Category: Favorite Authors

✨❄️Happy Winter Solstice ✨❄️ ~ winter is a wonderful time for poetry…

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I love the lights snaking up this tree 🌳 ♥️✨

Winter is just about here, friends! ❄️♥️One of my delights this year has been dipping into a fair amount of poetry. Here are some highlights for you to consider adding to your stack for next year…cozy up, grab a hot drink , and read on ☕️. Enjoy!

Mary Oliver’s Devotions ~ I received this as a Christmas gift a few years ago and have been sipping from it here and there. Oliver has such an eye for life-giving details in nature and she asks us questions that go just a bit deeper. I love that about her. As a modern poet, she is definitely a bit more approachable and easier to ease into than some of your classic poets. Not every one of her poems hits for me, but sometimes one line or a word will meet me right where I’m at in that moment. I’m often surprised by her.

Emily Bronte ~ I was extremely surprised how much I loved this dark and brooding poetry. Just like the all the Bronte sister’s fiction, this was sooo atmospheric and because she talks of death frequently, it actually made me contemplate how I’m living life. I found the Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets collection to be a wonderful selection of her poetry and I love the small size of these editions.

William Wordsworth ( and don’t forget Dorothy) ~ I love the poems and writings of this brother and sister duo. William’s beautiful poetry centered in life around The Lake District, Cumbria, England really feeds my soul and my faith. He really grasps the touch of God in nature and it is such a testimony to me. I love his poetic storytelling, too. Dorothy’s journals are so simple, domestic, yet so compelling. They both have that artistic eye. ♥️ I loved sharing Wordsworth with our Charlotte Mason co op homeschool group last term.

Gerald Manly Hopkins ~ Wow. Mr. Hopkin’s use of language and metaphor is so gorgeously layered and rich. I will confess I struggle a bit with his writing richness, but if I have a little patience and read just to enjoy each word, I walk away blessed. His wrestling with faith and art is so relatable and real. He’s one of the hardest poets for me to read, but also one of my favorites.

Robert MacFarlane The Lost Spells ~ I would be remiss to not mention this gorgeously illustrated (Jackie Morris) collection of modern nature poetry. MacFarlane is a lover of Hopkin’s wordsmithing and the homeschool co op and I loved looking at both poets together earlier this year. MacFarlane’s wordsmithing, storytelling, and putting himself into the everyday life of animals and plants is just lovely. He is another poet whose work is perfect for those new to poetry!

Kim Piña ~ this is an online friend that I was blessed to “meet” YEARS ago, through blogging. 💗😍♥️ I love Kim’s word play, almost like a songwriter/compelling poem-rap style, and I love how she asks deeper questions tangled with the daily mundanity of life. Her Instagram account is lovely, too!

Robert Frost, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Sara Teasdale ~ I’m extremely new to these three poets and can’t wait to really sink into their work more in the new year. I was familiar with a few famous poems, but I recently got Mirror of the Heart, a Teasdale collection, Rilke’s Everyman’s Library Pocket Poet collection, and The Poetry of Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Latham, and am so excited for new words to drink up.

I also asked for two new poetry collections for Christmas and can’t wait to dive into these more!

I’m nervous about this one, because I saw it on Instagram, but what I’ve read of his poetry, I found compelling and came away with ideas to consider.
I’m mostly excited about this collection as I love Kortney’s work and have always been so inspired by her! ♥️

Lastly, I have two poetry nonfiction books that I’d love to get too, just to keep growing and learning about this life-giving art.

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke and What is Poetry? by Michael Rosen ♥️

How about you? Do you read poetry? Who are your favorites? ♥️❄️♥️Happiest Winter Beginnings and Christmas 🎄 to you all, friends!

Monday Ponderings {❄️December 11❄️}

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Each life is like a weaving, a tapestry of various threads arranged in parallel lines on a loom – threads consisting of work, creativity, talents, drudgery, dreams, weaknesses, longings, failings, successes, satisfying achievements, moments of reality, frustrating failures, fresh ideas, surprises of joy, spurts of energy, disappointing weariness, deadlines met in time, hindrances cutting into work seeming to go well. Prayer is woven in (in this picture I see) helping day by day to turn the threads into fabric with a pattern that brings forth what your life and mine could be. As history moves on, the history of your time and mine, prayer is the thread that helps us find out what God wants us to know from His Word and moment by moment ask for His guidance in the practical next step of doing it, as well as really depending on His strength to enable us to run and not be weary.

