Lest We Forget

In school we had to learn In Flanders Field every November. I knew it was written by John McRae but I never knew the story behind the poem. I did a Net search this morning and found it here. I'd would like to share it.

John McRae

Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915

during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium

On May 2, 1915, John McCrae’s close friend and former student Alexis Helmer was killed by a German shell. That evening, in the absence of a Chaplain, John McCrae recited from memory a few passages from the Church of England’s “Order of the Burial of the Dead”. For security reasons Helmer’s burial in Essex Farm Cemetery was performed in complete darkness.

The next day, May 3, 1915, Sergeant-Major Cyril Allinson was delivering mail. McCrae was sitting at the back of an ambulance parked near the dressing station beside the YserCanal, just a few hundred yards north of Ypres, Belgium.

As John McCrae was writing his In Flanders Fields poem, Allinson silently watched and later recalled, “His face was very tired but calm as he wrote. He looked around from time to time, his eyes straying to Helmer's grave."

Within moments, John McCrae had completed the “In Flanders Fields” poem and when he was done, without a word, McCrae took his mail and handed the poem to Allinson.

Allinson was deeply moved:

“The (Flanders Fields) poem was an exact description of the scene in front of us both. He used the word blow in that line because the poppies actually were being blown that morning by a gentle east wind. It never occurred to me at that time that it would ever be published. It seemed to me just an exact description of the scene."

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Still sewing

This is my most fun thing I made for the bazaar yet. I actually got to make a lap quilt! This one is 45" square and is being sold as a wheelchair lap quilt but it's big enough for anyone to use. I was so excited to find the flowered fabric in the craft group stash and I had just enough of the blue for the sashing and borders. I do have six deer panels that I could make into a men's lap quilt but need to look for co-ordinating fabrics so will leave it for Spring. I'm anxious to get back to my own stuff. I still have a couple more small things I want to get made but they aren't a priority. If I get them done fine, if I don't that's okay too. 

I really want to get back to my daughters quilt that I'm hand quilting. I only have 12 squares left to do. She and her husband are moving this month and it would be nice to have it finished but I can't see being able to. Maybe by Christmas. They have a winter quilt I made them that looks good anyway. They're excited about the move. This town is owned by one man. You can't get an apartment (aside from a basement apartment) that isn't owned by him and he doesn't allow pets. Her mother-in-law and I use the same hair salon and when Clair mentioned to the owner that Lisa and Chris were looking for a place he said he has a carriage house he wants to rent. And he allows cats. Perfect! It's only 3 years old. The place they've been in for the last 3 years is owned by a lady who just wants the property to sell to a developer and is renting out this old house until it sells. She won't do any work on it. So it's been a depressing time living in those conditions. This will be so nice for them. I'm excited about the move too. She'll still be within walking distance of us. 

I've been very busy lately. I decided to join our prayer shawl ministry that's starting up. This Saturday is our second meeting. I don't have any patterns yet. There's one particular pattern that I'd love to make because it is a simple knit 3, purl 3. Doesn't take much concentration and you can't lose where you were when you put it down last. They want afghans as opposed to shawls. Wool is so expensive that they're hoping for donations. I would be willing to pay $30 to make one afghan but not on a continuous basis. I got a ball of Bernat Worsted Yarn that is 400 oz. for $8.00. That's more in my price range. Since I'm not real good at knitting I have no idea if that's enough to make an afghan. I'll have to ask at our meeting. 

I'm also still doing our Fall study at the church and DH signed us up for a course at Elder College. It's a thing that's been set up in our community so seniors (you only have to be 55) can take classes on various subjects. Ours is called The Majestic Universe and is about all sorts of interesting things from Astronomy to Greek Myth. They are 3 hour lectures though so I'm pretty tired when we get out of there. It's kind of heavy duty. University professors volunteer to come out and give the classes so it's not amateur stuff. 

Better get myself moving. I still do have to do housework around here. 

EEEEK MICE!!!!

