Author: louisaenright

I am passionate about whole, nutrient-dense foods, developing local markets, and strengthening communities.

Quilting Information: Red Flannel Pantry Blog’s Modern Table Runner

Quilting Information:  January 4, 2014

Red Flannel Pantry Blog’s Modern Table Runner

I’ve not been drawn to making a table runner.

Until now.

Take a look at Red Flannel Pantry Blog’s hostess gift for the family who will host the family’s daughter (in Ireland, lucky girl) for a semester:  hometown gifts for out-of-town hosts | red flannel pantry.

And what a terrific gift!

I can see myself making a table runner like this one…

Yes I can.

I would choose different colors–though I LOVE these colors together.  They just would not go in my house.  They might go in someone else’s though–as a gift.

This table runner lies in the “modern” quilt movement:  bits of piecing combined with big sections of plain fabric that can showcase quilting.

If I could start all over, I would move in this “modern” direction:  spare lines, different colors than I’ve surrounded myself with my whole life, pottery, candles, woven rugs, simple, simple, simple.

I do love red and green though…

And blues and oranges and reds…

I am a true Pisces it seems…

 

Quilting Information: Sew Me A Song, Etsy store

Quilting Information:  January 4, 2014

Sew Me A Song

Becca Babb-Brott’s Etsy Store

I love the connections in a small community.

Neighbor Susan McBride of Golden Brook Farm told me her friend Becca Babb-Brott, who lives on a nearby street where other people I know live, has an Etsy Store of quilting fabrics.

Here’s the url she sent:   http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewmeasong.  (I can’t get this url to “take,” so you may have to copy and paste it into your search engine.)

I took a look at it and loved how Becca is putting together fabrics.  In particular, I loved her unusual neutrals–which can be hard to find.  I, for instance, have looked for neutrals in five (aren’t we lucky) of our local quilt shops.

As an official  Bonnie Hunter groupie, I need lots of neutrals–especially for the quilts I have planned for this year.  Bonnie’s world divides quilting fabrics into neutrals (nothing darker than a brown paper bag) and colors.

What’s also interesting about Sew Me A Song is Becca’s collection of contemporary and Japanese fabrics.  And she has since told me that she is a “modern” quilter. 

Take a look?

Becca is putting together a collection of neutrals for me.  And I look forward to meeting her next week some time.

Thanks, Becca!

Books, Documentaries, Reviews: WATERSHIP DOWN, Richard Adams

Books, Documentaries, Reviews:  January 4, 2014

Watership Down

Richard Adams

 

The second audio book I streamed from the Maine library system was Richard Adams’ Watership Down.

I’ve always been a prolific reader, but I think this book fell into a period of my life when I was working a lot and had small children.

I think I was working retail, which included some nights.  And I think I was tired as I was juggling a lot.

So, it was really fun to circle back and “read” this book while I quilted through this daunting Maine winter.

It’s kind of fun to see some of the many Watership Down covers that this wildly successful book has had:  Watership Down cover – Google Search.

It’s even more fun to listen to the introduction where the narrator describes how difficult it was to get the story–written for the author’s two children–published.

I really enjoyed the book.

Why wouldn’t I?  It’s one of those stories we in what we call “Western Civilization” tell ourselves over and over.

There is a foretold life-threatening crisis, and only a few of the “rabbits” take heed when the rabbit with second sight warns.  There is a leader who is wise, thoughtful, and brave.  There is a warrior who puts himself into situations where his life (and the good of the tribe) is threatened over and over.  There are timid rabbits who rise to the occasion.  The wisdom of tricks, not always brute force, wins out in the end  Freedom is an issue here.  Freedom and a safe “home” ground.  The sacrifices of these few and brave “rabbits” ensure the well-being of countless generations that follow them.

What there is NOT is a female rabbit with more than a slightly supporting role.  This society is fun by males, but males who cherish their females.  Hmmmmm.  And this story was written for two little girls.

I told my oldest grandson, who is already a deep reader, that I thought he’d love this book.

And he would.

And I plan to discuss the lack of a female role with him after he’s read it.

Turkey Tracks: Bonnie Hunter Reveals “Celtic Solstice”

Turkey Tracks:  January 3, 2014

Bonnie Hunter Reveals Celtic Solstice

Wow!

