Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Stitching for Winter Reading for Spring

With a fresh dusting of snow this morning - how about a mitten report


I've been working on Trilogy's "Wonderland".  The border is done - and looks great if I do say so.  Now on to the Cardinal and finishing up the mitten.  

Spring must be on the way folks!  Today an Oregon Cottage is hosting the first Tuesday Garden Party of 2012.  Besides lusting after numerous plants and seeds in catalogues and on-line, the winter Garden months are best spent reading about gardens and gardeners.  


My sister introduced me to the writings of Joan Dye Gussow, a professor and nutritionist; who in the early 1970's, tracked the environmental and health hazards of an increasingly globalizing food system.  While most of my gardening is 'ornamental', fruit and vegetable writings resonate as I become more and more interested (concerned) about food provenance, GMOS, Monsanto, and other food related issues. You can read more about Joan here and here.  I highly recommend her two books - they should be read in chronological order - "This Organic Life" then "Growing Older".

For a much lighter read I recommend "A Blessing of Toads" by Sharon Lovejoy.  This collection of short essays originally appeared in the magazine "Country Living".  The essays are charming and upbeat - an appreciation of the many critters who dwell in Sharon's garden.  Wonderful illustrations too.

13 comments:

  1. Hello!

    I love your trilogy Wonderland piece it's lovely.

    I hope Spring is coming too.

    Thanks for the book titles - I'm off to see if I can get the Sharon Lovejoy one for my Kindle.

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  2. Great job! I stitched that piece and I know how much work that border is! I gave mine away in an exchange. How stupid could I be? I don't even think the person appreciated it.

    I started stitching it again. I don't think I have the courage to do that border again!

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  3. I always liked Sharon Lovejoy's articles in Country Living--thank you for sharing the book title! And I will try to look up the other author--her topics remind me of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, where she talked about toxins-potential carginogens- in the environment. Hope spring arrives in your neck of the woods soon--supposed to be warm here in the next couple of days! I spent the winter updating the blog--it has a fresh, new look!

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  4. Love the title Blessing of Toads. I don't really care for toads. So....

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  5. Yes, I would enjoy the essays.

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  6. Well, another chart I have to stalk down for stitching! Looks very nice so far!! Going to have to check out that author for the healthy gardening, and then the Lovejoy book--I probably read some of her from Country Living now and again! Hugs!

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  7. Loved "This Organic Life" when I read it years ago- I never realized she had written a follow-up! It's going on my library list, for sure.

    Thanks for sharing- love your stitching, too - as always. :-)

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  8. I just bought A Blessing of Toads, and it's wonderful.
    :)

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  9. A mitten and a red cardinal, can't get much cuter! Looking forward to seeing a finish of this, and hopefully some spring blooms from your garden.

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  10. Your trilogy Wonderland is really looking pretty. The border looks great. Thanks for the book suggestions. They look very interesting.

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  11. Love your new start!!! Looking good!

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  12. You've reminded me that I've this kit buried somewhere in my stash! Having seen your lovely start I must go dig it out and think about stitching it.

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  13. Thank you so much, Beth, for leaving such a nice comment at Minerva's Garden--I appreciate your support!

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Thank you all. I appreciate that you've read my blog and are taking the time to comment.