The St. Patrick rose should bloom any day now.
22 March 2007
Rogue ranunculus
I didn't plant any ranunculi this year, but
The St. Patrick rose should bloom any day now.
The St. Patrick rose should bloom any day now.
18 March 2007
My latest projects
A couple of people have asked why I don't put more knitting pictures on my blog. That's because I've mainly been working on larger projects like shawls. The few scarves I've made have been pretty basic, but I just finished working on a house-warming present for my sister-in-law.
I made these facecloths, and put them in a cute little basket along with some brightly-coloured soaps.
Nacht liked them.
I made these facecloths, and put them in a cute little basket along with some brightly-coloured soaps.
Nacht liked them.
16 March 2007
Black Baccara
I had intended to track the opening of the Black Baccara bloom daily. And of course life happened, the the photo-tracking didn't. But I managed to get a shot of it today.
Just finished reading...
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs.
This is the story of Georgia Walker, single mother and owner of a yarn shop in Manhattan called Walker and Daughter. "Daughter" is Dakota, 12 years old as the book starts, a knitter like her mother, but also a talented baker.
Informally, a group of women start to meet at the shop on Friday evenings to knit and to chat. Eventually, Dakota starts providing snacks, and they dub themselves The Friday Night Knitting Club. The club consists mainly of 5 regulars, all different, and not all knitters. In fact, one of them is a (non-knitting) graduate student in women's studies who starts out writing her thesis on outmoded women's handicrafts.
It's difficult to describe the plot without sounding trite, but the book is absorbing and the characters are, on the whole, sympathetic.
It's interesting that just as I get back into the craft, a lot of novels on the subject suddenly appear. Even though I did get re-interested after reading a mystery with a knitting theme, I didn't expect to have read 4 or 5 others (not all mysteries) in the past 4 weeks.
Hmmmm..... I feel a list coming on ....
This is the story of Georgia Walker, single mother and owner of a yarn shop in Manhattan called Walker and Daughter. "Daughter" is Dakota, 12 years old as the book starts, a knitter like her mother, but also a talented baker.
Informally, a group of women start to meet at the shop on Friday evenings to knit and to chat. Eventually, Dakota starts providing snacks, and they dub themselves The Friday Night Knitting Club. The club consists mainly of 5 regulars, all different, and not all knitters. In fact, one of them is a (non-knitting) graduate student in women's studies who starts out writing her thesis on outmoded women's handicrafts.
It's difficult to describe the plot without sounding trite, but the book is absorbing and the characters are, on the whole, sympathetic.
It's interesting that just as I get back into the craft, a lot of novels on the subject suddenly appear. Even though I did get re-interested after reading a mystery with a knitting theme, I didn't expect to have read 4 or 5 others (not all mysteries) in the past 4 weeks.
Hmmmm..... I feel a list coming on ....
13 March 2007
Just finished reading....
All's Well That Ends by Gillian Roberts.
This is the final book in the Amanda Pepper Mystery series, and I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to read it. Not because I wouldn't enjoy it; I knew I would. Roberts is a fantastic writer, and Amanda is an engaging character. But reading this book would mean no more Amanda Pepper, so when I finally got the book from the library, I decided I was going to read it slowly and savour it. So, it's taken me a week to read a book that I could ordinarily finish in a few hours.
And it was worth it.
The book begins with Amanda's attendance at a funeral for the former step-mother of Amanda's friend, Sasha. Officially, Phoebe, the deceased, had taken her own life, but Sasha refuses to believe that, and asks Amanda and her husband to look into it.
Amanda's husband, Mackenzie, is distracted by the problems of his relatives in New Orleans, as well as his own doctoral dissertation. As usual, Amanda's investigation is hampered by the necessity of her day job as a high school English teacher. But, as often happens, her interactions with her students help to provide ideas and insights for the case.
Saying much more would give too much away, so I'll close with the statement this is a fairly satisfying end-of-a-series.
This is the final book in the Amanda Pepper Mystery series, and I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to read it. Not because I wouldn't enjoy it; I knew I would. Roberts is a fantastic writer, and Amanda is an engaging character. But reading this book would mean no more Amanda Pepper, so when I finally got the book from the library, I decided I was going to read it slowly and savour it. So, it's taken me a week to read a book that I could ordinarily finish in a few hours.
And it was worth it.
The book begins with Amanda's attendance at a funeral for the former step-mother of Amanda's friend, Sasha. Officially, Phoebe, the deceased, had taken her own life, but Sasha refuses to believe that, and asks Amanda and her husband to look into it.
