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Friday, July 2, 2021

Wilton Perfect Results Large Non-stick 18" x 12" Baking Pan Review

I have been baking with Wilton pans pretty much all of my adult life. Once I discovered the non-stick Wilton pans, I never looked back! They are fabulous pans that are available in a lot of different shapes and sizes.

I confess that as a newlywed (over 30 years ago), baking in my own first kitchen and having very limited funds, I was enticed by the lower price of the basic aluminum cake pans. It didn't take very long for me to realize they weren't worth the cost of an ugly cake. I don't remember burning any cakes in those old aluminum pans, but they did stick, even when coated with shortening, and tear chunks out of my cakes when trying to remove the cake from the pan. Then I had to force the chucks in place & "glue" them with icing. That simply didn't make a very pretty cake, even if the cake did taste good. I kid you not, once I tried the Wilton non-stick baking pans, I tossed those aluminum pans and never shed a tear.

Of course, there are a few downsides to the non-stick coating. For one, you don't want to use a sharp knife to cut a sheet cake still in the pan. Plus, it is best to wash the pans by hand and not in the dishwasher. Yes, they are dishwasher safe, but the coating will last a lot longer if you hand-wash them. Is it worth it? You bet! I would much rather hand wash a non-stick pan than to try to "glue" a cake back together.

You now know why I love Wilton baking pans, but I have found another use for a specific size Wilton pan that I must share! The 18" x 12" Perfect Results pan is my favorite to date.

The 18" x 12" Wilton Perfect Results Cake Pan

Of course the 18" x 12" size is perfect for baking a huge crowd pleasing cake. It is simply doubling or tripling a cake recipe (16 cups of cake batter) to fill and will serve 54 people depending on the serving size. The number 54 is based on cutting 2" square cake pieces. If you need to serve more, you could cut smaller piece. If you use boxed cake mix, according to Wilton, it will take 4 boxes.

But, this huge cake pan is NOT JUST for cakes!

I use mine for dinners like my manicotti (holds 14 stuffed manicotti shells - 1 box) & enchiladas (holds 18 stuffed enchiladas). Using this one pan is so much easier than splitting the meal and cleaning two standard casserole dishes. Plus, I love how lightweight it is when filled! I can easily put it in the oven and lift it out myself. Because of the 12" width, I can easily place the enchiladas end to end without mashing the ends together to force a fit like was required in a 10" wide casserole dish.

In addition to the manicotti & the enchiladas, I recently baked 6 pork chops on a bed of wild rice & soup. The meat was perfect and tender, and so was the rice. Therefore, it can be used for meat as well as pasta meals.

The size fits in my 27" wall oven without touching the oven sides.

It is so nice to be able to cook an entire recipe of manicotti or enchiladas all at one time in one oven. Previously, I either had to use both of my ovens for just the main course, or cook one dish, set aside and cook the second dish.

When cooking for a large family, or cooking a recipe that will provide enough leftovers for a second meal, having this 18" x 12" baking pan is essential.

One word of caution: I found out the hard way that reheating leftovers is this pan is not advisable. Sadly, I ruined my first pan that way. When reheating, the residue on the sides from the eaten half burned on the pan and took the non-stitch coating off with it when cleaning. So, do move leftovers into a different pan for reheating.

Wilton is a name we all associate with baking cakes, cupcakes & desserts. However, their non-stitch pans should not be limited to just baking cakes in our homes. They can do so much more!

Wilton W6516 Perfect Results Sheet Cake Pan, 18Check Price

Thursday, July 1, 2021

The Emptiness of Our Hands - Book Review

Who would you become if you were to suddenly find yourself without a home? Some of you here know the answer to that question because you have lived it. For the authors of The Emptiness of Our Hands, the answer was far beyond what they could ever have imagined. Living the question forever changed who they were and who they continue to become to this day.

