The new TV season has started! There are some new shows that have been very interesting. Here are some of my old favorites.

NBC once ran a Sunday night mystery series with a rotating schedule of shows. Early on it was three shows: 'McMillan and Wife', 'McCloud', and 'Columbo'. 'Columbo' would go on to run on it's own, air for many seasons, and even have a few movies produced as well. The Columbo Phile: a Casebook, by Mark Dawidziak has the sub, sub-title of 'a complete and illustrated history of television's finest mystery series'. (I do love these sub-titles, look back at the one for The Official Prisoner Companion)! At the end you'll find quotes from various episodes, and a trivia quiz. :-)

My copy of M*A*S*H: the Exclusive, Inside Story of T.V.'s Most Popular Show, by David S. Reiss is the updated version that includes the final episode. I did not see said final episode for some time, due to a conflict with a class at WSU in the era before VCRs, and a decision from the network not to air it again that summer. It was worth the wait.

I got hooked on 'Law and Order' because of Jerry Orbach. I had heard him for years on various records (then cassettes, then CDS) of his Broadway musicals. He was the first to sing 'Try to Remember' (The Fantasticks) and for me, does the ultimate 'Lullaby of Broadway' (42nd Street). Law and Order: the Unofficial Companion, by Kevin Courrier and Susan Green only goes through the 1999 season, but it provides an excellent history of the show and a program guide to that point.

For some odd reason I picked up Homicide: Life on the Streets: the Unofficial Companion, by David P. Kalat before I started watching the show. The first episode I watched may have been a cross-over show with Jerry Orbach, but watch it I did, and found it interesting enough to keep watching.

A silly book to end this post: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Tunes Into TV. It is from the Bathroom Readers Institute (!) (it's based in Oregon). Facts, histories, quizzes, and lists from the birth of television to 2011. Surprise hits, amazing flops, all told in entries designed for short, or longer, visits to ... well, you know where!

The books about tv shows are fewer now, but I still have a few left about more recent shows for a future post. :-)

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The rain is raining all around,

It falls on field and tree,

It rains on the umbrellas here,

And on the ships at sea. (Robert Louis Stevenson)

I was actually going to start with a more generic post on Weather, but given said weather in the past few days, I decided to start with Rain first. ;-)

Peter Spier's Rain has been a favorite for a long time. I love the detailed pictures, and the children who play in the rain (until it turns really nasty). As with all of Peter Spier's books, take some time to enjoy his charming artwork.

How Many Words For Rain ... ? Meditations on the Personalities of Rain in the Northwest Through Photographs and Poetry, by Marian Blue (Poetry) and Lynne Hann (Photographs). I read this on the perfect day, it was raining! Very nicely done, the poems and photos fit well together.

Cloudette, by Tom Lichtenheld. Cloudette is a very small cloud, and while she is happy, she wonders if she too small to be of any use. This book made me smile, and, reminded of Dr. Seuss, and Horton Hears a Who, and how "a person's a person no matter how small." Wonderful pictures!

Rains All the Time: a Connoisseur's History of Weather of the Pacific Northwest, by David Laskin was written when Laskin was new to the area. Intrigued by how native or long time residents talked, and dealt with the rain and grey skies he set out to learn as much as he could. He researched what the weather was like in the past, read lots of books to see how different writers described rain, and investigated how meteorologists see (and forecast) it. There is a nice essay on the rain in each season, too.

And finally, since I cannot think of rain without a certain song coming to mind, a book about one of my favorite musicals: Singin' in the Rain: the Making of an American Masterpiece, by Earl J. Hess and Pratibha A. Dabholkar. From the earliest concepts, to it's ongoing influences this is the story of one of best films of all time. Learn about the actors, the dances, the music, and how the scenes were filmed. There's a section on what scenes were censored as too suggestive, and one of the flubs and gaffs, as well as brief biographies of all the cast and crew members.

"Anyone who says only sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."
(Unknown) I found this in a scrapbooking magazine several years ago. Sadly, no credit was given.

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Sometimes a small town or neighborhood sounds like it'd be a nice place to be.

Gail Fraser is a favorite author and I eagerly await each of the books set in the small town of Lumby. Mark and Pam Walker have moved to this small NW town to refurbish the old Montis Abbey and start up an inn. There are ups and downs to coming into the small community and getting to know the residents. The Lumby Lines, the title of the first book, is also the name of the local newspaper and articles and ads from that are found throughout the book. (Be sure to read the police Sheriff's Complaints column!) Keep an eye out for the moose, and Hank, the pink flamingo.

