Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

You are here: Home / books / What Are You Reading?

What Are You Reading?

at by

It rained all night and it’s raining this morning. We tend to go to bed and wake up early, so it’s still dark as we rise and stumble through turning the lights on and making the coffee. In the spring and summer, I love the fact that there is bird song and light when we first wake up. In the autumn and winter, I love rising in the darkness as there’s something beautifully cozy about it. As I start writing this post, the dark is just beginning to fade away.

It all comes down to nesting, I think. Hibernating. Shutting the world out.

That’s something we talked about this morning – being careful about what we let in on a daily basis. Protecting our little world here as we move forward. We’re going to make a concentrated effort to avoid the things we can’t control, to shut out the noise of endless ‘news.’ It’s taking a toll on both of us and we must protect the quality of our life. It’s entirely up to us.

I’ve written about this before. But sometimes it gets away from us and we’re overwhelmed once again.

I do think I had some sort of reaction to the vaccines – most likely the RSV vaccine which is new. It went on for a few days and that, combined with sinus trouble from the sudden change in the weather, made for a lethargic and slightly achy me.  I slept a lot. Hopefully, all of that is over now. We’ll get our Covid vaccination in October.

I’m reading Yellowface  by R. F. Kuang. She wrote Babel, which was one of my favorite reads this year. She is a gifted and inventive writer. I have more books on my hold list in the library system and I’m hoping a couple of those arrive at my library branch in the next few days. I also pulled out a newer biography of George Gershwin that I purchased last year – Summertime. I’ve read several bios about that brilliant man who is one of my favorite composers – but an in depth conversation with Don last year about my love for his music led to the discovery of this relatively new book, published in 2019. I sometimes like to read both fiction and nonfiction at the same time.

I suppose I’m missing reading two books at once, as I did all year long until I finished War and Peace.

So, our question for this Monday: What are you reading?

UPDATE: My nephew (Mere’s middle son) passed his bar exam!!!!!!!!!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

 

Comments

  1. Good advice, Claudia, to stop focusing on things we have no control over and who needs to hear the “news” every hour on the hour? We all need to find some measure of peace in our crazy world. Have a lovely peaceful start to your week. Hugs, Elaine

  2. I’m reading the newest (and last) book by Anne Perry who died this year. I’ve always enjoyed her many books as they are set in Victorian England and always have a crime or mystery that is solved.

    • Congratulations to your nephew! That is quite an accomplishment.

      I am not currently reading anything except newspapers and magazines. I just can’t get back into the three books I started. Some are too sad like reading the news or just too complicated with flashbacks and fast forwards plus too many characters to remember. I need to set aside time everyday to read a book like you do.

      Sorry the vaccine made you ill but I can tell you that RSV is much worse.

      I wish you a wonderful long fall season. The temperature won’t drop here for at least a month.

  3. I have watched and listened to too much news. It scares me, it depresses me. I am going to (hopefully) tune out. My heart breaks for all the people who are suffering .

    I am reading “The Stone Circle” by Elly Griffiths. I will miss reading about Ruth and her friends.

    Take Care,
    Kaye
    Park City, UT

    • I know. I have read them all now and it makes me sad that there will be no other books in that series.

      Stay safe, Kaye.

  5. hope that you and don both are done with shot reactions (and too much rain), that you feel better, sleep better!

    those yellow flowers are beautiful!

    i very much agree about the need to protect our quality of life and for me too that includes putting a limit on how much news i take in. i want to be aware of what’s going on in the world and how i can help … but not have it be top of mind 24/7.

    thinking about quality of life is a factor in why i am finally back to reading again. i am in a family of readers and was always a reader, too, but depression took reading and music away. music came back first through concerts (especially jimmy’s frequent tours, also the rare chance to go hear stevie wonder, boz scaggs, etc.), then on the radio and cds. reading? not so easy for me as it took concentration that i often didn’t have and other times just couldn’t summon. the idea of perhaps not reading for the rest of my life made me sad, then scared and i finally got mad about it (will never let depression win!). i found a book i needed to read and some quiet time and forced myself to read more than a couple of paragraphs … i read a chapter that day (not so long ago, as you know). same the next day and the next … very grateful!

    to answer your question, i am now reading a book of Christian encouragement. those osman books are next, as is a book my sister gave me for Christmas. it’s in a big tbr stack in my cupboard and i can’t recall the exact title, couldn’t find it online just now. chris k knows the title (hej, chris … hope all’s well for you and your loves! if you know what i’m referring to, please help with the title … “the bookish life of s. f. …”?! thank you!).

    hope you, don and everyone else have a very good day today! stay safe!

    kathy

    • went back up to read other comments and just now saw your update, claudia … big congratulations to your nephew on passing the bar exam! way to go! woohoo!

      kathy

    • maybe it goes without saying, but i should have said it before so will say it here now …. i also read the Bible. need and want to read it all, but most often i read some verses over and over for comfort, guidance, goodness, to let them sink into and take over my life … :)

      kathy

    • AJ Fiery or something like that. I read it, but to be honest, I didn’t like it. But many, many people loved it.

      Thanks, Kathy!

      Stay safe.

      • thanks, claudia. you added a piece of the title so i just now found it online (i’m not home now) … it’s”the storied life of a. j. fikry”.

        sorry you didn’t care for it.

        thanks to you and everyone else here for book references/recommendations over the years. crediting you all that i happily have a nice long tbr list!

        kathy

  6. Congratulations to your nephew!
    I am trying to keep my head in the sand. So much political screaming, so many awful crisis’ around the world, on top of the weather/climate change. I can’t keep my head on straight!
    The last 2 weeks I’ve read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby VanPelt. Loved it even though I had the ending figured out. The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman <3, The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts. Very interesting WW2 book. My grand daughter's 4th grade teacher has a silent reading session every day. She reads too! The Perfect Horse is what she's been reading so my grand wanted me to read it to. :) Just started Louise Erdrich's new one-Tales of Burning Love.

  7. I stopped watching the nightly news this past summer…it became too depressing. And when I’m depressed I don’t get as much done….I can’t think straight. I do watch the morning news show, because they cover a variety of topics. It’s background to my scrolling email, so I am half listening. News, whether local or global, can be depressing. I pay enough attention to know what’s going on in the world. That’s about all I can handle.

    We have been so busy lately, I haven’t had much time for reading. It’s been relegated to bedtime. But I am trying to get through The Thursday Murder Club.

    Enjoy your day! ;)

  8. I think it is good to know what is happening in our country and the world but too much can be overwhelming. It can be upsetting to think they may shut down the government and so many would be without a paycheck. I don’t know if that would also be our social security checks. All I can do is pray. God sees and knows my needs. I am reading The last secret of the the secret annex. Very interesting. Who was the person who told the Germans where theFrank family were hiding in the attic?

  9. I am reading The Only Suspect by Louise Candlish. She writes thrillers that are usually set in the London suburbs.
    My boss was speaking recently to one of the reps who supply libraries with ebooks etc and they said Richard Osman’s taking a break for now from The Thursday Murder Club series but his next book will just be as good.
    I think I might join the Wolf Hall readalong in January. I have my own copy already. Did you ever see the BBC series with Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell? It’s excellent.

    Happy Monday

    • No, I haven’t seen it and now that I’m reading Wolf Hall, I won’t watch it. I don’t want the image of the actors in my head when I’m reading the book.

      I met and worked with Rylance only ever so slightly when he was Artistic Director of the Globe in London. I was there with a group of MFA students. He’s a wonderful actor.

      I hope it isn’t a long break from the Thursday Night series!

      Glad you’re thinking of joining the readalong. If you need any of the links, let me know, Dee Dee.

      Stay safe.

  10. Oh, I must read “Summertime.” After reading Feinstein’s excellent book about the Gershwins, I’m very interested in him. I just finished a book written by a friend called Shadowland (proofing copy). I’m still trying to figure out how to write about it!

    Sorry about the reaction. I’m hoping that I can get Covid this week — I need to check with the pharmacist if I can take it when I have my pneumonia/pseudomonas thing going on. It’s always something.

  11. I’m waiting on Anderson Cooper’s book about the Astors and I’m thumbing through “Family Reins: The Extraordinary Rise and Epic Fall of an American Dynasty” by Billy Busch (heir to the Anheuser-Busch fortune). I am fascinated by these notable (for fame and fortune) families who grew to such wealth in the 1800s; have been, since I was in high school, learning of the big monopolies, etc. Loved my American History class from the late-1800s to early-1900s time period; had a wonderful teacher for that class. Teen years; my brain soaked it up. My husband until recently has been working part-time at a SoCalif farm where some Clydesdales were once raised, which were used in one or more of the Anheuser-Busch beer commercials; magnificent horses we’d all look forward to seeing on the street, the big wagon behind them; and a barn was built on the farm property many years ago, solely for the TV commercial(s); barn is still there and functional.

    I’ve become a pretty-big history buff over the years, like I never have enough time to keep making up for what I don’t know enough about; but, after all, my sophomore high school teacher was fixated on World War II, so the whole year was a loss for other periods of World History, skipping from the Crusades to Nazis. Not that learning of World II was a waste … never-ever; we cannot forget; and I have American military veterans in my family history and currently … but I just missed so much history in between and I’ve always thought of that teacher with resentment for what he failed to introduce in the classroom.

    (He got arrested [and fired] shortly after I finished his class; nude sunbathing on a public beach. What an exhibitionist-idiot. Was 1969. [Even as teens, we actually weren’t surprised at this bit of info, considering it was him.] We have plenty of beaches up and down the Southern-Central Calif coast where you can do it and not bug anybody; we all know where they are; it’s no secret as to location and how to enjoy yourself in the sun and on the beach and swim in the ocean in all your naked glory but not expose yourself recklessly; especially to, say, children [since the beach is to be shared by all]. I’ll never know what was up with that dude.)

    Had what I felt was too close to a face-to-face encounter with someone in public, unusual for me, was caught without my mask, so I took a Covid test and it was negative; big relief. I had started to cough pretty bad, so was on alert, but I guess it was just my flared-up asthma from so much SoCalif overcast with still-somewhat-warm temps; no Santa Anas yet, though. Prompted us to look at our supply of mostly-expired tests so that we can stock up if possible for this new season of heightened ‘positives’ out there (although I hope we don’t have a reason to have to use them).

    I feel anger welling up in me from being assaulted on the TV news every day now, again, with Orange Man who has been living in my head rent-free for eight years and that’s ‘way too long. Really can’t believe it’s all back and that he is in the news every single frick’in day. The state of our country; the state of the world; a lot of troubling stuff to keep us all in a continual ‘condition’ of being on edge; ah, for the ‘olden days’ when I never felt anything but safe although I guess it was an illusion. But the constant tug ‘o war, to keep informed vs when is too much too much. We’ve all talked about it here so many times. I think many of us who read you, Claudia, and who also comment on MHC blog are retirement age; we just want these years to be calm; simplified; no? There’s other stuff going on in our life which is hassle enough, like problems related to age, health issues, finances on fixed income, etc.

    But I can’t feel stirred up all the time with this hostility-annoyance-fear-dread inside myself which wells up when watching the talking heads or reading too many newspaper articles, like an angry bear pacing inside of me; anger and frustration and stress leads to anxiety leads to depression and I do NOT want to ‘go there’; however, I’m in a bad habit of watching the news programs at night and I have to make myself watch less because it is NOT ‘entertainment’. Some of the news-politics is fascinating; history in the making; being a witness to history in my own time; the processes by which it all turns; I feel like I learn a lot; but I’m learning a lot which is too upsetting when I have so little control over it. I said to my husband this weekend, same conversation as 2016, “What will we do if worst comes to worst; where will we go; how can we be safe?” The truth is that it’s not easy to go anywhere else (I’d already looked into it at the time) although I really don’t want to be anywhere but here in my beloved U.S.A. I just want ‘here’ to be secure.

    I feel like I’m talking in circles; sorry.

    Important to distract; find relaxation (hence your post today, Claudia … read, read for fun; what captures the attention in a good way, doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction!). Take a walk outside. Observe the natural world. Hibernate, too, as you mention in today’s post. Self-protect with coping tools; things we enjoy. Listen to sounds of autumn, make notes of Fall, like the beginnings now of dried leaves and a shift in the air; different shadows and light. Make the brain switch gears. Trust in God. Have faith, because there’s still so much goodness in people all around us. Count blessings. Fight fear. Breathe. VOTE. All a familiar mantra; back at it. We know the drill.

