What is the Sunday Salon? The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It's also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.
I thought life would slow down in August, but it hasn't yet. I went to a Seed and Plant Exchange on Sunday, I had jury duty on Monday (the case was settled out of court, so yay!), we went to dinner at a Persian restaurant in Houston with old friends on Tuesday, we went with my dad to an appointment to see if he might be a candidate for an ultrasound procedure to reduce his hand tremors on Wednesday (he was!), I swam on Thursday, I went to a class on poet Wallace Stevens on Friday, and we did our butterfly count on Saturday.
I reread two wonderful books this week, one because a friend said it was her favorite book (Peace Like a River) and the other because I will be leading a book club discussion of it next week (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency).
What I Read Last Week:
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (Fiction)
No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (Fiction)
What I'm Reading Now:
The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides (Nonfiction)
The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor (Dark Fantasy)
What I Posted Last Week Here at Readerbuzz:
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:
Good Thing #1:
I bought a ukulele.
Good Thing #2:
Bastani (Persian ice cream).
We also tried koobideh kabobs and
tahdig (Persian crispy rice).
Good Thing #3:
I took a class on
taking photos for iNaturalist.
I'm thinking about getting a macro lens for my phone.
Sounds like you had a busy week, Deb. I would have very much enjoyed doing the butterfly count with you. Maybe you would have played the ukulele when we stopped for lunch!
ReplyDeleteWhat size did you get? Kala Ukulele app is a good resource to learn ukulele for free.
ReplyDeleteI used iNaturaist for work in helping ID plants.
Ukulele music always reminds me of the beauty and relaxation found in Hawaii. Good for you for taking this on. Have a great week ahead Deb.
ReplyDeleteI love the history of the ukulele — the instrument’s predecessor came from Portugal to Hawaii with laborers who worked on the sugar plantations, and its history from then is pure Hawaiian. The name is Hawaiian, as is the music, mainly. We once, on Hawaii Public Radio, heard some recordings from the 1920s and 1930s of Hawaiian singers — fascinating music.
ReplyDeletebest… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
That's great that your dad qualifies for the procedure. l have friends who have ukes (in Lansing we have "Mighty Uke Day" once a year with concerts and workshops.) I've never played one but I'm often tempted. Those who do love it!
ReplyDeleteBusy week indeed! I so hope the ultrasound procedure helps your dad. I loved the show, The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Would love to read the book, but haven’t found it available for digital reading. And I’ve not had Persian food - but I would like to!
ReplyDeleteWhile busy, it sounds like all good things. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a busy week for you. Hope this next one is fun!
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, you have really been busy, dear friend! I have always loved ukelele music!
ReplyDeleteLol. It definitely doesn't sound like things have slowed down for you. :) A macro lens for your phone would be cool! Have a great week!
ReplyDeletePersian food is so delicious! And I am glad to hear your dad is a candidate for the ultrasound procedure; fantastic news. You had a wonderful, fun, and full week; good on you!
ReplyDeleteButterflies continue to be disappointingly sparse in my yard this year. You brought back some fond memories with your list of books read, particularly "The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency." How I loved that series! Both the books and later the television series. Good luck to your dad - I hope the ultrasound helps.
ReplyDeleteAnother busy week for you. I read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency years ago and enjoyed it. I hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI always feel so lazy when I see what you have been up to. :-)
ReplyDeleteYay! For your dad! Yay! For the ukulele! What a great week of fun! Hope this week keeps it going!
ReplyDeleteGood things: I bought a "slow cooker"...best thing (happiness) I've done in years! Bookish: I have the Alexander McCall Smith detective series on my TBR but have seen positive/negative reviews. I await your comments! Poetry: I'm about to choose my poetry book of the month but ....Wallace Stevens is not the easiest poet to digest! What were your take-aways from the class?
ReplyDeleteI wore out my third slow cooker a few months ago and bought a fourth. I am eager to see what you prepare. The class was taught by a wonderful retired English professor; I could listen to this man talk all day about anything. He read one poem, "Sunday Morning" with us, and shared his thoughts about devastation and recovery as it relates to the poem.
DeleteThanks for info about your class! Cooking ...tomorrow a Fall favourite: Braised Red Cabbage with Apples recipe from Deliasmilth.com (British). Slow cooker low 4 hrs!
