Meet Dorothy-
No we are not in Kansas folks, we are in Shelton Connecticut - at Written Words Bookstore. A place that is kind of OZ-ish in a way, because it's like it just landed there - maybe twirled right in during one of our last storms! (did you know that we had tornadoes here in CT?)
So it is plunked right down in Shelton, and I must have driven by the place at least a dozen times, not knowing the magic and mystery and romance and thrills that awaited me inside!
I stumbled upon this place about a month ago, right after my big zap (lightning). I crossed The Derby/Shelton Bridge and went to visit Guy Beardsely, a fellow organic farmer located just across the river from me, to see what he had going on-what was growing, any surplus - because I knew from the start that we were going to need some type of supplemental help this season, as I recovered.
Quick side note on the Derby / Shelton Bridge : It's so funny because I am sure that this bridge has a real name, but round' here people just call it "The Derby / Shelton Bridge". And growing up listening to my grandmother and her vintage stories, all dramatics in history took place on The Derby / Shelton Bridge. "That Betsy was so fed up with doctors giving her all those pills, that she took them down to The Derby / Shelton Bridge and threw them in and has never felt better". Or, "I remember when Julia was so mad at her beau that she went to the Derby / Shelton bridge and threw her engagement ring right into the river".
Now, giggling every time I go over The Derby / Shelton Bridge because it has held so many historic events, I can't help but wonder what treasures lay below - and if they ever have to drain the river - I am there!
Back on track - So Guy introduced me to the Stella Nostra Calender of gardening and swears by it. Its like you plant your root crops on this day, and your fruiting crops on that day. Luckily, I caught him on a "Grey Day" - meaning don't plant, so he had some time to chat. I asked him where I could find such a thing - and he pointed me in the direction of Written Words Bookstore, just around the bend - and to ask for the owner Dorothy. He said that she usually has them in stock and that she orders them now because he has stirred up quite a demand for them.
So back in the car, around the bend to Written Words I Go. I was thinking, there is a bookstore here in Shelton? There is a Dorothy? Really? Why yes there is! Although the Yellow Brick Road is really Rte 110, and I didnt see any Ruby Red Slippers attached to striped stockings tucked under the corner of the building (oh I looked!) - Dorothy was right there front and center to welcome me into her shop!
Unfortunately, for me they were sold out of the Stella Nostra Calenders, due to customer demand. But as we chatted, it did stir up some ideas of how I could incorporate Dorothy into our CSA madness! She was my type of gal - smart, funny, clever, witty - everything that you would want from a bookshop owner - someone who knew the perfect book to recommend - perfect!
So I brainstormed - and came up with CSA Weekly Themes - and Dorothy could recommend a book each week to go along with it. I figured nothing would be more suiting than a book on proper manners and etiquette to start the summer season off - those lucky members who have been with us since spring have witnessed how our farm has been kicked around with downright dirty games played by market masters and competitive farmers this year -ouch! Sometimes adults forget how to use their manners, and this light-hearted comical book that Dorothy suggested was just perfect! It's also great for outdoor summertime entertaining ideas as well! So I ordered a case!
Each week Dorothy will suggest a book to go along with what we have growing / and going on here at the farm. If you love the recommendation, I am hoping that you will support her as a small business owner and order your book directly from her! Mention that you are a Red Clover Member!
Check out her web at http://www.writtenwordsbookstore.com/ . Her blog posts are hysterical, and I am copying some below, so you can get the feel of her sense of humor!
April 27, 2011
Overheard at the Bookstore……
Filed under: Uncategorized — by Dorothy @ 1:56 am
“Is this a library?”
“Have you read this?”
“How about this?”
“And this? And this?? How about this???”
“These books are for sale, right?”
“I’d like to place an order to go.”
“This isn’t Chinatown Shelton?”
“This is the BEST book I have ever read!”
“This is the WORST book I have ever read!”
“Mommy, are we renting these books?”
“Ooh, can I have a bookmark?”
“Your last bookmark is still under the couch.”
