There's a Mystery for Every Interest

(From fotosearch.com)

There are mysteries of all kinds, covering all sorts of interests, for all different readers. There are hard-boiled mysteries, Noir, urban fantasy, cozy mysteries and all sorts of combinations. There are mysteries for readers who like to cook, who like to read, who like scrap booking, tea drinking, falconry, needlepoint, collecting antiques. You get the idea. How about for collectors of teddy bears and knitters? You bet!

DIED IN THE WOOL: A Knitting Mystery by Mary Kruger is the first in a series of cozy myteries. Ariadne Evans is the proud owner of her very own knitting shop. She enters her store one day to find longtime customer Edith Perry strangled to death with homespun yarn. Now Edith wasn’t the easiest person to get along with so there is a long list of suspects. Detective Joshua Pierce, may or may not have designs on Ariadne (a little romance never hurts in a cozy mystery). Ariadne decides to do some sleuthing of her own. Hopefully, the killer isn’t as crafty as she.

I’m behind the times as this book was first published as a paperback in 2007. I thought it was well done and I like the characters -- something that is very important in cozy mysteries -- and I’d like to visit Ariadne in her shop. I do love yarn and the description of the purple heather hand spun, hand dyed yarn used to kill Edith really sounds lovely! There are several more books in this series and I’m looking forward to getting to know Ariadne and her friends better.

THE CRAFTY TEDDY: A Bear Collector’s Mystery by John J. Lamb is the third book in this “sort of cozy” police procedural. I say sort of because Mr. Lamb is a retired homicide detective and hostage negotiator. He has all the police procedural part of the books down to a science. He and his wife collect teddy bears (at last count had over 600), so he also knows the teddy bear business. Definitely an interesting combination and one I have really enjoyed.

From the back of the book:

“Retired San Francisco cop Brad Lyon is settling into a quieter life with his wife, Ashleigh, in Virginia’s mountain country, where they collect and create teddy bears. But even here, stuff happens...

The peace of the Shenandoah Valley is shattered when an intruder breaks into the Lyon home and makes off with the antique Farnell Alpha teddy bear -- one of the most celebrated stuffed animals in history, and also Brad’s gift to Ash on their twentieth wedding anniversary.

Afterward, life seems to be getting back to normal -- until a trio of Japanese gangsters inexplicably shows up in town, and then the local museum director is found dead. Even though it all seems a bit fur-fetched, Brad knows he’s got a 187 on his hands -- that’s California penal code for murder ...”

These are fun books. Well written and fast paced. Not too cozy or too hard-boiled. Brad and Ash, Tina Barron the County Sheriff and Sergei Zubatov (Brad’s best friend and the owner of Pinckney’s Brick Pit barbecue restaurant and former Soviet military attache -- or, in other words, spy) are all wonderful characters. Add the great information about bears (there are always ideas about where to buy bears and usually a bear artist or two are featured in the books) and a well written mystery -- well -- it’s the perfect brain candy for a rainy afternoon. I’m glad I have two more in my stack!

Even a rainy day brings JOY!

Falconry and Murder

(Image from the British School of Falconry and google pictures)

I bet "Falconry and Murder" got your attention! Today is book review day and I have a favorite of mine for you. Andy Straka is back. He lost his publisher several years ago. Cold Quarry, his last book published, won the Shamus Award for best paperback original private eye novel in 2004. I'm happy to say he's found another publisher. Kitty Hitter: A Frank Pavlicek Mystery was just released.

You know that I read mysteries. I used to read a lot of P.I. mysteries. Then I got tired of them. They were too dark, too formulaic. Then I discovered Andy Straka. His "hero" is Frank Pavlicek, an ex NYC cop, now retired and living in Virginia. He has a tough guy sidekick, Jake Toronto, who comes with the requisite shady background. There the formula stops. You see, Frank has a daughter, who he gets along with (shock), who has become a P.I. All three, Frank, Nicole, and Jake are falconers -- something I've been interested in for what seems like forever.

In Kitty Hitter (the fourth mystery featuring Frank Pavlicek), Frank returns to New York City to help an old friend with an unusual case. He is asked to help find a physician/animal rights activist's missing cat. The doctor believes her cat was stolen and then hunted down by a bird of prey. Other pets are missing from the apartment complex, too. The case becomes more unusual as Frank and Nicole dig deeper into the case. The doctor leaves out some important information about herself. Is there really an owl in Central Park feeding on pets? Illegal immigrants show up along with secretive developers. Gang wars are going on. Straka successfully weaves it all together and includes some interesting information on falconry.

Easy reading and recommended! Welcome back to Frank, Nicole, Jake and Andy!

(Andy Straka is a licensed falconer, a native of upstate New York and lives with his family in Virginia.)

Food...

Shame on me for enticing you with the word Food. There are no recipes here today, just a review of one book - The Best Thing I Ever Tasted:The Secret of Food by Sallie Tisdale.

This book is used in an English class at a nearby community college. For a number of years I have given a tour on Food and Feasting at the museum for this class. I decided it was about time I read one of the books that the students were reading. Better late than never.

Maybe I’m still channeling Julia, but I found this book very interesting and easy to read. Her style is casual. It is part memoir, part culinary history, part sociology. She ties together history, folklore, personal anecdote and analysis. She talks about the medieval kitchen, the classic French kitchen, Betty Crocker’s test kitchen (General Mills), her childhood kitchen, her kitchen today.

