Early American Literature discussion
Introductions and Chat
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Chat by the Wayside
Doreen wrote: "Meg wrote: "Doreen wrote: "And ironically with all the talk we got nothing in Boston thankfully..."Sounds delightful! :)
I love your blog too, Meg!!!! I love being reminded of Maine when I am. It there. I love the way your blog interweaves poetry, flowers and nature! you have four golden retrievers? They are special! We had one golden retriever who is now gone. She was our best friend!Doreen I have been to Boston a couple of times long ago and love it. So much history there. Not too long ago I read the book "1776" (by David McCulloch) which really brought the history of Boston and the American revolution to life for me. I can imagine it is a great place to live!
I'm so glad you enjoy it, Margaret. :) Flowers, nature, and poetry are the great loves of my life! Goldens are great dogs...always so happy and friendly! I'm so sorry you lost yours. Losing a beloved pet is heartbreaking. :'( Yes I have 4...Captain and Nellie are 7 now (they aren't related, but I got them the same day!) and Carina and Zorra are sisters from the same litter and are almost 4.
Hi Meg, The crocuses are beautiful.
The garden are an everlasting reminder of hope, future
and new beginnings regardless of what it goes through;
it is true to itself.
It is amazing how these bulbs grow in the cold and snow.
Yes indeed! :) It was 18 degrees yesterday morning but as soon as the sun warmed them they opened up! Today was beautiful...the temperature reached 55 and it was sunny most of the day. I even got a little sunburned! :D
Hmm, and now it's raining! And we have snow in the forecast for Tuesday night. Did you all ever read Mark Twain's speech about NE weather? It's hilarious and mostly true! Lolhttp://www.twainquotes.com/18761223.html
Meg,By Twain's definition, you are
".by nature patient and forbearing" stock.
"In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours."
...
" why, he confessed that he got hundreds of kinds of weather that he had never heard of before." 😄
This was a great speech: both amusing and an elegant
description of "ice storms".
I love how Twain likened "ice storms" to "the Shah of Persia's diamond plume."
Thank you for sharing this speech, it was a fun read.
Ruth, well I'm not a native New Englander so I'm not so sure about the patience and forbearance. Lol! I guess after 11 years I'm beginning to learn it. ;) His description of an ice storm is very beautiful and I've seen when it looks just as he describes! The part that really gets me laughing is the NE forecast... "Probable nor'-east to sou'-west winds, varying to the southard and westard and eastard and points between; high and low barometer, swapping around from place to place; probable areas of rain, snow, hail, and drought, succeeded or preceded by earthquakes, with thunder and lightning. Then he jots down this postscript from his wandering mind, to cover accidents: "But it is possible that the program may be wholly changed in the meantime." :D
Yay!! I think I've just figured out how to post a picture directly in a thread! The only thing is that the picture has to be posted somewhere online (it can't be uploaded directly from the computer). So this picture is from a year ago, but the same flowers are open today. :) 
Those are beautiful!!
Those are beautiful!!
Oh I'm so glad it worked!! Now I can show you all my collection of old books (part of it anyway...I have acquired several more since these were taken). :) As you can see a few are paperback reprints, but most are originals from the 1800s. The 2 volumes titled 'Flora Historica' are 1st editions from 1824...Thomas Jefferson was still alive then! 
Mod
Doreen wrote: "Well it appears my copy is definitely missing several sections but the sections it does have I am thoroughly enjoying. I am so happy to be reading this one!"I'm glad you are enjoying it Doreen...it's really too bad they don't include all the parts!
Mod
Good thing is I can order cloth masks and a box of latex gloves for hubby and one for myself. His hands are bigger than mine and still have money left over for a refund. I was so careful ordering and I'm so angry being taken advantage of like that especially since the seller had such a high approval rating. Thanks for letting me vent.
