Linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer and It's Monday! What are You Reading? hosted by Sheila from Book Journey.
On the home front:
Caught up with family on Tuesday, midweek I succumbed to a head cold, by the end of the week I felt like I'd been hit by a bus and with a head feeling the size of a pumpkin, review writing was deemed a lost cause. Bouncing back for a new week :)
I'm not adding much to my reading list this week as the review backlog is getting scary ... time for an intervention lol. I actually have some great recipes and cookbook reviews to post over the next couple of weeks and following enthusiastic requests for the Kladdkaka (Swedish Chocolate Cake) recipe, I promise hope to have that one up next week.
Banned Books Week (Sept 27th - Oct 3rd) hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. This is always an interesting week, head over to Book Journey to check out everyone's posts.
I'll be posting about these children's books on Tuesday - And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (I loved this book so much when I was a kid)
#FitReaders Weekly Check-In
#FitReaders co-hosted by Felicia @ Geeky Bloggers Book Blog and Jen @ That’s What I’m Talking About. FitReaders is a great way to stay motivated, accountable and it's more fun having bloggy friends to check in with. If you also have a fitbit and want to add me, let me know :)
I'm surprised I was back on target this week but it was good to be out in the fresh air on the weekend ... blow the germs away. Our vegetable plot in the local community garden is all planted - corn, baby spinach, shallots, baby carrots, tomatoes, fennel, capsicum, and zucchini and I can't wait to share fresh organic veges with the kids. I grow herbs and a few veges at home but we have limited space so this is ideal and fun being more involved with a friendly group of locals.
Fitbit Steps:
Mon: 9588 steps ~ walk with Bella
Tue: 12,374 steps ~ catch up with family
Wed: 8184 steps ~ walk to community garden + gardening
Thurs: 7136 steps
Fri: 5381 steps
Sat: 8111 steps ~ walk to community garden with Bella + gardening
Sun: 8333 steps ~ walk to community garden with Bella
************
Reviews & Posts: (click on title)
PRETENDING TO DANCE by Diane Chamberlain ~ another winner from Diane Chamberlain
************
Finished last week:
THE SADDLER BOYS by Fiona Palmer ~ really enjoyable Aussie rural romance
THE SADDLER BOYS by Fiona Palmer ~ really enjoyable Aussie rural romance
LONE STAR by Paullina Simons (audiobook) ~ slow start but very good
************
This Week's Reading List:
THE LAKE HOUSE by Kate Morton ~ yippee! Book tour
AND TANGO MAKES THREE by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell
THE OUTBACK MIDWIFE by Beth McRae (audiobook) ~ great memoir so far
************
Reviews Coming:
UNDER THE MOON by Gabriele Wills (Muskoka Trilogy #3) ~ good until the abrupt end, then I realised the trilogy is no longer a trilogy. Not sure when book 4 is due for release.
THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE by Amy E. Reichert ~ another fave this year
HAPPY GO PALEO by Irena Macri ~
THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE by Amy E. Reichert ~ another fave this year
THE LITTLE FLOWER SHOP BY THE SEA by Ali McNamara (audiobook) ~ good listen
ALMOST FRENCH by Sarah Turnball (audiobook) ~ loved it
ON RUE TATIN: LIVING AND COOKING IN A FRENCH TOWN by Susan Herrmann Loomis ~ wonderful for anyone dreaming of living in France. Review Friday
Loving that photo of you!! I wish I could garden here .... it's just tooooooooo hot! :(
ReplyDeleteI think we're going to get a scorcher of a summer but I've got my fingers crossed the weather stays mild until the little seedlings are established. How hot do you get Julie??
DeleteI hope you are feeling better! I always feel like my world comes to a stop when I have a cold.
ReplyDeleteThe community garden is such a cool idea! I grew up in the country so my parents always had a big garden. They've scaled back somewhat in recent years but still always share their produce with me. Zucchini is a favorite :)
Hope you get caught up on your reviews and reading. I am always behind on reviews and bad about adding more books to the pile too!
I will be back to check out your Banned Books Week post. I can't believe someone tried to ban Winnie the Pooh!
