I’m a reader, I love to read. Give me a good book, I’m happy. Books take away the pain, books help you escape from the mundane, books take you on mini vacations and books enlighten us in ways we never saw coming.  The following are some books that have given me some pleasure in the past few months.

 1. The Time Traveler’s Wifeby Audrey Niffenegger

Audrey Niffenegger’s innovative debut, The Time Traveler’s Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The Time Traveler’s Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare’s marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals – steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

I loved this book, I wanted to read it before seeing the movie as I heard the movie just doesn’t live up to the book.

2. An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon – The much anticipated 7th installment of Gabaldon’s Outlander’s series does not disappoint her devoted fans. All the main character’s  plus appearances from some we thought we would never see again make an appearance in this big book. Be prepared to become enthralled with the lives of Jamie and Claire as they continue their journey still madly in love with each other. Word of caution, there are some major cliffhangers  in the end of the book so there will be an 8th in the series!

 3. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.

The Waverley’s have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, NorthCarolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures. 

New author for me and I really like her writing!  

 4. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen – Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night…. Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother…

This is a quick read with a few surprises! I do like Allen’s style of writing and look forward to her next book.

5. Quentins  by Maeve Binchy – Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant?
Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, of betrayal, of revenge; of times when it looked ready for success and times when it seemed as if it must close in failure. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder whether some secrets should be kept that way… 

Really loved the way Binchy tells the story of the people who are all entwined  together through one place, Quentins. Beautiful story.

 6. Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning – He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister’s murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac’s every thought—and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

This is the fourth book in a series and I’ll warn you, start with the first one because each one ends with a cliffhanger!! 

7. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr –  Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; everything. Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr’s stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.

Nice faery tale for those of us who still believe in them!

 8. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr - Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.

Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.

Second in the “Wicked Lovely” series and darker but very good!

 9. Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr - Sethnever expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he’d ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who’d always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she’d ever imagined.

Third in the “Wicked Lovely” series and the best. I really liked this one and look forward the next!

10. The Bride and The Beast by Teresa Medeiros – Think Beauty and the Beast, but so much better!!!

I’d been prowling the crumbling ruins of Castle Weyrcraig for so long that I could no longer remember if I was man or beast. Then one stormy night the superstitious Highlanders of Ballybliss decided to leave a helpless virgin bound to a stake in the castle courtyard to satisfy my insatiable appetites. My demands might strike terror in the hearts of men, but this bold beauty dared to defy me. After she informed me that she didn’t believe in dragons, I had no choice but to make her my prisoner—or risk being exposed to those I had sought to deceive with my dangerous masquerade.

Soon I found myself stealing into the moonlit tower just to watch her sleep. Little does she know that beneath this beast’s gruff exterior beats the passionate heart of a man. Gwendolyn Wilder may not believe in dragons, but I intend to use all my sensual wiles to teach her to believe in something even more magical—true love.

I enjoyed this “fairy tale” with a twist (the twist being it’s for adults!) After reading this book I’ve decided to call my hubby “Beast” now….at opportune moments of course!
 

 The following books are in line to be read, I always have a stack of “TBR” books…..lately it’s been rather high!

 11. Charming the Prince by Teresa Medeiros – Medeiros’s trademark humor and potent love scenes will enchant audiences once again with the introduction of Sir Bannor the Bold, a rough-hewn warrior who battled the French dauntlessly for 14 years. But Bannor’s deepest secret is that he is terrified of his 12 (count ‘em, 12) motherless children who have run wild for years, tormenting the residents of his keep. At his wit’s end, the exhausted lord dispatches his man to find a new wife to manage his brood, hopefully without adding to it. Bannor seeks a woman who is everything his children are not–quiet, biddable, and well-behaved. And preferably “some maternal, bovine creature who will prove to be no temptation to my appetites,” he specifies. Instead, he finds himself wed by proxy to Lady Willow Mallory, a slender, raven-haired beauty who has played unpaid and unappreciated nursemaid to her numerous step- and half-siblings for years. From an inauspicious beginning, Bannor and Willow struggle to forge a relationship, first with his estranged offspring and finally with each other. By the time he learns that love isn’t a sickness of the heart, Bannor must rescue Willow from the clutches of a covetous admirer.
  Currently reading…so far, I like it.

 12. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown – Here’s the stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world’s most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling–a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

I bought this book at Chicago O’Hare airport due to a man behind me raving about it and he literally talked me into it. A) He either really liked the book. B) He works for the publisher. C) He was Dan Brown.

 13. The Complete Novels of Jane Austin - Collected together in one volume, The Complete Novelsshow the development of Austen as a writer and social commentator. From the early optimism and youthful energy of Northanger Abbey to the quiet and subtle art of Persuasion, this collection reveals the breadth of one of the best loved novelists of all time.

