I had no idea I was so far behind on publishing my reading lists! I can only attribute it to how busy we have been. Or maybe poor memory. We have been building a 12 x 16 ft. storage shed! Who knew I could lift my half of a 12 foot framed wall onto the prepared floor base? Certainly not me. My husband designed the shed and is the brains of the operation. I help lift things, run for tools and more boards, etc. Several days during construction have reached 90 degrees and I am NOT a fan of heat. I tried to keep my whining to a minimum and we are now under roof. The worst is over. Famous last words. I have learned a lot and surprised myself with some of the things I was able to do. All those hours watching my dad when I was a kid and handing him tools have paid off. I’ll share a photo of the shed some other time. Maybe when it’s all done. For now, here is my list of books read way back in May.

1. Good Housekeeping, Organize Your Life (Non-fiction)

Usually, I’m disappointed by organization books, but not this one. It has some realistic ideas for regular people. I love a good idea on how to make my things look organized and less like junk.

2. Noon-Meike Peters (Cookbook)

These are recipes so simple; you can easily make them for lunch hence the name of the book. Each recipe is beautiful in the accompanying photo and indeed easy to prepare. There are food combinations that I never thought to put together, and they do sound delicious. I will be trying some new meals soon!

3. Mrs. Pargeter’s Patio-Simon Brett

A British mystery written in classic style. Mrs. Pargeter finds a skeleton with a bullet hole in the head when a stone in her patio cracks in half. This leads to her trying to find out why it is there and how it happened. She uses her deceased husband’s little black book of helpful people to handle the task. Mrs. Pargeter never catches on to the fact that all of these men are criminals with different specialties as was her husband. A comic murder mystery.

4. One Summer, America, 1927-Bill Bryson (Non-fiction)

This book took me the better part of two months to read. I did read other books at the same time. There was a lot of information to digest. Everything from the various flights of Lindbergh and other pilots of the day to baseball greats Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Prohibition, various gangsters, nazis, and anarchists are presented, and we’re given a look into their personal lives. Bryson puts a personal spin on the characters to keep things interesting while we learn about history. I learned a lot so it’s definitely worth reading. 660 pages not including the 90 pages of index and references.

5. The Ikaria Way-Diane Kochilas (Cookbook)

A nice book with some good recipes. Lots of dishes similar to what I throw together in my kitchen. The photos of the area are beautiful and it’s worth checking out this book simply for them. I enjoy reading about the longevity of the Ikarians who are in one of the Blue Zones where many people live longer than average.

6. You Are My Sunshine-Sean Dietrich (Non-fiction)

The author’s wife cajoles him into undertaking a long bike ride across The Great Allegheny Passage and the C & O Canal Towpath. One major obstacle-Sean is afraid of bicycles, so his ride is an adult sized trike. Just one of many hilarious obstacles that the couple overcame on their journey. The author also has a blog and podcast-Sean of the South.

Magazines:   Cuisine at Home (2), Country Cottage, Cottages and Bungalows, Cottage Journal