Archive | Reading

Books and Curiosity and Love

By Angela on 05/18/2015 in Reading, Thoughts, What boys like

I wasn’t expecting to be inspired reading the latest Costco magazine. Entertained, yes, but mostly grateful to have something new to read just before turning out the lights. I feel so excited to go to bed knowing there is new reading material on my nightstand. Guess that’s an old age thing, something so simple, but I’ll take it and count it as one of the highlights of my day.

The reading doesn’t go on for long, but that really is the point. After all it is time to get some sleep and start a glorious day again early in the morning. Mornings are so hopeful.

But back to the Costco magazine. J. Rentilly has a short, barely a page, article about the new book by James McCullough called, The Wright Brothers.

I’ve never read a McCullough book and can’t say I’ve ever seen him on his PBS show, American Experience. But so much about the man and his words lingered with me for a few days. I had to go find the article and read it again.

Along with all kinds of research and interviews and flat out work that goes into a big ole book like this, McCullough says he did what he calls, “considerable thinking.”

He loves and collaborates with his wife of 61 years, Rosalee. McCullough says she is a great dancer.

What stayed with me the most, though, is that he says the Wright Brothers believed they had all they needed to be successful, “Books and curiosity and love–and then they simply did what they did.”

And what they did changed the world.

Books and curiosity and love. Gosh, don’t we all have that?

Now we just need to do what we do.

Maybe we can change the world.

The benefits of of blogs

By Angela on 04/28/2015 in Reading, Thoughts

Sitting down to read my favorite blogs is heaven. It’s especially great when the house is quiet and there are no distractions. But I love reading them among the chaos that is my household after 3pm. Sometimes that is my only chance.

This week I’ve been amazed.

I love that Holly Mathis of Holly Mathis Interiors threw her own 40th birthday party, very soon after deciding she was getting divorced. So brave, so fun, so glad I get to be in her company even if it is just by reading her blog.

And Grace Bonney over at Design Sponge. Wow. She attended the White House reveal of the new 2015 Obama State china service. I can’t even imagine. A house tour. A kitchen tour. A garden tour. And a look at all the dishes! Oh the dishes. Such a weakness. Well, Grace got to do all of that and meet the First Lady. How cool. And how cool that she shared her thoughts and her pictures!

Nobody’s Cuter Than You. My favorite book title this year. I love that phase. I love to say it, I love to hear it. It’s the name of Melanie Shankle’s new book. And she sure is cute. She has the Big Mama Blog and she is hysterical. The post about her key ring and wanting to be like Schneider had me in tears. Laughter tears. Can’t wait to get my hands on the new book and laugh some more.

Such an easy escape. And so worth the time.

Happy blog reading!

Favorite Book Friday

By Angela on 09/05/2014 in Eye Candy, Reading

One of our favorite books of the summer. My oldest just liked the cover and pulled it off the shelf at the library.

Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind, by Gary Ross is a rhyming adventure that is not for toddlers.

It took us two nights to read it, but if you had a lazy afternoon, a blanket, and some shade you could do it in one sitting.

We didn’t want to put it down. So fun.

The pictures, by Matthew Myers are detailed and colorful.

The story and illustrations would have had me hooked, but the message is awesome too.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Any other books similar to this one? We would love to read those as well.

Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind

Happy reading and happy Friday!

Happy Friday

By Angela on 06/06/2014 in Reading

As my oldest said this morning, it’s been a long week. Only one more week until the last day of school and yet it feels so far away.

We have some fresh books from the library and look forward to reading before bed tonight. Harry and Horsie is one we’ve read over and over. Then we check it out again and read it over and over.

The illustrations are retro cool.

And it’s so fun to get to say, “Bloop,” throughout the book. What a descriptive word, bloop.

Sleep buddies, bubbles and the moon make this book one of our bedtime favorites. Not too short, not too long.

Interestingly, it is written by a young woman who was a nanny for David Letterman, Harry is his son.

Happy reading and enjoy the weekend!

Love this story

By Angela on 05/22/2014 in Reading

3 gifts

The Gift

By Leo Babauta

Three people are given a magical gift by a luminous, kindhearted fairy.

The gift is that for just one hour, they get to experience magic and wonders. This limited time is filled with visual delights, food of the utmost deliciousness, amazing people with incredible talents, and love.

The first person is a great man, and while he’s grateful for the gift, he has lots to do and so regrettably has to spend a lot of it replying to emails and texts, and checking for updates in social media. He does take some pictures of the delicious food and shares it on social media, though he doesn’t pay attention to the taste.

The second person is a bit of procrastinator (OK, let’s be honest: a big procrastinator), and while she really wants to use this gift wisely, she keeps putting it off. She spends much of the hour watching videos the first guy posts online of the magical world, but she doesn’t go out and experience it herself.

The third person is blown away by this gift. What an incredible opportunity! She realizes she needs to make the most of it, but isn’t sure how.

So she starts by paying attention. She notices every little detail. She listens to the amazing people she meets, and tries to really see them for who they are. She tastes the food and pays close attention to every sensation as she eats, savoring the food slowly.

She then practices gratitude for every moment, every person, everything she’s given. She’s filled with happiness by every little thing in this hour.

Finally, she changes people’s lives. She uses what’s left of this dwindling hour to learn magic skills, to heal people who are struggling (including the first guy), to make things to delight the other amazing people in this magical world.

She becomes the gift for others.

The hour is over, and the first two people realize they’ve wasted the gift, and will never get it again. They’re filled with regret. The third person has no regrets, because she paid attention, was grateful, and used the magic to change lives. She used the gift to its fullest potential.

Which of those three people are you?

Zen Habits on my list of daily blog reads. Leo published this story a few days ago. I wanted to put it on my website so that I will hopefully read it again and again.

And I wanted to share it. These few words are a beautiful reminder to me of what I really want to accomplish in life. While I may not be like the first man, answering emails and checking websites I do tend to busy myself with important tasks like folding clothes and making supper and keeping the shoes off the floor and in the shoe basket! (Deep breath.)

Like the second person I can easily put things off. After I get a shower, tomorrow when I’m rested, when the house is clean and I’ve learned just how to do the graphics just right.

In the story it’s clear that the third person has things a little figured out. In real life it’s not that easy. But sometimes a few words can help you focus.

Thanks, Leo.

Angela

Posted: Friday, May 16, 2014 on Zenhabits.net