YATAV BLOG

2024 Book Report

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:24:35 GMT

This year I enjoyed the writing of quite a few new to me authors. I found the two WWII historical fiction books by Madeline Martin and also both historical fiction books (WWI and the Civil War) by Jennifer Chiaverini to be well researched and engaging. Historical fiction and mystery stories (in the vein of Sherlock Holmes) are my favourite genres.

I'm continuing to work my way slowly through Louisa May Alcott's works. I enjoyed four GA Henty stories and two more by Gene Stratton Porter. Both Henty and Porter are some of my long standing favourite authors. This was my first year listening to Baroness Orczy's work and I found it delightful. Another first this year was reading aloud to my son at bedtime. He turned four in the fall and we finished our first chapter book read aloud this year.

Two-thirds of the books I "read" were audiobooks, and a third physical books.

Summary: 35 books (23 audiobooks, 12 physical books)

Little Men

By Louisa May Alcott, 1871

A collection of short vignettes in the lives of the boys at Plumfield. This one dragged for me. It’s sappy and sweet, full of all the virtuous anecdotes and moral lessons that characterized Little Women. All manner of ill temper and willfulness are smoothed over by the patient love of the Bahrs.

I think had it been a good deal shorter, or perhaps combined with Jo’s Boys (I’ve yet to listen to that one) it would have been more enjoyable. I wanted the boys to grow up, and make their way in the world. This novel is completely devoid of romance. And though there is lots of mention of Mr. Bahr, he always feels like a kind hearted old uncle, not the man Jo actually fell in love with and married. There are far more heart to heart conversations with Laurie than Fredric.

If you like the ups and downs of a children’s tale, this one is well written and engaging. I could see reading it aloud to kids. Maybe someday I’ll read it to my boys. For myself though I wanted more progression in the plot, and some romance. Reader did a great job, I enjoyed her style.

It’s always disappointing in these old fashioned novels, like LM Montgomery’s, to be going along sweetly and then get plunged into some dark scene… like the backyard sacrifice demanded by “Kitty Mouse” of the children’s favorite toys, or the ghost parties that left the boys afraid of their own shadow. You wonder how these were allowed at Plumfield. But I suppose there is no perfect school, though the Bahr’s does seem excellent in so very many ways.

Captain Bayley’s Heir

By GA Henty, 1889

Another great adaption by Heirloom Audio. This tale starts in England, then travels to the Wild West to find gold! Filled with exciting twists, and secrets uncovered. It was an enjoyable listen.

The Last Bookshop in London

By Madeline Martin, 2021

While some WWII books leave you stunned at the brutality, the gut wrenching loss of life, the horrible suffering, this book took a different approach focusing more on life “at home” in England. While they weren’t starving, there was still the daily possibility of death from the bombings. I imagined myself in their position just trying to keep going each day as you waited for news of those you loved. Learned to live without butter… sugar… cheese… etc.

Grace volunteers with the ARP (air raid precautions) as a fire warden and witnesses many of the horrors wrought by the bombings as something of a first responder. It would be so hard to keep getting up each morning after such grisly nights work. But, everyone was fighting their own battle, and the solidarity and humanity that shined forth in the darkness was incredible.

It’s a clean book, and a happily ever after story. George and Grace are reunited after the war. I felt like it was a little too much of a “rags to riches” tale. Orphaned unloved Grace goes to the big city where she just manages to turn a dusty book shop into one of the most frequented, profitable bookstores in London. All this without a marketing degree, and scant if any resources is a bit magical. And then by book’s end to have inherited it all is a little too much to hope for. But, it’s a great Hallmark ending.

I would definitely class this as still an informative fictional story about WWII, but a lighter tale. From the onset you know Colin will die. I felt like Viv needed a little more air time, I can’t even remember what happened with her in the end.

The Things We Cannot Say

By Kelly Rimmer, 2019

Throughout the story Alina loses nearly her whole family (save for her elder sister) to the “invaders” during the course of the WWII occupation of Poland. I felt like Kelly’s portrayal of Alina was honest. It was a particular facet of the war as seen through the eyes of a blissfully sheltered farm girl, who still experienced her share of tragedy and loss. It did not feel nearly as heavy a book though as say “Lilac Girls” or “All the Light We Cannot See.” Those ones have you wade deeply through the utter depravity and gut wrenching brutality.

I felt like when I began the book I didn’t realize how heavy the focus was going to be on the modern day granddaughter’s life, and her struggles with her family and day to day life with her autistic son. It wasn’t just a WWII book, it was also a rather depressing modern life account, which I felt didn’t really become bearable until she took a plane to Poland and began unraveling the mystery of her grandmother’s past.

How Alina never made it back to Poland to find out what happened to her sister, Emilia and Thomas is beyond me. They try to explain it, but still I can’t imagine how she never found time to do something so important.

While I felt so sad that Thomas and Alina didn’t end up together, I felt more sad that Saul and Alina didn’t truly make a life together as husband and wife. Their “friendship only” marriage didn’t sound like truly living, or even reality. And I think both Thomas and Ava would have been sad that they pinned away their entire lives for them, rather than starting afresh, building a family together. Truly living as the best way to honor those who had life stolen from them.

There were some curse words, which just always feel unnecessary in writing (not to mention life), and mentions of sex but never explicit/graphic. Overall a relatively clean novel where the characters had morals and faith. Though both the Catholic and Jewish faiths were spoken of, you felt like the author really had no clue about either faith and they weren’t actually that important to the characters. At one point Alina using the pretext of praying the rosary as a coverup for meeting with Thomas. It felt like the message of the book was about never letting go of true love. Which, is nice in theory but I feel like going through something as horrific as WWII something deeper, faith in God, is needed. Even though their love was strong, death still tore them apart.

Leaves from Lantern Lane

By Nellie L. McClung, 1936

This was a delight to read! Nellie grew up on the Canadian prairie, then moved to Victoria island later in life. She wrote for a newspaper column and this book was a collection of those columns written while she lived on “Lantern Lane” on Victoria. The chapters were short. Sometimes funny, full of historical nuances, a love of gardening, nature and beauty. She was well read, and stayed up on current events. While WWII was as yet distant rumblings, it was on the horizon. On the whole I just really enjoyed each time I sat down and read some of this book.

St Bartholomew's Eve: A Tale of the Huguenot Wars

By G.A. Henty, 1893

“On August 24, 1572, more than 2,000 French Huguenots - men, women, and children - were massacred for their faith.” (Audible Summary) I tried to get into this one, but three hours in (of the nearly 14 hour story) my thoughts were drifting badly so I decided to give it up. Jim Hodges is such a painful reader, his inflection is all over the place and makes what should be a thrilling/dramatic/mournful scene all seem like a children’s nursery rhyme.

The plot feels reminiscent of Henty’s French Revolution story, “In the Reign of Terror” which is excellent - both the narration (the audible version by Stuart Langton) and the storyline.

I switched over to the abridged version by Heirloom Audio and enjoyed the two hour, dramatized story. It was nice having a bit more of the back story provided in the full version to the Huguenots and Philip Fletcher. But Henty does just provide a lot of excess detail (troop movements etc.) that just feel too dull to slog through sometimes.

I’m sure it’s a great story overall, if you can tolerate Hodges. There’s a bit of love story included between Philip and Clare.

Wintering

By Katherine May, 2020

This was my second time listening to Wintering. One of the things that stood out to me was the section on “the watch.” In this season of life I can relate to that sleep pattern… going to bed at 6 or 7 with the kids, just out of sheer pregnancy exhaustion… and then being awake for several hours early in the morning before drifting back to sleep. An interesting historical tidbit that you never really think of, but makes perfect sense in a world where people didn’t have electricity, so going to bed with the sun was only natural.

Also, I’m always fascinated by the idea of cold swimming, jumping into frozen lakes for a dip, sitting in cold pools… there’s a part of me that wishes I had margin, guts or access to these things. The reset, the freshness sounds exhilarating. Maybe one day!

Overall I just enjoy the meandering style of her writing, and the reminder that life is full of “winter” seasons. Invitations to pull in and rest, while you wait for the promise of spring.

Original review here: 2022 Book Report

In Freedom’s Cause

By GA Henty, 1885

I listened to the full audiobook in 2022, and then this spring listened to the Heirloom Audio version. This was certainly one of their stronger adaptations. I’ve never been to Scotland, but the accents sounded a bit overdone. I think they could have been toned down some and you still would have remembered the story took place in Scotland!

I was impressed by Wallace’s faith and appreciated the emphasis placed in the story on His trust in God. He was a man of valor, and incredible strength and prowess on the battlefield. And yet beyond his sword, he knew victory would come only through God.

It’s a good, succinct adaptation. I appreciated that it wasn’t quite so graphic as the original book recounting battlefield scenes and the gruesome tortures inflicted by the English. Such barbarism boggles the mind.

Original review here: 2022 Book Report

The Librarian Spy

By Madeline Martin, 2022

This was my second book this year by Martin, and I enjoyed it even more than the first! I really appreciate Martin’s writing style. It truly feels like the best sort of historical fiction with the characters based on real people / events. I learned so much about wartime in occupied France and the heroic resistance. While some resistance members were responding to personal loss or attack, many could have just kept their heads down and made it to the other side of the war. Instead, they chose to take a stand against the tide of evil in their day. Their bravery was astounding.

Days after finishing the book I’m still grieved, horrified at the death of Nicole. She was so vivacious and plucky. The horrors of what went on at Montluc prison are so disturbing - to think that men at women endured such unspeakable cruelty at the hands of other human beings. I appreciated that Martin introduced you to it, let you squirm heart pounding with Elaine, without going very graphic or detailed. Knowing what they were up against, I’m truly in awe that there were so many willing - yes willing to take the risk. It’s a kind of bravery that I think has gone almost extinct in our western world.

Something that stood out to me in both her WWII books that I’ve listened to is the rationing. A slow drip torture… not bloody or unendurable, but ever-present. While the people of Paris went about with their stomachs empty, they watched the enemy gorge themselves.

As a currently pregnant mama, I felt my own gut twist with the stories of Manu, and Marcel’s wife… babies torn from their mother’s in the cruelest of ways.

I always think of WWII as primarily either about the soldiers on the front, or the Jews in concentration camps. But this book once again shows you the battle faced by other groups of people - occupied France, and neutral Portugal with their streams of refugees hoping for a chance to live free.

I think on the whole the book was very well written, well researched. I just wished there would have been a bit more detail about Josef - how did Etienne get his information about Josef? Was it through bribed Germans, or French working within Montluc? And how did Nicole just walk up to the gates and request that Elaine be released and she actually be allowed to just skip her “appointment” and go free that day? I so wished that Josef had made it in the end. He was an amazing man.

A clean novel about characters with excellent morals, brave and kind. Well researched. I loved the juxtaposition between the senseless cruelty and the incredible effort put forth by so many to save the lives of even just one or two people - like Sarah and Noah. Showing that life is so very precious.

The White Flag

By Gene Stratton Porter, 1923

This was one of the few GSP novels not available on audible (and now I know why!) I found an old copy and decided to give it a go. My goodness, what a shift from her normal genre! She was definitely trying her hand at a certain style - the overly tragic to the point of ludicrous. I lost count of how many characters died.

The ending was very disappointing, in my head I rewrote it just to make things turn out as they should have. I could see Jason grappling with whether he should confront Mahala or try to move on with his life - but then he should have talked it over with Peter Potter or Jemimah and realized he needed to just confront her about the money he had found. With what he knew of Junior and Mahala, it’s absolutely ridiculous that he thought she really hid the money, especially when she became so violently ill over it. Throwing Ellen into the mix was the last straw that irrevocably soured the whole thing.

It’s a page turner alright, written in that format you’d expect of a newspaper serial. Salacious secrets (that are only ever hinted at because of the discreet Victorian manner of writing) and tragic deaths. I missed the description of nature and a love for the beauty surrounding that is woven throughout her other books. There was no happily ever after. A common thread that was present are the characters who pull themselves up by the boot straps and succeed through diligent industry. And also the children that grow up so virtuous despite having no one to train them throughout their childhood.

I wouldn’t recommend this one, or At the Foot of the Rainbow. She has far better books!

The Lost Heir

By GA Henty, 1899-1900

This was my first Henty novel that I read as it’s not available on Audible. It was an enjoyable read, though at over 300 pages much more drawn out than it needed to be. It was certainly a departure from his normal style where he takes a factual time period, with usually a war or some major historical event and weaves in a fictional hero.

In this book there was no war, or even a historical figure. It felt like he was trying his hand at a Sherlock Holme’s type mystery story since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle books were so popular at the time he wrote this novel. The book focus on a woman heroine, who is able to solve the mystery through her unique ability to read lips. Since Henty had his own experiences in the military with the British army in India the book starts out with a tiger hunt, and a military general is one of the central characters. Overall it was a good read.

A Girl of the Limberlost

By Gene Stratton Porter, 1909

It took me a long time to get into this one. I just don’t find the early parts on childhood very enthralling. Once she had nearly finished high school and was making her own way, it began to get interesting and the last section with romance introduced was enjoyable.

My main critique of GSP’s novels is the virtuous character of the hero or heroine that grows up without care or cultivation. How are they so noble, hardworking, honest and compassionate when these qualities were never shown them, or modelled for them? A mystery indeed!

I think Catherine Comstock’s character would have been a bit more believable if rather than being calculatingly cruel, she was merely absently indifferent. So weighed down with her grief that she didn’t even notice Elnora. She is written as a woman who is just too smart to really have ignored her daughter for so many years. It is wonderful though that she changed. And the scene where she confronts Elva and talks to her about her cancer is very honest, and still shows some humanity and even compassion.

Lovely section on nature and appreciation for God’s wonderful creation.

Disappointed that Phil took brain fever, it made him seem weak. Also, Elnora’s reluctance to accept his proposal, making him wait forever for her answer just felt like the author drawing out the suspension. That didn’t feel true to life at all. But, it made for an interesting plot twist I guess. You felt sorry for both Phil and Hart as they suffered patiently awaiting the decisions of their women.

Really Very Crunchy

By Emily Morrow, 2024

Having watched many of Emily’s videos on Instagram, when I saw she was coming out with a book I knew I wanted to listen to it. I’m not sure what I expected when I began listening. It felt like part memoire, part demystifying what the “crunchy” life means, and then part encouragement to be kind.

It felt like it was directed at someone who is beginning their journey towards a more crunchy lifestyle. For myself I didn’t learn any new information. It was more interesting just listening to her journey. And I enjoyed Jason’s chapter notes too. It’s a fun listen.

I think for myself it would have been more beneficial to have her delve into stories of things she’s tried over the years and how that panned out. I’d like to know more about what she is doing currently towards gardening, making food from scratch, caring for different ferments etc. and then too what tradeoffs that entails, what she’s buying in this season of life. Also, I didn’t think the quiz at the end was very helpful. Things like eating locally grown food in season, shopping from local businesses and recycling all make it sound like you have to have lots of money. It’s not about where you are on the crunchy to silky spectrum, but rather what you’re doing within your means to care for the health of your family.

I appreciated the focus on getting outside, and all the things you can do for free! Managing anxiety, grounding, breathing, and the like.

Jane the Fox and Me

By Fanny Britt, 2012

A graphic novel that focus on the school experience of a young girl who is bullied and friendless. She finds connection with Jane Eyre while reading Bronte’s novel. In the end of the story she makes a friend and sees the world in a new light.

I hated the pictures, very crude and full of sharp points and angles, in no way restful to the eyes. And the story while it had a good premise and clever title, it felt far too short to really get anywhere. What happened to her dad? Why did the popular girls used to be her friends, but weren’t anymore? And what era and country was this set in? Lots of things touched on, but not fully explained. It felt like a book written and illustrated by a twelve year old. But, at the same time the content felt like it was delivered for a mature audience. So, I’m not even sure who is meant to be the target reader.

Tramp for the Lord

By Corrie Ten Boom, 1971

Excellent, highly recommended as a sequel to “The Hiding Place.” So many incredible stories. God’s spirit was certainly flowing through Corrie as with the early apostles. I appreciated how raw, how honest she was about her personal short comings and how it was Christ in her that did miracles.

The Lost Words

By Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, 2017

I love the premise of this book, but the delivery was just far too “artsy.” I didn’t appreciate that they felt they had to make nature into magic - using language like spells, etc. No thank you. Some of the poetry was fun, but a lot of it was just over my head. I thought maybe I could read it to my son but he quickly lost interest. It would have been better delivered as a story featuring the words. Or more of a story / informational book. Like, why is a snake called an adder? Is that a synonym for snake or a specific type? It’s a beautiful book, and I’ve wanted to read it since first hearing about it. But, it was a disappointment.

The Year of Less

By Cait Flanders, 2018

I felt like the title and cover summary were very misleading as to what this book was actually about. I was hoping for a "Marie Condo" start leading to newly awakened hobbies, crafting and getting out into nature. New habits that led to mindful purchases. Things that she once bought that she now makes at home. Hours spent online shopping replaced with making from scratch, and even taking a step back from the rat race of work - when you spend less you don’t need to work a crazy stressful job.

This is far more a personal memoire. And because she already had a blog following, she was able to write a book. It’s her story of overcoming additions, moving past family trauma and setting personal goals. As a Christian, I can attest to the fact that the meaning and fulfillment she’s seeking is not found in less, it’s found in Christ. What she’s done is very admirable, but I felt like the book didn’t leave you anywhere satisfied. She was hard on herself, and practiced radical self denial - but what replaced the drinking / drugs / spending? It sounds like food and keeping busy with work and travel are what she replaced it with. She never really got to the candle making and gardening… some mentions of getting outside. I think she’s off to a great start figuring out what she doesn’t need, but has a long way to go yet in learning what she does.

As someone who enjoys the things I’ve chosen to mindfully possess, I don’t think there is anything wrong with owning things. Creating beauty is one of the things we’re meant to do, one of the way we emulate our Creator. Every home doesn’t need to look like IKEA and every wardrobe amount to 20 pieces. I was challenged though by her choosing not to shop until she needed something. It has become too much of a mindless past-time in today’s world.

The Scarlet Pimpernel | Book 1

By Baroness Orczy, 1905

I first saw the 1982 movie starring Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour years ago. It’s such an unsung classic! Hilarious, while at the same time depicting a dark, gruesome era. Listening to the book evoked many of the movie scenes, and while the essential points are the same there are many variations in the actual book. I loved the final scene, Sir Percy’s last disguise - sheer genius on the part of Baroness Orczy, how did she come up with that! The expressions through the book are vastly amusing. “Odds fish” and “Laud” etc. I felt like the book needed some editing… lots of pedantic repetition about Sir Percy’s “Inane laugh” and Marguerite being the most brilliant woman. But on the whole it’s most enjoyable. Makes me curious about her other books.

Waiting on God

By Andrew Murray, 1896

It’s a sweet little book, laid out in short chapters for 31 days of readings. Murray had some really great thoughts. Some paragraphs were very poignant and profound, and really helped to further illuminate / make practical the scripture passages shared about waiting. I just felt on the whole it was a little too old fashioned and dry. It was hard to stay focused on what he was actually saying. I think had the book been even shorter, or included stories of how to walk out the principles shared it would have been more enjoyable.

Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts

By Nina and Sonya Montenegro, 2020

I love to mend. It’s been one of my most enjoyable hobbies through the years, and I’ve often longed to put into words what the joy of repairing something has done in my own life. It’s as if each repair also repairs something in my mind and heart.

Nina and Sonya are both excellent writers, and the personal history and poignant insights into the act of mending were an inspiring treat to read.

If you’ve never picked up needle and thread to mend one of your own garments, they provide very helpful step-by-step tutorials for various ways you can repair garments of different fabrics.

I got this book from the library, and as soon as I was finished promptly ordered my own copy. I really enjoyed reading the paragraphs about the mending life.

A Year of Living Kindly: Choices That Will Change Your Life and the World Around You

By Donna Cameron, 2020

This felt like a “how to make yourself a better person in 10 easy steps” type book.

While I think the book does have merit, the reader grated on me. And I just didn’t feel like there was much warmth in the writing, or genuine humility. Had it been full of stories about how she tried to act in kindness - and the ups and downs of that journey. Or the stories of others, Reader’s Digest style and the butterfly effect of kindness I think that would have been so much more inspiring.

Laid out in 52 chapters, one for each week of the year, the author expects you to pick it up off and on for a year. But, I was so ready to be done after the first hour. Mostly I just listened feeling guilty about every time I’ve been “nice not kind” and gotten exasperated and unkind with support people over the phone.

I liked all the quotes she shared, I enjoy good quotes! But her language throughout just felt uncalled for… words like, “bitch - bozo - horse’s ass - a warm turd” - these just felt so harsh on the ear, and highly unnecessary.

Overall it was just far too corporate / trendy for my taste. I was looking for something a little more down to earth and real. The best I can say for the book is that it put kindness at the forefront of my mind, and I’ve been trying to go out of my way to be not just nice, but actually kind as I’m out and about.

Cradle to Cradle, Remaking the Way We Make Things

By William McDonough and Michael Braungart, 2008

I found this book through a recommended list provided at the end of the book, “Mending Life.” It’s a fascinating historical overview of how we’ve gotten to the toxic place we are today in industry. It’s written in such a captivating way through numerous stories. I was astounded by the story of the shoe factory, where the leather tanning process is so harmful that workers were inevitably going to get cancer within 20 years, so only people 50 years or older were hired. And I found mind blowing the idea that even if everyone should choose to wear only cotton jeans dyed with natural indigo, there wouldn’t be enough land to grow the cotton, or enough indigo dye for the worlds population.

It’s rather depressing… you just wonder how anyone is alive with all the harmful pollutants and toxic waste, etc. The author looks at the world through an evolution lens, and also a bit of a scarcity mindset. But, taken from a Biblical perspective God wants people to inhabit and care for the earth. And there are more than enough natural resources to go around. But it is up to us to learn how to best utilize what God has created, and this done best through the wisdom He lays out in scripture.

I loved the author’s perspective about “the fitting-est” vs just “survival of the fittest.” And that’s the place we all want to be - we may not be the strongest, but we can learn to adapt and utilize what we’ve been given.

He ends by says that it’s going to take every one of us, forever, to continue to address and find solutions to the problems that have been created. But, it’s an exciting challenge and books like this do give you a lot of hope that there are men and woman working hard to rethink systems and implement good changes that really do make for a better world.

The language in the book is excellent, a treat to listen to and the narrator is great as well.

Favorite Quotes: “We’re all downstream.”

“The fittest survive, the fitting-est thrive. Popular wisdom holds that the fittest survive, the strongest leanest largest perhaps meanest, whatever beats the competition. But in healthy thriving natural systems it is actually the fitting-est who thrive. Fitting-est implies an energetic and material engagement with place, and an interdependent relationship to it.” (Chapter 5)

A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home

By Henry Cole, 2012

I listened to this book on YouTube, read by a series of different readers. It says online the book is geared for ages 8-12, but it doesn’t really feel very kid-friendly. The rats seem like brothel matrons, descending upon helpless Celeste. Somewhere along the line, Cole must have read about Audubon’s unfeeling cruelty to the bird specimens he collected to paint, and I felt like that was about all I learned from this book about Audubon. Most of the book is taken up with Celeste’s interactions with different animals, and all her narrow escapes. The illustrations were great, reminded me of “The Invention of Hugo Cabret.” I felt like this book would have been a lot more interesting if the historical fiction side had been stronger, and you’d learned more about Audubon’s background, or if not him than more of a focus on Joseph and his story.

