On The Blackwater

Musing on retirement, writing, puppies, and whatever else strikes my fancy

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Spending my life in 20-year increments: DC, Calif, Maine, & now in the BlueRidge Mountains of VA, where my YoChon, Sadie Mae, has started to blog...

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Circle of Friends Book Club, Woolwine

Driving up the winding, twisting mountain road to Woolwine, I was most thankful for good weather and beautiful scenery as our Franklin County Library's Eclectic Readers accepted an invitation to meet with Woolwine's Circle of Friends Book Club at the United Methodist Church there. (Ordinarily, they meet at each other's homes, but two book clubs jointly meeting required larger quarters.)

They meet from 10-12 on Tuesday mornings, and promised us a lunch after we all discussed The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve. Always up for a meeting with others who read, read, and read some more...as well as the promise of a lunch...we car-pooled together to Woolwine.

What a great group of women we met with! They welcomed us with a fresh pot of hot coffee, and name tags designed with their book club's name. A Circle of Friends indeed, they were gracious and delightful as we gathered at tables in their Fellowship Hall. I didn't count, but estimate there were 20 of us in total.

Their leader was very well-prepared; she had researched the author, Anita Shreve, and brought along several of her books. She also had a prepared list of questions from the author's Web site, relating specifically to The Pilot's Wife. The discussion was spirited and intense, although sparked with a great deal of humor throughout.

Lunch was wonderful. Beth Honse made a lovely chicken tetrazini. She has promised to share the recipe with us. There was a delightful salad made with a mix of spring lettuces, a fresh fruit salad, and two desserts. One selection was a miniature cheesecake with fresh strawberries on top, the other was a fudgy-type frosted brownie cake. Did we try both? Of course! Wouldn't want to offend anyone, right?

All in all, it was a perfect morning. I learned there are two covered bridges nearby, so I plan to drive up that winding road again, taking my camera along. I'll also take some copies of my book, When Men Move to the Basement, as they expressed interest in seeing it, as well as the new one I'm just now working on, My Church is Making Me Fat...(with recipes).

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2 Comments:

Blogger Clementine said...

I look forward to your new book Marion. It sounds wonderful. Some of the best recipes I have come from my grandfather's cookbook from a little Baptist church in Barnardsville NC. They sure do know how to season green beans out there!

10:23 AM  
Blogger Beth said...

Sounds like a wonderful group of ladies--I'd love to be drawn into a circle of friends like that! I really like the titles of your books, Marion, especially My Church is Making Me Fat. Wonderful! When I run into churches selling cookbooks as fundraisers, I almost always buy them, as I've found some of my favorite recipes in them. Let us know when your book comes out!
By the way, your comment on my blog about the "Coupon Dictator" was absolutely hilarious. I can picture that cashier whipping out those scissors, and every time I do, it makes me laugh.

4:53 PM  

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