WitchyRichy Reads the Roots for 2024 - Part 2

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Talk75 Books Challenge for 2024

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WitchyRichy Reads the Roots for 2024 - Part 2

1witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 13, 10:05 am



Welcome to Part 2 of my thread!

I am Karen Richardson, aka Witchyrichy, and this is my 10th year in the 75ers group, and in October 2024, I will celebrate my 19th year on LibraryThing. I am mostly retired from public life although I do a bit of teaching related to educational technology for a couple universities and some instructional design for a few clients. Otherwise, when I wake up on Monday mornings, I can pretty much do what I want. And, often what I want to do is read!

I live with my husband of 32 years, Bob, and Circe the cat, in a 19th century farmhouse on 18 acres in rural southeast Virginia. The header reflects summer on the farm: Circe ready to write her memoirs, butterflies and praying mantises in the garden and hummingbirds, of course.

Bottle Tree Farm, as we call it, is our own little bit of paradise and came with a library for my books, which helps make up for the challenges of living in an old house (think lack of HVAC). The books also spill out into every other room of the house. My major goal this year is to read the books I already own (lots and lots of ROOTS) and start clearing the shelves a bit.

Besides reading, I garden, crochet, and play music as my main hobbies. This year, I joined a handmade book group and have been experimenting with gel plate printing and collage.

I reignited my blog last year, In Another Place, when I retired and plan to publish more posts in 2024. My husband and I share a love for the outdoors including gardening, camping and birding.

I am looking forward, once again, to sharing my life and reading with this wonderful group of people!

2witchyrichy
Edited: Nov 25, 5:45 pm

3witchyrichy
Edited: Dec 17, 5:33 pm

Reading Now

Cape Cod by William Martin

4witchyrichy
Edited: Dec 19, 5:15 pm

Bingo Card



1. Featuring Twins: The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand
2. Epistolary or Diary: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
3. Featuring Water: Follow the River by James Alexander Thom
4. Written in Another Cultural Tradition: The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel
5. Current or Recent Bestsellers: The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson
6. Topic About Which You Have Specific Knowledge: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
7. Person's Name in Title: Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson
8. Ugly Cover: The Thing About Life is that One Day You'll be Dead
9. Less than 100 copies on LT: The Wolf Crystal by Greg Lilly
10. "Big" or "Little" in the Title: The Little Liar by Mitch Albom
11. Paper-based Item in Plot: The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
12. Food or Cooking: Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl
13. Read a CAT: My Family and Other Animals
14. Author 65 or older: My Black Country by Alice Randall (She was a month shy of 65 when it was published but close enough for me. It was a GREAT book!)
15. Short Story Collection: Bibliomysteries: Volume Two
16. POC Author: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
17. Three-Word Title: Wedded to War by Jocelyn Green
18. Book from LT "similar library": Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
19. Set in a City: The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont
20. Warriors or Mercenaries:
21. Reread a Favorite Book: The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (and others)
22. About Friendship: At Home on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball
23. Set in Multiple Countries:
24. Only Title and Author on Cover:
25. Publication Year Ending in 24: The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry (2024)

9witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 13, 10:15 am

What I Am Making

I have gotten hooked on gel plate printing. Pretty simple technique that uses a gel plate (but silicon mats and even plastic storage bags work!), acrylic paint, something to make marks and paper. This one features hydrangea leaves from my garden.

10witchyrichy
Jul 13, 10:45 am

Finally, a new thread! I enjoyed my travel only to end up with a summer head cold. Feeling better today but still stuffed up and living in a bit of a fog. Fortunately, I am home for the foreseeable future so can settle in and rest. The tennis match got exciting, and I have been crocheting items to sell at the farmer's market at the library on Tuesday. I will contribute any earnings to the library although my friend I am joining said she usually keeps a little money for more supplies. It should be fun! I have piles of dish towels and dish cloths as well as some baskets. I am working on kerchiefs now as they are back in popularity. I bought some cute ones at Marshalls to recreate.

11Storeetllr
Edited: Jul 13, 12:50 pm

Happy new thread!

>9 witchyrichy: Fabulous!!!

ETA: From your last thread, congrats on your successful presentation.

12figsfromthistle
Jul 13, 4:20 pm

Happy new thread!

13PaulCranswick
Jul 13, 4:38 pm

Happy new thread, Karen. x

14atozgrl
Jul 13, 5:11 pm

Happy new thread, Karen! I'm sorry you came down with a cold. I hope it will leave you soon!

15drneutron
Jul 14, 6:53 pm

Happy new one, Karen!

16streamsong
Jul 14, 7:32 pm

Happy New Thread, Karen!

Your topper is beautiful - flowers, garden, butterfly, Circe and birds. I could easily imagine reading there.

>9 witchyrichy: Oh, that's beautiful!

I hope you'll shared your crocheted creations, too.

17vancouverdeb
Jul 15, 1:10 am

Happy New Thread, Karen! You farm looks so lovely. Lovely gel plating print. I've never tried that.

18witchyrichy
Jul 15, 3:38 pm

>11 Storeetllr: Thanks for the good wishes!

>12 figsfromthistle: Thanks! Hope all is well!

>13 PaulCranswick: Thanks! Always glad to see you stop by.

>14 atozgrl: Thanks! A combination of LOTS of sleep, a mild decongestant and Tylenol seem to be working their magic as the nagging headache has finally abated. Once that goes, I can just tuck into bed and read! I predict at least one more day ;-)

>15 drneutron: Thanks! Finally...life really got away from me this year.

>16 streamsong: Thanks! We have several inviting porches that are not so inviting right now. I have been updating my craft journal and have a few pictures of the crochet. Figured I could rotate the what I am making post.

>17 vancouverdeb: Thanks! We do enjoy living here although we know the time to move on is coming. Not on the market yet, but it needs an energetic younger couple--I am picturing 40 somethings with a couple kids who want a country life. And then we could head closer to my parents.

I can recommend gel painting as a fun hobby: no artistic skills required and there are tons of video tutorials out there. The biggest issue is what to do with all the prints! I have started using them for collage and book pages.

19witchyrichy
Jul 15, 3:52 pm

I appreciate all the good wishes on the new thread. Hoping to be more present during the second half of the year. For now, I am feeling better. As I commented above, I have conquered the nagging headache that I woke up with so even though I am still foggy, I can concentrate to read and type. I read The Little Village of Book Lovers in a fog on Saturday and had to reread most of it on Sunday with various parts coming back as though I had dreamed them. Very odd.

It has also made the news cycle surreal as well and I am still processing what happened.

