The bird song was so loud today, I was finally convinced spring was here! And the gentle rain this evening, I'm sure the birds didn't mind a bit. Isn't this vintage add beautiful? (click picture for a better look) And I love the way life was once 'pictured' literally by artists, before the cameras came along. When I was a girl the books I so loved were the ones with illustrations. Like...the 'Trixie Beldon' series. If you are interested, click on the 'see inside' to read a couple of pages and enjoy the illustrations.

One of the reading challenge blogs asked recently, what was one of your childhood favorites. It didn't take long for me to think of 'Andy Buckram's Tinmen'by Carol Ryrie Brink. Which, I read as an adult and really enjoyed! Another book I did read as a girl was 'The Calico Year' by Dorothy Gilman Butters. Time stopped when I read that book. I must have been all of 13 years old.

How like me to start out thinking about vintage adds and have the thought of 'illustrations' take my mind to reading. Books have been the dearest companions for me over the years. Reading runs strong in my Mother's family and I'm thankful for that.

Psalms 71: 8,9 'Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth'