Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Greenhouse Gardener's Companion: Growing Food and Flowers in Your Greenhouse or Sunspace by Shane Smith

I'm trying to learn how to use -well, not a proper greenhouse - more of a season extender. I picked up Greenhouse Gardener's Companion: Growing Food and Flowers in Your Greenhouse or Sunspace by Shane Smith. This book has EVERYTHING you could possibly need to know to be successful at starting, raising, and even overwintering plants for food and beauty.

Kathi Linz

Organic Crops in Pots: How to Grow Your Own Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

Organic Crops in Pots: How to Grow Your Own Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell has great ideas for using readily available containers to grow everything you love to eat.

Kathi Linz

Crops in Pots: How to Plan, Plant, and Grow Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs in Easy-Care Containers by Bob Purnell

I'm starting to think ahead to spring. Crops in Pots: How to Plan, Plant, and Grow Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs in Easy-Care Containers by Bob Purnell gave me some excellent ideas for ways to expand my garden space, plants that I might grow differently, and different plants that I might grow. Blueberries in a pot. Who'd have thought it? I'm glad someone did and then shared it with the rest of us.

Kathi Linz

Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne and translated by Jordan Stump

Looking for a classic to read, I picked up The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, translated by Jordan Stump. Although I'd never heard of this book, since it was written by Jules Verne & since the back of the book claims that some consider it to be his masterpiece, I decided to let it fill my desire for a classic & started reading.

The book follows the lives of a handful of men & a teenage boy after their hot air balloon drops them on a deserted island. The group is very knowledgeable & hardworking & so is able not only to survive in their new environment but to live an enjoyable life with many unexpected amenities. The author goes into some detail about the science & mechanics of how these amenities are achieved on the island.

I liked the characters & enjoyed their camaraderie. (I admit, though, that the group's complete & often-vocalized trust in the engineer of the group was a little irritating.) I also found it enjoyable to imagine the places on this imaginary island & the small world that the group had created for themselves.

A warning: This translation by Jordan Stump includes an introduction by Caleb Carr. This introduction includes the solution to the mystery that is mentioned in the book's title so if you don't like spoilers, don't read Carr's introduction until after you've finished the book. I wish someone had warned me!

Monica Boyer

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

From Needles to Hook: Complete Guide to Converting Knit Patterns to Crochet

From Needles to Hook: Complete Guide to Converting Knit Patterns to Crochet is put out by the Needlecraft Shop. It purports to show you the method of changing knit stitches to crochet.

What I like about the book is that it lays the knit pattern next to the crochet pattern and you can choose to work your piece either way.

What I don't like about the book is that, while it says you can use crochet stitches to make something that looks and feels like knitting, the actual texture of the work will NOT feel like knitting. A single crochet stitch is constructed in such a way that it will always be thicker and heavier than a knit or purl stitch.

If you want a similar look, you can come close with these ideas. If you want a similar feel to knit material, learn to knit.

Kathi Linz

P.S. Same for From Knit to Crochet: How to Get the Look and Feel of Knitting with Crochet! also put out by the Needlecraft Shop.