Keepers - - - -

I thought I would share ten of my favourite books - those that in my head I call "Keepers".
 I read avidly as a child, teenager and young adult. The birth of my first child put a stop to my gallup somewhat - - - and when 2 more joined our family -- my reading slowed to a fullstop!! Well - at least for just me - I did lots of reading aloud of a variety of children's stories!! It recovered slightly when I was  able to read for pleasure for me alone by reading on holiday. But that was the sum total of my reading for many years.

However as you probably already know dear reader - I love words - so reading has been something I have made a conscious effort to get back into - and initially I found myself going back to old favourite "re-reads".  - -  and re-read I did - - - many books not read for years - and to my delight - still the old magic was there , transporting me to another time, another place, other scents and other sounds - - almost I have forgotton a books' ability to take me completely out of myself - - so that I often have to shake myself to return to my real, mundane world of 2012 and the present day. Do all readers experience this feeling I wonder? I know I do - and for me it is how I judge a book - am I there in the story - or on the outside looking in?
Anyway - I have chosen books for this list from my recent "re reading" - and trust me - it wasn't easy - based on that rather simple premise - am I there or looking in? These are all books I think of as "keepers" -those I don't want  to pass on to other readers. (selfish of me ? - probably yes!!)
So here they are - in no particular order - just 10 books I have read more than once -  and very likely will re read again. -
1] Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
2] The Luteplayer - Norah Lofts
3] Green Darkness - Anya Seton
4] Thomasina - Paul Gallico
5] How Far to Bethlehem? - Norah Lofts
6] The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
7] Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie
8] The Dean's Watch - Elizabeth Goudge
9] A City of Bells - Elizabeth Goudge
10] Frenchman's Creek - Daphne du Maurier

Do you have favourite books you re read ?  Or favourite authors - looking at my list I can see I have I would love to know if you have.

I am sure there will be many more interesting posts on than this, today in blogland - find them with Shimelle.
As always its lovely to have you stop by
'til later

'til later,
Bannaghtyn J x

Words of Wisdom - -

The lovely Shimelle is once again encouraging us. As you probably know dear readers - I am an alumni of many of Shimelle's classes - and my most recently completed class - Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers has been an enormous boost to my confidence and I hope improved some of my blog content - (and I really would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't taken the class) so today - thanks to Shimelle who has so kindly invited us to participate in her latest sortie into blogland - it's 10 on the Tenth.
Oh cool thinks I - so exciting - I can share my holiday snaps - er no! - still taking some of them!!
I can scan 10 pages from my last album - er no! not at home - remember???
I can list the books by my bed - er no! on that one too - can't remember ten titles!!
so all these ideas are not too practical for this month -  so being on holiday - today I share with you - -

Wise words - - - that I would like my children to remember. I have been collecting words all my life and those of you who have visited me more than once will probably know of this passion of mine. Sadly I am not sure I have passed it on to my children but I have included these quotes (along with lots of others) here and there through the albums recording their lives that we call scrapbooks - in the hopes that  they may just take the occasional note of them, enjoy the scraps of poetry or just the music of the words themselves. I hope you enjoy some of them - feel free to make use of them in your own albums if they appeal to you.

• A Bag of Tools -

Isn't it strange that princes and kings
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings
And common folk like you and me
Are the builders of eternity.
To each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass and a book of rules;
And each must make, ere time is flown,
A stumbling-block or a stepping-stone.. RL Sharpe

• Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.. Albert Camus
• Reach for the moon, for if you fall you will land amongst the stars.

• Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.. Anon
• Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.. Henry Van Dyke
• Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.. Jesse Jackson 
• Sing as if no one is listening, Dance as if no one is watching,  Laugh til you ache with mirth, Love like there's no tomorrow and live as if heaven's on earth.

• You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart.. Author Unknown 
• Music is what feelings sound like.. Authur Unknown
• Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.. Maya Angelou 

I am sure there will be many more interesting posts on this today in blogland - find them here. As always, its lovely to have you stop by.
'til later
Bannaghtyn J x