Tag: book review

Heidi: Discussion Questions Between Me and My Buddy

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I read Heidi together this month, and it was the most perfect book to read to usher in spring. I didn’t read it as a child, and I am so very glad that I took the time to read it now. We chatted back and forth to each other about how engrossing it is, what a quick, good read, one that made the book hard to put down, and just about some of the things Heidi had to go through, especially in the beginning.

For those unfamiliar, Heidi is the story of a young girl, 7 years old at the start I believe, who was being raised by her aunt after her family passed. Her aunt however, took a job somewhere that she didn’t feel it was appropriate to take Heidi, so she packed her tiny niece up and dropped her off at Heidi’s grandfather’s hut on the mountain. Heidi had never met the man, and he was not reported to be the nicest person, but he and Heidi hit it off right away and had the most precious relationship. Unfortunately for Heidi though, her aunt decided that Heidi could ripped away from her home, again, and sent this time to the city to be a companion child to a little girl named Clara.

Clara was wealthy, and in a wheelchair. I think she had epilepsy but at the time of course they didn’t have medication to help control seizures, so everyone kept Clara’s life quiet as to not trigger any seizures. Her father was away a lot, and she was lonely in her house with just the staff, and the rotten Mrs. Rottenmeier, her governess. Heidi and Mrs. Rottenmeier did not mesh right from the beginning, and Rottenmeier viewed Heidi as some sort of less than heathen from the country. Heidi enjoyed being friends with Clara but desperately missed her home. After a friend of Clara’s father, a doctor, noticed how pale and thin Heidi had gotten, he told Mr. Sesemann, Clara’s dad, that Heidi needed to return to her simple life on the mountain with her grandfather and the fir trees, the wind, the goats, Grannie, and her friend Peter, the goatherder and Grannie’s grandson.

Heidi returned and was returned to her normal happy, robust self. Heidi and her grandpa also had some visitors from the city! And I am not going to tell you the end. If you haven’t read it, I hope that you do.

Lisa and I did come up with a few questions to ask each other, and I wanted to share the questions and answers with you.

1. Quick, the first five words that pop into your head about Heidi.

Joyful, wholesome, a blessing, thoughtful, and kind.

2. Would you slam two big mugs of goat milk back to back, and why is the answer no? What about one mug? 

I don’t think I could slam two big mugs of anything, but milk? The thought makes me sort of sick. Lol. I know that Heidi and her grandfather set a lot of store by that milk and its healing properties, and maybe there is. I do know it is more caloric and has more fat, so maybe it would be good to make someone a bit sturdier if that was needed. But I could never just drink down two big mugs quickly, or even one. I could probably drink one at a normal pace.

3. Was Uncle Alp making goat cheese, like chevre?

I know this is a dumb question – it is mine. Lol. The book talked about how Uncle Alp, or Heidi’s grandfather, would make cheese and I am sure it was delicious goat cheese but in my head I kept picturing those wheels of cheese or a wedge. And while I couldn’t gulp down goats milk, goat cheese is a whole other story.

4.  Write a beautiful description of a natural place you’ve been to, a sunset, a plant or animal you’ve seen.

This was a suggested activity from the back of the edition of Heidi I bought. Good thing I am going to write something and have it compared to Johanna Spyri and another published author, Lisa.

Ok. Here is the best I can do this morning, with Peppa Pig laughing in the background.

The lake shone like blue glass under the early morning light. All around, birds sang out to each other from evergreens and birch trees, while near the shoreline mysterious underwater creatures created small ripples in the sleeping lake, waking it up gently. A light breeze helped to cool the piping hot cup of coffee that I held between my hands, and I wrapped myself up in the gentle peace of the morning.

5. Heidi, like Anne of Green Gables, loves her home and has favorite aspects, like the fir trees, the wind, the fire sunset on the mountain. Is there anything in nature you cherish about your home, the way that she does? 

