Bookish Chat March 10 2026

 
What I thought was going to be a facebook post ended up way too long for a fb post.

Here's a look at what I have been reading, what I did not finish reading, why my currently reading list is so ridiculously long, and a little of what is newly released and might make it onto my to read list.

Please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate, so if you click on any of the links here and make a purchase, I may earn a few cents commission.  I'm also an old Pennsylvania Dutch farm wife, too stubborn in her strong opinions to be swayed by a few cents.  We'll save my guilt about promoting/shopping on Amazon for my memoir. 

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RECENTLY READ
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Marius Quinn Book 4

I read this by accident.  I've been reading the Lord Edgington Series, and enjoying them very much (except for book 2.  I didn't care for that one).  These books are harder to find, our local libraries often do not have them.  Book 4 came available on libby, so I added it, and started reading. A couple of chapters in, I found myself wondering where Chrissy and Lord Edginton were, and when they would be arriving in the story.  Then I looked at the cover again and sure enough, across the top it says Marius Quinn.  I hadn't even realized Brown wrote two other series.  In my defense, both this and the Edgington Series are "An addictive 1920s murder mystery"

It was a happy accident - I loved this book, and look forward to reading more of this series.  I noticed these are on Kindle Unlimited, so I'll make sure they are on my list for when there is a free or severely discounted trial at some point this year. 

Book One 
Murder On Friday Street
By Russell Cooper

I listened to the audiobook for this one, while driving... and I kept thinking of the children's book Are Your My Mother. It felt like a REALLY long version of that, to the point where I thought of it as Are You My Fathers Murderer?

Yet somehow, by the books end, I liked it enough to want to read the rest of the series. It has great characters. The description mentions it being for fans of  Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, and I can't argue with that.  The rest of the series has been added to my To Read list.

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DNF
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Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
The latest by Heather Fawcett

This is not an Emily Wilde book.  I'm still disappointed that Fawcett wrote something other than a new Emily Wilde book.  So maybe I didn't give this enough of a chance.  But realistically, this book probably just isn't for me.   It's rare I pick up a fantasy genre book. 

 The Emily Wilde Series was magical, and much like the  Narnia or  Harry Potter series.  I feel strongly that it should have as many books as those series, but Fawcett did say it was a trilogy.  (It is also the same type of fantasy read as Lord of The Rings, which is also a trilogy)

Speaking Of DNF..  Goodreads is finally adding a DNF shelf!  YAY!
And yes, I still use goodreads.  I know there are better options, and I know some of those options will import my goodreads history.  Most of my friends still use goodreads, and I like seeing what they are reading.  It's sort of like facebook.  Annoying, often you can't really trust what you read there...  but it's where my friends are, and I'm just too busy and tired to figure out something new.

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RECENTLY RELEASED
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Did you see that there is a new book  - Biography/Memoir - about Judy Blume, by Mark Oppenheimer?  I don't know how I feel about this.  I'm not sure I want to pull back the curtain and see what is behind it.  LOL! My current "currently reading" list/pile is ridiculous, and between our trip to California this year  (every trip I take has it's own reading list...  we study before we travel) , and America 250 - I have WAY too much on my to read list for this year already.  So I can wait and see what others think of this before I add it to my own list.  

Book 10 in the Veronica Speedwell Series
A Ghastly Catastrophe
By Deanna Raybourn

This series is a bit..  I think the word they are using these days is "spicier", than my average recommendation.  It's likely still considered PG by today's standards.  There's not a lot of detail, mostly innuendo.   That said, I love this series.  It's smart, it's fun, the characters are great.  


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WITH THE GRANDCHILDREN
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Little Blue Truck and Racer Red: A Fun Picture Book About Race Cars, Friendship, and Trying Your Best - Alice Schertle.  I am adding this because the last few years with my grandchildren have made me very aware of how very bad so many children's books are.  Maybe bad is the wrong word.  Difficult to read might be more appropriate. 

I love the Little Blue Truck Series, Julia Donaldson Books, Mother Bruce...  books that are fun to read.  Bonus points for this one - as our 6 year old grandson is currently struggling with feelings about winning/losing, and needing to beat his brother at everything.  Its a fun read with a great moral reminder - win or lose, it's fun to try.  

We also read Creepy Carrots a lot this past week.  It's the 6 year olds favorite.  The 3 year old is loving My Truck Is Stuck.  Bonus for that one, it reinforces counting and number skills - and is a quick, fun, read.


