Saturday, September 30, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Colette London's Dead and Ganache is the fourth book in the Chocolate Whisperer Mystery series.  I have read the previous books in this series, but it is not necessary.  Hayden Mundy Moore is a chocolate whisperer.  She heads to her mentor's hometown to celebrate his retirement.  The party is cut very short when he is murdered.  I enjoy the chocolate theme of this series, but I have a hard time liking Hayden.  I keep expecting her to grow and mature, but I was disappointed yet again.  She is haughty and a bit ditzy.  This is a personal annoyance though, and you might find Hayden to be the perfect cozy heroine.

Holiday Murder by Leslie Meier is part of the Lucy Stone Mysteries series.  This is a collection of two holiday themed mysteries:  Mistletoe Murder and Christmas Cookie Murder.  The holiday theme is not very strong and is more of a minor backdrop.  These are definitely light reads and not too serious.  I enjoyed both of them, but I did not love them.  My problem with Mistletoe Murder is the animal violence.  It added nothing to the story and was quite unnecessary. I enjoyed Christmas Cookie Murder much more.  This story had more excitement and mystery compared to Mistletoe Murder.

Liz Mugavero's Purring Around the Christmas Tree is the sixth book in the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series.  Stan (Kristan) is preparing for the grand opening of her pet bakery which coincides with the town's Christmas tree lighting.  The festivities take a somber turn when Santa is dead in the sleigh.  The mystery become complicated when the man in the Santa suit is not who everyone expects.  The setting and characters in this series are outstanding, and this book did not disappoint me.  I enjoyed both the mystery and the holiday theme.  My only critique is that Stan spends precious little time actually running her bakery.  I suppose that is solved by her wonderful employee, but I hope some adjustments are made for future books.  That aside Purring Around the Christmas Tree is a solid addition to the series.

disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Decorating for Autumn: The Porch

I have kept the autumn decorations fairly simple.  Our front door has an oval window.  I have not found a good place to hang a wreath on the door that suited me.  I mentioned to W that I would like to have a wreath post, and he built me one.


We purchased the topper and a can of black spray paint.  Everything else was scraps/leftovers already on hand.  The hook came from the old house.  I had an idea for a wreath but could not find what I wanted to make it.  Instead I picked up the leaf decoration from Dollar Tree.

Second on my porch wish list was a new door mat.  I saw some online that had interchangeable inserts.  I searched around and found the best price on eBay.  The outer black section is very sturdy.  The inner part can be switched out for the season.  Thea thought y'all would enjoy the picture better with her in it.


At a yard sale earlier this year we had purchased two hanging baskets.  I think we only gave a couple of dollars for the pair.  I bought the coconut coir liners and two mums.  I plan to change the plants out with the seasons as well.  


Of all the porch decorations the door mat was the most expensive.  The inserts are affordable, and I feel like the base part of the mat will hold up well.  The last item on my wish list is a pair of tall flower pots.  I will be using my Swagbucks for a couple of gift cards to purchase them.  I decided it is cheaper in the long run to get exactly what I want.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Weekly Goals Update: Week 39

1.  Completely Finish New House & Update Property
We spent the last week putting the porch back together.  I will share the things we added tomorrow.  The rest of our time was spent on the yard.  We have been piling up limbs and leaves to burn.  We also have another load of trash to take off.

This week promises to be busy.  I do want to get a can of leftover paint tinted for molding.  I do not know if I will get any done this week. Having everything on hand when I do have time will be a good thing.  I hope to get the last area of the property cleaned up from Irma this week too.

2.  Plan Ahead for Birthday & Holiday Gifts
No gifts to buy this week.  I will spend some time looking into some items on my holiday gift list.

3.  Use the Garden to Be More Self-Sufficient
W has been working on plans for his hydroponic system.  I expect to order some supplies and seeds for that.  The lettuce seeds I have planted are growing very well in spite of the hot weather.  I am looking forward to some homegrown salads.  I also plan to transplant a couple of tomato seedlings into buckets so I can have tomatoes this winter.

4.  Take One Class a Month
I have one lesson left in the Miniature French Dessert class - Opera Cake.  I plan to watch the lesson even though baking the cake may have to wait until next week.

5.  Pack Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes on a Budget
All of the shopping is done.  I plan to get the youth at church to help me start packing the boxes next month.

