What will you be reading on the last day of 2014?

For a slightly different take (at least for me, that is, not a quilter) on the New Year, try The New Year's Quilt: an Elm Creek Quilts Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini. I have enjoyed all the books in this series and am learning more about quilts and the designs of the blocks with each title. This time, Sylvia, a main character, designs a special quilt, as a memoir for times past and a look ahead to the new year.

I like learning about severe weather and a recent read was Extreme Weather: a Guide and Record Book. This is the Climate Change Edition. It is by Christopher C. Burt with cartography by Mark Stroud. Lots of lists and charts and maps here, but also some great photos and information on really bad weather and what causes it.

Have you met Carl? If not, you are in for a treat! (Start with Good Dog, Carl.) The author, Alexandra Day is also the illustrator and her pictures are wonderful. The book I've chosen for this blog is Carl's Snowy Afternoon. Join Carl and Amy as they sneak past the babysitter for a romp outside.

There are poems and stories from faraway lands in Snowy Day, edited by Caroline Feller Bauer and illustrated by Margot Tomes. I found an old favorite about the noise of the city hushed by snow, and a new treat in a story from Japan about hats made for statues. A very nice collection.

A last minute find here: Winter: an Alphabet Acrostic, by Steven Schnur, illustrated by Leslie Evans. Beautiful winter time illustrations (hand colored linoleum cuts) and clever verse that can be read both across and down. I learned on the back cover that each season has a book by this team.

Happy New Year!

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A gathering of picture books this time, mostly.

Sugar White Snow and Evergreens: a Winter Wonderland of Color, by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky, illustrated by Susan Swan. Learn about colors as a family goes to a farm where maple syrup is made. The gentle illustrations each feature one or two colors.

I love a good snow globe, those really expensive ones with the wonderful scenes! I learned just what happens when you shake one in The Snow Globe Family, by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by S.D. Schindler.

I remember when this book came out. It won the Caldecott Award. It was a favorite then, and it still is, whether it's a hardback, paperback, or board book binding. It is The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. Join Peter as he explores the first snowfall of the season.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost, beautifully illustrated by Susan Jeffers. That pretty much says it all, this is a telling of Frost's poem. I've used it as a gift more than once. Adults like it, too. Absolutely wonderful.

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I'll start with The Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore today. My copy is illustrated by Florence Sarah Winship (and cost, are you ready, a quarter!), but there are lots and lots of versions available from many different artists. There used to be a dad in the neighborhood that read this to any of us who (of all ages) would listen every year.

I reread Miracle on 34th Street, by Valentine Davies every other year or so. I watch the movie every year. The original, not the dreadful remake. I loved learning if Santa sleeps with his whiskers on the inside or outside of the blankets. :-)

A young pilot is on his way home for Christmas eve when everything goes wrong, the compass fails, as do the engines, and then fog surrounds the plane. Lost and alone, he is facing a certain death when a plane of WWII vintage shows up beside him. The author of The Shepherd, Frederick Forsyth, was a pilot with the Royal Air Force, and I've read that aviators like this book. Even for a non-pilot such as myself, this is a proper Christmas miracle read.

I both read, and saw, a wonderful version of The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry in the same year. It was an immediate favorite and I have a small book of just this one O. Henry story that I pull off the shelf every December. A sweet, simple tale of gift giving.

A cozy mystery from my 'favorites' shelf: The Christmas Quilt, by Jennifer Chiaverini. The discovery of an unfinished quilt spanning several generations of Bergstrom quilters sparks memories of times past (something this author does very well).

And of course, there's the ubiquitous A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Versions of this have been seen in everything from sitcoms, to modern movies, to ads and commercials. There's even a musical called 'Scrooge' that I rather enjoyed many years ago. For me, reading it is still the best way to go. (I know someone that reads it to the chickens every December) :-)

A late entry this ... from the title I was thinking it would make a great addition to an upcoming blog about tea, but it will actually fit better here. The Haunted Tea-Cosy: a Dispirited and Distasteful Diversion for Christmas is yet another take on Christmas Carol. The twist here is that it is by Edward Gorey! The 'host' is none other than Bahhum Bug. Subtle and witty.

Enjoy the season!

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While not a fan of the traditional song 'Twelve Days of Christmas', I do rather like many of the variations such as 'The Twelve Days After Christmas', 'The Twelve Days of Cowboy Christmas', and the version where each day is in the style of a different composer, but my absolute favorite version is a print version. I laughed until I had tears in my eyes over Jack Kent's Twelve Days of Christmas.

