The story of Mr. Penguin and the Road-kill Bunny...

photo by Dean

...or, the wonderful toys handmade for me by Kym, which arrived all the way from Australia. Isn't Mr. Penguin magnificent? Glad he arrived with his own warm, woolly scarf since it's still quite chilly here and odds are that we aren't done with the snow (although that should all make him feel right at home).

photo by Dean

You have just got to love the wonderful sense of humor proven by the creation of a 'road-kill' toy for a pet! We weren't sure, Dean and I, that we were going to let Biscuit have his new toy; not that we're mean or selfish, but he's not been the best doggie to his soft toys in the past.

We took a deep breath, told ourselves that Kym said it was for Biscuit, and introduced them:

And it was love at first bite! I am delighted to say that so far, anyway, Biscuit loves his bunny but has not loved him to death, which is wonderful. Those knots on the ends of bunny's appendages are Biscuit's favorites, and they seem to keep him occupied enough so he doesn't chew up the bunny otherwise. Also, the lack of stuffing is perfect, since Biscuit's general trick is to knock the stuffing out of a toy as quickly as he can.

Thanks again, Kym!!

Loot

I'm delighted that Kym received the swap package I sent her: a family of three very different bears. (It happens sometimes in families.) Anne set up the swap as a tribute to handmade toys, and I felt it had been too long since I'd had toes in the swap-y waters. Aside from the delight of putting a package together, I enjoyed traveling to some new blogs and meeting new friends of handmade things. Some of my regular blogs are temporarily illegible; there's a corrupted font somewhere in my Mac and we haven't been able to ferret it out. This comes of having billions and billions of fonts, loaded in several places. THIS drives poor Ken crazy. Oops.

As far as loot flowing into my own mailbox, this very wonderful and tiny little monkey arrived today; a birthday gift to me from my sister. Thank you, Paula! (No, I don't think this counts and yes, I will write a real thank-you note.) I also had a lovely birthday card from one brother today and my other brother called me for a nice long chat on the morning of my birthday. I do love when birthdays last and linger.

Today is one of those days when Dean looks very grown up to me; no question that childhood is NOT lasting nor lingering as long as I'd wish. The brilliant sun on the snow made us both a little blind, but not so much that it prevented me from seeing that he is changing. Growing.

Just add chocolate

Predictably, when I cook a vegetarian meal, Ken will say, "this would be great with some chicken in it!" If it is not vegetarian, he'll almost always say, "if you added mushrooms to this, it would really be great!" Dean doesn't really comment on main dish items, but to any dessert-type recipe he recommends, "add some chocolate next time!"

And so when our friend Lisa gave us her amazing ginger cookie recipe (at Dean's request), I got everything out to bake and Dean said, "why don't you add some chocolate chips to the batter?" Now, as free-wheeling and adventurous as I am when I cook generally, I tend to be conservative when I bake by following recipes precisely. I hadn't had the pleasure of trying any of Lisa's ginger cookies because it would have been cruel to deprive Dean (who took some home with him from Lisa's house), so I had to take a leap of faith that his suggestion would work. (I'm not one to try something on a small scale and bake off just one or two test cookies -- I guess I'm lazy that way.)

Well, we now have THE family cookie, a new classic that is everyone's instant favorite. This is a soft, chewy ginger and chocolate cookie. Easy-peasy, too.

Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
2 teas. ground cinnamon
2 teas. ground ginger
1/2 teas. ground cloves
2 teas. baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 large egg, room temp.
1/3 cup molasses
1 1/2 to 2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325 f. and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In small bowl, whisk flour with spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until blended. Scrape down bowl and add molasses. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix on low until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

[note: Lisa chills the dough before forming the cookies. I did not and all was well, but if it seems sticky then do go with the hour or so in the refrigerator at this point.]

