Hey, everyone! Nice to be here to and share a little bit. The picture above is from my walk this morning. It shows a few of the deer (I count 12) that are wandering around our neighborhood all the time. This bunch are all does I think and they were happily congregated and munching. The bucks are out and around though and the other day there was some 'courtship' going on in our backyard. Well, the buck wanted 'courtship', but the does were saying 'no, thanks!'. Ha! It was fairly cool out there today, low 40's with a breeze, and I was moving briskly. Here's a little update:
Reading:
Another two books finished, both of which are for library book groups here. I'm trying to get a little ahead of things with those four groups and also trying to select which ones I will indeed read and which I'll skim or skip.
Land That I Love by Gail Kittleson
I enjoyed both of these books and especially liked Land That I Love. I wasn't expecting to like that one so much, but just goes to show - you never know.
I've read other books by Lorna Landvik in the past, but it's been quite a while. Chronicles of a Radical Hag is the February selection for the 'Brown Bag' Book Group and I'll share about our discussion after that occurs. I will say that this one had more overview of the time period from the '60's to almost current day and it was told partly through newspaper columns that one of the characters had written across that time period. Lots of reminders of things that I hadn't forgotten completely, but had not thought of in years. Plus recipes. The main story is about Haze Evans, the columnist, who has had a stroke and is in a coma. Her publisher, Susan McGrath, decides to republish Haze's first column and then continues republishing selected columns in order. And this is how the story is told, also with bits from the present day.
Land That I Love by Gail Kittleson is the selection for the 'Talking Texas' Book Group for January. We will meet tomorrow and talk about it and the author is supposed to be with us to share her writing journey. This event had to be rescheduled once, but it seems it will happen this time. The story is set in the Texas Hill Country, mostly north of where we are here in Kerrville, and the time period is the WWII era. I was happy to read the book, but had no idea that I would enjoy the historical and local tidbits so very much. Again, I'll share more next week after the meeting.
New Mystery Book Group:
Our first book selection is The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. It's one that I've had on my list and heard good things, but not read as yet. Well, I'm in the middle of it now and liking it a lot. The second book in the series is out now and a third is promised. The Thursday Murder Club is nominated for at least 6 upcoming mystery awards. Have you read it and what did you think?
Regular Life:
I don't have much to share in this category. Just doing the usual or what has become the usual. Volunteering for things connected with the library and the Friends of the Library, walking in the neighborhood and always getting to visit with or meet others that way. We're still working on making selections for our upcoming renovations. And we're not driving into Austin as much as we thought we would. I do have some upcoming annual doctor appointments, but that's about it.
Hope all of you are well and have had a good January. See you next week and February, here we come!
I like the sound of the Radical Hag and Land that I Love books. I've yet to read a really good book set in the 1960s, but it's a time period I'm always interested in reading about. And I am drawn to books with a Texas setting, of course.
ReplyDeleteDeb, the book group discussion and talk by the author of the book set in Texas was yesterday. I'll tell more about that next week, but I did ask if she'd like to do a guest post on the blog. She said she would and so I'll see if I can make that happen at some point. I think you'd like Land That I Love.
DeleteYou know I'm not a huge mystery reader, but the Richard Osman books are on the top of my list when the mood strikes again. They sound so appealing! Chronicles of a Radical Hag sounds like an enjoyable read, and it's always fun to read books set near where we live. Hope you enjoy both discussions.
ReplyDeleteWalking around the neighborhood is a great way to meet people! I've met a few really nice dogs that way, too :) Glad things are going well for you, Kay.
JoAnn, I definitely have met lots of dogs too. Not all the walkers have pets, but most do. Honestly, I end up remembering the dog names more often than the people. LOL
DeleteYou might like the Richard Osman book. Some do and some have some issues with it. I'll tell more after I finish and we discuss it in the group.
I've read The Thursday Murder Club and seem to be one of the few not raving about it. I really liked the concept, but the execution wound up leaving me cold. I don't intend to read the second one. Different strokes for different folks, eh?
ReplyDeleteCathy, I went back and read your thoughts on The Thursday Murder Club because I had not remembered that you were not a fan. I totally understand some of the frustrations you mentioned. I'm liking it better than you, but I'll be curious what others in the book group think. Will share more after that.
DeleteDo the deer come to your yard? Do people feed them? Living where I do, I expect them but never thought about them in neighborhoods!!
ReplyDeleteI bought the Osman book - SO positive I would love it, but I read a few pages and couldn't stand it! Every single person I have seen just loves it.
Yes, the deer wander freely all around. This is the third house that we've lived in that have lots of deer wandering. All of those houses were unfenced for the back yard and so we seem to see more of them than maybe other people. Yes, some people do feed them, but we do not. Not good for the deer. They need to forage. We live close to golf course in this new area (it winds through the neighborhood) and there are always wildlife around golf courses in Texas.
DeleteAs to the Osman book - I'm not surprised that it wasn't your cup of tea. As you can see above, Cathy wasn't a fan either, but maybe for different reasons than you probably were. I'll talk more about my thoughts after I finish it.
Your new Mystery Book Group sounds like a lot of fun. I've heard good things about The Thursday Murder Club and hope to read it this year myself. :)
ReplyDeleteI think the new mystery group will be fun. Actually, all these new-to-me groups are fun and I think it will be good for me to have the variety of what is being selected. I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts if you decide to read The Thursday Murder Club. Really good for some, but not for others.
