Reading list #5 Happy New Years Eve

  

1. Christy by Catherine Marshall about a young woman teaching in an interdenominational missionary school in the mountains of Tennessee in 1912. The story was inspired by the author’s mother and her experiences teaching in Tennessee. Many of the Tennessee mountain people were of Scottish descent if you have read or watched the Outlander series the Scottish history will be familiar.  The book was published over fifty years ago and I remember my grandmother reading it. I kinda remember my grandmother suggesting I read it. Fifty some years later………I finally read it and it was very good.
2. Color by Victoria Finlay a history and search for artist pigments and dyes before  synthetic dyes were available. What were the raw materials that artist used and how were they processed. It was a book to keep my kindle streak going when I was reading a paper book. Interesting.
3. What Child is This by Rhys Bowen Christmas story set in London during WW 2. Very short story, less than an hour to read.
4. Wild Mountain Thyme by Rosamunde Pilcher modern day romance the book was published in 1987, just for fun. The story takes place on England and Scotland, a writer steals his son from his deceased ex wife’s parents then he drops in on the girl he dumped when he married his ex wife and they take a road trip to the Highlands of Scotland.
5. Less by Andrew Sean Greer for book club don’t bother everyone hated it, I couldn’t finish it. Read the reviews on amazon that have 3 stars or fewer.
6. That Wintery Feeling by Debbie Macomber I had to read some romantic fluff just for fun to get the previous book out of my head.
7. The Silver Ladies do Lunch by Judy Leigh about life long friendships feel good story
8. The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy a book of short stories.
9. Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger book#11 inspired by a real wind storm that blew through northern Minnesota and Canada in 1999, a derecho. I don’t remember hearing that word until one hit Iowa 2 or 3 years ago and one hit here in 2022. Another good story.
10. Winners by Fredrik Backman book 3 of his hockey series this story involves a straight line wind storm but does not call it a derecho. It’s about hockey and competition between two towns, it’s about family and rising above one’s past, surviving and not surviving depending on one’s supporters or lack of supporters.  A very good story. I will be thinking about some of the characters for a very long time.
11. The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford about Charles Dickens writing A Christmas Carol. A lot of information about the socioeconomics and culture of the time and the publishing industry. Interesting but a chapter a day was enough. 
12. The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli a duel timeline story about Leonardo da Vinci, his painting The Lady with the Ermine, the woman who posed for the painting and a WW2 story about a young German woman who documented the art seized by the Nazis and Italian American soldier who was part of the Monuments Men preserving and retrieving the art. Very good.

Disclaimer the watercolor was done on the Waterlogue app. Another quiet New Year’s Eve celebration at our house and that’s okay. What did I do this past year?? Read lots of books, lots of books I didn’t include all the picture books I read….. I didn’t sew as many quilts as I could/should have sewn judging from the fabrics on the shelves…..there is next year. I knit most of the sweaters twice because I wanted them to fit right, I could have spent twice as much on yarn if I had done it right the first time. Ha ha.  We spent as many weekends at the river as we could with the grands because they were only 2 for a year and plan to do the same next year because they will only be 3 for 11 more months and then they will be 4.  Slow down and let’s enjoy the moment.  Happy New Year!!  Ann

Believe

 For onto us a child is born…. Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Christ the King……

Peace on Earth

ann

We are ready to go…….

“It’s a long car ride and how many sleeps before Christmas and we get to meet Madeline and Olivia ?”

“Three, naps makes six.”

“That’s a long time, sigh.”

“You have to be quiet and no giggling if the little girls come over to play. You are a Christmas surprise not a December 23 rd surprise.”

“Ok we will try to wait. But what if she makes me laugh or pinches me?”

“Shhhhh”

Isn’t Christmas more fun with little ones!?! Secrets, surprises, the anticipation, and imagination. 

Merry Christmas —Ann—

 

Curls

 

Both little dolls are done….oh those wild curls……now to knit sweaters and hats. Counting the days.  Ann

Santa is working

 

I’m making these little dolls for my little granddaughters. Knitting them was simple enough the pattern is Chrystal by Mary Jane’s Tearoom.  The finish work is taking almost as long as the knitting or maybe because it’s a new bunch of skills required to finish the dolls. I watched a bunch of how to videos but in the end I followed Mary Jane’s written instructions. The pink legged doll was my test doll or maybe my “weirdo Barbie” the one with tattoos and a bad haircut or in this case bald, I did try looping yarn through the knitting but picked it out. Then I decided to sew her together so I could start knitting clothes. It’s nice to try them on as I knit and saves some ripping. I think this one turned out pretty cute. She has the wild curls just like Olivia. Ann

This is cozy

Smiles everyone, that means you bears and rabbits.  This is cozier than the book shelf…..I wish some little girls would come play with us……

I finally finished the Christmas tree it’s always more fun to decorate when DD is home but she was getting a cold Thanksgiving weekend so went home early.

