Musings on family history, regional history, book reviews, and miscellaneous observations and comments by a genealogist and librarian living near the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.
Martin, Mike. Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries. Ottawa: Ottawa Press and Publishing, 2019.
Sgt. Windflower remembers Christmases past in this volume. It seemed rather disjointed to me. The author overused "be" verbs, and no editor assisted him in cleaning up the sloppy and dull writing. This was my first and probably last venture into this series. The setting intrigued me, but its brevity is the only reason I did not abandon the read. I received an electronic copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
Eisterlehner, Doerthe. My Little Crocheted Christmas. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 2019.
My beginner crochet skills will not enable me to complete most of these projects, but I love everything in this book. Originally published in German, Dover Publications releases this to American crafters later this month (September 2019). Some large projects could be done with variations from other "sets" in the book. Finger puppets and dolls will entertain young ones. An adorable "snow fox" makes a perfect huggable toy for a tot. The nativity set is wonderful. I pre-ordered my own copy of the book in hopes my crochet skills will grow into it. Based on the cover alone, two friends who love to crochet plan to order copies also. I received an electronic advance review copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
Scottsdale, Peter. The Cat in the Christmas Tree: A Magical Tail. n.p.: n.p., 2018.
This chapter books shares the story of a mischievous black kitten named Shadow. Shadow keeps getting in trouble with Nathan's parents Justen and Sara. They threaten to send him back to the SPCA after Christmas. Fortunately the magical tree intervenes. The story itself was okay, but I was disappointed in the illustrations. Chapter books don't contain as many illustrations nor the illustration quality of picture books, but this one's would not please children at all. They all look pretty much like public domain .gif files. I love cats -- and I love cats in Christmas trees, but this book simply fails to capture the magic. I received an electronic copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
Boxall, Rebecca. The Christmas Forest. Seattle: Lake Union Publishing, 2018.
Abandoned book. Enid suffers with Asperger's Syndrome and is invited to spend Christmas in Australia with Fred. Her sister Bess encourages her to leave her comfort zone and accompany him. Will she do it? The book's premise was strong, but the narrative lacked continuity. About 60% into the book, I finally called it quits. I received an electronic copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Perry, Anne. A Christmas Revelation. New York: Ballantine Books, 2018.
Worm is living at the Portpool Lane clinic funded by Oliver Rathbone with Miss Burroughs and Squeaky. He witnesses two men violently forcing a beautiful woman to go with them, following them to an area when they suddenly vanish. He later returns with Squeaky, discovering the woman has a story of her own and went with her captors somewhat willingly. All of this is set around Christmas. Squeaky shares the Christmas story with Worm who never heard it. Although the book is short, it seemed to drag on. It never captivated my interest. I did enjoy Squeaky's interaction with Worm apart from the main story line, including the recital of the Christmas story. I received an advance electronic uncorrected proof from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hawthorne, Lara. Silent Night. London: Lincoln's Children Books, 2018.
I loved the illustrations in this picture book illustrated the beloved Christmas carol. While Mary and Joseph look more African than Jewish, the illustrations are charming, reflecting the peace of Christmas. I would eventually like to purchase my own copy, but for now I'll keep this one until it expires so I may enjoy it for this Christmas season. This was a "read now" title at NetGalley. I downloaded it with the expectation of writing an honest review. I would eventually like to purchase my own copy, but for now I'll keep this one until it expires so I may enjoy it for this Christmas season.
Likable characters and a charming setting make this book a great comfort read. However, it shows its share of adult marital problems as well. After a failed marriage, Katie, along with her small son, moves to Budbury, a village along the Dorset coast. She finds comfort in the charming cafe and the people of the village. Will her parents ruin her peace? Will she be able to love again? With the climax coming around Christmas, it's a perfect holiday read. I look forward to reading earlier installments of the series to learn more about Budbury. This review is based on an electronic copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
Spencer, Katherine. Thomas Kinkade's Cape Light: A Christmas Secret. New York: Berkley, 2018.
Martin Nightingale must fulfill some odd wishes in his grandfather's will in order to receive his inheritance and his grandfather's house. His grandfather wants him to spend a large sum of money on personal needs of Cape Light residents with only a small amount going to charity needs. Through the story we learn the story of how Martin's grandfather's toy shop was saved through the generosity of Oliver. In the meantime, Martin finds himself falling for Louisa, the police officer who caught him speeding on his arrival into town. This was a heartwarming story--and a perfect one for Christmas. It reminds us we should bless others with the blessings bestowed upon us. Kindness, even to those who are not kind in return, exemplifies the Christmas spirit. I received an advance electronic uncorrected proof from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fluke, Joanne. Christmas Cake Murder. New York: Kensington, 2018.
