Rosie_0801 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 This one? (It's in Gaffney, SC.) Yep, still there last time I drove through (which has been awhile now...). See? SC should be the peach state! South GA, otoh, has the peanut... :lol: ETA: And, hey! Look at those pitch trees behind the peanut. We don't have a giant peanut! I don't think we have a giant peach either! I love Big Things, they are too much fun. Even the dead fish on the roof of the pub down woop woop was fun. If I could grow up to be a fictional character, I'd be whoever Tiffany Aching is when she's as old as Granny Weatherwax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 At my boys' request, I started reading Atlantis Rising by T. A. Barron, their favorite writer. By the way, do your dc and dh beg you to read their favorite books? Ds have been begging me to read Merlin by T. A. Barron for ages. "mom, you have to read Where the Red Fern Grows." "Mom, will you please read Merlin? You will know why we like it so much." I haven't done it. I did read Pillars of the Earth at dh's rec or request. To balance everything, dc and I have been begging dh to read Harry Potter. I regret regret and so regret that I didn't read HP while they came out and only read them all together a couple month ago. They are the most magical books, my first love. Other books of magic won't feel the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I've never read his books in order. (And there are so many of them, there are still oodles of them for me to read.) I don't think you really need to read them in order. He has various overlapping characters, so some stories focus more on particular characters or groups than others. If you enjoy his stuff, you'll soon discover your preferences & probably seek out those books first. Some focus on the wizards of Unseen University (love those guys), or the witches (the Tiffany books, plus many others -- love them too, they're so practical & down to earth), or the watchmen/police type force, or Death (one of my absolute favorite characters), etc.... Characters pop up here & there in various books (sometimes just making cameo appearances) & I'm sure there's an overall arc that some may argue requires reading them in order, but I've never had a problem just reading whichever ones & totally enjoying them. I think The Wee Free Men is something like #30 in the Discworld series, but it's really the first book that focuses on Tiffany Aching. Plus, Pratchett wrote it more for young adults, so imo that is a good one to start with. If you decide to read the other Tiffany books (4 total), I would read those in order because that storyline does develop throughout the four books: The Wee Free Men; A Hat Full of Sky; Wintersmith; I Shall Wear Midnight. Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for! Rosie & Angel, you're making me rethink trying Gone with the Wind. I've seen the movie (even saw it at the historic Fox Theater in downtown Atl), but just couldn't get into the book. The irony is that my dh (when he was in his late teens & his family moved here to Atl), read Gone w/ the Wind & loved it. I guess I find it funny that I was born (& sometimes-raised) in the South, yet haven't made it through the book; yet the teen dude from Belgium read & loved it. :lol: (He & I don't really share reading tastes, though, so I'm not sure him loving it is a mark in its favor...???) The book has many different aspects that the movie doesn't explore. Dd read it two years ago and enjoyed it. I'm always quoting Scarlett. "I will think about that tomorrow. If I think about that now I will go crazy." I have read more than a dozen of the Pratchett books but have yet to read Wee Free Men! You absolutely can start the books anywhere you like. Let's see if I can make a short list... Favorite stand alone stories: Going Postal which, to me, has the most spot-on zany satire of all the books. There are appearances by lots of recurring characters, like Death. My single favorite out of a slew of favorites! The Truth is also a stand alone, this time a satire on newspapers with a vampire who is trying to abstain from biting necks. Reaper Man, I think makes a good stand alone book, too. It has a more surreal flavor to it. It also introduces all the Unseen University characters Hogfather, just because of Death and Hogswatch (Discworld's Christmas). Interesting Times was a kick because it was a good send up of all things Chinese (my academic background was Chinese history...) Favorite character and series = Sam Vimes and the Night Watch books: Guards, Guards! is the first, and is a favorite. The beginning chapters are a Monty Python script in print. Men at Arms The Night Watch Fifth Elephant Thud Snuff I think I've read about 16 or 17 of the 40 Discworld books. I've given Going Postal and Guards, Guards! together as a gift to introduce Discworld to friends. Oh, and if you like audio books, you'll love the Pratchett books on audio. The audio quality of the earlier titles isn't always great, but the reader, Nigel Planer, is fabulous. The more recent ones have Stephen Briggs as the reader, and he is also fabulous. One last Pratchett plug. Dodger is a recent title that is not set in Discworld but in Victorian England with real historical figures, like Charles Dickens. I loved it, thought it would make a great introduction to a high school unit on Victorian Literature. Thanks Jenn! If I like Pratchett, I will know where to go next. At my boys' request, I started reading Atlantis Rising by T. A. Barron, their favorite writer. By the way, do your dc and dh beg you to read their favorite books? Ds have been begging me to read Merlin by T. A. Barron for ages. "mom, you have to read Where the Red Fern Grows." "Mom, will you please read Merlin? You will know why we like it so much." I haven't done it. I did read Pillars of the Earth at dh's rec or request. To balance everything, dc and I have been begging dh to read Harry Potter. I regret regret and so regret that I didn't read HP while they came out and only read them all together a couple month ago. They are the most magical books, my first love. Other books of magic won't feel the same. Yes! That's why I've read Divergent, the Percy Jackson series and Michael Vey series, and this week Agenda 21. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Well, my week of solitude is coming to an end. My girls have been at my parents for Spring Break but are coming home tomorrow. Dh just got back in town last night after being gone for three days. It has been nice. My laundry is almost done (I was months behind :scared: I'm not sure we need all these clothes!) and most of the school work is graded. One of my co-op classes is planned and two floors have been vacuumed. And I was able to shop for an Easter dress. But most important to this thread is that I finished three books this week. Dh asked me to read Agenda 21 by Harriet Parke and Glen Beck last year in the middle of my Robert Jordan marathon. I told him he would have to wait. Well, I made good on my promise this week. I can't review the book here because (thank God) we stay away from politics on this thread, and my review would greatly be tied in to politics and I would offend almost everyone and no one would like me any more ;) Agenda 21 as a book is a work of fiction that takes an idea to its worst case scenario, however there is a real Agenda 21 that has its roots in the 1972 UN Earth Summit. You all know by now that I hate dystopian :D Just like Divergent and The Hunger Games, I can see Agenda 21 as a possible future, especially when our priorities as a nation are all upside down (I think I can say that), and it scares. me. to. death! It's bad enough that, well, nevermind ;) I was depressed after reading this book. It was a fine story for dystopian. The plot moved along quickly. I would recommend it, but I don't know what I would rate it because I can't separate myself from the scary future possibilities. I finished listening to Persuasion on audio this week. That is my first re-read (or listen lol) of the year. I think that is some kind of record for me! Persuasion is not in my top favorites of Jane Austen. Actually, probably only second to Mansfield Park for my least favorite. But I do love Austen and it is still a good book. I remember the arguments that came about over this book when I led dd and her friends' Austen Lit Study. Who would be persuaded to listen, who would not. I think I might like Anne Elliott more if she would have acknowledged in the end that Lady Russell had had too much influence over her. Like I said, it's Austen though, so still an excellent book. 4 stars. I also read The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer this week. This has been sitting on my self for two years! It was charming! I just adored Sophy! There was not a lot of mystery to this book, but Sophy's antics more than make up for that. I found myself smiling and chuckling while reading it. A perfect read to cleanse my brain after Agenda 21. I just want to revel in all that Flufferton Abbey has for me and forget the scary real world. I would say that this book ranked up there with Heyer's Cotillion. 5 stars. And I think with all the stress in my life that you all are going to have to get used to all the fluff books getting the 5 stars this year. I am not capable of handling the heavy stuff at this point, though I'm still trying to finish Dante since I am over half-way through. Running out the door so I won't post my list of books finished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 We don't have a giant peanut! I don't think we have a giant peach either! I love Big Things, they are too much fun. Even the dead fish on the roof of the pub down woop woop was fun. If I could grow up to be a fictional character, I'd be whoever Tiffany Aching is when she's as old as Granny Weatherwax. :lol: And I think that growing up to be Tiffany would be a perfect goal! Love Tiffany -- she's got heart, verve, & practicality. I can see many similarities between you & her, actually. (Do you own a cast iron frying pan? ;) ) Have you read Lords & Ladies, Rosie? That's one of the witch books that I really enjoyed. By the way, do your dc and dh beg you to read their favorite books? Yes. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. :lol: I'm not kidding either. It's the only one they beg for re-reads & it has been years since I've done it. Maybe this summer would be a good time for me to do that! (Apparently I'm quite amusing doing the voicing for the Nac Mac Feegles. :laugh: ) Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for! The book has many different aspects that the movie doesn't explore. Dd read it two years ago and enjoyed it. I'm always quoting Scarlett. "I will think about that tomorrow. If I think about that now I will go crazy." Yay. Hope you enjoy Pratchett's book. Love that quote. Scarlett was a spitfire for sure. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 "At midnight, the dogs, cats, and rats rule Venice. The Ponte di Ghetto Nuovo, the bridge that leads to the ghetto, trembles under the weight of sacks of rotting vegetables, rancid fat, and vermin. Shapeless matter, perhaps animal, floats to the surface of Rio di San Girolamo and hovers on its greasy waters. Through the mist rising from the canal the cries and grunts of foraging pigs echo. Seeping refuse on the streets renders the pavement slick and the walking treacherous. It was on such a night that the men came for Hannah." With that visceral description so begins The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich. I am thoroughly enjoying this book, an easy, engaging read. The midwife in question is... "Hannah Levi is known throughout sixteenth-century Venice for her skill in midwifery. When a Christian count appears at Hannah's door in the Jewish ghetto imploring her to attend his labouring wife, who is nearing death, Hannah is forced to make a dangerous decision. Not only is it illegal for Jews to render medical treatment to Christians, it's also punishable by torture and death. Moreover, as her Rabbi angrily points out, if the mother or child should die, the entire ghetto population will be in peril.But Hannah’s compassion for another woman’s misery overrides her concern for self-preservation. The Rabbi once forced her to withhold care from her shunned sister, Jessica, with terrible consequences. Hannah cannot turn away from a labouring woman again. Moreover, she cannot turn down the enormous fee offered by the Conte. Despite the Rabbi’s protests, she knows that this money can release her husband, Isaac, a merchant who was recently taken captive on Malta as a slave. There is nothing Hannah wants more than to see the handsome face of the loving man who married her despite her lack of dowry, and who continues to love her despite her barrenness. She must save Isaac." I imagine I'll finish it in the next day or two. And I need to get my chapters read in HotAW. I am about half-way through the hard copy of Untie the Strong Woman though I'm re-listening to the audio version, it was that good. We had a lovely, vibrant community Seder this week and are sailing into the Easter weekend with various celebrations upcoming, easter egg hunts, gospel zikr and a feast with friends. Wishing all my BaW friends the promise fulfilled that this good, green earth is singing about, y'all know that story, the loam-rich one about renewal and resurrection, the music called crocus and cherry blossom, the pulsing happening beneath our feet and in that other earth, the one tucked inside the heart of each of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 This one? (It's in Gaffney, SC.) Yep, still there last time I drove through (which has been awhile now...). See? SC should be the peach state! :lol: ETA: And, hey! Look at those pitch trees behind the peanut. We haven't driven I75 for about 7 years but the peach was south of Atlanta (think Macon too). Fairly certain north of Tifton but not sure how far North. It may have been near a giant flea market ( Rosie, I am going to let you think about that.....:lol: ) but not sure about that. I know it wasn't one of our normal stops. We drove one way on 75 each month when the dc's were little. We pretty much lived between two states. Now Tifton had a giant gorilla, I think, by Adcock's pecans. Another favourite stop. Gas, car wash to get the road salt off, and several fast food places all together! We also loved to peanut. Thanks for finding it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 And I forgot to mention that tonight we go to watch ds in a production of 'Twelfth Night'. He plays Duke Orsino. Lots of excitement here as I iron costumes and shuffle him off to tech-dress rehearsal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 We haven't driven I75 for about 7 years but the peach was south of Atlanta (think Macon too). Fairly certain north of Tifton but not sure how far North. It may have been near a giant flea market ( Rosie, I am going to let you think about that..... :lol: ) but not sure about that. I know it wasn't one of our normal stops. We drove one way on 75 each month when the dc's were little. We pretty much lived between two states. Now Tifton had a giant gorilla, I think, by Adcock's pecans. Another favourite stop. Gas, car wash to get the road salt off, and several fast food places all together! We also loved to peanut. Thanks for finding it. Hmmm. Ok. Don't know that peach, but I've rarely driven far south of Atlanta (except for a couple of times down to Disney). Plus, we usually have taken the bypass around Macon, so that's maybe why we missed it? When I think of Tifton, I think of the sign for the agricultural museum. Don't remember a giant gorilla, but sure wished I would have seen it! (And why is there a giant gorilla in Tifton??? Is that where they have that safari park & amusement park?) :laugh: Was Adcock's the one that looked like a mini-Tara? I don't remember much about that stopping area other than we stopped there once & it looked sort-of like an old colonial style mansion w/ the white columns & such. ETA: Here's a fun site for those doing road-tripping for odd & funky sights & stops along the way... http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ (Rosie, you might enjoy looking through it. Not sure if Australia has a similar guide or not....) Oh & it's funny to read what Roadside America has to say about the SC peach water tower: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2213 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 My ongoing pet project (freedom from censorship) -- a fascinating article: India: Censorship by the Batra Brigade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 sometimes you just want to lick the spoon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 NM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That bad? I requested it from the library in January and just now got the email to say it's waiting for me at the library. There are quite a few other holds so I won't be able to renew it and will have one shot to get through it. Hmmm... Definitely give it a go! I've heard great things about it, I've also heard it starts off a bit slow, though. I haven't completely given up on it, I was just bummed to read the reviews that it starts slow after I had already started it and was it expecting....I dunno, something not slow, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Untie the Strong Woman I'm sorry, I keep reading Unite the Strong Woman :D Love that quote. Scarlett was a spitfire for sure. Lol. Yes! And I admire her for it. She had many awful qualities, but man she had strength! and sometimes you just want to lick the spoon! Unfair! Now I want brownie batter and cookie dough!