Emily Critchley is the author of One Puzzling Afternoon, a mystery historical fiction novel set in a small town in the British Isles. Edie is 84 now but in the book she is a schoolgirl living with her mother and father in the same house she lives in when she was 84. Her mother tells fortunes which both embarrasses and scares Edie. Sometimes her mother really is able to tell a fortune. Edie becomes friends with one of the wealthy, popular girls at her school. Her friend disappears at age 15. At age 84, Edie is determined to find out what happened to her friend all those years ago. This book was interesting because the narrator, Edie, has dementia. Sometimes she knows she has dementia. Other times she is highly offended when people treat her as forgetful. I thought the book was beautifully written.
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
The Bird Hotel
Joyce Maynard is the author of the novel, The Bird Hotel. This is literature and historical fiction and travel writing. The story goes over 40 years. The story starts out when Irene is 4 years old and living/traveling with her Mom and the Mom's boyfriend as they travel across the country to attend a music festival called Woodstock. Irene is a neglected child who really doesn't understand that she is neglected. She ends up living with her Grandmother who tells her never to speak about her mother anymore. Irene grows up to be a talented artist. Tragedy strikes her again and she just up and leaves. She ends up in Central America at a hotel. The owner of the hotel, a kind and giving woman, takes her in and gives her space to heal. Eventually she inherits the hotel and brings it back into full service supervising the many necessary repairs. Irene meets many characters in her life as a hotelier. She leads an interesting and fulfilling life. I could honestly tell that the author has spent time in small villages in Central America. I loved reading this book and hated to see it end.
Hoot
When I was in Florida my cousin brought a bag full of paperback books. I read several including Hoot by Carl Hiassen. This author is always good for a comedy book set in Florida. This one is about a 7th grader named Roy. Roy has moved to Coconut Grove, Florida from Montana. He isn't happy about moving to Florida. With all the 7th grade drama in school, Roy approaches the problems like a full grown adult in a 7th grade body. There are bullies and there are those who are bullied. Bullies don't work on Roy. Roy glimpses a barefoot boy in town and tries to find out more about him. In the process he discovers that a construction company is trying to hide the fact that there are protected species of burrowing owls on the property they are building on. Overall this is a very funny story.
Monday, April 29, 2024
Ellis Island
Liberty
We walked up 200+ steps to get to the neck. Here is the view from the neck. |
I think this is New Jersey. |
View of Manhattan. |
To walk up all the way up to the crown means you have to make your reservation 4 months in advance. We did not look that far ahead so could only take a photo of the steps inside the head. |
Now I am standing from the island closest to Manhattan. She looks great! |
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024
New Trails
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Her Hidden Genius
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Immune
Skyline Drive
I saw many squirrels and 4 deer and turkey vultures, red tailed hawks, Carolina wrens and tufted titmouse. |
These two does seem to enjoy running with me down the road. I had a great day driving on mountain roads making sharp turns and going up and down hills. |
At my third and final hike of the day I came upon a puddle in a dirt road. Tadpoles were swimming! |
Monday, April 22, 2024
Shenandoah
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Smoky
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Manhattan Beach
Bagpipes
How wonderful to find a Scottish band playing music while wearing kilts! |
Friday, April 19, 2024
Cataloochee
The Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited parks in our country so today was nice to get a break from the crowds. |
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Andrews Bald
On my way back to my car I found a rock between two trees that looked surprised. |
Clingman's Dome
Here is my view from the parking lot at Clingman's Dome in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. |
This is a beautiful part of North Carolina. |
From the tower here is the view to the south that includes part of the ramp I walked up. |
The view to the east. |
The view to the north. The town in the distance is Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This tower is right on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. |
The view to the west. |
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Spring Ephemeral Season
Spring ephemeral wildflowers grow only for a short time before the forest leafs out. I got lucky to be visiting this national park during this season. I hope I got the names right. Rue anemone. |
Long-spurred wood violet. |
Bristly buttercup (both a criticism and a compliment). |
Creeping phlox. |
Philadelphia fleabane. |
Solomon's Plume. |
Mountain Doghobbie. |
Southern Foamflower. |
Common blue violet. |
Creeping phlox. |
Loads of large white trillium. |
Last but not least dwarf crested iris. |
One Puzzling Afternoon
Emily Critchley is the author of One Puzzling Afternoon , a mystery historical fiction novel set in a small town in the British Isles. Edie...
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