I decided I needed something light that also matched the books theme I am pursuing so started the third book in the Library Lovers' Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. Book, Line, and Sinker focuses on pirate treasure hunting, especially treasure supposedly buried by Captain Kidd on one of the many islands that lay off the coast of the small town of Briar Creek, Connecticut. I am only a few chapters in but it turns out that the history is correct. Should be interesting.

20witchyrichy
Jul 15, 4:05 pm

Two road trips later, I am home with a stack of books. I did donate many more than I bought so there's that.

I donated my stash to the The Treasure Trove, the thrift shop at my parents' retirement community. They were having a $5/bag sale. I was well behaved and purchased just one plastic grocery-sized bag.

A Shooting Star by Wallace Stegner
Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner
Well-Behaved Indian Women by Saumya Dave
Titans by Leila Meacham
Starting Over by Robin Pilcher
Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
Satan in St. Mary's by P.C. Doherty
Crown in Darkness by P.C. Doherty

I stopped at a Barnes and Noble on my road trip to southwest Virginia (bathroom, coffee, and books!).

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

I visited a couple thrift shops in southwest Virginia:

On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah
Soldier's Joy by Madison Smart Bell
Joy of Nature
In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett
The Other by David Gutterson

I spent the evening after the conference in Abingdon, Virginia, where I sought out The Book Cellar, a small but lovely space located down the stairs and off to the right of the cafe. Took home a few:

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Times of Used to Be by Denvil Mullins (local author/local stories)
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy

21vancouverdeb
Jul 18, 11:56 pm

Great haul, Karen. I've only read the two books you purchased by Ann Tyler. I'm a pretty big fan of hers. I like to mix my heavier reads with something lighter, most of the time. Good idea.

22witchyrichy
Jul 19, 12:57 pm

>21 vancouverdeb: I managed to get a second copy of Ladder of Years. I had forgotten about the stash of books under the bench in the alcove. First book on the next giveaway pile, I guess.

23witchyrichy
Jul 19, 1:23 pm

I am sorry to report that my vegetable garden is something of a bust this year. Between the drought, groundhogs, and other critters, I haven't gotten any tomatoes at all amongst lots of plants. A few peppers, good garlic and onions, and a few cherry tomatoes. That's about it. The corn isn't dead but I can't imagine it will produce any ears. Oh well, we have farmer's markets all around us where I can get local produce. Thank goodness I don't rely on my garden for either food or income! It has been a tough year. The flower gardens have suffered but survived. They do need some weeding and the recent and upcoming rain will make that easier.

Meanwhile, it means more time for other activities from art to crochet to reading. This week, I tried out listening to a book while I crocheted. It went well but I was doing an easy, repeating pattern that didn't require a lot of focus or counting.

Tomorrow is the meeting of my handmade book club group. We are going to experiment with embossing and painting paper bags to make faux leather book covers. I've tried it with manila envelopes and been happy with the result. Pictures to follow...

I actually logged on to write some book reviews. Here we go.

24witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 19, 1:36 pm



I moved on to the second book in Brian Yansky's Strangely, Scary, Funny series, The Librarian and the Book Thief. We are back in Eden with Kevin Austin, who has become the librarian of the odd town, and this time he is tasked with finding a library book that many people and angels don't want found. We learn more about Kevin's father, Karl, who turns out to be the devil. And we follow Kevin's yearning for a lovely witch. It is, as billed, strange, a little scary but mostly funny.

I think I will continue with the series as it has a quirkiness and unpredictability that I enjoy. Yansky can also venture into silliness now and then but all in fun.

25Storeetllr
Edited: Jul 19, 1:50 pm

>24 witchyrichy: Sounds like a lot of fun, but, sadly, I can’t find it in either Libby or Hoopla. I did put a hold on What Is Happening in Egypt, Texas by the author, so he’s on my radar now.

RTA sorry about your garden woes. I’ve given up, except for potted herbs and flowers. The critters here are absolutely voracious.

26witchyrichy
Jul 19, 1:50 pm

Road trips mean audio books and I decided to binge Donna Leon's Brunetti series. David Colacci is the long-time narrator of the series with an easy to listen to voice and narration style. I finished up the next three books in the series:

The Waters of Eternal Youth
Earthly Remains
The Temptation of Forgiveness

Earthly Remains focuses on an old crime that led to traumatic injuries to a young woman. Brunetti's colleague, Claudia Griffoni, plays a central role in the book and we learn more about her past as well as her abilities to connect with others quickly.

The Water of Eternal Youth had a surprising start although we quickly discover that Brunetti's collapse was more about protecting a colleague than having a heart attack. His rashness leads to a much-needed vacation where a new tragedy leads to the exposure of an old tragedy. Along the way, we learn a bit about beekeeping in Venice, especially in the lagoon.

The Temptation of Forgiveness gets back to a more typical theme for Leon: personal and professional corruption that seems to be part of the Venetian world, in this case focusing on the medical world and the relationships of doctors and pharmacists. The surprise here was just how badly Brunetti gets it wrong before he finally gets it right.

27witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 19, 2:10 pm

I toured the William R. King Museum in Abingdon, a free local art museum. It was featuring an exhibit about the 75th anniversary of the Virginia Highlands Festival, held in Abingdon at the end of July. One display featured lifesize fabric wolves and a green crystal that had been props for a play based on Greg Lilly's children's book, The Wolf Crystal.

The book is lovingly set in Abingdon with the local wolf pack taking care of the town and the world by safeguarding a crystal. It is stolen and it is up to Abbi, a pup, to find it and restore the world. I wasn't able to find a copy in the local shops so ended up with a Kindle version. I plan to read the other two books in the series. They are fun and would be a great addition to a family trip to the town.

28witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 21, 8:40 am

I was surprised by Can't Spell Treason Without Tea as I don't think I read the blurb. It was the first in a new cozy mystery series called Tomes and Tea and showed two women in oversized chairs reading in front of a fire.

I guess I missed the "fantasy" part of the description and then discovered the two main character were lesbians, with one being a trained castle guard and the other a powerful witch. Once I adjusted whatever expectations I had from previous cozy mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and have already invested in the second book.

The dedication page for A Pirate's Life for Tea responds to the person who gave her a one-star review for the first book because there were lesbians and letting us know she has doubled the number of lesbians in this book.

Thorne acknowledges that her books are a bit different from typical cozy mysteries but she always promises a happy ending.

29witchyrichy
Jul 19, 2:12 pm

From my comment above:

I decided I needed something light that also matched the books theme I am pursuing so started the third book in the Library Lovers' Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. Book, Line, and Sinker focuses on pirate treasure hunting, especially treasure supposedly buried by Captain Kidd on one of the many islands that lay off the coast of the small town of Briar Creek, Connecticut. I am only a few chapters in but it turns out that the history is correct. Should be interesting.

