Laura (lauralkeet)'s 75 in 2022 - Part 9

Alys giving us the side eye

Welcome to my thread! I'm Laura, recently turned 60, retired. My husband Chris and I live in an 18th century farmhouse in northern Virginia, and keep ourselves busy with gardening, re-wildling our pasture to attract wildlife, and the occasional interior renovation. We’re documenting this journey through a newsletter (free!) on Substack: Willow Greens Farm--check it out!

This is my fourteenth year in the 75 Book Challenge Group. Where has the time gone?! I read mostly contemporary fiction, with the odd classic or memoir thrown in. I am increasingly relying on our fabulous local library system to meet my reading needs, and that makes me happy. This year I’ll read where my mood takes me, keep plugging away at various series, and stay current with new series releases.

Besides reading, I spend a lot of time knitting and weaving. I have a thread in the Needlearts group; stop in and say hi sometime!

My 2022 threads can be found here:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8



Books Featured on This Thread
(Go here to see all books read this year)
43. Fellowship Point
44. Delta Wedding
45. Wish You Were Here
46. Against the Loveless World

Series Progress

Active series as of July 1 (updated quarterly):


A snapshot of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2022:
* Ruth Galloway
* Thursday Murder Club

Series started in 2022:
* Mistress of the Art of Death
* Teifi Valley Coroner
* Anna Pigeon
* Thursday Murder Club

Series abandoned in 2022:
* Sandhamn Murders

The Bullet that Missed

Welcome to September!

Yesterday was a pretty busy day (there's a recap on my previous thread if you're interested, although I don't know why you would be LOL). I'm hoping for a "just right" amount of busy-ness today. I need to pick up the farm share, hope to fit in a workout, and then have various small tasks on my to do list. The electricians are here doing some work required by the new AC.

Last night I finished Fellowship Point. On the whole, I really liked it but I felt like it lost something at the end. I'm giving it 4 stars for being strong most of the way, but I feel a bit let down this morning.

The shared read of Delta Wedding will get underway next week. There's still time to join in! I won't have time to squeeze another book in before then because Kate is visiting this weekend (yay!) so I think I might "warm up" with some Welty short stories.

In other news: the new season of Great British Bake-off (GBBO) begins September 13! If things go as in previous years, US viewers will get new episodes on Netflix every Friday. Our fall TV viewing is looking great what with Shetland, GBBO, Have I Got news for You, and Gardeners World.

Wordle 439 4/6

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STEAM, ROUND, UNIFY, FUNGI

Happy new one!

Happy New Thead! I had a similar problem as you with Wordle yesterday.

Happy new one, Laura. Happy September of reading!

Happy new thread, Laura! Your Guild topic sounds really fun! Will you go as a member of the public to check out the fair?

Happy new thread, Laura. I'm enjoying keeping up with you here and on your blog. Sorry to hear about the let-down at the end of Fellowship Point. I'm listening to it at the moment but at least now I'll know what to expect.

Hi Anita, Betty, Beth, Micky, and Reba! I don't know why, but I love starting a new month with a fresh thread.

>9 MickyFine: Micky, yes we'll probably go to the Waterford Fair. We enjoyed it last year. There are nice crafts and art for sale, as well as house & garden tours. Actually last year they had only garden tours (because of covid) and we really enjoyed them. This year the historic house tours are back and I'm kind of excited to check them out.

>10 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I didn't know you were listening to Fellowship Point! We will definitely have to compare notes when you finish. The audio might not affect you the way the print edition did for me.

Happy new one, Laura.

>11 lauralkeet: Ideal time to start a new thread, for sure. x

>11 lauralkeet: Ooh, I love a good historic house tour. Have fun!

Happy new thread!

Alys is *so* good at side eye - I love it!

Tomm and I are excited about new GBBS, too.

Happy new thread, Laura!

My interpretation of your thread topper: Alys knows exactly what you've done and she's not mad, she just disappointed.

>12 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul!
>13 MickyFine: I'm looking forward to it, Micky.
>14 drneutron: Hiya Jim!
>15 scaifea: Amber, Alys has her talents, that's for sure.
>16 rosalita: And that's a pretty good theory, Julia!

Happy new thread. I have no idea how you cram so much into a day, but good for you!

Sweet Thursday, Laura. Happy New Thread. I love the Alys "side eye" topper. I can't believe I have not read Wish You Were Here. Maybe, you will give me the nudge I need. BTW- Your touchstone points toward the Pink Floyd album, which of course is one was of my favorites.

Happy new thread Laura!

Happy new thread, Laura!

Lovely topper, Alys doesn't need words to tell ;-)

>16 rosalita: *SNORK!*

Morning, Laura!

>18 ffortsa: Judy, I like to stay busy, but I do have good days and bad days ...
>19 msf59: Thanks for the touchstone tip, Mark. That's a great album but not what I want to point to. It's fixed now.
>20 quondame:, >21 FAMeulstee: Hi Susan and Anita!
>22 scaifea: Good morning Amber!

I'm still caffeinating ...

Okay, I'm back. We've had our walk and I ingested enough caffeine to face the day.

Yesterday was reasonably productive. The electricians finished sooner than expected which was nice because we had the house back to ourselves again. I didn't read much yesterday, but at bedtime I started one of the short stories in my Eudora Welty collection: The Petrified Man.

This morning I need to do the grocery shopping, but first I need to do the menu planning and list-making that I didn't do yesterday. While I'm out I'll also pick up my library holds (Against the Loveless World and Wish You Were Here). I have a bit of "getting the house in order" to do this afternoon, because Kate arrives tonight to stay for the weekend. Yay! We are really excited to see her, including Alys who loves to snuggle in her bed whenever she visits. Alys' love for Kate and Julia always surprises us. When we adopted Alys they were already away at college, so it's not like they grew up together. And yet, Alys knows they are special people. It's sweet.

Okay ... that grocery list isn't going to make itself. Have a great day everyone ...

Wordle 440 3/6

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TRADE, SPARK, CHARM
I'm always happy with a 3. Right now my 3s have a slight edge on the 4s and 5s, so I will revel in that for as long as it lasts.

Enjoy the reunion weekend! Is Kate coming on her own? I just started the Booker longlisted Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies, a debut by a 26 year old. Hope you have a great weekend!

Hi Vivian! Yeah, it's just Kate this time. Her partner Tyler made other plans, some last blast before the school year begins (he's a primary school teacher). Julia and Noah are visiting in October. I love it when we are all together, but I also love daughter-only time, which is increasingly rare now that they are both "coupled off."

I'll watch your thread for thoughts on that book ...

Happy new thread, Laura! Have a fantastic Friday!

Thanks Stasia!

Also, for the Wordlers, from this week's NYT Gameplay newsletter:

Wordle Weekly Recap
Hardest word: PRIZE, from Wednesday, Aug. 31

Average guesses: 4.72, with 13.27 percent of users solving in three or fewer.

Easiest word: CLOWN, from Thursday, Aug. 25

Average guesses: 3.59, with 51.91 percent of users solving in three or fewer.

The Wordle answers this week — Aug. 25 to Aug. 31 — were harder than last week’s.

Those of us who struggled on Wednesday can feel vindicated.

