And January is halfway over. How about that? I thought the older you got, the slower the days. NOT TRUE. The two truisms: death and taxes. So, live on even if the days fly past. And taxes, well, there you are.
After Christmas the store seems empty (of customers) but not books. I'm stocking up on gardening books (for both adults and children) and bird and nature logs for kids. Got to get ready for spring...it's time to plan the garden, plot the plans out on paper, and dream of the bounty that will come at the end of summer! Until then, while those little seeds are warming up and growing, it's time to take the children or grandchildren out to watch those flighty feathery friends. Record what you hear and see, look through the binoculars; observation is another way to teach ourselves to just be still. Remember: make sure the books are indigenous to your area.
Some books that I have in the store for such gardening and birding events are:
GARDENING
Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older by Sydney Eddison
The Pruning Answer Book by Lewis Hill & Penelope O'Sullivan
Gaia's Garden by Chelsea Green
The $64 Tomato by William Alexander. This memoir is about a man who was on a quest for a perfect garden, and the cost to grow one of his Brandywine tomatoes.
It's a Long Road to a Tomato by Keith Stewart. This gardening, nature book is about how a man quit the big city for the life of organic farming.
For Children:
Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy. this is a gardening book for parents and children.
BIRDING
Again, remember these books are recommended for Oregon and Washington. You can order these specific for your region.
Lone Pine puts out a beautifully illustrated book Birds of Oregon by Roger Burrows & Jeff Gilligan
The National Geographic Field Guide to Birds edited by Jonathan Alderfer.
Audubon Pocket Backyard Birdwatch by Stephen Kress
For Children:
Beginning Birdwatcher's Book by Sy Barlowe. This is a Dover Children's activity book that includes stickers of birds, facts about their habitat, eating habits, bird size, and more.
So, getting ready for spring will be a fun read.
Now, events coming up:
January 26, 7:00 p.m.- at Lucy's Books -this is the first night of Lucy's Books book club. We are reading A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka.
February 9, 6:00-8:00 p.m.- at Lucy's Books - a book signing by Charly Heavenrich. His book Unimagined Gifts will be the focus. Charly is a Master Storyteller, Personal Life Coach, and Expert on Change Management. He has quite the career going so check out his website www.charlyheavenrich.com.
February 11, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books - a book signing evening with Northwest author Richard Powers who wrote The Astoria Chinatwon Conspiracy. The evening will also include discussion on the writing and publishing of his novel.
March 30 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books- an evening with Scott Teisworth and his discussion and signing of his book Krishna in the Sky with Diamonds More to come about this in the February newsletter.
I want to thank Kayla Sewell for her tender and sweet note. Yeah, it brought tears to my eyes. If it had'nt been for students like her, I would have quit teaching long ago. Kayla, come visit me when you are in town!
