Whence all this pink in my knitting and crocheting bag?

I've never been really fond of pink, so was surprised to realize that I have three projects going on that all contain pink.  First, after getting all those sweaters knit and mailed, what do you think turned up as my "idiot" or when-I-don't-want-to-pay-attention knitting?

 Yup.  Another Steppe Sweater, this one about 26" around so approximately size 8.  I may send it to Afghans for Afghanistan, which is doing a campaign to get 500 wool sweaters for girls by sometime this summer.  The yarn is Bernat Felting (a discontinued yarn) so 100% wool roving.  Or I'll keep it for the Mittens for Akkol fall campaign, which is mostly socks but also other clothing items for the smaller children.

When I went to visit my grandmother last weekend, I wanted something easy that she (one of the people who taught me to knit) would appreciate.  I had been thinking for some time that this yarn - Gedifra Fashion Trend Fino Stripe, also discontinued - would make a nice baby blanket:

It's the 10-Stitch Blanket pattern worked on fifteen stitches and with a longer starting strip so it comes out as more of a rectangle.  That is only the second ball, so with each strip being about 3.5" wide this could end up fairly large, or have a matching sweater or something.  We'll see what happens by ball four, since of course the rows just get longer so the balls don't go as far the more I knit.

Then I made the collar of a tunic that will go over the torso I am decorating for a breast cancer awareness event.  I photographed it over a black T-shirt so the pattern is more visible:

It's going to be a whole tunic and luckily those are the only hearts involved.  I really had to pay attention to get them to work properly!

Before you worry about me knitting only for others, or only in pink, I'll show you this:

The color is slightly more blue than it appears in the photo, and it's a handdyed yarn (wool and maybe silk) I've had for a long time.  At the bottom is my first test piece, using US#13 needles.  I didn't like it - drapey enough, but the stitches were too big to make me happy.  So I switched to US#10, and after a couple false starts, it's moving along.  The original pattern is called the Flying Geese Shawl, but of course I am doing it my way.  I am alternating garter and stockinette in each "V", and I plan to do an applied I-cord border.  One of the false starts was trying to figure out an integrated I-cord and it looked too weird, so I am leaving it for after.  I do have a WIP with integrated I-cord borders, but couldn't remember how it worked so decided I'll just add it later.

Thanks to some long meetings, the shawl is growing nicely.  I have to focus on the tunic to get it done by the end of this month, because the decorated torsos are due by June 1st.  So that is my quiet at-home project, when I can focus on the pattern.  I'll post more pictures when these get bigger.

I Splurged on Sunshine

The first weekend in May had glorious weather here.  It's always a treat when the good weather appears on the weekend, instead of teasing us miserably on Tuesday and Wednesday before fading into dreariness and damp by Friday.  So like a lot of people, I spent a lot of time outside, which did cut down a bit on my ability to knit, even though I had a deadline looming.

Friday night I had planned to go to a local coffeehouse to hear a jazz band and then home early.  Of course that didn't happen!  A couple days earlier an SOS went out for a driver to take one of our elder congregants to Friday night services.  I knew her and had driven her before and why not?  Someone else was available to drive her home.  So I picked her up and we went, then I figured I'd stay for the service which was the annual Teacher Appreciation celebration.

Instead of the jazz concert, I ended up at a pop-up flea market at the Hartford Denim Company.  It is close to my temple, and I figured that if it was not fun I could still get the back half of the jazz concert on the way home.  As soon as I walked in someone was calling my name - we'd been in a show together earlier this year, and she was one of the vendors.  So I ended up hanging out and shopping, taking home a few vintage clothing items; a stack of vintage SF magazines that I firmly told the vendor I was planning to read, not buying to resell; and a gift for one of my best friends that I cannot mention here because I haven't given it to her yet.

I'll confess that part of the reason I went was because I'd heard the Hartford Hot Several was out that night, and at an event last month they performed and at the end of the night their accordion player started to chat me up a bit.  But we misconnected (he asked if I was coming to the bar next door for the after-afterparty, but when I got there the music was techno and I knew I couldn't take a couple hours of that and still function as early as I needed to the next day) and I thought that if they came to the flea market I'd get to chat with him some more.  However, they hadn't arrived by the time I left (wearing week, too many 5:00am and 6:00am meeting - my "late day" began at 7:30am), although I saw a few members during the evening.  Oh, well!

