a couple of books that might interest you.

So I finished Mudbound by Hillary Jordan and The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch, translated by Lee Chadeayne for my two book club picks for March.  Both are good reads. 

Mudbound  is set in 1946 in the Mississippi Delta, where ‘city girl’ Laura McAllan is adjusting to farm life, as well as raising her daughters. She fights to be the wife her land-loving husband, Henry, wants her to be.  Everyday is a struggle for the family. Henry’s brother, Jamie, returns from the war a changed man with nightmares that haunt him and a never ending taste for alcohol.  He befriends Ronsel Jackson, son of a sharecropper, who has been thrust back into being a ‘boy’ in the South.  Their friendship is a thought provoking look at the South in the late 40’s.  

The Hangman's Daughter is a novel set in the mid-1600’s in Schongau, Bavaria.  Jakob Kuisl is the hangman who must determine if a tattoo found on a dying boy is the work of witches.  This historical work of fiction is based on the real-life Kuisl family.  German rulers of the time were always on the look out for the possibility of witches and the author provides much historical background to support that school of thought.  The other main characters, Magdalena, Jakob’s daughter and Simon, the physician’s son are extremely believable in their roles.  Although some readers may find some of the practices gruesome, the book is interesting to read; particularly when noted that the book is based on the life of a real hangman.

I find being able to share the books between my Kindle and my DroidX gives me no excuse to be behind on reading.  The hardest part is remembering the check the location to sync or to turn on the Kindle's wireless to automatically sync the two.  

that winter can hang on with a vengence!

Yesterday we drove to a swim meet for oldest grandson.  The outside looked like this when we left home at 7:00 am ...yes, that is ice.

The time at the swim meet was more like this....

But we came home to this.....

 Will spring ever get here - and stay????  I am seriously sick of winter.  Don't get me wrong, I like some winter and a bit of snow and I can bundle up on a cold day.  However, ice on the trees for 2 days is a bit much. 

mice like birdseed too!

I really knew that already.  We learned that lesson and no longer keep our birdseed in the garage.  We keep it in a big covered container outside near the feeders.  But I saw this very strange 'bird' under the feeder.  A scurrying kind of creature.  A mouse!!  It was very brave, ignored the finches and sparrows, glanced at the doves and gathered a large amount of seeds before leaving.  I hope it's gone, but in reality I know it is there and it has friends and family....as long as they stay out of my house I can cope. 

birds are lovely, and messy!

I am constantly amazed that these lovely winged creatures:

Make a constant mess that looks like this:

 

I really checked out....sorry!

I don't know what happened.  I think it might be cleaning the parents house, or visiting the parents at the new apartment, or doctor's appointments, or snow, or cold, or laziness.  But I am back.
My book club met last night.  My favorite one, I call it the 'thinking' book club because we really discuss the books we read.  For long and extended periods of time.  It is not a big group, last night there were just 4 of us.  It was a good discussion of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.  If you like the idea of a historical novel set in the Seattle area with human interest thrown in, this is the book for you.  Some reviews are better than others, but our little group found it a pretty good read.
Hopefully the weather forecast is correct and we have a warm-up on the way.  I am ready!

thin bagels are icky!

I bought a package of very thin bagels in an act of saving calories and carbs.  Never again!  The Ranger and I agree they taste like cardboard (maybe not that good) and you have to add such an huge amount of peanut butter and/or jelly on top to get some taste; every bit of calorie comes back to get you.

On another note -- the 'parents' side by side is totally clean and shiny after 2 hours of work yesterday.  And the garage is slowly getting cleaner.  I am continuing to come home and clean a drawer or cupboard so my girls do NOT have to do this.

The Ranger and I are planning a get away - whatever!  That means we are finishing a bottle of wine after dinner and talking about where we can 'go' later this spring.  I think the real word for that is DREAMING!  But there are some good options being discussed and if it really does make the planning stage, I will post it here.

Daughter J had a birthday yesterday!

This post was suppose to have been done on her birthday, but because her mother is such a procrastinator she (mom) was busy making her card and her cupcakes and planning dinner to take to her house.  We had a great evening and she says it was a good birthday (in spite of the fact that an important member of her family was not there to share).  You have grown into a fine woman, wife and mother.  I am proud of you in more ways that I can say. 
So a belated Happy Birthday...may you have many, many more.