October '25 Books

Eleven books read during the month of October:

At the end of last month I had read all of my library books so I went back to my own collection for something to read. Robert James Waller's The Bridges of Madison County was the first one I put my hands on. I thought it had been years and years since I last read it, but a search told me I had reread it just five years ago. Slow Waltz In Cedar Bend is another of his books I reread - not as good as Bridges IMO.

Still with the Sandra Brown books - Crush, White Hot and Tough Customer.

Earth's the Right Place for Love is Elizabeth Berg's latest offering. She has been a favorite author of mine since I was introduced by my friend Kristina to her third novel Talk Before Sleep. Earth's the right place continues with her character Arthur Trulove. This is such an inviting book with warmth, humor and insight into people.

Buckeye is the first book I've read by author Patrick Ryan. Covering about sixty years of two small-town midwestern families between WWII and the end of the 20th century, Ryan captures the human desire for love and goodness.

Circle of Gold by Karen Harper is another dip into my own books. I read it long enough ago that I had no recollection of it whatsoever.

Two more Sandra Brown books - Thursday's Child (chosen because I am a Thursday's child) and Smoke Screen. There is a big difference between Brown's early books and her later ones. You can see how much her writing evolved over the years.

Adriana Trigiani is another of my favorite authors whose newest novel is The View From Lake Como - no not that Lake Como - the one in New Jersey. Jess is the overlooked daughter who dutifully stays home, takes care of her parents and cooks Sunday dinner for everyone - until she takes her life into her own hands and escapes to her ancestral home in Carrara, Italy. If you've never read Trigiani, I suggest you give her a try. I don't think you will be disappointed. 

Until next month, enjoyable reading.  😊

October - Turning Late in the Year

 

"This October restlessness was worse than any April's or May's. In the Spring the wish to wander is partly composed of an unnamable irritation, born of long inactivity; ...

...in the Fall the impulse is more pure, more inexplicable, and more urgent."  (Annie Dillard - Pilgrim at Tinker Creek)

"It was one of the October days when to breathe the air is like drinking wine, and every touch of the wind against one's face is a caress." (Sarah Orne Jewett)

So much of October this year has been warmer than usual with the leaves later to change color. Still, it is one of my favorite months of the year.   

Bridal Shower and Royalty

 

Yesterday was my granddaughter Deise's bridal shower in Winterset held in her childhood home.

She has been living in Davenport for five years so many of her friends have also moved away.

Consequently attendance was small but that allowed for more conversation and catching up with the ones who were there.

One of the games played was 'He said, She said' -  guessing which of the two said something or did something first. Surprisingly I got 11 out of 14 correct. 

These gorgeous cookies were served instead of cake.

This weekend was also the Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset so while I was at the shower my driver (hubby dearest) walked downtown where he just happend to be where this year's festival King & Queen were arriving. 

Neither of Deise's sisters were able to be at the shower, but her brother Ki and his boys were in town. I think he and Bud were talking about Ki's chickens.

I was surprised to see this from across the room, a sign that once hung on a post at the end of the lane at Dad & Mom's* farm home. Ki found it in the garage there when we had the farm sale and saved it. A memory from my past as new memories from Deise's shower were being made. 

(* Yesterday was the anniversary of my parents' marriage, 88 years ago.)