March 17th St. Patrick's Day Some Facts and Fiction You May Not Know!

So Today is St. Patrick's Day and I hope you are sporting the wearing of something Green!  A Holiday Review.

So what do we know about St. Patrick and what is just added fun for all of us?

Truth be told St. Patrick was a 5th Century missionary from England, sent to bring the message of the Gospels to Ireland.  St. Patrick's Day is celebrated today because it was the day he died in circa 492 (no one is sure about the year).  

Stained Glass Window of St. Patrick from Junction City Ohio , found on Widipedia

Patrick's start in Ireland was not a pleasant one,  he was captured by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland as a slave.  He was about 16 years old at the time and not a particularly devout follower of the Christ.  His time as a slave in Ireland would lead him to find his faith as a Christian and from that point onwards he was quick to declare that Christianity and belief in God was the way to live.

Historians are not sure of too much regarding Patrick, as much of the written works that speak of him no longer exist.  The earliest writings seems to be a letter to Pope Boniface IV around the year 613.  

So how do we have all these "symbols" that are used extensively to celebrate St. Patrick's Day today?

Patrick is credited with teaching the Irish about the Holy Trinity using the shamrock as a way to explain the ideology/theology of 3 unique persons in 1 God.  The pagan people in Ireland had many triple deities, so using the shamrock aided him in his evangelization efforts.  

Patrick is also given the credit for ridding Ireland of it's snakes.  If you look at historical texts you will find that another Irish saint should have that credit(and even that is questionable).  It was only in the 13th century that credit seems to have shifted to St. Patrick.  In fact there evidence that Ireland never had snakes, so there was nothing for him to banish.

There is also the tale of his walking stick.  No doubt as he travelled, he used a staff or walking stick to aid his footsteps.  As he was moving from place to place in Ireland, he came to a place now known as Aspatria.  Legend has it that he stuck his walking stick into the ground and it took so long to teach the people here, that his stick had taken root by the time he was ready to move on.

What is certain is that there isn't a whole lot of St. Patrick's Story that can be held as truth, but the 300 churches and hundreds of thousands that were baptized by him helped make Ireland a Christian nation.

Today we are not so religious about St. Patrick's Day, rather we love to hang onto the "fun" side of Irish culture and traditions.  Because St. Patrick was given credit for using the Shamrock for teaching purposes, and its green, both of these became stalwarts of the Irish identity beyond the borders of Ireland proper.  One of Ireland's claims to fame is that it is the land of a thousand different shades of green!  If you have ever seen an picture of Ireland from the air, you will know that is true.

But let's have some fun now....Why do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

Well, this hails back to the belief in Leprechauns, which is said to come from some of the Druid folklore (pre St. Patrick).  These Leprechauns were: little people, with magical powers that could serve both good and evil. The Celtic folktales, told of  their trickery that would keep their much fabled treasures safe.  It is also said that the wearing of the green is directly related to these little creatures in that they are not able to see the color green.  Therefore you were safe from their trickery if you wore the green!

Photo credit Spencer Platt/Getty  New York St. Patrick's Day Parade 2015

Everyone seems to be wearing green with sayings like "Kiss me I'm Irish!"  In past years, when there isn't a pandemic to keep us away, there were parades and music marking St. Patrick's Day.  The first St. Patrick's Day parade according to History.com was held in New York City in 1895. (There is a debate that there may have been a St. Patrick's Day Parade held in St. Augustine, Florida earlier than 1895) No doubt many Irish immigrants (who came during the potato famine in Ireland 1845) were the inspiration for this reveling  of cultural identity in their new home.  It was a balm to them to celebrate their heritage even though time were tough and not everyone welcomed the Irish.  

While we think of corned beef and cabbage as being a typical Irish Dinner, the truth is that in Ireland they will have Ham and Cabbage. When the Irish came to America, many were very poor so they substituted Corned beef for the Ham (it was cheaper).  Today, this is a staple meal to serve for St. Patrick's Day Dinner.

As with many things in North America, we have made St. Patrick's Day our own.  We can see people enjoying green beer or drinking the traditional Guinness while enjoying Irish step dancers and marching bands.  

Chicago even dyes their river green in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  Now that is a clever trick worthy of any leprechauns in the city.

St. Patrick's Day has become a day not just for the Irish, but for anyone who loves a good time, a great party and a reason to celebrate.  You don't have to be Irish to enjoy all the sights and sounds of a wonderful day that just happens to come on March 17th.  

