The Celebration (Amish Cooking Class #3) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

The Celebration, An Amish Cooking Class 

It gets emotional but a good read. Heidi is Amish and teaching young children how to cook and bake. It is my second time to read it and one I won a few years ago. 

There are problems with the families of each of the children who have come to the class. Heidi and her husband, Lyle, have two foster children, a brother and a sister whose parents died in a car crash. Heidi is unable to have children but she and her husband want to adopt them. 

She has six classes and the reader can read and watch the children and parents grow and learn. After each class, the children take home the recipes that that have a Bible verse on each one. 

There are chickens also in the book that are part of learning or as the Amish call them, hinkel.

The book is about God, prayers love, caring, friendship, family, death, heartbreaks, learning, and taking care of others. 

I gave it a 5 star rating. The opinions are my own.

One recipe I want to make this week: "Surprise Muffins: 1 egg, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup cooking oil, 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt. Strawberry or blueberry jam.  Grease bottom of 12 muffin cups or use paper baking cups. In medium bowl, beat egg with fork. Stir in milk and oil. Blend flour and other dry ingredients until mixture is moistened. Batter may be a bit lumpy. Do not overmix. Fill muffin cups half full of batter. Drop scant teaspoon of jam in center of batter in each muffin cup. Add more batter to fill cup so it's two-thirds full. Bake at 400* (F) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Muffins will have gently rounded and pebbled tops. Loosen from pan immediately and remove with spatula. Serve warm or cold. Makes 12 muffins. Discovering the jelly inside the baked muffin is the surprise."

Leona Olson
mnleona.blogspot.com

Playing by Heart by Anne Mateer Book Review

   

 

Playing by Heart by Anne Mateer Book Review

Book description from back of book:

Lula Bowman has finally achieved her dream: a teaching position and a scholarship to continue her college education in mathematics. But then a shocking phone call from her sister, Jewel, changes everything.

With a heavy heart, Lula returns to her Oklahoma hometown to do right by her sister, but the only teaching job available in Dunn is combination music instructor/basketball coach. Lula doesn't even consider those real subjects!

Determined to prove herself, Lula commits to covering the job for the rest of the school year. Reluctantly, she turns to the boys' coach, Chet, to learn the newfangled game of basketball. Chet is handsome and single, but Lula has no plans to fall for a local boy. She's returning to college and her scholarship as soon as she gets Jewel back on her feet.

However, the more time she spends around Jewel's family, the girls' basketball team, music classes, and Chet, the more Lula comes to realize what she's given up in her single-minded pursuit of degree after degree. God is working on her heart, and her future is starting to look a lot different than she'd expected.


Leona's Review:

This was my first book I have read by Anne Mateer and it did not disappoint.

Lula Bowman has to put her dream of getting a graduate degree in mathematics on hold to help her sister who has lost her husband. The dream of Lula and her father is for Lula to get a graduate degree; her father had always encouraged Lula.

She returns to Dunn, Oklahoma and gets a job as a music teacher. There is no basketball coach for the girl's team and Lula becomes the coach for extra money. This is a new sport at the time and Lula has no clue of what to do. She uses her handbook, Spalding's Official Basket Ball Guide for Women, 1916-1917, on basketball and the coach, Chet Vaughn, of the boy's basketball team to help her.

 

We have a telephone and a Tin Lizzie owned by Chet but still a single woman cannot be alone with a man. The book is set during WWl when so many men are at war.

 

Playing by Heart is a Christian romance and God is called upon many times for help. Have some tissues handy because it is also a book that is emotional because there is death, illness, and a little boy's loss of his father for a few examples.

 

We also see hope, love, sacrifice, history and caring in this historical novel.

The chapters are in first person, one chapter by Lula and the next by Chet and so forth. It gives the reader the feelings of the main characters.

Lula is in Dunn to help her sister and Chet is there to be with his widowed mother while his brother is off to war.

 

I received a complimentary copy of Playing by Heart from Bethany House to read and review. The opinions are my own.

This would be a good book club read.
I give it a 5 start rating.

