Today’s header (just for one day) is an old photo of my daughter, Jamie. She was born on Halloween and so our celebrations of this day have always been joyous rather than spooky. She is a beautiful and talented person, and is such a delight for us with her humor and compassion. We are so very proud of her. Happy birthday to our lovely daughter! And happy Halloween to you all!
Byron at the wetlands…
Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful Autumn day. After our recent rainy spell, it was so nice to be able to get out and enjoy the sunshine and fall colors. Byron felt up to a walk with the aid of his cane (didn’t need his walker!), so we headed for Fern Hill Wetlands to enjoy watching all the wildlife and soak in the colors of a lovely autumn day. A cherished time together!
.
One classic book that has been on my TBR list since long ago is The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas. It is one of the books I included on my new Classics Club, List #2, for my second round of reading fifty books in five years, and I’m looking forward to finally reading it.
I discovered that another member of The Classics Club is hosting a read-along for the book. The challenge is set up in a chapter-a-day format, which simply takes the hesitancy out of starting a long book or series. This read-along started yesterday, October 25th, so I will read two chapters today, and be right on track. I’m so looking forward to reading this wonderful old classic!
A special thank you to Nick Senger (Deacon Nick) for organizing and hosting this read-along!
Click here to read information on the read-along.
Autumn in the neighborhood…
Autumn is a Transient
~by Maude O. Cook (my grandmother)
When Autumn spreads her crimson
Along the wayside trails,
And distant, fluted mountains
Are wearing soft blue veils;
When days are crisp and heady
Then is the time to go
To flaming slopes and by-ways,
Rich with prismatic glow:
For Autumn is a transient,
And soon she will depart —
She leaves behind the beauty
That is captured by the heart.
Painting by Deborah DeWitj
9:00 p.m. My Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon is over now. It’s been a long time since I pulled an “all-nighter.” (I get more excited about pulling an “all-dayer” these days, even though I do love naps!) So although I’d love to stay up all night and read, I will leave the “night owl reading” to others and wish you a very happy reading night!
Thank you so much to all the organizers of the read-a-thon! I know it is a lot of work for many people, and I just want you all to know how much I appreciate you working to keep this fun tradition alive and thriving after so many years.
Here are the books I read and thoroughly enjoyed for this read-a-thon:
Owl illustration, by E.K. Belsher
6:00 p.m.: I really enjoyed the books I read this afternoon for my OWL-themed Read-a-thon! And while looking for owl photos and art for my posts, I found the beautiful owl illustration above. It is by E.K. Belsher, an artist from Vancouver, BC. Please visit her website here to see more of her extraordinary illustrations.
After a lunch break, I finished listening to the beautifully-written classic, I Heard the Owl Call my Name, by Margaret Craven. The location of the story was here in the Pacific Northwest, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, so I am familiar with and particularly liked the descriptions of the landscape of that area. Also, because I have long been fascinated by the culture of the Native Peoples of that area, this story really resonated with me. It was a great choice for my “owl theme” for this read-a-thon, and I will be writing a full review of the book in the next few days because it is also one of the books on my Classics Club list to read 50 books in 5 years.
A short story I read this afternoon, also has “owl” in the title, but has nothing to do with owls. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, by Ambrose Bierce, is a powerful and moving story, set during the Civil War. Peyton Farquhar is a wealthy planter and slave holder who was helping the confederates during the Civil War. He was captured by Union soldiers and and is being prepared for execution by Hanging at Owl Creek Bridge. The story of how he was captured and of his attempted escape is told in a flashbacks. This story was originally published in 1890 and packs a powerful punch. I think it’s eerie enough to count it as one of my short stories read for the RIP-XVI challenge. I vaguely remember seeing a film of this story long, long ago (was I even in high school yet?) and remember being haunted by it for a long time afterward.
