Finished!

I finished the binding on this quilt! This is "number 5 of five" quilts in a two-year project, which I began in January '07. Sixteen months is all it took.

These five quilts are gifts for this Christmas. Now I have to wait seven months before I can see them opened by their recipients.

It's gonna be a long summer.

I'm Susan!

I thought it would be fun to take this quiz, since Prince Caspian is coming out on the 16th. I'm most like Susan, which I guess means I'm the*Responsible* one! Just once I'd love to be the "fun," "childlike" one, but I never, never am, and, of course, that isn't my temperament anyway!

Maybe you'd like to take the quiz, too. (I'd love to see my son Don Quixote's results...)

Which Chronicles of Narnia character are you most like? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Susan Pevensie Susan Pevensie 80% Aslan 77% Mr. Tumnus 63% Edmund Pevensie 63% Lucy Pevensie 53% Peter Pevensie 47% Mrs. Beaver 40% Mr. Beaver 34% Oreius 30% The White Witch 20% Ginarrbrik 10%

News, News, Good News

MacGuyver (seen here in-between Alvin Fernald and Johnny Tremain) called me on Thursday with the BestNewsInTheEntireUniverse!!!!!!

He is moving "home" in June! (well, almost...)

He has been in New York City for the past two years. He and his girlfriend Tiny Dancer will be moving to A City In Indiana That Is Two Hours Away. Just two hours! Not a "plane ticket" away.

Oh, we have missed him.

Oh, we will love on him. He has been home only twice since he moved. He has missed a few family events (including this past Christmas).

Watch out, MacGuyver. Hugs and kisses are comin' your way. Better stock up on Chapstick...

The Four-Twenty-One Club

Today is Joe Hardy's birthday. Twenty-nine, people. My little darlin' is twenty-nine.

Well, enough of that. Saying it over and over just makes me feel OLD.

Joe is a member of the Four-Twenty-one Club. (as in, April 21st.) He is one of five members of our family to share that birthday. Charming's sister was born on April 21st, Easter Sunday, in 1957. That is the last time that Easter was on April 21st, as well.

Next in line is my brother, born in 1960. His second son was born on his birthday in 1985. (nice birthday present, what?)

Finally, my Joe Hardy's cousin has a son born on The Day in 2004. That makes five members. Joe is the Middle Member (so far!) as well as the Linking Member--two others from my side of the fam, and two from Charming's.

I just love little random things that make life interesting, don't you? I also love that Randomness says that this can happen. For instance, when I am making a quilt, and I want the colors to be "random," I tend to place the colors "randomly," but never two of the same color net to each other . But, say you are throwing a handful of jacks. You may have three of them on top of each other, and others spaced apart, but un-evenly. So you see, having five people in your extended family with the same birthday *can* happen randomly.

[Cool, huh? But not as cool as MY birthday. Up until ten years ago, I had only met two people who shared my birthday. (except for Michael Jackson, but he doesn't count.) Then I find out that two other people who lived on my block have the same birthday as I.]

Randomly cool. That describes Joe Hardy pretty well!

It's a Cat's Life

Our cat, Sherman, found a plush spot smack in the middle of a pile of freshly laundered (and still warm) fabrics.

Naturally, as I pressed the fabrics, my lint-roller was nearby!

Baby Day

Yesterday, Charming's day off, was Visit The Grandbabies Day. We stopped by in the morning to see Blueberry...
...and six-week old Oxford:

Forget-me-not is so-so lucky to have such a good helper:

Next stop was Lily's house. I tried to take a photo of two-week-old Cambridge while he was softly sleeping. Instead, the flash woke him up:

Junior Asparagus, Laura Carrot, and Sweet Pea wanted to pose with their Daddy, who was home for lunch. It's pretty cool to work five blocks from home!

Finally! Cambridge woke up for Grandma:

There is not a more-fun day in the universe, than seeing your grandbabies. I am blessed, blessed, blessed that they live close enough to see all the time.

Today, Charming is working, but he has Friday and Saturday off, and We Are Going Away By Ourselves!

'Nuff said.

Funny Find

I'm re-reading The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter. I did not notice the Dedication page, the first time through reading it:

This portion of the life of a man of to-day is offered
in the hope that in cleanliness, poetic temperament and mental force, a likeness
will be seen

to

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

And, if that weren't cute enough, on the page opposite, I find this disclaimer:

All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign
languages, including the Scandinavian.

