Hi all! Today the coffee is absolutely perfect! I brewed up Seattle’s Best Port Alley which is quickly becoming my favorite. I am sitting next to Wyatt on the couch while the sun rises, and there is this beautiful golden glow on the houses and trees outdoors, and along one wall of my house. Wyatt’s eating his Cinnamon Toast Crunch and all in all this is a pretty great moment.

Speaking of Wyatt, last week he became an official card carrying member of our local library! This month is Library Card Sign-Up month and I decided it was time he had his own card. I love the fact that we still use the library I grew up using, and my mom before me.

We also found the crow on the shelves so Wyatt won a little prize, and we explored the arts and crafts room that is available. All those die cuts! And I am not even responsible for them! (Like in my last job)

I talked a little in my Sunday post about Hawkfest, which we attended on Saturday with my brother, SIL, and niece Mermaid Girl. The kids had fun making necklaces out of “eagle talons”, and meeting all the birds of prey that were there. And so did I!

We love checking out the Metropark events that are available every month! Billy and I have been visiting the parks and these events for like 15 years and have become friends with the interpreters who put their heart and souls into educating people and creating curiosity and encouraging exploration. Pre-pandemic we loved going to our favorite metropark in the winter, hiking through the snow, then sitting in front of the fire in the Up North room talking to the interpreters. I really hope we can get back to that tradition soon.

Sunday evening meant more fun – Billy and I actually went out without Wyatt, and met up with my cousin Brian and his partner Katrina for drinks. We had a blast and talked so much and laughed and laughed. Katrina’s son just got married and for his honeymoon visited Turkey and India and Egypt – and even took a cruise down the Nile! (I of course immediately thought about Agatha Christie..) They took some gorgeous photos and it sounds like it was a dream honeymoon. I was also excited about my giant pretzel. I have been wanting one for weeks thanks to the Llewellyn Watts character on Murdoch Mysteries, and I finally got one!

And.. I am nearing the bottom of my cup and need a refill, so I will leave off here for today. What have you all been up to?

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

We have been back to school two weeks and are slowly finding our routine. We have been starting each day of school with music and it just wakes our brains up and puts us in good moods. Overall, the week itself was weird but it had lots of good moments too. Yesterday we went to Hawkfest which our metropark system puts on every year and we got to see so many different raptors up close. This little screech owl is named Sparkle! She is so cute!!

Read Last Week:

I finished up This Poison Heart and started The Agathas. I really enjoyed This Poison Heart, and so far I am liking The Agathas as well!

Reading Next:

If I finish up The Agathas this week, then I plan to start a NetGalley read about ghosts – ’tis the season and all.

And Wyatt and I are still reading The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp.

Posted Last Week:

New Additions and a Road Trip

Book Review: Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

Spooky Cinema Season: The Addams Family

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Listening and Watching:

I was out in the evening a few nights last week, and so was Billy (we were weirdly social) so we really didn’t watch much. A Murdoch here and there, and then we watched The Addams Family together as well.

As for listening, I started two audiobooks but I am probably going to stop listening to them and instead just read them at some point. I always think because I love podcasts I should be able to listen to audiobooks but they just don’t work for me, which makes me sad.

And that is about it from our corner of the mitten state! How are you all today?

Hello everyone!! I hope everyone has had a great week! Mine was….eh. It had its ups and downs for sure. But such is life. And thankfully, today is Friday!

Our living gargoyle, or porch guardian as I like to call it. It’s always lurking about but this time was straight up posing for me. I am guessing it is one of the babies all grown up that hatched from the ootheca in the spring/early summer. It is gigantic and slightly intimidating honestly. I am afraid to weed in in it’s territory!

On Wednesday my friends and I got together for a much needed get together in my friend Kelly’s yard. The night was warm but not sweaty hot, and we had some catching up to do. It had been a super long time since we had gotten together. Summer gets busy! I took my normal spot on the couch – I love it because I can slouch and look at the evening sky, the swallows darting, then the bats start sweeping through. No more hummingbirds though, maybe they have started their journey south. The evenings are certainly much cooler, almost cold! I love it but I don’t think hummingbirds much care for it. My friend Kelly just got three more toads that she added to her toadarium (she has five – can you tell why we are friends?) so of course I had to go in and meet them.

I like how this one is giving me Jabba the Hutt vibes.

Then last night my mom, SIL, niece, and my SIL’s mother got together for craft night. It was also a very fun and relaxed time gathered around the table, our projects all jumbled up together. My niece and I were the painters of the group, the rest were knitting or crocheting. I was making little peg dolls, raccoons for Wyatt to go with the book we are reading, The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, and also a Little Witch Hazel for Mermaid Girl herself. I had a feeling a little someone might get interested in making them too so I made sure to pack up a few extra. And I am glad that I did, she made a whole little family.

Wyatt and I have a busy day today – yesterday school got derailed due to some sudden issues with a family member but we will schooch everything that we should have done yesterday to today and move art to Saturday. We are learning about Grant Wood and I was all prepared for a farm painting but Wyatt seemed more drawn to Wood’s found sculpture items so I think we will attempt that instead. Fingers crossed!

Oooo spooky…Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are are watching and posting about spooky cinema for the next two months, here and over on our Instagram accounts. We are starting fairly family friendly and working our way up to the scariest!! I love a thriller or chiller!

You can check out Lisa’s post here!

This week our featured film was The Addams Family, circa 1991, that mysterious and spooky, and altogether ooky family.

The Addams Family is a mad spooky creation that first formed in the brain of Charles Addams, a cartoonist with a sense of the macabre. His Addams Family cartoons first actually appeared in The New Yorker, if you can believe it, in the 40s and 50s and the characters were later developed into the original tv show. And if we want to play six degrees of Cary Grant (if you have read my summer classic movie posts you will know why) we can get there easily – apparently Hitchcock had Cary Grant namedrop Charles Addams in the classic movie North by Northwest. (If you want to read more about the cultural history of The Addams Family, The Smithsonian has this fantastic article)

When the movie came out in the 1990s, my teenage goth loving self was beyond excited. But of course being all gloomy and clad in black, I could only express that by the smallest of smiles. (Joke) I was very excited and I couldn’t wait to see it and it was everything I wanted in a creepy silly movie! And let’s face it, it is much more silly than it is scary, but that doesn’t diminish the fun of it by a long shot. All the little gags and jokes, and of course Wednesday Addams, who I always wanted to be for Halloween but never did it. The light hearted yet dark banter I think was more designed to make people widen their eyes at the audacity of it all, like a young girl chasing her brother around with a knife or putting him in an electric chair, just so matter of fact and nonchalant, rather than scare. As a teen I ate that movie up.

As an adult, I can see a deeper theme beyond the nonsense. The love of family, loyalty, that stick together through all adversities and do our best attitude. They just go about those things in a much different way. There is no doubt that this creepy family loves each other, very deeply. Morticia is a devoted mother, Gomez a devoted husband. They are generous, fun loving, and stand by each other through thick and thin. Not bad things to be, not at all.

There is a new series out now, produced by Tim Burton, which will reach a whole new generation of kids, 80 years later. It appears that the world is still entertained by this madcap spooky family, after all this time, which I think is pretty darn cool.

Next up is Shaun of the Dead. I am super excited about it because I love all those Simon Pegg movies!

Would anyone be interested in playing along with us, if we made this a linky? Let me know! Or if you don’t want to be so formal, just watch and let me know what you think of these movies in the comments every week!

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

Last week was pretty much consumed with our first week back to school, which was a very good first week. And when we weren’t working, we were avoiding the outdoors due to the high ragweed pollen count, which we are both allergic to. Today looks to be rainy, which will be better for our allergies but not as good for playing outside. I guess we can’t win them all! However, the rainy day will be nice to get cozy and relax, which all of us need to do.

