2nd Quarter Memoirs & Biographies

We're halfway through the year--that's crazy! I'm feeling great about where I'm at so far with this goal. It hasn't caused me to stretch very much, but I have been enjoying it! I think if I were to revise it for another year, I would need to add a qualifier about reading a certain type of biographies, or biographies from a certain time in history.

In any case, here's what I read over the past 3 months, starting with most recent:

June

The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, by Wes Moore 

4 stars: Thoughtful, powerful.

The Wes Moore who wrote the book is a Rhodes scholar, and a successful businessman. He was reading the newspaper one day when he came across an article about another Wes Moore--sentenced to life in prison for the murder of an ex-cop during an armed robbery. For some reason, this man's fate stayed with him. 

He finally decided to write to the Wes Moore in prison. Over a number of years they exchanged letters, and even visited face-to-face several times. What they discovered was that their stories had many remarkable similarities, beyond their names. Both had grown up without their fathers. Both came from the poverty-stricken neighborhoods of Baltimore, both had run-ins with the police early on. So what led one to change his life completely and the other to land himself in prison?

That what this book explores.

* * * * * * *

One of the reasons this book first caught my eye was because my husband has a similar circumstance. There is a man out there somewhere who shares his first and last name, same middle initial, born on the same day, in the same hospital. Unfortunately, this other man is also a criminal, as my husband found out when he failed a routine background check for a job and was nearly arrested. Yeah.

So I get it. How could two boys born under similar circumstances end up in such different lives? Moore describes with clarity the desperation of the hood, where working an honest job barely makes enough to feed the kiddos (and keeps you away from home all day and evening), while joining up with a drug crew makes more than enough for needs and wants. Of course, you stand a lot better chance at getting killed or jailed, but the money must be so tempting.

He also delves into the difference that strong family connections makes, particularly when trouble comes along. Both boys were headed for trouble, and both got second chances. One quote that stuck with me: "I guess it's hard sometimes to distinguish between second chances and last chances." 

I have a lived a very sheltered life, with my 2-parent home and my white, middle-class privileges. It was good to read this to catch a glimpse of life from another angle.

Moore ends the book with a list of more than 200 organizations that are dedicated to helping underprivileged kids.

Content: There's some language, descriptions of drug use and drug dealing, some violence. 

(Finished reading June 15.)

May

Emma and Joseph: Their Divine Mission, by Gracia Jones

4 stars: This gave me deeper insight into the time period, and also into the relationship of Joseph and Emma. I really enjoyed it.

This one will probably be of most interest to those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--Mormons, like me. :) Written by a great-great-granddaughter of Emma and Joseph, who joined the church as a convert, this book focused on Joseph & Emma's relationship with each other throughout their 17-year marriage, and the way the various events unfolding in the early church affected them and their family.

I gained an even greater appreciation for all they went through, and the way they supported each other through all the hardship they faced. There were many things I found fascinating that I haven't seen anywhere else--in particular, both of their Patriarchal Blessings were included.

It was eye-opening to understand just how much loss they each suffered, particularly Emma. My heart really goes out to her. It seems that she sometimes is judged rather harshly in the church, because after Joseph's death she did not go west with the Saints, but stayed in Nauvoo. This book just strengthened my feeling of respect and admiration for her. Often with barely enough for themselves, and in times of great personal distress, she would be called upon to feed and house any number of people, which she did willingly and with compassion. She was ever faithful to and a strength to her husband. She mothered many--her own children and others.

I also appreciated the author's focus on their family life and marriage. So much is written about that time period in the early Mormon church, but with a few notable exceptions, we don't get the perspective of how all this would have been affecting Emma and Joseph, and their little family.

I was wondering how Jones would handle the polygamy issue. She touched on it briefly, but her main focus was on Joseph and Emma. I would have liked to learn a bit more about that, because I know Emma really struggled with it.

I read this over several Sundays a bit at a time.

(Finished reading May 30.)

Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World, by Anthony Doerr

5 stars: Heartfelt and evocative.

Doerr writes of his writing fellowship in Rome, Italy over the course of a year. He received a letter in the mail informing of the award as his wife was in the hospital, having just given birth to their twins.

