Planetaki Planet OLLI

House block quilt

2012-02-11T03:23:07Z

Climb high, Climb far.
Your goal the sky, Your aim the stars.
      - Dove mini bite wrapper

Given that I have no business eating chocolate mini or not, after Thursday's afternoon dance class the teacher gave each of us mini-hearts for Valentine's Day. Until someone else read their wrapper's 'mini maxim' I had never looked inside before. This one fits me perfectly.

Dealing with a persistent ear ache today largely due to 'March' winds that have arrived a month early. I have always been prone to ear aches when the weather gets cold, damp and windy; this week was one such week.  How you might ask did I spend so much time in the cold winds?

Getting great bargains at the two Burlington, NC stores operated by the Hospice; one for clothing and one for furnishings. Love both. This Wednesday was my monthly hair appointment at Daisy's and afterwards I make use of the trip to loop around to Burlington and hit the thrift shops.

The big find for this trip was a full-sized bed quilt done in the "House" or sometimes called School house pattern with a sashing of tomato-soup red. The entire quilt is hand stitched, a bit awkwardly but it is a terrific vintage primitive quilt. And the price was right! I was looking for bed linens in 'full' size as we borrowed a mattress/box spring from my sister to stage in our Bonus Room to define that space as a third bedroom or "Guest Suite."   This quilt is already laundered, fluffed in the dryer and on the bed.

"House" pattern in big blocks

Blue chambray backing

Time was when I had many full-size linens but upon moving to North Carolina we upgraded to Queen sized beds; who knew I would need them again? This is just temporary as we hope to have the house sold before summer. Then the bed goes back to Jan's and the quilt will go to a new owner (not telling yet).

Needed repairs

The quilt needs some repairing but that can wait - as of now I have no sewing space and no machine to work with. Once settled and my new studio is functioning I can start the fixing.

Next on my list is to find a worn shirt, a faded tomato-soup red to cut strips for the torn sashings. And perhaps add a new border or edging to the quilt to keep it functional for another, maybe 25 -50 years. I love rescuing quilts, knowing that I can extend the life of handwork that some other woman made years ago. There must be something spiritual in that.

Other odd bits collected include some small pieces of silver table utensils that polished are now gleaming bright. A new Visions (Corning Brand), casserole dish - to add to the numerous other pieces of cookware I have. And a red tee shirt to wear to the Thursday's dance class as we celebrated Heart Awareness month for women, a little Valentine's Day and that's when I got the chocolate bite. Aim high.

Next week: early Mardi Gras. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Memoir: Breaking Through to the Next Level

2012-02-08T16:04:41Z

Over the last few days I’ve read two memoirs back-to-back, Margaret Overton’s Good in a Crisis and Jonna Ivin’s Will Love For Crumbs. Both stories revolve around disastrous relationships with men. I was struck by the fact that although these two women had very different backgrounds and their stories are quite different, each had to piece together the puzzle of her mother’s life to break free and follow a different path. I was reminded of computer games where you must find all the hidden tools to advance to the next level.

As I thought about this similarity, I realized how universal this theme is. I did study Freud once, along with a tower of other psychology books, and dimly recall some psychobabble about “differentiation.” Obviously there is nothing new under the sun here, other than airing this process in public. That public sharing angle is the aspect that most fascinates me.

Thinking beyond the stories themselves, I realized that as I read each one, it stimulated me to think more deeply about my own life and relationships. I realized once again that although I’ve certainly faced my share of puzzling and tense times, for the most part I’ve led a charmed life, spared most of the traumas they disclose. In spite of the odds against it, I’ve remained happily married for nearly fifty years, and my mother’s shortcomings are hardly worth mentioning. Still, although comparing my life challenges to theirs may be like placing the Blue Ridge mountains next to the Himalayas, reading how these women “broke through to the next level” and became more peaceful and comfortable in their skin settled me more securely in my own.

As I pondered the powerful effect these books had on me, a light went on. Each woman explained at the end of her book that she initially began journaling or writing random notes in an attempt to make sense of her experience. Transforming those notes into a coherent narrative was a profoundly healing experience. That healing process rippled out to me as a reader, and presumably to a multitude. Perhaps, just maybe, those of us who are “called” to write and share our stories are gifted with the opportunity to help others find hidden clues and find their own next levels of peace and freedom. As we heal ourselves, the effect spreads through our words into the world at large.

I’m reminded of thoughts I’ve heard, perhaps from Christina Baldwin, and probably also from others, about “restorying” the world. I’ve written a pile of blog posts scattered around the web about my own experience with revis(ion)ing my memories and discovering far more light in them than I ever imagined. I know the process works, and some memory visualization tools I’ve found are magic cursors pointing to hidden tools and maps.

Not everyone wants or needs to write and fewer still want to share their work. For many or most, it’s enough to read or privately journal. To whatever extent you are called to write for peace and healing, whether it be a letter of reconciliation and forgiveness, a single short story, or several volumes of memoir, write with boldly honest passion and flood the world with light. I’m beginning to find tangible evidence that as we heal the past, we also heal the future. Let’s get on with that!

As an aside, there is still time to register for my 3-week NAMW short course, Soaring High and Digging Deep: Tools for Refining Your Memoir. It begins this week. Find more details and sign up for the class and this month’s related free Roundtable here.

Write now: start a collection of random notes about a person or situation that puzzles you. Add to this collection over time as further thoughts occur to you. When you run out of new thoughts, read through what you’ve written and transform that to narrative. As you work on that story, your understanding is almost guaranteed to shift.

Tufts – MyPlate for Older Adults

2012-02-07T02:21:26Z

Here is a great resource from Tufts University! Copies of MyPlate for Older Adults can be downloaded from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging website, hnrc.tufts.edu.

The Importance of Table Linens

2012-02-05T23:42:09Z

Why do we have table manners and place settings in our society and does it really matter?

Early in my life my mother insisted that we make and use fabric napkins at table and while we did not starch and iron these squares of printed cotton we always knew that table linens were an integral part of dinner. What I did not know those many years ago was the notion of saving trees would be the reason paper products fell into disrepute. Mother felt paper napkins were a waste of money and ‘cheapness’ at table she wished to avoid; saving trees was the last thing she would have considered.

