A Fall Back Weekly Link Round-Up

Yes, I can certainly tell that the seasons are changing here in the Sonoran Desert, even though we've been experiencing temperatures in the high 90s lately. It's all about the sun and its angle and length of time in the sky. The air temperature may be in the 90s, but the temperature of the pool water continues to fall. Hence my attention turning to other things like housecleaning and knitting.

Yes, that's a knitting basket in the photo to the left, and no, knitting isn't out of the ordinary here at Casa Kittling. (Especially after I saw for myself that knitting keeps arthritis at bay in my finger joints!) What does change is what I'm knitting. 

What you see in the basket is the beginning foot or so of an afghan that's going to be eight feet long. It's made in one huge piece with double-strand homespun yarn, and for some reason, I just didn't want to work on this gift during summer here in the desert. With the much cooler evenings now, I can start work on it again, and when it's four or five feet into its length, I'll be appreciating the warmth (and saving on any heating bills).

Before I get my knitting needles clacking, I'd better mosey out to the corral to take care of those links. They seem to know when it's time for them to stampede. Head 'em up! Mooooooooooooove 'em out!

 

►Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Happiness is a salty potato-- and other life lessons from Russian literature.
• How Amazon reviews became the new battlefield of U.S. politics. 
• Everything with Wi-Fi has a newly discovered security flaw. Here's how to protect yourself.
• Actors and actresses who write, from Tom Hanks to Molly Ringwald.
• This is how words get into the dictionary.
• A day in the life of a freelance writer. 

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• Virtually explore a World War II shipwreck in 360 degrees. 
• An ancient Egyptian pyramidion found next to a large obelisk hints at the existence of a queen's lost chamber. 
• The sinister "secrets" of Easter Island's doomed civilization begin to unravel with a Rapa Nui genetic discovery.
• The lost temple of Ramses II reveals the 3,000-year-old mysteries of the god king.
• Israel has uncovered a Roman structure at the foot of Jerusalem's Western Wall.

►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄

• Watch the first video of sand cat kittens romping in the wild. 
• A vacationing family saves a stranded octopus. You'll never guess what happened the next day! 
• Fido's making that puppy face on purpose-- he's trying to tell you something.

►The Happy Wanderer◄

• I'd love to see this: Watch hundreds of colorful hot-air balloons fill the sky in Albuquerque. (I already know what it's like to be in a hot-air balloon.)
• A Brooklyn row house designed for cats and booklovers. 
• You can live in the Long Island mansion that inspired The Great Gatsby.
• This in from the Shetland Islands: Anne Eunson loves lace so much that she knit herself a garden fence-- and it looks gorgeous. People's creativity never ceases to amaze and delight me! 
• Seven stunning natural wonders in Australia.
• The charming English fishing village that inspired Dracula.

►I ♥ Lists & Quizzes◄

• Only an avid reader can name all twenty-two of these books by just three clues. 
• The five weirdest lawsuits about authors stealing ideas.
• The great writers forgotten by history.
• 137 writers and the words they're best known for.
• Twelve essential books celebrating women writers of the African diaspora.
• The best books on Puerto Rico and the U.S.
• With a nod to the upcoming holiday: 23 book-inspired Halloween costumes for adults and children. 
• A Top Ten list of modern Nordic books.
• Fourteen classic works of literature hated by famous authors.

That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!