Favorite Books of 2022

In 2020, I read 70 books. In 2021, I read 72 books. This year I aimed for 75...and read (drumroll)...a whopping 22. That's right. Just 22 books (so far) in 2023, but as previously mentioned, life has been a little hectic, leaving very little time for anything on my "like to do" list, such as blogging, taking naps, and sipping Starbucks' skinny caramel macchiatos.

But of the books I did manage to read this year, a few stood out as favorites. You can find the complete list of everything I read on Goodreads (if we haven't connected there yet, I invite you to join me - it's my favorite social media site because it requires nothing more than reviewing books and getting recommendations from fellow bookworms...in other words, an introvert's paradise!).  

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Hank & Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman
I can't quite put my finger on why I enjoyed this as much as I did, except for the fact that it's history and it's part of the world that is dying off. Caution must be given on the language of the book (primarily quotes), but otherwise, this was an interesting history of two men who rose through the ranks in Hollywood, served their country well in WWII, and found a way to make a lasting friendship despite a difference of opinions on politics, religion, and other such heated topics. Maybe we should all take a page out of Jim and Hank's book...

Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs: the Left Bank World of Shakespeare and Co. by Jeremy Mercer

If you're interested in the world of Shakespeare and Company at Kilometer Zero in Paris, just across the river from Notre Dame...then you'd enjoy this book. An insider view of the world of George Whitman (son of Walt...not the poet) and his strange little communist/capitalist empire. In this book, the author details the life of a bookstore sojourner, poor and hungry, and the world of those who seek sanctuary at the famous Shakespeare and Company. While it's not a world that I would fit into (other than the desire to read a book every day) with the free sex and pro-Communist leanings, it was still interesting to get a small glance into the world behind the shelves and meet the transient authors and artists who temporarily (or sometimes not so temporarily) take up residence thanks to George and his open-door view.

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk W. Johnson

Think Oceans 11, The Italian Job, and Jason Bourne, only with a homeschooled American boy who wanted money to buy a nice flute so he could play classical music with a German orchestra. Truth truly is stranger than fiction. Without giving anything away, let me just say that although the long arm of the law did, eventually, catch up to him, justice was not served. In a plot twist that would fit well in Catch Me If You Can, Rist and his feathers are still free in the world, much to the chagrin of Johnson, who slowly became obsessed with this unusual heist, and the man who got away with it.

God's Samurai: Lead Pilot at Pearl Harbor by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, Katherine V. Dillon

Historically, I enjoyed the Japanese perspective of WWII, which we rarely get in the U.S. unless we actively seek it out, and not at all in school, unless it's to tell us how Japan was evil and attacked us and tortured POWs. So from a historical standpoint, I learned a lot and enjoyed a different point of view. But from a writing standpoint, I've definitely read better. It felt a little academic and stiff, like we were given the facts but there were a lot of holes. Fuchida's years-long affair with Kimi was unsatisfactorily explained, and very little seems to be known about his faithful wife. Still an interesting story, definitely worth reading if you're interested in WWII, Japan, or this Navel pilot and contemporary of Louis Zamperini (from whom we get an entirely different view of the Japanese military).

If you've read any of these, I'd love to hear your thoughts on them. Or if you had a stand-out book this year from your list, I'd love to hear about that as well. I mean, all good bookworms can use another book recommendation, right?

For 2023, the plan is to continue working through "The Stack" on my nightstand (which seems to be growing, rather than shrinking...the life of a bookworm with no time, eh?), and I've grabbed a few good deals on Kindle books this fall that I'd really like to read on my phone as I find (or make) the time. More on that whole idea of "making time" in a later post, so stay tuned! In the meantime, to my fellow bibliophiles...happy reading!  

"The Feather Thief" (A #WhatsOnMyNightstand Book Review)

I don't remember who recommended this book to me, but I feel like it was a childhood friend on Facebook, after I mentioned a book I had recently finished reading. Since I'm always up for "stranger than fiction" real-life tales, I added it to my "To Read" list on Goodreads and eventually ordered a copy (used of course) from Amazon, to add to my nightstand reading stack. It's probably been at least 2-3 years since that recommendation, but I finally got around to reading it this year, and since life happened and I didn't get my July post written, I'm hoping that an August 1st book review post will make up for the oversight. 

May I introduce to you, The Feather Thief, by Kirk Wallace Johnson. A story of the most unusual theft, by the most unlikely of characters, with a somewhat unsatisfactory outcome. But still one of my favorite books of 2022 so far. 