Put granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and coat with sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart and flatten each slightly with palm of hand. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Slide parchment paper off sheet and onto cooling rack. After about 5 minutes, you may slide the cookies off the paper and re-use the parchment for the next batch.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Meanwhile, Raesha blogged beautifully about her Easter and about our Easter swap, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Easter swap riches and local fishes

Oh joy! My Easter swap partner, Raesha, sent me a box full of Easter happiness, including this fabulous banner and...
...many pastel delights! I have to admit that this photo is a recreation of the "just opened" box that is in fact missing a number of things; Dean and I were so excited that we started right in on the chocolates, and I started decorating immediately before remembering to gather back up what I could to take a picture. That flowery fabric you see on the bottom is a vintage pillow case that's been converted into a shopping bag -- fabulous! I had to laugh at the similarity my swap partner and I had in putting our boxes together; I'm anxious for hers to arrive on her doorstep (not many days left, and I mailed it on the 10th!) and hope she likes everything as much as I've enjoyed what she sent.

In other exciting news, a friend of ours (the dad of one of Dean's school friends) has had his book published! The Naturalist's Guide to the Atlantic Seashore is the perfect guide for anyone who spends time on the beaches from Maine (that's us!) to North Carolina. The text and photos are totally accessible to a non-scientist and yet, given that the author is a professor at Wheaton College, it all stands up as solid science. Homeschoolers in this area would get a tremendous amount of use out of this book, as would vacationers or weekend day-trippers. It's exciting to see someone you know become so successful as a published writer.

The Goods

After several attempts, this appears to be my best scanning ability to show a taste, just a taste, of the riches Linda sent me for our scrap swap. Rick-rack wrapped riches (say THAT ten times fast!), and the most wonderful little Tasmanian Devil toy for Dean (who refuses to let me even attempt to scan it, lest Tazie be hurt or frightened by the process), and Tasmanian fudge, and a lovely set of picture postcards, and a beautiful notecard. As I've said to her, I just keep sitting with the fabric on my lap, touching it, smelling it, dreaming about what I'll do with it. Don't you just get an image of a person with a wonderful warm, sunny disposition when you see her collection of scraps? Fairies and Hello Kitties and hats and purses and flowers and all the great girly colors I love but never seem to buy for myself. Something special will come from this all -- something special that is beyond the already incredibly special experience of the exchange itself.

And then Helen's mom, if you can even believe it, sent me special mint cakes from Penrith at Helen's request as I'd mentioned how very much I love mint. Special cakes eaten particularly by the hikers and climbers attempting Scafell. For some reason I keep connecting the receipt of these cakes with the incredible quotation from Megan's blog: "It is ourselves we conquer, not the mountains." Sir Edmund Hillary. And that I just did some good hiking last week -- it just all feels connected and wonderful.

And then finally Susan, whom I'm not sure yet has a blog, was my partner in Helen's Swap-a-goat scheme and made a donation to Alternative Gifts International in my name and I'm delighted both by the gift and the chance to learn about this organization. It all conspires to making me feel just deeply and completely happy right now -- connected, energized, positive.

Goats, ducks, and friends

Yesterday Swap-bot assigned me my partner for Helen's Swap-a-goat scheme; I sat right down and ordered up a flock of ducks in my partner's name from Heifer International. Now I'll put together a little envelope to send off to her. The purpose of the swap was to make a donation in your partner's name to an organization that helps those most in need in the world by providing something (mosquito netting where malaria kills, ducks where a family can raise them both for the eggs and for market income, etc.) that will make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Sending along a little something extra to your partner is optional, and of course I can't resist.

Helen herself sent me a real, live letter that she wrote while in Marrakesh -- now that's a real treasure.

What is so rare...

Wow. My scanner really doesn't do well with deep pinks! The colors of the fabric are much more dusty rose than you'd ever guess from seeing this. Anyway, it's a portion of a block done years ago as part of an international round robin that went horribly wrong (one person kept someone else's stuff and dropped from sight, which prompted certain other people to also keep what they had rather than send it on to the rightful owner -- of course I returned everything and ended up with nothing of my own coming back to me so I never received the companion blocks meant to go with this). Water under the bridge. But I'm thinking of what it might be fun to do with this; I'll keep you posted.