 

Anne Mateer may be reached at www.annemateer.com

 

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

 

Review of To Know You by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel

 

To Know You by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel

From booksneeze.com

"Julia Whittaker’s rocky past yielded two daughters, both given up for adoption as infants. Now she must find them to try to save her son.
Julia and Matt Whittaker’s son has beaten the odds for thirteen years only to have the odds—and his liver—crash precipitously. The only hope for his survival is a “living liver” transplant, but the transplant list is long and Dillon’s time is short. His two older half-sisters, born eighteen months apart to two different fathers, offer his only hope for survival.
But can Julia ask a young woman—someone she surrendered to strangers long ago and has never spoken with—to make such a sacrifice to save a brother she’s never known? Can she muster the courage to journey back into a shame-filled season of her life, face her choices and their consequences, and find any hope of healing?
And what if she discovers in her own daughters’ lives that a history of foolish choices threatens to repeat itself? Julia knows she’s probably embarking on a fool’s errand—searching for the daughters she abandoned only now that she needs something from them. But love compels Julia to take this journey. Can grace and forgiveness compel her daughters to join her?
In To Know You, Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel explore how the past creates the present . . . and how even the most shattered lives can be redeemed."
Leona's Review:
This is an emotional book to read. I have known people who have been adopted and I am sure the question is " who are my parents?"  I have always thought personally that when the mother gives up her child it is out of love.
I just finished Cry of the Peacock today and part of the book deals with unmarried women. One character, Hetty, does give up her son and it was an emotional read.
The book goes back on forth on the time periods and so it can be a little confusing. Each chapter has a date, time and location which helps.
Julia's daughters are given up for adoption.  Destiny, born with the same name, and Chloe, born with the name Hope.
Destiny is very feisty and has just thrown her boyfriend, Luke, from the home as he now believes it is wrong to live together. Chloe is married to Jack who has their entire lives planned.
I find deceit when Chloe finds a friend on a chat site on the Internet. I find heartbreak and being unsure when the young women are to meet with their fathers. I find love when the Whittakers try to help their dying son. I find God is there when he is called. I find love from Julia and Luke and Jack and Matt. I find confusion when Chloe and Destiny are unsure of what to do for a brother they never met and they are also strangers.
This is a good read . I am not sure one can find their bio-parents and children so quickly but I still liked the book. It brings closeness to families.
It gives one to think about adoption and donors. I do have close friends who have had the blessings of receiving from donors.
The book is dedicated:
(From Shannon) "To my sister Donna, in anticipation of getting to know you more when we meet again in Heaven."
(From Kathryn) "To Jeanne Dignan, who blesses me even now."
Advance Acclaim on the front page of the book.
There is a reading group guide on page 347.
Question  #9 : How did you see God's sovereignty, mercy, and unconditional love unfold through the development of the characters?
Acknowledgements on page 351.
An except from Veil of Secrets on page 353.
About the authors on page 360.

Go to this site for more information:

http://litfusegroup.com/blog/the-story-behind-to-know-you
Official site:http://www.shannonethridge.com/to-know-you-2/

I received a complimentary copy to read and review from Litfuse Publicity Group. Published by Thomas Nelson. The opinions are my own. I give it a strong 4 star.

This Is Your Captain Speaking My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life

This Is Your Captain Speaking My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life
By Gavin MacLeod, with Mark Dagostino


From booksneeze.com:
This Is Your Captain Speaking My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life
By Gavin MacLeod, with Mark Dagostino
Published by Thomas Nelson
The remarkable life, career, and faith journey of the star of The Love Boat and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
For 16 years, millions of Americans welcomed Gavin MacLeod into their living rooms every Saturday night. This veteran of stage and screen transformed himself from a seasoned character actor into the leading, lovable father-figure of The Love Boat at the height of TV’s boom years.

For more than 30 years, Gavin MacLeod has served as the global ambassador for Princess Cruises. Speaking to thousands of travelers each year, and signing hundreds of autographs at every port, he stands poised to celebrate his amazing journey with a look back at the golden era of American television.

The consummate storyteller, Gavin shares his fondest memories of meeting and working with countless stars, such as Cary Grant, Steve McQueen, Gregory Peck, Bette Davis, Frank Sinatra, Ethel Merman, Ella Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, Milton Berle, and Fred Astaire.

