Good Morning Readers
Sitting here with a warm comforter, hot cup of coffee and 63 degree indoor temps this chilly morning. I think I need to flip the gas fireplace switch and get the chill out. Columbus Day weekend has always been a favorite weekend of mine. I am off from work on Monday, plus I'm taking Tuesday off, so a 4-day weekend makes me happy.
Yesterday dh and I took a ride to the Berkshires for some leaf peeping and a stop at the outlet malls. My (3) favorite stores: Ann Taylor, Talbots and Eddie Bauer had everything in the store on sale for either 60%, 50% or 40% off (imagine how much $$ they make when there isn't a sale). I got some great bargain and who doesn't love new clothes.
My oldest granddaughter (2.5 years-old) was a flower girl in a wedding in the Berkshires yesterday. I haven't seen all of the pictures yet, but here are a few taken with the iPhone.
flower girl
sisters - October 11th 2014
precious E - 3months
Today we will be visiting my son, DIL and precious E above and will get in even more leaf peeping as they live in a beautiful wooded area with nothing but trees. Tomorrow is a trip to the apple orchards and hopefully I'll be making apple crisp tomorrow night, and then Tuesday another day trip and out for lunch somewhere or if it rains, maybe we'll go and see Gone Girl.
Reading Notes
About a week ago I finished Jodi Picoult's new book, Leaving Time, which releases this Tuesday, and I just loved it. It's a very emotional story about a 13 year-old girl who is trying to find out what happened to her mother, a scientist who disappeared while studying the plight of elephants and their emotional attachment to their young. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive this far. This may be my favorite book of the year. No review yet, it's one I've made lots of notes on as I read.
I'm also listening Edge of Eternity (Book 3); Ken Follett which I am loving and also listening to A Dog's Purpose, W. Bruce Cameron (narrated by a dog) which is good as well. I'm also reading a non fiction book called Purr Therapy; Kathy McCoy, which is making me very angry as I read. (I'll share my reasons when I review this one).
New Books
- Five Days Left; Julie Lawson Timmer (Putnam and Amazon Vine)
- Edge of Eternity; Ken Follett (Penguin Audio)
- The Mill River Redemption; Dancie Chan (Ballantine/paperback swap)
- A Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and the Quest to See it All; Luke Dempsey (Bloomsbury/paperback swap)
- Love Me Back; Merritt Tierce (Doubleday/paperback swap)
Have a great weekend everyone!
Those little ones are so darn cute and you have such a pretty family.
ReplyDeleteThank you Brian.....just like your sisters:)
DeleteAhhhh! Cute pictures!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sheila
DeleteSo cute! The flower girl looks like someone from a shampoo commercial skipping over the meadows :) She and her sister are almost identical in facial features and the youngest one is so adorable too. Enjoy them at this age and that they are close enough for you to visit.
ReplyDeleteI want to read the newest Jodi Picoult! I know she's been getting a bad rap lately, but the criticism applied to her (too formulaic, too much angst) can be applied to several authors whom I've enjoyed through the years. I love elephants too so that angle interested me. I'd like to read 5 Days Left also, has good buzz and interesting premise.
Thanks Rita.....the sisters mouths are very similar, but the oldest is the image of her dad at that age and the youngest looks like my daugher -- kinda nice really.
DeleteYour grandkids look so adorable! It's been cold here all morning and I am resisting the urge to turn on the heater. It's gloomy and rainy outside so that makes it feel extra cold. Enjoy your long weekend!
ReplyDeleteWe've still avoided using the furnace, but any day now. Thanks for the sweet comments.
DeleteSounds like you have had a wonderful week! I can't believe your granddaughter is old enough to be a flower girl - seems like just yesterday you were announcing that you were going to be a grandma!
ReplyDeleteLisa - I know what you mean, it seems like yesterday we were awaiting the birth of the oldest. But, then, that's how life is right?
DeleteThat little dress is so cute! What lovely granddaughters!
ReplyDeleteThank you Heidi.
DeleteThe flower girl is adorable as are the others babies! Enjoy the long weekend. My hubby has been after me to make apple crisp. I have got to finish Winter of the World so I can get to Edge of Eternity.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nise. Winter of the World was very good IMO
DeleteYour grandchildren are adorable! Have a great long weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks Victoria, Christmas should be fun moving forward.
DeleteAwww, the little ones are so cute. I requested the new Jodi Picoult book in audio - hope it's as good as you say. The bird book sounds funny. I don't chase birds - well, maybe a few - but I do know people who will.
ReplyDeleteThanks Leslie. I do hope u love the Picoult audio - such a good story IMO
DeleteYour grandchildren are so sweet, Diane - they are all growing so fast! Hope you're enjoying the rest of your long weekend. We took a drive through the southern Adirondacks yesterday to visit my FIL in eastern NY (practically on VT border)... it was a beautiful day and the colors were stunning.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear The Edge of Eternity is good. Hope to get started on Winter of the World soon (in print).
Thanks JoAnn -- the Follet books are always such tomes, but well worth the time invested.
DeleteI also loved Leaving Time! Your little ones are so cute and I know you are enjoying them more than anything else!
ReplyDeleteThank you Harvee,
DeleteSo happy to hear that you also enjoyed Picoult's new book. Still need to do my review.
I just finished Edge of Eternity (reading, not listening) and liked it well enough, but not as much as the first two. Will be interested to hear your thoughts. I also love Picoult, but haven't read her latest! It's actually been awhile since I read one of hers...I went through a phase where I read a bunch of her books back to back...I need to work her back into the rotation! Sounds like a great weekend - your granddaughter is adorable!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I am enjoying Edge of Eternity so far, and I highly recommend trying Jodi's new book.
DeleteThanks for the sweet comments on my girls:)
Oh my goodness, that fuzzy bear outfit is too adorable!
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect for Halloween too Melissa with a little face paint:)
DeleteAwwww, what an adorable flower girl! Your grand kids are so cute! I'll be interested to hear about the book that is making you angry. Your recommendation of the Jodi Picoult book may have convinced me to give it a try. She's not usually one of my favorite authors. Enjoy your long weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen - We are heading up Vermont way tomorrow so I'll be looking for all those lovely barns you've posted pics of :)
DeleteWow, what a wonderful weekend you had!
ReplyDeleteI have missed the last few Picoult novels and really want to get back to them.
Enjoy your books this week!
Sue
Book By Book
Hi Sue,
DeleteThe weekend was packed and full and I even managed to clean my windows:)
Try the new Picoult -- so good.
Diane, your grandchildren are beautiful! Thank you for sharing your pics. I'm glad you enjoyed the new book by Jodi Picoult. She's such a prolific writer!
ReplyDeleteAdorable grandchildren!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read the new Jodi Picoult book...I have the prequel on Sparky.
I love the pictures of your granddaughters. They're so cute.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're enjoying your short week! You're so lucky to live near all those gorgeous fall colors. Ours leaves turn more yellow than red, but we do have some areas with sugar maples, so I'm not complaining.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of Ken Follett's new series, but loved The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End (on audio), so I'll have to get moving on these three! And the new Picoult book! I was just wondering what I should read next, now that I've finished Peter Heller's The Dog Stars (excellent!). Thanks for the reminder. It's been ages since I've read anything by Picoult. I love her books, but can't read them too close together.
Those grandchildren are absolutely adorable! I'll bet you have lots of fun with them.
great pictures! It sounds like you had a great weekend with your family!
ReplyDeleteYour grandkids are so adorable, Diane. I'm glad you're enjoying your autumn!
ReplyDelete