43. Fellowship Point ()

Agnes Lee and Polly Wister have been best friends since childhood, when their families split their time between Philadelphia and summer houses in Maine. Fellowship Point was the brainchild of their Quaker ancestors, and is managed collectively by the current homeowners. When the book opens in the early 2000s, Agnes and Polly are in their 70s and Fellowship Point is threatened by younger family members with a bent towards real estate development.

Agnes is the author of a wildly popular children’s book series, and has remained single. Her other work has been equally successful, but written under a pseudonym. No one, not even Polly, knows the author’s true identity. Polly has led a different sort of life: devoted to her professor husband and four children, almost to the point of subjugating herself. Yet the bonds of friendship are strong, and have sustained both women through all of life’s ups and downs.

From the beginning it’s clear there are long-standing secrets and conflicts to be explored, which are gradually revealed as the narrative shifts between time periods and other characters are introduced. For the most part, this all works, especially a twisty reveal that I didn’t see coming. But in the final chapters the novel felt rushed, with loose ends being tied up far too quickly and conveniently. Still, if you like a good family saga, you’ll enjoy Fellowship Point.

Happy new thread, Laura.

I'm sure you'll enjoy having the weekend with Kate home!

Fellowship Point is going on the library WL...

I hope you have a lovely weekend with your daughter, Laura!

Nice comments on Fellowship Point, Laura. It sounds like one I would like. Enjoy your time with Kate. The new bathroom should wow her. :)

Hello Katie, Micky, Beth and everyone else ... welcome to the weekend!

Kate came in on the train last night and we enjoyed a glass of wine or two before hitting the hay. As expected, Alys spent the night with her which was very sweet. We just returned from our morning walk and Chris is making breakfast. Later we're going to go to Leesburg to check out a fabric/yarn shop and a new indie bookstore, both of which I haven't visited before. We'll probably visit the winery up the road later this afternoon and have a light early dinner there.

I'm not doing much reading, just dipping into the Eudora Welty short stories. They are ... okay. I really want to be more wowed by them and it's not happening yet.

Wordle 441 5/6

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SCALE, DOILY, FULLY, BULLY, GULLY
All three of us did the Wordle this morning, and we all had trouble with it.

>34 lauralkeet: At least you got it :) I went the full distance without getting there (that doesn't really workout I'll leave it anyway). Hope you have a perfectly lovely visit with your daughter.

Happy Sunday, Laura. I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend. We had a couple of quality days with Jackson but today is a chill day with the books. How are your feeders doing? I am seeing more nuthatches and chickadees, after a long absence. Lots of robins out there feeding on the ground, at the moment too.

We had a really nice day yesterday. We went to Leesburg as planned. The yarn/fabric shop was really nice and the new bookstore is small but had a great inventory. I really hope they succeed because it's the only bookshop near here that carries new books. We did stumble into a used bookshop which was a nice discovery.

In the late afternoon we walked with Alys up to the winery. It was a beautiful day to sit outside. Alys had a great time although she was a bit tooo interested in our food.



I'm not sure what's on today's agenda, but it will probably be pretty low key.

And finally ...

Wordle 442 2/6

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MITER, INTER
Woop woop! I made a lucky starter word choice today.

>35 RebaRelishesReading:, >36 msf59: Hi Reba and Mark! Thanks for stopping by. As you can see we're having a nice weekend together. Mark, I finally filled my feeder and we're starting to see visitors again, but they are returning slowly.

>37 lauralkeet: - Alys also looks interested in the champagne!

Nice Wordling. It took me 4 today.

And were their any purchases Laura?

Yup, Alys is a typical dawg...

>37 lauralkeet: Love the photo of Alys! Such a good girl to resist that much temptation.

>40 Caroline_McElwee: Well ... I was an enabler more than anything else. Kate bought yarn for a sweater as well as a new book. Chris bought a book from the used bookshop.

>41 RebaRelishesReading: Look closely Reba and you'll see that besides being on a leash my left hand has hold of her collar. She was waaaay too interested in the bratwurst. But who could blame her?

>37 lauralkeet: Congrats on the Wordle two-fer! I did it in two, also—my first word was equally beneficial. irate, inter

Karen O

Hello Laura and all my LT friends! Happy September and Happy Labor Day weekend!!

I promised to set up a discussion thread for our group read of Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty. I'm here to provide THIS LINK for folks to join in.

>43 klobrien2: Way to go Karen O!! 😀

>44 EBT1002: Thanks a bunch Ellen! We have a nice little crew of readers who were interested in joining Ellen and me: Caroline, Karen, Bill, Claire, and Vivian. Linda will be lurking. If you've been on the fence, well get off it and come to the party!

>37 lauralkeet: The pictures look like you had an utterly perfect moment! Wine! Food! Dog!

>46 quondame: It was pretty perfect, Susan.

Good morning all!

We're off to a slow start here, which is just fine with me. We took our usual walk with Alys and then Chris made pancakes. Kate is on holiday duty for The Atlantic, which means monitoring their homepage traffic and making changes so that any breaking news features prominently -- like news of the UK's new prime minister this morning.

I have no real plans for the day other than taking Kate to catch her train this afternoon. And then I'll probably do some post-visit bed & bath cleanup, washing the linens and such.

I started reading Welty's Delta Wedding last night. I enjoyed the opening pages but was also sleepy so I didn't get very far.

Wordle 443 4/6

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MERIT, POUND, SHOPS, WHOOP
I should have considered the possibility of a repeat letter sooner.

Did Kate properly ooh and aah over the bathroom remodel?

LOL yes she did, Katie. Our Kate loves a good bath and this one did not disappoint. Money well spent 😆

Hi Laura. The picture of Alys checking out the food is pretty adorable. It looks like a great day!

I have today off (hooray for Monday holidays!). It's almost 10am and I'm still in my pajamas. So nice.

I read some of Chapter II of Delta Wedding this morning with my coffee. I'm starting to get into the rhythm of the narrative, and enjoying the slow (languorous?) development of the characters.

