Caitlyn, Seasons, sewing

One last gift post

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I know everyone has moved on to new projects (new year, new goals, new determination!), but I’m still wrapping up/catching up. I’ve got one last gift post and then I can move on to the Things I Didn’t Do Because I Was Making Caramels post(s). By that time that’s done, perhaps I’ll have a post for Something New Made in January. Maybe. Anyway,now that we’ve had our last holiday gift exchange, I can share this: Because you can’t give caramels to kids who don’t have teeth yet. I’d love to say that I came up with the idea for this …

Caitlyn

Artistic Endeavors

Caitlyn received a new box of colored pencils and a pad of quality sketch paper for Christmas. This is one of her first creations: She took her time with this drawing and chose not to fill in the sky, both of which are historically unusual. She told me she’d decided not to color in the sky since she didn’t want to totally use up her new blue pencil. I told her it was a perfectly valid artistic choice and that sometimes what leave uncolored is as significant as what you do. At least, that’s what I tried to say. I …

Caitlyn, Seasons

Christmas Eve Snow

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When we finally got around to marking the winter solstice last month, Caitlyn greeted it with the largest pout imaginable. “No snow!” I suppose she’s got it in her head that it snows regularly in Seattle because we’ve had snow for three years running, at least. We had snow in 2010, lots in 2009, and more in 2008. That’s three years in which enough snow for local sledding has come to Seattle at least once. Of course, there’s still the rest of January and February before the possibility of local snow gets so slim as to be essentially zero. So, …

in the kitchen, Seasons, sewing

Making the Tradition Mine

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I sort of fell off the Internet there for the second part of December. Wanna know why? After last year’s first attempt was deemed a success by my candy-making grandfather, and with his candy-making tools in hand (omg! marble slab ftw!), I picked up the family Christmas candy tradition. I’ve always thought that someone should carry on Grandpa’s candy making; if it’s me, I get to claim the extras. I guess there’s an ulterior motive for everything. Grandpa made caramels for years. I remember there were a few years when I was a teenager (I think) when he made all …

Caitlyn

Bedtime Philosophy

After last night’s bedtime stories, Caitlyn rather randomly asked about seasons. Something like, “Why is it cold in the winter and hot in the summer?” So I did a quick overview of the Earth’s axis being tipped off of vertical and the resulting annual wobble as the planet revolves around the sun. I’m always pleased with myself when I review this topic with Caitlyn since I inevitably try to illustrate the not-vertical nature of the axis by physically leaning to the left. Maybe I’m 23 degrees off vertical, maybe not. But thus far, I’ve managed to not fall down. That …

in the kitchen, Seasons

On with the Sugar Rush

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English toffee. It’s the reason for the season. Or is it the traditional Christmas morning coffee cake ring? Family gatherings, carols, large meals and gift exchanges are all very nice, and I’d miss them if they weren’t part of our rituals, but take out the candy or the coffee cake and I think my world might stop spinning. Even if it didn’t, it would definitely develop a bad wobble. I’m thinking of you, Grandpa! Save Save