When Johnson first heard the story of Edwin Rist, he almost couldn't believe it to be true. It was too far out there. A twenty-something American flautist, studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London, obsessed with the rare art of salmon fly-tying and the even rarer (and more illegal) feathers to tie them, breaks into the Tring museum, a branch of the British Museum of Natural History, in the dead of night and waltzes out with a suitcase full of hundreds of bird skins. Using the local train system as his "getaway" vehicle, he made a clean escape, only to be found through his sales on eBay and a loose-lipped buyer. 

Think Oceans 11, The Italian Job, and Jason Bourne, only with a homeschooled American boy who wanted money to buy a nice flute so he could play classical music with a German orchestra. Truth truly is stranger than fiction. Without giving anything away, let me just say that although the long arm of the law did, eventually, catch up to him, justice was not served. In a plot twist that would fit well in Catch Me If You Can, Rist and his feathers are still free in the world, much to the chagrin of Johnson, who slowly became obsessed with this unusual heist, and the man who got away with it.

Available on Amazon, you can buy it new or used, or look it up at your local library. The world truly is a funny place. Happy Reading!

The Stack is Still Clearing (A What's On My Nightstand #WOMNS Post)

Hello friends and fellow bookworms! My last post on here went live on February 16th, and then it seems, just as in years past, despite starting out strong with my blogging goals, life took over. And while I continued to read through my list and follow my No Spend plans for February, I failed to blog about either topic (or anything else, for that matter). But since I had a moment this morning, I thought I'd at least give a quick update about what I've read since the last time I posted. 

As a reminder, here are the list of books that I started out with from the FRONT stack on my nightstand.

1. Boundaries with Teens - Read the Review
2. The Enchanted Hour
3. Agatha: The real life of Agatha Christie - Read the Review
4. Poirot and Me - Read Review Below 👇
5. Sugar Changed the World - Read the Review
6. To the Land of Long Lost Friends - Read the Review
7. Is God anti-gay?
8. The Girls of Atomic City - Read Review Below 👇
9. How to Raise an Elephant
10. Dear Mrs. Bird - Read Review Below 👇
11. The Feather Thief
12. SoulCare
13. Books, Baguettes & Bedbugs
14. What She Ate
15. Hank & Jim
16. Don't Overthink It
17. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (the only one I've read before, but not this version)
18. The Quotable Tozer
19. 7 Men

Over the last couple of months, in addition to reading the official books from my stack (which I'll get to in a minute), and completing Souvenir on my Kindle (you can read my review of it on Goodreads), I also read the following books to the kids: 

• Exploring According to Og the Frog - Read my Goodreads Review
• Haffertee's First Easter - Read my Goodreads Review
• Unbroken (Adapted for Young Adults) - Read my Goodreads Review
• The Hobbit (Illustrated by Michael Hague) - Read my Goodreads Review
• Elisabeth Elliot: Do the Next Thing - Read my Goodreads Review
• Where Is the Colosseum? - Read my Goodreads Review
• Operation Christmas Child: A Story of Simple Gifts - Read my Goodreads Review
• Adoniram Judson: Danger on the Streets of Gold - Read my Goodreads Review

So as you can see, I haven't been lagging on my reading for 2021, they just haven't all been part of my official stack that I'm still working through for the year. But if you're curious about the ones that I have marked off of the list, here's a brief rundown.

👍Poirot and Me by David Suchet has definitely been one of the more enjoyable books from my stack in 2021. As an avid fan of Agatha Christie since I was in junior high, with Poirot as my favorite sleuth, it should come as no surprise that I was also a fan of the British television show. 

Who better to write a book about the show and this lovable Belgian detective than the man who played him for more than two decades? David Suchet threw himself into this role, 110%, and his love for the fictional character comes through in his writing. I'm not even sure Christie herself liked Poirot as much Suchet did and does.

If you are a fan of the books or the show, this is a must read. Two thumbs up from me, and a big thanks to my sweet Hubs for his placement of this under our Christmas tree.

👎Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce. I had high expectations for this book, based on the reviews that I had read on Goodreads. However, once I dug in, I found that I had a hard time getting into the story. I wanted to like the characters, I wanted to like the plot line, but I found that it dragged a bit, and I ended up just wanting the book to be done. 

