Monday, November 29, 2021

This week...

I'm reading...



I haven't read much this week at all. I listen to a little bit of The Winter Sea, but not a lot. I do have a plan for something to read this week, so if everything goes to plan I will start reading Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan.



I'm watching...



I did, however, watch quite a lot this week.



There is a new series on our national TV station, ABC, called The Books that Made Us which is all about the booksthat have shaped our literary scene. I don't think there is going to be much genre fiction in it, but the first episode was interesting!



I was flicking through Netflix and came across a show called School of Chocolate . The theory is that there are a group of professional chefs who come together to learn from a master chocolatier. Just the glimpses of some of the creations are amazing, as you can see from the trailer! I watched the first episode, and I think I will definitely watch more.


On Sunday night we watched Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which brings new mythology into the Marvel universe. I am looking forward to seeing more in this world as it was very interesting.



In terms of series we already had underway, we watched the Great British Bake Off finale and a couple more episodes of Wheel of Time. 



On our list to watch this week, if we can get to it, is the second series of The Great. We really loved the first series and I am hearing good things about the second series! I also heard of a series called We Are Lady Parts which we will try this week too.



Life



This week, there were signs of getting back to normal. I have worked in the office a couple of days  and then we went to a very cool place for a work gathering . There were about 50 of us all up, and it was so good to see people face to face instead of looking at them through a screen.



On Saturday night we had some friends around for dinner. So much fun and so much food! In the end, there was enough food leftover for Sunday night dinner too! 



Festive treats...



I watched A Castle for Christmas on Sunday morning. It stars Brooke Shields and Cary Elwes, with a cameo from Drew Barrymore. It features an American author who decides on a whim to buy a castle in Scotland, despite the fact that the duke still lives there. I am not saying it is going to win any awards but it was a lot of fun, and I did laugh several times.


Here are the festive treats I have read and watched so far this year:



1. Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin


2. The Happiest Season - watched because Dan Levy is in it.

3. The Christmas Secret by Karen Swan

4. Love Harder 

5. A Castle for Christmas


I did also spend some time working on next year's Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, so I thought I would give you a sneak peak of the logo for 2022.  The sign up post will be up later this week, so if you enjoy reading historical fiction I would love for you to join in! I have also been doing some statistics which I will share over the coming week or so too!


Posts from the last week




Mjusic A-Z: Y
Weekend Cooking: Tasting Whisky


I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Weekend Cooking: Tasting Whisky


Recently I read The Christmas Secret by Karen Swan which I enjoyed immensely. The majority of the story is set a whisky distillery in Scotland. Alex is a very successful business coach who receives a last minute request to go to Scotland to deal with a CEO who has a very volatile relationship with the board of his company, most of whom happen to be family members.



I must confess that I don't know much about whisky distilling so there was lots of interesting facts about the whisky distilling process, and I have never been to a whisky tasting, and this passage caught my attention because of the idea of saying hello!



Of course, I have said hi to whisky before, usually with a splash of cola which is probably a bit sacriligous but still.










She watched as Skye brought her glass to her mouth, but before sipping, inhaled it deeply, her eyes closed. She pulled the glass away and then brought it back again, repeating the deep breath in.

"Is that how you're supposed to drink whisky?" Alex asked, fascinated.

"Oh," Skye said, pulling an embarassed expression. "Occupational hazard. I forget not to do it."

"Well, could you show me how? I've never done it properly before."

"Sure," Skye replied, looking delighted and pouring them each a little more. "The first - or most important - thing is to remember is that whisky's not something to be rushed, but rather savoured. It takes a long time to make and it should take a long time to drink, to really allow the flavour to come out."

"Right," Alex said, adjusting her grip so that it was the same as Skye's, her fingers on the stem, away from the bowl of the glass. She realized she'd never seen whisky served in a stemmed glass before either - only ever tumblers.

"Now the first thing you want to do is introduce yourself to it. So you bring it to the nose and say hello," Skeye said in a sing-song voice, swirling the glass only slightly, closing her eyes and inhaling the aroma for a good four or five seconds.

"Hello," Alex echoed, feeling faintly ridiculous to be talking to a drink.

Skye then swung her arm away as though it was hinged, before bringing it back in again. "How are you?" she murmured in another dramatic voice, this time with a light swill of the glass and a deep inhalation.

