Round Up

This is the last round up for 2010. The year has indeed flown by.

Just in case you missed the lunar eclipse this morning or didn't quite understand what you saw here is a simple, wonderful slideshow that may clear up your confusion.

Plan for World Book Night (March 5, 2011).

How about giving a gift of life skill.

The Complete National Geographic: Every Issue Since 1888-what a gift this would be. I get heady even thinking about it.

Is there someone in your 'hood that deserves a place on the Tacky Light Tour?

If you are tired of Charlie Brown and Frosty, and then give Prep & Landing a watch. It's very cute and I somehow missed this treasure.

Look at this awesome book Christmas tree. All libraries should do this.

Scrabble pillows.

Lovely items-especially the cake plates.

Hmmm, tubeless toilet paper.

I Love Libraries.

The Early Office Museum is an online museum that showcases pre-1920's office goodies-paperweights, writing ink, pencil sharpeners and copying machines to name just a few items. The American Precision Museum is housed in the . This museum preserves the heritage of the mechanical arts, celebrates the ingenuity of our mechanical forebears, and explores the effects of their work on our everyday lives. Housed in the 1846 Robbins & Lawrence Armory, in Windsor, Vermont. The museum holds the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation.

Switch Sticks walking sticks. They also have a ice grip that can be placed on your walking stick to assist in walking in the snow and ice. If you have to use a cane or walking stick should you really be out in the snow and ice.

Congratulations UConn Huskies-You Go Girls (I am so not current in my coolness factor!!!)

The Daily Tell-good news in trying times.

Excellent book blog-The Private Library.

The year's best cookbooks (according to the New York Times).

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

I leave you with the lovely Winter Song by Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. If you saw the National Chrismas Tree lighting ceremony you saw these two very talented women perform this enchanting song.

"I have always thought of Christmas time when it has come around, as a good time; a kind, forgiving charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." Charles Dickens.

Bernie

This will be a short entry.

Senator Bernie Sanders (VERMONT) my hats off to you. You are amazing, wise and magical. I have always had soft spot in my heart for Vermont and you have deepened my love for you and your state.

Even if I did not know what was going on in the country, listening to even a portion of your wondrous speech was an education.

KUDOS TO YOU!!!!

Round Up

R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen-You made me laugh so very much!!

R.I.P.-Elizabeth Edwards-dignity, courage and grace.

50 Books about Books

Is there any cooler historical society than the Wisconsin Historical Society? I think not. I actually have a huge crush on their press. They publish so many interesting (to me anyway) books-People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish by Kathleen Schmitt Kline (I have this awaiting me on interlibrary loan at my local public library) and Penny Loafers and Bobby Pins: Tales and Tips from Growing Up in the 50's and 60's by Susan Sanvidge, et al.

A 9,400 word definition for the word "Information."

I really like this colorful African Folklore embroidery.

A Year of Giving-maybe there are angels amongst us.

It would be great to see some of the tomes in the Lambeth Palace (the Archbishop of Canterbury's crib) Library.

I've spoken of my love for Persephone Books before. I even like their address: 59 Lambs Conduit Street.

Museums dedicated to the art of illustration:
National Museum of American Illustration
Museum of American Illustration
Norman Rockwell Museum
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
I would love to visit all of the above, but the Eric Carle Museum is first on my list to visit.

Hmmm-Chocolate Donut Beer.

If you have not had the pleasure of seeing Disney's Prep and Landing (animated Christmas movie) you can watch on Hulu. You are in for a treat.

I want a Bookworm Badge.

Books-Otis (Philomel/Penguin) by Loren Long, The Phone Book: The Curious History of the Book That Everyone Use, but Nobody Reads (Perigree/Penguin) by Ammon Shea, the man who Read the OED, and Couples: An Eclectic View (MustSeeBooks)by Max Fallon.

Diggin' this recycled sweater journal.

Sweet potato butter-this appeals to me on so many levels.

Pretty-gilt decorated books.

Urban Moonshine Organic Maple Bitters.

Dictator lit.

Librarian lit.

Top 10 female detectives.

I'm sure by now you have all seen the adorable duo Pomplamoose and their Christmassy Hyundai commercial. You also must see their equally adorable rendition of Earth, Wind and Fire's September. (I'm having problems embedding the video here).

Wonderful project-Operation Photo Rescue.

Good Grief!! They exhumed Tycho Brahe last month.

A disposable camera was given to every carrier that works for the Royal Mail and they were asked to take photographs of every day life on their various routes.

Have a wonderful weekend.





"Winter came down to our home one night. Quitetly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow." Bill Morgan Jr.

Round Up

Did Snoopy ever have a girlfriend?

It would be fun to attend the Cheese School of San Francisco.

Rigor Mortis-literary zombie magazine.

Pancakes galore!!!

What fun-pine cone projects.

12 cool and creative calendar designs.

I just love this. Green Apple Books is donating any proceeds from Dubya's book to San Francisco VA hospitals. One of the co-owners stated that this is a perfect way to make a political statement about the book (and the author), and still offer the book to customers. The store donated proceeds from that Palin woman's book to the Alaska Wildlife Alliance. Love it.

