More About Books

I just loved your comments on my recent post on books! If you enjoyed that post but commented early (or skipped reading the comments) they are well worth a read! You shared so many of your favorites and how you like to read and so much more, some of which I've incorporated here as we keep the discussion going!

One thing is sure and reiterated by almost all of you: You love books. You may find challenges in having too many or what to do with the ones you are done with. You may have special types of favorites (or maybe you love them all). You may be a minimalist who has gone to digital reading -- or perhaps done so because you are clearing out your physical books as you downsize.

Or, you may have special shelves or libraries for your books. They may be stacked on stair steps or in attics or in the basement. I was delighted to know I wasn't the only one who kept books in the bathroom! But you love books, whether they are hardcover, paperback or digital. And I just love you all for that!

I've loved reading since I was a child. And loving books long before I knew my alphabet! Shortly after I learned how reading could take me into stories I might never have otherwise imagined, my parents took me to the Adirondacks on spring vacation. They were both delighted and frustrated that I hardly saw any of this trip as my head was in a book the whole way!

 From the comments, I learned that many of you developed your love of reading as children. You couldn't get enough then, you can't now.

I also learned that we all have lots of ways of tracking our reads, getting our books, storing them and (sometimes) letting them go!

Pat wondered if I got books from the library or purchase them new or used.

It depends on the book. If it's one I think I'll keep and refer to or add to a series, I'm inclined to buy it new (usually online) or possibly get used if it's in excellent shape. I have two friends with whom I trade books (see purging question below!). We'll send books we're done with to each other. Some of those move on again, others stop on my shelf forever. Finally, and this is mostly for a book club read of a current new book, I'll borrow from another Savory Sister (our book club). I did just get a library card (believe it or not -- my first since high school!), so who knows what might change.

I found that a lot of you use the library and three cheers on that! A recent Gallup Poll found that in 2019, more people went to the library than to the movies and I think that says great things for this valuable institution!

And what do you do with them after? How does one purge books when they are hard to part with?

Well, as you might guess, there are a lot I keep and they get shelved (see below). Others I might save for my friends Joan or Suzanne or another friend who might like something specific. (I was thrilled when an MSU theatre student took several boxes of stage bios, plays and more from my theatre library last year!) Our bookstore takes used books in good condition and for those recent ones in good condition that I know I'll not keep go there first. We get either cash or a store credit. If none of the above fly, they go in the donate pile. I have rarely put a book in the trash.

A lot of you have the same problem, I'm happy to say! Many of you said you took books to the library for their sales after and Penny was fortunate in being able to donate a large collection to a senior citizens community for their library or to use as a fundraiser. (That's a great idea I will remember!)

And here's a good question from Joyce F. -- What do you do with an old World Book Encyclopedia? That's a good question -- loads of volumes; lots of the info out of date. I remember doing school reports from those -- but I was in fifth grade then. Six decades later, I don't think my 60s World Book would have much value, at least till it's a little older! (I did once buy a 1940s World Book at a sale. It was only one volume and given the time it was published, fascinating.) Any ideas?

Someone else asked "How do you organize your books?"

The short answer is "badly." I do try to keep the mysteries together by series. And, as many of the England/France books that will fit on the shelf together (there are always strays in this category). The same for the bios on the Royals. (I was relieved when at least one of you said your shelves were double-deep, too!

As for the rest of it, wherever it fits on the shelf!

I'm happy to note I'm not alone in the organizing department! Elizabeth and Mae said they had their books all over the house and in fact more than one of you had books in every room of the house! Erika says there has to be a really good reason for her getting rid of a book, and some of you either have or are hoping to convert spare rooms into libraries. (I'm a little envious!) Others still have part of their book collections at the home of a parent (especially children's books).

How Do You Track Your Reading?

I keep a little notebook with the title, author and number of pages and try to set a goal each year. I've done this for eons. My current paper record goes back maybe 15 years (I should check!) but I remember doing this throughout high school and college. I know others of you track on Goodreads or through your blogs, and perhaps notebooks.

Erin has come up with something interesting in her recent post. She's tracking plenty of things -- titles, challenges, and even money saved by using the library! Check out her post to see how well she did in January -- I was impressed!

Kindle or Paper? 

I don't read well on a screen and I love the tactile feel of paper, being able to take notes if I want. Maybe someday...what about you?

I was glad I asked! I learned that many of you who have let your physical books go are reading on Kindle or Nook. And, as several of you said, that way you never have to worry about running out books when you are finished with one! Rick told me I could download books from the library, which I never knew. Barb says she must read on Kindle, though she prefers the other, due to an allergy to the formaldehyde that is in paper. I had no idea about the formaldehyde in paper. Her story is fascinating. Others read that way because it is portable. .

