Three Favorite Books

I can easily say that I prefer children’s books to adult literature. Perhaps I never outgrew all those sunny afternoons I spent as a kid sitting on the couch with my nose in a book. Definitely the 'Children’s Literature' class I took for my Elementary Ed degree in college had a lot to do with my tastes. So did the burnout I felt with the overanalysis of books and poetry in the English department as I pursued my minor there. And then there’s all the years I spent reading bedtime stories to five little children. In my mind, the best books are those that can entertain and capture the imagination of a child and still have embedded meaning that is more deeply appreciated with age and experience. I share here three of my all-time favorite picture books, which in my case went from “frequent library checkout” to “must-purchase for my collection.”


POCKETS
By Jennifer Armstrong, Illustrated by Mary GrandPré

I was first drawn to this book because of the illustrator, who is most well known for her work on the Harry Potter books. Her paintings in this piece are masterful and breathtaking, but more importantly they enhance the beautifully written tale of a lone woman who changes a town. The book begins:

A slim schooner of a woman, driven by strong winds and a broken heart, floundered barefoot across the eastern plains until arriving at the edge of a village. Here she cast out a line and collapsed over the tiller. Some people found her in the morning, asleep in her gale-torn clothes...
The people of the village made known their cautious doubts when she asked to be taken in upon their charity, but she could work, she said, and would ask only for safe haven in return...
She inclined her head gravely and raised one hand in a graceful but exotic gesture. Yes, she answered, she could sew many things...
Her fingers were nimble with fretwork and gimped embroidery, smocking and couching, tucked seams and batuz work...
But the people of the village backed away with downcast eyes. We are plain and simple folk, and wear only the plainest, simplest habiliments...
Because her heart was broken, the woman agreed, and she put on a dress as wan and lifeless as a November pond...

There came a day, however, when the sight of so many plain and unadorned clothes caused her heart a new kind of pain...
The pieces of gray cloth by her side were meant for a dress for herself, and the sight of it made her long for sunny ports. So she took her bearings, and turned the pockets inside out. Then she proceeded to embroider them...
For some time, she was content to keep her adventuring confined to the pockets of her own dresses. But as she continued to sew the ugly, land-locked clothes for the people of the village, she pitied her neighbors...

The woman begins to embroider the pockets of all the clothes she makes for everyone in the village. And remarkable changes take place. 

Soon, the entire village stopped working at the weary, endless tasks for long passages of time. Instead of stooping to the plow and the loom, sweating at washtubs and ovens, and hardening their hands carrying burdens from one place to another, they took moments out to stand singly or in pairs, squinting at far horizons in their treasure-laden clothes...

As a seamstress, this story affects me to my core. As a mother, it serves as a reminder that there is more to life than just checklist tasks. As a woman, it touches me as I look around and see the beauty in life. And I believe it would leave nearly anyone asking what it is they keep and treasure in their own pockets.


ZAGAZOO
By Quentin Blake

Instantly recognizable for illustrating all of Roald Dahl's well-loved books, Quentin Blake proves to be a humorous and delightful author in his own right.

Once upon a time there was a happy couple. Their names were George and Bella....
One day the postman brought them a strange looking parcel. They unwrapped it together. Inside was a little pink creature as pretty as could be. On it was a label which said: It's name is Zagazoo. How lovely it was. George and Bella spent happy days throwing it from one to another....AND THEN ONE DAY...

George and Bella got up in the morning and discovered that Zagazoo had changed into a huge baby vulture. Its screeches were terrifying. They were even worse at night. "What shall we do?" said George. "How can we stand it?" But then...
...they got up one morning and discovered that Zagazoo had changed into a small elephant. He knocked over the furniture. He pulled the tablecloth off the table. He ate anything he could lay his trunk on...

Zagazoo continues to transform into a warthog, a bad-tempered dragon, a bat that hangs on the curtains and wails, and a strange hairy creature. Finally when George and Bella are at their wit's end, there is redemption for Zagazoo.

An excellent reminder that raising children is growing in and out of phases, and that is something that no one truly outgrows.


