Bear Country Colorado

Our neighborhood Black Bear decided that spring was indeed in the air and arrived at our backyard at 4:30 am this past Tuesday morning, after being incommunicado since last October. He took down the bird feeders and feasted on bird seed, thankfully he spared the pole this time.

We knew that we had been living on borrowed time, so we brought the bird feeders in Tuesday night, as we do all summer and fall, but left the pole up. Here's the video of the fun that Bear had even though he could not believe that we didn't leave out the bird feeders for him to snack on during his Wednesday morning visit. 

This video is a compilation of 15 separate video segments that our game camera recorded over the 40 minutes he visited. Near the end, you can hear him going after the compost bin, which luckily was empty. We have subsequently moved that inside the garage along with trash and recycling.

If you don't want to watch the whole thing, make sure you fast forward to about 3:15, where Bear finds one of our dog's toys and plays with it!

The whole thing is both fascinating and unsettling. Apart from the potential destruction, we don't want Bear feeling right at home on our deck. I am vigilant about cleaning the kitchen every night, but I'm afraid he could still pick up food smells.

He returned once more this week, Thursday morning--4:30 am each time--but left as soon as he saw that there was no food to be had. Hopefully he has moved on and will leave us and our neighbors alone for the season.

A Spring in My Step

 Yes, I am obsessed with Spring. Now, with daylight savings time, I still struggle in the morning but am relishing the evening light. 

I have five flats started under grow lights--Roma tomatoes, Moneymaker tomatoes, cherry tomatoes jalapeno peppers, yellow bell peppers, ancho peppers, coleus, and viola. Everthing sprouted in less than a week. I love those Botanical Interests seeds! This weekend I plan to get the snapdragons, marigolds, impatiens, tomatillos, and anaheims started. Last year I put in my native (to my region in CO) flower garden, and things are starting to green up!

Now on to what I've been reading...

The Last Ranger, by Peter Heller

Ren is a park ranger in Yellowstone, working hard to keep the park, its fauna, and the people who love and study them safe from ruffians and those who want to exploit the land and its resources. I found the plot reasonably interesting, with lots of tension, and I loved learning about the ways of the wolf packs that have been gaining a foothold in the park. I liked reading about the life of a park ranger in one of the premier national parks, and one that I have visited several times and love. I don't love Heller, and I definitely am not interested in his dystopian stuff, but this was a good solid outdoor adventure novel. 

The Spy Coast (The Martini Club, #1), by Tess Gerritsen

Definitely a story inspired by the massive success of The Thursday Murder Club--the latter was published in 2020 and took off like a rocket, and The Spy Coast was published in 2023. Maybe I'm just cynical, but the premises of both are so similar. The Spy Coast is set in Maine and features a group of retired CIA spies who all live in the same village and have to dust off their spy skills when the past catches up with them. I'm not saying I didn't really enjoy the book and am looking forward to reading the second in the series. It has a good, interesting set of characters with a good, interesting plot. Appealing to us aging Baby Boomers is definitely a good idea!

The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters

Loved this book--also set in Maine. The story is narrated by two characters--a Native American girl/woman, kidnapped when she was five years old and raised by adoptive parents, and her brother, who was the last person to see her before she went missing. The two stories run parallel as the sister and brother live out their lives, struggling to figure out their place in the world. Reading about the treatment of Native Americans is rough, but I definitely feel I understand a bit more of how life was in Maine and maritime Canada in the mid/late 20th century. This is a debut novel, so I am eager to see what Peters writes next.

Death at the Sign of the Rook (Jackson Brody, #6), by Kate Atkinson

I just love Jackson Brody novels, and this one was such a treat to read. Jackson is his usual self-deprecating self, Reggie is there with all her baggage and snark and earnestness (which is a charming combination), and the premise is such fun. A murder mystery evening set at a dilapidated Downton Abbey-esque estate, with actual murders as well as stolen art (one of my favorite themes anyway) and goofy characters. Just so much fun!