Would any of you know why the Scandinavian languages were singled out, as if we wouldn't normally include them in the pantheon of "foreign languages?"

( The Harvester was published in 1911.)

Edited to add: See my daughter Violet's comment on this post. She gives a little info on Copyright Law at the turn of the 20th century.

A Little Bit of Loveliness

This is what greeted me this morning:

One lonely daffodil, providing a bit of sunshine in this decidedly late-starting spring.

What is quite remarkable, given my pathetic lack of talent regarding anything Green, is that my wonderfully-green-thumbed neighbor, Linda, said that *mine* is the very first daffodil she has seen anywhere around our neighborhood!

I think I'll consider it a little bit of Hope, sent by my Father to encourage me. Maybe Spring will indeed...Spring!

"Spring has sprung/The grass is riz./ I wonder where/ The flowers iz?"

Looks like right outside my front door!

Our Cambridge Don

Wow.

Like, how did I forget my camera last evening when we went to see 20-hour-old new grandbaby?

Rest assured, he's even softer and pinker and cuddlier than last night (pictures below). He looks remarkably like his one-month old cousin, Oxford, which is going to be loads of fun in the next few months. Gollee, it sure is fun to get two babies in a month's time!

While we were visiting, Lily's midwife came to give her a check. It reminded me of my own home-birth experience with MacGuyver. Not nearly the Pinching and Probing of the hospital experience. Letting Lily's own body tell the midwife what was going on. Lily: Are you going to check my stomach? Midwife: You've told me about your bleeding, and your afterbirth pains. I won't have to check you r stomach. Blood pressure was great. She listened to baby's heart. Talked a bit about what to expect in the next three days, until she comes back. So quiet, as was the entire experience.

I think the best thing about a home-birth is that you begin to be a family right away. The husband isn't shunted off to spend the night without his new little one. Siblings wake up to the news of a new baby, and get to interact immediately.

I remember my mother telling me that she was the first one in her family (she is fifth of eight) to be born in a hospital. This was 1921, and it was the New and Safe thing. So we come full-circle, as so many things do.

Well, I've been thinking of a blog-name for this little one (tho' his name is so cute, I wish I could tell you!), and I think I've settled on Cambridge. He has his "almost-twin" Oxford, and, of course, they are both going to be super-intelligent. Look at the gene-pool, people!

And, by the way, thanks for those who prayed during this long week while Lily waited for labor to finish!

Worth the Wait!

After being in labor since Tuesday, Lily decided to finish the job tonight. Here is her fabulous midwife, talking her through transition:
It's a BOY (after only two pushes, that is just Wrong, people):

Babies born at home are generally very quiet. Here he is, getting introduced to Mommy and Daddy:

Even though *by the calendar* Lily was two weeks overdue, Baby's true gestational age (by testing) is 39 weeks. I'm so proud of Lily for sticking to her guns and waiting for God to decide when the baby was ready to come:

...getting those first few "words of wisdom" from Daddy, Baby is listening intently:

Baby boy was born on the 4th, the same day of the month as his Big Brother Junior Asparagus. He is 8 lbs. 6 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long.

Speaking of long, it's been a long day, and I am going to bed!

Waiting (Im)Patiently

Still, still waiting for Lily's baby.

The midwife came to her home twice yesterday. At 3:30 pm, Lily was 6 centimeters. She continued to have contractions six to seven minutes apart, at least until *I* left at 10 pm. Here it is 6-something a.m., I have gotten some sleep, and I certainly hope that Lily has, as well.

However, now that it *is* April 3, it is the Mathematically Correct Day for baby to make his or her entrance. If the baby is born today, he will be Exactly the same age apart with his oldest brother as his Daddy is from his oldest sister Violet, to the very day. Both are the fourth children in their families. Junior Asparagus's birthday is 03/04; this one's would be 04/03. Fun stuff to think about.

What I *don't* want to think about is how a person can stay at 6 cm and "holding." I mean, what is the baby doing in there? Hesitating? Having "second thoughts" about Life? Trying to make a "grand entrance?"

Good thing *he* can't hold out forever. You know how they say the Only Sure Things are death and taxes? I'm thinking "birth" should be added to the list. And then Somebody should let this baby know.

Working to Keep Us Healthy

Since you can catch the flu virus here:
or here:

Isn't it nice to know that your toilet cleaner will kill 99.9% of the flu virus...

inside your toilet bowl?

I know I'll sleep easier tonight.

*Alvin Fernald was not actually exposed to the influenza virus during the taking of these photos.

Waiting...

Lily was due to have her baby last Friday. Now, she has been late every time (this will be four), but was hoping, of course, that This Time Would Be Different.

Her mama is in town "for the duration ," so Everything is Ready.

Maybe today? Even so, Lord, [let him/her] Come Quickly.

p.s. In other baby news, my friend Michelle had her baby two weeks early. He was (wait for it),

13 pounds. 14 ounces.

Will you join me and PRAY for her recovery? Thanks.

Good Friday

He died for me.

Wow.

You know, we can never, ever really *get* what this means. We get glimpses--we know "where we were" when He found us. Desperate situation, that. No hope for *anything.* Now we "have it all"--all that He came here to do, all that He provides, on earth and heaven, too. It is wonderful, glorious!

I've heard Good Friday meditations on what it must have meant for Jesus to be completely alone on the cross. How His Father had to turn away, He who could have no part of sin. Jesus, who had never, from eternity, been separated from His Father. Complete, beautiful fellowship broken. Something I will never experience--His promise is that He "will never leave me or forsake me." In all the deepest, darkest moments of my life, He is there to comfort. The fact that He had to go through His deepest, darkest moment (deeper, darker than any I will ever face) completely alone makes me feel Shame.

Then there is the view from the other side. How hard it must have been for the Father to sacrifice His Son. Just as difficult for Him to be separated from Jesus, to have him go through it all alone. A double whammy.

Methinks we take this thing waaay too lightly. Day to day, I confess sin and count on "He is faithful and just to forgive, and to cleanse from all unrighteousness." Day to day, I don't think about how much it Cost Him.

We always talk about the Resurrection--the Victory over sin and death. It seems that only one day out of the year do we talk about the Battle. I think that the Battle turned at Gethsemane--when Jesus came to the place where He could say, "not My will, but Thine be done."

How far I have to go, even in the paltry things my Father asks of me.

How grateful I am, that He never gives up on me. The work on the cross was worth far too much for Him to give up. His will for me is to "be conformed to the image of His Son."

Much work to do here.

Rosetta Stone Contest!

Jen is running a fantastic contest and here are all the details:

From Jen:Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE!

This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking. Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included! For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports.

To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it. And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it. And good luck! The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg. And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win. Yay for free stuff!

Palm Sunday Tornadoes (1965)

I am reading a book called The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin. It is a book about the 1888 blizzard across the Great Plains, the worst to ever hit that region. But it reminded me (yesterday!) about the Palm Sunday tornadoes in 1965.

Wikipedia tells us about three outbreaks of tornadoes that happened on Palm Sunday. I think that's funny, as Palm Sunday is a different day each year. The 1965 batch trailed across five midwestern states, with 49 confirmed tornadoes, 17 of them of F4 severity. 137 people died in Indiana (my state).

I was nine years old. I wasn't really worried, as our city is located where three rivers meet. An old Indian proverb says that a tornado won't touch down where three rivers meet. (of course, about eight years ago, a tornado did go down the street where I grew up. So much for old proverbs....)

Our house did not have a basement. Mother told us that if there ever was a tornado, we were to get in the Guest Closet. Yeah, right. It was probably four feet wide and six feet deep. Of course, it was under the staircase, so it sloped down to nothing in the back. It also had thirteen glass gallon jars of water on the floor. This was if Ever The Electricity Went Off. The water pump wouldn't work, and if we flushed the toilet or anything, it would Lose Its Prime. Mother changed out the water a couple of times a year, so it would be Drinkable, as well as Flushable.

So, anyway, if a Tornado Ever Came, we would have to Move All The Jars before the seven of us could squeeze into the closet. Fortunately, we never had to.

On that warm day in 1965, though, Mother wasn't going to take any chances. She wanted all of us together, in case we died. We were all squished onto two twin beds in a downstairs bedroom while the thunderstorms went on. Later, after the sun came back out, I remember her making lots of phone calls to tell people we were okay.

