I found an old school version of Macbeth and gave it a go. It’s full of classroom activities for (probably) high school students, which were always amusing and often helpful. Usual text with more fun. Followed it with Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth with the book by my side. #booksky 💙📚

About to take a trip around the world thanks to an afternoon’s browse at a Denver Public Library. 📚💙 #booksky

I immersed myself in the Pride and Prejudice world for a bit. This annotated edition is fantastic: if you like history, certainly, but it explains cultural/social/class nuances that reveal so much of Austen’s depth. Left page is text, right page is annotations and illustrations. Excellent. 💙📚🖋️

Library appreciation post! Probably half this pile is from the Staff Recommendations shelf. I never leave without checking as they always have something on my list, or by an author I love, or just something irresistible (hence the large pile). So I gotta focus: book, blanket, cat. 💙📚🖋️

August reads. Standouts: First Virginia Woolf! First modernist novel. I want a whole class on this. Foster and The Summer Book: beautiful adult/child relationships. I want to read everything the above ever wrote. (Well not all the Moomins.) Three graphic novels, all heavy hitters… 🧵 💙📚🖋️

I like Stanley Tucci. I like the way he tells a story. I like his voice. I like how he writes scrips for his memories. He mentions his 1996 movie Big Night, so I watched it. Ebert said “It is about food not as a subject but as a language…by which one can speak to gods”. Good stuff. 💙📚🖋️ #booksky

Creepy and brilliant: a story of obsession and “immortality” that’s maybe just desire stuck on repeat. There were a couple of chilling moments that felt very Stephen King (hell, the whole premise does). And it’s only 100 pages. #booksky 💙📚🖋️

Well damn. I listened to this book and I’m sorry I did; my brain just isn’t set up to listen this well. Actually I’m not sure there is a « this sort of book », is there? It’s a murder mystery that isn’t a mystery: the book is not at all about discovering who committed the crime… 🧵 #booksky 📚💙🖋️

I’m not sure what I just read, tbh, but I’m glad I read it. Rear Window in reverse, kinda? It’s described as a noir poem, and it’s very short—one sitting. There are two different illustrators, which is put to brilliant use. Most is written in second person. 🧵 💙📚🖋️

How did I not know about Hark! A Vagrant? I’m even from Nova Scotia, dammit. This one in particular is in the middle of a personal Venn diagram: my favorite literature meets my favorite bit of history 💙 #anneofgreengables #anneofcleves #puffedsleeves

A dip into the memoir Ducks by Kate Beaton turned into an evening of nothing else—read in one sitting. My goodness this is powerful. Graphic novels, right? A young woman from Nova Scotia, a recent university graduate, needs work. She heads to the oil sands of Northern Alberta. 🧵 #booksky 💙📚🖋️

Still knitting away on The Super Basic Tee by ohwhataknit Interesting way to approach a hemmed finish: the pattern has you step down needle size as you approach the turning row, and the step the sizes back up again. Can you see it? This is intended to reduce flaring. Has anyone tried it? 🧶

My first Virginia Woolf and daaamn I don’t know when I last enjoyed swooning over sentences this much. It’s a library copy or I would be highlighting the hell out of it. Here’s one bit: No passion is stronger in the breast of man than the desire to make others believe as he believes… #booksky 💙📚🖋️

I’m still haunted by the lovely Foster by Claire Keegan, so I gave the film a go; The Quiet Girl captured the book’s quiet, child-focused spirit. I was hoping for a less ambiguous ending, but it actually had me thinking the opposite to the book, so I’ll go on thinking what I want. 😁 #booksky 💙📚🖋️

Oh my: this little book is close to perfection. From the jacket: “A child is taken by her father to live with relatives on a farm, not knowing when or if she will be brought home again. [There] she finds an affection and warmth she has not known and slowly, in their care, begins to blossom.” 🧵

Denver Public Library appreciation! 💙 I went on a YouTube recommendation binge with my hold list in front of me. Less than 48 hours later this pile is mine. The top two are Staff Picks. After I finish The Summer Book (so absolutely lovely), any thoughts on what I should read next? #booksky 💙📚🖋️

Couldn’t put this one down. Narration style and pacing are excellent. Includes little love notes to Nova Scotia. 💙 This seems a good book club book if you’d like to gently introduce important discussion topics; it left me wanting a deeper understanding of the complex social issues. #booksky

Oh my goodness I didn’t expect to be so swept up in this story (and turned upside down and inside out). Kinda want to start it all over again. A Romeo and Juliet story (Juliet and Juliet I suppose) with all the intensity. Also Steven Universe connections that my kids explained to me afterwards. 💙📚🖋️

Super Basic Tee by ohwhata knit And it really is: in light fingering (here, Knitting for Olive Merino), which is slow of course but also very wearable. Some mindless stretches for sure but also nice finishing details. A versatile basic I’ll (hopefully) be happy to wear for a long time. #knitsky

A few books added to the shelves this summer from second-hand bookstores, thrift shops, and little free libraries. Small Things Like These is a second copy that I’ll gift to a friend. #literature

