New to Me: Portnoo and Spice Bag

 I had another outing with a friend today--the same one who brought me to the place where I discovered curry and chips. She was heading to Dungloe to do some grocery shopping and asked if I wanted to go with her. I figured I might as well take the opportunity to go to Aldi and Lidl where the veg people traditionally make for Christmas is on a deep discount at the moment. Plus they have some things for the holiday that I can use in the months ahead but that would likely be gone if I didn't get them now. I didn't really need anything now, but I was able to stock up on things and we should now be able to avoid going to the grocery store for a couple of weeks at least. Even after that, we won't need much. So it was a productive trip, even though I don't care much for grocery shopping. It was a fun day today though. We were in and out of the stores early and then we went to a wee village I'd never been to called Portnoo. My friend wanted to go to a small shop there where they sell sausages she really likes. It was raining when we were going down the narrow road towards the village, but it stopped and the sun even came out on the way back. She stopped at a small viewing platform so we could stand in the wind and look at the sea for a few minutes, which was lovely. There was even a faint rainbow.

Then we turned toward home, stopping along the way in another tiny village, Lettermacaward. There's a pub there that my friend loves and we stopped there for lunch. She got gluten free chicken curry with rice and chips and I was tempted to get the regular version again, but instead I opted to try something new--a chilli chicken spice bag with curry sauce. Note that there is no bag involved.

It was only a year or two ago that I first heard about a spice bag and I had no idea what it was. I guess there are different types, both vegetarian and not. It's usually veg and chips with a spice coating on them and it can also contain some sort of meat--this one has chicken. I think the origins of this may be murky but one story I read said that a takeaway in Dublin tossed leftover food in a bag or container at the end of the day and somehow word got around and people started asking for it. Demand spread and now it's on many menus. I have no idea whether this is the true origin story or not. I think this is supposed to be good for hangovers too and I can understand why. I don't know if they're all like this because this is the only one I ever had, but it won't be the last. It was excellent. Just the right amount of spice and an excellent curry sauce. 

On the way home, we swung by the library so I could pick up a book Bill got in today. So we're all set for our traditional holiday hibernation--no plans and nowhere to be. Just enjoying a quiet festive season at home. This is exactly the way I love to spend the holiday--relaxed, peaceful, calm, and quiet. Whatever you like to do at this time of year, I hope you're able to do lots of it and are enjoying the days.

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Books, Yarn, Cake (Brack)

 This morning/early afternoon was the last yarn group meeting of the year and as always, it was such a fun time. I'm so glad the librarian decided to start the group to see what would happen, hoping people would show up. We're a small group--there were 5 of us today--but knowledge is shared, conversation is never lacking, and I've made some new friends. Upon my arrival today my first stop was the circulation desk where one of the three wonderful librarians was holding down the fort by herself. I picked up a book for myself and one for Bill. Then I settled in for some Tunisian crochet, a wee bit of knitting instruction later on, and of course, the delicious tea brack made by one of the women. She called it cake. I don't know if the terms are interchangeable as I've always seen and heard it called brack. She also brought some of her ginger tea, which is a big hit. Ginger doesn't agree with me--makes me feel like a hole is being burned through my stomach--so I don't have any. I've been bringing my travel mug full of chocolate peppermint coffee, but there is always tea and coffee available at the library too.

Brack--I guess I would know it as a quick bread. It's made with raisins or sultanas which are soaked overnight in very strong tea. Then as she described the process of making it, it sounds like a basic quick bread with some spices like cinnamon. Baking powder is used to get a rise, not yeast. It's very dense. This one was perfect in terms of sweetness even though she didn't add any sugar. It can be eaten as is, with butter, or even, apparently with what they call custard here, which is to me like a runny pudding. I've had this custard with apple pie, but never with tea brack, but I bet it's good. She gave me a couple pieces of to bring home so Bill could have some.

Back at the beginning of the group, I taught one of the women to knit. She took to it quickly and watched videos and things as she practiced. She's made several pairs of fingerless gloves. She'd expressed an interest in learning to knit in the round so she can make a hat. I rummaged around and found some circular needles of the right length and a set of long double points, both in a size that'll work for the yarn she wants to use and gave them to her. Today she cast on and I showed her how to join her cast on into a circle so she can start knitting around and around. In between eating brack, drinking coffee, and showing her that, I worked on a blanket wrap I'm making using odd balls of charity shop yarn, some wool and some mohair, in Tunisian crochet. It's going to be so nice and cozy! 

