Reviews of Books for Children Which Bring American History to Life

These Amazing Books Bring American History to Life

Peter Crabtree and Bobbie Kalman are responsible for some of the most appealing American history books for children of all ages that I've ever seen. I first became aware of these books while I was in the business of selling educational books for children. They are not boring, like textbooks. They are designed to make children want to pick them up and read them. When I sold these at home school conventions, even the parents loved reading them. These books sold themselves as soon as people looked inside of them. I myself learned much from them. 

The Early Settler Series

Buy Early Settler Storybook

Educator Bobbie Kalman wrote most of these books. The first series she produced was called the Early Settler Series. It is now mostly out of print, but copies are available on Amazon. As you can see by the cover art on this title, the art is nostalgic in style. The books look old fashioned. There are lots of illustrations to enhance the text. The reading level is about third or fourth grade and up. The illustrations will not be considered too young by older children. 

These books sold very well for me. Titles include Early Christmas, Early Stores and Markets, Early Loggers and the Sawmill, Early Travel, Early Village Life, Food for the Settler, Early Schools, Early Family Home, Early Settler Children, Early Settler Storybook, Early Artisans, Early Pleasures and Pastimes, Early Farm Life, Early City Life, and Early Health and Medicine.The link above should lead you to all available titles. A complete collection will show children exactly what life was like for the earliest settlers of what is now the United States. 

The Historic Communities Series

Bobbie Kalman's next series, Historic Communities, made some changes in format. These books look more modern. Wherever possible they are illustrated with photographs from living history museums and towns. If you've ever been to Williamsburg or Sturbridge Village, these books will make you feel like you are there again. There are several photographs and / or color illustrations on each two-page spread. Each book 32-page book also has a glossary to explain unfamiliar words and an index to make it easy for readers to find what they are looking for. These books are visually designed for children as young as first grade, but I would expect most children would need to be at a second or third grade level to read them independently. 

Buy A Colonial Town Williamsburg

Let's use an example: A Colonial Town Williamsburg. This book gives an overview of the history of Williamsburg followed by a beautiful pictorial map illustrating the buildings and their locations. The reader then gets a photographic tour of some sights that would have been common to the colonists. These include shops and taverns and the garden areas that were often behind them. We see children getting water from a well, since there was no indoor plumbing. We see a ladder on the roof for putting out chimney fires. We see a slave boy grooming a horse and we learn why horses were important to the colonists.

In the next parts of the book we visit the buildings: the Governor's Palace, the public buildings, Bruton Parish Church, The College of William and Mary, the apothecary, the windmill, and the shops. We not only see photographs, but we learn the purpose of each building and why it was important to the community. As the courthouse is shown, we learn about colonial justice and punishments. In relationship to the apothecary we learn about colonial health care and treatments. We learn how the windmill works.

We meet the people of Williamsburg, from the gentry down to the slaves and get a feel for their places in the community. We see a harness maker at work in his shop. At the end we learn about Project Williamsburg and how students are involved.

Each book in the Historic Communities series introduces readers to a rich pictorial presentation of some aspect of early American colonial life. Each book allows children to step hundreds of years back in history and see what a child's day was like, which games children played, how food was produced and cooked, what people wore, what a school day was like, and more. Here is a brief summary of selected titles. You can see all the titles available for sale on Amazon.

Buy A Child's Day

A Child's Day: Ever wondered what chores the early settler children did, or what they did in their spare time if they had any? How were their schools, foods, and clothing different from those of children today? Color photographs and original artwork bring these children from earlier times to life.

Classroom Games: Even back in early classrooms, teachers used games to help their students learn spelling and creative writing, arithmetic and science, geography, art, history, drama and reciting, good behavior, and music. They even had scavenger hunts back then. Besides games still played in classrooms today, such as spelling bees, students played word games, alphabet games, arithmetic games, and more. In outdoor classrooms, students made gardens and nature crafts. The games in this book are easily transferable to today's classrooms, where they can still make learning fun

Colonial Crafts: Watch the artisans and craftsmen at work in colonial times. Visit the workshops of the wheelwright, the cooper, the founder, the shoemaker, the milliner, the gunsmith, and many more. Discover how these people were trained through the apprenticeship program.