Read Last Week:

So, My Best Friend’s Exorcism. Hmm. This book was..weird. I did enjoy the friendship and the 80s references though. Full review coming soon. However, I am really enjoying This Poison Heart! I am almost finished and it is delightful!

Reading Next:

I’m apparently stuck in YA land and honestly that is ok. As an Agatha fan myself, I am looking forward to this one.

Reading With Wyatt:

We are starting our new read aloud this week! This is a new to me book too so we will see how it goes!

Posted Last Week:

Homeschool Journey: The First Week Back

Spooky Season Cinema: Clue!

The Wednesday Hodgepodge

Book Review: A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons

Watching and Listening:

We finished up Only Murders in the Building, which was fantastic and I wish the seasons were longer! We moved on to some Murdoch, then last night we watched Locke and Key Season 3. I heard this is going to be the last season, which bums me out. Tonight we are planning on watching our next spooky cinema movie, The Addams Family. I have seen it before, but it was ages ago. I am looking forward to it!

As for listening, hmm. This week I couldn’t really settle on any podcasts for some reason. My brother did recommend one though that I think I will start this week, called The Prancing Pony, which is about – you guessed it- the world of Tolkien.

And this short and sweet post is it for today! How are you doing?

September marks the beginning of spooky season, my favorite!! If you read here regularly, you know that Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I have been trading classic movies all summer. Well, we have temporarily changed it up – instead of classic movies, we will be watching movies that are more themed for September and October, and with more of a nostalgic rather than classic feel. We had a great time chatting and making our list – our husbands were even in on it! We are starting out more mild, then working our way up to the creepier, scarier flicks. And for our very first movie, we went with Clue!

I am going to be 100% honest with you all – this is one of my favorite movies of all time and I can recite practically the whole movie. I have loved it since I first watched it at home, on VHS.

If anyone is unfamiliar, this movie is based off the Parker Brothers board game of the same name. All the principal characters are summoned to a party thrown by the mysterious Mr. Body. Who is he? Why is he gathering them all together? They all arrive, some together, most one by one, and are let in by Wadsworth, the butler who is played by Tim Curry. Once everyone has arrived, the “game” begins, and people start dying. But who is the murderer? And why?

I was just introduced to the genre of screwball comedies this summer – or rather, I had watched them before not realizing that is what I was watching. As I sat through Clue this time around, I began to wonder if it is a screwball comedy. My research indicates, that yes, maybe, it is, or definitely contains many characteristics and elements found in a screwball comedy. The fast, witty repartee, the bits of slapstick, social satire, although other elements seem to be missing, mainly the romantic aspect. And this ensemble cast was absolutely brilliant at their portrayal of each of their deeply flawed characters. It is hard to pinpoint the standout performance, when all of them were so quick and funny. I had the feeling that had such a good time making this movie!

One thing I always loved about this movie is the three different possible endings. When it was released into theaters, moviegoers had no idea which ending they were going to end up with, and the film companies released the different versions in different areas even, so if you wanted to see all three you had to do some detective work of your own, although hopefully detective work minus a body count. Luckily, I saw it first on video and all three endings are presented together. I love that I could see them all but it would have been a fun novelty to see it in the original way and know that other people were watching a movie with an entirely different ending.

Although I said that I don’t think there was a standout performance, I guess I do have favorite characters. Wadsworth, of course, because Tim Curry, and Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White. When I was younger I thought she was oh so glamorous and beautiful. And maybe I still think that as an adult too, now that I think about it.

I still love this movie to bits. And I can still quote along with it, although I do so mostly internally so I don’t make other people (Billy) crazy when watching it together.

Next up is The Addams Family, if you feel like watching and posting along. Or just watching along even!

What about you all? Have you seen this? Like it or hate it? Do you have a favorite character?

To read Lisa’s post, check it out here!

