Reading – Valerie's Voice

Story Time

For me, one positive impact from the pandemic was learning about the communication app Zoom. I’m grateful for the Zoom business to allow me free access to family members across the country, and close to home, during the restrictions of meeting in person.

Grandma enjoys reading the library books.

One result has been a weekly story time over Zoom with my grandchildren who live in Colorado. At each session we; visit, read books, and then sometimes, they read to me. Lately, our oldest granddaughter is attending in-person kindergarten, so it’s just me and Ezra…and Grandpa joins in occasionally.

A favorite memory from when my boys were little was reading to them. And now, I love reading to my grandchildren. I have always enjoyed children’s books, and have several on our bookshelves around the house. One sweet gift a daughter-in-love gave to me, early on in our relationship, was a children’s book. I treasure that thoughtful gift.

During our weekly story time I lay out books and let the kids choose which ones they want me to read. Zoom has yet to cut us off at the free forty minutes deadline…we typically go for an hour so we get to read several books. I love the children’s books I own, but it is always good to find new ones at the library to add to the mix.

I go to the Northfield Library to look for new catchy titles and book covers. At my last visit to the library the children’s librarian, who presents the library’s children’s story time each week (pre-Covid), was there. I asked her for suggestions and she was very helpful. She actually remembered Zoey & Ezra from our weekly visits to her story time when they lived with us. Even now, when the kids come to visit they still want to go to story time at the library. YAY

The interaction I had with the children’s librarian that day was extra special. She told me of a book she really liked about “an overnight at grandmas”. The library copy was checked out so she went and retrieved a copy from her story time materials. When I went to the automatic checkout I noticed the book didn’t have a bar code, so I went and asked her about it and she told me this was her own personal copy and “just return it when you’re done.”

How special is that?

England, Part I

As the temperatures dipped below zero, I decided to spend the day reading a book in front of our fireplace. Finding Mrs. Lewis, tells of the love story between Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis. As I settled in little did I know I would be transported back to Oxford, England that afternoon.

C. S. Lewis is well-known for many things including writing his beloved children’s series entitled The Chronicles of Narnia and a popular, classic Christian apologetics book, Mere Christianity.

C.S. Lewis held academic positions in English literature at Magdalen College at Oxford University (Oxford is made up of 35 separate colleges) and he lived on the outskirts of Oxford for many years, with his brother. C.S. Lewis was great friends with novelist J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy. These two great writers, C.S.Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien along with other writers, were in a writing group together that met every Tuesday at The Eagle and Child, a pub on St. Giles Street in Oxford. They called themselves the Inklings.

An ordinary pub on St. GIles Street in Oxford, that has become famous because of its patrons.

I was captivated by the love story between Joy and Clive (the C in C.S.). At one point in the book the setting changed from New York City to England. While reading several chapters of Joy’s time in Oxford it was exciting for me to recognize the places described in the book. Suddenly, I was back in Oxford as I visualized The Eagle and Child and the table where the Inklings met every Tuesday.

A more colorful view of this pub where C.S. Lewis met with his writing group.

I could see the magnificent University buildings and spires of Oxford. I remembered shopping at Blackwell’s Book Store, touring part of Christ’s Church, and the lovely, pastoral landscape surrounding the town. I had been to these places mentioned in the book and it made the story come alive and more interesting.

Christ Church in Oxford, a photo of a page in my photo album.

It prompted me to take a break from reading the book and dig out my vacation journal to read about my own two trips to Oxford. The first time our family went to meet up with our son who had finished one semester of college at Oxford University (Keeble College). What a joy to walk around this city of spires and very old, very ornate, beautiful, magnificent buildings. We went to see Keeble College, and where our son lived while attending, and where he studied – the Bodleian Library (only students allowed inside).

A postcard with a partial view of The University of Oxford with the Bodlien Library in the center

I was in Oxford for the second time when my son took me on a trip to London for a special birthday. What a guy! (I will expand on that in Part II.) Of course, we took the train to Oxford for a day to reminisce his rich experiences there. We came to a resolution at the beginning of our time to write one haiku each day of our trip. I created a photo book, along with the haikus, of that wonderful experience, so I pulled that album out too, and spent time remembering our fun adventures.

(We were in London a third time to attend our youngest son’s graduation from the University of London with a master’s degree in public health. And though we didn’t go to Oxford on that trip, we had a great time in London with our youngest son and his family.)

So as I sat near the warm fireplace on a very frigid afternoon reading an interesting book, I escaped reality and went on a mini-holiday to an enchanting place in the confines of my own home.

Zoom-ing

I had not heard of the communication app called Zoom until this pandemic took over our lives. Then Zoom quickly became a part of everyday language, like email and texting. So we downloaded Zoom and started using the “user-friendly” app to stay in touch with others.

We have used Zoom to connect with both our sons and their families at the same time. It’s so nice to see everyone: Gary and me in Northfield, our oldest son and his family in Minneapolis, and our youngest son and his family in Colorado.

We have used Zoom to connect with other groups too. I meet weekly with my book club.

I’ve participated in a church ministry meeting using Zoom, and small group. We connected with out-of-state friends over a “social hour” one evening.

I have also started a story time with my two grandchildren in Colorado…I set up the meeting and their parents get them situated on their end and then I start reading children’s books to them and they stay focused and seem to enjoy it as much as I do. It feels good to me to be able to connect with them this way.

Reading to my grandchildren on the other side of the screen…in Colorado.

We even had an Easter egg hunt over Zoom. On Easter Sunday Gary and I hid Easter eggs around our house.

An Easter egg hidden in our Christmas cactus.

Gary took his phone using Zoom and walked around the house letting the grandchildren find the eggs as he scanned the rooms. When the kids spotted an egg they’d call it out and tell us the color. It turned out well…it was fun to see all three grandkids engaged in this activity (the fourth grandson is a newborn). They may not remember this Easter egg hunt but we sure will. It helped me overcome my sense of sadness at not being able to gather together in person to celebrate Easter, my favorite holiday.

We collected the empty eggs into an Easter basket I made many years ago.

And so, the beat goes on…and we will continue to use Zoom to connect with family and friends. This pandemic would be a lot more difficult without the technology we have these days to stay in touch. I’m grateful for it.

Reading Time

Some people my age tell their fond memories of reading the afternoon away when they were children. I do not have those memories. However, I do have good childhood memories…we lived in a close neighborhood full of kids. After chores in the morning we’d go outside to play until lunch. After lunch we’d go outside and play until suppertime. After supper we’d go outside and play until dark. At least, that’s the gist of it. But back to reading…

I don’t remember when I first started to like to read but I am grateful for the people and teachers in my life who taught me to read. In elementary school I remember reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or was it Tom Sawyer?) and also Trixie Belden mysteries.

Now I love to read, and I read daily, and have for most of my adult life. I continue to enjoy adventure stories, mysteries and biographies.

I also love children’s books. I loved reading books to my own two sons when they were young and now I enjoy reading to my grandchildren. All three of them like to be read to. (I have been known to read children’s books to adults too.)

When Zoey and Ezra were here for ten days we read multiple books multiple times. How is it they want to read the same story over and over and over again? It’s so fun!

It was a blessing to sit on the loveseat, between the two children snuggled in blankets while they were engaged in looking at the pictures as I read the story. I treasure those precious moments, and all moments when I can read books to any of my three grandchildren. I love the warmth and closeness, and bringing adventures and love to them one book at a time.

Home Again

What a wonderful week we’ve had weather-wise…sunny, seventy’s and low humidity. Perfect for being anywhere, especially up in northern Minnesota. I was on the Whitefish chain of lakes with a friend, staying on her porch, with a cabin attached. Our days were relaxing, and among other things we did some boating and a lot of reading.

We went out on her pontoon which was a highlight for me. We left the jet skis docked this year, and my cell phone in the cabin. In previous years we’ve taken out the jet skis and had some…let’s say…complications. Then there was the year my iPad fell off the dock into the drink during early morning quiet time. So I tried to avoid any type of fiascos this year. Success!

The evenings were still and cool so we slept on the large porch listening to the loons calling as we fell asleep.

Before I left home for the cabin I had fifty pages left to read in my latest political thriller. So when we arrived at the cabin Sunday afternoon, after unpacking the car, we immediately got out some lawn chairs, set them up near the lake and started to read. I quickly finished the book. I brought along three non-fiction books so I had plenty additional reading material.

One morning’s sun reflecting on the lake that looks like clear glass. Beautiful.

When it was time to leave the cabin four days later, I had fifty pages left in one of the other books I had started reading up there. However, when I arrived back to our house in Northfield things changed… I no longer felt I could just sit down and finish the book right away….there was unpacking to do, laundry to throw into the washing machine, email and catch-up conversations, plus weeding flowers and so forth. So instead of sitting down to finish my book I did chores instead. I felt I needed to get something accomplished before enjoying more reading time.

Daggett Lake, a lake on the Whitefish chain of lakes.

I guess that’s why it’s always good to get away. At home we see all there is to be done (although my friend saw things that needed to be done at her cabin while we were there), but we had a delightful time on our annual trip to Daggett Lake.

I came home to my Star Gazer lilies in bloom.

Fairy Gardens

Two cute hedge hogs reading….I think they are my favorites in this fairy garden.

There is a wonderful, rather large, fairy garden along St. Olaf Avenue. On the property there is a large older home, under renovation with scaffolding outside, which detracts a little bit from its elegance…for now. There is a large garage that may have once been a carriage house, and a big yard. The yard has been turned into a garden and it is full of seasonal blooming flowers… I’d like to learn the history of the whole place.

A birdie reading while sitting on the elephant’s trunk.

It is a fun place to walk by and take in all there is to see on this one plot of land along St. Olaf Avenue. I walked by this spring and, although the colorful landscape of spring flowers was wonderful, I really enjoyed seeing is the sweet fairy garden, right along the sidewalk. It is full of miniature animals and most are reading a book.

The squirrel is busy carrying books while the cat is resting.

The first time I walked by the house, the owner was out in the yard. I asked him if I could take photos of the fairy garden. He said yes and told me his wife is a librarian, so that’s the why the fairy garden has a reading theme.

There is a lot in the miniature garden…flowers, mushrooms, rocks to make a pond, tiny ladders to a loft area, many different animals reading books, miniature plants. There is even a miniature “Free Little Library”. It is quite enchanting.

A bunny sitting on the edge of a book, reading.

This miniature frog is practicing yoga. Note the stones with the words love, peace and tranquillity written on them. And I like the blue gazing ball.

A couple years ago I wrote a blog posting about my ONE little fairy that I hid in my flowers one year. And then it went missing. Over a year later my husband was trimming a tree and found the fairy up in the crook of the tree. Apparently a squirrel carried it so far and then gave up on it, and abandoned it. When my husband found the fairy he brought it into the house and set it on the counter. I was so surprised to see it. We laughed and decided the only possible explanation was a squirrel’s folly. But now, my one little fairy is now back, hidden in my garden.

Behind the fairy garden are a few other larger garden figures. This is a cat with glasses, reading.

Another large figure behind the fairy garden…a frog sipping tea and reading.

Arrived!

Our son and his lovely wife and their two adorable children have arrived safely in Minnesota. They are here for the long term…Andrea left her childhood town in Mozambique, Africa. They are beginning a new chapter in their lives, here in the USA. We have prepared a space for them in our home for their transition period. We are so excited this day has finally come. We are grateful.