The Lies that Bind by Kate Carlisle

Book 3 in the Bibliophile Mystery series. Just as fun as the first two.

Sisters, the Next Generation 2011

Following the lovely tradition begun in 1991 by Ray's sisters (all the sisters and sisters-in-law and my mother-in-law get together for a long weekend once a year, sans children and husbands), we have Sisters, the next generation in our own little family. 

We started Friday night. I drove down to Provo with Audrey to pick up Beth and Debra. First on the agenda, food. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen:

Beth, Debra, Audrey, Diane

 After that we went to see the movie 17 Miracles. It is the story of 17 miracles that occurred in the Martin and Willie handcart companies and their journey to the Salt Lake Valley in 1856. Ray's 4th great grandfather, John Linford, is mentioned in the film. It's very well done.

On Saturday morning we were up bright and early and went to the Draper Temple together.

Debra, Diane, Beth, Audrey

 After the temple we pampered ourselves with a pedicure.

Beth, Audrey

Debra, Diane

The finished products

 Then home to work on some projects (mainly our family photos from 2010) and watch Jane Austen movies. Well, Emma. It was the new version, which I hadn't seen. I loved it.

Sunday we went to church then home for more photo work and just being together. Monday was our last day together and the husbands and kids met us at Austin and Jen's pool for a little barbecue and swim time on the 4th.

We played Hand and Foot as many times as we could fit in, between photos and the movie and Xactica.

Debra, Audrey

One of our traditions is to give a gift. We give the same gift to each attendee. Here they are:

Sisters Gifts

I gave everyone this year's Caldecott (A Sick Day for Amos McGee) and Newbery (Moon over Manifest) winners. I also picked up a scarf and little cell phone purse in China for them.  Audrey gave us each a bar of Zote, which is spectacular for getting out stains. Debra is going to make all of us quilted camera straps (hers is the demo in the photo),and Beth gave us a cheese grater from Ikea. 

It was a grand time. I already can't wait until next year!

Debra, Beth, Diane, Audrey

If Books Could Kill by Kate Carlisle

Book 2 in the Bibliophile Mystery series. Just as fun as the first one.

How can you go wrong when it involves a bibliophile?

Baby Quilts

1 layer cake (Dinosaur Uproar by Cheri L. Strole for Moda)

+

1 piece of fabric from my stash          

=

2 new baby quilts

With another new grand-nephew on the way it was time to make another quilt. I found a free pattern online at www.pieplatepatterns.com called Taffy Pull.  The pattern makes a good sized lap quilt from a layer cake. Instead I chose to make it into two baby quilts. The pattern was fast and easy, and no fabric waste. 

They turned out bright and cheery.

Quilt completed: June 2011
Size: 33 inches by 44 inches
Pattern: Taffy Pull by Pie Plate Patterns
Fabric: Dinosaur Uproar by Cheri L. Strole for Moda, and some cute Michael Miller fabric

I know the picture is fuzzy. I've got to take my camera in...

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle

This book was a fun discovery. I think Amazon recommended it based on other purchases I've made. So I went to the library and checked it out.

The setting is San Francisco and Brooklyn Wainwright is the main character, who happens to be a bookbinder. Aside from the main story, there is a delightful side part that talks about rebinding and repairing old books. I found it fascinating. It's a nice change from the plethora of cook and caterer sleuths.

My brain just doesn't want a large challenge right now, and my reading has turned to being truly recreational. Hence, I foresee several "book candy" choices ahead - more mysteries, and perhaps a romance or two. Summertime usually means biographies to me, but I'm not sure I'll be able to concentrate enough on them. We'll see.

A Quilt for Baby Elna

 My niece Lucy just had a baby girl. A giant 10 lb. 3 oz. baby girl. I've been so excited for this baby to come I could hardly stand it. Lucy named her new daughter Elna Fae; Elna for Lucy's mom, and Fae for Brian's mom. What a treat for the two moms!

I made this quilt right after Christmas then put it away until my quilting retreat last April. I was hoping to get some quilting ideas, and I did. Unfortunately I only have a photo of a little bit of the quilting on the border. Oh well. It was a delight to make from start to finish.

Date finished: May 2011
Pattern: Madeline, a Schnibbles pattern from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.
Size: 30 inches by 30 inches

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Kate Morton can spin a tale. This one is intricate, and pretty well told. There were a few occasions where I just wanted her to get on with it, but in the end I liked it.

She has a gothic style to her writing. She also wrote The Forgotten Garden, which I read, and enjoyed. I think if I had to choose, I prefer The Forgotton Garden, but The Distant Hours comes in a close second.

The Untold Secret of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I loved this book the first time I read it, and every time I read it thereafter. It's a classic, and deserves to be. If you haven't read it, you should.

However, during this morning's reflections while in my own garden, I realized that this book can be misleading.

We have a "water feature" in our backyard. A pond with a shallow waterfall/creek that runs to the pond. It is beautiful, and I love the sound of running water. Rather, it is beautiful when it has not become overgrown into a state of possibly being mistaken for a rain forest in Brazil.

I tackled that area of the yard this morning and managed to clear a path about one foot wide and six feet long. It was then I realized how I had been hoodwinked by The Secret Garden.

While in my tender, impressionable years I was led to believe that with a very little effort, and excitement at the very possibility of working to clear out a garden, I would be able to do so in no time flat. Ha!

1. Look at the book cover shown above. Now to me that looks like the finished product, not what was completely overgrown.
2. Obviously Mary had never lifted a finger to weed before in her life. Otherwise she would have realized the impossibility of doing the task.
3. Dicken. Now I'm wondering what onerous task he was avoiding at home to find clearing out the secret garden to be more enjoyable than that task.
4. It's hard for me to believe that they were able to do all that themselves with so little help. It must have been a very low maintenance garden to begin with.

These are the kinds of things that run through my mind as I work in the yard.

Time to get some books on tape. Or at least something to listen to so my mind doesn't wander too far away and never come back.