Hello December: Full Steam Ahead to Christmas

"May you treasure wisely this jeweled, gilded time

And cherish each day as an extra grace."

ANDREW GREELEY

Hello December! We've been waiting for you. On this first day of my favourite month of the year, it's full steam ahead to Christmas. My seasonal books are at the ready, cards are waiting to be written, and the decorating is slowly happening.

There's no snow around here yet. Without it, there is nothing to trigger that wintry feeling—it still feels like late autumn. Unseasonably warm, I'm still wearing a light jacket and no gloves. It's lovely getting around, but for sparking the Christmas mood, snow really is a must to make us feel the tingles and excitement. Of course chocolate peppermint tea helps too.

On a different note, I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I have been feeling unwell. November was not a great month. I'm still under doctor's care and starting to find my way out of the dizzy malaise. I think, fingers crossed and prayers whispered along with the start of a new medication, there are definite hints for better days ahead. I'm so glad. Who wants to feel unwell when Christmas is upon us. This weekend I want to put up my pencil tree with its cozy twinkle lights. Little decorations are showing up around the place; candles and fairy lights help make the evenings cozy.

It's been a busy week, so for today I'm posting three for the usual Five on Friday. 

One - Books for the Season

I've already been dipping into a few of my seasonal books. I wasn't going to start my actual Christmas reads until December 1st but they were so tempting sitting there on the shelf. They are perfect, like chocolate truffles, for nibbling on while cozied up with a favourite beverage. I like anthologies and small collections for that reason.

Christmas in the Heart compiled by Joe Wheeler is a small collection of short seasonal stories sure to warm the heart. It's great for dipping in and reading whatever catches your eye.

Rumpole at Christmas by John Mortimer. Seven amusing tales of how Horace and Hilda Rumpole celebrate the holiday season.

An Irish Country Yuletide novella by Patrick Taylor. If you enjoy the Irish Country Doctor series, you will enjoy this new seasonal glimpse of Irish country life in Ballybuckleboo and how the good Doctor Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, now married to Kitty, celebrates the holidays. 

Christmas Classics from The Modern Library, an old library sale purchase, includes excerpts from novels like Little Women and A Christmas Carol, a few short stories like The Blue Carbuncle, and poetry by well-known poets like Clement Clarke Moore. A lovely selection of songs and carols, along with the old familiar story from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, round out the book.

Star Over Bethlehem, Poems and Holiday Stories

by Agatha Christie

The Christmas Journey (novella set in mid-1800s at Christmas)
by Anne Perry

Murder Most Royal (the Queen solves another mystery)

by SJ Bennett

Also lined up on the book shelf waiting their turn include these books:

A Christmas Memory

by Truman Capote

Christmas Poems

by Wendy Cope

A Mind of Winter, Poems for a Snowy Season

selected by Robert Atwan

Haphazard by Starlight, A poem a day from Advent to Epiphany

by Janet Morley

Winter Solstice (an annual favourite)

by Rosamunde Pilcher

Little Women

by Louise May Alcott

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (the story is a lovely run up to Christmas)

by Jan Karon

Shepherds Abiding
by Jan Karon

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

by C.S. Lewis

Once Upon A Wardrobe (a novel related to C.S. Lewis's beloved classic)

by Patti Callahan

The Christmas Chronicles, Notes, stories & 100 essential recipes for midwinter

by Nigel Slater

Christmas from the Heart of the Home (recipes and other seasonal tips and ideas)

by Susan Branch

Home for Christmas (her tiny memoir)

by Susan Branch

Christmas Treasury (a treasure trove of children's stories and wonderful illustrations)

by Jan Brett

One book I ordered for Christmas that I'm waiting to get is the illustrated poem by Robert Frost Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Shhh, this is for my brother-in-law. As long as I've known him he has enjoyed quoting this old poem, one he memorized as a boy in school. The book, a beautiful keepsake edition, is illustrated by the award-winning P.J. Lynch and celebrates the poem's centennial. It looks gorgeous - you can take a peek HERE.

Two - Christmas Cards

One of my favourite things is writing out Christmas cards and notes at this time of year. I love to go in search for the cards I'll use each year, including the tiny tuck-ins to pop inside the envelopes. I'll be starting those this week.

Three - Christmas Tree Pillow

Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard, or too sad when

you've got a Christmas tree in the living room."

