Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder!?

Oh where, oh where has the bookish woman gone? Well, let’s see there was this book called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, then the ever present home repairs that seem to keep me way too busy, and then there were the amended taxes for my mom because she hired someone from 2004 to 2006 to do them that apparently lacked basic reading skills (she now has returned to her bean counting daughter who is free). Ah, but the best of the last two weeks was hanging out with my family. My hubby, wee one and I spent some us time together over that last four days. We hung out at the zoo, went to the butterfly conservatory, checked out the botanical gardens, and visited with family and friends. What fun we had and memories we made. Check out a few of the delightful photos we took.

Hope you have been enjoying your summer and it has been filled with books that are entertaining and pleasurable. We have been trying various genres and I hope to get back to some regular book notes later next week. In the meantime, I will probably post a few more zoological photos and fun notes.


The top photo is of a plumeria. The one to the right is that of a 12-day old baby reticulating giraffe and its Momma. The bottom photo is that of a blue morpho butterfly. This is one I tried last year to get and did, but this time I was able to get a picture of it in full spread. They are a beautiful brown on the outside with this brilliant blue on the inside and are about 4 to 6 inches in size.

Journalism My Butt!

Some people are just spoilsports, especially when it comes to something that is successful. Maybe they just want their 15 minutes of fame whether it be good or bad. Those that are posting early and questionable reviews of the upcoming not yet released final Harry Potter book are really riding the coat tails of someone else’s hard work and dedication. Instead of waiting patiently like the majority of us who want to enjoy the book without being shouted the plot pivoting points they would rather spoil the anticipation for millions.

So, do you think now that the New York Times has printed their review from an unauthorized stool pigeon that other media sources will hold back? I doubt it! In my many years on the receiving end of the daily news and some years spent in broadcast studies and participation (yes, I at one time was on the radio and studied broadcasting, one of my many endeavors in high school and college) I have yet to witness many true news journalist with an once of integrity. Between the one-ups-men attitude and the let's draw the biggest audience for advertisers mentality politicians are closely followed in sliminess by those that claim to be reporters of news.

Oh, yes spoiling the book for millions is news, but how many will hold it at that? Let’s see how many broadcasters are actually going to go on and reveal the details. I will be doing my best to ignore the news and such until I obtain my copy of the book on Saturday to enjoy it for myself. Best of luck to the rest of you. And, I hope the publishers who spent big bucks for security on the book's release win a round or two in court with these spoilsports.

Kid friendly simple to follow Harry Potter page

Kidsread.com has launched a new page titled Harry Central. According to them "You are about to embark on an incredible journey as you take a peak at the world of Harry Potter!" It is simple and straightforward. It doesn't include all the gobbly-guck that other sites are entrenched with. Harry Central would be a good tool to use with a reading group or for those like my adorable husband who just can’t keep up with who’s who and what is what. He made it through the first book (sort of) and only halfway through the second. To his credit though he is not a fiction guy, but rather likes to have a clear path laid out when he approaches a book. Non-fiction books are definitely his thing.

What's your oldest book?

Have any treasures to share? So, what books do you have that you hold onto that you do not re-read or maybe have never read, but rather have them more for sentimental or monetary value? Did you inherit them or were they given to you years ago as a child and just can't seem to part with them?

In every room of our home we have books, and occassionally even the bathroom will sport one or two from time to time. However, in the living room there behind the glass front bookcase is where I house a number of really, really old books. This is were I keep the books I inherited from my grandparents. Several of the books date back to their grandparents ( I think that is two greats for me). These I keep for sentimental and historical reasons.

There is the Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte an 1847 edition from The Star Library series. Then there is the A First Book in American History by Edward Eggleston a 1899 second printing. Ah, then the little bitty picture books from the same era. Not what we see now days and makes one very thankful for Beatrix Potter. One of these is Pictures for the Little Ones whose title page states Picture Story Book from D. Lothrop &Co.1875. I believe it is what one would call children's literature of the time. It is filled with a number of short stories preceded by an illustration. My favorite book though is from my Grandfather's Aunt Lottie. It is Kathrina: Her Life and Mine, in a poem by J. G. Holland. It was a Christmas gift to her from her parents in 1868 and beautifully inscribed on the front page. Another is a sentimental gift I actually received from my husband when we were dating. It was a reminder of a visit we had made to the home of James Whitcomb Riley. My sweetie had found an 1897 edition of Riley's Neghborly Poems (yep, that is spelled correctly). No, I haven't read any of these and probably won't, but I do get them out from time to time and just flip through them and ponder how our language and text has changed so much in this last century.

Happy Independence Day

It may be overcast today with storms to come, but no matter the weather freedom is always good to celebrate.

Happy 4th to you.

Until It arrives! Harry Potter

After it arrives, we've read, seen it, and written about it do you wonder what book will next step up and create such a stir in children's literature? Do you think it is going to be a while before another book can even be looked at in the same way? It isn't often a book let alone a series can make such a ripple affect. With only a few weeks to go a number of sites are answering with their thoughts to the following meme. What would you say to the following?

1. Butterbeer or pumpkin juice?
I always imagined Butterbeer tasting like butter rum lifesavers and pumpkin juice like cold delicious pumpkin pie. I like both real well, but I’ll choose pumpkin juice.

2. What House would you most likely (or want to) be in at Hogwarts?
My first choice would be Gryffindor, but the sorting hat could pop me in Ravenclaw.

3. If you were an animagus, what animal would you turn into?
A cat with the best of both cat and dog qualities would be a plus.

4. What character do you empathize with, or resemble best?
Hermione is my first choice, but with my auburn hair and occasional don’t mess with me attitude that resembles Ginny Weasley’s bat bogey hex, I would lean toward Ginny.

5. What position do you play at Quidditch?
Use to have some athletic ability, but I’d do better on the sidelines as the announcer with the style of Luna Lovegood.

6. Which teacher is your favorite?
I would imagine in Dumbledore’s teaching days he would have been the best, but I will go with Professor McGonagall as the favorite even though we don’t see much of her in action in the classroom.

7. Any Harry Potter 7 predictions?
That something of significance with be discovered at Godric’s Hollow and RAB will be Sirius’ brother Regulus. The Weasley’s will suffer at least one loss and Dumbledore will have left behind some helpful information for Harry. Also, I am leaning heavily toward Snape playing a large role in saving Harry and that he is good, but will die in the end.

I wonder if when J.K.Rowling first set thoughts to paper, if she ever thought adults as well as children would have been as big of fans of the book? Visit others such as Big A little a and others for additional meme responses.

Picture Books - Time to Say Goodnight

We have been into lots of various bedtime books of late and one of the many favorites is the delightfully illustrated book Time to Say Goodnight by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jane Chapman (2006). I would be the first to admit that I would probably pick up anything with Jane Chapman as the illustrator. This particular picture book takes a wonderful rhyming looking at how the woodland animals are told to go to bed by their own parents with the exception of the owl who is waking up the little ones. After reading how each of the animals are tucked in for the night with reassuring words of comfort and security, the animal parents then address the reader in reminding them it is also time for them to say goodnight. My wee one gets a kick out of the parent animals “talking” to her. Of course, you need to add that little subtle message in how you read it. Makes for a great selection for toddlers through probably 2nd grade.