He describes the endless sleepless nights with two crying babies, the transcendence of light, the wonder of the Pantheon. He also delves into some of the history, and of course, the funeral of Pope John Paul II alluded to in the title.

I really enjoyed this. I had the chance to visit Rome several years ago and I loved it. I felt what he felt in the Pantheon, but he found the words to describe it that I never could. Then there's the new parent blur of exhaustion--times two. I've never had twins, but I have been there, too, with a colicky baby that wouldn't sleep unless she was being bounced in our arms.

I especially liked what he had to say about removing the mental film that covers our daily experiences, and once again noticing the joy, the awe, and the small moments of wonder that surround us.

Highly recommended

(Reviewed May 5, 2016.)

April

These two I actually already reviewed on this blog.

Click on the titles to see my reviews of The Last Season, by Eric Blehm, or Fearless, also by Eric Blehm.


* * * * *
How are you doing on your reading goals, now that we're halfway through the year?

A Few Additions Here and There

I can't seem to resist a bit of tinkering in the garden!
Although the flowerbeds are all officially "done," I have managed to sneak in a few more plants here and there. It's a sickness, really. Must have more flowers!

Right around the mailbox:

Geranium 'Strawberry Sizzle' x 2

Verbena 'Empress Flair' burgundy and purple verbena

In the past I had just let the weeds take over in this little spot, after the tulips and daffodils died off.
However, now that the sod is there looking so fine and neat, I couldn't do that.
Hence the geraniums and verbena.
As I dug down to plant them, I pulled up several bulbs, which I decided to replant elsewhere.
This is probably a better spot for annuals anyway.

In the shed bed:

There were a few bare spots back here, where some of what we planted last fall didn't make it through the winter.

This bed is so symmetrical--had to keep that going.
So I put in a similar group of 3 on each side of the hydrangea.

Echinacea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

I'm already really liking this coneflower.

It is very bright in this picture, but it has different colors all on one plant, ranging form the deep red you see here, to various shades of orange.

My daughter chose the color scheme for this bed and she likes it bright!

Achillea 'Summerwine'

Coreopsis 'Big Bang Full Moon' (in bloom)

The achillea hasn't bloomed yet, but it looks pretty close.

I hope they all grow big with deep roots this summer, so that I'll see them again next year!

Finally, in front in the top terrace:

Monarda (bee balm) 'Cranberry Lace' x 2

A little splash of color up here.

But now that I've planted it, I'm thinking it would look even better with 3 or 4 more of the same thing evenly spaced between the shrubs. Don't you think?
Okay, okay. I'll go back to the garden center!
Sheesh! Force me into it!

Ha!

June Bloom Day

I am a day late with my Bloom Day post this month.

School got out on Monday, and I feel like we've been going at a dead run ever since!

However, next week should be much better.

So far, we only have 2 things planned--much more my speed for the summer!

I have some beautiful flowers to show you this month.

I garden in Eastern Washington state, USA, zone 5b.

Welcome!

We'll start out front, with my 3 terraced flowerbeds.

  

Shy bellflower under the mums.

I didn't expect this one to come back!

It was tall and stately in my flowerpot 2 years ago, then in the fall I transplanted it here.

I didn't see any sign of it last year, but here it is!

 

There's definitely a purple/pink/yellow/white theme going on.

Can it still be a theme with 4 different colors?

My English rose is very floppy--not sure why. I may need to add some low trellising to tie it to, so those gorgeous blooms can be seen better.

miniature rose, with salvia

The salvia is kind of taking over!

These poor little Asiatic daylilies can barely poke their heads through!

Last peony, with more salvia.

This is the English rose on the bottom terrace.

Also a bit floppy, but not as bad as the top ones.

Going around the bend.

Guillardia with daisies

 

This view makes me happy on a daily basis!

More Asiatic daylilies getting smothered!

Poor things. I really must transplant them this fall so they can have a little room to breathe.

On this corner, the sorbaria is the culprit.

I may cut it back a bit as well.

I never would have put these two colors together, but I love how they look!