Will you be going to a large family gathering? Is there ever a pause in the conversation? Or a need for an activity due to the weather? Then be sure to have a copy of Quizmas: Christmas Trivia Family Fun by Gordon Pape (with Deborah Kerbel) at hand. Designed for all ages, the chapters have questions on movies, books, carols, food, and so forth, for Tots to Teens as well as the grown-ups. Don't skip the introduction, it's wonderful.

While A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic, by Caseen Gaines, was not quite what I was expecting, it proved to be an interesting read anyway. There are a few 'behind the scenes' entries, here, but there are also chapters about buying the house that was used for the exterior shots, and then having it redone completely on the inside to match the movie set. Visiting the school (it's in Canada) the day of the demolition and saving that chalk board from the classroom. Tracking down many of the outfits that were worn (also in Canada). The house is open for tours year 'round, along with the museum and gift shop. If you like the film, I think you'll enjoy this book.

There really is a book store called 'The Mysterious Bookstore', and it really is run by Otto Penzler (mentioned in an earlier blog). For years he asked for short stories from authors he knew. There were a few requirements: they had to be a mystery set at Christmas time, and had to take place in the book store. They were then bound and used as gifts for his regular customers. Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop: 'Tis the Season to Be Deadly is a collection of those stories. Oh, and see if you agree with the lists of the 10 Best Christmas Mystery Stories, Christmas Moves, and Christmas Mystery Novels of all Time at the end of the book. :-)

A few more Christmas mysteries: Christmas Carol Murder, by Leslie Meier. Twelve Clues of Christmas, by Rhys Bowen. The Clue Is In the Pudding, by Kate Kingsbury (this is part of a wonderful series)!

I hope there is some reading time for all of you during the holiday festivities. :-)

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Riding in a sleigh, with the runners shushing, the sleigh bells, well, jingling, the horses snorting always seemed like it would be thrilling. Actually, it was most likely cold and uncomfortable! This book would fit well with the Working Horses book from an earlier blog, but I decided to include it here, with other winter type books. Sleighs: the Gentle Transportation, by Carlo Italiano has beautifully drawn pictures of a great variety of sleighs that carried or delivered everything from food, to barbers, to nuns. There was one that carried a man who would go door to door sharpening knives. Coal, mail, and milk were delivered by sleigh, there was even a snow removal sleigh!

In times gone by the shortest day of the year was celebrated in a great variety of ways by all cultures. Some of the modern traditions of Christmas and Hanukkah come from these rituals. The Winter Solstice, by Ellen Jackson and illustrated by Jan Davey Ellis explores some of these celebrations, and also gives the scientific explanation for the changing length of days.

Amongst my Christmas books, the ones I reread each year, are two children's books. North County Christmas, by Shelley Gill and illustrated by Shannon Cartwright is the story of tired reindeer and a team of dogs. Without saying too much, this is a magical book. ;-) Wolf Christmas, by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Jill Pinkwater is told by one of the wolf pups as he and his litter mates romp and play under a winter sky on what turns out to be a special night.

Are there favorite books you enjoy every year?

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Ever wonder how some of the most familiar songs of Christmas were written? Or when? What inspired a song? And who wrote it? Ace Collins answers just such questions in his easy to read book The Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas.

For the more traditional carols, try Best Loved Christmas Carols: the Stories Behind Twenty-five Yuletide Favorites, by Ron Clancy. There's a detailed history and beautiful illustrations for each.

And, for a look at a personal favorite of mine there's White Christmas: the Story of An American Song, by Jody Rosen. Irving Berlin originally saw this as a 'throw away' song, but look what happened!

Finally today, so our canine friends are not overlooked ... Holiday Hounds: Traditional Songs for Festive Dogs, by Laurie Loughlin and illustrated by Mary Ross. Twenty songs are given a new twist, go ahead, try singing some of them, it's great fun. ;-)

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I have several mystery series that I read as each new title comes out. Some have one or more holiday mysteries out. Many have been (or will be) listed in other December blogs but this was a recent read: The Nightingale Before Christmas, by Donna Andrews. A house full of decorators, each responsible for one room, is preparing an old, vacant house (with a bit of a history) for a fund raiser for the local historical society. Meg has been designated as the coordinator of decorators, no easy task. She copes with the timeline, flaring tempers, missing packages, incorrect paint colors, not to mention things such as lost keys to the house, parking concerns, and tickets for the event. On the home front there are the twin boys and all their winter activities, her mother, and mother-in-law. Oh, and don't forget the murder. As with the other Donna Andrews mysteries, this is a fun read.

