Genre: Historical Fiction | FantasyStar Rating: 4 out of 5 starsSynopsis from The StoryGraph: The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern… Continue reading Book Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow
Year of Projects 2022: Week 20
A couple of finished things first for this week. I finished up the Timberland Hat I had been working on. I had two half-skeins of The Unique Sheep's Sushi Socks in stash that were originally part of a sock kit from eons ago. I loved the colors (palest silver and a royal blue) but I… Continue reading Year of Projects 2022: Week 20
Book Review: Matilda
Genre: Middle Grade | FictionStar Rating: 4 out of 5Synopsis: Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not… Continue reading Book Review: Matilda
Year of Projects 2022: Week 19
It has been a week here for sure. The fire that is about 10 miles to the west of us is now over 37,000 acres and the county moved us to the middle phase of evacuation prep. We are in a small suburb south of town proper and if the winds yesterday continue as they… Continue reading Year of Projects 2022: Week 19
Book Review: Women Healers
Genre: Nonfiction | HistoryStars: 3-1/2 out of 5Synopsis from The StoryGraph: In her eighteenth-century medical recipe manuscript, the Philadelphia healer Elizabeth Coates Paschall asserted her ingenuity and authority with the bold strokes of her pen. Paschall developed an extensive healing practice, consulted medical texts, and conducted experiments based on personal observations. As British North America's… Continue reading Book Review: Women Healers
Year of Projects 2022: Week 18
This week has mostly been about trying to get my Misurina Tee finished up. It's been a focus piece when I've had some knitting time in the evenings and I'm happy to report that I finished this one up! I've actually got it on today and it's the perfect weight for our sunny but breezy… Continue reading Year of Projects 2022: Week 18
Book Review: Mudlark
Genre: Nonfiction/HistoryStars: 4-1/4 out of 5Synopsis from The Storygraph: Long heralded as a city treasure herself, expert “mudlarker” Lara Maiklem is uniquely trained in the art of seeking. Tirelessly trekking across miles of the Thames’ muddy shores, where others only see the detritus of city life, Maiklem unearths evidence of England’s captivating, if sometimes murky,… Continue reading Book Review: Mudlark
Book Review: Between Shades of Gray
Genre: Historical Fiction/YAStar Rating: 4-1/2 out of 5 starsSynopsis from The Storygraph: Fifteen-year-old Lina is a Lithuanian girl living an ordinary life -- until Soviet officers invade her home and tear her family apart. Separated from her father and forced onto a crowded train, Lina, her mother, and her young brother make their way to… Continue reading Book Review: Between Shades of Gray
Year of Projects 2022: Week 17
I'm a day late for this week's check-in but whew! It's been a week! Happy to say that I finally have landed with a new job that should start mid-May. I'm working for the same company but no longer as an independent contractor which will make taxes SO much easier. Friday into Saturday was wild… Continue reading Year of Projects 2022: Week 17
FO Friday: Beanstalk Cowl
This pretty accessory was a test knit for Amy van de Laar of Baroque Purls. I really enjoy knitting her designs - they all have great details and are well written, so I jumped at the opportunity to test knit this one. It also gave me an excuse to grab a skein out of (very)… Continue reading FO Friday: Beanstalk Cowl