Amanda's husband, Mackenzie, is distracted by the problems of his relatives in New Orleans, as well as his own doctoral dissertation. As usual, Amanda's investigation is hampered by the necessity of her day job as a high school English teacher. But, as often happens, her interactions with her students help to provide ideas and insights for the case.
Saying much more would give too much away, so I'll close with the statement this is a fairly satisfying end-of-a-series.
11 March 2007
Palm Desert
Tod and I spent the weekend in Palm Desert, courtesy of a Christmas gift certificate from his mother.
We stayed at the Mod Resort, a relatively new little hotel that I'd read about in a travel magazine. It's a very small boutique hotel, only about 13 or 14 rooms. Very charming, very Zen.
We got into Palm Desert late Friday afternoon, after spending a couple of hours shopping at the outlet mall in Cabazon. We'd had a late lunch at Tod's favourite little burger place in downtown Palm Springs, so we didnt' check in until after 3.
Still full from the burgers at Tyler's (best veggie burger I've ever had!), we wandered down the main shopping area in PD, which was just a few blocks from the hotel.
There are some interesting galleries there.
Chopper Moose by Gregg Alexander
(Very) late dinner at a seafood place, and then just back to the hotel to crash. (At least, I crashed; Tod watched the USC basketball game.)
Saturday morning, we had a contintental breakfast at the hotel, then went to a street fair (kinda like the OC Swap Meet) on the College of the Desert campus. Some pretty good shopping there, too!
In the afternoon, we went to The Living Desert, which is even better than the website would suggest. We got up close and personal with the giraffes,
and the butterflies.
It was very hot (90s), so we went back to our room to rest and relax (and watch the basketball game, which, unfortunatley, USC lost).
Had an early dinner and celebrated our 3rd anniversary at a lovely restaurant called Firecliff (sorry, no website). Then we went back to the hotel and, since it had cooled down significantly, soaked in the hot tub, and watched the stars.....
We left fairly early this morning, planning to do some gallery-hopping in Palm Springs, but decided to just head straight home, since it was still pretty hot.
Got home just before noon, and it was pretty hot here, tooo.......
We stayed at the Mod Resort, a relatively new little hotel that I'd read about in a travel magazine. It's a very small boutique hotel, only about 13 or 14 rooms. Very charming, very Zen.
We got into Palm Desert late Friday afternoon, after spending a couple of hours shopping at the outlet mall in Cabazon. We'd had a late lunch at Tod's favourite little burger place in downtown Palm Springs, so we didnt' check in until after 3.
Still full from the burgers at Tyler's (best veggie burger I've ever had!), we wandered down the main shopping area in PD, which was just a few blocks from the hotel.
There are some interesting galleries there.
Chopper Moose by Gregg Alexander
(Very) late dinner at a seafood place, and then just back to the hotel to crash. (At least, I crashed; Tod watched the USC basketball game.)
Saturday morning, we had a contintental breakfast at the hotel, then went to a street fair (kinda like the OC Swap Meet) on the College of the Desert campus. Some pretty good shopping there, too!
In the afternoon, we went to The Living Desert, which is even better than the website would suggest. We got up close and personal with the giraffes,
and the butterflies.
It was very hot (90s), so we went back to our room to rest and relax (and watch the basketball game, which, unfortunatley, USC lost).
Had an early dinner and celebrated our 3rd anniversary at a lovely restaurant called Firecliff (sorry, no website). Then we went back to the hotel and, since it had cooled down significantly, soaked in the hot tub, and watched the stars.....
We left fairly early this morning, planning to do some gallery-hopping in Palm Springs, but decided to just head straight home, since it was still pretty hot.
Got home just before noon, and it was pretty hot here, tooo.......
08 March 2007
I love living in Southern California! (Part 2)
I took these pictures earlier this afternoon.
The mandarin orange we planted in January already has buds!
The Black Baccara rose was also planted in January.
The mandarin orange we planted in January already has buds!
The Black Baccara rose was also planted in January.
Just finished reading...
Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri
Booklist called this "a gentle academic mystery".
I guess it's "academic" because the protagonist, Allison Bergeron, is a professor of English literature at a small Catholic college in the Bronx.
I'm not sure about "gentle", either. The book begins with Allison having to take the train to work because her car has been stolen. A visit from a pair of detectives informs her that the car has been recovered.... with the body of one of her students in the trunk. Allison is kidnapped at gunpoint more than once during the course of the novel, and suffers cuts, scrapes and concussions.
Despite Booklist's appellation, it's a good read. (And a quick read; I finished it in a day.) Allison is a likeable protagonist. My clumsy self especially identifies with her.
I found the ending a little disappointing, but apparently this is the first book in a new series, so hopefully it's a set-up for the sequel.
