Touching the Clouds by Bonnie Leon: A Book Review

The Wedding that Wasn't

We meet Kate Evans, protagonist of Touching the Clouds, on the day that was supposed to be her wedding day. A week before, she had told Richard, the man she was to marry, that she feels a need to move to Alaska to become a bush pilot. Richard is hurt and not ready to give up on marrying her. Her parents don't completely understand, either, and it's hard for Kate to explain. She likes Richard a lot. She doesn't enjoy hurting him. She just doesn't think she loves him enough to marry him.

Kate wants to get away from all that reminds her of the awful day she "killed" her best friend Alison. Kate was seventeen then. She had talked her friend into flying with her in her father's plane. The weather had been fine, with clear skies, when they started out. But when they got to Rimrock Lake it was foggy. She didn't turn back even though she knew she should. They had crashed into the lake, which sucked the plane down into the icy waters. For seven years Kate has blamed herself for Alison's death and is sure everyone else in town blames her, too. She want to go where  no one knows about the accident.

Image in Public Domain Edited with Text from Touching the Clouds by Bonnie Leon.
Created on https://getstencil.com/app/

Right after the accident, she was afraid to fly again, but her dad, an excellent pilot who had taught her to fly, helped her to get back in a plane and resume flying once again. Now she is 25 and wants to do something she believes matters -- something more than just getting married and having babies. Her mother warns that she can't let her past rule her present.  She replies,

As long as I stay here, everything is about the past. I need to start over in a place where I can prove myself, a place where I'm free to live without shadows of that horrible day dogging me.

Now, as she's about to get into her Bellanca Pacemaker and head for Alaska, she leans against her father Bill -- the one who taught her to fly and has always understood her. Her feelings are mixed as she prepares to leave her parents and the apple farm in Yakima. The angry roar of Richard's truck as he left moments ago, after one last attempt to keep her home, still sticks in her mind. She wonders if she will regret her decision.

She climbs into the plane. Her father cranked it for her, she pulled on her helmet, and checked the gauges one last time, and took off. The year was 1935.

A New Life in Alaska

Chugach Mountains Near Anchorage from the Air,
Courtesy of Frank Kovalchek, CC 2.0 

When Kate landed in Anchorage, she spent the first night in a hotel she could not really afford. The next day she applied for a job at the local mercantile. She knew she probably wouldn't get a job as a pilot right away and meanwhile she would need to support herself.

When Albert Towns, the owner of the store, interviewed her, she admitted she really wanted to be a bush pilot, but recognized that probably would take some time. Albert and his wife Helen were OK with that, saying that if she found work as a pilot, she could work part-time around her flying hours. The couple also said she could stay in a room at the back of the store. The arrangement worked well for all of them. They became close friends.

One of the first customers Kate helped in the store was Paul Anderson, who lived in Bear Creek in a rather isolated cabin. He came to town a couple of times a year to stock up on supplies. He had come from San Francisco but no one knew much about why he came to Alaska. The reader learns his wife back home, Susan, had died. No one knew how he had earned his living in California. In Bear Creek he was trapping animals for their meat and fur.

The reader can sense that Paul finds Kate fascinating, and Kate admits to herself he is handsome and intriguing. One wonders if this is the beginning of a possible new romance.

When Paul learns that Kate wants to work as a pilot, he suggests she try the new airfield at Lake Spenard. She had already tried Merrill Field with no success. They didn't need any more pilots. Kate applies at Lake Spenard. Although the interview was tough, Sidney Schaefer tests her in the air, and hires her part-time for a mail run. The current pilot filling in for the mail run, Mike Conlin, was to train her the next Monday.

Kate Begins Taking Passengers

This is the terrain of  the Chugach Mountains Kate flew over near Anchorage. 

Kate soon got used to the mail run, and looked forward to giving people their mail, especially Paul and his neighbors -- Patrick and his wife Sassy and their daughter Lily. Paul felt uncomfortable with Lily because he knew Patrick and Sassy wanted him to marry her and he didn't want to. Sassy was always sending Lily over with food, or to help. Paul was polite, but he didn't want to encourage her.