Time flew by as it always does and soon we were packing up our stuff to go home and leave the librarian free to go to lunch. When we meet again, it'll be a new year. 😐😬😮Not sure where the time is going. 

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Recent Makes: Sparkle and Lace

 A couple of months ago, I posted about a new friend in the library yarn group who gave me some wee crochet hooks, all 2mm or less and some under 1mm, that she got when a dear friend of hers passed away. As she was telling me about her friend, she mentioned that she'd love to have a lace doily but that she can't manage the thin thread and tiny hooks. Last week she celebrated her birthday. I was ready. I knew from our conversations that she loves purple. I had purple thread so was thinking about what to do with it when I came across some older magazines that I'd forgotten I even had. I picked them up 16 years ago at a library. They had a shelf with books and magazines for sale and I got these for a few cents--and I was thrilled to find them because even at the time they weren't being published anymore. I've made several things from these mags so sitting and looking through them again was a walk down memory lane. When I came to this design, I knew I'd found what I wanted.

I thought the Irish rose in the center was perfect. She loves it so I'm happy. I told her that I used one of her friend's hooks to make it and I think she really liked that.

I've also made a few decorations for friends, our fabulous librarians, and the women at the yarn group. I used a thin strand of metallic thread with the main color so that when the light hits, there'll be a little bit of sparkle. I made several of these:

And for a couple of friends who are more into solstice than Christmas, I thought some sunny yellow would be the thing.

Tomorrow will be our last yarn group meeting of the year. Apparently there will be homemade cake. It'd be fun anyway, but that's the just icing on the....well, you know. 😏😉

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December Mid-Month Reading Wrap-Up: Non-Fiction

 I've read some excellent non-fiction so far this month, and I've loved all of it. Most of it isn't published yet but will be soon--at least here. It may be that in your part of the world some of these are already available. I did read one of my own books, Women Who Read Are Dangerous, which I wrote a bit about here. I loved this book and I know I'll be dipping into it again and again. It's a collection of artwork depicting women reading and a short informative piece about the art. The introduction is fascinating. 

Resilient Stitch: Wellbeing and Connection in Textile Art by Claire Wellesley-Smith (library book)

This is a gorgeous book, packed with photographs of textile art created by the author and others. The photos are examples illustrating what Wellesley-Smith is writing about in terms of some of the benefits textiles work provides to the artists who work in this medium. She discusses her practice and philosophy as well as that of others. She describes collaborative community work, points out the environmental benefits of using old textiles, and describes her process. It's a wonderful book for anyone interested in textiles and working with textiles in creative ways. 

And now, the as yet unpublished works I've read this month. starting with some food history.

The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese: From Ancient Rome to Modern America by Karima Moyer-Nocchi (to be published on Feb 3, 2026 by Columbia University Press)

When I saw this book on NetGalley, my first thought was, 'I had no idea macaroni and cheese had an epic history.' My next thought was that I really wanted to read it. It did not disappoint. You might wonder what could be so important about the history of any food, but as the Curator of Food History at the National Museum of American History, Paula J. Johnson points out in her foreword, ' As culinary historians understand, tracing the history of foods and foodways across time and space reveals intricate threads of history--trading networks and technologies of transport, cultural diasporas resulting from conflicts and disease, the influence of religion and education, and ideas about gender, race, and class that underlie relationships and fuel the dynamics of power.' (p ix-x) The history of macaroni and cheese addresses all of these issues and more. The author sets the record straight on some myths surrounding this dish, provides modernized versions of old recipes that illustrate the evolution of the dish itself and attitudes towards it, shows how various peoples and ethnic groups put their own spin on the dish, discusses the ways in which recipes were copied, and shows how food technology impacted the ways macaroni and cheese was produced by both individual home cooks and food companies. It's a fascinating history. I'll never look at mac and cheese the same way again. If you're interested in culinary history, cultural foodways, issues of gender, race, and class, this book is for you. I'm already recommending it to people I know.

Snack by Eurie Dahn (to be published on Feb 19, 2026 by Bloomsbury Academic)

What do you think of Flamin' Hot Cheetos? For the author of this fun and informative book, they bring happy memories to mind and she opens the book with a discussion of their origin story, what role they played in her own life, and how this product illustrates larger cultural issues. But she doesn't stop there. She explores snacks from many different angles, including personal, economic, cultural, and in terms of gender. There is so much packed into this small, readable, thought-provoking, informative book. It's not meant to be a definitive history of snack foods, but rather "an idiosyncratic take on snacks and snacking" (p. 11) She points out that the book is primarily focused on the US, but through the lens of the author, "a middle-class Asian-American woman, a child of immigrants, who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s." (p 12) She does a fine job of starting with her own experiences and expanding out to look at the larger cultural issues they illustrate, while reminding readers that, "the category of snacks is capacious, changeable, and culturally, historically, and individually dependent." (p 12)

This book is part of the Object Lessons series, which aims to describe the hidden lives of everyday objects. I'll be seeking out more books in this series because I found this book to be fascinating and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

And finally, things get very cold.

