A Look at Lighthouses in Celebration of National Lighthouse Day

National Lighthouse Day

Tybee Island Lighthouse, Georgia (c) Wednesday Elf

On August 7, 1789, Congress approved an Act to establish and support lighthouses, beacons, buoys and public piers.

On the 200th Anniversary of this Act, August 7, 1989,  Congress passed a resolution to designate August 7th as National Lighthouse Day.  To honor this day, let's review a few lighthouses through stories, photos, and a handmade lighthouse picture afghan.

Lighthouse Enthusiast

Cape Florida Lighthouse Greeting Card

The lighthouse expert on Review This! is Mary Beth (mbgphoto), who has captured the images of over 100 lighthouses around the United States through her very fine photographs.  Check out a few of her outstanding images on her blog, (Lighthouse Musings) as she tells the story behind each one.

Then visit Mary Beth's charming Zazzle Store called “Lighthouse Enthusiast” for a wide variety of products decorated with her beautiful lighthouse photographs, such as the lovely photo of the Cape Florida Lighthouse shown above on a greeting card.

Mary Beth has also shared several of her fabulous lighthouse photographs from her various visits to lighthouses around the country in her salute for Review This of National Lighthouse Day.

Fun Lighthouse Facts

• There are 391 lighthouses on the East Coast of the United States and 94 on the West Coast.
• Thirty Seven (37) states have lighthouses.  Surprisingly, the state of Michigan (located on inland lakes, not an ocean) has over 120 lighthouses. 

Of course, Michigan is known as the Land of the Inland Seas and has connections to 4 of the 5 Great Lakes with 3,200 miles of coastline, so sailors on these often temperamental inland seas certainly need the help of the lighthouses as much as ocean-going vessels. 

• The OLDEST lighthouse is the Boston Lighthouse on Little Brewster Island built in 1716. But due to being heavily damaged in the American Revolutionary War it had to be renovated (in 1783) before being put back into service. Therefore, it is no longer the oldest ORIGINAL lighthouse. 

Sandy Hook Lighthouse Postcard by lighthouseenthusiast More New jersey lighthouse Postcards  


• The oldest original lighthouse in the US is the Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey. It was built in 1764, and is still flashing it's light today. Just ask mbgphoto ~ she's been there, as you can see in her outstanding lighthouse photo above.

My Favorite Lighthouse

Tybee Island Light

I've visited a number of lighthouses over the years, but the lighthouse that has become most dear to me is the Tybee Island Light Station at Tybee Island, Georgia.  It's one of seven Colonial lighthouses; this one originally built in 1732 at the entrance of the Savannah River, which separates Georgia from South Carolina.

The Tybee Lighthouse has been a navigational aid for 270 years.  For 13 of those years, I lived on Tybee Island where I could see the lighthouse every day! And, our daughter was married there in the Lightkeepers Cottage!

Handcrafted Lighthouse Afghan Pattern

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Afghan Pattern on Etsy

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse NC – Cape Hatteras Light is a lighthouse located on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks in the town of Buxton, North Carolina and is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The Outer Banks are a group of barrier islands on the North Carolina coast that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the coastal sounds and inlets. The pattern for this Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Afghan was originally designed as C2C Afghan, but the graph included with this pattern can also be used for knitting, cross stitch, Tunisian crochet, latch hooking, etc.

Celebrate National Lighthouse Day each Year on August 7th or Enjoy a Lighthouse Anytime Throughout the Year!

Tybee Island Lighthouse Journal

National Lighthouse Day commemorates a beacon of light that symbolizes safety and security for boats at sea.

Celebrate anytime by visiting a lighthouse, or learning more about a local lighthouse.  This Lighthouse Journal will help you keep track of your lighthouse visits.



Article by Wednesday Elf

Wednesday Elf can also be found at:Crochet Crafts Critters Blog
and many other places listed below.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Tomtom VIA1515M Portable GPS Navigator Review

We recently traveled from Tennessee to Toronto, Canada, which is almost 1000 miles, much of which was unknown territory for us.   The rental vehicle did not have a built-in GPS, so we purchased a Tomtom VIA1515M Portable GPS Navigator.  That was, by far, the best purchase we have ever made for a road trip!  After discovering the benefits of the Tomtom GPS, I can assure you, I will never leave home on a road trip without it again.  I couldn't even begin to count how many hours or how much stress this one little unit saved us.  Not only did she map out the trip for us, she give essential warnings and directions that kept us from taking wrong turns or getting caught in the wrong lanes and unable to move over when needed.