Many friends have argued with me about the pretensions of using table linens; who washes and iron table clothes and napkins; and why? Pretension of status by using colorful, printed fabrics at table? What a ridiculous idea.

As for washing and ironing I too avoid those tasks to whatever extent possible but still I have napkins and placemats on the table every day and tablecloths for use in our formal dining room. Care and keeping will be discussed later but for now let us think about the purpose of the social table.

Civility at table is essential in any society that desires a peaceful existence according to Margaret Visser. The author writes in her books Much Depends on Dinner and The Rituals of Dinner and explains the importance of table and dinner service:

“Civilization itself cannot begin until a food supply is assured. And where food is concerned we can never let up; appetite keeps us at it.

The active sharing of what we are going to eat is only the beginning.” (Rituals, p. 2.)

Remember G.B. Shaw’s Pygmalion or perhaps the more widely known version: My Fair Lady? Did not Shaw make the case that a lady’s speech may say more about her than anything else? And need I remind you that “you only have one chance to make a first impression”? Countless times I have been at a luncheon or meeting with someone thought to be educated, civilized and socially acceptable – until the eating began. Eating form so gross and debased, no person would want to eat across the table from that everyday.

Acceptance by your peers may be the best reason for table manners and the basis of my argument for table linens. The table itself sets the scene, the use of china, glassware and cloth napkins forces civility upon humans who are essentially just a veneer away from being barbarians. Resist if you will the notion of fine linens, porcelain and crystal but a welcoming table need not be set for a formal event. Count the number of times you eat dinner at home versus the formal dinners you may attend – repetitiveness alone should demand the presence of your best table if not your best behavior. If nothing else the use of linens will keep the table quiet; clinking and clanking table noises do not promote easy conservation.

CARE AND KEEPING OF TABLE LINENS

Press hems all around

Now to those who would argue against CARE and keeping of linens when most homes are servant-less and time pressures are ever present (and who needs more laundry?). Think of the dinner table as an opportunity to develop your personal style, practice creativity and recreate combinations out of your personal collection. My linen stash consists not so much of authentic linen-fabrics but an assortment of fabrics, weaves, prints, some received as gifts, some inherited from aunts and some found serendipitously at yard sales and thrift shops. Looking for prints, color and usability with various dishes is the first rule of acquisition but 100% cotton counts for most.

And once use demands cleaning how difficult is it to toss them in the wash?

Press flat; fold lightly

For our family Mother never had the convenience of an automatic washer/dryer until her children were all grown. Collecting napkins as been part of my domestic stash since my first apartment days but ironing was never a priority. Those deemed for daily use never get ironed (few would notice) and the table cloths are stored UN-ironed getting pressed only when actually needed. Ironing in not that good for fine linens and even when ironing is a must – the least amount is best.

As when taking pictures for posting on a blog; then I want the fabrics to look their best. Ironing for presentation means a hot iron and spraying with a dilute mix of liquid starch. Spray cans of starch are sticky messes I can do without and for my sewing needs I found that a spritzer bottle with a 50/50 mix of liquid starch and water works best. What I really want is wrinkle free and for a heavy weave as the woven placemats shown the use of a steam cloth works well.
What’s a steam cloth you ask?

Pressing with Steam Cloth

Layer to press

Simply a square of 100% cotton fabric dampened with a spritz of water, nothing fancy. The one pictured is the last survivor of a napkin set but it has been the designated press cloth for years.

Heavy weight fabrics, dark colors and/or jeans will need a steam-press but NEVER place a hot iron directly on such goods. Using a steam iron, lay the cloth over the goods and steam s slowly. Then set aside to thoroughly dry. I have layered the place mats so that each one is steamed in order, rotating the top the back after each steaming. The method is much the same with napkins only without the steam-cloth. I spritz the napkin top with both starch and water – let them set for 10-15 minutes before ironing the back of the napkin laid flat; set aside to dry.

Never fold and press the crease in the goods as you only weaken the fibers and encourage wear and breaking at the fold line. When fine hotels and restaurants receive their linens from the laundry they are flat pressed or lightly folded. The waiters then shake them out and fold them into the fancy shape or pleat as demanded by the restaurant décor.

Folded napkins layered in drawer

Lower drawer holds placemats

The flat napkins are folded two together (we are a household of two), then into quarter folds and stacked lenghtwise in the drawer. When needed I pull a layer and have two napkins ready for table - no ironing needed.

The lower drawer holds placemats; stacked flat. Very few need ironing and even those who could use some rarely get any.

Wonder Product

One last word before ending "Care and Keeping" - have you tried Shout Color Catcher? If not what are you waiting for? I use it frequently when washing blue jeans, red anything, and stained napkins. This stuff is magic and will remove just about any discoloration.

Who was it said "Life is too short to stuff mushrooms or iron napkins!"

Maybe that was me. bb

Writing Around Obstacles

2012-02-04T23:18:42Z

As anyone who has written more than a dozen life stories or begun a memoir knows, some stories flow onto the page more smoothly and easily than others. What do you do when a story jams up? What do you do when you start writing and realize you aren’t going where you thought you wanted to go?

Let me use this blog post as an example: I originally intended to write it to highlight Andrea Hurst’s AUTHORNOMICS Interview Series, which features weekly interviews with literary agents, editors, authors, marketing experts and more talking about their opinions on the publishing industry, writing, and what a writer needs to know. I wanted to tell you how valuable it can be to learn from experts in other genres as well as your own, and I wanted to alert you that I’m featured in an interview this week.

But that’s not enough to fill an entire blog post, so I decided to add a few more resources, for example a link to Kathy Pooler’s blog, Memoir Writer’s Journey. Kathy is a walking Wikipedia for life writers, with more resource links per post than anyone I know.

Jerry Waxler’s blog, Memory Writer’s Network, is crammed with wisdom and writing lessons gleaned from his deep study of over a hundred memoirs. He includes dozens of author interviews.

