Tall Tales from Kansas

a cozy, curl up by the fire while it snows outside, book

The Lager Queen of Minnesota is a top contender for my favorite read of 2019. It's a delightful tale of 2 sisters and what happens when their father leaves the farm to only one of them. It's also about brewing beer (which has sent me down a tasting trail by the way), getting old, making pie, and surviving what life throws at us. It's full of a wonderful cast of characters. The audio version is read by Judith Ivy who knows her way around a Minnesota dialect. Put this on your list to read over the holidays. It's a cozy, curl up by the fire while it snows outside, book. 

Bravo J. Ryan Stradal for this story that equals the charm of Kitchens of the Great Midwest.

P.S. I wasn't kidding about the tasting trail. I intend to educate my palate on all the nuances of beer this December. 

it has given me an even greater appreciation for my own wonderful Lawrence Public Library

I just finished reading The Library Book, by Susan Orlean. Mary Ann told me about it, and while we sometimes have slightly different tastes in reading materials, I was intrigued by what she told me about it.  You can read more about what she though of it here.

If you are someone who is a regular library goer, went to the library as a kid, love the library with all your heart, wish you would have been a librarian... you will want to read this book. It's loosely woven together by the story of the fire at Central Library in LA in 1986, but it is much more than that. It's the story of the roles of libraries in communities, it's about people who work in and manage libraries, it's about BOOKS. It has given me an even greater appreciation for my own wonderful Lawrence Public Library. If that is possible. 

simply for the sheer and absolute pleasure of it

I just finished this book, which has been on my nightstand for a few weeks. Gravity is the Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty. Exactly why I added it to my list I can not recall, but it was the right thing to do.  I LOVED this story. It's real, warm, fanciful, and illustrates how it is not bad to want to believe in things we wish to be true.

AND - the ending is completely marvelous. That is all I will say about it. Endings are tricky, in my opinion. They shouldn't be predictable, contrived, or outlandish.  Nor should they just stop. Leaving you in suspense. This one follows no rules and is perfect.

Tonight, I will re-read chapter 17 again, simply for the sheer and absolute pleasure of it. Including this bit...  "the right sort of people will let you hold on to false hope and impossible dreams ... until the time is right to gently take them from you. They will dispel your fears and help you see or carry truth".

Highly Recommended. Add it to your list.

it did keep my interest from start to finish

Though I did not complete my "summer reading" within the technical confines of summer, it was concluded before the first snowfall, which seems equally good to me. 

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner was reserved from the library several months ago when I saw it was a must read. There was a bit of a wait for it. Apparently everyone else saw that it was a must read too. It's the story of two sisters growing up in the 60's and 70's, trying to figure out their places in the family and the world. The author used the format of going back and forth between the two main characters, which is one I like. 

Conclusion: I thought it was a good read/listen, maybe not a must read. But it did keep my interest from start to finish, and that's saying something.  

so we can learn to do a better job companioning each other through the difficult times

I have taken the past 4 weeks to slowly and thoughtfully read through this book. It is one of the most to the point, helpful, practical books I have read on the subject of grief. 

Here are some reasons why I think that:

It calls out the wrongness of thinking that grief is something to be "gotten over". Who started that myth anyway?

It helped me understand the anger felt about some of the things people say (or even worse when friends/family never say a thing) after the death of a loved one.  

It includes practical advice about how to be with someone who has experienced loss. No one knows what to say or do. 

There truly are some losses that are more unimaginable than others. This book is helpful in understanding that and the physical responses that accompany loss. 

It is well written by a woman who herself has experienced an unbearable loss. This should be required reading for all people. So we can learn to do a better job companioning each other through the difficult times we have been through already, and those we will surely face in the future. If you are grieving and are not sure where to turn, you may want give this book a read. If you care about someone who is grieving, you may want to give this book a read. Please add your thoughts to the conversation if you have read it already, or add them as you read, so we can all continue to learn from each other. 

she is left to puzzle out the who and why of it all

I have just finished the 7th installment in the Flavia de Luce series. Another keeper. Flavia is such an endearing character, whose words uttered by the amazing Jane Entwistle are simply delicious. It makes for a cozy, all engrossing, reading/listening, experience. 

In this novel, Flavia ventures off to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada.  Where soon after her arrival she is confronted with a body that drops out of the chimney in the room she will be occupying. She is left to puzzle out the who and the why of it all in the environment of her new boarding school. Far away from the comforts of Buckshaw and Uncle Tarquin's lab, and with no Inspector Hewitt to engage in mental acrobatics with. We make the acquaintance of a whole new cast of characters as she tries to adjust to being banished from Bishop's Lacey for the sake of her ongoing "training". 

Highly recommended. Especially in the fall, in front of a fire, under a blanket, with a cup of tea and a tin of Custard Cremes.

I mean thoroughly as in I liked it in EVERY way

I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to Becoming by Michelle Obama. Just as the definition implies, I mean I liked it in every way. Let me start by saying having her read it really takes it over the top. Me in my car, driving to and from work, Michelle in the co-pilot seat, carrying on an intimate conversation about growing up, going to school, meeting Barack, motherhood, and finally being the First Lady. 

