Yarn~Knit~Read~Lit

Geranium

2012-01-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

This small flower is a beautiful gift on an overcast day. It lifts my spirits to see it because I am feeling tired and have low energy today. A cheery flower just makes things better, doesn't it?

This pic taken on a sunny day shows one of my geraniums on the window seat in my office. I decided to over-winter four pots this year in the sun and with regular watering. I hope they'll be loaded with blooms when they are back outside in the summer. From what I've read though, they may bloom but not as much as last summer. Since I don't typically over-winter geraniums, I am hoping for fantastic results when summer arrives. Stay tuned.

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 45

2012-01-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

I am a silhouette.
As good as I can get.
And yet,
I'm just a silhouette.

* * * * *

This microfiction meme is hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info where you can read the variety of ideas inspired by this picture.

Join in and post your microfiction too !

Granny Baby Blanket

2012-01-25T19:16:00.002-07:00

What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

I'm enjoying Amy Tan's The Opposite of Fate which reads like a memoir and a biography of her Chinese mother. (Hmmm, and I read Diane Keaton in recent months. Do I have a theme developing?) The stories are her musings written separately yet connected overall. Her humor and lovely writing add to the pleasure that is this book.

I've been crocheting another baby blanket for a girl. Well, the last one was knit, but--still--it's a baby blanket. I started with square Number 51. Sadly, it has no descriptive name, just a number, another cog in Big Brother's machine. Uh, so...Number 51 is located in Leisure Arts book, 99 Granny Squares To Crochet and begins with a sweet little flower surrounded by lace. I am repeating the outer rows and randomly making two lace rows in winter white as I continue. This yarn is Plymouth Encore WW in a very cheery pink and yellow.

Of course, it isn't always pretty, is it? There was a bit of ripping and restarting, but it's smooth sailing now. The pile of speckled blues yarn in the other basket is an in-progress shawl for the Prayer Shawl Ministry at my church. I bought the yarn last year at Stitches West to use for a prayer shawl. It was a bag of 10 balls of Linie 97 Iceland, discontinued and sold at a bargain price. I thought it would be fun to make a shawl with some funky yarn. However, the focus is on the baby blanket for now.

How about you?

Click above to see more!

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 44

2012-01-23T09:52:00.001-07:00

I'm ready to run with no place to go. Living in Kentucky isn't all it's cracked up to be. I've been stalled since I arrived. (whah-whah)

= = = = =

This microfiction meme is hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info where you can read the variety of ideas inspired by this picture. Join in and post your microfiction too !

Saturday Snapshot ~ White Tail Deer

2012-01-21T11:03:00.001-07:00

Click the camera to see more Saturday snapshots and add yours!

Three lovely ladies came to visit, gentle and alert.

Taken with my DH's wildlife camera on our property along the South Platte River.

He has two cams mounted about a mile apart and captures the most amazing images of the white tail deer, wild turkeys, and other creatures that pass by the cam.

Sweet, natural images of God's creatures.

Book Beginnings & Fiber Finishing

2012-01-20T12:23:00.002-07:00

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

This lovely book has been resting in my book shelves for several years. After a recent diet of mysteries and thrillers, I yearned for a change in genre and reached for Amy Tan, marvelous writer that she is. She wrote this book as a tribute to her mother and their sometimes tumultuous relationship.

Page 7: "Soon after my first book was published, I found myself often confronted with the subject of my mortality. I remember being asked by a young woman what I did for a living. "I'm an author," I said with proud new authority.
"A contemporary author?" she wanted to know."

I enjoy her magical story telling, intelligence and wit, which are quite evident in these opening sentences. Her fascinating bio is here.

* * * * *

::knit::knit::knit::knit::knit::

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Pooch/rainbows-for-ashley-baby-blanket

http://yarnknitreadlit.blogspot.com/2011/11/baby-blanket-yarn-along.html

The baby blanket for niece's little one is finished! Voila!

How long will I procrastinate getting it wrapped and mailed? I don't know!

http://plumslife.blogspot.com

http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesday ~ A Fatal Grace

2012-01-17T07:50:00.001-07:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away!
• Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

* * * * *

From A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny:

"It was almost impossible to be both warm and attractive in a Quebec winter."

"How does someone get electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake?...It was almost impossible to electrocute someone these days unless you were the governor of Texas."

What are you reading?

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 43

2012-01-15T06:26:00.000-07:00

This microfiction meme is hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info where you can read the variety of ideas inspired by this picture. Join in and post your microfiction too!

Fashion is not a concern when I can quietly enjoy nature, thought Olga,

as plastic wrap slowly destroyed the environment.

Mrs. Nixon

2012-01-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Nixon by Ann Beattie

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book is marketed as a novel, yet the author uses a pedantic approach-- as though teaching creative writing -- via the imagined life of Pat Nixon, wife of our disgraced President. The author's writing style is quite disconcerting because it reads like a text book. Must she explain the most obvious analogies, i.e., crystal bowl and crystal ball?The many comparisons of the Nixons and/or events in their lives to literary works, such as Chekhov, seems to be a purely academic effort with little merit.

If you want to learn about Mrs. Nixon, you would be far more gratified with PAT NIXON: AN UNTOLD STORY written by her daughter Julie Nixon Eisenhower, biased as it may be. Julie's book is an often quoted resource for this novel. Having read a biography of Mrs. Nixon and her daughter's book about her, I find this novel to be a disappointing exercise. However, if you are looking for a book that might provide some lessons in the writing process, this could be the book for you.

View all my reviews

Booking Through Thursday ~

2012-01-12T11:52:00.001-07:00

Copy the questions, paste them into your blog and answer them. When you're done, go to http://btt2.wordpress.com/ and post a quick letting everyone know so we can read your responses.

But enough about interviewing other people. It’s time I interviewed YOU.

1. What’s your favorite time of day to read? Any time, don't have a particularly favorite time.
2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.) Yes.
3. What’s your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.) An omelet

4. How many hours a day would you say you read? 4
5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago? More!
6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader? Not at all. I read casually, reread section, make notes, soak up the power of the words.

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Invisibility.
8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go? Absolutely! It's so easy now with my iPod, Nook, and--of course--an actual physical book.
9. What KIND of book? Usually iPod and Nook.

10. How old were you when you got your first library card? 6 or 7
11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?) Oh my, I have no idea!
12. Do you read in bed? Infrequently.

13. Do you write in your books? Yes.
14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be? Read what you want to read. If you're not connecting with a book, put it aside and read something you truly want to read. There's no rule that you MUST read an entire book once you begin. You can get crazy and skip around in a given book, reading what you want!

