The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Since I’m writing a mystery (rewrites coming to an end soon!), I’ve been trying to read all the award winning mysteries of the last few years. That brought me to Alan Bradley’s book, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. When I first saw this book hit the shelves back in 2009, I assumed [...]

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Is your Vulnerability Ruining Your Life?

If you’d like to know, watch Brene Brown talk about how you need to embrace vulnerability instead of being ashamed of it.

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Radical Homemakers: Living More on Less

Shannon Hayes’s book, Radical Homemakers:  Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture was a good read and contains an important message as our society continually marches toward more and more consumerism.  WHY BUY? Hayes argues that we have all become consumers instead of producers and when I look around me, I see ample evidence that this [...]

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Favorite Blogs–SouleMama

I’ve been an avid blog reader for a couple of years now, having come late into the reading because well, . . . I don’t know why.  I guess I thought I was busy enough as I was and didn’t have time to spend reading about other people’s lives unless it benefited me in some [...]

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Finished the Sunflower Mini Quilt

Finished this little art quilt a few weeks ago.  Been looking at it every since.  I see so many things I’d do differently now.  But I’ve already blocked it and attached it to a frame-like backing.  I could rip it apart and make those changes but really, this was supposed to be a learning experience. [...]

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The Fate of Katherine Carr

I just finished reading Thomas H. Cook’s The Fate of Katherine Carr. This was one of those books that stick with you. The kind where you are still thinking about the book hours after you’ve put it down. I’ve been thinking about how to explain this book–the plot is so complicated. It’s about a man [...]

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Feeding the Soul through Architecture

Think your space doesn’t have anything to do with how you feel or view the world?  Check out these awesome architects who will convince you otherwise. http://player.vimeo.com/video/10452010 Roman & Williams from The Scout on Vimeo.

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ACL 2010: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Just back from Austin City Limits, 2010!  What a better weather year.  Many of you may remember last year’s weather–in a word, RAIN.  But not this year.  Clear skies, not too hot temps, and cool evenings.  Biggest issue this year was bringing warm clothes for the evenings while balancing that with high 80s during the [...]

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Five Books: Where have you been all my life?

I just found this amazing website called Five Books.  Have you heard of it?  It offers recommendations on books.  Recommendations come from a variety of people and sources and can be personal or thematic or lord knows, any number of combinations.  If you love to read and to learn, do check out this site!  Where [...]

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The Majestic Theater, Eastland, Texas

We were out at the farm last week meeting with a builder to talk about our new house. It was the first time we’ve stayed overnight in the nearest town and it was exciting to see the community lit up. We stayed at a historic hotel downtown and right next to it is the Majestic [...]

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