2 Middle Grade Novels: The Wednesday Wars & The War That Saved My Life

I had some good middle grade reading in January! I quite enjoyed both of these Newberry Honor winners. Just a coincidence that both titles mention war. For those of you keeping track at home--the second book counts toward one of my Reading Goals this year. Woohoo!

The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt
Newberry Honor, 2008

4 stars: Holling is a boy to root for!

Holling Hoodhood is the only one in his 7th grade English class that doesn't have to go to church school on Wednesday afternoons. His teacher has decided to make him read Shakespeare's plays and write about them--a sure sign that she has it in for him.

He doesn't begin to suspect any differently until he actually gets hooked on The Tempest--particularly the creative cussing involved. As his 7th grade years unwinds, though, he's got bigger problems than his Wednesday afternoons. He's on the hook to provide cream puffs for his ENTIRE class (long story), he gets roped into being in a Shakespearean play (as a fairy wearing yellow tights), classroom rats get loose escape into the air ducts above the ceiling, and his sister runs away with a hippie.

That's not all, but you get the idea. Life is not a bowl of cherries for Holling on his best days, but this year seems to be combining best and worst days at a dizzying rate. If he makes it out with his sanity and reputation somewhat preserved, it will be a miracle.

* * * * *
Oh Holling. Good hearted, a bit vulnerable; somehow keeps getting into what L.M Montgomery would call "scrapes." His relationship with his sister was one of my favorite arcs in the whole story, as was his rather rocky friendship with Doug.

His parents were awful. His dad put his business first, to the extent that anything happening in Holling's life was evaluated through the prism of how it would affect the business. His mom was mostly just defeated, I think, or possibly depressed--or both. It's a good thing Holling and his sister did have each other, because neither parent could be depended on for support.

Gary Schmidt is one of my favorite authors. His characters live and breathe. Though most of his books are geared for a middle grade or young adult audience, he doesn't talk down to them. The writing is superb. Characters that seem flat at first, become more complex over time as Holling gets to know them better. Believable situations and solutions. Evocative descriptions. It's all there.

(Finished reading Jan. 11)

The War That Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Newberry Honor, 2016

4 stars: Many layered and satisfying.

Ada's entire world is a small apartment and what (or who) she can see out the window. Her mother is so ashamed of Ada's crippled foot that she never lets her out where anyone can see her. Despite constant verbal abuse and near-constant physical abuse, Ada does her best to take care of herself and her little brother Jamie; although, as Jamie has gotten older he has taken to running wild in the streets rather than stay in the apartment with her.

When children are shipped out of London ahead of the Blitz, Jamie is scheduled to go alone. Ada, however, is determined to join him--without their mother finding out. With fierce determination on her part and an iron will to ignore the pain of her foot and leg, she and her little brother make it to the departure point. This short, excruciating walk is the most freedom Ada has ever known.

Once they arrive in the country, there's not a family willing to take in the two scraggly children. So a single woman named Susan Smith is conscripted to care for them. While she makes it clear that she is not happy with the arrangement, she still provides better care for the siblings than they have ever known. It's a hard adjustment all around, eased somewhat by Susan's horse that Ada takes to immediately and learns to care for.

Over time the children begin to feel secure and even loved, but what will happen when Ada and Jamie's mother gets wind of their new situation?

* * * * *
I enjoyed this book on many levels. I'm always interested to learn more about WWII. With her choice of protagonists, Bradley showed a different side to the children's evacuation of London than I had thought about before: namely, kids who were glad to get away and definitely better off in their new situations. At the same time, she showed what (I hope) was the more typical situation as well, with parents and children finding it terribly difficult to be separated. I didn't realize that as time went on and the bombing didn't start, many children went back to the city again, adding to the later tragedy.

Ada and Jamie's story itself was compelling and well done within the broader context. Particularly the way Bradley portrayed their rather painful assimilation into a much broader world than they had ever known, and the feeling of being foreigners, even though everyone spoke the same language. I loved seeing Ada's growth, and the way her view of herself begin to change from what her mother had ingrained in her. It was so satisfying to see her begin to internalize that she was a person worthy of love and not defined by her disability.