I saw this question somewhere as well. I am a Michigander, and while we don’t have mountains here, we have water. Lots of water. I love heading down to the river and having lunch or just sitting and looking out across the water. We have even gone for sunrises and sunsets, to see the huge moon above it; it is just a part of our life here and I can’t imagine living somewhere that I was not surrounded by so many lakes and rivers.

6. In the same vein, what are some small things you are grateful for?

Cups of tea, books, walking barefoot in the grass, fireflies. Definitely fireflies. Rabbits in the dewy grass, or congregating in our yard during the winter.

7. Which character, besides Heidi, is your favorite and why?

Clara’s grandmother, or Grandmamma. She was not snobby as I was afraid she would be. She took special time for Heidi, to encourage her and to try to make her happy. As Heidi said, she came and she made everything good and ok.

8.  What character did you like the least and why?

Mrs. Rottenmeier, of course. She was a mean curmudgeon. How could she be such a jerk to a small girl, who has been stolen away from her home and family? I also didn’t like Heidi’s aunt, she was so careless and thoughtless about Heidi and treated her like a suitcase.

9. There is a part in the book where Heidi longs for home. Has there ever been a time in your life where you have longed for home?

Yes. When I went away to college I was absolutely miserable. I missed my house, my friends, my family, Billy. I moped around even though I made some really good lifelong friends there. I took every ride share to my area that showed up on the ride board. I was a sad sack for a little while. I got over that level of homesickness but I did transfer to a university closer to my home and commuted instead after my freshman year. I honestly do think some of it was that I felt very landlocked! I was attending Central Michigan, in the middle of the state, and I was just nowhere near a river or a lake and it was weird. I know that in Michigan we are never more than 6 miles from a lake or water, but those were small rivers, maybe creeks, instead of the watery shores I was used to.

10.  Do you think you would like to live in a small hut in the Swiss mountains, miles away from a town?

Hm. Like in this day and age, as me now? I probably would not want to live there full time, but would love to visit for a month or so at a time, like Clara and the doctor did. Or if I lived close enough, on weekends or as a getaway whenever I needed one.

Have you read this one? I know a few of you told me that you had beautifully illustrated versions as kids, which must have made it even more special.

For Lisa’s version of this post, pop on over here!

Lisa of Boondock Ramblings and I host a monthly bookish link party called A Good Book and A Cup of Tea.  This link-up is for book and reading posts or anything related to books and reading (even movies based on books!). Each link party will be open for a month. You can find that link up for this month here.

Today it is my goal to visit the posts there and also go blog visiting!

And with that, I am going to say goodbye until later! Whatever you do today, I hope you do something that makes you smile!

Books, Screens, and In-Betweens

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized22 Comments

I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Hello everyone! It’s so cold and dreary here today, at least right now. It is supposed to warm up though this afternoon, to 76, but we will see. I am having a hard time believing it!

Books:

Over the last two weeks I read three books.

Heidi is a buddy read with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings. We were going to stretch it out over the month but I accidentally read it all the other day. I think Lisa is pretty close to finishing it as well. I am so glad that we read it; I absolutely adored it!

Marigolds for Malice is part of the Enchanted Garden mystery series, and is book 3 of 3 according to Amazon. It was pretty good and I am bummed the author stopped writing this series. I feel like there was more to tell about Ellie and her garden and the town of Poppyville!

Finally, I finished up Stillmeadow Daybook by Gladys Taber. It is funny that Lisa and I both were reading this at the same time, and didn’t realize it! I loved this one even more than Stillmeadow and Sugarbridge which I read at the beginning of the year. I loved Taber’s voice, and perspective, and so many of her thoughts are valid still today. (although there were some outdated references and signs of this book being of its time) I had so many book tags sticking out of the library copy that I ended up buying my own. That is a sign to me I need to own it! I was lucky enough to find a copy it and also Amber: A Very Personal Cat being sold together for seven dollars on Ebay. They are paperback which is my preference, so even better!

