Jan Karon’s novels are excellent. I discovered The Mitford Museum site. The museum is in Hudson, NC and was founded by Jan Karon. The beautiful site includes more information and an online store.
Tag: Jan Karon
Bloganuary prompt for January 23, 2022
Interview a fictional character.
I wrote about Jan Karon on January 14, 2022. This is from my post:
Karl and I went to Menards in Sheboygan yesterday. I love seeing books for sale at different places, and was happy to see Jan Karon among the many authors. Her novels are wonderful.
Jan Karon’s book, Bathed In Prayer: Father Tim’s Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford Series is a book I plan to read a little today (Author Copyright 2018; G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York).
And this morning, instead of an interview, I would like to say THANK YOU to Jan Karon and her characters. In Bathed In Prayer, she wrote: “It gives me true joy to open my heart to the One Who loved us first and pour out to you whatever is given. It is a very great mystery, this business of making up stories and telling them around the campfire of a book.” Jan Karon has this quote in bold print on page 9 of Bathed In Prayer.
Jan Karon
Karl and I went to Menards in Sheboygan yesterday. I love seeing books for sale at different places, and was happy to see Jan Karon among the many authors. Her novels are wonderful.
Jan Karon’s book, Bathed In Prayer: Father Tim’s Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford Series is a book I plan to read a little today (Author Copyright 2018; G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York).
Friday notes
I received an email from the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin. They began Virtual Field Trips today.
We also receive helpful emails from the Aurora Health Care Foundation.
Karl and I continue at home, and we are grateful. I am home all the time. Karl bought groceries today, and he wore a face mask and gloves.
I have been home for an extended time before, with personal health experiences. And I also spent a lot of time simply being with my mother during her last years. We brought the world to her – everyone needed and she blessed us simply by being herself. When I think of my parents, I think of unconditional love and “big picture faith.” They lived through a lot of history too, including the Great Depression and World War II. My father was a veteran.
Many writers and readers of books, for example, know the experience of feeling blessed by an author from another time. Emily Dickinson is an example.
Or an author in our time. Jan Karon is an example – her wonderful novels.
Many ways to know a sense of friendship. I correspond with poets, and had penpals when I was young. Blogs felt comfortable right away.
This morning I thought of a verse I posted here in the past:
let patience have her perfect work
from James 1: 4a (KJV)
We all have skills and life experiences to apply to this new time. After my mother’s passing in 2004, the grief was hard. And now it is 2020, and I am still blessed by what some may have considered sacrifices at the time.
Take care. Prayers for all who serve and are suffering with COVID-19.
Ellen Grace Olinger
Books
I read several books at a time. Perhaps a prayer here, a poem there. The authors I mention in this post I’ve read for some time. So sometimes, a short selection recalls a lot of content.
Here are a few examples.
be the gift let your brokenness be turned into abundance – by Ann Voskamp (2017, Zondervan).
Sea Glass: New & Selected Poems – by Luci Shaw (2016, WordFarm).
The Book of Kells – by Barbara Crooker (2019, Cascade Books).
Bathed In Prayer: Father Tim’s Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford Series – by Jan Karon (2018, Putnam).
Jan Karon’s novels kept me company during times of illness, grief, and recovery. Lots of joy and heart. Her new book also recalls previous work.
Always poetry – and when I cannot read, my heart is full from when I could read! When I spent a lot of time with my mother in a nursing home, someone might be sitting by a window. I know from my times, sitting by a window – every day – the heart may be overflowing with blessings, though no one else can see. The soul greater than the mind, I believe. Always hope too.
Ellen Grace Olinger
Photo by Karl – July 2018 garden journal
Books
We went to Goodwill in Sheboygan this week. I especially enjoy their books for sale. One of the books I bought is the life-changing magic of tidying up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing, by marie kondo. Translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano. Just beginning to read. One of my goals is to sort through my books, and give some away to thrift stores. Some of the authors I read are Luci Shaw, Ann Voskamp, and Jan Karon – and many other good writers. I also enjoy haiku books from small presses. And I may donate some books back.
We have seen large bookstores close in our general area over the last years. Now I often discover new-for-me books at thrift stores, and also libraries. The combination of on-line places to buy books and local places is nice.
Last year we gave gift copies of Quiet Christmas Poetry to staff at thrift stores. We enjoyed placing a few copies in the Little Free Library collections in our area.
As an additional note, we stopped at Caan’s in Sheboygan. We saw an area of their greenhouse where they are growing new poinsettia plants. So much work, which they enjoy.
Poems From Oostburg, Wisconsin 