Treasures from the Archives of Review This Reviews!
Valentine's Day has always been a fun day to take time to express our love for those really special people in our lives. We most often think of our sweethearts on Valentine's Day. However, once we become parents, we realize that this holiday can also be shared with our children, grandchildren, or even our own parents. For some, that celebration extends to their siblings or other family members as well. It is a celebration of love! It isn't always necessary to give gifts to express our love, but most couples exchange gifts on Valentine's Day. Because of that tradition, our contributor's have a special Pinterest board filled with suggestions for Valentines. Not all of the articles on our board are published on Review This Reviews, but they are all written by our contributors. Some of the featured websites are owned by individual contributors and some are other sites where our contributors publish articles. Either way, we invite you to explore the gifts that we have given, or have received, that we have reviewed. Hopefully, you will find a wonderful Valentine gift in our archives.
Welcome to Our Library of Valentine Reviews!
A Preview of the Pinterest Board - Valentine's Day Reviews
Valentine's Day Gifts and Fun Reviewed on Review This Reviews!
For a written list of the Valentine's Day related articles reviewed on Review This Reviews, please visit our Site Directory and select "Holidays" from the category tabs on that page. You will see the Valentine's Day reviews listed there as well as other holiday articles. We do love our holidays! To see only the Valentine's Day articles on Review This Reviews!, simply click the Valentine's Day tab in the sidebar menu in the right sidebar.
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.”
I am a tea drinker. Although I tried, I could never learn to enjoy coffee. As I read my friend and fellow contributor Louanne's review on hot tea, I realized I had a few favorite hot teas, as well. The ones I drink on a daily basis are pictured above. You've probably seen them in the tea aisle when you shop -- unless they are missing. I've found I can't always rely on my local stores having them in stock when I need them. Here's what I do to make sure I always have the teas I drink daily on my shelf. And here's how I drink them.
I Break All the Rules
I'm a tea heretic. I make my tea a pot at a time and reheat cold tea in the microwave as needed. When the pot is empty, I make another one. I first boil a full kettle of water in my Cuisinart Aura Kettle. I bought it and wrote that review in July, 2018. It's still serving me well after 18 months, and I expect it will last forever.
While I'm watering for the water to boil, I prepare two of my five teapots by putting the bags in. I know I'm supposed to wait until the water boils and rinse out the pots with boiling water, but I don't. I still think the tea tastes good. I'm not a purist.
When the water boils, or slightly before for green or herbal teas, I pour it into my two prepared pots, one which makes about four cups and one which makes about two. If it's afternoon and my decaf teas are running low, I set up the larger pot with herbal and/or decaf bags. I make an herbal tea in the smaller pot, usually one my husband likes. If it's evening and my green tea is running low, I set up the large pot with my Honey Lemon Ginseng Green and the smaller pot with a decaf tea. I normally make four pots a day for the two of us to share.
My preferred morning tea is Celestial Seasonings Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Teas with White Tea for Smooth Taste. The teabags come in pairs. I use four bags in my larger teapot. This tea has just enough caffeine to ease me into my day. I like its mild taste with just a touch of sweetness. I prefer my tea with no sweeteners or milk. As you can see, the teabags are not sealed from the air. They have no strings, tags, or staples, either. This is because Celestial Seasonings wants its products to be sustainable and not put anything unnecessary into the landfills. That being said, these bags are not as easy to remove from the pot as the less sustainable ones with strings and tags.
Since I drink a pot of this tea every day, it goes fast. Each package is almost a week's supply for me, and I don't like to run out of it. So I order it in 6-packs from Amazon and use their Subscribe and Save plan so that I will get an even lower price and will be sure I won't run out.
My preferred teas for late in the day are pictured in the image at the top. Again, I break the rules. I mix the two. I've always liked the mild orange-spice Constant Comment from Bigelow. It used to be the only tea I drank for several years after a friend told me about it. I sometimes also drank Bigelow's Lemon Lift, another great black tea. But I know I should avoid caffeine late in the day.
Now I use the decaf version of Constant Comment late in the afternoon and evening and mix it with the Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile. I mix two bags of each in the large teapot. As you can see, Bigelow does seal their tea bags, and they do have tags and strings.
The Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile is often out of stock where I shop, so to be sure I have it when I want it, I order it through Amazon's Subscribe and Save program, too. The chamomile helps relax me before bed and the delicate honey and vanilla flavor blends well with the orange and spices in the Constant Comment. Have you experimented with mixing tea flavors yet?
Constant Comment is popular enough that I can usually find it where I shop, but sometimes they don't carry the decaffeinated version. Not everyone carries the Constant Comment Green Tea, either. That's why I also use Subscribe and Save to get those. It usually saves money, as well.
Whenever and however you enjoy your tea, you may want to try one or more of the teas above that have become my favorites. And if you're not feeling up to par, you may also want to try a medicinal Life Style Awareness Tea.Learn more about all kinds of tea from Cynthia Sylvestermouse, who started this blog so that all of our contributors could share their reviews in one place.
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.”
One never knows when a lifestyle change warrants installing grab bars in our bathrooms. I would like to review a style that is easy to install, dependable, and won't break your budget. I'll also explain why my family suddenly found the need to even look for these handy bars that assist a person in getting up off of the toilet or getting out of the shower or tub, safely.
When a senior citizen falls, their lifestyle needs changes
image courtesy of pixabay.com
Last month, I got that dreaded phone call from the hospital. The ER nurse informed me that my father had taken a serious fall and had been brought to the Emergency Room. They were certain that his left arm was badly broken and that surgery was most likely in his future. Naturally, I rushed to his side.
So, I'll spare you the gory details and only say that after three hours in surgery and a whole lot of hardware placed into his arm to hold the bones together, Dad is out of the hospital and currently staying in an assisted living facility to undergo physical therapy to try to regain mobility in his arm. Each day he seems to gain more of his strength back and is determined to get back to his own home. In order for him to go home, some things need to change in that environment. That is where my sudden need to find out about grab bars came into play.
Grab Bars Come in a Variety of Styles
As you can imagine, Dad will only have the use of one arm for quite a while. He is going to need to be able to keep his balance when doing simple things like bathing and getting up and down from the toilet. Obviously, we don't want him to fall again. So, in the hospital and the assisted living facility they have the grab bars that are the metal ones like we see in the handicap stalls in public bathrooms. When I began to look at those as an option, I have to admit that I was shocked at the cost of just one. I was willing to pay it, but I had other concerns besides the cost. Those metal ones have to be bolted to the wall and I wasn't feeling very confident in having them installed where Dad would need them.
His shower/tub unit has the fiberglass surround. I worried about drilling holes in that. Would it cause the surround to have cracks and therefore leaks in the wall? What about studs for security in the installation? What if the studs weren't in the place where the grab bars needed to be anchored? The last thing I wanted was for the bolts to pull out of the wall and cause unnecessary damage plus the fear of Dad falling.
While searching for a solution, I came across the option of grab bars that use suction cups to adhere to the wall. Oh my goodness, I was so glad to find these! I won't have to worry about Dad's safety and we won't have to drill into his shower. They were so easy to place where he will need them and lock in place with a tab on the ends. I've since talked to a couple who installed them in their bathroom over a year ago and they are still secure and useful. That has eased my mind more than you can imagine!
So, now all I'm waiting on is for the doctor and physical therapist to say Dad is ready to go home. I'll be checking on him daily for a while, of course, but I won't have to worry about the time that I am not with him and his safety in the bathroom.
If you have an elderly family member, you might consider looking into these grab bars for them. Even if they haven't taken a nasty fall, something like this will aide them in having a safer way to take care of themselves while in their bathrooms.
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.”
I am a Canadian who does not pay a lot of attention to American politics though I do remember the former First Lady, Michelle Obama, from the very first days that her husband became the President of the United States and I remember seeing her image time and time again during the years that followed.
Since the release of her book Becoming in November of 2018, I have been hearing about it. More recently, I saw that it was the Ottawa Public Library’s most requested book in 2019. Either of those reasons would have been a good reason to pick up the book but the actual reason that I read it was because it is my book club’s next book.
THE STORYLINE
I reached for the book with little in the way of expectations though I obviously wondered what all the hype was about. It seems a bit early (in Michelle's life) to label the book an autobiographical memoir but it is her story to date and it is told from her perspective so I guess it is a memoir of sorts.
Becoming is a story of gender equality, race, marriage and politics.
