On My Bookshelf

Crow Lake, Canadian writer Mary Lawson's debut novel, is set in a small rural farming community in northern Ontario. The four Morrison children have been suddenly orphaned when a car accident claimed their parents. Narrated by Kate Morrison, seven at the time of the tragedy, the story shifts between present and past. Kate is now in her twenties and a professor of Zoology at a university in Toronto. As a child she idolized her elder brother Matt; he taught her to love nature, and likely planted the seed for her career choice, but now she feels estranged from all three siblings, and going back to Crow Lake will not be easy. She is haunted by memories of  her childhood and feelings of guilt over the sacrifices made by her two older brothers to keep the four children together.
A story written with depth and honesty, it's a study of family relationships, love and loss, regrets and resentment, hidden secrets and dreams sacrificed. Lawson, a distant relative of L.M. Montgomery, was born and raised in southwestern Ontario. She has written a beautiful story about family and about life, rich with description and characterization. I was drawn into the story quickly, and just had to keep reading. This is a story/family that will remain with you long after you've finished the last page. A #1 National Bestseller, Heather's Pick, a Globe and Mail Best Book, winner of the Ontario Library Association Evergreen Award and the Amazon.ca First Novel Award. Definitely worth the read, and a great choice for bookclubs.
What are you reading this week?
Spring has arrived (supposedly) and my birthday has come and gone. For us spring brought snow, after several weeks of warmer temps, bare ground and dreams of an earlier spring... Easter is almost here, seems way too early... I'll be back soon with another small finish, just some quilting to complete, and the binding.

Peace,
Linda

"I love books. I love that moment when you open one and sink into it, you can escape from the world into a story that's way more interesting than yours will ever be." ~ Elizabeth Scott

Using Up Leftovers, Part 2

I love squash, but only in the fall when it is fresh, tasty and dry. I have tried storing it through the winter, but with less than satisfactory results. I've also tried freezing it, following my sister-in-law's instructions to the letter. She freezes squash each year and says it comes out tasting just like it is fresh in the fall. I figure she must have a secret she's not sharing with me... So I tried again last fall, but it is pretty much tasteless. I have several packages left and can't bear to throw it out so yesterday I decided a soup might be a good way to use it up.
I didn't follow a recipe, just my "instincts" haha. I had some chicken broth that needed to be used up and several apples that were getting past their best. While the squash thawed, I chopped a medium onion, peeled and chopped two apples, and sautéd them in butter until tender. In the last minute I added some fresh minced garlic and freshly grated ginger. Next I added about 2 tsp. curry paste and then stirred in about 2 cups of chicken broth. This all went into the blender along with the thawed squash (about 2 cups (?) cooked and mashed). Once it was puréed until smooth, it went into a saucepan with a good dash of salt and pepper and some coffee cream, and heated to serving temperature. It was quite yummy if I do say so myself! Even hubby gave it the thumbs up. The only thing that would have improved it is a good splash of maple syrup. I love maple syrup as a flavouring for squash, but our year's supply of syrup is gone. (I'll fix that on Saturday morning at the farmer's market!) I garnished the soup with a few crispy croutons, but a swirl of sour cream, or maple syrup, would be good options as well. I do love a big bowl of homemade soup!! What about you? Is homemade soup on your list of favourite things?

Peace,
Linda

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."  ~Julia Child

Using Up Leftovers...

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Some of you, wherever you may be, might be "seein' the green" today...not here.... we're seein' the white! Yep, the usual St. Paddy's Day storm, it's been snowing all day! Our world is white once again, but it won't last long, I don't think. Hope not anyway...







An Irish prayer for you today:

May God give you, For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

I have a small "finish" to share. I had quite a number of small pieces of light neutrals left over from the quilt I am piecing, so I put them together in very simple blocks and assembled them into an 18" square for a table centre. It really doesn't show up well here but there were 17 different fabrics used. I machine quilted it with a serpentine stitch, and it will be another class sample for an upcoming class. Nothing fancy, but it will serve its intended purpose.
What do you do with small leftover pieces? Fold them up with the remaining fabric, put them in a scrap basket, or turn them into something?
Tomorrow I'll tell you about another leftovers creation... in the kitchen. Curried Squash Soup

Peace,
Linda

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you wherever you go. ~ Irish Blessing