I could fill many pages with links to rich blog sites like Shirley Showalter’s Discover the Power of Writing Your Story, or SuziCate’s Water Witch’s Daughter, one of the finest and most consistent examples of scintillating description I’ve found. Linda Joy Myers’ Memories and Memoirs is full of great tips, along with the Women’s Memoirs site.

I save one of the best for last: the National Association of Memoir Writers. I saved this one for last because I hope you’ll click over to learn more about the 3-week NAMW short course I’m offering, beginning next week: Soaring High and Digging Deep: Tools for Refining Your Memoir, which I mention in the AUTHORNOMICS Interview.

That last link brings me back around to my original intent of discussing what to do when your story doesn’t go where you intended: Let it take a detour. Write around the log jam – or through it. If you encounter a flock of sheep on a New Zealand road, unless you plan to sit there for an hour, you must keep moving, very slowly, until you work your way through. You might later edit out extraneous material after you write to the other side, or perhaps you’ll find it has value after all, and leave it in. Today I cut a lot, but left in links I have been meaning to feature, “when the time is right.”

A second alternative is to set aside your keyboard and linear writing in favor of more visual ways of exploring and organizing memories and meaning. I’ve written a number of posts on some of these tools in the past, but reading about them and using them are two different matters. In the Soaring High and Digging Deep class, you’ll have the opportunity to discover their power by using them yourself and share your experience with others to learn even more.

To find out more about the class and memories in general, join me on February 9 on the free NAMW February Roundtable: Memories are Made of This … or Are They? Click here to sign up.

Write Now: Pull out a story you’re jammed up on and write aroudn your logjam. Just freewrite about it and see where you go. Surprise yourself. You can throw it away later, or you may find a gem. Try a tool like inner dialogue, mind-mapping, or asking yourself questions. Sign up for the class and get help as you practice using new tools.

Photo credit: Susan Mack

Thermo Serve Drinking Ware

2012-02-05T00:19:07Z

Did you know Anoka, Minnesota is the pumpkin capital of the world? That means there is no holiday in Anoka greater than Halloween. A small town northeast of Minneapolis, Anoka is also the real site of Lake Woebegone. How do I know this?

Once upon a time when I was a color stylist, I provided trend research and marketing ideas for Thermo Serv, a manufacturer of insulated drinking wares located in Anoka, MN. The pictured set of tumblers and mugs is a limited edition, corporate custom order by Colwell General Inc of Minneapolis, circa 1978/79, also my client.

My Design for TSI

The dual colors in each tumbler follows the spectrum order of the rainbow so that the set covers the full color palette; Red+orange; Orange+yellow; Yellow+green; green+blue; Blue+Indigo. The box had been stored so long that I cannot remember how the color-striping was intended; there are five of each and I thought there were six to a set- but maybe not (?).

Color Chips per CGI

I had been doing trend research for Thermo Serve for about a year when the VP of Col-Gen thought that doing a custom set using the color stripe coating that is used for making color cards and chips would be a good incentive gift for their best customers. Do not remember how many sets were made – maybe 50 or 75 sets and I saved one set. That was over 30 years ago – OMG am I getting old. No longer know what Col-Gen is doing these days (was under contract to them for more than 10 years), but I left my consulting business and life in Chicago in 1983 and never looked back.

CARE

The idea of thermos-sealed drinking ware is to keep beverages hot or cold longer by vacuuming sealing the double-walled construction. The tumblers do not condense cold contents on the exterior and therefore do not need a coaster, mugs will keep hot beverages warm longer. However, they are TOP rack dishwasher and after many washings will lose the vacuum seal (ask me how I know). For that reason I used them rarely. The colors were selected so that a full spectrum of color would be exposed, especially to paint manufacturers whose color card business Col-Gen aimed to acquire. Full paint systems are quite expensive, running into millions $$ and we need all the completive advantage possible.

Five each in spectrum order

Of course I had visions that the bright color swirl would go retail and draw big sales from the trendy shoppers; but not. Only the one production run and the job was over.

The irony revealed in the photos is that the color cards used to display the drinking wares are made by the same company that custom ordered the set. Double the fun!

It was a decade later in the NY Public Library at 42nd Street one afternoon when I was doing grad-school research that I spotted Garrison Keillor of NPR radio. I knew from Thermo Serv's President, Harlan Hanson that he and Keillor had been in the same high school class and that Lake Woebegone was based on the town of Anoka. I often wonder whatever happened to Hanson, the TSI crew or for that matter Keillor.

More information found on given websites.

History. . . . .(from the website)

For over a half a century, you have come to know and trust ThermoServ for superior insulated products that fit your lifestyle.

New ThermoServ, Ltd. was founded by Nelson F. Cornelius in Anoka, Minnesota. In 1956, the company introduced a black and gold thermal coffee carafe from which the company took its name. To this day, this product is a familiar fixture in many restaurants throughout the country. The success of the carafe led to the introduction of many insulated plastic mugs, steins and tumblers. In addition, a full line of non-thermal drinkware was produced.

The ThermoServ name proudly stands for the highest quality, Made in America, merchandise. In February 2002, New ThermoServ, Ltd. acquired the plastics division of a major US manufacturer of drinkware. This product addition marked an expansion of ThermoServ's growing insulated and single-wall drinkware line, which now covers the full spectrum from economy to specialty mugs and tumblers.
http://www.ts-asi.com/

Welcome To ThermoServ ASI Now. . . . . . (from the website)
ThermoServ is based in Dallas, Texas and offers one of the largest lines of drinkware available in the industry.

At ThermoServ, we strive to provide the highest level of service and to deliver a first-class product selection that meets your needs. Whether corporate programs, executive gifts, quality or safety programs, promotional giveaways or recognition awards, you can trust ThermoServ to provide the very best product selection, quality, designs and courteous service.

