Tomato ~

Good morning Peoples! I went to the grocery store and picked up a tomato. When I arrived at the check-out/cashier, below was our brief conversation.

Cashier ~ (holding tomato) What type of tomato is this?

Me ~ Red.

LAUGHTER!

As my neighbor was known to say, “Never in all my born days.”🙄

Yesterday I went for a walk and it was a beautiful, autumn day. It had been raining and the leaves are changing and some leaves are falling to the ground. So brisk, fresh and autumny.

I made blueberry crisp. Yummy. with the cooler temps I’ve been using our oven more. Tis the season for comfort food. Yummy. Mac & cheese is my favorite comfort food! What’s yours???

I snapped a photo of Split Rock Lighthouse when we visited Lake Superior. Yesterday I took my camera disc to the photography shop and had the photo enlarged and put on artist’s canvas. It will be ready in a week. I love lighthouses! I’ve visited many of the lighthouses on the east coast. If lighthouses could talk . . .

https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock

What I’m Reading ~

Racing the Devil by Charles Todd

This is an Ian Rutledge mystery and it is so good. I’m almost finished. I recommend the Ian Rutledge mysteries. I recommend reading them in order.

Have a great weekend Peoples! SMILE!

Much love ~

Kathy

Discovering the Nightingale by Traci Borum

A Chilton Crosse Novel

This is the perfect time of year to read this comfy story. Please sit in a warm cozy chair, with a blanket wrapped around you, sipping a hot drink. Nothing better.🤗

A BIG thank-you to the author for e-mailing her book to me. I enjoyed it. It was the perfect read after all the heavy classic novels and mysteries I have been reading. And! I love the cover art.

Chilton Crosse is a warm story of love, romance, choices and the consequences, second chances, a good sense of community . . . well . . . Mrs. Pickering we are concerned about.😉 It’s a community where we meet old friends and new.

Discovering the Nightingale is the story of Chelsea and Luka. Luka was always considered the bad boy in town. He unexpectedly left Chilton Crosse, breaking Chelsea’s heart. Now years later, Chelsea is a teacher in the community and Luka has returned.

I don’t even know where to begin. I have read all the Chilton Crosse books and loved them all. Discovering the Nightingale is a gentle story with quaint, charming cottages, warm fires crackling in the fireplace, scones, hot tea, good friends, and so much to keep one busy. A Renaissance Festival is in the planning and the high school students are putting on Romeo and Juliet. The author has included a quote at the beginning of each chapter, most are Shakespeare, but there are a few other ancients quoted.

The book is beautifully written and wonderfully smooth to read. Do read them all. I think, each book can stand alone, however, I like to read in order. Yes, it is safe for everyone.

The Chilton Crosse Series

~ Painting the Moon

~ Finding the Rainbow

~ Seeking the Star

~ Savoring the Seasons

~ Discovering the Nightingale

http://www.traciborum.com/

Happy Reading!

The Classics Club ~ Shirley by Charlotte Bronte

Well! Finishing this book IS an accomplishment and I do feel I have accomplished something. The first one hundred pages were torture to read through. I almost stopped reading. However, the second half of the book was much more interesting. This is not a quick read. It is slow and difficult. I felt like I was plodding through it most of the time.

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classic reads. I have read Jane Eyre more than once. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall also by Anne Bronte are also favorites. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte while, in my opinion, a little different, I did like it. I’ve always enjoyed reading books by the Brontes. Shirley is the exception. I’m not sure I can write a review or even where I should begin.

Napoleon is at war. England is industrializing and the textile workers are protesting by destroying textile machinery.

Although Shirley is the title of the book, I didn’t fell that Shirley was the female protagonist. She inherits an estate and becomes wealthy. Caroline, seems to be our main female character. She lives with her uncle in the rectory. Her uncle, while not a brutal man, is not a loving and nurturing fellow either. Shirley and Caroline meet and seem to be on friendly terms with one another. This book is not a romance, but people do fall in love and get married. Caroline is in love with Robert but she believes Robert will marry Shirley. Shirley is in love with the tutor, Robert’s brother. Robert is not present in most of the story. I liked both men, there wasn’t any reason not to like them.

I didn’t really have a favorite character, although I did like Shirley and Caroline. Everyone seemed somewhat mundane to me. I don’t want to create any spoilers, so I will stop here. I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading a book, especially a classic, but this wasn’t a favorite of mine. I might read it again sometime to get a better understanding of the story.

Have you read Shirley by Charlotte Bronte? What are your thoughts?

https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/

Hello Peoples! It’s me again!

It’s a beautiful morning. I woke early, so I made soup. It’s simmering on the stove and, of course, the entire house has a great scent! I love soup in the autumn and winter. Yummy.