UNKNOWN

I came around the corner and there sat this cute pillow in a shop I was visiting. I knew I had to get one, no-no, I had to get two. In my mind, I knew my mom, who said she didn't want to decorate a tree this year, would love this. It's already decked out with sweet red cardinals - no assembling required.

Bonus - A Seasonal Quote

"So quiet and subtle is the beauty of December that escapes the

notice of many people their whole lives through. Colour gives

way to form: every branch distinct, in a delicate tracery against

the sky. New vistas, obscured all Summer by leafage, now open up."

FLORA THOMPSON

❦

Wishing you a merry and beautiful week ahead,

Brenda

Photo credits:

(Top)Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

(Middle - books, cards, pillow) Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

(Bottom) Image by Peggy Choucair from Pixabay

Small Pockets of Hope

"Limbo isn't exactly a place for our mental health to thrive. In the

absence of being able to look forward to things with certainty, the best

we can do is create small pockets of future hope in the meantime."

ANNA BORGES, from Self.com

Everyone needs something to look forward to. Whether it's going on a holiday, waiting for the weekend, celebrating a birthday party, lunchbreak with a friend, or a snack in the middle of the afternoon. We especially need them in uncertain times and hard situations when things feel bleak, hopeless, or dismal. As the quote above says, "(i)n the absence of being able to look forward to things with certainty, the best we can do is create small pockets of future hope in the meantime."

Isn't that a wonderful phrase 'create small pockets of future hope'? It gives great scope for the imagination and reminds us that perhaps there is something we can do to make things a little better. Enough to carry on with for the moment.

Many of us have probably learned that skill along the way; we've learned that setting one foot in front of the other, putting our head down and just getting through whatever it is, is how we survive sometimes. The idea that we also can create pockets of future hope for ourselves, and others, is comforting. It's not totally hopeless and we don't have to be completely helpless. Life isn't always full of hard things; then there are the times when life is mundane, ordinary, bleh. We need a little something to keep the excitement in life. Well, maybe not excitement exactly, but we seem to work better, live better, feel better when we have nice things to look forward to. By 'nice' I mean that something is pleasant and still worth noticing, even when it doesn't have the out-of-this-world wow! factor.

Something else I've learned, don't use all the 'treats' up at once. Be sure to keep something in reserve. Save it for later. Because you'll need it then, too. Which means, perhaps, keeping a list of things we know we look forward to and being prepared... from the tiniest to the biggest, from immediate pleasure to delayed gratification to long-term dreams to anticipate. Make a lifestyle of creating small pockets of things we can look forward to.

"Everyone needs things to look forward to—

big things and small things,

on good days and on bad days;

things that will buoy our spirits and make

us laugh and help us feel alive."

SOPHIE BLACKALL, Things to Look Forward To

 

I want to mention a lovely book in my collection that got me thinking about all this: Things to Look Forward To, 52 Large and Small Joys for Today and Every Day by Sophie Blackall. Written and illustrated by the author during the global pandemic, Sophie Blackall encourages readers not to lose sight of beauty and those things that create wonder and delight. For good days and bad ones. That make us laugh and help us feel alive.

For instance, she writes about Diesel, a neighbouring dog who comes to visit her; she says, "We walk him home and then he walks us home and we walk him home again. And on the way we talk about chasing rabbits and rolling in burdock...". (In case, you're wondering, it's a weed of some kind, not...) I feel a smile breaking on my face just reading that Sophie takes joy in that furry fellow. She also mentions looking forward to learning new things: teaching children while working from home, living with people in small spaces, not to panic, to remain helpful, and learning new words. She also looks forward to watching the full moon on a dark night.

For me, the list could look something like this. I look forward to:

✧ sleeping on clean sheets

✧ browsing a new recipe or seasonal craft magazine

✧ coming home after running errands and plopping on the couch

✧ popping something yummy in the oven (or my mouth)

✧ that first mug of fresh brewed coffee

✧ a snowfall that turns the world into a fairyland

✧ planning something nice for someone - muffins, a card, a phone chat

✧ holding hands with a certain someone on a walk

✧ planting spring bulbs for next year

✧ sprucing up the place for Christmas

✧ turning on the twinkle lights as evening draws early

✧ starting that new novel I'm saving for the holidays

✧ crawling into bed at the end of the day

I'm closing with one of my favourite quotes by British novelist, Iris Murdoch: "One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats." Having a plethora of them to look forward to truly adds to the pleasure of being alive.

