Since I was showing off Halloween Kitty yesterday I thought I'd better give some time over to Halloween Doggy today. How about this sweetheart out in the yard? I was throwing around Halloween decorations and a couple landed on him. Looks like he's ready for a party, doesn't he?
But it’s not all creature making and Halloween decorating chez Fluffy Flowers. I have managed to read a few good books lately.
The first is Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. This is the story of two sisters with a heritage of strangeness in a small North Carolina town. Each has her own troubles and finds herself having to face difficult choices. One, the return to a home town she thought she’d long left behind and the other the idea that she could accept being loved. You’ve got to suspend reality a bit with this book because the apple tree in the backyard is always pitching apples at them trying to get them to eat one. But eating one of that tree’s apples will lead the eater to see the most significant moment of their life which may be good or bad. The sisters are surrounded by an eclectic and entertaining cast of characters. My favorite of these is a sweet old aunt who finds that she has to give people things. They’re all random things and it makes for an interesting story to see how these items get used. There’s a bit of romance, a bit of fantasy, and an entertaining storyline.
The second book I’ve enjoyed recently is Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera & Bill Cleaver. I was drawn to read this book because it’s also the title of one of my favorite blogs. I remember enjoying the movie when I was a kid back in the seventies but hadn’t ever read the book before. Written the year I was born and cataloged as young adult fiction, it is a truly moving story of a proud Appalachian family who loses their father to illness. Determined to keep the family together the tough fourteen year old heroine struggles to make money through wildcrafting, the lost art of gathering medicinal plant materials from the mountains. It was a wonderful, swift read from start to finish and I found myself cheering them on, hoping against hope that they would manage to stay together. I won’t spoil the ending for you because you’ll want to read this one for yourself. Plus, this is one you can recommend to grandma.
How about you? Read any good books lately?
I have Garden Spells tucked away to read on the plane when I go to Houston later this month :) Right now I'm reading The Collection by Gioia Diliberto and it's really good.
Posted by: Sue B | October 05, 2007 at 05:48 AM
Aaawww, thanks for the compliment. :-)
I'm getting ready to start the Wild Trees by Richard Preston. It's about a small group of naturalists who study and climb(!) the great Sequoias of the Pacific Northwest.
I'm so glad you enjoyed Where the Lilies Bloom. It was such an emotional read for me the first time I read it.
Posted by: Brandy | October 05, 2007 at 06:21 AM
i'm working my way through "love medicine" by louise erdrich. really a beautiful intergenerational story. i would highly recommend it!
Posted by: julia | October 05, 2007 at 08:15 AM
I adore M. Chien! For some reason he strikes me as a French doggie. :)
I love all your little creatures - so adorable. :)
Posted by: The Mouse / MMDesigns | October 05, 2007 at 08:53 AM
The doggie is fabulous!
I haven't read anything much lately (HP withdrawal!) but hope to get back into books once winter's here....
Posted by: Jennifer | October 05, 2007 at 09:05 AM
Very fancy doggie!
Good books... Well, I'm reading a book called Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs. The show Bones on TV is based on the character in Reichs novels. It's pretty good so far!
Posted by: Jennifer | October 05, 2007 at 09:12 AM
hehee, I do think he is ready for a party!
Posted by: KnitPastis | October 05, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Hope you left the dog decorated because you can't get any better than that. Thank you for the book suggestions. they boths sound great and I will check them out.
Hugs Karen
Posted by: Karen Young | October 05, 2007 at 10:46 AM
I have really been needing a good book! I will have to try these. We received our fun little tatoo yesterday and it was all I could do to convince my daughter that she had to wait to the weekend before sticking it on her forehead. I thought it might be distracting in school! Thank you so much with love our little fluffy flower pictures too! YOu are such a sweetie!
Posted by: michelle fitzgerald | October 05, 2007 at 10:57 AM
I just read Strange Skies by Matt Marinovich about a man who fakes having cancer because he is afraid to have childern with his wife. I'm still not sure if I like the ending, but it was a good read. I think your dog wants to wear a little mask.
Posted by: Anne | October 05, 2007 at 11:40 AM
I don't know if you've noticed...but one of your cute little sweater kitty's is on the front page of Etsy. :-)
Posted by: Angelique | October 05, 2007 at 11:56 AM
I finished a murder mystery a little while ago, and now I'm trying to decide what to read next. Our weather keeps changing back and forth from summer to fall, so my mood changes with that!
Your little kitty is adorable!
Posted by: Debby | October 05, 2007 at 12:05 PM
You have made the big time. When I went on etsy this morning one of your kitties was the first picture shown in the hand picked items photos :)
Posted by: Molly | October 05, 2007 at 12:10 PM
I haven't thought of Where the Lilies Bloom in a long time. We did the play in high school & I played Devola! By the way, I adore that orange boa. That's Hot!
Posted by: Gwen | October 05, 2007 at 12:35 PM
OMG Halloween doggy looks adorable :) He's so cute...I hope he has fun when he's out on the town heehheehh :)
I've just read "Lisey's Story" by Stephen King. It's an amazing story about a widow (her dead hubby was a writer)...LOVED it!!!
Now I'm reading "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer. It's about vampires ~ so fitting for Halloween/Fall time :)
Posted by: Danielle Nilsson | October 05, 2007 at 12:56 PM
That is one dazzlingly dress pooch! You go all out for Hallween, Felicia! Reading...well, I'm not sure we have the same taste in books...I just spent the summer rereading all of Jane Austen. I highly recommend! ;o) Happy weekend to you and all your creatures great and small ((HUGS))
Posted by: Tracy | October 05, 2007 at 01:59 PM
The tenderness of wolves was pretty good. And Beautiful Child made my eyes wet (emotion)... but
I'm usually into dark stuff/suspense, like Patricia Cornwell (i'm a great fan of hers !), Karin Slaughter, Peter Bowen....etc...
Posted by: Valerie | October 05, 2007 at 05:49 PM
Hmm, I just finished a book by Maeve Binchy and her books are always wonderful (in my opinion). The book I am reading right now hasn't really grabbed me yet, but it was just one I randomly picked up off the library shelf (so I figured there was a 50/50 chance of liking it...).
Posted by: Chara Michele | October 07, 2007 at 12:15 PM
What a festive doggie! Perhaps I shall decorate the cat...
Posted by: sadira | October 07, 2007 at 02:36 PM