Tuesday, February 9, 2010

short stories 3



This is Autumn on the couch with her blanket and her old lady face because only old ladies crochet.

Tradition - 

My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was a kid and now I’ve been trying to teach my own g’girl Autumn how to crochet.  She received one of those little craft kits to crochet a shrug.  The yarn was ridiculously hard to work with even for me and I know how to crochet.  She did a valient job of trying to learn how to do it but I ended up finishing it for her.  A while back, I got a skein of plain regular yarn and we sat down again and within a half hour or so she was diligently practicing away by herself.









Party Dresses -

January was mostly day after day of overcast skies.  Typical for January.  Then, at the end of the month we had several days that cleared up just in time for a glorious sunset.






The Lost Boy - 

A cat has been hanging around.  I first started seeing him a month or two ago when he would cross the yard.  I looked out one day and saw him curled up asleep in some plants at the base of the oak tree on the side of the house.  I went out to shoo it off.  He just looked up at me and meowed.  Wasn’t the least bit intimidated by my fierce behaviour.  What was I to do?  He was this big beat up tom, ragged but not scrawny, been in many a fight by the scars on his head and looked to have some fresh scratches, he smiled at me and meowed again.  I leaned down and scratched his head.  Then he purred.  Go home, I told him.  The next week I was calling for my cat Emma and he kept running up to the door.  Go home, I told him.  Weekend before last he made himself at home one cold wet day in the open garage.  I’m not accepting ownership of this very sweet boy.  Not yet.  We’re already schlepping one cat back and forth from city to country and she does not play well with others.  The g’boy found him curled up asleep in the 13 acre field behind us last weekend.

16 comments:

  1. Oh! Oh! I see a new cat in your future. I mean....it is cold out there!!
    I haven't crocheted in years. And she did look like an old lady. LOL! Cute but a definite old lady face going on.
    Beautiful pics!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  2. ellen i remember my grandfather crocheting. he crochetted a table cloth and place mats and who knows what else over the course of his life. i couldn't figure for the life of me how to do it and he was crotchety enough to not care to share. so i remian in awe of anyone who can even get started!! that cat's yours and not yours. but you're thinking about it a lot aren't you!!! steven

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  3. Awww, he loves you Ellen. Meow.

    Your g'girl is a cutie! I taught my girls how to sew but I am useless with yarn and crochet hooks or needles. I don't know what it is. My sister, meanwhile, just finished 8 afghans for Christmas presents! LOL

    Hope you have a nice week out of town.

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  4. I'm allergic to cats but he sure looks like a keeper!

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  5. I expect I would be intimidated by your fierce behaviour.

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  6. Crocheting is quite a skill needed by artists as well as surgeons.

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  7. I learned to crochet when I was young - I made a bunch of granny squares & then suddenly I was into cross stitch instead.

    Face it Ellen - you have a new cat. He apparently does ok outside, so maybe he can be more independent than your other cat? Or is that ok - I don't know cat etiquette...

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  8. Looks like the old guy doesn't have a home to be shooed off to - hope things work out for him/you.

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  9. Uh oh. This is how I ended up with four dogs.

    My grandmother, Memere (French Canadian) taught me how to crochet. I tried to teach my youngest daughter but I had forgotten how! :-(

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  10. Looks like he belongs, setting up house.

    Wonderful skill to teach your granddaughter.

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  11. Lovely photos.. sweet faces and beautiful skies.

    "I’m not accepting ownership of this very sweet boy. "

    Now I'm laughing at your naivety. Of course you're not accepting ownership. It's he who has accepted ownership of you. ;) Let us know what you name him.

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  12. Hi Ellen

    that cat has character...
    and perspicacity...


    Happy days

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  13. Cats seem to recognize quality and stick with it....methinks you are stuck.

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  14. That sweet cat. I'm a sucker for boy cats. I can't have one because my husband is allergic, but I'd keep him - he deserves some love. Looks like a rough life, he's had.

    Your g'daughter is adorable. What a great thing to do together. I love to crochet and have been working on an afghan for months. Perfect winter-time activity.

    Wonderful sunset pics.

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  15. Autumn is beautiful. I love this picture of the art of crochet being passed down from generation to generation.

    And the cat - wow - he is a street cat if ever there was one. I'm not a cat person, but those who are tell me that cats adopt people, not the other way around. Just sayin'

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  16. I love the name Autumn...obviously. :)

    And the stray kitty is so cute!!! Yep, he definitely looks like your cat. ;)

    LOL

    Have a great weekend.

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