Book Challenges on the porch...

Our Ten

Left to right: my mom's father, Michael, holding Margie,  Uncle Frankie, my mom's mother, Veronica, Marci, and my mother, Stephanie circa1945 (this pic made me cry)

Read Harder Challenge 2015 finished! I have to finish Wild by Strayed and Meet Me in Venice by midnight. 

READ HARDER 2015

A book written by someone under 25 ✔️St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

Written by someone over 65 ✔️ Still Foolin' Em by Billy Crystal

Collection of short stories ✔️ Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

Published by an Indie Press ✔️ Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

By or about someone that identifies LGBTQ ✔️ Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

By a person whose gender is different from your own ✔️ The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick

Takes place in Asia ✔️ The Kite Runner 

By an author from Africa ✔️ Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche

By or about someone from an indigenous culture ✔️ The Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexi

A micro history ✔️ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

A YA novel✔️ Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

A sci-fi novel✔️ The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

A romance novel✔️ The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitsgerald

A book prize winner from the last decade✔️ All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Retelling of a classic story✔️ The Golem and the Jinni

An audiobook✔️ The Supremes at Earl's All You Can Eat

A collection of poetry✔️ The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Colleridge

Someone else recommended to you✔️ Meet Me in Venice

Originally published in another language✔️ A Man Called Ove

A graphic novel of any kind✔️ The Wormworld Saga by David

A guilty pleasure✔️ Shadows by J.R. Ward

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen

Wild by Cheryl Srayed

Family gathering on another porch...

Drove to Sparta, MI from the U.P. No snow here in snow country. White out conditions from the Mackinac to my brother's home downstate. Aman Family Christmas get together. Fun and games were had by all. We played Golf, Ten Grand, the kids played Pit and Spoons. Way too rough for the  Olders. The food was delish, the cookies and apple pies amazing. Really. Our kids kids slid down the same carpeted stairs as they had years ago. Same fun different children. I made family calendars as usual. We played a gift exchange game. The Youngers  opened presents with glee! I love spending time with my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, greats, seconds and in-laws. We are a warm and loving bunch.

Book challenges...

 I finished The Absolutely True Story of a Part Time Indian. Checked off my Indigenous Culture book. I think this book should be required reading for all kids over 12. I am reading my micro history,  The Immortal Life of Herietta Lacks. Amazing and creepy. Fates and Furies, reading. I'm not sure I can finish my Pop Sugar. But there is a possibility... Read Harder, I'm still behind by four books...

December pics. Busy month!!

Old Barns...

I not only love old front porches, I love old barns. I spent a day with cousin Jeanne photographing in Cooks, MI. I am sad to see them crumble. New barns are not being raised these days. Reused and recycled, floors and furniture, but not rebuilt.  What will our landscape be without the barns of our fathers and grandfathers?

I am scrambling to finish two book challenges by the end of 2015. I need to read at least four more books. A micro-history and a self help...I am dragging my literary feet. I am reading Karen Russell's St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves (author under 25). Listening to The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennesey by Rachel Joyce. I wish a counseling unit was included with this book. It is making me cry. Christmas prep is a little overwhelming. I really was going to do a Tuesday Intro First paragraph but it is no longer Tuesday.

Bookish habits...

Diane at Bibliophile by the sea posted her bookish habits. Fun. I love a good list.

My Bookish Habits.
1. I read two or three books at a time. One upstairs, one down stairs, one on my phone.
2. I like an audio book going while doing house work, walking or when my eyes are tired.
3. I read on my paper white, hard copy, or Kindle app on my phone.
4. I buy few books, but the ones I do are special. I bought The All Souls Trilogy just so I can hold them. Outlander and photography books.
5. The Overdrive app is my best friend. Local library books on my phone.
6. I wear my boiled wool slippers, my outlander cowl, a cozy knit sweater to read in.
7. I read on my couch, in bed, my hammock or on the porch wicker setee when it's warm enough.
8. I read to help me through hard times, I read if I can't sleep, I read for entertainment.
9. I love some of my book people, some I don't.
10. I drink home brewed yogi tea (kundalini recipe) when I read or coffee with a little cream, honey and cinnamon.
11. One more thing, I panic if I don't have at least three books chosen ahead of time.
12. I wish I were in a book club locally but no one I do belong to a long distance club online with these people...

Moon over my porch...

                  Last night I watched the entire lunar eclipse from my porch. I found it fascinating. The earth so slowly came between the moon and the sun then just as slowly  moved away. This will not happen again until 2033. I could not stop observing. I stayed out on the porch til near midnight. I took a lot of pictures. Some turned out many did not. I realize I need to learn more about the the settings on my camera. It was a lovely night in da U.P. Mild weather for late September.

I finished Stephan King's 11/22/63. I held my breath, felt sympathy for the characters and was horrified by the turn of events. Mr. King at his storytelling  best.