This week, I am visiting my old friends, the rabbits of Watership Down. If I finish, I feel like it will be a good time to also start Raising Hare!

Screens:

Billy and I have been watching Young Sherlock. It took me an episode or two to get into it, but I am really enjoying it now.

I also subjected my family to the original cartoon movie of Watership Down the other day. It wasn’t as bad as I remembered? Wyatt was not traumatized either so I was relieved. Wyatt hasn’t watched much with violence in it, just How to Train Your Dragon and The Mummy, so I was nervous but he did good. He seemed more excited that he was watching a movie version of my favorite book.

In-Betweens:

Do you ever have weird coincidences happen, that are not algorithm related because we know that those are not actual coincidences, but where something pops up where you are not expecting it? This happened to me this week. I had just finished Stillmeadow Daybook, and started Marigolds for Malice, when I encountered a reference to Gladys Taber in the cozy mystery! It was so weird!

I have to agree, reading Taber always relaxes me with tales of her life.

My cousin’s daughter also got her first job! And I was excited to hear that it was at one of my favorite local shops. So of course I had to go and visit, and of course I had to buy something..

I found this distinguished gentleman for half off, and had to bring him home. He is actually a vase, so I need to buy a few flowers to pop into his little ears. Lol. I have named him Hazel. Of course.

Other random photos from the week:

And just a reminder:

Lisa of Boondock Ramblings and I host a monthly bookish link party called A Good Book and A Cup of Tea.  This link-up is for book and reading posts or anything related to books and reading (even movies based on books!). Each link party will be open for a month. You can find that link up for this month here.

And that is it from my corner of the world! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized13 Comments

Hello everyone! It is a sunny day with predicted temps in the 50s today. I have a cup of coffee, a kitten on my lap, and a little boy next to me. I am trying to stay centered and present right now these days. It’s been a heavy week, hasn’t it? It’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed, and we need to do what we can in order to keep ourselves as sane as possible. Right now, I know I have responsibilities and the biggest one is Wyatt. I keep one eye and prayers on current events, and focus on Wyatt who needs me to keep things together here.

That being said, yesterday I just did just that, I kept my ear to the ground and went about my day. I prayed, I lamented, and I also took Wyatt to therapy, where he absolutely blew his therapist and I away. She put him in a gait trainer, which is like a walker but with more support, and he took off cruising, practically running. I couldn’t even get a video because I was so shocked honestly. Neither of us have ever seen him move quite like that! We have watched him use this gait trainer for a few weeks, building back up to it after his surgery last July, with some struggles, determination, and some drama as only Wyatt can provide. Yesterday though, he did it so easily. It all clicked and came together in one boy yesterday.

I also went to yoga for the first time in forever and ever. My friend Kelly and I went to a local class held in an building downtown in our city. It was her first time ever and I was proud of her too! I had to laugh though – we have been friends over thirty years and I have never once seen her sweats and a t-shirt. She is always meticulously dressed. It was so cathartic and restful, and my body and soul needed that. As we sat there, in the old auditorium with it’s wooden floors and antique lighting along the high ceiling, I just felt such peace for a moment. It felt good to be moving my body with such purpose again, feel its strengths (and weaknesses – ugh my core!), and then the final relaxing pose on the mat at the end. I left feeling very refreshed and so did Kelly. When I asked her how she felt she told me that she felt like she really needed that, and I understood exactly what she meant. I am hoping to go every Tuesday night now.

I popped by to see my mom afterwards and she was doing so well. They changed her meds last Friday, and they told us to expect her to be very sleepy over the weekend, which she was. So I was happy to see last night a bright eyed, happy mother. She was chatty and awake, and I saw some real improvement in her. For those who don’t know, my mom had a stroke last month, and she also has moderate dementia. She has some mobility issues as well, but I am hoping with the meds change, we can get her up and out more, at least out of bed. They were really making her very weak and not doing much to help her at all. I went home feeling pretty good about my corner of the world, for at least one day. And that is where I am at these days, one day at a time.

