Hello August: Daybook Post

"August is like the Sunday of summer."

UNKNOWN

I woke alive and fresh every morning over the last four weeks, so August did not sneak up on me. But I ask you, how can it be August already? Oh my goodness, the summer weeks are flying.

We have a new tree arriving this morning to replace our beautiful mountain ash which died a couple of years ago. I felt quite bereft with the empty space it left in our yard—and heart—when we cut down the old trunk and branches. We've missed the height and the shade and the screening it gave us and our neighbours (so we weren't peering into each other's backyards). But soon... there will be a new lovely serviceberry tree to fill our lives with blossoms in spring, greenery and shade in the summer. It's not huge now but it will grow.

Without further ado, here is August Daybook edition to start the month on a cheery note.

For Today

From my window...

The skies are blue. There are few clouds at this point. The wind is up.

And I stare out into my garden marveling at how the cotton-candy pink

hydrangea stands in contrast to the showy fuchsia-pink lavatera

that fills the corner with such loveliness.  

I am wearing...

Comfy white capris, a sleeveless top with a floral-leafy pattern, dangly

earrings also in leaf motif, and generous spritzes of rose-scented fragrance.

A clutch of quotes that caught my eye recently...

"And what is happiness?

Happiness is when the door of your house closes,

and everything you need is inside - the people you love,

the warmth of a cozy home, and the sense of belonging." 

ROSANNA B.  LUNDBERG

"Humor is just one of the ways we can resist

the chaos and uncertainty we're living through."

STACEY ABRAMS, as seen on Facebook

 

"In the morning when I wake, I ask God to

get into my head before I do."

POSITIVE LINES, as seen on Facebook

"Do weights for muscles,

Cardio for heart,

Ice cream for mental health."

MISSNUTRITIONIST, on Instagram

One simple pleasure...

To watch these lilies burst open in the

front garden as July comes to a close.

I love their frilly edges.

"Flowers seem intended for the

solace of ordinary humanity."

JOHN RUSKIN

Update on my 2025 reading goal...

Back in January I mentioned wanting to read more books from my own

shelves before acquiring new ones (and not to hold me to that). To focus

on reading from the 'never been read' shelf which holds around 130 to 150

books that have been collected through the years from various sources.

So far, I have read 70 books this year, and of those, 17 have been from my

'never been read' shelf. Using my rusty math skills, I figure about

24 percent of what I have read meets my goal. I mentioned that

stat to Rick, and he said, "You've got some reading to do."

Yes, sir, I'm getting right on that! (wink, wink)

If you want to see what I've been reading,

check out my page HERE.

On my 'to do' list...

. Make salmon salad sandwiches on whole grain bread for lunch

. Buy some fresh peaches for peach tart

. Finish this blog post

. Meet friends for a coffee (maybe iced)

. Enjoy the heat of the summer day in the shade of the umbrella

with book in hand and iced lime water nearby

A treat...

Drives along country roads are a treat on these high summer days.

The ditches and edges are filled with wild flowers. It is so good to see

vetch and clover and alfalfa and foxtails and goldenrod

and chamomile... all waving in the breezes.

Turn your window down and smell the air.

A couple of favourites books I reread in July...

The Scent of Water (novel)

by Elizabeth Goudge

Prodigal Summer

by Barbara Kingsolver

In the kitchen...

I had some cremini mushrooms I wanted to use for supper.

Something simple, quick, and yummy. I found this recipe for

Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic. It fit the bill. It was delicious.

You'll find the link HERE.

Not to rush summer but...

I can't wait for the release of these NEW books coming out

this autumn. Do you have any titles that you are waiting for?

The Summer Book

by Susan Branch

To be released Aug 15th

The Country Commonplace Book

by Miranda Mills

To be released Sept 23rd

My Beloved

by Jan Karon

(a new Father Tim/Mitford novel)

To be released Oct 7th

The Black Wolf

by Louise Penny

 (a new Gamache crime novel)

To be released Oct 28th

Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts

by Margaret Atwood

To be released Nov 4th

The Queen Who Came in from the Cold

by S.J. Bennett

(5th in Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series)

To be released Nov 11th 

Closing thoughts...

"Summer’s lease hath all too short a date."

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, Sonnet 18

It's not over yet so...

. Go out for ice cream.

. Run through a sprinkler with a child

. Sit on a sidewalk cafe, savour a beverage

. Eat watermelon - see who can spit the seeds the farthest 

. Walk in the evening when shadows lengthen

. Stay outside long enough to smell evening scented stocks on a cool breeze

. Eat fresh tomatoes with mayo and basil on crusty bread

. Watch for the full moon in a few days

❦

Wishing you a lovely August,

Brenda

Photo credits:

Raspberries Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

Typewriter graphic from TheGraphicsFairy.com

Pink Lily Image by Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

Five on Friday: Spring's Poetry

And hope, if it had a scent,

would smell like spring, like rain

like something new and alive.

JENNIFER RUSH, Reborn

Oh, the waiting and the watching for spring to arrive. And then to feel the old sweet surprise and delight at the first shoots of green in a sea of earthy brown. Brave little crocuses open starry petals and smile at me. My heart swells like the burgeoning tree buds to witness their survival of another cold winter. 

