Wednesday 9 March 2016

Yarn Along


Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Knitting and reading are so comforting aren't they. When the wind is howling, rain is lashing against windows or when things aren't quite going as they should there is a soothing rhythm in the needles and an escape to be found in the pages.

I'm pressing on with my purple basil scarf. You can see it's gone a bit stripey where I've started the new darker ball - two rows old ball, two rows new ball. You will remember that we are calling this a design feature.

I've just finished Barbara Kingsolver's "The Poisonwood Bible". Absolutely phenomenal. From the back of the book:

"Told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959, The Poisonwood Bible is the story of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa. They carry with them all they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it - from garden seeds to Scripture - is calamitously transformed on African soil."

Leaving America's Deep South, they are completely unprepared for life in a jungle village. Writing through the eyes of the girls and their mother, Barbara Kingsolver relates not only a tale of their daily life in rural Belgian Congo but also a story of the horror of colonialism, the post-colonial crisis and the arrogance of missionaries. It is a definitely a story that needed to be told, and it's a book I can't recommend highly enough. I'll leave you with the first paragraph, which has stayed with me.

"Leah Price

We came from Bethlehem, Georgia, bearing Betty Crocker cake mixes into the jungle. My sisters and I were all counting on having one birthday apiece during our twelve-month mission. 'And heaven knows,' our mother predicted, 'they won't have Betty Crocker in the Congo.' "

30 comments:

  1. I actually love the design feature of the scarf, such beautiful colours together. It hasn't stopped raining here either, only the ducks are happy...

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  2. The colour of the scarf is beautiful, and I absolutely love The Poisonwood Bible. I really must re-read it again.

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  3. The colour of your scarves is one of my favourite colours ever. I must re-read The Poisonwood Bible, it has been a long long time and I can't remember much. Soon you'll be able to sit in the garden and knit and read, isn't that an exiting thought? x

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  4. My mum was a great one for knitting and reading. I just stick to the latter! Flighty xx

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  5. Barbara Kingsolver wrote a book about her family's year of sustainable living that I think you might enjoy. Very interesting details about living off the land and buying locally without much prior experience.

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  6. I am very much liking your design feature ;-). I am also thinking I might have to try Barbara as I keep hearing folks raving about her xx

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  7. Like Flighty's mum, my mum could knit and read at the same time, although it had to be a hardback novel from the library so it stayed open on her lap. I can just about knit or crochet and listen to the radio/ watch boring TV - if it's going well. Maybe I missed the multi-tasking gene ... Love the colours of your scarf and the BK novel sounds very interesting. The audacity contained in that first paragraph is mind-blowing, definitely one for the list.

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  8. What a pretty yarn! And the Kingsolver books sounds absolutely fascinating - I have added it to my to-read list.

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  9. Such pretty colors! It's going to make a wonderful scarf.

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  10. Love the sound of that book. Never read any Barbara Kingsolver so I think I need to look her out. Your design feature is working well, much better than mono colour :) I agree wind and rain howling and lashing here too, just about to start a few more rows. B x

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  11. Your scarf looks lovely. "The Poisonwood Bible" is one of my all-time favorite books.

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  12. I loved The Poisonwood Bible and unfortunately lent my copy to someone who never returned it! Barbara Kingsolver is just about my favourite author. Have you read The Lacuna? I loved that too.

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  13. Must give this author a go, have just read The Shadowy Horses by Susanna kearsley, never read any of hers before but very good, about a dig for a Roman camp, sounds boring but I couldn't put it down.
    Briony
    x

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  14. Sounds an interesting tale CJ. I do like the stripey "design" of your scarf, great colour!
    Caz xx

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  15. i love your scarf! I love stripey knits like that, and purple is one of my favourite colours.
    I am wearing a soft pink scarf mum knitted for me - this morning felt distinctly autumnal! we are moving towards the cooler months for sure.

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  16. Thanks for the book recommendation--happen to be headed to the library tomorrow!

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  17. Your knitting looks so pretty. Can't wait to see the finished product. That book looks good. I just finished my 6 book series so am adrift in the reading category until I figure out what to read next. I'm thinking the Outlander books of which I have on my shelf but haven't read. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  18. A design feature unique to you - how lovely. Love the colour of your scarf & yes knitting along with a good book are wonderful things to do in bad weather. Inside in the warmth of course xx

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  19. The PB is one of my all-time favourite books. Monumental. Your scarf is looking lovely. I like the design :-) Sam x

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  20. I love this book CJ - I own it and have read it at least two times. So much food for thought and amazing the way she can write one story with so many distinct and different voices.

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  21. Beautiful colours in your scarf and I love the design feature!

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  22. Your scarf is looking fab and I think the design feature 'makes' it. I remember reading The Poisonwood Bible for book group and really enjoying it. You paint a very cosy picture - knitting and reading while the weather does its worst. Enjoy the rest of the week. xx

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  23. Gosh that sounds like an amazing read! I hope that you enjoy it. xx

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  24. That scarf is so beautiful. I don't know what it's supposed to be, but I love the way it is knitting up. The color really pops against your book. I'm glad you're finding comfort in the two greats of knitting and reading :)

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  25. I a not a reader anymore and am happy to let it go for a while but I loved the look of your yarn, the colours are blending so well.

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  26. Hey CJ,
    I'm so glad that you loved the novel. It's one of my favourite reads ever. We've been blessed with rather balmy weather this week. I even had to take my coat off whilst walking the dog today. It felt weird. Your scarf looks lovely. Have a lovely weekend.
    Leanne xx

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  27. Love that book, love it, love it, love it. I'm glad you do too. Your scarf is my favorite color. :)

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  28. Love your scarf dear C.J, the colours are lovely.
    Happy Sunday
    xoxoxo ♡

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  29. I love the colour of your scarf. I borrowed the poisonwood bible from a neighbour years ago and i'm ashamed to say i have not read it AND i still have it. It will be next on the reading list!

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  30. The colour of that scarf is just gorgeous, so deep. I've never read The Poisonwood Bible. It's a book I've been meaning to read for so long, I really must get on and read it, especially after a recommendation like that. Xx

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