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This is a wonderful story about a lonely cow named Mariam. We meet Mariam in The Midnight Visitors by Juliet David Illustrated by Jo Parry. In the story, Mariam, the cow, lives with only one person, Dan, the farmer. One evening different visitors come to her door. They need a place to stay out of the cold. In the end, Mariam becomes happier with company and probably less boring. My favorite animals were Ron and Rita rabbit and their family of three. Lo and behold, I had trouble counting the number of rabbits in the family. Due to my unease with numbers I'm still not sure of the number in the family. While counting, I might have confused a fuzzy tail or two.  At first, I missed Ron, the father, altogether. I almost missed the ladybug on a page who unfortunately does not have a name. It is fun seeing which animal pets are in pictures but not given names or asked to stay over. The picture book is really good. It teaches children the importance of making friends.Th

Tell me the truth, please or let me die wondering who is next and when

http:adailyrhythm.com John and James' Christmas shoppe is open for business. Last year business was so bad, John Dipper decided never to stay open all year long again. He blamed himself for the poor morale of his employees. Since his twin brother, James, moved from Ohio all the way to Florida nothing seemed the same.  John sighed. He did it again and again. If he didn't sigh, he moaned. Then a picture popped in his head of James down on his knees praying under the carport. He remembered the very night because John spoke his prayer aloud. "Please God, help me find a wife. I am so lonely."

I am learning so much about Africa while enjoying a mystery written by Kwei Quartey. The title is Wife of the Gods . I've been reading about a woman brought to trial by her brother in law. He takes his sister in law to a witch doctor. The accused woman's name is Akua. She is infertile. The decision is that the wife, Osewa,  has no womb because her sister has practiced bad magic upon her. It is decided by the witch doctor to have three chickens killed. If they die breast up, Akua will gain her freedom and not have the blame on her shoulder of her sister's childlessness. I really became so upset with this part of the novel. I am sure the bloody experience destroyed Akua's mind and spirit. She is described as "writhing and screaming like a beast...frothing saliva." I wonder what it is like to see this happen when you have not grown up in this society's culture. I would feel totally helpless. I don't know if looking at a woman "feathered and bloo

This is a wonderful story about a lonely cow named Mariam. We meet Mariam in The Midnight Visitors by Juliet David Illustrated by Jo Parry. In the story, Mariam, the cow, lives with only one person, Dan, the farmer. One evening different visitors come to her door. They need a place to stay out of the cold. In the end, Mariam becomes happier with company and probably less boring. My favorite animals were Ron and Rita rabbit and their family of three. Lo and behold, I had trouble counting the number of rabbits in the family. Due to my unease with numbers I'm still not sure of the number in the family. While counting, I might have confused a fuzzy tail or two.  At first, I missed Ron, the father, altogether. I almost missed the ladybug on a page who unfortunately does not have a name. It is fun seeing which animal pets are in pictures but not given names or asked to stay over. The picture book is really good. It teaches children the importance of making friends.The story also

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.   poetryfoundation.org/poem/173363

Books are my delight like cranberry sauce and nuts on Thanksgiving Day

"There were a few huts nearby, and Uncle was standing next to one of them talking to a neighbor. Noisy weaverbirds were building their upside-down, trumpet-shaped nests in the trees." prehistoricpark.wikia.com/wiki/Weaver_Bird

Voiced thoughts. Jungle dark ladder trees scrub stars  above a listing wall where lies forked bones.       Isolated fear wild, laughing clowns slip   through a gate where stand four weary lions mad  for dungeons bled by matadors from Spain.          Shepherd this one around hard, cold, clay floor     until the skin falls off dead arms and hands          meet along the beach before sweet music shouts   ole! deeply shielded castles sunk in sand.             Shadowed ghosts shake pink broken shells along    mind's waves with lying tongues of fortunes near       upon the crash of silver waves spooned lives  drag wisdom's treasure chest pass shipwrecked souls  waltz inside a ballroom marbled with glass.       

What you have felt - real.  I am not afraid to stand  bravely beside you while desert dust blows around. I will brush your tears away while you brush mine and wait for the stillness of the storm to push us toward a sea dream of mirrors wet and cold like rainbows. A canteen filled with wine rippled as a camel's skin.  

Huge, round, golden eyes An African name Dark white tail six inches longer than a yardstick. I cringed, walked slowly from the cage. Still afraid of life. Still afraid of love. I fly toward the South never to the North again. Through a tree I see sky.

