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Taking Pics Tuesday 20190226


Woke up this morning to this through my bedroom window. Still snowing.

So I ran around the house with my phone taking pictures of snow. I love it. I’m sad that winter chose now to show up. But I’ll take it

From back porch looking east. Chicken pen, wheelbarrow, water spout, and porch rail.

Driveway looking west.

 

Front yard looking east. Notice guilt bushes are disappearing. πŸ˜€

From front porch toward the driveway.

 

Kali’s footprints from early morning already disappearing. She likes snow like I do. I need to get out and play but still hurting a lot so just letting my eyes enjoy the pretty.

Still snowing.

 

Played with the filters.

Look how much piled up on the rail in a couple hours.

Out front window this evening. Still snowing.

Same view with a filter.

From porch. Reflecting porch light. Still snowing.

 

Make It Monday 20190225


So the Hat Huggers just gave away 100 adult hats so our fearless leader, Carol, requested more adult hats. Here’s another in the making. Fold up brim and all knit. I love this yarn!

Here is the Costco Animal crackers jar full of this marvelous yarn. So soft I want to use it all the time.

I only have the toe of the second sock for my brother!!!!!!! See the toe of the other sock sticking out the top? That is so I can make sure that both socks are the same.

I folded up the current sock brim so you can see the finished sock I stuck inside the current work in progress.

I gave up this little hat and toy kit for the sock and adult hat but every now and then I add a few rows. The little loom holds the leg part of the brown doll like the blue and white one (that needs a matching hat). The larger loom holds the hat for a baby. I love how the yarn is striping up. By the way, the hat and doll are based on those of LoomaHat.com except I love using the baby looms of KB.

What are you working on? It doesn’t have to be knitting, just hand-made something.


Light from Other StarsLight from Other Stars by Erika Swyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now this is what I’m talking about! This was such a good book I didn’t want to sleep. I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next!

Even though the story goes back and forward in time I always knew whose point of view it was and when it was. A lot of books don’t make it very clear for those of us who ‘read’ through text-to-speech.

It starts out with the explosion of the Challenger. The main character was 11. Being an astronaut was her life long dream. I was 37. Like everyone else that year, my heart was broken. So to read of a child who shared my dreams and losses I was caught up, hook, line, sinker and all.

There is so much that happens in the book. I could only keep reading to keep the characters alive in my mind. I’m so sad the book is over. I want more! It was a nice ending and I had tears dripping from missing the book already.

I got the book from NetGalley. I am so glad I did. It was a good description that drew me to that book. It didn’t let me down. In fact, I would love to see a book two of this story. Even though it ended quite satisfactorily.

If you get the chance to read it, do so. I’m sure fellow sci-fi fans will love it!

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The thing is I wanted to go look up quotes and pictures. I don’t believe that is the point of Stream of Consciousness. And it wasted my writing time.

I guess I feel a little bad when I have to be the critic like I had to be with yesterday’s review. Here I am at the point where I need critiques of my overall book (not ready for the pickiunies). And I’m afraid. Yet as I review books I feel I have to let first of all my future self how I felt about a book and then friends. I never assume that mine is the only critique. It may not even be close to how I feel if I re-read a book later in another level of my path as a person. It is just what it is in the moment.

Often when I read a book my pain levels are high, or my brain is foggy, or circumstances in my life flavor everything I do. I try to include these variants in my reviews. I know to some people that may be a limb I shouldn’t go out on. They just want to know about the book. Not about me. But like I said above, I write these for me and share with others. I spent too many years re-reading the first part of a book thinking it seemed familiar. But no way to keep track until GoodRead came along. I share copies of my critiques on Amazon and here and NetGalley.

Is that against Internet rules to do that? I often see that people say, ‘as posted on…’ Am I supposed to say that? Why? I just copy and paste my own words. If I want to share someone else’s I try to make sure to give the author attributes so it doesn’t seem like I’ve copied someone’s work. But it seems like it ought to be okay to share my own, right?

Anyway, is there a quote that says, ‘All the world’s a critic.’ or words to that effect? That was the quote I was trying to find.

MyΒ  mother used to say, “It’s easy to criticize, harder to walk in their skins.” Something I need to remember always.

Thanks, Linda for this challenge and the prompt ‘Critic’.

Disappointed 20190222


I’m so disappointed in myself. Remember that pair of socks I have been working on for three years? Well. Not steadily. I’d work on a sock and make mistakes and frog. Over and over. I finally got one sock done and it fit my brother. I figured I finally understood what I was doing. Yay me! So I figured I’d have that second sock done by today for his birthday. I’ve been working on this sock for a week and a couple days. But here it is nearly midnight and my hands are hurting and my eyes are crossed. It ain’t gonna happen.

I said happy birthday to my brother this morning and asked if he wanted a sock and a third. He laughed.

Here’s where I am right now. I’ll probably finish tomorrow.