From his humble theatrical beginnings in upstate New York, to Radio City Music Hall and on to Hollywood, Gavin MacLeod was on the fast track to success. However, a few hard life lessons—like dealing with a divorce—taught Gavin that the key to happiness was only through a deep faith in God, and he feels his work for Christ is more important than any award. Three years later his remarriage proved that a great struggle can culminate in a happy ending.



Leona's review:

This Is Your Captain Speaking drew my attention as a travel professional who specializes in cruises. I have seen Gavin MacLeod at some cruise conferences when he represented Princess Cruise Lines. I even had my picture taken with him and yes, he did have that big smile.
This is an autobiography of a man that "made it after all".
I learned a lot about the man we watched on the Mary Tyler Moore and The Love Boat. I now need to watch for him in his movies.
This is also a book about how God has affected the life of Gavin MacLeod and what and why. Many life experiences led this man to become closer to God and Jesus. He seems to have made friends with many people of many different opinions. Lots of sad times and some hard lessons of life he had to learn. One of the most touching moments was when he lost his good friend Ted Knight, whom we came to know as Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Show.
I have taken just a touch of what is in each chapter. There are so many names I cannot name all of them and so many movies and TV shows he was in; with and without his hair. Brings back so many memories.
The pictures in the book are wonderful and help make the story.
On the first pages of the book: Praise for This is Your Captain Speaking are comments by Marion Ross, Dr. Jack W, Hayford, Nancy Sinatra, Julie Benson, Mike Huckabee, Pat Boone, Kathie Lee Gifford, Florence Henderson and John Tinker.

I am giving This is Your Captain Speaking, My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life a 4 star rating. I received a complimentary copy from booksneeze.com to read and review. The opinions are my own.
Published by W Publishing Group, an Imprint of Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Leona Olson
www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The dedication page reads "This book is dedicated to the Captain of my life, who came that I might have life and have it more abundantly."


Preface: One Door Closes
Fired by Hal March (page xiv)

Chapters:
Chapter 1: Pleasantville.
A chapter about his young life. Born with the name Allan George See in Mount Kisco, New York. (page 2)
Chapter 2: Life Goes On
Death of his father. (page 13) Professor in college by name of Beatrice MacLeod. (page 20)
Chapter 3: The big Apple
Buys his first hairpiece. (page 28)
Chapter 4: Broadway, Baby!
Loved A Hatful of rain with Ben Gazzara, Anthony Franciosa and Shelly Winter is 1956. (page 39)
Chapter 5: Hurray for Hollywood
First steady TV gig at Desilu Productions. (page 50)
Chapter 6: The Elevator Goes Up
Sees Adolphe Menjou and Herbert Marshall at the unemployment office. (page 55)
Chapter 7: Connections
Meets Gregory Peck who had been a men's underwear model for the Sears and Roebuck catalog. (page 62)
Chapter 8: Glorified
McHale's Navy show. (page 70)
Chapter 9: Half-Full
Gavin MacLeod's fall from a horse. (page 87)
Chapter 10: You're Gonna Make It After All
Mary Tyler Show. (page 94)
Chapter 11: Love Is All Around
Problems with marriage to Rootie. (page 106)
Chapter 12: Chuckles
Murray in the Mary Tyler Show. (page 112)
Chapter 13: Learning to Quit
Drinking is a big problem. (page 121)
Chapter 14: The Fame Game
Buys home for mother. (page 127)
Chapter 15: Climb Aboard
The Love Boat. (page 132)
Chapter 16: Shipmates
Love Boat Follies with Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, Ann Miller, Della Reese, Van Johnson and Cab Calloway. (page 144)
Chapter 17: My Crew
" I was so blessed to spend all those years with that brilliant cast. We really became an extended family to one another..." (page 157)
Chapter 18: Seeing Stars
Ronald Reagan. (page 163)
Chapter 19: Man Overboard
Divorce from Patti. (page 182)
Chapter 20: The Life Boat
Prayed to Jesus and called Patti. (page 189)
Chapter 21: Moving On
Patti and Gavin remarry. (page 199)
Chapter 22: Back in Port
A life focused on family and God. (page 212). Beginning with Princess Cruises. (page 212)
Chapter 23: The Sea's Highs
Princess's ships. (page 224) Gavin has bypass on Good Friday (page 224)
Chapter 24: New Callings
Trinity Broadcasting Network. (page 232)
Chapter 25: Not So Gracefully
"Getting older is no picnic, let me tell you" (page 239)
Chapter 26: Enjoying the Blessings
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry movie. (page 245)