Saturday was flat-out.  Yoga class (I have graduated back into all-levels) and then bible class, then I went to the ReCreate event in Elizabeth Park.  I found out later that this had been pulled together in three months, and couldn't believe it!  The event was full of speakers on various topics (although the one speaker I really wanted to hear was a no-show), a field full of vendor booths, yoga and zumba classes separated by some great band performances, an ongoing community art project, and so much more.  All under a brilliantly clear sky and healing sunshine!

Y'all know me - I went to see what it was about and told a friend who was vending that I would sit her booth to let her take a break, and of course ended up spending most of my time helping with the art project:

That's the artist on the left - we're adjusting some ties after she reloaded one of the hoop looms.

After helping my vendor friend and the artist pack up their stuff, I headed out with my friend the photographer and we ended up sitting in her car for an hour catching up and planning concert-going for the summer.  Regrettably, one I really wanted to do falls on a night of a show I am stage-managing this summer.  Why don't these organizations check with ME before confirming their schedules???!!!

Of course I didn't go home after that, except a quick change out of my Star Wars T-shirt (it was May the Fourth, after all, and I had to let my nerd flag fly!) into something more presentable so that I could attend a performance of As You Like It in which two friends were performing.  Still are, this weekend and next, and I highly recommend you see the show if you can.  They asked me backstage for the evening's cast party, which was mellow and fun but of course I didn't get home until something wee-o'clock.

No sleeping in on Sunday, except maybe by comparison.  I had a meeting to attend, then participated in the Walk Against Hunger with a team from my temple:

That's not all of us, some people were running late and arrived just before we stepped off.  I took a few pictures of the crowd as we walked:

 

It's hard to see in these pictures, but the crowd stretched halfway around Bushnell Park.  They had a couple of water-and-juice stations in the park, with COLD water for us to drink, and at about halfway a local marching band gave us energy:

I didn't get pictures of everything: The crowd gathering to walk, many in matching shirts such as we wore (you can see a lot of them in the random shots), the drummers sending us off, the dancing afterwards, and so forth.  You really have to be there to appreciate the energy of all the different groups who are there to support Foodshare and other organizations as we try to wipe out hunger in the greater Hartford area.  There were no ideologies here:  Christian (LOTS of flavours: Methodist, Lutheran, Quaker), Jew, Muslim, unaffiliated, and all ages from fairly wee ones to fairly older ones.  We all had one purpose, and we walked TOGETHER.

We all shared in the Popsicles and paletas waiting for us at the end of the walk:

I had to make another fast change after that into something pretty because there was a great two-congregation concert, and I was one of the greeters for the portion at my congregation.  It was a marvelous afternoon of music!

After that, I went home and worked on the Extra Boy Sweater I mention in my other post.  Luckily I didn't have to work on the weekend (although I did check email a couple of times), and Monday was a bank holiday in the UK so the team with which I work there was off, and I didn't have to work too early or late.  I was glad to have had as much time outside as I did, over the weekend.

This year's grad sweaters

I know that I have been neglecting the blog terribly, but I have been knitting a LOT and work is LONG hours and I wanted to have some social time (see other post), so blogging fell by the wayside.  Now that the knitting is done, I thought I would post about it as I did last year.

Once again, the main and hard deadline knitting for this spring was for Mittens for Akkol.  I became involved with them after I had a very bad experience with another charity and needed a new outlet for woollies.  A friend who had heard about them through church suggested I look into them.  They are a good group which is very hands-on - no shipping overseas and hoping for the best, they have people who actually go to the orphanages and other locations and hand-deliver all items.  Here is the farewell message from Nanci, the person who goes or leads a group twice a year:

I am happy to announce our visas arrived today (Friday). That was a little too close for comfort! Today I went to the bank and picked up new money. In Kaz, they won't accept money that is marked in any way or creased, so new money is pretty much the only thing they will take. The bank had to order it ahead of time for me. We have enough money now for the grad gifts and parties. Thanks to everyone who helped make that possible!

Dave and I packed 2 boxes, 1 duffle bag and a suitcase on Thursday. Friday it rained all day, so we didn't do any packing. Please pray for a dry day on Saturday!! We figured out it would be better to pack in boxes rather than suitcases because boxes weigh less (3 lbs. vs. 15 lbs. for a suitcase or 6 lbs for a duffle bag), so I can take more hand knits. BONUS: boxes can be left behind. YEA!! Also, it is much easier to get the big vacuum bags inside a box than a duffle bag!

While packing, I came across several checks. THANK YOU!! I have emailed everyone who sent a check to let them know I found their check. If you sent a check, but didn't get an email by now, please let me know.