Edith Schaeffer, The Life of Prayer, p. 101-102

📚🖤3rd Quarter Favorite Reads📚🖤 July 💟 August 💟 September 💟 2023

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Hello 👋 Friends! Back here for a favorite 🤩 post to share with you. These are quick snippets of favorite reads from the summer! I was surprised by all the nonfiction, coming-of-age, and Victorian favs. ❣️

Charlotte Fairlie by D.E. Stevenson – charming story – about a single woman, head of a girl’s school who feels a bit stuck. She finds herself getting involved in one of her student’s lives, helping her through her parents divorce. I especially loved how Charlotte and the student, Tess, help another student and her brother who are in an abusive situation.

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri – slow, but heart-wrenching stream-of-conscious fictionalized memoir of a young Iranian’s experience as a religious refugee in Oklahoma. It took me a long time to get into this as it had a very unconventional writing style , but then I loved the thought-provoking themes it brought up.

Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflections by Macrina Wiederkehr – beautiful poetry and short Christian devotional entries. A bit unorthodox and slightly mystical, but really spoke to my weird, word lover side.

The Belton Estate by Anthony Trollope – super interesting story about a Victorian woman who bucks tradition in a situation involving male entailment of property. This had so many interesting themes around marriage of convenience and friendship with a woman of “dubious” character.

The Historian by Elizabeth Koskova – deep, rich historical thriller with slight fantastical twist. The atmospheric setting of this was a amazing! Told through multiple timelines and flashbacks, the story of a daughter tracing her father’s discovery of a strange book with connections to Dracula. This has a lot of travel, Balkan culture, history, and so much more. I’d love to reread someday with the audiobook.

Klara & the Sun by Kazau Ishiguro – I listened to the audiobook of this and I loved being in the head of the AI Klara. The interesting way Ishiguro made you think and view Klara with sympathy. The teens Josie and Rick were interesting characters and this book brought up so many themes and questions on what does it mean to be human, love, technology, loneliness, etc.

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera – this was a darker, dystopian middle grade book coming of age story. I loved the main character Petra and how she kept hope alive through storytelling.

House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg – I loved this heart wrenching biography on Montgomery.

Three Men in a Boat ( To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome – This was charming story and the travel/ nature writing superb. It had a humorous, arm-chair philosophical twist to it and it was a bit slapstick and so relatable.

The Stokesley Secret by Charlotte Mary Yonge – Christian fiction novella from the Victorian era! This may come across “preachy” to some, but I loved this tale of Miss Fosbrook, a young governess, to a large family. She was compassionate, but just. So charming!

The Cottage Fairy Companion by Paola Merrill – I don’t totally connect with the author’s YouTube channel, but I loved her book. Overall, her watercolors, photos, poetry, and short essays were sweet and inspiring. Her and I don’t totally agree on worldview, but I still think about the gentleness of this title.

Home for Christmas by Susan Branch – a very short memoir of her childhood Christmas’ in a large family. The care that Branch’s mother put into everything was so inspiring.

All-of-A-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor – This was a charming story of a religious Jewish family of 5 girl’s living in New York in the early 20th century. The audiobook was fantastic! I loved the sweet librarian and the mother was lovely!

Pillars of the House Volume 1 by Charlotte Mary Yonge – the first half of a massive family saga surrounding the lives of an orphaned family of 13. An in-depth coming of age story that I’m LOVING reading with a wonderful bunch of Victorian literature lovers. 😄

Distilled Genius by Susan Branch – a charming collection of handwritten and illustrated quotes. Branch and I differ on worldviews a bit, but I really adored this overall.

Two Old Women by Velma Wallis – a short story based on true events of two tribal Alaskan women who get left behind as their band is starving. A tale of survival and forgiveness. My friend recommended this and I loved it!

Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery – wow! So beautifully atmospheric! I loved this book for the writing, but overall, this was not a happy book. It felt sad and lonely. However, it was full of interesting, quirky characters that Montgomery does so well. Another coming of age tale that I listened to via a YouTube recording, as one of the main characters has a heavy Irish accent.