And others? No way that Kindle is coming into use unless physical circumstances mandate it! I fall a bit into that camp and was glad there were at least some "Kindred Kindle Spirits" out there with me!

Some of you also listen to audio books and enjoy those tremendously, even having favorite readers. I do recall some road trips back during the books-on-tape days where we listened to some good books. I might have to revisit that for travel.

What About Children's Books

Several of you mentioned that you still have some of your favorite children's books -- and wish you had more. Others have picked up children's books as adults, simply because the illustrations are so beautiful.

Storytime at the lake with my Aunt Grace and Cousin David.

Some of you, like Lisa, are building libraries for your children. These (mostly) moms spend a lot of time reading with their children.

And still others are introducing their children to the local library.

The first time I read "Little Women," I was eight and it was abridged. By sixth grade I was ready for the real deal!

I spent a lot of time in the library as a kid. I could ride my bike down to the local library before we moved and then it was the school and city library. What a feast!

And Magazines? How Do they Play Into It?

I didn't ask about magazines in the post but many of you said you had the same problem with magazines as I do -- they are hard to get rid of, for some reason.

I've pondered this. I think probably the best strategy would be to rip out the pages I want to keep and say goodbye to the rest. And I do that -- but not often enough. They grow like tribbles. I have considered, and probably will, take some of more universal interest to my next doc appointment and leave them in the waiting room as an alternative to those who don't want to read "People" or "WedMD" magazine!

Here are some book tips for culling down your stack -- Do as I say, not as I do!

Many of you mentioned you are in the process of downsizing and bidding farewell to books. Some, because of moves, others to get a better handle on space in your home or simply because it's time to let go. Here are a few ideas if you're in that position -- and if you have others, add them to the comments!

• Share with a friend. Not a loan. Forever. Then it's their problem -- and they get to read a good book!
• Donate to your local library. But first, check to see what they want. They're not a dumping ground. Trust me on this! (Vivian Swift fans will know what I mean!)
• Drop them off into Little Free Libraries you might find on the street. (Good LFL etiquette -- ask the owner before you dump 20 books into their stash! They might have preferences!)
• With thematic books, check with related groups, such as an academic department at a nearby university (such as I did with that theatre student I mentioned above.) I've also passed on many of my astrology books and others that target specific interests.
• Check with local used book stores. Some will give you half of their used selling price or store credit.
• Try a yard sale. Not my cup of tea and no guarantees they will go, but if you're having one anyway, give it a shot. Price appropriately! I've found wonderful books at yard sales and more (possibly better ones) at estate sales.
• Try online sales -- Not my thing either and I've heard mixed results with this but if it's something you're comfy with, give it a go.
• Pull a few to use for craft projects and/or decor. Consider art groups that might do mixed media for some that may be particularly interesting.
• And if all else fails, recycle! After all, there may not be a big market for a 40 year old calculus book. 

I do hope if you have a chance, you'll weigh in on some of these points and ideas in the comments or for a lively discussion, check the comments on the earlier book post here. I would love to have included every single one!

Meanwhile, you'll find me reading somewhere! Just don't interrupt me at the good part!

A Wintry Valentine Week!

It has been snowing in our world. There has been so little, I'll not complain. I should have taken photos yesterday when I was out, but you get the idea. A marshmallow world!

A few cheery tulips and it's spring inside!

Rick got back from his trade show in Nevada yesterday. Since then he's slept like Rip Van Winkle. I was delighted to cook a lovely meal on the new stove -- and then didn't take a single photo. But I mde a wonderful artichoke chicken casserole.

I also made a Swedish Visiting Cake. Between what we had last night and what I took to friends on Friday, there is only one piece left! (It's prettier with the raspberries surrounding it but just as good without!)

I haven't done tons of decorating for Valentine's Day. Things from the kitchen aren't yet where they are supposed to be, which doesn't make entering my house like a walk into the pages of Country Living. You will note that all the photos are very tight shots!

But I did put up a few things to bring some seasonal cheer! Among the favorites are these two new little ones from Vintage by Crystal. Aren't they sweet? Wrapped cotton with crepe paper for skirts and sweet faces!

This is what I'm waiting for. Silver white winters that melt into spring!

A few years ago we did a Christmas wreath at Southern Exposure, using this frame with greens. I didn't use it at Christmas this year but repurposed it with some lace hearts I made a year or two ago.

The mantel, too, has it's share of Valentine cheer. A "love" sign I did awhile back, flanked by with baskets and sweet little houses. They were great fun to do! I have a few more wooden forms. Maybe I should get those made up, too!