As the passenger/navigator on the trip, I was still able to look at the printed road map and compare routes, but each time I found the Tomtom recommendation to be the best.  More importantly, she could plan a new route around construction faster than I could physically do it, which saved us having to pull over to study the map at length.  Several times I simply told my husband, "just do what she says".  That was so much easier than trying to read tiny street names on the map in time to give my husband fast and accurate directions.

One of my personal favorite extra features is the ETA function.  I loved seeing the estimated length of time for our trip constantly displayed in the lower right corner.   Since we actually divided the trip over 3 days, we were able to plan each leg with an ETA for each day.

Also, we did not make hotel reservations in advance since we were not sure how far we would actually be able to drive each day.  With the nifty Tomtom "point of interest" feature, I was able to look up near-by hotels, choose one and call them to see if they had a room available all before we even reached the exit.  What a huge time saver!  No more physically hunting for a hotel, stopping and asking about room availability only to discover they didn't have any rooms for the night and having to move on.

She also told us, in advance, the location of gas stations and restaurants.

Pros of the Tomtom VIA1515M GPS

•  Tomtom VIA 1515M Automobile Portable GPS NavigatorFree Lifetime Maps - Update Online

• Includes USA, Canada & Mexico Maps 

• Displays the Speed Limit plus Your Current Speed  (Speeding Alert)

• 5" Touch Screen

• Turn by Turn Guidance

• Lane Guidance

• Colorful Display that Make Reading at a Glance Easy

• Spoken Street Names, Warnings & Directions

• Advance Warnings, Lane Recommendations  & Instant Re-Routing after Wrong Turns or Detours

• Mileage Display with ETA (estimated time of arrival)

• Separate Display for Points of Interest such as Gas Stations, Restaurants, & Hotels/Motels

• Included Phone Numbers for Points of Interest  (so we could call ahead if needed)

• Can Set to Metric or Imperial Units Depending on Where You are Driving  (Converts the Local Units to Your Selected Units)
• Satellite Powered - Still Works When Cell Phones Don't! 
• Battery Life - 3 hrs. for Out of Vehicle Use

Cons of the Tomtom VIA1515M GPS

Haven't found any yet and we used it on a 1000 mile trip!

Recommended Accessories for Your Tomtom VIA1515M GPS

Be sure to buy a pillow for your Tomtom!  Since we didn't own the vehicle we were driving, we purchased a weighted pillow for our Tomtom.  It worked perfectly.  It kept the Tomtom from moving around or falling.

Also, a carry case will allow you to take your Tomtom inside with you so it will not get stolen from your car.  Plus, you can easily switch it between vehicles this way.  The case simply protects it and makes it easier to carry.

Navitech Black Eva Hard Carry Case for the TomTom VIA 1535 Series, TomTom VIA 1505 Series, TomTomStart 55 TM, TomTom Start 55 M, TomTom Start 55 5Check PriceBracketron Nav-Mat Portable GPS Dash Mount, NewCheck Price

One Final Note

In case you are wondering, we loved Canada!!!

And yes, the GPS worked perfect in Canada too and saved a world of misery for us since we were completely unfamiliar with cities, streets, street signs and using Canadian kilometers.   That little Tomtom was well worth the cost for that one trip alone, but I have no doubt we will be using it frequently now that we have one.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Sling TV Review (Alternative to Cable TV)

Cable TV bills getting you down? Need a cheaper alternative but don't want to give up your favorite stations and shows? Then do what I did. Try Sling TV and stream top-rated cable channels directly to your TV, computer, phone, or tablet for just $20 a month!

My TV, my hand,  my Fire TV Stick screen, my Sling TV. Love it! 

