Hi, Just a short note--I just had to connect you to my friend's blog today. Brenda Nuland and I are so much alike, it is as though God created us out of the same mold--we even both don't like to fly in airplanes--which is a faith issue for me about 20 times a year! She is a dear friend and my older children have gotten to know her oldest daughter Stephanie, as she is on the way to Boston. Brenda has a wonderful blog that always feeds my soul and she and I love so many of the same things. She had a post called I Heart Hobbit Houses. You can go to her blog here to connect and read down in her article to connect to the article. I love it because she asks for recommendations for those who know of books that have great descriptions of homes and also great descriptions of food I thought I would put some of my list here and ask all of you to tell me of your favorite homey books. Here is a short list off the top of my head.
Favorite books that describe life-giving homes
Brambly Hedge--delightful children's picture book series from England--more contemporary than Beatrix Potter and has the most inviting pictures of the inside of an English Home that is lived in by precious animals--lovely-- and worth buying second hand for your own library.
Pilgrim Inn--a favorite book from an old English author, Elizabeth Gouge, whose story is about the redemption of people in a home, and family after World War II-a book for adult readers or older teens. Also shows the mending of a marriage and grace that comes through acceptance. Makes the home come alive through loving, giving grace and living as a family.
I love Edith Schaeffer books--The Hidden Art of Homemaking and What is a Family for instruction and stories about her own family and the life of using her home as a place of ministry and of course the story of L'Abri is a must read for families to picture the hand of God at work in the life of people who live by faith--heart warming stories--but all of these books are non-fiction
The Winter Cottage by Brink--pancakes a focal point and so funny as well as a cozy cottage--read aloud for kids lateo-elementary or read aloud to children.
Also, I collect old Eloise Wilkin (an artist) books because her beautiful pictures of children in family, playing, doing chores, helping mommy and wonderful pictures of home--are a great way to put pictures in your children's minds of the importance of family and home--these are simple children's picture books--but the first imprint I put on my children's brains about family, home and Mommy.
Loved the melted cheese passages in Heidi--also a must read aloud--a picture of salvation through a great story--beautiful picture of creation. This author wrote to give children literature to lead them to Christ. (We translated one of her stories into English for the first time in our book that we publish called the Gold Thread--the Story was The Rose Child and can be found through our website
Just David--also one of my favorite books in the world--such a picture of a child's heart redeeming a whole village because of is wonderful integrity--we published this, too. You can find this through our website
Also, the meal in The Little princess--also a must read aloud in our home-the meal she took on her porch was delightful
So many more, but wondered if all of you could tell of some great books and favorite children's books along this line. Have a great Tuesday!