Currently on my Kindle

How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Dayby Michael J. Gelb
I was pointed towards this great book by Susan Branch via her delightful blog.  It's quite an interesting read with lots of exercises for stimulating fresh thought and creativity!  Right now I'm simply reading through the book.  Once I've read through it, I'll go back and do some of the exercises it suggests.  Reading this book makes me realize what a wonderful upbringing I had, as my parents regularly encouraged my sister and I in many of the directions this book suggests!



Also on my Kindle is Village School (Fairacre)by Miss Read.
I first read this book many years ago. I was a young stay at home mom in those days, busy with all the activities that come with a houseful of four young children. Life seemed impossibly busy at the time and reading the Fairacre books by Miss Read was a delightful break and a look at a somewhat gentler life.  I remember how I loved finding yet another Miss Read book at the library to bring home and savor!  Now I'm re-reading it along with Leslie at Wisteria & Sunshine.  Delightful!

Anne of Green Gables

Where does one start to describe a favorite book?  Anne of Green Gables is one of those stories that I come back to time and again.  I love the incorrigible character of Anne (spelled with an "E"!) and how she is so very real!  I came to the Anne books as a young mother, introduced by "Victoria" magazine back in the early 1990's.  How I missed them as a girl growing up, I'll never know, as I read incessantly in those days (as now!)  How glad I am to have found them though as they have become dear favorites!


I love the way Anne chatters on, non-stop about what ever delights her.  There are also the lovely descriptions that make Anne's world live and breathe for the reader.  Each time I read the descriptions of Green Gables on Anne's first morning there, I thrill to the words as they describe almost perfectly, my own "house of dreams".

" A huge cherry-tree grew outside, so close that its boughs tapped against the house, and it was so thick-set with blossoms that hardly a leaf was to be seen.  On both sides of the house was a big orchard, one of  apple trees and one of cherry trees, also showered over with blossoms; and their grass was all sprinkled with dandelions.  In the garden below were lilac trees purple with flowers and the their dizzily sweet fragrance drifted up to the window on the morning wind.
   Below the garden a green field lush with clover sloped down to the hollow where the brook ran and where scores of white birches grew, upspringing airily  out of an undergrowth suggestive of delightful possibilites in ferns and mosses and woodsy things generally."

I also love the bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout. 

“Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?"

"Kindred spirits are not scarce as I used to think.  It's splendid to find out there are so many of them  in the world."

"isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no new mistakes in it yet?"

"Isn't it fortunate I've got such an imagination?" said Anne.  "It will help me through splendidly, I expect."

"Look at that sea, girls -- all silver and shadow and visions of things not seen.  We couldn't enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds."

"Well, I don't want to be any one but myself, even if I go uncomforted by diamonds all my life," declared Anne.  "I'm quite content to be Anne of Green Gables, with my string of pearl beads."  

There is such a boundless sense of optimism in Anne of Green Gables!  I'll always love the graceful way of living that is presented; having tea, Sunday School picnics, concerts and visiting between friends and neighbors.  Such a wonderful portrayal of community. All of the Anne books provide us with a vision of a wonderfully idealic life, one which inspires me to make more effort in living my own "ideal world of dreams"!

"but if the path set before her feet was to be narrow she knew that flowers of quiet happiness would bloom along it.  The joys of sincere work and worthy aspiration and congenial friendship were to be hers; nothing could rob her of her birthright of fancy or her ideal world of dreams.  And there was always the bend in the road!"

The Bible and Celtic Prayers from Iona

It seems fitting to start off with a little bit about the two books I read and refer to the most.  The ones that go with me where ever I go.

The NRSV Harper Study Bible(mine is the old Revised Standard Version) was given to me as a High School graduation gift from my parents.  It has seen much use over the years.  There are many bits of scripture underlined and bits of papers and book marks tucked throughout it's pages.  These days, I often use an ESV Personal Size Reference Bible for my daily readings as I like the more modern language without all the "thee's and thou's," but when I am perplexed, in need of comfort and solace or encouragement, I turn back to this old Harper Study Bible.  It is truly an old friend.

You may notice the stains on the cover.  They are remnants of smoke damage from our housefire in 1999. It left permanent stains on the leather and removed most of the gilding from the page edges.  The stains keep me mindful of this passage of scripture from 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.

"...each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."

The book beneath it, Celtic Prayers from Iona  by J. Philip Newell is one I use almost daily.  I love the gentle way it presents prayers and meditations for daily use.  Each morning and evening cycle of prayer and meditation includes a verse from Psalm 139, an opening prayer and thanksgiving, intercessions and a closing prayer.  There is a list of scripture readings included for each day of the year.  The book is all done in calligraphy, which is a beautiful touch.  The prayers, such as this one below are beautiful and stay with me through each day.

God before me, God behind me,
God above me, God beneath me.
I on your path O God
You, O God, on my way.
In the twistings of the road
In the currents of the river
Be with me by day
Be with me by night
Be with me by day and by night.

Welcome to Ivory Blush Roses Reads!

If you were to walk around my apartment, you would find books stashed in every corner.  Books on a wide variety of topics from great classics, nature books, art books, books on how to do things, books about homesteading, interior design, wonderful stories, fantasy, old favorites, history, vernacular architecture, costume design, cookbooks, religion and spirituality, and too many others to mention! 

If I’m not working, sleeping or stitching, I’ve probably got my nose in a book.  Or glued to my Kindle (I love how it travels so easily, to and from work with me!)  There are a few magazines in there too ~ mostly British Country Living and National Geographic these days. 

Movies are good too.  They make it easy to kick back and relax and let a story take you somewhere.  And though they don’t really count as books, so many of the best movies started with a great book!  

Over the years, I’ve blogged a lot about stitching, home making, my travels, and going to nursing school, but I haven’t shared much about reading, though it probably is one of the activities that I do more than any other.  In this blog I hope to share a bit about what I’m reading as well as my favorite books and movies.  Writing critiques and reviews is not one of my strong points, but I do like to share what I liked about a book or what thoughts it provoked.  From time to time, I’ll add a few movies in!   

Pull up your cozy reading chair and read (and watch a few movies) along with me!