Buy Colonial Life

Colonial Life: Meet the hard-working members of a colonial community. Learn about the importance of family relationships and discover the importance of religion and education to these people. Watch plantation life and see the plight of the slaves. Observe how people traveled and spent their leisure time.

Customs and Traditions: This is one of my favorites. It explains how the early settlers preserved history, predicted the weather, cooked and ate, welcomed a new baby, and celebrated courtships, weddings, holidays, and the harvest.

Buy Fort Life

Fort Life: Forts played a vital role in the New World because they offered protection. Learn about the different types of forts, the parts of the fort and how they functioned, and what went in in the lives of the families who lived in the forts.

The General Store: The general store was the hub of a town's life. It's where people went to buy their supplies, sniff the marvelous aromas, and see the colors of bright, new fabrics. It was a place for people to dream, make deals, gossip, and socialize. The photographs and illustrations will make you feel you are there.

Home Crafts: In this book you will see, step by step, how the early settlers made candles and soap, carded and spun wool, dyed cloth, and sewed samples. The color photographs really make you feel as though you were watching.

Buy In the Barn

In The Barn:  See all the activity that went on in the barns of busy settler farms. Watch as cows are milked, hogs get their slop, and the stalls get cleaned. Share in the work and fun of a barn-raising. See how the chores changed with the seasons.

The Kitchen: When you've read this book you will feel you've visited a colonial home, and entered the kitchen where the family spent a good deal of its time. You will see the fireplace, the tools and utensils surrounding it, and the chores that were done there (baking bread, churning butter, etc.)

Life on a Plantation: Watch the daily activities of plantation owners and their slaves. Compare their lifestyles. Readers will see life in the "big house," in the slave quarters, and in the cotton, rice, and tobacco fields. The customs and festivals of the estate are also explained.

Buy A One-Room School

A One-Room School: The first priority of any early settler community was building a school. This book explains what these one-room schools were like, what they taught, how students studied when books were scarce, how students were disciplined, and what went on during recess.

Buy Pioneer Projects

Pioneer Projects: In this book you will find step-by-step instructions for children and parents who want to make pioneer crafts. There are also instructions for making a model of a settler town.

Buy Early Settler Sayings

Settler Sayings: This is another of my favorites. Ever wondered why we say such things as "flash in the pan" or getting down to brass tacks"? This book explains how some of these old saying have their roots in the day-to-day lives of the early settlers.

Other titles this series include The Gristmill, Visiting a Village, Tools and Gadgets, Old Time Toys, Children's Clothing of the 1800's, The Victorian Home, Spanish Missions, 19^th Century Girls and Women, 18^th Century Clothing, 19^th Century Clothing, Victorian Christmas, Colonial Home, Travel in the Early Days, Pioneer Recipes, and Schoolyard Games. You can find all Historic Communities titles in print (and maybe some that aren't) by following this link.

I highly recommend the books in these two series to parents who want to take their children to see places important in our country's early history. I found that using books to prepare my own children for living history museums and other historic places helped them to understand what they were seeing and got them thinking about which questions they wants to ask docents when they had the opportunity. 

These books are also great resources for children educated at home or in schools, who might not be able to visit historic sites in person as we did. Videos may also be helpful, but they move quickly. Books allow children good long looks at what most interests them.  These should be in every elementary school library. Because of their low reading level and visual impact, these books are also ideal for reluctant or low-level readers in upper grades. 

If you would like to show your children how the early settlers and colonists lived in America, don't miss these. 

