Where oh where is spring?

Well, it was a lovely day and we took great advantage of it by planting over 150 spring bulbs today. (For some reason the pervious owner of this house didn't have spring flowers.) About half of those were daffodils and the other half various shades of pink tulips. We still need to add some more dirt and mulch this week, but the weather won't effect the bulbs until another week or so. Last year I waited a bit too long and only planted a few, but this year I thought we should up the spring time bounty.

Unfortunately, we didn't have much time this afternoon as we went running around trying to find a replacement for our garage window. Not an easy task we found and now we are going to have to settle for something that really doesn't match nor does it function the same as we don't have time for a special order. But, hey the builder of this home and its previous occupants have given us numerous challenges and this too shall be overcome. At least we have started the heating season off with no gas leaks so far. It seems that was becoming too much of a common aliment for this house. Although this is generally the time most of us read harvest season type books to the younger crowd, don't forget to throw a book or two in about preparing for the next growing season. Watch it Grow by Ivan Bulloch 2000 is one to consider. It is very general and more geared to actual spring planting, but worth a look for an overall view of gardening.

What is that sound you hear?

It's me sounding like a Sicilian miniature donkey braying. Well, I’m thinking I need to write a children’s book about the constant ever-present never-ending driving-you-crazy home repairs. I believe I was going to post book notes this week, but turns out of the 20+ books we checked out of the library most were not even worth listing the titles. Of course, with the thousands of children’s books published each year there are bound to be a few duds, but it seems we picked a good percentage of them this past week. Good thing we are going back tomorrow.

Anyway, two weeks ago we fixed yet another of many and I mean many gas leaks in this house and this time it was in that nice new ultra expensive high efficiency gas furnace. Gee, I wonder if you really save on any gas usage when it keeps leaking out? Well, as I sit here wondering about how we managed to buy a house that provides me a full-time maintenance job where I get to pay someone else on a regular basis to fix it, the roof repair people are here. Let’s see we had hail damage last year and it took over six months to get the new roof up and now it leaks. Hum, is that noise you hear a banging head against the desk sound?

And, let’s not forget the endless paperwork that I have been administrating for my father’s affairs, which hopefully I signed off on the final document today to close the estate. You would have thought my father had a complicated and wealthy life, but in reality he was living a retired and fixed income lifestyle with only a thousand square foot house, older model car, and small bank account. The state I live in is still one of the few that requires umpteen taxes and court papers for even the simplest of estates. Thank you state government for adding to the grieving process.

Good thing I get to read children’s book each day as being with my wee one and her books makes life seem simple and wonderful. So, I am now off at the request of the wee one to come and color with her. No problem there. The laundry and rest of the world can wait.

Public Service Announcement

I don’t know about you guys, but these virus-spreading geeks with nothing else to do really are getting on my nerves. Instead of maybe using their technical knowledge say for doing good they like to wreck havoc with the rest of us. Recently, I found I was infected with some window snatching device that tries and at times takes over your computer. If not, it at least minimizes the efficiency. Fortunately, I am not a hosting device and you can’t “catch” it from me. Apparently, it came from some email or upgrade that I received. Hopefully, you all will not fall prey to it.

There is quite a bit of information on it out there, but I really do question some of the “authority” sources and the methods or lack of to eliminate it. Not sure how it affects the system if I type the name of it so here is how I discovered it. When looking at the history of typed in sites on the address bar I noticed a two-word phrase without a typical full URL attached to it. One word was “about”. The second word was “blank”.

One of many really great things about books is the ability to read one without catching a virus. Well, unless you are a school or even public librarian. Some of those books come back with some nasty germs attached. Or maybe it was just when the kids handed them to me directly, but I swear I got sick from some of those books back in my elementary school library days.

Anyway, I will be back to semi-regular book notes later. One book note is how excited we are in this house about the latest Jane Yolen and Mark Teague book in their dinosaur series. The next picture book to come out is this fall titled How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? Great books for toddlers on up and the board books are really good for babies and up.

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.

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.

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.

Seek and Find

Don’t you just love seek and find books. These were some of the favorites amongst the elementary school kids especially grades 3 and 4 at my former school. If you have fond memories of these books or the seek and finds like those in the magazine Highlights, take a look at the following. Can you find the mommy and baby robin? Have fun. (Oh, I took this in my backyard this weekend. We have two trees with robins' nests. This is the only nest that was successful. Also, I’m several feet away and stretching my short legs as far as they go to get it.)

Social Commentary - Code for Opinion

I’m sure many of you are aware, if not affected by, the constant battle of late in the news about “working moms” versus “stay at home moms”. First, let me say everyone needs to do their own thing that is best for them and their family. But, it is funny how so many women seem to be up in arms over this issue and seem to think everyone should be like this or that.