Meet Me In The Meadow: Finding God In The Wildflowers

By Deborah Hedstrom-Page, 2005

Deborah is a true writer, and her words are beautiful, well thought out and to the point. I loved that each chapter is short, yet packed with information. You get an introduction to the flower, some historical background and then an idea of how you can get to know the flower personally through usage. Edible “weeds” are something I’ve been interested in for serval years now, so this book was right up my alley.

Her spiritual insights aren’t always super contextually accurate, but they are heartfelt and ones gained through personal experience of walking with the Lord. I resonated with many of them. This book, and the way it’s laid out was perfect for me in my current season of motherhood - young kids, few minutes to devote to devotions.

I look forward to giving copies of this book to friends and family for years to come, and can see myself re-reading it in a few years. It’s a gem, not one of those “flowery” books (pun intended!) you so often find in Christian bookstores that try to blend drinking lattes and crucifying your flesh. It’s the kind of book I hope to write one day - well researched, born of life experience and edited to be direct so as not to waste the readers time. Loved it.

Switchboard Soldiers

By: Jennifer Chiaverini, 2022

After listening to so many WWII books, it was fascinating diving into one about WWI. I knew nothing about the “Hello Girls” before this book. Jennifer did an incredible job researching and weaving together the stories of the courageous women that answered Uncle Sam’s call to serve their country in France. This book feels far more like a report than a historical fiction novel. The story is highly secondary to the in-depth look you get at the process of becoming and serving as a switchboard soldier. On the one hand I liked the academic approach, it didn’t feel as nerve wracking as say, “Lilac Girls” or the “Testament of Youth” movie (both WWII stories). But on the other hand it did feel pedantic at times. At nearly 15 hours it was my longest listen this year. While many different love stories were introduced, none of them really went anywhere. Marie searches for Giovanni throughout the war, and then in the final moments gets reunited with him, no explanation of why he never tried to contact her? And Grace, good grief why did you not marry Captain Mac? Visit your family and then marry the man! The epilogue tells you she married a Eugene and had four kids… but man, I really was rooting for the handsome Australian. There just felt like too many broken love stories… Hilda (Valerie’s Sister) dumps her man, then Inez, then Grace… I kept waiting for someone to lose their sweetheart or brother in the war, but no.

Knowing at the end that Grace (and Inez, I looked that one up) was a real person, while Valerie and Marie were fictional made sense. More liberties were taken with their stories. Overall it was excellent, just good to know what you’re getting yourself into. More spoilers, the brothers Eugene and Henry survive the war.

Maybe these things were spelled out in the book, but I missed them… “Ersatz” coffee is from German, literally meaning “replacement.”

And “Dough Boys” from History.com: According to one explanation, the term dates back to the Mexican War of 1846-48, when American infantrymen made long treks over dusty terrain, giving them the appearance of being covered in flour, or dough. As a variation of this account goes, the men were coated in the dust of adobe soil and as a result were called "adobes," which morphed into "dobies" and, eventually, "doughboys."

And finally, I tried to look up the Switchboard Girls song, but apparently that was also sadly a work of fiction. There should be a song though!

Dear Enemy

By: Jean Webster, 1915

I adored Daddy Long Legs, simply wonderful. This one felt far too cringy. The whole time I was listening I kept feeling as though the orphans where a litter or kittens, not actual human beings, precious souls! I know it’s meant to be lighthearted, but the narrative danced on the knife edge of human value. At one point Sallie was for letting a boy who drank too much die since he was as unworthy child with alcoholic parents. There were so many lines given to the undesirableness of one child or the other because of their parentage. I knew from reviews that Sallie would end up with the Doctor, but goodness that felt rushed. Poor Gordon, she shouldn’t have strung him along. She did make wonderful improvements at the JGH, but on the whole I felt like the humor fell flat because there was so much about their heredity, and whether they were going to grow up to be valuable in society, etc. Some of the stories about the children’s antics were amusing.

The Spymistress

By: Jennifer Chiaverini, 2013

“1861 plus four means Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.” As each chapter chronicled the fervent hopes that the war would be over after a year of bloody conflict, then two… I kept thinking of that school-time rhyme, and four long years of war. When I think Civil War, thoughts always jump to the battlefield, but this story focused on the war at home. The starvation, the distrust, the emotions run high… all the things you never think of.

My temperament can’t take the tales of impending doom. Horrific things happen to men and women around her, but not Elizabeth. I like Chiaverini’s writing style in that it’s highly educational, great historical fiction. I learned so much about war time Richmond through the eyes of Miss Van Lew. I looked up her story online and was relieved to know that she made it through relatively unscathed, she was smart and used her position to great advantage.

The drawbacks were that I felt the union was over-glorified. Lincoln’s government overreach was not to be praised, and it’s due to ground lost at the time of the Civil War that we are in the political mess we’re in currently as a nation. The conflict was about state’s rights, and only late in the war did the question of slavery become a central tenant. But, with a broad sweep it’s painted that the North opposed slavery and the South clung to it, which is never wholly true.

Too much time was given to troop movements and campaign details. It felt like aspects of the story kept repeating, same song different verse. Which, I know that was the reality of it, but my interest flagged. Also, I hated that the stories of different men in the prisons would be introduced but then not finished. Like the men whose names were chosen by lot to stand awaiting the death sentence if men captured by the North weren’t freed.

Overall, it was an excellent narrative. I liked how realistically Elizabeth was portrayed. There were many moments when I could picture myself in wartime Richmond, facing the despair, and starvation, the utter cruelty. The bravery of men and women - particularly those in the black community - was incredible. They took a stand knowing they would face a torturous death if caught. Well worth a listen.

I Will Repay, The Scarlet Pimpernel | Book 3

By: Baroness Emma Orczy, 1906

Brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed it! I only wish there were more of Orczy’s novels on Audible! Though Sir Percy is a vital part of the narrative, Paul Déroulède and Juliette Marny are the main characters. Though book 3 in the series, it really can operate as a stand alone.

It’s exciting, full of action and suspense. Of course you know where it’s headed, but not exactly how. As soon as Déroulède showed up at her trial I felt sure what disguise Sir Percy had assumed, the clever man! I wished that once safe, Paul and Juliette would have had more dialogue. It felt odd that it ends by him calling her his wife. Wait, I missed the wedding!? And poor Ann, it would have felt sweet if she could have found love too as part of an epilogue to the story since after all it is all fictional.

I did miss the humour. I felt like that was one of the greatest things about The Scarlet Pimpernel is all the humour, and all the funny expressions of the day.

Overall a delightful listen!

A Day of Fate

By: Rev. E.P. Roe, 1880

The story follows Richard Morton, an overworked newspaper man who stumbles into a Quaker meeting house, falls in love with a vision of beauty in the personage of young Quakeress Adah Yocomb. As fate would decree, her mother is the leader of the meeting house and the Yocombs invite him home to dinner, and to stay with them as long as he needs to.

Richard quickly shifts his affections from his dream girl, to the very real woman also staying with the Yocombs, Miss Emily Warren. The rest of the tale is taken up with Richard’s raptures at all that Miss Warren is. And her in turn teasing him, mocking him, spurring him on to better, more honest wholesome ways, and finally revealing the truth that she is engaged to be married.

What follows of course is the struggle that ensues as they both try to be honourable, but continue to wrestle with their feelings for one another. The book ends of course in a happily ever after, agreeable to all.

While not inherently dull, it is redundant. Like a hymn that’s supposed to have four verses, this ones goes well beyond with say, 95 verses. The book is all written from Richard’s perspective, and at 367 pages he has a lot to share. It’s interesting, but moves so slowly. And, it’s very Victorian. You just have to be prepared for that from the get go. I can’t say much for their faith. While the Yocomb’s seem to genuinely know God, you don’t ever get the sense that Richard does. I wished that being with the Yocombs would have brought both Richard and Emily to faith, but that seems unimportant. Which, feels surprising given that the book is written by a Reverend. The most telling line seemed to be this… “ ‘I must either renounce heathenism or get away from your (Mrs. Yocomb’s) influence’… But to tell the truth, I was too far gone in human idolatry to think long upon her words, but they lodged in my memory, and I trust will never lose their influence.”

The Smugglers of Barnard’s Head

By: Paul Creswick, 1905

Smugglers, romance and fairies! This is a darling little volume, formatted as a light read with beautiful pictures throughout. I found my copy at a thrift store and was captured by the cover and pen and ink drawings. I read it in three sittings, but it could easily be read in the span of a 2-3 hours. If you’ve ever watched any of the Jane Austen movies it reads much like those. A bit of excitement, lovely ladies just waiting to be wed. After just slogging through a lengthy Victorian tome, I was delighted by this surprisingly short story. I wish I had more of Creswick’s books.

The story follows the lives of two sisters, who both find love. The younger marries the man who catches the smugglers, while the older finds romance with a writer who rescues her from smugglers. Since it’s so short, it moves quickly and lightly. They’re very taken up with fairies and spirits, lots of references to both. It felt reminiscent of the two other books I’ve listened to about smugglers - “Treasure of the Secret Cove” (Lamplighter Theatre) by Amy Le Feuvre and “ A Castaway in Cornwall ” by Julie Klassen.

El Dorado: Further Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel | Book 7

By: Baroness Emma Orczy, 1913

This was my third book this year from the Scarlet Pimpernel series. It’s this book that the 1982 movie (starring Anthony Andrews as Sir Percy Blakeney/the Scarlet Pimpernel, the protagonist, Jane Seymour as Marguerite St. Just, the love interest, and Ian McKellen as Chauvelin, the antagonist) draws from for the saving of the uncrowned king of France, Little Capet / The Dauphin and the betrayal and capture of Sir Percy.

Given that it is book #7 in the series, it alludes multiple times to the adventures that have taken place since book 1, and yet if you’ve read/listened to book #1 you can jump into this one. To me if feel like a Sherlock Holmes story. Even though it’s set in the midst of great tragedy, you know that nothing too terrible is going to happen to any of the heroes, and due to Sir Percy’s honor, chivalry, might and brains everything is going to come out alright in the end.

It’s an exciting adventure, full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed it and was eager to listen through to the end. Baroness Orczy drives you mad with Armand’s reckless actions, and yet the dignity with which Sir Percy meets it all “as if he planned for it” is truly remarkable. You really do get the sense that God wants to open the way before him despite all odds just because he is so true, so just and upright. I only wish he truly had saved the Dauphin (who in actuality died in captivity).

I’m not sure why it’s called El Dorado, the title makes you think it has some connection to Spanish gold. The last chapter in the book is called, “The Road to El Dorado” which I think just means Sir Percy and Marguerite are once more on the road to a golden, happily ever after.

The Patriot Martyr

By: Unknown, 1880s

A collection of accounts about the lives of brave women, heroines of their time. The first story is about the life of Joan of Arc. It’s so tragic. You feel like somehow she stepped into the arena and all her foes were straining for her destruction. I think the thing that bothered me the most was the fact that she had to stay dressed in her armour to protect herself from being raped by one of her three guards… and that is was this act of cross-dressing that was one of the triumphed up charges on which she was burned at the stake.

The subsequent seven stories are much shorter. And, oddly enough they’re not about famous women, I’d never heard of any of the others. They all did brave things, but I didn’t feel like their stories really compared with Joan of Arc. She’s certainly in a category of her own. Also, the women in the other stories were not killed.

They were all interesting, I enjoyed reading the book. Some accounts just don’t have as much detail recorded to even share about their lives so those stories didn’t capture my interest as much. I’m not sure who the intended audience would be for this volume. I think high school age and beyond.

The Trumpet of the Swan

By: E.B. White, 1970

I read this book to my four year old son this fall. I think the thing I liked most about the story was the illustrations, I wish there had been more! The story is so, so. It follows the life of a young swan born with a speach defect. His father procures him a trumpet by which he is able to have a voice and it follows his adventures earning money to pay for the stolen trumpet.

I found it interesting that not all swans are trumpeter swans. There are three species of swans in North America: Trumpeter, Tundra and Mute. I felt like the book should have woven Sam Beaver into the story a bit more. It’s as if at first Louis needs help from Sam, but then he quickly becomes a force of his own. It’s a fanciful tale, but overall fun. It bothered my son that Louis was mean to the duck who tried to steal his trumpet. For what it is, I think it’s a fun story. I think I personally would have liked it better if there was a bit more in the story about the natural world, that you could have learned something more about the behaviour of true swans in the wild. It’s a fun story, but really just that - a story with swans as the focus, even though they behave like humans.

I like that it felt like a time capsule of that era, the pictures and elements of the story. Very true to the late 1900s. I’ll probably have my sons read it again at some point as it is a nice story.

Jo's Boys, and How They Turned Out: A Sequel to "Little Men"

By: Louisa May Alcott, 1886

I did enjoy this sequel much better than the first book, “Little Men.” I find the stories of childhood often a little dull, and I have hard time staying focused. This one was more engaging as you followed the lives of the boys as they got married and made their way in the world. I felt exceedingly sad though that Dan didn’t marry. And also later reading about the real live sister Amy, and how she had passed away before this book was written, thus Louisa rarely speaks of Amy in the book. I felt annoyed that the boys were constantly running to confess to Mother Bhaer. I suppose it can’t be helped seeing as how it’s written from Jo’s/Louisa’s perspective. But still you feel like they should have also had a strong relationship with Professor Bhaer or Laurie. Also, it felt like too many main characters. It worked in “Little Men” because it’s a story of children, but I would have preferred that this one honed in on two or three main boys and followed their threads. Rather than seeing them mature and become adults, you still feel like you’re looking at them through the eyes of grandparents - who view even 20-somethings as “children.” Anyways… needless to say “Little Women/Good Wives” is still her crowing work!

The Old Man in the Corner

By: Baroness Emma Orczy, 1908

I’m not a good enough book critic to articulate why “The Old Man” bothered me so much, only to say boy, he did! I love the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Sherlock, though full of his own faults feels like a man of character. He aids the law, and is a respectable man though eccentric. Also Orczy’s “Scarlet Pimpernel” is a courageous, chivalrous, noble character. The Old Man feels like a slithering snake. He sits back and winks at real villains going free… and then you find out he’s one of the worst villains himself! Oh, so cringy.

I enjoyed listening to the twist and turns of the mysteries overall, but didn’t like that the bad guys seemingly “get away with it” and also I felt like there were too many names to keep track of in the stories. It felt tedious to listen to in ways that never seemed a strain with Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Though decent, I can see why these tales are not as popular as other mystery series.

2023 Book Report

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:34:15 GMT

As I reflect back over the volumes that have made pleasant many a drive, it's always neat seeing all the titles. All that I've read or listened to over the previous year. There are inevitably some duds, but also many that I began knowing I would enjoy, and was not being a bit disappointed.

It feels like a victory to tell you that two of the books pictured above I did not finish. There are other books I began this year and wish I had abandoned! No sense in slogging through a dull book. Or, at least one that just isn't for me.

Without further ado, here is my book report for this past year.

Summary: 27 audiobooks, 13 physical books

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 2008

I simply love this book.

Since first setting foot in Guernsey with Juliet in 2018 I have listened to this book every year. There are quotes that linger with me still. It’s the characters. The wealth of life experience that Mary Ann brought to this novel. I read that she worked in a library, at a book shop and in an editor’s office. She stumbled upon Guernsey by accident and wanted to somehow include all the interesting tidbits she learned about the occupation.

I love how she wove it all so masterfully together. And Juliet is the kind of heroine you love. Like Jo in Little Women. Full of her own faults and shortcomings, but also a perfect darling who you long to be, or at the least be best friends with.

It’s about a dark, fearful, excruciatingly difficult era but it doesn’t feel heavy. Seen through Juliet’s eyes, the shadows are there but also the sunshine.

It’s hard to put into words what an incredible book this is, or even why it moves me so. But it does. And I know I’ll listen to it yet again.

Ivanhoe

By Sir Water Scott, 1819

Dungeons, torture and the wrong heroine... sigh! Once you make it past the LENGTHY prologue where Scott gives seemingly every caveat imaginable, you delve into the infamous Ivanhoe. It's slogging for the first few hours... wondering if it'll be like this for the whole book, just so you can say yes, you've listened to Sir Walter's Ivanhoe.

But, then you meet the familiar personage of Robin Hood, his merry men and Friar Tuck. Isaac the Jew and the fair Rebecca are introduced and things start getting exciting! Alas, then you get worn down by the weight of all the evil pervading that era. The superstition, lawlessness, horrific cruelty and prejudice... everyone doing whatever is right in their own eyes.

I felt as though the middle portion of the book was exciting and interesting, but by the end I was just listening to finish it, not because I found it enthralling. The speeches are long winded, the villains so senselessly cruel and the story on the whole depressing.

Why does Ivanhoe choose Rowena? And if she's the lady fair, why is Rebecca the focus? And while everyone may be prejudice against and hate the Jew, where are the people who are above that pettiness of the day and actually see things for what they are, not just what they're told to think and believe by the powers that be? I think the most frustrating part was that it felt like Isaac and Rebecca were the only ones with a consistent, moral character. Everyone around them was blinded by lust, greed, power and privilege.

Listening to a book like this makes you certain once more that it's aptly dubbed the "Dark Ages." You wonder how anyone survived. I'm just not sure why when writing a fictional account an author would choose to make the book so depressing. I think it was the "holy men" that rankled me the most. Those that claimed to know God, but were some of the most vile characters.

I liked how Scott opened each chapter with a quote, often from Shakespeare. I enjoy chapter previews like that. I also appreciated that though the main characters found themselves in tough spots, they made it through. The history of the Norman/Saxon conflict etc. was interesting, but I didn't feel like it was super clear. What came forth most strongly was it was a dark, dark age.

In and Out of the Garden

By Sara Midda, 2008

I was gifted this lovely book by a friend and was immediately drawn in by the exquisite watercolour illustrations. They are so lovely! When I set out to read through the book however, frustration swelled within me. The text is just too small and faint to read. It’s a nice thought to have it hand lettered, but far from practical.

What I love are the illustrations of plants and fruit, vegetables and garden. Beautiful! What I do not love are the people. They are absurd and borderline lewd. Something so unsettling about them. They are quaint but also wretched somehow. I can’t explain, just not my taste.

And where to begin about the content! Sigh… I WANT to love this book, but the text is just too much. Is this a reference book? A historical treatise on gardening? Or simply a book you flip through at a quaint bed and breakfast? If 1/3 to even 1/2 of the text had been culled it’d be a kindness to the reader. Some of it is so charming and the other half a waste of your time.

Also, it’d be good to know where she got some of the information, or what culture she was pulling from because for instance the pages about what different fruit and vegetables represent is stuff I’ve never heard and even contradictory to what I’ve heard them to mean in other cultural contexts. For example she wrote that pomegranates symbolize foolishness but in the Bible they are a symbol of fertility, abundance and beauty. It’d be helpful if she’d put even a parenthesis that gave the country of origin for some of the content.

Anyways… it’s yet again one of those books that could be really great, but there are some things about it that just drive me crazy. If this is primarily just a pretty book to look through (which it is!) then please edit the text way down and produce it in a format where it is actually readable. As many others have reviewed, even with a magnifying glass or glasses, it’s difficult and just not necessary. This isn’t an old book, it was done in 2008. I find that rather unacceptable. We’re I “the king of the forest” I’d ask that the people be portrayed a little differently, the text printed (in a pleasing, graphic way) and the text really edited way down. It’s information overload and I think very few people really want to stumble through old English these days. The notes cute rhymes, and historical anecdotes about women adorning themselves with carrots are wonderful. But some of the other stuff needs to go.

Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks

By Ralph Connor, 1898

This is the story of a mining camp in BC, Canada. It felt written in that very preachy Victorian style that continuously harps on the evils of alcohol (like a broken record).

It tells the story of several people who are seeking to show the miners a better way of living for God, and saying no to drinking and all the evils that go along with it. It was encouraging to once again be reminded that there are many throughout history that have done something to stem the tide of evil.

It’s based on a true story, and for what it is I think a worthwhile book. Personally though I felt like I lost interest about half was through and then was just seeking to finish it. The writing style just didn’t feel compelling enough to engage. I felt like it could have been shortened quite a bit and therefore been a more powerful read.

Rather than just point out how evil drinking is, I wish they would have talked about what led there. By being part of a mining camp the men were already operating in a broken system - ripped away from the safety net of family and community. In the environment even the most godly, disciplined man would be hugely tempted by whatever was before him. Reading this I wanted to understand more about what led them to the mining camp in the first place.

On the whole, a decent book but just not that great.

At the Foot of the Rainbow

By Gene Stratton Porter, 1907

You can skip this GSP, it’s sadly a bit of a dud. Like me, you’re probably interested in this book because you love GSP’s books. Yes, she was a phenomenal woman and she wrote so many amazing books. This one though feels off on several fronts.

The narrator - you will either love him or hate him, that’s a personal preference. For myself I thought the accents actually made the book more enjoyable.

The plot - a man pines for 15 years over the woman he loves, while enabling a lazy drunk (who happens to be his best friend) to go on being a lazy drunk until he dies of substance abuse. Taken from a Biblical standpoint, it’s just not right. So Danny doesn’t get to marry the girl he loves. Go find another great woman, Danny! So you didn’t get Mary, but you could have had a wonderful life with some other woman. And perhaps by being busy caring for your own household, Jimmy and Mary would have had to work things out between them. That’s real life - caring for the people around you, trusting God, choosing contentment about what you can’t change and praying for the things you so long to see change.

I’d have preferred that ending - where Jimmy learns to love Mary, and were Danny’s idolization of her ends. Because, after the honeymoon life is still just lots of ordinary days, lots of ordinary work.

The book ends with Jimmy dead (you knew that had to happen) and Danny and Mary happily in one another arms at last. But, is that really the best outcome? Danny enabled Jimmy to remain as he was, never improving, never learning from his mistakes or becoming a better man. Mary seemed bitter to the core, even allowing three babies to die through her own disinterest in their lives, since her whole life was wrapped up in hating Jimmy and pinning for Danny.

And, sadly the book just drags. Had there been interesting tidbits throughout, or just more of the real life ups and downs, but no. Danny is all shining goodness and Jimmy all evil deceit. Listening to it just rankled my soul, as it felt like so much unhealthy co-dependency masquerading as love when in reality it was too selfish to confront and do the hard work of changing. I wish the priest had been a bit more Biblical in his counsel, pointed them to the life changing truth of scripture.

Anyways, in summary I’d say this is a GSP you can safely skip. Go enjoy “The Harvester,” “Laddie” and “Keeper of the Bees.” :)

Scotch Broth

By Anne Hepple, 1933

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a serendipitous thrift store find. The title caught my eye. Bless the previous owner who had the thoughtfulness to glue in the cover a book summary. It’s the tale of two middle-aged sisters, one married and one not, who set out to find the perfect cottage. They find a charming cottage, fix it up, and encounter many mishaps and adventures along the way.

It’s the main character's writing style that makes the book. Anne Hepple is just so funny, I loved the descriptions. It was refreshing that what was humorous or most enjoyable were all the things that were so commonplace, so trivial. I felt like I took a trip to the moors, and rambled over the hillsides, and nestled in front of the fire with a bowl of soup. It was a delight to read.

Walk with Me

By Annie Wald, 2012

I liked the premise, but the allegory just started feeling too forced so I put it down.