Sorry that happened to you! I personally understand just needing to get it out. I do it all the time! :) My family has been making a bunch of masks for us and family members
So sorry Doreen...that is really frustrating. And that the seller would take advantage of people at a time like this is really outrageous!
Well here's a little humor out of all this mess...I think it sums up everything I've heard pretty well! :D Official Coronavirus Guidelines:
1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason, but if you have to, then you can.
2. Masks are useless. But they will protect you. They can save you, no they can't, they're useless, but wear one anyway. Now they're mandatory. But maybe. Or not.
3. Stores are closed, except for the ones that are open.
4. You should not go to the hospital unless you have to go there. Stay out of the ER at all costs unless you're having a medical emergency then it's okay.
5. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometimes it actually leads to a global disaster. Stay calm.
6. Gloves won't help, but they can still help. Especially if you wear the same pair for hours and everywhere you go, then you can not spread germs, nope. #science
7. Everyone needs to stay home, but it's important to go out because sun. Sunlight will kill the virus but not if the virus kills you first by walking in the sunlight where you may be exposed to the virus.
8. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarket, but there are many things missing when you go there in the evening, but not in the morning. Sometimes.
9. The virus has no effect on children except those it has affected or will affect.
10. Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested yet, and a tiger.. and one really deadly but also possibly fictional but very sick bat.
11. You will have many symptoms when you are sick, but you can also get sick without symptoms, have symptoms without being sick, or be contagious without having symptoms.
12. In order not to get sick, you have to eat well and exercise, but also never go out to the grocery store so eat shelf stable processed junk and stay inside your four walls but also stay healthy.
13. It's better to get some fresh air, but you may be arrested if you're getting fresh air the wrong way and most importantly, don't go to a park, the fresh air there is deadly.
14. Under no circumstances should you go to retirement homes, but if you have to take care of the elderly and bring them food and medication then fine. Just wear gloves. The same ones. All day.
15. If you are sick, you can't go out, but you can go to the pharmacy to get your medications. Just don't make eye contact cause you may spread your sickness that way.
16. You can get restaurant food delivered to the house, which may have been prepared by people who didn't wear masks or gloves. But you have to leave your groceries outside for 3 hours to be decontaminated by the fresh air that also may have virus particles floating around in it.
17. Taxi drivers are immune to the virus apparently since you can still take a taxi ride with a random taxi driver. Just don't take the taxi to your mom's house because you know. Stay away from your mom.
18. You can walk around with a friend if you stay six feet apart but don't visit with your family if they don't live under the same roof as you. Even if you've all been locked inside for two months already. You may still have the virus and just not know it yet. You'll find out. Wait another week. Wasn't that week? Might be the next one. Keep waiting.
19. You are safe if you maintain the appropriate social distance, but you can't go out with friends or strangers at the safe social distance. Social distancing means you shouldn't leave your house and don't be social, except you may go to the liquor store but don't socialize there while you're being socially distant.
20. The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours, no, four, no, six, no, we didn't say hours, maybe days? But it takes a damp environment. Oh no, not necessarily.
21. The virus stays in the air - well no, or yes, maybe, especially in a closed room, in one hour a sick person can infect ten, so if it falls, all our children were already infected at school before it was closed. But remember, if you stay at the recommended social distance, however in certain circumstances you should maintain a greater distance, which, studies show, the virus can travel further, maybe.
22. We count the number of deaths but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if that's what they will die of…
23. The virus will only disappear if we achieve collective immunity.. but stay inside until the virus disappears.
I'm still laughing at #7 :)Have any of you gotten the virus?
Mod
That is funny :) I wasn't tested, but we're pretty sure I had it.
Doreen, this is so funny! I don't want to laugh at your predicament and am really glad you didn't topple over, but it is so funny! They never discuss using the bathroom in the media posts about social distancing! Lol! I can't remember when I was last at a store .. the days are running into each other. The grocery store I use now has an "in" door and an "out" door and allows only five people in at a time. I wear a paper mask when I do go to the store, but no gloves. ---my eldest daughter is a nurse and lives with me. So far we have been safe. She has t had to care for any COVID-19 patients. Since we are in a fairly large city we order food in a lot.