Here’s a little something from the book:

“What did you eat for breakfast? For lunch, for last night’s supper, as an afternoon, snack? What did you eat, and why? We think we choose food consciously, deliberately, rationally. We think about calories, price, time, convenience, cholesterol and fat and protein and other people’s opinions, even as we mull over our desire. But what we choose to eat, even what we want to eat, is dictated by forces far beyond our reach, by tiny tides we do not see. Whether we want to believe it or not, we eat what we eat for a thousand reasons. We eat to settle our nerves, in joy and despair, in boredom and lust. We comfort ourselves, make ritual, find delight. What we choose makes us naughty or good. Food fills many empty spaces. It can be symbolic, mythic, even archetypal - and nothing special. How we feel about food is how we feel about our own lives ...”

I keep a scrap piece of paper in the books I read, especially the non-fiction, and take notes as I go along. This piece of paper is covered, front and back, up and down, where ever there was an empty space to take a note. Tisdale talks about whole grains and the change to milled white flour being the modern way to eat because it was farther from the soil. Betty Crocker being the idea General Mills had to answer all those cooking questions being asked by women who had never learned how to cook and the desire to keep things quick and easy with the use of processed foods.

Interesting partial quotes (because I didn’t write the whole thing down) like this one from Wendell Berry, “It is impossible to mechanize production without mechanizing consumption.” ...”impossible to make machines of soil, plants, and animals without making machines also of people.”

Or, the quote from Belasco and his Appetite For Change: “Avoid processed food.” “Awakening to the joy of cooking and eating, especially together...” I had just returned from a wonderful afternoon at the Path of Tea and came home, picked up this book and read the last quote. I thought how wonderful it was to spend time with people I enjoy, drinking tea, eating cake, laughing, talking. Wow! Just like we were *real* people!

Lots of wonderful things in this book. Lots to think about. I'm going to set the table tonight for sandwiches and enjoy every minute talking to Mr. Dragon about his class today. Maybe a beer to go with the sandwich in a nice, tall sparkly glass?! A candle or two?!

I guess you get the idea. I did like this book and recommend it highly.

I've Been Reading...

I have three books to tell you about. All of them brain candy for me, one more than the others and I’ll start with the most candy!

***

Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn is the fifth book in the Otherworld Series. It is urban fantasy and Berkley calls it paranormal romance. Each book features one of the the D’Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. Being half-human, half-Fae means their supernatural talents always go haywire at the wrong time. Camille is a wicked-good witch who attracts men like honey attracts flies. She has three husbands. Menolly’s a vampire who’s still getting the hang of being undead. Delilah, is a werecat who’s been marked by the Autumn Lord as one of his Death Maidens.

Night Huntress features Delilah. Her boyfriend, the human Chase, mutters another woman’s name in his sleep. Then the Autumn Lord has very special plans for her. Karvanak - the Raksasa and really, really bad guy returns. In order to get his greedy hands on both the fourth spirit seal and his former associate, Vanzir, he kidnaps Chase.

Did I mention one of Camille’s husbands is a dragon?

If you are at all interested in this book, start at the beginning of the series to keep all the characters and ins and outs straight. First book is Witchling and features Camille. Galenorn has several other urban fantasy series.

***

Next is the novel Turning Angel by Greg Iles. The first Iles book I read was Quiet Game. We read it in preparation for the trip to Natchez that we made last year. Both books, Quiet Game and Turning Angel are set in Natchez and Iles really does justice to Natchez as a place. The turning angel really is an angel in the cemetery that looks as if she turns to watch you. Iles is from Natchez and he gets it right -- even the folks living there say so!

“After winning the most dangerous case of his career, prosecutor Penn Cage decides to remain in his Southern hometown to raise his young daughter in a safe haven. But nowhere is truly safe - not from long-buried secrets, or murder. When the nude body of prep school student Kate Townsend is found near the Mississippi River, Penn’s best friend, Drew Elliott, is desperate for his counsel. An esteemed family physician, Drew makes a shocking confession that could put him on death row. Penn will do all he can to exonerate Drew, but in a town where the gaze of a landmark cemetery statue - the Turning Angel - never looks away, Penn finds himself caught on the jagged edge of blackmail, betrayal, and deadly violence.”

Mr. Dragon and I both enjoyed Quiet Game and The Turning Angel. Set in Natchez, Penn Cage is in both novels.

***

Lastly, another book in a mystery series I finished last night: the sixth Jane Austen Mystery, Jane and the Prisoner of Wool House by Stephanie Barron.

“On a raw February morning, Jane Austen first learns of the case of Captain Tom Seagrave, who faces execution for a murder he swears he didn’t commit. Together, she and her brother Frank, a post captain in the Royal Navy, set out to uncover the truth.

It is a journey that leads from the troubled heart of Seagrave’s family, through the seaport’s worst sinkholes, and finally to the prison of Wool House. Risking contagion or worse, Jane comes away with more questions than answers. Did one of Seagrave’s jealous colleagues frame the unpopular captain? Was a veiled political foe at work? And what of the sealed orders under which Seagrave embarked that fateful night on his ship, the Stella Maris?”

All of Barron’s Austen novels are filled with history and written in the style of Miss Austen. This one is set in 1807. Lots of naval history. I admit that this is not my favorite in the series, but I must have enjoyed it as I finished it in two days! If you like historical mysteries set in England, you should try one. Again, it’s probably best if you start with the first one in the series: Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor. There are some repeating characters and you don’t want to miss any of Jane’s relatives!

***

Joy To You on This Thursday!

Read a Book.

Any Book!

It's Amazing!

I just can’t get away from Julie and Julia! I was going through some old Cooking Light Magazines and found this article on Julie Powell from March 2004. I seem to be haunted by Julie, Julia and food! Did you know that Julia Child’s birthday was August 15? They are everywhere I go. Every book I touch!



