It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
Last week was pretty chilly part of the week but things have started to warm up again. Little Miss and I hoped that warm up would include some time in the pool but the nights have been very cool so that has left us with very cool pool water. It’s been so cool our teeth have started chattering as soon as we enter the pool, and our bodies don’t really become acclimated even though we hope they will.
Yesterday we tried again, and I somehow lasted 90 minutes but my body did not feel well afterward. The warmest days this week will be Tuesday and Wednesday so I think we will wait to try again until then and those will probably be the last swims of the season.
This week I will ease into lessons for Little Miss to kick off school, but we won’t start in earnest until after Labor Day. The Boy already started back at tech school. I’ll start his lessons the week of Labor Day as well but he has much less to do this year.
So this week is the last week of freedom, so to speak, for the kids before school really gets underway.
What I/we’ve been Reading
Currently: I am still reading Trouble Shooter by Louis L’Amour because I have been reading a couple of other books in addition to or in between. I am going to focus on the book more this week because there is a mystery woven in and I really want to know what happened.
I am also reading The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit. It is an Advanced Reader’s Copy.
On cozy evenings I am also reading Little Men by Louisa Mae Alcott
I just finished Clueless at the Coffee Station by Bee Littlefield and really enjoyed it. I’ll share a review of it on here tomorrow.
My upcoming list has shifted around some as I plan for reads for Autumn.
Up next, possibly, depending on my mood,
A Simple Deduction by Kristin Holl (An Amish Inn Mystery)
The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene (A Nancy Drew Mystery)
Murder Handcrafted by Isabella Alan (An Amish Quilt Shop Mystery)
The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun
Little Miss and I read Homer Price by Robert McCloskey over the last couple of weeks.
What We watched/are Watching
Last week I watched Clambake. I don’t want to talk about it. I’d just like to never remember I watched it.
I also watched a few episodes of the old British show Lovejoy.
I then watched Just A Few Acres on YouTube.
What I’m Writing
I made quite a bit of progress on Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree this past week. I hope to make even more progress this upcoming week.
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
I am still reading Clueless At The Coffee Station by Bee Littlefield (really enjoying it) and Trouble Shooter by Louis L’Amour.
Renee by Sandra Ardoin
A Simple Deduction by Kristi Holl (An Amish Inn Mystery)
World Traveler by Anthony Bourdain
Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett
The Author’s Guide To Murder by Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams, and Karen White
Gardner’s Plot by Deborah Benoit
The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashi
What We watched/are Watching
The Husband and I watched a Magnum P.I./Murder She Wrote crossover yesterday. I expected more from it, but then I learned there is a second part so we will be watching that tomorrow after he gets off work.
I started a Hayley Mills movie – Summer Magic — that I planned to replace one of the movies in my Summer Movie Marathon series since Having A Wonderful Time isn’t streaming anywhere and I don’t really want to order a DVD of it. I’m really not liking the movie very much so I don’t know if I will stick it out or not or watch something else for the marathon.
This morning I watched Just A Few Acres Farm after we watched the sermon from Elevation Church together. This is a Sunday tradition.
The sermon was excellent this week.
Just A Few Acres was interesting as he worked on fixing up an old truck with his son.
Last week he was spray painting a tractor and I know I’m old now because that was simply fascinating to me. Fascinating and very relaxing.
My book Cassie came out last week on Amazon. You can learn more about it here:
It’s part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.
I made quite a bit of progress on Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree which I hope to have out by early November.
What I’m Listening To
I listened a little more to The Cross Country Quilters by Jennifer Chaverini and Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.
Photos from Last Week
Now it’s your turn
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
We had a threat of flash flooding Friday thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Debby but in the end the pattern moved to our west and Westfield, Pa., which is a couple hours from us, was hit extremely hard. Some areas around us had some issues but nothing like Westfield.
Temperatures have cooled way down and now that we are moving toward Autumn (which I wanted) I am feeling somewhat melancholy, knowing that our days of swimming are coming to an end. Little Miss and I haven’t been swimming in two weeks due to either algae in the pool that had to be treated, a leak that was found and fixed, or chlorine that was too high. We are going to try again today but with temps only supposed to get in the low 70s I have a feeling we won’t be in long.
