This and That

1. Rain, Rain go away. We'd like to see the sun today! 

It got so dark in the middle of the day, the lights in the garden came on. 

2. No flooding on my block, but my favorite independent book store, Murder By The Book, had to remove their carpet. No books were damaged. Just enough water to ruin the carpet.

3. Speaking of books, I finished BLOOD ORANGE: A China Bayles mystery by Susan Wittig Albert. Believe it or not: number 24 in this series. I've read them all and enjoy visiting with the "friends" I've made over the years. Cozy reads (not too cozy), filled with information about herbs and gardens and a recipe or two. In BLOOD ORANGE, China finds that medicare and hospice fraud may have caused the murder of a nurse. 

4. Do you "recycle" books? My god-mother loves the China Bayles mysteries and would be disappointed if she didn't get the latest for Mother's Day. My copy is all wrapped and waiting for the trip to the postoffice. And, yes, she knows I "recycle" and approves. 

5. Today is Earth Day and I'm off with some electronics to recycle -- some very old phones and one of the very first iPads. 

The sun came out! 

Willy Nilly Friday

Amy at Five on Friday

Random Five Friday with Nancy.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

This and That

1. The new lily in the water garden is blooming. 

2. One rainy day and I was able to finish Dimestore, Lee Smith's memoir.  Smith has been telling the stories of the Appalachian south for 45 years. Dimestore is her own story. From helping in her father's dimestore, to her son's death, to teaching, to the importance of local cultures, this book was a winner. A  small delight for all Lee Smith lovers! 

3. On my morning walks, I've noticed that the blue jays and mockingbirds are having a grand time "out mocking" each other. What a noisy group!

4. The Rice University baseball team is home this weekend. Games Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I think I enjoy going to the games because watching these kids keeps me young! Ha!

5. I'm almost done with my KAL shawl. Hope to show it off next week. My hands have lived through the knitting, but are starting to complain a bit. I will take a break for awhile when this one is finished.

Joining Nancy's Random 5 Friday.

Five On Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

This and That

A memory from Paris.

1. I finished reading A Paris Apartment by Michelle Garle. I enjoyed it, but thought it could have been even better! Based on the true story of a treasure stocked Paris apartment that had been closed for seventy years. Amazing!

2. The Rice baseball team is away this weekend, which means I have the weekend to do whatever I want. The weather is supposed to be close to perfect, so sitting outside near the pond and reading sounds like a good idea.

3. The Final Four is in town ... lots of traffic. No, I'm not going, but will watch on television.

4. I'm getting a hair cut today and then off to the grocery store.

5. I've put my crochet hook down and got out my knitting needles. I find that crochet is easier on my hands, but I found a knit shawl pattern that looked pretty quick and easy so I thought I'd give it a go.  

It's so nice to have Nancy back with Random 5 Friday.

Willy Nilly Friday

Five On Friday

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Yarn A Long

One of my sisters-by-choice is a member of Annie's Creative Woman Kit-of-the Month Club.

She doesn't crochet and since I do, she sent this kit to me.

I'm between yarn projects (just finished an afghan).

I needed an easy project while I decide what I want to try next. 

When I'm finished I'm going to send the scarf back to her!
Surprise!

When I need to take a break from the crochet hook,

I grab a book.

I'm reading Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod.

I was lucky enough to visit Paris with my knight in shining armor.

The Louvre with its amazing art collection 
and the crowd around Mona trying to get a picture of her.
The amazing windows of Sainte Chapelle.
I could spend days just sitting there.
Notre Dame
The amazing gardens and parks.
The Eiffel Tower -- it seems to hide and then suddenly -- there it is again.
The bread.
And, last but not least, 
I can still imagine the taste of the lemon tart I had in the little store on the Rue St Honore.
One must remember not to hurry these experiences, but stop and enjoy.

In Paris Letters we learn that Janice has job burnout.

She wants an answer to the question:

How much money does it take to quit your job?

She finds out, gives the reader suggestions,

and plans to spend a couple of years traveling in Europe.

She finds romance and a new business. 

Janice has a blog that you can find here.

I also follow Carol Gillott's blog.

She is another Paris lover and I enjoy her adventures in the city.

