NDL's LFL (Little Free Library)

We have thought for a long time that it would be great to host a Little Free Library. Fittingly, as the first LFL was built by a son for his mother, this one was too. We asked the middle son to "help build a LFL for us" and it seems that what we really meant by "help", was "will you build a LFL for us", because that is what happened. Perhaps we held a board in place, and we certainly loosely supervised from a lawn chair, but all the real work was done by a more capable, and very patient carpenter. 

When it got down to the fine details we turned the foreman job over to the shop bunny aka Mr. Bunny who saw the project to completion.

LFL #103,686 was installed in July 2020 and ready for patrons. And yes, our number reflects that we were the 103,686th library to be registered since the first one installed in Hudson, Wisconsin in 2009.

You can check the map for LFLs in your neighborhood.

In the last year we have had so many people tell us that they really appreciated being able to get books at little libraries during the pandemic while public libraries were closed, or they didn't feel comfortable going in to them, or they wanted to browse books rather than order online for pickup. That made us feel very good. 

Stop by anytime to Take a Book and Leave a Book. And if you see us out please say "hi". We love talking to strangers. 

And if you want to create your own Little Free Library all you need to know can be found at littlefreelibrary.org.

Ramping Up the Pandemic Pantry

One thing we could do well, and safely, while isolating was get out in nature 

and forage our little hearts out.

In this case some generous young foragers shared their bounty of ramps aka wild leeks.

Pretty, aren't they?

We made a pesto-like concoction.

Spread it on flatbread from the freezer. Added a bit of cheese. 

And voila. Perfectly pizza from the wilds of Wisconsin and our well-stocked store of staples.

Covid Quilting

Or How 72 Chickens Kept Us Sane During the Global Pandemic. 

Based on a quilt by Quilty Love,

based on a block by Sew Inspired, 

with a few tweaks by NDL, 

this quilt was finished and delivered to some chicken loving newlyweds while it was still quilt weather. 

Another Sewsocial Isolation project brought to you by Covid 19.

Northern Hospitality

RCMP mug recently added to the stable of coffee cups. A fine new specimen for our Mountie collection as well. Thank you, Niece.

We may have been drinking from it when we recently read this book. 

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

We were afraid a book about 9/11 would be very sad, and it was, but the overwhelming feeling was amazement at the hospitality of an entire community towards the thousands of people stranded on their island when the events of the day caused the grounding of dozens of planes at their airport. 

So many acts of kindness! A beautiful result from a horrible act of violence.

A synopsis from Amazon:

When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill.

As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email, and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news.

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill.

A recommended by NDL read. And the inspiration for the Broadway play Come from Away.

Chad the Container Car

American country cousin to Thomas the Tank Engine.

Hanging out in Bloomer, Wisconsin.

Looks like he's got a mischievous streak. 

And possible gang affiliations. 

We'll be looking for the episode in which he goes to visit his posh relatives.

Trouble, or at the least hi-jinx are likely to ensue.

Duluth

We are so thrilled that the non quilter in the household "got" the concept of this quilt we have adopted his name for the idea. The "Suburbs" pattern from Cluck, Cluck, Sew, in this iteration is henceforth to be known as "Duluth".

Top finished!

The first version of this pattern was Little Cabins in the Woods.

Portable Poutine

Poutine potato chips. No knife, fork, or napkin required, and perhaps minus a few hundred calories and the ensuing stomach ache one might receive from eating real poutine. 

 Hope the relatives leave room in their luggage for a bag or two of these when they come to WI this week for Christmas in July.

Warning: Santa has been sited in a red, Princecraft fishing boat powered by a 50 horsepower outboard motor named Rudolph. Last chance to make sure your name is on the "Nice" list.

Squash Justice

We had just three little Delicata squash on the vine in our community garden plot.

At the going rate of 68 cents per pound we thought we would at least break even on our investment in the two squash plants we had purchased at the clearance price of 79 cents each.

But then there were only two.

Squash thievery! 

We were very upset. More upset, some thought, than the situation warranted.

With our new, amazing, community garden "wildlife enclosure" (which is actually a "produce enclosure") it was unlikely the usual suspects, the Duncan Creek whitetail herd, were the culprits.

The generous soul in the household supposed someone hungry was benefiting from the free food.

The suspicious soul in the household who has observed youths pass through the garden on the way to the skate-park, basketball court, and swimming in the creek, felt that the oblong squash's resemblance to a football, and an overwhelming temptation to spiral one into the crick for a teenage version of Pooh Sticks was the likely motive.

In any case, the generous soul, when assigned to cut down the massive clump of comfrey growing next to our home compost bin found, hiding under the tangle of leaves, this beautiful little bonus, volunteer Sweet Dumpling sprouted from last year's discarded squash guts.

In telling this tale to another generous, wise, if only politely interested soul rooted in this household, he proclaimed it "Squash Justice". Hear, hear!

And so, whether a full belly from eaten squash, or the thrill of the toss of same was the mystery history of the Delicata, we wish the "borrower" well and hope it is the first in a series of pay it forward events.

Cucurbit Karma, if you will.

Peace, man.

Withdrawn, But Not Forgotten

The library book sale.  $6 a bagful! 

It is a great time to try authors you have been meaning to read, own old favorites, or take a chance on something that might be too quirky or, wonderfully quirky.

Sometimes you find just the book that speaks to you in multiple ways. Badgers. Check. Great illustrations. Check. Heartwarming narrative. Check!

We cried.

We laughed. 

We cried some more.

If you choke up too much to read a book out loud you know it is a winner.

And eventually, with practice, and the desire to share the story with your little badger, you will get the words out. And if he or she is snuggled on your lap, where all the best story times happen, they will not be able to see your glistening eyes even if they wonder why you are taking unusually long pauses between pages.

