What I'm Reading

Well, I am about to spend $10 to put more of my books on http://www.librarything.com/ It seems the right thing to do to keep track of them all. I did very well getting rid of books before we moved, and I can see that I could still stand to get rid of a few more.

I gave a few small bookcases to Daughter, and two large ones to Oldest Son. The old house had two built-in bookcases, so that space is gone too. That meant I had to scale down. I'm also planning to label and store the extensive collection of Home Companion and Somerset Studio and it's spin off magazines in my art room. I do not need to SEE them.

So, while I wasn't feeling well (i am coming out of the fog today) I've been reading. One book that I enjoy reading again and again is "Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House in the Ozarks" by Stephen Hines, which consists of Laura's writings for local farm journals. Why I enjoy this book so much is sort of weird, as there is no 'farm girl' at all in me, aside from my desire to have a cow someday.

I'm also reading Dr. Paul Brand's book "The Forever Feast". Just after I posted the picture of Daughter's little grape arbor I picked up this book, and he began talking about the vine and the branches. I love it when things work out like that.

And, I've pulled out my "MaryJane's Stitching Room" book again. Although, the only stitching I've done lately has been repair to my fall coat. I get inspired and sigh a lot when I don't feel well. But, I've done almost nothing.

My box of Christmas books was inadvertently brought down to the basement. T ever loving HGGM carried it back upstairs for me. So, I've read "The Bird's Christmas Carol" and a few others.

I've read a few reviews of Frank Schaeffer's book "Crazy for God". I believe I've read all of the works of his parents, his sister Susan and even a few of his. So, I think I will want to read this. It came out on Thursday. If I get it soon I will be sure to post a review. Paraphrasing one commenter I came across - "...his parents named him 'Frank', not 'Circumspect'."

What I'm Reading

I found the Grandma Moses book at my favorite thrift store. It was there for quite sometime. I cannot believe that no one snatched it up. So, I did. I'm finding it to be very interesting reading, and the art work is wonderful.

And, I used my 50% off Michael's coupon to buy the "Felt Wee Folks" book by Salley Mavor.

That is interesting reading also.

I think I'm drawn to her artwork because it reminds me of those Ecuadorian quilts with the scenes of village life stitched on to make a 3D effect.

If I am remembering correctly (that, my friends, is a big "IF") I saw a great display of those quilts at the Museum of Science and Industry a long long time ago. Now I am wondering if it was a permanent display, or the traveling kind.

Anyway, a 'fair trade' shop in Saugatuck has similar artwork for sale. I love it.

That made finding this book all the more fun.

And, even Grandma Moses began by stitching pictures.

I'm reading other stuff too, but we will save that for another day.

Oswald Chambers

This one is from August 21, "My Utmost for His Highest".

Goodness, am I behind in everything!?

Anyway, I had to put aside my 'old' copy, as I had marked it up so much that I couldn't just 'read' it anymore.

If you don't have a copy, get thee one! I find them all the time in the thrift stores.

Why I Like Kathleen Norris

"When last I was home and attending church, the children's choir sang "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam," a song I remember singing as a child. I suppose I loved it then. What made their song so marvelous in the context of our worship that day was that it was followed by a reading from Jeremiah 14 that made it clear that God did not
want Jeremiah for a sunbeam. Gifts differing, I suppose." - Kathleen Norris, "The Cloister Walk" p. 133

books, Books, and More BOOKS

Ahhh.

I actually made it to 'cheap book day' at my second favorite thrift store. Lately, I've been purposely avoiding it, due to the fact that I have a few books already. Just a few. Like, not a whole bunch or anything.

Feeling rather happy with myself, I left with only three books (and a roll of textured, paintable wallpaper - for 99 cents!).

I bought a hardcover Kathleen Norris "The Cloister Walk" for only 25 cents. I'm already reading it. I thought I'd read it before, but it only seems oddly familiar.

And, for a mere 10 cents, a paperback about wanting what I have. I DO want what I have. That's why I bought what I have. But, it seemed to be about journaling so I spent the dime. Because I wanted what they had. And wasn't happy about not having it.