Last week Wyatt and I took some time off for a spring break. We didn’t do too much, mostly just hung out at home and read and played and things like that, lots of art happened, but we had one day out with Mermaid Girl. All three of us are book people, so I took Mermaid Girl with us on one of our bookstore and dessert days! I picked an awesome bookstore too, Coreanders in Grosse Pointe Park. It is designed for kids and is filled with storybook murals and a tall stalk with a sun at the top in the center of the store, shelves of books and cozy reading spots. It even has an ice cream shop and a secret garden. We kicked things off with McDonalds, and then once we were at the store, we spent two hours wandering around, choosing books, chatting, having ice cream. It was so fun.

One of the coolest things about Coreanders is that it is two floors and the elevator is even a mural, all the way up. The door has a glass window and on the wall of the elevator shaft is a mural that follows the path of the elevator, so you are treated to scenes from The Hobbit as you make your up and down. It is really cool.

I didn’t get many photos this time, the weather was gray and gross and the garden has not grown yet, plus I was too busy with two kids and being in the moment, so I will share some photos from the first time I visited.

It is very cool, and it was the perfect little day off. We all left happy and with books (or for me, a journal and some bookmarks) in our hands. The kids also enjoyed ice cream, which was only 3 dollars for two giant scoops! A deal!

Afterwards Mermaid Girl came over and played with Wyatt and Mouse and Max before her dad came to get her. It was a nice time!

We also finally finished up the Gold Rush in history! We celebrated with a “Gold Rush” dinner of beans, bacon, and homemade biscuits, and we sat on the floor in our den on a buffalo plaid blanket. We all decided while the dinner itself was not bad, we certainly wouldn’t want it too often, much less for every meal! Something fun I learned about the gold rush – I mean, Wyatt learned- a bath cost $10 dollars which would have been about $419 dollars today!! Then I read randomly in the Gladys Taber book I just read, Stillmeadow Daybook, that the boomtowns had a rodent issue, so a shipload of I think 3000 cats was sent to California, where they sold to those argonauts for $10- $20 a cat! They were also often stolen from their owners, as they were in high demand!

And with that little tidbit, I will say goodbye. I hope whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Mini Book Reviews: Trixie Belden, Nightshade for Warning, Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter, and When Wanderers Cease to Roam

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized9 Comments

It’s time for mini book reviews again! I like to do them in groups of three, sometimes four.

Let’s start with Trixie!

Trixie Belden The Secret of the Mansion: I loved Trixie Belden growing up and when I picked this up at the used book store I had to take it home with me. I am cracking up reading it now as an adult – these kids either have the best luck or worst luck, I can’t tell! So far, a small boy was bit by a copperhead, Honey almost got run over by a truck, Trixie dove into a shallow part of the lake, hit her head and knocked herself unconscious (with no follow up care), Trixie was thrown from a horse, Jim fell off a ladder, and a stray dog charged them and then died suddenly at their feet, a small aircraft crashed on their land, and a house burned down. It was a crazy ride, but I loved it. I loved the fact that Trixie had chores on her farm but also lots of freedom to be a kid, I loved that balance of responsibility and then just being a kid. It was nice to revisit Trixie and her friends, and I will probably keep reading this series, all over again.

Next up, another mystery, Nightshade for Warning, part of the Enchanted Garden series.

Nightshade for Warning: This series is so fun! I am bummed that it appears there are only three in the series, and I am picking up number three today from the library. Don’t authors know we want to keep reading a series forever when we like it? Lol. Anyway, this was another light read, full of flowers and intrigue, and aromatherapy. Ellie gets embroiled in another murder mystery, this time not to save herself but to save her brother’s fiancee, who is the top suspect. And of course Dash and Nabokov make appearances as well! You can see Nabby the cat in the window, hiding there on the shelf.

Speaking of cats..

