On the Bookshelf

 I am a voracious reader. We are a family of avid readers. I always have one audio book, one physical book, and one Kindle book going. 

I read a variety of books. I love memoir, biography, historical fiction and non- fiction and mystery / thriller (no gore please), and literary fiction. I'm not a big fan of fantasy (but loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January) or Science Fiction (but loved Project Hail Mary).

A few of my recent (the last 5 or 6 years) favorites off the top of my head are Cold Sassy Tree, Ordinary Grace, Whistling Past the Graveyard, Half Broke Horses, The Nightingale, The Lake House, and The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery.

A few years ago, I read The Dry, by Jane Harper and loved it. I love Harper's writing and that along with a good story that transported me to Australia made for a great reading experience.

So I popped into the library the other day and checked out The Lost Man - also by Jane Harper - and read it in two days - another great read for me.

Yesterday I started The Survivors...another promising page turner. I probably ought to listen to these via Audible just for the Australian accent, but if I can get them from the library then I save an Audible credit for something else. If the writing's really good I often prefer a hard copy of the book so that I can savor the carefully crafted words. Other times, like with Project Hail Mary, the audio version brings the story to life for me. I don't think I would have enjoyed that one in book form.

Okay, DH is off helping friends brand today and I've got a deck and a good book calling my name. 😉

From the Bookshelf

Many of you have shown interest in what I've been reading lately. I'm glad to know that in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, folks still read. I can't remember a time when I didn't love reading and I love all forms of it. I'm a fan of libraries, e-books, audio books, used bookstores, and just bookstores in general. With my bum knee, I've had more time to sink into a comfy spot and lose myself between the pages and as requested, I thought I'd share the titles I've recently enjoyed.

Rainwater 



Dragonfly



The Nightingale



Where the Crawdads Sing



 Lilac Girls



The Tattooist of Auschwitz



Whistling Woman



A Mind of Her Own



And I'm currently reading this one:

Shadow of the Wind



And this one:

The Counselor



I think that may earn me some kind of bookworm status. No, I don't always read this voraciously, and yes, I am doing other things during the day. I'll come up for air at some point. 😉

What Should I Read Next

As those of you who have been reading here for some time know, I am an avid reader. I always have a book on my Kindle and I love audio books, but there is nothing that beats an honest to goodness real book. I am also a fan of a podcast called What Should I Read Next, by Anne Bogel aka: the modern Mrs. Darcy. However, it has increased my TBR (To Be Read) pile exponentially. For many of us bookworms, the what should I read next question is the first thing that pops into our heads the second we read the last sentence of our current book. Well, today I finished a book (Rainwater) and DH walked in with the mail that included a package from my mom. When I opened it, I found this:

The latest novel from my favorite teacher of all time. Mrs. Meacham was my high school English teacher and sponsor when I was editor of the school paper and I adored her. She was tough. And old school. And charming. And a southern lady. She encouraged my love of the written word - definitely not a popular trait with the cool kids. However, I never was one of those and Mrs. Meacham was smart enough to know that didn't matter one whit then...nor now.

In her 60's, she became an author. She is now 80, still writing up a storm, and today I had no problem answering that question. At 562 pages, it might be a while, but there are leftovers for dinner and freshly baked cookies so DH won't go hungry and he has assured me that for the time being, my sidekick services are not needed. I am eager to dive into the pages:

For the Love of Books

I adore reading. Those of you that have been reading here for some time, know that. There never seems to be enough time to curl up with a good book, hence I sometimes turn to audio books. Still, nothing replaces the experience of turning the pages of a real book.

We read to the kids every day from the day they were born...really...from day 1. When we found out we were expecting, we left the doctor's office, went to a bookstore, and bought children's books. The first piece of furniture we bought was a bookshelf for the baby's room. A love for books was curated early in our home:

One can never have too many books:

This is one of my favorite pictures from when the kids were little:

                          

Little bookworms:

                           

Grow up to be big bookworms:

                            

When I made a road trip a few months ago, our girl took me to the local used bookstore. Oh, my word!! Talk about amazing! I was completely overwhelmed and felt like a kid in a candy store...only this was so much better!

We were there for a couple of hours and it wasn't nearly long enough. I didn't even scratch the surface. I could have easily spent days perusing the shelves.

This place is a bookworm's dream. This'll do for today:

The store takes up 1/2 of a city block and it's housed in this gorgeous building:

I was sad to leave it when she moved, but she recently sent me a text:

She found a new place to explore!