THE KING'S STILTS
By Dr. Seuss

I've always liked Dr. Seuss, but this book is my #1 favorite of his. The good doctor introduces his main character thus:

Naturally, the King never wore his stilts during business hours. When King Birtram worked, he really WORKED, and his stilts stood forgotten in the tall stilt closet in the castle's front hallway.

You see, King Birtram awakes at 5 am and signs important papers of state while he bathes, dresses, and eats.

By seven every morning, the King had always finished more business than most kings do in a month. He had to get all this done before seven, for that was the hour when his Big Work commenced--the most difficult and important work in the whole Kingdom of Binn. 

This was the work of caring for the mighty Dike Trees that protected the people of Binn from the sea. The sea pushed against the kingdom on three sides. The kingdom was a low one; the sea was a high one; and only the Dike Trees kept the sea from pouring in. They grew so close together in a row along the shore, that they held back the water with their heavy, knotted roots...Nizzards were always flying about over the Dike Treees, waiting for a chance to swoop down and peck. If nobody stopped them,the roots would soon give way...

But King Birtram did not permit this to happen. He had gathered together in his kingdom the largest and the smartest cats in all the world, and had trained them to chase the Nizzards away. These cats were called Patrol Cats and wore badges that said "P.C."... five hundred guarded the kingdom by day; the other five hundred kept watch through the night."

After a hard day of work, King Birtram finishes his duties at 5:00.

Then the King smiled. "A hard day," he'd say, "full of nizzardly worries. A long day," he'd say. "Now it's time for some fun!" This was the moment King Birtram lived for. When he worked, he really worked...but when he played, he really PLAYED! "Quick, Eric!" He'd shout. "Quick, Eric! The stilts!" Down the slope from the Dike Trees, away from all troubles, the King and Eric would race like two boys-straight to the tall stilt closet in the castle's front hallway. Out came the stilts! Up leapt the king!...
The townsfolk looked on from the walls and just loved it. "A grown-up King on stilts," they'd say, "does look rather strange. But it's hard work being King, and he does his work well. If he wants to have a bit of fun...sure!...Let him have it!"

Of course, a good story like this requires an evil villain. Lord Droon, his advisor, finds the King's after-hours behavior improper, and so steals the red stilts. King Birtram becomes so worn down and depressed without his favorite diversion that it almost destroys the kingdom. Eric, of course, comes to the rescue to help the king restore peace and safety to the land.

What a beautiful metaphor these stilts create for life. All of us need something bright and moving to lift us from the everyday and mundane. And enjoying good books like these definitely qualify as red stilts for me. :)

http://intuitivehomemaking.blogspot.com/

Haystacks

I don't mind cooking, but I do like to get in-and-out of the kitchen quickly. Especially on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Haystacks are one of my favorite meals to make because I can toss it together in 15 minutes or less.

I start by setting my rice to cook, then assembling the toppings from their various hiding places in the kitchen.  I empty the can of cream of chicken soup into a large bowl and drain the can of chicken into it, then add milk. It's also enough time to make up a quick spinach salad (or the asparagus I happened to have this week). The rice takes 12 minutes to cook, and three minutes to set. The chicken soup gravy cooks in the microwave during those three minues.

All that's left is to have the kids set the table and call "DINNERTIME!"

Two favorites of the week:

Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op.

For $15 paid on Monday, you pick up a basket of fruit & a basket of vegetables on Saturday. Sometimes includes options to purchase other items in bulk. Last week, I bought 9 pineapples for $14! (and split it with a couple friends) The asparagus and blackberries were part of this week's fare.

http://bountifulbaskets.org/

Pampered Chef Rice Cooker.

Our family eats a LOT of rice. After we blew through our first rice cooker, I tried a microwave version. I can make 3 cups of uncooked rice (to 6 cups water) in 12-15 minutes. And the cleanup is super quick: rinse it out or toss it in the dishwasher.

http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=9805&words=ricecooker

http://intuitivehomemaking.blogspot.com/

Pet Projects

I never had a pet of my own. My dad grew up with a little sister who had a veritable zoo—everything from dogs to fish to birds to sheep. Animals were strictly not tolerated in my house, so I guess I never really saw myself as having a menagerie of critters to look after. (Other than my own children that is.) That image was further enhanced when John and I took an architecture class field trip to Seattle and stayed with friends there. When I woke up the next morning, I thought I’d caught some noxious cold because I felt absolutely terrible. If we hadn’t been saving for months to go, I might have opted to stay behind. The funny thing was, as soon as we had been out of the house for about an hour, I felt fine again. Come to find out, I am horrifically allergic to cats, and our hosts had two who apparently used our bed during the daytime.

Every child seems to have at least some period of time where they dream of a puppy or kitty to love and cuddle to their heart’s content. Mine were no exception, but I could readily justify not owning a pet because I had so many kids to housebreak and doing the same with an animal was out of the question. Then came that fateful day in third grade where the crayfish my middle son’s class had been studying were allowed to go home with class members. Guess who accidentally-forgot-on-purpose to send that jar with her son to school? Yep. Thought I was off the hook. Turns out I was wrong. All he wanted for his birthday that year was a crayfish. They don’t sell crayfish in your average pet store because if they did, no one in their right mind would buy one. It took some negotiation on both our parts to settle on a suitable pet. Wil the Hermit Crab joined our family five years ago. He’s had a few other friends share his tank over the years, but he’s outlived them all. Mostly you can find him curled up in a corner, coming out at odd hours to take a saltwater bath or get a drink.

“If Mom gave in once, maybe she’ll do it again” must have been the whispers behind closed doors because the next four birthdays would add considerably to our petting zoo. Well, the hermit crab hadn’t been too bad, so I figured if it could live in a tank and not have fur, AND if they could take care of it on their own, then perhaps the lessons in responsibility would be worth the dresser space. My oldest son added Emerald and Jade the firebelly toads as his roommates, later passing them on to his youngest brother (whose hermit crabs were among the unlucky ones that are now buried in our tomato patch).  He is now ready to pass them on to another owner, and I will be happy to hold a cease-and-desist on my weekly trips to Petco for crickets.

When my oldest daughter turned seven, she wanted a pony. Or a dog. I talked her into a parakeet (remember the cage and fur rule).  Lucky has by far been the most loveable, entertaining, and universally appreciated pet of the bunch. She is well trained to hop from her perch to the open cage door to my little girl’s shoulder whenever the invitation is extended. She chirps incessantly when music played or her owner is in the room. Sometimes we have to throw a towel over her to shut her up, but on the whole, this now four-year-old albino bird is quite loved.

My youngest daughter had the difficult task of finding a pet that a 5-year-old could take care of that didn’t duplicate a sibling’s and that fit all of mom’s requirements. Beta fish are pretty easy, but their life span doesn’t compare to some of our other charges. I think the one in her night light tank is #4, and I’m not sure she even bothered to name this one something more creative than “fishy.” Rainbow, Scarlet, and Lavender have all had their respective funerals surrounding a white porcelain bowl.

All in all, having pets really hasn’t been as troublesome as I had imagined. Maybe by allowing my children to have a little responsibility while they’re young will do one of two valuable things: either they will get the need for a pet out of their system or they will have a lifelong love of animals that only caring for one of their own will foster. This has been brought home to me as I’ve watched my children greeted by the friendliest cat in the neighborhood on their way to the bus stop every morning. Leo will lie down in the middle of the sidewalk waiting for a passerby to give his tummy a scratch. They’re always tickled to stop and play with this gentle tabby and are disappointed on the times when he doesn’t show up.

I have a confession to make. I think having a houseful of pets has softened me up too. You can only resist a friendly furball who follows you halfway home nearly every morning for so long. Allergies aside, even I succumb to his pleading look and pet my first feline friend when he trots out to greet me. 

http://intuitivehomemaking.blogspot.com/

Entering the World of Digital Scrapbooking

Believe it or not, it was my husband who got me into scrapbooking. Nearly 17 years ago, the style of memory keeping that is all the rage now was just a fledgling market. When his brother and sister-in-law asked him what he’d like for a wedding gift, John asked for scrapbooking materials so we could document our new life together. I know, what a find to have such a sentimental guy! :)

He had no idea what he’d started though. My paper, sticker, stamp, and ribbon supply grew from there. It overflowed the limited space I had for it. Still does. I began to wonder where I would actually put all the books I had created at the rate I was going. We were running out of room for them too. And I still had five years and five shoeboxes of printed photos to go.

