Bark Ranger Review

Finn Earns His Bark Ranger Badge

If you are blessed enough to have a Border Collie in your life, you already know that he needs a job and a purpose.  My Finn is no exception.  His beautiful mind needs plenty of stimulation every day.  It's my job, privilege, and pleasure to find new ways of providing Finn with daily opportunities to take his immense capabilities to the next level.

Recently, when I was planning our next outdoor adventure, I came across information about the Bark Ranger Program sponsored by the National Park Service.  Why had I never heard about this before?  It seems this program is really starting to take off in parks across the country. 

Arriving at Pecos National Historic Park

Finn and I wasted no time heading for the closest national park with a Bark Ranger Program.  That happened to be Pecos National Historical Park in New Mexico.  They launched their program earlier this summer.  Perfect!  A day trip to the Santa Fe area is always a treat.  

Pecos NHP Visitor Center
So Many Architectural Delights

Such a Welcoming Place

I Could Sit Here Every Day

When we arrived at the visitor's center, it took no time at all to launch Finn's new bark ranger career. The main purpose of the program is to ensure dogs and their humans have a safe and enjoyable time in the park.  Keeping the national parks dog-friendly takes some responsibility on the part of those of us who travel with our pets.

The BARK acronym makes it easy to remember the promises you are held to when becoming a bark ranger team.  First, you promise to bag your dog's waste and to dispose of it appropriately.  Next, you pledge to always leash your pet.  In parks such as Pecos NHP, a leash could save your dog's life.  Rattlesnake sightings are frequent.

Respecting wildlife is another part of the oath taken when you choose to be a bark ranger.  The very presence of a dog in any park changes the dynamic for wildlife.  In order for national parks to remain a refuge for wild creatures, it is critical to avoid any encounters between pets and the animals that call that park home.  

Finn's Access to Pecos NHP Included the Main Trail to the Pueblos

Pecos Mission and Pueblo

And finally, every visit to a national park should start with knowing which areas of the park are accessible to dogs.  At Pecos NHP, Finn was able to accompany me on the main trail to the mission and pueblos.  I chose to keep him leashed in his dog stroller rather than use his K9 Cart (wheelchair) due to the presence of rattlesnakes in the park.  I knew it would be the safer option.

In some parks, you can volunteer as a Bark Ranger Ambassador team.  This is something I want to pursue with Finn.  It is my aspiration for us to serve in this capacity at our closest national park (Great Sand Dunes).  First, I'd like to help get a Bark Rangers Program started locally.  I wasn't able to find any Colorado national parks with an existing program.  The only current bark rangers opportunity I found was at Eldorado Canyon State Park, which is a good distance from where we live.

Having previously worked in a national park (Padre Island National Seashore), I get excited just thinking about the powerful teaching moments that take place in park settings.  Even yesterday, shortly after becoming a Bark Ranger, Finn made an impact while engaging with visitors at Pecos NHP.  One couple in particular told me that Finn had made their day and had made them happy.  It takes a special Bark Ranger to do that and Finn has a gift for elevating the quality of a day. 

If you love to travel with your dog, and enjoy sharing the national parks with your pet, I encourage you to join the Bark Ranger Program (you can search online to find which parks already have the program).  I'm really glad Finn and I took that trek to Pecos NHP.  It is surely the beginning of many beautiful and fulfilling connections for us.  I can't wait to see where this leads.

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The Amazing Rocky Mountaineer The Trip of a Lifetime

The Rocky Mountains in all their splendor is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! A Travel Book Review!

For years my other half and I have dreamed of travelling to far away places that will give us memories that will last for the rest of our lives.  After all that is one of the benefits of living a good long life.  But I digress.  We chose to have our children early in our marriage so that once we were done with raising our children, we'd still have enough energy to go to all those places that we could not afford to see earlier.  And we are doing just that.  We are in the midst of planning a vacation to the West Coast of Canada and on the way, stopping in Alberta to visit family in Jasper!

The Rocky Moutaineer Train courtesy of Wikipedia

Jasper has been on our must see list for a while now.  When we see pictures of the mountains and lakes our eyes and jaws just pop open.  It looks so beautiful.  It doesn't help that almost every other day our nephew is posting pictures of all this beauty too!

