Seventeen for 50 - Catching up on books

Weekends have gotten a little busy recently between visits to parents and working at the cabin.  I'll make this post a little shorter and hopefully post again sooner.

Work is busy, mildly chaotic and frustrating.  If it was fun all the time, they wouldn't need to pay me and it wouldn't be called "work", right?

Since post #16, I have completed 3 books (and started 2 more), made 2 new recipes (and have another planned for tomorrow), and walked more days than not.  Catching you up with the books in this post and with the recipes in the next.

Books 16, 17, and 18

After ending April with only two books completed in that entire month, I then finished two on the 1st of May and another one three days later.

Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken was a book club selection and most agreed it was a little odd.  We read another book by the same author very early in our book club (1997/1998), The Giant's House which was about a librarian and a young giant. Bowlaway was about multiple generations of a family and centered around a Massachusetts candlepin bowling alley built by Bertha.  Bertha herself was odd - she appeared one day at the turn of the 20th century in a cemetery and no one knew where she came from or who she really was (and she certainly wasn't telling).  I learned about candlepin bowling, that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction (Bertha's death seemed highly improbable to me until I learned it was based on a true historical event), and confirmed that families can have secrets that have repercussions for generations.  I waivered between 3 and 4 stars for this book. Quirky characters and situations (and lots of them), and the author's many clever phrases and descriptions kept me going.  The many characters and convoluted plotline kept me confused.

Later that same day, I finished re-reading Montana, 1948 by Larry Watson.  I wrote about this one in 2012 (during the April A-Z Challenge - W was for Watson) so you can read that entire post here or this summary: I am not sure where I picked up Larry Watson's novel Montana 1948 but the slim volume is marked as a library book.  I have bought many a discarded library book but this one puzzles me a bit since it is not from the county I live in.  That matters not.  This little novel packs a punch and I have read it multiple times.  There is a powerful sense of place and the characters are people you know, or think you know.  Our narrator, David, starts with this line: "From the summer of my twelfth year I carry a series of images more vivid and lasting than any others from my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them..." And this story is one that made in indelible mark in my mind, too.  David's father is the sheriff in the small town in eastern Montana where they live, his uncle is a charming war hero and respected doctor.  Marie Little Soldier, David's family's housekeeper, becomes ill but refuses to let the doctor treat her.  What is revealed when the sheriff investigates why Marie refuses treatment rocks the foundation of this family and the events that unfold challenge their values, beliefs and ideals.  From the back cover, "It is a tale of love and courage, of power abused and of the terrible choice between family loyalty and justice."  I don't want to give away too much but once you pick up this book, be prepared to read it in one sitting. 

Book 18 was another re-read, one I remembered as a childhood favorite but couldn't recall much about it besides the basic premise that a girl wakes up one morning to discover her mind is in her mother's body.  Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers has been made into a movie twice that I know of and has probably been "updated" but I re-read the 1972 original edition (digging deep into the library's treasures).  I have it in my mind that this is the book I was reading the summer between 2nd and 3rd grade when my parents were splitting up, that this was the book that they asked me to put down because they had something to tell me.  That's how I knew it was very serious - no one had ever told me to stop reading before.  After re-reading, I think some of the situations in this book were maybe a bit more mature than I would have been at 7, so maybe I have mis-remembered that this was the book of that summer.  Or perhaps some of the more serious situations just went over my head at that time.  Regardless, it was very fun to re-discover this book and it is still fun to think about literally putting yourself in someone else's shoes for a day.  Annabelle, the daughter, is a bit bratty but not over the top so that you dislike her.  She is 13 and has pretty typical behaviors and thoughts for her age.  And her mom's lesson is not so severe that you think she did it as a punishment for Annabelle's rotten behavior.  Some of the language and situations are a little dated but not distractingly so.  Women's rights, racial discrimination, and politics - really not so different then as now, unfortunately.

Next time, I'll have 3 new recipes for you!

Until we eat again,

Hallie

 

Fifty for 50 Tally

Books completed – 18 (6 more in progress)

Recipes tried – 18

Blog posts published– 17

Miles walked in May - 16.55

               Miles walked in April - 44.99

               Miles walked year-to-date –190.52

Scrap book pages completed –19

Hats donated – 20

Hours volunteered – 0

Seven for 50 - A Nancy Drew Mystery and a Recipe of my Own Creation

It was what I like to call "butt-ass cold" all week.  Sub-zero temps which always makes me grateful for my home and my job letting me work from said home, and ever thankful for a hubby who does not mind going out in the cold to grocery shop or get the mail.  I have not been outside since the 3rd.  It again made walking difficult - I had 2 days of boring walks in the house but mostly sat on my behind.

