I'm Still Here

Yes, I'm still here. Have I been reading...yes! Have I been blogging? No! What did I read? I finished "The Shack", and didn't like it. The Boy in the Moon, De Niro's Game, The Help. The Help was my favourite in the past couple of months. Now I'm reading a couple of non-fiction books about anti-cancer foods. What has kept me from blogging? Life. You know, kids, husband, job, Christmas, cooking, and of course knitting.

I'll be back soon with pictures and better reviews. I just wanted to let you know I'm still here.

The Education of Little Tree

The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter was recommended to me by a patient. This was a charming, entertaining read. I am delighted to recommend this book to my fellow readers. The story is told through the eyes of 5 year old, Little Tree. The little boy is orphaned and goes to live with his grandparents on a mountain. Little Tree's grandmother is Cherokee and his grandfather is half Cherokee. The grandparents proceed to educate Little Tree in the ways of the mountain, how to find food to sustain you, how to find your way through the mountain trails, how to make whiskey and in general how to be in tune with nature. The story is funny and sad and delightful. It's a quick read that you will be glad you took the time for.

Secret Daughter

I dove into Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda for my latest read. It was quick and easy. The book tells the story of two women, worlds apart in culture and status, that are linked to each other through their daughter. One woman gives up her child to an orphanage and the other woman adopts the child and raises her. Topics like infertility, adoption, social issues in India, motherhood and marriage are party of the stories that are told through both of the women's lives.

Hello, I'm Back!

I can't even remember all the books I've read since my last post. Yikes! I must admit that there have been some events over the past months that really limited the time I was willing to make for blogging. Summer of course is a busy time with gardening, biking, swimming, holidaying etc. etc. As I write I'm also preparing apple butter, which needs careful watching so it doesn't scorch. A perfect time to fit in blogging, right?

In May I started back to work 4 days per week. The K man is at home being the parent while I'm away earning the $$$. It's been an adjustment for all of us but is starting to feel normal. In July we spent 3 weeks in Winnipeg hanging out with cousins, touring the sites and enjoying the heat, while K worked on Guy Maddin film project. Exciting stuff for him and we made the most of our adventure.

Now on to my summer reading list. I have been reading the famous Twilight vampire series by Stephenie Meyer. It has really been a great summer read for me. Light, a bit juvenile, romantic, and thrilling. I've just finished the third book of the four book series. All of them so far have had a rather slow start for my liking but when the excitement hit I couldn't put the book down. Many well read friends have recommended the series to me and I can see why. Once in a while it just feels good to read a book that is fun to read and has nothing in it to compare to your life or to contemplate about. What can I say? It's a book about a girl falling in love with a teenage vampire and the adventures that follow them. Oh and aren't the covers just sexy looking?! It's something about the red on black. I can read the book anywhere and no one thinks I'm reading a teen fiction unless they've read it themselves. And now that I'm finished I'll be following it up with some movie watching of the same series with some girlfriends.

The Book Club is Stretching Me and Making Me Think....Argh!

Someone in my book club picked this book by Canadian writer Andrew Davidson. The Gargoyle is surprisingly Davidson's first book. Wow, this book really takes you for a ride. It is definitely not my typical genre but I am glad I persevered. I feel like I'm still digesting it. The narrator tells the story of his recovery as a burn victim. Mixed in with that is a love story involving a sculptress named Marianne Engel. She claims to have known the narrator hundreds of years ago and was his lover. Marianne tells stories of their past and also love stories that belong to other people of different nationalities. It is really kind of bizarre....I"m interested to see what the others in my book club will have to say. I think that the story has a lot to do with love and how sacrificial true love is. There are many religious symbols also in this book, links to Dante's Inferno. I'm terrible at these book descriptions but the point of this isn't really to engage everyone else just to keep a record for myself of what I've been up to lately.

Getting Through the Winter Blahs!!

I feel like I'm finally coming out of the winter blahs! The weather was so great last week. We managed to get in a few walks to the grocery store and lots of outdoor playing. My mind is ready for a break from snow. We also survived our week of celebrations. Valentine's Day, Family Day, Beck's birthday, KC's birthday and Jae's birthday. I've finally found time today to finish, Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson. Someone in my book club picked this book to read and I am so glad she did. In elementary school I fell in love with Anne of Green Gables. This book is a prequel to the Anne of Green Gables books. Budge Wilson completed this book with the blessing of Lucy Maud Montgomery's family. This book renewed in me my love for Anne. This read reveals the darker, sadder side of Anne's life. The readers learn of Anne's parents and how she lost them. Then she is taken in by a family that shows her no love but demands her hard work in raising their children. Tragedy strikes again and again but Anne's spirit somehow survives despite little love or even caring. Anne cares for those around her physically and has her imagination to keep her company. Once again, I can't help but fall in love with the story of Anne with an 'e'.