Cool Morse Code necklaces.

Is your company's social media policy legal? Hmmm.......

Morton Hot Salt

Very cute double-decker dress shop.

And I thought cupcake trees were great. Now there are individual cupcake stands.

Purchase your shoes at Shoe Revolt-help stop human trafficking.

I think this magnolia printed on an old dictionary page is so beautiful.

Oprah's Ultimate (and last) Favorite Things list.

Have a wonderful holiday.

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."-Meister Eckhart

Round Up

R.I.P. Belva Plain-I can remember all of my girlfriends passing Evergreen around when it was first published.

R.I.P. Eva Ibbotson-I didn't read her wonderful children's literature until a couple of years ago. What a delight her books are!! You simply must read the award winning The Secret of Platform 13. Yes, it does deserve it's own Wikipedia entry.

Audrey Niffenegger's wonderful picture books for adults.

Jeudevine Falls is for sale. I wish I could purchase it.

For all of you Francophiles out there-French-Word-a-Day.

The top 10 sidekicks in literature.

Oh my!! Some children have convicted Goldilocks. Let's see breaking and entering (B&E), theft, sleeping in someone elses bed-she should be sent down the river!!!

If you are someone who reads a lot of series fiction then you should peruse FictFact.

For those of you who are seeking employment, have you thought about the non-profit sector. Lots of jobs on Idealist.org.

The "best of" lists has already started. Here are the best illustrated children's books of 2010.

A book that I must read is A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness---And a Trove of Letters---Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression by Ted Gup. The excellent blog Shelf Awareness has an interview with the author.

Everyone knows I'm a candle whore, and I've found yet another candle I think I would love-Cire Trudon. Of course these are ridiculously out of my price range, but a woman can dream can't she? More on these luxury candles. Even my beloved Votivo have gone up to $25.00-$30.00 a candle. Everything is going up and up except our depressed salaries.

40 things you didn't know about Tina Fey. I confess that I wasnt' a Tina Fey fan until her spot-on satirical portrayal as Sarah Palin, but now I think she's great.

Look at these gorgeous college libraries.

Handy, dandy cliche finder.

That's all I have for this week. Happy Weekend!!

"Do or do not. There is not try." Jedi Master Yoda

Round Up

Diggin' these glass sculptures of infectious diseases.

Diggin' Kem and Kathleen Jenkins.

10 literary Halloween costumes.

Want to read: Steady Hands: Poems About Work by Tracie Vaughan Zimmer. I like a picture book that is kind-of, sort-of for adults. I like the picture books that are for kids too.

Want to look at: Food Lanscapes by Carl Warner. Each landscape is constructed totally out of food-genius.

Want to listen to: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton. Actually all of the Maestro selections look great.

Dick and Jane and Vampires (Oh My!!!)

Only a few entries on the Children's Book-A-Day Almanac, but it's very well done.

These felted wool acorns are just too cute. More here and here-with a tutorial on how these are created.


ISO-Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.

I could spend hours reading all of the interviews on the Paris Review site. Maybe while I eat some Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.

The Land of Nod has so many nice items. We have 3 little ones to buy presents for so anything that gives me ideas is great.

I like the packaging of the candles from Paddywax. I'm still loyal to my favorite Votivo candles, but it's always fun to try new brands.

Who knew there were so many Legophiles. I can say with all honesty I am a Lego virgin. I have never Legoed. Ever.

Have a wickedly frightful Halloween!!!

'Tis now the very witching time of night,When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes outContagion to this world.~William Shakespeare

Round Up

Just a few items this week.

First, a couple of comments.

Dr. Anita Hill-you have more class in your little finger than......

Juan Williams-never a fan of yours. If memory serves you made some extremely sexist comments back in the day, but FOX NEWS. Freakin' FOX NEWS. Have you no shame!!!

Enough of that.

Bite into the Cherpumple.

Best Halloween decorations ever-Grandinroad. They actually have some very nice non-holiday related items as well.

Very cute muffin pan sponge. It really is an event for me when I receive the King Arthur Flour Company catalog in the mail.

These are the absolute best candy apples I have ever seen. And Matt's Winter Cocktail sound pretty tastey too.

This is so naughty-My First Dictionary.

Famous inboxes of fictional characters-this time Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Love this.

I am crazy about frosted window film (even though I don't have a window where it could be used) and clear acrylic party buckets. I lived in a few apartments where the frosted window film would have come in very handy.

Think Be4 You Speak is a wonderful idea. It's a shame that we have to have actual movements to teach people to be sensitive and considerate of others. I am so sick of it still being "okay" to make derogatory remarks about people's sexuality, about people's age and about weight-challenged individuals. This is exemplified night after night on some of the garbage that is on television. It's 2010 and you still have people writing scripts with this kind of derogatory dialogue. It's sickening and we should be better than that.

Drum Roll Please-The Israel Antiquities Authority and Google bring you the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Very interesting article on trap rooms. Trap rooms are a deliberate error placed into maps to attempt to catch copyright infringement by rival companies.

