"Flash through Friday"...

Since the work week can sometimes come and go quickly, and since we may not always have a chance to keep everyone in the loop with what is going on in our day to day's...

...I would like to implement into this blog of mine "Flash through Friday"...which is essentially a photo/fact dump from the week coming to a close.

I will begin tonight! Why not?

A fun little fact about me:  I can NOT turn down a free book.  Even if I already have a copy of it.  My mom did not desire to keep all of the books pictured above so she passed them on to me.  She had them in a bag all set and ready for me saying "I know you'll take them". (hah!  I officially need another book shelf ;)   Looks like I am stocked for my summer reading this year.

After a long and exhausting day at work on Thursday I got home and immediately changed into some comfy clothes.  Comfort food was made for dinner which was followed by some snuggle time with Bailey.  Doesn't he look thrilled?  He really is very passive with me.  He primarily wants attention.  That keeps him happy.

The chef training me this week has passed on a few tips and tricks she's learned over the years.  This has been inspiring...so inspiring that even though the last thing I wanted to was stand in my kitchen at home after being on the clock in a kitchen all day...I still managed to whip up some fresh baked goods.

I do not have a recipe for the Lemon Bunt Cake above...because I just kind of threw all the ingredients together.  Figures that it turned out beautifully and I didn't think to write down the amounts as I went... :\
It is officially the best cake I have ever made when it comes to texture and sweetness.  All sorts of "light and fluffy" with just the right amount of lemon flavor.

Picture above was found on Pinterest while I was in bed and trying my hardest to fall asleep the other night.  I'm pretty sure this is going on my project "bucket list".  It might not turn out as sleek as the one above, but I think I could make it happen with some help.

In all seriousness...I'm being completely serious about wanting to attempt building one.  It would be a dream come true to haul something like this up north and use it during my camping trips.

