Children's Book Monday

This book touched a place deep inside me.

I read it on my own, as soon as it came home from the library. And then I held it aside to read to my children when all would be quiet, when all thoughts and eyes would be trained on the book and I could read the words in an Appalachian/mountain accent and we could be in awe together.

And it's left me a little bit afraid... afraid that I won't be able to do the book justice in my review, that I won't be able to convey to you how special and eye-opening and inspiring and beautiful it is...

But I'm still going to try!

That Book Woman
by Heather Henson
pictures by David Small






First off, David Small. I could almost end this review right there, were it only going to be about the illustrations. We already love every David Small/Sarah Stewart collaboration that exists; I've reviewed some here. With this book, he teams up with writer Heather Henson, author of another Appalachian gem- Angel Coming. (Oh, please, put this on your booklist next? So much beauty. I promise.) With a blend of inks, watercolors, and pastels, Mr. Small has such a gift for capturing simplicity- in such an extraordinary way!


Narrated by Cal, I am not the first one nor the least one neither..., his soft mountain-talk paints a picture of a very poor but hardworking family of seven, with one on the way. I have a love for the mountain talk- least one for youngest, stoney-still, sassy tea, least-ways... so reading this story lights a warm fire in my heart, much as I felt when reading Christy. (Remember? Oh, Fairlight...) Children hush when they have to listen harder for the words to make sense, to connect to the pictures. They light up when they discover an unusual phrase really means something they already know... the readenest child you ever did see- that's what Pap says. "Oh, she reads a lot, doesn't she, Mama?" as we hear the words and take in the picture of sister Lark, book resting on tucked up knees as Cal glowers over his chores.

As high up as they are on the mountain, a visitor still makes her way to their tiny home. On a pack horse, with a saddlebag full of... books. Cal watches mistrustfully as Lark's eyes light up, and he turns downright angry when Pap steps in to trade a poke of berries for a book, berries that Cal picked for pie, not books.

The pack horse librarian won't take the berries, says the books are free as the air! And she promises to return in two weeks to swap for another book. Cal's mistrust turns to admiration when That Book Woman arrives regardless of the snow, rain, wind, fog... and soon that admiration turns to hope when he realizes that what she brings has opened up a whole new world for Lark. He dares to dream... and then dares to ask...


Ms. Henson masterfully weaves the story of a fictional family with the true stories of The Pack Horse Library Project, founded in the 1930's as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, bringing books to remote areas where there are few schools and no libraries. Thanks to an Author's Note at the end of the story, we read all about those brave librarians, traveling by horse or mule through all kinds of weather to bring books to tucked away people. After we read this book (over and over!), we followed it up with Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky. There we read more true stories of these dedicated women, and found black and white photos of them reading to the families, riding their mules through creek beds, and even scrapbooks that they made from the treasured family recipes families traded for books. Priceless.

My favorite picture in That Book Woman is one with Cal in the foreground, grumpily playing checkers by himself. In the background, but still the focal point, Mama holds a book, her belly swollen with child. Twin boys cling to her legs, Lark gazes at the books in her hands, and the Pack Horse Librarian, wearing riding pants, boots and a hat, holds the baby, chickens pecking around her feet.

So, although this is now entirely too long for a children's book review, (forgive me!) I'm discovering that perhaps the place inside me that was so moved by this story really doesn't run that deep after all... a mama, children, books, librarians, a love for simple farm life... reading. Makes perfect sense to me!

Story upon story, vivid picture upon vivid picture, this book is a treasure.

Happy Reading!

Merry Christmas!

From the Hooper household...







...to yours!

Venia

Venia. Grace.

Micah stepped out of position, Eliana looked up at Gideon, Gideon grabbed my hair, and I laughed and forgot to suck it in.

Perfect. Snap!

This is the Hooper family, definitely at our finest- and with that, we send love and greetings for a most glorious Christmas to you, friends and family!

As for our house...