I'm sure that our Dopplers and Radar and computers make storm prediction easier, and, certainly warnings come earlier these days. We don't think about it much, here. We have a basement (with a tv, for as long as the power would stay on.) Biggest issue here, when a Warning comes, is, Does anybody know where the cat is?

I've never personally known the aftermath of a tornado. Or a killing blizzard, like I'm reading about. Or a house fire, for that matter. I've led a very protected life. Something for me to be *consciously* grateful for today.

Snow Fun, Quilt Fun

We went outside this morning because it was snowing. HUGE, fluffy flakes. (tho' by the time I took this photo, they had become smaller, Ordinary flakes.) Alvin's first thought was to Check The Weather Channel. Instead, by looking south, we thought that, from the look of the sky, it might be snowing for Quite Awhile Yet. But wait...
...looking to the northeast, (at the very same moment!) this is what we saw:

So, no Weather Channel needed today!

*****************************

I began quilting this quilt I've had waiting. The pattern is called Texas Twister. I decided to quilt it in the Baptist fan pattern:

Here is a close-up. I really love the movement in the quilt, both from the pointy triangles, and the curvy fan pattern (click to enlarge):

"Fer sure" I'll be using the Baptist Fan quilting pattern again.

Baby Brother Gets A Name...

...and what a name (twenty letters, before you add in the last name!) Rocky's family has a two-middle-name custom, and Baby's second middle name is the maiden name of Rocky's grandma, on whose birthday Baby was born. Our baby grandson's name is very beautiful, but for blogging purposes, we're going to go with a little family joke and call him Oxford. Here he is, introducing himself to Pop-Pop:
My beautiful Forget-me-not, age 26 (I was 26 when I had her!) with her little guy:

I kept waiting for him to show off his dimples (one on his chin, and a pair on his cheeks!), but he would not cooperate:

Well, Oxford *did* cooperate as far as his birthdate was concerned, and I, for two more hours, have grandchildren ages 0,1,2,3, and 4 years old. Tomorrow is Junior Asparagus's birthday, and the Grandma focus turns to him. How quickly time passes, and it doesn't slow down for grandbabies, either!

Blueberry's Baby Brother

Forget-me-not had a bee-you-tiful baby boy this evening . He was born at 10:36 pm, and weighed 8 lbs. 7 0z.:
Lots of dark hair is a wonderful surprise (Forget-me-not is blond, and Rocky Balboa has dark red hair). Here he looks a lot like his Big Brother:

Proud Daddy:

Forget-me-not went "au naturel," and she did a Super-Duper Job. She got the job done so, so beautifully. I didn't get a photo of her tonight, but will share one tomorrow, I'm sure. Our camera will be doing Overtime Duty!

I'm off to bed, as it is 12:30 am, and *I* don't have a beautiful little one to stare at...

Ballet Sewing Kit

Blackeyed Susan needed a sewing kit to keep in her ballet bag. It holds things that are needed to sew elastics and ribbons on pointe shoes.

Although she could have used any kind of makeup-type bag, when your mother loves fabric as I do, she Has Ta Represent. So I pulled out my treasured Nancy Drew fabric I bought a couple of years ago, and cut out a very simple zippered bag:
Inside, I used a pretty pink, and, for the pockets, green fabric that has the Flowers-of-the-month on it:

We loaded it with her sewing notions, and there is room inside to store ribbons and elastics, as well.

I really loved this little diversion, in the midst of baby quilts and receiving blankets I have been doing. Forget-me-not is due in six days; Lily in twenty.

This Grandma is getting anxious!

I've Been Thinking...

Right now, since Blueberry's birthday, my grandbabies are ages 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Forget-me-not is due on March 7, and Lily on March 21.

Junior Asparagus turns 5 on March 4.

Forget-me-not needs to hurry up, so the babies will be 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Or she'll mess me all up. 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5 isn't as fun.

I like order.

So, Forget-me-not, go drive down some railroad tracks or something.

So I can stop worrying.

Fascinating

I keep telling myself *not* to stick myself with my needle while I'm quilting.

Though I *do* find it fascinating, watching that single drop appear when I squeeze my finger, and watching the Capillary Action as the kleenex absorbs it.

You realize, of course, that a cut of any kind makes a Hole in your skin, the largest organ in your body. You have Breached the Outer Boundary, and cut across a capillary. Or two or three.