Paul was fighting his attraction to Kate because he didn't want to give his heart away again.  Falling in love would make him vulnerable to hurt again. He knew Kate's work as a pilot was dangerous, and he could lose her, just as he'd lost his wife.

Kate proved herself capable on the mail run, and Sidney began to let her carry passengers. Her first opportunity was a rescue flight to check on hikers at McKinley Park who should have gotten in before the sun went down. She was called in  early morning to go search for them. She found them just before her fuel got low enough to necessitate turning back. That made her more sure than ever that she would not return to Washington and Richard, who was still writing and begging her to come back. She knew she belonged in Alaska, flying as a bush pilot, fulfilling her dreams.

Photo of Mt. McKinley Courtesy of  Pixabay

Kate got to play Santa Claus before Christmas. She flew to Kotzebue,  549 air miles northwest of Anchorage, to bring Christmas packages to that small town. She had made friends with the owner of the airfield Joe Turchick and his native wife Nena on her first visit. She had arrived on Halloween and Nena invited her to go trick or treating with her and her children. Since then she'd stayed overnight with them on her trips there. It was like her home away from home in Kotzebue.

Nena was afraid to fly. After the Christmas  trip, though, she asks if Kate will take her to visit her sister in Candle, who is about to have a baby. She overcomes her fear when she sees how beautiful it is to look down at the scenery. She decides she actually likes to fly.

Flying Wasn't All Fun

Most of Kate's trips were uneventful, but some passengers put her and everyone else on the plane at risk. It's hard to handle drunk hunters bigger than you are and fly a plane at the same time, especially when the drunkest one opens the door in the back of the plane . One woman lied about about how far her pregnancy had advanced and actually gave birth in the plane. Kate knew nothing about bringing babies into the world, but she had to find a place to land and deliver the baby.

Kate had many close calls. On one occasion she left on a mercy flight with a nurse to pick up a miner in Hatcher Pass who had fallen, was seriously injured, and needed to get to a hospital.  The weather conditions were so bad that Jack, the other pilot there on call refused to go and called Kate a fool for going.

Hatcher Pass Photo Courtesy of Dootsle20, CC 2.0

Kate wound up agreeing with him when after flying in the fog she discovered she was off course. Her compass was malfunctioning. She had to find a safe place to land and wait for the fog to clear. Meanwhile, everyone at home was worried. Unfortunately, when the fog cleared they found that the miner had died. None of the pilots could afford radios in their planes, so when  pilots had trouble, there was no way to contact anyone to report their locations.

After each close call, Mike, who was getting to be a close friend, comforted Kate. His interest in her was obvious. Paul's reaction to Kate's close calls was to withdraw.  One of Kate's fellow pilots, one of the best, crashed and did not survive. The loss hit Kate and the other pilots hard.

Nena finally made it to Anchorage. She had a wonderful time. As Kate was taking her back home to Kotzebue, they passed Mt. Susitna, also known as the "sleeping lady." Kate veered from the flight plan a little to give Nena a closer look. That's when Nena smelled something, and Kate saw a drop of oil on her windshield. Memories of Rimrock Lake came rushing back. Below is a photo of Mt. Susitna from Cook Inlet, the location Kate was flying over when this happened. You will have to read the book to find out what happens next.

BySanchom - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0aption, CC 3.0

A Decision to Make

The first decision, the one Kate had already made, was to stay in Alaska and fly. She had learned that she did not want to live an ordinary life. She had told Richard she would not be coming back to him. She knew he would not want to live in Alaska.

Kate had been dating Mike, her fellow pilot. He was protective of her and a good friend, but she did not think she was in love with him. She was eager to know Paul better, but although he sometimes seemed attracted to her, he would  keep withdrawing. They had some great experiences together, but then he would avoid her again. She knew she was attracted to him.

She is pretty sure Mike wants to marry her. He has given her plenty of hints, but she just isn't ready.  She knows she needs to decide soon, because she doesn't want to lead him on if she knows it won't work.

 Recommendation

I found it hard to put his book down. The characters were well-developed, and   every one of them was necessary to the plot. I appreciated that I had time to get to know them in small batches instead of having too many being introduced at the beginning and having to try to keep them straight. I enjoyed learning more about Alaska and aviation in 1935.