The quilts are on the walls, the Santas are on all the shelves of the book case, just a few things left to put up and then think about baking.  Ann

It’s December!!

 And that’s as far as I am with Christmas preparations. We have had a week of unseasonably warm days so I go for a walk, one day I took my coat back to the house and walked some more without it.  What’s the rush?? Enjoy the weather. Ann

The sweaters fit!!

A delightful weekend with the little girls, they have had four birthday celebrations with different family gatherings, friends, daycare and finally us.  The first thing they asked was if I finished the sweaters but I didn’t let them open the packages until after the birthday supper by then the toys were all more exciting than the sweaters and neither one had time to put it on.  Finally the next day they did put them on.  I was glad I ripped and made the sleeves longer and the body and peplum longer too.  We played outside before the birthday supper because it was unusually warm for mid November they wore the sweaters I knit last year, they still fit but not for long.  Darling son said he was so glad I made the button holes bigger on the new sweaters. Wearing a hand knit sweater is like wearing a hug from grandma.  —Ann—

 

Off the needles

 

A double finish for my little girls. The yarn is Cobasi ( cotton, bamboo and silk) fingering, it was not a suggested yarn for the pattern but I knit it anyway after a false start with too few stitches because my gauge was smaller……so I cast on stitches for the 10 year old size but the end result will fit a 3 year old. I started knitting these in August and remember doing a lot of math to get the size right. Fingers crossed that they fit this coming weekend. I have knit this yarn before it’s machine wash and dry!  The pattern is Camille by Mille Fryd. —Ann—

Off the needles

I only worked on this cowl with my afternoon coffee just a couple rows a day. It only took all summer and fall to complete but then I’m easily distracted,  when knitting in circles I can stop anywhere I don’t have to knit to the end of the row.  I pulled off 4 repeats of the color pattern and marked with a slip knit for the bind off, I had 18 inches of yarn to spare. I love it when I use all the yarn. Staying warm —Ann—

The yarn is Dream in Color from Smooshy and the pattern is Geode by Jane Vanselous. Very clear instructions to make the colors pool and spiral. You need a hand dyed hank with definite divisions in color. Click to see what the yarn looked like in the hank, golly I started this the end of basketball season in March and I finished as the seasons opens again.
 

The Roar, the Hum

 

I sat down to do some sewing after weeks of not sewing, the roar of the machine was such a comfort. A couple days later I sat down to sew again the roar was still roaring so I oiled the machine. It’s humming a happy tune now in my happy spot. I cut out these hexes before my little grands were born, now they are ready for bigger quilts but I’m not making them bed size, just bigger snuggle quilts. Looking forward to more time in the sewing room this week.  —Ann—

Reading list #4

1. Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger book #7 of the series always good. No longer available on kindle thank goodness the library has a hard copy. Patiently waiting for #8.
2. The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick another great story by the author about reuniting with a family member, secrets, learning to love yourself. Delightful.
3. In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen England WW2 spies, code breaking I like the Rose Code  by Kate Quinn much better.
4. Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diane Gabaldon I had to read it again after watching the latest season of Outlander since the series ended on a cliffhanger. There should be a 10th book and 8th season in the future.
5. Red Knife by William Kent Krueger book #8 I couldn’t put it down.
6. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray for book club about the young woman who helped J.P. Morgan build his library of rare books and art.
7. The Address by Fiona David New York end of the 19th century about the Dakota apartment building for the upperclass. A young woman from England is hired to be head housekeeper and immediately promoted to building manager “managerette” was her official title, she worked closely with the architect who is finishing the project, romance follows along with lots of twists. Also a modern day story well actually 1985 setting of a young woman getting out of rehab, trying to stay clean and sober, restart her interior design career and unravel her family roots. Very good!
8. Homecoming by Kate Morton 500+ pages and I read it in 3 days. A mystery from 1959 is unraveled with lots of twists and turns. I figured some things out and then surprise didn’t see that coming. The story takes place in Australia also a present day story of the granddaughter untangling the family history and reconciling with her mother.
9. Heaven’s Keep by William Kent Krueger book #9 another page turner.
10. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus for book club very good
11. Vermilion Drift by William Kent Krueger book #10 I’m going to be sad when I finish this series. It was a beautiful day so I sat outside and read.
12. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke just for fun reads just like the hallmark series. 

• I started reading Call My Name by Jenni Ogden the first chapter was about the main character being “late” and way too much information I’m of the generation that didn’t speak of such things except in euphemisms. We just put our big girl panties on and kept it private. Another book I read by Kate Clayborn, the main character whined for an entire chapter about her monthly cramps. That and bad language put both authors on my don’t bother reading list. Is this a trend with young writers? 

