Red, White, Blue, and Yellow

Wow - where did the last four days go? Hope your July 4th holiday was fun and festive. Here's a peek at ours. First, a true summer combination of Red, White, and Blue:

A visit to the Saturday morning FM (where I was feeling quite superior because I usually don't get out and about before 8am on Saturday!) followed by an unexpected gift of produce from a gardening friend brought lots of blueberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and snap beans. And the white in this case is heavy cream from a local dairy . . . I mean, what's a holiday without real whipped cream? So our menu over the past few days has been heavy on the red, green, and blue with a dollop of white.

And we were so excited to see this yellow pair enjoying a tasty hot meats dinner:

Yes, the very-cheery goldfinches! This is the first year we've seen them at our feeders and they are stopping by each day . . . and, don't miss their drab friend hiding below. It's a comical dove who walks the whole length of the wall to reach the feeder - he lands on the opposite end of the wall and promenades to the feeder, sort of like an Italian stroll before a nice meal. For some reason he reminds me of the pigeon in Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Not to worry, though, we don't have a bus so his wheedling can't get us into trouble . . .

So that's our weekend story - back to the usual routine now, and that includes blogging so I'll see you tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Emily & Henry!

Today, June 30, is the birthday of two famous people - of course, many famous people were born on this day, but I'm think of only two. They're an unlikely pair - an English writer who died young after catching a cold at her brother's funeral and an American inventor who revolutionized the workforce and made reliable automobiles affordable to the masses. Can you guess? The latter, of course, is Henry Ford. The former may be a bit trickier, so here's a hint: Heathcliff. Just the name is swoonsome, isn't it? And he sprang from the creative mind of Emily Bronte.

Bronte was born in 1918, the middle of the three Bronte sisters. She is best remembered for her brilliant novel, Wuthering Heights. It's been quite a few years since I've read WH or watched the classic film version with the unforgettable Laurence Olivier, but I think it's time to revisit one or both! If you've seen the movie, but not read the novel - or vice versa - be warned, the endings are quite different. And what would Emily think of the Hollywood ending? Possibly not much!

Fifteen years after Emily's death, Henry Ford was born just outside Detroit, Michigan. He became a household name with the introduction of the Model T in 1908. Just ten years later, half of all cars in America were Model T's. My husband and I spotted this antique Ford last winter. It's not a Model T, but it's certainly from Henry's era.


And, if these colors are authentic (well, the chartreuse is doubtful) this was made after Ford's famous directive that customers could have any color they liked, as long as it was black. Ford's innovations didn't stop at the drawing board, he initiated a 40 hour workweek and minimum wages, and was quite the visionary. His interests included plastics, engineered wood, airplanes, and ethanol (Ford's first ethanol-powered car was produced in 1942!). And like most famous creative-types, he had his quirks as well. I mean, who else would want a test tube containing Thomas Edison's last breath?

So happy birthday to Emily & Henry - and thanks for the entertainment and transportation. And you can celebrate in your own way by driving your hybrid Fusion to your local bookshop and purchasing Wuthering Heights - it will make a great read for the upcoming holiday weekend!

Two Birthdays Each Year? How Regal!

While many women over 40 try to ignore their birthdays, Britain's Queen Elizabeth celebrates two each year! Personally, I love birthdays and would be happy to have two annually, especially if each came with a 21 gun salute and lots of champagne (the champagne is a guess, but wouldn't you have a little bubbly if you were a queen?)! The Queen's actual birthday is today - April 21, or should I say 21 April.

She's 84 and, as seen in these photos famously taken by Annie Leibovitz at Buckingham Palace a few years ago, as regal as ever.

Her official birthday will be celebrated in June with the Trooping of the Colour - find out more about her birthday celebrations here. You might also like this series originally seen on PBS: Windsor Castle: A Royal Year. You'll see how the castle staff prepares for state dinners (don't miss the footman standing on the table to light the candles), spring cleaning (in case you're not sure how to dust that suit of armor or 3 ton chandelier), and other interesting events. Of course, it's available on Netflix, too!