The days are already getting shorter – I’ve noticed that it is dark by 8:30 now. The cats are looking for more snuggles than before and we are now preparing for the start of the school year.
I have almost all the curriculum we need for the year but I do need a couple of things still for The Boy, who is a senior this year and will be attending a local trade school again this year.
What I/we’ve been Reading
Trouble Shooter by Louis L’Amour
Renee by Sandra Ardoin
Clueless At the Coffee Station by Bee Littlefield
Tracking Tilly by Janice Thompson
The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes by Carolyn Keene
A Simple Deduction by Kristi Holl
The Gardner’s Plot by Deborah Benoit
The Author’s Guide to Murder by Karen White, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig
An Assassination On the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey
Little Miss and I are listening to The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Boy is listening to The Witcher, book one.
The Husband is reading The Donut Legion by Joe R. Lansdale
What We watched/are Watching
Since I last posted a Sunday Bookends I have watched a lot but I didn’t write it all down so I might not remember everything.
I know I watched a couple of summer movies – Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation and Summertime.
I have started Somewhere in Time but I haven’t finished it yet.
I watched Ladies in Lavender and a couple marathons of Murder She Wrote as well as an episode of Yes, Minister with my mom.
What I’m Writing
I am writing the third book in the Gladwynn Grant Mystery series: Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree.
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
Did you know that I am having a huge discount on the paid subscriptions for my Substack and that when you are a paid subscriber you will receive sneak peeks to upcoming books (like Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree, which will come out this autumn), behind the scenes looks, discounts, author interviews, giveaways, and many other perks?
No?
Well, now you know. You can find my substack, which is updated a few times a month, at www.lisarhowler.substack.com
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
This week was fairly lowkey. Little Miss and I went swimming twice – once earlier in the week and once yesterday with her friend who I’ll name Crazy Child for the sake of the blog.
She had a sleepover last night and it’s the last one of the summer, so I’m excited about that even if she isn’t. I know. I’m awful, but sleepovers can be so exhausting.
She and her friend had a ton of fun, though, so I am glad.
The temps dropped so much the last couple of days that I think my animals thought it was fall already. They were curled up on me or against me Friday and Saturday. Our youngest cat wanted to be on me no matter what Saturday night – even laying on my chest while I was trying to sleep!
Temps are going to warm up again because we aren’t done with summer yet.
What I/we’ve been Reading
Our daughter let me know this week that she is done watching movies based on books. They ruin her images of what she sees in her mind. I just thought that was funny and accurate because so many of us readers feel that way.
I am currently reading
Trouble Shooter by Louis L’Amour (just taking my time on this one since it is not my normal genre)
The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (A Nancy Drew Mystery) by Carolyn Keene
Tracking Tilly by Janice Jackson
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (loved this one. I’ll have a review later this week.)
The Key Collector’s Promise by Donna Stone (this book will be out in September)
Renee by Sandra Ardoin
An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey
The Boy is in between books.
Little Miss and I are listening to Little Women on Audible at night before bed.
The Husband headed off to work before I could ask him what he’s reading right now.
What We watched/are Watching
This week I watched Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshopwith Kelsey Grammer and a British actress I’d never heard of. It was pretty good but was a pretty simple mystery. I read that it was meant to be the first movie in a series but You Know What happened and then Kelsey started filming the new Frasier.
I also watched When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit(a German film based on the book by Judith Kerr, which I enjoyed).
I started a movie called From Time to Time but haven’t finished it yet. It is a bit weird and involves a young boy going back in time. I’m not sure how they got Maggie Smith for it. It isn’t horrible but it doesn’t seem to be at the same caliber as her other work.
What I’m Writing
I am still working on Gladwynn Grant Shakes The Family Tree and having fun.
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
After I posted that post the kids and I picked up a friend of The Boy’s and brought him home to our fold to become one of the family for a couple of days – though he is really part of the family even when he isn’t here.
We also stopped and picked up groceries.
Yes. It was a very exciting day, but we needed that after our busy week last week.
What I/we’ve been Reading
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery.
I’m very much enjoying this book which is so much different than the Anne of Green Gables books. I love the main character and can’t wait to see what happens to her in the end.
When You Returned by Havelah McClat
Tracking Tilly by Janice Thompson
I put Dandelion Cottage by Carrol Watson Rankin to the side and plan to pick it back up in the fall to read with Little Miss – or actually we may start it this week because am I as writing this I remembered we finished our read aloud this week.
Return to Gone Away by Elizabeth Enright
Renee by Sandra Ardoin
Trouble Shooter by Louis L’Amour
An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey
What We watched/are Watching
This week I watched the original Gidget movie (1959) for my planned Summer Movie Marathon and will write about it in a future post.
I also rewatched the 2010 version of True Grit with The Boy and his friend. As usual I cried at the end. It’s such a good movie.
I am currently listening to The Cross-Country Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini.
I have also been listening to Anne Wilson’s album, Rebel.
Photos from Last Week
Now it’s your turn
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
Yesterday my husband and I celebrated 22 years of marriage. We went to dinner at a nearby restaurant and watched a movie together after shipping off the kids and dog to the grandparents.
It was a nice, quiet, relaxing day and very welcome.
I rambled about our trip to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon in my post yesterday if you want to read about that.
What I/we’ve been Reading
The Dandelion Cottage by Carol Watson Rankin
Version 1.0.0
Return to Gone Away by Elizabeth Enright (a read aloud with Little Miss).
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
When You Returned by Havelah Mclat
Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker (I wanted to like this much more than I did. Not the worst but pretty much like a previous book I read by the author under her real name).
Reneeby Sandra Ardoin
Clueless at the Coffee Stationby Bee Littlefield
Little Menby Louisa Mae Alcott
The husband is reading the latest installment in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series by Anthony Horowitz.
Also, for those who wanted to know, he did enjoy the Patrick Stewart biography.
The boy is in between books because he finished his last read which was an audio version of a Warhammer book.
What We watched/are Watching
Just a Few Acres Farm
There is something so relaxing about just watching Farmer Pete work on his farm or dig holes in his field or feed the cows. When my brain is spinning or I just feel off-kilter, I turn on Pete and just remember the simple things of life.
Last night the kids and I watched Monty Python’s Search for The Holy Grail because we needed a laugh.
The husband and I watched Breakheart Pass with Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland (Bronson’s wife) after our anniversary dinner. I didn’t think it was very romantic but then I got wrapped up in it and needed to know what happened. I’m going to make him watch a romantic comedy with me later in the week.
During the week I watched this YouTube channel because it is also relaxing: Under A Tin Roof.
What I’m Writing
We had a busy week so I did not write as much as I wanted to but I did work on Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree a little bit.
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
We have been sweating. We will sweat more this week. We will try to go swimming and maybe do some other things as family since The Husband has this next week off work. I am ready for Summer to be over. I’m sorry Summer lovers but I hate the heat. If it can be 65 to 70 for the rest of Summer, then it can stay. Otherwise – buh-bye *wink*
If you want to read about how much I want Summer to go away and Autumn to come, you can read my post from yesterday.
What I/we’ve been Reading
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker
The Chosen Kids Saga Book One: Encounter at the Dunes by R.W. Ruiz (not related to the show The Chosen/children’s book)
Return to Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (reading with Little Miss on nights we don’t fall asleep early)
The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz
Renee by Sandra Ardoin
Dandelion Cottage by Carol Watson Rankin
Clueless At the Coffee Station by Bee Littlefield
Little Men by Louisa Mae Alcott
What We watched/are Watching
I have been rewatching All Creatures Great And Small (the modern version) and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew series (more on that later this week), but not a lot else. I’ve been reading and writing a bit more lately.
What I’m Writing
I am working on Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree (the title is tentative at this point), which is the third book in the Gladwynn Grant Mysteries. I’m having fun writing it and I hope you’ll have fun reading it.