“Pleeeeeeeeeeeease can I have a bookmark??”
“You don’t even read!”
“Do you have a bathroom?”
“Do you have the one about Justin Bieber?”
“Can you get James Patterson here?”
“How about Stephenie Meyers?”
“Chinatown Shelton? I’d like a #4 with fried rice, please.”
“I don’t remember the title.”
“I don’t remember the author.”
“I don’t remember what it’s about…”
“It’s blue.”
“What do you mean this isn’t Chinatown Shelton?!”
“But I AM looking at the menu!”
“Oh.”
“My son hates reading.”
“My son loves reading.”
“Do you have the one by that guy who’s really famous?”
“It’s yellow.”
“I need it for school.”
“I need it for work.”
“I need it.”
“This isn’t Chinatown Shelton, is it?”
“I’ll wait ’til it comes out in paperback.”
“I only read hardcovers.”
“No, I am NOT buying you another bookmark.”
“Oooh…..do you want a bookmark?”
“I love bookstores!”
“I’ve always wanted to own a bookstore.”
“My dream is to open a bookstore!”
“I’m just browsing. I’m waiting for my food from Chinatown Shelton.”
“I’m waiting for my pizza.”
“I just dropped my dog off at the groomer’s.”
“I’m waiting for my prescription.”
“I just came from the doctor’s.”
“I’m going to the doctor’s.”
“I have some time to kill.”
“Smells good in here.”
“Hmmm…..books……..”
“Gotta have my books!”
“I’d like to stick to my favorite authors.”
“I’ll try anything! What would you recommend?”
“I like romance with a hint of mystery.”
“Zombies!”
“Mysteries.”
“A good mystery.”
“Mysteries. The kind that’s not gory.”
“Agatha Christie-like mysteries.”
“Historical fiction.”
“I can’t stand historical fiction.”
“It’s for my friend.”
“It’s for my mom.”
“It’s for my nephew.”
“It’s for my sister.”
“My dog ate my last copy.”
“Is that a real bird??”
“Hello? Chinatown Shelton?”
No we are not in Kansas folks, we are in Shelton Connecticut - at Written Words Bookstore. A place that is kind of OZ-ish in a way, because it's like it just landed there - maybe twirled right in during one of our last storms! (did you know that we had tornadoes here in CT?)
So it is plunked right down in Shelton, and I must have driven by the place at least a dozen times, not knowing the magic and mystery and romance and thrills that awaited me inside!
I stumbled upon this place about a month ago, right after my big zap (lightning). I crossed The Derby/Shelton Bridge and went to visit Guy Beardsely, a fellow organic farmer located just across the river from me, to see what he had going on-what was growing, any surplus - because I knew from the start that we were going to need some type of supplemental help this season, as I recovered.
Quick side note on the Derby / Shelton Bridge : It's so funny because I am sure that this bridge has a real name, but round' here people just call it "The Derby / Shelton Bridge". And growing up listening to my grandmother and her vintage stories, all dramatics in history took place on The Derby / Shelton Bridge. "That Betsy was so fed up with doctors giving her all those pills, that she took them down to The Derby / Shelton Bridge and threw them in and has never felt better". Or, "I remember when Julia was so mad at her beau that she went to the Derby / Shelton bridge and threw her engagement ring right into the river".
Now, giggling every time I go over The Derby / Shelton Bridge because it has held so many historic events, I can't help but wonder what treasures lay below - and if they ever have to drain the river - I am there!
Back on track - So Guy introduced me to the Stella Nostra Calender of gardening and swears by it. Its like you plant your root crops on this day, and your fruiting crops on that day. Luckily, I caught him on a "Grey Day" - meaning don't plant, so he had some time to chat. I asked him where I could find such a thing - and he pointed me in the direction of Written Words Bookstore, just around the bend - and to ask for the owner Dorothy. He said that she usually has them in stock and that she orders them now because he has stirred up quite a demand for them.
