You Can and Can't Go Home Again

The goal for the whirlwind Minnesota trip was a visit to the town I grew up in, but hadn't seen in more than ten years. We were able to visit with some family and old friends still in the area, which was lovely. And we walked a bit around the parts of town most familiar to me as a child. This was both happy and disconcerting, because things do change.


The house I lived in until I was 16 looks much the same.

The smaller house to the left is the one my Mom grew up in. My Grandma lived there until her death. Most of the neighborhood looks much the same. The old elms died off years ago, but new street trees are growing. Just the other side of Grandma's house, the bank parking lot has expanded to eat up two more lots.

The little downtown is still vital, though now more of a tourist destination for day trips from the Twin Cities than commercial center for a self contained community. Many buildings have gone (replaced by newer ones or parking lots), a number were still very familiar, at least externally. A few were almost unchanged, including this one.

I had my first real job here, working after school as a Dental Assistant, age 15, trained on the job. (obviously the dental professions have changed, too, undoubtedly for the better).

It's a reminder to me that childhood memories are just snapshots of the process of change that has been going on all along. Clearly this building had replaced another that would have been familiar to Mom from her childhood.

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One most welcome change was a yarn store right next to the dental office. I popped into The Sheepy Shop while the others were browsing Scandinavian imports. I picked up some bamboo dpns in a size I had been lacking, and a ball of sock yarn, which I don't really need, but it was Opal 6 ply, which I love and which you don't run across every day.

This One's For Molly Bee

Just to show that Maine isn't the only state with bears.

My cute Mom being attacked by a bear in Osseo, WI.

On the first leg of our whirlwind Minnesota tour we stopped at the Norske Nook for lunch. Two of the gals split a Lefse Wrap, one had an omelet, and I opted for classic roast beef and gravy sandwich with mashed potatoes on the side. We were all too full for pie. Since pie is the Nook's claim to fame, I guess we will just have to go back another time.

Nice Dale of Norway sweaters in the gift shop, but I didn't come away with one of those, either.

If you look closely, you will see that the box in the lower right hand corner contains Ole and Lena fortune cookies. In case you ever need any, you now know where to find them. Uff Da!

Headed North

I'll be out of town for a few days. Mom, sister, daughter and I are making a quick trip to Minnesota.

The Escape Artists

Speaking of cats, the boys gave us a bit a a scare last night.

Before going to bed, it occurred to me that I hadn't seen either one in over an hour. Checked the garage (they sometimes slip by when we take out trash) - nope. Called. Checked closets, cupboards, other regular hiding/sleeping spots. No cats. Mr S went down to the basement. Oh no! Open (unscreened) window.

Mr S was in the yard, clinking their food dish, before I could get my robe on. Fortunately, they hadn't gone far. Merlin appeared first - easier to spot a basically white cat in the dark than a grey tabby. Mr S snagged him and hustled him into the house. Back out to call and clink for Bob, who could be heard mewing, but not seen. Following the sound, it turned out that he had gotten into the chicken wire fence around the bean patch, but couldn't manage to get out. He didn't seem too happy to be rescued, or perhaps was sort of generally freaked out, and struggled all the way to the door. But once inside both of them were happy enough to have their second dinner of the good (canned) food.

Chances are they would have survived a night outdoors if it had come to that. I'm really glad it didn't.

I Do Love Simon's Cat

Reading and

My copy of the Sept/Oct Piecework arrived in the mail the other day. As always, I enjoyed it, but rather wished wished there were more of it.



The theme of Needlework in Literature is a fun one, and a glove pattern inspired by Dancing at Lughnasa is especially nice.

I was rather sorry that the article about Rose Wilder Lane didn't give a nod to Mary Schiffmann, who was the one that actually actually figured out from historical samples the directions for knitted lace used by Lane in The Story of American Needlework . At least, this is the case according to The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann, also an Interweave Publication. However, the lace edging in the magazine is not included in that book, and is a nice addition, especially as it uses a slightly unusual technique.

There are, appropriately, three little bookmarks included among the projects: crochet, embroidered and knit. I've often been pleased by the look of knit bookmarks (and they seem like a wonderful project for trying out new stitches, which is very appealing to me). But, alas, they don't seem all that functional. Too thick to slip smoothly between the pages (though I haven't tried one in lace weight), and too floppy for my taste. But then, I'm always loosing bookmarks anyway, and end up resorting to odd scraps of paper, or (on my own books only, I swear) the deadly sin of dog earring the pages.