Beowulf's Bad Sister

Healing

 Reading up on Spiritual Healing. 

Easter Bunnies

Some cute little Golden Books for your Easter reading.

 



 

The Golden Egg
Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by  Lilian Obligado
1947/1980
A bunny discovers an egg.  What could be in it?  Bunny falls asleep, egg cracks open.  Chick comes out and sees bunny.  Bunny wakes up.  They are friends.   Cute, colorful illustrations.

 

 The Rabbit Is Next
Gladys Leithauser and Lois Breitmeyer
Illustrated by  Linda Powell

 1978
Jenny takes Bradley to the veterinarian’s office.  She keeps Bradley safely covered underneath her jacket and talks to him as they sit in the busy waiting room.  The Doctor helps many pet patients – a monkey with a cold, a dog with an aching tooth, a cat, a hamster, and a turtle.  After everyone is gone the Doctor sees Jenny with her rabbit.  The Doctor sews Bradley’s ear up.  From the illustrations we finally see that Bradley is actually a stuffed animal!  Cute story with cute animal antics nicely illustrated with fun details for kids.

 

Peter Cottontail Is On His Way
Andrea Posner
Illustrated by Linda Karl and Christopher Nowell
2000
Peter Cottontail is in the running to become the new Chief Easter Bunny but nasty Irontail tries to sabotage the competition.  Peter oversleeps on Easter Day so he tries to make up for it by giving away eggs on other holidays throughout the year.  Cute illustrations of Fourth of July eggs, Halloween, Christmas, Valentine, and, most popular of all, green St. Patrick’s shamrock eggs!

 

The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter
Illustrated by Cyndy Szekaras 1993
Classic Potter story re-illustrated in cute pictures with fun details.

 



CATS. And books, of course

Mrs. McGruder likes books.  And cats, especially her big, fat cat Phil.  Here is an excerpt from her story:

"She picked up her cup of tea and wandered into the living room.  Her big fat cat Bibliophile sat on a pile of books by the window, sunning himself.  He opened his eyes, looked at her, purred sleepily, and then dozed again."

Later she walks into her bedroom with a book.

  "She carried it with her over to the bed.  Sighing, she kicked off her shoes and pushed aside a pile of books.  She would lie down for a while and read her new mystery book.  But just then Bibliophile trotted up the stairs, burst into the room and landed right in her spot.  He settled down immediately for another nap.
 “Drat cat.”  she said, as she pushed more books over to make room for herself.  Contentedly she lay down beside “Phil” and started reading."

 

A Table full of books.  Summer reading

AND

cat books.

 

Will they actually all get read?

 

Cats and books.  It's fun to read outdoors.

 

 

 

 

Cheltenham’s Party

Jan Wahl
Illustrated by Lucinda McQueen
1985
Cheltenham, an adorable orange cat has his first party and there is fun for all!! Cute little animal characters, cute story, and darling color illustrations (by Lucinda McQueen).  It’s PARTY TIME.

Little Pussy Cat
Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard.
Originally titled  Pussy Willow, this story by the well-known children’s author takes us through the seasons with a little kitty.  Nice illustrations by Leonard Weisgard add to the effect.

 

 Looking After Your Cat

Ed., Ian Kearey
Ill Robert Farnworth
1997
This book shares lots of facts about cats – feeding and caring for them.  There are cute photos and an index.

 

My Little Golden Book About Cats

Joanne Ryder
Illustrated by Dora Leder
1988
The charming and colorful illustrations (by Dora Leder) tell the story while the text gives lots of facts about cats.

 

The Owl And The Pussycat 

Edward Lear
Illustrations Ruth Sanderson
This 1982 version of Lear’s 1871 classic is ABSOLUTELY ENCHANTING!  Beautifully illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the soft but luscious colors add to the charm and Pussycat’s outfits (especially her wedding gown) are to die for.  And Owl.  What a dapper gent. This book will really make you want to run out and get your very own runcible spoon.
 