And if royal jewels are more your style, you'll enjoy Geoffrey Munn's fabulous book on Tiaras:

This lush book is 400+ pages of beautiful tiaras with interesting backgrounds on the designs and women who wore them (including members of the British, French, and Russian royal families). Don't be put off by my less-than-perfect pics, the book itself is dreamy!

While not limited to the Queen's jewels, it has fascinating details about many tiaras worn by her and other family members. And what better royal treatment for yourself than a few hours spent with lovely diamonds!

Finally, I have a few royal connections myself (she wrote tongue-in-check), my mother portrayed Queen Elizabeth a few years ago in a local spoof of Keeping Up Appearances (and this would be the time to mention that she's not 84!). Also I'll be seeing a minor royal at a fundraiser in a few weeks . . . more about that after the event. So, in honor of the Queen's birthday, treat yourself a little royally today! As for me, I'm ringing for the lady-in-waiting to bring my champagne . . .

Have Books Turned Your Brain?

"She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain." ~ Louisa May Alcott

If you're feeling like Alcott's subject, here are some alternative uses for your books. Of course, I'm not recommending re-purposing the books you love, but these are great uses for the many unloved, never-to-be-read-again books that appear at book sales, estate sales, the back of your guest room closet, etc.

I saw the first idea a few days ago at GardenDesigns + More. This is a lovely blog that you'll enjoy exploring - whether you have a garden or just love great design. Isn't this a wonderful idea for recycling old books?


Or how about this work titled Altered Books by book artist Sally Cole.

Or this adorable Book Lady/Chicken I saw recently at a local book shop (McIntyre's Fine Books - more about it later in the week). Her dress is made of book pages and is the latest in haute couture for the reading crowd!

Or these stunning works from Su Blackwell? Check out her website for more examples of her work and her current exhibitions, including one in New York right now!

It's difficult to choose between her Alice (above, complete with rabbit hole) and the birds below . . .

And what about the work of the amazing Brian Dettmer - see what he does with whole sets of encyclopedias?

Check out his website for galleries that carry his work. If there is one near you, you'll want to drop by!

So these are just a few ideas to consider before taking those old books to Goodwill.

Happy book hunting and reading, or cutting . . .

Join me in Botswana, Ma (or Ra, as the case may be)

Okay, we're talking about the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - if you've read the books you know I really mean Mma and not Ma, but since watching the great television adaptation I just think of it as Ma. And who hasn't read at least one of the books? For a while they were a staple of every book club and always on the best seller lists. And there are lots of them, so if you get hooked on authors or series (as I often do!), Alexander McCall Smith is a great choice for you.

If you don't subscribe to HBO or have access to BBC programming, you possibly missed the fabulous TV version - but it's available on DVD, so add it to your must-watch list! It's one of the best adaptations I've seen on the big or small screen. Jill Scott is perfect as Mma Ramotswe - yes, I said perfect!

And as you expect from the BBC, the production is first-rate. The cast and locales are exactly as you imagine when you read the novels - right down to the ubiquitous bush tea! But, not to worry if you haven't read the books - they aren't a pre-requisite for enjoying the show. And, the series has two advantages over the books: a great soundtrack and cheery and clever animated titles. Airside designed beautiful opening / closing titles that reflect the action and characters in each episode. Click here for their website or here to see the titles complete with music.

So, if you're looking for a good book or show - check out the No. 1 Ladies. If you're a fan of the books or television series, I'd love to hear from you!

Inglis Fletcher, Meet the Country Captain

Have you dined with the Country Captain? Or read one of Inglis Fletcher's novels? Both are a bit dated - having reached their popularity peak in the '50s. One, however, is making a comeback . . . and I think you'll be glad.

Country Captain is a chicken curry dish from the 1880s that is mostly associated with the coastal Carolinas and Georgia. It became famous after FDR and George S. Patton dined on it in Warm Springs, Georgia in the 1940s. For me, it has a connection with the author Inglis Fletcher because it's listed as her specialty for 'Sunday Supper Parties' in two local cookbooks.

