Spires to Inspire

It seems that August simply evaporated  and now we are well into September. How did that happen? I have been putting off some things and now it's time to get them off the list! Number one is doing a final post or two about our Prague trip. Choir rehearsals began this week and one of my "Choir sisters" is heading to Prague later this month - I have promised her the use of my Guidebooks so it's time I got things wrapped up on this end! So if you'll indulge me, I'm taking you back to Prague, one more time.Warning: this post is photo heavy!

As I have mentioned before, Prague is known as "The City of 100 Golden Spires" and not surprisingly, many of those spires are on churches. It seems everywhere you look in Prague, there is a church. And the spires are so beautiful - there are Gothic steeples, Baroque "onion" domes and cupolas, Neo Gothic spires... each one beautiful in its own way. One day I found a book on the "Spires of Prague" in a bookstore window but they were all out of English copies. I was disappointed as it would have been such a lovely souvenir. By the way,  the collages in this post feature several spires outside of Prague as well, just fyi...



To say I was really taken by the architecture of this incredible city would be an understatement. The spires, the gates and portals, the doorways, the facades.. everywhere you look there is something amazing to see. I could have taken ten times the photos... But I would have to say the churches were what really left a lasting impression. Like everything else in Prague, they have such interesting history. (I don't think you'll find a city in all of Europe with more interesting history than Prague!) Take, for example the Church of St. James (also known as St. James Basilica), which is just a short walk from Old Town Square. On the outside it is quite unimpressive, except for the three large bas-reliefs of St. Francis of Assisi, St. James the Greater, and St. Anthony of Padoua over the entrances. Two of the three are shown here.

Interior of St. James Church, photo by Laura

But the interior.. oh my!! It is a combination of immense Gothic size - a massive three aisle basilica (the second largest nave in Prague) and ornate Baroque "decor" which is almost beyond description. I feel inadequate to even attempt to describe it! (You really must journey to Prague yourself, dear reader, to see these amazing sights with your own eyes!!) The vault adorned with trompe-l'oeil paintings, the marble, the gold, more than 20 side altars, the bejewelled Madonna Pietatis on the altar, and above the altar the incredible painting of St. James.
But wait... you have to hear the two macabre stories of this church. The most beautiful Baroque tomb in Bohemia is found here- the tomb of Count Vratislav of Mitrovice. The Count was apparently accidentally buried alive - his corpse was later found sitting up in the tomb, outside the open coffin.

Interior of St. James Church, photo by Laura

The other story is equally as chilling. As you enter the church, if you look up to your right, you will see a mummified forearm hanging - (no photo, don't worry) it has been there for over 400 years, ever since a thief tried to steal the jewels from the Madonna on the high altar. Legend says she came to life and grabbed his arm, then turned back to stone. He could not get free and when he was found the next morning, his arm had to be amputated to free him. She came back to life a second time and slapped him with the arm before returning to stone once again. His arm still hangs at the back of the church as a warning to any future would-be thieves... Perhaps a plausible story when you realize this church was protected by the Guild of Butchers, whose meat market was nearby.....  Sadly I did not know until later, this church has a magnificent organ (built in 1702) and because of the long nave has excellent acoustics and is the site of wonderful concerts. Guess that will have to go on the Next Time list...

Another church on Old Town Square is the Church of St. Nicholas. (Note: There is another Church of St. Nicholas in Prague, on the other side of the river in Mala Strana (Little Quarter), it is also very large, very Baroque, by the same architect, and also white exterior with green domes... just slightly confusing!)






There has been a church on this site since the 12th century. Originally Catholic and now Protestant, the present church was completed in 1735. Like so many churches in the city, it has had a "spotted history" - burnt and rebuilt, de-commissioned, re-commissioned, and stripped bare. In WWI the church was used by the troops of Prague's garrison. At the end of the war, it was given to the Czech Hussite Church. The interior is dazzling white and gold, and home to many chubby cherubs. One of the most striking features is the crown-shaped chandelier hanging in the center of the nave. This church, like so many, is now a popular venue for classical music concerts. My first visit here was with Ivan (the pro photographer), who told me his parents were married here.

Looking down on dome and bell tower of St. Nicholas Church in Mala Strana

The other Church of St. Nicholas divides and dominates the two sections of  Little Quarter (or Lesser Town) Square. Built for the Prague Jesuits, it is considered the masterpiece of father and son architects Christoph and Kilian Dientzenhofer, Prague's greatest High Baroque master builders, although neither lived to see the completion of the church (it was finished by a son-in-law). The statues, frescoes and paintings inside the church are all by leading artists of the day. The colossal dome (70 m. high) is so large church-goers feared it would collapse. The main organ with over 4000 pipes, some six metres in length, was played by Mozart when he visited Prague. Again the richness of the decor is mind-blowing; the lavish adornment, the golden cherubs, the gold-plated statue of St. Nicholas on the altar flanked by St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Francis Xavier... The amazing trompe-l'oeil fresco on the vault is the largest of its type in Europe. It is beyond words...

