Fiber Fool

Cathy was the first one to get the right state…

Denise got it right…

And Lynne also got it right…

Ashley and I went on our annual March trip to Brown Sheep near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. We ate at the usual Whistle Stop Cafe and did a bit of walking around Scottsbluff National Monument which is where these photos were taken.

Winners, let me know which image you’d like an 8X10 of and I’ll get one off in the mail to you next week.

If you didn’t win a print but would like your own you can get posters or cards with one of these images. Choose from many other of the favorite photos posted here while you’re there as well. Don’t see your favorite photo from the blog? Let me know!

There were signs aplenty to be found out and about that the world around us is waking up from its winter slumber.

While I used my camera to record the event, Drew, used his music skills. Over the weekend he actually composed and recorded a spring song called Thaw. I’m a bit chuffed because I got to give him a bit of input on it. It’s an instrumental piece and you can listen to it! (The photography on that page is mine too so go check it out! Really!)

Don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging on where the photos I posted last week were taken. I can tell you that it was a day trip. If you want to make a new guess, go leave another comment on that post. The first two people closest to the actual location who do not have inside information will get their choice of an 8X10 inch print of one of those images (minus the watermark, of course). I’ll reveal the answer on Thursday or Friday, so get your guess in before then.

I’m behind by almost five books when you consider those pictured above are books 7, 8, and 9 read in 2008 and we’re closing in on the second half of week 12 (the last three or four years I’ve ended the year having read 60-65 books). There has actually been a lot more music listening going on lately than reading. (Check the sidebar on the right to see what I’ve been listening to most lately. I just updated the list this week!) In fact, I’m reading slowly enough that I’m going the used bookstore route for much of my reading material rather than the library. I just don’t need any more deadlines hanging over my head. For the most part the only reading I’ve been doing is in bed before going to sleep as a means to shut my brain down. That means some nights I only get three pages read before I start to doze off and others nights my mind is more revved up.

Gods in Alabama by Joshlyn Jackson was a book recommended to me by my mom. After not being able to get my hands on a copy at my local library without jumping through hoops of interlibrary loans I got it for Christmas from her. I’d classify it as literary Southern fiction, even though much of the book revolves around a murder. Unlike a normal murder mystery though the murderer is known so there is no mystery element. However, if you enjoy mysteries I think you would still enjoy this book. While we know the murderer the book is interesting and full of twists and turns and little sprinkling of romance as well. I don’t think I’m quite as enthusiastic about this book as my mom was, I am glad I read it.

Another book I think my mom had recommended to me quite a while ago was The Ugly Duckling by Iris Johansen. I picked it up at Matter Bookstore in June while Chris was visiting, but only just now got around to reading it. My first exposure to Johnasen was as a co-author of The Delaney Christmas Carol. She does a lot of historical writing, however this book is contemporary. The book somehow manages to be suspenseful and sexy at the same time. Centered around one woman and one man’s need of revenge, suspense is definitely the main point of the book. However, there is plenty of sexual tension present amongst the pages as well. If you haven’t read Johansen or any contemporary set Johansen I urge you to give this one a try.

The next book which I just finished is Raveling by Peter Moore Smith. It was Smith’s debut novel and was a Edgar Award nominee for such. I’ll come clean. This totally jumped off the shelves at Anthology due entirely to its title. What knitter and spinner could pass over a book with such a name? When I read the description I was definitely sold, even though psychological thrillers are not usually my thing. Now that I’ve finished the book I’m very glad I didn’t pass this one over. There is not a chapter in the book, but that isn’t the only oddity of the book. The story is told in such a way that you are aching for the answers as much as Pilot’s therapist, Katherine. Despite all my commitments I did find myself making pretty quick progress of this book, often reading until midnight or later with my booklight. I have no questions as to why this novel was nominated for an Edgar Award, but I’m wondering what the book the beat it out was!

Last Sunday, March 9th I plants my first round of seeds. This included onions, leeks, rosemary, parsley, eggplant, and a selection of peppers. The photo at left was taken this Sunday, March 16th. The onions and leeks have all made an appearance as have some of the spinach (from rather old seed even). As of Monday a couple rosemary were poking out as well. It’s amazing to watch how much progress they make in just a day!

This Sunday I also started more seeds - tomatoes of several types including a roma, a cheery, a bush, and a yellow pear; sweet, spicy globe, and lime basils; catnip, chives, chamomile, and oregano.

Hopefully by next Sunday I’ll have enough sprouts ready to be out in the atmosphere of the living room without the lids on so I can rotate stuff around and start more seeds. But as it stands we are basically full-up in terms of sprouting location.

Any guesses where I went on Thursday?

No cheating by looking at the Flickr tags!

Anyone? Anyone?