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter: I absolutely loved this book. It had cats, magic, cat welfare awareness, and it was set in 1920s Montreal. It was fantastic. In this world, average everyday people who are magicless don’t really care for those who are magical, believing them to be reckless. Agnes definitely is not a fan of magical wizards, so when she finds out that the Dark Lord himself is her landlord she is not thrilled. But she needs the space for her cats so she makes it work.

I loved Agnes’ character. She was a take charge, Type A personality, yet still quirky. Agnes likes things organized, loves a list (much like me lol), and loves her cats, all forty some of them, and worries about the ones still on the streets. Does she enter into a working relationship with the dreaded Dark Lord to help her cats? You will have to read to find out!

I was very involved in animal rescue for years before Wyatt was born, I helped start an organization, fostered, served on the board, volunteered at the shelter multiple nights a week, and I would like to add that from the perspective an animal rescuer, this book was spot on. The TNR efforts, all the little details involved, were perfect. Fawcett either has to be in animal rescue herself or did some thorough research!

I loved this book, and it is a definite five star for me!

When Wanderers Cease to Roam: I had been slowly savoring this book for a few months, diving in here and there when I needed a pick me up. I loved reading Swift’s memories, her snippets about cats and weather and nature and being cozy, the names she picked for each month. I loved her illustrations as well. This book is a treat for the soul. Thank you Jeanie at Marmalade Gypsy for sharing about it on your blog!

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

My Monthly Wrap Up and Faves

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized15 Comments

Hello everyone!! I want to start doing these at the end of the month. I always do one in my book journal so it makes sense for me to make one here in this space as well!

This month, I read 7 books, that were a mix of genres.

I read two nonfiction, one poetry book, two cozy mysteries, a cozy fantasy, and a middle grade. I also had on DNF, sadly.

I was able to add the nonfiction books to my nonfiction challenge goal of Nonfiction Nibbler in Shelleyrae’s Nonfiction Reading Challenge. I seem to be stuck on memoirs but that is ok, this is the most nonfiction that I have read in a while.

As for settings, I visited rural France, 1920s Montreal, California, the Hudson Valley NY, and Long Island.

Faves:

Of course it was. Magic and cats and cat rescue and Montreal and the 1920s. It was such a great book! I will be reviewing it soon.

I am a cohost with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings, who thought of the monthly bookish linkup A Good Book and a Cup of Tea for all things book, not just books read or reviews, but bookstore visits or author visits or whatever else bookish you can think of!

We have decided we will be featuring our favorite posts from the month here. I do read all the posts even if I don’t comment. I only like to comment from my actual laptop and not from my phone, which is a problem sometimes when I read the post on my phone. ( I am working on more time to read and comment though. )

Here are my four favorites from this past month!

A First for the Blog Marsha at Marsha in the Middle’s Wuthering Heights post. She mainly posts about her life and fashion so it was so cool to hear from her about her favorite book.

A Curated Reading List to “Savor” in 2026 I loved this list of books to read and enjoy from Paula at Between the Bookends

The Strawberry House Marg at Intrepid Reader shared her review of The Strawberry House by Rachel Burton and I have to say it sounds amazing!

From My Children’s Book Cabinet – Finchen I love when Cat shares about vintage books in her collection!


And for some non-book related faves….

Covergirl Bliss You Berry Lip Balm – if you are not really a lipstick person but still want some color, this is the answer.

My newly short(er) hair

Getting happy mail from pen pals

Homemade pancakes with fresh from the farm syrup

Spotting snow drops and rabbits on walks

Journaling

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


Books, Screens, and In-Betweens

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized16 Comments

I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! We had a pretty quiet week around here last week, which was nice!

Books:

Last week I read Trixie Belden, which was a blast from my past, and it was a crazy ride. I enjoyed returning to the world of Trixie and Honey!

I also read the second in the Enchanted Garden series. This series is just what I am needing right now; it is light and easy, keeps my attention, and makes me think spring with all of the garden and flower talk.