On Wednesday, E brought in the mail including a package addressed to me.  Packages have become very common in the past 12 months but this one I did not remember ordering, nor was I expecting anything from anyone (though in the past 3 months I have gotten at least 2 unexpected packages from work - a blanket and then a happy light).  Opening it I found a t-shirt (excuse the photo quality - blame the photographer not the camera nor the subject):

Mystery t-shirt arrived in the mail

I asked E if he had ordered it.  He had not.  I shook the shirt out and re-examined the packaging no less than 3 times looking for a card or a clue.  The return address simply said "Helen" (no last name) and listed an address in Brooklyn, NY.  Last I checked, I don't know anyone in NY and Helen from knitting is probably close to 80, lives near me, and doesn't know when my birthday is, let alone what year I was born.  I was still at work so I asked one of my co-worker friends if she knew anything about it - nope, not her, nor our other friend at work.  Meanwhile, E is looking online to trace where the package came from - label printed in FL, went through El Paso TX.  He thought maybe a couple of my managers had colluded on it.  I checked with my mom and sister - it was not either of them.  Well, only about 196 other people to check with, though admittedly some are more likely than others.  Who else knows it is my birthday?  Only everyone I am friends with IRL or on FB, and anyone who reads this blog, right?  I felt like Nancy Drew, minus the blue convertible or Titian hair.  Later that evening, I got a message from a friend who used to work with me saying she sent me a little something to commemorate my upcoming milestone. Aha!  She was in the top 5 people I suspected and would have gotten around to questioning her eventually (in the past I have also received an anatomical heart of gold and some fuzzy cat socks from her).  Mystery solved, I gave myself a Scooby snack (because Nancy Drew never got snacks for solving her many mysteries).

No new recipes tried this week (one planned for Valentine's Day dessert, though), and no hats turned in (check for those next week).  I finished one book, started 2 more.  No scrapbook pages done and as I said before, very little walking.  I'll share this recipe that I had lurking in my drafts from last fall.

 Eating:

I wanted to try a new recipe and was not finding one for exactly what I had in mind.  I had a recipe that had the idea (apple bread) that I wanted but it had chunks of apple, which I did not want.  Another was for muffins, but I wanted mini-loaves.  Here was one for mini-loaves but it was banana, not apple. I also was looking for a nice cinnamon sugar crunch on top and within.  Armed with 4 different recipes, and through a bit of trial and error, I came up with this.  The name is, of course, a little wordplay, which you know I love almost as much as I love food and reading. The resulting bread is moist and apple-y, with cinnamon crunchy goodness on top and even more inside.  

Cinna-Mini Apple Loaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously spray 4 mini loaf pans (I have a 4-loaves-in-one stoneware mini loaf pan from Pampered Chef, which I don't think they make anymore.  Any mini loaf pans will work - mine were each about 5"x3"x2")

Mix together and set aside:
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Blend (I used my stand mixer.  A hand mixer or whisk would work too):
2 eggs
1/2 C white sugar

Add and mix just until combined:
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 C milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine together and then stir into liquids above:

1 1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Stir in, just until combined:

1 C peeled, cored and grated apple (I like Haralson but any firm baking apple will do)

Scoop about 2/3 of batter evenly into 4 mini loaf pans.  Sprinkle 2/3 of brown sugar/cinnamon over loaves.  Top with remaining batter (smooth slightly to even out loaves) and then top with remaining brown sugar/cinnamon.  Use a knife to drag and swirl batter (not too much - 2-3 passes on each loaf will do).

Bake 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean or tops spring back to touch.
Cool in pan about 5 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool on rack. 

 
Store covered.  I also wrapped a couple of loaves individually in wax paper and in zipper bags for the freezer.  I'll see how those do when we take them out. (I baked these in September, and when we ate one the end of January, it was still good - especially after 10 seconds in the microwave and with a little butter.)  

Book Six

It only took me about a day to re-read this childhood book - Stuart Little by E. B. White.  You may remember from last week my review of Charlotte's Web and how I was looking forward to reading more from White.  Stuart Little is not my favorite of his, but it is still a decent little story.  Stuart is a mouse who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. White.  He is a dapper dresser and has all kinds of fun adventures, from sailing a boat, to getting hauled away in a garbage truck, to driving off in a miniature working gasoline car built by his friend the dentist.  The book itself didn't have a real plot line, more like a series of short stories, and we are left wondering what will happen to Stuart at the end of the book, but the imaginative details make the book.  Some of my favorites: his ice skates are made of paper clips, and the description of how he turns on the water to brush his teeth in the morning. The illustrations in my copy of the book (a Christmas gift in 1975) are by Garth Williams who also illustrated the Little House series, and other childhood favorites - Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban,  Baby Animals and Baby Farm Animals (both of which he was writer and illustrator for).  His illustrations are intricately detailed and feel gentle and loving to me.

Fifty for 50 Tally

Books completed – 6 (5 more in progress)

Recipes tried – 6

Blog posts published– 7

Miles walked in February – 11.1

                Miles walked year-to-date –54.87

Scrap book pages completed –6

Hats donated – 6

Hours volunteered – 0

Until we read and eat again,

Hallie

Six for 50 - Decluttering is the Enemy (or is it?)

Zeke sometimes sits on my desk and judges me

I spent this past week training/on-boarding 2 new hires to my company.  Training is my main job and I do enjoy this part of it, but I have to say, being "on" all day is really a lot of work for me, and pretty tiring.  I was happy to have the weekend to relax.  I was "on" again for Zoom book club last night and by the end was tired.  I tried to bail saying I needed to get the garbage ready to go out, until they reminded me it was only Saturday.  Sorry, book club, I was getting tired!

