Meganne Fabrega

Review of HEFT by Liz Moore

2012-01-30T12:25:00.000-05:00

Meganne Fabrega, special to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 27, 2012

Isolation and loneliness take many forms in musician and writer Liz Moore's most recent novel, "Heft." There is the large -- the extremely large -- middle-aged character of Arthur Opp, who stays hidden away in his childhood home. Then there is Kel Keller, a teenage baseball wunderkind whom his peers see as an equal while he struggles to maintain the illusion of confidence. And there is Charlene Turner, Opp's former student and Kel's alcoholic mother, whom we encounter primarily through memories.

While the three main characters remain physically apart for the majority of the novel, their stories intersect and create a narrative that pulls in other stories of hidden sadness along the way. Charlene contacts Arthur after a long period of silence, which sparks Arthur's need for company that he had buried long ago beneath excessive eating and daytime television. Kel's tumultuous home life forces him to crack his hard emotional shell in order to ask for help from people he had thought were his adversaries. As Arthur and Kel break down their own barriers, they unearth the fragile interiors of the people around them.

This is not a novel with a happy ending, and that's a good thing. Moore doesn't tie her story up in a pretty package and hand it to the reader with care, but artfully acknowledges in the end that some heavy loads cannot easily be left behind.

Browsing the stacks

2012-01-25T13:47:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time I worked at our local library. While it ends up I didn't have the chops to continue in library service, I still frequent the library on a regular basis. I spend a lot of time requesting new titles and finding old ones that I had seen references to in various articles or on twitter. While most days I feel an embarrassment of riches with my piles of ARCS to review and enjoy, there was a short period a couple of weeks ago where I just let myself aimlessly browse the stacks.

For some reason all of my library picks were titles I missed in 2008. I finally read NETHERLAND by Joseph O'Neil, which had an air of Richard Ford to it (in a good way). I read Joyce Maynard's memoir AT HOME IN THE WORLD and while I can't say that I've enjoyed any of her fiction, I'm glad I read her memoir which mostly takes place here in New Hampshire. Janice Erlbaum's memoir HAVE YOU FOUND HER kept me glued to the sofa for a day or two as I contemplated how willing people are to believe in the goodness of strangers...myself included.

While my desk sags with the weight of the new spring books I'm off to the library to browse the new mags, tiptoe through the stacks, and see if I can find some inspiration for the walls of my office. (Speaking of inspiration, take a peek at Emma Straub's marvelous new wallpaper.)

Wonder what it's like?

2012-01-15T15:56:00.000-05:00

Have you ever considered fostering a dog? I wrote about fostering Joey for Small Dogs Big Hearts today, if you have a moment hop on over to see what it's all about.

My Year of Books

2011-12-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

It’s been a great year for books, as many other listmakersin the know have said. My only regret is that there were not enough hours in the day to read all of the great books that made it onto the shelves and into the hands of readers.

I’ve made a list of the books that stayed with me long after I read them, that answered the question “Have you read anything good lately?” Some were for paid reviews, some were sent to me as ARCs (Advance Reading Copy) directly from the publisher, some I bought and many I checked out from our awesome public library.

In compiling this list I realized that I need to be much more organized in my reading for 2012. Next year I hope to make a list of all of the books I read, not just what I think you should read. Some big titles are missing because I did not read them or didn't care for them, or more often than not, took the time to read a less popular title. I included a title if I couldn't put it down, if dishes went unwashed and emails unanswered. All of these titles were published in 2011, starred titles would make particularly good reads for a book group. None of them should be missed.

Fiction..........

We the Animals by Justin Torres*

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka*

Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell

The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright

The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson

Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam*

You Know When the Men are Gone by Siobhan Fallon

Birds of Paradise by Diana Abu-Jaber*

Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan

Treasure Island!!! by Sara Levine

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson*

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

There But For The by Ali Smith

Memoir........................

One Hundred Names for Love: A Stroke, a Marriage, and the Language of Healing by Diane Ackerman

I Wore the Ocean in the Shape of a Girl by Kelle Groom*

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of an Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton

Townie by Andre Dubus III

Ghosts by Daylight: Love, War and Redemption by Janine di Giovanni*

The Foremost Good Fortune by Susan Conley

A Widow's Story by Joyce Carol Oates

You Had Me at Woof: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself by Julie Klam

Miscellany.............

Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis and Renato Polliafito

The Repurposed Library: 33 Projects to Give Old Projects New Life by Lisa Occhipinti

Design*Sponge at Home by Grace Bonney

Full disclosure: I do not get paid for linking to Powells. It's just one of my all-time favorite bookstores.

Photo from Crooked House's blog.

Feeling Listy

2011-12-07T09:38:00.004-05:00

I love lists, and use them all of the time. My listmaking has not really translated well to the digital age (out of sight, out of mind) but especially around this time of year you'll find my paper lists scattered around the house. What I am doing today, what I am doing for the week (overview), what to get at the store, what to do while I'm downtown, who to call, deadlines to meet, and now the five-part Christmas list is taking over. That one is a biggie. What to buy, what to send, wrapping paper, when to send, what to bake, where to be, what to do...you get the idea. (And don't think I'm not taking you down with me. No one escapes the list.)

Among all of these lists is the list I am working on of some of the notable books I read this year. I am hoping to post that next week. in the meantime hop on over to Large Hearted Boy's blog where all of the 2011 book lists are aggregated, quite a gift for book lovers at this time of the year.

The luckiest girl in the world...

2011-11-16T18:58:00.005-05:00

Barbara G. Walker, back in the day

...that's me! Because I got to interview Barbara G. Walker this summer for the latest issue of Knitting Today. Not only is she an amazing knitter, she is an ardent feminist and listed in the "Who's Who in Hell" directory. When I was typing up the notes from our interview I looked at the final word count...and it was 666. I love when things like that happen.

I hope you get a chance to buy the Feb/Mar 2012 issue with the interview in it, it should be on newsstands now. Here's the Knitting Today blog post about Walker's influence on knitters today.

Photo courtesy of the Freedom from Religion Foundation website at ffrf.org

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:51:00.004-04:00

I have to admit, Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but after destashing some of my yarn this weekend I decided to try some yarn bombing...basically it's knitted graffiti. I like it because it is not destructive and easily removable if there are objections. I put this little cozy around the tree I stand by when I pick my daughter up at school. I hope the kids look up at the tree and appreciate a little handmade Halloween goodness today.

To learn more about yarn bombing, check out http://yarnbombing.com/.

Rhinebeck!

2011-10-24T13:13:00.010-04:00

This was my second time at Rhinebeck, and I would have to say in opposition to the old adage...the second time was actually the charm for me! Great house, peopled with fantastic women, such talented artists each and every one. I came away so inspired. I guest blogged over at Knitting Today, and also contributed photos, but here are some of my own personal photos...

The ladies, ready at the gate for the first day of the festival! I headed to Jenny the Potter for my first JtP mug. It won't be my last.

The paparazzi were everywhere!

I heart gnomes...*love*

My cozy nest at the house. I brought Rachael Herron's memoir, A Life in Stitches, with me...the perfect book for a Rhinebeck weekend.

Breakfast knitting.

Ahoy there, Ann Weaver!

Take a good look at this photo.

