Abigail Recommends

Hello, my historical poets! Today I bring you a very dainty and old book. A Vintage of Verse was written by Clarence Urmy in 1897 with only five hundred copies printed. It is a lovely little book to take along with you to read in the warm sunshine. And although it focuses on the land of California, parts of the poem below remind me of my own days in Central Penna. Although I would substitute the cow bells with sheep baaing. 

 

Toward twilight-time we slowly pass

Along a road whose winding turns

Are decked with dainty wildwood flowers,

With trailing vines and graceful ferns;

Along a rail-fence runs a quail,

A bluebird darts amid the trees,

And cow-bell echoes, dimly heard,

Are wafted on the evening breeze.

Best,

Abigail

Abigail Recommends

Since I'm away from my computer due to moving and not getting internet for a week I'm posting the weekly Abigail Recommends on here instead of Facebook.  Hope you enjoy!

Good afternoon, history buffs! This week is a book that gives a glimpse into a Pittsburgh neighborhood during the turn of the century. I never would have found it if I had not taken a rainy day to wander around my local library and browse the shelves. The Dutchman Died, and Other Tales of Pittsburgh's Southside was written by a local named J. Fred Lissfelt. He wanted to preserve some of the more interesting stories and characters of the then mostly German neighborhood. It has some great old German ghost stories along with a wonderful way of giving you a great idea of what the neighborhood used to be like. Even if you've never visited Pittsburgh or the Southside you will be able to appreciate a lively and descriptive look into the ever-changing life of a community. It will also make you appreciate the buildings, layouts and history from any area that are left behind that gives a specific area its own charms and layers. Also, if you read the book you too will know what Ashcats are and why they only come out at night.

Best,

Abigail

Abigail Recommends and Tadly Illustrations

Here is this week's Abigail Recommends.  Insider tip: I really did wear my nightgown for Book Day along with my favorite bonnet to dress up as Laura Ingalls and I did it at least 3 years in a row.  I was pretty skilled at dressing like her and running around our fields pretending to be her.  I read those books so many times I wore down places on the covers where my fingers rested.   In second or third grade my Grandma Shade started buying dolls from the Little House series.  I have Laura, Mary, Nellie and Almanzo.  Her goal was to get me the entire set but she passed away before that happened.  They are still under my bed at home in their boxes.  I never took them out because for some reason as a kid I was dead set on wanting to wait to display them when I had my own home.  Apparently as a child owing fancy dolls like these was not something I took lightly.  Now I'm waiting until I have a space where it won't look insane that I have 4 porcelain dolls on stands presented in glass domes because I don't want any dust to get onto Nellie's curls.  My lovely Aunt Linda (who knew the full extent of my love for this series) sent me the Little House Cookbook this Christmas and just sent me an article alerting me to Wendy McClure who wrote a book that I would have killed to write.  I haven't gotten a chance to read this yet but when I do I will read the crap out of it and dream of the day I go visit the places Laura lived and visit the library and museum (as discussed on This American Life).  It's right up there with going to Monticello for me. 


And in another note, this is my favorite Tadly illustration that Scott has done thus far.  Tadly Weekly #8.  Love it.