Reading, Writing & Pondering

  I read Her Amish Refuge by Pamela Desmond Wright as a stand-alone as I did not realize it was part of a series. It read just fine on its own. Her Amish Refuge starts out with Florene Schroder being kicked out of the car from her abusive Englisher husband into the middle of a blizzard. She is alone and pregnant and walks as best she can to a nearby farm and collapses in the barn. She is found the next morning by Gil Kestler. Gil is a tall Amish man who is a gentle giant. His family takes her in for the time being. However, Gil's family has its own troubles as Gil and his brother Eli struggle to get along. This is complicated by the fact that Eli's wife misses living in town and feels trapped in the country with their new baby. Gil's mother is a widow and his dad originally owned the farm through his family for generations.  There is a gentle love story between Florene and Gil as the book progresses. Florene also must decide if she will return to the Amish ways and the Am...

  Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book in her new National Parks Summer series. I can't deny that this unique cover caught my eye initially--I love it! I am also a huge parks fan as nature is my happy place so I was looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint! After working as a zoo photographer for a few years, Kate Cunningham is ready for a new challenge. She sets out to snag a photo of a legendary bear in the Grand Teton National Park with her hopes set on publishing it in National Geographic magazine. Unfortunately, when she gets to the park, she realizes she has some learning to do to make that shot. Wild animal photography requires some additional skills to her zoo animal photography. Grant Cooper, also known as Coop, is a seasoned ranger who spends summers working at the park in between his regular teaching job. He has also been nursing a broken heart after his former girlfriend jilted him to marry the principal of the school he works at. With...

  Jesus Moments: Jonah is the story of Jonah from the Bible told for children ages four to seven.  Jesus Moments: Jonah is brightly illustrated, has 32 pages, and measures about 8 1/2 by 10 inches in size. This book tells the story of Jonah and how he ends up in the whale and going to Ninevah. At the same time, there are places in the story for children to pay attention to as they relate to things that Jesus did in the New Testament. The Jesus moments are marked with hidden anchors and then further explained as the book goes on.  I think Jesus Moments: Jonah is a good way for children to see how the Old and New Testaments are connected. I also like the illustrations. The book clearly tells the story of Jonah and also showed Jonah's bad attitude, which could be something to talk about with the children who listen to the story as well. This book would be good to read at home and also may be good to use at Sunday School or a children's Bible study. I received a copy of this ...

  Joyful and Spiritual: Recipes for Body and Soul (Winter) by Julia Reno and Sofia Kauko-Valli is a beautiful book full of stories and recipes that may inspire your days.  Winter isn't my favorite season. However, Joyful and Spiritual offers beautiful photos of winter days outdoors along with the warmth of home indoors. The authors have a mix of delicious recipes that include, soups, hot beverages, meatballs, cinnamon rolls, and delicious-sounding casseroles. Julia is Ukrainian born and her recipes reflect that. They are also full of healthy and wholesome ingredients, which I especially like. She also has some fun to-do projects in this book--a vision board, a letter to God, and ways to use essential oils, among other ideas. This book is also full of uplifting Christian stories and encouragement to inspire your own walk with God. The book is just lovely and is a warm hug in the midst of a cold season. Now, the authors have another book out for Spring, which I am sure is just...

  Sometimes You Stay by Liz Johnson is set on Prince Edward Island with a few previous characters from her Red Door Inn books. Johnson also references Anne of Green Gables, a  famous fictional character from Prince Edward Island, and it is fun to see those references as an Anne fan. Cretia Martin is a travel influencer visiting Prince Edward Island when things go awry. She, along with her suitcase and travel gear, end up in the harbor after an accidental run-in with a large dog name Joe Junior. Finn Chaffey is that large goofy dog's owner.  Sometimes You Stay offered a glimpse into the life of a travel writer and a young man who raises dogs and other animals on his small farm. I liked how this couple learned to communicate with one another. I also liked how Cretia fit in at the Inn and made some female friends among the locals.  My favorite part of this book was near the end when Cretia and Marie were talking about growing up in their dysfunctional families. I could ...

  If you know me, and my own son, you know we are foodies. Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo was a great book for us to read as we loved the food-oriented story about the ripening plantains. Ripening Time showcases the message from the back cover that, "Some of the sweetest things in life are worth the wait." This book starts out with a young girl shopping with her mom and sister at the grocery store. While there, they buy plantains. Mama tells the girls when they are ripe, she will cook them. The book then follows the girl and the plantains through the week as she waits for them to ripen. Ripening Time is honestly one of my favorite children's books about food. I loved the beautiful, vibrant illustrations. This 32-page book is large, measuring about  9 1/2 inches square with a dust jacket. I have never had plantains but would like to try them after reading this book. I think it would be especially fun to read the book as a family or with a group of children and then make ...