Almost wordless: Once again benign neglect produces a pretty flower. One of these days I will repot the orchid, but at this point I’m afraid touching it might upset it.
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More Wordless Wednesday. © 2018 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
The strange weather continues with unseasonably cold temperatures and even a few snow flurries. Cardinals are singing, robins are scouting out my backyard for nesting sites, and the house sparrows are already building in one of my nest boxes. It doesn’t seem to be stopping the birds from their spring activities, although I’m finding it too cold to start my annual garden cleanup. Any day now I’m hoping to see some green
A few new books last week…
New Arrivals
1,001 Ways to Be Creative: A Little Book of Everyday Inspiration by Barbara Ann Kipfer from AmazonVine.
Written for those looking to unleash their inner genius, this enchanting interactive “list book” reveals how to set your brain free — and find the time and energy to play, dream, imagine, breath, and explore.
Side Life by Steve Toutonghi from AmazonVine.
Dazzling, paranoid literary sci-fi for fans of Blake Crouch and Philip K. Dick.
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The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entertaining All Year Round
Publisher: Oxmoor House | October 2017
Format: Hardcover, 192 pages | Rating: 4½ stars
A completely revised and updated edition of the top-selling book from one of the leading beauty and fashion magazines, InStyle Parties is the must-have resource for anyone looking to host chic parties without stress or guesswork.
What’s it about . . .
The editors of InStyle Magazine share their tips and tricks on everything you need to know about planning, preparing, and hosting a successful party.
In the first part, the guide takes the reader through all the basic steps of planning an event: Sending out invitations, planning a menu for food and drinks, creating the table, and establishing a mood. In the second part, which is the bulk of the book, plans for fifteen different types of parties are detailed from start to finish, including shortcuts and a timetable for ahead-of-time prep.
What did I think . . .
This is a useful how-to guide for proper party planning. With help, I might be able to pull off hosting a party like this, but alone, it would be a lot of work. The recipes are almost all made from scratch and require some cooking experience. I wouldn’t want to try many of these dishes for the first time on the day of a party. Most of my entertaining is more relaxed, but this type of book is useful as inspiration to add a touch of elegance to one of my casual affairs.
This post is linked to Weekend Cooking, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.
Participation is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
© 2018 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
A few new books last week…
New Arrivals
Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the New Space Race by Tim Fernholz from AmazonVine.
The inside story of the new race to conquer space, as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos spend billions of their own money to explore the final frontier.
That’s What She Said by Joanne Lipman, a win from The Book Club Cookbook.
That’s What She Said shows why empowering women as true equals is an essential goal for women and men—and offers a roadmap for getting there.
Just Add Sauce: A Revolutionary Guide to Boosting the Flavor of Everything You Cook by The Editors at America’s Test Kitchen from AmazonVine.
Let sauce be your secret weapon in the kitchen with this unique new cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen.
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© 2018 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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A Rapid Review
Publisher: Random House Audio | February 2018
Format: Audio Download | 6½ hours | Rating: 3 stars
Audio Listening Level: Intermediate
For readers of The Paris Wife and The Swans of Fifth Avenue comes a love story inspired by “one of the most intriguing relationships in history”*–between Eleanor Roosevelt and “first friend” Lorena Hickok.
What’s it about . . .
White Houses is a fictionalized account of Eleanor Roosevelt’s relationship with Lorena Hickok and is written from Lorena’s perspective.
What did I think . . .
I was intrigued by the possibilities of this book. However, as much as I enjoyed the writing, I couldn’t get into the relationship, couldn’t feel a connection to the characters, and felt I learned little about Eleanor. Before hearing about this book, I knew nothing about a relationship between Eleanor and Hicks, which is probably why I was having trouble separating fiction from fact. Much of the book is about Lornea and we do learn a lot about her, especially her abusive childhood. But I didn’t much care for her character. In the end, this was just OK for me.
Audio production . . .
The audio was performed by Tonya Cornelisse, a new-to-me narrator. Her rough, throaty voice was just what I imagined the worldly Hick would sound like. The novel is not written in linear style; it jumps around a lot making the story choppy at times. Attention to detail is needed to avoid confusion.
Audio Sample . . .
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Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
© 2018 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Almost wordless: Many of my plants spent the winter in the south-facing patio door window. They are eagerly awaiting their annual trip back to the outdoors.
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More Wordless Wednesday. © 2018 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
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Almost wordless: I’m ready for some green!
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More Wordless Wednesday. © 2018 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Advertisements appearing on this site are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed or approved by me.
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