Choosing to live on the streets of Columbus, Ohio for 47 days may not seem earth-shattering, but for Phyllis Cole-Dai, and her photographer friend, James Murray, the experience was, in many ways, soul-shattering. They found themselves immersed in an alternate universe offering up the kind of devastation that stripped bare their psyches and spirits. After just two nights, Murray was already broken to pieces.

The decision to go to the streets had not been made lightly or done as a stunt. Cole-Dai felt a deep call she could not ignore. Her intent was to offer up the gift of presence to everyone she met.

So then what transpires when you suddenly find yourself in deep survival mode? How are you transformed while living in a world ill at ease with the homeless... with you? How do you cope with feeling invisible, despised, and less than human? When constantly wrestling with intense fear, uncertainty, and struggle, what gives? What sustains?

How is it that something as simple as being seen can be such a consolation? Nothing is inconsequential to the one in need of the kind of attention that shelters, or the haven to be found in the eyes of compassion. To be seen like that is to receive an act of love.

As one with an outreach to those without a home, immersing myself within The Emptiness of Our Hands has reaffirmed for me the power of "thereness" (really being there for, and with, someone). It has stirred a deep desire to be a very present haven to the one who might need to rest for a moment in my embracing presence.

This book is for anyone who seeks to express the kind of humanity that feeds and shelters souls. Just as there are many ways to experience homelessness, there are also many ways to be the kind of home presence needed by the displaced, the lost, or the lonely souls we encounter all around us.

I also highly recommend the companion volume entitled Practicing Presence. This compilation of 47 reflections (one from each of the author's 47 days on the streets) enables each of us to more fully develop and engage our mindfulness intentions. I consider these two books the most important reading I have done all year.

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Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Discover Chirp: Awesome Affordable Audiobook Deals

Audiobooks are a wonderful complement to print, Kindle and other reading formats. Listening to a novel or non-fiction book while driving, walking, riding or waiting for public transit, traveling, sitting in waiting rooms, crafting, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning or doing laundry or yard work can make these activities much more enjoyable. A talented narrator can significantly enhance the experience of consuming a good book. Jim Dale’s Grammy award-winning narration of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is a perfect example. Unfortunately, production costs are higher than for print and digital books, which makes audiobooks more expensive to purchase.

This review will introduce my fellow bibliophiles to Chirp, a wonderful service that offers a changing selection of awesome, affordable, limited-time audiobook deals without the financial commitment of a monthly or annual membership fee that Audible requires.

$Limited-time audiobook deals at a fraction of their list price$

Audiobooks Continue to Grow in Popularity

2020 was the ninth straight year of double-digit revenue growth for audiobook publishers, jumping 12% vs. 2019 revenues to reach $1.3 billion, according to this year’s sales survey conducted by research firm InterQ for the Audio Publishers Association (APA). More than 71,000 audiobooks were published in 2020, a 39% increase versus 2019, per the APA’s consumer survey of American adult audiobook listeners conducted by Edison Research. [Source: Audio Publishers Association press release, June 1, 2021]

This rapidly growing trend toward publishing titles in audiobook editions as well as print and e-book formats is wonderful news to the many avid readers (including myself) who love listening to books as well as reading them.

The quality of the narrators and their performances has improved dramatically in recent years. More and more books are being narrated by award-winning stage and film actors. Depending on their contracts, narrators may be paid at an hourly rate per “finished hour” of audio, and/or may earn royalties based on sales. A sound engineer, producer, or other people may be required, and production and editing costs are much higher than for other publishing formats. Consequently, audiobooks are priced higher than their print or e-book counterparts.

Buying vs. Borrowing Audio Books

Because of their higher price tag, many of us download at least some of the recorded books we want to read the public library. Unfortunately, most libraries can’t afford to make a wide selection of audiobooks available to their borrowers, and the very long waiting lists for popular titles can be quite frustrating. As a result, many of us who love listening to them purchase at least some audio books rather than borrowing them from the library. In fact, 38% of audiobook listeners who responded to the above-mentioned APA consumer survey of American adult audiobook listeners indicated that they subscribe to at least one audio book service, such as Audible or Chirp.

