Sunday, May 31, 2009

School's Out!


Whew! What a busy time this has been! Wrapping up the last weeks of school with exams, closing ceremonies, and all the related end-of-school year activities, not to mention playground baseball games and tournaments, has kept me going around in circles! Hopefully, this weekend will be the beginning of a (slightly) slower pace. We kicked off summer with a few fun activities; the kids had cousins over for a pool party and we christened our new barbecue pit; I spent some time working in the garden, reading and relaxing by the pool...hoping to do this A LOT this summer. Took the kids to Barnes and Noble to select their summer reading books for school, and, of course, picked up some new historical romances to add to my growing summer reading list. Hope everyone has some wonderful, relaxing times planned for the coming months.
"We'll talk of sunshine and of song...and summer days, when we were young....sweet childish days, that were as long as twenty days are now." William Wordsworth

Friday, May 22, 2009

"M" is for Mystery


I've always loved a good mystery story. I remember collecting the Nancy Drew books (I still have them) and wishing I could find myself caught up in a real-life drama like the heroine: bank robberies, kidnapping, stolen jewelry, and secret passageways were all in a day's work for Nancy and her buddies. I've started exploring some authors of mystery stories, particularly historical mysteries, that I think are going to be interesting.


Margaret Frazer writes "medieval mysteries" which are rich in historical detail and feature Dame Frevisse as the central character. I have The Sempster's Tale waiting in my to-be-read pile, but some other intriguing titles in this medieval series are The Hunter's Tale, The Prioress' Tale, The Maiden's Tale, The Squire's Tale, among others. Looks like a fun read.


Anne Perry is the author of Victorian era mysteries which are noted for their accuracy in social mores and etiquette of the period. I recently read Callander Square, featuring Inspector Thomas Pitt and his wife, Charlotte, as the central characters. Lots of elements that I enjoy in a story: a Victorian setting, high society, backstairs gossip, and a shocking discovery. Some of Perry's other Victorian mysteries are Southhampton Row, Ashworth Hall, and Paragon Walk, to name just a few.


When I picked up Alice Kimberly's book and read "A Haunted Bookshop Mystery," I had to have it. What's not to love about a ghost in a present-day bookshop that helps the owner solve real-life mysteries? I've just begun The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library and it is very quick, light, humorous reading. Other books in the series are The Ghost and the Dead Deb and The Ghost and Mrs. McClure.


Dorothy Sayers's Gaudy Night is also waiting on my list of TBR. Her Lord Peter Wimsey series was written in the 1930's, so they are reminiscent of Agatha Christie's tales. Some intriguing titles I'd like to explore are The Unpleasantness at the Bellonna Club, Whose Body?, Hangman's Holiday, and Strong Poison.


If CSI meets the Roman Empire appeals to you, you will enjoy Ruth Downie's two books, Medicus and Terra Incognita. I did.


Lastly, I'm completing Tasha Alexander's And Only to Deceive. I don't necessarily share the author's love of the writing of Homer, so I'm not finding the central character's passion for The Illiad or the central storyline very compelling, but the writing is very charming and elegant and true to the Victorian era.
"Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable."
Louisa May Alcott

Thursday, May 21, 2009

A Simple Pleasure



Nothing relaxes me more than leisurely flipping through one of my favorite magazines. One of my newer subscriptions has been the Martha Stewart Living magazine, and I must say I am pleasantly surprised. The content is varied and focuses on many things I enjoy from decorating, organizing, easy cooking, healthy living (yeah, right), gardening, and fashion. The photography is inspirational to me as a scrapbook designer and wanna-be photographer. And where does one relax to soak in all this inspirational goodness? Right on my shady porch.
"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." Laura Ingalls Wilder

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Today is the day...

Today is the day I am taking the plunge and trying my hand at blogging. Since I love to journal and scrapbook, I thought this would be a natural extension of my love of photography and reflections on life. I intend to post on a variety of topics that would paint of picture of a slice of my life, with a little bit of everything thrown in for good measure. I hope this will be a fun experience and serve as a place for me to reflect, observe, and appreciate all the little details that make up life....the good, the bad, and the ugly. If I happen to have any visitors to this site, welcome! And feel free to drop me a line about what's happening in your slice of life.

"Nothing is worth more than this day." Goethe

Favorite Period Dramas

Mount TBR

Joanne's to-read book montage

On a Highland Shore
A Light on the Veranda
Entwined
The Queen's Vow: A Novel Of Isabella Of Castile
The Edwardians
Maisie Dobbs
Howards End
Lady's Maid
Instruments Of Darkness
When Maidens Mourn
Where Shadows Dance
What Remains of Heaven
Where Serpents Sleep
Why Mermaids Sing
When Gods Die
Shadowfever
Before Ever After
The Sugar Queen
Garden Spells
After the Night


Joanne's favorite books »
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