The Annotated Emma, by Jane Austen with introduction and annotations by David Shapard

My JASNA regional book club decided to read Emma for our March book, so I decided to read the annotations by David Shapard while listening to an audio version. The older I got, the more I love Emma--she is just delightful to watch growing up. The annotations were pretty good--Shapard promised not to interpret but to try to illuminate details that a 21st reader might not get. He did a good job.

That's all for now, folks! Hope you are finding some great books that put a spring in your step as well.

Travelogue: Point Reyes National Seashore, Sonoma, and Benecia

Just returned from the land of color! Winter in Colorado is pretty monochromatic. Shades of brown occasionally interrupted by snow white under mostly crystal blue skies. Love the blue skies, but the brown gets old. 

Our annual trip to the Bay Area to visit our daughter and my brother means this color-starved Coloradan gets to feast on emerald-green hills, luscious yellow trees in full bloom, orange and lemon trees, azaleas, daffodils, and some wonderful ground cover that was thick with yellow flowers and seemed to be everywhere.

First stop was Sonoma--visiting in the off-season means that we could stay in a wonderful old venue, Seven Branches that is mostly used for weddings, with only six suites available. It was absolutely lovely--quiet and just a few blocks from the Plaza in one direction and less than a mile from my brother's house in the other.

Our day trip to Point Reyes National Seashore was absolutely glorious. Unseasonably warm--no jacket required--sunny with blue skies and a fresh breeze. The beautiful Victorian houses in Petaluma gave way to rolling green hills, tastefully decorated with cows from the many historic ranches along the winding road. I've only been to Ireland once, but the drive to Point Reyes made me feel like I was in Ireland, especially the dramatic cliffs that drop down to the sea.

We visited the Point Reyes lighthouse and climbed down and then up the 313 steps and drank in the ocean views the whole way. We also visited Drake's Beach to see the annual return of elephant seals for mating and birthing. The day before we were there (i.e., Feb 27), the blackboard announced that volunteers had counted over 1200 individuals. The population peaks at the end of January, so we were seeing the latter stages of the event.

Fun Fact: Drakes Beach is the generally agreed upon, most likely spot that Sir Francis Drake beached his ships for refurbishing during his circumnavigation of the globe in 1579. 

I try to stop in at bookstores in the places I visit, and this trip was no exception. I picked up The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters at Readers' Books in Sonoma, started it during the trip and finished it shortly after our return home. Great 4-star book--review coming soon.

I also stopped in at Bookshop Benecia where we went to visit one of California's early capital cities, and I bought a Vera Stanhope mystery by Ann Cleeves (The Darkest Evening), which I hope to get to soon.

Another Fun Fact: Benecia was one of the first incorporated cities in California. Named after Dona Benecia, wife of General Vallejo, founder of Sonoma and general bigwig in the area in the 1840s and 1850s, it was the state capital for a whopping 13 months before Sacramento was chosen as the permanent capital. It was also in Benecia, at a local tavern no less, that word got out that gold was found at Sutter's Mill, triggering the California Gold Rush.

Benecia Capital State Historic Park

As much as I love to travel, I love coming home. It was great to reintroduce color to my winter-weary senses, pick up some new books, and visit my brother and daughter.

Happy March!

Post-Holiday Reading Roundup - Wrist is on the Mend

I'm back, having graduated from a splint to a brace in just one week, and the doctor's orders to do whatever. "If it hurts, then don't do it!" So cooking, driving, typing are all back--not sure I can play the piano yet or sew, but so much happier to be doing instead of whining!

