So What did I Read?

I'll have to admit, I did not finish very many books for the read-a-thons!

For the Irish books, I read

the children's book Under the Hawthorne Tree about the Great famine.  

I read about the famine in another book and I must say that Great Britain has a great deal to regret in it's treatment of the Irish ( and the Scots, and the Welsh and . . .)  Every country has things to regret in it's past-the US has slavery after all- England has more than most!

The book is lovely, now I need to get the other two books in the series to read.

I also read Everybody Matters: My Life Giving Voice  By Mary Robinson. You know the first female President of Ireland.  The one who put the light in the window of the President's Mansion to welcome the Irish diaspora back home.  What a remarkable woman-really glad she decided NOT to become a NUN!  I often feel a bit like I haven't done anything important in my life when I read books about amazing women.  I did have a moment or two like that before I realized that I would not have ever chosen a life like hers.   It's wonderful book-I could hardly put it down.

Here's to you Mrs. Robinson!

For Dewithon-that's the Welsh read a long I did even worse. (By DNA I am 35% Welsh and know absolutely nothing about Wales-must fix that!)

 Mostly because of this book,

It's a very well written and well researched historical fiction of 12th Century Wales.

It's also 702 pages of Kings, Princes, allies, enemies, wars (mostly fought east of the Channel), betrayal, vengeance, intrigue Etc.

I am a finisher, I rarely do not finish a book.  I might take a while to get it read but I do get it read.  Try as I might I could not finish this one.  It was just too much for me to keep straight and enjoy so I was forcing it.  I did make it to 83% complete (Kindles do not have pages) but I could kind of see where it was going and just gave in and gave up.  I won't be reading the other two books in this series either.

I did like this one!

Full of stories of ghosts, lakes, disappearing islands, mermaids, and stories of places in Wales.

Not a guide book, but a fun read.

The as yet un-read books will go on my list for April along with some pre-ordered books that have hit the Kindle while I was reading these!

Yellow

I had a call for help early last week!

Ryan had yet another day out of school-he hasn't had a full week since before Christmas.  Snow days, not enough teachers days (too many out sick) and inservice days!

So I went to Columbia to play with him on Wednesday.

Well, I drove down on Tuesday.

Usually, when I go to Columbia I leave early and drive through as I know I'm coming home that same day but this time I stopped at THREE quilt shops along the way!

Looking for YELLOWs for Lucy Boston.

I found quite a few!  Maybe enough even!

I also brought home a few that I just could not resist!

I did have a ball playing with Ryan and Izzy!

Now, I need to wash all this new fabric and go sew!

 

Finished and begun

The Enchanted Sleigh is finished!

Well, it still wants framed but all the stitchery is done.

It will go nicely with the two other Santas I have stashed away in my Christmas boxes!

Once upon a time I made most of my clothes, and quite a lot for my children.

In the last few years that has fallen by the way but since I pretty much hate what is available in the stores I decided to begin again.

That said it's been 12 years since I made myself anything so I'm starting small!

With some new Aprons!

Cute fabric and slow stitching while I remember how to do things.  

I have the fabric for three, then it's on to a simple dress.

I think I'm going to enjoy this.

P.S.  I am still planning to work on quilt WISPS but no new starts for a while.