A shopping Dilemma Update or CSN Stores Rules!

Thank you, dear friends, for helping out with my little shopping dilemma.  The majority ruled and I purchased... 

These melamine mixing bowls are fabulous! 

The pros:
Happy yellow!!
Lightweight and easy to lift when full of batter.
Each bowl has a rubber ring on the bottom to prevent sliding. 

Only one con:
The largest bowl won't fit in my usual mixing bowl cabinet-- but I don't care.

   Love these bowls!

To round out my order, I went completely off track from from the cute yellow items everyone voted on-- Sorry!  I loved each one but all would have been redundant in my kitchen.  Plus, none were giving me free shipping for some reason. The order has to be wrangled just so to get free shipping--- you know I'm all about FREE! 

So what did I do?

I went with my other happy kitchen color: Aqua!! Or is it turquoise?  I never know but it is the color shown on my vintage pyrex (or as close as my camera will allow)...

Aren't they cute? I use the little square lidded one as a sugar bowl on my counter.  I have several others of various sizes and shapes and they are all in use.  I do not collect; I use. Very important distinction... (I've seen that Hoarders show!)

My aqua buys...

Love this Le Creuset pitcher!  It arrived in perfect condition! Can't wait till summer to make lemonade!

This barbeque set looks girly but it is sturdy and deadly.
I'm very pleased by the quality-- and the handles add happy to my kitchen!  

Shopping with CSN Stores was a great experience! If you haven't entered our Blogiversary Giveaway Spectacular to win a $40 CSN Stores gift code,  time's a wastin'.  Only 2 days left...

Those Stinkin' Kids! Part the first.

Oh yeah, there's gonna be more!

First off, I will apologize in advance for the photos. I cannot locate my actual camera as I have a husband. Do I need to explain? And it's been a bit of a hectic few weeks - my bon bon supplier didn't show up and the country club ran out of Perrier. (They are sooo uneducated, they pronounce it Pair-ee-ay, NOT Pur-ee-ur. Can you believe how Hicksville some of these people are??)

Anywho, I have been pretty secretive about my personal life. It may come as a surprise to most of you that I have a few kids here and there. Mostly here. Like RIGHT HERE. As in, THEY WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE.

And as you can imagine, me being the TOTALLY selfish selfless mother that I am, I wanted to do something for these little hoodlu-, I mean, honeys. Mostly so they would maybe, I don't know, leave me alone for half a sec??

So, on with it, dearie!
I re-did their room. Well, the boys' room at this pernt. They have bunk beds and they shared the same space and I thought it must be getting old. I mean, the same desk, the same area of sleeping, not much for personal space. It was getting uncomfortable. And there was no place to really read.

So I added an extra desk and chair and repainted and rearranged and....

I made those stinkin' kids a nook. A reading nook, to be exact. With their own spaces.

Two bean bags, a body pillow, books, a bear, and LIGHT.

Lucas' desk, the nook,and bed upstairs.

These are the basics for a 4th grader - a dictionary, an animal encyclopedia, a general encyclopedia, and a book about fungi. Fun, fun, fun! These are books he has chosen to read during his leisure time (well, I got the dictionary).

Nico's desk. Lampshade to be added.

These are Nico's books - early readers in English and Spanish (some of them the same), lots about dinosaurs and trains (btw, PBS has a show called DINOSAUR TRAIN! Can you believe that?? It's like two little boys' favorites in one!). And, of course, the all important hot water bottle. For his feet. Yes. He is such an old man. 

Anyway, that's what I have been up to as of late. Next is Nina's room. And my next post project is going to be those stinkin' kids' new school library. It is ridiculous how good these stinkin' kids have it!

In Search of Wilkie Collins

blip... blip... Enid Blyton... blip... blip... Wilkie Collins...

When classic  but  'unknown to you' authors blip on your book-dar, do you get all atwitter? Me too! 

But my excitement is also tinged with perturbation and embarrassment-- where have I been?!  I don't live under a rock, after all!  Even if I haven't read a particular classic, as a bookworm, I expect to have at least heard of the author or title.  Don't you?

When rave reviews of Wilkie's The Woman in White popped up on a few blogs last year, I thought: Who? Any relation to Jackie?  Yeah, my ignorance knows no bounds... 