Frostlines: And Epic Exploration of a Transforming Arctic by Neil Shea (to be published on Feb 12, 2026 by Pan Macmillan)

In this excellent, thoughtful, and thought-provoking book, Neil Shea takes readers on a journey across the Arctic to illuminate this cold environment, the animals and humans who call it home, and the landscape itself, now changing rapidly as our world gets warmer. He visits Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and Norway at the Russian border, spending time in the wild and learning from the people who live in these places. He reminds us that although we don't think much about this region of the earth, it has a big impact on those of us who live south of the Arctic Circle. He asks, "What can it mean for all of us, if the north ceases to be cold?" (p. 8)

For the people who live in these cold places, things are changing fast and they're adapting as best as they can. Having lived in Alaska for a decade, and having done some work with some Inupiaq people (although not in the same region he describes in the book), I was particularly interested in how things I observed 20 years before he was there had accelerated, both in terms of the environment and with interpersonal relations between Native people and the '-ologists,' who came from outside and objectified them, trying to grab all the knowledge and information they could to use for their own ends.

The author describes his own growing awareness and enlightenment as he learns how Native people see the land and the animals. He describes the ways in which they see themselves as being in relationship with the animals and land--and relationship brings with it responsibility to behave in appropriate ways. For example, it's a common view among Inupiaq whale hunters, particularly elders, that the whales give themselves to the hunter to sustain the community. This requires the hunters to behave properly and share the meat appropriately. Animals are crucial because, on the most basic level, it's how people live. Given the isolation of these communities and the lack of options, hunting is essential.

This is an important book which describes moments of profound connection--something that we'd all do well to cultivate in our own lives, no matter where we live. Highly recommend.

I thank NetGalley, the publishers and the authors for digital review copies of the upcoming books listed above.

And on we go into the second half of the month--time left for many more books! I'm ready!

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December Mid-Month Reading Wrap-Up: Fiction and Poetry

 Here we are in the middle of December so it's time for me to tell you about some books. Most of the books I have to tell you about have yet to be published here, because I've been focused primarily on clearing my NetGalley shelf. When I requested these books two or three months ago, February seemed like it was ages away, but now it's just around the corner so I wanted to read and review those books. Because this post would be very long if I listed all the books in one, I'm separating the list into two. Today will be about the fiction I read so far this month. As always, publication dates will vary by country so it's quite possible that these books are already published where you are, maybe by a different publisher.

I'll start off by linking back to a library book that I read recently and loved, Uncle Paul by Celia Fremlin. My review of that can be found here.

Soon-to-be-published

The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien (to be published on Feb 6, 2026 by Storm Publishing)

In 2010, Leonora, known as Lenny, is recovering from a stroke on Guernsey. She wakes up at one point speaking in French and it's urgent--she wants the jumper because the Germans are coming. Her daughter and granddaughter are confused because Lenny never gave any indication that she knew French. Indeed, when the younger women had asked for help with their French homework, she said she couldn't help them because she didn't know French. The book then takes readers back to 1941 and tells Lenny's story. As this part begins, Lenny is happily going to her knitting group, a bit concerned because she hasn't heard from her brother, James, in a while. As the women are knitting, a telegram arrives, informing Lenny that her brother is missing and presumed dead. She goes to London to see if she can find out more, bringing her knitting with her, of course. When she's at the War Office, she unexpectedly finds herself offering to work to further the war effort. This leads her to begin training as a field agent. Since French is her first language, she can be very useful. At the beginning of her training, she has trouble at first remembering the Morse code, so she helps herself by rendering the dots and dashes into knit and purl stitches. When the higher-ups find out what she's doing, they decide to make this a part of the training. When in Paris, she works as a shop girl in a bookshop run by people in the resistance. Plot ensues from there.

The book is inspired by true events and real people, but it is a novel. This was a great read, which I didn't want to put down. I kept turning the pages to see what would happen. I kept reminding myself that Lenny was barely an adult so some of the more impulsive decisions she makes would be understandable, given her age and the context. I was a bit disappointed that there was not more about the knitting once she passes her training course and goes off to Paris. It's mentioned in passing here and there, but it doesn't seem to play much of a role. I think it wasn't what I expected, based on the title. In spite of that, I did enjoy the book and since this is labelled as the first in a series, I'll look forward to the second.