Acknowledgements
"This book would not have been possible without the support of a whole bunch of incredibly talented people.." (page 255)
Photo Credits
There is a list of the photos on pages 259 and 260.
About the Authors
Gavin MacLeod and Mark Dagostino

Leona Olson
www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Review of Melinda and the Wild West by Linda Weaver Clarke

 

 

Melinda and the Wild West, A family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho by Linda Weaver Clarke

 

From Amazon.com:

"In 1896 Melinda Gamble a very elegant, very naive young woman from Boston decides to give up her life of monotonous comfort for the turbulent uncertainty of the still untamed Wild West. Driven by her intense desire to make a difference in the world, Melinda takes a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho, where she comes face-to-face with a frightening bank robber, a vicious grizzly bear, and an intense blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. But it is a ruggedly handsome and very mysterious stranger who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared love."

 

Leona's Review:

Melinda Gamble is moving out West from Boston to become a schoolteacher in Paris, Idaho. The year is 1896 and as she told her mother " Mama, it's 1896. Women can make choices about their own lives more than ever". (page 3) Melinda will live with her Aunt Martha and Uncle William, her father's sister.

Adventures begin right away as she encounters a band robbery by Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. She meets the father of one of her school children when he finds her wading in the cool stream. Gilbert Roberts is a widower and the father of 8 year old Jenny. He is only interested in his daughter and his cattle ranch.

Being a schoolteacher is a learning experience for Melinda as well as living in the Wild West when she encounters a grizzly bear, a blizzard and a man who frustrates her. " "Are you still here, Miss Gamble?" Gilbert asked, as if wearied by her presence. "Yes. and I'm not leaving until we talk about this further:" Melinda was slightly out of breath as she tried to keep up with Gilbert's fast pace. "Miss Gamble, I'm done talking." "But I'm not. Melinda said with a firm and stubborn tone in her voice." (page 54)

I loved the descriptions of the area and the lake. Melinda taught the school children about why pencils are yellow, who declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, about the history of the area and about the Mormons and the Indians. The reader learns or is reconnected with the readings of Jules Verne and the book, Black Beauty.

I loved the stories of the skunk oil in school, the descriptions of the clothing and food, the hardships our first settlers endured and the children school outings when they drink water from the cliff with their tin cups.

This is a sweet and tender romance between two people from different walks of life, East meets West.

No violence of bad language.

Melinda and the Wild West is dedicated to: The Memory of Gilbert and Sarah Weaver (1835-1909) My great-grandparents: the first pioneers who settled Paris, Idaho.

God is present in many areas of Melinda and the Wild West. Melinda and Gilbert sing Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains'. This was composed by a Mormon pioneer from St. George, Utah. (page 113)

"Far, far away on Judea's plains.

Shepherds of old heard the joyous strains:

Glory to God, Glory to God,

Glory to God in the highest;

Peace on Earth, good-will to men;

Peace on Earth, goodwill to men!  (page 114)

I received a signed complimentary copy of Melinda and the Wild West from the author. I give it a 5 star for the history, love story and the families that make the story.

You may find Linda Weaver Clarke at www.lindaweaverclarke.com

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter

Barefoot Summer

By Denise Hunter
Published by Thomas Nelson

Book Description

Madison’s heart has been closed for years. But one summer can change everything.
In the years since her twin brother’s drowning, Madison McKinley has struggled to put it behind her. Despite the support of her close-knit family and her gratifying job as a veterinarian in their riverside town, the loss still haunts her.
To find closure, Madison sets out to fulfill her brother’s dream of winning the town’s annual regatta. But first she has to learn to sail, and fast.
Beckett O’Reilly knows Madison is out of his league, but someone neglected to tell his heart. Now she needs his help—and he’ll give it, because he owes her far more than she’ll ever know.
Madison will do anything—even work with the infamous Beckett O’Reilly—to reach her goal. And as much as she’d like to deny it, the chemistry between them is electrifying. As summer wanes, her feelings for him grow and a fledgling faith takes root in her heart.
But Beckett harbors a secret that will test the limits of their new love. Can their romance survive summer’s challenges? And will achieving her brother’s dream give Madison the peace she desperately seeks?