>50 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I've made a start at Delta Wedding but my reading time was pretty limited over the weekend. I'm hoping to get stuck into it today.

~~~~~

Welcome to Monday-on-Tuesday. It rained all night and is still pretty wet out there, so we decided not to take our long walk this morning. Maybe later? There's no denying we needed the rain though. The soil has been really dry.

We had such a nice weekend with Kate that now we are feeling withdrawal symptoms. But Julia is coming to visit in October, and then we have Thanksgiving and Christmas to look forward to.

Last night while TV-watching, I spent a fair amount of time knitting because I was feeling motivated to finish the front section of my sweater project. I still have the upper back, neckband, and sleeves to do. I'll try to get a decent photo soon. The best spot to take a photo is not well lit, so I need to wait for a sunny day where there will be better natural light.

On today's agenda, we are having curtains installed in the guest bedrooms. We ordered these from a local shop several months ago. They had a long lead time but our remodeling compounded the delay. The shop owner advised us to wait until all the dusty work of remodeling and AC installation was complete. I'm excited to see how they look although these rooms will still need more decorative touches like paint, bedding, and some furniture and other items.

Wordle 444 4/6

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REACT, SAINT, HAUNT, TAUNT

Yesterday's rain tapered off early, but the all-night rainfall measured 2" so that was quite a soaking. The rest of the day was sunny, but we're back to gray skies and a bit of dampness today.

I have a dentist appointment this morning (just a checkup), and barre this afternoon.

I've been short on reading time the past few days. I had a Guild committee meeting yesterday and a bunch of post-meeting stuff to do (type up the notes, take care of a few follow-up tasks, etc.). And I did some work outdoors. Then in the evening I was more interested in our TV choice (a gardening program, because we are geeks). I'm enjoying Delta Wedding so far but I need to carve out some time to really get into the rhythm of it.

Wordle 445 5/6

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PASTE, MOVER, RERUN, WEIRD, LEERY
This one had both a Y and a repeat letter. Damn!

I find it interesting how similar our weather has been to yours most of the summer. I know we aren't that far apart, relatively speaking, but still...

Hope you find some reading time today!

>53 katiekrug: I've been surprised by that too, Katie. We've found the climate is not much different from the greater Philadelphia area, year round.

I'm back from the dentist. I brought my book but didn't have to wait, so no reading there. But it's still a bit damp outside so I may get to it after I take care of a few other things.

I finally logged some productive reading time yesterday, and am fully immersed in Delta Wedding. Yay! I also harvested some potatoes. We haven't had as much yield as I hoped but it's probably enough for us, to be honest.

Today I'm going to pick up our farm share, and this afternoon I'm meeting up with a Fiber Guild member to learn how to spin fiber into yarn using a drop spindle, like these:


When we were figuring out when to get together, she suggested we meet at a winery sort of halfway between her house and mine. What a brilliant idea. There are about a million wineries around here and I'm always up for discovering a new one.

So, time to get on with the day, I think.

Wordle 446 4/6

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ASTER, SNAIL, CLASP, CLASS

I need to visit my in-laws in the spring or fall so that I can explore some of the wineries down there....

What kind of potatoes are you harvesting?

>30 lauralkeet:. Fellowship Point looks appealing. I’m adding it to my list. I do like family sagas!

>56 katiekrug: Katie, we grew Yukon Gold (good standard everyday potato) and French Fingerling (usually an early potato, smaller and more tube-shaped). We started late though, and grew them in containers instead of in the ground due to space. We think that might be why our yields seemed a bit low.

>57 Oregonreader: Go for it, Jan. It was pretty good!

>58 lauralkeet: - I like Yukon Golds and fingerlings. Don't know if the ones I've had were French. They didn't have an accent, so maybe?

So you're going to learn to spin yarn while drinking wine...hmm...wonder how that will work out lol

I love fingerling potatoes. Haven't noticed an accent either.

>55 lauralkeet: Yay spinning. A kickstarter I've funded has been coming out with mini-electric wheels for about $100, which seems like a good deal to me. Not that I spin. Well I took a class and bought......

>59 katiekrug: My potatoes haven't spoken yet Katie, so I don't know about their accent LOL

>60 RebaRelishesReading: I figured I could get away with one glass, Reba. The best part was that the woman I was meeting with has a wine club membership which entitled her to a free glass for each of us. Woo hoo!

>61 quondame: Hi Susan. My spinning is part of a "traveling project" in our guild, passed to a different person each month. We each get a bag of fiber to play with, and a drop spindle is provided. The more experienced spinners are having fun experimenting with the colors and fibers. Me, I'm just hoping to produce a tiny bit of yarn.

So here we are, Friday already. I need to finish up my menu planning and grocery list making and do the shopping. Other than that, there's no real schedule for today. Takeout for dinner. Our favorite Thai place has reopened after their month of vacation, so maybe that? Undecided at this point.

Other than that, I got nothin'.

Wordle 447 5/6

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FEINT, SAUTE, TROPE, THYME, THEME
On my fourth turn, I dithered between two words and chose the wrong one. Boo.

Laura I just wanted to stop by and say "hi" and express that your shedding a tear for the passing of our late queen moved me when you saw you comment upon it (on Rhian's thread, I think). I don't support the monarchy actually but I have been in a state of shock today and much reminded of my own Mother who loved the queen dearly.

Have a lovely weekend. xx

Thank you, Paul.

As many of you know, we lived in England for four years (2000-2004). While we were there on a corporate relo, it was a significant experience for all four of us. It shaped Kate and Julia's world views early on (primary school), which has served them well in life. We did our best to assimilate into the local community, although you can't really accomplish that in four years (if ever). We were on holiday in Cornwall during the Queen's Golden Jubilee (50 years in 2002), and couldn't help getting caught up in the festivities. I wouldn't say I'm an ardent fan of the monarchy, but we've kept abreast of British politics and Royal news all these years. As I said on Rhian's thread, we had BBC Radio 3 playing when the Queen's death was announced and I immediately burst into tears. It normally takes a lot to make me cry so this surprised even myself. She has been so ubiquitous and her duty and service is a model for all of us.

I was surprised by Her Majesty's death given that she had been up, dressed and on her feet to welcome the new PM the day before (or maybe the day before that - but very recently). She truly was dedicated to her job!

Good morning everyone,

Reba, you are so right about the Queen working right up to the end. Pretty amazing.

Yesterday was reasonably productive, considering there was nothing on my agenda LOL. I did the grocery shopping, filled the bird feeders, picked a bunch of tomatoes and pruned the tomato plants, and watered the new veggies we sowed a few weeks ago. Thai for dinner as expected, and it was nice to be able to order from our preferred place again.

This morning I'm going to Power Yoga. This afternoon I might do a bit of research/shopping for our guest rooms, specifically headboards. I also might try using the drop spindle on my own. And I'd like to do some reading. We keep finding things to watch in the evening, which is impeding my progress! Last night it was The Harder they Fall, Humphrey Bogart's last film.

Wordle 448 5/6

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STEAL, GUILT, CLOTH, LOTTO, LOFTY
Blerg.

Today has started out wet and rainy; a light rain, but still enough to make us feel lazy and forego our long dog walk. We placated Alys with a bit of scrambled egg.

Yesterday I did a bit of puttering around the house, and managed to get in a fair chunk of reading time with Delta Wedding. I'm about 40 pages from the end now. It's quite good and I have a new appreciation for Eudora Welty which I wasn't getting from her short stories (not yet, anyway).