I enjoyed getting to know Kate. She is the sort of person you can imagine having as a friend. She is brave, kind, and stubborn. She is willing to take risks, and sometimes takes foolish risks that land her in trouble. 

The characters are realistic and complex. Kate and Paul individually have guilt and fear to overcome in order to become whole again. Kate trusts in God. Paul has given up on God. Even minor characters, such as the drunk hunters, and the pregnant woman come alive through Bonnie Leon's words. So do the other pilots, Jack and Frank.

One of the mysteries in the book is Paul. No one knows why he came to Alaska. No one knows much about him.  Patrick knows his wife died.  Paul eventually also shares that information with Kate under duress.The author gives the reader enough clues to get close figuring out who he really is.

The author is very good at foreshadowing what will happen without really telling the reader. An alert reader is able to pick up the clues and be on the alert for what will follow. 

I would recommend this Christian novel to anyone who likes adventure stories, aviation, strong women, Alaska, and/or a touch of romance. I am anxious to read the rest of the series. I hope I've been able to interest you in these books, too. I would suggest you get the set so you can just keep reading after you finish Touching the Clouds. I don't  think you will want to stop. Just click below if you want to buy them. 

Alaskan (3 Book Series)Touching the Clouds (Alaskan Skies Book #1): A Novel

Here's one last photo that's designed to Pinterest specifications if you'd like to pin it.

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Reviewing Love and Mercy

A Movie That Touched My Soul: Love & Mercy

It occurred to me this morning that I do not often do movie reviews which is odd because my husband and I watch at least one movie per week. We rarely watch a movie for a second time but there are a few that we will decide to view at least once more.  Love & Mercy is one that we chose to watch a second time. The story moved me the first time and touched my soul even deeper upon the second viewing.

Love & Mercy

I can't imagine that there are very many people in the world who have never heard a Beach Boys song at some point in their lives. My generation listened to their music on the radio, danced to the songs at parties and traveled miles to see them in concert. They are a band that has transcended time and are loved by multiple generations. They are truly iconic in American music and rock and roll. Their music made us happy, made our feet want to move to the beat and sometimes made us sad. It spoke to us in many ways.

This movie tells the poignant story of Brian Wilson who co-founded the Beach Boys with his brothers Dennis and Carl. Brian was the leading force behind the band and wrote or co-wrote many of the songs that they recorded and performed. He is truly a genius when it comes to creating a song and has been innovative in the approach to recorded music. We see some of that genius at work in the movie.

What we also see is the tortured soul of a man who hears music in the most remarkable ways. We see a man who was abused by his father, pressured by the band to create hit songs and misunderstood by so many people in his life. We see a man being taken advantage of by a person who was supposed to be trying to help him heal. We also see the miraculous healing when the grace of love and mercy comes into a life. I don't think that anyone can watch this movie and not be touched by it in a multitude of ways.

There is a scene in the movie where Brian sits down and plays a melody on the piano for Melinda. She tells him that she thinks it is beautiful but she doesn't recognize it. He says that it was the music he heard in his head when he saw her. She is amazed and asks if that is the way it works, the song just comes to him. He says that sometimes it works that way, that it is something in his head or his soul and that sometimes the soul wants to come out and play. That explanation just blows me away. I just love the message....sometimes our soul just wants to come out and play.

I think it is a shame that this biopic film has not reached the acclaim that I think it deserves. John Cusack and Paul Dano do a remarkable job of portraying Brian Wilson as the musical genius and troubled soul that he is. We see glimpses of the influence of Brian's creativity on rock and roll music back in the 1960s and we see how even a celebrity can be manipulated by people who have their own agenda.

Personally, I love the movie Love & Mercy, so much so that I watched it a second time.

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.”

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Water For Elephants Book Review

Water For Elephants is a fictional novel by Sara Gruen that is set in the Depression. It follows the story of a young man whose circumstances are suddenly altered and who finds himself homeless and jobless. He jumps aboard a passing train and discovers he has landed on the train of a travelling circus. He is given a job with the animals because he has veterinary skills and falls in love with the star of the circus. Is it a bit cliched? Perhaps but it is still a good book.

