Have you read The Gardener by Sarah Stewart? Sheesh, I love this book. It's about Lydia Grace, country girl who loves to garden with her Grandma. When her papa can't get work and no one is asking her mama to make dresses, is sent to the city to live with her grumpy uncle. When Lydia Grace finds a secret spot (the building's abandoned rooftop) she devises a plan to make her uncle smile, and fills the rooftop with a beautiful garden.
(sorry for the spoiler; I could't help myself)
It's lovely: the sort of book that makes me want to abandon all my responsibilities for the week, fill my windowsills with seedlings, and scour the streets for empty paint cans and buckets to fill my rooftop with a garden like Lydia Grace's.
So, I won't do all that, but we are scheming with our downstairs neighbor about planting some plants - - maybe some flowers, maybe some herbs - - up on our rooftop to bring a little more beauty and life to this crazy city.
here we go!
Yes, we have this book. It is one of our favorites, too.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love that book. I always read it to my first graders. There's another one called The Library or something like that which is also excellent. Aunt Teri
ReplyDeleteI'm just dreaming out loud here . . . but I'm thinking we might need to organized a short term missions trip in which the Kinniers show love to the Smith's neighborhood by helping them make an amazing rooftop garden :)
Deleteyes! I love that book too.
ReplyDeleteHello, Naomi: I just wanted to let you know that I've enjoyed perusing your blog this week and learning more about life for your family in Mexico City. I'm making my first trip there for a week in October, and your words and adventures have me excited to explore the city!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad you lingered a bit. . . . and am glad that you are getting to add Mexico City to your (long!) traveling list! let me know if you have any specific questions about the city; I would love to share anything I know!
Deletehmmmm....I was just thinking about this book last week as I was sorting through our big kid collection! I couldn't find it, and so now I think it must have been yours all along, and that's how I have memories of reading it to your sweet kids...
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure it was YOUR book that we used to read - because I had to go out and buy this one; I bet you have it somewhere!
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