Today I have my surgical consultation for the discovery of atypical ductal hyperplasia. I’ve been waiting two weeks for this to discuss and schedule it. Up until today I’ve carried on normally, but today I’m as tense as an overstretched rubber band.
I haven’t got more to share, although I do have another letter. Bean continues to practice cutting and was able to cut some of the triangles with assistance. I now present the letter t: tools and triangles!
Bean and I made this together. I set it up, she sprinkled stuff on it (confetti, sequins, jewels, feathers), squirted glitter glue, and I finished it off. Contact paper is wonderful stuff!
A few days later I made a quick collage in a few spare moments in my art journal. I call it “Store Up Treasures in Your Heart”; it’s on 7 x 9 inch sketch paper. I’m attempting to make a little time more frequently for my own creating.
We continue to create our way through the alphabet!
Piano and pennies…
Feeling quiet on the blog these days. Did a painting on a 24×36″ canvas — my first one. All that blank white canvas felt a bit daunting, but I did enjoy mooshing paint around. I also used oil pastel on details.
Bean and I are getting into the spirit of the next holiday:
And we are continuing to create our way through the alphabet!
We’ve had an abundant crop of Meyer lemons (as well as other lemons and oranges). I usually juice them and freeze them in cubes. But this time I wanted to preserve some and use them for later cooking. I made four jars. It was simple, and making them was such pleasure. They are gorgeous!
One day, about a week ago, Bean desperately wanted to celebrate a birthday. She wanted it to be hers, and she cried a bit over the fact that it wasn’t. But she wanted cake and to sing the song. So I did a little research for a literary figure born on that day. I found the poet, Helen Hoyt, was born on the day in question. We explored the poetry a little at the Poetry Foundation, and I baked each of us a little cake. We sang happy birthday to her. We’ll be doing that again, I’m sure!
Lastly, I bought fresh gnocchi on a whim. I didn’t have a tomato sauce to use, and I wanted to do something different with it. So I sauteed zucchini in olive oil with basil and a few sliced preserved Meyer lemons. I really enjoyed it, but two-thirds of the household diners did not like it as much. One said the lemon made it bitter. I’ll need to find other uses for the lemon.
So, if you’ve been wondering why I’ve been quiet here since January 19th, this post is your answer!
About ten years ago — more than, probably — I found a fabric I loved. I didn’t sew then, but I bought some. When we moved in, I hung it in Bean’s room with push-pins as a makeshift curtain. There wasn’t enough to make curtains for the window, but it did block some of the morning light. Husband finally said the other day, “It’s time to buy some curtains for her room.”
My response was, “No way, I can make them. I promise!” Somehow my sense of motherhood had been threatened! {Gasp!} (Not really, but it seemed ridiculous to spend a lot of money on curtains when I had the means to make them myself.) I had been saying I’d make curtains for months. Well, 2011 arrived, and it was time. So I took the fabric — black background with vivid blue butterflies — to Joann Fabrics to find a complementary color fabric in an amount to help cover the window. Then I measured, cut, measured again, ironed, sewed, ironed some more, sewed some more, and voila! I had curtains. Husband got a rod at Lowe’s and by the end of Saturday, January 1, Bean had curtains. Finally! They are not perfect, but only if you look really hard up close can the flaws be found. I’m inordinately proud of them. I will probably make more later in the spring from a lighter fabric, since her current favorite color is yellow.
Now I’ve got a mind to make some valences for the guest bedroom and office…
From Recuerda Mi Corazon, read The Perfect Scent of Pine — a lovely, heartfelt, poetic tribute to Christmas. I hope that when Bean is grown, I will be able to grace paper with words in a similar way.
Let there be light and joy in your heart; may you hear music that sends your soul afloat; and may your heart, as Rebecca says, be broken the way you want it to be broken.
I haven’t been knitting much this year. My last project I resisted — I just didn’t like how the yarn handled and was uninspired (it was a project for someone else). In late summer I made a wool-silk blend scarf, short and lightweight, to use as an accessory on cool days. It provides just the right amount of warmth without being bulky. I had neglected to post about it, so here is a photo:
Recently I visited my local yarn shop and bought more of the same kind of yarn in different colors. I’ve decided I want more scarves like this one to mix things up. I’ll also make some handwarmers as well!
Today’s project! She ate almost as much candy as she put on the house. And ironically (is it?) she also had a dental appointment this morning (for which she was most calm and cooperative, and her teeth are just dandy).
Outside my window… I see rain falling and a gray sky.
I am thinking… about the health of our cat, Stella. Tomorrow we’ll take her to the vet.
I am thankful for… a good night’s sleep.
From the kitchen… I have fresh homemade bread.
I am wearing… the usual — jeans, turtleneck, knit vest, with a pair of colorful new earrings to add dash.
I am creating… glittery wood ornaments as gifts for friends.
I am going… to wrap gifts this evening.
I am reading… chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14 again in Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life.
I am hoping… we all stay well the next few weeks!
I am hearing… the sounds of leaf-raking, an airplane descending to the airport, and boys skateboarding.
Around the house… lots of wrapping to do, the never-ending sweeping, and preparing to make a gingerbread house with Bean.
One of my favorite things… is getting personal email.
