Category: Uncategorized

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with a High Page Count

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized50 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday

This week’s topic: Books that are doorstop chunksters

Oh, I used to love a giant fat book. Now I don’t read them as much but they still hold a (big) place in my heart.

These are probably the books I have read with the highest page counts.

The Stand – 1,152 pages

It – 1,138 pages

The Witching Hour – 976

I got totally lost in these worlds, especially The Witching Hour. I fell in love with New Orleans reading this book, and immediately took a vacation there to see it in person, to walk those streets, feel the humidity… lol. I even stopped by Anne Rice’s house and had my photo taken on the sidewalk (banquette?) in front. I still love that city, and have visited many times since that first time.

Gosh, this is a trip down memory lane! I loved all three of these so very much as well. I mean, let’s start with Outlander. I have had a book crush on Jamie Fraser for years and years now. My husband is very familiar with the character thanks to my all gushing. Lonesome Dove is just one of those books too, that you will think about forever. And finally, 11/22/63 is one of my favorite King books.

Drums of Autumn – 928

11/22/63 – 880

Lonesome Dove – 864

Some more books with emotional ties. My husband bought me this Emily Dickinson book for Christmas years and years ago and I treasure it, and A Prayer for Owen Meany is probably one of my favorite books of all time. I have read it sooooo many times. My uncle gave me a copy when I graduated, that was his copy. Then I gave it to my cousin, his daughter years later when she graduated from college. We do this in my family, write notes to each other and pass the books back and forth.

And finally, The Secret History which really is as good as everyone says, in my opinion. I love dark academia and this is such a perfect entree.

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson – 716

A Prayer for Owen Meany – 637

The Secret History – 552

Ugh, I love Angeline Boulley!! I can’t wait to read her newest book, Sisters in the Wind, which is only 389 pages. This one weighs in at 489.

And there you have it!

I hope all of you do one thing that makes you smile today!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized43 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone!! I seem to be in like a fall deep clean kind of mood lately. I have been reorganizing and straightening and getting rid of stuff like crazy around here. Maybe I am nesting, preparing for fall and winter like all the little animals outside are doing. All I know is that our art cabinet is extremely organized right now, and that somehow in my cleaning frenzy I lost one of my sandals. I can only guess that I accidentally threw it out, which makes me sad because I loved it. Lol. However, all of this has had a side effect – now I want Billy to paint our whatever room. A few years ago, we flip-flopped the rooms in our house. It’s a very small house, and we had a room we barely used, the dining room. I realized that we could have more space if we moved our couches and television into the dining room, which we now call the den, and moved all of our other stuff into the living room. So the old living room area now has our dining room table, art stuff, animals, and just leisure activity paraphernalia. But we never know what to call that space! Anyway I am so sick of that paint color and if Billy isn’t able to paint it, then I am going to. I am not a great painter but I just can’t deal with the darkness in that room anymore. Lol.

Phew! Moving on.

Read Last Week:

Last week I read Monk and Robot books 1 and 2. I was gifted this collection edition of both books from an internet friend and I loved reading them back to back. These are just such wonderful stories and I have my husband listening to them as well.

I also read Pat of Silver Bush, which now that I think of it, was another gift! I was blessed with some book mail this summer! Pat is a mixed bag for me. I loved so much of the book, but then, I didn’t like some of the other parts. Review I hope this week, but if you want a sneak peek of it, check out my Instagram. I almost always review there first. I feel like it is a good place to sort of form my thoughts. I don’t know why it makes a difference but it does for some reason. Maybe because I feel like I need to be more succinct, which inspires me to really think about what I am saying instead of just rambling like I am right this minute. Actually this whole post is sort of a ramble!

I tried reading a romance, Out of the Woods, but there was a heavy topic in there that I was not feeling up to so I put it aside.

Reading This Week:

This week I am reading another in the Campers and Criminals series, Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide. I seem to have developed an addiction to these books. I also am reading The Convenience Store by the Sea, which sounds so good.