An Impossibility of Crows by Kirsten Kaschock (to be published on March 17, 2026 by University of Massachusetts Press)

This book opens with Agnes following in her deceased mother's footsteps and writing a diary/journal. Her husband has just left her, taking their daughter with him. We learn that Agnes is raising a crow, and as the story unfolds we gradually learn how, why. and the particular history of the crow. Agnes had moved back to her childhood home with her husband and daughter when her father died, which deepened the effects of lifelong trauma. Although Agnes' sister lives nearby, the two rarely see one another as both have chosen different paths to cope with the family trauma. The book is a story of growing self-awareness on the part of Agnes as she learns things about herself she'd rather not face. As Agnes reads her mother's letters and journals, she learns more about her family of origin as well and where she fits in. In order to avoid spoilers, I'll leave it there. For me the one of the biggest strengths of the book was the way in which the creeping dread foreshadowed what was coming.

This is a powerful and intense book. Although I was mostly appalled at the beginning, as I continued reading I found myself gripped by it. I can't say that I liked or enjoyed it, but I did admire it for a few different reasons. First of all, the writing is superb. I was eventually drawn into the disturbing world the author created. I must say that I felt some resistance to this at first because it was a world I did not want to visit. Secondly, I thought the structure of the book worked really well. As the author brings readers back and forth between Agnes' increasing agitation and her mother's thoughts, readers get a sense of the disjointed thinking going on inside Agnes' head. As she jumped around from thought to thought, I was there with her. This also worked well as readers learn about Agnes' past decisions and why she might have made them. Finally, the author tackles some very heavy and important subjects in this book. I was particularly interested in the ways trauma

is passed down through generations, something that is made worse by the silences around the trauma. Here the traumas include war, unrecognized and untreated mental illness, sexual abuse, misogyny, racism, and others.

Whether or not a book is considered a good read is entirely subjective, of course. While I considered the book to be thought-provoking and extremely well-crafted, I don't think I'm the right sort of reader for this book. For someone else, it could be an entirely different story. It all depends on your reading tastes.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Over 100 Poems on Life and Love (to be published on Feb 5, 2026 by Gemini Books Group)

This book is a lovely introduction to the life and work of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The book begins with a short biographical essay before presenting a selection of Barrett Browning's poems, separated by theme and including helpful and interesting critiques of some. The themes of the poems presented here are: love, death and spirituality, social justice, and women's rights. Reading this book has kindled an interest in Barrett Browning's life and work and I plan to seek out more. I highly recommend it!

I thank NetGalley, the publishers, and the authors for digital review copies of the soon-to-be-published works above.

I'll tell you about the excellent non-fiction I've read this month in my next post. Happy reading!

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November Reading 2: Fiction, Nonfiction, Art, and Craft

 I read a couple of nonfiction books in November. Both were excellent.

Hotbed: Bohemian New York and the Secret Club That Sparked Modern Feminism by Joanna Scutts (owned book)

This is the story of the Heterodoxy Club, which was formed in Greenwich Village in 1912. The history of the club is told through the life stories of some of the prominent members. The women who formed the club and those who joined it over the years came from all backgrounds, classes, racial categories and brought with them different interests and strengths. The club influenced society and culture. This is a fascinating read--thanks to Bill for surprising me with a copy! 😀💜I loved it.

A Brief History of the End of the F*cking World by Tom Phillips (library book)

I also loved this book and discovered that this author has several more like it on different topics. I've placed them all on my list on the library website for future requesting. In this book, Phillips is providing exactly what the title says--a brief history of people proclaiming that the end of the world is at hand. It's both fascinating and funny. Another one I can wholeheartedly recommend.

I read a couple of novels and a novella.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (read on the Serial Reader app)

It's a tradition. Every year I read or listen to this novella. I adore it. 

The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton (read on the Serial Reader app)

I'm not quite sure what this is supposed to be but to me it read like a farce. I ended up enjoying it, but it was a bit weird. Some guy is recruited to go undercover, infiltrating a group of anarchists for the police. Mayhem ensues.

