STOCKING

I find naming a piece of wool has as much to do with its success as the look of it. It's an interesting psychology that I like to explore. I'm the kind of person who likes to know why something happens, it's as interesting to me as the outcome to a situation.

Case and point. We had a formula called Blue Heron. It was a beautiful ocean blue or the perfect night sky, but people overlooked it for pieces named for the particular scene they were hooking. Time and time again Blue Heron was offered but the name of a bird didn't inspire any kind of interest for their seascape design. So we changed the name to Night Sky and put it back on the rack. It flew off the shelves like a hot, fresh baked, chocolate croissant. All of a sudden it was the go to piece for all those nighttime scenes and bodies of water. I hooked it into a Christmas Stocking to use as a demo to prove the point that it really made a terrific night sky and then we couldn't keep it in the store.   I find this an interesting study and have used it to name subsequent dye formulas, with practical, self explanatory descriptors.

Another retail phenomena I find interesting and have a laugh over frequently is that if you put food in your mouth someone will either phone or come through the door. The shop can be as dead as a doornail so you sneak away for lunch and as soon as you pop in a bite, bang, someone is there. We joke on days that are slow that we should eat something so someone comes by. If I buy one of those greasy, roast chickens from Save Easy, as soon as I break off a leg and my hands are all slathered up with fat, the phone rings. It's as if there's a little devil at work, like encouraging a bird to poop on the newly washed car. Coincidence? I think not!

Trips to the bathroom are always a mistake. It’s best to hold it because it’s guaranteed you’ll be caught with your pants down, sometimes literally. I sometimes open the front door and look up and down the street to see if the coast is clear, scoot to the bathroom but as soon as my butt hits the throne, the bells rattle on the front door knob as someone comes in or the phone rings. Just try to stop midstream! At this point in my life it's a wonder the faucet shuts off at all, so good luck stopping before the job is done. So now there is a customer somewhere on the other side of the bathroom door, wondering where the heck you might be and you only hope to god they aren’t loading up their purse with wool.

At the old shop location previous to this one, I was caught in the bathroom. A man came in, didn't see anyone so came looking for me. The sliding french doors barely made a sound so I didn't hear him enter the shop or that he was walking towards the dye kitchen and bathroom area. The door was wide open so I could listen for customers and I was just standing up, had flushed and was pulling up my jeans when he rounded the corner and had a full gander at me naked from the waist down. I was quick to pull up the pants but I’m not sure if he saw that the carpet matched the drapes, but he was as red faced as I was as I zipped up and emerged from the room. Thinking back, after the shock I can't remember if I washed my hands which might have been more appalling to him then seeing me naked! We both made nervous jokes to hide the fact that we’d just shared a very intimate moment and he wasted little time making excuses and leaving.  It was one of those tail between the leg scurries as the door banged shut behind him.

I often wonder why these moments are timed so perfectly. Does the universe connect these dots for its entertainment? How can they be so precise, like the timing in a magic act or a skater's routine. How can the very second it takes to pop food in your mouth, a customer walks in. Why not the second before or the second after? It's like a well choreographed act. It's not chance...no way....because it happens every time, like death and taxes you can rely on it! We predict it now, call it before we do it and sure enough we should have placed a wager.

It's like when a crowd of people show up to a restaurant at the same time. Do we all have some sort of global radar that connect moments together. Pee break equals a trip to buy wool?   Am I just unlucky or does this happen to everyone? I’ve never walked into a shop as someone downed a cheeseburger or was momentarily in the bathroom, so why do I have all these experiences? If nothing else it gives me a story to tell but sometimes I’d rather live a boring existence where nothing happens that catches me with black seeds in my teeth or toilet paper in hand.

These two yards of wool are the result of Shane and I playing in the dye pan one Saturday afternoon. Remember back in the day when laundry detergent put free towels in their boxes? The ad showing a woman descending the stairs, wearing a towel to dinner? Would you dare to wear either of these wools to dinner?

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Oy vey, what a day!

3/13/2014

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I must say I felt a bit like Santa at the North Pole yesterday. We loaded up the sleigh....I mean car, with a lot of parcels, to send out to all the good little hookers. More will go tomorrow as there is only so many you can wrap in a day!   We are busy little elves here in hooking land! Michelle does the wrapping and usually the post office run but had an appointment and left early so I had the pleasure of taking them to the post office. Michelle who works for me part time, is a poached employee of Canada Post where she's worked for 30 years, so she is very familiar with the process. I leave your parcels in good hands!

It’s raining cats and dogs right now so the snow will be gone soon. It left a trenched rut in the driveway as it washed away the crushed gravel to the base of the hill. It’s also above freezing so the harbour will be clear of ice soon. Is Spring on its way or is this another tease?

Yesterday we had a bit of excitement when the front door knob fell off. We had to call in reinforcements so Hubby to the rescue. Once again the lifetime warrantee of the very expensive door handle was used. Hubby took the broken parts to the hardware store for replacements and we were back in the business of warmth. It was pretty chilly in the shop for a bit with it open to make repairs. Just one exciting thing after another to keep us hopping.

Shane is leaving for a week’s holiday in the sun. A well deserved vacation. He’s been in the dye pot all week, his skin must be steamed to perfection and the lanolin in the wool makes for velvety soft hands....a perk for his girlfriend! The shop felt like a fast forward movie yesterday, all moving at a hare’s pace. I never got upstairs to blog and by the end of the day I had two grey cells left and that wasn’t enough to fuse together a sentence.

I took the sack of parcels to the post office and then skipped off home after grocery shopping for spare ribs. I put them in the oven and made a beeline for the sofa for a predinner nap. Woke up at 8:00 pm to meat falling off the bone and made a bit of rice and veg and dinner was served. I prefer days that are pumped with adrenalin and the phone ringing all the day long. It's music to my ears. I like the pace of it all. Being fast paced, it works in a bit of exercise, something I never get enough of.

The hook-in was fun. I finally got upstairs after organizing what parcels would be going and I worked on hubby’s bedroom floor mat for his side of the bed.   The highlight was two sisters, showing new projects. Linda Ruth has started Humphrey, a big ole bulldog. It’s not a small rug per the usually for Linda Ruth but this one need to be proportioned to the size of the big boy showstopper.   It’s for the Rug Gallery in her antique barn this summer. Her sister is hooking her own geometric design with a super colour plan. Those two definitely fell from the same tree as their tastes are very similar.

It’s March break right now and usually it's quiet but this year we are buzzing right along. Nancy will be home with her daughter and Michelle is working at the post office so the shop will be quiet as Shane and I don't talk that much when we are in work mode.   He puts his ear buds in and I am in my head until a customer comes in. It’s Shane’s last day before his holiday so we’ll have a few chats about business and the week ahead. I’ll be in the dye pots, something I’m actually looking forward too. I’ve always enjoyed dyeing but don’t get to do much these days. It will be a nice break from the normal day to day stuff. I might play around a bit and work on some things I’ve been thinking about. I’ve just purchased 100 skeins of washed white yarn and want to do a few baskets of just sky and water.   I’ll visualize, execute and enjoy. Love baskets on the floor filled with dyed wool, like a big bag of colourful candy.

I saw a saying this evening. A meal without wine is called breakfast.   Something about that hit the funny bone and I’m thinking it should be made into a rug. I also saw one that said, “I’m so excited about spring I wet my plants” I can see that as clear as day too. Too bad I couldn’t project my thoughts directly on the paper, get rid of the middle man drawing stuff, laser stare it on linen.    I’ve been collecting sayings for years, anything that would translate to a hooked rug...soon time to work on a collection!

HUMPHREY in the making.

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Happy Hilton Head Hooking Happenstance......

3/11/2014

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Hooked, Line and Sinker rug hooking group reels in Sue!

I pouched this picture and caption off of Facebook. Hilton Head Hookers got together last Friday and had a special surprise guest. Sue Cunningham (Encompassing Designs) came from Nova Scotia to thaw out. Zta Lacey (right) was able to show Sue how she interpreted her designs. Below is the link to the Hooked-Line & Sinker group.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hooked-Line-and-Sinker-Rug-Hooking-Club/227113965276

A rug hooking group meets at the Bluffton Library on the 2nd Saturday of each month. The Bluffton Library is located at 120 Palmetto Way in Bluffton which is over the bridge from Hilton Head. If you go over the Cross Island Parkway and continue straight you will come to Rte 46. Take a left on Rte 46 and continue until you reach the roundabout. Continue straight on 46. Palmetto Way will be on your left. Continue on that street and take a right at the end. The library will be straight ahead. We meet at 1:00 tomorrow. The group leader is Deb Walland who is an owner of Seaside Rugs.
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Today’s blog is a special treat. It comes all the way from Hilton Head, South Carolina and all due to a chance phone call last Thursday.