Needless to say, I can hardly wait to start sewing my “Celtic Solstice” together.

As of last Friday’s Clue, I had all the needed parts.

Here’s the revealed quilt plan:

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It’s made from two blocks:

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And:

blockB[3]

And here’s Bonnie’s quilt:

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Is this quilt gorgeous or what????

Bonnie Hunter is one talented woman.   And generous and lovely.  Imagine designing a quilt like this every year for people to make altogether.  It has been such a fun, fun effort.  And I’ve loved the special Facebook group that came together around making this quilt.

I can’t wait until next year!

Turkey Tracks: “My Little Blue Book” from Red Flannel Pantry Blog

Turkey Tracks:  January 3, 2014

“My Little Blue Book”

Red Flannel Pantry Blog

I loved this blog post from Red Flannel Pantry:  my little blue book | red flannel pantry.

I’ve always journaled for most of my life.

Journaling has gotten me through some tough times and helped me work through to the “bottom” of things–to the bedrock where I can see what the issues really are and what I really think about them.

If you’ve never done the journaling in The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron, I highly recommend trying it.  That journaling got me to Maine where I have been so happy.

But keeping a daily “quick” journal is kind of different.  I’m on my second ten-year journal–the first was a gift from Yoshi Hazen, a former neighbor in Falls Church, Virginia.

Here’s what a page in my ten-year journal looks like:

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Each day has space to jot down significant daily events.

I can’t tell you how many times I have gone back to the journal to ferret out what happened when.  From a repairman’s visit to a doctor’s appointment to a major life event–it’s all there.

I gave my oldest grandson a five-year journal on his tenth birthday this fall.  He is maybe the kind of person who will keep it.  If so, he will treasure it down the road of his life.  I wish I had my earlier journals or had had someone start me on this type of journal when I was young.

For 2014, I wish you good journaling of all kinds!

 

 

Turkey Tracks: Bright Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  January 2, 2014

Bright Quilt

The snow is flying outside.

The predicted storm is coming on in.

It’s been bitterly cold for the past three days, and I have stayed home.

But I have been quite happy inside working on a VERY BRIGHT quilt for the past two days and listening to the last of Watership Down, which I downloaded from our library’s collection of audio books.

The setting inspiration of setting simple 9-patch blocks into a BRIGHT fabric:  Bonnie Hunter’s “Sisters Nine Patch” found in her Adventures with Leaders and Enders.

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The middle rows are being sewn together at the sewing machine.

Here’s a close-up of one block, because I LOVE the neutral fabric I’m using and wanted you to see it.  Flags Flying…

 

 

 

 

 

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Here’s the focus fabric and two other fabrics I will use.

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Loved on sight these bright boat sails.

The bright cherry red will be a narrow border.  I will use the boat sails both as a front border and as backing.  The blue stripe will be the binding and will be cut on the bias.

I think this quilt will be called something like “Sails Up and Flags Flying.”

And now I’m going to eat some lunch and make some soup for dinner.  Then I can sew, sew, sew!

 

Turkey Tracks: New Books on Food Issues

Turkey Tracks:  January 2, 2013

New Books on Food Issues

 

I’ve been waiting for this one to be published:

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Denise Minger is the fiery and very funny young woman who took on T. Colin Campbell of The China Study fame and showed that he is so blinded by his vegan belief system that he is not “seeing” what his data is really telling him about meat protein.

T. Colin Campbell, you might recall, is the bona fide scientist who thinks that meat causes cancer.  Only his data does not support that conclusion.  And, you might also recall from earlier posts on this blog that one of the main critiques of The China Study is that the Chinese doctors did not come to the same conclusions that Campbell did about meat.  Indeed, in the very middle of the film (I will not call it a documentary as it is really an emotional and unscientific appeal to a belief system), the Chinese doctor filmed says that “meat and vegetables” support health.

The takaway here, as Minger notes early on in the book, is that we have to consider WHO is telling us what to eat and to consider their agendas a part of our vetting process.  Sometimes “experts” are not so expert.

Minger, as a teenager, spent a year being a raw food believer and learned the bitter lesson that one’s body needs nutrient dense food.  In that year, as she recounts in her book, she got 16 cavities and her dentist said he had never seen a mouth so badly hurt in one so young.  So, it will be interesting to see how she positions herself around “what to eat.”