She shares her doubts, beliefs, and experiences very openly. What a gift. Maybe you are like me and thought you would read it "sometime". I am certainly glad I got it when I did and didn't leave it to languish on my "to read" list. I am recommending it highly to everyone I talk to (and this counts as talking).  Because I don't know anyone who couldn't benefit from a dose of hope and optimism, sprinkled with reminders that we are good enough.

a family, birds, shells, feathers, making do, falling in love, being left

Without exception, every person to whom I have mentioned that I am reading Where The Crawdads Sing, who has themselves read the book, glances at me knowingly, in their eyes that look of shared enjoyment of such a story. 

Delia Owens has crafted a well fleshed-out tale about a young girl who lives in the marshes of North Carolina. It's about a family, birds, shells, feathers, making do, falling in love, being left, prejudice, and in general making a life. It's a keeper. Highly recommended. 

concepts or beliefs that refuse to allow room for reason or common sense are dangerous

Educated is an engrossing read.  Hard to listen to at times, but also hard to stop listening.  It is a very compelling look into a complex/dysfunctional family dynamic.  And yet, the very resilient author has presented us with a thoughtful glimpse into it all.

Her ability to reflect back on all that she has been through and still retain some love for her family seems amazing to me.  I do not believe this book reflects badly on Mormonism, but rather demonstrates that concepts or beliefs that refuse to allow room for reason, dialogue, or common sense, are dangerous.  Clearly, mental illness also played a role in this story. 

The author did an excellent job describing in intimate detail just how difficult it can be to disentangle, or break free, from such an unhealthy relationship.

Definitely worth reading.  

you will be immediately transported to Treegap where you will meet Winnie Foster

Sometime in the last 10 years sister and I got in the habit of reading to each other when we are on vacation.  Usually before bed.  Generally she reads and I listen.  This year's selection was Tuck Everlasting. It has nice short chapters, perfect if you are drowsy, have just gotten out of the hot tub, and are headed to bed.  

This is a wonderful story.  I can't imagine how it had escaped my notice before now. It's about good, evil, finding your path, making hard choices, and there might be a toad involved somewhere. Did I already say it is a wonderful story? Read it this summer. On your porch or in a plane, you will be immediately transported to Treegap where you will meet Winnie Foster and share in her adventure. Highly, highly recommended.  

On the last night we were in Santa Barbara, I read the above selection to sister.  It's a short one. But once again, a lovely imaginative tale and the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman are detailed and add to the richness of the reading experience. Buy this one now and then put it with your Christmas decorations for reading on December 24th.

You can thank me later.  

in a row boat with a pillow and a blanket

These two books were recently added to the permanent collection at Tall Tales headquarters. Because they are beautiful in all the ways that books should be.  

No children live in this house, but that does not mean that children's books can not live here.  

This genre is my preferred before-bed reading material. Something to send me gently into dreamland. In a rowboat with a pillow and blanket.  

I want to talk to someone about the very very end

It was with much sadness that I bid farewell to Alexander Ilyich Rostov this week, when I finished the last chapter of A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

What a wonderful main character.  A genuinely good human being.  I learned some things from him about patience, decorum, kindness, diplomacy. As I enter into my 6th decade I am constantly seeking role models for how I should live my life. But that's a story for another post.  If you read it, please let me know in the comments what you thought.  I have talked to people who LOVED it as I did, and others who "couldn't get into it".  As it was winding down I thought I knew how it was going to end, and I was right, kind of.   Dang I want to talk to someone about the very, very, end.  

Highly Highly Highly recommended.  This one is not just a good read.  It will go down as one of my very favorites of all time.  Such good writing.  As I was driving there were so many times I thought "Oh I need to write that down".  I will request the book from the library and go sit with it for a few hours at one of my favorite coffee spots in Lawrence, and pretend Alexander Ilyich and I are meeting at the Piazza in the Metropol hotel, in Moscow in 1925.  

what we all want out of life

Albuquerque was lovely in every possible way.  Mostly time spent with Dottie and Christy.  More to come on that later.  Tonight I just want to tell you about the book I finished up on the flight there. 

Less is a meandering, globe-trotting, love story that somehow flows easily across the pages.  With reflections on relationships, aging, and what is important in life.  It’s about memories and the circular nature of our experiences in the world, and what we all want out of life.  But told in a most unusual way.  If that sounds interesting to you.  You will like this book.  I did.

And then I left it with Dottie, so she could dig into it too. I love passing on a good read.  

this collection has intrigued me

Upon the recommendation of Sister, and with the cooperation of my fabulous local library and their inter-library loan program, I was finally able to get America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie.  

Wow - I was seriously caught up in this one.  So much so in fact, that I listened to about 10 hours in 2 days because it was due.  I like to be respectful about returning things on time.  This novel is about Martha "Patsy" Jefferson, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and is historical fiction, but loosely based in fact.  Jeez I am ignorant about the history of this country I live in. When I retire I am going to enroll in an American History class for the sheer pleasure of learning for learnings sake. In the meantime, if you have a favorite book from this era that you think I will enjoy - let me know about it!

