BaNNeR RooTS

Valuable Garbage

We had a storm. Not the storm that gets national headlines. Just your average, wonderful western Alaska storm. Perfect for baking bread and cookies and...wrapping. I don't necessarily like wrapping gifts. But this year, I've challenged myself in a way that makes wrapping more interesting and even makes me feel good.

I've challenged myself to wrap all the gifts with...well...trash. Stuff that would head to the landfill anyway. According to recycleworks.org, 4 million tons of gift wrapping and shopping bags heads to the landfill in the US every year. It's gross.

So this morning, I grabbed some trash and got to work.

 

A Pirate's Booty bag reversed is just about the purdiest thing. It's shiny. And I like shiny.

A blue bag isn't the purdiest, but just watch. Watch.

Cut the bag into strips and you've got yourself some mighty fine ribbon.

...and a mighty fine gift wrapping job made out of trash. I literally took that bag out of the trash can. And wiped it clean of course. You don't want to give stinky, DIRTY trash wrapping to those you love. That would be weird. 

Merry Christmas.

I spent some time with a 3-year-old girl yesterday. Blond. And so adorable. She had me giggling (to myself) during our entire visit in our sometimes very insightful conversations. While trying to walk against the wind back to my truck, she squeals and hollers, "AlaPAA!" I was so delighted that I laughed out loud and it opened a tunnel to a great memory from childhood. (I love it when that happens.)

One of my best friends in childhood was blond. Swedish. Eats lefse and dressed as Saint Lucia at Christmas and everything. Well, she would often spend time with me at my grandma's house. And always, a snack at my gram's was fresh homemade bread. Delicious. And served...with lard. Really, vegetable shortening, but lard was what we called it. And while I try to stay away from shortening today, back then I had no clue butter was the usual spread for fresh bread. Lard was a perfectly acceptable option...and actually, sometimes preferred. 

Well, my very beautiful blond friend went to spend time with HER grandma. In Seattle. Her grandma gave her a slice of bread for a snack and my friend asks, "Do you have any lard?" Her grandmother did not give her lard. But to this day, this story makes me and my family so delighted we laugh out loud. 

Instead of Tackling the Mountain...

...of laundry, even though there was a very sweet cat for company, I grabbed some yummy fabric I ordered from Banberry Place and sat myself on the floor.

...and I grabbed one of Sid's shirts...

...to use as a pattern...

...and made her a much-needed qaspaq...just in time for school pictures (if she chooses to wear it). Notice the mountain is still mighty. I'll soon cause it to tremble, but until then, there's more fabric staring me in the face and I'm staring back with a sly eye. 

Celebrate Anything and Everything

Joe came back from Unalakleet. It seems like every month someone comes back from Unalakleet to this house. But this time, Joe gets cake like it's his birthday or something.  He's here and we're thrilled. And we wanted him to know. Even though we just saw him. Like two days ago.

So Sid and I got to work. It's so fun celebrating anything and everything.

 
 
Happy coming back Joe! We love you! And you get a cake with a banner...

And sprinkles...

Life is pretty dang good. Make it fun. Make it silly. Make it taste good. And colorful. And handmade. And chocolatey. And a celebration. Just because.

 

Big Juicies

The blues are now squishy as ever from the multiple frosts we've had the past week. We've now moved onto blackberries...crunchy, juicy, tundra-tasty blackberries. They'll add the perfect contrast to creamy akuutaq this winter. And they're a blast to pick, NOW!

 

 

Why are they a blast to pick? Because they're tough. They hold their own...VERY unlike the blues. Blues get picked and they're a little pissed about it. They threaten to cry and smash and squish and make a purple mess. Blackberries head to the bucket with pride almost. Even making a proud noise when they hit the bottom of the pail. It's quite fun. I pretty much "right on!" the blackberries every time. It's quite satisfying.

Sid just asked me, "Are you talkin' bad about blueberries?" She has a point. Blueberries, while they're a little fragile, are the most versatile berry we've got. The tangiest and boy do they pack a punch when you pop 'em in your mouth.