The reddish purple are seedheads forming on my ninebark bush (Physocarpus), and the lighter purple are catmint blooms.

Further on down my eastside terrace, the butterfly bushes I added this year are still quite small, but blooming prolifically.

Now to the back!

In the vegetable garden, the peas are coming on!

The kids have already been picking some out of their little patches, but I'm waiting for mine to plump up just a bit more. They are so close!

Some California poppies in my cutting garden (middle of the vegetable garden!)

This area is struggling, but I'm hoping it takes off soon.

On the back slope, the wild daisies are in their glory right now.

In my shade bed, this little columbine has been blooming for over a month now!

I am very appreciative of its longevity!

In the back flowerbed along the house, the mockorange is just covered this year!

This tall lily, 'Elodie' is just starting to open up, as well.

Well now we are to my back deck.

I have a few bright containers to welcome you in!

If you lived close, I'd have you in for a cool drink at this point!

For more beautiful flowers from all around the world, visit Carol's blog: May Dreams Garden.

Thanks for exploring my garden with me today.

What do you have blooming lately?

The Emperor of All Maladies, by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
by Siddhartha Mukherjee

3.5 stars: Packed with fascinating details, grim facts, and people dedicated to helping others.


Mukherjee was an oncology resident as he was writing this book, which in itself amazes me. How in the world did he find the time?  It goes into depth on many aspects of cancer, including historical references to it, and the many people involved in reaching our current understanding of it.

The 1960's War on Cancer gets several chapters--along with the aftermath of that big push. The more hopeful news is that new drugs and new developments continue to be made--and made available--to the public relatively frequently these days. The not so great news is that even with all the progress that has happened, for many types of cancer, time left is still measured in weeks or months, not years. I thought it was very interesting that with some forms of cancer, being in remission at 5 years out is considered essentially a cure.

I wish I had a better memory for names, because this book was chock full of people: scientists, doctors, surgeons, patients, pharmacists, politicians, and so on, who all had a hand in some key discovery or bringing something important into the public eye. I do tend to remember stories, so some of those have stuck with me. I feel so sorry for the women who had radical mastectomies back in the day. Wow. The metaphor of war seems particularly apt in reference to the patients--the human casualties in this whole thing. Every new drug, procedure, or idea had to be tested on someone, after all. (Often the patients themselves were begging to be guinea pigs--grasping at straws.)

There was a couple of fascinating chapters on Big Tobacco, and the push for (and against) warning labels on cigarettes--how that all came about. It saddened me how loss of profits also seemed to lead to loss of ethics for so many in those companies, particularly those in charge. Or perhaps it just brought to the forefront the lack of moral integrity that was already there to begin with. Right now I just want to say that I am so glad I don't smoke!! So many cancers are a direct result of smoking and tobacco use. (Not to mention all the other health problems they cause.)

As a reading experience, it was dense and long. I had to read a few chapters, then put it down and come back to it in a few days. Great bedtime reading--though! Interesting enough that I wanted to keep reading it, but not so thrilling that it ever kept me up past my bedtime!  It was just about perfect in that regard. I knew I could read it until my eyes started closing on their own, at which time it was time to be done. 

If you've got the time and the inclination, this is a good one! I really feel like I learned a lot.
 

Series Spotlight: Animal Clues, by Joanne Randolph

Animal Clues, by Joanne Randolph, is an Easy Reader series that we just came across this past week. The format for each book is very similar. They have a Table of Contents, then each 2-page spread includes a question with a picture clue, followed by the answer with the full photo revealed.

The questions and answers are written nearly identically, which will help beginning readers build confidence. The photos are crisp and clear, and even though some of the questions are super obvious, there are at least a couple in each book that are not.

The last page includes an Index, a handful of Words to Know, and a website listing pertaining to that particular topic.

My 4-year-old is really into these type of "guess the answer"-type books right now, and he was all over these! We checked them all out at once! He sat down and "read" them to himself as soon as we got home from the library, then wanted me to read them with him later, as well.

While these may not be a more experienced reader's first pick, they serve their purpose very well.

Hand these to: Beginning readers who like animals, and would enjoy a guessing game along the way.