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

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Adult Coloring Books are all the Rage

It's amazing to me that a new fad has hit the market.  In a time when everyone wants everything done yesterday,  Adult Coloring Books beg for you to take your time!

It seems,  we have found out, that running the rat race is sometimes driving us to a place where we all need just a little bit of quiet and peace.

Adult coloring books are much like the ones we had as children, but the designs are a little more intricate and require a steady hand.

That and a little patience, along with a good supply of coloring pencils or markers will make you an artist of exceptional beauty, brought to life by your own hands.



The Secret Garden is one of these Coloring Books.  I have seen it entirely from cover to cover and they are beautiful in design!  You are free to use your own imagination, pick your favorite predominant colors and  complete them to your own tastes.

The author of these pictures was trying to sell 200,000 copies, so that she would have enough to start another project.  What she did not know is that she would sell over a million copies of her beautiful book.

So, book number two became a reality as well.....



The Enchanted Forest is as beautiful as the Secret Garden and will keep any adult occupied for hours. The best part of this whole coloring book craze is that when you need some peace and quiet, something that will soothe your overworked nerves, you just need to grab your book and turn to the page you last worked on (or start a different one), and within the hour, you will find yourself unwinding and relaxing like never before.

In our busy world, these easy, beautiful and inexpensive books, will save you from many hours of therapy.  We have forgotten how to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.  These Coloring Books are just that, a simple pleasure.

Add some wonderful markers, crayons or pencil crayons and you are all set to go.  I dare you to try it, and I bet you will love it.


Once you have finished one of the pictures, come on back and let us see.......share and let us admire your handiwork or send me the link and I'll post it.....

Just take a look at one of the beautiful designs in the Enchanted Forest...

The Magic Garden and Enchanted Forest are works of Johanna Basford, author and illustrator. I think she has a great future with her designs and I'm grateful that she has shared her talent with us.

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

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Understanding What Makes Up the Greater Toronto Area

City of Toronto - 2015

Which Towns & Cities Make Up the Greater Toronto Area?

If you're planning to visit or move to Toronto, you'll find the information here to be a useful, educational guide.

The "Greater Toronto Area", known to local residents as the "GTA", is the largest metropolitan area in Canada.

When we speak about the "GTA" we are referring to the City of Toronto and the four surrounding regions of York, Durham, Halton & Peel. Within these Regions are various town's, cities, and rural communities.

York Region - Communities in York

AURORA - Slogan: "You're in Good Company" The Town of Aurora is situated on rolling hills of Oak Ridges Moraine, just 30 minutes north of Toronto. Population in 2010 approximately 53,000.

EAST GWILLIMBURY - Slogan: "Thinking Green" The Town of East Gwillimbury is located on the East Holland River. It encompasses the Villages of Holland Landing, Queensville, Sharon & Mount Albert. Population as of 2011 approximately 22,473.

GEORGINA - The Town of Georgina is the northernmost municipality in the Region of York

Humber Bay Shores - Condos - City of Toronto

. It's incorporated as a Town, but operates as a Township where several surrounding communities share an Administrative Council. These communities include; Keswick, Sutton, Jackson's Point, Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Udora and Willow Beach. The population as of 2011 was approximately 43,517.

KING - The Township of King is known for its gorgeous countryside, rolling hills, and prestigious horse and cattle farms. There are three predominant communities in the Township of King; King City, Nobleton & Schomberg. The population as of 2011 was approximately 19,899.

MARKHAM - Slogan: "Leading While Remembering" The City of Markham is made up of numerous original 19th century communities listed here. The population of Markham, at 2011 was approximately 301,709.

*Neighbourhoods and Communities that Make up Markham, Ontario - Located in the Region of York in the Greater Toronto Area

Almira, Angus Glen, Armadale, Berczy Village, Box Grove, Brown's Corners, Buttonville, Cachet, Cashel, Cathedraltown, Cedar Grove, Cornell, Crosby, Downtown Markham, Dickson's Hill, German Mills, Greensborough, Hagermans Corners, Langstaff, Legacy, Locust Hill, Markham Village, Milliken Mills, Mongolia, Mount Joy, Quantztown, Raymerville - Markville East, Rouge Fairways, Sherwood - Amber Glen, Thornhill, Underwood, Unionville, Victoria Square, Vinegar Hil, Wismer Commons.

NEWMARKET - Slogan: "Prudence" The Town of Newmarket is situated conveniently between Bradford and Toronto, Ontario. It's located on the picturesque Holland River and

City of Toronto - Taken from Top of CN Tower - Island Airport-Left

provides a lovely balance of country and city living. The estimated population of Newmarket for 2011 is 87,000.

RICHMOND HILL - Slogan: "En la rose, je fleuris" (In the Rose, I Flourish) The Town of Richmond Hill acquired it's slogan from once being considered the Rose capital of the world. It's centrally located in York Region. It's located about halfway between Lake Simcoe and the City of Toronto. The population of Richmond Hill in 2011 was approximately 185,541.

VAUGHAN - Slogan: "The City Above Toronto" The City of Vaughan was Canada's fastest growing municipality for ten years from 1996 to 2006. There are five communities that make up the City of Vaughan: Woodbridge, Maple, Thornhill, Concord, and Kleinburg. The population of Vaughan as of 2011 was approximately 288,301.

WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE - Slogan: "Country Close to the City" The beautiful countryside Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville encompasses several area communities, with the largest being Stouffville itself, and the rest being; Ballantrae, Bethesda, Bloomington, Cedar Valley, Gormley, Lemonville, Lincolnville, Musselman Lake, Pine Orchard, Pleasantville, Preston Lake, Ringwood, Vandorf, Vivian, and Wesley Corners. At 2011 the population was approximately 37,628.

Durham Region: Communities in Durham

AJAX - Slogan: "Ajax by the Lake" The lovely Town of Ajax is approximately 25 kilometers east of the City of Toronto and rests on the shores of Lake Ontario. It's name sake is from the a Royal Navy Cruiser called the HMS Ajax that served in World War II. At 2006 the

CN Tower - City of Toronto

population of Ajax was approximately 90,000.

BROCK - Slogan: "A Community With a Heart" The Township of Brock is approximately 1 hour northeast of the City of Toronto. It encompasses several hamlets, beautiful countryside living and urban areas. Beaverton and Cannington are the larger urban areas, and included are the following smaller communities: Blackwater, Cedar Beach, Creightons Corners, Derryville, Gamebridge, Layton, Maple Beach, Pinedale, Saginaw, Sunderland, Thorah Beach, Vallentyne, Vroomanton, Wick and Wilfrid.

CLARINGTON - Slogan: "Wisdom, Knowledge and Trust" The Municipality of Clarington is located to the East of the City of Toronto. It includes four larger urban communities; Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle, & Orono. The rural communities are: Bond Head, Brownsville, Burketon, Clarke, Crooked Creek, Enfield, Enniskillen, Gaud Corners, Hampton, Haydon, Kendal, Leskard, Maple Grove, Mitchell Corners (sometimes called Mitchell's Corners), New Park, Newtonville, Port Darlington, Port Granby,Salem, Solina, Starkville, Taunton (split with Oshawa along Townline Road), Tyrone, West Side Beach & Wilmot Creek.

OSHAWA - Slogan: "Prepare to be Amazed" Oshawa is situated approximately 60kms east of the City of Toronto on the shoreline of Lake Ontario. Although Oshawa has it's own CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) it is still considered part of the Greater Toronto Area. Oshawa is the largest municipality within the Durham Region with a population in 2006 of approximately 142,000.

PICKERING - The City of Pickering is situated east of Toronto and located on the shores of Lake Ontario. The southern part of the city is typically urban with the northern part of the municipality being mostly rural. As of 2006 the approximate population of Pickering was 89,000.