Young Wilkie Collins



Of course, The Woman in White was added to my mental TBR list for someday... a day in a not too distant future. Then, Leslie, my favorite co-blogger, blogged about Wilkie Collins right  here  at Mrs. BG!  That, my friends, is a 'sign'!

And the search for Wilkie Collins began.

 Dang, that Wilkie Collins is elusive in Eastern Oklahoma!  (and based on the blank stares, I'm not the only ignoramus in my neck of the woods)

My county library didn't have any books by Wilkie Collins but could request The Woman in White from another library in their system through inter-library loan for a shipping fee of $1.50. 

Before committing, I felt compelled to check the library in the adjacent county, just in case. That library belongs to a different library system so there was a possibility-- ok, a slim chance-- alright, alright, probably no chance in hell that the The Woman in White might be on the shelf. 

And... And... No luck. *%#@ Rats! But.. But... Get this.. It was available through inter-library loan from another library in their system!! Ha! Doesn't that just beat all!

Before I expired on the spot from Wilkie madness, I filled out an application for a library card and requested the  inter-library loan. And, guess what? Inter-library loans are free in this system! A man drives the books around in his little truck. Of course, I requested two more books right away. Hey, could you resist free carpooling books!

So my convoluted search for Wilkie Collins comes to a happy and successful conclusion. I have a brand spanking new library card so no more dependence on hubby's card.   Plus, with access to sixteen more libraries and free interlibrary loans, I now have the whole eastern half of my state under bookish surveillance.  Hoo-rah!! Yeah, I'm bad...

And The Woman in White will be in my hot little hands by 3:30 this afternoon! Yippee!  (I would've had it last Friday but the little truck couldn't make it over the icy roads to get my books)

Wilkie better be worth the wait!


Old Wilkie Collins



 Have you heard of Wilkie Collins? If so, did you know of him before bookblogging?  What authors have blipped on your book-dar and knocked you for a loop because you can't believe you have never ever heard of them?! 

Owl Reads: True Confessions of a Slush Reader

Do you know what a slush reader is? I didn't but that is no surprise since I know next to nil about the publishing industry. For any fellow dunces out there, a slush reader is a person who weeds through a magazine's submission pile. 

Owl wrote an informative and humorous article about her job reading submissions for a memoir magazine. 

Owl Reads: True Confessions of a Slush Reader

You must read the article to find out how long Owl's vow of 'kindly slush reader' lasted. 

Due to the response Tracy's recent call to write received, I thought the writers amongst you might particularly enjoy reading about the 'almost piece' and the 'seven writing sins' that made poor Owl a hater. (She is a writer too so don't worry-- she isn't too harsh!) 

Enjoy!  And tell Owl that Lesa from Mrs. BG sent you over to visit!

Oh yes, please visit Slush Pile Hell too-- I just discovered it while researching slush reading. Such a hoot!

Tuesday Treasures: The Boy's Life of Abraham Lincoln

 Tuesday Treasures is a recurrent feature in which I share the bookish distractions that catch my eye in the school library I work in on Tuesday. I'm not the librarian; I am the speech pathologist. You will hear no complaints from me about sharing a workspace-- this little old school library collection is chock full of wonderful treasures. Plus, I get to release my inner-librarian. The students who wander in looking for books assume I am the Tuesday Librarian.

Can't believe it has been so long since I've posted a Tuesday Treasures! My only excuse is personal difficulty with the space/time continuum that the school had no heat for over a month and it was too cold  in the cavernous library to think let alone take photos with frozen fingers. (FYI: articulation therapy is not good when the speech path is chattering from the cold; now I have stutters to fix.)

Today, I spotted a very ugly book on the library cart...

See.. isn't it ugly? Poor dingy grey thing. Never one to judge a book by its cover, I took a peek inside and it is an absolute treasure!

Can you believe that books this old are still in the school library?! Makes my little bookish heart go pitter-pat.  The first few pages are a bit worn and torn but the book is in remarkable condition considering how many book reports it has aided over the last century. Don't you wish more hardbacks today had sewn bindings?


Helen Nicolay, the author, was the daughter of Abraham Lincoln's secretary, John G. Nicolay.  You can read more about them here.  Very interesting-- especially the part about Mary Todd Lincoln not trusting Mr. Nicolay. Bet there is a good story there.


