June 30, halfway through 2019 already. Time is flying... Summer is here and the weather has been perfect for outdoor activities. We temporarily caught up with garden chores and took a midweek walk along the Old Erie Canal trail. In addition to the photo above, I posted several others on Instagram.
Finished reading//
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Talk about all-consuming. Whenever I wasn't reading this novel, I was thinking about it. It begins in the 1970s with two families - Irish immigrants, rookie NYC cops, next door neighbors - living in the Long Island suburbs. A life-altering event tears the families apart. We see how it shapes the lives of the two couples and their children over the next forty years... always in the background, inexplicably binding them together. Ask Again, Yes has everything I look for in a novel: good writing, well-developed characters, and a great story. I often avoid novels which involve mental illness, but am glad I didn't skip this one. It was excellent!
My rating:
Current reading//
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Choosing a follow-up to a 5-star read can be tricky. In this case, the library did it for me. I picked up City of Girls yesterday afternoon and immediately fell in love with Vivian's voice... the playful, self-deprecating humor of an older woman looking back on her youthful experiences. I can't wait to continue.
Listening to//
by John Carreyrou, narrated by Will Damron
I borrowed this audiobook from the library and haven't started it yet, but only have a few days left until it expires! Now I'm trying to decide whether to start it anyway (and maybe use an audible credit it I'm hopelessly hooked) or pick up something else and get back on the hold list. Decisions, decisions...
On the blog//
This Week's Read: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
In the kitchen//
We're going to my sister's for dinner and I have this Chocolate Yogurt Cake in the oven as I type. It was simple to make... I'll let you know how it turns out.
After trying many variations over the years (and probably sharing one or two here) I've settled on the perfect Miso Maple Glazed Salmon recipe. This one is from Allrecipes and I made just one simple substitution... use sesame oil instead of vegetable oil. It was delicious.
The week ahead//
The 4th of July falls on Thursday and we've got a busy holiday week coming up. Daughter #1 will take the train up from NYC on Tuesday, lots of cooking and set-up on Wednesday, then a family party on Thursday. Our small town goes all out for the 4th... after the road race, parade, concert, and fireworks, other events and activities continue through the weekend.
How was your week? What have you been reading?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
Your Fourth of July sounds so wonderful! I'll be spending mine in Switzerland, in advance of a party celebrating my sister and brother-in-law's 30th wedding anniversary. I'm just glad the horrible European heat should be over by then... Have fun!!
ReplyDeleteAudrey - Congratulations to your sister and BIL! I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip. Hope that heat wave is long gone...
DeletePS So do the books you're reading, and your salmon recipe ... :)
ReplyDeleteAudrey - All of the books I've read this month have been winners. That doesn't happen often enough!
DeleteI started the audio of Ask Again, Yes today - so addictive.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your 4th, yours sounds so fun.
Diane - Isn't it wonderful! Hope you continue to enjoy it.
DeleteWe will have a busy week - our nephew is here and the store will be busy because of the holiday - but it's all good.
ReplyDeleteI loved Ask Again, Yes as well.
Kathy - I finished Ask Again, Yes several days ago now and can't stop thinking about it. Enjoy the time with your nephew!
DeleteHave a wonderful 4th!
ReplyDeleteAngela - You, too! It's one of my favorite holidays:)
DeleteI'm very glad you enjoyed Ask Again, Yes so much. I am on the waiting list. I hope I get a copy soon, but it will probably be a long wait.
ReplyDeleteI always have trouble getting into a book after reading an excellent story. Glad you got right into City of Girls.
The cake looks magnificent. Please share more about it soon.
Have a great week!
Deb - I thought the next book after Ask Again, Yes was doomed! Couldn't delay starting City of Girls - it's long and I only get 2 weeks. So far, so good. The cake was a hit, though a little more dense than expected.
DeleteAsk Again Yes and City of Girls both sound very good. As do the cake and salmon (two of my favorite things!) Fourth of July is not a big holiday in my life, but my husband and daughter always go to the rodeo in a small town nearby, so they're looking forward to that.
ReplyDeleteWendy - Most of my June books have been excellent. Wish that could happen every month! A rodeo sounds like a lot of fun!
DeleteI really liked Ask Again Yes too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your 4th July celebrations
Have a great reading week
Shelleyrae - I want to try Keane's earlier novel about Typhoid Mary called Fever now. Have you read any of her other books?
DeleteI keep seeing positive reviews of Ask Again, Yes and I'm interested in City of Girls, too.
ReplyDeleteOur kids will be gathering at the camp for the 4th--food and family. :
Jenclair - Ask Again, Yes and City of Girls are both appearing on a lot of summer reading recommendation lists. That type of hype sometimes worries me, but so far they've both lived up to it. Hope you have a wonderful 4th at camp with your family!
DeleteI'm eager to read Ask Again, Yes. It's next up for audio listen, but I need to finish Blue Highways first. I need to make more time for long walks so I can listen to my audiobooks!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of Elizabeth Gilbert's novels, but I did enjoy her memoir. This one sounds like one I may like since I enjoy reading from an older woman's POV.
Like you, I am always in search of a new recipe for grilled/baked salmon. I may try this one, but my husband and I prefer my brown sugar/kosher salt/dill weed rub that I've been using for almost 20 years. :)
We're back from a lovely week-long camping trip in Washington. Situated between a river and a lake, we had a great campsite and look forward to returning sometime next year. I'm currently reading The Girl He Used to Know and will probably finish sometime today or tomorrow. I wish I could say that I'm loving it...
