I LIKe Thursday ~. Scents and Smells!

Welcome to I LIKE Thursday, hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color! LeeAnna gave us a prompt for today!


"make a list of some of your favorite smells.... scents...


Lilacs in the yard. But not too close. I can’t have them indoors. Although my brain likes the smell, my sinuses do not!

Stargazer Lilies - my sister’s favorite and their scent reminds me of her.

Bath and Body Works.   White Citrus. 

It’s now retired and availability online only! Not sure for how long, I should probably order  5-6

Fresh Lime on/in anything makes me happy! 

Fresh cut lumber. Pine or oak especially. And campfires too! 

Snuggle fabric softener. I used to notice that smell while riding on the back of our motorcycle. I could always tell if there was a laundromat close by! 

In searching for an image to share, I came across the description of the scent of the original blue sparkle. It’s white floral and citrus! That makes sense!

Old Spice After Shave. Especially on Mr Busy! It’s an old fashioned smell, but one I really like! 

I’m listening to the last of Watership Down and was tickled to see this rabbit hop across the yard. We have several rabbit families that live down the lane. 

When I was at the library last week I asked it I could take a picture of one of their displays. 

Our library is going through some big internal and administrative changes, but I hope they never change this kind of thing! 

Mr Busy and I have found a new favorite dill pickle slice. It comes in a plastic tub and is sold in the fresh cooler section. In our store, near the Claussen pickles and brats and lunch meat..

There was lots of dill sprigs, slices of garlic and a grape leaf! Really yummy! 

I’ve probably rambled enough today!  Check out the list of I Like Thursday participants on LeeAnnas blog, Not Afraid of Color

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy and Hopeful!

RSC20 Deep Blue Week 2

This week I finished my bed jacket on  Wednesday the 8th. You can see it on my Finished or Not Finished post here 

I,  then finished one more hollow nine patches, selected and cut fabric for 2 Geese Migration blocks.  One is finished and on the design wall and one is still in construction.

  Also on the design wall are 2   4.5 inch unfinished samples of Bonnie Hunter's new Leader and Ender project for this year. It's called Easy Breezy. Those are tiny. Not sure how many I'll do. I have pieces cut for 10 more. 

I also read a book this week. I finished, Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It's not a new book. It was published in 2005. It's sometimes stark and raw. But well written,  I think. A different perspective on the atrocities of WWII.  I gave it 4/5 stars. 

I'm linking up with Angela at Super Scrappy

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy

Please, please, please wear a mask!  We have got to help each other and get this virus under control. I have family in two of the "hot zones". Arizona and Florida!  

Book Review : Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb

Immortal in Death

J.D. Robb

1996 Berkley Publishing

Pandora, a top model and a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. In this 3rd installment of the "In Death" series by Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb, we learn more about Lt Eve Dallas and her life before becoming one of the top detectives in New York City in the year 2058. Eve is planning a wedding to Roarke, one of the richest, if not the richest, man in their world. And she doesn't like all the "pomp and circumstance" that is expected, like who cares about flowers and seating arrangements.  That added to the fact that there has been another murder and she is the primary on the case. Now factor in that the victim is a top model and the suspect is Eve's best friend, Mavis.

Robb takes us on twist and turns and this suspense/murder mystery/ romance unfolds. I have enjoyed all 3 in the series so far and am looking forward to the next one, Rapture in Death.

Because there are 45 books in the series, I had better get busy. I was reluctant to start this series months ago. They are addictive.

The Quilter's Homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Quilter's Homecoming is an Elm Creek Quilts story, #10 in the series. Elizabeth and Henry are newlyweds and are embarking on a wondrous adventure. Henry has invested his entire savings in a ranch in the Arboles Valley, north of Los Angeles. Elizabeth packs her precious wedding gifts in the Wedding Ring quilt her aunts and friends made for her. She dreams of sleeping under that special quilt for the rest of their married life in the house of Triumph Ranch.

Her dreams are broken as she and Henry learn that have been swindled out of their money and the deed they hold is worthless. With no resources to return home to Pennsylvania, their pride forces them to take jobs with the family that really does own the ranch they had hoped to own. Henry struggles, but Elizabeth, showing true Bergstrom family resilience, vows to make the best of the situation. As she deals with being a hired hand and living in less than meager surroundings, she takes a found quilt in hand and begins to sew her story into the worn bed covering.

As she becomes more and more familiar with the neighbors and the family they work for, Elizabeth befriends a young mother, Sophia Barclay. Henry is given more and more responsibility on the Lundstrom farm and their life in California becomes the life they had hoped for, just not in the way they had originally envisioned.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?  is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. Share what you are reading, what you read recently or what you hope to get to in the coming week and then link up with Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great place to see what is going on in the blogosphere and to add to your reading lists.

