Steek It!

Last night while writing I was in a goofy mood, and the following song parody was the result (with apologies to Michael Jackson-no wait, I take that back). For anyone who's tried a creative endeavor that has scared them silly I present "Steek It".
(By the way, for those of you who don't know-steeking is a knitting technique where upon completion of a project you cut it, to achieve a result that you couldn't get any other way. It's a pretty bold and scary thing to do to a project that you've spent hours slaving over.)

You never thought that you would come up to here,
This knitting's not so hard-time to face your worst fear.
The fire's in your eyes and the pattern is clear
So steek it, just steek it.

You faced intarsia and the fair isle too,
You knit up lace and the stitches they flew-
You even managed cables, you did it it's true
So steek it, but the knitting looks bad

Just steek it, steek it, steek it, steek it,
You know that you can defeat it!
Show them your funky craft is alright,
Just keep on tryin', you'll get it right
Just steek it, steek it
Just steek it, steek it.
Just steek it, steek it
Just steek it, steek it.

Ten inches in you find you really hate blue,
Yet so far along, what could you do?
Keep the project alive, just keep knitting through
For steek it, you'll steek it.

The pattern's out to get you, you're tearing your hair,
You fix that darn dropped stitch it really ain't fair.
Now get those scissors, it's time that you dare
And steek it, and it don't look too bad

Just steek it, steek it, steek it, steek it,
You know that you can defeat it!
Show them your funky craft is alright,
Just keep on cuttin', you'll be alright

It's steek it, steek it, steek it, steek it,
You know that you did defeat it!
Show them your funky craft is alright,
You kept on tryin' and got it right
You steeked it, steeked it,
You steeked it, steeked it,
You steeked it, you steeked it,
You steeked it!

Book of the Week

Gather round my fellow bibliophiles and share some more wonderful books together.

Never Stop Dreaming:

For those who don't know, I keep a reading log of all the new books I read. As if that weren't dorky enough, I have a rating system to record how good each book is. Lousy ones (that for some inexplicable reason I finish) get a dash, tolerable is a dot, enjoyable is an asterix while incredible gets a star. A recent star read was "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.

A college professor, Randy, like many other professors before him, was asked to give a lecture as if this would be his last. The hypothetical "if you were dying what would you talk about for your very last lecture. What would be most important to share with your students?" Ironically, in the interim months before the lecture, Randy was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Instead of dropping the assignment, he pushed ahead. So incredible was his lecture that it was shortly afterwards rewritten as a book, which can only be described as one of the most inspiring and moving books I have EVER read.

The book is about achieving your childhood dreams. Funny, poignant, and heart warming it's the story of a man at death's door who is still determined to live life to the fullest and leave a legacy of love for his young family. Do not miss out on this splendid read.

Darling Delinquency:

Prepare yourselves to laugh, giggle, and roar over the delightful antics in the book "No, David!" by David Shannon. The story is simple enough; basically it's David being reprimanded for all sorts of things that he shouldn't do, but combined with the illustrations this tale will tickle your funny bone. The troublesome but loveable David is hard to resist.

Spudsation

So this morning I went to the garden to finish harvesting all my crop before these cool nights do any more devastation to my lovely veggies. I now have a big box filled with green tomatoes and about sixteen green pumpkins, and one gardener desperately hoping that they will ripen! But hands down my most plentiful crop has been the potato-we're up to our eyeballs with 'em here. Help!

Now being a Redd, eating potatoes is not my problem. Living with Daddy you have to either develop a taste for those little spuds or go hungry at the dinner table. I was a slow learner when it came to liking these tubers, but when I did I went all the way. A baked potato was my favourite after school snack once I learned how to nuke them, and I'd eat them just like an apple.

Nope, what I desperately need is inspiration, recipes. There are only so many times that you can serve up any vegetable in one form before you have a mutiny on your hands. while the potato is a marvellously adaptable thing when it comes to being put to use in the kitchen , I was hoping for suggestions from all you dear readers. What are you're favourite recipes for the humble spud?

Book of the Week

obviously, I have been spending a lot of time enjoying the autumn sunshine and not blogging, except when it comes to sharing my passion for books!

A Human Right?

I just finished reading Ezra Levant's latest book "Shake Down"-talk about food for thought! A Canadian journalist, he has had more than his share dealing with the Canadian Human Rights Commisions. He was the only person in the world who faced legal sanction for printing those Danish cartoons. His ordeal lead to examine these bureaucratic offices, and fought a public battle for his freedom of speech. The book isn't just about the battle, but his resultant research about the commisions. Normally I do not consider myself an activist, but after this book I want to be one for the protection of freedom of speech, not to mention the extinction of an agency that does not honour Canadian values and basic freedoms, and sound as it they would be more at home in North Korea! For anyone who is fed up with political correctness, and the seemingly unassailable right not to be offended taking precedence over all things including common sense, read this one.

Roald Dahl Rocks!

Another all-time children's author of mine is Roald Dahl. His books are zany with great adventure for kids. He's on my list of books I can't wait to read to my kids (again, in the top three). A great one to start with young kids, because it's not too long for them, is "Fantastic Mr. Fox". When the despicable farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean start going to extreme measures to take out Mr. Fox and his family, our hero must be even more clever and fantastic than before to outwit the villians. Enjoy.

Happy reading all.

Book of the Week

There's something about fall that makes me want to do cozy things; make soup and apple pies, walk in the crunchy leaves, bask in the mellow sunshine, and most especially curl up with a good book. Here's a few for your consideration...

Meal Musings:

For those of you not yet acquainted with Laurie Colwin, you are in for a treat. She is by far my favourite food writer. She has a knack for writing about food that makes you smile in recognition, laugh, and make your mouth water. Her book "Home Cooking" is superb, and just the sort of thing for inspiration in the kitchen. Perfect for gearing up to put the BBQ away, and gear up for edible autumnal delights.

A Childhood Favourite:

I have a list (ever expanding) of chapter books that I can't wait to share with my munchkins once they're older. "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis is the top of the list. I remember my grade two teacher reading this to us and being enchanted by the story, and I've loved it ever since. Just imagine making that discovery of such a magical place, and to go on such an adventure as Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy! I have yet to meet a child who can resist this tale. Battling an evil witch, derring do, miracles and unforgettable characters make this a must read for all ages, but especially for the young. So determined was I few years back that Elena should experience the splendor of this novel that we sat down under the trees in our yard to read it, only to spend an entire summer day in the garden to finish the entire thing.

The Redds Are Coming! The Redds Are Coming!

So this week we have my sisters Janine and Elena visiting with us. Living here it's always wonderful to have people come and see us, and show off our little town (hint, hint).
The munchkins were very excited to have their aunties come, but actually waiting for them to arrive was hard for them. Now that they're here we've been having fun going for walks, picking berries along the trail-and if the weather cooperates, go to the beach! Life is good.