Life Lessons

Chatterduck is a book that I owned as a child and was reclaimed by me a couple of years ago when going through boxes of Mom's stuff. I brought it home to read to my children, and, in doing so, I thought it was surprisingly harsh for a children's book (it's old). But they liked it, so we've kept it in our collection and have continued to read it.

The premise of the book is that Chatterduck is a little duck that "says quack, quack, quack all day long." All the other animals on the farm grow quite tired of this and eventually the other ducks throw him out of the duck house and "poor chatterduck cries himself to sleep on a stump." He's back at it the next day, though, and so everyone on the farm and even some people from town conspire together to scare him quiet with a big "BOO!" It works and the book concludes by saying that from then on if Chatterduck has "something really important to say he just says, 'Quack.'"

I'm beginning to conclude that that was a moral that I took to heart as a child and that evidence of this is manifesting itself on my blog.....

Yarn Along

This particular pair of mittens was made in record time for a very special lady in my life. My soulmate, my Gramma, hinted about having a nice pair of handmade mitts after seeing the blue pair that I gifted to my sister for Christmas.

I got to work straight away as soon as the yarn came in the mail. (I even ventured to shop online for the first time to find just the right thing for her--a slightly unnerving experience for someone who loves to examine colors and feel textures of the wool.)

Knowing my Gramma well, I modified the mitty pattern so that it was just a little snug on me and then I crossed my fingers hoping that it would be just right.

It only took me two days to finish this project and when I finally got to present them to her two days later they fit perfectly! It felt great when she commented (because it's a rarity with her thin hands), "They even fit!" *Proud!*

My Grampa called me this afternoon especially to tell me that once she was resting in bed this afternoon she requested to have her mittens to wear and that she was even wearing them in bed last night, too. (Their house isn't cold, it's just her cold hands.)

The stack of books: Redeeming Love is a retelling of a biblical story set in the 1800's. It was recommended by a friend who had it recommended to her by a priest. It's well written, but it's heavy. I've stopped it for now because it's so awful and I can't take reading it. We've been reading Plum Creek for months now, it seems. And the others are nice knitting books. I'm currently working mitties for the boys from a pattern in Knitting For Baby. They're getting fiddled with, though, because the pattern size is "up to 24 mos."

Be sure to visit Ginny for all of the Yarn Along entries!

Yarn Along

We have a thumb! If only the other mitten was finished now, too.

I've finally finished my needle case. It was the first piece I ever felted (this summer) and now it's been assembled and sewn. It turned out horribly on the inside, that's why you don't get to see in, but the tie is the same fabric as the lining. For now I'm just happy it's done, though.

I'd heard of A Mother's Rule of Life before. I dismissed it as likely corny. [It's Not.] But then when it was recommended directly, I decided I'd try it. Plus, the library had a copy, so I was in business. I won't say too much now, other than it definitely covers the nitty-gritty details. Thank Goodness.

Yarn Along hosted by the lovely, the talented, Ginny! Go be inspired!

Yarn Along Wednesday

Wow, having the opportunity to show weekly progress was really great for motivating me! And it didn't hurt that I had to do the mitten to do the hat and I had a little boy badgering me for his hat. It's almost done and then I'll finish that first mitten by putting the thumb on.

I loved both books that were pictured last week. I even did some cleaning with some of the formulas from The Naturally Clean Home and was very impressed with the results. I even ordered a copy for myself and a couple for Christmas gifts.

So for this week it's just my planner (because I'm working to find balance and) because I'm counting the days until my next big shipment of books comes in at the library! (And also a couple others I ordered used from Amazon.)

Make sure to visit Ginny to see all of the other great inspiration!

Yarn Along!

Two current books and two current knitting projects.

The blue is the beginning of my first-ever mitten that I started once I finished this green hat (the first time) for Wideawake's birthday. Normally, I would not be working on two projects at once, but after he tried the hat on I knew I had to redo it and make it smaller. It's my first hat, so I made it according to his head measurement, not realizing that it should actually be smaller so that it's snug on his head. I'm definitely a beginner and have had the opportunity to learn a lot through trial and error on this project!

Now, though, I have to hurry up and get through that first mitten so that I can have the dpn's back to finish the hat and give it back to my anxious boy (who has since placed his request for matching mittens)!

Go visit Ginny for all of the other wonderful projects and book recommendations!

My Library Basket

Right now my library basket is filled to the brim. This, in and of itself, makes me happy. Part of the reason it is currently so full is because of this book, Made from Scratch.

The truth is that when, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine said she was really into learning about and practicing homesteading, I have to admit that my first reaction was that I was not interested. The funny thing, though, is that I've been raised with the habit of spending my summer and fall growing (or aquiring) and preserving food for the winter.