Parts of Jasper National Park 

Can you tell I'm excited!   What prompts this review is the train trip that is contained within this holiday.  We are starting our escapade in Jasper and staying for 6 days to see all the sights (I'm sure we won't see it all).  Then we are hopping on board the ROCKY MOUNTAINEER TRAIN for a two day trip through the mountains on our way to Vancouver.  The train will stop in Kamloops, British Columbia for the night and early the next morning we continue to Vancouver.  All we need to do during this two day mini-trip,  is sit back and relax!  Oh, and take lots of pictures of course.

The Rocky Mountaineer travels between Jasper and Vancouver or you can go the other way too.  You can board the train in Vancouver and end up in Jasper if that fits your travel plans better.  There are different levels of "cars available" to travel in while on the Rocky Mountaineer, so do your homework.  

Travelling by rail has it's limitations, but it also has is "up"side .  You can sit back, relax, and not worry about taking a wrong turn   You are free to look out the windows as much as you like!  No road warrior stresses to manage as someone else is doing the driving.  Meals are prepared and there is always someone new to meet.  I'm sure there will be people from all over the world taking in the sights as the train passes through some of the most beautiful scenery and mountains in this part of the world.

While you are reading about my escapades (and hopefully dreaming of your own), we will still be in Vancouver.  Being a gardener, I am looking forward to seeing the beauty that autumn has to offer in the Beautiful Stanley Park!  I'm glad that my suitcase allowance does not allow for the packing of garden implements.  Just as I'm sure the gardeners who take care of this public park will be happy as well.  No rogue gardeners are welcome to do their "thing" in these Gardens.  Just as well, it is a holiday after all.  If you don't know these gardens here's a sneak peak at what you are missing.  I'm not sure what our timing will be like, but there might be a side trip to the Butchart Gardens as well.  The gardener in me just won't let me say NO!  After all we might as well make that little side trip while we are on the west coast.  It's a long way to go if you miss it the first time.  

Totem Poles in Stanley Park

Be prepared, I'm sure there will be lots of pictures coming that will make any traveler or gardener just a little green with envy.   There will be so much history, geography and photography going on the whole time I'm away!  

Water Feature in Butchart Gardens, Victoria

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Shetland Series Reviewed

Shetland Islands Featured In Mystery Series

I recently began watching the Shetland Series through my Britbox subscription. If you aren't familiar with it; the television series is drama/mystery series of episodes taking place in the picturesque Shetland Islands in Scotland. 

Mysteries taking place in the Shetland Islands of Scotland
image courtesy of pixabay.com

I'm coming in sort of late for watching this popular television series which first began filming in 2014. I'm not sure it was available to me until recently; if it was somehow I missed it. I'm enjoying it so much that I don't think it will take me long to catch up to Season 5.

What can you expect in the series?

The episodes revolve around a small police force with DI Jimmy Perez leading his fellow officers in their duties on the islands in Northern Scotland. Detective Inspector Perez is a single dad of a teenage step-daughter. Cassie's mother died several years ago and her step-dad has brought her back to the small village in the Scottish archipelago to expose her to her roots. Another interesting little twist to the overall plot is that Cassie's birth father also lives in the village; the two men have different views on how best to raise a teenage girl. Their attempt at co-parenting adds some depth to each episode in the crime drama.

Being able to solve the mystery of each story line while experiencing what life is like up in the sub-arctic environment of the Shetland Islands is extremely enjoyable. Each mystery spans two episodes. So far, the ones that I have watched are full of twists. About the time that I think I know who is responsible something comes up to dismiss that person as the culprit. 

Living in a land-locked area, I am fascinated with DI Perez having to take the ferry over to an area to investigate. The scenery is beautiful and the local people are interesting. I find myself daydreaming wishing that I could go there someday. Some of my ancestors lived in Scotland, although I don't think any lived quite that far north.

You will have to stream it

If you are in the US, your only option to watch Shetland is to stream it. I signed up for Britbox through my Amazon Prime membership. I used to be able to see a lot of the British television shows through another streaming service but they no longer carry them because the licensing changed. I finally justified signing up for another service because I truly enjoy the programs that are produced. 

Anyway, if you are looking for a good series to watch I highly recommend Shetland. You can get a trial period for the streaming service to try it out. If you don't care for it, you can always cancel.

Shetland Crime Drama Series

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Book Review: Chasing a Flawed Sun by Daniel McGhee

I thought I knew about addiction - how addicts think and behave. I thought I knew a good bit about how heroin is sold and bought in the streets of Baltimore. After reading Chasing a Flawed Sun, I realize I didn't even know what amounts to a single drop of water in a Chesapeake Bay-sized bucket.

Reviewing a must-read book - Chasing A Flawed Sun.

