The Importance of Books or “Some things should happen on soft pages.”

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • November 17, 2012

I came across a link to this letter from Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, in a newsletter. This library newsletter has proved to have some interesting finds and I have commented or linked to them several times on this blog. This letter from Lee to Oprah Winfrey speaks volumes about the importance of books not just the words on the page but the actual physical book – cover, spine, dust jacket, and pages – and I have mentioned this before. To further note, if you have not read some of the old childhood favorites noted by Lee in this letter, then you should. The Bobbsey Twins are a must – even if you are now in your 40s. And what would a girl do without Trixie Belden, girl sleuth? She was sort of the precursor to Nancy Drew – a younger girl who got herself into some fixes. (Images of Trixie and the younger Bobbsey twins above – there are two sets of Bobbsey twins!) Ah, those were the days and I consider myself not only privileged to have read them, but to have held those old books in my hands, curled up on a rainy summer day … And to STILL have those books!


Read Harper Lee’s letter and consider what she has to say.


JNLF

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By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • June 3, 2025
We have finally gotten out of significant drought status into mild drought. I would say we had nothing to do with it, but with climate change, we do. However, I appreciate Mother Nature’s recent gifts though these days they come hard, fast, and extreme. I always say that the May rains create a “whoomph factor.” With each rain, it seems the leaves grow over night to a new stage, of the underbrush does, of the plants in your garden. Its several “whoomphs” over the month as it rains. One “whoomph” brought about the Pink Lady Slippers. They seem a bit early this year – I usually look for them in early June – but on a walk the other morning at 6AM with our Siberian Husky, I decided to look at two places – one along the street behind where an old pine tree, now dead and gone, was located, and along our driveway in the scrub oak. And low and behold, they were there – one at the pine tree stump and two in our driveway. These are endangered in many places, including here on island. These are all plants that Maria Mitchell would have found in abundance depending on where she was walking on the island. Unfortunately with overdevelopment and someone thinking, “Oh what a lovely flower, I will take it home,” and over mowing along roads, these are quickly disappearing along with other plants like the Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Pearly Everlasting, Sea Lavender – the list goes on and its depressing. So please, make yourself aware, and try and find ways to avoid mowing or digging these up. Mow AROUND them instead. Leave their areas undisturbed. They are not just lovely to look at; they are important parts of our ecosystem.  JNLF

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The Ancient Vine

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • May 27, 2025
This is what our landscaper for MMA calls it. “The ancient vine.” He tells the people who work for him not to touch the “ancient vine.” I have probably made him – and all of them – terrified of it. I am even terrified of it to some degree. I refer to the grape vine behind the Mitchell House this is supposed to be Peleg Mitchell Junior’s grape vine – Maria Mitchell’s uncle who inhabited the house from about 1836 to his death in 1882. It has two trunks but one died several years ago. Because of that, each year I try to root shoots. It’s fairly easy to do – when you cut back the vine in late fall/early winter. I have had success but not success protecting the shoots I baby all winter from bunnies and other critters try as I might. I started doing this when the one trunk died – I was PANICKED! The landscaper stays away because I have told him if anyone is going to accidentally harm or worse yet, kill, this grape vine it would be me so I only have myself to blame. So each November/December – once ALL the leaves have fallen off – I climb my ladder and quietly, carefully, and fearfully cut back the stems typically to two buds. I have been somewhat successful in spurring grape production – and these grapes attract some amazing birds in the fall. It takes me some time – and I pretty much hyperventilate the entire time – and then, I stare at it all winter. Passing under it multiple times a day to reach my office. Hoping, and yes, praying, it will come out in the spring. It’s a late budder so just recently the buds started to show themselves – thank goodness! – and I was rewarded today (May 5, 2025) with this wonderful hot pink color on the edges of the leaves as they are uncurling. JNLF
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