Drop Dead Easy Knits

My niece can knit.  She does beautiful work and I admit...I'm jealous.  Knitting has always been a craft that I have aspired to learn.
I have made various attempts. On one occasion my niece's Austrian great grandmother attempted to teach me....she spoke no English, and I learned the word "nein" for no.  Meaning, "no, not like that!"  We had a good time working together, but I did not become the master knitter I had hoped I would. I have had others try to teach me, I can do a basic knit and pearl but,  I want to do more!

I am certain that is why I was excited to see the book, Drop Dead Easy Knits, by Gale Zucker, Mary Lou Egan, and Kirsten Kapur, listed on the Blogging for Books website.   While knitting may still not be easy to me, the book makes the patterns appear very doable.  The illustrations are beautiful and the instructions are straight forward. The items listed are very contemporary in design, and make me excited once again to try to pick up my needles and "click it" until I get it!

I may need to enlist help from my niece, but I am very excited to try some of the patterns from,  Drop Dead Easy Knits.  If you are an accomplished knitter,  I would heartily recommend this book.  You will be ready to get those needles moving and make some stunning pieces.

FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Home on the Range

Looking for a gentle, heartwarming read for a cold winter day? Then treat yourself to Ruth Logan Herne's second addition to her Double S Ranch Book series, Home on the Range. Herne has continued the Christian mystery storyline of the Stafford family, three brothers who are learning to live their lives through the struggles of relationships and hardships, and ending with the satisfaction of finding love of a woman and life on the Double S Ranch.

Herne's talent for creating strong characters that portray the vulnerability of the human condition makes for enjoyable reading that soothes the soul.
Home on the Range primarily dealing with the story of Nick Stafford and his two girls, Dakota and Cheyenne.  Cheyenne, the older of the Stafford daughters is in third grade, and rebelling from a heart broken by her mother's desertion.  Nick does his best as a single father, raising two headstrong girls, and trying to keep the ranch operating in the shadow of his sick father, Sam Stafford.  The family leans on their newly resurrected faith in God to uphold them in the difficult times. As a therapist for the children, Elsa Andreas enters the picture.  Little does Nick know that Elsa has her own healing to do.  With faith, all heal and help each other.

Herne has a knack for telling a story that is compelling, yet comforting.  Her use of small town characters, real life struggles, and strong faith, engage the reader from page one to the end of the book.  It is easy to recommend Home on the Range as a relaxing adventure to indulge in on a cold winter's day.
FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Amaro

New Year's Eve is just a few days away and a well planned celebration is just one of the ways to ring in the New Year.  Perhaps trying some alternative liqueurs could bring in the New Year in style.  If this is a goal, then I encourage the reading of AMARO, The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs.  
"Amaro refers to the collective class of Italian-made aromatic, herbal, bittersweet liqueurs traditionally served as a digestif after a meal (Parsons 6).  Brad Parson's book, AMARO, is an informative source to explain the history and enjoyment of all drinks, Amaro.
Living in a rural community, Amaro is not readily available, but that does not mean that the book was not entertaining.  Anyone interested in travel and exotic new experiences will appreciate Parson's research and informative source.  Origins, varieties, recipes, and cocktail offerings are all included in the artful presentation.
I was impressed by the knowledge I gained in reading Parson's book and encourage anyone interested in exotic liqueurs to check it out as well.
FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

What my students don't know...

The school fall semester is quickly coming to an end as the Christmas break approaches.  Students are preparing for first term final exams.  Some are embracing the challenge to continue studying, in a quest to improve their grades and finish strong.  Others are not.  Many of my students are among the latter category. I tutor many students in various subjects throughout the day, working with ones that struggle to excel in their school work.


Last night at church I was overcome with emotion as I prayed for my students.  Both the ones at school and the younger ones in my church class. The thought struck me that my students do not realize their impact on my life.


What my students don't know...


I pray for you:

I am aware that I have only so much influence in guiding you in your work, but I have faith that God will lead you in all the ways that I cannot.



When I leave work I don't leave you here: 

I take my concern for you with me wherever I go. Day and night you are on my mind and I am constantly thinking of alternate ways to teach you to help you understand the material more fully. You keep me up many nights.


I want great things for you:

I see your potential and know you are capable of any endeavor you attempt, if you truly put in the hard work to achieve the goal.   



I work twice as hard to try to make things better for you:

Before I attempt to teach material to you, I study it myself.  Then I study the material again with you. Especially when it is a new concept to me.


When I see you give up on yourself, I cry:
I know you can do the work so when you don't try my heart hurts. I know learning about assignments and projects can be overwhelming. Sometimes just beginning the work can seem like a vast hill to climb.  But starting the process is the first step and if you never start, you can not succeed.  Trust me that you have the ability, don't give up on yourself, I won't.


