The Porch Swing @ Shady Creek Hollow

A New Author I Like

I've found a new author whom I really like. I'm a big fan of time travel novels. It is hard to find one that is fun to read but not linked to witchcraft, the occult, etc. But I have found a lady who writes really rolicking adventure time travel novels that are rated PG. OK, here's the disclaimer- these have a romance flavor to them, so if that's not your thing, you probably won't care for them. But I really have enjoyed the ones I've read. I haven't read them all, but I did research the author and she says she's committed to making her books PG rated. I like that a lot!

Her name is Lynn Kurland. If you'd like to read a great emotional love story that also incorporates edge of your seat adventure in different eras of history and time travel, she's a great choice. I wish somebody would start making movies out of her books. IMHO they have a lot more to recommend them than most bestsellers that get bought for movies.

Be prepared though, I think this lady has written tons of books that all interconnect. So if you start reading her, you might find yourself hooked for a mighty long time! I plan to read her books all Winter. Ahh..a cup of steaming chamomille tea, a good book in my hand, and a roaring fire as the frigid wind whips around outside- sounds like Heaven doesn't it?!

 Anyhoo, I hope you'll check her out at your local library.    

New Books in the Reading Room

I love these new books I've been reading lately. The first one is, 'Screen Doors and Sweet Tea' by Martha Hall Foose. On my, just about every recipe in it reminds me of my grandmother and the lady who cooked for her. I guarantee, if you're looking for authentic Southern recipes, this is the book to read. I especially liked the recipes for foods like Fried Peach Pies & Sweet Tea Pie.

Another really great recipe book I've used recently is, 'The Savannah Cookbook' by Damon Lee Fowler. He is the food editor for the Savannah Daily News. I admit there were times I literally had to put this book down for a while because it made me so homesick for Savannah. Reading the pages I could almost smell the marshes and hear the seagulls!

I hope you'll give each one a try. I got mine from my local library.        

Pioneer Spirit

There is a new book over in the reading room. It is one I highly recommend. It would be a fun read for kids as well as grown ups. If you are a fan of, 'Little House on the Prairie', or the Janet Oke 'Love' series of books this will probably be right up your alley.

I was up in North Western Ga. over the weekend. I got the chance to roam through a remarkable antique/ junk shop in little Cave Spring, Ga. I saw a beautiful heavy crocheted rag rug in there and that's what made me pick up this little gem of a book at the library this morning. 

This small book is chock full of instructions on how to make things the pioneer way. I plan on trying to make and/or do lots of projects from 'Prairie Girl'. I'll let you know about my progress.

If I'm very lucky I may even get a chance to make a rag rug.....

New Book in the Reading Room

I'm halfway through a wonderful new book. It is 'Captivating' by John & Staci Eldredge. And even though I haven't completely finished it as yet, I still am going to recommend this gem. This isn't a new book, so chances are pretty good you've either read it already or seen it in the library.  

A few years ago Hutch read 'Wild at Heart' by John Elderedge and it changed his life. I bought a copy at the thrift store about six weeks ago and gave it to our son Jonathan. He says it has changed his life as well, in fact he's read it several times now. 

So when I saw a copy of 'Captivating' at that same thrift store a few weeks ago, I had to give it a read. Oh My!!!! Ladies if you haven't picked this book up yet, please go to the library or your church library and check it out. I guarantee you will get a brand new prospective on femininity and Godly womanhood. 

This would be a great Bible study to do with friends or even with your daughter/ mother/ sister. I can't say how much it has helped me understand God's plan for women in general and me in particular. 

I really can't say enough good about, 'Captivating'. Sure hope you'll give it a try.    

Angels in the Snow

        

I just finished this book last night and thought I'd post on it briefly. This short novella is by Melody Carlson. If you are a reader of inspirational romance you'll probably recognize her name as she is a prolific writer as well as an award winning one.

I enjoyed this book because it was a little outside of the 'norm' for romance. It isn't about a young beautiful girl. The main character is a mature woman who has suffered the devastating loss of her beloved husband and preteen son. I can't honestly remember if a description was even given for her with the exception of telling of her occupation: artist.

So I enjoyed the spiritual aspect of this book [her journey through the process of grieving to being again thankful for God's grace in her life] and the interesting insights into an artist's life. This book is suitable for anybody to read but I think it speaks mostly to a grown up crowd just because of the heroine's age. 

