How will you be remembered?

Saroyan scarf - this is a fun pattern to knit!

Perhaps it is a bit strange, but I have always asked myself,

"What will be my legacy? What will the world remember about me when I am gone?"

Or, perhaps it is not strange, and that is a universal question. It doesn't have to be morbid, and one doesn't have to be nearing one's end to ask this question.  One of my favorite professors in college was a philosophy professor whose mantra was taken from Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Well, let me tell you, I examine, re-examine, over-examine, and then examine some more. Am I supposed to be able to come up with conclusions, or is it all just in the examining? Where is Socrates when you need him? In truth, I am not sure I would be worthy of discourse with him, as we collectively have sadly neglected the development of our mental faculties in these "modern" times.  We no longer learn logic and rhetoric (I didn't learn it in school - did you?), and I fear Socrates would find me lacking in those areas, though I have embarked upon that path on my own and gone further than some.

So, I often catch myself wanting to know more, to learn more, to study more, and wondering what I will impart to others while I am here on this earth.  I hope, to at least my children, I impart a thirst for learning and knowledge, and maybe even wisdom.  I believe that a person will not be remembered for his machinations in the Board Room, or the conduct in the office cubicle that held him slave, but for the deeds done on his own time.

Time spent with family.  Time spent teaching others.  Time spent learning.  Time spent exploring.  Time spent creating.  Time spent giving.  Time spent laughing and giving laughter to others.  Time spent examining life and what we can do to make it better for each other.  These are the things I think people are remembered for.  Maybe for splitting infinitives. (Which is totally okay by today's grammar standards, by the way.) Or for dangling prepositions.  (Also a-okay today, according to grammarians.)  Maybe even for beginning sentences with conjunctions...

I am sure, by the time I am ready to depart this world for the next adventure, there will be more than one thing for which I will be remembered.  The children I helped to introduce to this mortal realm, for one.  Maybe also for the knitted warmth I will leave behind?

In the meantime, it helps to give focus to my living.  I ask myself:  "Would I like to be remembered for this?"  If the answer is no, then it is not a course of action worth following.  If the "love thy neighbor" imperative doesn't help, maybe the "Will I want to be remembered for this/for that/this way/that way" thought will suffice to shape the course of one's action(s).

Just maybe.
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Miraculous Muffatees

Photo property of A Bluestocking Knits

How superb that what is old always becomes new again.   What goes around comes around. 

History repeats itself. 

Have you heard that "wrist warmers" are popular in the current fashion of those in the know? Certainly, at least, in the world of Etsy, of knitters, crocheters, and seamstresses sewists*.
So, they are popular.  And thankfully so, because they REALLY do help to keep one cosy on a cold winter day.  

Well, they were popular in the mid-1800's as well.  But during that time period, they were not called anything so mundane as "wrist warmers."  They were called "Muffatees."  They were often ruffled at the cuff, as so many items of clothing for women were at the time.  For a charming look into the history of the subject and of Mrs. Jane Gaugain, author, designer and knitting entrepreneur, read In the Steps of Jane Gaugain.  They were also mentioned in The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. Read a little more about the history on Dances With Wools.

On that note, I have pledged to create at least  4 original knitwear designs this calendar year.  One of them is most definitely going to be muffatees.  Have you tried them?  If I made a masculine pair for men to wear in winter, would they ever get any wear?  What if I called them "Skier's Essential Wrist Gear" and left out the ruffles and "muffatee" title?


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*Sewist is agreed upon in common usage, though is not officially in a dictionary as a word.  I prefer the word "sewist" over "seamstress" or "sewer."  

Dog's Best Friend?

You know the dog is YOUR best friend when he lets you dress him up in baby clothes and a doll skirt. But, are you HIS best friend when you dress him up in baby clothes and a doll skirt?  Big dogs have their place, but I grew up with a toy poodle who thought he was Mighty Mutt and LOVED to wear clothes.  He had his own drawer where we kept his t-shirts, and he would go get one himself and bring it to us to be put on him.

Those were the days before dog clothes were in most stores on the planet and could be purchased for relatively little money.  In those days, small dog clothes were special order items from the local pet shop only, with premium price tags.  As a result, our dog had just a few choice t-shirts, a rain coat, and a pair of booties to keep his fee dry and warm in winter.  He wasn't super keen on the boots.

These days, I love that small dog clothes are so abundant and so much more economical to purchase.  I am happy to once again have  a shed-free small dog to call my friend.  I have also learned that the ShihPoo is a marvelous breed for willingness to wear anything and everything (except socks!).  It is also a very docile and loving breed.  This is good, because Ami has many many small clothes and hats to share.

To clothe or not to clothe?  That is the question of the day.  ShihPoos have little tolerance for cold, so we choose definitely to clothe.  Sometimes, even to play dress up.

Don't you just want to go and squeeze your pup?


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Gluten Free, almost grain free oatmeal raisin cookies

Ami wanted to make cookies.  We haven't done any baking since before Christmas, so I was persuaded.  I had been wanting to try almond flour brownies, but did not have the right amount of chocolate, and had zero chocolate chips in the house.  So we settled on oatmeal raisin.  Aside from the oatmeal being a grain, we improvised a grain free recipe.

Here is what we did:
Preheat oven to 350f

1/2 C blanched almond flour (we used Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 C garbanzo bean flour (also Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 C coconut flour (you guessed it - Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 C brown sugar
1    tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C gluten free oats
rounded 1/2 C raisins
3 eggs
1/2 C melted butter
1/4 C cashew milk (we make our cashew milk at home - see elenaspantry.com for recipe)
1/4 C water

Mix the flours together in a bowl with a fork.  Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and mix with fork.  Add the oats and raisins and mix with fork.  Add the eggs, butter, cashew milk, and water.  MIX by hand with spoon until all is thoroughly mixed and gooey.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.  Drop the cookie dough by lightly rounded tablespoons onto sheet.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes (my oven took the full 15 minutes).  We are not sure how many this makes.   We baked 18 tonight, and have enough dough in the fridge to make 12-18 more.  So, the yield is about 30-36 cookies, if using a tablespoon to measure each one.

Yum!

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