Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Hello? Anyone?


Well, I am actually here and writing! What happened to me over the last month? Holidays and general summer languor.... sadly that is the only explanation ;)

But I had a wonderfully refreshing and revivifying time off and am ready for the "back-to-school" feel that is in the air these days -- time to buy me some new pencil crayons and looseleaf and get back to work!

Speaking of Back-to-School, I'd like to share a blog post from my sister, the Trekking Teacher, about the power of reading aloud. She calls it The Power of Books, and shares how she read a favourite novel to her classes -- do you remember this habit from school days? I remember a teacher reading us Tuck Everlasting and how I was amazed by it.

A few things I did while on my blog break: read. Quite a lot. More on that in the weeks to come! For now, some highlights.....


  • read a marvellous novel about the Ukrainian Canadian experience during WWI (think internment camps) by Barbara Sapergia, "Blood & Salt"

  • read the latest Laurie King mystery featuring Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes, Garment of Shadows

  • read the latest Jasper Fforde, The Woman who Died a Lot, featuring Thursday Next and getting in a nod to the wonderful Nancy Pearl!

Stratford Festival image
  • saw the Stratford Festival production called "Wanderlust", an original play featuring some music, based loosely on the life and poems of Robert Service. It was great fun, with humour, visual delight and good performances by a varied cast. Lots of one-liners, entertaining music and amazing enactments especially of The Cremation of Sam McGee and The Shooting of Dan McGrew. Anyone interested in lively poetry should see it!

  • did a bit of sewing (more on that later too)

  • visited family, old and new 

  • did a bit of local touristy visiting, always fun


What about you? How was your summer? What did you read? What are you looking forward to this fall?

7 comments:

  1. Welcome Back, I've missed your posts. I'd like to know how you liked the new Thursday Next. I love that series but wasn't wild about the last one. What I really want to see is the next installment of the nursery crime series :)

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  2. Sounds like you had a lovely break. I had teachers who read aloud to the class from kindergarten through 4th grade. It was one of my favorite parts of the school day.

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  3. You read the new Laurie King, too? Jenny and I posted our review a couple of weeks ago. I'm eager to hear what you think! I'm impressed at how really good the series continues to be.

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  4. maryb - thanks!I wasn't crazy about the last Thursday Next but was tempted into this one by the rumoured mention of Nancy Pearl!

    Stefanie - It was a great break. I always loved the reading aloud portion of the day in elementary school - so relaxing.

    Teresa - will have to check out your review! I love this series

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  5. Welcome back! (Obviously I'm a bit behind in the google reader.)

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Thanks for stopping by ~ I always enjoy hearing your comments so please feel free to leave some!