Greetings Unravelers!
We have arrived at the final Wednesday in February with the most un-February-like weather… mild temps, rains that have done an excellent job of washing away the frozen and brought a hint of green…at least to the grass in my back yard! I have done a “mini-shuffle” in my closet – pulling out some warmer weather things and have readied some of my wooliest sweaters for a nice spa treatment before packing them away. I need it to not be raining so they can dry in a reasonable amount of time!
Never fear… I still have some wooly sweaters, but lighter weight ones that are the perfect things for easing into spring. And yes, I am absolutely thinking about spring!
The knitting this week… good times! I have a Finished Gnome! Meet Gnathan! I love his cables, and his beard, and that hat! I learned how to avoid ladders whilst purling in the round. I began to understand “reading your knitting when cabling” better – although I am not perfect, I am better than I was before I knit Gnathan!
AND!! Since this photo was taken, I have begun the toe of Vera’s Sock! I hope to cast on sock two later today!
I have even done a bit of stitching… but I don’t have a photo to show you right now! (you can blame the rain!)
The reading this week… oh my. It was so good! (and it is even better than what is finished, I am finally back to Still Life!) This is the kind of reading that creates the dreaded reading slump… so many good books are a hard act to follow… I have some niggling worry. (But I do have some good things coming in my hold queue… pray they all don’t become available at once! lol)
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I listened to Clint Smith read this powerful history… he takes us on a journey that begins in New Orleans and from there he takes us to places I knew about but never considered those places to be markers on the history of slavery.
This book clearly showed me that I do not know so much.
It was not a book I could listen to in large chunks of time…and I understand the privilege I have in being able to say that. So many Clint talks with in this book are still living what I found necessary to put down… to take a break from their reality.
But in the midst of the nightmare that is this nations fixation with slavery – you cannot listen to the history of Angola Prison and not believe that for some people, slavery is not over – there are people who are trying to make a difference – glimmers of hope in a sea of despair…
I highly recommend this book.
Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It seems unfathomable that this is Claire Luchette’s debut novel. It is truly brilliant. The writing is so spectacular… and as Luchette slowly reveals more and more of the characters, it just gets better.
She draws you in, she makes you comfortable, and then she carefully changes your surroundings and niggles you with some questions that made me stop and think.
I am not Catholic, but I felt this incredible bond between Agatha and her sisters… until it wasn’t, or was it ever? I loved watching Agatha grow… and her concerns are worth noting. Write them down. Memorize them.
I am so eager to discuss a book I profoundly loved with the Read With Us Book Club.
I highly recommend this wonderful story!
That is all that I have going on in my making and reading this week. What about you?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
I, too, really enjoyed “Agatha” and I think it will make for a great discussion, especially on the heels of “Matrix.” Yay for a sock that is almost finished! Isn’t Petty Harbour a fun pattern? Just enough to keep you interested, but not enough to drive you crazy. Gnathan is FABULOUS!! Oh how I love that hat…and his little arms – LOL
That gnome is adorable!! My goodness. And yay for closet shuffling – which means that spring is on the way!
I’m on the waitlist for the Clint Smith and I can’t wait. Thank you for reviving my anticipation for it!
Okay. That gnome! He is spectacular! And yesterday . . . I thought only about the coming of spring. It came. It went. Back to winter today . . . with plunging temps and snow. (Sigh. Too soon here to think about putting away the woolies for the season.) I’m so glad you enjoyed Agatha! I did, too. 🙂
That gnome is the cutest, most elegant gnome ever! I’m so glad you enjoyed Agatha. I just downloaded How the Word is Passed to listen to, I appreciate your excellent review. We’ve had false spring a couple of times here but it’s still very much winter, as evidenced by the predicted 8-12 inches of snow we are supposed to get on Friday.
Gnathan is a gnoble and distinguished gnome! I love his tall hat and long beard, and your sock is looking good, too. I’m glad you enjoyed Agatha and I’m also anxious to discuss the book. How the Word is Passed is now on my list, and it may be a good sign that the list is long. I saw my first snowdrops the other day, but I fear that winter isn’t quite done here yet, with snow tomorrow and ice on Friday.
I’ve so enjoyed our little thaw, but it looks like it will not last long. Grr. I hope what’s coming tomorrow is among the last of the wintry weather we see this year.
Gnathan is adorable! I think these gnomes are a great way to work on skills in a fun and quick project.
I think Agatha is going to make for a fun discussion!
Your gnome is adorable. (Now I need to check out its pattern!) I just finished a hard read, too; like your book, it’s about a difficult subject, and this one was Ukraine in WW2. It’s The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan and leaves you with a bit of insight into what’s going on there now. I will suggest your book to my book club. Thanks!
That gnome!!! the details are so good (and even better that you got to hone some knitting skills along the way). I actually pulled out a spring cardigan today and will be thinking about giving my wooliest sweaters a bath next week.
The Gnome looks great. All the details on the hat and beard are amazing. That sock pattern is a good one. I enjoyed the knitting it and continue to wear the socks. It’s enough texture without being too much.
you are the best gnome knitter ever!! I really should make one or two 🙂 I haven’t been knitting much but hope to be soon.