Wishing YOU well, much joy, lots of new yarn and a good book! 

Yarn A Long with Ginny.

Potpourri

- I love daffodils!

- I love iris.
My Granny and my Mother grew the most beautiful bearded iris.
All different colors. They were amazing.
I have not been able to grow bearded iris here, although I do know folks who do.
Perhaps I'll try again.
But, I did try growing Louisiana Iris and have my first blooms.

- The Louisiana Iris is a native American iris.
This is Black Gamecock.
I planted the rhizomes 2 years ago and this is the first year they have bloomed.
Dark and dramatic, it's really hard not to touch the velvety looking petals.

- I've been walking into the village early in the morning to have breakfast.
The earlier the better as the heat and humidity are arriving.

- Time to have the AC serviced.

- Do you like urban fantasy or magical realism?
If so, I've found a new author for you ... at least he was new for me.
Alex Bledsoe.
I started with The Hum and The Shiver and recently completed Wisp of a Thing.
The Hum and The Shiver was named one of the Best Fiction Books of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews.
Set in the mountains of Tennesse. Who are the Tufa? Lots of music and myth.
You'll ask yourself if you feel the hum or the shiver!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

A big THANK YOU to Nancy for hosting Random 5 Friday.

Nana Stamp of Approval

Mini-Daffodil in Musashi's Garden

- Last year when I went daffodil hunting in the grocery stores, I found mini-daffodils in a pot at Trader Joes. When they had bloomed themselves out I took them out of the little pot and planted them in a big pot outside. I thought if they lived, maybe they would bloom again, but really didn't expect success. Surprise! I've been watching for weeks. Lots of green, but no bloom when WOW. All of a sudden there was one blooming mini-daffodil. Too cute! More on the way! 

- Did you know that the dandelion is one of the first spring foods for our precious bees???
I have a nice crop of dandelions growing in my little garden.

- I was hoping all the rain from last week was over. Alas, that isn't true. It's been raining again and this time with thunderstorms. The kitties don't like the thunder. Can't blame them.  The trees are doing their "thing". Pollen everywhere. Cars are covered with yellow dust. Sniff, sniff, sniff.

- When the rain ends the mosquitoes will be here in abundance. UGH. I guess I needed something to complain about!

- I'm reading A DRAGON'S GUIDE TO THE CARE AND FEEDING OF HUMANS by Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder. It should be no surprise to anyone that my grandson likes dragons almost as much as his Nana. I, of course, have to read his dragon books first in order to give the Nana stamp of approval.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

A BIG thank you to Nancy for hosting Random 5 Friday.

Reading Challenge

My Best Friend by Sally Rosenbaum

I read 68 books in 2014.

I'm always looking for new ways to spice up my reading selections.

I found a link on Face Book from Susan Wittig Albert (one of my favorite mystery authors) to a Reading Challenge on Popsugar.

Looks like fun! 

Here's a few of the selections:

- A book with more than 500 pages

- A classic romance

- A book that became a movie

- A book published this year

- A book with a number in the title

- A book with nonhuman characters

- A funny book

- A book by a female author

- A mystery or thriller

- A book with a one word title

- A book of short stories

- A book set in a different country

- A nonfiction book

- A popular author's first book

- A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet.

- A book a friend recommended

- A Pulitzer Prize winning book

- A book based on a true story

- A book at the bottom of your to-read list

- A book your Mom loves

- A book that scares you

- A book more than 100 years old

- A book based entirely on its cover

- A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't

- A memoir

and that's just the first half of the list!
I think I'll take the challenge.
Anyone else???

You can find a link to the entire list at Popsugar.

Wishing YOU well and much joy in this new year!

The game is on!

Life By The Cup

Did you labor over the Labor Day weekend?
I did not.

The kitties and I had a quiet weekend doing quiet things.

I finished my first watercolor pear.
This was done on left over paper from another project.
There is a horse lightly sketched on the other side.
Probably a leftover from Chinese New Year.
Recycle!

Since I'm becoming quite proficient in drawing pears, there will be more in my future --
this time on "real" watercolor paper!