You probably aren't familiar with Inglis Fletcher. She's widely known in North Carolina because she wrote a series of historical novels set in our state covering the years 1585 to 1789. She and her husband bought an 1804 plantation house outside Edenton, NC in the '40s and she was instrumental in many early preservation efforts in the state - from Tryon Palace to Bath to Edenton (where several outbuilding from her home now stand). Her 'Carolina Series' books, published from the mid-40s to 1964, were meticulously researched and are interesting reads - if you're a history or NC buff. Otherwise, they're typical for the era and as a result are not widely read or even known.

The Fletchers welcoming you to Sunday Supper!

In local antique shops, her books are pricey, but over the years I've found many of them in hardback on eBay. I even have a few signed first editions (yes, there were many editions in several languages as she was quite the thing in her day!) which were under $10 - isn't that the beauty of eBay?

So this brings up to the second part of this story - the yummy Country Captain. Everyone from the Lee Brothers to the New York Times have featured recipes for this in recent years. I'm not sure why it's in the spotlight again - maybe just because it's so delish! Fletcher's recipes involved cutting up whole chickens and many modern recipes have unnecessary ingredients (like bacon - which I love, but it's really not needed here). I've come up with a simple and very yummy version that I think you'll like. This is like a vegetable soup, you can't really go wrong so my directions are not as precise as many recipes.

Country Captain

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients
2-3 pounds chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
all-purpose flour for coating - seasoned w/ salt & pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 24 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons currants or golden raisins
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (350 for 3-5 minutes)

Preparation

Cut chicken into 2-3" pieces. Heat olive oil (EVOO) in large skillet over med-high heat (1 T. is probably enough to start). Lightly coat chicken pieces with flour, shaking off excess. Brown in EVOO on both sides - you may need to do this in batches, adding more oil and reducing heat as necessary. Remove chicken and place in baking dish.

Add onion, pepper, garlic and spices to skillet. Saute until softened then add tomatoes. Simmer until the pan is deglazed. Pour sauce over chicken and bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Add raisins and bake 5-10 more minutes. (My husband hates raisins, but loves this - they plump up and are really sweet and unraisin-like.)

Serve with rice (saffron rice is really nice with this) and garnish with almonds. Parsley also adds a nice pop of color.

Enjoy!

Look, Sally. Look, Jane. Laundry!

Do you remember Sally, Dick, and Jane? How about their cat Puff? If you learned to read during the '50s, '60s, or '70s, you probably do. Despite having fallen out of favor with educators, many people (including this blogger) have fond memories of these books and characters. Consequently Sally, Dick, and Jane have become quite collectible.

My grandmother was an elementary school teacher and, therefore, had many teacher's editions, including this one:

I remember this exact book being on her desk - it was much larger than the student book and had extra illustrations and, of course, notes for each lesson. I loved to play school with it (I think it was an out-of-date edition and so okay for me to use); I wish I had a copy of it now (and not just because it's worth $200+).

So, what does this trip down memory lane have to do with laundry? We recently spruced up our laundry room and after painting the walls a yummy butter color (from Restoration Hardware - we highly recommend their paints!), the shelf above the washer and dryer needed a facelift as well. It's a big, sturdy shelf covered in dark gray Formica (chosen by the previous owner . . .).

Rather than replace the shelf, I covered it with this super-cheery Sally, Dick, and Jane fabric. It's unbelievably cute! I used a plain, heavy shower curtain liner to cover the fabric. If you're interested in this technique you can put the shower curtain in the dryer on medium with a damp towel to remove the fold lines (2-3 minutes . . . check often for obvious reasons!). You'll need about 30 minutes and a staple gun, and you can give any shelf a whole new look. I've done this in closets as well and it's really nice to open a closet door and see your towels or sweaters resting on beautiful fabrics . . .

Look, Sally, look.

See Leah wash.

