Portable Magic and Other Musings

Hello! And a crispy morning to you!

February did pass in a flash which is probably a good thing as it was beginning to get me down all cooped up in the cabin . . . March at least has the promise of Spring, warmer temperatures, budding trees, chirping birds, etc.

Anyway, I was just over at Julie's blog and thought it'd be fun to reply to her question, "Which writers get your free 'I'll-read-anything-by-them' pass?" here on the blog. First off, let me just say that although Julie Kirk herself has just published one book, Snipped Tales, I give her blog the FREE pass and, if she publishes again, will definitely add that to my library. Now, onto writers who I gravitate towards and will often pick up their books without a second look:

     Jane Austen (duh!)
     Chris Bohjalian
     Geraldine Brooks
     Alexandra Fuller
     Molly Gloss
     John Grisham
     P.D. James
     Jane Smiley
     Alexander McCall Smith
     Mark Twain
     ...and many more

That said, I keep track of my books on Goodreads and receive notices of books that my "friends" are reading which is a good thing in that I am introduced to books and writers I would not otherwise know about. However, it is also a bad thing since in examining a book for "want to read" potential, I look at reviews which unfortunately tend to color my opinion and I will give the book a miss based on unfavorable comments. That is why, and I heartily agree with Julie on this, walking into the public library and browsing the shelves is the best way to find books by new authors and well-loved authors, diving in and either loving or taking back to the library unread!

Judging from the list above, it is difficult to determine what it is that draws me to these writers except perhaps each of them are true "wordsmiths," making characters and locations come alive. There are certain genres that I tend towards too - mysteries (Agatha Christie comes to mind), historical novels, "biographical" novels, wartime fiction and non-fiction, and American western.

Not surprisingly, I sometimes have started a book by one of my favorite authors and found that it just doesn't measure up and because they are a favorite, I will struggle along for awhile feeling guilty that it isn't working. One that comes to mind is The Secret Chord, by Geraldine Brooks whose March, and Year of Wonder captivated. Not sure what it was about this although her use of names in their transliteration from the Hebrew of the Tanakh, confused me, being more familiar with the names in the Bible which I read every day.

At any rate, thanks Julie, for this little exercise!

Just one of the book shelves around the house. Oh, look! A dictionary! :0

Next Thursday, a week from today, I am going to Tooele County Quilters Quilt Fiesta Retreat; three days of sewing and chatting, eating and learning with my quilty friends! Since I've become something of a hermit these last wintry months, I am looking forward to time out of the house. A good thing about it is that it is just nine miles away in Grantsville and each night I can come home to my own bed and also be able to gather up any bits I will inevitably forget to take Thursday morning; like, I can just imagine leaving the plug and foot control to my sewing machine at home! Haha! I have a few projects I'd like to tackle and being around these very inspiring and talented quilters will be a grand way to git 'er done!

Yesterday my sister in New Zealand called and we had a nice chatter about all sorts of things, most notably the recent discoveries she's made in her genealogical pursuits. She's asked me to take a trip into Salt Lake City to the Family History Library for some microfiche records pertaining to them and so, because the next few days will be clear weather, I think I'll journey on in and do just that . . . another good excuse to get out of the house! Besides, I am pleased to be of service as what she is finding is very interesting indeed.

Wrapping up -- Sunday on my way back from church I spotted this sight right here on Vine:

This little house is lived in but I don't know if the owners were home to notice that they had a small herd of mule deer on the doorstep! Crazy! Later in the day, when Clare went out to chore, here is what he saw:

It is quite likely this was the same group of deer.

He didn't want to disturb them from getting into the barn for a good meal (the baled hay is stored out there) before heading back up to the hills. The next morning, they were two yards down browsing the neighbor's barn! They are pretty unconcerned. I really like seeing this "wildlife" right here in town, although it is a bit scary when they wander too close to Main Street.