Alex copied her exactly, right down to her intonation.

"Very well, thank you." Skye opened her eyes. "Smell that? See how it's beginning to breath?"

Alex nodded. It was like the opening of a flower. "Yes."

"Now take a good swig but hold it in the middle of your mouth. That's it and we're going to count down from ten..." she said, holding up her fingers and counting down. Alex swallowed when she did.

"And now take a bite of chocolate," she said, handing over the ramekin. "And then take another swig."

Alex's eyes widened as the sweetness of the chocolate in her mouth contracted with the smooth, fiery burn of the whisky.

"See that, how the flavours balance and complement one another? Now take another sip quickly."

Alex did as ths was told, eyes closing with pleasure as the last swig of whisky was drained, to dance in her mouth. She didn't gulp it down but let it play on her palate for a few moments, the different flavours like musical notes. "Oh my God," she gasped finally. " Wow."

"Yeah? You liked that?" Skye asked, looking pleased. "You should try the twenty-eight. It's a different level entirely."

"I'd love to," Alex replied.

"Yeah? Shall we say hello to it?"

Alex grinned. "Let's say hello."





Have you ever said hello to whisky in this way?


Weekly Meals

Saturday - Butter chicken pizza
Sunday - Roast beef and vegies
Monday - Beef and rice stir fry
Tuesday - Chicken Enchiladas
Wednesday - Fried Chicken, mash and beans
Thursday -Out for drinks
Friday - Takeaway





Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page



Friday, November 26, 2021

Music A to Z: Y

 

 

 



Welcome to this week's edition of my Music A to Z feature. Normally, each week on Thursday, I am going to share a song where either the song or the artist name begins with the letter for that week. This week, the letter is....

Y



I missed last week...ooops! Just crazy busy and no time! But here I am, on Friday! Better late than never.


Yesterday by The Beatles - The first song that came to mind when I was thinking about songs starting with the letter Y. I did also contempate Yesterdays by Guns and Roses but The Beatles won!




Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton - I was looking for something fun for the next song and this one meets the brief!!







Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer - I loved this song from the first time I heard it. There is just something about that first verse building up to the first Youngblood!




While next week is the letter Z but that won't quite be the end. The week after will be numbers and then I think I can find some Christmas songs to share!

Do you have a favourite Y song? Share in the comments.

Monday, November 22, 2021

This week....

 I'm reading....



Last week I mentioned that I was starting to read a book by Karen Swan called The Christmas Secret. I finished that book last week. If I show you the two books I picked up from the library today, you should get a fair idea of what I thought of that book....




The other book that I read this week was called The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks.  This is a middle grade book which is about a young girl called Fred who is trying to navigate a complicated life in 1999. She is being raised by her adoptive father who has a new partner, who in turn brings a son called Sam into the house. She also has a growing awareness of the world around her, particularly the tragic events in Kosovo which lead to a group of refugees being housed near her town.  This is very much a Melbourne book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.



I now need to get a move on in reading Cinnamon and Gunpowder. The last date to post about the book is 30 November, which is approaching very rapidly.



I'm watching....



I am very excited to see that The Great is back, which we have every intention of watching, but this weekend we watched the first two episodes of Wheel of Time. I have never read the books, but my husband has. I think it is watchable, although I do know some AVID fans who are definitely not enjoying it.



I did watch a few more episodes of Midnight Diner over the weekend and I intend to watch more this week.

 



Life



We are now allowed out as long as we show our vaccination certificates whereever we go, so we took advantage and had a pub meal. It was so nice to go out, but it was busy, loud and the drinks were expensive! Maybe it is just so long to since we had a pub dinner that I had forgotten all of those things.




It was also bookclub week this week, and for the first time we were able to meet up in person, at a lovely French cafe.  There were only three of us but we had a great chat about books, music, social events and more. The next theme is Holiday, so I am not sure if I am going to count one of the Christmas books I have here, or a book about somewhere I want to visit, or maybe summer. So many options.



The other big focus for the weekend was painting the master bedroom. When we have finished there will be no more 1979 in my house, except for the front door. If we weren't going to be moving we would have changed it, but that can be the next person's thing to do.



Posts from the last week






I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Weekend Cooking: Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognaise


Recently we were talking about how we use our pressure cooker with family (surely a true sign that we are all adults now right?) and someone asked if we had tried Pressure Cooker Spaghett Bolognaise yet. Our answer at the time was no, but we were definitely interested, and since then we have had it for dinner twice! 



We have been surprised by how much we enjoy it. It gives a much richer tasting bolognaise, I think becuase the spaghetti is cooking in the sauce instead of the more traditional method of cooking the spaghetti separately and then spooning the bolognaise sauce over the top.



Whilst I have to follow a recipe, my husband is far more of a pantser when it comes to cooking, so this recipe is a combination of a couple of recipes, plus a bit of this and that. It is very simple one pot recipe, which makes it a perfect mid-week dinner, as well as leaving plenty of leftovers for lunch for all three of us.


 

Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognaise




800g lean beef mince

1 brown onion, diced

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

140g tomato paste

2 cups beef stock

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato soup

1/2 can water

1 tsp sugar

400g spaghetti

1 tsp cooking oil

4 tsp parmesan, grated, to serve



Brown onion in oil in the pressure cooker. Add mince and brown. Drain any excess fat.

Add mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste, tomato paste, diced tomatoes,stock, and can of soup. Stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 cans of water and sugar and stir. 

Add spaghetti. Close and lock lid of pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. Release steam and open lid carefully.

Serve with cheese and fancy garlic bread.



Weekly Meals

Saturday - Bacon, Vegetables, Risoni soup with pork meatballs
Sunday - Leftover soup
Monday - Sardines on toast
Tuesday - Mexican chicken and rice
Wednesday - Pork chops with vegie and potato bake
Thursday - Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognaise
Friday - Dinner at the pub!


Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

Sunday, November 14, 2021

This week....


I'm reading...


mentioned last week that I was reading The Great Passage by Shion Miura (translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter) which I finished this week. It was touch and go. I finished it on Friday night thinking that book club was on Saturday, which it was, but then it was postponed to next week. That, of course, means that I finished a week early.



I started reading Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown, which is the next Cook the Books selection. I have read a few chapters and so far it is a lot of fun. I think I am going to enjoy it. 



I also started reading another book yesterday, just because I could. Bree from All The Books I Can Read is a big fan of Karen Swan and has read many of her books. I have tried reading this author before but I really didn't enjoy it. However, I generally trust Bree's taste in books so I thought I would try another one. And this one, The Christmas Secret, has grabbed my attention from the first chapter. In fact, it is calling my name right now.



I'm watching...



Nothing really



Life



We went to get our second vaccination today so whilst there hasn't been a lot of  activity this weekend, things are definitely heating up on the social life front.



Posts from the last week



Blog Tour: A Mother's Story by Maggie Christensen

Music A-Z: X

Weekend Cooking: A WWII wedding cake



I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Weekend Cooking: A WWII wedding cake

I saved this quote from Railway Girls in Love when I read it earlier this year.  This is the third book in the Railway Girls series which features a group of women who come together to work on the railways during WWII.  



I wasn't quite sure when I was going to use this, or another quote I have saved, but I think this is the week! There's several reasons why. First, because it was Rememberance Day this week. I know that Rememberance Day is in memory of the end of World War I, but I tend to think about all conflicts when I take that moment to stop and think at 11am on 11 September.



A second reason is that the fourth book in the Railway Girls series came out this week, and the third reason is because I think of November as my wedindg month. We got married on a beach in Vanuatu on 1 November and then we had a celebration at home on 30 November. This weekend, sits right in the middle of those two dates. We didn't have a wedding cake at our wedding. We had a plate of lovely desserts instead, but at the celebration, my sister made a beautiful wedding cake.



It should be said that Mrs Grayson is the person in the book who manages to stil be able to make delicious treats despite war time shortages. I also like that this passage demonstrates how people come together when needed






"Mrs Grayson, please will you make the cake? I know that isn't an easy thing to manage these days."

"Leave it to me." Mrs Grayson's cheek went pink with pleasure. "I'll make one of those no-egg cakes and I'll get hold of some saccharine if there isn't enough sugar."

"We'll give you whatever dried fruit we can," said Dot. "They do say you can used grated veg as a substitute."

"There might be more dried fruit to be had now that food parcels are coming from America," said Cordelia.

