You don’t have to be a fan of the Bard – or even familiar with Shakespeare’s plays – to enjoy HAMNET by Maggie O’Farrell. The writing and sensory description is incredibly effective, the emotion palpable.
While this novel should … Read more...
Perfect Summer Bread — Italian Focaccia
Looking for just the right bread to serve during the summer? Here is a recipe for an easy-to-make Focaccia — an Italian bread that is perfect with salads and grilled entrees, or as an appetizer or snack.
###… Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: The Magpie Whisperer’s Charm
There are many collective nouns used to describe a group of magpies — congregation, gulp, murder, tiding, tittering, etc — but after watching this video about one woman’s interactions with these birds, the most appropriate term would seem to be … Read more...
Book Review: THE YIELD by Tara June Winch
I’m not sure where to start with THE YIELD. It struck many a nerve for me. Even though the setting is Australia, so many of the concerns past and present are mirrored in America (and the natural resource issues parallel … Read more...
Enjoy Homemade Italian Biscotti
In the mood for a dessert but you don’t want a lot of calories or a very involved recipe? Biscotti is just the right dessert to make. Traditional biscotti recipes do not have a funny fat and they are easy … Read more...
PSA: Helmet Has Always Been A Good Idea
To helmet or not to helmet?
That question was long ago decided in favor of helmets at least in the US where our streets and traffic are less than friendly to cyclists. But, apparently Denmark is still making a push … Read more...
Happiness Isn’t Something To Earn
Happiness isn’t earned.
This seems like a radical thought when the universal law of happiness, deeply embedded in our psyche from day one, is — “You need to work harder to be more successful, because the more success you achieve, … Read more...
Book Review: THE THIRTY NAMES OF NIGHT by Zeyn Joukhadar
I knew I needed to read THE THIRTY NAMES OF NIGHT by Zeyn Joukhadar the minute I saw the artwork. Yep. A gorgeously rendered, watercolor bird wing. Pair that (and an elusive bird thought not to exist by science) with … Read more...
Nature’s Yard Art
Who doesn’t have childhoods memories of laying on the ground, gazing up at the clouds, and discovering the white and gray painted images against the blue sky — a long tailed dog, a floppy eared rabbit, a winged elephant, a … Read more...
Book REVIEW: FALL BACK DOWN WHEN I DIE by Joe Wilkins
This book — FALL BACK DOWN WHEN I DIE by Joe Wilkins… What a masterful blend of character-driven, literary fiction (with poetic, melt-in-your-mouth sentences). Combined with the intense pacing of more commercial fiction, this is a book you don’t want … Read more...
Hearty Minestrone With Meatballs
Minestrone is a thick Italian vegetable soup containing dried beans and pasta. For me, it is often the soup I make when I have a number of vegetables I want to use before they spoil. This is the soup you … Read more...
Book: MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy
MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy is the kind of book that is the reason why I read: to slip into the skin of a character and fully inhabit her anguish, joys, thoughts, fears… to be transported to a different setting that … Read more...
Words: “The Ultimate Weakness of Violence …”
From the last book written by Martin Luther King, Jr. — WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE: Chaos or Community? (Beacon Press 2010 edition) two passages confirming his continued relevance in todays world, pointing us in the right direction — … Read more...
Book: THE MERCIES by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Oh, my… this novel — THE MERCIES! The atmospheric setting, the writing, the characterization, the story… I was swept away and transported from the first lovely sentences:
… Read more...Last night Maren dreamt a whale beached itself on the rocks outside her
Tiramisu Parfaits: Fun, Festive, Flavorful
You love Tiramisu but don’t want a large tray of this tasty Italian dessert? Well, make Tiramisu Parfaits instead and enjoy all the flavors of this well-known dessert. This is also an excellent dessert to serve after dinner when entertaining.… Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: Gardening For Groundhogs
Anyone who has grown a vegetable garden knows it is first and foremost a labor of love. You LOVE watching things grow and reaping your home grown harvest, but it take a tremendous amount of physical LABOR. And, yes, the … Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: The Antics of Badgers
The wonderful thing about wild animals is they always seem to have a few delightful surprises for us humans. Growing up in the midwest I knew what Badgers looked like thanks to zoos and wildlife shows (and hello, UW mascot!), … Read more...
Words: ” A Bright Future For Man …”
If only there were “Here Thanks To Nature” tags attached to everything everywhere as a reminder that our very lives are utterly and completely dependent on nature — not technology…
… Read more...I would feel more optimistic
about a bright future for
Rescue Journey of Piglet and Calf Buddies
A ride to an animal sanctuary was all the bonding time needed for this piglet and calf to become bffs. These two are not only adorable and heartwarming, but living proof that animals — regardless of whether they are domesticated … Read more...
The Lost Era Of Electric “Flying Trains”
Over 119 years old and still in operation today, the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn in Germany is the world’s oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars. Developed as the first to transport people instead of goods, this electric “flying train” is an … Read more...
Book Review: WORDS by Jessica McCann
In the introduction to WORDS: Essays on Writing, Reading, and Life, Jessica McCann shares with the reader a core belief that is as intricately a part of her personal journey as it is her writer’s journey and forms the basis … Read more...
Canceled Vacation Plans? Consider Mindcations Not Just Staycations
The research is clear. Vacations are good for our health — physically, mentally, and emotionally. According to David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, vacations are good for your heart,
… Read more...“we are actually seeing a reduction
Book Review: FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser
What first drew me to FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser? When I saw it at an indie bookstore, the jacket was face-out, displaying the frilly butt of a diving duck. Score. This could be right up my science- and … Read more...
Book Review: ANIMALIA by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo
As ANIMALIA by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo promises by its title, it is, on the highest level, about animals – specifically, about the complicated and often brutal and indifferent historical treatment of animals by farmers. But it’s also about people, an … Read more...
Book Review: EAT COMPLETE by Drew Ramsey
Eat Complete by Drew Ramsey, MD effectively details the importance of nutrients and the role they play in brain health. After working with mood and anxiety disorders in patients, Ramsey began researching nutrition and how it affects the brain. His … Read more...