Today's edition of Five on Friday bubbles with spring's new life and new hope. And for a little while pushes out of mind news that unsettles the soul and disturb our peace of mind. Walks on these fresh mornings, hearing the chickadees calling, watching the crows searching for possible nesting materials, encountering happy dogs out on their morning trots—it all puts things in perspective. Peacefulness settles. I breathe and gently sigh, in that moment all is well in my world. We carry on. 

One

Spring Senses

- Crocuses first appear this week in the front garden;

- Pussy willows have popped out on shrubs along the edge

of a partially frozen pond;

- Mallards quack overhead, no doubt wondering 'what's with the ice';

- Robins whistle from rooftops;

- The overnight rain creates a mist in the air and leaves puddles on the street;

- Crisp morning air contrasts with warming sunshine;

Spring is in the air.

Two

My Spring Reading Pile

Spring Anthology

edited by Melissa Harrison (Nature essays, 2016)

The Enchanted April

by Elizabeth von Arnim (fiction 1922)

Elizabeth and her German Garden

by Elizabeth von Arnim (fiction 1898)

The Secret Garden

by Frances Hodgson Burnett (children's fiction, 1911)

An Episode of Sparrows

by Rumer Godden (children's fiction, 1946)

Skylarks with Rosie, A Somerset Spring

by Stephen Moss (nature, 2021)

 

Leaning Toward Light, Poems for Gardens and the Hands that

Tend Them, edited by Tess Taylor (garden poetry anthology, 2023)

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

by Edith Holden (nature diary, 1906)

Cultivated, The Elements of Floral Style

by Christin Geall (2020)

(explores floral design through the lens of art

history, ecology and personal narrative, beautiful photos)

 

Three

Birthday Treats This Week

As I mentioned last week, April is my birthday month and

I've been giving myself little treats or enjoying ones providentially

given either in nature or from family and friends. Here are a few

things I consider treats from the past week.

April 4

Caught the evening sunshine streaming through the

west windows for the first time since last fall. The earth

has turned its face back to the sun which sets later.

April 5

I love giving gifts. To me, it's like Christmas dreaming up

and wrapping presents for other people. I wrapped a little birthday

gift for my new niece (newly married to my nephew)

with hopeful anticipation that she will like it.

April 6

The tiny purple crocuses opened under

the oak tree. Our first sign of life in the garden!

Spotted a few kids at the park on our balmy evening walk.

They were swinging on the swings 'as high as an elephant's eye'.

Is there anything else quite as thrilling?

April 7

Met my lovely friend in the morning for coffee and a visit.

We first met at a church we both attended years ago. She's a busy mom

and we haven't seen each other in a while, but we picked up

where we left off, which is a sure sign of kindred hearts knit together.

Attended a piano concert with world-renowned pianist

Angela Hewitt. What a joy! She played some of my favourite

music Bach's Goldberg Variations. It was sublime.

The audience stood up as one at the end, clapping and

clapping and clapping. I slept so soundly that night.

April 8

The treat of a beautiful comment left on a blog post.

It's a real thrill for a blogger when her readers

leave comments in response to something she has written.

OTD, one woman wrote to say she has notebooks in her house

for writing out passages she wants to keep. And that she planned

to write out one of my recent guest posts, the whole thing, because

it meant so much to her (!) Let's just say, there is no thrill,

or honour, like it. I'm humbled.

April 9

It's twilight and the light is fading behind the trees

in the neighbour's yard, making them look like

filigree lace against the darkening sky. I savour

the moment, for a moment later, it was gone.

Early birthday presents from my two sisters and a

lovely visit over lunch with them and my mom.

April 10

Sipping a decaf latte in a pleasant coffee house-bakery

with friends on a sunny spring afternoon.

Rereading a well loved book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson

Burnett, and watching Miss Mary Lennox change from a wan, spoiled,

and unhappy child into a little girl with rosy cheeks who finds joy in

a skipping rope and watching spring arrive on the Yorkshire moors.

April 11

As I'm finishing this post, I hear the early morning whistle of

the chipping sparrow. I am elated. The first of the season.

Welcome, welcome, my fine feathered friend! Happy Spring!

Four

Strawberry Cup & Saucer

I was shopping at the book store the other day. As is wont, bookstores

sell, along with the books, many other beguiling home items.

New seasonal displays were up for Mother's Day. And

I spotted this strawberry themed cup and saucer, then saw the tea

towels with the same pattern. It made me feel quite giddy with happiness.

It is something of treat to find something new for the home, for the soul.

I happily sipped my first cup of coffee from it yesterday morning.

On Wednesday I had the happy delight to give my sisters and mom

each a beautifully boxed cup and saucer of the same design. Now

we can think of each other as we sip from our own cups.

Five

Quotes that Feel Like Spring

Some of you are walking love letters

and you don't even realize it.

You're lighting up rooms, shifting atmospheres,

and carrying inspiration just being you.

Such a precious gift.

DAWNA DE SILVA, as seen on social media

If "Plan A" didn't work,

the alphabet has 25 more letters.

Stay cool.

@TEACHERGOALS, Instagram

Sometimes I need only to

stand wherever I am

to be blessed.

Attributed to MARY OLIVER

I can't afford to hate anyone.

I don't have that kind of time.

AKIRA KUROSAWA

That's a beautiful life you have there.

Thanks, I made it! It has pockets

for all my treasures.

