Pleasant dreams!

Posted on September 7, 2006 by Mary Beth Frezon

Seems the past few days I’ve heard so many people say they had a hard night with elusive sleep. This one is for you all.

JOHN OF DREAMS

When midnight comes, good people homeward tread;
Seek now your blankets and your feather bed.
Home is the rover, his journey’s over.
Yield up the nighttime to old John of Dreams,
Yield up the nighttime to old John of Dreams.

Across the hills the sun has gone astray;
Tomorrow’s cares are many dreams away
Home is the rover, her journey’s over.
Yield up the darkness to old John of Dreams,
Yield up the darkness to old John of Dreams.

Both man and master in the night are one;
All things are equal when the day is done.
The Prince and the plowman, the slave and the freeman.
All find their comfort in old John of Dreams,
All find their comfort in old John of Dreams.

Now as you sleep the dreams come winging clear;
The hawks of morning cannot harm you here.
Sleep is a river, flows on forever,
And for your boatman choose old John of Dreams,
And for your boatman choose old John of Dreams.

Words copyright by Bill Caddick, Music by Tchaikovsky (tune borrowed from a southern Italian lullabye entitled Piva Piva).

Jean Redpath version Best version found on iTunes

Or for the best of all, get this version instead! Bok, Muir & Trickett.

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Last Postcards for FFAC

Posted on September 5, 2006 by Mary Beth Frezon

Maybe that should be “latest” rather than last – I remember when this all started how they kept coming and coming, but since Virginia is well on her way to meeting her goal of 1800 for the Houston show…

Go here to see all of the latest batch.

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Great vacation at the lake

Posted on September 3, 2006 by Mary Beth Frezon

Back from a bit of time with the folks, very nice, very relaxing, very everything I needed. Not very different from the trip I made up there five years ago, although my purpose for that trip was quite different, although for all intents and purposes it appeared the same: to see my folks. I was thinking about changing my life for the better then. I was about to start a new job and things looked like they were changing for the better and could be even better. My folks asked me to stay an extra day to spend it with mutual friends. That next day was Sept. 11.

This time around nothing so life-changing as any of that, but we had a good time: fishing, spending time on the lake, time around the fire, time (ok a lot of time!) around the dinner table and in the kitchen. The fishing was pretty darn good and always a mix of meditation and excitement. Mom and Dad have had a good year fishing this year, which Dad carefully journals – strictly research there!

The photo above was taken by my Mom of a quiet, subtle sunset at their summer place.

The fifth anniversary of Sept 11, 2001 will soon be here – how will you spend the day?

Find your own way to remember.

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That day again!

Posted on August 30, 2006 by Mary Beth Frezon

Swifter! Higher! Stronger!

Yup, it’s that time of year again. Nothing maudlin or startling to say except that I wouldn’t be 21 again for anything.

  • This year I’ve continued to learn about bread-baking.
  • I’ve really broken the habit of eating out – more importantly I’ve gotten into the habit of bringing my lunch (where’s the “old” derrick when I need him for encouragement? Oh right, he’s obsessing about food in general now. Just teasing Derrick – happy 4th blog birthday).
  • I’ve learned how to make a pretty darn good mojito. From scratch.
  • I’ve learned how to use a chain saw – scary but necessary.
  • Got a new sewing machine that’s very fast and way cool to use.
  • There are those new kittens, Archie and ‘Rasmus (only 6 mos old and on their way to huge!) and the older cats: reluctant-to-lead Deirdre and “could I have that water on the rocks please?” Gus. Why does a cat decide that ice cubes are good? Catnip dementia setting in? Anyway, hours of entertainment there.
  • Planted my first veggies in years, picked lots of blackberries and enjoyed my flower gardens.
  • I’ve done more reading. Right now I’m reading Thoreau! Walden!
  • My assignment for the weekend is to undo some problem areas in my current quilt project. Figure out the facings for it too. Maybe make some more postcards for FFAC.
  • Oh, and enjoy life and those I love and the weekend.
  • And to look forward to another great year. And one with my own name attached!
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Sunday wrap-up

Posted on August 27, 2006 by Mary Beth Frezon

Isn’t it fun when an idea – a good cause idea at that – catches on? Here’s the staff of the International Quilt Festival making postcards on company time. Now that’s my kind of job! Since the “boss”, Karey Bresenhan, is also honorary chairperson of the FiberArt For A Cause event, I thought it was great that she got her crew involved.

Today was round two of the tomato canning event at my house. Yesterday I did 9 quarts of “whole” tomatoes; today I did 8 quarts of “puree”. Why the quotes? Because whole tomatoes in this setting are really quarterd and pureed means that I put them through the kitchenaid’s grinder. And let me remind you what a tremendous mess THAT is! The directions should start with: “cover all nearby surfaces with a plastic tarp, and specifically, drape some food covering plastic over the exit area of the grinder such that whatever squirts out goes into the waiting container rather than across the room.”

at least I remembered to raise the level of the waiting container to minimize splashing there. But, all good, lots of tomatoes for next tomato-less season. Hope to do some more of that.

In the bread category, yesterday I tried to remember how to make pain au levain. Turned out ok, but not a lot of rise. I think it was too cool, honestly.

Today I made St. H’s Light Rye. The presence of big warm things is a good thing for making rye bread. In fact I may have done the unusual and over-risen this bread a bit, having mis-judged how warm the area over still-warm jars of tomato or still warm huge canning pots of water are. But it looks good and smells better and that’s what counts.

I’m officially done in the kitchen. Off to get some hand lotion and then do some quilting!

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