I am reading The Best Thing I Ever Tasted: The Secret of Food by Sallie Tisdale. I think I mentioned a while back that I do (did) tours for a college literature class on food and feasting at the museum. This book by Tisdale is one of the books the instructor uses in his class and I thought I should read it. It is quite good and when I’m finished I’ll do a short review. It is worth a read. At any rate, I’m reading along and what do I find on page 128 -- JULIA!!! Here’s the quote:

“Martha Stewart, cooking on television with Julia Child, couldn’t stop correcting Julia’s work. She quietly picked, picked, picked away at this and that, and Julia Child, in her inimitable, breezy way, just let the criticism float by.”

“Julia Child, for all the years of complaints about her technique, has never failed to express her firm belief that good food is part of a well-lived life with rough edges and a few untidy corners. She is a woman of appetite and undenied pleasure. Martha Stewart’s vision of a well-lived life has no untidy corners; tidy corners may be her vision of heaven. Control, not comfort, is her joy. Julia Child once told a friend she didn’t think Martha Stewart would ever be happy.”

No wonder I never got hooked on Martha! Perhaps Julia was a closet Buddhist??!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder what might pop up this week about Julie or Julia. If something does, I’ll report next Monday!

***

Hurricane season started June 1. So far, it has been a very quiet year, but we are starting to watch the waves coming off of Africa as the hurricane business heats up. We’d like some rain, but please, no repeat of Ike. Guess that’s why I haven’t done a proper rain dance. I don’t want it to be misinterpreted by the powers that be.

***

I am thankful for another day on beautiful Mother Earth.

Joy to You!

To Mull

Monday Mulling

***

It might have been because it had been such a long time since I had seen a movie in a movie theater. It might have been because I had read both books. It might have been because I now qualify for the senior ticket price now that I’m 60. It might have been just because Julie and Julia is a good movie. For whatever reason, I thought the Julie and Julia movie was wonderful.

This is a story about two women who are looking for something “to dooooooo” with their life. Julia decides to take cooking classes at the Cordon Bleu. Julie decides to prepare every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days and blog about it.

This is a love story. A love story about food. At the same time, you can’t ignore the love story between Julia (Meryl Streep) and Paul (Stanley Tucci) or Julie (Amy Adams) and Eric (Chris Messina). These women aren’t looking for love. They’ve found it.

There is a funny scene with Julie and three of her friends at their weekly “cobb salad lunch”. I can remember having a few lunches like this one. But I couldn’t remember the scene from her book. That’s because it isn’t in her book, but is something Ms. Ephron added.

Go see Julie and Julia. If you remember Julia Child you’ll enjoy Meryl Streep’s reincarnation of Julia if nothing else. Don’t eat before the movie. You’ll want a nice meal after!

***

We had some rain yesterday and may get more today. Enough to raise the humidity level, but take us out of the heat advisory for a little while. I’m not going to complain. I’m just going to say that I will be very glad when it isn’t so darn hot.

***

Mr. Dragon is hitting golf balls this week with the kids (our god-daughter and her beau and our god-son). They’ll have a good time -- even in the heat. Their mom and I will think about lunch for them when they decide to come home and cool off. It’s nice to have them all together before they are off to their various universities.

On another day I'm having lunch with another of my "sisters". We are bag lunching at her school while she prepares her classroom for school to open. Seems like the summer vacation just started. Time is flying!

Mr. Dragon has decided to take an art history class along with his studio class this next semester. I think the title is something like art history between the wars. Lots of "isms"!

***

I finished reading another of the Miss Julia books by Ann B. Ross, Miss Julia Throws a Wedding. This is the third book in this cozy Southern series and what a hoot Miss Julia is. From the back cover: “Miss Julia is feeling a little wistful when Hazel Marie, once her late husband’s paramour and now her best friend, prepares to move out and live in sin with that marriage-shy Mr. Pickens. Suddenly, to Miss Julia’s delight, a wedding is in the offing: Handsome Deputy Coleman Bates and attorney Binkie Enloe announce their plans to run down to the courthouse and tie the knot. But Miss Julia insists that they have a real wedding ceremony and vows to make it happen. When a lost preacher, a crowd of uninvited guests, and a queasy bride threaten the blessed event, Miss Julia is there to restore order, confirming her undying motto: if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!” Miss Julia has come a long way since her husband’s death. She is ignorant of the plight of many of those who are less fortunate than she, but watching her learn is a lot of fun! She continues to grow emotionally and spiritually with each novel. That’s not easy for an old-fashioned widow in a small southern town. Go get ‘em Miss Julia!

***

I am thankful for another day on beautiful Mother Earth.

Joy to You!

The Julia Influence

Okay. I know. I'm taking this Julia Child stuff too far. I'm even cooking!

This recipe is from Cooking for Two 2009: The Year’s Best Recipes Cut Down To Size by America’s Test Kitchen.

Pantry Corn Chowder

Serves 2

Note: If you have not thawed the corn, quickly defrost it in a bowl in the microwave.

• 1 pound frozen corn, thawed (see note)

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• 3 slices bacon, minced

• 1 small onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)

• Table salt

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 8 ounces red potatoes (about 3 small) or 1 russet potato, cut into into 1/2-inch pieces

• Ground black pepper

Process half of the corn with the milk in a food processor until smooth, set aside.
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the pureed corn, broth, potatoes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, bring to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining corn; return to a simmer and cook until the corn is warmed through and the potatoes are tender, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with the reserved bacon and serve.

Now, what changes did I make? I had buttermilk left and used it. I used vegetable broth rather than chicken broth and I didn’t use any salt - the bacon was enough. Mr. Dragon gave this chowder 5 stars (and he wasn’t very excited about it when I said we were going to have Corn Chowder for dinner). Enough left over for another meal. Our bowls must not be as large as the Test Kitchen’s!