This book is exactly what it says it is The Big Book of Christmas Mysteries: the Most Complete Collection of Yuletide Whodunits Ever Assembled. It is edited by Otto Penzler, the stories are divided by type: traditional, funny, pulpy, scary, and so on. This is a book I can read just a few stories each year, and then, when I'm done, start all over again. :-)

Other mysteries: Ten Lords a Leaping, by E.C. Bennison. Christmas Cookie Killer, by L.J. Washburn.

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From the Victorian Era to present day Crime Scene Investigation books and shows it seems, murder sells.

The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime, by Judith Flanders. There were not many murders in Victorian England so when they happened, they were major events. In an effort to get more readers, the newspapers often took, well, liberties with the details. There was no formal crime scene investigation, witnesses could be bought, and any defense often rested on who you were (as in the middle and upper classes). There's a good chance a lot of innocent people were executed. (The really gruesome cases showed up in stage productions, as names of yachts or race horses, or as a figure at wax museum such as Madame Tussands). This was the beginnings of what became the mystery novel. The author did a lot of research on this book and while it sometimes reads a bit like a text book, overall it was very interesting. A lot more of Dickens was based on actual crimes than I knew.

Memories of visiting the wax museum sent me looking more information and this is what I found: Madame Tussaud: a Life in Wax, by Kate Berridge. Before computers (and all their many variations), tv, radio, or even personal copies of the daily newspaper there were wax figures ... of royalty and murderers, of holiday feasts, hangings, and torture. They were very popular and Madame Tussaud was one of the best. Not only was she good with creating her wax replicas, she was good at creating her own life story. The author did a good job at figuring out was true and what wasn't. Please note: in this time period there were hangings and executions and so on and they are described in great detail. It was a bit much for me so I skimmed some of the chapters.

Mr. CSI: How a Vegas Dreamer Made a Killing in Hollywood, One Body at a Time, by Anthony E. Zuiker. In this autobiography, the author explains how an indifferent father, a great mother, and then a great step-father influenced his life and writing. How various events in his life and schooling became ideas for shows, and how the three Crime Scene Investigation shows came to be. And, finally, how he reconciled with his biological father. Initially it was to be one of those 'self-help' books, but then he realized that if someone needs a self help book, he or she needs to write their own book. I rather liked that idea.

And, a few more Christmas mysteries: The Catered Christmas Cookie Exchange, by Isis Crawford. A Wee Christmas Homicide, by Kaitlyn Dunnett.

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A return to the U.S. History trail for this post ....

Signing Their Lives Away: the Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence, by Denise Kiernan and Joseph D'Agnese. Short biographies on each of the men who signed, early life, what they did, what happened to them afterwards, why they signed and when .... one died in a duel, one was poisoned ... remember, at the time, taking this step was huge! Some wanted to wait until the colonies at least had an army, etc. some didn't want to be ruled by England, but didn't want a new government taking over, either (wanted to be on their own). Very interesting.

It's worth a cup of tea or two to page through Making WAVES: Navy Women of World War II, by Evan Bachner, who gathered together a wonderful collection of photographs from the National Archives. It follows women in training, off duty, and, the ones I found most compelling, at work ... in coderooms, building planes, or taking a reading on an anemometer (basically a box on top of tall pole), and using aerial cameras. All the photos are in black and white and attention was paid to light and shadows, composition, all those elements that make for an artistic result.

Watching The Roosevelts on PBS, made me think of a long ago recommendation from Terry: Mornings on Horseback: the Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life, and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt, by David McCullough. Covering just 17 years in the life of TR, starting at age 10 when he was small, frail and asthmatic to his mornings on horseback (his father was a fan of exercise, the outdoors, and so on), to his cowboy years out west and his return as a young man strong and healthy. (Sort of, but that's for another book).

There's a new (well, fairly new) trend at museums, places such as Williamsburg, etc. called HOHR ... a Hands On History Room. Tourists and students don't just wander through static displays, or watch someone doing something 'the old fashioned way', they actually interact and participate. Depending on the season, it is possible to pick some cotton, and then use a cotton gin to remove the seeds. At Williamsburg, tourists are encouraged to ask staff in costume questions (it has to be about the time period) and they will answer in character. Understandably, this takes a lot of work. Tim Grove explains it in A Grizzly in the Mail and Other Adventures in American History. A delightful 'insider's look' at what goes on behind the scenes to create a wonderful way to learn about history.

