Nothing like a challenge.....

Last week I discovered Margot's blog through a challenge she is hosting for this year. As some of you who read my blogs regularly may have realized, my favorite books or writers influence some of what I do in my house and garden. Remember my showing you my own version of The Secret Garden which influenced how I created the garden we have? I had already planned to blog about Louisa May Alcott but being part of this challenge to do so over the course of 2010 will be great fun. And I hope to learn more about her along the way...

The All Things Alcott challenge:

If you accept this challenge, please follow these guidelines:

1. Between May 1^st and the end of the year (2010), choose one or more Alcott related things to do (see #2). In the spirit of Louisa May Alcott, each participant will set his/her own course in this challenge. You choose one or as many Alcott related items as you wish.
2. You will also determine the contents of your challenge. As long as it is Alcott related, you may choose books, audiobooks, DVDs, movies, TV shows, a play or live theater. Anything by or about Louisa May Alcott is the intention of the challenge.
3. It’s not necessary to compile a list at the beginning of the challenge. I’m hoping this will lead me to discover new items I haven’t even heard about.
4. It’s perfectly okay if this challenge overlaps with other challenges.

“I will do something by and by. I’ll be rich and famous and happy before I die, see if I won’t.”

~ The words of Louisa May Alcott

Recently, I had picked back up an old stitching project to finish. I like to try and link my reading to my stitching or quilting. I decided it was finally time to take my book "Flower Fables" off the shelf and read it as I stitch. If you want more glimpses of the stitching, you can go here to my other blog.

This was Louisa's first published book in 1854. She gave advance copies as Christmas gifts to friends one of whom she dedicated the book. The dedication reads...

To

ELLEN EMERSON,

For whom they were fancied, these

FLOWER FABLES

Are inclined, by her friend,

The Author

Boston, Dec. 9, 1854

And what a joy these fairy stories are to read! The excite the child in all of us. Sweet tales of goodness and the beauty it creates. There could be no better read as Midsummer Eve arrives in June which is a time full of fairy magic.

There are 34 beautiful illustrations to this little edition. When I purchased mine, a portion of the proceeds were to go to Orchard House which is the Alcott house. I understand the book is scheduled to be back in print again this year.

Excerpt from "Fairy Song":

"The moonlight fade from flower and tree,

And the stars dim one by one;

The tale is told, the song is sung,

And the Fairy feast is done.

The night-wind rocks the sleeping flowers,

And sings to them, soft and low.

The early birds erelong will wake:

'Tis time for the Elves to go."

This book is a must for children, young and old...

for those who love Louisa May Alcott...

or for those who love fairy stories in the summertime!

Click on the sidebar challenge button to find more blog posts about Louisa May Alcott...