Author Archives: Fran Gardner

Advice

Posted on May 17, 2020 by Fran Gardner

“To thine own self be true.” “Never get involved in a land war in Asia.” “Plastics.” Most advice I’ve gotten over the years I’ve forgotten or ignored. Sometimes I listen. Lately, two pieces of advice from 50 years ago and … Continue reading →

Posted in How to live, Observations | Tagged | 2 Comments

Pressman’s hats

Posted on September 17, 2019 by Fran Gardner

September 17, 2019 It was Crazy Hat day a few days ago here at Hawthorne Gardens, my new home in assisted-living land. Robert and I are wearing historic hats—the kind worn by generations of newspaper press workers dating back to … Continue reading →

Posted in Create, Journalism, making, Things I made | 5 Comments

A dot of happy

Posted on June 2, 2019 by Fran Gardner

I use vintage handkerchiefs, found over the years in a dozen places. Some are in better shape than others, and as I carry them about from day to day, they wear out in their different ways. Some of them I … Continue reading →

Posted in Gratitude, Happiness, Things I made | Leave a comment

Same as it every was

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Fran Gardner

I’ve been reading History of the Great American Fortunes, a book published in 1909 by Gustavus Myers. Myers may well have been a Marxist, but his social commentary is right on the mark as he calls out the rich and powerful … Continue reading →

Posted in Observations | Leave a comment

Bucket baloney

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Fran Gardner

Despite my resolution for this month (February), to avoid thinking, saying or writing negative things, I can’t get a recent Editorial Notebook from the New York Times out of my head. The title is “Last Things First for Patients With … Continue reading →

Posted in Gratitude, Happiness, How to live, Observations | 3 Comments

Happy Birthday. I saw it on Facebook.

Posted on December 29, 2017 by Fran Gardner

My birthday is in a couple of days, January 1 to be exact.  If this year is like previous years, I will get several dozen Happy Birthday messages on Facebook, most of them from people I know more or less … Continue reading →

Posted in Observations | 5 Comments

Don’t sweat the pumpkin seeds

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Fran Gardner

  Just a seasonal reminder: if you are roasting seeds from your Halloween pumpkin, you don’t need to clean off all the pulp from every last one. Separating the seeds from the pulp is messy but fun in a visceral sort of … Continue reading →

Posted in Food | 1 Comment

It's just a kitchen, cluttered –but the colors! I love color.

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Fran Gardner
Posted in #100happydays | Leave a comment

Memories and fabric

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Fran Gardner

On her While She Naps blog, quilter and designer Abby Glassenberg describes a new project, a quilt with 99 hexagons, each one representing a fabric in her stash. “I’ve had some of these fabrics for more than 10 years,” she … Continue reading →

Posted in Create, Fabric, Happiness, making, Things I made | 1 Comment

A little notice

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Fran Gardner

Jessica Skultity at The Wonky Press (issue #39: Why I’m Writing a Book, Bright Yellow Quilts, and Some Great Links) has said some kind things about a little quilt I made earlier this year. Since it was for a baby, I used … Continue reading →

Posted in Create, Gifts | 1 Comment