Sometimes the work does not seem relevant:

Yes the work is hard and you may not directly use the information you learned from passing your class. You may never discuss Thoreau's "Walden," again, or be asked to convert an equation from point-slope form to slope intercept  form in your adult everyday life. However, learning to work hard you will use always.



When you fail, I feel like I fail too:

Because you are important to me, I revel in your successes.  I also feel sadness for your failures.   You matter.


When you are rude to me and others:

My feelings get hurt, but I can't show you that. I must always model the adult way to treat others.


Finally, 

So many ask me if what I do is worth it and I say...yes you are

How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety

Milton Berle, the well-known comedian once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” Going into the holiday season and all the “busy-ness” that is involved within the holidays, a laughter vacation will most certainly be appreciated. My suggestion is to obtain a copy of How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety, which I feel is one of the most humorous books that I have read in a very long time. How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety, by the American Association of Patriots, is a satire based on many self-help books. Not only does the book include helpful advice about why an owner should speak to their beloved pet about the hazards of guns and never knowing if one is loaded because there is truth behind the old adage, “curiosity killed the cat.” Also, the book tackles the touchy subjects of abstinence, drugs, Satanism, and other dangers to our feline friends. Many times during my reading, I laughed out loud at the commentary presented in a question, answer based format. Holiday stress can overcome even the calmest individual as parties, family, baking, gift buying and giving and all the other myriad of activities ensue. Give yourself an early Christmas gift and get the book, How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety; you won’t regret educating your cat as well as tickling your funny bone!
FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Classic German Baking

     I must be honest, when I first saw Luisa Weiss's book, Classic German Baking: The Very Best Recipes for Traditional Favorites from Pfeffernusse to Streuselkuchen,  on the Blogging for Books website I emitted a small exclamation of joy.  Scared my husband, and the dog, but I knew they would forgive me once they tasted all the wonderful creations I would be able to concoct from this beautiful book.
     With a maiden name of Havenstein, German heritage and traditions have always been an interest. Add to this my sister marrying a man who is full blood Austrian,  and subsequently growing up knowing her Austrian mother-in-law, and you get a passion for all things involved in German cuisine.  However, even with the background I have, I have not had the opportunity to explore traditional German baking.
     Thanks to Weiss's incredible book, Classic German Baking, I now have the resource to create many traditional favorites, and I might add that I can't wait to do so.  The book itself is an inspiring piece of art.  The page layouts are appealing and offer easy to read instructions with stunning photos of the various foods.  My first attempt was the time-honored Apple Strudel.  I will admit, I felt a bit of apprehension when I looked at the recipe, three pages of instructions were given, yet as I delved into the process, with the company of my daughter and her dear friend, I found the procedure quite straight forward and easy to understand. The proof was in the strudel, the pastry turned out wonderful: flakey, buttery, sweet, and definitely a new family favorite.
      With Christmas quickly approaching, I hope to try many of the recipes.  Thank you Luisa Weiss for creating a stunning book to create all the German baking of my dreams! I would highly recommend anyone interested in authentic German baking to treat themselves to this gem!
   


FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Barons of the Beltway

In the current political atmosphere, there are many emotions and opinions.  Both conservative and liberal voices are rampant with new controversial information everyday.  This is one reason I chose the book, Barons of the Beltway by Michelle Fields.  However, I am a self proclaimed anti-political enthusiast.  I honestly try to stay as far away from any political discussion as humanly possible.  Reading the Barons of the Beltway was a stretch for me, and I have to say I found it to be exactly what I thought it would be.  That being said, I was underwhelmed , but as I said, I am not a political junkie.  The book delivers exactly what it said that it would. Extravagances of today’s political system are compared to the humbleness and conservative spending of our forefathers.  Fields offers accounts of the IRS wasting funds on “goodie bags” for conferences as well as delving into the Clinton email issues and many additional congressional individuals extravagances and problems.  If I was a conservative news junkie, I would probably be raving about the book.  I honestly feel the book is well written and interesting.  However, in all honesty, I feel that Barons of the Beltway is just one more way to make money during the frustrating political climate of 2016. 

FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Guide Me Home

The Appalachian mountains have a rich culture that includes a strong sense of family, faith and the land that has brought the people together.

