Books for a Meme

A “meme“??

I confess, when my friend Sue of dswalkerauthor sent me a message that she had tagged me for a meme, I had no earthly idea what she was talking about!  Wikipedia to the rescue!

Sue, who is an accomplished author was tagged in a post for this meme by a reader of her book (Delightfully Different).  How awesome is that?  Visit Sue’s blog and check out her book!

Here are the rules for this meme:

1. Take a picture of the books you are reading currently and add them to your post.

2. Describe the books and if you are enjoying them.

3. For every book you are reading, you have to tag one person.  (Sorry, but I’m tagging five people, rather than six, in hopes that maybe four of them want to complete the meme!)

4. Leave the person a comment letting them know you tagged them.

The above are books I am currently reading.  All but one are from the library, and it is probably quite obvious that I love having several books going at the same time.  (Yes, there is a seventh book there, but shhh, I’m trying to ignore it!)

Finding Better Crocker (Susan Marks):  I’ve explained previously that I was born in the wrong era and this book confirms my suspicions.  What can I say?  I love biographies even if the person isn’t real!  Not only do I love reading about the era when I should have been born, but this book is fascinating as regards to marketing an image almost 100 years ago.  Cool vintage recipes too!

The Nasty Bits (Anthony Bourdain):  I have a strange attraction to Anthony Bourdain.  I’m married to such a normal “good” guy, that Tony’s (I can call him Tony because we’re close. . . .) bad boy image intrigues me.  A bad boy who cooks? Hello, sign me up!  Warning:  this book (as is his television show) has explicit language!

Felted Knits (Beverly Galeskas):  I love to knit.  I love to knit and felt.  I’ve checked this book out several times because I love almost all of the projects.  How many have I completed?  Next question, please.

As Nature Made Him-The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl (John Colapinto):  I’m not sure what made me pick this up off the biography shelf, but I was intrigued by the story of a crazy Johns Hopkins doctor who convinced this simple Canadian family to change their poor injured little boy into a girl.  It’s a rather bizarre read (particularly for me), but I’m fascinated by things that aren’t a part of my life and that I am unable to relate.

House Rules (Rachel Sontag):  I’m halfway through this biography which tells the struggle of an obsessive control-freak doctor/father and his daughter who tries to escape the emotional abuse.  I’m anticipating this book to be cathartic for me.

Twain’s Feast (Andrew Beahrs):  I haven’t started this book yet, but I know I’ll enjoy it.  The young author “searches for America’s wild foods, from New Orleans croakers to Illinois Prairie Hens, with Mark Twain as his guide.”  Oh yeah baby, I can tell this book, which appears that it will commingle the lives of the author along with Twain’s works, will be a great read.

Here are the fellow bloggers (whose blogs are all wonderful!) I am tagging for this meme (and I really hope they don’t mind!).  I’m hoping each of them will have at least one book they’re reading and don’t mind sharing!

Stacey @ Bringing Up Goliath
Tricia @ {every}nothing wonderful
Nancy @ Nancy’s Point
Sandie @ A Bloggable Life
Christine @ Cpeezers at Home

Unraveling. . . .

Yarn—not life!

Recently Better Half and I took off on some little jaunts to different parts of Missouri, one of our favorite states.  In a particularly nice little town deep in the heart of wine country (What-you’re unaware of Missouri’s history of wineries?  They were on to luscious grapes before Napa knew what hit ’em!) while strolling about a charming brick-lined street, I stopped in a second-hand store.  There it was:  an extra-large 100% bulky-cotton Gap sweater.  I’ve been wanting to try my hand at unraveling sweaters and recycling the yarn.  The sweater looked like it had never been worn.  I paid a whopping $1.50 and by the next day I had five HUGE balls of yarn.

Earlier this past year, my dear friend J had given me a pattern for a slouchy beret and while my recycled yarn was quite a bit thicker than the yarn required, I decided to give it a whirl.  Wowza, I had such fun.  I took my project with me while we traveled to the other side of Missouri to visit relatives and friends (J again!) and stare at our latest purchase: our new farm.  While knitting during the travels, BH and I talked about our dreams for our new farm and how we want to spend the remaining time we have together.  It was fun.  It was relaxing.  We took windy country roads.  We weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere.  We stopped and took cool pictures.

We unraveled. . . .

Give Me a Break!

I’m bored; or maybe I’m just boring.

I’m in a creative (or maybe a non-creative) funk.  Not really physically, but mentally.  I’ve been sewing, knitting, reading, going to physical therapy, exercising, visiting with family, etc., but I just can’t think of anything interesting to say on my blog, yummy things to cook, blah, blah, blah.  I’m going to take a break for a few days or so, enjoy a small road trip with Better Half, and pray for some creativity (which hopefully will result in some cool pictures).

I took a sewing class this week, which was über fun, and I’m working with a new friend on starting a knitting group, but still. . . . .  I need some inspiration.  For eons I’ve carted my camera with me wherever I go, but lately I find nothing inspiring enough to even makes me want to take a picture.   I haven’t been on Twitter, haven’t really checked my email, etc.  What’s wrong with me?  Is it the weather?  Do you feel this way?  Maybe after this week, all will change!

Wish me luck!

For The Love of Fall

You Gotta Love Fall

I love bonfires.  I love s’mores.  I love shivering and then warming up next to a fire with a glass of wine or champagne.  I love burnt hot dogs.  I love orange.  I love pumpkins.  I love the yellow and red leaves falling, ever so gently, from trees reluctant to part with their beauty.  I love seeing Better Half wearing flannel shirts and chopping wood.  I love sitting in my deer stand (yes, I really do!).  Wait; let me clarify that last statement.  I love sitting in my deer stand not shivering and not getting wet.  I love seeing deer grazing casually through the woods.  I love scampering squirrels gathering nuts.  I love that my cat gets to come inside and cuddle with me by the wood stove.  I love gathering and decorating with bittersweet.  I love going to Better Half’s home town and visiting with family and friends that I love so much.  I love chili and stew.

I love knitting pumpkins like that cute ‘lil pumpkin above.  For a free pattern, please visit This Cosy Life Patterns.

I love autumn.

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.”

The above Bernard Meltzer quote defines most of my friendships—my friends all know I am slightly cracked!

While I might not be one to have hordes of friends, the friends I do have are true friends and not mere acquaintances.   One dear friend, from the day I met her, has been a confidante, an advocate, and sometimes accomplice (!), had her birthday recently.  We always exchange thoughtful gifts, but as I get more and more stuff, I realize I need less and less stuff.  It’s time I crave.  More time. . . .

With that in mind, I knew I really wanted to spend time with my friend and celebrate friendship, not necessarily a birthday.  Hum, now that I think about this, maybe I’m not a good friend because it was her birthday, yet I gave her the gift I wanted to receive. . . .   (I might need to think over what appears to be underlying motives!)

I knitted her a small personal gift I hoped would be something special and then whisked her away to spend 36 hours in an area I have always found charming and have always wanted to share with her.

I’d love to say everything went according to the perfect girls’ retreat plan I had in my head, but alas, people get lost, blankety-blank road construction happens, etc.!  Still, I had a terrific time showing my friend this area.  We shopped alongside charming brick-lined streets, tasted great and not-so-great wine (hot pumpkin wine—yes for me, no for her!), shared a leisurely dinner at a vineyard with my daughter-in-law, and received wet kisses from the cutest grandson ever!

Here’s to good friends.  Pass on good karma by celebrating friendships, not gifts.  Laugh with friends, cry with friends.  The only song I remember from my half summer at Camp Fern is:  Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other gold.  Happy birthday to a gold friend!