"I promise you one thing," said Mr Grayson. "It'll be the moistest cake you've ever tasted."

Mrs Cooper rolled her eyes. "When she says moist what she means is alcoholic."

"We've got a bit of sherry," said Mrs Grayson, "and I can't think of a better purpose for it."

"I can probably provide a little alchohol as well," said Cordelia

 


And then


When Mrs Cooper opened the front door, Dot lifted her chin and sniffed the air like one of the Bisto Kids, her mouth watering at the delicious mix of spicy-sweet and fruity.

"I bought my dried fruit round." Dot offered her bag. "Am I too late?"

"Not at all. Mrs Grayson is letting everything soak at the moment. Can you smell the orange zest?"

"She got hold of an orange?" Dot was impressed.

Mrs Cooper led her into the kitchen, where Mrs Grayson, a pinny covering her dress, was consulting a handwritten recipe.

"If this is how the raw ingredients smell," said Dot, "it's going to be a masterpiece of a cake. What are you using to soak the fruit?"

"Mrs Masters provided some alchohol," said Mrs Cooper.

"She said she would," said Dot,picturing dry sherry.

"There's brandy in there." Mrs Grayson waved a hand towards the mixing bowl. "And port."

"Crikey," said Dot. "Everyone will be legless after one slice.

"Well, it is a wedding," said Mrs Grayson.



Weekly Meals

Saturday - French style chicken


Sunday - Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognaise


Monday - Steak with Mushroom Sauce

Tuesday - Pork Nachos


Wednesday  - Steak and Pepper Casserole with mash


Thursday - Pork belly wraps with coleslaw


Friday - Scrambled Eggs with bacon on toast









Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Music A-Z: X

 

 



Welcome to this week's edition of my Music A to Z feature. Each week on Thursday, I am going to share a song where either the song or the artist name begins with the letter for that week. This week, the letter is....

X


I am getting to the tail end of the alphabet now, which means not many weeks to go, but it also means that I am getting to the difficult letters!

I could, for example, share Xanadu by Olivia Newton John, but it's definitely not my favourite song by her.


50 Years by Uncanny X-Men - I know that the band name actually starts with U, but they were always referred to as the X-Men, so I am claiming it. This song is probably one of the quintessential songs of my teenage years. It was released in 1986, when I was 15 years old. The thought of asking where will we be in 50 years seemed like forever away but as of now we are 35 years in! Another 15 years doesn't seem like that far away!






Follow the Sun - Xavier Rudd - Could a video be more relaxing?





Do you have any X songs? Feel free to share them in the comments.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Blog Tour: A Mother's Story by Maggie Christensen


I have read a number of Maggie Christensen books over the last year or so. Five of them to be precise, all of which were part of her Granite Springs contemporary romance series which features older characters. I have enjoyed each of the books I have read in that series, so when I saw this book I was quick to volunteer for the tour, despite the fact that it was clearly going to be a very different read.



Rather than a romance, we have a historical fiction story with multiple narrators which spans from the 1940s through to the 1990s with parallel lines occurring in Scotland and Australia.



The story opens in WWII Scotland with a young woman named Rhona Begg. She is working in an office but she has decided that she needs to do more so she volunteers to join up with the ATS. She ships out to Yorkshire for training, but it isn't long before her life is tipped on it's axis. She finds herself pregnant and alone. She knows that she can't go home to her family who would be so ashamed of her, so she is determined to make it on her own.  



In due time, Rhona finds work in a factory, but her living arrangements means that she cannot have her daughter Fiona live with her. She puts her in a home where she can still see her as often as she can. Fate had other ideas though and Rhona has to find a way to keep going despite her grief.




In Australia we meet Nell Duncan. She is desperate for news of her beloved husband Joe who is off fighting the Japanese. She is also doing her best to keep going, with the belief that when Joe gets home, they will be able to start their much longed for family.



After the war, heartbroken Rhona returns to her family, keeping her daughter Fiona's birth a secret for many years. Whilst she has no intention of getting involved with a man after her war time experiences, in due course she meets her husband and lives quite happily, until a story in a newspaper catches her attention and starts her wondering if maybe, just maybe, she can find some answers to the questions from her past. It does, however, mean revealing the greatest secret of her life.