After a long winter, it's nice to have something "Green" to celebrate.  Wear your Shamrocks and Green with pride and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Some lovely items for your home to help you celebrate everything Irish.

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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Canada Reads Book List 2021

Every year Canada's Broadcasting Corporation or CBC as it is more commonly known, releases a short list of five Canadian books. It's a battle of the books competition in which the five books are brought forward by five Canadian celebrities and in March they come together over five days to debate the merits of the books eliminating one each day. On the final day, a winner is proclaimed the book that we should all read. 

I thought I would give you a brief review of the Canada Reads program and the books that were nominated this year. It was interesting to learn a bit about each of the books and consider adding them to my reading list. Obviously since I have not read them, I cannot personally vouch for them though I can give you a brief description, share the official Canada Reads book trailers, and, at the end, tell you the name of this year's winner.  I might help to know that these books have often been nominated for other literary awards.

Here we go, the nominated books for 2021 under the theme 'One Book to Transport Us'.

BUTTER HONEY PIG BREAD BY FRANCESCA EKWUYASI 

Butter Honey Pig Bread transports the reader from Lagos to London to Halifax. It is the story of three generations of women from Nigeria, a mother and her estranged twin daughters. The mother "believes that she is an Ogbanje, or an Abiku, a non-human spirit that plagues a family with misfortune by being born and then dying in childhood to cause a human mother misery. She has made the unnatural choice of staying alive to love her human family but lives in fear of the consequences of her decision." This book is about food and family and forgiveness, about choices and consequences, and about friendship and faith. 

Rated 4.3 out of 5 by Amazon readers and 4.4 out of 5 by Goodreads readers. 

Writing on The Suburban author Meredith says that this book "ended up being her personal favourite to win the 2021 competition. It was a book that she simply didn’t want to put down and a story that she didn’t want to end."

Here's the official Canada Reads book trailer:

Find Butter Honey Pig Bread on Amazon by clicking right here.

TWO TREES MAKE A FOREST: IN SEARCH OF MY FAMILY'S PAST AMONG TAIWAN'S MOUNTAINS AND COASTS 

Two Trees Make a Forest transports the reader to Taiwan and is a book about memory, love, and landscape, about finding a home, about the distance between people and places and how they meet. 

The author uncovers letters written by her immigrant grandfather that take her from Canada to her ancestral home in Taiwan where she searches for her grandfather's story while learning about the land that he grew up on. She hikes and bikes and swims. She learns about the mountains and the flatlands, the flora and the fauna. She discovers the similarities between natural stories and human stories that created her family and this island. The book is about the world of nature but it also looks at the colonial exploration of Taiwan. It "encompasses history, travel, nature, and memoir."

Rated 4.1 out of 5 by Amazon readers and 3.6 out of 5 by Goodreads readers.

The reviewer on Bomb says, that this book is "A remarkable exercise in careful attention, be it to the nuances of language, the turns of colonial history, or a grandfather’s difficult-to-read handwriting, Two Trees Makes A Forest is a moving treatise on how to look closely and see truthfully, even as the fog rolls in."

Here's the official Canada Reads book trailer:

Find Two Trees Make a Forest on Amazon by clicking right here.

THE MIDNIGHT BARGAIN BY C.L. POLK

The Midnight Bargain transports the reader to Regency England. It is a fantasy novel set in a world that looks like Regency England where women must give up their ability to perform magic when they get married. Obviously, this means that you have something else to think about when you are a mighty sorceress and aspire to be the best female magician. In this book the main character wants to be come a full Magus and continue pursuing magic like men do but her family needs her to be a debutante during Bargaining Season and marry to save them financially. She finds the key to becoming a Magus but it is twisted up with the brother of a handsome, compassionate, wealthy man. The question becomes, will she become a Magus and ruin her family or will she marry the man she loves and give up her magic and identity? 

Rated 4.3 out of 5 by Amazon readers and 4.2 out of 5 by Goodreads readers.

Colleen Mondor on Locus says, "The witty exchanges are indeed sparkling and the verbal cuts are of the sharpest varieties. Polk is so clearly in her element that readers will be carried away by the sheer radiance of her smartly crafted prose and, like me, sorely miss Beatrice when they make that final and satisfying turn of the page."

Here's the official Canada Reads trailer for The Midnight Bargain:

Find The Midnight Bargain on Amazon by clicking right here.

