Quote du Jour/Katherine Mansfield

Now’s the time when children’s noses  

All become as red as roses

And the colour of their faces

Makes me think of orchard places

Where the juicy apples grow,

And tomatoes in a row.

From Autumn Song

by Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923)

May Reading

I realized that if I want to jot down what I’ve read in 2014, I’d better get going! My May reading was quite, quite wonderful. Because I am so far behind, and because I don’t have as much time to write these days, I am giving short shrift to some wonderful books. If I could I would write whole posts on each book. 

23. Summer Lightning

by PG Wodehouse

fiction 1929

Kindle

finished 5/6/14

The month began with my favorite writer, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse. I’m wild about the Blandings books. I find Lord Emsworth and Co. to be the most delightful fictional acquaintances. Summer Lightning is the third in the Blandings series, but honestly the PGW books can be picked up anywhere. Lord Emsworth’s younger brother who has quite a checkered past is writing his memoirs. There is fear among all his contemporaries, as they wonder if their own youthful adventures will be in the book. 

24. Disappeared - book 1 in the Inspector Celcius Day series

by Anthony Quinn

mystery 2012

Kindle

second reading

finished 5/10/14

I decided to reread Disappeared as it had been a while, and I wanted it fresh in my mind as I read the second in the series. I am very interested in the Northern Ireland of the post-troubles. It is clear that those days are not forgotten. They echo and reverberate. Men who were young then are now old, but their fervor and anger are as strong as ever. Such a good book.

25. Border Angels - book 2 in the Inspector Celcius Day series

by Anthony Quinn

mystery 2013

Kindle

finished 5/14/14

This one, though excellent, was a bit harder for me to read since the subject was the trafficking of young girls from Eastern Europe. You may read a great interview with the author here.

26. Fifty Candles

by Earl Derr Biggers

mystery 1921

Kindle

finished 5/17/14

I’ve put off reading this for a while because it was the only Biggers book I hadn’t read. I’m so sorry he didn’t live longer to write more. Such a good writer. Though I read it last, this book precedes the Charlie Chan mysteries. 

27. Little Fur Family

by Margaret Wise Brown

children's book 1946

finished 5/19/14

written about here.

28. News From Thrush Green - book 3 in the Thrush Green series

by Miss Read

second or third reading

fiction 1970

finished 5/25/14

I love Miss Read. I love Thrush Green. I love the characters and the stories. Some of my most pleasant times have been in a Miss Read story.

29. Roast Mortem - book 9 in the Coffeehouse Mysteries series

by Cleo Coyle

mystery 2010

finished 5/29/14

Another fun entry in the series. Not my favorite, but only because I don’t like reading about arsonists/fires.

Today's picture, and Product placement/socks

My Old Farmer's Almanac calendar's offering for this day is

Wear mismatched socks to bring good luck

And today Hazel Nina showed up in these socks!

They come from a terrific Vermont company called Solmate Socks whose motto is

Life's too short for matching socks

Today's Song and Pictures - October Light

One of my favorite songs is October Light by Robin and Linda Williams. There isn't a video of them singing it so I'm going to share the words, along with some photos of my own October light. There really is nothing like it. This evening there was a gentle rain falling as I took the pictures, and soon a rainbow appeared.

Each day we walk upon the hill

to watch the setting sun 

play on the trees and fields until

it falls and day is done.

Yellow, orange, blue, and rose  

The colors neon bright.

The evening sky is all aglow

with this October light.

We sit together in the swing

Our faces to the west

and talk of what tomorrow will bring

and what today has left.

We trace the dimming day

as dusk breaks to night

So we don’t miss a single ray

of this October light.

Oh, the long, dark shadows eulogize

the sun fleeing southward in the sky

‘cause there ain’t no saving daylight

when the tenth month comes around.

September memories take flight

as heaven’s lamp turns down.

So we feast on eventide

‘cause November’s chilling bite 

is waiting on the other side

of this October light.

The evening sky is all aglow

with this October light.

We don’t want to miss a single ray

of this October light.

October Light

Robin and Linda Williams

from the album Deeper Waters

For the fans of dogs!

If you are like me and you see a dog in a movie, you immediately want to know if the dog is going to be okay. I don't want to watch anything where a dog dies. And now there is a website for dog lovers called Does The Dog Die.

And here is a great graph, which I perhaps shared here another time, for book and dog lovers.

Product placement/baby food

It’s a wonderful time to be a baby! When my kids were little there weren’t any organic baby foods. And now, there are wonders beyond wonders. Any fruits you can imagine. Interesting combinations like bananas, apricots, and baby rice. Amazing offerings like vegetables and beans. If you click on any of the links below you can see the huge range of products available. 

Ella's Kitchen

Plum Organics

Earth's Best

Stonyfield YoBaby

and one I didn't happen to have on the shelf when I took the picture - Happy Family Brands.

A Year of Afternoon Gardens - October

It worked out wonderfully today that three dear girls and their babies were here to be in the monthly garden picture! Margaret and Hazel Nina; Estée and Campbell Walker; and Margaret's friend for over 30 years, Ana and Roman Henry. As you might imagine, I was in heaven all afternoon.