❦

Wishing you a beautiful week ahead,

and Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends.

Brenda

Photo credit:

(Top) Image by R-region from Pixabay

(Bottom) Photo by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

Weekend: Old Photos, A Book, Apple Recipe

"Photographs are the reflection of untold stories,

unseen beauties, unexpressed emotions, and the

unheard songs of life."

DEBASISH MRIDHA, as found on GoodReads

Another week has flown by. As for me, I'm in the middle of another sorting project. Last week it was dealing with my growing collection of old greeting cards and letters; if you haven't already, you can read about it HERE. This week, I'm gently working through 25 years worth of pre-digital photos; thankfully they are neatly filed by year in three containers. They start from when Rick and I married - the beginning of our new life together - until we got a digital camera in the 2010s (which changed everything in the world of photography). It's high time to get these paper copies out of their developing envelopes and into simple albums for the time being - may digitalize them down the road. I'm culling as I go, discarding any pics that don't add to the story. Hopefully making my home a little less cluttered and my personal world simpler to caretake.

The photos above were taken when Rick and I got engaged 25 years ago. No grey hairs then yet, and I don't think any wrinkles. But the love was there in spades... it still is.  

Haven't been feeling well this week. It's some kind of dizzy going on in my head - and I am in doctor's care. Please don't worry, I'm doing okay, just have to be careful how I go about my days, no rushing to and fro.

The weather has been beautiful, no sign of any more white stuff for now. Fingers crossed for a few more days. The sunrise was a glorious fiery red across the eastern sky this morning. But with its grand work done for the day, the sun must have booked off for the weekend - it's turned grey and overcast as I type.

A good day to cozy up inside, I'd say. Just started the new book by SJ Bennett, Murder Most Royal in which Queen Elizabeth surreptitiously solves another mystery as she goes about her queenly duties. I've had the book a while but held off reading it. The story is set in Sandringham and it's Christmas time. Which makes it a perfect read for this season of the year. It's Book 3 in the series.

Plus, for an afternoon tea treat, I'm going to make a baked apple dish. Saw the recipe on social media, and I jotted down the ingredients; it's simple and sounds delicious:

Simple Baked Apple Dish

Turn oven to 400 F

Butter a baking pan

four apples, sliced or wedged

handful of sultana raisins

handful of flaked almonds

3 Tablespoons coconut

4 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 tsp gr. cardamom

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4 Tablespoon butter

Scatter apples in pan

Sprinkle with raisins, almonds, coconut, sugar, spices 

Dot with butter

Bake 25 minutes, or until apples are tender

Serve warm in bowls with ice cream

  

 

On this November 11th,

"Remembering"

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Top photo by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

Poppy Image by Illuvis from Pixabay

Sorting Sentimental Stuff: Greeting Cards

"...you need to assess what you love right now and what

is authentic to your way of living in this season of life."

MELISSA MICHAELS, quote found on GoodReads

The last few years I've been going through boxes of old papers, scrapbooks, photos—all in the effort to downsize my personal effects into something manageable as I draw nearer the next decade of my life. At every stage of life it seems to get easier to part with certain items. I've outgrown them; I no longer need them; I've written down the stories to remember them. As life circumstances change, what once was important also changes. In order to move on, and not stay in a rut, this includes adjusting my material possessions.

Most recently, I've been focusing on my stacks of boxes filled with old greeting cards. What fun it has been to go through them. Finding cards from people I haven't seen in years, from people long gone from this earth, from ones I still love and hold dear. 

 

Traditionally greetings cards are meant to be fleeting sentiments to be enjoyed for a short time, then discarded. Why do so many of us hold onto boxes of old cards? Basically, because they often still tug at the heart strings. I can't bear to throw away cards with such charming pictures and artwork. How quickly the era of the time sifts up just by looking at those cards. And inside, the lovely personal notes—fingerprints of kindness, concern, and friendship that left their imprint on my life—all dear reminders of certain people, places, and seasons that meant so much at the time.

I found the stack of boxes carefully labelled 'love letters' holding all the cards and letters Rick and I exchanged from the very beginning of our life together. There are quite a few—I tell you, we must have kept Hallmark and Carlton in business. I keep the cards on display a long time before they are finally packed away. I've never gone through them, but as we near our 25th anniversary in a few weeks, it might be the year to pop those lids and reread all that we'd given each other in the written word. What I did find hard was going through the pile of sympathy cards from when my dad passed away—twenty years ago next month. It brought back all those memories, fraught with sadness. I'm grateful for the care of my friends at that time, but I won't be revisiting those cards anymore.

All that being said, I no longer want to caretake all these cards. I won't part with them all, but I also don't want to leave a mess for others to deal with... down the road. What to do, what to do? Here are a few things I'm doing with them. And if you care to share, I'd love to know how you tackle your old card collections:

1. If I'm going to cull it, I read the card one last time, think nice thoughts about the person, whisper a thank you, and let it go.

2. If the card fronts are too beautiful to discard, I repurpose them—cutting into gift tags, tree ornaments, or embellishments for scrapbooks, journals, and envelopes. I love to use floral cutouts as surprise inserts in cards and notes I send out. Other cards, such as pop-up cards, make great additions to photo shoots for future blog posts. Or Instagram posts. I know some people make junk journals—old cards would be perfect additions in such a creative project. The cards haven't disappeared but have reappeared in other forms, which is fun to spot. 

3. Write blog posts about them. One thing I have discovered is that when I write down these sorts of memories, often in blog posts and essays, I no longer need all the physical touchstones, including the cards, as reminders. 

4. The cards that still bring me immense joy when I look at them, that remind me of a special relationship or unique time in my life, well, those I put back into the 'keep these' box. Some things are just meant to 'stay' until we no longer need them.

5. Cards I don't need to keep, I remove the personal notes and donate the fronts to our local recycling centre for crafters and schools to use. It makes me happy to think that someone will get pleasure out them one last time.

On that note, I find these words attributed to Albert Einstein a fitting closure for today's musings: "Out of clutter find simplicity...".

❦

Here's wishing you a beautiful week ahead,

Brenda

Photo Credits:

Top Image by Margarita Kochneva from Pixabay

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

Words That Touch Me This Week

"I do not fear this day for You are with me."

BODMIN HERMIT

Life feels fraught with distress and anxiety these days - so many people I care about are dealing with health scares and concerns. I have a couple little issues of my own to add to the mix. And then there are all those horrid events destroying lives around the world. Life does not feel beautiful some days, and yet a lifetime of learning to watch for the beauty and ask for His infinite grace, helps me to navigate moment by moment through these troubling times. For that I am grateful.

When I feel overwhelmed, I search for words to calm and steady my thoughts. How often I have found good thoughts being offered by fellow life travelers in their writings and social feeds. On this sunny Friday morning, with wind sweeping through bare treetops and waning flower gardens, I share these few words with you... hoping your own heart is steadied by something you read here.

One

"Although the world is full of suffering,

it is also full of the overcoming of it."

HELEN KELLER

Two

"There must be a silk purse

in here somewhere."

JULIA CAMERON, The Sound of Paper

Three

"Faith includes noticing the mess, the

emptiness and discomfort, and letting

it be there until some light returns."

ANNE LAMOTT, as seen on social media

Four

When my heart is overwhelmed,

lead me to the Rock that is higher than

my wisdom and abilities.

BASED ON PSALM 61:2

Five

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,

forgive our foolish ways!

Re-clothe us in our rightful mind;

In purer lives Thy service find,

In deeper reverence, praise.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

and let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace.

JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER

Dear Lord and Father of mankind, Stanzas 1 and 5

 

❦

Sending heart hugs and wishes for a beautiful weekend,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Image by 8926 from Pixabay

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, though, on one hand the days in my entire life when I did not read a book, even in my childhood and only probably because I was too sick to focus on the page. 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 been a Nobel Prize winner or well-known person in their field, then I search out something of their works, to kind of be a 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 to 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 earlier. 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; 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. 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 tea 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

Being Thankful!

"Be present in all things and

thankful for all things."

MAYA ANGELOU

This weekend in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving. And what a glorious few days it's been with its bright sunshine and blue, cloudless skies. The brilliance of all the colours of recent weeks has now muted into what Sarah Addison Allen once described as 'a world covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon'. Aptly described as we saw during our afternoon drive in the countryside.

On such a day, it's not hard to be filled with gratitude. I'll assume many of us practice the art of gratitude and thankfulness all year long, but there is something extra-special about a day aside for counting our blessings. One Thanksgiving years ago, I started a list of what I was grateful for, and upon reading it to Rick, he said he'd add Brussels sprouts... well, each to their own. Sure, I can be grateful for this cute cabbage-like vegetable, for I do enjoy them, but let's just say, I'd have to be running out of favourites before I'd ever think to add them to a list😊. 

Today I'm thankful for turkey dinner and French apple tart. I am grateful for health and vitality. I am so thankful for my dear mom who truly has been the best mom in the world. I am over the top thankful for my sweetheart of a husband who is one of the kindest men I know. I am thankful for my dear siblings and their partners, my wonderful nephews and nieces, and my lovely set of friends who help make the journey through life bearable, enjoyable, and so worth it. Let's see... I'm also grateful for coffee, tea, and books. Chocolate. And for roses, sweet peas, and marigolds and for eyes to see their beauty and colour—they're still blooming in the backyard. I'm so glad for a nose to breath in scent—the fragrance from the sweet peas I picked yesterday is incredible. I'm grateful for plenty to eat, shelter in a cozy home, and peace in my heart and neighbourhood. It's a long list... still thinking of so much more. 

As I close, I pray for blessings of good gifts to come to every person in this big old world. I sure hope you have your share of them. And I hope your heart sings with gratitude - I'm humming my own melody as I type. 

❦

Wishing you a beautiful week ahead.

Brenda

Photo credit:

Top Image by Castleguard from Pixabay

Where Do You Find Your Book Reading Inspiration?

"Happiness is a crackling fire, a cozy book,

a cup of hot cocoa, and an autumnal nook."

ANGIE WEILAND-CROSBY  

October is almost here, and autumn is drawing nearer to the cozy centres of our lives. Those places where warm nourishing food is prepared, where enticing books gather in piles, and where cozy corners invite, and we don't really mind that long cool evenings are about to descend. For book lovers, like squirrels busy gathering nuts for winter, we search far and wide for reading materials to match the mood and the season.

Where do you go to find your book reading inspiration? I do have a few favourite places that are guaranteed to inspire me. Of course, the local library and bookstores are a given—lovely places to visit and browse—but what I'm thinking of today are those spots I visit online that usually have me coming away with lists of inspiration. Here are five places I enjoy visiting:

1. The Queen's Reading Room. "Discover new books each season & meet the extraordinary people who create them." This is HM Queen Camilla's book club which is wrapping up its eleventh season. Her Majesty The Queen picks four favourite books per four seasons (Jan to Mar, Apr to June, Jul to Sep, Oct to Dec). Recommendations are a mix of classic and new published works. A sample of the books I have read and enjoyed from previous seasons include: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico. You can find The Queen's Reading Room on her website and Instagram page.

2. Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN. This independent bookstore, owned by author Ann Patchett, gives weekly updates about current releases. I started following Ann and her shop during the pandemic. It's always a breath of fun to watch as she and Sparky (her dog), along with staff members, share enthusiastically about their latest favourites. Ann can be found on Instagram and the store website which includes Staff Picks, Ann's Latest Picks, and musings on the Parnassus blog. Her latest novel Tom Lake was a great read, and I absolutely loved her book of essays These Precious Days.

3. Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC. I first came across this bookstore a couple of years ago when I signed up for an online author interview with Canadian writer Louise Penny. Louise had chatted about writing her latest Gamache novel All The Devils Are Here. It was held during the pandemic, and one good thing that came out of this terrible season, so many in-person events had to be presented as Zoom events. Which meant a person living thousands of miles away could attend, and that's how I came to know about this bookstore. I still check back on their website once in a while to see what new books they are talking about. They continue to do their events online. 

4. The Enchanted Book Club with Hayley Solano. If you've watched any of Susan Branch's recent interviews with Hayley, you will know about The Enchanted Book Club. The book club "is a kindred community that reads a different classic every month... perfect for fans of Jane Austen, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women". Hayley also presents online events with beloved authors, hosts literary travels (Paris is on the list), and more. The book selection for October is Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I'm enjoying revisiting some of the classics I so loved as a girl and young woman. They are still a joy to read. You can find lovely Hayley on Instagram and her website.  

5. Miranda Mills on YouTube and Comfort Book Club. Miranda from Yorkshire, UK, posts weekly vlogs about her favourite books and seasonal living in the English countryside. I love watching her weekly enthusiastic videos... my bookshelves are filling (as we speak) with her delightful cozy and 'comforting' recommendations. Miranda and her mom, Donna, host the monthly Comfort Book Club. ←Click there and you'll find the books selected for discussion in upcoming months. September's selection was an old classic Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton. For October, Miranda has selected the new release Marple: Twelve New Mysteries, which are short stories by current authors written in Christie fashion. Miranda can be followed on Instagram and her YouTube Channel.

I'm wondering, do you have favourite online places where you find inspiration for your reading life? Could you share below?

To close, Elizabeth Lawrence wrote in A Southern Garden (2001), "Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn." Oh yes! Let's sit still and watch the leaves turn on our trees and turn in our books.

❦

I'm wishing you a beautiful weekend,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Image by FreeFunArt on Pixabay

Autumn Reads & Creating a Library Catalogue

"Ah, September! You are a doorway to

the season that awakens my soil."

PEGGY TONEY HORTON

Now that it's officially autumn and the days are cooling and more colourful, I find myself eagerly turning towards those books that make me feel cozy. When leaves start to jig in the brisk winds—and what fun it is to watch them while we sip our tea in the sheltered area of the garden—it makes me want to pull my sweater closer and settle in with a book that is rich in colourful autumn descriptions. I like books that draw me into the season, whether it's poetry, a nature anthology, or novel. I like books that evoke a sense of place and offer a place that shelters. And I like books that inspire me to create and do something fresh with my days.

My collection of autumn books is small but growing. Miranda Mills on her lovely YouTube channel often has me clicking through to purchase yet one more of her wonderful seasonal book suggestions. Goodbye, Mr. Chips and The Fortnight in September are two I bought this year on her recommendation. I have already read both and loved them. Here are a few other of my favourites for this time of year:

Anne of Windy Poplars

by L.M. Montgomery

(chapter one opens in autumn)

Autumn

by Susan Branch

(a lovely seasonal recipe book)

Autumn Anthology

edited by Melissa Harrison

(seasonal essays and poetry)

Cat Among the Pigeons

by Agatha Christie

(novel set as a new school term begins)

Death Comes to Pemberley

by P.D. James

(the Darcy's host a ball in October)

The Fortnight in September

by R.C. Sheriff

(a family takes their annual holiday)

Garden Maker 

Growing a Life of Beauty & Wonder with Flowers

by Christie Purifoy

(see autumn harvest chapters)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

by James Hilton

(this classic is set in a boy's school in England)

The Life Giving Home

Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming

by Sally and Sarah Clarkson

(see the autumn chapters)

Nature Writing for Every Day of the Year

edited by Jane McMorland Hunter

(short daily seasonal pieces) 

Recipes for a Sacred Life

True stories and a few miracles

by Rivvy Neshama

(not autumnal, but nice reading)

Roots & Sky

A Journey Home in Four Seasons

by Christie Purifoy

(look for the autumn section)

September

by Rosamunde Pilcher

(novel set in Scotland in the autumn)

The Stubborn Light of Things

A Nature Diary

by Melissa Harrison

(see autumn entries)

creating a library catalogue

On other news concerning my books, as you may recall, we are in the midst of some house renovations, painting and replacing worn floors. So, at some point, my books will all need to be boxed and moved for paint jobs and new flooring installation. Perhaps that's what's driving me to get them catalogued—with a master list I'll know where to find them when I want something particular. It'll be weeks (maybe months?) before things sort back into that 'everything's-back-in-its-place' stage.

In all the years that I've owned books—and I've had books to call my own since I was a little girl—I don't think I ever created a list or catalogue. I might have done as a girl. I left the children's books for my younger siblings when I left home and took only a few young adult favourites. I housed my small collection on a shelf, dusting and lovingly caretaking them. I always knew what I had and where they sat. Everything was strictly alphabetical by last name. No worrying about categories or separating fiction from nonfiction.

But over time the collection grew. Now I have quite a few, even though I cull what I no longer want or need. My mind doesn't always remember exact titles or authors as brilliantly as it did once, so if I am to keep track, I need a simple catalogue: two main sections, fiction and nonfiction. I separate children's fiction from the general adult fiction; otherwise it's all alphabetical by author's last name. Under nonfiction, I have five categories: Christmas/winter, General, Poetry/essays/anthologies, Reference, Writing. Also alphabetical by author. No Dewey decimal system... as much as I appreciate the fellow who designed that wonderful system.

At present count, I have nearly 800 books—which still doesn't include my food/cookbooks or my large coffee table and art books. The catalogue includes: title, author, category/subject, year acquired, where it's situated, if it's lent out (which is rare).

My mind boggles to think of the number of books I've gathered over the years. Dozens upon dozens bought, read, eventually given away with hundreds more still nestled on shelves under my roof. I've noticed something while creating this list. It brings renewed order to my books, and it gives peace of mind; which in turns creates impetus to re-read my way through my own library. Bring on winter!

Quite a few books are as yet unread, many of them found at library sales and thrift stores. I am a happy collector of books. They bring me joy, whether or not I've read them. When I scan through one, I'm always filled with that anticipation of the day I'll read it in earnest. I just know it'll be good, otherwise why would I hold onto it for so long—it's been years for some. 

I have learned not to force read books when it's not the right timing. I sincerely believe there is a right time and place to read certain books. And reading them when we're not quite ready for them can turn what should have been a joyful or life-giving experience into a loss. How do I know when it's not the right time? When the words drag on, when I read the same page over and over because I can't quite get into it. When my heart isn't in it. So, how do I know when it is a right time? When I'm drawn into the writing, either by the beautiful writing itself or by the topic that is so relevant to me at the time. When I'm instantly engaged and I feel like my soul is being watered and fed. When the still small voice says, read this now. I have read books when I wasn't ready for them and at the time I said, yah, it was okay, but meh. And then times passes, maybe even years, and I will be pulled back to the book (grateful I hadn't chucked it into the give away box). I'd start reading and this time it would blossom in my heart, and I'd think, well, I obviously wasn't in the right space when I last read it, this is so good, just what I need! Learn to listen to that, is my bit of unsolicited advice.

It's Sunday evening as I'm wrapping this up; I meant to have this posted earlier in the weekend. I glance out my study window - the sky is stunning. Our September has been glorious. Makes me so glad to be alive to see and experience it. Now, I want to wish you a beautiful week ahead, one filled with glimpses of heaven in unexpected places. Be well, be grace-lifted.

❦

Heart hugs,

Brenda

Photo credits:

(Top)Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay

(Bottom) Image by CongerDesign from Pixabay

Embrace Something New

"Autumn shows us how

beautiful it is to let things go."

UNKNOWN

I love this time of year—it makes me feel spirited and creative and alive. There really is something in September's atmosphere. Along with the deep blue skies, warm but not croaking hot days, the smell of harvest in the air, long shadows, and leaves dancing on the crisp breezes, something about it all makes me feel hopeful about life. And it comes with a readiness to begin again, which perhaps stems from childhood school days when a new school year created that frisson of new beginnings. New pencils, new notebooks, and days still new with no mistakes in them.

So... let's fling off the remains of the old season. Believe something good is about to happen. Something that will jostle and startle our wonderment at being alive. And give our minds new patterns to play with and get us out of the rut.

Today I'm inviting us—you and me—to engage in the simple pleasure of embracing something new. Putting aside some of the usual routines and choices, and without thinking about it too much, doing something a little different, even if it's just for the day.

Don't study the menu when you go out for lunch. Close your eyes and point to a spot on the page. Order it, even if you've never tried it before. And if it isn't quite to your taste, well, that's okay, isn't it? You've pushed the boundary, explored a little, maybe even created the start of a new blog post.

This morning choose something other than your favourite mug, blouse, or pair of earrings. Select something you haven't used or tried for a while. See with fresh eyes. Do you still like it? Has your soul outgrown it?

Don't take the same route on your walk or trip to the grocery store. Take some other leafy street and crunch through a pile of dried leaves.

Don't listen to the usual radio or streaming service. Choose a listening style not your usual taste. Appreciate it, even if it's for just a few minutes.

Don't call your mom, sister, best friend to chat about the same old things. Introduce something new to chat about. Ask what she's reading, what she remembers about autumn days in her girlhood, what made her feel happy today.