Anyhoo, back to Helen:  As a young woman, she took dictation for her father's ten volume biography of Lincoln. Following her father's death, she began writing her own books of history and biography, as well as becoming a recognized artist. This talented lady wrote many books for children to make 'history seem alive and interesting to young people'.  

Helen sure succeeded with this one. It is very engaging and informative and I lost myself in several chapters!

The book is loaded with compelling black and white illustrations. Here are a few...

'He borrowed every book in the neighborhood.'   Gotta love a bookworm!

"He always brought a cheery atmosphere into the dining-room."   Lincoln told great stories and loved to jest. If political dicussions became too hot, he was able to soothe any ruffled feathers. 

I didn't get a photo of Lincoln scything hay/wheat but apparently politicians were expected to prove their muscle and mettle out on the campaign trail. Lincoln won many a vote by helping out farmers or joining a game of quoits.

The house in which Abraham Lincoln was married. I'd like to pop right in this one-- in living color, of course, not black and white.

"The lad took her picture from his pocket and showed it to him." 

This illustration refers to a meeting with soldier William Scott who was sentenced to be shot for falling asleep on his watch within range of enemy fire.  Lincoln heard about the incident and went himself to talk to the young man. After chatting awhile, the president kindly said... 

"My boy, you are not going to be shot to-morrow. I believe you when you tell me that you could not keep awake. I am going to trust you, and send you back to your regiment. Now, I want to know what you intend to pay for all this?" 

The young man had no money but said his family might mortage the family farm or, if the president could wait till payday,  perhaps his comrades would help. The President replied:

"My bill is a great deal more than that, it is a very large one. Your friends cannot pay it, nor your family, nor your farm. There is only one man in the world who can pay it, and his name is William Scott. If from this day he does his duty so that when he comes to die he can truly say 'I have kept the promise I gave the President. I have done my duty as a soldier,' then the debt will be paid."

William Scott fell in battle a few months later and the debt was paid.  Can hardly bear that one, bloggy friends!  You know how battle, honor and glory affect me...  

There are funny little penciled notes scrawled here and there throughout the book but look what I found on the back of one illustration:  notes for a whole book report assignment! Some of it makes no sense.  Number three reads 'His reason in writing this book'... hmm...

Like I mentioned before,  this biography has been well used by a century of students (and still being used). I really really had to fight the urge to swipe it for it's own protection but if it has survived this long...  

If you are interested in The Boy's Life of Abraham Lincoln,  the text is available to read online or for ebook download at Gutenberg.org. 

Everyone of you needs to write a book. Go. Now. Write!

*waves enthusiastically to all the new faces.*

     I am Tracy, the oldest and therefore the bossiest of the blogging ladies of Mrs. BG's.  Thankfully for my cohorts in creativity, I try to keep my dominant obnoxious personality, aka Lady Nurse Ratched, in check and medicated. From the post title, you can see I am not always successful.  Lady Nurse Ratched wants you all to write books. She thinks it will be good for you. 

      Thursday, I accidentally invited two people who very very much do not enjoy each other's company to an event that had already happened in the past, which does not work on more levels than I have fingers and toes to count, but that's how my brain's been running of late. The neat compartmental divisions I have constructed to handle the multidimensional nature of life have turned into something more like shoji screens than walls and I blame a heads down attempt to write the way Harper Lee was said to have written "To Kill A Mockingbird".  All in. 

    
It is the most intense experience I have ever had because it shows you very quickly what you are afraid to think about, feel, experience and tell.  It is also much cheaper than therapy and I totally get why Hemingway was a drunk.  It's easier to write after a glass of wine.  How much easier would it be to write after three glasses or maybe a bottle of bourbon?  Oh baby!  

Wile E. Coyote GEEN*YUS!! 

Not.  

(Have I mentioned an addictive personality? Let's call her Absinthe, shall we?)

This razor's edge thing has also been one of the coolest, if scariest, parts of writing a book for me and why I've basically begun a total rewrite. It also explains why no more "parts" have appeared on my personal blog.  The story will remain the same, but the telling of it has changed. I now feel like I owe these non-people something more than a simple reporting of events.  In part, it feels like eavesdropping on other people's lives but there's also an alternate reality aspect to it and that gets right proper weird. Holodeck  anyone?  

  
That's about it. Lady Nurse Ratched is done for now.  Wait. I owe you a photo.  Let's see. How about the official unofficial writer's union uniform and did you know that the GNU image manipulation program (gimp) comes with a tool that lets you shave your legs?   

Needed: 1 genetically hip Aussie stylist. now taking applications.

How We Became Five

Have you ever wondered how Baja Geenawalt's Cozy Book Nook came to have five contributors?  Maybe you haven't but let me tell you anyway... besides, it is a set up to earn extra entries, so bear with me. :o)

Like everything else here at Mrs. BG, it occurred in a wonderful serendipitous whirl!  Of course, my hope was to have five bookish perspectives chatting here but I had no idea it would happen the first year! Gotta love those lagniappes!

Of the first three bookworms approached to contribute, only DeLynne jumped on board. We've been friends forever, so I was absolutely delighted! I so hoped our other book loving friend, from way back when, would join us so we could be a terrific trio but Karen was too busy opening  Spellbound Studio: Tattoo's and Reiki for Body, Soul and Mind.

A disappointment but Mrs. BG forged ahead with a dandy duo!

Then, in April, the insightful Izzy Rose accepted an invite and the terrific trio became a reality!

More hopes dashed as three lazy non-blogging librarians expressed excitement and interest but never accepted invitations to join in the fun. Oh well, I still love librarians.

July rolled around and Tracy, who not only kept me in stitches on Facebook but also fascinated me with her clever blog, jumped feet first into the cozy craziness that is Mrs. BG. 

And our cool and continually quirky quartet was born!

Just two months later, Leslie popped up on my radar chatting in the com-box and on Facebook. She engaged with such casual and clever good humor that I knew Mrs. BG had found the fifth-- and I only had to twist her arm a tiny bit! ;o)

Now we are a perfectly cozy quintet!

How fortunate to find a group of agreeable like-minded bookworms who also hang out on the silly side of the street and love to blog. Thankfully, they were all book-blog-free so up for grabs.  Really, I can't brag on my co-bloggers enough-- each one is amazing! The one astounding thing about them that I can not get over is the fact that they are all related.

Yep, all of my co-bloggers are from one family! What are the odds?! 

Did you know they were related?  Some long time bloggy friends may have suspected-- there have been clues in posts and in the com-box.

Here it is--  what you've been waiting for so patiently: extra entries for the giveaway!

Earn extra entries by guessing the relationships between my lovely co-bloggers: Tracy, Izzy, Leslie and DeLynne. They are all some combination of sister, mother, daughter and cousin.

Each correct guess gets you one extra entry so up to six entries available.  

Bonus Entry: At what age, grade or year did DeLynne and I meet? or How many years have DeLynne and I known each other?  This bonus is worth 3 extra entries.

Wild guesses are welcome and are certainly worth a gamble-- with so many chances you are bound to get one right. :o)

For dedicated puzzle solvers, there are scattered clues available almost everywhere. Possible places to look: here on Mrs. BG-- maybe in introductory posts and com-box discussions. Also, their blogs or profiles. 

There are clues to the bonus entry on Mrs. BG and on the wall of our facebook group.  

Good luck! 

Hmm, wonder if there are any other potential bookbloggers  hiding in a particular family tree...

The Skinny on Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

What is Mockingjay (for those of you living in caves)? 
The final book in the crazy popular Hunger Games Trilogy  by Suzanne Collins. Part Lottery by Shirley Jackson and part gladiatior games, this YA dystopian series is chilling and intense (especially the first one).  If you haven't read it, go find the first book, The Hunger Games, right now! Don't even worry about the trilogy if you aren't a series person, just read the first book and if you end up hooked, so be it. ;o)

Why did I wait five months to read Mockingjay? 
Just a combination of contrariness and not being in the  mood when it came out, I suppose.  Can you believe I actually had it in hand on the day at Walmart and didn't buy it?! It was only $12 too, which is a steal, but I really couldn't justify buying it knowing the library would have it by the time my mood improved.  Plus, even as much as I've enjoyed this series, I doubt it will be a beloved reread (a person can only take so much intensity) so no need to own it. 

Did I like Mockingjay?
Simple answer: Yes!  Of course, I prefer The Hunger Games best since I am a beginnings person (and it was so dang intense) but I was not disappointed like so many other fans were in the ending of the series.

 I never cared one way or the other about the Team Peeta or Team Gale business. Both boys were worthy and Katniss' choice made sense in the circumstances. 

 As for the unfortunate event(s), very sad but again it made sense in the context to illustrate the horrors of war-- and those horrors are happening right now in our own world, folks! 

The characters exhibiting symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder added an element of reality. Some fans complained about Katniss' coldness but I see it as a manifestion of not just the stress of the Hunger Games but surviving the day to day life in District 12.


Final thoughts?
 The Hunger Games stuck in my mind for days and days after reading it--  Catching Fire and Mockingjay didn't have quite the same impact but are still thought provoking.  

All dystopians make me muse and wonder: Could such a society occur? Would I survive in such a society? As an American, I tried to guess which states made up the districts of Panem. And like many dystopians, this one left me dying to know what is going on in the rest of the world! 

Mockingjay suited me to a tee as an ending to the Hunger games trilogy and the epilogue.. oh, the epilogue was perfect!  Because, really....  What will we tell the children?

Storytime: Muddy Paws by Moira Butterfield

This cute little picture book has been a favorite since last spring. (yes, that is how long this post has been languishing in draft form.) 

As soon as I spotted Muddy Paws by Moira Butterfield, I knew my little boy would love it.  You see, we had a new puppy that we had been trying to name for several weeks and this story is about a boy attempting to think of a name for his new puppy. Just perfect!

The illustrations are soft, diffused and very sweet but also dynamic.

 

In the story, as the boy explores the neighborhood seeking inspiration for a puppy name, the puppy explores too.

Of course, each of puppy's adventures involve dirt, water and muddy pawprints everywhere--- but he earns a name-- Muddypaws!

This is such a cute book and my little guy recommends it highly. Here is his review!

Linking to the Read to me: Picture Book Challenge.

What Shall I Wear Today?- Style secrets of a furry fashionista

Fifi Lapin, (or Fifi Lapip, if you're me because well, erm .... it just sounds cute, okay?!) is a very stylish bunny with a very fashionable book, and also surprisingly helpful. I know. Weird, right?

So the flowerpot-on-the-head thing may be a little out there, but a couple of the outfits are-gasp-wearable! Besides, most people need a little bit of fun in their wardrobe. I mean, suits are nice and all but what you really need is a patchwork v-neck jumpsuit. Fifi will take care of all your style related problems with the flip of a page, show you your essential makeup tools, and some cheap DIY tricks. Don't you wish you were as fabulous as Fifi?

X.
www.viewsofnow.blogspot.com

Our 2011 Bookish Resolutions

Hi, Lesa here!  Every year, I resolutely resolve to boycott making New Year's Day resolutions but the  Top Ten Tuesday Bookish Resolutions hosted by The Broke and The Bookish  swayed me to the dark side.  Bookish resolutions are surely more worthy than the usual old rigmarole-- and surely easier to stick too, right?

After all my holiday bookish musing, it was a breeze coming up with reading related resolutions. Then, I just had to know what my lovely co-blogger's bookish resolutions might be...

Lesa's Bookish Resolutions:
1. Keep a list of all books I read in 2011. I started a list for 2010 but didn't keep it up.

2. Participate in an official challenge and/or readalong. More about that soon.

3. Buy more books!!  Never fear, I am still a library girl! The earth hasn't shifted on it axis or anything BUT after all the bookstore sale,  book fair and  thrift store treasures I discovered in 2010, I am now unashamedly addicted to aquiring beaucoups of bargain books! 

4.  Read as many books that I already own as I can-- there is a monkey on my back, after all. (see #3)

5. Don't horde-- Donate read books to libraries and/or giveaway to bloggy friends. Then, there will be room for more books. Aw, the monkey is clapping his little hands...

6. Buy a bookcase for my child's room. That will free up one or more shelves on three family bookcases! Oooo, more space for bargain books! The monkey just swooned...

7. Stamp out book snobbery whenever it rears its ugly head. I just won't stand for it, I tell you.  Don't make me sic the monkey...

Leslie's Bookish Resolutions:  
I want to try a new author and/or genre. I tend to stick to a series until it's done because I know it will be good and I don't want to waste a reading opportunity.

Izzy's Bookish Resolutions:
My reading resolution is to read something classic, something substantial, and try to stay away from Mary-Kate and Ashley. I need something out of my comfort zone, I only read those ridiculously girly novels because they are so familiar. And all have pretty much the same plot.
:)

DeLynne's Bookish Resolutions:
 I would like to read every book in the Phryne Fisher series. And something totally new, like sci fi which I don't do often. And a classic. And blog more often. xo

Tracy's Bookish Resolutions:
I plan to read all thirteen Wheel of Time books this year. And hopefully, have my book, Dragon Seals,  ready for someone else to read!

