Knitting, Botany, Mycology, Nature, Adventure, and Life... in no particular order.
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Spring Mayhem
I really have nothing new to report with my knitting. I’ve been devouring the Maggie Sefton knitting mysteries and the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books. When I say devouring I mean at an average rate of 1 a day.
Other than that the trees really whalloped me this year and now grass season is starting. I have been exhausted and drippy. Not so awesome. Despite that my fella and I managed to have a lovely day on Wednseday and get down to the Common as well as see Thor 3D. We spent time together hanging out and being a bit amazed we’ve been dating for 9 years already. It feels like both yesterday and always that we’ve been together.
Hopefully soon I will get my act together and have either more knitting to show or a porch with happy plants, or both!
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Grandma’s Lessons
Some of my favorite things I learned from my Grandma
- It is perfectly acceptable to pass on a double yellow
- Compost is pretty much the best thing ever
- Driving a standard is the only car to drive
- Always peel towards yourself
- The best flaky pastry is always made with Lard
- Sleeping with the windows open is good for you, even in the winter, when it is wicked cold. Just wear a hat.
- Always wear a hat in the winter. Always. (Go put one on right now!)
- If you’re tall enough to stand at the counter you’re old enough to use a pairing knife
- Gardening makes you strong (and gives you a way to use all the compost)
- Scrapple is AWESOME
(Note: none of the grandchildren ever were injured, but perhaps you should consider avoiding 4 & 8 if you have small children… just in case. They’ll probably be fine though.)
Video
Broken Heart in ASL. I saw this on another blog I read and thought it might be one of the best things I have ever seen. 1. It uses the f-bomb a lot, and totally appropriately.(probably still NSFW) 2. I didn’t know this song before but now I have to go get it.
Hope you enjoy
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V Day
Happy Saint Valentine’s Day!
Wait, who’s Saint Valentine… well, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia, the holiday was founded in 496 AD and was in reference to more than one martyr named Valentine. (Apparently we can blame good old Geoff Chaucer for making it about romantic love, maybe.) We are perhaps celebrating the Valentine of Rome and the Valentine of Terni. Ultimately though, it is not known what Valentinus’s acts were and romance did not enter into the equation till the 14th century, and in 1969 the feast day was removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints. Apparently most of the thoughts linking Valentine’s to love with the story about the priest marrying people against the law, which is part of the Legenda Aurea.
Ok, so what does all that mean today. Well to me it means a lot of nothing, especially with the over-commercialization and the pressure to spend money. I think remembering to tell people you love them is good, and making Valentine’s cards as a kid was fun (or for co-workers in past years). To me it also makes me angry that the commercialization also makes many people feel like it is wrong that they are single. Wanting to be in a relationship is wonderful, but feeling like you are supposed to be on one is not. Sometimes it is great to be single!
So, on to V-Day! Happy V-Day! Thanks to playwright Even Ensler and her work The Vagina Monologues (which you can also get the book and read) the there is an additional meaning. It is the celebration of being a woman. It is a recognition of our biology and sexuality. It is about our fears and societal pressures. And it has turned into a movement to stop violence against women and girls. If you have a chance to go see a performance (they are performed on many college campuses as well as other places) do go and see it. Be prepared to feel shocked, embarrassed, uncomfortable, proud, and angry. Possibly even to feel like now you want to try to make a difference in the world.
That too is love you know.
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Best Present Ever
The other night a good friend of mine dropped off a present for me. The best. present. ever.
So, there is some back story here, in case you found the force of the sheer awesomeness a bit random. (Though why would you really)
First, my friend is a great and wonderful person who also has a baking and pastry degree and is expaning her portfolio. Second, I really really love Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman is one of my (fictional) heroes. Not the T&A Wonder Woman, but the original one created by William Moulton Marston in 1941. The one created to be a symbol of feminsim and freedom and encouragement. The one who saved people and who told little girls they could be whatever they wanted. Also the one written and illustrated by some of the great women comics artists in the 80’s.
At one point years ago I decided I should look into getting a good costume to wear under my clothes in secret on those days you know are going to be really hard, to help get through them. Instead, a couple years ago I opted to get a WW symbol as a tattoo for my birthday. (You may not see pictures. It is hidden away most of the times in a tasteful spot because I got it for ME, not to show the world.) It helps to represent things I feel are important as well as be some extra personal support and confidence.
So yeah, chocolate, baked goods, WW and hours of love end effort pretty much combine to make the best gift in the history of the universe. That’s right, the UNIVERSE! (And if you disagree then you certainly aren’t invited over to share in my dessert.)
