It's the week of Thanksgiving, and I have just returned from a very, very safe hiking trip in Arizona, and I feel hopeful about the world. While I was gone, the bad guy lost the election and a vaccine against the virus was found to be quite effective. Yes, the sad little man in the Oval Office has not conceded defeat. Yes, many foolish people are planning big Thanksgiving celebrations. Yes, cases of the virus are rising. Somehow, I'm still holding good things of the week close, and I'm keeping my mind on thankfulness.
Barn's burnt down---
now
I can see the moon.
----Masahide
I had six four-star reads last week. Because this is November, they were all nonfiction except for These is My Words, a fictional diary of the life of a pioneer in the Arizona Territories. While we were hiking in Arizona, I also read Dreams of El Dorado: A History of the American West, a book filled with new-to-me stories of the early years of the western part of America. The Home Edit and The Home Edit Life were both filled with great ways to organize your home. Plotted: A Literary Atlas is a book of maps of classic literature. And, finally, The Uncompromising Diary of Sallie McNeill, 1858-1867 is the actual diary of a woman who lived her whole life just down the road from me in the 1800s.
Our November book club read was All Creatures Great and Small. We also started watching the PBS series, first aired in 1978. All Creatures Great and Small is on a list of mood-boosting books, and I'm happy to say that it definitely is as advertised.
Three posts last week:
Good Thing #1: We shall eat turkey and mashed potatoes and hot rolls and pecan pie this week.
Good Thing #2: We shall think about what we are grateful for this week.
Good Thing #3: The Atlantic: 9 Poems for a Tough Winter
"Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on."
I'm delighted you found your way to the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place for us to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week; it's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.
Some of the things we might talk about at the Sunday Salon:
- What was your week like?
- Read any good books? Tell us about them.
- What other bookish things did you do?
- What else is going on in your life?
Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.
My linkup for Sunday Salon is below.
I’m glad you had a great (and safe) time in Arizona. Enjoy your safe thanksgiving celebrations!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great reading week
We did have a great (and safe) time.
DeleteI love the home edit, have you watched there show? They’ve given me some great ideas!
ReplyDeleteI’m glad to hear your trip went well, it sounds such a lovely part of the world, I’ll bet it was warm!
I’ve not heard much about Mr T in our news for a good few days now, the silence is unsettling.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving!
I'm going to take a look at the show now that you have recommended it.
DeleteI'm trying to keep positive too here despite the sad and the bad. Glad you were able to get away and that you enjoyed the book All Creatures Great and Small, which is part of one of my favorite series.
ReplyDeleteThe old PBS series is wonderful, too.
DeleteWelcome home! I'm glad you had a lovely time in Sedona and can't wait to see some photos.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot to be thankful for, too. We'll have a roasted chicken, potatoes, rolls and pumpkin pie, but maybe not until the weekend. Shoulder surgery for my hubby on Monday, so I want to wait until he feels comfortable to enjoy the meal.
Yes, the world goes on, doesn't it? 2021 can't come soon enough, though.
Enjoy your weekend!
Hope the surgery goes smoothly today.
DeleteSounds like you had a lovely time away and that your reading complemented your trip. I have become a big fan of The Home Edit. We do, indeed, have much to be thankful for, despite everything.
ReplyDeleteWe do. I am focusing on that.
DeleteWelcome back! Sounds like a great trip. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to share some photos.
DeleteHi Debbie! Love the positive attitude and that quote just got written down in my diary. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteAll Creatures Great and Small is on my Classics CLub spin. Oooooh now I do hope it falls on it!
Glad you enjoyed your hiking. Take care of yourself and have a wonderful week.
The Sunday Post #19
A lot of Japanese writings talks about the uncertainty of judging something good or bad, like the horse story.
DeleteYeah it's good to remain grateful & hopeful despite bad news ... there is also good. I'm glad you had a nice trip and I think I'd like to buy the El Dorado book for my home stacks. Usually I just library read things -- but growing up in the West it sounds like a keeper to me. thx ... Enjoy your turkey & holiday!
ReplyDeleteThe El Dorado book has lots of stories I've never heard.
DeleteSo glad that pathetic excuse for a human lost, but you will have to drag him, kicking and screaming, out of the WH.
ReplyDeleteWe are going back into a lockdown tonight. So a whole bunch of people are running out today to go shopping.
Still not sure how he got into the WH to begin with!
