This is the summer version of the seasonal series I’m working on (Snow Bird was the first one).
I made a few changes to the basic pattern but I was grateful to have a starting point (from Pam Kitty Morning).
Summer
A Star Called Henry
Author: Roddy Doyle
I needed a new book to read on Texada so I pulled one from the cabinet. The one I pulled (and started reading) was the last in a trilogy; by the time I realized that and did some research I realized we had all three.
It took me some time to get into the story but by the end I was hooked. Henry’s mother lost a child named Henry; she would point to the sky and tell everyone that he was one of the stars. This book is about another son, also called Henry, who takes an active part in the Irish rebellion. For most of his life he is a wanted criminal – both by the English and his Irish comrades.
Although not the light read of The Barrytown trilogy I still enjoyed it and have made my way into the second book of this series.
Goodreads Rating: * * *
February
Author: Lisa Moore
Pat picked this book up off the for-sale stand at the library. He knows Lisa and said he thought it was one of her best books. I knew it was a contender for Canada Reads but I didn’t realize it was a winner.
The story follows Helen, the widow of one of the 84 men who died when the Ocean Ranger (an oil rig off the coast of Newfoundland) sinks. The story bounces back and forth between the time before the disaster and the time after. What stood out most for me were the character descriptions – I felt like I knew them all by the end of the book.
Goodreads Rating: * * *
Scarf
I use my fabric scraps to make dog pillows for donation to the SPCA. The tiniest scraps go into a pillowcase and when it is full I sew it up and drop it off at their facility. I was at the thrift store one day looking for pillowcases and saw two balls of yarn that I couldn’t resist.
When we were last heading to Texada I remembered that I had a new chair over there and thought I should take some knitting along, just to see how the chair worked for that craft. It was awesome and I finished the scarf in just two short days. It is just garter stitch but the yarn gives it a nice texture.
This will be part of the donation I make on Mum’s birthday.