Louisa May Alcott is My Passion
Begun in 2010, this blog offers analysis and reflection by Susan Bailey on the life, works and legacy of Louisa May Alcott and her family. Susan is an active member and supporter of the Louisa May Alcott Society, the Fruitlands Museum and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.
I am pleased to present this article that was recently published in the Summer 2020 edition of Discover Concord magazine. You can find the article on page 44: https://issuu.com/discoverconcordma/docs/dcsummer20.full_book Here is a tease: "[Scholar Ray Angelo's] most recent project (which is ongoing) pinpoints as many of Henry David Thoreau's place names in Concord and Lincoln, …
Continue reading "“Following the footsteps of Thoreau,” featured in Discover Concord magazine"
Read the Boston Globe story about this discovery, first revealed on this blog. I am thrilled to be able to reveal, for the first time, previously unknown photos of Anna Alcott Pratt and John Bridge Pratt to you. Approached by local researcher I was recently contacted by Ray Angelo, an amateur botanist and former resident …
“Noble Companions and Immortal Labors”*: The Alcotts, Thoreaus, and the Quest for Social Justice Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House SUMMER CONVERSATIONAL SERIES Sunday, July 16 – Thursday, July 20, 2017 Transcendental neighbors and thinkers Amos Bronson Alcott and Henry David Thoreau shared ideals and hopes for changing society. Ever interested in improving the world to …
Continue reading "Call for proposals for 2017 Summer Conversational Series"
Last Wednesday I attended the first of three lectures on Bronson Alcott at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, MA, presented by Helen Batchelder, a local scholar. Fruitlands in the dark I have never been to Fruitlands before in the dark and it was disconcerting to see the lights over the mountains, reminding me it was …
Continue reading "Three-part series on Bronson Alcott at Fruitlands Museum: genius or crackpot?"
Warning: this is a long post but I believe, well worth the time. I was so fascinated when I first heard the presentation at the Summer Conversational Series that I opted not to take notes and just enjoy it!) At the recent Summer Conversational Series, Kristi Marti (tour guide de force; she has been a …
Last December I had the opportunity to tour Orchard House during the Christmas season (see previous post, “A lovely holiday visit to Orchard House, capped off by some great finds!”). The theme of the period decorations was Louisa May Alcott’s “first born,” Flower Fables. To properly prepare for the tour, I decided to read this …
Memorial Day weekend means getting all our gardens into shape. I've got more of a black thumb than green (meaning I've killed the vast majority of things I've planted :-)) but there are some plants I can keep alive! I decided to rely on the tried and true this year so that my gardens will …
Continue reading "Channeling a little Thoreau, a little John Denver while gardening"
So what's a girl to do? Louisa May Alcott is my passion but so are spring birds! Two weeks out of the year, the spring migrants come through my area. I am fortunate to live in what's known as a "fly zone" where all sorts of colorful birds with lovely songs spend a few days …
I had the very rare opportunity yesterday of actually having 2 hours of free time lining up with beautifully warm weather in the middle of October! I jumped on it. 🙂 I grabbed the Sylvia Yule and went down to the local boat launch to take a final kayak trip before the cold weather settles …
Continue reading "A last journey on the Sylvia Yule before the winter comes"
Remember Louisa May Alcott's first poem, written when she was 8? To the First Robin Welcome, welcome little stranger, Fear no harm, and fear no danger, We are glad to see you here, For you sing, "Sweet Spring is near." Now the white snow melts away; Now the flowers blossom gay; Come dear bird and …