The Lady and the Lionheart

By Joanne Bischof, 2016

Initially, I thought it was sappy and I was just trying to get through it since it was a recommendation from my mom. But about halfway I started to really enjoy it and I was certainly hooked by the end.

Reading other reviews, I definitely can attest to the fact that there was far too many lines about “whispers of hair,” ha! Reflecting on the book I appreciated that they humanized the circus. It wasn’t all just godless evil thinly veiled between plumes and sequins, there were also real people just trying to make a life.

I loved the parallel between Ella and Charlie both having a body ruined by the lust and greed of another, but finding redemption and healing in the love of God, and the love of each other. I felt like Ella was the most unlikeable character though in the book, she does good, but she also seemed very irrational, and just sort of void of depth. Charlie is wonderful, who wouldn’t fall in love with him and all the other characters that you’re introduced to.

I loved that throughout the book there was a mystery, continuing to unfold as you learned more about Charlie’s life, Ella‘s life. Them making a home for the lions in the end seemed rather unrealistic, but when you’re writing a fictional novel, you can have it end as you like. Overall, it’s a sweet love story and refreshingly clean. Charlie has unmatched character and it’s wonderful to be reminded that good men like him, though few, and far between, do exist. Blessed to be married to one of them :)

The back and forth between narrators was enjoyable.

Miss Hickory

Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, 1946

I listened to this book on YouTube because I had recently finished reading Bailey’s “Children of the Handcrafts” which I thought was excellent.

I think had this story been edited way down it would have been far more enjoyable. As it was, it rambled all over the place. Bailey interwove a lot of interesting things about animals, nature and history into the story. And any little girl who has ever played outside will love her descriptions of Miss Hickory. That was by far the sweetest part of the story - imagining this little woman come to life and her adventures with various animals. I just felt like it was a little scary at times, too scary for a young girl to read. So, I’m not really sure who the intended audience would be. I was only just introduced to this book as an adult.

I felt like a third of the way through I was ready for it to be done. Having the book conclude with her losing her head, that’s just disturbing. A very poor choice. There are some sweet parts, but on the whole it’s a strange book and not one I’d recommend. On the contrary though, “Children of the Handcrafts” was delightful. Lots of interesting stories about industrious children.

The Black Arrow

By Robert Louis Stevenson, 1888

Said to be second only to Ivanhoe! Tale for Boys…

Before you get started, just know that this is a tale written in 1888 for boys. With that knowledge, the language is understandably archaic and the bulk of the narrative about battles with a tad bit of young romance thrown in.

Personally, I felt like it was hard to follow. Archaic, writing style, much not clear. I liked the parts with Dick and Joan, but felt like my attention wandered through much of the tale. Dick had a good character, and I liked that he was written, flawed, young, human. Noble and true, but also made mistakes. Unlike GA Henty’s “perfect” hero (the stereotypical Gary Stu), Dick felt more real.

I wish I understood more about the rivalry between the white and red roses. The houses of York and Lancaster. (Brief summary below). Odd this tale is so well loved. I know Robert Louis Stevenson for Kidnapped and Treasure Island. I thought it was interesting that the introduction (in a physical edition I have) marked it as second only to Ivanhoe, since that was one of the books I just listened to before this one. They did feel much in the same vein, I guess because they were written about similar time periods. (Ivanhoe is set in 1194, about 260 years before The Black Arrow).

“The Wars of the Roses were a series of battles that took place in England from 1455 to 1485. The fighting was between two families that claimed the right to the throne—the House of York and the House of Lancaster. They were called the Wars of the Roses because the symbol of each house was a rose. The House of York was represented by a white rose. The House of Lancaster was represented by a red rose.” - kids.britannica.com

God’s Garden, Harvest and Flower Festival Sermons

By Various Authors, 1907

I stumbled across this book at a thrift store, and felt so blessed the Lord paced it in my hands. Written over a hundred years ago, it’s a collection of sermons given during the Spring / Fall. I felt immensely interested in the history as the sermons therein were very Biblically based, but the idea of a “flower festival” is decidedly pagan. Rather, the feast days Biblically would be Passover/ULB/First Fruit/Pentecost in the Spring and then the Fall ones culminating in Tabernacles (Sukkot). Each ppointed time set apart by Yahweh for His people that both point to Messiah, and celebrate the richness of the harvest.

One of the things that hit home with me most was that going up to Jerusalem at one of the appointed pilgrimage festivals would have directly coincided with the harvest - a time of plenty. And opportunity for people to give back to the Lord out of the abundance He had given to them. It was a reminder to look at the feast days now too as a time to be generous, giving to others as giving to the Lord in gratitude for all the rich blessings He has poured forth.

Lots of good “meat” and soul food in this volume. I ordered the accompanying (preceding) book, “Jesus in the Cornfield” that was printed in 1905.

The Swiss Family Robinson

By Johann David Wyss, 1812

I absolutely loved the 1960 Disney movie adaption of this book. It was certainly a childhood favourite. Thus listening to the book in full has long been a desire. Getting into it, I was confused that when the boys were spoken of they seemed either capable lads taking down any number of wild beasts for dinner, or toddlers clapping their hands in delight at father’s next extraordinary feat. For reference, at the onset the boys are ages 15/13/11/8 and the book spans more than 10 years.

I think I initially felt pretty critical (like many of the reviewers) of this work. But, reading the Wikipedia summary really helped.

“Written by Swiss writer, Johann David Wyss, edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss, and illustrated by another son, Johann Emmanuel Wyss, the novel was intended to teach his four sons about family values, good farming, and the uses of the natural world and self-reliance. Wyss' attitude towards its education is in line with the teachings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau , and many chapters involve Christian-oriented moral lessons such as frugality , husbandry , acceptance , and cooperation .

Wyss presents adventures as lessons in natural history and physical science . This resembles other educational books for young ones published about the same time…Wyss' novel is also modeled after Daniel Defoe 's Robinson Crusoe , an adventure story about a shipwrecked sailor first published in 1719.” - Wikipedia

When you take into account that it was written for an audience and in a particular writing style 200 years ago (in 1812), with the intention of being a teaching tool not a true to life account, I think that changes how you view it. You don’t listen to Pride and Prejudice and quibble about the lack of thrilling adventure, it’s mostly dialogue in a drawing room, and what is left unsaid is often as important as what is.

It is astounding the vast number of things they put their hands to, the sheer knowledge and industry of the family. Coupled with the range of exotic plants and animals they encounter.

“The book presents a geographically impossible array of large mammals and plants that probably could never have existed together on a single island, for the children's education, nourishment, clothing, and convenience.” - Wikipedia

I felt like they were living in a veritable Eden, with no end of incredible gifts from God to enjoy and put to good use.

“Although movie and television adaptations typically name the family "Robinson", it is not a Swiss name. The German title translates as The Swiss Robinson which identifies the novel as part of the Robinsonade genre, rather than a story about a family named Robinson.” - Wikipedia

I kept waiting for the girl to come on the scene along with the band of roguish pirates. But, that’s the Disney version for you. Our lady Jenny doesn’t come on the scene until practically the end of the book, only an hour was left of the 10+ hour story. Eden wouldn’t be complete without Eve, thus enter Jenny Montrose. The book ends with a ship taking the eldest and youngest boys to England, with the middle two opting to remain in “New Switzerland” with their parents.

On the whole it is engaging, it just gets long. And, in this case I still really love the movie best.

84, Charing Cross Road

By Helene Hanff, 1970

I stumbled across this book when reading some reviews on Audible. It promised to be an engaging story for book lovers set in post-war England. It’s written as a series of correspondence between Helene and Frank. Both epistolary novel and biography.

It’s short, and the whole thing felt like a build up to the actual story. But, just when you thought maybe it was really going somewhere, it ended. And, I was left wondering why in the world this was written… and published, and even popular. On the one hand, it’s sweet and a neat window into that era. But on the other it’s very trivial. Nothing really happens, and I’d hardly even heard of most of the books she requested.

I listened to this one read free on YouTube and felt glad I didn’t waste an audible credit… add, the reading is much shorter (and hour) though not as professional as the 2 hour Audible version.

If you’re looking for a good story, just skip this one and go straight to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. You won’t be disappointed.

Stepping Heavenward

By Elizabeth Payson Prentiss, 1869

I listened to the LibriVox recording on YouTube at the recommendation of a good friend who just loves this book and reads it every year. I had a really hard time getting through it. I think by the end Katy has endured all the trials set forth for her… including the death of just about everyone she knows. I was shocked her husband was still alive at the end.

It’s one illness followed by the next, another person dies… and she once more is berating herself for her shortcomings. Rather than the next passage about her bad attitude, I would have liked to read something a little more in the style of LM Montgomery, at least a few interesting interludes about those around her. On the whole the book dragged, it’s a super downer. Katy is sickly and largely unlikeable, at least in her judgment. Perhaps if you’d have been able to get out of the pages of her diary and inside someone else’s head in the story you could appreciate her more.

There are some great lessons woven throughout. I just think it could be highly edited down, and if maybe a third as long would have been much more to the point. I’ve journaled for years, and it’s really not a journal. It’s a rather preachy book from the stand point that life is suffering and it’s all there to make you more Christ like, surrender your will, etc. Which, this is true but I do think there are many things in life God gives us to enjoy. Maybe all the illness and death is just indicative of that era, but it felt excessive.

The Knighting of the Twins: And Ten Other Tales

By Clyde Fitch, 1891

I picked this up at the thrift store because I loved the pictures, and upon a brief flip through it looked like the stories had Christian themes. I read through it and while the stories are sweet, they also felt lacking. They’re unconnected short stories that you might read your child, or probably have a 9 or 10 year old little girl read. They’re written in such a way that they’re not scary or too intense. It felt like the author had some good ideas, but he just wasn’t able to quite land them. The one that bothered me the most was one about a little lame girl made whole by Jesus… and then she goes home and her mother is dead. As though God healed her then killed off her mean mom. That’s just not at all in line with how God works throughout scripture. Would I recommend it? Probably not, I just think there are more worthwhile reads. It’s a lovely book, sweet pictures by illustrator Virginia Gerson.

With Lee In Virginia

By GA Henty, Unknown

This was the abridged, dramatized recording by Heirloom Audio. I really enjoyed this one. I liked that the narrative was focused around the storyline well. It was engaging and exciting. Some of Henty’s books can get very dull, too technical and focused on troop movements and facts. I appreciated that this Civil War story was written from the perspective of the South, and that the war was about state rights and federal government overreach, not just summarized as about slavery. It gives you a renewed respect for Lee, shows the tangled web of slavery and just how there were good men fighting on both sides of the conflict. A highly recommended listen. I’m just not sure yet at what age I would say to have your kids listen. I find them a bit advanced. The CD cover says 6+ but I would probably wait until at least 10 years for my boys.

The House Of A Thousand Candles

By Meredith Nicholson, 1905

Found a lovely old copy whilst on a thrifting jaunt and was delighted to find an audio recording by Libravox on YouTube. Flew through it in two days. It was a most engaging, enjoyable listen. I appreciated that even though Jack is a wandering, adventure seeking, money squanderer, he still has a noble character.

It’s a mystery with many references to murder, death and ghosts without actually having any of these elements. It’s surprisingly a rather tame book while at the same time having all the allure of a Nancy Drew keeping you listening. I find that in reading old books it usually takes me until about the middle to really get into it, then the last half flies. With this one I felt hooked early on, spurred on by many great reviews. But I found my interest waning by the end. The lady Iove is just so unlikeable. A flirting minx. Imagine if she’d just been homely and acted that way? Everyone would merely pity her and then hardy give her a second thought. I don’t give their marriage much hope - her pretending to be a young girl, off on a lark. Him tied down to a place just to make up for previous short comings, etc. On the whole, it’s an enjoyable listen. Bates is the man to admire, his character and loyal chum Larry are the fellows that make it worth while.

While I’m critiquing, I do wish too that the secret passageways had really been something, had a good story, and been used for some real purpose. And forget securities, why does no one really have a hidden stock of Spanish gold, it can’t have all sunk with the armadas. I felt sure the author would circle back to the idea of the candles and Jack would find that sounding the walls was always in vain because the secret was hidden above, somehow connected with the candelabras. The cover is lovely, I love a good old book. It’ll stay on my shelves and the memory of a great mystery cherished took me back to my girlhood adventuring with Nancy Drew and her chums.

If you enjoyed this book, you may also like “Castle Craneycrow” by George Barr McCutcheon.

Nathalie’s Sister

By Anna Chapin Ray, 1910

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I really should have remembered these words of wisdom before diving into this one. I picked it up at a local thrift store because I loved the cover. A thick book, but equally thick pages so you feel like you’re reading a lot but in actuality it’s a fairly short read. A few chapters in I knew it was a dud, but hoped it would improve. Sadly, it didn’t.

I didn’t realize it was part of a series. But you don’t need to have read the other installments, it seems pretty stand-alone.

The gist is that the book focuses on an unruly dog who nearly burns the house down, and a headstrong 15-year-old with a quick temper who everyone declares unlikeable. By the end, the girl somehow manages to wind up the hero with the college boy in love with her.

It’s a story of the wealthy elite lounging about amusing themselves and putting on a backyard theatrical. The whole story is about that one summer. Peggy (Nathalie’s Sister) is just so wholly unlikeable. She spends the story lamenting she is unloved, and then proving why people find her disagreeable. The only redeeming part of the story is the pretty cover, ha! If you want good reading of this sort, pick up LM Montgomery’s Anne series. Far, far more enjoyable.

An Old-Fashioned Girl

By Louisa May Alcott, 1869

I listened to this one because, of course, I too love Alcott’s “Little Women.” I found an old copy of the book and decided to give it a listen on Audible. The first portion where Polly is a young girl visiting the Shaws was sweet, but not terribly interesting. The second half though was so enjoyable, loved the romance. And was sad it was over at the end. Happy endings all around :)

Polley is so good. She brings sunshine to everyone’s lives, and shows them how to live uprightly. She has such a fine character, and brings out the best in everyone around her. I saw on YouTube there’s a black-and-white film that was made of the book. I watched a portion of it, and found it just revolting. Nothing like the story so don’t waste your time.

I think the style in which the story is written, would appeal to all ages of women, a timeless classic.

In the Reign of Terror

By GA Henty, Unknown

This was my second abridged, dramatized recording by Heirloom Audio for the year. I’d put this on my short list of top five favourite Henty books, so it was engaging to listen to again. My main frustration was that they completely eliminated the love story snippet between Harry and Jan! I wish they’d spent less time on the prologue/post-log story and just focused on the actual story. All that aside, great listen. Unabridged book reviewed in my 2021 book report.

Wulf the Saxon

By GA Henty, Unknown

Third Heirloom Audio this year. Great listen, such a tough era my goodness! As with most of the Henty books, it focuses on conflict between nations. So much needless bloodshed and death. Well done recording as usual, great dive into history! Unabridged book reviewed in my 2022 book report.

Beric the Briton

By GA Henty, Unknown

Fourth Heirloom Audio this year. Another enjoyable listen. I must say though that I missed many of the parts of the story that were more fully fleshed out in the unabridged audiobook (reviewed in my ____ book report). This is one of my top five Henty favourites for sure.

Her Father’s Daughter

By Gene Stratton Porter, 1921

There are some excellent reviews of this book on Good Reads, so I will try not to be redundant. Personally, I enjoyed the story. Porter is a great writer and knows how to weave a narrative. I appreciated that by the end the sisters were able to reconcile.

Yes, it’s a highly racist book, but also it’s indicative of an era. Gene’s strengths in writing about the beauty of nature, love and godly wholesome living are clouded by ignorance, fear and prejudice. It’s easy to judge, and say that what she wrote was wrong, Biblically and ethically. But also what she saw to be wrong in her day and age, and she was writing about that. Grownups entering into school with children, and people coming to take from not join and strengthen a nation. Had the book been a bit more rounded, you’d have gotten to see the Japanese perspective, and at least realized the situation is complex, with many different points of view. I was shocked the Japanese man was killed! I didn’t think that was necessary.

I think what bothered me the most was all these men falling over themselves in love with a high school girl. It’s just a bit odd given that generally you don’t even think of someone that much younger than yourself as even a possibility. Linda is a Mary Sue, with unlimited resources, knowledge and skill. All these things aside though, it’s still an enjoyable tale. Just not one of my favourites by GSP.

Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age

By Katherine May, 2023

Listening to this book is soothing, the reader is superb. Katherine is an excellent writer, and her turn of phrase is delicious. But what is she saying? My mind kept trying to grasp the point she sought to make. I expected to find something luminous in this book, something that reawakened that yearning to lay down my phone and take a walk barefoot.

When I listened to Wintering, I felt as though I gained language to describe the seasons of my life. That period of morning sickness in early pregnancy was a wintering, that move to a new country, a wintering. It makes sense now. It was well-researched, personal and widely applicable.

Enchantment is a book about one woman’s struggle to find meaning in life, to find something that ignites the divine spark within. Problem being, she’s so open to everything she has shut out all hope of wonder. The idea of wonder feels like seeing a butterfly - you can’t plan to go out and see one, but sometimes you do. How often you see it, if you even notice it, these things are determined by making many little choices along the way that put you in nature and heighten your senses to even get to experience that moment of wonder.

If Katherine was my friend, I’d recommend she spend at least one hour each day totally unplugged and outside in nature. It sounds like she is doing a lot of that, but the missing piece is recognizing God made it. And I’d want to introduce her to a thriving Christian who lived out before her joy in Christ. I wanted to find something in this book to chew on. But mostly I just felt sorry for her as I listened.

We all just went through Covid, and maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to read about it. The amount it affected you directly correlates to how urban, how tied into the system your life is.

Once Upon a Wardrobe

By Patti Callahan, 2021

Like everyone else listening to this book, I too grew up loving the Chronicles of Narnia.

I enjoyed how Patti wove in so many biographical details about Jack’s life throughout the story. It’s a tender, sweet story. I really enjoyed listening to it.

The visit to Dunluce Castle was a neat part since I got to visit that very place while in Ireland, and see Belfast where Jack originally called home.

For sure recommended, but only after you’ve read / listened to “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!”

With Christ in the School of Prayer

By Andrew Murray, 1885

I found this little volume at a local thrift store and was delighted to find that it was available on audible. It’s meaty, one that you would need to take slowly to really digest all that Murray writes. But it’s all really great. I jotted down several points that I’ve been mulling over since listening to it. Definitely a worth while, timeless volume on prayer for every believer. It’s profound, yet very simply put forth.

Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery

By Classical Kids

Loved revisiting this classic from my childhood.

Jesus in the Cornfield, Sermons for Harvest and Flower Festivals

By Various, 1905

I read through this volume as part of my devotions. I loved, “God’s Garden” (1907) but this one was a struggle to get through. So disappointing because I so enjoyed the other, both luminous and profound. This one seemed so bland. I felt that none of the sermons were really worth committing to a book to be read again and again.

Beethoven Lives Upstairs

By Classical Kids

Loved revisiting this classic from my childhood.

The Cat of Bubastes

By GA Henty, Unknown

Fifth Heirloom Audio this year. Another enjoyable listen. I must say though that I missed many of the parts of the story that were more fully fleshed out in the unabridged audiobook. This is again one of my top five Henty favourites for sure!

Mozart's Magic Fantasy

By Classical Kids

Loved revisiting this classic from my childhood.

Mary Jones and Her Bible

By Mary Carter, 1959

A sweet story about how The British and Foreign Bible Society was formed. A young girl loves God’s word, and longs to have a Bible of her own. Through hard work and perseverance she earns enough to purchase her own Bible. I’d recommend this book for any young Christian girl, as it’s very tender and tame. Mary is very much a “Mary Sue” type character, loving and hard working. Devoted to her family and learning about God’s word. It’s a short read. Interesting to know how the society was formed, but I can’t say I’d recommend it as a must read. Nice pictures throughout the volume.

A Blossom in the Desert: Reflections of Faith in the Art and Writings of Lilias Trotter

By Compiled and Edited by Miriam Huffman Rockness, 2007

This book is a treasure. Lilias artwork is exquisite, so moving. Coupled with her writings it is a delight to own. I really enjoyed each painting, and reading the devotional thoughts has been a blessing to my quiet time. So glad to have found this book, and just wish there were more copies out there so I could gift it to all my friends.

The documentary, “Many Beautiful Things” available on YouTube is an excellent introduction to Lilias and Miriam, and then this volume gratified my desire to see more of her art. I found that the writing was best taken in bits, not read through quickly. Deep thoughts to meditate on.

The Gospel According to Matthew

By Matthew

Enjoyed going through the book of Matthew slowly in my quiet time.

Little Women

By Louisa May Alcott, 1868 & 1869

Years ago I watched the 1994 movie adaptation with Winona Ryder and loved it. Listening to this book, the movie was vividly in my mind’s eye. They did such a good job with the movie, staying very true I felt to the book… well, perhaps a tad more kissing, lol.

It’s a literature classic, a timeless masterpiece. Yes, it gets preachy at times. But that is depictive of the era. What was a good book for if not to help you to do as God would have you? The first third drags a bit, but once everyone starts marrying (in the second half, Good Wives) things begin to get exciting. And Jo breaks Laurie’s heart, and you sigh all over again that it really never could have been, but of course he was always meant to be with Amy.

On the whole a delightful, endearing listen. I found myself wishing that we in this modern age spoke more affectionately and called one another, “Hearts Dearest” etc. Great narrator too!

Power in Praise

By Merlin R. Carothers, 1972

At only 150 pages, this is a quick read with lots of great stories. Overall I found it to be a very challenging, convicting book. And I hope to be forever changed by it, to put into motion the things I read about turning every trial into praise. I often thought of Betsy Ten Boom in the concentration camp (from the book, The Hiding Place) thanking God for the fleas! What are the “fleas” in my life that I’ve never even thought to praise Him for? Some of the chapters got a little too doctrinal for my taste, deviating from scripture into denominational theology. But for the most part I found it to be really good. The stories are amazing, and at first blush can seem a little too fantastic, but the point is that God’s awesome power is unleashed when we create that highway through our praise.

The Quiet Eye

By Sylvia Shaw Judson, 1954

I discovered this book while reading a blog post by Miriam Rockness. - https://ililiastrotter.wordpress.com/2014/09/12/a-way-of-seeing/

“Through selected art and text, a Quaker sculptor communicates a sense of affirmation, wonder and trust in the sacredness of the daily. The Quiet Eye is a small book of great charm, imbued with a love and understanding of art that speaks directly to the heart. The thirty-three pictures selected by the American sculptress Sylvia Shaw Judson cover a wide spectrum of subjects and styles, from the seventh century to the modern day.” - https://quakerbooks.org/products/the-quiet-eye-2554

I realized once again, I don’t like the vast majority of what is classified as “art.” I simply can’t appreciate it. I like what I find beautiful, and the rest just seems unnecessary. Like certain genres of music, or rubbishy novels… yes something was expressed, but was it needful to share it with the world? Granted, it’s just my opinion.

I think I like what Judson sought to do in “The Quiet Eye” but I felt like I needed the book to be a bit more instructional. The art she chose was so varied, it would have been helpful to have the medium used listed. As well as a thought or two about how to even appreciate the piece, or why she chose it. Had the art pieces been different, pieces truly beautiful perhaps I could have appreciated them more. I liked the text more than the imagery.

Not a book I’ll keep, but an interestin g read. It’s a very short book, mostly a look-book.

