I’m all about the foliage this year and this Kong Coleus is a great variety providing vibrant color on our deck.
And, as much as I love our deck, I won’t be seeing it for the next week because we are headed to Maine on vacation! If you can’t wait for me to come back to this space you can always follow me on Instagram to keep up with our adventures. Take care of yourselves and I’ll see you on July 2nd.
I saw this picture on social media the other day and thought . . . hmmmm . . . 3 questions! Perfect for Thursday!
And then I realized, if I’m being truthful, that my answer for all 3 would be the same and that answer would be Dale’s band, Dale and the Duds. Yep. I saw them first when I was about 10, I think. I realize that might sound a little creepy but I can assure you it was not, they were just hitting their stride and getting pretty popular at that time and played a lot of outdoor venues. Oh, and my mom loved them. That might actually be a little creepy. My last concert was last night when Jess and Jack and I went to see them in a neighboring town. And my next concert will be them on the 4th of July. So, yeah . . . kinda boring answers.
For the sake of interest I’m just going to eliminate them from the equation and I’ll go with . . . band I don’t know personally.
And there you have it. My concert history in a nutshell! I’d love to have you answer these 3 questions in the comments if you’re so inclined.
If you wrote a post for this week please include your link below!
I’ve been reading up a storm the last couple of weeks and I’m filling in squares and I even got my first Bingo over the weekend!
Here’s my updated card:
And here are the books I’ve finished since I last shared about books with you:
Square #23, Set in a place you’d like to know more about: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
4 stars
I thought this book was quite good. The subject matter is difficult at times and there is a fair amount of violence but there is an underlying theme of love and hope that surpasses the despair. The descriptions of Alaska are beautiful, it’s almost as if the state is another character in the story. I will say that I think it could have benefited from more aggressive editing, some parts were repetitious and it did drag a bit at times. I’m glad to recommend it but it’s definitely not for the squeamish!
Square #8, Recommended by a friend: This is Water by David Foster Wallace
5 stars
Short and profound, this little book tackles big ideas, promoting the most important thing of all: being present.
Square #19, Historical Fiction: Grace by Natasha Deon
3 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book, a story of a runaway slave who is killed at the very beginning of the novel and is then told from her point of view prior to her murder and for years afterwards as a ghost following her daughter through life. The plot is good although the switching of time lines is sometimes confusing. My issues, however, are with the stereotypical characters and the use of language and descriptions that just don’t fit the time frame. Profanity that wasn’t used at that time, phrases that are modern, and more, are jarring and out of place and make it hard to immerse yourself in the historical context the author is attempting to create. And some of the characters are way overdone, the cheated on and abandoned plantation wife, the drunk and cruel plantation owner, etc. Underground Railroad is a much better novel covering some of the same issues.
Square #5, Debut: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
3 squares
This book makes for a great summer read – fast and (mostly) light and full of flowers. I do think there could have been a little more character development and I definitely got frustrated with Victoria’s inability to see that she was loved and accepted but all in all I enjoyed it and was quite satisfied with the ending.
Square #15, Audiobook with one narrator: The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
4 stars
Fascinating and full of facts, this book will forever change the way you look at birds!
Square #24, Mystery: Banana Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
2 stars
This series has really declined, the dialogue is way too simple, the plot is non-existent and the recipes are like something from a church cookbook in the 1970s. And yet I keep reading. I was sure this one would be my last but the cliff hanger ending will probably make me read the next one . . .
Square #8, Recommended by a friend: The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott
5 stars
Literary fiction at it’s best, read it for the prose and fabulous character development but don’t expect a lot of plot. It’s beautiful and moving and I highly recommend it.
I’m glad you all like seeing pictures of our Jackie because that’s all I have for you today.
Our tiny person illustrating a tiny moment as he tries to beat the heat on Father’s Day. It’s these little moments that make up a beautiful life, I know that for sure.
Happy Tuesday!
I had a fun weekend, how about you? First of all, the weather was terrific. Hot but not too humid with abundant sunshine. I love summer and these long warm days are a big part of why I enjoy it so much.
On Friday I had Jack all day and it was great. Dale and I took him with us to the bench dedication that was part of our family being honored last November. It was such fun to show him off and he behaved perfectly. We came home and had Friday Night Snacks . . . with a slight modification.
On Saturday we had a full day at home, doing yard work and catching up on the general stuff of life. We spontaneously invited Sean over for dinner and enjoyed some snacks and cocktails on the deck first.
After dinner we had a fire and I posted this photo on Facebook mentioning that we had empty chairs if anyone wanted to come over. Next thing I knew we had 2 couples join us – good friends who we don’t hang out with nearly often enough. It was totally spontaneous and a really fun evening.
Sunday was Father’s Day so the kids came over. Jack, of course, was a big hit and I think he likes the new sunglasses I got him! We hung out all afternoon, drinking sangria and eating chicken wings and burgers. It was low key and perfect and just a great way to end the weekend.
What did you do this weekend?