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CURRENTLY READING
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Yes, I know. This is a bit much.  My life in general is a bit much, manageable only if I have a reading list to match.    I frequently read in short spurts, from whichever book is closest to where I sat down for a minute.  There are books everywhere in this house, and in every bag I might carry out the door - in addition to a shelf of "to reads" by the front door.


-Dinner With King Tut By Sam Kean (Audiobook I'm listening to in the car with my husband, so this might take awhile to finish unless we take another road trip.)  I love this book, and will look for more by this author.  Great for road trips - EXCEPT - even as a farm wife I find myself a bit squeamish over some of the mentions of animal processing.  They'd be so much easier to skim in a text version...


- The Revolutionary Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff (A Libby hold  that came available).  I'm finding this one to be absolutely fascinating.  How did I know so little about Samuel Adams?  

- More Tracking Yesterday by Ted Fenstermacher Short articles about historical things in Columbia and Montour County Pa - this has been perfect for "waiting room reading" for all of my husbands appointments.  Although I'm enjoying this very much, after seeing what it is selling for on ebay and thrift books, I may need to sell my copy when I am finished...

This is one of the many books I have downloaded - FREE - from Archive.org.  There's an amazing collection of old books on this site.

- Recollections Of John Binns by John Binns.  Written in 1854.  This is an epub on my phone, and this one is taking me forever because every time I do read it, I end up researching whatever topic he last mentioned. 

  I spent two days researching Joanna Southcott after reading his mention of her.  You can read more about her here:
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2026/02/todays-tangent-eccentric-prophetess.html




-Liberty's Land by Chris Yohn (Local Revolutionary War Historical Fiction)
-Declarations Of Independence By Dr. Chris Pearl (Local Revolutionary War History)

I have really strong (positive) thoughts on how incredible it is to have these two authors speaking in our area, after writing these books about our local history.  You can read that facebook post here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CFKWWQZoa/

Both of the last two are relatively short, easy to read books that should not be taking me this long.  I am enjoying both of them VERY much.  I could have finished either one of these in the time it took me to compile this post.  The phrase "she used her time wisely" is not likely to appear on my tombstone.  

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MY FAVORITE READ 
OF 2026 SO FAR
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Theo Of Golden
By Allen Levi

Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi.  Its just  a beautifully written, wonderful, story.  I continue to insist that everyone should read this one.  :-)

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And since it is March, here's a post I wrote a few years ago, with recommendations to read during Women's History Month

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Ceramic Christmas Trees - Some History Behing The Nostalgia

 Paint your own ceramics classes were the vintage version of the popular "Wine & Design" [typically painted canvas] classes today. Locally (central Pa) we have the Backwoods Ceramic Shop (find them at the Lewisburg Street Of Shops) with a fantastic facebook page showing the trees as they come out of the molds.

The Mr. Christmas company was founded by Merril Hermanson in 1933 He began by designing window displays and selling tinsel from the bed of his truck. Mr. Christmas is often credited with selling the "first" ceramic Christmas tree.

The first patent for a ceramic Christmas tree mold is said to have been issued to Atlantic in 1958. (I haven't yet found a copy of that patent)


Ceramic Christmas trees molds are generally believed to have first been made in the 1940s, after World War II. Painting your own ceramic tree was at it's peak of popularity in the 1970s, and nearly every suburban home had at least one made by a family member.



In the 1950s, after World War II, Japanese imports flooded the market. Many ceramic molds were still made in America, but there were fewer mold companies designing them.

  •  Ceramic Molds were very popular from the 1940s all the way into the 1990s, although the popularity had tapered off in the 1980s. Ceramic Trees are still made today, many from the same molds that were used in the 1940s.
  • Many Ceramic Mold Companies were formed in the 1940s, in the owners garages.
  •  IF there is a date on the bottom of your ceramic tree, it may just be the copyright date of the designs mold, not the date the tree was made.
  • As with the date, the "makers mark" on the bottom could be anything - it could be from the mold, it could have been added by the shop providing the class, or it could have been added by an individual taking the class.
  • Vintage ceramic Christmas Trees were hand-painted and glazed, so any tree that feels light, is pre-painted, or is molded from colored clay is mass produced and probably from the 1980s or later.
  • Not all trees were made to have lights. There were also ceramic trees meant to be used as serving dishes - the most popular being called a deviled egg holder, although it could be used to hold a variety of snack items.
  • The Lava Tree, and the Holly tree are two of the most unique designs.


