MAY 2010
MAY 31, 2010-Happy Memorial Day--it's been a dry week, beautiful weekend, but today it looks like a long rainy day. . . time to read, piece blankets and to stop procrastinating about cleaning the refrigerator out. . . The garden needs it and it's a relief not to have to water though I find watering wih the sprinklet a bit like hanging laundry--enjoyable. . . I guess it's a control issue. . . . Thanks to Sis from Atlanta, Michigan and her knitting group. . . they are giving us all their yarn left over from various project. The gals in Yspisilanti and crocheting and knitting the yarn up fatster than I can get it to them. Bev and her daughter from Colorado are in for the Make A Difference Day project!
MAY 26, 2010--OK--the book's title is How to be an Everyday Philanthropist. . . .330 Ways to Make a Difference in your Home, Community, and World--at No Cost. The author is Nicole Bouchard Boles. Even though the "blurb" is short--we were noticed. . . and that's cool! And also the book is similar in purpose to our mission in that we feel small efforts can change lives and ultimately the world around us. We're so proud of all of you for your philanthropy--whether it's been sending yarn, squares, postage here and there, or just "good vibes," you are making a difference. Thank you. . . thank you and think about our Make A Difference Day Project!
MAY 21, 2010--Imagine my surprise when I went to the post office box yesterday, received a package notice, figured it was squares, and it was a package from a book publisher. We--Close Knit Hugs--is highlighted in a new book on "everyday philanthropy." How cool is that? More later. . .am spending the day helping with an estate sale. My cousin is even here from Missouri. Sadly--there's no yarn or needles. . .
MAY 19, 2010--I will be sending blankets to Nashville this week...the WAY group (Women At Yspsilanti) came through with a bunch of blankets. My son picked them up, dropped off more to piece and then moved to Boulder! So talk about EMPTY NEST! Plus as of yesterday afternoon, we have a huge wildfire raging south of us--we can smell the smoke this morning, so it is rather scary. Anyway--join us on Facebook. . . keep knitting. . .and plan on MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY!
MAY 13, 2010--I haven't counted the blankets the women from Yspsilanti sent us yet, but according to my son--"there's a big bag, Mom." These will be heading to Nashville next week. . . then we'll start assembling more for Haiti. I have created a Facebook page for us. . . JOIN US!
MAY 9, 2010--Happy Mother's Day! Northern Michigan had snow yesterday! It's gone today, but just when you think Spring is here--BAM! We get a snowball in the back of our heads. I was talking to a "young" doctor the other day while he examined my mother's feet, and I asked him if his kids were in Little League. He said, "Yes," and I noted a bit of a body twitch as he said so. I then asked, "So how do you like sitting on those metal bleachers in late April and May?" Well, he started laughing and said, "Obviously, you have 'been there.'" I have to admit, the coldest I have ever been is at a few Little League games in April and May in Northern Michigan. And this includes football games in the fall! And on another weather-related note, I walked the dogs yesterday morning. When we got to a newly seeded pasture in a clearing behind the house, the dogs saw two huge crows sitting on the ground, picking seeds or worms. . . Well they took off at the thought of birds on their pasture, and I figured the birds would rise on their flapping wings and squawk off. . . Not so. They hopped, cawed, all the way across the field with two rottweilers chasing them (the third is above such childish behavior). The crows wouldn't fly, and they were big crows--about the size of large hawks. . .The only thing I could figure since it was snowing was that the weight of ice or water on their wings prevented them from taking off. The four-legged boys ultimately gave up on the crows who had their wings raised in that "threatening swan/goose" stance. . . but if anyone has an idea why they wouldn't or couldn't fly, let me know.
Hope it's a great day for all you mothers out there. . .mine --who will be ninety this November--is coming for dinner. . .and I even may get to see one of my sons--who by the way is moving to Boulder, Colorado this week! So we have one in the South, one in the Southwest and one in the West. Great places to visit if we could figure out how to travel with three spoiled rottweilers and two cats who are just as spoiled!
I guess since the blankets left here, we have been resting our needles a bit. . .I am working on a baby gift and soon--a 2010 graduation present, but now I am wondering about Close Knit Hugs' next goal and project. I will be looking into more blankets for Haiti as well as perhaps Nashville. I am working on it and will post something this week. I do know though that I want to do something for Make a Difference Day on October 23. Now before you all say--boy, that's far off--remember we all have lives outside this little project and we all do better with deadlines. As a procrastinator. . . I know I do! It would be neat if, on that day, I had fifty crocheters, knitters from every state do one square which would then go into a blanket. The catch would be I would love a picture of each "square" working on it so my cousin could do her magic and make us a "picture" blanket. If you're in for that, be the first one to get your state on the list. I will create a "chart" to show the commited states/volunteers. I will even register the project. . . . And this would also be a way to get the 16 states not represented in our project on the map! Send me your suggestions and input on this idea! I guess the catch is that we have to do at least one square on October 23. . .Imagine if we have 350 "squares" --that's seven workers from each of the 50 states--working on a knitted or crocheted square between 12 A.M. and 11:59 P.M. on that day. . . We could put together ten blankets. . . .