The Boy Kelsey by Alfred Silver was an interesting book. It lacked the excitement that I thought should be there, still a good book though. Henry Kelsey, a teenager, was apparently the first white man to see Manitoba and Sask, being employed by the Hudson Bay Company. Sent on a mission to befriend the natives he spent 2 years in the North braving the winters, bear attacks, be abandoned and left to fend for himself, literally in the middle of no where. Remember this is the prairies, flat as can be.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Boy Kelsey
The Boy Kelsey by Alfred Silver was an interesting book. It lacked the excitement that I thought should be there, still a good book though. Henry Kelsey, a teenager, was apparently the first white man to see Manitoba and Sask, being employed by the Hudson Bay Company. Sent on a mission to befriend the natives he spent 2 years in the North braving the winters, bear attacks, be abandoned and left to fend for himself, literally in the middle of no where. Remember this is the prairies, flat as can be.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Thirteen Reasons Why
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is a excellent book, this is the second book that has taken me less than 24 hours to read. It is the story of Clay, who arrives home from school to a package by his front door. Inside is a set of 7 cassette tapes, there is no return address. Clay takes the first tape and is shocked to hear the voice of Hannah Baker, a classmate who committed suicide 2 weeks earlier. In the beginning she explains that there are 13 reasons why she did it and that Clay is one of them. If he will listen to the tapes he will find out how he made the list.This is one emotional journey not just for Clay but I think the reader as well. The book goes back and forth between Hannah's message on tape and Clay's reaction to what he hears. He has to go through alot of tapes until he gets to his own. You can't help feeling what Clay is going through and I was hoping for a miracle at the end for Hannah to still be alive. Which of course didn't happen.
I am taking a course through Niagara College right now. One of the first things discussed was why people read. For entertainment was the number one reason and the next was for knowledge, to come away from a book having learned something about themselves, to grow. This book I think will help one to grow. It shows that words spoken (especially negative) have consequences, they might seem harmless, but once it has passed through the mouths of others it can be unrecognizable from what it started out as. My father in law always used to say, if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it - some people in this book should have been told this.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
New Post
So here I am, almost a month since my last post. I am having a hard time with the fact that Aug is almost gone, where did the time go?
I have read a couple of interesting books over the summer. All from totally different genres.
Just finished Philipa Gregory's latest The White Queen. The first in a trilogy, begins in 1464 , The War of the Roses. Fiction with some fact in there. I think that I slept through this period of time in my history classes because the only thing I ever knew about The War of the Roses, was what I saw in the movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner and that wasn't even in the 1400's. I have a feeling this series will end where the Tudor Series begins. So that's my history for the summer.
Another book was by Gregory Maguire, first time I have read any of his work. Wicked - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I was drawn to this book for a couple of reasons. The Wizard of Oz has been a favorite movie of mine since, well as long as I can remember. Another reason being Wicked is Maquire's debut novel, so you know me and first time authors, gotta support them. And the final reason, well there are 2 sides to every story and its time to see what that nasty old witch was all about. I gotta say the reviews were quite correct, I don't think that I can look at the movie again in the same light. First off Elphaba was not old, infact she is quite a misunderstood green-skinned girl who grew up to become the notorious wicked witch of the west. Not sure what I can say without giving the story away. But the ending was really good and one I didn't see coming. There are 2 sequels to the novel also, one called Son of a Witch (yup she has a son) and the other A Lion Among Us (yes its about the cowardly lion who is introduced in Wicked). So that's the fantasy
So tonight I have decided to continue with the Wheel of Times series. The Shadow Rising, book 4. I am trying to get over the fact that this book has almost 1000 pages and the first chapter is 51 pages long. I am thinking it was take a little longer than usual to get through this one.
I have read a couple of interesting books over the summer. All from totally different genres.
Just finished Philipa Gregory's latest The White Queen. The first in a trilogy, begins in 1464 , The War of the Roses. Fiction with some fact in there. I think that I slept through this period of time in my history classes because the only thing I ever knew about The War of the Roses, was what I saw in the movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner and that wasn't even in the 1400's. I have a feeling this series will end where the Tudor Series begins. So that's my history for the summer.