For another 25 cents I bought a 1926 book on elementary entomology called "How Insects Live". Fascinating stuff. I keep picking up cheap books to rip apart for decoupage, and then I get them home and LOVE them as books. The pages in this one would make lovely backgrounds for shadow boxes, etc. Fig. #29 - "May-flies about an electric lamp." is just too cool! Oh, and I learned that they are of the order 'Ephemerida' which means 'lasting but a day'. Helps one to understand why the paper bits I like to collect are called 'ephemera'.

Today I picked up where I left off in November of 2005 at LibraryThing. Do you have a LibraryThing thingy? If not, google LibraryThing and check it out. It's so simple, even I can do it. So far, I have 100 of my books on it. I haven't actually unpacked my books, and do not plan to until after Christmas, so I am just adding the ones that I find laying around. Umm. Yes. I do have a number of books unpacked. Just not the majority of them. And, I am sorting them in the garage so plan to weed out more as I go.

I did find it a bit odd that they do not have a catagory called 'Green Books'. Not books about sparing the environment, but books which have hardcovers of green. It seemed like a reasonable option, as I do have many books that I bought just because they are green. Although, I do not know why.

Book Meme

Another meme.

I found this one at Karen's blog http://www.overbackyardfence.blogspot.com/ and thought I would play along.



What are you reading right now?

- I am reading "Song of Years" by Bess Streeter Aldrich. It has a copyright of 1938. The story takes place in Iowa in the mid 1800's. I'm loosing myself in this one, which is just what I needed!



Do you have any idea what you'll read when you are done with that?

- Hopefully I will get my books unpacked next month. My 'to finish' pile was rather deep, but I might throw all caution and careful planning to the wind and start something new. I've had "That Printer of Udells" setting around for quite some time also.


What magazines do you have in the bathroom right now?

- I keep a drawer/crock full of old Christmas magazines in the bathrooms. I haven't moved them in yet, so all that's there now is Reader's Digest and World Magazine.



What's the worst thing you were ever forced to read?

- I don't remember being forced to read anything. Some books read for classes I didn't enjoy, but my guess is that I would now. Being 'forced' to read is the reason I have never joined a book club. I did force myself to finish a few books that I wish I would have just given up on.



What's the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

- "The Bird in the Tree" by Elizabeth Goudge. Actually, all three in this trilogy. I love them!



Admit it. The librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don't they?

- No, they don't. I do believe they knew Oldest Son's name when we were homeschooling, but not mine. I used to read a lot of abnormal psychology, so they were probably a wee bit leery of getting to know me.



Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don't like it at all?

- All of my Leanne Payne (non-fiction) books. I LOVE her books! Can't get anyone else even interested in cracking the cover. Through her I discovered the fiction of Elizabeth Goudge. Any friend of Elizabeth Goudge is a friend of mine!



Do you read books while you do other things?

- I used to read while I held Jonge back when he was Baby Boy. Then, he developed a disliking to my holding books and started swatting them out of my hand. I still have a book about Maria Montessori that I carry around with me to read in waiting rooms or if I get stuck in the car somewhere.



When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits?

- Not that I remember. I do remember that I had one neighbor friend who was a game show junky. She could never understand why I would rather read than find out what was behind door number three. But, she didn't tease me.



What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn't put it down?

- L.M. Montgomery's "Anne's House of Dreams". I'm not a fan of mysteries, but THIS is a great mystery. It stands alone very well, so one could read it without having read the other 'Anne' books, although, I just cannot imagine NOT want to read the other ones too.

Earworms and Bad Songs (part one)

It took an entire week, but I was able to clear the 'earworm' "Speedy Delivery" song out of my head. Now if I wanted to, which I don't, I could sing it and be done with it.

Because of the ease with which I catch 'earworms' (songs that get stuck in one's head) I should avoid bad songs. I should - but I didn't.

Last night I was awakened at five by THGGM monkeying with the air-conditioner. Otherwise, I do not wake up during the night. On the floor in the bathroom I found a book "Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs" which I began to read, in the bathroom, at five in the morning.

This book is already 10 years old. And, it reaches waaaay back for bad songs from the 60's, 70's and some 80's. It is a must read.