HENCH BY NATALIE ZINA WALSCHOTS 

Hench transports the reader to the world of superheroes and villains. As a young woman working as a temporary office employee, she finds a great job as a hench. Howver, things go wrong, the hero leaves her injured and she gets laid off. Using her internet prowess, she finds out that what happened to her is not unique and when she shares her story, she no longer feels powerless. She discovers that the differences between good and evil may boil down to marketing, which she knows how to manipulate. When she is once again employed, albeit this time to one of the worst villains out there, she discovers she could save the world. 

This book is a novel of love and betrayal and revenge and redemption. It is a look at the cost of justice via "a fascinating mix of Millennial office politics, heroism measured through data science, body horror, and a profound misunderstanding of quantum mechanics." 

The readers on Amazon gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 and the readers at Goodreads gave it a 4.15 out of 5.

In the promotional information about the book, Seanan McGuire says "Hench is fast, furious, compelling and angry as hell." On NPR, Jessica P. Wick says, "Although the author tackles serious issues like how women are treated in the workplace, or how friendships might splinter under the weight of fear, Hench is steeped in the glorious campiness of Golden and Silver Age superheroes. There are lava guns! Mind control devices! Costumes! Lairs! Supercars! Awe! Names like Doc Proton, the Accelerator, the Tidal Four, Electric Eel, the Cassowary, the Auditor. It's fun. It's emotional. It feels like a friend. But it's not comforting. I think it might be terribly honest, and I honestly can't wait to see what Natalie Zina Walschots does next with the genre."

Here's the official book trailer for Hench:

Find Hench on Amazon by clicking right here.

JOHNNY APPLESEED BY JOSHUA WHITEHEAD 

Johnny Appleseed takes us to the world of an Indian glitter princess. Our main character is trying to forge a life off of the reserve in the big city and becomes a cybersex worker in order to survive. He has to go back to the 'rez' and his former world for the funeral of his stepfather. What follows are seven days. Seven days full of stories that include "love, trauma, sex, kinship, ambition and heartbreaking recollection of his beloved grandmother." As he readies to return home, he figures out how to put together his life in this look at "First Nations life which is full of grit, glitter, and dreams."

Amazon reviewers give Johnny Appleseed a 4.3 out of 5 and reviewers on Goodreads, a 4.1 out of 5.

The Globe and Mail says, "Despite its often serious subject matter, Jonny Appleseed is a very funny book, in the same way that Indigenous people themselves are often very funny despite our traumas. In that way, reading this book felt to me like home. Every line felt like being back on Six Nations, laughing with my family, even though I was in my apartment in Brantford. With its fluid structure and timelines, Jonny Appleseed creates a dream-like reading experience – and with a narrator as wise, funny and loveable as Jonny, it’s the sort of dream you don’t want to wake up from."

Here's the official book trailer for Johnny Appleseed:

Find Johnny Appleseed on Amazon by clicking here.

AND THE WINNER IS...

After five sessions of debate that you can watch on CBC by clicking right here, the panel voted Johnny Appleseed as the winner. In my mind, though I have yet to read any of these books and they may not all appeal to everyone, these books are all winners in their own ways.  

Here is the highlights reel from the five debates. It gives a further insight into each of the books, into the passion behind the individual presenting the book and into the varied and interesting stories written within.

That's it. The 2021 Canada Reads book list. There are a bunch of books here that I would never have picked randomly but some of the storylines and some of the reviews from other individuals have left me thinking that I might read them. How about you? Are there any books on this list that you find intriguing? Any that you have read?

See you

at the bookstore!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

QUICK LINKS:

Watch all of the CBC Canada Reads 2021 videos. 

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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Book Review: The First-Time Gardener Growing Vegetables

Perhaps you want to grow your own food but are afraid and have no clue where to begin. Or maybe you can relate to me, having had some experience and success growing literally a couple of vegetables over the decades but far more familiar with wasted time, money, and failed gardening attempts. If you would like to grow your own vegetable garden with confidence, The First Time Gardener Growing Vegetables: All the Know-How and Encouragement You need to Grow and Fall in Love with Your Brand New Food Garden by Jessica Sowards is an excellent investment.

The First Time Gardener - Growing Vegetables

With the purchase of my land, construction of my home, and dreams of having a successful vegetable garden, I am familiar with Jessica Sowards of Roots and Refuge Farm fame through her youtube channel. I spend nearly all of my indoor free time watching videos about gardening and homesteading and her channel has been one that I have learned a good deal from. Her love of gardening is contagious and she is a wealth of vegetable knowledge. When she announced that she had written a book I knew I had to buy it.  