So, without further ado, I present to you...what I have been reading:

Making It So - Patrick Stewart's Memoir

Really enjoyed this. I have never watched Star Trek: The Next Generation, which catapulted him from a stock Shakespearean actor to a global celebrity, but it is now on my watch list. I particularly enjoyed hearing about Stewart's youth in Yorkshire--very poor, hardscrabble, with a rough father, but incredibly interesting. I loved hearing about his early days as an actor, going from school plays to a scholarship in Bristol to the dream job with the Royal Shakespearean Company. All the backstage, behind the scenes stuff reminded me of the Judi Dench memoir, which I also loved. And his "bromance" with Ian McKellen was simply wonderful. Despite his celebrity, Stewart seems to have maintained a practical, salt of the earth demeanor which made the memoir work for me. I listened to him read it, but I did have to up the speed to 1.5 as he talks slower than is comfortable for this listener.

Fun Fact: Did you know that one of Stewart's first TV roles was as Mr. John Thornton in a BBC adaptation of Elizabeth's Gaskell's North and South, from 1975? I thought the marvelous version with Richard Armitage was the one and only adaptation! Not sure that I necessarily want to watch it, but who knew?

You Are Here - David Nicholls

Actually, this was a pretty good Valentine's Day read. It's all about getting over the heartache of a breakup and figuring out how to live and relate and even love again. And the best part is that our hero and heroine walk the Coast-to-Coast path in the UK--something I still burn with ambition to do myself. Of course, they do 15-20 miles a day, whereas I am a 8-12 mile/day hiker. But still, I loved reading about the walking.

Nicholls creates realistic characters who deal with modern life in ways that make sense to me--I really enjoy his writing and his characters.

In a Dark, Dark Wood - Ruth Ware

I am becoming addicted to Ware's thrillers, despite her penchant for rather dim heroines. This is the third one that I've read in the last 6 months, and it was a page turner and definitely took my mind off of my broken wrist. I did figure out the killer fairly early, which is never as much fun as being surprised, but it was still an interesting story.

Rereads 

The Winter King - Thomas Penn 

I reread this nonfiction book about the later years of the reign of Henry VII, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is so rich in detail that a reread still worked--lots to review and try to retain. Penn has written several other books about this time period--late Renaissance in England, and I want to read them all, starting with The Brothers York. One of my favorite historical periods to dive into.

Here's my original post on the book.

The Briar Club - Kate Quinn

I do love this book so much. The reread was listening to it with my husband because I knew he would enjoy it and it's fun to listen to a book while we're doing errands or on road trips.

And, here's my original post on this one.

Broken Wrist

This post is brought to you, courtesy of my left hand, hunting and pecking on the keyboard. I tried to dictate a post using Word, but my brain refused to cooperate. So posts are on hold until I get the cast off my right wrist. 

Please check back for my thoughts on Patrick Stewart's memoir, David Nicholl's You Are Here, and the other books I have been reading. Plus, I want to tell you about the Civil War era quilt that I've started and the sailboat that my husband (with my colossal help) is building.

So, did I finally learn not to go for a walk when black ice is lurking about? Probably not!

Come on Spring!!!

Troy - Stephen Fry

I really enjoyed Stephen Fry's Mythos, and I knew that much as I love mythology, I really didn't want to slog through any translation of the Iliad again...so I read Fry's Troy. It's 100% a retelling of the story of the Iliad, but with lots of the backstory and aftermath filled in.

For example, the Iliad begins with Achilles sulking in his tent and refusing to fight because Agammemnon has taken away beautiful Briseis, the girl that Achilles picked as his trophy. It ends with Hector's death and funeral. But, wow, there is so much more to the story than that! 

Fry explains why the Trojan War happened--basically a beauty contest between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite judged by an unwitting Paris and instigated by another god, the one of strife and mischief. He explains who Paris is--yes, a prince of Troy but also a foundling, abandoned by his parents because it was foretold that he would be the cause of Troy's downfall. 

He also gives us Achilles's backstory--not as good as in Madeline Miller's Song of Achilles--but still interesting and helpful to understanding who Achilles is. There are ample footnotes and asides and tangents to fill in most of the rest of the holes that Homer's tale assumes his readers already know--who the various gods are and why some have grudges or owe favors to others, why they protect certain cities, and why they seem hell-bent on destroying others.

Once again, I was firmly on the side of the Trojans and hoping against hope that Hector and Priam would survive and that somebody would finally listen to Cassandra and heed her many warnings. I cheered when Aeneas and his family escaped to found Rome--looking forward to reading Lauren Bear's Mother of Rome, which just came out.

Fry includes the story of the Trojan Horse--Odysseus's brainchild--and the horrific sacking of Troy, which Homer left out but which the Greek playwrights fully covered.

As with Medusa's Sisters, which I loved, the net-net is that humankind is better off when the gods stay on Olympus and stay out of human events. They can squabble all they want amongst themselves, but back off and leave the mortals alone!

Fry also has Odyssey, which I plan to read in the not-too-distant future, and I still need to read his Heroes.

I know that many high schoolers still tackle the Iliad and the Odyssey as part of the standard curriculum--I never did because except for Shakespeare, my high school was devoted to strictly American authors :(. 

While I think it is is important that kids learn the Greek and Roman myths and legends, as well as the history, I think Fry's funny, wry, and readable approach will give them a better experience than Homer's. That said, I'm glad that I did actually read the Homeric versions, in translation of course, but they are not for the faint of heart. I think Homer's versions are important to read if you want to understand the evolution of literature, but if you just want the story, Fry's retelling wins hands-down.

And, yes, I fully intend to rewatch the 2004 movie Troy with Brad Pitt as Achilles, Sean Bean as Odysseus, Eric Bana as Hector, and a really great cast overall. One of the things I love about this movie version of the story is that the gods are not depicted at all.

From the Depths of Winter

January truly is the longest month. The holiday decorations, except the outdoor lights, are put away for another year. Too cold and snowy to deal with the outdoor stuff, besides they are pretty so I still turn them on every night to drive away the dark.

Here's what has gotten me through the darkest part of the year.

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, by Helene Hanff - a Christmas gift from my son (yes, it was on the list I shared with him!). I simply devoured this short book. Hanff, the author of 84 Charing Cross Road, visits London as part of the promotional campaign when 84 is released in the UK, and she is the ultimate tourist, visiting all the places she has read about and longed to visit her entire life. She is wined and dined, feted as a celebrity, and has the best time. A wonderful armchair trip to London in the 1970s.

The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara - continuing down the Civil War rabbit hole, I reread for the 3rd (or is it the 4th?) time this incredible novel about the Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara, father of historical novelist Jeffrey Shaara, focuses on Lee and Longstreet for the Confederate side of the story, and Burford and Chamberlain for the Union side. Even if you aren't a fan of war stories, this novel is worth reading just for the portrayal Shaara provides of the scholarly hero, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the language professor who ultimately rose to general in the U.S. Army. A truly admirable man.

Jeff Bridges (left) as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (right)

The introduction to the audio version that I listened to was by Jeffrey Shaara, who described visiting Gettysburg on a family vacation when he was young. His father was a struggling novelist and was starting to research Gettysburg as a possible novel topic. He spent many years researching and writing the novel. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1975 but was not a bestseller until the TV mini-series, titled Gettysburg, was broadcast in 1993. Sadly, Michael Shaara died in 1988 and so never knew that his masterpiece finally found its audience.

I am planning a Civil War battlefield tour before or after the JASNA AGM in Baltimore in October, and Gettysburg is top of the places I hope to visit. 

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Robin Wall Kimmerer - I actually received my copy of this little book, courtesy of a GoodReads giveaway. Kimmerer is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, which I loved. Serviceberry is basically an extension of many of the themes in Sweetgrass--the basic idea is that the plant world shares its gifts with the fauna of the world, and we humans need to learn (or relearn) how to share with each other and the world. There is room for everyone at the table, so we really don't need to hoard, grasp, and connive others in order to get more than what we need. 

In the spirit of sharing, I decided to donate my copy to one of the Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood with a note asking whoever takes it to read it and share it in turn. I noticed that it was gone from where I left it, so hopefully it will find many sympathetic readers out there.

Hope everyone is getting through all 1000 days of January with great reads!

Winter Reading and Watching Notes

Apart from holiday-themed books, I do have a number of other books recently read that desire their place in the sun, low in the sky though it is!

The Briar Club, by Kate Quinn - absolutely fabulous. It was such a good 5-star read that I am listening to it again with my husband. I love the setting--a boarding house in the early 1950s in Washington, DC. I love the cast of characters, from smooth-as-silk, mysterious Grace March who transforms a motley set of female boarders into friends and family (the kind that gets under your skin but you fight to protect!), to Bea (a former player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League) who finds new ways to live the dream, to Pete and Lena (the crotchety landlady's two children), to the rest of the women and their boyfriends, husbands, and lovers. It was a great look at life in the 1950s--the Red Scare and McCarthy, Pillsbury Bakeoffs, working women trying to keep afloat and safe in a man's world, racism, and food--each character provides a recipe for a dish that seems so 1950s. I hope she writes a sequel. I would love to stay in touch with all of these characters!

Ancestors: A History of Britain in Seven Burials, by Alice Roberts - I listened to the author read the first in a three-volume set of books that explore the archeological record in Britain and how recent technological advances are changing theories about when and how and by whom the area was populated. Roberts has a long list of credentials, has participated on many digs, and has access to leading archeologists and anthropologists--in addition, she is witty, articulate, and easy to listen to and understand. First rate all the way.

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club, by Helen Simonson - another fabulous book. This one is set in a resort hotel in coastal town in southern England just after WWII. Once again, women are struggling to support themselves after the war in which they were asked to do men's work and then asked to give up their jobs after the war ended. A good mix of upstairs/downstairs characters trying to figure out what's what in a rapidly changing world. 

A Good Life, by Virginie Grimaldi - a recommendation from Joann of Gulfside Musing, and a terrific story about two sisters who are spending a week in their beloved grandmother's house after she passed away. We learn their backstory as they reminisce and deal with the issues that have plagued their relatiionship over the years. Translated from French. Very good.

Jane and the Final Mystery, by Stephanie Barron - the final book in Barron's 15-book Jane Austen mystery series. It takes place mostly in Winchester in the months before Austen's death in August 1817, and it was lovely to see our heroine helping solve a murder mystery that involved one of her oldest and dearest friends. Jane was clearly declining rapidly at this point, and I appreciated how Barron was able to capture the spark and wit of Austen despite her physical limitations, fatigue, and knowledge that she didn't have long to live. This was a great close to a fabulous mystery series. I will miss the further adventures of Jane Austen, sleuth, but I am a devout rereader and I have all fifteen books at my disposal.

The It Girl, by Ruth Ware - I ended up really liking this mystery--endings can be tricky, but this one was particularly good in that it kept me guessing and the tension was great--but I was so frustrated with how dim the Oxford University protagonist was. I'm not sure if this is a weakness on the part of the author, but I found her self-doubt, naivete, and gullibility unbelievable. The titular "It Girl," April was so well-drawn that it was easy to see how most of her peers would want to murder her. This is the second book by this author I have read--I really liked her The Woman in Cabin 10--and I plan to read more. She does write good thrillers.

Nostalgic TV

There are so many TV options these days--countless streaming services, all offering new stuff...for a price. However, my husband and I decided to skip the latest trends and revisit old favorites. 

We just started season 4 of MASH--Col Blake and Trapper John are gone, BJ has replaced Trapper, and Col Potter has replaced Henry Blake. Margaret Hoolihan and Frank Burns are still steamy, and Hawkeye, Radar, Klinger, and Father Mulcahey are all in good form. I haven't watched MASH all the way through for over 20 years, maybe more, but since we have all the DVDs, why not? It is really some of the best TV ever. It was airing live when I was in Junior High, and my husband and I watched the final episode together shortly after we met and started dating.

