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Laureen

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Snakes of St. Augustine by Ginger Pinholster

    July 12, 2023
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    Sometimes I have authors or publishers reach out to me and ask me to read and review books. I love doing that especially for books produced by small publishing house or even those self-published by the author. Getting published is HARD. And the competition is fierce. This book was brought to me by Jackie Karnath, Sr. Publicist at Books Forward, a book marketing company. I was happy to look at another one of her clients having enjoyed Florida by Lauren Goff a couple years ago. So, here is my Book Review Snakes of St. Augustine by Ginger Pinholster.

    Snakes

    First of all, this is not a horror story about snakes. But it is a story where snakes feature prominently. If you suffer from ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes), you still should give this book a try. I actually learned a lot about snakes and snake behavior in this book. All that said, the deeper message in this book is a story about the tragedy of mental illness.

    Florida

    Florida is where this novel is based, fittingly as the state is home to 44 species of snakes. We are introduced to a variety of characters in this story. First we meet Trina who runs a Serpentarum for protection and education about Florida snakes. When someone breaks in to the Serpentarium and steals some of her most valuable snakes the plot will begin to revolve around a cast of characters. Gerthin a very troubled young man whose love of animals in general and snakes in particular is a suspect. His sister Serena who has been raising him since their mother abandoned them a decade earlier is trying to understand and help her misfit brother.

    Mental Health

    In addition to Gerthin’s mental needs the novel brings in the character of Jazz, a homeless student living in a park, and refusing to take his bipolar meds. His gigantic mood swings and frantic love for Serena will both intrigue and frighten her. Helping to recover the stolen snakes is local cop Fletch, only months away from retirement he is trying to keep his head down while grappling with the grief of loosing his wife the year before.

    Throughout the book as the search for the stolen snakes ensues, Pinholster gently weaves the topics of homelessness, drug abuse, mental illness, abandonment and loneliness into a lovely novel you initially think is about snakes. At it’s core it’s about family. I enjoyed the book very much.

    Thank you for reading my book review Snakes of St. Augustine by Ginger Pinholster.

    ****Four stars for Snakes of St. Augustine by Ginger Pinholster. See last week’s book review This Must be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell.

    We love it when you comment, pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.

    Snakes of St. Augustine by Ginger Pinholster
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    At Home  --  North America Travel

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Olalla Bay Market

    July 7, 2023
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    Location: Olalla Washington, Kitsap County

    This is our third installment in our summer series Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest. Not a hidden gem for long, the new (old) Olalla Bay Market was a big hit with locals the minute it opened it’s doors this past April. Let me tell you a little bit about this Hidden Gem of the Pacific Northwest – Olalla Bay Market.

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Olalla Bay Market

    Olalla

    The Olalla Bay Market has a long history in the tiny hamlet of Olalla. The building has served as a general store over the past century, most recently as Al’s Market. Olalla itself, once a thriving agriculture area, became a sleepy hollow after the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened, and ferry service to Olalla disappeared. For the past eighty years though the community has kept it’s identity with the “general store” and old post office playing a big role as a place to gather.

    Old is New Again

    Old is New Again

    In 2021 Al’s Market closed and a new owner came in. Olalla resident and New York Times Best Selling author Gregg Olsen (Starvation Heights) committed to bringing the space back as a community gathering spot under the new name of Olalla Bay Market.

    But only a few months into the restoration a devastating fire could have put an end to the dream. But no – the community rallied, Olsen set his intentions and work continued. The new (old) Olalla Bay Market opened three months ago.

    Olalla Bay at low tide

    Open and Thriving

    Serving a wonderful selection of locally crafted beer, cider and more on tap, as well as a small menu of breakfast and lunch items and house made pizza after 4pm, the community came out in droves to support the new business. With both indoor and outdoor seating, a small grocery store and gifts area as well as a rental space for small groups, the only thing the business might need to work on is more parking.

    Caprese Salad
    Olives
    Pizza by the slice

    It really is a gem…a hidden gem…and one you should check out in beautiful Olalla Washington.

    Outdoor deck
    Beer, wine, cider and more

    Check out the journal, history and current events on the Olalla Bay Market website. Thank you for reading my post Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Olalla Bay Market and be sure to come back next Friday to learn about another hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest.

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    See last week’s post Hidden Gem’s of the Pacific Northwest – Rodeo Drive-In here.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review This Must Be The Place by Maggie O’Farrell

    July 5, 2023
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    Some of Maggie O’Farrell’s work becomes favorites such as Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait…both top my favorites lists. Clearly it’s her historic fiction that I prefer. But on my husband’s recommendation I set out to read This Must Be The Place. I liked it but can’t say I loved it. Here is my book review This Must Be The Place by Maggie O’Farrell.

    O’Farrell introduces us to a plethora of characters, each connected in some way to our protagonist Daniel Sullivan. We meet Daniel as a man living in a reclusive part of Ireland with his somewhat eccentric wife and three children. But as the story unfolds we will learn details about each of their lives and why they are “hiding” in a remote location.

    Daniel has led somewhat of a bizarre life, makes a living as a linguist, despises his father back in Brooklyn, has lost track of college friends and never sees his two grown children in California.

    When Daniel stumbles upon Claudette and her young son Ari, he doesn’t at first realize who she is. But as they get to know each other Daniel realizes Claudette is the former bombshell movie star who dropped off the face of the earth at the height of her film career.

    Somehow these two unlikely characters fall in love and get married. But while Claudette is reclusive Daniel knows all of her secrets, but Claudette will learn she hardly knows any of Daniels…including information about past loves, abortions, alcoholism and a mysterious death.

    Can this couple survive the twists and turns life throws at them? With the help of family who loves them, maybe they can.

    A unique and complicated story, but in my opinion not O’Farrell’s best.

    ***Three stars for This Must Be The Place by Maggie O’Farrell

    Thank you for reading my Book Review This Must Be The Place by Maggie O’Farrell. See last week’s Book Review The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

    We love it when you pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.

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    At Home  --  North America Travel

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rodeo Drive-In

    Hidden Gems of the PNW Installment Two

    June 30, 2023
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    Location: Rodeo Drive-In Kitsap County

    It’s our second installment of our Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest series, where we are discovering hidden gems near to where I live in the summer. I love living in Western Washington in the summer, with beautiful weather and outdoor activities to enjoy. So when we are here, we always enjoy being tourists in our own backyard. So, this blog post series idea was born. I hope you enjoy it. Our second installment of Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest –Rodeo Drive-In in Kitsap County.

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rodeo Drive-In

    A Walk Down Memory Lane

    When I was in high school in the 1970s, going to the drive-in on a date or with girlfriends was very common. In the county I grew up in there were three choices of drive-in theaters and we frequented them all. But mostly we went to either the Kitsap Lake Drive-In or to the Rodeo Drive-In. My future husband and I (he was 16 and I was 15) saw several movies there as young teens, including The Way We Were in 1975. I also remembering seeing The Omen with a girlfriend in 1976 and having nightmares after.

    There were many more fun times at the drive-in as a child of the 1960s and 1970s. But it had been decades since I had gone to a drive-in movie.

    Screen Two
    Me
    Concessions were delicious and inexpensive

    History of The Rodeo Drive-In

    The original Rodeo Motor Movies was opened in 1949, with the capacity of 600 cars. It was the first in the county with two others coming along shortly after, Kitsap Lake and Big Bear.

    The Rodeo was sold in 1977 and Kitsap Lake was closed. In 1978, second and third screens were added to The Rodeo as well as a new concessions building and ticket entrance. In 1986, the Rodeo Drive-In was sold to Jack and Cindy Ondracek. The Big Bear Drive-In closed in 1994, and the Rodeo became the only outdoor theater in the Kitsap County area.

    Yep that’s us in 1975
    Not The Rodeo but a look back at the olden days (Canva)

    Today’s Rodeo Drive-In

    Back in the day, the Rodeo Drive-In was way out in the boonies (as we used to say), but today with all the growth in the region, my home is only a ten minute drive away. Over the last few summers we have talked about checking it out, but it never happened until now.

    The Rodeo Drive-In is open year ’round except on July 4th. It offers first run movies at all three screens for a budget price of $12 adults, $7 for seniors (55 and older!) and kids under 12; children under 5 are free. The theater does a great job giving a nostalgic vibe and we really enjoyed seeing The Little Mermaid.

    The Rodeo Drive-In website says;

    “Today, with 3 screens and a total car capacity of about 1,000, the Rodeo is the largest outdoor theater complex north of California, and by far the largest and oldest family-owned drive-in in the Northwest.  Other drive-ins in our state include the Blue Fox Drive-In (Oak Harbor/Whidbey island), the Wheel-In Motor Movie (Port Townsend), the Skyline Drive-In (Shelton) and the Auto-Vue Drive-In (Colville)… all family-owned with unique personalities.

    Nationally, about 400 drive-ins remain in the US, accounting for about 900 outdoor screens.

    Drive-in theaters are special places, with a nostalgic atmosphere that few events offer. Every one is unique, reflecting the personalities of the owners and staffs, and the communities they serve.”

    Delicious treat
    Cozy and comfy
    The Little Mermaid

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rodeo Drive-In

    We had a wonderful Sunday evening at the Rodeo. It was a fun way to see a current film, while reminiscing about our youth. I highly recommend Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rodeo Drive-In. Check it out soon.

    Need Directions?

    Check out last week’s Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rhododendron Species Garden here.

    We love it when you comment, pin and share our blog posts. Thank you. Visit us next Friday for another installment of Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

    June 28, 2023
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    Although I am still a month away from posting my annual Favorite Books Year in Review (always in late July), from where I sit, this book will likely be at the top. It is an absolutely remarkable work of fiction. I might just read it again….and that rarely happens. Here is my book review The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

    It’s been at least a decade since I read the beautiful Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. That book, like his newly released The Covenant of Water, is a family saga that spans many decades. I loved Cutting for Stone but I loved The Covenant of Water even more.

