Thursday, December 29, 2011

iPad Obsession Mini Post

Hello my little bookworm friends!
This is just a brief post to assure you all that, yes, I am alive and well, but not getting much reading accomplished. Currently, I am in San Antonio enjoying a wonderful vacation. Next week, I plan to get back to reading and my other numerous projects. The next books on the list are the two remaining books in The Hunger Games Trilogy. Can't wait! TTFN

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

YES! I finally read The Hunger Games. It was amazing and I am oh-so-ready to read the other two books in this trilogy. This first novel is such a profound story, even though it is Young Adult fiction. I feel that most adults would enjoy this book and I know that many teens enjoy it, as well. I told my eigth grade class that I was reading it and received rather piercing screams from the girlies, of "Oh my God, that is, like, the best book ever!!!!" LOL. They absoultely had to know what part I was at and assured me that the next two books are just as good.
This novel is about Katniss, a girl in the very distant future, who grows up in poverty. She does all that she can to support her mother and sister, until she is chosen for The Hunger Games. These games are a fight-to-the-death reality show, similar to the era of gladiators. The audience is filled with bloodlust as they watch these teenagers fight to the death. The games are supposed to keep the various districts (countries) in check and prevent them from rebeling against The Capitol (government). In the midst of all the violence, is a romance, that is near to impossible.
Overall, it is a book that keeps its reader gripped in adventure and excitement. I found myself trying to create images from the book and realizing how close many of the aspects are similar to life, today. These Hunger Games are so similar to today's reality shows, such as Survivor, that it is uncanny. I would suggest this book to any and all readers, over the age of 12. There is some extreme violence involved, but it is not overly gory. A bonus to reading this novel is that the movie version is expeccted to come to theatres in March. I am wondering if these novels and the movies, will see as much success as Harry Potter or Twilight. I think I will give this novel a 5, it was that goood!!!

http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Dusty Britches by Marcia Lynn McClure

Yet another Kindle freebie; however, this was a pretty good one! Dusty Britches is a historical romance based in the lated 1800's. It follows three couples who are on a ranch in Texas. The characters are realistic, for the most part, but the author can get carried away with the plot at times and the characters suffer for it. It is a lengthier Kindle book, but a quick read. It probably took around 5 hours to read it. I would suggest this novel for women who like romance and westerns, combined. The nice thing about this book is that the romance is kept tasteful and doesn't overwhelm the rest of the plot. I would have liked to see a bit more adventure and 'shoot-em-out' fights, but it still had a nice western flare. One thing that completely drove me CRAZY, was that the author kept referring to men's blue jeans - well, in the 1800's men did not wear blue jeans, they usually wore cotton or wool pants of a brown or grey color. Details, details, I am such a stickler for historic accuracy. Regardless, I managed to still enjoy the novel, so I will give it a 3.5. Definitely an enjoyable read!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart

Kindle Freebie! I downloaded this book on my Kindle for free, through Amazon.com. It is about what one would expect from a free e-book. It is cute, but I must admit that I couldn't finish it. I made it half way through before I finally threw in the towel. It was rather dull and had a predictable plot line. It is a good book to read, if you are looking for something calming and mushy, but that's about it. Not a fabulous read, but I will give it a 2 for effort and the fact that it's free......

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Genealogy Returns

As my uncle so aptly put it, "It is time for the changing of the G's", as in gardening to genealogy. It seems as though the early onset of darkness every evening encourages us to delve into the past. Or, it could be that I finally have more time, after finishing the KPTP and teaching exams. Nonetheless, my book reviews may decrease for a while, as I return to ancestry work. However, I will let you knwo if I find anything iteresting, er, more interesting... Don't forget, I am related to a Swedish count and Pocahontas....What could possibly top that? Maybe my mysterious Russian ancestors are somehow connected to an ancient Czar or Anastasia...One can hope, can't she?
My Swedish great-grandfather,
whose father is said Count.
However, his mother was not
a Countess, so..... parentage
is proving difficult to verify.
approx 1913

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Most Unsuitable Wife by Caroline Clemmons

This was a Kindle Special and I think I paid 99 cents for it. I was expecting it to be very cliche or boring. However, I was pleasantly surprised as it was a well-thought out novel and had a great ending. I would definitely suggest this as a Kindle download and I believe it is still very cheap. It is about a Texan who must marry or he will lose his ranch according to the will left by his parents. On a cross-country trip, he finds and falls in love with a woman. She is being chased by a mysterious man who wished her dead. A cute novel, mainly for women, that I would recommend.
I give this book a 3.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas

My reading has slowed in the last week as a result of finishing my KPTP project for student teaching. However, I managed to finish one book, at least. The Chili Queen is yet another marvelous novel by Sandra Dallas. It is about a brothel madame, an outlaw, and a mail order bride in the late 1800's. It is full of hilarity, drama, and suspense. I really enjoyed it, even though I felt the ending was a little weak. There is a twist at the end, which I love, but I feel that the conclusion is just not what it should be. I think Dallas could have changed it to suit the rest of the book a little better. Not my favorite by Sandra Dallas, but it is definitely worth the read. I will give this novel a 3.5.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Pinterest

No book review for today, I was way too busy this weekend to read! I will give you a sneak peek - the next book that I am reading is The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas. Stay tuned for a review.
A few random tidbits-

I am going to see Puss in Boots 3D tonight. It is supposed to be an adorable kids movie! I will let you know.
Also, I am in the middle of watching a movie called Broken Trail which is a Western starring Robert Duvall. I am halfway through it and hoep to finish tonight or tomorrow night.

I have finally joined Pinterest, so feel free to check out my boards on that site. I will try to get a link posted, soon! Also, don't forget my other blog. http://www.langenwalterliving.blogspot.com/! :)
TTFN

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

This book was a recommendation from another reading blog so I thought that I would give it a try. I am so glad that I did because it is a very well-written book and much different from anything that I usually read. It is a work of fiction, but it is based on true people and events. While reading it, you can almost imagine that it is completely true as the author does a marvelous job in creating historic documents and different versions of events.
The novel is about Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young. It follows the hostory of how the Firsts split from the Mormons in order to maintain their belief in celestial marriage, or polygamy. While the history is unfolding, aother story is being told at the same time about modern day polygamy among the Firsts in Utah. There is the mysterty over the murder of a well-know First who has 20+ wives and his 19th is arrested as a suspect. Her son, who was kicked out at a young age, comes back to Utah to help free her.
It is a really great novel and I learned a lot about Mormons, both FLDS and LDS, and how the two churches are utterly different. I suggest this book to anyone interested in history or biograpies, or just a well-written novel.
I will give this book a 4.5 because it kept my attention throughout the entire novel. If I changed anything it would be to edit out aome repetition, otherwise it is perfect!
Happy Reading! :)
http://www.ebershoff.com/

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ride a Shadowed Trail by Eunice Boeve

A Western! :) I am a huge western junkie, but I hadn't read a good one for a while. I picked up this book by chance and I am very glad that I did! This novel is this author's first attempt at an adult novel - she was written many Young Adult novels and it does show a bit in this one. However, I think it adds to the book rather than detracts. Young Adult novelists tend to focus more on characters and less on details, which is a good thing. Many westerns tend to get detail-heavy and this one definitely was not. In my opinion, it could have used a few more descriptions, but it is fine how it is.
The novel is about Joshua Ryder, who is a young boy that is oprhaned after his mother's muder. He goes to live with an old cowboy, Pete, until he is eighteen years old. He heads out on a cattle drive and to find his mother's murderer.It is a great Western, complete with a lovable horse! :)
I am going to give this novel a 4. It is a great story, but the writing style is a little to basic, for me.




