life of seven

Making things, reading

Yesterday, Gideon and Evie asked if they could paint. Since they were in their little room away from the little kids I carelessly replied, "Sure." This morning they showed me the painting they had made. Maybe because most of my kids' paintings end up looking like mud, I was both shocked and impressed when they showed me what they had painted. Also, maybe because I also have a soft spot for all things British. Yep, I'm definitely an Anglophile.

Here's what I've been making:

Oh my goodness, this is the funnest knitting I've had since... okay, okay, since my last knitting project. I love everything I knit. I just love to knit. But, an Icelandic doll with traditional Icelandic knitting patterns sized miniature? I think it's hard to top that for absolute fun. The great thing about doll clothes is that they just knit up so quickly, and you are never stuck on one thing for a very long time. Also, it lets me search through the house for those tiny remaining scraps of knitting yarn and use them up in a fun, quick, colorful way. The funny thing is I have had those tiny granny squares for the blanket for years. I have a whole lot more, actually, stored in a bag, not enough to make a big blanket, and the girls and I are long bored of making them. Well, at least some of them are getting used, and I sure love the doll sized result. I've got many more little items and accessories planned before all is said and done. The Icelandic doll and doll clothes will be a Christmas gift for the most responsible child in the house. Which means Cate, the 16 year old. Not sure if even she is responsible enough. I may have to put it all in a locked glass case when everything is finished, haha. Just kidding. Pretty sure Evie will be the lucky one. I'll have to train her to "Look, don't touch." Hee hee. 

Last but definitely not least, look what said responsible 16 year old finished yesterday:

Isn't it just the loveliest thing? I do not enjoy cross stitching, but Cate and Grace both like to. This is Cate's second sampler that she's finished. Pretty sure this needs to happen next.

Clearly we are busy making things, that's how fall goes, right? Let me give you a reading update, too! We are still looooooooving audible, so much! Gideon and Evie and I are listening to Anne of the Island, our third, and my absolute favorite, Anne book. I have read it many many times. It's great to listen to after reading so many times, especially since I get to share it with Gideon and Evie! We have also listened to Cheaper by the Dozen. Such a funny and touching story- I highly recommend it. Cate and Grace and I are almost done listening To Kill a Mockingbird. No words for that wonderful book. I'm too clumsy of a writer to do it justice. Harper Lee's writing makes me never want to write another word again- while at the same time inspiring me to want to do nothing but write, write, write. What else? Evie is discovering Encyclopedia Brown books. How I loved those growing up. The short stories are great for her to get through quickly. Cate recenly read The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. It's probably my favorite Christian book. Another one she and I would both recommend highly. Now she is reading Freedom's Forge. Grace is reading No Compromise, the story of Keith Green. Gideon is making his way through an Agatha Christie book. We are getting together with a group of friends weekly to read The Chronicles of Narnia series out loud, something we have done as a family as well as with friends quite a few times before. I think this may be our fifth or sixth time hearing them read out loud. But it is a worthy series to read and reread. I'll probably never tire of it. I love the big concepts C.S. Lewis conveys in the story, which is so entertainig to children. And yes, his use of words is second to none as well.  All this talk of great writing is making me want to end this blog post quickly. My sloppy, rushed writing is making me feel ashamed. But, It is just a blog post after all, not the next great American novel.

But what was that you are asking? What am I reading right now? Oh dear, it's kind of embarrassing. I'm working through Patient H.M., a grisly book about the history of brain surgery, however, I have misplaced the book so it's been a few weeks since I've picked it up. I'm also about a fourth of the way through a huge tome called The Dollmaker. The first chapter took my breath away. It is the best first chapter of any book I have ever read in my life. But now I am in that place where I feel I have read so much that surely I must be done with the book by now, and unfortunately there are far more pages to go than what I have read. So I've put it aside for now, too. On Kindle I'm kind of reading The Woman in White, a book I started months ago and, again, yes, set aside. I picked it up again recently and can't really remember what is happening, even though, good old Kindle, my spot where I left off has been saved. I've also begun reading The Lion's Gate, a book I've heard is an incredible read. I believe the people that have told me this. But I just can't seem to get into it. Actually, it would also help if I knew where this book was. There are another three or four sad tales like the ones I have just told you, about other books I am attempting to read. I wish I didn't have such trouble focusing on finishing a book. That's life right now, though. Maybe my brain book (Patient H.M.) can explain to me why I'm having such concentration issues. But for it to do that, I would first have to locate the book.

 

 

Beautiful Fall

Last post, I wrote about my intarsia sweater that I was determined to finish. Well, apparently, this fingering weight fair isle pushed itself ahead of the intarsia sweater and I finished that instead. That's why it's never a good idea to commit your knitting commitments in writing.

Here is my sweater on Ravelry. It is a Marie Wallin design. I love her patterns so much. Yes, my daughter is wearing it in a couple of pictures. I had to remind her frequently that I needed it right back as soon as I was done taking pictures of it.

You can read my pattern notes on Ravelry, but I don't feel like writing about knitting on here today.

Let's talk about the fall instead, and the new school year! I love fall. So much. I must make lots of soup and homemade bread. Yesterday I made homemade marshmallows. It was my third attempt in a week. Turns out, a candy thermometer really is essential to the making of marshmallows- who knew? We built a bonfire outside last week and sat around it with friends for hours. Sadly, that was the day that my marshmallow making attempts failed, so we had to roast store bought marshmallows that night. Next bonfire, I'm going to be ready, armed with the homemade kind.

Our coming weeks are pretty full of activities. Of course. Always. Next week, Cate and Grace are playing in a piano competition and Evie has a special performance at an elementary school with an orchestra! She is so excited about it that she journals about it every day in school. I have a four year old who begs me everyday to teach him how to read. So far I've tried to comply and squeeze it in. None of my kids have done preschool except for my firstborn, Cate, when I had nothing else to do with my time, haha. But Truman has been so eager, and even more than that, displayed so much readiness, that it's hard to resist him. Maybe once I do the basics with him he can teach himself the rest of the way. Sort of only kidding about that. He figured out how to write his name by himself, and actually writes it legibly, but he holds his pencil in the oddest way (self-taught, that's where bad technique comes from) and makes out each letter starting in the wrong spot and making me, his future handwriting teacher, cringe. Guess he needs some help, after all.

I wish you could hear Clementine sing "Hey Jude." Cutest thing, and I don't want to forget how she loves singing it. Also, the other day, she walked up to her big sister with a piece of bread in one hand and a stick of (unwrapped) butter in the other, asking Cate to fix her toast. I wonder how many things I've forgotten that the other kids did when they were little. Well, now I have a blog to record them.

Well, that's all I can think of to say today- I hope my writing isn't getting rusty from disuse. Maybe I will have more thoughts to share with you tomorrow, or in the coming week. Yes blog, I've missed you too, though apologizing for not writing is getting old. You'll not hear an apology from me- but hopefully this post is the inspiration I need to get writing again!