Does this paragraph from page 9 of the introduction not grab you?

"Why do people feel so passionate about this subject? Because music is personal. The songs we hear a lot - particularly the ones we hear when we're young - soak into our psyche, so that forever after, when we hear certain songs, we experience sudden and uncontrollable memory spasms taking us back to specific times - some good, some bad - in our lives."

I did actually go back to bed. I finished reading the book this afternoon. It can easily be read in an hour. The reading will only take an hour. This is not counting the times when your will be overtaken by extreme fits of laughter from which you will need time to recover before you resume reading.

More to come... probably in September...

Putting My Friends into Boxes

I have a rather large number of books I consider dear friends. They 'pick up the phone' whenever I call. Most of them sit in piles by my bedside table, or rest on an end-table beside my couch. A large crock of them stand at attention in my downstairs bathroom.



I cannot pack them, yet. I need them.



There is nothing like knowing that C.S. Lewis is just an arms-length away.



Or that Annie Dillard is mucking around in a creek just a few feet from my head as I sleep.



Knowing Gladys Taber's inspiration is leaning up against fine fiction by Elizabeth Goudge helps me to sleep on restless nights.



It's still more likely that no toilet paper can be found in the bathroom than that a volume of Oswald Chambers would be unavailable.



Larry Crabb is still within reach for those times I cannot remember what it's all about. He reminds me. It isn't the hokey-pokey.



Muddling around in self pity? Grab up a volume or two of Leanne Payne, Elizabeth Elliot or Edith Schaeffer. No time to re-read it? No problem! Just whack myself in the head with it. Same effect.

Then there are the four Chistopher de Vinck books that I leaf through every night. I'm still cringing over the story of when his young daughter kissed her reflection in the toaster and received 2nd degree burns on her lips. He gives me the assurance I need that everyday life matters, and it matters very very much.

I haven't even delved into the dozens of creatively inspiring magazines I keep on hand to spark my enthusiasm to create. Or, magazine type books like Somerset Home and Somerset Life which I open whenever I need to jar myself out of humidity induce lethargy.

Oh. And there is a cute little bookcase standing in the den still filled to capacity with little board books. Occasionally Baby Boy isn't the only one who needs to bust out into a rousing chorus of "Barnyard Dance" or "Snuggle Puppy".

And yes. Cookbooks. I don't think I've cooked from a cookbook since Christmas, but, I feel secure in knowing that I 'could'.

I love that old Chinese quote "A book is like a garden, carried in the pocket."

I'll be needing some mighty big pockets when I walk out of this door for the last time.

What I Am Reading

I brought four books by Christopher de Vinck with me on this vacation.

I absolutely love how this man thinks and writes.

Truly, it's been the PERFECT reading material for me.

About a month ago, on the day that my mom was so 'out of it' from the new medication she had taken, mom, Baby Boy and I were watching "Mr. Roger's". It is one of our favorite Thursday morning activities. Anyway...Mr. Roger's had the poet, May Sarton on. I was all excited about that because I love her poems. Then, who should appear in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood to take Ms. Sarton to her next visit at a school, but Christopher de Vinck! I was SOOO excited I nearly fell off my seat! Of course, this was a very old Mr. Roger's - from the 1980's I believe - but still.

The sad thing was, there was NO ONE I could tell, at least not that could care. I told my mom and Baby Boy all about how Christopher de Vinck found a comment I had left on another blog and contacted me. How he sent me three of his books, and how much I admire this man.

Neither of them seemed to understand my excitement.

Oh well. The two of them often say things that I don't understand, yet I listen respectfully and nod.

If you like contemplative reading that really 'says' something, go look for his books. I love them. I think you would, too.

Interesting Reading

I've been reading www.jesustheradicalpastor.blogspot.com and following several of the links.

I have not had an interesting thought of my own in a good many days, so I am happy to borrow from those who still have them.

Preach It, Vincent!

Based on how much I love Edith Schaeffer's book "The Hidden Art of Homemaking" I ordered "Living Artfully" by Sandra Magsamen.

I am NOT disappointed!

Both books have fabulous content for anyone looking to create beauty in the world they move in.