My niece told me about these as well- Presidential Podcast  - and we listened to 5 on the way to and from Kentucky.  Entertaining, interesting, and informative.

In other book related matters, despite my love of young adult fiction, and the fact that in our youth Dottie and I were huge fans of comic books,  I could not get into the graphic novel (On a Sunbeam) I told you I was going to investigate.  Which doesn't mean I won't give that genre another try. So, if you have tried one you liked - give me the 4-1-1 on it.  

I just finally finished going through these magazines for the 4th or 5th time.  They are so good I always have to go through them that many times before I have gotten my fill.     

For pencil lovers, if you haven't seen this issue of Uppercase, get it.  

Botannica went with me to Kentucky because it too demands multiple looks, and is perfect for Spring time and gardening inspiration.  

And on one last literary note, this little gem was found at "The Gallery" in downtown Frankfort, Kentucky.  A book full of Haiku.  Which for some reason called to me.  

It is lovely to hold, hand made by Larkspur Press. I would not have called myself someone who appreciated Haiku before now. This collection has intrigued me though. 

Oh, and one last thing on the topics of books and reading - I just placed holds on the following books on CD at the library:
1.  A Gentleman in Moscow upon the recommendation of Cheryl Jean Moss.  2. Where the Crawdads Sing as suggested by Gwen Delmore.  3. Because all good things come in three's Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, which just happened to catch my eye and sounded interesting.

blending in rather than standing out

This title jumped out at me from the pages of a book review a while back. Something about how being less visible can actually help us be more present. How blending in rather than standing out increases our ability to connect with the world, and others in it. 

As you can see, there were many things that caught my eye. Ideas to circle back to for further contemplation. Sometimes I need to read things a few times to figure out just why they resonate with me.  

As we age, it seems natural to think more about our place in the world and the associations we form within it. And how they change over the years. If any of that seems interesting to you, you might appreciate a look through.

Title:  How to Disappear:  Notes on Invisibility in a Time of Transparency

Author:  Akiko Busch

What I thought:  Highly recommended, might not appeal to all

all those names of streets and neighborhoods in Stockholm

I just finished returning The Girl in the Spiders Web to the library and would like to report that I was thoroughly caught up in the tale from the get go.  For me, there was not a big disconnect between this and the first 3 books in "The Millennium Series".   Granted, it's been quite awhile since I listened to them, because I wasn't sure I wanted to continue when I knew the series was being written by a different author after Stieg Larsson died.  

But when Sister told me she had watched the movie, and it was good, I went for it.  Lisbeth Salander remains fearless and bold, Mikael Blomkvist is still unwavering in his search to uncover evil, and I do so love hearing the narrator (Steven Vance) use all those names of streets and neighborhoods in Stockholm that have me wanting to return to that lovely city.  Having the same reader for this book also helped with continuity for me. I don't think David Lagercrantz is quite as brutal in some of his descriptions as Stieg Larsson was, which is ok with me.  I am curious what other readers think.

Bottom line:  these books can be a bit hard to follow at times, but they still hold my attention and make me want to get in the car for the drive home at night.  Recommended.  

you can have him for eight and three quarters of an hour

This is a completely charming story. Picked up at my public library on a whim. Because on the back it said I would like it if I liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, and Where'd you go Bernadette. Which I certainly did. 

If you also liked them, go get this. Frank is going to become the person you wish was your friend in real life. And if he can't be a permanent fixture in your life, you can have him for eight and three quarters of an hour (if you are listening to the audio version) or however long it takes you to read this book.  

Highly Recommended. I am going to see what else Julia Claiborne Johnson has written. 

a mysterious fable

The Alchemist was written way back in 1988, and while familiar with the title, my investigation into it never went any further than that. Until last week.  When I spotted it at the library, sitting out on a shelf of books to consider. And I bit.  

It's a different sort of story, and took me back to the old days of reading. When I would race home from the library as a 10 year old kid and find a spot all alone in the house to begin a new book. I remember being spellbound by tales. Not certain where they were going, but knowing I was along on an adventure that was totally out of my realm of being. 

About half way through I did some searching on line and discovered the author is Brazilian, and it was originally written in Portuguese. Ah. That's why it felt mysterious. The best way I can describe it is as a fable. Which I was totally open to and thoroughly enjoyed. 

It's a quick read/listen. Just a bit over 4 hours. If you are on a quest to discover your personal legend maybe you will want to read it. I loved it.  Highly recommended.  

I am curious what others thought of it. Do tell us.  

catching up, revisiting, and getting acquainted

Before I left for California in January, I finished listening to Flavia de Luce #6. Number 5 was not available on CD at the library, so I leap frogged over it and proceeded along. Flavia is growing up. Things are changing. The stories are richer as the other characters continue to get "fleshed out". I am ready to start #7, but am debating with myself about the need to run back and snare #5. Decisions decisions.  

In other matters of a somewhat bookish nature, I have been catching up, revisiting, and getting acquainted with this stack.

And one last thing - only related because the catalog was stuck in the middle of this pile on my bedside table, the zinnia seed selection lottery has begun.  

