Sneaking in

169. Keeping Unusual Pets: Snakes by Sonia Hernandez-Divers

Unlike the rest of this series, which basically take a double page spread or two to give general information about the animal, and why one might or might not want one as a pet, this one is up to page 14 before it assumes you are getting one, and is still suggesting careful thought. It also has lots of pictures of snakes eating (dead – it strongly discourages live feeding) rats and mice, and doesn’t sugar-coat what is entailed. Snakes have the potential to be very dangerous, even the small non-venomous kind.

Finally a picture of one of the potholders I’ve been working on. The green one and the pink one are now done (each in a single colour) and I’ve begun another in plain ecru (presuming I have enough of it). I’d like to do another each in green and pink, so there’s a pair for meat, milk and parev to give to my friends. I’m able to get one and a bit done on my commute (including both ways) at the moment, it seems, which is great.

Nurturing Environments

I finally got back to my log cabin blanket last night, as even though it’s big, it was the only single bag project I could find to take along to the group last night. We were back in Starbucks after the renovations, but in a different section, as they haven’t put back ‘our’ tables yet. I don’t know is this temporary or long term.

152. Shining Star by Chani Altein

This is a sweet but thought-provoking character novel, about Adina, the ‘ordinary’ middle child of a very talented family, who feels she should do something to make her stand out of the crowd, even though the many good qualities she puts to good use generally require the personal connection to be appreciated.

Adina has the support network of family, friends, teachers and neighbours we could all use, and enjoys the giving aspects of that just as much as the receiving ones, but that doesn’t stop her having some hard decisions of her own to make and stick to along the way.

153. Eco-Action: Buildings of the Future by Angela Royston

Scary-because-it’s-clear-and-upfront information on global warming and how our buildings do and should impact upon it, including lots of suggestions for small-scale changes. (Turning off lightbulbs, proper insulation and also writing to politicians to encourage the larger-scale changes.)

A good incentive to finish my blankets and shawls, and reduce the use of heating this winter!

154. Keeping Pets: Mice by Louise and Richard Spilsbury

Mice don’t need many lessons in insulating their homes – pet ones simply need to be provided with the correct materials! I never fail to be surprised how small mice really are; the pictures in this book do make them look very cute indeed.

155. Physical Science in Depth: Heating and Cooling by Carol Ballard

And here’s how it all works, through freezing, boiling, deposition and sublimation, to affect every substance and creature out there.

Scurrying around

I’m about to begin a Mystery Shawl, courtesy of Tracey. She’s been whetting our appetite over on the CLF board at Ravelry, and has just put up the first fourteen rows. What with the moving malarkey, the yarn I’m intending to use is here, but my hooks are over at the flat, and it’s Friday afternoon. I do need to go over there, as some of the veg I want to cook for Shabbos is there, so I’ve written the first four rows of the pattern out on paper. I’ll take over the yarn, and whatever else I can manage (it’s on cones, so bulky), do those rows quickly, if I can, and then bring back the veg and get ready for Shabbos!

143. Keeping Unusual Pets: Chipmunks by Belinda Ogle
144. Keeping Unusual Pets: Chinchillas by Tom Handford
145. Keeping Unusual Pets: Ferrets by June McNicholas

I wouldn’t expect any of these pets to get along with the cat my flatmate wants us to get, but apparently things like that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Still, we won’t be having rodents by choice, no matter how beautiful some of them are. (And yes, ferrets are mustelids, rather than rodents.)

Each of the books in this series follows a standard format of chapters and pages, but the varying animals and authors come through vividly. I was intrigued that the chipmunk book suggested using some food and accessories intended for chinchillas, whereas the chinchilla book made the animals sound quite different from chipmunks!

146. Martin Luther King by Rob Lloyd Jones

This book mentions Rosa Parks once, whereas the Parks one mentioned King a few times. (The books are from different series, authors and publishers.) I suppose King comes across as a more general leader. He’s an interesting figure, and this book is a good read even for adults, although it’s written to be a fairly easy read. I would recommend it to older children and adults for whom reading is newer than it might be.

Still Reading

Three more books for you today, which should have come in somewhere during the last crochet/moving posts. I’ve found a tube from which to make a spool for the strap(s) of my gardening bag, but haven’t had a chance to actually make it yet.

126. Only a Show by Anne Fine

Beautifully illustrated (by Strawberrie Donnelly – isn’t that a great name?), this is about one of those small difficult episodes in the life of a shy child that adults or the supremely confident could also do with reading for added sensitivity. Anna’s class teacher gives them all a week to produce a five minute performance of their choice, and terrifies poor Anna, who is one of those children who quietly rubs along at the back of the class, never showing the talents she displays so abundantly at home. Her little brother Simon wants her to give a puppet show, just as she does for him every night before he goes to bed, but she isn’t confident enough to do it, so she considers a few other options along the way. She gets her grandmother to teach her to knit as something she might show her class, and that becomes significant later on. A fun book for progressing readers and their families and friends.

127. Keeping Pets: Dogs by Louise & Richard Spilsbury

Lots of information about how to assess the capacity of one’s family to look after a dog, and then if they can, choosing and looking after the pet, training and generally committing to it. I do like this series.

128. Tell Me About Sojourner Truth by John Malam

Sojourner Truth is one of those heroes of the Abolitionist movement in America 150 years ago whose name I have known forever. Still, that sentence about wrapped up my knowledge before yesterday. This is a short biography of a woman I think I’d like to learn more about. I hadn’t even realised she chose the name Sojourner Truth for herself when she began working for freedom for all.

Bookworm

50. Drawing Now : Eight Propositions by Laura Hoptman

An exhibition catalogue (and more) from the Museum of Modern Art, New York in 2002. 26 different artists were put into eight different categories (propositions). I read and perused most of this some months ago, but finished it today. Again, learning more about the state of modern art (and Modern Art).

51. Keeping Pets: Cats by Louise & Richard Spilsbury

I read and discussed the Freshwater Fish volume in this series yesterday, and this one is similarly well put together and written, with the same focus on the needs of the animal for proper care.

52. Great Britons: Leaders by Simon Adams

Each of the twenty ‘great leaders’ receives a double page spread, with chronological details, a picture or two (all in black and white) and a very short biography. On most spreads there is also a box with either an anecdote or a couple of lines on other figures of related interest. They are pretty much all the usual suspects (monarchs up to the modern era, then influential politicians, basically). It does make the effort to include both Scottish and Welsh figures of note, rather than just English (and explains that it isn’t including Irish characters from anywhere on the island).

53. The 1930s Scrapbook by Robert Opie

This is a fascinating series, in large format hardback (the quintessential coffee table book), with very short written explanations on each spread of the commercial packaging and advertising shown, showing how fashions and social feeling changed over the decade or period in question. I really like seeing how similar and different the products, brands and styles of advertising are now and then.

54. Step-Up History: Mary, Queen of Scots by Rhona Dick

This is one of the Scottish-focussed volumes of the Step-Up History series, and gives the details of Mary’s life, including the complicated politics she was involved in her whole life, with the impact that had on what would become the United Kingdom(s), and the other major figures involved. (The kind of stuff I mostly learned from and because of the historical fiction I read, it has to be said!)

Unpracticed Knowledge

47. Keeping Pets: Freshwater Fish by Tristan Boyer Binns

This is a very informative book, aimed at children considering and/or planning keeping freshwater fish in their homes. It gives the positives and negatives clearly, and stresses the care fish need to be healthy and content. It doesn’t downplay the costs involved and repeatedly reminds a new fish owner to make good use of the expertise of their dealer and local enthusiasts. (I amn’t knowledgeable in the area myself, so I can’t verify the information, but none of it seemed bizarre at all.)

The book would need a confident reader to tackle it alone, but it could be used as a family resource and would not be a bad starting place for an interested adult. In fact, remove the few references to getting an adult to help (with lifting large amount of water and using electrical equipment) and it would be a perfectly acceptable book for grown-up beginners too.

48. Get Writing!: Write that Report by Shaun McCarthy

I mentioned the poetry volume in this series last week, and I actually think this one is better, perhaps because it is tackling a form of writing that is easier to instruct and assess, as it has a common form (at least introduction, argument/explanation, conclusion, with variations), and a specific purpose, neither of which poetry needs to have. Anyway, the book is well structured with interesting exercises.

49. Positively Postcards by Bonnie Sabel and Louis-Philippe O’Donnell

This book is pretty much aimed at quilters (another craft I’ve thought about but haven’t yet tried) who want the opportunity to show off their skills more quickly and flexibly, with a smaller commitment of time and supplies, than making full quilts allows.

The book begins with a description of this craft variation, then lists suggested tools and supplies, then has a very detailed set of instructions, including a step by step walkthrough of a specific project. Nearly half of the book is a gallery of Sabel’s postcards, each with a short commentary on its inspiration and/or suggestions for the theme. Her ‘postcards’ (some of which she even gives framing tips for) really are beautiful.