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

Five on Friday: Flowers, Books, and Fun Stuff

"There are few pleasures like really

burrowing one's nose into sweet peas.

ANGELA THIRKELL, quote found on A-Z Quotes.com

I have to agree, burrowing my nose in a fistful of sweet peas is one of life's best pleasures. I still recall one memory, from a handful of early childhood remembrances, of the time I went with my mom to visit our neighbour on the next farm. The woman had masses of sweet peas growing on the side of her garage; we didn't have sweet peas at our house. I was invited to smell them. Oh, the sweet fragrance. I have but to catch the scent on the breeze, and I'm right back in that lovely moment. Sweet peas carry on the tradition, and today they climb my garage wall and fill my vases with sweet memories.

It's been mostly cool and rainy this week - with a decided nip in the air that makes one nearly forget it's still summer. There's still so much to take pleasure in. Despite the lateness of the season, the sweet peas are going strong, and now the late blooming Rudbeckia is coming into its own. This perennial beauty inspires me for I consider myself a late bloomer - I wrote about it HERE.

Beautiful friends, I hope you enjoy today's edition of Five on Friday!

One - Outside my window

We moved the tall Rudbeckia two summers ago from the front garden to the back yard. This season it has once again reached its stunning height of nine or ten feet. My heart takes sheer pleasure in catching sight of these yellow petalled beauties with their cute 'hats' in the centre.

Two - An old car and a faded old memory

Here I am standing in front of this vintage car, a 1956-57 Ford Meteor (or so I'm told). This past weekend we had a family reunion on the homestead farm where my mom grew up. My cousin said the car had been my granddad's. Oh my! I popped straight into an old memory—I'm about four or five years old, my grandparents are in the front seat of their car, I'm standing in the back (no seatbelts in those days); I think we're going into town. As we sorted out the approximate year of the car and how old I probably was at the time, I do believe this is the very car of that old memory. I joke with my cousins that maybe there's some of my DNA remaining on that backseat. Haha. I'm tickled to have matched up the car with that flash memory.

Three - My book pile this week

In my new reading pile this week, there are a couple of books from the library and three I purchased. I've browsed but haven't yet delved into any of them. Guess what I'm doing this weekend!

A Cotswold Ordeal by Rebecca Tope. A new-to-me British crime novelist. This book is the second in the series, as I couldn't find the first at the library. From my quick scan, the author has a couple of bestselling series: one set in Cotswold, one in the Lake District. She is also the ghost writer of the novels based on the television series Rosemary and Thyme, a series I liked very much. Do you remember it?

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Everyone surely knows this classic brooding novel set in Cornwall. I read it as a teen and have never forgotten the opening line: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." I'd given away my copy some years ago, thinking I wouldn't revisit the story. But I thought of that opening line, and it made me want to read it all over again. I now have a copy back on my shelf.

Write It All Down, How to put your life on the page by Cathy Rentzenbrink. This book came out a couple of years ago, and I always wanted a copy for myself. When I learnt that it took Cathy twenty years to wrestle her own life story onto the page, I knew I had to read the book. She reminds me of myself about the wrestling. In it, she shares what she's learnt about "writing the self in the service of others, no matter their experience, education, background or story."   

Forgiven, A Gift from my Grandparents by Mark Sakamoto. The 2018 Winner of CBC Canada Reads. I was drawn to both the title and cover with its black spine and fiery burnt orange Oriental-like painting overlaid with Japanese characters. This historical biography tells the story of the author's family's story, 'set against one of the darkest periods in Canada's history' during World War II.

Matrix by Lauren Groff is a novel set in 1158 AD. The opening lines set me up: "She rides out of the forest alone. Seventeen years old, in the cold March drizzle, Marie who comes from France." What is this young woman doing alone in the middle of a forest? Where is she? Why has she come from France? 

Four - Funny things happen

Yes, it's true. I went out in public like that! Which reminds me of something that happened 30 years or so ago. My housemate and I were off to the landfill site to discard a worn out mattress. Till we wrangled that thing into our hatchback, I completely forgot to change my shoes. The site when we got there was grubby and muddy, and that's when I realized my feet were still shod in my bedroom slippers! Eww... thankfully the young man working that day offered to retrieve the mattress and take it away. I didn't have to get out, or the slippers would have been tossed right alongside it.

Back to the first story, a couple of days ago, we headed out to meet friends for coffee. I had my blue jeans on, so I slipped on my blue flats. Or, so I thought. Grabbing my bag, I hurried out the door. It wasn't until we were nearly home again till I noticed I'd been happily sporting about town in two different shoes. As they were both flat heeled, they felt similar. No one even noticed, or that's what I hoped. 

Five - Something delicious for lunch

The other day I needed something quick and simple for lunch. I made BLTs. Bacon, lettuce, and rather than plain slices of tomato, I used a few roasted tomatoes with olive oil and chopped basil left over from another meal. Whole-wheat sesame buns, mayo on the lettuce/tomato side and sweet chili sauce on the bacon side. Oh my, it was so delicious. The combo of flavours really jazzed it up. In this case, there are no crumbs remaining... and no pictures to show you.

❦

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

Brenda

Photo credits:

All pics, except the sandwich graphic, are mine.

