Quote du jour/Taylor Goldsmith

... stepping into the evening is the time to praise the day.
Taylor Goldsmith
song - Waiting For Your Call
album - All Your Favorite Bands
band - Dawes

Hazel Nina and The Littles

Have you ever read any of the books in The Littles series by John Peterson? They were a big hit with my kids, and I still have their childhood copies. Early in January, when Hazel Nina was 13 months old, I took the first in the series off the shelf and thought we’d read it to her at nap time. 

Her crib is in the bedroom, so when she begins getting sleepy we go upstairs and pile on the big bed having a quiet time with stuffed animals and books. Tom and I take turns reading, and then I sing her the old Pat Boone song, April Love, as she nods off. This began when she was a very little baby. I had bought the song on iTunes ages ago, and happened to play it one day downstairs when I was holding her. She fell right asleep in my arms. It happened again and again, as we all shook our heads in wonder. I’ve thought of messaging Mr. Boone on his Facebook page and telling him that he has new fan. 

Anyhow, she was quite enthralled with The Littles. She peered at the cover and illustrations with great interest. We’d read a little bit each day, and when it was finished, went on to The Littles Take a Trip. Hazel had the same fascination with this book. 

February 24

When we began The Littles Give a Party her enthusiasm for the series took on a new intensity.

March 10

April 2

May 22

We got to chapter 8, and have proceeded no further. She takes the book away and won’t give it back. She studies it and ‘reads’ it. Her little babbling voice is so sweet and completely different from the sounds she usually makes.

June 12

The other day she tore the cover off, hugged it to her face, and gave it a little kiss. What on earth is it about this book that so captures her imagination? We’ll never know, and I guess I just have to read the book on my own to find out if Granny Little ever gets her 80th birthday party! 

Introducing Lucy the Labrador!

I wrote in March about the death of our beloved Sadie. The weeks since have been very sad and lonesome. We haven't been without a dog in our lives since 1973. I began looking around for a pup and found a breeder of Labrador Retrievers less than an hour away, and she had one little yellow male pup available for July. We sent a deposit and looked forward happily to next month. And then a couple days later, the breeder posted on Facebook that someone had returned an 8-month old spayed female yellow Lab because of a change in their work situation, and she was available right now! Well, you probably can guess what we did. Yup. Drove over on Saturday and picked up this adorable, sweet-natured girl.

Her name is Lucy, which pleases us because we used to have a Belgian Sheepdog named Lucy when the kids were little. She is working out very well and is great with Hazel Nina.

I think Tom's laughter in this picture expresses the happiness we feel.

And here she is, laying at my feet under the computer desk as I write.

Today's poem by William Butler Yeats

As I was watching the movie of 84, Charing Cross Road, I heard this, and thought I would share it here in my letters. So lovely.

Aedh Wishes for The Cloths of Heaven

Had I the heaven's embroidered cloths,

Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths 

Of night and light and the half-light;

I would spread the cloths under your feet:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) 

Quote du jour - Lucy Maud Montgomery

I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.  

Lucy Maud Montgomery