Memory

Show me the way to go home
I'm tired and I want to go to bed
I had a little drink about an hour ago
And it went right to my head
No matter where I roam
Or land, or sea and foam
You can always hear me singing this song
Show me the way to go home.
(written by Campbell and Connelly in 1925)

Picture a slender, sliver-haired man sitting at the head of a dinner table encircled by family.  He is playing his banjo and singing this song.  Can't see it?  I can and I can hear him and I miss him.

My dad.

Dad also recited this following poem on occasion.

I never saw a purple cow
I never hope to see one
But I can tell you anyhow
I'd rather see than be one.
(Gelett Burgess)

My father was born in Boston, the oldest of four.  This was 1908.  I'm sorry to say I don't know very much about his childhood.  I am so sorry I never asked.  I'm sure he would have told me.  He did tell me once about taking the streetcar to get a haircut.  Somehow he lost the money,  I can't remember what happened, but I remember it was Dad's fault.  He had to go home and tell his dad he lost it.  That was very hard to do.  I expect he learned his lesson.  He also told me about playing ice hockey at recess.  This was fascinating for me, a California girl, who could only ice skate at a rink.

My dad attended Boston Latin School.  He believed Latin should be required in high school.  My sister had to take Latin as it was offered when she was high school age.  It was no longer taught when I got there.   I think I was relieved.  (I did take 4 years of Spanish and 2 of French.) 

That's really all I know of Dad's childhood.  It's pitiful.  I can't go back and undo that.  Please if you don't know much about your parents' childhoods.  Ask them to tell you.  Someday you will wish you had.

My dad in 1933.  What a handsome man.  That is my sister Patricia in his arms. This was before the silver hair, of course.

My dad in 1980.  He passed away in Feb. 1981.  See the silver hair?  This was my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. We are 

(L-R) Katherine, Allan, Patricia, Wilma (my mom) and me.

Just a memory today.

Here is a version of Show Me the Way to Go Home I found on YouTube.  Quite different from Dad and his banjo.

Click here

Doggie Christmas Presents

As promised yesterday, here are some dog presents.  Don't get too excited because they are all the same thing only different fabric.  I am putting them on in the order in which I made them. 

For Lady D. who lives in a faraway state with my son and his wife.

Joann had a big sale on flannel right before Christmas.  So there are dogs on one side; a solid aqua on the other. 

It is about 42" sq. and tied with pearl cotton in orange.

This is Lady D though a bit blurry.  I don't have a photo of her on her gift. Maybe soon.

Sacramento granddogs next. 

So we have black and white paws on one side and black and white bones on the other. Good for a white dog, yes?

Yes!  And Sonny knows how to pose.

Last but by no means least is George's blanket.

To be similar to his brother, we have brown and white paws. And to be his own; pale green with brown and white dots.

And here's Georgie!!  He's cuddling to his new blanket.  He likes it in his crate with him.

He's here because he likes it. He is not in trouble.

Perhaps you may wonder (are you wondering?) what of Sophie? Did she get a blanket?  Perhaps she got a warm sweater?  Perhaps special Christmas dinner treat?  Nope.  She got no Christmas gifts from her mom at all.  She got some liver treats from Elizabeth and she loves them.

Sophie does know how to stay warm, however. Please note:

She is a champion heater hog!

Another Year is Here

Happy New Year to all.  Isn't it exciting?  So much potential.  

The following photos are of the Christmas items I made.  I wanted to share earlier around mid December, but I didn't want to give any secrets away.

I tried hard to align the plaid, but here at the seam where the back yoke connects to the back  I didn't manage it.

   

My first time making a placket in a sleeve.  This flannel is very heavy.  I ended up using a walking foot.

Finished and received.   I love this son of mine.

I bought this stretchy rib knit to make this same son a sweater.  You see, I was planning to knit one for him, but I kind of gave up knitting.  So when I saw this pattern from Thread Theory Designs I decided to sew a sweater.  Morgan Meredith there also gave me wonderful suggestions for places to buy sweater knits.   If you like sewing for men do visit this site.  So very helpful.  There was even a sew-along for the Finlayson Sweater which is what I made.

Wonderful to see him in his sweater.  He lives 2000 miles away from me.

I made aprons for my girls.  I started with my daughter-in-law as she lives farthest and so had to mail early.

The 30's reproduction fabric has bunnies sailing in leaf boats.  Also I made the bias binding using one of those binding makers I borrowed from a friend.  Then I promptly went out and bought some for myself.

My oldest daughter wanted a holiday apron,  'a different holiday'.

So she has a reversible St. Patrick's Day apron.

The other side.

Younger daughter was wanting a Christmas apron

So hers is also reversible.  Candies on one side and . . .

decorative reindeer on the other.

I will close for now. Tomorrow, if you choose to return, I'll share the sewing that was done for my three granddogs.  It was lots of fun sewing for Christmas.  I want to do it again next year.

More SnowPeople and Other Things

Some might say I got carried away making snowpeople.

Well, I did.   A bit anyway.  See the one front left?  He's from a child's sock.   They make me smile.

I gave one to my nephew, it's not in this photo.  I used toothpicks for arms.  I forgot to take a picture before I gave it to him.

These little creations of mine were gifts to members of a hand weavers' guild I belong to.   I didn't get anything woven as gifts but my goodness what I received!   See the beautiful towels.

 I love every one of my towels, but I sure wish the photos did them justice.  I do appreciate the love and artistry behind this work.   

Do you remember these?   I love my towels too.  Watch for more towels and maybe some other gorgeous things in future.

In closing I leave you with the cloud photo.(oh, no, not another picture of clouds) Yes, because clouds are amazing!

Doesn't it look like bits of cloud are being pulled off  the large finger-like clouds?   This taken from my front porch.

More sooner than later.

Little Snow People and More

I saw this video on making snow men from socks.  So my daughter and I decided to try it.  She took hers home with her, but here are mine.

He started out with a white hat from the same sock as his body, but got the jazzy striped one when an old pair of my socks developed one hole too many.

This is the lovely snow-woman,  but she looks like she's just a girl, eh?  






So cute we had to have a 3/4 view as well.

As soon as I get another bag of rice, there may be more additions to the snow people at my house.








On another subject:  I recently found out something about the motorways in Ireland.  This thanks to my friend, Martin, who I met while playing AlphaJax on my phone.  (It's like Scrabble or Words with Friends)   Many of the large highways have an art object or two at the crossroads.  He sent me at least 12 photos, I'm adding my favorites here.

They're not all bovines.

I say, "Wow!"  

Maybe I'll put some more in another post.

Now here is one of my favorites here in California.  I pass it every time I go out to the coast.  It's outside the Sonoma Humane Society on state highway 12 just west of Santa Rosa.

In case I don't post again before Thanksgiving,  I wish you a wonderful time of family and friends and praise for God's blessings.   

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"   Ephesians 5:20

Pretty Short

Remember  these fabrics?

I finished the shirts so here they are.

For my son-in-law

For my grandson.

Now this photo's color is washed out. See below for one I took without the flash.

See too dark, but closer to how it looks.  Maybe I will get a photo of the guys wearing them.  I made a skirt for my daughter then failed to get a photo before I gave it to her. Here's hoping I get one with her in it sometime soon.



Remember batiks? Here.   I made a blouse for myself from one. It's not one of the ones I already posted. This one has an Octobery feel.

Oh, yes, one of my favorites.  Here's another.  An oldy.  This is one I made as a scrub top to wear when I was working as an RN.  It's well worn and still loved.

Must get back to sewing.  I'm enjoying it so much.  I've neglected my other hobbies for a few weeks. Oh there was the 6 hours I spun on the second weekend of this month.   But mostly sewing.

Enjoy  Fall, maybe dress up for Halloween, be kind to Trick or Treaters,  and thank the Lord for changing seasons,   bye.

Sometimes

Sometimes there is a lot to say and sometimes there isn't anything to say.   I'm not sure which time this is.  Let's start with a photo. Clouds?  Fabric? Pets? Ocean? Self-portrait?  Okay, no self-portrait.

Surprise!   It's yarn.   This is yarn from Three Waters Farm.  I discovered them on Etsy.  Here is their website.   I love the colors in this yarn, but I no longer buy yarn.  They also sell roving. That's fiber which is ready for spinning.  

This remarkable cat belongs to my cousin. He is Jack Flash. (the cat not my cousin)

I know you were just hoping to see more clouds.  One morning, when I was up at the mailboxes, this was the sky.  See another.

Pretty cool.

Remember this dress?  It was a UFO that I finally finished.  Then I gave it to a friend of my daughter for her daughter.  And looky.

She is so cute, eh?

And I have been cooking.  Yes, cooking. Trying to put away some food for when my cooking muse leaves town.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

I understand.  Now you're hungry.  Go. That's fine. Enjoy.