This week I am planning on starting two books, maybe three if the third in the Enchanted Garden series comes in for me at the library.

I plan on starting these The Sugar Rush by Peter Gregg, and Heidi. I am reading Heidi as a buddy read with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I am looking forward to it. I haven’t read it before! I missed this one in my childhood somehow.

Screens:

Not too much here on the tv/movie front, again. I have been going to visit my mom in the evenings, so I don’t get home until later and by the time Billy and I sit down to watch tv together we are pretty tired out. This usually means we watch a comfort show, and we are revisiting Brokenwood. I love that show so it is not a hardship.

I did post a few times last week.

Springtime Book Tag

Top Ten Tuesday: My Spring TBR

Coffee Catch Up

Also, just a reminder that Lisa and I cohost a link up, A Good Book and a Cup of Tea, for bookish links all month long. Anything book and reading goes! You can find it up in my header area.

In-Betweens:

We had a mostly quiet week last week, but we did go out yesterday to the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Ann Arbor. We had a great time, ate some fry bread, shopped a bit, and watched some of the dances and the grand entrance.

Today we have a birthday party for the Hurricane. She is turning three! It was supposed to be last weekend, but illness just keeps getting in the way these days. My dad and stepmom can’t make it today actually, because they have Covid!

And I will leave you with just a few photos from my roll before I leave.

And with that I will end here! I hope that you are all doing well, and that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Springtime Book Tag

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized13 Comments

Hello everyone! I saw this book tag on Heather at Bookables Youtube channel and it just seemed fun! I copied the questions from her YouTube channel.

Flowers: All the flowers we remember are blooming again. Pick a book that’s a fresh take on a retelling.

Heather Fawcett’s The Grace of the Wild Things. This is just such a fun, different take on Anne of Green Gables. I loved it! My review here.

Cadbury Mini Eggs: Obviously the superior springtime candy of choice. Pick a book that you consider to be a sweet treat.

Ok, I am not a super fan of Cadbury Mini Eggs. To me the springtime candy of choice is a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg or Starbust Jellybeans. For my book however, I am choosing one set somewhere that is supposed to smell like marshmallows.

This is one of my all time favorite books. I just love it! I love everything about it. I also love that my dad read it and said the main character reminded him of me! What a nice thing to say. My review here.

Allergies: Seasonal allergies often make your eyes water. Pick a book that made you cry.

This book made me a soggy tissue. I just cried and cried and cried. I loved it though. My review here.

Spring Cleaning: Out with the old and in with the new. Pick a book to unhaul.

I have had this on my shelf forever and I don’t think I am ever going to read it. It seems too sad every time I start it. I should just donate this one and free up a little space, especially since this is a chunker.

Spring Break: It’s the perfect time for an adventure. Pick a book involving a road trip.

This is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it.

Rainbows: I just feel like Spring is made of freaking rainbows. Pick a book featuring an LGBTQ+ character(s).

This book is a fun read, and is perfect for spring! My review here.

Spring Awakening:. Pick a book that’s also filled with completely dysfunctional characters.

I had a hard time with this prompt. I think this one works though!

In like a lion, out like a lamb: Pick a book series that didn’t get better as it progressed.

This is a blast from my past. I loved these first books so much, and then, whoa. They went absolutely insane. If you know you know. I often don’t read all the books in a series anymore, maybe this series is the reason why?

Fun in the Sun: Tag some Friends!

If any of you want to do this feel free!

Books, Screens, and In-Betweens

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized34 Comments

I am linking up with Deb at Readerbuzz,  Kathryn at Book Date, and  Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Hello everyone!

Books:

I finished this one up last week, and I adored it. It was just cute and light and easy which was exactly what I needed. I already have the second in the series in my stack to read.

I also read Agnes Aubert, finally, and I absolutely loved every minute of it!!

Which leads us to my reading plan for this week! I have a few I am wavering between so we will see where I land.

