Book Blitz

On Friday, I went to the Walden Books going-out-of-business sale (Thanks, Janice!). I didn't go expecting to find much, but $50 and 20 big, beautiful hardback books later, I was feeling deliriously happy. I can't decide whether I'm more thrilled with the oversized coffee table books, the special edition read-aloud children's books, or the classics I picked up.

I grabbed book after book until I thought my arms would break and then asked permission to deposit them behind the sales counter so I could keep on looking. As I was carrying my third armload up to the counter, I realized that I had not thought out the logistics of getting all of my new loves, I mean books, out to my car. Thankfully, the sales associate was very helpful and offered to put them on a book cart and wheel them out to the mall loading dock for me.

Now my only obstacle was figuring out how to breeze through my front door loaded down with 20 new books without my husband having a conniption. An "Illustrated History of Guitars" book given as a peace offering seemed to do the trick.





Here is an itemized list of my purchases (try not to be too jealous):

* An Illustrated Directory of Guitars

* Best Ever Recipes for your Slow Cooker

* 500 Soup Recipes

* America's National Parks

* Portraits of North American Indian Life

* Old Yeller

* The Snowy Day

* The Iliad

* Stuart Little

* Little House on the Prairie

* Wee Sing Classic Rhymes and Lullabies

* A Passage to India

* Craft Fun Colossal Book and Kit

* The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes

* Animal Origami Adventure

* The Three Musketeers

* The World of Dick and Jane

* Magnetics on the Move

* Peter Pan

* The Practical Encyclopedia of Orchids


Can you see why I'm so delighted? One small example--I never in my right mind would pay forty dollars for a book about growing orchids, but I'm so glad to own it!

My Sissies.

I just had to post these pictures of my sissies taken by Annie's photographer pal, Kristy Cephalo. Aren't these girls adorable? I miss them sooo much!


Sissies.




Clara Bethy--zee baby of our family.



Annabelle

My very favoritist poem in the whole wide world, ever.

I love reading poetry. The right poem can make my pulse race, my teeth hurt, and fill my stomach with hard little fists of joy. "Sonnet" by Elizabeth Bishop is the quintessential "right poem".

To really appreciate this poem, you MUST read it out loud, in your MOST expressive voice (promise me you'll do it!):



"SONNET"
by Elizabeth Bishop

I am in need of music that would flow
Over my fretful, feeling finger-tips,
Over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips,
With melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow.
Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low,
Of some song sung to rest the tired dead,
A song to fall like water on my head,
And over quivering limbs, dream flushed to glow!

There is a magic made by melody:
A spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool
Heart, that sinks through fading colors deep
To the subaqueous stillness of the sea,
And floats forever in a moon-green pool,
Held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep.