H1N1 - Precautions

OK, so it's been a while and some pretty scary stuff has been hitting the airwaves over the past few months, such as huge unemployment, earthquakes, restless volcanoes, piracy, and now H1N1flu.

The good news is we can beat this bugger with a few simple steps. For those of you who feel lessons on hand-washing are over the top, trust me, it's the most important method of prevention we got AND the least expensive. So, follow the guidelines provided by the CDC. If your hands come in contact with a public thing, like a doorknob, please take a moment, turn on the water, lather up, and sing yourself a nice rendition of 'Happy Birthday to You (Me?)" This little practice could spare you (and your health coverage) some energy.

At the end of the day, all we have is us and our beautiful families.

Stay well,

Halloween 2008

Sometimes a gal has to take a little road trip and I'm happy to share this little (actually not so little) road trip with my Rhodewaves surfers. With the frost on the pumpkin and the promise of a beautiful day, I set off for Salem, MA. That's right - the place where men and women were brutalized by a storm of fear that eventually turned into an economic boontown brought to you by the modern day witches of Salem. As you can see by the photo to the left, witches are embraced at Salem (well, not totally, but they are working on changing that.)



Halloween is a high holy day among those who practice witchcraft or Wicca. Wicca is an earth-based religion that celebrates the seasons (depicted as a wheel). I'm not expert on Wicca and I'm not Wiccan, but I've got to say I was very impressed with the organization and community spirit in Salem today. I walked with witches, goblins, ghouls, supermen, tigers, pirates (really big this year), Frankenstein, Dorothy, the Wicked Witch, the Tin Man - you get the idea, we partied.


The atmosphere was festive and delightful. Buses of school children toured all the museums Salem offers, such as The Salem Witches Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum, the Pirate Museum (did you know some bloke found $30K in pirate treasure at the bottom of the drink recently?), the House of Seven Gables and the newly opened Lizzy Borden Museum.



Walking around Salem is do-able, but the "hop on, hop off" trolley can save steps. Perhaps the folks pictured on the left were waiting for the trolley or their brooms broke down (step away from cauldron friend witches, I'm kidding), or their feet were about to explode. Didn't stop to ask.




And to the right are Salem's very own Ghostbusters in the event some spirits got out of line. All the "official" costumed ones are more than happy to pose for pictures. Wait, call the media!



Cancel the call. The media did arrive from Boston stations WCVB, Fox 25, etc. The interview here did not focus on the community event alone, it went much deeper into the issues precious to Salem's witch community.





Let's not forget the non-stop entertainment. On every corner of every block artists sang, strummed, and performed their hearts out to very receptive audiences.




If you are wondering how secure this day into night event is, let me just say that in addition to the Ghostbusters noted above, Salem's finest were out in force, as well as the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority's men (and women) in blue. After the moon rises, well, you know, after a few drinks some actually act like Frankenstein, but it's all managed very well.







Please note this little witch dressed in purple standing in front of the"Bewitched in Salem" store. She couldn't have been nicer. A real sweetheart. Thank you, Ms. Purple Witch for posing for this picture.

And finally, as I mentioned "Bewitched," here's a close up of Elizabeth Montgomery's "Bewitched" memorial. The Nickolodeon Television Network donated the statue. Now, I've had numerous discussions with Wiccans who feel the show was nothing but blatant commercialism which misrepresented their faith tradition. Having watched the shows, including re-runs, I disagree. "Bewitched" taught me to wiggle my nose at doing good, rather than turning up my nose to form judgment and two very different people found true love. Now THAT's high magic!

For more information click on www.salem.com/visitors.

Good Samhain! Happy Halloween! Have a great weekend!

Slater Mill - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Autumn's finery

The Slater Mill (see, I wasn't the only one capturing the moment.)

Ah, a beautiful fall day. Crisp, clean, beautiful, bright sunshine. What to do on such a glorious day?

The answer - visit Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI (shown above). Now, for those of you outside the invisible Rhode Island boundary. Let me just offer the correct pronunciation of said city - Pah-tuck-et, not Paw-tuck-et (like an dog's foot). Those who inquire about Paaaaaaaawwww-tuck-et give themselves away as visitors. So practice ahead of time.

Samuel Slater founded the mill in ~1793. Over 215 years ago, so we're talking a national treasure as it's the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution with gorgeous scenery to boot. If you want to know more about the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, make reservations and come on down for a guided tour! Admission is $10/per person, but if you become a member, it's "gratis" with benefits. This museum is a "must see!"

One more thing to note about the Slater Mill...it is NOT a "hands-off" museum. This is a living, breathing member of the community. Pawtucket (remember the correct pronunciation) serves as home to an artist population, so the Mill stepped up. This month marks the opening of their "Community Guild Studios" where artists and artist-wannabes can advance their craft or learn one. Last week the Mill hosted a "Spin, Knit, & Quilt Celebration" with hands-on demonstrations of, well, the title says it all.

Current classes include:

• Knitting
• Beginning Spinning
• Introduction to Weaving
• Intermediate Quilting
• Parent/Child Quilt Workshop
• Seasonal Wall Quilt Workshop
• Basic Washfast Acid Dyeing

And, other classes on the horizon:

• Basket Making
• Crocheting
• Felting Workshop
• Holiday Gift Workshop Kids' Make & Take
• Intermediate & Advanced Knit-a-longs
• Shibori Dyeing with Indigo
• Paper Weaving with Three Directional Weaving
• Color Theory for all Fiber Artists.

