What Makes You Tick?

I went shopping at both of the local craft stores today. I have a marked preference for one over the other. One has an easy to open e-mail ad. The other's e-mail ad might be easy, but I am not accustomed to it, and the layout does not appeal to me. One store has bright lights and broad aisles, which makes it easier to choose which colors of yarn, or beads, or paper, or flowers, or ink, or buttons I would like to purchase. One store always asks for my zip code when I am checking out, which is always a turn-off. One store has a much larger variety of yarn and knitting needles. One is easy to get to from both sides of the road; the other requires ocassional u-turns at a busy intersection. One has fabric; the other one keeps a few fat quarters on hand. One has a gigantic selection of rubber stamps. One is locally owned and operated; the other is a chain. One always has sales flyers at the door; the other expects me to check the paper. One rewards me for spending money at their store; the other does not. Can you guess which is my favorite?  

Suffering from Mens' Errors

"But what great matter is this, if you who are but dust and a mere nothing, submit yourself to man for God's sake, when I the Almighty, and the Most High, Who created all things out of nothing for thy sake, humbly subjected Myself to man."        Imitation of Christ, Book 3 Chapter 13

Birds

I refilled my bird table and hanging feeder with black oil sunflower seed. I also put out an orange and the last of my homemade peanut butter suet cakes. The birds usually get fed on the days that I empty the cat boxes. The sun is out, bright and beautiful. The temperature, I am guessing, is around 28 or 29 degrees, so it was a great day to be outside. I decided that I would soak up more vitamin D by staying out for a bit, and so I emptied out my bird houses from last year. Unlike my father-in-law, I am not observant enough to always tell when my bird houses are occupied, or when each particular brood has left the nest. As a result I usually do not clean out the houses until well past bird migration. Imagine my surpirse today when I found a house containing not only tons of sticks, but another round nest of grasses and feathers, containing a frozen but whole egg, about 1/2 inch long. It is a pinkish egg with brown speckles, but after more than two months of freezing temperatures, I wonder if that is the original color.

I am reading Robin Kane: The Mystery of the Phantom, 1966. Robin's father draws the comic strip, "The Family Scene", for which he uses his own children as models for his characters. Sounds just like Bill Keane's Family Circus to me, although my guess is that the book was written first. Funny!

"There is one thing which keeps many  back from spiritual progress and fervent amendment of life; and that is: dread of difficulty, or the labor which must be gone through in the conflict...It is a greater task to resist vices and passions than to toil at bodily labors."                             

Imitation of Christ, Chapter 25

Off Day

I have the day off from work, and I feel like doing nothing. Some tasks cannot be ignored, though. The cat box must be emptied before rebellion occurs. The compost has to go out. The dishes from last night's dinner have to be washed. 'Til we meet again.

Christmas Gifts

I prepared Peter and Karin's package for mailing today, since we were snowed in here for Christmas day, and did not get to see them. I was reminded that while I am still enjoying sewing Smart Bags, I have yet to complete the sewing projects meant for last year's gifts. I'll let you in on what they are after Christmas next year.

Happy New Year

Today we purchased a new bed frame to replace the teddy bear bed in the spare bedroom. I purchased the teddy bear bed (so called because the head and foot boards resembled the beds seen in story books) at Wolfgrams' garage sale in WBL when I moved into my little apartment on Cedar Street 18 years ago. The mattress supports were broken in enough places that I did not feel comfortable offering it for guest use. The new mattress and box spring also made the bed higher than I wish for the times that I sleep in that room. (It is my snuggly place to go when I cannot sleep, and need to move where I can read while Papa sleeps.)

I made another run to the Foley quilt shop for more interfacing for Smart Bags. I am enjoying sewing them very much. I did sneak some Moda Christmas print fat quarters into my purchase, too. I have been eyeing those prints since I first saw them at Barb's booth at the St. Cloud Heritage Quilt Show in October. Really cute. Vintage looking. They are petite prints.

John William Dando Vandeberg, I am still laughing at your antics. I am proud to be your auntie!

Great Finds

I am in that "keep it or give it" quandry with two Christmas gifts that have yet to go to the people for whom they are intended.

The first is the book, Made by Me (Jane Bull, DK Publishing, 2009). I first saw this children's book at Crafts Direct, and fell in love with its simple and cute sewing, knitting and embroidery projects immediately. It has a doll pattern with dresses, a nightie, a teddy bear, a hat and a little jacket all to go with, all made with hand sewing or garter stitch knitting. Then there are felt ornaments with blanket stitch edging, embroidery stitches for tee shirts and other items, and a pink and white varigated scarf made on jumbo knitting needles. The colors make the projects look very appealing. I can see sitting down with Goddaughter or down the road, a grandchild, to do some of the projects. I can see Goddaughter using some of the projects for 4-H exhibits at the fair. I ultimately ordered the book off of Amazon because I could not find it when I looked for it again at Crafts Diret. However, last time I was at Crafts Direct I found it by chance among some quilt books shelved with the fabrics. Should I resist the temptation to buy my own copy, or use my half-price coupon?