My digital Project Life pages are progressing nicely and even though I am getting bored of taking photos of the snow, I am thoroughly enjoying recording the every day. It'll be fun to look back at these next year and I must admit that this kind of scrapbooking is much easier than cutting and pasting. Making small papery projects, like cards, is my current way of keeping the crafty going!

Weeks Five through Eight done, and sent off for printing. 

Bye for now!

My Reading Habits - an open tag from Julie

Happy (almost) Autumn/Spring Equinox (accounting for my sister in New Zealand here!)!

Although I didn't get around to posting my August month in numbers, Julie has inspired me with her invitation to "pick up the gauntlet" and spill my reading habits (read here for how she came to be tagged). What better way to get back to blogging than to chronicle one of my most favorite activities! So, here's how it goes:

Q: Do you have a certain place at home to 
read?
A: No one place, although I do tend to read alot in bed before putting out the light at night. Fact is, every room in the house (yes, including the loo) is fair game for me to be found reading. I also read in the garden; wherever there's shade when it's hot and in the sunshine when it's cooler.


Q: Reading at home or everywhere?
A: Mainly at home but I take a book with me when we are on the road for any length of time, to the doctor's office or anyplace I know requires a wait, to the rodeo (high school rodeos are often long, drawn-out affairs - sort of like watching paint dry . . .), on the bus, etc.

The Tooele City Library - my favorite place to get reading material.

Q: Do you watch TV or listen to music while reading?

A: Neither. If Clare has the TV on, I go to another room and if there's music I get distracted and want to sing along.

Q: Do you eat or drink while reading?

A: Most assuredly! If I didn't eat and drink while reading, I'd be very, very hungry and thirsty!

To the library and then the coffee shop; natural order of things!

Q: Reading aloud or silently in your head?

A: Both. I've read numerous books aloud all the way through to Clare (To Kill a Mockingbird, True Grit, Lonesome Dove, The Hearts of Horses, to name a few). He is more of a technical material reader and so my reading a book aloud is a way for both of us to be entertained, on road trips especially. I also have loved reading aloud to my grands and greats - this gives me an opportunity to really pull out all the animated stops! Mostly, though, I read silently in my head.

Me reading a book aloud while we were camping in August.

Q: One book at a time or several at once?

A: Generally, I read one book at a time, especially those I check out of the library. However, I read my Bible everyday, along with a daily devotional. I have a stack of books in my bedside table that I pick up now and again and I also have books on my IPad Kindle that I sometimes read simultaneously with whatever hardbound book I'm reading.

My everyday read.

Q: Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter or number of pages?

A: I can stop reading sometimes mid-sentence; for instance, when my name is called, the timer goes off, or the lights go out. I usually, though, try to read to the end of a chapter or paragraph.

Q: Bookmark or random piece of paper?

A: My Bible has a bookmark that's been there for years. For library books I use the due date receipt for a bookmark and for books I own or have borrowed from a friend I use an envelope, a grocery list, yes . . . a random piece of paper. Which is dumb really because I have quite a few very crafty and unique bookmarks that I've accumulated over the years. I never, never, never turn down page corners!

Q: Do you ever read ahead or skip pages?

A: Sometimes, but guiltily!

Q: Do you ever write in books?

A: I write in my Bible but never in other books unless I'm "altering" them which is a whole other ball game. If there is something I want to remember, I write it in my journal, on a scrap of paper, a napkin, a post-it note, whatever; or, I take a picture with my phone!

This passage, beginning at the top of the page, is appropriately, about books and how important they are!

This then is a scaled-down version of my reading habits. I could go on and on about what books and reading have meant to me in my lifetime; suffice it to say, I'd be a lesser person if I couldn't read. I'll leave you then with this picture of my youngest sister reading on the deck at Dad's house. You see, it runs in the family!

She was oblivious of me taking this photo!

May a good book be always by your side! And do read Julie's "Portable Magic" posts and join in with her to report your reading habits!