Tip of the hat to travelling companions craftivore and boring knitter, who made a 5-hour journey fly by. With junk to boot! Fran thanks you.

Salem has some great knockers...

2011-09-29T11:40:00.012-04:00

This past Sunday I made a trip to check out the Salem Literary Festival in Salem, MA. It was a very soupy day; not sunny, but not rainy. The air was thick and the tourists were starting to trickle in in anticipation of the Halloween festivities. (The parties start early in Salem...or would it be better to say they never really stop?)

I did find the few panels I went to interesting, but what really drew my attention were the houses around the McIntire Historic District. Gorgeous, imposing brick homes, tiny sweet cottages, this area had it all. I noticed that Salem is a town that has knocker pride. These were a couple of my favorites.

I also came across the remnants of a yard sale. The picker in me sighed with remorse that I may have missed some colonial treasures at Yankee prices.

A stop at one of my favorite yarn shops was a must. I resisted the pull of the fiber, especially knowing that the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival is in less than three weeks, but I did admire this nautical-inspired display at Seed Stitch.

Everywhere I turned in Salem there was something new to be discovered, and a story waiting to be written. Here was a dog (cat?) house behind the historic Phillips House. When was it built? What kind of dog could fit in it? What was the dog's name? So many questions.

And this giant stack of chairs? Going in or coming out? For free? For sale? I was so tempted to pull one of the bottom ones out, just to create a stir.

A Life in Stitches

2011-09-21T10:17:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of chatting with Rachael Herron of Yarn-A-Go-Go for an upcoming issue of Knitting Today. While I can't disclose too much of our conversation...you'll have to wait for the February/March 2012 issue for the good stuff...I can say that she was such a delight! Her memoir, A Life in Stitches: Knitting My Way Through Love, Loss, and Laughter, got a great review from Publisher's Weekly and will definitely be added to the TBR pile on my nightstand. She also writes knitting-themed romances, and she is my new inspiration for participating in, and finishing, NANOWRIMO this year. (Third time's a charm...I hope!)

The ultimate inspiration...

2011-09-06T14:16:00.006-04:00

As a writer, I am always interested in how other writers do it. How does she have five kids and write a novel? (No sleep.) How does he write on a train every morning on the way to work? (Discipline and good earplugs.) How do you get an editor to respond to you? (Still learning about that one.)

Last night we were watching a documentary about Fran Lebovitz called Public Speaking. She is so wickedly clever, and said something about inspiration and deadlines which I should have written down but I didn't. In any case, I really struggle with allowing myself time to write fiction since I never have deadlines for my fiction and I am only writing for me.

One of my favorite forms of procrastination is to read about other writers. I am not that person at a reading that asks "Do you write at a desk or do you go to the coffee shop?" because while that may be a valid question, I can imagine that published authors may be a little sick of answering it. I do love reading interviews with and essays by authors, and one of my favorite books that I turn to on a regular basis is THE WRITER ON HER WORK, VOL.1, edited by Janet Sternburg in 1980. I have the 1981 Norton edition with a Kandinsky painting on the cover (above).

The best part about this book is that I bought it used, so another person had already underlined and starred some of her (I am going to assume it's a "her") favorite lines. One essay from the collection that I am constantly passing on to friends is Anne Tyler's "Still Just Writing." I found the essay here, so if you have a few minutes you should really give it a read- especially if you are caring for a family as well as for yourself.

The other night I was reading another one of the essays, this one by Erica Jong called "Blood and Guts: The Tricky Problem of Being a Woman Writer in the Late Twentieth Century." The previous owner of the book had underlined this passage:

"In fact, when I look back on the years since I left college, and I try to sum up what I have learned, it is precisely that: not to fear change, not to expect my life to be immutable. All the good things that have happened to me in the last several years have come, without exception, from a willingness to change, to risk the unknown, to do the very things I feared the most." (emphasis mine)

So when I look at why I put something off...writing, reaching out to a stranger, or sending a pitch or a story into the ether, I hope I can remember why the reader before me underlined this paragraph, and do us both a favor by taking a risk today.

Summer!

2011-08-21T13:47:00.008-04:00

I can't believe that August is almost over. I feel as though I wait all winter for the blink of an eye they call summer here in the Northeast. We're fortunate to live by the ocean. Scratch that...I can't live anywhere that is not near an ocean. No matter the season, I need to know that there is a wide expanse of water nearby that I can visit on a moment's notice. It was one of my favorite things about living in San Francisco...water as far as the eye can see. (Well, that and the amazing coffee. And the food. And the bookstores...okay, I really miss San Francisco.)

Here are my favorite things about summer, in no particular order.

The flea market at Todd's Farm in Rowley, MA
Watching my daughter spend hours on the beach digging for unsuspecting crabs
Frozen treats almost every night with little to no guilt
Reconnecting with old friends that come by to visit, or on our visits to faraway places
Drinking wine and eating stinky cheese on the front porch
Finding new ways to avoid going to the local water park, a horrid place that no one ever leaves without regretting their visit in the first place
Going downtown and then complaining how crowded it is downtown
Outdoor knitting

Here are few treasures from this summer's estate sales and the flea market.

A vintage wool carder, bought from kind of a scary, skinny guy with missing teeth whose friend then warned him to "Stop flirting!" I would have been more offended if I hadn't also just bought this really cool hand-knit Norwegian sweater from him for $5. Sometimes at the market you just have to roll with it.

Then I bought this beautiful teacup from a man and his aged father. You could tell that the father was looking for some serious cash from his table, but if you asked his son what he wanted for an item he would hurriedly tell you his much lower price. Obviously, he was the one who would end up packing it in the car to tote home later that day. I got this teacup for $1. It has a German mark on the bottom and is wafer thin. It also has some staining. It sits above my sink so that I can admire the butterfly handle as I wash dishes.

I went to an estate sale in a nearby town. You could tell that the woman who owned this house kept everything in pristine order. The prices were a little higher than what this cheap, excuse me, thrifty Yankee will usually pay, but I found a box of vintage flower frogs, a Smith Corona Classic 12 in mint condition with case and instructions, a Spirograph game with all of its parts, and this craft set complete with instructions, cards, thread and scissors.

Sometimes I sell these things on ebay, and sometimes it's not worth the time or effort and I just keep them around for our own enjoyment.

Off to enjoy the last few days of summer, and summer reading, see you in September...

Books, food and knitting...my life in a nutshell

2011-07-11T20:24:00.008-04:00

What's the latest? Well, I've got new reviews up on the Star Tribune's books site! I reviewed State of Wonder by Ann Patchett last month (loved it!) and today my review of Don't Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life by Sandra Beasley was posted. If you know anyone with severe food allergies, this is a must-read memoir.

Speaking of food, my review of Season to Taste: How I Lost My Sense of Smell and Found My Way by Molly Birnbaum appeared in the books section of the Charlotte Observer last month. It was a wonderful memoir, and Birnbaum (an editor at Cook's Illustrated) has a great blog that shouldn't be missed. You can find My Madeleine here.

On newsstands you'll find my piece on the Crochet Liberation Front (yeah, that's right!) that appears in the latest issue of Crochet Today. I'm working on some new reviews right now, there are some great titles coming out this fall!

If you're a knitter/crocheter on Ravelry please join our Edith Wharton knitalong/readalong group! I've always wanted to read some of her many works, and it's great fun to do it with a group. Every short story or book I have read so far has included at least one person knitting or crocheting in it. No idle hands for Wharton...

A peek inside the palace...

2011-06-09T09:45:00.004-04:00

I'm quite honored to be a guest on Write Place, Write Time today, a wonderful blogs that pulls back the curtain on where writers do their dirty work. Please check it out when you have a moment, there are lots of very talented authors featured, and I am humbled to be included.

Amy Butler in Knitting Today

2011-06-06T21:32:00.003-04:00

Hello all! If you're out at the newsstands, please check out the profile of Amy Butler that I contributed to the latest issue of Knitting Today (as well as the fun patterns...).

I haven't been posting much, but I have lots of reviews coming out soon and have been going strong with my fiction writing. For the latest please follow me on twitter...

An homage to Little House

2011-04-18T08:51:00.004-04:00

My review of Wendy McClure's new book THE WILDER LIFE: MY ADVENTURES IN THE LOST WORLD OF 'LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE' is now up on the Minneapolis Star Tribune site, but I've provided a little link for you here.

It's a fabulous book for Little House fans, but also for anyone growing up during the 70s. Since my daughter is now reading the Little House books, it really hit a sweet spot for me.

Happy Spring!

2011-03-28T14:58:00.007-04:00

Just a little update to say happy spring! I tried to make this Daffodil Cake from the Joy of Cooking, but it tasted just a little too eggy. It looked so pretty while I was making it though, so in this case I will just post "before" photos.

I love making homemade angel food cake, oddly enough the best recipe I have found is in Carolyn Roehm's Spring Notebook. I delight in finding good recipes in unexpected places.

I have a piece about "celebrity knitting" in Knitting Today, so please check it out if you're at your favorite craft store or newsstand.

The best news is that I have my own office now in our house...with a door! I am planning on a makeover...new paint, inspiration board, etc... and someday this corner will hold a big, comfy reading chair. Until then Skylar will just sit and soak up some rainbows.

Book Review: A Widow's Story

2011-02-16T12:51:00.003-05:00

My book review of A Widow's Story by Joyce Carol Oates is now up here. Definitely not for the faint of heart...

Interview with Jennifer Cecere for Crochet Today

2011-01-29T13:41:00.005-05:00

I had the great pleasure of interviewing NYC artist Jennifer Cecere for the March/April issue of Crochet Today. I absolutely love her doily art, and was inspired to hang some in our windows for the holidays. Be sure to check out Crochet Today at your LYS, Barnes & Noble, or any of the big craft stores near you!

Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

2011-01-21T13:47:00.003-05:00

My latest review is up right now for Alimentum, a great literary journal that celebrates all things food. I reviewed Gabrielle Hamilton's memoir, Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertant Education of a Reluctant Chef and if you read the review you can see how much I loved it. I'm hoping to eat at her restaurant, Prune, in NYC this spring. If she can cook as well as she writes I'm sure it will be an amazing experience.

Welcome!

2011-01-02T20:50:00.002-05:00

If you're new, thanks for coming! And if you're a regular visitor, thanks for coming, well, back!

I'm moving over to WordPress, so while that's in the works I won't be posting much here. I'm excited for lots of great changes in 2011.

In addition to all the business adjustments and techy-type stuff I have quite a bit of work in January including book reviews for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Alimentum, an interview with Amy Butler, and an NH Arts Advocacy summit to attend on behalf of Art-Speak.

Personally, I am excited about having a big stack of books scattered around the house, a yarn stash waiting my attention, some cool author readings to attend, and returning to the gym to battle all those holiday treats I was forced to eat. (It was brutal, but someone had to take the hit.)

Happy New Year!

A Sampler and Some Sparkle

2010-12-06T17:25:00.004-05:00

I'll have some nice finished projects for the next post, but for now just a couple of photos of my latest scores and the annual Christmas mantle.

I found this at a church sale for $1. There was something so cheerful about it, I had to take it home and hang it on the wall. I love all of the stitches with the different yarns. Some may call it kitsch, but I see it as an inspiring 60s-style sampler.

I decided to decorate my little tree on the mantle with random costume jewelry this year. Sparkly!

Off to madly work on holiday knitting...the curse of the slow knitter!

Fall's last hurrah

2010-11-15T11:52:00.005-05:00

We've been pretty fortunate here in New England, it's still fairly mild which lets the garden take its last deep breath before hibernating for the winter. I've raked lots of leaves lately and said goodbye to the last of the roses, a bit of yarrow, and this gorgeous anemone. It looks as though it was made out of sugarpaste.

I buy most of my plants, especially the roses, on sale and then nurse them back to health. This way I have more money to spend on bulbs. I love bulbs. Mine are now all officially tucked away for winter. I buy them from John Scheepers, they aren't the cheapest bulbs but they come up strong and bright. This year I bought Christmas Orange and Miranda tulips, Elwesii galanthus, and for a bit of the freak factor, Allium "Hair". I can't wait to see this come out. Its description is "purple head with green tentacles."

Baking titles are so sweet...

2010-11-04T15:46:00.002-04:00

My column in Library Journal is officially out. If you're looking for any good baking-themed fiction or memoirs this might be a good place to start. (Clarification: I do live in Portsmouth, NH not Portsmouth, NJ like they printed. Not that I'm knocking Jersey!)

Rhinebeck Animals and NaNoWriMo

2010-11-01T09:02:00.004-04:00

Here's the promised post of Rhinebeck's gorgeous animals, and an excuse if I don't post very much this month. I have the perfect window of opportunity to participate in NaNoWriMo this year and I'm going to take it. That's not to say that writing is always done under perfect conditions, in fact, it's usually the opposite situation, but my schedule is very flexible this fall and it feels as good of a time as any to write a novel. Right? I'll try to keep up with some photos, and I'll be back in December to let you know how it went.

And even though I SWORE I would not buy anything in KnitWit in Portland (ME)...I had to call 1-800-YARN CONFESSIONS after I left the shop (i.e. craftivore). Curses. I couldn't help it, these Quince & Co. colors reminded me of the Atlantic ocean on a January day.

Rhinebeck Part I...The Humans

2010-10-20T20:31:00.011-04:00

Still reeling from my amazing time at the NY Sheep and Wool Festival! I met so many cool knitters AND animals that this post needs to be broken into two parts. First, the humans...

The talented Ann Weaver of WeaverKnits handselling her new book of patterns, Craft Work Knit with Chris modeling a WeaverKnits original, together with my partner in crime, craftivore. Without craftivore's mad driving skills, navigation savvy, and organic apricots I don't think I ever would have made it farther than the grocery store at the end of the block. Thanks craftivore!

Walking around with her was like being with a rock star. Her "The Owl and The Pussycat Dress" drew stares and had people following us all over the fairgrounds. Here she is being shot by Gale Zucker, famous photographer to the wool world.

The fun sisters Deborah and Mary Beth with their Sockhead Hats!

A girl who really loves her yarn...

Another girl who really loves The Owl and The Pussycat... and fortunately ran into craftivore...

And a coveted ravelry party cupcake!

There were so many more people I met and enjoyed! But now the knitting (and Mad Men) calls...next time, my furry friends take over the blog.

Rhinebeck, Here I Come!

2010-10-13T09:04:00.009-04:00

I've been hearing about "Rhinebeck" for a couple of years now from my friend craftivore, much like you'd hear about the lost city of Atlantis, so I decided that it was time to pack up the needles and hit the road! I'll also be playing Rhinebeck Bingo as a player and a square, so here are some colors and clues for those who are visiting the site to scout out information:

We just got back from a quick, wonderful trip to NYC, and I had to share a couple of highlights. Barbara Kruger's installation at the future site of the Whitney Museum:

Brooklyn Farmacy, a fantastic old-fashioned soda fountain in Brooklyn:

And our big star sighting, especially for the fashionistas out there. Can you guess who this is?

Knitting Today! has arrived

2010-09-27T20:10:00.010-04:00

I am so excited! Knitting Today! is out and ready for knitters everywhere to pick up at their local magazine stand or yarn shop. Alright, I may be a little biased since I wrote for it, but I honestly feel that they really did a fantastic job getting this new magazine to reach all levels of knitters. There are great patterns, book reviews, a travel column (ahem), a yarn giveaway, and...a Boston terrier modeling a sweater pattern! I especially love the Booty Call for art director Samantha Weng who is having...quadruplets. Yes, that's right, FOUR BABIES AT ONCE. (Sorry for yelling, but it kind of blows my mind.) That woman will need as many booties as KT readers can send her! See page 11 for information or email me for the mailing address. They are going to feature her favorite booties in an upcoming issue.

What I'm Waiting For

2010-09-22T10:25:00.004-04:00

Still basking in the afterglow of seeing one of my all-time favorite authors last night (Margaret Atwood, all poise and wry humor at The Music Hall last night despite an interviewer who was not quite up to par), I came home last night to start the first of my memoir-themed fall reading list, Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life by Kim Severson. My fall list is especially thick with memoirs...not always the cheery kind...and some new fiction titles from some old favorites.
I'm pretty sure that all of my library requests will come in on the same day, which means I'll have to pick and choose in order not to be the horrible patron that leaves books at home on her to-read shelf until she is forced to return them to people who have been desperately waiting for them. (If this is you, return your books RIGHT NOW.)

The Memoir List
Half a Life by Darin Strauss
You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness by Julie Klam (I'm especially looking forward to this one, it's about a woman and her Boston terriers. Besides being a sucker for dog books in general, maybe she will help me understand my own BT's utter lack of interest in going for walks.)
Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray (The title makes it sound like a Lifetime special, and yes, it actually was a Lifetime special, but the book got an excellent review in The New York Times Sunday Book Review.)
Keeper: One House, Three Generations and a Journey Into Alzheimer's by Andrea Gillies

Have you read any of these...or any other memoirs recently?

Let's Take the Long Way Home

2010-09-01T19:42:00.004-04:00

When I put Gail Caldwell's memoir (Let's Take the Long Way Home) on hold at the library I knew it would be about a deep friendship between women, but I didn't realize that it would explore human-canine friendships as well. It startled me how much this book touched me, for such a slim volume she expressed a world of emotion using very few words. I found myself at six in the morning finishing the memoir and sobbing my pre-coffee eyes out.

I am rich with human friendships, both old and new, and as an adult I embraced my love for dogs. The photo above is of our dog Mimi, who we lost to a sudden illness earlier this year. She was not with us long, but she had a huge personality for such a little dog and we miss her terribly. I still find myself absentmindedly calling for her, even 5 months after she left us. Now Skylar rules the roost, she's very mellow and a serious mama's girl to boot. She's also very patient, as you can see below. She doesn't mind playing dress up once in a while.

Fall knitting

2010-08-27T09:09:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year, where knitting with lovely wools starts to be fun again. (Although I really enjoyed working with the Berocco Seduce this summer, as well as an "ecologie cotton" from Nashua Handknits.) This post from Katy Elliott inspired me to post my latest project, Stephen West's Boneyard Shawl in Serenknity's Blue Lagoon. I'm also struggling through some late birthday scarves as well, but it's hard to tear myself away from the Blue Lagoon. I'm a one-project-at-a-time kind of gal, but I'll be juggling a few projects in anticipation of my upcoming Rhinebeck trip. More on that later...duty calls...

Vacation time

2010-08-24T08:33:00.008-04:00

Well, we all took a deep breath last week and dove headfirst into vacation mode. The theme? Family. First, A's parents came and we had a veritable festival of food and crafting. A's mom is from Chile, and super talented in the kitchen and very handy with the sewing machine. First order of business was empanadas. (Photos courtesy of A.)

The filling:

Into the oven:

The finished product:

Then, the sewing lesson!

I (finally) finished my Norah Gaughan Flow tank. I've always wanted to make a pattern by her, and this seemed a good place to start. There was a little panic toward the end when I thought I would run out of yarn (Berroco Seduce in Chana Dal), but I made it though with a bit to spare. It turned out a little bigger than I thought it would, but it's nice and flowy and I could even wear it in the fall with a long sleeved shirt.

And overcame my fears and learned how to can jam...fresh peaches and sugar...yum:

Then, after an all-too brief visit with my favorite aunties at my mom's house, we packed up the Boston Terrier and wild child and headed for Bailey Island, Maine to attend my cousin's wedding. Miss M did an excellent job as last-minute train carrier. The dress was exquisite, it was my grandmother's dress from the forties, restored to its glory. Very old-fashioned and beautiful.

Putting it out there

2010-08-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

I've been pretty busy lately petting yarn for an article I am working on for a lovely new knitting magazine, but in the meantime I shot off a letter to the editor of The New York Times Sunday Magazine regarding an article that ran last weekend about clothing sizes for women who wear size 14 and up. It's a pretty personal topic for me, since I have not worn smaller than a size 12 since I was that age. Since high school I have fluctuated 20-30 pounds, but always within the sizes 14-16/L/XL, so it was interesting to read a piece in a respected paper about how companies view this market, and how women in this size range are frustrated by the lack of choices out there.

I think that most of the time when you write something really personal you don't actually think about the fact that lots of people will actually read it, so I was a little freaked out when I found out that my letter would be printed. The editors cut the part I wrote about my frustration with trying to find a triathlon suit for an upcoming sprint triathlon I'll be in...all of the size 16s seem to be sold out. (Hmmm.) People might see sizing as a "Don't eat so many ho-hos" issue...and for some people that might actually be the issue...but I think most women who are in this market are working with (or against) genetics, life-saving medications, age, etc. And for God's sake I'd just like a decent range of quality clothing that won't break the bank.

Anyway, there are many opinions out there about sizing in general and I know that a lot of my smaller-sized friends struggle with the same issue. For my part I don't even look at sizes anymore. If I feel good in it, I wear it. If you're taking care of yourself, exercising, eating your veg, indulging in wine and goodies with friends on occasion, and you're happy, life is just too short to hate your bod.

NYC Lomo

2010-07-27T08:08:00.006-04:00

I'm sorry, but I finally scanned all my lomo shots so it's lomo madness around this blog. The only reason I was sad to miss the Stratham Fair this year was that I am sure there were some great lomo moments to be had. I do have some Dutch dog lomo coming in the future (which sounds like code for something bizarre - it's not) but don't worry, next week we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Yes, I was the dumb tourist with the weird camera taking a photo of pretzels, but not buying anything.

I think this is my favorite, but I'm not sure where it is. Anyone?

Los Angeles Lomo

2010-07-20T21:55:00.008-04:00

It was fun to pull out my crazy plastic camera in the land of sun last March. Here is a shot of one of the giant poppies in the garden at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. It looks completely unreal, but so happy.

The succulents were amazing. This shot makes me feel like I landed on the moon. I tried a double exposure.

We went on the requisite L.A. hike in the canyon, but being a New England girl I forget which one. I figured that if Chester the peke could make it up that mountain, I should keep my complaining to myself.

Here's Chester again. In front of me, just showing off.

Hello Amsterdam!

2010-07-13T07:38:00.007-04:00

I don't know about you, but I was very disappointed in Spain's win over Holland this past Sunday. I called my friends in Amsterdam before the match, and I could hear the vuvuzelas tooting away in the background as hundreds of thousands of people paraded along the canals and in the strachts of the city. I dug up some of the shots I took with my Diana camera the last time I was there and became a bit nostalgic.

This shot is from the Begijnhof, this quiet little square in the midst of Amsterdam's buzz and bustle. Retired nuns live in all of these old homes lining the square, and around the corner is one of my favorite newsstands in the world. It's the Athenaeum Nieuwscentrum...a magazine hound's dream.

Photos of the week...

2010-06-17T20:36:00.008-04:00

It's been very crazy here, June crazy. Here's a sampling:

I went to a local auction and bought a giant box of costume jewelry for $20. I also bought two vintage wedding gowns for $5, but you'll have to wait for those photos.

Finding pairs was very therapeutic. It took hours. I would even say I got a little obsessed.

I think these are my favorite. Too bad my lobes are too tiny for clip ons.

We had a good-bye dinner for some friends who are moving. It inspired me to break out the paper streamers I bought in Holland two years ago and saved for a special occasion.

I added to the ambiance with flowers from the garden.

Somehow, don't ask me why, we volunteered to take the classroom guinea pig from my niece's school for the summer. (Should I be worried that no one else in the school volunteered to take it?) She's very cute and curious, and happy that she's not abused all day by four year olds.

I have a million pressing things to do, things I really shouldn't put off. But sometimes it's good to take a step back and realize that when it's strawberry season in New Hampshire that the most important thing to do is make strawberry pie and eat it.

And now... I will end with some bug porn.

The best book I've read in 10 years

2010-06-06T20:37:00.007-04:00

Four score and many jobs ago, my good friend handed me a book. This was a tradition with us. I would visit her and she would send me back with some books she liked. The book she handed me this trip was Mary and O'Neil by Justin Cronin. I loved it for its brilliant combination of simplicity and complications. When I was working at RiverRun Bookstore, his second novel The Summer Guest came out. I sold a copy to anyone who was living, breathing and within 10 feet of the door of the bookstore. So when I walked into the bookstore last fall and Tom said "Your favorite author is coming out with a vampire book" I basically turned up my Twilight-hating nose (sorry, it's personal, don't flood me with your pro-Twilight posts) and was done with Cronin, that traitor.

Never say never.

In February, Michele (also of RiverRun) got the advance and insisted I read it. I reluctantly hauled the 700+-page book home and proceeded to lose 7-10 days of my life. No dishes, no grad work, no sleep. It is NOT a "vampire" book. It's as though your favorite literary author wrote a thriller (wait, that's what happened!): it's intelligent, it's dreamlike, it's fantastical with a solid base in reality, and it's frightening. When I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about it, and when I wasn't thinking about it I was talking about it, even though it was so indescribable. And look, I'm babbling. This book made me babble. I even wrote Justin a fan message on Facebook. How embarrassing is that?

I think one of may favorite things about this book being such a success, because I have no doubt that once its published it will be a critical and financial success, is that Cronin is such a genuinely good writer and he's getting a lot of money to write this trilogy. Guess what? Writing is hard work, and he deserves every penny. The worst part about The Passage was when I finished it and I knew that I could never read it again for the first time.

Justin Cronin will be reading at RiverRun in Portsmouth on June 21st. If you're in the area, I hope to see you there.

Lost recipes

2010-05-31T19:57:00.005-04:00

Last year in my neighborhood we lost two longtime residents. My next-door neighbor who had lived within this two-block radius for all of her 89 years moved to Florida to be near her family. The woman across the street, who never married and lived in the same house that she was born in 85 years ago, had heart trouble and other ailments and moved to senior housing about 10 minutes away. The odd thing is that these two women, who couldn't have been more different, both left in the span of about 10 days last September. It still makes me teary.

When the 85-year-old neighbor's nephew (got that?) was cleaning out her house last month, a piece of paper blew across the street as I was working on my flower beds. Thinking it was trash, I picked it up and headed for the recycling bin. Then I took a closer look. It was a recipe for Sugar-Crusted Rhubarb Squares. I've never been partial to rhubarb, but I felt that I needed to rescue this recipe in honor of lost neighbors. It was moist and delicious, and the rhubarb came from a friend's garden which I felt made the recipe more meaningful.

The new neighbors move in next month and they just had their first child. It seems like the perfect fit for a house with history.

Westward Ho, Part II

2010-05-24T11:08:00.003-04:00

The second half of our glorious Saturday was spent at The Clark a.k.a. The Sterling and Francine Art Institute. I like to pride myself on being up on the museum scene, but I had never heard of The Clark, which meant I had absolutely no expectations of what we would find there. It was like a hidden jewel in the forest, loaded with beautiful, classic works of art. I loved its size as well. One floor with wide corridors leading from room to room around the perimeter. I definitely want to return, especially after its renovation. I had hoped to see its library, but it was closed.

My favorite pieces were "Hanging Figure" by Juan Munoz and "Women with Dog" by Pierre Bonnard. The Munoz piece was so strange in the midst of the Degas sculptures and Renoir paintings, it couldn't help but draw your attention. The Bonnard was one I hadn't seen before, and I loved the perspective.

I especially liked the paintings of the knitters by Jean-Francois Millet. Women hard at work shepherding, yet still getting in their knitting time.

Westward Ho, Part I

2010-05-18T19:50:00.006-04:00

Every since I first saw the article in Country Living about The Porches Inn I've dreamed of going for a stay. There was never enough free time or money to go, and frankly there still isn't but we went anyway. It was one of the best weekends I have had in years since it combined all of my favorite things: my true love, museums, a nice hotel, a foreign flick and a road trip.

Even though I spent my college years in Western Massachusetts at Hampshire College, I never ventured as far west as the Berkshires. It was a beautiful drive there, even though the town of North Adams felt like the land that time forgot. It was my first time at MASS MoCA, which was an absolutely incredible space created from 19th century mill buildings.

We didn't see all of the exhibits, but we did see the Sol LeWitt Wall Drawing Retrospective. What floored me about his drawings were the LeWitt's instructions for creating each drawing. ("Within a circle draw 10,000 black straight lines and 10,000 black not straight lines. All lines are randomly spaced and evenly distributed.") We also saw Petah Coyne's upcoming show being installed, which will entice me to North Adams for another visit...

...coming up in Westward Ho, Part II...The Clark...

Contradictions

2010-05-12T16:15:00.008-04:00

I always have a hard time with making a decision, any decision, since I was a child. My mom tells me that she used to refuse to help me with decisions when I was younger with the hope that making a decision would become less traumatic for me as time went on. It didn't really work, I still waffle over the smallest decisions, and change my mind constantly.

