reading

The Forest: a novel by Edward Rutherfurd {book review} from Fleur de Lis Quilts and Accessories

It's Monday morning and I am finally realizing that I have not posted Pin It Weekly and Sunday Quilt Inspiration! I'd say that is because I just didn't have enough time, thank you doctor's appointments.

Richard had two tests and an appointment; I had two appointments, and the dreaded look-inside-the-entire-human-digestive-system scopes. Luckily I've blocked out (or drugged out) every possible moment of our time with doctors.

On the happy side, all of the waiting room sitting meant I got to read! I'm almost in the middle of Edward Rutherfurd's The Forest.

The forest: a novel by Edward Rutherfurd (Book)

Here's ...

added by Mary at Fleur de Lis Quilts 5 hours, 55 minutes ago. under #fleurdelisquiltsonpinterest , #marymarcottepins , books , classic , novels , pinterest , reading , reviews , writing

Mail and Stuff from Bayou Quilts

*Mail

Outgoing

Postcards

My niece moved to Texas.

one letter

*More words with no direct translation to English:

Germany: verschlimmbesserung [versh-lim-bess-air-oong]

To make things worse by trying to improve them. (Oh, boy, do I recognize the meaning of this one! Can't really pronounce it, but it perfectly describes certain situations.)

Portugal: saudade - noun

(in Portuguese folk culture) a deep emotional state of melancholic longing for a person or thing that is absent:the theme of saudade in literature and music.

(There are a number of songs and melodies that evoke this feeling for me. Music does tend to have ...

added by jenclair 1 week, 2 days ago. under books , mail art , reading , words

Sunday Thoughts from Bayou Quilts

In the midst of one of the hottest summers on record, most folks have retreated to whatever cool sanctuaries they can find. I try to stay out of the heat as much as possible, but spend a lot of time dreaming about cool, crisp weather. Which we may get by November....

Mail

Incoming

Outgoing Mail

Reading

As a lover of both poetry and letters, I found this article fascinating: The Nun Who Wrote Letters to the Greatest Poets of Her Generation.

In addition to her correspondence with Stevens, Sister Bernetta exchanged letters with Denise Levertov, William Carlos Williams, Robert Penn ...

added by jenclair 2 weeks, 1 day ago. under books , hot , letters , mail , reading

Miscellaneous from Bayou Quilts

Clean/Organize/Catch Up

I'm not at all certain how I can make such big messes in such a short time. Maybe because I get distracted with ideas when I'm crafting, leaving one mess to start another. The result is that I am in need of an organizing professional and a change of personality.

Another problem is getting book reviews written. I have fifteen reviews scheduled on my book blog and more to write. I get advanced reader copies (both in print and ebooks) up to 9 months in advance of publication. Sometimes, I write the reviews and ...

added by jenclair 3 weeks, 4 days ago. under books , mail , quilting , reading

Book Date. Scrappy Four Patch Progress. Xmas All Year! from Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

Scrappy Four Patch Progress
I've made even more four patches - up to 140 or so now!

Xmas All Year!
I also decided to join the Xmas All Year project. It's really quilt simple: make 1 Christmas gift/ornament/one year long project to be finished by Christmas! This way, we have the potential to have 12 gifts ready to go and hopefully avoid the Christmas sewing rush! It's hosted by Jeanette at 1 Xmas Item a Month.

I'm going to tie this in with One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty over at Elm Street Quilts as ...

added by Miaismine 1 month, 1 week ago. under book date , one monthly goal , reading , scrappy four patch , scrappy sewing , xmas all year

Miscellaneous Musings from Bayou Quilts

Interesting articles:

In spite of the evidence of the benefits of the arts, it seems that cutting art programs in school continues. On the positive side, and there are few positive sides now with budget cuts, a British teacher uses her windfall to help put more artists in schools.

More on the benefits of school art progams.

For those of you who have loved The Little Prince, the baobab is now becoming an endangered species.

Beautiful images of June's Strawberry Moon.

Mail: I'm already behind in answering my mail and more has arrived.

Teresa included the envelope below ...

added by jenclair 1 month, 2 weeks ago. under artist trading coins , books , mail , reading , watching

We Got Rain! from Bayou Quilts

Finally, after so many unfilled promises, we got rain yesterday! It might rain across the river, at Fee's office, just north of us, but still leave our neighborhood isolated, high and dry. But yesterday, we got rain!

