Sunday, June 19, 2016

The Sunday Salon: Father's Day Edition


Good morning and Happy Father's Day! There's time for a quick post before the twins serve a special breakfast for my husband. We'll celebrate with my father later today. He has requested lasagna and I'll make it... Who cares if the temperature tops 90?! Yesterday we took a day trip to visit my FIL. He's up from Florida and spending time with my SIL. The above photo was taken in her garden. Views from the "hill" are stunning. Vermont's Green Mountains are in the background, and to the right (not shown) is Mount Greylock in Massachusetts.

Now on to the books...

Current reading//



Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
At the 25% mark, I'm loving this book! Russo is a master storyteller and has long been one of my favorite authors. In an effort to finish before book club on Friday, I've added in the audio, which is also outstanding. Ron McLarty nails Sully's voice...it's perfection!


Finished this week//


Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Reading Mrs. Gaskell is always a pleasure and I enjoyed my time in this small English village. I'll post a book brief soon.


Bailed on//


Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
I read 190 pages before deciding to move on. I don't usually wait that long to give up, but the writing is great and I loved the food, wine, and behind-the-scenes in a NYC restaurant sections. There was just a little too much "coming-of-age" for my taste ... especially since I have two twenty-something daughters living in Manhattan!


On the blog//

Review - Mothering Sunday  by Graham Swift
Tuesday Intro: Nobody's Fool  by Richard Russo
Circling the Sun, West With the Night, and my book club
Book Brief: The Children  by Ann Leary


In the kitchen//

I discovered the best turkey burger recipe ever! We had them for a second time last night... Grilled Pesto Turkey Burgers from The Lemon Bowl. Sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese are mixed into the turkey. Top it with a slice of mozzarella, then add the arugula and pesto - YUM!



The week ahead//
... will not be as crazy as the one that just ended. Since my calendar is not overly crowded, I may have time to finish Nobody's Fool  by Friday. Fingers crossed...

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. You're such a good DIL! And those burgers are going on my list! Hope you and yours have a wonderful day.

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    1. Audrey - It was a good day and, thankfully, not as warm as expected. The lasagna was appreciated by all :)

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  2. Thanks for the heads up on Sweetbitter. It's been on my radar as I love the foodie stuff but I'm not sure the coming of age thing is for me for about the same reason you put it down though my girls don't live in Manhattan. I love the picture. It looks beautiful and peaceful. Have a great Father's Day celebrating with your dad and a great week!

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    1. Katherine - It rarely takes me 200 pages to decide to bail... the good parts were so good, but it finally got to the point where I wasn't looking forward to picking up the book. Time to move on.

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  3. I know what you mean about Sweetbitter! I will try those turkey burgers!

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    1. Patty - Let me know what you think about the turkey burgers. I could eat them once a week all summer.... may give up hamburgers for a while!

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  4. That's a beautiful picture from the garden, and those turkey burgers sound top notch!

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    1. Megan - I'm not usually a big fan of turkey burgers, but thee changed my mind!

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  5. Then I'm definitely scratching Sweetbitter from my list. I don't always want to know everything about the worlds of my children and their peers either.

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    1. Deb - You might end up loving Sweetbitter, but I don't want to know everything about my kid's worlds either!

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  6. That view!! So beautiful! I don't think I will ever get inside the house unless I have to. I am curious about what you meant by the coming of age stuff but I think I have an idea. If it's what I think it is, I don't think the book is for me either.

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    1. Athira - Sweetbitter was just too much of the twenty-something lifestyle for me and I kept putting off reading it... so time to move on.

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  7. Sounds like you have the perfect day ahead...I just had a "Father's Day" brunch with my daughter and her fiance, since she always told me I was both mother and father to her.

    I loved the movie Nobody's Fool, so I want to read this one. Sorry you didn't connect with Sweetbitter. I haven't started it yet, but now I'm worried.

    Enjoy your day and your week.

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    1. Laurel-Rain Snow - I just borrowed the Nobody's Fool DVD to watch when I finish reading... just know I'll love that, too. You may feel differently about Sweetbitter. I didn't really connect with any of the characters.

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  8. What a beautiful pic! Love that view... you can almost smell the flowers and feel the wind blowing. :) Have a great Fathers Day - lasagna is good no matter how hot is lol. And that grilled pesto turkey burger looks yummy. Not only do I find good books through book blogs, sometimes I just get hungry. :)

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    1. Greg - That's exactly what my father said about lasagna, lol! Sorry to make you hungry ;-)

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  9. Love the photo. Glad you let me know about the audio for Nobody's Fool. That sounds like a good one! I remember really liking the movie of it. Good luck for your book club. You must be a great cook -- you always make such great things for dinner.

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    1. Susan - The audio is so good, I want to listen more than read! I'll bet the audio for the new sequel, Everybody's Fool, is good too! I do love cooking, but not as much as reading... usually try one new recipe each week. Luckily, my husband doesn't mind the experimentation :)

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  10. That photo is just gorgeous! Love it.
    Hope your lasagna turns out great. And that burger, yum, I would love to have it since we only eat turkey (when having burgers). Enjoy your week and Nobody's Fool. I loved that movie.

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    1. Rita - I'll be choosing turkey burgers over hamburgers for the rest of the summer! There's also a Greek turkey burger recipe I want to try soon. I got the movie of Nobody's Fool from the library Friday... can't wait to watch it!

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  11. Oh no! I'm sorry Sweetbitter didn't work for you. I can see how it would be disconcerting with daughters that age living in NYC. I added Russo to my backlist TBR after your post about Everybody's Fool!