 

 

Some kid's books.

 

 

 

"I better find out what they know about us!"

 

 

All About Cats

Tom Kuncl
1998
Lots of fun and interesting facts, myths, legends about cats.  Includes black and white drawings. The author relates stories about celebrity and hero cats and page 71 gives a brief description of the local Portland, OR KATU-TV “Weather Cat”.  

 

 

 

 

Three kittens trying to learn new tricks.  As if they needed a book!

 

Brain Games For Cats

Claire Arrowsmith 
2016

These are 95 pages of fun activities for cats and their owners with cute photos and instructions for the games.  A chapter on understanding cats gives important information that will help set up the locations and situations to play more effectively with your pets.  There are games for kittens, games for more vigorous, extraverted cats, games for home (inside and out) and while on the go.   Cute, clever , and fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Why Cats Paint

A Theory of Feline Aesthetics
Heather Busch
Burton Silver
1994
TOTALLY HILARIOUS.  At first glance this book actually appears to be a serious scholarly or academic work.  It includes chapters on the history and theories of feline “marking behavior”, major cat artists (portrait painters, abstract expressionists, reductionists, etc.), and especially the use and value of titles.  P.36 “Without them, we run the risk of dismissing cat painting as no more relevant than the mindless territorial daubing of the graffitist.”  Page 83 discusses the serious problem of cats who are not given access to paint….thus …forced to continue with soft sculpture.
On page 85 the author tells of a cat artist who, when her work was completed satisfactorily she urinated.  Many human artists, surely, will relate to this.  There is also extensive discussion of other forms of artistic expression – sculpture and scratch forms, aesthetic clawing, accentuation and installations (some involving dead animals!).
This 96 page coffee-table sized paperback book also includes great photos of the (cat) artists at work and some interesting examples from ancient and medieval art or Victorian ads. 

 

 

Cats and art.

 

 

Chelsea and friends.  Wild!

 

 

The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency
A Hettie Bagshot Mystery

 Mandy Morton

2014

Very silly cozy with amateur   ”cat”-tectives Hettie and her roommate/office assistant Tilly. 

Assisted by their plumber friend Poppa (an old rhodie colleague of Hettie's from her travelling musician days) they are hired to solve a case at the Furcross Home For Slightly Older Cats.  Much zaniness ensues as the super cute kitty cats lend their expertise to the solving of the mystery.  The author gives homage to a best-selling author both in the title of the book itself and also in the name of one of Tilly’s favorite mystery writers – Alexander McPaw Spit.  Too funny, cute and clever.    (Note:  different cover displayed on goodreads)The drab cover illustrations will make many readers wish the publishers had chosen an artist to illustrate this darling story – perhaps with whimsical black and while drawings of the town and all the interesting inhabitants.

 

 

 

Xmas 2018

When you've started decorating for Christmas

 but there's just Too Many Books!

 

I'm looking forward to reading

 a bunch of Christmas themed books

 like these by Debbie Macomber.

  Also want to finish some of my
 Ngaio Marsh books before gifting
 to my sister for Christmas.

  Tied up in Tinsel
 certainly sounds intriguing.

 

 

I plan to add book reviews as I finish them.

 

HAPPY BOOKY HOLIDAYS

 

 



Happy Halloween

Looking over some classic Halloween reading while enjoying a hot bowl of Artichoke Oyster soup.

What a wonderful time of year.

P. D. James

 

Finished reading these P. D. James books.

 

Getting reading to post reviews on www.goodreads.com.

 

The reviews will then be posted here with a brief bio of James and overall reaction to her work.

 

 

Mrs. McGruder's copies of her books are perched precariously on an open drawer of the dresser which belonged to Loretta and Ray Spicer and was in their home in the 1950s and early 60s.

