Collection of Sophie Pictures

I noticed I had several cute pictures of Sophie on my hard drive, and I'm not sure if I ever shared them here or just maybe on Facebook.  Figured I'd post them here as a Collection of Sophie Pictures Post.


First, here is one that Sophie's grandpa shared on Facebook of him with Megan, my sister in law.  You can decide if Sophie favors her mom (or papaw).

Tony and Megan

In no particular order... Sophie in snapshots and studio pictures!

Sophie and Zach 2015

Sophie and Zach 2015

just shy of 2

1st birthday

barely born

decorated

They said she was mad because the cookies wouldn't come off the plate!

Sophie 2014

Sophie with Steph and Will; March 2015

2015

Two years old!

Look how much her hair grew in a year!  Compare that ^ (April 2016) with this one from March 2015.

almost one

with Nana; March 2015

Sept 2015

I sure love my Sophie girl!

Last Names, Genealogy, Ancestry Stuff

With Melania Trump in the news because she spoke at the RNC last night and, well, because she's married to Donald Trump who is unbelievably still to me The One destined to be the Republican nominee running against Hillary Clinton, I have seen stories on my Facebook feed about Slovenia, and Melania's hometown, and even Slovenians in Ohio (where the Republican National Convention is taking place.)


This reminded me of my brother in law, Will whom I've written about previously (probably more than once, but I don't have time to search my archives right now.)  Not because Will is Slovenian.  He's actually from Venezuela, but he has a Slovenian last name due to his aunt marrying a man from Ohio with a Slovenian last name.  Mari and Wayne adopted Will when he was about fifteen so he could live with them in the United States.  Will had a Spanish last name before the adoption.



I still sometimes marvel at how last names tell us about our heritage to some degree, but not always especially in the case of adoptions.  And unless you are some kind of genealogist who looks at who married whom or who didn't even marry, but passed along her last name to her children,  you only really have part of the picture because we forget that Prudence Cooley Truax's mom had a last name not passed down to her. So, what was it?


I ordered one of those Ancestry DNA kits recently when Ancestry.com had a sale around July 4. They are probably pretty bogus in reality  (or, at least articles on Facebook tell me so...boo), but it's something I was curious enough about doing that I finally bought one.  And I'm not one who buys stuff for the sake of buying things usually.   I'm not a paid subscriber to Ancestry.com, however, so I can't open up all the cool records.  They did invite me to begin a family tree, and some "hints" were open for me to view.  I enjoyed that.   Especially stuff like this which I hope to see more of one day.  (Maybe I will subscribe one day and read all the stuff!)



Washington, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1961
Immigration & Emigration
Vancouver, British Columbia
Arrival 17 Apr 1927 - Seattle, Washington - Age: 1
Birth 1926 - Tungjon, China
Departure Shanghai, China
Gender Male
Line 12
Name Daniel Wesley Truax
Race/Nationality Scotch
Residence China
Ship Name/Airline Empress of Canada


Daniel Truax is my beloved Pop (my mom's dad) who died four years ago. I find the Scotch race/nationality interesting. Not sure what to make of it since the family was from the United States, and Truax is a French last name.

From Ancestry.com

"Truax Name Meaning

Americanized spelling of French du Trieux, a habitational name from Trieux in Meurthe-et-Moselle, in northeastern France."

Also, I knew he was born to missionary parents in China (his mom is actually buried there; died at age 29 after having a daughter), but didn't realize the family traveled back to the US when he was so young.  




From the Fuqua side, I found this picture of my dad's grandfather. I had seen it before, but didn't have a copy that I remembered (or if I did, I can't remember where it is) so I wanted to put it here.  My brother got this grandfather's full name. My dad adored this man who raised him when his own parents divorced.

Daniel Carr Fuqua
1900-1973

June Books

Room for Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- a library book my mom had not taken time to read so I did instead; it's about Neva and the shocking news that her husband and his other wife died when he was away on his business trip (wink, wink).  Other wife?  What in the world?  And who are these three children who have been brought to Neva to rear? 

You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon -- a fairly easy read; I read the bulk of this book while at the children's museum with Zach today (6-3).  That either tells you that it was super-short/easy to read or that we were at the museum a long time.  Some of both, really.  Oddly the first chapter is about a lady named Natalya so I about flipped when the 8 year old Zach was playing with introduced herself at Natalya.  Weird.  (Those two had so much fun playing together!)  This book deals with life at Ft. Hood, Texas.  Each chapter is a snapshot of one family or one character.  There is no resolution to the stories, but it gives you a glimpse of how people live on base. The author is the wife of an Army major who lived at Ft. Hood at one time.

When Love Returns by Kim Vogel Sawyer  -- I read the first two books in this trilogy last year, and remembered to check if they had the final one. They did!  This is the story of Suzanne Zimmerman, Anna-Grace, Alexa, and adoption and reuniting with birth mothers.

Country Driving by Peter Hessler -- I read one of his books a few years ago, and when I saw this one at Barnes & Noble, I checked to see if my library had it before putting it on my Amazon Wishlist. I received this for my birthday.  The book starts with Peter obtaining his Chinese driver's license.  In section one he travels along the Great Wall, and documents people he meets, hitchikers' stories, and observations on the scenery and towns.  I enjoyed section two more when he rents a house in a small village and we get to know certain people in that town.  The final section talks more of factories and their growth.

Emma's Gift Leisha Kelly -- this is a follow-up book of one I read last month; the first book dealt with Julia and Samuel Wortham arriving on a farm and how Emma allowed them to stay. In this book it's about seven months later, and two deaths cause a lot of upheaval among the neighbors.




Katie's Dream by Leisha Kelly -- Another book about the Worthams and Hammonds and the neighbors.  Samuel Wortham's brother (recently released from prison) pays the family a visit and brings along a small girl whom he claims is his brother's daughter.  This book was a reminder to me to forgive often, to love others even when they are mean and don't deserve it, and how God can soften hearts.  Also, I'm amazed at giving and selfless, welcoming people.




Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin  -- A rather cute story about a librarian Alice who always has her nose in a book.  Until she left her home near Chicago to take some books to a poor region in the hills of Kentucky where she met Leslie, thinking Leslie to be a woman with whom she can stay during her two week visit.  She quickly learns how living in the real world can be as exciting as books.



Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers  -- The story of a baby born under a bridge, found by a local pastor and raised in a northern California town.  Abra Matthews later leaves with bad boy Dylan with hopes that someone will finally love her and she will be somebody.





A Promise for Spring by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- a predictable book, but still an easy read about a lady from England coming to Kansas to marry the guy she was engaged to several years prior. Only she has doubts when she gets to this prairie land and sees this man again






Gap Creek by Robert Morgan -- the story of a young lady who marries and moves down the mountain with her young husband.  Whew, what a rough life!   People back then sure knew how to work hard to survive!





Rorey's Secret by Leisha Kelly -- This chronicles more of the Hammond and Wortham families that I was introduced to in a previous book, Emma's Gift.  It tells of hardships and pulling together with family and neighbors when the Hammonds' barn and half the fields burn.



Rachel's Prayer by Leisha Kelly  -- This continues the story of the Hammonds and Worthams as they deal with several of the young men being sent off to fight in World War II. 



Sarah's Promise by Leisha Kelly -- The final book in the series mentioned above.  This one is about Frank as he leaves the family to make his own way in the world. 





Deeper Water by Robert Whitlow -- I decided to try this book which I found on the NEW book shelf despite the copyright being 2008 (weird). It's in the Tides of Truth series and I already put the other books on hold so I can read more about the progress of the law career of Tammy Lynn Taylor aka Tami Taylor from North Georgia.  I wasn't sure if I'd like this book, but decided to keep reading despite the weirdness of her family.   I guess it interested me enough to go ahead and see what else happens to this law student.




Now and Always by Lori Copeland -- the story of Katie - a mid-thirties, single woman - who opened her home to a few battered women.  This story is about someone who can't budget, control her spending, or get a grip on her finances, but has a generous heart and wants to help needy people or horses.






The Other Side of Darkness by Melody Carlson -- a look at how people with OCD are more vulnerable to cult-like churches; told through the story of Ruth who does her best to purge the evil from her life and her home. 




Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman -- An "English" person teams up with a young Amish lady and Tate, the widowed farmer who lives near the Village to investigate the sudden death of a Village employee.  Was it just a heart attack as the police and EMT said, or was something more sinister going on?

A Treasure Concealed by Tracie Peterson -- saw this on the new books shelf and needed another easy read because I'm not in the frame of mind for something heavy (summer brain, I guess).  This is the story of a young lady - Emily - who lives with her family in a tiny cabin on a mining claim in Montana back in the late 1800s.  Fairly predictable book, but OK otherwise. 

These Boots Weren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson -- I read a book by this author a couple days ago that was pretty dark and spiritual, but this one was more lighthearted and fun, if not predictable.  It was about Cassie and her getting fired, getting dumped, moving to live at home with her mom, and how things turned out with that.  Also, she did buy some expensive new boots.

May Books

Mercy by Jodi Picoult  -- A look at euthanasia and adultery.  And how people change based on things that happen to them.  Typing the title of this book prompted me to look up the definition of mercy:  "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." 

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko -- I read the first of these J Fic books a couple of months ago so I figured I should read what else happened to Moose and the gang on Alcatraz island.

Changing Cadence by Michael Dillon -- I got this book for my birthday. It's about a corporate lawyer who loses his job and decides to bike from Jacksonville, Florida, to his home in California.  I enjoy tales like this especially when authors talk about people they meet along their journeys.  I especially like the way this book ended:  with an admonition to not be afraid because fear limits us.

"If I learned anything from my ride, it is that when we let fear limit us, we miss the best of each other, our country, and ourselves.  So, be not afraid.

But do keep an eye out for the dogs."  (pg. 186)

A Most Inconvenient Marriage by Regina Jennings -- A story about a nurse who married a dying soldier so she'd inherit his farm, and take care of his mom and ailing sister. Only the man who married her wasn't the owner of the land. Awkward!

Where Do I Go? by Neta Jackson -- Book one in a series I saw at the library that I decided to read when I was glancing around hurriedly for something to read (of course.)  This book introduces us to Gabby Fairbanks and her husband Philip who've recently moved from Virginia to Chicago.  They are living the good life, but Gabby keeps embarrassing her husband by befriending homeless people and having the audacity to get hired by the homeless shelter!

Who Do I Talk To? by Neta Jackson -- book two in the series mentioned above.  It continues with more of Gabby's story. I won't say much about it because spoilers.

Hidden Places by Lynn Austin -- My mom found this in the Large Print section of the library, told me it was good, and so I read it.  It was good.  The story of Eliza and her children, Aunt Batty, and this stranger who ended up at their farm.  Was Gabe really the missing son Matthew Wyatt? Or was he an imposter out to get the orchard? Or what?

Who Do I Lean On? by Neta Jackson -- book three in the House of Hope series; it continues the story of Gabby Fairbanks and her family in Chicago

The Hundred-Year Walk by Dawn Anahid MacKeen  -- I saw an article by this lady on Facebook last year (a HuffPo article maybe), and saw she'd written a book about her grandfather's escape from the genocide of the Armenians. I put the book on my Amazon Wishlist and a friend sent it for my birthday last month.   In addition to telling her grandfather's story, the author traveled to Turkey and Syria herself to follow the route her grandfather took based on diaries he left to the family.  Parts of this book were really interesting! 

Harry Bentley's Second Chance by Dave Jackson -- a parallel novel to the above-mentioned books by Neta Jackson, his wife; This book and the following book follow the life of retired Chicago police officer Harry Bentley who was introduced in the books by his wife.  You'll remember him as the doorman at the place where Gabby lives with her husband and sons.  In this book Harry is introduced to a grandson he didn't know existed.

Harry Bentley's Second Sight by Dave Jackson  -- see above; in this book Harry goes through the challenges of an eye problem among other things.

Julia's Hope by Leisha Kelly -- A young family heads west in search of a job, but finds out that job has dried up in the great depression so they stay at a farm which doesn't belong to them. Nor can they pay for it.  What will Emma say about that?  What will the neighbors think?

June Bug by Chris Fabry -- A girl recognizes her own face on a missing child poster, and wonders about her past. Who is this guy she's known as "daddy" all her life?  Where is she from?  Does she have a mother waiting for her somewhere?

Blowing on Dandelions by Miralee Ferrell -- The story of Katherine a young-thirties widow who runs a boarding house in Oregon with her two daughters.  The book introduces us to characters living in her house including her critical mother, random strangers, and the livery man and his son whose house burned one night. 

Wishing on Buttercups by Miralee Ferrell -- this story continues with most of the same characters in the above-mentioned book only this time the focus is on Beth as she searches for her roots and with Jeffery Tucker who wants to make his way on his own - and not with the family money or obligations. 



Who Is My Shelter? by Neta Jackson -- another book in the "House of Hope" series following the life of Gabby Fairbanks and other familiar characters from the previous books.  I had to wait for book four because it was already checked out of the library.   Some good reminders in this book for me.

Stuck in the Weeds: A Pilgrim on the Mississippi River and the Camino de Santiago by Paul Stutzman -- I read his book about hiking the Appalachian Trail and biking across the US so I thought reading about his journey down the Mississippi River would be a fun read. It was pretty good although [SPOILER ALERT] he didn't get very far.  That was kind of surprising. I did wonder why they had a whole section on his pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago.  That was pretty good, and he had some challenging words about pilgrims and trusting God that were all right.



ETA:  I finished another book before the end of the month!  Didn't think I would, but I did!  May 31, 2016 6:43 PM


Lucy Come Home by Dave and Neta Jackson -- this book goes along with several I read this month; this story is about the homeless lady Lucy, and tells her story. I really enjoyed getting to know Lucy better.   

April Books

Left for Dead: My Journey Home from Everest by Beck Weathers -- I heard about this guy when I was reading Into Thin Air a few weeks ago.  His story was pretty interesting although he wasn't a good family man.  I'm glad he got another chance with his wife and children. 

Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs - a J Biography that won the Newberry Medal; a good way to learn more about Louisa Alcott. I kept thinking "wow, so much name-dropping" since her family knew many famous people!

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis -- another J Fic book from the black man I mentioned in last month's post. This was about a motherless child who had lived in a Home and a foster family. He decided to set out to find his father - or the person he thought was his father.

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis -- a good way to learn more about this settlement in southern Canada - the land of the free! - where escaped slaves went to live.

 

 

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett -- A story I remember my fifth-grade teacher reading to us that I wanted to read again.  A good story about the power of fresh air, positive thinking, and gardens!  Especially nice to read in spring when everything is blooming so prettily.

 

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult -- the longer I read this book, the more I realized I read it many years ago, but still it was good to reread this story about an Amish teen who was accused of smothering her newborn. 

 

 

Black Man in a White Coat by Damon Tweedy, M.D. -- " a doctor's reflections on race and medicine" --  I've read a few accounts by doctors or paramedics in recent months, but I had never read a book by a black doctor.  This doctor studied at Duke University's Medical School which is not too far from where I live.  He tells stories of his classes - when he was mistaken by a professor as the guy there to fix the lights - and also many accounts of working in a rural clinic (where all the patients were black). He talks of racist patients who didn't want a "nigger doctor" and also tells of doctors who discriminate.  He speaks of his own homophobia growing up, and the color of HIV/AIDS.  Yes, he focus a lot on race and how race pertains to health particularly of black people.  His stories are good, and I'm glad to know more about him.

 

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold -- the mother of Dylan of Columbine; advocate for brain health

The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis -- this is a companion to a book I read a couple of weeks ago about Elijah who lives in Buxton, Canada.  This book revisits Buxton and nearby Chatham and tells the story of Benji and Red, their lives and how they meet.  And it also talks about the madman who lives in the nearby forest!

The Daughter's Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick -- This story is partly true. It's about a mother and daughter who walked from Washington to New York with hopes of winning $10,000 in order to keep the family farm from foreclosure.  The fiction part fills in the blanks of what happened later.  A pretty interesting story about Helga and Clara Estby.

Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler -- The story of a fearful of most everything thirty-something lady in Mount Olive, NC, who was born in Japan - the place where she lost her mother to a house fire, and her father to her mother's death.   This was an easy read in that I could read it fast, but it seemed a bit plodding-along at times.  Reminded me of the laid-back lifestyle many claim we Southerners have.

One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling -- a good reminder for us to be organ donors; one family's heartache at losing a young family member gave hope and continued life to a twenty-year old needing a heart

Forbidden by Wilma Wall -- What happens when a Mennonite woman and a Japanese-American man fall in love after World War II?  This tells the story of Annie and Donald, and the tough time they faced as a "mixed-race" couple at a time when Japanese were not well-liked in the US.

The Healing Quilt by Lauraine Snelling -- a community comes together to update the hospital's mammogram machine; women come together to discuss grief and forgiveness as they create a quilt to auction off for funds

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements -- a J Fic book about a preteen in Illinois who earns extra credit by writing to a young girl in Afghanistan. Only it's the girl's brother doing most of the writing, and both learn about the other's world and come to appreciate their own homes better through their correspondence.