The phone rang and I chatted with Carol Izzo as she ordered two of Sue Cunnningham’s designs, Bottom’s up and Buoyant Beauty. We talked about how much fun Sue's, Women of Abundance designs are and how other women in her group have hooked a couple of them. We get to the part of the order where I ask for the mailing address and when she says Hilton Head, I thought wow….what a small world and definitely less than six degrees of separation for this coincidence!

I informed Carol that Sue was in her neck of the woods at this very moment, escaping the bite of our Nova Scotia winter for a bit fun in the sun. She told me there was a large hook-in the very next day and I asked her to send the information to me so I could forward it to Sue because I knew she would love to drop in to say hi!

Sure enough, Sue and long time artist friend, Jane Rowberry, also vacationing in Hilton Head, dropped by the hook-in. While Jane is an artist of acrylic on canvas, she is known in the rug hooking community for her delightful dory designs which we produce on backing for the shop and are listed on Sue cunningham's page of designs. http://www.encompassingdesigns.com/sue-cunningham.html

The stage was set for a fun day and I’m trying not to think of all the excitement I missed or I might have to wrestle with a little green monster! Really, could there be more fun that meeting a great group of rug hookers under sunny skies and across ocean views?

Below are three of Sue's patterns the gals have hooked or are in process of finishing. Beach Blanket Beauty (top left), Beach Ballet (bottom left) and Full Moon (bottom right).

Left to Right: Carol Izzo (she invited me via email) yours truly, Zita Lacey (she calls my women of abundance the "maidens of menopause") and Deb Walland far right, the group leader and the owner of Seaside Rugs. She's working on her own rug design...a wonderful bright tropical fish as pictured.

These are the other hookers I met at the hook-in who allowed me to take photos of their work. Subject matter ranged from alligators to rabbits, flowers, sun, cats, fish, and women of abundance. A range of own designs, teacher-designed, fine cut and primitive. The thing that struck me at once was the difference in their colour palettes. For the most part, their colours were incredibly bright and cheerful...reflecting the part of the world they take inspiration from...ie the south. As Deb Walland put it "we're all about colour down here". I asked if they did much thrift wool shopping or was most of their wool new? As might be expected, the availability of wool garments is slim here because of the southern climate but once in a very long while, one can come up with an item of wool.

Everyone was extremely warm and welcoming to me as can be expected...that southern hospitality thing. I didn't bring my hooking with me this year, but I will next year as the gals have invited me to join them. They meet at the Bluffton Library every 2nd Saturday. Their space is large, lots of windows and great lighting. I felt right at home and missing my hooking!

Last evening I Googled Hilton Head and noted a lovely, unique looking light house that screamed to be put in a design. So I arrived at work this morning and whipped up with this lovely little pillowtop pattern, size of 18" x 18", with two bathing beauties and the Harbour Town Lighthouse. I've called it Bluffton Bathers. I'm making this hot of the drawing table design, PATTERN OF THE WEEK and if ordered we pay the shipping. To view details on my new designs page click the link: http://www.encompassingdesigns.com/new-designs.html

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Another airport run!

3/10/2014

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I was off to the airport Friday morning to pick up hubby. My car could almost make the trip on its own from this path well traveled.  It’s been a long, lonely winter. He’s now around to keep the home fires burning.....how nice it will be to come home at the end of the day to a toasty house and maybe a hot meal. Once again life will be normal, the pack will be together and all will be well.

Winter won’t seem so cold now. His presence adds warmth to this 140 year old house. When I’m at work during the day the fire burns out and by the time I arrive home there is a nip piercing the air.   The house is well insulated but drafts infiltrate and let the warm air escape.  I like that our house isn’t wrapped in plastic or air tight, but when the north wind penetrates the walls it can be chilly.

