Tall Tales from Kansas

Yesterday morning all the candles were lit first thing, before considering what manner of things the day may bring. It all looked cozy, so I plopped down for a sit and put my feet up. Then in the way that “one thing leads to another” I reflected on this newish hotel in Stowe Vermont (which I had seen a photo of) and how lovely it would be to go there, explore the town, take a hike, stay at a cool hotel, have a fabulous meal, sit by a fire. Somehow Moby Dick popped up next in my brain and whether that is the classic that deserves reading this year, so of course a search for reviews was conducted. Then came the consideration of all these over-size vests I have been seeing with crisp white shirts and jeans on instagram. Should I make one? Which pattern? Knit in the round or seam up the sides? My imagination was next sparked by the idea of a full on sewing retreat… in Rye, England at Merchant & Mills no less. A link was sent to sister with the idea that we should go and make dresses. I am going to say letting the imagination roam unconstrained on a path of good things that could happen is full on fun. All my endorphins were firing. Every day should start this way.

So listen, here’s the ask… I need to hear from anyone who has been to Stowe Vermont – how was it? Then if you have knit an oversize vest that you liked – what pattern did you use? Who has read Moby Dick and should that be my classic for the year or do you have another suggestion? (I loved Rebecca and Dracula last year). If you are a sewist, have you used a Merchant and Mills pattern and how was it to follow?

In exchange, I am going to tell you that I just finished listening to Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy, and recommend it very highly to you. She reads it if you are an audiobook devotee. I loved hearing her tell her story in her voice (written and spoken).

I was expecting the thorny upbringing by her mother, what I was not expecting was the tenderness in the re-telling. Nor was I prepared for her staunch love of India and her activism on the part of women and democracy in general. It made me realize that I have so often been uninformed about the terrible things we humans do to one another all over the world. I felt like the author was having a conversation with me alone. Personal, intimate, infinitely relatable. Put it on your list.