Excuse me if I sound like a commercial, but I'm excited about this. We've never had cable TV at our house (we use an antenna), but we do have a Fire TV Stick which we use to stream movies, listen to music, and more. A couple of months ago I became aware of a service, an app really, called Sling Television that we could download to our Fire TV Stick to watch the cable TV channel that I was craving. Yes, I got the app primarily for one channel (TNT), to watch one show (Major Crimes), but the standard $20 monthly cost actually includes more than 20 stations including ESPN and ESPN2, the History channel and H2, A&E, the Food Network, HGTV, the Travel Channel, CNN, and more. What a deal!

We're talking 23 (at last count) LIVE cable television stations that you can watch for just $20 (plus tax) a month. You can also get HBO for $15 more a month, the Sports Extra, Deportes Extra, Kids Extra, Hollywood Extra, plus several other add-on packages for $5 each, but only if you want those channels. See the full list at the website.

Don't have a Fire TV stick or Fire TV? No problem! Play Sling through your Roku, Xbox One, Android or iOS device, your PC or Mac, or your Kindle Fire.

Since I use the app with my Fire Stick, I actually signed up via the app on Amazon and got a 14-day free trial (that offer is still in effect as I type this) and I pay, conveniently, a month at a time through my Amazon account. Oh, did I mention that there are no contracts? All I have to do is cancel if I change my mind.

So, how well does Sling TV work? For me, quite well. Navigation is easy. While the screen has frozen perhaps a couple of times, it's been rare. I remember once when the audio and video were horribly out of sync, but I just exited the app then went right back in and everything was fine. Obviously your mileage may vary depending on the device you're using and the reliability of your wi-fi connection.

Speaking as a non-techy person, I set this up myself and I'm the one who usually controls the remote, so that proves that it's easy to use. Is SlingTV a good choice for you? I don't know your needs, but for me, I can watch Major Crimes on Monday nights, plus a lot of other great shows, and I don't have a cable bill or a contract, so I'm happy. With the 14-day trial, you really have nothing to lose.

Where do I sign up for Sling TV?
Download the app on Amazon and you'll be eligible for the 14-day trial.  Learn more about the service and see the current line-up of shows on the Sling Television website, but you'll only get a 7-day trial if you sign up there. (Prices and terms subject to change.)

So tell me, do you have cable TV or do you use an alternative service such as Sling?

P.S. Update: It's been almost three months since I wrote this review and I'm enjoying Sling more and more. Between baseball playoffs and college football, I'm using it more and more, too.  

-- Susan Deppner

About the Author

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing The Anasazi Mysteries Series

Historical Fiction Series

Anasazi Settlement Ruin
Photo courtesy of  Charles M. Sauer

As a huge fan of historical fiction, I want to share a series of books that I recently discovered. The Anasazi Mystery Series consists of three very well written books that I highly recommend to anyone who loves this genre of literature. 

The series was written by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and her husband W. Michael Gear who are not only gifted with telling a great story but are also both archaeologists. Their knowledge of the science involved in  a "dig" adds remarkable depth to the story they unfold in each of the three books. 

In each of the three books, we go back and forth between a modern day team of archaeologists who have uncovered bodies of women that have been buried in a most nontraditional manner and the story of the Anasazi peoples who inhabited the area where the bodies were found. The "dig" is taking place in the late 1990's and early 2000's. When we are learning the events that led up to these women being buried we are in the time frame of around 1150 to 1200 AD. The time frame from the past is significant because it is the era that most historians and scientist place the sudden disappearance of the Anasazi peoples. 

You will want to start with the first book because the story builds and continues with books two and three. 

The Visitant: Book I of the Anasazi Mysteries

Who Were The Anasazi?

They are often referred to by many names. The word Anasazi is loosely based on a Navajo word which means ancient ones or ancient enemies. You might also know them as the cliff dwellers or the peoples who created the cliff dwellings found in the Four Corners area of the US. Modern historians refer to this group of peoples as the Ancestral Puebloans. 

There is much debate among the scholars as to when the culture first emerged but the general consensus is that it was around 1200 BC and they seem to have ceased to exist around 1200 AD. That is 2400 years, folks! What happened to them? Where did they go? 

I have been fascinated with this ancient group of American Indians for as long as I can remember so when I saw the series, I knew I just had to read it. 

