The Sunday Salon: Perfect Beach Weather!

Happy Sunday, friends. It's been another good week filled with family and friends, books, and beaches. We went to a St. Patrick's Day happy hour in our old neighborhood (just a few miles down the road), enjoyed an overnight visit from my sister and brother-in-law, read on the beach for an entire afternoon, and I finally completed my first 5-star read of the year! 

Recent reading//

How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key

narrated by the author

I listened to the April selection of the MMD book club and, unfortunately, found it was not for me. This is a memoir about a marriage in crisis following the author's discovery of his wife's infidelity. It's a sad story that is, at times, surprisingly funny. It's also filled with insight, both personal and spiritual. A chapter written and narrated by Key's wife, Lauren, provides her perspective on the situation and, in my opinion, was key to the memoir's overall success. The marriage ultimately survives and, while the book is well done, it's just not a book I wanted to read. However, I do look forward to the discussion.

You Are Here by David Nicholls

This was both my first novel by David Nicholls and my first 5-star read of the year! It was a read/listen combination which I flew through in just 24 hours... starting the audio during a sleepless night and continuing with the ebook the following day.

It begins as one woman assembles a group of friends for a weekend hike through the English countryside. An odd set of circumstances, compounded by bad weather, leads to an unlikely pairing of two previous strangers and an epic ten-day hike from sea to sea. I really enjoyed getting to know Michael and Marnie, and rooted for their budding relationship. I loved the descriptions of their hike, the scenery, and various stops along the way. I'm already looking forward to my next David Nicholl's novel and dream about planning my own English hiking adventure!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current reading// 

Kate & Frida by Kim Fay

I won another goodreads giveaway!! This is the second in as many months and this time it was a kindle edition. Kim Fay's  Love & Saffron  was a  2022 favorite, and so far her follow-up is just as good.

In the kitchen//

This was not a week for trying new recipes, but I did make an old favorite, Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil, from Damn Delicious. I probably shared this a few years ago, but Publix had BOGO frozen shrimp last week and this week it's BOGO kielbasa, so making this recipe again was a no-brainer! It's one of my husband's favorites.

The week ahead//

Nothing especially exciting is on the agenda this week. The main event is a routine colonoscopy, which I'm not looking to but has to be done. I hope you have something more pleasant planned!

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

The Sunday Salon: High Season and Highly Recommended Reads

Hello, friends. It's a sunny, breezy weekend in southwest Florida and high season, along with the resulting traffic, is here! We've been adjusting our schedules to avoid the worst of it, but I can certainly understand why everyone wants to be here this time of year. It doesn't get much better!

Recent reading//

Three Apples Fell from the Sky

by Narine Abgaryan, translated by Lisa C. Hayden

Both the author and title of this novel were completely unknown to me, but the selection of my small World Lit book club turned out to be a delight! It's about a small, mountain-top Armenian village and its dwindling, aging population. Set in the mid 20th century, the village had been plagued by a mudslide, war, and famine. Many villagers lost their lives as a result, and most of those who were spared moved away. The remaining inhabitants are now older and stubbornly clinging to their isolated mountain life. 

The novel reads like a fable, at times playful and tongue-in-cheek... a quality the audio narrator was able to emphasize. (This became a read/listen combination for me when I discovered the audio available on hoopla.) I was reminded of characters from Shannon Bowring's Dalton novels, or maybe even Elizabeth Strout's... they were real and relatable.

The title is from an old Armenian saying: 

And three apples fell from heaven:

One for the storyteller,

One for the listener,

And one for the eavesdropper.

I rated this 4 stars on goodreads, but it's probably closer to 4.5.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I'll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman

You all know I love a good family drama, but I'm also drawn to a unique or creative structure. Rebecca Kauffman's new novel delivers both. It's basically a year-in-the-life story of a young couple, Paul and Corinne, as they prepare for their first child, but it also follows Paul's divorced parents, as well as Corrine's parents and her older brother. The year is 1995 and each month is a chapter. I loved the gradual unfolding of relationships and getting to know and understand the characters.

This is the third novel I've read by Rebecca Kauffman and she is quickly becoming a favorite. Both Chorus  and The Gunners  were 5-star reads for me, and now I plan to read the rest of her backlist.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

I've been reading Anne Tyler for decades and was happy to win a copy of her latest book from goodreads. Sixty-something Gail Baines' daughter is getting married and this novella (under 170 pages) takes place over the three-day wedding weekend. We learn a lot about Gail, as well as her ex-husband Max. Set near Baltimore, this is classic Anne Tyler! It was a 3.5 star read for me, until the ending bumped it up to 4.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current reading//

How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told

by Harrison Scott Key, narrated by the author

This is the April selection of the MMD book club. So far it's just okay...