Laura climbed to the balcony, I didn't have the energy!

I hope these photos have given you a taste of the amazing beauty of these churches, even though they are certainly "over the top" by our standards today.. I have been working on this post for a few days, having trouble with some of the photo-loading, so I'm going to cut it off here. I will likely do at least one more Prague post, with just some random photos that I still would like to share with you. I know this was long, thanks for hanging with me...

Peace,
Linda

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." ~ Jawaharial Nehru

Headed south? Not yet...

The hummers are still here! I thought they would have headed south by now but there was one at my feeder this afternoon. Then she buzzed over to the deck to have a sweet sip from my mandevilla. See her?  No? I guess she buzzed away before you could see her. She is SO fast... Seriously, I have tried and tried to get a photo of this little speed demon with no luck this year. I see her almost daily but she seems to be camera shy.
The days are cooling and growing shorter, but my mandevilla is flourishing. It has more buds and blooms now than it has had all summer.. go figure! I am now bringing it into the garage on cool nights to see how long I can keep it going, but I doubt that all the buds on it now will ever become full blooms, unless we have a real warm spell (for more than a few days)  hint hint
Do you still have hummingbirds in your area?

Peace on earth, today, Sept. 11... 
Linda

"Like the hummingbird sipping nectar from every flower, I fly joyfully through my days, seeing beauty in everything." ~  Amethyst Wyldfyre

Itchin' to be Stitchin'...

I am SO ready to get back at some stitching - both sewing at my machine (many quilt projects waiting) and some hand-stitching. There's nothing like seeing an exhibit to get those juices flowing! As you have no doubt guessed from my lack of  steady presence here on Stitch Lines lately, life has been keeping me busy. But now- today- things will start getting "back to normal" (whatever normal is). Laura is settling in to her new life in Nova Scotia, having been there a week now, and Mark left today to move back to his apartment in SJ to begin the second and final year of his program. So the house is quiet(er) once again and Oliver is already missing his buddies. He will miss the attention and teasing that Mark lavished on him... I'll have to do my best to take up the slack! lol
Hubby and I made a quick trip to NS several days ago and one of our stops was in Truro. You see, I had heard about an exhibit by the local needlework guild there (Marigold Guild of Needle Arts), so I managed to "work that in" to our itinerary so I could visit and enjoy it while hubby visited friends. I was disappointed (but not surprised) to see that photography of the show was not allowed, with the exception of one piece. Of course photos would never do justice to the incredible work I saw. I recognized a few stitcher's names - one in particular who used to own a lovely needlework shop that I frequented - so it was nice to know she is still in the area and active in the Guild. There was a lovely variety of work to enjoy- from needlepoint, cross stitch, crewel and canvas work to smocking, goldwork, hardanger, crazy quilting, silk ribbon embroidery, Schwalm and more. You get the idea- it was a feast for the eyes! I found the lighting left something to be desired, and I did not like to stay behind the velvet ropes even though I understood their necessity in keeping back those who would be determined to touch. My aging eyes just longed for a closer look... But it was indeed a wonderful show. Stitches Over Time, a celebration of 30 years of stitching as a Guild, continues at the Colchester Historeum at 29 Young Street in Truro until Sept.28th. Hours are Tuesday- Friday, 10a.m.-12 and 1p.m.-4, and Saturday 1-4p.m. It is WELL worth a visit if you are in the area, or even if you're reasonably close and looking for an excuse for a day trip.
The one piece which could be photographed was a tapestry done a few years back by members of the same stitchery guild, to depict historical buildings and sites of importance in the town. It normally hangs on an upper floor but was brought down to join the Guild's exhibit. It too was spectacular and deserved a period of study. The four oval panels depict the Stanfields factory, the old Railway Station, Joseph Howe Falls  and Victoria Square, and these are surrounded by landmark buildings of the town.
This exhibit excited me (as they never fail to do) and inspired me to get back to some serious stitching. I just today finished a small Christmas piece I have been working on, off and on since last winter. I'll get it framed soon and show you then.... Not sure which stitching project I'll pick up next. Perhaps a canvaswork piece I started several years ago and then set aside. And I can hear my Bernina calling me..  Guild starts next week, I know I'll be back at my machine before then. My visit to the Frex last night (our local Fall Exhibition) to see the quilts also got me revved up...