Rick decided to work in our backyard this morning. It’s a great day for backyard puttering.

I’m reading Shirley by Charlotte Bronte. I’ve been reading it for several days. It’s not a quick read, but I’m past the halfway point, so I’m getting there.

Yesterday I walked to the bakery. So, my knee is doing great. I’ve walked to the bakery three times now and all is well. I take a small detour because the city is working on the street I normally walk. I’m hoping they will be finished tomorrow when I walk.

Not much is happening here. It’s a quiet day. I slipped Frodo in the DVD player, so,, I’m watching The Fellowship of the Ring.

Have a great weekend Peoples!

Much love ~

Kathy

Happy Birthday Agatha Christie!

September 15, 1890

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Books With Numbers In the Title

Hello Peoples! When I decided to participate in this weeks Top Ten Tuesday by Artsy Reader Girl, I didn’t think I would find ten books with numbers in the title. Surprise! I did. I started at the beginning of my list and went through every book I’ve read listed on goodreads until I found ten. Here are the ten I discovered. Yes! I have read all of them.

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

The VanDerBeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

Five Weeks In A Balloon by Jules Verne

A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker

Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

Third Girl by Agatha Christie

And there you have it. Have a great day!

Much love ~

Kathy

Hello Peoples! Rick and I just returned from the grocery store. This particular store I don’t care for, it’s crowded and always COLD. Really cold. Extremely cold. Absolutely cold. I could get hypothermia buying food at this grocery store! I bundle up in my winter clothes whenever I shop there. Brrr. I am thankful I am at home now. I can warm up with a cuppa.

I walked to the bakery! YAY! It was the first time I have walked to the bakery since I broke my poor, pitiful knee in May! I had a nice walk. And! When I arrived at the bakery, I savored a steamy, hot, decadent chocolate. I also starting reading Shirley by Charlotte Bronte.

How is your Sunday?

Much love ~

Kathy

The Classics Club ~ Frederica by Georgette Heyer

What an incredibly fun family! I loved Frederica and her siblings!

Frederica Merriville and her three younger siblings have arrived in London. Frederica hopes to find a good match for her younger sister, Charis. She seeks out a distant cousin for help. Enter ~the Most Honourable the Marquis of Alverstoke! What a title! I need to say, the Marquis’ life is turned upside down with the arrival of the Merriville family! I personally loved the Merrivilles, even poor Charis, who was much given to tears, swooning and the vapours!

The boys, Jessamy and Felix were lively and full of great energy. The reader will visit the foundry, attempt to ride the first bicycle and have the adventure of a lifetime in a hot air balloon. So much fun! And of course, I don’t want to leave out Lufra! What a great dog!

This book was incredibly entertaining! Highly recommend it. I laughed and thoroughly enjoyed it.

https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/

My Day ~

Hello Peoples! I woke up to a beautiful morning. I went to the bakery and read Frederica by Georgette Heyer for two hours. I can count on Georgetter Heyer to entertain me!😀 While at the bakery, I savored the most delicious pumpkin, chocolate chip bread. As it is seasonal, I eagerly wait for it every year.

The hummingbirds are fluttering around in our backyard everyday. They are so sweet. It’s fun to watch them. One flew right up to our window in the mud room. I was surprised, to say the least. Fortunately, I was at the window, so I was able to enjoy it.

Rick and I have been watching the classic tv show, Murder, She Wrote. We’re watching them in order. We’re on season 7. It’s been fun. We do have our favorites. I recommend it.

Murder, She Wrote ~ Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) ~ Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury)

Have a great day Peoples!

Much Love ~

Kathy

The Classic’s Club ~ Dawn of the Morning by Grace Livingston Hill

Really good story! Dawn had a difficult start in life. She was separated from her mother at an early age, never to see her again. Her dad eventually remarries. Dawn’s stepmother has nefarious purposes for Dawn. She hates the young girl. and wants her out of her life. When Dawn’s education is finished, Dawn is tricked into marrying a man she barely knows and feels the need to flew from her marriage. During her days on the run, she grows as an individual, gains strength in her character and realizes she has courage and determination.

I liked Dawn. She certainly had an interesting time of it. The characters she meets after she flees her new husband are interesting, especially Daniel. When I first met Daniel he was a bit of a rascal, however, as time progresses he becomes a great guy and Dawn’s greatest ally.

This book is well-written and moves at a great pace. I read almost half the book in one sitting. Most of the characters are likable, but others only have their own selfish interests at heart. It was nice to see several of the characters develop and grow during the course of the story. Highly recommend for any age! Dawn of the Morning is now one of my favorites by this author, along with, The Red Signal.

Happy Reading!

https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/