On the blog//

February Reading Wrap-Up and a List of March Possibilities

Later today and the week ahead//

 I'm hoping to get in an hour or two of reading this afternoon before heading over to a neighborhood happy hour. My sister and brother-in-law are at their place on the east coast this week. They're planning to come over and stay with us for a night or two mid-week. We always have such a good time when they're around!

How was your week? What are you reading today?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

February Reading Wrap-Up and a List of March Possibilities

We're approaching mid-March and I know it's late for a February reading wrap-up, but here we are... The month of February seemed to fly! We finished our Hurricane Ian repairs, furnished and decorated the ground level guest suite, and welcomed our first guests to that space since 2022. What a milestone! We loved having our oldest daughter and son-in-law here for two weeks at the beginning of the month. Then we were delighted to host an old friend from our days by the lake in central NY. And finally, just moments before February ended, Twin A and her husband (minus Winnie the Whippet) arrived for a 10-day stay. 

As far as reading goes, it was a pretty slow month. I spent almost all of February on a long nonfiction classic and credit Tina for keeping me on track. On the fiction side, things were definitely lighter and easier reading!

BOOKS READ IN FEBRUARY

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson - MMD book club selection, fiction, 4 stars

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain - nonfiction, classic, buddy read, 3.5 stars

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood - reread, fiction, 'UpLit', 4.5 stars

My thoughts on all three titles are here.

MARCH READING POSSIBILITIES

Three Apples Fell From the Sky by Narine Abgaryan (completed)

in translation, for World Lit Book Club

I'll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman (completed)

fiction, new release 

How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key (in progress)

nonfiction, memoir, MMD April selection

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

fiction, new release

You Are Here by David Nicholls

fiction, from my shelves

... and we'll see what else catches my eye!

What your your favorite February book? What are you looking forward to reading in March?

The Sunday Salon: A Peaceful Week!

Hello friends, happy March! Despite the disturbing dramas playing out on our national stage, things were pretty quiet around here last week. I enjoyed the MMD author talk with Charmaine Wilkerson on zoom, but otherwise tried to keep my schedule light so I could carve out an hour or two of reading time each afternoon... and it worked. I managed to finish three books!

Recent reading//

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain

This chunky nonfiction classic from 1933 chronicles Vera Brittain's experiences as a young woman during the years surrounding WWI. 

 "Abandoning her studies at Oxford in 1915 to enlist as a nurse in the armed services, Brittain served in London, in Malta, and on the Western Front. By war's end she had lost virtually everyone she loved. Testament of Youth is both a record of what she lived through and an elegy for a vanished generation. "

I read this book with Tina and, to be honest, it was a bit of a slog... primarily due to the language. Brittain was such an intelligent woman, but her words seemed formal, stilted, and dated. Though the book is less than a hundred years old, it often felt older. I sometimes wondered if my time might have been better spent just watching the movie. That being said, I still found her account of the army hospitals in Malta and on the Western Front and her other war experiences fascinating. In general, the war sections were much easier reading and moved faster than the pre and post war years. I expect the film version would focus more on her personal life and losses, so I might not have gotten as much military and medical insight if I'd gone the film route.

My knowledge of WWI is embarrassingly limited. This is the only account from a woman's perspective I've read and I appreciate that it broadened my horizons. Of course from that era rampant misogyny was expected, but what really struck me was the sheer tragedy of it all... an entire generation of altered and lost lives. I'm glad I read this book, but doubt it would appeal to most readers.

⭐⭐⭐💫

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

This newly-published novel is Charmaine Wilkerson's follow-up to Black Cake. A short plot description  says, "the daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom." That is true, but there is so much more to it. A dual time line takes us from 1800s southern plantations, pottery sheds, and various seaports to present day life in coastal CT, Massachucsetts, and a tiny village in France. The novel explores the effect childhood trauma on adult life, along with race, freedom, and identity. I was rooting for the main character Ebony (Ebby) Freeman and her family throughout the novel. I appreciated the author's writing and googled to learn more about enslaved potters in South Carolina.

My only reservation was that the short chapters, which I usually love, made the time hops feel a little choppy. As a result I initially had trouble following the various generations and characters in the historical storyline. But overall, I enjoyed my reading experience and ultimately liked this book more than Black Cake. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

I loved this book when I read it last summer. In July I wrote on goodreads:  Books, Maine, forgiveness and second chances. This feel-good story was a quick read - perfect for a summer weekend!  It was every bit as good the second time around, even though it wasn't a summer weekend. I reread this in preparation for a Modern Mrs. Darcy book club discussion and author chat later this month. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Current reading//

Three Apples Fell From the Sky by Narine Abgaryan, Lisa C. Hayden translator

I just started this last night, but think I'm going to enjoy it. More next week...

