Bouquets, Books and Stripes

I have rediscovered the faux-moby as a place Oscar likes so I can type two handed. So, here goes, a three part post before he wakes up or my parents show up. (I need your advice in part 2b).

Bouquets

Inspired by Emily I went into my yard (which does not have a cutting garden per se but does have, you know, plants) and picked a few bouquets.

Princess Roses (bought this plant for Biscuit at the start of her Princess phase--it has lived and bloomed despite disease and ZERO attention)

Oregano gone to flower and yarrow for the kitchen. It seems oregano can be practically invasive around here but it's so tasty and pretty I'm not bothered. Less pokey than the invasive blackberries.

The first sunflower(s)

And my bouquet picking assistant. He actually wasn't all that helpful :)

Books:

Biscuit is going to kill me for this but it made me laugh because it's exactly how I was when I was little.

:: edited, I put in the photo and took it out--too embarrassing. But I'll tell you about it anyway. She was reading while sitting on the toilet ;) ::

Here's a different, funny, reading photo. In a box.

Recently Biscuit started reading Little House in the Big Woods. A book I was 95% sure she wouldn't get through and 98% sure she wouldn't comprehend due to vocabulary.

::Oops, baby woke up. Down an arm. end punctuation::

so recent conversation:

biscuit: do you know how to make butter?

me: yes. do you?

b: yes. first you kill the baby cow with a gun...

m: huh? oh, do they kill the baby so they can use all the milk from the mom?

b: no, they need the stomach

m: huh?

b: for the rennet. they use a long gun. the kind for animals, not for people

m: yes, a rifle. and i think you are telling me how to make cheese, not butter

b: ok, cheese. i will read to you how to make it.

so she did. and i learned rennet comes from a calf stomach. and now she is reading Little House on the Prarie.

More Books

I'm pretty sure I should be preview reading Little House on the Prarie (something about Indians? I don't recall) but I don't feel like it.

So, I need book ideas. I love to see what other folks are reading and get ideas so here goes. Based on what I've got on GoodReads I apparently like memoir/essays. Got any more suggestions in that genre?

::Several hours have gone by. parents have come and gone and I have two arms free again. Iced coffee in hand I return to my task::

Here's what I've read recently according to my GoodReads list.

• Anne Lamott: Traveling Mercies and Operating Instructions
• Sarah Vowell: The Partly Cloudy Patriot and Assassination Vacation (really liked Assassination Vacation)
• Ruth Reichl: Garlic and Sapphires (really liked all of her memoirs, read the others last year)
• Michael Connelly: Chasing the Dime and The Brass Verdict (these were from my father-in-law and after two attempts I don't think a huge Connelly fan. I gave my father-in-law Assassination Vacation and he'll read anything but I'm not sure he'll like it despite reading a lot of history books)
• Mike Birbiglia: Sleepwalk with Me (he's funny on This American Life but the book didn't do it for me)
• Emma Donoghue: Room (liked it but creepy)
• JK Rowling: re-read of the entire Harry Potter series (seriously. so. good. I had forgotten a lot of the details so a re-read was perfect)
• Banana Yosimoto: Kitchen (weird but an interesting look at Japanese culture. if you read it, it's TWO stories. there will never be a connection between the two so don't be looking/disappointed)
• Ellen Raskin: The Westing Game (didn't like it as much as I wanted to. It's no Enders Game)

Now I'm reading

• Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman which I found randomly on my bookshelf and realized 1. it's memoir and 2. I really liked her other book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. One essay in and it seems pretty good.

Books I could not complete due to sad baby/kid parts and postpartum hormones

• Pamela Schoenewaldt: When We Were Strangers. It's not even that sad but there was a single scene about a little girl who's family dies and I had to return it to the library.
• Something else I've already forgotten.

So, any non sad memiors, biographies, autobiographies or other good books?

Finally, Stripes:

Is three stripe patterns too many?

My mom tries to choose clothes for Oscar and she has asked several times, "you like stripes, right?" Apparently so.

Comments

[Sonja]

I can't help you with books (or wait, perhaps I can: I love books by Elizabeth Berg and Elizabeth Noble), but three stripe patterns are not too much if you have a cute baby to break them up. :-)

[Sascha]

I love stripes and think you can never go wrong with them. I also love Michael Connelly. I think because I started reading him with his first book. Thats a sure way to get stuck on series writers. That happened with Jonathan Kellerman. I read his first book when it came out and I still read his stuff even though I don't think I really like it much anymore :/

[Christy]

Biographies are my favorites, especially ones about nature and strong women! One of the best reads I've had in a while is "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" -- it was illuminating. I also read "Wildflower: An Extraordinary Life and Untimely Death in Africa" and loved it.

Have you read "Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson? I read it long ago, but it made me laugh constantly, always welcome with the fog of a new baby! For fun "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" is an older book, but great. I'm currently reading "Pink Boots and a Machete" just because I think she's a kick. I too like "The Spirit Catches..." I liked "The Bookseller of Kabul" too.

In fiction, I have "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" to read - I've heard it's wonderful. I've been undecided on "Room" even though I have it on hold.

Whew..okay, I went on and on. And yippee for Biscuit's Little House love. :-) My boys love them. The Indian parts in the books are good -- Pa teaches Laura to be accepting and open, he was ahead of his time! Happy summer reading!

[Melissa Haworth]

Thanks, Sonja. I added a few from each author to my library request list. Do you have a particular favorite to start with? I just picked randomly by title :)
M

[Melissa Haworth]

Sascha,
I will give Connelly credit that I enjoyed Bloodwork several years ago. And it probably does help to have a relationship with the characters. My FIL LOVES his stuff :)
M

[Melissa Haworth]

Thanks, Christy! Great suggestions. I LOVE Bill Bryson and have read most all of his books starting with A Walk in the Woods. Mr. Hs favorite book is A Brief HIstory of Everything (hope I got the title right) by Bryson so I bought him At Home for Xmas but Mr. H says its not as good. Maybe I should steal it from him since hes still only half done.

Ill add the other books to the library wish list. I must admit that it felt like NPR pushed the Henrietta Lacks book so much I kinds lost my interest in it but maybe I should pick it up :)
Melissa

[Liz]

for a children's book i just read the miraculous journey of edward tulane by kate dicamillo..she also wrote the tale of despereaux. such a great story for kids around the age of 9 years old to read. i will use it as a read aloud to my kids this summer.
i love the sling...i have used a sling for all of my babies...i could not live without them. cute blog...

[Melissa Haworth]

Thanks, Liz. I have heard Kate DiCamillo is good but hadnt researched the right age for her books. Sounds like were a bit out from those.  Yes, slings are wonderful :)
M