Blizzard Brings out Memories

I never read the Little House books until I home-schooled my children. We read through the series and I cried at the appropriate places (couldn’t help it). That blizzard was the saddest part. I thought they were so brave and strong. We also loved the series on tv with Michael Landon. I have all the books. The Long Winter was all about the blizzard. Here is an excerpt:


“This life is a difficult riddle,

For how many people we see

With faces as long as a fiddle

That ought to be shining with glee

I am sure in this world there are plenty

Of good things enough for us all

And yet there’s not one out of twenty

But thinks that his share is too small.



Then what is the use of repining,

For where there’s a will there’s a way.

And tomorrow the sun may be shining,

Although it is cloudy today.



Do you think that by sitting and sighing

You’ll ever obtain all you want?

It’s cowards alone that are crying

And foolishly saying, ‘I can’t!’

It is only by plodding and striving

And laboring up the steep hill

Of life, that you’ll ever be thriving

Which you’ll do if you’ve only the will.”



On the Banks of Plum Creek has a chapter about The Long Blizzard in it too.

My favorite books from childhood were the Little Women series. I loved Jo so much. I also loved Heidi. But I believe my favorite books as a child was The Boxcar Kids. I could make-believe that life all day!

Also we had a magical time in the fourth grade with our teacher Mrs. Gray. She would read to us after lunch for an hour. She read Silver Chief Dog of the North by Jack O'Brien to us. We waited excitedly every day for her to continue the story. I loved that book and that woman.

Ree Drummond-The Pioneer Woman Cookbook

I got to meet Ree at her cookbook signing in Tulsa on Friday.

She was a lot of fun to meet and listen to her talking to others as I

waited. I got to the store first and could have been first in line

but I decided to shop the little store and bought my grandbaby

some cute onesie's. One was a pink Cain's ballroom and the

other was a "I love (heart) Tulsa." I found a very cute purse that

was handmade. I will post a photo soon. It was made out of an

old linen tablecloth, very vintage. I know no one else will ever have

another one like it. I also bought a small Uglydoll. Big toe.

I'm about ten people back from the front of the line.

We all got to watch MM carry in boxes of books. He

didn't have his hat on and he looks even finer in real

life. Forgive me, but I'm much older than both of them!

I had pre-ordered one cookbook from Amazon but

I bought another to give as a gift.

And here I am posing with Ree. She was so very nice

and it was so fun to talk with her. I told her I would

like to go to the Pawhuska signing but I had tickets for

Dracula (the ballet). She said she would have liked to

gone to that. I also mentioned that I had never read a blog

before hers and that was when I started blogging two years

ago. I told her that I had met Swampy and of course she

knew her also. I had a very fine day! I left there and went

to Utica Square and shopped in Williams Sonoma. And

even better, I took home Asian Grilled Salmon from PF Chang's.

I honestly cannot get enough of it. I wish I could eat it every

day!

And The Winners Are...

Winners of the book giveaway are:

about the author- won by Pamela at The Dust Will Wait

The Reader-  won by Allison at Allison Says

Hannah Coulter-  won by Pat at Back Porch Musings

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered.  I used the Random Integer Generator for the results.  So few numbers, but it worked.

Winners please e-mail me with your snail mail addresses so I can get these books to your door.  My e-mail address is:  junebug57 @ gmail dot com

I will have another book giveaway soon.

Book Giveaway!

I want to give away these three books.  To enter, just leave a comment choosing which book you would most like to receive.  There will be three winners, one book each.  I will draw names to choose the winners.  Let me tell you a little bit about each book.

Hannan Coulter by Wendell Berry:  

Hannah is a member of Port William, Kentucky. She is twice widowed, alone, and in her seventies when she recalls her childhood, young love and loss, and raising children. She has strong opinions (some of the author) about old ways and how they should remain. It is interesting to get the insight of an older generation. It gave me some understanding and good thoughts to remember.  I liked the grandmother the most of all the characters in the book.  I think you will too.  

about the author by John Colapinto:  

"Just how did Cal Cunningham-a twenty-five-year-old bookstore stockboy who is new to Manhattan and who has never written anything---publish a bestselling novel that sells to the movies for a million dollars?" "About the Author" is his first-person account of how he performed this remarkable feat." This was a very readable book.  I was satisfied with the ending.  It is pretty explicit, just so you know.  

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink:  

"When fifteen-year-old Michael Berg falls ill on his way home from school, he is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. In time she becomes his lover, enthralling him with her passion, but puzzling him with her odd silences. Then she disappears. Michael next sees Hanna when she is on trial for a hideous crime, refusing to defend herself. As he watches, he begins to realize that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder." Sounds pretty interesting, right?  It was a good book, easy to read quickly.  I was not happy with the ending though.  Quite a few things made me wonder.  Sexually explicit.  The setting is Germany several years after WWII.  It involves a moral dilemma.  I hope to see the movie sometime in the future.

Please tell me in the comments which book you would like and I will set a deadline of next Monday evening.  

*Time's up.  I will post the winners tomorrow.  Thanks for entering.  

Fun Monday-What Are You Reading?

AOJtheLurchers is the place to find all the Book Worms for Mon Funday. Clink the Link to find out who's reading what.

Here's the challenge: OK, I know that pretty much all of you out there are bookworms.

So for Fun Monday on 2nd February, firstly tell me what book you are reading now. What's it about? Are you enjoying it and why? If not, why not?

And secondly, if you were to be stranded on a desert island, what one book would you take with you.


I am reading a few books right now.
I am reading "Hannah Coulter" by Wendell Berry for a blog book club called Hannah Coulter Book Club for Copy Cats started by Lynn in Wi.  Hannah is a member of Port William, Kentucky.  She is twice widowed, alone, and in her seventies when she recalls her childhood, young love and loss, and raising children.  She has strong opinions (some of the author) about old ways and how they should remain.  It is interesting to get the insight of an older generation.  It gave me some understanding and good thoughts to remember.  


I am reading "About the Author" by John Colapinto for another blog book club called the PMS Book Club started by Holly of AFF.
I'll give you the back page:  "Just how did Cal Cunningham-a twenty-five-year-old bookstore stockboy who is new to Manhattan and who has never written anything---publish a bestselling novel that sells to the movies for a million dollars?"  "About the Author" is his first-person account of how he performed this remarkable feat."  It reminds me of the book "A Bear Went Over the Mountain."


I am reading "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink.  I thought the movie looked interesting, so I decided to read the book first.  Then I will go see the movie.  Again, I will give you the back of the book description:  "When fifteen-year-old Michael Berg falls ill on his way home from school, he is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age.  In time she becomes his lover, enthralling him with her passion, but puzzling him with her odd silences.  Then she disappears.  Michael next sees Hanna when she is on trial for a hideous crime, refusing to defend herself.  As he watches, he begins to realize that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder."  Sounds pretty interesting, right?  


I am reading "Facing Your Giants" by Max Lucado for my Sunday School class.  I'm sure that everyone has heard of Max Lucado or even has had a yearly calendar with his quotes.  Here is the account from the book:  "David's life story is punctuated with nevertheless.  The runt of eight brothers, nevertheless, he was chosen to be the King of Israel.  Nicknamed "Twiggy" by his nine foot nine inch adversary, nevertheless, he slew Goliath with a strip of leather and a pebble.  As king, he committed the double crime of adultery and murder, nevertheless, he was called "a man after God's own heart."  Do you need a nevertheless to be written into your biography?  Fortunately, God has plenty to go around."
Also, if stranded on a desert island, I have to admit I would want the Bible with me.  Because I would be doing a lot of praying once there.  

For more Fun Monday participants, go here.

November Pay It Forward Book Exchange- 19 books up for grabs!

This is a project of Overwhelmed With Joy. Many books are up for grabs. There are lots of people participating in the giveaways each month. Go on over and check it out!
I have a book I will be giving away soon. It is Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.

Little Women

An excerpt from Little Women:
"O Jo, it's not so bad as that?" cried Laurie.
"Yes, it is. She doesn't know us, she doesn't even talk about the flocks of green doves, as she calls the vine leaves on the wall. She doesn't look like my Beth, and there's nobody to help us bear it; Mother and Father both gone, and God seems so far away I can't find Him."
As the tears streamed fast down poor Jo's cheeks, she stretched out her hand in a helpless sort of way, as if groping in the dark, and Laurie took it in his, whispering with a lump in his throat: "I'm here. Hold on to me, Jo dear!"
She could not speak, but she did "hold on," and seemed to lead her nearer to the Divine arm which alone could uphold her in her trouble. Laurie longed to say something tender and comfortable, but no fitting words came to him, so he stood silent, gently stroking her bent head as her mother used to do. Soon she dried the tears which had relieved her, and looked up with a grateful face. "I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship." ~Louisa May Alcott~