Posted Last Week:

Our Cozy Little Life

10 Books of Summer Update

Watching:

Last week Billy and I watched Nautilus. It is not the greatest, in terms of production, but it somehow makes it feel more camp. Like we are watching a sci-fi show from the 50s or 60s, sort of over the top and silly, but despite that, we really like it. Or maybe that is why we like it! I feel like mid-season it really started to gel a bit more and get a bit better, and I love the set of the interiors. It just looks so cool, like old school nautical mixed with Victorian era . I also really like how this series does not shy away from the horrors of colonialism, and denounces it, with many characters in the show being survivors of what they call “the Company”. It makes for a very diverse cast and shines a light on some of these historical events that perhaps today’s students don’t know about. I also really like the main female character, Humility, and her enthusiasm and talent for engineering and science. It had a lot going on at first, but it all started to settle in together nicely. We have one episode left that we are going to try to watch tonight, but we also are watching K-Pop Demon Hunters today, so it might be tomorrow instead.

And that is it from me today my friends! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Our Cozy Little Life

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized15 Comments

I woke up this morning, and I stepped outside like I do first thing almost every morning, and was struck by the chill in the air. It is still hot and sticky most of the time around here, but some mornings, and some evenings, I am reminded about how close the end of summer is.

The apples on our tree are not very big but they are turning red. This tree is nearing the end of its producing life sadly, but it still pushes out so much fruit. We used to eat from it for so many years, our neighbors did, people from all over our neighborhood would snag an apple. Kids played hide and seek under our tree, squirrels and birds have used it as a haven, and the cat next door sleeps in the violets, in the shade underneath on warm summer days. We even had baby possums under there one year. The tree is looking sad these days, and we need to decide what to do. I think we will just trim it back very hard in hopes of healing it some, and that will take a few years in itself, since you can’t do too much at once. At this point, I just want it to thrive but it doesn’t have to feed everyone anymore. It can take a break. It has done its job.

There are other signs too – the dandelions that are left are mostly gone to fluff, night comes a wee bit earlier. But there are still a few weeks left to hang on to that summer feeling. To eat fresh produce from the farmers market and gardens, to swim in pools and lakes and oceans, to take a summer vacation before school begins. To sip iced drinks outside with friends, listening to birds and counting caterpillars on the rue and the milkweed, and watch the swifts and hummingbirds dip in and out of the yard.

I am hoping to do a few things with Wyatt before we start school next month. Next month he also starts back to physical therapy, the first after his surgery, and he will go two days a week. Our newly renamed and reorganized group, from Scouts to the Blackbirds, begins next month, school, things will be busy. I don’t want to just skip these last few weeks, although we do need to keep things easy and light for now.

Today is my niece Mermaid Girl’s birthday. Like Wyatt, she is now 10! She is the sweetest kid, thoughtful, fiercely protective of her little sister and of Wyatt, wildly creative and imaginative, and a yellow belt in karate so watch out! We are going there tonight for cake and ice cream and it will be good to get out, all of us together, for something fun. Their garden is full of cucumbers and tomatoes right now, and my youngest niece loves to “help” her mother pick the vegetables, although she does not discern between ripe or not. I stopped over the other night to pick up some extra rue for my the black swallowtail caterpillars I saved from the birds in our yard, and little one was racing around helping garden. I left with more than rue – in fact the handful of gifts I left with courtesy of that little elf made me think of this limbo time, the transition between summer and fall. A few tiny green tomatoes, a few ripe, with an acorn or two thrown in for good measure.

And that is it from me today. Just some short ramblings. I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized32 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! It was a pretty good week around here. I have been catching up on a lot of projects and work that I haven’t had time for, and it feels good to get those things done. We also had the grand opening for Wyatt’s Little Free Library last Sunday! He was so excited and proud!

As far as reading goes, I started Pat of Silver Bush and it was slow going at first to get into it. I had a hard time with reading Judy Plum’s dialect and it was just distracting me and I would read about two pages and put the book down. I finally was able to settle down with it yesterday and now I am on a roll. I love how Pat is such a little homebody.

I will be continuing to read this, and when I finish I have this one all lined up.

This wasn’t on my August TBR but I found it while at the library and I thought the cover looked so happy I had to pick it up.

Posted Recently:

Top Ten Tuesday: Beachy Reads

Mini Reviews: Chlorine and Seacrow Island

Hello August!

Thursday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

Billy and I finished up Season 3 of Dark Winds and it was amazing. That show is so well done. I already can’t wait until Season 4. We also watched Death Valley, which I really enjoyed, and we just started watching Nautilus. Nautilus is like the perfect amount of cheese and action. It reminds us both of Firefly for some reason.

And that is it from around here! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Thursday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized19 Comments

Hello everyone!! I am feeling pretty good this morning – I had an actual whole night of sleep and it was amazing. I feel ready to take on the world! Or maybe just my patch of the world. That works too.