Teaser Tuesdays ~ The Inside Ring

2012-01-10T18:08:00.001-07:00

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/teaser-tuesday-jan-10/

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!
• Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

From The Inside Ring: A Novel by Mike Lawson

P. 85: "DeMarco's eyelids felt coated on the inside with a layer of sand and he suspected only the odd-numbered cells in his brain were firing."

An exciting and gripping story, The Inside Ring refers to the Secret Service agents who are physically closest to the President in his security detail As I read this book, I see Johnny Depp as DeMarco and not because he played "Don Juan deMarco"....hmmmm. I don't "cast" characters when I read, yet there are times when someone springs to mind. It might be an actor, however quite often it is someone I know. Oh, and I don't watch movies made from books I've read. Do you?

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 42

2012-01-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

Dancing bakers welcome 2012! A worker wishes he could bake and dance too, but knows that he can't afford the magical black shoes. Zappos?

. . . . . . .

This microfiction meme is hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info where you can read the variety of ideas inspired by this picture. Join in and post your microfiction too!

Saturday Snapshot ~ At Home

2012-01-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Click the camera to see more Saturday snapshots and add yours!

Colorado Saturday at Home

Friday Fibers and a Book

2012-01-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

From The Inside Ring by Mike Lawson: page 12, first sentences--

"The video begins with the President walking toward a marine helicopter. The rapids of the Chattooga River are visible behind the helicopter, and beyond the river is a dense pine forest, the ground rising sharply to a bluff overlooking a river."

Thus, the scene is set and I am ready for the action to begin. The plot and characters are very engaging, though the author's use of analogies need to be polished. My understanding is that this title was his first published work and the beginning of a series. I am approximately 50 pages into the book and think I will continue reading this series.

I was curious about the name of the river, Chattooga, and found that it indeed exist in NC, SC, and Georgia.

http://plumslife.blogspot.com

http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.com/

Now the holidays have passed and I am finishing the last section on this baby blanket. I'll add some girlie-girl trim and send it off for baby. Hope she has lots of cuddles and happies in this stripey blankie made with I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby. More details on the pattern and project are here http://yarnknitreadlit.blogspot.com/2011/11/baby-blanket-yarn-along.html

What are you reading and knitting?

It's Thursday! Book it!

2012-01-05T10:56:00.002-07:00

Questions for this week:
If you could sit down and interview anyone, who would it be?
And, what would you ask them?

These simple questions are quite challenging! My first thought went to my great-grandmother, Sylvia, whom I knew as a child. I would ask her about her life in Tuscany, her childhood, what is was like to come to the US as an adult with her husband and children. I would love to hear her stories and see her bright smiling eyes again.

A public figure and writer who immediately stepped forth in my thoughts is Eleanor Roosevelt. Though she was very active on assorted fronts, I would like to know how she spent her private moments when she was alone, without companions, and had that special sort of freedom in time and space.

"Ten Important Facts About Eleanor Roosevelt"

( from http://pegasus.lasalle-academy.org/roosevelte.html)

Eleanor had six children and one died. She had 23 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Eleanor owned a furniture factory with friends.
Eleanor wrote a daily newspaper column.
Eleanor wrote a book called "Ladies of Courage" in 1954.
Eleanor was on a daily radio commentary.
Eleanor hosted a weekly television show.
Eleanor delivered more than 100 lectures a year.
Eleanor was elected chair of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in 1946.
Eleanor was asked to chair a women's sub committee at the Democratic National Convention in 1924.
Eleanor's husband, Franklin, was her fifth cousin once removed. "

:: Who would you like to chat with and ask a few questions? ::

You can read more at BTT.

Tuesday Teaser ~ Fave Books of 2011

2012-01-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

From Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman:	p. 119 "That masked man is Earl Jenkins. He's a policeman and he's married. Just look at him. I've always said he's only one step above a bait-shop dealer."

For more interesting book teasers and to add yours, click here.

I continue to read a few pages of this book, get caught up in another book which I finish, then return to read a bit more of CeeCee Honeycutt. A prepubescent girl who relocates from Ohio to live with her aunt in Savannah, Georgia, learns about life and Southern ways via the assorted the women whose divergent characteristics reveal these lessons in engaging scenarios. The harshest lessons come from her parents who are unable to rear their child. CeeCee Honeycutt saves herself.

+ + + + +

My Fave Books of 2011

(in random order)

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough

Then Again by Dianne Keaton

11-22-63 by Stephen King

Bossy Pants by Tina Fey

The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer

Least Liked

Rich Boy by Sharon Pomerantz

The Sea House by Esther Freud

The Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart

After All These Years by Susan Issacs

It All Began in Monte Carlo by Elizabeth Adler

First Book Read in 2011 -- First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips 5/5

Last Book Read in 2011 -- Still Life by Louise Penney 5/5

So I am happy that 2011 began and ended with very engaging books that I couldn't put down. I've become a Louise Penney fan after reading this one book by her and will continue reading the Inspector Gamache series (with relish).

What are you reading?

What book do you recommend?

Succinctly Yours ~ Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:49:00.001-07:00

Was a dragon at the party?
There was a dinosaur he said.
So there wasn't a dragon?
No.
She replaced the cucumber slices on her eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This microfiction meme is hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info where you can read the variety of ideas inspired by this picture. Join in and post your microfiction too!

Happy 2012

2011-12-31T14:40:00.001-07:00

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
~ Hebrews 13:8

WWW Wednesdays ~ Dec. 28

2011-12-28T10:51:00.002-07:00

What are you currently reading?

http://yarnknitreadlit.blogspot.com/2011/12/teaser-tuesday-grisham.html

What did you recently finish reading?
http://yarnknitreadlit.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-wedding-by-james-patterson.html

What do you think you’ll read next?
I will upload a yet to be selected title on my NEW CHRISTMAS NOOK !!
Whooo-hooo! and Ho-Ho-Ho! My DH really surprised me with that gift!!

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

2011-12-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Though not a fan of romance novels, I have enjoyed this short holiday-themed book. Gabby, the out-spoken, forceful matriarch of her family gathers her adult children, relatives, friends, and almost everyone she knows for her Christmas wedding. She discusses her wedding plans in a series of video messages without identifying the groom. Emotional outbursts, unconventional wisdom, and smiley smiles ensue. This warm, amusing plot line is as far from reality as it can be. Will it become a Lifetime movie some day?

If you are in the mood for over-the-top characterization and story, this feel-good book may be the one for you.
View all my reviews

Teaser Tuesday ~ Grisham

2011-12-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

"The litigators were a breed apart, wild men who took enormous risks and lived on the edge. In every big firm the litigation section was the most colorful and filled with the biggest characters and egos."
--- The Litigators by John Grisham

For more interesting book teasers, click here.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them...;'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!' ~ Matthew 2:10-11

May you be blessed according to your need.

Merry Christmas!