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I'm sorry, I keep reading Unite the Strong Woman :D That works, too. I like it :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That bad? I requested it from the library in January and just now got the email to say it's waiting for me at the library. There are quite a few other holds so I won't be able to renew it and will have one shot to get through it. Hmmm... Definitely give it a go! I've heard great things about it, I've also heard it starts off a bit slow, though. I haven't completely given up on it, I was just bummed to read the reviews that it starts slow after I had already started it and was it expecting....I dunno, something not slow, lol! I loved it. That said, it is a thick, historical book &, imo, those don't always move at the quickest of paces (vs. fiction). Still, I totally loved the history, the art, the things these men & women did.... Fascinating stuff, even if it is slower-paced. I guess I'd compare it to the difference between watching a big, Hollywood blockbuster war movie (fast-paced, constant action,...) vs. an artsy film that moves at a slower/different pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I finished listening to Persuasion on audio this week. That is my first re-read (or listen lol) of the year. I think that is some kind of record for me! Persuasion is not in my top favorites of Jane Austen. Actually, probably only second to Mansfield Park for my least favorite. But I do love Austen and it is still a good book. I remember the arguments that came about over this book when I led dd and her friends' Austen Lit Study. Who would be persuaded to listen, who would not. I think I might like Anne Elliott more if she would have acknowledged in the end that Lady Russell had had too much influence over her. Like I said, it's Austen though, so still an excellent book. 4 stars. Persuasion is my all time favorite of Austen's books. It is a tighter, and more well crafted book than the others, I think, but what really draws me to the book is that I identify so very strongly with Anne. So many young women admire and want to be Elizabeth Bennett, but the inner life we are privy to in Anne is so much more real than the strong-minded and outspoken Elizabeth we see. I think Sir Walter is hysterical and he is so sharply drawn with less page-time than say Mr. Collins. And Mary, oh my goodness she's a hoot! And the last few chapters are brilliant -- the exchange Anne has with Captain Harville while Capt. Wentworth writes his letter to Anne. I just love it! The Bitch in a Bonnet guy has just finished blogging his re-read of Persuasion. It feels more rushed, though -- the posts aren't each as funny as the first in the series back when he was writing about Sense and Sensibility. But it's still worth a read, and he loves Persuasion as much as I do! Here is a link to the first of the blogs on Persuasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Persuasion is my all time favorite of Austen's books. It is a tighter, and more well crafted book than the others, I think, but what really draws me to the book is that I identify so very strongly with Anne. So many young women admire and want to be Elizabeth Bennett, but the inner life we are privy to in Anne is so much more real than the strong-minded and outspoken Elizabeth we see. I think Sir Walter is hysterical and he is so sharply drawn with less page-time than say Mr. Collins. And Mary, oh my goodness she's a hoot! And the last few chapters are brilliant -- the exchange Anne has with Captain Harville while Capt. Wentworth writes his letter to Anne. I just love it! The Bitch in a Bonnet guy has just finished blogging his re-read of Persuasion. It feels more rushed, though -- the posts aren't each as funny as the first in the series back when he was writing about Sense and Sensibility. But it's still worth a read, and he loves Persuasion as much as I do! Here is a link to the first of the blogs on Persuasion. I agree it is tighter. I could find Sir Walter more hysterical if he even cared just 2 cents for Anne. Though you did remind me that I meant to look up a couple quotes in my hard copy that stuck out to me while listening. (I'm not used to listening to books on audio, that was only my third ever). Especially the one about the mirrors ... “I should think he must be rather a dressy man for his time of life. Such a number of looking-glasses! Oh Lord! There is no getting away from one's self†:lol: And this one made me laugh out loud on the elliptical ... “I frequently observe that one pretty face would be followed by five and thirty frights.†:rofl: Yes Sir Walter is a rare breed. That said, to me, Mr. Collins is priceless! Yes many young women want to be Lizzie. I could never be that witty! I am almost 100% Marianne Dashwood (I do have some Emma tendencies as well.) It is very, very scary how much :rolleyes: Dd19 is Fanny Price with a generous dallop of Marianne as well (she is my daughter). Dd13 is too young to peg yet, but we all roll our eyes and say she is our Lydia when she is loud and obnoxious or Margaret Dashwood when she tells us to not say anything important while she's gone :D . Maybe I would like Persuasion more if they would get a really good movie version. I haven't liked either of the women who have played Anne. Thanks for the link. I will check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 :lol: And I think that growing up to be Tiffany would be a perfect goal! Love Tiffany -- she's got heart, verve, & practicality. I can see many similarities between you & her, actually. (Do you own a cast iron frying pan? ;) ) Have you read Lords & Ladies, Rosie? That's one of the witch books that I really