Meg.. I love your collection of old books!!! Thanks for sharing the photo!!!
Mod
Can you imagine the EMT's responding? No I don't have Covid19. I just fell trying to flush the toilet and I broke my hip. lol
My symptoms were aching, tired, fatigued, coughing, runny nose. The biggest thing for me was I was REALLY tired and coughed A LOT!
It was definitely the weirdest sickness I'd ever had. The symptoms sound not bad and like a regular illness, but it was like nothing I'd had before
Doreen wrote: "Emma wrote: "That is funny :) I wasn't tested, but we're pretty sure I had it."Can you imagine the EMT's responding? No I don't have Covid19. I just fell trying to flush the toilet and I broke my ..."
Oh that's horrible! You really broke your hip?? That's awful! 😯
Funny story Doreen...but not funny at the same time! :D I hope you didn't really hurt yourself?Emma, that sounds like a nasty bug. The rest of your family didn't catch it? My sister and I were pretty sick a few weeks back but we think it was just a bad chest cold. I had a fever like 5 days in a row though so with everything that was going on with Covid-19 my family was worried!
My mom actually got it first. Then I did, and Allyson. We're for sure my mom got it. The "incubation period time" after my mom got it fell at the exact time for me and Allyson.
So far there have only been 3 confirmed cases up here...in a county that is larger than a few states. But my dad drives for a local Amish community and they were pretty sick back in early March. It was before all the panic had really started and they thought it was just a bad flu, but now they say the symptoms were just like what the virus is supposed to be. My dad drove for them while they were still sick but amazingly didn't catch it. He has bad asthma so he is at high risk if he did get it.
Mod
Can you imagine the EMT's responding? No I don't have Covid19. I just fell trying to flush the toilet ..."
No but I could have
Emma wrote: "My mom actually got it first. Then I did, and Allyson. We're for sure my mom got it. The "incubation period time" after my mom got it fell at the exact time for me and Allyson."Scary! I'm so glad you all made it through alright! You are all better now?
Doreen wrote: "Emma wrote: "Doreen wrote: "Emma wrote: "That is funny :) I wasn't tested, but we're pretty sure I had it."Can you imagine the EMT's responding? No I don't have Covid19. I just fell trying to flus..."
😂😂
Meg wrote: "Emma wrote: "My mom actually got it first. Then I did, and Allyson. We're for sure my mom got it. The "incubation period time" after my mom got it fell at the exact time for me and Allyson."Scary..."
Yeah, we are. My mom got it the worst. We can still kinda feel it in us a little, like still tired and such, but we're definitely over it. I don't know if you've ever had wooping cough, but Allyson said next to that, this was the worst.
My dad had whooping cough last year...yes it was awful!
Meg wrote: "My dad had whooping cough last year...yes it was awful!"Yes it is! My whole family, besides my dad had it a year and a half ago. I had it really bad for a month! Like, couldn't even get up. And for a year after that I still had it in my chest. I couldn't be in cold weather for 5 minutes and I would start coughing!
Emma wrote: "Meg wrote: "My dad had whooping cough last year...yes it was awful!"Yes it is! My whole family, besides my dad had it a year and a half ago. I had it really bad for a month! Like, couldn't even g..."
Oh dear. :( It definitely looked miserable. My dad was coughing so much he couldn't keep anything in his stomach. Then just as he was starting to get better we got the flu which aggravated it again. He was sick most of the winter!
Meg wrote: "Emma wrote: "Meg wrote: "My dad had whooping cough last year...yes it was awful!"Yes it is! My whole family, besides my dad had it a year and a half ago. I had it really bad for a month! Like, co..."
