Christmas Lights

 Dear Readers,

I wish you a Merry Christmas! I hope you'll have a beautiful day with your family and friends.  May your heart be filled with joy and love!  

Do you like Christmas lights? Do you like to decorate for Christmas?  A few days ago, we went to see the Christmas Lights at Pecan Grove Plantation.  It was as beautiful as always.  It's a neighborhood that holds a contest every Christmas for the most beautifully decorated house.  

I am sharing with you a few pictures from that night.  The house owners are so friendly and many greet you when you drive by.  Some even offer candies.  People are very patient even when the cars are driving super slow.  There are hayrides too that will drive you around the neighborhood.

To see such lovely displays of Christmas Light and the neighborhood's friendliness was heartwarming.  I wish you all a pleasant day!

The Art of Yogisya

 Dear Readers,

I was intrigued by the illustrations of Yogisya so I purchased his book "The Art of Yogisya (Japanese Edition) in paperback format (softcover).

I did not know about this artist until I saw her illustrations on Instagram. I was instantly charmed by her mesmerizing drawings and bought her book. The following pictures of her book were shared on the store website where I bought so I think it's alright if I show them to you. 

This book is about fairy tales but also about other stories like a play from Shakespeare and even a poem (from Edgar Allan Poe).  The text is in Japanese only, but I think you can translate nowadays with some of the apps available with smartphones. 

Her drawings are dainty, inspiring and absolutely magical because it makes my heart happy just to look at them.

I don't know much more about this artist but you can find her on various social media platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogisya/

Website: https://yogisya.art/

Blog: https://yogisya.art/blog/

Work: https://yogisya.art/work/

I think she has also illustrated a planner with the theme of Harry Potter.   

Do you like her illustrations?  If you know of other books by her, please let me know!

I wish you all a beautiful weekend wherever you are!  

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not paid nor received gifts to write this or mention any store or website.  

Poetry for Kids: Emily Dickinson

Dear Readers,

I have been looking for poetry book for my daughter who has recently shown a marked interested in writing and reading poems.  She would often scribble in her notbeook and read me some excerpts when she feels brave enough to share.

She asked me to recommend poets for her to read but since I grew up learning French poetry and not English poetry,  I wasn't too sure of what could be good poems for her age.

I started looking around and found a lovely collection of illustrated books aimed to introduce children (age range: 8-12 years old) to famous poets such as Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost.

So I bought "Poetry for Kids: Emily Dickinson" with illustrations by Christine Davenier.  Susan Snively, who is a guide at the Emily Dickinson Museum, wrote the introduction (a short biography of Emily's life). 

The illustrations are truly beautiful and match the content of the poems: nature, small animals, the change of seasons, etc. 

There are a few word definitions for each poem but no explations as to the meaning of the poems.  This was a bit of a letdown because it would have been nice for the children to explore the themes and context of these poems. 

And it would have made it easier for the parents too because children sure do have a lot of questions!  ^_^

But overall,  my daughter enjoyed this book very much.  She loved the very colorful illustrations too. 

Do you like poetry? Do you know of good poetry books for children?

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not paid nor received gifts to write this or mention any store or website.  

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

 Dear Readers,

It's already December 2023 and I can't believe how quickly this year went by!  So many things have happened since my last post. I am sorry I didn't update my blog sooner.  However, I do want to share my happiness with others so they too can experience it for themselves.  Life is hard for all, such is our condition when we are born in this mortal realm, but there is sometimes beauty in life and it's up to us to find it.

I recently came across a book that made my heart soar: "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady: by Edith Holden.

It's a beautiful hardcover book with illustration of the English countryside.  It's a reminder of how life used to be slower and how we could easily find beauty in the simple gifts of nature at each season.

If you like plants, flowers and little animals, this book will transport you to a different era in the old English countryside where you can walk in the serene gardens made by Mother Earth.

I don't like the cold and I struggle to find comfort in the winter months but this book has given me another perspective of the dreaded upcoming months.  Book are food for the soul in that regards.  You feast with your eyes but you also walk away with food for thoughts and a greatful heart.

Have a wonderful day dear Readers. I wish you all a peaceful month of December. 

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not paid nor received gifts to write this or mention any store or website.