Tag: librarybooks

The Old Bromfield School, Est. 1878

On By careofmonIn LifestyleLeave a comment

In 1878, Margaret Bromfield Blanchard founded the Bromfield School in Harvard, MA. The building was designed by Peabody and Stearns in the beautiful Queen Anne style.   In 1960, it was home to just 100 students. A new Bromfield School was built just next to it that had a gymnasium, and the high school moved out of the old school officially in 2003. In 2007, the building reopened as the Harvard Public Library.

The old Bromfield School is beautiful, and due to its proximity to the center of town and all of Harvard’s schools, it is a vibrant meeting place for people of all ages. They have a children’s room, a teen room, and silent rooms. Oh, and down the hill behind it, past the athletic fields is a beautiful pond, Bare Hill Pond. People row, paddle board, and even sail a bit out there. I will have to go back and snap some pics this summer.

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Above are two photos of the exterior front. Looks like the Mass version of Hogwarts right?? Off to the right and back there is an addition to expand the library. I was there around 3:30 and the library was full of adults,kids, and many students. Students in Harvard can walk just a short distance  to the library to do homework after school.

This is a reading room in the library, there were probably 3 rooms that not only housed books, but were silent spaces for studying, reading, and reflection. This reading room is a half circle, the same half circle you see from the outside in the front.

Here are some of the historic items set aside in a foyer of the library, a lovely grandfather clock, a portrait of Margaret Bromfield Blanchard, and the wooden sign declaring the purpose of this beautiful building.

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There is a room upstairs used for functions/concerts called Volunteers Hall. They did a Sound of Music singalong in December that I would have loved to go to if I hadn’t gotten a root canal that afternoon hahaha. I did end up getting a couple books- All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot and Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams. I read All Creatures Great and Small by Herriot a few years back and just never continued, and I read Williams’s first 2 books which were both pretty good.

I love libraries. I love book sharing of course because its free, but the buildings themselves are often repurposed or given to the town and have rich histories. Harvard’s public library is an important part of the community, I can only hope that wherever Jon and me end up settling will have such a nice, supported library.

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A Book Review on Jane Austen’s Birthday

On By careofmonIn LifestyleLeave a comment

Today is Jane Austen’s birthday!!! Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors.  Jane, Emily, Charlotte, and Louisa….they are the OGs of my bookshelves. My favorite Jane Austen novels are Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility in that order. Emma is the best in my opinion, Mr. Knightley definitely > Mr. Darcy. Here’s my review of “How to start a fire”!

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I just finished “How to start a fire” by Lisa Lutz last night. Usually, if I get through a book, it means I liked it….but this was another tough one for me. I started this book, had to table it, and then picked back up again. Not easy with a book that chronicles the lives of 3 college friends in that style that jumps around between events of different years. I had to really focus to keep what was going on from basically 1998 to 2013 in the book. I have read a few books now where the chapters jump back and forth between the past and present and it can be tough to follow.

Perhaps another reason why I struggled was I didn’t really relate to any of the main characters. The three girls, George, Kate, and Anna would probably not have been girls I would have befriended. I thought more than once in the book that the reason why they stayed friends was because they really didn’t make any new friends and only had each other. I suppose I appreciate George’s love for nature, and the way that camping calms & centers her. I love how Kate is kinda sheltered but has this inner strength and can be content with what she has at that moment, not always wanting more. Anna was probably the most dramatic, tumultuous character. You don’t really learn her or Kate full story until the last 100 pages or so. I have a few women in my life that remind me of Anna. One has made her way out of the woods, and one is still a little lost.

J. Courtney Sullivan wrote a book called “Commencement” that was again about a group of friends from college and how their lives intertwined afterwards. I might like Commencement better than How to start a fire. It has been so warm in Massachusetts. Yesterday, the pup and I went for a walk in the woods sans jacket! Looks like we might have a green Christmas up here!

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We all took Monday off from exercise after the hike on Sunday, so girlfriend was pretty amped up to run around yesterday. It was hard to get her to stay still for a picture hahaha. As usual, my book was from the library. Not sure what I will read next, but utilizing the library saves me a lot of money on books. Save the pennies my friends.

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Gushing review of Everybody Rise

On By careofmonIn Lifestyle3 Comments

Last night I finished Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford. It was really good, a total page turner especially towards the end. This tale is based on a twenty something living in NYC. She went to the right schools and her mom pushed her to be a connected socialite, but it doesn’t really take until she starts working for a social networking site meant for the young socialites i.e. the prep school kids, the trust fund tennis playing gin and tonic drinkin rowin investment bankin twenty somethings. Our heroine starts to fall down the rabbit hole, trying to “make it” in this group. The luxurious life is fun to read about for sure, but inevitably, the train crashes, and my, it is an interesting train wreck.

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I loved it….because on some level, I get it. Growing up in youth orchestras in Cambridge/Boston, and now in the horse world, I know what its like to be just slightly on the outside. You really have to be comfortable in your skin and strong in what your priorities and values are. Money is a tough thing, people that have a lot of it can spend how they please. They buy a dress for $300, and its nothing to them. You buy a dress for $300 and you can afford it, you have the money in your account, but that price tag impacts you SO much more. Its relative. Honestly, we all struggle with money, when you have more, you just tend to spend more.

There’s always someone that has more than you. Take care of your own grass. Water it, sing to it, love it. When other people’s grass looks greener or sounds more fun, let that push you to focus on your own life. Let jealousy, the sideways glance at someone who seems to have what you want, help you to refocus on your goals, and the REALISTIC steps you are taking to reach them.

This book brings the reader on a journey of a young woman looking for acceptance. I think we can all sympathize with that longing. It was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone. The next two books I am getting at How to Start a Fire and Luckiest Girl Alive. Annnnnd yes, that’s a library book. I love libraries. Free books. I love my librarians too, they are fabulous.

Read free books friends, its good for your wallet, brain, and soul.

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