grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

R is for Reading

By

Once upon a time I unearthed a skeleton key buried in a badger hole. The rusty key unlocked a secret garden gate that led to a lifetime of fantasy and adventure, history and travel. From The Leaky Cauldron to the Great River of Narnia, each place taught lessons I carry with me.
Swinging on vines through unspoiled jungles of Africa without ever leaving my bedroom, freedom became more important than worldly objects.  Entire summers were spent sleuthing in the Osceola Public Library with Nancy Drew, solving mysteries hidden under the stairs.
Across the ravaged south I trekked, following love into the cold Shenandoah Mountains.  Back home, the choiring trees of the Ozark Mountains sang to me.

Kite fighting in Kabul brought courage and redemption, the likes of which I had never witnessed. Exotic smells and sounds came alive while brilliant colors spiraled and floated through the air, touched rooftops, rested on the ground.
Searching for the meaning of life and mourning all things lost, I found myself while hiking the wild Pacific Crest Trail. 

Visiting the egyptian pyramids from my porch swing, I discovered when something is truly desired, the universe conspires to make it achievable.

Where have you been lately?
R is for Reading

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” 
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Musical Pairing:

Sail Away
I’m blogging my way through the alphabet.
A to Z April Blog Challenge. R is for Reading…

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Comments

  1. This is wonderful, Talya. Love the way you paint such great descriptions with your words. Yes, reading is a wonderful adventure and escape to somewhere far away in another place and time. I need to do more of it. Thanks for reminding me how magical it is.

    Cattitude and Gratitude

  2. It’s amazing how far we can travel through books! Last night I finished reading an Advanced Readers Copy of a compelling story set around Oklahoma. And today I went to Burma!

  4. This was a fabulous pick for the letter R and a great post. I too enjoyed The Kite Runner. Recently, I’ve been reading, and will probably finish today, a dark historical nonfiction book about antisemitism. The history is sad but fascinating! What’s even more interesting is that there is a member of our blogging group who is still trying to convert me with passages about rapture. People have been trying to convert my ancestors for thousands of years with threats of death and expulsion from countries, yet we’ve stayed the course. Does he really believe his little post is going to make me say, “Okay. I’ll give up my beliefs and spit on my ancestors?” Unbelievable!

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

  6. That was a really creative way to share what you’ve been reading! I have been struggling to read anything substantial lately–between work and blogging, I spend a lot of time reading online, articles and blogposts, cookbooks, etc. But book books? I just rearranged my bookshelf by my bed, reprioritizing, shuffling books off to other bookshelves where I will get to them later…

    I will say that I did spend a great deal of time in Boston this last week, reading about everything that’s gone on there.

  7. This week my reading has taken me to Scotland where I am wanting to bring the main character to justice and last week I was in California hoping for the main character to be released.

  8. This week I read the new Laura Childs Tea shop Mystery. I have read the all, and each time I am transported to Charleston South Carolina. I so wish the shop excited, it is so set in my mind. I really think I want to go there some day after reading so much about it.

  9. Talya, what a lovely post this is. Your descriptions brought to mind many of the books you mentioned. I have not yet read, Wild, but would like to do so.

    Since joining the blog challenge this month, I’ve been to Bali, and Malaysia, and Denmark, and Australia, and many parts of the US. The fiction I read is less about place, and more about plot, but these blogs are just so rich!

    Thanks for following me — I’ve followed suit and I look forward to reading much more of your blog and articles.

    SiouxsiesMusings

  13. I haven’t done much book reading lately but I’ve been reading a lot of blogs and I’ve been to England, Scotland, US, Ladakh and so many other places in India. Nice post Talya, loved the way you journeyed places via the books.

  15. That’s a lovely way to describe the adventure of reading. Glad I stopped here 🙂

    -Fellow blogger from A to Z!

  16. Supremely cool, I fancied myself a Hardy boy at first and then one of the Three Investigators and as time wore on Burke! Now I’ll pretty much read anything strung together correctly! Thanks for reviving some wonderful memories!

  18. I have recently been in The Secret Garden with Ladybug. We’re traveling to Prince Edward Island soon, when we start Anne of Green Gables, which is a favorite of mine. On my own, I hope to buy the new Edward Rutherfurd soon and travel to Paris.

  20. Really Rewarding Read, Talya!=) I have read a few books about adventure, and the one that stands out the most to me was “Robin Hood.” I read it during the summer of one of my teenage years. I remember what a great book it was, and how it transported me to Sherwood Forest and the days of knights and chivalry.=) I also remember being extra proud of myself for actually finishing a book!=) Looking back, I wish I would have read more as most people I meet who are avid readers, usually, are pretty smart people.=)

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!