It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
It’s been crickets around here on the blog lately. I struggle at times with anxiety and the past two weeks have been a major battle against my anxiety. It’s been a lot, personally and then also being witness to what is happening in the world as well. I have heard and seen this from other people as well, that they too are going through lots of major events and situations, and it is just tough times for a lot of people. Let’s try to all be kind and gentle with each other and those we meet in the world during these tough times.
Read Last Week:
So I can never read when I am anxious. My brain won’t concentrate on reading. So, I listened to an audiobook by my biggest comfort read author, Barbara Michaels. I can’t find many of her books on audio sadly, so I listened to one I have read a billion times, but that is ok. I love it, and it is one of my favorites.
Reading This Week:
Heading into this week I am listening to another Barbara Michaels – and this one has my very favorite Barbara Michaels romance. If I finish this, I will probably listen to another audiobook, but maybe of one of the books on my fall tbr this time!
Lots and lots of When Calls the Heart, This Farming Life, and then we are rewatching the BBC Edwardian Farm series. I tend to drift back to old favorites here too, when I am troubled. Although, no spoilers, but seriously fellow hearties, what in the world was that last episode!!!
Wyatt has been under the weather with a cold this past week, so we have been laying low and taking it easy. He has been watching lots of his favorites too – Molly of Denali, Wild Kratts, and Blue’s Clues. So much Blue’s Clues guys. But, we all have our comfort shows I guess!
Listening – in the evening Billy keeps telling our Alexa to play Gordon Lightfoot. It seems like good Gordon Lightfoot weather though, so I approve his choice. LOL.
And that is it from around here. I hope you are all staying safe!
Hello all! Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I love to buddy watch movies together – even though I am in Michigan and she is in Pennsylvania! We don’t literally watch together in a watch party, although that might be fun one time! We wanted our fall list to feel fall cozy, move into some more chilling movies, than turn cozy again for November.
This week we watched a suspense movie by Alfred Hitchcock, The Lady Vanishes. I love anything that has to do with old timey train travel and that this movie was set mostly on a train made this a cozy watch for me, despite the craziness that was happening aboard the train!
It has been a very long two weeks here, and last night when Billy got stuck at work super late and Wyatt finally got settled for bed, I made my cup of tea and settled down myself. Except, Wyatt didn’t settle down like I thought. Instead he decided he was going to rally and ended up chattering away next to me during the first 20 minutes of the movie. Then Billy came home and that set more hubbub into effect. Eventually though, we did all settle down and finish watching the movie, even though the beginning of the movie is a bit murky to me.
The movie’s heroine is Iris, portrayed by the lovely Margaret Lockwood. After an evening spent in a local hotel while waiting for the rail tracks to be cleared, Iris boards the train that will take her back to London and her fiance. When she tries to help fellow passenger Miss Froy, an elderly English woman and governess, find Miss Froy’s glasses, Iris is whacked on the head by a falling planter. Miss Froy helps her onto the train, where they share a compartment with a mix of other passengers, including a woman whose hair was definitely full of secrets…
Anyway, Iris takes a little nap and when she wakes up, Miss Froy is gone. Iris is concerned when she can’t find Miss Froy, and then even more concerned that no one else even seems to remember her being on the train except for her. She basically runs around for a while asking if anyone has seen her and everyone is sort of like, no, it must be that bonk on your head that made you imagine things. Everyone had their own reasons for saying no, even if they did remember her, such as the man and his mistress who didn’t want a scandal (Mr. and “Mrs” Todhunter) and two men, Charters and Caldicott, who were determined to make a cricket match and didn’t want the train to be delayed any further. But others had their own, more nefarious, reasons.
Back to poor Iris, running around looking like a lunatic, disturbing the people on the train constantly to ask about Miss Froy and demand that the train be stopped and searched. Another passenger, Gilbert, helps her in her search thank goodness, although he too seems to be of the mind that she is just suffering from “concussion related hallucinations” as a doctor on board the train has stated. Dr. Hartz is actually on board with a nun accompanying him and his patient, whose head is completed swathed in bandages.