The first section, Becoming Me, shares the story of her childhood and education in Chicago and how she became who she is. That is, a highly educated woman, a lawyer cum public servant cum hospital administrator and a devoted wife and protective mother.
The second section, Becoming Us, covers her romance and her marriage to Barack Obama.
The final section, Becoming More, tells of the Obama family and their lives as public figures when Barack becomes the President of the United States. It tells how Michelle tried to retain some sense of her own identity and to achieve some sense of normalcy for her family. It shares the sacrifices she made when she put her own dreams aside to support her husband’s goals. Despite not being able to follow her own career path, she supported the work of her husband and turned her considerable talents to making meaningful contributions indirectly associated with his work.
BOOK VIDEOS
The first video shown here presents a short peek at the book and Michelle Obama’s story:
The second video, in which Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey surprise a group of school girls with a visit, does a better job in my opinion of sharing some of Michelle's experiences becoming the First Lady and it gives you a feel for the story you will find between the covers of the book:
WHO WROTE BECOMING?
Even before I picked it up, I wondered if Michelle wrote the book or if she had employed a ghost writer. Could someone be so successful in so many areas of her life and also become a bestselling author?
I could not find anything definitive to answer that question. Business Insider says that Michelle used, “a team of people”, which makes sense to me and The News Record says that Michelle asked for help from a friend and that she and that friend met about the book on and off again for a period of nine years.
REVIEWS
Becoming is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. I enjoyed it and think that no matter who did the writing it is a well written and very interesting book.
Politico Magazine called it a bit thin in areas and I agree with that statement. Politico says that Michelle was a “woman who sparkled all her life, ascending to registers of success she anticipated in middle school, only to sideline her ambitions for her husband's” and that while the book touches on all of that, we never learn in the end “What she wants to be when she grows up.”
Oprah Winfrey added the book to her book club list. She called it a tour de force and I agree with that statement. Oprah said you will laugh and you will cry. I think you will.
Both Business Insider and The Atlantic say that Becoming “is on track to become the best-selling memoir of all time.” That, in my mind, is a high recommendation for a book.
If you need any more convincing, I note that 94 percent of reviewers on Amazon and 91 percent of readers on Goodreads gave the book 4 or 5 out of five stars. Those are amazing numbers.
IN SUMMARY
I think Michelle Obama handled her life choices well at least as she reveals them in her book. Without having any way of knowing much about her life beyond what the media shares, I think that this book gives us as much a glimpse into her world as we will ever receive.
The New Yorkersays that she has become one of the most popular Americans in history and I did not miss their reference to the fact that she has now had a “second coming, as an unprecedented, potentially billion-dollar American brand.” The Former President and First Lady reportedly were paid a whopping 65 million dollar advance for their memoirs. You can bet that we will be seeing Michelle Obama again and I look forward to following her continued life story.
Meanwhile, find your copy of Becoming competitively priced on Amazon by clicking right here.
See you
At the book store!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda
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.”
I've declared 2020 the year of Body, Mind, and Spirit, with the main focus on feeding my spirit to balance all aspects of my life.
Remember Who I Am - Life Reflections Then and Now
Nearly twenty years ago, I wrote a poem called "Remember Who I Am." The poem isn't about begging to be remembered but rather about acknowledging the mistakes I made in life and how, ultimately, I learned from those mistakes.
Looking back to twenty years ago, when the video poem featured below was written, I can see my personal growth.
I'm a different person at 59 years old than I was in my 30s. I suspect that's quite normal. God willing, if I get to 80, I imagine my outlook will change further.
The most significant change inside me is a grander understanding of inner peace and what inner peace truly is.
There's so much I want to type about inner peace right now, but honestly, I don't think I can explain it? Let me say it this way with these powerful words:
"In the end, everything WILL be O.K." - I get this now.
We're still dealing with some of the same life struggles we faced when I was in my thirties. Even though those struggles are still quite significant, I now see how mundane they are and rarely pray about them. In the grand scheme of life, they don't rate.
When I was in church last week, I started thinking about my prayers from those times and how I've grown to understand that the secret to solutions is within us - and that prayers for souls, the human condition, our community, those we love, and visualizing the good, is where ultimate peace rests.
I feel I'm awake now.
As though I'd been handed a book with some of life's secrets in it. If I'm so blessed, I'm looking forward to the next book in twenty more years.
I've mastered forgiveness.
