Today is
INTERNATIONAL
READ
IN PUBLIC
DAY
Take your book outdoors. Spread the word.
(That’s our lovely Genevieve sitting on the Windsor Town Green.)
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Hi! My name is Margot. My blog is about the things I love to do. That could be what I'm reading, places we visit, my family, food, or whatever else is happening. I hope you'll stay and visit a while.
Contact me by email: margot (DOT) peck (AT) gmail (DOT) com.
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Actually, I like their attitude. The residents are adults who may need help but their dignity prevents them from being associated with it. This is the generation that was raised in the depression, lived through World War II, sent to sons to Korea and/or Vietnam, and saw the world shrink through massive technological changes. They are fighters, survivors and don’t need help or assistance, thank you very much. It has been a campaign of monumental purportions to get to this point but we are going to make it, God willing. After we have her settled, then comes the job of clearing out a house that has decades worth of stuff in it. Fortunately, our family is loaded with people with a can-do attitude and many with strong backs. We will make it happen. I’ve scheduled a few posts over the next few weeks and I am taking my laptop with me. But I doubt I will have much of a presence in the blogging community. This trip is going to be another celebration for my Kindle as well as the ipod. I’m grateful for those inventions. See you in a week or two.
None of the books I read this past week had new-to-me or challenging words. But never fear, I found some gems on the ever loquacious New York Times. In reading a review for the movie, Eat, Pray, Love I came across these words: 1. insouciant: She also falls for Felipe, a divorced Brazilian expatriate, played with insouciant, unshaven charm by Javier Bardem. Insouciant refers to a person who is indifferent or has a casual lack of concern. 2. disengenuous: . . . but the kind of class consciousness that would blame Liz for feeling bad about her life and then taking a year abroad to cure what ails her strikes me as a bit disingenuous — a way of trivializing her trouble on the grounds of gender without having to come out and say so. Disingenuous means not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does. 3. perspicacious: It wasn’t that the actress didn’t like or relate to Ms. Gilbert’s perspicacious memoir about how, after a divorce, she spent a year searching for balance and harmony in her life while traveling to Italy, India and Indonesia. Perspicacious means having a ready insight into and an understanding of things. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie in the next week or so. Along with a couple of million other women, I really enjoyed the book. I’m thinking about a reread after seeing the movie. Has anyone seen it yet? Next week: I’m going to be on a blogging vacation and it will be my first time *gasp* to miss Wondrous Words Wednesday. While I’m gone I hope you’ll be searching punctiliouisly (diligently) for new words on my behalf. Don’t forget to visit Kathy (Bermuda Onion), our beloved leader.
My Thoughts: I enjoyed the first book, The Lumby Lines, so much that I wanted to read them all. But, this fifth book came out before I had a chance to read numbers 2, 3, and 4, so I just jumped right into number 5. It’s definitely okay to do that as they are stand-alone books. Lumby On The Air is just the book for any veteran of family reunions. This family is a riot. It made me think my own family is a bunch of snore-ables. Actually, my heart went out to several of the family members as they were reminders of loved ones of my own. Mark’s adventures at the county fair are very humorous and make him such an endearing character along with his friend Joshua. They both believe they can do the most impossible feats and they have a great time trying. The family reunion and the county fair made for fun reading but, underneath it all, it made me think about various relationships I’ve experienced and/or observed. It definitely reminded me of our own parent/teenage struggles. I liked watching the new love relationships of the senior couple. Every Lumby book has a section in the back that I enjoy. There are little tidbits about the characters and questions that are good for discussion or just to ponder alone. I always like the recipes. There is one for Crab Cups I want to try. The art work (folkart) by the author’s husband adds a very nice touch to the books. The Lumby books are more than just books to read and put down. These are go-with-me-books. I’ve had them in my kitchen, the car, my outdoor lounge chair, my bed and my indoor reading chair. Every book is like meeting a new community of friends and neighbors. Pick up any one of them and see what I mean. If you’d like a list of all the books by Gail Fraser, you can find them here at her website. Be sure to watch for the little moose who walks all around the web-page. While you are there check out her photo album. I like the pictures of the farm. It is so serene and beautiful. Be sure to check your local library for a copy of this book. This one is available at Amazon Thanks to Caite at FSB Associates for my review copy. Lumby On The Air by Gail Fraser - New American Library, 2010 - My Rating: A
from bare vine to leaves and grapes and then turn into wine.
Aren’t they beautiful?
I don’t know what we’ll find next month when we look again at “my” vine. But it must surely be getting closer to harvest time. I hope you’ll join me next month as we take a look.