Training was the usual array of system issues, coupled with trying to do everything virtually.  There was a fair amount of demands for sharing screen so I could see what was going on, and then requests for control so I could just do the 10 steps needed, vs. describing them.  ("Click the 3 little dots.  No, not the ones in the top bar, the ones in the blue bar.")  It is easier when I just push people out of their chairs and set it up myself.

We tried something new this week - Nordic Walking.  We had a one hour class to show us how to get poles that fit, and then how to use the things.  It is a way to get more of a whole-body workout from just walking.  It was fun and easy (even though I had trouble getting out of my own head and kept bringing up my right hand and right foot at the same time, vs. opposite hand and foot) and we got some poles to try out for a couple of weeks.  We used them during the class and then took our usual afternoon walk (1.2 mile loop) with the poles.  I guess it works because I had tired muscles in my arms and my core (though it didn't really feel like I was doing much while I was actually walking).  Then the outside temps sunk to the single digits or below zero.  Eric has been walking (I think it was -13 when he went out today) but I am a fairweather walker and even with all the layers won't walk when it is below about +15.  Due to some good walks early in the week (and Nordic walking class), I have 8.1 miles in this month.

2 new recipes this week!  And this is where "decluttering is the enemy" comes in.  In my quest to clean up my photos on my phone, I deleted the picture I took of the first recipe!  I was thinking I would have to describe it for you instead but then, when I went to upload the pic for the 2nd recipe, I discovered that I had already forwarded myself the other photo before I deleted from my phone!  Yay me!

Recipe Five

Another soup!  We had it for dinner 3 nights in a row, with breadsticks or crackers.  It is a recipe that tastes even better the 2nd time, so either let it simmer for 30 minutes as it suggests or cook and save for another day.  I love stuffed peppers - E not so much but he will eat finely chopped and well cooked peppers.  This soup is a winner because it has all those great stuffed pepper flavors, plus is easy and filling.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

adapted from Cooking Classy website - I'll help you out and give you not only the ingredients list but also how much of it to use (plus none of those freaking annoying pop-ups or ads. While I don't make any money from this blog, I also do not have annoying ads all over the place.).  I also skipped the olive oil for browning the beef (it is not needed) and cooked peppers with the beef instead of separately (helps the flavors blend and saves time too).  

the photo that once was lost but now is found

1 lb lean ground beef

3/4 C chopped green bell pepper (about 1/2 large pepper)

3/4 C chopped red bell pepper (about 1/2 large pepper)

1 C chopped yellow onion (about 1 small onion - we did not add this because someone doesn't like onion here)

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 t dried basil

1/4 t dried oregano

2 1/2 T fresh parsley (I used about 1 T dried)

28 oz can petite diced tomatos with juice (I used my immersion blender for a quick puree, leaving a few small chunks)

15 oz can tomato sauce

14 oz beef broth (can use canned.  I used Penzey's beef base and hot water)

1 C cooked white or brown rice (I used Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice, not the whole packet)

shredded cheddar or mozzarella to top soup

In a large pot (I used Dutch oven), brown ground beef with peppers and onions until beef is cooked through and veggies are soft. Add salt and pepper to beef while cooking.

Add in tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and herbs.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes (or 15 if you are like me and impatient/hungry).  Prepare rice while soup simmers.

Add rice into soup.  Sprinkle each bowl with cheese, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe Six

This was a quick recipe from the Star Tribune.  After calculating the calories per serving, I eliminated part of the pasta and half of the ingredients for the sauce.  It was still very good and very filling at almost half the calories.  I did not need a dinner of over 800 calories.  I'll present it as I made it last night. The toasted sliced almonds really add a nice crunchiness and flavor - don't over cook them!

Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce

Serves 2.

6 oz pasta (we used farfalle/bow ties)

1 avocado

6 T chopped fresh parsley (I used about 1 T dried parsley - did not measure)

Grated zest of one lemon, plus 1 T juice (ended up with very little zest because I forgot and cut the lemon in half first, making it really hard to zest.  The full/as published in paper recipe called for 1 T and I decided I needed that full amount for flavor even though I only used 1 avocado vs. 2)

1 T olive oil

1 T grated Parmesan (recipe called for nutritional yeast which would allow this to recipe to be vegan but said could sub parm, so I did.  Because I don't have nutritional yeast and was not about to buy it just for this recipe.)

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 chile or few pinches of chile flakes (I had some red pepper flakes so used that, but less than a pinch because I am a wuss)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 T sliced almonds

Boil pasta according to directions on package.  

Halve the avocado, remove stone (duh) and scoop flesh into a bowl.  Add parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, cheese, garlic and chili. Season with salt and pepper. Blend together (I used a potato masher), taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until golden brown.

Drain the pasta and stir together with the avocado sauce ("sauce" will be thick like guacamole).  Divide between 2 bowls, sprinkle with lemon zest (or if you are me, you don't because you didn't read the directions and had stirred zest into the sauce) and scatter sliced almonds atop the dish.  