It was a lovely read, a much more typical cozy mystery than the Tomes and Tea! There is a library, book talk, a cute dog, quirky but kindly neighbors and a budding love interest. Plus the best clam chowder in New England.

30witchyrichy
Jul 19, 2:26 pm

Gutenberg's Apprentice has been on the shelf for some time so score one for reading what I own! I pulled it down as part of the book theme. Christie takes the history of Gutenberg's printing press and turns it into a fascinating story of religion, greed and glory. I read it along with The Book-Makers: A History of Books in Eighteen Lives and learned about the earliest challenges of printing. The latter skips over Gutenberg, beginning instead with an apprentice of William Caxton, Wynkyn de Worde, whose work moved books into the popular consciousness. I was glad to have some of the background from Christie to fill in the gaps.

I thoroughly enjoyed both books. I am looking forward to sharing The Book-Makers with my book making group as several of the chapters focus on different ways people altered, expanded and made their own books. I was fascinated by the story of Little Gidding, as I was familiar with the T.S. Eliot poem but not the history of the religious community. Mary and Anna Collett, nieces of Nicholas Ferrar, used a method of cutting and pasting to create what were called harmonies, mainly focusing on creating harmony across the Gospels. Good for Smyth to focus on the women who did the making versus the Royal Collection Trust that has a copy of the book, mentions it was probably made by the nieces, but then doesn't even list them in the contributors. But you can get a look at the book here.

31witchyrichy
Jul 19, 2:31 pm

The Little Village of Book Lovers was an allegorical tale narrated by Love. We follow the life of Marie-Jeanne, orphaned as an infant and taken in by a local couple. There are multiple stories of people finding and losing love even as Marie-Jeanne despairs of ever finding it for herself. There are moments of magic and mysterious events but ultimately it was a very human story that I enjoyed.

32witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 19, 2:34 pm

I was gifted Holmes, Marple, and Poe by a good friend. I have read a couple other Patterson collaborations that I enjoyed, especially with Dolly Parton. This one did not disappoint, and I stayed up past my bedtime to finish it yesterday. The three characters may or may not be related to the famous detectives, and we never do learn the truth of their pasts. But they each bring skills to their private investigation agency even as the police find them interfering and annoying. They solve several mysteries over the course of the novel. Short chapters, quick action, made for an entertaining read.

Wondering if a sequel is coming.

33witchyrichy
Jul 19, 2:37 pm

>25 Storeetllr: I had a solid year last year and filled the freezer with corn, beans and tomato sauce. Even sold some sweet corn. Maybe it was beginner's luck but I think it was more about the weather. I am picturing a deck with some pots of herbs, flowers and a few tomatoes and peppers in my future!

34Storeetllr
Edited: Jul 20, 1:14 pm

>28 witchyrichy: The dedication page for A Pirate's Life for Tea responds to the person who gave her a one-star review for the first book because there were lesbians and letting us know she has doubled the number of lesbians in this book.

Hah! Love it! I’ll be checking out these books.

I love your picturing of pots of herbs and flowers on your deck!

35witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 23, 9:47 am



I received an Early Reviewer copy of The Paris Cooking School by Sophie Beaumont in exchange for an honest review. And, honestly, I LOVED it. The right mix of romance, intrigue, and humanity set in Paris and full of wonderful descriptions of food!

Beaumont focuses her story on three women: Sylvie, the owner of the cooking school, and two of her students, Kate and Gabi, both from Australia and both escaping personal and professional trauma for a bit of fun at a month-long cooking school. All three face challenges but also find joy and romance in unexpected places. As I mentioned, there is also lots of lots of food but the focus is on simplicity and fresh ingredients rather than fussy Cordon Bleu. There are just enough details to make it possible to recreate the dishes and I am happy that the author did not include recipes. These are timeless preparations.

I escaped, along with Kate and Gabi, into the magic and mystery of Paris, walking along the Seine, shopping in the open air markets, gazing at all the beauty and history with awe.

Beaumont tells a good story: there were a couple major coincidences that moved the plot along but that is to be expected and Beaumont managed to do it a bit unexpectedly. I mostly appreciated her celebration of women: the characters are strong women who face their problems mostly head.

36witchyrichy
Jul 23, 9:50 am

I am trying to work through crochet kits and yarn that have piled up over the years. I made two birds that were part of a group meant to be displayed on a tree. They aren't authentic birds and I don't think I am going to make the rest of them. But, I had one mostly done and decided it needed a companion so finished these two yesterday. They are hanging out in a basket a crocheted awhile ago. They may become cat toys but for now are sitting on my desk as I consider possible names.

37Storeetllr
Jul 23, 11:17 am

38vancouverdeb
Jul 23, 8:18 pm

The birds in the nest are so cute, Karen! Love them! I'm you enjoyed your ER The Paris Cooking School. Sounds good.

39BLBera
Jul 28, 5:18 pm

I love the gel plate printing, Karen! It is lovely. Happy new thread.

40witchyrichy
Jul 29, 3:42 pm

>37 Storeetllr: Thanks! I added them to our stuffed Audubon bird collection. Those birds have speakers and play their calls when pressed. Wondering if I can find them to add to my pieces.

41witchyrichy
Jul 29, 3:43 pm

>38 vancouverdeb: Thanks! I had fun making them. I am going to make amigurumi holiday ornaments with the rest of the thread.

42witchyrichy
Jul 29, 3:44 pm

>39 BLBera: Thanks and thanks! I have really been enjoying doing the printing. I have been finding ways to use the prints as you will see in my post below.

43witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 30, 11:21 am

I have been making creativity a priority this summer, playing with printing and book making. My project last week was to decorate one of my zines made out of a gel print. I follow lots of junk journal/collage accounts on Instagram and particularly like the interactive elements they create. I made a video to share with my fellow book makers but thought you might enjoy seeing it as well:

Interactive Zine Video

44witchyrichy
Edited: Jul 29, 3:56 pm



I followed up The Paris Cooking School with another book about escaping to Paris: P.S. from Paris by Marc Levy. And I guess it all feels right as we watch the Olympics even though that isn't why I started the streak.

Levy is French and the book is a translation. At least one character mangles the English language in what might be tongue in cheek. In this case, the escapee, Mia, is a famous movie star leaving behind her cheating actor husband with whom she stars in a new movie.

Her best friend is a chef in Paris who offers shelter and welcomes her help as a waitress.