I picked up 793 photos from Walgreen' s yesterday and have sorted them by orphanage. When I get to Kaz I will sort them by group/family. Then I will visit each group and pass out the photos. That is one of my favorite things to do. The kids are always so excited to see their photos. :o)

One of the little girls who was in Akkol was moved to Urupinka three years ago. A few months ago, she was moved to a home for invalids. She is unable to speak and has learning difficulties. I am going to try to visit the invalids' home to see how she is doing and also see if they need any help. I am sure they do. I think it is going to be very difficult to visit, but no doubt it is harder to live there, so I will see what I/we can do for them. If you pray, please pray for all of the people in that home as well as the kids in the orphanages.

I have been able to score some cheap (less than $1) or free eye make-up and nail polish for the older girls by shopping with coupons at CVS and Walgreen' s. I will put these items in their grad gift bags. They all asked for mascara and nail polish at Christmas, so I think they will like these. The make-up is small and light, so it is easy to squeeze into the bags. (There are lots of great videos on youtube.com and tips on websites if anyone else is interested in learning how to get free stuff to send to the orphanage or just for your personal use.)

We are supposed to have a sunny day Sunday after a week of rain, so Dave won't have to wrap everything in plastic to drive it to the airport in the truck. Our flight leaves at 12:15 pm eastern time on Sunday and we land in Astana at 2:45 am on Tuesday which is 3:45 pm on Monday at home.

In May, she takes sets of sweater, hat, mittens, scarf, and two pairs of socks (one thin, one thick) to each teen graduating from the orphanage.  She also collects money to buy them basic sets of toiletries and household items such as a blanket and towel, as all the items they have been using need to remain in the orphanage for the next children.

Mostly, I knit sweaters.  There are a lot of people who like to do the accessories, and thankfully who like to make socks, so I can do sweaters.  This year, I did get to sign up for a couple of full sets, this one for a girl:

They always need a few extra sets for kids who were not around at measuring, or who have gotten ready for graduation since measuring was done the previous November.  So I had a bunch of yarn and decided to use last year's measurements to estimate the size, and just made it when I wanted something to do.  Because the multi is long out of production, I decided to make a full set to use it up as much as possible.  The buttons are roses, the colour doesn't quite match but I thought they are very pretty.  Together it makes me think a bit of spring.

I did get to sign up for a set for a boy grad:

 

When Nanci is there measuring the grads-to-be, she asks them to choose two or three colours they like.  Many of the boys want Germany or Spain colours because they follow the soccer teams, I usually look for kids who want something else.  This boy chose light brown, grey, and deep red.  My idea for this set was inspired by the Tychus hat pattern, which I made several stitches shorter because I wanted to give it a red edging, not the turn-up.  I knit the mittens by doing the wrist in striped garter stitch to echo the hat, then the red on an edge, and one strand each of the brown and grey for the hand.  I borrowed the yoke pattern from a baby sweater for the yoke pattern on this sweater.  The scarf is crocheted, and I had thought to do a red border on it but ran out of time.

For the other grads I just did sweaters.  You sign up for the items you "Commit to Knit" and the smaller items fill up very fast!  All of the other grads for whom I knit are boys, the girl sweaters filled up very fast this year.  Mostly I use one of two basic patterns:  the Steppe Sweater (straight up the body, split at the underarms to do the yoke, then sleeves from underarms to wrist) and an Icelandic model (body and sleeves up to the underarms, join for yoke).  I love these because sewing-together is minimal.

The grey-and-turquoise is based slightly on an old Lion Brand pattern, the black-blue-yellow one has just a touch of texture at the top to keep it from being completely boring.

    

This sweater I knit in about two-and-a-half weeks.  It was a model for a class I taught at DFW Fiber Fest this year on adding cables or swapping out cables.  So to the plain sweater pattern, how to add cables without pulling in - I think I did pretty well:

I'd forgotten to take the pattern I wanted to use, so winged it.  I thought it would be too plain with just the front cable, so added the cables at the underarms and knitted the sleeves down.  It took a bit of re-doing, especially when I realized that I had too many stitches on the first sleeve when it was almost finished, and had to reknit almost the whole thing.  His other colours are red and yellow and some people were knitting very intricately patterned hat and mittens using all three, so I didn't feel badly about doing the sweater in a single colour, especially with the cable pattern adding texture.

Another sweater design was based upon the gloves someone knit for the grad.  We post pictures so people can see what we're doing and coordinate as much as possible.  So you can see that I adopted her Greek Key design, even though I had only two of the three shades in my stash (and the colours are closer than you might think from the photographs):

   

I had offered to do one last sweater for an Extra Boy set, and hoped I could skip it because I was already down to the wire and people had mentioned sending extra sweaters.  But Nanci said they really needed it because all the extras she had received were for girls not boys, so I decided my only hope - since this was just over a week before her flight and I had maybe a couple inches on the needles, with no hope of taking a week off to just knit! - was to unearth my knitting machine.

In theory, I could do a sweater in two days.  It took four, because the weather last weekend was so spectacular that I didn't want to be inside more than I had to, and as my other post will tell you, I had a lot of other things to do!  So it took me parts of four days to knit this:

I'd planned a gansey so had only plain brown yarn.  I thought that would be too boring, even with striped mittens, hat, and so on - the other knitter was using "cinnamon" and cream yarns.  So I pulled out a skein of multi handdyed yarn to work the trim, and also some saddles for the shoulders.  I did have to sew seams, but could pick up the sleeves on the sides so it was just adding the saddles, and then afterwards doing the side and underarm sleeves.  All of the trim is knit in the round on live stitches (and isn't really as uneven at the bottom as it appears in this picture, I was in a hurry when I laid the sweater down to photograph it) so no seams and much faster to knit.  And the sweater arrived in time - WHEW!

It does seem appropriate to write about this group today, which is Mother's Day.  First, because they work to be surrogate mothers, in a way, to the kids in the orphanages of Akkol and Urupinka, and their knitting book is called "Dear All The Mothers" from a thank-you one boy wrote a few years ago.  Second, because it was my mother and grandmothers who taught me to knit, and so I am carrying on a family tradition in knitting for others.  Both my mother and grandmother have mostly given up knitting due to arthritis in the hands, so I guess I am knitting on behalf of all three of us now.  I spent most of the weekend with them and feel so blessed that they are in my life and that they taught me a skill that I can use for the benefit of others, as well as passing it along to others.

I went to an art museum and a fight almost broke out.......

I know I have been neglecting the blog.  Work is busy; I keep thinking I’ll write about something but want to add photos, and the photos aren’t ready, so I don’t add anything.  I should just write once a week and hope for the best.  In the meantime, I had posted on Facebook that I went to a movie lecture at a local art museum, and a fight almost broke out during the post-film discussion, which caused one of my regular correspondents to ask “So, what was this about a fight almost breaking out?”  After all, art museum patrons, especially when we’re talking about Renaissance art, tend to be a more genteel set.

I sent an explanation to him, and he suggested it was sufficiently well-written to post.  I thought it might be a way to reinvigorate the blog, and made a few additions to set the scene a bit more.  Otherwise, this is much as I sent it to him:

The Wadsworth Atheneum recently opened an exhibit about the painter Michaelangelo Caravaggio and his effect on contemporaries and later painters, called “Burst of Light: Caravaggio and His Legacy.”  It’s compelling and I encourage you to go see it.  As always, in conjunction with such exhibits they are offering a number of special lectures and related events, including a showing of the Derek Jarman movie "Caravaggio" with introduction and discussion by Ronald Gregg, Senior Lecturer and Programming Director of Film Studies at Yale University.  The professor is gay and from his resume is clearly into LBGT studies.  But not offensively so, and he spoke very well about Jarman and how he made the movie and some of the facts behind it, such as the very low budget and how Jarman cast the film based upon an existing painting of Caravaggio and the people in Caravaggio’s own paintings for a realistic effect, yet incorporated anomalies such as a typewriter, motorcycle, and pocket calculator.  Then we saw the film, and a lot of people left without waiting for the discussion.

If you have not seen the movie, do not expect a biopic along the lines of “Pollock” or “The Agony and the Ecstasy.”  This film very much reflects Jarman's aesthetic, with much a fabrication because there isn't much known about the painter.  Not a linear telling, it is in many ways as much about Jarman as it is about Caravaggio.  As I described it to my friend, the movie is “very sexual, both homo and hetero, back and forth in time, and clearly the imagery was based upon Caravaggio's paintings, including most of the ones in the current special exhibit in the museum.”