And speaking of maps-these are incredible.

That's all for this week. Have a tranquil weekend. And remember if you are able to vote early (A. and I are voting after work today) please do so or wait until Election Day-the most important thing is to VOTE!!!

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of thelandscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show." - Andrew Wyeth

Round Up

Collective sigh of relief hearing the news that the 33 miners and the rescue workers are all safe. Nice to have great news for a change.

R.I.P. Solomon Burke-King of Rock and Soul

R.I.P. Joan Sutherland

Always on the lookout for interesting organizations, government or other-how about the National Climate Extremes Committee, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Why do zippers have YKK on them? Hmmmm.......

I like witches so I would not use these gorgeous witch balls to disuade a visit. I have always had a thing for glass orbs-crystal balls, Christmas ornaments, floats-there's just something about them. They are beautiful pieces of art. More here.

Love, love, love this sign. This site has a lot of very nice signs.

Catalog Living (Tee-Hee)

Choc-O-Lantern Pop Tarts and Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts.

Everyone knows Martha Stewart loves Halloween and every year she outdoes herself with great Halloween crafts and decorating ideas and yummy treat recipes.

Brett Herbst-King of the Corn Maze.

Recycling cork-a good thing.

Falls pumpkin beers.

Love this embroidery.

99 fun facts about dogs.

Fold your towels just like the ones in a department store.

I've been hearing about this Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake for years, but have never made it, or for that matter, tasted it. I may have to break down and make it.

The Library of America has a boxed set of 6 of Lynd Wards novels that he did in woodcut. Incredible!! More information on Lynd Ward.

I am going to keep saying this, but you must get out and vote. It's imperative Progressive that you VOTE!!!!

Have a nice weekend. I think a grilled cheddar and cherry preserves sandwich sounds like a nice treat this weekend. Munched on while I enjoy my book and a Fireside tart.

"Corn and grain, corn and grain, All that falls shall rise again."- Wiccan Harvest Chant

Round Up

Well, my favorite month is here and I am thrilled. It's still too warm for my taste, but the weather is getting there.

We attended the Progressives rally last weekend on the mall. I haven't been to a rally in years. I used to go all of the time, but I just stopped going. The weather was great and there were tons of people with very creative signs. I had forgotten about that special feeling you get looking around and seeing so many different types of people (remember we Progressives are about inclusiveness-not exclusivity) and listening to the various speakers. Marian Wright Edelman always gets to me. She is a tiny powerful woman and once you hear her speak you won't forget her words. We plan to attend more of these gatherings in the future.

If you live in the WDC metropolitan area here are some fun things to do this month. Great if you have some children in your life, or if you are just young at heart:

Boo at the Zoo
Butler's Orchard 30th Annual Pumpkin Festival
The Enchanted Forest
Summers Farm Adventure
34th Annual City of Fairfax Fall Festival (kind of underwhelmed by their website)
Nightmare Manor

150 covers of Lolita.

List of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows.

There used to be a Bagel Bakers Union.

Of course there is a National Caves Association for all of the spelunkers out there.

25 photos of camouflaged animals.

Diggin' this skull print dress.

I am so addicted to Radiolab. The podcast on Famous Tumors was fascinating. And speaking of famous tumors Henrietta Lacks finally received a headstone. If you don't know who Ms. Lacks was then you must read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Even if you aren't a science nerd like yours truly-read the book.

The Radiolab podcast entitled Vanishing Words was also fascinating. Sheds new insight into Agatha Christie's later books.


It's getting to be time for wrist worms.
The Rare Book and Manuscript Room of the University of Pennsylvania has digitized over 2000 photographs of poets.

Love this candy corn tree. This one too (I thought Lillian Vernon went out of business.)

I would love to stay at the Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon just so I could see their library.

Meet the wood stacker.

7 image search tools that will change your life.

The privatization of public libraries makes my blood boil.

I like They Draw and Cook website. Everyday an artist or illustrator submits a recipe. What a cool idea.

I'm ready to settle back with a cider doughnut, burn my Mountain Lodge tart and read a good book by the fire.

That's the Round Up for this week. Have a wonderful long weekend (even if it is for a stupid holiday).

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. " George Eliot

Round Up

I just have a few items this week.

R.I.P Barbara Holland-Endangered Pleasures: In Defense of Naps, Bacon, Martinis, Profanity and other Indulgences is a treat!!!

Origami napkins

If you live in the WDC area and are a food truck devotee please sign the petition to keep the food trucks in business.

I am beyond thrilled that it is finally autumn, but guess what? It has been in the 90's the past two days and it is supposed to be 96 today. Pesky summer with it's ever present blinding klieg light has to get in its last few licks. That's okay. Soon it will be my time of crisp air and walking through piles of leaves. Soon, very soon (I hope).

This skull pan certainly puts me in a good mood. This one too.

Who knew? Joan Lunden is now an inventor. These sort of devices bother me-always have, always will.

Author groupies delight-Book TV-Writers on Writing Videos-I may have posted about these videos before, but they are so wonderful they deserve a double posting.