6.  Boost Savings
W got a discount on our internet service and a credit for this month after the mess with the "outage".  It is a small savings over the coming months but a savings nevertheless.  I have started putting some money into our emergency fund.  We have also started saving for the new fencing for our yard.  I skipped grocery shopping last week and have planned meals mainly focused on our pantry/freezer.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews: Non-Fiction

The Man from the Train by Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James is subtitled The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery.  I chose this book mainly for the link to the Villasca axe murders. Imagine my surprise when some of the murders happened in my own southern state. The writing style is much different from most non-fiction books, but in this instance it works.  I felt like the authors are sitting down with me and telling me a story.  The book is very well researched.  I appreciated how the authors were honest in saying when certain murders did not match or only might match the criteria of the serial killer.  I was impressed with the ending of the book.  The authors convinced me that they had correctly identified the killer.  This book is easily on my list of top ten books for this year.

Nicholas J.C. Pistor's Shooting Lincoln is the story of two pioneers of photography.  Matthew Brady and Alexander Gardner began as employer and employee and turned into rivals.  The book deals with a variety of topics.  It is as much about the Civil War as it is photography and Lincoln.  The book is interesting but was a slow read.  It covered so many topics including the start of photography in America, Civil War battles, Lincoln's assassination, manhunt for Booth, and the years after the war.  I would have enjoyed it more if the story had been more focused.  Overall it is a good book for anyone interested in Civil War era history.

disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany is the second book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series.  Gemma is surprised to be offered a book signing with popular author Renalta Van Markoff even though it is on very short notice.  It turns out that Renalta is not popular with everyone.  When she is found dead, the suspect list is quite long.  Gemma and Jayne, owner of Mrs. Hudson's Tea Shop next to the bookstore, set out to find the real killer.  This book is even better than the first.  Gemma is the perfect female version of Sherlock Holmes from her investigative skills to her bluntness in social situations.  I am already looking forward to the next book!

To Be Where You Are by Jan Karon is the fourteenth book in the Mitford series.  Readers will definitely want to read the previous books before reading this one.  Even though it has been years since I read a Mitford book, I quickly slipped back into the lives of Father Tim, Cynthia, and all the others who live there.  I laughed and cried as I read but was not once disappointment.  For me this book was just as good as the first in the series.  The books do have religious ties, but the strong sense of community is what makes it most enjoyable.  I highly recommend not only this book but the entire series.

Herbs by Judith Hann promises Delicious Recipes and Growing Tips to Transform Your Food.  This book delivers.  It includes information on herbs that are well known but also some lesser known herbs.  I was thrilled to see pineapple and tangerine sage included along with a recipe to use pineapple sage.  I found the growing tips to be useful even for a seasoned gardener.  The recipes gave me creative ways to utilize the herbs growing in my garden.  I also have a list of a few herbs to add to my garden next year.

disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Weekly Goals Update Week 38

I am still without internet so posts will be limited until it is back up.  At this point my provider has absolutely no idea when it will be restored.  I hope they have a better post-natural disaster plan in place for the next hurricane.

1.  Completely Finish the New House & Update Property
Prior to Hurricane Irma we cleaned off the porch and decorated it for fall.  All of that was removed as was everything off the back deck.  We are waiting to see where Maria will go before we do much.  I have managed to clean up all of the fallen leaves and limbs.  The pecan tree that fell will stay until the pecans make.  Then we will deal with removing it.  I hope to work on the foyer and hallway this week.  We need to do some touch up painting and put up a few pieces of molding.

2.  Plan ahead for Birthday & Holiday Gifts
I got another shower invitation. I have the gift for that.  I have written ideas for other gifts but need the internet to research and shop.

3.  Use the Garden to Be More Self-Sufficient
I was happy to find that my garden survived the storm just fine.  Even my seedlings that had just started sprouting survived just fine.  I expect it was a combination of the raised beds and having wire over the top which protected them from falling limbs.

4.  Take One Class a Month
This is on hold until my internet is back on.

5.  Pack Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes on a Budget
I finished crocheting all of the wash cloths for this year and have gotten a head start on next year's.  I guess being without the internet has made me more productive.

6.  Boost Savings
We picked up the lawn mower, and it was at the lower end of estimate.  I can start setting aside money for our new fencing this month and begin building up savings.

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Cat Got Your Secrets by Julie Chase is the third book in the Kitty Couture Mystery series.  This book stands easily on its own although I do recommend the others in the series.  Lacy is the owner of Furry Godmother, a pet boutique and bakery.  Lacy's father is accused of murdering a friend, and Lacy finds herself being blackmailed.  A cliffhanger from a previous book is solved, but it is explained along the way so reader of this book alone will not be lost.  This is a clean, light cozy mystery.  While the mystery is not completely strong, it does move along quickly and kept me interested.  I enjoyed this book and look forward to more in the series.

Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James is the first book in the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series.  Charity Penn has won a trip to Camellia Beach, South Carolina, complete with free cooking lessons at the chocolate shop.  Knowing the she has not entered any contest, she accepts her friend's offer to check it out in advance.  When he dies in a vat of chocolate, Penn's guilt sends her to South Carolina to look into the death.  Initially I did not enjoy this book.  Penn is a difficult character to like.  Her character flaws are blamed on her upbringing, but at this point she is grown and is simply making excuses.  As the book went on her character evolved enough that I would give a second book a chance.  The mystery was interesting.  I was not drawn into this book as much due to the characters.   None of them were particularly heart-warming or inviting.   While it is not bad at all, this book is simply not one of my favorites.  I am not giving up on the series yet though.

disclosure: I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series.  I had read the previous book, but it is not necessary to enjoy this one.   Melanie and her grandmother, Liza, are welcoming their first guests to the Merry Ghost Inn.  The inn is a bed and breakfast with a permanent resident ghost.  The week is off to a good start until one of the guests is found dead in the driveway.  Melanie, Liza, and the remaining guests are all suspects.  Determined not to let this latest murder ruin the inn's reputation, Melanie and Liza risk the wrath of the detective in charge to solve the mystery.  This was an easy to read book.  The characters including Max the dog and Orville the ghost add to the charm of this series.  I am already looking forward to the next book.

Neila Young's Brewing Up Murder is the first book in the Coffee Cup Mysteries series.  Blake is the owner of Mystery Cup Cafe in Wilton, a town made famous by a series of murders years ago.  When Blake's flighty barista is found dead in the cafe, Blake finds herself drawn into the mystery.  This was a strong first book.  The mystery was interesting, and the characters engaging.  I enjoyed the unusual theme of the setting.  The story includes a bit of romance and plenty of family shenanigans.

disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Pardon My Absence

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am cleaning up after Hurricane Irma.  My family and I are perfectly safe but quite busy.  Thankfully we have power.  I am simply working on cleaning up our property and cooking for those "neighbors" who are expected to be without power until the weekend.  I will be back as soon as I can!

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Stock the Crock by Phyllis Good is a collection of 100 recipes.  A wide variety of recipes are included from soups to sides to sweet treats.  I marked several recipes that I was interested in.  I tried out the recipe for Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.  The recipe included basic ingredients and was good.  I will adapt it a bit to give it more spice and flavor.  It was a bit to bland for my family, but the base is good.  The hints and variations for each recipe are helpful.  Overall this is a useful slow cooker cookbook.

A Christmas Peril by J.A. Hennrikus is the first book in the Theater Cop Mystery series.  Sully has left her job as a cop to be the manager of her hometown's theater.  Her current job is to keep the theater's production of A Christmas Carol on budget and on track.  When her best friend is accused of murdering his father, she reverts back to her cop training to help find the real killer.  The characters are well developed for a first book, and the mystery kept me interested until then.  I look forward to seeing how the characters evolve as the series continues.

George Bellairs' Death of a Busybody is part of the British Library Crime Classics series.  Miss Tither, the village busybody, meddles a little too much and is found dead in the vicar's cesspool.  While the language of the setting/era did slow me down slightly but not so much that I found it impossible to follow.  I do enjoy vintage British mysteries, and this one did not disappoint.

Holiday Cookies by Elisabet der Nederlanden features 50 cookie recipes as well as ideas for packaging your finished cookies.  Do not let the title fool you though.  I will be making many of the cookies from this book year around.  I tried out the recipe for Triple-Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  I followed  the recipe exactly.  Aside from an issue with the baking time (my oven required considerably less time), the cookies were delicious.  The flavor was wonderful with the addition of three types of chocolate.  I bookmarked several more recipes to make.  It has given me several ideas for holiday gift giving and cookie trays.  If you are a cookie fan, I highly recommend this book.


disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Weekend Book Review & a Giveaway: Dead in the Water

Dead in the Water by Denise Swanson is the first book in the new Welcome Back to Scrumble River series.  I am sure I read some of the previous Scrumble River books, but I cannot remember any specifics. Readers will not be lost if they have never read any of the prior Scrumble River books.
Skye and her police chief husband Wally are expecting their first child.  As if that is not stressful enough, the town of Scrumble River is hit by a devastating tornado with one death, councilman Zeke.  To make matters worse Wally disappears while investigating Zeke's death.  Skye is dealing with the loss of her home and a missing husband.

One word of warning - do not start this book if you only have a short amount of time to read.  I stayed up way too late two nights in a row to finish the book.  I know a book is great when at the end of each chapter I decide to read "just one more".  The book is full of action from the start.  The characters work well together, and the writing flows so well.  I am excited to read more in this series!
Now for the giveaway.  You have a chance to win a "There's No Place Like Scrumble River Emergency Survival Kit".  Enter through the form below or at this link.  