On My Bookshelf

Sweetland by Michael Crummey is set on a small remote island off the coast of Newfoundland. Moses Sweetland has lived there all of his life, as have many generations of his family before him, in fact the island is named after the family. When the government decides to "re-settle" the community, he's having none of it. Moses is stubborn, set in his ways... you might even say "crusty." The offer is generous, but it must be unanimous, everyone must agree and sign before the offer will go through and Moses is the hold-out. Sweetland has been home for him for sixty-nine years, and despite its rugged lifestyle, he's not interested in leaving. With mounting pressure from family and friends, he does eventually sign the papers, but he won't leave. He manages to stay behind on the island he loves, alone, battling the elements, memories of the past and the desolation of a solitary life.
Crummey, also born and raised in Newfoundland, has written this story beautifully, perfectly capturing the island and its people. He has developed the character of Moses so thoroughly, I feel as if I have known him a long while. Newfoundlanders have their own way of speaking, and although some might find the expressions hard to understand, Crummey has "nailed" the vernacular. This is part of the charm of the story for me. His descriptions of the island make it easy to visualize, and the rugged land, the ocean and the weather become characters in the story as much as the people. A heartbreaking story of sadness, it is a realistic depiction of the decline of outport communities in Newfoundland, following the collapse of the commercial fishery. Time marches on and takes its toll. Sweetland is a story of past and present, of strength and determination, and of love for the land one calls "home."
Five stars from this reader.

Peace,
Linda

"We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel.... is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become." ~ Ursula K. LeGuin

This and That...

I don't know where the time goes...how can it be a whole week since I last posted? I guess being busy is a good thing! I have been spending a lot of time in the studio. I now have the 20 blocks done for the quilt I'm working on. Whew! Next I'll get busy on the pieced sashing and pieced sashing squares... I'm certainly going through a lot of thread...   :)
Our weather is slowly warming up, all fingers are crossed for an early spring. We have very little snow, most of the ground is bare... still frozen and brown but at least it doesn't have six or more feet of snow on it like it did at this time last year. The birds, mostly woodpeckers and chickadees, are enjoying my homemade suet cakes, and the squirrels are still trying to maneuver a heist.
I appreciate the comments made on my last post. All were in agreement that it's a shame we often don't appreciate our grandparents enough when we are young and they are alive, then when they're gone we wish we had known them better, and learned more about their lives. I have since done a little more research, and there is some discrepancy about my grandfather's work; I found something written by my mother that he was licensed as a first class mechanic, so mechanic or machinist? Not sure. Their wedding was during WWI when single men were being conscripted. My great grandfather suggested to my grandfather that "if he was thinking of marriage" he had better "get on with it" before he was conscripted as two of his brothers had been. And so they quickly were married. The photo was taken shortly thereafter. My grandfather was anxious to take his new bride to the Miramichi to meet all of his family and this was the "outfit" she wore- a teal satin  blouse, a long navy skirt and high buttoned boots, which were nearly

ruined as he trotted her all over the community meeting all the relatives, in the plentiful spring mud!!! I have thought of them often in the last few weeks, wondering what their early years of married life were like, one hundred years ago. I know times were hard and work was scarce. He spent a lot of time working away from home in Halifax/Dartmouth. He was working there during the famous Halifax Explosion on Dec. 6, 1917.

I watched a good movie on Netflix on the weekend, Testament of Youth, also set during WWI. (Thanks for the recommendation, Carole!) I thought of my grandparents a lot while watching the young couple in the movie. (This film stars Alicia Vikander, recent Oscar winner; I can hardly wait for her next movie- The Light Between Oceans, due out in 2017.)

I'm already dreaming of my summer garden, during these late winter days... I bought my first packs of seeds last week.   :)

Up next, another book review...

Peace,
Linda

"Over the years, I've learned that for the gardener, in addition to rest, winter is a time for wide-awake visions about things to come." ~ Judith Couchman

100 Years Ago Today...

One hundred years ago today, my maternal grandparents, Myrtle and Edison, were married. This is their wedding photo, although it was not taken on that day, but several weeks later as far as I can tell. She was the youngest of five girls, and only seventeen when she married, he was twenty-two. Wasn't he handsome - look at that wavy hair. (I only remember him as a bald man.) He was the second youngest of seven. How times and families have changed!