Water For Elephants Fast Facts

AUTHOR: Sara Gruen
COVER ARTIST: Charles Mason
GENRE: Historical Romance PUBLISHER: Algonquin Books PUBLICATION DATE May 26, 2006

Is Water For Elephants A True Story?

Water For Elephants is a period drama and romance story based on real circus history. It is a work of fiction but does include factual information about the history of the circus based on accounts of circus life in the Depression years, a time when men were desperate for jobs. They were so desperate in fact that they would take and stay on at jobs where the work was extremely hard and unpleasant and where the pay was not necessarily delivered when it was supposed to be.

I found the author's note at the end of the book very helpful. In that section, Sara Gruen answered the numerous questions that I had when I was reading the book.

The note also tells how Gruen came to write a story based on the circus. She read a story in the Chicago Tribune about travelling circuses in the 1920s and 1930s and the accompanying photo took her fancy. She subsequently purchased two photographic circus-themed books: Step Right This Way by Edward J. Kelty and Wild, Weird and Wonderful: the American Circus by F.W. Glasier. This was the start of an obsession (my word, not hers) that eventually included a large collection of circus-themed books; visits to The Ringling Circus Museum, Circus World and the Kansas City Zoo; and, a large knowledge bank about conditions and life in the circus.

True Events Included In Water For Elephants

The circus has a rich and somewhat loose history. The line between fact and fiction is somewhat blurry. The following are three simple stories that author Sara Gruen uncovered in her research and incorporated into her book.

• Legend has it that there was really a hippo pickled in formaldehyde.  
• Legend has it that there was a 400-pound strong lady displayed in an elephant cage.
• Circus lore also says that there was an elephant like Rosie who pulled up her stake in order steal lemonade.

Reviews of Water for Elephants

Reader Lisa on Amazon said that this book was unusual in that it was an enjoyable read and factual at the same time. I agree as it was a great story that also imparted the history of the circus.

The New York Times says, "With a showman's expert timing, she (Gruen) saves a terrific revelation for the final pages, transforming a glimpse of Americana into an enchanting escapist fairy tale."

If you are fascinated by historically based stories, I believe that you will enjoy this book. If you have always been interested in the history of the circus and you enjoy period pieces, you will not want to miss this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and yes, I recommend the movie, too. A copy of the book and the movie bundled together would make an interesting gift idea for any woman who is interested in circus history.

Have you read Water For Elephants? What did you think? If you are interested in the movie, you can read my movie review here.

Happy Reading!
Brenda

MORE CIRCUS READING:

Buy your copy of Water for Elephants on Amazon.
The Top Five Circus Movies.
The Big Apple Circus Review.

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Author's Note: This page was originally written elsewhere in 2011.

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3 Ways to Light Up Your Yard Without Using Electricity

By now we're all pretty familiar with solar string lights for the backyard, however there are additional creative ways you can incorporate solar lighting.

Here are three creative ideas to help you light up your yard at night by using the power of the sun during the day:

Table Umbrella with Solar Lights Via Amazon

Find Additional Solar Umbrellas Here

1. A Table Umbrella with Solar Lights 

In the evening, your backyard celebration will surely include people sitting around a patio table either chatting, eating, playing games or just relaxing. 

Most of the time we light a table using candles (sometimes bug candles). You can still light up that bug candle to keep those bugs away, however, a solar patio umbrella is a better way to naturally light up the entire table. Although lights attract bugs, we've battled that very effectively by putting a huge mosquito net over our patio umbrella. We've used this net when we have a sit-down dinner outside in our backyard as well. 

The top of a solar umbrella has a rechargeable solar panel that charges all day. At night, your umbrella will light up via an on/off switch. On average you'll find most solar umbrellas have approximately 24 to 40 lights. Of course that will vary depending up the size and manufacturer.

2. Inflatable Portable Solar Lights

Luci Color Inflatable Portable Solar Light via Amazon

Or Find More About Luci Solar Lights Here

If you haven't heard of Luci Inflatable Solar Lights, you're going to love their many multiple uses and applications.