UNKNOWN, Instagram

❦

On that note, I'm wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credits:

Top Photo by Fietzfotos from Pixabay

Photos One, Two, Four by Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

Photo Three by LoggaWiggler from Pixabay 

Photo Five from Pixabay

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Five on Friday: Flowers, Books, Surprises

 Clematis 'Polish Spirit'

"...to withdraw from the world ever deeper

into his own private consolations of the spirit."

from Brother Cadfael's Penance by ELLIS PETERS

Happy Friday! As you read this, I'm away on a short road trip to the southern part of our province. As I won't have access to my blog, I hope the post goes up properly today. We didn't do as many day trips as we first planned for the summer, but it's also been lovely to be at home, enjoying the quiet in our own backyard. On these languid August days, it's so easy to zone out into one's own mind space... "into (the) private consolations of the spirit"... meandering amongst the flowers, feeling the breeze brush our faces, letting the mind wander or read a riveting story, meeting friends for an iced coffee, taking short naps on a lazy afternoon. For a little while we forget about the cares of the world, returning then to normal routines—the fray of life—refreshed and energized.

I offer today's edition of Five on Friday. Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by. 

One. Outside my window

A person doesn't have to look at the calendar to know that we're well into August. The slant of the sun in the early morning indicates September fast approaches. We hope for many days yet where they remain languid and calm. Thankfully, the heat wave has passed, and as I write this there is no wildfire smoke in the area, so we're enjoying summery days that don't melt us into puddles on the sidewalk.

The bees are busy amongst the flowers. We haven't seen so many golden souls around as we have had this summer - this is a trend that makes us happy. I must also mention that we're watching the growth of a single sunflower which volunteered, seeds off the bird feeders, and is now towering about six feet—its greenery huge like rhubarb leaves. All energy goes into forming the seed head which is still small, maybe the size of a saucer, petals in sunflower yellow. On rainy days, the petals are tightly closed, but how I enjoy watching them open, turning face towards the sun on sunny days.

Two. On my mind

Looking through an old journal, I found something I once wrote down by John Cleese: "By creativity, I simply mean new ways of thinking about things." In light of his definition, it brings creative endeavours into the common realm where every single person can be, and is, creative in his or her daily life. There isn't one among us, I venture to say, who isn't looking for better ways to think about things, e.g., How can I do this? How can I do it with better results? More beautifully? Simpler? Creative work is what we do in life. Thankfully, it's not just artists or writers or musicians who have the gift. It's all of us, doing the work we do best... hopefully for our own good and for the good of others.

Three. Current reading pile

This pile includes recent purchases from the thrift store, something borrowed from the library, and several resident books from my own shelves. I seem to be mostly into novels this summer, although "Dear Theo" is a collection of Vincent Van Gogh's published letters to his brother, Theo. I earlier read the historical novel Mrs. Van Gogh (not shown) by Caroline Cauchi, the story of Vincent's sister-in-law who eventually came to be the caretaker of his art and letters after his death—she believed so much in his art and wanted to ensure it would be there for future generations. Reading Caroline's novel first has given me a lovely backdrop for my leisurely reading of the letters.

Four. Sweet surprise in the mailbox

A visit to the mailbox revealed a wee package from my lovely writing buddy, Joy. I love surprises especially when they're as pretty as this one. With floral stickers decorating the envelope, the floral theme continued on the inside—a gorgeous notecard of Monet's garden by artist Zoé Elizabeth Norman with the cutest pocket-size notebook tucked inside. Which a person could use from front to back or from back to front, because the pages worked either way. A person could write about one topic on one side, turn it around and write something else on the other. This little surprise from Joy boosted my spirits considerably and made me feel almost as if I were floating with the puffy white clouds in the summer sky.

Five. New anthology coming out soon

I have had the great joy—and fun—of being on the editorial team of the new anthology being published by InScribe Press. I now know how much collaborative effort goes into producing such a work and am excited about the upcoming release of Creativity & Chaos: Artistic Endeavours for Trying Times. It's an inspiring collection of stories, poems, essays, and crafts from writers who "share their experiences and the often surprising ways in which they learned to cope with their chaos through creativity".* The book launches on September 9th, and I will host a Giveaway on my blog at that time. Right now you can pre-order the Kindle version on Amazon for only 99 cents. Find the link HERE. *excerpt from the Foreword by Marcia Lee Laycock

I am also delighted to tell you that I have my own work—a personal essay—included in this volume. In a recent interview, I shared what inspired me to write the piece and a little of my writing journey in general. If you're interested, check out the YouTube video HERE. It's about 20 minutes in length.

On that note, I'm off. Our regular blogging schedule returns to normal next week, if things work out as planned. In the meantime...

"Do not postpone joy."

as seen on CAITLYNNEGRACE'S blog

❦

Heart hugs to everyone,

Brenda

All Photo credits:

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Summer blog schedule:

I post on Fridays

Oh, Sweet Summertime!

"If spring is all about looking forward, and

autumn about dying back, summer surely

is the present moment: a long, hot now that

marks the sultry climax of the year . . . and a

stillness settles over the land."