Yum-carrot cake whoopie pies-I think whoopie pies might be the next big bakery trend, I keep seeing them everywhere. Cupcakes move over.

Online alarm clock.

Things made by prisoners-some of these were a surprise to me.

The National Zoo has new lion cubs. Too cute!!!

The Paris Review has a new website.

Pen names in literature.

If you like that new book smell-use Smell of Books.

20 brilliant bookcases.

Postertext

Have a great weekend.

"We come back to autumn, to zucchini that wilt like witches shoes." Margaret Hasse

Round Up

R.I.P. Joan Steiner-I purchased so many of Ms. Steiner's wonderful Look-ALikes books for children through the years. I had a ball myself trying to find the objects in her wonderful creations.

Would love to peruse the entire Penguin English Journey Series.

After reading about the John Smith Chesapeake Trail I found out that there are 16 other National Historic Trails. I'm glad that there are historic trails, but I thought there would be so many more. More about the trail here.

Nice autumnal library necklace. Wonder if its heavy.

WWII on Facebook.

The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association has a Missing and Stolen Book Blog.

I can't believe I have never heard of the amazing Dr. Louise Jilek-Aall. Someone, perhaps me, should write a Wikipedia article on this woman.

A library reference desk made of old books. Very cool!!!!

CONELRAD 100-Atomic Film. An entire listing of films with Red Scare/Cold War and Atomic themes. You may also make film suggestions.

Which shall I try-Spoonfudge or Spudfudge-or both? There is something so illicit about eating something yummy from a jar. I might have to indulge in the Spoonfudge. Hmmm, not what flavor(s).

15 essential back-to-school podcasts.

Finally some decent scrubs for the medical profession to sport-Blue Sky Scrubs.

This Corporate B.S. Generator is ridiculously fun.

I saw this museum on an episode of the History Detectives. The French Cable Museum, located in Orleans, Massachusetts , has an incredible collection of original Atlantic undersea telegraphic cables, instruments, maps, and assorted memorabilia. That area of the country is my absolute favorite and the next time I'm in the vicinity I will have to visit this very interesting museum.

I just read a review of Amore: The Story of Italian American Song by Mark Rotella. Another to add to my TBR list.

I'm reading Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson. This is a departure from my usual non-fiction reading. I'm not big on disaster reading or disaster movies, but I keep bumping into this book in one form or another. When that happens I always think the universe wants me to read the book-so I do. The author does a good job of bringing Galveston, Texas in the year 1900 to life. The Isaac in the title is Isaac Cline who was the resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau. This is a gripping read and your heart will ache for the town of Galveston and the 6,000 people who lost their lives.

About time-the first aiport library.

That's all for this week friends. Have a nice weekend.


"I shall stay the way I am, because I don't give a damn." Dorothy Parker

Small Round Up and Coveting

The original Kermit the Frog is now living at the National Museum of American History.

Top 10 typefaces of the last decade.

I can't wait to purchase these non-religious 2010 holiday stamps.
The American Antiquarian Society has a nice online exhibition entitled A Place of Reading: Three Centuries of Reading in America.

Picturing the Past 10 years-love this chart.

Now for some items that I am coveting:

Swans Island Blankets-these are gorgeous and way out of my price range, but oh my goodness.

Ancient Industries has such nice things. I am coveting their oven mitt.

Love these stone walls. Can't fit one in my back yard, but would love one.

And these luscious Duchess Marden products.

And now for books.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews. I can't believe I never read this. It was written by my shero Dame Andrews and plus it just looks fun.

I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita.

Stagecoach Sal by Deborah Hopkinson

Lost States of America by Michael Trinklein

I think I have to take a gander at Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty.
I love the eerie whimsy of his work. Here is more on his wonderful creations.

"All are inclined to believe what they covet, from a lottery-ticket up to a passport to Paradise." Lord Byron

Round Up

Look at these lasagna cupcakes-everythings cupcakes these days.

Two books I am interested in reading-Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light by Jane Brox and The Violin Maker: Finding a Centuries Old Tradition at a Brooklyn Workshop by John Marchese. (Good Grief!!!!! I tried to link the book by Jane Brox to the publishers website, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and my computer froze and all sorts of things happened).

Felony and Mayhem Press publishes previously out-of-print mysteries. Books by the great Margery Allingham and Robert Barnard. I just went through their latest catalog and want every title.

What is the deal with this showing of bra straps everywhere I look? Back in the day bra straps weren't seen, now it seems to be some sort of fashion statement. I know I'm old school, but I don't care for it. I can't stand bras anyway, hideous constricting contraptions that they are. Soon I won't have to see bra straps, dirty feet in those awful flip-flops and way too much exposed skin-it will all be covered by parkas. And no more deafening noise from the annual tree cicadas.

30 awesome college labs.

Just in case you are wondering when Apple Gifting Day is (January 1) or National Cherry Popover Day (September 1, which is today) wonder no more. There is an American Food Holiday Calendar. And a National Food Holiday Directory.