Monday, October 24, 2011

The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas

This is the best book that I have read in quite a while! It is a must-read for women. The ending is marvelous and ever-so-perfect. I cannot say enough good things about this novel, as Sandra Dallas has Wow-ed me once more. :)
This novel follows Mattie and her new husband from Iowa to Colorado in the late 1860's. they homestead on the Colorado prairie and encounter heartbreak and small victories all wrapped together. It is told from first-person in the form of diaries and letters by Mattie.
This was a fast read and I could not set it down! I must say that it will most likely only appeal to women as it is a typical feel-good, historical romance novel.
I am going to give it a 4.5

Happy Reading!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson

Yep, another Southern novel! I absolutely loved this book. Personally, I thought it was better than Gods in Alabama, but if you read one, you really should read the other. Gods in Alabama is told from Arlena's view and Backseat Saints is told from Rose Mae's view. Both of these girls went to the same high school and were part of Jim Beverly's disappearance senior year. I would suggest that one reads Gods in Alabam, first. it provides a little more background that is nice to have for Backseat Saints. This is another Southern gothic, dirty realism novel. Completely loved this one and would recommend it to anyone, over 16yo. :)
I will give it a 4.5. The only reason I don't give it a 5, is because I rarely give any novel a 5. :)
Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Girl Who Couldn't Say No: Memoir of a Teenage Mom by Tracy Engelbrecht

Kindle Freebie from Amazon - so, of course I had to download it and read it. I love free books!! It was actually a decent book. It is about Tracy who gets pregnant at 14 and it follows her through the next ten years. Surprisingly, it is not a MTV 16 & Preganat kind of book, nor is it a "poor me" novel. It is simply a memoir of how she handled the situation and was able to grow because of it. Not one of my favorite books, but I am glad that I read it. I would give it an overall rating of: 3.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Yes, I am on a Southern Fiction streak, but stick with me! Gods in Alabama is undoubtedly Southern Fiction, complete with dysfunctional families, the bizarre, murder, rape, and a hint of the gothic, like any good Southern novel should be! That being said, if you are not used to Southern Fiction, this may not be the book for you.
"There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high  school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus. I left one back there myself, back in Possett. I kicked it under the kudzu and I left it to the roaches..." (Jackson).
That quote is my favorite of the book and it just about sums it all up. Now, I suggest this book to anyone who is looking for a non-conventional read that can appreciate a good novel. It is undoubtedly rated R, so I would not recommend it to any Young Adult readers or students. I also don't think it is a novel for the guys - they just might not understand the implications behind it. However, a guy who appreciates Southern Lit would like this book. Women who appreciate or have experienced dysfunction will love this book.
To sum it all up : It is a Southern Fiction novel, heavy on dirty realism, with a slight hint of Southern gothic.
I give it a 4.5. I would give it a 5, if it had hooked me a little better in the beginning. I felt like it had a slow start to it, but glad I stuck with it!

Here is the authors website (I will be reading more of her novels).
http://joshilynjackson.com/

Enjoy!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

In case I don't read fast enough.....

Just in case you need more books to read, here is another great blog with book reviews by a woman!

http://mizsuzee.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

One Mississippi by Mark Childress

One Mississippi is another AMAZING book by Mark Childress. His writing style is undoubtedly Southern drama and comedy, with a heavy dose of Realism, and maybe just a hint of Southern Gothic. L-O-V-E  I-T! This is the third book of his that I have read, recently, and I hope to make it through some of his others in the near future.

This particular novel is about a teenage boy, Daniel, who moves to Mississippi from Indiana because his Dad is transferred. It takes place somewhere in the early 70's (think Sonny and Cher, after they fell out of love), in a very small town called Minor. After despairing about having to learn "Y'all and Mis'sipi", Daniel befriends Tim, a loner who is just a little 'off'. The novel follows the boys through Junior and Senior year, including their prom date with twins, the first African-American prom queen, and "Christ!" - a bouncy musical involving gangster angels and Virgin Mary in a V-cut, white evening gown. It is not all fun and games, though. The book has serious subjects that were controversial in Ole Miss in the 70's, including homosexuality, interracial relations, and school integration. The book will make you laugh, cry, and yell about the injustice of it all.

Undoubtedly, a book that I will suggest to all readers, excluding very young, YA readers. It would not be appropriate to teach in a classroom setting, but I feel like Freshman on up would benefit from reading this book.

I am going to give this novel:
4 ****

P.s. Love the new blog colors??

Monday, October 10, 2011

The Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

I finally finished this book over the weekend. I really enjoyed it, as it was a very innocent and sweet book. However, it is not a book that everyone would enjoy because of the archaic style of language used. It elevates the reading level, so that young adult readers would most likely not enjoy it. This is the second book of Gene Stratton Porter's that I have read and I would like to read more.

