Mystery blankets

When I arrived to my office this morning, I had surprise gift: two baby blankets. What I didn't have was a note saying who delivered them. Was it you?

No, I'm not pregnant or expecting or drinking whatever's in the water...

My friend Skye is a neo-natal chaplain and works with families who have delivered itty bitty babies who are sick or having surgery or otherwise in Intensive Care. A lot of the babies whose families she works with don't make it. Skye has learned that the families that don't get to take their babies home do want something to take home that belonged to the baby--especially something personal and handmade that touched their baby or smelled like their baby (and is not hospital-issue and therefore a reminder of medical trauma). Something they can hold and cherish once the baby is gone. Skye belongs to the knitting group I was part of, and we had committed to knitting itty bitty blankets for the itty bitty babies.

I've mentioned this effort to countless people over the past months, but I am at a loss as to who to thank. Please let me know if you were the kind soul who knitted these blankets. Or let me know if you would like to...

Otherwise we'll send our thanks out into wide wide universe, and we'll hope you feel the gratitude!

Allow me to introduce you

One of the most exciting things about 2007 for me is that I have started to garden! The fabulous Carol built me a raised bed for my birthday--and then helped me lug about 20 wheelbarrowsful of dirt and compost into it. I am very excited to learn how to grow some of the staple ingredients I use in my kitchen: tomatoes (four varieties), peppers (two), onions, squash, and three types of greens (spinach, bibb and head lettuce).

Here's how everyone's doing just a few weeks after planting (and with virtually no rain--save what I offer them through the hose every day):

Not bad, huh? What you don't see here is the watermelon plant, which can use up to 100 square feet of space and thus did not make it into the 8'x4' bed. Instead, she's planted right in the ground, to the left of this photo.

Also not pictured are the herbs. Oh, the herbs! I love them so much they get their own pots so I can bring them in for the winter and use them year-round: basil, chives, oregano, parsley, mint, rosemary, cilantro, catnip, lemon thyme, lavendar and lemon balm. Mmmmm.

Flowers that got planted are marigolds (pest control) and morning glories (just cuz they're purty).

A number of people are helping along the way--they give me plants and seeds, help with projects, lend listening ears, advice, knowledge, books and tools, or simply are kindred spirits in the process. Big shouts out to Carol, Kelly, Cindy, Natalie, Katie, Andrew, Mike, David, Tiff, Becca, Peter and Catherine. I hope to have bounty to share!

Born of woman

"Life on the planet is born of woman."

- Adrienne Rich

I got to see baby kittens yesterday, just a few hours old. They were soft and clean and warm, nuzzled up to their mama's chest and belly. She was purring loudly and kept a watchful eye to those of us who ventured close. We approached gently (cooing and sweet-talking to let her know we came in peace), and she kindly let us put careful fingertips to her sweet new bundles.

It's pretty amazing what that mama cat did yesterday, bringing those little kittens forth from inside her body. She had to be exhausted, but she sure had enough energy to keep watch and protect her little brood. She will spend the next few weeks being their safe, nourishing harbor, and then she will start teaching them the ways of the kitty world--playing, hunting, etc.

I was probably 11 or 12 when our cat Snuffy had kittens. It was especially fun to watch her teaching them to hunt. Their little furball selves kept getting it all wrong--pouncing too soon, making too much noise--but patiently patiently she taught them. And like all of us, they grew up, left the nest, and lived on their own, those early lessons forming every move they made.

Y'don't stop to think about it this way often, but each of us--all of life--is born. Of woman.

Shout out to the ol' body

Two pieces of good news on the health front yesterday:

1) My teeth are free of cavities. Which has been the case for most of my life (save that one time when suddenly at age 30, being cavity-free my entire life, I had FOUR at the same time--devastating). Yesterday's dentist visit was particularly interesting because Dr. Y got to unveil her fancy schmancy new cavity-identifying laser technology. No more of the traditional poking around. Part of me longed for the poking around--because then I would have felt properly examined (and because I'm old-fashioned enough that I always have a skeptical eye toward the dependability of technology)--but another part of me felt very hip and cool watching the digital read-out from that laser thingy. Though it made me nervous too... Dr. Y introduced the laser to me by instructing me to hold the digital reader in my hands, and to watch the numbers as she moved the laser around my mouth. "If one of the numbers shows 21 or higher, you have a cavity." To watch those numbers change, tooth by tooth, was nerve-wracking! Part of me wanted to hand the reader back to her and say, "Enough with the suspense. Just tell me if I have a freakin' cavity." But I played along and thankfully the numbers stayed low (relatively) and all's clear. Whew! Strong work, teeth!

2) My blood pressure is in great shape--and about the lowest it's been in 4 years! I was a little worried going into this reading; I've been drinking coffee again like a champ--and reducing my caffeine intake was a major part of bringing my blood pressure down. So for whatever reason, by the grace of God, all's clear. I think this means I can keep drinking coffee! Yahooie! Strong work, heart!

You'd think that both of these would inspire me to eat less sugar (because some of those digital teeth readings were high enough that I have potential cavities-in-the-making) and drink less coffee. And surely I started out of the gate with good intentions yesterday: brushing my teeth right after lunch, no snacking on sweets during the day, no coffee in my mug. Yes, sweet friends, I was committed. I was going to get back on track and be more intentional about what I put in my body. Gotta keep the good health-news-karma going and all. But already it's gone to shit. I had ice cream for dessert last night, and I am currently, at 11:00 in the morning, enjoying not only a piping hot mug of Geo's coveted pot of strong, delicious coffee, but a chocolate chip cookie to boot.

Last night I dreamed I was eating brownies and ice cream for breakfast. (Which, if you know me at all, you know is not me--chocolate and super-sugary stuff do not work for me first thing in the morning.) But there you have it.