Another interesting timeline to add to my collection: the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

I haven't read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett or seen the mini-series on Starz that was on a couple of weeks ago, but I want to do both (read and see). I get ridiculously excited when a single book title warrants its own Wikipedia entry.

While looking for something on Etsy the other day I found a plethora of items with French script. All of you Francophiles out there go crazy!!!

Embroidered newspaper clippings.

These Amish Scooters are great. I love the basket.

The Perfect Five is a music blog that offers 5 different genre's of songs every week for your listening pleasure. You can listen to a classic, remix, a much hyped tune, covered or love. There are 5 new ones every week. Such fun.

There was a time when I was alll about dresses. These days I am always in some sort of pants, but if I ever resurrect the old me Shabby Apple has the dresses that I like.

Want to improve your language skills, but the Rosetta Stone tapes just aren't your style-try Lingo Friends.

The private Newtown Library celebrates 250 years. Brief history of the library here.

An interesting and "un-common" take on copyright law.

By now, everyone has already seen the Old Spice guy and his video about libraries. Here are some more witty library videos.

That is all I have for this week. Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. I hope the weather prognosticators are correct and it's going to be a bit cooler.

"We should so live and labor in our times that what came to us as seed may go to the next generation as blossom, and what came to us as blossom may go to them as fruit. This expresses the true spirit in the love of mankind. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Round Up

R.I.P. Jose Saramago.

It's cool today and overcast. I am happy.

Manuals online.

The 50 best cookbooks.

The timeless beauty of National Geographic.

11 movies with librarians in starring roles.

I am having a ball traveling around Atlas Obscura.

I really enjoy ABE books blog Reading Copy. They also have a Weird Book Room. Some of these titles are hilarious.

Yum-Double Chocolate Moonshine Cake.

I admit I am obsessive about pronouncing words correctly. I'm not so rude that I correct people when they commit verbal faux pas, (except for A.-we correct each other), but I just think that it is important to at least make an attempt at learning how to pronounce words correctly. Have you noticed that it is always the person who talks too much, talks to loudly that needs the grammar and pronounciation police to arrest them? Anywho-perhaps the Carnegie Mellon Pronouncing Dictionary will assist us.

Years ago I gave my 1963 copy of The Joy of Cooking away. (what a dolt!!!). I had too many cookbooks and I gave away some of the older ones. I was young and foolish-what can I say. This site shows the history of the famous book. It would be fun to try and collect all of the editions.

I am not going to order this-I'm not, but I would love to try this Speculoos Spread. I'm a Nutella nut, but I hardly ever purchase it because I just eat it off of the spoon and fairly soon the entire jar is gone. Speculoos Spread is named after a Dutch cookie. More on that here. And here. There is probably some store in the WDC area that has this treat, but I AM NOT GOING TO LOOK FOR IT!!!

Author Andrew Carroll ( Letters of a Nation: A Collection of Extraordinary American Letters and War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars) has a new project. The Here is Where Project is an all-volunteer initiative to document those places in history that are forgotten. I think this is wonderful.

Nice list of alternative London maps.

Look at this blue tomato.

The Library of Congress is asking the public to vote for their favorite author who has attended the National Book Festival in the last 10 years. The National Book Festival is on September 25th this year.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies-Yum again!!

These map watches are incredible. I don't even need to ask what they cost. Just gorgeous.



That's all I have for now. Have a great week and if I don't post another entry bffore the long Labor Day weekend-Have a great one.




"Do not worry about people not knowing your ability: worry about not having it." - Confucius

Round Up

R.I.P. Daniel Schorr, Fess Parker and Alaina Reed Hall.

Love the art of Sukie.

And the children's literature author and illustrator Simms Taback.

You will probably enjoy Listverse if you are list crazy like yours trul.

Alibris for Libraries has a blog.

Interesting article about Eunice Frost, Penguin's secret editor.

Literature's best-dressed characters.

Mmm-Skillet baked chocolate chip cookies. For most of my life we always made chocolate chip bars in a 13x9x2 pan. It's so much faster than drop cookies. Then we made home made chocolate icing or home made penuche icing to top the bars. I never thought about using a skillet.

Fabulous mystery novelist P.D. (Phyllis Dorothy)James is 90 years old and still writing books.

I love that every state has a poet laureate and that Montana's laureate, Henry Real Bird, is going around the state on horseback and handing out books of poetry. I wonder if he could use an assistant. Let's see a horses, poetry and a poet-sounds like a little slice of heaven to me. Something tells me I wouldn't be able to keep up with him riding horseback.

I loathe the word cougar in describing older women, I guess you have to be a hot older woman to have that term conferred upon you. I also hate, hate, hate the literary designation-chick lit-if we have chick lit, then we should have "dick lit". I find the word "chick" used in reference to women as debasing as I find the word "dick" when used to describe male anatomy.

This weekend (8/14/2010-8/15/2010) the National Parks are offering free admission.

The book site The Millions has a Collaborative Atlas of Bookstores Google Map. Very cool.

Little Cream Book. Here is an interview with the author of the Little Cream Books.

How to make ice cream without an ice cream machine.

Love castles and I would love to see this medieval fortress being built.

