Rate this book

Where Lilacs Still Bloom (2012)

by Jane Kirkpatrick(Favorite Author)

3.89 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1400074304 (ISBN13: 9781400074303)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

WaterBrook Press

review 1: I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this one. I loved so many things about the book. I really found it inspiring. I loved that it is a true story (more or less). Hulda is a completely relatable character. She deals with the perennial worryings that weigh on me - am I spending my time on the things I should be, for example. The author was unafraid to use religion as a motivator for Hulda, which I can also relate to since my faith informs me as well. Hulda was a truly inspiring person who persevered and ultimately realized her dreams. Many books that revolve around a particular passion (think Jennifer Chiaverini's books about quilters), in this case, gardening, become a little bit cheesy as they try to relate everything in life to that particular hobby. All the great things... more about this book should permit us to overlook this however!In my life, I want to work on something and see instant results - or at least instant progress! She worked consistently over decades to achieve her goals and had to wait months or years to see results. What a great example of consistent persistence. I think we could all benefit from a little more of that in our lives!
review 2: What a fascinating and strong woman! Hulda Klager was a farm wife who loved to bring beauty to her yard through her flowers. As a young wife, Hulda was irritated by the quality and size of apples and the fact that she had to have so many of them in order to bake just one pie. Hulda and her father begin to graft different varieties of apples onto one tree and to pollinate the blossoms in the hopes of achieving a larger and crisper apple. He encouraged her to use her gift of seeing distinctive traits in plants and cultivating those traits for a better bloom or fruit. Hulda begins to work with her lilac bushes in order to achieve certain colors and blooms. Her goal is a creamy white bloom with 12 blossoms instead of the standard 4. Her husband and children work by her side to help her achieve this dream, giving away thousands of lilac starts to others over the years. The Klager farm is in Woodland, Washington and Hulda's gardens are threatened time and again by spring floods from the Lewis River overflowing it's banks. Some years they have to pull all of the lilac bushes up and float them on rafts in order to save them. The family is plagued by tragedies and Hulda questions her focus. Could it be that God is punishing her for meddling with nature as one local minister has told her? I really enjoyed my time in Hulda's world, and absolutely adored her and her family as well. We live not far from her wonderful gardens and will be visiting there next weekend. I cannot wait. Thank you, Jane Kirkpatrick, for bringing yet another wonderful woman into my life! less

Download links for: Where Lilacs Still Bloom

Advertising