The Series Is A Mixture of A Mystery, history and so much more!

What I love about this short series of books that could almost be called a trilogy is that there is a great mystery to solve. Why were these women buried in such a nontraditional manner? Were they tortured and if so; why? Who did this? 

The series goes beyond the mystery, though. The authors give us a background in how this culture lived and what the climate was like at the time. We learn about their religious beliefs, the warfare among the peoples in the area at the time and of a sickness that could be a huge part of their demise as a culture. It is a story about good versus evil, about love and loss and how people have not changed a whole lot over the centuries. 

There are questions raised in my own mind as I have read through these three books. As the story unfolds we see that there is often a struggle with the scientists. There are the scientific facts that come to light during any excavation of artifacts and skeletal remains but there is also the beliefs of the people involved from an emotional and spiritual level. How does one separate the two or better yet should they even try to keep them separate? Is it possible for the spirits of the past to reach out to us and help us understand what happened? A discussion for another day, but interesting in and of itself. 

I highly recommend this set of books: The Anasazi Mystery Series to the fan of historical fiction and those who love a great mystery. The books include: 

• The Visitant (link above)
• The Summoning God: Book II of the Anasazi Mysteries
• Bone Walker

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Review of The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez

Why Do Corporate Lawyers Have Such a Bad Reputation?

The Color of Law gives readers a fictional peek inside the world of large law corporations and will show you why corporate lawyers have such a bad reputation.

We meet protagonist Scott Feeney as he speaks to a group of lawyers he hopes will elect him President of the State Bar in Texas. He asks his fellow lawyers: 'Are we really doing good, or are we just doing really well? Are we noble guardians of the rule of law fighting for justice in America or are we just greedy parasites using the law to suck every last dollar from society like leeches on a dying man? Are we making the world a better place or are we just making ourselves filthy rich?' These words and the ones that followed in the same tone, declaring that yes, they were fighting for justice and that he was proud to be a lawyer, got him a standing ovation. He said he wanted to make his mother, who had told him to become another Atticus Finch, proud.

When the lawyer Feeney wants to replace as president of the bar calls his bluff with a whisper in his ear about his impressive line of BS, Scott replies, 'Henry, you don't get laid or elected by telling the truth.' Unbeknownst to Scott, there was one lawyer, sitting in the back of the dining room by himself, who was not applauding, United States District Court Judge Samuel Buford. He was, however, smiling to himself.

Scott Feeny has it all. He had been a partner at the prominent Ford Stevens law firm in Dallas for four years and was making $750,000 a year. He has a beautiful wife, a nine-year-old daughter, “Boo,” whom he dearly loves, and a mini-mansion in a very exclusive community known as Highland Park. He belongs to an exclusive country club. He has everything money can buy, and he really doesn't want to let his family know what he has to do to earn it. The reader, however, sees it all, and recognizes that what Scott does may be “legal,” but definitely not moral.

Why Scott's World Is Turned Upside Down

Two things happen to change Scott's world. A black prostitute is accused of murdering a Texas senator's playboy son, Clark McCall. Senator Mack McCall is planning to run for President. After throwing the words of Scott's speech back at him, Judge Buford calls on Scott to defend the prostitute, Shawanda Jones, for free, as a court-appointed lawyer. The judge says Scott would make his mother proud by taking the case. Scott cannot find a way to wiggle out of it. The judge rubs it in that it was Scott's speech that makes him decide to appoint Scott instead of a regular criminal defense attorney. 

Defending Shawanda, however, threatens everything Scott has worked for in life. At first, he plans to have Shawanda plea bargain, as his boss wants him to, to keep the case from going to trial. Shawanda, however, insists she is innocent, and Scott begins to believe her. As he attempts to put all he has into Shawanda's defense, the other partners at Ford Stevens fire him because they don't want their firm's name dragged through the mud. Scott's best clients drop him due to pressure from McCall. In fact, it seems McCall indirectly controls almost all Scott has and is taking it from him.

