Nana's Chair

My mom told me I should feel terrible. (That's not the first time she's said that to me, but that's another story.) I have left people hanging about Nana's Chair. I argued that no one is even paying attention. And, I've been really, really busy with a new job and lots of associated transitions.

But, then the other day a Maine-ly Home follower actually asked me if I'd gotten it back. (You can read all about it here.) 

So, IF you having been waiting -- or even worrying -- I am sincerely sorry. But, I'm happy to report that the newly fashioned Nana chair is back home -- and, although it got the cold shoulder for a day or two, it is being much loved, new fabric and all. 

What do you think?

Simplifying Begins Today

I have always been very organized--since I was a very little kid. Just ask my big sister who was (still is?) very annoyed by this fact. It's one of the traits that makes me good at my job -- or should I say my jobs - as mom and as consultant. I like everything to have a home...to be in its place. And, I'm on a constant quest to get rid of stuff.

My husband has recently offered a reflection that has me thinking...am I really organized? Or, do I just organize to cope. I'm not sure it really matters. The fact is that I haven't been good at coping if things aren't organized.

Truth is, however, I feel like I've really lost organizational edge. Not sure if it is the two kid thing. The two coast thing. The two working parent thing. The fact that I live in a 175 year old home that while charming, just doesn't cut it for storage thing. Or, maybe I'm just getting old and tired.

Whatever the reason is, I'm hoping that (and, gosh, I'm being bold to do this publicly) joining Simple Mom for the next five weeks might help kick me back into gear. Each week, on Monday, Simple Mom will reveal a corner of your home that needs to be tackled. You are encouraged to take before and after shots to share. It begins tomorrow -- wanna join me?

The Curse of the White Picket Fence

{photo via here}

A house with a white picket fence. Every girl's dream, I'm told. Well, I have that house -- a house with a white picket fence. It's vintage, to boot.

Like many historic home owners, I have a love/hate relationship with my 170+year old beast. I love the stories the walls tell. I love the wide pumpkin pine floors. I love horse hair plaster walls. I love the clawfoot tub and pedestal sinks. I love the high ceilings with elaborate plaster ceiling medallions. I love the look of old windows with the ripples in the glass and pulleys that make them work.

I hate the lack of storage. I hate that nothing is level. I hate that plaster cracks (and, therefore, I never hang anything in fear). I hate that beautiful white trim must be painted. I hate that those charming old windows leak air and rattle (oh, and have lead paint). But, do you know what I hate the most?

You guessed it. My picket fence.

It's not that I don't still love the look of a white picket fence. I just hate the upkeep. Have you ever tried to paint a fence with toddler in tow? I did it once 5 years ago - and now I'm doing it again. Yesterday, I set out to tackle it all on my own. Grand ambitions - slap on a coat of paint in an hour. Reality? I painted the gate and one section and it started to rain. Grrrr. I repeat. I hate my white picket fence.

Appreciating the Small Things Amidst Meltdowns

I must confess that September isn't going exactly as planned.

The beginning-of-the-school-year-starting-back-to-work-and-weaning-baby-emotional fatigue is whipping me.

And, of course, that unexpected trip to the ER with my eldest (she's okay, despite taking a full-force face plant) the afternoon before I was supposed to leave on a business trip didn't help.

But, one of the big lessons I've learned (and need to keep reminding myself) about mothering is that one must not bite off more than they can chew -- and, one must learn to appreciate the small things.

Like hydrangea.

Yup, I set out (see my September Planner) to snip some of my neighbors hydrangea to enjoy now and into the future (they dry so wonderfully). And, I did it. :)


What small thing do you feel good about today?

Doormats that Give Back

Not to worry, I'm not straying from my fish theme. Honest. Read on, you'll see.

(photo from The Maine Float Rope Company)

Historically, Maine lobstermen have used float-rope to tether together multiple traps on the ocean floor. 

Unfortunately, this float rope sometimes entangles whales, typically leading to injury and death (of the whales). So, not too long ago, new regulations (seems Maine's fisherpeople are often dealing with new regulations that change the way they do their work) were put in place that require lobstermen to replace float-rope with sink-rope. Good idea, for the whales, at least.

But, what about all that no-longer-in-use float rope? We're talking about hundreds of thousands of pounds of rope.

Well, thanks to the clever-ness of Maine-r Penny Johnston, all that "wasted" rope is getting put to good use--doormats! The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation purchases the turned-in-float-rope from Maine lobstermen (this gives financially-strapped lobstermen both an incentive to switch out their rope, and a little welcome financial relief). Then, Ms. Johnston's company, The Maine Float Rope Company, collects the rope and turns it into colorful and virtually indestructible doormats. All from the coast of Maine!