Then a miracle occurred: digital scrapbooking came charging up on the horizon. I watched it from a distance with a mixture of awe and fear. I had only recently invested in a digital camera and the idea of never having to print another 4x6 only to cut it up had an irresistible appeal. But how expensive would it be to print up an entire page at once?

Despite my reservations, I invested in a laptop and Creative Memories’ Storybook Creator program. (There are a lot of great programs out there, but that's the one I fell in love with.) It is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and has revolutionized the way I memory-keep. I love the flexibility of resizing and zooming in on photos. I love the multitude of digital packages that abound on the internet. And I especially love the portability of it when I do a scrap day with my friends. One messenger bag and my lunchbox as opposed to several heavy totes to drag in and out of the workshop.

[Favorite designer sites: http://justsoscrappy.blogspot.com/ also http://amandacreation.blogspot.com/ and http://steadfast-and-immovable.blogspot.com/ ]

It took me another year-and-a-half before I finally printed anything though. It took me that long to find a company that would do a portrait 8.5 x11” book. Such a company apparently does not exist, but fortunately, there is one that prints portrait 8x10 and my pages fit. I doubt I could have created an “analog” book (as John calls it) for $65. Not when the final count was 160 pages. My worries about expense quickly dissipated.

[Favorite printers: http://www.blurb.com/ and http://www.artscow.com/]

One of my favorite things I discovered by chance was that I could use photos for my background paper. I end up using that technique a lot when I’m traveling and want to capture a little more of our visited environment. My first album reflects that in abundance. But rather than talk about the wonders of digital, it’s probably best to just throw out a few favorite samples and let you judge for yourself. I will at least add the disclaimer that my style has never been one of much frill—more like “fit as many pictures on a single page as you tastefully can.”

Although I had never made 12x12" pages on paper, I have converted to this format for all my digital books. Every printing company makes this size now. Here are a few highlights from a scrapbook of the cruise John and I went on this past fall:

The other remarkable discovery I made about a year ago was the blog book. If you’re a blogger, you can have it “slurped” into a book, photos and all, and have it printed out. I tried it out with everything I’d posted on my family’s blog through 2009 and now have a lovely book on my shelf to show for it. Throughout 2010 I posted to my blog every Sunday night about the week’s events so I could have a quick scrapbook at the end of the year. Trouble is, I’m still formatting pictures in it because I expected it to be as user-friendly as my digital scrapbooking program. Not so. My scrapbooking shortcut seemed to have become the long way around after all.

So this year, I’m trying something new. Instead of having long, rambling “here’s what we did this week” posts, I simply select five highlights from each day and post a few pictures with them on my family blog at the end of the week. I then use the time I saved toward putting the photos in my digital album instead, using my daily highlights for journaling. Now I can use all the cute digital paper and embellishments that my blog book lacked (and not feel as guilty when I buy more). It also helps to have created a selection of pre-designed pages so I can just drag-and-drop my photos into them. Here's a few from this year. As far as 2011 goes, I'm all caught up! (Though two months in doesn't really sound that impressive. ;)

[I borrowed the layout below from Cathie Owens' blog, then added embellishments of my own. Cathie gives tutorials on how to create and do all kinds of amazing things digitally, particularly with Storybook Creator. http://bobcatshaven.blogspot.com/]

These next two really typify my style preference. It is possible to fit 15 pictures plus journaling on a page. And when it's printed full size, the photos are still quite big. :)

I still have a lot of catching up to do. By no means have I come close to organizing all the photos I have taken, digital or traditional. The dabbling I’ve done here is simply a step in the right direction toward keeping up with the present tense. Someday I’ll decide to put my computer in the corner, drag out the bin full of cardstock and paper, and tackle those five boxes of photos just waiting to be remembered too.

http://intuitivehomemaking.blogspot.com