I was browsing Barnes & Noble (thanks, LeAnne!) and came across these books for knitting a pair of socks at the same time on circular needles. It looks fairly easy — I’m putting both the books and the project on my “to do” list!
It’s finally time for an online giveaway! Your comment could win you Rachael Ray’s 2007 cookbook called “Just In Time” and she includes recipes that cook in 15, 30 or 60 minutes. Looks like a great collection. It doesn’t appear to have ever been used - just stored on a shelf. Some of the 15 minute recipes that I saw as I was leafing through the book looked so yummy and easy to make that I was tempted to keep it! Enter by leaving a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen from all comments (one per person please) by random.org. Comments accepted until April 30, 2009. Good luck!
Never been done before. Stephenie Meyer takes the top 4 slots of the Top 100 Books of 2008 from the USA Today’s best selling books list (photo courtesy of USA Today). You can check out the article here. Personally, I’ll admit that I started reading them skeptically - I was pretty darn sure I would hate the books. I mean, come on, vampires?! As I turned each page, though, I kept annoying my hubby by saying, “Wow. This is really good stuff.” I couldn’t believe how much I liked the books! They’re not really good vs. evil books. More about free agency and choice. Loved them. Even hubby has read them and likes them as much as Harry Potter. Surprise! Other books on the list that I have read this year: Wrobleski’s “Edgar Sawtelle” and Grogan’s “Marley & Me” — both great. Now, off to read some of the REST of the top 100 books…I’m sure some of those are even better…without the teenage groupies.
I am loving this Christmas break. Lots of staying up late playing games and then sleeping in and staying in bed and reading. There is nothing better than reading for an hour after you wake up but before the day really begins. Normally, I would read scriptures and then hurry off to start the day but this Christmas break, Don and I have been waking up late and catching up on our fiction piles — such a nice treat. I am thoroughly enjoying the 2000 edition of the Best American Short Stories edited by E.L. Doctorow and Katrina Kenison. My favorites so far are a Utah author Ron Carlson’s “The Ordinary Son” as well as Amy Bloom’s “The Story” and Percival Everett’s “The Fix”. You can see more reviews at Goodreads . I do think it’s ironic Don is reading Twilight and going to donate blood to the Red Cross on his birthday. Makes me chuckle. He says he’s going to take it to read “in the chair” on-site. He’s closer to 50 than 30 today but I can guarantee you he doesn’t act like it. He will always be a boy at heart and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
So we were running errands on Saturday and my sweet hubby suggested we stop by the knitting store since he knew I was hankering for a project (yes, hankering) but I didn’t know what. I needed something more advanced than scarves but I’m not ready for tiny-needle socks. Thank goodness for local yarn stores! The owner at Omaha’s String of Purls is so kind, she pointed me in the right direct — pun intended — and I picked up this book on knitting finger puppets! You can buy it here on Amazon for less than $14 (I paid $19 in the store but supporting my local yarn store is so worth it). This way, I can get used to size 1 needles - double pointed, no less - but only have to work with a few stitches instead of a whole sock. I began the Baby Monkey last night and it turned into a mouse since I was using gray yarn…a very bumpy mouse…I practiced french knots all over the body! Now that I have the techniques down, I’m going to give it another try!
Before we checked out, I saw another book lying on a table and remembered that I wanted to knit our Christmas stockings someday. I couldn’t resist this book, either. I haven’t started this one, yet - have to get the right size circular needles. Looking forward to it as well as another trip to the yarn shop (I just never seem to get there enough!).
The knit doughnuts are from Fawn & Forest. The knit elephant, leopard and zebra are from Polka Dot Patch. So cute and inspiring - great giveaways or wrapping accoutrements for Christmas!
“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that’s where it’s at.” — JESSE OWENS
I really enjoy quotes from runners because they always seem to be like the jester in a Shakespeare play: The truths they’re talking about have so many levels and layers of meaning. Running is such an accurate metaphor for the journey of life. I know I have learned much from running - just in the course of 2 years - that I don’t think I could have learned any other way and have it so deeply written on my heart. Patience. Trial. Perseverence. Gratitude. The depths and different applications of those emotions are astounding.
The best movies and books, in my opinion, come from the stories of man vs. himself. I know many teenagers enjoy man vs. man (or alien vs. alien) and things along those lines but for me the best stories include subtle action within the heart and mind. There is another literary category of man vs. nature — and this, too, is valid, enlightening and entertaining — but I truly believe that even with man vs. man or man vs. nature, the true enlightenment comes from within those experiences. Those situations all eventually point back to, and reflect, the struggle within yourself. It may begin as a struggle with another person, situation, or nature but it comes back to what is within you. I think those situations help shape who we are mentally and spiritually but I don’t think you can truly discover who you are if you forget the physical element. All of them work together to create who we are.
Some philosophers believe that the body is to be cast off to achieve enlightenment. Don’t tell that to a runner. Runners KNOW that BODY + SPIRIT = SOUL. I’m convinced that the greatest wars are waged within a single human being and it is reflected in the world around us. It’s not a control issue - it’s more of a self-control issue. Balance is the key - nurture, demand, selfless, selfish, experience, knowledge, truth, joy, humor - there is so much to experience. I think that there’s no adventure so profound as the one wherever you are sitting right now.
If you know me at all, you know I find the BEST SALES online so I just had to share this one! I don’t even do jewelry but there were some gorgeous looking wire wrapped bead things in the lot. If you love any kind of craft-ery you will love this sale. The books are NOT pristine but have a nice discount. If your books look like mine when you’re done with them, the newness will not matter to you, either. I already purchased a few…I can feel the smooth pages in my hands now… If you want to get some for yourselves (or just browse the titles), click on the pic above and enjoy!