I can just picture it...laying in this little nook...all wrapped up in a thick, heavy comforter with several pillows surrounding me...waking up to the smell of the fire from the night before that is lingering in the morning mist...

~~~

That will do it for now.  I am mentally strapped.  Auto correct has been flagging darn near every other word I've typed so far....hahah! ;)  I am off of work for the weekend (I know, right!) sooooo........I will get much needed time with my computer then.

Good night, sleep tight...and have a great weekend, everyone!

Q is for "Quell"...

...I'm going to do a two part post today.  The second portion could be considered "off limits" to those of you who have NOT read a particular book yet...

-Part One-

Definition of quell: verb (used with object)

1.

to suppress; put an end to; extinguish: The troops quelled the rebellion quickly.

2.

to vanquish; subdue.

3.

to quiet or allay (emotions, anxieties, etc.): The child's mother quelled his fears of the thunder.

Origin: before 900; Middle English quellen, Old English cwellan  to kill; akin to Old Norse kvelja  to torment, Germanquälen  to vex; cf. kill

Fun word, right?

Would you like to see the real reason why I chose this word?  You can if you are OK with the little spoiler I have below for a certain movie coming out this November!

-Part two-

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If you are familiar with the book "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins, then you already know how the word "quell" fits into this post!

That's right!  Come this November, "Hunger Games" fans will be back to the arena once more!

After reading the words: "I'm going back to the arena"...I felt like my heart was ripped from my chest.  No joke.

It was unfair, unjust, unimaginable! The already existing dislike for "President Snow" was now full on hatred towards him.

You wanted to reach for Katniss through the pages of the book and wrap your arms around her.  To comfort her.  To keep her.  Say anything kind or encouraging to her.................But, you couldn't!

You listened to her thoughts as she expressed in pure exasperation the fear in her heart through the words printed before you.  You cried.......clutched your book a little tighter...and mustered up the willingness to continue the story.

Past Quarter Quells

• In the 25th Hunger Games, the citizens of the districts had to vote on who would compete in the Hunger Games. The victor is unknown. Nothing is really known of this game.
• In the 50th Hunger Games, four tributes were chosen from each district instead of the usual two to remind the rebels that for each Capitol citizen killed, two rebels died. This put twice as many people in the arena and made it twice as brutal. Haymitch Abernathy won in the second Quarter Quell after using the arena's force fieldas a weapon.
• The 75th Hunger Games had past victors from earlier Hunger Games compete for a second time. This action was made to destroy any bonds the districts had with each other and to make them feel weak. It was meant to be a reminder to the citizens of the districts that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol. It is speculated that this twist was not planned at the founding of the Hunger Games, but was designed specifically to force Katniss back into the arena in the hopes of stopping the rising rebellion. Had Katniss not won the previous year's Hunger Games, this twist would not have been possible as there would have been no living female victors from District 12.

I saw the "Hunger Games" twice in theaters before reading the first book.  I cried.....a lot...the 2nd time I watched it.  It took just about a week to finish all three books in the series.  I texted my sister into the late hours of the night when I finished the third book "Mockingjay".  I was a terrible mess the weeks after.  Now I have to wait patiently to endure the story all over again...
...ah!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this trilogy.  If you happen to be so inclined to "chat it up" with me regarding any of these books...I'd be more than happy to participate! 

Take care and thank you ever so much for the read!

“there is no shortage of fault to be found amid our stars” ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” 

― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

***Spoiler, possibly ;) ***

"Where did this book come from and why didn't I hear of it sooner?"  That's exactly what I was thinking when I got half way through it last Sunday.  I read this in just a day's time, finishing it with sopping wet eyes at 2am that night.  Jeez Lou-eeze!  What a story.

I tend to be overly skeptical when it comes to stories centered around teenagers.  Their "attitude" portrayed  is aggravating more times than not.  Sassing their parents seems pretty typical, so much so that I end up thinking "can't there be one kid who loves their mom?  In "The Fault in Our Stars" there is a common ground met between child and parent for the most part.  The understanding that their kid is suffering and close to their end along with the acknowledgement that the parents work to the bone to tend to the child's needs.

In "The Fault in Our Stars" we find a group of teens dealing with the meaning of life and death as they go through their day-to-days, living with cancer.  The insight given to their trauma, suffering, and hold on life while dealing with knowing that the end is near is quite startling.  It was definitely an eye opener and probably not the best to finish and then go right to sleep.  Oh the dreams I had that night! heh...

God was looking out for me on Saturday night too.  I downloaded the novel to my phone just before losing my cable and Internet!  It's not the longest read either...but the ending was sufficient for me to be able to "cope and move on".

Well, that is, after I bawled my eyes out for a few...

I give this book five out of five stars!

H is for "Humility"...

...what does "humility" mean to you?

Wikipedia-Humility (adjectival form: humble) is the quality of being modest and respectful. Humility, in various interpretations, is widely seen as a virtue in many religious and philosophical traditions, being connected with notions of egolessness.

I have been given several examples in my time of what humility means and how it differentiates from person to person.  (Holy cow! I spelled "differentiate" with out the spell check flagging it! My biggest success of the day ;)

My absolute favorite source of how to "operate" and practice humility comes from a little a book I was given years ago...

The Humility of the Heart

by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo

(this is super cool...if you click on the pic above, the link will take you to a free online copy!)

      " Every time I esteem myself, preferring myself to others, I deceive myself with this self-adulation, and    commit an error against truth."

"The more the heart is filled with self-love, so much the greater will be its anxiety and agitation. This maxim is indeed true; for whenever I feel myself inwardly irritated, disturbed and angered by some adversity which has befallen me, I need not look elsewhere for the cause of such feelings than within myself, and I should always do well to say: If I were truly humble I should not be disquieted. My great agitation is an evident proof which ought to convince me that my self-love is great and dominant and powerful within me, and is the tyrant which torments and gives me no peace.