ThermoServ brands deliver exceptional quality and value to your corporate image and promotional opportunities. Our goal is to provide our customers with drinkware of exceptional quality, design, and value. We are committed to continuous improvement innovation and outstanding service to maintain our position as a leader in plastic assembly and decorating which provides a continuity of quality, service, easy accessibility and economic freight dispersion. http://www.ts-asi.com/

COLWELL GENERAL INC., now COLWELL COLOUR. . . . . (also from website)
http://www.colwellcolour.com/history.shtml

HISTORY
Colwell Industries got its start in 1893 as a printing company. By the 1930s, The Colwell Press had become a major commercial printer in the United States. In the early 1950s Colwell began to produce colour cards for the paint industry and as this market grew, the decision was made to exit commercial printing and focus on color merchandising for a variety of products including paint, automotive, cosmetics, window treatments, paper and more. Through acquisitions and determined growth, Colwell has become an industry leader of international scale. Today, well over a hundred years and three generations later, Colwell continues to thrive as a family-held business.
http://www.colwellcolour.com/history.shtml

New Beyond the Bars Exhibit | Opening Reception Feb 3

2012-02-03T23:38:59Z

Learn more about ACRJ Inmate Programs at http://beyond-bars.com/. New volunteers are always welcome! For more information contact Phyllis Back, pback@acrj.org.

Peoria County Coroner's Office -- February 2, 2012

2012-02-03T23:38:58Z

On this repeat trip, we learned about the responsibilities of Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll, an elected official charged with investigating sudden, unusual, and traumatic deaths and assuring those bodies are examined, identified, and, if necessary, autopsied. Our visit also included an observation of a jury inquest, which is held weekly to determine the manner of some deaths occurring in Peoria County.

OLLI thanks Coroner Ingersoll for spending time with our group and leading a very insightful discussion about the duties of the office.

For more information about the Coroner’s Office, visit www.peoriacounty.org

University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria -- February 1, 2012

2012-02-03T23:38:58Z

On the first of February, OLLI visited the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP).

As part of the nation’s largest public medical school, UICOMP offers a balance of classroom education and clinical experience. During our visit, we learned how the school aims to improve healthcare in our community via education, research, and patient care. The tour included a presentation by the school's dean, Dr. Sarah Rausch, and updates on UICOMP's latest cancer research.

For more information about UICOMP, please visit www.peoria.medicine.uic.edu

Seeking recommendations on course scheduling software (not registration software).

2012-02-02T23:36:35Z

Katy Crapo, OLLI at University of Georgia, Asks OLLI:

OLLI@UGA is looking for software to assist its Curriculum Committee with course scheduling. We do not need registration software. We already have that. However, what we do need is a way to “plug in” our courses and move them around. Up to this point, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee is the sole person responsible for this, and she does all this work manually. We want an application that would centralize information in such a way that a number of people could assist in the class scheduling. Does anyone have any recommendations for us?

Two new volunteer opportunities from JABA

2012-02-02T23:36:18Z

Twice Is Nice, JABA’s upscale resale shop in Preston Plaza, is having a makeover. We need help on Monday, February 6th, emptying the store to get ready for the contractors and again on Monday, February 13th, to restage the store. … Continue reading →

IMARI Ceramics and other finds

2012-02-02T16:34:04Z

Found Imari Dish

Not long ago while perusing one of my favorite thrift shops (my boutiques!), I picked up a blue and white dish. In very good condition and better because the characters on the back did not say “made in Japan,” in English. I knew it was Imari ware but not much more than that. Well, it’s a good day when you discover you have found something really good at a thrift shop.

What is Imari ware you might ask? The origins of Japanese ceramics found that glazes made with iron oxide (red) and cobalt (blues) could be used to make unique wares and a long tradition was begun. Sometime later the trend for blue and white wares rose and by the late 19th-century westerners began to collect Oriental blue and white wares also.

Underglaze characters

Among those favoring the ware were the French Impressionists often showing such ceramic items in their paintings or in the case of Monet using them on his dining table at Giverny. Ask me how I know.

One of the books I will not part with anytime soon is MONET’S TABLE. The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet ( Simon & Schuster, New York NY, c. 1989). Monets Table, The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet

“..the author Claire Joyes, wife of Madame Monet's great-grandson, has spent years selecting the Monets' favorite recipes and writing a wonderfully evocative introductory text. All of the recipes have been artfully prepared and brought back to life in Monet's own kitchen by master chef Joel Robuchon.” From amazon.com.

Not a cookbook in the traditional sense this is a feast for eyes, mind and mouth. Any student of art will recognize the name Monet, one of the foremost artists of impressionism and will also know Giverny, his home in France. This book is an absolute treasure complete with color photographs taken in the family dining room and offering the very recipes served then.

Cyberattic image

But I digress. The dish I found is shown at right with the back of the dish below. The second photo is from a website named Cyberattic. New to me the site popped up as I was searching “Imari” images and found, what else. . . the very same dish. What a thrill. Cyberattic Imari Ceramics. The dish was sold for US $12, about four times what I paid last week. Such a deal!

Licensed repros

What else did I find? Monet’s china from Giverny has also been reproduced in both porcelain and more affordable ceramics. I picked up the yellow and blue rimmed bowl several years back but discovered in searching images that my dish is a wanna-be-Monet where the authentic productions have a more subdued yellow and grayer rim. Still the fun is in the hunt.

Wannabe Monet dish

And speaking of grayed blues – amongst my favorite colors to use for backgrounds.

Did you know that mixing and coordinating grayed colors is much easier than working with intense colors? And why you might ask. Think about a grayed, mid-tone value of blue. To me this color has magical powers. Why? Read on.

A very smart and talented pastel artist once told me to stop buying white art paper to work pastel sketches. Since art paper comes in black, gray, white and a few pastels I wondered why white was not right for class assignments.

Because she explained if you work on; 1) white, you must fill in all the grays, shadows and you cannot work out the highlights but; if you buy 2) black, then you must make all the highlights and contours and it also looks like kitschy paintings on black velvet but; 3) if you begin with gray, taupe or a mid-value neutral then you have to option to add white to make highlights or darks for shadows. By working two directions from a middle value you will have far more control over the depth of light and shade in your picture. And she was right.