This leads me to what I've finished reading - My Life In France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme.



From Julia’s introduction: “This is a book about some of the things I have loved most in life: my husband, Paul Child; la belle France; and the many pleasure of cooking and eating. It is also something new for me. Rather than a collection of recipes, I’ve put together a series of linked autobiographical stories, mostly focused on the years 1948 through 1954, when we lived in Paris and Marseille, and also a few of our later adventures in Provence. Those early years in France were among the best of my life. They marked a crucial period of transformation in which I found my true calling, experienced an awakening of the senses, and had such fun that I hardly stopped moving long enough to catch my breath.”

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Part of it, I'm sure, was the pleasant memories I had of watching Julia on television, but the book is just good. The Childs were big letter writers and the letters, wonder upon wonder, were kept and these form a basis for the book -- at least for the memories Julia recalled. From Paul's job, politics, Julia's father, living in France, Germany, Boston, finding the pleasures of cooking, to writing the cookbook -- a wonderful read.

I read Julie Powell's book "Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living," shortly after it was published in 2005. While I enjoyed it and laughed a lot, it just doesn't hold a candle to My Life In France (in my not so humble opinion) -- but a fun read. Julie still has a blog and you can catch up on the opening of the film and all the stuff that goes with it here.

Eat something wonderful today!

Joy to You!

To Mull

Mull: verb. Mull over, ponder, pore over, consider, reflect on, deliberate, think about for a while, give thought to, study, meditate, weigh, ruminate.

Here are my Monday Mullings for July 20, 2009.

***

I do love when the post arrives. On Friday, I made a trip to the post office to pick up a package from my friend, Kim. Inside was my Pay It Forward prize and I had such fun opening everything. I saw the collage first on Kim’s blog. I loved it there and I love it even more in person. The birds and the bees in a garden with a kitty. Couldn’t be more perfect. (Kim said she couldn’t get the thought of Musashi’s Garden out of her mind).



The meditation string of beads is in my pocket. She based them on the 17 bead bookmark she saw at the Daily Om. Every time I touch the beads (each one different), I smile and spread a little joy out into the universe.



Thank you so very much, Kim. Everything is perfect and sooooooo me! You aren’t late. Everything in its own time and I get to celebrate a little more, my good fortune in knowing you.

***

Do you remember where you were when Apollo 11 landed on the moon? I was at university. I do remember watching and crying and being amazed that we were on the moon. Amazed that we got the men there and we got them back home -- all in one piece. The whole world seemed to hold it’s breath and watched as one, the trip to the moon.

I watch each and every shuttle launch and watch the NASA channel to see what the latest news is or to watch a space walk. We seem to take so much for granted now. Everything is old hat. Where’s the joy, the imagination, the knowledge, the excitement, the fascination that life seemed to have *way back then*?! Was going to the moon the last frontier and now there is no interest in science or space? Ruminate on that!

There was a lot going on in 1969. The Jets won the Superbowl and the Mets won the World Series. Nixon was sworn in as president. The Beatles’ had their last public concert. Golda Meir became Prime Minister of Israel. The premiere of Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In was in 1969. That’s just a few of the happenings in 1969.

***

It is still hot. The weathermen promised us rain. Actually, I believe they said 60 percent chance for two days and then chances would lessen. Well, we got one day of a 20 minute gully washer. In other words, didn’t do much good. We need a day long, soaking rain. I’m afraid I may have to resort to a rain dance. Not pretty.

***

You might have noticed on other Mondays, I have said prayers for Ann Marie and Cydney Marie. I am happy to report that after 14+ weeks in the hospital Ann Marie, by C-Section, gave birth to Cydney Marie on July 17 (also Ann Marie’s birthday). The story of Cydney Marie and her big brother, Coy is an amazing one and I invite you to visit their blog to read more.

***

The piglets are finished. Mrs. Piggy and the little ones will be traveling to California this week for a birthday celebration at the end of the month.

***

I haven’t decided what to read next. I finished The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz and really enjoyed reading this novel. Here’s info from the back cover: “In 1959, a young woman, Haruko, marries the Crown Prince of Japan. She is the first non-aristocratic woman to enter the mysterious, hermetic monarchy. Met with cruelty and suspicion by the Empress, Haruko is controlled at every turn, suffering a nervous breakdown after finally giving birth to a son. Thirty years later, now Empress herself, she plays a crucial role in persuading another young woman to accept the marriage proposal of her son, with tragic consequences.”

***

On the calendar I have a dermatology appointment and we have an Astros baseball game. Still trying to stay cool!

***

I’ll leave you with this picture thought:

From The Stitchery

I am thankful for another day on beautiful Mother Earth.

Have a beautiful week.

Joy to You!

Whatnots

I have a folder on my desk top that says potpourri. It's where I stick all of my photos and whatnots that might make a blog post. I clicked on that folder yesterday and it was overflowing. I decided that I'd take a couple of whatnots from there for today.

First, Ro asked for the recipe for Red Curry Beef Stew (one of Mr. Dragon's favorites), so Ro, this is for you. I did have a photo, but for some reason, it turned a very unappetizing blue color (probably because I snatched it from the Taste of Thai web site).

RED CURRY BEEF STEW
(Comfort food is the same the world over.)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 2 Tbsp Red Curry Paste
• 2lbs (908g) stew meat
• 2 medium onions
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp Fish Sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts

Directions:

1. In large pot, heat oil. Add Curry Paste. Saute for 1 minute
2. Add stew meat and brown on all sides.
3. Add onions and carrots and saute for 3 minutes.
4. Add potatoes, Coconut Milk, Fish Sauce and brown sugar
5. Cover and simmer for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender
6. Garnish with peanuts

As you all know, I never make a recipe the same way twice. I had sweet potatoes and used those the last time I made this recipe. I had some red bell pepper left over and tossed that in. I didn't add the peanuts. Sometimes peanuts and I don't get along, so I didn't take the chance this would be one of those times. One of the times I made this stew, I had some asparagus left over and tossed that in. It is a stew! This recipe is from the Taste of Thai web site. I've tried several recipes from their site and they have all been delicious. There you go, Ro. Enjoy!

