I have been a insatiable reader since I was very young… it pleases me to no end to watch my children discover the joy of reading too… it amazes and excites me to watch my husband find the joy in it in his 30s FINALLY… Yesterday my kids and their cousin built a little nest of blankets and pillows in the living room, then laid down to read the books we had just found at the local library. I was able to make supper in peace at this time. The specialness of the moment didn’t pass me by.
TTFN
All posts in Book Flavor
Reading
A.A.Milne and Me
A.A.Milne, specifically his books of poetry for the very young, connects the women in this family of mine. My eldest daughter is reading through ‘While We Were Very Young’. She is focusing on a couple of her favorite poems to work on her recitation skills, in hopes that she can present some poems at a family gathering in the future. This is the first poetry book that really caught her interest and, largely, for the same reasons it was the first poetry book to catch my attention as a child.
The words roll off your tongue playfully and you can’t help but grin at the silliness. Oh how this father was so skilled at writing from the point of view of an imaginative child; this is the attraction to adults and children alike who cherish this author!
I felt great joy as I introduced this book to her. It brought me right back to the afternoon that I sat with Grandma and she introduced it to me. Christopher Robin’s prayer at the end of the book, ‘vespers’,was her favorite poem and both grandmother and I agreed with my mothers choice of favorite, ‘half way down’ was adorable and like jolly music when read aloud. As a girl I adored to sing talk the poem ‘hoppity‘ and now I find ‘teddy bear’ (the poem about Winny when he was still Edward) makes me stop and soak in childhood past. My daughter can’t get enough of the poem about the pet mouse and so this is the one she repeats with a cheerful heart.
It was Grandma who had also introduced it to her daughter (my mom) and although Grandma is gone I know a large part of the draw to this author; for my daughter, my mother and myself, is we have the pleasure in sharing this little bit of a book with Grandmothers memory.
TTFN
Won It So Read It
I discovered a new blog, I often do as I am a habitual blog surfer. Randomly entered a contest on before mentioned blog and actually won! Won a book no less! I needed a new read because I had burned through my latest historical fiction read and had no budget to purchase another this month. Yay for Simple Mom’s site!
It was interesting to me that the book I should win was titled ‘the reluctant entertainer’. I had just recently realised, after compiling many comments coming with in ear shot, that many many people wish they where thought of and invited over and so many people ESPECIALLY in the church feel lonely. I really enjoy to be hospitable but one can never learn enough about wise domesticity! I have started to read it, and perhaps it can encourage you too, check it out!
To get a friend you must be a friend… it might not be what we want to hear when lonely but to be shown hospitality you must be hospitable. Some one has to start, someone has to take the time first, make the effort first and reap the rewards of giving first!
On a side note, I am pleased as punch (think my m.i.l. taught me that witty saying) to show you my little side table solution! Those two square baskets with a few books I am often dipping my fingers into are my make shift solution to not owning any side tables for the living room! I find it such a cute little solution I will be all the more picky about an actually set of side tables. Perhaps I will just buy a few more square baskets! Oh and more books! Yeah that is a legitimate reason to buy more books!
On a second side note, this post is also tagged ‘the pet’ so I must post another picture of my fox terrier. He is still so new to our family that he will often stand next to me as I type away on my computer and I can tell he is wondering what I am so intent on and why it isn’t him? He will get used to me and my click-y pass time. He just yawned at me and went to his doggy bed. It is being baked in a sunbeam and I can tell he is far more comfortable there then standing near me and my laptop.
TTFN
Zoomed Right Through It
Often I find I enjoy Lawhead’s trilogies so much that I read threw the series as if it where one book. Usually I buy or borrow the complete set with this already in mind but not this time.
As I finished Hood I felt like I had but ended another chapter… I can hardly wait to find the other two books.
Stephen R. Lawhead is a knowledgeable myth and historical fiction writer. This knew Welsh take on Robin Hood is brilliant in my mind but perhaps I am bias with Welsh blood running in my veins. His explanation for his new take on the legend is intriguing and perhaps would lead even the Robin Hood purist to rethink their stand.
The battle scenes where so fun to read I would get excited as I went through them. I had to share some with Garnet and even he was impressed and wanted to hear each battles completion. The characters have me captivated especially Angharad, the last of her kind, a Banfaith or True Bard and Aethelfrith, we all will recognise him immediately as Tuck, the fat and fire-y priest.
As with all his books I am sure this all will lead to a grander thought and for now I am in the midst of discovering the books parable.
TTFN
Getting Over It
So I had to spend most of the day trying to shake off the story of ‘Tess’ and her demise. I was succeeding by reminding myself that the author was sending a message, a good message through this story…
Looking for comfort I told my husband about the books end. I expressed how it had really upset me. He smiled wrapped me in his arms and said ‘Come here and let me comfort you over a person who didn’t even exist.’ Oh my temper flared and I wanted to slap him… but the flash of anger was cooled by his good natured laugh at my expense and I left the room instead.
I need a more cheerful classic novel now, to sooth my readers heart.