Wash, wash, wash.

Funny, funny Leah.

Happy Birthday Lucy Maud and Mark!

November 30 is a very literary day; it's the birthday of two beloved writers - Mark Twain (b. Samuel Clemens in 1835) and Lucy Maud Montgomery (b. 1874). Montgomery is known for her children's books set on Prince Edward Island, including Anne of Green Gables and Chronicles of Avonlea. The popular television show Avonlea was based on her books and is a great series - well worth adding to your Netflix list. It was originally shown in the US on the Disney Channel, and the guest stars are an indication its quality (Christopher Reeve, Diana Rigg Faye Dunaway, Madeline Kahn, Meg Tilly, Stockard Channing, Treat Williams, Micheal York - just to name a few!).

And we all know Mark Twain's works, but here's a little Christmas snippet from him. It's a letter he wrote to his daughter Susy. Enjoy!

The Mark Twain House, Hartford, CT

Mark Twain's Letter from Santa Claus

Palace of St. Nicholas
In the Moon
Christmas Morning

MY DEAR SUSY CLEMENS:

I have received and read all the letters which you and your little sister have written me by the hand of your mother and your nurses; I have also read those which you little people have written me with your own hands--for although you did not use any characters that are in grown peoples' alphabet, you used the characters that all children in all lands on earth and in the twinkling stars use; and as all my subjects in the moon are children and use no character but that, you will easily understand that I can read your and your baby sister's jagged and fantastic marks without any trouble at all. But I had trouble with those letters which you dictated through your mother and the nurses, for I am a foreigner and cannot read English writing well. You will find that I made no mistakes about the things which you and the baby ordered in your own letters--I went down your chimney at midnight when you were asleep and delivered them all myself--and kissed both of you, too, because you are good children, well trained, nice mannered, and about the most obedient little people I ever saw. But in the letter which you dictated there were some words which I could not make out for certain, and one or two small orders which I could not fill because we ran out of stock. Our last lot of kitchen furniture for dolls has just gone to a very poor little child in the North Star away up, in the cold country above the Big Dipper. Your mama can show you that star and you will say: "Little Snow Flake," (for that is the child's name) "I'm glad you got that furniture, for you need it more than I." That is, you must write that, with your own hand, and Snow Flake will write you an answer. If you only spoke it she wouldn't hear you. Make your letter light and thin, for the distance is great and the postage very heavy.

There was a word or two in your mama's letter which I couldn't be certain of. I took it to be "a trunk full of doll's clothes." Is that it? I will call at your kitchen door about nine o'clock this morning to inquire. But I must not see anybody and I must not speak to anybody but you. When the kitchen doorbell rings, George must be blindfolded and sent to open the door. Then he must go back to the dining room or the china closet and take the cook with him. You must tell George he must walk on tiptoe and not speak--otherwise he will die someday. Then you must go up to the nursery and stand on a chair or the nurse's bed and put your car to the speaking tube that leads down to the kitchen and when I whistle through it you must speak in the tube and say, "Welcome, Santa Claus!" Then I will ask whether it was a trunk you ordered or not. If you say it was, I shall ask you what color you want the trunk to be. Your mama will help you to name a nice color and then you must tell me every single thing in detail which you want the trunk to contain. Then when I say "Good-by and a merry Christmas to my little Susie Clemens," you must say "Good-by, good old Santa Claus, I thank you very much and please tell that little Snow Flake I will look at her star tonight and she must look down here--I will be right in the west bay window; and every fine night I will look at her star and say, 'I know somebody up there and like her, too.' " Then you must go down into the library and make George close all the doors that open into the main hall, and everybody must keep still for a little while. I will go to the moon and get those things and in a few minutes I will come down the chimney that belongs to the fireplace that is in the hall--if it is a trunk you want--because I couldn't get such a thing as a trunk down the nursery chimney, you know.