Leona's Review.
This was a very good and fast read. I read it in one day. It was a nice Christian romance novel with messages.

Madison McKinley comes from a large family who really care for each other but I found still cannot communicate at times. Both parents and the siblings are part of the story. Beckett O’Reilly has a father that is a drunk, a mother who left when the kids were young and a sister, Layla, that seems to have her feet on the ground. Beckett was a problem in school but has turned his life around or so he hopes.

Beckett has a grandfather who has Alzheimer's disease and is in nursing home; this is emotionally hard on Beckett but he has his faith to help him. Madison, who is a veterinarian, takes animals to the nursing home to help comfort the elderly. There are personalities with the residents and they help make the story as well as the nurse and her personality. "Mrs. Etter gave the pup a final kiss and handed him to Mrs. Marquart, who passed him to Mrs. Stuckey, arms outstretched': (page 75).

The town of Chapel Springs is a small town where everyone knows everyone. There is a fundraising play where the local play the parts. Madison is involved with play as well as Layla. A lot happens in this novel but the stories do flow.

The animals in the book also have their own personalities. As I write this, I do not remember any small children in the book. The book is so natural and I think most readers can relate. "Go potty," Madison told her and the collie trotted down the porch steps and into the yard." (page 152)

Madison has nightmares and feels if she fulfills Michael's dream, she will be at rest. As she begins the task, she must learn to sail as well as get the boat in condition. Beckett works on boats and builds them; he helps Madison when she is trying to get a boat ready for the regatta, a dream of her twin brother who died at the age of seventeen. He wanted to be the youngest person to win the regatta.

There are some light moments in Barefoot Summer as well as some sad ones. "She thought of Michael, the last moment she'd had with him" (page 166). Parts of the book goes back to the high school days of Madison and Beckett who went to the same school.

God is part of this book but religion is not over done. I found the references moving and at the right time when there are problems. "His dad was a might be a wreck, his own heart a tangled mess, but up on this hill, it was just him and God." (page 238).

There is a Reading Group Guide at the back of the book that may be used for a reading club. (page 319).
I give this a 5 star in the ratings. I really liked Barefoot Summer. No sex or bad language.
I received a complimentary copy of Barefoot Summer to read and review from www.booksneeze.com. The opinions are my own.
Leona Olson
www.mnleona.blogspot.com
Denise Hunter may be reached at www.DeniseHunterBooks.com or Denise@DeniseHunterBooks.com

bread & wine by shauna niequist

bread & wine, a love letter to life around the table, with recipes by shauna niequist

Dedicated: To my boys- Aaron, Haney, and Mac

This is such an emotional book and I had a hard time putting it down.

Shauna Niequist has written a book that goes right to the heart. bread & wine is about family, friendship, God, love, tears, loss and recipes.

I find in this book that God does not make anyone perfect. It is OK to cry and pray and talk to friends about something sad. Keep the tissues handy, because there are lots of happy moments but some sad ones also.

I am writing the first line of each chapter because it tells the story of the chapter.

Use it for a book club or church group. Give it as a gift. I suggest this book for a bridal shower for the bride; she will find that some things are not worth the worry.

The book has some wonderful recipes that are easy to make. Shauna uses a lot of balsamic vinegar, goat cheese and makes good use of her Dutch oven. There is a recipe at most of the end of the chapters. Many are gluten free for Aaron, her husband.

There are four parts in the book for club members to use for a four-week project.

I give bread & wine a five star.

I received a complimentary copy from booksneeze.com to read and review. The opinions are my own.

Shauna, I said the Hail Mary for you.

author's notes (page 9)

I am not a recipe writer, for the most part.

on bread and wine (page 11)

I'm a bread person-crusty, golden baguette; hearty, grainy, seeded loaves; thin, crispy pizza crust-all of it.

