Other Than Knitting
I still don’t have any good “progress” photos to show you, but I wouldn’t want any of you be to bored or feel like I’ve neglected you, and so I’m here to talk about, well, other stuff!
Let’s start with books, shall we? I think everyone knows I’m a huge fan of reading by now. Of my pile of 5 current reads, the one I’m turning to most–and talking about the most to poor innocent family members and co-workers–is “The Great Influenza” by John M. Barry, about the 1918 Influenza Pandemic which violently afflicted one-fifth of the entire world’s population with devastating results. Absolutely amazing story, and very well told. I’m still appalled that I had never even heard of this at all until a couple years ago. This was huge! And you know I’m really enjoying a non-fiction book when I (1) choose to pick it up in the evenings rather than whatever fiction I’m currently reading, and when (2) I can’t stop talking about it! Fascinating, really, in a scary kind of way.
And then, this book arrived today. I’m a huge fan of Carl Larsson’s paintings. For those of you who don’t know, he was a Swedish painter (1853-1919) who single-handedly shaped the way Scandinavians decorate their homes. The blurb on the back of the book: “…This is the first comprehensive book in the English language on Carl and Karin Larsson, whose country home, meticulously recorded by Carl in a series of beautiful watercolors, established the modern Swedish style. Larsson’s designs gave way to a new approach to interior design that continues to influence designers today.”
I’ve been a fan of his for years. His paintings evoke such a warm, homey feeling, bursting with life and love and color. In fact, I spent a year, back in 1994-95, recreating one of his paintings in embroidery–just because I loved it so much! I had it framed with the original notecard that I used to have taped next to my desk in college, just so you can properly compare the original painting to my copy.
To make this, if you’re interested, I traced the outline off the notecard and then blew it up on the office copy machine. Then I traced that onto cloth and then hied me and the picture to a (now closed) embroidery shop that used to have the nicest selection of unique threads and all sorts of fun stuff. I bought a variety of colors and textures of thread–which was fun all by itself. Then, for about a year, I’d sit in my chair each night, with an embroidery encyclopedia, looking for the best stitch for each piece. What stitch would look most like panelling (a staggered satin stitch)? Like a cotton skirt (weaving stitch)? Plant leaves (lots and lots of french knots)? It was great fun, and I loved every minute of it. So much so that this was the first picture I ever had professionally framed–because it deserved it!
My parents went out for dinner tonight, so I rummaged through the refrigerator and pulled out a wide variety of vegetables. Don’t they look pretty? I like almost any vegetable, and this is a combination of asparagus, red cabbage, red bell pepper, onions, and brussels sprouts. Which I then tossed with whole wheat pasta and the merest splash of Ragu.
Here it is, all ready to eat. Bright, colorful, lots of flavors . . . but do you see the problem?
Come on. It’s right there.
This dish of food is huge! How could one person possibly hope to eat all of that?? But you see, that’s the problem. To do a dish like this right, you have to balance the different vegetables, one to the other, and then have the appropriate amount of pasta, but there are some things you just can’t do . . . small! For example, I started with the onion. Only half an onion, barely anything at all once it’s cooked down. Then just a little of the pepper, a slice or so of the red cabbage (which I think is great with pasta, by the way, and it adds such a beautiful purple color to the plate). A few stems of asparagus really isn’t that much, and I only had about 6 brussels sprouts . . . you wouldn’t think that so little vegetable would add up to such a large pile once it’s in the pot! And yet it does, every time . . . Really. There’s just no way to eat that much. It tasted darn good, though!
Oh, and to get some fiber content–I will add this picture of this catalog that arrived today–Halcyon Yarn. Yum! I took its picture on my knee, just before I started flipping through it.
And last, a snap I just took of Chappy, after he’d rubbed his head into the rug. Note the Mohawk style he’s got going there. That one lock of fur on top of his head has a mind of its own, that’s for sure!
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Tannenbaum.
House Calls
Deb: I have to make a comment on the Spanish Flu. Most people nowadays have not heard of it; it was really so horrible I think families wanted to forget. My father was born in 1899 and so was a young man when this happened. Back then, he lived in New Bedford, MA, and I know you know where that is. Anyway, one day I was in the car with Dad and he pulled over to the side of the road where the western part of New Bedford leads to Fall River (Route 6) and much to my surprise, he got out and obviously was praying. I was in my late 20s and this puzzled me to no end. So, I asked. He said when he was young and “the great flu” was on, across the street there by the wall was where he had helped with the wagons of the dead people. He said they “stacked” them there to await burial and some burials were in trenches in the cemetary. He said all they had over them was a tarp and when the flu was at its worst, people would hang a black scarf out the front door; it meant to come pick up the body in the parlor. He said he never could go by there without remembering the poor dead people. After that, I too never could pass that place without remembering . . . and thinking just what tough and resilient people we each have come from. Dad also said there was a doctor in New Bedford who swore that that place would forever harvest the flu germs. I really wonder about that. I pray to God the world never sees anything like it again; historically, however, I know better. Sorry for a sad note, but really felt compelled to tell you.
“Some” fiber content? By the looks of that veggie dish, I’d say you had quite a bit of fiber. Well, roughage at least.
Nancy, I was thinking a similar thing!
But Deb, you can have the rest for luch today at work and make all your co-workers jealous!
I,too, love Carl Larsson and have that book, and a couple of others. Your needlework is wonderful and I can imagine that it took a year to do. It’s beautiful!
Deb, your needlework is amazing! Gosh, it must run in your family
And yeah, a lot of fiber to show for this post — I am not a veggie person: does chocolate count?