People may talk if they want, until they hear my footsteps in the hall. Then you tell them to keep quiet a little while till I go back up the chimney. Maybe you will not hear my footsteps at all--so you may go now and then and peep through the dining-room doors, and by and by you will see that thing which you want, right under the piano in the drawing room-for I shall put it there. If I should leave any snow in the hall, you must tell George to sweep it into the fireplace, for I haven't time to do such things. George must not use a broom, but a rag--else he will die someday. You must watch George and not let him run into danger. If my boot should leave a stain on the marble, George must not holystone it away. Leave it there always in memory of my visit; and whenever you look at it or show it to anybody you must let it remind you to be a good little girl. Whenever you are naughty and somebody points to that mark which your good old Santa Claus's boot made on the marble, what will you say, little sweetheart?

Good-by for a few minutes, till I come down to the world and ring the kitchen doorbell.

Your loving SANTA CLAUS
Whom people sometimes call "The Man in the Moon"

Guess Which Old Favorite is On Tour Now?

Are you thinking of The Rolling Stones? Or Gloria Gaynor? (You know this is the 30th anniversary of her fabulous disco hit 'I Will Survive'?) Here's a hint: he was loved by millions of young people and he's on the small side and rather hairy. At the risk of going down an entirely wrong road in trying to work that out, I'll just tell you. It's the Poky Little Puppy!!


That's right, everyone's favorite Little Golden Book character is coming to a town near you! At least his picture is coming - as part of a traveling exhibit celebrating 65 years of Little Golden Book art. What makes Little Golden Books so popular?


When they were first published in the 1940s, they were amazingly affordable - just 25¢. (Compare this to other children's books that sold for $2 and up!) But, children didn't love them because they were inexpensive - they loved them for the marvelous illustrations that brought the characters to life.

The publishers of Little Golden Books had revolutionary ideas about publishing and marketing books for children that made these instant best-sellers (three printings within months of the release of the original 12 books). The real genius, however, was in printing the books in full color and hiring top-notch illustrators - including several Disney studio artists, a young Richard Scarry, Garth Williams (of 'Little House on the Prairie' fame), and many immigrant artists who brought an exotic flair to their drawings (think of the Three Bears as drawn by Feodor Rojankovsky). What was your favorite Little Golden Book or character? If it was the Poky Little Puppy you're not alone - it's the best-selling children's book ever. My favorite, Scuffy the Tugboat, comes in at number 8. But, he does have his own Facebook page!



The vintage books are very collectible and are easy to find in antique stores and on eBay. But, if you want to see 60 pieces of the original artwork - check out the exhibit. Currently it's at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. In 2010 it will be in two Illinois locations: Lake County Discovery Museum and the Chicago Public Library. Check the schedule for 2011 and beyond - and note that you can get the exhibit for your library or museum as well!

What's Your Cookbook Quit Rate? + the Tip of the Iceberg

Here's the tip of my iceberg - lettuce, that is! We had three heads of iceberg growing very close together, so this morning I trimmed two as seen below. The third now has room to expand and the two that were cut will get new growth if the weather doesn't get really cold. This is a great trick that I just learned in the spring - instead of pulling up a whole lettuce plant, cut the leaves and you'll get new growth! There's a bonus as well, the new leaves grow much faster due to the established roots. If you're only familiar with the white balls of iceberg from the grocery store, try growing your own - it's green and leafy and really flavorful!


And speaking of lettuce, are you familiar with Quit Rates? (No, the two things are not related, but it cracks me up when people use that technique in conversation - you know they've just been waiting for an opening to bring out a new topic.) But, back to Quit Rates - this is a term usually applied to employees - it measures how many are willing to leave their current jobs without having other jobs. While looking through a pile of cookbooks last week, I thought of a new application for the term. I'm applying it to my cookbook stash. How long will I keep a cookbook that I don't use - or perhaps even never used? Do I wait until I get a new cookbook to replace it (Quit Rate of 0)? Or do I toss it now since my cookbook shelves are overflowing? If it has one good recipe should I keep it? Logic says no - copy the recipe and get rid of the book.

