Showing you Oregon,one post at a time. Did you know that I post the links of many of my stories and articles on the sidebar? When you have extra time, please scroll down to see more. At the bottom of this page there are links to many other blogs that I enjoy.

Protected by Copyscape Duplicate Content Check

Hello, friends, thank you so much for stopping by. I really hope that you will enjoy your visit to Oregon Gifts. Due to spam, I am not accepting comments from anonymous people. Please email me at: oregongiftsofcomfortandjoy@hotmail.com if you are unable to leave a comment on here. I write back through email when I can.

My words and photographs are copyrighted, and may not be used without permission, even on Pinterest.

~ Kathy M.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Blue Car Collage and My Recent Reads:

 "Blue Monday"

Once again, it is Monday, and I went through my photos for something blue.  I came across the pictures that I took last 4th of July of La Pine's parade.  This collage shows you some of the neat blue vehicles that were driving by for us to watch:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

This is a Blue Monday post, but you'll need to scroll all the way to the bottom to leave me a comment, because I'm combining it with with Bargain Book Bonanza today.  You get two meme's for the price of one ... free!  Thank you to Smiling Sally for hosting this fun Monday linky party.  Please say a prayer for her, as last week Sally mentioned that she will be recovering from surgery this week.   When you are all done here at Oregon Gifts, please CLICK HERE  to see blue pictures from all over the place.








"Kathy's Recent Reads"
and 
"Baja Greenawalt's Bargain Book Bonanza"

Source:  Live Images/Bing

Well, it is book review time once again.  I am currently reading Midwives and Living Among Headstones, and have recently finished Whitethorn Woods and Gerald's Game.


"Midwives"


Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

This book is really, really good.  I haven't gotten very far into it yet, and I find myself getting up often and distracting myself with something else because it gets too emotionally heavy for me.  It isn't necessarily a sad book, but I can just imagine it all so clearly.

The story is about a lay midwife in Vermont in the 1980's who had made a decision during a birth that she is now on trial for.  It is told through the eyes of her teen-aged daughter, and I keep thinking, a man wrote this book?  Chris Bohjalian really gets inside the heads of his main characters, and does an excellent job of storytelling.


In 1990, I had my son at home with a lay midwife.  He was my third baby, and I had easy pregnancies and births with my first two.  We were broke with no insurance (for a traditional hospital birth), and we lived in town, so I thought it would all work out okay by taking this alternative route.  I began to see my midwife as soon as I found out that I was pregnant, and the whole process was really an awesome family experience.  My girls were there to welcome their little brother into the world, and I didn't have to get up and go home.  Home births are not for everybody, but my midwife's philosophy, and the hundreds of babies that she had delivered before she delivered mine remind me of Sybil Danforth, the lady in this book.  

I'm only halfway through this book, and I'm really not sure what is going to happen next.  Don't tell me!  This book cost me $2.00 at St. Vinnie's in Mayberry.


"Living Among Headstones"




 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Shannon Applegate is a "kissin' cousin" as she tells my mom, her friend, and this is an author-signed copy of the book that Mom bought and then loaned me a couple of years ago.  I need to get my own copy, and give this one back to Mom.  I am using it for research on my Early Oregon Series, and I am enjoying it very much.

The copyright of this book is 2005.  Shannon writes about inheriting the pioneer cemetery in Yoncalla, Oregon from her father.  It is the cemetery where my Great-Great Grandfather John Letsom is buried.  Also buried there are my Great Grandparents Ben and Litha (Letsom) Hedrick, and my Great-Great Uncle Kit.  My Mom plans on being buried there someday too, when she is around 100. 

Shannon shares with us her story and reflections of what she's learning about being a cemetery sexton.  Shannon Applegate has also written other books about the area and of her ancestors. The Applegates made the Applegate Trail (the southern route for covered wagons coming to Oregon.)  Skookum is her excellent book all about them.  I'm going to be reading it next, for my third time.


"Whitethorn Woods"

  Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Ah!  Another Maeve Binchy.  This one actually could be read right before Heart and Soul, but it doesn't have to be.  It is a fun and fast read, and I like how she laid this story out.  Each chapter can be a stand alone story on it's own, but Maeve weaves in Father Brian Flynn and the proposed new highway bypass that will take out St. Anne's Well.  St. Anne's Well bugs Father Brian, but most of the people in the area swear by it.  Buy it, you'll like it!  Especially if it only cost you a dollar, like it did me.


"Gerald's Game"

  Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Oh, my gosh.  This book is not for the faint of heart.  A psychological thriller, kind of reminding me of a grown up's version of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, there are some very graphic and gross things in here.  Still, I read through it pretty fast; it kept my attention and I wanted to find out what was going to happen next...and, I'm still thinking about it a week later.  Where does he come up with this stuff anyway?  I guess I will say it is a good book, but I'm afraid to recommend it.  Read at your own risk, and to my teenage niece who is just getting into Stephen King; please don't read it.  Wait another ten years.  I think that this book cost me a dollar or two.


Like I mentioned above, this is also a Bargain Book Bonanza post hosted by Lesa and Leslie and their friends over at Baja Greenawalt's.  Please visit them when you get the chance, by clicking here:  Baja Greeawalt's Cozy Book Nook's Bargain Book Bonanza.
 




If you miss a day, you miss a lot!  Don't miss out on the news ... Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today. Protected by Copyscape Duplicate Content Check

12 comments:

liberal sprinkles said...

Kathy, I loooove those cars!! Looks like you're really busy reading! I'm on a John Grisham right now, I don't normally read his books (just watch the movies LOL) but someone passed me a copy!
G

Maude Lynn said...

Gerald's Game is one of my favorite books! I love Stephen King.

Carol said...

I'm falling in love with all of those blue cars!!!
You've also captured my interest with "Midwives" I'll have to check it out more.

LV said...

You seem to have found just the right things today for both features. I never saw so many blue cars at one time.

Lesley said...

We just don't have enough blue cars anymore! I was trying to pick a favourite, but gave up. It would be fun to watch these driving past.

Hootin Anni said...

You and my Irene would get along famously, she reads everything Stephen King! Never to pass up one of his works. Now the life in a cemetery sounds interesting...me with genealogy and all. Ohhhhhhhhh, and that '56 [2nd one down on the right column] Chevy....I learned to drive with one of those!! The good old days.



Thanks for commenting on my kitty paw post today!! Hope your week ahead treats you well. So far, the comment issue on my little corner of the world is working right now, so I'm taking advantage of the situation. :o)

Kim, USA said...

Wow that midwives novel sounds good. And love all your blue cars, great find!

Celebration

Rebecca said...

What neat cars-I saw a blue one today and posted it on my blog!

innergybeauty said...

Oh that's a very nice blue cars..I dont know that blue looks good on car also. Pls check out my entry. Happy Blue MOnday!

Eden said...

Those are beautiful blue cars. Nice collage.

Lesa said...

Happy Blue Monday and BBB! Thanks for visiting my blues and linking up to BBB again. Cool blue cars-- one really looks like Doc from the Cars movie.

Interesting books. I haven't read a King in years but he is a good storyteller-- I should read some of his newer ones.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Beautiful blues Kathy, perfect to start the week.

Yummy Blues

No Copying!


Protected by Copyscape Duplicate Content Check

I LOVE THE STATE OF OREGON.

I LOVE THE STATE OF OREGON.
Links to My Oregon Blog Posts (Except for Central Oregon):

"Oregon Bloggers"

"Sepia Saturday, Postcard and Stamp Blogs"

"Writing and Poetry Blogs":