a little red hen

Chinese New Year greetings: John Fu & Warren Buffett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning's email brought a dramatic, red, Chinese New Year greeting from John Fu in Copenhagen.  He was a college student when we met in Xian, China eleven years ago.  Determined to get his next degree in the English-speaking world (he was a proficient translator in 2000),  he got his MBA in Denmark where he now lives and works as a business consultant.  We had hilarious experiences with Chinese government officials he helped me to interview in Xian.  I wanted to know how they were dealing with garbage issues. Did they have a problem?  Mayo, as they say in Chinese.

As we sat in a cab on our way to Xian officialdom,  John asked what was in my backpack.  Unzipping the green bag, I pulled out the world's smallest kitchen composter and a red knit worm to explain my kitchen composting mission.  "Oh, so this is your religion," was his insightful reply.*

Dedicated capitalist that he is, John will surely be delighted to be headlined with Warren Buffett performing at a charity fund-raiser.  If you can read Mandarin, let me know how the translation works.  When I went to YouTube for the embed code, I found such ugly, racist comments!  Opened another window on why the U.S. is in deep stuff politically and socially.  Of course, you already knew everything about that from at weeks of the Republican side-show that dominates every TV news program. 

But I digress.  Busha Full of Grace raised my consciousness about the Year of the Dragon.  Currently this spunky, knitting Grandma is nanny to a Chinese family. To expand her knowledge of the celebration, her search led to the ten important facts she posted.   "No sitting in a bedroom" knocked me out;  Number 10, "Songbirds are Good," was more expected.

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*To honor my "religion," John Fu had a chop mark made  with "compost"  in Mandarin.    For "This Dirt Museum: The Ladies' Room," my 2001 installation, I  enlarged the image,  added the word in Spanish. It had a prominent spot in the show and still hangs in our apartment.  Shown here with a few of the 150 red worm interpretations I knit for the exhibition.  [You too can have a chop; order here.]

Though amused by the idea that my intense practice of transforming  kitchen green waste into a useful, earth-enhancing amendment might be considered highly spiritual, perhaps a "religion," John's response has grown on me.

When we moved to our retirement community, a woman in the mail room invited me to join the Green Team.  What a vintage designation my NYC self thought.  Not that at all I discovered.

 We now live in Portland, Oregon, sustainability-intense city where you never forget your reusable grocery bag.  [See latest "Portlandia" episode.]  Once again we kitchen compost.  I am very involved in encouraging neighbors to do likewise.  No longer do red wigglers in our living room transform the stuff, but the intention is the same.

 

Knit elephant & sheep photo have something in common?

They give me a jump to posting again.  The yarn in the elephant's body came from Foster Sheep Farm in upstate New York--Schuylerville.  The sheep pictured here too.

Its maker, Carole Foster, brought it to the Columbia Greenmarket near where we lived on the upper west side of Manhattan.  She had a unique way of demonstrating how to spin which is captured on the link back in wintry 2009 in the City.  I'd admired a hat she'd knit from worsted Greenspun from her own natural colored flock.  Purchase the purple/gray yarn and she gave me her hand written recipe.  Something in it proved elusive, so....

This Danger Crafts pattern for an elephant seemed a good way to use it otherwise.  Easy to follow the thoroughly color-illustrated instructions.  Except for the end:  putting pieces together always a major challenge.

I'm trying to use yarn in my stash, of which there is far too much. With vintage black buttons for eyes, it's ready to mail for Roxie's fifth birthday next week.  Today Carole's newsletter arrived and the odd sheep view came from I know not where--in today's email.  That's my story and here is unnamed as yet doll from the rear also.

 

Roxie herself saw the elephant the other day on Skype.  She is reluctant to appear this way; her father says there is something confusing about the appearance of people she knows on a screen.

I hope the knit doll makes as big a hit as the chocolate-covered strawberries sent for our son's birthday earlier in the month.  Now those were a big hit, it's reported.  Everyone else seems to be about Edible Arrangements except me!  And I only found them by chance; was about to do something ordinary like flowers.  Great gift for the difficult-to-gift--like my over thirty son who loves fruit as well as chocolate.   Do you agree the baskets are kind of funky, like cartoons of the actual thing--fruit as interpreted by Disney?

Foster Sheep Farm is part of the 3 Bags Full Campaign in  Saratoga County, New York.  It is a land trust and advocate for smart growth, working to preserve a range of things important to hold dear--trails, small woodland parks.  Knitters and fiber artists are working to raise $15,00 to conserve the farm for future generations.  Great idea, makes me wonder if there are similar projects in other states.

INFORMATIONAL UPDATE FROM NYC..............

 January 5 (the brithday approaches) and Roxie has named elephant:  Snorty.

 

Condom Amulets Startle Knitters!