Last year 6 or 7 packets were purchased. I am limiting myself to 8 this year. Nine at the very most.  

she has a hard time keeping her wings hidden in the daytime

Just last night I finished this book. Tomorrow it will be passed along. Because someone will certainly want to dive into it.  When I watched this video it made me think more about all the reasons we read a particular book.  Why some feel so perfect, others irritate us, and some make us uncomfortable yet for some reason we are compelled to finish them.  

This was one of those books that was hard to stop reading each night.  It contains a family of characters I wanted to get back with daily, to see how the story was unfolding.  A father so tender, brothers fiercely protective.  It's the story of Claude/Poppy who thinks he is really a night fairy and she has a hard time keeping her wings hidden in the daytime. Highly Recommended.  

"...books help our inside selves meet up and find our way together through life..."

These days between Christmas and New Years, when we might have the luxury of an extra day off, are meant for sitting, staring, reading, thinking.  To that end, I share with you today a most wonderful gift.  A box full of ideas to contemplate.  This was shared with me by my sister Dottie.  

I can never thank her enough for the things she shares with me.  And that she knows me well enough to know exactly what will speak to me.  Things like this selection from William Powers (included in video below).

"...in books I discovered that my inside self had a name, it was called a soul. Even more amazing, it turned out that other people had souls too.  From then on, anytime I felt lost, a stranger in the world, I would sit quietly with a book and be reminded I was not the only one.  That's why books were invented, so our souls could talk to each other.  Books help our inside selves meet up and find our way together through life.  That's why we love them so much..."

 

A Velocity of Being: Maria Popova and Guests | NYPL Author Talks from The New York Public Library on Vimeo.

If you enjoy this as much as I did, you can thank Dottie.  

they would have fallen asleep under the spell of the magic of the season

This was one of those impulse grabs off a display shelf the last time I was at the library.  I am pretty sure there is no way I could ever knit all the characters in the story, but I can absolutely appreciate a clever idea.  

Because seriously, how sweet would it be to be in a double bed with a feather mattress and tons of pillows

and a pile of quilts, with 5 of your favorite great neices and nephews

who could each pretend to be a character as you read the story to them by the light of the Christmas tree and maybe a candle or two

and at the very end they would have fallen asleep, under the spell of the magic of the season

and when you all woke up the next morning the knitted reindeer would have disappeared with Santa and his sleigh.  If only.  

something wholesome and sweet

I do not believe I have ever used the word "wholesome" in a book I am telling you about.  Until now.  But it is the perfect descriptor for The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg.  It's a sweet story about a town in Missouri whose founders come from Sweden and start a dairy.  

If something wholesome and sweet appeals to you, I am going to recommend it as the book you take with you for reading over the Thanksgiving holiday.  The perfect antidote for stressful travel, a family spat, or any unpleasantness that may arise.  As you know it will, at least once, over a long weekend, with the people you love.  

going to have to insist that you give it a listen

Thank you to the Prairie Trails Public Library in Burbank Illinois for seeing fit to lend me the 3rd installment of the Jackson Lamb "Slow Horse" series. 

I love getting to know more about this group of MI5 operatives who have each done something that got them reassigned to their current "remedial" job.  Mostly wrongly of course, them being the ones who always save the day.  

I can not say enough good things about this series and I am going to have to insist that you give it a listen.  Clever writing without being overly wordy, British accents and phrases, a truly interesting and unusual cast of characters.  Very high recommendation. 

I am likely not someone who could survive a long winter of darkness

This past Sunday morning, on a stroll through the neighborhood, I finished the very last chapter of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.  If you haven't read/listened to it yet, I can highly recommend it.  

This is the story of a family who move up to Alaska in search of a new beginning.  It's a bit of a hard read in places.  But a good story nonetheless. 

I loved the descriptions of the land, water, trees, and wildlife.  It made me want to get in the car and head north.  Just for a glimpse of the wildness.  Knowing full well, that I am likely not someone who could survive a long winter of darkness, but then again... maybe reading, cooking, needlework, sewing, painting, and thinking would be enough to take my mind away from all the dark?  I wonder?  I would love to hear from someone who has lived that experience.   

the same strategy for listening to these books as I used in my younger days for eating Halloween candy

Thanks Olathe public library for participating in the interlibrary loan program and agreeing to let me listen to your copy of I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley.  It was just as delightful as were the first 3 tales in the Flavia de Luce series.  

I am employing the same strategy for listening to these books as I used in my younger days for eating Halloween candy.  Stretch it out and make it last as long as you can because the thought of having more in the months to come is better than binging right now.  If you can help it.  Which I sometimes could not.  My will power level fluctuates wildly depending on whatever else is going on in my life.  You understand I am sure.  

This series is captivating without wearing you out because you know that Flavia is going to come out on top in the end.  If there is any book in this series that I have not read yet, in which she does not, please DON'T tell me.  

...central to the story is the concept of the "whole" versus individual members

You are going to want to get out a piece of paper and a pencil for this.  Or open the "notes" app on your phone.  Go ahead.  I'll just wait here for you.  

On my drive home from work tonight I finished listening to a really excellent book.  The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.  Across the board I am going to recommend this book to anyone who likes to read.  