It looks like today will be an indoor day. I have some tidying up to do, dealing with stuff that is sitting where it doesn't belong, and has been sitting there so long that you forget it doesn't belong there. Like boxes of surplus tile from our bathroom project, sitting near the basement door to be taken downstairs any day now. And that's not the only situation like that. Maybe I'll tackle some of that mess today.

And I really do want to try spinning with the drop spindle before I forget everything my Guild buddy taught me.

So that's what my day looks like. But first I think I need to make another pot of coffee and tackle the Sunday crossword.

Wordle 449 4/6

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STALE, MATCH, AORTA, TIBIA
This was a tough one. I kept moving the same two letters around until one of them turned green and then I was like, "what the hell word is this?" I felt lucky to get it in 4.

Happy Sunday, Laura. We are also waking up to rain and the occasional storm. Good day to hang with the books, although football will capture my attention today too.

Hi Mark! I hope you enjoyed your Sunday.

I managed a nice chunk of reading time yesterday and finished Delta Wedding. While it was difficult to follow sometimes it was also really well done. It gave me a new appreciation for Eudora Welty.

Now I've moved on to Wish You Were Here, by Stewart O'Nan, which Katie has warbled about. I made a pretty good start yesterday and am intrigued by the characters and the family dynamics. Which, if the blurb is any indication, is kind of the point.

This morning I have a library shift and then in the afternoon we're getting our covid boosters. That's just enough to prevent other things getting done but I also don't have anything pressing on my agenda. I might spend some more time working on spinning. I had a go at it yesterday and struggled a bit. YouTube to the rescue! That, and practice. I hope.

Wordle 450 5/6

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SLATE, COUPE, FORGE, MOXIE, BOOZE
Ack! Wordlebot says there was only one possible solution after my fourth word, but of course I didn't know that so I spent a bit of time trying every other available letter in the first position. I eventually took a deep breath and hoped for the best.

Morning, Laura! I hope you like the O'Nan. Have you read any others by him?

And thanks for the reminder that I need to figure out where to get our boosters. I'm so pleased they are available before we go overseas next month.

>70 lauralkeet: I, too, was captured by Katie's "warbling" and am so glad I was because I really have enjoyed the O'Nan books -- this is one of three (if memory serves) and I enjoyed them all.

I think we'll wait a bit for the new boosters (we've had two but last one was nearly a year ago) because we have a cruise booked for next February and I think it would be good to have strong immunity then.

>71 katiekrug: I haven't read any of his books, Katie. I gather I'm in for a treat. And yes, do get your booster before traveling!! For what it's worth we had no trouble getting appointments.

>72 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I couldn't stop thinking of you at the beginning of Wish you were Here, as the family arrives in Chautauqua. I am sure the setting brings back a lot of memories for you.

I just picked up Ocean State by O’Nan from the library today. I’ve read a few books by O’Nan- solid reliable author!

>74 raidergirl3: That's good to know, Elizabeth. Wish you Were Here continues to be a great read.

Yesterday's library shift was interesting, because they are currently painting the entire place. The painters were working on the ceiling near the holds and nonfiction, so there was plastic draped over the shelves. It was all a bit surreal.

In the afternoon I tried doing some spinning but did not get very far. There's a motion I can't seem to master, where the spindle releases its potential energy into the fiber and ... voila! a single ply of spun fiber emerges. All of the videos I've watched make that part look so easy, but it's just not happening. I feel like this isn't supposed to be difficult and I'm just missing something obvious. Sigh.

Oh, and we got our boosters -- yay! No side effects either, other than soreness at the injection site. Double yay!

My knitting group meets this morning, and we're working on a small project to learn a few different techniques as a group. That should be fun. This afternoon I'll probably do some gardening work -- recent rain has brought out a bunch of weeds that need attention.

My Wordle is in progress, but I don't have time to concentrate on it right now. I'm going to finish my coffee and get a shower instead. More later!

ETA @ 1pm:
Wordle 451 4/6

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REALM, SALON, VITAL, ALPHA
I had a devil of a time figuring out where those two yellow letters belonged.

Happy hump day ...

I enjoyed my knitting group yesterday and as an added bonus, the person who taught me spinning was there and with her help I was able to work out my difficulties. So now I will try again on my own. I spent some very pleasant time weeding the garden in the afternoon. The weather was fabulous -- sunny, warm-but-not-hot, and no humidity. Last night we watched the first episode of Shetland Season 7, which is just as excellent as the rest of the series has been.

This morning I have a Guild meeting. Not sure what I'll get up to in the afternoon but it's supposed to be another beautiful day so that might influence things. I have Barre in the late afternoon.



In local wildlife news, on our morning walk yesterday we came across this fawn curled up at the side of the road. This was in a heavily wooded area where we often see deer. I was able to get quite close to it and saw that it was alive. We knew not to interfere (see this article). The mamas are usually somewhere nearby and often leave their young ones alone, visiting regularly to feed them. We did see a doe a bit later. But I couldn't help being nervous this morning, worried that we might see a dead fawn at the side of the road. But all is well. This time the fawn was on the opposite side of the road, and better protected and camouflaged. In fact we almost didn't see it -- but Alys did LOL.

Wordle 452 4/6

🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
TROPE, TWINE, TASTE, THYME
I was sweating this one -- too many possibilities! But keeping track of my Wordles here paid off. On my fourth turn I was waffling between two options, and I knew one of them had been the solution not too long ago. I was able to search this page to figure out which word NOT to use.

I got very lucky on my second word today:

Wordle 452 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

PIANO, THEME, THYME

There was a fawn that was curled up under a car in the neighborhood not that long ago. No one saw the mother but he/she was eventually gone.

>77 dudes22: Wow, you sure did get lucky, Betty. Congrats on your 3! I'm glad your neighborhood fawn moved along eventually.

Spinning sounds fun, and very Sleeping Beautyish, Laura.

>79 BLBera: Ha! That conjures up a great mental picture, Beth.

Hurray for fawning Wordle! I mean fawns and Wordle! ; )

>81 Berly: Hi there Kim! Thanks for stopping by!

Good morning ... another day with gorgeous early autumn weather. I'm loving it.

Yesterday after my guild meeting I decided to clean the kitchen counters and vacuum the downstairs. Things look much nicer now, although there's an area I can't vacuum yet because I'm waiting for *someone* to move junk out of there. To be fair, he's doing some heavy lifting outside and I don't want to be pressed into service there, so I'm keeping fairly quiet.

This morning I need to pick up our farm share, and then I might do some garden work. We just had some ground cover plants delivered yesterday which will go into some border areas. That's something I can do while Chris is doing his thing.

So ... that's it for now I guess.

Wordle 453 4/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STAIN, TOWEL, COURT, DOUBT
I wasn't expecting a silent letter...

44. Delta Wedding ()

Delta Wedding is the story of the Fairchild family at the time of daughter Dabney’s wedding. The Fairchilds are a wealthy early 20th-century Mississippi Delta family; Dabney is marrying their overseer, Troy. That Dabney is 17 and Troy in his 30s, and that she is marrying beneath her station, don’t seem to bother anyone – at least not enough to do something about it. In another author’s hands this might be the central conflict of this novel, but Eudora Welty has something else in mind. This is primarily a portrait of a family at a certain place and time, how each person relates to one another, and how class informs their world view.