In Kim Vogel Sawyer’s novel, Guide Me Home,  Rebekah Hardin learns the difficult lessons of loss, grief, guilt, and the acceptance of God’s forgiving grace while living in a poor, but strong of faith Appalachian farm family.  Rebekah hires on as an assistant guide for the Mammoth Cave estate, a tourist attraction near the harding farm. She is old enough to marry, yet she chooses to work in the caves  in order to earn enough money to help her parents purchase a headstone for her brother Andy.  Andy was tragically lost in an incident in the Mammoth Cave.  While working at the estate, Rebekah meets Devlin, a cartography student from the university who is focusing his senior project on  mapping the tunnels in Mammoth Cave.  Through working with the cave’s main guide, Tolly, and helping Devlin, Rebekah learns that her love of God and her faith can see her through any dark passage.  As she lives her faith, she also helps to light the love of the Lord in Devlin’s heart.

Once again, Vogel doesn’t disappoint.  Her engaging narrative, well developed characters, and
delightful setting create a story that engages the reader from page one clear through to the end.  Rebekah, is a strong willed, independent, kind young woman that the reader learns to love.  The story moves right along and is a definite page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Vogel’s book, Guide Me. Home and would strongly encourage anyone that enjoys an uplifting faith filled story read it as well.

FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review

Where I'm From

I love the beginning of the school year. Not just because of the shiny new pencils and backpacks, but because after a long summer rest it is wonderful to return to the classroom and school building to interact with my peers and students.

I split my time between English language arts classes and math classes.  Due to this, I am privileged to experience some of the most gifted teachers ply their expertise.  One such instructor teaches high school senior English.  I adore being in his classroom because not only do I get the joy of seeing his students inspired and engaged, but the enthusiasm is infectious.  

One of his first lessons this school year originated from Kentucky’s 2015-16 Poet Laureate George Ella Lyon.  Lyon created the “Where I’m From” poem. http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html  The link will take you to her website and her poem.

The assignment for the seniors was to create their own “Where I’m From” poems.  I couldn’t resist doing the same.  

Where I’m From

I am from the “Little Apple”,

A place of purple pride,

Agricultural learning, and people from

Many cultures who have come to learn but

Decide to stay.

I am from a family of faith,

German Lutherans whose

Knowledge of “this is most certainly true”

Stems from many hours of learning

And teaching Luther’s Small Catechism.

I am from Sunday dinners.

First as a small child sitting in the

Kitchen at my grandparent’s farm table,

Drinking milked down sweet coffee in grandma’s

Depression glass coffee cups. Then later,

At my parent’s house once my siblings and I were grown.

I am from soft fluffy parts in my heart.  

A bed filled with plush animals as a small child,

Melding into a myriad of cats and kittens living outside in the

Country at my childhood home, evolving into two pets residing in my

Home as an adult.

I am from angel food cake with seven minute frosting,

Choosing a favorite meal for my birthday, always mom’s fried chicken,

Homemade vanilla ice cream

so rich and creamy that a sweet film coated my lips

As I savored every last drop on the spoon.

I am from my dad’s strong hands,

Covered in scrapes and cuts

From the car’s sharp metal that he

Straightened and pounded back to perfection.

I am from homemade dresses for Christmas and Easter,

Every pattern, every design matched perfectly,

Lovingly constructed by my mother

Who stayed up all night to complete the garment  

In time to wear for church.

I am from a loving home that began

With my parents and through marriage

And children evolved into my own, and because

Of this...I am from blessed joy.

I encourage you to write your own “Where I’m From” poems.  Search your heart and memories and remember where you are from.

Ghosts from our Past Both Literally & Figuratively

When I ordered the book featured in the latest Ghostbusters movie, I really didn't know what to expect.  I am a Ghostbusters fan so I hoped it would be fun; I was not disappointed.  Andrew Shaffer did an admirable job creating a book that is fun to read, and keeps the true flavor of the storyline in the movie.

I thought the humor in the writing was well done.  The fact that the book is the same one used in the movie made the content even more enjoyable to read.  The book is "written" by Erin Gilbert and Abby L. Yates with  Andrew Shaffer.  The comments throughout the book carry the voice of the movie characters and make reading the book a journey back into the world of the movie.

Ghosts from our Past Both Literally & Figuratively upholds the claim on its cover,  the material in the book is literal and figurative.  The literal inserts include ghost accounts from various locations.  The figurative edge deals with the professional information on ghostbusting resources, classifications of Class I through Class IV ghosts, and reports about Gilbert and Yates's childhood experiences that sparked their interest in being Ghostbusters and studying paranormal events.

This book needs a specific audience.  A prior knowledge of the Ghostbuster series is a definite plus to enjoying the book.  I plan to take it to my high school classroom.  I feel many of my reluctant readers may be interested in it simply because they attended the movie.  I would recommend Ghosts from our Past Both Literally & Figuratively, to any Ghostbusters fans looking for an informative and humorous read.


FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review