This book. Lovely. One of my top reads of the year. Unexpectedly beautiful twist on an old story. Here is my book review Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.
So little is known about the real life of William Shakespeare. Many before have tried to piece it together. But here is a story, so honest and sincere, so loving and beautiful, you can’t help but want it to be the truth.
Maggie O’Farrell’s talent brings us this fictional tale of England in the 1580’s, when plague envelopes the nation. And yet, a wild bewitching young girl, captures the heart of a Latin tutor who is tormented by his father – and true love blooms.
Never once in this book is the Latin tutor referred to as Shakespeare, but throughout the book we know. We know when the Latin tutor becomes more than a glove makers son…more than a husband of a gifted healer and nature nymph…more than a father of three. He becomes a respected and wealthy playwright and actor, but at a cost to family and marriage.
It’s well documented that Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, died at a young age. And it is this telling of that tragedy that O’Farrell turns the misfortune around, explaining in such beautiful prose how the torment of a father leads to one of the greatest works of literature of all time – Hamlet.
This book was lyrical…like reading poetry. I loved it from the very first page and did not want it to end. I highly recommend it. I hope you enjoyed my book review Hamnet by Maggie O’Farell.
Not everyone is ready yet to travel….and not every country is ready to accept international travelers. But after 13 and a half months stuck in the USA, we are ready to go. So many of you have been asking about our plans, so today I thought I would share with you how we are restarting the Grand Adventure.
The Grand Adventure which began in 2016 has evolved over time and will continue to evolve as we mitigate a new world. We may never again be able to flit from country to country the way we did before, but with planning, caution and ingenuity we think we can have a travel life full of adventure and intrigue.
Restarting The Grand Adventure
After abandoning our travels mid-itinerary in spring 2020, this week we embark on our first international trip. During our time in the USA we have done a lot of travel to eight different states. But this will be our first trip out of the USA since April 30, 2020.
We fly this week to Iceland for a two-week adventure. No tour, just on our own, using the Rick Steves Iceland Guide. Our visit includes three days in Reykjavik, then nine days in a camper van exploring the island. We have visited Iceland before, but only for two short days so we have always wanted to go back. Iceland seems like a safe place for restarting the Grand Adventure.
Summer and Fall
After two weeks in Iceland we will return to Washington State for the rest of the summer, as summer is the best time of year to be here in the Pacific Northwest. We have a couple of short excursions planned within the state as well as a trip to Maine in early September.
On September 20th we fly back to Maui where we will stay in the apartment of a friend who will be off island for six weeks and then two additional weeks in an Airbnb. Then we fly to Los Angeles before heading on to Arizona and the Grand Canyon. Next we have a trip to Mexico City for a Taco Tour (no joke, a whole week of eating tacos with a guide) and on to Oaxaca before returning to Washington to spend Christmas with our family.
2022 Away We Go
January and February will be spent in French Polynesia. OMG yes it will. First time there so I’m really excited. We will spend two months on the island of Moorea as a big step towards restarting the Grand Adventure.
March is still unplanned but we tentatively hope to fly back to Washington, say hi to the fam, repack and reorganize and then, embark to Israel and restart the itinerary we abandoned, almost two years to the day in March 2020. We have not booked that yet…we will wait and watch and keep our fingers crossed that the world will find its way and we can find our way back to the retirement life we were living and had always dreamed of.
Follow Along
I plan to continue to blog until its not fun anymore so keep following and we will tell you what we are doing. Finding us on Instagram is a great way to get daily updates and beautiful and fun photos and videos. We love your interest and are grateful. Cheers to all of you for your continued support!
Cheers!
I’ve learned a lot of things from living in the PanDamit, mostly to be more patient and flexible. Additionally I’ve learned there are a lot of crazy people and I just need to keep my head down and do the things I believe in, without judging even when I am being judged. Like I’ve said before, I absolutely refuse to be a victim in all of this. Instead I am searching for the learning opportunities and growing each and everyday from this life we are handed. It is still a fabulous life. And if our adventures help others make the step forward cautiously into the brave new world, then our work here is done.