But blackberries. Just look at 'em!

 

Sorry Sid, but they are more fun to pick.

Pick

 
I love picking with this girl. She reminds me so much of my mother - optimistic, goofy, sweet, crazy, loving. And she's a picker! I'm quite the proud lady. I know Ma is too.

 

 

 

"I almost picked as much as you," she said. And she's right!

Handmade

 
Sometimes knitting sounds like a fun thing to do. Especially when you have five-hour flights and lots of idle time. That's when having a few sticks and some wool is sanity saving because there's only so much ginger ale you can drink. And because there's just something about the repetition of stitching that is soothing and therapeautic. Like a soak in the tub, but then! At the end, you have gifts. Handmade gifts. And I don't know about you, but I love receiving handmade gifts. And I love giving them. They're just so freakin' special!

 

Here's the thing. I was always a hooker. OK. A step further. A crocheter. Well, one day I decided enough was enough and with the help of a knitting wonder, I made one sock. Then a few months later, I made the other. All. By. Myself. I'll just say it. I'm quite proud. Here's why. My mother was a knitter. She knitted thousands? of socks in her lifetime. People all over have socks made by her. It was her thing. And happily, now it's mine. Hooker turn stitcher. I think Ma would be happy. 

 

And the stitching continues because learning a new thing is fun. And people need hats too.

 

 

I will say (and you might not agree) that knitting is so much more versatile than hooking. And there's something about those little v-shaped stitches that delights my liver. Yes. My liver. If I could, I'd stitch a cosy for it.

Cheers to all the other hookers and stitchers who just love the feeling of fiber between your fingers. And anyone who enjoys taking material - ANY material - and making something beautiful. I'd give you a hug if I could.

Really Super Special Haiku Friday

Today's a sparkling day. Here's why. If you're a lucky ducky person and you're in a place where there's a clear sky, look up. Tonight is the peak night to view the Perseid meteor shower. And it's fantastic. It's one of those happenings that hollers nicely, "IF THE UNIVERSE CAN MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, THERE ARE WONDERFUL POSSIBILITIES!"

Now a story. Five years ago, an extremely new friend and I viewed the Perseid meteor shower together. We had just met that summer and we were lucky enough to be outside the night the Earth was traveling through the comet, Swift-Tuttle's, orbit. Swift-Tuttle. Say it out loud. "Swift Tuttle." Fun, isn't it? Anyway, it blew our minds. And bonded us in a way that only pieces of comet junk traveling through the Earth's atmosphere can. And so today, we celebrate. And in my celebration with you, I share the Really Super Special Haiku I received today from my now forever friend.

It doesn't directly address meteor showers, but it does speak of wonderful possibilites and I have come to fully appreciate that message.

 

Orange Sky

It's again raining. But this morning, I was grateful for my early morning drive, because the sky was clear and I was able to see this...

And this...

And this...

Moments like this give fuel for the 2011 summer of clouds and rain. Thank you morning and give me some of that rain water to drink. Today I will be thoroughly quenched!

Slow DOWN! Wait. Never mind. And what?!

I came home to this today. It makes a Mom very happy, seeing a kid read like this. 

I walk in and he looks up and back down and asks, "What time is it? I don't want to get up, this book is so good." Great thing, right? Right.

Except here's the thing. Joe requested the Harry Potter series, so I bought the first three. On Sunday morning. He's nearly finished with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban TODAY - the third book! How does a girl keep up? He officially reads faster, more and files information better than his Ma. It's CRAZY! Thank God today's payday 'cause 4,5,6 & 7 are on their way. Telling a kid to "SLOW DOWN on your READING!" doesn't seem right, so instead we're headed to town for his own library account. I can't keep buying books like this!

And something pops in my brain. And I picture it so tiny and it's so outnumbered that it's scared to even peek around the corner at all the other print loving brain matter, but it does. It DOES! The tiny, little question asks, "Should you join the dark side and get him a Kindle?" WHAT?!?! Brain matter in the majority is shocked. But this little question has a point and has everyone wondering.