Friday, January 15, 2010

Call to Action

The images coming out of Haiti are so heart-breaking.  I cannot...do not wish to...imagine how I would feel if I had a loved one there at the epicenter of the recent earthquake.  What to do?  What to do?  What to do? Pray, of course.  But, isn't there something more I can do?  Certainly there is. 



I can open both my heart and my pocketbook to help.  I chose to go the Yum! Brands website, scroll down the page, and follow the link to donating to the World Hunger Relief program.  As those of you who read my blog know, Missy M is an employee of Yum! Brands, working as an Instructional Designer for the Long John Silver's and A&W brands.  What you may not know is that yesterday, Yum! announced it was directing $500,000 of its World Hunger Relief donations to help Haiti.  If this major corporation has vetted this charitable organization and trusts it to use funds wisely and expediently, I have to believe that my (much, much smaller) donation is in safe...and competent...hands.


Of course, food isn't the only necessity in need...other things are immediately needed in Haiti:  temporary shelter, water, medical care, assistance in locating friends and family members, etc.  To meet those needs, I have relied on the American Red Cross.  You can follow that link to their webpage, or call them at 1-800-REDCROSS to donate.  I attempted to use the webpage route earlier today, but was warned that it might take several hours for the donation to go through their over-loaded system.  I still haven't received a confirmation email of my donation, so I'm not really sure that it made it yet; I may have to revisit the site and try again later. 

Exploring another avenue, I chose to take advantage of technology by texting the word HAITI to 90999, using my cell phone, to donate $10 instantly.  I received an almost-instant reply, asking me to confirm my gift by texting YES back to the number.  Easy, peasy.  (The donation will appear on my cell phone bill.)  You can do this as many times as you wish to reach your level of giving. 

Still not sure about this?  Read more about it on their blog.  You'll learn that, as of 9:00 a.m. today, there had been more than $3 million dollars donated this way, with 100% of the funds going to earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti.  Have concerns about the Red Cross because you've heard some adverse commentary from some talking head on TV, trying to create drama?  Well, I choose to listen to the comments of a Hurricane Katrina survivor:  "My family and I were helped by the Red Cross in Biloxi after Katrina, and now I am happy to be able to help others in return." 

Regardless of where you choose to direct your gifts, I urge you to please give generously.  In making this plea, I am guided by Luke 12:48:  "...Much is required from the person to whom much is given..." (Good News Bible...English Version).

I have been truly blessed.  Time for me to act!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Winter's Upon Us


I've really been enjoying my view from my office-et-keeping room, which overlooks the back yard.  With three 48" wide x 72" high windows forming a bay across the back wall (as shown in the '09 photo to the right), I can see lots of wildlife when I'm at my desk.  The photo to the left is just one of about a thousand (OK, I'm exaggerating a tad...:) that I have taken of the Eastern Bluebirds that are frequenting our feeders this month.  Oh, we've seen them at other times of the year, but not nearly as prominently as in the past few weeks.  There seem to be three that are in a family group that appear at the same time.  Am I seeing different groups of 3 at different times of the day?  Not sure.  We also have at least four different kinds of woodpeckers at the suet feeders:  Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, and Flickers.

Then, when I turn the other way (looking into the room/house), I see the fireplace...which I've kept going almost constantly during the current Cold Snap. Makes it hard to do any actual w-o-r-k at my desk, don't you know?

I've been concentrating lately on planning N/M/E's upcoming 90th birthday celebration.  We'll be gathering in Nashville in mid-April to raise a glass of punch in her honor, hopefully with family and friends in attendance. I'll add updates in my posts over the next few weeks.

Weather update:  we are still in the mid-30's here, with a bit of snow falling this morning.  The local weatherman called it "a novelty item."  Hmmm.  I guess he was trying to say that we shouldn't be expecting any more?  At least not until the weekend.  Anyway...we have beautiful blue skies, making it appear to be warmer outside than it actually is.  I walked to the mailbox without a sweater or coat earlier and had to hurry back to the warmth of my fireplace.  I think I'll make some Brunswick Stew and a loaf of yeast bread for supper...that should be just the ticket.

Before I get started, I'll pull out the Family cookbook, using N/M/E's recipe for the Stew (which is similar to that link from Southern Living, but which does NOT use baked beans).  I'll also try that link to the bread recipe as I'm always on the lookout for a good/new one.  I'll let you know how it comes out!