As I've said before, I guess one has to reach a certain maturity before you appreciate and take an interest in family history, sadly often too late to get answers to your questions. I know very little of their early years. I think my grandfather was trained as a machinist. As far as I can find out, in 1916 he was working at a factory in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Robb Engineering Co., which manufactured woodworking machinery and steam and gas engines. My grandmother was born and raised in Amherst so I am assuming that is where they met. (I know nothing of her family other than names... her four sisters were Alice, Sadie, Minah and Grace - don't you love those "old" names... they're becoming popular once again... Her parents were Mary and Joseph! Seriously! Her father was a Smith, and her mother was a Pugsley, a common name in Amherst. I only ever knew one of my grandmother's sisters, Aunt Grace. The other three sisters moved west when they were young, and never came back.) Shortly after they were married, they moved to the Miramichi (my grandfather's home) and then in later years to Moncton. After retirement, they moved here to Fredericton.
I was only fourteen when my grandfather died but I still remember him well. He loved music and doing puzzles and crosswords, he was good with his hands and loved building and fixing things. He loved telling stories and a good joke, and he loved nature... my mother would tell me how she loved as a child to go for walks with her Dad in the woods- "He always knew where to find the Lady's Slippers." Perhaps that's where my love of nature and wildflowers comes from....
I was 31 when my grandmother died, so I had many more years to get to know her. She was a fine lady, a hard worker, dedicated to her family. She raised six children in the 20's and 30's when times were hard and money was scarce. I am told she was a beautiful seamstress, and made all her children's clothes, not to mention quilts to keep them warm... Perhaps that's where my love of sewing comes from...?
It seems my grandmother "got in a family way" very shortly after they were married because my mother came along just slightly over 9 months later... I cannot believe both my parents would be turning 100 this year..... How I miss them both. I'd give anything to have them back, even just for a day or two...

Peace,
Linda

Family... where life begins and love never ends...

Sometimes We Learn the Hard Way...

Sometimes we have to learn a lesson the hard way... Several days ago as I was packing the car to head out to teach a class, I pulled my sewing machine wheeled carrier-tote to the car and "swung" it around to lift it into the backseat. I guess I must have twisted the handle slightly as I did this, and the plastic handle snapped. I immediately regretted my haste and carelessness, and yes I might have even thought a bad word (or two.) Several small pieces of plastic flew off. (Hubby later said "Well you did a good job of it, broke it on both sides..."  I've always thought you should "go big or stay home"...haha) I knew right away that the handle would likely no longer collapse down. Needless to say it was awkward get it into the backseat; it's heavy anyway, and now I also had a fully extended handle to deal with.... All the way to my class I was sputtering to myself.. how stooopid I was... would it be worth even using the tote without the ability to pull it... how much might it cost to replace... grrrrr....
I love this tote, and use it a LOT. I always have a lot of stuff to "lug" when I teach, and being able to wheel instead of carry a heavy machine sure makes things easier. I stopped on the way home to price a new carrier at Fabricville.. $199.00!! UGH. Much more than I had expected. Insert sad face here...

So when I got home I challenged my handyman hubby (in my sweetest voice, of course) "Do you think you might be able to somehow fix this, deeeeear?" I was hoping that between my hubby and our friend/neighbour who is also very handy and makes beautiful things with wood, they could come up with a plan.... 
Annnndddd here it is...  all done and ready to roll! I'm back in business! Bill fashioned a lovely handle and between them they have it rigged so that the handle will telescope all the way up/out for ease of use, and will collapse part way down for storage and in and out of  the vehicle. It won't collapse ALL the way down, but I'm okay with that. I am just SO grateful to have it this way and not have to totally replace it. Thanks guys! You made my day!!
So, those of you who have these wonderful carrier totes on wheels - take a lesson ! Treat them gently and with respect!! The plastic handle is just that - plastic.... and it can break!!

Peace,
Linda

"There is great satisfaction in seeing a thing take shape and form under one's hands, especially if they are made from oddments into something worthwhile." ~ Nella Last