The next book I read this afternoon was a fun book for middle grade readers written by Jean Craighead George. It is called There’s an Owl in the Shower. I have read and loved many of JCG’s stories about nature and animals. In this book, Borden Watson was a young boy whose father was a logger who had lost his job due to the new government law, the Endangered Species Act, which included protections for the Spotted Owl. The forest Borden’s father had been logging was home to the owl species. Borden was very proud of his father, and so was very angry that a little bird could cause his father so much pain and stress. “A hero had been felled by a measly little bird.” And then, while Borden was in the forest determined to shoot and kill Spotted Owls, he finds an owlet that had been blown out of the nest. He brings it home, not realizing it was a Spotted Owl, and his family take care of the cute little thing. This owlet, and all that the family learned about the lives of owls while helping it survive, changed their understanding of the complex issues surrounding endangered species. It’s an interesting book that helps young people understand both sides of the issue and learn about the fascinating lives of owls.
Spotted Owl
My next book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a couple of years. It’s a lovely looking book, and I was anxious to finally read it. The Secret Life of the Owl, by John Lewis-Stempel, is a little gem full of all kinds of information, poetry, tidbits of history…all about owls. He also talks about each of the different types of owls in Britain, so although it is short, it is packed with learning for anyone interested in owls. And according to Mr. Lewis-Stempel, we all are interested in owls!
A collection of books and information on owls would not be complete without some of the poetry about these amazing birds. One joyful poem is The Owl and The Pussycat, by Edward Lear. I have a book of this short poem with illustrations by Jan Brett, an illustrator I love, so of course I added it to my pleasurable day of reading about owls.
.
After dinner, I will spend a few more hours reading a book that my blogging friend, Nan, (Letters from a Hill Farm) recommended to me recently. It’s called The Owl Service, by Alan Garner, and I’m about of 1/3 of the way through it. I may not finish it tonight, but will count it as part of my OWL day.
.
My afternoon was packed with some wonderful reading. I’m off to dinner now, and will check back in with you all at the end of my day.
painting by Jesse Willcox Smith
Read-a-thon time
NOON: What a lovely read-a-thon morning — rainy outside but with plenty of hot tea and enjoyable books indoors.
My first book read today was Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen. It is one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read it, and how many times I shared it with children, but it never gets old and it’s like visiting an old friend each time I reread it. On a cold winter night, a young girl and her father go owling. “It was late one winter night, long past my bedtime, when Pa and I went owling.”
.
After Owl Moon, I read some other children’s books from the library. Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell, and illustrated by Patrick Benson, was delightful. Three owlets wake up in the night and find that their mother is gone. They waited, but she didn’t return. They waited some more, huddled together on a branch outside the nest. They were worried. Would she ever return? A very sweet owl story for the young ones!
.
Owl Sees Owl, by Laura Godwin, with beautiful illustrations by Rob Dunlavey, is a word book. The story is told visually and with single words, four at a time on a page. It’s a heartwarming story of a young owl’s exploration of his world outside the nest while his family is asleep. The four words on each page tell the story of his adventure. I would love to read this book (over and over again) to a very young grandchild sitting on my lap. Alas, my grandson is almost 15 years old, but he would have loved hearing it read to him back then!
.
Owls: Our Most Charming Birds, written and illustrated by artist, Matt Sewell, is a guidebook for older children (and adults) who really want to learn about owls found all over the world. The illustrations of each owl are wonderful and the information that accompanies each one is excellent and informative. I learned a lot reading this one. It’s a book I definitely would have had in my 6th grade class library!
.
Another old family favorite on my bookshelf is Owl at Home, by Arnold Lobel. My kids loved every one of Arnold Lobel’s books, and this one is well-worn and well-loved. From the publisher: “Owl lives by himself in a warm little house. But whether Owl is inviting Winter in on a snowy night or welcoming a new friend he meets while on a stroll, Owl always has room for visitors.”
.
Otis the Owl, by Mary Holland, is a beautiful photography book about the life of a baby owl. The photographs are amazing, and the story about the young life of this owl and his sister is interesting. But this book is also a science book for the young naturalist. There’s a wealth of information about owls after the story ends. See an example below. What a wonderful book for learning/teaching about owls!