You can also serve with fresh spinach or arugula.

Book 5

Becoming by Michele Obama - this book was shared with me by a coworker who I adore.  She mailed it to me a couple months ago and said when I am done, I can pass it on.  I enjoyed this book and though I already knew a lot about the presidency of Barack Obama, I didn't know much about the First Lady, other than that she is classy, smart and compassionate.  I was delighted to learn more about her childhood, college years and first job, and then behind the scenes at the Obama home while Barack was first in state politics (and away from home most of the week) and then on the path to the White House, plus what it was like to live in the spotlight and in the White House.  Good book - I would recommend to most anyone. 

Hindsight 2020

Speaking of books, and picking up where I left off last week, here are the rest of the books I read in 2020.  The * indicate a book club selection.

 *This Tender Land byt Wiliam Kent Krueger (MN author, this was the 2nd book we have read by him.  This one was part Huck Finn, part Homer's Odyssey, and all around a pretty good read.  It takes place in MN during the depression and the main characters are orphan brothers.  I really do need to read The Odyssey sometime because the story line keeps coming up in other books.)

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah (Funny, 'cuz Trevor Noah, but also racially enlightening.  I laughed and cried, sometimes on the same page and love his mother. Very good book.)

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo (I read this one for a book club we had at work, starting it after, but finishing before, How to Be an Antiracist (below).  I found it easy to understand and we had some good discussion about it at work.)

100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen by Sarah Kieffer (I like this cookie book a lot.  Directions are easy to follow and though I have only made 2 of the recipes so far, the results are delicious.  I love that she gies the basics and then also options to jazz up those basic recipes. I can't wait to try the pan-banging recipes which went viral after being written about in the New York Times, earning their own hashtag.  Look for cookie posts in the future.)

How To Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (Another for the at work book club, I liked how he interwove his personal story with different aspects about racism and antiracism to illustrate his points.  This one is worth a re-read.)

Talk Before Sleep  by Elizabeth Berg (Berg is a solid writer and this book did not disappoint.  It was not my favorite of hers - Joy School probably is - but it was a good read about women friends.  One of the main characters, Ruth, is dying of cancer, we know that from the beginning.  Seeing the relationship between her and Ann made me appreciate my own friendships, and know that I have people in my life who are there to laugh and cry with.)

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White 

My review from Goodreads:

I’ve read this book a number of times: as a child, as a young adult aloud to children, and as an adult. I’ve seen the movie as well. And I always have loved the story and characters. I read it again this year though apprehensively, because I was afraid I would be too sad at the end and really who needs more sadness this year?? But as I read, I really was struck by the beautifully crafted story, the rich descriptions, and fully developed characters. Who knew there could be so much humanity in a pig, a spider or a rat? I felt like I was right there at the farm, and knew exactly how it smelled and what the air felt like. Amazing work, E.B. White. Adding more reads or rereads from this author to my lis

*The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (This was an interesting book from a few different perspectives and I learned about the blue people of Kentucky as well as about the Pack Horse Library Project which brought books and other materials to the people in the hills of Kentucky during the Great Depression.  Good discussion for book club as well.)

The Natural by Bernard Malamud (This is one I read aloud in the car so it took a really long time for us to get through it because we weren't in the car very much last year!  I don't remember the movie very well but this was an interesting story about a baseball player in the early part of the last century.  I am not the hugest baseball fan and the writing is a little old-fashioned but it was a good story and made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen with Roy.)

*Last Orders by Graham Swift (another re-read of an early book club selection, and another story involving death and frienships, this time the friendships of men.  I would have enjoyed my re-read more if I hadn't stopped and started so much - I had trouble keeping the characters straight until I really focused on it and made a chart.)

Fifty for 50 Tally

Books completed – 5 (4 more in progress)

Recipes tried – 6

Blog posts published– 6

Miles walked in February – 8.1

                Miles walked year-to-date –51.87

Scrap book pages completed –6

Hats donated – 6

Hours volunteered – 0

Until we read and eat again,

Hallie

Three for 50 - Possibility Everywhere

 

Recipes Two and Three

Two new-to-me recipes this week - Cast Iron Pan Pizza and Cheddar Scone Biscuits.  I should explain for those new to my blog that we eat a lot of pizza at my house, mostly home-made (or ho-made as we like to say) and since March 2020 we have been having pizza every Sunday night.  This week we broke from our usual crust (which you can find the recipe for multiple times on the blog but here is one link for it which also tells why we call it Ho-made) and tried a new one.  Adapted from this blog, we halved the recipe and topped it with marinara, turkey sausage crumbles, shredded mozzarella, and green and red peppers. I will tell you how I made the pizza. We liked it and will substitute for our regular pizza crust occasionally (maybe once a month).  Note that the dough needs to rest for at least 30-60 minutes so plan ahead.  

