Yarn and Read Along.

So my needles have been sitting in my office for the past.... hmmm... three years I would guess. I had a scarf that was half done just waiting to be finished and for someone to help me cast off. You see, as a young girl, when my grandmother taught me to knit, she always cast on and off for me. I'm sure she did try to teach me, but it was the thing I always struggled with. Along with my needles, yarn, and half finished scarf there was also a sheet of instructions for casting on and off (that I had printed off also about three years ago) which I tried to follow in vain.

But as I was recently inspired by Lisa and Kim to get my needles out again, I knit the remainder of the scarf and was ready to start something new. With my newfound inspiration, I decided to search youtube for instructions to cast off. Two minutes later, I had a finished scarf and was ready to start something new. Youtube cast on instructions to the rescue and I was on my way. It's amazing what a little bit of inspiration can do. So I'm working on this scarf and finally breaking out of the scarf world and also working on knitting a stuffed kitten similar to this one.

On the reading front, I've been loving Ashley English's Canning & Preserving. I decided that this year, I'm going to venture into canning in effort to not let anything from our garden go to waste. I feel that by reading up on how to can now, I'll be able to gather most of the supplies that I don't already have by perusing thrift stores and get some confidence under my belt before I actually begin. I already feel a new found confidence. 

Additionally, I'm loving Seven Times the Sun by Shea Darian, a recommendation from Mom to 5 over at One Mamas Journey. When this book first arrived in the mail, I just felt completely overwhelmed flipping through it, but after it sat on the counter for a few weeks, I picked it up again and after reading the introduction which reminds, "Begin where you are, and when there are new rhythms and rituals you wish to bring to your child's day, choose one thing at a time", I felt encouraged again and have been really loving this book. 

Avi modeling the scarf I finished.

On Avi's bookshelf, we have been loving When Lightning Comes in a Jar by Patricia Polacco. I am in love with her stories, Many of which take place in Michigan, where I grew up.  (Other favorites of her's include Thunder Cake and The Bee Tree).

All I See Is Part Of Me by Chara M. Curtis is such a sweet story about the interconnectedness of the world. I have overheard Avi remembering pieces of it out loud during his play.

And lastly, Winnie-The-Pooh and Some Bees by A.A. Milne. If you remember all the controversy I caused back here when I said that Avi didn't even know who Pooh was. Well, we are loving these stories now. Avi always giggles when Christopher Robin says, "Silly ol' bear".




Joining Ginny today.