Historical Fiction

Now that I've lived a long time, and see what the pundits try to spin from our past, I look askance at much of what I read.

The best case scenario for me, is that it sometimes drives me to other sources to try to determine what really happened. I'm nearly to the end of an interesting book by Mary Doria Russell called Dreamers of the Day which is set in Egypt and Palestine right after WW1.

Part of what I'm learning is that due to the arbitrary divisions and agreements that were made at that time, we have a permanent state of unrest in the Middle East. Not to mention that the enmities there are almost permanently ingrained.

One of the characters in the book makes the observation that if a person says they understand the politics of the middle east they are surely deluded because the politics are very complex and have ancient roots.

I'm ashamed to say that I don't have the patience to read biography or history in any systematic way, so I have to learn what I can through fictional accounts. This fictional account I can recommend as a real eye opener. It has some interesting things to say about the manipulation of the American electorate before the First World War, too. I'm pretty sure that we-----accustomed as we are to advertising----are just as easily led today.

What are you reading? Are you enjoying it?

Comments are welcome!

Friday Fragments

You know Friday Fragments, hosted by Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissin' Time----

Here is the home place for all snippets, odds and ends that don't quite make a full posting. We are all thankful for a place to store them. Link up and see.

1. Today is GoodGuy's first golf outing of the year. Time for those on the home front to watch all the Chick Flicks that have been displaced by baseball. Since he will travel far there's lots of movie time.

2. I read a neat post this week written as a response to a writer's challenge. "If Your Mom were a Blogger."

That idea cracked me up. My mom was a faithful letter writer, but never disclosed how she felt or thought about anything. Menus, guests, the dead and dying report were all letter fodder, but never a word about controversy. This was not because she lacked opinions, or was dumb. Neither of those things were true. It's a puzzle to me.

3. Are these things true? Everyone considers himself above normal. Every man considers himself an excellent driver. Everyone is insulted if accused of having no sense of humor.

4. We have had daily cat visitors to our back deck. Two cats (at separate times) came right up to the back door to peer into the back shed. They don't appear to be thin or undernourished. Maybe they are neighbor's cats just out for a stroll.

5. Tony, our biggest, least likely cat caught a bat in mid-flight on Wednesday night. Of course then he wanted to play with it. An adrenalin rush if ever there was one. (Head shaking.)

I have to post this quickly before it all disappears again.

Parallels

This will not be about geometry, I solemnly promise. All I remember about taking the class was

our "ready to retire" teacher telling us daily that we were the dumbest class he ever had. Perhaps if he'd spent more time teaching us, we'd have understood it a little better.

Instead this is about opportunity presenting itself when we are open to acting upon it.

While we were visiting Iowa, we went to see the lovely farm where they filmed Field of Dreams. You remember-----"If you build it, they will come."

And yesterday I read a Swedish proverb which says, "Those who wish to sing, always find a song."

And last week I read this Buddhist saying; "When the student is ready, the master appears."

All this redundant advice has me wondering what I should be seeking to learn next! So I'm keeping a listening ear, and a sharp watch for the next learning or serving that I should do.

Feel free to make suggestions and comments.

The Background "Music" of my Life

While I was working the other day, I barely noticed the sound of the baseball game GoodGuy was watching on TV. But later I got to thinking.

When I was a little girl, we would try to change the station from the baseball game while my dad was dozing on the couch. His eyes would pop open and he'd say, "I'm listening to that!"

On Saturday nights, I could hear the Gillette jingles playing before the boxing matches started. He was one of the most peaceful men I know, yet he really got into listening to "the fights".

Of course, all football season we watched all the games we could. There was a time when they didn't play every night of the week, and we couldn't always see our teams. When I was a young bride we spent a time in beautiful Virginia. We could never hear a Big Ten game or a central division pro football game. It was a period of excruciating deprivation!

While my kids were growing up every month there wasn't snow on the ground I could hear, "Thump, thump, thump,................thump, thump, thump" of a basketball outside the kitchen window. Both my girls played basketball at school, and the boys played at home for fun with their dad.

Once they got into school, we got to see girls' basketball, boy's football, plus one wrestler, two track runners, and meals at all times of the evening during all the sporting seasons.

GoodGuy was a golf coach when he was teaching, so now I have learned to appreciate golf, and he's a baseball, football, track, and tennis fan. The team doesn't seem to matter---the play's the thing. So I tolerate baseball, love football, endure track, and enjoy tennis.

I can't imagine what life would be like without television and the ability to watch sporting events! And we don't even follow pro basketball, or hockey, or Nascar! I never realized what a big part sports have played in my life, even though I'm not an athlete, don't own a cheesehead or face paint, or have a season ticket to anything.

If you're a fan, you know just what I mean. If you aren't a fan, I think I can hear you yawning. (Leave a comment anyway.)

