Als ich wisse das Morgen der Erde enden wuerde, immernoch wurd ich mein Apfelbaum pflanzen.

Even if I knew the world would perish tomorrow, I would still plant my apple tree. - Martin Luther

"Factory work's easier on the back, and I don't mind it, understand, but a man becomes what he does. Got to watch that. That's why I keep at farmin' although the crops haven't ever throve. It's the doin' that's important." Madison Wheeler in Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Reading on the Roof

This was my favorite spot to read as a child.  I spent hours up here.  There's a great view of the fields, but mostly when you're on the roof  there is a great sense of solitude. 
We're a family of Readers.  When the kids were younger we needed to make sure to pack blankets, now the last minute, cannot be forgotten grab in the morning when leaving for a trip is their books. Last Sunday, before leaving the farm, the kids begged for some time outside.  We weren't in any hurry and the weather was gorgeous, so I settled in with another cup of coffee.  When I wandered out to see what they were doing I found them on top of the coal shed roof, happily ensconced with their books, water and a snack enjoying the spring sun.

Last week they discovered that if they wore their headlamps in the car they could even read while driving home in the dark from karate.  The Woodsman actually complained because there was such a lack of conversation on the way home.

Some parents have to argue with their kids to shut off their video games and go to sleep; we have to threaten to take their books, and the cry of
 "Can't I just finish this page?"  and "Please can I get to the end of the chapter?" are frequently heard.

Their MP3s contain songs to be sure, but they are primarily a vehicle for audio books, and it's rare that we take a long trip without a book on CD for a shared literature experience. 

Yep, they're addicts - and I couldn't be more proud.



Today's selection:  Animorphs and Swindle

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