An ASTRONOT. Yes, that is how I meant to type it. You see, my AstroNot is rather out of shape. There is no way that he can get to outer space, yet he still finds adventure wherever he goes. That is the way of the AstroNot, and to be honest, that is our way, too.
The AstroNot found this mysterious monument yesterday. Is it the shrine to star-crossed chocolate lovers? Or a top-secret hideout, disguised as a candy heart? Only the AstroNot knows.
Somehow these cupcakes really cheer me up. They are totally made of yarn and buttons, obviously not edible, but they look yummy all the same. [If I'm being honest with myself, fiber always looks delicious.]
I made these for my nieces' birthdays last year. I took the picture quickly, to have a record. The bright pink of the icing and "cherry" look especially inviting in front of the grey rowhouses.
Sicily is a beautiful island, with orange and olive trees, wheat fields and lava tundra. It is a place of extremes, with 110 degree summers, earthquakes, and a history of occupation by everyone from the Normans to the Turks. With all that going on, it's not surprising that people tend to go with the flow - expecting strange things - while also enjoying the moment.
We did our best to enjoy it all - eating our way around the island - from this fishing village of Modela, to Agrigento, Taormina, and Palermo. The cuisine was refined and elegant (of course it was - we were tourists), and the espresso was strong enough to chew through metal, much less our stomachs. The desserts were a new level of sweetness, with marzipan, pignoli, and pistachios combining with chocolate and gelato in every possible combination.
Aside from eating, we saw a lot of historic sights - a Roman villa preserved by a mudslide, an unfinished Greek temple, and the shrine of St. Rosalie, the saint who ended the bubonic plague throughout Sicily.
As Sicilian-Americans, we had an expectation of familiarity that we seldom experienced. There were moments, such as when we ate a salad seasoned with just lemon juice and olive oil, or when my dad purchased candy from a man who could be his twin, that we knew this was our homeland. But most of the time we felt like Americans experiencing a new culture, language, cuisine, and place.
I'm not going to talk more about the Interlopers - let's just say that while their offense is still advancing a yard or so, my defense is pretty darn tough to beat.
I will, however, write about the lovely books I have read this summer. I read a lot of them, so I will just touch on the highlights.
Philip Pullman has really rocked my world. First it was the His Dark Materials Trilogy, and then I found his Sally Lockhart Quartet at a bookstore on the beach. These stories follow orphaned Sally, an extraordinarily independent young woman in Victorian England, as she builds a life for herself, while fighting crimelords, poverty, and "the system." Written for young adults, but addressing some very big issues such as addiction, paternity, and Anti-Semetism, this series of four books were some of the best reading I had experienced in a while. Some places call the collection a trilogy, but actually "The Tin Princess" is the fourth, with the same characters meeting years later.
After that, I went through a bit of ennui. Nothing was as good as Philip Pullman, to my
I'm slowly working my way through Tamora Pierce's entire bibliography. This summer I flew through her Circle Opens Quartet. These were fun, but maybe a little too small for me, I like my trilogies to really carry me somewhere. The stories of four powerful young mages - all misfits - who must learn to control their magic, is engaging and highly recommended for young readers. The stories resolve themselves about 50 pages too early for me - I prefer her incredible Tortall series - of which there are now four collections of strong, smart, compassionate heroines.
Lastly, I read my share of nonfiction, too. Knitting books, of course. I am not a regular
I also enjoyed re-reading some of my favorites, but that's for another time. Happy Fall!
I'm hoping that this week is the last of the heat. It's been a relatively mild summer, but there have been a few really hot weeks, too. I'm looking forward to wearing cardigans and caps, and walking around the neighborhood enjoying the chill.
Of course, I need to get rid of all the MOTHS first. This is the second year in a row that I have been hit with the littls beasties, and this year is much worse than last. Last summer I found them in my yarn stash, and did a full-on excavation and removal. I lost about eight balls of yarn, but after that all seemed well.
THIS year, they hit the sweaters with gusto. I have had two incidents of actual human-larvae interaction. I first discovered them on a J.Crew sweater of mine that I hadn't washed, nor worn, in several years. After a day on the drying rack, I lifted a sleeve to check out the drying process. I saw little balls of wool, like pills, but they disintegrated when I picked them up. I thought, "Oh S---" and began to search in earnest. That's when I saw him, the interloper, a tiny moth larvae with giant teeth (at least I imagine they are giant - in proportion and all). It was moving steadily, like and inchworm. And what was it inching towards? Another tasty bite of my sweater.
I threw it out, threw out another 6 sweaters that looked suspicious, ones that were stored with the sweater in a bag in the basement, awaiting a soaking they would never get. I had thought about felting a couple of the sweaters, but didn't want to risk contaminating the rest of our wool to do that. I have tried all of the moth removal options that I have discovered on the Internets, and decided that since my freezer has room for 1(!) sweater, I would try drowning them. No one has documented the efficacy of deep soaking sweaters, but it's about all I have access to right now. Two of my sweaters have metal snaps, so microwaving is out. I am beating and shaking the sweaters outside (tough to do in our tiny yard), then soaking the sweaters for up to 12 hours, drying them, and beating and shaking again. I have no idea if this will do anything useful, but I will be sure to report back if it does.
This all began on Friday morning, naturally, just in time to ruin my weekend. I spent Saturday and Sunday washing and cleaning, buying storage items, and trading resentments with DP, as we both blamed each other for the mess: he - rightly believing that I probably brought the moths in with all my yummy yarn; and I - fairly blaming his neglect of his wool sweaters in creating a breeding ground for the moths to move into.
