Little Whale Cove
Depoe Bay, Oregon
January 2025
What a month. All I can say (and it sounds terribly weak and trivial) is thank goodness for the beauty of nature and books. As much as I try to stay informed, there is only so much that I can take of the current news. For many, life hasn't changed much since January 20th, but for so many others, this country is unrecognizable and a scary place to live. My heart goes out to those who are living in fear, have lost their jobs (or homes), and to those who are worried about how they will survive in this cruel new place we call The United States.
When life gets difficult, I'm so thankful for my books. I had an exceptionally good month of reading and am excited to continue my personal challenge to read all of Maggie O'Farrell and Elizabeth Strout's books this year. I'm also reading C.J. Box and William Kent Kreuger's mystery series. I'm also focusing on the books in my stacks, but wound up with quite a few that I found at the library. Definitely want to keep supporting my local library!
Books Read (click on the title for my review):
The Guest Book by Sarah Blake (5/5)
Open Season by C.J. Box (4/5)
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten (4/5)
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (4.5/5) - reread for book club
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths (4/5)
After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell (4/5)
Naked Prey by John Sandford (4.5/5)
Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout (4.5/5) - reread
James by Percival Everett (4/5)
Movies & TV Series:
Shrinking (Season 2) - I was so sad when I reached the end of this season. The Thanksgiving episode really tugged at my heartstrings.
The Diplomat (Season 2) - Wow! What a great show. The last episode is quite a cliffhanger. I hope it isn't too long before Season 3 is released.
This Is Us (Season 6) - Finally got back to this show. Yes, it's sappy but I still enjoyed it. It's probably the most non-linear show in history! The Alzheimer's storyline was hard to watch.
In other news, I've become addicted to watching All About Birds' live cam in Ontario, Canada. I started watching the Cornell Lab cam, but switched to Canada's since I'm curious about the bird activity in their colder temps.
Update: I composed this post before the horrific news of the DC plane and helicopter crash on Thursday. My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost souls. Take care of yourselves, friends.
Your sentiments are mine as well. I am seeing the same thoughts expressed in many blogs I visit, on the ones who never talk politics and those who have always expressed an opinion about the state of affairs. We are trying to stay informed without immersing ourselves in the depair which keeps on coming. You are right, so many people have an uncertain future now and it's so very sad. The U.S. was always called The Melting Pot because of so many different people from different countries came together.
ReplyDeleteOk, on to books, which is also my comfort place right now. Keegan, Griffiths and O'Farrel are authors I have enjoyed in the past and would read anything by them. Go Rod! that's a great turnout for him and I hope he sells many books!
As always, I appreciate the tv/movies folks post about because that's where I get my ideas. Many titles have been written in my notebook and I check the library several times a week. Have not seen any you've mentioned here...yet.
Tina, what's so frustrating is that we really can't do much other than make phone calls to our elected officials. Maybe mass protests? But that could be dangerous. Sigh.
DeleteYes, books are a saving grace. I stayed up far too late last night finishing a mystery. It helped to take my mind off of the news. Thanks for the encouragement about Rod's book. We're pretty pleased with the attention his latest book is receiving!
Glad you are finding more shows to add to your watch list. I hope you can find some of these at your library.
Take good care, Tina.
That picture of the waves is just wonderful, Les! I love the almost see-through green-ish part. Gorgeous as always. Glad Rod had a good turnout in Astoria. I'm almost positive that we've been to that museum in years past. Books have always been and will continue to be my comfort and joy place. May they always be...hugs to you, friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay! I shot a lot of photos that day and was super happy to see the one with the translucent green part of the wave. I'll bet you have been to the Columbia River Maritime Museum if you've been to Astoria. It's a wonderful museum and they're in the midst of expanding, which is great. Hugs to you too, Kay!
DeleteA small plane crashed just over the freeway from me (.5 of a mile away, it was really intense) the same day of the DC crash so that was quite a day.
ReplyDeleteI have Bad Sisters on my list of shows to watch. I just need to get through Vera first.
Oh my gosh, Helen. I hadn't heard about that crash. How scary to have it happen so close to where you are! I'm glad I'm not doing any flying these days. Only once in the past 7 years, which is really weird. We used to fly a few times a year, but now that we have the RV (and live with my mom) we don't need to fly as often. Enjoy Bad Sisters when you get to it!
DeleteThat Little Whale Cove photo is absolutely stunning. I love that I can see the light peeking through that wave on the right. I want to print this out. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteThe political climate right now is just horrible. Like you, I am not directly affected by the shenanigans of late but I've spent two days writing guidance for our students and what to do if ICE approaches them. Very scary times. They just want an education and have visas and the like but they are being threatened. Oddly, the Canadian Boy Toy doesn't fall under that birthright citizenship EO.
Thanks, Ti. We get some beautiful wave action from our bluff here in LWC. If you really want to print out the photo, I can send you the original so you get better quality. Just send me your email address.
DeleteGreat post & you had a good January for reading. & Thx for the bird cam link. They have some birds we don't seem to get, which I like to see. I look a lot at our feeders out the front window. & I'm glad Rod's book talk went so well. Great showing. I once lived in Lake Forest Park in Seattle my last year there in 1990-1993. But I don't remember that bookstore - perhaps it's newer. I worked at the UW university bookstore, lol in the textbook department. We enjoyed Season 2 of Bad Sisters. Crazy but good. And I agree the States is a different place now ... and I find it scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan. Reading was a great escape for me last month, and this month should prove to be more of the same. Yeah, those bird cams are fun, especially when they get birds that we don't have around here. Fun that you worked at the UW bookstore. I've been in there a couple of times (my dad lived on a boat on Lake Union for many years) when visiting family in Seattle. My brother and his wife live near LFP in Shoreline. I love that whole area in and around Seattle!
DeleteWe loved Shrinking and The Diplomat and now I really wonder if we need to try Bad Sisters. We are gripped by Severance at the moment. Like everyone, I love the wave photo! Happy March.
ReplyDeleteCare, I can highly recommend Bad Sisters. It took a couple of episodes before we were hooked, but it's reallly good! Not sure about Severance, but I may give it a "test drive" before I suggest it to my husband. Thanks for stopping by!
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