Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Blue is for.....

I am taking part in Jenny's Rainbow Summer School and this week the featured color is blue.....You can find all the participants and read their "blue" essays at jennymatlock.blogspot.com
Last night while once again battling the dreaded insomnia, I thought about the color blue. Blue isn't one of my favorites. I love water and the ocean and I thought of blue skies, but it just wasn't doing it for me....Then blueberries came to mind. I love blueberries. Then I remembered one of the first books I read, "Blueberries for Sal." So here is my blue story.







Once I learned to write my name, my mom took me to the Tillamook County Library to get my very own library card. It was an epic day. I loved the library and I loved books. It must've been towards the end of the school year because they were promoting their Summer Reading Program. My mom signed me up and we picked out books. I was five, almost six years old and so proud to have my own library card. The first book we decided to read was "Blueberries for Sal"







All I have to do is see the cover and I am transported back in time. Sitting on the couch with my mom in the middle, me on one side, my little sister on the other. My mom holding the book with me tucked under her arm and I am turning the pages. The feel of the nubby green sofa on my legs. The sound of my mom rubbing my little sisters back. She had to rub her back to get her to stay still for the story and even then it was a stretch. For weeks I begged for a berry bucket so I could hear the berries that I just knew we were going to pick plinking in my pail. I became Sal on that wonderful day walking up the trail with her bucket and eating the berries until my mouth was stained blue. It was an adventure even without the bear! The best part was to come though. I got to go to the library and the librarian marked my Summer Reading Program with a bookmobile stamp. I loved those stamps. They were blue bookmobiles and for years I had the completed sheet with all the wonderful stamps to show my progress. The highlight of my summer was when I got to stand on stage at the Tillamook County Fair right between the Pronto Pup stand and the cow barn to receive my award.








Under a blue summer sky I proudly got my last bookmobile stamp and a blue ribbon for reading 11 books. My mom and my sister watched and I knew they were proud of me. I was proud of me......I still love to read more than any other activity and it all started with a mom who was willing to take the time to share the gift of books and a story called "Blueberries for Sal." with her two little girls.

21 comments:

annh said...

Wow! you captured it all and blueberries are one of my favourite fruits - you can't beat a blueberry muffin
Happy blue day

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

This is simply a wonderful story. You use language to create visual imagery, and that makes you an excellent storyteller.

Tracy said...

Loved it . Also please could you please could you tellme how you put the collage of pics at the top of your blog

Joanne Lendaro said...

Cute story! Hope all is going well in the working world!

Unknown said...

My mom read to my sisters and I too. One of her favorites was Blueberries for Sal. Thanks for sharing your memories of it.

Anonymous said...

Hey sweetie this is a great story!
I get bags of frozen blueberries year round and I snack on them @ night...problem is, I really have to scrub my nails after...but those juicy frozen morsels are the perfect snack...on weekends I throw a handfull in the pancake batter :D

HUGS ~victoria~

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

Fun fun fun..and I'm so glad you are writing theser out of us (and you darling kiddos!)

Pat said...

I love this post and you might not have a real love for all things blue but I can tell you love reading AND you have a great love for your mom and you really honored her with this post today!

Lola said...

Love the collage of pics at the top of yr fantastic blog and what a great story!

Have a great weekend too,

LOLA:)

btw My Rainbow Blue link is here for you!

Susan Anderson said...

What a lovely story. Thanks for sharing it!

=)

Patty said...

Reading is still one of my favorite pastimes too. As always you tell a beautiful story.

signed...bkm said...

What a sweet mom you are...and the blueberries...not of my favourites...blessings...bkm

Little Messy Missy said...

That could be a great childrens book!

Brenda said...

What a wonderful story you have shared. The library was one of my favorite places in the summer.

easternsparkle said...

Such lovely memories -I'm glad you have them!

Laurie said...

Looking at the cover of the book takes me back to the old library. The smell of the books, picking out the ones I would take home that week, and my yellowish library card with the metal stamp in the corner. I too always felt so grown up handing the librarian my card! What pleasant memories, loved your story Jayne!

Micki said...

It was such a cute story...I enjoyed the post so much!
Micki

Micki said...

It was such a cute story...I enjoyed the post so much!
Micki

Lorraine said...

some lovely memories. we picked wild blueberries in norway and loved them..more recently we have been picking wild blackberries at the back of our house..yum yum

Jenny said...

That used to be one of the Grands favorite books! The illustrations in it are so sweet and clever.

Thanks for a cute link to Rainbow Summer School!

I always enjoy stopping here!

A+

PERMANENT POSIES said...

I loved this post! I have so many memories of different books as a kid. I used to sit and memorize poetry and when my parents would travel, if they really wanted to make me happy, they would bring me home a new poetry/short story book. I never read this one though and I would love to find it to read to my grandkids.