So I've slowing been coming around to see that what she was talking about is something that I'd already been doing a little of and had been hoping to start doing more of.

And then recently I read the book I already mentioned. And now my library basket is full of books about raising chickens.

Here's the problem. While delving in to the wealth of information that I had brought home from the library, I got a little bit depressed because the rosy-colored bubble burst and I got a glimpse of chicken-raising reality. I was learning all about parasites and taking samples of droppings to be tested and lice treatments and cannabalism prevention and a whole host of nitty-gritty topics that I'd much rather have nothing to do with. And also have my children have nothing to do with.

So, all you dear readers with much more chicken experience than I, is that an accurate deptiction of life with chickens? Is that just a worse-case scenario or is that really something chicken owners deal with on a daily basis? If I don't like the sound of that stuff am I just better off getting my eggs from the friendly farmer than my own backyard?

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 11)

...1...


This is what a -7 degree morning looks like from our back deck. (Today!)

(We like putting our Christmas tree in the back yard once it's taken out of the house. This way we get to keep enjoying it until spring when we use it as fuel for the first bonfire of the year.)

I really like the composition of this picture, but I get angry about that compost box of the neighbor's. (And the quality of the thing goes without saying. I'll stop complaining now.)

...2...

The library is truly one of my favorite places. I love going there. It makes me feel really smart. Plus, you go there and get things for free! I love that, too. In addition to all of this, I love learning things and the library is the perfect supplier for that little addiction of mine. (For free!)

...3...

Yesterday during our visit to my grandparents, the boys and I made a lemon pound cake. Today I made a blueberry sauce for a topping and it was perfetto.

...4...

A very curious thing happened today. When I announced to Wideawake that it was about time to begin lessons, he suggested that we put off lessons until tomorrow when Daddy's home. That is absolutely the first time anything like that has ever happened.

I really didn't know what to do, if I should enforce the lesson schedule or if I shouldn't push it and force it. We're technically a year early and not bound by the law and only doing it for fun and on a trial basis, after all. But still.

I'm still not 100% sure of the correct response, but as of right now, today's been a play day. (I'm sure that's fine and everything, but since I'm a stickler, I'm still not sure.)

...5...

Our bookclub met last night. It's a great group and it was a really nice time. The only problem is that it has grown over the last two years from about 10 members to about 22. That's (obviously) become problematic for the group on many fronts: scheduling, hosting, book availability, and discussion quality. Last night the campaign for change began with discussion and (hopefully a) resolution to follow at next month's meeting. We'll see how that goes!

...6...

The 5K campaign has been giving me issues. I'm deciding that although other women are (enviably) successful at returning to pre-baby form while nursing, I am not.

...7...

I have a weak spot for how my little Honeybun says camera.

cammy-yah

Why do we even bother teaching children the correct pronunciation?

Have a warm weekend and visit Jen for more Quick Takes!

Pet Peeves

Top Five.

This is for my bookclub meeting tonight; we've been doing a top ten list the last few months as a fun icebreaker/get-to-know-you game. Recently though, due to higher numbers of attendees and time constraints we cut it down to five.

So here's my list!

(Although these are numbered, they could all pretty much tie for first because any time I encounter one of these things it seems like it's my #1!)

5. Disrespectfulness
4. (unnecessarily) Slow drivers and/or slow traffic
3. Things and people I find illogical
2. Inefficiency. Especially when it's caused by lack of communication or planning
1. When my work gets undone by others, having to do the same task more than once

What are your biggest pet peeves??

Oh, and if you're in a bookclub, how many members attend and/or what do you think is the ideal number of people to have in the group?

8 & 9

...8...


Also, I was looking forward to watching the latest episode of The Office with Lance tonight. We started watching it and then about 2/3 the way through two things happened. 1-Lance got paged for work (it's his weekend to be on call) and 2-my four year old woke up crying and then proceeded to throw up. Which now leaves me wondering if it is somehow related to the ear infection/amoxicilin or if it is something else entirely? I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.


...9...



Last night was my book club meeting for the month. This month was my book pick and I chose Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Frankly, I was really worried that I wasn't even going to get the story read by the time the meeting started because my copy came in at the library only the night before! So I was cramming for the meeting, but it worked out pretty

well because it turned out to be one of those books for me that even if I wasn't forced to read it super fast, I probably would have anyway because I really enjoyed it, I got pretty easily interested in the story, and it was a fast page turner.


Thankfully, everyone else that read it for book club also really enjoyed it and thought that it was a really good book. There is another book in this storyline that a couple of the women are already reading, and I found out from them last night that there will be a third and final book to complete the series with these characters.


Also, I felt I was able to piece together a decent list of discussion questions just from the things I was able to jot down while I was reading the story. I think it turned out that I was right because we were able to have a really nice, involved discussion. I was really pleased with the whole event!