Reading: There were more, but these are my recent favorites. Will review them on my book blog...eventually.

Mail:

Outgoing

Incoming Mail

from Connie

Love the washi tape sealing the back!

from Hannah

and today--from Penne M. !

All of these artistic fish are fun, but I think I like the Warhol best. :)

added by jenclair 1 month, 3 weeks ago. under books , mail , reading

Still Stitching #12 Part 1. from Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

Still Stitching #12 Part 1

Still Stitching #11

We have reached the final point that my friend shared:

Is is so true! My loved one is my child and

for many years he blamed me for his problems – all. of. them.

For many years, I accepted the blame because I was not a perfect mother. However, there is no perfect parent except for God our Father. He is the perfect one.

Our kids, our siblings, our loved ones have all come without an owner’s manual. For that matter, neither did we! :)

We are not to blame for how they ...

added by Miaismine 2 months ago. under attic window , book date , books , reading , scrappy four patch , scrappy sewing , still stitching , the three c's

Still Stitching #10. Scrappy Four Patch Progress #2. Book Date. from Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

Still Stitching #10

Still Stitching #9

This is so very true.

But, how do I NOT open my heart to my loved one?

He is precious to me!

Consequently, how many times has my heart been broken?

Countless times.

I have not been able to implement completely this point in my life.

I am, however, able to protect my heart a bit more.

Addicts and alcoholics are sick. I’ve been told it’s a disease – an thought I’m still grappling with. One therapist did give me a great perspective though. She gave me five pieces of paper and ...

added by Miaismine 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under book date , books , reading , scrappy four patch , scrappy sewing , still stitching

This and That Thursday from Bayou Quilts

This past weekend, Erin, Brandon, Max, and Mila came up from Baton Rouge for a visit! Mila's birthday is May 29th, and she is definitely teenager one moment, kid the next. :)

Books/Reading -- Lots of books that I haven't reviewed yet, but my favorite is Our Homesick Songs by Emma Hooper! Devastated by the loss of the fishing industry, the folks of the small Newfoundland village of Big Running gradually abandoned their homes to find work elsewhere. The Connors, however, have hung on, trying to wait for the cod to return to their waters. Our Homesick Songs is ...

added by jenclair 2 months, 3 weeks ago. under books , garden , mail , reading

Thoughtful Tuesday: On Our Own? Book Date. To Do Tuesday. from Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

Thoughtful Tuesdays

This post from Lesley at Life in the Spacious Place blessed me immensely. I was reminded that we are never alone in our journey for the LORD is always with us. We were never meant to go through life alone - ever. I hope you'll hop on over to Life in the Spacious Place and be encouraged!

High Quality Thank You Blank Meme Template

Thank you, Lesley, for such a comforting reminder of our Father's love!

Book Date -Currently Reading

Image result for the story the bible as one continuing story of god

I'm enjoying reading at least a chapter a week of The Story I highly recommend this book! I did fall behind while we ...

added by Miaismine 2 months, 3 weeks ago. under book date , books , drainage bag covers , jp drain bags , reading , scrappy four patch , scrappy sewing , spring granny afghan , thoughtful tuesday , yo yo quilt

So long, April... from Bayou Quilts

You have been a month filled with letters, poetry, and gardening. National Letter Writing Month and National Poetry Month have concluded, but letters and poetry will continue being written by folks who love to write and receive letters and by poets who, thank heavens, spill their words onto paper.

Gardening will continue as well--for a while at least around here. It was 85 degrees (29.444 C) yesterday (plus humidity which makes it feel even hotter), and I was a hot sweaty mess early. May will be reaching even higher temperatures and higher humidity, and enthusiasm for any real outdoor ...

added by jenclair 3 months, 2 weeks ago. under books , desk , mail art , national letter writing month , national poetry month , reading , tessellation

Mail, National Poetry Month, and Circe by Madeline Miller from Bayou Quilts

Incoming

from Connie

Outgoing

The Billy Collins quote make me want to graffiti his poems on sidewalks. :)

Postcards to grands

to Mila

Spring is like a perhaps hand

(which comes carefully

out of Nowhere) arranging

a window, into which people look...

--e e cummings

to Max

to Bryce Eleanor

On the back, a quote from Carl Sandburg:

"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits."

