by Kat | May 13, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
I finished Romi’s Mystery Shawl and I love it!! It is exactly what I wanted – it is lightweight and perfect for “indoor AC deep freezes” Haha. It is one color, and knit from some centuries old Knit Picks Shadow Lace yarn from my stash. I could not be happier and I loved every step of this shawl from the brilliant center start to the superbly stretchy (but not sloppy) bind off. Now I am wondering what might be my next Romi knit!! I have been eyeing Miss Bab’s new yarn and contemplating…
I think I finally found solace in my reading because my reads this week were so good! I filled 3 more bingo squares, but still no bingo’s… My squares this week: Comfort Read = Tartine Bread (because homemade bread is the ultimate comfort food, amirite?), Originally published in the 19th Century = Leaves of Grass, and Borrowed = Shadow Pass. I am on the wait list for the third book in the Inspector Pekkala series and eager to get it! (and next week, I get even more creative with my square and book pairing, haha)
Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What does one do when you are stuck in the Great Stay at Home Pandemic of 2020… why you try to grow a Sourdough Starter! (Key word…**try**).
This book came highly recommended by a friend, and so I got it and began reading. This is truly user friendly. It explains clearly what to do to get your starter going, how to maintain your starter, and then how to bake bread (and dozens of other things) using your starter. I have several Peter Reinhart baking books, but they seem complicated where as this book is truly streamlined and tested! (With test bakers that were not all bakers!!) If your goal is to bake sourdough bread, look no further! Get this book and get going!
I highly recommend!
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had “read” this in high school and wrote a paper on When Lilac’s Last in the Dooryard Bloomed. Or should I say, I wrote a paper with the help of my maternal grandfather. The Lincoln poem was one he had memorized. When I read this a lifetime ago, I did not get it at all. But, now…
Wordy, geographical, questioning, wondering, amazing.
Whitman takes your hand and eases you into his world. I wonder what he would think of what this world has become. Through his eyes, I see new possibilities and with balanced longing for what was, and hope for what might be – I carry his words with me:
“Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.
You must travel it by yourself.
It is not far. It is within reach.
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.
Perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land.”
I highly recommend you take the journey.
Shadow Pass by Sam Eastland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book Two of the Inspector Pekkala series did not disappoint. More character development happened in a very good way. More of Pekkala’s past was revealed and the start of seeing that Pekkala is not entirely enamored of Stalin’s Russia.
The writing is very good and I will continue with this series!
That is all I have for today (and this week!) What is making you happy in your making or reading this week? Please share!!
And if you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and I will see you back here next Wednesday!
by Kat | May 6, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Some of my making this week included making some modifications to my Traveler’s Journal. Normally, I have 3 inserts, and my set up works very well! I like having multiple journals in one convenient package. However, with the addition of a couple of new journals and I need a modification to my existing system. So, this week I gathered the tools necessary to make some simple changes. One new elastic later and I now have a modified cover to contain my journals.
I am cruising on my Lunar Fade Mystery shawl, this week’s clue included starting a new piece and I am really excited to see where this goes!
For as quickly as the Lunar Fade is moving, I am in the slow lane on Romi’s shawl – the final clue is out, but I am still working on the previous clue – taking my time and hopefully avoiding errors. And, slowing down has paid off, no ripping back happened this week!
And…I made the leap to join Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery Shawl! Yarn contemplation has begun!
April reading was incredibly good! I ended the month with 12 books finished (AND I could fit them all onto my Bingo Card!) And even though I don’t have any bingos yet, it is looking very good! This week’s finishes include:
New Poets of Native Nations by Heid E. Erdrich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A collection of twenty-one incredible voices.
A gathering of some incredible poems.
Poems that made me gasp at their beauty, cry with their poignant words…
These words from Natalie Diaz American Arithmetic will stay with me for a very long time:
Native Americans make up less than one percent of the population in America. 0.8 percent of 100 percent. O, mine efficient country…I am begging: Let me be lonely but not invisible.
I highly recommend every single word!
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“It is not those who inflict the most but those who suffer the most who will conquer.”
I foolishly thought I knew something about the conflict in Northern Ireland, this story quickly disavowed me of those thoughts!
This story takes you though the time known as The Troubles and the disappearing of Jean McConville. It was, at times, a very uncomfortable listen. Yet, at the same time, I could not stop. At the end of this book, I still have questions – but I think that is the reality for many – especially those living in Northern Ireland.
“We beat them with stones at first, and they had guns. Our people had to go and get guns. Wouldn’t they have been right stupid people to stand there? Our people got shotguns at first and then got better weapons. And then the British, who were supposed to protect us, came in and raided our homes. What way could you fight? So you went down and you blew them up.”
