Friday, February 24, 2017

Thinking about reading

I have been thinking about my reading habits lately.  This is probably all the fault of a friend who has an interesting series on his blog about reading habits.

A few years ago I started recording books I completed (in whatever format-- traditional books, e-books, audio books) in the side-bar here just to get a sense of how much and what I read. I had a vague sense I was too scattered in my reading, left much unfinished, etc.  So recording it lets me notice things like, "Aha.  Too much children's literature lately.  Read something to stretch your vocabulary."  or, "History!  No history books lately.  That is exactly what I have been wanting!"

I am a multi-tasker, in life and in reading.  Perhaps that is my perfectionistic excuse for not focusing well enough, and when I don't remember content well, I can say, "Well, I did that on audio book while I pieced three quilts." Or, "I read it a chapter at a time over two years while I was finishing 17 other books, so I don't exactly remember how the author dealt with that theme."  Whatever the reason, this pattern of many and varied reading going all at once has stuck for all my adult life, to one extent or the other. Just as an example, here is what I'm in the middle of at the moment, placed in five categories for this Friday morning:

  1. Traditional books (with paper pages):  The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers; Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by N. D. Wilson (And a whole stack on my bedside table waiting...)
  2. E-books on my kindle app: Power in Prayer by Andrew Murray; Morocco by Edith Wharton
  3. Audio books: When I sew or do housework, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.  With the hubby in the car or in the evenings: The Grey King by Susan Cooper. When I am resting: Good Poems collected by Garrison Keillor.
  4. Read-alouds with the hubby: Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon; Dandelion Fire by N. D. Wilson
  5. Read-alouds with the eldest granddaughter: Little House in the Big Woods (for the second time).
On the face of it, that seems a bit ridiculous. Perhaps this is the fate of a TV-generation child who no longer has an attention span.  Or perhaps I was just built this way.  I guess the world and the kingdom need some of us who have noisy, cacophonous brains that go in a million directions all at once.  

How do you read, Gentle Reader?  


Monday, February 13, 2017

A Poem for Valentine's Day

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee.
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can in no way repay;
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love lets so persevere,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

~Anne Bradstreet


Saturday, February 11, 2017

A few recent projects

Here are a few recent projects moved into the completed pile. That always leads to a sense of satisfactions!

First, our church makes baby quilts for new covenant children born into our church family.  Different people do different jobs for each, but they usually involve many of the women working on embroidery.  Our dear A. W. is expecting, and the ladies of BAPC presented her with this quilt: her mom had the plan, I cut and pieced it, two other friends did the quilting and binding, and several of us outlined the little owls with hand embroidery work. 

I made a little taggle stuffed animal to go along with the shower gift for A. W.
And I made my youngest grand daughter a skirt out of one of her Pampa's shirts.  The collar was frayed, but all else was good. I saw this idea on Pinterest, and they turn out so cute! I had made one for her big suster;s birthday last month.

And the sum total of my Valentine's Day decorating is a simple ruffle wreath for my front door.  Hope you get to hug the ones you love this week, Gentle Readers!

Friday, February 10, 2017

Happy Birthday, Dad!

You wear 79 really well, dearest Patriarch.  And I am so grateful my grandchildren know and love you.  Have a great year!







Thursday, February 09, 2017

Happy Birthday Nikki!

What a delight this vivacious woman has been to us!  Have a lovely birthday, Nikki!