Booklist, 2009

Booklist 2009

Here is my incomplete booklist for 2009.  I have a short list (maybe 5 books) on my desk at home waiting to be added to this list.  But I am not at home, so I am publishing this now, since it's the last day of the year.  I will add the other books later.  They include some children's books, like Splat Cat.

This list is in reverse chronological order, with the most recently read books at the top.

Booklist, 2009
(This is incomplete):

1. Comfort Food, Kate Jacobs
2. Island in the Sea of Time. Stirling
3. We Were the Mulvaneys, by Joyce Carol Oates, 12-2-09 (+)
   
4. The Business of Writing for Children, by Aaron Shepherd, 11-29-09 (+)
   
5. The Mystery of The Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks, 11-28-09 (+)
   
6. The Search for the Dragon Ship, by Tony Abbott, 11-25-09
   
7. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, by Alexander McCall Smith, 11-22-09
   
8. Let me call you Sweetheart, Mary Higgins Clark, 11-4-09
   
9. The Polar Express, Chris Van Allsburg, 11-3-09
   
10. The DaVinci Code, Dan Brown, 11-3-09
    
11. The School at Heart's Content Road, Carolyn Chute, 11-1-09
    
12. The Cassandra Compact,Robert Ludlum, 10-15-09
    
13. Free Food for Millionaires, by Min Jin Lee, 4+, 10-13-09
    
14. The Wheel of Darkness, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, 10-1-09
    
15. Tyrannosaur Canyon, Douglas Preston, 9-24-09
16. Secret Water, Arthur Ransome, 9-19-09
    
17. Blasphemy, Douglas Preston, 9-16-09
    
18. Brimstone, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child,9-9-09
19. Still LIfe with Crows, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, 8-27-09
20. The Four Story Mistake, Elizabeth Enright, 8-25-09
    
21. Beowulf, translated by Benedict Flynn, 8-22-09
    
22. The Boy Who Killed Caterpillars, Joshua Kornreich, 8-21-09
    
23. The Saturdays, Elizabeth Enright, 8-20-09
24. The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, 8-19-09
    
25. Acorna's Quest, by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball, 8-18-09
    
26. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradly, August 16, 2009
27. Jane Eyre, by Emily Bronte, August 7, 2009
28. A Little Book on the Human Shadow, by Robert Bly, July 27, 2009
29. The Painted Drum, by Louise Erdrich, July 26, 2009
30. Acorna, by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball, July 20, 2009
31. The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbs, by Bill Watterson, July 13, 2009
32. The Actress, by Elizabeth Sims, July 11, 2009
33. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
34. Marley: A Dog Like No Other, John Grogan
35. Goodnight, Gorilla, Peggy Rathmann
36. Bad Dog, Marley, John Grogan
37. The Highest Tide, Jim Lynch
38. Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens
39. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
40. Dream When You're Feeling Blue, Elizabeth Berg
41. We didn't mean to go to Sea, by Arthur Ransome
42. Tara Road, Maeve Binchy
43. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
44. The Worst Witch at School, Jill Murphy
45. Saving Fish from Drowning, Amy Tan
46. The Nick Adams Stories, Ernest Hemingway
47. The River King, Alice Hoffman
48. The Probable Future, Alice Hoffman
49. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
50. Lucifer, A Hagiography, Phillip Memmer
51. It's a Magical World, Bill Watterson
52. Pigeon Post, Arthur Ransome
53. I Claudius, Robert Graves
54. Peter Duck, Arthur Ransome
55. The Kite Runner. Khaled Hosseini

Books I am currently reading:

1. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
2. Summer on Blossom Street
3. The Blue Roan Child
4. and a whole BUNCH of others!!!!  It would take too much space to list them all, seriously!
   

Marker Quick Sketches and Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I got two sets of markers for Christmas and was just testing them this morning.

Hope you're having a great Day!