Audible dominates the audiobook services market to the point where the Audible name is synonymous with this book format. As an Amazon company, no would-be rival can hope to compete with its enormous library, financial backing, in-house production studio, author and publisher relationships, and marketing and technology resources.

Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks

I have been an Audible member since 2006 and remain a huge fan and loyal customer. I appreciate the many major improvements, such as Whispersync for Voice technology (which allows you to switch seamlessly between listening to a book on Audible and reading it on a Kindle or Kindle app) and the excellent, exclusive content produced by Audible Studios. However, the steep increases in the cost of membership and the changes to their membership plan model in recent years has made it less affordable.

Over the years, I looked into several less expensive sources for audio books that others had recommended, but the limited selection and desirability of the titles on offer, the number of abridged versus unabridged books and, in some cases, the quality of the narrations (some of which were machine-generated) was always disappointing. After being an Audible member for so many years, the bar for a good audiobook acquisition and listening experience was set high, and nothing else I found came close to measuring up. I gave up on finding a less expensive Audible alternative for my own needs.

However, Chirp, a competing service that offers amazing limited-time deals on popular audiobook titles at incredibly low prices, has turned out to be a fantastic complement to my Audible membership. And for less hardcore audiobook listeners who haven't built up a library of audiobooks in Audible's proprietary format over the past 15 years, Chirp might be a viable and much less expensive alternative.

Chirp Audiobook Deals Make Listening to Books Affordable

Last year, as I bemoaned how much money I was spending on my growing Audible library, a close friend and fellow avid reader told me about Chirp, where he frequently found titles that interested him at a fraction of list price. Given my previous experience with lower-cost audiobook sources, I was somewhat skeptical about how good this Audible alternative could be. But, based on my friend’s enthusiastic recommendation, I went online to learn more about it.

I found several articles about Chirp that concurred with my friend’s opinion about this new-to-me site and book listening app. The more I read about the company and its audiobook deals, the more interested I became.

I went to the Chirp website and browsed their limited-time audiobook deals. If the selection of steeply discounted books didn’t interest me or had lots of negative reviews, they wouldn’t be a bargain at any price. To my surprise, that day’s featured deals included a few bestselling fiction and non-fiction titles priced at less than $5 each! I returned to check out the update crop of deals several times over the following week or two and was impressed by quality of the books across a wide range of genres being offered for just a few dollars apiece.

I signed up for the Chirp featured audiobook deals emails in October 2020 and have added quite a few new titles to my recorded books library since then. I still maintain my Audible membership for its enormous catalog, and because I own so many audiobooks in Audible’s proprietary format that I don’t want to lose access to. But, thanks to Chirp’s limited-time deals and notification emails, I’ve also discovered several new authors and series without paying a small fortune.

Here are the things I love most about using Chirp.

Find Fabulous Deals on Popular Audiobooks

Every day, you’ll find a good selection of limited-time Chirp Featured Deals that sell for a fraction of their list prices, with discounts up to 95% off!

At the time of publication, for example, there were 381 featured deals from $0.99 to $6.99, with the vast majority priced between $1.99 and $4.99, from popular authors as diverse as Janet Evanovich, Jane Austen, David Baldacci, Lisa Scottoline, Robert Heinlein, James Patterson, Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton, David Sedaris, Jeffrey Archer, John Steinbeck, Stephanie Laurens and Robert Frost.

Chirp screenshot - audiobook Featured Deals

No Membership Fees, No Minimum Purchase

With Chirp, there is no ongoing financial commitment. Unlike Audible, whose listening plans are based on monthly or annual subscription fees, Chirp lets you buy as few or as many books as you want, as seldom or as often as you want. Never Miss a Great Audiobook Bargain You can sign up for Chirp’s daily or weekly featured deals notification emails to make sure you don’t miss a great deal. Or, if you prefer, you can opt out of the emails and visit the site whenever you wish to check out the bargains on offer that day.