As a former (and hopefully future) foster parent, I can also relate to and admire Susan. Even with all of her own issues to work through, she still provided for these kids. Several things about their interactions rang true to me. Doctor's appointments, where old assumptions were cast aside giving new hope and fear at the same time, unexpected reactions (from the children) to seemingly ordinary situations, a gradual gaining of trust and beginning to thrive in a different environment than the child had ever experienced, and so on. The Christmas scene was heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time: such a pivotal point in their relationships.

Content: Ada and Jamie's abusive home life was not glossed over. Also, there were several hints that Susan was lesbian, although it was never spelled out as such. I think kids unfamiliar with that lifestyle may not even pick up on it.

I would recommend it for ages 10 and up, with a trusted adult to discuss it with afterword.

(Finished reading Jan. 14)

* * * * *
Have you read either of these? What did you think?

End of January: Robins (and snow)

The trees have been full of robins lately.

There were probably 30 of them flying around together.

I think they stopped here to polish off the remaining apples and crabapples on my neighbor's trees.

I was hoping to find a good collective noun for a group of robins.

Alas, nothing but a "flock," although one site suggested a "round."  

Meanwhile, the garden beds and yard are still full of snow.

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago.

I am going the lazy way and not taking new ones, because frankly, it all still looks the same.

(Okay, plus the 4 more inches of snow we got today.)

Back bed.

Ornamental plum.

I think there's some garden terraces under there.....maybe. 

Picture's a bit blue--guess I should have waited for more sunlight!

Raspberry patch and shed bed.

Plus the soccer goal that got left out. Oops.

Apple tree covered up to its lowest branches.

Front yard.

There are some bushes somewhere under there on the left, but they've disappeared.

On the plus side, I recently learned another recipe for snow ice cream.

(Some other versions found here.)

Snow Ice Cream

10 C. fresh, clean snow

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate sauce, candy, sprinkles, or other toppings as desired.

Mix all together and enjoy!

* * * * *

Nothing like some snow ice cream to cool down your spring fever!

At least, that's what I keep telling myself...

Other End of the Month views can be found at The Patient Gardener.

Annapurna, The Lost German Slave Girl, and The Medical Detectives

Three adult nonfiction titles for you today. I've really been on a nonfiction kick lately. For some reason, this month it has been hard for me to focus on fiction longer than middle grade--just a lot going on, I guess. True stories like these are usually easier for me to read in smaller pieces, with less of an attention span required to get back into the narrative.  I'm still working on Guns, Germs, and Steel, but I have the feeling that beast is going to take awhile to get through.

Annapurna, by Maurice Herzog

4 stars: Extreme mountain climbing pre-Everest.

In 1950, no-one had ever climbed a mountain higher than 8,000 meters. (Everest had not yet been conquered.) Herzog led a team of French climbers, plus a surgeon, into Nepal with hopes of setting a new record. Annapurna was one of two peaks under consideration for the assault. Neither had ever even been explored, let alone climbed. The team was under a time constraint, as well, because the monsoon season started in 2 months and they had to be out of the mountains by then, for safety reasons.

After setting up Base Camp at a small village in the foothills, they started by sending smaller groups up on exploration and acclimatizing runs, testing if a climb to the peak of either mountain was even possible. That took a month or more. Finally they had done all the exploring they could do. The one peak--Dhaulagiri--was deemed impossible from any angle. Annapurna would not be easy, but they thought it would be possible. Now they had to begin setting up camps higher up. The final decision wouldn't be made until they actually began the assault.

At this point they had approximately 3 weeks until monsoon season hit. Despite the risks, inherent and unforeseen, they decided to go for it.

* * * * *
I really want to just keep going and tell you the entire story, but then I guess you wouldn't need to read the book! I think I may have mentioned before that I am not very adventurous. At all. For instance, I do not have least bit of desire to climb a very tall mountain. "Climb Mt. Everest" will never be an item on my Bucket List (assuming I make one someday--ha!)