A temporary Book, Phew

I had written a book for Rachel, but it was taking too long to finish
it, so I "published" a two-copy run in time for Christmas--Phew.

Turkey Cauliflower Brussels Sprouts soup

Turkey Cauliflower Brussels Sprouts soup with mushrooms, 5 spice powder and a hint of curry

per portion:

1 cup turkey broth left from Thanksgiving (or substitute chicken broth
1/4 c cauliflower, cut ito small florets--be sure to eat some raw while working)
2 Brussels sprouts, sliced thin
1/8 c chopped fresh mushrooms
a small handful of fresh baby spinach
1 T rolled oats, barley, pastina or spaghetti broken in small pieces, or cooked wild rice, or raw minute rice
3 oz turkey chunks or sliced sandwich turkey cut in pieces
dash salt
dash black pepper dash cayenne (opt)
dash curry powder
dash 5 spice powder (or cinnamon, cloves, ginger etc)
1 t balsamic vinegar or 2 t white wine
dash garlic powder (or better yet, mince garlic, onions onions or shallots and saute quickly in a t of olive oil)

saute garlic etc, if using fresh (best that way), pour in one cup broth per person, turn burner to high, then lower to low as soon as it begins to simmer.  Add ingredients in the order given.  This soup is ready in about 5 minutes.  And very good.

To thicken broth. add a rounded teaspoon of flour per cup of broth to the wine or balsamic, and stir in the paste near the end.

HAPPY HOLIDAZE!

On the Floor

My son, Piano Boy is sleep on the floor of his room for the second day in a row.

He got a new love seat for Christmas and tried to sleep on that, and then, because it was too short, he moved, not to his bed, but to the floor, which was closer, I guess. ice.

We got snow!

Sunrise this morning over Lake St. Clair (Close, but no Epiphany)

Close, but no Epiphany

I saw the sunrise twice this morning. Sort of. The sun didn't rise
twice, but I drove down to Lake St. Clair twice in a row, a somewhat
unusual event, thank goodness. Unfortunately, I never actually saw
the sun rise. I saw the glorious pink and gold and salmon clouds of
just before sunrise and the honey yellow gold clouds of just after
sunrise. Spectacular. I took some photos, but I cannot post them
until I re-invite myself to join my own blog. And furthermore, though
I have zillion things to do—I can't start my day until after 2:00. Or
sometime after 11, anyway.

Let me explain:

It started when the alarm went of at 6:25 Am as it does every
Thursday. Mrs. L arrives at 6:45 for Piano Boy's piano lesson. But
PB had been busy and bad all week—and maybe depressed—he has choir
shows and rehearsals and doesn't want to practice. He has plenty of
energy after choir to get online—in my computer—and play video games,
but no energy to practice. I turned on all the lights for her.

Mrs. L was very disappointed in him and is threatening to take him out
of Piano Festival because he hasn't learned his Festival pieces. When
he tried to use choir as an excuse, she reminded him that many other
students, including Jay, are in choir and are learning their pieces.
After the lesson was over, she tried to give him a pep talk ("If you
practice well over vacation, you can catch up," etc), but he was all
hangdog and unresponsive. (Acting depressed and uncaring.)

By now it was almost 7:30 and PB asked me to drive him to school. He
said he didn't have time to get there on his own. (He's supposed to
get himself to school.) I drove him and detoured around past the
lake—Lake St. Clair, and the sky was brilliant and gorgeous, the
clouds and lake lit up with predawn flame (Hmmmm, red in the morning .
. . ).

When I got home, I could hear the phone ringing before I even unlocked
the door. It was PB—"can you bring me my choir costume?" Me: "Why
didn't you bring it?" PB—"I didn't know I needed it." (DUH! He's
going to be singing at the DSO tonight! The Detroit Symphony
Orchestra.) So okay, unhappily, I run up and get OUR garment bag
(which he has appropriated and put his name in), which hangs unzipped
in his closet. I rush it downstairs and grab his character shoes and
drive back to the school a SECOND time—a huge bus is waiting and
Graham dashes over for his unzipped garment bag and mumbles and sort
of resentful-sounding "thank you" as if it is somehow my fault he
forgot his stuff. He doesn't want the shoes.

I drive by Lake St. Clair again—and the sun is just barely above the
horizon, spilling golden light over the clouds and water and ice—I
forgot the mention—Lake St. Clair is mostly frozen, at least in the
bays along the shore. Pretty. I hadn't taken a picture of the
earlier dramatically colored clouds, but I decide I could take a
picture now, and I drive to Pier Park. I walk every day and had been
intending to walk 15 minutes when I got home. Why not walk at Pier
Park—so I did—25 minutes, in fact.

When I got home, I started cleaning PB's pigsty—I mean his
room—because the delivery men are coming with the loveseat we bought
him for Christmas—very expensive. (And on the way to get it, PB
said some foul words to BB! As if he could have anything he wanted no
matter how disrespectful and mean he was. Of course, BB was being
kind of mean, too. I think he only meant to be joking, but it was
still mean.)While I am cleaning the room, I find part of PB's costume
on the floor in his closet behind a bin of stuff—I didn't see it there
when I grabbed the bag—too late—if he thinks I'm driving it down to
the DSO, he's wrong! (And SOL!!!)

I cleaned and vacuumed PB's room, and then carried the boxes and piles
of books into our bedroom and the bathroom and vacuumed the upstairs
all, the hallway, and the entryway. Phew—I got all hot and
sweatified!!!

THEN I ate breakfast, fed the birds outside, cleaned Rocky's cage, etc.

I have NOT done my exercises, showered, or put on clean clothes yet,
and cannot do it until AFTER the deliverymen leave. Because I can't
be in the shower when they arrive, or doing my exercises, since I need
to undress. And, therefore, I cannot "begin my day" until I have
showered, dressed, combed my hair etc. It's 11:19 and they are
supposed to come between 11:00 and 2:00, so I have to wait until they
arrive to shower dress etc. (I'm wearing yesterday's clothes, and to
tell you the truth, a very rare occurrence for me, they are the
clothes from two days ago because yesterday I had another morning
crisis. So I put on the clothes from the day before and was so busy
all day I never had time to change. ICK! I know!

I can't finish printing the Christmas cards because I need to go to
Staples for more ink and I can't go until after the delivery.
Complain complain complain complain. I'm kind of annoyed by how the
day has been going so far, but it did have one GOOD thing—I lost 5
pounds form the day before. YAY! (Well, really only just over 4
pounds). But it's the LEAST I've weighed since November 12 (before
thanksgiving!) So that's good!

I also had a late but yummy breakfast of omelette and bran. It
probably tasted even better than usual because I was quite hungry by
the time I got to eat.

12/17/09

Hatching: Watch Out World

Hatching: Watch Out World, here I come. For Illustration Friday (oops, I put this on the wrong blog! Darn iT!)

In Flander's Fields (Detail)

In case you haven't guessed, I basically haven't been online for
several days except to post artwork for the Moleskine exchange I'm in.
This is a detail from my newest watercolor painting for the Moleskien
Exchange. You can see the whole thing by clicking here.

Benthic

I painted "Benthic" first in Watercolors and then scanned and added a gradient. I did nothing else to it. Click to view larger.

Detail, companion

This is a new art piece I made today in Ander's Mole for the Moleskine
Exchange group. See the whole piece here.

Dizzy!

I had a dizzy spell that lasted all day yesterday. Read about it here.

I created the fractal graphic on Fractalworks, a free download for Macs.

We Were the Mulvaneys

We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
We Were the Mulvaneys, by Joyce Carol Oates. This is an expansive book covering the lives of six people in the Mulvaney family and their extended family and friends. It's a sad and heart-rending book, a book of joys and sorrows. An event happens early in the book, beyond the control of anyone in the book, that negatively affects the entire family. The book chronicles the disintegration of family and bonds and entire lives due to this one event.