The plot of the story is quite adorable. Elnora is a young girl who is very interested in going to high school in the nearest town, but it costs money. Her mother is very embittered over the death of Elnora's father and she blames Elnora. Therefore, she send Elnora to high school, shabbily dressed. Elnora is embarassed, but determined. She raises money for clothes and school through catching moths for a collector. She puts herself through high school. Eventually, the mother and daughter come to love one another because the mother discovers that her dead husband was untrue during their marriage. Later in the story, a young man comes to the Limberlost, the forest, and falls in love with Elnora, but he is betrothed so Elnora will have nothing to do with his romance. The rest of the novel is a love story about the two of them.

Cute book, but a difficult read. I think it is worth it, though.
I have decided to start rating my books from 0-5, with 5 being the best. So, I will give this book a:

3.5

Happy Reading!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Crazy in Alabama by Mark Childress

Just finished a great book! "Crazy in Alabama" is a book that I would recommend to anyone. It is a combination between serious and hilarious, taking place in Alabama in 1965. Racial tensions are soaring at the time, and 12 year old PeeJoe, short for Peter Joseph, is coming of age. He and his 14yo brother Wiley are orphans who live with their Meemaw, until Aunt Lucille comes to town with her 6 children. Aunt Lucille lets it slip right away that she has killed her husband and she has his head in a tupperware to prove it!! It gets 'crazier' from that moment. Definitely a great book that manages to evoke "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Fried Green Tomatoes", and Stephen King all at the same time. AMAZING!!!

I am starting "One Mississippi" by Childress, next... Stay tuned!

I would rate this book as:

4 ****

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Mrs. Langenwalter :)

Woohoo! I am finally married! Hopefully, I can upload some pictures to the blog and mess with the design soon. I wish I knew more about blogging, it would be nice to customize it a little more! I haven't read a new book lately. I need to make it to the library soon! I am reading The Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter. It was written in 1909 so the language is a little antiquated, but it is still a wonderful story! Porter is one of my favorite Victorian authors. She was also a naturalist so her books are rich in details! That is about all I have in the way of books...hope to find another Mark Childress novel at the library tonight!

Couple funny little poems, no great works of art! :)

Ode to Moe
Low rider
In flowing black
Prancing
Through your kingdom…
An intruder!!
A foe twice your size
With huge fangs and claws.
You attack!!
Fighting and snarling
The battle rages.
You win, of course.
Dachshunds always do!

Ode to Poem
Oh, poem…
You.
You are so fickle
And
New.
Form what is form?
Is rhyme
The point
This time?
No. Its VOICE.
You want to hear my voice.

Monday, September 26, 2011

To Kill A Mockingbird and Getting Married

Random title, I know. I recently re-read To Kill A Mockingbird.  It has probably been at least five years since the last time, so I enjoyed it a lot more this time around. My sophomore class that I am student-teaching is reading it, so I thought I would read ahead, to make sure I remembered everything. It has some seriously deep messages that I never caught the other times I read it! Loved it! Wish I could say the same for the sophomores....they just aren't getting into it. Part of me feels that the way it is beeing presented is a big factor. I did not design the unit. My CT (cooperating teacher) did. She has been teaching 40 years and possesses a wealth of knowledge about teaching, but has a completely different philosophy on students than I do. She knows that she is a very structured teacher and has said that she enjoys my "new" activities and ideas! So, we are learning from each other.

Studnet-teaching is going slowly. I am not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. I just get sooooo frustrated that I can't do what I want with the students. That's okay, though. Someday I will, hopefully, have my very own classroom and being able to teach the way I would like!

Also...I am getting married in 4 days!!! AAAAAAAH! Still not sure what I was thinking, when I decided to get married during student-teaching. This is one stressful week! I have 2 of my professor observations this week and it is a week of my KPTP teaching. I am crazy! Oh well.... I have decided that Thursday night (the bachelorette party) will be my cue to give up all stress and frustration until the following Monday. I am determined to be completely and wonderfully happy and stress-free for my weddding. I will soon be Mrs. Langenwalter! Eeek! : D

That is about it for me today. Headed to a CCHS Board meeting and then to my Momma's for some homemade Tortilla Soup!! YUMMMM!

