Summer Reading List 2011

I love reading and always have a good book with me. I have noticed I read and buy more books during the summer months. Just this past week, four books arrived in the mail and it felt like Christmas in June.

Finding a place to read is important to me--at work I will sit outside on my breaks and at home I will read outside on a beautiful day or evening. It's a funny thing how books can make one act.

My 5 books for this Summer are:

~Comedy In A Minor Key by Hans Keilson
135 pp--A Dutch couple hides a Jewish man form the Nazi's--they soon understand how close they have become to their visitor.

~A Turn In The Road by Debbie Macombe
332pp--Three women will drive across country trying to forget the pass and learn the future can be good.

                                                                 

~My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
337pp--Mr Conroy shares with his readers how books have played an important role in his life--he also shares some private moments of his life with his readers.

~Miles To Go by Richard Paul Evans (part 2 of a 5 part series)
336pp-After the death of his wife and losing his home, Alan Christoffersen decides to walk from Washington to Florida. While on his walk he comes in contact with people who he never thought he would meet. Soon he understands the important role he will play in their lives and healing.

~What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

426pp--After hitting her head in a fall, Alice Love has no memory of the past 10 years of her life. She will soon learn how much her life is about to change--will it be good or bad?

(UK Edition Cover)

You might also enjoy: My Family And Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, Show Me Good Land by Shonna Milliken Humphrey and Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

What good books are your reading this Summer?

For more good Summer books-please visit: Sarah Laurence Blog and  From the house of Edward
                         
   "A house without books is like a room without windows"
       Horace Mann

Best
Tracy :)
           

Words and Quotes

I have always loved words and quotes. For several years I have been collecting quotes and famous sayings--so far my collection is getting close to one hundred. I keep all my quotes in my Moleskin. Growing up, I can remember reading the dictionary one page at a time and loved learning the origin of words. I also love finding words with in a word. I catch myself doing this all the time--I know it's crazy, but.... It's sad to know one day the dictionary will be something of the pass.

I am guilty like so many people and use Google to look a word up, but I am catching myself reaching for a dictionary more and more.

I read a great blog Chez Spud and came across a post that has left me thinking. Spud wrote on the Holstee Manifesto and I must say we all can learn from this.

Holstee Manifesto

What are some of your favorite quotes or thoughts?

Hope everyone will have the week end of your choice!

Best
Tracy :)





Royal Stamps

Look what arrived in my post box this past week. I was lucky that I saw these on the Royal Mail web site--some of the stamps are sold out.

Hope everyone will have the week of your choice!

Best
Tracy :)

Strawberry Jam

For years I have always wanted to make jam, but never had the confidence to do so. Mr G and daughter went strawberry picking back in May and brought home what seemed to be hundreds of strawberries. I decided that day to make jam and I picked a wonderful recipe from Better Home and Gardens.

3 Quarts of  fresh strawberries, hulled
1 1-3/4 ounce package regular powdered fruit pectin
1/2 teaspoon butter
7 Cups of sugar

1. Place 1 cup of crush berries in an 8-quart heavy kettle. Continue adding berries and crushing until you have 5 cups. Stir in pectin and butter. Heat on high, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Add sugar all at once. Return to boiling 1 minute, stirring constantly.Remove from heat, skim off foam with a metal spoon.

2. Ladle at once into hot, sterilized half-print canning jars, leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Wipe jar rims, adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes(start timing when water returns to boil). Remove jars; cool on racks. Makes about 7 half-pints.

 I will be making more of this wonderful jam in the future!

Hope everyone will have the week end of your choice.

Best
Tracy :)

So Many Strawberries





Three Small Ones

My First Batch Of Jam

Wordless Wednesday

Spring and Summer Garden 2011

Wanted to share my Spring and Summer garden with you.

This year Mr G planted-- cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, watermelons, radishes and squash. We have pulled up several radishes and with a little sea salt I must say they were ummmm. We have also had one cucumber, but more is to come!  I am going to try my hands at canning green beans this year--hope it goes well!

I also have a small herb garden on my front porch(cilantro and basil). I think cooking is a much more enjoyable experience when you can go out in your back yard and pick fresh vegetables and herbs.

Best
Tracy :)



Mr G Pondering



Tomatoes and Cabbage

Corn

Cabbage and a Sunflower

Green Pepper




Our First Radishes

 



Small But Good!

 

Worldless Wednesday