I felt that too many words filled the book. Other than that, it was a very interesting, engaging read. Slow starter, but then got very good.

View all my reviews >>

I am very excited becasue this is my 53rd recorded book of the year (I think I may have missed a few) and that makes more than a book a week. YAY!

my children's story

mini detail from one of the drafts of the illos for my chidlren's
story. See the whole thing here.

The Business of Writing for Children, by Aaron Shepherd

The Business of Writing for Children: An Award-Winning Author's Tips on Writing Children's Books and Publishing Them, or How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book for Kids by Aaron Shepard


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Business of Writing for Children, by Aaron Shepherd. YAY! I finished another new book! As the year draws to a close, I am conscious of all the different books I am in the middle of reading—all at once.

This is a short book, 110 pages. But it is jam-packed full of helpful information for writers or would-be writers of children’s books. I am a writer, but not a published writer, of a number of children’s book who hopes to become published. I found the book interesting and useful with lots of good examples of manuscripts, query letters, promotional materials and so, and good references. It’s a quick and easy read, but worth it.

View all my reviews >>

The Secret of the Cupboard

The Mystery of the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads ATE MY REVIEW! I am so frustrated because I took all this time to write a nice review and Goodreads ATE it and spat out an empty window. Now I have to start all over and I have other things to do so I cannot write as thorough a review.

I liked this book very much and recommend it to anyone who likes children's literature and fantasy. It's spell-binding and enthralling.

Unfortunately, it is a sequel, and I hadn't read the previous books, and it referred back to them constantly. This got very annoying, but I guess that's not the author's fault. She probably assumed people had read the earlier books in the series.

Omri's Mom inherits a house that belonged to her Uncle Frederick, who she never knew. Turns out it previously belonged to his great great aunt who was the first to call back the little people. But her journal, which he finds as the roof is being rethatched, reveals a terrible secret or two.

View all my reviews >>

Apple Cranberry Pie, from Scratch

This is a recipe for another blogger whom I am trying to convince to make her own homemade pies. "Easy as pie takes on new meaning with store bought pie-crusts. Homemade is cheaper and more environmental, but the store bought pies out to give some courage to TRY IT!

1)gather everything you need: fruit (in this case, apples and cranberries--I like to sue a variety of different kinds of apples. But ANY one kind will work--and they still taste good even if they aren't the freshest. Fresh is better of course. Here I have Granny Smith, Macintosh, honey crisp and several others. If possible, take the pie crust out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead (or so) to warm it slightly. Do not take it out too early.

2)Spread one piece of pie crust and cut each apple in half, one by one.

3)Then quarter them

4)remove the cores--be sure to get the little pricky thing out

5)Peel the pieces. Try to remove as little apple as possible with the peel, but get all the peel off, if possible

6)spread the pieces evenly on the bottom of the pie dish, on top of the crust

7)If adding cranberries, cut each one half--why--because otherwise they will float to the top and not spread their yummy tartness properly

9)I like to put the cranberries into the holes left by the apples

10)3/4 cup sugar is enough for a normal pie, but add more if you like it sweeter. As each layer is completed, sprinkle on a light sprinkle of sugar--this helps keep the apples from browning--or you can dip them in lemon juice.

then add another layer of apples.

and more cranberries, more sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon.

After the pie is full of apples and cranberries, add the rest of the sugar with a large heaping tablespoon of flour mixed in to thicken the juice (this is optional) and more cinnamon. Youc an also add nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, in small amounts. (opt)

put the top crust on and make vent holes for the steam. Seal the top and bottom crust.

put it in the oven with a tray underneath so if it boils over and leaks, it won't get on the oven. Bake at 375 or 400 about 40 minutes--set the timer for 30 and then check it every little while. Watch the crust. If it is browning too much, put it on a lower shelf, and/or cover the edges with foil.