I don’t mention it a lot here but if you want to read the other two books you can find a link to them in the My Books section in the menu at the top of the page.
I’m also offering 50 percent off annual paid subscriptions to my Substack newsletter/author site. I’ll be offering sneak peeks, author interviews, and several other perks on there and this week added an epub version of Gladwynn Grant Gets Her Footing to all paid subscriptions.
If you are interested in the discount, you can use this coupon link:
I am listening to Live & Let Chai by Bree Baker when I am driving somewhere, while also reading the ebook on Kindle.
Music-wise I am listening to Anne Wilson’s Rebel album.
Now it’s your turn
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
I saw this prompt for a Mid-Year Book Round-Up (Freak Out) on Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs’ blog a few weeks ago but also saw another version online where the blogger listed more than one book for certain questions so I decided to combine the two.
Best Book (s) You’ve Read In 2024
Little Women by Lousia Mae Alcott and Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
I know. I know. I went for the classics, but I had never read either of them and ended up loving them both. I started Little Women in December but finished it in 2024, so I am counting it for 2024. I listened to Around the World in 80 Days and maybe it was the narrator that made it so interesting for me, but I really did enjoy it.
Best Sequel You’ve Read In 2024
The Middle Moffat by Eleanor Estes
My daughter and I loved this middle-grade book and, I think, it was the only sequel I read all year so far. It was such a cute book, following the adventures of – well, the middle Moffat, Jane. Her adventures with the Oldest Inhabitant (a 99-year-old Civil War vet) was the cutest part of the book to me. It was also cool that we read the chapter about the Eclipse at the same time the eclipse was happening.
Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
There are a lot of these (and you can read more of mine here) but for now, I will go with Tracking Tilly by Janice Thompson and I haven’t read it because it actually doesn’t release until August 1.
This one is a mystery that seems pretty cozy so I am looking forward to it.
Here is the description:
Who Stole Tilly from the Auction Block? Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red truck in book one of a new cozy mystery series. The Hadley family ranch is struggling, so RaeLyn, her parents, and brothers decide to turn the old barn into an antique store. The only thing missing to go with the marketing of the store is Grandpa’s old red truck, Tilly, that was sold several years ago. Now coming back up on the auction block, Tilly would need a lot of work, but RaeLyn is sure it will be worth it—if only she can beat out other bidders and find out who stole Tilly after the auction ends. Hadley finds herself in the role of amateur sleuth, and the outcome could make or break the new family venture.
Biggest disappointment.
I have two for this one:
Hell is Empty: A Walt Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson
I’ve enjoyed almost all of the Walt Longmire series I’ve read so far but this one was ridiculous and predictable and I was terribly disappointed in it. My husband has suggested I read more books in the series because the rest of them were very good, so I will.
Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright
This was my first time trying this author and not only was the book repetitive (the woman grew up in a house of death by a cemetery full of death and death was all around her. Yes, got it. Stop repeating it every chapter) but it was extremely, extremely disturbing to me and I didn’t feel it should have been listed under Christian Fiction.
Biggest surprise.
I picked up How To Plan Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin on Netgalley and wasn’t sure what I would think of it but ended up really enjoying it and getting swept up in the twists and turns of this mystery.
Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you)
Isabella Alan would probably be a new favorite for me. Her real name is Amanda Flowers but she writes as Isabella Alan as well and I really enjoyed her book Murder Plainly Read and plan to read more books by her later this year.
Newest fictional crush.
Theo Goodnight in Sharon Peterson’s The Fast Lane. He’s so swoony and sweet and funny and (a small spoiler here!) writes romances that I actually wouldn’t read but we’ll just go back to him being sweet and funny and dreamy.
Here is a little snippet of the book with Theo in it:
Bracing a hand on the table, he leaned close. “I’m beginning to think you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
My breath caught at the low, gravelly sound of his voice.
He shifted closer, his mouth stopping an inch from my ear. His warm breath on my skin sent a zing of awareness through me. “And I’m definitely not your brother.”
Swoon.