These compact solar lights that deflate to approximately 1" in size make them ideal for not only backyard gatherings, but also to take camping, hiking, as emergency lighting, pool lights, indoor mood or night lighting, and much more.

In terms of backyard gatherings, these waterproof inflatable solar lights are a great way to provide lighting in a pool at night. Just toss a bunch of them in the water and your pool will have multi colored night time funky lighting!

The goodness doesn't end there: The lights are made by USA based MPOWERD, a socially-conscious company who aims to provide lighting to poorer countries around the world where access to electricity is non-existent or limited. One example of their mission is the difference they've made providing portable inflatable solar lights to the victims of the Nepal earthquake in 2015.

3. Mosaic Solar Glass Color Changing Table Lights

Mosaic Glass Color Solar Light via Amazon

Or Find More About Mosaic Glass Solar Lights Here

If you're looking for a funky way to light up your backyard patio table and are especially eager to add colorful interest, then you're going to love these little gems!

They're appeal are the colors they emit at night and of course, the lovely mosaic glass also looks decorative during the day.

You can set this crystal glass mosaic solar light to single color mode or set it to cycle through all colors. You can also set it to emit a clear light through the funky colored mosaic tiles to give off a lovely constant pattern as you see in the photo displayed here.

Again, like all things solar, they charge during the day in the sun, and have an on/off switch for you to use it or not use it at night.

There you have it, three ways to light up your yard at night without flipping that electricity switch.

Happy Summer Savings :)

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My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - Book Review

by Fredrik Backman

A Delightful and Most Charming Story

Elsa is seven-going-on-eight, and different.  Granny is seventy-seven years old, and nutty. They are best friends and love each other dearly.  Elsa admits only to herself that her granny is her ONLY friend, as her school chums think her strange and are mean to her. Elsa's strangeness is only in the fact that she is extremely smart and very grown-up for her age (constantly looking words up on Wikipedia!). Her world revolves around her grandmother, her parents, adventures in the fairy tales granny tells, and her admiration for superheros and Harry Potter.

Elsa's parents are divorced and she sees her dad every-other-weekend.  The rest of the time she lives with her mom, who is expecting a baby, and George on the top floor of a 4-story flat across the hall from her grandmother.  The rest of the apartment building is filled with a strange mixture of people we learn about as time goes on. 

The Land-of-Almost-Awake

 

For quite some years, Granny has been telling fairy tales to Elsa to help her go to sleep and get her to practice Granny's secret language.  The fairy tales take place in the "Land-of-Almost-Awake" and the "Kingdom of Miamas" where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. 

Later, Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged.  The letters are entrusted to Elsa to deliver, bringing about her greatest adventure ever.  The stories of the people who live in the apartment building, including a brave dog who is very much like the 'wurse' in the Kingdom of Miamas, are revealed to us one by one.  As each letter is delivered we learn the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry was written by Fredrik Backman, a native of Sweden who lives in Stockholm. This is only his second novel, but you get the feeling from this well-written story that he has been writing for a very long time. 


His first novel is A Man Called Ove, which became a #1 bestseller in Sweden. 

*Note: When Backman's second book was first published in England in 2014, it had the title: My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises. 

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry

 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry is an absolutely charming story filled with humor and wisdom, and with a glimpse into a fairy tale world we all wish we could visit.  I took Elsa and her grandmother so much to heart that when I finished the book I wanted to immediately go back to page one and read it all over again. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you will fall in love with these delightful characters. I highly recommend this book.

*Wednesday Elf

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Good Cook Safe Cut Can Opener Reviewed

Are you tired of can tops that will cut your fingers and hands?  Do you worry that anyone who sticks their hands in the trash can will cut their hands on can lids with sharp edges?  Or perhaps, you stress that just compressing the trash with your hands will result in an injury due to sharp can lids.  If this is a problem in your home, than I have a solution for you. 

I know that intro just sounded like an infomercial, but this article is in fact a review of the Good Cook Safe Cut Can Opener.  I can tell you from years of experience that this simple can opener will make working in the kitchen safer when opening cans.    