I don’t know if you can see that both socks are accounted for. The second is still on the look. Just finished the heel. You can see it in the first picture. The second it just so you can see the type of loom.

Well, guess I’ll mosey on to bed and start working again tomorrow. Nighty night!


Pulse (Pulse Effex #1)Pulse by L.R. Burkard
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

What if a solar EMP hit and all electronics, even in cars and landline phones stopped working and it was in the middle of one of our coldest winters? Good plot premise.

Three teen girls from the same clique at school can’t get to each other or school. Written in their points of view in their journals, first person. And not too much teen romantic angst.

Sounds like my kind of book.

If it had stayed with the above status I would have loved it.

It was a political anti-everyone that isn’t them propaganda. Gun carrying prolifers–only ours, no one else’s counts. Judgemental as all get out.

I believe the best Christians are humble and caring for others. No matter whether they think or look like me or not. ‘We are all made in the image of God.’ ‘Judge not lest ye be judged.’ ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ The christians in this book represent a lot of people who pick and choose which verses to preach believing it makes them more holy.

Stepping off my soapbox now. There were plenty of different scenarios in how folks are dealing with this new world. In real life right now, we are going through a very cold snowy winter so a lot is believable.

Hunger is the first and biggest problem in this story as there are no stores or ways to get food. As abhorrent as a lot of the book is, the writing is good and I didn’t throw it across the room because there are all kinds of people in this world and this story is from one kind of view.

Which is why I felt shooting that many people, thinking they were in the right and others who were hungry were wrong… was wrong.

What would I do if I lived through the situation our main characters were in? Is there a way as we prepare for such as this that we try to share our abundance. As we prepare we have to remember that our case of food is kept in our car or home and the catastrophe is an earthquake, volcano, or fire and that case of food is destroyed. When we are prepared but but end up the hungry ones, how would we like to be treated? I have rarely missed a meal. I can’t imagine being that cold, tired, and hungry.

Regardless of politics, I’m glad I read it. I won’t bother with the rest of the series. There are a lot better sci-fi’s to see the post-apocalypse through a more open-minded prep and love.

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One-Liner Wednesday 20190220


Moon and snow.

The big light is the moon. The other two lights are the neighbor’s porch lights. Couldn’t figure out how to avoid their house in the picture.

There. Just the moon.

Front facing north, through the window. Shadows of porch rails on snow.

Okay, not exactly a one-liner overall. But the top line was.

Thanks, Linda!

Try It Tuesday 2190219


***SHIVER AND SHAKING😟*** I just posted my first chapter of Haven on this site.

If any of you have time to read it, and comment (kindly, please) please do so. Ask what questions it leads your mind to. If you see glaring problems let me know. This was originally written in 2002 as a “NaNo” I started between Ides of April and Ides of May. And finished it in November 2002 and started Haven II to reach 50K for that month. (No the part I wrote in spring didn’t count in the wordage.)

This is the beginning of a series that was nearly telepathically told to me by the sentient planet, Herself, Haven. I haven’t heard much from her lately so my last few NaNos haven’t included Her. But I think She is tapping her virtual toes to get me working on them to share what She wants to be known.

If you want more the whole first book is on Wattpad.

Make It Monday 20190218


I have been very busy trying to finish a pair of socks. But LOOK! One is done and fits!!!!!

I tried it on my foot and it was a little bigger. My brother came in and tried it on and said it was perfect. YAY!

Now I’m working nearly non-stop on sock #2. By the way, the pattern is on the DVD that came with the sock loom (kB).

I have about an inch of ribbing done need another two inches. Now that I understand the heel and toe the ribbing is the hardest part Mostly because the loom is a little harder to handle than the round ones. I may try the CinDWood loom for the next pair. Meanwhile, my brother’s birthday is Friday. Wish me luck! Please!!!

What are you making?


The Royal Cleaner: Books 1-3The Royal Cleaner: Books 1-3 by L.C. Mawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this was fun. And different. It is because of the differences that I give it 5 instead of 4 stars.

This was an ARC that I begged to get to review. It didn’t let me down. I don’t know the author so I have nothing forcing the high rating. I liked it. A lot. In fact, I want to read it again. When you read using mostly text-to-speech it is easy to get lost. Luckily, the book was so well written that I wasn’t lost for long. Still, it wasn’t repetitive. Never boring.

There is a lot of magic. Some I wish I knew, including a dream visit situation I don’t want to ruin with spoilers. As if witch and demon relationship isn’t hard enough they are lesbian. Oh, wait, reverse that.

The romance isn’t overdone or overly codependent. What a relief! And though the main characters were fantasy beings their problems seemed human and real.

I loved Coraline but Mina and her daughter grabbed my heart.

Oh, for those that see the title and think it is about house-cleaning. Think Scandal from ABC Thursday line-up. Only not Washington D.C. The kingdom of magic. Kerry Washington would have fainted at the stuff these ladies had to deal with.

If you get the chance read this three in one book. I love reading all straight in a row like that.

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