The book I am reading now is "Cowboy" by (I can't remember the name.

I also saw that one of my follower's read The Persian Pickle Club! Great book! Another great Sandra Dallas read is Alice's Tulips! Amazing!

TTFN

No poems today. Sorry. :(

Cowboy : 2.5 **
To Kill A Mockingbird : 5*****

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas

I just finished another Sandra Dallas book and it was a good one! I go through phases of liking certain authors, and she is the one that I am hung up on lately. The previous book, The Persian Pickle Club, was just as good! I am not sure which was my favorite because they are very different. Alice's Tulips takes place during the Civil War. The entire book is just letters from one character, Alice, to her sister, Lizzie. It is amazing that such a complete story can be told in first-person and through letters to her sister! One of the things that I especially like about this book, is that it is uplifting without being idealistic. The character endures many hardships, including miscarriage, rape, and suspicion from neighbors, yet it is told in a way that does not turn the reader off from the story. I hope to read more Sandra Dallas books soon!
I also just finished Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress. This author also wrote Crazy in Alabama, which I have yet to read. Georgia Bottoms was the funniest book that I have read in a long time. It is set in the early 2000's in Alabama, in a very small town. It follows the trials and tribulations of Georgia, a prostitute who denies that she is a prostitute because she only has one client each night of the week, for a total of 6 regulars. It sounds tasteless, but it is told with such hilarity, that one will love every bit of it! Definitely a must-read for women!
The Persian Pickle Club : 4 ****
Alice's Tulips : 3.5 ***
I wrote two more poems this week, but they are not among my favorites. However, I will add them in here for your entertainment purposes!
I have completed my first week of actually teachig Juniors and went very well. I have one more week to go and then I need to get it all recorded in that dreadful KPTP! Yuck....
Oh and the wedding is only 8 days away!! I am so excited for it to be here. There will be many people attending that I have not seen for a long time and even some that I have ever met! An added bonus to the whole shebang is that I am off work the entire week, even if I still have to teach. It is crazy to think that in a very short amount of time I will be Jessica Langenwalter, and have to spell my last name out every time someone asks! Haha. Ok, enough mushy stuff about the wedding....
The first poem was an assignment to write an indignant love poem....at least I tried...
The second was to write an ostentatiously fancy poem. I think its dull....

#1
The Nerve!! 
You think I love you?!!
Me,
The one who does the dishes,
Sweeps, dusts, and scrubs,
All for you?
I only cook all your favorites,
Chocolate chip cookies and chili.
You really think I love you?!
Well,
Don’t I know your favorite cars,
All about them, down to the
Year, make, and model?
You think I love YOU?!!!
Well, hell yes, I do!


#2
Petals of Divinity
Petals of luscious crimson
Gracefully alight upon
A carpet of forest green.
The Heavenly scent permeates
The crisp Autumn air
That delicately suffocates
The soul
Of all magnificent blooms.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Last post of today...and more poems!

Ok, so this will be my last blog message of the day, as I need to get back to the hell that is KPTP (student-teaching research paper for those non-ed people). A book that I read recently is The Persian Pickle Club, by Sandra Dallas. It is AMAZING, and I truly enjoyed it. It is about a group of women during the Dust Bowl who join together through quilting. It may sound all boring and Debbi Macomber - ish, but the ending provides a wonderful twist! Oh and last, but not least, here are some more fabulous poems. I hope the format looks okay, because I cannot view my blog, I can only post. Darn school computer blockers....


3 poems for your enjoyment...Are they getting any better??????

The Secret of Literacy

Brittle bindings,
Creaking with age,
Embrace fragile parchment
Coated with dust.
Somewhere,
In these ancient pages,
Hidden beneath the black type -
Castles.
Dragons.
A Princess.
Trapped in a world
Of darkness.
Just waiting,
For one who will free them
Into
Imagination.


Equine Optics

Feathery fringe frames
The deep dark depths
Of velvety brown.
Trust is ever-present
In the window to his soul.


Squirrel
Bushy-tailed busybody
Chattering to all who can hear
Darting around
To and fro
Up and down
Around the trees
Into the street…………..