***

I thought I'd close with a short review of The Death of An Irish Sinner: A Peter McGarr Mystery by Bartholomew Gill. The McGarr mysteries are a series of rather dark police procedurals. I've read most of them and in order. Superb plotting, riveting background, storyteller type of prose, tongue in cheek humor, interesting, entertaining, evil, dark, charming -- all of these words come to mind when I think about this series. Gill (Mark McGarrity) died several years ago in a freak accident, but that's another story. If you are at all interested in this series, don't start with this book!

From the book flap "local benefactress and celebrated biographer Mary-Jo Stanton is a supplicant to death - left lifeless on her knees in a patch of daffodils, a barbaric religious implement wrapped tightly around her neck. A clergyman has approached Peter McGarr, requesting that the Chief Superintendent quietly investigate this outrage that occurred at Barbastro, the slain grand lady's compoundlike Dublin estate. Murder is McGarr's business, this one might be his undoing, as it draws him ever-closer to Opus Dei, a secret order of religious zealots devoted to enforcing the Lord's edicts no mater what the cost in money - or human life- it has ensnared the dedicated policeman in its lethal web. And now its madness is reaching out across a century to touch the place Peter McGarr is most vulnerable: the precious heart of his own adored family." This book has a copyright date of June, 2001. I'm sure Opus Dei will remind you of another book out about the same time, DaVinci Code. That's a whole other post that will probably never happen!

Enjoy your day.

A Simple Woman's Daybook

Simple Woman’s Daybook

For Today...July 13, 2009

Outside my window... the sun is shining brightly. Not a cloud in the sky.

I am thinking...that I’d better get a move on. Off to the gym.

I am thankful for...another day on Mother Earth.

From the kitchen...bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Still using home grown tomatoes. It has amazed both of us how long our tomatoes have lasted on our balcony in all this heat. They came to an end today when I picked the last one.

I am wearing...my standard gym clothes - red shorts, gray Planet Hollywood T-shirt, tennis shoes

I am reading... Miss Julia Takes Over by Ann B. Ross. This is the second book in the Miss Julia series. It is a southern cozy with just a little bit of mystery. Quoting from Publishers Weekly “Imagine Aunt Bee from the Andy Griffith Show with a lot more backbone and confidence and drop her smack in the middle of a humorous, rollicking plot akin to that of the movie Smokey and the Bandit and you have the tone and pace of Ross’s entertaining second novel.” What’s funny -- Ross’s characters remind of people I know (or have heard about)! Great summer reading and I have 8 more in the series before I’m caught up.

I am hoping...for a break in the heat! We did have some rain last week -- one day when it rained in the morning, stayed cloudy, and broke the heat advisory (feels like temperatures are between 105-110 degrees F. or more). Wish the high pressure would move on down the road!

I am creating...Mrs. Piggy is finished (crochet), but I have to get some more yarn to finish up the little piglets. Here’s the finished Mrs. Piggy. Piglet photos to follow when they are done.

I wanted to make sure you saw her tail. She makes me laugh out loud!

I am praying... for Anne Marie and Cydney Marie, Jean and Carol

Around the house... it’s too quiet! I wonder what the kitties are doing? Mr. Dragon has feed the birds -- I can hear them outside talking to each other (Mr. Dragon and the birds).

One of my favorite things...rain!

A few plans for the rest of the week...staying cool is big on the list. I need to get to Sam’s Club. Make a dermatology appointment. Mr. Dragon has two more color pencil workshops. I need more pink yarn to finish the piglets -- Michaels here I come. Otherwise, stay at home and stay cool.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...I’ve always had a fondness for Mary Engelbreit and this card was in my mail this week from my Saurian Sister in California.

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook. While Peggy is on summer vacation, more Daybook posts can be found at Grandmother Wren’s

Remember This?

I asked if you knew what this funny looking, cucumber looking, thing was. My buddy Lori at Pretty Things was correct. It is a bitter melon. We have a neighbor who grows just about everything in his front yard. His back yard (and I'm using the term yard to describe an area that is less than a quarter of a postage stamp) is filled with huge pots filled with citrus trees, star fruit, bitter melon and whatever else he can throw in. He is always sharing his goodies with us. I think he enjoys seeing our faces when he brings something over we have never seen. He's also one of the reasons that I grow tomatoes on our balcony -- I'm willing to try growing almost anything almost anywhere!


Back to the bitter melon. This is what it looks like on the inside. You remove the seeds. Our neighbor uses it in a number of different ways. He makes a juice out of it with cucumbers and tomatoes. Stir fries. In our case, I decided to use it in a stir fry. We were both a little concerned about how bitter it would be, but this light green melon is supposed to be less bitter than the dark green or so I read in this wonderful cookbook.




Since I usually review a book around this time of the week, I decided to share with you one of my all time favorite cookbooks (and the only cookbook I had with a bitter melon recipe). The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen by Grace Young is more than a cookbook. Grace tells family stories all centered around food and the kitchen. It is a pure delight and one I recommend highly for those of you who enjoy a good story along with a few good recipes!



Here is the stir fry recipe with the bitter melon along with directions for preparing the melon. If you click on the photo, it should become bigger and easier to read.