Anne McCaffrey Books

Although Mrs. McGruder loves her tiny House Full of Books (they even spill out into her yard!) she does occasionally get rid of some of them.  Here are a few science fiction books by famous author Anne McCaffrey along with brief reviews.

 



Breakfast of (dragon?) Champions.
Steak, egg, and tomato with homegrown Blackberry Curd on a biscuit.  Add a book and a cuppa.  What more could a person want?

 

The book pictured is McCaffrey's

 To Ride Pegasus.

 

Although the characters and concepts are mildly interesting, this overly long and disjointed book about a group of telepaths is neither compelling nor even convincing. 

 

 

 

Some more of McCaffrey's books.  Reviews follow. (Reviews are also posted on my goodreads.com account.)

 

Decision at Doona

 

This is a clever story of a group of colonists on a supposedly uninhabited planet who discover there are sentient natives already living here.  Due to their philosophy the colonists must leave.  The characters are interesting but the overdrawn glamorization of the six-year-old wunderkind, Todd, is a bit nauseating.

The whole thing is very 60’s but this book does hold up well for a re-reading after almost fifty years.

 

 The Mark of Merlin

 

Recently orphaned college student and military brat, James Carlyse Murdock (Carla) meets her new guardian, Major Laird.  Set during WW II, the story features an art/jewelry theft in Colonel Murdock’s troop as well as the developing romance between Carla and the Major.

 

Ring of Fire

 

Another McCaffrey mystery/romance.  This book is set in the American “horse” world.  The plot is overly long, somewhat convoluted and not very convincing.
Though the characters are strong and interesting, the tedious, and definitely gratuitous, descriptions of the main couple’s sex life are a bit  much.


 

 Get Off The Unicorn

 

 This book is a collection of fourteen short stories. These are mostly boring, rather tedious sci-fi renditions that, frankly, don’t hold up well over the decades.  A couple of the stories, supposedly for the Young Adult market, are especially dull.  The story about the Smallest Dragon Boy and the Thorns of Barevi might be of interest to McCaffrey fans. 

 

Dinosaur Planet Survivor

Colonists, mutineers, and space pirates compete for the planet Ireta.  But the mysterious Theks have been there before them and brought dinosaurs with to save them from extinction on another planet.

Freedoms Landing 

Feisty, rebellious earthlings have been captured by the Catteni and placed on another planet which is being farmed by robots.  Who is in charge??  Another of McCaffry's sci-fi/romance novels, the first in a series.

 

 

 

So.... basically not exactly earthshattering.  Those McCaffrey books that Mrs. McGruder has read, while having some interesting elements, do not strike her as all that great.  Maybe they were new and exciting back in the day, but they haven't really held up all that well over time.

 

Conclusion:  Over-rated. Time to get rid of some books.

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Reading

 

The Brontes.

 

 

 

 

 

Volcanos and other sciency stuff

 

 

Sheila Simonson

local author

 

 

 

Sheila Simonson is a local author who was a (much younger) colleague of my Dad's at the community college where she taught English and History.

She is the author of two mystery series and a Regency Romance series.

 

 

Regency Romance

 

 



A Cousinly Connection

Sheila Simonson
1984

24 year-old Jane Ash goes to Meridan Place to assist her recenltly widowed Aunt Louisa.  The new heir, Louisa’s stepson, Lieutenant Julian Stretton, badly injured and previously estranged from his father, returns to try and straighten out the estate which is heavily mortgaged.  Jane helps her aunt and six cousins and in the course of her visit falls in love with Lord Meridan.  Set after Waterloo in an English village, the story has strong, engaging, and likeable characters in a believable plot, with the occasional amusing incident.  The author does a good job with finely drawn character development and deftly resolves the conflicts leading up to the final witty paragraph.