As is the nature of all new homemakers, I wanted to blaze my own way. So, Farm Journal’s Freezing and Canning Cookbook appealed to me. I determined to embrace the modern ways and began freezing the majority of my fresh food. Farm Journal was a very popular magazine during the first half of the twentieth century. When it came to the magazine’s food section, it contained recipes and food tips from farm kitchens around the U.S. Farm Journal gathered them into a series of cookbooks. For me, this particular cookbook was literally my guidebook for everything I wanted to freeze. Today we take it for granted that we can freeze our food, but it was a new concept among the members of my family and friends. During those early years I continued to preserve some of my food in jars. I preferred the taste of peaches and tomatoes in jars. I usually made a batch of strawberry jam each year too. As I became more confident with the first half of this book (freezing), I then began exploring the last half (canning). I discovered a whole section of gourmet jams, jellies and pickles. The jars on my shelves could rival those of expensive jars found in upscale shops in big cities. I especially loved the jams that called for mixing fruits together. My favorites are Blushing Peach (peaches and raspberries), Ruby Preserves (strawberries, raspberries, and cherries), Oriental Pear Jam (pears, pineapple and ginger), and Triple Fruiet Jam (apples, raspberries and pineapple). From this book I also learned how to make the best sauerkraut, pickles and relishes. Again, I have my favorite: Sauerkraut in a Jar, Crispy Dill Pickles, Bread and Butter Pickles, Mixed Garden Relish, and Rosy Watermelon Pickles. From time to time I’ve purchased those slim volumes put out by the Ball Jar Company. I’ve found some gems in there along with their bright pictures. But I remain loyal to my faithful canning companion. The pages are old and worn and there are very few pictures, but it’s still my tried and true friend. Believe it or not, Farm Journal’s Freezing and Canning Cookbook is still available. It can be found at Amazon Talking about food is a regular feature on my blog and others as well. Visit Beth Fish Reads for other bloggers who are participating in Weekend Cooking.
Mira Books, 2004 My Rating: B So many people have suggested I try a book, any book, by Curtiss Ann Matlock that I finally did. I picked Sweet Dreams At the Goodnight Motel because I liked the cover. I thought it would be a fun, light-hearted read. It was, but I got a lot more. As the novel opened I met Claire, who’s at her lowest ebb. Her ex-husband is re-marrying in a few weeks and she’d like to have him back. But that’s not the only thing that has Claire in such a slump. She doesn’t like her job and, except for her ex-sister-in-law, she doesn’t have any friends. She’s also missing a family. Her father left them when she was about five and her mother died last year. Claire is at what the author calls a pivotal moment. Here’s the first paragraph:
Claire’s pivotal moment came when she read a message on a bathroom wall. The part that got to her was “looking for real life.” Claire took a couple days to ponder that and then made up her mind. She quit her job, packed up her mercedes, and drove out of Shreveport. Her destination was Valentine, Oklahoma. Valentine was her father’s hometown. Even though her father or any relative may not be there, Claire felt the need to connect with the place. Upon arriving in the town, she noticed a 1950′s style motel called the Goodnight Motel. It brought back fond memories of her childhood, including the vibrator beds. Claire checks in. The next morning Claire discovers her car had been stolen by the young man in the room next door. The young man not only stole her car, he robbed and then abandoned his pregnant girlfriend. Soon the two motel owners, the sheriff and his deputies are involved and then a number of the good people in Valentine. One by one Claire (and I) met some of the most interesting people. I especially liked Vella who owns the local drugstore and Corrine, a teenager living with her aunt. But I really fell in love with Winston Valentine, a 92-year-old gentleman who immediately fell in love with Claire. As Claire extended her vacation in Valentine and made new friends, she had the opportunity to examine her childhood, her marriage, her career, and what she really wanted to do with the rest of her life. Claire became intrigued with the idea of changing the Goodnight Motel and the idea of staying permanently in Valentine. And then, her ex-husband showed up wanting her back. I enjoyed this story for a number of reasons. It was fun getting to know the characters primarily because each one had problems. They weren’t one-dimensional. I also liked the way the story was told from the viewpoint of a variety of characters. It was not in the least bit confusing. I really got to know Vella through the late night emails she sent a man in Pennsylvania. It didn’t make any difference that I hadn’t read any of the other novels set in Valentine. This one stood alone quite nicely. I am, however, going back for more. So now it’s my turn to recommend this book to others. People were right when they said try a book by Curtiss Ann Matlock. You won’t be sorry, I read this one on my Kindle ($5.04) but you should also check your local library. Sweet Dreams At The Goodnight Motel |
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. (I am an Amazon Associate.)
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is also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)