I will say though, I enjoy Armchair Adventuring as much as anybody! This one definitely fit the bill for that. It was a good time of year to read it, too, with the wind and snow outside my window. Made it all the more real. Boy, was I ever glad to be cuddled up on my comfortable couch, rather than at 20,000 feet, stumbling around in a blizzard with only the hope of a cold tent to come back to (assuming one could even find the tent....) As perhaps you can tell, reading this book did not change my mind about my life's ambitions.

Content: The descent and its aftermath include some vivid descriptions of frostbite and gangrene. Not for those with a weak stomach.

(Finished reading Jan. 20.)

The Lost German Slave Girl: The Extraordinary True Story of Sally Miller and Her Fight for Freedom in Old New Orleans, by John Bailey

4 stars: Fascinating. A side of history that I didn't know much about.

I first came across the history of the German immigrants known as Redemptioners when I read the fictional novel Escape to Zion, by Jean Holbrook Matthews. While I didn't love that book particularly, I was interested in the historical aspects of it. Matthews actually mentioned this trial in her story and went on to explain further in a note at the end of the book. So when I saw this title, I was eager to learn more.

This story starts in Germany, with a group of families and friends who all decide to emigrate to America together. In particular, there are 2 brothers--one a shoemaker and one a blacksmith--who decide to take their families and go. Last name of Muller.

They run into terrible trouble. After having sold everything they own to pay for boat tickets, a dishonest man in Amsterdam sells them fake tickets, and absconds with the money. After several months of destitute street-living, they finally get a place on another ship headed to America. Crammed to the gills, no sanitation to speak of, and what's more--because they don't have money to buy tickets--each adult is made to sign a paper giving the ship's owner the right to sell them and their children into indentured servitude once the boat reaches America. Slavery with a time limit (supposedly.)

Fast forward to New Orleans. Hundreds of people have died during the ocean crossing, including several of this group from Germany. The rest are being split up dockside to go work for their new masters. One of the Muller brothers, along with his 3 children, (his wife Dorothea didn't survive the voyage) are sold upriver and by all accounts, never heard from again.

Until...one day in 1843 (several years later), one of the other German villagers from that terrible voyage, goes on a walk and just about has a heart attack when she recognizes her long-lost friend Dorothea over a fence. Then she realizes that of course, it can't be Dorothea. This must be one of the daughters. As she talks with this young woman, however, she realizes that the girl is currently a slave. A slave! The daughter of her friend from Germany! She becomes determined to rescue this girl from slavery and restore her to her rightful place in society.

Thus begins the legal battle.

* * * * *
This was so very interesting to me. Bailey was a law student when he began researching this trial. His background definitely came through in the book, as several times he sidetracked from the main narrative to tell what current laws were at the time, or judicial history that related to slavery in general and the Sally Miller case in particular. There was also history related to New Orleans itself: how it became a city and the various cultures and influences that shaped it. I found it all compelling. Rather than merely interrupting the story, these asides added to the narrative and my understanding of what was happening. 

He kept me guessing throughout the whole book. Was this lady really the lost German girl, or not? There were several factors in favor of that opinion, but there were some pretty big holes in the evidence as well. Then, even after all was said and done in court, more evidence kept coming to light--for both sides!

Worth your time, if you're interested in this time period or subject at all.

(Finished reading Jan. 19.)

The Medical Detectives, by Berton Roueche

3 stars: Stories you'll want to tell someone else about! (Though maybe not over dinner...)

A compilation of 25 different unusual medical cases. A handful are presented as the doctor trying to figure out what could be causing certain symptoms, but with most, the disease is known and it's up to epidemiologists to track down the specific cause along with who else might be affected--or infected, as the case may be.

* * * * *

Somewhat uneven writing between chapters, with some very slow and tedious to get through (particularly the chapter about aspirin) and others high interest to the end. Since they span decades, I suppose it was to be expected. I ended up retelling many of the stories to my kids. They clamored for more! In fact, my 8-year-old picked it up to read on his own, but got bogged down a chapter or two in. I guess you can tell there's a strong medical influence in our home!

