Sunday, March 20, 2016

The Sunday Salon: Palm Sunday Edition


Good morning from Sanibel. It's Palm Sunday and the first day of spring. Another picture perfect week in SWFL has flown by... highlights included the arrival of Twin A and her boyfriend (they'll be with us through Easter), a haircut and pedicure, a Captiva sunset cruise, and the Syracuse Orangemen's March Madness victory over Dayton.

It's been a good week of reading, too, despite not finishing a book.

Current Reading//

by Irin Carmon, Shana Knizhnik
My respect for RBG grows with every page turned. 


Current Listening//

Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Quirky characters and outstanding narration by Tavia Gilbert - an excellent listen.


Up Next//

Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen
Quindlen's new novel will be released in April. I'm reading it early courtesy of NetGalley.


On the blog//
Review:  Spark Joy  by Marie Kondō
Tuesday Intro: Be Frank With Me


The week ahead//

Today my FIL and SIL will come over for our traditional Sunday "Farmer's Market Dinner".  I'm planning on salmon... and hoping the seafood guy cooperates. Still plotting a way to stay engaged during the meal and  watch SU's second round of March Madness.


Trish's second annual A Day In the Life event is coming up on Wednesday. I took a few pictures and jotted down some notes on Friday... which turned out to be a pretty atypical day. Finger's crossed I can turn them into a post. Full details are here.

Easter prep. This will be the first time we haven't been home for Easter and I'm trying to decide which traditions make sense down here. Certainly I won't be making a dozen loaves of Easter Bread to distribute to family and friends. And decorating for spring seems strange when it's felt like summer all month. I'm sure we'll figure it out...

How was your week? What are you reading today?


This post will link to It's Monday What Are You Reading?  hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

53 comments:

  1. That sunrise is amazing!! I'm sure whatever you do for Easter will be out of this world!

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    1. Thanks, Staci! Hope all is well with you :)

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  2. Carl's gone to his dad's so I'll be crazy busy at the store and haven't even started to think about Easter. It's snuck up on me this year!

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    1. Kathy - Sounds like you are in for a super-busy week!

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  3. Always interesting to see what you are reading. I understand not getting a book finished lately very well. As to Syracuse? Wishing you were playing my alma mater today. Alas, Michigan State's and my bracket are watching from the stands. Good luck.

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    1. Midlife Roadtripper - Ha! Syracuse fans should thank Middle TN for allowing them to get to the Sweet 16. Michigan State may have proved too formidable. Can't be many in tact brackets left now!

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  4. Sharing Easter bread sounds like a lovely tradition...what kind do you make?

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    1. Audrey - It's a sweet yeast bread from my Italian grandmother.

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    2. Lovely! My Ukrainian grandmother made one, too! Unfortunately, I'm still trying to learn to make it. Happy Easter!

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  5. My Day in the Life ended up having a few quirks, too!

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    1. Shannon - Here's hoping we can both pull together a post :)

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  6. So many interesting books to check into...

    I missed A Day in the Life last year, but it sure sounds like fun. I'll have to see if I have anything worth sharing for a "day in the life of the semi-retired" :)

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    1. Molly - I didn't do A Day in the Life last year because I thought it would be too boring. It still isn't all that exciting, but I'll try and give it a shot :)

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  7. Gorgeous photo! Enjoy the first day of spring.

    I loved Miller's Valley...and got Be Frank With Me this week...I have heard good things. I am curious about Notorious RBG. Have a great week!

    Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Laurel-Rain Snow - I just downloaded Miller's Valley this morning and hope to get started later today. Finished Notorious RBG last night... a good book. She is quite a woman!

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  8. I was trying to choose a next book and really wanted to pick up Notorious RBG but decided I really needed to read something that's been languishing on my bookshelves. But I really, really want to read it soon! Also, Miller's Valley is up soon for me. So looking forward to it.

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    1. Lisa - I should have been reading books languishing on my shelf, but the library hold of Notorious RBG was just too tempting. I was very good!

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  9. That sunrise is gorgeous!

    I completely forgot it was Palm Sunday until I got to Church.

    I'm going to try to join in for A Day In the Life. I like Quindlen, I'll have to check Miller's Valley out.

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    1. Vicki - Quindlen is one of my favorites! I generally like her nonfiction even more than her fiction, but am always excited when she has a new book.

