February Faves

Well, we made it to February and it's still bitter cold here in eastern New York State and actually all of the state is experiencing colder than average temps.  Maybe this means we won't have a wicked hot and humid summer like last July was! Either way, I'm thankful it's February which is a short month and it's now past the mid-winter mark (which is the mark half-way between the Winter solstice and the equinox) which was Tuesday 3 Feb!!  (Yes,  I tend to go by the astronomical calendar.. I think because I was a teacher my whole career)😉

I'm sharing other things to be thankful for this week.....FIVE things that make my FAVE list.  Several bloggers engage in this writing meme and we all link up at our host Susanne. Her website is here. 

image courtesy of American Film Institute
12 Years a Slave

image courtesy of imdb

• MOVIE NIGHT:  Dave had something to do on Saturday evening, so I watched this movie that is based on a real man born in the little town of Minerva here in our beloved Adirondack Mountains where I hike a lot during the warmer months. He got married and had 2 children and moved to Saratoga Springs, the small city just to the north of my home where I hang out a lot. The film was actually made on 4 different plantations in Louisiana. It's a powerful look at a horrible crime: kidnapping and slavery.   This movie is pretty graphic but oh, so powerful. May we never forget. I'm super thankful for good quality movies that give us a glimpse of what life was life for many people.The movie is based on Solomon's memoir. I highly recommend it if you like pre-Civil War era stories. (it's definitely not for children under the age of 14 in my opinion), and then on Monday night we watched the Agatha Christie mini series (3 episodes) on Netflix.  Highly recommend! I was so happy when I guessed the "who dun it"...how can you go wrong with a good Agatha Christie story? I'm thankful for good, clean shows on Netflix as it sure seems like they are few and far between on regular TV. 
  

• CHIA PUDDING:  I finally made chocolate chia pudding for Dave and I to have a dessert last weekend. It came out great and makes enough for 4-6 servings.  I liked it better than Dave did.  It's a very vegan friendly dessert with all natural plant based ingredients. I used unsweetened almond milk and the pure baking cocoa as I was out of cacao. The chia seeds make it similar to a tapioca. It's a nice treat for our one dessert a week. I'm thankful for easy, healthy recipes. 

• MUSIC:  I found a good recording on YouTube of Mendelssohn's 4th Symphony  also known as "The Italian" symphony. It had been a long time since I heard it and it's about a half hour so I did chores while listening to it.  I'm thankful for access to good music that I don't own myself. 

• FRESH CUT:  I was trying to grow my hair out longer than my shoulders.  Nope, it no longer works for me like it did in college.....I actually got it down to where it was touching my chin which is the longest it's been in 20 years.  I didn't want to go back to super short yet so chose a French bob with the back stacked a bit and the side bangs thinned out and texturized. My hair is very thick and heavy so shorter is best for my age and face. I am so thankful my stylist got me in for yesterday and that the cut is one I love. 

• MOONLIGHT:  there's just something about the moonlight on the snow that I love. I'm thankful I  caught the full moon this past Sunday night on my iphone.  It was so pretty! And no, the deck lights were not on...that's how bright the moon was! I'm thankful for all of God's creation! 

That wraps up five of the blessings that made me smile this week.  Another blessing was that we received a reimbursement  check from the Kia Fiance people because when I paid off my car last month, apparently I paid too much. That was a nice surprise. I'm also thankful I heard from both daughters via texts this week.  I'm also thankful for the body of Believers who are keeping Savannah Guthrie and her family in prayer. She is one of my fave journalists (along with Hoda Kotb and Katie Couric) and is a Christian her self. I own her book and I loved it.  What Savannah and her family are going through is heart-wrenching. I have told my ladies small group to keep praying and I'm thankful there is power in prayer. 

What about you? How has your week been? 

A Snowy Walk Meditation

 

our neighborhood Revolutionary War era cemetery

As I walked around the neighborhood the other day, the sun was shining on the pure, white snow making it sparkle. We've had a real Winter so far this 2026 here in eastern New York and I actually like the snow. I don't care for the bitter cold single digits temps we've been having but this week so far we've seen temps of 26-30 and it's not too bad. It's still cold.......but...not as bad. But at least the snow is pretty......

As I have been re-reading certain Psalms this week, I was drawn to the one shown in the photo below. 

I decided to read some commentary on the meaning. Various commentators on Bible Hub say that the snow God brings is like wool due to the color, shape, and softness.....it blankets the earth keeping it warm so to speak so that later in Spring, the earth is fruitful. 