enjoyed. I am in possession of a cast iron frying pan, though I do not own it. Haven't read Lords & Ladies yet. I need to try the other second hand book shop near my mother's house. Can't have too much Pratchett once you get into the swing of it. I've seen two of the movies too. They were lots of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I agree it is tighter. I could find Sir Walter more hysterical if he even cared just 2 cents for Anne. Though you did remind me that I meant to look up a couple quotes in my hard copy that stuck out to me while listening. (I'm not used to listening to books on audio, that was only my third ever). Especially the one about the mirrors ... “I should think he must be rather a dressy man for his time of life. Such a number of looking-glasses! Oh Lord! There is no getting away from one's self†:lol: And this one made me laugh out loud on the elliptical ... “I frequently observe that one pretty face would be followed by five and thirty frights.†:rofl: Yes Sir Walter is a rare breed. That said, to me, Mr. Collins is priceless! Yes many young women want to be Lizzie. I could never be that witty! I am almost 100% Marianne Dashwood (I do have some Emma tendencies as well.) It is very, very scary how much :rolleyes: Dd19 is Fanny Price with a generous dallop of Marianne as well (she is my daughter). Dd13 is too young to peg yet, but we all roll our eyes and say she is our Lydia when she is loud and obnoxious or Margaret Dashwood when she tells us to not say anything important while she's gone :D . Maybe I would like Persuasion more if they would get a really good movie version. I haven't liked either of the women who have played Anne. Thanks for the link. I will check it out. Re the bolded...I love this glimpse into the way Jane's mantle has enfolded y'all. As a lone female among a tribe of males here I do so appreciate the feminine sensibility I am feeling as I read about you and your dds and how you all situate yourselves within the Austen mandala. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Eleven of my 25 books this year have been set in England :D Most of them set in Flufferton Abbey :001_tt2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 So I finished The Writing Road to Reading by Romalda Spaulding...It has some interesting teaching ideas BUT I am not sure how homeschoolers would use it. I also finished The Awakening by Richard Eyre...I have been reading bunch of his wife and his books but this was by far my least favorite so far. Started Mere Christianity by C.S.Lewis and Lifebalance by Richard and Linda Eyre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 . Maybe I would like Persuasion more if they would get a really good movie version. I haven't liked either of the women who have played Anne. Thanks for the link. I will check it out. My favourite is the 1979 version Anne. Most of the acting is dreadful, but she's the best Anne! My problem with the newer versions are they are too short and feel rushed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I am almost 100% Marianne Dashwood (I do have some Emma tendencies as well.) It is very, very scary how much :rolleyes: Dd19 is Fanny Price with a generous dallop of Marianne as well (she is my daughter). Dd13 is too young to peg yet, but we all roll our eyes and say she is our Lydia when she is loud and obnoxious or Margaret Dashwood when she tells us to not say anything important while she's gone :D . Oh dear, do I sound old and frumpy and frowsy when I say that I'm more Elinor Dashwood?!! (If I had to choose a character from Sense and Sensibility.) Can't say I identify with any of the characters out of the other books, other than Anne Elliot as I wrote earlier, though there are days that I wish I could pull off a Mrs Bennet, and have a big ol' fit with the whole house fussing over me while I carry on that I have "such tremblings, such flutterings all over me, such spasms in my side, such pains in my head, and such beatings at my heart". :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Oh dear, do I sound old and frumpy and frowsy when I say that I'm more Elinor Dashwood?!! (If I had to choose a character from Sense and Sensibility.) Can't say I identify with any of the characters out of the other books, other than Anne Elliot as I wrote earlier, though there are days that I wish I could pull off a Mrs Bennet, and have a big ol' fit with the whole house fussing over me while I carry on that I have "such tremblings, such flutterings all over me, such spasms in my side, such pains in my head, and such beatings at my heart". :lol: Well, I say old and frumpy has a definite stolid, rooted power to it don't you?! Though I did go through a period where I read several of Austen's books it was quite a while ago and I don't know who, if any, of the characters I'd identify with. Truth be told I think I'm more of a Bronte girl myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Hmmm. Ok. Don't know that peach, but I've rarely driven far south of Atlanta (except for a couple of times down to Disney). Plus, we usually have taken the bypass around Macon, so that's maybe why we missed it? When I think of Tifton, I think of the sign for the agricultural museum. Don't remember a giant gorilla, but sure wished I would have seen it! (And why is there a giant gorilla in Tifton??? Is that where they have that safari park & amusement park?) :laugh: Was Adcock's the one that looked like a mini-Tara? I don't remember much about that stopping area other than we stopped there once & it looked sort-of like an old colonial style mansion w/ the white columns & such. ETA: Here's a fun site for those doing road-tripping for odd & funky sights & stops along the way... http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ (Rosie, you might enjoy looking through it. Not sure if Australia has a similar guide or not....) Oh & it's funny to read what Roadside America has to say about the SC peach water tower: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2213 http://adcockpecans.