Catching Fire

Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins
E-book
Finished April 26, 2011
2nd book in trilogy




From the Publisher

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge

My Thoughts

"The Capitol is angry.  The Capitol wants revenge."

And revenge is exactly what the Capitol dished out.  I did not expect the story to go as it did.  Fabulous, really didn't think that I would be as interested in this book as I was with The Hunger Games.  Suzanne Collins has done a fabulous job so far.

I started the third book immediately, looking forward to the movie version of this series.

Definitely a must read. I've recommended these books a few times. My husband read them first and I was hard pressed to get his full undivided attention until he was finished.

Signing off till next time.

Busy Time of Year for Me

Well it's inevitable, the time of year for warmer weather, new growth and the preparation for summer.  With Spring comes the busy time of year for me and my family.  We are the owners of a construction business and life is usually hectic from April till November. 

That being said, blogging may have to be set aside from time to time.  I will endeavour to keep up, unfortunately I'm giving up on the A to Z challenge.

I would also like to take the time to thank all the people who are following me and to wish you all an enjoyable and safe summer, or whatever season you may be experiencing where you live :)

Meet Me on Monday ~ April 11

Meet Me on Monday is a weekly Hop hosted by Java at Never Growing Old.  To play along just answer the following questions, visit other blogs, see their answers and find new friends to follow.
1. Who would be your dream celebrity date?

      Johnny Depp

2. Do you have any food restrictions?
      No, no food restrictions

3. How much time do you take to get ready in the morning?
      About 20  to 30 minutes

4. Sausage or bacon?
      I hate sausages, not really a fan of bacon either unless it is over cooked, so burn the bacon and I'm        happy.

5. Do you Google, Bing or Yahoo?
       Google.

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge April 2011 ~ G

Gabaldon, Diana ~ The Outlander Series


Gnomes

My youngest brother is seven years older than my son, they are very close and getting closer now that they are older.  My brother would do special things for my son when we went to visit.  One of my son's fondest memories are the stories of the gnomes that my brother would tell him.  You see there were gnomes living in my parents garden and everytime we visited my parents, there was a note from the gnomes, usually setting my son on a trail for a small treasure,  my brother would make little foot prints in the garden dirt.  It was so believable for a young child.  I'm so grateful for my brother and the wonderful memories my son will have to tell his children one day.

Signing off till next time.

Booking Through Thursday ~April 7

is hosted at Booking Through Thursday

So … the books that you own (however many there may be) … do you display them proudly right there in plain sight for all the world to see? (At least the world that comes into your living room.)

Or do you keep them tucked away in your office or bedroom or library or closet or someplace less “public?”

Our books are displayed in a number of places in our home.  Our family room has four books shelves, full of books.  We each have books displayed in our bedrooms and the spare room has a book shelf as well.  You will often find the library books coming or going from the house in a pile in the front hall.  All my cook books are in the dining room area for quick access when I need them. 

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge April 2011 ~ F

Favourite Author
Flagg, Fannie ~ Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe


Flowers

Signing off till next time.

To Find and to Keep

To Find and to Keep
by Serena Yates
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I received this book for free through Goodreads ~ First Reads.

Finished April 5, 2011



From the Publisher


Four years ago Ryan's parents disowned him for being gay. To escape their threats, he ran away to Canada. Now his twin sister Nicole is getting married to his best friend Peter, and Ryan will risk anything to attend. Help arrives in the most unexpected form: Peter's older brother Daniel, the man Ryan had never stopped loving.

My Thoughts

It only took me an hour to read this book. It was a very quick, light read having 85 pages and huge print. The story felt rushed, not giving me enough time to really get to know the characters. Too sugary and the over use of endearments annoyed me.

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge April 2011 ~ E

Favourite Author

Erskine, Barbara ~ Lady of Hay


Don't run on EMPTY, EAT clean.

I have to admit for many years I did not eat right.  Working full time and more helping run a business, small child to take care of, a home to run and suffering from depression, taking care of me was kind of a back burner thing.  I'd get the afternoon slump at work (running on empty) and my quick go to fix was a huge cup of coffee and donuts or anything else that had sugar.  By the time we got home a healthy home cooked meal was the last thing I wanted to deal with, so easy pre-made frozen crap was usually our quick fix and I kept the guilt off by always having salad or fresh cut veggies as a side dish.  Of course you can't eat like this and not gain weight and in doing so makes the whole situation harder to deal with. 
I finally put my foot down last year when I read Tosca Reno's books about clean eating and decided that things just had to change.  I cannot say that I'm perfect at it and loosing weight has to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do (even quiting smoking was easier). 
Now when I run on empty I'm armed with healthier things to get through the day.  I start the day off with a healthy breakfast, I drink my water and I eat more frequently, four to five smaller meals, each meal contains protein and a source of fibre, like fruit or vegetables.
Since I changed the way I eat, I find that running on EMPTY is a thing of the past.

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge April 2011 ~ D

Today's favourite Authors

Donaldson, Stephen ~ The Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through
Donoghue, Emma ~ Room

DUCKS

I've mentioned in previous blogs that our house backs onto an open hydro field.  A few years ago it was a rainy spring, leaving huge puddles in the field.  The puddles made a great haven for a family of ducks.  They were frequent visitors to our back yard.   

