A little bit of everything

Reviews!

A House Called Tomorrow: Fifty Years of Poetry from Copper Canyon Press (Adult Nonfiction)

A HUGE anthology with a variety of poems. My favorite poem from this collection is Separation by W.S. Merwin:

"Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color."

A Trauma-Informed Framework for Supporting Patrons: The PLA Workbook of Best Practices (Adult Nonfiction)

This is a little redundant with lots of common sense moments, but there are plenty of helpful moments that more than outweigh these issues. Great for anyone working in customer/patron service. Providing patrons with choices, acknowledging their emotions, introducing ourselves, and letting them know we're glad they're at the library (or wherever you work!) are a few things we can do for all our patrons. Sometimes these things are easy to do, but some situations can be a bit tricky. This book has lots of examples of unique situations and different ways we can help patrons in these situations. Helpful, educational, and an excellent resource for assisting patrons.

I Feel! by Juana Medina (Picture Book)

At first glance I Feel looks like one of those tricky one-word-a-page books that may not make a great read-aloud. But Medina is a wonderful artist gifted at creating spot-on facial expressions that will prompt lots of conversation. What makes you feel happy? What does a calm face look like? Describe a moment you felt brave?

Rainbow Shopping by Qing Zhuang (Picture Book)

I enjoyed getting to be a part of this colorful shopping trip with a young girl and her mom. The whole family works very hard, so getting to prepare dinner and sit down together to eat it is a special treat for everyone. There were so many beautiful and delicious details that used all my senses, so this would be a great book on that topic! There were also surprisingly touching and rich details like the moment the girl shows grandma her drawings and grandma compares the artwork to that of the girl’s great-grandmother’s embroidery and cut-papers artwork. A comforting, vibrant, and pleasurable story!

Cupcake Diaries #1 by Coco Simon (Juvenile Fiction)

I am late to the party with this series, but I’m so glad I joined! The characters and their issues (friendships, identity, belonging) are realistic and relevant (though I was getting more upper elementary vibes than middle school vibes).

I’m pretty sure Katie is going to be my favorite character, but I like the fact that there are different main characters in each of the books. Katie’s character was surprisingly complex, and I feel like kids can definitely relate to her. I appreciated Katie’s composure, which felt mature for her age, but also how her insecurities were present despite the lack of drama.

Like I mentioned earlier, though this series is about middle schoolers, the characters feel a bit younger. There’s an innocence to this series that I don’t usually get when reading books about middle school. It’s definitely a great readalike for fans of The Baby Sitter’s Club (BSC). It certainly spoke to my BSC heart! And just like BSC, there’s a graphic version available.

some squishy things

It has been VERY busy here.  Definitely juggling a lot of things, but I also feel like things are in a happy balance right now.  Except blogging!  I am still making lotsa art. I will hopefully have something to share soon.  The spring semester is just days away from being over.  I'm pretty sure I passed everything, thanks to much support from Robert. I'm still writing, but mostly editing and hunkering down with poems I've been close to polishing for years.  I'm hoping to start submitting to chapbook contests soon, but it's on the back burner until things are in order and polished.  Work is fantastic.  Chaotic but in the best way possible.  My library is taking a break from programming in May, so I'll have some time to figure out summer storytimes!  And fall storytimes!  

And don't worry. I've been making time for these two goofs.

Life is busy.  Life is great.

Reviews!

Thank goodness for books!  I've read some great books for all ages so far this year, but juvenile fiction may be in the lead for my favorites so far.

PAWS by Nathan Fairbairn and illustrated by Michele Assarasakorn (Juvenile Graphic Fiction)

Grade level: 3-7. This series is for anyone who loves The Baby Sitter’s Club (BSC) and/or adorable pets.  Like BSC, this book is about a handful of girls who come together to form a special group.  Unlike BSC, these girls take care of fur babies!  

This group of unlikely friends have a very big something in common.  They all love pets, but due to different issues, they cannot have any of their own.  After some trial and error they start a dog-walking service called PAWS.  

Just like BSC, it looks like the illustrator and narrator will change with each book.  As a HUGE BSC fan, I found myself constantly comparing the two series.  I love the artwork in PAWS even more, especially the second book in the series.  The facial expressions can’t be beat!  