Iris had stated earlier that Miss Froy was on board the train, she even gave the staff a package of special tea to drink, and when Gilbert sees the wrapper blow up against the train window after the chef just throws the trash right out the window of the moving train (whatttt?) he realizes that Iris is not crazy, and that Miss Froy really did go missing. So the search continues in earnest, eventually leading Iris and Gilbert to find a cute little calf in a basket and then in the same room, some magician’s equipment, and then finally, a clue! However, they end up in a scuffle with the magician who takes back the clue, which were Miss Froy’s spectacles.
Gilbert and Iris don’t give up, even barging into the room of the patient covered in bandages after Iris notices the nun is wearing high heels, which Iris found to be super sus. They start to try to dislodge the bandages and insist that the patient is really Miss Froy. When the doctor comes in and is like what in tarnation is going on here, they insist that the patient be checked to see if it is really Miss Froy.
And….I will stop my little summary here because the rest of this movie really needs to be seen, and I don’t want to ruin the rest!
This movie was a fast moving, crazy, wild ride. Seriously. I loved it. It was the distraction I needed from all the things happening. I thought it had an over the top feel, and I appreciated that as well.
This movie is total entertainment from start to finish, and I highly recommend watching it! If you do, and want to share your opinions on it, our linky will be open until next Wednesday at midnight!
I haven’t been around this week, it has been a very emotionally stressful and draining week for our family to be honest. I have spent the week wrapped in worry and in anxiety for those I love. I’m going to be a little vague, since it is not my health information to really share.
My brother has been having some physical health issues and went for an MRI recently. The MRI came back that he needs surgery, and it is pretty involved. The surgery itself will not take very long, but you know how it is, every minute feels like a million. He finds out today when the surgery will be but it should be within the month.
The same day that he got this news, my mother fell while at her senior living complex, and needed to be sent to the ER. My brother and I met the ambulance there, and it was a very packed ER. We spent six hours there in total, but the good news was that my mom was fine! So the best news possible for that scenario, although it was exhausting to be in a state of worry for so long – especially for my brother who was still processing his own morning and news. I think he deserves an award or something for even going. Wednesday we had a follow up appointment with her doctor, and we found out some not great news but news we can prepare for and deal with.
It’s just been a lot all, on top of the economy putting the squeeze on us, and all the various other little things that happen everyday in life. However, I am thankful for the doctors and staff that we encountered this week, all who have been able to help us and provide answers, as well as family and friends who have been there to listen to me and support me, as I try to support my family. We all need each other in this world, to prop each other up!
Keep on keeping on everyone, and if you could send some good vibes and prayers for my family and I, I would so accept them. Thanks everyone.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone! I hope you had a lovely week last week! I am still working on balancing time management and life, homeschooling, blogging, all the things. My routine is not set quite yet but it will get there.
Read Last Week:
I really enjoy settling down at night with these cozy mysteries by Amanda Flower! I love the characters and the setting in this series, a Northern Michigan farm!
Reading Next:
I can’t decide which of these I want to read next!
We have been obsessed with Dark Winds! It is so well done in every way. We are also watching This Farming Life on BritBox, and When Calls the Heart as the episodes come out. I like to binge watch them so I am bummed I have to wait like in the olden days. Lol.
I will say I have been enjoying getting into my pajamas earlier this past month, as the nights get darker earlier as well. We just all plop into the bed and either read or watch tv or YouTubes. Wyatt will fall asleep there, and I get Miso cuddles and Billy and I just watch tv and chat. I have my mint tea next to me on the nightstand and honestly it is so cozy and I am so content. It’s the small things.
How are all of you? What is making you smile these days?
Hello everyone!! I made coffee today in my new stovetop percolator, and I am still getting used to it. I like it, but it is a lot of work and it takes a long time! I am sure I will get faster with it though as I get into the habit. Hopefully at least because coffee is important.
We had a very busy week last week with school, but we made some time for some fun things too! Mainly, Mermaid Girl came over and hung out with us for a “Welcome Fall” party!
We were super excited, and Wyatt loved the hanging decorations from the ceiling. I did too! Those were a surprise drop off from my stepmom, who has bunches of them for different holidays and I thought, what perfect timing! Just in time for our little shindig.
We had pancakes with maple syrup for dinner, then afterwards we let the festivities begin!
First we took a fall foliage walk, picking up pretty leaves to take home with us. A few houses are all decked out for Halloween and we made sure to walk by those houses for sure. We also walked past my favorite neighborhood house. It is just so cute!
