Welcome! I am very glad that you are here at the Sunday Salon.
What is the Sunday Salon?
The Sunday Salon is a spot to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It's also a great opportunity to visit and join in the conversations on other blogs.
We had a lovely holiday this week. We are keeping the tree and the stockings up because our granddaughter, Bailey, is coming to visit.
What I Read Last Week:
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (fiction)
Saint Francis of Assisi by Demi (nonfiction picture book)
The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrageby Richard Rohr (spirituality)
Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith (writing)
The Penguin Book of Haiku edited by Adam L. Kern (poetry)
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (classic; writing)
Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green (nonfiction)
String Too Short to Be Saved: Recollections of Summers on a New England Farm by Donald Hall (memoir)
Warrior Scarlet by Rosemary Sutcliff (classic; children’s)
Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make by Becca Rowland (nature)
Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love by Samin Nosrat (foodie)
A Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (play)
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (children's)
Evensong by Stewart O'Nan (fiction)
What I'm Reading Now:
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Stoic philosophy)
Theo of Golden by Allan Levi (Fiction)
The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad (Journaling)
The Poetry Pharmacy Returns by William Sieghart (Poetry)
Red Sauce Brown Sauce: A British Baking Adventure by Felicity Cloake (Foodie travel)
We watched Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964) this week.
Hmmm...fire coming up out of the ground, but
the astronaut was able to walk around...the astronaut kept opening
his helmet, saying the air on Mars had too little oxygen...
he seemed to be cold at first, but then he eventually took to wearing thin, handsewn clothes...
I began to list 3 Good Things every day during the pandemic. Now I've established a regular routine of writing down my 3 Good Things. Here are 3 Good Things from last week:
PS — your movie reminds me of “The Martian” about an astronaut who becomes stranded on Mars after his team assumes him dead. He must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive and can survive until a potential rescue. It was a major movie with Mat Damon.
This sounds like the same fundamental story, but a great many improbable things happen including finding a way to breathe on Mars, finding water on Mars, and making a friend on Mars.
Thank you for continuing to host Sunday Salon and bringing us together. What the world needs now is more love... and books. Great reading selection you have here. I have the John Green book on my radar and have tucked into my first book of the year. Thank you for passing on Evensong and I will pass it on to someone else!
I'm looking forward to reading Theo the Golden, Everything is Tuberculous and Dear Writer. Thanks for sharing your "Three Things." I've never heard of frost flowers, and I've never seen a murmuration of birds (at least not in person). Very cool!
There's just something about bad movies and that one sounds so terrible in a fun way! The frost flowers are beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen anything like them. I hope you have a wonderful week and a happy New Year!
I had to look up Frost Flowers so now I know they are a thing. I also don't feel so bad seeing all the book you "read" this week after I know your trick! Happy New Year!
I don't remember ever seeing frost flowers before, though I have heard of them. I remember as a kid that the ground beside our walkway into the house would freeze and there would be sort of ice stalagmites rising up. I loved to walk on it and listen to them crunch. I wonder if that counts as frost flowers or if it was something different?
Your tree is beautiful! Have a lovely visit with Bailey!
Our tree remains up to as we try to work out our family Christmas around everyone’s work schedules. Your tree is so pretty. Ours has been knocked over by the dogs twice, LOL
I'm baaaaaack. (Rae here) I love your tree. I took mine down on the first, and all the decorations are stored for another year. I did leave my West African Nativity Scene out--my prized possession, a gift from a former student from West Africa. She had QUITE a story! LOVED your 3 good things, as always! Check out my Christmas post for 2025 by going to Google and typing in raesreadsbookhub..blog
The meal plate looks yummy! Our decorations are still up too. Our house got the yuck at just the wrong time (but there's never a right time). I'll need to look into The Book of Alchemy - thanks for sharing :)
I'm also doing the speccy fic challenge this year, it sounded right up my alley. are frost flowers true flowers or are they a mushroom? they look like a mushroom.
So many interesting books. And I have only read one of them! The Little House book. I love your Christmas tree and the nativity scene under it. Looks lovely. And the murmuration of birds. With that picture, one can see where that word comes from. LOL
Thanks for visiting my post: https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/happy-january.html
You had a busy week! And read some great books! Your first book of the year is coming my way! Theo of Golden was in my hand at B&N, but I was already carrying 4 books, so I decided I would be good and only get the four. Then when I got home (far far far from any bookstore) I thought about it again and turned around and ordered it! Have a good week!
Robinson Crusoe on Mars...um....hmmmm...sounds interesting.lol. Looks like you've been busy with reading, etc. Have a great reading week this week too!
I hope you liked the Kiran Desai novel. I have it on my agenda for this year. Seems like there's a lot of ideas in it. Wishing you a Happy New Year and great week ahead.
We leave our tree up because we haven't been getting it up and decorated much before Christmas Eve for the last several years. Have fun with your granddaughter! Our son and DIL came up from MD with our almost-three-year-old granddaughter and her 6-month-old baby sister so we had a chaotic five days of fun, food, and family visits, but didn't get to see our other daughter and her wife at all, because they were avoiding germs. They went into the hospital on Christmas Eve and came out a few days later with our first grandson, who was born on Christmas Day!
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You had an incredible reading week!
ReplyDeleteHave a great time with your granddaughter. I hope she inherits your love of books.
ReplyDeletei have the john green book on hold at the library but i am so far down the queue ... might have to buy it instead! happy new year.
ReplyDeleteYou did ALL that last wee? I am so impressed! You'll have great fun with Bailey -- it should be a terrific visit. (And I know you will eat well!)
ReplyDeleteWell, I 'finished' all those books last week, using my method.
DeleteYour recent reading list is intriguing — I plan to read a few of those books soon too.