That being said, I now see that it is planned out to be a series of books, and since the story took a bit of an unexpected upturn at the end, I might be willing to give book #2 a try, if I ever run out of books from my stack to read. The likelihood of that is slim to none, but there's always a chance (especially if I stumble across a used copy of it at some point in time). 

If you have read this book and liked it, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan. Last year I had read her book about the Biltmore House (see my review), and felt that the idea was strong, but the writing could have used some work (and a good editor). Even so, when I saw that she had written a book about the women of Oak Ridge during WWII, it piqued my interest and I went about getting a copy for my stack.

The good news is that it gets a thumbs up 👍 from me. As with The Last Castle (her book on the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC), Oak Ridge is just down the road from me (the opposite direction of Asheville) and contains a fascinating, and often overlooked, part of history. 

Although I was aware that Oak Ridge played a role in the creation of the atomic bomb that eventually brought an end to WWII, I was unaware of the extent of the secrecy surrounding the work and workers during the dark days of the war. This book makes me want to road trip down there one of these days and see what remains of that history before it's completely gone.

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That's what's been going on with my stack of 2021 books. I'll do my best to report in a little more regularly going forward, but...with five kids and homeschooling and working freelance jobs and summer coming...I'm making no promises. 😄

👉 If you haven't already connected with me on Goodreads, I recommend following along there, as I do write reviews as soon as I complete whatever book I'm reading at the moment.

What have YOU been reading?

Notes from The Stack (A "What's On My Night Stand" #WOMNS Post)

This week in the update from The Stack, we feature one book from the actual stack, and one from my virtual shelves, as I work my way through Kindle downloads as well. I resisted ebooks for years, and even after purchasing an actual Kindle several years ago, I never used it for reading books, just for watching BritBox through Amazon Prime. But when the kids came along, I suddenly found myself sitting in car lines, medical offices, and on soccer sidelines, with plenty of time on my hands and no book at the ready. And that's when the Kindle app on my phone became my go to option for all those minutes of unanticipated reading time. 

Photo by Mel Poole on Unsplash

These days, I still rely on the phone app for reading ebooks, and my Kindle is still primarily used for music and shows, but I've come to recognize there are benefits to the ebook, specifically price, especially when it's a book I'm not sure I'll want to ever read again, and Amazon loves to throw "$2 digital credits" my way when I opt for a slower shipping time on regular purchases. Many of the books I've got waiting in my Kindle lineup I got for free or pennies on the dollar, which is definitely a price I can get behind! The one downside I've found is that I cannot loan books when I find one I like, and before you tell me that you can, yes, I know. Technically there is a way to do it, but Amazon has definitely NOT made it user friendly! And it will never be the same as pulling a paperback off my shelf and handing it to a friend or family member, after telling them all about how I loved it and they would too. 

Whatever your preference, paperback or ebook, I've got you covered with both today! And my recent Kindle read happens to currently (as of the time of this writing, the first week of February 2021) be available for FREE with Amazon Prime (although it's only getting two stars from me, so do with that what you will). 

Book number one today, the aforementioned freebie on Kindle, is The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking (who, you may recall, also wrote The Little Book of Hygge). Now, considering my take on his first book (read the review if you don't remember), you might be surprised to see him in my Stack again, ebook or not. The key to this one is the FREE aspect, mentioned above. If it's free, I'll occasionally give it a shot, which is what happened in this case. 

Reviewed in a sentence: it's a profanity-laced love letter to Denmark and socialism. 

A slightly longer review of it would include the following positives: I appreciated his take on looking for ways to show kindness to strangers (something that I can get behind as a Christian), and I've even been pondering the idea of planting a neighborhood garden in our side yard this spring, as a way to develop and build community. I also loved that little ol' Knoxville, Tennessee (up in my neck of the woods, as we'd say around here) hit the top of the list in U.S. cities where citizens would go out of their way to help someone they didn't know. But outside of that, I couldn't get over his use of profanity and his deeply held views that socialism is the key to Utopia. Two stars...but if you want to read it and decide for yourself...it's free right now if you have Amazon Prime, so that's right up there in the Utopian world for bookworms. 

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Now the second book of the week came directly off The Stack from my nightstand, and was just one of those "easy read" books that I was looking forward to diving into, and it didn't disappoint. To the Land of Long Lost Friends took me right back to the sunny skies of Botswana, and recalled memories of places I haven't thought of since we lived there (briefly), some 16 years ago. You can't go wrong (most of the time) with the adventures of the Number 1 ladies and their assistant detective in training, Charlie. Poor Charlie, who is always so picked on and never seems to catch a break...got the happy ending in this book, and I couldn't have been happier about that. 