I pulled out lots of vintage valentines and postcards this year, some of which are with my snowfolk atop the china cabinet.

Just a little bit of love!

Watching, Reading, Doing

Winter is a good time for settling in, with or without popcorn, and enjoying a good series on television, a movie or a book. I've been doing all of the above! Phil the Groundhog says spring is coming early. He's rarely accurate but with such an upbeat forecast, I will not complain!

My favorite show on PBS these days is "Finding Your Roots," which is into a new season. Fascinating stories about those I know and don't (which is interesting in itself). Because of my own genealogy journey, I find this program especially intriguing.

When I was digging in my basement I saw this photo just laying there. I must have moved it but I swear I never saw it before. I looked up the name written on the back and did some family tree digging. It appears to be my fourth great grandmother! She doesn't look very cheery, does she? But then I suppose her time period wasn't that jolly (1765-1865). Now to find out more about her! It's a never ending journey, isn't it?

January was a good reading month -- I finished seven books and just a couple of days ago wrapped up the eighth. And what else have I been doing? Well, tomorrow my new stove will be installed and I can finally cook again! And once things are in place again -- or maybe even before -- get back to painting. It will be a good month!

Goodbye, Stove. Goodbye, Friend. Hello, February!

I hate goodbyes, most of the time. So I'll start with a hello. Hello, February! We are one step closer to spring.

From my Birdiferous calendar by Kate McNenly

Somehow February, the calendar's shortest month, always seems the longest to me. But these days everything seems to fly by so quickly, maybe February will too.

I said goodbye to Christmas, finally. Yes, I know -- most said goodbye to that a month ago. I still have some winter snowfolk to keep me cheerful during the dark days and evenings.

I love this one.

And these little fellows around what was formerly a Christmas tree and now is a Valentine one!

My friend Mike moved north to permanently live in Traverse City. Mike and I worked together for my full 32 years at the station, although it was probably the last fifteen or twenty where we were joined at the hip during pledge and fundraising times. I have numerous memories, mostly good, of our pledge drives. Yes, I know they are annoying to you but they are critical to public broadcasting stations. Mike produced them; I promoted and did on-air during them.

With his retirement, he now has the flexibility to relocate and he loves up-north Michigan. Those in the Traverse City area or up north, look for him at the Traverse City film festival or playing ukulele with the strummers.

Here, he he will be missed. Our friend and former colleague Nancy, Mike and I had a goodbye lunch -- it went three hours. Now that was a good lunch!

And coming very soon -- this week, in fact, I will finally, say goodbye to my old stove, a 1963 Westinghouse that was in my house when I bought it back in 1995. It wasn't much to look at and if a part went (and some did) it became increasingly difficult to find a replacement. But it was a good friend for many years. How many appliances do you have that have worked consistently for 57 years? They don't make 'em like that anymore!

I'll miss you, stove! Goodbye, old friend!

The new stove has arrived and gets its big reveal soon! The gas fellow will come on Tuesday so it's dining out, eating at Rick's and micro-meals for a few days. I am so anxious to bake again! Don't expect a huge remodel here. We're talking paint and a stove and new counters will just have to wait  -- but to me, it's a very big deal!). Just a bit more painting, stove hook-up and moving back in the storage pieces and we're good to go! Meanwhile, we watch the birds.

A Love Affair with Books

This article showed up in the Independent recently. (Well, not that  recently) and focused on Marie Kondo's rather ruthless book purging methods. But that was just the start. "Going Against the Book Decluttering Craze: The Book Horders Who Defy Marie Kondo" digs deeper.

What do your books say about you? When you look at someone's library, what do their books tell about them? And what do we do with books we no longer need or want.

One things my bookshelves say about me is I have a hard time letting any of them go!

I know a little about this because I have books two-deep on more than a few shelves. And don't think I don't weed out the books. Those are the keepers.

And what's on that keeper list? You can pretty much break it down into a few categories.

Books on England (especially London, but all England) and Paris.

That includes guide books but it also includes fiction and non-fiction about those places. It may well include a biography or two or a book set in one of those areas. A number of those are related to World War I and II (which could be a category by itself. A few of the titles? "The Red Notebook," "The Nightingale," "Paris" (by Edward Rutherfurd), "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" and lots of maps, history and guide books.

Just a tiny part of the England and Paris shelves. The "tall" books are in a separate spot and these are two-deep, too.

(There's also a smaller travel section with some American destinations as well as Japan.)

So, what does that say about me? I love travel, I love those particular destinations, I love history and English literature.

And do I go back to them often? You bet. Especially the map and guide books but others as well.