Les - My audiobook/walking time is way down since we left Florida. I miss the beach, but need to make more of an effort to get to the excellent trails around here.
DeleteI wasn't a huge fan of Gilbert's Eat,Pray, Love but loved her last novel The Signature of All Things on audio. City of Girls is VERY different, but equally good so far.
Have you ever shared that salmon rub? It sounds like an interesting combination of flavors. We're eating salmon nearly once a week these days... especially now that sockeye and coho season is here.
Ive been enjoying your instagram posts... such a beautiful area you visited! And I hope you're not hating The Girl He Used to Know. It was a kindle deal over the weekend, so I bought it :(
I really enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love and read it when I was in a book group in Nebraska. As I recall, we had a lively discussion. I'm interested in The Signature of All Things since you mentioned that it's good on audio.
DeleteThe salmon rub is super easy. The only change I've made over the years is to place the fish skin side down on a piece of heavy duty foil (sprayed with PAM). When it's time to flip it, I remove the foil so it is directly on the grill grates (which have also been sprayed so the fish doesn't stick). Here's the link to my very old food blog, I am so not a food blogger! ;)
Glad you're enjoying the Instagram pics. It was a fun little getaway.
Sorry. I didn't care for The Girl He Used to Know. Didn't hate it, but didn't like it, either. :(
Les - I just bought some salmon today... will try the rub. Thanks!
DeleteI finally got a chance to look at the recipe for the cake you made. It looks delicious and I'm anxious to hear how it turned out for you. I've bookmarked it, as well as a strawberry cake on that blog. They both look perfect to serve to my Mahjong friends or at my next book club meeting!
ReplyDeleteLes - The cake was really got, but more dense than I was expecting... probably because of the yogurt. I used 2%, but maybe it would have been a little lighter with fat-free? The glazed pecans were delicious. If you let the cake cool for about 15 minutes before topping with the mixed choc chips, the bottom layer will melt slightly and prevent them from sliding off.
DeleteMy sister suggested a salted caramel drizzle next time. I think it's a great idea!
I've never made anything from that website, but will probably go back and look at her other recipes.
Thanks for letting me know about the cake. I like your sister's suggestion, too!
DeleteI went ahead and bought more audible credits because I didn't want to wait until July's hit my account!! And I'm super glad to hear the Gilbert book is good.
ReplyDeleteCare - I'm thinking about using a credit for Gilbert's book to make a read/listen combo. Did you read Signature of All Things? I loved that on audio, too.
DeleteI love books that make you think about them even when you aren't reading them. I'm so glad you are enjoying your books. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteYvonne - I love when that happens, too! June has been a great reading month for me. Hope you have a good week, too :)
DeleteLovely books, photos and cake! Enjoy the holiday!
ReplyDeletePatty - Hope you and Den and the girls have a happy 4th, too!!
DeleteHi JoAnn,
ReplyDeleteThis is the busiest tourist week of the entire year in our neck of the woods. Later in July and August it's very busy as well, but not as clogged with vacationers as the week of the Fourth.
So we keep our heads low--I go early in the morning to swim, then retreat back to wilderness for the rest of the day. So happy to be isolated!
In a week, we'll venture forth and truly enjoy an evening in a jam-packed wine bar, just to remind ourselves what we had when we lived in Boston, being elbow to elbow, and shoulder to shoulder in a crowded bar, and then we'll whisk off to the seclusion of HOME. That's fun, really. We get to escape!
Loved your photo of the Old Erie Canal Trail--a lovely June photo.
Summer of '69 is in your future, is it? In mine as well. I have read so many wonderful books recently, that I must do a long post soon. But, JoAnn, I'm reading One Hundred Years of Solitude, and I am finding it impossible to stay awake while I read it! I'm not at all sure I'll make it through. I feel I must rally my inner resources, but they are drooping from this novel. help.
Judith - That exactly what we do during "high season" in Sanibel... I totally get it! I'm not sure when my hold of Summer of '69 will arrive, but I hope it's still summer. Reviews have been mostly positive so far.
DeleteMy June reading was outstanding with two solid 5-star reads and the rest were 4 or 4.5 stars. July will be a busy month, so probably not nearly as many books will be read.
I wish I could offer some encouragement about One Hundred Years of Solitude. I'm afraid that book, and possibly all of GGM's work, is just not a good fit for me. Over the years I have attempted to read it at least 3 times, possibly 4, and can not get past 150 pages. After the second try, I read Love in the Time of Cholera. I got through it, but didn't like it much. Encouraged, I went back to Solitude. Same thing happened. I've given myself permission to stop trying :(
I hope you have a great family 4th! I'd like to get to the Erie Trail sometime. Great pic. I'll check out the Mary Beth Keane book ... glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteSusan - We had an excellent 4th... lots of relatives, food, and fun! Some day I'd like to bike the whole Erie Canal trail. Will need to train for it though, lol!
DeleteMy week so far was consumed by preps for the 4th. Big family get together and it was great. Meanwhile I missed a whole week of others' blog posts. Can we just be normal now?
ReplyDeleteJudy - My week has been very similar to yours...the last of the family gatherings is today. I feel like I could sleep for a week!
DeleteCity of Girls is on my list.
ReplyDeleteThat salmon looks really good but I recently found out I am allergic to Maple anything. I never was before but now I am. Bleh.
Ti - City of Girls started off strong, but then I decided I wasn't in the mood for it right now... hello, reading slump. Ugh. Will try again in a few months. Weird about the maple allergy...
Delete