Monkey!!!
I can hardly believe it, but I'm the Mother of two boys. How fabulous is that?!
The tiny yawner pictured above is Monkey. I have all sorts of things to say about this guy but for now, just the basics.
May 16 2012 (Wednesday afternoon)
7 lbs and 13 ozs
21.5 inches
Baker
I will be forever grateful to Muzzie and Grandpa who were with him during his last moments and took such loving care of him throughout his life, but particularly at what turned out to be the end.
Today I'm imagining that the Bake is enjoying endless off-leash walks, naps in the sunshine and all the freshly-baked-not-meant-for-him treats he can snatch from the counter.
Much love friend.
The Daybook April 22
Outside my window... the sun is out, but temps are still (relatively) cool. We've had my kind of weather this weekend. Yesterday was a bit dreary (rainy and surprisingly cool), but today the sun is shining again. I like a bit of rain to mix things up every so often, but one day's worth is plenty.
I am thinking.... about so many things I can't keep them all straight.
I am thankful.... that the three of us made it through the night last night. This outcome wasn't certain at about 2am. Last night was night three in our Everyone Stays in Their Own Bed ALL Night regime and it wasn't pretty. When night 1 was not so bad and night 2 was downright easy we thought we were home free. We were wrong. Yogi voiced his complaint VERY LOUDLY last night and we're all pretty tired as a result. Cross your fingers that night 4 begins a trend in the right direction.
In the kitchen.... the times are changing. Again. Kate has gotten to the No More Room stage of the pregnancy and just about anything you can think of is just too much food. We've had huge salads with veggie burgers and as much sushi as we can get away with lately. I'm imagining that within the week we'll be done with meals entirely and on to all day grazing. If only it was cherry season already. It doesn't feel quite like the third trimester without them. ;)
I am reading... far too many books at once. As I type this, I have four going. I think this is likely a reliable indicator of my anxiety level.
I am looking forward to... a good night's sleep. Yes, I know I am a broken record.
I am hearing.... words like No! and Done! way more frequently than I would like.
Around the house... it's all Monkey all the time. The arrival of this baby and what we need to do to prepare for is all anyone around here can see at the moment.
One of my favorite things... is Sonobana sushi.
- Yogi helped with his first batch of banana muffies. Who knew the boy was such a skilled banana masher?! Yum!
- Kate made it home from Las Vegas with Monkey safely on board. Whew! NOT a fan of third trimester air travel.
- Yogi had an appointment with Dr. Wonderful and at 20 months he is 30" tall and weighs 23 lbs. When the doctor asked whether he had any words, Yogi piped up immediately with "Horsies. Hay!".
- Yogi made daily visits with his new best friend CoCo (the dog across the street) AND enjoyed lunch on the patio at Star Bagel IN HIS OWN CHAIR with his friend Eb-brett (that part is Yogi speak).
- The three of us spent the afternoon at the local Children's Theatre production of Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type. Total win. Yogi was mesmerized (I'm not sure he moved a muscle for almost an hour) and we had a blast.
- Kate and Yogi met a tarantula (they have 8 eyes, did you know that?!!) and what Kate described as a giant bunny at Zoo Babies. There was also a craft and animal crackers.
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... "MY Goldfish!". Sometimes when you've got good food, you've got to protect it.
The Daybook April 14
Outside my window... the world is both sunny and pleasantly not hot. At the same time. Love when that happens.
I am thinking.... that I should probably cut down on my coffee consumption. Humm....
I am thankful.... that no one besides Kate, Yogi and I have been in my house since Tuesday. Bliss!!!! The remodel is over!
In the kitchen....there are banana muffins. This is Yogi's food of the moment and I've been baking two to three times a week. We've GOT to get a new muffin recipe around here. I just keep baking them because the way he requests them "Muff-eeen!!" is so cute.
I am reading... pretty much anything I can get my hands on that addresses A. labor and B. toddler behavior. At this moment in the A category I have Penny Simkin's The Birth Partner and Tracy Hogg's The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers. So far, so good on both. I'm eager for a little fiction. Anyone read anything good lately?
I am looking forward to... Kate's plane touching down safely next Tuesday afternoon. In case you're thinking, "Plane, what, at 35 weeks?", I'm thinking the very same thing. Unfortunately, Kate is thinking something a bit different. She will be flying to Las Vegas of all places (professional talk at a conference) on Sunday afternoon. Pray. I will.not.have my baby born in Las Vegas. Did you hear that world?!!
I am hearing.... episodes of Mad Men in the evenings after dinner. This is our new show and so far, so good. We're only six episodes in, but it's certainly interesting. I like the insider view into the time period and the advertising industry, but man oh man, the gender politics. Wowza. Glad I'm not raising a family in the 60's.
