Philosopher in Meditation

'Philosopher in Meditation' was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1632 .

Bookshelf Meme

My bookshelf:

Tell me about the book that has been on your shelf the longest.

hmm... I see more than one way to answer this question, so I will answer it both ways.

The books that I remember having for the longest time would be the 'T.C.D.C.' series. I believe the first book I got from this series was book 1, 'the mystery of the white elephant'. For about four years after that first book I had collected the rest in the series. I now have all of the TCDC books, andthree or four of the ten commandment ones (the same kids, just smaller books and from when the cousins were younger). I remember getting very excited every time a pckage from the bookstore came to our house and spending the rest of the day pooring over the "new" book.

On the other hand, the question could be asking what book has been waiting to be read the longest. I'm not really sure about that one. I grew up with a 'mini library' in the basement, with a bunch of books I have yet to read. Books like 'the princess and the pelican', 'the summer of the swans', 'prairie dog town', and 'maury had a little lamb.' I don't know much about each of them, excetp that I've tried reading each of them, but never got far.

Tell me about a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (i.e. a person, a place, a time, etc.)...

This is a hard one. I don't usually think of people, places, or times while reading... I'll say this, sometimes when I listen to a book, I can remember where I was when I read it. For example, a couple years ago on the way to the doctor we listened to Oliver Twist; now every time we go to the doctor I remember random bits and pieces from Oliver Twist.

Also, lately, by youngest sister has reminded me of Benny, from the Boxcar Children. Just as Benny always did, my sister has been declaring her hunger at the most random times.

Tell me about a book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used book store, prize, etc.)...

There is only one book I could possibly talk about here. It is a childrens book. A book for a VERY YOUNG child. It is one of the first books I remember reading. It is square, about 8 inches long and 8 inches wide. The pictures are colorful and bright. The plastic covering is scratched a bit, and the blue cover underneath is stained and really looks old. It is called 'too many books'. I got it for Chirstmas a couple years ago from my parents. They got it for me because it was the book that got me reading more books so that I could be like Maralou... lots of childhood memories...

side note: apperantly, this book was hard to get ahold of beacuse it is out of print :( ...I cant even find a picture of the cover anywhere on the internet!

Tell me about the most recent addition to your shelves...

I won this copy of 'Farworld' in a contest a bit ago, and I am waiting to read it. I am really excited about reading it, but I have yet to pick it up. Its not like I'm avoiding it or anything, I just know that if I start reading it now I will never finish 'the prince and the pauper'.

Tell me about a book that has been with you to the most places...

The book that has been with me the most places is my Bible. It has a black, leather-looking bendable cover- meaning its not hard- and the pages have a shimmery gold edge to them. The pages are very thin and 'crinkly'. It has a black ribbon attached for a bookmark, and it must have clear nail polish on it or something because it is still in tact and has not frayed.

The book that went the farthest with me would be 'jimmy's stars'... I took it with when I went on a missions trip to Arizona. The pages of this book are thicker, and a little 'rough' if you really think about it.

Also, I took 'a curse dark as gold', 'half magic' and 'the city of ember' to Texas.

Tell me about a bonus book that doesn't fit any of the above questions...

I have loved c.s. Lewis' chronicles of narnia for just about as long as I can remember. One year for Christmas I got a giant hardcover book with all 7 chronicles in it. The pages of this book are thick and glossy and shiny. The text is in two columns, and there are small pictures on every page. I took the paper cover jacket off and ticky-tacked it to my wall partly because I wanted a Narnian map on my wall and partly because it got annoying when I was trying to read. There is also a long red ribbon attached to the book as a bookmark- the end is frayed.

The Rules:

1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!

2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.

3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.

4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water...

5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.

I was tagged by Sarah M. over at 'a library is a hospital for the mind'(about two and a half months ago... ), and now I tag:

Sally

Christy

Maggie De Vries

Cuillian

Bible Blurb

Isaiah 54:4

Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame
Do not fear disgrace; you will bot be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

Parable of the Rich Man

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born July 15, 1606 in the Netherlands. Parable of the Rich Man was completed in 1627. I really like how he used light and shadow in this oil painting.

Lists

This is a short list of random things I do not like:

-eating meat off of a bone
-wearing a skirt when it is freezing cold outside- or raining
-when music is playing just loud enough so that you hear it, but not loud enough to hear what it actually is
-when my room is a mess, but I don't feel like cleaning it up
-when teachers have higher expectations of their students than they have for themselves
-when I don't do as well at something as I thought/hoped I would
-when I tell myself I HAVE to do something, but I never do it

now, on a brighter note, some random things I DO like:

-mashed potatoes and gravy
-art class
-when words sound on paper the same way they sounded in my mind
-smiling
-a really good book
-sitting by a fire (in a fireplace), cuddled up in a blanket, just thinking
-thunderstorms
-accomplishing a lot, and going to bed feeling satisfied
-sewing (sometimes...)
-when a picture I drew turns out the way I wanted it to

Bible Blurb

Matthew 11:28-29

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Seasons

A 'getting-to-know' question is usually something like 'what is your favorite season?' I have never truly been able to decide... its always a toss between Fall and Spring. Both seasons are somewhere between the -10 degree and 90 degree weather of winter and summer; the air is light, clear, and crisp.

I preger a question that asks 'what is your favorite weather?' because I think it makes more sense. Seasons have multiple weather types, and thats fine if you like seasons over weather types, but I hve a specific weather that I like. Usually it happens in spring and fall, but its a little different in each of those seasons.

In the spring, the sun is out, trying to warm the world from the cold winter. The breze is chilly, but comfortable. The air is light and clear, as I said before, and it also has a distinct clean smell. I can't keep from taking deep, desperate gulps of air, and I cannot stay inside once I have been outside. I like this wather best about this time of the year becasue there are no bugs to pester me...

In the fall, the sun is duller, but still gives a little warmpth. When a breeze picks up at this time of the year, it tends to be warmer than the rest of the air. Fall was a while ago, and I sadly cannot remember many specifics- except that the air is crisp, and the air had more sents...

What is your favorite weather? What do you like about it?

Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

I first heard about this book from Sarah's blog, A Library is a Hospital for the mind, and was imidiatly intrigued. It only took about a week for my public library to get it (interloans are a wonderful thing!) and I began reading it at once. It did not take me long to read bcause I was so intent on figuring out who the murderur was.

Let me tell you, this mystery took a couple of unexpected turns! Several times throughout the story I stared in shock as to what had just happned, but the most unexpected turn was at the end. I cannot tell you how dissapointed I was in our little murderer...

Sir Oswald and LAdy Coote hold a weekend gettogether at a mansion they are renting. Gerry Wade dies one of the nights, and a few people present think he was murdered. No one wants to believe it, but it soon becomes evient. Lady Eileen (known to close friends as'Bundle') gets caught up in the whole mess because the get-to-gether was held at her and her father's house, and she soon decides she want to figure out what happened. The motivation for this decision partly came from an accident she had... anyway, she soon finds out about this Seven Dials Club, and that they may have something to do with this murder, and one or two other murders. She makes some risky decisions, learns many clues, and everything becomes clear on the last couple of pages.Can you figure everything out before she does?

Read in January and February

*Masterpiece
*The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
*Lilly's Crossing
*The Little White Horse
*Tuck Everlasting
*The Seven Dials Mystery