Part One (page 19)

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself"

my mom's blueberry crisp (page 21)

My mom's dad is Irish, a storyteller and twinkling-eyed joker, and her mom is German.

what the table is for (page 28)

The light is fading, the sky bleaching from blue to white and then warming to the softest blush pink, like ballet tights, like a rosewater macaroon.

hungry (page 34 )

Years ago, when I worked at a church in Grand Rapids, I drove in early on Sunday mornings, when 28th Street was still silent and gray, as the pale morning sun rose over the pawn shops and used-car dealerships.

start where you are (page 40)

My friend Laura's New Year's resolutions is "start where you are."

go-to-risotto (page 49)

Risotto is my go-to entertaining meal.

enough (page 55)

Something extraordinary happened to me today.

the chopping block (page 60)

Last winter I went to a weeklong culinary boot camp at The Chopping Block, a recreational cooking school on the city.

 

on tea and pajamas (page 68)

During a three-month period after my last book came out, I traveled to twenty-two cities to speak at forty-four events

run (page 74)

I have long considered that there are two kinds of people in the world: people who can run marathons and people who can't.

hummingbird (page 83)

Aaron and I stopped "trying" to have a baby, because it was making me crazy and breaking my heart.

Part Two (page 91)

You say grace before meals.

delicious everywhere (page 93)

One of the best parts of my childhood was traveling with my dad.

jazz and curry (page 100)

I'm not really a recipe girl.

open the door (page 105)

It seems to me that women typically experience shame about two things: their bodies and their homes.

baking cookies with batman (page 112)

The year after we were married, just after we moved to Grand Rapids, Aaron's body stopped healing itself. slowly at first, and then all at once.

morning, noon, and night (page 118)

Winter turned to spring just when we were sure it never would.

what my mother taught me (page 123)

One of the most important things my mom taught me- or, really, is teaching me over and over even now- is that the best is yet to come.

cupcake in the oven (page 128)

I'm a big fan of breaking the rules, so for Blaine and Margaret's baby shower, we bypassed the traditional route-ladies, fruit salad, passing around little outfits- in favor of a Friday night dinner party for couples.

feasting and fasting (page 133)

A few summers ago, after a season of vacation and celebration, I began a fast.

love and enchiladas (page 139)

One of the best parts about our six years in Grand Rapids was the little band of friends we made, something like a tribe, very much like a family.

meeting mac (page 146)

Last year we spent Easter at the lake with my family, heading over after the holiday services at church were finished.

Part Three (page 151)

God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature.

hail mary (page 153)

Right from the beginning, Mac was a dream- a snuggler, easy sleeper, a good eater.

magical white bean soup (page 161)

I love food that connects us to good memories, that tells us we're safe, that brings us back to sweeter times on hard days.

present over perfect (page 166)

Here we go again, Christmastime.

the bass player's birthday (page 173)

Every band should have a bass player like Nathan, and every person should have a friend like Nathan.

russian dolls (page 178)

There's something about our boys right now, about this split-second moment in time, that I want to hold in my heart forever and ever.

on scrambled eggs and doing hard things (page 184)

After Mac was born, my neighbor Lindsay brought over a pan of enchiladas and Jessie made an amazing pumpkin apple cake.

happy new year (page 190)

I've always had visions of a really great New Year's Eve party-fancy and fun, glamorous and stylish, with flutes of champagne and kisses at midnight.

swimming in silence (page 197)

In mid-February, which in Chicago is about the time you begin despairing that it will never be warm again, Ryan and Emily invited us to join them in Mexico- seven adults and five kids, a swimming pool right at the house.