When hubby is away, I get a taste of what it is like to live alone. I say I'm a part time widow, the downside to a spouse having to work outside of the province.   I can empathize with women who have lost a husband although mine always comes back at some point, at least he has so far, and that light at the end of my tunnel is what keeps me going. I do understand what it feels like to live alone, it's no picnic. Maybe that's why I have four dogs and talk to myself so much.

Speaking of the pups, they sure go crazy when daddy comes home. I usually take them to air airport but we had errands so this time they had to wait at home. Usually there is jumping and crying as he gets into the car. They dive bomb him, all vying for his attention at once. Four bouncing ping pong balls of hair, scrambling to get as close as possible.  They lick at him feverishly and he tries to ward off their tongues and turn his head to escape the slathering. The frenzy will last for several minutes before it subsides into the usual calm…that's when he finally looks at me and says "hi".    I chuckle to myself and don't burst his bubble. They act the same silly way when I leave and come back after a short jaunt to the grocery store . Foolish, wonderful little dogs. They make us feel so special! When we arrived home they went a bit nuts, whimpering as they clambered all over him on the sofa and then ran around squeaking their toys and balls as if in a parade. So cute to watch.!

We had to go into the city for some supplies. Hubby was tired after an all night flight but he's a trooper. Costco is the best place to buy vinegar in bulk and sharpie markers are cheaper there than at Staples. Then of course I look around to see what's new to tempt me. I go a little crazy at Costco. All the products mesmerize me. I move quickly up and down the isles grabbing things off the shelves and stuffing them into the cart. Then before I head to the cashier counter the spell is broken and I look down at the damage and retrace my steps and start putting the unnecessary stuff back. I still can't get out of there without blowing a ton of money but how much toilet paper and garbage bags do you need all at once. We need to have room in the car to drive home!

I bought the Belgian chocolates they always have. Wrapped in divine packaging for the seasons....how can one resist even if blood sugar is a problem. I am satiated just looking at the box but hubby likes a chocolate or two in the evenings so we'll have to open them at some point. I just need to figure out how to cut the bottom out of the box so the chocolates come out without damaging the wrappings. The boxes are so pretty and Springish!

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Next Daytime Hook-In....come and join us!

3/8/2014

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No fees to pay. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be served.

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Two Day Special!!!!

3/6/2014

4 Comments

We did it!
4009 "LIKES" on FaceBook and counting!
Thanks to everyone for making our page a success!
So lets commemorate this landmark with a special!
https://www.facebook.com/EncompassingDesigns?ref=hl

Any pattern in the $40.00 - $49.95 range will have free shipping!
As long as the burlap price is in that range you can order the linen pattern even though the price is 35% more.
You can order as many as you like...share with friends!
Today and Friday only!!!!

Free shipping is only for the pattern or patterns. Shipping free in North America only.

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What came first, the wrinkles or the glasses?

3/5/2014

8 Comments

Everywhere you look there are ads and infomercials for fitness. I saw some things on FB the other day about flattening that middle aged tummy.   Of course all the models are 16 and wouldn’t know what body breakdown is all about. If only they’d feature someone my age, my body shape and size, but then how much would they sell? We all know it’s a lost cause, the most we can hope for is not to pee when we laugh. Flat tummy at my age my arse! Well…actually my arse is about all that’s flat these days, it’s dropped and merged with the back of my thighs…and I won’t get started on my chest. And that tummy area is more like the beginning of an inflated beach ball, growing larger every year. These days it's soft enough to push down into my jeans but there will come a day when I'll have to buy high riser pants or deal with the muffin top. Didn't we used to call that a love handle?

Sure it's important to stretch and flex, do a bit of resistance training to keep our strength…improve the poor little neglected stomach muscles below the flabby skin. At this point in our lives it’s time to throw away the bikini and the delusions that lie when we do mirror mirror….. Be real….let’s face it, the only six pack available to the over fifty is at the liquor store. The days of wrinkle free are over. No matter how slim we might be the skin is loose and shimmies when we walk. Bend over and look at your face in a mirror…I say no more….

I’m not trying to be a downer. I’m fine with aging gracefully. I wouldn’t go back to tight and firm for all the tea in China. I am the happiest I’ve ever been.   I’m like wine, I improve with age and the stuff in my head far outweighs what’s going on below the neck. I don’t mean to say that we should ignore our physical selves, we have to keep that strong to carry around our developing brains, it’s just a shift from bottom to top in importance.