Saturday Snapshot ~ Flash!

2011-12-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Click the camera to see more Saturday snapshots and add yours!

Christmas Flash!

Hey, Santa, I'm ready to help!

Enough already!

2011-12-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought that a project ought to be finished by now even though you like the pattern, the yarn, the 4-row repeats? Have you ever ever been so very ready to begin your next project--say, something like this --even though you have WIPs whimpering in the background? Have you ever been ready to wrap said project and send it with the crochet hook dangling from it to your niece for her new baby when you know your niece hasn't a clue about crocheting??

Yes?

Me too.

Right now.

http://plumslife.blogspot.com

http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.com/

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 38

2011-12-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Why do your heads hang low?
They don't wobble to or fro.
Happy, you are not
And you don't wear any bows.
Why DO your heads hang low?

+ + + + +

This microfiction meme is hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info where you can read the variety of ideas inspired by this picture. Join in and post your microfiction too!

Baby Girl's Christmas Stocking

2011-12-10T12:15:00.004-07:00

As I previously blogged, I was not happy with the first stocking I was crocheting for my friend's great granddaughter. The yarn was too stiff, which is why it has been in my stash forever! I decided to use the hot pink left from this throw for my granddaughter's Christmas gift to make a sweet girlie-girl Christmas stocking.

This pattern is here . Scroll waaaay down to the Christmas Stocking section, then click on
"Baby Girl's First Christmas Stocking" and you have the quick, easy pattern! Interestingly, the pattern is worked vertically from the heel, a new approach for me. I used "I Love This Yarn" from Hobby Lobby and a size J hook. The left-over white Plymouth Encore yielded a soft, feminine cuff. I really like that touch on this cute stocking, perfect for a nine-month-old baby girl!

Click on the button to see more lovely WIPs and FOs.

Teaser Tuesday ~ Trigiani

2011-12-06T16:07:00.002-07:00

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

From Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani :

"Dad adjusted his bow tie like a knob on an air conditioner....My father whisks the inside of his collar with his finger like the inside of a cold cream jar."

This author is all about similes and writes them so well. The visual imagery is evocative of every day actions and situations that place the reader into the events in the story. The charm of this book is not so much the story line as it is the confidently created atmosphere.

Trigiani's books elicit sweetly sentimental memories of my childhood in our Italian family, particularly of my powerhouse Nonna. If you enjoy a good laugh and a cozy read, try Very Valentine.

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 37

2011-12-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Dragging his leash, a jubilant Sparky turned and ran toward independence as the song "My Way" swelled to a crescendo.

******

A microfiction meme hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info

Yarn Along ~ Christmas Stocking

2011-11-30T13:01:00.002-07:00

I have interrupted my baby blanket knitting (like that's never happened before) to crochet a Christmas stocking for a friend's new great granddaughter. While I prefer the look and feel of a knitted stocking, crochet is much faster. This stash yarn is finally leaving the building after several years residence here!
This is based on the "Snowman Stocking" pattern, minus the snowman, at http://crochetmagazine.com/newsletters

I've just begun reading Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. It's a pleasure to read about this charming main character who faces her difficult young life with hope and positivity. No whining!

*****

What are you reading? What are you knitting? Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

Teaser Tuesday ~ Honeycutt

2011-11-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

"On a warm October night I sat outside and rested against a maple tree. I gazed at the branches above me, and while watching the moonlight ride the copper leaves as they let go and swirled to the ground, I wondered about all the prayers I'd said."
-- Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 36

2011-11-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

She is complacent about shopping so Mr. buys groceries every day. Is he over-compensating or just bored? There's always food on the table.

:::::

A microfiction meme hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info

Saturday Snapshot ~ Arch

2011-11-26T10:23:00.001-07:00

St. Louis Arch

July 4, 2010

Click the camera to see more Saturday snapshots and add yours!

Baby Blanket ~ Yarn Along

2011-11-23T15:52:00.001-07:00

A sweet baby girl named Ashley Elizabeth was born to dear niece and her hubby, which means it is baby blanket time. I downloaded Exclusive by Sandra Brown to accompany the knitting. The premise sounds interesting, but I am not far enough into the story to venture an opinion.

The "I Love This Yarn" left-overs work well for this blanket--pastels, very soft hand, and oh-so-cuddly. I used this yarn for 8-year-old DGD's Christmas present, a throw.

Why did it take me SO long to decide on a pattern? I don't know! I started to crochet motifs for a baby blanket, then decided I didn't feel like doing that. So, I dug out an old copy of Knitting Digest dated September, 1997, and came upon the "Rainbow Crib Cover" on page 22.

The stripes run length-wise in a repeating pattern on size 9 circs. The four row pattern stitch is simple and provides a lacy appearance. I am not a fan of fringe, so I plan to crochet a scalloped border around the edges. Then, I'll send it off across the country to sweet baby.

*****

What are you reading? What are you knitting? Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

Then Again by Diane Keaton

2011-11-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is a book of deeply felt emotion, of good-byes, of sadness at the passing of parents and the reality of one's own mortality. Some of us have been there. Some of us know this searing experience. For Diane Keaton, who adopted her first child at age 50, then another, there is the brightness of children to propel her into activity and light amidst her sorrow. Children provoke deep, almost painful emotions of deepest love that blends with the sadness of losing our own parents. It is a whirl pool of churning emotions.
While some celebrity memoirs reach to "set things straight" or present "my side of the story", this memoir minimizes Keaton's life and accomplishments and focuses on love and loss. On sorrow. It is interesting to see, so far as she is willing to reveal, her life as a working actress. Her artistic sensibilities are refreshing, even joyful. She writes about her powerful friendship with Woody Allen. She mentions Al Pacino.
I remember swooning over Warren Beatty in "Splendor in the Grass", as Diane did. Can you imagine actually having an adult relationship with your movie idol as she did? She had difficulty with that concept as any of us would. That is the tone of this book--that she is as surprised by her celebrity as anyone would be. That is her appeal. The self-deprecating, talented, artistic, poetic woman, Diane Keaton, is authentic and human and grieving the passing of her sensitive, loving mother. A tearful ending. A beautiful book.

Succinctly Yours Week 35

2011-11-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Felicity dreads her Fall costume as she favors a tunic top for her figure.

John says Santa is much worse off in his red suit. No sympathy.

******

A microfiction meme hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info/

Dying for Mercy

2011-11-21T00:24:00.003-07:00

Dying for Mercy by Mary Jane Clark

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This murderous story uses imagery of the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ as clues to solving the mystery and would be more compelling in the hands of a writer with greater literary skills. The writing telegraphs the action to come, which spoils the story line. I am undecided about reading this author again.
View all my reviews

11-22-63 ~ A Powerful Journey

2011-11-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

11/22/63 by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was slow going at the beginning, but once the set-up is in place, it is a completely gripping story. The writing drew me in and kept me. It is altogether spell binding with many points of connection for those of us who lived in the '60s and remember the absolute horror of the events surrounding 11/22/63. The characters are richly drawn, absolutely believable, and will live in my memory for quite some time. I haven't read other works by Stephen King, however this amazing creation captured me and held me because of his precise and evocative writing.

