August 2007

About 20 miles from Spokane, out in the wheat fields, there is a farm. And on this farm is a quilt show. (There is also a quilt shop that holds classes.) Every August, they hold a (free!) outdoor show. Wandering around, looking at quilts, is a wonderful way to spend a morning.

I started a few blocks for a new quilt, but can’t seem to get excited about it. A thought came to me last night (actually, 4:25 am this morning). I might play with it and see if I can’t gain entry to this quilt in a different way.

We’re lucky that this town has a very lovely park. We visit there less than we did when we first moved here, but we always come away feeling like the world is going to be ok.

In the formal garden

In the Nishinomiya Japanese Garden

In the perennial garden

In the rose garden

My favorite house in Spokane (it borders the park)

When B was a teenager, his family lived in Clarkston for awhile. There he made a friend, JM.

When I was in college, I took a year of French. In my class was a girl, JS.

JM and JS met and married.

And last Sunday, they welcomed Owen.

We took a care package* over to their house last night. It was too much fun to pick out stuff for them. It was interesting to try to imagine what someone with a brand-new infant would need/want (other than sleep).

Now, crafters, you know that I couldn’t *not* make something for him. Just a small something, mind.

It’s a sachet (they can add their own potpourri or lavender or other nice-smelling stuff), and also a “baby sleeping” signal.

The fabric is from Superbuzzy. I embroidered the letters, and the handle is simple grosgrain from Joann.

Front view

Back view

*
What two people who do not have children think of as a care package:
Lasangas from Trezzi
Not-exactly-health food
and a variety of Burt’s Bees mom and baby potions and lotions (we bought them at Huckleberry’s)
Buttermilk bath for baby
Samples of goodies for baby
Foot creme for mama
Hand creme for mama
and of course…fresh flowers.

On trip No. 2 to Kenya, I had dinner at a family’s home. And I ate these. They are known (to me) as Jimmy’s Mom Chapati. Mrs. Ayonga, if you ever read this, I mean no disrespect. You are a perfect crumpet of a person: sweet, generous, nice to hug, and you make the world’s best chapati. (Chapati? Chapatis?)

Over the years, I have gone on a bit about these chapati. B found a recipe in a book at the library, quietly checked it out, and made some for me. I have no idea how I found this man.

The ones on the left are done, the ones on the right are waiting to be cooked.

Recipe (there are about 100 recipes for chapatis…this is just one)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
oil

(makes 4 servings)

Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Add enough water to make a fairly stiff dough. Knead well.

Roll out on a floured board into a fairly thick circle. Brush with oil. From the center of the circle, make a cut to one edge. Roll up dough into a cone, press both ends in and make into a ball again. Repeat four times. Divide dough into four or five balls and roll each one into a thin circle.

Heat a frying pan over moderate heat and dry out each chapati in the pan quickly. Brush pan with oil and fry chapati slowly until golden on each side.