Booklist called this "a gentle academic mystery".
I guess it's "academic" because the protagonist, Allison Bergeron, is a professor of English literature at a small Catholic college in the Bronx.
I'm not sure about "gentle", either. The book begins with Allison having to take the train to work because her car has been stolen. A visit from a pair of detectives informs her that the car has been recovered.... with the body of one of her students in the trunk. Allison is kidnapped at gunpoint more than once during the course of the novel, and suffers cuts, scrapes and concussions.
Despite Booklist's appellation, it's a good read. (And a quick read; I finished it in a day.) Allison is a likeable protagonist. My clumsy self especially identifies with her.
I found the ending a little disappointing, but apparently this is the first book in a new series, so hopefully it's a set-up for the sequel.
05 March 2007
02 March 2007
Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
Wow! this book was a quick read. Even though it's 358 pages long, I read the whole thing yesterday. But I wasn't feeling all that well, and the story was a nice distraction.
It strikes me as a little odd that many novels with a knitting theme tend to revolve around a character who's been through some major personal tragedy, and turns to knitting in order to heal. This is no exception, although one doesn't usually expect the birth of a child to be tragic. Traumatic and emotional, yes, but not usually tragic.
Maybe "tragic" isn't the right word for a baby who is born to parents who are happily expecting her, but I'm not sure what else to call it when the baby is born resembling neither, and people begin to accuse the mother of having had an affair.
It is determined that the baby is, in fact, the offspring of the couple. The fact that the child appears to be African-American when both parents appear Caucasian is a mystery that is not solved without a great deal of anger, conflict and heartache.
But the characters are engaging, especially Dana, the baby's mother, who finds what should be a joyous occasion turned into something painful.
Where does the knitting come in, you ask? Well, Dana's grandmother owns a yarn shop, and that's where Dana goes when she needs a stress-free place to be. Many of the characters with whom she is closest are people who frequent the store.
This book is also being promoted by Berocco Yarns, who have published a book of patterns based on characters in the book.
It strikes me as a little odd that many novels with a knitting theme tend to revolve around a character who's been through some major personal tragedy, and turns to knitting in order to heal. This is no exception, although one doesn't usually expect the birth of a child to be tragic. Traumatic and emotional, yes, but not usually tragic.
Maybe "tragic" isn't the right word for a baby who is born to parents who are happily expecting her, but I'm not sure what else to call it when the baby is born resembling neither, and people begin to accuse the mother of having had an affair.
It is determined that the baby is, in fact, the offspring of the couple. The fact that the child appears to be African-American when both parents appear Caucasian is a mystery that is not solved without a great deal of anger, conflict and heartache.
But the characters are engaging, especially Dana, the baby's mother, who finds what should be a joyous occasion turned into something painful.
Where does the knitting come in, you ask? Well, Dana's grandmother owns a yarn shop, and that's where Dana goes when she needs a stress-free place to be. Many of the characters with whom she is closest are people who frequent the store.
This book is also being promoted by Berocco Yarns, who have published a book of patterns based on characters in the book.
01 March 2007
Just finished reading...
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
This is the second in the series about Harper Connelly, who can "find dead people" as a result of being struck by lightning as a teen. She and her step-brother Tolliver, who acts as her manager, help people who are searching for missing loved ones, travelling to wherever they are needed.
The story starts with a demonstration that Harper is doing for a university class on the paranormal. She is going through an ancient graveyard and identifying the occupants of various graves, when she unexpectedly comes across one that has two bodies; the second one being the very recent addition of a young girl she unsuccessfully searched for months earlier.
Harper is an engaging protagonist, and the first-persono narrative is pretty open. I've loved all of Charlaine Harris' series, and this one is no exception.
Next up: Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky , another novel with a knitting theme.
Knitting update:
Right now I'm working on a shawl for my "second mom" whom we are going to visit in Vancouver next month.
This is the second in the series about Harper Connelly, who can "find dead people" as a result of being struck by lightning as a teen. She and her step-brother Tolliver, who acts as her manager, help people who are searching for missing loved ones, travelling to wherever they are needed.
The story starts with a demonstration that Harper is doing for a university class on the paranormal. She is going through an ancient graveyard and identifying the occupants of various graves, when she unexpectedly comes across one that has two bodies; the second one being the very recent addition of a young girl she unsuccessfully searched for months earlier.
Harper is an engaging protagonist, and the first-persono narrative is pretty open. I've loved all of Charlaine Harris' series, and this one is no exception.
Next up: Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky , another novel with a knitting theme.
Knitting update:
Right now I'm working on a shawl for my "second mom" whom we are going to visit in Vancouver next month.
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