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Jesse

Owner of Georgianna

Using the holidays as an excuse, my two-legged companion has been stocking up on children's books pretending they're hers (until they must be mailed to the lucky kids on her list). For their stunning illustrations and their message of celebrating the natural world her current favorites are: Swirl by Swirl, Spirals in Nature by Minnesota poet Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes which looks at the spiral shape as it re-occurs in all of nature. And Brother Sun, Sister Moon in which Katherine Paterson re-imagines the "Canticle of the Creatures" written by Francis of Assisi. This 800 year old hymn honors all aspects of life and our closeness to the the natural world. The gorgeous cut-out paper illustrations are by Pamela Dalton. As one of the aforementioned creatures, I do not have to be reminded to celebrate the natural world....it's beauty (along with the comforts afforded me by my humans) is what I live for.

ahhh summertime. For me that means a good swim in the lake followed by a roll in whatever is available---preferably fish-scented. My housemate on the other hand seems to prefer the chaise-in-the-shade-with-a-good-book kind of celebration of the season. After she spends her time gardening wouldn't you think another subject might be in order? Nope. Her current favorite? The Paper Garden: An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72 by poet Molly Peacock. It's the true story of Mary Delaney, a feisty woman born into 18th century England who lived several extraordinary lives-worth of experience in her 88 years. She was married off at 16 to a 60 year old drunken squire so as to improve the family's fortunes, she observed the dramatic changes of the times, knew everyone from Handel to Swift to the King and Queen with whom she lived out her final years. But what made her most unique was her late-life burst of creativity that resulted in the new art form of collage. She created nearly 1,000 botanically exact, exquisite cut-paper flowers (now housed in the British Museum). The book itself is beautiful with many of the cut-outs reproduced in stunning color. I suppose if there was a book of chew-toy photos--with the owners who chew them--all beautifully rendered I might look as delighted as she does while reading The Paper Garden.

With the first snow having fallen this year on November 13 and the most recent on April 20 my cabin mate had gotten a little testy. But the recent crop of gardening books seemed to perk her up. In particular, Growing Perennials in Cold Climates (revised and updated) which shows 2,000 varieties of plants that thrive in winters like the one we just lived through in Minnesota. It features gorgeous color plates as well as descriptions of the specific care needed for each plant. It's an invaluable guide for everyone from beginners to garden professionals.  And to record it all.... My Garden: A Five-Year Journal.  This attractive journal is divided by season; there are places to record all the details to remember about your garden from year to year. An attached envelope in the back is a convenient pocket for articles, plant tags, stunning photos of one's favorite pet etc. There are grid-lined pages for sketching new beds as well as a suggested to-do list for each season.  I do my part. I oversee the whole gardening process and help out by digging the occasional uniquely placed hole so as to inspire a re-thinking of the garden design.

I notice the human in my house takes to reading longer and meatier books as the winter gets colder. Could it be a stalling method...the walks are getting a little puny, frankly. She's just finished reading and apparently loved:  How to Live or A Life of Montaigne by Sarah Bakewell....a kind of historical/philosophical biography of Montagne who lived in the 1500's, who put the world behind him and left for the tower of his chateau to write personal essays (a word he coined) about all manner of things. His book became a bestseller the minute it was published. He was a great enthusiast of a life lived fully and well. He observed the smallest details of  human behavior--including especially himself-- with humor and honesty so that the 400 years between when he lived and now disappear. Maybe stepping into the middle ages allowed my human to forget windchill factors and more snow. Meanwhile, I dream of the smells of a non-frozen world.

For someone whose life revolves around swimming, winter in Minnesota can be a trying time … but not if I have a pile of my man Andy Goldsworthy’s books. As an artist who works with things he finds in the natural world Andy’s my kind of guy. Anyone who collects rocks and leaves and branches and makes objects of transcendent beauty out of them has the heart of a golden retriever. Time, A Collaboration with Nature, Stone... any one of these books make curling up on your sheepskin bed at the end of the day something to look forward to.