We are still at home, and going a bit stir crazy. Wyatt is feeling pretty much back to normal but still has all of the restrictions, which is a difficult pairing. But we are managing. He has really only felt this good beginning this week, and I am so happy that we have gotten to this stage. I just need to shift gears now a bit and figure out this new conundrum. We will get it though. We are through the worst of it now, thank goodness.

His recovery timed nicely with the completion of his Little Free Library! We had the grand opening on Sunday, and Wyatt was so happy and proud of it. We had goodie bags for the kids who came, and my dad came and brought balloons.

Our first visitors were two of my nieces, Mermaid Girl and Little Bit! They promptly plopped down on the lawn and got busy with their goodie bags, and flipped through books. Then we had some friends stop by with their children, and our little neighbor girl has been flitting back and forth to it all week. I need to find a way to keep the inventory “fresh” for the kids who come a lot, like the neighbor girl. Wyatt even got a super cute card from some friends down the street.

It was a really good day!

I joined a Little Free Library group on Facebook, and posted about our new library, and asked for suggestions on how to keep the momentum going, and they were all so welcoming and had great ideas. Just what I would expect from people who love books! One person suggested that I get a map and have Wyatt mark on the map where everyone who responded to my post has charters, or show him how to use the LFL map, which I didn’t even think about doing. Other suggestions were to post on the NextDoor App, in our city’s Buy Nothing group, and to start a FB page just for his library. So I guess I will be doing all of that pretty soon.

Right now though, I am busy planning the school year, or at least up to December. I need organization to stay on track with life, so I have been working very hard this week on plans. I have a good chunk finished and I am pretty excited about how our fall is shaping up. We do have two days of physical therapy that we will be working around as well, as part of Wyatt’s recovery. I am leaving those days light for now.

And because I am who I am, and don’t have enough projects in my life, we made a big change with Cub Scouts. We ended up deciding as a group to continue meeting and doing all of our fun stuff and community work, basically stay the same as what we were doing, but without the umbrella of Cub Scouts. So we are now starting from scratch, sort of. I am going to register our group as a nonprofit organization with the state, and get a name and motto and oath and all that together, so that the kids can still have the bond of an organization, and then also design some ranks and badges. I have a few ideas percolating..

And then in the midst of all this, my long suffering husband turned 50!! I am unsure how he is 50, it feels like we are still the teenagers we were when we started dating. We didn’t do much to celebrate this week, but we are hoping to go out together this weekend. We are just now feeling comfortable leaving Wyatt with a grandparent for an hour or two without us. It will be nice to go out together, even for a short time. I am thinking a hike and a drink somewhere might be fun.

And I feel like I have prattled on long enough this morning! I hope that whatever you all do today, that you do something that makes you smile!

Hello August!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized14 Comments

Hello August!

July was a rough ride – I am hoping that August will be a better month. Wyatt is doing better everyday now, and is back to his normal self, at least every way but physically. We go for his next recheck at the end of the month. The last recheck went very well so I am hopeful the next one will be even better.

The weather so far this August, that one whole full day that we had, was cool and wonderful. No humidity, lower temps. I could tell that autumn is hiding around the corner waiting its turn, with cool breezes allowing me to open the windows most of the day. This morning it was actually cold when I stepped outside, and I did a little dance in the doorway. I would much rather be cold than hot. I am hoping to get outside and enjoy some cold temps this evening, with a cup of tea outside. I love to sit outside at night alone, just listening to the quiet, with the occasional train whistle or boat horn making themselves known.

We had a girls night at my friend Kelly’s the other night and the weather was the same, reminding me of northern Michigan, and nights near a fire, lakeside. It has been way too long since my family has done that and we need to fix that next year. I may not be a daytime beach person, but I am definitely a nighttime beach person.

I was so relaxed at Kelly’s. I would lean back and stare at the sky, listening to my friends talking, feeling calm and safe, their laughter wrapping itself around me. We also spent time fawning over Kelly’s newest addition, Simon. Simon is a sweet little fellow with the most beautiful green eyes. He just showed up one day two weeks ago, hungry and looking for a safe place to land. A few years ago I named Kelly’s house Belle Refuge, a place of beautiful refuge, for she takes in all strays and nurtures them and loves them. Simon is the newest to the bunch, and he recently was neutered and given all of his shots, courtesy of Kelly. Now he comes and goes, living life on her sofas inside and out, and we got to meet him finally last night. He was unprepared for a gaggle of cat lovers as we all vied for his attention. I felt chosen because I got a little cat chirp out of him as he came towards my outstretched hand. He is sweet and adorable and a polydactyl with big old paws. He was definitely soaking up all of the attention.

