Hello everyone! It’s a bright and sunny Sunday, although still very cold here. I am just trying to enjoy the light! Last week was a huge catch up week – trying to restore order to our house that had been uprooted for a month due to different projects. We did our basic curriculum without a special added theme and had a few fun days in there too, with a trip to the zoo and a day where Wyatt and I just played with his new stuff.
Read Last Week:
Oo I loved this book! I always love the Rockton books though, honestly. I think this is such a unique series and I love reading about this fictional community hidden away in the far north of Canada.
Reading This Week:
I will be finishing up Mission In Paris 1990 this week – so far it is very interesting! And I will also be starting Animal Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland. I will probably read this one a little every week, not straight through, but I am looking forward to reading it. Plus that cover is beautiful!
We started Tudor Monastic Farm, because we are such addicts of these BBC historical farm shows. We also watched Discovery of Witches, Criminal Minds reruns, and we also watched The Cecil Hotel on Netflix. That Elisa Lam story is so sad and confusing. That hotel really has quite a history though! Crazy.
My friend sent me this SNL skit the other day with a message that this was us and I had to laugh – it really is! Not cannibals, although this makes it look like I am saying that, but women who watch murder shows. And listen to the podcasts. Lol.
And that is about it from around these parts. Stay safe and have a good week everyone!
It is time for Anne In Residence’smonthly Currently post where we answer one word prompts about different things we are doing and feeling. I always love the insight I gain from these, taking inventory of my own life. This month we are looking at what we are choosing, imagining, making, recommending, and wearing.
Just a reminder: Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs occasionally uses affiliate links. This means that if you click or make a purchase from a link provided I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Let’s begin!
Choosing: My husband basically finished my office refresh on Sunday! We still need to get new outlet covers, caulk, just little stuff, so it’s basically ready for use! All new paint, some wallpaper, all new trim, curtains, and a rug and it is a totally different room! Now the real fun begins – choosing the decorations and furniture! Right now I have an old table in there that is my temporary desk, my mom’s old sewing table as a stand for Dash’s tank, a Himalayan Salt rock lamp I got as a gift a hundred years ago that Wyatt loves, the trash can that is not a trash can that my grandma used to keep yarn in, and my aunt Barb’s old chair from when she worked for the schools. When she retired they let her keep it, and I have it now. It is not fancy, old public school 1970s furniture (maybe 60s?) but I like it because it was hers and it meant enough to her that she wanted it when she left.
Imagining: Warm spring days, picnics, traveling and visiting again, trips to museums, and daydreaming about our upcoming camping trip this summer. We reserved a campsite through hipcamp and it is a totally private campsite, only just the one, on acres of vineyard. It is on the west side of Michigan, and I am already making plans for what we should take and eat and what we need.
Making: For Valentine’s Day my stepmom gave me a surprise gift! A set of felting materials, from felt to little cookie cutter like things and some Styrofoam. She had already given me a little needle before, so I didn’t need that. I started off sort of with an easier project – felted geodes! These were wet felted as multi-layered balls, then sliced open to reveal the colors and pattern inside. It was pretty neat! I still need to needle felt it a bit to firm it up a bit, but this was fun. I will probably do a few more as good practice pieces.
Recommending: Ok so this is sort of a weird one. Pretty Litter. We have senior cats and I unfortunately have to have a litter box available on the main level and it is in the office, although it makes me crazy. Everyday, having to clean a billion times. So I started looking for more options, and decided to give Pretty Litter a try. I figured it wouldn’t hurt. Surprisingly, the cats loved it more than their usual stuff, and I love the fact that it is faster to clean, there is no dust, and so far, no tracking! It’s almost like a miracle. It has only been two weeks so I can’t say what it will be like in two more weeks, when I am supposed to completely dump it and how it will maintain until then but for now I am impressed. I bought one of those hidden litter boxes/cabinet things and that will be set up today so, fingers crossed, it will be like not having a box up here.
Wearing: Nothing exciting over here. Right now, comfy wear around the house clothes, warm socks, that sort of thing. Colorful nail polish is about all I’ve got for this one. I am looking forward to wearing my converse shoes again soon, once spring is here.
Last week was full of construction in the office, early mornings, sunny days, and finishing up our snow unit. I have to say, I am over snow right now. I am excited to move on to our March studies! Wyatt’s birthday is Tuesday – it kind of blows my mind that he will be six.
Read Last Week:
I finished up A Solitude of Wolverines and I have to say, I was glued to the pages I was so enthralled. I loved it! It was exciting and unpredictable and I loved the main character! The action and mystery start within the first few pages and it just stays riveting throughout. I am also halfway through A Stranger in Town, which I am loving as well.
Reading This Week:
I am finishing up A Stranger in Town, then I plan to start Mission in Paris 1990, which I received for review.
