Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already (see below), but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them. And stay tuned for more great MaryJanesFarm giveaways.
In the Feb/Mar 2019 issue of MaryJanesFarm, “Tiptoe Through the Flowers” (on newsstands Jan 1), I led you here to my journal for a chance to win a FREE copy of a new gem of an autobiography called A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings: A Year of Keeping Bees by British author Helen Jukes (Scribner UK, July 2018). A Honeybee Heart is at once a fascinating exploration of the honeybee and the hive; the practices of honey-gathering and the history of our observation of bees; and a beautifully wrought meditation on responsibility and care, on vulnerability and trust, on forging bonds and breaking new ground.
For a chance to win, tell me about one of your favorite new books in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-February.
Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.
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The winner of our Honeybee Heart giveaway is …
Melanie Smith, who commented:
I recently finished The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America, by Timothy Egan. This story gave me a peek at the fascinating and volatile political climate that made it nearly impossible for Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and the many forest rangers to set aside and protect the first national forests.
Congratulations, Melanie! Watch for an email from the farm.
I LOVE Michelle Obamas book. It is very warm and caring. It is from the heart! Right now we need a “LOVING and CARING ” book.
I love that her book has done so well (best selling book in 2018). For sure, it says a lot about the love and care we all need. I hope to read it over the holidays.
A favorite new to me book (I just heard about it) is The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. It’s truly delightful.
I have honey bees that come around this would be an interesting read on information about them. This sounds really good.
Winter Song Quiet Reflections by Carole Brown Knuth and Nancy Ellen Kensy. A collection of poetry and beautiful mica angel paintings by my dear friends. Perfect for a winter’s day tucked under a throw with a cup of hot cocoa.
Have not got any new books recently but the last book i got was wild bread and just love it along with cast iron kitchen i use them all the time, love them
I have been wanting to have bees so woild live to win this book, bees are so important they need a place in everyone’s lives.
I got Wild Bread for Christmas and love it! Cant wait to start my mother!
A favorite new book is: a piece of the world by Christina Baker Klein. It’s the story (historical fiction) of Christina in Andrew Wyeth’s painting Christina’s World. So, so good! I also just borrowed The Overstory from the library- excited to read that!!
Just finished my newest read by Nicholas Sparks called “Every Breath”. In true form, Nicholas brings a love story and a life story together. Tears are involved, so bring tissues! I would love to read this new book on honeybees, as my hubby and I are debating whether to get them or not.
It’s an older book but new to me – Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. One of those game-changer books in terms of how I think about food and sustainability.
Just finished reading a book I found in my local thriftstore, Montana 1948. Great read, reminded me a lot of, To Kill A Mockingbird. Told by a child that was aware of the social injustice he was experiencing.
Wow, I just read in our new magazine that you were back! Yay!!! I have missed your newsy posts so much.
My recent favorite book was, In the Company of Crows and Ravens by John Marzluff and Tony Angel. Both men are Ornithologists at the Univeristy of Washington. They have spent their career studying and documenting the habits of these Corvids. Backyard Crows have become a big interest with me as a group have started coming on a sort of regular basis to our backyard for seeds, suet, and water. I Love all sort of books and read all kinds of topics. We
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles was a truly great read. So I hurried to the library to check out his Rules of Civility. Great author in my opinion. Also recently read Caroline: Little House Revisisted by Sarah Miller. I loved getting the mother’s perspective. My grandmother’s were pioneer women, and I love reading anything that gives me insight into how they managed to do what seems impossible now, to me.
Just getting back into reading, thanks to your magazine arriving yesterday! We used to keep honey bees years ago and I came across this book in the magazine and it looks so inspiring! It’s the little things that get is growing again!
I just recently started getting your magazine and I really enjoy it. You have such good ideas on all farming stuff and cooking things. I am trying to apply some of your suggestions to our lifestyle here at home. Keep up the good work.
Being a pug owner and lover, I just finished reading The Pug List by Alison Hodgson. Heartwarming book.
I’m looking for new reads for the winter, and a book that involves naturalist info mixed with fiction is my kind of book. Would love to win it.
I just finished This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. Very good read. This book looks very interesting since I have bees and belong to a Beekeepers association
Having 5 grandchildren keeps this grandma busy and not reading for enjoyment like I should. However, my favorite children’s book is “Scardey Squirrel” , about a squirrel that is living in his tree, enjoying the routine of every day. He is also afraid of thing that may get him like aliens, KILLER BEES, sharks, tarantulas. He’s devised a plan I ( or several) in case he’s facing the unexpected. One day he is confronted with a killer bee and his emergency kit falls out of the tree. He learns he’s no ordinary squirrel. He’s a flying squirrel that has just learned the outside world isn’t all that bad.
I enjoyed the book, Where the Crawdad’s sing by Delia Owens because it combines the life of a girl living alone in a swamp and all the creatures she studies with a murder mystery. It is very well written.
I read Crawdads a couple of weeks ago. Wonderful read!
One Pan To Rule Them All is a new-to-me book about cooking with cast iron. I’m trying to clean up and season some vintage finds so I can learn to use them.
I’d Love to read the Honeybee book!
I picked up a tiny little book while on vacation entitled BEE LESSONS, by Howard Scott.
It has 45 pages , each page with a fact about bees, and a lesson that we humans can learn from them and apply to our lives.
I keep it in my car and read it while sitting in waiting rooms before appointments.
I love the MaryJane magazine.Best magazine out there. My last read wasn’t a “new” book, but a reading suggestion from a previous issue.” The long Winter” by Wilder was a book I had never read.I am glad I read it. It put my life into perspective. I am also currently reading,” The Snow Child” by Ivey. Thank you so much for the suggested reading.
Just finished reading Hashimoto’s Protocol by Isabella Wentz as I am trying to heal my thyroid naturally.
Unlocking Greatness by Charles Harary. I’m a methodical, list person, and this book gives you great tips to unlock your own greatness with practical, do this first, then this organization. He talks about the use of mindfulness in determining what to do with your life. We all have a mission in life, and finding your own unlocks your own greatness.
New book for Christmas “The Soul of a Horse”. Magical! Even for those of us who aren’t part of herd.
I have been delighted to be reading with my son a young reader series called Dragon Boy. Adventure awaits!
In “The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend” shows us how one avid reader is able to bring a dying town together around books.
Last year my grandson and daughter-in-law set up a hive in my yard but I did not get involved except for planting flowers. Well, the bees all died, so I would like to get involved now and try to get a new hive going with the help of my grandson. However, I don’t know anything about it so I think this book would help me.
It’s been a while since I’ve bought a new book, but I did get an “oldie” the other day. Now I’m waiting for a good snowstorm so I can hunker down in front of the fire with “Gone With the Wind”. I bought it because 57 years ago while my parents were dating, Dad gave Mom the book because he knew she loved (loves) to read. She said it’s an excellent read & passed it on to me. I’m afraid I’ll damage it (or drop it in the tub) so I got a new one without the sentimental attachment.
I have been reading The Heirloom Life Gardener by Jere and Emileee Gettle. I am putting in a small orchard this spring and plan on installing a couple beehives so this should be an interesting read.
I guess my favorite somewhat-new book is The Science of Good Cooking. My grandson wants to be a scientist when he grows up, but he also loves to cook. I’m hoping we can work our way through this book while he’s out of school this summer. I expect we’ll both learn something!
One of my favorite reads has been Heartmender by Andy Andrews. Truly an incredible story and message. In line with that era, WWII, I recently read The Gown, by Jennifer Robson–historical fiction on the making of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown. Would enjoy the bee book; I love reading after British authors.
After reading several of Jane Kirkpatrick’s historical fiction tales of women in the West including The Daughter’s Walk and Where Lilacs Still Bloom, I recently discovered her own tale of of living for 27 years in a remote area in Oregon, known as Starvation Point, in her book entitled, Homestead: A Memoir. I appreciate her historical fiction writing even more knowing her story.