The second is the book, The Knitter's Bible (Claire Crompton, David and Charles, U.K., 2004). Here again, I have three or four other nice knitting books which I use for reference, and a gazillion other pattern books. This book, however, demonstrates seam sewing with two different colored yarns in a color photograph, not diagram, which is easy to follow. I need something like that! It also has patterns for hanger covers, a loopy sheep that I could make out of wool yarn, a stylish cardigan, and sachet bags. I purchased a copy for Anne so that she could look up binding off when she is knitting alone, but I want one, too....

Vintage Fabric

I am doing some sewing for Christmas. Today as I ws digging for a bold piece of fabric that would match a fat quarter, I discovered that that same bold piece is "guaranteed Dutch Java" material. I got it when I loaded up on fabrics at the mission shop before it closed. Who knows how old it is. I can imagine it coming home from WWII for someone's bride, or someone purchasing it while on an exotic vacation. Unfortunately I also discovered that it is full of holes from either moths or cigarette burns. I hope it is cigarette burns, since I do not need to have my stash riddled by moths.

Rejuvination

Yesterday Anne and I made a trip to Quilts on Broadway in Foley. I spent money on patterns, and yes, some fabric. I got another Minnesota Shop Hop fabric apron, which I am tempted to keep for myself, because it covers both top and bottom. I also purchased some bag patterns using charm packs, and one that will work for an embroidery bag for Maria. Barb showed me how she buries her thread when she uses perled cotton. I enjoy stopping at her shop, and came away ready to hit the sewing machine again. She also thought that Anne looked like me!

After our shop hop Anne and Brenden made dinner for Arthur and me. Anne has their apartment decorated for the Christmas season. Even the bathroom had a splash of Christmas color.

I looked through Anne's knit and crochet purse pattern book. I might have to borrow that when my afghan, prayer shawl, Anne's scarf and hand warmers, and my socks, are finished!

The Cardinal

We watched The Cardinal (Otto Preminger) last evening. What a difference a few years makes! This was the third time I watched the movie. The first was when I was in junior high, when it was on television. The second time must have been about 10 years ago. I saw the movie very differently last night. The Fermoyle family struck me as being very disfuncional. Three adult children were still living at home, none married. When Florie and Mona fought, though he had been studying in Rome for presumably a number of years, Mother sent Steve off to comfort Mona instead of reacting to the fighting herself. Dad also remained silent. Mona expected Big Brother the priest to make all of her decisions for her, and in turn blamed him for the painful consequences. At Mona and Benny's engagement party, Benny and his Jewish parents acted as if that was the first time they had addressed the issue of Benny's marrying a non-Jewish woman. Their indifference to the interfaith marriage until then was out of keeping with the time period. After Mona's death another woman, one of his students (No ethical eyebrows raised there) falls in love with Fr. Fermoyle, and he with her. Then suddenly he decides to return to the active priesthood, no explanation given. She was so "in love" with Fr. Fermoyle that she was never able to love her husband, and after her husband commits suicide, she has no desire to live. Throughout the movie Fr. Fermoyle never looses the guilt he feels in following the Church in moral decisions. His guilt implies that there is something wrong with the Catholicism that he must practice, rather than a deficiency in those who make bad choices, and then suffer negative consequences.

The film does show some good shots of traditional Catholic liturgy, and even goes so far as to show tonsures on the newly ordained men. Except cursory references to to prayer, however, neither Fr. Fermoyle nor the other clergy in the movie are portrayed as deeply spiritual men, and are even presented as being a bit callused, ambitious, and greedy. It takes Fr. Steve to save them from their errors.

We've decided this film is not a keeper.

Wednesday before Thanksgiving

I stayed up late last night to make the "turn" on my afghan. I am now over half way done.

Anne and Brenden are coming over for breakfast tomorrow. I plan on washing my mother's red, stemmed glasses and using my Old Curiosity Shop plates so that we can have a Vandeberg style Thanksgiving. (I still cannot fathom that Mother dared to let us use those very breakable glasses at every holiday meal!) Arthur has requested homemade cinnamon rolls, which means I will also bake.

I had a flock of cedar waxwings in the oak tree this morning. Also a few snowflakes.

Sweater Stone

I broke down and ordered the sweater stone which Lion Brand advertises for removing pills from knitting, fleece and drapery. The sweater stone leaves behind a gritty residue which smells like charcoal. I found it easier and cheaper to use a pumice stone designed for sloughing dead skin off of feet. Either way, I am pleased to have the means to restore the look of my two favorite wool sweaters.

A Matter of Virtue

I am reading 1917: Red Banners, White Mantle (Warren Carroll, Christendom Press, Front Royal, Virginia, 1981). The carnage of WWI continues. I hate to think of all of the reparation that is required to atone for the sins of that war alone.

