Knot Sew Crafty

J. Mole, Is That You?

Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo linked to a very beautiful and inspiring blog by an artist named M. Dash, who presents a project by two photographers Eamon Lane and Carlo Nicora, called A Thousand Portraits.  I clicked over and was surprised to find a picture of our dear friend J. Maizlish Mole--or was it?

He'd be the one on the left, if it's him...

Here's a picture of Mole with his band, Marseilles Figs:

What do you think?  I was pretty convinced that it was him, except that I've never known Mole to have that much hair and I don't think he'd wear those glasses.

It turns out that it's not Mole at all, but I think that the mystery fellow must certainly be an identical cousin.  What do you say, Maiz?

By the way, Mole's band, Marseilles Figs, has a new CD out, and it is fun and super-cool and old-fashioned and modern and wacky and lovely.  I think someone out there should use the songs in a movie soundtrack...

It is conveniently available on iTunes...

Sunday's List

--Jessica is having a Soup Swap tomorrow!  I'm excited to have some great new soup recipes for the Fall.

--I'm back up to 148 blogs, which feels just about right.  Under one hundred was impossible because I like to read blogs about lots of different things.  I'll just have prune ruthlessly every once and a while.

--I'm loving this post.

--As usual, Eugene Robinson has taken my feelings and expressed them better than I ever could.

--You know how all of the craft bloggers from countries that are not the US make amazing Granny Square and Ripple blankets?  Where do they find the fabulous bright colors of wool that they use?  I feel like everything I see in the States is a little bit blah.  I probably need to be prepared to go to good yarn stores and spend a lot more money than I am currently spending on wool.  Doesn't anyone make great colors that are not enormously expensive?

--I think I'm going to play this song over and over until the movie comes out:

 

See you tomorrow!

Rainy Friday

(via Green Jello)

Thanks to Anne of Green Jello for posting this song the other day.  It's the only thing getting me through this endless rainy day with all three children home from camp.

I don't know anything about Michael Franti, but they've been playing this song on my radio station, and it never fails to cheer me up.  You can stream The Peak here and maybe you'll hear some stuff to cheer you up too.

If it rains tomorrow, I'm going to need extra-strength.  What are your favorite cheery songs?

Love La Vida

I have a six year old who is obsessed with Love Story by Taylor Swift.  She wants to perform it for us pretty much anytime we will let her.  I've drawn the line at her coming into my room in the morning and waking me up by serenade.

I happened to see this version on be yourself, create art everyday and I really like it.  It's a combination of Love Story and Viva La Vida by Coldplay, played on piano and cello.  Be forewarned that it's quite long, and that it might just get stuck in your head all day.

And this is for Willa, to prove to her that the song is indeed about Romeo and Juliet, not Romeo and Julian:

Bruuuuuuce!

I'm in New Jersey seeing Bruce Springsteen right now!

Someday is Now

I will be turning forty one week from today. Forty.

I've decided that my motto for this, my 41st year on the planet, is going to be "Someday is Now." I was going to write all sorts of wise things about what that means to me, but was delighted to find, upon googling the phrase, that I don't have to because the epic German band Scorpions has done it for me. If I knew how to embed a song, I would do it, but for now I give you:

Hooray! I figured it out, all by myself, with just the teensiest bit of help from Typepad. I am so very proud to present:

Scorpions - Someday is Now

(Music: Rudolf Schenker; Lyrics: James Kottak)
Blood rains down across the tundra
Ice flows through my veins
As my life drains
Northern bound, my dogs are dying
But I still know
That nothing is impossible

I can feel I'm getting stronger, the longer
I'm pushed to the limit
Said I'd do it someday
Someday is now
When I see the world around me receding
No time for bleeding
Show the world how
Someday is now

Eight steps till I reach the summit
My line breaks and I fall down
The rocky terrain
My bones are broken into pieces
My mind can't wait
To get up and do it again

I can feel I'm getting stronger, the longer
I'm pushed to the limit
Said I'd do it someday
Someday is now
When I see the the sun is shining, I'm flying
There's no time for crying
I'm gonna win someday

No turning back, no more yesterdays
I just won't get lost in the haze
All my tomorrows, no sadness, no sorrow
Watch out for the rest of my days

Stronger, the longer
I'm pushed to the limit
Said I'd do it someday
Someday is now
When I see the the sun is shining, I'm flying
There's no room for crying
I'm gonna win some way
Someday is now

Japan 1978: Klaus Meine, Uli Roth, Herman Rarebell, Rudolf Schenker, Francis Buchholz

Jam Session

Our musical instruments arrived and the kids had an impromptu three-hour hootenanny. After three hours the trio of harmonica, recorder and castanets did begin to grate a little bit, but I'm glad that they had so much fun. I do get the feeling, however, that Soulemama's hootenannies must involve fewer sibling squabbles...

Did I Say No-Spend April? I Meant No-Spend May.

No-Spend April is not going so well. CMR was away and (close your eyes, CMR!) the recommendations in the back of The Creative Family looked so good that I had to get as many of them on Paperback Swap or used on Amazon as possible. I also ordered wooden musical instruments from Willow Tree Toys because I am determined that we are going to be the kind of family that has impromptu hootenannies, as described by Soulemama.

So cool!

I have also been eating take-out Thai food.