Last week of August 2025

And just like that August is over! For us its a calving month, so super busy and also starting to think about making hay and silage (that will be September) and what we will plant and water for summer feed. I enjoyed another art journal class with Jenni Finn - this time it was vases - I like the black one I did but not sure about the other one and mind you neither of them looked anything like the sample Jenn did!

Ive also been really enjoying working on a kit I bought several years ago - Tussie Mussie Cushion by Emma Jean Jansen. Its english paper piecing but in small achievable blocks and the fabrics she put into the kit are fabulous! I do like hand stitching - in all its forms and the pattern calls for it to be hand quilted as well which Im pretty sure I will do

Ive also been doing some knitting but not a lot to show - its a shawl and Ill share it with you once its a bit bigger and a bit more interesting! On the reading front - Ive finished quite a few books! First the physical books -

The Kings Messenger by Susanna Kearsley. On the face of it I should really like this book - its set in Scotland in the 1600s with what looks like interesting characters. But they werent. The book dragged and for me the characters didnt develop that well and I skim read it to get it done 1/5

On the other hand the next book - The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood I (as my sister would say) inhaled it. Read it in three days and just loved loved love it. Its the story of two sisters from Austria who get seperated due to world war 2 - one to England and one to America - and how they got through and what they had to do. Theres also a current time line as well running through it when one of the main characters granddaughter finds out about her grandmothers hidden past. Its such a nice and easy ready but also informative of the time period. 5/5 And finally on audio via audible

Another great book in the series - this one covers the stories of not the main characters but some "side" ones and I really like learning more about them. Chaol was the Head of the Guards for the previous King but was injured and now cant walk and Nesryn is the new head of the guards - they both travel to Khagan to enlist help but also to see if Chaol can be healed. He meets a beautiful healer named Yrene and well the rest you will have to read. It was great to have this book focus on a different direction and perspective and of course I will give it 5 out of 5 stars! So with those finishes Ive read 42 books so far this year with my goal being 62 - lets see if I make it! I hope you enjoy this update and lets see what happens in September