A Castaway in Cornwall

By Julie Klassen, 2020

The beachcomber in me loved listening to the passages about Laura walking the coastline in search of treasures washed ashore. The shipwrecks and all that surrounded them are just one more sad vein of history, but also one in which true courage and heroic deeds shine forth.

Though slow at the start, the second half was most enjoyable. Well researched and engaging. Lots of historical tidbits making the tale feel grounded, feel like it was jewel carefully set in place. Of course you know that Alexander and Laura are going to marry by book’s end. I was enjoying it up until they reached Jersey. Then something went incredibly wrong with our hero. I felt like there needed to be a lot more hearing Alexander’s thoughts, to at least hear the conflict within of leaving Laura. This was supposed to be the woman he was in love with, but he leaves her without even a “I hope to see you again one day.” Sure, reconnecting with Leoni was I suppose the counterpart to Treve Kent’s interest in Laura. But it felt forced. Everything a little too neatly tied up in the end with literally everyone except maybe Miss Chegwen finding their true love.

All that aside, it was still reall y good. I liked that the author wrote them both as adventurous, and gave them a longing for one another. The villains are horrible (as villains should be) but redemption bittersweet in the end.

Recommended :)

O n Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History

By Thomas Carlyle, 1841

Since coming across a little antique volume of this book several years ago, I’ve been intrigued. The image in the front of the book captivated me, reminded me of the Ted Talk “Your elusive creative genius” by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love. I thought it would be a historical treatise on how people down through the ages have reverenced the great men of their time - as deity / prophet / king, etc. And, perhaps it was but after the first couple sections, my attention languished sorely. It took me back to college days where I would dutifully read texts, but knew nothing was penetrating.

When Carlyle wrote on Woden, or Mohammed all I could think is this is from an academic man, writing from his study by the fire. It tells nothing of the pagan rituals, or the blood bath of holy war. His writings felt devoid of morality. The writing felt philosophical, and so far removed from the actual life breath of the men he sought to write about. I kept thinking I needed to read on Wikipedia just who Carlyle was. Was he a man of faith? Or simply a man of his time. English to the core. Lauding Shakespeare as more valuable than India to the British Empire.

Probably the most interesting tidbit was the funny story about Luther throwing ink at an apparition. I read online that whether true or not, there are quite a few ink stains on the walls of places he is said to have lived. Must needs keep profiting off a good story!

It’s horribly dull, the reader is amazing. But the book, it’s a ramble all over the place. By the end I was listening at 1.3 speed. I would say probably the most you could credit this work as is a time capsule of British thought on these subjects in that era. I should have not finished it (especially since my thoughts wandered in and out so much!), but I always feel I must stick it out once committed.

I still think that picture at the front so interesting, I find between it and the Ted Talk a wonderful key has been given to unlocking some of the mystery surrounding how man has viewed the idea of inspiration, and how that view has shifted down through the ages.

Update: I read on Wikipedia / New World Encyclopedia that Carlyle was Scottish but lived in England. “Coming from a strictly Calvinist family, Carlyle was expected by his parents to enter the ministry. However, while at the University of Edinburgh he lost his Christian faith. Nevertheless Calvinist values remained with him throughout his life.” This makes a lot of sense given the tenor of his writing.

Stories from the Old Testament, from Adam to Joseph

By Piet Worm, 1957

Lovely illustration and a fresh look at the accounts in Genesis. I thought it was neat that this was a book done for his children. We enjoyed reading through it at bedtime.

If you're interested,

here is my 2020 Book Report ,

2021 Book Report and 2022 Book Report .

Sukkot Crafts

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 04:33:43 GMT

Sukkot Crafts for Kids

Easy DIY projects for you and your little ones

My eldest son is almost three this year, so for Sukkot I decided to pick up some craft supplies to make some Sukkah decorations with our cousins. They really enjoyed it. I loved seeing how each child decorated their sukkah. Another cup of joy during our festive celebration.

Craft | Who’s in the Sukkah?

Supplies Needed:

Photo
Card-stock
Stickers
Popsicle sticks
Greenery (I used a decorative branch, but finding something outside is a great option too!)
Hot glue gun (for the greenery)
Tacky glue (for the popsicle sticks)
Stick glue (for the card-stock and photo)
Scissors

How-To:

I started by cutting an “L” in the card-stock to create a door. Based on age, I either cut out the door for my kids or drew pencil lines and had them do the cutting.

Every kid loves doing their own glue, so that’s where the glue sticks came in handy to have them paste on their photo, and glue the card-stock together.

To save time, and keep things rolling I added the branches of greenery with a hot glue gun. If fingers must be burned, let them be mine, lol. I opted for faux greenery, but picking something fresh from out of doors would be more budget friendly. In the original inspiration photo I found on Pinterest (Who’s in the Sukkah? — https://pin.it/71PFkZF ) they used torn up green paper which is a great idea too.

You don’t need to have three types of glue, but because I did I put tacky glue lines on the card-stock for the kids to place on their own popsicle sticks.

The stickers were a lot of fun. Since we live a bit rurally and sukkot always seems like a big campout anyways, I opted for woodland animals, fall leaves and a sheet of breakfast/camping stickers.

If you make these, please share your photo with us on Instagram! I’d love to see!

Craft | Beaded Leaf Garland

This was my Pinterest inspiration for this craft: https://pin.it/2gy21kE

I searched several stores for dried oranges to no avail. They are available on Amazon, but a bit pricey. If this craft had been for adults I think the dried oranges would have been a must. But, the kids were thrilled with the beads and leaves.

While this photo shows multiple strings attached to a stick, I just had the kids thread one string with beads and leaves. I left about 6” of space between each bead and leaf just so everyone got a chance to do this craft.

Supplies Needed:

Wooden Beads
Leaves - plastic, Dollarama
Leaves - felt, Michael’s
String / Yarn
Large needles (plastic canvas type)
Scissors

Budget Friendly Tips:

Start by accessing what you already have in your craft supplies, and get creative about what you could use instead! Example: instead of the faux greenery for the roof, use torn up green paper or outdoor greenery.

I’m always shocked what you can find at the dollar store. I should have walked in there with my list before going to Michael’s. Some items I had on hand, but what I didn’t have I purchased at Michael’s and Dollarama.

If I’d planned a little more in advance, I’d have ordered the beads on Amazon, and collected and dried leaves for the garlands. Possibly have purchased the stickers online too, but lets be honest I love an excuse to walk through Michael’s.

Again,

If you make these, please share your photo with us on Instagram! I’d love to see!

Shalom and Blessings,

Kari

Pin this post to Pinterest!

Nap Time: Creating a Sacred Space

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 20:47:14 GMT

Any mama will tell you that nap time is sacred.

There are just a few windows of time in a week that I can fully turn my thoughts to something I need (or want) to attend to. And, nap time is one of them.

Both of my little boys, ages two and six months, are asleep.

I light a match.

A sacred space has been created with that burst of flame. A separation between the noisy joy of little ones, and the quiet calm of nap time. They are asleep, and mama is wide awake.

Frantic Thoughts

I’d like to say that I enter into a meditative rest, nestling into the couch and opening my books. And, some days that is true.

More often than not though, rather than a bird at rest I feel like a frantic squirrel in autumn, “Must gather all the nuts before winter!” Only my hurried thoughts run more akin to, “Must do all the things before they wake!”

I’ve been wrestling of late with what a nap time well spent looks like.

Some days, I do have things I need to do. Things that I need to be fully present for mentally… like meal planning and making a grocery list. Or working on our family budget. Other days I can just completely let go of time and space, and lose myself in the flow of a creative project, usually to the lull of an audio book. But, I think that either all work or all play is not the most effective use of this time.

Frayed Souls

Our souls can become so very frayed, worn thread bare with the constant giving out. I love my family, and each of the relationships God has given. And I love my work as wife, mama and homemaker. And it’s these roles that I long to show up for fully present and engaged. Not with a mind like a computer screen with 25 tabs open… and my thoughts bouncing around like a ping pong ball… everywhere and no where, fully.

Of late I’ve been trying to journal and do my scripture/devotional reading. I find that the most restorative way to spend these precious moments of quiet is to give priority, the very first place to something soul-mending.

Like mending a hole in a sweater, spending some time on a creative project need not take two hours. Rather, 30-45 minutes spent o n something for sheer pleasure. Something quiet where your thoughts are settle d , focus ed in on one thing.

I watch my candle light flicker.

When was the last time I let myself just sit for a whole minute just watching a flame burn bright? Swaying, glowing, purifying the air (thanks beeswax!).

And then, once I feel centered, I like to pull out my to do list and figure out what is the task(s) I need to devote the remainder of nap time to.

Finding Balance

Some days I do feel resentful when they wake.

I know I haven’t spent nap time well. I’ve been the squirrel, all hurry and no rest.

Other days, I am whole. Ready to engage with them. Letting my two year old “help” with mama’s work. Holding my baby, and showing up with ready willingness for every diaper change. They're people too, though oh so little. They have wants, needs and desires. And, they look to mama to meet them.

The eb and flow, learning to find balance.

Light a candle, create a sacred space
Alot some time for soul-mending
Review your list(s), what is reasonable for today?
Turn to the “must do” task(s)
Greet your waking babies with fullness of joy

These are some things that have helped me as I seek to find a rhythm for how to utilize nap time well. If you’re a momma reading this, I’d love to hear in the comments below what has worked well for you.

May you walk in grace this day.

Shalom,

Kari

Just for fun, did you spot the gummies tucked into the corner of this photo?

Those are waiting there for a little monkey when he wakes from his nap :)

2022 Book Report

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 05:35:20 GMT

“ 'Way leads on to way,'

wrote the poet Robert Frost,

and I hope that you’ll discover that

book leads on to book."

― Sarah Clarkson, Book Girl

Writing my annual book report is something I really enjoy doing.

Throughout the year I write reviews online for the books I read and then at the years end, compile them all together here.

It's a process of reflection.

What have I been feeding my mind over the course of the year? I think back to the walks or drives that were made more pleasant by listening to a good story.

With out further ado, my book report:

Winter and Spring

January | 3 Books:

Amos Judd

By J.A. Mitchell

Beautiful book, 1901, Eight lovely illustrations.

Overall, this book is beautifully written and is a fun/short read. This story is difficult to put into a specific category because it could be considered a romance, mystery, or science fiction.

If anything else give this book a try just for the fun of reading an unknown classic.

Plus afterwards you can watch the 1922 silent film The Young Rajah on YouTube.

Spoiler alert: The main character, Amos, dies in the end - and he knew he would. He would have visions of things that were to come, he could see into the future. And no matter what anyone tried to do to stop events from playing out, they still played out exactly as he foresaw. It was a capability he was born with.

As a personal preference, I decided not to keep the book as I don't care for that sort of thing that is so outside the realm of reality, and the way God created and ordered the world. But, it was an interesting read. I picked this book up of course for the gorgeous cover and lovely photos within.

The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

“Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.” ― Mary Ann Shaffer

I often think about that quote when I feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of literature that exists in this world. What do I choose to read or not read? I rest in knowing that The Lord will guide me.

Listened to t his classic again in January ... and again December, finished it in January 2023. I’m losing count of how many times I’ve listened to it! I believe having first enjoyed it in 2018, this was my fifth time visiting the Channel Island of Guernsey.

I wish I knew more about author Mary Ann. Wikipedia says she was, "An American writer, editor, librarian, and a bookshop worker. She is noted for her posthumously published work The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which she wrote with her niece, Annie Barrows." She passed away in 2008.

I found this article about Mary Ann on BookSeriesInOrder to be so interesting.

Further Chronicles of Avonlea

By Lucy Maud Montgomery

Sadly, failed to review this one after reading it. If I remember correctly, it really wasn't connected to the Anne series, though Anne did show up here and there. It was mostly just a collection of short stories, each chapter being a stand alone tale. Enjoyable on the whole.

February | 1 Magazine:

Calm :: Issue 42 of Taproot Magazine

Sitting down to read this magazine while my little boy napped has been something I’ve looked forward to of late. The break from screens and their informational allure, the ever pinging notification or thought to check this one thing. Physical, tangible reading is such a breath of fresh air. This issue lived up to it’s name in that each article did feel like a gentle settling, calm in the midst of my busy day.

The articles that most resonated with me were on making your own herbal drinks, some family traditions I hope to oneday incorporate into our family’s Sukkot celebration, and the personal stories shared - a mother passing on her love for Israel through food, and a daughter saying goodbye to her mom over yet one more quilting project. Overall I have been really impressed with and enjoyed the magazines I’ve read through Taproot.

March | 0 Books:

April | 6 Books:

Small Helps for Today

Selected and Arranged by Imogen Clark, 1892

Really enjoyed this daily devotional. Well selected and inspiring. And so elegantly old fashioned, just picking it up each day was a joy.

The Child From the Sea

By Elizabeth Goudge

This was my second Goudge book… at the recommendation of Sarah Clarkson I’ve tried to love Goudge, just just can’t. She’s not spiritually grounded, thus her writing has no solid foundation - and she writes about Biblical / spiritual themes. And I find that frustrating to no end. More so in her book, “The Scent of Water.”

Mom read this one to me… we found it at the dig. Mom said it was probably the longest she ever read - 598 pages! So sad hearing the tragic ending… gives you such a different perspective on the royals - how they were ever in need of money, and yet had such treasures at their finger tips. Lucy’s is such a tragic tale. It was well written, just so long and drawn out… and you felt like it was very fanciful. It’s nice to want to believe that Lucy had integrity and was merely unfortunate enough to fall in love with a prince. But, in my gut I feel like she was not the woman of character Goudge portrayed. A virtuous woman would just have stayed far, far away from Charles.

Walden and on the Duty of Civil Disobedience

By HD Thoreau

Skip the book and just enjoy the quotes. I was drawn to this book from the many quotes I've read from Thoreau's writing. Walden starts out so pessimistically, detailing many of the things wrong with civilization and systems, and the endless toil and labor. Taken with a heavy does of salt, he makes valid, good points. The main flaws I found with his perspective is that he is living isolated, disconnected from friends and family. And Walden is also only the span of a two year experiment living self-sustainably in the woods.

Far too much delving into Eastern / Hindu writings. A very God-less perspective, and one that does not lend to serving your fellow man, or forming meaningful connections with friends and family.

Also, the latter portion of the book got far too detailed about Walden itself... when the pond froze, how he planted his beans, etc. If you're interested in the prosaic specifics of his time at Walden as a memoir, I can see hanging in there for the whole book. But, on this side of having finished the book (highly sped up by the end!), I wish I'd just enjoyed the quotes and skipped this audiobook. It felt too disheartening. Like an old philosopher smoking his pipe and pointing out everything wrong with the world, and not engaging much in the things that really do bring about change in a society - which, as difficult as it is, is meaningful connections with other people. Something he totally insulated himself from in his time at Walden.

Excellent narration, you feel like it's really him telling the story. But slow, so you can definitely speed up the narration.

Grounded, A Companion for Slow Living

By Anna Carlisle

Really enjoyed this one. A great coffee table book, simple to read and look through - like a magazine. You feel grounded as you pour over it. It’s inspiring. Also feels like looking at Pinterest, only not so busy.

Roots :: Issue 43 of Taproot Magazine

Sadly, failed to review this one after reading it and now can’t recall anything about it, but I think I probably enjoyed it!

Anne of Windy Poplars

By Lucy Maud Montgomery

Miss Shirley, beloved, matchmaker extraordinaire!

I was dubious beginning this one having read negative reviews, but perhaps because I didn't expect to enjoy it, I actually did. And I thought the reader did a great job.

I kept thinking as I listened of the movie, "Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987)" which is a blending of three novels, "Anne of Avonlea", "Anne of the Island", and "Anne of Windy Poplars."

This is one of the less popular Anne novels perhaps because Gilbert literally "doesn't get a word in edgewise" in that he's not even in the book. The novel is set up as a series of letters written to Gilbert.

What I'm always shocked at is all the pagan references throughout, fairies and mythical creatures and deities. I wish LM Montgomery had not let her imagination wander into all that darkness. But on the whole the stories are lighthearted and lovely. I enjoyed each listen, like a walk on a spring day.

I feel like a one liner recap of this novel would be, Miss Shirley, beloved by all and matchmaker extraordinaire!

Summer and Autumn

May | 2 Books:

Bird Preachers

By Rev. A.N. Mackray

Enjoyed this one mostly for the pictures. The chapters are interesting, he draws character observations from various Biblical birds and applies them to children as life lessons. It’s a little preachy, as is characteristic of the victorian era. But, overall I enjoyed it.

Emily of New Moon

By Lucy Maud Montgomery

She's not Anne Shirley. Hard to finish -- I was surprised to find that Montgomery actually wrote this trilogy after the Anne books. I thought perhaps this was earlier writing and her story telling developed. I was excited to listen to these after reading various quotes from the Emily books. But I had to make myself finish this one and so certainly don't feel like carrying on with the other two Emily books.

Adults all painted badly -- My main issue was if I was caring for Emily, I would probably be just like her aunts Elizabeth and Laura - that mix of stern and compassion, just trying to deal with this very unusual child. All the adults around her seem to be painted in a negative light. You keep waiting for the Miss Stacy who really nurtures and understands her, or the Marilla Cuthbert who is stern but also warm and sensitive under the austere surface. The adults in Emily's life just all seem like their dealing with so many issues of their own.

Lots of men -- It's concerning how much Emily is with men and boys. In real life something bad / abusive probably would have happen. I don't like how she is a 12 year old girl, but there is so much talk of marriage and subjects just way beyond her years. It should be more focused on what a girl that age is truly going through and feeling.

Fairies and Elves -- Such a heavy influence of the fantastical, imaginative, pagan... the wind woman, faries, elves... seems everyone in her life is saturated in the mystical. Where is the love of beauty for it's own sake? Or from a Biblical perspective since all these people supposedly do go to church. She writes of them being Presbyterian or Catholic. The world around us is beautiful because God made it. Or "the flash" as she calls it could just as easily be described as a moment of revelation or true seeing. But she makes it sound like something foreign, magical or highly unique to Emily.

Autobiographical -- I read on Wikipedia that this was Montgomery most autobiographical work. So, I guess as a child Lucy was Emily. And this was her experience as she worked out that urge to write, and was met with criticism and push back as a budding author.

Not the familiar Avonlea -- When I listened to the Anne books I loved the character development of everyone in Avonlea. You got to hear their thoughts, and appreciate them each in their own way. But with the Emily books it felt as though you keep waiting for something bad to happen. It's just not the beautiful, romantic world that Montgomery created for Anne. I didn't care for Emily, and consequentially didn't care for anyone in the story, so it felt impossible to really find it engaging. I just felt sorry for her aunts having to care for and shepherd this little girl who kept putting them in their place giving them "the Murray look" and in the end getting her own way.

I suppose if you really like fairies and the mythical world, or are an aspiring author yourself than you would enjoy this book. But, I found it just not at all to my liking and will just stick with the Anne books.

June | 3 Books:

A Chance to Die

By Elizabeth Elliot

A peak into the inner life Amy not in her writings. Amy Beatrice Carmichael (16 December 1867 – 18 January 1951) was an Irish Christian missionary in India who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years without furlough and wrote 35 books about the missionary work there. - Wikipedia

I read this book while in college and just this spring listened to it again.

Amy has been one of the most influential women in my life. I've read nearly all her books. She was an incredible women who led a life of full devotion to the Lord.

Her books give little or no detail about her personal life, both from a standpoint of Victorian modesty and spiritual humility. Many things are hinted at or veiled. In this book Elizabeth helps you to understand and get to know facets of Amy that are a mystery otherwise.

Both times I've gone through this book I've been deeply convicted and challenged about my own devotion to Christ. It's certainly a book that will stay with you and inspire you.

The Divinity Code

By Adam Thompson, Adrian Beale

Very Helpful, Bible-Based Guide. Think of all the accounts in scripture that would have gone differently had the men / women involved not paid attention to the dreams the Lord gave them.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." Joel 2:28

What does that verse truly mean? Are all dreams from God? Do believers and unbelievers alike have dreams and visions? These questions and more are delved into in this book.

I found it very practical and helpful as I seek the Lord for discernment in interpreting the dreams He gives me. The dream dictionary is also a great resource. I often pull out this book when I've had a dream and need some help with understanding some of the elements in the dream.

It's not an end-all be-all that will unlock everything for you, but I'm glad they don't claim that anyways. It's meant to strengthen you as you walk with God, listen to His spirit and grow in your faith.

I've been meaning to finish reading this book for several years now and was thrilled to find it available on audible.

**Note: You'll need to get the hard copy for the dream symbol dictionary as the audio version only has the 2 of the 3 sections of the hard copy.

Wintering

By Katherine May

Makes you almost want to try sauna & frozen swims!

On the whole really enjoyed this one and found it very thought provoking. The narrator was great, so enjoyable to listen to. I appreciated the emphasis on how "wintering" happens in seasons of our lives like in nature, very cyclical. And how it's the effort we expend trying to push back the onset of "winter" seasons in our lives that causes so much stress, poor health, broken relationships and anxiety.

It's one of those topics that you feel could go in dozens of different directions, with so many facets to explore. But I thought on the whole Katherine did good job showing you what "wintering" looked like in her life, and how it looks on a practical, physical sense in the lives of those who live in some of the coldest parts of the world. There is no stopping winter, or "wintering" - it's more about what skills you learn along the way, add to your toolbox to thrive during that season not just endure.

July | 2 Books:

Wulf the Saxon

By GA Henty

It felt like all the same things happened on repeat

I’ve really enjoyed a lot of GA Henty‘s books, but this one wasn’t one of my favorites. There’s lots of exciting things that happen in the story, but still it felt like the same type of stuff kept happening. I always love how Henty gives the main character so much honour and integrity and he always has good ideas and upholds chivalry and justice etc., but it felt a little unrealistic. And too much time was given to Lady Edith, when you wish there would’ve been more about Wulf and Agnes, they just tack it on at the very end saying oh yeah and they got married and live happily ever after basically.

The guys that lost their arms really bothered me, I feel like they focussed on that a little too much for a book geared towards kids. Of course you know these battles were brutal and so awful, but still it is a book that’s geared towards teens.

And the narrator’s voice even though he’s a great narrator is just hard to listen to, I wish there was some other narrators that did more of his books. Overall I’d say it just wasn’t that great, and there’s other ones of his that I have enjoyed a lot more.

Braiding Sweetgrass

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

By Robin Wall Kimmerer

Grounding from a Native American view point. Like listening to "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo, I felt like this book helped me to take mental stock of my own relationship to the place I live. I found the section on "Windego" to be especially convicting - how there is that in all of us which takes too much, like an overstuffed closet.

I found the repetition throughout the book to be helpful rather than annoying. It's a lot to process, and you're meant to dwell mentally in this space of focusing on the gifts God has woven into nature, and how to practice the "honourable harvest" and live in "reciprocity."

Her perspective is laden in past generational grief and that's hard to relate to. But this is her story. And she's sharing from her history, and her view point and I think you just have to recognize that the book is not all about nature, it's also part memoire. Coming from a Christian viewpoint that believes in the Bible, it was hard to relate to the Indian perspective that plants and animals are the older, wiser ones, which is far different than the Biblical account where God places man in the garden to care for and have dominion over the plants and animals.

It's hard to know in the stories she shares about their beliefs where truth bleeds over into myth and to nail down what she actually believes about how things began.