Another book was by Gregory Maguire, first time I have read any of his work. Wicked - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I was drawn to this book for a couple of reasons. The Wizard of Oz has been a favorite movie of mine since, well as long as I can remember. Another reason being Wicked is Maquire's debut novel, so you know me and first time authors, gotta support them. And the final reason, well there are 2 sides to every story and its time to see what that nasty old witch was all about. I gotta say the reviews were quite correct, I don't think that I can look at the movie again in the same light. First off Elphaba was not old, infact she is quite a misunderstood green-skinned girl who grew up to become the notorious wicked witch of the west. Not sure what I can say without giving the story away. But the ending was really good and one I didn't see coming. There are 2 sequels to the novel also, one called Son of a Witch (yup she has a son) and the other A Lion Among Us (yes its about the cowardly lion who is introduced in Wicked). So that's the fantasy
So tonight I have decided to continue with the Wheel of Times series. The Shadow Rising, book 4. I am trying to get over the fact that this book has almost 1000 pages and the first chapter is 51 pages long. I am thinking it was take a little longer than usual to get through this one.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Canoe Trip
Well its been over a month since I have blogged. Surprised Matt hasn't commented on that.
So this weekend I am going on a canoe trip. It has been almost 25 years since I have been on a canoe trip. I have been on 4 trips, each trip a very unique experience, with three of them lasting one night and the other 2 nights. I don't have much luck on these trips,s o I am hoping this weekend will be a lovely time. Its not just Dave and I, but Rob and Tessa along with Matt, Ruth and yes both kids - pray for us.
Now I grew up in the great outdoors, camping every summer for as long as I can remember. First in tents, then graduated to tent trailers and finally the hard top that eventually got planted at Elim Lodge for about 20 years. We hiked, we fished and had a great time, whatever the weather. So getting ready for this first canoe trip was exciting. Newleweds for only 8 months at the time Dave was excited because he was showing me how its done, I was excited because he was excited. I remember paddling across Canoe Lake, not a soul in sight. A small portage, looking over my shoulder with each step making sure a bear wasn't sneaking up behind me. Into Joe Lake and heading to the first campsite we could find.
Finally time to settle down for the night. Of course at that time nature calls, Dave the patience guy he is comes outside with me, you know to keep the bears away. No sooner do we zip up the sleeping bags do we hear that first noise. Its kinda hard to describe, but we knew there was a critter out there and it was a big one. I remember trying to think of any kind of animal other then the most obvious, surely a bunny growls like that, or maybe a raccoon, never hear a beaver before maybe thats what it was. But no there was only a thin tent, and maybe 10 feet separating me from a BEAR, yes a bear. And not a happy bear, because the raccoon that was in the tree was emptying our backpack (that was strung in the tree) onto the bears head, yup we heard the tackle box fall and I think it got him right on the head, boy did he growl. The bear finally left, having only eaten half the map. Thankfully not getting a whiff of the apple Dave brought into the tent (for a midnight snack - which I guess he could have become if he didn't stick it in him armpit).
Thats my first trip, oh I gave it a few more tries, maybe I will post what happens on the others later, thankfully no more bears.
So this weekend I am going on a canoe trip. It has been almost 25 years since I have been on a canoe trip. I have been on 4 trips, each trip a very unique experience, with three of them lasting one night and the other 2 nights. I don't have much luck on these trips,s o I am hoping this weekend will be a lovely time. Its not just Dave and I, but Rob and Tessa along with Matt, Ruth and yes both kids - pray for us.
Now I grew up in the great outdoors, camping every summer for as long as I can remember. First in tents, then graduated to tent trailers and finally the hard top that eventually got planted at Elim Lodge for about 20 years. We hiked, we fished and had a great time, whatever the weather. So getting ready for this first canoe trip was exciting. Newleweds for only 8 months at the time Dave was excited because he was showing me how its done, I was excited because he was excited. I remember paddling across Canoe Lake, not a soul in sight. A small portage, looking over my shoulder with each step making sure a bear wasn't sneaking up behind me. Into Joe Lake and heading to the first campsite we could find.