Also, always wash new clothes before you wear them. Just...do it. Please. Thank you.

(Finished reading Jan. 5.)


* * * * *

Let me know if you read any of these! Half the fun of reading these true stories is discussing them with other people afterword. My kids have already heard all of my opinions! :)

17 Pictures Books About Quilts to Cuddle Up With

At least half of these books were a Christmas present from my mother-in-law. She found them all at the same garage sale! :)

There's a common thread running through this whole set of books: every patchwork quilt tells a story, and it usually a family story, passed down through generations. One thing I loved, putting this list together, was seeing how many different cultures and traditions were included among the stories. Perhaps quilting can bring together people from vastly different backgrounds, as much as it brings together families.

The Dream Quilt, by Celeste Ryan
Illustrated by Mary Haverfield

Michael often has bad dreams, until his mother gets out a special quilt from when she was a little girl, and teaches him the game that goes along with it. Each night she sends him off to dreamland with a kiss for a stamp. When Granny Rose sees the quilt, however, she notices it needs some repairs and takes it back home with her. Will the bad dreams come back?

Michael's mom teaches him that while a quilt cannot really protect us, God can and will.

* * * * *
As the shortest one on the list, this one would work great for preschoolers. Cheerful illustrations take us to dreamland with Michael, and back to his cozy warm house again each morning.

The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco

Polacco tells the story of her family's special quilt, made from her great-grandmother's dress, babushka, and scraps of other family member's clothing. The new Jewish immigrants make it to help them remember their home in Russia.

Over time, the quilt is used for a Sabbath tablecloth, wedding huppas, receiving blanket for each new baby, a tent, a picnic blanket, a cape, even a last covering as grandparents pass on.  Each generation passed on the stories and traditions, along with the quilt. Eventually, the quilt is remade and the original donated to a museum.

* * * * *
Polacco's signature drawings enliven the story of a special family heirloom. In the illustrations, everything is in black-and-white, except for the quilt, the bright patch of color weaving together the stories as the generations pass on.

The Name Quilt, by Phyllis Root
Illustrated by Margot Apple

Every summer Sadie looks forward to being tucked in under the name quilt. Each patch has a family member's name sewn on it. In place of a book, she chooses a name and her grandma tell her the stories about that person.

When the precious quilt blows away in a windstorm, however, Sadie is sure her favorite tradition has come to and end. Luckily for her, Grandma remembers the names and the stories to go with them. By summer's end, they have a new name quilt, made by the two of them together. It even has Sadie's name on it.

* * * * *
Family stories come to life with the quilt as a background. I liked the idea that just because the quilt went away, it didn't mean the memories were lost.

Quilt of Dreams, by Mindy Dwyer

Katy finds one square of a quilt in her grandmother's sewing basket, with a label pinned to it: "Kate's Quilt." She is determined to finish it! Together she and her mother painstakingly cut the fabric into triangles and sew them together, all the while remembering Gram, learning about traditions, and building a bond together.

* * * * *
Watercolor illustrations, many with softened or blurred edges, add to the sweet story for a warm-hearted read about families and quilting.

The Quilt Story, by Tony Johnston
Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

A pioneer girl's favorite quilt is stashed in the attic, where it is later found by various animals, and then another little girl, who also loves it.

* * * * *
One of the shorter stories on the list; this one would fit the attention span of most preschoolers. DePaola's distinctive illustrations in muted colors bring the story to life.  

The Quiltmaker's Gift, by Jeff Brumbeau
Illustrated by Gail de Marcken

The story of a quiltmaker who lived in the mountains and sewed her beautiful creations to give to the poor and homeless down below. At the same time there lived a greedy king. All he wanted was presents from everyone. More, more, more! When he heard about the quiltmaker, he came to her and insisted that she give him a quilt. She would on one condition: when he gave away everything he owned, she would make him a quilt. As you might imagine, the king was not happy with the condition!

* * * * *
A modern fable all about greed and generosity. The story was inspiring, but the illustrations were what really won my heart. Each page packed with detail, inset pictures (like blocks on a quilt), bright colors, and whimsy.