Paul is a writer who also escaped to Paris. He is a popular author, especially in Korea, where the major twist of this book takes place.

Friendly manipulations lead to meetups and happy endings despite all. I enjoyed it. Chick lit with the back drop of Paris. I felt right at home as Ina Garten took the Today Show crew on a picnic.

45vancouverdeb
Jul 30, 6:15 pm

I hope you enjoy The Briar Club when you get to it, Karen! A belated Happy Anniversary to you and Bob!

46Berly
Aug 1, 2:54 am

Happy belated Anniversary and happy crocheting. Sorry the garden hasn't fared well. I have only gathered two tomatoes so far. Lots of green ones I hope will mature and make it onto my plate yet! Fingers crossed. Happy August!

47witchyrichy
Edited: Aug 8, 12:09 pm

>45 vancouverdeb: Thanks! We had a low key day.

>46 Berly: Thanks! I have heard from several friends who have had issues even with the plants in pots that they could water. It means the flower beds are getting more attention this year.

48streamsong
Aug 3, 10:46 am

I love that you are reading books set in Paris during the Olympics. They both sound like fun reads!

49witchyrichy
Aug 8, 12:10 pm

>48 streamsong: It really happened accidentally, isn't that funny? I decided to switch from a book theme to a food theme. More and more, I feel this odd sense of some guiding hand. Was it the algorithm?

50witchyrichy
Edited: Aug 8, 12:23 pm



I have managed to collect quite a collection of Anne Tyler books and decided they would be perfect for the end of summer binge. I like her low key style, but French Braid was perhaps a bit too low key. It focused on the Garrett family who, after one family vacation in the 1950s, rarely venture beyond Baltimore. Mercy, the matriarch, slowly disconnects as her children grow up even as her husband tries to reconnect. The novel spans decades as we follow the three children and then meet the grandchildren. As we leave the novel behind, we understand that life will go on. At the end of the day, it was typical Tyler but I found that I did not like Mercy at all. She might be cheered as a 1950s housewife who manages to create her own space but she does so in a sneaky kind of way including one action that I won't reveal but could not forgive. In fact, this was one of those books where I really didn't connect with any of the characters.

51witchyrichy
Edited: Aug 8, 12:45 pm



I liked Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl. In that book, she tells the story of her time at Gourmet Magazine. Garlic and Sapphires tells the story of her life before Gourmet when she served as the restaurant critic for The New York Times having moved from similar food-related journalism in Los Angeles. She survived for six years, and her stories of creating alter egos along with her disguises are funny but also fascinating. Her first character is her mother, designed along with her mother's best friend.

Reichl includes copies of some of her more controversial columns as well as beloved family recipes. In the end, it was her desire to cook for her family that led her to leave the Times.

I was surprised at the power of the restaurant critic of the Times. Famous people would call her to get restaurant recommendations on a regular basis and she was interviewed by news outlets big and small.

Reichl has had a fascinating career all around: I didn't realize she was a judge on Top Chef Masters. I may have to check it out. Meanwhile, I am eager to try her novels including the new one that is set in Paris.

52witchyrichy
Aug 8, 12:48 pm

Determined to read a few books from the Booker long list so copying it over from vancouverdeb

Wild Houses by Colin Barrett
Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
James by Percival Everett
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
My Friends by Hisham Matar
Held by Anne Michaels
This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
Playground by Richard Powers
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

53EBT1002
Aug 8, 1:30 pm

>52 witchyrichy: I'll now borrow that from you. :-)

I love your Paris connection reading of late. I was just saying to Prudence this morning that it simply never occurred to me to go to Paris for the Olympics. The crowds would make me crazy but I should at least have thought if it! Haha. We have a couple sets of friends who are there and seem to be enjoying themselves.

54vancouverdeb
Aug 8, 11:35 pm

I'll look forward to seeing what your read from the Booker Long List. As you can guess , I am quite keen about it! :-)

55karenmarie
Aug 9, 11:03 am

Hi Karen, and belated happy new thread!

From your last thread, I am always impressed with your art projects and varied interests.

>1 witchyrichy: Yay for Circe getting ready to write her memoirs. I love the summer photos and how you write about yourself and your interests.

>23 witchyrichy: Dratted groundhogs. We got our landscaping guys to block all their holes and ways under the back porch and seem to be groundhog free, at least temporarily. Sorry your vegetable garden was a bust.

How did you fare with Debby yesterday?

56witchyrichy
Aug 17, 12:43 pm

>53 EBT1002: We went to Atlanta a very long time ago when we were young. I'm not sure I could take the crowds but Paris would be at least fun.

>54 vancouverdeb: I plan to settle in once summer is over.

>55 karenmarie: Always happy to have you stop by! Thanks for the kind words about my projects: I have been really enjoying having time to settle in and create. As for the garden, you take the good with the bad, I guess. We have too much property to eradicate them, I think. Anyway, my flowers thrived despite all and it gave me time to do other projects.

We got lots of rain and wind but nothing major. We were happy for the rain. Hope you did fine as well.

57witchyrichy
Aug 17, 12:55 pm

I am on my way to Pennsylvania for the next week. I get to spend three days with one of my oldest friends: there will be lots of chatting, poolside lounging, reading, talking about reading, streaming movies and shows (Maine Cabin Masters!), and eating good food. May connect with a few other old gang members. Then on to my parents to support dad as he has carpal tunnel surgery on Friday. Prognosis is good but I am happy to be there to drive and hang out with mom. Then...home to start the semester at University of Richmond! Summer is on the downside and after the miserable heat and drought, I won't miss it. We did get a nice week this week as a bit of an apology from the weather gods.



I finished the first two books in The Marlow Murder Club series and enjoyed them: The Marlow Murder Club and Death Comes to Marlow. Cozy mystery set in Marlow where three women come together to solve murders. The surprise here is the support of the local female constable, who connect more with the women than her male colleagues. I will continue on to the third book. A bit of trivia: Marlow is the hometown of author Robert Thorogood. The

58Storeetllr
Aug 17, 1:55 pm

Best wishes to your dad for a successful surgery! Enjoy your time with your friend!

59BLBera
Aug 18, 7:47 am

Hi Karen. We read French Braid for my book club and it provoked quite a discussion, mostly centered on Mercy.

Good luck to your dad.

60johnsimpson
Aug 22, 4:06 pm

Hi Karen my dear, a belated Happy New Thread dear friend.

61witchyrichy
Sep 3, 8:36 am

>58 Storeetllr: >59 BLBera: Thanks for checking in. I will do an update but all went well.