The pie is done in 40-45 minutes, usually, when the crust is browned but not burned and the filling has been boiling.

You can also make quickly little pie things by just tossing some apples or other fruit on dough with a couple tablespoons of sugar and a little cinnamon, or use a small oven proof bowl.

A word about the leavings. PLEASE---Feed them to the chickens or pigs or COMPOST THEM. It is unenvironmental to toss them in t he trash where they will sit in a landfill forever.

Of course, you do know that if you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.

Crone Ceremony

Detail from new collaborative piece in Ander's Moleskine. Click here to see the whole piece and learn more about it.

Bluebirds!

We went to Seven Lakes State Park for a walk, after dropping off PB at choir girl's in Clarkston.  After we walked (woods crawling with hunters!), we were sitting int he car facing the lake eating lunch (we'd packed ahead) and what should we see but a whole flock of bluebirds and they hung around a long time--we got to watch while we ate.   But why were they still THERE?  Why haven't they flown south?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  We're grateful for a chance to see bluebirds!!

CBS News Investigates Rape-Kit Backlog | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network

Rape Kit Backlog Story:  What a shocker. and how horrendously sad for all rape victims. And what a danger to other women that these men are out loose!  Thanks to RAINN and to congressional allies for putting this front and center. from LT

tiptoe through the

I just planted a dozen tulips in my bare feet--it's pretty warm today for November!

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Could a book that is slow-paced where little happens, compared, say to a Douglas Preston/Lincoln Childs crime novel, be a good book? In this case, very much so. This is a relaxed, slow-paced, pleasant, cheery and inviting novel about Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of the Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. It's the tenth book in a series, and I read it out of order, but I enjoyed it anyway. I thought it had a loose end, or I would have given it 5 stars instead of 4. It's an internationally best-selling book. It takes place in Gaborone, Botswana, where the AIDS epidemic is the highest in the world. Many people referred to in the book ate "late." But life goes on, and there are problems with the football team being on a losing streak, so the lady detectives, who do not follow football (in this case, soccer), are hired to find out why. And the tiny white van bites the dust and Violet tries to steal a finance and a woman named Lily has a problem with too many husbands. All of this is quietly addressed over tea and various goodies. What better way to address problems? And do the ladies succeed in solving problems? I don't believe in spoilers! You'll have to read the book to find out. Suffice it to say I enjoyed it very much. It was a postive educational experience.

View all my reviews >>

This was my 49th book of the year--So I will hopefully be averaging about a book a week by the end of the year--maybe a little more.

Happy Thanksgiving Again

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you have a wonderful, loving, safe and healthy holiday if you
celebrate, and if you do not, I hope you are having a wonderful,
loving, safe and healthy life.

Anise or Fennel Salad

This is not a glossy Food Photo, it's from our dinner yesterday. On
our real table. And the photo is wholly unmanipulated! The salad had
baby spinach, carrots, mushrooms, yellow pepper, fennel (anise) bulb
and feathers, and one strawberry quarter. I served it with homemade
balsamic vinegrette. It was excellent. Anise (fennel) is very mild
and crunchy.

company on a nice day and illegal leaf burning

I like my company, but hate being stuck inside on a nice day.  I went out to cut up strawberries for shortcake and discovered a terrible stench--the neighbors two doors down are burning leaves int heir cooker--raking them and throwing them in so it looks like they are barbecuing.  Grrrrr.  Stinking up the neighborhood, polluting the air and the leaves should be composted.  DUH!

tonight

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

Hope it's been good!

Happy Halloween!

Hot from the oven

Apple Bunbleberry pie, my second this week.

Make 2 crusts. (or buy them).

Lay one in bottom of pie pan.

I addedL 4 large apples, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries to
fill to slightly heaping the pan.