Other Makers:

  • Arnels, founded in Oregon. 1953-?
  • Atlantic, founded in Easton Pennsylvania, 1946-2000's. The most popular, because they were around the longest. They also made trees over 22 inches tall! Atlantic copyrighted the first ceramic Christmas tree in 1958.
  • California, founded in California. 1945-1982
  • Duncan, founded in California, 1946-2020.
  • Holland Mold, founded in Michigan (by brothers from Austria) 1948-1990s?
  • Jamar-Mallory 1950's-early 1960s
  • Madison began founded in Wisconsin, Operated 1940-1956
Today replacement bulbs come in all shapes and colors - including Halloween skulls, bows, candles, poinsettia, birds, and even a turkey to go on top in place of the star. https://amzn.to/4alUfaF

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READ MORE
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FB POST With More Photos - 

Locally (central Pa) we have the Backwoods Ceramic Shop (find them at the Lewisburg Street Of Shops) with a fantastic facebook page showing the trees as they come out of the molds. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552597686756


· Vintage Christmas Ceramic Collectibles by Walter Dworkin

· Py Miyao Fun Kitchen Collectibles: Reference & Value Guide by Belinda Evans

· Price Guide to Holt-Howard Collectibles and Other Related Ceramicwares of the 50s & 60s by Walter Dworkin

· Napco ( A Schiffer Book for Collectors) by Kathleen Deel

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Truck Thank You Note - Free SVG

 
Truck Thank You Note

Just a quick and simple card  - the svg will cut the white part, you will want to add a rectangle in Design Space (the blue part) to glue behind the cut out piece.  

I'd also add a score line in the middle, just to make it easier to fold - although that's not necessary.  

Download HERE

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For more tips, tricks, tutorials, and free svgs for making cards:
https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2024/06/making-cards-with-cricut.html


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Fish Place Card - Free SVG

Simple Fish Place Card

My husband asked if I could cut "pink triangles " to designate who ordered fish, for a dinner banquet tonight.

Nope. I can't cut pink triangles. Not when I can cut fish shapes instead! Lol! I prefer the larger, paler, version - but knowing how much stuff will be on the tables, I decided smaller & brighter would be more practical.


Download the Free SVG HERE


These were to go along with the perforated tickets I made for the same banquet -

They needed tickets that once purchased could be filled out with the meal choice - with one side of the ticket staying with the purchaser, and one being turned in for the meal count.

Here's how to make perforated tickets with Cricut:
https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2023/12/making-perforated-tickets-with-cricut.html

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The My Bookhouse Books

 

My Book House 6 volume series By Olive Beaupré Miller


A graduate of Smith College, Olive Beaupré Miller began writing rhymes and stories in order to entertain her young daughter (in addition to editing My Book House Miller also wrote many of the entries). After publishing three books, she founded The Book House for Children publishing company with her husband in 1919; in 1920 the first volume of My Book House (titled In the Nursery) was published.



My Book House was the first collection of children’s literature specifically arranged to meet the developing needs and abilities of children at different ages. Each entry had to meet the following three criteria (taken from Miller’s introduction):
“First, — To be well equipped for life, to have ideas and the ability to express them, the child needs a broad background of familiarity with the best in literature.
Second, — His stories and rhymes must be selected with care that he may absorb no distorted view of life and its actual values, but may grow up to be mentally clear about values and emotionally impelled to seek what is truly desirable and worthwhile in human living.
Third, — The stories and rhymes selected must be graded to the child’s understanding at different periods of his growth, graded as to vocabulary, as to subject matter and as to complexity of structure and plot.”
Eventually expanded to a 12 volume series, the original six volumes are in the public domain.
Download for free:

On Libravox:
https://librivox.org/author/3389?primary_key=3389&search_category=author&search_page=1&search_form=get_results&search_order=alpha

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Not everyone was a fan, even in 1922 the San Francisco Bulletin reported that that the books were too good, too positive, and that any normal healthy child has streaks of good and bad, and would "crave a little of the rough stuff."  





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"Right Reading For Children" was a booklet published by Mrs. Miller, explaining the "influence  of reading upon children and the importance of right selection."

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Right Reading For Children
An Adress Delivered Before the Hinsdale Women's Club
by Olive Beupre Miller


























 




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The Record, 1926




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