50 Shades of..."Oh my..."

What do you think of when you think of a knitter?

(Real knitters need not answer...

you already know you're a vital, vibrant

and exciting woman!)

Sadly, many people conjure up an image

somewhat like the one above when

they hear the word "knitter."

I spent this Sunday afternoon sitting on my porch,

Walkman ear buds firmly fixed in my ears,

knitting, of course.

Do you see me above?

Here's the rub --

I've been listening to the

50 SHADES trilogy.

(I'm actually about mid point of the second book.)

You cannot have missed the hype about these books:

NY Times bestsellers,

labeled "Mommy Porn,"

explicit sex scenes,

dominant/submissive relationship,

etc., etc., etc.

So, combine your image of a knitter

with someone listening to those books.

It makes a funny picture, doesn't it?

Here's my take on it.

When reading these books you've got to

remember to separate fantasy from reality,

DO NOT expect Jane Austin,

and prepare to be...

"Oh my..."

(I will never be able to hear that expression again 

and feel the same way about it.)



From My Book Shelf--WILD

WILD by Cheryl Strayed will impress you with it's honesty.

This is  the memoir of Strayed,

 who at the age of twenty six, is "lost."

She is dealing with the death of her mother,

four years previously.

She has had a failed marriage.

She is dabbling with heroin in her present relationship.

Impulsively she decides to undertake a 1100 mile solo hike

of the Pacific Crest Trail

in an attempt to,

"come to terms with her life."

The Pacific Crest Trail is a wilderness trail.

It is rugged. 

There are bears, rattlesnakes,

scorching sun,

snow and ice.

Added to those are her

too heavy backpack,

(her description of trying to physically lift

her pack after loading it with her supplies,

is laugh-out-loud funny)

boots that aren't the right fit,

hunger and thirst,

and her total lack of experience as a hiker.

Before her first night on the trail,

she had never backpacked before.

Image of Strayed on the trail

from Google Images

But Strayed has true grit.

She puts one foot in front on the other

and makes the trek.

She shares her trials, 

her achievements

and her experiences.

I fully recommend this book.

It was a gift from my daughter for my birthday.

When she gave it to me I thought to myself,

"Okay... not really into hiking,

but I'll give it a try."

After the first couple of pages,

I couldn't put it down.

(Thank you Kate, loved it!)

New Bags!

I've had a really productive week sewing.

I've just listed in my Etsy shop

three bags

in my newest fabric combination.

The Large Tote

The Katherine Bag

The Small Project Bag-- a favorite of sock knitters!

There's also a matching

"Tag Along Bag."

I tucked this little bag in my large (heavy) purse

when I went to to NYC a couple of weeks ago.

It's what I carried when Kate and I were

out and about and it was really convenient!

From My Book Shelf--THE HYPNOTIST



Just today I finished THE HYPNOTIST by Lars Kepler.

Normally I'm not a crime fiction reader,

but this was on a book list and was available,

and I'm like Mikey, I'll read anything...

This book had me from the first couple of pages.

It is creepy, dark, scary and has so many

twists and turns it's hard to keep up with them.

It's a debut novel by husband and wife team,

Swedish writers,

Alexandra and Alexander Ahndoril.

It is very much in the tradition of

Strig Larssen's  GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO series.

There are actually two main story lines

which do not begin to merge until the latter half of the book.

The book begins with a gruesome triple murder of a family.

The only survivor is the teenage son, who is so badly injured

he is unable to answer questions about it.

The investigating detective, Joona Linna

enlists the aid of Dr. Erik Maria Bark,

a hypnotist to break into the boy's subconscious.

If you like suspense and have a strong stomach,

I recommend this book.

Just keep in mind,

nothing is as it seems in this book...

Red, White & Blue, the Perfect Salad for the 4th



For me, one of my favorite things about summer,

is the watermelon.

I like to keep it cut into bite sized chunks

in the refrigerator all during the season.

It's the perfect snack,

side with a sandwich for lunch,

or even for dessert.

When buying watermelon, did you know

you should look for a lighter colored area

somewhere on it?

That's a good indication it has ripened in the field.

Also, opt for the heaviest one you can get.

In additon to the uses above,

you can make a pretty salad for your

4th of July table.

Watermelon, Blueberry and Feta Cheese Salad

In a large bowl, mix together:

2 cups watermelon, cubed

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 small onion, chopped

Shake together in a small jar,

juice of 1 lemon,

2T. extra virgin olive oil

Pour over and toss with the watermelon.

Sprinkle 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced

over the top.

(The blueberries are all hiding!)

Happy 4th of July!

This week I'm linking with

Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm