Is "Make Way for Ducklings" Outdated?

Being a grandmother and a woman with white hair, I am feeling like I am in the "older generation," especially when my granddaughter doesn't like one of my favorite picture books Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Granted, it was published in 1944--six years even before I was born, but I have always loved Roert McCloskey's books and pen-and-ink drawings.

I have saved a new hardback edition of Make Way for Ducklings for my grandchildren for some years. The last time we visited in Austin, I showed it to my 4 year old granddaughter Avery and asked if she was "old" enough for it, and she told me, "NO." Then a few nights ago, while they were staying at a beach house nearby, I brought it again and asked if she would like me to read it to her. Avery said she was "supposed to be 5," which may have been the obstacle, and I did not realize it. 

But I insisted upon reading it, because I am an excellent reader of children's books, (falsely) thinking that I could prompt Avery to like the book with me reading it to her. She sat with me for the entire reading of this long book, but did not seem to like the book. That disappointed me.

Unfortunately, I plunged myself into black-and-white thinking: she won't ever like McCloskey's books, and there are so many more: Blueberries for Sal and One Morning in Maine. Pen and Ink drawings are not as inviting as contemporary book illustrators? (What about FERDINAND??)

But it is time for honesty. That was too much about me and not Avery. I want to share the books I love, but maybe they are not for her. . . .or maybe some other time. I want my grandchildren to enjoy books and Avery and Emma do. That is the most important thing of all.

Farewell Friday Five: Hello/Good-bye

 

This is the last Friday Five that I will host after some years of presenting the third Friday Five of each month. I was honored to be asked and am grateful for the times of inspiration and laughter from you RevGals who played!

Our lives entail many beginnings and endings of periods or chapters. We can look back and see where we said “Hello” and “Goodbye.”  Today please look at those times in your life. Be original or play along with these five suggestions:
I am saying “Hello” and/or “Goodbye” to:
 

1. book: I just finished Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos, a book I purchased on my Seattle trip at the Elliott Bay Bookstore from the rack that was labeled "Seattle authors." It is a sweet, good book that brought me to tears in some places. I highly recommend this book published way back in 2004

 

2. habit or practice: Of late I have said "good-bye" to regular centering prayer/meditation. I regret that and keep feeling nudged to begin again. 

 

What I have begun in earnest are leg exercises as recommended by my physical therapist to relieve the hip bursitis pain that has afflicted me off and on since January.

 

And I am saying good-bye to hosting Friday Fives for RevGalBlogPals.

 

3. idea: After reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, I have had to leave behind my belief that racism does not affect me. This book opened me up to many avenues of social justice that I am just beginning to learn about.

4. food: I used to eat peanut butter much more frequently than I do now.

 

5. person: It takes me years to give up on a person that no longer tries to contact me (or me them), and it seems like that is happening a little more frequently now that I do not write letters (and even postcards) as much as I did formerly.
 

One More Day

It is hard sometimes to drag ourselves

back to the love of morning

after we’ve lain in the dark crying out

O God, save us from the horror. . . .

God has saved the world one more day

even with its leaden burden of human evil;

we wake to birdsong.

And if sunlight’s gossamer lifts in its net

the weight of all that is solid,

our hearts, too, are lifted,

swung like laughing infants;

but on gray mornings,

all incident—our own hunger,

the dear tasks of continuance,

the footsteps before us in the earth’s

belovéd dust, leading the way—all,

is hard to love again

for we resent a summons

that disregards our sloth, and this

calls us, calls us.

"The Love of Morning" by Denise Levertov. Text as published in Selected Poems, edited by Paul Lacey (New Directions, 2002).

Which way?

I don't even know what day it is! Today for the second time in several months, I posted the THIRD Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals. . . . .and this was the last time I would do it. Instead, my "farewell" was too early. I know that's because I haven't been looking at the calendar and don't even know what the date is! Befuddled. . . . I am grateful that someone could delete that posting for August 21, because that date has not arrived yet.

My Grand-Dog

My youngest daughter has a Great Dane "puppy" (who has not yet reached full growth). She took a peaceful picture of Maverick at her home, looking out the window. I love this image so much that I asked her permission to put it on my blog, and she agreed.

Picture Taken By M. J. Hilton

I hope I will meet Maverick soon!

My Ride in a Convertible

While in Bellingham, Chuck's brother Tom gave me a whizzing ride in his Lexus convertible. That was my first ride ever in a convertible!

Jan and Tom

A Few Pics of Mount Rainier

Here are a few pictures I took of Mount Rainier while we were on the first part of our trip in Seattle:




There are 46 cranes in Seattle now--lots of building of high-rise structures.