While Welty’s prose gripped me from the first page, as her characters tumbled off the page I found I had to concentrate more than usual just to keep up. Characters are given little introduction and it took quite a while for me to piece together the family relationships, and distinguish the servants from family members. Dabney is one of the least complex characters; her uncle George, on the other hand, is an enigma. He is different from the rest and held on a pedestal, for reasons that are never entirely clear. The plot – events in the days leading up to Dabney’s wedding – is secondary to the everyday interactions between people, and the composite picture this creates.

Although I can’t quite say I enjoyed Delta Wedding, it left me with a respect and appreciation for Eudora Welty and a desire to read more of her work.

>84 lauralkeet: Yep, I read it in 2014 and gave it three stars Laura. I just didn't get along very well with it.🤷‍♀️

>85 brenzi: Well hello Bonnie!!! *waves maniacally* It's great to see you here. Thanks for popping in / de-lurking to comment. I'm not surprised we had similar thoughts about this book.

I have to say though, that while I sometimes found reading Delta Wedding to be hard work, I was fully engaged in it. The book made me think: about what the author was trying to say, about symbolism, about the lives of the characters ... all the things.

I am grateful to Ellen for initiating a group read. We're having some great conversation over on the Delta Wedding Group Read thread. It has helped me appreciate the novel more than I would have done on my own.

Happy Friday, Laura. This is our big camping weekend. We have been hustling getting everything done in preparation and should be ready to go. We head out, early afternoon. I get Jackson time first, though.

I tried Welty a few years ago and decided she wasn't for me. I see I am not missing anything. I hope that precious little fawn made it.

>87 msf59: Have a great weekend Mark! I'm pretty sure the fawn has moved on and is okay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
TGIF everyone!

I'm a bit late posting because we decided to go out to a local coffee shop for breakfast. Yesterday I did the garden planting I mentioned, which was a perfect way to spend an early autumn afternoon. The weather is just amazing right now.

Today is grocery shopping, but first I need to do my list. Eek. Maybe more gardening this afternoon. I'm making good progress in Wish You Were Here, and really enjoying it, but these sunny days are cutting into my reading time!

Anyone watching Bake-Off? The new season started this week on BBC and drops on Netflix US on Fridays. Yay!!

Okay, that grocery list isn't going to make itself. Gotta go!

Wordle 454 5/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
DEITY, SPARE, PAPER, PAVER, PARER
What?!

Wordle Weekly Recap (from NYT Games)
Hardest word: BOOZE, from Monday, Sept. 12.

Average guesses: 4.74, with 7.51 percent solving in three or fewer.

Easiest word: THEME, from Friday, Sept. 9.

Average guesses: 3.85, with 34.23 percent solving in three or fewer.

The Wordle answers this week — Sept. 8 to Sept. 14 — were easier than last week.

Good morning all ...

After grocery shopping yesterday I puttered around in the garden for a while. I pruned the tomato plants in a big way, removing as many stalks as possible to leave only those with fruit on them. Things are winding down and once these ripen it will be time to remove the vines so this was kind of like phase 1 of cleanup. Then I planted some groundcover plants in a new space we just cleared, where Chris is also using some slate left by the previous owners to lay a path. It looks nice.

I did very little reading yesterday, which kind of bums me out but also it was really nice to be outdoors. I was torn! In the evening we had a FaceTime catch-up with Kate and watched both Gardeners World and GBBO/S. I had forgotten how crazy the first few episodes of the baking show are, with so many contestants to keep track of.

So far today we've walked and had breakfast and I'll be heading out to yoga soon. This afternoon I have a few things to do around the house. I also need to run an errand for a craft project but I'm not sure if I'll do that today or put it off. Chris also needs to go to Lowe's and we can combine this into one trip so it may depend on whether he wants to do that errand today or not.

Wordle 455 2/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STARE, CHUTE
It's a Wordle miracle!

>89 lauralkeet: - Nice Wordle!

Yes, it takes me some time to settle into GBBO/S and keep track of who's who. And I forgot how much it makes me want baked goods... *sigh*

>89 lauralkeet: - WOW! Nice Wordle.

>89 lauralkeet: Any bets on who the finalists will be in the GBBO? I love the cake show.

>90 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! And I agree about wanting baked goods. My daughter Kate and friends satisfy that by having a watch party complete with baked goods every week, but I'm not that ambitious.

>91 dudes22: Thanks Betty!

>92 BLBera: Ooh, I would hate to even hazard a guess, Beth. So much can happen over the course of a season. Janusz and Sergio Sandro look promising, as does Syabira, but I also think some of the others could show their stuff in the next few weeks and emerge as front-runners.

The last season of GBBO just aired on CBC here, last week. Canadian Netflix won’t get this season for a while. I’m still thinking about Jurgen and Chiggs and Giuseppe. Enjoy the new season you lucky Americans!

>94 raidergirl3: oh wow, I didn't know that Elizabeth. I really enjoyed last season though.

Hello all,

I have a busy day ahead so this will be brief. I'm working at the Guild's booth at a local country fair from 9:30-1:30. We will be demonstrating various fiber arts and some of our members will have handmade items for sale. It's kind of fun -- the kiddos really like the demonstrations and trying their hand at weaving and spinning -- but I confess there are a number of other things I'd rather be doing. Fortunately I don't have any other "must dos" today.

The other good news is that I've already done the Crossword and the Wordle, with pleasing results. Woo hoo!

Wordle 456 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
ROUGE, STAIN, STICK

Have a great day, y'all!

>84 lauralkeet: "Although I can’t quite say I enjoyed Delta Wedding, it left me with a respect and appreciation for Eudora Welty and a desire to read more of her work."
Agree 100%. I also gave it 3.5 stars.

>97 EBT1002: Hi Ellen. I'm glad we read the book together and with the rest of the group. It made a big difference in my reading experience.

Good morning all,

We had an early start today, as we decided to watch Queen Elizabeth's funeral service live (6am EDT). I was up at 5:30 to take Alys out and make coffee. We took our long walk after the service, at pretty much the same time as usual actually.

Working the fair booth was more fun than I expected, because my assigned role had me working with another member who shared my snarky POV on some of the drama created by those in charge of the booth, who are both really negative people ... ugh. But we got through it!

This morning I'm working a library shift. I have a bunch of odds and ends to take care of this afternoon.

Wordle 457 6/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟨⬜🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
ROYAL, TIMER, TRITE, TRIBE, TRIKE, TRICE
This was frustrating!

Morning, Laura. We are back from our whirlwind weekend. It is sure nice to have that one under our belt. That experience gave us a bit more confidence for next time. Now, I need to take care neglected books and bird feeders. Have a great week.

Glad yesterday wasn't as bad as feared. Snark makes everything better :)

>93 lauralkeet: I had the same ones on my list as strong candidates to last, Laura. We'll see.

>100 msf59: Welcome back, Mark. I'll pop over to your thread soon to see what you're up to.

>101 katiekrug: You are so right, Katie!

>102 BLBera: We certainly will, Beth. There are always surprises along the way.

Yesterday was uneventful in a good way. Not much to report, honestly, except that I finished Wish You Were Here and really enjoyed it. Thanks for the rec, Katie!

Yesterday I also reached a point in the sweater I'm knitting for Chris where I needed him to try it on so I could make sure it was going to fit before going further. And it does, so hurray. On we go.

Today is another day of miscellaneous odds and ends. Someone is coming to do some outdoor work and we just learned they are en route. We need to get outside and make the space ready, like now. So ... I'm off.

Wordle 458 5/6

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩
🟩⬜🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
TREAT, SHAME, AGILE, ALIVE, ALIKE

You're welcome!