Though the kids handle much of the pet-walking responsibilities in PAWS, Gabby’s Dad is often around, and even handles Gabby’s phone calls since she is not allowed a cell phone like her friends (this would have been my dad if cell phones existed when I was young).  I remember reading BSC as a kid and thinking the girls had a lot of autonomy and being simultaneously star struck and sick with envy about it.  I’m curious if young readers will notice this difference between the two series.  Or if they will draw any comparisons between characters.  For example, which BSC dad does Gabby’s dad remind you of? :D  

The BSC books often focus on complex issues (diabetes, an ailing grandparent, neglectful parents) in addition to everyday issues (friendships, jealousy, feeling left out).  The first two PAWS books are following this same path, but it felt like there was a lot more weight to the issues and they weren’t as easily remedied as the issues in BSC.  I appreciated this, and once again, am curious if young readers notice this and if so, how they feel about it.  Overall, I am thrilled with this new series and cannot wait for book three!

Out of Range by Heidi Lang (Juvenile Fiction)

Grade level: 3-7.  Sisters Abby, Emma, and Ollie get lost during a hiking trip and face many dangers and challenges: wild animals, getting swept away in the river, and much discomfort including fatigue, poison ivy, and hunger.  But really, all of these dangers pale in comparison to the epic fights they’ve had over the past several months, fights that ultimately led to their parents sending them to a camp to work through their problems and become friends again.  

Wooeee did this bring up memories of long-buried fights with my brothers, fights that were, at the time, the end of the world.  As an adult, I should know better, but that didn’t stop me from picking sides.  As the youngest, I found myself on Team Emma and Ollie.  And you know what?  I still didn’t really like Abby’s character even at the end.  Having said that, I think her desperation to fit in and have friends, and how that desperation clouded everything and caused her to make poor decisions, is so dang realistic, it hurts like heck.  So maybe I’m looking at some long-buried sibling fights with new insight.  Who knows?  

I was either cringing or laughing for most of this book, and I couldn’t put it down!  I think it’s a great book for kids who have recently moved and are navigating a new school.  I also think anyone who has siblings will connect to at least one character in this book.  And I can’t forget the survival element, so this book is great for fans of books that feature kids trying to survive scary things on their own. And I’m not just talking about siblings!

Uncle Ray

Thank you to The Phoenix Soul for publishing my poem, Uncle Ray.  

What a tough poem to write.  I've been writing it most of my life.  My Uncle Ray passed away when I was only six, but my few memories are only good memories, and my family did a pretty darn good job coloring in those happy lines with their own happy memories.  I didn't know him well, but I think of him often.  He made one poor decision that eventually cost him his life.  Though my family shared the happy memories, I grew up in the aftermath of that decision and its effect on my family.  

We're all connected in so many different ways.  Grief is only one of those ways.

a bridge

Just like anyone else, I have days when I'm overcome with the longing for others I cannot see or have lost.  I can be having the best day ever and the storm of all that longing hits full force.  I've had a few days like that this week.  I've surfaced a few times and have so much gratitude for the life I get to live, not just for myself but for those who now shelter in the mystery.  

Dogs are such a comfort.  A constant bridge to the here and now.

Just when I think Margo's drool can't get any better, I am gloriously proven wrong.  I often take the girls with me when I hit on the backboard, and they love it even more than I do.  Margo gets so excited she forgets to swallow, and then, if I'm lucky, nothing gets in the way of her magnificent strings of drool for a long time, and every time I look over at her, I see all that evidence of her excitement hanging from her face.  

Jo Pie has upped the cute factor with the toys.  She's pretty competitive, so I'm wondering if she's figured out how much I love looking up and seeing all their toys tucked beneath Margo, who usually hoards them so Josie can't have them.  

Grammar, Grandmas, and Puffball Farts

Reviews!  Beginning with the most compelling read first. 😆

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus and Lester Kaufman (Adult Nonfiction)

This is organized so well! It's super easy to find answers to all your grammar and punctuation questions. Also, if you're in the mood for some serious fun, don't miss the quizzes at the end!

Nana, Nenek & Nina by Liza Ferneyhough (Picture Book)

Nina lives in California, and her grandmothers live outside the country. Nina’s Nenek lives in Malaysia, and her Nana lives in England. Each page spread shows her visits with her Nenek on one side and her visits with Nana on the other. I thought the layout of this beautifully and densely illustrated picture book was a wonderful way to display the differences between her visits to Malaysia and England. I completely disappeared in the illustrations and Nina’s adventures and really enjoyed living two experiences at the same time. 

The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel (Nonfiction Picture Book)

A quick and simple introduction to mushrooms including delightful and zany illustrations and extra information I didn't know about like boletes, puffball farts, and how to make spore prints.

squishy messy slimy nesting

We've been slowly replacing our rugs.

