Holly Blues by Susan Wittig Albert

This is the newest book in the China Bayles mystery series. It was just as solid as the former books. I like Albert's writing. I feel like her books are a little "higher class" mysteries, not just your run of the mill, milk a series for all it is worth type of mystery.

I love consistency in an author. That doesn't mean they can't try something new--I just like to know that I'll enjoy whatever they put out. In fact, variety is the spice of life. Freshness in an author is what keeps me reading him/her.

State Fair by Earlene Fowler

I must say this book was a disappointment. I have really enjoyed reading this entire series (Benni Harper). I don't know what happened, but this one was blah, topped by too many pages on a soapbox.

The final third of the book was more up to par, but it was too little too late.

The last book of hers I read, Love Mercy, didn't really measure up either. I thought it was just because it was a different story. Who knows?

Needless to say, I will not purchase another of her books. There will only be a library trial from now on. If the next one doesn't work, I'm done.

Joy

Elizabeth, eating Austin's birthday cupcake:

Photos for this post and Austin's birthday courtesy of Audrey.

Happy Birthday Austin

In celebration of this day:

May 27, 2005

Ray and I and Trish drove west to Wendover to visit Austin on his fifth birthday. We all went to lunch at a local small but terrific Mexican restaurant. I've never had better chips in the state of Utah (and we were barely still inside the state here). We had so much fun! Joseph came over during his lunch hour so we were all together.

Matthew and Diane

Trish, Ray, Diane, Matthew

Audrey even brought a birthday cupcake. We all sang Happy Birthday,

Austin

Then Austin blew out his candles. (Five!!)

Just as he began to enjoy his cupcake, Elizabeth decided it should be hers. She left no doubt in anyone's mind about how she felt. Another post on that to come.

Here's the big five (when did that happen?) year old modeling a few of his gifts (shorts, shirt, belt).

I love this boy. He makes being a g'ma great!

Why not?

1. Why can't we choose the landscaping "settings" we have in life? Then we can click on the plants we want to have grow, and click off the weeds we don't want to have.

2. Why won't garden pests (i.e. deer and snails) eat the stuff I don't want instead of the stuff I do want? (I know you've heard this before).

3. Why do my neighbors' dandelions take to heart "be fruitful and multiply" in my yard and garden?

4. Why is there a jungle of weeds growing in my otherwise desert yard?

Yes, it's that time of year again. I must take machete in hand and get to work. It puts a damper on my spring (in more ways than one) and summer.

But it does feel good to be outside. Especially before it gets hot.

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

Delightful book. Jeannette Walls has a wonderful talent of taking on the voice of her characters.

The story is based on the real life of Jeannette's maternal grandmother. I would have loved to have known her grandmother!

Vashon Island Getaway

When I lived in Washington, my book group Crazy Ladies had little getaways once or twice a year. Now that I've moved, they try to plan a getaway about once a year when I come back, or other "move aways" come back. We've been to Victoria, BC three or four times, Leavenworth, WA three times, Lake Cavanaugh, WA a few times. This time we wanted something different. Tamara found us a place on Vashon Island, WA. Vashon is a great location - just a ten minutes ferry ride from West Seattle, and the ferry runs about every twenty minutes. Easy on, easy off, and plenty of fun in between.

We met Thursday morning and our first stop was Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. One of the best things they have there are twice-baked almond croissants. Because I traveled so far to get there (from SLC), they gave me one of the lemoncello Parisian macaroons. Delicious!

From Bakery Nouveau it was just a two minute drive to the ferry, and we almost drove straight on to the ferry.

Once on Vashon we hunted for the bike in the tree - something Vashon is known for. Berkeley Breathed wrote a very fun children's book, Red Ranger Came Calling, that features this bike.

Legend has it that a young man leaned his bike against the tree, then was drafted into WWI. While he was gone, the tree grew around the bike, and the bike continued to grow higher as the tree grew. I have no idea how true that is.

Here we are: Tamara, Karen, Shelley, me, Marsha, Wendy

After the tree, we went to a quilt store on the island. It was one of the best quilt stores I've been in. We had too much fun, and spent too much money, but it was worth it.

Our getaways are about three things: friends, fun, and food. Mostly in that order, but not always. The first thing we did was establish a snack counter:

Marsha, Tamara, Karen, Shelley, Valerie

Then of course we had to partake:

Wendy, Marsha, Tamara, Karen, Shelley, Valerie

Our house was right on the beach. We went for a few walks. It was so beautiful. I got my water/ocean fix. It should last me a few months.

