A Wonderful Book

I don't think I've been so pleased about a book since "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society", but the book I just finished ranks up there with that one. It's a book by Diane Setterfield called "The Thirteenth Tale". Intrigue, mystery, delightful prose, and a story you couldn't anticipate. I didn't have to skim read any of it to get through it. Every word was read and sometimes re-read to get the full effect.

It's the story of two writers: one very famous, Vida Winter, whose mysterious roots have never been revealed; and a very obscure writer, Margaret Lea, who is selected by the former to write her official true biography. The stories of both these writers are inter woven and play out into the present time until all is understood and put into place.

Look for "The Thirteenth Tale" at the library or bookstore. It's worth the read!

Why I Don't Have to Trim My Liriope

My liriope border runs along the driveway in the front of the house. You can't see it in this photo but its beyond the sedum (brown dried flowers) and the lavender. At this time of year it still shows some green.

When I had it at my old home I would have to prune back the old growth to make way for the new. I don't have to do that here because I have pruners who stop by fairly regularly - the four-legged kind. I caught them in the act today.

This was at 2:30 pm. I thought they were dusk animals. First one visited my bird feeder then went around to the front.


I went up into the loft for a better view.


Eventually there were 4 out there chewing away. Two others stuck to what they could find in the woods.


I finally went out the front door to scare them away. Now as I write this they are back but on the east side of the house along either side of the driveway nibbling what green grass shoots they can find. Snow is in the forecast so maybe that's why they are out at this hour of the day.

First Book Read in 2011

I have always been fascinated by archaeology, in fact intended to major in it when I first went to college, but that didn't happen. Anyway when I heard Craig Childs talk about his book "Finders Keepers - A Tale of Archaeological Plunder and Obsession" on the Dan Rodericks show on WYPR in December I made sure to note the title and request the book for Christmas. I did get it and I have just finished reading it.

Childs is from the Southwest and grew up finding artifacts everywhere. Early on he developed the commitment to leave the artifacts in place. He shows a reverence to the people who initially left those things either accidentally or on purpose and maintains that position to this day . I enjoy historical exhibits, but had no idea that what is on display is an absurdly tiny fraction of what is in storage. By removing artifacts, the context is often lost despite archaeologists best intentions. On federal and state lands artifacts are removed to storage because of the fear they will be stolen. But now they languish in less than ideal drawers, closets, warehouses, etc where no one can see them and with very few archaeologists to study them. Many artifacts find their way into private collections after being forcibly removed by "pothunters" without any care given to the landscape where they were taken from.

His book was a fascinating read and made me realize that I need to think twice about gathering the "artifacts" I find in the creek here below my house. They're not from Native Americans but if they are more than 60 years old they qualify as artifacts. Next time I think I will look them over and then place them back in the creek. What would you do?

Shakespeare Reading Challenge

My niece is sponsoring a Shakespeare Reading Challenge. I'm thinking "Why not? I have the time now that I'm retired." But since there are so many books I'd like to read, I only signed up for the Puck level - 4 plays.

If you're interested in joining her in reading Shakespeare in 2011, check out her blog.