TTFN
Note To Self
Do not read the sad parts of a classic novel late at night… 
Stayed up way to late, struggling to see the words in the light of my tiny Avon purse shaped lamp, so as not to bother my husband. Made the mistake of peeking at the next chapter in ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ as my man turned off his lamp for the night and then I couldn’t go to sleep without finding out the heart wrenching result of her confessing her past to her new husband…
This note to self is particularly relevant considering the novel. You shouldn’t read about ‘Tess’ at all after dark… not if you can get as easily emotional after dark as I can…
“The night came in, and took up its place there, unconcerned and indifferent; the night which has already swallowed up his happiness, and was now digesting it listlessly; and was ready to swallow up the happiness of a thousand other people with as little disturbance or change of mien.”
Quote from Phase the Fifth, The Woman Pays; ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles‘
Quote from Phase the Fifth, The Woman Pays; ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles‘
IF YOU DO you may cry really hard, tears and all… then you may shut the book with a determined thud, as if to express your frustration to the author, hoping the thud will vibrate through time and thud Thomas Hardy up side the head, then you may dwell on all things sad that come to mind till you can’t sleep…
Thank the Lord for a husband in such a crisis as this! A hug and the assurance of his presence was comfort enough for me to put aside ‘Tess’ and her bitter story for the night… Though sound asleep and oblivious to my situation his very existence was romantic in such a moment!
Timing is everything with a good classic novel… no worries, it is worth the read so I will pick it up again with my afternoon tea. During the little ones nap time I will rock in my favorite chair and sit in the sun while I read, for the sun will be there as emotional support!
TTFN
Tea
There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Letters and Social Aims
I am looking for a book of tea. Anyone have recommendations? Something that is table book style and lovely to look at (hard cover) with plenty of information on all the types of teas and cultural information around them. I took a look on amazon and the list of tea books was terrifying so I am hoping someone can steer me in the right direction! Please let me know if you have a much loved tea book in mind!
Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. ~Author Unknown
Another novelty is the tea-party, an extraordinary meal in that, being offered to persons that have already dined well, it supposes neither appetite nor thirst, and has no object but distraction, no basis but delicate enjoyment. ~Jean-Anthelme Brillat–Savarin, The Physiology of Taste
TTFN
The Crow
That advertisement in our province pains me… you know the one that encourages you not to give to PANHANDLERS… it makes me sad that such a label is used to encourage you not to see those men and women as our brothers and sisters and that you are encouraged to not interact with them personally…
This all came to mind as I read a story about a preacher last night. He rescued a crow, that his son found, trapped by thorns at a dump. He was greatly criticized by farmers who can only see crows as enemies who steal their corn. While explained he totally sees their point of view he explained the parable he saw in the situation…
“And as I saw the Crow from day to day, I considered how content he was not to rob cornfields when other food was furnished unto him, and I wondered how many darkened lives have been made predatory because there was no way found to feed them from that which would have cost others little. For it is not the fault of the Crow, as I suppose, that he hath no red breast like the Robin, or beautiful song like the Nightingale.”
“…but he who holdeth in his hand a living thing that the Thorns have cruelly wounded must not be chided from his Compassion.”
(Parables of a Country Parson, by William E. Barton, pg 188)
Later that day I watched a cheeze-y program I usually wouldn’t stop for but it was rainy and I was in the right mood. It surprisingly had an amazing message, ‘you are your brothers keeper’ and the poor and broken are our brothers. They aren’t ‘the panhandlers’ or ‘the mentally ill’ or so on and so forth but are PEOPLE! I cried and cried as I watched, and not because of the poor acting, but because it was a good message.
I have been wanting to read a very intense book about all this and want to recommend it to you to try out. ‘Under the Overpass” By Mike Yankoski (www.UnderTheOverpass.com) Two regular guys decided to live totally like our poor in a big city and they reveal very honestly how dehumanizing it is out there.
Oh Lord may I never be susceptible or part of dehumanizing rhetoric and labeling of my brothers and sisters.
TTFN
Parables of a Country Parson
Found a recommendation for this little book of stories on another blog. I am enjoying it, relishing it, eating it up peacefully before bed each night. Such lovely stories, in such rich old English by such a stunningly wise preacher. William E. Barton had a gift for teaching in a wise and humble way.
Here is one story of his I enjoyed, last night, and wanted to bless you with:
Two Shadows
Now it came to pass in the Summer that I sojourned by the side of a Little Lake that lay to the westward of my habitation. And there was an evening when I watched the Sun as it was going down, and behold it was Glorious. And as I turned away from it and entered my dwelling, behold mine own Shadow went before me, and climbed up upon the inner wall of the Room as I entered. And as I went forward, lo, another Shadow rose upon the wall, and it was like unto the first, even mine own Shadow. And I marveled much that one man should cast Two Shadows. And the Thing Seemed Passing Strange.
But the reason was this, that the Sun as it was going down shone on the water and was like unto another Sun, and cast a Shadow even brighter and taller than the Sun in the heavens. For the Sun in the heavens was partly obscured by the trees; but the Sun in the lake cast its reflected rays under the branches and shone clearly. And so it was that in my sight the reflected Sun was brighter than the real Sun, and cast the greater and taller Shadow.
And I thought within my soul how to the men and women the vision of the Most Height God is often obscured; and how there be those who must see the exceeding brightness of His Person by reflected light. And I prayed to my God that such light of Him as I may reflect might reveal to such as behold it the true glory of the Sun of Righteousness.
(Written by William E. Barton, (c) 1998 Hendrickson Publishers, third printing -Jan. 2006, pages 177-178)
Have a beautiful day! May you be blessed to shine the Glory of God today!
TTFN
