February reads & Friday links
Market Day Thursday and the best weather we’ve had in weeks! We all forgot the sky is blue!
Happy Friday friends! We spent last weekend away for a little road trip and it ended with a flat tire that caused a bit of hassle for our Monday. I’ll share that trip on Monday, but today I have a miscellany of photos from the week and my February reads and week’s links. Let’s go!
FEBRUARY READS
I have been reading a lot this month, but ironically I am deep into a very long book and taking my time to process and note on another, so my reads ended up being a lot of graphic novels. My girls read graphic novels voraciously and are constantly asking me to read them too. This month served as a little bit of a catch-up. It’s a good problem to have as I love graphic novels and am so thrilled they do too.
The Time Saving Mom
by Crystal Paine
“Just as money is limited, so is time. For many people, it feels like there is never enough of either. Both are incredibly valuable resources.” p 24
The Time Saving Mom by Crystal Paine
The one non-fiction read I finished this month, this book was excellent. I love the way Paine approaches her busy life and the simple methods she takes to help budget her time rather than feel overwhelmed. I don’t usually read time management books or even self-help kind of books, but this one caught my eye several years ago and I’m so glad I finally engaged with it. Paine is known socially for her money saving tips, and she looks at time in a similar management way. Unlike money, no one can just make more time, so budgeting it is even more crucial. I’ve started incorporating some of her simple ideas into my own days and it is making such a difference! I feel like I actually have a plan for each day and am noticing how much time I do have at certain points that I can use more efficiently. I still have way more to do than I can possibly manage most days, but that is also a part of the concept in prioritizing each day too. I’ll be revisiting this book often and am so thankful for the methods she shared from her own busy life.
Crystal Paine is a Christian, and that comes out often in the book. It infuses everything she does, as it should. I think it important to note, but I also think she approaches the subject of time with a helpful view for everyone, Christian or not. This is a random sidenote, but I also love that she is a mom to many kids, but doesn’t homeschool. I frequently find that Christian moms who write about time and household management are homeschoolers and while valuable insights are given – it is just a very different perspective and schedule than those of us who have to function around set school schedules. I found Paine’s story and style very approachable and not prescriptive, just very helpful.
And now for the many graphic novels I read this month between the heavier books I’m still in.
Primer by Jennifer Muro & Thomas Krajewski
art by Gretel Lusky
Primer by Jennifer Muro & Thomas Krajewski, art by Gretal Lusky
Ashley is a 13 year old in foster care and enters a new foster care home. The adults are cool, but one of them has a strange secret – she works in a lab with national security items. Always pushing boundaries, Ashley snoops into some of the stuff and finds some body paints that can do crazy things. They give Ashley superhero skills and she grapples with the new possibility of a family; issues with her controlling, biological father; as well as saving the world from various disasters.
My girls love this graphic novel and have been begging me to read it for a while. I didn’t love it. It’s perfectly fine, but just not as great as I hoped. The plot is thin, a bit trite, and very traditionally superhero-ish; basically, no depth. The art is very cool and it is a fun concept, but just didn’t grab me.
Chickenpox by Remy Lai
Chickenpox by Remy Lai
This is a new release in the States and a local friend of mine who owns the Hay Comics Store found it for me on her last trip to the US. I’m so glad because it is great!
Chickenpox is a semi-autobiographical novel about 5 kids living in Indonesia in the 90s. The main character is the oldest daughter, Abby. She is constantly annoyed by her 4 siblings and it all comes to a head when they ALL contract chickenpox and are stuck at home for weeks. It is hilarious, thoughtful, moving, and a real joy to read with fantastic art. We all loved this one.
Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang
Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang
This graphic novel follows the lives of 3 siblings who are brought to the US from Hong Kong for what they thought was a vacation, only to discover their parents intended to leave them there while they attempted to immigrate properly over time. It is a huge struggle for the kids to learn to live in the US, all while being on their own while their parents work to get visas and return.