Peace,
Linda

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." ~ Denis Waitley

September's Garden...

It's been a busy day in Linda's kitchen. After a (slightly) lazy weekend (dreary rainy weather- what's a girl to do but relax and read?) I decided it was time to get myself in gear and get some things done. So: one banana bread, one large batch of ratatouille, one large batch of chicken soup, one large batch of meatballs and one batch of Lady Ashburnham pickles cut up and ready to cook and bottle tomorrow morning... I'm feeling like it was a productive afternoon and evening. Actually I cannot take full credit for the meatballs- I was "teaching/supervising" Mark while he made himself a large batch to freeze.
I have friends who have just gone off to Europe for several weeks- I drove them to the airport Sunday morning and they told me their freezer decided to quit just the day before. How lucky they are that it didn't happen a day or two after they left for 3 weeks... (Do you ever think to ask someone to check your freezer when you are away on vacation? I don't...) So that got me thinking, time to get some things used up out of my freezer. It is so full, if it ever conked out, I'd have a hard
time "farming out" all the contents to the freezers of family and friends while we replaced it... food for thought...
My perennial gardens are slowing down as the days begin to cool... My gladiolas are nearly finished blooming - above is today's bouquet. Aren't they beautiful? My veggie garden is also coming to an end. All that's left now are carrots and beets, tomatoes and cukes. The tomato crop leaves a lot to be desired but everything else has done pretty well. We are eating one or more cucumbers a day, I've done two batches of pickles and given away a good number as well- that is one thing I can grow well!! lol With all the rain we have had they have been growing fast and furious!
Do you have a vegetable garden - how has it done this year?

Peace,
Linda


"We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer's wreckage. We will welcome summer's ghost." ~ Henry Rollins

Back to the Books!

No, I'm not talking about the return to school, but rather getting back to my love of reading.  What have you been reading lately? For the last two months I have been struggling, off and on, with Sarum, by Edward Rutherfurd. After reading (and LOVING) his New York (click here for that short review), many told me that their favourite Rutherfurd novel was Sarum so I soon found it at a used bookstore and picked it up for my "Must Read Soon" shelf. I started it just before my trip to NYC in late June, knowing I would need a book I could get engrossed in for the long bus ride. My seatmate was reading The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani (also on my To Read Soon list) and I was getting into Sarum, which covers a vast span of time in the history of England. I have to admit, it has been a struggle. I don't think it compares to New York, in my humble opinion. Granted, part of the problem is that I haven't been reading consistently. I have left it alone for long stretches during my busy summer. I didn't touch it between the New York trip and then leaving  for Prague several weeks later, reading it only on the flights to and from, and haven't touched it much since... I guess that doesn't help. Out of 1033 pages, I am at pg. 371. Is that far enough, do you think, to "call it"? How far do you read in a book that you are unsure of, before you give up on it? I think I'll give it another go, and see if I can get into it, but after another 100 pages, if it hasn't really grabbed me, I'm movin' on... There's too many other great books waiting for me...

My friend Barb loaned me The Light Between Oceans by M.L.Stedman a few days ago and I have swiftly devoured it. Another great debut novel - I can't wait for whatever Ms. Stedman writes next! It's a story of choices and consequences, tragedy and thought-provoking questions. Although it does not have the happy ending the reader would ultimately hope for, it is so very well written and the characters so well developed and real, I could not put it down. Stedman's skilled writing is beautiful, full of description so that one feels they are right there on windy Janus Rock as the gulls reel overhead and the waves crash upon the rocky shores. Love, anguish, a little mystery, atmosphere, symbolism and plot twists, this book has them all!
Set in remote south-western Australia, it's the story of a young man, Tom, who returns from WWI and seeks employment as a lighthouse keeper. He soon secures work on the small island of Janus Rock and along with his new young wife, they begin their isolated life there with great dreams of starting a family. Those dreams are soon shattered by two miscarriages and a stillbirth, but then a tiny miracle arrives by rowboat. The heart-wrenching decisions that ensue send their lives into a spiral of both happiness and heartbreak, changing lives forever. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and would recommend it, for sure. I think it would be a great choice for a Book Club too. So what are you reading these days?

Peace,
Linda

"If a book is well-written, I always find it too short." ~ Jane Austen

Late Summer Busy-ness

Yes, I'm still here. I know some of you are wondering... Sometimes life just keeps you busy. Late August and early September just seem to always be crazy busy for me... I thought I'd better "check in" so you could see that I'm still upright and breathing! I've been occupied with many things - pickles, jam, finished off a quilt (binding and sleeve), Laura's move, getting ready for some classes, etc. etc. Shown here is my Peach Jam, yesterday's "product" - you can click here for the recipe. Can't show you the finished quilt yet as it's going into a show shortly; as soon as that's over I'll post photos. I'll be back here more regularly real soon, I hope...  Until then...