We didn't find the melon to be overly bitter and it added a little zing to the various tastes. You can see I added a few ingredients. I had asparagus left over so I threw it in along with some onion. I added a little garlic to the marinade. It made a complete meal with rice and was very good.

There really is something to trying something new!

Have a special something day.

Joy to You!

It's a Mystery

Actually, I have three mysteries for you.

The first is The Queen's Gambit: A Leonardo di Vinci Mystery by Diane A. S. Stuckart. We were looking through one of the many remainder book catalogs that we get and we both mentioned "hey, there's a Leonardo di Vinci mystery here" and didn't do anything about it. Later, we found this book, probably at Half-Price books as it is marked as a remaindered copy and we picked it up. It was okay. It had some good low level technical stuff on how frescos were painted and what it was like to be an apprentice to di Vinci. There was something here that I don't believe could happen, but if I told you what, I'd ruin the story for you and I don't want to do that.

From the book flap: " On a royal whim, Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, orders a living chess game to be enacted by members of his own court. Di Vinci conjures up the spectacle in a single night, but his latest success turns bitter when one of the pieces - the duke's ambassador to France - is murdered. Di Vinci is the only man Sforza can trust to conduct the investigation." Di Vinci and his apprentice, Dino start to gather information. The most surprising secret may be Dino's.

Would I read another? Probably, if I was looking for brain candy and I do that a lot! Historical mystery fans looking for a cozy read will like this one.

***

The Hell Screen by I. J. Parker is a historical mystery of 11th century Japan featuring Sugawara Akitada. It is one in a series and I've read them all and in order. I have been known to read a series out of order. You could pick this one up and enjoy it without reading any of the others. I have enjoyed this series, its setting in Japan, the growth of the main character and getting to know the characters and enjoying their return ... almost like old friends.

From the book cover: " Akitada is on his way to the bedside of his dying mother when bad weather forces him to take refuge in a temple whose central treasure is a brilliantly painted hell screen. Perhaps its violent imagery influences his dreams: that night he is awakened by a terrible scream. It's only after Akitada returns to his family and a scene of domestic unhappiness and scandal that the significance of that cry becomes clear. For while he slept, a woman was murdered, and now he must find her killer, even if it means looking very close to home."

The conflict between Confuscianism and Buddhism is always interesting to me in this series. The law and what was considered a crime in 11th C Japan might surprise some folks. There is more than one death and crime for Akitada to manage, besides turmoil in his household.

And lastly,

Do you know what this is?

Have a great day!

Joy to YOU!

Potpourri

It's Friday and it's Potpourri time with a little Journal Friday
and a book review thrown in.
This is the By The Sea page I've been working on from Pam's class.
I've added the words.

The words will be familiar to some of you *wise* folks.
I took the chorus from "By The Beautiful Sea" to journal.
(Words by Harold Atteridge in 1914)
In many ways I'm not happy with the page,
however, it makes me smile so not all is bad.

I finished reading The Celtic Riddle: An Archaeological Mystery by Lyn Hamilton. I have a good friend in California who I call my Saurian Sister. We both were book pages on AOL back when chat rooms were just getting started (Lzrd and Dragn) and we've stayed friends through the years. She sent me a box of books with other goodies for my birthday. This is one of the books she sent along with several more Archaeological Mysteries by Canadian, Lyn Hamilton.

Lara McClintoch is the co-owner of a Toronto antiques store. Her travels take her all over the world. In The Celtic Riddle, Lara accompanies her employee, Alex, to County Kerry, Ireland for the reading of an old friend's will. Eamon Byrne left each of his quarreling heirs a clue - a piece of a puzzle that would lead to a mysterious treasure - but the family would have to work together to find the treasure and that's not likely with this group! An ancient Celtic poem serves as the key. Lara and Alex are fascinated by the intricate riddle and come closer and closer to the secret. Murder and mayhem and long lost treasure. Sounds like the perfect summer read to me!

(Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

Lastly, a snapshot of Rice Owl third baseman Anthony Rendon in action.

He has been named the 2009 Collegiate Baseball National Freshman of the Year.
Owls are off to Baton Rouge to play LSU in the Super-Regionals.
Good luck OWLS!

Potpourri

It's Friday so it must be Potpourri Time.
I'm starting off with another journal page that I've done
following the process in the Visual Journalism 101 class I'm taking.
I do love the gesso resist.

I've added collage elements to both sides of the page.
Next step is to doodle and journal --
the two hardest parts for me.
I like what I've done so far.

For some reason I haven't been in the paint mood.
I'd rather be knitting or doing cross-stitch.
I've also noticed that my fingers are itching to work with fabric.
Maybe I should listen to my fingers???

I did get some reading done this last week.

I bought Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber at Sam's Club and took it with me to my dental appointment the same day. I read while waiting to have my teeth cleaned. When I got home, I read until I finished the book. This is the latest in Macomber's Blossom Street series. Quoting from the book flap, " Knitting is a lot like life ... dropped stitches and all!"
"Knitting and life. They're both about beginnings - and endings. That's why it makes sense for Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle's Blossom Street, to offer a class called Knit to Quit. It's for people who want to quit something -- or someone! -- and start a new phase of their lives."

I enjoy the setting of a yarn store, although Macomber really doesn't spend much time there. These are nice, cozy romances. The good guys and gals come out winners and the bad guys and gals fade off into the sunset. Some nice, quiet brain candy. And, did I mention, Macomber always includes a knitting pattern?!



The Art Thief by Noah Charney is a book that Mr. Dragon found, read, and then passed it on to me saying "I think you'd enjoy this one. I did." Can't beat a recommendation like that! In The Art Thief, three thefts are simultaneously investigated in three cities, but these apparently isolated crimes have much more in common than anyone imagines. A dizzying array of forgeries, overpaintings, and double-crosses unfolds as the story races through auction houses, museums, and private galleries. My favorite character is a minor one in the novel, Professor Barrow. I’d love to take an art history course from him. I'm going to "borrow" some of his comments on my next tour!