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday we had a crew here grading an area of our property just beyond the house, which will eventually be made into some garden space(s). They put grass seed down too so it won't become a mud pit. Lots of equipment and workers around for a while, but it's done now.

This morning I have a short Zoom call on some Guild business, and late this afternoon I have yoga. I might run out on a craft-related errand. Chris and I were talking about a combined trip to pick up something he needs but it turns out it's not available where he thought so I just need to get on with it. It's just a trip to Walmart but I hate Walmart. I don't even know if they'll have the 7" zipper I'm looking for, but I want to try that because my alternatives are a) a fabric store much further away, b) Hobby Lobby nope nope nope, c) ordering a pack of like a million zippers and I only need one. Argh.



My current read is Against the Loveless World, another Katie recommendation. It's very good so far.

I just realized I haven't done the Wordle yet. I'm going to save this so I don't lose it, and post results in a bit.

ETA:
Wordle 459 3/6

⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨
⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
TAPER, GRAPE, RECAP
We are debating whether that's a legitimate word or a colloquial shortening of RECAPITULATE

Good morning, Laura! I see recap as a legitimate word, based on the second noun sense in Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recap

My own Wordle graph has to be seen to be believed:
Wordle 459 4/6

🟨🟨🟨⬜🟨
🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟨🟩🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
CRANE, CAPER, PEACE, RECAP. I've never started with so many of the right letters and still taken four tries to get the right word. I've gotta stop trying to solve it at 5:30 in the morning, I think!

You can probably check the Walmart website to see if they have what you need in stock at your nearest store. It's not always totally accurate, though...

ETA - Hope you continue to like the Abulhawa!

>107 rosalita: Julia, I was on the same side as you in our debate. Someone else was just grumpy ha ha. Your Wordle graphic puts mine to shame. After scrambling the 4 yellows on my second turn my head hurt and I had to use pencil and paper to work out possible combinations.

>108 katiekrug: Good point, Katie. I did that a couple weeks ago to verify "yes Walmart carries 7-inch zippers" but I need to check again before trekking over there.

45. Wish You Were Here ()

For years, Emily and Henry Maxwell spent their summer vacation at the family’s lake cottage in Chautauqua, NY. The tradition continued even as their children, Ken and Meg, reached adulthood and had children of their own. Now Emily, recently widowed, has gathered everyone for one last week together before the cottage is sold. Wish You Were Here shows a family dealing with the losses of both Henry and the summer experiences that shaped them as a family.

Ken, married to Lisa, has suffered a career setback. Meg is a recovering alcoholic in the middle of a divorce. Ken and Meg each have two children of similar age, ready-made summer playmates. Henry’s sister Arlene is also part of the group; she and Emily have become particularly close since Henry’s death. The family’s week is filled with all of their usual summer activities–swimming, tubing, miniature golf, ice cream–but these are just part of the setting. In some ways, nothing much happens; just when you think there’s going to be drama, the situation settles back into equilibrium. At the heart of the story are the relationships every member of the family has with one another, and the emotional current driving their actions. I enjoyed watching this unfold and seeing how their week at the lake affected each member of the family.

>109 lauralkeet: I'm glad we're on the same page about the Wordle word. And I probably should try pencil and paper — can't hurt!

News Flash for Ruth Galloway fans

It appears the next Ruth Galloway mystery (book #15) will be the last. I received an Amazon email today inviting me to pre-order The Last Remains, which will be released in the UK in February 2023, and in the US in April 2023. The description (bold italics are mine):

The discovery of a missing woman’s bones force Ruth and Nelson to finally confront their feelings for each other as they desperately work to exonerate one of their own in this not-to-be-missed last act of the beloved Ruth Galloway series ...

I'm bummed but I guess it's also become clear the Ruth/Nelson thing can't go unresolved forever.

Ooooohhh 😳

It had better be resolved the way I want!

>113 katiekrug: I know, Katie, I know! I'm already nervous about it.

I know you've all been on tenterhooks wondering, how was the trip to Walmart? I'm pleased to report it was successful. They had 7" zippers in stock, in a few different colors even. So I bought that and then went over to the in-store bakery for cookies requested by Chris (which, of course, I also enjoyed). Somehow it made the trip more worthwhile to buy more than just a $1.50 zipper. We're working on getting over our mental block about driving to Leesburg. The trip is just 20min by car, there's no traffic in the middle of the day, and sometimes you just need a big box store or whatever that we don't have in our town.

Other than that, yesterday was uneventful. I'm sore this morning after doing barre yesterday; something about the moves we did was more taxing than usual. But it's a good kind of sore that makes me feel like I'm getting something out of the workout.

I don't have much on my agenda today, other than running out to pick up our farm share, doing the menu/grocery planning for the coming week, and tidying up the house. My cousin and her husband are paying us a brief visit on Saturday. They will be en route from Scotland to their home in California, with a stopover in DC.

Wordle 460 2/6

⬜🟩⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
PARSE, SAINT
Woo hoo! My fifth 2 in 83 games. I've scored a 6, six times. More 2s please!

Wordle 460 2/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
GRACE, SAINT

I forgot you lost your stats. I was thinking you've had more than that surely. I've had 10 2s in 245 games. I'd really like a 1 - just once.

I got Wordle in 2, too, today!

>115 dudes22: Congrats on your 2, Betty!

Yeah, I lost my stats when we went to Europe in late June. I saved a screenshot of stats for my first 100 games, which is dated April 13 (FWIW, 6 2s in those 100). But I would have played another ~80 games between then and my stats going up in smoke.

I'd love to get a 1. My daughter did, once. She uses the same starting word every day and one day that was the solution.

>112 lauralkeet: Thanks for the update, Laura. I have mixed feelings about this. I will miss Ruth.

>112 lauralkeet: Hi Laura - I'm a series addict but have not yet read Elly Griffiths! I'm looking forward to starting once I wrap up a few others, especially since there's so much LT love for Ruth.

>114 lauralkeet:,>115 dudes22: oh you two with your twos! I got caught in a rhyming scheme; had the last four letters on guess #2 and then finally got it on guess #5!

>120 raidergirl3: - I hate when that happens.

>118 BLBera:, >119 vivians: You know what would be fun? A group read of the last Ruth Galloway book. I know it's still months away but let's keep that in mind ...

>120 raidergirl3: Ack, yeah. What >121 dudes22: Betty said. That's no fun at all!

Good morning all and TGIF.

Yesterday I decided to spend my afternoon reading instead of cleaning and doing the grocery list, which was sooo satisfying. Of course that means I need to do those things today. Plus the actual grocery shopping. Ack.

Sad literary news this morning: Hilary Mantel has died, age 70. I absolutely loved her Wolf Hall trilogy, and every one of her novels was unique and interesting in its own right.

It's chilly this morning but we're going to brace ourselves and take our walk anyway. We have ambitions of continuing this ritual through the colder months and the current 50F temps are nothing compared to what it will be like in the winter so we can't cave now!

Wordle 461 3/6

🟨⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩⬜🟨🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
REGAL, GIRLY, GLORY

Some interesting tidbits in this week's NYTGames newsletter

Wordle Weekly Recap
Editor’s Note: It wasn’t just you. Friday’s Wordle was the hardest in a while, with only 41 percent of users able to solve compared with the normal 99 percent. We’re learning a lot about how people solve Wordle, and we’ll use that information the next time we take a look at the solutions list.

...

Hardest word: PARER, from Friday, Sept. 16.

Average guesses: 6.32, with 3.81 percent solving in three or fewer.

Easiest word: CHUTE, from Saturday, Sept. 17.

Average guesses: 3.46, with 54.68 percent solving in three or fewer.

