Uncategorized – Page 5 – Carol's Notebook

Jellies, Jams and Pirates

April 29, 2012April 29, 2012 by Carol8 Comments

I had a delicious breakfast today - wheat toast with sweet potato butter. Yesterday, my mom, Amber and I went up to Amish Country, specifically Walnut Creek and Berlin, Ohio. Now we go up that way several times a year, and we have our favorite stops. Der Dutchman for lunch, which, for me, has to include mashed potatoes covered with noodles and oatmeal pie for dessert. Then shopping. We all got some cute things, pictures, a carving, some things for a fairy garden. I'm not showing you them; I'll do a picture when it's ready. And our last stop is Walnut Creek Cheese. They have the most amazing selection of jams and jellies. As you can see from the picture above, we got quite a few, including the sweet potato butter, tomato jam and a sweet peanut butter spread. So yummy!! My mom also got a big jar of I think it was rhubarb jam. And, of course, I had to get...

T Is for Tonight

April 23, 2012April 28, 2012 by Carol10 Comments

I am thrilled to be a giver tonight for World Book Night. It's an opportunity to spred the joy and love of reading, to entice people to get lost in a different world. I'll be giving out 20 copies of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak in my town. It's an an edition specially printed for this occasion. I chose this book because it's a story I truly loved. Narrated by Death, it's a touching, moving story with vivid images. It was originally published as a young adult book, but I think everyone, ages 12 to 100 will be captivated by it. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors...

Wild West Week: Etsy Finds

August 6, 2011July 29, 2011 by Carol4 Comments

Need to add a touch of the Wild West to your life? Take a look at some of the things I found on Etsy this week. An original oil painting at Strangedaze I love bookmarks. These are by 3 Creative Sisters. These necklaces have kind of a Western Steampunk feel. My favorite is the one with the sparrow. They're from Trash And Trinkets. And these coasters are cute. They're from SimpleXpressions Cards. Anything grab your fancy?...

Sharing a poem

July 24, 2011July 22, 2011 by Carol3 Comments

I was looking for a summery poem to share today. I have to admit that the title of this one grabbed me, simply because of the weather we've been having lately and our lack of air conditioning at home. Hot Summer Nights by Mary Hamrick It haunts me so those summer nights in dim lit homes where music flows and tempers flare and lullabies fill the air. I while away the hours under the electric swell of light, (pulse-scorched out). Bone-idle and coral pink, this dry spell grills, but Southern nights do fill me. Spider-blue legs peddle tales as gossips-a-brewing and roaming by my streets. Scuttling through like marsh rabbit, neighbors wave their charmed hellos. Feverish and swollen together, they inhale the blossoms, riding high, and move through summer as the lake declines. It haunts me so those summer nights in dim lit homes where music flows and tempers flare and lullabies fill the air. Mary Hamrick was born in New York and moved to Florida when she was a young girl....

My husband is a sweetheart.

July 1, 2011 by Carol15 Comments

I have to say that I have the best husband. I may make fun of David occasionally, but he really is supportive and caring. He's not a big reader and not really much of an internet person, but he understands how much work I put into this blog and how much I enjoy doing it. He at least looks at it everyday, although I think he just glances at most of the reviews. Yesterday I mentioned that he had seen the visits counter at the bottom hit 100,000 and had encouraged me to host a giveaway. (Enter here.) Well, last night he surprised with a little celebration of the milestone. Isn't he sweet? Apparently Amber knew that he was planning it and kept it secret, too....

A Winter’s Respite

January 17, 2011January 24, 2011 by Carol2 Comments

I mentioned earlier today that I'm joining in on the Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict. I'm not sure how much reading time I'll get in the week, but it'll mostly be in the evening, since I work during the days. I'll just be updating this post throughout the week, with books, times, whatever. First, I'm reading The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain. I'm about halfway through and want to finish it before I start on anything else. I don't have much of a plan as to what I'll read after that, but trust me, I've got plenty of possibilities. Books finished: Back to the Bedroom by Janet Evanovich The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder The Man Who Knew Too Much by G. K. Chesterton The Fran with Four Brains by Jim Benton Deadly Heat by Cynthia Eden Frantastic Voyage by Jim Benton Stories finished: "Vasilissa the Beautiful" from Russian Wonder Tales by...