New Carpet and Book Recommendations

Okay. Lest anyone begin hyperventilating when they glimpse the color of our new carpet, let me add this:

1.) We had similar berber before--and after 11 years--a carpet cleaner guy guessed, when I asked him, that it was maybe only 2 or 3 years old. 

2.) Those were the years our daughter and her friends had myriad parties at our house and workers (with their dirty boots) practically lived with us during lots of reconstruction. Oh, and we had cats. So very many cats.

3.) In our area, people remove their shoes before entering your house (or at the very least, they ask if you'd like them to).

3.) So no-- we're not crazy.  :)


Here's a first peek:

It's soft, cushy, cream-colored (as opposed to white), makes the room appear wider and oh, it feels like a miracle to have it done, after having procrastinated its installation ever so long.

So there you go.



*****


One of my all-time favorite kids' novels? This one:

Beneath the window of our guest room, upon the floor, squeezed in beside boxes, I began rereading this on Saturday during the carpet installation and recalled why I love it. Purely nostalgic and beautiful. Here are its first lines: 

"The woods were full of wind that morning, of dry, warm, October wind, which sent the leaves twirling down from the gold and scarlet birch and maple trees. They swept all around Dick Milton as he walked forward steadily; they did not rustle and crackle under his feet for they were not yet dry enough, but drifted into layers that were thick and soft as he pushed through them. The mountainside was steep and it was quiet and empty; it was here for him to explore quite by himself."

A family moves into a large old house in New England and it's a mystery why the townspeople barely speak to them. Find it here. Inside, there's a long list of other books by this author and I'm shocked that, in the fifteen (or so) years that I've owned this book, I've not yet searched for them. What was I thinking??? :)

Update: Hooray! I found a free Kindle book this morning by Cornelia Meigs. You should have heard me whoop "Oooo doggie," all Jed Clampett style.  :) This one, though, was written 35 years prior to Wild Geese Flying.

  And her book, The Pool of Stars, is just .99 cents.

Loved this picture of Cornelia:

******

Speaking of lists, here's one with Lois Lenski's regional books. Most likely your city library will have at least a few.

• Bayou Suzette
• Strawberry Girl
• Blue Ridge Billy
• Judy's Journey
• Boom Town Boy
• Cotton in My Sack
• Texas Tomboy
• Prairie School
• Mama Hattie's Girl
• Corn-Farm Boy
• San Francisco Boy
• Flood Friday
• Houseboat Girl
• Coal Camp Girl
• Shoo-Fly Girl
• To Be a Logger
• Deer Valley Girl

I can't even describe how much I love these nostalgic glimpses into the lives of families in the 1920's- 1950's. Never do they grow old to me and always they fill my heart with gratitude for what I've been given.

And here's Lois:

******

 "All of us have moments in out lives that test our courage.
Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them."
- Erma Bombeck

..... Oh, Erma--I miss you.


Someone else I miss? My dear teacher-friend, Loana Gakle. Today is her birthday and she's still most fondly remembered by me and many others.

******


Free Kindle Books:


Reverie

Photo Composition Mastery

A Heart Renewed

How to Write a Book

Composting

Thyroid Health