Larkspur’s late birthday chicks arrived last week and they are happily living in my bathtub now. I had sworn that we would set up a brooder somewhere else this year, not wanting chicks and their accompanying mess in my bathroom, but convenience won out. For about two weeks I do enjoy having them there. I am mesmerized by chicks and could sit and watch them for hours. But once they turn into stinky, partially feathered, teenager chicks, I’m ready for them to move somewhere else.
I finished Larkspur’s Quill hat. I enjoyed knitting it, and she has been wearing it ever since. I think the pattern suits her well. Oh! And I finished listening to Middlemarch, all 34 hours of it. I loved it! I’m going really big with my next audiobook. It’s 60 hours long! Guess what it is! Your clue is that it is fiction and considered a classic. I’m already struggling to find time to listen and wondering how in the world I got through Middlemarch.
My girls and I are listening to Johnny Tremain in the car. I don’t know what is wrong with my brain, but this must be the third time I’ve read or listened to it, and beyond the burn on Johnny’s hand, it’s like a brand new story! It’s such a good one, and I definitely prefer it as an audiobook to a read aloud.
My baby brother Dan and his wife, Ruth, are coming for a visit tomorrow. I haven’t seen them since their wedding over three years ago, so I’m pretty excited! Of course, I should have spent the day cleaning but instead, I worked on all sorts of other things. I am not a huge procrastinator except when it comes to housework. Good thing I have a team to help me.
p.s. I have been pretty focused on getting my shop well stocked with playsilks (there are even more listed now than last time I mentioned them) but I will be having a shop update in the next couple of weeks with other things such as a few shawl kits (this shawl) along with scarves and swaddles. I’ll give you some notice before I list everything. I’ve been getting lots of messages about scarves, and I hope to have a good many. I also picked up a batch of Clun Forest yarn from a farm about an hour from my house last week, and am hoping to get started dyeing it soon! I’m very excited about it!
Lionel Valdellon says
Such beautiful photos! The first one does something to my heart as it reminds me of my 3 kids who are at roughly the same age, and who do their school work together — when they’re not fighting, that is. Lovely blog. Will stop by for more.
karen says
your spring is ahead of my spring! We only have daffodils just sprouting right now. You are brave to have chicks in the bathtub and I will take your word that it’s fun!!
Elizabeth says
very nice hat and so fun with the fluffy baby chicks!
Maria says
I liked the book Johnny Tremain when I was young, but recently tried to read it to my son and he didn’t like it at all. He didn’t want to continue past the first few chapters, in which Johnny acts conceited and treats others badly. I will have to try to get him to give Johnny another chance and listen to the rest of the book to see how Johnny learns and changes 🙂
Megan Wahl says
I remember vividly reading Night of the Twisters. It was terrifying (but the good kind of terrifying) and so real. Funny how that was over 30 years ago and such a clear memory. I hope she enjoyed it too!
Laura says
Chicks, so cute 🙂
Vickie says
My guess is Gone with the wind, but only because I happen to be reading it to my daughter right now. Kind of a classic and it needs lots of explaining because of the language but she is enjoying most of it.
I recommend you read or listen to a book called “Come Spring” by Ben Ames Williams. It is one of my favorites. Very sweet and historical. It is placed here in Maine but could be anywhere really. The characters are well loved and the story flows so well.
Chicks are coming here soon. Still too much snow and cold though for us.
Brittany Austin says
Les Mis is my vote as well, perhaps only because it’s next on my list once I finish Roots ( only about 10 hours left ?).
I don’t know why I’m going with two deeply sad/emotional books back to back but I have set my mind upon it already so…
Joan says
WOW! You sure have many chicks. They are adorable. Larkspur is a pretty girl . She looks lovely in her hat.
Joan
Marilyn says
Ginny the photos of the flowers are beautiful. Larkspur is a lovely young lady. So pretty.
Marilyn
Marion says
Congratulations on the Larkspur’s new chicks . Love the hat.
Marion
Stephanie says
I love the Quill hat. Are the wooden birds pictured at the bottom of your posts (scarf holder?) for sale somewhere? They would be so pretty around a scarf.
Donna says
Bleak House? Les Mis? Anna Karenina? 🙂
Jeannie Gray says
LOVE the hat! Love the color, the design and it looks fantastic on Larkspur.
Catherine says
Another vote for Les Mis. I listened to it during Lent about a decade ago, and it remains one of my favorites. Count of Monte Cristo is wonderful, too!
I had to laugh when I saw the title of Larkspur’s book. I must have read “The Night of the Twisters” twenty times as a kid. It had just the right amount of suspense.
Molly R. says
My guess is War and Peace (I did cheat and look things up on Audible). I just listened to Anna Karenina and loved it. I much prefer Tolstoy in audiobook form. I can let my mind wander during his wanderings in politics and reflections on the peasant and Russia’s place in the world…I get the gist, but reading him, I just doze off during those parts!
Susan Kuhlman says
When I was teaching Night of the Twisters was one of my starter books. I would read a few chapters and then let the kids who liked it finish it. Another book that is not often mentioned is Island on Bird Street. Another book that shows kids their power. Island was one of our whole school books one year parents told me that everyone in the family read the book including one ninety year old great grandpa. A fun project for a family is to find a nice copy of a beloved book that has illustrations to keep in the family library for future generations to read. I especially love a beautiful edition of Island of the Blue Dolphins and a edition of Moby Dick that has Rockwell Kent illustrations.
KAde says
Really like Larkspur’s hat, especially the color – beautifully made as always! I am ever in awe at how much you manage to achieve, even with homeschooling, blogging etc. You are an inspiration – and a hard act to follow! Would the book be Anna Karenina? I really enjoyed listening to it, even though it is terribly tragic.
Libby says
There’s a Sandra Boynton lullaby with chickens in the bathtub! 🙂
Happy chicks and hat to L.
Kate says
Kristen Lavransdatter or Master of Hestviken? I want to reread both of those. I haven’t been able to get into Eliot’s books. Maybe if I listened to them on audio I will. The only time I have long stretches to listen to an audio book are on long trips, which we don’t go on very often. My kids will sometimes put on a Redwall or Wodehouse audio while they are cleaning or crafting.
We’ve kept chicks in a kiddie pool in our laundry room. It’s so exciting at first and then their food starts leaving a blanket of dust over everything and eventually they start hopping out of the pool and go AWOL.
Grace says
Ginny, it is always a joy to find your latest post in my mailbox. Your photographs are lovely and I love hearing about your family. Thank you for sharing with us.
Nicole Spring Frontierdreams says
My girls just read Johnny Tremain this year. They loved it!! Such a good book.
Taryn B says
That chicken on the fence reminds me of a recent news article from my city. They wrote it up hilariously.
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/opossum-caught-on-top-of-fence-spent-hours-in-anatomical/article_2c515ba7-e4ea-5ecf-8c3e-0df28eabba3e.html
Aspen says
War and Peace? That was a great book, but did take me a looong time to read it!
Anne says
I hope it’s the Count of Monte Cristo. Best story ever!!!
Melissa Lessard says
Agreed! Count of Monte Cristo is incredible!
Lisa says
Is it…..Les Mis? 🙂 So glad you liked Middlemarch…..have you seen the series from the BBC?
Ruth says
Oh, Ginny, I so love reading about your days and you sharing your memories with us all. I’ve revisited your brother’s wedding – such a joyful occasion – and that led me to you visiting with him in Washington and I could go on and on reading and looking at your beautiful pictures. Thank you again for sharing your life with us.