Resurfacing

I'm coming back to the blogosphere after a hiatus that was nearly overlooked by blog readers everywhere with the exception of the darling Karoda--thank you friend. It's been a very busy and hectic few months, but at least there has been lots, I mean lots! of knitting and sewing.I made enough $$ selling the knitting so that I've been able to restock my stash. That in itself is enough, because around this Valley, it is nearly impossible to get ahead making crafts or art. And finally, blessedly, the family is well. The demands of being the filling in the sandwich generation have meant that the blog has suffered. Hopefully there will be pictures posted here again soon.

The new year's resolutions are not just the perpetual losing weight, but also include a promise to myself to frame the art prints and to find time for myself, for color, and for the important work that's yet to be made.

I have about 10 clay prints framed and ready for the possibility that someday, someone might call and say, "Hey! How about showing your work in our gallery?" Bring 'em on, I'll be ready!

I've also started a quilt, a traditionally pieced quilt, based on the Twisted Sisters pattern and made entirely out of African cottons. It's very busy and bold, lots of movement. And it's been fun these last couple of weeks to be piecing and fussy cutting and putting the top together. I promise, pictures of this top for sure!

Have started teaching a children's literature class at the college and read "Good Night Moon" aloud to the class. Only 2 students knew the book, the poor darlings! So I will have a lot to share with them, and I hope they do a lot of growing.

The following is from the newspaper column I wrote before Christmas asking Santa for new books and the time to read them. Hope you'll find these or others like them to enjoy and to share with your own family.

More posts soon.

Winter’s Tale by Robert Sabuda Done mostly in sparkly whites, shiny silvers, and icy pastel hues, Sabuda's pop-ups dazzle. An owl soars off the pages; a cave lifts and opens to show the foxes concealed within; and a waterfall cascades into a rushing river, where a bear darts forward to catch the fish that dance above the water's surface. The final 3-D scene shows all of the creatures posed within a forest of evergreens and bare trees, while a snowman standing in front of a lonely house reveals himself as the story's narrator, and promises to return for a visit next year. All of the animals–whether deer, squirrels, or a moose–are sculpted out of flat white paper, making them look elegant against the woodsy backdrops. This is a book of confection for browsing or winter displays and for sharing with young and old.

Winter's Gift by Jane Monroe Donovan
As a blizzard descends, an elderly farmer is preparing to spend Christmas alone. In the nearby woods, a mare has been separated from her herd, and is lost in the storm. She wanders onto the old man's farm and he stables her in his barn, warming her with blankets and nourishing her with carrots and fresh water. On Christmas morning, the farmer wakes to find the mare resting in the barn, and a newborn foal as well. With its soft watercolor illustrations, this sweet story is a wonderful holiday reminder of the importance of hospitality and compassion throughout the year. This children’s book is especially good for ages 4-8.

An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned But Probably Didn't by Judy Jones and William Wilson
Everything you should have learned, plus everything you once learned but have forgotten: such is the stuff of this indispensable reference book. An Incomplete Education offers quick studies on the major who, what, where, when, and why of history, economics, art, literature, music, philosophy, religion--all organized in lively, readable chapters. You'll find answers to questions that have been driving you crazy. And, it's a great source for settling arguments! Best of all, the whole book is written with lighthearted charm and irreverent humor. The authors bring vitality to subjects that otherwise might have seemed heavy and difficult to many of us. An education of any kind makes a great gift.

Yes & No by Linda Tatelbaum The setting is Paris in 1969. American Naomi Weiss, graduate student in paleography (the study of ancient writing), spends hours in the library of the Sorbonne, poring over twelfth-century letters between the philosopher Pierre Abélard and his pupil Héloïse. An elderly librarian observes her carefully, and eventually entrusts her with a manuscript he has found that dates from 1137. Shy, unsophisticated Naomi ends up enlisting the help of two savvy young French student activists in an attempt to keep the manuscript from a nefarious professor who doesn't want its existence known. Excitement and mystery within a scholarly context--and in Paris, no less--make Yes & No a delight to read. For adults.

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Edited by Peter Boxall
This stunningly comprehensive and engagingly illustrated guide to good reading takes you on a delightful chronological tour of the world's greatest literature, from Aesop's Fables (first compiled in 4 BC) to the best novels of 2005. The brief entries for each title--written by an impressive array of critics, academics, novelists, poets, and literary journalists--entice you with a bit of the plot, themes, style, and significance of the work. Actually, it's tremendously edifying just to read this book. The incisive summaries will help you hold your own in literary conversation--until you have the chance to actually read all 1001 books, of course.

The Wild Girl by Chris Wormell
You can't help but love her: she's independent, brave, and kind--and has the messiest hair you've ever seen! She and her little brown dog live all alone in a mountaintop cave. They never see any evidence of another living soul until, one day, they discover big bear tracks leading to their home. The girl and her dog show great courage, and even greater compassion, in their encounters with the bear, who, it turns out, is the mother of a tiny cub. As the cold snow falls in the wide wilderness, the mother and baby bear, the wild girl, and her little brown dog happily discover that there is coziness in numbers. A lovely picture book for young children ages 4-8.

Eve Green by Susan Fletcher

Susan Fletcher paints the Welsh landscape with just a few subtle strokes, and peoples it with living, breathing characters. Her story follows young Eve, orphaned at age seven when her beautiful young mother dies of a heart attack. Eve never knew her father. She's packed off from the mean streets of Birmingham to live with her mother's parents on their farm in Wales. Her father's identity is not the only mystery that fascinates Eve, as she faces prejudice against him--and, consequently, against her--in the town her mother fled.