One sure way to tell it‘s not as warm today- I got under a blanket for some pre dinner reading and I was suddenly covered in cats.

My favorite tree to read under is in bloom!

No #boringkindlecover for me this month. I‘ve got a real live book! #HashTagBrigade #LetsDoThis

My #Bookspinbingo board was very left handed this month. Bailed on 3 books, but at least they‘re off the list!

Of the 18 books I read in March these were the top 12. March started slow for me, but I think The Woman In White, Beautyland, and History of Sound will be on my best of 25 list.

It‘s my favorite hour of the weekend! #HyggeHour

I had a late lunch so skipped dinner but needed a little toast and butter to get me through the night. Also enjoying cinnamon milk using the recipe from @kspenmoll

And for books finally starting the March #Naturalitsy read.

Enjoy your hour all.

My usual Sunday night volunteer gig is as a hall monitor during Religious Education classes. Usually I‘m with the teens but tonight they needed me with the littles. My typical reading time has turned into trying to talk a small child from yelling “noodles” over and over at the top of his lungs. Not gonna lie I kind of want to join. Something about yelling noodles in church appeals to me. Not much reading getting done though.

Finally got around to this one for #TOB25

I assumed this would be total fluff (not that there‘s anything wrong with that) but it was pretty deep albeit in a fluffy way. I liked what it had to say about taking care of yourself, finding the true you as you get older, loneliness, and grief. I loved how the author handled the pandemic. It made me laugh too.

Not my favorite short list title, but I can see why so many people love it.

Library haul. Left hand stack are my holds and right hand stack is what I bought at the friends of the library sale.

Checked out a bunch of books at the library then used the money we saved on brunch.

Getting my stack of books together for April and it's about a half a cat high. It's way too ambitious given I don't read that many physical books any more. We'll see though. I do have spring break and lighter nights coming up. I'll tag the books in the comments because I also have a bunch of audiobooks and kindle books I want to get to too. Oh and a trip to the library today to pick up some more holds...

#BookspinBingo @TheAromaOfBooks

I enjoyed this book even though I think I‘m going to have to read it again to fully understand what happened.

#BookedInTime #FoodAndLit #Ireland

I have the day off today. Starting off with a leisurely #BookAndBreakfast - pulled a scone from the freezer and made some tea to go along with this book which started slow but has turned into quite the page turner.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) pretty bird in a tree on my walk
2) scouting area fish fries with my husband
3) in the spring even the weeds look pretty
4) veggie garden starting to grow
5) cherry blossoms!
Happy Friday everyone!

@LiseWorks I love this bookmark. Thank you!

This is one of those books I can read every year or so and I get something different from it every time. Looking forward to discussing with the #LosersClub later this month.

I finally opened my spring card swap envelopes today. Thanks so much swappers. These cards brought me a lot of joy! And thanks @TheBookHippie for hosting this great activity 🌸🌺🌷🌹🍀

#HyggeHour time. This weekend went way too fast. Catching my breath before tomorrow. @AllDebooks @TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit

Got the fire pit going for the first time this year.

Setting up my water and book station for my long day of yard work. Yay spring!!

We often don‘t know we have wings until we are forced to fly.
How We Learn to Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Buddy

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) spring blooms are starting
2) tickets from a friend to tour George Washington‘s house
3) spring sports are starting
4) afternoon baseball games on the radio
5) beautiful skies this week
Bonus joy- Litsy is fixed!
Happy Friday all!

Just reached the part that will always make me scared of the Lincoln Tunnel. #IYKYK #LosersClub #KingFromBeginning #ITakeTheBridge

Loved this month‘s #HashtagBrigade read. The characters in this one stole the show. Thanks @BarkingMadRead for leading us.

I had high hopes for this cozy mystery set at a B&B during a letterboxing weekend but it was kind of all over the place. Not sure I‘d read more. #ThematicCozies @julieclair

This was so fun, like a Percy Jackson book with a bigger dose of girl power. Yet another book I would have never read if it weren‘t for #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

Got up early to make Irish breakfast tea and scones from the tagged cookbook. So good, but with 3 sticks of butter most of these will be going in the freezer to be eaten slowly. #FoodAndLit #Ireland

Happy Friday all!