On My Bookshelf

My Secret Sister by Helen Edwards and Jenny Lee Smith is the true story of twins separated very shortly after birth. Helen suffered years of abuse with her neglectful mother and a violent abusive father, while Jenny was a well loved adopted child in a supportive home who went on to become a champion golfer. Neither knew they had a twin sister.
I don't want to give away too much of the story, but suffice it to say it is a heart-warming tale of two women who were not afraid to search for the truth about their origins. Helen's story is tragic: Chapter 1 begins "Fear is my earliest memory. Fear of being out there, alone. It was one of those dark winter evenings; the sleet slanted at me with a wind cold enough to sting my skin. I was sitting in my hand-me-down pram, strapped in with no blankets - just a loose waterproof cover on which a puddle had formed and was frosting over. I tried to lean forward and look out. The cover slipped and the icy water trickled down onto my bare legs. My damp clothes hung heavy around me and my bonnet's fur trim, bedraggled in the sleet, clung to my cheeks like icy fingers. I felt numb, abandoned. I yearned for her to come. I whimpered and cried as loud as I could, my frozen cheeks smarting from the warmth of my tears." I was hooked by the end of that first page... As a mother with children I love with all my heart, I just couldn't help thinking how could any mother be so cruel and heartless to her own child?
Jenny's upbringing was happier, but she always felt something was missing. When in her fifties, she decides to search for her birth family and finds her sister Helen. Together, they continue to unravel the mystery and uncover family secrets that shatter what Helen thought she knew about her family...
A moving tale of two strong women, unafraid of confronting their past, despite many disappointments along the way. Four stars from this reader.

Peace,
Linda

"Stories never really end... even if the books like to pretend they do. Stories always go on. They don't end on the last page, any more than they begin on the first page." ~ Unknown

Belated Valentines Love....

This is a day late but I just could not resist sharing this sweet photo with you. Belated Valentines love to you from these two little sweeties! These are my two great nieces, twins born last August.. Josephine on the left and Ada on the right. It's not hard to see why their Mommy wants to cover them in kisses.... I MUST get up for another visit SOON....






Peace and Love,
Linda

Two cute little faces with matching grins,
What could be any sweeter than twins?!

A Pressing Matter

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you are enjoying a day full of love and sweet moments! Being the chocolate lovers we are in this house, we'll be treating our sweet tooth (teeth?) with a chocolate dessert tonight, of course! It's all ready and chilling.. and supper is bubbling away on the stove (homemade turkey soup) so it's time to sit down and write a blog post.

I've been consumed by a new project the last few weeks. It involves a huge amount of cutting so it is not progressing as quickly as I'd like. I started cutting for it back in the summer here, then put it aside for a while. Each block has 96 pieces... and I have 20 blocks to make. Then the sashings, and sashing squares are pieced too, as is the inner border. Needless to say you won't be seeing it finished in  the next week or two, but I am slogging away, determined it will be finished this spring sometime...
It is not a difficult block at all, it is made from a very simple unit (a half square triangle sewn to a square); it just requires lots of seams. And this brings me to my point today - the importance of pressing. Pressing is a necessary skill for a quilter. I love teaching, and enjoy helping my students improve their skills. When I watch some students put together an entire block with never once touching an iron to it, until it is all together.. well, it's kinda like listening to fingernails scratching down a chalk board.. or rubbing the cat's fur the wrong way... it drives me crazy! I guess it was drilled into me by my Tailoring Prof..pressing is very important during construction if you expect a quality product in the end. Pressing each step as you go will just give you a better result, simple as that. Some don't know the difference between ironing and pressing - they are two different things! You might iron your fabrics if they are wrinkly, but when putting  block units together, you should be pressing, simply placing the iron on the seams and using the heat, steam and pressure to set the seam and press it to one side or the other. I always tell my students it's worth taking a minute or two to figure out the pressing direction for the seams in their block so that seams will butt or nest together and lie flat.

The blocks for this project I have underway are made solely of "broken dishes" units (2 HST's and 2 squares). My directions (from the wonderful Bonnie Hunter) tell me which way to press the seams and if each and every unit is pressed in this way, every seam in the block meets perfectly and nests together allowing for ease of assembly. If you pick out several stitches in the seam allowance right in the centre of the block, that allows you to "spin" the seams, reducing bulk at the centre point. So simple, and it makes such a  difference!! There. That's my rant for today. I feel better now!    :)

Piece!
Linda

The best way to get things done is to simply begin!

It's My Blogiversary!

Tomorrow is Valentines Day, and I just realized today is my seventh Blogiversary! I can hardly believe I've been at this for seven full years!! I never dreamed back in 2009 I would "last" this long!!  So to celebrate feel free to send flowers, dark chocolate, cash... just kidding! But you could leave me a comment to say Hello and tell me where you're visiting from! That would make me happy! (You could also tell me what your weather's like. It's mighty cold here tonight... -24C, and -34C with the wind chill! We have an "Extreme Cold Weather Warning" in effect!)
Blogging has added a whole new dimension to my life. I have made so many wonderful new friends because of Stitch Lines. I want to say a huge thanks to those who helped me get started - Gail M. has been my loyal "tech support" and continues to be my "go-to" gal! Thanks Gail, I couldn't do it without your help. Karen N. and Marie A. were also very helpful when I started, helping me sort out issues and again answering many questions, a big thanks to them too! Of course the biggest thanks goes to YOU my readers, for what would Stitch Lines be without you? I appreciate your support, your friendship, and your encouragement. And I LOVE it when you leave me a comment!! hint hint   I hope you'll come back tomorrow for the beginning of Year Eight!!