 

I can't think of anyone who wouldn't like it.   It's the true story of a group of "boys" from the University of Washington and their journey to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.  It's told from the perspective of one main character, but includes parts of the stories of the other members of the crew, as well as the coaches.  I knew nothing about crewing prior to reading this.  I got it based on a recommendation from my friend Joan.  I wanted something different after finishing the book about the search for the Golden State Killer.  

It's about the boys in the boat and their struggles, while also including elements of history, and in particular the rise of the Nazi party and the role propaganda played in that.  A core element, central to the story, is the concept of the "whole" versus individual members, and how this is what makes them an extraordinary team.   I am going to say nothing more to try and sell you on this book.  Except that I plan to look up everything else Daniel James Brown has written.  His writing is engaging and educational without ever becoming tiring or preachy.  

Brother, Dottie, Sister, and Marti Huff - I especially recommend it to each of you.  

 

an excellent recounting of a dogged pursuit by dedicated investigators

I just finished listening to I'll be Gone in the Dark, which details the search for the "Golden State Killer".   While always drawn to "true crime" stories, as I get older, my ability to tolerate gruesome details or moments of terror, on the screen or in a book has lessened.  What was interesting about this book, is that it is almost "clinical".  A view from a distance, that does not put the reader right there in the moment, but still gives you a sense of those involved.   

It provides an excellent recounting of a dogged pursuit by dedicated investigators over the course of many years.   In this age of advanced forensic technology, it's hard to remember that not so long ago, these tools were not available.  Definitely recommended.    

the guy you want on the job if you have been wronged

If you are a Harry Bosch fan, you've probably already read the latest installment of the series.  But, if you are like me, and read/listen at a more leisurely pace, and still have a day job, which limits your reading hours, maybe you haven't gotten to it yet.  In which case, add it to your list.  

I always like to catch up with what is happening with Detective Bosch.  He's the guy you want on the job if you have been wronged by someone.  Several old partners make an appearance in this book as well as his half brother Mickey Haller.  I will not divulge any plot lines, suffice it to say, it's a decent whodunnit and there is some foreshadowing about a cold case he will be working in the future.  Recommended.  

Except for this one part, which I won’t tell you about

It was good to be back in Norway with my friend, Harry Hole, these last few weeks.  He is the dedicated, yet greatly flawed Inspector, with the Norwegian Crime Squad in Oslo. 

There were many twists and turns in the plot of The Redeemer, where there are bad guys who have some decent qualities, along with guys you think are good that have done bad things.  It kept me on my toes.  One of the things I love best about all the Jo Nesbø books is listening to the narrator tell me all the places where things are happening.  There are no street or city names in Norway that can in any way be confused with anyplace else on earth.  Which I adore.   There is something quite enjoyable about getting lost in a novel that takes place in another part of the world.  

If you have read The Bat, The Snowman, The Leopard, or any others you will probably like this one.  It’s not quite as terrifying as the previous Joe Nesbø novels I have read.  Well, except for this one part, which I won’t tell you about.  Definitely recommended.  

in my vacation life I do

I finished Britt-Marie Was Here on the flight back from Munich.  I would call this a great little vacation read.  Nothing too heavy.  Just a story about a person trying to figure out how to live their life.  Same as the rest of us.  

There was a really comfy oversized chair at our house in Wallgau that we turned around to face the windows, to better take advantage of the view.  Perfect for reading in.  Knitting too.  Dozing as well for that matter.  This is not a great photo, but you get the idea.

I also took the book to the park one day for a little stroll, so I could sit on a bench and read.  Taking books to parks is something I just don't do enough of in my regular life.  But in my vacation life, I do.  

On my walk home from the park I spotted this place that would have also been nice to stop for a reading break.   Imagine if there had been a cat on that cushion waiting for me to pet while I read.   

Sister did a masterpiece of me reading at the table one night.  Be watching for that for sure when she posts her journal pages on her blog.

We spotted this nice lady knitting and reading in between eating her cake and drinking her coffee at a bäckerei in Mittenwald one day.  

I wished I had brought mine so I would have eaten my carrot cake a bit slower.  However, I did have my travel journal with me and made note of what a good idea this was, for the next time we are on the type of vacation where it is important to stop for a sweet and coffee in the middle of the afternoon.   

you can't ask for more than that from a book

This fits the bill for a perfect summer read.  It includes a cat, a Scottish accent, quirky characters, and a sweet friendship. 

You can't ask for more than that from a book.  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is highly recommended.

saints on skates!

Flavia de Luce has quickly become one of my all time favorite literary characters.  We recently concluded a weeklong visit in which she once again was able to assist Inspector Hewitt in untangling who did what to whom and why.   In addition, I picked up this bit of wisdom that some of you may also find helpful.  "...there's no better way to mask a lie, or at least a glaring omission, than to wrap it in an emotional outpouring of truth".  Not that any of us ever have occasion to bend the truth, but it never hurts to be prepared.   For example, if you happen to drink all but the last swallow of milk and put the container back in the refrigerator knowing full well that someone will need more than that for their cereal in the morning but you do it anyway.  And deny deny deny if questioned about any involvement in the disappearance.    