     If I feel aggrieved by some sharp word that has been said to me, or by some discourtesy shown me, from whence does this feeling of pain proceed? From my pride alone. Oh, if I were truly humble, what calm, what peace and happiness would my soul not enjoy!"

The words above were taken directly from the book.  This writing struck me in such a profound way.  Some down-right, kick you off your seat kind of reading.  If you thought things were all "honky-dory"...this book will STILL straighten out your perspective.

And I must mention it is not only a "Catholic" read.  I have had friends read portions of this book who were not of my faith and they too were left a little more wide eyed at the pages before them.  Humility is not the sort of virtue that just resides in a person's faith.  It is a characteristic.  Simple as that.  

There was an incident once, a while back, where I was fighting with a friend.  I dwelled on the situation incessantly and lost many nights of sleep from it.  I was simply trying to find where the fault lied and who ultimately had the "upper hand".  Then I finally talked to my mother and she simply replied: "would it kill you to let it go.  To let the situation figure itself out?"

This made noooooooo sense to me. (hahah ;)

I thought my mom was basically telling me to give in, let them win, and drop it.  I did not feel that this would serve any justice to either party.  Well, ya know what?  When it comes down to it...exactly who am I to deserve this "justice" I was so eagerly in search of.

Life is not about win or lose.  It's about your sister, brother, relative or friends.  It's about how to get yourself straightened up to the point that you are able to help those around you.  Sure, we have to market ourselves in the way of gaining a following and endorsing our passion to reach our goals.  We have to work hard for that relationship, house, boat, land...etc....that we all wish to possess.  But the true "calm" in life lies in how we sit alone in the chair...by our self.  I guess I'm trying to say: If one relies so heavily on the words of others and allows a vicious storm (which I view as society) to tear away at our sails...how do we expect to help the lives of others? How do we expect to hold strong against these so often storms in life?

I truly believe that striving towards humility is key in life.  Looking around us and searching out the acceptance from the world...from others just as flawed as we are...that gives way eventually and what are we left with then?  Ourselves.

Thanks for the read!

Take care,

-Michelle

G is for...

...well.  What will G be for?

See, I had a couple ideas.  "Gardening" was a great one...

...but then I was inspired by something else.  Something that has completely consumed my day today.

"The Great Gatsby" by  F. Scott Fitzgerald

from Wikipedia:  The story takes place in 1922, during the Roaring Twenties, a time of prosperity in the United States after World War I. The book received critical acclaim and is generally considered Fitzgerald's best work. It is also widely regarded as a "Great American Novel" and a literary classic, capturing the essence of an era. The Modern Library named it the second best English language novel of the 20th century.

I just started reading the novel (I downloaded it to my smart phone last night...yay for smart phones!!!) this morning and have not been able to put it...(my phone :)...down!  It is a some what "short read" so I shouldn't be up too late tonight trying to finish it.  The last book I became completely obsessed with was a four hundred plus page story and my poor eyes endured the reading from first to last page in just over a day's time!  If a story strikes me in such a way...I will forgo the sleep and finish the chapters...no questions asked.

Anyways...since I can't really give a review of this novel since I've yet to finish it, I'll post a few lines that really struck me this morning.  No worries, they won't divulge anything important or give anything away...

"She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept.  'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl.  And I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

...and...

"Something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart."

What I love about these quotes is that the spirit of the character is delivered in it's entirety in one single swoop.  The author does not have to lay out pounds of information for the reader to understand exactly how the character feels during a certain scene.  It is the most beautiful writing I have witnessed in a while.

That will do it for this little post...for now.

I'm sure after this challenge I will

give a good little summary of my

 thoughts on this novel.

 Thanks for the read!

Take care,

-Michelle

D is for "Daphne du Maurier"...

 (13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989)

...and she is one of my favorite authors of all time!

She is an English author and play-writer.

(click on her picture for her bio at Wikipedia)

In junior high/high school, I exhausted the use of Jane Austen's tales for required book reports and assignments.  As much as I obsessed over her novels...I had to move on!  When it came time to review the reading list I was required to use for book reports in my literature courses, "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier stood out.  I......(being the oldest of my mother's children).....would get all cozied up on the couch with a few of my sisters and my mother and we would take turns reading aloud the pages of whatever book was next to be used for a report.  When it came time to start Rebecca, we all didn't quite know what to expect.  After the first few chapters we became a hot mess of addicts, rushing through the chapters to figure out what was going on.  Suspenseful to say the least!  We couldn't put the book down.

That ended my reading of Daphne du Maurier...until about 5 years ago.  In this time I have been buying up and steadily reading her books.  Without being exact she has written 30 some fiction and non fiction books.  I personally own 15 at this time and I am always more than willing to drop the $$$ on the counter when I come across another one of her tales.

"Rebecca" was a bit much to start out with because her conveying of scenic detail is through the roof!  Pages upon pages of it. Her plot was really neat however and her translation to the reader of her character's emotions was clear as day.

The most recent of her works that I have read is "Frenchman's Creek".  While all the ladies I knew were getting nose deep in the "50 shades" series...I was falling in love with a pirate who was hiding out in a bay.  I adore this novel!  I recommend it for summer time/beach reading.  You will feel like you are in the story all the more if you are close to a few waves and a lake breeze.

I will wrap it up here.  I have written a few lengthy posts for this challenge so far so I'll make it easy for y'all to be on your way...(hah! :)

Thanks so much for the read!

Take care,

-Michelle