I am really into this story now. Willa Chance just keeps getting into trouble. And Sheriff Eddie Striker seems to be there at every turn. Who will find out first, who killed Lavinia.

I have just started this library book.  I know I will enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed the ones that preceded it. 


I have this in the audio version and I am listening to it as I get my early morning steps in walking around our neighborhood and while stitching on a couple of recent projects. Multi-tasking is something that gives me a chance to do two things I enjoy or at the least to get into a story as I get some exercise
. 

I am loving the narrator in this one. Very engaging. 


Have you read any of these books?  Happy 4th of July to my American friends and Happy 1st week of July to others. We are still waiting for the new addition to our family. Mama is so ready to be "not pregnant".  Baby is just taking her time deciding to arrive. 


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Review: Broad Influence by Jay Newton-Small

GOODREADS:

2016 will be one of the most historic years in politics: It marks the potential for the first female President of the United States, and the 100th anniversary of the first woman elected to Congress. Additionally, in 2016, single women will be one of the most pivotal voting groups heading into the general election, being courted by both Democrats and Republicans.

At the centennial of the first woman elected to Congress (which was three years before women legally earned the right to vote), their presence and influence in Washington has reached a tipping point that affects not only the inner workings of the Federal Government, but also directly influences how Americans live and work.

Never before have women been represented in such great numbers in the Supreme Court, both chambers of Congress, and in the West Wing. In Broad Influence , Jay Newton-Small, one of the nation's most deeply respected and sourced journalists takes readers through the corridors of Washington D.C., the offices and hallways of Capital Hill and everywhere else conversations and deals are happening to demonstrate how women are reaching across the aisles, coalescing, and affecting lasting change.

With deep, exclusive and behind-closed-doors reporting and interviews, including conversations with Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Mikulski, Kirsten Gillibrand, Valerie Jarrett, Sarah Palin, Kelly Ayotte, Cathy McMorris Rogers and dozens of other former and current senators, representatives, senior White House staffers, governors and cabinet members, Broad Influence is an insightful look at how women are transforming government, politics, and the workforce, and how they are using that power shift to effect change throughout America. 

MY THOUGHTS:
Jay Newton-Small's parents met in Zambia, both U.N. professionals. Her mother spoke seven languages, graduated from Cambridge, Oxford and Columbia where she earned a degree in international law. The U.N. had a rule against U.N. couples marrying, but because her mother outranked her father at the time, and they wanted to keep her on, the rule was changed. And yet, her mother endured insults, being ignored, various sexual assaults, because she loved her work. 

This book is well researched and written by an obviously bright young woman. There are statistics and quotes to support her premise, but the book reads more like a novel. I recommend this book to all women who care about our role in the future of our country and indeed the world. She informs us of the role of women in other countries, Australia, England, Brazil and India. We must have critical mass in all sectors for us to be truly equal. Ms. Newton-Small encourages us with facts and opinions of the women shaping American today. Women are better at listening and striving for compromise. Women use words and logic instead of force and bravado.  I encourage you to read this book - whichever side of the aisle you support, or even if you reside in another country.  

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 27 June - Books and other stuff

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?  is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. Share what you are reading, what you read recently or what you hope to get to in the coming week and then link up with Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great place to see what is going on in the blogosphere and to add to your reading lists.


I am so disappointed in my reading lately. I can't seem to stay on task and finish a book in a reasonable time. I could blame it on the fact that the TV is always on in the living room, but I could go to the family room in the basement. I blame it on too much time spent looking at other blogs, but that is fun too. I could blame it on that I have other things I  do too, like quilt and not to be forgotten, cook and clean and laundry. "Sigh"

OK, whining over!!


This week I am still working on Broad Influence.

I have been learning a lot and enjoying the read. But waiting til bedtime to read is not working.



And I have not turned a page in Ghostly Paws

I did attend a Open Sew Day on Wednesday. It is a fund raiser for our local Quilt Show Steering Committee and because we (are on call waiting on our granddaughter's baby #2, I took just hand sewing. So if she called, I would not have to pack up a machine and all the paraphernalia that goes with sewing away from home. 

This morning there is a distinct smell of smoke in the air. There are several timber fires burning within a 90 mile radius of our small city. It is so dry this year and we got very little snow last winter. I feel so bad for those directly affected and pray for cooler weather and some rain.Thankful too that we have firefighters both local and state and federally funded, that have the means and the courage to battle these infernos. 

 Close up and far away. It is terrifying!  One family has lost everything.

 The rest of us have lost our beautiful vistas in our home state. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? June 13th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?  is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. Share what you are reading, what you read recently or what you hope to get to in the coming week and then link up with Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great place to see what is going on in the blogosphere and to add to your reading lists.

