Strawberry fields forever

"Blessings on thee, little man,

Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!

With thy turned-up pantaloons,

And thy merry whistled tunes;

With thy red lip, redder still

Kissed by strawberries on the hill..." (John Greenleaf Whittier)

Today Sam and I enjoyed my birthday present from my sister--a strawberry picking outing. We went to Knutson's Country Harvest in Newark, Illinois, about 20 minutes from Aurora, a very quaint little family farm.


The berries are grown in these hydroponic stackers made of styrofoam. At first I thought it wasn't "authentic" enough of a faux farming experience, but since it was 90+ degrees today, it was kind of nice not to have to sit in the dirt. Each stacker had about 20 plants and could be spun around.

Sam knew exactly what to do! Of course, he put them right into his mouth instead of the pail.

Amy scores a nice big ripe one! My sister also babysat Sam all day yesterday while I was at work and teaching, and while Ed was doing some projects around our condo. Sam had a blast, as he always does at the Manion house.

Sam was also good at taking strawberries out of the pail. He wasn't exactly clear on the concept of putting them IN the bucket. Oh well, we didn't have to pay for those he ate in the field.

I love living in the city, but I also love getting out of the city. Sam seemed to enjoy being out in the country. The Knutson farm also had chickens. Sam said, "Cluck, cluck" to them. I guess all that singing of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" is paying off.

I also got some rhubarb, so I hope to make some strawberry-rhubarb compote or jam or pie or something. I may have to freeze some of the berries, since we're leaving for a conference in Florida in a few days. It can't be any hotter there than it is here. Sam got a little red-faced and sweaty out in the field.

All strawberried out on the way home. Notice the red stains all over his face. Thank you, Amy, for such a thoughtful gift. I love gifts that are experiences--especially ones as Schlumpfy as strawberry picking.

Thrifty Daddy

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." (Clarence Budington Kelland)

So last weekend Ed tells me he's going to hit a few yard sales to find a bike seat for Sam. I tell him, in my most know-it-all voice, "Honey, you can't just expect to find a specific thing like a bike seat. In fact, I've been going to garage sales for years, and I'm not sure I've ever seen one."

You guessed it: He found one. $20. So today, for Father's Day, Sam went on his first bike ride. As you can see, at first he didn't really like it. Mostly it was the helmet around his chin.

But once we got going, he had a great time. We rode for about an hour, then stopped at the new Middle Eastern place near our house for some schawarma. Yum! Sam learned a new word: cucumber. He's talking up a storm these days.

Another "thrift Daddy" story: Ed always carried Sam in the Baby Bjorn and later in a hand-me-down backpack that was too small for Sam and way too small for Ed. We started pricing baby backpack carriers and discovered they're over $100. One day Ed is at the Vietnamese sandwich shop with Sam, and a customer says, "That backpack is too small for you. I have one I'll sell you for $20." So Ed gets this practically brand new super nice backpack for $20!

Other Daddy's Day news: Ed was on the cover of our parish bulletin today (actually with that old backpack!) Before dinner we went to Foster Beach (more pix on Dear Sam and Sophie). I made homemade blueberry muffins for breakfast, and ribs, corn, green beans and watermelon for dinner. Plus I let Ed sleep in two days in a row. Happy Father's Day to the best "Dada" in the world! I'm so lucky to have these two amazing boys in my life--not to mention my own wonderful Dad!

Hoot hoot

"A wise old owl lived in an oak,
The more he saw the less he spoke,
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?" (Old nursery rhyme)

I love that nursery rhyme--I remember my Great Uncle Fran reciting it to me and my sister. (According to Wikipedia, "During World War II, the United States Army used the rhyme and tweaked the ending to 'Soldier.... be like that old bird!' with the caption 'Silence means security.' "

Anyway, I have found myself drawn to the many, many owl images in the craft blogosphere lately. They're so 70s, but I love them. When I saw this simple pattern from Button It Up, I knew they would be fun to make out of felt. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the backs, which are cute matching fabrics. I added the ribbon trim and emboidered the recipients' names on them. (Those are heart-shaped buttons as claws. Turns out triangle buttons are very hard to find.)













The owls were birthday gifts for these two cuties: my friends Karen and Jeff's twins, Mari and Mesfin, who turned five this month. Karen and Jeff had a cool birthday party for them, complete with face painter and clown--and jello shots that even put me to shame. Let's just say the Chocolate Covered Cherry was to die for. I knit these sweaters for these two when they first came home from Ethiopia two years ago, and gave them this embroidered quilt (which still amazes even me) last year. So this is in keeping with the homemade gift theme. I'm planning to make more of these.

My friend Lourdes and her husband Jason took these photos of me and Sam (and those of Mari and Mesfin) at the party last Sunday.

I love this one.

Won't you be my neighbor?

"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Jesus)

For living in a big city like Chicago, we have been incredibly lucky with super friendly neighbors. First, we had our friends John and Leigh Ann who lived below us (still close even though they live a mile away now). And now we have Andy and Michelle who live next door and share our porch. Every morning Sam goes over to their door and waves hello, even if they're not home. They are the sweetest couple, even if they are 20 years younger than us! We often sit outside with a drink at night, I can borrow anything from them, and Andy joins us for dinner when we make something good.

Andy and Michelle are getting married 4th of July weekend, and Saturday was the wedding shower. I made Michelle an apron to match her kitchen towels and oven mitt. Andy was actually over having dinner and watching hockey the night I made it but he acted surprised at the shower, which was an exceptionally nice, sit-down luncheon thing at a golf course. I modeled this apron on the last one I made and used a hand-printed dish cloth from the thrift (50 cents) and a scrap of brown linen-like fabric (washable, though). The back is green tiny gingham check from a pillowcase.