Buying into all this fountain of youth stuff is just sad. Ask the dermatologists, there is not one cream or electrical device that will slow down or stop the aging process, we’ve spending billions of dollars to halt something that will come no matter what…it’s like stopping a freight train with a feather. We need to accept and be happy with who we are, no matter what our size, shape or age. Really, would we trade what we have now for what we had back then?   Superficial, youthful vanity stuff?   We’re real now! Embrace it! I'm so much happier when someone tells me they love my rug hooking than I ever was being wooed by a flattering man because I was youthful and firm, or maybe I'm just to old to remember the sensation.....?

What we do have to look forward too is mental perfection. We never stop learning. We throw ourselves into creative exercise, we expand our horizons and embrace new things that stimulate and excite. No more 2o year old hormone distractions. We are serious now, we want to unite with friends and do like minded things, share enthusiasm for what we love. Someone hand me a cane so I can get down off this soap box....

Which brings me to the point I hope to make. There’s no yin and yang when it comes to rug hooking and exercise. They mix as well as oil and water. It's a sit on your backside endeavor which does little for physical fitness. Maybe your brain is alive and stimulated but this craft brings you as close to a being a couch potato as you can get. Okay, so you sit in a chair, that’s just splitting hairs.....

This is the one thing I don’t like about rug hooking. All the sitting! I have that rule where I only cut what I can use in a ½ hour time-frame so I have to get out of my seat and move but it’s just a shuffle to the dining room table, not a 25 yard sprint. Hooking is about as sedentary as you can get. If only there was a way to strap the hooking frame to a treadmill or bicycle. I hooked for several hours last evening and my right leg fell asleep, my fingers tingled at one point until I shifted position, my neck felt tight and my butt lost all feeling. My body was sending me a message which I choose to ignore…between The Voice auditions and the hooking, I didn’t move.

And about my face.....I must confess there were delusions going on in my head up until a week or so ago, but they were slammed to the pavement when I picked up my new glasses. Shock wasn’t really the word to describe that first look in the mirror. After my eyes left the contours of the new, dark plastic, frames they settled on the face behind them and I could see every crack, every crevice, every line skirting across my skin, swirling in circular patterns from my cheeks to my chin. Laugh lines were more like trenches!   I had the same reaction to our very first High Definition TV. You could see every flaw and pore on the actor’s faces and the pancake makeup trying to hide the zits.   So obviously my old frames weren’t doing their job, but these new ones are over-achievers! My tongue engaged before my brain could silence it and I screeched rather loudly how old I was looking, throwing in a few OMG’s and one holy crap to stress the point.

It's obvious the secret to looking younger is old prescription glasses. Everything has a soft and fuzzy glow, like air brushing. These new glasses added ten years to my face and I paid good money to find out I'm starting to look like a prune!

Anyway, it’s a done deal. There’s no turning back the clock, and no face cream that will abate this downhill trek. It’s all about maintenance now, trying to keep what we have for as long as possible. There won’t be any Joan River’s craziness performed on me. I’ll age gracefully like my friends and all those that came before me. I did reel a bit from the slap in the face of last week’s new specs and spent a lot of time in front of the mirror acclimatizing myself to the current truth of me, but now that my brain has caught up to reality I’m doing fine…..

Yippee! Yippee! Yippee!

On another note……I am reaching a landmark on Facebook… maybe even today! I’m only 9 more “Likes” away from reaching 4000!!!!! I’m very proud of everyone single one of those likes… I work hard posting multiply pictures and stories each day to entertain and inform. If you would like to join me on this ride, please give me a LIKE to put me over the top! I post more eye candy on Facebook than I do on my blog as there is a lot of stuff happening all the time so if you don’t want to miss anything you know what to do! Thanks everyone!!!!! If not for you I would not be here! I appreciate and love you all! Click the link to join me!
https://www.facebook.com/EncompassingDesigns

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Wishing on a wishbone....

3/4/2014

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"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone" Reba McEntire

Shane and I posing with our last Christmas turkey wishbone.

How many of you remember breaking the Christmas turkey breast bone after it dried sufficiently on the windowsill? As kids we would fight over who would get a turn even though it was remembered who had the favour the previous year! That was important stuff, the chance to make a dream come true! Like blowing out candles on a birthday cake it was not to be dismissed lightly!