In contrast to the dirty politics and social pressure in what had been Scott's corporate law career, we see Scott's healthy relationship with his daughter, “Boo.” He reads the Constitution to her at night like a bedtime story, and they discuss it and how it applies to life and law. She not only supports her dad's decision to defend Shawanda but also encourages her dad to let Shawanda's daughter live with them to keep her safe while her mother is in jail. Shawanda lives in the projects that Scott is scared to even drive to. Meanwhile, Scott's wife, Rebecca, finally leaves him to run off with the assistant golf pro at the country club where Scott (and she as his wife) have had their membership taken away due to McCall pulling some strings. Her relationship with Scott was not strong enough to survive losing their wealth and social status.

Meanwhile, an old friend of Scott's from his youth, Bobby Herrin, reenters his life. Scott has always been Bobby's hero, but Bobby wasn't good enough at football to get a scholarship at SMU as Scott did. He had to get a student loan. Although he followed Scott to law school, his grades weren't as good as Scott's. Scott and Bobby had once planned to practice law together, but Scott could not resist the call of the opportunity Ford Stevens offered him. The large law firms didn't want someone like Bobby, so he became a street lawyer. As Scott starts losing everything, Bobby begins to play an important part in Scott's life again. Now it is Bobby who can teach Scott a few things.

Power Versus Justice

Image  Courtesy of Pixabay, text added on Fotojet

When I began to read this book, I almost stopped because it mostly focused on Scott's perfect life and dirty corporate law. I always, however, give a book at least fifty pages, and by the time I had read those fifty pages I was hooked. The book has a lot to say about power versus justice. Scott finally learns for himself what it means to do good, as opposed to just really well. I was very satisfied with the ending of the book, but I won't spoil it for you. Once past those first few pages, there is plenty of suspense and human interest to keep you reading until the end.  I'm  looking forward to the next novel in this series, Accused, where Scott will have to defend the wife who left him. She is accused of killing the golf pro she ran off with. 

Gimenez writes on some of the same themes as John Grisham and handles them with the same skill. Some critics believe he is overtaking Grisham. Whether that is true is something you will need to decide for yourself. I will have to read a few more by Gimenez to decide, but I'd say he is definitely giving Grisham some competition.

 The Color of Law: A Novel >/a> El color de la ley (Principal de los Libros) (Spanish Edition)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Which Quote Best Describes You?

Quotes for the Wall Here

In the New World of 140 Characters, Quotes are Fast Becoming a Way of Making a Quick Statement About Ourselves; Which Quote Best Describes You?

It's going to be difficult to select just one quote that best describes yourself! Most of us have numerous quotations in our repertoire that resonate with us.

Certainly, as we grow older, a saying that meant something to us once at 20 years old may not hold the same meaning for us at 40. However, having noted all of these obstacles, take a gander at the quotations I've put together below to see if there's one particular quote that means more than an other, at this time in your life.

Of course, I've only focused on a handful of quotations to feature, but don't let that stop you

from adding the saying that you personally like best in the comments section.

Does A Quote about Success and What it Means to

Succeed Hit Home With You?

Are you the sort of person who connects with phrases and quotations about success versus failure? There are a number of them to choose from including this extremely popular quote by Michael Jordan.

"I have missed over 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan"

This particular saying says a lot about perseverance...taking 9000 shots, losing 300 games...and this is why he succeeded. Are you the sort of person who's just stubborn enough to keep going until you make it? Do you look at the failures in your life as merely temporary obstacles? Maybe you're motivated by failure?

A few of my own personal favorite quotes are:

1.  This too shall pass
2.  Sometimes God calms the storm, but sometimes God lets the storm rage, and calms his child

Some people find it difficult to cope with obstacles and failures; how about you? Do you believe that anything is possible if you just put your mind to it? There are a lot of questions here aren't there? Go ahead, offer up your thoughts.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

"The Proposal" with Sandra Bullock Movie Review

Let me "propose" this solution for an otherwise boring evening!

The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds is a delightfully entertaining movie.  Even though the movie is pretty predictable, it is refreshingly funny and romantic.

Sandra & Ryan really are a good match!  Not only are they a cute couple, but they appear to interact naturally with each other.

Betty White, Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson each added their own special touch of fun and awesomeness in their supporting roles.  The total cast really made this movie one of the best romantic comedies I have ever seen.