Mysteries

My favorite reading category! What do I keep? Mostly series. Pretty much every Agatha Christie, most bought used, paperback and probably at a dollar apiece. All the Louise Penny, Deborah Crombie, Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia Macneal series and growing series by Christopher Fowler, Susan Hill and Cara Black series. And a few other favorites.

Mostly mysteries, mostly stacked two-deep.

That category includes the ever-growing Maigret mysteries, the British Library Crime series (all reprints from the 20s/30s and wonderful) and a few singles. Pretty much all of those, apart from the Penny books, are set in England/UK or Paris.

I adore the classic British Library crime series! The covers are fabulous, too!

I love a good puzzle. Especially in two of my favorite countries.

Royal Bios

OK, I'm a royal geek. I collect their commemorative china and books about them. I think I have biographies (authorized and not) for every monarch or major royal from Victoria through William and Harry, along with some Elizabeth I and Henry VIII (and his wives). A few are a little sleazy and I am a little more likely (not always) to pass those on. Most are fairly or very well researched, with good sources, bibliographies and notes.

These are stacked two-deep too, and it doesn't count the 'tall" books!

Seeing a theme here? And yes, I refer back to them. Often (and with just about every episode of "The Crown."

Art and Special Interest Books

Some of these fall under the umbrella of "coffee table books" but I kind of hate that term. I look at those books, read them, refer back to them. Some of them have wonderful text, like the books by Vivian Swift and Susan Branch or books about Beatrix Potter. I read them and refer to them and practice art by looking at their images.

Some of my favorites. Artists who inspire me!

Others might involve architecture (classic movie palaces and theatres), Shaker style, miniatures, puppets. Although I passed on much of my astrology collection, I still hold onto several of my favorites. Many of my art history books were lost in June's basement flood but those that were safe then are safe now -- Andrew Wyeth, Hirschfeld, Georgia O'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, VanGogh.

If this shelf wasn't behind a Christmas tree at the time, you would have seen a lot more!

Fiction

I don't hold onto a lot of fiction anymore but there are some with which I'll never part. "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks remains a favorite. So does "Broken For You" and " All the Light We Cannot See." There are others too.

All keepers. Most (not all) bios and a few suspense books, too!

Biographies

I don't save every bio, but I do have a thing for the Mitfords, Evelyn Waugh, Anne Frank and any number of film or stage favorites. Or Julia Child. I think I have five or six Julia bios. And her cookbooks. Which brings me to...

Cookbooks

I could use some purging here. I did one huge purge of most "local" cookbooks. But I can't say farewell to Julia, Ina, Nigella, Irma Rombauer (all versions -- I still go back to my mom's 1950 for one of my favorite recipes). There are lots of autographed cookbooks from PBS days, ones I've picked up traveling, great gifts. Junior League cookbooks always deliver. Sometime I'll do a post on just cookbooks and what they tell us about how cooking has changed.

The recipes rarely fail -- if they do, it's user error!

And yes, I use them. Not all of them. But I use them. And I'm pretty good at it. Though, I would be better if I used them more!

Not a cookbook but one of the best books I read all year!

People ask me how I get books. Buy or library? Paper or Kindle? How I store them (I think you get the idea here). I'll have another post on books coming up soon. Weigh in with what your books say about you! Are they on bookshelves, your night stand, the bathroom? (Don't laugh. It's a great place for short essays and poetry.) Please tell me about your relationship with books!

Do you have any of your childhood books left?

I'd love to know!

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Can Anyone Help Blogger David?

One of my favorite blogs is David Gascoigne's "Travel with Birds." David and his wife, Miriam, produce some of the most remarkable photos and interesting commentary related to birds through their birdwatching walks. David also will periodically review new books related to nature.

(All of the photos in this post are mine -- and they pale in comparison to the beautiful floral paintings in the book!)

He recently posted his current review -- "The Gardener's Botanical." If you have seen the post, you will be, as I was, enchanted by the splendid illustrations featured in the book. And, if you are a gardener or have a special love for all in the garden, you will find it an intriguing offering as well.

But David has a problem. He posted the link in blogger's reader feed. And it just doesn't show up. He's not quite sure what's wrong and neither am I.

But if you already follow David and use blogger reader as your blog-following source, you're missing one heck of a great post.

So, I thought I'd give it a shout-out here. You can visit this post right HERE. And I hope you do! (And if you don't visit David regularly and have a passion for birds, check out other posts on his feed while you're there. Quite remarkable!)

And if you can help him out, leave a message on his blog or here because this could be something that could happen to any of us.

(Oh, I do need the color of all these blooms!)