Having as much fun with Lumby as I did, I went on to read other books about small towns: It started with a non-fiction book: If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name, by Heather Lende. Life in the small town of Haines, Alaska is very different from what most of us know ... you can get there by boat or by plane, but only when the weather is good. Ms. Lende writes the obits and social column for the local newspaper, if something is happening, she knows about it (and basically, so does every body else). A nice read.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, by Gabrielle Zevin. A tiny book store on a small island, a widower, an abandoned baby, a book seller, the police chief, a stolen copy of a valuable book and few twists in the plot all made for a most enjoyable read. A nice blend of mystery, family, love, and books.

Ove is a grumpy guy, no doubt about it. There are many things in his life to which I can relate (and yes, I can be grumpy, too). While I can't say I loved this book, I did keep reading to the end and enjoyed it enough to include here. A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman should appeal to those of us 'of a certain age'. ;-) Thanks to Constant Reader for the recommendation.

Do you know your neighbors?

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Here, again, are some recent reads (and one old favorite) that fit with some of my earlier book trails:

A book that would go well with The Victorian Internet and Telegram! from my June 17th blog is Hello, Everybody!: the Dawn of American Radio, by Anthony Rudel. Early on it was easy to build a radio set and broadcast over a small area. On air hours were sporadic and it took a while to establish some guide lines. Success came with political speeches, boxing, and sermons. Farmers liked weather reports. The first 'we interrupt this program' bulletin concerned a fire. Oh, and early radio had something to do with goats, but you'll have to read the book to find out why. ;-)

I don't know if I'm an optimistic cynic, or a cynical optimist, but I've never been good with all the positive thinking, visualize success, etc. type books (seminars, mugs, posters) that are so popular. I'm much better off if I expect the worst but hope for the best. The Antidote: Happiness For People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, by Oliver Burkeman was recommended by Char. The author believes this need to be upbeat and positive all the time is actually making us miserable. A better way to be happy is to accept negative feelings, understand that there will be failures, that uncertainty is part of life. It sure made sense to me!

I do a lot of reading about dogs. This book came on a recommendation from Constant Reader: Shaggy Muses: the Dogs Who Inspired Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edith Wharton, and Emily Bronte, by Maureen Adams. A move, a job change, and the loss of a dog sent the author (a former teacher) back to school to become a psychologist, and was the inspiration for this book. From lap dogs to large dogs, here are the canine companions that kept these women feeling safe, kept them company, and often influenced their writing.

From my 'horse shelf' a book that didn't seem to fit well with my earlier equine blogs: There Was a Horse: Folktales From Many Lands, selected by Phyllis R. Fenner, illustrated by Henry C. Pitz. I really did read everything I could find on horses as a kid! Magic, horses, adventures from around the world ... this could be an early chapter book for a young reader, or something for you to read to a youngster.

Keep on reading!

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We were among the last to get a TV when I was a child, and my mother limited my TV hours to three each week. Needless to say, at some point I 'caught up' on my viewing, and I have several favorite shows and so do a fair bit of reading along this theme.

I loved those books that used to be published about popular TV shows, and I miss them! I know, I know, it's all on line, but I like to curl up in my recliner with a book, an actual book, and read about the writers, the actors, the music, where the idea for the show came from, and so on. I like the synopsis of each episode, with a listing of the writers and guest stars.

The Twilight Zone Companion by Marc Scott Zicree was my first such book. There were pictures, listings of all the cast members, who wrote it, the music, and a good synopsis of each episode. It would set the standard for those to follow.

There is a favorite line from an episode of NCIS where Ducky (Dr. Mallard, played by David McCullum) is walking back to the ME's truck. Kate (Sasha Alexander) asks Gibbs (Mark Harmon) "What did Ducky look like as a young man?" Gibbs looks at the retreating Ducky, turns to Kate and says "Illya Kuryakin." It was a great moment since David McCullum played that character in the show 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E' oh so many, many years ago. It also sent me on a search for a companion book to the show, which I actually found fairly recently. The Man From U.N.C.L.E: the Behind-the-Scenes Story of a Television Classic by Jon Heitland tells all about creating the show, casting the characters, the special effects, the music .... all the 'stuff' I love learning.

The Star Trek Compendium: the Complete Reference Book, by Allan Asherman also fits my requirements nicely. I updated at one point, to the special 20th anniversary edition, of course! (It also covers the first three movies). Gene Roddenberry spoke at WSU while I was there, and then, in 1992 a nice biography came out about him: The Man Who Created Star Trek: Gene Roddenberry, by James Van Hise.