I can unequivocally state that I've got this one down without giving away anything overtly personal. What I understand most about forgiveness is that it's not up to me to 'forgive' others. It's lessons learned from all sides.
I approach the mistakes others make that hurt me, family, friends, or strangers as people who are either lost, dark, or learning at their own pace. Life is school; some of us are in pre-school while others have PhDs. No judging. Letting go.
Also, I disagree with the saying, "I forgive, but I'll never forget." If I have to hold any grudge, including 'never forgetting,' it's not forgiveness. You can read more about this in an article I wrote many years ago called "The Secret to Life."
Despite life's changes over the past twenty years, the words to this poem I wrote so long ago still stand.
Angels on Duty - Starting Our Day with a Helping Hand
Again, I wrote this one about twenty years ago. Of all the poems I've written over the past fifty years, this is one of my favorites.
The poem was written to visualize how Angels begin their daily work, helping us as soon as we wake up.
It's about waking up in the morning, swinging your legs over the edge of the bed, bending over with your hands over your face as you pause, thinking about the challenges you face today, and wondering if you have the strength to do it. Without knowing, there's an Angel present, whispering affirmations and confirmations that 'everything will be okay' and that you're not alone, and yes, you can do it.
Towards the end of last year, I achieved a bucket list item: I published a book featuring 50 years of my poems. Change, perspective, growth - it's all good. #bethechange #spreadthewordofgood
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.”
The authors on this site do seem to enjoy their hot tea and you can check out Cynthia's hot tea article to learn more about the different types of tea available.
I used to enjoy several mugs of black tea a day and an occasional green tea, but these days I enjoy herbal teas - which tea lovers will (correctly) say aren't actually teas, but herbal infusions.
Which teas do you prefer to drink? I would love to know in the comments.
My Daily Teas - Whatever Month of the Year it is!
I start every day with a mug of Arbonne detox tea which I absolutely love.
If I'm meeting a friend during the day I will choose peppermint tea as my drink of choice as it's available at most cafes these days.
I used to have peppermint tea every afternoon, but these days I only drink it occasionally as January in Queensland, Australia (where I live) is pretty hot so I tend to drink a fizz stick instead. Sometimes I do feel like a hot drink and I will switch between my usual peppermint or a Twining's Spearmint and Peppermint tea..
Other teas I may have are from Arbonne's holiday tea range (I'll probably enjoy them more in our winter months though).
At night I enjoy Twining's Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla tea. You may have noticed that I am partial to Twining's teas, my husband even brought me a couple of their cold infuse teas to try, but this is hot tea month so we'll talk about them on another article.
More Tea Please!
Let's have a look at what some of the teas our other Review This contributors enjoy:
I have written a review on gift ideas for tea lovers which enjoys some gorgeous tea pots and fun tea infusers, check that out here - Best Gifts for Tea Lovers.
So if you're not a tea drinker already, why not try a few different ones this January in honour of Hot Tea Month? If you do (and I hope you do) then be sure to come back and let us know what ones you've enjoyed.
Of course there's one thing any cup of tea is good with and that's a great book!
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.”
Signed, Sealed, Delivered started as a tv series in 2013, but after the first complete season, Hallmark rebranded the series as television films. Sadly, that meant there would no longer be a weekly show. But, for those of us who love the series, we are always excited when a new film is released. There are 11 episodes, including the pilot, in the one season tv series. At the time of publishing this review, there are more than 10 films that have been released since the series ended.
Alongside the wonderful main characters, the shows have featured some really fabulous special guests that include Carol Burnett, Della Reese, Valerie Bertinelli, and Valerie Harper. These special guests have added lighthearted humor and fun that makes the shows even more entertaining.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered Plot
As you might expect from the name, the main characters are employees of the US post office. They are the only 4 employees of the Denver dead letter office, where they strive to find the right recipients in order to deliver long lost letters. They often end up on great adventures while solving intriguing mysteries.
The dead letter department is headed by Oliver O'Toole who is described by his team as an old-fashioned gentleman, a man of faith, a rule-keeper, and a meticulous manager. Oliver is married, but his wife left him so she could live in Paris. He is always on the lookout for any correspondence from her, but she has clearly abandoned him and their marriage. Shane McInerney is accidentally placed in the dead letter office. Because of her computer expertise and hacking ability she ends up being an excellent addition to the team. Plus, she likes the other employees there. Shane decides to stay with them even when her transfer to her intended position is finally approved.
Rita Haywith is a really sweet lady who happens to have a photographic memory. She has an uncanny ability to "look up" facts, names, and information via her own mind. There are times when she seems too naive to believe, but she is so adorable you can't help but love her. Her crush on Norman is obvious to everyone but him. Last but by no means least, Norman Dorman is the consummate librarian and scientist. He seems to be able to find the right book for any needed reference or information. Norman possesses the "absent minded professor" personally that doesn't understand the normal, everyday conversations, social cues or nuances. Personally, I find his straight forward purity of words and actions refreshing. This team of determined post office workers are later dubbed the Postables because of their commitment to maintain the confidentiality of the contents and sender, while playing detective in order to locate the proper recipient of a dead letter or package.
The Postables always go the extra mile to make sure a missive finally reaches it's destination, even when it is years after it was initially mailed.
The letters always provide something the recipient needs, like an explanation for past actions, a long awaited apology or resolution, a gift like a wedding gown, or they reunite friends and family who have lost touch. Some of the stories are pretty sad because either the sender or the recipient have died. But, they still serve a purpose for the remaining loved ones.
One particularly touching episode, "To Whom It May Concern", was about a young woman who wanted to find the soldier who not only taught her to read, but also saved her life by giving up his seat on the rescue helicopter. The team had to go to great lengths to find the missing soldier.
Watch Signed, Sealed, Delivered in Chronological Order
It isn't absolutely necessary to watch the episodes or films in the order of their release date, but it will make the basic storyline more cohesive. Because the plot and couple relationships develop over time, just like real life relationships, some things will make more sense if you know what happened in the past. This is one series that I would recommend watching in chronological order.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Pilot Movie (2013)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - The Complete Season 1 (2013-2014) Note: Series 1 DVD does not include the pilot. Must purchase it separately.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas (2014)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris With Love (2015)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told (2015)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Impossible Dream (2015)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From the Heart (2016)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: One in a Million (2016)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You (2016)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground (2017)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again (2017)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less Traveled (2018)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar (2018)
Next Film Originally Planned to Be Released in mid to late 2020! Due to Pandemic, it is delayed, but still coming!
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.”
Mockingbirds have long been the subjects of songs, literature and even movies. When an early December snowstorm brought the first Mockingbird I had seen to my backyard feeders, I was curious to find more information about these popular birds.
Some Facts about the Mockingbird
From Miriam Webster dictionary I learned that Mockbirds are"a common grayish North American bird (Mimus
polyglottos) related to the thrashers that is remarkable for its exact
imitations of the notes of other birds." I did some more research using Wikipedia and All About Birds online and the National Geographic book "Backyard Guide to the Birds". Here are some additional facts I discovered.
Mockingbirds are a New World group of passerine birds. (Passerines are distinguished from other birds by the arrangement of their toes-three forward and one back-which helps them in perching)
They are best known for their habit of mimicking other birds, insects and amphibians.
There are actually 17 different species of Mockingbirds.
Only the Northern Mockingbird is normally found in North America.
Mockingbirds are well known for their fun personalities of mimicking other birds songs.
Mockingbird in Music
As I was researching Mockingbirds, I kept coming up with song lyrics and music with references to the bird. Here is one of the most popular ones, a lullaby sung by many top musical artists. Here is the first line.
Hush,
little baby, don't say a word. Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird And
if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
Does that sound familiar to you? I found this cute child's book that features that song.
Mockingbird in Literature
I found several references to the Mockingbird in books. The most famous is a Pulitzer-prize winner by Harper Lee.
Another book I found with a reference to Mockingbird in the title, is this fun sounding book on cocktails. The books teams up various classic books with a cocktail.
I took the three photos of the Mockingbird about a month ago and I have not seen the birds since. I'm hoping they come to visit my backyard again soon.
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.”
My New Years Resolution! At the start of 2020, I made a decision to not only read more, but to vary the types of books that I sink my teeth into. So here is a new author and a new book for my Review This Review Today.
As a member of Goodreads, I saw that my list of preferred books seems to be either mysteries or spy thrillers. Added into that mix there are also some historical romances. What I realized looking at my list, is that there are so many more categories of books that I have not delved into.
