Ten on Tuesday Wednesday Thursday: 10 Favorite Things… Right Now
1 – Mink River by Brian Doyle. I've been reading this book because it was recommended by goodreads/blog friends, had very good reviews, is published by Oregon State University Press, Tillamook is mentioned in the credits… and when I learned that it was set on the Oregon coast (which I'll soon be visiting) and that the author's birthday is Nov. 6th (same as mine)… well, okay then!
The other night I read a passage in the book and was dumbfounded to find myself reading a near-perfect description of Rusty & I… or at least how I have always felt and wished I could describe but have never been able to put into words… this is pretty much it.
Maple Head walks over to the doctor's house, cutting along the beach in the moonlight, the tide is low, thinking about her husband, about all the hours and days and weeks and months and years they have spent together, about all the arguments they have had, all the laughter, all the exhausted moments with the baby, and then raising a girl and then a young woman . . . you do the best you know how at the time, and we never really had any money, and I made more money than he did for the longest time, and that was hard for him, that was a small wound between us, and he had all these wild projects, and I love that, because he is his dreams, and without his dreams he'd be empty and tired, but those dreams were crazy sometimes, all the projects, all the stuff in the house, all the machines, and all the thousands of hours he could have been doing something for money, but he is who he is, a dreamer, impractical and practical, I know that, and I love him for who he is, I know that, and I am not perfect either, a dreamer too, I always wanted to open my own school and never did, never never never had the money, but it wasn't the money I sometimes think, it was the leap, I never took the leap, but how could I?
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2 – Marina City by Bertrand Goldberg. While we lived in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park when I was in first grade (1964-65) and my dad worked in The Loop, I don't recall any family trips into the city. By the time I was in third grade, we'd moved to NE Wisconsin, but there was a very memorable trip to Chicago with my mom and Aunt LaFae, who drove, and my Uncle Bob stayed and watched my siblings at home, and I don't really know where my dad was or why this trip happened — all I know is that we drove into Chicago at night and the Morton Salt Girl was lit up and sprinkling salt like nobody's business as we approached downtown, and I may or may not have seen Marina City…
Whenever it was they first came into view — likely the first time I ever really noticed "architecture" — those buildings were seared into my brain. I guess you could say that they started my list of favorite architecture at #1 and there they remain. I was always alert for glimpses during the opening of The Bob Newhart Show every week!
3 - Millie Fleur by Bari J for Art Gallery Fabrics.
I saw this fabric in an instagram post the other day and located it online within seconds; within minutes, there were orders placed! A bit of woven cotton and jersey are both scheduled for delivery today. Heh. That's my kind of floral/print. And color!
4 - That "getaway glow" after spending a weekend in Chicago with my girls!
We had a marvelous time! I got a new pair of shoes out of the deal, too. Thinking that I'd "pack light" by packing only one pair of shoes (boots, in this case), by Saturday afternoon I was in DSW desperately searching for something anything!
The weather was mahvelous! More on Chicago to come…
5 – Sheet Pan Suppers
Last night, for the first time, I made Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Pistachios & Feta on a sheet pan and, wow, was that good — both at room temp for supper last night and out of the fridge today for lunch. My only mod next time will be more beets! I also think a softer, milder goat cheese in place of the feta would be a delicious variation. The main dish, which I've made a few times in recent memory, was Ina Garten's Chicken With Shallots (another fave in that book is Lemon Chicken Breasts). I have become pretty good at boning chicken breasts as it seems you can get either skin-on/bone-in or skinless/boneless in the grocery store and these call for skin-on/boneless. Kate has a new office/work space that's right across the street from a butcher, though, so maybe I'll utilize their services a bit more — and personal home delivery! Heh.
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6 – Cooked. Michael Pollan's new 4-part series on Netflix. I watched over the last two nights as I prepared dinner and otherwise puttered in the kitchen. I will no doubt watch it again… have already recommended it to Ali, and now to all of you. ;)
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7 – A TV in the kitchen. We used to have a TV in the kitchen for a lot of years. I don't recall what happened to it, exactly, but we haven't had one in a while and it came up often enough lately that I decided to get one — prices are fairly low for a little flat screen (and I saved a bit more by using my Target debit card, too).
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8 – With Chromecast. Yes, I'm a little bit of a TV/electronics junkie. I like doodads, I love technology, I appreciate convenience and ease of use. We already have TiVo on our main TV because we don't have cable and a DVR is essential for how we view, but we aren't going to be watching the kitchen TV enough to justify adding a "Mini." It's super easy to stream Netflix (and more) with Chromecast, the doodad was very affordable, and the app is free!
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9 – Habu 2/17 tsumugi silk and L25/3 linen — together.
I did some swatching on size 6 US, 7 US and 8US needles.
Then washed and dried… and, oh my, is that a marvelous fabric!! I'll be going with the 8s, doing some measuring and comparing with other garments, then putting my head together again with Ina Braun. Meanwhile, stopping at my LYS to see if they happen to have another cone of the tsumugi… as you may recall, I know where I bought this yarn, but don't remember why or when!! Another cone of the tsumugi would give me some more options, but it's not crucial.
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10 – My new Scrappy Boho Bag by Ali! I've had my eye on this bag for a while. It'll be a great little knitting bag (which I definitely do not need, but most certainly did want). Those fabrics make me so happy.
Since the quilt is finished, Ali has time for other sewing projects! Well, as much time for sewing as she can carve out of a busy day. She has a good thing going with my mom's old Singer 500 Slant-O-Matic – The Rocketeer!
To infinity and beyond…
That bag does bring a smile! And I’m an Ina fan too. I’ll have to take a look at that cookbook…and make use of the butcher Doug visits every Saturday!
Oh, those towers and Bob Newhart are a flash from my childhood! Saturday nights I think.
I don’t know if this is helpful, but the local cheese shop gal pointed me to Bulgarian Feta as a slightly milder, creamier, and with a bit of lemon when I was saying I thought feta would be too strong for what I wanted. I am a convert, not for everything, but certainly in some applications.
I can see why that paragraph would speak to you. So many of the descriptions in that book rang true.
Lemon chicken may well be on the menu this weekend! Utilizing a butcher’s skill is one of my best kitchen skills. Looking forward to hearing more about your weekend getaway!
Mink River lover here, too! also Chicago – I loved following along your weekend on Instagram. Girl getaways must be celebrated. and thank you for the recipe tips and links. I’m trying to get back into cooking and can use all the help! Happy Thursday!
So many, many excellent things in your post . . . I can’t keep up! I grew up (childhood, at least) in Rockford, IL — and have so many, many special memories of those trips in to Chicago. Probably why I still love the city so much. I loved Mink River . . . so very much. Tom and I both listened to it as an audiobook — then ended up purchasing the actual book, too. Because we wanted to savor the passages again and again. (And you already know what I think of Sheet Pan Suppers! The beet dish is my absolute fave.) XO
I loved Mink River, too! The second time I started it. You really have to dive in, and I hadn’t really committed the first time I started it.
Corn cob buildings in Chicago! And your bag is very cute.
You’ve got 10 marvelous things here, any day of the week! I just put Cooked on my Netflix list but haven’t started it yet; now I know I need to. Four smiling girls in Chicago is great, and I love your Ali bag and the Millie Fleur fabric! I don’t really sew much, but I may need some of that fabric anyway, just in case!
Adding Mink River to my “read” list! Thank you! Also, I queued up Cooked! Have you seen the Chef’s Table series on Netflix? If not, you should! It is fantastic! And, your knitting looks beautiful – I can’t wait to see what the sweater becomes.
in that passage, I think you have found the most apt description of any relationship between an artist and their partner. It sounds like my husband and I. And those leaps that you want to take for yourself, but never do.