March Hodge Podge - Vol 69

I have been so busy catching up on book reviews this week that I almost missed my weekly dose of Wednesday Hodge Podge over at Joyce's blog.  I look forward to reading answers and this week is no different....if yoiu want to join me then click here and head over to Joyce's.  Here are her questions for week 69.  They are quite thought provoking that is for sure.

1. Did March come in like a lion or was it something less ferocious in your neck of the woods?

March came roaring in in my area of the country.  A tornado destroyed 86 homes(some of them were people I know), killed several around the state, killed Tim Hodges from my area,  kept me from sleeping that night because of the weather sirens, hail, and wind.  2. Speaking of lions, which one's your film favorite...The Cowardly Lion (Wizard of Oz), Mufasa (The Lion King), Elsa (Born Free) or Alex (Madagascar). You might notice I left Aslan off the list. Including him would have made this question way too easy for many of you. I adore the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz and Mufasa from Lion King.  I saw Elsa from Born Free when it first came to the theater.  I think lions are such a sleek and beautiful cat.  I would have chosen Aslan if that choice was available.  Good call on not including him.

3. What's your favorite spot from which to view the sunrise or sunset?  Sunrise - My front yard or in the Smokey Mountains.  Sunset - Amanda's pier or from the lake...or Mallory Square in Key West.

4. To what extent is knowledge power and to what extent is truth power? What's the difference?

I would think that the more knowledge you have, the more you can do, which leads, in a sense, to having power. I believe this thought came out of the Age of Enlightenment.  Truth on the other hand is simply that...not lying....and I think that gives you power because you never have to worry about what you said or didn't say.  I think having truth is the most power you can have....knowledge may be powerful...but it is only as good as the teacher.

5. What's something peculiar you've seen recently? I have seen a number of peculiar things lately in my search for the perfect photo op for Project 365. 

What looks like a watermelon, a gourd, a spagetti squash and ended up being a huge orange pumpkin?  This misterious plant that came up in my flower bed after the April Tornadoes in Alabama.

6. Bottled water...your thoughts?  I drink it if it is around or the only choice I have.  I love tap water....as long as it is iced.  I am not a greenie....but for some reason....I don't care to use plastic bottles for any drink.  I prefer them in glass or aluminum.

7. What's your strongest sense?  Normally I would say smell and taste....but for the past ten days a cold has eliminated both of these senses.  I taste or smell absolutely nothing.  I am a very sensory person.  I want to touch it, smell it, taste it, study it, hear it.

8. Insert your own random thought here. Today is National Discover What Your Name Means Day.  My name is Karen Leigh (cute huh?)  I was going to be Francis Mathilda....but my godmother fought for me....Karen originated in Greece and means Pure.  I named my daughter Kathryn and that also is a derivative of Karen and means Pure too.  My middle name is Leigh.  I was named for my grandfather Lee Terrell.  My mom was also named for him...her name was Wilma Leigh....then me....and then Kathryn Leigh.  Leigh means clearing or meadow.  One more thought....when you name your children...think about what could happen if.....for example....my father Fred....married my mom Wilma....and the rest was history.

 Happy Wednesday!

Love You More :The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter

About The Book:  Following the invisible thread of connection between people who are seemingly intended to become family, journalist Jennifer Grant shares the deeply personal, often humorous story of adopting a fifteen-month-old girl from Guatemala when she was already the mother of three very young children.  Her family's journey is captured in stories that will encourage not only adoptive families but those who are curious about adoption or whose lives have been indirectly touched by it. Love You More explores universal themes such as parenthood, marriage, miscarriage, infertility, connection, destiny, true self, failure and stumbling, and redemption.  In Love You More, Jennifer describes the way she feels God has brought her family together and completed it with the adoption of her daughter.
About The Author:  Jennifer Grant is a journalist and freelance writer with particular interests in parenting, family life, and international health and development. She has been a columnist and currently freelances for the Chicago Tribune. Jennifer is a guest blogger for websites including Fullfill and Sojourners' God's Politics blog and a regular contributor to Christianity Today’s her.meneutics blog for women. Her work has been published on britannica.com and in magazines including Chicago Parent, Christianity Today, Draft, and Conscious Choice. For more than a decade, she wrote features, restaurant profiles, and columns for Sun-Times Media newspapers.  Her memoir, Love You More was published in summer 2011 by Thomas Nelson publishers. Her second book, Momumental Adventures... will be published in May 2012 by Worthy Publishers.  Jennifer Grant lives with her husband and four children outside of Chicago, Illinois.   Want to know more about her?  You can find  her on Twitter @jennifercgrant, @momumentalbook, and @loveyoumorebook and online at http://www.jennifergrant.com.
My Thoughts On The Book:  I was spellbound from the moment I began reading this precious story.  Ten years ago a good friend of mine adopted a child from Honduras and I translated a good bit over the phone for her with the attorney.  When Susie's adoption finally was a reality our whole church celebrated and I celebrated with the Grant family as Mia's adoption became a reality.  My daughter and her husband will be going to Moldova for the second time in June to work at orphanages there so the process, red tape and heart break of international/or even national adoption is near and dear to me.  Even if adoption has never crossed your mind this book is a must read so that you can understand what the loving act of adoption entails.  I was glad that Mrs. Grant included the ups and downs of being an adoptive family.  Many times when adoptions take place the adoptive family expect sunshine and rainbows and that is not always what happens.    I cannot urge my readers enough to get a copy of this book and settle in for a heart touching ride.
Disclaimer:  I was sent this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Blogging review program.  The opinions expressed here are 100% mine and I was not paid to give a positive review of this book.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors.  As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?  Brimming with romance and danger, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall takes readers inside the fascinating belowstairs world of a 19th-century English manor, where appearances can be deceiving. To celebrate Julie has teamed up with her publisher, Bethany House, for a fun Kindle Fire giveaway, Facebook Party (where you could win a Downton Abbey prize pack) and blog tour. Details below.