I enjoyed all the beauty of nature she shared, about how sweet grass grows better when regularly harvested. How she raised her girls - all the good, grounding rhythms. Gardening, and saving salamanders. Making maple syrup and connecting with neighbours. The three sisters potluck feast. I think all these are "the way back home" as much as being an environmental activist. You have to start small, just where you are. And connect with the place you call home.

I read some reviews that critique her narration. I didn't mind her voice, it reminded me a lot of Elizabeth Gilbert reading her book, "Eat, Pray, Love." I did speed up the audio to 1.3 and that helped a lot.

August | 5 Books:

David Livingstone

By C. Silvester Horne

Interesting concise overview of an incredible life

I just listened to the podcast episodes on Martyrs and Missionaries about the life of Henry Morton Stanley and Livingstone. But were incredible men! I was shocked to hear that the infamous line, "Dr Livingstone I presume" was NOT actually said upon their first meeting. I know, I was shocked too!

I still have a hard time seeing Livingstone as a missionary. He was certainly an incredible man of faith and fortitude. And hearing this more lengthy account of his life I certainly feel less critical of him and more in sheer awe of all he endured and all He did for Christ and Africa. But, calling him a missionary just seems like a stretch. His aim was charting Africa, discovering the source of the Nile, helping to bring the slave trade to an end and paving the way for future missionaries.

An enjoyable listen, well read.

Laddie

By Gene Stratton Porter

Glad Hearts and a House of Song

So much to love in this story! Written from the perspective of Little Sister, she tells about her family and their trust in God. I love all the descriptions of the beauty of nature surrounding them. There is mystery, romance and lots of humour. It makes the simpler days so alluring and makes you want to walk by a stream, gathering flowers and enjoy a home cooked meal with the ones you love. Certainly one of my new favorite of GSP's books - up there with the Harvester and Keeper of the Bees. It's an unsung classic. There is so much woven in about strong character and how faith is the foundation for life. I would love to read this book allowed to my boys one day.

Several reviews stating they didn't like the narrator. I guess that comes down to personal preference, I thought she was great.

The Young Carthaginian

By GA Henty

Hannibal and his elephants!

I was intrigued by this title because I didn’t know anything about Hannibal. I only knew that he fought with elephants and took them over snowy mountains. And I had a vague idea that he was badly defeated in the end.

In the movie Phantom of the Opera they are performing an opera on Hannibal. But aside from that I had no connection with his story or the Punic Wars so I was interested to find out the true account.

I was back-and-forth with whether or not I actually enjoyed the story. There were parts of it that were really interesting and then there was other portions that were just really dull. Because Henty is such a war buff he tends to include a lot of conflict details that just aren’t that interesting. I like the personal story aspects when they zoom in focus on one man or a group of men. The parts when they were taken captive and had to come up with a way of escape were the most riveting portions.

And the last few chapters get really exciting with the main characters love interest. I always appreciate that there’s always a happy ending for the main character. The valiant hero that is portrayed as Hannibal seems a little too good to be true, but it is nice to think that he was a man of integrity in a very dark era.

The reader is great! I love his voice. he also reads Henty’s book For the Temple. I wish he did more of Henty’s books!

Tales for a Winter’s Night

By Arthur Conan Doyle

Engaging, but I miss Sherlock!

An interesting collection of mystery stories. I found most of them engaging. Though some were a bit disturbing. As other reviewers have noted, you miss Sherlock Holmes and his presence feels lacking. But then to you don’t have all the lines about his moods and vanity, ha!

I found it odd in the one about the Levitical priesthood breast plate that they called it Urim and Thummim. I’ve never heard it called that and thought that referred to two black and white stones that were separate from the breast plate of 12 Stones.

And I didn’t catch why the final mystery was called B.24, that felt like a mystery ending of itself. The ending leaves you hanging wondering what will become of the man!

I listened to these stories read by William Sutherland and enjoyed his grandfatherly voice.

The Silences and Solitudes of Jesus

By HH Bingham

A collection of sermons by Bingham. Enjoyed reading it as part of my devotions.

Autumn and Winter

September | 5 Books:

Anne of Ingleside

By Lucy Maud Montgomery

Vignettes About the Blythe Children

I found this one to be mostly about the kids, and not so much about Anne. It seemed every character got their own story except Gilbert. But, it seems LM doesn't write too much from the perspective of the men, just the women and children.

Overall I found it entertaining, but not as enthralling as the first three books. It's more a conglomeration of short sketches telling about the lives of various people.

Under Drake’s Flag

(radio drama by Heirloom Audio Productions)

By GA Henty

Well done, enjoyable listen.

Janice Meredith

By Paul Leicester Ford

A Sitcom Plot-line with Revolutionary War Backdrop

Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2022

I think my main criticism of this book is that it's 500 pages long. (I'm reviewing the story itself as I read a physical copy). The war progresses, but all the scenarios in the book just keep repeating as Janice is proposed time and again in chapter after chapter by one of half a dozen love struck men of varying ages and creepiness.

I've found with old books you often labor through the first 2/3s and then dash through the final 1/3 either glad you stuck with it, or ashamed to admit you just can't drop it and recognize it for the waste of time it is.

While some may like the dialogue that is made into colloquial jargon, I find it very hard to read. That and the French accent. Just say they spoke with poor grammar or a foreign accent in broken English.

Spoiler alert, the rouge gets the girl and the country boy gets shafted, I found this sad. I thought perhaps he'd die in battle. I just get so frustrated reading through a whole book (all 500+ pages) only to still dislike all the main characters at the end.

The scenario of a man falling moon-struck at Janice's feet, her parents in a dither, and the battle raging on in the backdrop just got to be a tedious circle to keep traversing. If her heart had been more true, or if she'd actually engaged in the conflict as a spy or something, not just a pretty face that bewitched literally EVERY MAN in the story, I think it would have been an interesting read.

I found the most interesting part was just getting a closer look at what it would have been like during those times. I felt like it gave a balanced take on men and women on either side of the conflict. Honorable people who did what they thought was right, and all those who just went with the flow or followed the money.

The military movements talk got tedious because it was hard to keep track of what side all the different names belonged to and though you needed it for the story, it could have been abbreviated to a few more relevant points. The characters were shallow.

Reading a book like Johnny Tremain (a work of historical fiction written in 1943 by Esther Forbes) would be far more worthwhile. Sadly, this is one that has a pretty cover but rather dull read.

Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur

By Frank Houghton

If you love Amy Carmichael...

...which I do. I've been inspired by her life and ministry for years. She truly was a servant of the Lord. I've read nearly all her books, and wow, her devotion was incredible.

If trying to decide between the Elliot biography and this one, I'd say either one but you don't need to read both since they cover all the same content just from a different slant. Elizabeth Elliot seeks to portray her as human. She was incredible, but still had flaws and not everyone always agreed with her or her methods.

This biography seems to glorify her a little too much, as in the category of a saint or Mother Teresa. Which is fine, but just very biased I think. Also it's a little too detailed. I feel like a third of the book could have been edited out and you'd still have a very well rounded biography.

If you're looking for a great missionary biography, I think I'd probably pick up a shorter one on her life or another missionary one. This one is just a little too in-depth and I don't think would be of great interest to everyone else you already know and love Amy through her writing.

Hats off to the author, he did a great job putting together an account of her life which she heavily veiled in genuine, selfless humility in her writing.

Under Drake’s Flag (full audiobook)

By GA Henty

Engaging story about early exploration

The history of Captain Drake's voyages is expertly woven through the fictional accounts of several boys apart of the crew. Their many adventures make this a very engaging story. I usually speed up his books since they are so long. Overall I'd say I enjoyed it, I just found the parts about the inquisition a bit much for a book geared towards teens. Henty tries to explain the inquisition by saying it stemmed from religious fervour and was actually not as horrific as it seems to modern ears given the horrific forms of capitol punishment in that day. Which historically I think is true, but it just felt a little too dark to dwell on in this genre. As always though, Henty is a masterful writer of historical fiction and you learn so much about the era.

October | 3 Books:

Revelations of Divine Love

By Julian of Norwich

Julian's Theology is Catholic

I first heard of this book through Sarah Clarkson's writing. I love the quote, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well"
- so much so I made an embroidery of it, ha! Listening to this book though I feel like it was a running stream of repetitive thought that was just very Catholic. Coming from a different faith background, I felt like there was so much emphasis placed on Christ's crucifixion, holy church and Mary. Very little to no emphasis placed on how we are redeemed to live a righteous life, one of faith and trust. And how Christ is risen and stated at His father's right hand. Excellent narrator. Just felt it was very hard to stay focused. And my goodness this woman loved to count, every other sentence is about a number... "then I was shown three things... this came to me in five ways... then seven truths were given to me." Anyways, book just wasn't for me. I think Amy Carmichael's writing has a lot more meat.

In Freedom’s Cause

By GA Henty

The true story of Braveheart

This is the true story of what happens to William Wallace of the movie Braveheart, and many others who fought with him and after him for Scotland.

I appreciated that they pointed out how those in Scotland acted much more nobly and humanly than did those in England. I also feel Henty goes into a little too much graphic detail about the horrors or the day. Given the target age group I don't think you have to be so specific. It would give me pause having my boys listen to the story until older.

I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the main character's love interest, but I didn't like that she went behind his back and did things without his permission. It's just not fitting for a woman, especially given the era. I was just surprised it was written that way because that seems so modern.

The discussion questions were a neat addition to this reading. It made me stop and think at the end of each chapter and take in the information given a bit more. I feel like audiobooks can just run over you like water and these questions were a nice recap of the main points of the chapter. I wish all the Henty books had this questions.

I thought Sir Archie was a great fictional character addition. The events recounted were engaging and interesting. I particularly liked the part where he is rescued from the cage. Very exciting!

Having been to Ireland it was neat to hear Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway talked about.

Reader - Didn't love the guys voice, but still it's better than some. I found the speed to be a little slow so bumped it up to 1.2x.

The Librarian of Aushwitz

By Antonio Iturbe, Lilit Thwaites (translator), Dita Kraus (prologue)

She did it scared, but she did it. When I first started listening to this story I was perplexed that so many would put their lives at risk to use and protect eight tattered books. It felt wholly irrational. The whole concept of a family camp, a children's block made no sense in a place like Auschwitz. But one thing Holocaust stories do better than most any other literature is put things into perspective. Human life is so precious. And what better way to spend your days than investing in the life of a child, even if you can't be certain they'll live out the year.

It makes me think of the Chinese proverb, when you have but two pennies left, with one buy bread and the other a lily. We must have bread as well as beauty to survive. And the school kept them going, the teachers and the students. The books gave their minds something to hold onto when everyday life was dehumanizing them one horror scene after the next.

A lot of reviews are critical of the the way the author chose to put the book together - as historical fiction not just pure facts. It didn't bother me at all though. It was very engaging, and I finished this audiobook so much faster than I normally do just because I needed to know what happened next.

My biggest struggle was just not feeling like I really knew Dita. When the author shares about meeting her in person at the end of the book you get the sense of her indomitable spirit, her spunky forthrightness. But in the story it's hard to really lay hold of her character. And I can't quite put my finger on why that is.

It's also just so disturbing hearing about all the things you know about the holocaust, and then hearing more things you've never heard. And's that's just the nature of this genre. You live in that land of shadow while you're listening to the book, holding your breath and hoping it's all over soon because it's mentally hard just to wrap your mind around... and you're confronted time and time again with the unbelievable - that real people really did face these horrors and so much more. And it's what makes Dita so incredible. She did it scared. She chose to be the librarian. She had face to face conversations with Dr. Mengle. And still she held on to life, and chose to do the impossible. I just didn't feel like telling all these facts about the horrors of the camps helped the story. I would have preferred it narrowed to the things she witnessed, experienced and felt or heard whispered / rumoured.

As so many others have noted, the final section about what happened to the characters in the book is so valuable. I wish that in the story the author had given more insight into why Viktor chose to go back, even if fictionalized. I think he did it as recompense. Trying to find redemption through saving the lives of Renee and her mother. I don't think simple infatuation with her would lead him back to the hellish gates of Auschwitz.

I didn't understand the part about Jakov, Miriam and their sons execution either. Why were they reunited to be shot? I didn't feel like it was necessary to even go back to them if it was going to be so vague about why they were killed.

It feels almost too good to be true that, like in the Tattooist of Auschwitz, Dita is reunited with and marries a man she met in the camp. And you're so glad that life begins anew for her, and she and Margit have the tenacity to grab hold of each new day and forge ahead, living life.

It hard to call any book of this nature "good." But it was engaging, and valuable. I really didn't know much about the family camp or children's block so it was intriguing to learn more about it, even though so incredibly sad.

November | 3 Books:

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

By Joan Aiken

Engaging for Elementary Children

I enjoyed hearing the beginning excerpt from the reader about her mother and how this story came to be. It made me appreciate the story so much more.

I felt very drawn into it initially, but then it took so many extreme plot twists that it seemed to be too far removed from reality to be engaging. I think my perspective listening to this as a young girl was very different, and it was much more believable.

It feels like it has elements of "The Little Princess" and "Frozen" in it. It's a great story, and well written. I just felt like as an adult that I was swept into the world of white - snow and lurking wolves, and then suddenly I felt sceptical of a villainous lady so blatantly wicked, and everything being taken away from young Bonnie and then almost as quickly all restored.

The Dragon and the Raven

By GA Henty

Viking Battles, Valiant Deeds and True Love

As usual with Henty there is lots of battle accounts within the narrative. I found it hard to stay focused throughout. The threads of Edmond and Freida's relationship keep you interested. Overall I thought it was good, just I do find Henty's stories they always begin to feel a little long and I wish they were condensed with parts summarized more succinctly or omitted.

The Dragon and the Raven is also available as an abridged audio drama produced by Heirloom Audio Productions.

As has been stated in a previous review, the wrong narrator is listed. It's a man's voice, not Susan as listed. I did submit this to Audible. Decent narrator, no complaints. I usually speed up the narration a bit.

The Fledgling

By Jane Langton

Enjoyable and Thought Provoking. When you're faced with that child that is just, well, different, sometimes you worry. You wonder if they'll turn out ok. If it's just a phase or if something is really wrong. Listening to this book as a mother of young boy I thought about how I would respond if one of my children acted as Georgie did, just a little out of step from all the other kids. I loved how her family responded to her, gave her space to be her. Protected her and cherished her.

I read some reviews before diving into this one, and while it's rather outside of my normal genre, I was pleasantly surprised to find I actually really enjoyed it. Only after finishing it did I learn it's part of a series, Book #4 in the "Hall Family Chronicles." I found the writing to be really enjoyable. The way each of the characters were described, and the details that made them come alive. I feel almost as if I watched this as a movie.

I felt like listening to Thoreau's "Walden and On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" gave me a better appreciation for the constant reference to him throughout the book.

One review I read said they thought the goose prince speaking felt unnecessary. And, I think so as well. I wanted somewhere at the end of the book to have it all explained. To have the author spell out the analogies, and tell you Georgie never really did fly, it was all in her imagination. But, also I'm not sad that she didn't.

It's a sweet book, and certainly one that is enjoyable and thought provoking.

December | 4 Books:

Meal in a Barrel

By Amy Carmichael

My Mom read this one to me. I really enjoyed listening to it. Since I feel as though I know Amy and Dohnavur are familiar friends, it felt sweet hearing again the stories of God’s provision. It’s been a long time since I read any of Amy writing. I was so excited to find this copy of a very rare book on ebay, and so reasonably priced. I was inspired to start praying for orders, not just favours from God.

Noah’s Ark

By Rien Poortvliet

So moving pouring over Rien’s incredible artwork.

Children of the Handcrafts

By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

Enjoyable read about the creative industry of early Americans

I purchased a 1946 edition and very much enjoyed reading it! I found it to be well researched. I like that it's geared for children, but written in such a way as to be insightful and informative for adults. The mention of Christmas, pagan deities (ship figure heads) and witches is annoying, but to be expected given the culture. I like that each story has a problem to be solved through creativity, ingenuity or the kindness of someone.

It was neat reading about people you know as adults, but may never have heard this story of their childhood. Highly recommended for kids (and adults too :) who love history and crafts.

Bailey was an American author who wrote more than 60 children's books during her career. In 1947 she was honoured with the prestigious Newbery Medal for "Miss Hickory."

He Was One of Us
By Rien Poortvliet

Another very moving book by Poortvliet. Looking at the way he depicted the characters in the life of Christ I couldn't help but think, why of course! That is probably how they looked. He captured the era, culture and emotion so poignantly. Highly recommended for any believer to own.

In Summary: thirty-seven titles read or listened to in 2022.

2 - “Taproot” Magazines
2 - Books my mom read to me (by Goudge and Carmichael)
10 - Physical books I read
23 - Audiobooks / Henty Dramas listened to

Favorites discovered this year:

(Because of course I have to have favourites! Ha!)

Small Helps for Today
Wintering - I will want to listen to this one again someday
Heirloom audio productions of GA Henty’s books
Laddie
Meal in a Barrel
Rien Poortvliet’s books

If you're interested,

here is my 2020 Book Report and

my 2021 Book Report .

Book Report

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 21:53:35 GMT

As I look back through the lists of books I listened to or read last year, I find three main categories emerging.

There were the books that are part of my collection of “beautiful things,” antique works that I’ve picked up over the years. I have this subtle goal, I say subtle because it is not one I’ll probably ever be able to check off the list, to only have books on my shelf I know are good, and I would unhesitatingly recommend to a friend.

Another grouping is the ones from authors whose writing I’ve listened to before and know will be good. Some of these I loved, and others were ones that while I do like some of that author’s work, I’m finding I do not love all their writing. It’s hard to find good books! But when you do, you’ve found a treasure.

Calling something “good” is this ever elusive mark that as a Christian I feel unceasingly convicted to analyze. What is the standard that I will hold myself to personally before God in my reading? I know the standard has to be personal because there are books on this list that were on someone else’s list (Christian and secular) as being excellent, must read, life changing, etc. Books that for me either were just un-engaging or simply not inline at all with my faith.

The final grouping are those books. The ones that while I may have enjoyed in part (or not at all), I just wouldn’t recommend to someone.

Over the course of the past year I read or listened to 50 books. The physical books I read are denoted with a double asterisk (10 books and 1 magazine), otherwise they were ones I listened to on audible or Youtube.

If you're interested, here is my 2020 Book Report .

From the Beautiful Collection :

** Aunt Jimmy’s Will
By Mabel Osgood Wright

Such a sweet story, this time reading an old book paid off. Sometimes, it does. I could see reading this one to my kids one day, or giving it to them to read. It’s an easy read, and the narrative style is lovely. It reminded me of, “Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.” Even though not written by the same author, it is certainly in the same vein and illustrated by the same person, Florence Scovel Shinn. And the illustrations are great!

** Mrs. Martin’s Little Boy

By Florence E Burch

I picked this one up at an antique store. It’s a short little story put out by the Religious Tract Society. I remember it being a sweet tale, but can’t recall just what it was about now. I remember enjoying it though.

** Jo Boat Boys

By Rev. J.F. Cowan

This was another antique book, written in 1891. My mom read it to me. It follows the story of a young boy who was kidnapped from his family and years later reunited. It focuses on the plight of the newsboy, and the evils of drink and wayward living. It’s a good story overall, but just preachy in that style of the era.

** Moth and Rust

Author Unknown

Another in my collection of beautiful books. I slogged through this one… all because it had a pretty cover, ha! It felt like listening to a broken record… the same three notes playing out page after page. Again, it was written in the victorian era with the sole purpose of giving warning to all, Christian and heathen alike, that “…love of money is a root of all kinds of evils…” 1 Tim. 6:10, and “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy…” Matt. 6:19.

I whole heartedly agree with the message, and throughout the book all things considered it had the making of a good story, but it was oh so prosaic. And you did feel that the author was “beating a dead horse,” and felt like the horse was you.

Ones that won’t stay on my shelves, though so lovely…

** Margaret, The Young Wife

Author Unknown

Written in 1863, Margaret is the embodiment of the Biblical passage, “For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife…” 1 Corinthians 7:14. It’s purposefully preachy, and paints Margaret as the perfect little wife who keeps her money loving husband from going to ruin by her patient example. It’s sweet, but the characters are just not very believable.

The Vicar of Wakefield

By Oliver Goldsmith

Since reading this book I’ve heard it mentioned several times in period dramas, so it must have been popular in its era. I found it hard to follow and silly. I think that’s the point, it’s making fun of the class of ministers and their families. It was sad how worldly the minister’s family was even though he was supposed to be a man of faith who teaches the word of God. The edition I have it a lovely old book, but I don’t think I’ll keep it since it’s just not one I would ever recommend to someone else to read.

The Girls of St. Wodes

By L.T. Meade

One day I’m going to learn the lesson of the old adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” But… I’m not there yet. This was one of the beautiful antique books in my collection that I wanted to read through. Thankfully though, it was available as an audiobook!

I listened to this one on Youtube, produced as a Libravox recording. I felt the story was lacking in a lot of ways. It felt disjointed. There were elements of a good story, but it just didn’t feel like it was well executed. In the end, reading it felt like a waste of time. Perhaps it was one of her early works. I read online that…

“L. T. Meade was the pseudonym of Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith (1844–1914), a prolific writer of girls' stories… She began writing at 17 and produced over 300 books in her lifetime, being so prolific that no fewer than eleven new titles under her byline appeared in the first few years after her death.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._T._Meade

** Dodo Everyday

By Ilse-Margret Vogel

A sweet little short story with lots of lovely line drawings about a young girl and the lessons she learns from her grandmother, or “Dodo.”

** Helps to Happiness

By (I forgot to write down the name)

This was an antique book of inspirational quotes. I got about a third of the way through the book (67 of 166 pages), before I called it quits. There were some good ones, but a lot of them I just didn’t find that interesting to me personally and some of the passages were quite long. So, I decided not to continue to invest my time there.

Best Loved Authors:

** Gift from the Sea

By Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I discovered this little gem while vacationing at the beach one year through the above quote found on the wall of bookshop. I loved reading this little volume, and it launched me into reading more of Anne’s work, and there is a lot! She was a prolific writer. Gift from The Sea is still my favorite, and I would love to try and read it each January. I was pleasantly surprised to find that of the Clarkson women, either Sarah or her mom Sally, also try to read it each year! In each chapter Anne likens an aspect of her life to a sea shell. It’s an introspective and thought-provoking look at womanhood.

Awakening Wonder

By Sally Clarkson

Sally is an amazing woman. This account of her homeschooling journey has you feeling so inspired to curate basketfuls of good books for your children, light all the candles, sip tea and eat every meal to the “lilt of instrumental Celtic music.” My only criticism would be that a lot of the parts felt repetitive. It would have been helpful to the reader to have a good proofreader go through and excise several redundant sections. But, on the whole it was great and I have nothing but respect for this woman and her labor of love in writing this book.