Then, later on this evening I'll get back to my latest knitting project (of which I have started about 4 since the first of the year...:).  I lucked into a fabulous sale at the Stitch Point the other day (when I went back to get a couple more skeins of the yarn I'm planning on using for my Ravelympics project in February...more on that in a later post).  I literally stumbled across a sale basket of Country Silk (85% wool, 15% silk) and project booklet #949 by Cleakheaton (an Australian yarn company), all of which had been marked down 40%.  They had a shop sample done of one of the sweaters in the booklet (an argyle pattern) that I had already noticed on my previous trip...but I hadn't asked about it because I truly didn't need another yarn or project in my queue.  Well, I couldn't pass this one up now, could I?  When I sat down to swatch the yarn on the day I bought it, I just couldn't stop knitting!  I have finished one of the sleeves (which I did as my swatch...:) and started on the second one already.  Since there is no pattern stitch to the sleeves (just knitting and purling and increasing then decreasing), I can knit while watching basketball games...no problem.  When I entered my new project into Ravelry today, I noticed that this yarn had been discontinued.  Always seems to happen when I fall in love with a fibre.  Sigh.

OK...it's 4:00.  Gotta get the Stew going and the bread rising.  I'm hungry already!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Let's Begin Twenty-Ten


It's the first full week of the New Year.  As is most of the country, we are experiencing a Cold Snap here in the Piedmont of NC.  As I write this post, the Magnificent Seven Squirrels are having a fab time in the feeders (yes, there are 7 of them at once in the backyard...:), storing up for the predicted evening snow that is currently making its way across the mountains.  That photo to the left is from Missy M, who writes that she still had to go to work this morning anyway.  B-r-r-r-r-r.

I think this is one of my favorite times of the year.  The Holidays are behind us...along with severely hectic schedules.  Spring, with all its wonder and work, is far ahead of us.  This lull before Lent is just right for catching my breath and doing a little catching up.  So, let me get started already!  (I can't even do s-l-o-w slowly...:)


Before I get going with what's happenin' now, I should close the files on the Finished Objects for 2009.  As I said in an earlier post, my needles were clicking on several gifts (pictured to the right).  I knitted up yards and yards of 4-stitch I-cords for 8 Knitted Necklaces.  The knitting was really easy (almost boring) and could be done mindlessly while the football games were on TV.  I purchased pretty metal, wood, and glass pendants and got silver clasps and charms for accents.  The hardest part was attaching the findings, which I didn't have to do, but which I wanted to add for a little more pizazz. No fingernails left after that.


I also knitted a belt for SIL J, using tee-niney US 1 needles (think:  tooth picks) on sock yarn, then attached D-rings and a brass-toned charm, following a pattern from a box of To Go knitting patterns she had given me last Christmas.  Turn about is fair play, right.


And, then, the "fun" stuff.  I made these neat Ice Scraper mitts for the Men in My Life (T, J, and T) + one for Missy M and one for moi.  The Encore yarn (75/25 blend and in "school colors") is a much better choice than the recommended all-wool yarn, because...hey, news flash:  Ice Scrapers get wet!  The hardest part of this gift?  Finding enough ice scrapers; I bought all that the local Ace Hardware had.  Cornered the market.  Good thing too, since the Weather Channel says we're gonna need'em.



And, last but not least.  Missy M's Ripple Waves Afghan in her new furniture colors of cream, olives, and teal (the red is from the afghan draped on the chair)...and the Duck, Duck, Goose Socks.  That's a shot of her and Ella Rae (right) enjoying the new fu (our family name for an afghan...don't know where it came from, altho N/M/E says that's what I called my blanket when I was a tot) when they were still here at Christmas. She's gonna need that blankie and those socks (left) tonight, too, as she just called to say that she now has about 3" of snow, more or less, and still falling.

OK...that's about it for the FO Round-up.  As for what's on the needles now, I just finished the second sleeve on Mr. T's Shawl Collar Sweater.  It was the last piece left...and I'd lost it in the move...yikes!  Found it the other day...whew!!  Now, it's all about the blocking and assembling.  So, I guess you can still call it an Unfinished Object (UFO)...technically.


Other UFO's:   I did a few rows on my Woven Stitch Scarf (which I also "found" recently).  That one required more thinking than I was able to muster, as I was recovering from a particularly nasty bout with an intestinal virus.  Virus 1 - Patricia 0.  I was fine when I got up last Friday morning...queasy by noon...and KO'ed by three.  Took a day to get the fever down...and several more for me to be able to face solid food again.  But, right as rain now, thank goodness.

After yarn crawls to High Point, Greensboro (see photo, left, of Stitch Point), and Charlotte with Missy M over the Holidays, my stash is bulging with new and intriguing yarns and patterns.  Which to choose?  I decided on a rayon-with-copper-thread yarn called Water Hyacynth and a shawl pattern called Entwined Shoulder Shawl that I got at Charlotte Yarn.  I really fell in love with that shop, located in the Dilworth historic neighborhood, and will return...if I can borrow the GPS to help me find my way there again. And, I think this will be the perfect shawl for N/M/E to wear at her 90th birthday party...more on that later.

OK...gotta run to the store.  Bread and milk, you know.  Snow's a'coming!



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