Knitters, concerned and good-natured women with a sense of the humor, contributed to an the idea I had pre-Portland, when I lived in New York.  When I finish this post, I'll contact them with the surprisng proof it worked: use provocative knitting  to raise awareness about HIV.  Like this one, The Princetonian, the first of my college amulet series.**

Knit a Condom Amulet,  the title I'd been using for a little paper zine give-away, became my second blog -- 7 amulets by 5 knitters.  It was beautifully designed by a woman in New Jersey I only knew online and the phone.

The debut post featured my friend Annette's hand adorned with Lisa Daehlin's copper wire Condom Amulet Bracelet.  It appeared Decemer One, 2007, to highlight that year's    World AIDS Day. 

 

The image at left is a screen shot of the statisitics for the blog that I check once in a while to see if it still has visitors all these years later.  After the initial outing, viewership has been low.  Once a very kinky crowd, definitely not fiber folks, were entranced by some of the content.

A couple of the amulets ---Man Thong, Bra & Breast Pouch (pink one here by Lisa Daehlin) -- are especially so.  Comments on the blog are closed; simply out there hoping to be discovered.

October 13, 2011, was the all-time big bump of  2,356 visitors, October 14 another 564, October 15, 223, the next day, 296.  And another 192 for the finale.  Five days, close to 3,000 hits on a blog that usually has 20-30 daily visitors!  Turns out this time it was by our target  group--knitters.  These were from Knitting Paradise^SM - Knitting and Crochet Forum whose membership is in the thousands.  [We also started a group on  Ravelry, an even larger online knit and crochet community.]

It began with "Deb," an active Forum member.  She linked to our site and noted, "No, I'm not kidding. Hey, someone might want one of these!"  And then the deluge.

Culturally the Forum knitters appear different from those on Ravelry but, without a rigorous study, who knows?   Judging from their photos, they are generally older women than most on Ravelry.  Many were shocked:  should this even be happening?  Some, amused.  Others thought it just might be a way to "...begin talking with my granddaughter..."  That's it, ladies!  Referring to Michelle Edwards' beaded amulets from corn silk yarn, one poster was ambivalent:

  first amulet is very pretty & COULD be used for something else...but someone might recognize it from this site. LOL   

I plan to  join Knitting Paradise (could use some extra magic with current projects on the needles) to thank "Deb" for introducing our site to her fiber friends.  Forum member "Jenna" the Ball Band Condom Amulet (Kay Gardiner design)  would be just the thing for people she knew,  "Christmas gifts  for single girlfriends,  holds at least three condoms."

In the past, when I've heard from an knit amulet enthusiast, the knitter wants   to find out if their creations could be sent to me:

"I work for the AIDS Resource Group in Evansville, IN and love your idea... inspired by  patterns and made a few amulets for the "environmentally concious" condom user out of "plarn" (plastic bags made into yarn). Is there an address that I could send them to?" 

My response is that we hoped the person's own circle would provide ideal recipients, that the primary idea behind our project was more personal:  gift someone close to you--like "Deb" and "Jenna."  You know, the personal is always political, as we used to say back in the day.

** College series includes:  Oberlin, Columbia & Oregon State Universities, send in yours for posting here.

UPDATE...On December One, 2011, an email arrived with a reminder.  Here's a poster you might copy to your own blog and a plea you can sign from The Feminist Majority.

Ask President Obama and Congress to fight AIDS with science and medicine, not ideology. Condoms must not be an afterthought.  Click on the link below to sign.

Ask US Leaders to Stop Abstinence Only Programs

 

Man Knits Hats Unstoppably

Who would have thought he would become unstoppable?  Ron Bloom, retired guy (just put that on his card), knits far more than I, his leader into the craft.  It's awesome.

Though every now and then he's been talked into branching out into other knitting, he is really comfortable with his "button hats."  He likes to give them away to people he meets and is always puzzled by women in cold climates who go hatless.

Two of them were just sent to "Warm Hats, Warm Hearts," a new fiber energy begun after the east coast's Hurricane Irene which may be one the costliest catastropes in the country's history much of its costs not covered by insurance.    Our family in Tarytown, New York, had only partial electricity for several days.  Could run a space heater but had to walk up to their sixth floor apartment.  We're told that Roxie saw it as an adventure.

Warm Hats, Warm Hearts probably came my way while browsing the amazing Ravelry site.  (If you're a knitter and want to see what others are doing, find a pattern for the yarn you bought--or vice versa--easy to join at the link.)

India, a knitter in Vermont, explained the needs in this message:

Although my town was spared the worst, many towns throughout the state suffered devastating flooding. My husband’s brother, sister, and mother narrowly escaped the rising waters of the Mad River, which inundated their home and their village, soaking everything in its path, taking out roads and bridges, and leaving behind inches of muck and piles of debris.

