Monday Mailbox - 06/13/16

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

What better to do while on vacation than buy books?!

My awesome vacation week started with the annual town library's book sale last Saturday. But this year I was smart! I finally updated my Goodreads.com account to show which books l own, so I didn't bring home any doubles...as I have for several years now.

The sale was fabulous, as always!

A couple of these are books I started but need to finish.

So many great choices!

Sometimes its OK to buy a couple you already read, right?

More for my growing collection...

Now I just have to get these updated on Goodreads too!

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Mondays - 06/13/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

A restful, though productive week of vacation! Got a lot of things accomplished this week and even got to enjoy a day of traipsing through the New Hampshire wilderness, which was actually fun.






Current reads:
• The Bucolic Plague - Josh Kilmer-Purcell
• The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography - National Geographic
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

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Sunday Salon - 06/12/16

The Sunday Salon is now a Facebook group.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by

Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Life:

A wonderful vacation week of rest and relaxation, much overdue...after jumping from one job to another in August of last year without time off and having no time to breathe since then.

It was a VERY productive week around the house. I was able to get a bunch of home/life related things done that I have been putting off for months. As well, hubby was off so we went yard-saling, book buying (more about this later this week), and even took a trip up to New Hampshire to enjoy the wilderness. We visited the Flume in Franconia Notch/White Mountains (about a two hour ride). I'm not much of an outdoors woman, but hubby loves it.  The weather was perfect, cool and windy (read: few bugs), and it was a really, really nice day.

I even took my camera along to try, again, to get some decent shots (I am a TERRIBLE photographer - I DO NOT have "the eye")...oh, you think I'm over (or under) estimating:

I FORGOT MY CAMERA BATTERY!

I had taken it out to charge it. I put it back in my bag (with my extra battery) when we left...but never put it back in the camera. It sat in the car the whole time, while I lugged my useless camera around.  I am a seriously BAD photographer! Ha, ha!!

But thankfully, I did have my phone with me, so all was not lost:

It was seriously gorgeous out there!

I tried to get some pictures of the surprisingly tame chipmunks (I kid you not, I almost stepped directly on one), but they were all blurry (the pictures, not the chipmunks - HA). Oh well, still learning I guess.



Blogging:

Along with my valiant efforts at home (we cleaned the basement, well half the basement...again), I was also able to get a fair amount of blog work done as well. I finally updated my blog template, as the one I was using was giving me trouble. I had changed it briefly, but the color scheme messed things up worse. So I finally sat down and found something new that cleaned this mess up. Then, I updated pages, prepared posts, etc., etc.

Hopefully it is more enjoyable for everyone. It was certainly about time!!

Have a great week everyone.

Shannon
 

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Mondays - 06/06/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

Last week was busy, with the deadline for our summer program at work and other need-do things like faculty contracts going out. Along with the holiday on Monday and the freebie day off Friday, it was a crazy race to get everything caught up and ready for my student helper to fill in. My student helper who, in addition, just trained to do some parts of my job. I am hoping all goes well this week while I am way, or I may never get the chance to go on vacation again, HA!

Current reads:
• Houseboat Chronicles, Notes From a Life in Shield Country - Jake MacDonald
• The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography - National Geographic
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

Finished reads:

• Last Days of California - Mary Miller
• The Absolute Beginners Guide to Taking Great Photos - Jim Miotke
• So That Happened - Jon Cryer
• Wildflower - Drew Barrymore

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Pictures

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Sunday Salon - 06/05/16

The Sunday Salon is now a Facebook group.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by

Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Life:

It's a dreary, rainy day here in the Boston area...and that is kind of nice actually. 

I've got the TiVo frozen and am enjoying the sounds of the rain coming down and the kitties sleeping around me. Hubby and I are on vacation this week, which was extended by a day for me on Friday due to a freebie staff appreciation day. A thank you for our extra effort during the merger, which took place Thursday. Yep, folks, I now work for Berklee School of Music. Exciting.

