Bala's Museum with memories of Lucy Maud Montgomery

09/25/2026

Rejoicing Over 1926 Edition of The Blue Castle
In this year, the 100th anniversary of the publishing of The Blue Castle, Bala's Museum finally has a 1926 edition of Lucy Maud Montgomery"s Muskoka novel. Linda found this special book on eBay, made an offer that the seller accepted and for once we happily paid the tariff! When LMM received her author's copy on August 5th, 1926, she told her diary: "My Blue Castle came today. It has a make-up different from all my other books. Not so pretty. A plain cover." That describes exactly the book we have just bought. It wasn't until a year later that a line drawing of a castle finally appeared on the cover and dust jacket. Our book was an economically priced copy by A. L. Burt Company, New York and published by arrangement with Frederick A. Stokes Company.
We are still pinching ourselves!

09/22/2026

27 Rediscovered Stories by LM.Montgomery
21.95 3 available
Carolyn Strom Collins has selected and edited rare short stories of LMM's published between 1901and 1932 that haven't been in print since their initial periodicals. Carolyn has chosen funny and heartfelt rare short stories about unlikely pairings that provide a unique insight into how Montgomery's writing developed over her careeer. 218 pages in a soft cover book publshed by Nimbus Publishing, Halifax in 2025. Museum pickup or mailed across Canada. Cash, cheque, MC, Visa or e-transfer.

09/20/2026

The Blue Castle Original Manuscript 24.95
1 available
Published for the 1st time ever, the 1st draft of The Blue Castle, is exactly as L.M. Montgomery originaly wrote it, with critical context from Carolyn Strom Collins- a leading Montgomery scholar! It features scanned pages from the handwritten manuscript in this soft cover 275- page book. If you have ever wondered how Maud edited her work or even how her writer's brain worked, this is the book for you! Perfect for a Book Club study as well. Mailed across Canada. Cash, cheque, MC, Visa or e-transfer.

09/18/2026

Huttons in Norval for 'Thistle Harvest' on Oct. 3/26
Jack and I keep pinching ourselves that we are well enough to attend the 1:00 matinee of this new play by Taylor Grist that celebrates 100 years of Montgomery's Muskoka novel "The Blue Castle'. (Jack and I have recovered from a severe respiratory infection for almost all of August). 'Thistle Harvest' is an original stage production set to premiere Sept. 26th for 1:00 pm & 7:00 pm at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Norval and Oct. 1,2,3,4 at 7:00 pm with matinees on Oct 3, 4. The central challenge for Grist was translating Montgomery's lush, often poetic prose into compelling stage dialogue which has been accomplished by movement, comedy and inventive staging. Tickets available through eventbrite. Hope to see you there!

09/17/2026

LM Montgomery's Tales of Home & Family 21.95 (3 available)
'Around the Hearth' is now back in stock! Delightful short stories by LMM including her 1st published story- "A Baking of Gingersnaps" (1895). Edited by Canadian Joanne Lebold and Published by Nimbus Publishing Ltd., Halifax. 17 short stories, perfect for a gift and in a soft cover. Museum pick up or mailed across Canada. Cash, cheque, MC, Visa or e-transfer.

09/16/2026

Anne of Green Gables Anime Stickers 15.00
2 sheets of stickers available
Cute anime stickers of Anne, Gilbert, Matthew, Marilla, friends and Green Gables on a sheet of 11 stickers. Most of the stickers are 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) tall but two Anne stickers are actually taller at 3 1/2 inches (9 cm)! Museum pickup or mailed inexpensively across Canada. Cash, Cheque, MC, Visa or e-transfer.

09/15/2026

Party from Australia to Bala to PEI
When Sera had a significant Birthday coming up she talked her friends into leaving New Zealand & Australia and flying to Canada for a LM Montgomery Pilgrimage. Her plan was to rent a cottage in Bala "to live our very own Blue Castle daydreams" and to tour Bala's Museum. Each girlfriend re-read The Blue Castle by LMM before they came and their tour which was joined by a couple from Vermont became a mixture of laughter, learning and photographic souvenirs of our time together. At the end of their 3 day Bala cottage rental the Birthday Party will fly to PEI to enjoy more LMM and fresh seafood. Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle continues to draw people to a magic place called Muskoka.

09/11/2026

'Anne's Canadian Life' by Mimi Okuda 20.00
An intriguing Japanese book of beautiful photos and text explaining Anne Shirley's and Lucy Maud Montgomery's life to Japanese readers. Canadian food, Cooking, Teacher's Licence, Maud's relatives, Farming, Gardens, TV and Silent Anne movies, Green Gables rooms, Clothing, Fishing for a Living, Charlottetown Festival and Museums. Fine quality, 143 page soft cover book of glossy paper. Museum pickup or mailed inexpensively across Canada.
Cash, cheque, MC, Visa or e-transfer.

09/09/2026

Korean Anne of Green Gables 25.00
Delightful unread, hard cover Anne storybook in good condition. Art work (as you can see by the photos) is charming! Recently a friend saw an Anne of Green Gables book in downtown Toronto and the English translation said: 'Anne with Two Red Braids'! I suspect my Anne book says 'Anne of the Red Hair'. Perhaps someone on facebook can confirm. My book will be mailed anywhere across Canada. Payment by cash, cheque, MC, Visa or e-transfer.

09/02/2026

Jack and I of Bala's Museum are delighted that we will be presenting a short Power Point Presentation at 2:30 pm at the Conference of our artifacts and sites that inspired LMM to write The Blue Castle.

Join us online or in-person for a special, co-sponsored event celebrating the 100th anniversary of Montgomery's The Blue Castle at the University of Guelph! 🏰📚

In 1922, L.M. Montgomery and her family vacationed in the Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario. The beauty of rugged landscape inspired her to write The Blue Castle (1926). In celebration of the 100th anniversary of this unique, beloved text, join us for a one-day symposium and exhibit launch, hosted by the University of Guelph’s McLaughlin Library in partnership with the L.M. Montgomery Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island. Hear presentations about the novel’s legacies and learn more about the Muskoka region that captured Montgomery’s imagination.

What: Symposium and exhibit launch, The Blue Castle at 100: L.M. Montgomery's Ontario Story
Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
Time: 9:00am – 3:30pm (Eastern)
Location: University of Guelph, McLaughlin Library 246 Robert Whitelaw Room (Visitor Parking Information) OR online

📲 More information, and the link to register, is available on the LMMI's website: https://lmmontgomery.ca/symposium-exhibit-launch-100-years-of-the-blue-castle-at-the-university-of-guelph/

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