Then when I began to think about color scheming for interiors, the realization hit me. Sure use beige or white all you want – but if you want contrast start with a grayed color. In helping another artist friend set up a snazzy retail shop in Naples, Florida we pondered over colors that would make the merchandise look good. The answer was to use blues but in grayed values for walls and shelving backgrounds so the crafts, jewelry and paper products would always look brighter. Something akin to a Postal Uniform Blue, very easy on the eyes.

This same friend once decorated an apartment in Chicago on Lake Shore Drive, a small apartment in a very trendy building. We went shopping for white lamps. “Why all white,” I asked. The walls will be painted in mid-tone grayed pastels (some blue, some green), and the lamps with white shades will contrast with the walls and the light will seem brighter. She was absolutely right; the lamps were smashing in the daytime and even more so when lit at night. Even recovered upholstered furniture and repainted case pieces looked better against the neutral walls with white accents.

I proved this gray-theory some time ago in an apartment where I wanted to hang framed prints and drawings, all black and white. Since all the frames were all black I considered painting the wall black but knew that it would be too dark (and the landlord would hate it). The answer was gray. The tone was not too deep but once the wall was covered in the framed prints (floor to ceiling), very little of the wall was visible anyway and the gray did not pull the eye away from the art works. Perfection!

Thrift shop NWT

Now I find myself making scrappy arrangements in fabrics, creating table linens and sorting through china, linens and flowers to create atmosphere for the dinner table. What works best?

Gray blue shows off antique china, makes silver gleam and even spectrum bright colors float over it without competing.

And when it comes to fashion, there may be an argument but think about this: how popular is denim? Right! and even faded denim is preferred to new denim jeans. Why? That color is just about right for everything.

DId you notice the placemat in the top photo? That was another find; all cotton, ribbed weave grayed-blue placemats.
Can that be serendipity? We will discuss that another day. bb

Medalion at First and Main – Want to Help?

2012-01-31T14:51:44Z

I am so pleased to be a supporter of this project and I hope you will join me. What a great project! I have been thinking a lot about “place” recently after Charlottesville Tomorrow started a Google+ discussion about the … Continue reading →

COOKBOOKS about Steam Cookery

2012-01-31T00:02:20Z

Still on the cookbook thread. Two more today that are about to be shipped out along with a marvelous, like new Black & Decker Handy Steamer Plus* to my niece. She suffers from Celiac Disease and must avoid gluten at all costs. For that reason I decided to part with two of my favorite steam cookbooks as I have been steaming for so long there is little about using a steamer that I do not already know.

One of my favorite steamed dinners is cabbage, potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips and rutabaga steamed with bratwurst. Serve with a dab of mustard and I am a happy kid.

I find that steaming vegetables without oil or fat is not just good but better. And the steam-timer allows you to set the time and forget it until the chime signals ‘done.’ In the meantime you can focus on prepping other dishes or even better do something else while waiting for dinner. And the rice steamer is so handy, make one batch and it lasts a few days or steam the rice, then the steam vegetables and toss together for a quick dinner. In no time at all you will be “cooking with steam” and loving it.

My husband once read the introduction to this book and demanded that I delete any thought of steaming lest our new kitchen cabinets become warped by hot steam. That was 15 years ago and our cabinets are still intact but our steam appliances now number two and we have been indulging in lightly steamed vegetables with fat free sauces for many seasons. Castle begins the book with a lengthy introduction to steam cookery with equipment, techniques and a complete list of terms and ingredients, listing of course many Asian foods. This book is steam cooking 101.

Castle, Coralie. The Complete Book of Steam Cookery. Tasty and Healthful Dishes from Around the World, with Instructions on Equipment and Techniques. J. P. Tarcher Inc., Los Angeles, c. 1985

A bachelor working in the communications field Zinkhon says he was forced to learn cooking in self-defense; but his treatments of many traditional dishes makes them much healthier to consume without loss of flavor.

Zinkhon, Robert. No Pressure Steam Cooking. A Simple, Healthy & Delicious Way to Cook. Taylor & Ng, Brisbane, CA, 1978.

Both the above books have been my go-to resources. Should you find them at a book sale or thrift shop I would recommend buying them; you may just find a healthy way to eat.

And if you like steaming, try the "Chef’n Steamer" from SleekStor at: http://www.chefn.com/Product.aspx?id=47
Amazon.com says
Ready to get steamy? Chef'n has the tool for you -- their sleek stor veggisteam silicone vegetable steamer. Made of 650 degree Farenheit / 340 degree centigrade heat- and stain-resistant silicone, this fun little steamer has a rigid core for stability and a tripod base to raise your veggies above the waterline for optimal steaming. There is no exposed metal to scratch the sides or bottom of your pot (perfect for delicate nonstick finishes). And this steamer has no center post to work around a just pile in the veggies. When you're done cooking, use the heat-resistant handles to remove the steamer and toss it in the top rack of your dishwasher.

Of course you will have to use your own timer.

Found on Kindle Free book download: USA's Best Trips, 5 of our Favorite from Lonely Planet. OK, it was a freebie and I was expecting too much but one of the trips- Eugene OR to Vancouver BC - planned for four days was no where near the delightful trip DH and I had twenty years ago after his son's wedding. The bride and groom went back to school and we had a honeymoon of sorts. Wine tasting, B&Bs, coffee shops in Seattle and San Juan island hopping.
These trips are for travelers who have a long weekend, are afraid to try the unknown and want to save on gas. Bummer.

My best Kindle freebie to date: Barcode Booty: How I found and sold $2 million of junk online....
Yes, I thought I had found a winner BUT the barcode scanners that are recommended are only available on iPhone 4S and I have an iPhone4. Double Bummer.

Stay tuned, there are many more cookbooks to be found. bb

Tangerine Tango – Sounds good to me!

2012-01-29T23:14:07Z

In reading the Washington Post Magazine this morning I learned that the PANTONE 2012 Color of The Year is Pantone 17-1463 Tangerine Tango. I looked it up to learn more about it. I love color, so of course I did! … Continue reading →

A Picture Can Spark a Thousand Words

2012-01-28T15:40:07Z

Nothing can get words and memories flowing for a life writer quite like a picture. Whether you’re journaling, writing a simple story or crafting a memoir, pictures can bring back memories as fresh as wet paint, and having the picture as a focal point may enable you to revisit the memory from many angles.

