Feeling Poorly...

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends - I am feeling very craptastic this morning so I am packing it in - and - going home so I can get to feeling better.  

Why I came in is beyond me at the moment!!!

Take care, 

edgar

Friday Flicks...

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends I'll wrap up the week with a couple of really fine films I had the chance to view this week. 

Now, I know that you probably think I can't watch anything after about 1966....67.....  but that just isn't so.  I can watch almost anything, but my preference is for old film from the "golden Age" of film making.  I do not care for those two words and think they are used way too much!!  the two films today where both made in the last 10 years and both of these films I had never seen before nor had I heard about them - but found them just searching around looking at different acoptrs bios.

First up would be "The Straight Story" - 1999 - starring Sissy Spacek and Richard Farnsworth.  Directed by David Lynch - this is not a movie for fans of the usual eerie Lynch stuff. Rather, it's for those who appreciate a good story.  The story unfolds flawlessly, and we are taken along a journey that, I believe, most of us will come to recognize at some time. A compassionate journey where we make amends for our past when approaching our inevitable demise.  Acting is without faults, cinematography likewise (occasionally quite brilliant!), and the dialogue is spare enough for the viewer to grasp the details of the story. A really good movie that develops slowly.

The second film I want to mention is "Noel" - 2004 - starring Susan Sarandon, Penelope Cruz, Paul Walker, Alan Arkin and Robin Willimas.  I love Christmas films but I had never seen this one - nor had I heard much about it either.

 

With an all-star cast and a story written with such complex layer and beauty, it is hard to not fall deep into the spirit of this movie. As we watch each character move through the day and night before Christmas Day, we see their stories woven into an interconnected pattern which ultimately proves the magical power of the Holiday.  Each story different, each life full of pain and love; both sides of the Christmas holiday are shown in this film. The lonely and the loved, the heartsick and the passionate, the joyful and the sad - Noel is a Christmas story which speaks to the truth of the magic of Holiday Season. All actors shine in this touching film, with the performances of Susan Sarandon, Penelope Cruz, Paul Walker, Alan Arkin, and Robin Williams encompassing intense, simple, and artful portraits of the human condition. If you are looking for a modern Holiday movie full of the rich character and story detail found in the great reels of the past - do not turn to the numerous "Seasonal flicks" found on cable TV - but rather, discover and rediscover the magic found in Noel. 

I thoroughly enjoyed these two films and with each running about 100 minutes they move along telling great stories!!  I hope you check them out.

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There you go sports fans.  Thanks again for stopping by  - and for your great comments!!  

Do come again!

Take care,

edgar

Two Kitties, Two Stitches and some Wings!!!!!

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends we are now in the throws of our "summer weather."  Last week we had a couple of days of warm weather and this week we are into our third day of "heat."  Now, heat is relative and here in SF when the temps rise into the upper 70's low 80's it is defined as "hot" weather - Tomorrow and every day until Sunday the high temps will begin to drop 6+ degrees a day and we should get a sprinkle of rain or two at the end of the four days.  That's about it for the Summer type of anything - and I am not going to complain!!

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I mentioned yesterday that we are taking care of a couple f kitties - so I thought you might like to see Nikita and Chauncey - they are very sweet kitties.

They used to be very skittish when we first met them a few years ago - but now they both come running for rubs and scratches and some play time.

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I finished up Part 5 of the Mystery SAL Sampler that Carol is running - Here is where mine stands as of last night..

and , I also worked a bit on the Mary Beale Sampler.....

My flash was way too hot and I tired to compensate with a colour fix and so I got this craptastic snaperoo.  You get the idea.

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Last night Rico brought home some delicious wings - lemon/pepper and Hickory Smoked BBQ!!  From a place called "Wing Stop."  He was introduced to this place by a coworker - thanks Prisma!!

.......so, we stopped on the way home at the Safeway and picked up some Loaded Skins and cole slaw - the beer we already had - and it was one terrific dinner!!!!!  I do love me some Japanese beer!
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That's about it for today sports fans - thanks for stopping by!!  Do come again!

Take care,

edgar

Baking Tuesday and Two Sweet Kitties

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends thanks for stopping by  - also, thanks for all the nice comments about the stitching stuff in yesterdays post.  I do love Mary Beale project/charts and even though they are older, OOP, HTF and only available on the secondary market - eBay - it does not not make them any less good or fun or clever and certainly worth stitching.  I think they have a sort of timelessness about them.  You know how some charts look dated within 3 minutes of publication.  Then there are the "styles" of stitching or charts that come and go so quickly - I think that MB has staying power and I like doing them - they are just hard to find and are only ever charted for DMC.  I did work a bit on HB, and also some on Part 5 of the Mystery Sampler, but do not have a snap of either piece....  I spent most of the evening playing "dog chew toy" with the hounds.  Why is it that I am more fun to chew than the dozens of toys littering the floor???

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I posted the recipe for the Spice Cake I made on Sunday.  The original recipe came from the "Mennonite Girls can Cook" Blog.  You can click HERE to go there, it is a great Blog, so you should check it out.  I also included the little tweaks I made to the recipe.  For my version and to go to Blacksheep Bakes click HERE.  Here is a snap of my cake.....

It has a great flavour and is a real Fall treat!!
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Some friends/neighbors of ours are travelling in Sicily for the next 10 days and we are babysitting their two kitties.  Now, I am a dog person through and trough but these two kitties are totally sweet!!  I am really enjoying the "Kitty Play" I am getting in the morning and evening!  I'll get some snaps of those sweet kitties posted in the next day or so.

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I think that about wraps it up for today sports fans.  Thanks again for stopping by - do stop by again!!