These are the two currently on deck for this week. I loved Trixie growing up so I am looking forward to reading at least this one again. And this cover for Nightshade for Warning! So many things that appeal to me – the colors and flowers and the little corgi! I love it.

On Screen and Off Screen:

Not much happening on this front. When we watch tv we are watching old episodes of Brokenwood, one of my favorite shows.

I joined the Analog Life project in January and it is interesting to see how it is has really unraveled in our lives. I will say, my house is a wee bit messier on days now, since all of us have our various projects scattered in little piles here and there as we work on them. My journaling supplies, books, stationary, embroidery, Wyatt’s drawings and colored pencils and paper spread out everywhere, Billy’s leatherworking and painting. I picked up a free puzzle at the library yesterday as well, so we may try that this week too.

We do still watch television though, don’t get me wrong. And I still do scroll and read the internet and watch YouTube videos. Just not as much. I think today we are going to have a family art session and then watch The Phantom Tollbooth with Wyatt. He loved that book so much that I think he will like the movie as well.

I posted a few times last week as well!

Top Ten Tuesday: Green Covers

Wednesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Mini Book Reviews and a DNF: The Hounding, Daisies for Innocence, La Vie, and A Bit Much

In-Betweens:

Things sort of began to fall into a routine again last week. I am a creature of routine, and it was good to find a new rhythm. I got the few last loose ends for my mom tied up, and now we just work on getting her recovered. Wyatt and I also did some book shopping and refreshed our Little Free Library from the library book sale. On Wednesday last week my husband also gave me orders to take it easy, so I had fun with all of my various hobbies and hanging out with Wyatt playing. It was a much needed rest day. I wrote a few letters to pen pals, experimented a bit with watercolor, worked on my journals – I have my reading journal and my whatever journal that I am playing around with.

I also made it through my Super Tuesday! It was a tough one, ten wheelchair/car transfers y’all with my little guy, and I was whipped. That was one reason Billy insisted on me resting on Wednesday, and like I said, he was so right. But we got a lot of good stuff done.

I’ll leave you with some randoms from my phone – beware, there will probably be lots of photos of Max and Mouse!

And with that, I will leave you for today. I hope that whatever you do, that you do something that makes you smile!

Mini Book Reviews and a DNF: La Vie, The Hounding, A Bit Much, Daisies for Innocence

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized15 Comments

It’s time for mini book reviews again! I like to do them in groups of three, although today I have a DNF to talk about it too.

Let’s actually start with that one.

The Hounding. I feel like this book has some really important things to say, that it addresses important themes, and is cleverly done. However, it was too grim, bleak, and at times too violent for me. As I was reading it I kept thinking it reminded me of The Virgin Suicides and of the witch hunts, and after I decided I wasn’t reading it anymore I went online to read more about it, where I learned that it has been compared to them both many times. I do think it has a lot to offer but I am not able to read it, at least right now.

La Vie. I always love a book by John Lewis-Stempel. His books are all nonfiction, generally nature nonfiction, and set in England. This one differed as it took place in rural France instead, after he and his wife decided to move there and farm for a change of pace. He was hobby farming, or more farming for the benefit of his family, instead of commercially farming and this book was very charming. It had some sad parts, but mostly happy little vignettes of their farm life in France. It reminded me of A Year in Provence but with more focus on farming and nature, obviously. And, it is another one I can count toward the nonfiction challenge! I already have a few memoirs so it doesn’t fit into a new category but as I am aiming for nonfiction nibbler I don’t need to always stick to categories.

A Bit Much. This book of poetry by Lyndsay Rush was amazing. The way I devoured this book of poetry this week! I’ve had some hard weeks, and honestly this book has helped me along, a poem here, a poem there. I shared so many with my friends as well, snapping a pic and sending it along with entreaties that they need to pick this book up. It is going on my must by list!