These words jumped out at me and I could not stop thinking about the truth in them… truth for so many conflicts in so many places… and the importance stopping the violence and listening to each other. I highly recommend this powerful book!
That’s all I have this week, what about you? What are you making this week?
If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Apr 29, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers! There was NO unraveling for me this week – and I am almost done with Clue Three of Romi’s Mystery shawl – although it still looks like the green blob in the photo! Trust me that I am very happy with it and I am even happier to be back on track! I don’t think I will get Clue Four done before the next clue drops Friday but that is okay!
Larissa Brown’s Lunar Mystery Shawl is less taxing to knit, but I love the start! I have sort of bound off the first few clues and am eagerly waiting to see what the next step will be!
I am still slowly working on my crochet circles – not every evening, but most evenings. I always thought crochet was faster than knitting, but apparently that is all relative to your skill level! No photo update this week, but I do have something I have been oogling on Instagram. I am enthralled with all the lovely circles! This especially makes my heart sing!
The reading this week was unexpected and so.good! No bingo yet, but I have filled in two more squares!
Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I can’t believe I almost didn’t borrow this book from my library! I loved it! The writing is good, the characters are intriguing and I loved how Eastland worked in Pekkala’s background to the story. If you are looking for a new mystery series, this one delivers! I have already borrowed the second book of this series! I highly recommend!
Victim 2117 by Jussi Adler-Olsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved this Department Q installment because of Assad. Adler-Olsen spends a good bit of time sharing Assad with us, and there is so much to love! I won’t give anything away, but this novel is brilliantly crafted with two separate but somehow connected crimes. They are tied together brilliantly. This is the first book in this series that I listened to, and it while it was not my favorite way to consume Carl and his team it was not horrible. The narrator was good, but I prefer to read these stories, I think I can read them faster than it too me to listen to it! Sadly, the wait list for the Kindle version was months long, so audio it was! I highly recommend this entire series!
That is all I have for this week! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below! Thank you for joining us!
by Kat | Apr 22, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
I am plugging along on making. The knitting is going well (as expected) however, the crochet…
I do like the “end result” but boy. Who knew my very agile knitting hands could suddenly be all thumbs with crochet. Things I am struggling with: Holding the yarn in the “other” hand (I did not think this would be such a challenge since when I knit color work I use both hands), counting (this is not intuitive – and I have miscounted a number of times which means… RIPPPP! lol) where to “insert” the hook (some instructions say “the back of the loop” but others instructions leave it up to me… oy.) I am following the instructions for leaving a short tail, but how do you “weave in the ends” ??? That looks like it should be tons of fun… NOT! Hahaha! On a brighter note… I only have about 50 more “circles” to go!!
Mary asked on IG “when do we get to see the whole thing??!!!” Okay, I present the whole thing… or at least the start of the “whole thing” I have lots more days to go and lots more stitching to do! You are only seeing about a third of the linen to be stitched.
In the best possible making department…My oldest daughter announced on Monday that they are expecting!
So that means TWO new grandbabies this year! Heidi and Christian are expecting in early July and Rachel and Erik will welcome their little one in September!
It was a mixed bag of reading this week. One book I abandoned at about the halfway point, Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel just was “not for me” at all. I enjoyed Station Eleven, but this was very disappointing. And, Staying At Home does not mean reading bad books.
Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I loved so much about this book, but the ending. Smilla was divine – really a brilliantly written character. She is moody, brash, and questioning…everything. This is just really a book I want to tell everyone to read, but the ending… So, if you like the journey better than the destination, you will enjoy this book.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book pulled me in from the first chapter and it was an incredibly exciting journey! This book made me think of so many “what if’s”!! I loved January Scaller! There is a tiny part of me that would love to discover that there are doors in my world leading to so many possibilities! I highly recommend this book!
Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book crossed my radar via an IG post from a librarian – it was one of many books available via Hoopla. So I tried! This book had potential and I really hoped about half way through that Sofia would grow up and become likable. Sadly, for me, she did not.
That is all I have for today! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Apr 15, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
This week there was a good bit of unraveling. Sigh. Yep, I almost gave up on Romi’s Mystery Shawl (the top green “blob” above). Clue two is a real challenge! (Or perhaps the challenge was that Pear Martini + intricate lace knitting = a colossally bad idea) However, I stayed the course, ripped back, picked up the correct number of stitches (which was a miracle in itself!) and tried again. I have completed the first repeat of chart one, and will continue working through the chart later today.
I have finished clue one of Larissa Brown’s Lunar Mystery knit (The stripey half-circle above) and I am in love! It was a joy to knit and she teased us with some hints for this week’s clue and I.can’t.wait!
I also finished a pair of socks (who on earth am I???) Yep, Coopknits Mystery Socks are done and I love them. The fit is great and there was just enough patterning to be more than just plain socks!