* * * * * *

Do you have any favorite Easy Reader series? Do tell!

How to Dry Oregano

Drying oregano is usually a June project for me, but it needed to be done in May this year.

Generally, you want to do it before it has blossomed.

I usually do mine in our dehydrator in the interest of time, but you can also hang bundles up in a warm, dry spot to dry.

So, here's what the oregano bush looked like in the garden.

Step 1: Give it a haircut.

Just whack it off!

No need for precision here.

Just grab big handfuls, and snip away.

(My kiddos loved this part!)

You generally want to leave the bottom 2 or 3 sets of leaves, so that it grows back again.

You can see there in front where my helpers got a little over-enthusiastic and cut it almost to the ground. Oops.

Step 2: Wash it good.

Step 3: Spread it out to dry.

You can put it into the dehydrator wet--it will just take a lot longer.

We had a forest on the counter!

We left it there for the morning. It was mostly dry by lunchtime.

Step 4: Pack your trays

Remember these will shrivel down to practically nothing, so don't be afraid to stack them a bit.

Also, the stems and leaves make enough air pockets between them naturally that they don't need to be in a single layer.

The first time we did this, we stripped all the leaves off first and put them on the trays.

That took a couple of hours all by itself.

We have found that it is MUCH faster to just put the whole stems on and pull leaves off once they've dried.

To get them to fit into the dehydrator, I had to push down the plants on the tray below, so that the one I was putting in wouldn't pull all the stems to the back.

Step 5: Follow the instructions for your machine and get it going!

Mine took about 6 hours at 125 degrees F.

I ended up doing 2 batches.

Step 6: Once they're done, it's time to strip off the leaves off and crumble them.

They should be so dry that they shatter easily.

If they're leathery at all, stick them back in for another hour or two.

The dried stems can go in the compost pile, if you have one.

Step 7: Store them in an air-tight container, like a glass jar with lid and ring.

Or, if you still have a quart and a half from last year, (like I did), time to share with friends!

It does take some time and work, but compared to most preserving projects, it's not so bad.

My kids really liked helping. I packed the trays, but they helped with all the rest.

Plus, your house smells like oregano for an entire day!

I have found the homegrown, dried oregano to be much more potent than the store-bought stuff, even a couple of years later. Meanwhile, if you need fresh, the bush will recover within weeks.

By the end of the summer, mine is always covered in blooms (and bees).

Have you ever tried this? How has it turned out for you?

Picture Book Picks

We found some winners at the library this last time!  A handful to check out, if you haven't already seen them.

Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
(Caldecott Honor 2013)

     On a cold afternoon, in a cold little town,
     where everywhere you looked was either the 
     white of snow
     or the black of soot from chimneys,
     Annabelle found a box filled with yarn of
     every color.

Thus begins the charming story of a little girl who transforms her town with her knitting. There's even a villain defeated and (of course) a happy ending.

A simple little story, with whimsical illustrations that I just adored. The kids have requested this one multiple times since we checked it out!

By the way, it won a Caldecott Honor in 2013.

Oh No! by Candace Fleming
Illustrated by Eric Rohmann

There's a deep, deep hole in the jungle and one by one animals fall in. What will they do when Tiger comes prowling?

This is such a fun read-aloud! Every animal makes a noise as they fall in the hole, and on nearly every page is the refrain "Oh, no!" The illustrations add another whole dimension to the story. They're what I think of as graphic design-type. They've got bold lines, and at times are divided into more than one panel. My kids had a lot of fun finding the tiger hiding on nearly every page.

The ending is just perfect! So satisfying to say that last "OH, NO!" all in a chorus.

Sleeping Cinderella and Other Princess Mix-Ups,
by Stephanie Clarkson
Illustrated by Brigette Barrager


Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and Cinderella are fed up! So they start to wander, and as one takes the place of the next, they find out what first seemed like a happy ending to their troubles comes with baggage of its own. So they get to work and fix their own stories instead.

If you like independent princesses who can solve their own problems, you'll like this little tale of mixups. My daughter picked it out and we both quite enjoyed it!






Have you run across any great picture books lately? Do tell! We are always on the hunt for more!