She is very clear that there is no “one size fits all” diet that is magic.  We each have to know our bodies and figure out what gives us good health.  Still, she does list some foods that cause a lot of people trouble, and grains are in that mix.  But I will do a more formal review of this book when I finish it.

Michael Pollen’s book Cooked was the gift of Gina Caceci, who knows me well.

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Apparently Pollen spends some time writing about Sandor Ellis Katz’s lacto-fermented foods (Wild Fermentation).  And, with Katz, of course.  (I have several blog posts on lacto-fermenting foods and on Katz.)  Recently I read a Dr. Joseph Mercola post that said the lacto-fermented foods have the power to detox the body.  I don’t doubt it.

Thanks you, Gina!

 

 

 

 

 

 

xxxx

Turkey Tracks: Uploading Videos on the MAC

Turkey Tracks:  January 2, 2014

Uploading Videos on the MAC

 

The learning curve with the MAC continues, and I continue to LOVE this MAC.

I was having trouble with uploading one of my videos on WordPress–and I erased the video from my camera so could not use the PC laptop to upload the video.  (My neatness “moves” often get me into trouble.)

So, I called Archangel Computers and Dan Osier spent the time necessary to figure out how to upload the turkey video on the “Winter Turkeys” blog post.

It’s so cool.  Dan uses a program that allows him to see and manipulate my screen, and I can watch him while he goes about figuring out something or while he teaches me something.

What a very, very nice way to interact!

And you can scroll back, or search, and see the video.

I warn you, it’s not a great video, but as the winter deepens, the turkeys become tamer, and I will strive to get a really good video of one of the males displaying.

 

Turkey Tracks: Happy New Year!

Turkey Tracks:  January 1, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2014!

How did that happen?

Where did 2013 get to in such a hurry?

The older I get, the faster time flies–which must mean I am enjoying my life.  Or, maybe, that I am in a fog.  The latter is certainly true for parts of 2013 for sure as I dealt with the loss of John and learning to pick up the reins of a life now lived without a partner and located in a challenging geography that speaks to my heart and soul.  Maine and my property here on a hillside makes me feel alive and useful.

I am so blessed though.  I have such good, good friends and family, and I live in a place where community is so strong.

I want to take a moment and thank all of you for reading my blog, for “replying” when you feel moved to do so,” and for all your unending support.  I have been especially blessed this year with the strengthening of many relationships from all across my life–some of whom I thought lost, some of whom I didn’t realize I still had, some of whom I never knew I had and maybe didn’t until my 1963 classmates of Bellevue High School of Bellevue, Nebraska, home of Strategic Air Command (SAC)’s Offutt Air Force Base planned and held their 50th reunion.  (I didn’t attend, but did reconnect with so many of these very special people.)

My goal with this blog continues to be to SHARE:  information, research, experiences, passions, recipes, fiber arts, opinions about books and movies, and on and on.  I like to say that, especially for younger readers who are so busy with their lives, I am reading and sifting and sorting information so you don’t have to do those beginning tasks, so that YOU can choose where you want to obtain a deeper knowledge that you can know has some basis in fact or science.  I am trying to share in a way that allows us all to acquire more knowledge about the world we all share, the food we all eat, the stories we tell ourselves–good and problematic–that make us “us,” and the way the structure under which we live is functioning (or not).

And I never want to leave out, but to honor, the spirit, the life force, the mystery that undergirds and unites all life.  Not understanding how basic those connections are is a big part of how we have gotten to the place where we now struggle.

My very best wishes to each and every one of you for 2014, yes, but for…always.

 

Turkey Tracks: Clue 5 of “Celtic Solstice”

Turkey Tracks:  January 1, 2014

Clue 5 of Celtic Solstice

I’ve finished Clue 5 of Bonnie Hunter’s 2013 Mystery Quilt “Celtic Solstice.”

It’s very cute:

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And the pile of “Clues,” or units that will go into the quilt is growing:

This quilt will finish, if I’m recalling right, at about 75 by 75, so I think there will be a few more “clues.”

I’m ready for next Friday’s Clue 6.

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2013/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html