Every year at Thanksgiving, my husband’s family gets together under one roof to celebrate the holiday. This group is big on traditions, and for the past eleven years, without fail, we’ve created a special Thanksgiving “Thankful” poster. Each person decorates part of a long banner with something(s) they’re grateful for from the past twelve months. It’s a great way to reflect, give thanks and add a little extra fun to the holiday activities and decor. Maybe you’d like to start a similar tradition at your big feast this year? Here’s how to create your very own “Thankful” poster… Continue reading →
October has come and gone, and time has flown by like the leaves from the trees in our backyards! It’s been a busy month, but we’re taking a moment to appreciate another top ten list of the whos, whats, and wheres that lit the candles in our jack-o’-lanterns last month!
Favorite Book of the Month
A perfect book for October, Something in the Water, by Catherine Steadman was an edge-of-your-seat mystery thriller. I (Tina) listened to it in the car on Audible over the course of several long trips. Don’t be alarmed that it’s read by the author – Steadman is also an actress, and a fantastic narrator! Told in the first person, with a lot of reality-checking, self-doubting questions directed at the reader (“Well that’s what you do? …Isn’t it?”) I was totally captivated. Yes, I was cringing and yelling at the main character for some of her questionable choices, but when she was scared, I was gripping the steering wheel tight. As a book club book, it can lead to some interesting “what would YOU do in that situation?” discussions, too. And it hooks you from the first paragraph: “Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave? Wonder no longer. It takes an age…” It’s possible that it’s even better as an audio book than as a traditional book, because you get all the nuances the author/narrator intended? Might not be high literature, but it sure was entertaining!
Favorite Local Restaurant
Our favorite restaurant of the month is Slate Bleu in Doylestown, PA. This cozy French bistro has an amazing variety of creative small plates and an extensive beer and wine Continue reading →
My book club just had our annual meeting where we all bring a book to propose as a pick for the new year. After everyone presents their book choice and we decide what month it will be for. Then I put together a simple bookmark for the club members. Continue reading →
Another month, a new season… and our latest list of places, projects, pups and pleasures that pumped us up!
Favorite Book
Our book selection this month is The Rent Collector, by Cameron Wright. The story takes place in a community that lives in (and scrapes a living from) the refuse of a Cambodian waste dump. It describes the unexpected relationship that unfolds between an uneducated young mother and the dreaded woman known as the “rent collector”. The novel itself is heartwarming and inspiring, but the larger historical backdrop was also riveting. Many of the characters are loosely based on real people that the author’s son met while filming a documentary about life in this municipal waste dump. We also learned horrifying details about the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror in Cambodia. It’s something of a perfect trifecta when a book combines vivid world-building, great character development, and enough historical fact to make it educational as well as enjoyable! Two thumbs up!
Favorite Local Restaurant
With the chicks back at college, we’ve been rediscovering all the empty nesting habits we’d set aside for the summer. When it comes to meals, that means extremely light fare most weeknights, with the occasional date night or dinner out with friends thrown in on Continue reading →
Easter and Passover are nearly upon us! Cass was out of town last week, and I was charged with publishing my London post in her absence. But, as you may recall from the week before, I’m expecting an updated count of 27 people (plus one extra dog!) for Easter dinner on Saturday… I was way too busy prepping to have time to sort through all my England photos and notes. So instead, I thought I’d throw together Continue reading →