Wendy, Tamara, Karen, Valerie

The drain in the kitchen sink was backed up from the moment we got there. Shelley took it upon herself to take it apart and clean it out. It was quite a process, but the drain was completely blocked and she cleared it out.

Shelley and her plumber's helper, Marsha:

Games (Hand and Foot, Up the River Down the River, Hearts, Dice Town, Dominion, Rummikub, Dime Line dominoes) took up our time when we weren't eating or talking. Oh wait. We ate and talked while we played!

Melanie, Karen, Valerie, Shelley

Here's the view from our balcony:

Melanie, Diane, Karen

On the beach, looking back up toward the house:

Wendy, Tamara, Marsha, Shelley, Diane, Valerie, Karen

It was a sweet time together. Thanks girls!

Long May It Wave

I grew up in Port Hueneme, California. There is a Seabee base there (branch of the Navy), so I grew up with the military everywhere. I love and respect the sight of a soldier or sailor in uniform, and the American flag always gives me a little thrill.

This flag hangs over my parents' fireplace. Notice how it is faded, and worn at the edges?

My parents flew this flag outside every day that my nephew (their grandson) Josh was serving in Iraq. After he returned, they gave him the flag.

Josh is now serving a tour in Afghanistan. Last week he was home on his mid-tour leave. He had taken the flag with him to Afghanistan, then asked one of the pilots to take the flag with him on one of his missions. Josh returned the flag to my parents and told them it has flown on a mission in Afghanistan. The flag now hangs over the fireplace.

My parents are proud that their grandson serves our country. So am I.

Bandon, Oregon

My dad doesn't drive anymore, and we're not crazy about my mom driving long distances, or even on the freeway, to tell you the truth. But my dad wanted to see his brother, Ed. My uncle Ed lives in Bandon, Oregon, and it is not readily accessible via airport - plus my uncle Ed doesn't drive anymore either.

So I volunteered to drive with my dad to Bandon. Bandon is on the coast of Oregon in the southern half of the state. It is a very small town south of Coos Bay, and it is an absolutely breathtaking area. We drove south from Seattle past Eugene, OR, then cut over on highway 38 to the 101. All very pretty driving. We had perfect weather - sunny and warm, which is always a blessing here in the Northwest.

I hadn't seen my uncle since 1989. I have nothing but fond memories of Uncle Ed and Aunt Harriet. Aunt Harriet died a few years ago from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Now Uncle Ed lives alone a few miles outside of Bandon on five acres of wooded, natural land. Soooo pretty.

I remember my uncle Ed as a tall man, over six feet two, which is how tall my dad was in his prime. He has a deep voice that is always pleasant to hear. I learned that he was licensed to operate and run radio stations after WWII, and he also did the announcing. (They were small stations, and on his shift he pretty much took care of everything.) He has that kind of voice. He was an engineer by profession, but a musician by hobby. He sang for years in barbershop quartets, and even competed nationally. When they moved to Bandon 30 years ago he became involved in their local drama organization, and was the musical director for their productions for over 25 years. He also led his church choir for over 18 years.

Uncle Ed is now severely stooped, walks with a cane or walker, and has extremely limited eyesight. But his mind is clear, and we had a delightful few hours with him. He and my dad reminisced (which I love) about their youth. Then we went to lunch together. One thing I really like about my uncle Ed, is his gentle, easy going manner. That is still the same. He has a very positive outlook on life.

Here is a picture of my dad's family-- Uncle Ed is the tall blonde boy in the back, the oldest. My dad is the boy in the center of the front row. He's the youngest boy but only three years separate them. My dad (79) and Ed (82) are the only surviving members of the family.

Here are the two brothers last weekend, my dad on the left, Uncle Ed on the right:

Look at that delightful smile. I'm so glad I got to have that time with him.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

This book is a work of biographical fiction, which made it very interesting to me. It's not at all quick moving. There is not a strong story line to it, just the story of the lives of Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot.

These two women, Mary Anning in particular, were pioneers in finding fossil remains along the coast of England. I can't imagine what an upheaval that was to society at the time (early to mid-1800's). To question why some of God's creatures no longer existed (did God make a mistake??) was not something you did lightly. This was pre-Darwin.

It was also fascinating to learn the process of how they hunted for and found the fossils, then removed them from where they were embedded.

I liked it.