Tractors Anyone?

Had I been alone, reading the "Things to See" brochures, I wouldn't have paid any attention to the Farm Toy Museum in Dyersville, Iowa. And I would have missed some good clean fun!

The display on my new header is quite near the end of the displays upstairs and it gave me a good chuckle. With three little boys under my roof at one time, I felt that the whole house was filled with vehicle replicas during that period.

Not only are there displays of American farm toys, but there are replicas of tools from all over the world. There are huge models of farmyards during different decades, and an awesome model of a fair, with the midway and the barns with pigs, cattle, and all the other neat stuff town folks like to see at the fair. There were little cars in the parking lot, and little people admiring the exhibits. I love that stuff.

Many of the farm implements shown had been models that salesmen showed to dealers, and weren't really toys at all. They were very intricate and exactly to scale, showing all the features of the real machines.

Dyersville also boasts a beautiful basilica which we admired from the outside, and it has a big antique mall. I don't do antiques, but I'll bet it's a treasure trove for people who like to find great old stuff.

So now you know why my header has changed. I'll enjoy my trip to Dubuque a little longer this way. LOL.

Gather Round

Do you take cream in your coffee?

Oh, you drink diet Coke for breakfast. Hmm.

Saturday Stuff

This is one of those days already. I have written a whole post, which disappeared. I have tried to link up to a group----can't happen for some reason. I am out of time and out of patience, with much to do.

If you would like to see an unusually patient young man, saving a baby hummingbird, check this out. http://www.wimp.com/babyhummingbird/.

The goats for others comment count goes on. Today we are at the number I will post on the gadget. I still have to count it up. I'll post this before it all vanishes again into the ether.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Friday Fragments

Here is this week's contribution of flotsam and jetsam from my end of the state.

Mrs. 4444s hosts this and invites you to read, join, and check everybody out by clicking here. I hope.

1. My sister is visiting us after many weeks away enjoying warmer weather. Her nine week old Teddy bear pup, Daisy, is here with her. She and the cats are getting to know each other, very s l o w l y. It is pretty entertaining to watch them scope each other out.

2. It is Easter week. Do you think I should put the creche set away?

3. Reading this week has been re-reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, and a Sierra Club Sketching in Nature book by Cathy Johnson. I had read the first one from the digital library, but decided I needed to own a copy.

4. The geese are flying in very high, almost perfect V's above us for the past few days. In spite of the winter mix of weather, there are signs of spring all around us. We are going on a pussy willow hunt later this morning.

5. My commenting friends have me over the halfway mark toward sending a goat to a third world country. I thank them for their help and have met many lovely and interesting new people. One of my lovely friends suggested I go for an elephant. Are elephants a useful domestic animal in a small village? (I attract funny people.)

Happy Easter weekend! God bless you!

I'm Knitless

No, not Witless, well maybe Half-witless, but we won't go there.

Here are the completed projects though. They are ready for washing, but needed to make an appearance here first.

I am so pleased with these mitts, I just can't tell you! I started them with some trepidation, but didn't have (much) trouble at all.

The purple socks are done, too, and I'm praying they will fit the recipient.

Later today. A comment count. Thanks, Lisa, Pam, and Keetha.

Meet Daisy

Here is the beautiful and well behaved Daisy. She has the good taste to capture the hearts of the menfolk of the homes she visits, as you can see. She belongs to my sister, who couldn't wait to introduce her to the family.

Her preference in dogs has always been for bigger dogs, but now that they love to travel during the winter, a small, well-behaved, quiet dog seemed like a good choice. Daisy is only a wee puppy, but she sleeps in her own bed quietly, doesn't bark, signals to go outdoors to pee, and is very sweet.

The Fuzzies aren't too sure about her yet, but there haven't been any hostile encounters.

Comments are welcome. Remember the goat.

Happy Easter!

I know it's early for doing this, but my house smells like Easter today, and so I'm going with it.

The drama takes place later in the week, on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but I peeked at the text and I know how the story turns out!

Earlier today I bought a lily plant which is extremely fragrant. And returning home I smelled ham baking! So this house is way ahead of the curve, in celebrating Easter fragrances at least. I am very sure that I have never bought a lily plant for Easter before, and I figured it was about time! It's loaded with buds and we'll enjoy it for a while.

Now I'll go enjoy some of my purchases from Dubuque. We found a lovely block on main street with all of our favorite things in one little spot. There was a lovely book store, a quilt shop, and a popcorn establishment. Caramel corn, cheese corn, etc., etc.

We also found a thrift shop earlier, before the big stores opened and bought a bunch of books there! So we are set, in the reading department-----for a while! One advantage of flying is that I don't shop much when I think of having to lug my booty through the airport!

(Leave a comment. Give a goat to a needy village.)

