BOOK PARTY AT CHICORY NITS!

It's Party Time today! A Book Party, that is! And, no, it's not some dull, boring, stuffy type of party - how can it be when Carey of Chicory Nits is hosting it? Please go see how Carey, and everyone else, pays homage to their beloved books. Hey, why don't you join in, too! Here's how it works ~

Posting ideas may include but not limited to:

1. Favorite book(s)

2. Decorating with books

3. Storing books

4. Caring for books

5. Favorite author(s)

6. The book that changed your life.

7. Books vs. kindle

8. Crafting with books

Be creative and have fun!

(NOTE: THIS IS A LONGER POST THAN USUAL - CAN'T HELP IT - I GET EXCITED ABOUT BOOKS!)

First, here is a superb quote by Horace Mann, the educator (d. 1859).

“A house without books is like a room without windows.

No man has a right to bring up his children without surrounding them with books."

This is the library (as it looked in the 60's) I grew up in. It sits on the "town house hill", as it was called back then. Two rooms - one for adults, one for children. We lived on the other side of the hill, across the street. I was there at least three times each week, because I could just walk over. My favorite books were a set of three about Greek and Norse gods - I read those over and over again! I wish I could remember who wrote them, as I would love to read them again! The fire whistle was housed in the cupola on top of the building, because it used to be a fire house. It blew every day at noon (the "lunch" whistle) and for fires. I hated it when I would get caught in the building at noon!
Two of my favorite things in life are gardening and books - especially older books. I came across this quote a few years ago, and it so fits me!

Here's another delicious quote that sums up how book lovers feel.


These two bookshelves are crammed with most of my gardening books - I have more scattered around the house.
Am I a "master" gardener? NO! Far from it! I love gardening, but I also love to read about gardening! Here's my all-time favorite book about gardening - it reads like a story. It's a true story about Celia Thaxter's garden on an island off the coast of New Hampshire in the 1890's. The (famous) illustrator, Childe Hassam, was a good friend of hers.

The shelf above my garden books displays some of my vintage/antique books. Hmmm, maybe I should have saved these for a Rednesday post!

Here's my pile of Mary Engelbreit books. I love this quote she uses!


And what am I presently reading? How the Heather Looks by Joan Badger, 1959. This is one of Pre-Teen's home school books this year. If this doesn't make you want to pack your bags and move to Great Britain, nothing will!
In 1958 Joan and her husband, both half-English, along with their 3-yr-old daughter and 9-yr-old son, spent a summer in England, searching for actual places that they had read about in story books, or places that books were imagined from. Was there really a 100-acre-wood, and a trip to Beatrix Potter's home in the Lake District, among others.

And there you have a glimpse into me and my books! I even made a special bookmark for the occasion ~ in fact, I made a second one for Carey (just send me your mail address)!

My all-time, favorite, will-never-be-without book? This, of course!


Now, don't forget to join the party!