Chevalier also wrote Girl with a Pearl Earring, which I also enjoyed (about the painting by Vermeer). She's written some others, some also based on historical events, and they look interesting also. A few more books to put on my list!

Drive-by Sighting

Last night my friend Marsha said her daughter asked her, "Is Diane Linford in town?" Marsha said yes I was. Katie replied, "I thought I saw her walking when I drove by".

I did go walking with my sister. Then I came home to my mom's and collapsed. Cheryl's walk is more like my jog - and I don't jog. We did a three mile route around the area. I walk three miles every day at home, but I thought 3.5 miles per hour was doing okay. Now I know better.

So this morning I was back to my usual routine - the same one I did when I lived here. I walk from my mom's up to Kamiakin Jr. High - where my kids all went to school. Then I walk the track. Lots of people think that is boring, but I think it is a beautiful view that changes with every season. Plus I listen to stuff on my little Shuffle. Right now I'm listening to The World's 100 Greatest People. So I learn a little while I walk. Today I heard about Freud, Marie Curie, and Albert Einstein.

But here is what I enjoy most about walking here:
This is the street leading out of my parents' neighborhood:

Here is the view around the track I walk:

Lastly, here is the tennis court where I watched all my children and my future son-in-law (unbeknownst to me then) play tennis:

It is delightful scenery to take my daily exercise in. At least when I'm back here visiting.

Top Notch Rest Areas

I'm talking about the Interstate 5 corridor through Washington and Oregon. I've made a few trips along that route over the years, and I have come to the conclusion that they are some of the best rest areas I have ever seen. Not only are the facilities that I've been to clean, the outdoor area surrounding them is beautiful. Here are a couple of snapshots I took last weekend:

One area we stopped at had rhododendron bushes forming a large hedge border all the way around the rest area (in Oregon).

I think I-5 there in the northwest is one of the prettiest highways around. Where else do you see 40 and 50 feet tall evergreens interspersed with 15 feet tall rhododendrons and my favorites, dogwoods, all along the way? I miss the green of the Pacific Northwest. The Utah mountains have their own beauty, but as I've said before, I thrive on water-based surroundings.

Last weekend I drove down I-5 with my dad (post to come on that). It reminded me of trips I made from Kirkland to Fairfield, California with my kids to visit their Clark cousins. Usually Ray couldn't come, so it was just me and the kids, traveling in our 1988 Chevy Astro Van. We soon had a routine: we listened to books on tape, including the Anne of Green Gables series, Black Beauty, and our favorite of all time Cheaper by the Dozen. We listened to Cheaper by the Dozen every trip. My kids can (and do) still quote lines from that book. It kept me awake and entertained while driving the 12 hours.

My favorite rest stop story is when Debby had recently learned to read. I told the kids to warn me as soon as they thought they might need to go to the bathroom, so that I could pull over at the next rest stop. Along I-5 rest stops come every 30 to 40 miles, so I felt pretty safe with that strategy. Debra took it upon herself to announce each rest stop, then ask if anyone wanted to go to the bathroom. I think we hit about 6 rest stops in a row. When I finally realized that I was passing the same semi again and again on the freeway, I told the kids they had to suffer if they had to go to the bathroom for the next two hours. That took care of stopping if not necessary.

I think that's where I learned to notice the rest stops along that freeway. To this day I laugh every time I think about how long it took me to catch on that everyone didn't really have to go to the bathroom that often.

Sometimes I caught on faster than other times.

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

I read this book several years ago, and read it again this week for a book group. I remembered well the feel of the book, but not a lot of the details, like the exact outcome of the book. So that made reading it again more enjoyable.

I admire Enger's talent for story telling. This is the kind of story you could sit around a campfire and listen to for hours on end. I like the way he drops subtle hints as to the future of some of the characters, as well as events in the story. He never wields a two by four. While there are some miraculous elements to the story it is firmly founded in reality--characters stay true to self, and events draw to their natural conclusion.

I wish I could weave a story like he does.

Thursday Workday

Trish and I quilted today.

After I put together two rows (about four feet long), I realized I had put them together backwards (a problem I often have - I'm a dyslexic quilter).

Alas, I didn't have my seam ripper!

Not this one, silly:

This one:

Audrey always remedies my mistakes (sewing and otherwise). But she wasn't here to take out that seam for me today. Instead she was hustling and bustling around her own place with Debby and Beth, getting things in order there.