It's harder than one would guess to purge cookbooks, however. I love cookbooks - not just for cooking, but for reading. Over the years I've gotten rid of quite a few cookbooks, including the worst - a self-published Nouvelle Cuisine guide that was a housewarming gift from my realtor (isn't that one of the worst gifts ever? it's right up there with giving your child's teacher a photo of the child in lieu of an actual present). As the holidays quickly approach, I'm going to take a hard line with my cookbooks!

In addition to the keepers in the photo above, here are two old favorites I couldn't do without:


Tastebuds was written by three ladies from my hometown - one gardener, one cartoonist, and one cook. What makes it great is that it's chronological - there's a section for each week of the year with appropriate gardening info and recipes. What a great idea! It's been out of print for years, but could be the inspiration for an updated version. Any of you have a group of friends who could collaborate? The second book, Square Meals, is by Jane and Michael Stern. If you're familiar with their work, you'll know why it's a keeper. It was a gift in the late 1980s (when all my cookbooks fit on one small shelf!) and I think I read it cover to cover in one sitting. The subtitle says it all: Taste thrills of only yesterday - from Mom's best pot roast and tuna noodle casserole to Ladies' Lunch and the perfect living room luau. There's an updated version that might make a great present for the cook on your list!

I'd love to know your Cookbook Quit Rate and which cookbooks you just have to keep! As for me, I'm off to wash my lettuce . . .

Who's First in the Poets' Corner? Hint: It's Not the Wife of Bath!

While there may be other Poets' Corners, I'm referring to the one in Westminster Abbey - the final resting place of many of England's writers, poets, and playwrights. And who was the first person buried there? Geoffrey Chaucer - whose body had been originally buried elsewhere in the Abbey. Today is the anniversary of his death - October 25, 1400. Generally acknowledged as the Father of English Literature (or poetry), his most famous work 'The Canterbury Tales' continues to delight. Ask any alumae of my alma mater about The Tales and you will get a recitation of the prologue - at least the first few lines. For more than a century, all freshmen have learned those lines and for some inexplicable reason they stick with you long after you've forgotten the bawdy Miller and the oft-wed Wife of Bath. The middle English pronunciation may be a bit Southern, but the idea is still there: sweet April showers pierce the March drought to the root, or root-uh, as we say . . .

If you've never been forced to read Chaucer, you've probably not read Chaucer. After all, most of us do not reach for an 850 line Medieval poem when we want some light reading. However, you can find a modern translation and you'll see that The Canterbury Tales has something for everyone. It's about a group of pilgrims who set out to visit the shrine of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury and along the way they have a contest to see who can tell the best tale. The narrator's descriptions and pilgrims' tales are like a modern soap opera - murder, sex, intrigue, revenge, forgiveness, comic relief. And here's the brilliant part - more than 600 years later, you'll recognize the characters and situations. People don't change . . . and I think that's why we still like to read Chaucer.

So, here's to Geoffrey Chaucer on the anniversary of his death! I'm off to cook a meal that would please the Summoner - full of garlic and onions . . . hmmm, what would Chaucer say about that?

Tom Swift Discovers Radium - What?!

Do you know Tom Swift? How about Tom Swiftie? Tom Swift is a fictional character created by Edward L. Stratemeyer in 1910. If you were ever a fan of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, or the Bobbsey Twins, you've read Stratemeyer's work - he was a very industrious writer and publisher who had the clever idea to create series of books for boys and girls. And not just any books - books where kids were the heroes and had exciting adventures - a really novel idea at the time (sorry for the pun, but it's leading us to our main topic!). He outlined the plots and ghost writers did most of the actual writing. Tom Swift was the hero of over 100 books spanning nine decades. I confess I haven't read any of Tom's adventures, but my brother had some of the books in the series, although I think his favorite Stratemeyer characters were the Hardy Boys. I, too liked the Hardy Boys for a few years when Shaun Cassidy played the younger brother in the television series . . . but, that's another story.