Ugh that's horrible! I remember the feeling...😷
Meg wrote: "Well here's a little humor out of all this mess...I think it sums up everything I've heard pretty well! :D Official Coronavirus Guidelines:
1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason..."
This list is absolutely wonderful! It is exactly what you find whenever you try to get details about this virus.
I am a little behind because I thought I had joined the group, but for whatever reason it didn't take. Oh here is a scary thought....maybe my computer has the coronavirus. LOL.
At any rate thank you so much for the laughs. I really needed that.
I will be trying to catch up with my reading over this weekend. I am really looking forward to this reading and this group.
Just catching up to the conversation now! I actually didn't know it was still possible to get whooping cough! it sounds dreadful! I am glad everyone here has recovered from COVID and/or whooping cough or flu, I hope everyone gets flu shots when you can, because they are actually supposed to somewhat help in resisting the virus. Don't quote me on that. I used to be against flu shots, but my daughter is a nurse and makes me have them now. it is funny, but my daughter and I were both feeling kind of feverish and congested just before this all hit the news, and I wonder if we had a mild case? Doreen, I did fall in the bathroom and broke my hip a long time ago, so it can happen! Lol!
Nice to have you here, Jasmine!
Glad you enjoyed them Jasmine! I laughed until I cried while reading them to my mom! :D Margaret, I heard somewhere that this virus may have been going around as early as December, so maybe you did have it!
Margaret wrote: "Just catching up to the conversation now! I actually didn't know it was still possible to get whooping cough! it sounds dreadful! I am glad everyone here has recovered from COVID and/or whooping co..."Yes, it is definitely still possible to get whooping cough!! 😄 That was not fun
Meg wrote: "Oh I'm so glad it worked!! Now I can show you all my collection of old books (part of it anyway...I have acquired several more since these were taken). :) As you can see a few are paperback reprint..."Meg,
You have a wonderful collection of old books!
and so lovingly displayed in pride of place.
1824! The book is a time capsule. Oh,
the satisfaction you must get from reading
these treasures tomes. I would love to find
an old edition of Evangeline.
So that is the core book of E.N.E.L.
(I wonder if I could find and e-book
as a reference?🤔)
Thanks for sharing your pictures, Meg.
By the way, how on Earth did you manage
to upload photos?
Meg wrote: "Oh I'm so glad it worked!! Now I can show you all my collection of old books (part of it anyway...I have acquired several more since these were taken). :) As you can see a few are paperback reprint..."Hi Meg,
You have a wonderful collection of old books,
so lovingly displayed in pride of place.
1824! The book is a time capsule. Oh, the
satisfaction you must get from reading these
treasured tomes, especially when they existed
during the time of your favorite authors- a link
to them. I would love to find a old copy of
Evangeline.
______&_________
The crocuses are beautiful, your garden was waking up so prettily. Sorry about the snow
and bitter wind. You must be disappointed.
Doreen wrote: "Okay I'm going a bit off topic here but I just have to vent. Hope you all understand. As you know I live in Boston and we're in lockdown. No going anywhere without face masks and latex gloves. Well..."Hi Doreen,
I am sorry that were you taken advantage of.
😠-What a despicable thing they have done?
I am relieved for your sake that you got the
supplies you needed. I hope your outings are
pleasant ones.💐
Official Coronavirus Guidelines:3. Stores are closed, except for the ones that are open.
I can't get passed this one. 😂
You can't make this stuff up.
Early American Literature
Books mentioned in this topic
North and South (other topics)Little Women (other topics)
Little Women (other topics)
The Deerslayer (other topics)
The Pathfinder (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Elizabeth Gaskell (other topics)Mark Twain (other topics)
Jonathan Edwards (other topics)
Jonathan Edwards (other topics)
James Fenimore Cooper (other topics)
More...
That's good! We are supposed to get a couple more inches next week...I'm not looking forward to it, even thoug..."
I'm glad my husband and I got a grocery shopping trip in in the early morning. Now I can relax and enjoy my reading.