Sunday, March 9, 2014

Latest Books

Lots of book business going on here.
Firstly-
I have watched the HBO series (also called Game of Thrones after this first book in a multi-book series) and now I am reading the book.
Its refreshing me for the upcoming season (even though this book season 1 and season 4 is starting) and really is clarifying some connections for me that are easy to miss on the tv drama.
This is a well written story and I am enjoying the read even though I've seen it on HBO.
The other day my hubby gave me some cash for my birthday present and I went down to my fav craft store to do a little shopping. I've seen this book up on some blogs, and thought I would check out a copy sitting on the shelf. I liked it.  One thing I never know what to do while journaling is the writing, not what to say, but how to present it. I have spent my life being criticized how bad my penmanship is, so you never know, I might actually get something out of this.
Seriously, I really liked this book. Haven't bought lots of craft books lately since after awhile they seem to be pretty similar, but I like this book.
While in New Mexico, I was able to visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe. Its a small museum, but has a great little collection of her work. They had this great special exhibit going on about Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams in Hawaii. Wow!
This is a book for older kids (probably like middle school kids) that I saw at the museum, but managed to find a used copy on Amazon. I wanted to read about Georgia O'Keeffe's life, since I really didn't know too much about it, but right now I didn't want to get into a several hundred page
book. Maybe if I really get interested and want to read more I'll go that route. This book worked out perfect, a couple of hours reading, some great photos and some images of some paintings.
Now I know something about her- maybe in a rated G format, but enough basics for right now.
I will admit, learning more is on my to do list, and when I get some time, and if I'm still interested, I'll be doing some more reading.
Here's another book I saw at the museum that I also ordered used from Amazon. Haven't read this yet but plan to.  It sounded great, and it views of the cool painting I saw in the exhibit.
Will let you know how it is, but it sounds great.
Here's the write up from Amazon:
"Georgia O'Keeffe is a legend of 20th-century American art. Her life and work, well documented in her lifetime and since, have taken on mythic proportions. Hawai'i is also mythic in our national psyche-a paradisiacal place of healing and renewal. In 1938, the Dole Pineapple Co. invited Georgia O'Keeffe to come to Hawai'i to produce two paintings for their national advertising campaign. Like other great artists of her day, including Kuniyoshi, Sheets, and Noguchi, she accepted, and in the spring of 1939 spent nine weeks the Hawaiian Islands. On Maui, where she was hosted by 12-year-old Patricia Jennings, the daughter of the Hana sugar plantation manager, she had an encounter that would affect both women for the rest of their lives. Patricia was an isolated introvert, homeschooled and raised by a highly critical mother. When Georgia O'Keeffe arrived in Hawai'i, she was in the throes of marital duress and health challenges. Georgia and Patricia's 10 days together were deeply bonding and profoundly healing. Patricia was nurtured by a mother figure and Georgia recovered emotionally and physically and produced 20 little known yet magnificent works of art. In Georgia O'Keeffe's Hawai'i, Patricia Jennings Morriss tells the story of their encounter, offering glimpses and a fresh look at the process of the great artist through the eyes of a pre-war teen in territorial Hawai'i. O'Keeffe's 20 lush paintings of Island flora and landscapes are reproduced together here for the first time. Reflecting on her time on Maui, O'Keeffe wrote, "I enjoy this drifting off into space on an island.” Years later, she added, it was one of "the best things I have done.” In 1940, O'Keeffe's Hawai'i paintings were exhibited at a An American Place in New York to critical acclaim, yet in the years since, they've only been displayed all together once. In the introduction to Georgia O'Keeffe's Hawaii, art historian Jennifer Saville asserts that O'Keeffe's nine-week sojourn in the Hawaiian Islands helped shape her career, bridging themes examined earlier to later subjects. This heartwarming, informative read fills a gap in our knowledge about the life and work of one of this great artist. With 20 paintings in full color and a host of period photos. "A lovely scrapbook with beautiful reproductions of the Hawaiian paintings and stories about Jennings's time with O'Keeffe." -- Boston Globe "Georgia O'Keeffe's Hawaii is the charming, funny memoir by Jennings … of 10 days that changed both their lives.” -- Maui News "Georgia O'Keeffe's Hawai'i masterfully contextualizes a mercurial woman whose art changed the world." -- Maui TIme Weekly "Patricia Jennings ... is adding her voice to the O'Keeffe mythology.” --Maui Jungalow blog"
Lastly, this new baking book.
I am a baker more than a cook, though I dabble more than anything too serious.
Haven't tried anything yet, but want to try the peanut butter and jelly turnovers and  banana chocolate chip layer cake. Plus a few more other treats.
Yummy!
So what have you been reading lately?




Sorry for this weird repetitive post.  Not sure what happened...something with blogger because when I open it up to delete extra photos it doesn't look this way at all!

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