My Mother curled up on her lawn in Birmingham, Michigan
when she was about 18 years old.She loved to read.
Having a place to curl up and read a book has become one of the treasures of summer
When I think of summer activities the first one to pop in my mind is reading. Probably this idea was born during an unusually hot summer like the one we have been experiencing lately.
Non-fiction books are my favorite. Within this category my interests run high is many directions. I thought I would recommend a few good summer reads. The following three nature books are diverse starting with the life of an environmentalist, secondly, living with nature, and lastly, gardening with nature. Hopefully you might pencil one on your "to read" list.
A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir
by Donald Worster, copyright 2008, 544 pages
- His thousand mile walk
- Author noted environmentalist writer
- John Muir, pioneer of environmental movement
- Environmental battles
A Country Year
by Sue Hubbell, copyright 1983, 240 pages.
- Bee keeper
- Living alone in Missouri Ozarks
- Self taught naturalist
- Ex-librarian -- fifty year old woman
by Wendy Johnson, copyright 2008, 464 pages
- Wild and cultivated world
- Green Gulch Farm and Zen
- Lasting terms of agriculture are on nature's terms
- Garden practices
Enjoy!
A Country Year looks great. I checked my local library but they don't have it so I just ordered it from Abe! I love reading, especially non-fiction about women. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBirdie -- I too like to read books about women. I read this book several years ago and have suggested it to several of my friends. I believe you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. She wrote a sequel to this book that is OK but it was not as heartfelt as this one. thanks for stopping by -- barbara
DeleteBooks noted for my overloaded reading list. When they taught me to read, they didn't know what they started. I married a man who loved to read and gave birth to two kids who love because we always read to them. My grandsons love to read, too, and a favorite gift is a gift card to Border's or Barnes & Noble. I have to be careful when I head to Books a Million to get my copy of Writer's Digest because I the bills money could evaporate if I succumb. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for some great titles!!!
Kay -- Nice to be surrounded by family readers. giving out gift cards to book stores is an excellent gift for them. Never heard of Books a Million -- looked it up online -- yikes another book source. thanks for stopping by -- barbara
DeleteReading is passed on within families. My mother read, I read, my daughters read, my grandchildren read. Never enough time to read -- the Muir bio interests me, I've come near to purchasing it once, such books seem to come to me but too often have to wait on a shelf until the time is right.
DeleteJune -- You are so right -- never enough time to read. Do you keep track of the books you have read? Years ago I used to do this with library books adding a few comments about each book. I would than give them a rating between 1 and 10. Now I wonder why I did this? You certainly have an established long line of readers in your family -- wonderful! -- thanks -- barbara
DeleteOoooh, A Country Year. The Ozarks, woman living alone, bee keeper....all the makings for an interesting read. Thanks, Barbara
ReplyDeleteNature Weaver -- A Country Year is a pleasurable, laid back summer read. She sure had intestinal fortitude to move out into that back country and keep bees. I've always been drawn to strong women in both the arts and the environment. Hope someday you get a chance to read the book. Thanks -- barbara
DeleteLove the photo Barbara...precious. I love books and reading. I am will be looking into the three that you have mentioned here...thank you :)
ReplyDeleteJan
Jan -- thanks for stopping by. I like your blog. Just went over and read a few of your posts. -- barbara
DeleteThis hot summer is making a winter reader a summer reader out of me. Thanks for the book tips. Observing my grandmother reading has something to do with my getting started as a reader. Readers Digest and National Geographic were always scattered in all the rooms of her house.
ReplyDeleteGrampy -- You will gets lots of reading in between summer and winter this year. Having family readers around us when we were young does influence our reading habits as we age. thanks for stopping by -- barbara
DeleteLove Muir. I'll take a chance with that title.
ReplyDeleteBirdman -- you seem like a Muir kinda guy. It really is a great book in my opinion. But not every book is someone else's cup of tea. I borrowed my copy from the library. -- barbara
DeleteJust ordered a used copy of Sue Hubbell's, A Country Year. Hadda have it! Thanks for pointing me to it, Barbara.
ReplyDeleteNature Weaver -- Oh, I see you are a used book shopper like I am. Love the bargains I get on Amazon. I believe you will like Sue Hubbell's book -- It is a lazy, hazy day kinda read. Thanks for stopping -- barbara
DeleteOne of the most enchanting experiences I have ever had was walking in the Muir woods with my sister under the redwoods in the drippy coastal fog.
ReplyDeleteThe older I get the more important nature becomes to me, a process I saw in my mother in law, too.
Hattie -- just reading your words makes me feel the emotions of that experience. Can you imagine what John Muir experienced before CA was taken over by millions of people.You and your mother-in-law's process sounds like it would make an interesting post. thanks -- barbara
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree - very few things beat a good read. Like you, I prefer non-fiction, though mostly popular science, history and so forth.
ReplyDeleteRunE -- Oh I like other categories besides nature -- history being one of them. Now I now why you took the summer off -- you are reading:) -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI know Sue Huubbell's book -- shall have a look for the others!
ReplyDeleteVicki -- I think that you would like the Dragon Gate book as you are so immersed in gardening. --thanks for stopping -- barbara
DeleteRaining Iguanas -- It seems that blogger dropped your comment before I could get it lined up in my comment section. do apologize. Hope that blogger does not continue to do this in the future. Your idea of making a memory wall sounds absolutely terrific. If you have the raw materials -- why not. Maybe I will be reading about your wall on your blog. thanks -- barbara
ReplyDelete