Poems - Week 2

I realize that I am attempting to catch up on 3 months of blogging in ten minutes, but what do you expect from someone who is planning a wedding, student teaching, working as a waitress, and attempting to keep the house semi-clean....?
So, here is my second poem, that was supposed to be a bout a memory. Yes, it is a cop-out because it is not traumatic, but hey its a memory nonetheless.....

Rodeo Dreams

Saddle soap and leather
Blend into
An intoxicating haze.
I go back –
Back to the days
Of Daddy and Daughter.

Marty Robbins melody
Drifting from
A vintage victrola,
While a worn saddle
And sofa arm
Become a
Bucking bronco .
Like sugarplum fairies
Rodeo clowns and Cowboys
Danced through my mind
Taking me to another time.

An innocent time
Of make believe –
Precious, to be cherished
For years and years
In memory….

Nice memory, but not a favorite in the way of poems...

Poetry of a Non-poet

Ok, so I am taking a poetry writing class....One thing that I am finding out - - - I am not a poet. However, for the delight of anyone who reads this, I will post the ones I have written thus far:
My very first poem, ever -

            About a Peacock Feather
Cerulean seduction of blind night
She flows tauntingly – a moth to light.
His emerald iridescence
Drawn by her grace and elegance
Cares not of potential sin,
While she battles turmoil, within.
Feather-soft whispers erase all doubt
As she bends to temptation without
A thought to the one at home
Who waits in silence – alone.
Now, an exotic, earthen scent
Belies her alibi of intent.
Ambrosial ashes – taste of rage
Nothing less than death can assuage.
Now, three are still, no more to sigh
Hauntingly portrayed by an unblinking eye.


Yep. not the best poem in the world, but at least it rhymes, sometimes... ;)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

"The Glass Castle" and "Half-Broke Horses" By Jeannette Walls

These were both amazing books! I give them both 5 out of 5 and think that they would appeal to most people. The first novel is a memoir of the author's life, but is told as a work of fiction to prevent it from being so dull. The second book is the author writing a memoir of her grandmother's life. they are both wonderful and I sped through them very quickly. They are the first two novels that this author has ever written and are very well done!!

The Harvester - By Gene Stratton Porter

So, I FINALLY finished this book. I must admit it was a little lengthy and the descriptions were amzing, but I really had to slow down to understand them. I was supposed to read this book because it is rumored that it was based on an ancestor of mine. For some reason, i am a little skeptical. First of all, the supposed Native American woman that was a rescreation of my ancestor was nonexistant. No Native American even in the book! Secondly, it was basically just a love story with a lot of flora and fauna description thrown in. There was the main character - the Harvester and his love interest, whom he dis not find until a third of the way through the novel. There was an old lady who was his neighbor and is the only character who may be related in some way to my ancestor. There were various other characters, but no one of importance. It was a decent book and classicly old fashioned. Worth a read if you are interested in such.....

Thursday, May 19, 2011

A canter is a cure for every evil. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Ok, so my computer has decided to die, again!!!!! The good thing about it is that I have realized how much I depend on my computer and that I depend on it WAY too much. No clue when it will be fixed. Thankfully, I was able to come to my mom's today and get my 'computer fix.'

Heading to the Tim McGraw concert with Claire this evening and it should be pretty fun. I sincerely hope that there are no tornadoes this evening. yes, we are under a tornado watch, but we are usually under a watch of some sort. Been reading on The Harvester. It is slow-going. It is supposed to be inspired by an ancestor of mine, but I am not seeing any connection so far. I am only a quarter of the way through it. It has way too many details about plants.

That's aboout it. No work with the horses, today. Too muddy...

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

If you act like you've only got fifteen minutes, it'll take all day. Act like you've got all day and it'll take fifteen minutes. ~ Monty Roberts

Parelli!! lol. So, as any horse person should, at least once in there training, I am exploring Pat Parelli's way of natural horsemanship. Sure, it seems a little gimmicky, but I am sure I will learn something - Plus, there was a free 30-day trial. ;) At least, I will know what people are speaking of when they discuss the 'seven games' and 'four savvys'.