Take care,

edgar

A New Stitch and an Old Stitch

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends it seems that this past weekend was busy or was it?  Although there was two days off we stayed pretty busy just catching up on the day to day things.  I did accomplish one thing I had on my list that I thought I wouldn't get to - I made it to the Serramonte Center - a big Mall just south of the city and picked up a Birthday Present for my Niece.  Her Birthday is coming up - the day after mine - so there is no excuses to forget.  Thank goodness I asked my sister ahead of time what I could get for her - I would have had no idea as to size - or even what department to start looking in.  The sales girl was very helpful at the Macy's and I left with a mission accomplished!!  But, boy did I feel old and clueless!!

I went to that Mall instead of the Mall I usually go to because I needed to stop in to Michael's for a skein of DMC 371 I was missing - which was making me nuts!!  It always seems that out of the 25 skeins you have there is always one that you don't - AND - that one is the one that you need to get a new start moving along.  Here is a snap of my new start .....

"Harvest Blessing" by Mary Beale, 

from Notebook Pocketbook, Fall 1990

28ct PT Fresco - recommended DMC

It is zooming along nicely - and is a smallish piece that I already have a frame lined up from the "frame heap.".

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I also got some stitching in on Shores - and here is where I left off on that piece....

Even though the picture is wonky as all get out - you get the idea.  Now that I have the house all filled in this will be a much nicer Block as I really love the way the pine tress look.

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There you go sports fans - I did bake a treat but will save that for tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by and for your great comments!!

Take care,

edgar

Christmas Cookies and Four Flicks

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends the week has wound down and the weekend is here - woo hoo!!!  Nothing special planned, but just knowing that there are two lovely days ahead is super!!

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Something you might not know about me and that I will share today is I enjoy baking - yes, that's right I do love to cook and bake things - you might have figured that out from a few of my prior posts.  Something you really might not know -  a thing I buy every year for as long as I can remember - as soon as I see one of these....

.... in the Fall I snap it up and just start thinking/dreaming of Christmas baking and what I want to make.  It doesn't have to be Better Homes and Gardens - it just has to be a new big thick magazine of Christmas Cookies!! I have a pile of them I keep in a box I haul out every now and then during the year when I need a "shot of Christmas."  This issue has some pretty tasty looking treats and I will certainly enjoy the baking and will let you know what works and what doesn't as I make my way through different recipes.

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Now, on to some films I think are pretty good and you might enjoy...... first up  "If you Could Only Cook" - 1935 - starring Jean Arthur and Herbert Marshall, Leo Carillo and Lionel Stander.

This really delightful film is another overlooked, underplayed outing for the marvelous Jean Arthur.  It combines the trademark cracked voice with her razor wit in a hilarious screwball scenario of a homeless gourmet cook and butler who become employed by a gangster.  

The second film - "Fury" - 1936 - starring Sylvia Sidney and Spencer Tracy

Based on the story "Mob Rule" by Norman Krasna. Joe Wilson and Katherine Grant are in love, but he doesn't have enough money for them to get married. So Katherine moves across the country to make money.  Joe eventually follows but is mistaken for a criminal and is thrown in jail.   Through the course of the movie, Fritz Lang shows us how a decent and once civilized man can become a ruthless and bitter man. A strong movie with some superior acting - that all sort of works out in the end.

The next film is a cute fluff piece I had not heard of - "The Rage of Paris" - 1938 - starring Danielle Darrieux, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Mischa Auer and Helen Broderick.

From IMDB  "Nicole has no job and is several weeks behind with her rent. Her solution to her problem is to try and snare a rich husband. Enlisting the help of her friend Gloria and the maitre'd at a ritzy New York City hotel, the trio plot to have Gloria catch the eye of Bill Duncan, a handsome millionaire staying at the hotel. The plan works and the two quickly become engaged. Nicole's plan may be thwarted by Bill's friend, Jim Trevor, who's met Nicole before and sees through her plot."  Big bucks where spent of this film  - Gowns by Vera West and set design by Russell Gausman - totally worth a look - at 78 minutes it moves along quickly.

The last film today is a propaganda film from WWII - and once again you know how I love my WWII films.  The film is called "This Above All" - 1942 - starring Tyrone Power and Joan Fontaine - 

In a nutshell - Aristocratic Prudence Cathaway, played by Fontaine, shocks her family by enlisting in the WAFs.  After enlisting, a fellow WAF sets her up on a blind date with handsome, but moody, Clive Briggs, played by Power.  Prudence learns Clive is a deserter, but still loves him and senses he'll eventually prove himself a patriot. A good film with two top notch actors looking their top notch best - even during the Blitz!!  The film won an Oscar for Art Direction and you can see why in the sets and cinematography - all beautiful!!

There you go - 4 films worth a look!!

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Another week wrapped up  - thanks for stopping by - do come again!

Take care,

edgar

Thursday Looking at the Weekend

Gentle Readers and Dear Friends it is Thursday and I know I am and probably you are also, in fact we are all probably looking towards the weekend.  Ahhhhh those glorious two days of "rest." 

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Not very much to report this morning - just sitting here - eating my raisin snail...

we picked up on the way in this morning......  drinking my faux Mocha coffee...

I throw a shot of Hershey's syrup in my cup of XXDark French Roast coffee -  et voila - faux mocha - and it's healthy too - read the add!!!

Not much else to report - worked some on Shores - lots of dark grey for the roof - I also found a little Fallish/Thanksgiving piece I want to stitch up before I get to Christmas stitching - I need to make a working copy ( I try and never stitch for the original) and pull a piece of linen, but I had all the floss I needed so it is practically kitted up.  :)

I wonder how many of us try and stitch seasonally???  

I think that is about it for today sports fans - short and sweet..........sweet treats...... I do love a good raisin snail, now I'm back to the pastry!! - in fact I sort enjoy raisins in just about anything - delicious!!

Take care,

edgar