The Outer Limits: the Official Companion by David J. Schow and Jeffery Frentzen also did not disappoint. Including the expected information, there are amusing anecdotes and step-by-step photos on how some of the unusual creatures were created, or how a special effect was done.

Many familiar actors got their start in these shows, but look carefully, they are very young!

I first saw Patrick McGoohan in the Disney show 'Scarecrow of Romney Marsh', or perhaps 'The Three Lives of Thomasina' ... it's been too long, I'm not sure which I saw first. Anyhow, I liked the actor enough to try 'The Prisoner' when it aired and then purchase The Official Prisoner Companion: the Only Guide to the Most Original and Innovative TV Series of All Time! by Matthew White & Jaffer Ali in the hopes it might answer some of my questions. It was an odd show, but I watched it every week.

During this time I also enjoyed 'The Wild, Wild,West', and 'The Avengers', but alas, have no books about them. This takes care of the 1960's, other tv show companion books will follow in future posts. :-)

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My sister, my female cousins, and I all played French Horn. The 'logic' behind this decision was that it is not a common or popular instrument and so it will always be needed in a band or orchestra. Truth be told, it is an obnoxious and difficult instrument to play. Jasper Rees knew this, he titled his book A Devil to Play: One Man's Year-long Quest to Master the Orchestra's Most Difficult Instrument. (Personally, I'd put the oboe high on the list of difficult to play, too). Rees had played the horn in his youth and took it up again as an adult. His year long ... challenge .... sounded very familiar to me!

Did you also play an instrument when you were younger? Did you start one as a child, then set it aside for school, family, work? Just like Jasper Rees, the author of The Late Starters Orchestra did. In the case of Ari L. Goldman, it was the cello, and this is the story of how he took it up again as he faced his 60th birthday.

Barry Tuckwell was once the first horn player in the London Symphony Orchestra. He wrote a book for the Yehudi Menuhin Music Guides simply titled Horn. All you've ever wanted to know (and you are curious, right?) is here: the ancestors to the present day horn (by the way, it's not French*); the composers who wrote for the horn; some of the masters of the instrument, as well as advice for a beginning player.

One of my favorite reference books is A Dictionary of Musical Themes, compiled by Harold Barlow and Sam Morgenstern. It's one of those books that you don't know you need until you do! If you hear a bit of, say, Beethoven but don't remember the name of the piece, you can look it up. If a melody is running through your mind, there's a section in the back with just the notes so if you can hum it, or pick it out on a keyboard you can find the composer. The older I get, the more I use this book!

For those of you who had piano lessons as a kid and are considering starting up again, I Used to Play Piano, by E.L. Lancaster and Victoria McArthur is the book for you. It goes on the premise that you can read music, key signatures, etc., know where your hands go on the keyboard and so on. It's a great way to get back into playing without having to start at the very beginning again.

*also: the English horn is not English. Nor is it a horn!

Luncheon invitations sent by a musician to some friends included this cryptic note: "Tuesday. G Major." His guests understood and all arrived for lunch at one sharp. (from a very old Reader's Digest).

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An earlier post was about working horses, these books focus on the horse in sport.

The Sporting Horse, by Peter Churchill is rather dated now in that it includes the great names of those involved in equestrian events. It does, but only up to 1976. Still, it is a great introduction (rules, and so forth) for things like steeple chasing, showjumping, polo, rodeo and more. There's a bit of history for each, and then many wonderful pictures.

Many years ago now there was a polo team in Bellingham. Since it was much different than the type of riding I normally did (trail riding, mostly) I found a book! Beginning Polo by Harry Disston was that book and it was excellent. Everything from the history of the game, to the various pieces of equipment, to the type of horse, to the rules (indoors and outdoors) and beyond. Excellent black and white photos show each type of stroke. I found the book to be interesting even when I was no longer playing polo.

A side trail here ... there is a polo mystery, a short story that is in a collection of other sports mysteries. Sadly I no longer remember the title of that book, but I do remember the title of the polo mystery: Tomorrow's Murder, by Stuart Palmer. It is one of the few mysteries that I figured out the 'how'!

My favorite book on dressage is My Horses, My Teachers, by Alois Podhajsky (translated by Eva Podhajsky). It's not a 'how to' book but rather the life story of the man who would become the director of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and the horses that influenced his life. (Although much about the art of dressage will be learned as you read). Each horse had something to teach, and Podhajsky was a willing student.

The Masters of Show Jumping by Ann Martin is a book of mini-biographies on the greats of the show jumping world. While the book came out in 1991, a few of the names are still familiar today. (This includes Ian Millar of Canada ... more on him next). This book might be of limited appeal, but I enjoyed learning about the riders and their horses.

Ian Millar is a hero of mine, so I was thrilled when Riding High: Ian Millar's World of Show Jumping, by Ian Millar and Larry Scanlan was published. It's all here, how he got his start, to his Millar Brooke Farm where he trains the future champions of Canada. My favorite part, though, is how he found his best known horse, Big Ben. Considered by many to be too big, too ugly, and just plain clumsy he saw what others did not. They went on to become a world champion team. Watching them work together was magical.

The best riding, as far as I'm concerned, is when you saddle up your horse and ride out the back gate and up the trail. :-)

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All the dogs in my life have been shelter rescue dogs. Two actually inspired me to write books about them. :-) October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month so for this one post I will be promoting these books.

Two things happened on October 1, 1999. My sweet dog, Molly, died, and a young Husky (or Malamute) mix was released to the shelter because he chased chickens. Seven weeks later a friend and I went to the shelter just to see who was there .... it was busy, and noisy, and all the dogs were barking and jumping. All but one. "Schultzie" was bigger than I thought I'd like, and a male (I'd always had female dogs), but he was nice on our walk, and captured my heart when he rolled over (in a very busy lobby) asking for a tummy rub. I learned that while he was a favorite of the shelter staff, in the seven weeks he'd been there, no one else had shown any interest in him. The friend who was with me really liked him and now, in retrospect, I think "Schultzie" had picked me out as well ... at any rate, I came home with a rather large, male dog that day.

To start his new life I wanted him to have a new name (he wasn't paying much attention to Schultzie anyway) so when my Egyptologist friend suggest "Shemsu", I took that for his name. (The shemsu were companions to the ancient Egyptian gods, helped them do good and wondrous things). He became "Shem" for short.

Now, while all my dogs have been wonderful, there was something different with Shem and we had connection that I'd never had before (or since). One evening, when I was rubbing his tummy, the phrase came to me "I have a friend, his name his Shem, he and I are best of friends" .... soon I was making up rhymes about shedding and walking, and the poem grew to epic length. I titled it Shemsu: a Story Told in Comic Verse. Scott Montgomery (who did the Ski-to-Sea graphics for years) lived across the alley and agreed to illustrate it. Check out the result! It's pretty amazing.

 The Shemsu Alphabet actually started with G. "G is for our German Shepherd pals, we walk every Friday, Shem and the gals." On Friday afternoons we walked with a group of other dogs, all German Shepherds, and, at that time, all female. The five big dogs all walking together made quite an impression on people we passed. Coming up for something about Shem for every letter was an exciting challenge! (Thank goodness for a dog named Xavi). ;-)

Designed with children in mind, adults are enjoying them as well (even those without pets). An added bonus for The Shemsu Alphabet I've been told, is that people with dementia or Alzheimer's are able to enjoy it because they 'don't have to remember A to enjoy N'.

Shem died April 4, 2012 and there are still times I miss him so much I can hardly breath. It would take 14 weeks, and 14 dogs before I found my next canine companion. On the morning of July 14th I was checking a few doggy websites and spotted a dog with a heart shaped mask and beautiful brown eyes. My neighbor was willing to drop everything and go look at her. 'Sasha' (on our very first walk I knew I'd call her 'Sage') seemed like she'd be a good fit, the adoption process was started, and a few days later I was able to bring her home. She had been brought into the shelter as a stray, and while she was micro-chipped, the information was outdated, and from Georgia! How did she get all the way out here? That sparked the story of a 'whimsical westward journey' about a cross country trip. It was a most enjoyable process and I learned a lot about the states I had Sage cross. (Are you aware that several states have a designated state tartan)? (And yes, I do consider 14 to be our lucky number). ;-)

Many of my friends have shelter rescue dogs with wonderful adoption stories and were willing to share them with me. I decided to combine these with my story about Sage. The result was A Barker's Dozen (thanks again to my Egyptologist friend for the perfect name).

The books are available at www.lulu.com (which I also highly recommend. It's a great place to publish your own book whether to sell, or just to share with family members, design a calendar or cook book ... there are lots of possibilities).

If you are looking for a dog, consider a rescue dog. My mixed breed dogs have been healthy and healthy and have brought much joy to my life. I prefer to start with a dog that is past the puppy phase, too, so the dogs I've adopted have been house trained, and used to a work day sort of schedule. Of course, if you want a puppy, those are available, too. If you want a pure-bred, check out the various breed rescue groups. If you want a dog, there's one out there waiting for you!

If you already have a dog, go for a walk, give them a hug, tell them you are happy they are in your life!

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