Greetings dear Unravelers!
I have a confession for you all… September has been a month of me living my very best life (sadly, my house is complaining of neglect…loudly! lol) But for me, it was a great month!
I am on still on Sleeve Island…BUT! One sleeve is done! I still have one to go but I also have two more episodes of The U.S. and the Holocaust to watch, so I feel like that sleeve just needs a bit of Sit and Watch time and it will be done! This sweater is very much nearing completion… and good thing because Mother Nature flipped off the summer switch last Thursday… it has been chilly and perfect sweater weather. And this sweater will be a welcome addition to my fall wardrobe!
Knit six rows, decrease, move a stitch marker from the finished sleeve to the one in process…
I also finished a gnome… as you all may have seen on social media. Dear Gnorton. He was The Gnome of All The Options. There were multiple hat choices, body choices, beard choices. And even a couple of nose and hand options! And so I listened to Gnorton as I knit away… what did he want to be… And the thing that came through loud and clear was he was a thinker… who enjoyed a pipe. He now sits on the mantle next to Gnombleberry who occasionally reads poetry…providing lots to think about! A broken DPN was just the perfect “pipe stem” and I even managed a bit of “embers” in his pipe bowl. Nine months in and my mantle of gnomes makes me smile. three more to go… and a new Mystery Gnome arrives for December! FYI… The latest Mystery Gnome pattern will be on sale in November… you do not need to buy the kit! And the December Gnome Story is so much fun!
Gnorton the Gninth
And I am back to “daily painting” as well. Most days, just practicing all the techniques… there are so many things to learn! But the first class of the Changing Seasons Class I am currently taking is done! I shared my painting on IG… and as I said there, some things I feel good about, others need some more practice… good thing I like practicing! Ha!
Really… my.best.life.
The reading this week also fit the My Best Life category! AND, I started another book by Yiyun Li yesterday, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl… and I was quickly drawn in! It makes me realize that there are so.many.authors and so little time. And, for those interested, The Book of Goose is now available… it is so good!
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
For all the struggles I had with Olive in Olive Kitteridge, the Olive from the end of that book grew and flourished in Olive, Again.
Simply put. I loved every single word. And, more importantly, I fell in love with Olive.
Strout’s writing feels so very much like she is sitting at the table sharing stories over coffee. It is real, personal, and so engaging. I was lost in the book in the first chapter. The narrator, Kimberly Farr, was excellent.
If you wonder if change is possible… read this book. If you need a renewed hope in humanity…read this book. If you don’t know what to read next… read this book.
Oh, Godfrey, just read this book! You won’t be disappointed at all!
The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One afternoon, I was scrolling through the “available titles” on Netgalley, and this cover caught my eye. I knew nothing of the author, Yiyun Li, but I loved the cover and the title. So I made my request… and fortune smiled on me with the audio-version of this compelling little story.
The story opens in America, where Agnés is reading a letter from her mother about the death of her friend, Fabienne.
And from there a story of memory, the deep bonds of friendship, art, writing, exploitation, and life in the countryside of Saint Remy France after the war unfolds.
The memories flow from Agnés and it feels a bit like a dam has broken… things she had kept bottled inside could no longer be contained. It was a book I could not set down, even though parts were uncomfortable…
Li’s writing is really incredible. And the narration… it was perfect! This won’t be the last of Li’s books I read. If you are looking for a beautifully told story, this is exactly the book you need! I highly recommend. I had originally given this book 4-stars, but I have not stopped thinking about Agnés and Fabienne and realized that this is absolutely a 5-star book!
I would like to thank Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the audio-copy of this book.
That is all I have for today… I am off to queue up some Ken Burns and get back to Sleeve Island!
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That sweater is so lovely!
That second sleeve will go quickly, Kat! And the gnome is just SO adorable. 🙂
The good thing about having a painting practice . . . is that practice is what it’s all about! (And I’ve just picked up The Book of Goose from the library, although it may be a while before I actually get around to reading it.)
Oh, this sweater is going to be wonderful! We’ve also been watching the documentary and enjoying it (as much as you can enjoy such troubling topics).
I listed to Olive Kitteridge as a reread over the weekend, thanks to your influence, and am looking forward to listening to Olive, Again next. I really do think that audio works so well for Strout’s style, because it is like sitting down with someone and chatting over coffee.
Your sweater is lovely and I bet that sleeve will go quickly. And Gnorton is so creative! I love his pipe and the cherry tobacco. Keep on living your best life; you’re creating and making so many nice things!
Thanks for the book reviews. I have added them to my reading list and will check my library!
what a gorgeous sweater! It would fit into my wardrobe perfectly 🙂 Love the collection of gnomes looking like they are up to some trickery.
I totally love your gnome. The jumper is so nearly there, going to be wonderful. Maybe I should try the next Olive, who knows I might like her.
That gnome with his little pipe!!! And thanks for the reminder that sweater weather is the perfect time to finish a sweater. I’m going to drag my Icelandic cardigan out of hibernation this weekend, I think.
Your sweater is going to be beautiful! And those gnomes, they are adorable!
That sweater is so pretty. It will be perfect for fall into winter. The gnome make me smile. They are darling. Perhaps I will see about Olive Again on audio. The other book sounds interesting too. Hooray for your best life in September. On to October.