I feel much better already thanks Christina. I've missed having a big vege garden so I'm really excited about this, if you couldn't tell lol
DeleteGood luck to both of us getting caught up :)
Oh that head cold sounds nasty! I hope you're feeling better soon! My review book pile definitely needs help too, I keep reading them and adding new ones at the same time.
ReplyDeleteSwedish Chocolate Cake, that sounds delicious! I'll have to stop by later this week to chekc out your post about that! I hope you have a great week!
Thanks Lola. these Sunday/Monday posts are dangerous and I have no will power lol. You have a great week too!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear you have a head cold. I hate those and they always seem to drag on forever. Hopefully all the fresh air has made you feel a bit better.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing what you think of the Kate Morton. I've really enjoyed other books by her and am looking forward to this one.
Enjoy your garden! There's nothing better than fresh veggies.
Definitely feeling better thanks Katherine, fresh air must have done the trick lol. I'm not far in to The Lake House but Kate Morton's writing is gorgeous, I loved The Forgotten Garden.
DeleteYay garden :) I am saying goodbye to my garden for the fall, but we are still getting things so..
ReplyDeletenothing better than getting produce from your own garden, Mia loves picking tomatoes so she will have fun :)
DeleteGreat gardening and walking! I loved Pretending to Dance....and hope to start The Lake House next week....
ReplyDeleteEnjoy feeling better! Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
Thanks Laurel, I'll keep an eye out for your review.
DeleteThe one thing I don't like about the change of seasons is it's so easy to get sick, seems like. I sometimes get a cold in the fall or springs when the temp changes. Hope you feel better! Fresh vegetables are the best- once I got used to tomatoes from the garden, it was very hard to buy store bought!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out your post on Pooh as that's a favorite and it still blows my mind that would be banned.
I was patting myself on the back for having a no cold/flu winter lol but we all copped this one Greg and it did cool off again this week so you're probably right about the temp change.
DeleteArgh you are so right about the fresh veggies, you get spoilt and store bought just doesn't taste the same :)
Amazing steps in spite of the head cold. I have heard of community gardens in England but never thought of them elsewhere. Sounds like you have an amazing number of vegies in. My garden is dug over, but still a bit chilly to plant up. In fact was so cold not even the silver beet grew over the winter.
ReplyDeleteHave put Almost French into my wishlist at Audible. Have ordered Coincidence of Coconut Cake from Book Dep! I have never read Kate Morton but maybe I should try her, I have The Shifting Fog on my shelf that I got from Book Fair last year.
All the best for the review intervention!
When the boys were little we had a big veggie garden but it was a lot colder and the frosts were a killer (west QLD) Brisbane doesn't get the severe temps or frosts really so we're lucky. I forgot about silver beet but maybe it's a winter vege? I'm a bit rusty with what gets planted when.
DeleteAlmost French is funny, great story and her sense of humour really appealed, not to mention the whole Paris setting lol.
I know anything French is your downfall but still sounds good. Silver Beet is more a winter veg, too much salad around in summer. Yes we still might get a frost but I have potatoes ready to plant. As I live near sea my soil is very sandy but we shall see what it does this year.
DeleteI put in a late request for The Lake House. Somehow I missed two months of A & U new release emails so apologised and asked if it was too late to put in some requests. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteWhat part of Brisbane do you live in Teddyree? The community garden looks great! What a wonderful idea.
I love Kate Morton! Enjoy The Lake House. I've not read that one yet.
ReplyDeleteAwesome job on steps despite feeling crappy. I sure hope you're feeling better today! That's really cool about the community garden. I wish I had any kind of green thumb or desire to do that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear what you think of The Lake House!!
Fantastic week. I see a lot of good books in this post.
ReplyDeleteGoing to check out your review of PRETENDING TO DANCE. I liked it, but not as much as her other books.
I am jealous of THE LAKE HOUSE....I love Kate Morton's books.
Have another wonderful reading week this week.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My It's Monday, What Are You Reading
I hope you are feeling better! I'll be posting about a couple of Dr. Seuss books Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteYou did awesome with Fit-Bit this week. Everyone seems to have a cold, cough or runny nose. Tis the season. It does get you down though, so I am glad you are bouncing back!
ReplyDelete