Daniel McGhee put his story on paper for all to read. And I was hooked as soon as I started the Before You Read This Book section:

"I had chosen not to jeopardize the integrity of the stories by watering down the language or vividness of the events that occurred. While reading, keep in mind that there is a happy ending, eventually." - Daniel McGhee

Daniel tells us that he was a small, shy child being raised in the suburbs by good parents. As an adolescent he smoked, painted graffiti, and was attracted to the negative pieces of pop culture. He was fighting, stealing, and by the time he was 15 he was drinking nightly. Daniel goes on to describe troubles that are every parent's nightmares: multiple school suspensions, police involvement, and getting that call to pick up your child from the station after he was involved in a shooting.

The story goes on to describe his transition from crimes and alcohol use to crimes and heroin use. I was completely caught up in this story. I recognized the small towns (Bel Air and Edgewood) where Daniel lived and the areas of the city Daniel went to buy heroin (Poplar Grove, Edmondson, Cherry Hill, Orleans Street). I was astounded at how many people - some of them functioning and holding down jobs - are in the middle of heroin addiction. All around us there are people whose sole focus is how to get their next high. And how after awhile, it's no longer a high. It is only battling off the sickness and getting well again.

The largest portion of the book describes the relentless pursuit of the drug and the things addicts will go through in order to get well. It is eye-opening and not easy to read. It describes Baltimore City and some of the common, everyday sights and sounds of an urban setting.

At the end of the book, Daniel describes how he's doing now. I think this is a must-read for anyone who is using, who loves an addict, or who works with addicts. I think it is also a must-read for anyone who works with troubled teens and pre-teens.

What I thought I Knew about Baltimore and Drugs

When I moved to the Baltimore area, my first job was at an adolescent group home. I worked with males from ages 13 to 18. All of them had stories about drugs. Most began to use around age 11 (smoking weed with relatives or friends) and then beginning to sell for the dealers in their neighborhoods by age 13 or so in order to earn money. They taught me about some of the "ethics" of being a dealer. For example, I once asked two of them, whose mothers had died from overdoses, why they would sell to people who may die. Especially after their mothers had died. One young man was offended that I'd ask if he would sell to his mother. He patiently explained to me that he'd never sell to his own mother. That's just wrong and offensive to sell to your own mother. But he'd sell to his friend's mother (gesturing toward the other young man). And vice versa. After all, they explained, it's about the money. It's just business. But you do not sell to your mom.

With that job, I did home visits and family therapy in all parts of the city including Poplar Grove, North Ave, Walbrook Junction and some areas "over east" that I can't recall the names of at this moment. All areas that some of my co-workers (originally from Baltimore) stated they'd never go and that I was crazy to go there.

I went. Doing my job. The white lady in certain sections of Baltimore. I never understood why groups of people yelled things like "Sheryls" and "new ones" at me. Back then, I thought they were mistakenly identifying me as the police and alerting people to my presence. Thanks to Mr. McGhee, I now know why they were yelling those things at a white woman in their neighborhood. 

Later in my career, I was visiting with a young man as he pan-handled on the corner. He was a young combat injured veteran. He was neat, clean, well-spoken and homeless. Homeless due to complications with his combat injury. I was trying to connect him with services for veterans. I had no clue that he was a heroin addict. Then he disclosed that bit of information to me. He was discharged from the army after his injury with an OTH (other than honorable) discharge due to beginning to use street drugs after his prescribed pain medications were no longer enough. He eventually became addicted to heroin and panhandled daily in order to get enough money to buy his daily fix. This young man taught me about the focus on "getting well", how even gift cards can be pawned, and that clean needles are sold by diabetics who can buy needles without judgement by pharmacy employees. 

But even with this education, I had no real clue about how many addicts are around us. That there are addicts working at jobs and going about their daily lives until the addiction gets too demanding. And that there are many addicts on the beltway with me each day, driving into the city to chase their sun. 

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5 Positive Energy Home Decor Ideas - Keep Your Home Calm to Carry On

There are multiple ways to encourage positive energy in your home. The most common technique is to implement Feng Shui principles. 

However, today we'll focus on simple positive energy decorating symbols to incorporate into everyday pieces.

1. Butterflies

Butterflies symbolize renewal, hope, transformation, spirituality, and growth. 

If you or other friends and family members survived challenging times, then to symbolize transformation, feature butterfly decor pieces. If larger items aren't your thing, add small decorative pieces such as butterfly mugs or candles.

