This and That

It's Friday.

It's Spring.

It's more tulips, but this time it is not a postcard, but a photo of mine!
Thank you to the hosts at Focusing On Life.

You knew there would be a postcard or two and here they are.

Bunnies celebrating Easter.

They are both reproduction vintage postcards.

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday each week.

***

Speaking of bunnies.

This bunny was willing to model a scarf I just finished.

I've been working through my yarn stash.

Nice to have a few extra scarves for gifts and it keeps my fingers busy.

This scarf is made from two skeins of Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair.

I used a pattern from Knit Picks that was free years ago.

It's become one of my favorites - quick and easy:

Diagonal Garter Stitch Scarf

Directions:

CO (cast on) 22 stitches.

RS: (right side) Knit into front and back of first st, knit across to last 2 sts, K2tog. 

WS: (wrong side) Knit.

Repeat these two rows until scarf is desired length.

BO (bind off) loosely and weave in ends. 

***

I've been reading.

Just finished LIONHEART by Sharon Kay Penman.

I've been a fan of Penman's historical novels for years and I'm always excited when a new one is published. She spends so much time doing research that she really brings the characters and time period to life. While LIONHEART is not my favorite of her novels, it was a good read. I learned a lot about going on a Crusade and much more about Richard the Lionheart and the politics of the time. 

The other book I finished was Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith.

It is an unauthorized *authorized* (my words) biography of Elizabeth II written so that it was published in time for The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. I found it fascinating and thought Smith did an excellent job covering so much information from the time Elizabeth was a young girl all the way up to the present. While she didn't interview the Queen, she had access to many others in the know. It was another book that I can say I learned a lot and came away quite impressed with the woman Elizabeth and with the queen Elizabeth. The book was also an interesting look at Prince Philip, the relationships between The Queen and *her* prime ministers, and other members of the royal family. 

"What a blessing it is to love books. Everybody must love something and I know of no objects of love that give such substantial and unfailing returns as books and a garden."

~ Elizabeth von Arnim

Wishing you WELL and much JOY!