And, since it is now December, I thought I'd include a few mystery titles for the next few posts. These are all from authors with a mystery series or two that include at least one of a seasonal nature. I've read them all at some point, they are cozy mysteries. From Ann Ripley, The Christmas Garden Affair. From Joanne Fluke, The Gingerbread Cookie Mystery.

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"1941. Right now, not very far from here the German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominos. Nothing can stop it, nothing until one tiny, damp little island says "no". No, not here. A mouse in front of a lion ..." This was said by Christopher Eccleston, as the Ninth Doctor, in the BBC show Doctor Who. The episode was 'The Empty Child' written by Steven Moffat. It was such a good line that I missed the next few minutes of the show as I thought about it.

Full Dark House is from the Peculiar Crimes Unit series by Christopher Fowler. Set during the Blitz, it's the book where the characters are introduced. They are young, doing a hard job in a hard time. They are short staffed, and the higher ups are hoping to close the PCU, this odd branch of the police where all the bazaar cases are sent, so they are looking for any excuse to do so. The descriptions of the ongoing, seemingly unending bombing raids are compelling. It didn't take long for Londoners to recognize which planes were overhead by the sound of their engines.

And then came 1945 ... the Germans had a new weapon, unmanned, flying at supersonic speed, the bombing of London continued. London 1945: Life in the Debris of War, by Maureen Waller tells about that year. Rationing and long queues had been part of life for years. When the war ended, they actually got worse for a while. Many of the children returning home found the gray, dusty, and destroyed London and an unfamiliar parent a hard adjustment after years in a foster home. Add to that a husband/father who had been at war suddenly being a part of that family made it even harder. A rather grim read, given the circumstances, but well done and very interesting.

For a modern day look at war torn London try London's War: a Traveler's Guide to World War II by Sayre Van Young. The author has put together 20 walking tours through central London. She explains the damage, how many times a place was bombed and then, of course, what it looks like now. I especially liked that she included lists of CDs of popular music of the time, fiction books set in that era, and what the entertainment would have been like. There were lots of little bits of trivia, too, such as whether or not the figures at Madame Tussaud Wax Museums wear underwear and what happened to the animals at the zoo. Even as a non-traveler I enjoyed this book.

The more I read about London and England in WWII, the more impressed I become.

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Some books are too big to be 'q' or 'oversize. They are called 'folio' book, and this one probably qualifies as a one, at least it's too big to fit on any of my shelves! Vision's of the Universe is a glorious book! With paintings by Kazuaki Iwasaki, text by Isaac Asimov, and a preface by Carl Sagan, it's hard to go wrong. The description from the book itself is the best "... beauty informed by science." This is a wonderful journey through the solar system and beyond.

It's 1971, just one day before Mariner 9 arrived at Mars. A group of "distinguished panelists" gathered to discuss this momentous event. Those panelists were: Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Bruce Murray, Carl Sagan, and Walter Sullivan. Combined with pictures from Mariner 9, Mars and the Mind of Man was the result of that gathering. As you read this, imagine what is was like when this was all new!

Time-Life used to publish 'libraries' of books on such subjects as Science, Nature, History and so on. Fortunately for me, my folks subscribed to some of them and the Life Science Library was a favorite. Planets, by Carl Sagan, Jonathan Norton Leonard and the editors of Time-Life Books is the one still on my shelf. Each chapter (they range from discovering the solar system to some of the nearby planets to what lies beyond) comes with a wonderful picture essay. Since it was published in 1966 much has changed, but it was an excellent read in it's day.

Remember the PBS show 'Cosmos'? The original one with Carl Sagan? It's the reason I bought a color TV (the first in my family)(!) When the companion book came out I was there to get one. I've read Cosmos, by Carl Sagan, many times, and have even sort of followed along as I watch the old series.

In times past folks went on a Grand Tour of the world. It was considered a rite of passage and included England, France, Italy and so on. What if folks still did this, only now it was a tour of the universe? For now, it has to be an arm chair tour, but The Grand Tour: a Traveler's Guide to the Solar System, by Ron Miller and William K. Hartmann is the way to go.