It's A Beautiful Life Turns Fifteen!

"There is nothing like that exquisite moment when

you first discover the beauty of connecting with others

in celebration of larger ideals and shared wisdom."

GORDON GEE, American academic

On this day fifteen years ago, It's A Beautiful Life drew its first breath. I introduced myself to the world, committed myself to writing 100 posts in 100 days, and wondered what, if anything, would come of this new venture called blogging. Now here we are fifteen years later.

This has been the place where I write about living a beautiful life. For me, my posts are a lot like writing letters from home: we share our lives and trade recipes, favourite book titles, and 'oh, here are a few pictures of the garden, our family at Christmas, our visit to so-and-so', etc. I have truly enjoyed meeting kindred spirits from around the globe who share similar interests in discovering the beauty of our world and creating it in our ordinary, everyday lives. Sometimes in our upside-down world it's easy to lose sight of what makes life gracious and fulfilling. Writing here with you in mind helps me to remember. It's become my favourite place to write.

Your presence here makes me glad. I was especially grateful during those hard quarantine days during the pandemic. What a solace it was to find your replies to posts I'd written. It made me appreciate all over again, just what a beautiful online community we have in Blogland. It made such a difference to feel a sense of community and not feel so isolated within my four walls during that time. How often your lovely and encouraging comments came at just the right time—not only then, but all through the years. When I especially needed a boost to keep writing, there you were lifting me up with your words. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

☙ ❦ ❧

Here are two headers I created and used in earlier years. The second one was a real favourite - I loved the girl in her hat - in my dreams I could imagine wearing such a hat (smile):

For interest's sake, the stats on the first anniversary: 400 posts published that year with over 10,000 pageviews. Today, our archives host over 1100 published posts and well over a million pageviews. Who would have dreamt! That's small potatoes in the social media world, nonetheless, I am amazed... and grateful.

To mark this anniversary, I've curated a small collection of 15 posts from the August archives - one post to represent each blogging year. These posts really are a slender slice of my life. Lots of memories floated to the surface. Reading an old post and I was right there remembering the event and even the ambiance in which I wrote it. I certainly felt the passage of time. Lots of water under the bridge, as they say. I am thankful to note that my writing skills have vastly improved over time. Reading those early posts, I was sorely tempted to give them a good edit, but it is what it is, that's who I was at the time. Ever evolving and learning. Although my blog's look has changed over the years, my theme has remained constant throughout—it's always been about living a beautiful life.

I've enjoyed the glance backwards. Please see the links below, if you care to take a browse.

Intro - Dear Beautiful Reader

Hello and welcome to It's A Beautiful Life.

My name is Brenda... Read More

August 2008

Day 1. Just Jump In

Today is a red letter day for me! I'm jumping into the ever-

growing circle of bloggers as I create this new blog... Read More

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August 2009

Evening in the Garden

The evening was so beautiful last evening. It was

warm, balmy, and with very few bugs... Read More

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August 2010

Friendship, Chocolate, and a Birdie

A long time friend came for a visit

today. We shared a simple lunch... Read More

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August 2011
Brass Polishing Moments and Other Nuances

With hands busy polishing brass—and there's quite a lot of it—

in the theatre of our local performing arts centre this... Read More

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August 2012

Letter in the Post

What a lovely morning. Lots of storms and rain these days,

but also lots of beautiful sunshine and hot weather... Read More

 

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August 2013

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window...grey clouds scudded by earlier this morning,

now blue skies and puffy white clouds sail past as if... Read More

 

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August 2014

Unveiling A 'Me' Photo

As you may recall, this past May I attended my first

writer's retreat. It was an awesome experience... Read More

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August 2015

Memoir Moment: The Piano

Some of my earliest childhood memories revolve

around the beautiful 1900's piano that once sat... Read More

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August 2016

Peach Tart on a Warm Summer's Day

Such a warm summer day. Hot, but not so

blistering as to make your cheeks melt... Read More

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August 2017

Late Summer Blooms with a bit of Musing

Have you have ever seriously wondered if you are a late

bloomer in life? Everyone else, after high school... Read More

 

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August 2018

Childhood Summers on the Farm

As a kid, I never thought we lived in an interesting place. To

me, it was just so ordinary. Plunked on a small farm in... Read More

 

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August 2019

Peace Rose: A Notecard Set

Some years ago now, a dear blogging friend Vee used to

host a Notecard Party.  It was held once a month... Read More

 

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August 2020

Small Treats & Something Normal in Covid

I haven't gone shopping 'just for fun' since March. It's been

only for essentials and basics, so you can imagine... Read More

 

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August 2021

Garden Glimpses at Last

It dawned calm and overcast this morning. With a mix

of rain clouds and smoke hazing the sky from... Read More

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August 2022

Hold Expectations Loosely

As a girl, I remember having a kind of impression

that life should line up with my expectations... Read More

After all these years, I still love writing here on It's A Beautiful Life. As with seasons of life, sometimes I write more often and sometimes less often, but my heart is always here... with you, dear beautiful friends. Thank you for sharing the journey with me and for making it such a pleasant one. Here's to the next fifteen years - I wonder what they will look like. As long as I can, I will carry on. I hope you will as well.

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credit:

(Top)Image by Guenther Dilligen from Pixabay