MELISSA HARRISON, Summer Anthology, "Introduction"

What floats up from the Tickle Trunk of childhood memories on this sweltering day is remembering how exciting it was, as a girl, when the temperature climbed as high as 80F (we didn't use Celsius in those days). My little sister and I would study the thermometer, peering up to where it was securely attached to the kitchen window sill. We were much more used to temperatures being in the high 60s to mid 70s. But on a day when it actually hit 80 degrees, well, we knew we were in for a treat. Running through the sprinkler would be a lot more fun and not quite the shock when the cold water hit already slightly shivering skin. Watermelon definitely tasted better when it was really, really hot out. And, of course, there was the exciting challenge of licking Popsicles fast enough to keep them from dripping a syrupy trail through your fingers onto your fresh, clean shorts. You could smell the fresh cut hay in the fields as the warm air moved.

 

I smile because it's all part of that sweet summertime feeling. Here are a few other little things that added to that feeling this week.

Summer Reading

I've got Madeleine L'Engle's children novel A Wrinkle in Time on the go. And I just purchased Kate Quinn's newest novel The Briar Club. Hot off the press, it's a "haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, D.C., boarding house in the McCarthy era (1950)". Looking forward to it. I still hope to reread Kate's wonderful WWII novel The Rose Code which is a firm favourite of mine. And I think I'm going to tackle Homer's ancient Greek tale The Odyssey. I don't think I've ever read, except maybe in a children's collection decades ago. I won't be reading it in Greek, although I should ask my niece and brother if they could read it, since they studied the language in college.)

A Summer Meal

Smash burgers are new to me. Until I started seeing reels about them on social media, I'd never heard of them, so I chased down some recipes to have for supper one of these sweltering days. The recipe I found is called Smash Taco Burgers. It uses soft flour tortillas instead of buns with a simple but delicious sounding burger sauce (all your favourite condiments mixed into one tasty sauce). The trick is to take a mound of seasoned ground beef and squish it flat-flat on the grill or pan with a large spatula so it spreads out about the same size as a 6" tortilla. For the recipe click HERE. Our first attempt was fine but we need a little practice before showing any pics. It was delish.

Summer Evenings

One of the nice things about hot summer evenings is watching the neighbourhood come alive as the day begins to cool. Some people are out watering their plants or washing their vehicle by hand; others stand on the sidewalk chatting with people walking by. Dogs are definitely happier to be out at this time of day. There's a gentle buzz in the air that is just so right. Makes me feel 'ah, now this is the life'. We sit out with a book; we read a few pages, stop to gaze into the blue skies, listen to the bees in the flowers, watch the fellow now polishing his car with great TLC. We track the gulls climbing higher and higher on the thermals until they are a tiny speck way, way up. Our little neighbours who are up way past their bedtime come for cookies and a visit. But hey, it's summertime and the livin' is easy. It feels good.

As I type this closing paragraph, it's now Friday morning. The air is cooler and the breeze wafts through the window, bringing with it the scent of mock orange. It promises to be a beautiful day. And that's what I wish for you, too. A beautiful day and a pleasant weekend ahead.

❦

Heart hugs,

Brenda

Photo credits:

"Last of the Peonies"

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Summer blog schedule:

I post on Fridays

Five on Friday: Tulips, Thrift Store Finds, and Other Thoughts

"There is so much peace that comes with

learning to live comfortably with what we have,

with feeling a sense of enoughness..."

@the lukhouse on Instagram

Happy Friday... and the First Day of March! Even with the extra day in February, the month has flown by in a hurry. We've had a quiet week, hunkering indoors during a snowstorm. Have been sorting through my materials possessions, of which I seem to have quite a few. I sure am a lucky/blessed girl!

Of late, Rick and I have been pondering our future plans for the next few years—my 70th and his 80th are approaching although they are a ways off but the days are ticking—as we begin thinking about downsizing and eventually moving to a smaller place. Although plans are in the embryonic stage, afar off, yet still I feel equipped to consider what I should do with my things, and especially what I can at last let go of because I have a foreseeable, tangible path ahead. I truly want to be the caretaker of fewer items. To have more time for loved ones instead of things. More time for my writing and self-care as health issues start to creep in. To keep only what still makes my heart happy and continues to make daily life for us comfortable and cheering. Already it gets easier in my mind to start letting go. And I begin to feel at peace, as the quote above says, to live comfortably with what we have, with that very real sense of 'enoughness'. I love that word. To recognize our own sense of enoughness in this stage of life. We start small... clearing out one small pile, one drawer, a single cupboard... revisiting the equipment and tools we no longer use or need, realizing our memorabilia doesn't need to be held so tightly, that maybe we don't need all the touchstones we once thought we couldn't live without.

Enough pondering on that for now... here is this week's edition of Five on Friday. I hope you enjoy.

   

One. Outside My Window

I peer out my study window into sunless skies awash in pearl grey. Tree branches stand in stark contrast while shrubs bounce with the flurry of birds eager for nourishment. Blustering north winds shape small snowdrifts on the neighbour's roof. And there's talk of more snow this afternoon. Although I think they jest, for isn't that a wee glimmer over there that feels like maybe the sun could peek out? (Note added later... forget the sunshine, it's getting grimmer and greyer and blusterier as we type.)

Two. Inside My House

Rick and I just had a mid-morning break. He's been painting the closet in his den, and I'm working on today's post. We enjoyed a small cup of coffee (my first of the day) with a toasted hot cross bun and a bit of Havarti cheese. It was yum; I feel sated. My inner world feels brighter.

And I'm admiring the wee picture (above) I found at the thrift store for three dollars. I fell in love and my fingers reached for it without a second thought. Methinks Madam Bunny is pleased too.

