March 9, 2006

• What Do You Think?

  So, honestly, is the new design just too busy? I’m really not much for busyness in design. But, it is readable, which is first and foremost.  I did figure out how to stitch two pictures together in Photo Studio, which made me happy (the picture in the background). 

  We just got back from a very nice trip to Curwensville (my mom’s). Nathan spent the night at my dad’s getting his new bow set up. Watch out, helpless woodland creatures!  The Good Doctor has relapsed, can’t breathe through his nose at all, and slept horribly last night.  Poor thing.  We are all glad we didn’t plan a spring break trip anywhere with fevered Nathan for four days and the sick doctor all week. 

  Speaking of spring break, it’s going TOO FAST!  How can I slow down time? Can I take two weeks of spring break?  Although I’m getting a lot of things done, I have so much more I want to do!  Yesterday, I sewed an American Girl doll dress for Rachel (and will post a picture once the pinafore is done), but I have two others cut out to sew.  I got one set of timed essays done and a multiple choice set graded, but I still have more timed essays to grade!  I’ve not had that full day of sitting in the chair and just reading (although I did stay up until 2:00 last night reading, which might count).  I suppose I’m being unrealistic in my time expectations, and those of you who know me well know that I am horrible with time expectations!

  I’m really in the mood to write a story. In my AP class, the kids are writing a round-robin story (and I had to horn in on the fun!).  Also, LaDamedeShallot is writing a story, and both of these events have my brain churning.  But, for everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.  Story writing and the like will have to wait another seven weeks until the AP class (and subsequent grade setting) are over.   By then, I’ll not be in the mood probably! 

  A very funny thing happened today when we were leaving my mom’s house.  The Good Doctor (who is quite sick and tired, recall) wanted the kids to gather up their things. Seeing David’s electronic game on the table, he said, “David, don’t forget your Playboy.”  We had a wonderful laugh while TGD explained that he got Playstation and Gameboy mixed up!  The other funny thing was that neither Michael nor David knew to what “Playboy” referred! Ah, the blessing of sheltered children. 

  I finished The Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton Porter, and here’s the promised review.

  This novel, written by the author of A Girl of the Limberlost and Freckles, begins at the end of WW I (The Great War).  Jamie MacFarlane, an American of Scottish descent, is languishing in a California hospital, the wound in his chest not getting any better. He is far from God, alone in the world, and sure he will soon die.  He overhears that he is to be sent to a different hospital, one rife with tuberculosis.  Instead of submitting to certain death, Jamie walks away from the military hospital and embarks on a “Great Adventure.”

  From his first interactions with people (and because the author repeatedly tells us), we can see Jamie is a man of fine moral character–trustworthy, honest, wholesome, and helpful.  Eventually, his Great Adventure brings him to the point of death, or so he thinks. Then he stumbles upon a lovely little house by the ocean. A man appears at the gate and calls for help.  Jamie, forgetting his own near-exhaustion and certain death, rushes to the aid of the elderly man and telephones for help.  The man, The Bee Master,  asks Jamie to live in his house and manage it and care for his bees and plants until he is able to return.  (Because, he could see immediately that Jamie was an honest, wholesome, trustworthy fellow.)

  The story progresses with the addition of new characters–the Little Scout, a genderless neighborhood child and “partner” of the Bee Master who befriends Jamie and provides all sorts of sage wisdom and childish fun; Margaret, the kindly neighbor who cooks and cleans for Jamie while living through her own struggles; and the Storm Girl, a mysterious woman who unburdens her heart to Jamie and is helped by him.

  The story progresses in a satisfying way. Porter spares no expense in her discussion of nature. Bees and their workings, the native flora of California, the scents of the garden, the landscape of the area–all are worked in as an integral part of the story. She also make sure to express her views of the morality of the time and stresses the sorrows of young people and their modern, “oversexed” ways and the wearing of too much makeup while playing up the ideas of patriotism and the American melting pot.  The ideas of working hard, prayers and thanksgiving, helping one’s fellow man, and forgiveness are all woven in to this tale.

  In addition to all the wholesomeness and nature study, the book is also a romance.  Who is the mystery girl? Will she and Jamie ever get together? Where is Margaret’s daughter?  Will Jamie’s wound heal? Will the Bee Master return to his home? What are the secrets of his past? 

  As far as objectionable material, a woman becomes pregnant out of wedlock (but pays heavily for her indiscretion), and Jamie thinks about his Storm Girl (but not in an inappropriate way).  Many tomatoes are eaten, although I doubt any would find this objectionable.

  All in all, The Keeper of the Bees is a clean, wholesome read which adults and teens alike would enjoy.  The plot would be a bit much for a younger reader (elementary), but the material would not be objectionable.

  • 9:29 pm
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