Cast Iron Pan Pizza - recipe as below makes one 10" pizza, which serves 2-3 people

3/4 C warm water (approx 105-110 deg F)

1/4 t dry active yeast (I buy jars of yeast vs. pkg because it is more versatile)

1 T olive oil

1/2 t kosher salt

2 C all purpose flour

1 T cornmeal

2T grated parmesan cheese

1/2 C marinara (we used part of a jar already open in fridge.  You could also use an 8 oz can of tomato sauce with 1 t Italian seasoning and 2 minced garlic cloves or any other sauce you like)

1 C shredded mozzarella

your choice of toppings - we used about 1 C Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles and about 1/2 pepper worth of diced red and green bell peppers

In a large bowl, add warm water and yeast.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes to activate yeast.  Add olive oil, salt and flour - stir to combine.  Turn out on a floured surface and knead, adding a little flour if too sticky to handle.  It should be a little tacky but not sticky.  Knead until smooth and elastic (I kneaded about 20 times).  Put in zip top bag in fridge (next time would probablynot waste the plastic and would use a covered bowl) for at least 30-60 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 525 F.  Sprinkle a 10" cast iron pan with a tablespoon of cornmeal.  Press dough into the pan, pressing it out towards the edges and up the sides as best as possible. Set stovetop to medium high and wait a few moments for pan to heat.  As pan and dough warm up, continue to press dough more evenly on bottom and up the sides to form the crust.  Cook a few more minutes until it starts to puff up and bubble slightly.  Remove from heat and use your fingers to create some slight divots in the dough.  Top with marinara, your toppings and mozzarella.  Sprinkle shredded parmesan along top edges of crust. Bake (in the pan) in oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and rust is golden brown. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before slicing.

We also like soup at hour house and I have other posts on that here and there and everywhere.  Biscuits go great with many soups and this week we had good old Chicken Noodle Soup with this new recipe.  This recipe also lead to a google search to figure out what the difference is between scones and biscuits - egg is the main difference apparently.  Not sure how this one is both a scone and a biscuit.  It came from a Penzey's catalog back when they still used to send paper catalogs chock-full of recipes and interesting articles about cooks.  These puffed up tall and were very tasty.

Cheddar Scone Biscuits - makes 24 small biscuits

2 C cake flour (all-purpose flour works fine as well and that is what I used)

4 t baking powder

1 t salt

1/8-1/4 t Cayenne pepper or smoked paprika, to taste (optional - I used 1/4 t Hungarian smoked paprika)

1 egg

1/2-3/4 C milk, divided

5 T butter

1 C grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 475.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne or paprika (I "sifted" with a wire whisk because Hallie does not sift). In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1/2 C of the milk.  Cut the butter into dry ingredients and blend until the mixture is pea-sized crumbles.(Recipe says easiest to use your fingers but I used my pastry blender because that is what I do for all biscuits.) Add the cheese and almost all of the egg/milk mixture, reserving about 1 T to brush on top of the biscuits.  Mix gently together until just combined but do not overmix or they will be tough.  Add the remaining milk if the dough is too dry (I added about a tablespoon).  

Roll or pat the dough to about 1 inch thick.  Cut into circles with a very small biscuit cutter (I used the smallest one I have which is about 2" diameter).  Brush scones with the reserved egg mix.  Bake at 475 on an ungreased heavy (or parchment-lined) baking sheet for about 10 minutes or until puffed up and lightly browned.  Watch carefully, as the size of the scone will determine how quickly they bake and at that temperature the bottoms can burn pretty quickly (mine took about 8 minutes).

Books One, Two and Three

I finished 3 books this week - off to the reading races!  Tuesday I finished a book club selection (the one I selected so I will need to review it later this month before attempting to lead discussion on 2/6) - Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.  This one had come up on multiple lists of classics you should read at sometime in your life and I am so glad I finally read it.  It is not without its challenges for readers, including all of the dialogue written in dialect, but once I got into the flow of that (yes, I may have been reading out loud at times), I found the story very engaging and it pulled me through quicker than I thought it woud.  It takes place in the late 1920s/early '30s in Florida and is the story of Janie, a fierce independent Black woman, her life and her three marriages.  The writing is lyrical and flowing, starting off with "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board." The story is told in a circle - we know right away Janie is coming back from burying someone, that she had last been seen in town with someone named Tea Cake and that the whole town's tongues were wagging with stories of her.  She then tells her whole life story to her friend Pheoby and entrusts her friend to tell her story to others as she wishes - "You can tell 'em what Ah say if you wants to. Dat's just de same as me 'cause mah tongue is in mah friend's mouf."  I would highly recommend this book - there is a reason it is on so many reading lists.  There are important racial, feminist and class themes but also a love story and poetic prose.

Book 2 - started and finished within the week (a couple days of not being able to sleep after feeding the cats at 5am helped) was The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.  Very different than Their Eyes and probably more widely read (or maybe you saw the movie), Wallflower is teen fiction told completely in letters from Charlie, a 15-16 year old, to an unnamed person he simply addresses as "Dear friend".  Comical, troubling and at times relatable, Charlie is a wallflower, encouraged by his friends and teachers to "participate" in life.  It takes place in the early 90s and Charlie is a little younger than I was then.  There are a lot of issues brought up in this book (rape, homosexuality, drug and alcohol use, various types of abuse, mental illness) though not gone into in depth.  I think this one gets tossed out there as the high school experience of an outsider but I could not always relate to many of the things going on.  I didn't attend parties in high school and did not observe many of the things Charlie saw or did.  I know when happened (and still do) but many parts were not at all my experience.  That said, it was a good story, kept my attention and I always love stories told in letters!