This vindicates all of us who complained last Friday. And if you solved it, congratulations! Nice of them to reward us with an easy word the next day too, eh? Also note the phrase, "the next time we take a look at the solutions list." Could that mean an expansion at some point?

Happy Friday, Laura. Good review of Wish You Were Here. I definitely NEED to get to that one. Have you noticed any migrant activity, either at your feeders or on your walks? I think it has been a very good fall migration this season. Better than our spring, which is very unusual. Have a great weekend.

>123 lauralkeet: Sad about Hilary Mantel. I haven't read a lot of her books, but I did watch a show, Portrait Artist of the Year, and painting her for the National Library was the grand prize. It's such a British show, and I found it on Prime.

Sad news about Mantel. I guess this is a good time to read The Mirror and the Light...

Group read of the last Ruth book sounds like a good idea to me.

>124 msf59: Hi Mark. I don't think I've seen any migrating birds here yet, but I'll keep my eyes open. It's that time of year ...

>125 raidergirl3:, >126 BLBera: It is sad, isn't it? A stroke, they're saying. She had a lifetime of health issues. Elizabeth, that show sounds interesting. And BOTH of you need to read (or finish reading) her trilogy!!

Well ... the groceries are shopped and lunch has been consumed. I've done most of the cleaning I need to do before my cousin's visit tomorrow. I have been invited to accompany my other half on a trip to Lowe's (a home improvement center, for those not familiar). Be still my heart. But yeah, okay, I'll go.

I was startled to see that Hilary M. died. I snagged a copy of The Mirror and the Light just last week. The first two books in the trilogy gave me great pleasure in reading them, and I was happy to get a copy of the final volume. And now THIS.

>128 weird_O: I know, Bill, it's such sad news. If you enjoyed the first two books, you will also enjoy The Mirror and the Light.

Hello everyone,

Busy day here today ... my cousin and her husband will be arriving mid-morning. The plan is to spend a bit of time chatting, and then head out to show them some of the local area and have lunch. They are currently at their hotel taking covid tests (which I greatly appreciate), so fingers crossed.

I'll be largely absent here today so will see you all tomorrow.

Wordle 462 3/6

🟨🟩🟩⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
TRADE, CRATE, GRATE

Have a great day, Laura!

Have a great visit, Laura.

>131 katiekrug:, >132 BLBera: Well ... things did not go according to plan. My cousin texted me this morning saying they were going to have breakfast and would text me when they were on their way, but first they were going to take covid tests. And guess what, they tested positive. So we scrapped today's plans. They went off to get PCR tests (more reliable but the results take longer). They're holed up in their hotel room and we'll be checking in with them tomorrow.

>133 lauralkeet: That's a bummer. Good they tested, but I'm sorry that they aren't enjoying their stay.

Although yesterday didn't go according to plan, it ended up being a productive day. I spent a little over an hour in the garden, first harvesting the last of the chili peppers and then clearing the tomato beds and the containers where we grew the peppers. I've been trying to stay on top of garden cleanup like this, so as not to be inundated at the end of the season. We're still growing some autumn crops so a few beds will remain in use for a while. At some point I'll need to tackle the flowers (sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, dahlias). They've looked pretty sorry for a while but we've been seeing a lot of bee and insect traffic so I don't want to act too soon.

I checked in with my cousin yesterday afternoon and we decided to do a distanced, outdoor meetup at our place today. They are just passing through the area en route from Edinburgh to their home in California, and have I mentioned we haven't seen one another since our teens? We don't want to miss this opportunity.

Wordle 463 4/6

⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟨🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
SPEAR, TAINT, PLAIT, ADMIT

I think a distanced outdoor meeting is a great idea. Our book club did that almost all though covid, with masks at the beginning. (Even through winter) I've managed 3 2s in wordle this week and a 3 today. Woo Hoo!

Sorry yesterday didn't go as planned, but I'm glad you've figured out a way to see your cousin!

Bummer about your cousins! Glad you're going to get together today. Distanced and outside sounds safe and still enjoyable. Have fun!

We had a really nice time with my cousin and her husband. We served brunch on the terrace. The weather cooperated nicely, and the conversation flowed. I'm so glad we were able to do this.

I've mentioned that I'm knitting a sweater for Chris. It is a Gansey style fisherman's sweater.



This is a closeup of the body and neckband. I took this outdoors in bright sunshine and it was difficult to get a photo without shadows, hence the cropping. The color is not quite as washed out as other photos I've taken, but the manufacturer's yarn pic is still the most accurate.

I just need to knit both sleeves and I'll be finished!

>140 lauralkeet: Beautiful! It looks like it would feel soft and silky. Good job!

Karen O

>140 lauralkeet: That's beautiful work, and the color is great.

>141 klobrien2:, >142 quondame: Thanks for the sweater love, Karen & Susan!

We had a really nice outdoor brunch with my cousin and her husband yesterday, and then they headed out for a drive through the countryside. It was really fun to reconnect as adults. They fly back to northern CA today.

I'm working a library shift this morning. This afternoon I have some odds and ends to get done. I might do a bit of fall garden cleanup, as that job is less overwhelming when it's done in phases as things die off. I'd also like to start one of the sweater sleeves before evening. The first part of the sleeve is a bit of a process that requires more concentration than the rest, and I'd rather get that done before commencing the evening's TV-watching. Speaking of which, University Challenge is on tonight. Not sure what else we'll watch.

I'm about 30 pages from finishing Against the Loveless World, which has been very good. I'd like to wrap that up today, too.

Wordle 464 5/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨
⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STALE, COINS, PRISM, FRISK, BRISK
I almost used my fourth word on my third turn, then reconsidered. Need to go with my instinct more often darn it.

I'm in stitches at the moment. Instead of sending to me and Kate, Chris accidentally shared his score in a group text of tennis players, most of whom he has yet to meet.

That is just one totally beautiful sweater!! Beautiful work and beautiful yarn! Lucky husband.

>144 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you Reba! I remind him all the time of how lucky he is. It's nice to be able to add your voice to the chorus LOL.

I had a productive day yesterday, doing both garden cleanup and work on the sweater sleeve. And I finished Against the Loveless World too!



Last night I started reading the new Thursday Murder Club mystery, The Bullet that Missed. I was still #15 in line at the library with only about 3 copies circulating (but more on order), so I caved and bought it for my Kindle. It starts out in a very familiar way and by now I can see there's a formula to these novels, but it's still fun comfort reading.

I have nothing on the schedule today, which is nice. I'm going to exercise and then run to the Southern States store to pick up a few things. And then ... who knows?!

Wordle 465 3/6

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TIMER, SOUND, SOGGY
I'll take it!

>145 lauralkeet: Over half way with this one Laura. Hoping to finish today.

>145 lauralkeet: Hi Laura - I'm listening to this one on audio and enjoying it a lot. My library just sent me a notice that I'm next on the list for the new Kate Atkinson so I guess that will be next!

Love your blog - especially this one on Highgrove.

"I find myself falling in line behind his views on architecture (check out Poundbury), his fondness for the music of Hubert Parry, and most of all, his enthusiasm for gardening and support of those who do the actual hard graft of farming and agriculture. " -- couldn't agree more!!

>146 Caroline_McElwee: They're quick reads, aren't they Caro? Once I get started I can't stop, not so much because of the suspense but because it's fun, like eating chocolate.

>147 vivians: I'm glad you're enjoying The Bullet that Missed, Vivian. I didn't realize the Atkinson was already out -- for some reason I wasn't expecting it until November. I'm #4 in line for that one and copies are on order, so hopefully I won't have to wait long. On the other hand, I just noticed that Lucy by the Sea is in transit which is exciting news!

