Such A Lovely Book

One of my Christmas gifts was this book!

I've read many books this year.

None of them had the charm of this one.

Great writing and beautiful watercolor illustrations, tells of the life of Korean grandparents keeping in touch with their grandchildren through story and art.

It is truly a work of love. 

 

What I'm Reading

THGGM and I have watched the five seasons of Poldark this year.
That got me interested in reading the books.
The first six are the books that the series is based on, and since I am now half way through I can tell you that this adaptation did an incredible job of staying close to the books. 
Since THGGM and I are on a new to us schedule, we've been heading off to bed early (well, for me anyway) to read every night.
These books are my night time reading, along with what is on my Kindle.
Although we have a house with bookcases all over, I tend to be one who piles when it comes to reading material.  I have different piles of books in all the places I sit around the house.  So, I suppose I shall be sharing more stacks of my reading materials, as they are rather endless. 
Anyway.., while I was propped up in bed reading a few nights ago, THGGM - who after months of looking for the cause of his chronic cough has been recently diagnosis with asthma - was propped up on the other side of me reading his book of choice.  I had just come to a paragraph that began like this:

'However,' said Mr. Trencrom, 'I have not called merely to discuss the foreign situation.  As you will have guessed.  No doubt.'  He coughed.  It was an extraordinary sound for so large a man;  his mountainous body quivered, and a small thin wheezy noise was eventually produced as if deep inside him a very small dog was dying of asphyxiation. 

And just then, I heard a small thin wheezy noise emit from the reader propped up beside me, as if a very small dog was dying of asphyxiation inside him. 

You can't make this stuff up.
And Winston Graham writes brilliantly.

Christmas Reading

These are a few of my yearly favorite Christmas books.

But this year I have enjoyed reading Journey into Christmas by Bess Streeter Aldrich.

It's an anthology of the author's Christmas stories.

It was just what I needed.

I didn't live in the time period these stories are written about or in the part of the Midwest where they take place, but in each short story the characters are developed so well that you can just about reach right into the book and touch them.

That is no easy feat.

Bess Streeter Aldrich knew her stuff.

This book will be on my Christmas reading list for the rest of my life.

If you like good writing and a delightful turn of phrase, try to find yourself a copy of this book.

On Tuesday We Read Books

On Tuesday, Hertsje and I read books.  All of the books.  But just the first two pages of all of the books.  She has a great love of books.  Is there anything better than enchantment with books?  There probably is, but just now I cannot think of what that could be.

The Loooooong Winter

Remind me never to complain.  Especially about winter.  In my long 54 years I remember that winter started sometime around Thanksgiving and ended by dancing around Easter.  Last year winter almost missed us completely, but decided to storm on us ONCE the very day Hertsje was born, causing us to miss seeing her on the day of her birth due to a closed highway and a stern warning from the weatherman to STAY OFF THE ROADS!
This year winter has again held off until February.  But it's had a bit more of a bite to it than last year.
Today I'm sitting by my front window, watching it snow, and snow, and snow some more.  So far, it hasn't effected the driving conditions, as cars are sailing by like they normally do.
I'm presently reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's "The Long Winter".  Every time I read it I get something different from Wilder's description of it.  Some years I'll read it during the hottest most humid weeks of summer and will still feel chilled by the scenes of that blizzardy winter.  Of course, here in Michigan in isn't THAT cold, or THAT snowy, but still, reading this book makes me more truly thankful for heat, light, and food than anything else ever could.
Last night, this was the portion of the book that really had me thinking that even though everything changes, everything also stays the same...

"If only I had some grease I could fix some kind of a light," Ma considered.  "We didn't lack for light when I was a girl, before this newfangled kerosene was ever heard of."
"That's so, said Pa.  "These times are too progressive.  Everything has changed too fast.  Railroads and telegraph and kerosene and coal stoves - they're good things to have but the trouble is, folks get to depend on 'em."

A Week Without Wireless

Last Friday our wireless died.  It took until yesterday to get it all figured out.  Well, ALMOST all figured out.
I was sick most of the week, so I didn't really miss my computer much.  What did I do?  Most of my time was spent reading "Gods and Generals" and currently I'm reading "The Killer Angels".  Both books have been on my want to read list for years.
So, that's where I've been.  What's new with you?