I asked Sam to model it but he kept taking off! He doesn't sit still much these days. Which means I won't have much time to make myself an apron, though I'd like to.

Great thrifting minds...

"If the rain spoils our picnic, but saves a farmer's crop, who are we to say it shouldn't rain?" (Tom Barrett)

...think alike! A few months ago I found this green vintage picnic basket at the thrift store for $2. I brought it home and promptly filled it with--what else?--yarn. While visiting my in-laws over Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia, I saw the brown vintage picnic basket in the bedroom. I thought they were exactly alike except for color, though now that I see the pictures together, I can tell the textures are different.


My mother-in-law Marge (above with husband Ed Sr.) and I like to hit rummage sales when I visit, though I can't buy too much since I have to fly it all home. This time we went to a few in one neighborhood, then one at a church with about 50 different stands. Lots of kids' stuff--I found two nice Melissa and Doug wooden toys (including sewing cards) and a few books for Sam. I fell in love with these cherry Wellie-type boots for a little girl, but I am committed to not buying girl things until we know for sure that Sophie will be a girl. So Marge bought them for me ($1) and even offered to store them until Sophie comes home!

We had a great visit, and Sam loved getting to know his "Mimi" and "Pop Pop" better. On Memorial Day we went to a local parade that was totally small-town America. They even had free hot dogs and beer in "Veteran's Park" afterward. It was Sam's first parade and he loved it, especially the bands. He would run in the street and dance! So cute.

I'm going to post some more pictures from our trip at Dear Sam and Sophie soon. And will be sharing more thrifted treasures, too. Even though I've been lax in posting pictures, I have been getting a few things at estate sales and the thrift lately. I'll try to catch up with some random pictures soon.

Notre Dame "Fightin' Irish" Dishcloth Pattern

“The university is where the church does its thinking.” (Former ND president Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C.)

Notre Dame Fightin' Irish Dishcloth Pattern

(Please don't look too closely at the sample I knit; it has a boo-boo in it. The mistake is not in the pattern, however.)

I used Lion Brand Cotton in Sunshine and Navy, but any blue and gold cotton will do.
Size 7 needles.

University of Notre Dame “Fightin’ Irish” dishcloth

Cast on 40 stitches

Rows 1-10: K

Row 11-12: K5, P30, K5

Row 13: K5, P7, K7, P6, K3, P7, K5

Row 14 (and all even/right side rows): K

Row 15: K5, P7, K7, P6, K3, P7, K5

Row 17: K5, P7, K7, P5, K4, P7, K5

Row 19: K5, P9, K3, P6, K5, P7, K5

Row 21: K5, P3, K22, P5, K5

Row 23: K5, P3, K23, P4, K5

Row 25: K5, P3, K24, P3, K5

Row 27: K5, P5, K3, P1, K3, P4, K7, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 29: K5, P5, K3, P1, K3, P3, K4, P1, K3, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 31: K5, P5, K3, P1, K3, P3, K3, P2, K3, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 33: K5, P5, K3, P1, K3, P2, K4, P2, K3, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 35: K5, P5, K3, P1, K3, P2, K3, P3, K3, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 37: K5, P5, K3, P1, K3, P1, K4, P3, K3, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 39: K5, P5, K3, P1, K7, P4, K3, P1, K3, P3, K5

Row 41: K5, P3, K24, P3, K5

Row 43: K5, P3, K23, P4, K45

Row 45: K5, P3, K22, P5, K5

Row 47: K5, P9, K5, P6, K3, P7, K5

Row 49: K5, P7, K6, P5, K7, P5, K5

Row 51: K5, P7, K5, P6, K7, P5, K5

Row 53: K5, P7, K4, P7, K7, P5, K5

Row 55: K5, P30, K5 (On this row with blue one)

Row 56-67: K

Bind off.

The view from the pressbox at yesterday's commencement at Notre Dame. Obama's speech was impressive. So was ND president Father Jenkins' and all the ND students I talked to. And it was cool to get a White House press pool pass. My coverage of the event can be found here.

Obama drama at ND

"There are two kinds of people in the world, Notre Dame lovers and Notre Dame haters. And, quite frankly, they're both a pain in the ass." (Former ND Football Coach Dan Devine)

Is anyone tired of hearing about the Obama/Notre Dame graduation controversy yet? It's such a tired old story to begin with... Well, I'll be there on Sunday, covering it for the National Catholic Reporter. Any excuse to go see Obama in person! Here's my take on it in a blog post on the new NCR Today blog, which launched this week. I'll be blogging regularly there too. (in my spare time. Right.)

Anyhoo, coincidentally, as part of a clean-out-the-craft-clutter spring cleaning, I decided to finish this waste canvas cross stitch sweatshirt I started approximately 10 years ago--and have carted from apartment to condo to condo. As you can see, it's the ND logo. And FINALLY, to celebrate ND's commencement, I will post the ND dishcloth pattern tomorrow (assuming there's enough sunlight to take a decent photo.)

Happy belated Mother's Day to everyone. I posted about my first Mother's Day on our adoption blog (plus there are some more photos of Sam there.) I decided I needed to get moving on introducing Sam to crafts, so he/we did fingerpainting last week, then I cut the masterpiece up and made Mother's Day cards for his grandmothers and godmothers.

Here we are on Mother's Day (observed), which was Monday, since I had to attend my university's graduation all day Sunday. Ed and Sam took me to my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. It's such an honor to be this little boy's "mama." Most days I can't believe it's true!

Watch the NCR website and blog late Sunday and Monday f you want to follow my coverage of the Obama drama.