http://marianne.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Marianne Combs en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:09:59 GMT 2010-01-01T20:09:59Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977725954 Hey friends - I just wanted to let my gather cohorts know that I'm now putting my online energies into a new blog about arts and culture in Minnesota, called " State of the Arts ." My goal is to create . . . Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:38:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977725954 Marianne Combs 2009-07-01T03:38:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977615263 My fiance and I were just in Oregon for a long weekend, and since we flew into Portland, couldn't help but pay a visit to the Mecca of all bookstores - Powell's. The place is enormous - covering . . . Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:58:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977615263 Marianne Combs 2009-03-05T18:58:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977597903 I find myself stumbling between fiction and non these days.  I just received four books in the mail - two on gardening, one cookbook, and one book on making cheese. But oddly in the winter months, . . . Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:45:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977597903 Marianne Combs 2009-02-17T21:45:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977551343 When it comes to reading, January is my favorite time of year. The holiday celebrations and work parties are over, my evenings are free from last-minute baking and gift-wrapping, and now, as we dig into . . . Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:27:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977551343 Marianne Combs 2009-01-02T20:27:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977507041 This morning I just finished reading "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold, and I'm still figuring out what I think of it. Did the detached voice of the main character help, or hurt? Is it . . . Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:44:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977507041 Marianne Combs 2008-11-14T22:44:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977463470 In church a couple of Sundays ago, our congregation was surprised when the baskets were passed, and inside them were envelopes of money for each family to TAKE. Our ministers said they wanted us to do . . . Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:23:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977463470 Marianne Combs 2008-09-30T14:23:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977439377 Is it really September already? Can it be true that summer has come and gone, and the fall chill is here to stay? Is the state fair really over? How did I miss this?  Oh, I know - it's because . . . Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:06:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977439377 Marianne Combs 2008-09-04T16:06:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977411491 It's the peak of summer - the garden is growing with the occasional help of a heavy dousing, things are slow at work,  and it's just too dang hot out these days to do much of anything. . . . Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:05:37 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977411491 Marianne Combs 2008-08-01T21:05:37Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977388119 Happily, I'm about to embark on yet another reading retreat. This time it's a week in Door County, with nothing on the agenda except for biking, reading and napping. I've got a stack of books . . . Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:54:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977388119 Marianne Combs 2008-07-02T21:54:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977370543 Hey all! Late spring/early summer is getting the best of me - gardening, biking, and storm watching! Last night's storm was a great edition of the "Theater of the sky." Lightning! Thunder! . . . Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:25:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977370543 Marianne Combs 2008-06-12T13:25:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977336560 May Day! May Day! I mean "Happy May Day!" I'm finding the tug of spring pulling me away from my books... "you can't read! there's gardening to be done!" . . . Thu, 01 May 2008 20:33:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977336560 Marianne Combs 2008-05-01T20:33:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977304207 So I really thought is was spring - really, I was pretty darn sure - so I got out all my gardening books, started making plans for the garden, and then.... snow. And more snow. And snow mixed with rain. . . . Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:48:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977304207 Marianne Combs 2008-04-07T20:48:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977277404 First Off, my apologies for the late start: I've spent the last week in bed with the flu with not even enough energy to pick up a book, let alone read it or write about it! It seems to be going round, . . . Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:32:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977277404 Marianne Combs 2008-03-06T20:32:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977249115 This is going to be a GREAT month for reading. I just know it. Why? Because later this month my 'significantly other' and I are going away for a four-day weekend, and all we plan to do is . . . Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:28:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977249115 Marianne Combs 2008-02-04T16:28:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977243360 Hi all - I just want to make sure you know about a fun event taking place at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on Sunday, February 3rd at 2pm. This is a family friendly event, so kids are welcome! . . . Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:07:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977243360 Marianne Combs 2008-01-29T15:07:23Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977216769 Welcome to a whole new year! I admit, I make some half-hearted new year's resolutions around this time... usually it centers around more exercise, less eating... more listening, less talking... . . . Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:17:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977216769 Marianne Combs 2007-12-31T21:17:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977196522 (humming:) "The weather outside is frightful...."  It's the perfect time of year for curling up with a good book. Except of course for all the holiday festivities, family gatherings, . . . Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:10:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977196522 Marianne Combs 2007-12-06T23:10:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977164760 I'm just back from my aforementioned trip to China, and I've got lots to report. Not only did I get some recommendations in Chinese literature by a professor in Beijing, but I also traded . . . Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:01:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977164760 Marianne Combs 2007-11-01T22:01:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977137254 Change is in the air... colder nights, the leaves are turning, I'm making soups instead of salads, and I'm drinking more tea than ice water. Ahhh -  I LOVE fall.  I'm also getting . . . Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:03:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977137254 Marianne Combs 2007-10-04T16:03:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977106433 The State Fair is officially over, the kids are heading back to school, and in the past week there's been a little chill in the evening air that foreshadows the onset of fall. There's still work . . . Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:31:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977106433 Marianne Combs 2007-09-04T17:31:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977078556 August already??!! My apologies for getting this up so late - I've been caught up in our coverage of  the collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis. There's been little time for posting, . . . Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:17:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977078556 Marianne Combs 2007-08-07T15:17:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977066233 I admit it - I'm a Harry Potter addict. I picked up the book Monday on my way home from work, and finished it Tuesday. Without going into too much detail, I have to say it was a thoroughly enjoyable . . . Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:37:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977066233 Marianne Combs 2007-07-25T17:37:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977051652 What is it about theater that sucks people in? And what is it about some people that they're willing to spend hours upon hours of their free time to mount a community theater production? I was . . . Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:32:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977051652 Marianne Combs 2007-07-09T23:32:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977046373 Summer heat, long days and, if you're lucky - a screened-in porch. Who can ask for anything more to set the scene for a great summer read?  These days I'm lounging in the white wicker rocking-chair, . . . Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:16:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977046373 Marianne Combs 2007-07-03T13:16:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977017454 Garden guides, garden guides, garden guides..... Okay, so maybe I'm starting to do a little summer reading, too, when I'm not obsessing over the state of my backyard. A recent road trip from Arizona . . . Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:15:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977017454 Marianne Combs 2007-06-01T20:15:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976972739 Spring has sprung!! And one of the many joys of the season is that the days are getting longer, which means more time sitting on the porch reading into the evening hours. So what's sitting on the table . . . Tue, 01 May 2007 19:51:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976972739 Marianne Combs 2007-05-01T19:51:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976949191 April - a season of tricksters, fools and foolishness, budding flowers, rainshowers, and in Minnesota, snowstorms. A tricky month, indeed!  So what are you reading this month? Any great limericks . . . Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:48:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976949191 Marianne Combs 2007-04-03T16:48:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976922169 There's nothing like being buried under a couple of feet of snow to encourage the reader in me. I can't shovel - I have too many books to read! Poetry is a favorite right now. Here's a poem . . . Fri, 02 Mar 2007 22:19:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976922169 Marianne Combs 2007-03-02T22:19:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976900922 The cold has set in here in St. Paul, which makes me seek the warmth of a good book. And since it's the season of St. Valentine, why not something a little on the romantic side? It doesn't have . . . Fri, 02 Feb 2007 04:01:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976900922 Marianne Combs 2007-02-02T04:01:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976880100 MPR's Morning Edition has launched a new series that interviews notable people about their favorite books. Today's interview was with explorer Ann Bancroft, and her thoughts on reading are fascinating. . . . Mon, 08 Jan 2007 22:56:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976880100 Marianne Combs 2007-01-08T22:56:20Z