Friday, May 30, 2014

Monthly Book Roundup: November-April

Clearly, you want to know what I've been reading over the past several months. Don't deny it. Here you go (and buckle up, because there are a lot):


November 2013

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby (book club selection)
The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel

December 2013
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (book club selection)
Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

January 2014
The Unseen by Katherine Webb
Attempting Elizabeth by Jessica Grey
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (book club selection)
Tuscan Rose by Belinda Alexander
The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich
The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

February 2014
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (book club selection)
Daughter of Empire by Lady Pamela Hicks
The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

March 2014
Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman & Paul Clark Newell, Jr.
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
The Truth About Ever After by Rachel Schurig
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman
The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Labor Day by Joyce Maynard (book club selection)
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

April 2014
The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey
Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (book club selection)
Lovestruck in London by Rachel Schurig
The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian
 

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Garden Experiments

The last time I planted a garden was two years ago. Last year, I never got around to it and, if you must know, that makes me feel really silly. Anyway, you may know that I used the Square Foot Gardening method for our first garden and that worked out pretty well.
 
This year, I began thinking about the garden pretty early on. I had read a bit about companion planting online and so checked out a few library books on the subject including Great Garden Companions by Sally Jean Cunningham. I really liked it, and picked up a copy on Amazon.
 
I decided that I would try a garden that used bits and pieces of both methods. Who knows if this will be a success or not, but I went for it. I got everything planted on Sunday afternoon after sitting down at my picnic table with both books, my notebook, and a crapload of seeds. I mean, a bunch. AND I think I have more seeds somewhere, because I know I didn't use all of them last time so they must exist somewhere in my basement. Someday, I will find them. Anyway, here is what I planted:
 
-cucumbers ("picklebush" variety which means I may not be contending with a ton of vines and the cukes will be small)
-nasturtium
-marigolds
-dill
-roma tomatoes
-sugar snap peas
-Serrano peppers
-sweet banana peppers
-bell peppers
-zinnias
-poppies
-lettuce
-carrots ("little finger" variety, so they'll be pretty small like the cucumbers)
-basil
-oregano
-cilantro
 
I think that's all of it. I'm pretty excited to start seeing things coming up, maybe as soon as next week for some things. I know that peas move along pretty quickly.
 
Are you planting a garden this year? What will you grow?

Monday, May 5, 2014

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was a good one. A nice mix of fun, productivity and relaxation. I:

- watched hockey;
- read;
- did laundry;
- ran errands;
- went to a concert;
- did some sewing;
- took a nap;
- planted my garden.

Stay tuned for more about the sewing and the gardening as well as that all important life update I promised. 

Happy Monday!