On the Hook and a Book

With the weather sticking stubbornly and so beautifully to Fall, I am once again drawn to my hooks to create coziness. With now four projects going on in crochet land I find it amusing that I would want to start another. But then I go out for a walk or to the market and see all of the cool, lumpy, cozy, fuzzy, multitudes of sweaters and scarves and headbands to be made and I get the itch to start another project! With sun shining, green leaves still on the trees, and no snow on the ground it's hard to believe that it is December and Christmas and the Solstice are right around the corner. It is an exciting time of year to say the least.

Recently I have decided to give up my nightly movie (I have been doing too much screen time lately) and go back to my oldest and dearest companion while I work...books. I love to read! I am a voracious reader and with three kids, homeschool, and a business to run I have many times neglected this passion of mine. So I return to the folds of my hook and my book happily slipping into the rhythm of my hands moving yarn and my imagination creating new worlds to explore. For today I work on a Chunky Christmas Sweater for my oldest and read The Immortal Highlander by Karen Moning.

Yes I have been sucked into romance land but who can pass up a grown up style fairy tale? For me today, as in many days, life in it's simplicity is very good.

Now Reading...

There are times when my appetite for new knowledge, or old knowledge revisited, is insatiable. I fill up my basket and my cloth bags with book after book after book until I have reached the limit of my library card. Some of these reads are just passing glances, books that appeared more than what they truly offered. Some of them , though, I find fascinating. Books that really get my attention, shift my view, or teach me something new and useful are books I believe I should share with you. Since in California I am unable to have an Amazon Associates Account which would allow me to share these books with you in an easy to access format, I will do my best to make this a helpful medium for finding good things to read!

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate diCamillo
Labor Pain by Nicky Wesson
The Well-Adjusted Child by Rachel Gathercole
Parenting From the Inside Out by Daniel J Siegel M.D. and Mary Hartzell M. Ed
Handmade Home by Amanda Soule
Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning by Judith MacKenzie McCuin
Teach  Yourself Visually Knitting by Sharon Turner
Beyond Time Out by Beth A. Grosshans PhD
Half Magic by Edward Eager
Magic or Not? by Edward Eager
Start Spinning by Maggie Casey
The Bread Bible by Beth Hensperger
Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway


This is just a small list of what I am currently reading. I hope you find these books as interesting to read as I have. If you find that there is a book in one of the pictures which I did not mention leave me a comment and I will do my best to return a comment with that information in it. Happy Reading and a Happy Tuesday!

Finding Patience Lost

"Before I had children I was a great parent"...or so the adage goes. Though I would like to think that on many days I am a great parent, there are those days when I have to wave the white flag of defeat and wonder where I went wrong to cause such commotion in my house.

When my first child was born I was a veritable saint. My patience saw no limits and my energy was without bounds. (He moved to live with his father before the birth of my second so it was like I was starting from scratch as a new mama.) With my second child, I still felt as though I had the tiger by its' proverbial tail. Though some days were a rough finish I knew I was doing good. I felt like I had it all under control. When my partner and I linked our lives, a sweet little girl of 6 months came with him. Though there were (and are) unique challenges to a child being raised in more than one household, things were still chugging merrily along. Then I got pregnant with my youngest and I must say things have definitely shifted.

 Though I am still a lovely mother, it seems I have lost a bit of my savvy, my shimmer, my edge. My patience has hit an all time low. I am more of a grumbly mommy than I ever knew I could be. I know I am not perfect, but it took me quite by surprise to see how much of my mommy shine has dimmed. So what is a mommy to do? Read, read, READ! I have become the guru of parenting books. I find that some days, when the baby has cried all night and the older two won't stop bickering, practicing patience is much easier with a script written by someone else!


I have read many books recently on this subject but my favorites are...


Buddhism For Mothers
Raising Your Spirited Child
Above All, Be Kind
Momma Zen
Unconditional Parenting
Non Violent Communication
Everyday Blessings

These books are like a gift from heaven! It's not that they teach me how to parent or how to be peaceful. What they do is remind me that this and everything else I need to raise sweet, loving, wonderful children lies within me and always has. These books are like maps for within on the journey of finding patience lost.

On days when you feel like you need a little assist what do you do? What books have helped you?