Goodreads Summary:

Saffron Everleigh is in a race against time to free her wrongly accused professor before he goes behind bars forever. Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber, Kate Khavari’s debut historical mystery is a fast-paced, fearless adventure.

London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party for the University College of London. While she expects to engage in conversations about the university’s large expedition to the Amazon, she doesn’t expect Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin.

Dr. Maxwell, Saffron’s mentor, is the main suspect, having had an explosive argument with Dr. Henry a few days prior. As evidence mounts against Dr. Maxwell and the expedition’s departure draws nearer, Saffron realizes if she wants her mentor’s name cleared, she’ll have to do it herself.

Joined by enigmatic Alexander Ashton, a fellow researcher, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons. Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer’s list?

My Thoughts:

Saffron Everleigh is the first female research assistant at University College in London, following in her professor father’s footsteps. She is very focused on her work and greatly admires Dr. Maxwell, a professor and mentor. When is accused of murder, she resolves to clear his name and free him – no matter what she needs to do, including her own research on the deadly plant that is believed to have been the deadly poison and murder weapon.

I love reading books set in academia and universities, I love plants and steamy greenhouses, I love parties, and well, murder mysteries. So this book was pretty perfect for me!

I really enjoyed Saffron as a character! She was smart, quirky, brave, determined, and stubborn. She knew that in her position she needed to work hard just to be taken seriously, and did her best to put up with the sexism and sexual harassment she encountered. She had earned a “bad reputation” thanks to one influential staff member, but persevered on, holding her head up high.

Then, Alexander Ashton enters her world. He is a veteran with PTSD, and works at the university as well, but in the field of bacteria (not as fun as botany in my opinion). He is also very handsome, and very charming – and genuinely a good man. Things start to heat up between these two, and I have to admit I started reading this book more for the romance than the mystery, which became secondary to me. I just really liked these two characters and their interactions.

That ending though! How could Khavari leave us like that?! I guess probably to keep us reading the series, which I am definitely going to do! I am looking forward to the next in the series, A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality – even though I do have to wait a very long time!

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

Hey all! Last week was a bit of a rough week for me (I won’t get into it again here but you can read about it in this post if you want) Reading was definitely a refuge for me!

School begins for us on Tuesday!! I am super excited to dig into our new material and watch Wyatt grow and learn even more.

Read Last Week:

Without a doubt, the best book I have read all year. I LOVED this book so much. I hope to have a review up in a week or two, but for now know that this was beautiful fantastic.

Reading This Week:

After I finished Other Birds and was waiting for This Poison Heart to arrive at the library for me, I picked up My Best Friend’s Exorcism. I was drawn in by the cheesy 80s style cover, and the little blurb saying that this book is like if Tina Fey had written The Exorcist. I love Tina Fey! We just finished watching Stranger Things and I apparently need more dark nostalgia in my life. However, this delves into territory that I usually stay away from: possession and exorcisms. Movies and books about it usually scare the heck out of me! So if this stays sort of comedic and lighthearted I’ll be ok, but if it goes too deep, I’ll have to abandon it. I also finally got This Poison Heart so I am looking forward to that one as well!

Posted Last Week:

Goodbye August, Hello September

Classic Movie Impressions: The Philadelphia Story

The Wednesday Hodgepodge

Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Watching and Listening:

Billy and I have been watching either Murdoch Mysteries or Only Murders in the Building – we are getting so close to finishing Only Murders and I am not ready!

And that is about it from our little corner of the world! How are things for you?

1. Something you’ve labored over recently? 

I have been working all summer on a literary arts curriculum for Wyatt. I do have a wonderful curriculum for Language Arts from The Good and the Beautiful bought and sitting on the shelf, waiting for next week when we start school, but I want to delve further into books and reading with him. So, I am making my own program. I absolutely can’t wait to start it with him! My husband works for a printing company and he printed what I have finished (Sept – Dec). I love how it is turning out!

2. How will you rest on Labor Day? 

A cookout and a fire with my family.