During this entertaining read, I learned a bit more about Flavia's mother Harriet, and of the course the elaborate schemes, designed to irritate and extract revenge on her sisters Daphne and Ophelia continued as in the first two books in the series.

That Alan Bradley does know how to turn a phrase.   Why just say "oh crap!" when exasperated, if you can instead say "saints on skates!"  Promise me you will try to work this into regular conversation before the month is out.  

A Red Herring Without Mustard - Very Highly Recommended.

he turned around exactly three times

When I went to the bookstore to select a book to take on vacation I had a list with me.  To prevent me from becoming distracted by covers.  I am quite easily led astray by colors and fonts and a catchy title.  Which is perfectly acceptable of course, but not when you only want to carry one book with you on a plane.  

I had just picked out these three and sat down to do the "does the first line draw you in" test, when the most marvelous thing happened.  A smallish black cat came right over, twined around my legs a few times, looked me straight in the eye, and leapt onto my lap.  He turned around exactly three times, found just the right position, and proceeded to settle in.  On my lap.  Approximately 7 pounds of purring warmth.  I melted.  Into a pile of goo.  Right there in the bookstore.

I bought all three books.  Of course.  

Because Chrissy said I should and she is RIGHT

Kudos AGAIN to the fabulous Lawrence Public Library for obtaining (all the way from Schaumburg Township District Library in Schaumburg Illinois) another requested book for me via inter-library loan.  That's north of Chicago!  A total of 563 miles from Tall Tales Headquarters.  How great is that? 

Dead Lions by Mick Herron is #2 in the Jackson Lamb series.  I listened to Slow Horses first, on the recommendation of Chrissy West, who has never led me astray with her selections.  Once again, we find ourselves plopped down in the middle of the MI5 rejects,  who, under the direction of Jackson Lamb, still manage to get into the middle of the action.  Dealing with sleeper cells of Russian agents from the cold war and the like.

This series is highly recommended.  You MUST listen if possible.  Because Chrissy said I should, and she is RIGHT. 

in the brightest floral pattern we can get our hands on

If you like color, patterns, paint, flowers, cats, yarn, pottery, and sheep.  You will want to check out this book.

I am thoroughly enjoying flipping through the pages, reading about the kernels of ideas that sparked the explosions of color and patterns in the home of the amazing Kristin Nicholas. 

It makes me feel bold. Adventurous.  Like there needs to be a trip to the paint store scheduled.  Soon.    

Right before I drift off to sleep I find myself reaching for this book.  Such pleasant images to start my dreams.  Rubbing my hands across the wonderful paper that this book is printed on is a bonus. I don't know why my hands have to get involved in the experience.  But they do.   

If you need this in your library, order it directly from Kristin.  Because we need to support the creative people who inspire us, with our dollars in addition to our praise and appreciation.  Here is the link if you are so inclined Kristin Nicholas Designs.

P.S  Joan when are you coming to help me recover the chair in my art room in the brightest floral pattern we can get our hands on?

in a charming cottage with a garden and drink cups of tea

Friday morning at 5:47am I finished the last chapter of The Shell Seekers.  It's hard to fully describe the immense sense of well being experienced while listening to this story.  A thoroughly satisfying experience.  All my senses were fully engaged as I listened.

It absolutely confirmed the need for Sister and I to go to the Cotswolds.  To stay in a charming cottage with a garden and drink cups of tea, and listen to the church bells, and see sheep, and make scones, and gather flowers that we will arrange loosely in old pitchers that will be placed  outside on tables where we will sit.  I need to tell Sister to please find a cottage with a Mrs. Plackett who will ride over on her trusty bicycle and polish the furniture, hoover the rugs, and make fruit cake for us.  

This book is most highly recommended.  If you can listen that's all the better.  It's going on my list of all time favorite's. 

a moment of perfect contentment

She (one of the shrewd local librarians) found it!  And within a week or so of my request. High marks to the Lawrence public library. 

Which means I have been introduced to Penelope, Nancy, Olivia, and Cosmo.   I am not at all sure about that Nancy, or her seemingly worthless children and husband George.  But it's early on and I shall keep an open mind.  All of this means that I will be strolling through the Cotswalds, with the occasional train trip to London, and a short jaunt to Ibiza this weekend.  All from the comfort of my home, where we have gray skies and a steady gentle drizzle. 

I do also intend to plant pansies, make banana bread, and be available to supervise Chris as he prepares a brisket and coleslaw for supper. 

And one more thing.  While I am rambling on... yesterday after attending a class and having a most excellent Bloody Mary with a friend (at The Webster House in Kansas City - if you live near you should try one), I jumped in the car to head home and This is Love by Mary Chapin Carpenter was on the radio.  I turned it up full blast, opened the sun roof, and recognized that I was experiencing a moment of perfect contentment.  I love it when I can appreciate (when it's happening) these simple joys.  Happy Sunday.  

 

she was the type that would leave no stone unturned

Today, I was very sad to reach the conclusion of Winter Solstice.  I shall miss Oscar Blondell and Elfrida Phipps,  watching their futures unfold together, seeing what happens to Carrie and Lucy and Sam.  And yet, I have a sense of overall contentment.