So I placed this quote underneath my monitor, with the hope that it would help me focus on the small picture, instead of being overwhelmed by the big picture. It's by Maira Kalman, one of my favorite illustrators.

"'Think small' is my new motto. It helps me handle the complicated too-muchness of it all."

Strangely enough, six months later I (unintentionally) put a postcard of a lithograph by Roni Horn next to the quote. The lithograph is titled "Brink of Infinity".

Get it? It took me a while, but now I think it perfectly captures my permanent state of mind. I am moving on from denial to acceptance.

The Baktus is done...just in time for spring

2010-05-05T20:33:00.007-04:00

Here is the Baktus neck scarf kerchief thingy just in time for spring. This is me wearing it in the burning sun with about 8 carpenter bees zooming around my head, trying to get get me out of THEIR YARD. But you can't tell, right? That's right, because I am unfazed by this kind of backlash by nature if I can just take one nice photo of my knitted neck warmer. (Did I mention it was hot? It was hot.)

To answer your question, it's called a Baktus after a Norwegian "tooth troll" who lives inside of a young boy's cavity. The pattern came from Strikkelise on ravelry. The yarn is Pulse from Spunky Eclectic. And now I am on to other things, like finishing the Norah Gaughan Flow tank that I started last summer, because right now I am all about finishing what I've started.

This is Skylar and her friend Skunky, taking a breather.

On writing

2010-05-03T19:56:00.006-04:00

There weren't many showers in April, but the flowers arrived anyway. Tulip Orange Princess paired with Tulip Spring Green.

Now that I'm done for the moment with my grad school work, I'm allowing myself to lift my head up and breathe. To work on what I love without guilt or some nagging feeling that I'm stealing time from some beast that will track me down and punish me for being the irresponsible student that I am.

I just finished Illuminating Fiction by Sherry Ellis. Ellis has collected 19 of her interviews with poetry and prose writers into a tidy little book that inspires and informs at the same time. She does a great job balancing questions about the writer's habits with questions about character, plot and story inspiration. She interviews some of my favorite authors like Amy Bloom and Margot Livesy, and introduced me to Matthew Sharpe. The Sleeping Father is on my "to read" shelf.

I am now jumping around Zadie Smith's Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays. I had forgotten how much I loved essay collections, where I can pick and choose depending on my mood. I loved"That Crafty Feeling" where she really exposes her own neuroses as a writer. I feel that her description of writing a novel could really be applied to writing any length piece. The nerves leading up to the writing, getting in the groove, then the slow fall back into self doubt. It's nice to know I'm not the only one out there feeling this way.

Keeping track

2010-02-03T11:45:00.003-05:00

We received our new calendar from Crispin Finn last week. I found the link through Lovely Design, and knew we had to have it. What I really love is that you can see the whole year at once, and while I hate to muck it up with scribbles, I think at the end of the year it will be a calendar worth saving for posterity's sake.

Crispin Finn does such a nice job with packaging, it was a shame to have to open it...

A Rare Bird in Winter

2010-01-25T11:22:00.003-05:00

Popped into the Peabody Essex Museum last week to see the exhibit of Iris Apfel's absolutely spectacular collection of clothing. My favorite piece was a Christian Dior by John Galliano jacket which took lamb's wool and quilted it with tulle applique in a manner that reminded me of knitting my thrummed mittens (which have been delayed due to overuse of roving in the first mitten leading to a lack thereof in the second...). NECN has a video of a walk through the exhibit with Ms. Apfel, if you get a chance be sure to see the clothes and jewelry in person. It's hard to believe one woman has worn - and stored - all of these amazing pieces. The best part of the exhibit was seeing it with my mom, whose own talent for sewing and love for fashion has heavily influenced my own appreciation of wearable art.

Around the corner from the PEM is Seed Stitch, a lovely little yarn shop with luscious fiber, great pattern books and mags, vintage buttons and too much temptation for one woman who has a lot of UFOs around the house...

Sunny Saturday Afternoon

2010-01-17T10:42:00.004-05:00

Sometimes you just have to fight the torpor of January, get off the sofa, put down your needles (even though you are completely obsessed with thrumming your mittens), and get out of town. Yesterday was sunny and gorgeous, so hatless, scarfless, and down-winter-coatless we went to Portland, ME. While driving an hour south to Boston guarantees traffic, aggressive drivers, and expensive parking, traveling an hour north to Portland is a stress-free and certainly cheaper excursion.

Our first stop was on the north end of Congress Street. There we perused the prints at eli phant and molested yarn at Knit Wit. (With all due respect to my husband, it is a lot more relaxing to be in a yarn shop without my man shadow...) We jumped into the fray at Duck Fat, where we enjoyed the best french fries in all of New England...ooohhhh salty...and eliminated any health benefits gained by that morning's workout.

We continued on to the Fore Side area of town, where we met the friendly owner of Aucocisco Gallery and his sweet dog Griffin. Winding our way through the streets, searching unsuccessfully for a plain, modern men's wedding band to replace the one lost by A, we also browsed through Blanche and Mimi, Find, and Folly 101. There are some great shops in Portland once you wade through the t-shirt stores and pricey boutiques. My next solo visit will include trips to Goodwill and the Salvation Army for some treasure hunting...

Found in this morning's NYT...beautiful jewelry and a baker to boot...

Updates from the Land of Nod

2009-12-02T19:42:00.005-05:00

It feels like the Land of Nod, a dreamworld where time floats gently by, taken up by grad school, hot deadlines, and a cold winter sneaking in.

If you're by your local newsstand, be sure to pick up the Dec/Jan 2010 edition of American Craft magazine. Not only for its amazing content and brilliant design, but because my article about Portsmouth, NH appears in the issue. I had a chance to visit many of the artists during their Holiday Home Tour this year, and even purchased my own little beads from Kristina Logan.

I recently learned about the Arts Writers Grants Program, a very cool program through the Creative Capital/Warhol Foundation that awards arts writers and bloggers with grants to continue to write about art. In perusing the list, I was excited to see that Greg Cook's blog The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research was awarded $30,000. Worth every penny, let me tell you.

I stopped by to see Chairman Mao this weekend at the Met. We had a chat. It was good.

Knitting storage

2009-09-17T12:21:00.003-04:00

I have this problem with finding the "perfect" bag. This problem is not restricted to my daily bag that I cart around with me, but it extends to what I carry my knitting in. I've been using the two tote bags above, but they are rather shlumpy and I need something with a little more construction. I scored one of those Built market totes at Marshalls which is still a soft tote, but it's waterproof, cute, and not as thin as my current totes. It smells like I should be surfing with it (it's made of neoprene), but may be perfect for when my daughter's swimming lessons start next week and I'll be riding the bleachers at the local pool twice a week.

But if anyone out there really needs a great idea for my upcoming birthday, here it is.

Oh, and these are the socks I'm working on when I'm not avoiding schoolwork, housework, or any other sort of work. I don't know why they're taking me so long, I guess that means I've been working too much. I used to knit socks in college, so these are the first pair I've knit in, well, let's just say a long time. (I have a friend from college who used to knit and drive. Evidently at one point I said to her "Why can't you just do one thing at a time?" or something like that. I've never been known to mince words.) I'm using Berroco Sox sock weight in Day-Lewis.

