When My Spirits Soar...Books

These are the days when so many things pull at me, I cannot think of what to do next. It is inconvenient when all the tires on my Mini Cooper need replacing and there is washing to be done. But then you all know what I am talking about...SUMMER!

Books call me before anything. I have read few notable books this summer and 2 have come from my library box that sits in front of my house. It appears that my neighbors have very good taste in books. ☺ Because I love a good mystery as much as anybody I was delighted when a Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache novel, A Trick of Light, appeared one day. If you are a fan of Louise Penny and you have not read this, do. If you aren't, just give her a try...you will not be disappointed.

Then, much to my delight, The News of the World appeared right in the front row of my library box. I had heard so much about the movie starring Tom Hanks on HBO Max. When the movie came out, I am sure that sales for the book soared. (It is 39% off on Amazon right now...FYI) A reviewer said that the Captain Kidd character should sit along side Captain Call from Lonesome Dove. It is not only a beautiful little book even in paper back, the author, Paulette Jiles, has captured an era in the late 1800 when the Kiowa were being driven from their land and the Civil War and all the change that implied left Texas a place that was lawless and dangerous.

I read the reviews on Amazon and many did not like the format...no quotation marks etc. I was reminded of the stream of consciousness format used in The Shipping News by Annie Proloux. If you are not willing to learn from those books or bend your mind a little, stick to some simpler book.

I think I have already told you about The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald. A friend lent this to me when I was in Arizona. I did not give it back but purchased her a copy instead. I have since lent it to my family and bought a copy for a friend here in Oregon. It is a delightful book and perfect for late evening reading or even the beach. Because it was about a lady that loved books and traveled to America to connect with another lover of books, I could not resist being taken away.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a sweet, smart, and uplifting story about how books find us, change us, and connect us.

So there you have it. I am thinking of my flower garden and family gathering and winery visits but those are for another day.

What have you been reading?

Five Little Ducks...stories played out!

The children's song about the little ducks leaving the nest to fly away has always been one of my favorites. Every mother has seen their babies fly away and rejoiced. Life comes full circle. Animals live that same cycle. Babies grow up. Birds leave the nest. Life goes on. So when the three ducks show up every year near my patio I am not surprised. But I am puzzled that it always seems to be the same three. Something just doesn't seem right. It appears the one did not fly away at all. Five little ducks Went out to play Over the hills and far away. The mommy duck went "quack, quack quack," Four little ducks came swimming back... And then Three Two and One. A drake, a female duck (a hen) and a not quite a drake but still not a hen gather here on the 5th green of the golf course. She leads and the other two follow along obediently. They eat, sleep, and guard each other. Each and every day this time of year they come. I have not named them. Jinxing them would be very pos...

How to be a Snowbird in 2024

Early years in RV resort! Our motor home is parked next to our first Park Model When it begins to cool in the evenings and the geese fly in formation, my mind turns to Arizona. Yearning for the desert air and vibrant blue sky is compel me to fly away. I do it every year and will as long as I am allowed. Townhome near Tucson's Pantano Wash and bike trail. We started this way of life when we retired. First with a fifth-wheel trailer, later with a motor home, and finally in something permanent that evolved over the years. First, it was a park model in an RV Resort, then a townhouse close to walking trails, and finally into a home on a small golf course. Congress Hotel from window of near by hotel. Each time we moved, we upscaled and increased our monetary wealth. That is the way our mind works. It is as though we couldn't just have fun without working a lot. We painted and planted flowers and haunted thrift stores to find just the right furniture. We were always hav...

How to be a 12 Month Snow Bird

Vacation Rental in Mexico I live around snowbirds 6 months of the year. I have heard those people say that they all want to live the "snowbird" lifestyle when they go home. But it just is not possible. They are isolated and cold. Social activities with friends and beautiful weather are greatly missed when they return to the realities of their "real" life. One couple I visited with lately returned to Florida this morning where they own a home. The woman is a nurse and works in the summer. They are not going home until May this year. It is too cold in Michigan in the spring so they are hoping to extend their good weather season by simply staying away. Besides that they love their Florida lifestyle a lot. Last week I visited with a woman that lives the snowbird lifestyle year around. No going home to the Midwest in the spring. They essentially vacation 12 month out of the year. And I thought their solution for avoiding unpleasant weather and keeping their lifestyle in...

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