This is a clean romance by the way, so there is a bit of steam, small level of spice but no open door scenes or even medium spice.
Newest favorite character.
I know he isn’t new to others, but he’s new to me: Hercule Poirot. I’ve watched him on TV in the shows, but never realized how savage he was – even more so in the books than the show. The way he slams Hastings, putting him in his place, is just so funny.
From Lord Edgware Dies:
“I have noticed that when we work on a case together, you are always urging me on to physical action, Hastings. You wish me to measure footprints, to analyse cigarette ash, to prostrate myself on my stomach for the examination of detail. You never realize that by lying back in an armchair with the eyes closed one can come nearer to the solution of any problem. One sees then with the eyes of the mind.”
“I don’t,” I said. “When I lie back in an armchair with my eyes closed one thing happens to me and one thing only!”
“I have noticed it!” said Poirot. “It is strange. At such moments the brain should be working feverishly, not sinking into sluggish repose. The mental activity, it is so interesting, so stimulating! The employment of the little grey cells is a mental pleasure. They and they only can be trusted to lead one through fog to the truth…”
Book that made you cry.
Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen. ‘
So much of this book was just so sweet and touching. It’s the story of a family who travels to the mother’s grandmother’s former home in the Pennsylvania countryside to try to help the father overcome PTSD. While there they meet a lovely couple, help the couple make maple syrup, meet a man who they thought was weird, but was actually sweet and just grow together as a family. Maybe it is because I am from Pennsylvania that it gave me sentimental feelings, I don’t know, but it really had me teary-eyed.
Book(s) that made you happy.
I’m picking two for this one:
The Cat Who Talked To Ghosts by Lilian Jackson Braun.
This book didn’t make me happy because a side character in the series I’ve been reading since high school was tragically murdered, but because I saw so much more of the main character, Jim Qwilleran’s, personality in this book. There were funny moments and touching moments and it was just such a departure from the other books in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Murder In An Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor
This one was just a fun ride and I really enjoyed learning about Irish culture while also being taken on a journey through an interesting mystery. Plus, I fell in love with the characters.
What books do you want to read by the end of the year?
Here are a list of books I want to read by the end of the year:
The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery (already reading it)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (because I’ve never read it
Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker (I’ve heard a lot about this one and have it on my Kindle and Audible right now so I am looking forward to it)
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kipp by Sara Brunsvold (I started this one but it got a bit heavy for me so I would like to finish it)
An Old Fashioned Girl by Louise Mae Alcott
The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
Are any of these books on your mid-year round-up? Any of them you want to read? Let me know.
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, whatthe rest of the familyand I have been reading and watching, andwhat I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.
Can you even believe it is the last day of June? Because I absolutely cannot. June has gone by so fast my head is spinning!
I rambled about my week last week in yesterday’s post where I wrote about swimming and summer and the rain we had all day Saturday
What I/we’ve been Reading
The Women of Wynton’s by Donna Mumma
The Sentence is Death: A Hawthorne & Horowitz Mystery by Anthony Horowitz
The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father by Jim Wight (I have to be honest that this one is a bit boring to me right now so I am not reading it every day)
Return to Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (a read aloud with Little Miss)
Lord Edgware Dies: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie
Tracking Tilly by Janice Thompson
The Gardener’s Plot by Deborah J. Benoit
The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes: A Nancy Drew Mystery by Carolyn Keene
The Husband is reading Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart (he found it on Libby)
The Boy is listening to Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
What We watched/are Watching
I am making my way through the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys show from the 1970s. Why? Yeah…I have no idea but they aren’t as bad as I thought they’d be. I’m even getting to hear some good tunes from Shaun Cassidy. *wink*
Lovejoy. This old show from the 1990s is scratching an itch and I have no idea why. I guess I’m craving old stuff these days.
This video from Under A Tin Roof:
Videos from Just A Few Acres Farm on YouTube.
What I’m Writing
Still working on Gladwynn Grant Shakes the Family Tree and I hope to have it released in the fall. Right now the first two books are on sale on Amazon for $1.99 (ebooks).
Now it’s your turn. What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
