Here's another photo from my walk with Olga through Hampstead on Sunday. That couple had just been looking at the windows of the closed shop, which are plastered with "KIDNAPPED" posters featuring information about missing Israeli hostages from Oct. 7. I wish I'd managed to get the shot before they turned away, but it's still dramatic light and shadow.
As I expected, yesterday was quite busy. I bet I re-shelved 150 books, and they kept coming in a steady stream. That's fine -- the more that come back now, the fewer I'll need to nag people to return later!
I worked on two displays, one devoted to horses -- we have a TON of horse books -- and one for the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., also apparently known as the "Day of Service." The King display is still in process, but the horse one is pretty much done. With this in mind, I picked up a plastic toy horse at a charity shop while out with Linda Sue a few weeks ago, and that took center stage.
I never had much interest in horses. A few of our neighbors had horses when I was a kid, and I rode them at summer camp -- at least until my favorite horse, Smokey Joe, threw me off his back for some reason I never discerned. But I remember reading and liking horse books, including "Black Beauty" and "King of the Wind." Horse books are a staple of children's literature even now. I guess, like dog books, they're good for providing some drama without straying into the tricky subjects of sex, romance or crime.
Unlike Sunday, yesterday's skies were rather gloomy, and in the afternoon and evening we got a sprinkling of snow. This is my attempt to take a picture of snow flurries. You can barely see them coming down from the sky and around the streetlight.
I see the snow flurries.
ReplyDeleteI was never "horse mad" as so many girls in movies or novels seemed to be, but I did read Black Beauty way back when and again more recently before donating it. I never wanted my own pony or to go riding. Reading was enough.
Have you displayed any recipe books for butchered horse? They might include "The Horsemeat Cookbook" by Chris Windle.
ReplyDeleteI see a snowflake or two!
ReplyDeleteI love your thinking of a horse figure for the theme, imaginative work there. I find a lot of books with animals as main characters are too heartbreaking to read. Particularly horses seem vulnerable animals. So I used to pass on them as a kid. The real thing has never been in my life. Nearest is riding donkeys at the seaside!
ReplyDeleteI've only been horseback riding once and it was NOT a success. It was one of the optional activities at 4H camp & even though it was supposed to be for beginners I was the only one who'd never ridden before so I didn't really get any instruction. We trotted for about an hour & I was SO SORE from bouncing up & down!
ReplyDeleteI read Black Beauty. Many times. And oh, how I cried. It's almost ridiculously cliched about how much girls love horses but it is so true for some girls.
ReplyDeleteGlad that books are coming in after the holiday.
I remember one of my school classmates being head over heals into Black Beauty and other horse stories. Although I wouldn't say I was head over heals, I read a lot of dog books back then like White Fang, Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, etc.
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of how I new the Dewey decimal numbers for the most popular books when I worked in the school libraries. Horses in the 600s and Sports in the 700s. I'm surprised (and pleased) that I still remember that! Do use the Dewey system?
ReplyDeleteAnd setting up displays was so fun! I remember doing one on books that became movies and the students enjoyed that.
I had to enlarge the first picture to see the couple and, also, to see your snow!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, yes ... I was one of those horse crazy girls and I read every Walter Farley book I could get my hands on! The Black Stallion was a favorite! Never owned a horse and went to a riding stable to get any riding done! Loved it!
I like horses but have never been on one. My brother loves them. My sister loved them. And they hot rode. When she was 3 she told my parents she wanted a pony for Christmas. They lived in a 2nd floor walk-up in Brooklyn and didn’t celebrate Christmas.
ReplyDeleteBoth rode. I don’t know what hot riding is.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we get lucky as when more books come back or a little horse fits in well with a display.
ReplyDeleteI remember crying my head off while reading Black Beauty. I wasn't horse mad, but I read all Marguerite Henry's 'Chincoteague' series. Dog books? Oh my gosh. I read them and wept copiously.
ReplyDeleteProbably accounts for why I am a sap to this very day.
It IS difficult to photograph snow flurries. Until it really starts to snow hard they just don't seem to show up. I've been frustrated repeatedly, probably because heavy snow is a rarety where I live.
ReplyDeletemy best friend up until the end of 7th grade had a horse and I went horseback riding several times though only once with her. there were several stables where you could rent a horse and go riding but I was never horse crazy like so many young girls are. I never read Black Beauty.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the whole plastering pictures of the Israeli hostages on walls in other countries. what was the purpose? what did they expect to achieve from that? it's not like we would see any of them and then call the police for rescue. nobody's plastering pictures of the Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russians, or the girls kidnapped by gangs in Africa, or the Palestinians arrested with no charges and thrown in Israeli jails, or the boys and girls in South America kidnapped by the cartels.