Love this quote by Vincent van Gogh.

It successfully sums up the content of BOTH of these books.

Thursday Morning

I spent the early hours of my morning drinking coffee, embroidering on a canvas apron and reading up on "Manners".

I found the Golden Book on Manners at the Thrift Store on Saturday. It has a copy rite of 1962. It cost 29 cents. I was four in 1962.

It is written by Peggy Parish (amelia bedelia) and illustrated by Richard Scary. I LOVE this book! Have I become nostalgic for good manners?

I especially love the advice "Don't stare and point at people. It may hurt their feelings. Don't put your feet on the seats." Yes. Because being stared and pointed at are right up there with putting feet on seats. I'm okay with your feet being on my seat, but PLEASE under no circumstance would I want to be stared and pointed at.

And look at all those requirements for going to a friend's house! And STILL one must be cheerful, and friendly too? I can do 'cheerful' or 'friendly' but rarely can I do both at once while greeting a hutchful of bunnies.

Oh, what a time that was to live in.

And how we have fallen.

As a bonus I included the picture of Huckleberry Hound which I enlarged from a tiny picture on the back of the book. I always have loved Huckleberry Hound. He was good people.

Somebody Loves Books!

It is really fun to listen to Baby Boy as he 'reads' his books.

He does different voice inflections.

Too cute!

Finding a Book...

I have finished "Jane Eyre". I was sparked to re-read it after watching it on PBS the past two Sunday evenings.

Goodness, what a difference age makes in reading. I do believe that the first time I read it, Jane seemed old to me. I must have been young. Mr. Rochester, in those days, seemed a horror. Now my heart pines for a blind guy with only one hand.

THGGM and I have many long conversations. We do. But, as I told him yesterday, I don't believe we have EVER had a conversation as long as those of Jane and Edward. EVER. I'm not sure that I even find that sad (somehow i don't think jane ever said 'edward, is there a point to this? and if so, are you planning to get to it, like, soon?).

Now I'm planning to re-read "Wuthering Heights". I didn't like that book either. Heathcliff seemed a dolt to me.

What was with the Bronte sisters? I cannot imagine what THEIR conversations would have been like.

Someone needs to write a book titled "Dinner with the Brontes". I wonder just how long it took them to get to the point. 'Pass the salt' could very well cover several pages.

Then I might have to move on to Jane Austin. I WANT to like Jane Austin's books, but I don't. Now that I am old, might I like them? I know that it didn't help that I read from my collection of classics only when I had a major flu, or something that kept me down for long periods of time.

Perhaps a fevered brow does not bode well with reading Austin. Time will tell.

Now, if I could only find some moors in which to roam.

Oh, and a raving lunatic. That's a must have. I've room for one in my attic.

(okay. i might just have to say 'no' to wuthering heights. now that i have that stupid heathcliff cartoon music stuck in my head!)

If you haven't read (jumping here to non-fiction) "North to the Orient" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, get thee to a bookstore! I found my copy in the clearance section at Barnes and Noble for two dollars.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

One of my favorite sites to visit while Baby Boy naps is Brocante Home www.brocantehome.typepad.com What amazing links one can find there! While visiting this week, I noticed the post on Charlotte Perkins Gillman's book "The Yellow Wallpaper".

I found a copy on line (i know i have it somewhere, but it was much quicker to find on line). My aunt had recommended it to me several years ago. But, I enjoyed reading it again. Well, maybe 'enjoyed' is too strong of a word. Fascinated. Yes. I'll go with that.

Twenty seven years ago I spent what seemed like weeks in a room, mostly alone, which had yellow wallpaper. I liked the yellow wallpaper. I liked it very much. But, I did notice changing patterns and actually could recognize faces of people in the peeling ceiling (peeling ceiling is fun to say!) and the folds of the yellow curtains.

No. Yellow wallpaper holds no ill will with me.

Now. In that same upper apartment in an old boarding house in Grandville with numbered doors (how cool is that!?) was a room. THGGM and I had no idea what to call this room, so "The Room" just sort of stuck.

It had orange and gold wallpaper.

A sixteen inch repeat pattern of orange and gold wallpaper.

Romanesque columns.

With vines hither, thither and yon. And, even beyond "yon".

Hung upside down. Rather than climbing UP the columns, the vines slithered DOWN, as if to catch you and wrap you up and suck the life out of you. And then burp with great satisfaction.

Our landlords LOVED it. They had hung it themselves when they first purchased this old boarding house.

Let me tell you that I can TOTALLY relate to having wallpaper develop a life of it's own.

Let me also tell you that I see pictures and faces and things no one else seems to notice in inanimate objects.

I totally understand "The Yellow Wallpaper".

Google it. It's a short read. You will either hate it because you don't understand it, or love it because you do.

Oh, How I Love Books!

I found this book on eBay.

It is 100 years old.

The pictures are wonderful.

If it wasn't that I read the short story "The Machine Stops" for a journalism class I took, I would never leave home and would do ALL of my shopping on line.

But, I did read it. This was before home computers were available. I could so easily become the woman in that story. If you are on the computer a lot (according to your family, not according to you!) you MUST read "The Machine Stops".

And in my less than humble opinion, everyone should read Stevenson.

I am amazed at the condition of this book, and the extremely fantastic price I got it for.

The illustrations are beautiful.

Note: Judy Paid Full Price for a Book Today

I found this book today at Barnes and Noble. I think I have been shopping at Barnes and Noble four times this week. That is unusual for me.

Anyway...I fell in love with the style of this book! Now I think I can begin scapbooking - I could SO DO this!

When WIll I Learn?

I bought the book on the left awhile back. Somewhere I had read that "That Printer of Udell's" was a favorite book of President Reagan's. I had read Wright's "Shepherd of the Hills" and really liked it, so I had my eyes open for it. An added bonus was that when I DID find it, it was a green book, which for some inexplicable reason I find charming.

Yesterday, while shopping the book sale at my local and sometimes unfriendly thrift store, I found another Harold Bell Wright book. "The Least of These My Brothers", edited by Michael Phillips, who also edited many of George MacDonald's books.

Anyway...I paid my DIME for this book. When I got home and began leafing through it, I learned that it is actually "That Printer of Udell's"!

I just wasted a DIME.

I can sort of understand the need for the upgrade. That is not an attractive man on the cover of the green book.

But, why oh why can't they tell me on the cover that it is actually "That Printer of Udell's"? THGGM will not tolerate me wasting money like that.

Why, I could have used that DIME to buy...hmmm...I don't think that there is anything I could buy with a DIME anymore...but...still. It's the point of the whole thing.

Judy's House of Nightmares

Debra, at www.debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com had some beautiful books pictured on her blog this week. It made me think of one of my FAVORITE books. "Anne's House of Dreams" by L. M. Montgomery.

My mom gave me a copy of one she had from her Aunt Bea. Although, it doesn't have Aunt Bea's name in it. Hmmm. A mystery! I recognize the name, though. But not the address.

This is my most favorite of the "Anne" books, and it is a mystery. Normally, I cannot stand mysteries (or science fiction or talking animals) but I LOVE this one (and i LOVE dorothy sayers 'the nine tailors'). So, I set this wonderful book out on an end table. Even set an old pair of reading glasses on it. It did have some damage in one corner, but the image of Anne on the front was absolutely beautiful! Too beautiful to be hidden in a book shelf, in my opinion.

Well. One day, as I was using a 'tape roller' to remove cat hair from my furniture, I passed the book. It looked a tad dusty - and, yes - you guessed it. I rolled the tape roller right over the top of it! The picture rolled right off. I cried. If you must know, I sobbed. I said the old 'I just can't have nice things'. I felt very very sorry for my sorry self. And, if Mary Palmer wants her book back, she can have it.

MaryJanesFarm

THGGM and I ended up at the mall tonight.

He shopped a little bit, and as usual I went into Barnes and Noble.

I nearly jumped for joy when I discovered that the NEW Mary Janes Farm was out!

I'm not a Farm girl, and my mother often assured me that I would make a horrible one anyway, as it was just TOO much work for the likes of me!

But, oh! How delightful it is to READ about! And, I bet if I tried really really hard, I could make an apron.