Peace,
Linda

"Being busy is better than being bored..."  ~ Tabitha Robin

Oranges in the garden

It's high time I got back to blogging. Life has kept me busy lately, and my blogging has had to wait. Well, I'm back. Although I have one or two more posts I'd like to do to finish off our Prague adventure, it's not going to happen today.
It seems like forever since I've been in my garden taking some photos so I did just that today. Right now there seems to be a good amount of color- orange being one... You know that orange is NOT my favourite color, but I do tolerate it in the garden! So  here is what you might see if you visited my garden today: lilies, nasturtiums, California poppies,   Red hot poker (Tritoma), coneflower (Echinacea) and butterfly weed (Asclepias).

Although it's not a fav color, orange does add some bright spots to the garden. Earlier in the summer, my brilliant orange poppies really add a pop, but they are long gone now. My last lilies are just finishing as are the Tritoma and the Asclepias. The biggest bloomer right now is the Echinacea - a combo of pink and orange- two colors I would never put together in a quilt, but Mother Nature does it so well in the Echinacea and in the Stargazer lily... She is indeed a master artist!!

Do you look to nature for color combinations for your quilts? I think many of us do, as it seems many quilters are also gardeners. And what better inspiration than nature?! Although we may struggle to put colors together in our studios, Mother Nature seems to do it effortlessly, and it always works! Pink and orange... nope, I couldn't do it. But she does it well...

The Stargazer Lily is one of my favs - I love its deep  rosy petals, but if I was holding the master paintbrush I would never have dipped into the orange to paint the anthers... Maybe I need to take an art course...?


So .. do you have lots of orange in your garden? What about pinks and oranges together?











 Look at this beautiful snapdragon below- the perfect combo of these two colors - pink and orange, all in one! Gorgeous!





 "Orange, a close relative of red, sparks more controversy than any other hue. There is usually strong positive or negative association to orange and true orange generally elicits a stronger “love it” or “hate it” response than other colors. Fun and flamboyant orange radiates warmth and energy. Interestingly, some tones of orange, such as terra cotta, peach, and rust have very broad appeal." ~ from www.sensationalcolor.com


 Since he is sort of orange-y too, I had to include this little fuzzy wuzzy guy...  Isn't he cute? I found him today on the Tritoma leaves.


Peace,
Linda

Is a caterpillar ticklish?
Well, it's always my belief
That he giggles, as he wiggles
Across a hairy leaf.
~ Monica Shannon

Coconut Crunch Dessert - quick and easy!

I'm sure you've been wondering what has happened to me this last week.. no I am not MIA. Life has just been keeping me very busy. I am currently out of town; Laura and I have just made a quick trip to NS to find her a place to live come September. Check. She visited her new place of employment and met her boss and all the staff. Check. She is on track and gearing up for the next chapter in her life.
I am getting together with friends this weekend from my University days...so long ago! lol It's a reunion of sorts with several travelling from around the world to be here. It'll be great fun with lots of stories being re-told and a good amount of laughter, for sure. I'll be back home on Sunday and back to more regular blogging next week. I do still have one or two more posts I'd like to do about our Prague trip, if you will indulge me. Until then- here's a yummy recipe you might like to try....

I haven't posted a recipe for a while so here's a quick and easy - and yummy- dessert. If you like coconut, I guarantee you'll like this dessert - and it's easier than making a coconut cream pie as there is no pastry to make!

Coconut Crunch Dessert

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup slivered almonds
1 1/4 cups coconut
Mix together, and lightly press into a greased 9"x13" pan. Bake for ~20 minutes at 325F, until lightly browned, breaking up with a fork and stirring once. Let cool and divide crumbs, pressing about 3/4 in the pan as a base, and reserve remaining 1/4 for topping.

Filling:
1  3.4 oz. (100g.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1  3.4 oz. (100g.) pkg. instant coconut pudding mix*
2 2/3 cups cold milk
2 cups whipped topping (Cool Whip) or 1 250 ml. whipping cream, whipped
Beat pudding mixes with milk, then fold in Cool Whip or whipped cream. Spoon over crumb base and smooth. Top with remaining crumbs. Cover and refrigerate.

*If you cannot find the coconut pudding mix, it is likely available at your local bulk food store - I get mine at our local Scoop and Save. 1 package equals about 2/3 cup. Be sure you get the instant, not the kind that requires cooking.

