This weekend was the annual AAUW State College (Penn State) used book sale. We go every year, on the morning of the first day, and scour the room for neat stuff. My only real find this year was a facsimile book of hours, though that was by no means the only thing I acquired. It’s the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, by John Plummer. The volume has a slipcase and faux leather cover with embossed gold design, is undated and has no ISBN. It’s not a rare book, but is worth quite a bit more than the $8 I paid for it.
I of course bought a few other books. By few, I mean you to realize that I bought more than I could carry. But not all of them are for me, I swear! I bought several antique books for presents, and a book or two for work, and a knitting book… I was disappointed in the selection of knitting books this year. I was hoping for something neat – ethnic, patterned, structural – but no such luck.
This is a huge book sale, and very popular with dealers on the east coast. You have to be fast to get the good stuff. This year the sale fell victim to an Amazon team with headsets and scanners scooping up everything that was worth their time. Professionals shouldn’t be allowed until the second day. That level of organization makes it just about impossible for people from the community who support the AAUW and the sale to actually acquire the neat stuff.
Tonight after work I planted my birthday presents from my mother: two tomatoes, one my favorite yellow pear, and another a black cherry tomato I’m unfamiliar with; and lots of flowers. including a nutmeg geranium. She also gave me a new pot to supplement the two from last year. All the plants came from Tait Farm, a local CSA, nursery, and all-around neat place.
The remaining flowers went into the hanging baskets. They’re easier to water on the ground, but will go up on the lattice wall behind them.
There are some volunteers too – apparently my courtyard is the place to be. Last year I had one little viola growing in the cracks of the paving, and refrained from pulling it because it was cute. This year it brought friends.
The third raspberry has put up a shoot, but the third blackberry shows no signs of life. Its earlier bud-break has proven illusory. Drat!