After our walk, it was arts and crafts time! I had coloring sheets for the kids, and a project, of course. Improvised felted acorns with acorn tops. We weren’t doing “real” wet felted acorns, we just didn’t have the time, so we rolled with it, literally. We dipped some of the roving wool into warm water, rolled them into balls, and then the kids glued on the caps. Mermaid Girl has an mighty oak tree growing in their yard so she supplied the acorn tops!
After this, we played some games, colored some more, drew, then finally the kids were ready to settle down and watch some tv. I got them bowls of popcorn, a blanket, and turned on Gravity Falls.
It was a great night.
Saturday Billy and I worked on the front yard. Our yard and garden got away from us this year, with different life things we were juggling combined with the weather. I decided next year we are starting completely over from scratch, and we are done with the wild and free type of garden. Next year, neat and tidy. So, lots of plants were pulled out, which on some level made me sad but we need a change. We did leave the row of lavender this is also out of control, but still has blooms with bees that nap there and eat there so we left it for now. Next year we are pulling it out, and replacing it with the same thing, a row of lavender to line our sidewalk. However, we are doing it right this time, and planting it further back from our sidewalk, and leaving room on the sides for rocks or mulch or something. The grass is slowly taking over the lavender that is there and I can’t keep up with it currently. We also hung ghosts from our shepherd’s hook, to Wyatt’s delight. The front garden there still needs some work but it’s a good start! Next weekend, the back gardens get an overhaul.
We also made time for walks and bike rides.
And that’s about it! We really spent the weekend doing things around the house, like the yard, and Billy also hung a light over our dining table since it gets really dark over there and that is where we do just about everything.
And…it’s time for another cup! Have a great one everyone!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone! I’m a wee bit later posting today but that is ok! I am still working on smoothing out our schedule and routine now that school has started for us again. I will get there.. lol.
Read Last Week:
Murders and Metaphors by Amanda Flower was a perfect little read. I read a few heavy books in a row, and I needed something cozy and easily digestible. I love this series about a magical bookshop, a wandering cat, a literary crow – and of course, the characters as well!
Reading This Week:
Put Out To Pasture, another Amanda Flower cozy. This one takes place in Northern Michigan though, one of my favorite places. I am looking forward to reading this one this week!
Billy and I are watching along with the Comfy Cozy Cinema schedule that I co-host with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings, and last week we watched The African Queen. Up tonight on the schedule is Arsenic and Old Lace and I am super excited. I’ve been waiting for this one. (Post will be live on Thursday, post with us if you would like! We will have a linky!)
We are also watching This Farming Life which I love. We watched all previous seasons and were wondering if there was going to be a new one, and we were so happy to see a new season available on BritBox! We have our favorite farmers – I love Joanna, she cracks me up and is so real. And so me if I were to become a farmer by way of marriage.
We have been absolutely obsessed with this next show – Dark Winds. It is produced by Robert Redford and George R. R. Martin and is simply amazing. The cinematography, the acting, the storyline- phenomenal. We have watched our way through Season 1 and will start Season 2 tomorrow. We are in awe of the landscape as well – all that desert, rocks, dirt, wide open spaces. So very different from what we see in our everyday, or even as we explore greater Michigan aside from our little corner. We are a water state, the Great Lakes State, and we are never more than six miles from a body of water anywhere we go in Michigan, so to think of a place that is probably the complete opposite of ours seems so foreign. One day we would love to see the desert, and spend some time exploring those wide open spaces.
And that is it from me today! I hope you are all having a great weekend!
Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is – the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won’t ever take her far from home, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.
In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot – will not – stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.
My Thoughts:
This book was thought-provoking, eye-opening, impactful, powerful. There is much more to this story of Perry and the running mystery throughout the book, that goes much deeper and speaks to a truth that is not often discussed or brought into the light. This book does that, drags these ugly truths out into the open, all within the confines of this young adult book’s pages.