Wow! Owling: Enter the World of the Mysterious Birds of the Night, by Mark Wilson, is an awesome book I found at the library. It was just jam packed with information about owls and comparing them to other birds. It’s a complete education for young and old, for anyone interested at all in owls!
A special book: My friend, Marlo, shared a very special book with me on baby owls. She created it for her grandchildren and very generously sent me the link to the photo book along with the following story about how she created it. “I’m going to add a little-known, amateur book to your available titles. Several years ago we stayed in a vacation home that had an owl nest in the yard. I spent most of the month sitting in the yard watching. Here is a link to the book I made for my grandchildren. https://babyowlbook.shutterfly.com … What a great experience it was!” THANK YOU so much, Marlo, for adding your book to my owl reading today! I loved it!
The rest of my morning was spent doing Saturday chores and listening to the audiobook, I Heard the Owl Call my Name, by Margaret Craven. It is fiction, and not directly about owls themselves, but is a beautifully written classic about the native peoples and culture of the Pacific Northwest, of which owls play an important part. I’m not quite finished with it yet, but after my lunch break / blogging time, I’ll finish this audiobook and continue with my afternoon read-a-thon reading!
And outside, the rain continues!
5:00 a.m.: GOOD MORNING! So begins another special day devoted to reading. Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon is an institution in the book blogging world. I remember Dewey and her blog, The Hidden Side of a Leaf, and am happy that her wonderful idea of how to unite readers and bloggers in an enjoyable event at least twice a year took hold and grew over time. What a wonderful legacy she left us!
.
Illustration by John Schoenherr, from Owl Moon
In my post yesterday, I explained why I chose the theme for my reading today: OWLS! I’m looking forward to spending today in the company of such terrific birds. I will update my reading progress mid-day, and again in the evening, so check back then to see which books I’m reading today.
My big mug of tea is ready; I’m in my comfy reading chair; and my books are stacked on my table and waiting on my Kindle. Time to start my reading day!
Enjoy your day of reading everyone!
It’s almost time again for the October Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon! When I was teaching 2nd grade, read-a-thon days were the best. The kids would gather piles of books from the class library. They’d find a cozy spot on the floor somewhere and settle in for a wonderful reading session. I always provided snacks for them because books and treats go well together. And they would spend long periods of time reading and going through their piles of books. So that’s some of the excitement I feel when Dewey’s Read-a-thon comes around again…it’s my turn to gather the books and treats, and read, read, read!
Some of my former 2nd graders during a spring read-a-thon.
For the last few years, I’ve enjoyed doing a theme for my read-a-thon reading. Looking at my bookshelves for some inspiration, I realized I have quite a few books on owls, and that seemed the perfect theme for my reading this time. A pair of Great Horned Owls have nested nearby this year, and we hear them often in the middle of the night or early morning. They have been delightful nighttime companions, even leaving us some owl pellets under our cedar tree, so in honor of our bird friends, I’m going to read or reread my books on OWLS. I have also gathered some other books to read that simply have “owl” in the title.
Tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m. Pacific coast time, I will begin my reading. I don’t last 24 hours these days, but I will read as long as my old eyes will let me, and I will post some updates on this blog a couple of times during the day.
I love what happens to my hydrangeas in the Fall! This part of that “long cycle” is so beautiful, and I know that Spring will bring the return of these lovely flowers.
…the flowers ring their changes through a long cycle, a cycle that will be renewed. That is what the gardener often forgets. To the flowers we never have to say good-by forever. We grow older every year, but not the garden; it is reborn every spring.
~ May Sarton, Plant Dreaming Deep
.
Today, the number was chosen for The Classics Club Spin #28. It was book #12 on my list, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by Mark Twain, so I will be spending the next few days immersed in this story.
I actually have both the print version and the audiobook version. The audiobook is narrated by Nick Offerman, so I know it’s going to be a fun listen!
Happy reading to all who are participating in this fun event!
.
A Fondness For Reading 