Thursday, February 23, 2023

Reading #1

 

Tuesday the snow started to fall. Sometimes it came straight down other times it was at an angle and sometimes a blast of wind would hurl it against the house and it would backlash swirling in all directions. Wednesday morning the wind cleared the snow from the rooftops and deposited it in driveways a 3 foot drift in front of ours, you have to take my word on that because I’m not going out to take a picture. By afternoon the flakes were getting larger and they were coming sideways. Toward evening the swirls of snow looked like an apparition just outside my window begging to come inside then they would vanish. This storm should be ending Thursday.
It has been a good day or two to read.

  1. The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani present day and WW 2 Italy and Scotland about a family of jewelry makers and a nurse. About the importance of passing on the family stories to the next generation. Very good 
  2. Abigail’s Shop by Rachel Herron each chapter begins with words of knitting wisdom. A young woman inherits a cottage from an older friend, a love / hate relationship with the older woman’s nephew, a yarn and fiber stash, a few mishaps and a stalker. Fun to read.
  3. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger depression era story takes place in Minnesota two orphaned white boys end up in an Indian bordering school. Then the adventure begins when they run away from the school with a mute Indian boy and a little girl. Very good!
  4. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen weekend reading of too many football games. A young woman with a sugar addiction is living with her controlling and ailing mother. Family secrets, growing up, relationships, romance, friendship and a mystery. Just for fun.
  5. The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake takes place in London in mid 1800’s a young girl who survives the cholera epidemic in 1840’s is taken in by the housekeeper and doctor who saved her. For fear of being turned out the girls takes an interest in the doctors work first by tidying his home clinic then writing up his case notes and drawing his specimens. She also assists as he dissects cadavers at a time when women were not permitted to do such things. Very good now I’m patiently waiting for the next book about Nora Beady.
  6. The Less People Know About Us by Axton Betz Hamilton non fiction about identity theft very good!
  7. The Surgeon’s Daughter by Audrey Blake the sequel to The Girl in His Shadow more 19th century medicine. Nora goes to Bologna, Italy to study to become a doctor. Describes how children died of diphtheria and a young man dying of tetanus. Thank science for vaccines! Get your updates.
  8. Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin about the differences between verbal thinkers and visual thinkers. I have said for years that I am a visual learner yes it really would help if you could draw me a picture as you explain this to me. Verbal learners excel in school, current education trends are catering to verbal thinkers thanks to no child left behind which is excluding the visual learners. Visual thinkers struggle with algebra it’s too abstract, but arithmetic makes sense because it practical quantity, area, volume, 1/4 inch seams etc. just give me the size of the block I can figure out the rest I don’t need written or verbal instruction. I’ll get off my soapbox it was a very interesting book.
  9. The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray three stories in one all set in the Chateau where Lafayette was born. This is the Lafayette of the American Revolution his wife championed the cause and shaped the French Revolution. The second story takes place during WW1 and the third during WW2. Very good 
  10. Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger book 4 of the Cork Corcoran series.
  11. All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot 3rd book in the series like a collection of short stories to read between paper books to keep my kindle steak going.
  12. The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton for book club a young woman inherits her grandmother’s house, the hideaway, it needs a renovation. She learns things about her grandmother and herself along the way. Feel good story.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Knitting


 

I have been knitting like a woman possessed, when I gave the twins the bears the first thing they noticed was their hats so when the dress came out of the bag Olivia thought it was a hat.  I have been knitting hats, mittens and another pair of slippers for each to take to them this weekend weather permitting, another storm is to hit the prairie. I used mohair and silk with fingering for the stocking caps no itchy ears for my little granddaughters, just fingering yarn for the mittens. More little duffers slippers with fabric paint for non skid soles. I will let it dry for 3 days. Ready to hunker down for the next snowstorm.
  • Groceries 
  • Yarn 
  • books 
  • coffee 
  • quilting  
A 3 day snowstorm might not be long enough for me to do all the things I can think of to do.  Stay warm Ann

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Felted slippers





 I knit these little slippers before Christmas then mailed them to the girls I was afraid they would outgrow them before we could deliver them. They fit perfectly! But trying to get pictures of both of them at the same time in their slippers……..I can’t move that fast. They do like wearing them until their feet get hot. I used fabric paint on the soles so they wouldn’t be slippery on hard floors. I love knitting these little slippers. Ann

Monday, February 13, 2023

Bears meet girls







 The little bears got to meet their little girls this past weekend. The first thing the girls noticed was the hats of which I did not get a good picture. When Olivia pulled the dress out of the bag she thought It was a hat. Guess what my next little knitting project will be??  I need to knit some pants or skirts without bibs and suspenders too, they were a source of frustration.  It was a fun weekend, it was an exhausting weekend the energy of two year old twins.  Ann

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Sweater finish

 

I finished this sweater for hubby, he has worn it every day this week so far. Wool is so cozy warm. The yarn is Misty Wool by Elsebeth Lavold 75% wool and 25% hemp. I have knit this particular yarn before so I knew it would shrink some and it did from 33 inches from shoulder to hem to perfect. I was checking the dryer every 5 minutes so I wouldn’t shrink it too much. It’s done and hubby is wearing it. Dry flat the next time it is washed. Happy wife.  Ann