I am not planning much for August. I want it to play out as it will for the most part. I do have some things on tap though, like Wyatt’s Grand Opening for his Little Free Library, and Billy’s summer work party, Billy’s 50th birthday on Monday, and Mermaid Girl’s 10th birthday later this month.

Usually August we spend soaking up the last of summer, but this year it feels as if we are just starting summer as we enjoy the last of it. We have some of the best of summer ahead of us – and Rebecca over at The Farm Wife Reads has gotten me me very excited to eat more of summer’s bounty. Tomatoes and zucchini, cucumbers, corn, peaches, blueberries, cantaloupe, and of course watermelon. I could eat all the watermelon and cantaloupe, I just love it. I don’t have a garden this year, so I will have to head out to some local farmer’s markets and farm stands to stock up. Isn’t this the time of year for summer sweet corn?

So we are planning on taking it easy this month. Seeing friends, having some backyard dinners on the deck, getting back to the library, taking walks, going on drives and car picnics. Sunsets, iced matcha lattes, daydreaming, reading. It’ll be a nice way to end this crazy summer.

And that is it from me today. I hope that whatever you do today you do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: Beachy Reads

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized53 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s topic is beach reads! I read in phases and it has been a bit since I read books set in beachy settings, so most of my titles are going to be older. This was a fun trip back into my reading past, and it made me want to read a few of these authors again!

Let’s dive in! (Sorry, sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Haunted Ever After is probably one of my faves on this list. It has a haunted house but hey it is set in Florida on the beach so it counts!

Where the Crawdads Sing sung to my soul guys. I loved all the nature collections that Kya had all over her house, and her wild life. Her life as a child also made me profoundly sad, and while I want to watch the movie I am not sure I can handle the sadness. Let me know if I should watch it!

I love that Stephen King has a beach read! This was a great one by King, and I remember wondering if I was going to like a King book set in Florida. I did.

I have not read the Liz Talbot books in a while but I loved them for a while.

Jenny Colgan takes us to a beach in the far north, one that sees winter snow and long nights.

And RaeAnne Thayne was a must read author of mine forever and ever. This is one of my favorites.

I wanted to end with the authors who in my mind will always mean beach reads, Mary Kay Andrews and Dorothea Benton Frank. I know there are newer authors out there that mean summer and beaches, like Carley Fortune and Katherine Center, but to me, Mary Kay Andrews and Dorothea Benton Frank will always be the Queens of the Beach read (although I do want to read Carley Fortune, and I think Katherine Center was inspired by my favorite coastal city in Michigan, Saugatuck, for one of her books, so I should read that too.)

This was a fun post, a quick dip, taking me back to some old favorites!

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized34 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! It was a pretty good week last week, with a good doctor’s visit for Wyatt. Today I have to mega clean the house, and then later my nieces and brother and SIL are coming over to hang out. I am looking forward to seeing them!

Read Last Week:

I read Seacrow Island, which I absolutely loved, and I also read another in the Campers and Criminals series. Seacrow Island made me want to find an island in the Baltic Sea to summer on with my family. It put me in mind of The Penderwicks and also of Winter Cottage by Carol Ryrie Brink in some ways.

Reading This Week:

This week I feel like reading something a bit weird, but also wanting to finish up a few I had started earlier this summer. I will be reading Chlorine, hopefully finishing Otter Country, and then making some headway into Pat of Silver Bush.

Posted Last Week:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Japan

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

What We Are Watching:

We finished up The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down, and watched a few episodes of Brokenwood that we have already seen. I would like to start from the very beginning again so I might have to do that on my own. Not sure I can get Billy to commit to that. We also watched The Haunted Mansion, and a movie called Finding You, which was yes, a bit cheeseball, but I absolutely loved it for how Hallmark it felt. Sometimes you just need that, and last night I definitely needed it. Plus it had Saoirse-Monica Jackson in it and I love her. It actually could have had more of her in it honestly. The setting itself was absolutely gorgeous, a small coastal town in Ireland.

Around the Interwebs:

I am planning on catching up on commenting on blogs this week! It’s my big blog goal. I am all about catching up around here. And while I do that, I am also thinking about fall and fall movie watching. And Comfy Cozy Cinema!