I'm already struggling with not worrying about work... I was able to hire the gal who helped out last year, so I know everything will be fine. But I'm still having to refocus my thoughts often...and it's still just the weekend, so nothing has happened yet! Ugh, get control Shannon!

Friday and Saturday were actually quite productive as cleaning and laundry got done early so I could just sit back and just enjoy. I also finally updated months of back log in tracking finances in Quicken and set up new accounts as hubby and I recently changed banks. Hubby also did his share, so the lawn is even mowed!

I also broke out my camera again, in the hopes of getting out this week. It's looking to be a fairly wet once though, so who knows!? But at least I am reading up again and playing with it. The blogger Gallo Organico does a summer photo scavenger hunt, so maybe I'll toss in this summer...hmmm....


Blog:

Saturday was also the annual library book sale, and once again I did some fair damage. I actually came home with a full box...and hubby didn't threaten divorce. So he's a #keeper!

The problem with buying a bunch of great books is you just want to read them all. Now. Every. Single. One. Right now!  But realistically I can't possibly. But I can dream.

Have a great week everyone!!

Shannon

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The Call of the Farm - Bilow

Title: The Call of the Farm: An Unexpected Year of Getting Dirty, Home Cooking, and Finding Myself

Author: Rochelle Bilow
Published: Paperback – September 23, 2014
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.
Book Source: Purchased e-book
Recommended if you like: Memoirs, stories about farms and environmental stuff, books about relationships


What Its About:

Despite Rochelle Bilow's extensive culinary training and dreams of becoming an accomplished food writer, success was slow in coming. While visions of writing for a well known foodie-magazine danced in her head, she was barely making rent.


After randomly accepting an assignment writing a short piece on a small, sustainable CSA farm in New York, a small flame was lit. Bilow began volunteering at the farm and slowly worked her way to full time employee. Baling hay, feeding animals, planting and harvesting vegetables, rendering lard, making butter, and taking part in the annual chicken slaying, she had seemingly found her place. And, it didn't hurt that the job came with a good looking farmer to teach her and initiate her into the lifestyle.


Bilow cooks her way through a full year on the farm, sharing recipes and her experiences with farm work, fellow workers and customers, and the potential love of her life.


The Bottom Line:

Bilow's memoir of a year spent on a CSA farm is entertaining, heartwarming, and introspective - though a tad-bit...whiny. Her descriptions of farm life and cooking for a group of hard working farmers are enjoyable. Her obvious passion for this simpler lifestyle and knowledge commendable.


But her repeated descriptions of her unsettled relationship were just frustrating [at least for me...though of course that could more a remnant of my own experiences]. While I offer her kudos on being so self-aware and acknowledging her, shall we call them, mistakes in love, her seeming desperation was annoying. I couldn't help but look incredulously at the book and say, "Honey, he's sleeping with someone else! And if he isn't, he wants too...that is why is unwilling to settle down. Tell him to screw himself and move on!" (again, maybe it was just me).


Overall, a good read well worth exploring during a hot summer day!

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And then your heart breaks again...

July 2016 will be two years since my sweet little Sheeni girl left us.

Generally, I miss her terribly but I am living with it. I am able to pack the grief and loss away and continue on with my life, until hubby mentions her or she comes up in conversation. Then I tear up, cry a little, take a deep breath and try to move on.

But today I read that Atticus died. 

If you are not in-the-know, Tom Ryan wrote an lovely memoir, entitled Following Atticus, about his amazing time with a sweet little dog named Atticus. Atti was a gift that came to Tom out of the blue fourteen years ago and changed his life, inspired him to completely change his life and break mountain climbing records in New Hampshire with Atti by his side. Since reading the book, I have loosely followed Ryan's blog and Facebook page enjoying snippets of life with Atticus from afar and experiencing Ryan's kindness when he took in another sweet little guy named Will. Will who was elderly, sickly and expected to die within months, or weeks. Will who managed to live far beyond that, a wonderful, fulfilling life with an unending fountain of love and understanding from Tom Ryan and his sweet Atticus.

But as all pets do, Atti too grew older. Cancer took over. And, this past week, Tom had to make the impossible decision to let his sweet Atti go. And just like that I can barely breath. I can't stop the tears. That the loss of a dog who I never met personally could bring such sadness is weird. But the loss brings back my own pain and then my heart breaks once again...

That's it. Nothing profound or earth changing...

Now I've got to go hug my kitties and try to pull myself back together.

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Mondays - 05/16/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

Busy! Lots of busy at work. A birthday. A graduation. I am ready for a vacation!

Current reads:
• The Turner House - Angela Flournoy
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

Finished reads:

• The Call of the Farm - Rchelle Bilow

• The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio - Terry Ryan

• Men and Dogs - Katie Crouch

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Sunday Salon - 05/15/16

The Sunday Salon is now a Facebook group.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by

Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Life:

My goodness time flies... So much has happened since we last talked! I'm just going to have to focus on the main and most recent items. 

Shortly after we last chatted, we had a major health scare in the family. My mother-in-law had a health crisis and for several days, we were just not sure. But at the last minute she pulled through and they were able to insert a pacemaker which has given her much-appreciated reprise. God willing it will be a many-year-ed gift!

In the midst of that craziness, I had promised to help out at the theater which I had not done for a couple of years I guess. It was really cool to be back and take part again. I put in just one night, a weekend evening. It was low stress and just plain fun. I'm glad I did it.

I recently celebrated my 46th birthday. Blah!

My little brother graduated from college this weekend. My LITTLE brother, from COLLEGE! Holy crap-oly! I'm so proud. Like many students, he struggled a bit and took some time off (as did I when I was in school), but he made it through with a hard-earned B.A. in history! Go Patrick!  We just got back from a celebration cookout and are exhausted from the exciting weekend!

Things are gearing up at work for our summer programs, which I manage. It's been crazy with the semester end, finals and Commencement. And now the summer programs are just weeks away. Wowzy! Also, the merger continues to move forward. Things have been going smoothly, so far. This month, Berklee's HR managers are sitting down with our staff (and our supervisors) and essentially telling us what to expect from our jobs and the merger changes, for the immediate future, given the June 1st official date of merger. My meeting is Tuesday morning. Wish me luck and send a few (much needed) prayers.

Blogging:

I was able to update a few things on the blog, but CLEARLY I have not given it nearly the attention I should. I'm working at it...

Truly I am.

Have a great week everyone!!

Shannon
 

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Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon

I didn't officially sign up....

But I'm here, reading right along with you!

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Mondays - 03/28/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

A stressful, rollercoaster week due to an family member's health. Thankfully, we seem to have gotten a reprieve due to a pacemaker placement. Spent a very low-key Easter with the family, feeling grateful.

Current reads:
• Hammer Head - Nina MacLaughlin
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

Finished reads:

• And I Shall Have Peace There - Margaret Roach

• Going Somewhere: A Bicycle Journey Across America - Brian Benson

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Happy Easter!

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Moon Over Manifest - Vanderpool

Title: Moon Over Manifest

Author: Clare Vanderpool

Published: Genre: Children's Fiction
Rating:  3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.

Book Source: Library
 
Recommended if you like: Children's Fiction, Historical Fiction


 
What Its About:  

Abilene Tucker is a young girl, just twelve, when her father sends her off to live with an old friend, Pastor Shady Howard, in his "hometown" of Manifest, Kansas. Gideon Tucker is a hobo who rides the rails and never settles in one place and its just too dangerous for a twelve year old girl to be living that lifestyle.

But Manifest, Kansas ("A Town with a rich past and a bright future") doesn't quite live up to its name.  It's the Depression, and the only thing scarcer than water is the funding for a "bright future". Abilene feels abandoned by the father she loves dearly and sets out to discover any sign or clue of her father's past and why he has sent her here. But no one in her new town seems to have any stories or information to share about Gideon Tucker. At least, that is how it first appears.  However, with the help of new friends, of all ages and nationalities, Abilene finds not only her father in Manifest, but herself as well.

The Bottom Line: 

A sweet and entertaining book for children with just the right mix of mystery and emotions.  A pleasure to read.

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Tuesday Tunes - 03/22/16

A good lyric is like a great book...

Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
Don McLean, Artist & Writer

Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills,
Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
In colors on the snowy linen land. Now I understand what you tried to say to me

how you suffered for your sanity
how you tried to set them free.
They would not listen
they did not know how

perhaps they'll listen now.

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Mondays - 03/21/16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been and plan on reading over the week. Recently taken over, this meme is managed by my Kathryn at the Book Date.

My week:

Relatively calm this week, as its spring break. I got the opportunity to take Thursday and Friday off, which was awesome! I got some reading done, but honestly did mostly errands (this is what you do when you commute to work via train and no longer have a car for post-work trips). 

Current reads:
• And I Shall Have Peace There - Margaret Roach
• Torment Saint, the life of Elliott Smith - William Todd Schultz

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (still rereading) - J.K. Rowling

Coming up this week:

I honestly have no clue!

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Sunday Salon - 03/19/16

The Sunday Salon is now a Facebook group.

The Sunday Post

is a weekly meme hosted by

Kimba@Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Life:

And, she's back!

After so many weeks, I am sure that you were all sure that I had finally given up on the blog. But no, not me. I clearly don't know when to give up, so I am back once again!

After realizing that having a keyboard for my iPad would be extremely helpful at work, I decided to finally go get one. Then, my fish died. The one that I have had for a good ten years (honestly!) and talked about in this post:  
 
R.I.P. My beautiful friend.  

Hubby "buried" him by releasing his body into a nearby lake, so he has hopefully gone off to fishy-heaven.  And, in a bout of retail therapy, I bought not just a keyboard, but a new iPad, a mouse (turns out the only way to get that to work is to jailbreak, no thanks), and a new cover. Long story short, I had to go back THREE times to finally get a keyboard that worked, but I did...and here it is. Impressed? Well, I am. And, obvious benefit, it will make blogging much easier!

So, what is up with me?  

Work is busy as usual, though we have finally gotten  a student to help with things. As well, it is the middle of the semester, the mid-semester lull, so I am finally getting caught up. And, the big news at work is finally official: The Boston Conservatory (my company) will be merging with Berklee School of Music. By the middle of this year, we will all be Berklee employees. Exciting, stressful, wonderful, and more than a little scary. Everyone is hoping they still have jobs when this is done, but only time will tell.

The kitties are doing great. Still playful and adorable, though more and more adult every day. Sigh, they grow up so quickly! 

Blogging:

I've got a lot of catching up to do here, reviews and posts and blog upkeep, oh my!

First order of business, I need to update my TBR page. I haven't touched it in months as Shelfari is going away. Is anyone as bummed as I am about Shelfari?!?! Amazon, yuck! Goodreads, blah! Shelfari good! 

But what choice do I have? 

I sucked it up and updated my old (barely used) Goodreads page. It was a RIDICULOUS amount of work as my whole Shelfari book list did not transfer over easily. Lots of extra typing and lost all my followers.  I was not a happy camper! Though to be fair, it could have been much worse. 

And surprisingly, Goodreads has actually gotten better. It has a few key things that they never used to have (and Shelfari did), like the ability to export an Excel spreadsheet of your lists...a Godsend with a list of more than 10,000+ books. So that's a good start, though they still have an ugly set up. Shelfari always looked like an actual bookshelf, pretty!  What matters, I suppose, is it's finally done. Please feel free to visit me over there, and maybe even follow me?!

Well, I could go on and on, but that's going to be it for now.

Have a great week everyone!!

Shannon
 

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