Go here to learn more about the author: Melody Carlson. Hope you give this short and sweet book a try, its guaranteed to make you cry and feel renewed as well. 

New Book in the Reading Room

This is a little gem of a book that I highly recommend. It has a sweet story and is held together with a host of marvelous recipes.

Hope you'll give it a try: The Quilter's Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini- I don't think you'll be disappointed.  

You can go here to read the first chapter for free:

The Quilter's Kitchen

Reading this book made we  want to go take quilting lessons!!!

Hope your day is great.

A Book Everyone Should Read During the Holidays

I read a little treasure of a book yesterday and I recommend it to everyone. It will make you feel humble and truly inspired at the same time. It is 'The Angel of Bastogne' by Gilbert Morris. As a woman I loved this book, but I think any man- especially any veteran would connect with it on a much deeper level than I ever could. In fact it would make a great stocking stuffer for anyone but especially someone who has served in the military.  

The book begins in France during WW2 but quickly fast forwards to the present. It is a slim little book and could be read in one day. So heat up the hot chocolate and settle by a good reading lamp and indulge yourself . I guarantee it will make you look at the holidays differently.  

Go here to order or read more:Angel 

Revolution & ekklesia

I read this book, 'Revolution', a while back. It is by George Barna. If you want a look at Christianity in the technological age, it is quite interesting. He also writes very knowledgeably about the home church movement that is sweeping the world. 

Just as a generation ago homeschooling might have been considered revolutionary, home churches now are on the cutting edge of a groundswell of people who are searching for an authentic and truly Biblical church. If you have ever wondered at all about home churching or 'cyber' churching I recommend 'Revolution'.

Now another book about house church that is down to earth and provides detailed scripture references is 'ekklesia', by Steve Atkerson. It lays out, in a way I could understand, all the cornerstones of home church. It is very eye opening as well. This book gets to the actual roots of Biblical church life.

Both these books have a lot to teach about Biblical guidelines for church and community.  

New Books! The Shoebox & Hannah's Hope

            

I have been pretty sick this week with some kind of nasty bug, but am feeling lots better today and wanted to let you all know about the two really great books I read while I was sick. you can see the links over at the Resing Room icon.

One is by Francine Rivers- it is called 'The Shoebox'. This is a skinny little book that would make a great read aloud to your kids over the Christmas holidays. It also has several of Mrs. Rivers' family recipes as well. The recipes sound wonderful. I highly recommend this little gem of a book, in fact it would make a nice hostess gift to take to a holiday party, if you are so inclined.

The other book, 'Hannah's Hope', is part of the Red Glove' series by Karen Kingsbury. I enjoyed it very much and now will search the library for the others in this seasonal series. It is a Christmas read as well, can you see a trend in my reading lately LOL??? Anyway, it was very sweet and would be a good book for anybody. 

Hope your week has been going well! 

New Book in Reading Room

I've been reading a wonderful new author [new to me] lately. Her name is Francine Rivers. Some of the topics she incorporates in her books are disturbing, so not all of her work would be suitable for teens. But I just finished 'The Scarlet Thread'. What an incredible story told from two very different points of view. I highly recommend Mrs. Rivers. If you are a reader of Christian fiction, I'm sure you'll find something to love about her uplifting stories.

Allie and Josh are reading her right now, as well. They are reading the Mark of the Lion series. I have read one of those and it was a wonderful read that taught me a lot about Early First Century Christian life. So if you are a history buff, like me, and you love a story that revolves around the Christian journey she may be the author for you. Right now I'm reading 'The Last Sin Eater'. I'll let you know if it lives up to the others by this talented lady.  

    

Amazing Grace

You will notice a new book over in the Reading Room. I'm halfway through a very good read, 'Amazing Grace' by Eric Metaxis. It is a biography of William Wilberforce. You may recall the movie that came out in the last year or two of the same name. This book explains Wilberforce and his times to a deeper degree than the movie, but still is an engaging read. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this time period and the events that shaped it.

The book begins in the late 1700s and runs through the early decades of the 1800's. As a history buff I'm throughly enjoying immersing myself in this era.  

Three Cups of Tea

You may have noticed over in the Reading Room that there is a new icon. It is for Greg Mortenson's wonderful book 'Three Cups of Tea'. He has been on numerous talk shows over the past few years telling about his mission. Basically he wants to build schools for very poor villages in Pakistan. But that's only part of his remarkable story.