This simple safe cut can opener removes the lid from a can without leaving a sharp edge on the lid top.

Discovery of the Safe Cut Can Opener

 Good Cook Classic 4 in 1 Can OpenerSeveral years ago, we were vacationing in Florida.  We rented a condo that was fully furnished which included dishes, silverware and appliances in the kitchen.  Upon arrival, everyone was hungry.  Since we had brought groceries with us, that was no problem.  I grabbed the sea shell pasta and started preparing a light lunch of everyone's favorite pasta dish.  I had no trouble finding the large saucepan in the cookware or the spaghetti strainer in the condo kitchen, but I couldn't find the can opener for the tomato sauce anywhere.  I had found something that looked like a can opener, but it didn't work!  It wouldn't grip the can and cut it open.  

Several people in the condo tried their luck at making the blade-less can opener work.  Then, miracle of all miracles, our young son who had actually never used a hand held can opener, tried this unique can opener and it worked without any problem for him.  So, I tried to open the next can.  Nope!  Didn't work.  I called my little magician back into the kitchen and again, no problem.  He whipped that lid off so easily it actually started to annoy me.  

I studied the can opener, I studied the can for an explanation.  Then I checked out the lid and discovered the biggest shocker.  There was no sharp edge on the lid!  Now, that just really freaked me out.  I was seriously wondering if my son really did have magical abilities.

For several days, I played around with that can opener determined to solve the mystery.  It was one handle piece that didn't seem to latch down like a normal hand held can opener.  Day after day I kept calling on our son to open the cans for me.  Then, one day, out of the beautiful Florida blue, that can opener latched on to a can for me.  I turned the handle, and viola', the lid was off!  It was a gentle glide that didn't seem to cut at all.  Actually, I was surprised to find the lid was cut off the can.  I couldn't "feel" the can opener severing the lid from the can, but the lid was off and the edges of the lid were smooth.  That was just weird, but really cool!

To Open:  Rest the Metal Guide Bar on Top of Can,
Hold the handle and turn the knob clockwise. 
Cutting wheel automatically engages once the knob starts turning.

It turned out that my mistake when trying to open the can was that I wanted the opener to latch onto the can before I started turning the knob.  You must start turning the knob for the cutting wheel to engage.

Before we left Florida that year, I had already found and purchased a can opener just like the one in the condo.  I still use it to this day.  When our children started college and moved into dorm rooms, I included a Good Cook Safe Cut Can Opener in their dorm room college supplies too.

Life Before My Safe Cut Can Opener

I loved my under the counter Spacemaker can opener.  It was actually one of the first things installed in my kitchen when we first moved in.  I can go further back than that even and tell you that I adored my electric can opener that sat on the kitchen counter before the days of under the counter appliances.  

I was never crazy about hand held can openers.  They were simply a necessity in the kitchen until the invention of the electric can openers.  However, I was more than happy to return to a hand held can opener when we discovered the safe cut can opener.  Having a smooth lid edge is definitely worth the minor inconvenience of holding the can opener.  I will also note that the Good Cook Safe Cut Can Opener is lighter weight than the older hand held can openers.  It also glides when cutting so you don't feel like you are expending the same amount of energy or effort to remove the lid.  

I will never go back to can lids that turn into blades in the trash now that there is a smooth lid edge option!

Unfortunately, my 4 in 1 can opener with the bottle cap opener, is no longer available. However, there is a Good Cook Smooth Edge Can Opener shown below that is still available.
 

 Good Cook Can Opener, Safe Cut Manual Can Opener, no Sharp Can Edges, BlackCheck Price

& 

 Edited to Include this Video Showing how to Use the Good Cook Safe Cut Can Opener

Fay, Favored1, commented below that she watched a video on how to use this can opener.  I thought it would be a wonderful addition to add the video here for all to see, so no need to search it out yourself.  One thing he does mention that I neglected to mention above is how to release the can opener after it has finished cutting the lid.

He is using a different Good Cook Can opener without the pop top opener, but the can opening mechanism is the same on both.