"We are, all of us, descended from astronomers." -- Carl Sagan

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An extra post this week. :-) Most of my reading friends know this story, and encouraged me to post it. It is sort of the origin of my blog. There are no book recommendations here, so if this is not of interest to you, stop now and check back on my regular days. ;-)

There once was a Bookshare gathering at a place of employment. It was made of up 'eclectics' both in participants, and in choice of reading material. It was a group that made their own choices, and while not avoiding popular reading, was willing to try ... well, almost anything .... just because it looked interesting. Once a month stacks of books would be shared (rather than reviewed). Readers would swap and/or exchange the titles and leave with new (at least to them) books to read. Old books, current books, fiction, non-fiction, biographies, books for children, tween reads, 'how to' books .... the diversity was wonderful.

We didn't always agree, sometimes there were books that some liked and others didn't, but that was fine and it made our gatherings more interesting. Often times, too, this would encourage one of us to read something we normally would not.

Then, 'new blood' came on the scene .... generic in thinking and with a fondness for books mentioned on popular talk shows. (And while this is not a bad thing, it shouldn't be the only type of books shared. Or so we thought). The original group was shunned, made to feel uncomfortable, dismissed, and we are now scattered far and wide.

We had such fun! It is my hope that this blog might capture some of that old feeling and be of interest to the Lost Group as well as to others.

Happy Reading!

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I must be a glutton for frustration because I am going to try again to place an image in my blog. However, if it works, I will not be trying to add images to earlier posts, that's where I got into trouble before. ;-)

It is likely that most, if not all, of us have read some of those books and stories designated as 'classics' at some point. To my great delight I have learned that of those folks I've asked, we all liked some of them, and often they were not the same ones! There have been some fun conversations over pizza as to what we liked and why. These are some of my favorites.

The Odyssey of Homer: a Modern Translation, by Richmond Lattimore. This was the translation of choice by one of the best professors I had. I'll admit, I've only reread it twice since college, but the memory of that wonderful class has kept this book on my shelf for decades.

Red Mule, by Jesse Stuart. Tractors are replacing mules, for everyone but a local known as Red Mule that is, and a young boy known as Scrappie, who will prove that mules can do things that tractors cannot. (I had to try and word this carefully, so as not to give anything away)!

"The Gift of the Magi" is a well-known Christmas story (and will show up on the holiday post I'm planning), but O. Henry wrote hundreds of short stories, many with a delightful or unexpected twist at the end. My collection is The Best Short Stories of O. Henry, selected and with an introduction by Bennett A. Cerf and Van H. Cartmell. The Last Leaf, about a very special leaf, is a favorite.

And, so the classics are not taken too seriously, there is The Classics Reclassified, by Richard Armour and nostalgically illustrated by Campbell Grant. Seven classic tales are given a new and humorous spin in this clever collection. Not as useful as Cliff Notes, perhaps, but such fun! Be sure to read the dedication.

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November 18, 2014.  This post also vanished as I tried to add a cover image.  For now I think I'll just leave them out! 

I plan on trying again to include a cover image with this blog. I'm thinking of an image of just one of the books, which should prevent the text from going all wonky and creating an appearance I don't like. If that works, I hope to work my way through my posted blogs and adding one image to each of them. We'll see! :-)

The reader who recommended The Midwife's Apprentice, by Karen Cushman has sadly passed on, but she sent many wonderful reads my way and this was one of them. This is a teen read about an orphan taken in and trained by a midwife. It's set in Medieval England and has excellent period descriptions. Life is hard and childbirth often resulted in death. The midwife tried to make births easier and safer.

Before the PBS series "Call the Midwife" came the book Call the Midwife: a Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth. The midwives live in a convent in the slums of London's East End. (Where the worst of the bombings had been). The young women who make this choice are trained by the nuns to provide health care services for pregnant women. Most babies were delivered at home, often in a cold water flat, sometimes with just candles for light. Jennifer Worth continues the telling of her years as a midwife in Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse, and Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End. (Set in the early 1950s).

The Midwife of Hope River: a Novel of an American Midwife, by Patricia Harman, is set in Appalachia during the Depression. Patience Murphy moves to an area of extreme poverty to help out those who are least likely to get any sort of help. She is there for her own reasons, too, since there are a few secrets in her past she'd like to keep hidden. As with other small communities, everyone ends up helping each other.

And finally, if you have (or are) enjoying the PBS series, be sure to take a look at The Life and Times of Call the Midwife: the official Companion to Seasons One and Two, by Heidi Thomas. More than just about how the actors were chosen, there's a bit of history here, too, from folks who lived in the area, or worked with the midwives in the 1950's. The area has long been rebuilt so it's all had to be reconstructed for the show. Some of it is CGI, some of it is not. The chapter on how the 'look' of the era was reproduced was most interesting. It's not as easy as you might think!