This Beautiful Truth, How God's Goodness Breaks into Our Darkness

By Sarah Clarkson

Overall I enjoyed this one, but I felt like it was a little too flowery. I’ve followed Sarah and her family for the last few years, really appreciating their ministry and the things they’ve shared online and with the believing community around the world. I feel like I understand for the most part where she is coming from. I just can’t really resonate with her journey. I know she’s trying to share from her personal experience, I just don’t feel like she’s the one who should be writing this kind of book, at least not focused on her own life. I would have enjoyed the book more had it shared stories about other’s journey’s of faith. Though I’ve enjoyed several of Sarah’s other books, I found this one to be lacking in depth. Which, I feel harsh even writing. Because, I know I couldn’t write this kind of book either. It’s a huge undertaking! I just feel that sometimes books are written and popularized because people have a platform, but not always because they are the ones who can best speak to a topic. A book I love and go back to time and again is “Authentic Faith” by Gary Thomas. I feel like this would have been a more valuable work had it been written more in that style, sharing the stories of others mingled with personal experience.

Wives and Daughters

By Elizabeth Gaskell

I had enjoyed the period drama and thought I was try out the book. As with all victorian authors, it’s lengthy. But it was an enjoyable listen.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

The movie is very good, but not nearly as wonderful as the book! {Remainder of review copied from last year’s book report.} One of my all-time favorite books. I’m always sad to leave the world of Guernsey when the story is over. Yes, I’ve listened to this audiobook several times, and probably will continue at least an annual listen. It’s a rare gem. Through a series of letters Juliet gets to know members of a book club on the island of Guernsey. Through the letters she learns about their lives during the German occupation.

A Scandel in Bohemia

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This is a fun one in that Sherlock Holmes is bested by a woman! No murder, just a self important count and lovely woman, according to Holmes “The Woman,” who can match him in wits, and even get the better of him.

The 1059 Assassin

By John Taylor

Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this is a short story in much the same vein as the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Truthfully I remember nothing about it, except that I enjoyed it.

Peace Like a River

By Leif Enger

I had a hard time getting into this one initially. But by the end I was really enjoying it. As others have said, the music interludes are annoying and unnecessary. The reader is great. The plot is sad, but I enjoyed seeing it through the boy's eyes. I wish they made it a little more clear about the apparent miracles the boy saw - helped you to see it through the boy's eyes, and told you if it really was unexplainable or not. I wish there had been a better outcome for Davey. His sister's poetry is great, a neat thread throughout. Overall I recommend it as an enjoyable listen.

Daughter of the Land

By Gene Stratton Porter

This one rankled me because the heroine, Kate Bates, seems to get into one scrape after the next. She’s stubborn and an incredibly hard worker. And you do feel sorry for her, and by the end come to respect her all things considered, I just didn’t find her plight one I could really sympathize with. It felt like reading a memoir, or a true story. She was too raw of a character, too flawed for a novel. It was certainly a more true to life, realistic portrayal of family dynamics, and what it means to pull yourself up by the boot straps and get back up even who life knocks you down… again. Just not my favourite of Porter’s books.

Michael O’Halloran

By Gene Stratton Porter

This one was just a little too sappy for me. The main character, Michael, is one of those “Gary Stu” who despite all odds has a shining character and always knows just how to get things done. It’s a sweet story, but just not for me. I find myself losing interest quickly in tales where all the adults are learning from a child, and that child can do no wrong. Makes me think of the Elsie Dinsmore books my mom read us when I was growing up. I know that the character isn’t meant to be true to life, but rather the high moral ideal, but I find myself preferring the stories where the main character does make some mistakes or wrong choices and has to learn from them.

The Keeper of the Bees

By Gene Stratton Porter

Enjoyed this one on my walks. Fell in love with, "The Little Scout." Jaimie is the man you dream of - true, honest, and real. I felt like the character development for most of the characters was really strong. I loved all the descriptions of nature, I can picture the bee gardens by the ocean. I want to visit! I loved the part about Jaimie being, "The Keeper of the Bees" - not, "The Bee Master" because he knew so little. And how God made and loved the bees, and they are amazingly intricate little workers. Perfectly designed. Great story that kept getting better and more interesting. I was a bit disappointed in what felt like a rush ending. It builds and builds, and then in one page you feel like it's all over and stamped happily ever after, for most people. I felt like the baby deserved a better ending too. But anyways, certainly one of my favorite of her books. Highly recommended. Loved the faith, love of nature and strength of character spoken of throughout the book. Full of conviction, but not annoyingly preachy. Great reader too. You'll enjoy it!

Freckles

By Gene Stratton Porter

As with all Porter books, love for nature is beautifully woven throughout. I felt like the character of Freckles was in the vein of the "Gary-Stu" - too perfect to be true to life, but more the untarnished ideal. He grows up maimed, orphaned and mistreated and yet has rare honesty, hard work ethic and nobility. It's a fairytale ending, and everyone's character is either very good, or very bad. And, sadly life just isn't that black and white. BUT, it is a sweet story and if you don't try and make it too realistic, it's enjoyable. But still, my favourite Porter books are "The Keeper of the Bees” and “The Harvester.”

MiddleMarch

By George Eliot

George Eliot, pen name for victorian author Mary Anne Evans, never could write anything concisely. This book follows through story of heroine Dorothea through her ups and downs in life. I enjoyed it overall, somehow it always feels nice in the hubbub of fast paced life to slip into the world of provincial England, take a breath and breathe the country air, and just slow down. Listening to the thoughts of people not so very different, in a world that seems so distant and removed from life today.

Elizabeth and Her German Garden

Elizabeth von Arnim

First published in 1898, the book was very popular and frequently reprinted during the early years of the 20th century. Since reading it, I’ve heard it mentioned also several times in period dramas. It felt a bit unkind, the way Elizabeth wrote of and made fun of acquaintances, but it was also humorous and lighthearted. Overall I enjoyed it and found it an amusing listen. It’s a pretty short book, just under 4 hours on audible.

** Not Forgetting to Sing

By Nancy E. Robbins

Having read so many of Amy Carmichael’s books, it was neat to read this continuing story of the work started by Amy in India. Nancy was one of the many faithful ones who answered the call to carry on the work at Dohnavur.

Susanna Wesley

By Kathy McReynolds

I think I stumbled upon this one when looking up on audible books read by Nadia May (she is one of my favourite audio book readers, and YES, a good reader makes a world of difference). It’s a short little work, just over three hours long. She was absolutely incredible. Just now I read through this article on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_Wesley, and my goodness, wow. It’s an inspiring little book about a woman of faith, wife and mother.

A Day No Pigs Would Die

By Robert Newton Peck

Such a sweet coming of age story. Really enjoyed listening to this one. Down to earth and engaging. It’s a tear jerker, but very good. My husband Adam recommended this one to me.

Beric the Britain

By G.A. Henty

Much of that part of history seems veiled in shadow and unknown. I enjoyed this story because I don't know much about that era / part of the world. It's historical fiction, so the outcome isn't very plausible. But on the whole I really enjoyed it. It was fascinating learning more about the Britons and Rome. I struggle with Jim Hodges as a reader, but you just have to give it a chance and once you're into the story you forget about the narration.

For the Temple

By G.A. Henty

The thing I love about Henty’s books is that your hero is always a young man of strong moral character, and despite the horrific events of the day, he is not going to die. Which… given the subject of this book is highly comforting. I knew about the destruction of the temple, and nigh unto complete wipe out of the Jewish people, but listening to this book gave me a whole new perspective. It’s just so very sad. And the thing is, Yeshua and the prophets before his coming predicted it all. And those who followed him knew, but there were so many blinded by religious fanaticism, greed, power… on and on. I also really appreciate that though you know that events mentioned like starvation, ransack and pillage, death and slavery are also accompanied by horrible acts of violence, the author never has you wade through these accounts of pain and suffering. The intended audience for Henty’s books was young boys maturing to manhood, and his goal was to instill in them excellence of moral integrity, faith and courage.

In the Reign of Terror

By G.A. Henty

Such a tragic era! Well written, very engaging historical fiction. I felt like this was one of the best G.A. Henty books I've listened to because you felt connected to the characters and are so impressed by the hero. Well written, and Stuart Langton is a great reader!

With Wolf in Canada

By G.A. Henty

First off, I'm a big fan of G.A. Henty's work! But I struggle with Jim Hodges as a reader, and this story never gripped me. You know from the beginning the out come, and the second half of the book is all military campaign with very little human interest. If you're looking for an overview of the military movements of this era, it's well done, well researched (though always with bias). But as a historical fiction story, I felt like it lacked a lot of interest. I've enjoyed other G.A. Henty novels far more!

The Dragon and the Raven

By G.A. Henty

This was an abridged radio drama produced by https://heirloomaudio.com/audio-adventures/. I was so (SO!) excited to find that someone had produced radio dramas of Henty’s books. This one was well done, really good. But it felt like it jumped a lot and just made me want to know the full story. Like how watching a movie, a good movie, should make you want to read the book.

With Clive in India

By G.A. Henty

Sigh… this one was another slogger. I found it available as a libravox recording on Youtube, and though the guy reading was decent, the story was just so dull. So much military detail.

Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne's House of Dreams, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside, and Chronicles of Avonlea

By L. M. Montgomery

Ahh what to say about the matchless Anne that has not already been said. I won’t try. Suffice to say I knew it was high time I delve into the Anne books for myself, and I was not disappointed. I revelled in the season of time that I listened to these classics by Montgomery. I got this set of six plus two of her short story works on audible. I realized later that there are a couple from the Anne series this set didn’t include, so I’ll need to go back and listen to those at some point.

I grew up watching the movies, and really enjoyed the series too. It’s hard to say I like one over the other, I like both for different reasons. I think the Anne book I enjoyed the most was Anne of the Island, perhaps because the events if covers aren’t really shown in the movies. And perhaps because it felt reminiscent of my own college days.

The Hidden Hand

Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte (aka "E.D.E.N.") Southworth

This was an abridged Lamplighter audio drama. Growing up I was a huge fan of Adventures in Odyssey, and so listening to this story where one of the main characters is voiced by Katie Leigh, all I could think of was Connie Kendall!

I really love the Lamplighter stories, but this one was not a favourite. It felt like too mature of a story for children, in fact I really can’t understand why Lamplighter chose it because the events throughout the story are just not ones for kids. And also the way the Uncle is voiced it’s just so much shouting. It grates on you after awhile every time he talks because he is always yelling.

The Ones I Struggled With:

Daisy Miller

By Henry James

In the movie, “Age of Adeline” Ellis give Adeline “flowers” in the form of three novels with floral names. One of them is Daisy Miller. I found it available on YouTube. It’s about a young, wealthy, thoughtless woman traveling in Europe in the victorian era. She goes off with an Italian guy and catches cold, and dies. It’s horribly silly and was such a waste of time. I am no longer interested in Ellis’ choice of books, because though the flower idea is cute, if the others are anything like this one they are duds.

** Issue 40 : : CURE

This is was the third Taproot Magazine I’ve read through. Honestly, I can’t remember anything about it, so it must not have moved me.

The Murder on the Links

By Agatha Christie

As I wrote in my book report last year, Christie’s books bother my conscious. I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes, but her books are written from just a different place, making the characters seem a lot more mentally disturbed.

** The Scent of Water

By Elizabeth Goudge

Sarah Clarkson loves Goudge, and I really enjoy Sarah’s writing, so I thought I’d give this one a try. Which was, all things considered, really saying something for me because it meant I actually had to purchase and read a physical book because for some reason none of Goudge’s many books are available as audiobooks. She is certainly a good writer, but I didn’t find the book to my taste. It’s a somewhat sad story of a womanMary, who leaves the bustle of city life for the countryside, moving into a home she inherited from a relative. The relative had regular bouts of madness. Through her journals, Mary comes to know her aunt better. The story follows Mary’s journey meeting people in the small town, and also understanding her relative (I think it was her aunt but I can’t remember), better. “The scent of water” is a word picture used throughout the book as an analogy for the grace of God breaking through the madness her aunt dealt with throughout her life. Some of the wording was really lovely, but because the spiritual aspects felt so romanticized and mixed with church practices / traditions it felt difficult for me to settle in my spirit with whether or not I always agreed with what the author was writing.

** Through Welsh Doorways

By Jeannette Marks

I only finished 6 of the 11 chapters before I decided to give up on this one. It always feels so hard for me to give up once I’ve started reading a book, but I could not focus on this one. The stories were hard to follow, it felt like a translation from another language. Or at least certainly an age so far removed that following the point of the story was difficult. It felt like you needed footnotes to understand what was even going on.

Walking on Water

By Madeline L’Engle

Another Clarkson recommendation in “Book Girl.” I don’t remember a lot of the specifics of the book, but I did enjoy it. The main draw back for me though was I felt life she was a little all over the place spiritually and it was hard to know if she truly had a relationship with God.

The Rose Code

By Kate Quinn

The Pros:

I found this to be a gripping narrative. Once I was several hours in, I felt like I was on a fast train racing to the station, listening in all my spare moments. The characters are well written. If you like mysteries and WWII era / history, it's superbly researched and written. I really didn't know anything about the code breakers during the war, and so I found this tale enlightening and it gave me a new facet of understanding for what went on in England during the war. It's a complex story jumping back and forth in time, lots of characters, but I felt like it was skillfully woven together.

Having watched several seasons of The Crown, it was neat how Kate wove in Prince Philip (you like him a lot more in this novel than in the mini series) and the royal wedding.

I loved the honor of the characters, the commitment to the war effort, Churchill, working together and working hard. I loved the tiny details, what the women wore and what they were talking about, the books they read and their love of fashion and smart hats even during war time rationing. The book truly pulled you in and during the time I was listening to the book I thought of little else than the world of this novel, which is the sign of a good book.

The Cons:

Like any book, it's going to take a few hours to really get into it, but then you'll be hooked. While the theme is the code breakers, the underlying theme seems to be madness. And that was what really bothered me. So many references to Alice in Wonderland, the Rabbit Hole, and loosing it. Which, on the one hand given the horrors of war and the demands of their work was understandable - yes, that kind of day after day life is incredibly taxing and unnatural.

Had I known before starting just how many sexual encounters there would be (spoiler, you read about each of the three heroines in bed, and about rape and asylum abuse), I wouldn't have listened to it. You don't need to put in graphic porn to have a compelling story. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," one of my favorite books, is evidence of that.

As a reader and one who listens to many audiobooks, I do it for enjoyment and to learn something about the era / history. I feel like books like this don’t have to pull you under so far. It’s tough, disturbing stuff looking back in history at the asylums and the horrific abuse. And, I felt like it really pulled away from the enjoyment of this story. I think it’s important to know history, so we don’t repeat it, but also I think you can be historically accurate without having your reader dwell on illicit sex, adultery, rape, and abuse.

I think that something truly missing from this story was not one of the characters had a strong moral compass, everyone was sort of just looking out for themselves, and when it suited their friends. And the only woman of faith was painted darkly as a Bible thumping terror.

Taking the good with the bad, it’s a compelling story, but I think it didn’t have to be so dark. It reminded me of, “The Lilac Girls” too - also a story woven around three woman. That one was incredibly sad too, but you know that going into it. That you’re going to walk through dark passages of history. I guess I just wasn’t prepared for it when I began this book. And, given all the elements Kate chose to put in this story, though I liked the mystery and historical fiction, it was too much for me so I don’t think I’ll try any other of her books.

Eat Pray Love

By Elizabeth Gilbert

At first listening to this book was candy. I couldn't wait to hear the next part of the story. Liz is a fantastic writer, truly. And if you haven't watched her Ted Talk yet, go watch it today! Truly thought provoking. Listening to her journey to and through Italy made me want to eat all the pasta and gain my own 23 pounds of pure pleasure.

And then in India it's interesting, her conversations with Richard, her quest to find inner peace... she is definitely connecting with spiritual powers, but you don't know if it's from God, or demonic. Her spiritual journey is literally all over the place - physically, emotionally, spiritually.

By the time you get to Bali it's everything you don't like about Western tourism. Sex, alcohol, and seemingly all the time in the world to visit beaches, have your palm read and participate in all kinds of strange Eastern practices. It seems like a too good to be true ending, you're happy for her that she finds someone who she can enjoy, and who loves her for her.

Sadly, if you look up Liz now her story has gotten really sad. You wish she could have stayed with the nice Brazilian. Anyways, I think Liz does a great job reading her book. I just wish that it wasn't filled with so much spiritual confusion. There are really dark, demonic sides to the things she engaged in. It's not all peace, harmony and light. She sounded very broken, hurting, and rather than find peace in God it sounded like she just wanted something that made the bad emotions go away, so she could get back to guilt free pasta and sex.

Anyways, the first part was enjoyable :)

The Lost Castle

By Kristy Cambron

I enjoyed the historical aspects, but I thought spanning three different time periods was a little too much. I think that the author could have had more time to develop the characters if just two time periods were chosen. The modern day heroine was certainly the least interesting. I thought it was a little too coincidental that each heroine found love. But, I guess they do that in fiction. It was sweet, I just didn't find myself pulled in. I kept waiting for them to unlock a great mystery, or have something exciting happen, but it all felt a little too distant. I think it was because while the author was detailing gloves and ribbon, you're in the reign of terror. And she spends a lot of time talking about shoes and clothing while you're in WWII France, it just didn't feel like the seriousness, or the nitty gritty was captured, seemed a little too fanciful for my taste. But it's sweet. I appreciated the moral uprightness, and the fact that there was romance but it stayed clean. And there was mention of faith and God.

Taliesin: The Pendragon Cycle, Book 1
By Stephen R. Lawhead

I got a little over half way through this book. It was one of the ones I listened to because it was recommended in Sarah Clarkson’s book, “Book Girl,” which I’ve listened to several times and really enjoy. It’s about the lost city of Atlantis. I wanted to like it, but right away it’s so full of druids and the pagan practices of Bel worship. It just didn’t sit right with me. I appreciated that though it talked about pagan practices, it didn’t delve into all the evil. But, I think that also rankled me because I know from other books how intensely evil those same worship practices are, and this book makes them seem innocent, more just cultural. I found myself struggling to stay focused on the narrative, or really caring what happened to the characters. So I decided to just give it up for those two reasons - It didn’t sit right with my spirit, and I didn’t feel as a believer that it was edifying. And the narrative was just not holding my attention and therefore wasn’t even enjoyable.

For myself, I feel like audiobooks should be either informational and though perhaps hard to get through, highly profitable. Or just really enjoyable and good for me morally, something I can listen to as a believer with a clear conscience. While this is a standard I strive for, it’s not one I always attain to, as this honest list of my reading this past year can attest to.

If you're interested, here is my 2020 Book Report .

Rocks of British Columbia

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 23:18:31 GMT

Collecting Rocks in BC

This summer my husband and I spent a few days at an airbnb on the Sunshine Coast. Before getting married and moving to BC, I lived in Pennsylvania. I loved visiting the Delaware shore each summer, and was used to walking the long stretches of sandy beach in search of seashells. The Atlantic is a rough ocean, so finding unbroken shells was always rare.

Fast-forward to last summer, when we arrived at the coast I was surprised to find no beach. The rugged waterline was instead ablaze with beautiful color - round stones glistening as they were kissed by the gentle waves. Like a raccoon, I greedily wanted to fill my pockets. Over the course of the next few days my husband and I both enjoyed walking along the water, picking up rocks that caught our eye. He came home with a handful… I had a small bucket full!

As I scanned the stones at my feet, I began to get curious about them. I started looking up information online on various BC rockhounding sites, trying to get better acquainted with the treasures along the coastline. No, I hadn’t been able to find the elusive agates I sought, but that didn’t mean the pebbles in my pocket were any less beautiful just because they weren’t as rare. The following is the information I gleaned as I leaned about my treasures.

What causes the white lines on rocks?

"There are many different types of rock and many different ways they can end up with "white lines" on them. However, the most obvious and common case is joints filled with quartz or calcite. These can give you clean straight white lines running across the surface of an outcrop or around a pebble. How they form is essentially by the rock cracking as result of pressures within the crust. If the cracks are open then they will be filled by fluids and crystals can precipitate from them. Typically the crystals are rather pure and clean… and so colorless and appear white." Sour ce

I found it amazing that the whole stone alphabet has been collected in the Swiss Alps by André Quirinus Zurbriggen over ten years. That would be a fun challenge!

What gives rocks their different colors?

"Earth's many rocks can take on a seemingly-endless array of colors. From bright reds and oranges to dull browns and grays, Earth's rocks can paint a beautiful picture in nature. All those colors are the result of the minerals that make up the rocks. Minerals are the building blocks of rock. Some rocks consist of just one type of mineral, but most rocks contain a few different types of minerals joined together." Source

Rocks to look for in British Columbia:

Porphyries Rocks

Photo

"Porphyries Rocks are a rocks consisting of feldspar crystals embedded in a compact dark red or purple groundmass." Source

"Porphyry is a textural term for an igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals such as feldspar or quartz dispersed in a fine-grained silicate rich, generally aphanitic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts.” Source

"The texture is called porphory because it first cooled slowly to allow large feldspar crystal to form. Feldspar has the highest melting/freezing point. Then it cooled quickly." Source

Flowerstone

Photo

"Flowerstone (also known as Chrysanthemum Stone, Snowflake Stone and is similar to Chinese Writing Rock and Rice Rock) is a gabbro porphyry of feldspar crystals usually in basalt that shows a distinct flower pattern. When the feldspar crystals are well-developed, Flowerstone is a rock unlike any other. Its crystal petals bloom and reflect the beauty of British Columbian nature. They are thought to have blossomed in an explosion, creating the flower shape of the crystals bursting in all directions." Source

Dallasite, the Pacific Northwest Jasper

Photo

"Unique to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, is the jasper form known as Dallasite, named after the road it was discovered on in the south end of Vancouver Island. It is officially recognized as the third most important gemstone in British Columbia. Dallasite is a fantastic and jaw-dropping artistic display of green, black and white colours, but it often includes blue, yellow, red and all the colours on the spectrum. Dallasite is a jasper breccia made up of quartz, altered basalt, epidote and pumpelleyite. It is thought to have been formed as pillow lava underwater." Source

Rhodonite

Photo

"A pink to red manganese silicate used as a gemstone and minor ore of manganese. " Source

Here are some great resources if you’d like to learn more about rocks in British Columbia:

Where to look for rocks and minerals in BC: www.naturekidsbc.ca

British Columbia Rockhound: www.bcrockhound.com

2020 Book Report

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 02:45:19 GMT

“You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

― Charlie Tremendous Jones

For many years now I've written down the titles of the books I've read or listened to in the back of my current journal. For me reading has always been one of those things that I mean to do more of, I truly do! But, the reality is I'd much rather be read to - which is why audiobooks are so great. The following is a list of books I listened to or read this year.

My criteria for what makes a good audiobook is that it be engaging, something I can't wait to listen to. My favorite genre is historical fiction. I love a good story that shows me a new facet of history and the human experience. Since it takes me awhile usually to get through a physical book, I don't often read for pleasure. My reading is usually something that I believe will be good for me. Which, granted is probably why I don't read more in that the books I choose are often meaty spiritual volumes, or some form of self-help / educational content - not a riveting story. I remember being addicted to Nancy Drew as a young girl, with every chapter ending with another cliff hanger. These days though, I prefer to listen to a good story so that I can multi-task and work on a project while enjoying a book.

Without further ado, here is my 2020 list.

Family Friendly:

Cheaper by the Dozen

By Frank B. Gilbreth, Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

This audiobook is absolutely delightful. I listened to it as a child, and then shared it with my husband this year. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr Gilbreth was an amazing man. He instilled so much knowledge and fun into his 12 children. If you’ve ever seen the 2003 movie, it’s nothing like that. There are so many great lines from the story that my mom and I still love to quote to one another from time to time such as, "What did you say, Jackie-boy?" "Did you see the birdie, daddy?" and "That is eskimo."

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

By E. L. Konigsburg

Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins

Also a wonderful listen. The character sketches of Claudia and Jaime are so well done. This is another one I introduced my husband to this year and we both loved listening to it together. Sheer enjoyment. It follows a sister and brother on their runaway trip to live in a museum. During their stay they encounter a mystery that captivates them.

Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World

By Scott McCormick
Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins

This was one that audible offered up free this year. I love history and found it interesting, but the humor was too much. It felt like a lot of junior high boy jokes throughout that distracted from the interesting historical accounts. The tale I found the most riveting was the backstory of how the shoe companies Adidas and Puma came about - originating from a German company owned by brothers. The name Adidas comes from a blending of the company owner's own name: Adi (a nickname for Adolf) and the first part of his last name, Das(sler).

The Book Thief

By Markus Zusak

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

A WWII story, The Book Thief follows the childhood of a little German girl during the war. Making “death” the narrator of the story, brilliant. It’s one of those rare books that captures you, carrying you spell-bound through it’s pages and lingers with you long after the story is over. I think one of the things that sticks with me is that it wasn’t just the Jews, or those living in occupied countries that suffered, the German people suffered too.

The Twenty One Balloons

By William Pene du Bois

Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins

Growing up we had a cassette recording of this book that must have been an abridged version. I found it fascinating as a kid. Listening to this version, I found the story prosaic and dull. Too much excess detail, and too fantastical to really engage the imagination. It’s a story about a man who went up in a balloon and landed on an island with a diamond mine, inhabited by families who wanted to live apart from the modern world. I would recommend the cassette version, but not this audiobook.

Parnassus on Wheels

By Christopher Morley

Length: 3 hrs and 29 mins

This one was new to me this year. My husband and I listened to this one together. A middle age woman purchases a book wagon and sets off on an adventure. It’s delightful. Full of humor, and good old fashioned charm. Also, anything narrated by Nadia May is worth listening to. Morley's descriptions throughout the book are beautifully poetic. I'm sure I'll be listening to this one again in the future.

** The Invention of Hugo Cabret

By Brian Selznick

Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins

My husband read this to me. It’s a neat book in that it’s super thick, but has very little text. There are lots of pictures that remind me of those flip books that show lots of movement. It’s a fun story full of mystery and adventure. It makes you appreciate how much went into making those first films. After we finished the book we watched the 2011 movie.

Mysteries:

I’ve listened to all of the Sherlock Holmes stories and really enjoy them. I think Doyle did a good job in not dwelling on the horror or grotesqueness of murder. While murder is always wrong, I find that often the stories are in line with the Biblical principles of truth and justice. I’m not sure how to put my finger on it, but I feel as though Christie’s stories come from a different slant. It seems her premises is that there is no profile for a murderer, it could be anyone. In Doyle’s stories the motive is always clearly demonstrated. In Christie’s stories you end up feeling like the murderer is a pathetic psycho. We listened to several of these this year because we’d gotten them from audible. But, I can’t say as I would really recommend them. The first two were pretty good, but the second two were rather disturbing.

Death on the Nile, A Hercule Poirot Mystery

By Agatha Christie

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

A trademark of Christie’s writing is that she paints her characters in such a way that the murderer could literally be any character in the story… and then at the very end it’s all revealed. There are so many characters in her b ooks that it can be hard to follow at times, but I still enjoyed the listen overall. This one is about a murder that takes place on a boat in Egypt.

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, A Hercule Poirot Mystery

By: Agatha Christie

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins

I’m having a harder time remembering this one, but I think I enjoyed it.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, A Hercule Poirot Mystery

By: Agatha Christie

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

This ending was so shocking! You totally don’t see it coming. This one bothered me because you just feel that the murder didn’t have to happen and the motive was so shallow.

Crooked House

By Agatha Christie

Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins

This one I found disturbing. One in which the murder comes from a disturbed, psycho. I’d not recommend this one.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

By Alexander McCall Smith

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

The premise of this one was interesting. And set in Africa it’s a storyline you don’t often hear, or really know much about. I enjoyed it overall, but I felt like it was very heavy. Unnecessarily so. It made it hard to figure out what audience the writer was aiming at. It followed the rather sad, tragic life of an African woman who had an abusive husband. Later in life she sets up a detective agency and helps people solve cases. I k now that sometimes we need to hear the tragic stories, but I felt like this one could have stayed more lighthearted.

Novels, and other Various Genres:

The Mountain Between Us

By Charles Martin

Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins

Are we ever going to get out of the snow! This was a book my husband had listened to and recommended to me. It is really good, but just feels long and hard to get through. I felt so relieved when the characters finally make it out of the frozen wasteland and to a cabin. It’s one of those stories that strips away everything you know of the world and distills life down to the strength of character you come to the table with. Both characters were well written, raw and real. Overall it was a good listen.

Finding Selah, The Simple Practice of Peace When You Need It Most

By Kristen Kill

Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins

This was gifted to me by a friend. It was enjoyable. Sort of a devotional / memoir. It felt meditative and invoked calm and stillness. As the author shared her story and life reflections, it inspired my own introspection.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

One of my all-time favorite books. I’m always sad to leave the world of Guernsey when the story is over. Yes, I’ve listened to this audiobook several times, and probably will continue at least an annual listen. It’s a rare gem. Through a series of letters Juliet gets to know members of a book club on the island of Guernsey. Through the letters she learns about their lives during the German occupation.

** Dropped from Heaven

By Sophie Judah

This was one of the few physical books I read this year. I picked it up at a thrift store several years ago. The writing feels very amateur. The accounts are roughly told and often shocking. Many of the stories are tragic and filled with the pain. Again, reading about the human suffering in the world is needed and has its place. But this book felt like too great a mix of genres. The vignettes are disjointed. The “Jewishness” all feel like tradition. There is nothing there of the true Bible-based faith. It was a disappointing read that I wouldn’t recommend.

Book Girl

By Sarah Clarkson, Kate Mulligan - foreword

Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins

Another book I’ve listened to several times. I enjoy this memoir of the reading life because I can relate in many ways to the way Sarah’s life has been shaped by reading. Many of the books she talks about I’ve read or listened to. I find that rather than feeling overwhelmed by how many good books there are out there that I should be reading, Sarah's book helps me to recognize that I need to be selective. I can hone in on the genres, authors and types of reading that I enjoy and stick to that narrow channel. There are so many books in the world, one can never read them all. But there are many good stories to aspire to read and enjoy.

The Hobbit

By J. R. R. Tolkien

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

I listened to this just to understand what all the hype is about. Didn’t enjoy it at all.

A Wrinkle in Time

By Madeleine L'Engle

Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins

Joy Clarkson did a book club this summer on her podcast on this book. I found it bizarre, weird and wholly uninteresting. It reminded me in part of The Giver books by Lois Lowry, or CS Lewis’ science fiction series, only much less developed. The mixing of Biblical truth and Greek mythology felt very Omnistic.

The Mill on the Floss

By George Eliot

Length: 20 hrs and 37 mins

This is the type of victorian literature that period dramas are made of. It's slow going, and admittedly rather dull. Written in 1860, it's characters and their everyday cares are hard to relate to much less sympathize with. But, all that said, once the heroine grows to womanhood the book's plot becomes more interesting. While there are other victorian authors I enjoy more, overall it was still decent.

The Indigo Girl

By Natasha Boyd

Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins

This was another one that I listened to free on Audible this summer. Eliza Lucas, the heroine of this historical fiction book, was an amazing woman. This narrative gives the account of how she managed her father’s plantations and began indigo production in America. Overall it was good, but it was also heavy. You felt like any moment there was going to be another horrible thing done to one of the slaves, or one of the women. I think it could have been just as effective without all the focus on everyone who wanted to marry her, or how awful the slave overseer was.

** Ina May's Guide to Childbirth "Updated With New Material"

By Ina May Gaskin

This book was given to me by my midwife to read. It was very helpful in shaping my thinking and aiding me in my pregnancy journey. It was empowering and thought provoking. It was written very much from the standpoint that home births are good and hospital births are bad. While I don’t think it’s as simple as that, it did help in presenting different things that you need to consider as you decide how and where you want to give birth. While I do think home birth is the ideal, I believe God can provide the right people for you wherever you choose to have your baby.

** The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother

By Heng Ou

This was also a recommendation by my midwife. I really enjoyed this book and loved having this guide for what to eat and how to be well nourished during those critical weeks following the birth of our son.

Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops

By Shaun Bythell

Length: 2 hrs

The stereotypes in this book were so thick that even if you did fall into one of the categories, you wouldn’t recognize it. It was lighthearted and amusing. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It reminded me of listening to Guernsey where Juliet talks about working in a bookshop.

Issue 38 : : FORAGE

This was the issue that made me want to subscribe to Taproot magazine. I really enjoyed reading through each of the articles. The magazines are well put together and rich with great content. Over the last few years I've developed a growing interest in foraging and it was soul warming and affirming to read articles written by people who share that passion.

Issue 39 : : TIDES

While I didn’t enjoy this ocean / conservation focused issue as much, it was still good. I like that each issue is a combination of articles, recipes and patterns. It's a neat, unique concept.

In summary, in 2020 I listened to...

20 audio books. I read...

4 physical books. (Though, one was read to me). **These four indicated above by the double asterisks. And read...

2 magazines

Everyone is different. For some that may seem like a lot, and for others nothing at all. I know personally I'll always be more of an audiobook person. I love the ability to have my mind engaged in something meaningful while having the freedom to craft. This is a deeply rooted habit from my childhood. My mom loved to read and spent hours reading to my sister and me. Additionally we loved listening to stories on tape.

In 2021 I know I'll listen to lots of audiobooks. I've no set book goals for this year. I just know that I want to read more. I want to pick up physical books and be captivated by real stories, and be continually less interested in my phone.

Aeropress Maple Latte

adam.ragan@icloud.com (Adam Ragan) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 03:17:41 GMT

The Qu ick & Simple Way

I am going to share with you one of my wife’s favorite hot drinks over the winter season. It’s pretty simple to make and only takes a few tools .

I am not a barista by any means and only know enough about coffee to make me dangerous. In this video, I will be taking a simpler and more relaxed approach to this tasty cup of comfort.

What you will need:

An Aeropress
A coffee grinder
Milk frother ( T his can be any type of brother. It can be a handheld or even a French press can froth milk .)
A measuring cup
A t easpoon
A hot water k ettle ( H aving a goose neck kettle makes the pouring easier, but it's not essential.)
And your favorite mug ( W ith my wife you got to have favorites ! )

Ingredients:

Coffee
Full fat milk
Maple syrup

Instructions:

Start by heating your kettle to 195 to 200 degrees. No worries if you can’t set your kettle to a specific temperature, but if you can, GREAT! The temperature of your water can aid in the flavor of your coffee.

Next, you want to grind your coffee beans to a fine to medium-fine ground. You are going to essentially be making two shots to go into your Latte.

Next, assemble your Aeropress with the chamber, filter, and filter cap. Place it over your favorite mug. You will see guys who are really into their brew rinse the paper filter before adding the coffee grounds to the Aeropress chamber. I have not been doing this. I think I would have to have more sensitive tastebuds to add this step.

Using the scoop that came with your Aeropress, place two slightly heaping scoops of the coffee grounds into the Aeropress chamber. Add your hot water to the chamber up to the number 2 on the side of the chamber. Adding water up to the 2 is the equivalent of a 1/2 a cup of water.

With the stirring paddle give the grounds a quick stir and then insert the plunger at an angle into the chamber. Then retract the plunger slightly to create a vacuum to prevent the water from seeping through the filter a llowing the coffe e to brew. Allow the grounds to brew for a full minute.

After the 60 seconds for brewing is completed press the plunger down slowly for 20 to 30 seconds. After you finish the press it’s a good practice to empty the grounds and clean the filter cap, chamber and plunger right after.

A quick tip: Because the chamber of the Aeropress is transparent you can see the number 2 from the inside. Looking through the inside of the chamber makes it much easier to aim while pouring your water and watching the water level rise.

A quick tip: You don’t want to store your Aeropress with the plunger half way inserted in the chamber. This can damage the rubber seal w hic h will then need to be replaced.

Now you will heat and froth your milk. Add 1 1/2 cups of milk and the 4 tsp of maple syrup to your frother and turn it on. You can also heat your milk on the stove and use a small hand frother or after the milk is heated place it inside a French press and plunge the filter multiple times to create the froth.

Add your milk and foam to your espresso and VOILA! Your Maple Latte!

Now turn on some smooth jazz, find a comfy place on the couch with a blanket, and enjoy!

DIY Wool Soakers for Cloth Diapering

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 20:16:27 GMT

DIY Wool Soakers f or Cloth Diapering

What is a Wool Soaker?

If you had asked me that question last year, I probably would have guessed it was something used back in the fifties in connection with a cloth diaper that you needed to be proficient in origami to know how to fold. It sounds old fashioned, like the pre-cursor to what a baby wore before graduating to knickers. Worn in the era when every baby looked like a little girl. And, no doubt the wool was horribly scratchy... just something our great-grandparents had to suffer through while they waited for things like plastic, modern dentistry and electricity... right?

While these images looks humorous to the modern woman, cloth diapering is no joke. And our great-grandmothers knew what they were doing. After all, they couldn't just throw babies' soiled nappies into the washing machine, it was all done by hand. So, you better believe they came up with some ways of keeping their little ones dry long before disposable diapers came on the scene in the 1950's.

History Note:

"When it comes to the history and legend behind cloth diapers the Boater cannot be ignored. The inventor, Marion Donovan, was a new mother solving the age old problem of leaky diapers... Legend has it that Marion Donovan was in her bathroom and the waterproof shower curtain caught her eye. She immediately had that light bulb moment and went about cutting from it a section and went to work with her sewing machine... The diaper came to be known as the “Boater” because, as her husband Jim, a sailing enthusiast, said “Call it boater, because, like a good boat, it’s leakproof.” - DirtyDiaperLaundry.com

"Disposable diapers were developed by Marion Donovan after World War II due to a cotton shortage. It wasn't long, however, before mothers realized the practical everyday benefits of Donovan's 1950 diaper design: a rectangular plastic covering (initially made from shower curtains) over layers of tissue paper." - BabyGearLab.com

Back to our original question, what is a wool soaker?

"Wool soakers (also called longies, woolies, shorties and soakers) are diaper covers made from 100% wool designed to be worn over Flat, Fitted, Prefold and Contour cloth diapers. Wool soakers are typically made from Angora or Merino wool and are extremely soft, breathable, and naturally antibacterial. The beauty of wool soakers is that they can absorb up to one-third of their own weight in water, they're naturally antibacterial and they breathe extremely well so they can be worn in both warm and cold months. For this reason they are great for use during both day and night." - PootersDiapers.com

Hold it right there, 100% wool on my baby? Yes, that's right! But wait,

Isn't All Wool Scratchy?

No, it's not. In fact, "Merino wool can be softer than cashmere and smoother than silk." - Woolmark.com

Some advantages of merino wool are that:

It's Natural
It Helps Regulate Body Temperature
It Helps Keep You Dry and Sweat-Free
It Likes It When You Layer
It Resists Odors
It Is Soft
It’s Biodegradable
It Helps Provide UPF Protection
It’s Fire-Resistant

Since learning several years ago about how amazing merino wool is, it's since become a staple in my winter wardrobe. It's amazing!

Please take 2 minutes and enjoy this super cute video: The Innovator by The Woolmark Company.

Y ou might just need to purchase some merino wool for yourself and your baby!

How Do Wool Soakers Work?

"When the diaper becomes wet, the wool soaker wicks the moisture away from the diaper by absorbing it. Lanolin, a natural oil that comes from sheep, keeps the urine from leaking back out of the wool quickly. Over time, the lanolin needs to be replaced (roughly every 2 to 3 weeks) to help the wool soaker maintain its super absorbent abilities. This is done through a process called lanolizing. Lanolizing cleans the wool and restores the lanolin to the cover. In between use, air out your wool soaker by laying it flat. This will allow the cover to dry and will eliminate any odors that may be in the wool cover. If poop gets on the diaper cover, you will need to clean and lanolize immediately." - PootersDiapers.com

Do I Need to Use Wool Soakers If I'm Planning to Cloth Diaper?

"Need" is a highly relative term. Based on my own personal experience (two months in on my cloth diapering journey), I would say yes! But, I've only tried a handful of cloth diapers. What I've found is, yes they leak. I remember one of the first times my sister-in-law was holding our son he peed... soaked right through his cloth diaper and christened her blouse. She handled it with grace like the experienced auntie she is, but I was so embarrassed. I wanted our friends and family to enjoy our son, not back away for fear of getting soaked while I tried to figure out cloth diapering. It was then that I remembered the wool soakers I'd picked up by chance at a local thrift store. These proved to be a providential find since I may not have been willing to fork over the big bucks initially. But, having picked these up for pennies I was able to try out wool soakers without the hefty price tag and instantly became a fan.

Our Wool Soakers

These are the wool soakers we currently have. If you plan to use them full-time like we do (during the day and night), then at least eight seems to be a good number to have in your rotation.

Starting at the top left:

The white, orange and yellow pairs are by Luxe Baby. Luxe soakers are interlock wool which is 97% wool and 3% lycra. I picked these up at a local thrift store.
The blue pair is 100% merino wool by Disana and I purchased them here .
The two tan pairs and the grey pair are made from 100% merino wool sweaters, up-cycled into soakers using Katrina's Sew Quick Soaker Pattern available FREE on her blog.
And lastly, the knitted pair with green trim is made from 100% merino wool yarn using the Curly Purly Soaker Pattern available FREE on Ravelry.

History Note:

"The baby boom coupled with the shortage of rubber (just enough for elasticized waistlines and paint legs of ‘waterproof’ panties) contributed to the wool soaker’s hey-day of the 1940’s. Stores took advantage of this fact and stocked more patterns and kits, like soaker kits from Bucilla for $0.50, for mothers to create. These soakers were simple with a drawstring closure. Some featured ribbed cuffs around the legs and waist. ' I had four children between 1938 and 1946 and during the intervening years whenever I had any slack time I knitted only one article, SOAKERS, but I did it two hundred times.' " - DirtyDiaperLaundry.com

What is working?

I've found the Luxe soakers to be thin but adequate, but the leg holes a little too big. I plan to remedy this by knitting around the leg holes to make them a little more fitted. The pair by Disana is great, but I find the fact that it becomes an outfit (pants) by itself a little limiting. But still, the design is excellent and the quality superb. These are a great overnight option.

I was thrilled to find Katrina's pattern. I made the mistake of trying to hand sew the first two pairs. While cathartic, it proved a waste of time in the end since I prefer the look of the ones I did on the sewing machine (one of which is the grey pair) so much more.

The knitted pair I just can't recommend. Perhaps if knit with a thicker wool, or doubled it might work well. But, as a soaker it just doesn't do much of anything towards locking in the leak.

Our son is two months old in these photos. On the left is a pair I sewed on the sewing machine using Katrina's pattern, and on the right is the Disana pair. Normally I snap his onesies on the outside of the soaker, but for the photos I tucked it inside. Isn't he just precious? : )

DIY Wool Soaker: Supplies

Katrina's Sew Quick Soaker Pattern available FREE on her blog
100% merino wool*
Scissors
Pins
Needles
Thread
Sewing machine

* I recommend picking up some sweater s at your local thrift store. It's ok if they are a little felted, just so long as they aren't super wonky. You'll be more pleased with the end result if you choose ones that are either not felted, or only a little felted. Also, these don't have to be super pricey. Hunt around, some thrift stores are cheaper than others. Sometimes they are priced differently in the men's section.

I f o u n d t h i s l i s t (linked below) t o b e s o interesting . . . w h i c h o n e o f t h e s e s u r p r i s e s y o u t h e m o s t ?

11 Surprising Diapers Parents Used On Their Babies Throughout History

History Note:

"For much of history, infant sanitary needs were handled by putting absorbent material (moss, rags) into a sort of sling under the baby; the absorbent material was periodically replaced. The word “diaper” originally referred to the fabric – a type of linen – and not to its use on babies. The first known mention of a diaper was in William Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.” Unfortunately, in Elizabethan times the diaper was only changed every few days. Yuck! In the early 1800s, a cloth diaper was a square or rectangle of linen, cotton flannel, or stockinet that was folded into a rectangular shape, and knotted around the baby’s bottom. These were often hung to dry, if they were only wet, but seldom washed. When the safety pin was invented in 1849, those were then used by those that could afford the pins to hold the rectangular diaper in place. In 1887, modern cloth diapers were invented and began to be mass produced as squares of linen or flannel folded into a triangle and held in place with a safety pin. Around this time, mothers also started boiling dirty diapers to sanitize them before reuse. Wool soakers, tight wool pants or shorts were used as diaper covers and worn over diapers to keep clothing dry until 1946, when the plastic diaper cover was invented. Disposable diapers first appeared on the market in the early 1960s." - KangaCare.com

Photo from the 1932 film, "War Babies"

Once you've assembled your supplies, print out the pattern and cut out your pattern pieces. The sweater I used was a bit thin, so I opted to double the fabric for the main section. Note how the pattern has you lay it out with the fabric folded along the dotted line.

Because I doubled the fabric for the main body of the soakers, I was able to hide my side seams and the extra layer in the middle inside the fabric so it wasn't visible when finished. I then pinned on the waist and leg bands and sewed those on. The whole thing sews up delightfully fast, it's very rewarding! Especially since my little one's naps are still so short.

And there you have it, the finished soakers!

To finish up this post, a word about caring for your new soakers. Probably one of the aspects that is the most daunting about using wool soakers, and wool in general, is the care. Yes, they do need to be hand washed and periodically lanolized, but the process isn't scary or even especially time consuming. First off,

What is Lanolin?

"Lanolin (from Latin lāna 'wool', and oleum 'oil'), also called wool yolk, wool wax, or wool grease, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals... Historically, many pharmacopoeias have referred to lanolin as wool fat ( adeps lanae); however, as lanolin lacks glycerides (glycerol esters), it is not a true fat. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters instead. Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin." - Wikipedia

Why Do I Need to Put it On My Wool Soakers?

"Wool contains lanolin, a substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool bearing animals. It is their own defense against the elements: rain, sleet, snow and critters! It is naturally antimicrobial, anti-fungal and water resistant... When wool is lanolized, wetness activates the natural soap and makes it self cleaning with natural odor fighting properties." - Babeegreens.com

How Do I Wash and Lanolize My Wool Soakers?

If you've purchased (or made!) a wool soaker you will need to lanolize it to make it "water proof" so that it locks in the the leak. Below are simple instructions for lanolizing your wool. You will need to do this every 2 to 3 weeks. You'll know it's time when your wool starts to have a bit of an od o r, or when your wool starts to leak.

You Will Need:

Lanolin (I purchased Lansinoh Breast Cream )
Baby wash, wool wash or castille soap (I used Dr. Bronner's )
1 cup of boiling hot water
A towel

Washing and Lanolizing:

WASH your wool diaper covers with the soap of your choice using lukewarm water.
SOAK your woolies for 15 minutes. While they are soaking...
BOIL 1 cup of water. Add a pea-sized drop lanolin.
DRAIN your sink and refill it with lukewarm water (just enough to barely cover your wool).
TURN your wool soakers inside out and put them back into the lukewarm water.
ADD the lanolin mixture. Massage your wool diaper cover to get them coated.
SOAK your woolies for 30 minutes.
After about 30 minutes, I carefully squeeze out excess water and then lay them flat on a towel, then roll up the towel to remove as much water as possible. Then lay flat to dry. It usually takes mine about 48 hours to dry, so make sure you don't wash all your wool soakers at once!

