Tis the week of Hanukkah…
Outside of the nice children’s story of the 8 days of light from 1 days worth of oil when the Temple was being rededicated in 167BCE, here’s a nice, concise piece on the background of the Maccabeean uprising.
We use Hanukkah to teach our kids that sometimes it’s important to fight for one’s rights. We use Christmas to teach that there is always the hope of peace. Idealized, naturally, but we need to cling to idealized promises of bright futures sometimes.
Last night we lit the candles, spun the dreidle, and both kids got books for night #1 (Trains and Steam Engines for Maxie, An Encyclopedia of Horses for Hannah) They were both thrilled – so happy to get the books full of great pictures – and I gave Gerry a cool book on Ancient Egypt. Lovely evening!
My class last night was full and fun! I got to see some friends I haven’t seen in weeks (and some in months!) During the class Maxie came downstairs to ask if he could vacuum his room – it’s his new obsession, he loves to clean. I told my class that’s what happens when you don’t let them have video games, they use anything electric that makes noise to have fun.
Seriously, though, I understand why he likes it. It’s the same reason I love to iron, to paint a room, to mow a lawn – to knit a sweater – it’s because you can SEE a difference in the world because of your effort. For those who enjoy this kind of thing, it’s intoxicating. Yes, I would have been one of the kids begging Huck to let her whitewash the fence.
Crochet submissions continue to arrive, and they’re exceptional. Please send whatever you’d like to share with the world, and I’ll be happy to consider it.
I’m stitching up a sweater/headband/skirt set for Kit – Han’s American Girl doll that we bought last year – and those projects will turn into a few days of the crochet calendar. I’m also working up a few crochet versions of the large brimmed millinery that I do using knitting.
I haven’t addressed this, but on one of the crochet lists there was a huge hubub of contention that Accord publishing had the nerve to ask for free designs. Anyone who reads my blog knows that I’m very pro-designer rights, but I’m also a realist. I do a good amount of free or low pay designs myself if it means supporting a good cause or opening myself up to a market that I might not normally reach. I’ve put together a few reasons why one would want to contribute – check it out if you’re so inclinded!
Oh – I almost forgot – I’ve been asked to teach at TKGA this Spring in Valley Forge as well as at Creative Strands again. I’ve also been asked to teach at a new retreat in Wisconsin next December. I love to get my calendar set up – it’s a very nice feeling!