Delightful Snow

No, my friends, this isn't a shot of the flooding Mississippi. This is a shot of our front sidewalk this morning, and is what we returned to after our fun in Dubuque.

You can only imagine our delight. Underneath the new snow is a layer of frozen rain. The sun is shining nicely today, however, and so some snow is melting. The temperature is up to 44 degrees.

People here say, "Well, it's only April." They do say other things, too, which are sometimes

represented with punctuation marks, such as #%&$##.

And now for something completely different, we met some old pals in Dubuque. You, no doubt recognize the couple from Grant Wood's American Gothic rendered in 3D, when you are looking at it in Dubuque. The other figure is there for size comparison. In person he's about 6 feet tall.

Thank you all for your comments. Here's the count. Excuse me while I figure this out. I've had 60 comments since the beginning of April, which means I can donate a hive of honeybees or a bunny and a half. I've heard they reproduce better if you have two complete bunnies, though.

Well, folks, after being away for a couple days, there's plenty to do here. So I'd better stop entertaining myself and get to work.

Happy Monday! Check back soon and leave a comment.

Where, Oh Where????

We are away from home, celebrating our wedding anniversary. Where is this? There are pussy willows and daffodils------and snow in the air this morning.

Heavy Duty Tools

I have a confession to make. I am lazy. I fight it, but the truth is-----sometimes I lose.

BUT this spring I have to get at my iris bed and thin it out. My dear sister tried to help me with this task last spring and our tool broke. (That was reason enough for us to retire to the deck and have an iced tea, probably.) Defeated again.

But this spring my friend Kay said she'd gladly take any extras I could cull from my iris bed. As you can see from the picture, they are long overdue for division. I would be happy to have a very small iris bed. VERY small.

And this year I can work comfortably on my gardens, thanks to this trusty little vehicle, which was a Christmas gift from GoodGuy. It moves easily, hauls trash, has a place to sit-----has about everything I need, except a cup holder. I love it already and I've only begun to use it!

So I'm off to take my vitamins and eat my Wheaties so I can "git up and go". (Are there Wheaties anymore? )

(Comment count is up to 36 since April 1st. Goal to reach by May 31, is 120 comments for the donation of a goat to Heifer International. I appreciate your comment. The money will go in any case, however much it adds up to.)

Thanks!

Ten on Tuesday

The subject at Carole Knits today is favorite snacks.

I can't believe I would have any trouble coming up with ten snacks, because I have a sign on my refrigerator door proclaiming. "I don't eat between snacks".

1. All time favorite: Wheat Thins---the originals.

2. Wasabi almonds

3. Cheetos

4. Saltines and honey

5. Cocoa with marshmallow or whipped cream

6. Fresh out of the oven cookies of any kind. (I don't bake them except at Christmas)

7. Spiced up hot cider

8. Home made doughnuts

9. Popcorn

10. Pot stickers---a little too substantial for a snack. More of an appetizer, but I love them.

Going for the Goat

Although I don't have the chance of an ice cube on a Texas sidewalk, I'm holding that thought as my goal in the "comment boost".

I am extending the time to the end of May, however.

(For the unwary, who may have just dropped by, I'm donating 50 cents/comment until the end of May to Heifer International.) This sounds noble, but I assure you it is more self-serving than that.

However, 240 comments by the end of May seems unlikely, and I'm discovering that people who would comment but aren't familiar with the blogging world have trouble leaving comments. Different options available require accounts here or there, or URL's to be entered. That's inconvenient if you are just trying to help, but don't plan to start blogging! (Sorry, kids.) I can't think how I left comments before I started.

Anyway, at the moment I'm more in the "here's a chicken" area. No problem, chickens are good too.

I'll make another post with another subject. It will be fascinating, I'm sure, she said, laughing.

Accepting a Challenge

I've been knitting for many years, off and on. I've occasionally taken a decade off to quilt, too. But a couple of years ago I decided I needed to attempt some techniques I'd never tried before. I made a beautiful Aran sweater and have altered some patterns to make design changes. I was never brave enough to vary much from the printed pattern before.

Currently I'm working on some socks that, thankfully will be the right size this time around. And the other picture is of a pair of Fair Isle fingerless mitts. I've been wanting to try some, since my friends who have used them really like them a lot. Plus, I've wanted to try some patterned, two color knitting.

It is fun, but I can't deal with any distractions while it is in progress. I need to mark the pattern row---first on the back of the hand side, then the thumb, then the palm section. Needless to say, it's a good thing for me that it's a small project or I'd be working on it for a very long time.

The yarn I'm using has a story connected with it too. I was spending a weekend with my sisters, house-sitting for a friend, who told us to help ourselves to yarn and fabric that was stored in an upstairs bedroom. We lightened her load quite a lot----and I took a half dozen hanks of yarn. This made some Christmas presents and now I'm using it for the Fair Isle Mitts, too. Thanks Joanne, you're the best!