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  10. Easter is coming up quick! And happy Palm Sunday. I think The RBG books looks good- I don't know a lot about her but she sounds like a very interesting person.

    Your dinner sounds great- hope it goes well! :)

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    1. Greg - Notorious RBG was very interesting. I only knew the basics of both her professional career and personal life, but there is so much more!

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  11. What a lovely photo! We're loving your Florida time, JoAnn. I'm sure you'll figure out new 'Florida traditions' for Easter in the Southern region. And I'm doing 'a day in the life' too. Had so much fun with it last year. My day was a normal day - which I thought was not interesting - but seemed to be to people last year. We'll see about this year. LOL

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    1. Kay - I didn't do A Day in the Life last year because I thought it would be too boring. Will try to give it a shot this week... and hopefully won't put anyone to sleep!

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  12. Be Frank With Me is a HOT book!

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  13. I recorded Thursday for Day in the Life and now hope I can turn it into a post. I forgot through most of the day that I was recording for the event, so I had to scramble every few hours.

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    1. Athira - That happened to me for the evening hours. I hope I have enough photos.

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  14. What a beautiful picture! I'm hoping to participate in day in the life too and need to catch up on some picture taking :) Hope you have a lovely week ahead!

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    1. Iliana - The picture may be a problem for me, too. I'd better take few more today...

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  15. What a beautiful spot to spend Easter! Enjoy your celebration with your family! Hope you get a little time to root on your team, too.

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    1. Thanks, Deb. Happily, we are off to the Sweet 16!

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  16. Can't wait to be super jealous of your day in the life post from Florida!

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    1. Sarah - LOL! It really wasn't all that exciting...

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  17. Looks beautiful in Florida. Have a wonderful Easter celebration with your family. Be Frank With Me is up next for me!

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    1. Nise' - Hope you end up enjoying Be Frank With Me as much as I am. Are you reading or listening?

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  18. Happy Palm Sunday! It's a cool one here in Houston, probably our last cold spell til the fall - but gorgeous and sunny.

    I used to bake an Easter bread, years ago. What is yours like?

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    1. Lisa - Our Easter bread is from my Italian grandmother's recipe... a glazed, sweet yeast bread.

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  19. Such a beautiful sunset! Happy Easter. Enjoy your traditions - old ones you continue and new ones you start. I am curios to read your thoughts about Miller's Valley. Go SU!

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    1. Pat - I downloaded Miller's Valley this morning and plan to get started later today. Happy that SU is in the Sweet 16!!

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  20. Looking forward to your day in the life post!

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    1. Olduvaireads - Hopefully it won't be too boring...

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  21. Beautiful photo! Happy Sunday to you, well sorry now it's Monday.

    Hope you had a nice Sunday dinner with your family. Living in a climate where it is atypical from the usual 4 seasons portrayed for holidays is different, but not difficult. We had fun when we lived in Fl :)

    I want to read the new Quindlen-- love her books! And interested in your Day in the Life post!!

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    1. Rita - It is different celebrating holidays without the typical seasons, but not necessarily better or worse. I would like to experience Christmas in FL one of these years though. Anna Quindlen is a favorite and I'm looking forward to starting her new book this afternoon.

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  22. I have just finished The Travelers by Chris Pavone but enjoyed Broken Harbor by Tana French so much more. I am at a cross roads on books now.

    Love the photos you are posting and I hope you enjoy that salmon.

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    1. Tina - I need to read more Tana French! Into the Woods was very good on audio, but I haven't picked up the next one yet. The salmon was delicious!

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  23. I am in the middle of reading Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler...an NYC restaurant kind of book...

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    1. Patty - That sounds like another book for my wish list!!

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  24. Glad to be home today after another week of house/pet sitting. Reading "Lolly Willowes" by Sylvia Townsend Warner and loving it. I'm sure to be wanting to read more of her novels and short stories.

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    1. JudyMac - You've given me yet another author to investigate! Just love your suggestions. Welcome home :)

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  25. I don't follow college sports very avidly, but I always root for Syracuse when they play against the University of Virginia. (I live in Charlottesville, VA but I'm native to Western New York.)

    Currently reading The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson. It's a lot of fun.

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    1. Patience_Crabstick - It's been much harder catching SU basketball games in FL, but I do bleed Orange ;-)

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  26. A new Anne Quindlen book. Nice.

    ENJOY all your books and your reading week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It's Monday, What Are You Reading

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