>60 johnsimpson: Thanks for stopping by! Always happy to see you. I have been mostly offline for the past few weeks myself, soaking up the last of summer!

62witchyrichy
Sep 3, 8:45 am

The last two weeks have been something of a whirlwind with travel and getting started on the semester. But, all the news on the homefront is good and I managed to have a relaxing last few weeks of summer.

First: Dad's surgery went fine and he was able to get back up running pretty quickly. Almost no pain. He did tell me he was fine to drive because he never used his right hand anyway, a habit left over from his stick shift days. I may have given him a little lecture ;-) Now, we wait for at least a few months to see if it actually fixed the problems.

I had a wonderfully restful visit with my oldest, dearest friend: we talked about books and movies and tv shows and watched the DNC together. We managed to pull together a core group of old teaching buddies as well for what we thought would be a couple hours of dessert and tea. Four hours later, we had covered every possible topic, solved all the world's problems and laughed a lot about it all! Old friends are the best.

It as also fun to be with Mom and Dad. I got Mom started on card making and we spent some time working with her manual cutter. The weather was lovely so we took a picnic to a local park, one of our favorite things to do. I took a long walk around the lake while they relaxed and read and relaxed.

I arrived home the day before my first class at University of Richmond. I was mostly prepared so no panic, just the inevitable sadness of going back to work however easy and however much I love it. I have a small group--just five students--and I think it will go just fine.

I did so some reading in the past two weeks including The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, which was just perfect for vacation. I also listened to two more Guido Brunetti mysteries and am close to finishing the series, one of my new goals for the fall.

Happy meteorological Autumn! My favorite time of year: it cooled off finally and we have flung open the windows and doors to the sweet smells and lovely breezes.

63witchyrichy
Sep 7, 5:36 pm

Not sure what happened to my reading in August. I travelled and am still working on a history of bookstores. The Sword of Shannara also took a bit of time, and I needed to get a few things done before my trip to Pennsylvania.

But...I have reached the 75 books milestone for this year!

64vancouverdeb
Sep 9, 1:32 am

Congratulations on reading 75 books so soon, Karen! I'm glad your dad's surgery went well, and that back to school for your is going well too. I am enjoying the slightly cooler weather here. I'm not keen on the shorter days ahead, but what can you do ? My son on the other hand said - October OverCast Skies - bring it on! I guess he has had enough of the heat.

65BLBera
Sep 9, 12:59 pm

Congratulations on reaching 75, Karen. That is good news about your dad's surgery.

I hope you have a good semester.

66drneutron
Sep 10, 11:57 am

Congrats on hitting 75!

67atozgrl
Sep 10, 5:48 pm

>63 witchyrichy: Congratulations on 75! I'm glad to hear the news is good on your father's surgery, and I hope it fixes everything.

68Storeetllr
Sep 11, 2:04 pm

Yay for reaching the 75-books-read goal! And yay that your father’s surgery went well. Oh, and yay for the lovely cooler weather of autumn.

69witchyrichy
Sep 14, 1:09 pm

>64 vancouverdeb: >65 BLBera: >66 drneutron: >67 atozgrl: >68 Storeetllr: Thanks for the good wishes on my dad and reaching my reading goal.

70witchyrichy
Sep 14, 1:12 pm

>64 vancouverdeb: I am a huge fan of the fall especially after the miserable summer we endured. I must seem really bad for you northwesters! We are back to sitting on our outdoor porch and letting the windows open for the fresh air.

71witchyrichy
Edited: Sep 14, 2:03 pm

The weeks seem to be whizzing by! Getting back to regular work has been a little bit of a challenge. It may be time to think about retiring completely. But, for now, I'm enjoying teaching and doing instructional design and training for my nonprofit client.

I am working my way through the annotated version of The Phantom Tollbooth, one of my all-time favorite books. Fascinating connections to both Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer along with historical and popular references. I am not sure I picked up any of them when I first read the book; I just found it an amazing fantasy about words and numbers, and enjoyed all the word play.

I am listening to Transient Desires, a recent Donna Leon Brunetti mystery. I have been trying to get out for a morning walk now that the weather has cooled. I miss having a dog on a leash but it means I get around the property in 20 minutes flat rather than the 30 or 40 minutes it took when we had to stop to smell and piddle and alert.

Finally, I started the second book the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, All the Queen's Men by S.J. Bennett. It has been lurking on my Kindle for awhile and I have the third one as well. There are five in all. Really trying to get through some of these series.

72witchyrichy
Edited: Sep 18, 9:25 am

Hmmm...my RLBG is reading The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. I know I read it. I added it to my Bingo card but didn't seem to add it to the monthly reading lists. So, I was always one book behind (and maybe more, who knows??). I discovered it when I went looking for my review.

I do remember liking it: a mysterious reading list appears various places and leads the characters to a new understanding of life.

I try not to be too bothered by the gaps like this: life happens and it would be good to enter the books as I read them rather than trying to get caught up.

73witchyrichy
Edited: Sep 14, 2:03 pm



I loved The Sword of Shannara. It was a perfect summer vacation read. The storyline reads very much like Lord of the Rings: a magical person arrives in a village to claim a local boy for an epic adventure to save the world. A group of travelers come together, including the boy's brother and best friend, and make their way through grave dangers. There is death and love and treachery. Brooks pulls the reader in and never lets go: we are placed in the various locations with detailed descriptions and we also get glimpses into the minds of the various characters.

Just read the Wikipedia entry and Brooks has admitted to being influenced by Tokien. There are numerous books and I may at least try to finish the original trilogy.

74witchyrichy
Edited: Oct 6, 1:19 pm

An omnibus review of August/September reading:

Two Donna Leon Guido Brunetti mysteries: Unto Us A Son is Given and Trace Elements. I listened to both of them and, as usual, enjoyed the experience. The themes have become somewhat redundant, with the environment of particular concern, but Leon still manages to surprise me with the mystery and delight me with Venice.

The Guardian Wolf and The Shadow Wolf are the second and third books in a children's series by Greg Lilly. They are set in Abingdon, Virginia, and were featured in the annual Highland Arts Festival. Easy to read with good themes and would be a great accompaniment to a family visit to Abingdon.

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley was a rolicking tale of a woman claiming her independence from her domineering brother by buying a book cart pulled by a horse named Parnassus. Just great fun by the author of The Haunted Bookshop, which I also read this year.

75Storeetllr
Sep 21, 1:01 pm

Happy Saturday, Karen! I’ve never read the Brooks series. I think it was because I loved LOTR so much, I knew no other similar fantasy could reach those heights. Now, I could probably read Shannara, except I’m no longer “into” high fantasy but prefer urban fantasy. Glad you’re enjoying it!