Now, this is a doormat you can feel good about. It is cool-looking; recycled; indestructible--and it was created out of rope that is no longer putting whales at risk. If that isn't enough to sell you, you'll be happy to know that a portion of the proceeds from the doormats are given to organizations that benefit Maine's lobstermen and whales.

Man, Maine-rs are such clever people. Seriously.

Crafternoon: Felted Bowls Oh My!

Although I come from a family with generations of knitters, I have somehow missed the knitting bandwagon.

Truth is, I've tried to learn --but it has never clicked. Until last month. And from one month to the next I've gone from a non-knitter to a knitting fanatic. I'm hooked (Too bad I didn't learn to crochet, that would be a great line!).

Now, don't get too exited, I'm not knitting anything fancy yet. But, I'm knitting almost every day--and each day my stitches look a little more consistent and I get a little more ambitious. And, the production is significant--I'm cranking out finished projects lickety-split.

Sweaters? Scarves? Mittens? Socks? No.

Bowls.

Yes, bowls. 

I found this very simple pattern from a book called One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit or Crochet. The bowl is knit (much like a hat pattern), then felted in the washing machine. I've now modified the pattern some to create the depth of bowl I prefer (Aren't I fancy having the confidence to alter a pattern?).

A Knitted Felted Bowl: Before and After

The knitted/felted bowl is a great quick project (I can crank one out while watching an episode of Brothers and Sisters, for example!:)) and a great way to use up miscellaneous skeins of yarn.

When I tell people I'm knitting bowls--and even when I show them a finished one they are a little perplexed. "What would I use this for," they ask.

C'mon...what wouldn't you use this for?

A place to put your shell collection, a top-of-the-dresser catch-all, a gift basket, a planter, a coffee table decoration....use your imagination! (The collage below -- a collection of SOME of the ones that have been made by my aunt, my mom and me in the last month--might give you some ideas of how to put these bowls to use!)

Crafternoon with Mom: Hot Water Bottle Cozy

A few years ago, a friend of mine (who also lives in a cold 160+ year old Maine home) told me she fills a hot water bottle and places it in her bed about 15 minutes before bedtime. She claimed it was just what was needed to take the edge off those cold sheets without cranking up the heat. I thought it was odd, but decided to give it a whirl. I was hooked the first night. So, now I'm frequently placing hot water bottles in all of our beds. Not only does it take the edge off, but it also warms up the toes! I've been admiring some of the cute hot water bottle covers on the market (Yes, if you aren't already aware, there is a big market of cute hot water bottle covers out there.) and decided that crafting one was surely the way to go. I have plans for making one out of upcycled felt (I felt old sweaters and use as fabric.), but just haven't gotten to it, so I put my Mom to work knitting one. She used some old chenille that had been lying around (what a great way to use up yarn!) and this free pattern available from Lion Brand. Now, our beds are cozier than ever!

Talk Time Tuesday

I was lucky to have one of the world's greatest Dads. Seriously, one of the VERY greatest.

Unfortunately, neither of my girls ever got to meet him--and that makes me really sad. But, I've tried to find little ways to include him (sounds odd, I know) in their lives. It seems to work. He definitely is a known quantity -- and it seems to be in a healthy way. In fact, my oldest daughter (the baby obviously has no clue) loves it when I tell "GrandJim" stories.

Tonight while we were snuggling and reading in bed (sadly, something we don't do nearly as much as I'd like due to competing demands ---read: baby demands to be breastfed at that time), I told her that when I was little my Dad and I had a special night that no-matter-what was my night. It wasn't my brother's night. It wasn't my sister's night. It was all mine. We called it Talk Time Tuesday and we could talk (or not talk) about whatever. It was a wonderful thing then -- and a wonderful thing to hold onto now (I loved it so much that my husband and I used to have our own Talk Time Tuesdays more than a decade ago.)

While I told my daughter this story, her eyes lit up. Her excitement (or maybe it was desperation to retrieve some of "our time" that has been lost--or at least greatly reduced--by the addition of a sibling) was so contagious...and I knew right then it was our time to start having Talk Time Tuesdays. I suggested the idea and grinning ear-to-ear she replied, "YES!"

So, today -- well, more likely tonight -- will be our very first Talk Time Tuesday and I can hardly wait!

Post Easter Recycling

So, I'll admit, despite growing my own Easter grass and coloring eggs with natural dyes, I still did manage to have some eco- no-nos. Among my no-nos was purchasing plastic eggs. Well, thanks to Craft Test Dummies, who posted ideas for recycling those plastic eggs, I'm not going to lose too much sleep over this no-no. Brilliant (and fun!) plastic Easter egg recycling ideas include make-your-own egg-shaped sidewalk chalk and a egg rattle snake.

Oh Fiddlesticks!

One of my very favorite activities--the Maine Fiddlers Concert--takes place tomorrow, and I won't be able to make it for the first time in several years. Oh fiddlesticks!

