Carla Emery’s: The Encyclopedia of Country Living

I absolutely love spring and, as the weather gets warmer, my mind and body long to be outdoors. Though I am a city girl, my family are third generation farmers and I have spent my fair share of time outside of the city lights. I have found a wonderful way to marry two of my passions-reading and Mother Nature. The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery is one of my favorite finds. It is a guide to all things country and, for those of us that don’t get down on the farm as often as we would like to, it is a mini vacation from the asphalt jungle. Emery offers practical advice on everything from gardening and canning to raising animals and churning butter. Granted, I am not spending a lot of time churning butter these days but it is interesting and refreshing to know how should the need ever arise. As odd as it sounds, The Encyclopedia of Country Living is a warm and inviting trip to your Grandmother’s kitchen table and that, alone, is reason enough to pick up a copy for your own library. It is a little pricy for a paperback but it is a lot less expensive than a vacation or therapy and well worth the asking price. I recommend it for everyone and especially as a gift for a young mother. I hope that you read it from cover to cover and that it takes you to a simpler time and place.