Some people say a really good author writes about what they know. Charney certainly knows all about art and art theft. He is the founding director of the Association of Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA), the first international think tank on art crime. He holds degrees in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art and Cambridge University, and he divides his time between New Haven, Connecticut; Cambridge, England; and Rome, Italy. The Art Thief is his first novel.

Potpourri

It's Friday, so it must be Potpourri Day!
I'll start off with the journal page -- visiting the sea
and using some of the techniques from Pam's class.

The fish stamp and the bubbles are my favorite things!

I just finished reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I bet most of you have already read this fine novel. It was in our bookcase and just happened to jump into my hand when I went looking for a new read. See! I can read something other than a mystery! If you haven't read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan yet, you must. I give it my highest recommendation -- five dragons!

"In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, or "old same", in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she has written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. They both endure the agony of footbinding and together reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart." (Taken directly from the back of the book ... I couldn't have said it any better!")

Look what Lori sent to me -- a beautiful skein of wool yarn with the instructions to make something wonderful for myself. I will, I promise! Lori was part of my Pay-It-Forward and the yarn was a thank you. No, thank you, Lori! Be sure you drop by and visit Lori at Pretty Things where you'll also find a link to her shop (beautiful jewelry).

Lastly, I would like to leave you with a Thought For The Day.

Potpourri

It's Friday so it must be Potpourri Time!
I'll start out with the latest journal page.
I call it prayer.
In many ways, very simple - no writing by me.

I finished Beautiful Ghosts by Eliot Pattison. This is the fourth novel in the series featuring disgraced Chinese Inspector Shan Tao Yun. I suppose mystery reviewers would call this a suspense thriller. Shan was sent to a work camp in Tibet for taking on corruption of his superiors - a very dangerous thing to do. Shan is released from the camp, but without papers of any kind, no status, official identity or the freedom to return to China. He lives with Tibetan lamas where he has learned about Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism. In Beautiful Ghosts, a murder in a ruined monastery in Tibet and an art theft in Beijing are linked. The same officials who exiled Shan are asking for his help.

I love these books. Pattison brings alive the Tibetan people, their old way of life, their life under the Chinese, their hopes. It is heart breaking and hopeful at the same time. I had been saving Beautiful Ghosts to read. I don't want the series to end. I have one more tucked away.


Wormwood: A China Bayles Mystery by Susan Wittig Albert is the latest in this long running cozy mystery series. China is an ex-lawyer and an herbalist. In Wormwood, China has decided to assist her friend, Martha, with some herbal workshops in a historic Shaker village in Kentucky. It seems like a Garden of Eden, but is far from it. The restored modern version of the village is plagued with misfortune and strife - some of it sabotage. Martha, a member of the board and a relative of a Shaker who left the fold long ago, is hoping China can get to the bottom of it.

I do enjoy the China Bayles mysteries. I love the herbal lore. I'm always learning something new. In Wormwood, Albert has added lots of Shaker history. More things to learn! And, as in all good cozy mysteries, there are some delicious sounding recipes at the end. Also, at the end, lists of herbs for Shaker Gardens: A Medicinal Garden, Tea Garden and Culinary Garden.

The grand opening of the Arts of India Gallery is tonight.
YeeeeeHaaaaw!
Finally!
And I have to leave you with a little something I found on another blog.
(Did I make a note of where I found it? If I did, I can't find it! I apologize!)

Smile!
Joy to You!

Potpourri

Friday is Potpourri day.

I'm going to start with the latest journal page.
For some reason, my muse has taken a short vacation.
At least, I hope it is short!

I decided to use this journal page as a diary.
I went out and bought one of those *old-fashioned* date stamps.
I'm not sure you can see it in the photo, but I've date stamped each entry.

It was fun and I'm going to do another page similar to this.
I got a kick out of the background:
little gold, gold fish, giant angel fish swimming in the trees,
a pink palm tree on one side and a yellow palm tree on the other side.
All hard to see in the photo, but they are there.


It is almost time to announce the Edgar and the Agatha award winners.
I've posted the Agatha nominations previously.
Here are the Edgar nominees:

Best Novel:

Missing by Karin Alvtegen (Felony & Mayhem Press)
Blue Heaven by C.J. Box (St. Martin’s Minotaur)
Sins of the Assassin by Robert Ferrigno (Simon & Schuster - Scribner)
The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
The Night Following by Morag Joss (Random House – Delacorte Press)
Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (Simon & Schuster)



Best First Novel By An American Author:

The Kind One by Tom Epperson (Five Star, div of Cengage)
Sweetsmoke by David Fuller (Hyperion)
The Foreigner by Francie Lin (Picador)
Calumet City by Charlie Newton (Simon & Schuster - Touchstone)
A Cure for Night by Justin Peacock (Random House - Doubleday)


Best Paperback Original:

The Prince of Bagram Prison by Alex Carr (Random House Trade)
Money Shot by Christa Faust (Hard Case Crime)
Enemy Combatant by Ed Gaffney (Random House - Dell)
China Lake by Meg Gardiner (New American Library – Obsidian Mysteries)
The Cold Spot by Tom Piccirilli (Random House - Bantam)

***

Among the Mad: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear. This is the sixth Maisie Dobbs novel and, I believe, the best yet. Even Mr. Dragon reads the adventures of Maisie. These are historical mysteries set after World War I in Britain. Mr. Dragon has always read histories about WWI and, along with the mother/son team Charles Todd, these are his favorite historical mysteries.