Peace,
Linda

"Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart."
~ Erma Bombeck

Personal Photo Challenge - Water

It's time again for Donna's Personal Photo Challenge. This is a monthly challenge with topics chosen ahead of time - this month's topic is Water and next month's is Doors and Windows. The main purpose of Donna's Challenge is to expand and practice your digital photography skills. I have had a very busy month and haven't had made a lot of time for photography other than when I was
travelling. It was on my mind as I was in Prague, and so my photos this month are from that beautiful city. I actually treated myself to a Photography Tour while there, not only to spend some time with a Pro who lives there and could take me to interesting spots I might not find on my own, but also to get some help with just that - digital skills. Although I have been doing photography for years, I am relatively new to the digital camera and still have lots to learn about all the settings, controls and editing possibilities. Night photography was another area I wanted to explore a bit further. And water itself is a fascinating subject. It's like a fire- I can stare at it for hours...
Prague is bisected by the beautiful Vltava River, and there is always interesting "river traffic" to watch- from cruise boats, paddleboats, gondolas, rowboats, and the occasional speedboat to swans, ducks and gulls. There are numerous bridges from which to watch all this activity. And then of course there is the beautiful architecture of this historic city...

I enjoy capturing reflections and this first shot was taken looking towards Prague's castle area. I have not done a great deal of night photography but Prague was the perfect "subject" with the river, castle and your choice of bridges for whichever view you wanted. This shot was taken at around 10:30p.m., one of many as the sky darkened through the evening. I experimented with settings and the time for exposures, and surprisingly got a decent number of good shots. A tripod was a necessity and I used the timer on my camera to trip the shutter. Of course the river was never completely still for a perfect reflection, but I am pleased with the "soft" reflection of lights and the illuminated castle.




Another river shot- this time taken in bright sunlight in mid-afternoon, hand held. I wanted to capture the graceful swans with the famous Charles Bridge in the background. Of course, they don't pose, or hold still, but I am pleased with the composition.








This final shot was taken in the Wallenstein Palace Gardens. I saw the reflection of the nearby green building with red tile roof and the blue sky, complete with white fluffy cloud... the breeze was rippling the water just enough for an interesting effect. I just couldn't resist!!

So there you have it - my three images of water, from Prague. I hope you'll visit Donna here and see what other participants have done with this challenge. And why not consider joining in the fun yourself?

Peace,
Linda

"It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things."  
~ Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

Czech Eats and Treats

Several people have asked me about Czech food.... I have to be honest and tell you that we really didn't sample too many "authentic Czech dishes"... Czech food tends to be heavy- they love their breads and meats, in particular pork and game (venison and duck were common)..  "Dumplings" are very popular, and they were not at all what I expected. They are actually like a steamed white bread, and are served
with meat and a gravy-like sauce. This photo is of Czech Goulash- chunks of meat in a gravy with dumplings. It was okay, but I wouldn't have ordered it a second time... The vegetable garnish you see, chopped onion and tomato, was a rarity. In almost every case, items are ordered separately and if you want veggies, you order them as a side dish and pay extra. Being a big veggie eater, I was disappointed

in that- never saw a carrot or broccoli, a pea or a bean. Other than salad veggies- lettuce, cucumber, peppers and tomato, vegetables were pretty scarce with the exception of potatoes and cabbage. Many places also charged a "cover charge" for the bread basket, usually 30Kc (about $1.75). Ordering water ("still" water- if not, it comes carbonated) always meant a 250 ml. glass bottle, cool never cold, and it usually was $3-$4. Too bad I'm not a big beer drinker as it was cheaper. I tended to stick with chicken or fish a good deal of the time. We also had pizza a few times, Thai food twice and Chinese once. Lunches for me were almost always a salad or soup.
Laura had sausages one day for lunch- look how many she got!! 9 or 10, I forget which, served with cabbage. She washed them down with a beer... and decided shortly thereafter that it was time to become a vegetarian for awhile...






Czechs also like their desserts- usually pastries. I did try Apple Strudel, and the trdlnik and palačinka previously mentioned. Decorated gingerbread is also a "big thing" there. I came upon this lovely window display - doesn't it look just too beautiful to eat? I didn't have desserts very often as we tended to buy icecream (gelato) frequently to help us deal with the heat. It was always good, but the servings were small- one small scoop only- smaller than our scoops- no extra added on top...  usually 30Kc (just under $2.00). I did have one very delicious dessert as a treat one day- grilled pineapple topped with coconut icecream and a raspberry coulis. It was divine... probably the best thing I've eaten in a long while.... Mmmmmmm...



Peace,
Linda

"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list."
~ Susan Sontag