The First Time Gardener Growing Vegetables: All the Know-How and Encouragement You need to Grow and Fall in Love with Your Brand New Food Garden 

This 176 page book is written by Jessica Sowards with photographs by Makenzie Evans Photography. It is part gardening guide, part inspirational prose, and part coffee table visual feast. This book is not an in-depth, encyclopedia of plant names, varieties, and specific growing details of each plant. It is summarized bits of encouraging information.

The Chapters include:

1. Welcome to the Classroom
2. The Foundation - What Every Gardener Needs to Succeed
3. Creating Your Garden
4. Growing with the Seasons
5. The Needs for Seed... or Not
6. Grow Something Lovely - Designing a Captivating Space
7. The Nitty-Gritty of Garden Management
8. Making the Harvest
9. Conclusion - Grow on, Gardener

The chapters are short. Brief blurbs hitting the most important parts of gardening. Including some boxes of summarized information, lists, and charts. The information is chunked into small portions that are not overwhelming for the brand new gardener and would be good prompts and reminders for gardeners with some experience. 

aka "fertilizers" - I've only recently learned about coconut coir

a list of some of the best food plants for container gardening

More About Why I Chose This Book

I currently live in a metro area apartment. I have successfully grown some tomatoes (and a small handful of tiny potatoes) on my south-facing balcony. But I haven't tried to grow a garden in the ground for some years (oh my gosh, decades! My how time flies!). With my planned move to four acres, I am dreaming of having a garden with a variety of vegetables that I will be able to eat fresh or can for later. While I am excited about my plans, I am also afraid.

I am afraid of more plant failure. Over my lifetime, I have made many attempts to grow plants: houseplants, vegetables, berries, fruit trees... and I have failed massively. I have wasted so much time, energy, and money only to end up with seedlings that die, plants purchased from a store that I kill, and a variety of plants that never grow anything edible.

I am also overwhelmed by feeling as though there is so much information to remember; when to plant, what to use for fertilizer, when to harvest, and so on. While everything is available on the internet, I want to make sure to have some good reference books in my home. I do not have reliable connectivity on top of the mountain ridge. There will be many times that I will not be able to look up things on the internet. Also, with this book it will be quicker to flip open to a list or a quick reminder.

Last year I impulsively bought a couple of zucchini and cabbage starts from a roadside stand and planted them in my flower garden. Even though I only sporadically visited my land and did not provide care for those plants, several zucchini grew and I was able to make my own zucchini bread. With a little guidance and support from Jessica's book I should be able to have even more success this coming year.

Related Links:

Make sure you check out the Review This! Gardening tab to see the other posts by our contributors. Our group includes some very talented gardeners. Click this link or the gardening tab at the top of this page and scroll down to see previous gardening posts.

To read more about my land and future homestead please visit my personal blog or take a peek at the video of my house under construction. But be advised, I am not a "youtuber". But with a peek at the videos or blog post it will be easy to see why I will do much of my gardening in containers or raised beds. And that I will need all of the guidance I can get.

I mentioned Jessica's youtube channel. If you love to watch gardening videos and/or someone who finds quiet joy in gardening, be sure to check out Roots and Refuge.

To see what others are saying about The First Time Gardener Growing Vegetables: All the Know-How and Encouragement You need to Grow and Fall in Love with Your Brand New Food Garden be sure to check out the reviews on Amazon. 

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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10 Gifts For Mom That Don't Cost Money

Gift Ideas for Mom that Don't Cost Money

Free gifts have value. A free gift requires thought and time, so be confident in your decision to give Mom a gift that doesn't cost money but instead touches her heart.

Here's a Review of 10 Gifts for Mom That Don't Cost Money:

1. A Video Compilation of Her Life

This takes work. But with today's technology, it's not as hard to do as it used to be. If you have a computer with Windows 10, type "Video Editor" in your search bar, and the "Video Editor App" should show up. Once you click on the App, you can start to create your video for mom. Of course, you'll need all the photos you want in the video to be on your computer so you can upload them into the Video you're making.

2. A Jar of Wise Quotes and Sayings from the Family - For When Mom Needs an Emotional Lift

Write sayings or quotes that come from the heart on tiny pieces of paper. Fold the paper and put them in a jar for mom to pull out and read from time to time. The sayings or quotes can be funny, serious, complimentary, or inspirational. However, make them personal. Include famous quotes if you want, but the sayings should be what the family would really say to mom when she needs a pick-me-up. Put a label on the outside of the jar that says, "Here's Why Mom is Special." Or, label it with your own saying.