Back when I was a wee one my mother was a single working mom. In those days there were no daycares, but just neighborhood moms that watched my sister and I. From kindergarten through probably at least 6th grade my sister and I were the only ones in school that had a working mom. And, we lived in a fairly large metropolitan area. Even when my mom remarried she still worked as my dad didn’t have medical benefits and to help make ends meet. It wasn’t easy, but I think my sister and I turned out pretty good. When I graduated from college years later it seemed women and working outside the home had totally flip flopped. It became more of a trend for women to work and the majority of families became two outside income homes.

So, for me I spent 20 years in the “work” force before I became a stay at home mom. I spent my years climbing the corporate ladder, bought my own home, paid off school debts, started an IRA, traveled the world, obtained my masters, and lived a relatively social life along with the companionship of a great dog and cat. I never really entered the “working mom” versus “stay at home mom” debate, as it didn’t really affect me. Plus, I am a firm believer that one should not try to push their lifestyle ideas upon others.

However, recently this debate came up in several instances and it really caught me off guard. I met my husband as some would say late in life followed by having a wee one later in life when most of my friends’ kids are either entering high school or graduating. It seems that when I got married then became a stay at home mom, people that I have known for years all of sudden have forgotten my previous life of working overtime, traveling non-stop for work, and having successfully lived on my own without being in debt.

One instance came up this past week when a former classmate contacted me. During this call it was mentioned a number of times how fortunate I am to be able to stay at home and have all the things that my husband and I have. Then it was mentioned how spoiled I must be especially with all the things my husband does for me. At first I thought yeah I am pretty spoiled, but then I realized the comments were genuine and not the jesting kind. I didn’t say anything, but when I got off the phone I thought hey what a minute. Both my husband and I worked hard for the lifestyle that we have and I have contributed equally to it. Now, I personally think single working moms have the hardest lifestyle and responsibilities bar none. However, I still believe that stay at home moms work hard and have enormous responsibilities as well, we just do not get a cashable paycheck for it. So, where am I going with this? Since I know for sure this classmate doesn’t read this blog, I am using it to vent rather then waste my time confronting someone who has closed minded views. The one good thing that came out of the call was a reminder to myself that everyone is different and one should not try to put their way of thinking or lifestyle on another because very few shoes fit the same feet.

So, no matter if you are a “working mom” or “stay at home mom” being a mom is a blessing and we all know it is a difficult and challenging task, but so worth it. To those that have overbearing and demeaning views on either side of the fence, get off your soap box and worry more about what you are doing in your life then everyone else’s. And, to those that think women are wasting their higher education to stay at home, I say what is wrong with having a little extra knowledge when raising your own kids? I am so thankful to the many children’s authors that create books that fit the many lifestyles that kids live in.

Picture Books - Dr. Duck

Is there a doctor in the house? A reading doctor perhaps? Well, if there is I’m wondering is it normal for a wee one of just 25 months to want so many books read before nap and bedtime? Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact she wants to hear and look at so many books, but it is hard to cut it off. However, I have been successful in reducing the books to four at naptime and six at bedtime. Of course, this doesn’t include the numerous ones throughout the day. Occasionally, I have even suggested she watch a show, yes, I said show on television even to take a break from reading. (PBS here in town have some really good shows that are great for wee ones.)

One of her many favorite books lately is that of Dr. Duck by H. M. Ehrlich and illustrated by Laura Rader 2000 - This is a must read every night for the wee one. We meet Dr. Duck as he starts his morning neighborhood rounds in his big red van. Through Dr. Duck we meet all kinds of animals and what is ailing them. As Dr. Duck wraps up his day, it is soon him that falls ill. The animals rally round and help nurse Dr. Duck to health again. Unfortunately, our wee one gets upset when one of the animal cries out, “don’t die Dr. Duck”. I have learned to skip that sentence and it doesn’t interfere at all with the rhythmic text.

Blood and Taxes?!

I can’t believe how long it has been since we went to visit our library. The weather for the last three weeks accounted for a good portion of it, but now we are dealing with taxes. Long before I reacquainted myself with children’s books and followed my dream of being a librarian there were the many years of bean counting. Some of that was making sure others counted correctly and some of it was counting the beans myself. Now, with the tax season upon us I have set up my tax sign again. With that comes extended family taxes, but no one else’s. I am strictly a part, part-time tax girl.

Unfortunately, taxes can be complicated when there is a death, inheritance, social security caps, or prior bad accountants creating the need for amended returns. And, yes several in the family ventured into all these areas this past year. So, between cleaning up blood spewing from the wee one's mouth (teeth through the bottom lip from a fall) this past weekend and being knee deep in taxes my brain has been deprived of new reading delights. Luckily we have a vast quantity of books to keep us re-reading here, but it is nice to interject some new pages of imagination from time to time especially with these past weeks and weekends of bitter cold, snow, and ice that have kept us in doors for most of the time. We were fortunate not to have any lost electricity, but still dealing with plumbing issues to add some spice to the mix. Here’s hoping you can get out and enjoy your library and all it has to offer.