We started Discovery of Witches, season 2 and we are hooked. Like we can’t wait to start watching it at night. We even skipped our regular Friday night movie last night to watch it instead. We have also been watching some shows on Discovery +; I signed up for the free trial and we are debating whether or not we want to keep it. So far, we are enjoying it but I don’t think we will be committing. Wyatt is still watching his favorites, Gumboot Kids, Wild Kratts, Sesame Street, Molly of Denali. We had to buy him a Count t-shirt the other day, he just loves the Count! He very rarely asks for anything at all, but he asked for that so we had to do it.
And that is about it from our corner of Michigan! How are you all doing? Stay safe my friends!
It’s been a week y’all. I am blaming the full moon – I just feel like everything was sort of crazy and I was all off my routine. Billy has been working hard on the office, and he said it should be move in ready this weekend! Yay! It has been so long since we have done any major house projects that I had forgotten how they take over everything. The rest of the house is a mess, with everything displaced or random bits of wood or painting equipment and whatnot strewn throughout. Our house is small so space is a premium around here, and when we have a whole room out of commission it gets nuts.
This was me working at the table last night: Dash in a temporary tank shoved on there, crumbs, masks, various homeschool papers and plans piled around me. I did like looking up and seeing Dash right there though, that was neat.
I’m not the only one who enjoys seeing Dash so close. Dash being out here has all of a sudden become an issue for Maggie, one of our cats. She is a clever little thing – I think most tuxedo cats are honestly. The other two watch Dash, but Maggie figured out yesterday how to push open the tank lid! I just happened to be there so I could get it shut before she got in or Dash got out! He has a safer tank sitting right next to it, but he is so quick and little that Billy and I both need to transfer him in case he leaps all over the place and gets away. It’s not the ideal setup for Dash, with lighting or tank size or anything, so I will be relieved when he is in his permanent setup in the office. I ended up moving him into Wyatt’s bedroom last night – I didn’t want Maggie to break into his house while we were sleeping!
Wyatt also has been getting up way early! Like 6:15 Thursday, then 5 am Friday, although he did go back to sleep thankfully. Thursday though he was full of energy – full moon energy I decided, since it was a full moon or close enough! He also wanted to play a game at 8:30 am, and I played despite needing all the coffee. He is usually playful and full of energy, but more so these past few days. Spring fever, maybe? I know I have spring fever!
The sun has been shining brightly the past few days, the days are a bit warmer, the snow is practically gone, and I am ready for spring. I realize this is premature as we still have March to get through, but I can’t help but dream of gardens and warmer days outside. I am getting ready to start our seeds in a week or two, and then yesterday I took our flannel sheets off and instead of replacing them with another set of flannel, I put on jersey sheets. I also took off our dark plaid flannel duvet cover, and switched it with our blue striped ticking cover. Wyatt and I wiped down the walls (well really me but he wanted to help so he sat on the bed and did what he could reach), we threw open the window for 15 minutes (it was still 39 degrees), and I gave the room a good spring cleaning.
Then this morning we went for an early morning drive, and when we neared the lake, I had Billy stop so I could get out for a minute. The morning was mild, just a bit of winter bite left in the air, and I heard the trilling of red-winged blackbirds, a sign of spring around here. The ice was still thick near the shore, but there was much less further out.
How about you? Any signs of spring yet where you are?
When I saw this book tag post on Stargazer, I knew I had to do it too. First because I have loved the James Herriot series All Creatures Great and Small since I was a little girl. I even “named” our homeschool James Herriot Primary. Then second, because I am a big animal lover. Be sure to check out Stargazer’s post too, she has some amazing stories and photos!
What is your favorite animal?
Woodland animal? Desert? Arctic? This all makes a difference, I feel like I have so many! I will keep it simple though, and just name my top two – foxes and rabbits. I’m still considering my tattoo of the dewey decimal number for Vulpes Vulpes.. If we are at the zoo though, the animal I get excited to go see are the zebras. I dig them too.
I have caught glimpses of foxes twice in my life, so fast and quick I was not entirely sure I saw them at all. Both times at twilight, when the light itself is playing tricks. The first time at Shenandoah National Park, one of my very favorite places on earth, and another time in the woods nearish my home. I find them so fascinating, so beautiful. I don’t have a photo of my own handy, so I will share a photo from the Instagram account Juniper Fox. I love cute little Elmwood- and all the work that this account does for animals!
Probably my mom originally. I always loved them when I was really little, I was always drawn to stories with animals and cartoons about animals – like the Canadian cartoon, The Green Forest. We live just close enough to Canada that we were able to watch all the cartoons, including this one. Then one Christmas, when I was around 8 or so, my mom gave me the book series by James Herriot and that was it for me. I was all in.