We are going through a cold spell here but no snow flurries though. However, my sister has lots of snow just 120 miles north of here.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of my sister, she was the horse lover in our family. My parents even got her a horse that she adored. I have to admit, he was fun to be around but there was no doubt, he was all hers.
I can see the snowflakes! We are getting 2 to 3 inches of rain here today. I wish it would be snow as I love it.
ReplyDeleteWe probably have similar weather right now. I hope London snow and frost is not going to lead to disruptions and you can figure out a way to enjoy it. Tell us if there is such a thing, enjoyment of snow.
ReplyDeleteAlways disliked horses but it was part of my mother's idea of what her children need to learn. Like you, I quit when I was kicked off a horse. Come to think of it, "dislike" is too soft a term, I simply hated it all. I openly admit that I did what I could to discourage any horse liking in my daughter - successfully!
There was a brief time in my youth that I wanted a horse, but I don't think I was scarred in any way having that wish denied. What DID scar me was reading Old Yeller. I'll never forget it!! Do kids still read that book?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the classic horse and dog books when I was young yet now I don't like horses very much.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know we don't have those individual kidnapped posters here. There are some generalised ones but they are often soon torn down by Palestinian supporters.
I always liked horse books (especially Marguerite Henry's Chincoteague books) but have never felt comfortable on horses. Nice to pet, not so fun to be on. I'm glad you got a good return on the books!
ReplyDeleteYour creative library displays must encourage young students to pursue their interests through reading. I can see the fine snowflakes in the light of the street lamp. Nice photos.
ReplyDeleteI'm scared of horses yet I loved everything Dick Francis wrote. "The Art of Racing in the Rain" just about did me in emotionally, but I loved it. For light mystery reading, I adore the Chet and Bernie series where Chet (the dog) narrates.
ReplyDeleteThe families that hang the pictures of the captives do it out of great desperation, great pain and a huge desire for some compassion from the world. This should not diminish the rest of the pain and injustice in the world.In response to a comment that wonders why families do this.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I remember liking "Black Beauty" but I don't remember a thing about the plot.
ReplyDeleteYP: I don't want to give the kids nightmares!
Bob: Yeah, it was hardly a heavy snowfall.
Boud: I agree -- I generally avoid animal books because they're inevitably sad!
Bug: Well, even if you'd had instruction you'd probably be sore!
Ms Moon: Yeah, the boys seldom go for the horse books. Funny how that is!
Ed: Yeah, I read all those too, and they traumatized me! LOL
Ellen D: Good memory! Yes, we do use Dewey for our nonfiction.
Marcia: We used to have a stack of old Walter Farley books but the only one we kept was "The Black Stallion." The sequels just don't get read anymore. It's a shame how things fall out of favor. (Plus they were old and in terrible condition.)
Mitchell: That's funny, about your sister wanting a horse! I wonder if she imagined keeping it in her room?!
Red: I'm just glad I won't have to nag those kids to return overdue books!
Debby: I loved "King of the Wind" but I was never able to get through "Misty of Chincoteague" (never mind the sequels). We have them all in the library, though!
Catalyst: I've found that photographing UP helps, because the flakes register better on the sensor that way.
Ellen: I think it just raises awareness, which in turn could lead to political pressure or other forms of assistance. You're right, there are plenty of other groups that could be doing similar things.
Sharon: I cannot imagine owning something as big as a horse. That sounds terrifying.
Michael: Yeah, snow is a little more cheerful than rain, isn't it?
Sabine: It's funny how some people are "horse people" and some aren't!
Kelly: I remember seeing the movie -- equally scarring! We have "Old Yeller" but it rarely gets read nowadays and I don't push it.
Andrew: These usually get torn down fairly quickly as well, which is a shame.
Jeanie: I like them in a field much more than I like being on them!
Susan: That's the goal, of course. When we move things around they get a little more attention.
Margaret: I don't know Chet and Bernie! I tried reading "Racing in the Rain" and I didn't like it at all. Maybe I should try it again.
Yael: Yeah, I don't understand the need some people have to tear down these posters, when they are expressions of mourning and trauma. Other groups could certainly put up their own posters.