Early June Happenings and What I've Been Reading...

I've come to really love my Kindle. Brad got it for me for Christmas a couple of years ago. I wasn't sure how much I would really use it. I've always been a reader, and part of the reading experience to me has always been the feel of the pages beneath my fingertips and the smell of a new book. Neither of those things are present when you're reading on an electronic device.

The thing I've grown to really love about it, is the that I can snuggle up in bed and read without bothering Brad with a lamp. And since most of my reading is done at night, having my Kindle means that I've been able to read a lot more than in my pre-Kindle days.

I just finished Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Wow. You must read this book. It's a hard read at times, but it's also such an encouraging book, seeing God's hand on Zamperini's life as he suffered through trials that really should have killed him. I finished it the other night, and now I'm trying to decide which book to read next. I have Far from the Madding Crowd
a classic that I got for free on my Kindle. But I also have several print books that I've been wanting to read: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy; Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther; 1776

I guess you could say that I like historical books and autobiographies. That genre seems to be my first choice. I've also been listening to Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless Godby Francis Chan on Audible. Oh my, is this book good. Convicting but good. I need some good conviction from time to time. We all do. Another good book I just read is Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography by David Platt. I read it to go along with the Bible Study our Wednesday night study group is doing. It's a great, motivating, eye-opening book for Christians. There's also some deep, hard stuff in this one as well.
I've also been listening to Middlemarch on Audible. That's been an on-going book for the last year, mostly listened to while I'm knitting or crocheting. It's a LONG book. But it's a classic, another favorite genre of mine.
Oh, I do love to read. What are you reading?

Our Vacation Bible School is next week so I'm busy wrapping up last minute shopping and preparations. Unfortunately our family (minus Brad so far) has succumbed to a cold virus. I'm PRAYING that I'll feel decent for next week. I direct Bible school, but I also lead the opening and closing portions of each night's events so I'm really praying that I can quickly kick this virus' behind. I'm power-loading on vitamins and trying to get adequate sleep.

Last night we had our first "entirely-from-our-garden" salad. It was yummy. Several lettuces, arugula, radishes, and scallions. Yum. Topped with my homemade maple balsamic vinaigrette dressing, it was delish. And I can just imagine all of the good vitamins that are packed in all of those green leaves!

The things of a frozen winter...

We awoke to another thick, deep coating of snow this morning. Actually, we woke up to blizzard-like conditions. It was another one of those snow squalls that decreased visibility so drastically that I could hardly see the road from our front window. It was a crazy night of weather. The wind howled all through the night. There was thunder and lightning (yes, in the midst of a snow storm.) And the weather that occurred through the night and morning reminded me of a book I read in sixth grade, Winter Thunder by Mari Sandoz. For some reason, that book really left an imprint on my mind. Perhaps it was because my sixth grade English teacher had his students write alternate endings (illustrated and all) to the story. Perhaps my young mind found it stunningly traumatic. For whatever reason, I remember the book well.

Speaking of books, I am currently reading The Hobbit. Ian has been begging me to read it for the last year or so. I started it when I was down with the flu and, admittedly, it's been slowing going since getting better. For the simple fact that now that I'm feeling much better, I've been keeping myself quite busy with playing catch-up. I'm really enjoying the book. Honestly, I didn't think I would. It's not the typical genre of literature that I would pick. I'm more a fan of literary fiction, the classics, and historical fiction. However, Ian recently received The Hobbit movie, and I am most certainly one who must read the book before watching the movie. Besides, I really do want to be able to understand what he's talking about when he endlessly chats on about the dwarves, Gandalf, and Middle Earth. I'm only afraid it's just begun, though, as he's already urging me to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy next. I'm not sure if I'm up to tackling that large of a project right now!

Oh and that also reminds (writing about books and all), I recently joined Goodreads. I'm enjoying keeping track of all the books I've read and recording those that I want to read in the future. I'm also really enjoying seeing what my friends are reading and hearing  everyone's point of view on various books. Are you on Goodreads? If so, I'd love to check out what you've been reading. And feel free to share any good books. I do enjoy getting book recommendations from friends.

I finished the Honey Cowl over the weekend. I just need to get a picture of it so I can post the finished item on Ravelry. I just cast on for another hat for Brad. The last one I made him was made with a sock yarn so it's not warm enough for these frosty days we've been experiencing. This time I'm using a worsted weight yarn, and I just happened to have a charcoal colored yarn on hand that I'm using for this hat. I also just finished a crochet project that I've made for someone special, but I can't share that one just yet. 

You know, knitting, crocheting, and reading have really been wonderful pastimes this winter. In fact, Brad and I were just having a discussion this evening that was evoking some anxiety in me. I ended up switching the topic to the new hat I was knitting for him. And then I realized why. Knitting soothes me. It calms me. When I'm feeling anxious, the click-clack of the needles and the soft yarn strung through my fingers has such a calming affect on me. And with the long days spent inside during this exceptionally cold, frozen, snowy winter, I've been so thankful for yarn, needles, and books. (Oh, and a hot cup of decaf coffee!)

Right now, I'm sitting in the old rocker in front of the front window, looking out at the birder feeder and the snowy expanse that is our front yard. It's 6:00pm and it's still light out. The children are outside playing in the huge piles of snow. The fact that it's still light out is quite exciting to me. I'm so looking forward to the longer, light-filled days that are just around the corner. 

However, in the meantime, we will warm our hearts with good books, time spent together, and God's blessings. And we will warm our bellies with hot pots of soup and warm cups of tea. And so I shall aspire to spend these winter days resting up for the busy spring season that will soon enough be upon us.