Blogiversary

Thanks to my blogging friend Andi, I was reminded of my own blogiversary which was last week (February 13th). I have been writing about my favorite (and not so favorite) books for 11 years! Every so often I decide to close up shop and put this blog to rest, but I can never stay away for very long, so I hope to continue with this little community of mine for many more years. Thank you all for visiting and leaving comments. I love hearing from each and every one of you.

For past blogiversary posts, click here.

Hello, It's Me...

Well, hello November. How did you sneak up on me? Has it really been four months since my last post? And, over six months since my last book review?! I hadn't planned to be away that long! I guess I always knew I'd return to this corner of my life or I would have posted a formal goodbye. I wasn't feeling pressured to blog, but spring rolled around and I got busy with outdoor life (although not to the extent I used to... I love a beautiful yard, but don't really care to spend too much time working at it) and travel (photos of three fun-filled vacations will be shared on Wordless Wednesday over the next few months). But things seem to be settling down now (says she who is about to dive into yet another season of holiday madness as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble!). Hey, I'll give it my best shot. As far as book reviews, I think I'll keep things simple. Maybe I'll share what I've read with a brief comment or two, much like what I now do on Goodreads. If I feel compelled to elaborate or include a lot of favorite passages, I'll go that route. In any event, I want to be back here, sharing my thoughts and photos and reconnecting with all of you. Thank you for being so patient and keeping me in your blog feeds. :)

I guess I'll start off with some photos from the weekend. We are enjoying some amazingly warm temps. 76 yesterday and 82 today. I know we're going to eventually get hit with some colder weather, so I'm enjoying the fact that I can still wear shorts and sandals, even though what little tan I had has long since faded.

We took a long walk yesterday afternoon, enjoying the fall colors and spending a little time wandering around our city's rose garden. We've ridden our bikes past this park on several occasions, but this was the first time we spent any time strolling among the roses. Most are finished for the season, but there were a few still blooming. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with an iced cold beer out on our porch. All in all, it was a great afternoon.

I haven't been reading much these days, but I decided to start The Boys in the Boat last night (unofficially, joining the Nonfiction November challenge). I've been eager to read this book ever since it was first released in hardcover, so I'm happy to have a gentle nudge to finally dust it off my shelf. The last book I read was Find the Good by Heather Lende. Oh, and I'm also listening to The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. (Yes, I plan to update my sidebar!)

And now it's time to go start dinner and spend some time working on my photos from my recent trip. My mom and I went on a river cruise in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands and I have hundreds of photos to edit!

I'll leave you with a question of the day: Do any of you actually like daylight savings time?

A Backward Glance

2014.

Wow. I remember when I graduated from high school and I thought, "When the ball drops to begin the year 2000, I'll be 38!" At the time, that sounded so far off. But as we all know (or at least those of us over 30), time really does fly. A month ago, I turned 52. My daughter turned 30. (30!) I've been blogging for 8 years and working at Barnes and Noble for almost 7. I've been married to the love of my life for 25 years. Rachel's been gone for almost 9 years and Papa Bill only 4 weeks. And it all seems like yesterday.

Tempus fugit.

But, is it me or did this past year fly much faster than usual? Maybe it's the fact that I was away from home for almost 7 weeks out of the entire year. Or that I worked longer days than ever before. Or that I spent mindless hours watching a wide variety of TV shows on Netflix. What I didn't do is blog as often as I hoped. Or ride my bike as much as I should have. Or lose those 10 pounds…

But it's a New Year (I can still say that until February, right?) and a clean slate awaits.

For the second time in 33 years, I didn't send out Christmas cards. Back in November, I was ok with that choice. I was too busy with work, too sad about my stepdad's health and too worried about money. So I decided to skip it. Skip it and the gifts and the decorating and the baking. I just wanted to get through the holiday season, hop a plane and spend Christmas in Oregon with my parents.

We make plans and God laughs.

But I'm still making plans. I plan to catch up on all my book reviews before I post my Top Ten of 2013. I plan to post my Top Ten of 2012, as well. (Yep. Never did that, did I?) I plan to start exercising as soon as the weather permits. Gotta wait for those bike trails to be free of snow and ice before I can back out there, but I'm ready to roll!

Other than a few photo essay posts, I haven't been very active on the old blog and it felt strange to simply jump in with a couple of book reviews, so I thought I’d take this time to share the highlights of the past year with you. Consider it a belated Christmas letter of sorts. I’ll even try to brag about something. ;)

As mentioned, I was away from home for almost 2 months this past year. I think that’s a record! I took 7 trips, some with my husband and some solo. Here’s a visual recap:

Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

I learned how to snowshoe 

at an elevation of 9,000 ft. (approx.)

 Depoe Bay, Oregon
Celebrating my mom’s 80th birthday
with my brothers

Kingston, Washington

Celebrating Father’s Day with my dad

 The Black Hills, South Dakota

Road trip with the grandchild!

Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico

Celebrating our 25th anniversary

Depoe Bay, Oregon

Saying goodbye to one of

the most influential men in my life

Depoe Bay, Oregon

Spending Christmas with my mom

So, there was quite a bit of traveling; most of which was very fun and exciting. I saw whales, bald eagles, elk, and mountain goats, and I didn’t get trampled by a moose. Or a buffalo.

I also mentioned that I spent a great deal of time in front of the TV. Rod had back surgery in November and was out of work for 4 weeks. As a result, we watched A LOT of TV. And now we’re completely addicted to Justified, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Sherlock, House of Cards and Parenthood. It’s no wonder I didn’t have time to blog. Or answer emails. Or dust.

Speaking of computer time, I have made an effort lately to “unplug” and spend more time reading rather than sitting in front of the computer for hours. It’s going pretty well, but I still can’t seem to cut the cord on Facebook or Instagram. I got sucked back into Twitter, only to decide it really isn’t my thing. I miss keeping up on some of my blogmates’ chats, but there are only so many hours in a day… Same goes for Pinterest. I’ve still got my boards, but haven’t looked at any of them in months. After the demise of Google Reader, I discovered Bloglovin’ and while I may not comment as often as I used to (darn that clumsy iPad!), I still enjoy keeping up with what’s going in your lives, adding book recommendations to my insanely long list of books to read.

And on that note, it’s time to share some of my recommendations with you…

But before I do, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year and say thanks for being such loyal readers. Here’s to the next 8 years. OMG. I’ll be 60!!

For more New Year's posts, go here, here, here and here.

6 Years!

Good friends
and
good books --
things
we want to
hang on to
forever.

Last Wednesday marked the 6th anniversary of Lesley’s Book Nook (now known as Prairie Horizons).

Really? Six years?!

When I first started blogging about books, I never imagined I'd stick with it for all these years. I have two other blogs that I no longer post to and my poor, pathetic cooking blog that is rarely ever added to. (And which is in desperate need of a makeover with all new photos!) Over the years I grew weary of the pressure to write reviews and got bored with my template, often considering ditching the whole thing for more time to read, but I could never bring myself to say goodbye to all the great friends I’ve made over the years. Andi, Heather, Nat and Nancy, you guys are probably the bloggers I’ve known the longest. We met on a couple of Yahoo sites prior to blogging and I think it was Andi who convinced me to give it a try. Since then, I’ve seen other online friends join in on the book chatter (Nan & Kay) and while some have left for good (if you’re reading this, please know that I miss your posts*), others have quit and returned (much to the joy of this reader). Many of you are like sisters to me (Bellezza, Wendy, Joy and SuziQ) and I hope we get a chance to meet some day. Some of you share my enthusiasm for travel (Stephanie & Iliana), cooking & photography (Pam), and many others are simply faithful readers, virtual friends with whom it's a pleasure to stay in touch, discussing whatever arises (Staci, JoAnn, Kelly and Kathy). And then there are bloggers whom I’ve recently met (Linda & Trish) who feel like kindred spirits. You all enrich my life every single day. What a great community of which to be a part! Why in the world would I want to leave? Especially now that I’ve found my blogging mojo with this new template and discovered how easy it is to change up my header and sidebar. Life in the blogosphere is very good.

Getting nostalgic as I started to compose this post, I glanced back on my previous blogiversary posts (somehow, I missed the 5th!) and thought it might be fun to repost a little bit from each.


Year One:

Today marks the one-year anniversary of this blog. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown since I first posted my review for Barbara Kingsolver's Small Wonder.

It's been quite a year of emotional healing. I owe a lot to all my new friends who share my joy of reading (and kitties, inclement weather, cooking, gardening and random musings). I love reading all your comments and visiting your blogs.

I'm thankful for the warmth of friendship I've discovered within the blogging community and treasure each and every one of you. I look forward to many more years of writing and fellowship.


Year Two:

It’s important to have a sense of place. To feel that you belong somewhere, to feel committed. For some people, place begins with another person and everything – from friends to the Japanese maple in the yard – grows from that. But sometimes, it works the other way. You find a place where you belong. And the people find you. Gathering mussels, picking beans, eating blackberry pie. (author unknown)

During the past two years, I have found a place where I belong. I love sharing my thoughts about the books I've read, the places I've visited, the beauty in nature, and the new music I've discovered. And, I've discovered so many new authors and books thanks to all of you fabulous bloggers. My life is richer since I began blogging and I've met so many intelligent, funny, and kind new friends. I simply can't imagine ever giving this up! So here's to many, many more years of friendship and books.


Year Three:

Blogging has been such a rewarding experience and, although there have been times when I've felt too busy to post, I can't imagine my life without my blog and blogmates. Thank you all for helping to enrich my life. I've enjoyed each and every enthusiastic comment, felt each tender virtual hug in times of need, and am grateful for every one of you.


Year Four:

I've been busy catching up on my book reviews and just realized that my blogiversary came and went (yesterday). Have I really been blogging for four years?? I had to double-check to be sure. The time has certainly flown by! I want to thank each and every one of you who take the time to stop by and read my reviews, leave comments, and hang in there when I get quiet.


Keeping with the tradition of blogiversary give-aways and as a thank you for your loyal readership and comments, I would like to offer a gift of appreciation. Leave a comment between now and February 29th, indicating you’d like to be included (you must include your email address), and I’ll draw a winning name to receive a box of a dozen gently used books (including one audiobook) from my shelves. Due to the size and weight of the box, I will have to restrict this give-away to the U.S.

Human beings are meant to connect.
Laughter and good wishes
are an appropriate response to new adventures,
and gratitude for what has been
often walks hand in hand
with joy in new possibilities.
Whether it’s a traditional house-warming
or a modern blog-warming,
the point is the same:
life is better in community.
~ Linda, at The Task at Hand

* the other Lesley, Marcia, Robin

Sunday Salon - October 23, 2011

I didn’t get much reading in this past week, but I did have a wonderful visit with my parents who were here from Oregon. I decided to work on putting together some photo albums, so we spent the afternoons sorting through stacks and stacks of old photos, laughing over some, tearing up over others. I’m all for digital photography, but there’s nothing like reminiscing over a pile of pictures. Sitting in front of a computer monitor just doesn’t cut it.

My mom is a voracious reader and kindly brought us a lovely stack of books, which I plan to share in a separate post later this week. Stay tuned!

Speaking of books, it feels like such a long time since I posted a book review, but I only have three more to write and then I’ll be all caught up. A few days ago, Nan wrote about book reviews and blogging and I found myself nodding my head in agreement. She said:

I don't always want to do a long book report. Sometimes I want to state 'just the facts,' with only a brief explanation of the book and how I felt about it. Once in a while there just isn't that much to say, but yet I want to write something because I use my blog as a book journal.

This is exactly how I feel, especially when I’m reviewing an audio book. So, things may change a little bit around here.

It looks like it’s going to be another beautiful Sunday, with temps reaching close to 80! I’m getting ready to head out for a bike ride with a friend and it’s not quite 40 degrees, but it shouldn’t be too bad since there’s no wind. I’m sure we’ll warm up after the first mile or two. I hope everyone is having a nice, relaxing weekend. Congrats to all of the Read-a-Thon participants. Maybe I’ll get a chance to participate next year. I could use a full day devoted to nothing but reading. Ten minutes before bed just isn't enough time to really get involved in a book, is it?

Good Intentions

I had good, no, great intentions of spending the weekend writing my final book review for 2009. I wanted to begin putting together my year-end summary of the books I read and loved. And those I loathed. I planned to spend several hours on the the couch, huddled beneath a warm quilt, lost in Jacob's story in Water For Elephants. But as it goes, my weekend To Do list was a mile long.

There was laundry. Lots of laundry.

And two hours of ironing. (Thank goodness I can iron and watch a dvd at the same time.)

And three weeks of recycling to dispose of.

And two bathrooms to clean.

And menu planning. (Yes. A New Year's resolution.)

And vacuuming. I love my Annie-Dog, but the hair. Oh, the hair.

But, I made time to do the things I love.

I bought flowers.


When it's cold and gray and gloomy, there's just nothing quite like a bouquet of yellow daisies. They make me smile. Thank you, Pam, for the inspiration.

I picked up my camera and took a stroll around my house. I miss taking pictures and am toying with the idea of getting back into Aminus3.