3. Do All the Housework for Mom While She Watches Movies All Day

Don't just give her breakfast in bed and do the dishes. Do the laundry, put the clothes away, dust, vacuum, cook dinner, and do the dinner dishes. Bring her snacks while she's watching movies, get her coffee if she wants it, or better yet, a glass or two of wine.

4. Send Her Loving Text Messages for a Defined Period, and Answer Her Texts Without Fail During That Period - Put That Promise in Writing!

If you think this is stupid, it isn't! A typical parent complaint is when a child doesn't answer their texts. Also, when we get a text from our child, sometimes we worry before answering. Why? Because a child who doesn't text often triggers the "something is wrong" warning when they do text! Give mom a card, and tell her you plan to commit to sending her a loving text message daily for a period of time, and during that time, you will also answer her texts. 

5. Write Mom a Poem and Frame It

It doesn't matter if you can't write, just do the best you can, and take the time to frame it. Granted, if you don't have a frame, you will have to buy one, and yes, that costs money. However, a trip to the dollar store will get you an affordable frame. Before you go that route, look around the house and re-use an old frame.

6. Plan a Picnic for Mom and the Family

Being cooped up during these pandemic years has been brutal. Pack a picnic lunch, take mom to the park, bring a radio, a blanket, and some fun outdoor games and spend the day with her.

7. Create a Photo Collage of All the People, and Things Mom Loves

Use a large piece of cardboard art paper, and on there, glue or tape a photo collage of every member of the family at different stages, as well as all of her favorite things in life. Spend time talking with her about each photo you selected.

8. Have Everyone in the Family Write Something Special About Mom

Get everyone in the family to write something they love and admire about mom. Put each written item in a homemade card, or tape each onto a large art paper sheet. Give this thoughtful gift to her when you're serving her breakfast in bed.

9. Read Mom a Story - One You've Written, Or Just From a Book She Loves

Sit with mom for the afternoon, serve her favorite beverage and snacks, and read to her. Take a few hours, without TV, without phones and distractions, and just spend some quality time with mom.

10. Create a Playlist on YouTube that Consists of All Her Favorite Songs

The nice thing about this gift is it's public. You can write something about Mom in the YouTube video description for the world to read and see. Don't get too personal. Just say enough that she knows she's loved and respected. 

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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Computer Chair Mat Review

 

Computer Chair Mats

An office chair mat for your computer or office chair on wheels is a necessity whether you have carpet or a non-carpeted surface.

Many companies manufacture chair mats for the precise purpose of protecting your carpet from snags or your wood or tile floors from scratches. The mats also allow your office chair casters to move easily while offering the described protection.

I have used several brands over the years, and they have all worked well.  The one I am featuring today is the AiBob Office Chair Mat.

Features:

• Made from long-life pure polyethylene that is BPA and phthalalate free for a healthy indoor environment.
• Surface allows your office chair to move easily, but has enough grip to maintain controlled rolling so your chair does not skid around.
• The surface of the mat is strong and sturdy, so your chair’s wheels glide easily.
• Provides good protection for your hardwood floors and carpeted floors.

Mats for Carpets and for Floors

AiBob Chair Mat for Carpets

Version for Carpets:  The floor mats available for carpets work well on low pile carpet floors. Designed to allow effortless movement of office chair wheels while it protects your low pile carpets without leaving indentations. 

The mat designed for carpets has nubs on the back to hold the mat in place.

Office Chair Mat for Floors

Version for Hard Floors: Designed to protect flooring from scratches and dust. Works well on hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl, concrete, and linoleum. This mat provides good protection for your hard floors.

Summary

The AiBob Office Chair Mat is rated #16 (mats for floors) and #18 (mats for carpet). Also, the AiBob mat for carpets is listed as Amazon's Choice. 

The mat comes rolled, so needs to be flattened a bit before using.  The only complaint registered by reviewers is a strong chemical smell when the mat first arrives. The smell dissipates faster if aired for awhile outside.

Ghost Chair

Now for a fun personal story regarding my computer office chair sitting on my chair mat.

GHOST CHAIR

One summer 5 years ago, after visiting my son & family in Iowa, I ended up bringing my grandson Ryan (then age 14) back to Georgia with me for a visit.  It was nice having company on the drive home and delightful to have the companionship of my teenage grandson. We did a lot of sightseeing in the Savannah, GA area and many trips to the beach and to my apartment complex pool. In the evenings we played a lot of card games.