A Low Cost Way to Try Audiobooks

If you're curious about audiobooks and want to give them a try, Chirp is a great way to start building a listening library without spending a lot of money.

Listen When You Want, the Way You Want

You can use the Chirp app on your iOS or Android phone or tablet, stream audiobooks from your Chirp library in a web browser on a laptop or other device, and even listen to your Chirp audiobooks on your Alexa-enabled devices after you enable the Chirp skill on the device and link your Chirp account.

Buy Once, Listen Again and Again

All books you purchase are yours to keep, so you can revisit your favorites even years later.

A Perfect Complement to Other Audiobook Sources

Whether you’re borrowing audiobooks from the library or buying them on Amazon or Audible, Chirp’s limited-time deals can help you listen to more of the books you want while saving you money.

A More Flexible Alternative to Audible, With A Smaller Catalog

In addition to the deeply discounted, limited-time deals, Chirp also sells many other audiobook titles at what they call "everyday value" pricing. Although you won’t find the vast selection of titles that Audible offers, there are still plenty of books to choose from. So, if you’re new to audiobooks or listen to them less frequently, Chirp can be a viable and far less expensive alternative to an Audible subscription plan.

Discover Great Reads With Book List Recommendations

The Chirp website has a well organized Book Lists section with smart, well written recommendations to help you discover titles you might not have known about otherwise.

Chirp website screenshot - top of Book Lists page

Books for Adults, Books for Kids

While the majority of titles on Chirp are for an adult audience, you'll also find plenty of books for kids, as well as some excellent recommendations in the "For the Kids" section of Chirp's Book Lists.

Screenshot of Chirp's recommended book lists for kids

Get 20% Off Your First Audiobook Purchase on Chirp

If you use my Chirp referral link, you'll get 20% off your first audiobook purchase (and I’ll also get 20% off my next purchase). It’s a win-win!

Explore today's limited-time audiobook deals on Chirp and save 20% on your first order!

Do you have other favorite sources for buying or borrowing audiobooks? If so, please share them below in the comments.

Discover Chirp: Awesome Affordable Audiobook Deals product review by Margaret Schindel

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

ThermoPro TP-20 and TP-18 Food Thermometers Reviewed

Three years ago I received my Char-Griller offset smoker as a Father's Day gift. I was so excited and could not wait to use it. My Char-Griller is a combination smoker and charcoal grill.

As I was in a hurry to get started, I quickly realized that I needed some additional tools to help control the temperatures of the grill and the food. Even though the grill has a thermometer on the lid of the grill the temperatures can vary by 40 to 50 degrees throughout the grill.

After much research, I found the ThermoPro TP-20 remote food thermometer with dual probes. Now, I can remotely monitor the internal temperature of the food that I'm cooking along with the inside temperature of the grill.

ThermoPro TP-20 Features:

LCD Display (Liquid Crystal Display) - Displays all icons temperatures and time

Dual probe temperature display

Programmable alert with preset temperatures for different foods

Tolerance for internal food temperature is + or - 1.8 degrees

Displays in Fahrenheit or Celsius

Count down or count up timer

Remote Transmitter

The dual probes allow me to monitor the internal temperature of two types of meat or two sections of a large piece of meat.

With the 40 to 50-degree variance that I mentioned earlier, you want to be sure that you are cooking the meat at the proper temperature.

I always use the second probe to monitor the grill temperature of the cooking surface of my grill. The unit comes with a handy clip so you can clip the probe onto the grill grates. With the remote transmitter, I can monitor the grill and the food from anywhere.

ThermoPro Instant ReadTP-18:

I have the old-style meat thermometers but you have to insert them into the meat and wait for the temperature to read. When your cooking over a hot surface this presents a problem.

The TP-18 is an ultra-fast digital instant-read thermometer you will get reading in about two seconds. This comes in handy for checking different portions of the meat while cooking.

