Week five

I'm lagging behind but only by a five days. There blocks are for week five (which ended Monday) for the 9-block one-a-day quilt along hosted by crazymomquilts. This brings my grand total to 35 blocks.

Check out weeks 1-4.

Good thing I had a rainy day to catch up.

A change of seasons

Last week I took this photo near Fox Island, in Bismarck, ND. I was amazed at how much has changed with the season. Just over two moths ago, this was all underwater and the homes in the area were flooded. But now this area is lush and beautiful.

The photo was taken on Thursday - it was a beautiful spring day with perfect little puffy clouds.

This is our weather forecast ... today we have a chance of rain ... and snow. SNOW?! It's June!

This weekend we're trying to keep ourselves busy indoors. I'm wondering when I'm going to get to wear my new swimming suit.

For the time being, I think quilting is in order. And then maybe some pinochle.

Colorful crosses

This week I finished the colorful crosses painting.

Ever since I finished the "Six Crosses" quilt, I've been rather preoccupied with crosses. The shape is so simple and it's easy to work with. Yet, the cross represents a huge amount of meaning. It's fascinating. 

So this painting is probably one of many cross paintings I will do. I may even make another cross quilt or two. I really like this one and this one and this one.

The method of painting I used is something I learned in art class during my first year of college at the Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, CA. It's not too complicated – it's just repeating a simple design or shape over and over (and over and over ...). I like the effect it gives. It's also interesting to do it with just black and white or black, white and one color. 

Oh I have so many projects I would like to do ...

WNDF: the clam digger

If you're over 21, summer in Bismarck isn't complete without a clam digger from the Broken Oar in Mandan, ND. 

From what I can tell, a clam digger is basically a salad in a class, with some alcohol. The clam digger is made over ice, including a pickle, green olive, yellow peppers, seasonings, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Clamato and vodka. They are delicious. I think clam diggers are cousins to bloody marys and caesars.

Let's toast to summer.

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I've never seen these anywhere other than the Broken Oar Bar in Mandan, ND, so I deem it a Weird North Dakota Food (WNDF). 

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Added June 2, 2009: It has been brought to my attention that Mandan's Broken Oar bar is certainly not the first or only location that serves clam diggers. But since the clam digger is a tradition at the Broken Oar, I decided that it will remain a WNDF. 

The 28th of May and some random ancestry rambling

Today is the 28th of May. June begins on Monday.

Right about this time of year I forget what -40°F temperatures feel like. I think it might be a midwestern thing (or I suppose anywhere that has a distinctive and severe winter season) ... in the summer, we live in the moment.

I think it's what gets us through the long winter. Kind of like a working long stressful hours Monday through Friday for the grand prize of having two days of weekend.

Anyway, this year I'm attempting to not live so in the moment and save my skin from the dangerous rays of the sun. I'm naturally quite pale pasty. I burn very easily. I know that tanning (or in my case, burning) is not good for my skin. So this year I'm going for the light look.

I blame my paleness pastyness on my German and Dutch ancestors. Thanks folks.

So that photo up top there ... you know, the one of my pale pasty ankles? I had to "antique" it so that it didn't blind you all. You're very welcome.

In other news ...

This is a peony. In my yard. I have a few peony plants but this one is particularly special - it's a growth (split by dividing the roots) from my great grandma's peony plant ... I think. Grandma Katy, if you are reading this let me know if I have that right.

Edited 5/29/09 to add: This peony was originally growing at my Grandma Katy's house when she moved in, in 1962, in Redfield, SD. Divided prices are/were also growing at my Great Grandma's former house in Whitefish, MT, at my Great Great Grandma Hattie's house in South Dakota, and at my Grandma Katy's former house in Mandan, ND, and her current house in Kalispell, MT. So this plant has had quite a long life so far. I hope I can continue the tradition for many years to come.

I'm just fascinated with the process of taking a cutting and making another plant from it. Right now I'm working on basil and honeysuckle.

I decided that with my newly acquired aprons, I now have enough for a little display. I strung up a piece of yarn on one of my sewing room walls. Then I attached my apron collection with clothes pins (yes, this is a high class display). All in all, I have seven vintage aprons. All seven are on the line but not all of them made it in the photos. Oops.

The apron on the far left (blue gingham) and the yellow/blue crocheted apron belonged to my Great Grandma Dolly. She was Dutch to the core - born a Van Beek, she later married a Dutch fellow (my great grandpa), named Hannes Garrett Vander Vorst. They both grew up in the Dutch town of Westfield, ND. I figured it was only right to place my new pink Dutch girl apron between Grandma Dolly's two. Also between Grandma Dolly's aprons is one of seven of the days of the week dish towels I embroidered with her old patterns.

This is a pretty special wall.

So now that I've talked all about them, here is a photo of my Great Grandma Dolly, my Great Grandpa 'Van' and my Grandpa 'Dar' ... aren't they a cute bunch? This is one of my favorite photos.