But the Tom Swift books contained more than adventure - they were noted for a style of adverbial puns that have come to be known as Tom Swifties. The Tom Swift writers replaced the word 'said' in dialog with adverbs that related to the statement. As in "I hate milking cows," Tom uttered. Or the writers added the modifier after the word 'said', as in "I shall not leave you a penny when I die," said Tom willfully. As someone who really likes a good pun, I am a fan of Tom Swifties. While Tom is the standard speaker, sometimes another person is substituted to complete the joke. One of the best-known Tom Swifties falls into this group:


"Who discovered radium?" asked Marie curiously.


So, here are a few Tom Swifties - warning, one is a bit risque, but too funny to omit:

• "Look out! A golf ball!" Tom forewarned.


• "I can't believe my car was towed!" Tom expounded.


• “I have a BA in social work,” said Tom with a degree of concern.


• "My grape juice has fermented," Tom whined.


• "I'm impotent," Tom said softly.


• "I dropped my toothpaste," Tom said crestfallen.


• “Hallelujah,” Tom said handily.


• “I’ve struck oil!” said Tom crudely.


• “May I introduce the family Stone?” Tom asked slyly.


• “This is mutiny!” said Tom bountifully.


• "I was caught stealing in Iran", said Tom offhandedly.


• "Y'all I'm leavin'", said Dolly, partin'.


• "It's 9:59", said Tom pretentiously.
  
• "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn", said Clark Gable rhetorically.

"If you liked these Tom Swifties, try writing some of your own," said Leah authoritatively. (Must stop myself from more sentences like that - so, good-bye!)

Three R's I Loved This Summer: Part Two - Re-reading

It is the best of things, it is the worst of things . . . with apologies to Dickens, I'm talking about re-reading favorite books. It can be the best when it's like seeing an old friend and the conversation picks up as if you spoke yesterday. But, it can also be the worst because a book once loved may now disappoint, leaving you to skim and skip your way to the end. For some reason, I found myself in a re-reading mood this summer. I usually read one Jane Austen novel again during the summer and perhaps one other fiction favorite, but this summer I read nothing new. I'm sure that says something about me, but perhaps I'd rather not know what . . .





As a child, I liked to re-read books and my mother and grandmother were always trying to point out other options at the library. My grandmother especially tried to lure me to Black Beauty or Robinson Crusoe, but they were no match for biographies of George Washington and Florence Nightingale or the adventures of the titian-haired girl sleuth, Nancy Drew. But, the book I read most often was An Illustrated Guide to Ghosts & Mysterious Occurrences in The Old North State. I can't begin to guess how many times I checked it out - I never got tired of the eerie black and white photos of Lydia the ghost girl who haunts lonely roadsides trying to get home or Dromgoogle Castle with its blood-stained rock or the ghost organ that plays strange tunes in an empty church. A few years ago I saw a copy of this book in a local antique store and purchased it. This was a case of an old favorite that now disappoints - as I'm sure anyone else would have guessed. The stories and photos no longer thrill, but it was fun to see the book one more time - and now I'm ready to let it go. Perhaps eBay?


But this summer I was happy to re-read lots of fiction, from Jane Austen to Agatha Christie to Tolstoy and David McCullough. Some books, like Vanity Fair and Tess of the d'Urbervilles I hadn't read since college and remembered only the bare outlines. Others, like Beverley Nichols' Merry Hill trilogy were very familiar, yet still made me laugh out loud as Our Rose and Miss Mint nosed their way into Nichols' garden and life. Now summer's over and I'm ready to make some new friends and am moving on to new books - first up is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I'll let you know if it's a keeper.

What are your favorite books to read again and again?