>148 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you so much Reba, that's very kind. I'll pass your thoughts along to Chris, who wrote this week's post. Highgrove was really impressive; I only wish we could have taken photos. They were only allowed at the building where we gathered for the start of the tour, and the best we could do is ask someone to take a photo of us standing next to a plaque.

Good morning!

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. My trip to Southern States yielded nothing. I need salt for our water softener and they were out of stock, expecting more on Thursday. They also didn't have the gardening product I was looking for. And here I was trying to get the Tuesday senior discount. It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

I did manage a nice chunk of reading time, enjoying my time with the Thursday Murder Club. We watched Shetland (season 7, ep 3) last night and ... hoo boy. I was left in shock to be honest. And now I have to wait a week for the next episode. Argh!

The Fiber Guild's monthly members meeting is this morning. These are a combination of a "business" meeting and a program, and I chair the committee responsible for planning the programs. Most of the time, that means arranging for someone else to deliver the program itself (another Guild member or an external speaker), but I have taken the lead for this month which we have billed as a Knitting Clinic, with a bit of presentation and then a few hands-on stations for members to try different techniques. Of course I have last-minute anxiety like what if nobody shows up? or what if things go horribly wrong? I have to keep reminding myself this is not a job and my future doesn't depend on the success of this event ha ha.

Wordle 466 4/6

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BRAIN, ROUTE, USURY, USURP
I thought for sure I had it in 3. Darn it!

Morning, Laura. What could go horribly wrong at a knitting clinic? Accidental strangulation with yarn? A disagreement over technique results in a stabbing with needles? See, it'll be fine :)

(But I totally get the anxiety!)

>151 katiekrug: That made me laugh Katie. Thanks for putting it in perspective!

46. Against the Loveless World ()

In this novel Nahr, a Palestinian woman, recounts her life story from a prison cell, where she has been held in solitary confinement for many years. Nahr’s parents fled to Kuwait when she was young, and she grew up a refugee. As an adult, Nahr is forced to take extreme measures to support her family, with consequences that haunt her for years to come. Over the years she moved from Kuwait, to Iraq, to Jordan – always a refugee. When she was finally able to return to Palestine, it was a far different country than the one her parents left.

Let’s just say Western governments, especially the Americans, do not make a positive impression. If your mind is open to that possibility, you will come away from this novel with more questions than answers, but perhaps also a willingness to learn more about the complexities of the Middle East.

>150 lauralkeet: I tried my third word totally out of desperation and then suddenly it came to me. Your route thee was more reasonable!

I'm sure your Fiber Guild event will be a big success. Just seeing your work in person would make it a treat.

Hi everyone!

Well, Reba and Katie were right: the Fiber Guild meeting went off just fine. No fights with knitting needles, no strangulations. LOL.

I have a light agenda today, just need to pick up the farm share. I'm making a chicken dish in the slow cooker for dinner so once I get that prepped I can forget about it until dinner time. I might run out to get the things I couldn't buy on Tuesday, or I might put that off til tomorrow and join Chris on a trip to buy some plants. He's hoping to get a few things in the ground before the rain hits this weekend.

Reading-wise, I'm about halfway through The Bullet that Missed. There's been conversation over on Caro's thread about Osman's formula, which by book three is fairly evident. For some reason, rather than putting me off I'm finding that I still really enjoy the characters and the storyline. That said, I've read all three in fairly rapid succession and it is probably good there isn't a fourth book yet. I've heard he's going to stop at four and shift to a different series which is probably wise, because there are only so many plots you can milk out of the Thursday Murder Club construct.

/here endeth my literary pontificating.

Wordle 467 6/6

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STEAM, SNAIL, SLACK, SCALP, SCALY, SCALD
Dammit!

Hi Laura - I agree re The Bullet That Missed. Entertaining and absorbing (if totally unrealistic) and I enjoy the character development. My audio had an interview with Osman at the end in which he highlighted his love for the characters, who are tangentially based on retirees he's met at his mother's care home.

>155 lauralkeet: - I think there can be something comforting about a formula in a series, but it's why I tend to space them out.

Hi Laura - I've added Against the Loveless World to my WL. It sounds like one I would like.

I haven't read any of the Osman books yet because I have started so many series!

>156 vivians: Oh yes, the plots are completely unrealistic. I keep wondering why this doesn't put me off. Maybe it's the character development, which adds to much to the books.

>157 katiekrug: I usually do that too, Katie. I got into a bit of a reading competition with Kate. She read the first on my rec, and we read the second book around the same time. Then I found out she had pre-ordered the third and I couldn't stand the thought of her reading it before me.

>158 BLBera: Against the Loveless World was a Katie recommendation, from some time ago. I've had it on my library reading queue list for quite a while. Anyway, I do think you'd like it whenever you get to it.

TGIF!

Yesterday we managed to both visit the further-away nursery to pick up some holly plants for our front garden space, and get over to Southern States to buy the water softener salt they were out of on Tuesday. I also picked up a few kale plants because ours have been ravaged by cabbage moth caterpillars. We're going to cover these plants with some landscape fabric to hopefully keep those little buggers at bay.

This morning I need to do the grocery shopping. This afternoon I hope to get the kale plants in the ground, because we are expecting a very rainy weekend. And then tonight we have tickets to a classical music concert by the Jasper String Quartet. Shenandoah University's conservatory of music puts on several concerts a year featuring students, faculty, or visiting artists. They're in Winchester, VA which is about 40min away. We're planning to go early and get a casual bite to eat somewhere before the performance.

Wordle 468 3/6

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GRATE, ROUND, SCORN
While 4 is my most common score, 3s are now a close second and I have more 3s than 5s, so I'm a happy Wordler.

Those who were frustrated on Tuesday will take comfort in this week's NYT Games Wordle Recap: Hardest word: SOGGY, from Tuesday, Sept. 27. Average guesses: 4.11, with 23.09 percent solving in three or fewer.

Sounds like a good day and evening, Laura!

>160 lauralkeet: Sounds like a lovely date night, Laura. Do you know what the quartet will be playing?

>160 lauralkeet: Your plans for the day sound fun!

On the gardening front, none of our leaf vegetables did anything this year and, since the strawberries in the adjoining bed are actively colonizing that bed, I've decided to just let them have it :) I'll put tiny tomatoes on the other side of the gate (where they did well this year) and keep the side yard for the berries: strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries (canes are looking great) and blueberries.

>161 katiekrug:, >162 MickyFine:, >163 RebaRelishesReading: I'm looking forward to it. We subscribed to the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society back in 2019 (and we all know what happened next, and then we moved). We're just starting to explore arts options near us. DC would have the most to offer but is complicated by travel time, traffic, parking, etc. Plus we really enjoy performances in smaller venues. So tonight is a bit of an experiment. The quartet is Philadelphia-based and we recognize their name, but haven't seen them perform. I'm not sure what's on the program.

>163 RebaRelishesReading: I like your garden plan, Reba. Every year is a learning process to be fine-tuned the following season. I would really like to grow strawberries next year; we'll have to see if we can fit them in.