Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Reading list #5 for 2022 it was time well spent.

Looking forward to more books, using yards and yards of fabric from the stash first order of business is to straighten up the stash. And knitting some of the yarn stash as well. I’m so glad there are libraries and kindles so I don’t have an overwhelming stash of books…….the library keeps them so well organized.

Happy new year

1. The Mill Girls of Albion Lane by Jenny Holmes takes place in England in 1930’s woolen mills. I found it interesting because I toured the Faribault woolen mill in Faribault, Minnesota almost 3 years ago. The story finally picked up the last 3rd of the book when a crime happens and the mill girls start asking questions because the police are not.
2. A Drop in the Ocean by Jenni Ogden a 49 year old introverted medical researcher looses her research grant. What to do with her life? She makes the commitment to live on an island off the coast of Australia overseeing a campground for a year. Life on a small island agrees with her, she becomes friends with the locals and comes to peace with her past. Very good I will be looking for more books by this author.
3. Hutchins Creek Cache by Deborah Garner a New York journalist goes to Colorado to write an old west story about railroads and trains and gets in the middle of a century old theft of gold coins from the Denver mint. Just for fun.
4. Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone Diana Gabaldon final book of the Outlander series very long I learned more about how battles were fought during the Revolutionary War than a person really needs to know.
5. Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger takes place in the arrowhead of Minnesota up there in the north east point. Murder mystery defeated former sheriff is asked to help find a missing Native American boy in the process he uncovers a county full of corruption. Much like C.J. Box Joe Pickett series except it takes place in Minnesota.
6. The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis takes place in 1919 and 1966 in New York City. About a young woman who posed for sculptures in NYC then becomes a private secretary to Helen Frick heir to the Frick fortune and art library. The 1966 story is about a model being photographed at the Frick museum she has some artistic disagreements with the photographer and ends up being snowbound at the museum with a young intern. Together they unravel some mysteries from 1919.
7. The Bitterroots by C.J. Box book 5 of the Cassie Dewell series.
8. Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles contemporary story set on the English coast a young woman dealing with the death of her mother and learning family secrets. Light reading.
9. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny book #5 of series.
10. Treasure State by C.J. Box book 6 of the Cassie Dewell series.
11. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes for book club as good the second time I had forgotten most of the characters and plot. I read it almost 2 years ago no wonder I forgot so much.
12. Murder in the Manor by Fiona Grace just for fun newly divorced New Yorker goes to the seaside town in England where she went on holiday as a child also the last time she saw her father. On impulse she leases a store and opens an antique store then she ends up in the middle of a murder mystery and a burglary.
13. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald for book club a Swedish girl goes to visit a pen pal in a small town in Iowa. The pen pal dies before she arrives, the residents make her feel welcome. Fun to read. I could see it as a fall hallmark movie.
14. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva fiction some factual how Charles Dickens came up with his Christmas Carol. To get in the spirit of the Christmas season. I started The Chimes a short book written by Charles Dickens. There were so many words and didn’t seem to be making progress with the story but I kept reading for a while. I gave up when I realized I was making mental notes of five letter words for Wordle.
15. Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger second book in the series.
16. Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger another thriller with lots of twists in northern Minnesota.
17. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah stories of Trevor Noah growing up in South Africa.
18. Foster by Claire Keegan a short book less than 100 pages about a little girl being cared for by relatives.
19. Ruby and Roland by Faith Sullivan 1910’s prior to WWI an orphan girl goes to live in Iowa then Minnesota. The characters were interesting, strong independent women, it was a nice short book just over 200 pages. I would have liked to know more about some of the characters and their lives. 
20. A Villa in Sicily  by Fiona Grace short book a woman veterinarian from Boston quits her job and goes to Sicily to restore a fixer-upper. First book of a series, I doubt I’ll read the series.
21. The Battle for Christmas by Stephen Nissenbaum  the transformation from revelry and over indulgence in the streets to our contemporary domestic celebration. Interesting but repetitious. A very thorough look at the socioeconomics and politics of the 1700’s, 1800’s and early 1900’s. It reminded me of something an art history professor said “art did not happen in a vacuum” art was influenced by everything happening around it.  Our Christmas traditions evolved out of the books that were written and stories published in magazines and newspapers, traditions brought by immigrants, abolition, newsy boys, children’s aid society, orphan trains, gift giving and receiving, charities, and reconstruction of the South. I never understood why the Christmas tree was kept as a surprise to the children many years ago……the decorations were the gifts to the children toys, candies, fruit and cookies. Presents were not wrapped and placed under the tree. I really wish I could ask my parents and grandparents how Christmas was celebrated when they were little.
22. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan a very short book set at Christmas time in Ireland in 1985 about the Catholic homes for unwed girls.

