Pondering: One day last week I received my usual daily email from The Universe - this particular one had a PS of several questions for me to ponder. "what’s your “happiness-level” in each of these areas? 1. Relationships 2. Wealth & abundance 3. Creative livelihood 4. Losing weight & looking great 5. Health & healing? My guess is that there’s still room for even greater happiness in each one."
Reading: I just finished A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny - more of her main character, Armand Gamache. I have read a couple of her other books, but this one grabbed me in ways that a book hasn't done since The Thirteen Tale. It's a story on top of another story. The two stories overlap in really interesting ways & the minor story made me cry. There was also a very interesting (to me) observation made that a country right through to a little village's geography is its history. Now sit with that for a moment & think about some countries, some cities that because of were they are situated is becomes the making of them, their history. The book, A Great Reckoning gives two examples; one is Venice & the other Great Britain. Venice a gateway & often invaded, started to welcome travelers, trade & became a world class city & home to great commerce & art. Great Britain being an island nation was repeatedly invaded until it realized that, that being an island was its strength & became the ruler of the waves & then much of the world. It's a thread that has started a quest to learn more, compare more the overlap of geography to history.
The book jacket describes the book - "When an intricate old map is found stuffed into the walls of the bistro in Three Pines, it at first seems no more than a curiosity. But the closer the villagers look, the stranger it becomes. Given to Armand Gamache as a gift the first day of his new job, the map eventually leads him to shattering secrets. To an old friend and older adversary. It leads the former Chief of Homicide for the Sûreté du Québec to places even he is afraid to go. But must. And there he finds four young cadets in the Sûreté academy, and a dead professor. And, with the body, a copy of the old, odd map. Everywhere Gamache turns, he sees Amelia Choquet, one of the cadets. Tattooed and pierced. Guarded and angry. Amelia is more likely to be found on the other side of a police line-up. And yet she is in the academy. A protégée of the murdered professor. The focus of the investigation soon turns to Gamache himself and his mysterious relationship with Amelia, and his possible involvement in the crime. The frantic search for answers takes the investigators back to Three Pines and a stained glass window with its own horrific secrets. For both Amelia Choquet and Armand Gamache, the time has come for a great reckoning"
I also read The Silent Patient. It was good although it was very easy to figure out who did it.
In The Shopping Cart: a stamping & die cut set that I had ordered a few weeks back finally arrived. I'm very excited to use for a special friend's birthday card. Thankfully last Friday March 1st was a beautiful day, dry roads, glorious sunshine - I had an adventure as I drove myself to the scrapping store which is about a 45-50 minute drive each way. Normally Mr Man likes to take this drive with me but unfortunately he's down & out with a very bad back injury. He'll be fine, it will just will take rest to heal. My adventure to the scrapping store was my reward for being such a good nurse this last week!
Weather Report: we have paid for that beautiful Friday with more snow on Saturday - it was Christmas Eve type snow - big fluffy snowflakes & very pretty to look at, which I did because I did not venture out. Saturday early evening or is it Prevening? .. anyway a young man (14yrs old) knocked at our door wanting to know if he could shovel our driveway for $10 & as the snow was the wet heavy type, I said yes & thank you. Sunday we had a return to glorious sunshine.
Angel Card: March is Listening.
New month, new beginning, new mindset, new focus, new start, new intentions, new results ...
The book jacket describes the book - "When an intricate old map is found stuffed into the walls of the bistro in Three Pines, it at first seems no more than a curiosity. But the closer the villagers look, the stranger it becomes. Given to Armand Gamache as a gift the first day of his new job, the map eventually leads him to shattering secrets. To an old friend and older adversary. It leads the former Chief of Homicide for the Sûreté du Québec to places even he is afraid to go. But must. And there he finds four young cadets in the Sûreté academy, and a dead professor. And, with the body, a copy of the old, odd map. Everywhere Gamache turns, he sees Amelia Choquet, one of the cadets. Tattooed and pierced. Guarded and angry. Amelia is more likely to be found on the other side of a police line-up. And yet she is in the academy. A protégée of the murdered professor. The focus of the investigation soon turns to Gamache himself and his mysterious relationship with Amelia, and his possible involvement in the crime. The frantic search for answers takes the investigators back to Three Pines and a stained glass window with its own horrific secrets. For both Amelia Choquet and Armand Gamache, the time has come for a great reckoning"
I also read The Silent Patient. It was good although it was very easy to figure out who did it.