And, last night we finished season 2 of Northern Exposure. Again. we have all the DVDs, and it's been at least a decade since we watched the whole thing. I love this show so much--back in 2001, we drove to Seattle for the JASNA AGM in October and happened to see a sign for Roslyn, WA. So we, of course, took the exit and walked around the town, taking pictures, buying t-shirts in the store that was the Joel's office, and having a beer at the Brick. We also stopped in 2010, which I included in a travelogue post.

I know there is a lot of great new TV out there, but just like rereading, rewatching can be immensely satisfying.

I'm curious--do any of you rewatch favorite TV shows too? 

End of Year Reading Wrap-Up and New Books from Santa

Let's do the new books first. I love giving and receiving books for birthdays and holidays. Here's what I got under the tree this year.

Dear Mili - this is a Grimms Brothers story, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. I fell in love with the artwork of Sendak when I went to an exhibit at the Denver Art Museum in November. This particular book has a great backstory. Here is the Amazon blurb about it:

On September 28, 1983, the discovery of a previously unknown tale by Wilhelm Grimm was reported on the front page of The New York Times. "After more than 150 years," the Times noted, "Hansel and Gretel, Snow-White, Rumpelstiltskin, and Cinderella will be joined by another Grimm fairy-tale character." The story of dear Mili was preserved in a letter Wilhelm Grimm wrote to a little girl in 1816, a letter that remained in her family's possession for over a century and a half.

This beautiful book was part of a gift box from my Bookish Secret Santa, Michelle, host of GoodReads True Book Talk. If you make it to Denver before February 17, you can catch the exhibit, which was just amazing.

Selected Tales from Beatrix Potter - also from my Bookish Secret Santa, seeing Sendak's art reminded me how much I admire Potter's work, of which I sadly had none, although I do have some figures from my kids' nursery and which I keep on a special shelf. Really looking forward to reading the stories and enjoying the detailed artwork.

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street - by Helene Hanff, who wrote the marvelous 84 Charing Cross Road. This is about her trip to London and is described as a "love letter to London." 

Joann of Gulfside Musing posted about this book, which meant I just had to get a copy. It sounds perfect for a bit of armchair traveling in January.

Troy - by Stephen Fry. I loved his Mythos so much that my classics-major daughter, who had recommended Mythos to me, got Troy for me for Xmas. 

This will be great background reading to go with seeing The Return, which I hope to see next week.

Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things To Do In Florence: Insider Secrets To The Renaissance City - by Corinna Cooke. I am always in planning mode for another trip to Italy, and I really want to spend at least a week in Florence as there is just so much history, art, and beauty concentrated there. 

End of Year Reading Wrap-Up

According to GoodReads, I met my goal of 75 books with over 26k pages read. My goal started out at 65, same as last year, but being retired means more time for everything, including reading, so I upped it to 70 mid-year and then to 75 a couple of months ago. I will probably start at 70 for 2025 and see how it goes. 

Shortest book was Galatea at just 27 pages, and longest was Battle Cry of Freedom at 867 pages. Average length was 355 pages. Have I mentioned recently that I do like big books?! 

My average rating was 4.2--no surprise as I don't read books I don't like, not being afraid to abandon books that are just not cutting it for me. And 19% of the books I read were nonfiction.

I read eight books on the American Civil War, and I am currently reading two, so that interest is still kicking.

I read a number of books by new-to-me authors, and a few of these are destined to become favorites, includes Ivan Doig, Alice Roberts, Lauren Bear, and Stephen Fry. I feel like I read more new-to-me authors in 2024, but I don't have the patience to actually run the numbers.

I read terrific books by favorite authors, mostly notably The Frozen River by Ariel Lanhon, The Briar Club and The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson, Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier, Table for Two and Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, Horse by Geraldine Brooks, and The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman.

I read a lot of mysteries and mystery series--love the Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly, the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear, and the Bruno series by Martin Walker.