 

 

Sandwich With a Side of Romance by Krista Phillips -- 20 year old Maddie is trying to earn enough money to afford a house and get her brother out of foster care.  Unfortunately the first hair cut she gives goes badly and she ends up working at the sandwich shop in town.

House of Secrets by Tracie Peterson -- I seem to read quite a lot about women (moms) in families with mental illnesses.  This was no exception.  I could relate to Bailee's anger and bitterness towards God...how he can know someone is dangerous to others, and hurting others, yet not step in to stop it?  I truly do understand the feelings some express at how can God be loving and all-powerful, yet allow people to be tortured, abused, neglected, raped, murdered. 

Tea for Two by Trish Perry -- I'd read book one of this series awhile back, and remembered it was rather silly. But I saw this at the library while looking for some easy reads so I picked it up. I liked it better than the first book.  It's about the produce man Zack, a single father trying to raise teenagers, and the therapist, Tina, who gets to know the family.  Nothing unpredictable, really, but OK for a quick read.

March Books

Granny D: Walking Across America in My 90th Year by Doris Haddock -- the story of an old woman who wanted to continue fighting for causes so she decided to walk across the US - from California to Washington, D.C., - spreading a message about national campaign finance reform.  In the book she talks about sights and weather along the way, people she met, speeches she gave, but also reflections on her years as a child and young adult, her husband, her children, her friends, her causes.  A remarkable lady.  I looked her up online, and saw she died a few weeks after her 100th birthday.

The Angel of Grozny: Orphans of a Forgotten War by Asne Seierstad -- This journalist from Norway - actually a lady who speaks Russian who becomes a journalist because it's easier to teach journalism to someone who already speaks Russian than to teach a journalist, Russian - goes to parts of Russia and Chechnya to report on people she meets.  Such a sad tale.

Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians by George Dardess -- Last year a FB friend mentioned this book to me, and I saw that my library had it. I kept forgetting to check it out, but finally did. I kept thinking it seemed really similar to another book I'd read, but later I checked and, oh!, I read this very book back in 2008 or 9.  Since I'd already committed myself to reading over half the book, I decided maybe a refresher was needed so I finished it. 

The Double Life of Liliane by Lily Tuck -- When I saw this book on the New Books shelf at the library, I admit the author's name is what took my attention. Not because I recognized it, but because I did. At least the Tuck part, right?  Hey, that's my (married) last name!  I always like when I see a family name - or even my own first name in an author - so I checked out the book. It's described as Lily Tuck's "most autobiographical novel to date" and an "autofiction" because they claim life is "part fact part fiction."  Also, as you may recall Susanne means "lily" so there's that.  This lady is way more worldly and interesting than I.  Also her family so different than mine. I don't understand parents who leave their children alone so they can pursue affairs and such, but maybe that's just me.   This was a fairly easy read, and I enjoyed the lovely higher-than-normal spring temps while reading it outside.

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson -- I saw Bridget mention this in her recent book post so I decided to find it at my local library, and I read it this week. I am not sure if I ever read it as a child. If I did, I've forgotten. The story is familiar, but maybe that's because similar themes are present in several stories I've read including the one mentioned in the title.  This is the story of Sara Louise called Wheeze and the favored, blonde, much-loved, shining twin Caroline.  With a nickname like Wheeze you can't be pretty or talented, right?  It makes you feel as if you have a constant lung problem.  Good read especially as I sat outside during these lovely spring days while Zach played Mario with friends at the park.

Walking the Nile by Levison Wood -- The story of an English explorer and adventurer on a mission to walk along the Nile - all four thousand two hundred plus miles of it.  He starts his journey in an area that is the disputed beginning - this adds an extra few hundred miles to his journey.  He travels north with a guide named Boston who later becomes a friend.  The author tells about people he meets, villages he goes through, food offered to him, and wildlife he sees.  When he finally reaches Egypt, he is stuck in Aswan for three weeks while an expensive fixer tries to get proper permission and guides for his trek through this final country.  He observes the lack of tourism in an area where tour guides speak ten languages, and boats wait to take people out on cruises, and cooks survey the empty tables with sadness.  He credits the Arab Spring and the military coup with the lack of tourists.    

He says, "Just four years ago, there had been hundreds of boats serving tourists out on the Nile, but now they were all mothballed, moored up, four or five abreast, on the banks of the river with only skeleton crews to keep them afloat. Shops were boarded up or left empty; now nobody sold trinkets and you'd struggle to find a plastic pyramid even if you wanted one. Tour guides fluent in ten languages were sweeping the streets or driving taxis, or otherwise sat idle in the coffee shops lamenting the good old days. As far as I could tell, all of them seemed to regret the revolution - the first one, at least - and blamed it on the ignorance of youth."  (pg. 287)

A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 by Joan W. Blos -- since I was in the J Fiction books the other day, I checked out another.  This was a pretty good story of Catherine's observations on life just before she left her New Hampshire home to help a family. 

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis -- I decided to read more J Fiction books, and saw this one about a black girl - Deza (that's Deh zuh, not Dee za) - growing up in Gary, Indiana, and later Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression. What a charming girl, and what a hard life, and what an interesting way to learn more about it.  I really liked this book, and am going to look for more books by this man.  (In general, I don't read a lot of fiction by men and more particularly by black men. This may be my first - and it was good.  But I won't dare say what some white folks said to Deza that he's a credit to his race. *eyeroll*)

Mrs. Jeffries & the Yuletide Weddings by Emily Brightwell -- this book must be part of a series and I picked this one up at a book exchange in Southport.  A group of servants and a friend or two outside the household come together to help solve mysteries that their employer and friend, the Inspector, is hired to solve.  A pretty cute story though I still don't get all the English talk and slang, but this was easy enough to follow.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson -- the story of Jess and his new friend Leslie and their special friendship; another J Fic book

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko -- imagine being the child of a prison guard. On Alcatraz while Al Capone is in residence.  Also imagine having an older sister with autism, and having to look after her while your mom teaches piano on the mainland.  A rather cute story. Again from the J Fic section of the library.

Rodzina by Karen Cushman -- a cute J Fic book about a twelve-year-old Polish girl on an orphan train to the West.  This was truly a thing at one time in US history, and this story shows Rodzina's journey to various stops as she heads towards a new family. 

The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman -- I could relate to Francine quite a bit. The girl who followed the rules and often chose not to speak up so she wouldn't rock the boat. I wish often I could be like her friend Sophie who was outspoken about social justice issues of the day, the girl who dared to question authority and God's existence.  This tale took place during the end of 1949. Communism and finding Communists among us were themes, and the story was about thirteen year old girls. Yeah, another J Fic book.

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman -- a J Fic book that won a Newberry Award; cute tale of an abandoned girl who evolved from Brat to Beetle to Alyce.

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz  -- Years ago I read a book from this author about his travels around Arabia. It was so good. I had seen this Confederate one at that time, but I was a bit burned out on Civil War stuff and more interested in books about the Middle East so I put this one on my mental "read later" list.  Well, last month we were looking around a Barnes & Noble in Myrtle Beach, I saw this book, and remembered to check it out of the library. So I did.  I really enjoyed the author's trips with hard-core historical interpreters (this one group didn't like the term "reenactors").  The one guy from Ohio - Southern parents, but he grew up in Medina - was especially hard-core. In fact I realized just last night that the photo on the cover was him (Robert Lee Hodge).  The author mentioned in the book that Mr. Hodge posed for a number of Civil War photos so I should have caught on sooner.   When the author - Tony - was invited to travel with these hard-core guys for a marching weekend, most of his stuff was thrown out as not authentic enough.  Even his Granny Smith apples were too shiny and had to be tossed.   They gave him a new pair of glasses  (weaker prescription) to wear because his own glasses frames were not right for the times (1860s).   I marveled at these guys smearing bacon grease in their beards and on their clothes, carrying live chickens since the Rebels often did, spooning instead of carrying heavy blankets.  Quite the tales at times and some of it rather amusing!

Other bits from the book:

In Salisbury, NC, he attended a Jackson-Lee birthday party complete with trivia and refreshments in honor of those Confederate generals.  (pg. 25)

I liked his term of "latter day rebels."  (pg. 26)

Also the discussion about Jews in Charleston was interesting.  The author is a Jew so he brought up his own family history a few times. It was always neat when he was recognized as a M.O.T.   (pg. 62)

He interviewed Shelby Foote, and I learned from him a bit more about the KKK's history and the mentality of people during its formation (pg. 153).