...nos instruo... we prepare. We read The Glorious Coming, His family tree traced so beautifully within those words, and our hearts are turned, our ears inclined for His voice. We watch The Nativity Story, and tears flow as the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary come alive even more. We wait to hear ancient hymns and carols sung in a one hundred year old cathedral on Tuesday evening, and the welcome song will go forth...

Opening our hearts, opening our hands, welcoming Him inside. We are praying that He finds a home within us, that the only resemblance to a certain stable long ago will be the warmth and love He can still find here.

May He find the same within you, my friends.

Because we are so very grateful, yes?

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:2

Merry Christmas!

(photo by Carrie Butler)

The Music of My Christmas...

... shared with you because it quiets me, stills my soul. And oh, how I want that for you, too!

Fernando Ortega (Christmas Songs)

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus... it plays over and over, in my kitchen and in my heart. (And could there be a more soothing voice than Fernando's?)
............................

Josh Rosenthal (Narratives: A Christmas Album) This Changes Everything:

Priest, put down your sacrifice,
King, give up your crown tonight,
Prophet, come and see the child,
born to die, to bring you back to life!
Raise your voice with angels sing,
bow before this manger King,
with hope to give and peace to bring,
this changes everything.

Permanent residence: the cd player in our van!
...........................

And Alison... ah, Alison, will you not record a Christmas album? In the meantime, I share this... the bagpipes, the cello, the soft vibrato, the peace...


...........................

Sixpence None the Richer (The Dawn of Grace) My heart is tugged back to this song time and again: The Last Christmas, because of these beautiful words...

See the star shining from above!
Hear the Seraphim singing
Praise to the Giver of life and love;
Maker of beautiful things...

I feel your heart beating
Inside my own skin,
And I think of Mary
In Bethlehem.
When darkness was shattered-
The dawn of God's grace.
And the journey began to
the first Easter day...

Sigh. Hope. Heart skips a beat, and tears drip into the dishwater.
..............................

Panis Angelicus. Lovely to listen to, but to only read the words? Whether Latin or translated to English, they bring me to my knees...

Bread of Angels,
made the bread of men;
The Bread of heaven
puts an end to all symbols:
A thing wonderful!
The Lord becomes our food:
poor, a servant, and humble.
We beseech Thee,
Godhead One in Three
That Thou wilt visit us,
as we worship Thee,
lead us through Thy ways,
We who wish to reach the light
in which Thou dwellest.
Amen.
..........................

His story is so rich, so deep, so vast. So simple.

We are loved.

The End.

Advent Mornings

Photos: Our morning advent readings, read by young men and their Daddy at the breakfast table; the picture ornaments of humble and great characters in the lineage of Jesus are hung on our homemade Jesse Tree by their raffia ribbons. Little brother plays with the figures for another Advent tradition- a burlap-backed scene of the stable that hangs on the wall, and big sister puts the figures in their places.

We keep the blinds closed and light the lamps, plug in the twinkle lights, and still our spirits as we read and bow our heads as we pray... oh, how the anticipation is building!

Children's Book Monday

This is one of only two books I've found that Ms. Noble has both written and illustrated, and it is a beauty, both in words and in art. The perfect fireplace book, or lunch table story, or sittin' on the back porch tale... a delight wherever you are, really. Soon, we hope to have our own copy in the Christmas book box, but in the meantime the library has graced us with their copy every year for the past three...


Apple Tree Christmas
written and illustrated by Trinka Hakes Noble







What delights us the most about this book is that the family lives in a barn! Yes, a two-level barn; nestled in a slight valley, the animals live in the below-ground portion and the family above; Mama in the kitchen, Papa in his workshop, and Katrina and Josie in the loft at the very top. Someday, Papa would build them a real house. But for now living in the barn with the soft animal sounds and sweet smell of hay was just right.


Katrina has a favorite drawing spot- nestled in the crook of an ancient apple tree that is wrapped in creeping grape vines. Josie loves to swing on one of the vines that Papa has pulled low enough for her to reach. The family, when Papa senses winter approaching quickly, spends a few days picking apples for cider, applesauce, and decorating their Christmas tree.

And then the storm comes...

Thankfully, the family is safely nestled in the warm barn, the heat from the animals rising up through the floorboards. But when an ice storm hits, the beloved apple tree cannot bear the weight of the ice, and splits right down the middle. Katrina's heart is so heavy for her special drawing place, and it is hard for her to bear the sight of Papa bringing in wood for the fire from the old apple tree.

But on Christmas morning Papa and Mama have two surprises for the girls that make everything better- you will love the simplicity of the gifts, as well as the creativity that comes from using what you have... makes me think of this old New England saying:

Use it up,
Wear it out.
Make it do-
Or do without!

I love the illustrations- I could sit and look for hours at the bright colors, the soft curls in Mama's hair, the gingham patterns on the girls' dresses, the rough beams inside the barn-house. My children love the idea of a house in a barn- and Micah, when the family ate apple fritters and maple syrup for dinner the night before the storm, declared, "People in the old days ate lots of desserts for meals, didn't they Mama?" (We also love Farmer Boy- many lunches for Almanzo consisted of only a piece of apple pie! Once, when there were but a few pieces of apple pie left after a potluck, the children and I wrapped cold pieces in cloth napkins and took them on a nature walk- best one we've ever taken!)


Ms. Noble pulled experiences from her own childhood for this book, and you can sense the wonderful memories and love she has for her family through the story and illustrations. The best kind of book, in my opinion! We also thoroughly enjoyed this story, a previous CBM review, also written by Trinka Hakes Noble, but illustrated by Doris Ettlinger.

Happy Reading!

(CBM will be on hiatus until the first week of January. Feel free to peruse the archives for some book ideas for your library trips!)

Tea

A cup of tea may temporarily satisfy the palate, but a tea time can satisfy the soul if you take the time to unlock the beauty that is possible there.
~Sally Clarkson, Seasons of a Mother's Heart

What Mrs. Clarkson is speaking of here is a moment in a mother's day, those very necessary heart-feeding moments we so desperately need sometimes. Time to sit and sip, with lovely things surrounding and quiet pressing close.

But I take this quote to heart for my children as well. How my little ones light up when the mention of tea is made! Cambric tea served in a lovely cup, whether held by a little girl or a big boy, is always quite welcome.

When school is starting late, when Mama is snappish and just doesn't know why, when little ones are tired and slow and weepy... cambric tea is our answer. It is an occasion, our tea time; served on a tray with lumps of sugar and a favorite snack, somehow the tears disappear, the mama softens, and the reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic suddenly become manageable.

Sapling Academy's Cambric Tea

• Heat water in a teapot to boiling.
• Have a child choose a flavor of tea and place one tea bag in a quart mason jar.
• Cover tea bag with boiling water, fill to the neck of the jar.
• Place teacups and saucers in a tray.
• Place one sugar cube or one half teaspoon of honey in the bottom of each teacup.
• Fill each teacup halfway to three-quarters full with tea.
• Stir sugar or honey until dissolved.
• Fill teacups to desired fullness with milk or cream. {This will cool the tea, so remember: for younger drinkers, half tea and half milk is best. Older ones will enjoy three-quarters tea to one quarter milk.}
• Cover mason jar with lid and refrigerate remaining tea 'til next time.
• Serve, share, sip, and smile.

Now, who would have thought tea would have a prominent place on The List? I never did. But prepared this way, and served lovingly, it just has an effect on us.

Enjoy!

Recipes and Flow

It has been so pleasant taking this journey through snack time at our house! I've enjoyed putting down on paper exactly what it is that I do, and more importantly, why. I know that I would have appreciated fresh ideas when I was struggling a year ago, so maybe this will get your wheels turning about creating a List of your own, or simply tweaking an existing List to better serve you!

I think it's important for us to remember that each of our homes and circumstances are different- many struggle with allergies to gluten and other foods, or face financial strain. And buying all organic all the time is just not possible for most; even having a vegetable garden can be difficult depending on where you live. So we mama's need to do the best we can with what we have- for example, our cupboards still hold a stash of goldfish to pop in a container for worship, there is refined sugar in our cookies, and, thanks to WIC, cold cereal boxes sit on the breakfast shelf to be sprinkled on top of our granola.

But when it comes to snack time, I love ensuring that my children always have yummy food available, and that when it comes to snacks, I know exactly what ingredients with which they were made. The children don't recognize the fact that I wake very early and spend hours on this weekly project, but when I drop a warm, homemade muffin into their hands after breakfast, they smile and say, "Thank you, Mama!" And it does my heart good.

(To clarify something from my last post, I rise at 5:30 on Baking Day- if my baking is taking longer, then things are probably still in the oven and clean up is most likely occurring while breakfast is prepared... ideally was the key word!)

Okay, on to Baking Day! Or, more accurately, Baking Morning.

So, first of all I begin the Crackers!

I bake my own crackers for two reasons: One reason being that we eat a lot of them, and it helps us to slow a little when we know how much work goes into their preparation. The second reason being that we eat a lot of them, so I like to know EXACTLY what goes into them! I have made this recipe exactly the way it was written, and then I've also tweaked it half a dozen times in other ways. Here are the ingredients for the way I enjoy making them right now:

• 1 1/2 cups millet flour (I buy the millet whole at my local WINCO and just grind it as needed, because I also grind it fresh for Gideon's cereal and use it whole in our baked oatmeal and the muffins on The List.)

• 2 cups brown rice flour

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup water with 2 tablespoons white vinegar

(I have found that the combination of these flours make it the most "crackery"- but you can use many combinations with a satisfying result.)

This soaks covered overnight and then all I have to do on Baking Day is knead it with one teaspoon of sea salt and one and a half teaspoons of baking powder, divide it into fourths, roll it out on a countertop dusted with lots of white flour, cut with my pizza cutter into squarish shapes, prick with a fork and bake. While the first batch bakes I roll, cut, and prick the rest so they slide into the oven in tandem. These crackers are the favorite snack during school hours- we slice little squares of cheese and make *sandwiches*- a delicious little protein boost!

Next I begin the protein bars, since they need time to refrigerate in between steps. Originally almond bars found here, but they are so forgiving- you can use many different substitutions! Here is my tweak:

• 2 cups raw almonds

• 1/2 cup flax meal

• 1/2 cup golden raisins

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 1/2 tbsp. raw honey

• 2 tsp. vanilla

• 2 oz. dark chocolate, melted

Place first six ingredients in blender and pulse till mixed (again, I grind my almonds the night before because of the noise- these six ingredients together are not nearly as loud!)
Mix melted butter, honey and vanilla together in a bowl and add to pulsing ingredients in blender until they pull away from the sides of the blender a bit, making a coarse paste.
Press into an 8x8 glass baking dish and chill for one hour. Pour melted chocolate over the top and spread thinly. Refrigerate again until chocolate hardens, then cut into bars.
Store in refrigerator- for as long as you can; Daddy enjoys taking them to work for a snack, and Mama enjoys one mid-afternoon for an energy boost!

Now I am free to mix the muffins!

The only changes I make are to replace 1/2 cup of the whole wheat flour with flax meal, use milk instead of buttermilk, and we love to add craisins and fresh peeled and diced apples. These are so buttery and indulgent-tasting, but good for you! Sometimes I double the recipe and freeze half, so Baking Day the next week is a bit lighter.

After preparing the muffin batter, I fill the tins and set them aside and begin mixing the peanut butter bites.