The critics agree, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a superb read:

"Christy winner Klassen mines another gem of a story from the rich Regency vein. In a tale of disguise and transformation with echoes of The Prince and the Pauper...Margaret's character and judgment are enriched as she works for a living. The upstairs-downstairs dynamic of the upper and serving classes puts meat on the story's bones. The reliable Klassen has produced a well-realized genre winner in which Christian elements are subtle and historically appropriate." --Publishers Weekly, about The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

"Romance, mystery and secrets.... Klassen always brings freshness to her stories. Some Regency-era novels have stuffy, hands-off characters, but her characters are warm, witty and have style..." --Romantic Times,

About the Author:  Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She has won the Christy Award: Historical Romance for The Silent Governess (2010) and The Girl in the Gatehouse (2011) which also won the 2010 Midwest Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.  Want to know more?  Visit her website at http://www.julieklassen.com.


The Extras:

Read what others are saying about The Maid of Fairbourne Hall on the blog tour.

Don't forget to RSVP for Julie Klassen's Facebook party and register for your chance to win prizes (including a Downton Abbey prize pack)!

If you are as obsessed with British things, as I am, don't miss Julie's research page, complete with pictures!

Don't forget the giveaway. ...one lucky person will win a Kindle Fire AND a Julie Klassen Library (The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Silent Governess).  I promise you that you will love it!

My Thoughts:  This was my first time to read anything by Julie Klassen and it will not be my last.  I am huge fan of British, Irish, and Scottish literature and cannot wait to get my hands on another one of her books.  Her characters are so believable.  I would definitely give this book a 4.5.

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group for review purposes. The opinions expressed are 100% mine and I was not required to give a positive review.

Mosaics and Reasons For Hope

I am a creature of habit and normally start a book review with a section about the book itself, then go to the author, rhen throw in my thoughts,  but in this case I am making an exception.  I loved this book and from the moment I began to read it found myself spellbound.  I wish I could send each and every one of you a copy for your very own library.  It is worth every minute you will spend with it.  I promise!

My Thoughts:  I have always loved mosaics.  I think it is one of my most favorite art forms.  Even as a child I have dabbled in the art of making mosaics and when I became a Christian I realized that I was a human mosaic, broken and pieced back together to form a beautiful picture.  The word Mosaic in the title of the book is the reason I asked to read it.  I just knew it had some little nugget in there for me.  Just like the mosaics that have been around a long time, this book was calling out to me. Artists take painstaking time to arrange small pieces of cut or broken stone or tile to create a pattern.  When you look at it close up, it is hard to truly grasp the design. It is when you step back and observe it from a distance that you actually see the result.

About the Author:  Carl’s passion is to proclaim the authority and accuracy of the Bible and to engage the minds and hearts of believers and unbelievers in today’s culture so that they may experience the realities of the Word of God.  This happens whenever Carl speaks. Whether he speaks to youth or adults, large or small crowds, churches or schools, Carl has a way of connecting with almost everybody; and that is one of the reasons he is a much sought-after speaker both in the United States and abroad.  He has spoken in Bermuda, Canada, England, Greece, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico the Philippines and Wales just to name a few.  Carl was a founding Board Member of Answers in Genesis for 10 years and served there for over 15 years before stepping out in faith to become President and Founder of Reasons for Hope .  Though Carl has played many roles in his life, (son of a professional wrestler, air-traffic controller at O’Hare International Airport, Founding Board member and widely known speaker for Answers in Genesis), his most cherished accomplishment is his marriage to his wife, Masami, for over 28 years, and his role as a father to his daughter, Alisa, and his son, Carl, Jr., and grandfather to his grandchildren, Trey and those he’ll meet in 2012.