Review of The Proposal

 The Proposal (Single-Disc Edition)A hilarious romantic comedy that will keep everyone laughing!

This is one of the best movies I have seen in decades.  My son took me and my husband to see this movie the week it opened.  The guys really went just to accompany me, but they ended up being thoroughly entertained too.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I get really tired of going to the theater, paying astronomical admission prices, then going home more depressed than I was before I went.  Oh wait, I wasn't depressed before I left home!

Regardless, that was not the case with this movie.  I actually felt lighter and happier when I left the theater and wonders of all wonders, I was laughing.  When this happens, it is an occasion to rejoice; and write a review!

Be warned though, there is a nude, well mostly nude, scene.  However, it was so funny that I forgot to be embarrassed.

The Proposer 

Margaret Tate 

Sandra Bullock has always been one of my favorite actresses.  Not only do I think she is beautiful and witty, she appears to be the type of person I would want for a best friend.

If I had read the screenplay first, I never would have pictured Sandra Bullock playing the part of Margaret Tate.  Gratefully, I was not on the casting committee because she certainly is the perfect choice.

She is extremely entertaining without being crude, rude or socially unacceptable.  Well, maybe she was a bit rude in this movie, but she is still somehow very lovable.

The Proposee 

Andrew Paxton 

Surprise, surprise, surprise!  Ryan Reynolds is truly remarkable!

While he has never especially impressed me in the past, I couldn't even tell you what I have seen him in before, he was phenomenal as Andrew Paxton. You absolutely must see this movie!  His expressions alone should make this a box office hit.

Nothing less than an Oscar deserving performance! 

While he may not have received an Oscar, he did win MTV's Best Comedic Performance Award for this movie.

The Plot of "The Proposal" 

Only a teaser. I won't give the whole movie away 

When Margaret Tate learns that she faces being deported due to an expired visa, the manipulative and despised executive declares that she is actually engaged to her unsuspecting assistant, Andrew.

Shortly thereafter, Margaret and Andrew find themselves in the Immigration office insisting that they really are in love.  In order to prove to the suspicious immigration officer that they are the "real thing", Margaret once again lies and states that they actually have plans to spend the weekend with Andrew's family in Alaska, where they intend to announce their engagement to his family.  After being totally caught off guard by this declaration, Andrew decides to make a few demands of his own, starting with a proposal.

Alaska becomes the setting for one comedic episode after another.

At the risk of being redundant, You Simply Must See This Movie!

The Proposal Trailer

Join me for a brief look at the movie!

Others Opinions of "The Proposal" 

Reviews 

Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
"The chemical energy between Bullock and Reynolds is fresh and irresistible"

The Hollywood Reporter by Kevin Lally 
 "The situations might be formulaic, but the teamwork of the two leads brings them to sparkling life"

Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert 
"Recycles a plot that was already old when Tracy and Hepburn were trying it out. You see it coming from a great distance away. As it draws closer, you don't duck out of the way, because it is so cheerfully done, you don't mind being hit by it"

Los Angeles Time by Betsy Sharkey 
"Just a good old-fashioned romance, one in which people actually bring out the best in one another rather than the worst. How novel is that?"

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

True Grit 1969 Movie Review

Starring John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn

Click to buy True Grit on DVD or Blu-ray
or rent and watch instantly

Hard to believe that True Grit, the movie, is over 45-years old. It's one of my favorite movies so just in case you haven't seen this classic film, I decided to review it here for you.

True Grit takes place in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and in Indian Territory, across the Arkansas River from Fort Smith in what is now Oklahoma. Mattie Ross, the young star of the story, has traveled from Dardanelle, in Yell County, Arkansas, to meet Rooster Cogburn, a U.S. Marshall assigned to Judge Parker's territory in western Arkansas. Mattie has been told by her family's attorney that Rooster Cogburn has "grit," so she is sure that he is exactly the one she's looking for, the man who can track down Tom Cheney, the outlaw who shot and killed her father.

