Wednesday, January 14, 2009

a few good books.


I usually can only read late at night after the house is asleep and my work is done. I always have a big stack of books next to the bed and read into the wee hours. Since reading is my way to unplug, unwind, and chill out, I like books that are peaceful, positive, or good for the brain. Here are two of my favorites so far this month...



Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting
by R.J. Ruppenthal

I am liking this book! While I already do a lot of what is in the book and definitely enjoy the exercise I get from nodding my head throughout the entire book ( ;) ), it is written and organized well and I like the tidbits of information and resources for each section. For the small space/urban/suburban gardener - growing vegetables, growing fruit, sprouting, making yogurt and kefir, fermenting, growing mushrooms, raising bees and chickens, disaster planning - all great! Of course this book is not a deep 'how to' book, but an overview and guide with resources of what you can do in small spaces, where to find more information and supplies, and the benefits to be reaped with each thing. An easy read full of great info!





Baking Bread with Children by Warren Lee Cohen

This book is a wonderful resource for baking with children. It not only has the recipes - but also has activities, songs, and history to go along with it. There are chapters such as Recipes, Songs Poems & Blessings to Celebrate Bread, Building a Bread Oven, Enlivening the Senses, Seven Grains and Nutrition and more. Many of you know how we love to bake bread in this house, and my boys help with every step whether it is grinding flour or kneading...and having the stories and songs just makes it that much more fun and meaningful!


I also have a big stack of gardening books that I am really enjoying - I can re-read the same books every year and not get tired of them a bit! What are you reading this week?

19 comments:

tiff said...

wow those look like fabulous books...i will have to go check them out.

that is the only time i read too...that is if i can keep my eyes open that late...weekends for sure!

Anonymous said...

i always love your book recs. the photos is great. it looks like a cool antique chalice.

Anonymous said...

'm adding the bread one to my Wishlist. Just my thing. Thanks for sharing.

Don't ya love those quiet reading times? ahhhh

Tara said...

Those books both look great-
in fact if I'm going to have a garden this year I best begin planning!

I'm reading A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel right now- I'm enjoying it :)

Sam said...

The first book looks very interesting. I need to lots about gardening in containers.

The second book is on my amazon wishlist, but not at my library :-( Sounds like it will be worth getting hold of.

Joy said...

Hmmm...I'll definitely have to check out Fresh Food from Small Spaces. I'm ready to get my gardening groove back on. :) I'm reading Sugar Blues this week. Eye opening, for sure.

Jodi Anderson said...

I think that I'm going to order the first book. It sounds right up my alley!

Aimee said...

Those look fabulous!!

Satsuki Rebel said...

My library doesn't have either. They sounded like good books too. =/

dawn klinge said...

I'm reading a C.S. Lewis biography called Surprised by Joy, although not very quickly. I've spent a lot of time knitting lately. I wish I could knit and read at the same time...maybe some audio books would be good. Both of these books you mentioned sound great.

Anet said...

The Square inch gardening book is a must read for me...Super tiny back yard.
I had much of that head nodding with the book I am reading, Homeschooling the Middle Years.
8 to 12 year-olds.

Anonymous said...

Talk about a book to end all books! I'm rereading Fahrenheit 451. That is the temperature we are all baked!

Anonymous said...

That bread book looks a lot like the Waldorf Kindergarten Cookbook...same publisher?

I've been thinking of making some sauerkraut lately...we've made kombucha before so the whole home fermentation thing isn't too scary, and I feel like I could use some good enzymes right now :-)

Lizz said...

Denise, I very much enjoy your books on your list, always!

Amy said...

I'm going to check both those out!

TCallihan said...

I am in the middle of Kingsolver's, " Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" right now. The first book you picture is now on my list to get. I have really admired you indoor growing experiments.

Yarrow said...

Bot of these sound lovely. I am going to look for them at the library. Thanks and blessings.

RunninL8 said...

I just love the bread book and plan on getting one when they come in to our school store.
Love that beautiful top photo-wow!!!

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of optimizing. When I lived in a place with raging deer every square inch of fenced gofer proofed ground was used. Now I'm just lazy. Perhaps I need some 40 below days to get me motivated!