I also use both the TP-20 and TP-18 while cooking inside. The wires on the TP-20 are long enough to have the probe inserted into your favorite roast in the oven and have the monitor on the countertop.

I am very satisfied with the performance of both of my ThermoPro thermometers for the past three years and would recommend them to anybody.

Check out just a few of my favorite smoking recipes:

Long Smoke Pulled Pork Smoked Bone-in Chicken Breasts Slow Smoke Pork Ribs

Find More Product Reviews on ReviewThis: ReviewThisProductReviews.com

ThermoPro TP18 Ultra Fast Thermocouple Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer for Grilling BBQ Smoker Kitchen Food Cooking Thermometer for Oil Deep Fry Candy ThermometerCheck the Price ThermoPro TP-20 500FT Wireless Meat Thermometer with Dual Meat Probe, Digital Cooking Food Meat Thermometer Wireless for Smoker BBQ Grill Thermometer, 2.67 x 4.94 x 1.10Check the Price

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Monday, June 28, 2021

Hallmark Christmas In July 2021 Reviewed

Hallmark fan alert! Hallmark Christmas in July movies make a long awaited appearance this year. The fun begins Friday, July 9, 2021 and continues through July 31st. The favorites are back along with a few Hallmark surprises.

Here are a few of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies showing this July.

Crown for Christmas - Danica McKellar and Rupert Penry-Jones

One of the top Hallmark Christmas movies of all time (in my humble Hallmark opinion!)

Danica McKellar is transported from her job as a maid in a swanky hotel to a nanny to a princess and all the foibles in between. Great chemistry between the leads and the palace staff make this a modern day romantic comedy many will enjoy all year long.

Christmas at Graceland - Kellie Pickler and Wes Brown

Love, romance, country music against the backdrop of the beautiful Graceland makes you want to book a Graceland visit on your next vacation.

Christmas Under Wraps - Candace Cameron Bure, David O'Donnell

A career driven city doctor finds herself unexpectedly in Alaska to take care of the residents of this small Christmas town. Of course romance ensues with a resident who have a very Christmas family. One of the A team female leads at Hallmark, Candace does not disappoint nor does the male lead David O'Donnell to make one almost 'believe' Santa does exist...

Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas - Lacey Chabert, Stephen Huszar

Mystery, romance and five degrees of separation? as five strangers find themselves drawn to a country inn for Christmas and find their lives intertwined as the mystery unfolds.

Our Christmas Love Song - Alicia Witt, Brendan Hines

Fans are in for a treat with these two stars who can sing and act. Country music is the backdrop along with an original song by Alicia Witt.

Soap Sunday

New this year is an all day marathon of Hallmark Christmas movies with your favorite soap stars!

New 2021 Christmas Movie

Hallmark fans will be delighted that Christmas In July this year will include a brand new Christmas movie - albeit early. Crashing Through The Snow premieres this July starring Amy Acker and Warren Christie.

Hallmark Christmas Movie Reviews

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia

Christmas Tree Lane by The Savvy Age

Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age

Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

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Sunday, June 27, 2021

Reviewing The Growing And Care Of Dracaena As A Houseplant

dracaena houseplant with white brick background

Dracena House Plant

I rescued two lovely Dracaena houseplants recently. It was a spur of the moment decision, I had gone into the shop for compost!! Anyone who knows me will understand that I cannot resist a beautiful plant let alone two sitting unloved on a shelf. They were a quarter of the original price so an extremely good bargain, as long as I can keep them alive.

I do like to buy or rescue outdoor plants this way as bargains and bringing back to life the unloved and unwanted, but I have never bought a houseplant in need of rescue. Houseplants can be a little harder to restore to full health once they have been very neglected, but I wanted to give it a go.

So this Dracaena is a stunning-looking plant. Both were sadly completely dried out and shrinking from their pots which is not good. So the first thing I did was to put the pots into a bowl of water and allow the plant to drink what it wanted for an hour. This way I did not overwhelm it with water but it could quench its undoubted thirst.