The first person to say anything was a youngish man with dark curly hair who looked as if he could have been one of Caravaggio’s models.  He didn’t wait for the formal discussion to start, but stood up as the professor was walking to the front of the stage.  He was very passionate about how horrible and "disgusting!" he though the movie was, loudly stating that it didn't represent Caravaggio at all, there was too much sex, and Jarman should never win an award, and how dare anybody pay him to make the movie, it was a waste of time and should be investigated!  [Nevermind that Jarman died in the 1990's and made the movie in England, so investigating the NEA or other groups wouldn't do anything.]  He was quite agitated and rushed out in quite a state, not staying for any response, but an older lady stood up and shouted after him that she thought it was a good film and he was very rude, at which the young man paused in the doorway to shout that she was wrong, it was NOT art, it was a waste of time and film and money and a horrible slur on a great artist!

So we were in a bit of an uproar, which didn't settle down when another, older man kept arguing that the depiction of Caravaggio's death was all wrong, at which the professor pointed out that we don't know for sure as even the few facts known about Caravaggio’s life aren’t always clear, and the man argued that we do know, and the professor tried to get back on track with the discussion by suggesting that the man knew more about Caravaggio but the professor was there to talk about Jarman and cinema, and we were off again.

It did calm down a bit as people said they saw the echoes of Caravaggio's work very clearly throughout the film, not just in the reproductions of his paintings.  But it was still more exciting than normal and I think the film curator cut things off earlier than usual.

I never did get to talk about the way Jarman used light in the film, which is one of the things we'd been told to look for and I found very interesting and effective in a number of key scenes.  Oh, well!

I will be going with one of my alumni groups on a guided tour of the exhibit in mid-May, and look forward to seeing the artwork again, having seen the film.  I agree with the person who said that a number of the scenes appear to be staged to echo Caravaggio’s work, especially in the way people would stare into the camera, or were framed against or dressed in or holding objects used in the paintings.  Having heard the professor discuss chiaroscuro, I am looking forward to studying that in Caravaggio’s work, and the paintings of those he influenced.

And I’m going to attend some of the Wadsworth’s other special events for the exhibit, we’ll have to see whether the painter and his work continue to stir such emotions in the audience!

A month of being thankful

There was a meme on Facebook to post something each day about which to be thankful.  My final post got a bit large and FB kept freezing, so I decided to move the whole list here.

1) Coming through safely the storm, and also my loved ones and friends losing no more than some fences and trees at most. We were very lucky.

2) That I can work as a volunteer at the Mobile Foodshare truck today instead of being a customer - and that I can help the people who do need food distributions.

3) I am thankful today for all the people who helped make breakfast and lunch a success - we fed two crowds! Five people helped cook and serve, plus to husbadn of one for dishing "Gypsy Soup" (that his wife made - vegan and everybody RAVED about it, we served many second portions) and helping some people carry their lunches to their seats.

4) Today I am going to be thankful that someone else is cooking breakfast - and lunch too, if I am lucky!

5) Thankful that there is just one more day of insanity before the election!

6) Thankful to be in a country where I can vote, where I will not get shot for voting, and where almost anybody of any colour, creed, gender, or economic status has the ability to vote.

7) Today I am thankful that I am working out of a home office and did not have to try to drive home in this weather.

8) I am thankful the temperature warmed and the snow melted and I could get my car out of the snow with no trouble.

9) I am thankful to be having supper with a bunch of "Chaotic Peasants" tonight.

10) Thankful to have spent an evening with good friends at an interesting and to get a blue-frosted cupcake with a Cyclops (X-Men, for the uninformed) pick at the concession stand.

11) Today I am thankful for our VETERANS.

12) Since my thankful yesterday was for our veterans, my thankful today is for those serving in our military, because they will become our veterans.

13) Thankful for our cast and crew, pulling together to solve problems and make the show run smoothly. And especially for people like Greg, who is basically rebuilding a major set piece overnight (with some help from Adam and Paul), and Barbara who is coming in to finish all the painting the set designer/builder couldn't get around to doing.

14) Thankful that we have a day off from rehearsals tomorrow.

15) Thankful it was the last CSA delivery of the year. We got some great stuff (including romanesco, which I am very happy my share partner let me take from our share, and apple jam and kimchi in the last salty/sweet share) but it’s getting pretty cold to be outside at the distribution site for 2-3 hours.

16)  Thankful that tonight is OPENING NIGHT for West Hartford CommunityTheater’s “My Fair Lady” and we can get that show on the boards!16) Thankful that tonight is OPENING NIGHT for West Hartford Community Theater's "My Fair Lady" and we can get that show on the boards!ple jam and kimchi in the last salty/sweet share) but it's getting pretty cold to be outside at the distribution site for 2-3 hours.
16) Thankful that tonight is OPENING NIGHT for West Hartford Community Theater's "My Fair Lady" and we can get that show on the boards!