Sunday I had a fit of conscience and decided to get down and dirty with cleaning my house. I was dusting around the orchids on the windowsill and found the bone from the Christmas turkey. Hubby is coming home in about a week, which is the reason for the clean, and we'll break it then. I don't think there's a stature of limitation on making a wish, at least I hope not?

I don't advertize this to the competition but I have an edge. The further down you wrap your pinky around the bone the more chance it will break in your favour. It's not cheating, it's knowledge gained from years of experience. I was a clever kid, I liked to figure things out and because turns came around slowly when sharing with five household members, you had to get it right on your turn or wait for one to two years to make that wish come true. Justifiably, all's fair in love and wishbone breaking.

The picture is Shane and I doing a pretend hold in the way I was taught by my parents. I looked online to find a good photo and discovered that my family held the bones a bit differently for the procedure. Most hold it with the V up and use the pointer and thumb to hold the end. We always held it with the V part down with our baby finger wrapped around the bone. It's a weaker digit so you have to tug more to get it to break.

If you are curious like me, you might be asking where this wishbone cracking custom came from? It all started with the Romans who pulled apart chicken clavicles hoping for good fortune. As far as historians can tell, they were really into their chickens, and believed that the birds were oracles that could predict the future. They exploited the chickens' supposed gifts by turning them into walking Ouija boards with a bizarre ritual known as "rooster divination" They would draw a circle on the ground and divide it into wedges representing the letters of the alphabet. Bits of food were scattered on each wedge and a chicken was placed in the center of the circle. As the bird snacked, scribes would note the sequence of the letters that the bird pecked at, and the local priests would use the resulting messages to divine the future and answer the city's most pressing questions.

When a chicken was killed, the furcula was laid out in the sun to dry so that it could be preserved so people would still have access to the oracle's power even after eating it. People would pick up the bone, stroke it, and make two wishes on it, hence it's modern name. The practice made it to England in the 16th century with it was referred to as a "merrythought." Of course it was only a matter of time before it came to the New World with English settlers, who began using turkey bones as well as the chickens. The term wishbone didn't emerge until the med-1800's around the time President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. What hasn't changed is the rules. Each person grabs an end and gives a yank. If you get the bigger piece, your wish will be granted.

Is this still a tradition in your family?

"When I was a kid in Indiana, we thought it would be fun to get a turkey a year ahead of time and feed it and so on for the following Thanksgiving. But by the time Thanksgiving came around, we sort of thought of the turkey as a pet, so we ate the dog. Only kidding. It was the cat!"
David Letterman

4 Comments

Cotton Dish Cloths

3/3/2014

4 Comments

I don't think I have the skill to knit my way into a sweater but that doesn't stop me from fooling around with the craft. I've made the odd scarf, odd being the key word. I have a problem with tension so it looked like an hour glass, too tight, too loose, too tight and so on. I do like the feel of knitting, the clicking of the needles reminds me of the "chirping of the sparrows', the sound made by shuffling Mahjong tiles.

I do like knitting cotton dishcloths. Long ago, I discovered them at a craft sale and started making my own ever since. They seem more forgiving, probably due to their small size. I can almost manage to finish one without dropping a stitch and making a hole. I've tried a few patterns, mostly simple squares. I can knit as long as nothing happens, if I drop a stitch, I'm not able to figure out how to make it right and that means either unraveling it all or accepting the hole. Every dishcloth I knit seems to have one hole. I just can't seem to knit any kind of perfection. I guess like me they're flawed and therefore special! If anyone asks, I say I do it purposely, the hole represents a place to put my finger to hang on to the cloth.

I held a rug hooking workshop at the studio a few years back and Bette Young gave me this round dishcloth instruction. I screwed it up six million times and she fixed it for me....the patience of Job that woman! It was definitely challenging for me with all the counting and being distracted. I like the roundness of this design. I've posted the knitting instructions as a picture file if you wish to copy and paste it to print off.

I have a fabulous Martha Washington side table that holds all of my hooking tools and knitting supplies. The sides each have flip up tops that expose deep pockets that take the length of the knitting needles nicely. The front drawers are perfect for hooks and whipping needles, thread and all the notions needed for crafts.

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