This past week, a new PBS series called The Great American Read began. A show about books? Yes, please. Through a survey...they didn't ask me...they have compiled a list of the best 100 books and you can vote all summer for your favorite. The Great American Read

Every time I think, "Oh, that's my favorite...or THAT's my favorite and the next minute I'm declaring, No, THIS one."

 I cannot pick just one, but therein lies the beauty...there is always another book...another story...another adventure...another page to turn.

                                               

January Stitching

OK...I THINK I am going to get to do a little stitching today.

A few years back, well actually, 2012 is more than a few years back... I participated in a Christmas through the year program through Darlene's blog, A Quilting Daze . Darlene doesn't blog anymore. I hope all is well in your neck of the woods, Darlene...you are missed. Each month we were to make 1 gift for Christmas and her cheerleading meant I had a box filled with handmade gifts come December. It was the BEST and I haven't done it since. I was visiting with a friend on the phone the other day and this subject came up. She too is a maker of beautiful things and she was stitching away on Christmas Eve. In an attempt to avoid the crunch this next December, I'm going to give this another go. This month I am going to finish stitching up lined drawstring bags that I didn't finish before Christmas:

Everyone loves the simplicity these add to gift wrapping, especially the men! I know many of you are DONE with all things Christmas, but I promise that this is worth investing in if you love to give hand made gifts come December.

I am also hoping to work on Bonnie Hunter's On Ringo Lake. I'm on step 2, buy hey, it's all about the journey and I'm just going to enjoy it and not worry about rushing through it.

Then there's a new project I'm starting with my Quilt Squad girls. I only made 2 meetings last year, but I hope to step that up this year. We're going to be making blocks from Sew Emma's pattern called Blessings

using 30's prints and Kona Snow for the background. Each of us will make 12 identical blocks and we'll exchange them this summer and set them however we choose.

That ought to keep me busy and out of trouble for this month. On the book front, I'm currently listening to Cold Sassy Tree

on Audible and I'm loving it, so that's an added incentive for spending more time  behind my sewing machine. How is it I've not read this before?

One More Page

It's been a while since I chimed in on what I've been reading and I'm always reading something.  I've generally got 3 books going at once. I'm usually listening to an audio book, reading something on my Kindle, and as much as I enjoy those mediums, I am still a big fan of actual books and always have one of those on my bedside table.

Last year I joined the 2016 Reading Challenge presented from The Modern Mrs. Darcy. I read everything on that list with the exception of War and Peace. That was my 'book that intimidates you'. The intimidation continues. I started it, but it just hasn't captured my attention yet, but I'm going to give it the old college try once again.

Today I'm sharing a few titles I really enjoyed in the past 6 months or so:

The The Lake House by Kate Morton.

Just finished this one. I listened to it on audio and LOVED it. Great story, loved the narrator's accent, the well-developed characters and probably one of my all time favorites although that  list is pretty long. This isn't a classic, but a really good read.

I'm presently listening to Quail Crossings and so far, it's getting two thumbs up too.

I read Still Life, the first in a series by Louise Penny and am looking forward to reading the next installment. I like mystery and suspense, but I do not like gore and bad language, and this has neither.

I also enjoyed A Man Called Ove,

 loved The Nightingale,

The Life We Bury 

Whistling Past the Graveyard

Ordinary Grace

The Noticer

Just seems like I've been picking up stories I've really enjoyed lately. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, and News of the World are up next!

For the Bookworm

Earlier this year, I posted about the 2016 Reading Challenge I was taking via  Modern Mrs. Darcy. I've made good progress and have tackled them all with the exception of War and Peace and the book I am currently listening to that is my selection for a book published this year, Titans.

                                         

Titans was written by my High School English teacher. She was a gem of a teacher and is a true southern lady, with whom I have continued to keep in touch. I was the school newspaper editor and Mrs. Meacham was our sponsor. I think my penchant for saying things like "Oh, Fudge" and "Fiddlesticks" may have started in her class. :)

  I discovered Ann's blog late last year and was quickly drawn in. On Tuesdays she posts a podcast called What Should I Read Next where she interviews a fellow bookworm and they discuss books for 20-30 minutes. Ann also has a summer reading club, but I didn't sign up for that although I will probably read some of the titles she has chosen.

Ann has a Daily Kindle Deals that you can sign up for as well.  I have definitely found some gems and some fun new selections. Sometimes there are also wonderful discounts for the audio book.

I just thought this was a great source for those of you that are avid readers and wanted to share with ya'll.