I'd never heard of him or his work [even though the book has been on the Bestseller Lists] until one of Hutch's co workers started telling him how reading the book had inspired her and her father in Europe as well. Anyway Hutch got a copy and we were astounded at the story. And we're now hoping to help raise funds for one of the Pakistani schools being built by Greg's organization the Central Asia Institute.   

As amazing as it seems, Hutch actually got to meet the author in Montana. He was there speaking at a church trying to raise money to build another school. Hutch was very impressed with Mortensen's down to Earth style and his humility. 

I can assure you that if you read 'Three Cups of Tea', this thin little volume will change the way you think about Pakistan and the folks in this troubled part of the world forever. Please consider reading, 'Three Cups of Tea'.  FYI- We got ours at Sam's Wholesale Club.     

Reading a New Book

I've just gotten a book I ordered from the library and I'm in love with it!!! It's called 'The Encyclopedia of Country Living' by Carla Emery. Oh boy! It's just a treasure trove of interesting facts and 'how tos' for the rurally inclined. I know chances are better than average I'll never get to put any of this knowledge to practical use.....but it sure is fun to read about.

Give it try and see what you think. I'm convinced that somewhere in my writing future is a book about folks having to survive off the grid. In fact I'm using parts of that concept now in a novel about Spiritual Discernment. Anyhoo, just wanted those of you out in cyberland who like this kind of book to know it's out there waiting to be read.  

 

New Book In The Reading Room

I'm starting a new book today and so far I think it could be of use to any woman wanting to enrich her marriage. I'm always up for any book that will help me know how to better love my husband. He's more than worth it on so many levels. And even after being married for 31 yrs, I still need new insight into how guys think. This down-to-Earth book helps in that arena.

So many times as I've spoken with Christian women I've gotten the sense that they think the intimate side of marriage is somehow a bad thing. I don't know if that's a cultural issue, or if we just aren't doing enough to get the word out in churches and women's Bible Studies but.....Nothing could be further from the truth! I'm totally convinced God wants our intimate times with our husbands to be one of the most fulfilling & exciting parts of our marriage relationship [for both]. But, here's the scary part, you have to work at it. Just like everything else in marriage, there's a learning curve.

Every wife can use a tutorial from time to time and I like this new book, 'Romancing Your Husband' by Debra White Smith. I'm so glad somebody over at the Family Homestead wrote about this neat and easy to read little book. I'm reading it and I'm recommending it to family and friends, as well. So please check out my new icon over at the Reading Room for more info.   

The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life

This is the title of the very intriguing book I wrote about yesterday. I read it today and I must say....I'm going to have to buy one for my library. It has all the crafts I'm interested in and the directions are super duper easy.

One of my favorite articles in this little jewel is about rolling your hair with rag rollers. And then making votive candles was a great article as well. Actually there were no bad articles in this book.

The chapters are laid out by rooms, bathroom, kitchen, etc. It is just a fun book and one that if you are a fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder you must own.   

The Long Winter

I'm almost finished reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's 'The Long Winter'. It has been such a lovely read. I  wrote over at the The Family Homestead message board that I feel cold every time I pick it up. Basically this book documents an extremely hard winter in the upper Midwest during the late 1880's.

For someone who loves history, like I do, it's a veritable treasure trove of 'old timey' delights. Whether it's the fact that they had so little and were so content. Or it might be the amazing idea of entertaining your whole family by reciting literary poems etc on a cold dark night in the middle of a blizzard using the flickering light of a homemade button lamp. You have to admire the grit these folks possessed.

Because I live in the South, it is hard for me to fathom a snowfall that would actually cover your house. Added to that to have the claustrophobic feeling that you were shut in with your whole family with limited food and supplies is beyond my imagining. We truly have it so easy these days. Anything we might need or want is a car ride away.

I guess one of the things I have enjoyed the most about 'The Long Winter' is that it helps me tap into that simpler and more innocent time. If you are a person who reads aloud to your children before they go to bed each night, I highly recommend this or any of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. They are very different from the commercialized TV show or the later Disney offerings.    

Into Thin Air

As you can see by the new book icon over under 'Reading Room', I am reading 'Into Thin Air'. This is a very good book written by Jon Krakauer, who also wrote 'Into The Wild'. Josh Snow, my soon to be son, lent it to me and I'm currently on page 87. So far I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed 'Into the Wild'.

I really like Mr. Krakauer's style of writing. In the book there's adventure and there's a sense that you are onsite with him. This particular book is a first person account. Hope you'll give it a try.