For Nell and Joe, joy comes into their lives in the form of a young girl that they adopt, who they called Joy. She grows up secure and loved, living in suburban Australia. She has always known that she was adopted, but as she grows older things happen that make her wonder where she originally came from.




We follow both Rhona and Nell, and eventually young Joy, through their lives, until the secrets of the past are revealed



As I mentioned earlier, I have not read any of this author's historical novels. I will be now. I really enjoyed how the stories of the various characters were told, with the parallel timelines gradually intertwining. The story does cover a long period of time and so there are big jumps forward in time between sections. I was moved by both stories, and by the different stories of what motherhood looked like to all three women, whose experiences were all very different.



I will definitely be reading more of Maggie Christensen's historical novels. Right now though, I think I might head back to Granite Springs for another visit.



Rating 4/5



Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for including me on the blog tour.




About the Book




A Mother’s Story

A lost child. A mother’s grief. A daughter’s journey
.

In Scotland, in 1941, as WW2 increases in ferocity, Rhona Begg goes against her parents’ wishes and enlists in the ATS—a decision that brings with it heart-breaking consequences. After the war, weighed down with regret and grief, Rhona receives news that has the power to change her life.

Across the ocean in Australia, Nell Duncan worries about her husband who is fighting in the Far East. When she receives the dreaded news that he is missing in action, her world collapses. The end of the war brings changes to Nell’s life, but her dream of bearing a child is no longer possible and she grieves for what might have been.

In 1971, when Joy Baker gives birth to her daughter, she begins the journey to discover her ancestry. What she finds shocks her to the core and propels her on a journey to the land of her birth.

Three women. Three mothers. Three astonishing stories.

From wartime Scotland to present day Australia. A Mother’s Story is an emotion-filled sweeping family saga.

Purchase Link - getbook.at/AMothersStory

 


About the author



After a career in education, Maggie Christensen began writing contemporary women’s fiction portraying mature women facing life-changing situations, and historical fiction set in her native Scotland. Her travels inspire her writing, be it her trips to visit family in Scotland, in Oregon, USA or her home on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. Maggie writes of mature heroines coming to terms with changes in their lives and the heroes worthy of them. Her writing has been described by one reviewer as like a nice warm cup of tea. It is warm, nourishing, comforting and embracing.


From the small town in Scotland where she grew up Scotland, Maggie was lured to Australia by the call ‘Come and teach in the sun’. Once there, she worked as a primary school teacher, university lecturer and in educational management. Now living with her husband of over thirty years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, she loves walking on the deserted beach in the early mornings and having coffee by the river on weekends. Her days are spent surrounded by books, either reading or writing them – her idea of heaven!

 



Social Media Links –



Facebook           https://www.facebook.com/maggiechristensenauthor


Twitter               
https://twitter.com/MaggieChriste33


Goodreads  
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8120020.Maggie_Christensen


Instagram          https://www.instagram.com/maggiechriste33/


Bookbub            https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-christensen


Website              https://maggiechristensenauthor.com/

 


Monday, November 08, 2021

This week....


I'm reading...



I finished The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman. It was written in his customary soothing style, packed with emotion and wit, but....the snow left me feeling a bit cold, if you will pardon the pun. I enjoyed it, just not as much as I have enjoyed the previous books.



I also started and finished reading Maggie Christensen's A Mother's Story. I had previously only read her contemporary romance Granite Springs books so this was a bit of surprise to me as it a multiple timeline historical fiction novel.



I did start reading The Great Passage by Shion Miura, translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter. This is my bookclub book for this month. We are doing read on a theme style of bookclub and this month's theme is "Books about Books". When we agreed on this theme, my initial reaction was that I could finally read The Lost Dictionary of Words by Pip Williams, except I had already packed it into a box a few weeks ago. And then I thought I could reread The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, except that too is in a box. And the same with The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I tried looking up different books from the library, and there were definitely some I could have borrowed, but in the end I found this book on the second last page of my Kindle collection.  So far, I am liking it a lot so it has ended up being a good choice.



I'm watching....



We watched the last two episodes of Making It Australia over the weekend. I am a little bit disappointed that this show isn't getting renewed as we really enjoy it. 



We were pleased to see that Bake Off: The Professionals is back! That's something to look forward to for a few weeks at least.