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Iceland here we come! Learn about Iceland’s Covid restrictions here.
In our travels we have been blessed to visit a lot of gardens; botanical gardens, native gardens, home gardens, arboretums…even sculpture gardens. Fun and educational, I always look for these places in cities and countries as we travel. So today I will share with you My Favorite Gardens Around the World.
Singapore
I sat down and tried to remember all the gardens we have seen. Because I enjoy gardening back in my home state of Washington in the USA, I always want to check out gardens in other places. My husband also enjoys looking at gardens, especially ones with native species we may not be familiar with. Lately Arne and I have become amateur bird watchers, and my favorite gardens around the world are always a great place to see birds.
My Favorite Gardens Around the World
As I have been working on my own tiny garden this spring I’ve been dreaming of starting to travel again and some of the world’s most beautiful gardens have been floating through my head…and thus this idea to blog about them has bloomed. I don’t have photos of all my favorite gardens around the world, but I do hope in your own travels you can find your way to some of these enchanting locations….some big, some small, all beautiful.
In no particular order, here are my favorite gardens around the world.
United States
Palm Springs, California – I enjoyed our recent seven week visit to Palm Springs area where we particularly enjoyed learning about the flora of the desert at the tiny Moorten Botanical Gardens and Sunnylands. Sunnylands is one of my all time favorite gardens anywhere.
Phoenix, Arizona – the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix is not large but it is laid out beautifully and makes a beautiful and interesting garden to stroll through.
Palm Springs
Phoenix
Portland, Oregon – The Portland Japanese Gardens is one of the most unexpected gardens I have ever been to. A hidden gem right in the heart of beautiful Portland Oregon
Seattle, Washington – Volunteer Park Conservatory. I have only been here once, and it was on a blustery cold winter day, and stepping into this warm and alluring conservatory was a perfect activity for a winter day. I loved everything about this place and hope to return soon.
Spokane, Washington – Manito Park and Botanical Gardens is one of my most favorite things to do when visiting Spokane. The sprawling park offers so much plant beauty, including a Japanese Garden and a beautiful Rose Garden.
Spokane
Boston, Massachusetts – Boston Public Gardens is the oldest botanical gardens in the USA and offers 24 acres of beauty to stroll through in any season. One of my favorite Boston sites in a town full of amazing sites.
Kula Hawaii
Kula
Kula, Maui, Hawaii – Kula Botanic Gardens is a hidden gem on the slopes of Haleakala. I visited this privately owned garden for the first time this past year and it was such a pleasant surprise. Don’t miss this hidden gem when you visit Maui
Bainbridge Island, Washington – practically in my own back yard, Bloedel Reserve is a 150 acre historic property and gardens whose mission is to enrich people’s lives through a premier public garden of natural and designed Pacific Northwest landscapes. Timed entrance tickets available online.
Bloedel Reserve
San Marino, California – The Huntington Botanical Gardens is so much more than just spectacular gardens. This historic site is home to an Art Museum, Library, events and lectures…and of course one of the most beautiful gardens in the USA.
Huntington
Canada
Victoria British Columbia – The Butchart Gardens is one of the most outstanding gardens anywhere in the world. No matter the season, it is a jaw dropping and magnificent 55 acres to behold.
Butchart Gardens
Montreal Quebec – Jardin Botanique de Montreal was not on our radar when we set out to visit beautiful Montreal, we fortunately just stumbled upon it. We were there in the fall and it was truly first class, one of my favorite gardens ever.
Montreal
Australia
Sydney – Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney we only had four days to explore the beautiful city of Sydney and we made the most of our time from beach to hiking, performance and food. But one of our favorite discoveries was these phenomenal gardens, home to both flora, fauna and feathers.
Sydney
Singapore
Singapore – Gardens by the Bay. Amazing. I could have spent a week in this place, an astonishing futuristic garden in one of the most astonishing cities in the world. The super tree structures and skywalk were incredible (especially at night) but my favorite was the cloud forest and flower dome. Worth a trip to Singapore just to see this.