This book actually tells of an event which took place early in Hannah Swensen's cookie-baking career. Hannah and her sisters charge their mom with recreating a Christmas Cake Parade like the one an older lady named Essie discusses. They discover a manuscript written by Essie. Hannah purchases the building which will become the Cookie Jar. We finally reached an "attempted murder" near the end of the book, but most of this is simply back-story. While the descriptions of eating the baked goods is quite good, I'm always frustrated by the "extra comments" in the recipes which make them difficult to use in a real kitchen. As a reader, I wish I'd been alerted in some manner this book, written as the 23rd installment of a series, is chronologically first (or wherever it may actually fall since it's been so long since I read the first installments). I received an advance egalley from the publisher through NetGalley with expectations of an honest review.
Andrews, Donna. How the Finch Stole Christmas. New York: Minotaur Books, 2017.
It's nearly Christmas in Caerphilly. Michael is directing the production of A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is being portrayed by an almost forgotten actor named Haver who has a drinking problem. In the meantime, Goudian finches are plentiful in the area thanks to a wildlife smuggling ring. Meg finds more finches, a tiger, a puppy mill, other exotic animals, and house full of cats, and a corpse, after following Haver to locate his drink supplier. Haver keeps disappearing so Michael is prepared to fill in, if necessary. Various townspeople, including Meg's grandfather the vet and her father the doctor, get involved in the plot while the police are sorting things out. It's a fun read, but not one of the strongest in the series, which is typical with most holiday reads. Still it provides a pleasant distraction for readers during a busy season when readers need a little escape. I received an advance electronic review copy from the publisher through Netgalley with the expectation of an honest review.
Frost, Jacqueline. Twelve Slays of Christmas. (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery, no. 1). New York: Crooked Lane Books, 2017.
What a fun cozy Christmas mystery! Holly White returns home to Mistletoe, Maine after a failed engagement, just in time for the 12 days of reindeer games hosted on her parents' farm. Unfortunately Margaret Fenwick, head of the local historical society, is killed right on the farm, and Holly discovers the body. Holly can't help but investigate, which brings threats to her and her parents. I really enjoyed this light mystery which includes a spark of romance between Holly and Sheriff Evan Gray, a Boston transplant. I enjoyed many of Holly's friends. This one has a lot of potential as a series, although if murders continue at Christmas each year, I doubt anyone will be wanting to visit the reindeer games. I look forward to the next installment of the series and may try some of the author's "Kitty Couture" mysteries written under the name Julie Chase. I received an advance review e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
It's a White Christmas in 2010! These pictures are taken from my Dad's house in Mississippi which is where I am for the holidays, but it's a White Christmas at home in East Tennessee too.
Now, for a little look at a Christmas past. This was my very first White Christmas at the age of 10 months.
This appears to be a picture of me enjoying my very first Christmas. I'm probably about 10 months old in the picture. I won't tell how many years ago it was! This was, however, back in the days when we had a real tree instead of an artificial one!
One of my favorite singers is Gerald Wolfe who sings lead with the group Greater Vision. There are two Christmas songs that he sings that are among my favorites. One of these is the song written by Lanny Wolfe called "Cherish That Name." I couldn't find a YouTube recording sung by Gerald of it so I opted to go with the other one, "O Holy Night."
According to Wikipedia, "O Holy Night" was composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847, but the version we know came to be in 1855 when John Sullivan Dwight, a Unitarian minister, created a version for singing based upon the French song.
O HOLY NIGHT
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, 'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born; O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother; And in His name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever, His power and glory evermore proclaim. His power and glory evermore proclaim.
Huckabee, Mike. A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories That Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit. New York: Sentinel, 2009.