Perry Firekeeper-Birch is feisty, proud, flawed, smart. She lives for fishing and her family and living a laid back sort of life – the exact opposite of her driven, motivated twin sister Pauline. When an accident at the beginning of what Perry expected to be a summer of fun changes that fun summer into one spent as a paid intern. Perry’s assignment is with kooky Cooper, at the museum where he is the curator. Perry also learns that he is in charge of repatriating tribal items from universities and museums, to bring these items back home where they belong. Through her internship, Perry is awakened to the atrocities that have continued to plague her people, that these sacred tribal items, funerary items, and even human remains of those who are in her tribe are stolen and kept in roadside souvenir museums, colleges, museums- robbing them of the dignity and respect that they deserve. Perry learns there is a process and a path that is challenging and complex and not necessarily fair to requesting their return.
Perry is full of youthful passion, idealism, and she makes some judgement calls that are much more emotionally based, and skirt the system. And pays the price, which Cooper will no longer work with her. However, the fire within her to repatriate these sacred items and ancestors is lit, and she will not give up, even when sent to other mentors, she is still working to try to help.
While this is all happening, young Native American women in the area are going missing, and often are found when it is too late, with little being done to find them or their killer/killers.
I had heard of NAGPRA before, in an Native American class I took in college. NAGPRA stands for Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. From the NPS website:
Since 1990, Federal law has provided for the repatriation and disposition of certain Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. By enacting NAGPRA, Congress recognized that human remains of any ancestry “must at all times be treated with dignity and respect.” Congress also acknowledged that human remains and other cultural items removed from Federal or tribal lands belong, in the first instance, to lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations. With this law, Congress sought to encourage a continuing dialogue between museums and Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations and to promote a greater understanding between the groups while at the same time recognizing the important function museums serve in society by preserving the past.
A few weeks ago, I was on vacation not far from where this book is set. I am a lifelong Michigander as well, so this book sort of hit me hard. I live here, and I hear absolutely nothing about these issues and tragedies that hit our Indigenous people to this day. Billy wasn’t even aware that there were recognized tribes in Michigan, or that there was tribal land still left here. We know that in our area, the Wyandot Nation were sadly and wrongly forced out a long time ago, and were relocated in Oklahoma. So this book sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole; it was on my mind anyway since next month Wyatt has to do a research report to find out what lands our city occupies and then research the Indigenous people that lived here. However, his third grade history people won’t include some of the things that I am concerned about – mainly the MMIW.
I was going to write about this huge issue, then, realized I am nowhere near knowledgeable enough to tackle it on here. Instead, I encourage you to do some research yourself. Read about repatriation, read about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis. I know that I am not finished educating myself about it, and I hope that there is some way that I can help, even if it is just by learning and lending a voice, helping to shine a light.
This book is 100% worth reading, and I highly encourage you to read it.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone!! Last week was a weird week around here – some school, some doctor visits, and a field trip with my dad to an Immersive Van Gogh experience. It was sort of crazy!
Read Last Week:
I can’t tell you how much I love this book. It was powerful, impactful, thought provoking, and kept me on the edge of my seat at times. It made me feel so many different emotions as well, and I think particularly as a Michigander who literally was just in this same area of Michigan just a few weeks ago, a lot of it hit me hard. It was an amazing read, and I already know it will be one of my favorite books that I have read this year. I hope to have my full review up on Wednesday!
Reading This Week:
The weather has turned, at least for now, and I am snuggling in at night with cozy mysteries by Amanda Flower. I already started Murders and Metaphors and will start Put Out to Pasture when I finish.
I feel like we watched so much last week! It must be that it is getting darker earlier these days. We have passed the point this year where I live where the sun won’t be out past 8pm anymore for a few months, which is crazy. I’ve been putting on my favorite pajama pants and climbing in bed a bit earlier, and I am not ashamed. Lol.
Last week we watched quite a mixture. We watched Hotel Portofino, When Calls the Heart, Death in Paradise, and last night we started Dark Winds. We weren’t sure what to expect from it but we were silent and glued to the screen the whole time, it was that riveting and good. It is pretty intense already and we are one whole episode in.
We also watched Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Secret World of Arrietty as part of our Comfy Cozy Cinema movie watching with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings. I love both of these movies and they were such cozy movies to curl up to. These are the movies we are watching (with some break weeks here and there, which I will announce beforehand) if anyone else is interested in watching along as well! Our next movie is African Queen, and we usually post on Thursdays!
As for listening, I’ve been listening to a lot of spooky podcasts but mostly The Midnight Library, which is fabulous!!
