One Thousand White Women

 Jim Fergus is the author of the historical fiction novel One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd. The story starts out in Washington, D.C. in a meeting between Native American leaders and President Ulysses S. Grant. They are discussing treaties. One leader from a northwest territory suggests the Native Americans will give the government 1000 horses in exchange for 1000 white brides. Upon hearing this, Grant's wife promptly faints and falls to the floor. This part of the story is true. The rest of the book is about what if this  BFI (brides for Indians) actually happened. Why would a white woman agree to such a plan? In the case of May Dodd, she was locked in a lunatic asylum and her two children were taken away because she had the audacity of marrying below her station. Her parents took the kids and locked her away. So I could see why she went. The story describes another 7 or so women who went with May. Some of the Army leaders and Native American leaders are based on real people but all the women are imaginary. I enjoyed this story. I understand it has a sequel that I will get to someday.

The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules

 I listened to The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules by a Swedish author Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg. Her name is a mouth full. The story is about 5 pensioners living in an assisted living home that is doing all they can to reduce costs. Martha is the ringleader of the group called the League of Pensioners. The group is upset because the quality and quantity of the food goes down. They are not getting fresh fruit nor vegetables. They used to have a work out room but now that room is limited to only the staff. The staff makes them go to bed early. All their meals are wrapped in plastic. Martha manages to steal a master key. One night they break into the offices upstairs and have a grand meal of chicken and vegetables and unfortunately too much wine because that is where the staff finds them in the morning. The League of Pensioners rightly feel they would get better care in prison. So they decide that is where they will go. This was a lovely story and if I was in Martha's position, I might do the same thing.

Two Rivers

I spent most of the day at Two Rivers Park. Today was a hot one in Little Rock. 94 degrees is hot and tomorrow will be even hotter. This was a nice park where the Maumee River flows into the Arkansas River. I saw people fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, and water skiing. I have never tried water skiing but it looks like fun on a hot day. People were walking, running, pushing babies in strollers, and admiring the view. I walked for an hour and half and then found a bench along the Arkansas River to eat my sandwich. 

As I ate my lunch I listened to belted kingfishers chittering. I also heard red bellied wood pickers, blue jays, Carolina wrens, American Robins and crows. I saw a turkey vulture sway above me. This park had fishing docks, a play ground, picnic areas, a huge community garden, ball fields and soccer fields. Little Rock has lots of nice parks. I am starting to really like Little Rock.

 

The Whalebone Theater

I spent 7.5 hours reading The Whalebone Theater by Joanna Quinn. Cristabel Seagrave's mother died as she was born in 1916. When she is 4 her father remarries. Soon she has a sister named Flossie but nicknamed "Veg." Then her father dies and her step-father marries her Uncle Willoby. Soon she has a little brother named Digby. The parents of these 3 kids are irresponsible and the kids are basically raised by the maid and the cook and the estate manager.  When Cristabel is 12 she finds a dead whale on the beach and she claims it for herself. She finds out that the King of England gets to claim all dead whales found on beaches. Eventually the whale is clean up and only the bones are left. Cristabel decides to use the large rib bones to make an outdoor theater. Eventually Cristabel and her siblings decide to put on a Shakespearean play. Flossie is musical and Digby is a natural actor. People come from London and neighboring towns to enjoy the performances. Eventually World War Two comes about. Digby joins up and serves in Nazi-occupied France. Cristabel is a code reader. Flossie stays at the estate and raises vegetables in the whalebone theater. Eventually Cristabel goes to France to act as a spy. She and Digby connect at a theater and reconnect and grow closer. This was a wonderful story about a couple of sisters and a little brother.

Audubon

 I spent the morning at Firestone getting my tires rotated. One tire had a bubble that had to be replaced. I got new brakes and brake lining. I spent a lot more money that I thought I would. So this afternoon I drove across Little Rock to the Audubon center. I met the naturalist. He gave me a copy of the current Audubon magazine because his picture is in it. Then I went out for a hike. The day was hot and windy so I didn't see many birds. I did see a black vulture sitting atop a dead tree. I got a little lost but eventually made it back to my car by 5 p.m. Can you see downtown Little Rock in the center of this picture? As I drove home I passed the Arkansas State Fair grounds. Looks like the state fair is opening tomorrow. Normally state fairs are in the summer, aren't they? Do you think I should go?

The Invisible Hour

 Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors and I really enjoyed reading The Invisible Hour.  The story starts out with Ivy who lives in Boston with her parents. They are not happy to hear that their daughter is pregnant at 17. They insist she give the baby up for adoption. Ivy wants to keep her child so she runs away. At the train station she meets another girl about her age. This new friend tells Ivy of a place they can go and not be judged. Together they hop on a train west. They get to a small town and start walking into the dark night until they find the place. They are welcomed by the group leader who only has eyes on Ivy. Turns out they have joined an oppressive cult. They are not allowed to read. Kids are not allowed to be loud and have fun. Men and women work on the farm long hours. Ivy eventually has a baby girl and she names her Mia. Mothers get to keep their baby for one week and then turn them over to the care of others. Mothers and their children are not supposed to be close. Ivy was a big reader of books as a child and she tells Mia some of the stories. Mia is entranced by the stories. When they go to town to sell their heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market, Mia sees a building that interests her. Ivy tells her it is a library full of books. Ivy gives Mia permission to make a quick trip inside. Mia goes in and grabs the first book she sees and there is an inscription inside that mentions her name and with love from the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book is The Scarlet Letter. After her mother dies in a farm accident, 18 year old Mia can't take it anymore. She was locked in a barn and tomorrow expects a letter will be burned into her arm for a mistake she has made. Earlier she hid a hammer in the barn and in the night she uses the hammer to break the lock and run into town. She meets with the librarian who agrees to help her. The librarian drives Mia to a friend's house in another town. The friend agrees to take Mia in. Mia really enjoys life outside of the cult. The leader of the cult is looking for her and eventually finds her and tries to take her back. The librarian and her friend protect Mia. One day he is after her and magically Mia goes back in time where she meets, you guessed it, Nathanial Hawthorne. She and Nathanial fall in love. Mia is afraid her presence will negatively affect his writing of The Scarlet Letter. This is a wonderful story.

Bill's Library

Today I drove 20 minutes into downtown Little Rock to visit the William J. Clinton Presidential Library.

Here is his limousine.

A replica of the Oval Office. There is a picture of George Washington on the back wall on the right.

Here is Bill's saxophone. He played in a band in high school in Hot Springs.

White House table setting. Lord, would I love to be invited to a White House dinner.

Bill's office. If I paid $16 dollars I could have gotten pictures of me at the desk answering the phone and signing a bill.

After finishing in the library I walked around for an hour. Here is a view from the President Clinton bridge over the Arkansas River.

Here is the view from the other side of the bridge. Clinton was not perfect but I thought he was a good president.