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Sob…. that beautiful birch…..

Sunday, December 22nd, 2013

fell victim to the ice.  When I went out this morning I took some photos, and hoped the river birch would survive the storm.

First glimpse of the storm outside the bedroom window this morning, the bare lilac shrubs.

First glimpse of the storm outside the bedroom window this morning, the bare lilac shrubs.

When I got out to the living room, I decided to snap more photos from the slick front deck:

Looking west from the living room porch to the ice encrusted trees in the hedgerow--beautiful.

Looking west from the living room porch to the ice encrusted trees in the hedgerow–beautiful.

Next to the deck, the junipers were covered in frozen drips....

Next to the deck, the junipers were covered in frozen drips….

As were the boards in the siding.  I don't think I've ever seen something quite like this.  This is outside the dining room, facing north--the direction of the weather.

As were the boards in the siding. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something quite like this. This is outside the dining room, facing north–the direction of the weather.

Another shrub bearing "ice berries", beautiful, but hope it won't kill the shrub.  We have bitter cold coming (again) so no chance of a melt-off any time soon.

Another shrub bearing “ice berries”, beautiful, but hope it won’t kill the shrub. We have bitter cold coming (again) so no chance of a melt-off any time soon.

That glassy surface in front of the garage is ICE, not water.   We didn't leave the property today.  Paul walked the dog--with ice cleats on his shoes and itty bitty baby steps at that.  He said on the lower part of the driveway two trees are blocking the drive, completely bent over from the ice.  Tomorrow I need to grocery shop for Christmas, so we will see what happens....

That glassy surface in front of the garage is ICE, not water. We didn’t leave the property today. Paul walked the dog–with ice cleats on his shoes and itty bitty baby steps at that. He said on the lower part of the driveway two trees are blocking the drive, completely bent over from the ice. Tomorrow I need to grocery shop for Christmas, so we will see what happens….

And this is our glorious river birch.  I so love the lacy beauty of this tree in summer, the beautiful bark...I had hoped it would survive the storm, but things got worse.

And this is our glorious river birch. I so love the lacy beauty of this tree in summer, the beautiful bark…I had hoped it would survive the storm given how far the top was drooping over (the lowest dangling branches are usually about 4 feet above ground), but things got worse.

On the left of the pine, the side facing the oncoming freezing rain, you can see how the branches are laden with ice and sagging compared to the protected side on the right.

On the left of the pine, the side facing the oncoming freezing rain, you can see how the branches are laden with ice and sagging compared to the protected side on the right.

SOB!  ALL THREE of the leaders, the trunks of the tree, have snapped.  Sigh and sob and sniff.  The Asst. Wrestling Coach with whom Paul has worked for the past five years has a tree business, so we are hoping he can come by this week and prune off the broken bits and maybe we can save the tree.  I hope.   Sniff.

SOB! ALL THREE of the leaders, the trunks of the tree, have snapped. Sigh and sob and sniff. The Asst. Wrestling Coach with whom Paul has worked for the past five years has a tree business, so we are hoping he can come by this week and prune off the broken bits and maybe we can save the tree. I hope. Sniff.

And I really hope that no one gets badly hurt driving in this nonsense.   I will venture forth tomorrow, and then probably stay home until Thursday!

 

 

 

 

Adeste Fideles and the Coventry Carol

Sunday, December 22nd, 2013

Remember how I said I like my carols very traditional? It doesn’t get much more traditional than this. Enjoy this afternoon’s carols. I tried to find the version of Adeste Fideles that I have by the Irish Tenors, but no luck, but this version certainly fits the bill, even if it is sung all in English without the Latin:

And I’ve also enjoyed The Coventry Carol from a compilation album, A Very Special Christmas, I bought years ago. I didn’t grow up with this song, but love it anyway:

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Sunday, December 22nd, 2013

Mostly, I like folk music and some rock. I’m not an avid country music fan, but I like my Christmas carols very traditional! English choirs in old stone churches with organs are wonderful, and I have found that most of the versions of carols that I really enjoy are sung by Country singers who know not to mess with a good thing when they hear it! Here is Martina McBride’s “Do You Hear What I Hear?” to enjoy as we approach Christmas day:

Enjoy!