76witchyrichy
Sep 30, 4:13 pm

>75 Storeetllr: I loved LOTR so it was hard not to make comparisons. But it allowed me to escape into another world where I was sure good would triumph.

77PaulCranswick
Oct 3, 1:11 am

>73 witchyrichy: It is odd, I think that I always profess not to like sci-fi and fantasy but always have LOTR in any list of my favourite books.

78witchyrichy
Oct 6, 1:16 pm

>77 PaulCranswick: It is a rousing adventure story at its heart. Plus, hobbits!

79witchyrichy
Edited: Oct 7, 10:01 am

My reading has slowed down a bit this fall: I am busy with teaching, doing some nonprofit work and making Halloween and Thanksgiving cards.

I am also, after 14 years of living in here, suddenly involved in the community. It started with joining the Legends exercise class that meets three days a week: strength training and balance work with a group of "older" women. At 62, I am probably one of the youngest in the room.

Through that, I was invited to join a hand bell choir at the local church. It is non denominational: we meet at a United Methodist church but there are Catholics and Baptists among the group and no one asked me to declare my affiliation. We practice on Wednesday evenings and early Sunday mornings. I am a lapsed United Methodist and am not sure I wish to unlapse (?) quite yet so happy I can make music without pressure.

I have been offered a part-time, salaried position at Old Dominion University starting next year, teaching in their online Master's of Library Science department after being recommended by a colleague at the university for whom I taught as an adjunct over the years. Evidently, people are leaving the classroom for the library and their program is booming. They have two courses that are perfect for me: STEM and open education resources. The courses are asynchronous so I never have to hold a live class. Mostly remind and grade and interact with individuals. I am looking forward to it.

Bob is busy with farmhouse upgrades: our electricity is getting fixed and that means we can also have HVAC. All happening in the next month or so. He is also busy power washing and painting and has been cleaning out the farm buildings. The place is really coming together.

We also finally connected to broadband from the local cable company. It took all of a few days, which after 14 years of being denied, is a bit annoying. I guess enough new houses were built that they felt they could afford to expand to our street. It has been wonderful after dealing with DSL and data for all these years!

I plan to spend the afternoon reviewing books, updating some book lists and the analog book journal I bought. I have been printing out miniature book covers and gluing them into the journal. Then, I plan to settle in with Richard Osman's new book, We Solve Murders. I am loving it! It reminds me a bit of Carl Hiassen with quirky characters and evil but somewhat daft bad guys.

80witchyrichy
Edited: Oct 6, 2:35 pm



The Bingo card called for a book about twins. I ended up with The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand, a perfect summer reading book. Two sisters--identical twins--were separated in their childhoods when their hopelessly mismatched parents divorced. And, in the divorce, they each got either Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. Hilderbrand tells a good story, and I was absorbed into their lives as the sisters are forced together. The story includes three generations with the Boston Brahmin matriarch presiding over her daughters and her granddaughter.

81witchyrichy
Oct 6, 2:35 pm



I loved The Phantom Tollbooth when I was a kid. I know I reread it as an adult when I started teaching middle school. Such a whimsical exploration of language and life. It left me longing for my own little car and tollbooth.

So, when the Bingo card commanded that I reread a favorite book, I picked Norton Juster's book of Milo and Toc and their adventure. I decided to read the annotated version by Leonard S. Marcus. There was my familiar old story with just wonderful insights into the story itself as well as how Juster and Jules Feiffer, the illustrator, created the classic book.

82vancouverdeb
Edited: Oct 7, 1:41 am

I loved the Phantom Tollbooth as kid too. I recently watched a Netflix movie that was a adaptation of The Perfect Couple. It was kind of fun to watch. I've yet to read a book by the author though.

83witchyrichy
Oct 7, 10:01 am

>82 vancouverdeb: They are fluffy reads and you know you are going to get a happy ending. The Hallmark Movies of books.

84atozgrl
Oct 7, 12:56 pm

>79 witchyrichy: The part-time job sounds great, Karen, congratulations! And I'm also glad to hear that you now have broadband. It's hard to imagine people still being stuck on DSL at this late date, but I guess there are lots of folks in rural areas still dealing with that.

You do sound very busy! I hope it is all fun.

85BLBera
Oct 8, 11:19 am

Hi Karen: You sound like you are unretiring. :) I will look for the annotated version of The Phantom Tollbooth; it sounds like it would be a fun way to reread it.

86witchyrichy
Oct 8, 1:27 pm

>84 atozgrl: It is perfect for me...keep my finger in the ed tech world without having to venture from home. With elderly parents, I want to be able to pick up and go to Pennsylvania whenever I want or need to.

>85 BLBera: It was an offer that was too good to refuse! Teach already developed courses from home without ever having to jump on Zoom? Again, just perfect for me.

87figsfromthistle
Oct 9, 9:57 am

Congrats on reading 75 books!

88karenmarie
Oct 12, 9:15 am

Hi Karen!

>62 witchyrichy: I’m glad your dad has had almost no pain. I was lucky enough to have immediate and permanent relief from my carpal tunnel symptoms when I had the surgery on my left hand in 2006. I did have nerve pain as things knit over the following year and my arm was weak, but one day I woke up and realized pain was gone and my arm was not weak any more.

>63 witchyrichy: Congrats on reaching 75!

>80 witchyrichy: Wow, so many good things going on.

Jenna was asked to join the hand bell choir when she was at Pfeiffer University. Her instrument is trombone, but they needed someone and she was happy to join and really loved it.

Yay for electrical upgrades that allow for HVAC. Congrats on broadband, too.

89PaulCranswick
Oct 20, 9:55 pm

>79 witchyrichy: Good for you, Karen. I am sure that a part-time position like that is perfect.

90witchyrichy
Edited: Nov 5, 2:52 pm

>87 figsfromthistle: Thanks!

>88 karenmarie: Thanks for stopping by. Glad someone is keeping my thread warm!

>89 PaulCranswick: Thanks! Teaching is an excuse to keep in touch with the field and being able to do it online means I can live in my rural paradise but stay connected.

91witchyrichy
Nov 5, 3:11 pm

October slipped by! I worked hard for the first three weeks so I could enjoy a long, leisurely visit with my family and friends. For the first time in a very long time, I did not travel with a laptop and mostly stayed away from email and social media.

I had a wonderful visit in Pennsylvania. I started with my parents. My dad and I solved all the problems of the world. My mom and I enjoyed making holiday cards together. My sister even managed to get away for a day and came for lunch and a bit of shopping at our favorite farmer's market.

