Archive | March, 2016

March 2016 Book Review

30 Mar

Happy End of March and almost- April! You will forgive me if I keep this brief, I really want to get to working on my novel and my window to do so today is swiftly closing. What with the sunshine and the smell of spring in the air, I keep getting lured outside in the morning to pull the never-ending weeds instead of writing. . . .

I’m debating about starting to give my rating ( 1 to 5 stars ) for the books I review but I just cannot decide! What do you wonderful SGL readers think? Do you like having that quick-reference point or not??

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Love Finds You – in Pendleton Oregon – Melody Carlson – Sunny Westcott is used to the quiet reflections of the small university where she had been a teacher for years. Signing on as a model had never been in her plans. But finding a new job had proven difficult and she needed the money. Then her friend Aubrey drags her to Pendleton for the rodeo, she’s surprised at how much she enjoys the ranch, the small town and riding horses. Meeting a cowboy that sends her pulse racing helps as well. While she’s there, she does some digging into the lives of her ancestors that used to live on the reservation nearby.

 – So. This review is a little sad to write. I normally LOVE Carlson’s books but while this one was very cute and fun to read due to the fact that it is set in Oregon, (i love my Oregon!), it seemed a little rushed. Well, at least the romance part of it did. Which left me rather dissatisfied at the ending. Apparently Carlson has a whole series of ‘love finds you in’ but this is the only one i’ve read! Just might have to get to the library and give the others a shot.

The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas – Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Edmund Dantes spends more than a decade in Chateau D’if. Finally escaping, he focuses on exacting revenge on those who sent him there.

– What the what. This Book! It is taking me longer to read than I thought it would – as it is I’m only halfway through, but Dumas is a brilliant writer. Having only seen the movie (with Jim Caviezel ) , I was a little concerned about it affecting my enjoyment of the book, but so far – I’m loving the story even more! 

You Can’t Go Home Again – Thomas Wolfe  – I got this as a birthday present this past weekend (thanks brother!) and have read the first few chapters and am enjoying it so far.  I’m not looking up the storyline/synopsis though, as I am kind of enjoying having NO clue what the book is about. =) You’ll just have to come back and read my review! 

The Deep Haven series by Susan May Warren – Set in Deep Haven, Minnesota, each book follows those eager to plant roots in this small, tourist town. With romance, faith and a touch of mystery, Warren delivers a delightful, easy to read series.

-I reviewed them here! they are a fun, faith filled series that I’ve enjoyed for years!

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Yummy Homemade Granola

19 Mar

Now, I guess I could say this falls under the ‘chronic pain/ health’ section of SGL’s focus but really, that’s just stretching it. This granola is GOOD folks. I’ll give you the recipe as I have it from redbook mag, october 2015, tore it out of my mom’s copy before she tossed it! (I looked on their website but couldn’t find it, so guess i’ll risk just typing it out here!!!)

Carla’s Fruit-and-Nut Granola

3 cups old-fashioned Oats

3/4 cup slivered Almonds

1/2 cup raw Sunflower Seeds

1/2 cup raw Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

~Heat oven to 325degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet, mix very well. Spread out on baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Stirring every 15 or so minutes to get evenly brown.

Now, as to how I do it. First off, in case you don’t read much past this original recipe, I DO NOT recommend baking it for the full 40/45 minutes. I’ve never had mine, when following these amounts, in past 35.  And that was pretty brown/crunchy/had a slight burnt taste to it. Keep a close eye on it.

SO. the changes I’ve made.

4 cups oats

1 3/4 cup mixed nuts (typically unsalted but don’t have to be)

1 cup raisins

3/4 cup -slightly less- maple syrup

1/2 cup – slightly less- olive oil

~ My OH and I were going through the granola FAST so I started trying to get it to stretch further.  the liquid measurements are iffy, I typically pour both oil and syrup in one measuring cup and go from there. For baking this, I set the timer every 15 minutes to stir/keep an eye on the color. The last time I actually did 4 1/2 cups of oatmeal and it was in the oven almost an hr.

I get everything but the oil from costco to help save on cost. I also saved an empty mixed nut container from costco to store the granola in. Less waste =happy Laura

Here’s where I learned to make my own Almond Milk! Although, reading it, I haven’t been adding enough water the last few times…. The ratio is really based on taste – we don’t like weak/watery almond milk so I do tend to make it a little ‘stronger’.