 17) Thankful for the cast and crew who made today's doubleheader (matinee and evening show) not just possible but fun and terrific.   (Although I have to admit, ditching the cast party for a cast nap instead does seem like a good idea...........)  Also thankful to the director for treating the backstage crew to supper from Noodles & Co. tonight (Japanese udon with tofu for me).

18) Thankful for my Jacuzzi tub.  (Posted after strike of a show with four performances in three days.)

19) Thankful for insurance, and how much of prescriptions it covers.

20) Thankful for understanding and supportive boss, boss-of-boss, and matrix boss.

21) Thankful for my family, in so very many ways.
(Except maybe the teeth-of-chalk, wide feet, and bad eyes. And my dad's sense of humour about half the time.)  (OK, also not so fond of the fact that my nieces are both my height or taller. SHEESH!!!!)

22) Thankful that we live in a country where people can write, sing, and enjoy a song like this. And so many others.

23) Today I am thankful for my baby brother, born on this date a bunch of years ago. While there were times when we were kids that I would gladly have sold or traded him to gypsies, pixies, or anybody who would take him, since I was almost three he has been a constant in my life - companion, confidant, conspirator. He is also a great father (even if my nieces are already taller than I - he should have worked that out a BIT better, maybe not until they are fifteen or so?), a great husband (so says SIL), has his name on a patent, an MBA (gotten while a father AND traveling a lot for work – I am very impressed), published photography, and mad chef skills.  Which we are giving him a break on for his birthday with takeout from Outback and dessert from Kilwin’s or Carvel.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOB!!!

24) Thankful to have spent money locally today - local merchants, local restaurant. Couldn't do anything about the cinema but I do recommend "Lincoln" - there was hardly an empty seat and the audience reacted as if it were a play, laughing, cheering, and applauding at various points. When they did the roll call, you could hardly hear breathing!

25) Thankful for a weekend with the family (and random gekkos), full of laughter, music. food, games, swimming, and ice-cream. Also thankful that SouthwestAirlines got us all there and back with our luggage - and letting us take luggage at no additional charge so that we could do our usual Christmas-at-Thanksgiving swaps.

26) Thankful for a good Monday.  Work done (and I didn't forget my passcodes after the long weekend of food-coma!), errands run, boxes moved into livingroom in prep for sorting exercise. And speaking of exercise - new elliptical is set up and working. I just have to figure out the display stuff..........

27) Thankful that I have a warm, secure house with enough food and warm clothing. On "Giving Tuesday," what did you do to help those who don't?

28) Thankful for my bestie Judy and fellow Texan Laura, who drove me to and from surgery, today!  Also to the Brenners for keeping me overnight, just in case.

29) Thankful to be home again after a successful Surgery Part 1, hoping for a rapid adjustment. Now that I know what to expect, I'm looking forward to Part 2.

30)  Looking back on the month of thankfuls, I see that I have a really good life and a lot of things for which to be thankful – and yet so many other things that I could include:

·         Art museums and galleries, and the artists who fill them.  And the fact that you can experience them by more than just walking around, through things like Second Saturdays forFamilies and the living Clue games and other activities.

·         Theatres, and not just because I like to play in them.  Places that transport us, entertain us, enthrall us, and sometimes challenge us.

·         Cinema, because there are some things that don’t fit into theatres (and it’s cheaper).

·         Travel, because I like to do it and can afford it and get to visit some of the above and other places and experiences all over the world, from the Mariinsky Ballet to The Reclining Buddha to the Grand Canyon to almost touching the sky in New Zealand.

·         Music.

·         Public television and radio, without which I could not enjoy some of my favourite shows and without which I would not have learned a lot as a child and teen.

·         Having really good doctors and access to medical care, which has saved my life a couple of times and is now restoring my sight to a level I cannot remember having.

·         First responders, who protect and serve.  Policemen and firemen and paramedics and all the others who are there when we need them and do things that others wouldn’t dare.

·         Having a warm house and enough clothing and food and things, and being able to help those who don’t.  I know I said this earlier in the month, but I’m still thankful as I read about people who don’t.

·         That there are good people in the world who DO try to help others, and make the world safe for them and the next generation.

·         Speaking of the next generation – baby giggles.

·         Being able to experience the world with children and learn from my elders.

·         Ice cream.  And naps.  Had both today.

