Country Lady's Cottage: Well, here I am!!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Well, here I am!!

Boy, have I been lax here!! Where does the time go?? But, the weather has been really nice, a little too hot at times, but right for gardening. I also have partaken of our new backyard swing...sigh!!

For my birthday, Jillian gave me the best gift! On my booknook blog I had posted a list of books I wanted to read..........well............she ordered EVERY ONE. What a thrill. She got them used (I love used) at Amazon . The added fun was that they came over about 2 weeks, so everyday I anticipated what would come next. So I have been big time into reading. When do you ever have, right before you, 12 books you have been anxious to read?

My knitting has been a little behind lately. I just cant pull myself away from my garden and books. I am still on the same toe-up sock. But I wont wear it till Fall anyway.

Gene and I and Lindsey too a trip up to Rockport on the 4th of July. It was a beautiful day..which of course spelled CROWDS! If you know Gene you will know we spent forever driving around to find just the right parking space..........eeekk!

And my garden. This year it has really matured. My day lillies are just coming into bloom, and they are gorgeous. My hydrangea bush is interesting this year. Ir always blooms a gorgous blue. But this year..it has a purple tinge to it.

So I am off to post to my bookblog. I promise to be back very soon.

Blessings,

Barb

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On my bookstand now!!

"Jewel of the Sun" by Nora Roberts. The first of a three part trilogy about Ireland and a woman's travle to her ancestral home. I think I have read this before, but I am 2 chapters in and hooked.
"Murder At A Vineyard Mansion" by Philip R. Craig" This series I actaully have not read in order, and it has been okay. Mainly becasue they are hard to come by and when I go to a second hand store I always forget to look for them. And then I find one..like this..and I say "How did I forget how much I love these" They are 'cozy' mysteries (more character driven that murder driven) and take place on Martha's Vineyard. The authro grew up in Durango Colorado, and was a Professor at Wheelock before moving year-round to Martha's Vineyard. He achieves the true feel of the Vineyard. So if you want to visit the Vineyard, Pick up one of his novels.

Books I finished..Were they good??

"Murder At A Vineyard Mansion" and "Vineyard Blues" by Philip R. Craig" This series I actaully have not read in order, and it has been okay. Mainly becasue they are hard to come by and when I go to a second hand store I always forget to look for them. And then I find one..like this..and I say "How did I forget how much I love these" They are 'cozy' mysteries (more character driven that murder driven) and take place on Martha's Vineyard. The author grew up in Durango Colorado, and was a Professor at Wheelock before moving year-round to Martha's Vineyard. He achieves the true feel of the Vineyard. So if you want to visit the Vineyard, Pick up one of his novels.
"More Than Friends" by Barbara Delinsky. Another good character study by this great author. I almost put it down in the middle, but I persisted, and it did triumph in the end. The story of two very close family who suffer a tragedy which spiral everything they know as normal out oif control.
"Scarlet Feather" by Maeve Binchy. A wonderful Irish tale of Tom Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather as they open a catering business. I just adore these books/audiobooks by Maeve Binchy. They give you such a feel for Ireland. And I love that the same characters show up in her books, although each book is about a different set of characters. This is well worth reading or listening to.
"P Is for Posse" Audiobook by Sue Grafton. As usual a good story. Easy to listen to. A pleasure.
"6 Rainier Drive" These 2 books by Debbie Macomber which I read in the past 10 days are the end of the series for now. These are wonderful character books about relationships, friendship, triumph, tragedy, love and Hope! I would recommend them any day. By the way, if you do read these, go to her website and see a map of Cedar Cove.http://www.debbiemacomber.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&pageID=6
"50 Harbor Street"
"44 Cranberry Point" another in the Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber....and another enjoyable read SadlyI have only 2 left after this one!
"311 Pelican Court" Yup #3 in this series by Debbie Macomber. I have to say, I like them all. They flow seamlessly into each other, but you could actually pick up just one and follow the story, although, I dont beleive it would be as rich.
"204 Rosewood Lane". 2nd in the Cedar Cove series by Debb Macomber. I hope it will be as good as the first. I love reading these series. It is somehow like visiting friends.
"Terror On Tuesday" by Ann Purser a 'cozy' village Brit mystery. It was good. Not as great a "Murder On Monday", but worth the read.
"Susannah's Garden" by Debbie Macomber. A good story. Not the absolute best, but worth the read. This is the prequel to the newsest in the Blossom Street series by her which include the 2 books about the yarn shop.
"16 Lighthouse Road" by Debbie Macomber. The first in the Cedar Cove series. A good mellow, quick read. Cant wait to read the rest. (see my blog post)
"O" is for Outlaw. Audiobook. Another great find from ebay and well worth it.
"N"is for Noose" Audiobook. Of course it wass good. Not great, but very good and entertaining. I always have enjoyed Kinsey!
Shadows On The Coast Of Maine" an Antique Print Mystery. I really did enjoy this. I have read another by her. She gets the real feel of Maine. Although the murderer was NOT who I wnated it to be.

My gardening

7/14/07 All my day lillies are either blooming or on the cusp. They really matured and came beautiful this year. The oicture on the post in one which just opened. My hydrangea which is pictured below, has come into bloom alos. I was afraid the garden would suffer this year. Our rhodadendrons budded too early this year, and then winter came again...followed by the deer, and they bloomed poorly. But everything else really survived. As usual, my garden is overrun with Hostas. I have a few, but they are very huge..and just keep getting bigger all the time. I dont fertilize or feed them...they just flourish. I was afraid the ones I tranplanted out by the street would not survive, but they are also thriving.
5/3/07 My garden is getting some much needed rain today. It is pretty settled. Although this week I will cut down my wild violets (as they are done blooming) and I will probably plant more impatients, to add color. I have 4 'Lady Slippers' in the woods along the driveway. I have always loved this flower. It always seemed to me that they looked like an orchid variation, and low and behold (thanks to Google) I found out they in fact are in the orchid family. They are found mostly in New England. The 'Pink Lady Slipper' , which is what I have, is the State flower of New Hampshire. It is also the Provincial flower of Prince Edward Island. This is touching as my maternal Grandmother was from Prince Edward Island (where she landed from Ireland). The State Flower of R.I. is the wild violet. We have oodles fo them in our woods. I have taken to trransplanting several bunches each year into my garden. I love the color purple of their flower, and they give such a lift in the Spring to my garden when they bloom. I usually cut them back to the ground in my front garden and then plant something which will bloom later there. They always come up the next year sturdier than ever.
5/26/07 Now my Pansies are doing so well. I have struggled with pansies since we moved to this house 5 years ago. I bought these from Stop and Shop and they are wonderful. They have such sweet faces. I also have trouble in this house with Columbine..which Deb Winter reminded me to plant several years ago. But my one plant which has survived is glorious right now. Two years ago I went foraging in my woods and came out with a number of wild violet plants and lily of the valley plants. Last year they were fair, but this year they are just thriving. I love the purple color in my garden, and the price is right. I also was in a Burger King parking lot for my Large Diet Coke, hey we all have our little vices, and there growing in a crack of the pavement was a tiny mimi viola...and it survived. It is so delicate and cute. I have also put in some impatients, and I will add to them when my violets stop blooming. I love the backdrop the foliage from my day lillies give to rest of the gardens. I will try to post pictures of all of these. Bless my Christmas gift, a wonderful digital camera. Thanks to Jillian and Colleen I am becoming pretty good at using it. Well, this plantlady better go wander in the garden before the sun gets too high. Blessings!