DeleteUke also reminds me of Hawaii! I didn't like the McCall Smith books, just me! I need to try Persian food..
ReplyDeleteI'm off to research a macro lens for phones!
What a full week! The Persian dinner sounds especially fun—I’ve never tried bastani or tahdig, but Bastani (Persian ice cream) looks delicious. And I love that you bought a ukulele! Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've read No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, it's been years. I remember enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteYour posts always look like you're having so much fun! I enjoy reading them. Both of those books sound good, of course during the week I cannot choose any books on my own to read! LOL
ReplyDeleteSounds like a busy week! Hope you have a good one.
ReplyDeleteA busy but productive and fun week for you.
ReplyDeleteGoodness you’ve been very busy! My mother plays the ukulele. Her music group plays regularly at community events and nursing homes, (though she is 79 herself). My youngest daughter plays a little too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your week, happy reading!
What a satisfying week! You didn't have to sit in a stuffy old courtroom and your father is going to be able to get some help for his hand tremors. I've just bought the audiobook of The Otherwhere Post, having seen it here, so let's hope we both enjoy it:)).
ReplyDeleteI was desperately trying to find a "dark fantasy" for the scifi/fantasy challenge that wasn't too dark for me!
DeleteYou did have a busy week, but all good things. I remember loving The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books on audio... must have listened to 6 or 7 of them!
ReplyDeleteWow, busy week as ever!
ReplyDeleteI need to get back to The Otherwhere Post; I started it a while back, but didn't really get into it, so paused it for a while.
You did have a busy week. I hope this week gives you a few quiet days. I like your 3 good things.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a busy and productive week. Glad your dad is a candidate for the ultrasound procedure. Hope it helps. I would like to take a class on taking photos!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try a Persian restaurant. I had a ukulele and loved it, but had no time to play, so gave it to my Daughter-in-Law. She’s good with it and guitar.
ReplyDeleteJury duty is always such a hassle. Glad it didn't take too long for the case to end for you.
ReplyDeleteI've read the #1 Ladies Detective Agency and even watched the TV show with Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose. Fun.
ReplyDeleteWe are watching the TV show this week.
DeleteI have wondered about buying myself a ukelele but i have no musical talent :) Sounds like you are having a fun and busy month. Read the ladies detective agency book years ago!
ReplyDeletecheers
sherry
Sounds like a busy week! What was it like rereading? I know you don't do that often. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI used to never reread, but I am finding that I enjoy it much more now that I'm older.
DeleteSounds like a very busy and fulfilling week. No wonder the days go fast for you.
ReplyDeleteGood news about your dad and I am drooling over that Persian ice cream!
ReplyDeleteYou have definitely not slowed down, Deb. I don't think I've ever eaten Persian food. I'll have to see if we have a Persian restaurant around here.
ReplyDeleteI read & liked Peace Like a River when it came out pre-blog but now I can't recall it .... but both his novels have journeys about them. I should probably read it again. And I have listened to The Wide Wide Sea on a car trip from Canada to California ... interesting to find out a bit about Capt. Cook. Hope you like it.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about your dad's appointment. I hope the procedure helps his tremors. We've been super busy, too, but this week is nice and quiet for a change. I love having an empty calendar, but not for too long.
ReplyDeleteI remember how much Nan (Letters from a Hill Farm) loved the Ladies' Detective Agency books. I think I tried one once (might have caught it from your Book Crossing days!), but couldn't get interested. Maybe now is the time to try again. Peace Like A River is such a good story. I have Enger's newer book, I Cheerfully Refuse, in my stacks.
A ukulele sounds like such fun. We camped next to a family several years ago and one of their sons played a ukulele really well! Have fun!
What interesting reading choices this week. Peace Like a River is one of my all-time-favorites ,too. I was surprised to see you choosing Otherwhere, didn't know you'd pick dark fantasy. Or, am I thinking what I read about Otherwhere is off-genre. I'd be interested to see what you think of it. I will be watching your reviews.
ReplyDeleteI chose Otherwhere to fill in a square in my scifi challenge for this year! Otherwise (lol) I would not read dark fantasy.
DeleteWhat a wonderfully busy week you had! I always love the sound of a ukulele. Happy Reading!
ReplyDelete