And that’s about it from around this here pumpkin patch! How are you all doing?
Finally, it is September and fall is basically here – close enough for me anyway! Fall is my favorite season of all, and I like to go all in, whether it is cozy or spooky and reading all the fall books and drinking the..no. I draw the line at pumpkin spice lattes. I am not a pumpkin spice fan – I am in the camp of apple flavor is better in the fall. However, my kid is a total pumpkin spice fan and I end up buying him pumpkin spice cereal and cookies and whatever I spot that I think he will like.
Anyway this post is more about the cottagecore cuteness that has edged its way into aesthetics, and I love it. I love all of these new aesthetics – dark academia, greencore, naturecore – but cottagecore is just adorable and whimsical and happy, and I love incorporating it into Halloween and fall, a season normally known for scary things.
Hot beverages are important this time of year – whether it is pumpkin or apple flavored, or a tea or coffee, a mug is essential. I like one I can wrap my hands around and cradle, and just absorb its warmth as I sip. I also have a ton of mugs in my cabinet, but I find myself reaching for favorites first, and they are generally the cutest ones. I may need to add a few more for fall though! I added quite a few to my list – and these are just my favorites from that list. There were many more!
This post does contain affiliate links. I would make a small commission if you were to purchase any item at no extra cost to you.
We are seasonal garland people. I can’t help it. I love changing up different strings of garland around the house and I love these little happy face ghosts. And those vases! How cute are those!! Finally, the embroidery kit. I am just beginning my embroidery journey and it is painful and not super awesome, but I will get better – I hope. I do want to add this ghost kit to my stash though!
I don’t usually change around the art in my home for the seasons, but I think about doing it every year. This might be the year! These two ghost are tempting, especially the laundry one because it makes me smile to look at it. I also love Penelope, the little artist ghost, which would look adorable in our art cabinet.
Ok moving on from the ghosts to more autumnal looks, not just halloween!
I like to think those bookmarks would not only keep my page for me but keep that page warm. Plus they are so sweet and would inspire me to read more in fall gardens or under trees whose leaves are red and orange and yellow. And honestly, I have no idea what I would do with that mushroom spoon but it is super cute – just like that little mouse! I have been asking Billy to cut a little hole in our wall and create a tiny little world there, like in The Borrowers, but it hasn’t happened yet so, this decal would work for a bit. I think it would look adorable in my bedroom..
And finally- this is the end I promise..
A fall journal for all your ruminations – 200 pages with a cute little evergreen on every page to just make things more whimsical. And it is one I designed! I am pretty in love with it. Mine actually arrives today and I can’t wait. The pajama pants – can I just say I practically live in these? They are the Fall into Bed pajama pants from Lazy Ones and I LOVE them. I need to add more of them to my pajama wardrobe. (is that a thing?) They have these cute huckleberry ones that I have my eye on because they also have them in kids sizes too. Matching pajamas for fall! They actually have tons of different designs and they are all super cute. My sister-in-law and I each got a pair while we were on vacation and it was hard to choose. She ended up getting some with chickens on them which were super adorable.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed putting it together! Happy fall everyone, and keep it cozy!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Hello everyone! Last week was our first week back to (home)school and it was a really good, productive week. Wyatt enjoyed it, I enjoyed it – it was a nice ease back into the school year kind of week.
Read Last Week:
I had plans to read a different book this week, but I was still lingering in the world of Tom Lake and wasn’t ready for another big read. So I read this one, which is an old favorite. It’s a good time of year to revisit Barbara Michaels!
Reading This Week:
Ok, I said this last week but I mean it this week.
Well, you know what I am listening to – spooky podcasts! Also Lord Huron, I tend to listen to a lot of Lord Huron in the fall.
As for watching, Billy and I are sort of all over the place. We watched Hotel Portofino last week, Death in Paradise, Newhart in the early evenings with Wyatt, and I have also been watching Grimm. It’s been so long since I watched it. Monroe is still my favorite character.
Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I have started our fall movie watches too. We were hoping for cozy type movies, with some getting a little more scary as we get closer to Halloween. We started out with The Shop Around the Corner, and then this weekend we had a double feature – The Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Secret World of Arrietty. Our posts on those two will be up this week!
And that is about it from around here today! How are you all doing?
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 