Can You Do This, Old Badger? - Two thumbs up, five teardrops, and five chuckles for this charming story of a little badger learning the ways of the world from his old badger grandpa. - NDL Review

Rootbeer Remembrance

A couple of years ago at the small town 4th of July celebration we love to attend, an extended family had their own parade entry.

They walked alongside a truck that held kegs of homemade rootbeer made from their mother's recipe and gave out samples to the crowd. The mother is departed, but the tradition of their lake time rootbeer making and spending time together lives on.

What a wonderful legacy.

And we think Hazel would be very proud and pleased. We would be.

March

Is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. If you don't believe NDL when she says it is very important perhaps you will take it to heart when you hear it from Fight Colorectal Cancer or from the CDC.

And if you still don't believe that screening is imperative (especially if you are related to someone who has a history that indicates you take action) maybe you will believe an old hippy who knows what he is talking (singing) about. 

Please, don't die from embarrassment or for any other lame reason. 

Knitting for Babies

Is so fun! 

Tiny knit items are so sweet.

But when put on babies the cuteness factor takes an exponential leap.

Of course we think this little model is absolutely adorable with or without a hat. 

As a matter of fact, we do believe he is The Cutest Baby Ever.

Top Knot Baby Hat

Worsted weight yarn (½ skein for most sizes)

#6 or #7 double point needles, or needle to obtain gauge of 5.5 stitches/inch

Row marker

Wool needle

1. Cast on 77 stitches
2. Knit for 4 (newborn)  to 5 (for bigger sizes) inches, begin decreases as follows
3. K9, K2tog (7 times), then
4. K8, K2tog (7 times), then
5. K7, K2tog (7 times) and so on until 7 stitches remain.
6. Knit these 7 stitches around until needed length for tying top knot is reached.
7. Cut yarn leaving tail of several inches, use tail to pull remaining stitches together, weave in end of yarn.
8. Tie knot.

For larger or smaller hats increase or decrease the number of cast-on stitches in multiples of 7 (63, 70, 77, 84, etc.) Then when you get to the first decrease row add or subtract 1 stitch to the first number on line 3 for each 7 stitches.

63 stitches cast on starts decrease with K7, K2tog (This is a tiny newborn size.)

70 stitches cast on starts decrease with K8, K2tog

77 stitches cast on starts decrease with K9, K2tog

84 stitches cast on starts decrease with K10, K2tog

Grandma, What Nice Mittens You Have On

This scene seen at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wisconsin 

reminded us of the one who freezes snowballs in January to throw with her Southern grandsons in July.

"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball." 

- Doug Larson

Once she helped us collect Zamboni shavings from behind the hockey arena for a fellow summer birthday child who didn't understand why he couldn't have a snowball fight as an activity for his June party. 

Yup, she's been in the business of making kids' dreams come true for four decades, and counting.

Here's hoping she has a chance to relax and enjoy her special day, which promises to be a beautiful Wisconsin one,

 but with the grand energy level currently at an all-time high she may just have to hold on for the ride for now and collapse later.

Ready. Aim. Enjoy!

Slat Back Rocker

Well, this was fun to make.

The pattern found in the Sep/Oct 2013 issue of Quilty is Tunisia by Pamela Goecke Dinndorf.

Her Deck Chair pattern for sale here looks to be the same or very similar.

Ours is made with  Kaffe Fassett Classics purchased from Craftsy.

It is backed in Millefiori Red and beautifully quilted by J. Bauer.

We call our version Slat Back Rocker. Deckchairs are for those with long attention spans and good concentration skills. Avid book readers and Sudoku fans for example. Rocking chairs are for multitaskers. Activities such as rocking, beverag sipping, gossiping, and neighborhood surveillance are easily done simultaneously. 

What's your chair type?

Here's hoping that the recipient of this little piece finds time to sit a spell to reflect on her recent big accomplishment 

and relax before her next ambitious undertaking.

Bed of Roses

It was bittersweet to be sure. 

We un-sewed quilt blocks pieced by Grandma Rosie in her later life, then re-cut and reset them to make a little, soft, pastel flannel baby quilt.

Grandma loved pink and she loved her namesake roses. 

She would have liked this little quilt.

It is rather sweet. 

Just big enough for a little one to lay on for tummy time or some good arm-waving and leg-kicking exercise. 

Babies deserve to start off life in a bed of roses. 

And thanks to Grandma Rosie one just might get to.

Pallet Pals

Two housemates and one neighbor.

Saturday afternoon plus ingenuity.

A couple of pallets and several hammers.

One big cheese and four big wheels.

Finishing technique of choice.

That is the recipe for a significant and attractive DIY coffee table.

And it looks like they had fun and got their lawn mowed too.

Unity Quilt

This quilt from a pattern appropriately called "Band Together" by Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle 

was finished just in time to give as a gift to acknowledge a milestone event.

.

The event was the college graduation of another young person who had the many people of our amazing village 

banded together to guide him up the many steps that led to the podium. 

Members of the village carried and rocked, collected rocks, employed a pint-size yard boy, taught welding, kept a sense of humor, counseled his mother, and displayed in countless other ways that they loved and supported him as he strove for the independence of adulthood.

Thank you to the village (again). 

Congratulations to the graduate!

Crafty Canned Christmas

Next up, this wonderful gift of home canning from the young community garden plot holders.

Look at the custom labels.

Behold the colorful produce.

Imagine the hours of labor to grow, cut, can all this bounty.

These are so nice to look at on the shelf we may have a hard time breaking into them. 

But we will. We would never let love's labors be lost. 

Or grow old and scary at the back of the pantry.