The Good Cook Safe Cut Can Opener Reviewed by:

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Reviewing Earthbath Totally Natural Pet Shampoo

When our dog, Daisy, was just a young pup, she suffered terribly from itchy skin. While she scratched, we researched and consulted with friends, as well as the vet, searching for a solution. Eventually, we found help for that dryness, itching, and irritation from scratching in the form of a product that we still use today, eight years later. What do we believe is the best shampoo for dogs with dry, itchy skin? Earthbath Totally Natural Pet Shampoo with oatmeal and aloe. Oh, what a difference and what a relief!

Daisy likes to sit in the grass, observing nature all around her, and we think the combination of bugs and grass, along with summer heat, tend to trigger her occasional episodes of excessive licking and scratching. As I write this it's early July and, just recently, the symptoms occurred once again. So this past weekend we hooked up the hose, grabbed the trusty bottle of Earthbath Oatmeal and Aloe and put it to work.

Besides the fact that the shampoo does such a great job at relieving her itching, we love using it because it smells wonderful and, while it's softening her skin and coat, it makes our hands soft, too. Today, almost a week after her recent bath, her coat still feels soft and she still smells good, too.

When we bathe Daisy we're liberal with the shampoo, but a 16-ounce bottle of Earthbath Totally Natural Pet Shampoo goes a long way and lasts a long time. Earthbath makes a variety of shampoos, even a version for cats and one for puppies, and you can choose based on your favorite scent or ingredients. Oatmeal baths are known for relieving itchy skin and aloe, of course, helps skin heal, so this version is perfect for our dog's needs. The ingredients are all natural, as the name implies, including the almond and vanilla essences that give it such a wonderful fragrance.

While I can't promise that the same shampoo will heal your dog's skin issues, the makers claim that it is safe, gentle, and effective. Based on our experiences, I have to agree with them 100 percent. This is a top-rated product, awarded 4.6 stars overall by over 1500 users on Amazon.com.

I hope Earthbath products are around forever because I plan on being a customer for life. That's how much I love this pet shampoo.

Where To Buy Earthbath Products

If you're an Amazon Prime customer, you'll find the best price for Earthbath's products on Amazon. If you don't have Prime, then order your Earthbath shampoo on eBay to save money on shipping. Look for more Earthbath products here, including conditioners and grooming wipes for dogs and cats.

~ Susan
Read more of my reviews

Photo above property of the author.

Summertime Learning Fun

Summertime Learning Fun happens when you spend some time together, exploring our world and answering all those questions that come up.  Like what's that Noise?  

If your children are anything like mine, and I'm sure they are, summertime means adventures.  It means spending a lot of time outdoors.  It means looking for things to do and exploring.  It means turning off the TV or computer games and getting back to nature in the great outdoors.  It could mean swimming every day, or going to the park, or camping.  Where ever you go, there is something to learn about!  

What else can you do?

Summertime opens up a whole new world for our children to learn.  While the kids are looking to 

relax and have fun, they are also looking for something that catches their imaginations or their need to know about their world.  To that end, most families will be spending some very special together time while on holidays. No baseball games, soccer practices, dance classes or other interruptions, just good old family time.     

Learning takes on a whole new meaning when summertime rolls around.  No "textbooks" and no real "agenda" means that learning is done on a whatever crosses my path and intrigues me basis. That can even happen at home too!  As I am writing, I can hear the toads singing in my pond. I need to learn more about them, so when my grandchildren come to visit, I can tell them some things that I'm sure they don't know.

Be Prepared!  

As parents who prepare to take our children on hikes and overnight camping trips, we need to be ready to answer questions that are sure to pop up.  Like "What's that noise?"  Even a trip to the zoo can be filled with questions that need answers.  Be prepared to either answer the questions or make note of the questions and when you are home again, look up the answers  together, so that both you and your child will  have learnt something new and you will have done it together.  This is what makes family memories.  We still laugh at some of the things that happened when we went places with our children. Now they are doing the same thing with their children and telling stories about when they were younger.  It's time to pass on family history as well as having time to enjoy nature.

