Quite satisfying read. A newborn baby is swaddled and set out to sea in a skiff. She is found and raised by Osh, an old man, an exile (from where?) whQuite satisfying read. A newborn baby is swaddled and set out to sea in a skiff. She is found and raised by Osh, an old man, an exile (from where?) who builds a house from the flotsam and jetsam that washes up on to his sparse island. Osh gets help from Miss Maggie who lives on the island next door.
Sea stories fascinate me. Island living does, too. How they survived on an island with so few resources.
Once again: children's literature for the win. When I need a lighter read, my choice is kid lit.
My favorite quote: But some people let fear set its hook in them, so it's hard to pull out....more
Everything beautiful has a story it wants to tell.
Meissner weaves the stories of two women (Taryn in 2001-2011 and Clara in 1911) who both suffere
Everything beautiful has a story it wants to tell.
Meissner weaves the stories of two women (Taryn in 2001-2011 and Clara in 1911) who both suffered and survived a tragedy. A rare and exquisite scarf with a cascading fall of marigolds across the fabric connects the two stories.
I enjoyed the textile motif: learning about French wool challis, Batavian batiks, and Jinny Beyer prints.
I also appreciated the exploration of grief and the response to trauma. Books that include joy and grief are better than saccharine sweet stories; those two emotions are roommates in my soul.
September is my favorite month and fall colors are my colors, so this quote from Taryn about working at the Heirloom Yard worked for me.
September used to be my favorite month. I liked the way it sweetly bade the summer pastels away and showered the Yard's shelves with auburn, mocha, and every shade of red. September brought in the serious quilters, those who loved spending frosty nights piecing, stitching, and creating fabric masterpieces. It was at time for getting down to business.
My friend Scott went to Scotland. He returned with a book for me, The New Testament in Scots. I loved it, but I couldna read it by isself, it was tae My friend Scott went to Scotland. He returned with a book for me, The New Testament in Scots. I loved it, but I couldna read it by isself, it was tae foreign. I found Tom Fleming's narration of the gospels, which was gorgeous, but couldna listen to it by isself and ken what it was sayin.
But if I put the two (audio + print) together, it made sense. Reading George MacDonald and Robert Louis Stevenson paved the way. Lorimer translated the New Testament from the Greek. Reading the Bible in a different language forced me to go slow, which, I think, was guid.
Here is a sampler from John:
• His blytheness is mine, an nocht is wantin til it.
• He maun grow, and I maun dow.
• The Jews wis bumbazed tae hear him.
• Símon Peter than drew the swuird he wis cairriein an strack the Heid-Príest's servan and sneddit aff his richt lug.
I listened to this on a series of solo road trips in May. I didn't have the requisite knowledge of wine to really grasp it, but I did find it entertaiI listened to this on a series of solo road trips in May. I didn't have the requisite knowledge of wine to really grasp it, but I did find it entertaining.
I'm almost certain that a repeat reading would up my rating. I think I need to read the print edition with a map of France at hand. ...more
This has been my choice of audiobook-to-fall-asleep-to this summer. So delighted was I that I pulled the hardback down and reveled in the print. In thThis has been my choice of audiobook-to-fall-asleep-to this summer. So delighted was I that I pulled the hardback down and reveled in the print. In the same way that I read most mysteries for the "mood", I read Wodehouse for his turns-of-phrase and brilliant descriptions.
Everything in this book is perfectly ridiculous. Not irrational like Dadaism, but satire that makes you smile.
• Lord Emsworth, who is besotted with his pig, Empress of Blandings. Who, by the way, has a "high standard of obesity." • The Lord's neighbor, Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe. • A butler called Beach. • The Lord's brother is The Hon. Galahad. Listening to the audio, I thought it was Ungalahad, perhaps related to unguent?
Stephen Fry was narrator par excellence. I snagged The Blandings Castle Collection (Books 3-6) for one credit on Audible. My favorite laugh aloud moment was when a formerly broken up couple reunites.
Ronnie was saying what he thought of himself and his opinion appeared not to be high. He said he was a beast, a brute, a swine, a cad, a hound, and a worm. [...] Sue said it had all been her fault. Ronnie said, No, his. No, hers, said Sue. No, his, said Ronnie. No, hers, said Sue. No, altogether his, said Ronnie. It must have been his, he pointed out, because, as he had observed before, he was a hound and a worm. He now went further. He revealed himself as a blister, a tick, and a perishing outsider.
I listened to Simon Vance's splendid narration twice while walking country roads. Learning about St. Francis was fine, but Chesterton's excursions andI listened to Simon Vance's splendid narration twice while walking country roads. Learning about St. Francis was fine, but Chesterton's excursions and asides were fantastic. I am eager to read the print book, in hopes of harvesting many great quotes that I've forgotten....more
I read (and loved) 52 Ways to Walk. And the cover of Miss Eliza's English Kitchen popped up by the same author. I gave it a go, and I'm glad I did.
TheI read (and loved) 52 Ways to Walk. And the cover of Miss Eliza's English Kitchen popped up by the same author. I gave it a go, and I'm glad I did.
The food writing is splendid. Some of the social angst of a Victorian spinster seemed more 21st century than 19th century. This book made me happy to live in a time where cooking my family's food is socially acceptable, not strictly the domain of servants.
NOW, I have to get my hands on Eliza Acton's cookbooks! Here is a delicious quote:
"I have started to see poetry in the strangest of things: from the roughest nub of nutmeg to the pale parsnip seamed with soil. And this has made me wonder if I can write a cookery book that includes the truth and beauty of poetry. Why should the culinary arts not include poetry? Why should a recipe book not be a thing of beauty?