Each page also includes a quilt block that has to do with the part of the story on that page. The endpapers show all the blocks with their names, to match up. My copy also has a puzzle poster printed on the back of the dust jacket. So fun!

The Rag Coat, by Lauren Mills

Minna wants to go to school more than anything, but she doesn't have a coat to wear, and with Papa's recent passing, they can't afford to buy one. Then Mama's quilting friends--Minna calls them the Quilting Mothers--come up with a solution. If they all contribute some scraps, they can make Minna patchwork coat, with feed sacks for the lining. That's just what they do.

When Minna gets teased at school about the coat, though, it will take some courage to face the other kids and tell them how special it really is.

* * * * *
Set in the mountains of Appalachia. I enjoyed this story about a girl overcoming her challenges with pluck, determination, the memory of her Papa, and the support of her Mama and the Quilting Mothers. Each 2-page spread includes one page of text and a picture on the facing page. This one is longer, but one that a lot of elementary-aged kids will relate to.

Reuben and the Quilt, by Merle Good
Illustrated by P. Buckley Moss

Reuben's family works together on a beautiful quilt for auction. The money is going to go to his friends' grandfather, who needs to go to the hospital but doesn't have the money. When their quilt is stolen off the porch, after all that hard work, the family will have to decide how best to respond.

* * * * *
A gentle story of an Amish community coming together to help one in need, with a bonus helping of forgiveness and turning the other cheek. The illustrations echo the quilt, colors interspersed with black clothing of the characters.

Sebastian and the Balloon, by Philip C. Stead

Sebastian has decided there is nothing at all to see on his street. So he prepares for a voyage to somewhere else. He packs "all the things he would ever need" and sets off in a balloon made from Grandma's quilts and afghans. Before his voyage is through, he meets up with several interesting creatures, 3 old lady sisters who knit, and even repairs a roller coaster.

* * * * *
This story is so random! Loveably quirky and imaginative. It doesn't have a tidy ending, but perhaps that is so kids can continue the adventure themselves. In fact, it sort of reminded me of one of my kids telling me their dream. The quilt connection is only with the balloon, so more of a sidenote in this story, for sure.

Show Way, by Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by Hudson Talbott
Newberry Honor, 2006

The story of a family, starting out in slavery. The seven year old daughter sold off without her family, but with some cloth, needles, and thread. How each generation of girls learned to sew and make quilts: a Show Way that pointed a path to freedom for escaping slaves. All the way down through the years to freedom, to mothers who could read, to little girls who marched to end segregation, to the author and her daughter. Each generation passing down the stories that came before, to always remember and to be courageous.

* * * * *
This beautiful book brought tears to my eyes. Our library had it in the "picture books geared for older kids" section, I guess because of the little girls who got sold away from their families. It was a bit longer than many picture books, also. I would feel comfortable reading it to my 4 year old, though, and in fact, plan to do so this week! My favorite refrain was about the families, repeated through each generation: "Loved that baby up so. Yes, they loved that baby up."

Jacqueline Woodson is one of my favorite authors. This is another winner.

The Tortilla Quilt, by Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli

Maria lives with her grandmother Lupita on the Olson family ranch in California. Her grandmother is the cook. Maria helps where she can, but she often has time to play with Sarah Olson. Sarah and her mother are making a quilt together in the evenings, and Maria wishes very much that she could make one too, but knows that the cloth would be too expensive. Then her grandmother remembers the stack of empty flour sacks in the kitchen, and Maria begins piecing her quilt from the cut up flour sacks. With the help of the Olsons and her grandmother, Maria's quilt takes shape.

* * * * *
Written in English, with 3-4 Spanish words per page written underneath their English counterparts. Large text and shorter paragraphs make this a good one for preschoolers. Also includes a recipe for homemade tortillas, as well as the Tortilla Quilt pattern.