One night, while we were playing Monopoly Deal, I happened to glance into my home office which I could view across the hall from the dining room table.  I noticed that my computer chair had moved from my computer desk near the window nearly all the way across to the door of the room. Very strange.  I got up and returned the chair to the mat, wondering how the chair had moved by itself. I wondered if because all the wheels happened to be in a straight line a vibration of some sort had caused the chair to slide off the mat and end up stopping on the rug several feet away. 

Ryan and I tried to figure out a reason for this occurrence, but came up with nothing.  Later, the same thing happened. This time, I turned two of the wheels on the chair to hopefully hold it in place. A few days later, the same thing happened. The chair moved half a dozen times in the next couple of weeks and we never did find a reason for it. By that time, we had begun to call it the “Ghost Chair”. 

At the end of the month-long visit, Ryan and I drove to Kentucky – a half-way point for both us and his parents - to return him home. We stayed overnight in a motel before going our separate ways and that night, out to dinner together, I related to my son & daughter-in-law the story of the Ghost Chair.  Afterwards, Ryan finally admitted that HE was the reason behind the chair's movement which he accomplished whenever I left the room! It was all a teenage practical joke and 'grandma' never suspected. Ryan had succeeded in looking completely innocent the whole time. LOL. We all had a good laugh over it and it has since become a favorite family story. 😄

Chair Mats for Computer Chairs reviewed by 

Wednesday Elf.

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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The Governess of Penwythe Hall (The Cornwall Novels - Book 1) Reviewed

I recently started reading the Cornwall Novels by Sarah E Ladd and thus far, I have really enjoyed all of them.  The stories begin in Cornwall, England, 1811, which is a fabulous setting for historical fiction.

 

The first book, "The Governess of Penwythe", is an excellent foundation for the series. Delia Greythorne is the governess of five children, but she is more than just a governess.  She is the one constant in the children's lives.  When both of their parents die, they must leave their home and everything they are familiar with, to live with their uncle who they hardly know and do not trust. Unfortunately, returning to Cornwall is the one thing Delia never wanted. Her very life hangs in the balance. 

 

 

The Governess of Penwythe Hall Book 1 Synopsis

 

 The Governess of Penwythe Hall
(The Cornwall Novels) The opening scenes in this book are in Cornwall (1808) and Cordelia (Delia) Greythorne is leaving her home. Recently widowed, her husband's family not only blames her for his death, but believes she knows more than she is telling. Her mother-in-law follows her to the carriage and hurls final insults at Delia.  The Greythorne family has many secrets, all of which Delia knows, and that makes her a threat to them. They want her gone and perhaps would kill her if she didn't have valuable information they needed.  

 

Delia starts a new life as governess to the Twethewey family in Easten Park, Yorkshire which is just far enough away from Cornwall for Delia to feel safe.

 

Randall Twethewey is a wealthy widower with 5 children.  When he is seriously injured in a horseback riding accident, he has a new will written.  Originally, his children were supposed to go live with his sister-in-law, Beatrice, but he worried that her husband would run through the children's inheritance.  With death pending, he decided to make his estranged brother, Jac, the children's guardian.  He also met with the children's tutor, Hugh Simon, and governess to pay them to stay with his children so they would have the two adults they depended upon and trusted so much with them throughout the transition into a new home with an almost unknown guardian.

 
While not as wealthy as his brother, Jac Twethewey owns Penwythe Hall, which was actually the reason for the breach between brothers.  As the oldest brother, Randall expected to inherent Penwythe Hall, but their benefactor left it to Jac instead.  Randall believed Jac had cheated him out of his proper inheritance.  Once you get to know Jac, you know he didn't cheat anyone out of anything.  Their Uncle Angrove simply believed Jac would be a better overseer of Penwythe Hall and left it to him.

Life as they knew it was about to change for everyone. None of them would remain untouched by the necessary move, including their unsuspecting Uncle Jac who had no way of knowing of his brother's death prior to the children's arrival at Penwythe Hall.

However, in Cornwall, their governess was most at risk.

 

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Once You Have Read the First Book in this Series, You Will Want More!

 The Cornwall NovelsCheck Price The Governess of Penwythe Hall (Book 1)Check Price The Thief of Lanwyn Manor (Book 2)Check Price The Light at Wyndcliff (Book 3)Check Price

 

Read More Book Reviews at
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The Governess of Penwythe Hall (The Cornwall Novels - Book 1) Reviewed by:

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Photography Tips for Early Spring Walks

 

Crocus are a First Sign of Spring

I am thoroughly enjoying my early spring walks.  The weather is warming up and buds are on the trees.  The crocus are blooming so I know that spring is on it's way.  In reviewing information for this post I came across several poems about crocuses.  On this post I will review my tips for photographing early spring and also share a poem I discovered.