My thoughts come quickly and smoothly in the solitude of the kitchen, and as I beat the eggs I find myself comparing the process of following a recipe to that of writing a poem.
Fruit, herbs, spices, eggs, cream: these are my words and I must combine them in such a way they produce something to delight the palate. Exactly as a poem should fall upon the ears of its readers, charming or moving them. I must coax the flavors from my ingredients, as a poet coaxes mood and meaning from his words."...more
A book centered around Queen Elizabeth's 1947 wedding gown, and the women that worked on embroidering it. Marisa Calin did a fine job narrating. An AnA book centered around Queen Elizabeth's 1947 wedding gown, and the women that worked on embroidering it. Marisa Calin did a fine job narrating. An Anglophile, I loved all the Englishness of the book and especially enjoyed the wedding dress.
I inherited my brother-in-law's annotated, duct-taped (but still falling apart) copy from 1963. I think my older siblings read Phillips, but by the tiI inherited my brother-in-law's annotated, duct-taped (but still falling apart) copy from 1963. I think my older siblings read Phillips, but by the time I was getting my own "modern version" it was the Living Bible. I enjoyed reading it very much....more
I've read a handful of memoirs about American women moving to Paris. What set this one apart is how Janice Macleod remodeled her life (erased debt, stI've read a handful of memoirs about American women moving to Paris. What set this one apart is how Janice Macleod remodeled her life (erased debt, stopped eating out, saved $$) in order to quit her job and travel Europe.
There's a romance with a butcher (Janice instantly sheds her vegan, gluten-free diet), learning French, settling into a new culture.
Being both minimalist and impecunious, she takes a pen, a paintbrush, and watercolors and sets up an Etsy shop writing illustrated letters from Paris. Alas, one can't see them listening to an audiobook. But I looked them up and they are lovely. If you are curious, go to YouTube and search for Janice MacLeod Dear Paris book trailer.
I was not familiar with an artist whom MacLeod references: Percy Kelly. I looked him up and his strong black lines and dark umber paintings intrigue and move me....more
My first attempts at reading this play were like my wimpy toe-dipping in a less than 100 degree pool. In the same way that plunging my head underwaterMy first attempts at reading this play were like my wimpy toe-dipping in a less than 100 degree pool. In the same way that plunging my head underwater acclimated me to the fun of water play, full immersion into Tartuffe was delightfully refreshing.
Here are some splashes of joy:
"so much gab, with not a word to say"
"Most aptly, 'tis the Tower of Babylon, Where all, beyond all limit babble on."
The next quote is from Tartuffe's evil talk, attempting to seduce a woman. But the juxtaposition of whitewashed appearances versus broken reality seemed to be a theme of this week's conversations. So I share this quote noting the ironic element.
"The public scandal is what brings offense And secret sinning is not sin at all."...more
I swallowed this down in two gulps. There is much to ponder. It had the grip and vibe of Tara Westover's Educated.
I used to read Yancey's column in CI swallowed this down in two gulps. There is much to ponder. It had the grip and vibe of Tara Westover's Educated.
I used to read Yancey's column in Campus Life magazine when I was in high school. I was raised close enough to Yancey's fundamentalism to recognize and nod ("Every Head Bowed and Every Eye Closed"); but I'm grateful that my upbringing didn't include the egregious parts of his.
The weakness of the whole "performance model" of Christian living was amplified in this book.
Reading this evoked many emotions: melancholy, sadness, poignance, and chuckles.
After his father died, Yancey's mother gives a "you're the man of the house now" talk to Yancey's brother. Marshall nodded and accepted the weight of that burden as solemnly as a three-year-old could do. He informed Mother that he should take charge of my spankings right away....more
For example: beets grow fine next to bush beans, but not near pole beans. Who knew?
I read about intercropping too A wonderful resource for gardeners.
For example: beets grow fine next to bush beans, but not near pole beans. Who knew?
I read about intercropping too late for my vegetable garden but I'm going to give it a try with my flower beds in front. The deer think I grow zinnias for their dining pleasure. And won't stop munching even when I'm standing close shushing them away.
After I noticed that the only tulips that survive the deer are planted inside a ring of daffodils, I decided to try intercropping with zinnias and snapdragons. The deer wouldn't touch the snapdragons.
I won't even pretend that I'd remember to come back to this review and let the readers know the outcome of my experiment. But I'm buoyed with hope....more
I enthusiastically loved this book. It surprised me. It inspired me. Daily walking has changed my life (for the better), and Annabel Streets gives me I enthusiastically loved this book. It surprised me. It inspired me. Daily walking has changed my life (for the better), and Annabel Streets gives me even more reasons to keep it up. Her information was scientifically up-to-date, e.g. brown fat and nitric oxide.
Here is a sampling of quotes I wrote down in my commonplace journal:
→ thirty-five chronic diseases could be prevented by exercise
→ Distance — at any pace with any number of rests — surpasses intensity.
→ It seemed to me that for anyone in the throes of grief, a daily walk was more essential than ever.
→ Time in the woodland also improves our microbiota.
→ Hill climbing does not impact our joints.
→ ...undernourished and atrophied navigational skills ~ the more time we go mapless, the better our spacial understanding
→ No one needs a guided awe walk. All we have to do is turn off our phones, uses our senses, and take note of the bewitching beauty that turns up on almost every walk, often in the smallest of things — lichen, moss, insects, raindrops. Anyone can cultivate the capacity to marvel....more
Carol Bakker
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Books:
2024
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