I've totally captured your attention with that first line, haven't I?

With the exception of our living room rug, which is too big, we have been purchasing Ruggable rugs and are loving them so far.  My hope is they last a good ten years, but with dogs, who knows what will happen.

Please pardon our mess!  We got the dining room rug right before we left for vacation.  So we weren't even completely unpacked before we were ripping open the Ruggable box.  Margo also enjoys sharing her drool, so there are some lovely slime spots here and there.  Any time we turn on the lights, it looks like we've been slimed.  

While I was looking for rugs I quickly realized 90% of the rugs I was adding to my favorites list were orange and/or teal, which is no surprise because I love both of these colors.  Robert helped narrow the choices down even more, and we only have one more rug to go for downstairs!  The best part is that our front door is actually a teal color too.  Initially, I thought the color was "Classy Smurf," but thankfully the door mellowed its Smurfness.

In one of the pictures you can see a little bit of all the rugs.  We purchased two entryway rugs because Margo, the poor dear, made it very clear she needs a runner between the living room rug and the entryway rug.  Wood floors are no joke for paws!  Our living room rug is actually my favorite.  I did not want a solid rug for either the dining room or living room.  Not my cup of tea.  So I tried to do that thing all the smart design people talk about, which is to take two different patterns and make sure they are scaled differently.  What a great excuse to buy a rug with mega citrus fruit on it, right?  I'm thinking it will go with everything.   

You'll also notice we finally got pendant lights for the kitchen.  It was not an easy task, because we had a strong idea of what we wanted and a very specific size too.  It was nearly impossible, but it finally happened.  We also finally bought a mirror for the downstairs guest bath but are now having anxiety about drilling into the tile (stay tuned for pictures in oh, about five years or so).  We have another mirror to install in a guest bathroom upstairs and lights for three of the four bathrooms that have been on back order for months.  Seriously!  But we are getting close to being mostly done.  This doesn't mean I don't have a mile-long wish list (new porch furniture and some additional landscaping in our front yard) and that we aren't already having some small issues (we need to do some touch-up painting for example).  But I'm sure by the time we have it figured out, I will have finally convinced Robert we are really RV/apartment people. 😆

Panorama

Thanks to Willows Wept Review for publishing my poem, Panorama in their issue 28 spring 2023 issue!!

Our vacation to biscuit land

It was Robert's turn to pick a vacation spot, and he picked...Nashville!  While planning our trip, I discovered Nashville had multiple vegan restaurants, which has not been too common in our travels.  The only place I can think of that rivals Nashville with number of vegan places is Phoenix, AZ, and I haven't really spent too much time there.  Sorry, Phoenix!

Though Robert initially chose Nashville for food, (Not for any kind of music-related things; that would be preposterous), it was later discovered that his food places were actually in Memphis.  However, we both quickly realized that Nashville has incredible food, and Robert had nothing to worry about. 

Robert has his own Nashville food stories to tell, but this isn't his blog, so we're going to talk about mine.  After visiting Nashville, I can tell you with certainty that what began as a trip to eat good food, do some hiking, and have some time to relax quickly turned into a mission for one thing, and one thing only.

Biscuits.  

Maybe you already know that Nashville has the best (and perhaps the most) biscuits in the United States, but Robert and I didn't know that.  Because of my dairy intolerance and inability to make biscuits (unless you have a soft spot for gravelly drop biscuits), biscuits are not even in my reality.  At our first breakfast place I thought it would be nice to have a biscuit and move on to the next vegan restaurant.

Turns out darn near every vegan restaurant in Nashville offers biscuits.  I ate so many biscuits, I thought I was set for a few years.  But the last vegan biscuit place, which turned out to be the best, sold frozen biscuits.  So guess whose freezer is full of biscuits?

If you are in Nashville and only have enough time to eat three biscuits, no need to stress.  Here are my top three vegan biscuit places:

Sunflower Bakehouse has not only a biscuit sandwich, but also the elusive vegan biscuits and gravy (I still make the best gravy, but theirs is great too).  They also have about 20 different baked goods.  

I added egg, which I'm pretty sure was Just Egg.  Delicious!

Graze has the second best biscuit, and the waitress there convinced me to try the fried chicken sandwich with pickles and hank sauce.  I wasn't sure about these things touching my biscuit and thought I'd be taking the sandwich apart, but I was wrong.  I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life!  Graze also has an excellent brussels sprouts dish too!