Photo by C.G. Koens, Botswana, Africa

And that's what I've been reading since last week, in addition to continuing to work through Dear Mrs. Bird (which I'm a bit stuck on, as I don't like the direction it's heading), Poirot and Me (currently $3.99 on Kindle, if you're interested in giving it a try), and I just started The Girls of Atomic City, which has been fascinating so far, and I look forward to digging into that more in the coming weeks. On my Kindle, I'm taking a break from Wiking (though I still have one book from him left on my virtual shelf) and diving into Souvenir, which has been on my wish list for a while as a paperback, but I finally purchased the ebook version for free, thanks to all those lovely Amazon credits I mentioned earlier. And so on we go...traveling the world through books. No mask required. 

What's on YOUR nightstand?

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And what would YOU add to my "must read" list?  

Updates from "The Stack" (What's On My Nightstand - #WOMNS)

Another week, another two books down from The Stack! My nightstand is clearing off faster than I expected (of course, having two hours, two days a week, to read in the car is pretty helpful for that - thanks to a new taekwondo schedule for the four kids). But never fear, I've still got some big books to come, and my nightstand happens to be a 4' cabinet, a space that holds more books than I can read in a year...or two, so there will be no shortage of books for the reading goals of 2021! 

The books this week were all about surprises. Neither was what I was expecting, and both were a result of me not reading the description closely enough (or the reviews, as it turns out in the case of the first book). However, I still learned things from both, and will be passing them along to others in my life who are interested in giving them a try. Speaking of giving away...stay tuned, because even though I'm not doing it this week, in future reviews, if I think a book will be a one-time read for me, I'll be offering my copy to one lucky reader who leaves a comment, so keep your eyes open for those giveaways going forward! 

Book #1 this week is Sugar Change the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos. This past summer, our oldest was taking an online high school English class and the teacher was talking about this book. Since I'd never heard of it, I looked it up on Amazon and ended up buying a copy, because it sounded interesting. When the book arrived, I was surprised by the "coffee table" look of it, and thought perhaps I'd ordered the wrong thing. But, as it turns out, I did not...I just didn't catch that it was written for teachers, to be used as part of a classroom curriculum. 

Building off of the experience and history of each of the authors families, Aronson and Budhos follow the trail of sweetness from England through the Americans, from France to Haiti, touching on the enslavement of plantation workers, brought from Africa, to the indentured field hands that were tricked into coming from India. The one thing I can say about this that I appreciated, was the broad overview of slavery around the world. So often, especially in the United States, it seems that we get stuck with being the only country with a history of slavery, but as this book demonstrates, from Brazil to the Caribbean islands, the sad history of slavery is widespread, with greed always being at the core, and not limited to the American south.

The authors did a fair job of following the historical trail of a much sought after sweet, in the form of honey and then sugar cane, and came full circle as the invention of beet sugar began to quell the need for sugar cane and thus, the employment and use of indentured servants and slaves. If you're a teacher, they even have an entire section after the conclusion of the book, on how you can tie this into your lessons, promoting student participation. For that reason, this isn't really a book that I would say, "Oh yes, it's a must read!" I did learn some interesting facts about sugar (although I don't know that I ever needed to know that much about it), and also broadened my view of the world of slavery, outside of the United States, but it's a library read at best. I'm personally giving my copy to a teacher, because that's really who was in the minds of the authors when they wrote it. 

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The second book from my stack this week was yet another surprise. I'd included Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie on my Christmas wish list, after seeing it pop up on someone's Goodreads suggested reading list. My sweet hubs dutifully purchased and wrapped it, and I was stoked when I found it under the tree. Except then I opened it, and got a shock (which was totally my fault), because somehow I failed to see in the description that it was an illustrated, graphic biography. In other words, it was basically the comic book telling of her life. Let's just say that was not what I was expecting. At. All.

Nevertheless, I finally dove into it this last week and read it in an evening. While I am not a fan of the comic book format, I did chuckle over the inclusion of Christie's sleuths, who would, from time to time, pop into the story and torment their creator. I couldn't help but laugh when Christie, thinking about her famous (and apparently annoying) creation, Hercule Poirot, quipped, "If Hercule had his way, all scones would be square." The queen of mystery had a somewhat sad life, in reality, with her father passing away when she was just 11 years old, her first husband (he of the famous Christie name) leaving her for another woman, the death of a series of family members, and even the philandering eyes of husband #2. However, through it all, she seemed to find enjoyment in her writing, her travels, and her time spent on archaeological digs. 