    British Occupation

    The Covenant of Water begins in 1900’s India where we are introduced to Mariama, a 12-year old child, preparing for her wedding to a forty- year old widower. As Mariama tearfully says good-bye to her mother, the decades long narrative, and legacy of Mariama begins. The Covenant of Water will follow the incredible lives of Mariama (whose endearment name will become Big Ammachi – grandmother) and her descendants, (including family that is not blood), the remarkable changes in India during this period, and the family secrets – including a family “condition”. The feared condition plays out when someone from each generation drowns. But why?

    Advancing Medicine

    Simultaneously we are also introduced to young Doctor Digby Kilgore, who has arrived in India from Scotland to practice medicine. Here he finds himself among the white British elite during the British Raj, who are ruling the country, and he falls in love with the wife of one of his colleagues. A tragic accident will change Digby’s trajectory in unimaginable ways. It should be noted that Verghese himself is a medical doctor (on top of his other accomplishments) which makes the medical writing of this novel even more fascinating.

    Superb Writing and Narration

    Over the nearly 80’s years this brilliant novel traverses, Verghese captivates the reader with endearing characters, fascinating plot and most of all, magnificent writing filled with empathy and intrigue. The book is long, but an alluring page turner. Even better, if you listen to it on Audible, the author himself reads the novel, and it is pure theatrical beauty. My book review The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese can’t praise it enough. Deserving of a Pulitzer. And likely a movie deal.

    Book Review The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

    Abraham Verghese at the Seattle Public Library

    I had the opportunity to hear Abraham Verghese speak at the Seattle Public Library, on the very day I finished this masterpiece. What a joy that was to listen to him read live, from one of the best books I have read in years. He has a calm but intelligent personality with a subtle wit and so very humble. He wears many hats, considers himself first and foremost a doctor not a writer. Learn more about this fascinating man here.

    *****Five stars and more for The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

    See last week’s book review Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

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    At Home  --  North America Travel

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rhododendron Species Garden

    June 23, 2023
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    Today we begin a series of short posts over the next couple of months, where we will discover hidden gems near to where I live in the summer months. I love living in Western Washington in the summer, with beautiful weather and outdoor activities to enjoy. So when we are here in the summer, we always relish being tourists in our own backyard. So, this blog post series idea was born. I hope you enjoy it. Our first installment of Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rhododendron Species Garden.

    A Long Wait

    For decades I have said I would visit the Rhododendron Botanical Species Garden in Federal Way Washington. I would think this every time I drove by the directional sign on Interstate Five. But, as is often true in our own hometowns, it just never happened. So, finally, we made a point to visit. And what a great treat it was! A true Hidden Gem of the Pacific Northwest – Rhododendron Species Garden.

    So Much More Than Rhododendrons

    The gardens were much bigger than I was expecting, 22 acres of not just a fascinating collection of Rhododendrons, but a wide variety of beautiful plants of all kinds. Native plants from the Pacific Northwest as well as wonderful flowers, shrubs, trees from around the world. There is also an indoor conservancy with warm weather plants that are fascinating. Around the gardens you can enjoy an Alpine Rock Garden, a Stumpery, The Pond and Poppy Meadow and a Woodland Garden. All easy to enjoy on meandering trails and beautiful in all seasons, but especially in spring and summer.

    Pacific Bonsai Museum

    This wonderful space is also home to the fascinating Pacific Bonsai Museum. This was unexpected for us, and we really enjoyed the wide display of bonsai, some more than 100 years old. Fascinating. We had a chance to talk with one of the curators and she said they have fifty on display at any given time (year-round) and another hundred in storage. They switch them out seasonally. How cool is that? So I definitely need to go back and check it out in the fall.

    Visit

    The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Closed on major holidays. Entrance is $8 and entrance to the Pacific Bonsai Museum is by donation. Check both websites for special events, speakers and plant sales.

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    What a great find! A definite Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rhododendron Species Garden in Federal Way Washington.

    Wait for another installment of Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest next Friday. We love it when you comment, pin and share our posts.

    See last week’s post My Favorite Coffee Around the World.

    Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Rhododendron Species Garden

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

    June 21, 2023
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    A very strange book. But with some interesting twists and turns. I didn’t love it, but maybe you will. Here is my book review Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

    Protagonist Janina reminded me a little of Olive Kitteridge. A bit of a curmudgeon old lady who prefers the company of animals to humans. She lives in a remote Polish village, where wealthy Warsaw families come in the summer, but in the winter is deserted and lonely.

    Generally the winters are long and desolate. Janina, despite her Ailments, takes care of the properties of the rich during the winter, studies astrology and reading and translating the poetry of William Blake. But when her neighbor is found dead, the boring winter gets a little more interesting.

    Then a second suspicious death. Then a strange disappearance. Janina sees herself as the one who can help solve the investigation, but everyone thinks she is just a crazy old lady…is she?

    A strange and surprising thriller. Despite it’s Noble Prize, I can only give it three stars.

    ***Three stars for Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

    Thank you for reading my book review Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

    See last week’s book review The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka.

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