Don't sit in your favorite chair when reading or watching television. Pick a spot elsewhere in the room. Look around from that vantage point. Maybe you'll see something that should be fixed, rearranged, or tossed. Or you'll see something lovely you've not noticed before. A couple of quarters, perhaps?

With it being just days before Autumn's Equinox, will you embrace something new to celebrate the new season? Will you share something with us?

"I can be a light in darkness;

I can be a patch of blue sky;

I can be the pink hydrangea

alive on a cool September day."

BL

❦

Wishing you a beautiful week ahead.

Brenda

Photo credit:

Top Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

Friday Five on Saturday: Little Joys

"September is dressing herself in showy dahlias

and splendid marigolds and starry zinnias."

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES 

It's the little things giving me joy this week. These heady dahlias were photographed last autumn at the St Albert Botanic Park. Their late summer display still makes my heart go zing.

How can it be September already? I love this gorgeous month of the year so I'm not sorry it's arrived. As I begin to put away the summer things, I want to browse my shelves for books that suit the season and start shifting our meals of summer fare to more hearty and warm dishes. Some folks 'sniff' at all the pumpkin spice items available this time of year. Me, I'm eager for that first autumn latte. Which could even be this afternoon. I have always loved the pumpkin spice of pies, so why not add it to muffins, waffles, and beverages.

I started this post on Friday so please consider it a Friday Five on Saturday. Happy Weekend!

One - Sunsets and long shadows 

September's sunsets and long shadows are usually a favourite delight at this time of year. But some days the sun is hidden in smoky skies—some days there are no shadows. And when the sun shines, it's amber orange. Still, trees are turning, and tiny piles of leaves gather along street curbs, enough to scrape one's toes into and hear a crunch. I've haunted the shops looking at new notebooks and pencils; let me just say I had great restraint from buying more, remembering a small pile of notebooks I bought last autumn still waiting to be pressed into service.

Two - Gently used book finds

Had the urge to pop into the thrift store for a quick look around the book section. In about five minutes, maybe ten, I had five books in hand—buy four and get the fifth free. Then I had a book to drop off at the library, and after a fast glance at their sale rack, the two Dorothy Gilman Mrs. Pollifax mysteries were added to the pile.

Driving home with my treasures, I giggled to myself, thinking I'm like a squirrel, stashing provender for winter. Food for the mind is as necessary as food for the stomach. There's a gleefulness to seeing my shelves bulge with new reading possibilities. I don't think of myself as a book hoarder, though someone else around here might think they should take my temperature. Ha!

Three - Bees in the Joe Pye Weed

The other morning I was standing by this 10-foot king of a plant called a weed—it's a gorgeous weed— watching the bees in the blossoms. I don't hear their hum as well as I used to, but the sight of them continues to give me a thrill. Alas, when I went to take photos this morning, every last hummer had gone elsewhere. So we're imagining their presence today.

Four - A stubby 8B pencil and a greeting card box

Why does this 8B sketching pencil give me joy? I don't know exactly, except I love holding it in my hand when I'm reading. In case I need to gently underline or mark a passage. It needs to be short and stubby, well-used. I've laid the pencil on an old greeting card box, which gives you an idea of its cute short stubbiness. That box once housed a lovely set of greeting cards I ordered years ago from Victoria magazine. They were paired with translucent creamy velum envelopes. I never quite got over how exquisite they were - a real joy to write in and send out.

Five - Repurposing a scented soap box 

I found a beautiful box of scented soap which smells like 'the scent of a garden in bloom'. When I set the bar out in our bathroom, I could smell it on the air for days. I was loathe to discard the box; not only was it pretty, it smelled good even empty. So, I cut it up into tiny bookmarks. They are now tucked inside books I'm reading, and when I open the pages I still get that tiny whiff.

"But the days grow short when

you reach September."

MAXWELL ANDERSON

Before I sign off, I wanted to mention that I won't be around for the next week or two. We're doing some home reno projects which means our house will be a little upside down. I probably won't get to a blog post. So I'll take this time to wish you a beautiful month ahead. I hope it's filled with tiny pleasures and a few big ones too. Stay safe, be well.

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credits:

All photos are mine, except the

Trees at Sunset by Mabel Amber from Pixabay