Around the house... life is good again. We have order and cleanliness and everyone sleeping in their own rooms.
One of my favorite things...is sleeping through the night. It's the little things really.
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... my loves.
The Daybook April 5
Outside my window... it's overcast. The sun and heat of the last few days have leveled out and it's a nice break.
I am thinking.... about VBAC and paint colors and Easter dinner ideas. Are you having anything special?
I am thankful.... that we are in Week Four of the remodel. Being in Week Four of a three week remodel has to mean it will be over soon. Right?
In the kitchen.... there are toys e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. See above.
I am wondering.... if there will be a Week Five.
I am reading... Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. Actually I'm starting it today. My book club meeting is Tuesday night. Fingers crossed for the finish. I finally finished It and while I am glad I read it, I am also glad that it's over. Man was that book long. The major writerly lesson I got from it was trust the story. The plot of It is CRAZY and I would think that it would be hard to stick with it. How many times must he have thought "This is ridiculously out there and no one will ever connect with it."? But if he did think those things, he kept writing. And in trusting the story, he created something that is deeply relatable. Funny how that works.
I am looking forward to... Easter. It is definitely my favorite Christian holiday and I can't wait to celebrate it with Kate and Yogi.
I am hearing.... more and more actual words in the cloud of Yogi chatter. He repeats the main word in everything we say and he's just beginning to pair words. When he wants to watch the dogs in the yard next door, he says "Puppy check!" while pointing. Love it.
Around the house... I'm not talking about "around the house". Week Four. That's all I'm saying. Week Four.
One of my favorite things...is the Cookie Butter at Trader Joe's. If you have a TJ's, buy some.
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... I'm in love with this expresison.
Easter Bunnies in Nashville
You think that's cute?
These guys have nothing on the crew that we met right here in Nashville.
That's right, it's Easter and the bunnies are back at Phillips Toy Mart! We've been twice and I'm sure we'll be back before the season ends.
The bunnies are clean, cute and unbelievably patient with little hands. The folks at the Toy Mart even provide hand sanitizer!
The Daybook March 29
Outside my window...the sun is shining. Cherry blossom blooms and lawnmowers are everywhere. Spring is here.
I am thinking....worried kinds of thoughts. Unfortunately the sort of hypomania that I always feel in the spring is intersecting with the fact that my Dad's white cell count has been dropping over the last month (not a good thing) and Yogi has suddenly developed a pretty serious case of separation anxiety (Huh? My child doesn't cry hysterically when I drop him off at school. What is this?) leaving me with something like manic anxiety. Lovely.
I am thankful.... that Monkey is head down. What a tremendous surprise this was! We had been feeling what we were SURE was a head in the very.same.spot Yogi's head had been, but when the OB did her own investigation she wasn't so sure. She brought in the ultrasound machine to be sure and that head turned out to be a tail! Way to go Monkey!!!
In the kitchen....Yogi is done with porridge every morning. It was bound to happen at some point, but I'm sad to see it go. I felt so very healthy about it and it was such a nice simple system. I guess it's time to get creative. Anyone have good breakfast ideas?
I am reading... It by Stephen King. I'm super impressed with the writing, but I'm ready for the book to end. Does that make any sense? The man is one hell of a writer, but it's hard for me to hang with his l...o....n...g. action sequences. Enough already. Got it. I just start to tune out.
I am looking forward to...Monkey.
I am hearing...Yogi talk, talk, talking with the sounds of nail guns in the background.
Around the house... things are topsy-turvy. We are in week three of a four week remodeling project and although we LOVE the guy who is doing the work (he built the house) I am ready to get my house back. Yogi is sleeping in a Pack & Play in our bedroom which means that no one is really sleeping. As soon as he even begins to toss and turn, his eyes fly open and the "Mommy, Mama, Up!" chanting begins. Tired......
One of my favorite things... is the idea of this book. It's called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. Susan Cain (the author) also has an awesome website with lots of interesting resources and information about introversion. Love it!
A few plans for the week: Sanding and painting and drywall oh my! We've had Grandpa in town early in the week and in the morning we will be hosting our third playgroup. I'm really getting into the playgroup thing. It's lots of fun and I love watching Yogi greet everyone as they come in. This weekend we will be in Nashville together, just the three of us. I can't wait! So far there are no solid plans on the agenda, but I'm sure there will be lots of time outside.
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing....
Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza
We're on a bit of a pizza kick around here and this one is an oldie but a goodie. You can find the original recipe at Food 52.