3. Do you have a pet?
I currently have many. Three rescue cats, 1 leopard gecko, and an anole. Miso, Maggie, and Marlow all came from the shelter I used to volunteer for before I had Wyatt. All three of them have different stories – Miso was from a hoarder house, with over 100 Himalayans in various states of care and neglect sadly. We were able to find just about all of them homes or rescues, and rehab them though so that was a great success story. Maggie was a stray kitten, and Marlow was abandoned in an apartment – his family moved, leaving him behind. Then Harry and Dash are pandemic pets – I discovered a love for little lizards during this past year. I have also had three very special dogs in my life, who are sadly all passed on now – Molly, Chevis, and Penny.
Marlow (my little old man kitty now), Dash, Harry, and Maggie. Miso is at the top of this post.
4. What is your favorite nonfiction book about animals?
I would say My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, and of course, the All Creatures Great and Small series. When Wyatt and I started our homeschool year this year, I bought him a special book to celebrate. I am going to start reading it to him this spring, and I hope it becomes a keepsake book for him.
5. What is your favorite fiction book about animals?
I have read so many, especially when I was a kid. This is a tough one!! For sure Watership Down, my favorite book of all time. I also loved the Big Red series when I was younger. I still dream about one day having an Irish Setter running around my house. I did have an English Setter, Penny. She was another shelter rescue and was the sweetest girl.
6. Have you been part of any animal conservation efforts?
I volunteered for years at our city animal shelter, and served on the board of an animal rescue as well. I donate money to various animal conservation agencies when I can, most recently the Wolf Conservation Center in New York and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
7. What is your top bucket list dream that your would do with animals?
Happy Valentine’s Day all! We started this morning with heart pancakes topped with whipped cream and M&M’s, and plenty of coffee since we now are dealing with a sugared up kiddo. It was worth it though. Later today we are going to brave the zoo for a quick stop at some of our favorite animals. And I mean quick, it is freezing out there! At least the sun is shining brightly! You have to make reservations for a time at the zoo these days so I don’t want to waste our tickets. We are members so admission is included but since we reserved a time I want to make sure we go. We’ve got a plan! Then afterwards we are going to deliver Wyatt’s homemade Valentine’s to his grandparents. It should be a fun day.
Read Last Week:
I haven’t finished either of these yet, but I am close. I am enjoying them both very much! Last week I said that Graham in The Tourist Attraction reminds me of Luke from Gilmore Girls; I am walking that comment back. He initially did but as I read he is evolving into a funnier, more light-hearted character than Luke.
We have been binge watching Hometown this week. We love Ben and Erin, they are so cute and I love their style. Then last night for movie night we rewatched an old favorite, Hot Fuzz. It cracks me up. I am still listening to podcasts like crazy, but no new ones – Morbid, Lore, Red Handed, and Ologies are the ones I listen to the most.
And that is it from here this week! Stay safe and well everyone!
The past few weeks have seen some changes around here! Wyatt lost his first tooth (and swallowed it!), our dishwasher died and we decided to not replace it, Billy is still working away on the office, and as of the time that this post goes live, we will have a new creature added to our household. All you southerners, especially Floridians, will laugh – we are adopting an anole tonight. Going to the pet store for crickets and mealworms is dangerous. I might need to go to a different pet store. Last time my friend Kelly ended up with another frog, this time its us, and anoles. I saw them and they are so scared and stressed out! I read they turn grey/brown when upset, and these poor babies are brown. They are only a few dollars each, and I have all of the supplies needed for one so I am going back later. I spent this afternoon cleaning up Harry’s old tank and accessories for it. *Updated* I went and got one! We named him Dash. He’s like the one from Death in Paradise!
Read Last Week:
I finally finished my books!
I enjoyed them both so much! I hope to get a review of at least Wintering up soon.
Reading this Week:
I have heard so much about Brene Brown and I have never read her before. I am looking forward to this one! And I started The Tourist Attraction already and it is a fun little read. The main character Graham, reminds me of Luke from Gilmore Girls.
All Creatures Great and Small and The Hardy Boys this week. I have also been watching a lot of YouTube people. I have found some great quiet, relaxing people to watch. I plan to share them this week!
And that is it from here this week! Stay safe and well everyone!
It is time for Anne In Residence’s monthly Currently post where we answer one word prompts about different things we are doing and feeling. I always love the insight I gain from these, taking inventory of my own life. Let’s begin!
Loving: All the plants right now. I read somewhere that plants make people happy and they really do! At least our house feels so cheery now with all of our green and life. I am also loving that so many people I love and care about have completed or at least started getting the vaccine. One of my best friends is a respiratory therapist who worked through one of the earliest hotspots and she has completed her vaccine, which makes me sigh with relief. My dad, my stepmom, my aunt and uncle have all begun the process. My mom is still waiting for her invite to get one. Hopefully soon! We are also really enjoying doing some redecorating in our rooms – it’s been a long time since we have and everything just feels happy and cozy!