I don't knit much but I said I'd do a few mice for the bazaar. They have catnip in them. I'm sure glad we don't have a cat anymore. I'd never have gotten them done. They're cute little things though. 

We actually do have mice around here... or more correctly voles. They're kind of like rats but have a really short tail. They're the reason there are so many predatory birds like eagles and hawks flying around and we also have a number of feral cats. I've never been much bothered by the voles but I guess our neighbour has cause he feeds the feral cats to keep them around to keep down the mouse population. He also feeds the racoons to keep them from killing the cats and from eating the cherries off his tree and he feeds the coyotes to keep them from killing the cats. It's kind of like the old lady who swallowed a fly*LOL*

I haven't been around much. I've really slowed down on my sewing for the bazaar. We're having a meeting next week to see if there are any other things we need to make. 

I came down with the worst sinus cold last weekend. I haven't had a cold in years so I was miserable. I'm feeling a lot better but my ears are still plugged, I have a cough and I'm sniffly. But at least I don't feel like my head is going to explode anymore. 

Okay, have a good day everyone. 

More bazaar stuff

Seems I only get on here once a week to post. I've been busy anyway and when I'm not busy I'm still sewing for the bazaar. I feel like it will never end but it's on Nov 29 so I know by December we'll be finished.

This past week I made another small table runner, 4 more sets of wine glass coasters and 2 sets of microwave mitts (they want 6 pair). I've also been playing with sock monkeys which is more fun than work. They aren't quite finished. I need to put hearts on their chests and the guy in the middle is going to get a tie. I thought of knitting them vests but it's just too much work right now.

I'm going to miss having them sitting on the couch. They have such neat personalities :0)

I went to a sale at my LQS yesterday to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Now I know there is never that much of a deal there but I did manage to hit the jackpot with one thing. We were given paper bags (lunch size) and there was a pile of fabric - fat quarters, strips, etc. For everything we could fit in a bag it was $5. There wasn't much I wanted but I did take a few things that would make good microwave mitts or kleenex cozies plus I found this end of the bolt pillowcase piece. It wasn't exactly straight but I think it will be okay anyway.

I can't remember his name. I just know he has a cartoon show... well, obviously a cartoon show, what else kind of show would he have? *LOL* Original price for this (print on both sides) would have been worth at least $5 so that alone was worth going for. 

A month or so ago I got 3 advent calendar panels on eBay for $11 ($3 each). I just thought they were so cute I couldn't not buy 3 of them. I gave one to a quilting friend when we went out for lunch, I want one for myself and I made this one for the bazaar. The cookies are felt backed. Each day you take a cookie from the calendar and put it in the bowl at the top of the calendar. You can put snaps or whatever so you can hang some of the cookies but if whoever buys it wants to do that they can do it themselves. 

I'm whittling down my list bit by bit. I have a top for a wheelchair lap quilt but no backing fabric so that may not get finished. 

I'm not done last months  Brutus much less this month's two - although I do have them printed out. And I haven't started Val Laird's last one either. My daughter's quilt is still sitting there crying out to be quilted on again. 

Actually my daughter and husband finally found a place to rent. They've been looking for months cause they place they live in now is horrible. It's very depressing and is just a house that someone bought for the property so is in bad shape and not going to be fixed. There are 3 other houses on the block that a developer is waiting for to go up for sale and then he'll buy this one as well and put up new houses. 

We all use the same hairdresser (gotta love small towns). He has a house with a carriage house out back, which is the latest style here. His tenants are moving out and he'll rent it to them AND let them have their cat. Otherwise all of the apartments in town are owned by one developer with a no pet policy. Not really fair to people with small pets like a cat but I guess it depends on the pet, even cats can make a mess of a place. 

A couple of you asked about Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books. I loved them and I've just put up my blog review here. 

Canadian Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Canada. I have so much to be grateful for. 

The many farm fields in the area where we live are a constant reminder of how blessed I am to live in a land of plenty. 

I have clothes on my back,  a roof over my head, and I and my little family are all healthy. 

I am grateful that I am able share with others who don't have enough. 

I'm grateful for the new friends I've made over the last 6 months. They are all wonderful, caring, giving women. 

I'm grateful that I have been put in situations that have taught me to express my gratitude at the end of each day. I may not be feeling grateful some days but there is always something I am thankful for and each small thing helps my attitude and lifts my spirit. 

Wine Coasters

I've always wanted to try these but never got around to it. There are various ways to make them but I like this way. I saw a tutorial for making them from 7" squares that was easy enough but I like the finished look of this one better. For this one you need five 5" squares per coaster.

The idea is that you can slip the base of the wine glass into the coaster and then carry it around with you. Then you will never accidentally put the glass down on a good piece of furniture that moisture can damage.

Made with the five pieces of fabric it stays in a nice shape. I found the one I made with just one piece of fabric was floppy. So I chose to make this pattern instead. More cutting to it but really easy to sew. I made 8 of them for sale at the bazaar. 

I haven't been feeling 100% this week, and I'm still not but I am better enough to run out and cut the lawn while we have a day of sunshine. I've been really tired and my naps haven't been affecting my night time sleep at all so I know I'm really tired. It's probably just adjusting to trying to change my body clock. 

I was thinking about Hazel's question about using hand sanitizer in church. I noticed when I was there for a study on Tuesday that we have those Purell dispensers all over the place in the church. I should have remembered that cause there's one in the kitchen we use when we're making sandwiches but I never thought of general use ones. Now that I think about it I could tell you where all those dispensers are but I couldn't tell you where to find a fire extinguisher... hmmm. 

I also made a cute tablerunner on Saturday but haven't  gotten it put together. I'll be posting it when it's finished. 

I also went down to the quilt shop today to get a new blade. They have the prettiest embroidered sample by the cash register. It was almost like a cross between embroidery and cross-stitch. So I've signed up for the class. It's in December. 

Church Bells

When I was a child we lived in downtown Ottawa. Every Sunday morning Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring I would walk the 5 blocks to church with my parents, each of them holding one of my hands. It felt like a special time, I guess because it was a set routine. The church was a large brick building built around the turn of the century. It is still in use today and in good shape.

There is another part to the church not shown in this photo. It was almost as tall and housed the church basement (where Sunday School was held), the hall which was like a gymnasium and stage and on the top floor lived the caretaker. Among other jobs he was the one who rang the bells on Sunday mornings and on other special occasions like weddings. 

Now I live on the other side of the country and this is the church I go to.

This church was also built just before the turn of the century but is wood rather than brick. There are extensions to one side and to the back which hold the offices, sunday school, worship center and nursery. Amazingly enough this church was raised at one time to allow a bottom level to be added to house the Sunday school. Buildings here have no basements. Then when they added the additions the church was lowered again. It survived amazingly well for a building of that age but there are cracks in the plaster ceilings. 

There is no caretaker's apartment because we have a part time cleaner that comes in, men from the congregation do small repairs and there is no need for someone to ring the bells on Sunday morning or at any other time. In fact it is illegal to ring church bells. It is considered disturbing the peace. People actually complained enough at one time that it was necessary to enact a law. We are, however, allowed to cut our lawns, use chainsaws, leaf blowers, power saws, etc on Sundays.  

The church bells in our church have been rung once in the 15 years I've attended. That was on a New Years Day when the bells played a non religious tune to welcome in the New Year. And the church had to jump through hoops for 6 months just to get a permit to ring the bells for 10 minutes. 

I'm at a loss to understand this. Part of Sunday morning in downtown Ottawa was listening to the bells of all the various churches. I miss them. The bells don't just announce church services, they also announce weddings, as I said above, and some ring every day at noon. In Ottawa and Vancouver they fire a cannon at noon, and in Gastown the steam operated clock whistles at noon. Why is the sound of cannons and the loud whistles of clocks preferable to the comforting sound of bells?  

Just something I'm contemplating on today.