From there, I went to stay with one of my oldest dearest friends. It was a short visit but full of old friends. I was able to get there for the monthly book club that includes a dozen women I taught with over 32 years ago. We celebrated birthdays, ate great Italian food and had some discussion of The Frozen River, which we all enjoyed. Then a smaller group went to see...wait for it...Louise Penny! She was wonderful: funny, keenly smart, just lovely. We received a copy of The Grey Wolf and I am saving it for some free time on the calendar when I can curl up and read.

I enjoyed my trip but was happy to have the weekend at home to get unpacked and settled in. Time to update the reading list.

92AMQS
Nov 19, 11:09 pm

Hi Karen, you have a lot going on! I LOVE The Phantom Tollbooth and I love that it is as wonderful now as all of the other times I have read it. Not all books stand up to the test of time.

How wonderful that you are so involved in your community - that's good for everyone. And teaching a library class - congratulations! I'm not surprised to hear about teachers leaving. I hope the new teacher librarians know what they are in for - it's not how it used to be, and it's a job constantly on the chopping block when budgets get tight and school board leanings shift. Still, I wouldn't want to be anything else.

93witchyrichy
Edited: Nov 25, 4:00 pm

>92 AMQS: I thought of you immediately when I was offered the position as you are doing so much with STEM in your library.

94witchyrichy
Nov 25, 4:27 pm

Another three weeks have flown by! The handbell choir played for two different church services. Bob and I took a quick trip to the Shenandoah Valley just to get away from the farm for a few days. We explored the back roads and small towns, which includes lots of Civil War history, and met an old friend for lunch. My road trip read was Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. This memoir explores how the Civil War and its aftermath continue to influence both Southern and Northern attitudes, even into the 21st century.

The semester is almost over, and I finished a major contract for a client. I am not quite done: one more class, a couple sessions at a conference, and a poster session at the local elementary school STEM night. All of them just need updated and don't take place until the second week of December. So, I am taking a few days off.

We do Thanksgiving with some friends. I am going to make Waldorf salad and bake a few desserts. They are gluten free, and I am excited to experiment. I am making an almond cake with apple chia seed jam, sweet potato bars with oatmeal crust, and cinnamon apple pop tarts. (I know I am getting carried away but it *is* Thanksgiving and we have local apples and sweet potatoes.) I am going to King Arthur Flour's gluten free substitute flour for the apple tarts. The other two are naturally gluten free.

I have been reading, mostly early reviewer books, as I received four (!) of them this month. Just about done with the last one. Delphi is the second in a series so I read Dancing the Labyrinth first.

For some reason, perhaps pre-election and post-election anxiety, I have been collecting chick lit Christmas books, mostly purchased at various Targets when I stop on road trips. The new installment of the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series by Jacqueline Frost appeared in my Kindle library. The anomaly is the new Ken Follett book--Whiteout--which does take place on Christmas Eve but is a thriller rather than a cozy. But it will be a good escape.

I have been blogging pretty regularly: Link to In Another Place Blog

95witchyrichy
Nov 25, 5:55 pm

So...in adding recent books, I realize I never entered the Jodi Taylor books I read this year. I started the Chronicles of St. Mary's series last year with the first one and then binge read the next four of them at some point this year, probably this summer. I admire those of you who seriously track your books and your reading. I have good intentions.

Meanwhile, I loved the series! I have the next one ready to go as well as a few of the holiday short stories that I bought in a recent Kindle sale.

And, suddenly I am at almost 100 books!

96atozgrl
Nov 26, 4:37 pm

>94 witchyrichy: Robert E. Lee and Me sounds interesting. I may have to pick up a copy of that one.

It sounds like you have been very busy lately. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I hope your dessert baking experiments all turn out well!

97AMQS
Nov 26, 9:21 pm

I love it! If you ever need to talk to a librarian in the wild, let me know. My official position is Digital Teacher Librarian. There's a definite pushback against technology and toward books. Not that tech is going away, but there needs to be a balance. But anymore tech is necessary to keep our jobs. No one else has time to keep up with it (we don't either, but that's another battle).

Chick lit Christmas books sound just about perfect for these times. My reading has decidedly shifted lighter since the beginning of the pandemic.

98witchyrichy
Nov 28, 8:29 am

>97 AMQS: Thanks for the offer! I will probably take you up on it: the course is asynchronous but it would be fun to have us record a conversation to share with them. I am still waiting on getting access to the courses.

99witchyrichy
Nov 28, 8:31 am

>96 atozgrl: Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! I was actually busier than I want to be this fall so am going more careful about making commitments in the new year.

100karenmarie
Nov 28, 8:50 am

Hi Karen! Happy Thanksgiving to you. I hope your day with your friends and dessert experiments is perfect.

>91 witchyrichy: Your visit in PA sounds wonderful.

>94 witchyrichy: Gads, a BB on Thanksgiving! Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause is ordered and will arrive on December 6th.

Four ER books. I’m amazed. I don't dare even try for any these days. I'm embarrassed to say that I have 9 of 45 that I haven't read or reviewed. Perhaps a New Year's Resolution to read and review them all?

>99 witchyrichy: I hope you can keep your commitments to a level that makes you happy. I’m happy with just volunteering with the Friends of the Library. Keeps me busy AND gets me access to books for my Library. *smile*

101Storeetllr
Nov 28, 10:31 am

Happy Thanksgiving to you and Bob, Karen! Enjoy your dinner with your friends. Good food and good friends is what it’s all about!

102PaulCranswick
Nov 29, 7:44 am

Karen I just wanted to express my gratitude for your friendship in the group. Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

103witchyrichy
Dec 4, 10:25 am

>100 karenmarie: Thanks for stopping by! Always nice to hear from you. A nice compliment to the Robert E. Lee memoir would be Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green. Green grew up during massive resistance and attended the segregation academy, similarly to Seidule. She has to reckon with the knowledge that her grandfather was the leader of the anti-Brown vs. Board group.

Virginians are very proud people, in my experience, and many are not aware that the state may not be deep south but it is deeply southern at its core, especially once you get outside the beltway.

104witchyrichy
Dec 4, 10:27 am

>101 Storeetllr: So, we ended up staying home as Bob got a cold which he kindly shared with me! I am at the very yucky stage right now and grateful to have the week at home. Sunday, the annual tech conference begins, and I am scheduled to do a couple presentations.

105witchyrichy
Dec 4, 10:27 am

>102 PaulCranswick: Thanks! I haven't been very attentive lately but I am so grateful for this group!