I am really hoping to FINALLY get on Jack today. Thomas says he will help me when he wakes up this afternoon, if I help him build fence. I suppose its a fair trade! We are debating whether to fence with cattle panels or barbed wire. It is about a 170' stretch and we are getting the t-posts froma friend for next to nothing. We could get the cattle panels for cheap, as well. Therefore, the price diffference is about the same....


Of course, I did not get anymore reading done last night, as I was watching training videos......

Monday, May 16, 2011

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. ~Winston Churchill

I am considering using a quote for my titles from now on....I am a quote kind of person....

Also, I was offered a 3 week internship with a professional trainer, this morning. I emailed her my acceptance and cannot wait to hear back. It is in June, and I will be her assistant during her youth camps. Yea!

Today, I spent time cleaning house and working the colts. They are sure sweet little horses and I love them both, but Jack is my favorite, by far. I also was playing with Brandy, the mare, and trying to encourage her to exercise a little bit! :) She is rather rotund, so I just chased her around the pasture a few times to get her moving. I could still work on laundry this eveing, but.....I will most likely read or work on ancestry stuff. I have quite a few little projects that I need to work on, especially uploading pics. I have now created my reading queue to the left >>> so that whoever is bored enough, can keep up with what I am reading. I am still in the middle of The Harvester and have been reading a Western Short Story Anthology before bed each night. Maybe I can actually finish a book this evening!!! :)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Goldilocks of Genealogy

:)

So Van, my uncle, has aptly named me the 'Goldilocks of Genealogy' because I flit around between all of my research lines looking to find one that is 'just right'. It is nice to be able to take a break from my dad's side to work on my mom's side, or from my tree to my fiance's. Yesterday was a busy day for my little ancestry.com account! I worked on it for a total of about 5 hours yesterday (not all at once). I was able to take my fiance's tree back 5 gen. and start my Grandpa Kenzy's tree (he is not my biological gpa, so his tree is diffierent from mine). I really enjoy the research, even if it is not for my own background.

My reading has not advanced past 'The Harvester' as I have been very busy!

The two colts were gelded yesterday and then I had to head in town for woodcarving with my grandma. I am working on a hound dog and a cowboy. the cowboy is taking a while to finish as it was just a blank and not roughed out. Anyhow, more plans for ancestry research today and hopefully I can finish that book!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Two New Projects.....

Unfortunately, I haven't had ANY time to read over the last few days. I have been running constantly since Friday, I think. Thomas (my fiance) and I each got a new project this weekend - His project is a '73 Pontiac Firebird, which I think is awesome! My project is a coming 2yo Thoroughbred Colt, who is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! I still need to find him a name though. I am looking for something from classic literature. Some contenders are - Dante, Aramis, Zeus, Agamemnon, Odysseus, and Prince. Decisions, Decisions! As per request, I will work on uploading my list of books that I plan to read in the near future. The current book that I am reading is "The Harvester" by Gene Stratton Porter - more to come about that.....

Friday, May 6, 2011

First Free Day of Summer!

Yea!!! It is officially summer and one of my goals is to actually keep this blog semi-current! lol. I hope to start my ancestry research back-up now that I have the time (and energy), hopefully, finding out some interesting new tidbits! My other goals are related to my lovely horses. I have a 2yo Paint colt, 10yo Quarter Horse mare, and 16yo Quarter Horse gelding. Tomorrow, I will be getting my final horse for the summer (yeah right! lol), which is a 2yo Thoroughbred colt. He is not even broke to lead, so it should be an fun challenge. Along with riding and research, I hope to finish a lot of the books that are on my 'list' which I don't have time to read during school. Anyhow, I will keep my fingers crossed that I keep this up~

The Giver By: Lois Lowry

Wow, what an interesting book! I am surprised I have never read it before. I loved the futuristic, science fiction feel that it had. I am a sucker for anything that is unusual and interesting. Hopefully, I get the chance to teach this in my classroom one day. I suggest that everyone - adults and children - read this book. It definitely provides a new perspective on how government could control so much of everyday life that we take for granted. ~

Monday, May 2, 2011

Catching up....

So, I have not posted for a very long time..... I started this as a class assignment, but I think that I may try to start back up.....