This concert (now in its 10th year) takes place at The Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath, Maine and is, in part, a fundraiser for Maine Fiddle Camp.

The event features some of the best fiddlers and traditional musicians in the state of Maine. It is not only great music, but also great fun. Honestly, you life isn't complete until you participate in a contradance while seated. :)

At the end of the concert, anyone and everyone with a fiddle in the audience is invited onto the stage for a little fiddle jam.As you watch the fiddlers pile on stage, you wonder just where all those fiddles were hiding during the concert.

Rumor has it that Maine has more fiddlers per capita than any other state (I heard this but have never been able to substantiate...but decided a few years ago it had to be true.) -- it is just another reason I'm in love with the state. I mean, what's not to love about a state full of fiddlers (especially if you love fiddle music - which I do!)?


A couple of years ago I purchased my first fiddle -- at the store in Newcastle, Maine that sells fiddles and oriental rugs (I'm serious). I finally got up the nerve to start learning it about a year ago. I'll be honest, it is a slow and painful process (I tried not to get discouraged when my fiddle teacher said, "Are you sure that you want to learn the fiddle--it is a very hard instrument."). But, now my six year old has a fiddle too. She's learning it as a violin -- but, I know in my heart she's a fiddler. Someday we'll be climbing up on stage (and attending Maine Fiddle Camp) with the rest for the jam. In the meantime, we'll just keep trying to make it to as many concerts as we can.

And, if you have time tomorrow evening, hit The Chocolate Church Arts Center for the 10th Annual Maine Fiddlers Concert. You'll be glad you did.

Easter Grass Centerpiece

Well, it worked...(Why is it that I always seem so surprised when my projects actually work?) the Easter grass I planted a few weeks ago grew in time to be the perfect centerpiece. I'm quite pleased. Simple. Elegant. Natural.

Forcing Spring Update

Well, it worked. I "forced" Spring into my home. If you've been following my blog, you already know that a little over three weeks ago I cut some cherry blossoms in an attempt to "force" them into bloom. It worked. The result is glorious and just what the doctor ordered to help bridge that gap between Winter and Spring.

One of the extra highlights for me was the my father-in-law, known by many as the gardening guru, had never heard of such a thing...and was so impressed with the result that he called me for advice on how to implement!

Try it. Surely there are some branches within your reach just waiting to be "forced".

Grow-Your-Own Easter Grass

A few years ago, I started (with the help of my daughter) to grow my own Easter grass. I haven't totally abandoned the commercial Easter grass in its oh-so-fun colors (though I only buy paper grass, not plastic), but I've begun to grow my own grass in festive containers to use as centerpieces. Someday I hope to be organized enough to grow the grass IN the girls Easter baskets and even possibly in some baskets to deliver to others. But, for now, I'm sticking with a few festive containers sprinkled around the house. It's an incredibly easy project -- and a great project to embark on with kids of any ages. Here's the scoop:

What You Need

• Potting soil (and a small shovel unless you want to use your hands)
• Containers (Get creative -- pots, buckets, baskets, Easter baskets, egg shells, etc. Note: If you choose to use a basket or something that doesn't hold water, you'll need to line with plastic or cellophane.
• Grass seed (I use either rye or wheat grass seed/berries which you can typically buy in packets at a good garden supply store.)
• A spray bottle
• A sunny spot

How-to

• Prepare your containers (e.g. if you use a basket or another container not designed for water, line with cellophane or plastic).
• Fill your container(s) with soil.
• Top soil with seeds. Add another 1/4 inch of soil on top of seed layer.
• Use a spray bottle to moisten the soil.
• Place in a sunny spot.
• Over the next few days, keep an eye on your containers, misting soil as needed in order to keep it moist. 
• In a week(ish), you'll have a container of grass. These containers of grass make a simple and beautiful centerpiece all on their own--but also look cute decorated with eggs, chicks, ribbons, etc.

Forcing Spring Update

Today is the official day of Spring. Where I am standing, however, Mama Earth seems to have forgotten.

In anticipation of needing Spring before it comes into full bloom, I have been attempting to "force" or rather "invite" Spring into my home with some forced blossoms.

The blooms are SO close, but not in time for the first day of Spring. Boo.

Do-Over-Dinners

We love to cook and we love to sit down to dinner as a family. Given this, we are especially lucky (I used to try to claim credit to this, but in recent years I've decided it is never wise to claim credit for any parenting-related thing...it always seems to come back to haunt you!) to have one daughter (we've yet to see how number two daughter will feel...) who shares our interest in cooking, entertaining and eating. We rarely cook what I would call "kid food", we simply expect our daughter to eat whatever we're eating. And, she does. Every once in a while, however, she sighs and says, "Can't we just have macaroni and cheese?" After a few times of hearing this, I decided that we ought to give her some choice...or at least create a democracy around dinner. So, now after a meal we vote on whether a dinner is a "do over" or not. It has been a huge success--and I'll take total credit for this! In the spirit of this, Maine-ly Home will regularly feature meals that win the "do over" status in our home.  What "do-over-dinners" does your family have? 