Next was to give it the very best of treatment. This means the correct position in the house, the food, water and environment it needs. It also means the correct soil, but on this, I am waiting as it is always stressful for a plant to be repotted and they had enough stress so far. So I will repot in a month or so when they are more settled.

Dracaena House Plant In Kitchen

The Name Dracaena

This plant is named Dracaena which means female dragon in ancient greek. Apparently, the red stems that are found in many of these houseplants are like the colour of dragons blood! Sometimes it is also referred to as the Dragon Plant which I like.

Dracaena Are Good For Us!

The Dragon plant is also a great air purifier and therefore very good to have in our homes. It is a lovely thing to have a plant that is beautiful in our homes and this one is stunning especially as it grows tall, but quite another when it benefits us directly.

Our homes are surprisingly full of toxins and pollutants from our furniture, paint, materials for building, clothing and cleaning chemicals we use every day.

If we can help to offset at least some of this pollution with beautiful houseplants we are doing our health good. Dracaena is one of the most effective plants for air purification and so deserves a place in every home.

Generally, for the majority of people this plant is safe to be around. For most people, this plants leaves are not toxic if touched and handled, but clearly as with any houseplant avoid anyone eating them. If anyone has especially sensitive skin or allergies to plants then direct contact with the plant is best avoided.

Dracaena Is Toxic If Eaten By Pets

It must be noted that beautiful as it is, Dracaena is toxic if our pets eat it. It is the chemical in the plant, saponin that causes the issue. This will result in vomiting and diarrhea and if that occurs get your pet to a vet immediately for treatment.

If you have pets it is wise to keep this houseplant out of their reach.

dracaena houseplant in front of a textured glass window

Dracaena House Plant In Bathroom With Filtered Light

Where to Position Dracaena

Dracaena comes from the floor level of tropical rainforests and arid deserts. I know mine came from Costa Rica. Dracaena like humidity so unlike the houseplants I have reviewed previously this one loves being in a bathroom or kitchen.

This is great news as I love houseplants in these rooms. To keep them happy and in good condition, they appreciate regular misting of the leaves and a humid environment so placing them on a dish of pebbles topped up with water is also helpful.

The dragon plant likes to keep warm so heat of about 15 to 20 degrees celsius is good, but it hates direct bright light so after some thought I have positioned one in the bathroom window that is south facing but the window is opaque so it filters the suns rays very well which is just what this plant requires, filtered sunlight.

This plant is currently quite small but it will grow much taller which is not a problem here as the window is quite tall as well. The taller one is in the kitchen again by a window this time east facing but quite sheltered from the sun by the foliage in the garden. So I will see if it likes it there.

Leaves Of Dracaena House Plant

Water And Food Requirements For Dracaena

The soil must always be moist for this houseplant but it does not like to sit in soggy wet conditions. The best soil is free draining so compost mixed with perlite would be a good combination. It allows for generous watering but permits good drainage to let excess water through. Always make sure there is an inch or to at the top of the pot to allow for easy watering.

Once watered allow the plant to drain through before you site back in its outer container. I would recommend having the plant in a plastic or terracotta pot then putting that pot inside a slightly larger decorative pot. That way you can water thoroughly but allow it all to drain off before repositioning.

If the leaves go yellow and droop then it has been overwatered and we must cut down on the watering and ideally repot into fresh compost to give it the best chance of recovery.

My two both need repotting and then placing into proper decorative pots but that will wait until they have settled down.

Feeding is quite important and a task we need to do every fortnight during spring and summer, reducing to once a month in autumn/fall and no feeding is necessary during winter. You can buy Dracaena feed or any usual houseplant fertilizer is fine.