Coming Up For Air

 I've been reading... voraciously, and I've checked 4 titles off of that reading list I posted a few weeks ago.

1. Married and How To Stay That Way - I finished my book I'd abandoned first. I highly recommend it for a Biblical view on marriage. So much of it is common sense to me, but it's good for me to be reminded of God's design for marriage. I'm thankful each and every day for His bringing DH and I together and I don't ever want to take that for granted.

2. The Picture of Dorian Gray. I did not enjoy this one at all. It's dark and strange and filled with sentences that go on for an entire page. I tried to like it, but was just glad to get through it.

3. Wuthering Heights. Another dark, twisted story that just left me feeling disgruntled with selfish characters. I may look back later and recognize it for the brilliant work of literature it is considered to be, but presently I am left feeling annoyed.

4. Whistling Past the Graveyard. And we have a winner! Loved this. No, it's not considered classic literature and perhaps I was just ready for something less...dreary. I loved the story and the author's voice and fell in love with Starla, the spunky protagonist.

 I went by the library on Monday after work to check out The Great Gatsby, but it was closed so I fired up my Kindle, took a deep breath... and started War and Peace.

So now you know why there hasn't been any sewing going on! I'm still spending lots of time with fabric though...if you peek into my house you'll find me curled up with a quilt... nose firmly planted between the pages of a book.

2016 Reading Challenge

If you're a regular reader here, you know that I am an avid bookworm. All of us are. There is never enough time to read. That's probably why I have fallen into the world of audio books, but there still is no substitute for curling up with a real book. Put me in a room full of books and I will get lost and lose track of time until someone comes to drag me out.

The other day, our girl ran across the 2016 Reading Challenge and we immediately began making our lists. we always have a long list of books we want to read, but this will be a fun challenge and we spent a couple of evenings working on our respective lists and yes, we are reading a few of the same books.




                                           

This list is subject to change as I am highly influenced by recommendations from other lovers of the written word. Here's a link to our girl's list: The Desert Rat Philosopher . I may be a tad biased, but I think this kid's got a way with words and a unique way of viewing the world. She's bright and clever and fiercely passionate in her convictions. I'm glad she's started blogging again.

And here's my list:

A book published this year: Yet to be determined, but I'm keeping a keen eye on new releases
A book you can finish in a day: The Great Gatsby
A book you've been meaning to read: Go Set a Watchman
A book recommended by your local librarian or bookseller: This House of Sky
A book you should have read in school: The Picture of Dorian Gray
A book chosen for you by your spouse, sibling, child, or BFF: Wuthering Heights
A book published before you were born: Of Mice and Men
A book that was banned at some point: The Heart of India
A book you previously abandoned: Married and How to Stay That Way ...I didn't think I had ever abandoned a book until I cleaned out my nightstand the other day and found this one with the bookmark in it. And yes, all is well with DH and I. I just believe that it is always beneficial to not become complacent and to to continue to work on our marriage covenant with Christ.
A book you own but have never read: Whistling Past the Graveyard
A book that intimidates you: War and Peace ...this one may take me all year.
A book you've already read at least once: To Kill a Mockingbird ...life is too short to read the same book twice, but I haven't read this one in 20+ years and I wanted to re-read it before reading Go Set a Watchman.

Anyone else up for the challenge?

Hanging Up My Apron

The pastures have been gathered and the calves are weaned. Our pens are filled with bawling calves and the weather has finally taken a turn towards fall. My kitchen has been wiped clean of flour, my stove has been scoured, and I am hanging up my apron for a few days.

 I thought about running away to a quilt show in a town about 90 miles away, but I'm just too tuckered out.

Conversation after supper while we were clearing the dishes in the kitchen:
Me: I think there's a quilt show in Clovis this weekend.
DH: I'm not going.
Me: * Chuckling* I know, but if I were unable to drive, would you take me?
DH: Yes. *Brief pause with the beginnings of an eye twinkle* Because I know I don't have to.
Cue our laughter.
And a minute later, as he walks past me with his mug of ice cream, he piped up, "But if it was important to you, I would take you."

And that's reason 254 - I'm thinking of keeping him. :)

 He is helping the neighbors today and he'll probably be home about noon. Hopefully we'll be able to sneak in a nap and then make a circle to check cattle and waters.

Since he left just after 4 this morning, and I didn't have to feed anyone, my kitchen stayed dark and quiet and I slipped in behind my sewing machine. Lots of 4-patches are made:

 I am working on my Ginger Belle quilt - making hourglass blocks

 and beginning to put some blocks together.

I just finished listening to an audio book called The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I ran across it at the Johannesburg airport while browsing through the bookstore and the title intrigued me so I made a mental note to add it to my list. Here's Amazon's review

Amazon Best of the Month, April 2009: It's the beginning of a lazy summer in 1950 at the sleepy English village of Bishop's Lacey. Up at the great house of Buckshaw, aspiring chemist Flavia de Luce passes the time tinkering in the laboratory she's inherited from her deceased mother and an eccentric great uncle. When Flavia discovers a murdered stranger in the cucumber patch outside her bedroom window early one morning, she decides to leave aside her flasks and Bunsen burners to solve the crime herself, much to the chagrin of the local authorities. But who can blame her? What else does an eleven-year-old science prodigy have to do when left to her own devices? With her widowed father and two older sisters far too preoccupied with their own pursuits and passions—stamp collecting, adventure novels, and boys respectively—Flavia takes off on her trusty bicycle Gladys to catch a murderer. In Alan Bradley's critically acclaimed debut mystery, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, adult readers will be totally charmed by this fearless, funny, and unflappable kid sleuth. But don't be fooled: this carefully plotted detective novel (the first in a new series) features plenty of unexpected twists and turns and loads of tasty period detail. As the pages fly by, you'll be rooting for this curious combination of Harriet the Spy and Sherlock Holmes. Go ahead, take a bite. --Lauren Nemroff

It is written by a Canadian author and narrated by Jane Entwistle, whom I adored. I was utterly charmed by her accent as well as the author's ability to turn a phrase. It's a delightful book. I love mysteries but I just can't do the gory ones or books with awful language and this one has neither so it gets 2 thumbs up in my book.

There are enough leftovers that I won't have to cook this weekend and that just tickles me to pieces. I think I'm going to smell like bleach forever after washing mountains of dishes for days.

If anyone is looking for me, you can find me...correction, US...here:

                        

Hourglass Blocks and a Good Read

I've had a few questions about the hourglass blocks I shared the other day so I figured I'd attempt to walk, those of you that are interested, through the steps I had taken to make them.

These blocks began with 2 Butterfly Garden Layer Cakes I had sitting in a bin and a need to stitch something simple. Something that didn't require thinking or figuring. Some people would say boring, but I just wanted some time with fabric under a needle while I listened to an audio book. This is what I was listening to:

Once Upon a Town

I highly recommend it. I love nonfiction and this story takes place in North Platte, Nebraska during WW II. DH grew up around the same area. This book made me sad because I wonder what has happened to our country. Could this still happen today? WOULD it?

OK, I'll get back to the subject at hand before I step up on my soapbox. :)

Choose 2 layer cake squares and stitch 1/4" all the way around. Doesn't get much simpler than that. Then take them to your cutting mat and slice them 4 times like this:

I'm fairly certain I saw a tutorial on this somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it at the moment. Stitch each one along the short side:

If you stitch along the bias side, you will end up with 1/2 square triangles. Press and you have a pile of these. I forgot to take pictures so I had to un-stitch this one to get one:                          

Pick out the 2 little stitches above your horizontal seam and spin your seams for a flat block:

 My ruler is not lined up in this photo but trim your block to 6"

Each set of 10" squares makes 4 hourglass blocks and before long, you have lots of pretty hourglass blocks.

                                                

I also made the little hourglass blocks in this quilt

with leftover jelly roll strips. I used a different method for these and it involves that handy dandy Easy Angle ruler. Just choose 2 strips and set right sides together. Then line up your ruler on the strips at the 2 1/2" mark and cut.

                        

Flip your ruler over, line up with the 2 1/2" mark again and cut:

          
 I love this thing. Bonnie Hunter is the queen of the Easy Angle ruler and she has a tutorial here for making 1/2 square triangles. Just one more step and you have the makings of an hourglass block - aka: 1/4 square triangles.

                                       

Press seams to the dark side:

                                        

When you stitch these two pieces together, they will nest nicely. Then take just a minute to pick out the 2 vertical stitches above the horizontal seam:

                                       
                               
When you press your finished block. you can spin your seams and a little cute 4-patch will appear

                                    

And once you trim:

                                   

you will be left with a pretty little hourglass block with good points and flat seams:

                                 

 A 2 1/2" strip yields cute little 3" blocks and there you have it. Its way past my bedtime so I hope this makes sense for those of you that inquired. I've got a baby quilt to plan in pinks and grays and I've still got a hankering for hourglass blocks so I may be stitching up more of these.