A few plans for the rest of the week: getting on the bike at 7:30 each day, and finding some time to just sit before bed.
Here is picture I am sharing..
Post idea borrowed from Surfside Serenity.
A serendipitous moment last Saturday resulted in this photo of a kiss:
Our Christmas preparations are carried out with great enthusiasm and anticipation. Age three is a wonderful time for the magic of the season.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in this house! Bean is especially excited.
Our tree (before the star topper was decorated):
I made the star 25 years ago when I was broke, using tin foil and cardboard. Bean added glue and glitter!
Santa’s little elf can’t wait for Christmas. Every gift I wrap that she gets her hands on goes under the tree.
I glued the little wood spoons that come with sherbet cups. Then Bean painted both sides, and put glue on, and then put the sequins and star on (both sides).
And our stockings are hung by the chimney with care.
Our advent calendar (which now has two ornaments stuck to it).
And yesterday, Bean said, “Santa Claus makes special love so I feel happy in my heart and my heart feels love for everyone, and when they feel my big love I give them hugs and kisses.” Of course, she also wants a zillion toys from him too, but I think she understands the essence of the holiday. We read her picture books about the baby Jesus too, so she will understand the correlating story about this time of year.
It’s all about celebrating light and love this time of year.
We made a simple craft today, a list of what Bean is thankful for. I wrote them down as dictated. Note the last item on the list. Also note that if it weren’t for my prompting, “Are you thankful for me?” I wouldn’t have made the cut. (I do feel a tinge of chagrin/shame that I manipulated myself onto the list.)
Earlier this year I made colored rice for Bean to play with. She played with it a lot outdoors last summer, and it had faded and gradually thinned out as it got scattered about. So I made more this week (along with small batches and dyed noodles for crafts). For a burst of color, see below.
Leaf turkey with leaves from our yard!
Turkey apple made in preschool!
Letter I (Island) and i (ice cream) crafts…
Indian Corn
Paper Bag Town 1
Paper Bag Town 2
I’ve wanted to have an apple dessert that doesn’t require the fuss of a crust. Sometimes I just don’t want to bother with making the crust, and Bean wants to help make things too. So I found a crumble recipe. The first version didn’t turn out superbly, so I tinkered with the ingredients, with the following result.
It was sublime. It’s a bit richer and sweeter than a pie (so smaller servings satisfy), since a pie crust is basically flour, butter, and little salt, while the crumble has sugar and spices in it. It really turned out well. Here’s my recipe (for a 10-inch wide, 2-inch deep pie pan):
Apple Crumble
6-8 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp. tapioca (or 1.5 Tbsp. flour)
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
Mix the apple slices together with the other ingredients and put it into a 10-inch pie pan.
2 cups flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 sticks of butter
1 ¾ cups rolled oats
Mix the first five ingredients together. Cut the butter into small pieces and use your fingers to mix butter into flour mixture until it looks like coarse sand. Mix in oats. Put the mixture on top of the apple slices; press down lightly. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
I was sick of my hair. Long (for me), hot, shaggy, all over the place, drab. So I changed it. Presto! New me, at least externally and above the neck.
I also dragged out the sewing machine finally, and figured out how to thread it. Bean says she wants to be a ghost for Halloween, so I made her a costume. Unfortunately, she won’t actually keep it on. It’s not that she doesn’t like it; she plays a came of “on and off.” But I did it. I’m so proud of myself. Do you know how hard it is to sew a curve, or a 60-inch circle?
Because I’m not sure she’ll wear the costume, I also bought her a witch had and black tutu, and I made her a little cape. So as a backup she can be a witch if she wants. And all this will go in the dress-up basket too.
We made some today. Sequins make life sparkle!
I also received a bread maker from a friend’s friend, hardly used. My first loaf of whole wheat bread was quite delicious. I just need to learn to slice evenly. (It makes great pizza dough too.)
We are back, we’ve been back, we had a wonderful trip. I just haven’t had time to sit quietly and write about it. However, we have been crafting!
The weekend was fast! So much happened. We went to a toy store and bought a tricycle that one of Bean’s relatives is giving for her third birthday. The funny thing about all this is that in the store, the only toys that captivated Bean were the stuffed animals. She was hugging them, playing with them, using her imagination and having them say and do things. She had zero interest in the trike at the time, and even less interest in the other stuff packed into the small store. Makes me wonder when we’ll be getting a dog, since that is her very favorite of all time beloved animal. However, she did get into the trike once we got home.
Then later in the evening, we made our first backyard campfire. We were waiting until it was dark enough early enough so we could still have a reasonable bedtime. The fire pit was a housewarming gift from a relative. (Hey EP, it might look different to you, and that’s because it is. The first one was just huge for our patio space, so we exchanged that for the one in the photo.) We roasted marshmallows, which Bean decided she didn’t like. She likes them uncooked. And she likes chocolate. And graham crackers. Just not all together in the form of a s’more. Mmmmm, I enjoyed some!
Bean was learning about heat radiation and how to figure out the safest distance.
This evening I was puttering in the garden, and I gasped when I saw the flower below. I was beginning to wonder if they’d ever bloom. Bean calls them Morning Glorias. It was the first batch of seeds we planted right after we moved in. I see a ton of buds on the vines now, so we’re in for a full bloom soon.