I recently read a cute little novel called “The Secret Life Of Sarah Hollenbeck” by a new writer name Bethany Turner. A wholesome story about love with a couple twists and turns. Hope I win this book by Helen Jukes as it sparks my interesting in beekeeping and it appears to have an interesting true storyline!
I love the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. Beautiful writing and memorable characters.
All Creation Waits by Gayle Boss is a wonderful educational book of animals in winter.
I know it’s far from new, but it’s good, Secret Life of Bees
I just finished “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. It was beautifully written and a wonderful book. I also love the series by Laurie R. King, starting with the first book “The Beekeepers Apprentice”.
I enjoyed Crawdads also! Great read. I will have to look up Laurie King’s series.
I am currently reading Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer which I am really enjoying. I enjoy her style of writing how she shares with her readers her passion for mosses and in her other book, her passion for sweet grasses. The connection with her family, especially her daughters and how they grow right along with her knowledge of mosses.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a great cookbook by Samin Norsat with great illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton. A lovely book for all the senses.
So I just finished a book called house wife’s – it was a quick read and hilarious! I am a CASA ( casaofvenangocounty.org) exc director by day and a huge book lover by night and in the summer by porch – I live in NW PA winters are harsh and summer is beloved! I love along the Allegheney River and I live in my child hood home I am Blessed to have a wonderful farm called the “Bend farm “ just certified organic they do any email blast on Monday and home delivery on Thursday, I brag about what delish salads I am going to have all day Thursday! I watch the PA State Farm show the Bee honey judging and found it fascinating,! Thanks for the chance to win! Ps I get the magazine read it cover to cover several times ! Love the book suggestions!
A book I read after Christmas is actually a juvenile non-fiction book titled ‘When I was a Turkey’ by Joe Hutto. My son saw the documentary before Thanksgiving and stumbled upon the book at the public library. As first time urban chicken owners my son loved sharing bits of the book that related to our chicken tending and bird behavior. When he was finished with the book I thought I’d read it. Joe have his life fully to observe and live with the turkeys he hatched. Just as we watched and observed our chickens from chick to now (laying hens almost 1 year old) we feel his joys with milestones and finding companionship in his birds as well as heart ache when any of the young turkeys are taken by predators, injured or ill; all the emotions we’ve felt as we raise chickens.
I’ve watched that documentary twice. Excellent.
I wait and wait for the next Charles Frazier book. I got Varina for Christmas. I loved it. Lots of history. Now I’m in the mood for Civil War books.
Love Heals… favorite new book💚
I have three young sons, so my reading mainly consists of children’s books. My oldest is five and I’m excited that he is getting more interested in chapter books. We recently read The Mouse and the Motorcycle and will start the Little House on the Prairie series next. Even though these books are not new to me, they are new to him and I love experiencing them again with him. He did receive the new America’s Test Kitchen Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs as a Christmas gift. We’ve been enjoying reading through that and making some of the recipes together.
I was able to purchase a copy of a book written by an extended cousin of mine (several generations removed), of stories passed on by our ancestors before us! I am SO thrilled to be able to pass on to my children the stories of my heritage! The Crooked Tree: Indian Legends of Northern Michigan by John C. Wright. What an exciting find!
I’m working my way through an urban fantasy series by Faith Hunter.
We also keep a few bee hives and this book would be great in our bee library!
After subscribing to Mary Jane’s farm magazine I immediately started reading curious what it had to offer. Fell in love and immediately ordered “Wild Bread”. I have Celiac so I was super excited about the amount of gluten free recipes. I grow organic and buy organic whenever possible. So you see how much I would love to try this product. It would be great for a quick meal while gardening or quilting when I tend to skip meals. Love the outdoors and would sure be nice to walk around the yard eating something nutritious while checking my flowers and so forth. I am a widow so cooking for one is sometimes a task more than a enjoyable experience. God bless!
My newest read is “Traveling with Pomegranates” by Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor
Sue Monk Kidd is one of my favorite authors – her book “Secret Life of Bees” really jumpstarted my desire to become a beekeeper several years ago
My favorite new book was given to me by my sister. It is called The Prayer Box. It is Christian fiction and very charming.