Tins full of sewing supplies are still a thing, right? This one was my grandmother’s. Over here we are rich in buttons; besides the inherited ones, we often thrift men’s shirts for the fabric, and we harvest the buttons for reuse. #slowfashion

In March I leaned more toward escapism and straightforward text. I recommend them all, if you’re tempted, except Before the Coffee Gets Cold (better idea than execution). I’m Glad My Mom Died stands out, as does Anne of Green Gables. Open Water and Orbital need their own posts. #books 🖋️📚💙 #booksky

1. I’m actually suspicious of a series, ever since I lost faith that GoT knew what it was doing. But LotR! These copies, bought with allowance money, my middle-school signature inside? They’re as real as the Velveteen Rabbit. Pick just one? Fellowship, but I hate to. #30daychallenge #books 🖋️📚💙

Shipwrecks! Any suggestions? The Perfect Storm: just stay on land Curse of the Narrows: Halifax Explosion; land doesn’t help The Wager: shipwreck, mutiny, no limes Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: treasure salvage, smart seagulls The Endurance: Arctic shipwreck, cat #books 📚💙 #booksky

Graphic novels can be intense experiences and this one is especially so. It’s a dark and dense story; the pages themselves are heavy, full, and intense. The monster theme is interesting, then turned over, examined. Excellent but I’ve had difficulty finding much hope in its world. #books 📚💙 #booksky

The cover put me off but I started this and can’t put it down. Funny fiery feminism is doing it for me right now apparently.

It’s been rough lately folks. Was comforted (a bit) to see this.

I was obsessed with this book as a small child. I’m still sad I don’t live here now. I also loved Mr Roger’s neighborhood. #books 🖋️📚💙 #booksky

A new version of the classic ❤️🇨🇦❤️ We are Canadian.

Your job is to stay calm. Your job is to watch and take notes, to go on looking. Your job is to not be turned into stone. (From Gorgon) #books 🖋️📚💙

🥕 Delightful 🥕 I needed an escape tonight. Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel gets the spirit of the novels exactly right. “I thought of my lovely puffed sleeves and took courage.” Adapted by Mariah Marsden and illustrated by Brenna Thummler. SO well done. 🖋️📚💙 #books #booksky

Library haul. 🖋️📚💙 #books #booksky

I read some books last month that I won’t forget soon. 🖋️📚💙 And Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin needs a higher category. “Somebody, your father or mine, should have told us that not many people have ever died of love. But multitudes have perished, and are perishing every hour…for the lack of it.”

I’m going to the library shortly to pick this up! I hear it’s very much in the spirit of the original (and I’m very picky about my Anne of Green Gables). Also my branch of the Denver Library has a librarian appreciation box, so I’ll be leaving a note there. 🖋️📚💙 #books

More lovely things to do today without spending a cent 💪 It’s a beautiful day for a walk in the neighborhood today, I’ll also prep for tomorrow’s early hike on the DOT. #denverorbitaltrail That means I’ll have my favorite socks (and water and a snack), because 8+ mile hikes need happy feet.

Some lovely things to do today without spending a dime. A friend loves the Dune series, which I have never read, so we are trying a Buddy Read on StoryGraph. I’m trying to improve my French by reading Le Petit Prince. I’m enjoying it a lot (but it is going VERY slowly) 🖋️📚💙 #storygraph #books

I have some lovely things to do today. None involve spending money. 💪 I just finished the second ball of Purl Soho Quill on my Tee No. 1. Next will sew down the neck and test to ensure it fits over my giant head (not in that order). 🧶 Or I might turn a heel on this sock. (More details in alt.)

> @ironstache.bsky.social

Of course he is

The best thing about shopping local is getting to know the folks behind the counter as you become a regular. My rescue dog is pretty nervous around almost all people, but the folks at our tiny pet food store notice all her progress and bravery and offer her treats when we visit. #shoplocal

Found while thrifting and I couldn’t resist. The chances I’ll be sewing a costume for a preschooler anytime soon are pretty low, so I’ll enjoy it for a bit before releasing it back into the wild. The details are killing me! 🪡

Hey, good news! Go Denver!

I just finished my first book by Han Kang (I have The Vegetarian waiting). The first chapter was captivating, but the second took my breath away. After finishing the tears flowed a while. “It happened in Gwangju just as it did on Jeju island, in Kwantung and Nanjing, in Bosnia… (1/3) #books 🖋️📚💙

If you are in Denver, this article shows ways to support your local community—not just during the strike but all the time. Time to shop places that might have the owner (who is your neighbor) behind the counter. #shoplocal

If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice ’95, please be aware of this delightfully ridiculous one-man-show version. His face is excellent, the costumes are something (wet shirt scene in to come in subsequent video), and it’s the all comfort + silly I want right now. #booksky 💙📚

I have no interest in supporting the NFL (or all those dammed commercials) but I definitely have a half time show to watch

Finally made it to the hem of my Tee No. 1. With the sleeve holes on stitch markers I didn’t bother trying to try it on sooo 🤞 #knitting 🧶

Let’s go #bannedbooks

I ate toast; everyone noticed. #catsky #dogsky

Mike Littwin: Forget the distractions. We can’t lose focus on Elon Musk’s all-out attack on American democracy.