Three. Thrift Store Book Haul

First, I dropped off a bag of items for donation at the thrift shop. Then I went round into their shop to check out the book section. In less than 15 minutes, my arms were loaded with these finds (I should have stopped for a shopping basket):

- Mrs. McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie (Poirot mystery)

- Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie (I read all the Miss Marple novels last year, now I thought I'd read through some of the Poirot mysteries.)

- Agent in Place by Helen MacInnes (espionage novel set in the 1970s. I read something of hers last autumn 'While We Still Live' which I found beautifully written, thrilling, and thoughtful. Look forward to reading this one.)

- Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers (These were on my 'to find' list. I've been reading about the author's life lately and so I want to reread her Wimsey novels); 

- Romancing Miss Brontë by Juliet Gael (historical fiction novel about Charlotte Brontë); 

- A Long Shadow by Charles Todd (Inspector Rutledge mystery set in post-World War I);

- The Best of James Herriot (a lovely collection of excerpts from his books that he 'almost never wrote' along with other material about him and some lovely photographs of the Yorkshire Dales).

Undoubtedly you will recognize, as I have done, the thrilling sensation Kate Morton describes so aptly in her novel Homecoming: "As Jess stepped out of the shop and onto the pavement, she was filled with the lightness of spirit and free-floating sense of possibility that always claimed her when she had a brown paper bag containing new books under her arm." E.x.a.c.t.l.y !

Four. Tulips on the Dining Table 

A breath of spring on this dullish day. How these tulips cheer the place up and make me smile every time I walk past them. Tulips bulbs are still worth their weight in gold; thankfully they are within easy reach of my much slimmer purse. 😉

Five. Wise Thought from Susan Branch

"Try and fall in love with as many things as possible, every day things like the dawn, the moon, the way your flannel shirt feels, clothes warm from the dryer, singing in the car, the first words to a delicious new book, hot brownies and cold milk . . . take nothing for granted; that way all your days will feel like miracles." 

❦

On that sparkling note, I'm wishing you a beautiful weekend,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Today's photos are mine

Daybook: February Edition

"All you need is love. But a little

chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

CHARLES M. SCHULZ

The last few weeks I have been in the middle of an editing project for an anthology my writing fellowship plans to publish later this year. The day I finished my assignment, I looked up and realized January had melted into the past, and here we were in February—with it being nearly Valentine's Day. I weary myself to lament yet again 'where has the time flown?" so I'm trying not to say it aloud this time. I'd much rather note from my window perch staring into the snow-covered garden that the daylight hours have l-e-n-g-t-h-e-n-e-d and the sunsets are pushing themselves further into late afternoon. The chickadees have begun their spring singing, and Madam Downy Woodpecker pecks busily for supper. I feel the joy of it splashing over my heart.   

During this season, with a few bumps along the way and still dealing with some health issues, the Daybook edition I used to post monthly slid right off the radar—which means it's more than high time to dust it off for a meandering muse here on the blog. Without further ado, let's begin...

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... What a difference a day makes. Yesterday our corner of the world was settled in thick grey stillness with no sign of sunshine. This morning the heavy clouds are gone, the sky is awash in that February pale blue, and the sun makes the snow sparkle.

In the garden... Everything is covered in fluffy fresh piles of snow. Birds flutter in the branches looking for spots to sit and soak in the sunshine. No sign of anything else in the garden - far too early for snowdrops or anything springlike.

I am wearing... black jeans, a black and white floral blouse, with a spritz of Christian Dior's JOY Eau De Parfum, which I received as a Christmas present from a certain someone. Every morning I give myself a wee spritz to start the day. The scent instantly lifts my spirits.

I am thankful... that when I experience a technical difficulty, I can count on there being someone else 'out there' who is likely experiencing the same issue. For several days I had problems with my email—new messages wouldn't load, and outgoing emails had an error code saying the message couldn't be saved to the 'sent' file. I finally realized the problem was not going away; a quick Google search, with a tiny prayer for help, brought me a simple solution. Those other more tech-savvy people with the same issue offered solutions that worked for them. It was a simple change in the settings, and all was rectified. Only the Shadow knows for sure what made it go off the rails in the first place.

Women Holding Things

by Maira Kalman

One of my favourite things... this past week was the arrival of a book I've had in my shopping cart a long while. I finally ordered myself a copy of Women Holding Things. What a lovely collection—her artwork is whimsical and charming, her tiny essays poetic. As one reviewer noted, Ms. Kalman is "an extraordinary observer of people". Through her art and simple text she explores what women tend to hold: from the ordinary and mundane through to the hurt feelings and heartbreak in relationships to the joy and delight of holding vases filled with flowers.

A favourite quote... from Maira Kalman's book:

"What do women hold?

The home and the family.

And the children and the food.

The friendships. The work.

The work of the world.

The work of being human.

The memories

And the troubles

and the sorrows

and the triumphs.

And the love."

I am watching... an Agatha Christie film found on YouTube The Case of the Middle-Aged Wife. This is one I have enjoyed several times. Maria Packington notices her husband is taking a too-active interest in the pretty young typist in his office. Maria becomes so unhappy about it she responds to an ad in the newspaper to ask Parker Pyne for help. I love his advice to Mrs. Packington, and I love how the story plays out. This was the first episode in the 1982 TV series The Agatha Christie Hour. Gwen Watford plays Maria Packington - you'll probably recognize her as Dolly Bantry, alongside Joan Hickson, in the Miss Marple films from that era.

