Category: NaBloPoMo

Even the bathroom looks cool when seen through a 30's LoMob filter!

Whenever the talented Alicia from Posy Gets Cozy puts out a kit or pattern, you can be sure that I buy it.  Her kits include high-quality supplies and excellent, charming instructions.  This summer I had a lot of fun sewing her Summerhouse Seat Cushion pattern, and I plan to make similar cushions for our hodge-podge dining room chairs.

In unrelated news, today was my first teaching day of the semester.  Whew!  Was it ever hot in my classrooms.  I have some familiar faces in a few classes, which always makes for a nice start.  Whatever complaints I may have when I'm overwhelmed by grading later in the semester, rest assured: I love my job.  I feel so fortunate that I get to talk about writing and encourage young writers for a living.  

What do you love about your job?  

Two weeks ago, I spent the day canning, drying, and freezing summer goodness.  I made Norma's rose petal jam (only two jars left; I gave away the rest and got raves about it), dried Roma tomatoes ever so slowly then froze them (faux sun-dried tomatoes! Yum!), and spent hours chopping veggies by hand for this relish.  The relish has all been given away or consumed, but I have been gathering produce to make more.

Last summer, I didn't have a kitchen and missed out on putting up food for winter.  This summer I've been freezing a lot of goodies (blueberries, cherries, strawb jam, tomatoes), and I'm hoping to go crazy with canning tomatoes.  Oh, yeah, I bought 5 lbs. of peaches so I could make this delicious sounding (and looking) recipe. I think next year we might buy a chest freezer, in part so Neal can buy locally raised meat in bulk, but in part so I can freeze even more veggies.  I fantasize all the time about living like Barbara Kingsolver did.  I'm a long way away from realizing that fantasy, but it sure is fun to strive.  Anyway, is there anything better than summer tomatoes in February?

Are you doing any preserving?  I'd love to hear about what you're stocking your shelves and freezers with!

 

Last Thursday I went to NYC with Nearly-Not-Blogless Sara and Spring.  Our mission?  Look at pretty things.  The first notions store we hit on Fashion Ave was chock full of lovely button arrangements. Artful, almost, aren't they?  I picked up a big leather button for the Nimbus on my needles, and at the glorious M&J Trimming, I bought three spectacular buttons for a pattern I'm creating.

Our day trip was a blast.  The weather was great, which now that we're in the midst of another heatwave here in CT seems like good fortune.  One last summer hurrah.

Now it's back to campus for me.  I hear this from others who aren't in education, too, but doesn't September feel like a new year?  Not THE New Year, of course, yet it is another opportunity to evaluate and set goals.  I've got a pile for the fall, and as I attempt NaBloPoMo again, I'll share them with you.  

How about you?  Does the onset of the academic year make you long for a sharp pencil and a new notebook, too?

Thanks for your help in dispersing the Mean Reds yesterday. Today I’m stewing a bit, but I’m no longer angry.

My sewing problems have been resolved! Every now and again, I meet up with a few ladies I met at a knitting class. One of them is a Home Ec teacher at a nearby middle school. I saw her today, and she was kind enough to clarify the pattern instructions that had me befuddled. I think I’ll be all set now!

Isn’t it nice when just the right help comes your way when you need it? Has that happened for you recently?

I thought I had the blues all day, but after a while I realized I have the mean reds.  I'm angsty and angry at a few people in my life for not taking better care of themselves.  Also, I can't figure out my sewing pattern, and I'm usually pretty clever when it comes to sewing patterns.  

I'm not going to make it to Tiffany's any time soon, so won't you leave a link to something really lovely to chase these mean reds away?

 I've had my nose in Stieg Larsson's first two books for the last few days.  I haven't gotten my hands on the third novel, and I'm trying to refrain from buying it.  Not sure I can wait for it at the library, though! 

Darkness is descending earlier, which makes me think about returning to school, which in turn makes me think about my students who don't have much in mind in terms of career goals.  I'll bet a lot of them feel like Lloyd.  Other than the part about kick boxing, I'm on board with Lloyd.

What did you want to do (or "be") as a grown up when you were a kid?  Me, I wanted to be a nun, or maybe a marine biologist.  Most of all, though, I wanted to be a writer.

And, boy, it was a fun one!

Weather predictions were incorrect! Instead of rain, there is sun.