Book 3 - And now for something completely different!  No Children, No Pets by Marion Holland was a childhood favorite that I read this week while I ate lunch.  My copy was a first edition, published in 1956 and I have no idea where or when I got the book.  My guess would be from a garage sale and 2nd or 3rd grade.  The main storyline is 3 children (Jane, the oldest, is 12) and their widowed mother from Philadelphia who inherits an old apartment building in Florida when her great uncle dies.  The family and their cat Victoria show up at the apartment house to try to settle the estate, and find a sign posted "No Children, No Pets", a rather run-down building, needy and angry tenants, and a missing caretaker.  

I now remember why I read it many times when I was young.  Florida, the ocean, hurricanes, coconuts and seashells were all new to me as a child in the Midwest.  Visiting another place through reading is a great escape and great way to learn too.  It is a simple gentle story with elements of mystery and characters who we learn aren't always who they seem to be at first.  

I was planning to do a little more Hindsight 2020 but with 2 recipes and 3 book reviews, I will leave that for a future post.  I plan to highlight some of the books I read last year.

Fifty for 50 Tally

Books completed – 3 (4 more started)

Recipes tried – 3

Blog posts published– 3

Miles walked in January –25.9

                Miles walked year-to-date –25.9

Scrap book pages completed –0

Hats donated – 0 (4 ready)

Hours volunteered – 0

Until we read and eat again,

Hallie

Highlights of 2013 Reading - Newbery Medal Selections

I think my blog has been trying to send me a message.  I received 5 emails in the past week that there were anonymous comments on the blog, all of which were about how to get anti-anxiety meds.  Yes, I have been a bit anxious this past year.  No, I am not taking medication for it. And no, I am not going to follow a link from an anonymous comment on a blog to learn how to get alprazolam/zolpidem/any medication in the entire world.  Unfortunately for anonymous commenters, I have now changed the settings to not allow anonymous comments.  Sorry for those of you who liked to comment anonymously, but spam is too annoying. 

Reading: I read 44 books in 2013, the same number of books I read in 2012.  This was not planned and at the beginning of December when I had only 39 on the list, I did not think I would match the previous year.  But the next couple books on the Newbery Medal list were quick ones and I rallied.  Since I didn't do a great job of updating the blog on my reading, here are the highlights.

To recap my Newbery challenge: I plan to read all Newbery Medal winners from the year I was born to the present, in the order they won.  I am not reading runners-up or honorable mentions, just the winners. I am providing a link to the complete list of Newbery Medal winners so you can follow along at home.


I completed 19 Newbery Medal winners, the selections from 1971 to 1989.  Coincidentally, the last one read was from the year I graduated from high school, so I have read through my childhood.  I liked some better than others (no surprise, of course). 

Since one of the winners was the 4th book in a 5 book series, I read the other 4 in the series also (the winner was The Grey King by Susan Cooper, the series was The Dark is Rising) and discovered I do like some fantasy books after all.  It incorporated legends of King Arthur and different mythologies into the classic good versus evil story with some fun time-travelling. 

Another of the books,  Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt, was a sequel so I also re-read the first book (Homecoming).  Part of the reason for re-reading was just an excuse to re-experience some books by a favorite author from when I was in high school.  I loved the strong female characters in these books.  Homecoming is the story of 4 siblings whose mother leaves them in the parking lot of a mall in Connecticut.  Dicey, the oldest at 13, realizes her mother is not coming back and leads her siblings to the home of a relative they have never met.  They are walking, have little money and are not sure what awaits them.  It is a very emotional journey as the reader and the siblings encounter many characters along the way and struggle to know whom to trust.  Dicey's Song picks up their story after the journey, as the siblings try to adapt to their new home and still try to understand their mother and why she left them.  Heavy stuff for young adult fiction, but very well written and fully-formed characters.

Some other Newbery winners I liked with similarly heavy subject matter: The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox (13-year old Jessie is kidnapped and sent on a slave ship where his job is to play his fife and "dance" the slaves to keep their bodies strong and therefore profitable) and  Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (racism in Mississippi during the Great Depression).

A few of the winners were books I had read one or several times before.  One of my "rules" with this challenge was that I would re-read them, no matter how recently I had last read them.  Re-reads were a chance to fall in love all over again with some of my favorites: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (story of 2 outcasts who become friends and create a wonderful imaginary kingdom where they rule.  Made me cry, just like it did the first time I read it.); The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (wonderfully written mystery with great characters - kept me guessing and trying to figure out who-done-it just like the first time.  Apparently I did not remember the ending...); Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (a slim book about 2 children, their widowed father and a woman who answers a newspaper ad and moves from Maine to the Midwest prairie to become their mother and wife).