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Weekly Goals Update: Week 36

1.  Completely Finish the New House & Update Property
This week I started the Holiday Grand Plan.  My plan is to use it to get these last house projects done as well as preparing for the holidays.  This week is front porch, and I include the yard.  I have a few finishing touches to add to the porch.  This morning W and I loaded up a bunch of trash and took it to the land field.  We will have another load to take off next week.  W also moved another pile of pecan limbs.  We need to repair a window screen, and I want to get the old storage building emptied.  I will share an update on what we actually accomplish next week.

2.  Plan Ahead for Birthday and Holiday Gifts
I was ordering something from WalMart and needed a bit to get free shipping.  I decided to order the 20oz tumbler that I want to personalize for the youth in my Sunday night Bible class at church.  I will have plenty of time to personalize them and will have one set of gifts marked off my list.  I did make out a beginning holiday gift list to keep me on track.

3.  Use the Garden to Be More Self-Sufficient
I planted lettuce, radish, kale, and beet seeds in the garden this week.  I need to clean out a few more areas to plant some mustard and turnips seeds.  One set of tomato plants is dead, but the cherry tomatoes are blooming so I will leave those.  I have plenty of empty areas in some raised beds to plant greens for the chickens and rabbits.

4.  Take One Class a Month
I made macarons!!! Even better they turned out great.  The Craftsy class was a huge help.  Cheryl, thank you for your encouraging comment last week.  I had convinced myself that they would be next to impossible to make.  They turned out to be easier than I feared.  I am going to make a couple of batches for a wedding shower later this month.  The lesson here is that you should never be afraid to try.



5.  Pack Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes on a Budget
I have 9 wash cloths left to make.  I ordered boxes and the youth at church have already assembled them.  If all goes well, I will start packing next week.

6.  Boost Savings
I got good news on the mower.  The repairs will fall at the lower end of the budget.  This month we can start saving for the new fence.  I hope to have that done by the end of the year.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower is the first book in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series.  Bailey is a chocolatier in New York City on the verge of becoming head of JP Chocolates.  She drops everything to go to Ohio when she learns her grandfather's health is failing.  Her Amish grandparents own Swissmen Sweets which is being sought after my an Englisch businessman.  When that same businessman ends up dead in the candy shop kitchen, Bailey is the main suspect.  She must clear her name and save her grandparents' reputation.  I really enjoyed this book.  The combination of Bailey who is not Amish and her grandparents works well.  Bailey's personal journey was as big a part of the story as the mystery.  Even though I thought I knew who the killer was, I was surprised by the ending.  This book features a strong religious theme, but it does not come across as pushy.  I loved the inclusion of the polka dot pig, Jethro.  This is a wonderful, clean cozy mystery.  I am already looking forward to the second book in this series.

A Catered Costume Party by Isis Crawford is a Halloween themed cozy mystery.  Sisters Bernie and Libby are catering a Halloween costume party for Darius Witherspoon.  Even though his wife recently disappeared, he carries on with the party.  Unfortunately Darius' grand entrance to the party is at the end of a rope.  Bernie and Libby get pulled into the mystery of Darius' death and his wife's disappearance.  I like how Bernie and Libby play off each other.  Although they are sisters, they have very personalities, and it works great.  I had not read any of the previous books from this series, but I was not lost at all.  I look forward to reading more books by Ms. Crawford!

Vivian Conroy's Rubies in the Roses is book two in the Cornish Castle Mystery series.  I read the first book in this series, which was helpful but not necessary.  Guinevere is continuing her summer job of cataloging books on Cornisea.  A friend of her employer arrives with grand plans of discovering a wedding goblet hidden on the island.  As more people show up to claim the still missing goblet, the castle is thrown into an uproar.  Once a body is found on the island, Guinevere and her sweet dog, Dolly, are again in the middle of a mystery.  I enjoy the setting of this book most of all.  The characters work well together, and the writing style makes the book a joy to read.


disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Weekend Book Reviews

3-Minute Devotions with Charles Spurgeon compiled by Barbour Staff is a nice devotion book when you need a quick message.  The inspirational readings are as relevant today as when they were written.  I appreciated the addition of scripture and a short prayer for each devotion.  This book would make a wonderful gift.  I am planning to purchase a few for upcoming the holiday season.  I must confess that I spend more than 3 minutes meditating on the devotions.  The devotions make a wonderful starting point for spiritual growth.

Zainab Khan's Kawaii Doodle Class gives readers simple instructions for creating adorable characters.  I have no artistic ability when it comes to drawing.  I thought if nothing else this book would be fun to look through.  I was surprised at how easy some of the doodles were to replicate.  The illustrations were easy to follow.  While my drawings were far from perfect, it gives me the confidence to keep trying.  I have already used what I learned to amaze a few young relatives.  I am glad I did not let my artistic short comings stop me from checking out this charming book.

disclosure:  I received these e-books from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!