If you enjoy Christie's work as a mystery author, you might also enjoy this colorful telling of her life's story. However, although I haven't read them (yet), I think I will prefer her own autobiographical works, Come, Tell Me How You Live: An Archaeological Memoir, and An Autobiography. Those aren't currently on the top of my stack, though, so you'll have to wait on those reviews.

What about you? 

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What's the best find out of YOUR stack this week?

It's Up to Us

I shared this on my personal Facebook account yesterday, but thought it was just as applicable to share here, today, as a reminder to us all that we can make a positive impact in our own part of the world, no matter what the politicians do or don't do, or how history books look back on this day in the future.

I think today's going to be historic, for a number of reasons, not all good. I don't talk politics on Facebook, but if I told you who I voted for, I bet I would lose half of my Facebook connections. And yet, here's the irony...the same half that I would lose often comment on my posts, bring joy to my day with their family photos, and have interacted with me in person at some point of my life and we've all gotten along...somehow. 

Friends...it's not about who you voted for on your (private) ballot...it's about how you live your life and treat your neighbor, co-worker, the young teen bagging your groceries, the purple-haired guy/gal handing you your coffee, the little old lady in front of you who's writing a check when you're in a hurry...or the people you know online. I don't care if you voted for the other guy (whichever "other" guy that was, because my vote is still private, last time I checked), I care how you treat others...how you treat me. If who a person voted for makes a difference in how we view them, then the problem really isn't in the vote, is it? 

A couple of months ago I was having a conversation with a gal I've known for a number of years, and she said that God had been changing her to see that only two things mattered in life: Love God, Love People. That really stuck with me, because it's basically Mark 12:28-31, simplified. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. The greatest commandments. 

I am thankful that even though I've failed at both of those things in the past, 2021 is a new year, and God has given me another opportunity to put both of these into practice. It's going to be a challenge, no doubt, because I don't see 2021 getting any easier, but if I can make a difference in my little corner of the world...then I think it will be worthwhile. 

Forgive the picture...it's harder than I thought to make a heart with your hands...it looked good from my side (hmmm...funny, just like our opinions).

What's On My Nightstand (Recommended Beach Reading)

Let's just make this quite clear: I love Goodreads giveaways. I'm always signing up for them and rarely win, but when I do... well, make room for the Bookworm Happy Dance!! Back in April I won a copy of The Lost Vintage: A Novel by Ann Mah (author of Mastering the Art of French Eating - which I loved), and the {Happy Dance} that went down was intense.

This was a book that I really wanted to read when I first heard about it in her monthly e-newsletter (see, I'm actually a fan because I never sign up for newsletters!). Although I tend to prefer non-fiction to novels, I was willing to overlook that fact because I enjoyed Ann's other autobiographical works, and because it was set in France (which, you may or may not have noticed, but I have a "thing" for). I'm happy to report that The Lost Vintage did not disappoint.

The book takes place in two historical points of time - WWII and present day, and covers the lives of two characters - Hélène and Kate, who become forever entwined through the story of Hélène's life that Kate slowly uncovers while cleaning out the basement of a family farmhouse in the French countryside. 

Kate has a complicated history with her family and France, which includes a vineyard farmer-turned-ex-fiance, and an uncle that everyone is a little afraid of. Just after college, Kate and her friend, Heather, find themselves with a summer to kill in France and hearts that are ready for romance. While Heather ends up marrying Kate's French cousin, Nico, and raising a family in France, Kate gets cold feet about marrying Jean-Luc and returns to the United States to pursue a career as a wine expert. 

When she finally returns to France several years later, her world is rocked by the revelation of a deep family secret that dates back to the darkest days of WWII France, and involves a hidden wine cellar, a Nazi collaboration, and a betrayal that is still affecting the family some 70+ years later. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say, despite it's status as "fiction", I was compelled to do some light research about the shaming of women in post-war France and was appalled by what I found. This fictional story and character are based on actual events, and were told in such a realistic way that I kept needing to remind myself that this particular story was made up. Mah did an excellent job of painting an accurate picture of the time, and portraying the lives and lies of Hélène and her step-mother. 