I happen to know a little bit about the Fort Smith, Arkansas, area; that's my neck of the woods. Judge Parker was real and is a very important part of our local history. I know something about the area across the river, too, and I know it doesn't look at all as it's portrayed in the movie, but I decided not to hold that against the makers of this film, which is more than worthy of a spot on my top favorite movies of all time list.

I love the characters in this story. I love Mattie Ross, partly because she reminds me a lot of myself (I think she even looks a little bit like me), and who doesn't love John Wayne no matter what character he portrays, and Rooster J. Cogburn is a character, indeed.

When the True Grit movie remake was released in 2010 I was very anxious to see it, and I liked it, but the John Wayne version is still my favorite. If you haven't seen True Grit starring John Wayne, you must.

The Fort Smith Connection

If you're a fan of either or both True Grit movies, or the novel on which they are based, then you may already know about the real Fort Smith, Arkansas. That's the setting of the story and the city the fictional Marshal Rooster Cogburn called home. Today, Fort Smith is also the home of the soon-to-be-built U.S. Marshals Museum.

--Susan Deppner

About the author

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing The Can Strainer

What Is A Can Strainer?

I am fairly certain that you know what a colander or strainer is in the kitchen. They are usually a bowl shaped tool that we use often in cooking. Straining the water off of pasta comes to mind. What in the devil is a can strainer, then? Well, it is a handy dandy little tool that I did not even know that I wanted until I got one as a gift. Now, I use it quite often! 

Many times in the cooking process we are using a canned ingredient in the recipe. It could be a can of crushed pineapple and the recipe says to separate the juice from the pineapple and set the juice aside. In the past, I partially opened the can and drained the juice into a bowl or measuring cup by applying pressure on the lid. That could get messy and for goodness sakes it is a real pain to then get that lid back up and out of the way. I would have to use a butter knife or something to pry it up. I found out the hard way that using your fingers is not a good idea! Those can lids are sharp!

Well, let me tell you, that is no longer a process that I have to deal with. I received a can strainer as a gift one year and now the process of draining liquid out of a can is easy peasy! Just remove the lid and place the strainer over the can and turn upside down. Voila! Drained with no muss or fuss!

Have a can that is larger around than the strainer? A can of tuna? It might look like you won't be able to use this little gadget, but think again. Flip the strainer the other way, flip the can upside down and apply pressure to the strainer, badda bing badda boom the liquid is drained out and you have dry tuna.

You Don't Have To Wait...

I was lucky enough to get my little can strainer as a gift but you do not have to wait for someone to give you one. You can purchase one for yourself. 

Progressive International Can Colander

You even have an option of getting a different color if the white doesn't appeal to you. I have seen them in a turquoise and even stainless steel. I just love my little can strainer and honestly do not know how I managed without one for all of those years. Well, I do but it was a pain. Now, I don't have to worry about cutting my fingers on the can lid and there is never any food that spills out of the can when I drain it.

I usually buy several at a time and hold them for when I have a bridal shower to go to or a housewarming gift to give. I just add them in with whatever else I am giving. One year, I placed one in the canned goods I was donating for the local food pantry drive.

The can strainer is one of those handy dandy little gadgets for your kitchen that you probably would never think of getting for yourself but once you have one, you find you use it all of the time. Clean-up is a breeze! It is dishwasher safe and once cleaned is ready for the next time you need to drain a can of ingredients. It does not take up much space to store, either. I keep mine in my little gadget drawer near the sink.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Review of Samantha Kincaid Legal Thrillers by Alafair Burke

Why I started Reading Alafair Burke's Books

One day at the library I was looking for enough books to get me through an unpleasant medical procedure.  A man who was browsing the new books next to me recommended I check out the first three Samantha Kincaid Legal Thrillers.  I'm glad I did. I had not read anything by Alafair Burke before, but I'd like to read more of her work.

Samantha (Sam) Kincaid is a Multnomah County deputy district attorney (DDA) in Portland, Oregon. Sam had been an Assisant U. S. Attorney in New York before her then husband Roger had gotten a job as in-house counsel with Nike in Portland, so she had moved with him. After they had moved, she discovered he was playing around and she divorced him. Her first DDA assignment was in the Drug and Vice Division (DVD).