My favorite biscuit place ended up being so special Robert and I went three times.  Dear Guerilla Bizkits, we love you.  One of the owners was there every time we stopped in, and he was super passionate about good food and shared other Nashville vegan places to try.  He is also an artist and such a joy to talk to.  When I asked him what biscuit I should have as the vehicle for my egg, cheese, and sausage sandwich, he suggested the blackout biscuit, which has dried cherries and jalapeños.  Soooo good!  Before we left, we dropped in for several packs of frozen biscuits to take home.  

Look at his artwork!!

I never knew how much I loved biscuits until we took this trip to Nashville.  Thankfully Robert and I had so much fun we will likely go back someday.

The first day we were in Nashville we did a library and book tour that Robert conjured up after talking to a librarian at the first branch we stopped at.  We went to four libraries and three bookstores.  We stopped at the downtown library first and were completely blown away by how much thought went into everything.  I also observed a baby storytime that may potentially change my life.  Seriously!  I can't wait to email the ladies I met that day and ask for all their songs and activities.  I spent a long time talking to the director of youth services, and even though she was super busy, she took her time telling me about their programs and library.  

After storytime, I spent some time exploring the stacks and opening almost every poetry book.  It wasn't the best poetry collection I've seen in a library, but I still enjoyed it immensely.  I kept finding all kinds of things in the pages too.  Look how perfectly cut this magazine picture is!

My favorite library on the library tour was the Green Hills branch.  It was a lot like my branch and felt immediately like home.  It was humming with life, older patrons were tucked away here and there reading,  students were studying, all the study rooms were full, and the youth section was inviting and a little chaotic.  They even had a yarn tree!  I think my branch needs one too!

Thanks to needing some much-needed downtime and being in the middle of a couple excellent books, we flopped a little more on this trip than we usually do.  Josie and Margo were thrilled every time we went to sleep early, stayed in bed late, or came back to the hotel for naps.  They didn't try any biscuits, but I think they had a great vacation too.

Turns out Nashville also has a craft thrift store too.  So much fun!

We spent one day hiking out to Machine Falls, which is outside Tullahoma, TN.  It was so beautiful.  Flowers and trees just waking up.  Josie and Margo were racing everywhere.  And the sun was out!

We stopped at the Coffee County Lannom Library, which had its own story walk and lots of unconventional and thoughtful things available for checkout (tent pavilion, party supples, extension cords anyone?).  We also visited a bookstore, Book Shelf, that had an incredible mural and two gregarious book ladies.  

I came home with SO MANY books.

We spent a day hiking Long Hunter State Park, which was peaceful and beautiful.

After hiking we popped into Sunflower Cafe, which I believe is Sunflower Bakehouse's sister restaurant.  It was a little bit cafeteria style where you pick out a few things (or in my case, everything).  The food was delicious, but it didn't have biscuits, so it didn't make the list of best restaurants.

I had some kind of chicken taco (no idea what the chicken was made out of), and it was so delicious I nearly lost my mind.  Thankfully Robert captured a picture that illustrates my feelings about not just the exquisite taco, but all the food I ate in Nashville.  I'm pretty sure I looked like this every time I ate, because it's exactly how I felt.   

On one of our visits to the Bizkits man, we did a little shopping in the Fatherland District, which had super cute shops.  They had an olive oil/vinegar shop where I spent too much money and another foodie shop that had some of my favorite things including tinned fish and cashew cheese queso.  I love you, vegan food, but I will never be able to go 100% vegan because I love fish (and burgers shh) too much.

And it wouldn't be a vacation if I wasn't dragging new scarves home. 

Annnnd one more picture of the Blackout sandwich.

New Car!

March has been a little bananas, so I haven't slowed down enough to post.  

The biggest thing that happened is that I got a new car!  It is a Subaru Solterra, and it's my first electric car.  I am still getting used to it, but it's very comfortable, smooth, and quiet.  It's very classy too - all black everything, outside and inside.  I might be boiling in August, but I will look good melting to death.

As much as I loved my brown Subaru Outback (maybe the prettiest car I'll ever have), it was time say goodbye.  I was fortunate to have it for ten years!  

Robert picked up the new car for me while I was at work, and stopped by on my lunch break with Sara Groves playing.  I know it wasn't the first song played in the car (no doubt Robert was playing Garth Brooks the whole way to the library), but it was very sweet of him to do the final legwork, pick my car up, and have Sara Groves blasting.  

New car dance!