Festive treats...



I watched a Christmas movie this weekend. It's strange really. I feel like I am growing into Christmas movies, but over the last couple of years I have found myself watching more and more of them, and it turns out that I am watching them earlier than ever. I have also already read a Christmas book!



I think I am going to keep a running list of the movies that I do watch and read this year



1. Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop by Rebecca Raisin


2. The Happiest Season - watched because Dan Levy is in it.




Life



A couple of weeks ago my son was in a very small accident in his car, which was my old car. Unfortunately, even though it was only a small bingle and no one was hurt, he was hit right in a part of the car that meant it wasn't worth the repairs, so the car had to be written off.  This weekend, we went out car shopping with him. We tried to steer him in the directioon of something sensible but that is not where we ended up. The main criteria was. of course, can he fit into the car. At 6'9" that isn't always easy. But...he has a car again. Now, he just has to pay for it.



Other than that we are starting to think about our last room to be renovated which will happen over the next few weeks. Our social calendar is also starting to fill up in the lead up to Christmas. I guess things really are getting back to normal.



Posts from the last week



HIstorical Fiction Reading Challenge: November post

Top Ten Tuesday: The Susanna Kearsley edition

Music A-Z: W

Vintage Weekend Cooking: The AWW Birthday Cake Book

Weekend Cooking: What I Baked in October




I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

Sunday, November 07, 2021

Six Degrees of Separation: What Are You Going Through to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

 Welcome to this month's edition of Six Degrees of Separation, which is a monthly meme hosted by Kate from Books Are My Favourite and Best.  The idea is to start with a specific book and make a series of links from one book to the next using whatever link you can find and see where you end up after six links.  I am also linking this post up with The Sunday Salon, hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz. 



The starting point for this month is a book called What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez. I found this a tough book to start with. I am also realising that so often my go to books for this meme are the same ones! I think I have avoided that this time, but only just. And there's no guarantee that it won't happen in future!





What You Are Going Through appears to have a number of themes, but one of them is about euthanasia which brings me to my first book which is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.




After the death of a loved one, what follow is grief. Grief is a central theme of The Secret of Snow by Viola Shipman which I read this week.




There was a lot of snow in The Secret of Snow and the word snow is what made me choose In Falling Snow by Mary-Rose MacColl. I loved this book when I read it a few years ago. It is set in WWI France.




Also partially set in WWI is Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole, and you can't do a connections about an epistolary book set during war without then linking to the next book. You just can't!




That right! The next book is The GuernseyLiterary and Potato Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows.




From there, the final choice is The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, part of the Flavia de Luce mystery series.



Next month's starting book is Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, and I already have two ideas of what my first links might be.



Saturday, November 06, 2021

Weekend Cooking: What I Baked in October

Normally on the last Saturday of the month I share everything I have baked each month, but I have decided to change that post from the last Saturday to the first Saturday in the next month. What isn't changing is the focus on the new recipes I have tried as well as the old favourites that I have remade





Yesterday I reshared a post about kids cake book, and mentioned that my son chose to have a green flamingo cake for his birthday, and here it is!! Whilst the recipe is a simple butter cake, with a butter cream, where I tried to stretch myself was in making the chocolate feathers which was a fun technique.



The only problem with making a shaped cake like a flamingo is that there is lots of leftover cake. And with the leftover cake I made trifle! Yum.





Dutch Apple Pie with a Cheddar Crust - I posted about making this pie here.




Little lemon syrup cake - After trying something new with the cheddar crust I then reverted back to one of our favourites. So lemony and delicious



Black and white wagon wheels - Several people at work have been making wagon wheels so I thought I would have a go. What I didn't realise is that they only made one of the versions, not both. I think when I make it again I would do a milk chocolate with raspberry jam version, instead of blackberry jam. It was delicous but the white chocolate was very sweet, especially seeing as the biscuits inside are honey flavoured. They do look impressive though.


I am also sharing this post with In My Kitchen, hosted at Sherry's Kitchen.


Weekly Meals

Saturday - Mushroom, zucchini, ham and pasta


Sunday - Burgers


Monday - Anniversay dinner at the beach


Tuesday - Dinner with the family


Wednesday  - Pork chop, mash and broccoli


Thursday - Tacos


Friday - 




Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

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