My favourite vlogger is... Miranda Mills who vlogs about country living in Yorkshire, UK. She is a passionate reader and creates 'content that fosters connection between literature, art and the natural world'. Not only does she chat about books, but she shares recipes of yummy things she bakes. And she takes her followers on vlogging outings to interesting bookshops, lovely teahouses, museums, and literary places like Jane Austen's home. She is the charming and insightful hostess, along with her mom, Donna, of the monthly Comfort Book Club. You can find the current book she is reading for the monthly discussion HERE. Miranda is all about living a beautiful life - a girl after my own heart. For more, check out her YouTube channel HERE. She is also in Instagram, if that's where you like to hang out.

I am listening to... Classic FM which streams my favourite classical music all the way from England. Loving all things English, this gives me a little heart connection to my favourite place in the world.

I am thinking... about the books I have currently lined up to read. Just a little stack (😉) out of the couple of hundred shelved and also awaiting their turn in my lap. Books truly beguile me. Can one ever have too many books? I don't think so. Although I can hardly be tempted to the usual human vices, just mention books and reading, and I'm instantly in the line up. Of all the interests and passions I have enjoyed over my lifetime—many have come and gone—books remain the constant. I hope my home in the next life has a comfy, cozy, library with nooks and crannies stuffed to the rafters with all the books I never had a chance to read in this life. Plus, all the favourite volumes of which I never grow tired. That would be paradise for me. And to make it perfectly perfect, all my loved ones would be nearby, each one following pursuits for which their own hearts beat rapturously.

PS... I just love the photo above. The afternoon sunshine was streaming in on my bedroom floor. I gathered up the books I wanted to share and set up the scene. I am quite pleased with how it turned out. 

A list of the titles and authors in the photo above (in case it's hard to read):

The Country Child by Alison Uttley (children's);

The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr (novel - Scotiabank Giller Prize winner);

Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling (novel);

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (novel);

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (novel - Winner of The Booker Prize);

Women Holding Things by Maira Kalman (art/essays);

The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge (novel);

Snow Road Station by Elizabeth Hay (novel - coming of age middle-age story);

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (biography/autobiography/literature);

Apples on the Windowsill by Shawna Lemay (meditations on still life, photography, beauty, marriage);

To Hear the Forest Sing, Some Musings on the Divine by Margaret Dulaney (memoirs);

A Rhythm of Prayer, A Collection of Meditations for Renewal edited by Sarah Bessey (prayer);

Square Haunting, Five Writers in London Between the Wars by Francesca Wade (biography/literature); Thin Places, a natural history of healing and home by Kerri Ní Dochartaigh (memoir/nature);

Windswept, Life Nature and Deep Time in the Scottish Highlands by Annie Worsley (nature/memoir);

Mrs. Van Gogh by Caroline Cauchi (novel).

I am hoping this week for... some nice weather, a continuous supply of small treats, joy in my work, and good things to laugh about with friends and family.

I am learning... it is best to take things one day at a time. As a Facebook friend, Colleen, often mentions: "Stay in the day. Just do the next right thing with love."

In the kitchen... Saw this little menu on social media attributed to Whitney Gaskell and her book Table for Seven. My mouth waters at what sounds like a delicious dinner to make and share with special people. It would be perfect for Valentine's Day. No recipes were given but I'm sure a Google search could come up with something similar:

"WARM GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PEARS AND WALNUTS

INDIVIDUAL FILETS EN CROÛTE

PARSLEY LEAF POTATOES

ASPARAGUS

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME"

- Whitney Gaskell, Table for Seven

Closing notes... I was Guest Blogging over on InScribe last week. I wanted to give you a chance to read my little post titled We Nourish Others in case you haven't seen it. I'd love to hear from you if you enjoyed the piece.

 

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful."

SUSAN BRANCH

❦

Wishing you a heart-happy week,

Brenda

Photo credits:

- Top Image by boaphotostudio from Pixabay

- Tulip Image by TheGraphicsFairy.com

- Valentine Image by The GraphicsFairy.com

- The book photos are mine

Acknowledgement with thanks to Peggy at

The Simple Woman's Daybook for some of the prompts used in this post.

If You Like This Classic Then You Might Enjoy...

"A classic is a book which with each rereading

offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading."

ITALO CALVINO, found on AZ Quotes

When a modern author writes a sequel or prequel to a famous classic book you love, are you in the front of the line to read it? Are you eager, or reluctant, to see what a present day author creates from a favourite old novel? I admit being one who has been slow to be won over; I ask, how can anyone other than the original author write a book that equals, say, Pride and Prejudice or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? Thankfully, I stopped being a snob about it—there are authors with great imagination and skill who have written some wonderful and compelling stories inspired by those original tales. Here are five titles I recently finished. And loved.

If you loved Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice:

Death Comes to Pemberley is the 2011 novel by British mystery fiction author, P.D. James. The book is a sequel of sorts; Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are now wed and living at Pemberley. Things aren't quite so 'happy ever after'—Mr. and Mrs. Darcy are about to host a grand autumn ball and then a body is discovered in the nearby woods. I love how the author skillfully weaves threads of the original Austen novel throughout her own well-told Regency murder mystery. I really enjoyed it.