Signing off till next time.

Sing You Home

Sing You Home
by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Edition:  Library Book
Finished: April 5, 2011




From the Pulisher

Every life has a soundtrack. All you have to do is listen.


Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter's life. There's the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant.

For better or for worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love.

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people-even those she loves and trusts most-don't want that to happen.

Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood. It's about people wanting to do the right thing for the greater good, even as they work to fulfill their own personal desires and dreams. And it's about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.


My Thoughts

Jodi Picoult never disappoints.

This book brought out so many different emotions. There were many times when I just wanted to slam the book shut and give up, I was so angry. I was beginning to dread reading the chapters from Max's point of view. I didn't want to be subjected to the points of view that were being verbalized. I often wondered exactly where Jodi was taking me and why she would write a book from that point of view. Then I would read the chapters from Zoe and Vanessa's points of view and was reminded of the love they share and felt I really needed to stick with the book to see exactly where it was going to end. I'm glad I did.

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge Aprill 2011 ~ C

It's Monday, the beginning of the work week and the day for the letter "C".

Favourite Authors
Chadwick, Elizabeth ~ Lords of the White Castle
Collins, Suzanne ~ The Hunger Games Trilogy

CRAFTING

I cannot tell you when I started crafting exactly, my mother is a crafter and I learned everything from her.  I'm not talking about scrap booking, don't get me wrong I love scrap booking....well at least looking at other peoples creations.  I have a great friend who does wonderful work with scrap booking, but it just isn't for me.  For my followers who like scrap booking please have a look at Angie's Blog.
My earliest memory of a craft was a wool needle point of Raggedy Ann and Andy that my mother and I worked on together, she was probably the one that did the most work.  There was the hickory dickory dock rug hook project, I remember helping her with that.  The rug hung in the upstairs hallway.  I loved how the cat at the bottom of the picture watched the clock mouse.
After I mastered these two techniques my mother taught me how to cross stitch.  Many pictures and projects I have made.
My favourite crafting today is crocheting, again another craft I learned from my mother. I remember as a little girl listening to my Nana knit, the sound of her knitting needles was so soothing and I couldn't believe that she could watch TV and not look at her work, I was mesmerized.  Unfortunately no matter how much I tried I could not master the art of knitting. 

Signing off till next time.

Meet Me On Monday ~ 04/04/2011

 

1. If you had to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Well that is a tough question to answer.  I love to eat.  Ice Cream, chocolate, bread.  I really don't think I can't decide.

2. Do you write your blog posts in advance or the day you post them?

The majority of my posts are done the day I post them.  Occasionally I'll write one in advance.

3. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes as an infant, I was transferred from the hospital I was born in to another hospital, I was having trouble breathing.

4. What is your favorite candle scent?

I love candles with spice and vanilla, like home baking.

5. Coffee or tea?

Coffee and Tea.  I love my coffee strong and black, but I also need a good soothing cup of tea.  I love black tea, green tea, herbal tea, Indian tea.

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge April 2011 ~ B

 

Sorry my post is so late.  Happy April 2nd everybody today is letter B.

"B" is for BACCHANALIAN, characterized by or given to drunken revelry; riotously drunken.

Bebris, Carrie ~ Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mysteries. Please visit her website here.

"B" is for BonaVista.  We recently travelled to Newfoundland, for a well deserved family vacation.

Cape Bonavista Lighthouse

Fog rolling in off the ocean

My Son, Inukshuks and a beautiful sunset

Signing off till next time.

Blogging Challenge April 2011 ~ A

Should you wish to join in the fun please visit Tossing It Out.

Today is the first day of April , happy April Fool's Day and the day that I post something with "A".  I think most posts I write for this challenge will follow a theme.  First I'm going to find a word that I don't know and give the definition.  I will post a book that I have read or wish to read, the name of the author will be what starts with the letter of the day.  Then if I have something else I wish to blog about I will.

"A" is for AVERRUNCATOR, an instrument for pruning trees, having two blades, or a blade and a hook, fixed on a long rod and operated by a string or wire.

Austen, Jane ~ My favourites are Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility

A is for Angry.  We have lived in our current house for over 20 years, we back onto crown owned land which is a hydro corridor.  There is a hydro tower very close to our home. Over the years vegetation had grown under that tower providing a nice haven for wildlife.  We have enjoyed, for over ten years, the song of the mocking birds that live in that vegetation.  Yesterday workers for hydro came and cut down all that vegetation.  Where did those poor birds go?  The temperature last night was -5.  I know that they have to maintain the hydro towers, but why wasn't that done yearly so no animals would find refuge?  I will miss the mocking birds tremendously. My only hope is that they were able to survive the cold without a nest and that they will nest in our back yard tree or in a tree in one of our neighbours back yards.

Signing off till next time.

Book Blogger Hop ~ 4/1 to 4/4

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Book Blogger Hop. This is a weekly meme is a great way to find new blogs and meet new people.

This weeks question:

"Since today is April Fool's Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?"

Well I hate to disappoint but I have never been the brunt of someones prank or played a prank on anyone.

Have a great April Fool's Day.

Signing off till next time.