Elk Falls Provincial Park
Campbell River, British Columbia
September 2023
Just as the bear in the photograph above is preparing for winter, I found myself slowing down in November, curling up with my books more often than I usually do during the summer. We celebrated our 35th anniversary, enjoyed a visit with more relatives mid-month (I think that brings the total number of visitors in 2023 to a whopping 43!), and hosted a few of our neighbors for Thanksgiving. The RV is tucked in at the storage facility for the next few months, and the rainy (and windy!) season has arrived, so I see more time for reading and trying out new recipes in the coming months.
Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson (4/5)
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (4.5/5)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (3/5)
Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard (5/5)
Bella: An Appalachian Love Story & Jagged Dawn: Logan's Beginning by Valerie Davisson (4/5)
The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill (3.5/5)
The Push by Ashley Audrain (4.5/5)
The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls (4/5)
Closer by Sea by Perry Chafe (3.5/5)
Movies & TV Series:
My Texas Rangers' T-Shirt from 1998
Texas Rangers are the 2023 World Series Champions! When we lived in Fort Worth (1998-2000), we fell in love with the Rangers (and their ballpark). It was also the season of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, so we watched A LOT of baseball. I loved going to games and have always been a fan of the team (which has been around since the year of my birth). Well done, boys!
Vera (Season Three) - We really enjoy this series, especially since each mystery is wrapped up in a single episode. I love seeing how the friendship between Vera and Joe continues to develop.
Anika (Season Two) - Lots more (dry) humor in this season than in the first, but overall, I didn't love it.
Bosch Legacy (Season Two) - Another follow-up season that disappointed us. Actually, the Legacy spin-off of Bosch isn't nearly as good as the original.
Thanksgiving Feast:
Most of our family came for visits this past summer and early fall, so with no relatives coming for Thanksgiving, we invited a few of our neighbors to Thanksgiving dinner. Only because I couldn't find a smaller turkey (from the company I prefer), I wound up with a 24 lb beast! I've never roasted a turkey that large and was afraid it would take all day to cook. Surprisingly, it was finished in under four hours. (It was actually slightly overdone, but that's better than an undercooked turkey, and, with enough gravy and cranberry sauce, nobody cared.) I do a lot of prep the day before and serve the majority of hot dishes in crockpots. I was even able to carve the turkey well before our guests arrived, holding it at a safe temperature in a large crock pot. And yes, we have a lot of leftovers which are in the freezer for future meals. Turkey soup, turkey tetrazzini, turkey enchiladas, turkey sandwiches, and turkey tacos, to name a few. What's your favorite turkey leftover meal?
Christmas Gift Idea:
I received my first item from MAYSON the label and I'm in love! The color is stunning and the cashmere fabric is so luxurious. If you need a gift idea, you can't go wrong with this scarf. It comes in six colors (cappuccino, navy, heather grey, skylar, black, and white sand) and after much deliberation, I ordered the skylar. It was tempting to get one in every color. ;)
On second thought, treat yourself to an early Christmas present. You deserve it!
What a lovely Thanksgiving celebration you had!
ReplyDeleteAnd look at that amazing scarf! Wow.
Thanks, Deb. It was a very enjoyable Thanksgiving shared with good friends. And, yes. That scarf is amazing! It's super soft and warm, not to mention the beautiful color. I made need one in every color. ;)
DeleteThat's a lovely Thanksgiving you had and I enjoyed the photos. That bear photo is vey cool, I've never seen a bear in the wild.
ReplyDeleteSo did you feel Cassie's absence in Unforgotten made a huge difference? I like Sunny's character and while I haven't seen this season yet, I am #4 on the lit at the library for the DVD.
Thanks, Tina. We saw a few bears on our trip to Vancouver Island, which was pretty exciting.
DeleteI think Cassie's absence (in Unforgotten) did make a difference, but mainly because Sunny's new partner wasn't very likeable in the first few episodes. I warmed up to her toward the end of the season, so maybe season six (if there is one) will be better.
Beautiful Thanksgiving (and anniversary!) photos... lots of November happiness. Plus some pretty great reading, too. Count the Ways was my favorite novel of 2021, and also my first Joyce Maynard. I plan to read her latest, The Bird Hotel, sometime next year. Now that the RV is tucked away, are you planning your 2024 travels? Happy December, my friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, JoAnn. It was a good month (personally and reading-wise)! Count the Ways will be in my Top Ten list for 2023, for sure! We haven't made any travel plans for 2024, but I'm starting to think about some possible places. We'd like to explore more of Washington (state), so maybe we'll head that way in April. I'd love to go to the Tetons and down to Utah, maybe in the fall.
DeleteHappy December to you, too! I'm looking forward to some Florida photos from you next month. :)
Happy Anniversary! 35 years is a good #! You two are lucky. & Lovely photos of the feast. Gosh now I'm hungry. We're still watching & enjoying Bosch even though Legacy isn't as good as the original show. & Love the color of the scarf .... I will look at Mayson online ... thx for the reminder. Happy holiday season!
ReplyDeleteSusan, we feel pretty lucky! Time is so weird, though. It doesn't seem like 35 years, but then again, it feels longer. In a good way. :) Hope you find something tempting at Mayson... I'm loving my scarf!
DeleteHappy belated anniversary! Your Thanksgiving table is lovely. We've stored our RV for the first time this winter too and we miss her terribly. It's nice to be snug though. Happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the anniversary wishes, Jen. I'm beginning to start thinking about where we should take the RV in April, but haven't settled on anything yet. I think we'll do the Tetons and some of Utah in Sept/Oct, though.
DeleteWhat a wonderful month you had with an anniversary celebration (congratulations on #35!) and time with friends! I've enjoyed Bosch Legacy but agree, it's not as good as the original. You've had a great reading month too. Here's to many wonderful times this holiday season! And, the scarf is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely month, Iliana. December proved to be just as busy & fun. Yes, that scarf is gorgeous, and currently on sale! ;)
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