I really wanted to like this one, but it fell flat for me. The concept of parachute kids is new to me and I appreciated learning about that perspective on immigration. I have lots of thoughts and am grateful for the perspective this book gave me on these kids; but I didn’t love all the storyline points. Tang’s note about the book said she drew from many parachute kids’ stories to create these characters and actually, I felt that. There was a lot in this sibling group. Too many plot points, too much drama, felt too compacted sometimes. I would have preferred a simpler look at the problems with this type of family immigration. Narrow it in a bit. Also there is a surprising plot point about same-sex attraction that was incredibly distracting from the story and ended up having no resolution. Felt very forced and unnecessary in the book.
The art was great, and the plot drives hard, but I did not love this one.
Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert
Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert
This is Book One in a series. It is a beautifully illustrated fantasty story about a girl named Bea with a mysterious lantern who suddenly has to go on a search to find her grandfather, the Pig Wizard. Bea suffers terribly with anxiety and wrestles to be brave and take on risk. Early in her search, she happens upon a Galdurian creature and they find themselves surprising friends and companions on the perilous journey. They encounter all kinds of strange creatures, misadventure, and seem to be unaware that a major problem has arisen in the world that is going to destroy everything.
I really loved this one. It’s been a while since I’ve read something so unique in its world-building and concept. I cannot wait to read the other two and ultimately find out what happens to the characters and their collapsing world. The characters are quite charming in their personalities and eccentricities. And the art is just gorgeous. I’ve bought this as a birthday gift for one of my girls and I’m sneakily reading them first so as not to be behind when she devours them.
FRIDAY LINKS
A Schafer in their natural habitat, though she was not thrilled about this bookstore discovery as it was quite cold and she was very hungry. We went as fast as we could manage, and only found 6 books to bring home. :D
THINGS I BOOKMARKED
The Interview, Denzel Washington Has Finally Found His Purpose (It’s Not Acting) – I’ve been a fan of Denzel Washington since I first saw him in Pelican Brief with Julia Roberts ages ago. This interview is fascinating, thought-provoking and humorous. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
A Fellowship of Burning Stars: The Hidden Beauty of Creative Community – I have had this article open on my computer for a few weeks, at least. The time had never been there to read it; but when I finally did this week, it was just right. I’ve been contemplating heaven and work and the here and not yet of God’s Kingdom and this piece just fit so beautifully into my prayers and ponders. The Holy Spirit knows what we need to read at what time. “I have seen it.”
A Word to a Discouraged Christian – Oh, I needed to read this.
THINGS I FOUND
The New Strand bookstore and cafe in Eardisley. I have frequently passed this place on route to other villages and was drawn in by the sign. Mark, Genevieve, and I finally stopped in on Monday after sorting our car tire issues. 30,000 books in an epic old house of a building. We didn’t stay to eat and we barely scratched the surface of digging due to the cold of the place and our growing hunger and need to get back home for work. But it was quite a stop and we found some gems.
Strikingly hilarious illustration of a sheep on a card in a bookshop. It was the cover for Country Fair Magazine in 1954 and was created by John Hanna.
There’s finally a new gold postbox topper in town! It’s the Hungry Caterpillar and I love it. Having not had any topper there since December, I was a bit sad, though understanding. Excited to see what’s to come this year for the postbox!
Big surprise to us all when a daffodil popped up and bloomed in one of our plants this week. We were gifted this plant last autumn from a church friend and it was small white flowers that I forget the name of. Have no idea how some daffodils found their way in this, but one bloomed in perfect timing for St. David’s Day tomorrow! It’s a great mystery.
THINGS I MADE
Red Kites feeding at Gigrin Farm. Not much studio time again this week. (It was half-term for Genevieve.) But we saw an epic amount of Red Kites (the national bird of Wales) on Saturday and I was super inspired to paint some of them when I sat down with my sketchbook. I’ll share more of that trip on Monday, but I had a lot of fun painting this.
My book review on Three Books a Night this week was one of the great 70s finds at a bookstore in Hay last week. Go take a look at Mumps! on my book blog!
Happy March everyone from me and my surprise daffodil! I’ll be back Monday with some gorgeous photos from our weekend adventure. Happy St. David’s Day too!💚