Just a couple of classics - I finished Dickens with Barnaby Rudge and The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and an umpteenth reread of Persuasion by 249-year-old Jane Austen.

Bookish Resolution for 2025: read more from my shelf, especially the books I received as gifts. If people are going to give me books (that I ask for!), then I need to do them the courtesy of actually reading them. This is a hard resolution to keep because I read other people's book blogs and find bright, shiny objects that distract and entice me!

Best wishes for a Happy New Year and a fantastic reading binge in 2025.

Holiday Books and Movies, Winter Fun (Quilting)

Last year, I didn't do much holiday reading, but this year I made a list and have been checking it frequently and really enjoying the change of pace.

The Christmas Guest, by Peter Swanson - this turned out to be a pretty good murder mystery by the author of Eight Perfect Murders, which I really enjoyed a few years ago. GoodReads describes the book thusly:

An American art student in London is invited to join a classmate for the holidays at Starvewood Hall, her family's Cotswold manor house. But behind the holly and pine boughs, secrets are about to unravel, revealing this seemingly charming English village's grim history.

As with Eight Perfect Murders, this is a very clever story--not your typical whodunit and so twisted it defied belief, but I went along for the ride. It wasn't until the very end that the title morphed for me--very short story-esque

Speaking of short stories, I'm also reading a collection by Maeve Binchy (This Year It Will Be Different), which is perfect--each story is bite-sized and interesting, some more edgy than others, but the schmaltz is not thick and gooey. I'm about halfway through and reading one story a day. Kind of like an Advent calendar.

Open to other suggestions--I am not much into the Hallmark romance stories (I abandoned Christmas in London before I threw it across the room) but love things like Rosamunde Pilcher's Winter Solstice and Fanny Flagg's Redbird Christmas.

In other news...

I have also been indulging in some holiday movies. So far, we have logged re-watches of The Santa Clause, Elf, and Home Alone 1 and 2. All just fantastic. While You Were Sleeping is on the list, and I am considering finally watching Die Hard!

We also went to see Gladiator II, which was really good! I checked the historical accuracy meter, and it did reasonably well.  They filmed (well CGI'd) something that has fired my imagination for years. Namely, filling the Colosseum with water and then having ships (well, the crews) battle each other. Of course, in this universe, there were sharks added--I thought sharks needed salt water to survive, but what do I know? Anyway, it was great fun. Made me sad that I have never seen the original Gladiator. Must fix that. Now I want to rewatch the HBO Rome series.

And I saw Wicked. A bit long, and it was only part 1 of the stage version, but great fun and now the songs are stuck in my head.

I am super excited to see The Return, about Odysseus finally making it back to Ithaca after the Trojan War and finding the place in an uproar.

Quilting

It was 11 years in the making, but I finally finished my king-sized quilt. Actually, my husband (Jeff) and I pieced it 11 years ago, and then started quilting it. It is not easy to quilt that big a quilt--very heavy and cumbersome. We did basic quilting--stitch in the ditch, and there were lots and lots of ditches. We got about half done, and then it sat unfinished for about 5 years when I got the bug to finish it. I finished the quilting, but then it sat for another 5 years until last month when I finally bought the binding material and sat down and finished it. 

Jeff made the beautiful chest at the end of the quilt shortly after we finished piecing the quilt, using leftover blocks to decorate the top of the chest. 

Undaunted by my track record on the king quilt, I am embarking on another quilting project. This time I will be making a throw quilt, just 61" by 76", or 15 12-inch blocks arranged in a 3x5 layout. I am making blocks from the Underground Railroad Sampler, which is a very cool book that provides some historical context and speculation about each of the blocks featured. I have the reproduction-era fabric (4 cream backgrounds, 3 reds, 3 greens, 3 blues and a black) and have been practicing some of the trickier blocks with leftover scrap material from the finished king quilt.

Best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season filled with good books, good movies, good projects, and good times.