Time keeps on slipping, slipping
If anybody says the word “August” to me I shall scream, ’Enry ’Iggins, I shall scream. It’s simply Not Possible we are almost there.
School doesn’t start for my rising 9th grader (!!! — now it’s your turn to shriek at the passage of time) for another month, but the rise of restlessness and quarreling among my smallest fry signaled to me that it was time for the tide to come back in. We picked up some dropped threads this morning—the Shakespeare speech they were learning in June (which I was pleased to see they remembered in full, so now I get to choose the next one); our German lessons; the study of ancient counting systems that Rilla is so enjoying. “Who knew I would be SO INTO numbers?”—/endquote.
And we began the second Penderwicks book. I had a different readaloud in mind but I was shouted down. “No offense to your choice, Mom,” I was assured. “It’s just…I mean, the Penderwicks.”
Indisputable logic. We’re on Chapter 3 of Gardam Street now.
Huck is clamoring for a return to Poetry Teatime (our July Tuesdays were full of misadventure), so that’s tomorrow. And if the heat breaks, I’d like to get them doing some baking once a week. I miss baking bread. Ooh but also! A German bakery is opening in our neighborhood! I may be a wee bit excited.
I read approximately one zillion Mary Stewart novels in June and early July, and then I completely forgot how to read. No wait, that’s not accurate—I read two entire Jean Webster novels on the plane to and from San Diego. But I got home a week ago and I’ve been floating from first page to first page ever since, like a butterfly sampling nectar and not finding anything quite satisfactory. Which is ridiculous, given the size of my TBR pile, not to mention the queue on my Kindle. Hundreds of options. I keep pulling out stacks and then…not committing to anything.
I’ve been steady at art, though, and that’s not nothing. Drawing or painting almost every day, and quite a bit of embroidery. This topic requires pictures but I can’t be bothered just now, please understand. I’m trying my long ago (so very long ago!) trick of using a quick blog post (timer set for twenty minutes) as a transition between the homeschooling mom and writer-with-a-deadline parts of my day. I daren’t go a minute over.
But here—three people to visit for gorgeous needlework pictures and patterns:
• Liz at Cozyblue Handmade
• Wendi at Shiny Happy World
• Rebecca at Dropcloth Samplers
There you go.
tee+d says:
Sarah and I just took our first blog break in fourteen years of blogging books because we’ve both been in this state of butterflying for a while… and it’s getting worrying. What does it mean, that neither of us are finding anything that works for us right now, when we have so many new books on our shelves? Should we be sharing our comfort/old reads? How can we still be a part of and support the kidlit book community if we’re not reviewing every new thing that hits the stands? Is there a way to still be bookcentric/bookpositive and encourage bookitude if we can barely read ourselves?
We have no answers. But, it’s nice to know someone else is fluttering about.
On July 30, 2018 at 3:43 pm
Dori says:
I can’t believe we are where we are in summer. For some reason I am finding the pace at which the days are flying by to be particularly unnerving. I no likey. Slow the heck down, please!
I haven’t read any Mary Stewart books in ages, but I have many in boxes not yet unpacked. They were my grandmother’s copies. High time to find them and find some quiet time during this next month, the month which shall not be named. : )
On July 30, 2018 at 8:24 pm
Penny says:
I agree. July should be renamed Whooossh in honor of the speed at which it has flown by.
Enjoy high tide and poetry teatimes! I think I will have poetry teatimes all of my life, even if I’m the only one there… although the nostalgia might make me cry. But still. Poetry + Tea = Joy
On July 31, 2018 at 3:14 am
Anne says:
Yay! I hope the trick works because these kinds of posts are my favorite! :o) I’m reading through Madeleine L’Engle’s crosswicks journals this year. I’m on book 3 The Irrational Season. It is SO delightful.
On July 31, 2018 at 3:37 am
Penelope says:
Alas, the more years that pass, the faster the time stream runs …
Lovely to have a post, Lissa 🙂
On July 31, 2018 at 5:23 am
Wendi Gratz says:
Thanks so much for mentioning Shiny Happy World for embroidery! And I’m so glad you also mentioned Cozyblue and Dropcloth! I love both of their work so much!
On July 31, 2018 at 9:01 am