My family was lucky. Many of their things, including their clothing, are salvageable. But many others are not so fortunate. Though it is still quite warm here, we all know that soon the weather will turn much colder, and people will reach for that favorite sweater or scarf, only to remember that it’s gone.

I’m collecting donations of handknit hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters, socks, blankets, baby items, and knitted toys, items for anyone from babies through adults, to distribute to flood survivors in Vermont and upstate New York.

If you are not on Ravelry, contact India Tresselt, at warmhearts2@gmail.com. An update:

Pretty much everything I receive from now on will go to the Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction, which serves about 1000 families per month, many of whom live in towns devastated by the flooding.

On a personal note, my family in Moretown is recovering and rebuilding. After nearly two months with us, my mother-in-law was able to return to her home a couple of weeks ago, and my sister- and brother-in-law are determined to have their side of the family home ready for Thanksgiving. It will be a very meaningful holiday for my entire family.

I want you all to know how much your kindness means to the people of Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire.  I wish each of you a happy Thanksgiving!

So far I have distributed nearly 100 hats, 50 scarves, 30 pairs of mittens, 2 shawls, 4 stoles, and assorted neckwarmers, cowls, and headbands, as well as some children’s sweaters, plus baby items. The current collection deadline is January 15, 2012.

Early Autumn in New York with Roxie

It was mid-September when we reached New York--weather as unpredictable as Portland.  But not our Roxie: darling as on Skype with her newly cut long hair-- and our last realtime encounter in December.  And more verbal, "Look, Daddy, Grandma made me a shrug!" 

She shared her preferences with us.   Lunch in Tarrytown required the companion doll, one of those awful pink princess objects all the rage with contemporary little girls on both coasts and in between.  The Disney triumph.

Pink shoes too.  Roxie does include purple in her color range.   As the 1970s Mom who hyper-consciously did not dress my daughter and son in "those colors," even as babies, all the pinkness makes me sad.  Is this what is meant by "be careful what you wish for"?  Or proof once again that advertising and commerce rule in America and tiny social movements like the one by women change some things but resist who controls how clothes designers regard women and girls.

Along with our own dinner-for-the-flight, we'd brought along Ron's rooftop "portrait tomato" the one that elicited a wonderful range of blog commenters recently.  As we were describing it to her parents, Roxie declared, "I love tomatoes!" and transformed it into an ordinary tomato.

Here's the consequence of  her vegetable enthusiasm.  Because we saw a similar tomato from another home garden in Portland (New Seasons would never put one like this on their shelves), I speculate it is a Northwest phenomenon.  Have you spotted them elsewhere outside the PDX "keeping it weird" area?

Roxie also is a careful observer of the natural world.  She called our attention to  the glorious sunsets over the Hudson River from their balcony. Hard to resist taking photos.  At 4.5 years our New York granddaughter has already learned to do the same from her mother whose own mother was an accomplished photographer.

Our Zoe, six years old and off to kindergarten

  Earlier in September, our granddaughter Zoe was very focused on only one event.  With Ron as he ran several errands, she announced to all:

"My birthday is next week and my Grandpa will not be there!"

She thoughtfully changed the wording to include "Grandma" when she was with me.  Very significant.  My daughter sent this photo today as she went off to her second day of kindergarten.  And wore the shrug I'd knitted and gave her at her birthday party.

The chocolate sourdough cake, large enough to  serve many, found online at Cooks.com, is  same recipe that had its first baking for my final PSU Street Art class in the spring.  The vintage cake carrier is something I long ago purchased for its fit into an imaginary, alternative life I'd never had where people used these--maybe early 20th century.   Now I can feel it is slightly integrated into my own life!

The shrug was the third one knitted from the same pattern.  Used Mission Falls 1824 Cotton on both, lovely stuff, went out of business earlier this year though some still available through diligent searches.  Earlier, made one for her three year old sister's birthday in August.  Eliana (at left in photo) immediately threw it on the floor so it is in a kind of limbo life at the moment.  Then there's the one for Roxie that we will take to New York.

Can knitting happen inside a washing car?

The other day, had my second experience staying in a car during a car wash.      Last summer was the first-- when our NYC family was visiting.

It was a surprise when Roxie's parents said, "Let's stay in the car!"

Roxie was wide-eyed at the start then curious. Looking at the pictures,  I'm thinking it was spooky.  But it seeme d a great adventure at the time.                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knitting: struggles & pleasures

Sunday morning, Close Knit, favorite yarn shop in Portland, offered the class I've been looking for.  Leah, an accomplished knitter (pretty too, should have taken her picture), led a one hour session on "Bring your knit problem."  Mine, as always has to do with gauge, gauge, gauge because I always want to use yarn different from the printed garment recipes. 

