peacefulreader

Lazy summer days with yoga…

I’m in the middle of the only free days I’ll have for summer. I’ve done a little nannying, helped at a friend’s bakery, and in August we go on a little vacation.

{Society6}

So on these free days I’m simultaneously trying to deep clean my house as I can’t ever seem to get ahead of the clutter; while I also do some deep relaxing. I have a stack of books for school to read, I’m spending time with Groovy Teen, and I’m working on my yoga. I love yoga but I fall behind during the school year. My husband created a wonderful workout space in our basement and this summer I’ve used it almost ever day.

Anyone can do yoga from home because there is a huge amount of free sequences on youtube. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to yoga and the other day before I did my regular go-to video I clicked on an article I’d saved awhile back. Pinterest is, of course, only as good as it should be if you actually use it. I think of mine as a large filing cabinet most of the time but then there are folders I reach into constantly. 8 free yoga channels caught my eye this time and by clicking on the article I found some very good new teachers to try. If you do yoga at home try each of these unique channels for something new. My goal is to try several by each teacher to see which one fits. I’ve gone through three and loved how it changed up my regular routine. I tried a sequence with Boho Beautiful and I was (good) sore for days.

Be inspired – try something new this summer. Looking out into my backyard as I type this; it may be an outdoor yoga kind of day…

Namaste~

July is starting off with a bang….

Literally. Fireworks are now legal in IA and it’s a horrible idea. It’s loud, sounds like gunfire continuously, just popping with no pretty after glow. At all hours of the day. I could be out back enjoying my hammock life, reading, dreaming, napping about mid-afternoon and pop, pop, pop; my peaceful moment is robbed. Tomorrow should be even more crazy. I have typed the word “chill” into my calendar for tomorrow so that’s while I’ll be doing no matter the sound affects around me.

Sweet Isabella

We did a tough thing today. We put our sweet Izzie to sleep. Toughest decision every. Many think we should have done it awhile ago but I think there is no right time. She wasn’t deathly ill, she was in pain and had trouble motoring around. The last few months she’d started this odd and consistent woofing that we thought was dog for “I’m not feeling like myself-can you fix it?” And we tried all her favorite treats and a round of pills but nothing seem to alleviate her pain. So we helped her along. Taking a page from the Dog Whisperer I treated her like a queen this past week. May she be romping pain-free tonight on some grassy knoll.

Between the fireworks popping everywhere and our sweet dog it’s been a rough beginning to the middle month of summer. I do have a delicious menu planned for tomorrow as we CHILL. Wild Caught Salmon, arugula salad, a raw corn salad, baked beans (Anton’s must have for any BBQ) and I’m making a strawberry rhubarb pie tomorrow. Groovy Teen and her quest to be dairy-free really misses ice cream so I’ve made her an almond milk version that I hope will turn out. It’s in the freezer as we speak.

Speaking of rough times-my Groovy Girl has requested in strong terms that I stop referring to her on this blog with that every so cute blog nickname. I call my other kids by their names but hers is unique and I like to hide her identity and she’s still under age. So I’ve been blandly calling her Groovy Teen in the last few posts. It just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Any suggestions…

June book reviews for YOU (happy reading)

I’ve only read three books this month. They were really good books though. Technically I finished four but the Bill Browder book, The Red Notice, was a crossover from May. I’ll still tell you about it though.

1. The Red Notice; a true story of high finance, murder and one man’s fight for justice by Bill Browder (2015): Born into a communist-leaning family Browder grows up seeing what it is like to rebel against the norm but to rebel even further Browder chose a career path profession just to annoy his dad; he picks commerce. The first half of the book Browder tells his family story and how he rose to be the first major investor of Western money into Russia and the second half of the book deals with the downfall of this great plan and the imprisonment and eventual death of his friend and lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky. I enjoyed this memoir, even though I thought Browder wasn’t the greatest story teller. Reading this book gave me a clear mindset on why Putin felt the need to tangle himself into U.S. elections and will continue to torment and push buttons just because he’s found a way.

2. Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2003): Tristan read this years ago and devoured the series. I’ve always wanted to read it but who knows why? I didn’t pick it up until this summer after 2 teachers raved about it to me after a teacher meeting. They were shocked that I hadn’t read it; That was the push I needed so I brought it home that very last week of school. I loved it. I dig fantasy and this book was no exception. Eragon, Brom, Saphira, Murtagh and Arya were all interesting characters and I look forward to reading the next two in the series. Even though Paolini was young when he wrote this I think it stands the test of time.

3. The Girl who drank from the moon by Kelly Barnhill (2016): I loved this fairy tale {and that gorgeous cover art} in which Xan and Luna save themselves and change the world together. Centuries ago a world was created by evil people and the unwitting townsfolk believed the stories that were told to them about an evil witch who needs a sacrificial baby each year so as not to destroy the town. Xan is this witch but she rescues the babies and takes them to new families because she thinks they’ve been abandoned. And so it goes for many years until one family fights back and one mother doesn’t give up hope. A good reminder, from a fairy tale world, to not believe all that you are told! Read more great things about this book at NYT, EW, and the Washington Post.

4. American War by Omar El Akkad (2017): I read a NYT article about great new dystopian books and this one was at the top of the list. Like fantasy, I’m a big fan of the altered worlds created in good dystopian novels. This one lacks the gruesome gore of The Hunger Games but certainly lays out how a fight over energy and ravaged ecosystems could separate the North from the South in a way that causes longterm war within our own border. Read other great reviews here on NPR, SF Chronicle, and the Washington Post. I’m not quite finished with this one yet and plan to finish today.

In Madison I did purchase several books and I have stack of books to read for school. What are you reading this summer?

A trip to bountiful…

We signed our young dancer up for a dance intensive in Madison and I have to admit it was something I was equally excited about it because I would have to spend the week there with her.

(James Madison Park)

We felt like we were in the land of plenty; surrounded by our people. Everyone seemed quirky, a bit earthy, polite, and healthy; bike riders and walkers were evident in every neighborhood. Traffic was expected to make way for pedestrians and bicyclists which was so refreshing. Plus we had many diverse cuisines to choose from. We made a pact to eat only local and found a lot of suggestions from this post. In order we ate at all these fabulous restaurants which showcase much of what Madison has to offer.

1. Maharana Restaurant: We found this gem after we stopped at Target to get a few things we forgot (like bread for her lunches-whoops) and through the magic of our GPS this Indian restaurant came up and it was just around the corner. She had Chicken Tikka Masala and I had vegetable somosas and a cup of coconut soup. At the end of dinner our waiter brought out complimentary ice cream. This restaurant, for the first night of our adventure, was amazing.

2. Monty’s Blue Plate Diner: This was number one on the list and after we left the dance studio it was POURING/HAILING on us and the Prius. We made it into this bright blue beacon and were greeted by friendly staff as we shook off like wet dogs. I had a delicious artichoke sandwich and the starving dancer had a roasted chicken, bacon, and herbed goat cheese sandwich. There were about 12 menu items I was interested in so I’ll have to go back and it shows what a diverse menu Monty’s offers. (I mean lots of vegan and vegetarian choices)

3. Ha Long Bay: Vietnamese and Thai combo in an eclectic neighborhood and it was packed on a Tuesday evening. We ate dinner almost every night right after dance class at 4:30; she was starving after a long day of exercise. We shared tofu spring rolls and two excellent main dishes. We both thought it was comparable to our favorite Ginger Thai here.

4. Fair Trade Coffee House: After three such amazing meals we opted for something smaller on Wednesday. Each day I hung around downtown or at James Madison Park, writing, reading, napping, exploring, walking, and researching our next meal but on this day I walked up and down State St. just looking in windows and checking the downtown scene. The smells from this shop lured me in and I sat and enjoyed an iced chai tea. On the daily chalkboard a chickpea curry soup was advertised and I knew that’s what I wanted for dinner.

5. Alchemy: Everyone picks a dud at some point. I read about this one and dragged her there and she was dubious-it wasn’t on our list and the name didn’t speak to her. I told her they had sweet potato fries and we agreed if she didn’t like anything on the menu we would just get the fries and be done. We had the fries, which turned out to be chips, and while the sauces were amazing, many of the fries were burned. I also ordered a cocktail here b/c it sounded refreshing (fresh blueberry kombucha mojito) and it sadly tasted watered down. We looked out the window and I spotted Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace that I’d also read about and we hopped over there instead. Groovy Girl had an amazing burrito and we know we’ll go back to the Taco Palace again.

6. Taste of India: We liked the first Indian restaurant so much but found this one and decided to give it a try. It was equally as good and by this time Greg had joined us for one night and he is a connoisseur of Indian food and he was thrilled they had Lamb Korma and Groovy Girl had another chicken dish. I tried the sauce for both and liked the spice. I was happy that both Indian menus had extensive vegetarian choices.

(Madison Public Library-downtown)

It was a great week of food and fun, living out of a suitcase with my favorite 14-year-old. I spent time enjoying the lakes, the views and the literary scene via the Madison Public Library and two bookstores, Mystery to me and A room of one’s own, all independent and thriving reading communities. After every adventure it is always wonderful to be back home, in my own bed, my dogs and my house projects to finish.

Happy Father's Day…to all dads

Dear Dad;

You’d be so happy to see how all your children have turned out. Well maybe; we might have happy separate lives but a few of us don’t have much of a relationship. You would have worked hard to help us mend that because you had faith in family. You knew it was important to let the little things go and the big things to because no matter what family is family and they are your first source for love.

Grandkids are good too. You’d be proud of Tristan at University of Iowa, studying and applying himself to make a difference. His major is political science and you would have loved to talk current events with him. He has a real handle on how the world is and loves discussing the bigger picture. My Groovy Teen (the artist formerly known as Groovy Girl) begins 10th grade in the fall. She is a bright light, a dancer, a imaginative thinker, a designer, a friend, a messy multi-tasker, a foodie, and struggles with her idea of perfection. You’d be beyond proud of Kaylee; she still shines in photos and is making it in the big city! She is thoughtful, loves theatre, has an amazing sense of humor, and writes and interviews like a pro. Her posts, tweets, and podcasts keep us all amused.

I’ve talked many times about how much I miss you as evidenced by this Father’s Day post from 2010 and 2016 version and this birthday post from 2016. You are missed. Damn that cancer.

Today as we celebrate my husband with a delicious brunch I’ll be thinking of you, wishing you were here at the table with us, touching my hair, and throwing me that smile that tells me everything is going to be okay.

Goodness it's June

It’s hot and sticky; feels like August and yet it’s the beginning of summer. I’ve traveled twice to Indiana to work in the bakery. Fun but hot and sweaty and not as profitable as we thought. You win some, you lose some. The donuts were still amazing as was the strawberry rhubarb pie. I’m very happy to be home though in my own little abode with my relaxing backyard. I took a nap, a bath, and then read in the hammock in that order after I pulled into my driveway.

I’m making preparations for Father’s Day Brunch at my house for my husband. Kids will be here and I need to make a combination of vegan and non vegan food. So standard fare is pretty easy; scrambled farm eggs (I still have a good supply from a farmer/teacher friend) and bacon for the dad; grits, fruit, and vegan waffles for the diary-free, vegetarian crew. I also found a recipe for vegan cinnamon rolls so I’m thinking of making those also. With all that bread-iness filling the table I’m going to balance with lots of fresh fruit.

Of course, we are beginning the day with a Bloody Mary bar and so the meal will be necessary to combat all that vodka. How else do you really make fathers feel special than to liquor them up before breakfast? I know my handsome husband will be happy to enjoy this day of rest in his otherwise crazy busy schedule.

How is the beginning of your summer?

3 amazing reads all in a row.

1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood ( 1998): You enter the sterile and odd world of The Handmaid’s Tale and you get an eery feeling like you should look over your shoulder. While this seems so far removed from our world now, it feels like it would only take about 2 steps backwards to be in Atwood’s world. For those that haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale it relays the events of a woman, Offred, of child-bearing years who’s been pulled from her own life and inserted into another family in order to bear an older man’s child(ren). The change from one life to the next happens slowly but also in a blink of an eye. Imagine in your life time that you could live one moment with your husband and beautiful child; only to be repurposed in a retraining camp where you learn to surrender your will to this next family. There are so many details of this new life mixed with her memories of before. If you like dystopian or politics; this is a fantastic read. I stayed up way too late each night to read just a little more. Other days I slammed the book down in disgust. I am searching for the original movie with Natasha Richardson (it’s not on Netflix or Amazon Prime) before I start streaming the new Hulu series. Here is a great NYT article by Atwood herself discussing her novel.

2. A man called Ove by Fredrik Backman (2014): I am watching this one Amazon Prime. The book was an amazingly funny read. I laughed out loud many times and when I neared the end of this sweet tale I cried. I love a book that brings about that much emotion. Ove is a curmudgeon at best; an absolute old grump and yet we love him for it because he emerges a changed man. Even when he’s at his worst he’s an interesting character. Ove is ready to end his life, ready to join his beautiful Sonja in the afterworld. He even thinks about what he should wear so she’ll be happy when she sees him coming through the pearly gates. The unexpected happens though when a new family moves in next door and the wife pulls Ove into her own life. All the hype about this book is true.

3. This side of home by Renee Watson (2015): This is a delightful tale about two twins, Nikki and Maya, living in Portland with intellectual parents surrounding them with love. What is ever-changing though is their neighborhood which is being gentrified rapidly and their high school as well. The neighborhood, high school, friends and family all provide a wonderful backdrop to the life experience of Nikki and Maya as they learn to accept each other as more than just a reflection of each other. My one and only complaint is about the cover; neither girl has the loose hair of the girl pictured on the front. She’s brown-a good start-#weneeddiversebooks BUt it would be a reflection of the character if her hair was braided. Maya repeatedly talks about her hair in braids down her back; Nikki with pressed hair and sometimes loose and free. Neither girl is represented by the photo on the cover except by skin color. #rant

Now I’m reading Bill Browder’s Red Notice for book club. I’m not a fan of nonfiction but his tale of intrigue has me reading. I also just finished this short article about White Fragility that’s worth reading. Someone sent it to me to remind me of a conversation we had about Ta’Nehisi Coates’ book.

Happy, Happy Weekend!

I love a long weekend. I even gifted myself an extra day by taking a personal day on Friday. I had lunch with a former student at the school where I used to teach and watched part of their talent show. I also had a late lunch/early dinner with my husband at a new local place. I purposely did not make many plans for this weekend – I could tell I need to replenish and revive myself with a little down time so I can begin this last week of school with joy.

Today I started my day at the farmers market. It is a vibrant and lively place with as many crafty stops as farmers selling wares. I picked up asparagus, radishes, and a bag of salad greens. As I finished my errands today I spotted a new Filipino food truck by our local dairy store. I stopped and bought enough to feed people at home. My fish taco was amazing-super spicy- and Groovy Girl and my husband finished up the chicken, rice, and noodles I’d picked out for them.

Tonight I’m making a dirty rice recipe for dinner. My husband bought some steaks wrapped in bacon at Aldi – he just does not fully embrace my idea that meat I eat needs to be locally grown/organic. I’m not eatin’ one of those steaks but the dirty rice and grilled vegetables will be delicious and enough for me. I found the recipe at Bob’s Red Mill website. I had to go out and search for TSP and wonder if I’ll like this additional protein or if I can leave it out next time.

{I spotted these pretty chickens today}

The weather is amazing right now. A little rain here and there but yesterday was a brilliant sunshine yellow. I look forward to seeing what the next two days bring…

What’s everyone else cooking this holiday weekend?

Ugh! I'm back.

Google, Blogger, and I have a love/hate triangle going on right now. This is the second or third time I’ve been locked out of my peacefulreader blog. I pay for a domain name and somehow about a year ago Google decided that all paying domains would be part of G-Suite and it’s been nothing but trouble for me. In other words it’s not hitting my sweet spot.

Tonight, while I do have homework and a good book to read, I felt the need to solve the problem. I’m tired but it suddenly dawned on me that somehow it was not “reading” my G-Suite admin account. I tried a few more times to log in with no luck. One of our school techie’s advice is about turning the computers off, really off. So I logged everyone off my laptop, which should NOT be a family computer but is, and shut the whole thing down. While I was logging off it seems that Groovy Girl had herself logged in on a second Google page with Netflix up as well. So even though I was logging myself in as myself and then also as an administrator it was not really logging me in. The thread of her was being pulled from another page.

Once I turned the whole system back on and logged myself back in it didn’t even ask for the admin information it just let me back in. Whew. I feel so much better, less out of touch. Speaking of being in tough, I’ve spent the last two nights watching movie with Anton.

Gold with Matthew McConaughey and Will Smith in Collateral Beauty were two very thoughtful and exciting films. We’ve been having a conversation in our house about gaming, movies, and books – different kinds of entertainment. I’m not a fan of gaming-it leaves me flat-although the one time of the year that I enjoy having a controller in my hand is at Christmas when Kaylee, Tristan, Greg, and I compete in heated games of Jeopardy. Most people that love gaming find the idea of this silly but we have so much fun.

A movie or a book can help you see a bigger picture, give you empathy, make you laugh, or think, or dream. Same with a book. Video games are only going through repetitive motions. And even streaming shows can now get to an addictive phase I still think the lure of gaming for hours on end can be harmful. Those that are avid video gamers can probably argue this with me. I’ll take a book or movie for entertainment any time.

I have a whole ‘nother post I was working on about The Handmaid’s Tale before the shut out occurred. I’ll get back to that in a day or two. We have dance recital this Saturday-that’s an all-day event. And I’m working on grading library assignments and assessments in between teaching classes and adding in new books. I was able to spend the last of my budget money on a trip to our local Barnes and Noble last night. It was incredible-especially as kids pawed through the 2 boxes today looking at treasures. Seven of the books now have sticky notes denoting who gets what first. The joy of book lovers!

May Flowers

We’ve just returned from a lovely little road trip north to see my brother for his birthday. He lives in a suburb with a beautiful lake and today we went out in his boat for a long ride along the shore looking at the amazing architecture. I love being on the lake, the wind, the smell, the sounds, the feeling of skimming over the water. We saw a muskrat, a loon, and many sailboats catching the breeze. It was chilly so we were wrapped in coats, blankets and hats. It was a perfect way to spend a Sunday morning, communing with nature.

On Saturday night we traveled the few minutes to downtown for drinks and dinner. We parked near an old hangout of mine, Runyon’s, so we stopped in, had a drink, and watched the Kentucky Derby. Then we went around the corner for dinner at 112 Eatery. I’d never eaten here before but would go again. The food was delicious. I had a carrot and sweet pea risotto with Humboldt fog. I had to look it up but Humboldt fog is a cheese. The combo was amazing and I’m a little sad I left my to-go container in the their fridge. We also enjoyed the Tres Leches cake and a Key Lime Pie with coconut. Dessert is my favorite. Anton was with us and he enjoyed people watching and trying new foods/drinks with us.

I spent the ride home reading and sleeping. I started The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. It’s been on a stack by my bed for a few years and now with the new series I picked it up right after I finished Zadie Smith’s The Autograph Man. I like Zadie Smith’s writing but I had trouble feeling anything for the main character, Alex-Li. The Handmaid’s Tale, on the other hand, has me reading quickly. It’s a bit creepy and a lot of back and forth to learn the past and the present of the story. I’ve also never seen the actual movie starring Natasha Richardson and Faye Dunaway. So that is on my massive to-do list.

Happy May everyone! Enjoy and celebrate the sun.