Playing games with the kids can be so much fun too. We would take ours camping and find that the welcome station had many printouts for educational purposes. We would make the most out of these "handouts". One camping trip, they had a print out of all the birds that nested in the area, with hints for the kids. We would go on hikes and try to spot nesting areas and then spotting the birds too. There were print outs of the different trees and their leaves. We made a collection and even did bark rubbings. Have you ever stopped and looked at all the different types of bark on trees? It is fascinating! When the kids found what they were looking for, they would take a picture to go along with their leaves and bark rubbings, carefully noting the type of tree and all the nuances of it's growth. So much to learn, just from a tree! Birds and reptiles, amphibians and mammals of the area were all duly recorded. If we needed to learn more, a note was made in our notebook to look it up when we got back home. The kids loved their nature hikes, because it wasn't just walking through the woods, it was stopping and seeing what made up those woods. The trees, birds, bugs, flowers and everything that was in our path, was food for our "Discovery Book".


Guide to Free Campgrounds: Includes Campgrounds $12 and Under in the United States (Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds)

So What Can you Do to Prepare for a great Outdoor Adventure?

Well first and foremost, check out the link above, to find some low cost campgrounds. It's a great way to pinpoint where your family will spend some quality time together, without breaking the bank.

This guide will help you look for a place that has some great outdoor adventures, be it hiking in the mountains, camping by a lake, or visiting a beach somewhere new. Go with the eye of an adventurer. Take along a "Discovery Book" a journal where you can make notes, tuck in leaves or flowers, keep a daily diary of what you saw, whether it was birds, bugs, beetles or trees. Answer the questions that you know the answers to and make a note to find the answers to those questions that you don't know the answers to. When you are finished your holiday, you will have a great little diary on what everyone saw and learnt about during your time in the great outdoors.



My Travel Journal

Above all, be ready to have some fun, make some memories and enjoy each others company in the great, beautiful and special outdoors.  Happy Summer Everyone!

Pictures courtesy of Pixaby, free stock photos. 

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Reviewing Kris Kristoffersons New Boxed Set

Perfect Gift For The Kristofferson Fan

Image Courtesy of Pixabay.com

I recently treated myself to a little gift. Kris Kristofferson has released a new boxed set of compact discs that coincides with his 80th birthday. If you are a fan of his like I am or you know someone who is, this boxed set is a must have. 

Some people do not appreciate his singing voice and even he has said in the past that he thinks he sounds like a frog but his music transcends his voice, in my opinion. He is, by far, one of the best songwriters to ever walk this earth. I've been a fan of his songs for many decades now and for me it has always been more about the stories he tells in the songs that he writes. Kris makes you "feel" something when you listen to the words that make up the music. You may feel sad, happy or even sometimes a little angry when you listen to him, but always entertained. 

The Complete Monument & Columbia Albums Collection

The boxed set includes 16 compact discs! There are 11 that are the first albums released by Kristofferson and then 5 CDs that are live performances done at various venues back in the day. What I love about this set is that the songs are his early work and those are the songs that I love the most. They bring back so many memories for me. Of course there are the standard favorites of mine but then there were songs that I had kind of forgotten about but was so happy to hear again.

Over the decades, I have gone to many of his concerts and have even talked to him afterwards as he stood outside of his tour bus. Maybe that is another reason that I am such a huge fan of his. He always seems so humble and surprised that anyone wants to listen to his music or to talk to him. As I have listened to the discs in this set, I have remembered hearing him sing different songs live and the different concerts. So, it has been a trip down memory lane and just the pure joy of hearing his music again.

I did hesitate when I saw the price of the set but then I realized that with the 16 discs, it was actually a good deal. Each disc averages out to be just a little over $6 each. Not bad, huh?

I am truly enjoying listening to these songs again and I know that if you are a fan or you know a fan that you or they will, also. 

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Happy 4th of July!

Photo credit:  Cynthia Sylvestermouse

Happy Independence Day!

This is the day we have been preparing for and looking forward to for some time. Many of us are celebrating with friends and family. Some of us carry on traditions from one July 4th to the next. Regardless of how you are spending this day, the Contributors of Review This want to take a moment to wish you and yours a happy and safe 4th of July!

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