Mail Call!

We got a bunch of stuff in the mail today.  I love getting mail (not bills, though!) I got a package of Wrap-N-Mats from Reusablebags.com.  They are little mats that you can wrap a sandwich or snack in, and you can wash them and reuse them over and over.  I hope they will help me reduce the amount of plastic zipper bags I use.  I try to wash those out and reuse them, but they still turn into garbage that will last forever, so I have been looking for opportunities to reduce the number I throw away.

Aaron got two packages of software, one is a trial version of a program and another is Photoshop, so we can work on our photos easier.  Aaron is also busy scanning some old glass negatives that we found in our garage when we move in.  Stay tuned for more on that in future posts.

Finally, I got a book I have been waiting for eagerly: Home: Chronicle of a North Country Life by Beth Powning.  It is full of luscious photos and sensitive, observant writing from her years living in a farmhouse in New Brunswick, Canada.  I started reading it as soon as I opened it, and had a hard time pulling myself away to attend to the children.  Eventually I did put it down, but am looking forward to diving in again this evening.  I meant to put a link to Powning's website here yesterday.  You can find out more about her there, and see some of her other books.

The Hatbox Letters

This weekend I finished reading The Hatbox Letters by Beth Powning.  What a wonderful book!  It is a novel about a woman who was digging through some old hatboxes full of letters, diaries, and other items from her family's past.  She learned more about her family's history while she was working her way through the grief of losing her husband over a year ago.  Powning's writing style is descriptive - she describes things so well that you can really picture the scene.  She uses surprising phrases, metaphors and similes to get the atmosphere of her scenes across.  In addition, she gets so into the character's heads that I felt immersed in their reality.  She explored grief, acceptance and renewal in a realistic and fascinating manner.  I had a hard time putting this book down.  Saturday I had large chunks of quiet hours to read uninterrupted, and it was so satisfying to be able to immerse myself in this book.  Already I want to read it again, to catch things I may have missed the first time.  But, I think I'll let it sit for awhile and start on the newest book I treated myself to, Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  I'll keep you posted!