At Home in Mitford

Unbelievably, I haven't had much time to blog since we have been so busy lately, taking Liberty to therapy after he gets off the bus, getting his hair cut finally, blood tests, etc. But, I have done some cleaning out around here and I'm not done yet. I'm on a determined tear to get all in order and do some space clearing.

While dusting off my bookshelves, I came across my beloved Mitford series. If you have not experiened Jan Karon's At Home in Mitford books, you have missed out on food for your soul, my friends. When I was expecting Liberty, I wanted to stay focused and serene as I had had a miscarriage before him, and everything and everyone scared me. So, I delved into the entire Mitford series (over five books) and it saw me through. It kept my head in the right place. I laughed out loud and cried along with the people of this little mountain town. It was nourishing.

The setting for the story takes place in a town such as Blowing Rock, North Carolina (where Jan Karon is from) and it centers around Father Tim, a single sixty-something Episcopalian priest. The book is hilarious as you follow him through his encounters with his parrish and his evolving love story with his next door neighbor who writes children's books. The characters are unforgetable, and there is much wisdom to be gleaned between these pages. It is definitely a spiritual experience. It's one of those books that you put down a moment while reading, and think about what was just said, applying an idea to your own life...or you just put down so you can go get that box of Kleenex and weep awhile before moving onto the next chapter.

You can read an excerpt here.

I even have the companion cookbook and kitchen reader which is wonderful, as all of her books describe the food the residents of the town cook and bring to all of their events! You will be up and making homemade pies and macaroni and cheese in no time.

You might want to take up a sport while reading these books just to keep your weight in check.

Jan Karon's books are like comfort food - they are soothing to the soul and uplifting to the Spirit!