The general wisdom is that looking through your own photo stash will spur memories. I gave an example of how that can work in Photographic Memory Jolts, in October 2007.

Before the days of digital cameras, most people only took photos on special occasions, so reminders of everyday life are rare. Fortunately, there is an alternative: browse through magazines and picture books, or do keyword searches on sites like Flickr.com to find thought-provoking photos.

When you find a picture that resonates with you, tear it out, or copy digital ones into a writing prompt folder. Write about it right away, or stick it in a collection to use when you feel stuck or want to do some freewriting. I pulled the picture above from a pile of illustrations I tore out of magazines a few years ago to use as writing prompts for myself and writing groups. I love the look of astonishment and maybe a few other things on that fresh young face. The pile has served well, and writing from it is a popular group activity.

Whether you find pictures from your own photos or enticing new sources, here are tips for using them to best advantage:

Let your mind wander as you look at the picture. Run your eyes over various aspects of it. For example, in the one above, notice the expression on the girl’s face, her wide eyes and gaping mouth, the time of day, the expanse of table. Look at her hair, perfectly combed into cute pony tails.
If this is a familiar picture, try to look at it as if you have never seen it before and set aside as many memories as you are able.
Assess your feelings about the picture. Do you feel happy? Sad? Anxious? Indifferent? Excited?
Ask yourself what the picture reminds you of. Make a few notes about any memories that come to mind.
If the picture is of someone else, try putting yourself into the other person’s situation. For example, pretend you are the girl in the picture above. What might you be seeing that has your eyes popping? Were you ever in a situation where you reacted like that? Do you think others know she’s there?

After dwelling on the picture and thinking briefly about your reactions and memories or imaginations, begin to freewrite about whatever comes to mind, keeping the picture in sight as you write. You may be surprised at what comes out.

If a picture evokes especially powerful emotions, try writing about it another time or two taking different perspectives each time. Your creativity will get a boost, you may have material for a great new story, and you may have some fascinating and helpful new insight for unclogging a memoir or your life.

Write now: find a pile of old magazines and start a collection of meaningful pictures to use as writing prompts. Keep them loose to reuse, or paste to the page you’re writing one. Alternatively, copy and paste a significant picture into a new document and write about it on your computer.

How do you define a special event versus a course?

2012-01-27T16:01:11Z

Dee Aguilar, OLLI at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, asks OLLI:

How do you define a special event versus a course? We are seeking clarification on the distinction between a special event and a course and would like input from other OLLIs.

You CAN Make a Difference

2012-01-26T08:26:57Z

As we create with words, images, and ideas, we participate in a powerful pattern of transformation. When we release our creations to the world, we never know how far they will travel, how many souls they will reach.

In 1848, a young man spent a night in jail for refusing to pay a poll tax, protesting against slavery and the Mexican-American War. The next morning, a friend paid his tax and he was released. A small action, unremarkable, perhaps. Yet this action inspired Henry David Thoreau to write Civil Disobedience, which later inspired Mahatma Gandhi’s campaign of nonviolence, liberating India from colonial rule; Martin Luther King’s campaign of nonviolence that began liberating African Americans from oppression and segregation; and countless other acts of nonviolence, large and small, that continue to liberate the human spirit.

We are all connected in the intricate pattern of life. Never doubt that your call to create is part of a process of transformation in which our individual actions ripple out to change the world.

Lately, I’ve been inspired by people in the Occupy Movement, raising their voices against corporate greed, injustice, and economic inequality. Now Maxina Ventura of Occupy Berkeley, has found a creative way many of us can connect in support and solidarity. She founded the “knit-in for the sit-in,” inviting people to knit at the Berkeley farmers’ market and send hand-knit hats, mittens, and scarves to help Occupy members keep warm this winter. So far, I’ve knitted four hats which have been sent to Occupy Wall Street, Tahrir Square, and Fukushima, Japan. Knitting these hats has become a kind of spiritual exercise, affirming my personal connection with this courageous campaign for change.

Because we are all connected, everything we do makes a difference, continuously creating the world we know. How can you make a difference in your own creative life? Following your heart will show you how. Together, we can create new possibilities for our world—right here and right now.

For More Information about the “knit-in,” see http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.c om/2011/11/26/crafters-organize-knit-in-in-solidarity-with-occupy-berkeley/. If you’d like to knit warm items for the Occupy Movement, you may send them to Occupy Berkeley, c/o Maxina Ventura, 2399 E. 14^th St. No 24, San Leandro, CA 94577.

2012 Winter Wrapup -- January 25, 2012

2012-01-26T00:27:05Z

More than 70 OLLI members were on campus today to attend the Winter Class wrapup session. The members reviewed and summarized evaluations from the 32 classes, and discussed what went well during the recent class gatherings.

Thanks to everyone who attended! We hope to see you again in April for the next class session.

Peoria Police Department -- January 19, 2012

2012-01-26T00:27:05Z

On this trip, we visited the Peoria Police Department and viewed holding cells, line up rooms, interview rooms, the evidence room, and a museum that highlights equipment, photographs, and evidence collected over the last 80 years.

Our tour will included the adjacent Emergency Communications Center, where we observed and learned how the trained staff handles emergency calls for all of Peoria County law enforcement, fire, and ambulance services and provides critical information in emergency situations to both officers and citizens.

OLLI thanks Office Beth Hermancinski for taking time out of her day to provide an informative and engaging tour.

For more information about the Peoria Police Department, please visit www.ci.peoria.il.us.

JABA Volunteer Opportunities

2012-01-25T00:14:00Z

We are looking for some administrative help with the FISH (Friends in Schools Helping) program on Wednesdays. If you have an interest in or background in publicity, volunteer management or training please join our FISH Leadership Team and have a … Continue reading →

Corrections

2012-01-24T01:30:18Z

If you have already read yesterday's blog - go back. I made some blaring errors which hae now been corrected.

1. Josef Hoffman, not Hans Hoffman was Lillian Langseth-Christensen's teacher in the 1920s. Am I the only one to confuse Hans the abstract painter with Josef the Vienna Secession designer? Both Viennese they are fascinating men who added much to the visual arts of the 20th century.

2. LLC's No Cook Cookbook "approaches the idea of serving good food withOUT fuss by buying the best ingredients and using simple processes." Obviously deleting the 'out' changes the meaning drastically. This little book is a rare jewel of a cooking guide.

Thankfully I have some readers who follow me on occassion. I know not who you are (well my dear SD accounts for many hits), the counter just turned over 14,000 hits. That's in about four years not just recently but the notion that somewhere 14,000 people have chosen to read my ramblings is humbling.

But I remain undaunted - there are blank pages waiting to be filled and given the right time and moment I will be back to add to the ongoing saga that is my life.

May you live long and prosper, bb

Notes on Cookbooks

2012-01-23T01:49:42Z

Remember when people actually wrote books?
I mean real books like cookbooks that readers consumed faster than the speed of printing?

Recently found a note about a blogger who writes about her cookbook collection. Why not, I could do that; or at least I could have before I gave away or donated about half of my collection (now down to a paltry 200 (+/_). But the ones kept are the ones worth writing about. After all if I am not actually going to cook much anymore, why not celebrate the shared experience of authors in my own words.

c. 1962

Of the most precious books I value are three by Lillian Langseth-Christensen. A Google search resulted in no matches for her name which is disheartening since she wrote articles for the one time much touted magazine Gourmet. But Langseth-Christensen is no more and neither is the magazine. Searching http://www.gourmet.com/ for her archive of articles I found ten. Ten - that's it! She wrote at least a hundred articles over the decades but those ten are the only ones archived. And I gave away years of Gourmet issues when we last moved.

Trying amazon.com I learned that she published at least nine cookbooks of which my three are merely a sample. All three came from used book stores, cost a pittance but offer a wealth of information.

The 1962 "The No Cook Cookbook, published by Coward-McCann In., New York, is THE cookbook for those who love good food - with maximum pleasure and minimum effort," and was my introduction to her recipes. Found this book for $4.50 in a small bookseller on Cape Cod and was thrilled with the find. Do not think for a moment this book is outdated; who has time to cook anymore? In spite of half of Americans being overweight, at least a third say they cannot cook which is the common denominator of weight control. Lillian approaches the idea of serving good food with fuss by buying the best ingredients and using simple processes. A no-brainer if you ask me.

c. 1963

Next came "The Instant Epicure Cookbook," 1963, features an oddly titled chapter "Outdoor on Plug-in-Anywhere Cooking" that only underscores the fact LLC was far ahead of her time. How many of you have a George Foreman Grill?

About the same time I fetched LLC's "Mystic Seaport Cookbook, 350 Years of New England Cooking" published 1970 by the Marine Historical Association, Inc. and Galahad Books of New York. The book ends with the chapter on 'Mystic Meals and Menus,' complete with the definition of "Sunday dinner should come between church and the Sunday nap, and its preparation should be worked down to such a fine art that it need not absorb the entire morning." Works for me, especially the nap part.

c. 1970

The Mystic cookbook also marks the beginning of 'designing' cookbooks and is quite a departure from the former two. Neither of the above any illustrations whatsoever but some how this book rated black and white photographs and some decorative woodcuts. Color photography and food styling were yet to be realized in the marketing of cookbooks.

c. 1970

The photographs are not of the actual dishes as you might expect but rather of New England crafts, kitchen and old cooking tools. A little bit of history fit between the recipes.

What I do not have is her last book and I will look forever for the tome.

Lillian first went to Vienna in the 1920s to study under, Hans Hofmann a noted painter (favorite of mine). What would Vienna have been like in the 1920s, I can only wonder. LLC was fluent in German (her mother's name was Gaertner), and she made Vienna her second home returning often over the coming decades. It seemed fitting that her last endeavor focused on her favorite place and time.

From the web:

A Design for Living: Vienna in the Twenties, by Lillian Langseth-Christensen. Viking $18.95

Vienna in the 1920's was an enormous head on a tiny body. The peace settlement at Versailles had destroyed the Hapsburg Empire, leaving the great capital all dressed up in increasingly shabby clothes that no one wanted to see any more. No one, that is, but artistic types who knew that the life of the mind was flourishing now that politics was out of the way. Lillian Langseth-Christensen was such an individual, and she persuaded her parents, rich New Yorkers, to let her go to Vienna to study with Josef Hoffmann. Out of that three-year stay comes this elegant, graceful little memoir. Highly recommended.

As a student of decorative arts more than cooking arts her descriptions of Vienna's landmarks were a treasure to me in graduate school. See cookbooks can do much more than just list needed ingredients.
bb

Dinner Disaster

2012-01-21T18:36:12Z

Rarely do I have a cooking disaster. Well, pretty rarely, except for last night when it was mega-failure all the way around. My aim was to use the griddle on the uber-stove that I have not used once in nearly 15 years. Yes, not once because DH was "pancake master" when we actually ate pancakes which we don't anymore (TMCarbs). At any rate before we sell the house I thought "why not?" Big mistake.

Am I the only one left who has Abby Mandel's Cuisinart Classroom cookbook, c. 1984? Her section on egg whites is my greatest souffle-making aid, as are many of the recipes learned in book - it took me into food processor cooking and I have never looked back.

One of my fav's

Well to digress for just a moment - soon after DH and I were married we vacationed on Chincoteague Island at a B&B whose name I forget. Breakfast was $$ pricey but sounded like a treat so we splurged on the most expensive pancakes in the country, maybe even the world. And they were worth every penny, the lightest, highest, fluffiest pancakes ever seen. That they contained stiffly beaten egg whites was a given but how did they rise to more than an inch thick while cooking? That question has plagued me for more than two decades.

Consulting Mandel's Cuisinart cookbook for an egg-white fluffy recipe "Pancakes Comme Chez Soi" seemed to be the answer to high and light. So I made the effort to make pancakes for supper - just pancakes and strawberries with a little syrup: what could go wrong?