    • I feel like he stole the last several years of my life. And he’s doing it now. Of course, that’s up to me, but I don’t know how long I have left and I’m damned if I’m going to let him do it again. None of this is what I signed up for as I was heading toward my retirement years. I resent the hell out of it and I absolutely despise him and every complicit member of the GOP.

      See? I get angry and tense.

      So, it’s back to my book, which is fascinating. And to whatever else holds my interest. Hang in there, Vicki. We’re all in the same boat and we can help each other stay strong.

      Stay safe.

      • It’s okay, Claudia. Maybe you and I just had to release some of this in words today, to help us untense a little. I do SO hear you; we are echoing each other and, as you say, as the next months go by, we all truly can help each other; it was so nice how you said it. Loving and hopeful. You hang in there, too. Thanks as always for giving any of us readers the space here to express our feelings!

  12. I’m almost finished with “The Maid” by Nita Prose. Entertaining. I liked it more than I thought I would–highly recommend it as a “brain cleanse” book.

  13. Glad to hear Babel was one of your favorite reads because I’m about to begin it. Can’t believe I’m reading my second novel this month. Had not heard about that recent Gershwin bio and will be getting that next. I’ve always loved his music and, as a young girl, was captivated by his tragic story dying young.

    Congrats to your nephew passing the bar, no mean feat.

    Take care,
    Kay

  14. Oh, your morning sounded enviably perfect! I can’t wait to retire, but try not to think about it because I have about 18 more months to go. Then I plan to have perfect mornings like that every morning. One of my favorite books is All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. It’s not brand new title, but well worth the read. Hoping your tomorrow morning is just as lovely as this one.

    • I read it when it was first published and it’s one of my favorite books as well.

      Stay safe, Elizabeth!

  15. Congrats to your nephew (and to your sister)!

    I’ve been trying to read a lot of Ann Cleeves/Vera books lately to fill my free trial Kindle Unlimited, which ends today. I loved the Vera series on PBS and was at first surprised at how the character appears in the books. Cleeves describes her as a bag lady, loud, big, ugly, and fat—really doesn’t seem to like her at all. The series just portrays her as sorta dumpy and eccentric, so I just envision the quirky TV character instead. Helps me to enjoy the books more. They’re otherwise (IMHO) well written and engaging, but I don’t like reading about her “hammy hands” and “huge, ugly feet”.

    • That’s so surprising. Why would she choose those words? The same thing in War and Peace – they keep calling one of the lead characters, Pierre, ‘fat.’
      It makes me wonder what the standards were then. Is he just a big guy and not necessarily fat?

      Stay safe, Shanna.

  16. My book group just finished reading Horse by Lynda Rutledge. It was very good. I also read The Girl Who Lived Twice by David Lagercrantz. I have new one, The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons.

    • I’m picking up The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons from our local library today. It finally came in!

      Stay safe, Sue.

  17. Just the words I needed as we transition to the next season. Thank you. Am too far in to stop, I am reading an Irish mystery, first one. Recommended by friends. Disappointing.

    On to the next read – much better I hope.

    Congrats to your nephew.

  18. I’m not reading really. I am binging the best british detective shows. That, for me, is almost as reading a good book, and you get to see all these beautiful gardens. My favorite author has been Stephen King and I am just not in the mood for his books lately. Maybe it is that I am getting too old for him.

  19. Congratulations to your nephew (and your sister!)
    For the first time ever the flu shot knocked us all of us out. Next up, the other two, hopefully not at the same time.

    • I keep thinking it was the RSV shot, but maybe it was the flu shot? Because I really had a reaction this year!

      Hope everyone is feeling better!

      Stay safe.

Please check back to follow the conversation!

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

Also, I love receiving comments! I do, however, reserve the right to delete any comment that is in poor taste, offensive or is verging on spam. It’s my blog. If you’re a bot or a troll you’ll be blocked. Thanks!

Archives