Happy New Year and Happy Reading... May all your books be page-turners! 

How To Spell Colloquialisms

(Earn an extra entry details at the end of the post)

Ha! This post isn't about spelling the word colloquialisms but I sure as shootin' had to google the spelling.

So what is this post about?

Why, spelling colloquialisms, of course!

Not the word-- Oh, I'll swan, this spelling colloquialisms thing is making me crazier than a loon!   

What I really really want to know is this: Do you ever have difficulty spelling colloquialisms? Not the word... sorry, I couldn't resist. ;o) 

What I mean is: Do you ever have difficulty spelling colloquialisms that you have heard spoken your whole life? Can you relate? Or maybe you don't use or think many colloquialisms. Maybe you would never write one.  Maybe it is only a south of the Mason-Dixon line thing. Maybe it is only a me thing.

Now, I don't have trouble spelling things like:
pert near
sit a spell

But, boy howdy, some give me fits! Like:
plumb larapin--- or is it plum larapin?
pure dee old-- or is it pure d old? or maybe pure-dee-ol'?

See what I mean? And google doesn't always save the day!

Then, I sometimes wonder: Will readers beyond the borders of Texas or Oklahoma even understand the meaning?  

Don't worry, I may be steeped in country sayings but I don't use or write them as often as I think them. Only when apropros, I am an educated hick, after all.

Plus, as a speech language pathologist (don't fall out of your chair), it is mandatory that I ponder such things. The origins of such sayings interest me tremendously-- and did you know it is very difficult for people to communicate effectively when they don't comprehend idioms, similes and, yes, colloquialisms? 

What are some of your favorite colloquialisms? And do you ever have difficulty spelling them?

I really am a bit of a colloquialism geek but I am in good company:



Haahahah!

I reckon this is more suitable for a bookish blog:

To earn an extra entry in the Blogiversary Giveaway, define 'plumb larapin' without googling it and use it in  a sentence.  If you are in the ballpark, you earn  two extra entries!! If you are somewhere other than the ballpark but your sentence makes me giggle or better yet laugh hysterically,  you will still earn one extra entry! 

My Funny Holiday Reading

Not funny, hahah. Funny, peculiar. 

The need to read was intense but an odd mental block kept me from starting a new book.  My Mt. Everest sized TBR pile is extremely eclectic so there is no lack of variety to suit any mood.  I even felt anticipation so why couldn't I settle? 

Not one to shy from self-analysis, I figured it out. For one thing, my brain was awhirl with all the possibilities of 2011: personal reading goals,  official reading challenges and readalongs.  Being a predominantly serendipitous reader, so much planning threw me a bit out of whack.  I couldn't possibly begin any new books till finished thinking or after January 1 whichever came first.

Also, it was the holiday. It wouldn't do to fall into the void with a new book right in the middle of all the festivities!

Can you guess what I did? Yes, reread, of course.  Rereading is a common occurance for me-- not because of  frequent mental blocks-- just because it brings so much pleasure and new insights gained from life experiences. 

 Of course, sometimes it is just pure dee old comfort reading.  Finishing the whole book isn't even necessary-- sometimes a few pages or a favorite chapter will do-- cozy, familiar and interesting but not so absorbing that one can't come back to the real world at a moments notice.

My first reread:

Yep, good old Harry! I haven't seen the new movie yet and even told Enbrethiliel that I was a bit burnt on Potter. Guess I was wrong.  This pick is definitely inspired by E's recent posts on rereading  the series.

After reading about five chapters during a few teatime breaks, I started over-- Now, it is my little boy's bedtime book. If you ever need a distraction for an overwrought five year old on Christmas night, Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone is the ticket. 

My second reread:

What can I say? The  movie on tv ensnared me-- guess I got off lucky, I just caught the battle of Helm's Deep-- but the glory and heroics get me every time and then, of course, I start to ponder the inconsistencies in the movie. The elves did not join the battle and  I only meant to confirm that fact but ended up rereading all of  part 3 which is the first half of The Two Towers.