Beyond the historical segments of the story, the present-day issues of family feuds, unrequited love, and the almost-impossible Master of Wine examination are entertaining and fuel the remainder of the book. I could have done without the love scenes (though, for a fictional, secular book, I suppose they were tastefully done, without a lot of graphic detail), but I wanted to mention that as a side note for those who may not be interested in a book with premarital relations. 

There were times when I had to put this book down and read something else, but I think that's a tribute to the author as her story drew me in so much that it became too intense to see what else Hélène had to endure. I needed a break from the historical segments, in order to process what was going on. I believe this is due to the fact that Mah did her research on Nazi collaboration during the occupation of France, and the aftermath, and masterfully wove that truth into her fictional characters. 

***SPOILER*** Happy endings abound and Hélène's story isn't as sad as one might suppose. Which I like. It's fiction, I don't want to be bummed at the last page.

The Lost Vintage: A Novel was released to the world this week, and if you enjoy historical fiction, are a secret Francophile, or enjoy a nice glass of vino, then I would say you would find this book to be a highly enjoyable beach read. I'd give it 4 stars out of 5... as long as those previously mentioned topics are of interest to you.

Special thanks to Goodreads and William Marrow Publishers for my Advanced Reader's Edition!

#FreshPerspective

I will...

Never forget where I was on September 11, 2001

Never forget watching the towers fall

Never forget the loss of life in NYC, DC, and PA

Never forget the bravery of firefighters, police, and ordinary citizens

I will...

Always support our military and their families

Always be thankful that I was born in America

Always remember that others love their countries too

Always defend political freedom

I will...

Remember that this world is not my home

Remember to pray for those who spitefully use us

Remember that I have been changed by Love

Remember that I have Hope to share

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy,

the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."

{C.S. Lewis}

#WeRemember911

Vote

This is a slightly lighthearted take on the seriousness of the day. I keep seeing female friends on Facebook encouraging women to vote, and every time I see a post, it reminds me of this scene in one of my all-time favorite films: Mary Poppins.

On a serious note: Our country is teetering on the brink of change - for better or for worse. In my humble opinion, today's election is one of the most import in the history of our country. If you read Busy Nothings on a regular basis, I'm sure you can guess which way I (very un-apologetically) lean politically, but the real point is, if you haven't already voted and you choose to stay home today - you are allowing your future to be decided for you. You are, in essence, saying to those who have given their lives in the defense of freedom over the course of our history, you wasted your time. I, for one, will not take their sacrifice lightly.

I stay away from politics 99% of the time on the blog and, more recently, on Facebook. Today, I cannot be silent.

Women haven't always had the right to vote.

We do now.

Speak up!

Eleven

I will never forget where I was or what I was doing when I heard the news. 

What about you?

We Remember

September 11, 2001

And the Rockets' Red Glare...

 The bombs bursting in air...

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there...

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,

 

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

Happy Independence Day!

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Long may we enjoy the rights and freedoms that have 

been fought for and protected over the years, 

and may we never take them for granted!

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Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July!

Sweet Land of Liberty...

“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

As you know, we just enjoyed a long weekend. In theory, we owe these days to the memory of the men and women of our military who chose country over self and gave their lives for the defense of our freedoms. In theory? That's right, because the original day - Decoration Day - was created to remember the Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, but eventually encompassed those who gave their lives in all wars, and was officially recognized as "Memorial Day" in 1967.

So, realistically we should thank the Washington bureaucrats who, in 1971, moved the holiday to the last Monday of May, making it a federally mandated three-day weekend. Party time. I'm not quite sure that those who gave their lives to defend our freedoms had that in mind when they headed into battle, but I digress.

I actually have a hard time finding the words to describe my feelings for those who have given their lives to defend and protect my freedoms, but I think of them each and every time I step up to the voting booth. To those who don't think voting changes things, to the people who view voting in the preliminaries as a "waste of time", I say this: Each time you decide it's not worth the effort to take part in our country's democratic processes - to play a role in the government that is supposed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people - you are causing those who have given their lives to defend our freedoms to die in vain. 

As you know, it's an election year. If you've been reading the blog for any amount of time, you know that I typically shy away from politically slanted posts because I find it to be a heated topic. However, the point of this is not to push one party or candidate over the other, it's to remind you that our military heroes didn't die so that we could have a three day week-end and celebrate the beginning of vacation season, they died because they believed in the cause of freedom, and to defend the idea that democracy can work. Let's not let them down, okay?

