Author Archives: Annie

About Annie

Welcome to the Curious Mind Garden. My name is Annie, and this is my little patch of cyberspace. I post about things that interest me, and I find a lot of things interesting. :)

365 Somethings Project: Week 10

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I have absolutely no progress to report this week. My youngest son ran a high fever for five days until a second trip to the doctor and an x-ray revealed the cause: pneumonia. The good news is that he responded quickly to antibiotics and began improving within two days.

I thought about racing into my office today and tossing together my last bracelet, hurriedly coloring another project, or attempting to get a few rows of knitting done, but I didn’t. I spent this week just exactly how I wanted: reading aloud to my son by the hour (The Mad Scientists’ Club, Stuart Little, The Swiss Family Robinson), making a dozen trips each day up and down the stairs for ice water, and checking his temperature through the nights. When the antibiotics began to work, I caught up on some much needed sleep.

The point of my project is to enjoy what I have. To race today to meet some imaginary deadline defeats the purpose. If I were feeling particularly philosophical, I’d say the urge to do so is simply my perfectionism rearing its ugly head in a new and different way.

And so, I report honestly that my project didn’t move forward this week, but it will next week. Until then. . . .

Book Review: Why Poetry

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Why PoetryHave you ever shaken your head in frustration after reading a modern or contemporary poem, certain you didn’t get the “real meaning?” Matthew Zapruder’s Why Poetry? will convince you to try again. In his book of essays, Zapruder argues that poets do not write in coded messages. Instead, poetry can be understood by anyone by starting with the meanings of words and relying on the power of association, leaving room for leaps of imagination and the possibility of a “central unsayability.” Written with an awareness of our current political situation, Zapruder eloquently contends that, for the very reason that poetry relies on ways of understanding that are not purely logical or rational, we need poetry now more than ever for its ability to help us create a space where we can bridge the many divides we face.

For the reader or writer of poetry and for the person simply seeking a way to be in the world in these troubling times, Zapruder’s essays will prove enormously compelling and thought provoking. This book simply should not be missed.

(Originally reviewed for a free copy of book for Seattle Book Review.)

365 Somethings Project: Week 9

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I get bored easily, so I decided to change things up a bit this week.

1.  Ashley cowl: DONE!

Ashley Cowl – Done!

I think this is next on my fiber agenda, if only because I need the bright colors at this time of year. I picked this kit up a few years ago at Knit Purl in Portland, but I’ve been a bit intimidated by the pattern. However, the time for intimidation is over. Besides, what’s the fun of a project without a bit of a learning challenge?

Onami Cowl Kit

2.  Beading: I swapped the Color Workshop this week for two beading kits that I had tucked away a year ago. They made a nice change of pace, and I have one more to complete, but I think I’m ready to start creating my own bead combinations.

Bead Kits

3.  WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: This week’s challenge topic is A Face in the Crowd. Truth be told, I’m not thrilled with my entry. Then again, I can say that people never figure in my art or photography. So, I think mediocrity was probably my fate on this one.  🙂

Have a great week!

Book Review: Journal Sparks

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Journal Sparks: Fire Up Your Creativity with Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive ThinkingIn Journal Sparks, Emily Neuburger delivers exactly what she promises. This delightful book simply brims with ideas to fire up the reader’s creativity with “spontaneous art, wild writing, and inventive thinking.” Organized around seven themes, including invention, color and construction, wordsmith, and journal making and hacking, each section uses colorful photographs, illustrations, and guest journalers to provide numerous prompts to spur the reader’s own creativity. For example, Neuburger suggests making a visual record of the day, creating and naming new colors, and creating alphabetical lists of interesting things. As an added bonus, Neuburger includes over ten double-sided, pull-out pages of collage paper and stickers to nudge the reader to begin. However, what makes this book really stand out is Neuburger’s abundant enthusiasm for creative journaling that is so apparent in its pages. That enthusiasm is contagious and will make it hard for the reader to resist trying at least a few of the prompts. For the person who fears the blank page or the experienced journaler looking for new ideas, Journal Sparks is an excellent choice.

(Originally reviewed for a free copy of book for Manhattan Book Review.)

A Little Snow, A Little Sun, and A Camera

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Last night, we received a nice layer of snow or hail, depending on which of my sons you ask. Today, the sun came out, providing all the excuse I needed to head out of doors with my camera.

Hummingbird & Chickadee

Leaf Buds in Sunlight

Tiny Blossoms

365 Somethings Project: Week 8

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I’m pretty happy with my progress this week, so let’s get right into it.

1. Ashley Cowl: I think I see the end in sight, and I like what I see! (And I can legitimately start pondering the next project. *she types with a happy gleam in her eye.*)

Ashley Cowl progress

2. Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop: This week’s project involved stippling, or taking a gel pen and dotting the page until you start questioning your sanity. Truth be told, I’ve never been a real fan of pointillism, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’m not fond of stippling. Bottom line: I completely agree with Rachel’s comment that it provides a nice texture for the mushrooms and I see that it provides a great deal of control for both mixing colors and creating lighter and darker areas. I’m glad I understand the technique, but I’m pretty sure it will make rare appearances at best in my work.

Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop Stippling Project

3. WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: I also post an entry for this week’s challenge. The topic was “Sweet.”

Overall, I feel like I accomplished something this week, and it does seem the challenge keeps creativity in the back of my mind throughout the week. Probably most important to me, I’m noticing that, whenever I’m working on something for my challenge, I generally have a feeling of satisfaction. That’s good information to have when planning the rest of your life. 🙂

Book Review: A Well-Timed Murder

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A Well-Timed Murder: An Agnes Lüthi Mystery (Agnes Luthi Mysteries)A well-known watchmaker, Guy Chavanon, dies at a reception at his son’s boarding school from anaphylactic shock resulting from his peanut allergy. Was it just bad luck, or was it murder? Chavanon’s daughter insists her father was murdered because he was an eccentric genius who had made a great discovery. Others argue that Chavanon was mentally unbalanced. Agnes Luthi, barely back on the job from her last case, dives immediately into the intriguing, but tight-knit world of Swiss watchmaking. Alternating between a glamorous trade show and an exclusive private school, Luthi deftly sorts numerous loose ends, while occasionally tangling with her mother in law, dealing with her own grief, and trying not to think about the handsome, wealthy gentlemen who seems to be ever present. In A Well-Timed Murder, Tracee de Hahn has written a well-paced murder mystery in an alluring setting that will keep the reader interested and guessing until the end.

(Originally reviewed for a free copy of book through Netgalley.)