my reading list is long…..

See that pile? That is what's sitting piled high on the small dresser beside my bed. It teeters and totters and occasionally slides to the side but always I stack it up neatly again and think to myself "Gotta read those, gotta read more"! And always, when I finally slip into bed at night and glance over at that growing pile, I'm just too tired to do more than groan and wish I could stay awake for 20 hours each day instead of only a measly 16!!

Now really, I didn't set out to read ALL of them. Most, but not all. Some came along because a daughter thought I needed educating and really should read her new purchases. I'll let you guess which ones they are ;) A couple were really good finds at our little op shop here in the village - The Womens Wheel of Life is a very good read indeed and was free! As were the two 'Verb' books at the top….and they are almost new too! The arty books I've bought here and there on the internet and have really only flicked through to admire the pictures and read the intro. These books though, all have one thing in common - they sit on my dresser and taunt me daily with their evocative titles and bright covers, daring me to stop my work and open one.

And relax.

Aaah yes, if only it were that easy!!

still knitting..... and learning

Lori ann, sweet woman, here is the 'in three's' baby cardigan, thanks for the prompt to show it's progress! I'm almost finished and so excited that I've mastered a new pattern with new instructions! The colours are not really my favourites but I had them stashed away in a suitcase and a few weeks ago I wanted to knit NOW! It doesn't matter really because this little number is just a play cardy for the Small Elf and a practice run for me......... you know, to see if I'm feeling a tad more comfy with this whole knitting gig!  

And I am!!!! I'm beginning to think of myself as a knitter! A very amateurish beginning knitter and not quite in the inner circle of centripetal and fair isle and magic loops, but it's a start. I must admit though, that I already have quite a few other projects in mind and even another little bundle of yarn to start one of them! There's no stopping me now!! 

Last year sometime, I decided that I needed to embrace a sugar free, grain free lifestyle and so spent a number of months eating accordingly. I enjoyed it immensely and thought it was great. Until Christmas, that is. Then it kinda went out the window, only resurfacing in a milder form for a few months this year. BUT I learnt a lot of interesting information as I went along and still believe that we eat too many grains and sugar. 

Then just last week I happened to find a book that I'd wanted for some time I Quit Sugar by the gorgeous Sarah Wilson. It was an eyeopener as to what sugars really are and how they work in our bodies, as well as explaining that while cane sugar is made up of fructose and glucose, agave nectar -which I'd substituted for cane sugar - was actually 90 percent fructose!! Uh oh! So here I was thinking that I was sugar free while in fact my blood sugar levels were soaring! 

Then my good friend lent me a book that she'd been telling me about for months - Trim Healthy Mama by Serene Allison and Pearl Barrett. Fascinating. It's probably more of a keeping trim book with a sugar free slant, but they have researched their thoughts really well and have taken the best bits from various eating regimes and put it all into doable form. I cant tell you more than that at the moment because I've only just started reading it but it's so interesting that I cant put it down. And I mean really fascinating! Do click on the link and read the reviews at the bottom of the page.  

I'm linking with Ginny and her Yarn Along again today. 

About reading

It feels like I have been reading aloud forever but I suppose it's only been about 24 years, although the early years was only picture books not novels! I was giving this some thought the other day after I had been reading to the children and amongst my musings was the following observation. 

  

For those of you homeschooling and using either Charlotte Mason or Steiner, you may find this encouraging, especially if your child 'resists' retelling in a formal manner. I know CM uses narration as part of the curriculum and I also know that sometimes it can be hard to get a narration out of a reluctant child. This year we are using Christopherus and Donna uses the word 'review' to reinforce the child's previous days lesson. 

From the time I started reading chapter books to my children, I have always asked them for a recap of the previous days chapters. This was done in a completely natural way with no pressure on any of the children. We would settle in comfortably for the days read aloud and I'd open the book to the next chapter and ask, "So what happened yesterday?" And without any dilemmas, one of them would pipe up with what ever had made an impression on them. The next child would add some more and someone else would put in the extras. It was often not necessarily in the order of how it had been written, and sometimes when they were little I had to give them prompts to refresh their memory. I'm sure it was all done in such a manner that they often thought, "Poor Mum has forgotten the story - so we'd better tell her how it went!" These days,  if I forget to ask what happened yesterday, someone will always let me know anyway!

Now they are older - and some of them are old enough that I don't read just to them - they still listen in and ask me to read a certain book to the younger ones....... and then hang around as often as they can to listen! At the moment we are reading 'The King of Irelands Son' and although  it's meant for my 9 year old, the older three (11, 13, 16!) are keen to be around too!

This may not be how Charlotte Mason meant her narrations to be but it's worked really well for us and has happened in a completely natural and delight directed way. Of course, you don't have to be home educating to read to your child, because all of them benefit from both reading and retelling.
Disclaimer : I'm not an expert by any stretch of the word but I do love reading aloud to my children and this has worked well for us :o) 

Baby gifts

Remember that I mentioned here that I needed to sew up some bunny rugs for a new baby?

They are done!

It's really a very easy sewing project. Just place two squares of cotton flannelette right sides together - mine was about 120cm square. Use a saucer to mark the rounded corners and sew all around leaving an opening of about 20 - 30cm to turn it through. 

Trim seams and clip curves, turn right side out and top stitch around the edges including the opening. 

I didn't wash mine first (have I mentioned that I'm an instant kind of girl?) so I was careful to put the grain line of both pieces running in the same direction. That way, when the fabric shrinks - and it will - both will shrink the same amount in the same direction. 

The bird fabric does have a little bird in the limey green of the backing so it does match better than it looks in the photo! And the day was a bit dreary hence the dreary photo! 

The book is also a gift, and is one of my two all time favourite pregnancy books - "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" by Susun S Weed. (My other favourite is "Spiritual Midwifery") 

I used my copy for each of my pregnancies and babies and often for the older children too. It's such a useful book, full of simple and practical herbal remedies for all those little dilemmas that you may have with your new babe, or your new mothering self! 

This book is destined for a New Mum; she's the daughter of my dear, dear friend who passed way 18 months ago and who also loved and used it. I am sure she would have given a copy to her daughter, had she still been here. 

I'm gifting it in her stead. 

Elsa Beskow giveaway

Oh dear, I'm loathe to do this but my mum taught me to share so share I will! 

Hop on over here and try your luck at winning 19, yes 19, Elsa Beskow books that Valerie is so generously giving away. I've subscribed to her blog and now I'm telling you all about it so surely the gods of giveaways are smiling favourably on me? 

And, know what? I received a nice subscriber email from her this morning, telling me all about a great selection of audio books. I like it. A lot. And I cant wait until that parcel of books slides into my letter box (my mum also taught me to think positive!!)

Now I just hope she sends to all the way Down Under..............