While we didn’t get as much as others did, especially in the Mid-West, we did get a dusting of snow yesterday morning and it’s snowing lightly now. It’s really early for it!
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at westmetromommy.blogspot.com. See her site for participation details!
If you know me, you know I have a complete obsession with all things Alcott — the person, the family, the books, etc. I’m a “Little Women” junkie (I’m actually also a lifelong devotee to Laura Ingalls Wilder, but that’s for another post).
Orchard House, the house museum of Louisa May Alcott in Concord, MA, where she wrote Little Women is running a Kickstarter campaign in order to create a documentary about the house. This is how the official page describes the project:
Everyone has a special place – a mountaintop, a cathedral, a beloved home – that makes them feel safe, connected, and inspired. For millions of people from all over the world, Orchard House is that place: a gathering place, where people from many backgrounds have come together for over 350 years to count themselves part of a community – a community steeped in hope, courage, and perseverance.
Many who wish to experience Orchard House may never be able to visit in person, and there are millions more that do not realize the house exists. Together with your pledges and our dedication, this film will change that.
The history of Orchard House includes the prolific Alcotts, of course, but other stories remain unexplored. Even a visit to the home cannot reveal all there is to tell about Orchard House. That’s why we need to make this documentary.
Our film will be an hour-long, PBS quality documentary that will dive deep into those stories starting in the 1600’s. We will tell of the courageous occupants before the Alcotts, including the rescuer of a kidnapped woman and a Revolutionary soldier. We will also offer insights about Concord’s rich literary history; chronicle the process of how the museum was created in 1911; and, of course, give a behind-the-scenes look into the Alcott family and their time in Orchard House. We will seek national and international distribution to share interviews with house staff, Alcott scholars, celebrity friends, and the people of Concord to illuminate the remarkable power of place Orchard House possesses.
You can see the whole project, read more, make a pledge of just about any amount, and see the details at:
We are SO CLOSE to reaching the goal of $150,000 and there are only a handful of hours left.
Only a little more than $7,000 to go! #pledgeyourlove http://www.louisamayalcott.org
Here are a few pictures of fall in our neck of the woods (the colors are even more brilliant in person!):
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at westmetromommy.blogspot.com.
Check her site for participation details!
I had heard some chatter about this book while I was at BEA this spring, but I couldn’t find an ARC around, thus I pre-ordered it for my kindle. It downloaded last week when it was published and I started it on the plane ride home from California.
Wow! What a read this was!
THIS IS THE WATER focuses on a New England swim team and the parents of the girls on the team. One of the parents is struggling in her lackluster marriage. Another parent is sure her husband is having an affair. A third parent is an annoying and interfering mother. Along with the daily intricacies of life, a serial killer is stalking one of the girls and when he strikes, their whole swim team world is temporarily turned upside down.
This was the type of book that once I started, I could not put it down. Not only was there a lot of information on the main characters and their trials and tribulations, but the focus on the murder and the killers’ motives and actions served as a subplot. I wanted to see if he would be caught. I wanted to see if Annie’s marriage could be saved. Was Paul having an affair? Would the killer strike again? Would annoying Dinah ever stop being annoying?
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how this book is written in a unique and innovative style. The entire book is written in the present tense (hence, “this is the water”). The style is almost that of a children’s book: “This is the water” etc. While some may find this different (or even annoying), I found it almost lulling, similar to a gentle lapping of (wait for it!) water. And while we are onlookers throughout, at times we are Annie, and the story switches to second person:”You go the pool.” etc. I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel written in second person. Somehow, reading it that way made me identify very closely with Annie. It was almost uncomfortably creepy. While I’m sure this style wouldn’t work for some readers, I absolutely loved it and found it quite brilliant.
So – I highly recommend this book (one of fave summer reads so far!) for those who want the suspense and intrigue and the distinct writing style of Ms. Murphy.
Yesterday morning we had some visitors…
They moved on, but this little guy seemed to be thinking of staying!
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at http://www.westmetromommy.blogspot.com.
Please check her site for how to participate!
So I had heard about this book when it first came out and put it on my wish list. I bought it as a birthday gift from Amazon (yes, my bday is on Saturday!). Most bloggers had said things like “I can’t even talk about what this book is about because I will give it away!” or something similar, so all I knew was that it was about a headmaster and his wife at an independent boarding school. If you know me, you know I’ve spent my professional life in independent school (aka “prep” schools) and I LOVE to read about them.
So – the bloggers were correct. I can’t talk about this book without giving it away. It is MUCH better to go into this book not knowing what to expect. When I started reading last night after dinner I thought, “Oh no. Not THIS storyline again.” However, I continued, and at the end of part one (there are three major parts/POV in the book) I was blown away and so hooked that I kept reading straight through until the book was finished at 11 PM.
This was a fascinating read – one that kept me guessing and puzzling and thinking about it long after it was over. It some ways it reminded me of “Gone Girl”. In other ways, it reminded me of “Shutter Island”. Regardless, I’ve said enough. Do yourself a favor and if you choose to read it, read it cold. Be surprised.
You can see it on Amazon where I got mine.
Today was a beautiful 50 degrees, but we still have a ton of snow on the ground, so we took the kids to a nearby ski resort and they had their first lesson!
They had a good time! Dad took a lesson, too. (I read my Kindle – lol).
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See her site for participation rules! 🙂
Here are a few recent shots of the kids playing in the snow in our front yard:
They used their sleds as forts! I have to say they are much heartier than I am. 🙂
Of course this weekend we are losing a lot of the snow as it warms up a bit (from about 15-20 degrees every day to about 40 today!).
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at http://www.westmetromommy.blogspot.com.
Please see her website for how to participate!
Here’s our front yard and house after the two storms this week. Looks like it’ll be a white Christmas! 🙂
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at http://www.westmetromommy.blogspot.com.
Please see her website for posting/participating info.
The leaves are pretty much past peak at my house, but I saw this beautiful tree this week:
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at westmetromommy.blogspot.com. You, too, can participate by posting a picture you took and linking it to Melinda’s site!
Beth's Book-Nook Blog 