The next ten books on the POPSUGAR 2015 book challenge:

A book that scares you~gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
A book more than 100 years old~Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (currently reading)
A book you chose based entirely on it's cover~Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstien (read with, Haven-8 year old grand, we solved the puzzle and recieved a note from the author!)
A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't~
A memoir~Just Kids by Patti Smith
A book you can finish in a day~Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
A book with antonyms in the title~{Beautful Chaos by Kami Garcia}TBR
A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit~Lovers at the Chameleon Club,Paris 1932 by Francine Prose
A book that came out the year you were born~{The End of the Affair by Graham Greene or The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger}TBR
A book with bad reviews~The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

I have added two more books to my must be read by the end of 2015 list bringing the total to five MBRs.

More books on the porch...

                     My new boiled wool coffee slippers and one of my favorite coffee cups

The next ten books on my  POPSUGAR 2015 reading challenge list:

A book with a one word title~Landline by Rainbow Rowell
A book of short stories~Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
A book set in a different countries~The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
A nonfiction book~Still Foolin' Em by Billy Crystal
A popular author's first book~The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)
A book from an author you love that you have not read yet~[Fates and Furies by Lauren Goff] TBR
A book  a friend recommended~[Meet Me in Venice by Suzanne Ma] TBR (Christine, friend and niece)
A Pulitzer Prize winning book~All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2015)
A book based on a true story~Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel
A book at the bottom of your to read list~[Molokai'i by Alan Brennert] TBR This book is also on my Summer/Winter reading challenge for Our Novel Escape

I  need to read three of these books before December 31st.

Phyllis, I am going to answer your questions posted on your blog just for fun.

1. Do you collect anything other than dolls? Camera equipment, I am obsessed. Santa ornaments.
2. Why did you start a blog? I found myself turning sixty and I wanted to ruminate on the experience.
3. What is your grail doll? The 1959 Barbie black haired pony tail.
4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you travel to? Scotland, the British Isles
5. What kind of music do you like? Folk Rock, Sixties soft rock, coffee house unplugged
6. How did you get started collecting doll? I was trying to replace the Barbies of my childhood.
7. (Linda's #7) Where is your most favorite place you've ever been? Mexico with my three daughters.
8. (Linda's #8) what is your favorite thing about yourself? I am eternally optimistic. I  can't help it.
9. (Linda's #9) Favorite book or movie? Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, unforgettable book. My movie is UP, I loved it.
10. (Phyllis' #9) what type of dolls do you collect? I  collect Barbie dolls with the vintage face sculpt. This includes the Fashion Model silkstone dolls with the vintage face. I have many authentic articles of (1959-1964) clothing. I also have the entire collection of Barbie Millicent Roberts fashions from 1997.

Reading on the porch...

I am currently reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Oh, my. It is a long book but I am into it. He has me almost believing. I say I am not a fan of horror or King but the last couple of his books have been so good. The Green Mile for example. I am listening to the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Very interesting but so depressing. Claire Danes' voice has taken on such a hopeless tone.

I am working on my POPSUGAR 2015 Book Challenge. I have completed most of the books except for the really hard to find or read ones, like a book from the year you were born or a book that is 100 years old. I will wait until a week before New Year's Eve to cram those in...that is how I roll. Here are the first ten challenge books and me reading in the hammock:

A book with more than 500 pages~Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon
A classic romance~The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A book that became a movie~The Martian by Andy Weir
A book published this year~At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
A book with a number in the title~Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
A book written by someone under 30~Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A book with non human characters ~We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
A funny book~Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen
A book by a female author~Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
A mystery or a thriller~The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins


Does it seem like all I do is read? Hmm...

Looking back on B.C. from my porch...

                              This sign in front of the library caught my fancy...

                                     Inside the library looking up...

                             A view from the ferry...

                                         Seals...

                                           Ferry views...

                             A tree I had never seen before. Arbutus, I think.

                                                      The gates on Salt Spring...

                                           The veggies were beautiful...

                                                      The tree house...

                                          Notice the wooden house boat on the left...

                                              One of the sunsets...

                                           Mountain veiws everywhere I looked...

                                          Cheesery...

                                          Another gate...

                             The star fish, also the star of the tide pool!

                                           The blue views and rock faces...

           
At My House:

In my fridge you'll always find: Greek yogurt and Gala apples

Favorite family recipe: My marinara sauce made with good red wine

Favorite junk food: Junior Mints, a whole movie box

I'll do anything to avoid: Cleaning the tub

My secret cleaning weapon is: Lemons in the garbage disposal in the sink, smells like I cleaned all day!
Before company arrives, I hide: my piles of important clutter in my broom closet, under my bed, in the oven...

I love to shop for: Books, any bookstore any time

I hate to shop for: groceries, nuff said

Bad habit: Wearing my pajamas for as long as possible

I just learned: About a new vice, Affogato, espresso and ice cream

Stuff I can't live without: I like my books at least two weeks out, comfy shoes, Outlander. I can live without stuff, though. I can't live without my people. You know who you are.

Personal mantra/motto: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. (Seuss)

I wish I could tell my younger self: You are going to live through this

Cat/dog/other pet: Chocolate lab, Izzy. but she likes my hubby the best