Dracaena Marginata Colorama - Tri-Color Dragon Tree Houseplant from Jm Bamboo

American Plant Exchange Live Dracaena Marginata Colorama Plant, Madagascar Dragon Tree, Plant Pot for Home and Garden Decor, 6" Pot

Madagascar Dragon Tree - Dracaena marginata - 6" Pot - Easy to Grow House Plant

Pruning Dracaena

It is not necessary to do any pruning of this houseplant. The only reason I can see to prune is if it grows too tall for the space. It grows in an upright habit so actually occupies only a small space on any surface.

However, if you need to prune the canes or stems to reduce the height you can simply cut them with secateurs like these Wolf By Pass Garden Secateurs and then in time new growth will shoot from the pruning cut.

I am going to allow these two to grow pretty tall as I think they look especially stunning as a huge plant and I love having them in our home.

Dracaena House Plant

So in summary Dracaena is a stunning plant that takes up little room on a surface, but can grow quite tall. It is beautiful and requires filtered sunlight, warmth and steady watering and feeding.

Do be careful where you place it if you have pets as it is toxic to them. Keep it out of the way of any person who is especially sensitive or allergic to plants.

It is a very easy care plant overall and has air purification qualities to help us be more healthy in our homes. Overall a very deserving plant and one I am glad I rescued.

More Garden And Houseplant Reviews

Reviewing The Care Of Living Stone Flowers or Lithops As Houseplants

The Spider Plant As A Houseplant Reviewed

Caring for A Mother In Laws Tongue As A Houseplant Reviewed

How To Grow Camellias In Your Garden Or Container Reviewed

Diary of A Wild Country Garden

Reviewing The Growing And Care of Bottlebrush Plant

Houseplants Articles By Contributors On Review This Reviews

Gardening Articles By Contributors On Review This Reviews

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Saturday, June 26, 2021

Reviewing Vera: A British TV Drama

I must admit I love British murder mysteries and Vera is definitely one I enjoy a lot, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Press Release photo (itv.om) adapted by Louanne Cox using Canva

DCI Vera Stanhope is a middle-aged, blunt-talking woman with a brusque attitude who gets things done. Donning a trench coat, tatty hat and driving her (very old) landrover around the wonderful landscape of Northumberland she hasn't been portrayed as a sex symbol and there's no love interest in the cast. Basically, her team feels like 'real' people which means you can concentrate on the crime at hand and trying to solve it .... along with the panoramic shots of the area (British tourism must appreciate this series).

I love her down-to-earth mannerisms, her use of the words love and pet just really consolidates her character. She gets frustrated with her team on occasion, but you can tell they have respect for her and the unit is very cohesive.

I haven't watched Vera from the beginning, I stumbled across it one evening as it was about to start so watched it, then I found another episode a few weeks later. It was a few seasons in before I started to watch every episode, I have since watched older episodes so I think I'm completely up to date now and eagerly awaiting Season 11 to be aired.

I mention this because you could easily watch just an odd episode and enjoy it without needing to start from the beginning. In fact, some critics have panned the first series (even though it continually ranks well in the countries it's shown) so maybe it was good that I saw a couple of later episodes first.

If you are like me and get invested in characters you will get a shock in one of the episodes in season 6 (I won't ruin it by telling you which one) as something happens which almost made me cry. For the record, I rarely cry over television shows or movies.

If you have heard of the novelist Ann Cleaves you may have heard of Vera as this drama series has been based on her novels: Hidden Depths, Telling Tales, The Crow Trap and Silent Voices.

If you want to watch Vera you can see her for free on the ITV in the UK and ABC in Australia, you can also watch her on Prime Video in other parts of the world or purchase her DVDs. Each series has four episodes in them, but according to the latest information Series 11 which is being filmed as I write this should be having 6 episodes, two being filmed in 2021 and four in 2022.

If you enjoy series such as Broadchurch, The Stranger, Endeavour or Shetland (also written by Ann Cleaves) then you should really check out this series.

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Friday, June 25, 2021

Mini Increment Measuring Spoons for Tad, Dash, Pinch, Smidgen & Drop

When I first started cooking and saw the words pinch or a dash in a recipe, or had verbal instructions to add a pinch of salt to something, I was confused by those words. Exactly, what is a "pinch" of salt or a "dash" of cinnamon?