INGREDIENTS
1 large yukon gold potato, very thinly sliced
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound broccoli rabe, washed, ends trimmed
1 large garlic clove, minced, plus 2 garlic cloves lightly smashed but still intact
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Rosemary sprigs for garnish
1 large yukon gold potato, very thinly sliced
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound broccoli rabe, washed, ends trimmed
1 large garlic clove, minced, plus 2 garlic cloves lightly smashed but still intact
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Rosemary sprigs for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Arrange potatoes in one layer on a baking tray. Bake until edges begin to turn golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. Increase oven temperature to 475 F.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add broccoli rabe and blanch 30 seconds; drain. Plunge broccoli rabe into a bowl of ice water. Cool and drain again. Lay in one layer on a kitchen towel to thoroughly dry. Cut in 2" pieces.
5. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté briefly, 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté one minute. Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
6. Assemble pizzas: Lightly brush pizza crusts with olive oil. Rub all over with smashed garlic cloves. Arrange one layer mozzarella cheese over crusts. Top with one layer of potatoes and broccoli rabe. Sprinkle one tablespoon rosemary over each crust. Top with grated Pecorino cheese.
7. Bake on pizza stone or on tray on lowest rack in oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.
8. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh rosemary leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
The Daybook February 23
Outside my window... it’s Springtime. Truly. I just got back from a jog wearing short sleeves and shorts and feeling warm. Just last Sunday we had snow.
I am thinking.... pizza!!!
I am thankful.... that in spite of the fact that I have to FORCE myself to do it, my body is capable of both jogging down the street and (mostly) enjoying it.
In the kitchen.... I’m getting efficient. Last night I realized that I’ve got a real system going. Only a few years ago Kate and I were eating out or getting take-out from Whole Foods almost every night. Now I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for three people. It still surprises me that I run the dishwasher 7 days a week. We eat out maybe once a week and I feel really good about that. Go me!
I am wondering.... if I will ever hear the sound of my own voice in this house again. Yogi talks all.the.time. and he’s not even stringing words together yet. It’s just one word at a time, but it’s over and over and over. Totally fabulous and precious, but also causing my ears to bleed.
I am reading... Stephen King. At the moment it’s Christine and I am just as wowed as I always am when I read him. The man just gets it. While I’m reading I feel like an 18 year old torn between falling in love and pleasing my parents.
I am looking forward to... having watched at least one of the nominees for Best Picture at the Oscars. That will happen again someday, right?
I am hearing... whining. Constant whining. It’s not Yogi, it’s Baker. About a month ago he decided that he can’t navigate the stairs without someone standing close by encouraging him. He will stand at the top of the stairs and whine at top volume until someone walks to the stairs and coaches him to the bottom. This would all be a bit sad (in addition to the obvious irritating) were it not the case that he clearly makes it both up and down the stairs into the playroom while we’re away from the house. His red Viszla hair all over the couch gives him away. Baker, Baker, Baker.....
Around the house... we’re preparing for renovation. After imagining that Yogi and Monkey could share the one upstairs kid bedroom, we’re biting the bullet and adding a Monkey room. No changes to the footprint of the house, but we will be losing our open play/work space at the top of the stairs. I’m sure we’ll be glad we did it, but it will certainly be a change.
One of my favorite things... is collapsing on the couch with Kate at the end of the day.
A few plans for the week: Last weekend we had Bella, Sera, Zach and Theresa at our house and it was a blast. We played and played and talked and talked. And talked. There was a lot of talking (I’m looking at you Bella!). There were even some flamingoes and adorable baby monkeys - at the Zoo of course! This week we had another kiddie dinner and Yogi was so excited about hanging out with his big boy friend that he insisted on drinking out of a cup and ended up losing his shirt in an icy waterfall incident. Tonight I’ve got my Simplicity Parenting workshop and tmw we’re having dinner with some friends who have just gotten pregnant. Yay! Babies!!
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing....
Sweet Potato Pizza with Kale & Caramelized Onions
Leslie shared this recipe with me and I'm so glad she did. I've got an extra sweet potato and I'm thinking this looks like a fantastic way to put it to use. Plus kale. How could this not be a total win? This one comes from a new-to-me blog called Jen Loves Kev.
Simplify Your Childs' Life
Kim John Payne, M.ED. will be in Nashville this Thursday night at Linden Waldorf School to talk about the ideas behind this book and help attendees create a Simplicity Menu for their family. The cost is $10 and you can find more detailed information and purchase tickets here. I'm definitely looking forward to this one!
The Daybook February 16
Outside my window... Yogi says there's a "cah" (translation: car) or maybe it's a "bd" (translation: bird), but there is definitely something out there and he will be sure to let you know what it is.