This week's "do-over-dinner" is as basic and simple as can be--but it wins "do-over" status every time.

Lentils and Rice

Ingredients

•  6 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 1 1/3 cup uncooked lentils (pick over and rinse before using)
• 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
• salt and pepper to taste
• plain yogurt (we like Greek-style)
• 1 lemon
• 1-2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute onions until browned (about 8-10 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside. (If you don't like onions, this can easily be omitted.)
2. Place lentils in a medium sized saucepan. Cover with water (with a dash of salt). Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes or until beginning to become tender. (I suggest keeping an eye on this as the water can quickly disappear.)
3. Add rice to pot. Add enough water to cover both the rice and lentils. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until rice and lentils are tender.
4. Add onions to the cooked lentils and rice. Serve. We serve in a bowl with a choice of condiments -- lemon slices, plain yogurt and tomato sauce.

(Time Saving Hint: If this sounds good to you, but you don't have the desire to cook lentils, look for cooked lentils in the refrigerated section of Trader Joes and serve with your choice of rice and condiments.)

An Investment that Really Pays Off

Small Investments with Big Returns. That was the title of a Wall Street Journal article in January 2009. I was lured in -- who wouldn't be? After all, like lots of Americans, I'd lost a lot of money in the market. And, quite frankly, I was rather bitter about it. In my 20s and early 30s I headed all the advice of my parents and others and instead of spending my money, I'd stashed it away for the future. Well, by the look of my portfolio, I would have been better off blowing it on who knows what.

As I read the headline my hopes for retirement were renewed. A hot tip, that's just what I need.

I read along...buy a bread maker and make your own bread, get a library card in lieu of buying books, buy a pack of seeds and plant your own herbs and lettuce, buy a coffee maker, coffee and filters and make your coffee at home...Suddenly, I wondered if I'd mistakenly wandered away from WSJ.com. But, a double-check of my browser confirmed I was in the right place. I reluctantly (in large part because of the suggestion that I make my own coffee instead of my near daily visits to my favorite coffee shop) read on.

The numbers were astonishing. A $55 bread maker would save $4 a week (easily, if you ask me) on bread, equaling a 280% return. Less than $100 in coffee and coffee making supplies (and a commitment to avoid buying coffee out) would save $1000, a 1000% return. Interesting. I noted to myself that I already owned a library card and I grew my own lettuce and herbs--patted myself on the back for being fiscally smart--and moved on in my reading.

Six months later as I was reading labels on bread bags at the supermarket, the article haunted me. It was becoming increasingly more expensive to buy bread, especially bread that I could feel good about giving my family. I put the bread in my cart and vowed to go home and investigating breadmaking. All my research pointed me to Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, a book which promises that breadmaking can be an easy part of your day.

I purchased the book. I read the book. I totally bought into the concept--make big batches of no-knead dough and store in the fridge until you need fresh-baked bread. I promptly purchased a pizza peel, a baking stone and the ingredients.

My First Loaf of Homemade Bread


But, it took six weeks before I got the courage to give breadmaking a try. And, now I can't stop. I'm hooked. I love trying new recipes and am continuously gratified to put fresh bread on the table for family and friends. The WSJ was absolutely right, it was a good investment for a family's budget/bottom line. But, I believe they neglected to calculate what a great investment breadmaking is for your quality of life.

Try it, I dare you.

(By the way, I promise to address the coffee issue in the future.)

Forcing Spring

Spring. The transition period between winter and summer. It inspires images of green, blooming flowers and earth's re-birth.

But, in my life (except for the decade I lived in Washington, DC where Spring really is to die for), Spring is that season that never really comes on time...and rarely ever clearly defines itself.

We see signs. A warm day that inspires us to shed those many winter layers. A crocus poking through the earth. But, those warm days are more often than not followed by a chilly March wind. And, those crocuses, often get suffocated by a Spring snow.

Still, Spring gets under our skin. We look for change. We anticipate growth. And, well, when necessary, we help coax it along. Some call it "forcing". I like to think of it as an invitation.

This year, I'm inviting Spring into my home by forcing blossoms from a nearby cherry tree.

How-To Invite Spring into Your Home

• Cut blossoms from a tree or bush (apple, cherry, forsythia to name a few) when buds are just beginning to swell.
• Split bottoms of stems -- or, in my case, use a carrot peeler to take a little of the bark off.
• Place in a vase or container of your choice.
• Fill with water.
• Place in a warm place (but not direct sun).
• Change water every few days.
  
• Wait.
  

In just a few weeks (maybe four weeks for cherry blossoms), Spring WILL be in your home, ready or not.