Because I tend to take things literally, I would pinch the salt and drop it into the bowl or grab a shaker and dash the ingredient into the mix. But, it still bothered me that I didn't know exactly how much to add.

This past Christmas, my sister-in-law gave me a set of mini increment measuring spoons. I love them! Now I know how much a pinch of salt is (1/16 tsp) and I have a measuring spoon in that tiny increment. How awesome is that!!!

I prefer to take the mystery out of a recipe so I can duplicate a cooking creation that is perfected.

Also, I love having measuring spoons that are in such tiny increments. After all, it is pretty hard to measure out 1/16 of a teaspoon!

Tiny Increment Measuring Spoons

BERYLER® Measuring Spoons SetCheck PriceThese measuring spoons take the guesswork out of those not so well defined measurements in recipes.

Drop - 1/64 teaspoon
Smidgen - 1/32 teaspoon
Pinch - 1/16 teaspoon
Dash - 1/8 teaspoon
Tad - 1/4 teaspoon

I never would have guessed that a drop is only 1/64 teaspoon! Plus, I never would have been able to accurately measure it. I would have previously thought a smidgen and a pinch were the same thing. Clearly, I would have been wrong.

These measuring spoons have the words and the measurement engraved in the stainless steel, which means they won't have the measurement plate knocked off.

My mini increment measuring spoons are dishwasher safe and come with a ring to keep them together in my kitchen drawer. I also like the brushed stainless steel appearance. It just looks clean and rugged by design. No need to worry that they could be melted when cooking or cleaning. Plus, I don't have to worry about them picking up smells with years of use.

For those of you who enjoy cooking, I highly recommend these must-have kitchen utensils. Why guess when you can know for sure!

Oh, and they make a great gift!

Measuring Spoons Set, Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, Mini Measuring Spoon for Cooking Baking, Tablespoon Teaspoon for Dry or Liquid Ingredients, Fits in Spice Jar,set of 5Check Price

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Beneath Devils Bridge by Loreth Anne White-A Book Review

A Book Review

Beneath Devils Bridge is a compelling mystery that had my attention from page one. In this story the author weaves a tale about a ambitious podcaster, Trinity Scott, who is interviewing a condemned murderer. She wants to tell the story of a 24 year old murder of a 14 year old girl in a small town in British Columbia. The story flips between the present day story of the podcaster and her quest for the truth and the crime that took place 24 years in the past. The murderer Clayton Jay Pelley confessed to the crime and is now serving a life sentence, but is that all there is to the story. When Trinity starts to dig into the past the members of the small town community are not anxious to help her uncover what really happened.

Characters

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the way the author developed the characters as the story progressed. Here is a short synopsis of some of the main characters.

Trinity Scott

Trinity is an interesting character. She is a podcaster who is very ambitious. She researches cold cases and features them on her podcasts. At first glance you feel that her interest in this case is purely to have a great podcast. But is that completely true or does she have some ulterior motive?

Leena Rai

Leena Rae is the murder victim in this mystery. She is a fourteen year old girl who wants very much to belong, but she is very plain, shy and awkward. She is often bullied and made fun of by others in her class. On a cold November night she is brutally murdered on her way home from a "secret" bonfire in the small town of Twin Falls. The circumstances of her murder are covered up by the people in the village till podcaster Trinity Scott brings up the case 24 years later.

Rachel Walczak

Rachel is the lead detective on the case and also the mother of one of Leena's classmates. When she and the other detective start interviewing the students after the murder they both feel something is being hidden from them, but when a teacher confesses the case is quickly closed.

My Thoughts on the Book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like the way it was written giving both Trinity's and Rachel's perspective. The book really pulls you in and has several twist and turns that I did not anticipate. It also has a lesson to be learned on what happens when bullying becomes the norm and a small town sticks together to hide the truth.

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