10 years ago a book about creative living would have been the last thing you'd see on my bookshelf but 10 years, one husband and 2 kids later can change a person. The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule is a recent and wonderful read. I admit, I didn't finish it completely but did manage to get through a lot of it. It is the kind of book you want to read slowly and soak in all of her ideas. I am striving to be more creative and encourage that in my children. Ms. Soule encourages parents to look for where their creativity lies and take time for it. She has a tutorial on finger knitting that I used with Jae. That was a fun thing for us to share. Since reading this book I've been trying to listen more to what my kids can teach me....how the world looks through their eyes. Jae told me today on our walk that she thought two badly pruned trees looked like 2 deer....she was right! I have once again put this book on hold at the library and will eagerly wait through another 2 months to read it again.

Happy Ground Hog Day

There are other books I'm browsing through right now. I won't read them well enough to give a review but since this is a record of my book reading, I'll document them anyway.

Mosaic, Pieces of My Life So Far by Amy Grant. 2-at a Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. A Rainbow of Stitches. A few Vegetarian cook books that Beck picked out for me. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder is being read aloud to Jae and Beck. It has been fun to read Little House in the Big Woods with Jae because the little girl in the book is the same age as her. 2- at-a-time Socks is worth the read when you have time to sit down and learn a new knitting technique. Knitting both socks at the same time....wow! Oh yes, and a Children's Cookbook, Jae cooked spaghetti tonight.

Books on my Shelf that I don't know when I'll get to: Fall On Your Knees, Nightwatch, Before Green Gables.

The Jade Peony

This is my second book from the 2010 Canada Reads list. Wayson Choy's, The Jade Peony, is a great read. She gives a picture into the history and times of Chinese Canadians during the 1930s and 40s. The story is told from 3 different family members of a Chinese Canadian family. Revealed in the story are some of the feelings of the children who were born in Canada and feel Canadian but are told by their parents that they are Chinese. I liked seeing how each child finds a way to try to fit in, to be Canadian. Also the existing historical events that are taking place at the time (World War II), the bombing of Pearl Harbour etc. and how that is affecting the general population but specifically Chinese Canadian and Japanese Canadian families. I finished the book and feel like I'm still digesting it, thinking through what it all means.

Handmade Home

I love this book and didn't have nearly enough time to do all the projects I wanted to work on. I've been waiting for Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule for 2 months now. It was so worth the wait and actually a book that I would consider buying. Of course with a popular library book, you only have 3 weeks to soak it all in and then return for the next in line. Amanda Blake Soule has some great ideas for reusing items and repurposing them for something new. I made a rage bag (holds the daily soiled dishrags from the sink) out of an old pair of pajamas. It was a fun, easy project. My next project will be making a reusable Happy Birthday banner out of scrap fabric. I've already put my name on the waiting list to take this book out again.

Now Begins the 2010 Canada Reads List

Nikolski by Nicholas Dickner. I would neither rave about this book nor say it was poor. I finished it but it wasn't really my style. Nicholas Dickner takes the reader on a fictional journey that shows the reader connections people have to each other without even knowing it. It kind of shows how we may have contact with shop owner for instance and neither of us know that we have a common friend or acquaintance. Unlikely links to people are probably more common than we think. Other people obviously really like this book as it is on the Canada Reads list as well as winning other literary awards.

January, A Time To Read

I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby, was recommended to me by my mother-in-law. I finally picked it up from the library last week and finished it in record time. My interest in Hutterite culture was peaked when we were able to tour a colony in October. Mary-Ann Kirkby tells the story of her life as a Hutterite and then her life after she, along with her family, left the colony. It was really a beautiful telling of the her experiences both good and bad in the Hutterite life. Yes, I'd have to say I loved this book. In theory I love many of the ideas surrounding this culture that promotes simple living and the strength of the community but of course humanity always interferes with ideology. Pick this book up, it's worth the read.

Christmas....Extreme Style

I am a big fan of the CBC radio show, The Vinyl Cafe. Stuart McLean is a great story teller. This book gives you exactly what you are expecting from it, funny stories that are easy to read. It was a great book to pick up over the Christmas holidays, light and entertaining.

Over the Christmas break I also managed to fit in cleaning our carpets and installing a new dual flush toilet....yeah Stephy. I never did finish sending out all my Christmas cards but I did manage to make almost all of my gifts this year. I have a few other books on the go, so I'll be posting again soon.

Browsing

These are a few books I've recently loaned from the library. I decided I need to find out what all the fuss is over Jamie Oliver. This cookbook had some interesting recipes, but a lot of them had ingredients I don't use on a regular basis. Stretching my cooking menu could be good for me (and my husband), but isn't always in the cards when you're trying to pull something together with 2 little kids that need your attention. It did give some overall good cooking tips for pasta, meat, risotto etc.

B is for Baby by Suzanne Stirling is really adorable. The ideas and patterns are modern and easy to do. She creates a different activity, craft or gift idea for each letter of the alphabet. I'm going to attempt the baby booties made of felt.

Happy gift making and happy holidays!

When It's Cold Outside

What do you do when it's cold outside.....read of course! This book was recommended by a few trusted sources but funny I never thought to ask what it was about. Isn't it great to watch a movie when you've neither seen nor heard any of the "previews." I read this book with that same feeling of not knowing what the book was about. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was a pleasant surprise. If your looking for an interesting story, than you've come to the right book. It's not very thought provoking or profound but just a perfect book to read on a snowy, cold winter weekend. The story tells of one man's adventure when a tragic turn of events turns his life upside down and he finds himself joining the circus as a vet. I really won't tell you much more than that. Just enjoy the read with out much knowledge of the story ahead of time.