The audio version is one reader doing very distracting voice changes, i.e.,he sounds like Owen Wilson. It might be his natural voice? He voiced a Florida woman's which sounded like Bill Clinton! Then, a Dallas police officer with the voice of John Wayne. There's the FBI agent at the end of the book with a voice reminiscent of W. C. Fields impersonators. Actually made me LOL even though the material was not funny. His impersonation of JFK was quite weak. All in all, I was very distracted by the reader.

I enjoyed hearing King discuss his book in the Afterword. The writing process is fascinating and hearing a powerfully skilled author is completely engrossing.

If you enjoy a bit of history, time travel, and a touch of dystopia or, even if you don't, I highly recommend this book. If you're a Boomer, all the better!!

View all my reviews

Protect The Children

2011-11-16T13:34:00.001-07:00

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." --Edmund Burke

"What's in the news now isn't about a college sports icon, it isn't about a university program where athletes are treated like heroes, it's about doing the right thing for the right reasons."

The above excerpt is from a brief blog posting at
http://www.cozychicksblog.com/2011/11/when-good-men-do-nothing-are-they-good.html

I posted a comment there, as well. Take a few minutes to think about the children, not about the flashy news reports concerning public figures. Think about the children.

The child.

Succinctly Yours Week 34

2011-11-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

HGTV offers several options along the serene river to the downsizing senior couple, who want a pink unit with marble counter tops.

:::

A microfiction meme hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info

Saturday Snapshot ~ Puzzling?

2011-11-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Puzzling?

Taken in Nashville, TN

2008

Tuesday Teaser ~ Red Hook Road

2011-11-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

"Organic produce from nearby farms, beef and pork from a local man who did his own slaughtering, bread and rolls baked by the local food co-op, lettuces from Iris' own vegetable garden, and a wedding cake made by a friend of the groom's who had recently received his certificate in culinary arts from Central Maine Community College. The caterer had obviously managed to get the range lit, because the waiters were making the rounds with the stuffed mushrooms, miniature crab cakes, sliders, and lobster puffs."

--- from Red Hook Road by Aylet Waldman

Read excerpts from other books at http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com for the Tuesday Teaser meme.

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 33

2011-11-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

A microfiction meme hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info/

Granny held the baby thinking that performing old world folk dancing might be less repugnant with an occasional belt of grappa.

Play Fetch!

2011-11-05T12:29:00.001-06:00

" You've been knitting long enough.
Now put down the yarn and throw this toy for me!"

My sweet Lailah giving me "the look"!

Click to see more Saturday Snaps.

Doll Blanket and Bunks

2011-11-04T14:38:00.005-06:00

So DH assembled adult daughter's toy bunk bed set at my request. This set is circa late '60s and in new condition. I love baby dolls and have a few that I've collected just because they touched me in some way. I'm thinking that the bunk beds and the doll crib I have will be a lovely way to display them in my bedroom. I have kept them in my curio cabinet and would enjoy having them displayed differently. However, what about dust? They are so pretty in the cabinet, but less inviting to hold.

While pondering these weighty concerns, I am knitting doll bedspreads/blankets for the bunks and using stash! Yes! I know! This is straight, mindless stockinette minus the two inches of seed stitch border at each end. This Bernat Jacquard is especially fun for me since I don't knit socks and use all the interesting self-striping and patterned sock yarns on the market. Seeing these patterns appear is magical and does keep things interesting when knitting so much stockinette.

Click on the button to see more WIPs and FOs.

http://plumslife.blogspot.com/

Yarn Along ~ Cuff to Cuff

2011-11-02T15:38:00.001-06:00

What are you reading? What are you knitting? Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

I've started a new book and a new project, though the book title isn't showing well here! I've just begun Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman and am enjoying the Maine setting and the introduction of families with deep ties to the summer vacation village. What secrets and allegiances will be revealed?

This cuff-to-cuff short sleeve sweater is the first garment I've made for my self in decades, so it's exciting to see it take shape. I've added stripes since I don't have enough yarn of the same color. The picture shows a sleeve with the bunched up part being the left front. The center section is seed stitch. After nine inches of the front, I'll cast on the back stitches then finish knitting one half of the sweater. After knitting the other half of the sweater, I'll graft the pieces together with a seam up the back.

I am finally using the Rowan Summer Tweed that I purchased at Camp Stitches in Asilomar, California, several years ago. I'm using this color with cream.

This is the pattern picture from http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/cuff-cuff-sweater where you can get the free pattern.

I'd like to hear about/see what you're knitting/crocheting and reading!

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 31

2011-10-24T11:26:00.000-06:00

A microfiction meme hosted at http://grandmas-goulash.info/

Jack-O-Slot Machine enjoys October. The winners can rush home to roast the pay out or.... Have little O-Slot Machines have been harvested?

The Spinster Sister ~ A Reaction

2011-10-05T14:34:00.000-06:00

The Spinster Sisters by Stacey Ballis

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This story began with engaging writing and a snappy premise regarding revisionist spinsterhood. The two sets of spinster sisters are well characterized and developed. The promising beginning chapters give way to a soft, spongy center of repetition and wordiness that appear to pad the book. The predictable ending could be forgiven had the writing held up throughout the story.
If you enjoy Lifetime movies, you'll like this book.
View all my reviews

Succinctly Yours #28

2011-10-02T17:58:00.001-06:00

When the car wash shut down, Bill had to make the best of a difficult situation. Not only is Bill fastidious, but also pugnacious.

: : : : :

Using the photo as inspiration, write a story of 140 characters/words or less.Using the word of the week is an optional challenge. Then post it here.

Child's Cottage Bag

2011-09-30T10:45:00.001-06:00

The cottage purse for DGD's November birthday is finished, though I may find myself adding a bit of this and a touch of that between now and then. I posted about beginning this little gift here. It's filled with books, drawing pad, and colored pencils.

There are beads along the vine. I'm thinking I'll add a three dimensional butterfly or two to the right side by crocheting small butterflies and stitching them on to the fabric.

What are you working on?

Yarn Along - Spinster Sisters

2011-09-28T20:37:00.002-06:00

For this week's Yarn Along, I am still adding crochet stripes to the throw for DGD, but reading a different book. The Spinster Sisters by Stacey Ballis turns the traditional concept of "spinster" on its head! This is a fun, happy read so far. I don't think that tone will change significantly through the rest of the book. Centered on two sets of sisters, the story follows their interactions and their life choices, though the consequences of those choices vary among the characters. I think this book will make you smile, maybe even chuckle too!