Wrapped in Memories, by Nan Slaughter
Illustrated by Lori Lambson

Lyndsey happens upon a quilt made by  her great-grandmother, with a message stitched into one of the squares:

Wrap up in this when you are cold,
The story of my life it will unfold.
It has warmed my heart, but now I'm old,
This I leave you--it's worth more than gold.

She soon finds out that the riches the poem talk about are not money, but family stories. She and her Grandma repair the quilt together and Lyndsey learns about her ancestors. When she decides to stitch "Families are Forever" onto one patch, her Grandma heartily approves.

* * * * *
As with many of the other books on this list, a treasured quilt provides a link between generations. This one could have used a little tighter editing. Lyndsey's name is spelled differently on at least one of the pages.

Nonfiction

Eight Hands Round: A Patchwork Alphabet, by Ann Whitford Paul
Illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Patchwork patterns from Anvil to Zigzag. Each one is drawn up close, then in a quilt, with a third illustration for the history of the pattern.

* * * * *
Interesting, including patterns I wasn't familiar with. The histories were quite general--more explaining the name of the pattern and how people used to live than the specific history of that patchwork piece. Perhaps those details are lost to time.

My Grandmother's Patchwork Quilt: A Book and Pocketful of Patchwork Pieces, by Janet Bolton

The story of a special doll's quilt made by the author's grandmother. At the bottom of the page is an outline of the quilt. Then as each block is featured, it's added to the outline. The left-hand page talks about the mechanics of making each block, while the right-hand page is more like a journal entry featuring the animals or people on the block.

Includes 10 quilt squares in a pocket on the back inside cover, with the scenes from the book traced onto them. They are ready to be made into a pattern, cut out of scrap fabric, and sewn back onto the square to make your very own doll-sized patchwork quilt.

Pieces: A Year in Poems & Quilts, by Anna Grossnickle Hines

As the title suggests, the author designed and made quilts to go illustrate her poems--or perhaps it was the other way around! In any case, each poem has a quilt reproduced to fill the entire page.

The quilts are beautiful and must have taken hours and hours! In fact, in the back, she talks a little bit about her process making them. Most of the squares she worked with were 1-1/8".

The poems take you throughout the year, though not strictly month-by-month. Instead, they go by seasons.

One of my favorite poems was the very first:

"Ballet"
Slow motion,
crow lands
on a cedar branch.
Branch bounces.
Crow dances.

Other favorites were "Good Heavens," "To Each His Own," and "Pageantry."

Peaceful Pieces: Poems and Quilts about Peace, by Anna Grossnickle Hines

As with her other book, this book explores a theme through poetry, with quilts as the illustrations.

I liked how the poems covered many different aspects of peace, from letting go of angry feelings, to playing with someone alone on the playground. Other poems consider coming to peace with a sibling, peace between different races, and the interconnectedness of all of us.

These poems are deeper than those in her first book, and would be great discussion starters in a classroom or homeschool setting.

The Quilting Bee, by Gail Gibbons

Includes a brief history of quilting, definitions of quilting terms, and several different quilt blocks by name. A good introduction to the basics, with plenty of illustrations.

Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy

I was going to combine this review with a couple of others, but it turned out I had more to say than I realized!

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, by Brian Tracy

3 stars: Mostly geared toward increasing productivity in the workplace. As such, I skimmed most of it, but I did pull out a few gems.

I often tend to procrastinate, so I was hoping for some solid tips to get me out of that rut. I found a few principles I could apply to my life as a stay-at-home mom, but much of it did not. Hence the skimming. His whole premise is that you should tackle the hardest, most disagreeable job first, whether that's first thing in the morning or first on your list of myriads of other to-do's. Also, the idea that you can train yourself to do this--with sufficient amounts of determination and self-discipline.

Okay, I can see how that applies to me. My shower would be a lot cleaner on a consistent basis if I cleaned it first thing every week. The timing would have to be modified though, to be at my first available moment. Life at home is not about big projects or deadlines, but all about taking care of the needs that come up every single day. So maybe if I made a point to tackle whatever task I was putting off that day... Something to think about.