In the kitchen//

I've been on a salmon kick this winter,  preparing it almost weekly. Since my recipe repertoire is limited, I tried another new one last week -  Sheet Pan Crispy Honey Mustard Salmon with Broccoli from Gimme Some Oven. I love sheet pan dinners and this was no exception. My husband wasn't as wild about it... he said with all the "stuff" on top, he could hardly taste the salmon. But for me, that's part of the appeal ;-)

The week ahead//

Our other NYC daughter and son-in-law are here for the week. This time she is working remotely and he is on vacation. We have a few activities planned and a couple of dinner reservations, too. I'm sure there will be plenty of beach walks and maybe a bike ride or two.

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

Sanibel Sunday: February 23, 2025

Hello, friends. It's been a busy few weeks around here, with little time for blogging or reading. We had a wonderful long visit with our daughter and son-in-law earlier in the month. He works remotely and she is between jobs as they begin to look for a house in CT (!) ... so we had plenty of time together. While they were here, all of the remaining Hurricane Ian repairs were completed and we began refurnishing our ground-level guest suite. This past week, I have been frantically trying to pull it all together in time for our first non-family guest since 2022... who arrives later today :)

My reading has been slow, bordering on nonexistent, all month but I was able to pick up the pace over the last few days.

Current reading//

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain

I'm buddy reading this nonfiction classic with Tina and it's been slow going, but I will  finish it this week!

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

This is the current selection of the MMD book club and I'm determined to finish it before the author talk on Thursday. That shouldn't be a problem since I've passed the 50% mark and the pages are turning quickly.

In the kitchen//

I have several quick-and-easy shrimp recipes in our regular dinner rotation, but this week I found one more to add to the mix - Cilantro Lime Shrimp from Natasha's Kitchen. Just a quick marinade and either saute or grill the shrimp and you'll have dinner ready in minutes. I didn't have cilantro on hand, so used parsley instead. It was still delicious!

Another recent hit is this copycat Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon recipe. This has probably been around for a while and I'm late to the party, but everybody loved it and my daughter even asked for the recipe. I've already made it twice!

The week ahead//

I'm relishing the thought of a relatively quiet week. After our weekend guest leaves, I'll have a few days to prepare for the arrival of our other NYC daughter and son-in-law. There will be some cleaning, meal-planning, shopping, and cooking, but beyond that I just plan to read. I'd love to finish both current reads and start March with a clean slate!

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

January Reading Wrap-up and A List of February Possibilities

Hello, friends. Here we are well into February and so far this month seems to be flying! It feels like a big change from last month when January just dragged on forever. 

In January... we began our drive to FL on New Years Day, making stops along the way to visit my cousin and some old friends. Once we got here, there were repairs to attend to, friends to catch up with, a barrage of disturbing national news, and record-breaking cold. As a result my reading got off to a slow start, but picked up again toward the end of the month.

.

BOOKS READ IN JANUARY

A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi

fiction, in translation, 4 stars, my thoughts 

Oranges by John McPhee

nonfiction, classic, 3 stars, my thoughts

I've Tried Being Nice: Essays by Ann Leary

nonfiction, essays, 4 stars, my thoughts 

How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard

fiction, 4.5 stars, my thoughts

FEBRUARY READING POSSIBILITIES

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain (in progress)

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkinson (MMD February selection)

Three Apples Fell from the Sky by Narine Abgaryan

You Are Here by David Nicholls

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

Our daughter and son-in-law have been here visiting since the beginning of the month and are planning to stay for another week or so. They're fortunate to be able to work from home and I love having them around! Obviously, I haven't had quite as much time to read, so I expect February will be a slow reading month. If I'm lucky I'll finish two or three of the titles listed above.

How was your January reading? What was your favorite book last month?

 

The Sunday Salon: February 2, 2025

Hello, friends. We've had a pretty good week in southwest Florida. The weather has been perfect, we took several sunset beach walks, went out to dinner with friends, and had contractors show up according to schedule! We're waiting on closet shelves and a shower door adjustment... and then our Hurricane Ian (9/22) repairs will be complete!! Fingers crossed both will be done by the end of the week.

Emotionally, it's been a tough week. I cannot even look at the news without getting knots in my stomach. Reading continues to be a balm.

Recent reading//

How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard

This book is a sequel to Count the Ways, which was both my favorite novel of 2021 and my introduction to Joyce Maynard. Some twenty years have passed since the ending of that tale... Eleanor and Cam are over 60, the kids have become adults with their own complicated lives, some characters have passed on, and new ones are introduced. I loved catching up with these people and seeing how their lives have evolved. While not quite as good as Count the Ways, this was exactly the reading experience I'd been craving.

My only complaint is that Maynard include too many 'hot' issues. Some reviewers found the book to be too heavy-handed politically, and I'll admit that it may have been. BUT in light of events of the past few weeks, I'm more than willing to forgive Maynard for coming down a little hard on the red-hatted crowd.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Current reading//

Testament of Youth: An Autobiographical Study of the Years 1900 - 1925

 by Vera Brittain

I'm reading this nonfiction classic with Tina and it's a long one - nearly 700 pages. It's off to a strong start, but I didn't make as much progress as planned. This should be a better week as far as reading time goes.

I'll also be choosing a new fiction title to start this week.

On the blog//

Favorite Author Discoveries, 2024 Edition

The week ahead//

Our oldest daughter and son-in-law are flying in later today. They work remotely, so will probably stay for a couple of weeks. We'll celebrate her birthday midweek and have a few other activities planned. I'm looking forward to having them around!

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

 

Favorite Author Discoveries, 2024 Edition

It's been a while since my last Top Ten Tuesday post, but I take time every January to reflect on the new authors I read the previous year.  In 2024 I read twenty-three new-to-me authors and had a surprisingly difficult time narrowing that list down to just ten favorites. Here they are, listed in the order I read them.

FAVORITE NEW-TO-ME AUTHORS, 2024

The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai 

James by Percival Everett 

Absolution by Alice McDermott 

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro

 Frances Riddle, translator

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi

Hildegarde Serle, translator

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

What new authors did you discover in 2024?

The Sunday Salon: Manatees!

Hello, friends. After a chilly, grey week in southwest Florida, the sun is finally shining... and a little sunshine makes a BIG difference! We saw photos of snowy panhandle beaches, but thankfully none of the white stuff fell here in southwest Florida. Yesterday morning was our coldest at 44 degrees, but the windchill made it feel like 29. Brr!! My orchids have been inside most of the month.

There is one advantage to the cold weather though. It's a great time to visit Manatee Park in Fort Myers. Thanks to a warm water discharge into the park canal from the Florida Power and Light plant across the street, manatees congregate in the park when water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico dip below 68 degrees. We visited on Friday and saw hundreds of them! It was a beautiful sight, but very difficult to photograph. (Each one of the blobs in the photo above is a manatee.) It's especially fun to see their snouts or tails break the surface. Plus they make the cutest little snorting sounds! 

Recent reading//

I've Tried Being Nice: Essays

by Ann Leary, narrated by the author

I want to read more essay collections this year and, having enjoyed two of Leary's novels, this seemed like a great place to start. In this collection, Leary writes about various aspects of her life including marriage to actor Dennis Leary, raising kids, her writing career, being a "people pleaser," assorted hobbies, adventures of living in an old house, and her struggles with alcoholism. All were compelling, but I especially loved an essay about the dogs who have shared her life over the years. I appreciated Leary's openness and honesty throughout the collection. This was a read/listen combination for me. Essays or memoirs read by the author are always a treat, but I can recommend this book in either format.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current reading//

How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard

I'm almost done with this sequel to Count the Ways and enjoying it very much. I should finish later today... unless I get too caught up in the football games.

Up next//

Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain

This nonfiction classic about the First World War has been on my TBR list for years and will be a February buddy read with Tina. At nearly 700 pages, this chunkster could take a while...

In the kitchen//

I don't know about you but the chicken in my homemade stir-fry never tastes quite like the chicken in a good Chinese restaurant. Their chicken stays moist and the sauce seems to cling to each piece, but my chicken is often a little dry and the sauce runs right off of it. Last week I learned about a process call velveting... a Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating and pre-cooking chicken before adding it to another dish like the stir-fry.

I read about it in a NYTimes recipe, Butter-Soy Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry. For the velveting, chicken slices are coated with a combination of corn starch, baking soda, sugar, salt & pepper, and soy sauce, then tossed with vegetable oil and egg white. Marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours, then boil for 90 seconds and drain in a colander. At that point, you continue with your stir-fry recipe. 

This particular recipe is behind a pay wall and nothing special - too much butter and too bland  - but I will continue to experiment with the technique. The chicken itself was really good. Have you heard of velveting?  I can't wait to try it again with a more flavorful stir-fry!

The week ahead//

Weatherwise, it looks like we're in for a good one - much more like the Florida winter weather I love! I have a couple of appointments, but am looking forward to a midweek book club author talk, walks on the beach, and our daughter and son-in-law 's upcoming visit.

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.