·         Friends, and not just the ones I have on Facebook.  People with whom I can be myself and be silly, and discuss things for hours or sit quietly and enjoy each other’s presence, do “what can possibly go wrong?” and have stories to tell on the other side, who I can rely upon even if we don’t see each other very often anymore.

·         Family.  Because according to a lot of people I have a good one – and I agree.

·         For living in a country where, whatever you may think of it and its leaders, we have a lot of freedoms and opportunities that you might not get elsewhere.  My forebears came here because of that, and I see it today, especially with all the griping that people are able to do about the government “of the people, by the people, for the people.”  I have been in places where this freedom doesn’t exist, or didn’t so recently that people still whisper.  Having the freedom to speak out, the ability to make changes, and just plain being able to vote, is a real treasure that we should cherish and respect.

·         Freedom of religion, and freedom from religion.

·         Creativity.  I may or may not have it, but I can enjoy it from others.

·        Books.  And public libraries.  The former can take you anywhere, anytime, suck you away better than time machines and magic carpets.  The latter make them accessible to all.

Copyright Law - 225 Years On

Good or bad, American copyright law turned 225 years old today.  Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution includes the sentence that "The Congress shall have Power" ... "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries" - words that were submitted to the delegates for their consideration on September 5, 1787.

There are many people who think that this clause needs to be stricken.  Many people who feel that this right is used to coerce money from people and limit creativity.  And as an attorney who focuses in non-patent intellectual property law, I could be accused of being one of these, on behalf of my clients.

However - the origin of the statute was to protect the rights of artists.  This is the part that so many people forget.  If you are a creator, this langauge was written to prevent others from stealing your livelihood.  If you are an artist, or a writer, or a musician, or one of the many other creative types whose works are protected by the Copyright Act, you understand what I am talking about.

At the time the Constitution was written, there was no protection for creative persons in the Colonies.  Only those in Mother England could protect and defend their creative works.  For authors, artists, and others in what would become the United States of America, there was no protection - and so it was authors and musicians who fought for the U.S. Copyright law.  Today many of the cases we hear about in the courts feature people who are suing because they believe that someone else has misused their creative work - photograph, music - for monetary gain.

The greater danger to artists, however, is not people who don't misuse their work for monetary gain - it is people who take their works without paying at all.  Recently, an intern on NPR's All Songs Considered wrote an article in which she admitted that most of her music library comes from stealing.  She doesn't pay for music, she swaps tracks with friends or copied albums from the physical discs at her college radio station's library.

Other people copy patterns, recipes, articles, or even whole books and share them.  I was appalled at one of my first knitting guild meetings after I moved to Dallas when one of the members - without a single word from anybody - handed out copies of a pattern from a recent magazine because she thought that people would enjoy making it.

Whenever this type of activity occurs, the person making the copy prevents the creator of that work - the songwriter, the musician, the designer, the writer - from receiving a royalty.  Royalties are how these people are compensated for their efforts.  It is the same as someone eating a meal and not paying the tab, or walking out of a store with a coat for s/he they didn't pay.  It is as if they said "I really like your work, so I am going to take it and not pay you."  Don't you think it should be the other way around?  Shouldn't we say "I really like your stuff and I'll be happy to pay you for it"?

As one author that I enjoy said it:

The same applies to any creative person.  When you respect their copyright, you help these people make a living doing something they love:  Music.  Writing.  Painting.  Sculpture.  Choreography.  Graphic Design.  Pattern Design.  Making movies.  Photography.

Respect their copyrights.  Help the artists survive.  Help them make a living doing what they love to do.  Buy their works - don't steal them.


______________________________________________________________________________
I haven't mentioned plagiarism, although with the starrt of the school year we start a new season, because the problem with plagiarism is not just stealing the writing, but taking credit for someone else's work.  Although money may not be involved, academic accomplishment is.  An author recently posted an article telling other authors what to do if they find out that someone has plagiarized their work.  Students increasingly think nothing of plagiarizing someone else's writing and taking credit for it, even when they face expulsion.  Give credit where it's due.

Tomato Tart

I love tomatoes.

In the summer, I mostly eat them raw - out of hand, chopped in salads, chopped with just a bit of herbs or salt to perk them up a bit.  I slice them into salads, sometimes with little more than the tomatoes involved:

This was my breakfast in mid-July:  A fresh heirloom tomato, not too thinly sliced, arranged between two slices of wholegrain bread lightly spread with a fresh chevre from my CSA.  It was FABULOUS.

Last year I read a recipe in Food and Wine magazine for a tart that was little more than tomatoes piled in a simple crust and slowly baked.  With my CSA's annual picnic coming, I made one to take and share:

For its simplicity, it is marvellously good, and surprisingly substantial.  Of course I have been tweaking it, using my own piecrust recipe instead of the magazine's, and every time I make one it comes out a little differently.  So here is a step-by-step summary, combining two different tarts because I get caught up in the cooking and don't always remember to take pictures.

Step 1:  Make the Dough
Piecrust has a reputation for being tricky and difficult.  Many years ago a friend taught me to make it in the food processor, which takes out much of the intimidation, at least for me.  Just put the flour(s) into the machine, add a pinch of salt and the fat, and use bursts to combine until it is like grains of sand.  I generally start with a cup to a cup-and-a-half of flours and one-third as much butter, or butter and chevre, or whatever other fat(s) I am using:

You can also use oil, or vegetable fat, or lard, or whatever.  The key is to cut up a solid fat into smaller pieces, which are easier to combine, and to use bursts, not running the machine constantly.  If you do that and are using gluten-containing flours it gets gummy and tough.  I often add some cornmeal to my mixture because I like the texture it adds.  Sometimes I add some of the herbs to the dough - basil, thyme, savory, and sage are good choices.

Oh - I mentioned "if" and "gluten-containing flours"!  Yes, you can use almost any combination for this recipe.  So if you don't eat gluten, use other flours.  If you don't do dairy, use vegetable fat or nut oil or olive oil or whatever.  It's flexible.  Your dough might be a bit more crumbly, but since we're not doing a raised dough the flours don't matter as much as they might otherwise.

Then, with the machine running, add ice water through the feeding tube.  I put some ice and water into a measuring cup and dribble in from the spout.  Start with a couple of tablespoons and add more carefully.  If you put too much in, the dough gets gloppy.  If you think it's close, stop the machine and open it and pinch the dough.  When it's about the same feeling as your earlobe, it's right.

I am not more precise on the amount of ice water that you need because it depends upon the flours and the fat.  You will need less if you use oil.  You will need more with some flours than others, or if the weather has been very dry as your flour may be drier.  You can always add a spoonful or so of water if needed.  And if you do add too much?  Either add in some more flour (or grated dry cheese) or do a pat-in instead of trying to roll out the dough.  It will take a bit longer to bake.


Step 2:  Constructing the Tart
Roll out the dough to fit into your pan.  Sometimes I put a bit of cornmeal on the counter for the last roll, again to add texture.  Otherwise I just use lots of flour.  In the righthand picture the dough contains some basil and was rolled out with cornmeal mixed into the flour.

The leaves are purple basil that I couldn't resist
buying at the farmer's market because it is pretty.
I had eaten a lot of my tomatoes so this is a
rather small tart - make it as big as you like.

There is basil in this dough.  I learned last year that using a
tart pan with a removable bottom is a BIG help when serving.

 

Then you add the tomatoes.  Mostly I use tiny ones - grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes.  But earlier this summer I wanted to make one and I didn't have too many of the little ones.

My CSA also gave us eggplant and very
large heads of garlic.  The tomato in the
sandwich at the top is from this delivery.

However, my CSA had given us a number of what they call "paste tomatoes" which have more flesh and less moisture, and I thought they would be perfect to use as a bottom layer, in slices, as shown in the photo at the right:




When I just have the small ones, I will cut larger ones in half, as I did with the "black" tomatoes around the rim in this tart:

I added a sprinkle of chopped basil and kosher salt to the first layer.  You can sprinkle herbs in by layers or mix them in wherever you like, or leave them out.



As you can see, sometimes I make designs and sometimes I just pile in as many tomatoes as I can:

 

 

Step 3:  Baking the Tart

This can be tough, because it takes about two hours.  The recipe has 100 minutes, I sometimes do a bit more if I have piled the tomatoes in especially thickly.  Do NOT be tempted to "speed it up" with a higher temperature, you will just burn everything.  Keep the oven at 300-325(F) degrees and be patient.  In fact, unless you are making a small tart, don't even bother to look until 90 minutes have passed.

 

The goal is to have the tomatoes slowly roasting and carmelizing slightly.  The end result, as you can see from this photo, is to keep it juicy but to have the tomato flavours concetrated and richer:

 

Another good thing about this tart is that it can be served hot, warm, or cold.  It can be the vegetable side dish or the main course.  Add some salad, and it's a meal.

 

One guess what I'll be doing with these heirlooms from Urban Oaks Organic Farm?