A lovely way to spend cold winter evening, curl up by a fire and sipping tea and visiting with old friends such as Mr. Darcy!

 Do you have a good book suggestion?

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And please remember our friend Janet (Fond of Snape)  on Friday as she will be having surgery. Send her all the positive vibes, prayers and good thoughts you can and I know she will not only greatly appreciate it but feel the love surround her.

Borrowed this from Janet

1) photo of me: Me playing dress up….ok I was around 6, but it works!

2) current candle scents: Yankee Cinnamon Stick, I’m pulling out my Fall scents!

3) what i am currently reading: “The Bride and the Beast” by Teresa Medeiros a cute light read especially if you like Beauty and the Beast.

4) newest music i added to my playlist: Paulo Nutini’s Sunny Side Up CD…LOVE IT!

5) movies i saw: Watched the BBC mini-series ”Little Dorrit,” all 473 minutes of it….it was worth every minute!

6) something yummy i made this month: Haven’t cooked much but I did make a rockin’ awesome bowl of oatmeal this morning with cinnamon!

7) the last place i ate out: Mimi’s Cafe…my favorite!

8.) something that made me cry: Just stuff…..

9) something that made me laugh: Watching the cat chase the remote control mouse….hilarious!

10) something i looked forward to this month: The use of “pumpkin spice” is widely used in things like lattes, cheesecakes, and candles!!  

11) something i am thankful for: A loving husband.

12) something i want to remember about this month: That I finally started my photo Etsy store, True Bliss!! Check it out here: True Bliss Photography on Etsy!

13) a photo i took this month: In honor of Halloween, a photo of my haunting tree…

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Borrowed this from Janet

1) photo of me: I’m the one behind the lens…not in front of it!

2) current candle scents: Still Wood Wick Sandlewood Clove, it is so soothing and when it’s burning it sounds like a crackling fire. Love those candles!

3) what i am currently reading: “Quentins” by Maeve Binchy, started “The Magicians” by Lev Grossman but it’s not one that’s grabbed me so it’s one I’ll finish later.

4) newest music i added to my playlist: Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling

5) movies i saw: Watched Transsiberian the other night and it was really good. The best I’ve watched was the mini-series on DVD “Lost in Austen” though.

6) something yummy i made this month: A really yummy salad for lunch yesterday, spring mix, spinach, avocado, red pepper, cucumber, feta cheese,  sea salt and pepper croutons drizzled with olive oil and vinegar!

7) the last place i ate out: Mimi’s Cafe…my favorite!

8.) something that made me cry: My emotions being whacked from the surgery and all  have caused crying jags…but they are getting much better. My family is so glad!  

9) something that made me laugh: My husband…he’s such a goober at times and he makes me laugh.  

10) something i looked forward to this month: Going to Chicago! I can’t wait! Staying on Michigan Avenue, shopping, sightseeing, seeing family and friends, oh yes I need this trip!

11) something i am thankful for: That I’m well, finally. It’s been a helluva long summer.

12) something i want to remember about this month: That when I needed a helping hand or an encouraging word, my family and friends were right there. I have the greatest family and friends.  

13) a photo i took this month: Didn’t take a lot of photos this month, but here’s a few of my favorites…

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Thirteen of my favorite macro flower shots….

1. Orchid  2. Fuschia 3. Light Pink 4. Mum 5. Big & Bright 6. Water Drops 7. Tulip 8. Hibiscus 9. Yellow Rose 10. Cream Rose 11. Pick a Pink Petal 12. Red Rose 13. Stargazer 

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This week is all about what I’m thankful for…

1. Getting through my first surgery with no major problems. I spent 8 days in the hospital that time and 5 days after the second surgery, and I had wonderful nurses with both my stays.  Believe me, it makes a difference!

2. I’m thankful for my family and friends who came to see me, called or emailed. Knowing you were thinking and praying for me has been a blessing.

3. I’m extremely thankful for my husband, daughter, son and mom who make sure I am taken care of at all times. Whether it’s just sitting with me or seeing that I make it to my many appointments, they have been awesome!!

4. I’m thankful for a wonderful surgeon who was on the ball and took action when infection set in even if it meant I had to go into surgery again. (I wasn’t very happy the day I got the call, more like shocked but I’m thankful now,   )

5. I’m thankful for the ET nurses who though I call it my torture sessions, 3 times a week they bring me closer to being whole again and rid of this Wound VAC!!!

6. I’m thankful for the special time I have had spending with my mom while she has been staying with me. A gal is never too old for her momma and I have loved having mine here.

7. I’m also thankful for all the beautiful flowers and plants I have received!! My sister got me the coolest plant, a Zebra plant…very cool! If there is any perk of having surgery and being in the hospital, it’s getting gorgeous floral arrangements and plants!!