**

It is September ... the first of the "BER" months.
That means fall is just around the corner and temps below 95 for me!
This is one of my favorite teacups.
It is a Bentley teacup and came with a selection of Bentley teas.

***

Over the weekend I finished LIFE BY THE CUP.
I'll let you read my review.
After reading the book, I couldn't decide which tea I wanted to try
(other than Coconut Chai).
They all sounded so delicious so I bought two sampler packs.
(As if I needed more tea.)

Life by the Cup: Ingredients for a Purpose-filled Life of Bottomless Happiness and Limitless Success by Zhena Muzyka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Put a book about tea in front of me and I have to read it! LIFE BY THE CUP is Zhena Muzyka's story about heartache, hard work, a vision, success and tea. It is also a "how to" book filled with suggestions on ways to find happiness and success. I was less interested in the how to sections of each short chapter and simply captivated by the stories Zhena told about her life and her marvelous teas. Her stories would make a lovely movie. Using fair trade organic teas and her own essential oils, aromatherapy and herbal teachings from her Gypsy grandmother, Zhena builds a successful business: Zhena's Gypsy Teas .. a thriving, purpose-driven, fair-trade, multimillion-dollar brand. I'm a big tea drinker and had never heard of Zhena's teas until I saw them at World Market. Now I'm a big fan and after reading the book have a whole list of teas I want to try with Coconut Chai on top!

View all my reviews

Afternoon Tea by Edward Cucuel (1875-1954)

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

I'm joining the following tea parties.

Thank you to the hosts of:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

At The Tea Garden

I've been collecting Portmeirion for years.
I pick up a piece here and there -- always on sale.
I have bowls from the botanical and from the garden bird series.
I use them for everything: soup, cereal, fruit, yogurt, pasta.

On my last trip to Tuesday Morning,
 I found these lovely mugs and two bread and butter plates. 

I'm going to brew a large pot of Assam making it extra strong.
I'm going to ice it later.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Iced Assam.
It is summer after all!

Maybe I'll have a slice of blueberry bread, too.
*

Garrison Keillor shared poetry by Margaret Hasse in his Writer's Almanac.

I bought EARTH'S APPETITE, a small collection of her poems and they are wonderful.

Here's an example.

AT THE TEA GARDEN

by Margaret Hasse

My friend and I mull over the teas
displayed in square jars
with beveled glass labeled by type.
Each name seems part of a haiku:
"After the Snow Sprouting." "Moon Palace."
"Mist Over the Gorges."
I'm drawn to green teas
with unoxidized leaves that don't wither,
hold their grassy fragrance
like willow under snow in winter.

The proprietor offers real china for the Chinese tea.
Animal bones, fine ground, give whiteness,
translucency and strength
to the porcelain that appears delicate,
resists chipping.
The rim of the cup is warm and thin.

My friend's lips are plush: her lovely
mouth opens to give advice I ask for.
We talk about memory of threshold events,
like a first kiss or a poem published.
She can't remember...

I tell her about my brother-in-law's
chemotherapy—his third bout of cancer.
He wants his family to put a pinch
of his ashes in things he liked:
his banjo, the top drawer of his desk, the garden.

I wouldn't mind becoming part
of a set of bone china that serves tea
in a cozy teahouse smelling of incense,
cinnamon, musk, and carved teak.
I'd like to be brought to a small table,
sit between friends' quiet words,
held in hands so close that breath
on the surface of warm drink
makes mist rise over their faces.

"At the Tea Garden" by Margaret Hasse, from Earth's Appetite. © Nodin Press, 2013. 

Tea Party with Lois by Wilson Henry Irvine, 1920

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

I'm joining the following tea parties.

Thank you to the hosts of:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

It's A Good Thing!

It's Thursday.

Time for some random little things.
I'm slowly catching up after a visit from my buddy.
We went to university together (back in the middle ages).
We explored Houston while she was here and I'll continue to share with posts like Critters and Our World.

-Several weeks ago Earth Day was celebrated.  I had dinner at the zoo. The evening started with a short, but wonderful and informative visit with the Asian Elephant herd. For the first time in a long time I didn't take my camera. I just enjoyed the company of close friends and the beauty of the setting. Dining alfresco. Under the beautiful live oak trees. Around the reflecting pool. To the sound of a jazz trio and fountains. Pretty close to perfect.

