A Peek At the Bookshelves at Greenberry House

A few of the history titles at Greenberry House

Innocence...and a garden..

Candide and Other Writings by Voltaire

I like to read....and I'll read almost anything I can get my hands on. Sometimes when I say I'm reading a "classic" I get the feeling that people think I'm pretentious. But when I do read a classic, such as Candide, I realize that there is little difference between the writers of centuries past and the modern author. Both have something to say, and many books that are now considered classics are just as readable as any current bestseller.

And Voltaire surprised me with how simple his stories are. I'm sure I miss a lot of the irony, since I have only a passing acquaintance with the politics and history of his time. But going beyond the satire the stories and short novels that I've read so far have been delightful, witty and applicable to the life that I've been striving to live for the last ten years.

I'm only a quarter of the way through the book, which is a Modern Library collection edited by Haskell M. Black. The first section is Voltaire's fiction, which I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy the most. The first story, Zadig, or Destiny, tells about the trials and tribulations of a truly wise man in Babylon. Part of my interest in this tale is Voltaire's use of deductive reasoning by his character, who gets in terrible trouble as a result. The charm of this story is that it reminds me of a book I was given as a child, called Watermelons, Walnuts and the Wisdom of Allah. This was also about a wise man who could sometimes be very foolish.

Candide is probably the most famous of Voltaire's stories. The main character is named Candide because he is a complete innocent, and considered simple-minded by his peers. Honest and gentle, he is the victim of an injustice that sends him out into the world. Throughout a long series of adventures and misadventures, Candide tries to cling to his love of a beautiful girl and to the philosophy of his old master, who said that everything that happens is for the best. In the end, after many trials and sufferings, Candide concludes the story with the words "But we must cultivate our garden."

He arrives at this as a philosophy that I think more and more people are understanding. Candide's garden was cultivated in order to accomplish the goals that Voltaire sets out in his book, which are keeping at bay the evils of vice, boredom and need. A garden will certain help prevent hunger, and hard work certainly will help prevent boredom and temptation. But for me the garden, and the way of life I try to follow, keeps me focused and connected. Connected with the past, with the earth, with the women that came before me and the women that will come after me.

I value the fact that in watching my mother and grandmother garden I learned skills that seem to come to me naturally now. While I learn something new every day from my garden, I also know I'm building on the traditions passed down to me, just by my observation of their work. I know what those half-runner beans should look like, when to replant the lettuce and how to tell when the tomatoes need staking or watering. And I know how to weed.....

I'm not sure it's necessary to have a physical garden. As life gets more and more complicated and technological, however, I think more people are coming to a place where they need to feel connected. To something. Maybe that's why Internet social sites like Twitter and Facebook are so popular (and you can farm on Facebook, among other things!). There seems to be a social function in almost everything on the Internet these days.

So. What's Voltaire saying? Plant a flower and you'll feels peaceful? As I said, I'm sure I missed a lot of the sharp satire in this story, but at the same time, why wouldn't this be as good an interpretation as any? It's not that simple, of course, because life doesn't work that way. But a few hours in the garden, a few stitches on a crochet hook or knitting needle, a few pages of a book....none of these will solve all your problems and magically give you happiness. Maybe....

Luxury!

Lazy Day of Luxury

Waht to do on a rainy afternoon, after a delightful trip with friends into town? My choice was curling up in my cozy sitting room with good books, a purring cat, a contented spaniel at my feet and a cool yogurt shake. The rain pounded the windows and roof and the wind blew, but we were happy in our little corner. It's the little things that make me happy; an old tin tray, a book loaned by a friend and the closeness of the animals.

Today the sun is bright and I'm listening to old Paul Simon while I work. Already customers are wandering in out of the sunshine and it should be a nice day. I spent the last week doing a complete overhaul of Mountain Meadow Farm and Craft Market's web site. Check it out when you get the chance; I think it turned out beautifully!


After Dinner Gardening

Sister-in-law Sue gave me ripe avocados from California on Sunday, and I had to hurry and do something with them on Monday. Since I was going to Danville, Monday night dinner took place without me but I went ahead and made soup and guacamole for next week and froze them.

When I was a teenager I loved having plants and did a lot of experimenting with growing things from seed. A neighbor of a friend (we called her "Grandma Yeatts" even though she was no relation) gave us cuttings from her vast collection and seeds from a very, very hot ornamental pepper that we kept going for years. I found a book, After Dinner Gardening in a used book store not long after I got my first driver's licence and Judy and I spent half our time rescuing vegetable seeds from our mothers. Avocados, however, were rarely on the dinner table so we bought the fruit ourselves to obtain the pits just fo planting. Neither of us at the time knew anything about avocados, and I had barely heard of guacamole. We threw away the fruit and kept the pit!

I abandoned my horticultural efforts over the years, ,but when I saw the pits resting in the avocado peels I couldn't resist potting them up. They're nestled by the window in the corner of my sitting room, and we'll see if I get an avocado tree before long.

Booksigning

Tom Perry will be here at the shop to sign his books and talk about his many projects and interests in Patrick County on Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 10 AM. His new book is a beautiful pictoral overview of Patrick County's history. Y'all come out and visit, and if you can't get to Meadows of Dan, Perry's books are available at his web site.

Where Does the Time Go?

Drifting by like the lazy clouds I can see over the church, scattering in the cold breeze across a brilliant sky.