Could I have said it better myself?

2009-09-08T20:00:00.003-04:00

Take a look at Yarn Harlot's post "A Problem in the Wiring" about parenting (you'll have to scroll down to August 31st)...it made me laugh, cry, and shudder all at the same time.

Taking a look at some of my favorite knitting books

2009-09-07T16:18:00.004-04:00

When I take a break from knitting, I always feel like there's no way I can go back. I compare myself to other knitters that can whip out that Norah Gaughan Cardi in a week, I lament that I'll never, ever learn how to do colorwork, and that the handknit wraps, hats, cute sweaters and socks are for others to excel at. That I should just return to my books and be done with it. Throw in the skein, so to speak.

So I do return to my books, but I make sure they're knitting books that inspire me to keep learning, playing, building up those brain cells, and stimulating the economy with the money I spend on yarn.

One of my all-time favorite books is Knit Knit by Sabrina Gschwandtner. There are still lots of knitting books out there with futzy mohair sweaters and cute teddy bears in matching sweaters and hats, but this is not one of them. Knit Knit's subtitle - Profiles and Projects from Knitting's New Wave- says it all. The knitters in this book aren't just making clothes- they're creating pieces of art in the form of giant American flags, teeny, tiny sweaters, and telephone pole cozies. The knitters are young, old, male, female, scientists, housewives, writers, and more.

The most important thing about Knit Knit is that it introduced me to the work of Norah Gaughan. I'm not sure how long it will take me to get to the level where I can make a piece from her book Knitting Nature, but it's good to have goals, right? I am working on Gaughan's Flow tank, so when I go to interview her I'll have something to wear that's from one of her books. (Ok, so I'm not scheduled to interview her, but that doesn't mean it's impossible...have faith, people.)

I also don't think I'd get through some trickier stitches with my Vogue Knitting book. Plain photographs, clear instructions, I usually have it next to me when I'm trying to figure out a pattern.

Some others I've really enjoyed:

Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Socks to High Art by Susan Straw Fun to skim through if you're interested in the history of knitting.
The Swedish Mitten Book: Traditional Patterns from Gotland by Ingrid Gottfridsson Way to expensive to purchase, but our library has a copy that has been fun to peruse for ideas.
Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti My husband doesn't understand why I would sit around reading about knitting, but I found her tips very helpful and her story inspiring.

Even with TV I am still working on this one sock. Very sad. it better be the best sock in the world when I finish, then I'll make something really good...

In the meantime, I am still discarding books at a frightening pace. (Not really discarding, just passing over any that can't make me interested after 20 pages.) A. told me I should make a list of what doesn't pass muster...I'll save that for next time.

What can I say?

2009-08-29T10:24:00.005-04:00

It's been a long time since I've written last, so I won't bore you (if you're out there) with various excuses. Let's just jump right in, shall we?

Between graduate school and the various projects that summer brings about, my reading has taken a turn to the disjointed at best, non-existent at worst. Despite these hurdles, I've managed to read some stand-out titles over the past few months that I'd like to share. I read all over the map- fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, home decor books, and biographies. If it catches my eye, I give it half a chance. I don't finish books anymore if they don't hold my attention, life is short and even if I've slogged through 100 pages I'll put it aside for something else. Some of my top picks this summer were:

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
A.D: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld
Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects by Karen Solomon

I had my brain picked apart this summer by a course on cataloging which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in a novel. I know, that's a sad summer statement, however, I am really looking forward to fall when the new novels by Margaret Atwood and Lorrie Moore come out.

I'm currently working on a piece for American Craft magazine. I love talking with artists and seeing their work and living spaces, it's so inspiring. I finally painted our bathroom this summer, a beautiful robin's egg color. I'm still trying to figure out what to put on the walls- my collection of Dutch ephemera? Vintage washboards? We shall see.

It's cool out today...I'm not really a summer knitter, and we cancelled our television service for the summer which made me realize that I only seem to knit while watching TV. Luckily Comcast is positively desperate, and we'll be paying even less for the bundle than we were paying before. (My inner Yankee is pleased.) Time to pull out the sock yarn again...I'd like to be prepared for Christmas this year.

A warm neck is a good thing

2009-01-28T20:36:00.000-05:00

Also inspired by the Sartorialist, via Ravelry, is my bulky cowl that you see here. It's not as detailed as craftivore's gorgeous cowl, but does the job of a scarf, and then some. I used Crystal Palace Yarns Icelandic in, of course, Dutch Blue. I've also been using up my stash by knitting lots of baby mittens, and I am currently working on the Interweave Magazine 76 stitches Hat which I hope to have done, and post a photo of, sometime next week.

Personally, it's been an exhausting week. But we had a snow day today which was very relaxing and involved friends, kids, and super yummy sopaipillas. I'm currently reading Wally Lamb's latest book, and find myself drawn in, despite its length and my short length of time to read it in. (Library book.) So, knitting, scanning old photos, getting back into a workout schedule, researching family names for my brother's new baby, scheming up crafts to make, refinancing, school newsletter, and, oh yes, work and freelance reviews, I'm a little tired lately. Good tired.

The gnome would like to be free soon.

A cold day in Boston

2009-01-13T20:03:00.000-05:00

I ventured into Boston last Friday on assignment (I love saying that..."on assignment"), when I stumbled across this little square nestled in Beacon Hill. I've been in and out of Boston for the last 25 years, but I've never walked through Beacon Hill and along Charles Street. Very tony! I love that word, tony. Anyway the square. Right. It kind of reminded me of one my favorite places in, yes, Amsterdam, called the Begijnhof. This area is called Louisburg Square, and I can't wait to go back in the spring to see the wisteria in bloom.

The photo of the nattily dressed Bostonian was inspired by the Sartorialist's blog. I really liked her plaid boots, and she was a little exasperated with whomever she was talking to on her mobile.

I'm still working on the 40 by 40 list. Here's a preview:

9. Churn my own butter

Well, hello there 2009!

2009-01-01T20:03:00.000-05:00

It's nice to see you! 2008 seemed to end in an icy, slow-mo skid. I always like a new year, a fresh start, optimism and opportunity abound. A lingering head cold from last year won't hold me back from jumping in feet first. 2009 holds books to be read, skirts to be sewn, yarn to be used, slow-cooked meals to be made, grad school to be entered...again..., articles to be written and a house with endless possibilities. Oh yes, and lists to be made. Again, inspired by hula seventy among other list-making blogs, I'll be posting a "40 before 40" list with 9 months and eleven...make that ten...days to complete the items on my list. You know. Before I turn 40. Years old.

Joy to the world...

2008-12-18T13:29:00.001-05:00

I'm not quite sure what day it is, what my name is, or where I am after an ice storm, a snowstorm and many, many "snow days." This morning Maxine said to me "Mom, I can't believe I have only been to school one day this week!" I can't quite believe it either...

So, in my last post I promised you visions of a new and improved blog, with razor-sharp focus, but recently I've been more inspired by blogs with lovely photos and wandering thoughts like hulaseventy . With all of the ugly news today, it's nice to think about vintage bobbins and what colors to paint my brown walls. So my blog will be about photos, making things, and my growing obsession with living in Holland, or perhaps one of the Scandinavian lands. (There's just the slight problem of the long, dark winters...) Now I'm off to seal up our bedroom windows with plastic film. Sigh...