8. I’m very thankful for a husband who is not only being a nurse, but has taken over all the household duties, and overlooked my uncontrollable emotions, one minute I’m fine the next I’m crying….it’s driving me nuts. The man is a saint!!! I love this man more than words can ever say!

9. OK, this one is a bit selfish, I’m so thankful for my new laptop!!!! Hubby bought it for me knowing I would need it while recuperating. Is he not the best?

10. The sweet watermelon and cantaloupe that hubby has kept in stock for me…..very thankful!

11. Thankful for the 20 pounds I have lost since my surgery!!!

12. Thankful for drugs…the legal kind, of course…seriously, I thank God for them right now!!

13. And last, I’m thankful that I can share this beautiful photo with you….

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Borrowed this from Janet

1) photo of me: Not a chance right now!

2) current candle scents: Wood Wick Sandlewood Clove, it is so soothing and when it’s burning it sounds like a crackling fire. Love those candles!

3) what i am currently reading: Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich….just one of the many books on to read list while recouping!

4) newest music i added to my playlist: Nothing new…..

5) movies i saw: Lots of movies while recouping, in the last few days, “My Fair Lady,”  which I have never seen,  and “Inkheart”  which I thought was OK…not as good as I expected.

6) something yummy i made this month:  I haven’t made a thing all month….but the best thing I ate so far this month has been watermelon!! I’ve eaten a lot of watermelon since I came home from the hospital, craved it actually! 

7) the last place i ate out: It’s been awhile, last place was Logan’s Roadhouse before my surgery.

8.) something that made me cry:  Having the doctor clean out my incision and pack it….I bawled like a baby.

9) something that made laugh:  My doctor joking with me about leaving a ballpoint pen in my stomach….he has a warped sense of humor, I like him!

10) something i looked forward to this month: Healing!!

11) something i am thankful for: My family who are taking such wonderful care of me, a superb surgeon and the angels who have watched over me.

12) something i want to remember about this month: Waking up and knowing things went perfect, that was a great feeling.

13) a photo i took this month:

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1. Been awhile since I actually made an update, so thought I’d actually try to put one together as my T13. It has been a rather busy couple weeks, and well it looks like my next 8 weeks will be recuperating. My surgery is set for June 10th, I’ll be in the hospital for 5-7 days and then recouping at home for 6-8 weeks.  If you want to know more, email me…..I’m not going into detail on here because, well because that’s my prerogative! 

2. We celebrated my grandparents 65th anniversary  weekend before last with all the family and had a blast visiting with everyone and just celebrating these awesome two people!  We looked at old family pictures and had some really good laughs, had a lot of “remember when” moments also. We had to change our plans for the family portraits as it was raining, so no Japanese gardens, but it all worked out well and I can’t wait to see the photos! We had 5 generations present, pretty awesome!!

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Being serenaded with “Wind Beneath my Wings”…..it was very touching!

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Are family has some clowns in it! Isn’t she the cutest?!!!

6. We’ve had a lot of celebrations for our family lately, Saturday night we celebrated my cousin Becca’s getting her BA! Very proud of her, she’s a mom, wife and now a college grad! Becca was one of my flower girls in our wedding, I feel a little “aged.” 

7. We finally got our flowers planted in the backyard this weekend, it looks so good!! We potted four hibiscus, two mandevillas, calladiums, an Australian Heather, and an Esperanza . We also have two huge elephant ears to plant, they are as tall as me! I love them!! I wanted the backyard to be beautiful before I had my surgery so while I was recouping I could go sit on the back porch and enjoy the beauty! Hubby is awesome to get it done for me!!

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11.  Monday my sister had the family over for food and swimming, it was a beautiful day spent with the people I love. I didn’t swim but I enjoyed watching the kids play, and got some great shots of my nephew jumping off the diving board…

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My nephew doing his dolphin imitation!

13. And because it’s been awhile, here’s a pic of Rocky looking as sweet as ever….

Rocky the Diva Cat!

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1.  This weekend is really big for our family, we have family traveling in to celebrate my grandparents 65th wedding anniversary! What an achievement of an amazing couple! I’m so proud to call them my grandparents!

2. Friday we will be gathering  at my mom’s for food, drinks and so we can just visit with one another! Some members of our family we haven’t even met yet (they are the new babies in the family! ) and other’s we haven’t seen in a few years, so I am really looking forward to just catching up!

3. Saturday we are doing a family portrait! We did a formal portrait for our grandparents 50th anniversary, so we figured it was time for another. This one will be a more casual one, at a Japanese gardens. I’m really looking forward to this and I’m taking my camera to take shots at the gardens for myself!

4. Later Saturday we will be having a celebratory dinner at a fun, vibrant German restaurant that has good food, good drink, dancing and no doubt lead to several doing the “chicken dance!”