 Still working on this collection, the first in the group is Ghostly Paws by Leighann Dobbs. 

I will like it I am sure, if I can just pick up my Kindle and get to it. 

I am enjoying this one too. Although it is the 10th in the Dixie Hemingway series, it doesn't feel as though I have missed anything. Dixie tells her back story, or least parts of it, well enough that I do not feel lost at all. I am pretty sure I will gladly pick up the first several in this series. ( This one was won in a Giveaway at Cathy's blog, Kittling: Books.Thanks again Cathy)


Next I will select either:  Broad Influence by Jay Newton-Small,  one of my book club's summer selections

2016 will be one of the most historic years in politics: It marks the potential for the first female President of the United States, and the 100th anniversary of the first woman elected to Congress. Additionally, in 2016, single women will be one of the most pivotal voting groups heading into the general election, being courted by both Democrats and Republicans.

or The Quilter's Homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini, a series I started years ago and then let fall away. 

  

Hope your week is productive on the reading front and enjoyable too. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas

The Chili Queen

Sandra Dallas

Addie French's life hasn't been easy. But when she meets Emma Roby on the train to Nalgitas NM, she can't help but take this poor unsuspecting woman under her wing. Emma is going to Nalgitas to marry a man she has only corresponded with.  Addie is sure that Emma needs her help, and when the prospective groom fails to pick Emma up at the train depot, Addie takes her in at The Chili Queen, her brothel.   As their friendship develops or at least changes, secrets and schemes come to light. Each woman learns something about the other and the plot thickens. I wasn't completely surprised at the ending, and I enjoyed Ms. Dallas' writing. Her descriptive words take you to the desert barrenness of New Mexico and to the mountain towns of Colorado.  Although, Margot of Joyfully Retired           (commenting on my First Chapter First Paragraph post) was correct, I did not like the characters, Dallas did an awesome job telling us about each of them.

I am linking this review to What's In A Name 2016 challenge and Kathryn's Women's Fiction Reading Challenge. 



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Bossypants by Tina Fey What's In a Name 2016 challenge

Bossypants by Tina Fey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a big Tina Fey fan. I have been wanting to read this book since it was published. I enjoyed it very much. You need to know that it is like reading SNL. Her sense of humor is what makes this book so good. You will learn a bit about her life, a bit about her husband and daughter, but mostly you will learn about her work.


View all my reviews

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday 4-5-16 Bossypants

Every Tuesday is the day to share the first paragraph or two of a book you are reading or want to read soon. The event is hosted by Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea. Let's share!

Bossypants

Tina Fey

Little, Brown and Company  2011

For Jeanne Fey

Happy Mother's Day.  I made this out of macaroni for you.

Origin Story

My brother is eight years older than I am. I was a big surprise. A wonderful surprise, my mom would be quick to tell you. Although having a baby at forty is a commonplace fool's errand these days, back in 1970 it was pretty unheard-of. Women around my mom's office referred to her pregnancy as "Mrs. Fey and her change-of-life baby." When I was born I was fussed over and doted on, and my brother has always looked out for me like a third parent.


So what do you think? Would you continue?  Have you already read this one?  I am enjoying it. It is true Tina Fey humor. So be forewarned.


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday What Are You Reading is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. Share what you are reading, what you read recently or what you hope to get to in the coming week and then link up with Kathryn at Book Date. It is a great place to see what is going on in the blogosphere and to add to your reading lists.

On my nightstand:

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

I am enjoying this one so far. It is classic Tina Fey, a bit raunchy, a bit raw and a lot funny! I have been wanting to read this for some time and I will link review to :

Read a book with an article of clothing in the title. = BossyPANTS. 

On deck: 

Life may have been hard on Addie French, but when she meets friendless Emma Roby on a train, all her protective instincts emerge. Emma's brother is seeing her off to Nalgitas to marry a man she has never met. And Emma seems like a lost soul to Addie-someone who needs Addie's savvy and wary eye. It isn't often that Addie is drawn to anyone as a friend, but Emma seems different somehow. When Emma's prospective fails to show up at the train depot, Addie breaks all her principles to shelter the girl at her brothel, The Chili Queen. But once Emma enters Addie's life, the secrets that unfold and schemes that are hatched cause both women to question everything they thought they knew. With Sandra Dallas's trademark humor, charm, and pathos, The Chili Queen will satisfy anyone who has ever longed for happiness.

This one is another on my list of titles for What's In A Name 2016. Read a book with a country in the title. I thought I remembered the author's name, and when I picked it up from the shelf at the library, I realized I had read The Persian Pickle Club years ago. I am anxious to get started on this one too. 

I hope to finish both of these soon and get caught up on my reading goal. Hope you have some good reading coming up. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy