April '25 Books

It seems as though the months spin around so fast. The middle two weeks of April found us both incapacitated with extreme fatigue and a persistent cough. I didn't feel like doing anything else, but at least I could read. Ten books read this month.

Rainwater by Sandra Brown is the first book of her's that I've read. Early on I got her confused with Sandra Dallas whose books I loved and quickly read my way through. For some reason that put me off trying any of the Sandra Brown books - but I am now.

First Lie Wins is Ashley Elston's first adult novel - also one of Reese's Book Club picks.

Society of Lies is Lauren Ling Brown's debut novel and also one of Reese's Book Club picks. Seeing a pattern here?

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld is, you guessed it, another Reese's pick. You may recall I said I was going to read my way through her book club picks. 

To Die For is by David Baldacci - one of my favorite authors. He is so popular it is several months before I get a chance to read his newest book. The library got it in November, so it was six months I waited - but so worth it!

The Testaments was the last Margaret Atwood book I had yet to read. It is a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, which was my least favorite Atwood read. I only read the sequel because Atwood is such a good writer.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith was her first novel written in 1948. It is a book from my own shelves and had been years since I first read it. I had not realized she also wrote The Hundred and One Dalmations.

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose is the first book of her's I've read. This was a very good suspense story with lots of twists and turns.

Michael Connelly is another of my favorite authors. The Waiting is his sixth Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard novel.

All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker is the second book of his that I've read. It is a mystery, a thriller and a love story.  It, along with the Baldacci and Connelly books were my favorites this month.

April is ending on a high note - catkins on the birches, willows and oaks, green, green, green everywhere, three Canada geese couples with goslings around the pond with one more still nesting and birds, birds, birds everywhere, including a pair of robins intent upon building their nest on top of our front door light. I haven't seen it yet, but I heard a wren and am on the lookout for our first hummingbird.

Tomorrow - May Day. Do the kids still leave May baskets, ring the door bell and run away, hoping, or fearing, to be caught and kissed?

It doesn't matter what else is happening, Mother Nature still reliably brings the beauty of Spring.

April showers are a big part of all the greening going on. 

Let the rain sing to you.

April Rain Song By Langston Hughes

Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.

Cogito, ergo sum

"I think, therefore I am."   René Descartes

I Sit Beside the Fire and Think

  By: J.R.R. Tolkien

I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen

Of meadow flowers and butterflies in summers that have been

Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were

With morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair

I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be

When winter comes without a spring that I shall never see

For still there are so many things that I have never seen

In every wood in every spring there is a different green

I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago

And people that will see a world that I shall never know

But all the while I sit and think of time there were before

I listen for returning feet and voices at the door

A Nostalgic Rabbit Hole

 

It has happened again. A daily jigsaw puzzle pulled me down a rabbit hole....this one of the Casa de Mateus in Vila Real Portugal. 

Just the mention of Mateus has the power to take me back more than fifty years. It was my first and favorite wine.

I new I had blogged about it before and didn't want to repeat.

A search of past blogs about wine led me to the one from September 2, 2012.

As soon as I saw the photo of me with my dear friend Kristina the words miss you, miss you, miss you formed in my mind.

It is a poem I have previously posted. That one was about missing my mother. (November 16, 2012) 

Interesting - both posts from 2012.

Time for me to get on with my day.... but first another read of David Cory's poem:

 Miss You

Miss you, miss you, miss you;
Everything I do
Echoes with the laughter
And the voice of You.
You're on every corner,
Every turn and twist,
Every old familiar spot
Whispers how you're missed.

Miss you, miss you, miss you!
Everywhere I go
There are poignant memories
Dancing in a row.
Silhouette and shadow
Of your form and face,
Substance and reality
Everywhere displace.

Oh, I miss you, miss you!
God! I miss you, Girl!
There's a strange, sad silence
'Mid the busy whirl,
Just as tho' the ordinary
Daily things I do
Wait with me, expectant
For a word from You.

 Miss you, miss you, miss you!
Nothing now seems true
Only that 'twas heaven
Just to be with You.

  

Celebrating From One to Ninety

 

Our youngest great-grandson, Henri, is now one year old.

He wasn't sure just what he was supposed to do with his 'smash' cake. With a little prompting he did finally get his hands into it.

At this point I think he was getting tired. He changes so much every time I see him, which isn't often. 

Henri shared his big day with his great-grandfather Pete, pictured here with his daughter Shalea.

I didn't think about it until we were on our way home, but we really should have gotten a photo of Henri and Pete together.

This cake was for both of them - "Happy 1st Henri"; Happy 90th Pete".

While Henri napped, big brother Louis participated in a chilly Easter Egg Hunt....

....along with cousins Ayden and Greyson.

Ninety eggs were hidden - 30 for each of the boys.

They were still looking for the final two or three when we left.

Somehow we even ended up with an egg.

Bud put it back for the boys to find after the picture was taken.

It was so nice to see everyone and help celebrate two very special birthdays.

I'm so grateful I felt like going.  Being with the little ones always makes me happy. And catching up with my adult grandchildren does too.