A very special knitting weekend happens November 7, 8, & 9 when the Museum hosts Annie Modesitt & Norah Gaughan as the Museum officially kicks off the Community Guild Studios. Annie will teach combination knitting & lace knitting. Norah offers a workshop on her signature geometric designs. Might still be space available, so call Ruth at 401-725-8638, extension 105, or email her at rsunn@slatermill.org. Check out their website: http://www.slatermill.org/. Hurry!!! Hurry!!!

Additionally, I read somewhere that the mill has plans to go "green" by harnessing the power of the river to generate its own electricity. They don't plan to "reinvent the wheel," which used to power the mill. They plan to call it back into service. Great plan! (Sorry, for the "reinvent the wheel" line, I couldn't resist.)

The "Falls" on the Blackstone River.

Oh, and by the way, across the street from the mill is the Visitor's Center, which is awesome! A great information center, clean bathrooms (that's important!), and a lovely shop featuring Rhode Island artists' goods at affordable prices as well as lunch items.

Wideshot of the public park next to the mill. (The mill is to the left.)

I had a terrific afternoon knitting by the falls amidst autumn's many colors and a great piece of living history.

So, away thee to the mill's website and make plans for a great fall get-a-way! You will not regret it. Do not forget the camera!

Next stop on Rhodewaves, hmm, I don't know, but it's going to be a great!

Pork & the Piggy Bank - The Economic Bailout Bill

Dear Reader:

Usually I'm not a very political person, but I do follow the issues closely. No one can argue that the past few weeks have been enormously stressful as far as our financial future is concerned. Some countries are betting we fail outright and others are holding their collective breaths that we prevail in overcoming our current economic crisis.

Can't tell you all how upsetting it is to learn about all the pork that has been added to the astronomical $700 Billion Emergency Bailout Bill. After Tuesday's defeat, Congress turned this emergency measure into what equated to a teddy bears' picnic, hence the pork. There is so much pork that the bill exceeds the amount of swine present at a Carolina pig pics. [No offense intended to Carolinians, I love pig pics.]

Our economic future rests on the successful passage of this bill in order to give us a chance to regroup and retool to mitigate this outrage from occuring. What do the Congressional holdouts do? They demand more in order to save themselves during election time. In the past emergencies were defined as just that, no time to talk, time to act swiftly and efficiently. I think the House saw an opportunity to act in their respective districts behalf and not for the good of the whole. Shame on Hollywood and everyone else who seeks to benefit from this failure. It's like charging for blankets during a blizzard [we know all about that in New England.]

Every one of us holds a certain responsibility for where we are today. Maybe we should have listened more closely. Maybe we should have demanded more accountability. Maybe we should have asked when enough's enough. Maybe we need to act as a whole.

So think about it? Should the bill be passed on the merits, or should the few who offer their vote for sale be rewarded? I don't know about you, but since some folk decided to smash the piggy bank, I don't think they should be rewarded for gluing it back together.

Just my humble opinion.

Nights in Rodanthe

What does a Rhode Islander do on a soggy Saturday? Go to the movies and see a soggy movie.

The Ocean State saw rain from not one, but two, storms this weekend. The remnants of the "No Name Storm" that hit the Carolinas and a little kiss from "Hurricane Kyle." It's been raining since Friday. Not a few showers here and there, but straight line downpours. A blessing, yet strangely depressing.

Since Richard Gere graced our shores a few months ago to film another movie, I figured I'd check out his latest release, "Nights in Rodanthe" with Diane Lane, whose movies are also a favorite of mine. Many production companies come to "Little Rhody" and we're glad they do!

Knowing the premise of this book, this writer will not spoil it for you. Great actors. Terrific cinematography. Truly beautiful. Nicholas Sparks does NOT write a bad book and the screenplay held up. The sogginess I speak of comes during a scene where a hurricane hits the Outer Banks. Kind of apropos, actually. Our local press gave it "two stars," but I think it's worth at least three.

Check it out at your local theatre!

A Sense of Fall

Tonight's weather forecast warns of temperatures dipping down into the low forties. The air is crisp and clean with a hint of change in the air. It's as if the earth has an announcement to make about it's impending snooze until next spring. A warning shot for the summer sun worshippers and an invitation to those of us who adore a New England fall. It's only a couple of days away.

I love this season because the quilts come out of hibernation to wrap themselves around me while the window remains open in my bedroom. The teapot sits brewing under a cozy until just the right moment. It's hot & cold. It's ying and yang. It's contrast. It's a luxury IMHO. My world takes on another hue, or this case many hues. Not that the leaves have donned their fall fashion show, but sunsets appear sharper, sunrises brighter, and I feel the need be part of this magic.

I heard a story today that our local apple crops are tremendous due to the early heat and late summer rains.. A bumper crop of apples means homemade apple sauce, apple pies, apple muffins and, well, let's just say it's all good. Fall brings out the best for me - I'll squirrel myself into the kitchen to chop, stir, mix, roll, bake, and freeze those wonderful gifts from the earth only to serve them later on during the height of winter's sleep. Remembering with gratitude the summer's magic that led to the crisp snap of the first apple and the memories contained in each and every apple pie.

I craved the scents of the season tonight. No rush of any big cities, no taxis to nowhere (couldn't resist a Palin line), no security lines, just the dream of warm apples and spices filling the house with their gentle aroma. To satisfy the craving, I grabbed my mini-crock pot filled it with apple cider, some spices, and some steel-cut oats for the season's first warm breakfast.

I'm not a sound sleeper. I usually don't get more than four hours a night, but tonight the scent of fall fills this house lulling me into a relaxed sleepy state. I look forward to the morning's warm apple goodness, along with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Morning can't come soon enough.