 

 

The Bar Sinister

 

Sheila Simonson

1986

 

This book, dedicated to author Anne McCaffrey, is set in the Regency time period 1812-1815.  Emily Foster, widow with a young son, decides to take on the care of two young children.  Their father, Captain Richard Falk, turns out to be the baseborn son of a Duchess.  This delightful Regency Romance is also full of intrigue as Richard, now a retired Colonel and earning his living as a writer of satirical novels, reconnects with his mother and a sister, yet must flee the murderous plots of his half-brothers with help from his close friend Tom Conway.  The characters are charming, the setting colorful and interesting – from London to country village with frequent mention of the wars of the time period.  (The military details are probably of more interest to those who are already knowledgeable about these historical facts.)  A well-written and thoroughly pleasant read.

 

Lady Elizabeth’s Comet

Sheila Simonson
1985

This second in the Clanross saga focuses on, of course, Lady Elizabeth Conway, and the new Lord Clanross, Tom Conway, the unexpected new heir to the estate.  Lady Elizabeth and her younger sisters are now under the authority of this distant relative.  Although Elizabeth spends a lot of her time in her observatory, she helps their neighbor, Dr. Wharton, perform surgery on Tom’s war wounds.  When Elizabeth discovers a new comet and plans to publish her findings in a scientific journal her fiancé Lord Bevis disapproves.  This Regency Romance is sweet yet not syrupy and is a very amusing and chatty first-person account.

Love and Folly

Sheila Simonson
1998

It’s 1820 and the Clanross twins are eagerly awaiting their coming-out season.  Jean falls wildly in love, Maggie, more sensible, sets her sights on someone suitable while Tom, Lord Clanross, and his wife Elizabeth must try to keep them from folly.  The book also features Colonel and Emily Falk from a previous book in the series.  The story has the usual engaging characters with witty dialogue and clever plot.



 

 Lark Mystery Series

 

 

Larkspur

 

Sheila Simonson

1991

 

Told in the first person, this mystery novel follows Lark Dailey who is busy running her new bookstore in a small northern California town. When she is invited to a house party by a famous poet he is dramatically poisoned and Lark and her boyfriend Jay( a local cop) have to figure out which of the wealthy man’s friends and relatives is the guilty one.

 

Skylark

 

Sheila Simonson

1992

 

In this, book two of the series, Lark goes to London and witnesses an abduction.  The book is a combination spy novel, mystery, and travelogue with great description of London and Yorkshire.

 

 

Mudlark

Sheila Simonson

1993/1995

Lark has moved from California to coastal Washington state and is busy remodeling their home when her new neighbor, Bonnie, finds a dead body on the beach.  The convoluted plot contains a controversy over beachfront development, local politics, Native Americans, and an unemployed logger who kidnaps Lark and Bonnie.  The storyline has a somewhat unclear ending.  Contains some descriptions of the beach and surrounding areas.

 

Meadowlark

 

Sheila Simonson

1996

Lark is busy with her new bookstore but gets talked into helping with a writer’s conference at a local organic farm.  A missing person case turns into a homicide.

 

 

Malarky

Sheila Simonson

1998

This is the fifth book in the series.  Lark is with her dad in Ireland where he is doing historical research when she discovers a body.  While trying to figure out “who done it” she also drives her dad around parts of Dublin and southeast Ireland so there are some interesting descriptions of the locale.

 

 

 

Latouche County mystery series

 

Buffalo Bill’s Defunct

Sheila Simonson
2008

Meg Mclean moves to fictional “Latouch County” in the Columbia River gorge to begin a new job as a small-town librarian.  When a body is uncovered in her garage she and her new neighbor Rob Neill, sheriff’s investigator, must follow the clues to solve not only the murder but a ten-year-old theft of native archaeological artifacts.  With interesting Pacific Northwest ambience and some well-drawn characters the book suffers from stereotyped characters and a less than convincing plot. 

An Old Chaos

Sheila Simonson
2009

The plot involves a landslide in a brand new housing development brought about by crooked county officials.  The book includes some nice descriptions of the Columbia River Gorge from the Portland/Vancouver area through Camas to Hood River.
 