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    1. Sarah - I also had trouble connecting with the characters, but the writing and foodie parts were so good. I haven't ruled out returning to it later.

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  12. So glad you shared that turkey burger recipe! We don't eat a ton of red meat, but I have a hard time getting turkey burgers to have much flavor and THAT sounds delicious.

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    1. Shannon - I'm eating less and less red meat, but my hubby still appreciates a good burger. My plan is to make a batch or two of these and keep them in the freezer... ready at a moments notice!

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  13. I'll have to add that turkey burger to my list. I haven't found a recipe we like ... maybe this one will do it.

    I love Russo's Sully -- and the audios of this and the new book are great.

    Sorry about Sweetbitter, but I totally get your cringing.

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    1. Beth F - I've always just tolerated turkey burgers, but this is the first recipe I truly loved. Hope you do, too.

      Just checked the new Sully audio and it's narrated by Mark Bramhall! I'll definitely be listening to that one, too.

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  14. I made jalapeño turkey burgers for my family when my son was quite small; his father loved them, but Daniel had such an allergic reaction we had to take him to the ER. Yours look a much safer bet.

    Fabulous looking books; I've long been interested in Elizabeth Gaskell, who is still unread by me. Look how it took you and Audrey to get me to open Anthony Trollope! :)

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    1. Bellezza - The jalapeños may be too much for me, but pesto and sun-dried tomatoes are always a hit! My first Elizabeth Gaskell novel was a North and South read-along several years ago. They really do make classics even more fun!

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  15. Great picture! It sounds like you had a busy week but it must be great to be so connected to family. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - My family has always been very close. My three sisters are my best friends (besides hubby!)... a little strange to some, but works for us! Have a good week.

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  16. Sounds like a wonderful Father's Day celebration all the way around. I already added Mothering Sunday to my lists and I agree with you about Sweetbitter. Wasn't for me either.
    Great looking burger. This is our last day of vacation, we always take the Monday after d. Make sit easier to merge back into work life. We plan to ride the trike to the coast, maybe St George Island today.

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    1. Tina - Hope you had a wonderful last day of vacation... St. George Island is on my list. My FIL is hoping we get back to FL before January and so am I!! Mothering Sunday is excellent. I just got Last Orders from the library.

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  17. Love the photo! I'm sad to hear that you didn't want to finish Sweetbitter. I was so excited to read it, now I'm not sure. That burger looks so good! I'll have to try it soon.

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    1. Vicki - With two of my daughters in Manhattan, I'm better off not reading any twenty-something coming-of-age in the city stories right now! Too bad because I was loving the foodie parts.

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  18. Those turkey burgers look amazing! I look forward to your review of Cranford. I enjoyed it when I read it a few years ago.

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    1. Reviewsbylola - I just got more ground turkey today... will make those burgers and have them in the freezer ready to go. Cranford was such a wonderful comfort-type read. Hope to get to Wives and Daughters soon.

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  19. Sorry to hear that you didn't like "Sweetbitter," but I can totally understand. I haven't read it yet, although I do have it on my list. I think I might need to be in the right head space for it.

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    1. Melinda - Twenty-somethings in the big city is just a little too close to home for me right now... maybe another time.

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  20. Sweet bitter is on my list so I'll be interested to compare notes. I still haven't read Nobody's Fool but your progress sounds promising. And that burger...

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    1. Heather - Will look forward to your thoughts on Sweetbitter!

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  21. Beautiful view!!

    I think I have only read one Russo book, I will have to add Nobody's Fool to my list.

    That burger sounds great! I don't eat meat but I am sure I can use a veggie burger. Yum!

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    1. Erin - I could have hung out there all afternoon... so cool and comfortable under a big shade tree! Empire Falls and Bridge of Sighs are my favorite Russo novels, but I've enjoyed everything he's written.

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  22. Lovely photo!

    One day I'll get around to reading Elizabeth Gaskell's novels instead of watching them on DVD.

    Enjoy your week.

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    1. Yvonne - I've heard the Cranford BBC miniseries is excellent, and I loved North and South too. It was almost as good as the novel :)

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  23. Wow, the turkey burger sounds delicious and I plan to give it a try. My in-laws had an oven in the basement that they used in the summer. Now, I think it is a great idea. Have a great week.

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    1. Nise' - My parents have an oven in their basement, too. Wish I'd had one for that lasagna, lol!

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  24. I've heard lots of good things about Nobody's Fool and Russo's new release Everybody's Fool. Adding them to my ever-growing wish list!

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    1. Valerie - If you're a fan of audiobooks, I highly recommend that version of Nobody's Fool! My wish list is out of control, too.

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  25. I have got to try those Turkey Burgers. I tried a Greek Turkey Burger recipe a couple of weeks ago which was good. I need a few new recipes. Your photo is beautiful. I'm originally from New England.

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    1. Heidi - And I'll be trying the Greek Turkey Burgers you mentioned recently, too. This is photo was taken in NY, but very close to the VT border. It seems more like New England there than NY I think... so beautiful.

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  26. It is lovely to hear you enjoyed your read of Cranford - I read it this year too and loved it, and I've just watched the BBC's charming TV series of it.

    Did your lasagne and Father's Day go well? Here the rain held of long enough for me to do a bbq for my dad and granddad :-)

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    1. Jessicabookworm - Unfortunately Cranford is not available on Netflix streaming right now, so I'll need to check my library. The lasagna and Father's Day were both perfect. So glad you got to enjoy the day with both your dad and grandad :)

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  27. Adding the turkey burger recipe to my list to try. They look delicious!

    Off to remove Sweetbitter from my TBR list. :)

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