I'm happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today. In fact, it may be the highlight of my week. Like much of the country, it's hot and humid here and I don't even have enough energy to spread out my HotM and take a photo. None of my animal friends has any motivation either, so here's my knitting in an uninspired and uninspiring lump. It looks much the same as last week but I have knit 25 rows or so. Maybe partly because of the weather, it feels like I've reached that never-ending part pf the project but I really would like to finish it in the near future.
At least the mandevilla is pretty and hasn't suffered from the heat yet.
I did read an interesting book last week, Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Under Water by Amorina Kingdon. My sister and I used to play a game when we were swimming at my aunt's pool. We'd both duck underwater, one of us would say something, and then the other would try to guess what had been said. I don't remember that we were very successful at deciphering the burbles and gurgles, but it's part of why I wanted to read Sing Like Fish. I know sound is important underwater and wanted to learn how fish and other animals use it. I learned far more than I ever expected! Kingdon writes about the anatomy of fish ears, dolphin calls, and beluga echolocation. She explains how sound travels underwater and behaves differently in water, moving in currents, and off the seafloor, and can even be altered by temperature and salinity. The author also writes about sound production by ocean dwellers; fish have a surprising number of ways to produce sound. Sound plays an important role in feeding, mating, parenting, navigating, and warning underwater and all of our human-made sounds can affect and interfere with these. You might wonder if you could possibly be interested in a book about sound underwater, and if it's this original, captivating book, my answer is a resounding yes. This one was five stars for me.
What are you making and reading this week?
The heat is definitely not motivating me to "make" these days... in fact, making dinner has hit an all time low! But my tomatoes are just LOVING these warm, muggy days... they are growing by leaps and bounds and are full of blossoms! The heat is good for something at least.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds fascinating!
I also have an uninspired and uninspiring LUMP of knitting in my life . . . looking pretty much exactly like it did a week ago. I don't think I could even get JoJo to be interested in it at the moment . . . I am really looking forward to reading Sing Life Fish. I used an Audible credit for it, because I know Tom will be interested in that one, too. Glad to hear you liked it!
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised that you enjoyed the book -- it sounds like something right up your alley! It is certainly hard to get excited about working on anything warm these days. At least reading doesn't make us hotter!
ReplyDeleteI am making leg warmers for my mother in law as well as a lace scarf. I cannot decide what to knit for myself!!
ReplyDeleteI am (finally) enjoying knitting and stitching again. It is hot, but I've been coping pretty well (not moving fast or much has something to do with that I'm sure). That book sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI love when a book that doesn't-sound-like-it'd-be-a-page-turner is actually *fantastic.* This one seems to fall in that category!
ReplyDeleteMy knitting is also a bit of a lumpy blob today. (Probably because I left my project bag in the trunk of my car...maybe I'm subconsciously trying to ignore it?! It's been a pain.) All I've REALLY been inspired to do this week, while my husband's in Idaho, is get the best night's sleep possible. (I'm a light sleeper.) Thanks to the A/C, that finally happened last night. So, that's my big accomplishment -- and I'll take it!
A book about fish and underwater sounds does seem a bit "out there" but I thought it was great! My husband has been away but I'm picking him up at the airport tonight at midnight. Here's hoping we can all get a good night's sleep to better deal with the heat during the day.
DeleteAha, you're at the "black hole" part of your knitting! You'll knit your way out...
ReplyDeleteIt's still awful here, with a seemingly never-ending threat of storms, too, so I've really had to pick my times to get things done outside -- mowing, weeding -- that really needed to get done!!
Lovely photo, Bonny, even if you knitting is in a lump. That mandevilla is gorgeous! I am not acquainted with that variety. Easy to grow? Even though I live in the south, you guys are having it much worse than we are at present. That is sure to change soon, so I feel your pain. Stay hydrated, take it easy, and eat cold salads for supper. I am off to have cataract surgery today (UGH), but no way to avoid it if I want to be able to read in my old age. Stay cool!
ReplyDeleteIn this weather I don't even want to touch my knitting or my stitching!
ReplyDeleteI'm on call for a volunteer organization this week and have been visiting people in trailers and other housing trying to help them pay bills to get their power or water turned back on. I come home a sweaty mess, but I can come home to my air conditioned house! I can't imagine living in this heat without power or water! I look forward to reading Sing Like a Fish! I'm currently reading The Light Eaters, a science/nature book about plant intellegence and am enjoying it.
As much as I complain about the heat, I've also got a couple of air-conditioned rooms that I'm grateful for and can't imagine facing this weather (or really any time) without power or water. I'm sure that your clients are grateful and I hope you are successful. Sing Like Fish was great and I'm looking forward to The Light Eaters!
DeleteIt really is too hot out right now and I hear it's only going to get worse this weekend. I've got plenty to keep me busy in here, including a new library book. I'm staying put until fall.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good idea! It doesn't help me when all I hear on the news is heat, heat index, and how we're all going to die under the heat dome. Enjoy your new book!
DeleteSing Like Fish sounds so good! I passed the recommendation along to Marc - I think it could be a perfect "break" for him. I read the latest and final Maisie Dobbs this week and it was perfect. Left me a bit of a book hangover in the best way. I also made some BIG progress on my quilt that I'll share tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds fascinating! There was a recent news story that scientists (some of my favorite people!) had discovered that dolphins have individual names, just like people.
ReplyDeleteWhat an intriguing book of nonfiction. This last week my daughter was telling her kids how she and her brother used to go under water and play the same talking game. The plant is so pretty. I don't know that I've ever heard of mandevilla. The knitting is coming along. There is that point in a shawl where you feel like you are knitting into a black hole. Hang in there.
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