Do you know the Ramona books, by Beverly Cleary? I always think of them in the morning, when I remember Ramona telling her father to turn on the "dawnzer" so he could see what he was reading. She got this from what she heard in The Star-Spangled Banner -- "by the dawn's early light" -- and thought she'd impress him with her new word for "lamp." The fictional character of Ramona grew up a few miles from where we live now, on Klickitat Street, which is a real street in a real, very charming neighborhood in Portland, near Ella Posie.
I wanted to show Lisa what I wound up doing with the shelf I showed her on Saturday. I put it in the bathroom. Along with this soap dish that I got while shopping with her. I always have aqua blue bathrooms, some shade of aqua. You can't tell it's aqua in here from the lighting, but it's just a pale, watery color, almost like the color of water in a full bathtub. Though of course our walls are freckled with mildew. This room goes way more to the shabby side than the chic. But the aqua was a no-brainer when we moved in because the room actually has a turquoise blue tub (which I think I'm practically standing in to take this picture). I always live in places with weird bathrooms. Once I lived in a house with a square toilet seat. ??? This bathroom actually doesn't have a window that leads to outside -- it has a window which leads to the mud room/pantry, which was built as an addition. Hence, it always has a sort of dawnzer-y glow, even in the middle of a bright afternoon.
Oooh, I can see it's gonna be hard to stay inside today. Even from in the bathroom, I can tell there is sun out there. And just a note to anyone who's waiting for a Cagelet, Alice Apron, Friendly Bird, or Sock Puppy to show up on the Posie site -- there will be more soon, so please stay tuned. I'm working on putting together a gallery of images of things past, just for fun.
I have the same shelf, and it's hanging in my bathroom!
I'm reading "Henry and Beezus" to Jack (age 5) right now. How funny for you to mention the series.
Even your funny little bathrooms look lovely! Our little bathrooms- not so funny or lovely.
npr had a nice interview with beverly cleary on the 9th this month - if you haven't heard it here is the link...http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5333267
i have a friend who live on klickitat and i never remember to ask how far from b cleary's she lives... one day.
Hi, Alicia!
Did you know Beverly Cleary just turned 90? April 12, the same day, strangely, as my grandfather's 90th birthday. (We fly out tonight to celebrate belatedly with the family!)
Amy
#1 i LOVED those books
#2 I recently purchased a shelf almost IDENTICAL to that for my bathroom- it's aqua and doesn't have the shower bar but I sure did a double take! :)
i love beverly cleary. i miss being a 2nd grade teacher because i don't have an excuse to read them anymore!! anyhow, i love what you have done with the shelf and the soap dish. and by the dawnzer lee light it looks very pretty.
Todd and I were just talking about the Dawnzer last week! I love Ramona. If you ever see her will you send me a photo? Beezus too.
that does sound fun! can't wait to see :)
so fun...the Beverly Cleary books...
can't wait for the gallery of things past..
:o)
Geez-- I just referenced a Romana book in my post about Sam's bday. Unfortunately I'm a bit hazey on the details... Do you remember the bit about Ramona hiding out in the basement and taking two bites out of every apple? Does that exist or am i just making it up?
That shelf is adorable! Your bathroom looks so sweet with all the lovely towels, boxes and cups and flowers! You are always such an inspiration!
"Almost like the color of water in a full bathtub"...that just makes me want to sneak away from my desk and lay in a silent lovely tub full of warm clear water.
Your talent is deep and wide Alicia.
we just finished reading ramona the pest. my 4 yr old adores her. and called her own lamp a dawnzer (she has yet to learn the star spangled banner...) didn't know b clearly was from portland. is there anything there in her honor? (planning a trip through portland this summer...)
I love stopping by - its like a little tea, slows me down, settles me in for a amazing little story, some laughs and lovely photos!
thanks
I loved those books but had forgotten all about them! Thanks for bringing that to my attention and I don't think I have ever heard of a square toilet seat....that must have been interesting;->
I loved Ramona as a girl, but now that I am a mommy and my first three are boys we are more of a Henry Huggins family at present. I read Henry and the Paper Route to Son#1 back when he was three and he wanted to be a paper boy when he grew up...
My mom has that shelf in her bathroom, but it doesn't look as good as yours! Hers just holds washcloths. Thank you for sharing your inspirational home with us!
I love Ramona. At seven or eight, I harassed our Bookmobile librarians mercilessly about getting more Beverly Cleary books. And I wrote a letter to her, but didn't ever hear back. (I am sure that had to do with the fact that I had no idea where she lived!) In fact, I was constantly writing to authors I liked, urging them to write more: a writer's nightmare! (Along these lines, I have a wonderful letter from Jim Henson reassuring me that as far as he knew, there were no plans to take The Muppets off TV. I was VERY concerned about this possibility.)
oh my god.... i lived for those ramona books when i was a kid.... and i had totally forgotten about them.... thank you....
I just read some of them again last year. They are true comfort reading.
I wrote about Ramona last Wed. on BC's 90th birthday. It was fun to read everyone's comments about their favorite Ramona (or other BC) memories.
http://amyartisan.com/blog/2006/04/12/dear/
I plan to reread them through this summer :)
look at all the b. cleary fans! as mia would say, that ramona is "one silly girl".
Oooh (jumping in the air)I love the Ramona series - I managed to score some early editions on Ebay and have all of Beverly Cleary's collection!! great childhood memories
so cool that you gals love her books too!
Thanks for the Ramona/beverly links too!
i love ramona! it's so awesome you actually live near her house! soo oo ooo cool!
You can write to Beverly Cleary at:
Mrs. Beverly Cleary (Author)
c/o HarperCollins Children’s Books
1350 Sixth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
so lovely!