I had so many favorites but the standouts for me are Be St Fri Ends, Hysterical, Easy Breezy Lemon Squeezy, Cracks of Light, and Reassurances to Save for a Rainy Day.

Now I will say the same to you that I said to my besties – go find this book and read it. And follow Lyndsay Rush @maryoliversdrunkcousin on Instagram.

Daisies for Innocence. I love a good cozy mystery and I absolutely loved this one. The MC owns an aromatherapy shop, and she blends her own scents and recipes. Like The Good Witch, she has a knack or gift as well for knowing what people need, so there is a bit of a supernatural, or enchanted, element in this book too, another feature I love. And, of course, her corgi Dash. I love a corgi. It made me think of spring and flowers and walks outside, and had a good solid mystery as well. I liked it so much, I requested the second one from the library already!

And that is it from me here! Have you read any of these?

Also linking this up with the nonfiction reading challenge hosted by Shelleyrae at Book’d Out!

Friday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

Hello everyone! I’m going to be honest, this was not our best week, my mom hasn’t been well, although it did start off celebratory and fun, with Wyatt’s birthday! I can’t believe my kiddo is 11. Where has time gone?? He was just a teeny tiny peanut when he was born and now he is almost the same size as me!

I mean, look at my hand next to him. Lol. He was 2 lbs 15 oz and 17 inches long. He is a miracle honestly.

We were trying to figure out what to do to celebrate his birthday. It has been so cold and yucky out, and germs have not slowed down out there at all. Wyatt had wanted to go to the Toledo Art Museum, but then I learned that it is closed on Mondays – along with just about every art and history museum. I didn’t know this was universally a thing, but it is. So we owe him a visit to the art museum. We pivoted and headed for the Toledo Zoo instead, and had a great time!

It was a Monday morning, cold, gray, and we pretty much had the entire zoo to ourselves. There were a few animals not on exhibit, and most of the buildings were still shuttered and not open, but that didn’t stop us from having fun.

We saw otters (my favorite there!), elephants (which Wyatt loved because one of them did something that young boys find hilarious), wolves, among other mammals, and went into the aquarium, conservatory, and natural history museum. The reptarium was under construction sadly but that just gives us a reason to go back. The conservatory was so cool – it had reptiles just loose and free in it! We all had to watch where we were going so we didn’t squish any. I also did something purely out of love for Wyatt – I sort of am weirded out by fish, and they had two open aquariums where you could pet a sturgeon and manta rays (or some sort of rays) and Wyatt was not quite tall enough in the wheelchair to do it, so I did it for him and described it and it was super gross, which Wyatt thought was hilarious.

That 80s looking building up there used to be where all of the big cats lived in the 1980s. I remember visiting them there when I was a kid and before zoos became more knowledgeable about habitats and what is appropriate. Now it is used as a restaurant! I swear we could eat in that building even then, while the big cats lived there but I might be misremembering. That was a long time ago!

I mean just check out this photo quality! Lol. I am the second from the left, and my little brother is in the red shorts next to me, and my cousin Brian is the other big kid. Check out the giant thermos jug my Aunt has! Lol.

We spent a few hours at the zoo, then headed home. It was just about time for dinner when we pulled back into our driveway, after having stopped for a family size mac and cheese, which was Wyatt’s request for dinner. And that was that! Wyatt has two little family parties this weekend to celebrate as well.

The rest of my week has been sort of split, with a lot of time being spent doing things for my mom. She has a UTI and it has really affected her mentally and physically. So I have been in contact with lots of staff and being there in person and juggling all that with Wyatt’s school and his appointments. Watching your parents age is really really hard!

And I don’t want to end on that so we will talk about… the book of poetry I just read. It is called A Bit Much, it is so good! I absolutely loved it. So many of the poems resonated with me. You can find the author, Lyndsay Rush, on Instagram as @maryoliversdrunkcousin. Lol. I have been sharing poems from the book with friends all week, like this one I sent my friend Kelly.

And with that, I will sign off for today. I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!