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Adcock-Front-Picture1.jpg Let's see if I managed to just get the picture. Definitely not a mini Tara. The mini Tara is either a couple of exits before or after. I really drove that route too many times! ETA Well just the picture but you have to click. I guess I am improving. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I absolutely LOVE Gone with the Wind. It was my favorite book and movie as a teenager. I always said that Scarlet got Rhett back eventually. Of course she gets Rhett back. Ludicrous to think otherwise. Yeah, that totally looks like a meal in our house. (Usually a gouda cheese sandwich first, then a chocolate sandwich after.) I will even eat the kind you picture because the bars of chocolate don't require butter to make them adhere to the bread. You can just hold the pieces of chocolate on, lol. (The butter is why I don't like the sprinkle sandwiches. Dh, otoh, even puts butter on Nutella sandwiches. :svengo: ) Um, Nutella with butter is the BEST. I grew up on buttered bread with either Nutella or the esset chocolate. Another snack I received frequently from my grandma was butter whipped with sugar in a bowl. Just butter and sugar whipped together. Gotta love grandmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 READ: A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt by Coco De Young - Read Aloud. Meh. DD really liked it but I found it too rushed and disjointed. *** Murder in Grub Street by Bruce Alexander - Second in the Sir John Fielding series. The mystery was lacking but I enjoyed all the character development. It read kind of like a cozy mystery. **** The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World by many people - This was a beautiful coffee table book. I highly recommmend it for everyone here. Lots of fun to flip through it and see all the pretty places and dream about what life would have been like had we been born filthy rich hundreds of years ago. ***** CURRENTLY READING: Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block Cousin Cecilia by Joan Smith - Flufferton Abbey The Winged Watchman by HIlda van Stockum - Read aloud PICKED UP FROM THE LIBRARY BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE EVEN THOUGH I ALREADY HAVE A LOT ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett Mrs. Hurst Dancing by Diana Sperling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Here's what I'm thinking of (found on a 'bad postcards' website, as linked above): I can't focus on the building for her hand pose. It's a compelling marriage of spontaneity and direction. :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 :lol: That is definitely the mini Tara. If memory serves it is one of the many places in that area that now offers a giant alligator (stuffed) for viewing and has signs out for that now. No, we didn't stop to view the gator but a gas station in that area had one in the window. Haven't got much reading done. Hectic schedule in general but in my free two hours today I discovered that my living room ceiling was dripping water rather rapidly from a brand new crack. We actually managed to get a plumber in to fix the problem with the heating system but all the furniture in dd's room had to be removed so her carpet and floor boards could be lifted. Ugh! Needless to say her room is relatively clutter free and Dh and I have collapsed with a bottle of wine. What a day, and somehow we made it to all the activities! Tomorrow is the Scawcrow Festival, I ended up on the Church's Rota for most of the day. Greeting and Tea. Hopefully it will be fun. Ah! http://bad-postcards.tumblr.com/post/11436648597/gifts-pecans-food-gas-gasoline-too Here's what I'm thinking of (found on a 'bad postcards' website, as linked above): http://24. ETA: This place is way uglier than Tara, of course. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I've been out of town for a few days with dh. We got to send the kids to grandma's and he and I got to spend time together at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando while he went to a conference. It was blissful. Of course I didn't read anything I had planned to and after we ended up watching two episodes of Game of Thrones on HBO I was kind of hooked. DH owns all the books so I've started on the first one in the series. So far I haven't found a single character I like. I'm hoping someone has some redeeming qualities soon. I haven't heard GoT talked about much here. I'm enjoying the postcards and roadside attractions. Since I'm in Florida I thought you might enjoy this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I've been out of town for a few days with dh. We got to send the kids to grandma's and he and I got to spend time together at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando while he went to a conference. It was blissful. Of course I didn't read anything I had planned to and after we ended up watching two episodes of Game of Thrones on HBO I was kind of hooked. DH owns all the books so I've started on the first one in the series. So far I haven't found a single character I like. I'm hoping someone has some redeeming qualities soon. I haven't heard GoT talked about much here. I'm enjoying the postcards and roadside attractions. Since I'm in Florida I thought you might enjoy this... I read the first one around Thanksgiving of last year. I liked it okay, but not enough that I've picked up the second one yet. (Actually, I think I did, but then the library loan expired.) The only character I found intriguing was Jon Snow, and I say that not having seen the series or read any further than book 1, so I don't know what he turns out like. I'd really