Peanut Butter Bites (or Flax Balls)

These must be stocked at all times. Mama needs them even more than the children, for those Sunday mornings when I haven't time for breakfast, and all the other days that meals slip my mind. These little bites mix together very quickly, and they are last on my list so that if I'm still baking when they rise, my children can help with the rolling- so much fun!

And once the crackers are finished baking, I slip the muffin tins in the oven and begin clean-up. A busy, tiring, beautiful start to a day.

It's worth it!

I apologize for the length of this post, so I'll save one more treasure for tomorrow... Tea Time.

'Til then, dear reader!

Baking Day

Friday.

The last day of the school week.

Sometimes my alarm wakes me, but more often than not I rise, my body awakening by habit. Hair slips up into a ponytail, robe ties around waist, and I pull the bedroom door closed behind me. The darkness of the house whispers peace to my heart, and though the wintry cold brings a shiver, a mug of tea or hot chocolate and a preheating oven are the simplest of remedies.

It is Baking Day.


I have found that the best way for me to keep my cupboards and countertops stocked with items from The List is to rise even earlier than usual on Friday mornings to prepare them. The cracker dough soaks overnight and the almonds take a spin in the blender the night before as well so that their rough noise will not awaken my little sleepers. Lately, the kitchen has been so inviting with festive twinkle lights in the window; it is not hard to begin my work.

(Especially when I have these to listen to... such a breath of encouragement and conviction first thing in the morning.)

The tasks are these:

• Bake crackers and muffins. (And granola bars, if I'm making them- lately I've alternated between keeping these and protein bars in stock.)

• Mix peanut butter bites and refrigerate.

• Mix protein bars and refrigerate.

It isn't a long list, but it takes two to three hours to complete, and (ideally!) I like to have the kitchen cleaned and breakfast either ready or "mentally prepared" (smile) for when the children rise at 7:30.

Tomorrow, I'll share the recipes and flow of Baking Day...

The List

I love my children. I love to answer their questions. And I love to feed them.

But one day, over a year ago now, as I stumbled through the house in a mid-afternoon new-baby fog, I passed my oldest in the stairwell and he looked earnestly into my eyes and asked a question.

Mama, can I have a snack?

The dreaded snack question. It comes several times before 10:30 and then several more times by 3:30. And, lately, right before bed while we're reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (Lewis and Tolkein and their descriptions of food. My goodness.)

I meant it when I said that I love to feed my children, but during that sleepy period of my life I found it difficult, if not nearly impossible, to think through the options and choose something that didn't fill tummies too much before dinner, maybe some fruit since I didn't slice any at lunch? Perhaps, for the midmorning snack, a protein since breakfast was cereal? Or a carb, since breakfast was eggs? I'm so tired of doling out goldfish, aren't there any other quick options that are also healthy and wholesome and brain food? My boys are big. They work and play really hard. I've got to start doing this better.

And I stood there that day, pondering these things and looking into his amber eyes for so long that he finally placed his hand gently on my arm and whispered, Mama? It's me. Corban.

And after had we made introductions and gotten to know each other again and I handed him a banana and sent him off for quiet time, I sat down to make The List.

It was revolutionary for me; a not-quite-dramatic-enough-idea to be called a life saver, but welcome nonetheless. And it still resides in our kitchen, safely ensconced in a plastic page protector and tenderly affixed to the side of the refrigerator with an old Taco Time magnet.

The List makes snack decisions for me. I love The List. I still get The Question, but now I just point to The List.

Hungry? Choose something from the list, son, and if it needs slicing or dicing or heating, I will be there for you. If not, eat hearty, and I will see you at the next meal table. (Well, I would see him before that, but not looking earnestly, hungrily into my eyes.) Or...

... What is it, Eliana? Oh, you're hungry? Well, it looks like it's snack time- here are your choices! And I read them to her, she (keyword she) chooses and off we go.

Would you like to see the list?
Simple. Holds a little bit of everything. It serves me well.

Later this week, I'll share with you my method for ensuring that the home-baked items on The List are available at any given moment on any given day - it is possible!