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) the moon this week has been extraordinary and I can‘t stop looking at it
2) flowers! They‘re suddenly everywhere 🌹🌸🌺🌷
3) heart shaped rock
4) Quote from daughter “Mom, bruh, you didn‘t tell me this tournament was at Chilton” at field hockey last weekend
5) It‘s been warm enough to open the sun room and the cats are thrilled

Have a great weekend!

#plans

It was so fun to revisit this with the #PemberLittens

I‘m glad #FoodAndLit #Ireland got me to finally read this book that‘s been on my TBR forever. It takes place in Ireland around Christmas time in the 1980‘s. It‘s short, but impactful as the main character wrestles with what his life means and what he owes to others.

I can‘t wait until Friday to share this joy. I had a little extra time today so I walked home instead of taking the bus. I listened to Pride & Prejudice and suddenly there are flowers everywhere. A great and peaceful half hour.

We visited Cumberland Island last Easter without knowing much about it. Between the beaches, the abandoned mansions, and the wild horses it was like stepping into a novel. I‘m now on a mission to learn as much as I can about it. This nonfiction book was a good starting place to learn about some of the history, gossip, and scandals.

I started cleaning up some of my gardens this morning while listening to the tagged book. I know it‘s too early but I can never help myself!

He can‘t put a tariff on joy. Let‘s do this.

1) walking by the river
2) found my cat sitting in a way too small basket in the sun room
3) sun is starting to come up when I go to work early in the morning
4) signs of spring
5) enjoying the lights of old town while picking up my daughter

Have a good weekend everyone.

I absolutely adored this book. A coming of age story about a possible alien born right around the same year I was? Yes, please. This is the second audiobook in a row that I‘ve listened to where I wanted to buy a paper copy so I can underline all of the parts I loved. This is now my pick for #TOB2025 and likely to be a favorite this year.

It took me a while to get through this book about the massacre of Nepal‘s Royal family in 2001, but I ended up liking it. I still have a lot of questions about what happened, but the authors did a good job of setting the scene as best they could. I read a lot of mountaineering books so it was good to get a different sense of the country‘s recent history. #FoodAndLit #Nepal

This audiobook hit just right this weekend. It‘s a set of interconnected short stories each read by a different narrator. Next I want to read the paper version and take notes on how they all relate. I loved the New England settings and the pace of the stories. Really good.

Reading + tea + cheesecake + Jimmy Buffet = #hyggehour

I‘m taking the cold snap today personally.

First porch reading session 2025

Strong opening line for the latest #HashtagBrigade read might make up for the wonky chapters that make it hard to read on schedule. #BoringKindleCover

Happy birthday @Mimi28 from these two who say the best seat in the house is in the freshly folded laundry

And from LibraryThing my top 12 reads from February.

This month‘s reading wrap up from StoryGraph. All of my top books were kind of depressing. Next month I vow to read something happy.

I was excited to see Michael Crichton had a pirate book because I love listening to his audiobooks when I walk. Unfortunately this one didn‘t gel with me. Oh well. #BookedInTime @Cuilin

This was a kind of textbook/workbook about privilege, power, and empowerment. Nothing new here, but it is good to have it all in one place. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1) warm days and signs of spring
2) my son was able to attend a life changing retreat at school (he‘s been doing the laundry unasked since he came back!)
3) kitchen water issues almost fixed - got a new dishwasher finally!
4) cats everywhere always making me laugh
5) physical therapy finally starting to work- feeling in my hand for the first time in months

Happy Friday everyone!

This was a fun retelling of Sense and Sensibility if murder was involved. #JaneAustenThenAndNow @Crinoline_Laphroaig

If you‘re reading this for insights on the Apollo 13 mission don‘t. However if you want fun stories about astronaut training from a guy with a laid back attitude this is worth a read. I loved the stories about the different places they traveled to study geology before going to the moon. I also appreciated his thoughts about climate change at the end too.

Lana Lee is about to go on a romantic vacation with her boyfriend when she has to stop and solve a murder. The descriptions of food in this series are as good as the mysteries. #ThematicCozies @julieclair