What's In My Teapot?

The splendors of July are in full force and I am delighted by it all as though it were my first summer ever in one of the loveliest spots on earth (so call me prejudice!) There are so many things about this time of year that make me happy, from fresh blueberries, green beans and watermelon, to barefoot children and fireflies, that sometimes I get a hoarding instinct. How can I get the most out of this summer? I ask myself. How can I make the summer last longer? And yet, I know even before the questions take shape that the point is mute and that the best way to make the most of anything is to notice and participate in the simple pleasures and opportunities that are right in front of me... Blueberries on my yogurt. A bike ride on Rails to Trails. Extra reading with the children to fulfill their Summer Reading Challenges Morning walks with my sister. Muddy shoes in the green bean patch. A cup of tea at bedtime (Yes! Even in summer!) Fresh bouquets from the herb gar...

Happy first day of May! The season we've all been waiting for is in full bloom and going all too quickly, and while I know how easy it is to get caught up in the work that needs to be done (cleaning, finishing up school, digging in gardens and herb beds, keeping the family clothed and fed), I would recommend finding ways to slow down and enjoy these lovely Springtime days! And I have just one such way to tell you about: I got word from Dorcas Smucker that the Ki ndle edition of Footprints on the Ceiling is free today and tomorrow!!! This is a very generous offer and available to anyone who has a Kindle, so feel free to make use of it yourself and pass the word along! Just remember that the offer stands  today (May 1) and tomorrow (May 2) only , so be sure to download it now if you're interested! If you're not familiar with Dorcas and her book, you can learn a bit more by reading my review of Footprints on the Ceiling , or checking out her very interesting ...

Today I am very excited to share what's brewing in my teapot:  my very first book review with a give-away !!!! Nevermind the wind that's howling and the temperature that's dropping outside! Nevermind how absolutely dreary November can be! I have the perfect solution for warming up from the inside out... Can you possibly guess what it is? Before I introduce you to the book I am reviewing, though, I want to tell you a little about the author, Dorcas Smucker, and how I made her acquaintance in the first place... A little more than a year ago, at my 30th birthday party, my Mom gave me a book called Tea and Trouble Brewing , by Dorcas Smucker. I  had never heard of this author, but I was delighted with a new book...and especially one with a really cute teapot on the cover! I enjoyed the book very much and felt that I had a new kindred spirit out there, albeit one I have never met! After all, Dorcas loves tea and feels that it is the perfect start to her morning...

It's Tuesday already! I certainly intend to post on days other than Tuesdays and on subjects other than books, but this past week swept by and between doing the necessary work to keep the house afloat and using our home only as a bed & breakfast over the weekend as we were away so much, I didn't have extra time for writing, even though there are various things waiting in the wings that I would enjoy telling you about! I thought I would go back & forth between adult & children's books, so this week I will review a book I just finished on Sunday. The book was borrowed through the library on my kindle and I finished reading it in the car while Wesley & I were on our way to Blacksburg, VA for the funeral of his great uncle. Interestingly enough, the book (a work of fiction) was written about the World War 2 era- and Wesley's great-uncle was a World War 2 veteran. All the Light We Cannot See , written by Anthony Doerr, is amazing. Really amazing. And ...