Joshua’s quilt

Saturday, December 21st, 2013

ALERT:  Joshua, if by chance you are reading this, STOP and GO AWAY!  <grin!>  Ashley, if YOU are reading this you may, but please don’t share pics with Joshua!

Please

scroll

down

Yes, I am

trying to keep

the photo

below the screen line!

It’s worth scrolling….

Yes, I am trying to get the photo below the screen line LOL!  In a small miracle, I have made some headway on Joshua’s quilt!  He graduated and got his GED in late Spring.  I started on it in late winter and hoped to have the top done by graduation.  Then I got the chance to make my video workshop (here) and was delayed.  Then I had hoped to have all of Autumn to work on it–but offers of articles and two bloghops to promote the now-out DVD intervened.  But I did get the diamonds made.  Yesterday I FINALLY got to put them up on the design wall, and I AM HAPPY!   If Joshua doesn’t like it (I’m sure he will), I’d love to sleep under this.

Clearly the quilt was inspired by Kaffe Fassett’s quilts.  I actually prefer the Philip Jacobs and Martha Negley prints to Kaffe’s, but had a lovely stash.  There was one print in particular that Joshua liked, so there are ten diamonds in that one, plus I plan to do a pieced “quilt modern-ish” back so the quilt will be two sided.  I think the quilt will be about 87 x 95 when done.  Yesterday I got the pieces up on the design wall (and partly on the floor):

Inspired by Kaffe Fassett's diamonds quilts.  I used the diamond template I had, then cut strips to make 1 inch (finished) sashing/borders for each diamond.  There are not two pairings the same in the entire quilt.  Doesn't the color just make you happy?  Now to get it pieced without messing up the order!

Inspired by Kaffe Fassett’s diamonds quilts. I used the diamond template I had, then cut strips to make 1 inch (finished) sashing/borders for each diamond. There are not two pairings the same in the entire quilt. Doesn’t the color just make you happy? Now to get it pieced without messing up the order!

As I was stitching the edges onto the diamonds, I started popping them up on the wall.  What a muddle!  Wasn’t happy.  So I tried grouping them by center color (large prints) and, when that wasn’t so great, by border color (smaller scale designs/prints).  That worked much better, so I chose a simple rainbow flow:  reds to orange-ish/yellow to green to blues.  When I got to the bottom of the number of rows I needed, I had lots of blues, so used them to fill in the triangles on the tope and sides and really like how the darker strips help contain the quilt.  I’ll use a dark-ish blue for a simple binding.

Now I need to upload a few photos to a transfer site in the cloud for my next article for Machine Quilting Unlimited!  WOOT!

 

 

 

Il est ne le divin enfant, Kate and Anna McGarrigle

Saturday, December 21st, 2013

For today’s Christmas carol, we’re heading overseas.  In high school, Mme. Tuomala (as you might guess she was our French teacher at San Domenico School) taught us French carols, and I always loved Il est ne le divin enfant (the holy child is born).  I have a version that includes Ca Bergers (sorry, don’t know how to make the cedille and the accents in French on my laptop), sung by Kate and Anna McGarrigle.  Here is a version on Youtube; skip to the 2 minute point where the singing begins.

Mme. Tuomala met a US soldier during World War 2 whom she married and then immigrated to the U.S.  Her mother, Mme. Peyrol, also came and also taught at San Domenico.  I remember my classes and Mme. Tuomala (who was always Mme. Tuomala and never Violette to me).  I learned so much from her that I went straight into Advanced French in college and tested well when I entered the Foreign Service.  She was from Provence, and maybe some day I will get to visit her native home.  I can still remember her telling the story of her dog, alerting him to an intruder in the yard:  “Chat! Chat!” and watching him go berserk yapping at the cat on the other side of the sliding door!