I recently finished my second ceramics class, an 8-week series. I spent my last class in the glazing room with several other students, finishing up our projects. Questions and advice flew from one woman to another as we made decisions about what glazes to avoid, what to layer, how to finish the bottoms of our pieces. A young student in her early twenties timidly asked us older ladies for guidance, so nervous about making a mistake. I wanted to tell her that in general mistakes are not a big deal, and us middle-aged ladies love sharing what we know - but that confidence comes with time and boy, am I glad I'm not 20 anymore.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Late Winter
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Another Year Ends
I will refrain from commenting on how fast the past year seemed to go, as that appears to be the pace of life. In December I wrapped up my first pottery class, bringing home nine completed pots. Everyone in my class commented on how productive I was, but you know me - have to get my money's worth! My goal was to learn and practice as much as possible, with little expectations for the finished products. My vessels just ended up how they did. They are all fairly small and I plan to give most of them away. I have already signed up for and started my next class, which is completely student-led. There are students of all levels, so everyone picks their own projects and asks for help when they need it. I'm working on some mugs now and hope to make some larger items that can be actually used in kitchen. Then I'll have to take a break until next fall, as flower season is upon us.
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Read in December 2023
At the beginning of the month I decided that I wanted to break my all-time reading record of 101 books in a year. So, I went to the library and scanned the shelves for the thinnest books I could find. This turned out to be a fun exercise and led me to pick up several books I wouldn't have otherwise. If I didn't like them, then the time commitment would be low. I did it: I read 115 books in 2023!
Because there are so many, I'm doing brief reviews and ranking the books by how much I liked them. I'll be back soon for my 2023 Reading Wrap-Up!
You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
An absolutely gorgeously written memoir about the author's divorce
Dancing At the Pity Party by Tyler Feder
A sensitive and raw graphic memoir of the author's mother's death at a young age
The House At Riverton by Kate Morton
A very Downton Abbey-type feel. All of Morton's books are so readable and immerse you in the past.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A re-read to celebrate my age being the meaning of life (if you know, you know). One of the funniest books I have ever read!
Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth
Heinerth is a cave diver: yep, swimming into tight caves filled with water. Everything she does is so incredibly dangerous you will be screaming "WHYYYYY?" constantly.
So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan
Three brilliant short stories. I don't know why there isn't just one Claire Keegan book containing all of her stories and novellas in one. I'm sure it's just a way for publishers to make a profit!
Fire Story by Brian Fies
A graphic memoir about the author's home burning down in a wildfire.
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
Following the collective lives of Japanese women immigrating to the US in the 1920s (I think?), this short book has no named characters and is told in the first-person plural. The structure was creative, I learned a lot, but I probably would have become annoyed if it had been a longer book.
The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
Set in the early part of the 20th century in Penang, we follow the author Somerset Maugham and the family that he's visiting. Beautifully written with a strong sense of place.
The Life-Changing Manga of Tiding Up by Marie Kondo
Nothing new if you've read Kondo's other books, but it's a cute illustrated story about a woman who is helped by Kondo to clean up her apartment.
The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
I didn't realize this was part of a series, so I missed a lot of background on the characters. The whole story is told in emails and texts. The mystery wasn't engaging but there were tons of funny lines.
Look at the Lights, My Love by Annie Ernaux
A memoir entirely about superstores; relatable because we've all experienced what these places are like!
The Young Man by Annie Ernaux
Truth be told, this should not be considered a book. It's an essay about the author's affair with a man much younger than herself. Well-written and insightful.
In Light Years There's No Hurry by Marjolijn van Heemstra
This reminded me SO MUCH of Enchantment by Katherine May. There is even an identical scene! Read if you are very into outer space.
Going Zero by Anthony McCarten
A fun thriller about 10 people who are in a contest to disappear for 30 days - if a big-brother-type corporation can't find them, they win 3 million dollars. I liked the strategies that the contestants tried, but about 2/3 of the way through the book jumped a big 'ol shark.
It's Lonely At the Center of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood
A graphic memoir about dealing with depression - can someone please write a memoir about kittens and ice cream?
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
A short novella about a man with dementia and his grandson. Heartfelt but a little on the cheesy side.
Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide by Isabel Quintero
I had never heard of Graciela Iturbide before, who is a Mexican photographer. Her work is interesting, but the book is written in an avant-garde way that lost me.
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
Not exactly a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, involves some other dimension travel(?) where somehow cellphones still work.
Commute: An Illustrated Memoir of Female Shame by Erin Williams
A graphic memoir about some hard subjects (alcoholism, sexual assault). I found it to be too much, too explicit, too intended to shock. [I'm ranking books based on my enjoyment of them, not on their merit, so you might connect with this one. Definitely these subjects shouldn't be silenced.]
Whew! Even reading through this list made me tired. I won't be repeating this level of reading for a long time. January is already shaping up to be a slow and steady month. Happy New Year everyone!
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Read in November 2023
With these 7 books, I am now at 95 books read for the year - with the rest of December to go! I think I will definitely reach my goal of 100, but I'm so temptingly close to an all-time record that I am picking up the shortest books I can find to pad my numbers. I know, it's is silly, this is my personal reading and who cares how many books I read? Next year I'm hoping to focus on quality over quantity, finally diving into some long books and trying to complete the backlist of my favorite authors. I know I am not the only type-A reader out there!
Monday, December 11, 2023
And the Garden Goes to Sleep
In November we had our first proper frosts, finally ending gardening season. I already miss the flowers, but I won't deny that this period of rest is very much needed. Our season is so long: I start seeds in February, start planting in March, harvest tulips in April and then go straight through October. I am not a fan of winter, with the sicknesses and cold and dark. However, it does go quite quickly when I think about how I only really have two months "off."
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Read in October 2023
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Golden Light and a Trip to Glenstone
Isn't the light this time of year glorious? I try to get out more than usual during the fall, soaking up the colors, light, and temperatures as much as possible. The other week I took a trip to Glenstone, a rather unique local art museum that combines art galleries with a gorgeous landscape. There are many site-specific sculptures and art works along a meandering trail through hills and forest. While I'm not the biggest fan of modern art, the peaceful atmosphere makes frequent trips here worth the effort. (I last visited in November 2022, in the rain.)
This concrete bunker is hidden in the woods, and is the newest addition to the museum. Inside, there are four large rusty cylinders made of steel. That's it. I no longer attempt to ascribe meaning to contemporary art, but rather focus on the experience. The temperature plummeted upon entering, and because I was the only visitor, I heard nothing but dry leaves scraping across the concrete floor.
I meandered through all the outdoor paths before coming to the museum itself. I usually visit the museum first, but the day was extremely warm and I wanted to walk around outside while the morning coolness still lingered. The architecture of the museum is the highlight; it's such a calm, light-filled space. While I usually enjoy experiencing the art, even if it's not to my taste, this time I left somewhat grumpy. I only noted two women artists represented in the whole museum. The museum can do what they want in terms of what they collect and display, but they risk ostracizing a large segment of the population. A few days later I got an email survey about my experience which showed they were very much aware of these problems based on the questions they asked.
Monday, October 23, 2023
Read in September 2023
Friday, October 6, 2023
September Update
After a hot, dry, humid, and busy summer, things started to let up a bit in September. The second half of the month brought cooler weather, and the lessening of gardening chores meant there was more free time for exploring. We had the most amazing rainbow in the backyard, a full arch! It didn't last long but we all ran outside to enjoy it while it was there.
So far the cat has stayed away from scratching it - he just scratches the carpet instead, but that's fine, because the carpet was 10% of the price of the couch. I've always thought of rugs as disposable in our house, because eventually they become so ruined by cat claws, spills, and scissors-wielding children that they need to be replaced. This is not the season of life for wall-to-wall carpeting.
I love working from home so much. I have a beautiful home office with lots of light, and cozy bookshelves, plants and candles. I have an adjustable desk and can move around during meetings while wearing comfy pants. I get super grumpy on the days I have to go into the actual office, which is dark, gray, and cold. I come home exhausted and headachy. Ugh! Ideally I'd have a fully remote job, but after 13 years with the same company, it's hard to walk away from the benefits and responsibility I've earned over the years. If anyone has ideas for making office life better, let me know!
I dry as many extra flowers as I can throughout the year. There are so many beautiful crafts you can do with them, but you know... time. I sell them as dried bouquets and they do pretty well. These flowers are from last year and still going strong. Most of the dried flowers sold in craft stores have been dyed or otherwise chemically preserved.
The kids and I went to the local community fair, which we do almost every year because it's close by and free. I didn't enter any knitting this year because I haven't finished many projects. It's Mary's life goal to win a blue ribbon though, so she got all kinds of ideas about what she wants to make for next year. Because it's a small local fair, the competition is not... fierce. As long as she can follow through, she has a good chance of getting that ribbon. Also: miniature horses!
Motivated by my relatively quick finish of my last quilt, I continued on to working on my last remaining quilt in progress. This one is made up of t-shirts, and if you can't zoom in to see, most are at least 20 years old. I have another t-shirt quilt that I made of even older shirts (circa 1996) that I've used for so long that it's literally falling apart. I had to completely replace the binding a few years ago. This one should be equally cuddly. I don't have any scraps big enough to do the sashing and backing, so I had to order some fabric, along with batting. I am trying to whittle down my fabric collection as my tastes have changed over the years and I want to make room for the new. A big scrap quilt is likely needed to finally use everything up.
-
I will refrain from commenting on how fast the past year seemed to go, as that appears to be the pace of life. In December I wrapped up my f...
-
In college I couldn't decide between English and Art History, so I majored in both. It should come as no surprise that I have a slight o...
-
At the beginning of the month I decided that I wanted to break my all-time reading record of 101 books in a year. So, I went to the library ...