This blanket is so enjoyable to make! I was inspired by this web page and am so pleased with the process and the style. Details about my blanket are here.

What's your latest project?

Teaser Tuesday ~ Food!

2011-09-27T14:12:00.002-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme. Join us to share books!

Do you enjoy the books by Sarah Addison Allen as I do? Then you might well want to read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Baumeister. Both authors share an ability to immerse the reader in the story as a sensory experience.

This is a beautiful account of people's lives and the importance of friendship wrapped in the delights of a kitchen. Memories of my Nonna's kitchen scented with baking bread, simmering tomatoes with basil, chicken roasting with rosemary and olive oil rose to the fore as I read this touching yet robust story that is bursting with life.

From p. 30, "Abuelita gazed at her, gently amused. 'Sometimes, nina, our greatest gifts grow from what we are not given.'"

***********

Grab your current read.
Open to a random page.

Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they are interested!

Post your teaser at http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

What sort of books do you enjoy?

Succinctly Yours #27

2011-09-25T12:46:00.002-06:00

The lush green leaves had gone to yellow.

Mired in self pity Tree cried, "Laugh, jump in my leaves! Look at me! I am bald!"

- - - - - -

Using the photo as inspiration, write a story of 140 characters/words or less.Using the word of the week is an optional challenge. Then post it here.

Saturday Snapshot ~ Looming!

2011-09-24T11:45:00.000-06:00

"To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post at http://athomewithbooks.net/ It can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you."

Time to get off of the lake!

Colorado

June, 2011

Booking Through Thursday ~ In Public

2011-09-22T12:42:00.000-06:00

"Do you carry books with you when you’re out and about in the world?

And, do you ever try to hide the covers?"

Absolutely!! Never leave home without a book and a book on my iPod tucked safely inside my purse. Reading while waiting for anything is an effective antidote for impatience and boredom.

Had to chuckle at the second question! No, I can't say I've ever hidden the cover of a book!

Teaser Tuesday ~ Betrayal

2011-09-20T09:52:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme. Join us to share books!

Grab your current read.
Open to a random page.
Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they are interested!

From page 124: " 'For the past few weeks, the President has experienced what I would call a mild form of asthma....You try making policy in a pressure cooker and see if you don't wheeze a bit."

There's humor in this that made me smile. Bernhardt writes "smile nuggets" in his often tense fiction. It's an edgy book, not far removed from current events.

Succinctly Yours – Week #26

2011-09-18T21:24:00.000-06:00

Using the photo as inspiration, write a story of 140 characters or 140 words.

It doesn’t have to be exactly 140, just not more.The added optional challenge is to use the word of the week in the story. Then post it here.

How much longer will they ignore me Duckie sadly wondered as he sat in the crowded corner. Without playmates, I know I will quack up!

[groan]

Saturday Snapshot ~ Majestic

2011-09-17T15:35:00.001-06:00

At Phoenix Botanical Garden

March 2011

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Yarn Along - Anne Tyler

2011-09-15T07:24:00.009-06:00

This post will serve double...er...triple...duty since the couple of rows I've added don't warrant an update!

What are you reading? What are you knitting? Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

I'm just getting into A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler, a favorite author. I've finally settled on this pattern for DGD's throw in the colors she likes. This thing has been reinvented three times to get to this point where I am enjoying the colors and the stitches.

This simple, quickie stitch combination is all over the blogs and perfectly suits the "swirly colors" that DGD specified for this throw. It involves WW and lace weight yarns with size G and H crochet hooks. I'm crocheting a row of sc and ch2 after each row. There is a row of white two rows of color, then white, and repeat in dc clusters of three. The pink yarn has a silver lurex fiber through it that is a happy, sparkly touch for a seven-year-old!

Succinctly Yours #25

2011-09-11T19:39:00.000-06:00

Which vehicle in the company parking lot belongs to Lola, the free spirit and Creative Director, a misfit in the methodical corporate vibe?

+ + + + +

Using the photo as inspiration, write a story of 140 characters or 140 words.

It doesn’t have to be exactly 140, just not more.The added optional challenge is to use the word of the week in the story. Then post it here.

Saturday Snapshot ~ Horsey Part 2

2011-09-10T11:26:00.000-06:00

"To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post at http://athomewithbooks.net/

can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are appropriate for all eyes to see.

How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you."

Paint your wagon?

And your horse?

Taken in Old Town Fort Collins, CO

Friday Fibers ~ Tote on a Boat

2011-09-09T13:51:00.000-06:00

The tote-on-a-boat is finished! Does anything feel as good as an FO?! Well, yes, I guess so, however an FO is right up there! The beginnings are mentioned here and here.

It took two cycles of agitation in hot water, detergent, with a pair of jeans to felt the stitch definition out of this Rowan Colorscape yarn.

I made a pocket by crocheting (because it was faster than knitting it) a rectangle and hand-sewing it on three sides with wool and a yarn needle. I was a bit concerned about how the crochet piece would felt compared to the knitting, but it is just perfect. Of course, I made the pocket twice the size of what I wanted and it worked beautifully.

I reinforced the bound off stitches for the handles by crocheting a strip across the stitches. I was concerned about the handles supporting the weight of the tote's contents. Does your bag ever feel like it weighs a ton like mine does?

This bag is ready to load with my netbook and camera and knitting and other necessities when DH and I board the train for the East coast, then a knitting cruise north along the coast to Canada and Nova Scotia! The cruise is with Craft Cruises, something that makes me smile as I think of it now. What is your Fiber news today?

On the deck table: Happy-happy blooms of pink geraniums and Iceland Poppies

Succinctly Yours #24

2011-09-03T22:42:00.002-06:00

A school built by a wood working class is still in use due to budget cuts in education. The practice project has seen students since 1940.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Using the photo as inspiration, write a story of 140 characters or 140 words.

It doesn’t have to be exactly 140, just not more.The added optional challenge is to use the word of the week in the story. Then post it here.

Saturday Snapshot ~ Horsey

2011-09-03T11:20:00.001-06:00

"To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post at http://athomewithbooks.net/ Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you."

Sculptures in RV Park

Sedona, AZ

Where we stayed

In beauty all around

Both natural and man-made.

Yarn Along ~ Felted Tote Bag

2011-08-31T12:53:00.002-06:00

It's Wednesday! What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

I'm working on the second side of the tote bag which will be felted--soon, I hope! SusanB has given me some good suggestions on how to add a pocket to it, so I'll see what I am able to do with that.
I like the feel of this Rowan Colorscape as it slides through my fingers. It would make a soft shawl for cold weather reading -- maybe a book like Wit's End by Karen Joy Fowler. This book has an engaginging story line with subtle humor, a very enjoyable read about a young widow who visits her eccentric godmother, a celebrated author of murder mysteries. Wit ensues.