Part Four (page 205)

Food and cooking are among the richest subjects in the world.

what money cant's buy (page 207)

On a clear, cool Saturday morning, the Cooking Club girls arrived at Cases house.

last-minute lunch party (page 213)

Our old friend Shane came to stay with us this spring, and the next morning after church, we had a last-minute lunch party for him and for the fiends who wanted to see him while he was in town.

city love (page 218)

Aaron and I have been ships in the night all week- a wedding, a trip, a recording project.

better late than never (page 223)

I promise we intended to dedicate Henry as a baby.

swimsuit, ready or not (page 229)

I'm a summer girl

the mayor of the river (page 234)

My brother, Todd, and I are both summer babies-his birthday in July and mine in August-so when I think about our birthdays, I always think about South Haven and about the lake.

pont neuf (page 241)

I started learning French when I was seven, and went to Paris for the first time when I was twelve.

take this bread (page 248)

I haven't baked bread since college, when I went through a brief but intense baguette phase, baking pan after pan of slim loaves, wrapping them in dish towels while they are still hot, cradling them like babies in the crook of my are, arriving in friends' house and neighbors' with still-warm, crusty, golden bread.

come to the table (page 256)

This is what I want you to do: I want you to tell someone you love them, and dinner's at six.

Appendix (page 259)

I love you like a fat kid loves cake.

four-week book club/cooking club discussion guide (page 261)

Bread & Wine is divided into four parts, so you can invite a group of friends (or your small group or book club or supper club) to go through this Four-Week Book Club/Cooking Club Discussion Guide.

four-week book club/cooking club menus (page 264)

(listed are the menus for each part)

on weeknight cooking, with pantry list (page 265)

my best entertaining tips, with sample menus (page 273)

recommended reading (page 280)

recipe index (page 281)

recipe index by category (page 282)

acknowledgements ( These are not in alphabetical. order. A nice long list.)

To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD

To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD is about an orthopedic doctor who drowned while on a kayaking trip in Chile. The book spends little time of her journey into Heaven but does give enough of her time there throughout the book.

The book is dedicated to God: "I dedicate this book to God: You gave me life And I live for your glory."

Mary Neal's book talks a lot about her life to become a doctor, her family life, her religious life, the divorce of her parents, loss of family members, her death and return to life. The book is a fast read, I read it in one day while taking some breaks, and emotional. I could feel her emotions as she wrote the book and her encounters in life and death.

I liked this book but as some have reviewed, I did not care for the politics of Kerry and Obama at the end of the book, but since this was her book, I guess she could write whatever she wanted.

For those who doubt that people return from a near death experience, this is a book for them to read. A few days before I lost my mother, I was in the hospital with her. She told us she had gone into a tunnel, never saw the light and was at peace and did not hurt. I said I was glad she came back. I had to fly back home for some knee surgery and told her I would be back in a couple of weeks, we lived in different states, when she had surgery on her leg. As a diabetic she was about to lose her leg. She died while they were checking her out of the hospital the next day; I think God did not want her to go through surgery at her age, 89.

Mary's husband, Bill, is with her the whole time as she heals from the experience in Chile. In the book, Mary Neal said her husband is the glue that holds things together.

I will say, I thought she should have been in a hospital instead of a hotel after the accident and also should have taken a medical flight back to the United States. (The reader will see what I mean when they read the book.)

I will give a little commercial here: anyone traveling, especially out of the country, should take out insurance. As a travel professional, I have seen too many people lose a trip and injured people have the expense of returning home.

The author uses a lot of biblical quotes in To Heaven and Back. She also has the poem "Footprints in the Sand" by Carolyn Joyce Carty ( the Internet has another author, Mary Stevenson, I have seen anonymous many times and her version is different than the poem in this book.)

I will write the one in the book because it is always a special poem and I believe it relates to all of us.

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream

He dreamed he was walking along a beach with the Lord

Scenes from his life flashed across the sky

And he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life had flashed before him,

He recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of his life

There was only one set of footprints.

Dismayed, he asked, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

I don't understand why, when I needed you most,

You would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child.

I love you and would never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering,

When you saw only one set of footprints...

That was when I carried you."

There are some family pictures in the book that helps the reader connect with the family, always a nice feature.

I give this book a four star. I received a complimentary copy of To Heaven and Back to review. The opinions are my own. I wish to thank the author for such a look into her and her families life.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

A Lady Like Sarah

A Lady Like Sarah

Reverend Justin Wells was a minister in Boston but now is heading to Texas to become the minister in Rocky Creek, Texas.