Reading: I read so much non-fiction last month! This month I am going for a little bit lighter reads – this one looks so cute!
Wishlisting: I am always wishlisting stuff! I buy stuff without a second thought for the kiddo; for myself (unless it is a plant these days, but that is cheaper than therapy..) I wait. Right now my wishlist is full of art for our office redo and also a Lore t-shirt from the Etsy store JunipersDen. I am a patron of JuniperFox and all the animals that live within that sanctuary, and my favorite little werewolf looking fox Lore passed away last week. The shirt is on backorder right now but I have it on my list!
Remembering: My aunt Barbara. We had such a close relationship my whole life and I still can’t believe she is gone. I still reach for the phone to call her, I still hear her laugh. I miss her with my whole heart. Monday would have been her birthday; February 12 is the anniversary of her passing. I miss her and think about her all the time, but this month more so.
Sharing: Just recently, these groundhog cupcakes I made for Groundhog’s Day! I made a bunch and handed them out to my niece Dinogirl, the little neighbor girls, and my friend Kelly’s daughters. (and Kelly) I got the idea from Beauty in Ordinary Things. These were a lot of fun to make, but more fun to eat!
What about you? What have you been loving, reading, wishlisting, remembering, and sharing?
I started these wrap up posts sort of last year, then abandoned it in March. I was doing book tallies, with how much I saved by using the library but with our library being closed for half the year last year, it didn’t quite work out. So, I am bringing this back, in just a smaller, different way. I always love reading everyone else’s versions of these and I think this will be fun to look back on at the end of the year.
Books Read
Not many – it was a slow reading month for me! However, in a first for me, every book that I finished was non-fiction!
Movies Watched
I loved every movie we watched this month. We always kick off the year with a rewatch of The Big Year, one of my favorites ever. We watch it every New Years Day! I also watched two Lily James movies and didn’t even intend to. She was just all over my tv this month. Rebecca and The Dig are available on Netflix; The Secret Garden and The Big Year are available on Amazon.
Recipes Made
So I had determined that I was going to return to cooking and baking this year, after letting meals become repetitive and easy last year. And so far so good! I hate every photo I take of food, so I am going to share the photos from the OG blogger and chef that created them instead – it will do the dishes the justice they deserve.
I was a vegetarian for twenty years until last year – it just became too hard, my child was always under the growth charts in weight and only wanted to eat meat, my husband is a meat eater, and I decided to make my life a little easier with cooking and make one meal instead of two every night. So for now, I am eating meat and it is weird, it is the first time in my adult life I have ever made it. So it is full of experimentation. I also love anything with lemon or olives or feta, I am really into that flavor profile, and so is Billy, so that is a bonus. I have to be honest, we had the salmon last night and it was fantastic. But then tonight we fried up the leftovers, scrambled up some eggs, and put it all on tortillas and it was amazing. I am so full right now. That was hands down my favorite of the month – we got it in right in time to make the January list! It was good to get back in the kitchen and play around again.
How about you all? Eating anything good? Watched any good movies? What are you reading?
Last week was busy! We finished up our Arctic month of learning, worked on a few rooms of our house and sprucing them up, and then celebrated the full wolf moon with the Kids Moon Club. I also visited the cutest little houseplant store and picked up a pinstripe calathea for myself and then noticed they had a mini monstera which my sister-in-law has been looking for so I grabbed that one up too. I have two plants on order and I think I am good for now – until my office is done I am out of room for more! We are in the final stages of getting it done and I am so excited!
Read Last Week:
Last week by the time I got a chance to read I was falling asleep after ten minutes so I didn’t get too far, so I am still reading the same books! I am almost done though, so close!
We are still watching All Creatures Great and Small, I love it to pieces. We are also watching Secrets of the Castle on Amazon Prime as we have found we really like these historical shows about life in different eras. This one has the same people that are on Wartime Farm, Edwardian Farm, and Victorian Farm so that is a bonus. We are also watching The Hardy Boys and are finishing up The Queen’s Gambit which is amazing. Anya Taylor-Joy is gorgeous and does such a fantastic job. For our movie night last night we watched The Dig with Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes, and Billy and I absolutely loved it. I was pretty emotional yesterday for a bunch of reasons and that movie actually made me a bit teary in different parts. It was excellent.
As for podcasts, I am still listening to a bunch of true crime – Morbid and Redhanded mostly. I am also still listening to Ologies and Lore as well. Speaking of Lore.. my favorite little fox Lore from the Juniper Fox lady died Thursday night from surgery complications. I woke up to that news on Friday and it made me teary as well. He was such a cute little werewolf fox and had come such a long way!
So that is my news from around here. Stay safe and well everyone, and have a good week!
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 