Crocus Poem

I found many different poems about crocuses online.  Some were older poems and many were new.  Here is one that spoke to me and it is old enough that it is now in the public domain.  It speaks to how I feel when I see my first crocuses of the year.

Camera for my early spring walks

This year I received a new iPhone for my birthday in February so I've been busy exploring the features that it has in the camera and editing features.  It is a iPhone 11pro, which has three cameras and some amazing editing features for a phone.

1. 12MP regular camera | 26mm f/1.8 | Optical image stabilization
2. 12MP ultra-wide camera | 13mm f/2.4 | 120-degree field of view
3. 12MP telephoto / portrait lens | 52mm f/2.0 | Optical image stabilization

I have found that the camera takes some really great photos and decided to use it exclusively for this review.  The added benefit is that I can carry it in my pocket during my walk and easily pull it out to take a photo when I see something I want to shoot.

The link below shows the phone my husband bought me from Amazon.  We have always had really good luck buying their renewed products.

Early Spring Photography

While walking in our neighborhood park, I noticed the way the grasses looked so beautiful against the bright blue sky. I took out my phone and photographed them from several directions.  I wanted to capture the way they looked in the sunlight so I tried all angles to find the best look.  The next week when I walked in the same park I noticed that the grasses had been cut down to get ready for new growth.  I'm glad I photographed them when I did.

Don't Forget the Buds

When you are photographing in late winter/early spring, don't forget to capture the new buds forming on trees and bushes.  They can make some great photos.  You will want to get in very close to capture all the details in the buds like the photo above of a pussy willow.

Buds on spring flowers poking through the ground can also make great photos.  These hyacinth bulbs are just poking through the ground.  I will be back to photograph them when they are in full bloom.

A Trip to the River

If you have water near you, they can also make some great early spring photos.  We had a hard freeze for several weeks in early February and when it finally got warmer the ice broke up on the river.  I took this photo down at the Missouri river where you can see the ice floating down stream.

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Olaplex N°0 Intensive Bond Building and N°3 Hair Perfector Review

I have tried dozens of top-rated hair care products over the years, including pricy salon and luxury brands, that have promised to restore the appearance of my aging, dry, dull, breakage-prone hair. While many have helped to some degree, the only ones so far that have truly delivered on that promise are Olaplex N°0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment paired with Olaplex N°3 Hair Perfector. Thanks to the company’s patented bond building technology that repairs and strengthens damaged hair and improves their elasticity, using this dynamic duo just once a week prior to shampooing, conditioning, drying, and styling with my usual products has helped my tresses look nearly as smooth, shiny, soft, and frizz-free as they do after a salon visit.

This dynamic duo from Olaplex is an at-home version of the famous salon treatment

Olaplex N°0 and N°3 Have Transformed My Damaged Hair

I have always worn my hair long. In my teens and twenties, my locks were smooth, silky, and frizz-free, even in hot and humid weather. After four decades of being color treated, bleached blonde for highlights, and styled with heated styling tools, however, the cumulative damage has left my tresses dull, dry, frizzy, and prone to breakage. I also have more and more gray hair, which is coarser, drier, more brittle, and more fragile, since the scalp’s sebaceous glands slow down their production of sebum (oil) that helps keep strands from drying out around the same time the number of cells producing melanin (pigment) diminishes. 

The Olaplex N°0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment primer with Olaplex N°3 Hair Perfector made a remarkable difference in the appearance and texture of my mane after just one use, and I’m seeing even greater improvement with consistent weekly use, thanks to the cumulative repair and strengthening benefits of Olaplex’s bestselling product duo. My hair feels softer and silkier, and looks smoother and less frizzy, than it has in many years. It’s also stronger and less prone to breakage, and I’m quite happy to see fewer and fewer strands relocating from my head to my hairbrush!

The Patented, Bond-Building Molecule That Revolutionized Professional Hair Care Products and Services

Olaplex was born when the company’s founder teamed up with two UC Santa Barbara scientists, who discovered a new, single molecule, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, that works from inside hair strands. Thanks to this groundbreaking active ingredient, their proprietary, patented active chemistry allows the Olaplex professional salon treatments and companion products for at-home maintenance to work at a molecular level from within the damaged strands. Unlike traditional salon treatments and products that temporarily mask the damage, Olaplex finds and repairs broken disulphide bonds to strengthen the hair and improve elasticity. 