He finds a U.S. Marshal and his prisoner on a trail and the marshal shot. As hard as they try to help him, the marshal dies but Justin had promised him he would take his prisoner to Rocky Creek and her fate is the gallows. Along the journey, they find a dying mother that had been attacked by Indians and her baby. Justin takes the baby, Elizabeth, and Sarah and Justin continue.

Sarah Prescott has three brothers who are Wells Fargo stagecoach robbers. Sarah has never robbed but she is condemned by a judge in Rocky Creek for the death of a passenger on a stagecoach.

The journey has a lot of twists and turns but Justin has faith in God and has an answer for almost everything.

This is my second book I have read by Margaret Brownley and both are good reads. A Lady Like Sarah is a Christian romance book and the trials God seems to put them through.

Some of the sayings that I liked are Monkey Wards, for Montgomery Wards (my father who was from Oklahoma and Texas, where I was raised, used to always say this). Noah was the pack mule, Moses, and his horse, Noah. When someone died, Justin said God received them with open arms, he did not say they had died. Longhorns, quilting bee,hand cranked sewing machine, grasshoppers, mail order catalog, Barnum's Circus, click of the tongue (to encourage a horse) and pulling my leg are some words that Margaret Browning uses that add to the descriptions of the story. Something I never thought about was where did bone china get the name and the answer is partially in this book. Longhorn cattle bones were collected to be sold and used to make the china. http://www.visitdodgecity.org/documents/Visitors%20Guide/2012%20Visitors%20Guide.PDF see page 3.

A Lady Like Sarah is an easy read and I look forward to her other books.Find Margaret Brownley on Facebook under Margaret Brownley Books and also her site margaretbrownley.com

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Petra:City of Stone

Petra: City of Stone by T. L. Higley
First, I would like to thank the author for the complimentary electronic version of the book, this is my first time to read T.L.Higley.
The book begins with Julian leaving Rome because of religious persecution and the next chapter is about Cassia who has left Damascus with her son Alexander because of the death of the father of her son, Aretas. Cassia knows that Aretas is from Petra and wants to find his family.
Julian and Cassia meet at the Nymphaeum Fountain in Petra where Alexander and Julian quickly become friends. Julian also meets Malik at the fountain; Malik plays an important part in the lives of Cassia and Julian.
Cassia is robbed and attacked the first night in Petra and awakens to find herself and Alexander under protective care of Malik and his followers. It is here she finds that her son is the grandson of the king, Rabbel and heir to the throne. Alexander's father was the estranged son of Rabbel. Rabbel's first wife, Gamilath, Aretas' mother died; King Rabbel remarried and had a son with Hagiru.
Cassia takes Alexander to the Royal House to see the King but his wife, Queen Hagiru, refuses to let them see him because she said the King was unavailable; later the King comes into the room and does acknowledge Alexander is his grandson. Hagiru is upset because she thought her son, Obadas, would be the heir to the throne. The King leaves the room and Hagiru tells Cassia her son would be raised by them and she should leave Petra.
Julian finds Cassia injured and takes her to Malik. From there the story is based on trying to get Alexander back to Cassia and the finding of Christianity for Cassia.
I liked this book and the history of Petra was evident. I thought it would be more on archaeology but found it is based on Christianity. My major is Anthropology/Archaeology and I always have an interest in this subject. I read somewhere that Petra:City of Stone is a book for adults but would highly recommend it for young Christian adults. This is a good book for a book club for a church group or one interested in history.
Some tag words I found are Jesus, one God, sandals, amphitheater, death, sacrifice, suffering, strength, stone sculptors, power of Jesus, figs, triclinium, incense, siq and gods which bring you into the time era of the book. Some historical names are Petra, Damascus, Jerusalem, Nymphaeum Fountain, Temple al-Uzza. Petra and Paul of Tarsus. Faith and love are two words used quite a bit. Jesus is very involved with the characters in the book and the reader could sense that with feelings. At one point the "faces" are described as peaceful and there was singing from the Christian group.
I found the last chapters of the book more powerful and emotional as Cassia and others try to rescue Alexander from the evil Hagiru.
The book definitely has history and encouraged me as the reader to do more research on Petra. Check out some sites on the Internet for more information. I did find T. L. Higley (Tracy) on Facebook. She has traveled through Greece,Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Italy to research. I look forward to reading more of her books.