Finally time to settle down for the night. Of course at that time nature calls, Dave the patience guy he is comes outside with me, you know to keep the bears away. No sooner do we zip up the sleeping bags do we hear that first noise. Its kinda hard to describe, but we knew there was a critter out there and it was a big one. I remember trying to think of any kind of animal other then the most obvious, surely a bunny growls like that, or maybe a raccoon, never hear a beaver before maybe thats what it was. But no there was only a thin tent, and maybe 10 feet separating me from a BEAR, yes a bear. And not a happy bear, because the raccoon that was in the tree was emptying our backpack (that was strung in the tree) onto the bears head, yup we heard the tackle box fall and I think it got him right on the head, boy did he growl. The bear finally left, having only eaten half the map. Thankfully not getting a whiff of the apple Dave brought into the tent (for a midnight snack - which I guess he could have become if he didn't stick it in him armpit).
Thats my first trip, oh I gave it a few more tries, maybe I will post what happens on the others later, thankfully no more bears.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
6/23
Today is June 23rd, at least for a couple of hours it still is. This morning I sat down and added up my kilometers and lo and behold I have traveled 623 km, now how cool is that. Get it? 6/23 - 623 kewl. Not only is the date thing cool, but I am a quarter of the way to Miami, and to top it off I have lost 6 lbs (not a 1/4 of the way though, but not complaining.)
Thats my thought for the day. No more km's for me till Monday. I am leaving on a jet plane on Thursday, heading to Memphis with my sister and niece to visit another sister for a much needed getaway. I'm excited, my sisters and niece are excited. Dave is excited for me, but not too excited about Matt doing the cooking, especially when Matt is talking about cooking liver for dinner on Thursday night. Oh well I won't be cooking at all.
Thats my thought for the day. No more km's for me till Monday. I am leaving on a jet plane on Thursday, heading to Memphis with my sister and niece to visit another sister for a much needed getaway. I'm excited, my sisters and niece are excited. Dave is excited for me, but not too excited about Matt doing the cooking, especially when Matt is talking about cooking liver for dinner on Thursday night. Oh well I won't be cooking at all.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Let sleeping dogs lie.......
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Great recipe.....
Matt tells me that I need to post 3 times a week. Do I have enough to say for 3 times a week, I have to wonder.
For starters I am a quilter, have been for 20 years now. Started quilting when I had son #3 and I think at the point I needed a sanity break. Well I have decided that I will start a quilting blog. Nothing to fancy for now, just what I am working on these days. Matt thinks that I should just put everything on this blog, but when I found our that I could get the Quilting Away title, I knew it had to be separate. So if you are interested check it out. Not much happening right now, posted a couple pictures (that I think I will have to redo because they don't do the block justice).
amquilting.blogspot.com
Since the weather is getting warmer outside I figured that I will close this post with a recipe for one of my favorite drinks. Cheers
Strawberry Colada
1 can (6 oz) pineapple juice
1/4 cup non alcoholic pina colada mix
1 cup strawberries
2 cups strawberry ice cream
4 whole strawberries, if desired
In blender container or food processor bowl with metal blade, combine pineapple juice, pina colada mix, 1 cup strawberries and ice cream. Blend until smooth.
Pour into 4 glasses, garnish with whole strawberries. Serves 4.
For starters I am a quilter, have been for 20 years now. Started quilting when I had son #3 and I think at the point I needed a sanity break. Well I have decided that I will start a quilting blog. Nothing to fancy for now, just what I am working on these days. Matt thinks that I should just put everything on this blog, but when I found our that I could get the Quilting Away title, I knew it had to be separate. So if you are interested check it out. Not much happening right now, posted a couple pictures (that I think I will have to redo because they don't do the block justice).
amquilting.blogspot.com
Since the weather is getting warmer outside I figured that I will close this post with a recipe for one of my favorite drinks. Cheers
Strawberry Colada
1 can (6 oz) pineapple juice
1/4 cup non alcoholic pina colada mix
1 cup strawberries
2 cups strawberry ice cream
4 whole strawberries, if desired
In blender container or food processor bowl with metal blade, combine pineapple juice, pina colada mix, 1 cup strawberries and ice cream. Blend until smooth.
Pour into 4 glasses, garnish with whole strawberries. Serves 4.
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