Because Rosamunde Pilcher provided clues, breadcrumbs along the way, so I can work out in my own mind how things are likely going over there in Scotland.   That should not be construed to mean that I have had enough of Rosamunde Pilcher and her characters.  No siree.  I marched right into the library with my return today and went straight to the help desk.   I requested they go on a quest for me.  Searching high and low in the library systems across the mid-west to see if they could find The Shell Seekers on CD for me.  I also asked them to search for the next book in the Jackson Lamb series.  The first one was outstanding, so while they were at it...  it made sense to search for both.  I am extremely confident.  The woman who helped me was quite efficient.  Her fingers flew across the keys as she entered the information into the computer system.  Her eyes were sharp.  I could tell she was the type that would leave no stone unturned. 

feeling very "bakerish"

If you decide to read this...

Do not be one bit surprised if you find you have to do this...

Which will leave you winding up with this...

Which is not a bad thing.  Not at all. 

This is the second time I have made this bread.  It turned out great both times.  I agree with several who left comments on Martha's site about it being too salty .  This time I cut the salt from 2 tablespoons to 1.  Feeling very "bakerish" I am now ready to move on to a different bread recipe. Send me your favorites please. 

P.S.  Sourdough by Robin Sloan is a delightful little read.  It's about Lois.  And how she comes into a "starter" and how it changes her life. 

warning: highly contagious

It's hard to decide if the red sunset maple out front, or Harvey rolling around in the garden out back was the best part of the weekend. 

Happily there was ample time for enjoying both.  Which is exactly and precisely what weekends were made for.

Smack dab in the middle of the front yard and the back yard, I also found time to sit in the front room with my feet up and listen to Winter Soltice.  Yes.  Following my sister's lead, I have also been bitten by the Rosamunde Pilcher bug.  Warning:  highly contagious. 

a deep dive into jicama

Plans for new computer investigations and meeting a friend for coffee were foiled by ice today.  Sharp, daggers of ice.  Actually those were not as much of an issue as the ice on our alpine downhill ski-slope of a driveway. 

Warm spices were the remedy.

Cooking, sandwiched in between ice removal, was plan B. 

Do you know about How Not to Die?  Fascinating book about the role of nutrition in disease prevention and reversal.  Well, there is a cookbook now.  

Which was delivered to my house the other night. 

One can always use a new way to eat Brussels sprouts. 

I also made a batch of collard greens with onions and cherries.  An old standby, generally reserved for farmers market greens, but it seems pretty perfect for right NOW. 

The birdbath was also refilled.  That heater thing I bought has worked like a charm, so far. There is some kind of fungus growing on the underneath side of the bowl.  I will worry about that later. 

Angie and Sister bought this plastic butterfly for me 15-20 years ago at some garden place around Harrison Arkansas.  It has held up quite well through the years despite the loss of it's antennae in some previous weather related injury. Every time I see it I smile thinking about them deciding I needed it.  And how right they were. 

Today I also began a deep dive into jicama.  Whether or not it's good.  How to peel it without cutting a finger off.  If I should eat it raw or do something else with it.  You know, just the usual.

Do let me know if you have the insiders scoop on it.   

thanks for telling me about it Cheryl Jean

I finished listening to The Women in the Castle today.  It is the story of a group of women, whose husbands were involved in a plot to murder Adolf Hitler in 1944, and how their lives unfold after this. 

At first I was not sure I was going to like it, but because I love historical fiction and especially related to WWII, I kept at it and very quickly was drawn in.   The different experiences of each of the women and how they cope with them seemed very real to me.  Definitely worth a read/listen.  Thanks for telling me about it Cheryl Jean!

on the light switch of a lamp

 This weekend's activities included pulling out all the pink/red yarn in the house and looking at it. 

Then after careful consideration, selecting the brightest pink available to make a heart. 

I am using the hearts pattern one of you pointed out to me.  It's by Amanda Berry.

I could not puzzle out exactly how it was going to possibly turn into a heart, so I did what I normally do in these situations. 

I stopped for breakfast.   To be sure my brain was properly fueled.   Steel cut oats, blueberries, apples, toasted almonds, and a little bit of greek yogurt.  Plus a touch of strawberry preserves from the farmers market for extra sweetness. 

And I just kept going. 

Knowing that people who write knitting patterns are pretty smart and it's best not to question their methods.

It's not the neatest thing I have ever knit up.  But it's darn cute and I will probably need to make another.

I also finished reading Long Way Down today.  Oh.  Poetry in the form of a story.  About how a young man decides what the right response is after his brother is murdered.  Jason Reynolds is seriously gifted.  You haven't ready anything like this before.  Trust me. 

After all that I hung up my heart.  On the light switch of a lamp.  Because that's where it wanted to live.   

a book he can refer to for instructions

When I was in Los Angeles recently, Sister and I paid a visit to Descanso Gardens.   She walks there regularly, but I hadn't been for many years. 

They are known for their camellia collection, which were only just beginning to try and bloom when we were there.   This in no way detracted from my delight with what was there. 

In particular, I was attracted to these archways and trellises made from branches and twigs.

It got my mind whirring with possibilities.  I mean how fun would it be to try and make something like this?  So the other day when I was roaming the stacks at the library and saw this book, I snatched it up.