There’s just something so fun about eating a bowl of yumminess that you made the granola AND milk!

Have fun,

Laura

p.s. writing this reminds me I need to make more, we are out!

Writing a novel synopsis is hard

14 Mar

What a weekend! I got to go to a friends’ final wedding dress fitting on Friday and then had some friends over for a girls’ movie night, at which point, when my OH was picking one of them up to bring her over, his car died… several hours later, they got here. Sad car, Sad OH.  Saturday was good, Abby didn’t eat the wall, Lady didn’t throw up (yes, those both have been happening lately) and OH and I went out for a bit of something to do. Scoring me a movie I’ve been wanting – The Count of Monte Cristo. And yesterday was one of the strangest days. OH and I actually slept in for the first time in forever. Add to that the time change… Yeah, before I knew it, it was the afternoon and then I turned around again and it was evening. It makes for a vaguely-off feeling all day, I’m hoping today will be a little more normal.

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I’m hoping that normal includes lots of writing. I’ve been going back to pencil and paper for my novel -ever since I hurt my back last month and couldn’t sit up no matter how much I wished to (and my laptop has an aversion to being unplugged and not on a solid surface. It tends to freeze and laugh in the face of my frustration.)  so I grabbed OH’s nice  big, solid book of learning Greek, some loose notebook paper and sharpened a shining pencil. 8 pages down and I’m actually loving it. Yes, it’s a little frustrating having to type it all out to get it with the rest of my novel, and SAVED (you really don’t know what Abby is going to do next, she has a habit of eating, spilling or running roughshod over the randomest things) .

Anyway, back to my neglected novel, I’m happy to say that I feel like I’ve finally got a firm direction figured out for my protagonist (thanks in large part to my mom and OH) which means I don’t have to dilly dally with what to write. It’s amazing what having a clear goal can do for the creative process! Ha. The struggle now is not focusing on what I am going to have to go back and edit. Yes, I’m back to working out events and names and all sorts of things while I’m making meals, playing with the dogs or even trying to sleep 😉 I am really hoping to make my goal of finishing it by the end of June or July.

I’m still trying to write a good synopsis of it, so I’ll give it another go here:

In 1899, Amelia Lynn Hughes is a young girl longing for adventure. The strict rules her Mother makes her live by strain her patience and spirit. Her one kindred spirit is her aunt that lives in the city. So when she’s asked to come and be a companion to her, she agrees readily.

Angela Barrington finds herself alone and with a terrible diagnosis from her doctor. Unable to face what’s coming on her own, she asks her niece to come live with her. She also hopes that she will be able to build Amelia up where her Mother has torn her down. And to leave behind a legacy that she could be proud of.”

 

Sigh. Something like that, anyway. I have a feeling it’ll keep changing until I’m actually finished with it and HAVE to come up with a good one, haha.

I am falling completely in love with writing in the 1800’s though, I fully expect my next novel to be in the early part of the century.

Thank you for stopping by, I’d love it if you hung around and checked out SGL a bit and leave as many comments as you’d like ,

Laura

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Currently – aka why SGL has been so silently lately

8 Mar

Happy rainy-dreary tuesday afternoon! I am ‘multi-tasking’ right now  -doing the dishes, making vegetable juice/smoothie and typing up my book so if something spills or puppy decides to eat the paper, I don’t lose 5 pages worth of story. Which means I’m not making any headway in anything.  Side effect of the migraine today, I suppose. My focusing ability is shot.

But! I have been busy lately, crocheting and knitting and bemoaning the rain and planning a small girl’s movie night this coming weekend. I’m so excited to finally host a group of friends! I’ve also been making almond milk, almond butter and granola – gotta love it when it’s homemade.

Here’s a video of Abby, we’ve found the one thing she’s afraid to walk on…. (i could not figure out how to turn it, so sorry it’s sideways!!) The ice maker is her favorite thing in the house, she always perks up when she hears it.  

 

And here’s some photos of life recently  :

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It was the OH’s birthday, so Abby and I grabbed a photo

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for Lady, the smaller the space she’s in, the happier she is…

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loving the nicer weather for walks!

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every night, this is what they do. because, you know, they are STARVING

In the time it took to write this, I’ve finished the dishes and the juice and taken the dogs for a walk and made granola… So, now I figure it’s time to get back to typing my novel. I really want to have my first draft finished by June/July, which means I’ve gotta get crackin!

~Laura 

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