So, along with a new year and a new decade, comes the promise to rectify that situation. And so I offer you a new author and a new genre of books for me.
My New Genre is a Psychological Thriller!
Now you might ask why I haven't tried this category before now, and the answer is rather simple. Psychological thrillers, while they keep you on the edge of your seat, they make me uncomfortable. I find that I can't get these stories out of my head. They (these types of thrillers) keep me from sleeping well. I don't watch these types of movies either. After Silence of the Lambs, I did not sleep well for weeks. I don't know what that says about my character, but I know that sleep deprivation does not look good on me!
A New Year and a New Decade means there are changes afoot!
I love starting the new year off with a bang. So beside the fireworks that lit up the sky, I found a new author and a whole different genre of reading to go along with it.
Samantha Bailey is the author of Woman on the Edge. It's fresh off the presses and will be available in paperback, after the 3rd of March this year. If you are an Audible member it has the best price tag ever. $ 0.00 for Prime members or if you start a trial membership.
There are so many twists and turns in this novel, that you just won't figure out who's behind all the mystery. It is a page turner that will have you losing sleep, because you just can't put it down. As her debut novel, I think Samantha Bailey has a real winner on her hands. It's a novel that all women can relate to. Motherhood, sleep deprivation, secrets from your youth and so much more are all part and parcel of Woman on the Edge!
Just a couple of the reviews that are being posted about this book:
“One woman’s struggles with motherhood and another’s desperate desire to be a mother collide in this explosive debut. Woman on the Edge is a white-knuckle read that welcomes a bright new talent to the world of psychological suspense.” — MARY KUBICA, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl
"Gripping from the first page to the last, Woman on the Edge had me nail-biting and breathless all the way through. But even after you've turned the final page, this riveting and deeply felt thriller from debut author Samantha M. Bailey won't relinquish its hold on you." — LAURA SIMS, author of Looker
I could post more but I don't want this to be a spoiler for anyone. One of the things I loved about the author is that she is Toronto based! Everyone loves hometown celebrities and I'm no exception. It thrilled me to read her book and be able to geographically know where she was. It's a small thing that resonates with me. If you aren't from Toronto, it will not detract from the story in any way, I just was amused that I knew these places.
So What Else is in Store for 2020?
I don't know just yet, but rest assured I will be looking into some of the genres that I have been ignoring. The world is just so much better with so many books to choose from.
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.”
I just had to replace my original platform bird feeder. I thought I might share with you what I replaced it with. The original was made of wood and eventually rotted off of it's pedestal. Bummer!
Some birds like a platform to feed from
image courtesy of pixabay.com
I do love to feed my little backyard friends and I have found over the years that using a platform bird feeder works well for attracting a variety of the winged creatures to my yard. For one thing they are much easier to fill with seeds and treats and so much easier to keep clean.
Wood vs Recycled Plastic
As I mentioned above, the first platform or tray feeder that I purchased was made from wood. It lasted for several years but finally succumbed to the years of being in the weather and literally fell off of the pole that it was attached to. So, for a replacement, I found one that is made of recycled plastic. That shouldn't rot, me thinks!
I have seen that many people complain that the little screens rot out in their platform feeders. I hadn't experienced that but the nice thing is that my new one came with two new screens. So, now I can keep the old ones as spares.
The size of this feeder is nice! The inside measures 20 inches by 15 inches which allows for several birds to feed at a time. My favorites are the cardinals who prefer to eat from feeders that are stationary. I get all sorts of birds to come to the platform. I stopped using the ones that I have to take a lid off of to add seed. They get dirty on the inside and can cause bacteria to grow and they are so difficult to clean. The platform works best in our yard.
I only have one complaint and it isn't the manufacturer's fault. Squirrels can easily come up and rob the feeder of food. I gave up a long time ago on trying to keep the critters away...it is a battle I can't seem to win. So, the squirrels eat at the feeder too. So, do raccoons but there is no getting away from it.
It took longer for my new platform to arrive than I thought was necessary. Again, that isn't the manufacturer's fault. It was a shipping issue that caused the problem. Waiting longer was aggravating but once it came, I was extremely satisfied with my purchase. The birds are loving it, too.
If you find that you are in need of replacing your old feeder or would like to try one in your yard, I can highly recommend the platform feeder made from recycled plastic.
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