In The Shopping Cart: a stamping & die cut set that I had ordered a few weeks back finally arrived. I'm very excited to use for a special friend's birthday card. Thankfully last Friday March 1st was a beautiful day, dry roads, glorious sunshine - I had an adventure as I drove myself to the scrapping store which is about a 45-50 minute drive each way. Normally Mr Man likes to take this drive with me but unfortunately he's down & out with a very bad back injury. He'll be fine, it will just will take rest to heal. My adventure to the scrapping store was my reward for being such a good nurse this last week!
Weather Report: we have paid for that beautiful Friday with more snow on Saturday - it was Christmas Eve type snow - big fluffy snowflakes & very pretty to look at, which I did because I did not venture out. Saturday early evening or is it Prevening? .. anyway a young man (14yrs old) knocked at our door wanting to know if he could shovel our driveway for $10 & as the snow was the wet heavy type, I said yes & thank you. Sunday we had a return to glorious sunshine.
New month, new beginning, new mindset, new focus, new start, new intentions, new results ...
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| Source: Internet |
Good morning to you! Reading this post was a good way to start the day. I've read all the Louise Penny mysteries. You're right, some are better than others, but I've enjoyed them all. The latest, Glass Houses, was particularly good, and now I'm waiting for the next one as there was quite a surprise at the end. Your new acquisition looks like the perfect stamp set for spring cards! Like you, I have to drive quite a long way to get to a scrapbook/stamp store. I rely on the internet most of the time.
ReplyDeleteOur blog friend, Jenn at Coffee on The Porch, has read the latest Penny book - Kingdom of The Blind, I've put that one on request, she gave it very high marks :)
DeleteMy new stamp/die set will get a workout for the garden album too. I was at a card workshop last night. My gosh this stamping is SOOOO addictive, I want them all. I think the internet is ok for some things but for me I've got to see the paper to know I like the shades & hues, mind you I will never really need to buy paper again!
I don't know either of the authors you mentioned, so I'll add them to my list.
ReplyDeleteI would highly recommend Louise Penny.
DeleteNever heard of those books, I need to investigate! Pleased to hear that the sun returned briefly for you after all those downfalls of snow.
ReplyDeleteWe had another wonderful day of brilliant sunshine but some very cold temperatures. Still I'll take that sunshine.
DeleteWhat an interesting blog, Mary Lou! I am sure I have read "A Great Reckoning" but now must go back and reread it. I also plan to order "The Silent Patient" from the library. It has been on a couple of best books lists. Thanks for the recommendations!
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you Chris. I'm looking forward to my next Louise Penny book, but in the meantime I'm reading two no that's three other books ...
DeleteInteresting seeing those dies like that. I was wondering what the outline versions were for, then I realised so you can cut into a background piece to inlay the shape. I know what mean even if I can't explain!
ReplyDeleteThe idea with this set is that you stamp the image then use the matching die cut to cut it out, but you don't have to. Some die cuts don't need a stamped image ... I'm finding it all very addictive & need to rein in my "I want that one" :)
DeleteOh, The Great Reckoning does sound interesting! I've not read any of that series. That stamp & die set looks like some crafty fun is on the way!
ReplyDeleteThe thought about geography and a country and its history is so thought provoking. It brings to mind why/how Houston became one of the world's largest ports. Originally Galveston was the seaport; however, the hurricane of 1900 flooded Galveston and lead to a years-long rebuild...during which time, traffic continued upriver to the Houston port, where it continues to this day.
I did not know that about Houston & Galveston - I've been trying to discover more about certain places in regards to their geography making their history.
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