Add: 3/4 c sugar or brown sugar or some combination, cinamon, 3 T
flour, a couple bits of butter or margarine, put on top crust, make
slits or design for vent holes,

Bake about 30-45 minutes, keeping on eye on the crust so it doesn't
burn. Done when crust is browned and juice bubbles up.

I baked 10 minutes at 425 and then 35 minutes at 365. Serve warm or
cool with ice cream or cream or plain.

This for BB's birthday. He is 64 and I still love him ("Will you
still need me, will you still feed me?" Yup!)

The Cassandra COmpact

The Cassandra Compact by Philip Shelby


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Cassandra Compact, by Robert Ludlum and Philip Shelby

Jon Smith is sent to rescue Yuri Danko, who has called the secure line and asked to be extracted. Danko has a piece of terrifying news, but before he can tell Jon, he is cut down in a spray of gunfire by assassins. Smith deduces that someone is out to steal a sample of smallpox from the Russian cache of bioweapons and perhaps manipulate it to make it more virulent. This is a face-paced, exciting and scary book. Lots of action and shoot-em-up. Not exactly my thing, but I did enjoy it.

View all my reviews >>

Free Food for Millionaires

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Free Food for Millionaires, by Min Jin Lee, 4+

Casey Han had a scholarship to Princeton; otherwise, she'd have been unable to attend. Her time at Princeton gave her "No job and many bad habits," and a hunger for a lifestyle far above that which she could afford or had been used to with her immigrant Korean parents who ran a laundry service in Manhattan. Through Casey's eye's we see New York as experienced by the poor and the rich. Casey is offered several divergent opportunities and has to choose between independence or indebtedness in different ways. She loves hats, clothes and shoes, and these get her into trouble. This richly textured narrative covers not only Casey's life, but the lives of her parents, friends and lovers, and all the complex interweaving of love, friendship, betrayal, heartbreak, and rekindling. This book that made me laugh and cry. It's touted as being about the "immigrant" experience, but I say it is about the HUMAN experience.. An excellent book. Close to a 5 in my mind. I really enjoyed it. finished 10-13-09

View all my reviews >>

Without my story, what would I be?

"Without my story, I would be a breath of breeze on a still lake, the faintest ripple, the reflection of wings passing, the great dome of blue, filling with mist. I would be emptier than a vacuum tube which sucks into itself the story of the world. I would be nothing, inside out."

for April Belle

my noon walk

I'm up in Harbor Springs for a Writing Retreat and took a walk at lunch.

The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Wheel of Darkness, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have written another exciting, spellbinding and upsetting book, one that I didn't want to put down from the beginning to the end. It was interesting engaging. Special agent Pendergast of the FBI and his ward, Constance Green are weary of the world after their last upsetting adventures, and go to a Tibetan Monastery to be healed. But someone has stolen the dangerous Agogen which could destroy the world, and the monks ask Pendergast to retrieve it. A simple assignment, it seems, until the thief is murdered and additional strange bizarre murders begin to occur about the maiden voyage of the huge cruise ship Britannica. I enjoyed the book, and was very interested in the meditative practices, but I was deeply saddened by a change that occurred in this book from all previous books. In every other book, I coudl trust two things: that at least Pendergast would survive and that whatever bizarre happening was occurring, their would be a logical explanation for it in the end. However, I began to suspect that that would not be the case in this book, and, disappointingly, I was correct. This means I can never trust them again to not go off the deep end.

View all my reviews >>

2 doodles for pocket

I can't seem to stop doodling.

Doodle: Eye of the Tiger II

A variant on yesterday's doodle.

No Eager :-(

Eager has been abviously around for a month and a half or more. He
has either moved to a new territory, been shot, hit by a car or eaten
by a predator, or been scared by someone so much he's afraid to
appraoch any more. He did often go away for days at a time, so he
isn't necessarily dead, but we miss him.

Gumbo Pot Pie

A cream-based gumbo baked into a pie shell, made from scratch--no
recipe. I'm feeling creative.