My oldest brother - taken the year that our dad was serving in Vietnam

The Peanut Man

When I was a child, I remember my mother reading me the story of an amazing inventor by the name of George Washington Carver. If you don't know who I'm talking about, then you have been missing out on one of the great men of U.S. history.

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Carver was born towards the end of the Civil War to Mary and Giles, slaves of a German-American couple, Moses and Susan Carver. One week after his mother, Mary, gave birth to him, George, an older sister, and Mary were kidnapped by night raiders and sold in Kentucky. Moses Carver searched high and low for them, but was only able to locate and retrieve young George. After the abolition of slavery, Moses and Susan took George and his brother and raised them as their own. Susan taught George how to read and write and both Susan and Moses encouraged George to continue his education.

“[...] when you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world”
{George Washington Carver}

Despite the fact that he was turned away a several schools because of his skin color, George persevered and graduated from Minneapolis (Kansas) High School, eventually going on to study art and music at Simpson College, before a teacher recognized George's talent for botany and encouraged him to attend Iowa State Agricultural College. He was the first black student to attend ISAC (graduating with a B.S.) before becoming the first black faculty member as ISAC while working on his Masters in plant pathology and mycology. 

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”
{George Washington Carver}

In 1896, Booker T. Washington hired Carver to head the Agricultural Department at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where he went on to instruct for the next forty-seven years. It was during his time at T.I. that he worked upon the idea of crop rotation, instructing farmers to rotate the years of cotton growth with years of sweet potatoes, soy beans, and the now famous, legumes (peanuts).

Although his work in agriculture did much to improve the financial outlook of poor southern farmers, it is some of his quotes that impress me the most. You've already seen a couple of my favorites, but how about this one for a reminder of why we should be tender, compassionate, sympathetic, and tolerant: “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.”

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Remember all of those "I am the 99%" protesters that were in the news last year? I wonder what they would think of this Carver quote, “Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” Before pointing a finger at others, I'm pointing first to myself. I know all too well the habit that I have of making excuses as to why I haven't fully pursued my dreams and ambitions. Too busy, not enough on my resume, no name recognition, I had laundry to do...you get the idea. Instead of making excuses, I am challenged to make changes.

If you're interested in reading more about this amazing man, I would recommend a book that I wore out in childhood: A Pocketful of Goobers: A Story about George Washington Carver by Barbara Mitchell. I'm sure that there are lots of other great biographies about Carver, but this gives a simple overview of his life and work (and is part of an excellent series called, Creative Minds Biography), especially good if you are looking for a kid-friendly book.

Is there some historical figure that has encouraged YOU to growth?

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

Today is the day that we celebrate the birth of our first President, George Washington. As a child, I remember when President Lincoln (Feb. 12) and President Washington had their own special days of recognition, without being rolled into one day (Presidents' Day). Being the non-conformist that I am, I chose to ignore Presidents' Day and remember Feb. 12 and Feb. 22 as important days on the calendar.

Since February 12th fell on a Sunday this year (and I don't post on week-ends), I missed President Lincoln's birthday, so we're going to focus on him first. Did you know that I have something in common with ol' Honest Abe? We were both recipients of an education at home. I also have something else in common with our 16th president - we were both blessed to be raised by Godly mothers. I love the quote that is attributed to Abraham Lincoln,  in which he says:

“No man is poor who has a Godly mother.”

Amen to that, Mr. President.

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In all honesty, I can't imagine being the President of the United States at any time, but I especially can't imagine the responsibility that George Washington must have felt as he waded into the uncharted waters of leading a new country. He showed much wisdom as he looked towards the future of the country and foresaw the challenges that we could face as a nation, including the growth of government and the lack of education about how the government should work. President Washington understood that men were fallible, easily overcome by power and the greed that can overtake a man who is given authority over others. About government, he said:

"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence – it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and fearful master."

He also offered up a suggestion: train the next generation so that they may understand the principles on which this great country was founded; that they might protect the rights and freedoms that earlier generations enjoyed.

"A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?"

It's not too late to start listening to him.

 

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Happy Birthday, to two of the great leaders of this country.

We Remember...

9/11/01

10:05 AM

I was just beginning one of my online college classes when Peter called and told me to turn on the TV.

I was glued to it for the next week and my online classes were put on hold by the professors.

