Puzzle #2 - MB Puzzles - Charles Wysocki Americana - Traveling Cowboy EZ Grasp - 300 pieces
Again, I went 'shopping' in my attic and found another old puzzle up there. Good thing as we were still in covid quarantine. :)
This time I found Charles Wysocki's Traveling Cowboy. I really liked this one. Easy but with a bit of challenge - nice pieces to work with. Getting the hang of this puzzling thing!
Finished on January 17, 2022
Puzzle #2 - MB Puzzles - Charles Wysocki Americana - Traveling Cowboy EZ Grasp - 300 pieces
Puzzle #1 - Charles Wysocki Americana - Catchin' Bugs. 300 piece EZ grasp - MB Puzzles
This is the puzzle that got me started. My husband was sick with covid and we were cooped up in the cold, early days of January, 2022. I decided to finally get on the bandwagon (albeit a couple of years later than the rest of the world!) and put together a jigsaw puzzle. But being quarantined meant I had to go 'shopping' for a puzzle in my own house. Lo and behold, I found a couple stashed up in the attic. I lugged them down and decided to put them together. I realized that I was going to love putting together jigsaw puzzles! What a wonderful discovery! I jokingly said that jigsaw puzzles are what I WANTED coloring to be last year. (I decided to color as a stress reliever a year ago but found the whole process of coloring to be far too stressful! ha!) Putting together jigsaw puzzles provided me with mindful mindlessness... what a gift! Truly, these puzzles have been a great stress reliever and I am fully hooked.
Finished on January 16, 2022
Puzzle #1 - Charles Wysocki Americana - Catchin' Bugs. 300 piece EZ grasp - MB Puzzles
One of the main things I got from this book is an understanding of a primary difference that I have been aware of but never understood the 'why'. There are two types of Christians - those who see sin, and that sin is the lens they view everything through. So their main goal is to rescue people from sin - it is next life focused... "Come to Jesus." Other Christians primarily see pain. That is their lens and they seek to bring restoration in the here and now. They use the eyes of Christ to try to expand the table. Jesus is shown over and over in the Bible as being most concerned with meeting the needs of people that prevent them from knowing Him and their belovedness. That distinction between 'sin' and 'suffering' is huge. Jesus's default toward humanity was compassion - not contempt.
This is the 3rd book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. I enjoy this series mainly because it is set in Edinburgh, Scotland. But the stories are not the greatest. This one was a bit dark with the murders and knew who the killer was very early on. I finished it to finish. Truly, I enjoyed books one and two far more than this one. I will still read the next in the series because the author does a wonderful job of immersing the reader in Scotland, and I really like that. But hopefully the mystery will be a bit better on the next go-around.
I must be very far off the norm, but I did not like this book. I could appreciate the way of writing from a historical standpoint. But I didn't like the story and felt it shouldn't be a children's book. I think only city folks would enjoy this - no actual connection to real rural life, as far as my experiences show. I did not like the agony and torture of raccoons (even though I am not a fan of raccoons!) I didn't like the brutality with, and to, the dogs. There was no need for that. It is not the way to manliness. I remember seeing a movie version of this book, probably back in school at some point, and hating it. Same feeling now that I have read the book.
This is such a lovely, hopeful, beautiful book to hold in your hand and page through. It is a book about friendship and truly being there for others. It would make a wonderful gift. I greatly enjoyed reading this book as a December book club selection - it truly fit the season. It was a quick read in some ways, but is meant to be savored and read over and over. As Anita shared in our meeting, "the script causes one to slow down and read more carefully, slowly... and to fully consider the words." Yes, exactly.
Quote from the book...
Is your glass half full or half empty, asked the Mole. I think I am grateful to have a glass, said the boy.
Isn't it odd. We can only see our outsides, but nearly everything happens on the inside.
Everyone is a bit scared, said the horse. But we are less scared together.
I really loved this book! And it sure makes me want to visit Denmark. The author, Helen Russell, and her husband move from England to Denmark for his new job with Lego corporation. Helen discovers that Denmark is considered the happiest nation in the world so decides to spend their year there figuring out exactly why that is so. Each month she sets out to learn about one aspect of happiness such as Hygge, letting go of a typical 9-5 schedule, and embracing tradition. Along the way she gives us great insight into the country of Denmark and the culture there and so often makes the reader (at least this reader) laugh out loud! I was reading the March section about their 'adventure at evening pool time' and almost had to get out of bed and leave the room, I was laughing so hard... thought I would wake up my husband! Others in my book club listened to the audiobook and highly recommend that version since it is narrated by the author herself and she is just so darn funny!
When reading this book, it is impossible not to make comparisons to the US - where Denmark is the good opposite. It unfortunately illuminates our shortfalls in education, universal healthcare, equity, safety net for all, and caring about community as much as (or more than) self. However, I also appreciated that she added at the end of the book that there are problems in Denmark, too. And sadly, racism is one. On the flip side, the complete lack of faith in God was apparent and gnawed at me. The total humanist element of Denmark made me uneasy. I don't believe you must choose between the two sides, though. In fact, caring for others IS a Christian quality (or it should be). I definitely plan to go through this book again - and will listen to the audio version next time. :)
Quote from the book...
What Danes really cared about, Christian told me, was trust: "In Denmark, we trust not only family and friends, but also the man or woman on the street - and this makes a big difference to our lives and happiness levels."
They don't choose a profession based on how much they're going to earn. They choose it based on what interests them. Education is free to anyone can train in whatever they want. You know you're going to get taxed a lot anyway, so you may as well just focus on doing what you love, rather than what's going to land you a massive salary.
It turns out it is easier to live 'the American Dream' here than it's ever likely to be in the US.
Diversity enhances us, rather than diminishing us. Diversity has been shown time and again to be good for the economy and there's a strong relationship between diversity, inclusivity, and wellbeing.
Denmark is considered one of the happiest places in the world - Today
How trust contributes to Danish happiness - Helen Russell
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle Read November 2021 - Zoom Reading Circle
I listened to this audiobook and enjoyed it a lot. British author Peter Mayle and his wife realized their long held dream of buying an old farmhouse in Provence, France. This book is a chronicle of their first year of renovating the 200 year old farmhouse and all the travails and experiences. In the midst of the slow workers, leaky pipes and disappointments, we hear about all the luscious food and drink Mayle and his wife encounter. That alone is a reason to read this book! All the food and dinner descriptions are so tempting... you find yourself getting very hungry throughout this book! I was intrigued by the aperitif or digestif that was mentioned as being one complete course of a meal. Shortly after reading this book my friend, Dana, had a digestif at a restaurant in New York City - and then we tried one at wine club. Full circle! :) The digestif did indeed sort of settle the stomach and allow you to not feel as full, just as Peter Mayle shared was his experience in the book.
Quote from the book...
The two areas of endeavor in which France leads the world - bureaucracy and gastronomy - had combined to put us in our place.