I have been reading a book titled Thanksgiving by Ellen Cooney. The novel takes place during the 17th Century and  in the 18th Century. During that time it took a great deal of work to get ready for Thanksgiving dinner. For one thing, the father or husband had to go out and shoot a turkey. Thank goodness I can go to my neighborhood supermarket to pick a turkey from the freezer.The women also had to keep up with other tasks like dyeing vegetables for projects. If I want to embroider or crochet, I only have to pick beautifully colored threads from my small wooden thread box.  For dyeing purposes, I don't have to pick radishes or onions from the garden. Thinking of the work done by the Colonials makes me think of the small amount of time I spend searching for recipes on the Internet or in a cookbook. Thinking about earlier cooking and house duties the Colonial people and  among indigenous tribes makes me complain less and react with more thankfulness during the season.

http://www.bethfishreads.com/ Patience is at the table, the whittling knife in hand. She's making X'x in the shells of chestnuts. Some of them will be boiled. The rest will be roasted. They came up from the cellar a short while ago. They're in a basket in the center of the table. When I think of chestnuts, I see them roasting on Market and Chestnut street years ago. I still can smell them. I can also hear Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song .  He mentions chestnuts roasting on an open fire. It's titled The Christmas Song. artofmanliness.com/2011/11/22/how-to-roast-chestnuts-  P.S. Sorry it's on such a "manly" page.

In this day and age, tranquility is not easy to find. Since I am a worrywart, the title Tranquility by David W. Henderson bounced out at me like a neon light. So also did the words in the book. Welcoming to each new chapter were literary quotations. Lately I've been drawn to nature because of the silence in a park, a look at a bed of flowers or a look up at the night stars seems the place to discover this peace. I slowed down my reading pace while reading David W. Henderson's book and hope to reread some chapters. The pages are packed with spiritual advice. The author clearly writes his feelings about slowing down in a world that is full of activity. The ability to "rest" is a gift from God. I like the way Mr. Henderson describes and explains verses of the Bible. One verse which I never have read really painted a picture in my mind. I could see a Shepherd holding a sheep over his shoulders. This verse is called a blessing. It is spoken by Moses. "Let th

http://rosecityreader.blogspot.com Sleepy Valley Nudist Colony Northern California May 22, 1935 Addie arrived at the exercise grounds the same way she always did--naked. Bits of mowed grass clung to her feet and ankles as she and the other goose fleshed nudists hopped about, trying to keep warm, waiting for the morning sun to break through the chill or for Elsa to start beating on the tom-toms.

If I had missed reading "Keeping Christmas" by Dan Walsh, I would have felt so sad. The novel is totally down to earth. It's mainly about Judith and Stan Winters. There adult children and grandchildren can't make it home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Judith is really missing the family. It's a holiday book about real feelings, friendship and memories. Isn't it funny how men can just go on with their hobbies and accept what's going on? I suppose men have to pretend to be strong. While women openly fret more and are more aware of what's missing from the present moment in their lives? Judith symbolizes reality. She's doesn't feel like eating holiday foods or hearing Christmas music. She's aware that Scrooge could become her middle name. I felt sad for Judith, but her sadness didn't make me feel depressed. Her feelings made me realize everything is still okay if you can put one foot in the front of the other and keep going. So,

Of the horses I've known and loved, Harry was my favorite. I used to have an elderly friend who had many dogs and loved them all, but she had one special little dog who was "the dog of her heart," and she said you only get one in a lifetime. Well, Harry was the horse of my heart. A gelding, he was a shiny black beauty with a long flowing mane and tail, a soft, gentle heart, and a mischievous gleam in his eye. http://bibliophilebythesea.blogspot.com

My reason for wanting to read " The Horse of My Heart" by Callie Smith Grant was to learn why people loved horses as pets so passionately. It's never been my great dream or passion to own one. Perhaps, this is because I've only rode on two horses in my life and for thirty minutes or less each time. The stories collected by Callie Smith Grant really reached the heart of my questions. Can such large animals make good pets? Can they teach us lessons of life like cats or dogs? I didn't think about the shortcomings of horses either. Some of the authors of the stories talk about injuries, etc. The next time I see or pet a horse I think my feelings will have become deeper and healthier because of this book. I especially enjoyed the story about the old white mare. She is thirty years old. At the end of the story, the horse's age is not a thought. The lesson is that age doesn't matter whether it is a horse or a person. The love for Snowbird and appreciation of

  This word appeared on the Bing page. That day the page was about the Black grouse.   A traditional place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays that attract females. dictionary.reference.com/browse/lek This word appeared on the Bing page. That day the page was about the Black grouse.  http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com

pumpkins stacked outside sunrays catch the orange light one for pumpkin punch

This isn't a new book. It's been on my ereader for awhile. So, I am excited to find it again. This copy came from Netgalley but not recently. adailyrhythm.com/friday-finds-nov-13/#comments

  Ishtar is a ten year old Persian Prince. With his father and servants he travels into the desert. They are following a star to find a baby who will become King Jesus. Along the way, the caravan will meet with all sorts of adventures: snakes, assassins, devil sand and dry desert life. All of the adventures are not bad. Along the way, Ishtar learns about the camel's life. Closeness to his camel causes him to name it Musa. Musa is a foreign word for companion. He also learns to eat new foods like pickled fish. He meets new friends too. Also at the end of each chapter in the book, there is a devotional. It's wonderful to read about a different culture like the Persian one. Moreover it is delightful to learn about Jesus by using the point or points taken from the stories. This book will really add to the Christmas experience of any reader. The subtitle is "A Family Story for Advent." Ishtar's Odyssey by Arnold Ytreeide is filled not only with familiar material