All this reading about babies caused me to get my copy of Rise Up Singing: the Group Singing Songbook, edited by Peter Blood and Annie Patterson off the shelf. (It was in my blog of February 15, 2014) and hum my way through my favorite lullabies.

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November 15, 2013  (I'm not sure how this got deleted ...)

My mother had an ear for language. I do not! However, I do love reading about language, words and so forth.

How to Speak Brit: the Quintessential Guide to the King's English, Cockney Slang, and Other Flummoxing British Phrases, by Christopher J. Moore. What a fun read! Some of the terms were familiar (probably from all the years of watching PBS), others were entirely new. There is a definition and brief history of each word or phrase.

The title caught my eye first: Trip of the Tongue while the subtitle of Cross-Country Travels in Search of America's Languages convinced me to give the book a try. Author Elizabeth Little is a linguist. In her book, she travels across the country and back again searching for those areas where a language is dying out (or not, in some cases). Of particular interest to me was the chapter on Washington and some of the Native American languages found here. Oh, and it seems that the Twilight Saga books and movies have been a good thing for Quileute. :-)

My favorite book on the Canadian language, Canajun, Eh? by Mark M. Orkin is, sadly, no longer available. Fortunately, How to Be a Canadian, by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson has a chapter dealing with how to talk like a Canadian. This is a silly and irreverent book, but the authors (brothers) are Canadian so felt they could get away with it. :-) I'm probably finding this book as funny as I do because I live close to the border, and have cousins in Canada as well as a good friend from grad school. Anyway, it made me laugh out loud many times. Be sure to carefully read the chapter on how the government works!

It seems humans have been swearing for a long time. Some of it is good (think oath of office), other swearing was meant to shock, or cause a reaction, or ease the pain of hammering your thumb. The words have changed, of course, as has what is considered to be 'bad' language. Holy Sh*t: a Brief History of Swearing, by Melissa Mohr is a journey about these words. From ancient Rome to present day (2013) she explains the origin of swear words, when they were popular, and why they were bad. In Victorian times the word 'leg' was considered obscene ('limb' was used instead), and even 'trousers' was iffy (not so much what they were, but what they covered). (Ladies, this is where you blush). ;-)

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A new friend gave me good reasons for including an image of at least some of the books I recommend in my blog. I started with updating the October 4, 2014 blog as those covers were mine so if I made a mistake of some sort, it would affect only me. ;-) Several frustrating hours later with results I didn't like, I removed the cover pictures. Then, I deleted the blog and started over as the spacing was all wonky and looked dreadful. Obviously, I have much to learn! :-)

I love the song "Sunrise, Sunset" and how the seasons follow each other 'laden with happiness and tears'. (It's from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock). I found myself humming it as I worked on this blog.

In an effort to create jobs during the Depression the government started the WPA: the Works Progress Administration. Part of this was "America Eats" which was designed to gather recipes, traditions and so forth from across the country. It was a project that was never completed, at least until Mark Kurlansky came along. The Food of a Younger Land, edited and illustrated by Mr. Kurlansky is a collection from those unused records. The book is divided by region, each with it's own unique celebrations, music, and food. One of my favorite books!

Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good: a Memoir of Food & Love From an American Midwest Family, by Kathleen Flinn. In researching her ancestors, the author discovers she is related to a bootlegger, a bigamist, a midwife ... and that a common bond down the years is that many of them liked to cook (as does she). The family recipes and memories (happy and sad) make this a most pleasant read.

A delightful and charming read came from Tall Reader (both as a recommendation, and as the actual book). Single Woman Homesteader, is a memoir by Leona Dixon Cox. Born in 1902 in Sonoma County, California, Leona is the 'outdoorsy one' of twins. The skills she learns (and loves) will serve her well in the Depression. From the one room school house, to building a small cabin up in the mountains (where she and her dad lived during the Depression), to learning to ride a motorcycle later in life after one leg was amputated, to learning to use a computer in her 70's, this is a wonderful read.

I had no idea just how much happened in the summer of 1927! Wow! There's Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Lindberg's flight, a terrible flood, a school bombing (the worst in history), boxing, Coolidge chooses not to run for president, Prohibition, murders and convictions, and much much more and it's all woven nicely together in One Summer: America 1927, by Bill Bryson. (Whew! I do believe that might considered a run on sentence) :-)

It's Veteran's Day today. To all of you past, and present, thank you.

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