Longbourn, the 2013 novel by British author Jo Baker, gives the reader a chance to see an alternative view of the Pride and Prejudice story as seen through the eyes of the family servants. While the Bennet family lives their story upstairs exactly as told by Jane Austen, their servants downstairs—barely visible characters till now—suddenly come alive in our imagination. They take centre stage, and we begin to see them as living, breathing people with names like Sarah and James who have their own hopes, dreams, and sorrows. I had a hard time putting this book down.

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow was published in 2020. In this imaginative novel, the author focuses on plain and nerdy middle sister, Mary Bennet, and sets her in the limelight as the novel's heroine. I soon came to empathize with Mary as she struggled to find happiness and fulfillment in a world that basically ignored her. From the first page I was drawn in, reading every chance I could, even well into the night a couple of days, because I had to know - does Mary find her life, and love? Well worth reading. 

I found it an altogether enriching experience to read these three novels alongside Jane Austen's. I think the authors did a great job of entwining the old and new story lines into one.

If you enjoyed L.M. Montgomery's 1908 Anne of Green Gables: 

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy, published in 2018, lets us imagine Marilla Cuthbert's young life at Green Gables long before Anne enters the picture. She gives the reader a wider look into Marilla's world, picking up threads dropped by Miss Montgomery in the Anne books, including how and why Marilla never married John Blythe, who was once considered her beau. It's a charming tale and fits perfectly as a prequel to the well-loved Anne stories. Delightful and a bit wistful, I'm glad I read it. 

If you are charmed by C.S. Lewis's 1950 The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: 

Once Upon A Wardrobe by Patti Callahan was published in 2021. If you love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, you will enjoy this charming tale in which college student Megs Devonshire tries to fulfill her younger brother George's last wish to discover the truth about his favourite Narnia story. Beautifully imagined, charmingly told, this is a book you might want to save for the weeks leading up to Christmas. I'll be re-reading it this holiday season.

Have you discovered other good sequel/prequel-like books that happily co-exist with your favourite original novels? Do share your recommendations.

She reads books as one would

breathe air, to fill up and live.

ANNIE DILLARD

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

The Dilemmas of a Book Nerd

Can you think of anything nicer than sipping a favourite

hot beverage while delving into a delightful new book?

I seem to be talking about books more often these days. Perhaps it's the season of the year—autumn is always a good time to curl up with a good book. Perhaps it's the season of life—I'm less involved out there in the world, so I'm able to take time to read more, which delights me deliciously.

Recently I found Miranda Mills's 2019 YouTube vlog, in which she joined a Book Tag answering ten questions about the dilemmas of a book nerd. As a self-confessed book nerd myself, I thought they'd be fun questions to answer - I've shared my responses below. Hope you enjoy!

Dilemma #1: Book Storage – How do you store and organize your books? All my books are shelved. Except for two small boxes in the closet downstairs - books I'm done with but not ready to let go yet as they are historical markers of my earlier life. My study walls are filled with bookshelves and they are filled to the gills with my Nonfiction and To Be Read books. All my Fiction and Christmas-themed books are on our family room shelves. Cookbooks and food related volumes nestle, of course, on the kitchen bookshelf. My new collection of Miss Marple mysteries with their pretty bright covers are in the vintage style case in the living room. And my small Children's collection and most of my Yet to be Read collection of thrift store, used bookstore, and library sale finds are housed in the large cupboard with built-in shelves in Rick's den. (He also has his own large bookshelf in that room but I'm overflowing into his cupboard space; thankfully he doesn't complain.) 

Dilemma #2: Tracking – How do you keep track of what you have read and what books you own? Until recently, I didn't keep track of what I read (except for some notes and tons of quotes in notebooks), and I never had an organized master list of the books I own. I have far too many now to remember titles or authors by heart. Since 2018, I started tracking what I read each year - a simple list of title and author (which I need to expand to include a bit of info on the book and my response to it). The growing 2023 list is on the sidebar of my blog and will eventually be stored in a Word doc, along with the others. As for tracking the books I own... since I don't have quite the same recall of my youth—where I could put my finger on a book in a moment's notice—this past summer I created a catalogue in Excel (title, author, date acquired, categories, where shelved, to whom it's lent). 

Dilemma #3: Borrow – Do you lend your books out?  Not often. I used to lend out books. I like to share my love for reading with others, and when I find a book I really love, I want to share that information. But I don't lend out much - favourite books sometimes didn't get returned or they arrived in a state I was not happy about. I do make pencil notations in my books, but I don't bend their spines or dog-ear pages, and I don't read while eating food that can create sticky messes on the covers. I entrust my books to a handful of people who I know will take care of them, and more importantly, return them. Usually they are kindred book lovers who know what our books mean to us.

Dilemma #4: Buying – How do you buy or acquire your books? I love books. I love collecting them, with every intention to read them. I love going into bookshops, browsing thrift stores, secondhand bookshops, and library annual book sales (when paperbacks are fifty cents and hardbacks are a Loonie - one dollar). Quite often the books I'm looking for aren't stocked in the local shops—my tastes don't always run to bestsellers and the books I often want sometimes take several weeks to arrive. So I use Amazon. I will put books on their online wish list or titles directly into the Shopping Cart as I come across them. Then I go back and decide what to buy now or save for later. I follow some people who are booklovers and if they are kindred-style readers, I'll often follow through on many of their recommendations. (I mention a handful of them HERE.) I love gift cards to bookstores - if I have to choose between clothes or books, it's most often books. One last note on this, I don't buy all the books I read. While I own many, there are still many others where I use my library card to borrow and read. 