Singapore
Mauritius
Pamplemousses – Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens. Often referred to as the SSR Botanical Gardens, this beautiful garden is named for Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Mauritius’ first Prime Minister and a leader in Mauritius independence. The gardens were begun in the late 1700’s during the French occupation and today incorporates fruits, flowers and trees from all over the world in its 33 hectare site.
Mauritius
Sri Lanka
Kandy – Royal Botanical Gardens. Our visit to Sri Lanka was so wonderful and this country remains one of our favorites. The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy is one of three botanical gardens in the country – each unique. This garden was beautiful, very large and home to a great many species of trees, flowering plants, orchids, birds and bats.
Kandy
China
Shanghai – Shanghai Botanical Gardens is the largest botanical garden in all of China. It encompasses more than 81 hectares and includes beautiful strolling paths and water features as well as thousands of trees, flowers, shrubs and more. Shanghai is a beautiful city, so different from Beijing.
Shanghai
Israel
Haifa – Baha’i Hanging Gardens this was a surprising place in the heart of Haifa. These gardens aren’t actually “hanging” but the crawl up the hill and present a spectacular site for many vantage points. The gardens are the home to the shrines where the founders of the Baha’i faith are buried. A site to see.
Touring gardens when you travel provides a peek into local culture and customs, while also enriching with beauty and education. I encourage you to support these beautiful places everywhere you go.
And another World War II book! BUT wait! This one has a very different twist. Yep, an elephant. Here is my book review The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh.
In the fall of 1940 young zookeeper Hettie Quin’s dream comes true as she is put in charge of a recently orphaned elephant new to the Belfast zoo. But the winds of war are blowing and a world war rages in Europe while another war simmers at home. Tensions are escalating between British Loyalist and those fighting for a free Ireland as Germany begins a blitz on Belfast.
Walsh uses a nearly forgotten real life event to create the story of Hettie and the Elephant known as Violet. War through the eyes of an animal and a young girl, both who have lost so much, will lose even more, and desperately need each other to survive.
I really enjoyed this book, both for the indelible bond between Hettie and Violet and the look at a region devastated by Hitler that rarely gets notice in novels. But mostly this book is about how animals and humans can save each other, in so many ways.
*****Five stars for The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh.
Zach Tanner loves coffee. That may not seem that unusual, especially in the Pacific Northwest where coffee is a cultural phenom. But Zach doesn’t just love to drink coffee. Oh no. Coffee is so much more; an inspiration; a fascination; a hobby turned small business. Zach has a passion for coffee in Gig Harbor.
Zach Tanner proud coffee roaster
As many of you know I am a coffee-lover. In fact when I travel, tasting coffee around the world is one of the highlights for me; exploring the big wide and diverse world of rich dark coffee. Check out the blog I wrote last year My Favorite Coffee Around the World to learn more.
So when I heard about Zach and his passion for coffee in Gig Harbor I was intrigued. Then I tasted it and I was amazed.
After graduating from Montana State University Zach Tanner spent a number of years living the California film industry dream. But eventually Zach and his wife made their way back to the Pacific Northwest to start a family, settling in a private oasis rural home in Gig Harbor. While working at the Gig Harbor YMCA and being a dad, Zach found time on the side to have a tiny little coffee roaster and play with roasting and observation of beans and flavors.
The Green Beans are organic
Then came Covid. Zach lost his job and turned his focus to home-schooling his kids. And roasting coffee. A bigger roaster, more research, a computer program, lots of experimentation, trial and error, more evaluation, a brainstorm session for a business name and boom. Milkman Coffee was born in Zach’s garage.
The name came from the delivery bottles he used in the beginning.
Zach gets the “green” beans from four different vendors, only organic non-pesticide beans. How the beans are sourced is really important to this coffee aficionado, and when possible his passion extends to women-run coffee bean co-ops in places like Ethiopia. Zach uses beans from many parts of the world including Uganda, Guatemala, Columbia, and Ethiopia.