The way I see it, there is no harm in learning a new skill.  That is what I am planning to tell Chris.  Right before I mention that I think the cosmos could really benefit from some supports, and doesn't he think it's great that I found a book he can refer to for instruction. 

you can see how it might entice and yet exhaust

Tonight I finished listening to Lincoln in the Bardo on the way home from work.   It was a hard one for me to stick with, but with a total running time of only 7 1/2 hours, I was able to see it through to the conclusion.  To tell you the truth I am not sure how I feel about it.  For an audio book, it was a very different format, with lots of readers and the citation of of sources included as part of the reading of the story.  It's a little hard to explain but if you decide to give it a try you will see very quickly what I mean.  

I like the premise - and even that seems hard to explain.  Here is my half-ass attempt in one long run-on sentence.  Willie Lincoln dies, his dad goes to visit his son at the cemetery overcome with grief, there are a lot of "spirits" there who don't know they are dead but do know they are not alive, intermittently the spirits are visited by "beings" who try to get them to "move-on" but they resist mightily.  Interspersed in all that are reactions from people who were alive at the time and their thoughts on the death, the war, Lincoln as a president, etc... You can see how it might entice and yet exhaust.  I for one am glad to be done with it.  That said, I didn't hate it either. 

Have any of you read it?  Thoughts? 

despite or perhaps because of, their quirks

Today I finished I finished listening to Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer.  Honestly, I had trouble with it at first.  Listening to it had me feeling unsettled.  Like I had been dropped into the middle of a family reunion, where all the relatives were extreme extroverts, and all I wanted was to find a quiet place.  Just for a bit.  To collect myself.  Alas, I couldn't find any character I could rest with.  

But gradually I began to soften.  Maybe I just got used to how they all used 20 words when 3 would do.  Or perhaps I just grew fond of them, despite or perhaps because of, their quirks.  Bottom line is that in the end I liked this book as much as Everything Is Illuminated and almost as much as I loved Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  

You know how sometimes you are certain you have read a book, but you can't remember for sure what it was about?  That will never be the case for me with a Jonathan Safran Foer novel.  His stories and characters are very distinctive.  Unique.  Recommended. 

do yours in whatever order you feel is best

Today, for the first time in months, I picked up my Nikon and took some photos. 

Nothing spectacular.

Just house stuff.

Hanging out on a cold day with a brand new candle and some knitting.

Still enjoying the Christmas tree, looking at Oliver Jeffers delightful new book, listening to Tony Bennett and the Count Basie orchestra.

I was so glad the library had this book just in time for me to enjoy on these extra days off over the holiday.

The reason the Nikon hasn't been out for awhile is computer woe's.  As in not working, getting fixed, going out again.  You know the drill.  The truth of the matter is, I wasn't as troubled by it all as I normally might have been.  But, with no computer to hook the camera up to I had no way to get photos from the camera to the blog. 

And there is something different about taking photos with the camera as opposed to the phone.  However... thanks to one of my genius, tech-savvy, nephews, I am at this moment sitting in front of an I-Mac that he cleaned up for me to take out for a test drive.  To be sure this is the model/system that I want to work with, before I write the check.  He said I didn't have to give the keys back if I didn't want to. 

Smart, helpful, generous, nephews and nieces are delightful.  In the knitting arena, I have finished the front of a new poncho, started on the back, and completed a trio of elves. 

I am also winding balls of yarn.  Plum colored yarn from Brooklyn Tweed. 

Old fashioned cocktail recipe experimentation also continues.  These Luxardo Maraschino cherries are insanely delicious.  I like two in my drink.  One to be eaten right after the first sip, and one right before the last sip.  You do yours in whatever order you feel is best.  As long as you don't leave them off.  That would be wrong.   

Happy New Years Eve wherever you are celebrating.  We are staying home.  Eating chili.  Watching a movie.  Keeping warm.  There may be bourbon balls and eggnog involved. 

her landlord, the retired baker, we all secretly love

Tonight, at 6:48, exactly 12 minutes before sitting down for dinner, I finished Y is for Yesterday.  It was 17 delicious hours of listening.  Our favorite Santa Teresa private investigator, Kinsey Milhone, once again answers the call of duty.  

Sue Grafton skillfully crafts a tale that brings back a bad guy, a homeless woman, her cousin Anna, Henry (her landlord, the retired baker, that we all secretly love), and of course Ed, the cat.  All of this while she is working on a new case about murder and extortion.  I stretched this tale out as long as I could.  Knowing full well there is only one letter left in the alphabet.  

Highly recommended for reading, listening, and gift-giving.  

to a kid who is sitting very close to you on a couch

For those times when you need to read a sweet story about a couple of unlikely friends, who happen to be wolves, who like to exercise in trees, and sleep under blankets made of leaves....

... may I recommend you check out Big Wolf & Little Wolf from the library?   If you can read it out loud to a kid, who is sitting very, very close to you on a couch, and might ask you a question or two that's all the better.  But even if you are reading it alone, to yourself, it's still very good.  And, in both cases, you will want to start over again as soon as you finish it. 

P.S. the ART work is beguiling.