I forgot to mention my favorite book from 2017:

The classic, "Go Down Moses" by William Faulkner.

I am selecting different types of reading material now.

  The past few years, I read whatever crossed my path, usually novels that I missed the past 35 years or else books (usually fiction) that looked appealing.

Now, as I begin "retirement", I will "upgrade" the selections with items of non-fiction such as biography and history.

"Savage Kingdom - The True Story of Jamestown, 1607, and the Settlement of America" by Benjamin Woolley: published in 2007, which makes it current enough to take advantage of the knowledge gained by the Jamestown Rediscovery project, which has excavated the site of the original fort.

The author is British, an established writer and presenter for the BBC. The story of Jamestown is told with an emphasis on it's British beginnings with the Virginia Company. The aim was to discover minerals and commodities in North America to rival the Spanish assets in South and Central America; then to create a viable settlement with people of varying specialties.

We meet Captain John Smith (his version of the earliest exploration is the only one that survives, but probably he was mostly correct). He tells how Pocahontas saved his life when her father was about to have him executed. She was only a child and seems to have considered him more of a young father-figure rather than a lover. Later, she falls in love with John Rolfe (who started growing Central American tobacco in Virginia and saved the colony's economy); they married and had a son whose family connections are still among us.

On the British side, details of the politics of the colony's founding are revealed. The Virginia Company already had a streak of "Independence" that was troubling to the Crown (King James l--all he cared about was raising taxes and collecting European paintings). His oldest son, Henry was very interested in the colony, but he died young from disease. Charles, who inherited the throne from his father was much like him--at odds with Parliament and always wasting money.

The book is written so a casual reader can enjoy it, but backed up by footnotes and a solid bibliography for the scholar. I am interested in visiting Jamestown, so I really enjoyed the book. An ancestor of mine, Henry Bagwell, was an immigrant who came on the "Sea Venture" in 1609; he experienced the ship wreck, sojourn in Bermuda and eventual arrival at the colony.

A Very Sad Report From Kentucky...

The venerable gentleman on the left, a life long resident of the Lexington area, has passed away.

The senior family member, he was an encyclopedia of information on all things to do with the area.
He had many stories: in the 1930's his school bus took him right past the paddock of the retired Man O' War--iconic race horse--twice a day. Many other gems of history and humor.

Cousin David was just shy of 91, I believe.

In the top photo, we see him along with a more distance cousin, expert in family history; they compared notes and memories. It was a bright and beautiful late summer day, as he would love.

At the time, he had completed recovery from a scary farm accident which would have killed many others. But he survived.

In the bottom photo, they explored an 1800's (some say 1700's for parts) log barn on the homeplace.

Along with all that, David was a dear, beloved man. Rest in Peace Love.

Random Photos from 2017

Mushrooms in early spring in Mississippi

Some interesting brick and iron work in Oxford, MS

Graves of Mr. and Mrs. William Faulkner in Oxford, MS. People visit, pause to raise a glass or bottle to the beloved writer.

The iconic view of the Faulkner home in Oxford

Were the magic happened: his writing study.

On the way home, a visit to Paducah, the quilt museum and Hancocks of Paducah.

"Best" or Favorite Photos of 2017? There were lots.

Mother and Baby Moose browsed our campsite in Gros Vente, WY

Both Kids visited us, with their wives, all together, last summer, First since 2010!

We nurtured and released many butterflies last summer

Rounding Out 2017's "Reads"---and one unlikely "fail".

Elizabeth George's "For the Sake of Elena" was a rather standard-issue police thriller by this American writer with a particular skill for recreating the classic British police procedural thriller. I've read several of her novels.

The author tends to weave various interesting details of UK culture, art, music and architecture into the stories, using devices supplied by the main characters: working class Detective Sargent Barbara Havers' (advanced due to her brilliance as a crime solver, not her charm and beauty) mother is in a decline-spiral due to dementia; how will Barbara cope with this and do her job? Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley (Barbara's boss) is a helpful as possible. He is a constant source of interest in art, music. Barbara Havers was the most interesting character, I thought.

One character is a famous artist: so we learn a lot about painter James O'Neill Whistler--I followed up by checking out a large and beautiful retrospective volume of his work from the library; the best aspect of the novel for me!

Otherwise, I cared little for the spoiled young victim and the other equally worthless seeming list of characters. I wasn't satisfied with the resolution of the case, either.


Gregory Maguire's "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" 

The author first wrote "Wicked"; due to my lack of empathy for the Wizard of Oz stories, I chose to read the novel based on the Cinderella legends.

The plot reveals the Cinderella story from a 180-degree different viewpoint. It is an interesting story; better to read it with no fore knowledge; but it is not a children's story.



A sad, unexpected and unlikely "fail"!

This expressive newborn is the son of one of  my friends. This  is  her photo, not mine.

"The Time It Never Rained" by Elmer Kelton. It was likely my fault, but the photo above "was me" while reading 2/3 of the novel until I had to put it down.

Well-crafted, well written, good characters: a thoughtful Western-genre novel about a southwest Texas sheep and cattle rancher (independent to a fault) in 1950's draught In good times with rain, this rancher would profit: with no rain, his tragic flaw of inflexible independence simply drives him down.

During the illness we suffered over the past weeks, I picked up the book during waking hours; my attitude was not strong enough to experience real-live flu and vicarious relentless depression through this plots' downward spiral.

It Seems Extra-Moody and Emotional when A Loved One Passes on around the Holidays...

Today is the 5th Anniversary of Dad's passing. These photos are from brighter, happier times, early in 2005 when our little niece of just a small baby.

She is the surprise, late Granddaughter none of us ever thought we'd see, so this makes a truly better and upbeat photo to observe the sad date. This baby is a stylish and lovely 13 year old by now.

Dad lived to be just over 93 years; his birthday being December 15, 1919.

This was Us: the virus that stole Christmas!

First, Hubsy started getting sick on December 21. Classic flu symptoms: I got the flu shot recently, so thought I was safe to simply take care of him and go about the Holiday.

No, no. On Christmas Eve, I got the first "flu hints". Meanwhile, Hubsy was "near-death" with fever, cough, body aches, chills and all.  Soon, I would follow.

No way a houseful of guests would or should or could have Christmas Dinner at my house!

Dreadfully disappointing: in my life, this has never happened before (except for Christmas of 1960 when we all got sick in the midst of international air travel; nightmare indeed.)

The week crawled along in bleak boredom and misery.

We have mended, though still coughing. I have no appetite, etc. The past two frigid, clear mornings, I was able to go for short, shivering walks around the neighborhood.

Bright, crystalline weather helps. No one was out walking this morning; sad since it's so pretty.

The Marsh Hawk was perched on the ground beneath the bird feeder this morning, hoping for a bite of the vole that lives under the edge of our deck. But the bird saw me at the window and flew away. Too quick for a photo.

The New Year begins.