Reading Roundup - March 1

The Books for Kids blog has some great family history stories for kids featured today. Both books are by Patricia Reilly Giff. One is called Nory Ryan's Song; the second is called Maggie's Door. Both are set against the backdrop of the Irish Famine of 1845-49. I actually own the first book of the series. I'll have to get the second one to go along with it.

The first graphical web browser I used has "bit the dust." Netscape Navigator is "no longer supported." Does anyone else remember the joys of navigating the Web with Lynx before Netscape came on the scene?

Lesa has a list of mysteries that I'm going to have to read at some point. After fighting the crowds in the cookbook aisle at McKay's Used Books & CDs today, I find the idea of a body in a cookbook store intriguing. The New Hampshire antique store murder sounds good as does the boarding school one. She also lists one with a Mississippi setting. Lesa is fortunate enough to receive many books for early reviewing! At least some of these April offerings will go on my Amazon.com wish list.

While I was in Knoxville today, I picked up a copy of the MetroPulse, the city's alternative paper, to read Jack Neely's column. For those of you not familiar with Jack, he spends a lot of time at the McClung Historical Collection and has the ability to write the most engaging historical pieces. My friend was driving, and I opened to the column and told her that it was about the Georgia-Tennessee border dispute. She immediately knew that if he'd written on it that it was going to be a good column. I will say that I have never laughed so hard as I was reading something aloud. She was laughing as she was driving. For those not familiar with the border dispute, Georgia wants our water! They want about one mile around Chattanooga declared as part of Georgia so that they can tap into the Tennessee River. They haven't fussed about the inaccurate survey until now--when they want our water. Jack, of course, comes up with some pretty interesting historical items as well as some creative solutions to Georgia's freshwater shortage. You do not want to miss reading Jack's article!

Maybe it's just the cows, but this game made me think of Janice at Cow Hampshire.

In Maine, March has come in like a lion so it will go out like a lamb. What happens if March comes in like a lamb? Does it go out like a lion? I actually pondered that question last week. I don't know that I've ever heard what happens if it doesn't come in like a lion. I'd say it was pretty much a lamb here in East Tennessee.

Marshall Ramsey was down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He gives us a visual report on the rebuilding efforts there.

R.I.P. - Those initials will soon pertain to my hometown newspaper, The Amory Advertiser. I really don't want to see it merge with the other paper in the county, but these are tough economic times. Like most genealogists, I subscribe for the obituaries! However, Terry's Hill Country of Monroe County column will appear in the new combined paper twice a month.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that a 19th century Shaker building may be headed for the wrecking ball. I always had to read about the possible loss of historic structures.

This is a gorgeous snow picture over at New Hampshire Photo Tour.