"If you truly love a book, you should sleep with it, write in it, read aloud from it, and fill its pages with muffin crumbs." — Anne Fadiman

Things for People Who Don't Like Things

Decorating with Books! I love books and I also love decorating with books, so you may well ask how this fits in with the 'people who don't like things' theme. Well, lately I've seen several articles in popular home magazines and segments on home shows about decorating with books, but the crux seems to be that books are not to be read, just scattered about the house. In other words, it's aimed at people who don't like books. Not that there's anything wrong with this, but it seems a shame to have a houseful of books if you don't enjoy reading them. I mean, you wouldn't have a stuffed deer head unless you're a hunter (and perhaps not even then, unless you're single and live in a cabin . . .) or have a mirror if you're a vampire.



Look at these great rooms from the 2005 Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Each one was created by a different designer and shows how beautifully books can enhance a room. (I hesitate to mention it, but if you look closely at the upper left edge of the first photo you can see a bit of the light fixture - it's an antler chandelier, so perhaps my deer head argument is not that sound . . .)



The fact that three rooms from the Show House have books playing an important role shows how useful they are when decorating. But, that does not preclude them having another purpose: to be read.








I think my issue with this decorating advice has been that it's assumed you don't want to read the books, that you don't like the books aside from their antique leather spines or perfect size that matches three others under the big lamp. (Remember the old adage about judging a book? You have to look inside to find out what's great, or not so great, about it.) One article suggested organizing your books by color - so one shelf has all the books with green spines and one the pink. If you have lots of books that will never work - let's see, is Pride and Prejudice on the shelf with Sense and Sensibility . . . no, it's with the other blue books, right between The Tipping Point and 1776. Perhaps you could view books much the way you view your children - you keep them around because you love them, not because they look good in the living room. It's a bonus if they also add to the decor . . .

If you're a book lover who wants to find better ways to live with your books, you'll enjoy these reads:

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman

This small collection of essays about the author's book collection, favorite books, and the difficulties of combining her library with her husband's, is enjoyable and you will relate to her passion for books and reading.

At Home with Books: How Booklovers Live with and Care for Their Libraries by Estelle Ellis and Caroline Seebohm

A beautiful book with good advice for bibliophiles with growing collections. In addition to expert information on caring for and displaying books, you will also get an inside view of how famous book collectors live with their prizes - including Keith Richards (yes, the Rolling Stone!).

I hope you have time to settle down with a good book this weekend. As for me, I'm off to rearrange my books!

Please Popover for a Pop-Up

Well . . . the last you heard from me I was going to make popovers. To be honest (and since I have photos, there's no point in lying . . .), they did not 'pop over' as much as 'pop up'. I only make popovers a few times a year and sometimes they are huge, billowy puffs that are cookbook perfect, and other times they just rise up and never get that great hollow center. Last night was a doughy center night.

The good news is that they were still quite delish! The outsides were crunchy and the insides were okay - in fact the inside part would have been great had we not expected that dough to be on the outside (I'm picturing it kind of like the soldiers in one of those black and white World War II movies - instead of staying safely in the trenches (i.e., the center of the popover) that dough should have taken a risk and gone "over the top"). Anyway, these were served with strawberry butter and were soon history.

Lots of cookbooks have popover recipes and they seem to be much the same so I won't include one here. If you don't have a cookbook that includes popovers, I can recommend the Neiman Marcus Cookbook. It has lots of wonderful recipes, including one for their famous popovers and strawberry butter. (Strawberry butter is simple - whip one half-cup butter until fluffy, beat in one-third cup strawberry preserves.)

You'll find all the favorites from the Neiman Marcus restaurants, but one word of caution, you'll never look at the menu in the same way once you've been behind the curtain! That chicken salad that tastes so light and yummy? It's made with mayo AND heavy cream (gasp). Not all the recipes are decadent and there are lots that your family will love, even on busy weeknights: summer tomato soup, chicken and white bean chili, grilled chicken club w/ brie and apple-onion compote, Northpark chopped salad w/ cilantro-lime dressing, pickled green tomatoes, and so on.

So, if you're looking for a fun bread to accompany an entree salad or soup, try your hand at popovers. And if you're looking for a new cookbook that's an interesting read and has great recipes, consider the Neiman Marcus cookbook - you'll love it even if you've never visited one of their stores.