This part of LOTR never fails to move me: the death of Boromir, the race across Rohan, the return of Gandalf, casting out Wormtongue, the battle at Helm's Deep, the anger of  Fangorn Forest,  a reunion of old friends and the lessening of Sarumen. Truly, it is enough to make a girl swoon! Well, maybe a weird girl. I do wonder sometimes if I was a petite amazon or warrior princess in a past life.

My holiday reading was immensely satisfying. I feel refreshed and ready to leap headlong into a wonderful  new year of reading and rereading.  

Did you reread an old favorite or a brand spanking new book during the holidays?

*Closed* Blogiversary Giveaway Spectacular!

 Baja Greenawalt's Cozy Book Nook has officially been in existence for one fantabulous year! 

 This journey began with a lovely little found note in an old book written by a lady with a most intriguing name. So how did the note blossom into a cozy book nook?  Well, that note preyed on lingered in my mind for two entire months. I couldn't forget it-- and couldn't shake the feeling that a momentous mysterious 'something' was imminent.  

At the same time, my librarian friend moved to another state leaving me bereft for bookchat which resulted in way way too many bookish musings crowding my mind. Quite frustrating really, especially since I imagined eyes glazing and rolling if I siphoned my biblio-ponderings off on my everything else blog.  Then eureka-- planets aligned and this little bookblog hatched!  Inspiration is such an amazing and funny thing...

As a newbie to blogging in general, I had no inkling that there were blogs for every conceivable topic/special interest under the sun. Just think, I could've been biblio-babbling myself silly for years but it just wouldn't have been the same, would it. Thank you, Mrs. Baja Greenawalt! 

And thank you, dear readers and bloggy friends. Exploring the blogosphere revealed that I wasn't the only bookworm needing an outlet to talk about books.  So many wonderful little unexpected treats (lagniappes) occurred as a result of this blog-- Can you  guess the most delightful lagniappe of all?  It is you, of course!  

In appreciation, Baja Greenawalt's Cozy Book Nook is hosting a Blogiversary Giveway Spectacular with national and international prizes so everyone is welcome to enter!! Just pay attention to the particulars, please.  (no giggling, DeLynne)

Prizes

1.  A $40 CSN Stores Gift Certificate!  CSN Stores is offering this prize to be used by the lucky winner to purchase whatever their heart desires. How cool is that?! Heading to BEA? Check out the luggage stores.  Overflowing TBR? Check out all the bookcases.  Decisions, decisions, but that is half the fun-- believe me, I know.  

**This prize is for US/Can residents only. International shipping charges may apply on Canadian orders-- Canadians may choose to enter for prize number two instead-- not both prizes, mind, only one!

2. A $20 book of your choice from The Book Depository! No US residents please! This prize is available to international entrants only. If The Book Depository ships to your country, please enter! Canadians may enter for this prize if they do not want to enter for the CSN Stores prize.

3.  Bonus Lagniappe Prize: A follow is not required to enter this giveaway but if 25 followers are gained during this giveaway a second prize will be up for grabs.  Another $20 book of your choice from The Book Depository! No restrictions on entry for this prize--- All entrants for the previous two prizes will be automatically entered to win this prize. 

Particulars

1. This giveaway will close on January 31, 2011.

2. To enter, please leave a comment to this post. You must state which prize you are eligible to win and/or state your country of residence.  I can figure it out from the country of residence but Canadians you must specify which prize you are entering to win.  Please leave a contact email if it isn't available on your blog or if you don't have a blog. Nonbloggers are welcome to enter too!

3. Extra Entries:

a)  One extra entry per follow. Only follow if this blog is your cuppa-- public following is not required to enter this giveaway.

b)  One extra entry per membership in Mrs. BG's bookgroup  on Facebook. 

c) Three extra entries for promoting the giveaway in some fashion.  Help get the word out! Please, leave a comment with a link to your promotion of choice. 

d) Be a Top Ten Commenter! Up to 10 extra entries based on your ranking! Yep, as my friend Enbrethiliel at Shredded Cheddar says: It's a competition, folks!

e) Opportunities to earn extra entries will be offered at random intervals for the duration of the giveaway. You should've known there would be a few lagniappes along the way-- Check back so you don't miss out on the fun!

  Good luck to all!! 


Lagniappe: As a little thank you for entering, following and spreading the word, opportunites to earn extra entries will be listed here.   :o)

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