Books Read In The Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #
Books are listed by author, and not necessarily in the order read.

 "Malleville" 
(physical copy)
"Wallace"
(free online book)
by Jacob Abbott
[children's fiction from the 1850s,
Franconia Series]

 "Summa Theologica"
by St. Thomas Aquinas
long-term Catholic studies
(Kindle book)

"The Quiet Rebels; the story of the Quakers in America" #
by Margaret Hope Bacon
[nonfiction]
(openlibrary.org loan)


"This Is My Life"

by Thyra Ferre Bjorn

[ autobiography,

Christian (Protestant) themes]

"Henry and Clubhouse"
by Beverly Cleary
[children's fiction]

"What I Really Think Of You"
by M.E. Kerr
[YA fiction] 

 "A Right to Be Merry"
by Mother Mary Francis, P. C. C
(Kindle book)
reserved for Sunday

 "Sixth Grade Secrets"
by Louis Sachar
[children's fiction]

"Every Day Is A Gift
Minute Meditations for Every Day
Taken From the Holy Bible
and the Writings of the Saints"
Introduction by Rev. Frederick Schroeder 
 daily devotional reading for 2016

"The Interior Castle"
by St. Teresa of Jesus
spiritual reading

"The City Boy"
by Herman Wouk
[fiction]

My First Prayer as a Catholic [reposted, slightly edited.]

Today is the anniversary of my baptism into the Catholic Church. I was 20 years old at the time.
I knew that my first prayer as a Catholic would be an interior one, and I hoped that it would be something beautiful, something profound, something almost, note that I said almost, good enough for this wonderful event.
That, however, is not what happened. My first prayer as a Catholic was neither beautiful nor profound.
My sponsor was a young woman, just a few years older than I was, who lived in the same building. Because she was a bit nervous, she chomped on bubble gum during the rites. I don't think Fr. Conroy, the priest who baptized me, was impressed.
And so, this is what I prayed inwardly as the water was poured over my head:
"Please, Lord, don't let her pop a bubble!"

Books Read In The Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #
Books are listed by author, and not necessarily in the order read.

 "Malleville" 
by Jacob Abbott
[children's fiction from the 1850s,
Franconia Stories]

 "Summa Theologica"
by St. Thomas Aquinas
long-term Catholic studies
(Kindle book)

"Henry and Beezus"
"Henry and Ribsy"
"Beezus and Ramona" 
"Henry and the Paper Route"
the first book I read in 2016 
by Beverly Cleary
[children's fiction]
(openlibrary.org loans)  


"The Winning of Miss Lynn Ryan" #
by Ilene Cooper
[children's fiction]
the last book I read in 2015


"Try Giving Yourself Away"
by David Dunn
[nonfiction]
a great favorite of mine,
with some wonderful anecdotes 

 "The Imitation of Christ"
by Thomas a Kempis
long-term devotional reading
(Kindle book)

 "A Right to Be Merry"
by Mother Mary Francis, P. C. C
(Kindle book)
reserved for Sunday

"Room For One More"
by Anna Perrot Rose
[autobiography/biography]
I recently discovered that the
author changed a few names.  

"The Other Side Of The Story
Giving people the benefit of the doubt-
stories and strategies"
"It Wasn't How It Seemed"
by Yehudis Samet
[nonfiction, Judaica]



"Every Day Is A Gift
Minute Meditations for Every Day
Taken From the Holy Bible
and the Writings of the Saints"
Introduction by Rev. Frederick Schroeder 
 daily devotional reading for 2016


"The Interior Castle"
by St. Teresa of Jesus
spiritual reading

"Old Specification" #
by Robert R. Updegraff 
[fiction]

4-Way Hat

I recently.... QUITE recently!.... blogged about a new trimming I  ordered for my royal blue women's bowler hat.  At the time, I wrote that I was going to remove the sunflower applique, and replace it with the new bird applique.
But I didn't remove the sunflower after all; I decided that it was too nice a decoration to remove.
Instead, I put the bird trimming on the opposite side.
So now, I can wear my hat four different ways:

1: Sunflower in front, bird in back, sides untrimmed.
2: Bird in front, sunflower in back, sides untrimmed.
3: Sunflower on right, bird on left, front and back untrimmed.
4: Bird on right, sunflower on left, front and back untrimmed.

New Trimming For My Hat

I've sent for a new trimming for my hat.

So what will I do with the sunflower?   THAT is going on my wall, next to two sunflowers
I've already placed there.  And someday, I suppose, I'll send for yet another trimming
for my hat [I've seen so many that I like!] and this, too, will become part of the decor on my wall.

Books Read In The Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #
Books are listed by author, and not necessarily in the order read.


"Once Upon a Christmas Time"
by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
[memoir, childhood,  Sweden]


"All Over Town"
by Carol Ryrie Brink  
[children's fiction]

"Emily's Runaway Imagination"
by Beverly Cleary
[children's fiction]

 "A Christmas Carol"
by Charles Dickens
[fiction]
my yearly December 24th reading

"Try Giving Yourself Away"
by David Dunn
[nonfiction]
a great favorite of mine,
with some wonderful anecdotes

"In Trouble Again,  Zelda Hammersmith?"
"Zelda Strikes Again"
"Here Comes Zelda Claus
and Other Holiday Disasters"
by Lynn Hall
[children's fiction]

"Betsy's Winterhouse"
by Carolyn Haywood
[children's fiction]

 "Astrid Lindgren
Storyteller To The World"
by Johanna Hurwitz
[children's biography]


 "The Imitation of Christ"
by Thomas a Kempis
long-term devotional reading
(Kindle book)

"Little Little"
by M. E. Kerr
[YA fiction]

"A Right to Be Merry"
by Mother Mary Francis, P. C. C
(Kindle book)
reserved for Sunday

 "The Sixth Prune"
by Robert R. Updegraff
[fiction]

 "Selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson"
 edited by Stephen E. Whichter
[nonfiction] 

Books Read in the Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #
Books are listed by author, and not necessarily in the order read.




"The Great Brain At The Academy"
"The Great Brain Reforms"
"The Return of the Great Brain"
"The Great Brain Does it Again"
"The Great Brain is Back"
by John D. Fitzgerald
[children's fiction, historical]

"The Imitation of Christ"
by Thomas a Kempis
long-term devotional reading
(Kindle book)

"Little Little"
by M. E. Kerr
[YA fiction]

"A Right to Be Merry"
by Mother Mary Francis, P. C. C
(Kindle book)
reserved for Sunday

 "Selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson"
 edited by Stephen E. Whichter
[non-fiction] 


"Trust Thyself
A Life of Ralph Waldo Emerson
for the Young Reader"
by James Playsted Wood
[YA biography]
It's been a few years since
I read this book.



"Owl Moon" #
by Jane Yolen
[picture book]
(openlibrary.org loan)