4 out of 5 stars.

Snowed In

No, I haven't finished another book but I've been feeling the need to expand my topics on this blog. I always love reading other blogs about knitting, reading, parenting, and daily routines. I'd really like to share this beautiful day with you.

It's been snowing since 6am. I went for a morning swim and returned to find my car completely covered in snow. It's now almost 1pm and still snowing. I've posted a picture of the view from my kitchen window. The kids and I shovelled and played in the snow for an hour this morning.

For lunch I felt inspired to create a few soups from the leftovers in our fridge and freezer. South of the Border Black Bean Soup and Hummus Soup. The Hummus Soup was delicious. I took some leftover hummus added onions, garlic and 2 cups of chicken broth, red peppers, broccoli...the result was very surprising. I've been trying to make a couple of different soups each week in an attempt to get more vegetables in our diet. So far I'm really happy with the results. I have some orzo to use up so I'm on the look out for a recipe to add that to.

Now I think we'll spend the afternoon napping (B), colouring (J) and knitting/reading (Steph). It's a snowy day and housework doesn't fit into my agenda today.

The Year of Living Biblically

My latest read has obviously taken awhile to get through. It wasn't actually that hard to read but finding time to read lately has been the difficult part. The Year of Living Biblically by A.J.Jacobs was a surprisingly good read. I'd heard the author interviewed on CBC radio about 6 months ago and thought, yes I would give this book a try. A.J. spends one year trying to live the commandments in the Bible literally, (and not just the 10 commandments). He brings a lot of humour into the book which helps you get through the read. His conclusion is that nobody can possibly live this way but he does find merit in taking may of the commandments literally. I really appreciated what he discovered about observing the Sabbath. There really is something important about taking time to rest and pause during your week, or even during the day. By the way A.J. announces at the beginning of the book that he is agnostic so his perspective is not too "Super Christian" if you know what I mean.

Don't know what my next book will be, any suggestions. I need to find one to read for my plane trip on Thursday. Off to Vancouver for 4 days with Kyle. Until my next read I plan to get some knitting projects done and enjoy time with the kids.

In Stiches

I learned something new today...how to put pictures on my blog. I've also figure out how to change the colour of my font. I've been "reading" this book, In Stitches by Amy Butler for a few weeks now. She has lots of interesting patterns. I finished one pair of wide leg pajama bottoms, they were so easy! Also I'm working on a bedside organizer to hold my books and especially my glasses. Anyone who has very poor vision and kids that wake up in the night would appreciate having their glasses in a special organizer. For those of you with perfect vision who think it's hard to find a soother, in a crib, in the dark at 4:30am, think of poor Stephy without her glasses trying to find that soother (impossible I tell you, impossible). This book is great just to look at the pictures and get some new ideas. Here I go, I'm going to attempt posting the picture of the book cover.

The Book of Negroes

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill was my latest read. I started this book with reluctance thinking it would take me so long to finish this 470 page book. I could not put this book down, (ask Kyle, he will attest to this fact). Do all your chores and errands BEFORE you start this book because everything will go to the wayside once you start it. This book describes the incredible journey of Aminata, an African girl, captured as a slave. She survives terrible trials both physically and emotionally but SURVIVES! The story is interesting as well as informative, historically speaking. An intelligent woman of the 18th Century learning to read and write, speak numerous languages because she is willing to accept nothing less for herself. Now that I see this in writing it really doesn't sound that interesting but I'm pleading with you to read it and see how good it really is. It is is definitely worth taking the time to read.

Next blog I'm going to find out how to post a picture of the book too. I have a few other interesting books I'm undertaking, nothing to wordy but interesting just the same.

I might add other things to this blog other than books. Someone said maybe I should write what I did this week. Besides reading, I've fit in canning tomatoes, knitting a sock (yes just one, another to follow hopefully very soon), swimming twice with the kids and it's only Wednesday!

How to Write a Book Report?

I've finished my first book since starting this blog. Now all day I've been trying to think about the right words to say for my blog entry. It's felt much like elementary school when I had a book report due. I've never been much for writing, I've had to talk myself into this. I think I need to realize that writing is just another way of communicating with people and expressing yourself. Bear with me as I learn to communicate my love or hate of the books I read.

On with the book report. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews. A young, childless woman returns to Canada from France to care for her sister's teenage son and pre-teen daughter, while her sister (Min) recovers in a mental institution. The aunt takes the kids on a road trip across America to find their father whom they haven't seen in 10 years or so. Both kids are troubled by the uncertainty of their mother's illness and their lack of a present father in their lives. Sounds sort of sad but actually is very comedic. Kind of warped humor. Easy read, funny read, also can make you think if you want it to. Yes, I'd reccommend it.

Kids are screaming, the phone is ringing, I gotta go!! This is not proofread.....yikes.