The sun was shining.

:: Inside






:: And out




I danced to Pink Martini... and James Taylor... and Mary Chapin Carpenter, while baking bread.

I called my mom and wrote to my dad and thought of my girls.

I walked for an hour on the treadmill, laughing as I read through several months' of Pioneer Woman's archives. (That woman is a hilarious writer and one helluva photographer!)

I fed my Annie-dog chicken scraps and a piece of bacon. (Shhh, don't tell Rod.)

I fed my husband stew and homemade bread.




And, I realized this is what's important.

Living in the moment. Finding time to do the things I love. Letting go of the desire to do it all now.

It doesn't all have to be written down Right. This. Minute. Publishers Weekly isn't waiting for my reviews. Bookmarks magazine isn't calling for my opinion on the latest best seller.

But, my family is here. Right now.

Balance.

Simplify.

Laugh.

Relax.


To the New Year.

Cheers.

Blogiversary!

Yesterday marked the third anniversary of Lesley's Book Nook!

3 years

480 posts

180 book reviews

114,691 hits

2 spin-off blogs (cooking and photography)

Countless new friendships

Blogging has been such a rewarding experience and, although there have been times when I've felt too busy to post, I can't imagine my life without my blog and blogmates. Thank you all for helping to enrich my life. I've enjoyed each and every enthusiastic comment, felt each tender virtual hug in times of need, and am grateful for every one of you.

Good friends
and
good books ~
things
we want to
hang on to
forever.

If someone said to me,
how did you spend your life?
I'd have to say,
lying on the sofa reading.
~Fran Lebowitz

I still find each day too short for
all the thoughts I want to think,
all the walks I want to take,
all the books I want to read,
and all the friends I want to see.
~ John Burroughs

Wife in the North

Wife in the North by Judith O'Reilly
Memoir
2008 Public Affairs Books
Finished on 12/12/08
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)




Publisher's Blurb:

Perhaps it was because she was pregnant and hormones had eaten her brain that Judith O'Reilly was persuaded by her husband to leave London for the northern wilds. But pregnancy hadn't addled her enough not to have a back-up plan: If life in the country didn't measure up, the family would return to the city.

Far from home, Judith, a journalist and mother of three young children, discovers just how tough an assignment making a new life is. In the heart of the country, with no decent coffee in sight, Judith swaps high heels for rubber boots and media-darlings for evangelical strangers and farmers' wives in an effort to do that simple thing women do—make hers a happy family.

Her headlong foray into the country invites adventure at every turn. As she adjusts to the lay of the land and searches for her own true north in an alien landscape, her story offers a hilarious, heartfelt reflection of how to navigate the challenges and rewards of motherhood, marriage, and family.

Oh, my gosh! I couldn't have chosen a better time to read this hilarious book. With its bloglike daily posts, it was a perfect read for the hectic holiday season. I could pick it up and set it down without losing the moment of the narrative, much like catching up on a favorite blog after being away from the computer for a week or so.

O'Reilly is a wonderful storyteller. She had me laughing out loud one moment and bringing a lump to my throat the next. And as with any good book, I wound up marking numerous passages with Post-it Notes.

On mothers and daughters:

One day you wrap, in acid-free tissue layers, the daughter in you. You admire it as you put away its girlish chiffon colours, you mourn its passing as you stand on tiptoe to put it away on the very highest shelf. From a hanger, you take off and shake out the sensible navy role of mother and slip it on. Mother not only to your children but to your own mother. I am at that moment.

On friendship:

Real friends I count like beads on a rosary... You do not keep every friend you ever make. If you are lucky, you keep one or maybe two from the pigeonholes of life: study, jobs, children. One of the best places for making friends is, of course, the office. I have friends from all of the places I worked, newspapers and TV. If you invest wisely, you double them as they grow old and marry. Some friends become another family. Some friends you talk to once a year. A few are there in every crisis and extremity. You hurt when they hurt. There are times you put down the phone when they have read you the latest chapter of their life and weep for them. Some occasionally disappoint. Occasionally, you disappoint back. You try to listen. In sadness and disaster, you say: "I love you," and hope they can hear between their shouts of pain. You say: "I'm here for you," and hope they can see you in their darkness. It seems the least that you can do.