Crunch time

No deadlines just dry crunchy leaves on the trail. DD and I drove to Camden State Park in Minnesota Sunday afternoon because the sunny warm days are coming to an end. Snow is forecast the end of the week. There were still some pretty orange and yellow leaves on the trees but most were on the ground. The leaves in my neighborhood were probably prettier because many Autumn Blaze Maples (below) have been planted, this year the reds and red oranges were spectacular. It was a fun afternoon and we hiked a couple miles.  —Ann—

Sketching

 

Leisurely breakfast Saturday morning, hubby was off hunting. My coffee got cold as I drew so sad but I do have a microwave. The last photo was done with a click of the button on an app called Waterlogue, so quick but the others are committed to memory and when I leaf through my sketch book I will remember more things about the day than just click click. Beautiful bright blue sky day, still chilly wearing a sweater rather than turn the heat up too high, the wind is blowing and leaves are fluttering leisurely to the ground then a stronger gust sends them cartwheeling down the street. Highs expected in the 70’s today, I may sit on the deck and read.  —Ann—

Off the needles

 

Small finishes this week. All of a sudden it’s sweater weather and wool socks weather. There were two glorious sunny days before the clouds and rain rolled in. I sat on the deck and read. I just finished Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus for book club. Very good book. My book club gave the library money and recommendations for book bags last January the book has been so popular we finally got to check it out in September. Next time we give the library money for a book bag I’m requesting that we as donors get it first. It’s a good day to knit or read or maybe even get to work in the sewing room. Ann

The weather changed

 The weather changed here from the end of summer (was reading on the deck one of those lovely days and later noticed a slight sunburn on my neck) to almost winter.  I put on my heavy denim jeans today instead of my skinny light weight jeans and wool socks and wool sweater, I haven't turn on the furnace yet. The wind is from the northwest and is cold.  The yellow leaves are being torn from the locust tree the green leaves are hanging on for dear life as are all the other leaves that haven't changed color. My cozy woolens feel good.  Last week when it was so hot as in AC still running I sewed borders on the square in a square quilt.  Its getting to be quilting weather now I just need to stay home and get something done.  Maybe next week.  --Ann--

A prime birthday

 My birthday month started last weekend with the little girls, DD made brownies instead of a cake, delicious. I got cards in the mail and some delivered to the door and lots of texts and phone calls. A bouquet of flowers from hubby.  We went to football game on Saturday and the Jackrabbits won. Oldest son and daughter came for dinner yesterday helped make dinner and clean up.  They went home so I made a cup of coffee and read the rest of the afternoon and it was too hot to sit outside.  It’s October it should be sweater weather. Maybe next week. Second son texted then we opened face portal with the little girls. I tried the book feature for the first time we read 3 books, so much fun— the silly things the animation did. Lots of little things to celebrate and lots more things to look forward to.  My birthday is a prime number this year so I have to celebrate all month!! Ann

Square in a Square

I feel like I have worked on this quilt all summer.  Hubby was off fishing last week so I had a staycation……..the things I can get done when I don’t have to stop and make meals. My pile of plaids has been greatly reduced I used all the fabric for the side triangles and had to find something else for the corners.  As I was trimming the blocks I noticed I could make a cross if I put the right corners together. I had everything laid out right on the design wall and somehow next to the sewing machine blocks got reorganized. I’m not ripping. It is what it is almost done. —Ann—

A little art on the wall

 

DD was home a couple weekends ago, we went shopping for the little girls for birthdays and Christmas, I know its early but looking at the weekends ahead we thought we should take advantage of the nice weather and go shopping.  We had time so I looked for frames for these little paintings I bought in Italy pre pandemic. Frames have gotten wide--to wide for these delicate little paintings. Then I thought I could use two 5x7 frames that I had and cut the mats myself.  So I tried, the mat edge was very narrow, it would have been less than an inch and a quarter.  It did not enhance the paintings at all. So........let's do the clothesline.  I strung a string and clipped them up and found a few other little cards purchased on trips and added them to the clothesline and............cheap, easy, and done............. five, six, maybe seven years later.  --Ann--

The Summer of Unfinished Projects

 This has been the summer of unfinished projects. Or maybe it has been the summer of spontaneity and road trips to see the little girls. Let’s go with that— spontaneity!! And the little girls!! After all this was the only summer they would be 2!! Such fun…..all the words they have learned and skilled they have acquired followed by “I did it!”  Cutting onions with a table knife for spaghetti. The onion had been in the refrigerator so no tears.

I was almost as excited after picking raspberries and making freezer jam. “I did it!”

I’m knitting little cardigans for them but I want to try it on one of them before I knit the sleeves.

My cardigan is going to be ripped, I knit one sleeve part way then tried it on, it was too tight. Urghhh so I counted stitches……too few stitches by about an inch and a quarter, the only way to fix it is to rip way back. That won’t take long but since I have been working on this since June and lacking enthusiasm for it maybe I will knit a different sweater. It’s not done until you love it and I am not loving it.

Lots of other little projects in various stages of not done. It’s time to write a to do list and get back on track and see if I can finish something before Christmas. Seize the list now and enjoy the moment when I see the little girls again in a couple weeks. —Ann—