The roaster, each batch roasts for ten minutes
Usually Zach’s roasts are single origin, but he will blend beans from multiple sources to get just the right flavor profile he is looking for. Don’t misunderstand though…these aren’t flavored coffees. But Zach approaches the taste and aroma of the beans and the final cup of coffee similar to a wine connoisseur; pointing out natural flavor notes in each batch such as vanilla, tobacco, fruit and mineral. Each bag of Milkman lists Zach’s flavor notes.
The roasting is controlled by computer and information on each batch is saved for future reference
While Zach continues to put his dad duties first, he hopes to expand Milkman Coffee. Short term goals include a website and social media presence. Long range goals include getting into small markets and farmers markets. But right now this one-man operation hand-delivers the beans to customers in the Gig Harbor area who sign up for regular delivery. Roasted beans are $15 a pound or $20 for a pound and a half.
Milkman Coffee
A passion for coffee in Gig Harbor. Hand-made, delivered fresh and full of flavor. That’s what Zach Tanner is all about with his small coffee roasting business Milkman Coffee. Want to support small business and drink some incredible, organic coffee? Shoot Zach an email at zlt13@icloud.com.
This is the third novel by Kate Quinn that I have enjoyed. Last summer I read both The Alice Network and The Huntress. Quinn is known for her historical fiction, focusing on female heroines during World War II. The Rose Code follows that same pattern. Here is my Book Review The Rose Code by Kate Quinn.
The code breakers of Bletchley Park played a critical role for the the allies during WWII. Hidden in plain site in the the unassuming area of Buckinghamshire about an hour outside of London, the code breakers, mostly women, took an oath of secrecy. Their important work would remain secret well into the 21st century.
Quinn uses real characters who were code breakers to mold the fictional characters in The Rose Code. The main characters in this novel are three women, from three very different backgrounds who are thrown together in the war effort, each playing an important role in the successful outcome of the war. The three women; Mab, Osla and Beth form a deep bond, only to be challenged by secrecy, love, death, espionage, family ties and most of all the oath they swore to uphold for life.
Curiously for me, one of the main characters in this book is Prince Phillip, the late husband of Queen Elizabeth. Coincidentally I started this book on the day Prince Phillip died in April. I learned through this book that Phillip was seriously involved in real life with a women named Osla, prior to his engagement to Princess Elizabeth. Quinn uses this storyline in her book and it makes for an interesting history piece.
I enjoyed this book and Quinn’s talent for story telling, combining fact and fiction. She is a genius at historical fiction and opens our eyes once again to the important role women played in taking Hitler down.
I write a lot of book reviews, and tend to not write reviews for books I don’t like. This book I liked…inspirational at a time when I needed some feel good reading. Here is my book review West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge.
Rutledge, an award winning freelance journalist, was inspired by newspaper articles from the 1930’s about two giraffes that caught the nations attention as they were transported across the USA. From this real life event, Rutledge built this fictional story.
West with Giraffes finds young Woodrow Wilson Nickle lying in a gutter after a hurricane hits New Jersey. His unlikely survival continues a string of unlikely survival episodes in his young life…a story that will unfold as the plot develops. Woody maneuvers himself into being a driver to help “the old man” transport two giraffes as far as Memphis.
The giraffes, affectionately known as the “darlings” may be the focus of this story, but the deeper story here is one of depression era survival, accepting ones past and finding ones future, life, death, love and coming of age. Isn’t this what all good books are made of?
Moving two giraffes from New Jersey to San Diego by road in the 1930’s is no small undertaking, and during the 12 day odyssey Woody, the “old man” and Red, a female photographer who falls in with them, will encounter several adventures. Including several life and death situations. Thus Rutledge provides the reader with a heartfelt page turner.
I enjoyed this book very much. I hope you enjoyed by book review West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge.
****Four stars for West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
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