DeleteI enjoyed the rhythm of your synopsis of your week. Glad that you had some time to relax. I got some much needed zzz's and I hope you enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteSo glad.
DeleteI am delighted that your trip away has given you space to reset yourself and come back still feeling largely optimistic. I know I felt that way after my writing retreat to Bexhill at the end of September/beginning of October, Deb. And glad the non-fiction books perpetuated that feeling:)). Have a lovely Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my eye on the good.
DeleteYou had a great week in books! These is my Words sounds interesting - I don't think I've heard of that one before.
ReplyDeleteTrying to stay hopeful here too. Vaccine is almost here and a change in administration is going to happen soon.
These Is My Words is an oldie but a goodie.
Deletebeing outside, getting some sunshine, sure does things for the soul. glad you had a good trip. and, yes, i feel the same about the news. hope is what keeps us all going....and i know this will pass. just can't do it soon enough for me
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Yes, walking in nature.
DeleteI'm looking forward to the new "All Creatures" series on January on PBS. I don't know that one can top the first but I long to see those charming characters again.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. We are enjoying the old series on DVD from the library right now, too.
DeleteI'm glad you had a good time in Arizona!
ReplyDeleteI love All Creatures Great and Small so much. I've read it countless times and it always makes me laugh and cry. I haven't ever watched the show though. I need to track it down.
Enjoy your week and Happy Thanksgiving!
My husband loved it immediately, but it took me a while to get used to the accents of the actors.
DeleteYeah, I've been reading some mood-boosting books too. November is a hard month and reading is one of my pleasures amidst my hectic life. I'll have to check out your post of New to my TBR for Nonfiction November. I have loved every post we did for this challenge and I'm happy to have discovered some great books along the way.
ReplyDeleteNonfiction November is wonderful. I plan to do the yearly nonfiction challenge in 2021.
DeleteI’m glad you’re staying positive! I’m trying to ignore Trump and the COVIDiots and focus on the good things, like Thanksgiving. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
I would love it if T found a new country to live in.
DeleteThe "bad guy lost the election" lol. Thank goodness for THAT. Glad you had a nice trip as well. Be well this week and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, thank GOODNESS.
DeleteThis was my birthday week. It involved going out to lunch with friends twice, having a friend over for lunch here once, and getting take out from Olive Garden on "the day." I also spent an afternoon with friends down on their creekside and picking up pecans from their trees for winter baking needs. It was a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you had a great week.
DeleteI enjoyed your opening remarks. Yay for the good things, too! Enjoy your Thanksgiving, and stay safe! Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laurel!
DeleteI will definitely look to those 9 poems. Thanks for sharing that. I'm so happy you had a safe and wonderful hiking trip to Arizona! I hope you got some great pics. It's so important to stay thankful especially in trying times. I will take the vaccine news as something to be thankful for as well! Those Home Edit books look fascinating. I need to get some home organizing ideas! ha!
ReplyDeleteApparently there is a show that goes along with the Home Edit books, too.
DeleteOH and I hope you and your family have a safe and lovely Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteYou, too, Heather.
DeleteThanksfulness is good, especially when the "sad little man" lost ! I wish you a happy week, Deb :)
ReplyDeleteYou, too!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed your trip to Arizona. Your Thanksgiving plans sound good to me. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteAnd you, too, Kathy.
DeleteI love stories of the early pioneers of the West. And that diary of the woman close to you will be so interesting for you to read. How amazing is that.
ReplyDeleteYou would really like These Is My Words, if you haven't read it.
DeleteI am late visiting blogs this weekend/week as my daughter came home Friday night. I read and blog less when she's home. Ding Dong the witch (warlock?) is out!
ReplyDeleteIt's all good.
DeleteFirst one I find your Sunday Salon, mayxbe I will join next sunday too?
ReplyDeleteEarlier I had a fine group of Friday Five, but the blogger from UK is no more active... I miss her Fridays :(
(but I haven't always enough time for blogging - that's the other side -
Greetings from Germany
I hope you will.
DeleteJames Herriot is a lifetime favorite of mine. My mom gave me that set for Christmas when I was young, like maybe starting middle school, and I have loved them since then. (Even though I feel like I could have been younger, I wasn't sure exactly what a uterus was) We "named" our homeschool James Herriot Primary even after him. I am so excited you enjoyed it!
ReplyDelete