It's Christmas Eve 1931. Maisie Dobbs is on the way to see a client when a man commits suicide by detonating a bomb on a busy London street. The following day, the prime ministers office receives a letter threatening a loss of life if certain demands are not met and Maisie is mentioned in the letter by name. Maisie joins a Special Branch investigative team to try to avert disaster.

Miss Winspear does a wonderful job describing London between the wars. These books are another example of falling in love with the characters and wanting to find out how they are doing! While there is a story behind each novel, it is the characters and the history that carry the day. If you haven't read the Maisie Dobbs mysteries, I'd recommend starting at the beginning and reading them in order. You need Maisie's history to completely understand the nuances.

Potpourri

Here's the Friday Journal Page. I think it says it all. Everyone needs to "Take Five" every now and then! I had a great time putting this page together and I finally used some napkins that Sharon sent to me back in December. Better late than never. The wrinkled feet are because my journal book is wrinkled. That's okay. I'm wrinkled, too!

Sharon is doing some videos now. You can find her on YouTube.
I did want to share this video from her blog on the use of napkins.
This is part one.

I'm getting ready for summer with lots of "brain candy". Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie falls under brain candy and fun. In the first book of the series, Abby's work as a psychic intuitive can be very rewarding but when a client winds up dead it seems that Abby may know too many details about the murder for her own good. She doesn't know if she can solve the case, but the killer thinks she can! This was a fast and fun read. There are at least five more in this series and Laurie has another "ghost busting" series. Between Miss Julia from last week and the Laurie books, I think I can stock up with some brain candy for summer!



A Lifetime of Peace: Essential Writings by and about Thich Nhat Hanh Edited by Jennifer Schwamm Willis is a whole different kind of brain candy. This is at least the fourth time I've read this book. I sit down and read a chapter ... put it down for awhile ... pick it up again ... read another chapter. You get the idea. I learn something every time I read it. I guess you could say it is one of my favorite books.

This book draws on dozens of sources to collect the very best writing by and about Thich Nhat Hanh. It is both a political and spiritual handbook which encompasses all of Thich Nhat Hanh's major themes—mindfulness, love, truth, compassion, and peace on earth. This collection not only presents Hanh's writing about his experiences during the Vietnam War and excerpts from his journals, but also subjects such as his advice for those entering into meditation practice and his unique insights into Buddhist and Christian theology. A Lifetime of Peace is an examination of the nature of peace—both as an inner state of being and as a real condition in the world.

Hope your Friday has been inspiring and beautiful and your
weekend is the same!

Potpourri

Okay. You readers out there. 'Fes up!

How many of you have read the Miss Julia books?

Why didn't you tell me about them? !!!

Miss Julia is quite a card.
I was wondering around Half Price Books looking for another book
when I spied the Miss Julia books.
For some reason my hand went out and grabbed the first in the series.
I figured it was a sign from the reading goddess.
I took it home and was entertained all the way through.
There are nine more for me to read.

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross is the first in the Miss Julia series. Miss Julia is recently widowed. She lives in a small Southern community. Shortly after her husband's death, she finds herself the center of attention -- not only for the wealth her husband has left her, but for the surprise that she found at her front door -- a youngster the mother says is her dead husband's child.

Perhaps it is because I'm *Southern* (well, Texan, but it's close to Southern), but the characters in this book really did remind me of people I know. It is Southern funny, witty, fast-paced, charming. There's a kidnapping, a robbery and some other "disgraceful events" in the story. I'm collecting the rest of the series. I think they'd be great for summer reading.

Here's a UTUBE I found about the author Ann B. Ross:

And a little something to make you smile!

Potpourri

I'm thinking that I should name Friday posts "potpourri". I seem to collect things during the week that I want to share and Friday would be a good time to do that.

Here's a quote I received from Big Happy Buddha in my email. Several of you are Pema Chodron fans (like me) and I thought you'd like it.

"When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space."

Nice, huh?



Look! I did a journal page that didn't come out all green and blue! Pink, red, coral and a little green.


I was going through my bin of collage elements that I've been collecting and these popped into my hands. They will go on the pink journal page ... who knows where. I'll journal on favorite things (food, cooking) and memories.

***

I finished A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes From My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg last night. Some of us grow up never knowing what we want to do with our lives. Some of us never find that certain something that makes our heart sing. Molly found her calling early and sings.

I've been following Molly, her writing, her recipes, her life with her love, Brandon for some time now. I must have read about her blog while searching out information about Seattle. After all, Seattle is where THE grandson is, so anything Seattle is important! What I found was a blog called Orangette and Molly. The first time I posted was this morning when I told her I had finished her book and loved every minute. Molly is a freelance food writer. She got there in a round about way (degrees in human biology, French and cultural anthropology) and that's part of the story in A Homemade Life. I don't want to give anything away, but you'll find the kitchen and food at the center of the action. And the recipes ... yum! Like Butternut Soup with Pear, Cider and Vanilla Bean, or Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Coriander and Slow Roasted Tomato Pesto. How about Cider Glazed Salmon or Scottish Scones with Lemon and Ginger? No? Well, let's try Tomato Soup with two Fennels, Sliced Spring Salad with Avocado and Feta or Custard-Filled Corn Bread. I found out that Molly and I both love tomato soup (soul food) and Brandon and Mr. Dragon both have a thing for maple syrup. Way to go, Molly!

And finally, the universe called this morning by email (Tut.com) with this:

Excuse me, Snap, but I don't think I noticed, "do a little dance," on your "to-do list."

You do plan to dance today, don't you?

Get down,

The Universe

I mean, it is 2009 and all, Snap, but you're still a supercoolhappylovething, and that comes with certain responsibilities.

Happy Friday everyone. I'm off to do a little dance.