Saturday, June 19, 2010

I'm not a feminist, but....

Reading "The Heart Specialist" by Claire Holden Rothman was a glimpse into life before women were treated as the equals that they are today. Agnes White is passionate about all things scientific and aspires to be a doctor like her father. However, the year is 1882 and things like that are just not done. Women don't even go to university, let alone spend many years there learning. They just aren't made for stuff like that. This book is inspired by the true story of one of Montreal's first female physicians, Dr. Maude Elizabeth Seymour Abbott. It was a page turner and I highly recommend it. Many twists and turns.

Do you ever read any of the blogs in my sidebar? Josh Harris's "Mark Driscoll's: Church is not a restaurant" video clip is right on the mark. Take a few minutes to listen in.

We are having a new baby in our church next month. I made a baby sweater that will hopefully fit in the winter. It's made with a yarn that will be washable for the new mom - Red Heart Eco-Ways, in a soft light teal colour. So soft after washing.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Thank goodness for libraries

I've spoken before of my love of libraries. If I ever spend time in a new town for any reason, I usually check out their library. They are such comfortable places. Think of all the money they save us! One day I'll sit down and estimate how much money I would have spent if I had bought all the books I've taken out of the library. In my present Connie Willis period, I would be in the hundreds of dollars by now. The latest is "The Winds of Marble Arch and other stories". Short stories are satisfying to read, as they can be nibbled at here and there. This is a huge book containing 23 stories of varying lengths. Some are in the time travel vein that I've come to expect of her and others general SF. It was interesting to see how diverse her writing skills are, while keeping to the SF genre.

While camping this past week I finished off a pair of socks for a colleague/friend who recently lost her mother. They will be warm and comforting on cold winter days. Online Linie 3 Highland Color; Farbe 842; Partie 69469. Pattern: K3, P1 down the leg on a standard sock.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Traveling to other times

Science fiction - you've got to love it. SF stretches your mind with possibilities that are sometimes brain exploding. I find time travel to be that way especially. What are the ramifications of traveling backwards in time? What if you change something? What if you step on a butterfly or save a life or merely have your atoms share space with a world that didn't have your atoms in it before? When you mix questions like these with a rousing good plot, the result is a story that begs to keep you up late at night. "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis (my current favorite author) was a delight to read. Set during Medieval times, it had all the historical accuracy and engaging tidbits I love to learn about, coupled with interesting plot turns and complex characters. These were characters you became close to, laughed with and ached for. We are not solitary creatures wandering the earth - we're meant to live in community. Sometimes that isn't easy, but strengthing our understanding of other people is highly worthwhile.
Are you green? Do you carry around a reusable shopping bag? I find that the more bags I have, the more likely that I'll have one when I need it. To that end I knitted a simple bag out of soft cotton that I will feel very trendy carrying to the farmer's market, should I ever get there. Knit Picks Simply Cotton Organic Worsted yarn; Fantasy Naturale Market Bag.