Candy cane ballet drummer boys and angels too across the nation

Pumpkin brown pointed leaves border the autumn cloth while blessings lift up

This is a good story with a setting in England at Christmas time. I could just feel the holiday feeling all around me. There are two sisters. One is Rosamunde. The other sister is Rachel. Their father is Bertie. He's the Vicar. Rosamunde is not married while Rachel is married with children. The novel is basically about the men Rosamunde falls in and out of love with during the season. This is where there are a few twists and turns in Christmas At The Vicarage by Rebecca Boxall. One of the fun parts of the novel is Rosamunde's relationship with her best friend, Kizzie. They were childhood friends along with Kizzie's brother, Benedict. One of the surprises is about Benedict. Needing an excuse to stop dating a woman, he pretends not to be heterosexual. Rosamunde doesn't know that he's not telling the truth until he reveals the truth himself. The Stephen situation is wild too. Will the real girl for Stephen please stand up? There are other interesting situations

saveur.com/article/recipes/bouchon-bistro-spiced-honey-glazed-spiral-ham  The morning blurred and found him at the wedding breakfast...Chicken, spiced ham , baked shad, and a host of other dishes lined the immense sideboard and table as if in outright defiance of war's end and Britain's penny-pinching rule. http://bethfishreads.com My dad baked a delicious "candied" ham. He would put pineapples, cloves and cherries on top. Then, pop the ham in the oven. So delicious. My husband isn't crazy about ham while I love it.

"They lay on a sofa each in the sitting room, just chatting, and then not chatting; peeling satsumas meticulously and savouring the tangy citrus scent - the scent of Christmas just around the corner."

Deepness lies inside me. A river undiscovered in a cave. Ripples past over me daily. This  is my private place. Anything can happen here. I wait. I listen. I pull my pillow close. Go back to there and then. Come back to here and now Shhh. Don't know. Shhh. Don't talk. Shhh. Don't cry. It's here.

Nearly winter. The leaves are swept from each tree by the hand of rain. Now I know it's time to clear the porch of summer. It hurts to leave yesterday's green days. I cry. Then, remember the beauty of naked trees the fullness of the pine and fir. First, I let go of mums, fuzzy orange and red leaf blooms. It hurts again. I go on. Look at soil and see winter's joys of life.( hhn)

ittoqqortoormiit  heliport (iata: oby, icao: bgsc) is a heliport in ittoqqortoormiit, a village in the sermersooq muni****lity in eastern greenland. wordaz.com/ittoqqortoormiit http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com

So many men and women sacrifice their lives for America everyday. In this example, I am using Marines. Some marines die. Other men come back home but stagger under heavy mental pressures. Either way families suffer unexpected pain. Therefore, our responsibility is to always remember these people. In Return to Christmas by Kathy Macias , I met such a family. They have one son. In the same novel, there is also another family. This family is very concerned with their son's  social development. The son's name is Ryan. He is extremely shy. He doesn't interact with the children at the Sunny Day Care center or with the children at Sunday School.  The mother, Mrs. Pritchard, hopes that another child will help Ryan become more confidant.  Kevin seems like the perfect friend because he is very outgoing. I liked reading about his friendship with two other little boys at the day care. I also learned the name for Ryan's condition. It's called Attachment Disorder. I felt

Nightmares swallow me  dead not alive I cling on to my Redeemer

He knew he should be grateful for getting through two deployments in a war zone with nothing more than a few nightmares and some bad memories, especially when he thought about the price paid by so many of his buddies. http://adailyrhythm.com

This is a Monday to keep you in touch with what you're reading  at the moment. BookJourney has passed this Monday meme on to Book Date . Here is the new address bookdate.blogspot.co.nz/ . Please continue to stop by and put a comment on Bookjourney's blog http://bookjourney.wordpress.com I recently finished The Murder at the Courthouse by A.H. Gabhart.   Now I am reading Ishtar's Odyssey by Arnold Ytreeide.  Next is The Midnight Visitors by Juliet David Illustrated by Jo Parry and Tranquility by David W. Henderson .

Sid and Rosie, a married couple, share their beliefs in 52 Original Wisdom Stories by Penelope Wilcock shares these religious discussions between each other.  These questions awakened within me excitement. I wanted to know the answers given to simple religious questions of mine.  For example, I've seen people walk about with ashes on their foreheads and had no idea what those ashes meant. I only knew the name of the  Holy time, Ash Wednesday. I discovered so much information in this nonfiction book. Also, there are far more important questions addressed. Sid and Rosie discuss euthanasia and suicide. It is interesting to learn Sid's views because he is a Quaker. Rosie seems to have more of a questioning spirit. She is open to new and different viewpoints about their religion. Sid says, Rosie is definitely not "shallow." I suppose this means her questions make him think. Penelope Wilcock does not steer us into shallow waters. There are prayers at the