What happens then? Your Vitamin K, platelets, and keratin (maybe I have the list correct, but I don't have my science book in front of me, I'm working from memory here...) go to work to make that architectural wonder, the Scab. Which I can then later remove Before Its Time, and watch the entire process again. Or, wait till it heals all-the-way.

But here is the fascinating part.

That beautiful, self-healing, clotting action of your blood. How come it only happens at the site of a cut? How come it isn't happening all over your body, all the time? (of course, *sometimes* it does, and then our heart or lungs are very. unhappy. But I'm speaking of Normally...)

Hmmm.

To me, it smacks pretty heavily of Intelligent Design, and smacks pretty heavily *against* Natural Selection.

Proofs all around us, if we care to look, eh? Psalm 139:14: "I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well."

I'm About to Bust!!

MacGuyver is home this weekend!! We haven't seen him for fourteen months, so he wanted it to be a surprise for Blackeyed Susan and Alvin Fernald. Here he is, picking up Susan after ballet class:
We drove home, and MacGuyver knocked on the door. Charming had Alvin answer the door, and that was his surprise. Picture Big. Bear. Hugs.

As the party got started, Laura Carrot, Sweet Pea, and Grandma work in some lip practice. Grandma makes a point to spread the Red Lipstick Love:

Here is Alvin, MacGuyver, and Johnny Tremain:

More handsome guys: Don Quixote, Rocky Balboa, and Joe Hardy:

Unfortunately, our "family" photo came out dark. Hope I can photoshop it to get a better quality. I'd like to make 5 x 7's for everybody:

Pretty ladies: Lily, 35 weeks along, Violet, and Forget-me-not, 37 weeks along:

These are my natural-born sons: Don, Macguyver, Alvin, Joe, and Johnny...

Add Rocky and Charming, and you have All My Men. Not a clinker in the bunch:

Here is Violet and Susan...

and Violet and Alvin, my oldest and youngest:

Here are the Out-Laws. Lily, Rocky, and MacGuyver's girlfriend, Tiny Dancer:

Now, I'm wondering...is this what I was looking forward to for so long?

Yep. My boy is back!

I loved, loved, loved my babies when they were little. Miss that time of my life terribly. But times like last night, with all my family together in one place, makes me feel Rich Beyond Measure. God is so Good!

Blueberry Turns Two

Looks like Blueberry's new quilt from his Mom-mom is a success. Happy birthday, Blueberry!

God's Valentine Greeting

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It ALWAYS protects, ALWAYS trusts, ALWAYS hopes, ALWAYS perseveres. Love never fails." ICorinthians 13: 4-8

Retro, Hip, and Tilt-y

I made my sister Janet an apron. If you can see the print, it is of a turquoise blue kitchen, with a cat in residence. My mother's kitchen in her New House in 1960 was turquoise blue, but nary a cat ever was in residence there:
Good times, good times.

For some reason, even if my photo software rotates pictures, Blogger undoes them and they are sideways again. But I really wanted to share a photo with you, showing Blackeyed Susan and Alvin Fernald in a moment where they are not only Getting Along, but Quiet to boot:

(sorry Alvin's head is cut off). Susan is not making a face at Alvin. Can't you tell that they are being Tragically Hip??

Not NEARLY so hip is my garland that I made out of my red puffy hearts (see post below.) It turned out just as I wanted, quirky and fun, and fit well on my china cabinet:

Photographer I'm not. Not only is Alvin's face cut off, but the china cabinet sits level on the floor, not tilt-y.

Tomorrow (Valentine's Day) is Blueberry's Number Two birthday. I get to watch him while his Mommy and Daddy go to the midwife for an appointment. Maybe Baby Brother or Sissy will come this week!

Hearts A'Plenty

I have wracked my brain trying to find where in blogland (and there were TWO places!) where I saw these fabric hearts for Valentine's Day. Just realize that they were not *my* idea. I made a bunch in pink fabrics. I like the fact that only one of the fabrics actually has hearts on it. I had fun looking through my button box for buttons that were left over from other sewing projects:
They were completely successful, as Blackeyed Susan told me she tried to "eat" one. She walked by them and thought they were cookies!

They were so much fun, I made a bunch in red, as well:

I think maybe I'll make a garland out of them. I'll post a photo if I do!