On country life and laundry:

I do things in Northumberland that I would never do otherwise. I hang out washing. I enjoy the weight of a wet shirt in my hand, the reach of my arm and the tidy clip of the plastic peg. Sunshine in my eyes, I squint and string the clothes along the line which runs across the common grass between the sea-fringed fields and the cottages. Then, I catch and heave and hoist them up to the clouds; a length of skinny, metal piping, standing guard, the line caught in its wooden, snake-tongued mouth. They flap and flurry in the northern breezes, lift, noisy and excited in the whippy gusts straight blown from the world's other side to here. It relaxes me to do it, see it, hear it.

On grief:

I took the Yorkshire Mother out to lunch. It was a strange sort of occasion. She has four sons, sprawling, brawling sorts of boys, much like my own, and an older daughter. She should have five sons, not four. Her eldest would have been twenty-one today but no key to the door for him. Dead before his time, seven years ago. Last week, waiting for our boys to come out of school, she said: "Wednesday would have been his birthday. I'll be going to his grave instead." My heart took on the colour of her sadness. I said: "Would it be weird to have lunch with me before you go?" A mother does not forget a son's birthday however far from home he is. We chinked our glasses, drank up the champagne fizz, wiped out the bubbles with our fingers, then filled the empty glasses with our tears.

I truly enjoyed this gem of a book and can think of several friends I'd recommend it to. However, I do have a couple of minor quibbles. About halfway through, I began to grow tired of the author's sarcastic complaints about her husband and her unhappiness in her new location. I suspect she wanted to show an honest reaction to the family's relocation 350 miles north of her beloved London, yet I couldn't help but cringe when she started to complain once again. Kind of like that awkward feeling you get when you're at a dinner party and a husband or wife begins to criticize the other spouse in front of the guests. You feel badly, wishing you weren't a witness to their rants. You love them and enjoy their company, but would rather not have an intimate knowledge of their unhappiness.

On compromise and dissatisfaction:

My husband left for London for two weeks. Let me see, how long have we lived here. Oh yes, three weeks. How pregnant am I? Seven months. How many children do I have? Two and a bit. Do I want to be here? No. Excellent. He has a deadline, he always seems to have a deadline. He is the one who wants to live up here, yet he is the one who has to work away for weeks at a time. I knew he would have to go back soon after we moved: he can do part of his job down the line but not all of it. Seeing him go—not having him here—is about as hard as I thought it would be. He called me. He said: "I miss you." I gripped the phone, said, "If we lived in London, you wouldn't have to miss me."

and

One of my acute frustrations living up here is the lack of space. Outside it's all glorious green rolling acres everywhere while the beaches are empty stretches of washed sand. Inside this rural dream country life, it is hell. Five of us squished together in what is effectively a two-bedroom, toy-strewn hovel. Six, counting Girl Friday when she is here. The house is like something from eighteenth-century pre-revolution England—all cottage industry and screaming children with a little less smallpox.

I also feel Wife in the North would have been even more enjoyable if it weren't quite so long. The stories (good and bad) became repetitious and I actually considered setting the book aside for a bit, if not entirely. I'm glad I continued on, though. The author shares a touching piece of personal history in the final pages and I would have hated to have missed reading those passages.

Wife in the North is a bit reminiscent of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence
(yes, there's a home renovation) and Jeannie Laskas' Fifty Acres and a Poodle (no, there aren't any cute animal tales). Great laughs, touching stories, and a lovely glimpse into life in the country.

You can peruse Judith's blog, but be aware if you plan to read her book, many (if not all) of her posts prior to December 31, 2007 are included in the book.

There's also a very good review by a Waterstone's bookseller here.

Lazy Food Blogger

I guess there is such a thing as having too many blogs! I've been having so much fun with my photo blog that I've neglected my cooking blog. I'm still trying new menu items, but haven't had much time to get new recipes posted. This morning, after receiving notice that one of my recipes has been featured on a wonderful blog called The Back Burner, I decided I had better get my act together and add some new recipes -- it's been over three months!!

If you get a chance, pop over and see what's been cookin' in my kitchen.

Or, take a peek at some of my latest photos over here. And be sure to check out the great photos on Nat's & Bookfool's blogs, as well!

And not to worry... I have two book reviews in the pipeline. :)

Photo Blog

Time for a new post, don't you think? I haven't done much reading and have given up on a couple of books, so it'll be a little while before I have a new book review to share. Until then, feel free to drop in on my new blog. Yep, one can never have too many shoes dogs books bottles of wine blogs, right? You can also click on the camera (in my sidebar) to visit the blog. I plan to have a new picture every day. Enjoy!

Sunday Funnies

Click to enlarge