3. Margaret Mead is quoted as saying, “I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” Would you agree? Where and how did you learn the value of hard work? 

I would probably agree with that statement, although I definitely also learned it from watching my mother and father work hard. We work hard, my parents, my husband is definitely a very hard worker, I’m a hard worker. We don’t give up or give in. The hardest worker I know though is my son. He has had to do so much starting at such a young age; this kid is tough. Every movement is hard for him, from holding a pencil to sitting up to trying to stand and walk. He never quits though, and usually goes about it all laughing and smiling.

4. It’s National Eat Outside Day (August 31st). Will you? Do you enjoy dining ‘al fresco’ or prefer indoor seating? 

We are outside people, we love nature and the outdoors and so we generally opt for the outside. I guess we will have to have a picnic today!

5. Somehow it’s the end of August. What was the best day of the month for you and tell us what made it so? 

I feel like we have had so many great moments this month, big and small. I think the best day was the day that Billy, Wyatt, and I went to the County Fair. It was nostalgic for me, and I loved visiting with all the animals, especially the rabbits. Wyatt was in awe of the giant farm animals, and couldn’t believe they were so close to us! Or rather, that we were so close to them! And he apparently had the best waffle of his life there too.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

That I need to start thinking about Christmas gifts!! I am one of those people that start super early with their shopping. I like to be done by December so that in December I can focus on baking and enjoying the wonder of the season.

Today the coffee that is percolating is Aldi’s Midnight Blend. I love it, my husband is not too fond. Except, when he was working from home yesterday he did drink all the coffee before I even got back from Wyatt’s early morning physical therapy! So, perhaps he is mistaken about how much he dislikes it…

This past weekend we were blessed with so many unexpected gifts from friends. Billy’s friend and co-worker gifted him with tickets for our whole family to the Michigan Renaissance Festival, and my friend Kelly called and asked if we wanted her daughter’s old outdoor playhouse for Wyatt – then decided to throw in some backyard furniture as well!

Wyatt and my niece formerly known as Mermaid Girl, now Little Fairy Princess, had a blast at the Ren Faire. And so did I! Billy and I used to go for years before Wyatt was born, and then haven’t been back until this past weekend. I was happy to be back in HollyGrove, amongst the fairies and mermaids and princesses. I am a total fantasy nerd – I love fairies and elves and goblins and I always have. I love that whole otherworld mystical magic stuff and I have all sorts of souvenirs from ye olde Ren Faires past, like little ceramic jars with dragons and unicorns, celtic necklaces, and so forth. And I really wish that cloaks were still like a normal part of fashion – it would be so fun to swoop about in one all fall and winter. Anyway, we knew the kids would love it and they did. I very oddly for me did not take many photos! This is it! I was pretty caught up in the moment. There is a short video in my Insta post that shows Little Fairy Princess playing with my favorite booth in the whole place – the Marshmallow Catapult people! We ended up buying a small one for Wyatt. He liked it, and so did I. It was a great day out!

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Wyatt’s playhouse though…he is beyond excited about it. We rented a U-Haul to pick up all the things from Kelly’s house early in the morning, then Billy spent the rest of the day reinforcing it and putting it back together, despite the very hot day. He’s such a wonderful dad. Look how happy this kid is!

I absolutely love the picture of him hanging out the window chatting it up with my mom. I feel like he is spilling the neighborhood tea. (Please excuse my sad little garden here. I need to do some much needed clean up!)

I also love this table and chair set we were gifted as well. It is from an old ice cream parlor and I think I am just going to leave them just like this since they look perfect with the zinnias.

I also did a thing. So, you know the other week I had Wyatt’s hair all cut. Well, this past Friday I went to the salon and had about 7 inches cut off of my own hair. My stylist can also manage to get my hair to a level of straightness that I can never replicate although I try!

I have been under some stress lately, and this space has also been a blessing. Thank you all for listening to my rambling!

How was your weekend? How are things going in your world?