So back in the car, around the bend to Written Words I Go. I was thinking, there is a bookstore here in Shelton? There is a Dorothy? Really? Why yes there is! Although the Yellow Brick Road is really Rte 110, and I didnt see any Ruby Red Slippers attached to striped stockings tucked under the corner of the building (oh I looked!) - Dorothy was right there front and center to welcome me into her shop!
Unfortunately, for me they were sold out of the Stella Nostra Calenders, due to customer demand. But as we chatted, it did stir up some ideas of how I could incorporate Dorothy into our CSA madness! She was my type of gal - smart, funny, clever, witty - everything that you would want from a bookshop owner - someone who knew the perfect book to recommend - perfect!
So I brainstormed - and came up with CSA Weekly Themes - and Dorothy could recommend a book each week to go along with it. I figured nothing would be more suiting than a book on proper manners and etiquette to start the summer season off - those lucky members who have been with us since spring have witnessed how our farm has been kicked around with downright dirty games played by market masters and competitive farmers this year -ouch! Sometimes adults forget how to use their manners, and this light-hearted comical book that Dorothy suggested was just perfect! It's also great for outdoor summertime entertaining ideas as well! So I ordered a case!
Each week Dorothy will suggest a book to go along with what we have growing / and going on here at the farm. If you love the recommendation, I am hoping that you will support her as a small business owner and order your book directly from her! Mention that you are a Red Clover Member!
Check out her web at http://www.writtenwordsbookstore.com/ . Her blog posts are hysterical, and I am copying some below, so you can get the feel of her sense of humor!
April 27, 2011
Overheard at the Bookstore……
Filed under: Uncategorized — by Dorothy @ 1:56 am
“Is this a library?”
“Have you read this?”
“How about this?”
“And this? And this?? How about this???”
“These books are for sale, right?”
“I’d like to place an order to go.”
“This isn’t Chinatown Shelton?”
“This is the BEST book I have ever read!”
“This is the WORST book I have ever read!”
“Mommy, are we renting these books?”
“Ooh, can I have a bookmark?”
“Your last bookmark is still under the couch.”
“Pleeeeeeeeeeeease can I have a bookmark??”
“You don’t even read!”
“Do you have a bathroom?”
“Do you have the one about Justin Bieber?”
“Can you get James Patterson here?”
“How about Stephenie Meyers?”
“Chinatown Shelton? I’d like a #4 with fried rice, please.”
“I don’t remember the title.”
“I don’t remember the author.”
“I don’t remember what it’s about…”
“It’s blue.”
“What do you mean this isn’t Chinatown Shelton?!”
“But I AM looking at the menu!”
“Oh.”
“My son hates reading.”
“My son loves reading.”
“Do you have the one by that guy who’s really famous?”
“It’s yellow.”
“I need it for school.”
“I need it for work.”
“I need it.”
“This isn’t Chinatown Shelton, is it?”
“I’ll wait ’til it comes out in paperback.”
“I only read hardcovers.”
“No, I am NOT buying you another bookmark.”
“Oooh…..do you want a bookmark?”
“I love bookstores!”
“I’ve always wanted to own a bookstore.”
“My dream is to open a bookstore!”
“I’m just browsing. I’m waiting for my food from Chinatown Shelton.”
“I’m waiting for my pizza.”
“I just dropped my dog off at the groomer’s.”
“I’m waiting for my prescription.”
“I just came from the doctor’s.”
“I’m going to the doctor’s.”
“I have some time to kill.”
“Smells good in here.”
“Hmmm…..books……..”
“Gotta have my books!”
“I’d like to stick to my favorite authors.”
“I’ll try anything! What would you recommend?”
“I like romance with a hint of mystery.”
“Zombies!”
“Mysteries.”
“A good mystery.”
“Mysteries. The kind that’s not gory.”
“Agatha Christie-like mysteries.”
“Historical fiction.”
“I can’t stand historical fiction.”
“It’s for my friend.”
“It’s for my mom.”
“It’s for my nephew.”
“It’s for my sister.”
“My dog ate my last copy.”
“Is that a real bird??”
“Hello? Chinatown Shelton?”