 Joining me at the table was Doris, another customer with issues, who asked, "How did that vest work out?"  We'd met earlier in the year when I struggled with finishing, "Surprise Pocket Vest."     Along with another Close Knit expert, Jennie, we mused over the best way to attach the pocket/collar strip shown here. 

Last summer, the proprietor here helped me select the two yarns--Cascade Ultrapima 100% cotton for the body and Rowan Revive, recycled silk/cotton/viscose for the pocket/collar.  The textures of the two are great contrast.  Very pleased with the outcome and wanted to thank the designer, Barbara White of Barbara's Designs.  Could not locate her or INKnittters, now out-of-print.  When we left New York, it was one of many yarn mags I photocopied a pattern (this one from Spring 2004 issue) I hoped to make.

Gave the hard copies to Knitty City, my beloved place in Manhattan.  They sold them for $1 and gave the proceeds to local charities.  Often while sweating my way through the parts, I wished for the original and was glad to get input from the women at CloseKnit.  Yes, there still are many others still in my possession...think it's time for them to move on too. 

Because I have not kicked the habit:  still purchase knit magazines every now and then.  Knitting another vest from Spring/Summer Vogue.  My version will be really, really different.  The big white flower is an idea for my next performance but seems more of a fit for the east coast--or British royalty.

Had you missed that sleeves are never in my repertoire?

Street Art: the DERIVE (French term)

One of the first things I became aware of in the Portland State class STREET ART was how very short I am.  Happened this way.

Rozzell Medina, the instructor is an older student with an appropriate sense of humor (in photo on right he's drawing a window for our windowless room).  The second meeting of class we left campus for a derive (French word with accent on first "e").  At the site Bureau of Public Secrets it is defined as a "technique of rapid passage through varied ambiences....playful-constructive behavior and awareness of psychogeographical effects, and are thus quite different from the classic notions of journey or stroll."

Seemed an opportunity to scatter our household's collected weaving/knitting leftovers to bird-nest- building as we strolled.  I brought some to class and gave out thin strips of paper with the message:

Did you know that birds use fiber to build their new nests..could you take some to place about as we walk?

My partners for the stroll were two very, very tall young men, not particularly verbal.  Few women students in this class.  It was a stretch in every way imaginable.  The best part was that it was a sunny day and I added many steps on my pedometer in the long walk--even though we did take a trolley for the half mile as we neared Powell's Books.

Explaining Street Art...umm,  not easy.  Many think it's grafitti.  For New Yorkers of a certain age the image that comes to mind immediately is a string of subway cars covered with bright, bold outlined names and drawings.  Norman Mailer (my least favorite literary light) wrote a useful essay in a 1974 book with excellent photos by Jon Naar of these moving displays, The Faith of Grafitti.  I think it was the sense of lawlessness that appealed to Mailer but that could be a projection on my part.

Listening my classmates is a window into another world.  I am only a visitor to the 21st century, a holdover from the last one.  While their ideas and values are often unsettling,   these are what will drive life for our grandchildren.  One grafitti artist whose name was familiar from the 1980s was Jean-Michel Basquit.

I'd like to write more about how watching the film, The Radiant Child, about Basquit's creativity in a too-short life, completely altered my assumptions--HOWEVER, I am deep into computer hell after installing iLife and can barely get this post up.

 

*Make Hats NOT War* Portland Peace Rally

If you were not a card-carrying member of one of the 60 or so supporting organizations,  Saturday's observance of year EIGHT of the Iraq war might have passed you by.  Having chosen our final home (without fully realizing that it was the exact correct place to live), it turns out that the woman in this photo lives in the apartment on the floor under ours.  A longtime member of WILPF, she--slightly older than me--helps me understand the ins and outs of many things Portland.

We took the bus together downtown to Pioneer Square to the rally.  As you know, the day was auspicious as the start of another "American war," this time in Libya.  Endless war unarguably is the chosen model of the ruling class in this United States.  The night before, using the idea of what we might do rather than make war, I gathered images for small signs for Ron and me to carry, "Make Hats Not War."

The most impassioned speaker was a young Iraq vet.  He literally screamed!  Should have been the only presenter.  Following him was Barbara Dudley of the Oregon Working Families Party.  A seasoned political figure, she had difficulty speaking and mirrored my own feelings as she struggled to highlight WFP's efforts to have initiate a state bank in Oregon. 

[A few days later in another demonstration Veterans for Peace came back to Pioneer Square, built a mock prison cell to protest the treatment of Wiki Leaks' Bradley Manning.]

Marginally covered by the conservative daily paper, The Oregonian, the March 19 Peace Rally attracted hundreds of people who then took their banners and signs on a walk up Broadway.  It was mostly an older crowd.  Why not:  we are the ones who actually recall a time the U.S. was not at war, maybe three years between WWII and Korea.  Perhaps younger folks do not believe that it could happen again?