106witchyrichy
Dec 4, 10:33 am

The Art of a Butterfly by Jo Priestley was provided to me as an early reviewer book in exchange for an honest review. And, honestly, I enjoyed it. The book is part of Priestley's Women of Old Yorkshire and told the story of a long, loving marriage with all the wonder and joy and heartache and sorrow that comes along with such a union. Lawrence and Constance weather challenges as Constance, especially, must learn to be a confident, independent woman if she hopes to keep her world and her marriage together. I really enjoyed the book and plan to pursue the others in the series.

107witchyrichy
Edited: Dec 4, 10:54 am

I requested Auntie D's Recipes by Danielle Ackley-McPhail because I have been in funk over what to cook for dinner these days. I was not disappointed in this great collection of recipes. As the description suggests, the recipes range from easy to more challenging, but I was able to make several of the recipes with household staples. I am looking forward to digging into some of the more complicated recipes this winter. I also liked the way she grouped recipes, with suggestions for sides to accompany the entrees. I think Danielle's collection will go a long way to reigniting my joy of cooking!

I received an early reviewer copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

108witchyrichy
Dec 4, 11:09 am

I seem to be on a bit of a "feminist" reading binge and Karen Martin's books fit right in. I received an early reviewer copy of Delphi in exchange for an honest review. When I discovered it was the second in a series, I decided to start with Dancing the Labyrinth. The books follow a young woman named Cressida as she escapes to Crete after suffering trauma and loss in England. As she explores the local caves, she falls into a trance brought on by a panic attic and is transported back in time to the ancient Minoan civilization where she learns how women fought to save their religion from men. As we move into the second book, Cressida must confront her past when her estranged aunt appears with an offer. Through both stories, she is supported by Angela, a local archaeologist who helps Cressida understand her discoveries. The books is dual time so we move from present to ancient past.

I enjoyed it although I did find Cressida frustrating at times with her dithering. She comes out stronger in the end, however, and we are given insight into how she processes her own traumatic upbringing to become a better parent to her two children.

Martin has a third book in her Women Unveiled series that tells the story of Sara, the daughter of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It also involves dual timelines but sounds interesting.

109witchyrichy
Dec 4, 11:18 am

I received an early reviewer copy of Green Forest, Red Earth, Blue Sea by Jim Gulledge in return for an honest review.

Gulledge uses a pocket watch as the connection between the generations. Set in the wilds of western North Carolina, we move from Reconstruction to modern day through the every day lives and loves of the characters. They are as complex as the landscape and struggle to find their way in the world. The stories are compelling and I can imagine families gathered around the fire telling and retelling them with the twists and turns. An excellent read!

110witchyrichy
Dec 17, 10:07 am

Bob and I are both finally recovering from the upper respiratory whatever that has evidently been going around. We ended up at the doctor for a round of antibiotics and then just hunkered down for the past two weeks. I had to skip the technology conference completely. But, we are fortunate, as it has turned into pneumonia for some people. We are planning a trip to see my parents for Christmas and want to be well so we continue to rest. I did get gifts wrapped and in the mail, and Bob is getting the last of my handmade cards to the post office today. I'll post a few pictures later.

I was able to read and the light holiday related romcoms I had picked up at Target this fall were just perfect. I don't know that they warrant their own reviews so here is the quick list:

One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery takes us along with the extended Parker family to their cabin for Christmas. The matriarch had other plans with her new younger man but her children want to honor the memory of their late father with the annual tradition. The guest grows in weird ways until they are just one big happy family. Heartwarming holiday fun.

Bright Lights Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews takes place mainly in New York as Kerry and her grumpy older brother Murphy set up their family's annual Christmas tree stand in the heart of the West Village. We get glimpses of the North Carolina tree farm where her mother tends to their father, her ex-husband, just home from the hospital and unable to make the trip. She is, of course, just out of a job and a relationship and pretty quickly meets Patrick and his son, Austin, with whom she bonds over creating a picture book together. There is a lovely subplot involving an elderly neighbor, also an artist, that gives this some more complexity.

The two above were tame in terms of sex and then there is How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn, a laugh out loud story of love, lust and competition in Kringletown where Santa lives and it is Christmas all year round. But at Christmas, they go all out with a competition to be town Kringle. That's where our lovers come in: Storee and Cole were friends who lost touch, and now she's back to take care of her aunt who insists she enter the Kringle contest. Cole, meanwhile, has little interest in the holiday after suffering his own trauma but enters the contest just to annoy her. From there, you could write the rest of it with one minor surprise at the end. The main surprise to me was the very raunchy sex. And right there on the shelf at Target for anyone to pick up!

If you are looking for light and easy, I can recommend any of these.

111witchyrichy
Dec 17, 10:15 am

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill is one of my favorite books of the year. Just a stunning story that I am still not quite sure how to describe. It left me wishing women were dragons. But I also found myself in Alex who lives through it all and becomes the old lady with the chickens who is the "one sensible thing in a senseless world." I was reminded a bit of Lesson in Chemistry with the feminist themes but Barnhill's use of the supernatural in such a natural way gave this book a different tone.

112witchyrichy
Dec 20, 10:27 am

I adored Cape Cod by William Martin: we follow the lives of four fictional families whose fate intertwines one the decks of the Mayflower and the shores of the Cape. We move on two timelines: historic and contemporary, as Geoff Hilyard hunts for a family treasure that has always promised to give them power over the more prosperous Bigelow family. Martin clearly loves both the land and the people of the Cape and traces its highs and lows. Development and displacement of native peoples are important themes, and the book opens with the two modern characters--starcrossed lovers from the feuding families--stuck in a traffic jam.

The characters connect with historical figures from William Bradford and Henry David Thoreau (who famously predicts the overdevelopment) to Henry Fonda and John F. Kennedy. The hunt for the treasure draws some shady characters and the book moves from historical fiction to action adventure almost seamlessly.

I have had Sandwich on my Kindle for awhile so may read it sooner rather than later to keep the Cape Cod theme going. Newman's book showed up on some year end book list. And, somewhere in the library is a copy of Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau.

113johnsimpson
Dec 24, 4:52 pm

114AMQS
Dec 24, 5:31 pm

I am glad you are feeling better!

Winslow and all of us wish you a very happy holidays!

115PaulCranswick
Dec 25, 10:59 am



Thinking of you at this time, Karen.

116witchyrichy
Dec 27, 6:10 pm

>113 johnsimpson: >114 AMQS: >115 PaulCranswick: Thank you for your wonderful wishes! I have been mostly offline since December 23, enjoying down time with Bob and my parents.

117Storeetllr
Dec 27, 9:06 pm

Happy holidays, Karen! Enjoy your down time!