How about you? What were your favorite reads for the summer? Have you read any of these above? Let’s chat! 📚🖤💟☕️🌞🌻✨🥀🍂🌾🍁🍄🌓🔥☀️💨

Monday Ponderings {October 2nd} 🍁🍂

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The house remembered her whole life. It had always been the same…it had never changed…not really. Only little surface changes. How she loved it! She loved it in morning rose and sunset amber, and best of all in the darkness of night, when it loomed palely through the gloom and was all her own. This beauty was hers…all hers. Life could never be empty at Silver Bush. Somebody had pitied her once…”so out of this world.” Pat laughed. Out of the world? Nay, she was in the world here…her world. “ I dwell among my own people.” Wise Shulamite!

A mysterious content flooded her. This was home.

L. M. Montgomery, Pat of the Silver Bush, p. 278

Monday Ponderings 🕯️{September 18th}

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It was really beautiful to come home at night…to step out of darkness into the light and warmth of home.

L.M. Montgomery, Pat of Silver Bush, p. 67

🍁🌾5 Books for End of Summer 🍃🍄

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I love reading seasonally or at least I get in certain reading moods as the seasons ease into the next. 😄🍁🍂🌾🍃🍄🐿️🌻♥️ 📚Here are five reads that I recommend that feel September-ish…

1. From the Heart of the Home: Autumn by Susan Branch {this is a delightful collection of joyful reflections, illustrations, quotes, and recipes to get you into the fall mood}♥️🌻

2. Pat of the Silverbush by L.M. Montgomery {I’m reading this currently for the first time and it’s lovely and cozy for this time of year}

3. Christy by Catherine Marshall {beautiful story full of hope, growth, faith, and wonderful female friendships}

4. The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry {honestly, I pull this short poetry collection out all times of year, but have been craving it lately}

5. The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth {beautifully simple journal entries from the sister of the poet William Wordsworth. The domesticity and pace of life is just so relaxing to me and the English Lake District setting is perfect}

P.S. William Shakespeare is another I feel drawn towards. What’s your favorite play of his?

Do you have any favorite reads that smell and feel of September? ♥️ Please share!

Monday Ponderings {August 21st}

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Sunlight flooded the ancient schoolroom, and chalk dust danced in the slanting rays. The massive brass inkstand on my desk gleamed like gold, and little rainbows glanced from the glass over the photograph of our Queen centrally placed on the rear wall, in the most honored position.

Miss Read, Summer at Fairacre, p. 89

Wednesday Wonders

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There is wonder all around us…

Listening… How to Heal Your Relationship with Food

Reading… on the top of my stack: Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflections by Macrina Wiederkehr and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen. A wonderful, intriguing bit of Miyazaki to fill your joy cup.

Watching… slow, peaceful vlogs.

Noticing…summer flowers, clouds, barn swallows, warmth, and summer smells! 🌿

Summer by Susan Branch
Pine-scented air and Life-giving words ♥️🌿
Lake Michigan, little boys, sand, heart-shaped rock from almost 16 yo son, and comfy orange pants ♥️

What are you listening to, reading, watching, & noticing? ♥️🥰🌿

Monday Ponderings {July 10th}

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The whole country about them abounded in beautiful walks. The high downs which invited them from almost every window of the cottage to seek exquisite enjoyment of air on their summits, were a happy alternative when the dirt of the valleys beneath shut up their superior beauties; and towards one of these hills did Marianne and Margaret one memorable morning direct their steps, attracted by the partial sunshine of a showery sky, and unable longer to bear the confinement which the settled rain of the two preceding days had occasioned. The weather was not tempting enough to draw the two others from their pencil and their book, in spite of Marianne’s declaration that the day would be lastingly fair, and that every threatening cloud would be drawn off from their hills; and the two girls set off together.

They gaily ascended the downs, rejoicing in their own penetration at every glimpse of blue sky; and when they caught in their faces the animating gales of an high south-westerly wind, they pitied the fears which prevented their mother and Elinor from sharing such delightful sensations.

“ Is there a felicity in the world,” said Marianne, “superior to this?-Margaret, we will walk here at least two hours.”

Jane Austen, Sense & Sensibility, p. 39

Monday Ponderings {July 3rd}

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Our search must be for the grains of gold, and, as we amass these, we shall live and walk in the continual intimacy of the divine Love, the constant worship of the divine Beauty, in the liberty of those whose the Truth makes free.

Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book 2, p. 187 🌲

2nd Quarter Favorite Reads 2023: April🌲May🌲June🌲

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Nature🌲 and books 📚 – two of my very favorite things! ♥️

Hi Friends! I’m loving all the summer space to soak in GREEN & BOOKS. I’m closing out the books 😉, so to speak, on my favorite second quarter reading today! Here’s first quarter’s favorites, if you are interested. I had a WONDERFUL few months of reading and I was surprised how they fell into a few main genres with a couple of wildcards. I’m grouping my snippet reviews under those for your ease! Happiest Reading!

Historical Fiction ~

Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth by Shelia O’Conner ~ 5 stars – lovely tale told through letters between a young girl and an older gentleman on her paper route. This is set during the Vietnam War and addresses conscientious objectors, war, prejudice, family, and is SO well done.

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck ~ 4 stars – set during the Great Depression/Dust Bowl era we follow a family leaving Oklahoma to find work in California. This gorgeously written, raw, heartfelt, and disturbing. I will be thinking about it for a long time. Ma Joad was my favorite character to follow. Adult content and language.

Paint Chips by Susie Finkbeiner ~ 4 stars – sobering and disturbing look at a mother (and her twin sister) and daughter’s journey through abuse and sexual trafficking. The Christian message was super well done, woven through this contemporary setting and difficult topic. This was told through alternating chapters and flashbacks. Good twist at ending.

Rose & Thistle by Laura Franz ~ 4 stars – this is a Christian historical fiction/ romance that I felt was pretty well done. A little bit of the clean cheesy romance, but overall, lovely setting and characters! This was set in England/ Scotland around the Jacobite Rebellion.

Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee ~ 4 stars – I really enjoyed this YA historical fiction that I received for my birthday about a Chinese American girl in the late 1800’s in Atlanta. Some of it seemed a wee bit unbelievable, but overall, so interesting with great characters, humor, and twists!!!! There was one weird, random sexual moment so FYI, if you are handing it to teens.

Amazon

Fantasy~

The Princess Game by Melanie Cellier ~ 4 stars – unique, clean retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Interesting twist on fairytale, great main characters, plot, and action.

The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang ~ 4 stars – I really loved this Asian (Japanese?)-inspired elemental magic fantasy novel. It started off VERY slow, but I grew to love the characters, mothering, family aspect to this and some deep, beautiful lessons about growing through terrible circumstances. FYI: This is EXTREMELY violent with sword-type warfare, war crimes etc.

Amazon

Domestic-y Type, Gentle Fiction ~

Katherine Wentworth by D. E. Stevenson ~ 5 stars – so gentle, full of peace, hope, nature, and a charming cottage. Second chance story with lovely mother & children. This reminds me slightly of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, although not quite as quirky!

Mrs. Lorimer’s Quiet Summer by Molly Clavering ~ 5 stars – I read a lot of stories set in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 this quarter! Must be a sign. 😉😍 A sweet family tale set in beautiful Scottish scenery. I found out that Clavering and D.E. Stevenson were friends. 😍

Because of Sam by Molly Clavering ~ 4 stars – A widow and her adult daughter living in Scotland! 😂🥰 Sweet, humorous story with lots of delicious domestic details. I’ve read 3 of Clavering’s 8 novels so far and they are charming.

Amazon

Nonfiction ~

The Alpine Path by L.M. Montgomery ~ 5 stars -reread. A short memoir on Montgomery’s creative journey.

School Education by Charlotte Mason ~ 5 stars – reread. A challenging and encouraging vision for learning with children. The appendices are so helpful for practical application, too

Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson ~ 5 stars – a haunting poem that I so enjoyed. Thanks, Anne Shirley, for the recommendation. 😉😍

Unearthing the Secret Garden by Marta McDowell ~ 5 stars – such a lovely look at the 3 gardens created by Frances Hodgson Burnett in her lifetime.

Ourselves by Charlotte Mason ~ 5 stars – beautiful Christian philosophy for life! Reread with a friend!

Amazon

Random Titles I loved ~

The Moorland Cottage by Elizabeth Gaskell ~ 4 stars – a Victorian novella/short story. I read and discussed this on Zoom with Booktube group. Beautiful setting, interesting widow with two children and how good parenting can make a difference. A bit over the top twisted ending, but overall, enjoyable.

Lonesome Road by Patricia Wentworth ~ a Golden Age-type mystery. The third in the Miss Silver mystery series. Very interesting and fun mystery solved by an older woman. I like these a little better than Miss Marple.

What a wonderful reading quarter! Can you believe we are halfway through the year? 😍📚🌲 What were your favorite reads the past few months? I’d love to chat below! ♥️

Monday Ponderings {June 19th}

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A king is not a king unless he reign; and a man is less than a man unless he will.

Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book 2, p. 140