Bembo's Zoo by Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich is a wonderful children's book that contains pictures of animals made entirely of words and punctuation marks. Bembos Zoo is also an interactive site that I'm sure was created for children, but it is so much fun. I think all ages can enjoy. You need flash

The world's most beautiful lakes.

That's all folks. Have an excellent weekend. Hopefull it won't be too humid in my area.




"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received." - Albert Einstein

Round Up

I think I may have to make this sweet gum wreath this year for the holidays. Every year I try and make a new wreath and I think this might be this years craft.



















Library and Archival Collections on the Web-this is an excellent listing and one could spend hours perusing the various collections.

Oh goody-a Nancy Drew blog.

NPR journalists asked female musicians what it's like to be a musician today.

I have a very nice commute into DC every day. I go through a very nice part of DC to get to my boring job. I've noticed various historic markers on my way to work, but the problem is I can't read most of them as I whiz by on the bus. There is one particular marker that is driving me nuts, because it is on 16th street on the corner of an ordinary-looking home. All I can see is that there is a man's face on the marker. I also see various beautiful buildings and jot down there addresses so I can look them up on Internet when I get to work. I'm glad these gorgeous buildings don't readily announce what they are, but it just sparks my curiosity bug.

This happened this morning. I had noticed this building on a previous trek, but I kept forgetting to jot down the addess. This morning I remembered-2460 16th Street, NW. I found out that this is the Council for Professional Recognition. Yup, that's what I said. What do they do? Well, luckily they have a mission statement on the site.

But, that wasn't the cool part of my early morning detective work. I ended up clicking on a few more results from my address search and I ended up here at the Historical Marker Database. Who knew there was such a thing? Could this database possibly assist me in my quest to find out who my mystery man is on the marker in the yard? Yes, it did. This was Frank Reeves home and that is his nice fact that I almost see every morning. History Detectives watch out!!

I love that you can add your own photos of historical markers to the database. I am a maniac about reading markers every where I go. I used to drive my family crazy with it. Wait until I tell them it's not just me!

Register your bicycle at the National Bike Registry.

This is Blood Falls located in Antarctica. Here is the explanation for the red? You know you want to know.














1,000 Recordings to Listen to Before You Die. I haven't perused the entire list, but so far I haven't listened to very many of these. I better get busy. And lets face it, some of them I'm never going to listen to-ABBA-I simply can't.

Or what about 100 classic love songs.

Bring old rugs back to life with salt.

Have you heard of Maria Telkes? She was a Hungarian-American scientist who worked on solar energy technologies. She became known as the Sun Queen. I came across her name in a mystery I was reading and decided to find out more about her.

Science magazine has the Breakthrough of the Year Award. The award acknowledges the most significant scientific breakthrough of the that year. The award used to be called the Molecule of the Year Award. I think I like that better.

I like this poetry rug.


BRAVO!! 18 bookstores in Charlotte, North Carolina are donating money to help keep libraries open.


That's all for this week folks. Have a Happy Weekend.



"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is, What are we busy about?" Henry David Thoreau

Round Up

R.I.P. Manute Bol-a gentle big man.

I think I would like to go to Solitude Farm.

Historical Currency Exchange Rates.

The Debt to the Penny.

NeighborGoods-kinda like Freecycle, kinda like Craigslist.

In my travels through the Internet and in various magazines I have been seeing quite a few owl-themed children's parties. This by far is the cutest owl party I have seen. I wish I had been invited. And I love the owl pinata (towards bottom of page). Here is another owl pinata.

Something else that I keep seeing are garlands-everywhere.

Now they have gourmet s'more kits. Good Grief!!! We made "gourmet" s'mores when I was a kid. We would have homemade marshmallows and white chocolate, store bought marshmallows and a Snickers or a Peppermint Pattie-all sorts of combinations. We were ahead of our time and didn't even know it.

Today, July 16, is National Corn Fritter Day.

This Cakewich baking pan cracks me up.

Finally a place to get nice kitchen twine.

I like these rings at Deka Ray.

I have found that I am now a breakfast person. For years and years I never ate breakfast. For the past 6 or 7 years I have been eating bad things for breakfast-brownies, cookies, carrot cake and various and sundry sugar-laden carbohydrates. I have found that if I go out for a nice breakfast, say a veggie omelet, some faux bacon or veggie sausage, maybe even some melon, I am a happy camper. I can enjoy this meal with my sweetie, other folk or even alone with something to read. Pure contentment.

If I ever visit Portland, Oregon I must have breakfast at The Tin Shed. If I ever get to retire, when I am traveling around taking factory tours, I can find cool places to have breakfast, and of course blog about both experiences.

The 20th century's most reclusive writers.

Best books of the year-so far-according to Amazon.

Bookshelf porn (I may have posted before, but so what. It's worth a second peep).

Really like this pink therma jug.

If you haven't watched The Choir (BBC America) you must. It is excellent.

That's all I have for this week. Have a nice weekend.




"The greatest gift we can give one another is rapt attention to one another's existence." Sue Atchley Ebaugh

Round Up

I just have a few items I found interesting for this post. The dog days of summer are taking their toll. 86 days until October.