I appreciated what he had to say about how time management is not an end in itself, but a means to an end: specifically, so that you have more time to do the things you really want to do. I liked that he included this rule (particularly in a book geared toward people working out of the home):

Rule: It is the quality of time at work that counts and the quantity of time at home that matters.

I also liked what he had to say about "Launching toward Your Dreams." Basically, don't let fear hold you back. I've been thinking about this in relation to some of my bigger life goals.

"Once you have completed your preparations, it is essential that you launch immediately toward your goals. Get started. Do the first thing, whatever it is.

My personal rule is "Get it 80 percent right and then correct it later." Run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. Don't expect perfection the first time or even the first few times. Be prepared to fail over and over before you get it right.

The biggest enemies we have to overcome on the road to success are not lack of ability and a lack of opportunity but fears of failure and rejection and the doubts that they trigger. The only way to overcome your fears is to "do the thing you fear," as Emerson wrote, "and the death of fear is certain."

Another chapter goes into figuring out your key tasks; or in other words, what you do that contributes most to the success of the business/workplace. Once you've identified your top 3 key tasks, then you find out a way to delegate, assign, or let go of all the rest, so you can put all your effort and focus where it will make the biggest difference.

Again, translating that into my world as a homemaker, I think one of my "key tasks" is making dinner---with all that entails. Everybody has to eat, and as the only adult home at dinner-making time (usually), it's my job to make sure it gets done. It is also a task that I tend to procrastinate on.

So after reading this, I am determined to spend more time making a success of this key task...which means I probably will get back to making a menu in advance, rather than filling it in as I go along! Ha! As I've thought more about this, my plan is to look at the menu in the morning and get started on whatever I can--whether that's preparing side dishes or taking meat out to defrost, so that I avoid the 5:00 p.m. panic.

Then there was the chapter on how you should carve out long blocks of uninterrupted time to work on your key tasks. HA HA HA HA! Man, what would that be like? My life as a mother is filled to the brim with interruptions--welcome to raising kids! Trying to make dinner (a "key task") without interruptions? Forget it!

For a long time I had this idea that if I could just get one long afternoon to myself, I would get so much done! Guess what? I've come to grips with the fact that "the long afternoon" is a myth. At least in my life right now. It doesn't exist. Instead, what I've found to be most helpful in getting things done at home is simply PERSISTENCE. No matter how many times I'm interrupted, if I just keep coming back to the task it will eventually get done. (In a manner of speaking. We all know dishes and laundry are never truly done.)

Finally, I liked what he had to say about developing a positive mental attitude, particularly the 4 defining behaviors of optimists.

"First, optimists look for the good in every situation. No matter what goes wrong, they always look for something good or beneficial. And not surprisingly, they always seem to find it.

Second, optimists always seek the valuable lesson in every setback or difficulty. They believe that "difficulties come not to obstruct but to instruct." They believe that each setback or obstacle contains a valuable lesson they can learn and grow from, and they are determined to find it.

Third, optimists always looks for the solution to every problem. Instead of blaming or complaining when things go wrong, they become action oriented. They ask questions like "What's the solution? What can we do now? What the next step?"

Fourth, optimists think and talk continually about their goals. They think about what they want and how to get it. They think and talk about the future and where they are going rather than the past and where they came from. They are always looking forward rather than backward."

(Tracy took this list from Martin Seligman's book Learned Optimism.)

I feel that my faith has helped me become more optimistic in these four ways, particularly #2. Since we Mormons believe we are here on this earth to be tested and gain experience, it follows that every experience has some value or something you can learn from. Sometimes finding that nugget of wisdom only happens in hindsight, but it is always there.

Overall, there's not much that was new. It's basically a compilation of all the "best practice" time management information that he's come across throughout his career. A quick read, with some valuable points to be learned.

p.s. It drives me crazy that there are no page numbers in my ebooks. When I quote from the book I want to put in the page number!!

(Finished reading Jan. 19)

What time management tips do you have for me? Are you an optimist?

Reading Traditions: Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White

One of our family's reading traditions is that I read Charlotte's Web with each child the year before they start kindergarten.