Some of the books I expected not to like (because of subject matter, style, or main characters who were rodents) but enjoyed thoroughly: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien (actually found myself cheering for the Frisby family (mice) and the rats as they work together to move the mouse family's home out of danger's way and keep one step ahead of the research lab);  A Visit to William Blake's Inn by Nancy Willard (a collection of magical and fanciful poems inspired by William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience); Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman (insect-inspired poems written to be read aloud by 2 people - I made E read a few of them with me); and Lincoln: a photobiograpy by Russell Freedman (I didn't really know what to expect and thought I knew everything I needed to know about Abraham Lincoln.  Turns out, I knew next-to-nothing about this fascinating man.  Wonderfully written and great illustrative photos of key points.).

Other books I liked that don't fit into one of the weird random categories I created above: Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (an Eskimo girl escapes a bad family situation and lives among a pack of wolves - an inadequate description of a book full of cultural commentary and nature lessons); A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832 by Joan Blos (historical novel about a 13-year-old girl who experiences loss of a friend and her father's remarriage, and helps an escaped slave.  And I LOVE epistolary books!); Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (a boy starts writing letters to his favorite author as part of an assignment for school.  His letters soon turn to journal entries as he tries to become a writer himself, and we learn about his struggles with his parent's divorce, his absent father, loneliness in a new school and someone who keeps stealing his lunch.  Did I mention I LOVE epistolary books?); Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (which I described in a previous post). 
 
There you have it. Some of the Newbery Medal winners I enjoyed last year.

Coming (hopefully) soon: other reading highlights from 2013.

Until we read again,
Hallie

Back in the Bloggin' Saddle

Time to get back in the saddle and resume "normal" blogging.  You may be wondering what else I was doing during the A-Z Challenge, since those posts were made to fit in the alphabet.  I was reading as usual, cooking and eating (though I don't think we tried any new recipes), doing a little knitting, and planning for an annual all-day seminar for the organization for which I am the now the vice president (was secretary but as of yesterday morning, I am now VP - you may address me as Madame VP, if you wish).  I compare preparing for this seminar, and for the other 3 evening meetings we also hold each year, as hosting a wedding reception, for 125-150 people every couple of months. Booking venue, choosing the food, sending the invitations and managing the RSVPs, all while arranging for different speakers for each of these events (one for each of the evening meetings and 4 for the all day seminar).  Truthfully, it is exhausting but worthwhile work which I enjoy, but am glad when it is over.  Kind of like my wedding, really - Glad I did it, and enjoyed the planning and the event, but glad when it was over.  So in addition to that...

Reading: In April I read 3 books and have read another 2 books so far in May.  First was a re-read of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg.  Many people are more familiar with the movie (Fried Green Tomatoes) but this is a delightful book as well.  Such strong, interesting women characters and really just so much going on in this story - some classic scenes where I found myself cheering for the women as they took on some people we all know in real life.  I read it last about 15 years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it again this time.  Even if the book club referred to the characters as "Jessica Tandy" and "Kathy Bates" for the actresses who played some of the main characters in the movie. 

On April 21st I finished the book club selection (Sunday night book club) Room by Emma Donahugue.  I'll admit I had to force myself to read this one at first, but I ended up really liking it.  The story is told from the point of view of five-year-old Jack, who has never seen outside the 11'x11' room he and his mother live in.  To him Room is the world, but to his mother, it is the prison where she has been held for 7 years by a man Jack refers to as Old Nick.  Sounds terrific and uplifting, right?  It is actually an amazing story of the love of a mother and child and of survival despite the depressing situation.  Great discussion for book club.

My "easy" read for April, Miss Pickerell to the Earthquake Rescue by Ellen MacGregor.  This is one I have had since I was a child, but don't remember reading it all the way through before.  Miss Pickerell was a character in an entire series which had her not only going to the rescue in an earthquake but also going to the moon, Mars, the Arctic and on many other adventures.  She is a very no-nonsense lady who knits and drives a model-T hauling a trailer with her cow and cat in it.  Fun story and made me curious about earthquakes.

The next book for discussion at Sunday night book club is another one that I didn't anticipate liking, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall.  I dislike running (anyone who knows me has heard me say that the only reason to run is if you are being chased by something that you don't want to catch you), and am possibly even less interested in reading about running than I am in actually running.  That being said, I actually enjoyed this book.  Mr. McDougall tells a captivating story and gives so many interesting back stories and side stories that all lead up to this one amazing race, that I found myself actually caring about some of the runners and cheering for them.  If you are a runner and have suffered injuries (as you very likely have), I would think you would be interested to hear what he has to say.  And if you are not a runner, you may be inspired to start.  Not that I am.  I still find the idea of running tedious.  Give me 2 wheels and pedals, please.

Most recently I finished a book called Everything by Kevin Canty.  This one I read in nearly record time, starting it one day and finishing during the middle of the night a day later (a bit of insomnia which was NOT cured by this book - darn those interesting books!).  Mr. Canty is a Montana author, and the story takes place in the western part of the state, specifically in the Bitterroot Valley, which is where my grandparents, aunts, etc., live.  I think the Amazon description captures it best and I highly recommend this novel.

