I've been working on nothing but this little sweater this week and it is taking forever. What is it about sport weight yarn and size 5 needles that slows me to a crawl? The body is almost complete, I'm just working out where to place the decorative slip-stitch rows that match the yoke, then I'll do the bottom ribbing and be on to the sleeves. I should have those finished up by, oh, Halloween at this rate.
Progress is slow, is what I'm saying.
A couple more good books that I've sped through lately, in case anyone is looking for something to read:
Little Heathens, which was mentioned in the comments and I've seen it around the blog world lately too. It was an excellent read. It combines farming and frugality and the Depression, so it's a bit sad at times but mostly inspiring and awesome.
The Dirty Life - I couldn't put it down and read it in 24 hours. The best part about this book, for me, is that it's sort of still taking place right now. It was published very recently and is about events occuring within the past 10 years. The author graduated from college the same year I graduated from high school, so we are close in age. The farm where she lives and works with her husband and two daughters is at the opposite side of my state so it feels very close and real, and you can visit it! In fact there is a farm tour offered next week. If only.....but I don't think my husband would be up for a 6.5 hour drive to tour a farm, no matter how "famous" it might be.
I'm currently reading Growing a Farmer (I wasn't joking that I can't get enough of this stuff...you'd think I was doing research for a dissertation or something). It's also very good and quite contemporary, taking place in the 90s and 2000s, though again, the story is ongoing.
I've got a whole stack of books from the library right now dealing with growing and preparing really good food. I always get excited about that concept at this time of year...even though I have only a measly 8X10 garden and children who think hotdogs and chicken nuggets are the apex of fine dining.
But hey, we took a chance last year and planted several bell pepper plants, and despite my benign neglect we filled the freezer with a couple dozen beautiful, delicate, flavorful green bell peppers. I haven't once had to buy the dark green waxy supermarket behemoth peppers grown in Mexico. That's an awesome feeling...even my husband comments on how fresh and bright ours taste. So I'll soldier on with my tiny garden, and leave the farming to others, but I'll certainly enjoy reading about their experience.
2 comments:
Oh my. I ordered all the books mentioned in your last post including little heathens. Now you've added more to my want to read list. I've three and a half acres here but with all my little ones all I managed last year were some tomatoes, sugar peas and a little patch of herbs. Since this house is a new build and the yard isn't landscaped yet I'm trying to put in "useful" plants. Last summer we planted a weeping mulberry, lavender and two grape vines. I bought an excellent book for gardening with children "roots, shoots, buckets and boots" by Sharon lovejoy. I'm so excited, I can't wait to try a few of the projects this year, especially the sunflower house.
We are growing a little garden this summer. Well, Chris is growing a garden. I'm responsible for watering it if he is working and there is no rain. I do have my first little kitchen herb garden thriving in the windowsill. Very excited about that.
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