This is a message to all of you folks who are raising children. Please teach them good manners. Please teach them that blowing your nose at the table is disgusting and rude, teach them to hold the door open for those that come behind them, teach them to be kind to animals, older folk and everyone in general and particular, teach them to have quiet voices, teach them not to dig at their private parts in public, teach them to eat with their mouths closed, teach them to be good listeners even if they are listening to the most boring drivel in the university, and the most important thing to teach them is to never judge books by their covers. Enough said.

A real life Dr. Greg House. Apparently Dr. Gahl doesn't like the comparison to the cantankerous, terrible rude television physician.

The Necklace: 13 Women and the Experiment that Transformed Their Lives by Cheryl Jarvis is like an adult version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashears.

6 sudden savants.

We have a new Poet Laureate-W.S. Merwin.

Looking for some great Beach Reads.

Deletionpedia-deleting from Wikipedia

The Story of Stuff

A literary genre that I had never heard of before-Steampunk.

It is sick enough when people put cats and dogs into library book drops, but condiments.

Voyagers 1 and 2 Infinite Playlist.

London Lives gives free access to 240, 000 manuscripts.

Interesting podcast on the history of Supreme Court Nominations.

This photograph is of some of the bookshelving in the Stockholm Library. It makes me dizzy looking at it from this angle.

















Can't think of an interesting name for your new pooch? Perhaps Dog Names Woof or Fun Pet Names could be of assistance.

Wondrous, colorful kitchen gadgets-I'm in heaven.

Just in case you missed the incomparable David Suchet, in my opinion the best portrayer of fictional detective Hercule Poirot, in the Masterpiece special On the Orient Express-you can still watch it here. I adore trains and David Suchet is one of my favorite character actors so this was a wonderful treat for me.

10 ways to repurpose light bulbs.

That's all for this week. Have a good one, and try and keep cool. It's supposed to be 101 today.







"In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light. In summer quite the other way I have to go to bed by day."~Robert Louis Stevenson

Round Up

AFI SilverDocs is still going on until June 27, 2010.

Top 25 librarian blogs.

There is just something very sweet and cool about Pomplamoose. I love their rendition of La Vie en Rose.

Love to see People Reading.

I've added one more to the list of my fascination with associations-National Pony Express Association.

I spend an extraordinary amount of time wondering why some people seem to have it so easy and others do not. Why some people seem to have a cauldron of disadvatages cast upon them, and others do not. Prudence Mabhena appears to have a whole host of disadvantages, but she has more heart and spirit than most. What an incredible person!! More about Ms. Mabhena here.

I was never a big fan of the television program Little House on the Prairie. If I had to watch something about some poor pioneer-type folk, I watched The Waltons. The Waltons weren't pioneers, but you get my drift. However, I found out some interesting trivia about one of the stars of Little House. Allison Arngrim, who played the bratty character Nellie, her mother in real life was Norma MacMillan ,the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost. Ms. MacMillan was a voiceover artist of some repute.

More goodies about my favorite periodic table. Here is the Periodic Table of Videos.

More videos. These are about some of the symbols associated with physics and astronomy.

A few years ago I wrote about Beekman 1802 soap. I can't recall if I provided the back story to this soap or not, and I am too lazy to go back and find the entry. I'll provide it now.

I am always looking for interesting bar soap. I don't use it on my face, but I like to have a nice bar of soap for the bath. I also love an interesting story to go along with a product. Beekman 1802 soap is made from milk from the herd of goats that live on the Beekman Farm.

The Beekman Estate in Sharon Springs, New York was purchased by Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell in 2007. Brent is a physician and was Vice-President for Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. He has since given up his position at Martha Stewart to devote himself to the Beekman Farm and its businesses full-time. Josh Kilmer-Purcell is in advertising and is also a best-selling author. They have been a couple for 10 years. They have created a working organic farm. Josh still works in advertising in New York City and commutes home to the farm on the weekend.

They now have a reality show entitled The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green and it is a hoot. I love it and I am kind of down on most reality programming. The show chronicles the couple's trials and tribulations in becoming farmers. Give it a watch and meet "the girls" and Polka Spot, Farmer John and the village of Sharon Springs.

A sea glass blog. I love sea glass, but unfortunately I don't have any. I'll have to work on that.

Just in case you were wondering how to pronounce D'Youville College-it's pronounced Doo-ville, rhymes with Whoville.

You can read and get your do done at the same time at Beauty and the Book.

What were they reading on the Titanic?

Meet Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, the DNA detective and a fascinating subject forensic genealogy.

Religious I am not, but I love church and cathedral architecture. Take a gander at Los Lajas Cathedral in Colombia, South America.














So you want to say you are sorry about something, but don't have the cahonas to say it in person or you do have the cahonas, but you don't know what to say or what to write. You might want to gain some assistance from these helpful websites: I'm Sorry, Perfect Apology and The Public Apology.

That's all for this week. Have a good weekend. It's sweltering in my neck of the woods and yes I am counting down the days until October-97 more to go.

