Hello August!

We are creeping closer to Fall, however slowly. Today’s post will be a rush job yet again, but I am trying to be a consistent blogger and that means breaking the ice in messy ways. I’m going to keep it simple again and focus on home stuff, knitting, and reading. Maybe there’s a nifty acronym hiding in there somewhere that I can start using?

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Home Stuff:

We are finishing up our third week of learning at home. This week’s history lesson was on the Sui Dynasty of Medieval China, which only had two emperors: Wen and Yang (father and son). Emperor Wen started the building of The Grand Canal, which connected the Yellow and Yanghtze Rivers in the midst of a terrible drought in the northern part of China. We made Chinese fans which were fun and frustrating.

Another highlight from the school week is that we’re still reading One Crazy Summer, which is about 3 sisters from Brooklyn visiting their mother in Oakland, CA in the 60s. They are deep in the Black Panther movement and we’re learning about Bobby Hutton and Huey P. Newton as well as social movements being used for change. How much change? I’m skeptical about the progress we made during the second half of the 20th Century given our current situation. But the only choice we have is to keep moving, right? The book is excellent and gives us a lot to talk about.

Colton has also finished his third week of summer school and I’ve only gotten one call from the school nurse. That is an accomplishment! (The sensory swing fell on him despite it being installed for years and having no issues. Weird things happen to him and its a relief when those things also happen at school. I feel much less crazy when it happens with the professionals too.) He has two more weeks left and then he’ll be off for a week and a half before the school year officially starts. And then we’re off to the races!

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Knitting:

Remember when I put aside twelve skeins of yarn and planned to use them throughout 2025? Well, that got waylaid in February when we busted at the seams around here. But I have finished my February socks! This is deep stash – Cherry Tree Hill in Misty Moor. I’m excited that they’re off the needles and folded in my sock drawer, just waiting for my snow boots. And I’ve started my March socks, which is the opening picture. This is another Cherry Tree Hill skein called Turtle Cove.

I was hoping to finish the front of my Lettuce Mint sweater, but didn’t quite get there. Progress pictures next week!

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Reading:

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I read a variety of books in July but can’t say that many of them were very memorable, now that I’m looking at these graphics. Here’s a few quick words about each:

• Tali Girls by Siamak Herawi: A book about three friends in Afghanistan. It was difficult to read: it alternated between horrifying and heartbreaking. But I was rooting for those girls and loved how beautifully the author described the country.

• The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman: I love the world of The Golden Compass and was excited to revisit Lyra as a student at Oxford. This was a globe trotter though, which was fun but I love the Oxford setting so much.

• Fox by Joyce Carol Oates: would not recommend to anyone. Dark and disturbing. JCO used false accusations in the most dramatic and harmful ways, which doesn’t help young girls speak out. I had decided I was done with JCO before this novel but I saw everyone rave about it and chose to pick it up. I should have trusted my instinct!

• Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie: 2018 Women’s Prize Winner about an immigrant family trying to get their brother home after he got caught up as a jihadist (long story). It was fascinating and the ending was jaw dropping.

• Rosarita by Anita Desai: a young woman learns about her mother’s hidden past while studying in Mexico. Very short, beautifully written.

• The Bewitching by Sylvia Garcia Moreno: probably the most memorable of the month for me despite not getting the highest rating. Loved this creepy ghost story that reminded me of one of my favorite movies: The Skeleton Key. Fun Mexican folktales and witchery woven throughout — perfect for the upcoming fall weather!

• The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar: lovely little fairy tale about the love between two sisters. Nice little diversion.

• Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green: The history of tuberculosis and why it continues to thrive in the world (spoiler: racism).

• Cutting Season by Attica Locke: a mystery set on a contemporary plantation that’s rented out for weddings and events. If you enjoyed watching that plantation burn down earlier this summer, this book is for you. And Attica Locke is one of my favorite authors!

Now I’ve started making my way through the Booker longlist that was announced earlier this week. Maybe more about that next week?

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And that has been my week! Yesterday was rainy and today is nice and cool, so we’ve spent quite a bit of time outside already. I have a donation with The Red Cross this afternoon to donate blood (my fourth of the year, still shooting for a perfect one), so I’m hoping my hemoglobin is high enough to get the job done. This weekend will include working at the library, chasing children and a puppy, and hopefully reading and knitting. Plus, keeping everyone fed and the house clean enough to be livable.

How about you? Weekend plans? Any good books or exciting crafting projects on the horizon? Whatever is on the agenda, I hope you find ways to fill your bucket. Take good care.