"In taut, exquisite prose, Kevin Canty explores the largest themes of life—work, love, death, destruction, rebirth—in the middle of the everyday.
On the fifth of July, RL and June go down to the river with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red to commemorate Taylor’s fiftieth and last birthday. Taylor was RL’s boyhood friend and June’s husband, but after eleven years, June, a childless hospice worker, finally declares she’s “nobody’s widow anymore.” Anxious for a new beginning, June considers selling her beloved house. RL, a divorced empty-nester, faces a major change, too, when he agrees to lodge his college girlfriend, Betsy, while she undergoes chemotherapy. Caught between Betsy’s anguish and June’s hope, the cynical RL is brought face-to-face with his own sense of futility, and the longing to experience the kind of love that “knocks you down.”

Set in Montana, reflecting the beauty of its landscape and the independence of its people, Everything is a shimmering novel about unexpected redemption by a writer of deep empathy and prodigious talents." - Amazon.com

So there are 5 books for you to check out.  Tonight, Friday night book club is discussing The Testament by John Grisham which I read about 13 years ago and will try to dredge up my memories of it to discuss tonight.  It wasn't my favorite book then and I just didn't get around to re-reading it.  I would feel bad about that but since the discussion will last approximately 5 minutes, I am not too worried about it.  This book club is actually more about the gathering and the food.

Weeding: Tomorrow morning is the annual plant exchange arranged by the city.  I have gone, 2-3 times before and have gotten some good plants.  It is fun - fast and furious negotiating and trading and then hauling home the treasures.  I took today off from work, mainly to recuperate from the all-day seminar, but also to get my plants ready for the swap.  This is what I am bringing this year: lamb's ear, penstemon, monarda (aka bee balm), coreopsis, and balloon flower.  In the process of digging up some coreopsis, I disturbed a particularly large ant colony.  The ants were all over my feet and legs, some of them biting.  It reminded me of the scene from one of the Indiana Jones movies where the ants carry the bad guy away.  I took a break to read Catching Fire, eat lunch and smell the lilacs, and will divide more coreopsis once I figure out how to do it without stirring up the ants again.

Monarda (bee not included in plant swap)

Threadleaf coreopsis (apparently thrives near ants)

Penstemon (bird not included)

Balloon flower (look closely for the little "balloons")



Lovely lamb's ear, growing near hardy geranium

Until we read, and weed, again,
Hallie

Gearing up for a blogging challenge

I am gearing up for the A to Z blog challenge, which starts on Sunday April 1st.  I have my 26 topics chosen, including topics from all my favorite things: reading, eating, weeding and creating.  It will be a mix of books/authors, recipes, flowers/plants and creative pursuits.  I hope you will check back frequently during my month of near-daily posts.  That will be the biggest challenge for me - posting so frequently!

Since last post, I have been reading like a fiend, scrapbooking for an entire long weekend, cooking very little and watching flowers sprout and trees and shrubs bud and blossom.  A beautiful early spring has already begun here in the northern state of MN.

Reading: I read 5 books this month.  The first 3 I already wrote about.  Then I re-read a childhood favorite, a book that I believe is probably long out of print.  My copy of The Doll of Lilac Valley by Cora Cheney is a discard from my elementary school library and was printed in the early 60's.  It has that great old book smell.  It was written in the '50s and is about a young girl who goes to spend the summer with a couple in Vermont who she doesn't know, so that her single mother has time to finish college.  Laurie sets off on a bus accompanied my her treasured doll Kathleen who has outfits made to match Laurie's. Kathleen is accidentally left behind in a bus station, and greatly missed, though when Laurie buys what she thinks is bundle of rags at the estate sale of a doll collector, she gets much more than she expected!  This is still a charming book of a simpler time when children played with dolls that didn't "do" anything.  I loved it now as much as I did 30+ years ago.

And in the "Now, for something completely different" category: What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage was a book I expected to be just like every other Oprah book, but turned out to be enjoyable read.  I am not fan of Oprah, or many of her book club picks, so I started this one with skepticism.  The story centers on Ava, a black woman who has discovered she is HIV positive and moves back with her sister in a small town in Michigan for what she anticipates being a short time.  I expected hardship (Oprah seems to thrive on books about people suffering) and there was indeed difficult times for Ava.  The small town was no longer the sleepy (boring) place she had escaped from when she was younger.  It was no longer sheltered from the problems of the bigger cities.  But with her strong sister and an old friend by her side, she discovers love, peace and happiness.  Likable characters, good writing, overall good book.  My only complaint is the ending wrapped up too quickly. 

Creating: I went on my annual scrapbooking retreat, and worked for 2 and a half days on my Hawaii album. I completed 25 pages in that time, some of them simple, some more elaborate.  It is so nice to have focused time for scrapping with friends!  I need to take some pictures of some of the cooler layouts so you can see them...  I really need more pictures in general.  I am planning more of that during the challenge.

That's all for now.  Be sure to check back regularly starting on Sunday to see what the alphabet brings and to keep me on task! 
Until then, keep reading and eating!
Hallie