I don't know if anyone but me would even recognize this as a tradition, to be honest. It's one that I treasure, but we sort of fell into it. I have always loved the story of Charlotte's Web and wanted to share it with my oldest son. It just so happened to be around 6 months before he started kindergarten. It also just so happened that while the book was right at his 4 1/2 year old attention span, his younger sister was not nearly as interested, being only 2 at the time.

That was okay, though, because it provided the two of us with some special bonding time sharing this classic book. Well, I couldn't let my daughter miss out! So when she was getting ready for kindergarten, I read it with her, too. Big brother was already in school all day, so he wasn't around for a second dose, and little brother was still just a baby. Once again, we had a great experience reading it and talking about it together, just the two of us.

Just recently it was little brother's turn. (I can hardly believe it!) I pulled it out a few weeks ago for us to read while the older two were in school. It was so enjoyable to share his delight with Wilbur's antics and the other animals in the barn. He was quite worried when we stopped on the chapter where Wilbur finds out what the humans have in store for him. I kept reassuring him that Charlotte would find a way to save Wilbur, but he was anxious to get back to the story to learn how she would do it.

This is my boy who more often than not, checks out board books from the library instead of picture books. (Boy, will he be excited when the new baby comes and I get down our very own box of board books!) We read picture books together too, but he's never requested a chapter book until we started reading this one together. Once we started, he wanted to read it every day.

At times when I've read it, Wilbur has come across as whiny and self-centered. This time, he reminded me of a young child: eager to please, readily admitting when he didn't know something, while at the same time needing constant reassurance. Charlotte was definitely the "adult" in the friendship. (p.s. As much as I enjoy this book, my general views on bacon and spiders have not changed.)

My little guy didn't have much to say about the ending. However, as soon as we finished, he asked if we could read it again. I don't remember the other two doing that!

* * * * *
What reading traditions do you have in your family?

Plant File: Geum (Avens)

I have been looking back through my flower photos this month and these bright geums really popped out at me. I planted them on a whim a couple of years ago--one of those nursery trips where I needed something in bloom and these fit the bill--and I have been so happy with them ever since.

Scientific Name: Geum (pictured here is 'Totally Tangerine')

Common Names: Avens or Grecian Rose *

Cold Hardiness: USDA zones 4-8

24-36" tall and wide

Full sun, but appreciates shade in the hottest part of the afternoon.

Wildlife: Bees and butterflies love these flowers!

Floral Design: Great for adding airy pop of color to arrangements, as each main stem cut has several blossoms at the top.

Related to strawberries (I just found out.) 

--Now that I know that, I can really see the similarity with the blossoms and the leaves. 

Blooms May-June, right during that lull between tulips and roses.

Flowers come in shades of red, orange, peach, and yellow, depending on the variety.

Once it's done blooming, you can cut it back close to the ground and it will grow new foliage.

I usually wait to do that until early spring, with the rest of my garden cleanup, though.

Mine haven't had any trouble with diseases or pests.

This one clump in my back flowerbed grew big enough that I successfully divided it in half a couple years ago.

These are such a bright spot in my flowerbeds in late spring!

I just adore them!

* I've always just called it "geum" since that's what it said on the nursery tag!

"Grecian Rose" has a nice ring to it, though.

* * * * *

I've also got a different variety to talk about briefly.

Scientific Name: Geum triflorum 

Common names: Prairie Smoke, Purple avens, Old Man's Whiskers,

USDA zones: 3-6

12-18" tall and wide

Native to the prairies of the United States.  

After the bell-shaped flowers are done, the seedheads stream up in fine, feathery pink seedheads--hence the nicknames.

Blooms May-June.

Drought tolerant--likes a hot, dry spot. 

Deer resistant (according to the websites selling them.)

I don't have any pictures of the seedheads; mine have never gotten to that point.

(Perhaps a relocation is in order!)

Look them up, though. Those seedheads are really spectacular!

Also, the seedheads last through midsummer, which would add at least another month to your enjoyment of this plant.

It makes me want to work on finding a better spot for mine this year!