If you have been following my 100 Day Project on IG, you might be thinking, well that’s all kinds of boring. But I am happy to say that what is in my head is flowing nicely into my stitches. I have two corners almost completed and will begin on the other side shortly. Working from the “outside” of my linen to the inside seemed to make the most sense. So look for some more interesting bits coming up!
I am back to slow and steady with my reading, so only one (brilliant) finish this week. And while this might not be a book for everyone, it certainly made me stop and think.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
They say nothing lasts forever but they’re just scared it will last longer than they can love it.
Haunting, poignant writing. I listened to the author read his story, and I think that helped me stay engaged with this, at times, very painful story. If you have read Vuong’s poetry, his writing will be very familiar. This felt more like poetry than it did a novel, and that is not a negative statement… the writing was just so beautiful.
I have to say, I love that Goodreads has been providing lots of reading inspiration! This curated list has oodles and oodles of things on it! And it is incredibly handy for SAH Book Bingo! As you can see, I am making some progress on my card. I managed to fill in a number of books from last week on this card! And I am doing it a bit differently this year. I have printed off my bingo card, and am using it in conjunction with my Travelers Notebook™ and if when I move on to another card (cards) I can just turn the page and keep going!
That’s all I have for this week, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below! Thank you!
by Kat | Apr 8, 2020 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
I forgot to share yesterday my temperature chart, but it deserves a mention. One stunning thing I noted… Pittsburgh only had 4 days in the first quarter where the high temperature was in the 20’s.
Let that sink in a minute. Yes, that is right in 3 months, we had just 4 days in the 20’s. Every month had some temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s… yes, January, February, and March had days that got that warm. If I had not been tracking temperatures, I might not believe it.
This week I blocked my Nymphaladia (which is not yet on Ravelry) and wove in the couple of ends. I love the dramatic change from Monday’s photo!
I also began work on the heel turns on my mystery socks! I don’t think there is one single thing in knitting that brings more wonder that the simple process of turning a heel, and suddenly that flat flap begins to take form and a sock is born from a tube and a flap! I was a bit shocked to see that the color matching sock yarns were dramatically off in matching. Yes, one skein had a significant bit less of the green dyed part. So, these will be off-kilter socks but perhaps that is just what I needed to remember this off-kilter time!
It seems I have finally broken through the Reading Dam with gusto! My read’s this week were all noteworthy! Also, in case you missed it Mary is leading us all in SAH Book Bingo which began April 1st! I wonder if I can fill three cards between now and Labor Day? Anyways, Book Bingo is one of my very favorite things and I hope you join us!
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There has been lots of discussion about this book… and much of it revolved around “don’t read it.” However, I am a Rebel (aka Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies) and being such I felt compelled to read this book. I initially gave this book 4-stars but in thinking about the book for a few days, I really think this is a book deserving of a 5-star rating.
The story’s main characters, Lydia and her son Luca, survive a horrific event and must flee their home in Acapulco. This story revolves around that escape and the people (good and bad) that they meet in their journey.
I was moved by their journey, by their hope, by their determination, and especially by some of the people they interact with. The writing is wonderful – engaging – and it pulled me in from the first sentence. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was excellent.
Look past the hype and the naysayers and read this book! You will be glad you did!
The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Book one in a series always is a bit of a challenge as you figure out the characters, their backgrounds, and how they came to be together. Rachel and Esa have wonderful potential. This story tackles a devastating time in history (the Bosnian War Crimes) and did so incredibly well! I struggled at first to keep things straight, but thankfully reading on the kindle makes remembering details easy. I am eager to read more of this series.
Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week by Amy-Jill Levine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read this book with my small group, and we watched Amy-Jill’s companion video series. If you want someone to give you a remarkable history lesson on Holy Week – this is the series for you! Levine’s insights and knowledge are wonderful. I learned so many things and my book is full of notes. I highly recommend it!
Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss by Margaret Renkl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At first, I did not think I was going to like this book at all, especially when I read a woman belongs in her husband’s church – yikes, that was cringe-worthy for me. But, I pressed on and am I glad I did!
Every day the world is teaching me what I need to know to be in the world. In the stir of too much motion: Hold still. Be quiet. Listen.
YES! I needed this reminder. I also needed to shed solidarity tears with Margaret as she sat in the pediatrician’s office with her newborn baby, tired – exhausted really, with a hungry, crying baby, trying her damnedest to breast feed with mastitis. Thank god for doctors that listen and remove the guilt and free you to be a better parent. “The best mother is a happy mother,” she said. “Give that baby a bottle.” AMEN!!
I loved her bird stories, her childhood stories, her parents stories, and how she looks at life. It is not perfect, but my gosh – it can be so beautiful.
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below!