like to watch the series, but we don't have HBO and I don't want to buy it when I'm already paying for Netflix and Amazon Prime, blah, blah, blah. If you continue reading the series and post about how great it is, I may hop back on the bandwagon. I think Robin has read them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I've finished Sold to Miss Seeton. The end was a confusing muddle and didn't have much to do with the first 3/4 of the book. I will probably start on A Red Herring Without Mustard next. I must also admit to being an Elinor Dashwood. But I don't mind. I find subtlety and reserve can be very romantic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I've been missing for a few weeks and keep meaning to come back. The thing is, I can do drive-by posts in any thread but this one. I feel like I want to read all the posts to find out not just what you all are reading, but how you're doing. I keep meaning to jump in on a Sunday before the thread gets away from me, but just haven't been able to. I just heard about Gabriel Garcia Marquez and thought of you all (especially Stacia). I'm going to try and keep up. Rather than try to catch you up with all of my books, I'll just say that I've been reading. A lot. ((((aggieamy))) I read back far enough to see your post about your aunt's friend. That's heartbreaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I am enjoying The Language of Balklava. Between reading this book and the fact that I started intentionally teaching the kids to cook this month, our trip to the grocery store was a comical event of mom and children running after fresh produce left and right. We have arrived at the checkout with our cart looking like a garden and DS was hugging a bag of wrapped up chicken (his chicken!). Here are some of my favorites from The Language of Baklava "The sidewalks are not like the orderly, straight-line sidewalks of our old neighborhood. Here, they wind around and roam this way and that, as if they've decided to go where they pleased." "I have never seen a sleeping street before, never known what secret intimacy could rise from the pavement like steam." I have two major distractions currently. 1) I'm almost done with the great closet purge of 2014 and I am struggling to finish it. I'm giving myself until the end of next week and then I'm done regardless. 2) I discovered two days ago that I can play my violin for as long as I want without pain. I can't put my instrument down. I'm having an affair with Bach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I also realized I won't be able to jump in at the start tomorrow either. I'm going to see Jersey Boys with an old friend and we'll be making a day of it in Orlando. I'm hoping that since it's Easter many of you will be too busy to post too, and I can come in Monday without having to catch up on a huge backlog of posts. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I am enjoying The Language of Balklava. Between reading this book and the fact that I started intentionally teaching the kids to cook this month, our trip to the grocery store was a comical event of mom and children running after fresh produce left and right. We have arrived at the checkout with our cart looking like a garden and DS was hugging a bag of wrapped up chicken (his chicken!). I don't know if he's the first grader or the preschooler, but either way I can picture it. He must have looked adorable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Not really book-related but I wanted to report that ds did a wonderful job last night in his role of Duke Orsino. It was a very professional production of 'Twelfth Night' with a small group of homeschoolers ranging in age from 11-16. They did super work. So much fun for us all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and started Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell. I must need to escape from my day to day life right now because I keep reading what I consider "junk" books. (Not Song of Achilles, but all the forensic murder mystery ones.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller... <snip> This looks good. I've had a sample sent to my kindle to try out. Reviews are favorable too. Ds is a huge Greek mythology fan and has read a ton--RLG, Padraic Colum, d'Aulaires, Sutcliffe, maybe some Hamilton?--though he's not read the Percy Jackson series and did try but didn't like the writing...which I find fascinating that at that young age writing preference is already established. Anyway the Miller book looks like a way in for me to a subject close to his heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 What I'll never forget about Georgia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Kudzu! And Spanish Moss! Love Spanish Moss but not Kudzu. (I think of Spanish Moss more in Charleston, SC, because it's all over the old Oaks there, but I don't see it much around the Atl area...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 I find liberation in letters. I find solace in books. And somewhere in the middle I find parts of myself.— Skylar Liberty Rose (the Words) 12 stages of literary matchmaking Arthur Clark''s space odyssey collection available on Kindle for $1.99 each. NPR's Love Letter to Literature: reading Gabriel Marquez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Feeling blah about my reading. Over 100 pages into Zanesville & I partially like it but find myself not picking it up to continue. Parts have been clever, but not enough to continue my reading arc on it, I guess. May abandon it. Nothing looks interesting right now (looking over my library pile); need to go poke around in the stacks on my bookshelves & see if anything comes up. Any recs? I'm thinking light & funny might be what I want now, or something serious (but not overly depressing). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Kudzu! And Spanish Moss! Love Spanish Moss but not Kudzu. (I think of Spanish Moss more in Charleston, SC, because it's all over the old Oaks there, but I don't see it much around the Atl area...). The spanish moss is one of the reasons I fell in love with Savannah. Kudzu, either loved it or hated it, depending. Much like the picture above, we used it to devour our neighbor's son car when he parked it between our houses after it broke down and he bought a new one. Worked well. Stacia - something short, light and funny and I thoroughly enjoyed it- The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. Also check out the Coffee House Mysteries by Cleo Coyle. I've read them all. Great cozies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Feeling blah about my reading. Over 100 pages into Zanesville & I partially like it but find myself not picking it up to continue. Parts have been clever, but not enough to continue my reading arc on it, I guess. May abandon it. Nothing looks interesting right now (looking over my library pile); need to go poke around in the stacks on my bookshelves & see if anything comes up. Any recs? I'm thinking light & funny might be what I want now, or something serious (but not overly depressing). Hehe, sorry to be the one recommending something for you, Stacia, given our wildly divergent tastes :lol: But nature abhors a vacuum and all that jazz... So, I'm going to pick intuitively...Dominic by William Steig. I know you don't like him or animal stories so I might as well start off with a 0 for 2 *but* this story is so charming and tender and funny and very well written. And I promise, nothing tear inducing. Next you might try Fifth Business by Robertson Davies. I read this years ago but I remember when I signed on with the BaWers thinking you might enjoy it. Very well done and it's the first of a trilogy so if you like it, there's more. Finally, how about something amusing like A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby? I've mentioned it before and my first intro to it was as an audio book. I have not laughed so hard over a book...ever. The author's sere British understatement combined with the drama of the journey are a winning combination. Okay, that's my offering. I enjoyed all those books but they aren't my norm for reading so you might actually like them :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Re the bolded...I love this glimpse into the way Jane's mantle has enfolded y'all. As a lone female among a tribe of males here I do so appreciate the feminine sensibility I am feeling as I read about you and your dds and how you all situate yourselves within the Austen mandala. :D We have been doing this for years! It started with just watching the movies but after spending a year with Jane Austen during our lit study (dd and 3 of her friends), well, it really got out of control lol. Not only do we identify with certain characters but Austen always has just the right quote or situation to match modern life. One of our well worn quotes is "you think that Jane if it gives you comfort!" It was such a tremendous year with dd and her friends (culminating with them making their own dresses and attending a Regency Ball) that I can't wait to do it with my younger dd. My favourite is the 1979 version Anne. Most of the acting is dreadful, but she's the best Anne! My problem with the newer versions are they are too short and feel rushed. I haven't seen this version and can't find it listed on Amazon. Could it be the 1971 version? I'm now curious! Oh dear, do I sound old and frumpy and frowsy when I say that I'm more Elinor Dashwood?!! (If I had to choose a character from Sense and Sensibility.) Can't say I identify with any of the characters out of the other books, other than Anne Elliot as I wrote earlier, though there are days that I wish I could pull off a Mrs Bennet, and have a big ol' fit with the whole house fussing over me while I carry on that I have "such tremblings, such flutterings all over me, such spasms in my side, such pains in my head, and such beatings at my heart". :lol: Not at all!!! I'm surrounded by Elinor's :lol: My friend's tell me that that is because it takes so many Elinor's to keep this one Marianne (me) in line :blush: Oh, and Mrs. Bennett, what a character she is! Yes, I, too, would love to channel my inner Mrs. Bennett sometimes...don't we all! PICKED UP FROM THE LIBRARY BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE EVEN THOUGH I ALREADY HAVE A LOT ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett Amy (and Stacia and Jenn), I started listening to the audio of this today on my way to get my girls. Oh. my. goodness! I laughed out loud multiple times in just the hour I was listening. It is narrated by Stephen Briggs and what a job he does on the voice of those little blue folk. His Scottish brogue is so good I can barely understand it sometimes. I am enjoying it and told the girls that they needed to listen to it. I In my case, when I finally found a character(s) I liked, he killed them. I certainly didn't make it very far between the killing off and then the weirdness. I love fantasy, as most of you know, but IMHO Game of Thrones is a very poor showing for the genre. I always scratch my head when I read of its wild popularity. :ack2: Stacia, if you want to take a jaunt to Flufferton Abbey (though I know it's not your normal reading), The Grand Sophy that I just finished by Georgette Heyer was witty, fast-paced, light, and a whole lot of fun. Once past the first chapter, it really doesn't slow down till the end. I'm still deciding what to read next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Oops. Yes. 1971 Persuasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 I detest Spanish moss. It kills trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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