I started reading when I was very young. Before I started school, I could read. I was enamored with books. I would ride my little blue bicycle to the library and check out books. As many as I was allowed to take home. I always participated in the summer reading program, usually finishing the required number of books in record time. You know the programs, read 5 books or ten books. I would read 20 or more. Books took me to places I had never been. And books taught me most of what I know about knitting.
I started knitting when I was 5 years old. I knew how to do the knit stitch, and I knit miles of garter stitch. Then my 3rd grade teacher taught me how to purl. We were allowed to bring hobbies to school on certain days to work on. And of course, I brought my knitting (by the way, my friend brought her crocheting and that's when I learned to crochet. She was making a ripple afghan.) Anyway, back to my story. Luckily for me, my teacher was a knitter too. She took the time and taught me how to purl and the door was opened. And I started checking out knitting books from the public library. I learned almost everything I know about knitting from those books I brought home. I poured over those books. I knit clothes for my dolls. If a store was going out of business, I would talk my parents into going in, and I would go look to see if there were any knitting needles on sale. I probably had a complete set of needles by the time I was ten years old in every size. Nothing scared me about knitting, because if I made a mistake, I ripped it out. I learned a lot of things by making mistakes and reading those books. You know, I never took a knitting class until I was 40 years old and went to Stitches West. And wow, who would have known they offered knitting classes?
Anyway, why am I thinking about this? My recent project reminded me of a book I checked out when I was a child. I would often check out books by the Brother's Grimm. And I loved Cinderella. In the book, Cinderella gets a blue dress from her fairy godmother. And that dress was trimmed in ermine. Oh, did I want a dress like that. And a floor length cape. Oh, a girl could dream....
So, in the past week, I cast on the Shawl of Cables from Vogue Knitting, Fall 2009. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/05-shawl-of-cables I had purchased some Alpaca with a Twist Highlander and in colorway 0096 Birch. And when I cast on the shawl, that's when I noticed it. I was knitting my cape, well shawl in yarn that looked like ermine. And it took me back. Back to my little blue bicycle, and checking out books, and Cinderella's blue dress trimmed in ermine, and imagining being a princess. Hmm...
I still love libraries. I'm sitting in one right now. With my sons. A great place to be.
Books read since my birthday:
#2. The Purrfect Murder, A Mrs. Murphy Mystery, by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown
And what does chili have to do with Cinderella? Well, nothing really, except I made white chili in the crock pot today. And it's at home finishing up. I really don't even like chili, but this is white chili. And I threw a half can of chopped jalapenos in it. The boys said it was good, but hot when I gave them a taste test before we left for the library. And, I'm thinking I might like this chili.
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces Soy sauce (to coat chicken, about 2 TBSP)
48 oz jar Great Northern Beans
14-16 oz jar salsa (w/ corn & black beans works great)
8 oz Monterey Jack Cheese
8 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
1 soup-sized can of chicken broth 1-2 tsp cumin (to taste)
Directions: If you have time, coat chicken in soy sauce and bake at 350 until cooked through.
I would add the jalapenos.
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