For the Love of Reading: February 2021

March 1, 2021 By Carole

It’s the first of March and sticking to my new schedule for sharing my reading, today I am sharing the books I read in February, 2021.

The Overstory by Richard Powers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“A tree is a wondrous thing that shelters, feeds, and protects all living things. It even offers shade to the axmen who destroy it.”
This book is dense, full of challenging prose, spectacular characters, and a story that unfolds so slowly you will lose sight of it if you don’t pay very close attention. Part short story collection, part literary fiction, part field guide, it’s not an easy read but it’s very worthwhile. And you’ll never look at trees in the same way again.

Memorial by Bryan Washington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I always say it’s good to read stories that are not at all like your life. It’s good to study characters who are different than the people you encounter. This book is where the rubber meets the road for me and, while I can’t say that I loved it (because much of it is sad and focused on the sameness of life), I can say that it gave me an opportunity to consider the world from a much different perspective. I think it has given me insight into Japanese culture, queer culture, and Black culture, in a way that isn’t possible by reading a non-fiction book.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
If you’re looking for a delightful (and very light) Christmas romance, this is the book for you. The setting is charming, with lovely descriptions of nature and seasonal decorations and delicious food and drink. It’s predictable, sure, but that doesn’t take away from the fun. Recommended for fans of light romance novels.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
While this book is billed as a thriller for me it was a slog. The first surprise, which I suppose is the big one, wasn’t all that much of a surprise. I tried really hard not to figure it out but I did. After that it was just dull. Too many plot twists, too many stale storylines, it was just . . . tedious to finish. I know many people enjoyed it but I’m pretty sure I sprained my eyeballs from all the eye rolls I did.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Another Holocaust story but this one is somewhat unique, focusing on a forgery ring operating as part of The Resistance. The story is compelling even if it is a bit predictable, plus I’m always a sucker for a story with a librarian as the main character. Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction.

Summerwater by Sarah Moss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful, short book, told from the perspective of 12 individuals at a remote Scottish cabin park. Interspersed between each stream-of-consciousness chapter is a description of the natural world, the awakening of a fox, the flying of a bat. The vignettes are both independent and also connected, as these characters watch each other deal with depressing rain and weather, until they finally interact in the fast-paced, climactic ending. Highly recommended.

Five books this month, two with five star ratings. It was a great month of reading!

Eye Candy Friday

February 26, 2021 By Carole

Ms. Pajama Party Amaryllis is in full bloom right now and she’s gorgeous. So many big, pink, beautiful blossoms that it’s hard to capture them in a photo that shows just how spectacular they really are.

Speaking of spectacular . . . it’s the weekend! Have a good one!

Three On Thursday

February 25, 2021 By Carole

How about a post about Jackie today? Specifically, a post about 3 things Jackie loves? We good with that? Cool.

Cars. As in, the ones from the Disney/Pixar movie Cars. He calls all the ones with eyes “Guy” and he has loved playing with them for ages. A couple of weeks ago when he was here with me we watched the movie Cars together. I had never seen it and I found it delightful, my favorite scene is the one where they are cruising down the street to the song Sh-Boom. I enjoyed it so much I made Dale watch it with me the next night. And now we have a whole new way of relating to Jackie!
Knock knock jokes. Jackie loves to hear them and he loves to tell them. The ones he tells, well, they don’t make a lot of sense. But the ones we tell him? He quite often gets them and laughs and it’s so cute. His current favorite? Knock knock. Who’s there? Goliath. Goliath who? Goliath down, you looketh tired.
Photos of himself. Yep, our Jackie is a little ham, just like his grandpa, the biggest ham of the family. Jackie loves to pose for Snapchat photos, getting a huge kick out of all those crazy filters. He loves to pose for photos, usually by making two little fists under his chin and tilting his head to the perfect angle of cuteness. And after the photo is taken he demands to see it and then says, awwwwww, in the cutest little voice. It’s a hoot. Behold the latest 2 below.

Spending time with Jackie is one of my favorite things to do and I know we’re very lucky to be able to do so right now when many people are missing their grandkids. I never taken it for granted, particularly when I remember the months we went without seeing him last spring, and I always have fun with my little bug.

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Wednesdays Are For Knitting: Doreen’s Socks

February 24, 2021 By Carole

Remember how I knit scarves for Jo-Ann and Rose for Christmas? And remember how I said I wanted them to feel like I was going them a big ole hug every time they wore their scarf? Well. Sometimes hugs come in the form of socks, too.

I knit my OG bestie Doreen a pair of socks for Christmas. And I finally (finally!) saw her last Thursday for the first time since August and I gave them to her.

The yarn is Sophie’s Toes Merino Sock in the color Vintage Kitchen. It’s been in my stash for-ev-er.

The pattern is my basic Picot Edge Socks. I just love that little picot edge so much!

There’s a slip stich heel.

And a rounded toe.

They are the perfect hug for my friend’s feet!

One Little Word Update: February 2021

February 23, 2021 By Carole

It’s the 4th Tuesday of the month and that means it’s time to join up with Carolyn and share how I’m doing with my 2021 One Little Word: Create.

I’m happy to say that I’ve stuck with the prompts from Ali Edward’s class for the 2nd month in a row. This is truly an accomplishment because February is always the dreaded vision board month and I’ve always avoided the prompt. It’s not that I’m opposed to creating a vision board (or collage, as we called it back in the ’70s) it’s just that I don’t subscribe to magazines and that right there creates a problem when it comes to gathering materials for the project.

But, Carole, you might say, you work in a library! Yes. Yes, I do, and this year I remembered to snag some of the magazines we were discarded before they were gone. I cut out lots of photos and words, basically anything that made me feel good. After a few sessions of that I sat down with my pile and started sorting and studying. It wasn’t long before I realized I had two things coming through in a big way . . . nature . . . and serenity. I arranged and rearranged and finally settled on this layout:

I kind of love it! I had fun creating it and it’s now propped on the mantel in my studio. I am going to print out a photo of it for my One Little Word binder and journal on the other side about how those photos and words make me feel.

I think they illustrate in a really fabulous way so much about the life I am attempting to create.