SEPTEMBER 28, 2006
Fall has arrived Northern Michigan though I heard the loon this morning as I was walking the dogs through the woods, trying to get the puppy to avoid eating acorns and anything else totally rotted, stinking or , well, just plain gross. Leaves are changing, mist rises off the lake each morning as the air is colder than the water, and the fish are going deeper and deeper into the lake. A deer hit our new car last weekend as my husband was coming home from a trip to Petoskey and the casino, so yes, it is Fall. We have three blankets ready to send and a bunch ready to put together. A huge box arrived yesterday from my friend Jeanne in Bakersfield--so I can keep warm each evening as the blankets are pieced together and grow longer.
A friend in Minnesota has an idea in case you all want to continue to help but are tired of knitting or crocheting squares. Here's a link on how to make crocheted yo-yo squares. It uses up the small odd balls of leftover yarn. If you want to do some, send me an email when they are ready to be sent, and I will forward you my helper in Minnesota's address. She will put them together for us.
Now--because many of you have been following the the kraut saga--The sauerkraut got made but what a fiasco! However, I believe that what one puts out into the universe in good deeds does come back, ultimately. Often people think it will be in the means of a winning lottery ticket or a good pull of a quarter slot machine. However, sometimes it can just be in timing.
Early last Wednesday morning as I saw the back of my husband's truck take the last turn on the drive, I headed down to the basement for the crock. Carefully, I removed the weight inside the crock, took a deep breath and grunted as I lifted about 30 or more pounds of crock and sauerkraut. Carrying it up the basement steps, I kept saying over and over,"I will not let this drop or slip; I will not let this drop or slip; I WILL NOT LET THIS DROP OR SLIP." I urged in a non-Dog Whisperer voice for the three rottweilers to get out of the way and then set the crock on the kitchen counter with a sigh of relief. I had made it without any casualities.
After skimming off and disposing of the first layer of moldy cabbage, I loaded a lot of kraut into a pan, cooked it, prepared the canner , sterilized jars and proceeded to stuff the kraut into the jars and then process them. Yes, the house was aromatic. But as I pulled the last jar from the canner, safely, put it on the counter to cool, heard that comforting "pop" of the seal, well, I thought I am done; I am home free.
I washed out the crock--about three feet high and twelve inches across. Rather than do my usual procrastinating, I decided to take it back to the basement and store it until next year. Picking it up, I thought, "How light." Standing at the top of the basement steps, I thought, "Whew, I am glad to finally be done with canning." Then it happened. The crock slipped from my arms, and rolled down the first unpainted wood step to the basement, then rolled with a clunk to the second and shattered as it bounced down the remaining twelve steps. It had been a $40.00 crock at the Amish feed store. When it stopped rolling, it was over one hundred shards of a $40.00 crock. This 2006 batch of saurkraut was the most expensive I have ever made! However, as I swept up the pieces off each step, I realized timing was everything. If the crock had fallen with a full batch of unprocessed kraut onto my unpainted wood steps, well, we would have had to leave our home, and I might have been facing a trial separation! So I am busy putting as many blankets together as I can to keep my good karma!
SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
It's been a quiet week as we settle into the Fall schedule and get ready for the inevitable winter in Northern Michigan. The hummingbirds are still here as well as the loons, but the geese are flying South overhead daily. For all of you wondering, this is the week I will be canning the sauerkraut that has been curing in the basement. Exhaust fans are at the ready, my husband has been warned, but there's nothing better on a Rueben sandwhich in January than your own! Despite Fall gardening, I am working on blankets and recently received some beautiful crocheted squares made with "ends" of skeins. They're beautiful and a perfect example of how you can use the smallest bit of leftover yarn! I recently received some yarn--if anyone needs some odd amounts and a variety of colors, let me know. I can send it your way!
SEPTEMBER 12, 2006
We have spruced up the website. It's been a year, and I love to re-arrange furniture, so why not a website too? I hope you won't trip over a newly moved link!
Someone has asked how to help if one isn't a knitter or crocheter; it's easy. Pass this website along to people who are; send us a skein or two of yarn (black and white are always needed), and continue to send us encouraging words. You cannot imagine how much it helps! Here's an email we received recently from Kimberly: "I work for Dominion in NO and am a lifetime resident. Your story brought tears to my eyes once again. Not for sadness this time but for the thoughtfulness and love that you and your friend have. My 2 year old has knitted blanket that she loves dearly. I am sure the people that receive your blankets will love them as much. Thanks for your hard work." Letters like these spur us on and our helpers out there making squares! Thank you Kimberly and others like you who take the time to write or help!
SEPTEMBER 5, 2006--It's been almost a year since my cousin and I hatched this idea of knitting squares and sending them South. We cannot believe the friends we have made, the connections we have established, and the continuing need for blankets and signs of a nation's caring in the Gulf States. Thanks to all of you for helping us continue.
We heard from Blankets for the Gulf last week, and Heather has once again begun receiving requests for blankets; perhaps it's the anniversary of the disaster, or perhaps it is due to people finally returning to their hometowns. Needless to say, we are here to help and need your help too. With this entry we have sent 100 blankets! Special thanks to the knitter from Virginia who has put her state on our map and to the group from California--Canyon Villas: Virginia D, Libby, Vera, Ethel, Nan, Mary J, Patricia, Aurora, Irene, Diane, Sue, Virginia A. They have once again overwhelmed us with enough squares to make several blankets. Also thanks to Dominion Resources.One of their employees sent an email out to the company about our project. Imagine our surprise at over 220 hits in one day on this website. Thanks Bonnie!
Over the past week our family's life has been touched by sadness, but through all of this, we continue to knit and prepare blankets. Our sorrow is made easier by the notion that we can help others with small gestures. And think about it--the same is true for all of us. As we knit or crochet a square, we know that our work is going to help the lives of others, and for one instant, we forget our own pains, sorrows and problems.