I loved the chapter when Tony visited the battlefield in Shiloh, TN,  and the ranger who gave Tony a personal tour explaining the story that the landscape there tells. (pg. 178)

In Atlanta, Tony met a guy from Connecticut selling Confederate t-shirts, mugs, trinkets, and other stuff.  He also met Melly Meadows - a Scarlett O'Hara lookalike - who regularly appeared at events. Who knew the Japanese were particularly fond of Scarlett (at least when this book was being researched - the mid-1990s)?

Did you know people asked about Scarlett's grave - where they could find it?  Also, at a place in Charleston one tour guide said people sometimes wondered why all the battles were fought at national parks! 

I learned about Rebel soldiers writing Yankee women (pg. 315), and Fitzgerald, Georgia, as a Yankee settlement with a goal of reconciliation - pretty cool story (pg. 332).

In Selma, AL, the author sat in on a few classrooms. In one classroom, the white students sat on one side, the black students on another, with Tony in the middle.  He asked why this was, and the students seemed to not even realize they self-segregated.  He met with students once in an alternative school for black students and discussed the Civil War.  The greatest conflict Tony reported from his whole trip (and this book has just over 400 pages with the index) was a talk with a black leader in Selma, Alabama. While Tony appreciated her work and initially admired her, they had words over Ms. Sanders' admiration of Farrakhan.

"A few things?" I snapped back. "He says Hitler is a great man. As a Jew, I've got a problem with that."

"Oh, here we go again.  Jewish suffering.  What about our suffering?  Our holocaust? What about the holocaust of Indians?"  (pg. 369)

The Lopsided Christmas Cake by Wanda & Jean Brunstetter -- an easy read for my time at Southport; not the most exciting or interesting tale, but I read it.  The story of how a couple of Amish twins met some eligible bachelors because of a baking fundraiser.

Will Sparrow's Road by Karen Cushman -- I've read a few of her books lately. I found them in the J FIC of the library. This one is about a boy who ran away from the inn after he was caught stealing. He ends up helping a "troupe of 'oddities and prodigies' traveling from fair to fair."  This book takes place in England in 1599.

A Thousand Naked Strangers by Kevin Hazzard -- I heard him interviewed on an NPR program, and then I saw his book in the library.  This is "a paramedic's wild ride to the edge and back." 

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz  -- Since I found his Confederates book again, I decided I should see what else my library has by this author. This book begins with Tony in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where many Americans celebrate the founding of our country.  Plymouth Rock. Pilgrims.  The Mayflower.  All that stuff.  In this book Tony looks before that time to Vinland, the Dominican Republic, Columbus, de Soto, the Conquistadors, the French Calvinists near today's Jacksonville, Florida, and how that brought about the settlement at St. Augustine as the Spanish Catholics cleared "their" territory of these heretics (that was an especially interesting chapter to me.)  He speaks of those who came to the banks of (now) North Carolina and Virginia.  Lots of interesting stuff!

Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward Deeper Healing by Joni Eareckson Tada -- I saw this mentioned online somewhere last year, and someone bought it for me off my Amazon Wishlist.  It has a short talk for each day of the month. Some good reminders and challenges in those few pages, too.

A Fun Day with Sophie

On Thursday, March 17, I spent a few hours with Sophie.


First we were walking up a sidewalk, and she decided this looked like a great place to have a seat.

Later we went to Alamance Crossing's play area where she ran and climbed a bit.  Oh, and went through tunnels. 

She wanted to check out these things.

And we also saw the water.  I think she wanted to get in. It was unseasonably warm for mid-March!

I took her by the children's museum. She started playing with a wheelbarrow in the building room, and suddenly asked about her babies.  I think she remembered them from our last visit.   I told her to find them so she did.

After some time, we went outside where she enjoyed playing in the sand - and throwing both sand and mulch.

She had it all in her hair.

She had a great time with an almost-three-year old named Eddie.

In fact she followed Eddie into the water.  They aren't really supposed to get in there, but sometimes we are rebels.

Sophie made herself this much at home in the water just before I plucked her out so we could leave.  I had to change her clothes and take her home for a bath.  (Remember that hair?)

Usually the water is cleaner, but it's been "turned off" for the winter and thus got a little ... green.

Fitting for St. Patrick's Day.