My favorite poem

I received an awesome early birthday present from my aunt and uncle (and cousins) that included a book (Sarah's Key), and Table Topics . My aunt tried to find the book club version-and even sent the gift receipt to see if I could find it.
I couldn't resist-I opened them last night!!

One of the questions prompted this post: "What is you favorite quotation". I couldn't think of a quotation, but I do have a favorite poem.

When I was in grade 7 I remember studying poetry. I don't have the best memory for things that long ago-but I do remember that we were required to analyze a poem (including song lyrics). Someone in the class did "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails. Wow-I can't believe I remembered that!

I chose a Robert Frost poem the name I can't recall, because The Road Not Taken was (and still is) my favorite poem, but we had already covered it in class. When my teacher informed me that I had misinterpreted the poem I selected I pretty much closed the book on poetry after that. I was (and still am) pretty sure that you can't be wrong about what a poem means to you .

So even though I don't read much poetry, my favorite poem remains:

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

(Lyrics courtesy of wikipedia)

What is your favorite quote and/or poem?

Happy Valentine's Day!!

This post is not reading, beading, or even knitting related!! While Valentine's Day may be a "greeting card company" holiday-it's still nice to celebrate with someone you love. For the single people out there (or even those in relationships)-love can be found on many different levels-the love you have for your significant other, your family, friends, pets....

This year my husband surprised me with an evening at the Kortright Centre. We had never been there before, but he had been looking at the website recently as somewhere to take visitors. We had dinner, followed by an evening hike/walk on part of a trail, and ending with a bonfire. It was made even nicer by gently falling snow-that ended up coming down fairly heavily, but it was quite warm outside!! This was the first time that my husband planned everything out without any input from me and it was amazing!! He even rented a car!!

We really enjoyed ourselves and are planning on going back to the Kortright Centre, maybe this spring for their Marple syrup festival, but definitely in the summer!!

scarf knitting 101

Another non-reading or beading post:

My grandma taught me how to knit a LONG time ago. I tried to make a scarf. But it was too tedious so I gave up. Hopefully this does not happen again.

After two knitting lessons I am well on my way to making a scarf. Now that I can knit AND purl (is that how you spell it?), I am really enjoying knitting.

I think I might still like crochet better, but that may be only because I have more experience with crochet.

As you can (hopefully) see in the picture to the right, I'm using a yarn that changes colours throughout. In "my heart of hearts" as Bronwen likes to say, I have ALWAYS wanted to make something with yarn like this.

I've only been working on this for a few hours, so I'm not sure how long this will take me. I still need to focus with this "pattern" because I have to switch between knitting and purling....so my plans for wine drinking and knitting tomorrow night should be interesting.

Canada Reads Review: Nikolski

Nicolas Dickner's Nikolski is my 4th of the Canada Reads Books, and so far, my least favorite. The "About this book" section on the Randomhouse website says: "Intricately plotted and shimmering with originality, Nikolski charts the curious and unexpected courses of personal migration, and shows how they just might eventually lead us to home. "

The description that continues there sounds like the makings of a GREAT book, but there was something missing for me. I didn't connect with any of the characters and honestly wasn't all that interested in finding out what would happen.

I did like the idea of Noah's mother traveling cross-country in a station wagon and trailer, well, more like cross-prairie. I was fascinated by the way they tried to keep in touch by "guessing" where to send letters and postcards-although that would NEVER work for me!! Even if I could imagine myself living out of my car with no plans ahead of me, I would still want to arrange a more structured way to keep in touch!!

I think I may have read through this one too fast, because it feels like there was something missing in this story.

It's been 16 days since I said I was going to start the Canada Reads Challenge-I think 4 books in 16 days is a record for me! I'm waiting for #5 (The Jade Peony) to come in at the library (it's been "In Transit" for a few days). In the meantime I have a book club meeting next week so I need to start reading that book!

So my blogger friends, what book(s) are you reading? Any suggestions for me?

Canada Reads Book Review: Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott

I REALLY enjoyed this book!! There is a quote from Elizabeth Hay (another great author--> Late nights on Air) on the back cover of Good to a Fault, "...a wise and searching novel about the fine line between being useful and used." PERFECT!

The basic plot: 40 something loaner Clara gets into a car accident with a family (with 3 kids and grandma) who are living out of their car. The mother ends up in the hospital with cancer-not accident related injuries-so what does Clara do-invites the rest of the family to "stay" (live) with her.

While I can't EVER imagine welcoming strangers into my home to live, I adored Clara. I really felt like I was in her head. Endicott does such a good job of allowing you inside Clara's thoughts-like how she seems to think she has no right to feel her feelings-she's always tearing apart her initial reactions to things/people/situations, or how she seems to feel unworthy "She couldn't even be sick successfully". Clara doesn't-or can't-view her actions as kind or good, because she constantly feels like she's not doing enough.

The way Endicott wrote about the children and their feelings, fear, loyalty, happiness...amazing!

I also really liked the theme of "goodness" throughout.

It was heartbreaking at different times, and in different ways at the same time-for all of the characters involved. I liked this book from the first paragraph to the very last.

Definitely my top pick of the Canada Reads books so far!! I still have Nikolski and The Jade Peony to read though!

(Great interview with author Marina Endicott here)

knitting!!!

I took a crochet class about two years ago and have been enjoying making blankets and little animals off and on ever since. I recently saw a pattern for a cute shawl thing-but realized it was a knitting pattern NOT crochet.

What's a girl to do- take a knitting class and drag a friend (Marcia) along. We had a really fun time and caught on pretty quickly. I feel like it's taking a lot longer than crochet, but that's probably because I'm still getting used to manipulating 2 needles instead of one.
I'll post a picture after our next lesson next week-we'll see how far I get with one ball of yarn!

Are there any knitting (or crochet) fans out there?

"It looks like you bought it!"

While I was off sick last week I did a whole lotta reading, and finally a little bit of beading! I haven't felt inspired lately so haven't made much. I received (most of) these beads for Christmas from my aunt (and uncle too!) and wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I finally just started putting a few different beads together with the intention of making another bracelet, but then decided on earrings when BAM! Inspiration hit and I made this lovely necklace.

My husband actually said "It looks like you bought it....not so.....crafty". Thanks? I love and I've worn it 3 out of the past 4 days. This is usually what happens when I make a new piece of jewelry!