Wow I have read a lot of books in 2022 some have been wonderful and others not so much. I will continue reading the William Kent Krueger and Louise Penny books.  It looks like it’s going to be a long snowy cold winter here on the prairie good thing I like to read…quilt….knit and read some more. Ann

Bears in bags

My last little Christmas projects finished!! Little bags to put their little bears and bear clothes in and carry them. I used the machine to stitch their names on the pockets. I used all the flannel scraps to make little bear quilts and had to piece a circle to make a yo-yo flower. We didn’t get to see the little girls for Christmas because it wasn’t our turn, they came to my house for thanksgiving. I hope they have as much fun playing with the bears as I did, making the quilt and knitting the bears and clothes. I might have to make another pair to keep at gramma’s house. Knee deep in snow and icy streets and sidewalks might be wiser and safer to stay inside and knit.  Ann

Visit from St. Nick and the Evolution of Christmas

Some vintage pics of St. Nick. I have all these in my possession somewhere in the house……but I put them in a super safe spot and until I come across them by accident…….I’m glad I took pics the last time I saw them.

This little guy is crepe paper and about 20 inches tall I think it goes back to when my mother was a child.

Two greeting cards and a book. The cards are from my childhood. The book was my grandmother’s and it would be well over one hundred years old. She was married in 1922 and she received the book as a gift from her teacher her first year of school.

I have not seen or heard anything in the media that Clement C. Moore’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas  aka A Visit from St. Nicholas is 200 years old this year. I have been reading a book The Battle for Christmas a non fiction book by Stephan Nissenbaum.  It’s about how the Christmas celebration was changed from the raucous, overindulgent street carnival for decades in America to an intimate family celebration. In the 1700’s the lower classes would sing and knock on the doors of the upper class for drink, food and money, if they were given generously then their goodwill was to leave peacefully.  Makes me think differently about now give us some figgy pudding and we won’t leave until we get some….. I always thought those verses were silly now I understand. December 25 was just another working day. In an effort to change the celebration to something more respectful in the early 1800’s churches started having services on the 25th and businesses closed.  The church services were intended to get people off the streets. Many of our Christmas carols were written during that time. Sadly church wasn’t enough to change behavior, it was the focus on children and Clement C. Moore’s poem that gradually changed how we celebrate Christmas today. That’s the first 50 pages of the book in a paragraph.

I’m about half way through the book, very repetitious so have been skip reading ( a bit here a bit there…still going on about the revelry in the streets…pick up here blah blah blah commercialization of Christmas with mass manufactured toys….) So far the birth of Jesus and the nativity have not entered the reason for the season in the book but the author did state at the beginning that he is Jewish but then so was Jesus. 

Santa holding the baby Jesus is a good way to wrap up this post. He’s a big guy with room in his heart and the holiday for the baby Jesus.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room

Merry Christmas

—Ann—

Toes feel so delightful

The weather outside if frightful 

Toes are so delightful…..

A little bit of snow came yesterday it just fell so quiet 

Today it is -19 F and the wind is blowing it doesn’t look bad in town but in the country it looks like a ground blizzard and white out conditions.

This storm is named Elliott the last one was Daisy what ridiculous names for a winter storm. Who is going to heed a weatherman’s warning when he is talking about a Daisy?

It’s cold and windy outside and I’m safe and snug inside.

My little duffers are felted. I did it the easy way by throwing them in the washer with my jeans 36 minutes on medium then into the dryer on medium. They were still kinda big so into the washer again. They looked perfect well maybe like raisins so I tugged and pulled then let them air dry. Christmas is coming. Ann

 

200 years ago……..

 

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse…..

A right jolly old elf…….

200 years ago Clement C. Moore wrote the poem to entertain his wife and children, it was shared with family and friends one of whom sent it to a local newspaper. Fifteen years later he takes credit because as a professor of Greek, Hebrew and theology he thought it would hurt his credentials.

I’m sure ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas has survived long past any of his scholarly work. 

The modern Santa of his poem short, plump, short jacket with fur trim and cap with fur trim.  

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. 

Ann

 Little duffers knit. Knit one more pair for mommy then I will felt them all. Ann

Tree up

Feet up

Coffee gone

Cookies not baked or even mixed up

Maybe another cup

‘It’s the season.

Ann

No more purple dust bunnies

It’s not finished until you love it. I have knit the entire sweater twice. The first time it was too big, I tried it on before I started the second sleeve. I ripped and started over from the beginning same size smaller needles. I knit about 4 inches of the second sleeve then really looked at my stitches I was tense and so were my stitches I could see that they were smaller than the upper shoulder. Rip again, ripping knitting is fun and fast, relax and start the sleeve again, relax, everyone went home, relax, have a glass of wine relax and start the sleeve again. Try it on again. There was a noticeable difference between the two sleeves, they felt different. Take it off and lay one sleeve on top of the other. Sleeve number two is an inch longer and a little wider than sleeve number one. Compare the decreases…..same number, compare ribbing…..same number of repeats. I was really relaxed knitting sleeve two. Which sleeve do I like better?  Rip sleeve number one and try again. See if I can relax the same……sleeve one is now the same as sleeve two. Sweep up the purple dust bunnies from under my chair.   And I love it!  Ann

The yarn is Rowan felted tweed and the pattern is Smoke by Ankestrick I did not do the long cuffs with thumb holes and I knit more rows of neck ribbing for a crew neck instead of a boat neck.