Peace!
Linda

May today be filled with happy memories of the past and bright hopes for the future.

More Students' Miniatures

The only thing I love more than teaching my Miniatures class, is getting photos from students of what they have done as a result of the class. It's been a long while since I have shown any student's work, so I think it's time... I have one, possibly two, Miniatures workshops coming up this spring so I always get bitten by the bug once again when there's a class upcoming. I like to have a few new ones to show if possible... I have several underway, but nothing far enough along to share with you yet. But back to some completed by students...






 I just received these two photos last night from Theresa O. of  PSLCQG who won a first place ribbon last weekend in the Small Pieced category at her guild show for Little Red Bear Paws. Finished size is 17.5" square. Congrats Theresa! It is fabulous. Look at her quilting! Wow! What a super job she has done!











Next up, from a class last July, is Martha E. from TTQG with Primary School, 13.5" square and hung on point. I love it!! Isn't it sweet?  Perfect points on perfect little fishies...














I think Jeanne W. of MCQG is hooked on minis. She has done a few and although I haven't heard from her recently, I bet she's still at it...  Here are two photos she has sent me since I taught the class she attended last winter. I just love this little ninepatch combined with Sunbonnet Sue. It is 11" square, the nine patches measure 1.5."  It includes hand appliqué, prarie points and the tatted flowers were Jeanne's 14 year old granddaughter Grace's first attempt at tatting! Wow! Creative talent runs in the family, I'd say. 









Another by Jeanne, a 13" square Pineapple.
Log Cabin and Pineapple blocks have long been favourites of mine, I haven't seen one yet that I didn't love!!















EDIT Feb.9: I just received an email from Jeanne telling me she won a first place ribbon this past weekend in the PSLCQG show for Oh, My Stars!












....and Jane T. won a ribbon also, for her Tiny Logs. Although I have shown these two miniatures before here, I think they're worthy of another look, especially with ribbons attached, don't you think?!

Last but certainly not least is Gloria T. of TQG. Gloria is prolific, and tends to finish each project. I hear she never has UFO's. (I can't imagine...) I think Gloria really was bitten by the deadly miniature bug when I had her in class.. She has sent me at least half a dozen photos of completed minis... so here are two more. First a 6" square Log Cabin. Lots of little logs!  Sweet!!






And lastly a Grandmother's Fan done in Oriental fabrics. This one looks like it might be hand quilted...

Awesome job, everyone! I'm so proud of you all! Keep sending me those pics!!







Piece!
Linda

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." ~ Vincent Van Gogh

More Yumminess!

Another recipe for you tonight. And I promise the next few posts will be about quilting. I've been almost living in my studio these last few days, another new project underway. I have other things I should be doing/finishing, so I've decided to use this new project as my "carrot." I'm going to alternate working on it for a week, then the next week I must work on some finishes.. and alternate back and forth. That works for me... Am I the only one who does this? (Please tell me I'm not...)

Anyway, I tried this new recipe last week and it is soooo good. I wrote it down in the fall, and I cannot remember where I found it... whether it was on someone's blog, or where. So if this looks familiar and you can tell me the source, please do so I can give credit (and Thanks!!) These are spicy good, very moist and the candied ginger just puts them over the top for me! It makes 2 dozen, and I think they would freeze well. If you don't care for candied ginger, you could omit it and add nuts, raisins, currants, dried cranberries or other dried fruit.

Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes

2 cups flour

1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. instant butterscotch pudding mix

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. each ginger and allspice

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/3 cup chopped candied ginger

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup  white sugar
1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree  (NOT pie filling)

Chop candied ginger. Mix together all dry ingds.- flour, pudding  mix, salt, soda and spices. Add chopped ginger, toss to coat. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars well, add eggs one at a time, adding pumpkin and vanilla with last egg. Add flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Place in muffin cups, bake at 350°F for about 20 min. Cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out. Makes 2 dozen. Optional- dust with icing sugar.

Peace,
Linda

 "I'm just someone who likes cooking and for whom sharing food is a form of expression."
~ Maya Angelou