Dilemma #5: Comments – How do you respond to the “How do you read so much” comment or similar comments? People don't generally ask me that question. I don't get a lot of books read in a year; usually the count is under a hundred. I could probably count, on one hand probably, the days in my entire life when I did not read a book, even in my childhood. I have never made goals to read a certain amount of books in a year. I read every day because I have to - it's like breathing for me, something on the inside feels unfulfilled otherwise. Sometimes I read books quickly - easy cozy books, for example; other books I take my time through them. I try to remind myself I'm not in a race. I want the books to stay with me. If I hurry, the books start melting into each other, and I wonder what event happened in which book. It makes it difficult to tell someone about the great book I just read if I can't talk about it properly.

Dilemma #6: Next Book – How do you pick your next read? My frame of mind or mood will often shape what I read next. Sometimes I want books to meet my mood or need, books that encourage, comfort, inspire. If something happens in the news and I'm unsure of its history, say women's rights or civil rights, then I search out books to inform me. If a 'famous' person dies and they've written books or poetry, or were a Nobel Prize winner or well-known person in their field, then I search out something of their works, to be a kind of witness as they pass from their lives on this planet. If I'm in the middle of a series I like—Louise Penny comes to mind as does Donna Leon, SJ Bennett, and Charles Todd—then quite often I'll read the next in the set. The seasons of the year also guide what I read next. I look for nature books set in the season we're in at the time. I look for novels that either begin or have great seasonal descriptions in them. Some books have a mood that feel conducive to certain times of year. My choosing by seasons started years ago and is most evident in my growing collection of Christmas-themed books that I always bring out, ready to reread in late November into December. I enjoy coming upon the seasonal descriptions that creates or matches the atmosphere and ambiance in real time. When it comes to choosing books, I am much like a magpie; if someone suggests a book on their blog that interests me, I'll go in search of it.

Dilemma #7: Travel – How do you pick what book(s) you bring on vacation with you? There's a good question. If I'm looking for a book or books to read while traveling long distances, then I usually want something that draws me quickly into the book and holds my attention. Most likely, a novel. If I'm on a road trip with Rick, then we sometimes pick an exciting thriller audiobook to listen to. We don't usually find ourselves on a tropical beach on vacation so I don't know what I'd read there, probably a good mystery or maybe a book set in a tropical place. Light reading, for sure. 

Dilemma #8: Annotate – Do you write or highlight or mark up your books in any way? I do. That's one reason I love paper books over Kindle. I like to read with a pencil in my hand. I do make notations in the margins if I'm compelled by what I'm reading. And I like finding those notations when I flip back through the book. Although recently I had a sudden insight, what will be done with all my books with all these notations when I'm gone? No self-respecting secondhand bookshop—who are usually strident about gently used, clean copies—would take my marked up copies. I NEVER dog ear my books or break the spines; that irritates my soul, but pencil markings help me find what I'm looking for when I want to revisit a passage. I like seeing, when I'm browsing through a book, what struck me when I read it last time. Some people make notes elsewhere, not in the book itself, but that means these notebooks have to live in proximity to the book—it probably wouldn't work for me. I imagine that notebook being somewhere else when I need it. 

Dilemma #9: New or Backlist – Which do you prefer, new releases or backlist books? Backlist, for the most part. Unless I'm addicted to a particular series where I wait with bated breath for the next in the set. I find I dislike, in other cases, to be rushing along with the crowds for a copy of the next 'bestseller'. I often come late to the party with books that have been out for months, years, sometimes decades. I want to read it in my own timing. There have been times, though, when I wondered why I waited so long to finally pick up a book that fans stopped raving about years earlier, but I firmly believe there is a right timing for me to read my books.

Dilemma #10: Sequels – Do you read books as they are released, or wait for an entire series to be published before reading the first book? I could never wait for my favourite author to finish her series first before beginning it. Some authors take years to complete a set. If I'm interested in a series, I will get the books as they are released. And if I get introduced to a book in the middle of a series, I never mind to start wherever; I eventually go back to the beginning and read them in order, but I don't mind reading them out of order in the meantime. Sometimes copies aren't available when I'm ready for them.

(Added) Dilemma #11: Keeping Books - Do you keep books that you probably will never read again, on the off-chance that they might 'improve' with age? Some novels or nonfiction books I know immediately I'll never read again for whatever reason - boring, not my usual genre, too horrible a story, or badly written. Those go immediately into the Give Away box to pass along. Some books that I might not have quite gotten into the first time but they have enough good in them to try again later - those I will keep for a while. As for my favourites, I enjoy re-reading my favourite books - some are annual visits, much like visiting old friends. 

And so, I've mused and amused myself into mid-Sunday afternoon. Darling Rick has made the tea, and I'm off to join him for a cup and a pumpkin spice muffin. Our autumn days are still quite lovely around here, not too cold yet. Life is good, and I'm grateful. Please take care and we'll see you soon, beautiful friends. Happy reading! 

❦

Wishing you a beautiful week ahead.

Brenda

Photo credit:

Image by kiberstalker from pixabay