5. I will definitely have much to report on after this big weekend, and of course with photos….so stay tuned! -)

6. In other news, I had some tests done last week and got some good news and some bad.

7. First the good, all clear on a removed polyp!

8. The bad, I’m going to have to undergo surgery.

9. I have an appointment with my surgeon on Thursday (21st). I’m really not looking forward to this…my summer is going to suck.

10.  We were suppose to be preparing to leave for Ireland at the end of this month, that trip has been postponed. I was really disappointed but I know things happen for a reason. We are rescheduling for next Spring.

11. We have a nest over our front door…I noticed when the momma showed she wasn’t happy that I came out to get the mail! She was very vocal!!

12.  Here she is letting me know to back away!!

I asked the ID of this bird on Facebook, and Leanne helped me out on that…it’s a Barn Swallow!

13. My newest poppet…appropriately titled “Clouds get in my way” it seemed like a very fitting poppet for right now, don’t you think?

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I don’t feel very motivated today, so I am recycling one of my previous T13′s from quite awhile ago.  I thought these were pretty funny, considering all the motivational posters that we see, here’s a new spin on them! Enjoy!! 

1. 
The Journey of a Thousand Miles Sometimes Ends Very, Very Badly!

2.
It’s a Short Trip From Riding the Waves to Being Torn Apart by the Jaws of Defeat.

3.
Dreams are Like Rainbows. Only Idiots Chase Them.

4.
If you Want to Get to the Top, Prepare to Kiss alot of @ss.

5.
Until You Spread Your Wings, You Have No Idea How Far You Can Walk.

6.
If a Pretty Poster and a Cute saying is all it takes to Motivates you, You have a easy job. One that a Robot will be doing in soon.

7.
It’s Over Man, Let Her Go!

8.
Much Work Remains To Be Done Before We Can Announce Our Total Failure To Make Any Progress.

9.
As Long As We Have Each Other, We’ll Never Run Out Of Problems.

10.
It’s Best to Avoid Standing Directly Between A Competitive Jerk and His Goals.

11.

It Takes 43 Muscles to Frown and 17 to Smile, But it Doesn’t Take Any To Just Sit There With A Dumb Look On Your Face.

12.

No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent, But You’d Be a Fool to Withhold that From Your Superiors.

13.
Always Remember You Are Unique. Just Like Everybody Else.

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1. Rumor has it I went AWOL!  Well that’s a stretch, I have been on a break though, call it medical leave, mini vacation (that’s stretching it )  or whatever you want, in other-words I needed the time off!!

2. While I was on my break I realized I had my Blog Anniversary!  I’ve been blogging for 4 years now…..I had no idea I had so much to say! Thank you for indulging me!!!

3.  My diverticulitis is still giving me fits, I have a colonoscopy scheduled for next Wednesday…fun times. I am NOT looking forward to that…but I hope to find out what is going on and how to get rid of it!

4. I don’t like to go into details, so I won’t. -)  But this bout of illness has really kicked my butt to the point that I really am feeling defeated. It’s bad enough this time I’m not able to leave my house….that’s bad folks and really aggravating!

5. Since I’ve been housebound, I have been catching up on my movie watching, some of my favorites so far have been “Stardust,” and “Eagle Eye” though the last kinda freaked me out. If you haven’t seen it and you are a computer user, watch it…then see if you don’t wonder! LOL

6.  I have “The Reader,” “Bolt,” and “Bedtime Stories” to watch next. So do you have any movies that you’d suggest for me?

7.  Have I told you lately I want an iMac? Let me now then! I want a iMac!! I’m having to use my daughters laptop right now as my desktop is really messed up….I went to log on the other day and all my stuff was gone. Yep, my photos (thousands of them), files and programs all gone. Thankfully I have an external hard drive! I did kinda freaked though. I haven’t even tempted to figure it out.

8.  Also doing a lot of reading, even re-reading books…do you do that?

9. Big shout out to my sister and brother-in-law who celebrated their 20th Anniversary this week!!! These two are a match made in heaven!

10. Speaking of anniversaries, my grandparents who are regular readers here (hi guys!) will be celebrating their 65th Anniversary in May!!!! Isn’t that amazing?! Our whole family, kids, grand-kids, and great-grandkids will all be getting together to celebrate this momentous occasion. It’s going to be a wonderful tribute to these two awesome people who are the foundation of our family.

11. I’m so looking forward to meeting the new little members of our family. We have had a mini baby boom and have had three additions that I haven’t met yet!

12. So have you heard about Swine Flu? Seriously, I understand the concern but come on! Don’t you think the media is the cause of the panic?

13. Wow, I made my first post in a over a week! I have missed you blog world, I hope you have missed me too!

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