I had to sacrifice and fix my own problem.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

I've been mulling this book over in my mind all day, trying to pinpoint exactly how I felt about it. I liked it. On the surface I liked it better than I do when I really sit and think about it. How's that for definitive?

Here's what I've decided: I liked the middle the best. The opening was fairly good, and I felt the end was a little inconsistent, but the middle is where I sat up and paid attention.

This is the story of how a four-year old girl finds herself stowed away on a ship from England bound for Australia. It skips around in time from the late 1800's to 2005. I like how Morton unfolds the story like a puzzle, not too hard for the reader to figure out, but hard enough to pique interest. That is one of the problems with the ending--suddenly the characters in the book figure out what happened, and it feels like they were miraculously given insight into the reader's mind to know some of the facts. Either that or I missed something somewhere.

Also, Frances Hodgson Burnett (she wrote The Secret Garden) appears over a few pages as a character, insinuating that Burnett was inspired for her book by the garden in the story of this book. I found that to be indulgent on Morton's part.

Bottom line: I liked the book enough to try another one that Morton wrote, The House at Riverton. We'll see how that one holds up.

What More Could a Mother Ask For?

Debra, Ray, Beth, Audrey

Color My World

Remember these?

I loved my 64 Crayola Crayons. I used them very carefully, so as to keep a point on them as long as possible - sharpening took a lot off, and I tried to preserve them as long as possible. I knew all the colors. I liked strong, vibrant colors, not the ones I considered "wimpy."

The last couple of weeks I realized I have a new favorite in the Crayola box. It has the perfect name, and it used to be one of the colors I disdained. Three weeks ago there were only bare branches in my yard. Now all the bushes are in leaf, and some of my trees have blossoms on them. I am reveling in the start of a new season, despite some late snow showers. So even though it means I will shortly be on my hands and knees, wielding my gardening tools, Spring has brought a new lift to my heart.

There it is--on the far left--my new favorite Crayola color.

Dancing for Degas by Kathryn Wagner

Written from the point of view of one of the dancers painted by Degas, this book is more about life in the Paris Opera Ballet during the late 1860s. I found it somewhat interesting, but certainly not compelling. The story line drags a little, and it was wrapped up much too conveniently at the end.

It is a work of fiction, but I was disappointed to learn in an interview with the author at the end of the book that some of the parts that I found interesting to learn about were not true: that ballerinas were all expected to become a mistress of a patron of the opera, or else be available as an "escort" if they were not. Turns out this happened sometimes, but not always. Also the parts she included to flesh out Degas' character were not true. Too bad, because I like learning a little more about real people and events in historical fiction.

Personally, rather than read this book, I would recommend either of Susan Vreeland's books, Girl in Hyacinth Blue, or The Luncheon of the Boating Party. I liked The Luncheon of the Boating Party much more than this book.

CSI: Sandy

This afternoon I investigated a homicide.

Something died in my fridge, and I had to get to the bottom of it. It turns out there was a serial killer.

I do not enjoy having my face that close to any part of my refrigerator, but its malodorous presence was seriously affecting my kitchen. I finally caved and cleaned it out today. It turns out some--well, I won't give you the gory details. It's clean, and all evidence is disposed of. Now I can stop burning candles and enter the kitchen without a clothes pin on my nose once again.

Oh happy day!

501 Must-Read Books

My friend Tamara brought this for me when she came to town last week. She knows how much I love to read and thought I would enjoy it.

The book lists 501 books that the reviewers feel are must-reads. They include the following categories: children's fiction, classic fiction, history, memoirs, modern fiction, science fiction, thrillers, and travel. There is a one page summary/review of each book.

It looks like a pretty fun resource. I've read 60 of the 501 recommended books already. That's just a tiny bit under 12%. Sometime when I've made it through the gigantic pile of books by my bed, I'll look at suggestions this book has to offer. Perhaps a couple of books in my pile might even be on this list...

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Major Pettigrew is a widower and retired Army officer living in a small village in England. Mrs. Ali is a widow who owns a local shop. The book is about their blossoming friendship and the family and village issues they are both dealing with, tossed together with cultural differences.

I found it a delightful read. I recommend it.

Midnight

The clock strikes midnight.

The sailing ship is once again an ordinary window seat:

The swords and lasers revert back to train tracks:

The farms and bridges return to simple building blocks:

The pirate ship is back to a gently swinging hammock:

Not even a glass slipper left on the stairs:

The Hanks' have moved to Wendover. They have their own place, and it is happily ever after for them.

But this is one lonely g'ma, left alone.