A New Beginning

Like many I spent my lunch time watching the inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President. The activities room at Mom's nursing home was so full of people watching that we would have been stuck in the back, so we watched in her room. It's not only young people who are excited. I had to use 3 tissues, and I startled Mom when I suddenly felt compelled to give her a big hug.

Trying to find a tapestry that relates to this historic day, I came across this little one, about 8x8". It was designed from a photo of my then 14 year old daughter, standing under the arch at the foot of the hill leading up to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, in 1996. Today we are all embarking on an exciting new adventure.

More Round Creations

Having posted my woolly little baskets last time, now I bring you shiny wooden stools. I'm thankful that I thought to include "..and Other Stuff" in the blog title.

My husband, Kim, just finished making these 18 gorgeous four legged stools in his free time.

We photographed them the other night and somehow, because apparently Photoshop does not baffle him, he was able to compose this awesome collage. (Click it for a bigger image)

I love it. Doesn't it remind you of those calendars that show the phases of the moon? Only these are mostly full moons!

My payoff for helping with the photography is that I get to keep my favorite stool. That's the one on the left. Kim's favorite is on the right.


Can you tell that we are opposite personalities?

We already have a number of these around the house, but they are infinitely useful so we can certainly find a use for one more.

And besides, it's sooooo pretty.

My Favorite Things 2008

This is the time of year when everyone makes lists of their favorites.
These are my favorites from 2008; although I read or listened to or watched them in 2008, most are older than that.

• Movies
• Amy
• Once
• Persepolis
• The Boys and Girl from County Clare
• Wall-E
• Young @ Heart

Books

• Bel Canto – Ann Patchett
  Better: a surgeon’s notes on performance – Atul Gawande
• Blue Angel: a novel – Francine Prose
• Keeper and Kid – Edward Hardy
• Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid – Bill Bryson
• A Little Love Story – Roland Merullo
• Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: and other things I’ve learned - Alan Alda
• Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi
• Three Daughters – Letty Cottin Pogrebin
• The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox – Maggie O’Farrell
• Zen and the Art of Faking It - Jordan Sonnenblick
  
  

Music CDs

• Once: Music from the Motion Picture – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
• Appasionata - YoYo Ma
• The Voice of the Violin – Joshua Bell

Portable Diversions

Tiny crocheted baskets.

I used my spinning wheel to ply some old one ply Harrisville wools, so I was essentially designing the baskets while plying the wool.

An easy project to carry in pocket or purse.

2009 Arrives in a Blizzard

Cape Cod in winter. I love snow. The world is so quiet and peaceful covered in a blanket of pure white snow, and it's amazing the way it outlines the shapes of things.


Every branch and twig is highlighted.

I wanted to get some shots of Pleasant Bay too, but it was 9 degrees this morning, and gusty.

I was too scared to pull off the road in the snow, for fear of getting stuck, and I was not about to park and walk, so I had to be satisfied with snapping a few photos out the car window while hoping nobody would come up behind and run into me.

On the other side of the bay you can see a thin white line; it's a barrier beach covered with snow.

Beyond that is the Atlantic Ocean and Europe.