- One of the local television stations sponsored an electronics recycling day.
I was off early in the morning to dump some keyboards, a couple of old computers and an old cell phone.

- Finished reading The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory.
I started this book months ago. It was my treadmill book. It got lost in my stack of TBRs and I found it last week and thought I should finish it before I start another book. It is another of the royal historical fiction books that Gregory does so well. The Lady of the Rivers is Jacquetta. She was first married to the Duke of Bedford and after his death she marries (for love) the duke's squire, Richard Woodville. Lancasters vs the Yorks. What a tale!

- I usually buy an amaryllis during the holidays. I didn't do that this year and I missed having one. This one is blooming in Musashi's Garden now. A little reminder that an amaryllis is a good thing!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Thank, Kim!

Little Things

A few little random things:

- I bought two four inch pots of basil at Trader Joe's several weeks ago.

They are ready to be cut and the first batch of pesto made.

Yum.

- Once I finished reading THOSE ANGRY DAYS by Lynne Olson (it was excellent),
I started to clean my reading palette by reading some chick lit.
JOY FOR BEGINERS by Erica Bauermeister
SHADOW SPELL by Nora Roberts
DEATH COME QUICKLY by Susan Wittig Albert
DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT by Avery Aames
I enjoyed them all and am now ready to take on another history book.
I just haven't decided which one.


- Early Saturday morning at the Farmer's Market
Smoked Black Pepper Chevre from Blue Heron Farm
Golden beets, turnips, cabbage, cauliflower
Apple cinnamon rolls
Fresh picked strawberries

- Another rose blooming in Musashi's Garden.

This one is Wild Blue Yonder.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Thanks, Kim!

Potpourri

Easter is just around the corner.
This is reproduction vintage postcard that the Lillian Vernon Corporation offered many years ago. I love the embossing. I happened on this cute card while cleaning out a closet. Wonder what else I might find!? A big thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

*

It gets quiet around Twisty Lane during college baseball season.

I try to keep up with posting, but I'm not always successful.

I've been watching ....

COSMOS and I'm loving it.

I remember watching the original Cosmos with Carl Sagan ... 

"billions and billions of stars".
Cosmos' "ship of the imagination" -- 
a vehicle to take viewers through wonders large and small -- 
now has a new captain, astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson.
I could listen to Tyson for days on end. 


I'm reading ...
JOY FOR BEGINNERS by Erica Bauermeister.
Kate has won her battle with a life threatening illness and has invited her six close friends to dinner to celebrate. At the dinner, her friends challenge Kate to go white water rafting down the Grand Canyon. Kate is reluctant and decides she will do it if her friends will do one thing in the next year that scares them. Since Kate didn't get to choose her challenge, she wants to choose theirs. It's agreed and the adventure to experience true joy begins. 
I enjoyed Bauermeister's THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS and hope I feel the same way about JOY FOR BEGINNERS. So far so good!


If you've been following the daffodil saga, I'm happy to announce
that I now have a house full of daffodils.
Trader Joe's came through again.
YeeHaw!
Spring can now officially begin.

I was determined I would not miss the azaleas this year.

They were late blooming with all the cold weather so I had no excuse.

Here's some of what I found at the zoo this week:

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

A big thank you to Nancy for hosting.

Potpourri

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope your Valentine's Day is full of hearts and flowers.

Another reproduction vintage Valentine.

No artist listed, but this one had a suggested publishing date of 1910.

Thank you to Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

*

Outside my window...
The sun is shining -- finally!
Highs in the 70s ... what to do, what to do!!! 
Celebrate!

In the kitchen...
Have you visited Estelle's? 
You must go visit. The blog is named after her grandmother and there is always something delicious cooking. Too bad we don't have smell-a-blog! Then again, it's a good thing we don't. I'd gain five pounds with every visit! 

I am reading...
I've just started THOSE ANGRY DAYS by Lynne Olson: Roosevelt, Lindberg, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941. I read Bill Bryson's One Summer: America, 1927 and decided I wanted to learn more about Charles Lindberg. I found The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin, a lovely historical novel that gave me more of an insight into Anne Lindberg. I heard Lynne Olson on NPR and decided I needed to read THOSE ANGRY DAYS. Isn't it fun how one book can lead to another. 