Where were you when you heard about...

The Twin Towers - NYC

We remember the men and women on the airplanes and in the buildings

The Pentagon - Washington, DC

We remember the firefighters and police who rushed into burning buildings to help - and never came out alive

A field - Shanksville, PA

We remember the heroes who helped save lives by sacrificing their own

9. 11. 2001

We will not forget.

One Small Step...

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Forty-two years ago today, Neil Armstrong climbed down a ladder and stepped into the history books as the first man to ever walk on the moon.

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His famous first words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" probably roll off the tongue quite easily for most people - history buffs or not.

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But how about the words from the third man to step foot onto the moon? Do you even know his name? Probably not. But I think you should because his first words make me laugh. And considering the number of men who have walked on the moon is a pretty exclusive club, it's rather sad how little we, as Americans, know about them.  

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Not to pull a Brian Regan here, but they walked.on.the.moon. I think that's kind of a big deal.

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But don't feel too bad - I've only recently become a {slight} space nut when I (re)watched Tom Hanks mini-series From the Earth to the Moon with my sister (who happens to be old enough to remember watching Armstrong and Aldrin step off of Apollo 11 onto the surface of the moon). That's when I learned about Pete Conrad's first words, "Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that's a long one for me."

The crew of Apollo 12: Pete Conrad, Richard Gordon, and Alan Bean

So to celebrate man landing on the moon, I would highly encourage you to get your hands on a copy of From the Earth to the Moon (which happens to be $15.49 right now at Amazon), or pop in Apollo 13 (warning if you're watching with kids: there is language in both the miniseries and the movie) and take some time to learn more about the history of space exploration. I think you'll be surprised by how much you enjoy it.

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Remember, it only took one small step to change the course of history, so on a personal level, perhaps it's time to look around you and see what small steps you (and I) could be taking to change the course of our lives and to write our own history. Food for thought...

Happy Birthday America!

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

* * * Preamble to the U.S. Constitution * * *

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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

* * * Declaration of Independence * * *

Happy Independence Day!

Product Review, Art, and a Hint of Local History

Last week I talked about how I missed traveling and living in other areas, but despite my rant, there are a few things that I really like about our little town. We were once known as the "City of Power" because of our access to hydroelectric power in the early-1900's, and we even had a sign (now long gone) to prove it...

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In the late 20's, our town drew the attention of German and Dutch investors who came to the area and built two large plants for the manufacturing of rayon - the North American Rayon Corporation (closed in the 90's), and the J.P. Bemberg Company. At the height of their manufacturing in 1949, NARC and Bemberg employed over 6,100 people and we still see the influence of their time here all over town - including the very house where I sit typing this post. Our home was one of the last worker houses built in 1940, a new development of cookie cutter homes that were added just prior to WWII. During the war, both NARC and Bemberg were nationalized (due in part to the German ownership), but were turned over to private investors again in 1949.

  

After Bemberg closed in the mid-70's, the buildings slowly fell into disrepair and a fire took out much of the NARC facilities in the 90's - the remainder of which was removed a few years ago to make room for a new Super Wal-Mart and Lowe's because life goes on. However, several of the old Bemberg buildings have survived, including the original smoke stack baring the company name in white bricks. While I was participating with You Capture last year, I took several photos of the stack for an "assignment" and I really liked the way they turned out.

A few months ago, I heard about a website (Canvas People) offering a free 8 x 10 photo canvas (you pay for shipping) to try them out. I looked at it, but decided to hold off until last month when I was planning the decor of the Project House. Thinking it would be a good opportunity to turn some of the pictures I've taken into "hang-able art" for the PH (and since you never know when they will take a wrecking ball to the smoke stack), I decided it would be a nice ode to the town to hang a picture of a local landmark. I chose a photo out of my collection and then opted to size up to an 11 x 14 for a $6.95 more. When the canvas arrived, I was so pleased with the outcome that I actually hung it on the brick wall in our library.

Right now, Canvas People is running another free-trial special (they have them all the time) - a free 8 x 10 (plus shipping) or $50 off any other size canvas. I'm seriously considering having another print made, but I would go slightly bigger than the 11 x 14 next time. However, if you're looking for a fun family gift for in-laws or grandparents, now would be the time to take advantage of the free 8 x 10. And for the record, I am in no way affiliated with Canvas People, nor have they asked me to write a glowing review of their product - I'm actually that pleased with my purchase!