ReplyDeleteGood reading to you in 2026!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
PS — your movie reminds me of “The Martian” about an astronaut who becomes stranded on Mars after his team assumes him dead. He must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive and can survive until a potential rescue. It was a major movie with Mat Damon.
DeleteThis sounds like the same fundamental story, but a great many improbable things happen including finding a way to breathe on Mars, finding water on Mars, and making a friend on Mars.
DeleteHappy New Year Deb to you and your family! I hope you have a lovely visit with Bailey. ☺️
ReplyDeleteThank you for continuing to host Sunday Salon and bringing us together. What the world needs now is more love... and books. Great reading selection you have here. I have the John Green book on my radar and have tucked into my first book of the year. Thank you for passing on Evensong and I will pass it on to someone else!
ReplyDeleteI added The loneliness to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteThe Meditations changed my life, but I was at an age where that's easy to do!
ReplyDeleteHappy reading, Deb, enjoy your time with your granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading Theo the Golden, Everything is Tuberculous and Dear Writer. Thanks for sharing your "Three Things." I've never heard of frost flowers, and I've never seen a murmuration of birds (at least not in person). Very cool!
ReplyDeleteThere's just something about bad movies and that one sounds so terrible in a fun way! The frost flowers are beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen anything like them. I hope you have a wonderful week and a happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous of all the reading you get to do during the week!
ReplyDeleteI had to look up Frost Flowers so now I know they are a thing. I also don't feel so bad seeing all the book you "read" this week after I know your trick! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! You off to a great start on your reading challenges.
ReplyDeleteGreat start to your challenges already! With being sick, I haven't read anything for days. Not a great start to the year.
ReplyDeleteI pray you have a blessed and beautiful 2026.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your books! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Beautiful tree! I love your list of good things. All those birds...wow!! Have a great week! :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't remember ever seeing frost flowers before, though I have heard of them. I remember as a kid that the ground beside our walkway into the house would freeze and there would be sort of ice stalagmites rising up. I loved to walk on it and listen to them crunch. I wonder if that counts as frost flowers or if it was something different?
ReplyDeleteYour tree is beautiful! Have a lovely visit with Bailey!
I had never heard of frost flowers, but it sounds like that's exactly what you saw as a kid.
Deletere Robinson Crusoe on Mars, sounds Oscar worthy
ReplyDeleteHa!
DeleteOur tree remains up to as we try to work out our family Christmas around everyone’s work schedules. Your tree is so pretty. Ours has been knocked over by the dogs twice, LOL
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week!
Oh my!
DeleteWhat a lot of books read last week! A varied selection, quite a few appeal! Ha e a good week.
ReplyDeleteI'm baaaaaack. (Rae here) I love your tree. I took mine down on the first, and all the decorations are stored for another year. I did leave my West African Nativity Scene out--my prized possession, a gift from a former student from West Africa. She had QUITE a story!
ReplyDeleteLOVED your 3 good things, as always!
Check out my Christmas post for 2025 by going to Google and typing in raesreadsbookhub..blog
Yay!
Deletecorrection raesreadsbookhub.blog (only one dot) Fat finger and wee hour. LOL
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of frost flowers! How interesting! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThe meal plate looks yummy! Our decorations are still up too. Our house got the yuck at just the wrong time (but there's never a right time). I'll need to look into The Book of Alchemy - thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI'm also doing the speccy fic challenge this year, it sounded right up my alley. are frost flowers true flowers or are they a mushroom? they look like a mushroom.
ReplyDeletehttps://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2026/01/new-years-post.html
They are regular plants, but ice comes out through the stem on the first freeze of the year.
DeleteOo String Too Short to be Saved sounds really good! And I love your good things. :)
ReplyDeleteNeat to start 2026 with Marcus Aurelius! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSo many interesting books. And I have only read one of them! The Little House book.
ReplyDeleteI love your Christmas tree and the nativity scene under it. Looks lovely. And the murmuration of birds. With that picture, one can see where that word comes from. LOL
Thanks for visiting my post:
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/happy-january.html
Happy New Year Deb, you are off to a strong start!
ReplyDeleteWhat a week!! I'm going to look into the Bird Talk book :) Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI haven't taken my tree down yet either, but I don't have a good reason like you do! :-)
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
You had a busy week! And read some great books! Your first book of the year is coming my way! Theo of Golden was in my hand at B&N, but I was already carrying 4 books, so I decided I would be good and only get the four. Then when I got home (far far far from any bookstore) I thought about it again and turned around and ordered it! Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteI need to sit down and read it, but I keep delaying in case it's a fast read!
DeleteI hope you have a good week!
ReplyDeleteRobinson Crusoe on Mars...um....hmmmm...sounds interesting.lol. Looks like you've been busy with reading, etc. Have a great reading week this week too!
ReplyDeleteNice to have an excuse to keep the tree up! We took ours down today, and the room's definitely weirdly subdued without it.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good week!
Happy New Year. Let's hope it's a good year for great books.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a list! I do like the 3 Good Things. We have to work extra hard these days to find something to be grateful for!
ReplyDeleteI hope you liked the Kiran Desai novel. I have it on my agenda for this year. Seems like there's a lot of ideas in it. Wishing you a Happy New Year and great week ahead.
ReplyDeleteWe leave our tree up because we haven't been getting it up and decorated much before Christmas Eve for the last several years. Have fun with your granddaughter!
ReplyDeleteOur son and DIL came up from MD with our almost-three-year-old granddaughter and her 6-month-old baby sister so we had a chaotic five days of fun, food, and family visits, but didn't get to see our other daughter and her wife at all, because they were avoiding germs. They went into the hospital on Christmas Eve and came out a few days later with our first grandson, who was born on Christmas Day!