I looked forward to...
 The Westminster Dog Show.
I watch every year. I do love the dogs. I have three cats now, but when I was growing up we had dogs. The first dog I remember was named Brownie -- yep, a little brown dog. I was about 4 years old and I thought Brownie was huge -- she could stand on her hind legs and put her front feet on my shoulders. She wasn't huge, I was small. She also had a litter of puppies in my sandbox! I loved that the mutts appeared at the Westminster this year in the agility championships. 

A peek into my day...
The first camellia of 2014.

Thank you, Nancy!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

It's Monday!

It's Monday.

What are you reading?

I just finished OLD TIN SORROWS by Glen Cook.

Old Tin Sorrows by Glen Cook
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I noticed Glen Cook had published a new Garrett, P. I. novel. I went to my bookcase and looked to see if I had kept any of the Garrett novels of the past and could I figure out where I left off. OLD TIN SORROWS was the oldest that I found, published in 1995 when paperback books were $3.95 a copy. Remember those days?! I started to read OLD TIN SORROWS and didn't remember the story, so I continued reading. What a fun ride. It was everything I remembered about the Garrett novels. Great one liners. Fun characters (elves and all sorts of critters). Garrett is hired by his old marine sarge, Blake Peters. Peters has retired from the marines and is now working for the "old man", General Stratnor. Peters believes someone is poisoning the General and he hires Garrett to found out the truth. What's the saying -- the truth will set you free -- nothing stranger than the truth ... you get the drift. Garrett moves into the Stratnor mansion where he finds one surprise after another and Garrett thought he had seen it all. Morley comes to help (Garrett's elf friend who owns a bar and who is always after Garrett to eat better). I found a few more Garrett novels that I'll be reading in order to catch up to the new one. I'll be laughing all the way. Fun fantasy, mystery.

View all my reviews

Wishing you well and much joy!

Happy Monday!

Harmony

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

It's Friday!

It's Friday and that means it's time for some

Random Things.

Thank you Nancy!

*

My kitchen chairs are back.

You may remember I sent them out to be reupholstered.

They look great and the kitties are so happy to have them back home.

We can now all sit at the kitchen table in the morning.

They nap while I have my tea and toast and check email. 

**

When July rolls around that means it time for the

Tour De France.

I love watching these amazing bicyclists and really enjoy

seeing the beautiful countryside.

Arm chair traveling at its best!

***

I saw this on Face Book and it made me think of my Granny.

She always made a macaroni and pea salad for the 4th of July.

She added a little onion and some sweet pickle relish, I think.

The recipe for this one, Macaroni and pea salad with chives,

can be found at Smart Balance.

****

I recently finished reading A Cup of Light  by Nicole Mones.

I really enjoyed it.

Lia Frank is a specialist in Chinese porcelains and is sent to China by her auction house to evaluate a privately owned collection that is for sale. Lia is amazed by the quality and quantity of the porcelains she must evaluate ... are they real or fake. There is great beauty in imperfection -- something Lia knows all about. Lia is extraordinary and she is flawed. She is a mnemonist -- she can remember every porcelain, every catalog, all the history of each piece she has ever seen ... and she must call upon that ability to fill in the missing information on the pieces she sees. She is also deaf without her hearing aids ... something she turns into an ability rather than a liability. This was my kind of book. I have enjoyed everything I've read authored by Nicole Mones. She knows China. Wonderful history on Chinese porcelains and the emperors kilns in Jingdezhen -- something I really enjoyed that others may find a little boring -- too much information, but with my interest in Asian ceramics -- I was in heaven! Fascinating look at the ah chans and the illegal sale and distribution of art works. Lastly, a very quick and sad look at lead poisoning in young Chinese children -- something that may be fairly common because of all the pollution in China. Throw in a little unexpected romance and Mones has another winner.

But this is not my favorite Mones book.

That honor belongs to The Last Chinese Chef!

*****

It is peach season and I'm enjoying peach smoothies.

The best of summer time!

I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!