The snow represents cleansing....forgiveness.....and David  talks about this as well in Psalm 51:

The hoar-frost (some versions just say "frost") is either a metaphor or symbolism (depending on which commentary you read) for God's sovereignty and control over nature. It's a "sign" (the frost) that God cares for us and has divine power. Hoarfrost is basically congealed dew....with many particles fine as dust.....and is scattered all around on a cold frosty morning.....like ashes get scattered. 

This Scripture shows us that God is the one who controls nature...that nothing is random...He's in control of it all.......

The entire Psalm is about God's creation and His care of it....After a season of Winter, comes the Spring...a time for renewal.....spiritually speaking, for us......we have periods of "winter" but after this and because of it, we have a time of renewal. 

I long for Spring to arrive but for now, I will embrace the Winter and reflect on what Jesus did for us: He died and shed his blood for our sins so our hearts could be made clean and pure like snow. There's a beauty to the cold snow........and after the cold, will come renewal! 

2026 Book Review #4: Unknown Identity

 

This is book 28 in the Kay Scarpetta series by my favorite mystery author.  I have read every single Scarpetta book in order.  This one was fantastic!

STORY SUMMARY

Dr. Scarpetta, chief medical examiner of Alexandria, Virginia, has been summoned to the creepy, old and now abandoned, Oz theme park. She has to help retrieve a body that was left there.....it literally fell out of the sky....and she's devastated to learn that it is Sal Giordano, a man she loved a life time ago but with whom she is still friends.  When she was young and teaching in Rome one summer in the early days of her career, she had a love affair with the acclaimed astrophysicist,  and although they parted ways romantically, they have had a lifelong friendship. 

The murder scene is truly bizarre. There is a crop circle of flower petals all around the body and Sal's skin is a weird deep red. Scarpetta's genius niece Lucy, believes he was dropped from an unidentified flying craft.  Scarpetta knows that when she performs autopsies, they can reveal secrets of the dead person.  But she is shocked to find that her friend seems to have deliberately left her a clue.  

All of the investigators involved, including members of the Secret Service, are town between suspicions of otherworldly forces, and even of Giordano himself. But Kay Scarpetta detects an explanation that is much closer to home...and in her mind...it is far more evil. 

Just before she has to go retrieve Sal's body, she has completed the autopsy of a little 7 year old girl, Luna Briley, whose parents, who happen to actually be the owners of Oz theme park, claim was shot by her own hand with a pistol.  The autopsy reveals that she has been a victim of years of abuse.....and yes, she was shot.....but not by her own hand playing with a pistol.  What are the Briley's trying to cover up? And is Luna's death related to Giordano's?? 

MY THOUGHTS

This book was even better than #27 and I really enjoyed the twist in that one....and now here we are at 28 with 27 kind of creeping into this latest chapter in Kay Scarpetta's life. It's been 5 months since the previous book and the author does a great job in getting the reader invested in yet another weird death. 

Characters from the past show up again in this story and the author has a knack for keeping it fresh. 

I loved the action and the science behind the plot.  I learned some really interesting things about computer technology as well as issues relating to NASA.  Some readers might feel that it bogs down the story but the author does a great job of moving things forward and nothing feels stilted in this plot. 

The ending is poignant and yet we know.....we know......that one character is most likely going to return before Dr Scarpetta finally retires.  I love that. 

I'm already looking forward to reading the latest one in the series, #29 Sharp Force.   Of course there's quite a waiting list at the library for it as it was just released in early October. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older. 

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10. 

Sunday Stealin'

from about a mile to the summit
on Vanderwhacker Mt in the central Adirondacks
looking at NY's 2nd highest mt: Algonquin in the High Peaks

latte with almond milk 

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week's questions come Kwizgiver, who was invited to play by a blogging buddy named Paula. Now you're invited to play along, too.  To link up, head over here. 

The Old School Blogging Meme

I am passionate about ...

1) mountains (and hiking up them/in them) especially our Adirondacks

2) good coffee

3) advocating for children with special needs &/or abused children

4) good books and not allowing books to be banned including the Bible/Scriptures

5) my family and keeping our close relationship strong 
 

I'd like to learn ...

1) how to swim better

2)  to speak French better

3) more about social policy 

4) more about abnormal psychology

5) how to watercolor well. 

Things I say a lot ...

1) "You're kidding"

2) "Are you insane?" 

3) "dinner's ready" 

4) "I need you to______" ( to hubby)

5) "a hot latte with almond milk and 1 pump of maple please"

Places I'd like to travel to ...

1) Alaska/Banff National Park (yes, we'd combine them)

2) Ireland/Scotland 

3) Sweden/Norway/Finland

4) Switzerland/Provence (yes, I could combine those trips...already been to Paris) 

5) Nova Scotia/Prince Edward Island

HAPPY SUNDAY!