Full weekend with lots of cleaning up and figuring out how to manage space and dogs and cats. TJ has a new play space in my enclosed front porch and he loves it! We got him some toys; his favorite is a big cheap basketball that he can chase and toss without tearing it to pieces. We had a fine romp out there yesterday afternoon, with Lily barking her head off to add to the uproar! TJ is calmer when he comes in after being able to play so hard; he tucks onto the couch with Lily and naps, or chews on his toy quietly on the rug. Good boy!

I've been trying to figure out how to spin with the lovely Romanian spindle Sandra gave me from her trip this summer. So far my success has been limited; I may have to seek some instruction. I haven't worked much with a drop spindle, preferring a supported one with my angora. But I want to learn to use this one; it's too nice to just leave laying around as a decoration. If I get anything done with it I'll post pictures!

Speaking of pictures, go over and visit The Yarn Museum. This is a gorgeous site, "honoring the artistry and beauty of handspun yarn." There's an article that explains the purpose and founding of the site on Fiber Femmes and it's a great idea. I have a couple of skeins there!

And I finished a wonderful book that my aunt gave me; there's a review here.

Happy New Year!

Lily's Waiting

Rather belated good wishes for the new year to everyone! I've been up to here with the new issue of Fiber Femmes, and have done very little else since Thursday except work on that. It's a terrific issue; Sandra has recruited some excellent writers that did a splendid job on articles ranging from festivals in Australia to really good pieces about spinning techniques. I did some minor modifications that took a great deal of time, hoping to make the magazine more useful and fun!

Cold this morning; my young friend and I had a very frosty walk. I brought Lily here to the store with me, and soon we need to go back and tend to the rabbits. Too cold at our normal time; the water bottles would just freeze back up again. I'm planning to clean the kitchen today; it has reached a state of clutter that even a hillbilly can't tolerate.

My other minor accomplishments this past week were getting some more pieces on eBay to sell; the first lot went really well. I'm trying to move out some art magazines; they're old and fragile and I want to get them sold before something happens to them. I also did a short review of a book I just finished, started reading two more and finished filling a bobbin of an angora/merino blend while showing Sally about plying. I ran out of yarn for the shell stitch cape I was working on (rats) so I started crocheting a purse last night. I want to write up the pattern for Fiber Femmes; so I'm having to go slow to pay attention.

Yesterday's Frost

Mist over the frosted fields

I walked with the dogs yesterday morning over crisp fields as the mist rose lazily from the creek and pond. The air was clear and tasted fresh, so still it didn't feel cold until we neared the creek, where the chill clung along the edges of the quiet stream.


Every leaf has a lacy edge

After the quiet walks with the dogs, the day began with chattering birds, flocking to the feeders and demanding that they be filled, while the neat gray tabby waited by his food bowl for his turn. Then the rabbits feasted on hay and apple, while I filled water bottles, thankful once again that they hadn't frozen through the night. I heard later in the day that, although my morning was peaceful, that several people had trouble with icy roads in the early hours.


Reluctant Model

I'm still spinning silk caps; I really enjoyed plying the silk with the blue fine wool singles I did last summer. But when I take a break from spinning I work on this little cape that I started a couple of weeks ago. It's my design but this time I'm making it from Brooks Farm Four Play yarn. I wasn't sure I was going to like the shell stitch in this variegated yarn at first.


Crocheted cape-in progress

Not bad, though! I've found that with just the right stitch patterns the colors from Brooks Farm really stand out!


Deuteronomy

Things haven't been quite as peaceful here as usual. I've been without a cozy cat for inside the house for awhile, so a call to the local pound introduced me to this fine fellow earlier in the week. He's named partly for a character in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and partly because of the serendipity of the subject of the book I'm reading at present, Surpassing Wonder by Donald Harman Akenson. The book is about Judiasm, Christianity and the development of scripture. Lily considers cats a lower life form (she considers almost everything a lower life form) but it's hard to ignore a cat that wants lots of attention from Mama. So there have been a few minor altercations. Tj would love to play but Deuteronomy thinks playing with a dog is beneath contempt. They will work it all out, eventually. But in the meantime it's almost as entertaining around here as the standoff over at Hillbilly, Please recently.

Yarning Around the Christmas Tree

This is the first year since about 1994 that I've decorated anything for Christmas. Not that I'm against the holidays; I guess I'm just a bit lazy this time of year, after the busy selling season. But now that we have the store I put up a few lights and a little Christmas tree. I took some etsy pictures of the yarns draped on the tree, and it's given me an idea about decorations for the yarn shop next year!

Warmer weather with rain this morning, but now it looks to be clearing. It's nice not to have to thaw out water for the rabbits every day. With the warmer weather a few rabbits need shearing, and I'm looking forward to some pleasant afternoons harvesting some gorgeous wool from the patient creatures. Since I know that this warm spell won't last, I'll be doing some extra things to make sure the sheared rabbits stay comfortable if another chill strikes. Extra hay in the cages and leaving a bit of wool on the rabbit helps them stay comfortable. I've never had to go so far as to put a coat on one, but I have some old sweaters put aside, just in case it's necessary!

I found this Library Thing on someone's blog awhile back; sorry for not remembering who had it in their sidebar. I really do resist a lot of stuff to clutter the sidebar, but I had to put in the gizmo that shows books from my Library Thing catalog. This is my personal library; the books that are for sale are still on the web site and in my Biblio shop.