Book Roundup!

I finished 3 books this week and took much pleasure in picking out my next 2 (usually I try to read 1 non-fiction and 1 fiction and a magazine).......

This is the second book in the Candy Holiday series of mysteries set "in the quaint seaside village of Cape Willington, Maine.  Candy Holiday has a mostly idyllic life, tending to the Blueberry Acres farm she runs with her father and occasionally stepping in to solve a murder or 2."  I enjoy these cozy mysteries and B.B. Haywood provides a good one!  The first book in the series is Town in a Blueberry Jam.

Oh, Beth Hoffman....you are SO good!  Her first book, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt was one of the best books I have ever read and may be my all-time favorite.  This second book is totally different but just as good but her first book will always hold a special place in my heart.  Looking For Me is a "lyrical, almost magical story that reflects life on a Kentucky farm, the wilderness of the Red River Gorge, and the genteel South of Charleston, South Carolina." - Pittsburg Post-Gazette
 I would highly recommend it!  What's next Miss Hoffman?  You just can't write fast enough for this fan!  Thank goodness there are other books out there to read while I wait! LOL!

 I loved this book!  What a charmer and so wonderfully written.  Originally a newspaper column that appeared in The York County Coast Star, a weekly newspaper in southern Maine, it eventually turned into a book.  Pages From A Journal is about life in Maine and the activity of the Butler family.  It includes family life but also community life and some of the history surrounding the area. I want to find other books by her....that's how much I enjoyed it.  This is an older book, published in 1976 but the articles were written in the 60's. 

I'm enjoying the heck out of this magazine although I do not subscribe nor do I want to simply because I have plenty of magazines from past subscriptions to read so I can divest myself of them.  But this was a lovely surprise and a wonderful issue full of 60 "no fail" plants for all kinds of climates and environments and also it contains information on how to attract certain birds to your yard.  Both articles contained information I will definitely use.  I took a picture of the front and the back as it was so pretty.  Do any of you subscribe to this magazine?  How do find it month after month?  I haven't finished it yet but probably will tonight so you can take this as my review of it.  Great issue!

Here are the books I've chosen to read next.............this is my non-fiction and since it is summer I thought this would be a perfect time to read it.  I am becoming a person ruled by the moon and the tides and the seasons especially.  I decorate, cook, read and live daily by the seasons and I feel like I get more enjoyment out of them that way.  Do you let the seasons dictate to you?  Is it part of our DNA?
This book is the "spellbinding account of a journey on foot from one end of California to the other - from Mexico to Oregon - taken by the author in 1958, 2 years after he moved to the United States.  I can't wait to read it as it sounds similar to Wild by Cheryl Strayed which I loved.

For the fiction, I am going to read Orphan Train which was given to me by my friend, Sue, "the book fairy".  Have any of you read this?  If so, what did you think?  Judging from the cover, it looks good and I have been able to pick out many a good book and movie (not NYBS's even) looking at the cover.....maybe as you age you just become better familiar with your own tastes regardless of what societies tastes are.

Well, that's it for The Book Roundup!  HappyTrails!
P.S.  Stop by tomorrow when the new list for YOP (year of projects) 2014-2015 for bloggers on Ravelry will be published. It's never to late to join our group which includes crocheters, spinners and knitters and even a few quilts and cross stitch items have made their way into Ravelry on my posts! LOL!
I know...I'm such a rebel! Ha! Ha!  I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend wherever you are.

Happy 4th to all and may your fireworks not fizzle!

I finished the pickle making yesterday.  Here are the dills......next?  Green beans and peaches!

Gardening used to be patriotic.........now it's just plain smart! LOL!

Happy Birthday to my country and all it's citizens...........

When I was a little girl the 4th of July was big...really big!  There was the parade, band concerts, fireworks and picnicing was mandatory down by the river.  Here's a picture of the parade when my mother was a little girl, or earlier......probably early 1900's in my home town.  Look at this picture and then look at the one I have on the right hand side of my blog of the same street.  Below it was still a dirt road.....it's paved now.  Other than that and the models of cars, not much has changed.  My cousins invited me but alas, I can't make it but I hope they all have a wonderful time in that same old tradition of celebrating our country's Independence Day.  I miss you all!

Happy Trails and stay safe on this holiday weekend.

It's all about the pickles!

Yep....it's a longstanding tradition which I haven't been able to fulfill until this year when the Farmer's Market had pickling cucumbers and dill.  I was so happy.  I dug out all my old supplies and got to work.....

I found these cute tags at the Dollar General store for gifting but I don't think there will be any gifting of pickles.  The tags were only a dollar for 12 and they came with the twine too.  Cute!

Washed and sliced and cooking in the pickling solution that gets drained off later.....

See how they change color........

The actual brine that they will reside with in the jars...............

Here they are being processed in the hot water.........

Ta Da!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have another 1/2 jar in the frig that wasn't full enough to process so I'll be enjoying them now.  It's a lot of work and a lot of mess for 4 pints of pickles.  BTW these were bread and butter pickles and the whole time I was making them I thought of my Aunt Edna who made "the best".  The fond memories I have of her came flooding back as the smell put me right back there in her house as she was making these pickles.
I have enough cukes left for a few jars of dills and that's what I'll be making today.  Happy Trails and Happy 4th of July Eve.  Everyone in the path of Arthur, please stay safe.

A gift for no reason...the best kind!

I got a box in the mail yesterday from my daughter filled with "treasures"!  Lucky me!  We do that, my daughter and I.....we set things aside until there's enough for a box to mail off and that's just what she did...........I had mentioned that I needed to get a new kitchen timer as mine was no longer "dependable".....sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't...not good!  Look what she sent me...the cutest little timer I ever did see!

A container/holder for my K-cups for my Keurig.  She said my SIL got it on clearance for .50!  Those Keurig holders on their website which are very similar are like $25 or $30!  I never thought they were worth that much but I know there were many that did.  I keep mine in glass jars but when you have company it is nice to have a variety displayed so they can see their choices.   I'll certainly put it to use when she comes to visit.

 A spray purse size hand sanitizer and some grape lip balm.  She and I are more lip balm than lip stick people.

A magazine she got free and thought I would enjoy....and yes I will!

I've been wanting to see this movie for awhile and my daughter mentioned that she had it and it was one of their favorite family movies so she lent it to me.  I watched it already and it is a "feel good" movie and one in which the "underdog" wins out in the end!  It's basically my life story although I have to practice my super powers! LOL!  It's a great story to empower children and give them confidence.  You've probably all seen it as I am a bit slow keeping up with "Hollywood". 

And last but in no way least are these delicious oatmeal craisin cookies......thank you, Amy!  YUMMO!

I hope you have a delightful surprise today too!  Happy Trails!

Thrifty Tuesday!

I really do love to re-purpose and not waste things but this might have been a bit much.  I made my own wrapping paper out of newspaper.  I must admit I had fun but there was the newsprint that gets all over your hands and any thing you touch.  Maybe that's why people used the comics years ago.....not newsprint.

I have a little sponge on a stick that made the paint dots.  I bought my SIL, Tracy, a space pen and some of these great Field Notes that I heard about from Annie at Knitsofacto and I think he will really like them.  Heck, I would like them too.  I got him the Country Fair ones for Iowa since that's where he lives with my daughter and grandchildren.  It's a very belated birthday gift.

So, after wrapping and packing 2 big boxes full of presents for 3 birthday "boys", I rode off to the post office to mail them and paid $30.00 to ship them!  It's a good thing I didn't spend any money on wrapping paper! LOL!  I got cards at the Dollar store for .50 a piece and I can't make them for that price.  I'm certain they will get there by their birthdays now so I can sleep well.  Next year it will be shipping from Amazon and paying for their gift wrapping service.  The giraffes didn't make it yet nor did the cookies but they can be sent and appreciated any time.  I just wanted to ensure they had something on their birth day.   I only wish I could be there to help them celebrate.  Now, I have to go get ready for the other 2 birthdays at the end of this month! LOL!
Happy Trails!

YOP Finale for year 2013-2014

Well, here it is...the last update of the 3rd YOP.   In reviewing my projects it doesn't seem like I got as much done as I wanted to and there was much "stumbling" but I was amazed at how much I learned this year and how proficient I am becoming especially in knitting.   I would no longer call myself a beginner at this stage and that is thanks to all of you who have commented on my projects, encouraged me and given me some great advice!
Here's what I completed this year:

Completed for YOP1314:
1.  Pillowcase with Crocheted Edging  
2.  Ear Flap Hat - for Uriah
3.  Birdie Decoration 
4.  Bunting - Project #2 from Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench
5.  Bunny Buddy Blanket - made for Uriah
6.  Grandmother's Favorite  -  5 (washcloth)
7.  Pumpkins and squash - I think I got this pattern from  Dawn's blog also.  http://dawndavis.blogspot.com/   I can't remember now...oh, I am getting old!
8.  Granny Square thread crocheted bookmark - gift for Kay
9.  Roll Brim Hat - for Jim
10.  Roll brim hat - for Ben
11.  Waffle weave dishcloth from Mason Dixon book #1- sewing in ends....so many!
12.  Irish hiking Scarf
13.  Preemie Crocheted Hat for 2lbs (1)

There are more WIP's for sure but what I am most pleased about are the skills I picked up this year which is always part of my goals; to learn and expand my capabilities.

Skills and/or new frontiers:
Crocheting with crochet thread
Knitting cables
How to put in a "life line" in knitting
How to pick up dropped stitches in knitting
Using DPN's
Amigurumi crochet
Crocheting edging onto something

You can check my sidebar for my complete list of WIP's (there are lots still)

And so you won't go away "empty handed" here are a few pictures..........
I didn't have this in my project list or on Ravelry at all and I think I made it last year but anyway this was what got me excited about making toys.

 I finished the spots for giraffe #1 for Sam.  I just need to make pom poms for the mane, attach appendages and embroider the face and it will be done!  Wow!  An FO maybe next week too?

I also got Susan B. Anderson's book on toys...the 2nd of my toy books from her.  This one has the giraffe pattern in it and so much more!  She is phenomenal....she has a blog and does pod casts and right now she has a drawing going on and she has them quite often.  I love her recommendations for yarns and Etsy shops and patterns also.

Here's giraffe #2 for Grayson on the needles!  This is the outside.......

 

and the inside.........

I also got this book on embroidery from Alicia Paulson who I adore.  I love her needlecrafts, her knitting, her crocheting, her house, her family, her sewing and quilting, her recipes (and her husband, Andy's ,who also cooks), her decorating.....let's just say I love the whole "package".

Here's  a sampling from the book........

Shelf edging!  I love shelf edging!

Love these curtains!

Happy Trails!  I'm off to plan next weeks YOP's for the 2014/2015 year!  So fun!