Humber Bay Shores City Park - City of Toronto

SCUGOG - The gorgeous Township of Scugog is located North east of Toronto. According to "Place Names of Ontario" by Alan Rayburn, the name Scugog is said to mean "waves leap over a canoe", however other sources say it's a native word that means "swampy or marshy land". Port Perry is the main urban center and the following smaller communities are also part of the Township: Aldreds Beach, Blackstock, Burketon, Cadmus, Caesarea, Carnegie Beach, Cedar Shores, Epsom, Fralicks Beach, Gerrows Beach, Greenbank, Highland Beach, Honey Beach, Lakeside Beach, Manchester, Marsh Hill, Nestleton, Nestleton Station, Pine Point, Port View Beach, Prince Albert, Prospect, Purple Hill, Saintfield, Scugog, Scugog Centre, Scugog Point, Seagrave, Shirley, Strattonville, Sunrise Beach, Utica, Victoria Corners and Williams Point

UXBRIDGE - The Township of Uxbridge is located in South Central Ontario. The main center is the Town of Uxbridge and the smaller communities included in the Township are: Coppins Corners, Goodwood, Leaskdale, Roseville, Sandford, Sandy Hook, Siloam, Victoria Corners and Zephyr. In 2006 the approximate population was 19,000.

Lighthouse on Pier in Whitby, Ontario - Canvas

WHITBY - Slogan: "Durham's Business Center"- Whitby is located east of the City of Toronto on the north shores of Lake Ontario. The southern portion of Whitby is mostly an urban economic and business hub with the northern sections consisting of these rural areas: Ashburn, Brooklin, Myrtle and Myrtle Station. In 2006 the population of Whitby was approximately 112,000.

Halton Region - Communities in Halton

BURLINGTON - Slogan: "Stand By" Burlington is a City located in the "West End", meaning it's west of the City of Toronto. It's close to Hamilton, and a drive to Niagara Falls would only take about an hour. The city is rated as one of Canada's best places to live. In 2006 the population of the city was approximately 175,799.

HALTON HILLS - The Town of Halton Hills is located in the West End. It's a community that has been amalgamated with the former Esquesing Township and the two major urban centers, Georgetown and Acton. Much of the magnificent picturesque countryside is protected by Conservation Halton, Credit Valley Conservation & the Grand River

Taken at SpringRidge Farm - Milton, Ontario

Conservation Authority. In 2011 the population was approximately 59,008.

MILTON - The Town of Milton was the fastest growing community in Canada in 2006, and it is still growing at quite a clip. It's convenient location may have something to do with that. It's located in the west end, north of Burlington and Oakville. It provides easy access to the 401, 407, and the 403. In 2011 the population of Milton was approximately 84,362.

OAKVILLE - Slogan: "Avancez" (French for Advance) - The Town of Oakville, located in the West end, on the shores of Lake Ontario, is one of the most affluent towns in Canada. It's conveniently situated between the City of Toronto and City of Hamilton. The population of Oakville in 2011 was approximately 182,520.

Peel Region: Communities in Peel Region

BRAMPTON - Slogan: "Flower City" - The City of Brampton, located in the North West End of Toronto is the third largest city in the GTA with a population in 2006 of approximately 434,000, and has a large South Asian community. Brampton was once known as the "Flower Town of Canada" because of it's large Greenhouse industry. Today Brampton's economic industries include, manufacturing, sciences, retail, logistics, and more.