The comment count today is: 25. Thanks!

Do Me a Favor

Yesterday as I surfed around reading Friday Fragments from far and near, I came across a very worthwhile thing to do.

Several of the blogs I read are donating to worthy causes for a specified length of time, in proportion to the relevant comments left in response to their postings. Think about it. In two minutes you can make my day, and you can help someone in a third world country eat eggs, or drink milk.

From now until May 1st, I will donate fifty cents/comment to Heifer International which provides seeds, livestock, and training to third world people, helping hungry families feed themselves. (That's straight from the website as you can probably tell.)

I'd love to be able to send them the money for a goat, but if it's just a packet of seeds, it's your fault. No pressure there, honey.

The other thing that caused this brainstorm was hearing from a couple of people via e-mail who lurk but never comment because they don't have a URL. Comment anonymously if you wish, or use the "Name" option---which works just fine. I used it for ages before I ever blogged.

OK, I'm done being a control freak wannabe, for now, at least. I'll put up a counter soon. Let's do this thing!!

PS Comments to date since April 1-----16.

Friday Fragments

I often try to link up with Mrs. 4444's dumping ground for odds and ends which are nagging for attention, yet not enough to merit their own post. Sometimes I don't get linked, but I'm feeling good about my luck today. LOL

When I walked around the block yesterday afternoon, I counted nine robins. They might have been the same three, following me around the block, but I doubt it. They are a welcome sight.

Finally we have only die hard snowbanks left of our snows. Being where we are, though, we rarely dare to say it's over. Not in April, anyway.

The deer have cropped off the grassy bits of my early spring flowers. I guess that must be a treat after a long winter of cadging my sunflower seeds. Just call my garden the Deer Salad Bar.

GoodGuy picked up pasties from our favorite local supplier and we had them for our supper last night. They are up to $5 apiece, but so delicious. (For those who may have escaped without knowing about pasties----pronounced pass-tees--- they are potatoes, beef, onion wrapped in a pie crust like wrapper and baked.) They were brought to us by Cornish mine workers and they are ubiquitous in the UP. Quality varies a lot, but our favorites have flank steak for the meat and include rutabagas in the vegetables. They are from Jean Kay's pasty shop.

I'm sorry to say this, but in my opinion baseball is no substitute for football or March madness. Obviously, March madness can't go on forever, but I do surely miss it when it's over! Reason enough to get outdoors and do something.

Have a great weekend! Spring has reached even us. Praise be!

Fire Up

Sunday's snow is officially vanished except where it can't melt off pre-existing snow piles. So we are back to crocus watching. Our yard is rife with bird life and bird song, so we are seeing signs of spring in spite of the mischievous snowfall.

This morning while I was surfing to find the final score of the U Conn/Butler game I came upon a story---both inspirational and discouraging.

A marathoner is being honored. She's in her 90's! She has dropped out of a couple of races, one of which was a few days after her husband of 60+ years died! My goodness gracious sakes!

You can read about this paragon here. I am still shaking my head, but you can bet I'll get my shoes on and take a proper walk today.

A Giant Step Backwards

Weather-wise we have had a wee setback.

I read on Facebook today (and we all know how reliable that is), that we should expect three more snowfalls after the forsythia bud---or bloom. Well, we won't have any forsythia for weeks yet.

I just felt I owed you an explanation for removing the pansies of New Orleans, and replacing it with a familiar snow scene. Actually I have taken pictures several times on April 1st which have been of significant snow accumulation.

Sort of an April Fool's trick by the weather man. What a clown.....

Media Muddle

My middle son was a Music Lover of the first order, and it would drive me bananas when I'd go into his room and find he had both the radio and a cassette player on at the same time.

I had to laugh at that as I looked around at our little two person family. Our XM radio was playing while GoodGuy watched the golf channel (muted) with "sub titles" running. On the other end of the room I'm downloading albums from eMusic, and adding that music to my MP3 player. Now as I'm writing this post, I'm listening to that music on headphones.

Our family is all about music---though GoodGuy and I don't perform music, we are great appreciators and consumers. Both of our mothers were singers and his sister has a beautiful soprano voice and plays keyboard instruments. Both of my sisters are great harmonizers, in the sections supporting the melody. Among us we have some guitar players, horn players, singers and band members among the kids and grandkids. My aunts and uncles sang in barbershop quartets and other groups, and one of my aunts was a wonderful pianist and accompanist.

I was astonished to learn that there are people who don't even hear music when it's playing in a store or business. I feel sad for them, because loving music has been a huge pleasure in my life.

Keep smiling, and hum yourself a great tune.

Just One Happy Sight

Can you spot them there? A few crocuses are up and looking hardy and cheerful!

First the street sweeper and now this. This isn't an April Fool trick either. They are really there!