Month: May 2020
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THE NAME JAR by Yangsook Choi
I remember it clearly. I was in 4th grade, Mrs. Adams’ class at Alton Elementary School and I was up next to give a talk about myself: WHO I AM. I collected the usual data about where I was born and what my birthday was, etc. I don’t remember being overly nervous about standing up…
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THE LOVE U GIVE
I spent the day reading THE HATE U GIVE. I would like to say it’s eerily ironic that the storyline is so similar to what’s going on in our world today, but it’s not ironic, is it? It’s the same horrific story, repeated over and over again. This is a powerfully strong book that…
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Start small.
Discouraged. Frustrated. Lost. Broken. How does a middle-class, middle-aged white woman with a janky back who likes to read and mess with plants, make any kind of difference in the world of equality? Days like yesterday – oh so many days… – leave me confused and aimless when considering how to contribute to the…
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Basically I’m Ina.
Pardon me while I become a food blogger… -ha! Those cupcakes I blogged about the other day? Those are for when family is over or you want to impress your friends with foo-foo desserts. But after all the guests are gone and your kids are in bed, these are the cupcakes you make just for…
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Lemon Blueberry Cupcake Perfection
I humbly submit to you that I have just made (and this can’t be stated strongly enough) the best cupcakes the world has ever known. …without rival …underrated brilliance … beyond compare These are the phrases that leapt to mind when I bit into these amazing Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes. Overstated? Impossible. Mere adjectives do not…
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Patio, Pups and Projects
Our neighbor had an intrusive tree removed last year that made a lot of sense for her. Cleared up her backyard nicely. But this spring I’m noticing how MUCH more sun we are getting on our back patio (and we got a lot to begin with.) The hardest adjustment to California from the Midwest has…
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My May Book of the Month selections
I look forward to my Book of the Month selections every month – the excitement never fails. I’m glad they have added a non-fiction section to the selections. I have found a few favorites from that section including one this month, THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE by Erik Larson, about Winston Churchill’s time as Prime…
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A WOMAN IS NO MAN by Etaf Rum
I will admit, it makes me a little nervous to review a book that a) has been popular and critically acclaimed, b) promotes gender equality and c) (most importantly) is about a culture with which I have very little to no connection. So I step into my thoughts very cautiously. A WOMAN IS NO MAN…
screen door stories 