* I love this idea: 1000 Poems by Mail

Reading: Just finished Circe by Madeline Miller. It was wonderful! Beautiful prose and a fascinating look at myths and gods from the point of view of Circe ...

added by jenclair 3 months, 2 weeks ago. under books , mail art , reading , snail mail

» Bayou Quilts

Spring

The Japanese Maple in the back; leaves catching the late afternoon sun.

I bought 3 Kangaroo Paws which I like because they are so unusual.

And columbines

I can't plant them yet because we are going to have some too-tall birch trees taken down first. Every time the tree guys are scheduled, it rains...so things are moving slowly. It is frustrating, but there is plenty of other stuff to do in the meantime.

The problem is that right now that in this time of wonderful temperatures, there is also so much pollen. I weed for a while ...

added by jenclair 4 months, 2 weeks ago. under books , embroidery , garden , mail art , mushrooms , reading

Tuesday Archives # 187: Rainbows from Val's Quilting Studio

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives!

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party. (You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: "Rainbows!"

This Rainbow of Hexagons is one of my favorites made and as I skim back through my archives this week, I'm surprised to realize that it's been three years ago since I made it for Sarah's Annual Hands ...

added by Val's Quilting Studio 5 months ago. under hexagons , reading , tuesday archives

More Mushrooms and the Medieval Attitude Toward Cats from Bayou Quilts

More mushrooms in progress. Which means that I've been watching more Netflix.

I've altered patterns multiple times, experimenting with various sizes and shapes.

Many don't work very well, and some are quite fiddly because they are so mall. Nevertheless, I've enjoyed the process and have several more ideas to try. :)

I recently finished a novel by Minette Walters called The Last Hours. Although Walters is best known for her dark, psychological crime novels, The Last Hours is a historical novel set in 1348 during the first onset of the plague. Like many others, I've always ...

added by jenclair 5 months, 1 week ago. under books , embroidery , mushrooms , reading

Catching up on Books and Movies with a giveaway from From My Carolina Home

It has been a while since I talked about the books I’m reading and movies to recommend. For those getting my posts via email, you might not know that I link my Goodreads reviews on the sidebar so you can see my latest reviews. I like to read a variety of books, lately becoming bored with murder mysteries though, so I am reading more general fiction. I have a giveaway today too, so here we go! Affiliate links are provided to all the books, just click on the titles.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – A compelling and thought provoking ...

added by Carole @ From My Carolina Home 6 months, 1 week ago. under books , books and reading , margaret goes modern , movies , never change , nightingale , reading , reviews , secret history , the post (Comments)

Blue Moon, Books, Mail Art from Bayou Quilts

Blue Moon Eclipse
About 5:00 this morning, the blue moon was still bright and full, and I watched until it gradually dropped in the sky and the house behind us blocked the view. My husband was about to leave for work and offered to drive me (still in pj's) to where we could see it from the boulevard. We watched part of the eclipse from there. We stayed for a while, watching the shadow cover the huge moon, but he had to leave so he brought me home before it was finished. I was satisfied. I didn't ...

added by jenclair 6 months, 1 week ago. under books , mail art , reading , snail mail

» Bayou Quilts

In the aftermath of Christmas and New Year's, when I'd almost recovered from all of the activities and was ready to fall back into my usual quiet routine. I had plans and energy still going, and was ready for a new direction...but then I fell victim to the same thing other family members have had. Unlike Amelia and Fee, I didn't feel terrible (so grateful), but fatigue, inability to concentrate, headache. Sleeping. A lot. Thank Goodness, it wasn't the flu. This has been a terrible year for the flu--really epidemic proportions.

On Tuesday, we actually ...

added by jenclair 6 months, 3 weeks ago. under books , mail art , reading , snow

Philippians 4:11. Covered In Love. 2018 Library Love Challenge. from Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

Philippians 4:11
Scripture

Observation
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Whatever.
The.
Circumstances.
Application
To be content whatever the circumstances? Think of Paul's life:
flogged
imprisoned
beaten
stoned
shipwrecked
lost at sea
hunger
cold
under constant threat
(2 Cor. 11:16-30)
Yet, he learned to be content in
WHATEVER
circumstance.
As we journey into 2018, can we
seek at least 30 seconds of contentment every day?
joy?
gratitude?
Sometimes, even this can be so difficult to do as we are buffeted by life.
Maybe, just maybe, if we can achieve this goal every day for ...

added by Miaismine 7 months ago. under 2018 library love challenge , bible study , charity sewing , covered in love , paul , philippians , reading , string blocks

What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

This week's theme is: "Rainbows!"