The Olaplex standalone treatment is a salon service that pairs the company’s two flagship, professional-use-only products (Olaplex N°1 Bond Multiplier and N°2 Bond Perfector) to repair existing damage and improve the hair’s strength and elasticity. This proprietary, patented bond building treatment repairs all types of hair damage, whether caused by chemical factors (e.g., coloring, bleaching, perms, chemical relaxers, keratin treatments), thermal factors (e.g., blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons, hot rollers), mechanical factors (e.g., brushing, friction, tugging, pulling on wet hair), or environmental factors (e.g., sunlight/UV exposure, humidity, extremely hot or cold weather conditions, pollution). 

Salons can also add Olaplex to any type of lightening, bleaching, or coloring services (or use it as a perm prep) to mitigate their damaging effects and decrease the hair’s porosity. 

Top hair salons and celebrity stylists, as well as their famous clients (including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, Drew Barrymore, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Julianne Hough, to name just a handful) have raved about Olaplex, fueling a social media buzz that turned the once-small startup from a dark horse into one of the global professional hair care market’s key players. 

The brand's innovative technology was so disruptive to the industry that L'Oréal, the world's largest beauty company, went so far as to essentially steal the formula for Olaplex N°1 (which contains the largest proportion of bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) and use the stolen intellectual property to develop competing products for three of its own professional hair care brands, L'Oréal Professionnel, Redken, and Matrix! L'Oréal was found guilty of misappropriation of trade secrets and patent infringement, and Olaplex was awarded $91 million in damages. The damages awarded were later amended to $53.5 million. 

Olaplex's "perfect pair" for repairing damaged hair!

N°0 + N°3: A "Lite" Consumer Version of the Professional Olaplex Standalone Treatment?

The professional products used in the Olaplex salon treatments, the N°1 Bond Multiplier and N°2 Bond Perfector, contain the highest concentrations of bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate and deliver the maximum repair and strengthening benefits. 

The products I have been using, Olaplex N°0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment and Olaplex N°3 Hair Perfector, are considered the "hero products" for at-home maintenance between salon treatments. Both products contain significantly more bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate than any of the other consumer products (N°4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, N°5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner, N°6 Bond Smoother, and N°7 Bonding Oil), which are more nice-to-haves rather than must-haves.

Olaplex introduced N°0, which it calls "a professional-inspired treatment that primes hair for deeper repair," has the highest dose of patented Olaplex technology in any of the take-home products. Designed to be used as "the first step in a two-part system with N°3 Hair Perfector," it rebuilds hair bonds, strengthens, and protects hair integrity. The N°0 "acts as an intensive repair booster, working in tandem [with N°3] to receive your most intense repair" and delivering "68% more repair & 3x stronger hair" after a single use when used together as a two-part system. According to the consumer website FAQ, "OLAPLEX technology works best when the product is wet in the hair. No.0 is a watery liquid that will dry quickly. Using No.3 over it keeps the hair damp, so both products can continue to work during the [at-home treatment] process."

Given the similarity of the product names and the characterization of N°0 as "a professional-inspired treatment that primes hair for deeper repair," I think this new primer was created to work with N°3 as a "lite" consumer version of the professional treatment, with N°0 and N°3 being used at home very similarly to the way N°1 Bond Multiplier and N°2 Bond Perfector, respectively, are used at the salon. 

Even Without a Professional Olaplex Salon Treatment, a Weekly at-Home N°0 + N°3 Two-Part Treatment Can Deliver Impressive Results

The primary purpose of doing a weekly Olaplex N°0 + N°3 two-step treatment at home may be to maintain the benefits of the professional treatments between salon visits. However, I and many others have found that even without having had an Olaplex salon treatment with the full-strength, professional products, the weekly at-home, two-step treatment can still produce unprecedented improvements in the smoothness, strength, and elasticity of our tresses. 

I would love to get the full, professional Olaplex salon treatment experience someday. In the meantime, however, I'm thrilled with how well these two consumer products perform together synergistically to repair, strengthen, de-frizz, and restore elasticity to my brittle, overstressed locks.

Note: Amazon Luxury Beauty is one of the authorized online retailer for Olaplex N°0, Olaplex N°3, and the rest of the brand's consumer products, which are also good for keeping healthy hair strong and resilient.

Olaplex No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment + No. 3 Hair Perfector Product Review written by Margaret Schindel

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