The Bookshop Murders by Jennifer Gladwell

This book is set in London in 1928. Lucy Darkwether has broken off her engagement to attend Oxford, where she studied ancient history. Now she owns a bookshop. A newly discovered Egyptian mummy is on tour and Lucy wants to host it, but the guy who owns the neighboring bookshop gets the prize. Things don't turn out as planned because as everyone gathers to see the mummy, a newly dead body is discovered. Is it the mummy's curse or something more ordinary? I enjoyed this book. I don't know if it's going to be a series, but if so, I'll read the next one.

And last but not least, there were a couple of arts and crafts titles in the mix for November.

Weaving Tapestry in Rural Ireland by Meghan Nuttal-Sayres (library book)

This book tells the story of the Taipeis Gael, a tapestry weaving cooperative that used to exist in County Donegal. In it, we learn how the cooperative came to be, why some of the members joined, what their successes and difficulties were and more. I found it to be a delightful book and I quite enjoyed reading about some of the people involved, especially the elders who acted as mentors.

Visible Mending by Jenny Wilding-Cardon (BorrowBox e-book)

In addition to providing ideas for how to do visible mending, the author writes about different kinds of visible mending, what method might be best for various situations, a short history of boro, a Japanese mending technique, the materials needed, and photographs of clothing given new life through visible mending. She also makes the case for why this is a good thing to do. 

And there's a quick-ish wrap-up of my November reading. I had one DNF and that was Funny Girl by Nick Hornby, the library book group selection. I read the forst 90 pages or so and had more than enough by then. December has been an excellent reading month so far for me and I hope it's the same for you. Happy reading!

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November Reading 1: Poetry and Short Stories

 It's getting a bit late to post my November reading wrap-up. Last week was busy and time slipped away from me. I'm just going to post the books I read and not be too long-winded about them.

I read a lot of poetry and several short story collections and thoroughly enjoyed all of it! I'll start with the poetry. 

The Gulf Tower Forecasts Rain: Pittsburgh Poems: An Anthology edited by Doralee Brooks (owned book)

I was sitting in the yarn group one day when my phone buzzed with a message from a friend. He was in the Enniskillen bus station with time to kill between buses. They have a couple shelves of used books there so people can leave books or take books. They ask for a donation to a children's charity. What an excellent idea this is! Whenever my friend is going through there, he sends me photos or video of the shelves so I can see if there are any books I'd like. On this day, he sent me a photo of this book followed by '?'. What an unlikely book to find in that place. It's an excellent book--surprisingly so, I must admit. I've never been to Pittsburgh, but I loved this book. Each poem told a story, which is the kind of poetry I enjoy. I don't need deep symbolism or tricky word play, although I can appreciate the latter. But I love poetry as story and this book is full of that. I didn't really expect much from this book, but it's one I'm keeping and will revisit. And who knows--if I ever get to Pittsburgh I'll bring it with me.

The Puzzle-Heart by Louise C. Callaghan (friend's copy)

This was on the shelf when we were dogsitting and it's another book I thoroughly enjoyed, full of little story gems, this time set in rural Ireland.

Calm (A Poetry Prescription Collection) by various poets (BorrowBox e-book)

All of the poems in this collection are meant to evoke a feeling of calm. It's a great little collection. My favorite poem in the book is by Ono no Komachi.

Seeing the Moonlight

Seeing the moonlight

spilling down

through these trees

my heart fills to the brim

with autumn.

I read several short story collections last month as well. I do love my short story collections, especially classics and modern classics.

Secrets in the Snow and Other Classic Crime Stories, edited by Matthew Booth (library book)

Standing Her Ground: Classic Short Stories by Trailblazing Women, edited by Harriet Sanders (library book)

Classic Stories from the Age of Decadence, edited by Jane Desmarais (BorrowBox e-book)

These are all part of the Macmillan Collector's Library. They're great little hardback books that would be great to tuck into a bag or a pocket when going out in case you have a bit of reading time 😊They're all excellent collections which I thoroughly enjoyed reading

Case of the Claws by various authors (BorrowBox e-book)

This book contains four short stories written by authors such as Catherine Aird, Edmund Crispin, Ellis Peters, and Patricia Highsmith. It's a good read.

The Open Door and Other Stories of the Seen and Unseen by Margaret Oliphant (library book)

Oliphant is an author I want to read more of so I was happy to read this book. I have her Carlingford Chronicles on my e-reader. I've only read this book and her novel Hester, both of which I loved. She was quite prolific so I still have plenty of this Victorian author's work to read.

Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett (BorrowBox e-book)

A collection of sort-of linked short stories chronicling the author's experience of a kind of solitude at the edge of a coastal town. I quite liked it.

That's it for today. I'll post the rest in part two. Hope your December reading is as good as mine has been so far!

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