I am thinking.... about this book. We bought it shortly after Yogi was born, but I've only gotten as far as a skim. I'm going to hear the author speak next week and I'm thinking it's time to jump in with both feet and perhaps, a highlighter.
I am thankful.. that today my Dad didn't have to spend the afternoon in the doctor's office. Somehow the poor guy now has Shingles. Prayers/positive thoughts/healthy wishes welcome.
In the kitchen.....I've decided that this (minus the edible flowers) is the new Sunday dinner. Grilled Tempeh, Quinoa and Green Beans. Yum!
I am wondering.... whether Monkey is a girl or a boy. This tops my "wondering about" list at all times.
I am reading... Dreams of Joy by Lisa See. I loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but I'm not so sure about this one. The main character (Joy) is so naive that she borders on the unbelievable. I'm sticking with it though.
I am looking forward to... next Wednesday when the online writing class I got for my birthday (thanks Kate!) kicks off!
I am hearing... Modern Family and Kate typing.
Around the house... we're getting ready for our peeps! One more sleep and Yogi's cousins will be here.
One of my favorite things..... is asking Yogi a question and getting an actual response. How can he be so big already?!!
A few plans for the week: It's been a fairly run-of-the-mill Kate work/Yogi school/StoryTime/Playgroup/Errand Running and Home Management kind of a week. All of that changes tmw night when Bella and Sera roll into town. I'm not entirely sure what we'll be up to, but I know it will be fabulous.
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... Happy Birthday to Me! Garden Veggie pizza and a red velvet cupcake made a delicious birthday dinner. Yum!
Love Day Dinner Menu
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and as I mentioned in my last post, I'm an enthusiastic celebrator of holidays. So.... I've been looking high and low for yummy recipes for a fun, romantic Valentine dinner. The image above is a LOVELY idea. These are Heart Beet Rawviolis with Pesto Oil. How fabulous is that?!
This is the side view to give you a sense of the ravioli-ness. These are stuffed with a pine nut "cheese". I will not be making these on Tuesday night in spite of how very much I want to. Look here if you'd like to check out the recipe for yourself. Wondering why these won't be on our menu?
I don't like beets in spite of how very hard I've tried
Kate enjoyes a pine nut, but pine nuts hate Kate
Kate is not a lover of pesto
I let my lovely little heart-shaped rawvioli dream die and the search continued. Happily, I've still managed to come up with some good stuff. Here's what I'm thinking.
SWEET POTATO & PEAR SOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegan margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 pears, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
5 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons maple syrup, or to taste
2 teaspoons lime juice, or to taste
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
PREPARATION
In a pot, heat margarine on medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 1 minute.
Add sweet potatoes, pears and thyme and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add paprika and veggie broth.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until sweet potato is soft.
Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Return to pot. Add coconut milk, maple syrup and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. If soup is too thick add a little extra broth.
Season with salt and pepper, adding more syrup or lime juice as needed. Drizzle with maple syrup if preferred. Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
Arrange arugula on a large platter. Top with fennel and red onion slices.
Put mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in vinegar to combine. Gradually whisk in olive oil until vinaigrette emulsifies. Taste and adjust seasoning. Drizzle vinaigrette over arugula and toss well to coat leaves. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve.
Add sweet potatoes, pears and thyme and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add paprika and veggie broth.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until sweet potato is soft.
Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Return to pot. Add coconut milk, maple syrup and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. If soup is too thick add a little extra broth.
Season with salt and pepper, adding more syrup or lime juice as needed. Drizzle with maple syrup if preferred. Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
ARUGULA & FENNEL SALAD
INGREDIENTS
4 cups arugula
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
PREPARATION
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
PREPARATION
KATE'S VERY FAVORITE THING
Yogurt-covered pretzels purchased in a store.
What's on your menu?
Valentine's Day Activity for the Pre-School Set
Yogi isn't ready for a whole lot in the way of crafts, but I couldn't let Valentine's Day go by without doing some kind of activity with a theme.
I LOVE a theme. And I LOVE Valentine's Day. Kate thinks it's a ridiculous holiday imposed by a greeting card company, but I think it's a great excuse for finding creative ways to show people how much you love them and eating desert without guilt. A win-win.
This year I decided to make a Valentine version of a sensory box. I had never heard of a sensory box until I started reading kiddie blogs, but after reading a bit about them and seeing how much fun Yogi is having with it, I'm hooked. We will definitely be making more of these.
If you're interested in the thinking behind sensory bins, read this.
Here's how we made ours.