Reviews of the Samantha Kincaid Legal Thrillers

Judgment Calls

In Book 1,  Judgment Calls, Sam's first case involved an almost dead thirteen-year-old prostitute, Kendra Martin, who had been dumped into the Columbia Gorge after being raped, beaten and left for dead. The case had been assigned first to the Major Crimes Team (MCT) when it had appeared Kendra was dead. When she wasn't, Tim O'Donnell, a senior DA in the major crimes unit, didn't want to prosecute the case as an attempted murder. Instead he wanted to kick the case down to the general felony unit, for crimes not considered serious, where everyone knew there wasn't enough motivated manpower to prosecute the case thoroughly. Prosecutors for general felonies tried to get rid of their cases quickly by pleading them out for reduced sentences.

As Judgment Calls opens, Sergeant Tommy Garcia, who was in charge of the department's vice unit, is explaining the circumstances of the case to Sam. Garcia wants Sam to take the case as part of DVD because drugs and prostitution are involved and he knows Sam will put the energy needed into the prosecution. Tommy and the MCT believe the case is serious and they want  to catch the bad guys and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Garcia arranges for Sam to meet with two MCT detectives in the cafeeria, Jack Walker and Raymond Johnson, about the case. It turns out that Sam's old on-again, off-again boyfriend, Chuck Forbes, is also in the MCT. His partner is Mike Calabrese.

By the time the meeting in the cafeteria was over, the way was paved to keep MCT working on the case with Sam in charge of the prosecution. Her relationship with Chuck is a subplot. So is Sam's relationship with her father and her best friend, Grace. These characters appear in all the books.

The other character that appears in every book is Lisa Lopez, an attorney often called in to defend indigent defendants. She is a naive “true believer” who is sure all her clients are innocent, whether they are or not. Naturally, she is called in to defend Frank Derringer, one of the two men Kendra said kidnapped, raped, and beat her. She had identified him from a picture, but she did not know who the second man was. Lisa is Sam's nemesis in all the books I've read so far.

I won't say any more about the details or outcome of this case. I will say there is lots of action and the reader will see a detailed account of how both the police and the prosecutors do their work and what a political atmosphere they work in. The author does a great job in developing the main characters and showing how difficult it is to convict a suspect when most evidence is circumstantial. The plots are complicated enough to keep one interested without confusing readers.

Missing Justice

By the second book in the series, Missing Justice, Sam has been promoted to the Major Crimes Unit after her performance in the previous book. This time she needs to prosecute the killer of a missing administrative judge who later turns up dead. Burke does an even better job with the plot and characters in this book than in the last one. My experience so far with Burke's books is that they are not simple cases of finding one culprit. They are more like complex webs that need to be unraveled, where characters rarely turn out to be as they appear to be, the crimes are committed by more than one person, and the victims may not be innocent themselves . The fun for the reader is in trying to identify those who ought to be suspects, following the threads of the investigations, and  trying to piece together what is found in the investigation before Sam does. There's also enough suspense to keep the reader holding her breath until the end.

Close Case

The last of the three books in the batch I read this week is Close Case, in which a black news reporter, Percy Crenshaw, is murdered in his car. A black woman has also been shot through her windshield by a white police officer who claims it was self-defense, even though the woman was unarmed. Later, there is a drive-by shooting that kills one black woman and badly injures another who is a well-known black activist. A major help in putting the pieces together to solve the crime was a wannabe reporter –a news staffer who had helped the police who were searching Percy's office after his death. This was my personal favorite of the books.

 Samantha Kincaid Mysteries (3 Book Series) Judgment Calls: A Mystery Missing Justice (Samantha Kincaid Mysteries) Close Case (Samantha Kincaid Mysteries)

& 

My Recommendation

I would recommend these novels to all who enjoy thrillers, and who can live with colorful language and main characters who have affairs or shack up. These books do not assume that all police and prosecutors are good guys. You will see a very seamy side of life, but that comes with the territory in detective novels and legal thrillers.

The author, Alafair Burke, is a former DDA in Portland who now teaches law and appears on television as a legal commentator. We can assume she has first-hand knowledge of her subject. I'm hoping to pick up another of her books soon. I was sorry to see the last one end.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: