September 2010

You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2010.

Twangy, lofty, earthy, and ready to party.  It’s back to school!

“High on Your Love” –  Kings Go Forth

“California Stars” –  Billy Bragg and Wilco

“Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” – The Allman Brothers

“What I Wouldn’t Do” – A Fine Frenzy

“Search Your Heart” – Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson

“Big Jet Plane” – Angus & Julia Stone

“I’mma Break it Down” – Eazy-E

“Une Annee Sans Lumiere” – Arcade Fire

“I Summon You” – Spoon

“Cornbread and Butterbeans” – Carolina Chocolate Drops

“Girls” – Beastie Boys (A little trivia – according to the Oxford English Dictionary, they have the first recorded use of the word “mullet!”)

“A Pillow of Winds” – Pink Floyd

“Sigh No More” – Mumford & Sons

“So Far Away” – Carol King

“Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”  – She and Him

“Rien de Rien” – Osi

“Love Street” – The Doors

“Dead Flowers” – The Rolling Stones

Tags:

Necessary

In the realm of Nature, there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary.

Maimonedes, The Guide for the Perplexed

Tags:

1955 Buick:

Chevrolet:

1957

1968 Camaro

I’m pretty sure the Walton’s drove this truck –

Ford:

1955

I can’t remember the year (1940-ish?), but how about the beautiful chrome?

1962 Falcon.  A friend of mine drove one in high school.  Complete with backfires and a muffler that occasionally dragged and threw up wild sparks, hers was much less glam.

Packard:

1932

Ostentatious

Yet, utterly and completely perfect.

1940 Pontiac

Tractors!

Sweet Bunny Love:

Baby Goat

Are you talking to me?

A wee family of mice made from potatoes, carrots, chives, cloves, and beans.

Mark with Segovia the Llama

Ahh, the State Fair.  I would love to kiss the person who invented the institution, for there are few activities that I enjoy more.  It’s a magical combination of earth, animals, food, and gaiety, all that is important and essential in life in one place.  My spirits cannot help but be buoyed and soothed, despite the crowds and lively organized chaos of it all.

Though Willie didn’t make an appearance this year, it was no less splendid for these two urbanites, as there was so much to occupy the hours.  First on the list, food, and more specifically deep fried.  For it isn’t a true fair experience without the hiss and splatter of hot oil, indeed.  We had corn dogs and a giant elephant ear, though it wasn’t THE giant.  How people manage that one, I cannot fathom.  Then there was a heavenly smoked barbecued sandwich, accompanied by sweet spicy beans and tangy slaw.  We topped it all off with cheesy kettle corn and the soothing quiet necessary from over stimulation.  People! Cars!  Rides! Food! People! Quilts! Crafts! Animals! People!

As usual, 4-H was the highlight for us.  There is something very special about these kids.  Fearless, patient, proud, and so down to earth, I could talk to them about living on a farm, raising animals, and life in general all day (though I know better – they have work to do!).  Which brings me to this last photo.  Mark and his sister Suzie (I wish I had a photo of her – she’s got lashes to rival any llama!) are the children of friends we’ve known since first moving to Oregon.  They epitomize everything I love about 4-H.  They are whip smart, highly interested and educated, and never seem to tire of ignorant city slickers like me asking all kinds of questions, smiling and laughing even, taking everything in stride.  Like when Segovia decided during the middle of the obstacle course that it was time to take care of business, number one and two, Mark patiently waited, never ruffling – calm, cool, collected until the job was done.  Gotta love that – and the fair!

Tags:

Harmony

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?

Albert Camus

Tags:

Here it is, my friends, quilt number two, aptly named Strawberry Fields.

I am so very, very pleased with the way this turned out.  I love the combination of colors – the deep red paired with the acid green is so darn cheery, a sunny country morning in a field of strawberries, not to mention all the cute polka dots.  Have I ever shared my love for the polka dot with you?  Zowie!  It is ever so true.  I fretted a bit over the arrangement of the squares, wondering if I should try for random or the highly organized fashion that is the end result.  I just don’t think I have that in my genes.  I am an ordered person, so I’m glad I did it this way.  It’s very pleasing to follow lines of strawberries, dots, and greens.   The fact that I got the binding right this time (many thanks to the Connecting Threads tutorial on YouTube) is the juicy sweet strawberry on top!

If you’re wondering, I didn’t use a pattern.  I had a particular size of batting left over from my first quilt, so the size was determined.  When I looked through my stash, I loved the combination of the mixed greens, polka dots, and strawberries, but it wasn’t nearly enough fabric.  So I went to Fabric Depot, samples in hand, and found the right combination to tie it all together.  Rather than have the back be entirely polka dotted, I decided to really tie it in with the front, so it’s almost a continuation.  I like it!

Speaking of liking, sweet Paris likes it too, so much so that I think she believes it is HERS.  As I was tying it, she tried to get up on my lap, not once, but four times, eventually lying on a corner on the floor, not budging.  I got up to turn the music down, and she immediately took her place upon it, growling when I moved her back to her little spot.  See that menacing look up there?  Very real!  Once I finished, we shared it, me happily, Paris somewhat grudgingly.

It should come as no surprise that I think I am a quilter now and kind of wish I had discovered it sooner.  It is such pleasing work!

Newer entries »