"Ah, duty is an icy shadow." Augusta Evans

Chocolate Math

1. Pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate.

2. Multiply this number by 2.

3. Add 5.

4. Multiply that number by 50.

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1760. If you haven't had your birthday this year add 1759.

6. Now subtract the four-digit year that you were born.

7. You should have a three-digit number. The first digit of this figure is your original number (how many times you want to eat chocolate per week). The next two numers are YOUR AGE!!!


"After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers. " ~Emily Luchetti

Round Up

R.I.P. Eleanor Taylor Bland

The world's coolest bookshops.

June 14th is World Blood Donor Day-give blood, it's easy, fast and it doesn't cost you anything, and can mean life for someone else.

My favorite fingernail polish company OPI and computer manufacturer Dell have partnered to bring us nail polish colored laptops.

This summer use Festival Finder to located your favorite music festival.

This sucky economy is hitting everyone. The Washington National Cathedral may sell some of its rare book collection.

I'm all about canines, but Sockington's twitter feed is the bomb!!

3 books that I want to read:

The Finger: A Handbook by Angus Trumble. I'm not even going to tell you what it is about. I am going to have so much fun when people ask me what am I reading, and I can say, "the finger". (yes, I'm an 8-year old boy). I also love the author's name-Angus Trumble.

The Wisdom of Donkeys: Finding Tranquility in a Chaotic World by Andy Merrifield. Much to many people's surprise donkeys are very docile creatures. Yes, they have that very loud bray and they will kick you if you tick them off (in that case I wish that I were a donkey), but they are gentle creatures and revered in many cultures. Not to give too much of the book away, but while visiting France the author borrows a friend's donkey for a long walking journey and he and the donkey become friends. Just sounds like a very interesting memoir/travelogue.

Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute Silence by George M. Foy. I think the title gives away the theme of the book.

Hey, there's an elephant sanctuary in Tennesee.

I hope that children are learning about things like the Pea Island Life Saving Station and men like Richard Etheridge in their history classes.

Gladiator graveyard is found in England.

The Library History Buff Blog has an interesting piece about some books that were purchased by the Library of Congress that were on the Lusitania-fascinating.

These Star Wars cookie cutters are making me giggle-Tee Hee!

Nice summery drink-cucumber gimlets.

NPR's top ten summer cookbooks.

That's all for this week. Have a great weekend.

"Fearlessness may be a gift, but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavor, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions." Aung San Suu Kyi

Updated Bookstore Blog List

I've been updating my list of American bookstores with blogs. If I have left anyone off of the list please feel free to let me know. I am including a couple of blogs that haven't been updated in awhile, but they are still bookstore blogs and on my list. If the actual bookstore website is not obvious on the blog I have also included the link for the store. When I started this list I also included some of my favorite publisher's blogs, but I have decided to omit them from this list and just include bookstores.

In case you can't tell this list has become a tiny obsession with me.

Aaron's Books

Alpahbet Garden

Atomic Books

Bay Shore Blog

Bear Pond Books

The Common Reader (McNally Jackson Bookstore)

Cooks with Books (Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks)

Curt's Books

Between the Covers (Tattered Cover Bookstore)

Birch Bark Books (store)

Bookavore

BookCourt

BookCourt Kids Blog

Book Culture

Book Dwarf

Books, Etc.

Book Passage

Book People

Book Soup (Book Soup Bookstore)

Boone Bridge Books

Boswell Books

Brookline Booksmith

Bunch of Grapes (store)

Chevalier's Books

Chop Suey Books (store)

Common Good Books (store)

The Drowning Machine (Aunt Agatha's New and Used Mysteries)

Flap Copy (Changing Hands Bookstore)

Flyleaf Books (store)

Globe Corner Blogs (store)

Greenlight Bookstore

Gulf of Maine Bookstore

Hawthorne Books (store)

Indie Booksellers of New York

Inkwell Bookstore (store)

King's English Bookshop (store)

Kash's Book Corner

Laguna Beach Books (store)

Lemuria Bookstore Blog

Literary Life Bookstore and More

Magers & Quinn (store)

Maine Coast Bookshop (store)

Maria's Bookshop

Matter Bookstore

Monkey Read (store)

Mr. Micawber Enters the Internet (store)

Monkey See, Monkey Read (store)

Murder by the Book (store)

Musings from a Catholic Bookstore (store)

Newtonville Books (store)

Norlight Lit Life (Northern Lights Books and Gifts)

Northshire Bookstore (store)

Omnivoracious (Amazon)

Porter Square Books (store)

Portrait of a Bookstore (store)

Ptak Science Books (store)

Powell's (store)

Pudd'nhead Books

Reading Copy (ABE Books)

Reading Odyssey

River Run Bookstore (store)

Rocketship

Sam Weller's Bookstore (store)

Seattle Mystery Bookshop (store)

Shakespeare and Company

Skylight Books (store)

Subterranean Books (store)

Titcomb's Bookshop (store)

Village Books (store)

Vroman's (store)

Well-Read Donkey (Kepler's Bookstore Blog)

Wessell & Lieberman (store)