Note: Never dry wool in the dryer and never use Woolite.

I found Pooter's Diaper's, "Wool 101 - the quickest guide to understanding wool" on PootersDiapers.com is a very helpful, informative resources for all things wool soakers if you still need more info, or just need a quick overview.

Natural Remedies for Epidural Headaches

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 03:11:42 GMT

How To Heal Naturally (Without a Blood Patch)

My Epidural Story

I was 42 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I was healthy and strong, and our midwife had encouraged us to be patient and wait for our baby to come naturally. But, at 42 weeks other risks were beginning to be an issue simply because we were a full two weeks past the projected due date.

After being induced at 1pm the previous day, I was beginning my second night of labor and contractions. I wasn’t even a full three centimeters dilated, and I was exhausted. My midwife had told us earlier in the day that while she wouldn’t recommend an epidural for pain, she would recommend it to help our baby turn. With this in mind, when the contractions picked up again in timing and intensity, I said yes to the epidural. I had read about the risks, and hadn’t even considered needing or getting one. But after over 30 hours of working through contractions, I was ready for some sweet relief. That is after all what epidurals are supposed to do, right? Take away the pain.

The anesthesiologist came in and, between contractions, administered the epidural. It was all a blur of pain, but I worked to keep breathing through the contractions, believing the pain would soon be over. Right after he administered the epidural, he realized the needle had gone in too far. He explained this to me, saying he could re-do the epidural, or just administer the fluid manually as needed. I opted for the latter thinking that would be the least painful. Long story short, the epidural did give me relief initially allowing me to get some much needed rest that night. But in the early morning, when our beautiful baby boy was born, it was through all the normal pain. At the end the anesthesiologist couldn’t keep administering the epidural manually as he said I needed to be able to push. He explained to me that aside from not receiving the full pain relief as I had hoped, I also may potentially experience epidural headaches as a result of the needle going too far.

What Causes An Epidural Headache?

“An epidural headache is caused by leaking spinal fluid when the dura which is the thin membrane that surrounds the spinal cord is punctured by an epidural needle. The fluid acts as a cushion around the brain and without it, the brain tends to sag and rubs painfully against the bony skull. This brain sagging causes stretching in the connective tissues in the cranium which also causes pain. A further cause of pain is the loss of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) which causes blood vessels in the brain to dilate.” www.epidural.net

Fast forward to Monday, two days later. I didn’t start experiencing the headaches right away, but within 72 hours of getting the epidural I did begin noticing the headaches.

How Is An Epidural Headache Different to Other Headaches?

"Epidural headaches are typically postural headaches, meaning that standing or sitting upright or even lifting your head will dramatically increase the pain whereas laying down relieves the pain almost instantly.” www.epidural.net

For me, I felt the pain in the frontal lobes of my head. The pain would come on when I sat up or stood for too long, growing in intensity the longer I was upright. Laying down I was fine, but when I was up for too long my head would start pulsing and my vision would grow blurry. I read up on Epidural Headaches online, talked with my midwife and even spoke with the anesthesiologist who was gracious enough to call me. He felt terrible, saying that while rare (1 in 200), it did sometimes happen. He kindly did not charge me. I felt bad for him too, I wouldn’t want the stress of his job!

My main questions were:

How do I treat this?
How long is this going to last?
What are the risks of letting it go untreated and waiting for it to heal naturally?

How Do I Treat an Epidural Headache?

When searching online for, “How to heal an epidural headache naturally” the lists I found are mostly the same.

Very Well Family recommends:

Lie flat as much as possible to prevent changes in the pressure inside the dural sac that can bring on head pain.
Take over-the-counter pain relievers. If you're breastfeeding, ask your doctor which are safe to take and at what dose.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Sip coffee or tea: Caffeine sometimes can help relieve head pain.
Try not to lift anything heavy. Have a nurse or your partner pick up the baby from his bassinet and bring him to you to feed or hold.

On Treating Pain they list:

Up to 85% of headaches will resolve within 6 weeks.
Supportive care involves rehydration and analgesics (painkillers/drugs).
Caffeine can also help reduce headache severity.
Bed rest is not an effective form of treatment.
The gold standard of treatment is an epidural blood patch.

The goal of treatment is to restore pressure and replenish cerebrospinal fluid.

Wikihow does a great job of explaining why each of these treatment methods are recommended.

How Long Will My Epidural Headache Continue?

"Left untreated, an epidural headache will usually heal itself within a few days. Unfortunately for some of us, they can also go on for many months and will persist until the leak is closed either by blood patch or surgical intervention (rare). There have been a couple of reported cases of CSF leaks going on for years, but these were associated with tears of the dura." edpidural.net

What Are the Risks of Waiting for An Epidural Headache to Heal Naturally?

"The brain is cushioned by the Cerebrospinal Fluid around it. If the headache is left untreated, this cushioning is not present and it is occasionally possible for bleeding to occur into or around the brain (a subdural haematoma). Very occasionally, a fit (seizure) can happen." patient.info

Should I Get a Blood Patch?

If you opt not to wait it out, going back to the hospital for a blood patch is the "gold-standard" treatment for an epidural headache. From what the anesthesiologist explained, the procedure would be similar to getting the initial epidural. Some anesthesiologist s are more apt to recommend this treatment right away, but from what I've heard in talking with my midwife, it seems most want you to wait it out. With an 80% efficacy rate, the blood patch is not full-proof either. You may have to have it re-done, and in a very few cases surgery is required. All-in-all, it's another hospital visit and another invasive procedure. I waffled back and forth, wondering if I should just get the blood patch. Both my midwife and the anesthesiologist were very supportive and helpful in presenting the pros and cons. The anesthesiologist was even willing to do the blood patch at no cost should I opt to go that route. In the end, I chose to believe that God would heal my body, that my body wanted to be made whole.

My Treatment Plan:

I'm not medical by any means, and none of what follows is meant to replace the recommendations of your doctor or midwife. I'm simply sharing my story, what worked for me in the hope that perhaps someone will stumble across this post and find the following information useful. This is the post I wish I had found when I was struggling, and really just wanted to read about someone who had been there too.

Bed Rest

I was wonderfully blessed to have my mom come for a visit for our son’s birth. She was there several weeks prior to his birth, and I was able to stay with us for the two weeks following his arrival. This was invaluable towards my healing, allowing me to spend most of the day horizontal in bed, resting and nursing our son.

Support

I couldn’t have asked for a better support team. Both my mom and my husband did an amazing job of caring for me and our new son in those immediate days after his birth. I literally did next to nothing for two weeks except for nurse my new baby.

Painkillers

I took Advil and Tylenol with caffeine (at doses recommended by the anesthesiologist). I was hesitant to take any pain medication since I was nursing, but the pain relief helped me to focus on resting. I can’t recall the exact number of days at this point, but I want to say that about 10 days after giving birth I stopped taking the pain meds. I wanted to make sure that if I started feeling better it was truly my body healing, not just the pain being masked by medication.

Massage and Essential Oils

My sister-in-law has massage training and she told us to "bring body awareness" to the area. As if to say, "Hey body, here is the part that really needs your attention. Send the needed healing here!" My mom started rubbing my back several times each day with essential oils to bring attention to the area of my body that needing healing through touch stimulation of my lower back where I had received the injection.

Nutrition

One of the books my midwife gave me to read during my pregnancy was, "The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother." It really impacted my thinking about how essential it was to focus on eating nourishing, replenishing and warming foods . Again, having my mom there to make us meals was an amazing gift.

Caffeine

Prior to giving birth I wouldn’t really have considered myself a coffee drinker. I enjoyed the occasional iced coffee on weekends that my husband would make me, but mostly I just didn’t drink coffee. To help with the headaches I started drinking two to three cups a day.

Gratitude

My mom was really good about reminding us to focus our thoughts on all that we had to be grateful for. Rehearsing again all the wonderful things about our son ' s birth, and the many ways God had blessed us. Prayer was a big part of our journey leading up to t he birth, and in the days after as I journeyed towards full healing. It was so important being surrounded by people who believed with me, and for me that God was making me we ll.

Positive Thinking

There were several nights when I was very discouraged, just not knowing how long my headaches would last. I kept thinking of my mom leaving (we live in Canada and she lives in the USA) and not being there to care for me and make us meals. I didn’t know if I would be able to function. I wanted to be able to get up and do things, but all I could do was lay in bed. It was really important though to focus on positive thoughts... “I am getting better.” “My body is healing.” “I will be able to get up and do things soon, but right now I need to rest.” ...and so on.

Time

This is probably one of the hardest "remedies" to walk out on this list, but also perhaps one of the most valuable. Time is after all one of the greatest healers. It was hard to be patient, hard to look ahead to a time in the future when I would be "myself" again. But healing takes time.

Within two weeks I was already feeling some improvement, and by the time we took my mom to the airport (17 days after our son’s birth) my headaches were completely gone and I was able to get up and make meals and do things around the house. It felt so good to be up and doing things.

While I never would have chosen to have the headaches, one positive outcome was that I did rest a lot more than I may have after giving birth. I believe that each one of the things listed above, working together brought about full healing.

If you're reading this as a new mama, suffering from the after effects of an epidural gone wrong, I feel ya. I've been there too. You will get through it. You will get up and do things again without pain. Be patient, you've got this mama.

What to Knit When You’re Expecting

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 17:39:00 GMT

When my husband and I found out that we were pregnant, one of the first I things I did was create my Pintrest board for baby , naturally. Among the various sections I added as I started aggressively pinning every essential (I say this very tongue-in-cheek) were boards for baby clothes I wanted to eventually sew, knit or source.

Even after about five years knitting experience, I still don’t view myself as an expert knitter. I don’t have 25 pairs of hand knit socks (I don’t even have one pair!) or a basket overflowing with half finished #WIP (work in progress) pieces. And I’ve never drafted my own knitting pattern… I still have trouble reading them sometimes. Rather, most of my knitting experience lies in shawls. For the last few years the approach of Fall, the crunch of fallen leaves, shorter nights and chill in the area has brought on the itch to knit.

When my friend and I adventured to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival last May (such an excellent day trip, despite the rain!), I refrained from getting yet another shawl pattern and opted to try knitting a skirt .

All in all, I’ve made several shawls, a pair of socks , some hats , two pairs of slippers and a skirt . Outside of a childhood washrag phase, I think that sums up my knitting.

Start with Gathering Inspiration

The beginning of my knitting career actually coincides with the start of my first Instagram account. I think one of the first photos I posted was my Canopy Shawl fresh off the needles.

It was the first shawl I’d made. I remember adding in lots of “safety strings” so that when I had to pick out and redo rows I didn’t have to keep panicking over dropped stitches.

I made that shawl, which incidentally is probably still my favorite, because I was inspired by all the beautiful photos Melody posted. If you’re just beginning your knitting journey, or want to get into knitting but feel overwhelmed by the intricacy of the patterns, I think inspiration is the best place to start. Here are some of my favorite knitters that I follow on Instagram. They are mommas, makers and cultivators of beauty in their corners of the world.

Melody at bmandarines

Knitting is her vocation and she has put together many wonderful patterns, including the Canopy Shawl . Since having her own little girl she has started doing baby knits.

Julie at homesweethomestead

Her photo feed invites you into the beautiful mess that is tending to the garden, feeding her family and making. She sews and knits darling things for her little girl.

Katrien at growingwildthings

Living a slow, handmade life in an old Italian Farmhouse, this mama of three captures the simple life so beautifully through her photography. She keeps her boys cozy in hand knits.

Cat at theolivetreesandthemoon

Following her gardening journey in Portugal is such a pleasure. When not tending to her plants, she is usually knitting something lovely.

Julia at woodfolkk

Since she lives in a land often blanketed in snow, much of her knitting is in the form of Icelandic Fair Isle sweaters.

Katherine at fiberandsustenance

Her color choices are far more bold then mine would ever be, but I love that she knits so much. It’s clearly a dearly cherished hobby for her and she does make some adorable things for her little girl.

Knitting For Olive

This company makes the most beautiful patterns. I would love to make one (or more!) of everything.

Save Your Favorite Patterns

Pintrest is my favorite place for categorizing all the patterns I find beautiful. I know I’ll only ever make a fraction of all that I pin, but it’s still nice to have a place to save all the photos and links. Here are my boards that have knitted pieces:

Ravelry is a wonderful resource for patterns. You can find both free patterns and ones for purchase. It’s great seeing how others have knitted that same piece in varying color combinations and also the patterns have a review system so you can know the pattern difficulty rating. I’ve not used Ravelry extensively, but I have a few patterns saved to my favorites .

Instagram , like Pintrest, is where I gather a lot of my inspiration for what I want to knit next. When I find a great pattern I’ll usually save it to one of my Pintrest boards. One of the things I love is how many knitters have begun hash-tagging their pieces on Instagram. When I start a new pattern, I’ll often look it up on Instagram to see how others have made it. It’s neat seeing the varieties of colors chosen, and it’s reassuring to know that you’re on the right track when you compare your #WIP work to theirs. For example, when I knitted the green bloomers, I looked up the hashtag #mossybloomers and enjoyed seeing all the color variations people had chosen. Purl Soho’s #garterearflaphat is a sweet little hat that I knit for one of my sister-in-laws. There are over a thousand hashtags of that pattern on Instagram which is great to browse through.

Etsy is the place where I have purchased a lot of the patterns I’ve used. I don’t think it’s a great place for searching for patterns though. I’ll usually find patterns through Pintrest or Instagram and then be directed to Etsy, Ravelry or another site to purchase the pattern.

Tips for Starting Out Well

(a.k.a. my rookie mistakes you can avoid!)

Yarn size does matter . Yes, you can fudge it sometimes with similar yarn sizes, but the result will not be that intended in the pattern. I’ve never gotten into gauging, but most patterns will give you the recommended yarn and weight, and also the yarn gauge. This spring I was given some lovely, chunky cotton yarn that I thought would work fine for making a pair of baby bloomers. I was nearly finished with the pattern before I admitted to myself that they were huge, and would never work. Moral of the story, set yourself up for success with the right size of yarn, and the right size of knitting needles.

When I first started knitting, just looking at the yarn and needle requirements would overwhelm me, but that’s where yarn stores shine. Why buying yarn and needles in a brick and mortar store will always be more expensive than online, the women who work in these shops are often seasoned knitters and very knowledgeable. I’ve found their help to often be invaluable.

Knitting needles . Just about every pattern I’ve used called for a different set of knitting needles. I finally broke down and bought the Lykke Complete Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needle Set and have been so pleased with it. Another great way to build your knitting needle collection is through shopping at thrift stores. When purchased second hand, you don’t always know the exact size so having this tool Susan Bates 14099 Knit-Chek for Knitting Needles is very handy.

Youtube tutorials are your friend . There are so many different stitches and techniques in the realm of knitting. It’s hard to remember all the different twists. That’s where Youtube comes in super handy. For every new stitch I don’t know, I look it up on Youtube. And wouldn’t you know, someone somewhere has made a video on it.

Yarn quality . This may just be a personal preference, but since learning about all the benefits of natural fibers, I’ll admit that I’ve become something of a fiber snob. While there is nothing inherently wrong with making things using synthetic fibers, my philosophy is if you’re going to invest that much of your time into making something so beautiful, why not start with quality fibers. The look and feel is just different.

Patterns Made

Here are the pieces I’ve made this year is preparation for our little one. We won’t find out if our baby is a boy or girl until birth, so I’ve tried to focus on some gender neutral patterns… though everything looks like it’s still best suited to a little girl. Ahh well.

a & b) Cloth Baby Shoe Tutorial from thatssewnina.blogspot.com

Fabric used: Cotton and Linen

Notes: This pattern is FREE! Very easy to follow. It was quick, and you’ll feel so pleased with the finished product.

c) Florence Newborn Bonnet by BeautifulEweDesigns on www.etsy.com

Yarn used: Fine weight, 100% Baby Alpaca

Notes: I was not very pleased with this pattern. I didn’t feel like it was well done and I ended up doing something different for the tie.

d) Lace Leggings from knittingforolive.com

Yarn used: Sport weight, 70% Alpaca, 30% Silk in “Heather”

Notes: The pattern was a little confusing in places, but overall not too bad. The lace portion was interesting, and the knitted portion dull but that’s to be expected.

e) Baby Bonnet by MyAgnesknits on www.etsy.com

Yarn used: Light / Worsted weight, 100% Merino Wool in Brick Red

Notes: I really enjoyed this one. The pattern was very straightforward and relatively simple.

f) Mossy Bloomers from www.ravelry.com

Yarn used: Worsted and Aran weight, 65% Wool / 35% Alpaca in “Moss Green”

Notes: I knitted this one in the 3-6 month size. The pattern was very straightforward and relatively simple.

g) Textured Tootsies from www.simplynotable.com

Yarn used: Fine weight, 100% Baby Alpaca

Notes: This pattern is FREE! The pattern was a bit tricky, but once I figured it out sock number two went quickly and I’m really pleased with the end result.

Bean Sprout Bloomers from knittingforolive.com

Yarn used: 3 DK and light worsted weight, 100% Baby Alpaca in “Taupe”

Notes: These are my current #WIP. I’m still getting used to the way these patterns are designed. I don’t think they are the most straightforward, but I’m getting there.

Want to Make

In the two months left of my pregnancy, I’m hoping to complete the Bean Sprout Bloomers and the Garter Ear Flap Hat . Here is the handful of patterns I would probably purchase next to make for baby (also pictured above):

Garter Ear Flap Hat FREE from www.purlsoho.com

Easy Kid’s Knit Top by SealedbyaKris on www.etsy.com

Baby Romper by LittleFrenchKnits on www.etsy.com

Clover Pants by hviedsverden.com

James Stay-On Shoe by JuliaAdamsPatterns on www.etsy.com

Blueberry Body by knittingforolive.com

Thanks for reading and happy knitting!

~ Kari

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 23:56:51 GMT

Paula Deen’s Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits are one of those recipes that I should have memorized by now. When I moved to Canada, this recipe was one of the first things I made for Adam. Now we both love them! They work great as biscuits, but also as bread - if done in a shallow enough dish.

Without further ado, here is the recipe: https://triedandtasty.com/paula-deens-fluffy-sweet-potato-biscuits-2/#wprm-recipe-container-28646

Only 7 Ingredients (that is after all the number of perfection!)

3/4 c. cooked mashed sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
1/3 - 1/2 c. whole milk as needed
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter (cut in to small bits)

Bee Sting Poultice

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 23:10:01 GMT

A simple recipe for making your own poultice using backyard herbs and wild edibles.

While working to clean up an overgrown backyard for a landscaping client, my husband Adam had a run-in with some angry bees. That evening he came home with about half a dozen stings, several of which were quite painful. I looked online for some home remedies and was excited to find several sites suggesting a poultice made from some backyard plants.

Poul·tice (pōl′tĭs) n.

"A soft moist mass of bread, meal, clay, or other adhesive substance, usually heated, spread on cloth, and applied to warm, moisten, or stimulate an aching or inflamed part of the body. Also called cataplasm."

From the Middle English, "pultes," and from the Medieval Latin, "pultēs," meaning thick paste. thefreedictionary.com

We gathered the following ingredients and made our own poultice using the various herbs suggested along with some pantry ingredients that are also known for their healing properties.

Ingredients:

Lemon Balm

Comfrey

Plantain

Honey

Baking Soda

Apple Cider Vinegar

Additionally, aloe vera gel and lavender essential oil are great to use too as stand alone treatment, or in conjunction with any of the afore mentioned ingredients.

Supplies:

Mortar and Pestle

Gauze

Elastic Bandage with Clips

Ice Cube Tray (if you would like to make a larger batch and save some for future use)

Preparation:

Gather a handful of each of the herbs/wild edibles from your garden and crush them together using your mortar and pestle. Mix in some honey, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar (approximately 1 tablespoon of each).

Place a teaspoon of the mixture onto a piece of gauze and put it on the affected area of skin, securing it with an elastic bandage.

Change poultice every half an hour until the swelling, redness and pain have subsided.

To store for future use, put the mixture into ice cube trays to freeze for later. Once frozen, you can transfer the ice cubes to a ziplock bag. While herbs are best used fresh, in a pinch it’s great to have something on hand until you can make up another batch.

Did it work?

As with any natural remedy, the effects aren't immediate. But they don’t come with any negative side effects. After leaving the poultice on for half an hour, the sharp pain had subsided. The affected area which had been an enflamed red with swelling, hot to the touch, had changed back to a normal skin tone with much of the heat gone.

Why these ingredients?

Lemon Balm - "The genus name of lemon balm is Melissa officinalis. “Melissa” originates from Greek and means “honey bee.” Lemon balm is a favorite plant of bees as it produces fragrant nectar, and it just so happens that bee keepers also use this plant, not only to provide nectar for their bees, but to calm and relax them in order to keep them from swarming and stinging… When using lemon balm on stings, the actions of the herb are mainly astringent. This helps to decrease the swelling of the sting site which in turn, decreases pain." theherbalacademy.com

Comfrey - "Comfrey is also an excellent herb for reducing pain. It’s anti-inflammatory, demulcent, and astringent attributes combine to reduce swelling, soothe, protect, and tone inured, angry tissues. Use it for musculoskeletal pain, nerve pain, bites, stings, burns, sprains, strains, and just about any other pain. It’s astringency also helps to stop bleeding." thegrownetwork.com

Plantain - "Plantain has been used as a panacea in some Native American cultures and with some very good reasons. Many of its active constituents show antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, as well as being anti-inflammatory and antitoxic. The leaves, shredded or chewed, are a traditional treatment for insect and animal bites and the antibacterial action helps prevent infection and the anti-inflammatory helps to relieve pain, burning, and itching." wellnessmama.com

Honey - "Honey has antibacterial properties and a unique pH balance that promotes oxygen and healing compounds to a wound." healthline.com

Baking Soda - "Bee venom has formic acid which is also known as methanoic acid. As the bee venom is acidic in nature and the bicarbonate of soda which is an alkali can neutralize its effect reducing the pain too." rapidhomeremedies.com

Apple Cider Vinegar - "Apple cider vinegar works in much the same way as baking soda. Applied topically, it helps neutralize the acid in the sting. ACV also relieves inflammation and reduces itching." earthclinic.com

Live a life that matters

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Live a life that matters
Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant
Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.
So what will matter?
How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.
What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter of circumstance, but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.

~Author unknown~

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Aeropress Maple Latte

The Qu ﻿ ick & Simple Way

What you will need:

Ingredients:

Instructions:

﻿ A quick tip: Because the chamber of the Aeropress is transparent you can see the number 2 from the inside. Looking through the inside of the chamber makes it much easier to aim while pouring your water and watching the water level rise.

A quick tip: You don’t want to store your Aeropress with the plunger half way inserted in the chamber. This can damage the rubber seal w hic h will then need to be replaced.

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Live a life that matters

The Qu ick & Simple Way

A quick tip: Because the chamber of the Aeropress is transparent you can see the number 2 from the inside. Looking through the inside of the chamber makes it much easier to aim while pouring your water and watching the water level rise.

DIY Wool Soakers f or Cloth Diapering