At any rate, I think I am close to saying,"Whatever." I hate waste, but I also think the problem is part of a giant continuum, one that involves the fact that we have too much stuff in the basement, not enough storage upstairs, and that in general we own too much, period. The moths may actually help us downsize a bit.
I know one thing is for sure - I'm not buying any more sweaters for a long time.
Don't ask about the yarn.
I have been too busy making things to have time to talk about the things I've made! I'm going to upload pictures soon, but in the meantime, here is my report on crafting chez Ginga.
1. Baby Blanket For Lil' Alex
My friend A told me she was having a baby right about the time I got my copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting. I immediately cast on a Log Cabin Baby Blanket, using some leftover Manos Cotton Stria. Of course, I ended up buying four more skeins, but this was a great way to use up some yarn that previously had no future, and create something really special for my friends. It took me months to make, in part because I had garter stitch burnout mid-March!
2. Airy Wrap Sweater For Me
I got Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits in February, and became enamored of the Airy Wrap Sweater, as it looked like the perfect pattern for my Brooks Farm Riata mohair/wool/silk blend. It knit up quickly, but I'll be darned if I can't seem to finish the finishing! It's getting a little too warm for it, but I am hoping I will have a couple of chances to wear it before summer really begins.
The rest is in progress, and Top Secret! I'll post photos soon for these guys.
So I just ran out and purchased the Yarn Harlot's (go check her out! www.yarnharlot.ca.blog) newest book: Stephanie Pearl McPhee Casts Off. It's a travelogue style book on knitting culture, from how to gather a groups of friends for a "Knit Night," to her thoughts on the different types of knitters (I think I'm a product knitter with a lean towards process, for example). It's fun, and light, and doesn't make my head hurt, like my latest purchase from Debbie New.
Lastly, I am building a collection of Elizabeth Zimmerman's classic books. I think of her as a true modern knitter, though many consider her a classic - it is the way she told contemporary 1950's knitting pattern makers to stuff it, and developed ways to knit that are simple, sensible, and beautiful. I began my collection in the winter with Knitting Around, and quickly added Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop and Knitting Almanac. They are all clever, fun to read, and inspiring.
I read "The Golden Compass" in a weekend. I often can read a book in a few days, especially if it is a light read, or a simple story. In this case, I had to log some major reading-in-bed hours to finish the book, and essentially made my husband a bachelor for the weekend (I'm pretty sure he was working the whole time!). The story has some of my favorite qualities: a young, intrepid heroine, elements of magic and destiny, and a sense of humor.
Slight spoiler alert!
What was very unusual for the genre, however, was just how self-serving and horrible her BIOLOGICAL family was to her. Often, it is the ugly stepmother, the mean governess, or the downright evil cartaker tht the child tries to flee. In this story - the heroine dreams of finding her real parents, only to discover that they are absolute monsters. The values that she aspires to, and the love that she gives and receives, are from/for people outside her family, including one of those armored bears I mentioned earlier.
I am very excited to have just received the box set in the mail, so I will be able to read the second and third books - "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass." I searched quite a bit to find the trade paperback edition with the woodcuts - they really are quite beautiful, and hard to put down! I'm a big fan of digital media, but I have to admit there is nothing like
I'm in the last hour and five minutes of my birthday. It's not a big one, and there really hasn't been much time to celebrate. But I'd like to mark the day - to make sure I notice.
And so here I am, after a filling dinner (though not a Thai dinner, which I had been hoping for - darn Monday birthday!).
So what did I learn_achieve_realize in the past year?
1. That being a "grown-up" can be pretty hard.
2. I can still make friends (made a bunch - hi ladies!).
3. That family is VERY important.
4. I raised more money than I ever have before.
5. My students KICKED A** all year, winning awards, scholarships, and giving back to the younger folks.
6. I managed to lose 15 pounds, and learn how to love the gym.
7. I learned how to knit Fair Isle, cables, and designed my first pattern.
8. I learned my own tolerance for waiting for things to happen (it's pretty short).
9. My time_health_life is important, and needs to be taken care of.
And what do I want this year?
1. To lose 20 more pounds - healthy BMI, here I come!
2. To make knitted work that combines my interest in fiber with media issues.
3. To feel like things are moving forward.
4. To go on vacation with my husband.
5. To find peace in waiting for things to happen.
It's a tall order, but I'm hopeful. I mean, it's not a billion dollars or anything, right?
After what seemed like an unusually long break from reading, I am back to my average 1 book a week. I'll report back on the one listed here, in chronological reading order.
1. Into the Wild - I picked this up at my friend's house while traveling this summer, and managed to read it in three days! Essentially a "how done it" - the book explores the last mysterious year in the life of a privelidged young man who tries to become one with the wild. I was impressed by the way he touched people's lives, and chilled in the knowledge that small mistakes can be deadly. It's been out in paperback forever, and if you enjoy reading personal journey stories (Zen and the Art of Motocycle Maintenance, Walk Across America) or mysteries, this book is highly recommended.
2. Freddy and Fredericka - A farce, a romp, and at the heart of it, a love story. Two charicatures of British nobility are tasked with returning the American colonies to England, after being air-dropped in New Jersey. The ridiculous coexists with the authentic, as they travel across the country. It's not suprising that they learn about themselves as they go, but what they learn and how they learn it makes for a great story. Reminds me a bit of early Tom Robbins, but with contemporary sarcasm and British wit throughout.
3. Poison Study - This is my favorite genre - female heroines with special powers, kicking butt. A young woman must choose between the gallows and becoming the official food taster for the state. She must dodge a bullet each time she eats, and also avoid the many, many people who wanted to see her hang. The sequel, Magic Study is now on my list for next year.