About the Book:  In the book we are reminded that God is the Artist in our lives, taking the broken pieces and creating a vessel useful for His work.  Kerby reminds us that God asks each Christian to be able to give a reasonable explanation for the hope we have. Kelby shares his own story as an example of how this can be done. Dropping out of high school, he was homeless at one point. He went into the military and air traffic control. He was introduced to creationism as shown in the Bible. He began volunteering for ICR and then Answers in Genesis. A quirky situation caused him to begin actually speaking at events.  The book is a sort of self-help book to help the readers be “all things to all men,” being able to speak the truth and show the need for Jesus, no matter who is encountered. The circumstances of his life is unique but, in a sense, not all that different from ours. He recognizes God's hand in his life and gives God the glory for it. He wants us to do the same.  This book is a major encouragement.  After reading about Kerby's life, there is no way we cannot be inspired to see the hand of God in our own. “Just as the most incredible and detailed mosaics are made up of many broken pieces, we all have broken pieces in our lives that God will use to create a beautiful mosaic for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28; Hebrews 13:21).” (231-232)  On the web site was a challenge….Are you ready to bust through a wall to tell someone about Jesus?  After reading this book my answer would be a resounding, “YES!”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from The B & B Media Group, Inc., for the purpose of this review.  All of the opinions expressed here are my own.

Project 365 - Week 9

Well March has definitely come in roaring like a lion.  We are nine weeks into Project 365 and if you want to join in the fun....it is not to late....jump over to Sarah's Blog and see all the photos the gang has taken. 

Here is what my week looked like in pictures and there seems to be an animal theme here don't 'cha think?

Sunday, February 26th

Love is in the Air - 1st place winners on February 25th.  The picture is lousy...but it was fun winning.

Monday, February 27th

Marian stopped by with her three pups and they were barking and trying to eat me alive.  I wanted to get them without the window....but it was not going to happen.

Tuesday, February 28th

Beau, our doxie, does not like to have his picture made but I managed a couple of shots of him this week when Frank was holding him in his arms.  He was still moving and trying to get his head to the side.

Wednesday, Februrary 29th

Most of my animal pictures were made from inside the car....through the window.  I came home sick on Wednesday and as I topped a hill this is what was waiting on the other side.  Her calf was in the fence on the other side of the road and she was not happy.  She let me by, and two trucks,...but the black SUV behind me made her begin to move rapidly to the other side of the road.  Whew!  Glad I was sick and driving slower than normal.

Thursday, March 1st

My favorite shot of the week was taken at Elkahatchee Dam....I loved the logs predicament.  Was it half over the dam....or half still in the river on the other side????

Friday, March 2nd

I got to see not one....but two rainbows coming home from work on Friday.  They were gorgeous....you could see all the colors....and they are side by side....I just could not get them together in one shot.  By the time I had a clear shot one had faded and you could barely see it.  This is the nice thing about a storm.....a rainbow is possible after it.

Saturday, March 3rd

Coming home from taking Frank to the ER in Opelika for his back I lucked out and got to see the llama like animals.  I don't believe that they are llamas....but am not sure exactly what they are.  I pulled over and grabbed a quick couple of shots before traffic caught up with me.

Have a good week and don't forget to keep your camera handy.  You never know when the perfect shot is waiting just for you.

Going Green

You know, I grew up and raised kids when  things were different than thy are now.....lots different.  My friend Amy sent me this email and I thought I would see how much you remember of times passed.
"Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."
The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."
She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Nope...back when I was younger we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.  I did not drink from a plastic bottle until I was an adult.  I still don't like it and would rather have a coke in a recycled aluminum can....than plastic. 
But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. I still choose brown bags if I am given an option.  I hate the plastic ones.....they always busts on me....and I recycle those too.  Our local Walmart has a bin for you to take them and place them there and they are used again.  I also use them to pack breakables with when I sell something on Ebay.
But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.
We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.  We walked a lot....and rode bikes.
But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.
Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. Now I have to admit....that dryer I have is a nice thing to have when it has rained for many days.  I still like the smell of sheets and towels that have been dried on a line.  None of my children used Pampers....they all used cloth. I was an only child and wore hand me downs and my kids wore then....and I made some of theirs using scraps from the mill store....I believed in the addage...waste not want not.
But that young lady is right;  we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Back in my day, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a red Solo cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.  We used a map to get where we were going.
And isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

A Little Piece of My Past

Yesterday was a sad day for my past.  I was a huge Monkees fan and adored the lead singer Davey Jones.  I remember waking up to a door sized poster of him from Teen Beat magazine every morning and kissing it when I walked out of the room.  Everytime he sang the song, "Girl" he was not singing it to Marcia Brady....it was my personal song from him.  I thought the television show the Monkees was a riot and could not wait for it to come on just for another glimpse of Davey.  My heart would race and my face would flush.  I guess yesterday was also a sad day for the likes of Marcia Brady and a certain generation of teen-idol worshippers too because Davy Jones, the breakout heartthrob of the Beatles-inspired, made-for-TV band the Monkees, died in a Florda hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was only 66.  When I was 12 Teen Beat magazine was my personal reference book.  I knew all I needed to know(or thought I did) about David Cassidy, Bobby Sherman and others just like them....including Davey. Where are the idols like this today?  The fresh faced sounds crooning their love ballads to an ever waiting group of adoring teenaged fans?  I don't think they exist anymore.  The lyrics have become raunchier as the years have passed by.  I mean come on now....performers still sing "Daydream Believer"....it was a great song.  It could be someone life mantra.  How many songs from today can you say that about???  I have to agree with the Monkees song, Shades of Gray....life has changed from when I was a fresh faced kid who wore grooves in her vinyl listening to Davey Jones over and over.