Happy Wednesday! Today I’m linking up with Kat and friends to share what I’ve been reading and knitting lately. I didn’t post last week so there are a few books backlogged. And now that I’m sharing the chapter books we read aloud at home, I have a better idea about just how much I read in a typical day (hint: a lot more than I thought I did).
Finished Reading in the Last Two Weeks:
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
This series was recommended to me by Mary – thank you! This was a fun story about a little boy named Elmer Elevator – a cat tells him that there’s a dragon trapped on an island and Elmer runs away from home to rescue it. My kiddos enjoyed the story and were excited to learn that there are more books in the series!
The Ember Stone by Katrina Charman
This book series was recommended to me by my librarian. A young owl named Tag and his friend, Skyla, are on a mission to save their enchanted forest. This book was full of adventure and I’m looking forward to more in this series!
The Plains of Passage by Jean M. Auel
I am so torn about this series and still — I’m invested in Ayla and Jondalar’s story and know I’ll continue. I listened to this on audio and was able to fast forward the awkward graphic sex scenes. This was an epic journey to Jondalar’s home, across bountiful plains, frozen tundra, and over a glacier to get back to Jondalar’s family. I kept trying to picture the current day landscape – along the Danube River – and what it must have been like so many million years ago. I’m excited to start the next book.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
This was exactly what I needed right now. When the author was diagnosed with a devastating illness, she was forced to take time off from work. This was a wonderful compilation of ways to step back and take care of yourself – told from the author’s own experiences and from the research she’s done on renewal rituals practiced throughout time and place. It offered me a fresh perspective about my own season of wintering – right now.
Elmer and the Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
This was the second book in the My Father’s Dragon series that we just finished yesterday. Elmer is on his way home with the dragon, but they got sidetracked by Feather Island – the home of all the world’s lost canaries. Elmer and his dragon stop to help the canaries cure their curiosity about the buried treasure on their island. There’s just one more book left in this series and I’m excited to get to it.
Finished Knitting
I finished my Hermione Every Day Socks two weeks ago – you can see from this picture that they’ve already gotten quite a bit of wear thanks to the fuzz buildup on the soles of the feet. They’re too big. I typically knit socks with Size 0 needles and 60 stitches. I stuck with the Size 0 needles, but this pattern called for 64 stitches. I didn’t think that 4 extra stitches would have caused such a problem, so my gauge must have been off in other ways as well… and still – they keep my feet warm and are an especially good height for my big snow boots, so I’m getting good use out of them.
I’m happy that I managed to write today’s post and am relieved to get you all caught up. I can’t wait to visit other Unravelers and see what you’re working on this week. I hope to be back tomorrow with an update on my Stay At Home Round Robin quilt – see you then!
The Cozy Burrow 
I like those socks! I have printed out the pattern and have the yarn ready to go… I am waiting until I depart Sleeve Island to cast on! 🙂 I love that you are sharing what you and your kids are reading together. Best reading ever… with kids!
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I love your recommendations for kids chapter books. My granddaughter is getting into read aloud chapter books, and when I get to read– I love playing all the parts.
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Then I think you’ll love My Father’s Dragon – there are lots of fun characters to play! Enjoy 🙂
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I’m so glad that you’ve been enjoying books with your kiddos! I miss the days of reading to my daughter, though now we read our own books together/at the same time, which is a different sort of happiness.
I’m sorry the socks are too big — they are really pretty! Four stitches doesn’t seem like a big deal, but in my usual gauge, that’s about half an inch, which is plenty to make a difference in fit.
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Those extra 4 stitches are the reason I unraveled and started over and it does make a difference! My Father’s Dragon was a popular book in our home when the girls were little. Have you read the Kate DiCamillo books? Our girls love the Tales of Desperaux. They also like the Redwall book, cannot remember the author.
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I’m glad you caught your error and was able to fix it!! We LOVE Kate DiCamillo and have read a few of her books. Thanks for the reminder about returning to herself at the library. And I’ve been thinking about diving into the Redwall series with them and have taken your comment as a sign that I should try it. I never read it as a kid and always wanted to… That’s another good thing about reading aloud so much – it gives me a chance to read some of the books that I never got around to when I was young 🙂
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I am always looking for books to gift to my grandchildren so it is fun to see what you are reading to your kiddos. I am also a 60 stitch sock person. So nice to meet another. I’m glad you can wear them under your boots.
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fabulous socks, look very warm.
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I’m so glad y’all are enjoying Elmer and the Dragons (Juliann suggested it to me last summer). and woot for those socks! Sending all the good mojo for another good week of books and making 🙂
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