And I think that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Friday Morning/Afternoon Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized14 Comments

Hello everyone! I have already had at least two cups of coffee, and taken a journey to the hospital with Wyatt and am back home again. We had an early morning appointment today for his surgery follow up. We had to get up at 6 am, but it was worth it because it was a good appointment!

Traffic was awful so we got there right at his appointment time – not ideal. I called from valet parking to say that we were there and on our way up – I was so afraid they would cancel our appointment! We made it up only a few minutes after his appointment time and they sent us right to X-Ray. From there, we went to the appointment with his surgeon. I really like his surgeon, he is very soft spoken. I also think he is very amused by my jokester son, and slightly amused by my hovering, worried momness. He looked at the x-rays, he looked at Wyatt’s legs and incisions, and gave us great news. Wyatt can stop wearing the braces and wedge pillow during the day! He now only has to wear it at night, and he can also use his regular wheelchair. He no longer needs to keep his legs straight out all day long. What a relief! Billy and I walked out of there feeling so much better about things! Wyatt’s braces were causing superficial sores on the backs of his legs, so I am so happy that we can take those things off for a while. Wyatt is currently sitting happily in his chair, watching tv. His job is still to spend the next month healing, and then we go back to see the doctor again. Then hopefully we get the clearance for PT.

That is my most important and best news, obviously. We also stopped at the gift store so Wyatt could get a sticker to add to his water bottle, which he was very excited about.

In other news, we are getting closer to Wyatt’s little free library getting done. All we have left is to put shingles on it, and plant it! I am thinking about having a little Grand Opening, and leave gift bags inside as Book Worm Starter Kits for kids. The only thing is, what should I put in there? Bookmarks for sure, gummy worms, what else? I am not at top form over here, and I am having a hard time coming up with ideas! I need a little help. Lol.

We are still reading a lot over here. I have been reading my books, and of course, going through stacks of books with Wyatt as well. I can’t just have him watch tv all day, even if he wanted to. And some days I think he would be happy with that. Lol. The first week I definitely let him, but as he started to feel better, we broke it up with activities and reading. Wyatt has been so blessed with people who have sent him gifts to keep him occupied, as well as videos to cheer him up, and all sorts of well wishes! Billy and I were also overwhelmed with gratitude about all the help we have received as well. Everyone has been so kind to our family, and we are so thankful.

I don’t really have too much to add, so I am going to just share some photos I have taken, and say goodbye for now. Thanks again everyone for all of your kind words and well wishes and gifts and videos! I hope that whatever you do today, that you do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set in Japan

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized57 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s prompt:  Books Set in/Take Place During X (Pick a place, time, era, etc. Examples: Books set in Europe/Italy/Australia/Chicago, books set in Regency England, books that take place during the 1900s, books set in imaginary worlds/post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds, books set on the ocean, books set it castles, books that take place during WW2, etc.)

So, a few years ago I read a book that changed my reading. I picked up the book, What You Are Looking for is in the Library, and I loved it. I was hooked. I needed all the cozy fiction/translated/healing fiction. I am so happy that I read a book outside my comfort zone because now it is a favorite genre for me. These titles are a mix of books I have read and books on my TBR for this year. These are all set in Japan, but some of the others that I have read were set in Korea. It was hard to choose the setting for this post!

The Kamogawa Food Detectives || What You Are Looking For is in the Library || The Full Moon Coffee Shop

The Kamogowa Food Detectives made me so hungry. The descriptions of the food, the memories that accompanied these dishes, made this book such a delight to read.

What You Are Looking for is in the Library is still one of my favorites. I could revisit this one over and over again.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop was… interesting. It was not my favorite of these but it was definitely unique!

The Easy Life in Kamusari || Butter || Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

The Easy Life in Kamusari is a gentle easy read set in the mountains. I loved this little mountain village and its inhabitants.

Butter is completely different and I still haven’t read it. It sounds crazy and is based on a true story! It is “about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case”. It is on my fall TBR list.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was another slow, gentle read. And I learned there is a whole area of Tokyo that is known as Book Town that has hundreds of bookstores!

Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop || The Convenience Store by the Sea || Dinner at the Night Library || The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop

These four are the tops of my list for this genre right now, with The Convenience Store by the Sea as the next up. I have a hold request in for it and I am waiting – hopefully this week! After that Dinner at the Night Library sounds fantastic for fall.

And that is it from me today! I look forward to visiting your posts all week and seeing what you all chose!