What are you reading and knitting?

Teaser Tuesday ~ Witty

2011-08-30T15:38:00.003-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

"Her mother wished her to be thinking of fairies and dewdrops, but she was already the knives-and-curses type. You can tell me anything, her mother used to say, and then respond to anything she was told with disappointment or alarm."
-p. 56, Wit's End by Karen Joy Fowler

Tote on a Boat -- And Train

2011-08-28T16:18:00.002-06:00

I came home from a yarn crawl with two cakes of Rowan Colorscape with no idea of a project for them. Then, the yarn spoke. "You are searching for a new tote for your upcoming travels. Use me." In obedience to the call of the yarn, I cast on 58 stitches with size 11 needles to make a felted tote bag.

I am knitting in stockinette to focus on the colors rather than a pattern. I knit for approximately 24 inches, then started the handles, which I hope will be long enough for a shoulder bag. For the handles, I knit 20 sts, then cast off 18, then knit the remaining 20 sts. When I purled back, I turned to the right side at the cast off sts and CO 50 sts, turned back to complete the purl side. I'm continuing in stockinette until the handles look long enough for felting. This is a huge guess on the length!

One yarn cake is for the front, one for the back, so I am using Cascade 220 for the handles. It will be interesting to see how the felting compares with two different yarns. I am thinking of adding an exterior pocket, but am undecided because I'd have to use 220 for that. Hmmmm, what's your advice on this?

This tote will be with me at the end of the month when DH and I board Amtrak and head off for New Jersey and a Fall cruise along the New England and Canadian coast. Smile, smile, smile!

Saturday Snapshot ~ At the Library

2011-08-26T23:12:00.001-06:00

At the East Morgan County Library in Brush, CO

If you look closely at the web page banner,

can see this sculpture to the right of the door

Yarn Along ~ Ribbing

2011-08-24T12:14:00.000-06:00

It's Wednesday! What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

Two...maybe three...years in stash is quite enough for this sad Patons yarn.

"Knit me!" it cried. "Knit me, please!"

Knowing that I need a small project when working on DGD's afghan gets too-too hot, Patons wanted to become a simple 2x2 scarf on size 15 needles.

And so, it is happening.

The final few pages of Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart are at hand. I'll finish it today--hurray! I have interrupted this book to read others, but have been plugging away to finish this.While the author has some clever bits in this book, her wordiness and awkward references to other mystery books and characters are distracting.

With good editing, this book could be a very engaging story.

Tell me about your current book and yarny project!

Ruby Tuesday ~ Arch

2011-08-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

Fourth of July in St. Louis

Celebrate Ruby Tuesday!

Post a photo of your choice taken by you that contains the color red and link to this blog.

Saturday Snapshot ~ Promoting Civility

2011-08-19T21:20:00.000-06:00

On display at the Overland Trail Museum

Crocheted Ruffle Scarf

2011-08-18T19:24:00.003-06:00

For a quickie project there's nothing quite like the ruffle (or potato chip) scarf--crocheted version-- done here with some aran weight stash yarn and an I hook.

My model, the lovely Lailah, did not want to sit and stay. However, she executed a model's stretch in a most fetching way.

Pink is obviously her color though maybe not this particular pink item in 90-degree temps! Good Lailah.

Yarn Along ~ Crawling

2011-08-17T14:44:00.003-06:00

It's Wednesday! What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

I started a yarn crawl yesterday even though the absolute last thing I need is --you guessed it -- yarn! I received the complimentary tote at the first store and now have the convenient list of stores to tempt, tease, and---ok, it doesn't take much---encourage me to visit yet another yarn shop!

The passport is stamped at each store in the crawl. I am consciously trying NOT to be an over-achiever here!

The cutie-cute "puppy snips" are a freebie treat from one of the stores along with Eucalan samples, a very appreciated treat.

See my cakes? Doncha love 'em? This is the closest cakes have been to my oven in years!! Really. The cakes are made of Rowan Colorscape by Kaffe Fasset. As for reading, here is a book that I just finished:

Sheer Abandon by Penny Vincenzi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fluffy yet engaging story based on the friendship of three women. I know--never been done before. This is an easy summer read, though I must admit I skipped the graphic sections. If necessary, I prefer a few well-chosen words to suggest a scene. It's not that difficult to get the idea! I did enjoy the story which has a predictable, but satisfying conclusion.
View all my reviews

What are you reading and knitting?

Teaser Tuesdays ~ The Opinionated Knitter

2011-08-16T03:56:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

"I deplore Mother's Day. Mother has it good and if anyone loves her and wants to show it, one measly day in the year is a pretty squinchy space of time in which to do it."
---from The Opinionated Knitter by Elizabeth Zimmerman

What are YOU reading?

Ruby Tuesday

2011-08-15T22:35:00.002-06:00

Lailah guards her new toy. She doesn't share her toys at all!

Celebrate Ruby Tuesday! Post a photo of your choice and taken by you that contains the color red and link to this blog.

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 21

2011-08-14T20:06:00.000-06:00

Using the photo as inspiration, write a story of 140 characters or 140 words. It doesn’t have to be exactly 140, just not more.The added optional challenge is to use the word of the week in the story. Then post it here.

Although Al Gore has not been visible in Presidential politics for several years, he continues to wonder why people think he's wooden.

Comin' Down the Mountain

2011-08-14T19:34:00.004-06:00

The return drive from Steamboat on Sunday was a nightmare! I hadn't even considered all the people heading down the mountain as the weekend came to a close. Backed-up driving is common on Sunday nights during ski season, but I didn't think about everyone heading down the mountain in the summer! It took 2.5 hours longer to get home than it did to drive to Steamboat!

An ironic sign in Kremmling

I was off the road for about 20 minutes when I stopped at The Alpine Earth Center.

Wildflowers grow on the roofs of the buildings. This one features a deer contently munching. It is an entirely captivating and beautiful place.

Luscious blooms greet customers at the door. I purchased four pots of annuals and a kit with a water pump and bamboo "pipes" to make a small water feature for indoors or out.

Miss Rumphius is a dear friend from my teaching career because I used the book with my students every year. A local artist used the beautiful book as wall decor in the ladies' room.

Miss Rumphius advises us to make the world beautiful. Such clever use of this book and its message! Hmm...wonder how the men's room is decorated?

Can you see the small waterfall gushing from the mountain? Nature inspires me, blesses me with happiness and love from the hand of God.

Steamboat Springs Daze

2011-08-13T09:48:00.001-06:00

Five days at Steamboat Springs was the perfect break from our terrible heat. I particularly enjoyed the view from our third floor balcony which wrapped around the end of the building.

My two sons and their families made this little escape all the more special since I don't see them as often as I'd like. This includes the four grands too!

Beautiful flowers abound in Steamboat. From these lovelies painted on a restaurant wall

to the glorious hollyhocks and mountain wild flowers

along the sidewalks.

We spent time downtown at restaurants and

the Farmers' Market. What a lovely time we shared in gorgeous Steamboat Springs.

Booking Through Thursday

2011-08-11T11:33:00.000-06:00

It’s National Book Week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status. Then post your link here. This is a good way to peek into many books!
"Annie had a sense of inexorability." p.56, Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart

This is a brief sentence, but a fun exercise. Why don't you join in?

Yarn Along - Death of the Party

2011-08-10T12:40:00.002-06:00

It's Wednesday! What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

This is my along-along project--my Yarn Along and my carry along! The blanket for DGD is too unwieldy for a carry along project in the summer heat, so I started this little garter stitch scarf in alternating rows of moss green and burgundy using two strands of yarn of each color. One of the burgundy strands is slightly redder than the other, so it makes a very pretty blend when knitted. Yes, you guessed it! A stash-buster!

I've just started reading Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart. So we have the requisite death and the gathering of related characters in the manse. I like the way she is introducing the characters.

What are you reading and knitting?

Teaser Tuesdays ~Death of the Party

2011-08-09T10:37:00.002-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Ready for a tease? Here it is:

"She'd worked fast in the early morning stillness,pulling out the nail from the wall, unfastening the thin but formidable strand from the baluster, checking to see if the telltale hole was obvious, grateful when the speck in the wall was easily covered by the fleck of lint from the carpet. She'd mashed the wire into a lump, put the coil and the nail in the pocket of her robe, and fled down the hall to her room."
---Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart

What are you reading?

Ruby Tuesday

2011-08-08T23:20:00.000-06:00

Celebrate Ruby Tuesday! Post a photo of your choice and taken by you that contains the color red and link to this blog.

A day at Spring Training in Scottsdale, AZ, in March is a sweet preview of summer.

Succinctly Yours ~ Week 20

2011-08-07T23:11:00.001-06:00

Alice was oblivious to Bobo studying her more subtle make-up.

"I should dial my style back a bit," he decided.

Teaser Tuesday ~~ Consider This, Senora

2011-08-02T18:18:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Ready for a tease? Here it is:
"When Padre Miguel had called on Sue in June, he examined the map, asked for a pencil, and in the middle of the blank boot of Italy, drew in the dome, facade, and court yard of St. Peter's....added on the right the Pope's balcony and His Holiness upon it. Then, with a wave, he walked past France, Spain, Portugal, the Atlantic Ocean, and out the door."
---from Consider This, Senora by Harriet Doerr
What are you reading?

Ruby Tuesday

2011-08-01T21:22:00.001-06:00

Giant butterfly terrorizes the Phoenix Botanical Garden

I'm joining

Celebrate Ruby Tuesday! Post a photo of your choice and taken by you that contains the color red and link to this blog.

Succinctly Yours – Week 19

2011-07-31T22:14:00.002-06:00

A tongue flicks to bug
Lizzie's lunch is on the way
One delicious meal.

My FATHER AT 100 by Ron Reagan

2011-07-28T00:39:00.002-06:00

My Father at 100 by Ron Reagan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After listening to the audio version of this book, I think I could enjoy listening to Ron Reagan read the phone book. Reading the printed book would have been a far different experience than hearing the son, author, and reader render the events in a voice reminiscent of his father. His voice makes the events even more personal and touching. Interweaving events from different time periods is smoothly executed and quite effective in that the author is calling upon the reader's memories of his father's public life while imparting more obscure and personal events in the life of the President.

The book discloses the strong similarity between Father and son: brio,arrogance, a certain sense of entitlement. Ron doesn't come off well in his gleeful recounting of an immature rejoinder to then Vice-President George H. W. Bush. The immaturity he describes in his father's early adulthood echoes in the immaturity of the son. Thinking that he is staring down Gorbachev at a meeting with his father is just silly. His self-revelation is a surprising secondary story line.

I recommend this highly informative book of a son's reflections about his outstanding father. If possible, get it on audio.
View all my reviews

Yarn Along Wednesday -- Rich Boy - And On To Friday Fibers

2011-07-27T15:32:00.002-06:00

It's Wednesday! What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

I finished Rich Boy by Sharon Pomerantz today with a sigh. What a story! The elegant writing flows so easily that I just had to keep reading long past bed time. The story is not particularly unique and the main character resembles Don Draper on TV's "Mad Men", yet the writing makes this book eminently enjoyable and readable.

I've shifted gears on my DGD's blanket request to a mindless, though boring pattern. I had set it aside in favor of a patchwork pattern, which I like but am not in the mood to knit at the moment. So, I picked up the crochet hook and the banished blanket to continue and to finish, I hope!
Are you, like me, a moody knitter?

Teaser Tuesdays -- Rich Boy

2011-07-26T11:52:00.001-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
Ready for a tease? Here it is:
"The air conditioner trilled loudly in the shop on Sixth Avenue just off Twelfth Street, as the elderly man with a twirled mustache, in a shirt and bow tie, cut Robert's facial hair with scissors getting it short enough to shave....Robert enjoyed being shaved and washed and taken care of more than he'd expected---for the last three years, he had wanted just the opposite, but now he remembered how people lived, could live."
---Rich Boy by Sharon Pomerantz
What are you reading?

Succinctly Yours: Microfiction -- Week 18

2011-07-24T18:35:00.001-06:00

Gepetto made an arbitrary choice to carve a boy. Would he be able to complete this novel project? Why did he keep thinking of strings?

:::::

Yarn Along - The Sea House

2011-07-20T21:14:00.001-06:00

It's Wednesday! What are you reading? What are you knitting?

Join in at Yarn Along and let us all know!

The Sea House by Esther Freud is set on an English coastline with desirable beaches and a sleepy village. The main character, Lily, is translating a set of letters circa 1930 from German to English. The author is slowly revealing Lily's life and introducing an interesting set of supporting characters.

So far, I have to say it's an OK read. Perhaps it will become more gripping as I continue along.

This little cottage is coming off the crochet hook in sc based on a half-remembered pattern I used to make a "house tote" for my daughter and her friends in the late 70's. Using a G hook and WW I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby, I've made pieces for the window and door to be sewn on to the yellow part.

The scalloped trim is pinned in place and a few stitches created flowers and grass. The door knob is a white bead and three tiny green and blue beads are the center of each flower. This will continue to be a WIP for a while as I add little touches, windows on the back, vines and flowers, and a butterfly. This is for seven-year-old DGD's November birthday, so I have plenty of time to play with it! Fun!