When President Wilson jumped into peace negotiations, he refused to accept the crowned heads of Europe as legitimate spokesmen for their countries. He saw it as the duty of the United States to "pave the way for democracy". Almost a hundred years later we are reaping the fruits of that democracy-turned-socialism. It takes me back to the issue that government is only as good as it's rulers are virtuous. Let us pray.

Impeachment

One solution to unconstitutional actions should be the liberal use of impeachment. What might our country be today if after Roe vs. Wade the people rose up and demanded the impeachment of the Supreme Court justices who chose to have complete disregard for state laws, and for God's law?

Fall Vegetable Soup

A great  recipe for a fall evening

Fall Vegetable Soup

2 lbs fully cooked sausage rings or links, cut into chunks
1 small head of cabbage, chopped
3-4 potatoes, in jackets or peeled, cubed
3-4 carrots, sliced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. if you do not use any meat
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter
3 cups water

Cook in a five quart crock pot. You can add more vegetables if you have the space. Cook on high 4-6 hours.

Before serving stir in one cup or more of warmed milk and 1/4 cup of fresh parsley or 1 tbsp. dried parsley.

If you are short on time or are accustomed to using prepared foods, you could probably use a package of frozen hash-browns and packaged, shredded carrots and cabbage. We have our own potatoes, carrots and onions from the garden, so I use those.

Constitutionalists vs. What?

Saturday was a red letter day for the Constitution Party of Minnesota. We sponsored former Sheriff Richard Mack at the Holiday Inn Airport in Bloomington. As treasurer, that leaves me with a pile of paperwork on my kitchen table. Last eveing we attended a Republican gubernatorial candidate forum at St. Ben's. Both events leave me skeptical as to the desire to return to our constitutional roots, both on a federal and state level. George Washington, our first president, went against the U.S. Constitution with the Whiskey Rebellion. Thomas Jefferson overlooked the Constitution with the Louisiana Purchase. Abraham Lincoln overlooked it in refusing the southern states their right to secede from the Union. At both the state and national levels our money has been taxed from us to be redistributed as charity to other nations, or other citizens. How many more instances are out there? If violation of our constitutions has been going on from the beginning, what makes us think that we can reverse the trend now? That they are able to be violated so easily indicates a flaw in our U.S. Constitution and our state constitutions. Is this American experiment, then, really the best, most moral form of government there is? Have we been presumptuous in attempting to foist our form of government onto everyone else? Is it worth saving? Are we able to save it? What next?

Back to Knitting

Politics off of my chest, I did break down and buy more yarn. Anne got a new winter coat, so I need to make her a new scarf and hat. Something more grown up now that she is married. Don't ask me when I will get that done, but I have the yarn for it. I also rationalized four bright skeins of Sugar and Cream into the purchase because they were so pretty, and because they were on sale.

National Health Care

I am hoping that people will storm heaven and the Senate so that the health bill does not become law. It is unconstitutional, and immoral.

Where in the Constitution of the United States does it give the federal government the right to pay for, or oversee our healthcare? It does not.

Under the guise of giving everyone the "right" to health care, it will make us bow to government standards of care rather than deciding for ourselves what treatment we should receive. Look at the fiasco at Walter Reed Medical Center and ask yourself if you want to become one of the soldiers receiving sub-standard care because of lack of funds and poor management. It is just and right if I decide to forgo treatment for myself or a child because the risk or the cost or the chance of a positive outcome make a particular treatment extraordinary. It is quite another story if the government puts a value on my life because of my age or condition of health, and decides for me that I am not worthy of care. That'll slip us right into situational ethics. But wait!
I thought we were all "created equal"!

The solution to rising costs is to remove tax incentives to employers who give healthcare as a benefit to their employees, so that employment and insurance are separated. Next, remove all government mandates for insurance, and let people pick the plans that suit their incomes and needs, not the things the government says we need. I am Catholic. Why should my coverage have to include birth control, abortion, sterilization, tubal ligation, in vitro fertilization, or prescription drugs to "assist" me in ending my life? Next, let the universities determine who can be licensed to practice medicine. Next, let the pharmaceutical companies and health food stores be responsible for the safety and effectiveness of their own drugs and supplements. Let our healthcare be ruled once again by reputation, scholarship, pride in one's work, and charity to others in wanting what is best for them, not by government employees awarded their positions as political favors, or politicians with their socialist agendas.

Beer Bread Recipe

3 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 can or bottle of room temperature beer

1/2 cup melted butter

Thoroughly mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Pour in the beer. Mix just until ingredients are moist. Pour into a greased, 9x5 loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Pour half of the melted butter over the bread. Bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour remaining butter over the bread. Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Baking temperature 35O Degrees.
Yields one loaf.

This recipe is especially good with soup or chili on a fall or winter day.