And I needed the rehearsal because the calendar says February is coming, that means Valentine's Day so I thought these sentimental pancakes would made a perfect sweetheart dinner. Should anyone else have this notion I would caution you to try something else.

Not mine, a stock image

First of all, it was a lot of work. Secondly the recipe called for both ricotta cheese and plain yogurt (which I have leftover in abundance). Since I am far out of practice at multi-tasking the jobs of gathering the ingredients, separating the eggs, warming the griddle and getting the measures ready seemed to take forever. Got the egg whites/sugar processed high and fluffy but they seemed a bit wobbly to me. Keep going - get the cheese and egg yolk mix together and fold into the the whites. Keep going. Got the griddle turned up.

The first pancake is always a dumper, but this was a disaster - wait: I forgot the flour. Quick add the flour and fold into the egg mixture. Griddle not hot enough. Try again. Small pancakes, rather thick browned around the edges but seemed raw in the middle. Keep going.

Finally one is done if a little over brown. Keep going. Dinner will be in five minutes. Turn the first batch, spoon on the second batch. First batch is not browning - turn up the heat. Twenty-five minutes later with a griddle that kept getting too hot and too cold, mini-pancakes are ready to serve - sorta. Thank goodness for lots of strawberries - the heavy cheesy mix is barely noticeable. Oops - left the griddle on - smelled way too hot. Dinner a la disaster.
Wait - I forgot to add the milk - no wonder they were so thick. And my flip-time is way off. Something about making soups and salads that one forgets grilling altogether.

But they still were not all that high, why not? Re-reading the recipe this morning I realized the instructions called for 2/5" rings, oiled, placed on the griddle to drop the batter into meant the ring would force the egg whites to rise - just like a souffle. Why didn't I think of that! The pancakes were a disaster but I think I know the secret of the very-high-fluffy-pancakes, at least in theory. Whether I ever choose to prove the theory is doubtful. At least not this year.

Abby Mandel is not forgotten, her cookbooks still sell on Amazon.com and I learned sadly that Mandel died in August of 2008. My Chicago friend Marlena, who recommended that I buy the cookbook, was a neighbor of Mandel's on Chicago's Northshore. At the time I did not even have a Cuisinart - who knew it would become such a valuable kitchen appliance? More valuable than the griddle for sure!
bb

Writing Out the Tough Times

2012-01-20T02:48:30Z

Nancy Pogue LaTurner is that author of Voluntary Nomads, a book I reviewed a couple of months ago. Read the review for general information about the book. For now I’ll simply say that I was mesmerized by the grace and compassion with which she wrote an account of a time when her husband became involved with Another Woman. After some brief correspondence, I asked Nancy if she would consent to an interview about the experience of writing that account. She did. Here it is:

SL: You made a brave decision to write about an affair your husband became involved in for a time. Many wives who remained married afterward may prefer to simply forget about that difficult time and avoid reliving the trauma. What was your purpose in including this material? How did you make this decision?

NPL: Before writing my stories, I took several writing classes and read as much as I could about the memoir genre. Absorbing great advice from William Zinsser, Natalie Goldberg, Judith Barrington, and others, I realized that the essential element in any memoir is the author's own truth. Then I made a conscious decision to write as honestly and openly as I could about what I believed to be my truth -- both the good and the not-so-good experiences and the lessons learned. "The whole truth and nothing but the truth" became my motto. My nemesis, That Woman, taught me an important lesson: in her words, "Life is a series of tradeoffs." I believe we are able to make better choices when we are fully aware that any of our choices can, and usually do, rule out other options.

SL: Did writing about it reopen the wound and/or heal it?

NPL: It is important to note that the events took place more than twenty-five years ago. But, even though I approached the writing of this issue with resolve, I still suffered pangs of the long ago pain and anger. In fact, in the beginning I couldn't write it in first person. So I methodically outlined scenes and created character profiles for a fiction short story. About midway through my preparations, a bright light bulb lit and my story took its own direction toward an ending that turned out to be the complete opposite of what transpired in real life. The process was like picking a scab -- it drew a few drops of blood without completely opening the old wound -- and it took me right down to a basic level of healing. Experiencing an alternative choice (that is, to leave my husband) within the fictional account empowered me to let go of any residual anger I still harbored.

SL: How did you handle the matter of letting your husband know you planned to write (or had written) about this and include it in the finished manuscript? How did he react?

NPL: After I finished and polished the short story, I gave it to my husband. His comments revealed that the fictional account provided him new insights into my feelings. It also resurrected some of his old guilt and shame. We had a few valuable discussions on the subject, but he still seemed reluctant about "going public." He did, however, leave the final decision up to me.

SL: How did your children respond?

NPL: Our daughter, also a writer, gave me her complete support, both on the infidelity issue and also on the revelations about her own teenage problems. Our son gave no feedback. He explained that he couldn't bear to read the manuscript and thus verify that the best years of his life were in his childhood. Now, three months after publication, he says that he is reading the book and finds it "interesting to view those years through his mother's adult eyes." I hope to create an opportunity to hear more from him when he finishes reading.

SL: What sort of response have you gotten to that revelation from friends and relatives?

NPL: I also gave the manuscript before publication to my husband's younger sister and her husband. My sister-in-law urged me to examine my motives for telling about our marital woes. She wanted me to be sure I wasn't doing it to punish my husband or get revenge. That prompted another round of soul-searching for me.

One of the first copies of the published book went to a dear friend who gave excellent feedback on all aspects of the memoir. His heartfelt comments on our near-divorce had the most impact, especially when he revealed that what we thought was our "shameful secret" was actually known to many through the grapevine of our community. My husband and I both felt unburdened -- he no longer had to bear the weight of secrecy and I felt my courage had been vindicated.

SL: Would you do it again?

NPL: Absolutely.

SL: Thank you Nancy. Hopefully your answers will give hope, courage and guidance to others who face challenging situations and want to use writing to heal residual pain and anger.

Visit Nancy’s blog to read excerpts from the book and more.

Write Now: think of a challenging situation in your life and write about it as fiction. Give it a new ending. See how that shifts your point of view about the situation.