Despite an overall break from the world o' swapping, I couldn't resist the siren call from Melly and Me, and invite you to check out my swap partner Linda's great blog (I've added her to my standing list as well). This is already shaping up as a wonderful experience.

And, June? June!? How on earth did that happen? It's hot and humid and yet "June" seems an impossibility.

Is ours the only household delighted by the Harry Potter Park news? We finally have reason to tear ourselves away from Walt Disney World on a future Orlando trip and hasten over Universal-way to check this out. Not until 2010, but still. We were disappointed to read that plans for the park do not include having characters from the book walking around; we were looking forward to a whole new autograph/photo scene....

International Cooperation

Helene and I had a small, impromptu magazine swap; these riches arrived from her yesterday. Being me, I had an immediate panic attack -- did I send her enough? was what I sent good enough? I can't believe how wonderful these things are! will she be happy with what I sent? In my frenzied state, I quickly got out an email to her to thank her profusely and to beg for feedback if she feels shorted in any way when her envelope arrives. I also had post-office anxiety -- the lady at the post office on Friday was excited to be able to send off the package at a rate that has been eliminated with the new US postal rates that went into effect yesterday, but will that mean Helene's package will be delayed in anyway? Oh really, I make myself a wreck over these things. I like to think that it's the mark of a conscientious person; that worrying means I care. But there is the possibility that it's just a sign that I'm nutty.

So the delights from Helene included two amazing magazines, a gorgeous hunk of what I'd call drapery weight fabric, moo cards (my first moo cards! I got moo cards!), tiny butterfly buttons, a doll card and a dolly postcard. I think I am going to have to learn to crochet -- not that I don't want to, just that I fear a new stack of supplies and WIPS. Oh, and I need to learn French. I like to think that my receptive French is ok (I could usually follow the instructions, or comprehend the information, when people spoke to me on my travels -- or at least I didn't have anyone start screaming and waving their arms at me so I thought I was doing what I was supposed to) and my menu French is ok, but reading is another story all-together. But then, hey, it's easier than following Japanese.... In any case, these French magazines are beyond beautiful and are stuffed full of inspiration and delights. Is it a "grass is always greener" thing? I'm hard pressed to think why someone in France would want a Martha Stewart magazine, but maybe there's always appeal to what's 'foreign.'
[edit: I didn't intend to sound insulting when I wrote this -- on re-reading, I realize I made it sound like I disapproved of Helene's interest in MSL. I did not mean it that way at all. I just meant that I think everything is so much better in France. Of course Martha puts out a nice magazine or she wouldn't be where she is today, and I have quite the collection of back-issues, and I was happy to get the newest issue to send off for this swap. Forgive any implications otherwise in the original post!]

What I get out of it

My second and final swap package arrived yesterday; a big warm thanks to my partner, who did a great job and sent plenty of extra fabric and a lovely spool of ribbon. I didn't do a great job on the scan, but do you see that red fabric in there? -- Scotties! I'm going to use some of it to make a bed for the Scottie that I'm making for Dean. And the guitars -- perfect for a little something for Ken, our very own Guitar Hero. The other fabrics have "softies" written all over them, just as I had hoped.

I was reading through the open swaps, trying to decide if I should capitalize on my wonderful experience and try another one, but realized that I need to finish that &$@#! baby quilt, get through Dean's birthday, and Easter, and Dean's birthday party, and then perhaps consider taking on new projects. I feel foolishly proud of myself for seeing and responding to my own limits (maybe I am learning, after all).

