"The odor of the fresh bread was floating all about her. On the clean new shelf that ran across one side of the kitchen stood the other loaves across their pans to cool, beside the sponge cake and pies."
"Valerie gave Coralie a lesson in knitting, with the idea of making a sweater she very much admired. After which they took a brisk walk downtown to purchase needles and wool.
Coralie had a feeling as she came back with her fat bundle under her arm, as if she were really beginning to amount to something at last. She was determined to knit a whole dress like Valerie's. It might take her years but she knew it was going to be fun."
"Cornelia did wonderful things in the way of artistic shades for little electric lamps that Carey rigged up in odd, unexpected corners, made out of all sorts of queer things: an old pewter sugar-bowl, this with a shade of silver lace lined with yellow, a relic of some college costume; a tall gray jug with queer Chinese figures on it that had been among the kitchen junk for years, this with a dull blue shade; a bright yellow vase with a butterfly-yellow shade; and a fat green jar with willow basket-work around it on which Cornelia put a shade of soft green, with some old brown lace over it."
April Gold
Mrs. Reed does lots of baking for Christmas, while cooking soup and pie at the same time. Christmas tree decorating, singing, gifts, and dressing for Christmas.
Brentwood
Marjorie undertakes extended Christmas shopping; stockings and gifts, a turkey dinner, a Christmas sermon, flowers, and Christmas clothes.
The Prodigal Girl
Snowy weather, a cold farmhouse in New England, blizzards, warm clothing, plain cooking, skating.
Partners
A baby abandoned in the snow, a bright warm apartment, soft new baby clothes, decorating a tree, room service Christmas dinner.
The Christmas Bride
New overcoats for the elderly parents, a handmade nativity scene, a Christmas wedding, snow, and gifts. Oh, and a new house.
The Gold Shoe
Snowstorms, a flannel gown, warming suppers.
Astra
Astra babysits at Christmas, makes a homemade nativity scene, dresses for the holiday, buys roses for the neighbors.
and, lastly, The Substitute Guest (thanks PVS readers!)
Set right at Christmas time, with fruitcake, doughnuts, oyster stew, and lots and lots of bad weather.
"The range got such a cleaning as it hadn't had in years. The ashes were cleaned out and the soot removed from all its little doors and traps and openings. Molly wasn't used to a city range with all its numerous appliances, but she had keen common sense and used it. She knew dirt and ashes couldn't help a fire burn, so she removed them. And she scrubbed it inside and out, for she found the oven encrusted with burned sugar and juice of some sort and the top covered with grease. Then she started a fire. Before long it was glowing, and the water in the old tank was steaming hot."
"They had a cheery supper that night in spite of simple fare. The mother was resurrecting all her old recipes, plain wholesome food, cheaply bought and deriving its savory taste and smell from the old deftness in seasoning, the trick of long cooking, and careful preparation . . . Bean soup made with tomatoes, potatoes, and celery tops. . . brown bread, baked apples and cream, even bread pudding with a dash of chocolate to make it tasty, hash . . . It all seemed so good and they were so hungry from their work."
"They reached a lovely grove at sundown and stopped by the way to have supper. Graham got down and made George help him get out the big hamper.
There was a most delectable lunch; sandwiches of delicate and unknown condiments, salad as bewildering, soup that had been kept hot in a thermos bottle, served in tiny white cups, iced tea and ice-cream meringues from another thermos compartment, and plenty of delicious little cakes, olives, nuts, bonbons, and fruit. It seemed a wonderful supper to them all, eaten out there under the trees, with the birds beginning their vesper songs and the stars peeping out slyly. Then they packed up their dishes and hurried on their beautiful way, a silver thread of a moon coming out to make the scene more lovely.
Doris was almost asleep when at last they began to hear the booming of the sea . . . ."
Grace Livingston Hill's novels offer a vivid and alluring look at life in the first half of the twentienth century. They offer inspiration for feminine beauty and accomplishment, and celebrate the transforming power of domestic happiness.