DeleteI am glad you are enjoying The Thursday Murder Club. Like you, I've heard good things about it. Your mystery book club sounds like it will be a good fit! Our libraries are closed at the moment other than being open for drive thru type services. Hopefully they will re-open again sometime next month.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the photo of the deer. I know my grandmother likes to look out her window and see the deer frolicking in the field near where she lives in Pennsylvania. We just get coyotes, foxes, possums, rabbits and raccoons near where I live. There's a coyote that likes to eat the berries from my mom's bushes every morning. One day last week, she was sitting at the table on her patio reading when he came for a visit. She doesn't think he realized she was there. In the afternoons and evenings the rabbits come out to play and eat the berries in her yard.
I hope you are enjoying your week, Kay!
I've been lucky with the library in my new area. Much, much smaller town and that has helped. The Austin libraries have been closed and opened and closed and opened and my previous mystery group has been so sad to not have the option to meet there. Well, they did once again in January and then the library closed the meeting rooms again. Sigh.
DeleteInteresting about the wildlife that your grandmother has. We've had all those types you mentioned at one house or another in our lives. This house seems to have the deer, skunks (they could go away - LOL!), a fox or two, squirrels, and maybe a raccoon. Not sure we've seen a possum or rabbit, but they are likely around here somewhere.
The picture with all the deer is adorable. I miss not seeing deer where we live now, although a few years back I had a black bear at my deck LOL
ReplyDeleteThe Thursday Murder Club series really appeals to me - hope to try them this year.
OK, Diane, a black bear! Ummm....no. I don't want that. Actually, don't think we have any bears in Texas. If you decide to try The Thursday Murder Club I'll be interested in what you think. As you can see above, some like it and some don't. :-)
DeleteThe Landvik book sounds good. I may see if my library has a copy.
ReplyDeleteMy friends in New Braunfels have a lot a deer in their neighborhood. Some of the neighbors put out food, but it's discouraged. When we drove through to their house, their were dozens of deer bedding down in several front yards!
Your book groups sound like a lot of fun. I'm glad you're settling in so well. But snow and sleet?! Yuck. :)
Les, you ought to try the Lorna Landvik book and see if you like it. You saw her all those years ago at that book conference didn't you? As to your friends, yes, all Texas has a lot of deer and Central Texas has an abundance. And feeding them is not a good idea. It's not good for the deer. Usually the wrong food and they need to forage for themselves.
DeleteThe Thursday Murder Club has been on my list for a long time....I keep meaning to get around to it, but somehow it keeps getting bumped down the list.
ReplyDeleteWe have several deer in our back yard each day right now....along with a group of wild turkeys. It is especially interesting when they are there at the same time.
Oh, wild turkeys! That would be interesting indeed. And the same time? Do they get along? LOL
DeleteTHE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB is a fun one. I liked it a lot! I still haven't read the sequel, but it's on my TBR list for sure.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I'll have to look at what you said about The Thursday Murder Club. The librarian who is moderating the mystery group has already read the second one and she loved that one too. I'm curious what others in the group will think. I'm betting it will be popular, but you never know.
DeleteFree-range chickens! Wow. Not sure I'd love that. At least the deer are quiet. LOL
ReplyDeleteI was one of the people who liked The Thursday Murder Club quite a lot. Osman is a very clever chap (he's a presenter of quiz shows here and clearly knows his stuff) and the book is so 'him' particularly as regards his sense of humour. That said, my liking for the book has dimmed somewhat and I'm not sure why or whether I will pick up book two.
ReplyDeleteCath, thanks for the extra info about Richard Osman. I had wondered a bit. I finished it yesterday and am still thinking about my final reactions to the whole story. I will likely try #2, but I have a few annoyances about the story as a whole. LOL
DeleteLove seeing the deer pictures! I have a hold on the audio of The Thursday Murder Club and am really looking forward to it though I have awhile before I will get it. We are getting a lot of walking done here as well though I do wish the temperatures would warm up a bit. For some reason it's staying in the 30s and 40s. I'm not a fan!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, first of all, I totally understand about the walking in the 30's and 40's. Most of my discomfort hinges on how much of a breeze we have. It's amazing how a 5-10 mph breeze will cause 41 to feel like 31 or even colder. I'm so ready for spring.
DeleteAs to the audio of The Thursday Murders, I did a read/listen and I think you'll like the audio. It was well done.
I enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club, but I do think it is missing the "it" factor. Nevertheless, I love the cape wearing, whiskey swilling Judith and hope that the next book will really keep it on my radar!
ReplyDeleteJudith? Are we talking about the same 'Thursday Murder Club' book? Anyway, doesn't matter - in the end I felt that it would likely translate well to a TV adaptation, but I had some niggling annoyances that I'll relate in more detail next week.
DeleteThe first book is nice that it's set near where you live. That's always cool. I went to university in San Antonio (in the 1980s) so I would drive home to California thru Kerrville ... and on I-10. It's great you live there.
ReplyDeleteSo you've driven the long way across Texas - nice! Yes, Kerrville does sit on I-10 and is only about an hour from San Antonio. It's convenient though I'm not as familiar with SA as Austin.
DeleteI read The Thursday Murder Club and thought it was a good start to a new series. The characters were really entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI think our discussion of the book this week will be interesting. I'm curious if others in the group liked it. And I'm planning on reading the sequel.
DeleteInterested to see how you like The Thursday Murder Club. I want to put in on our book club list but last I checked, there were not many copies or a long hold time. Need to check again. Hoping we can hang on until the library opens again.
ReplyDeleteAh Gayle. Good to hear from you and I do hope that the library will eventually open again and stay open. Sigh. It's been a trial hasn't it? We discuss The Thursday Murder Club this week. I liked it quite a bit, but I do understand why others in the blogging world were not as pleased with it. We'll see what the group here thinks.
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