~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ Ginny at small things

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If you look closely at the knitting … you’ll notice that I’ve only gotten a few rows more since last week’s yarn-along! I’ve been busy with lots of things … and unfortunately, not knitting a whole lot! This past weekend was the 2nd Annual Getting Cozy with Cashmere workshop … so I taught some lovely ladies all about lace (and worked on the Lace Sampler Scarf) and then we turned out sights toward stranded colorwork (and worked on Fingerless Fair Isle Fun mitts). It was a wonderful weekend … but I never got a chance to knit!

And, Sunday started Tech Week for the Lake’s production of My Fair Lady — practices go till late in the evening every day this week in order for us to open on Friday, October 19th. It’s a fabulous show (my younger three are in the ensemble) but it does have many scene changes and props and curtain-pulling and since I’m stage manager … I’m not finding ANY time to knit. I might have to start some mindless knitting to do during production, but for now … nope! Here’s a close-up of my Blue Ridge Shawl … I just have to work a few more rows in the mid-blue and then two more shades of blue and I’m done … but it’s not the kind of pattern conducive to interruptions and dark-stage knitting.

But with all that’s going on, I was able to get the kids and I to the library to re-stock-up on books. Our family read-aloud is the book we started the year with and then stopped because the kids wanted to read something else: Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel by David C. Downing. Maybe it’s because it’s suddenly gotten colder, more English-style weather, but they’re really enjoying Looking for the King this time and we’re already halfway through this book that is set in WW2 England with the Inklings (CSLewis, Tolkien, etc) and a mystery and a bit of romance. A really fun read!

I’ve decided that now that it’s getting cool enough to cook/bake, I probably need to get a tad organized in the kitchen. I found The Organized Kitchen by Brette Sember and I’m really enjoying delving into her words of wisdom! There are tips on keeping the kitchen clean, organized and properly stocked. She’s got some great info in there on pre-planning (at which I’m horrible) and even a few recipes. Can’t wait to try some of these ideas out. In addition, I’m reading a cookbook of sorts — Ratio: the simple codes behind the craft of everyday cooking by Michael Ruhlman. This book was recommended by my lovely, future, niece-in-law, and I’m finding it just as good as she said! The author, chef and writer Michael Ruhlman explains the basic ratios for cakes, cookies, breads, muffins, meat, stocks/sauces, custards, etc. For instance, a basic sponge cake requires 1 part egg, 1 part sugar, 1 part flour and 1 part butter; I love this idea of understanding the relations between ingredients and then being able to experiment with some modicum of certainty that the final result will work! Fun, huh?

So what’s on your needles and on your reading table … won’t you come play with us …