CALEDON - The Town of Caledon is located in the North West end of the city, and does have some urban elements to it, but is primarily rural, and features a magnificent picturesque countryside. Some of the wealthiest citizens own estates in Caledon. Caledon is actually an amalgamation of urban areas, hamlets, and villages.The major urban center in Caledon, is Bolton. These are the smaller communities in Caledon: Albion, Alloa, Alton, Belfountain, Boston Mills, Brimstone, Caledon, Caledon East,Caledon village Campbells Cross, Castlederg, Cataract, Cedar Meadows, Cedar Mills, Cheltenham, Claude, Coulterville, Ferndale, Forks of the Credit, The Grange, Humber, Humber Grove, Inglewood, Kilmanagh, Lockton, Mayfield West, Macville, Melville, McLeodville, Mono Mills, Mono Road, New Glasgow, Palgrave, Queensgate, Rockside, Rosehill, Sandhill, Silver Creek, Sleswick, Sligo, Snelgrove, Stonehart, Taylorwoods, Terra Cotta, Tormore, Valleywood and Victoria. In 2006 the population of Caledon was approximately 57,000.

MISSISSAUGA - Slogan: "Pride in Our Past, Faith in Our Future" The City of Mississauga is located just to the West of Toronto proper and as of 2010 had a population of approximately 738,000 people.The growth of Mississauga has a lot to do with how convenient and close it is to the City of Toronto. Over 60 of the Fortune 500 base their Global or Canadian Head Offices in Mississauga. Mayor McCallion, the Mayor of Mississauga, is Canada's longest serving Mayor. She was also runner-up in 2005 for the longest serving Mayor in the world.

The City of Toronto - The 'actual city'

CITY OF TORONTO - Slogan: "Diversity is Our Strength" Toronto is the largest city in Canada with over 2.6 million people. It's also the capital of Ontario. Toronto is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (the GTA), and part of the "Golden Horseshoe" which has a total populace of approximately 8.6 million people. Toronto was formally divided up into six municipalities; East York, North York, Etobicoke, City of Toronto, Scarborough and York. In 1998 all of these municipalities were amalgamated into the current City of Toronto. People, however, still identify areas of Toronto by these names.

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

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A Look at Lighthouses in Celebration of National Lighthouse Day

National Lighthouse Day

Tybee Island Lighthouse, Georgia (c) Wednesday Elf

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

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

Lighthouse Enthusiast

Cape Florida Lighthouse Greeting Card

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

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

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

Fun Lighthouse Facts

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

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

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

Sandy Hook Lighthouse Postcard by lighthouseenthusiast More New jersey lighthouse Postcards  


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

My Favorite Lighthouse

Tybee Island Light

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

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

Handcrafted Lighthouse Afghan Pattern

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Afghan Pattern on Etsy

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

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

Tybee Island Lighthouse Journal

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

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



Article by Wednesday Elf

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

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Tomtom VIA1515M Portable GPS Navigator Review

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

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

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

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

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

Pros of the Tomtom VIA1515M GPS

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

• Includes USA, Canada & Mexico Maps 

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

• 5" Touch Screen

• Turn by Turn Guidance

• Lane Guidance

• Colorful Display that Make Reading at a Glance Easy

• Spoken Street Names, Warnings & Directions

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

• Mileage Display with ETA (estimated time of arrival)

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

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

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

Cons of the Tomtom VIA1515M GPS

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

Recommended Accessories for Your Tomtom VIA1515M GPS

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

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

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

One Final Note

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

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

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

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Sling TV Review (Alternative to Cable TV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-- Susan Deppner

About the Author

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

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

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Reviewing The Anasazi Mysteries Series

Historical Fiction Series

Anasazi Settlement Ruin
Photo courtesy of  Charles M. Sauer

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

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

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

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

The Visitant: Book I of the Anasazi Mysteries

Who Were The Anasazi?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review of The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez

Why Do Corporate Lawyers Have Such a Bad Reputation?

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

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

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

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

Why Scott's World Is Turned Upside Down

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

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

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

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

Power Versus Justice

Image  Courtesy of Pixabay, text added on Fotojet

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

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

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

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Which Quote Best Describes You?

Quotes for the Wall Here

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

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

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

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

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

Does A Quote about Success and What it Means to

Succeed Hit Home With You?

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

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

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

A few of my own personal favorite quotes are:

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

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

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