Speaking of color, the cute little Christmas elf next door decorated this cookie yesterday. Yes, I promise you, there is a cookie under all that candy...

A finished project

2008-12-01T20:29:00.000-05:00

Finally! A finished knitting project, a cozy-and stretchy- hat, which has spurred me on to a frenzy of new projects, including a sweater that I had been avoiding for quite some time. I really would like to finish it by March so that I could wear it at least once before the weather warms up.

Hang in there with my blogging! I am trying to focus on one topic so that you poor people aren't subjected to some kind of "Dear Diary" blathering. I'm sure you've got plenty of important things to do, so I want to use your time and attention wisely. The next post will start focusing in on my topic of choice, and these photos will point you in the direction I'm heading. Curious? I hope so.

Brrr....

2008-11-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

It's officially cold. No-more-cropped-workout-pants-for-long-walks kind of cold. It's comforting to be able to bundle up in a warm coat, but this morning at 6am standing in the yard waiting for the dogs to do their business I was not feeling the love of the season.
One thing I do love about winter is knitting. I know that knitting is for all seasons, but for me there's something so relaxing about putting a blanket on, having a warm dog next to me, watching some Keith Olberman and making some stitches. I think A got a little concerned last year when I was knitting with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, a little dog in my lap, and a cup of tea by my side while I complained about not seeing as well at night when I drove. Ah, a peek into our not-so-distant future...
I've put myself on a knitting hiatus while I let my tendonitis heal, but frankly, the pain isn't really disappearing and I fail to see what an hour of knitting a day might do to my arm if it relaxes my mind and my soul. Not to mention I spend as much time cruising the Ravelry site and flipping through the latest issue of Interweave Knits as I would knitting, and it's all repetitive motion anyway. Speaking of IK, they have a great piece on Norah Gaughan this month. She's an absolute genius, and someday I will make one of her extraordinary patterns. In the meantime, it's practice, practice, practice. It's not an art that comes naturally to me - I almost failed geometry in high school with a tutor- but one I can at least improve on.

Pinching pennies until they scream for mercy...

2008-11-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if you've heard, but there seems to be an economic crisis in the works. Everyone I know is watching their bottom line shrink, and unfortunately we are no exception. Here at Casa Fabrega we had a meeting about our balance sheet tonight, it wasn't pretty but we've set some goals and we've put the sheet up on the fridge.

What does that mean, do you ask?

Well, back in the old days, pre-child, pre-house, pre-property taxes, pre-dogs, every other week we would put a sheet up on the refrigerator that had a starting number like $200. And over the next two weeks every time we would spend money we would subtract it from that starting number, so if on day 10 the number said $11.99, that was it. $11.99 to tide us over until day 14. We wouldn't do it all the time, but it kept us in check and made us both aware of where the money was going. (I'm the bookkeeper at our house.) It would also challenge us so that we would see how little we could spend.

There's a great blog called The Simple Dollar, with lots of personal finance tips and support. I'm not sure we're up to his level of frugality yet, but I like to think what he's doing is not completely beyond our reach.

There's nothing like a good page turner...

2008-11-13T19:42:00.001-05:00

Even though I am only 20 pages from the end of the book, I've managed to put down The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Swedish author Stieg Larsson just long enough to make this post. While The New York Times didn't seem to like it too much it's been getting quite a bit of buzz so I thought I'd give it a go. I've been completely immersed in it for the past few days, and I believe that Larsson would have been a prolific and talented mystery writer had he not died from a heart attack shortly after finishing his third manuscript. (Don't worry, the marketing department at Knopf is working that angle relentlessly...)

Over the past year or so I've had a weakness for mysteries by authors from Northern climes like Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Scotland. Denise Mina (hailing from Glasgow) has got to be one of my all-time favorite mystery writers, and her character Paddy Meehan is so genuinely, uncomfortably human that reading one of Mina's books featuring Meehan is an entirely bittersweet experience.

People always ask me what I've read lately. Unfortunately my brain is so crammed with important information like what day is recycling day, if I sent in Maxine's book order, and when the last time was that I had my eyes examined (more on my possible eyeball cyst later if you're lucky) that I am now utterly dependant on goodreads to handle my recent adventures in reading. While I can barely handle the demands of Facebook - no, I don't want a Mai Tai!- I love finding new titles to add to my growing "to read" list on goodreads. If you decide to join, invite me to be your friend- I'm Meganne in Portsmouth, NH. Or just drop me an email, I love recommending books...

Time to Write

2008-11-06T20:02:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that I have had mixed feelings about this blog. When I originally put up the blog (which was actually the second time I created the blog, since the first time I created the blog...well...long story) I thought I would be writing a post a day, or at least every other day, but it has been...ahem...a while and I guess my whole problem is this:

What could I possibly add to this insane blogosphere that grows more clogged every day?

And therein lies the rub. The constant pressure to create something totally new! and exciting! and cooler than you've every dreamed possible! when in reality the act of just writing every day, or every other day, begets more writing, and an exchange of ideas can create more ideas, and I have to say that the fact that Obama is going to be our 44th president, that we weren't just screwed again by a government that has betrayed us for the last eight years, has given me more hope and optimism than I've had in a long time. Not only for the future of the country, but for the future of my family and my own personal journey. It's almost like having a low-grade fever that's finally broken.

The only down side to Obama winning is that I now have no real excuse to move to Amsterdam, although those hot, fresh donuts that are sold from a cute cart like the one above come to me in my dreams...

I've hit a lull as far as finding a good book is concerned, although I have been enjoying Kelly L. Stone's Time to Write . (I'm a sucker for any writing book that points out ways that I can avoid housework and not answer the phone in order to get more work done. ) I'm still reeling from Nancy Huston's Fault Lines, her characters were amazing, and nothing has quite filled the void since.

Knitting is easy!

2008-09-25T11:49:00.000-04:00

Okay, knitting is not so easy sometimes, but with the cooler weather, my healed arm, and a political climate that is making me absolutely crazy, it feels good to pick up the sticks and start working with color and texture again. I also find knitting complements my word life in more ways than one, especially when I need to wrap my head around a new essay or mull over a book I need to review. Right now I am working on an overdue baby sweater for a dear friend who gave birth in July...I just hope the 3-6 month size will still fit. (Her baby, that is. )After that the babies are on their own, I'll be making some nice things for me to wear this winter.

I've added some of my favorite knitting blogs and sites to my links, so take a moment to check them out, even if you don't knit there is some lovely stuff being made in this world.

Here's to hustling...

2008-09-08T20:34:00.000-04:00

" Good things come to those who hustle."- Anais Nin

After many good intentions and false starts, five months of house selling, house buying and most horribly, the moving of one house's contents to another, a fractured elbow, a three-week trip to the West coast, and a summer vacation for a six-year old that flew by at warp speed but never seemed to end, we've made it somewhat intact to my favorite season, fall. (Or autumn, if you prefer.)

So with Miss M settling in to second grade and Mr.F at work, it was time to take control of the question of where to post my clips electronically. Hence the hustling, and this here blog. Not the prettiest thing online, but it certainly does the trick. Enjoy...