Teaser Tuesdays

2011-07-19T11:36:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
Ready for a tease? Here it is:
p.125 "From now on the letters were all typed, and Lily found she missed the grandeur of the writing, the swirls and loops of the black ink. She was used to straining for meaning of a too hurriedly drawn words, missed the satisfaction that came to her when she'd deciphered something she'd first thought impossibly unclear."

---from The Sea House by Esther Freud

What are you reading?

The Greater Journey

2011-07-18T12:45:00.000-06:00

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, 1830-1900 by David McCullough

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

David McCullough presents a luscious book of words and images to tell the interwoven stories of the life and times of creative Americans between 1830 and 1900 as they were drawn to arduous journeys to inspirational Paris. The historical perspective is enormous and magnificently rendered as the humanity of great American artists and little known details of their lives unfold. French history flows through the story in a most engaging way leaving the reader full and satisfied at the end of this delicious book.
View all my reviews

Succinctly Yours: Microfiction--Week 17

2011-07-18T08:56:00.000-06:00

After Devon made an obscure reference to her inability to swim, Ann stood slowly. Are the rumors about him true, she wondered. Fear reigned.

BOOKS!

2011-07-16T12:05:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited that I just have to share this with people who "get it"!!
My order from Book Close-outs just arrived and WOW!! I am not affiliated with them and don't order often, but when I do, I DO!!
The nice tall stack of books on my desk includes
DIVAS DON'T KNIT -- Gil McNeil
THE SPINSTER SISTERS -- Stacy Ballis
THE HOUSE ON OYSTER CREEK -- Heidi Jon Schmidt
THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS -- Erica Bauermeister
RICH BOY -- Sharon Pomerantz
THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS -- Meg Waite Clayton
DAUGHTERS OF FORTUNE--Tara Hyland
THE ISLAND -- Elin Hiderbrand (Loved BAREFOOT.)
JULIET -- Anne Fortier

Have you read any of these? What are your thoughts on these titles/authors?

I don't know if I can calm down enough read right now!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Rainbows and a Grandaughter

2011-07-15T17:48:00.001-06:00

These are colors that seven-year-old DGD would like in her requested blanket. She was thinking of rainbows, she said. When asked if she wanted a blanket with rainbows on it, she told me she wanted the colors all swirly. Swirly colors with her name in quite large letters and a dolphin and...ummm...one other thing. I can't remember now. So, armed with many colors and this pretty pattern, I tried using all of them in the lovely cascading effect. My eyes were in shock, so I just had to do something different!

Since a different pattern might help, I searched through Ravelry , through my favorites lists, my notebooks, my files, my books and magazines finding some "maybes", a few "possibilities", yet still searching. Then, as I sleepily browsed my email one morning, lighting struck!! And blew my computer! No, not really, sorry. I did see an email from Caron yarns with the perfect pattern for this blanket. It uses several colors. There are patches were I can add her name and the dolphin and the other thing I can't remember. And I was moved to scale down the color palette according to an approach I learned from Laura Bryant in a class at Stitches West.

With my charts and yarns and other necessities, I repaired to the deck to enjoy the summer day and crochet this cutie-cute blanket. Nothing could stop me now!

Nothing...except...

Tangled yarn!! Having come this far after my trial-and-error, my searches, my color sorting, my prepared table on the deck--one word came to mind:

BOBBINS!!!!

As I sat plumping the bare bobbins with each color of yarn, I looked around at the beauty the Lord has made: right petunias to cheer the day,

Clumps of greenery to bring color to a dark spot,

Even a cute ladybug to give me a smile. See her there, right by the lantana bud? Yes, to me, all ladybugs are "she". Certainly there are some manly guybugs around, aren't there? Bring on the entomologists!

And my sweet Lailah to ward off all the squirrels. All is well. The plan is set. The crocheting has begun and a day on the deck is just as uplifting as it can be.

Happy knitting and crocheting to you!

Teaser Tuesdays -- The Greater Journey

2011-07-05T13:23:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Ready for a tease? Here it is:

"As robust a walker as any of them was James Fenimore Cooper, who in earlier years had been known to walk from New York City all the way to his country home in Westchester County, a distance of twenty-five miles. No sooner had Cooper settled in Paris in 1826 than he decided to the entire circumference of the city on foot, taking with him an old friend, a retired American naval captain with the memorable name of Melancthon T. Woolsey, under whom Cooper had once served at sea."

From a glorious nonfiction book by David McCullough,
The Greater Journey Americans in Paris.

What are you reading?

FO is spotted!

2011-07-03T19:17:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe it! I have, right here, an official FO!! I wanted to make a wrap suitable for a man for our church's prayer shawl ministry. It’s a boring pattern, but I decided to press on and complete it! It took me quite a long time because I was more inclined to work on other WIPs. It's made with two skeins of James C. Brett Marble Chunky yarn and size 10 needles.

What have you been knitting?

Teaser Tuesdays -- The White House Doctor

2011-06-28T19:32:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly book meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page along with the title & author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
From The White House Doctor by Dr. Connie Mariano:
page 116 - Thousands of Moroccan mourners lined the serpentine streets as our motorcade arrived at the Royal Palace. President and Mrs. Clinton, along with former President George H. W. Bush and former Secretaries of State James Baker and Warren Christopher, exited their limousines surrounded by a heavy cover of Secret Service protection.

What are YOU reading?

Succinctly Yours – Week 14

2011-06-26T22:48:00.000-06:00

Missing the off ramp, Duane headed for the stairway and a tight left turn so he could back track, a tribute to his quick thinking. Beep beep.

Visit Succinctly Yours for more fun captions. You can add your own!

Friday Fibers

2011-06-25T14:15:00.001-06:00

While I continue to forge ahead on the feather and fan wrap that has been on my needles since March (I think!), I did stock up on some colorful I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby. Youngest Granddaughter requested a "swirly rainbow" colored afghan. After duly searching and viewing all matter of rainbow ghans, I decided that I would crochet rather than knit it and that I do not want to use bright primary colors. Since I'm working with the yarn, I am choosing to tone it down a bit. This is a bright combination, I think, and seven-year-old K will be happy with it. She also wants her name and a dolphin on it! It seems there is one other item she wants on it, so I need to find her drawing that I asked her to make. Right now I plan to knit or crochet those separately and applique them to the ghan. And, no, I am not putting her name in gigantic letters across the width of the ghan as she drew them. Something slightly more understated is in order!

Plymouth Encore WW is my go-to afghan yarn, but I decided to use a less expensive yarn for this. I hope it holds up well! She's a lively girl!