Beyond Confusion

Sheila Simonson
2014

Librarian Meg Mclean and her cop boyfriend, Rob Neill, return in another Pacific Northwest murder mystery.  This time the plot revolves around some property donated to the local tribe for a branch library and the vandalism and related murder.



Call Down The Hawk

Sheila Simonson
2017
The new Latouch county mystery pits a California banker, turned Washington vintner, against his neighbors.  Throw in a PTSD Veteran and estranged family members as suspects in his murder and Rob Niell must try to unravel the mystery.  Some of characters as well as the setting are interesting but unfortunately stereotypes abound.  There is a useful cast of characters in the front of the book.


 

 

For the Feast of Saint Patrick

 

Getting ready to do some "Irish" reading.

 

Painting of "Snakes and the Saint", acrylic on canvas, 2018 by Denise Spicer.

 

 

Let Me Die In Ireland

David W Bercot

A fictionalized story of the life of Patrick which discusses his early life as son of wealthy Roman British citizens, his capture, and life of slavery in Ireland.  When Patrick finally returns home to his family he realizes God is calling him to go back to Ireland to spread the Gospel.  The author follows Patrick through his lengthy preparations in his native land and then on to his long ministry in Ireland

 

 

 St Patrick’s Gargoyle

Katherine Kurtz  2001

From the very first paragraph the author pulls us into a fascinating tale.  Set in Dublin Ireland, we follow Paddy, a gargoyle/avenging archangel and his new friend and helper, the human Francis Templeton.  In his 80’s, Francis, a Knight of Malta, drives a vintage rolls Royce and navigates around the snowy December streets as he assists Paddy and the other gargoyles to rebind a demon in an ancient underground vault.  The book includes wonderful descriptions of Dublin at Christmas time and of pre-season church services in St. Patrick’s Cathedral complete with a session in the Bell Tower as the bell ringers practice.  Some charming, wry humor, a cute little kitty, and some Protestant/Catholic theological quibbling.  Recommended for Armchair Travelers and those who love Christmastime settings.

An Irish Christmas

John B Keane

This 1999 book contains 17 stories set in an Irish country village. (probably mid- 20^th-century).  All are set at or around Christmastime but don’t really have a very strong feel of the season.  With only mildly interesting characters (Canon Coodle, the priest, Mrs. Hanlon, his housekeeper, Matt Coumer, the doctor, Sam Toper, a drunk, Mental Nossery, a poet and his wife the barmaid, Blossom O’Moone) the author gives us some disjointed, disorganized,  “slice of life” stories featuring mostly a bunch of people drinking.  A few mildly amusing scenes including the final story “A Christmas Surprise”.

 

 

 

 

Corned beef, cabbage and a mystery novel.

 

 

 

And now for dessert!

 

A Catered St Patrick’s Day

Isis Crawford

This 2012 caper follows the Simmons sisters, Bernie and Libby and their dad, Sean, as they investigate a bizarre murder.  Much detested swindler Mike Sweeney has been drowned in a keg of green beer.  Lots of suspects give the sleuths plenty to investigate in this somewhat contrived plot.  Includes 3 recipes.

 

 



Decorations and Books

 

Putting away the old decorations,

making room for the new.





Books and Art.



A Perfect Hovel

by JSQ

and a perfect teacup to sip while reading.

A Long Winter's Nap. Bedtime Reading.

Christmas With Books

Books on the bed.  

 Ready to Read.

 More.

 Fun with Dolls and Books.

 A good mystery and  a cuppa.

 Maybe some classics

 With  a to-do list!!!

 

Another cup of tea. 

 

 

With a new mug!

 



 Books and memories.

 Angels and Books.

 Another view.

 

Time For Dessert!!

 

Reading on Solar Eclipse morning

 

 

 

Reading and breakfasting with friends before the

August 2017 Great American Eclipse.

Reading glasses for reading.

Special Eclipse Glasses for the eclipse event!