I really enjoyed this collection of stories from Governor Huckabee's life that remind us that sometimes simple is better. They also show us the depth of his faith in Jesus Christ. They challenge us to remember the true meaning of Christmas. One of my favorite portions of the book was the introduction. I would have enjoyed hearing him preach that message! Throughout the book, the Governor made reference to many members of his family. As a genealogist, I wanted to go hunting for his ancestors as most of his information on the distant generations appears to have been passed down through oral tradition rather than having been properly documented. I still loved the stories of his family and of himself. One of the most touching stories involved the last days of a family member who died to cancer. Having lost my mother to cancer in the last year, I found myself in tears in that section. While I doubt liberal Democrats would enjoy the book, I do think there are many other classes of persons to whom this book would appeal. The stories are touching. It's a great Christmas read! (4 stars)
Yes. There truly is one in every family. It's impossible for our family to create a meal without alternatives around the holidays. It's not the older generation that is the problem. It's the ones under age 35. Turkey . . . fortunately most of the family will eat this. Of course, it is my cat Brumley's favorite part of the holiday meal. Cornbread dressing . . . only those over age 35 will eat this. Fortunately those of us over 35 don't mind because it leaves more for us (until we've had it as leftovers for a 3rd time). Cranberry sauce . . . This is a tricky one. My dad, my brothers, and I will eat this. Mom always served the jellied kind out of the can. I prefer making it myself, but the family eats the jellied kind better because of tradition . . . so I usually suffer. Rolls . . . this is one item everyone will eat. Green beans . . . generally speaking, it's those of us who are older who eat this, but I was shocked when, at Thanksgiving, one of my nephews actually put some on his plate. He didn't eat a lot of green beans, but he ate a few. There may be hope for that younger generation yet. Sweet potato casserole . . . some will eat; some won't. Cheesy potato casserole . . . one of my newer favorite dishes. We started making it because one of my nieces really liked it. We're not sure if she knew it had onions in it when we first started serving it, but she does now, and she still eats it. Mashed potatoes . . . served as an alternative for those who won't eat the cheesy potato casserole and/or dressing. Fruit salad . . . another food that everyone will eat. Carrots with ranch dressing . . . for my youngest niece who is now a senior in high school. Pecan pie, Pumpkin pie, Cheesecake supreme . . . everyone will eat at least one of the choices offered (although why some of my nieces and nephews would ever eat the boxed cheesecake you buy at the grocery store after eating the homemade variety we serve, I don't understand). Chocolate . . . Can you believe that I have a niece who won't eat chocolate? We even have Swiss ancestry!!!!! She needs to learn to embrace her inner Swiss. I always tease her that I'm not sure we're related. Of course, we have coated pretzels, fudges, cheese balls, summer sausages, and other things to munch on during the holidays as well.
I love receiving packages. Right before Christmas, the North Carolina Historical Publications Shop had a sale on many of their titles. I decided that I couldn't go wrong by purchasing their publications in light of how much North Carolina research in which I'm now involved -- either for others or for myself.
Here are the titles I ordered:
William P. Cumming - Mapping the North Carolina Coast: Sixteenth-Century Cartography and the Roanoke Voyages Russell S. Koonts - North Carolina Petitions for Presidential Pardon, 1865-1868: (An Index) Alan D. Watson - Bath: The First Town in North Carolina Alan D. Watson - An Index to North Carolina Newspapers, 1784-1789 A. R. Newsome - Records of Emigrants from England and Scotland to North Carolina, 1774-1775 Marcus B. Simpson, Jr. & Sallie W. Simpson - Whaling on the North Carolina Coast Catherine W. Bishir - The "Unpainted Aristocracy": The Beach Cottages of Old Nags Head Alan D. Watson - Bertie County: A Brief History Edward W. Phifer, Jr. - Burke County: A Brief History David Stick - Dare County: A Brief History James W. Wall - Davie County: A Brief History S. Kent Schwarzkopf - A History of Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains: Exploration, Development, and Preservation Lawrence Lee - New Hanover County: A Brief History Alan D. Watson - Onslow County: A Brief History Joe A. Mobley - Palmico County: A Brief History Lindley S. Butler - Rockingham County: A Brief History Roy Parker, Jr. - Cumberland County: A Brief History
I'm very happy with my genealogical Christmas present to myself. As I was adding them into LibraryThing, I discovered that the author Diana Gabaldon had the title about emigrants from England and Scotland as well as a book on North Carolina county formation. I was excited to see that such a popular fiction author had "genealogy" books in her library!
I read a most interesting article in this morning's Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal about some of the ornament traditions (see below for link to print version; this link is for the stories only) in various families from the area. The newspaper showed a photo of the tree with more than 1200 ornaments on it! That was not the only tree in the home either. I sure would hate to be the one hanging all those ornaments! There were stories of ornaments that were handed down through families, made from old quilts, and even ones made from Happy Meal toys. There was at least one person who shares my habit of purchasing souvenir ornaments from places I have traveled. I began doing this because I simply don't have the space for mugs and such, and it is easier to store ornaments and bring them out when I decorate. As I hang the ornament, I can relive the memories of that trip. I just wanted to share this with my blog readers! The online version (of unedited stories) is quite a bit different than the version that appeared in the print version.
Many of you have probably noticed a lack of blogging over the last couple of weeks on my part. I have not had time to blog. My mother entered the hospital on December 3 and was there for 2 weeks. I finished my responsibilities for the semester and after grades were submitted, I left a week earlier than I intended because I was needed. Even before I left, I was busy taking care of many things by phone at a distance. Mom is home now, but Christmas will be different this year. She's still very weak, and she's not quite herself. I'm doing all the cooking for Christmas dinner. I suspect that all of us will experience a wide range of emotions when it comes to how different Christmas is at the family level. However, there is one thing that will remain the same. We would not be celebrating Christmas had it not been for Jesus! I think we've all had a reminder of how dependent we are on Him this year as there has been nothing we can do except pray as we've been dealing with Mom's state of health. I don't know how much time I'll have for blogging over the next week or two, but I'll try to post as I have something to say and have time.