MATERIALS
2 gallon-sized Ziplock bags
3 bags of white rice
Red food coloring
1 relatively shallow box with a wide base
Assorted small cups and measuring spoons
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pour all of your rice into a Ziplock bag and drop in about 10 drops of food coloring. You can do more or less depending on how red you would like your rice. As you can see from the picture, ours was a bit on the pink side.
2. Seal carefully. If you are super cautious, you might want to double bag. I did. ;)
3. Roll the rice bag around on the floor, giving the rice the chance to soak up the color. Yogi loved this part and entertained himself with that bag for quite some time.
4. Allow rice to dry in the bag for a few hours. We dyed the rice before dinnertime one night and got it out to play the next morning.
5. Dump the rice into the box. Play!
Yogi was really enthusiastic about this activity and when I explained that we needed to keep the rice in the box he was pretty careful. There was certainly sweeping afterwards, but it wasn't a huge disaster. I spent the first few minutes encouraging him to touch the rice and run it through his fingers, showing him how to pour from one cup to another and scoop up small amounts with the measuring spoons. We played together for the most part, but I'm thinking this is something he might do quite happily while I was doing something else (making dinner) close by. This little box kept him engaged for almost an hour.
The Daybook February 9
Outside my window... it's dark and (shockingly!) cold. You might even think that it's February.
I am thinking.... about taxes and organizing important paperwork and creating a system for something (namely our financial records) that I don't really understand. Not my favorite things to think about.
I am thankful.... for the last 33 years.
In the kitchen....the magic word is "light". Think soup and salad and take-out sushi. Monkey is doing some serious growing and even the lightest of meals is feeling like overload.
I am wondering.... why Baker (our dog) has suddenly decided that he cannot come down the stairs without an escort. I know he's getting older, but really? It's like having two toddlers. Well, with one of them being a toddler who barks.
I am reading... Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir by Donna Johnson. It's not that great.
I am looking forward to... getting a visit from four of my favorite people very soon.
I am hearing... the sound of the fire and not much else.
Around the house... everyone else is asleep.
One of my favorite things... is PaperBackSwap.com. It really is a genius idea.
I am thinking.... about taxes and organizing important paperwork and creating a system for something (namely our financial records) that I don't really understand. Not my favorite things to think about.
I am thankful.... for the last 33 years.
In the kitchen....the magic word is "light". Think soup and salad and take-out sushi. Monkey is doing some serious growing and even the lightest of meals is feeling like overload.
I am wondering.... why Baker (our dog) has suddenly decided that he cannot come down the stairs without an escort. I know he's getting older, but really? It's like having two toddlers. Well, with one of them being a toddler who barks.
I am reading... Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir by Donna Johnson. It's not that great.
I am looking forward to... getting a visit from four of my favorite people very soon.
I am hearing... the sound of the fire and not much else.
Around the house... everyone else is asleep.
One of my favorite things... is PaperBackSwap.com. It really is a genius idea.
A few plans for the week: Last night I took a class on a Buddhist model of personality. At church! I love my church. This evening we went out to dinner with some friends we haven't seen in much too long. The dinner involved two high chairs, a booster seat and a search through the parking lot for a missing shoe. It started at 5:30. Yogi and I have a coffee shop/park date with a new friend in the morning and we're hoping for sunshine. No formal plans for the weekend yet, but I will be turning 34 on Saturday! Happy birthday to me.
Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... is this not the happiest birthday cake you've ever seen? It's totally loud and fairly out of hand, but I love it.
The Weird Sisters (Eleanor Brown)
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown is a story of finding your way, growing up and getting on with it within the fabric of a family. Rose, Bianca and Cordelia flew the nest years ago, but when their Mother is diagnosed with breast cancer they all return home to realize all the ways in which they never really left in the first place. These women grabbed me from the Prologue and I was drawn right into the center of their lives. Each of the characters (not the least of which is Barnwell, the town in which the story unfolds) is richly and compassionately drawn.
This is Eleanor Brown. From what I understand, The Weird Sisters is her first novel, but she's hard at work on another one. (I found that out by reading her blog) I'm hardly the first to notice, but this lady has a great voice. One of my favorite things about the book is her choice to write in the first person plural. It's a point-of-view that isn't often used and can be difficult to maintain over the course of an entire novel. Some books that use this POV can be hard to follow (The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard is an example), but in The Weird Sisters, it absolutely works. In fact, I think it works so well because the story requires it. Instead of either hearing the voice of only one of the thee sisters or dividing the narrative into three distinct pieces, she merges each of their voices into one and the story just sings with it.
Is this one on your list or have you read it already? I'd love to hear what you thought!
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