A friend commented to me recently how amazed she was that I was managing to keep up with blogging -- she's intrigued but doesn't know where she'd find the time (she has two children to my one child, and works more hours farther away from home than I do, so I can sympathize). What I've been thinking about is how much blogging (especially seeing what others around the world are up to) has expanded my thoughts and creativity. The time I put in is paid off in spades when I walk around smiling, thinking about projects and ideas and people and opportunities and connections -- this whole other side to myself that's been missing for a long time has opened up again (do you remember how much time you had when you were, oh, 15 to 25 years old, roughly, to ruminate? to consider your own ideas and to ponder the ideas and opinions of others of which you were just being made aware? to carry around a journal to write it all down? to dream up things to do with your time?). Sure, right now what I need to do is tear myself away and get some things done, but the bits of time I put in online are making my truly, purely happy. That's worth the investment, don't you think?

Slogging ahead

Whatever it is we are going to be doing today, springing ahead is not an option. Daylight savings has us losing an hour -- at risk of sounding like a curmudgeon, I'll admit that I despise the twice-a-year time changes. Just leave it alone! (No one listens....) But anyway, we all seem to have lost the battle overnight to some nasty colds after having had a fairly healthy winter. Today will be spent trying to rest up so we're in better shape for our Mondays.

On the delightful news front, I've heard that both my swap partners received their packages and both seem pleased with what I sent. Helen's package included some African-themed fabrics (I managed to distort the first image here; sorry about that):
While Dawn's package was more on the whimsical side:Again, without a digital camera I am at the mercy of my scanner, which gives the idea but doesn't do much for presentation. Both packages included some other treats and trinkets as well. I haven't decided yet if I'll keep swapping, but am glad I made this venture out into that aspect of the blogging world. I'm considering an entry to the latest tie one on project (I hear the siren call of rick-rack) but want to be careful that I don't line myself up with lots of reasons not to finish up on and move ahead with my own projects. Ah, the lure of distraction! In and of itself, a component of spring for all animals, I believe. I hope I feel well enough today to do some project work so it takes my mind off of not feeling very well.

Feel the power

A significant amount of time was spent today nailing down the details for Dean's upcoming 9th birthday party, and then getting the invitations made. He'd had an uncharacteristically hard time making up his mind about where to have the party (bowling alley or home, bowling alley or home?); last year was indeed a bowling party and past years' had been at home. Ken was rallying for another bowling (or other, 3rd party location) party, since he doesn't like dealing with the whole thing at home. But I was pleased with Dean's choice, being partial to home birthday parties myself (and I do take on the preparations regardless). I also like having the excuse to get the yard and house all cleaned up since it is, alas, a rarity for us to have the yard AND the house all looking good at the same time. And my gosh, to have the basement and basement bathroom, the first floor, AND the second floor all clean at the same time -- we don't even manage that at Christmas! Dean picked a Power Ranger theme and I was fortunate to have taken a picture of him with a Power Ranger at Disney World so that made the invitations pretty easy. Gotta love Photo Shop! You can laugh at me now, since the date of the party is April 28 and yet I just HAD to get this taken care of today or I wouldn't be able to sleep well with it hanging over me.... Priorities.

While printing out the invitations I sewed the bias trim around the neckline of Dean's dashiki. It was pickier a job than I was picturing and I now regret so quickly volunteering to help with getting the other children's done, but perhaps if we split it up among the other sewing moms it won't be too bad. I just wouldn't really want to have to do the remaining 13. But maybe then I'd really be a pro at it by the end.... Again, having no quick option other than to put it on my scanner, I'm hardly showing it to its best advantage, but you get the general idea. I will get some pictures of Dean wearing it, which will give better credit to his batik work and his sewing (the children hand sewed the seams for the sleeves and sides). I'm going to use some of the pieces of leftover fabric from the children's cloths to make a small quilt for their teacher as a memento of the project and the year and will post how that comes out.

I've packaged up by two swap boxes and intend to mail them out tomorrow; I think I'm more eager to hear how the recipients like what I've sent than I am, even, to receive my own mystery packages (although that will be quite wonderful, I'm sure!).