The "New" Reading List

  I am happy to find that reading is quite back in style.  For years, the charm of a book seemed to slip from everyday life of many folks.  The introduction of electronics in our era left many to almost despise the good old paper print.  Gone were the times spent with a leather-bound volume in hand.  Instead, a hard piece of plastic with a glaring screen ruined our eyes.  Lately, though, more and more folks are turning back the clocks in favor of a good book.  How much better does it get?

  This morning, I received a late Christmas gift from my daughter, Elizabeth.  A large envelope came in the mail and when I opened it, I found a wonderful book!  Well, there starts my resolve to read more actual books.  This book is just the beginning of hopefully many to be read this year.  Elizabeth and I are in the midst of planning the next Clue Hunt on the Bayou and she explained that the book might come in handy.  Actually, she got me several such books and each will be used as reference points after I read them.  This book, however, will be the first on my list!

  The book, "Legends and Lyrics of the Gulf Coast (1896)" by Laura Fenling Hinsdale is a collection of poems first printed back in the late 1800s.  Each is centered around legends or places of the Coast which is exactly the theme of the upcoming clue hunt.  Some of these, I have read before.  Some have been handed down verbally.  Still others are totally new to this southern gal.  

  As I skimmed over a few of the verses, I knew that I needed more time to delve into this collection than just the few minutes in between the kumquat marmalade canning and the bread-baking.  THIS, my friends, is a book to be enjoyed and not just read!  So starts my reading list for the year of 2015!