For larger impact butterfly decor ideas, you could include a unique butterfly area rug or check out these incredible butterfly sheer drapes. They're gorgeous!

2. The Dragonfly

Like the butterfly, the dragonfly also symbolizes transformation. However, this symbolic transformation is usually in the area of spiritual and mental growth. 

When you want pieces that encourage the advancement of the soul, add dragonfly decor. Here are a few ideas; dragonfly throw blankets, pillows, wall art, and bedding. 

For an especially unique dragonfly piece, check out this colorful and gorgeous Tiffany Dragonfly Lamp!. 

3. The Lotus Flower

The Lotus flower represents sacred creation, divine birth and advancing spiritually. If you're trying to conceive, you may want to consider a gorgeous Lotus Bedding set. In fact, add Lotus items sporadically throughout the home. 

4. The Bluebird of Happiness

Yes, it really is an ancient symbol of cheerfulness, good health, and prosperity. When you'd like to enhance the mood in a room, include the bluebird of happiness in decor pieces. Since people gather in the kitchen and family rooms, that's an excellent place to feature the birdie. Display the bluebird in dishware, mugs, a wall clock, or this magnificent piece of wall art.

5. The Peony Flower

Peonies are the symbol of romance, a happy marriage, compassion, and wealth. To take advantage of these traits, feature Peony home decor items in the bedroom.

You've probably noticed that most of the symbols are intertwined in their meaning. However, there are differences. Use those subtle differences to determine which room each one belongs in.

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The Golf Miracle Trilogy by James Patterson – Book Reviews

Featuring Travis McKinley

American author James Patterson has written almost 50 books in his best-selling writing career, many in series starring continuing characters who have become favorites of readers everywhere.

About a dozen years ago I picked up a small, quick-read book about a character who liked to play golf. I can't really say why I chose this book because I am not a golfer; in fact, have never even been on a golf course in my life.  But I like most of James Patterson's books and this was one I had not read. And I have golfers in my family and once lived in Augusta, Georgia (home of the Masters Golf Tournament), so a golf story wasn't that far away from the subjects I usually read.  

The book was “Miracle on the 17th Green”. Reading it, I became absolutely entranced, liking the story and the character (Travis McKinley) very much. It is a 'feel-good' type of story that leaves you with a sense of wonder. 

Shortly after finishing the book, my brother-in-law was visiting our home. George is about as close as you can come to a non-reader ~ someone who seldom reads anything more than an occasional magazine. But he is a golfer, so I gave him this book to read, thinking he might enjoy it.  Well, he couldn't stop reading and finished the book in a single afternoon. Even if you don't enjoy reading books, this one will capture your attention and give you pleasure. 

The feeling that book gave me stayed with me over the years and I was delighted to discover that James Patterson went on to write two more books in the 'Miracle' golf series.  I have now read all three and the synopses of this trilogy follow:

Miracle on the 17th Green

Miracle on the 17th Green

Travis McKinley is a middle-aged man whose life has reached a strange point. His job is about to be down-sized, leaving him out of work, plus he has been feeling an uncomfortable and distant disconnect with his wife and children. 

On Christmas Day Travis decides to play a round of golf while he thinks about the direction of his life. Something amazing happens that day on the course. He suddenly finds himself “in the zone”, playing like a pro for the first time ever. This becomes the beginning of an incredible adventure where Travis tries out for and is selected to play golf as an amateur on the Senior Tour.  As the tour continues, he finds himself qualified for and playing in the Senior Open at Pebble Beach where he advances to the final round. The miracle that takes place changes Travis and his family forever.

Miracle at Augusta

Miracle at Augusta

A year ago, Travis was an unknown golfing amateur. After winning the PGA Senior Open at Pebble Beach, he is now famous and makes his living playing the game he loves.  Everything should be perfect, but Travis wonders if he is an impostor who doesn't deserve his success, especially after a series of disappointments. 

Travis gets a shot at redemption in an unexpected way, in the form of a troubled teenage outcast with a natural golf swing. This unlikely duo set out to achieve the impossible at the famous Augusta National, home of the Masters Golf Tournament. They are about to learn that sometimes the greatest miracles take place when no one is watching. 

Miracle at St. Andrews

Miracle at St. Andrews

Travis McKinley has immensely enjoyed being a professional golfer on the Senior Tour. But there is a complication. To retain your playing privileges, a golfer has to finish in the top thirty-one on the money list.

Finishing the tour with a thirty-three, Travis is now off the tour and feels he is an amateur at golf and at the rest of his life. Therefore, he and his family decide to make a pilgrimage to Scotland to visit his Scottish McKinley roots and to see the mythical greens at St. Andrews, known worldwide as the home of golf. What happens next is as much a miracle as the first “eagle” Travis ever scored. 

“On the course where golf was born, sacred ground to every golfer, even an ordinary man, an ordinary player, can achieve a higher plane.”

Summary

Author James Patterson quoted to the New York Times about his Golf Miracle series:

“There is no other sport where somebody who's average at best can hit absolutely magical shots on occasion.”

Stated on the jacket of Miracle at St. Andrews:

“If golf novels had a leaderboard, Miracle at St. Andrews would be at the top.”

Golfer or non-golfer, the James Patterson Miracle Golf Trilogy will delight readers.

James Patterson's Miracle Golf Series

(c) Written by Wednesday Elf - 9/28/2019

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Darrow & Darrow Hallmark Movie Series Reviewed

I recently discovered the awesome Hallmark movie series, Darrow & Darrow!  

It is a fabulous Hallmark series based on the legal cases handled by the law firm of Darrow & Darrow.  The investigations and clues in each of the cases are fun to watch while trying to guess the outcomes.  Add to that, the personal lives of each character, and you have a wonderfully captivating series. 

Adorable actors, a bit of romance, a touch of mystery surrounding the cases, a spattering of family conflicts, all combine to make a thoroughly enjoyable series of movies.

My tolerance for television is normally limited to a few hours a week. I don't like constant noise, although I do know a lot of people who enjoy the "company".  I'm not bashing watching TV.  Just explaining that it has to be something really good for me to leave it on long enough to see an entire movie.

When I find a series that is binge worthy, then it is definitely something to talk about, and review.

Darrow & Darrow Hallmark Movie Series Synopsis

When you see the couple on the first DVD cover, you assume the title "Darrow & Darrow", is referring to a husband and wife team.  Or, perhaps, a brother and sister.  However, only one member of the couple shown on the first DVD cover, is a Darrow.  The man is Miles Strasberg, and the woman is Claire Darrow.  They are actually opposing attorneys.

 Darrow & DarrowCheck PriceDarrow  & Darrow is a law firm that was originally started by Claire's parents.  After her father died, Claire's mother, Joanna, took off to New York to make a name for herself with an influential and powerful law firm. Even though her mother was successful, Claire resents that decision. When her mother returns, requesting she be taken back into the family law firm, Claire is more than reluctant to embrace her again as a partner. They don't see eye to eye on most things, including the types of cases the law firm should be representing.

During the pilot movie, we get to know the main characters fairly well. Miles Strasberg is a mild-mannered widower and district attorney, who happens to be opposing council in the first case of the series.  Claire is an adorable widow that is raising her daughter alone.  As an attorney, she spends her days defending falsely accused individuals in court.  Well, at least people she believes are falsely accused. Claire's clear calling is to be a defense attorney for those who are less fortunate and can not afford a good lawyer, but deserve one.

In the first movie, Claire defends a doughnut maker who has been accused of robbing a jewelry store.  The masked intruder uses David Kellerin's bakery truck to smash the front window. Then jumps out to grab the jewelry in the display case.  When David is arrested, one of the stolen watches is found in his possession.  It seems like an open and shut case.  In spite of the evidence, David pleads innocent and Claire believes him. It requires a great deal of trust and detective work to defend Mr. Kellerin.

Her opposing counsel, Miles Strasberg, is attracted to Claire.  He respects her idealism and her ethics, as well as her desire to find the truth, not just represent someone wealthy who may be guilty.  Every month he asks her out to dinner.  Every month, he gets the same answer, until one day, to his great surprise, she says yes.  They do make a really cute couple!

My Conclusion

It is always exciting to find a new, enjoyable series to watch. When it is Hallmark movies, I know I am in for hours of excellent TV time. 

I really like Claire Darrow.  I enjoy watching her interactions with Miles, her co-workers, her daughter, and even her mother. The court cases, plots, and investigations are quite interesting too. It is fun to try to figure them out before they are revealed in the movies.  Therefore, I highly recommend this movie series to anyone who loves good, clean entertainment with a touch of mystery and romance!

 Darrow & DarrowCheck Price Darrow & Darrow - 3 Film Collection One (Darrow & Darrow/In The Key of Murder/Body of Evidence)Check Price Witness to Murder: A Darrow MysteryCheck Price

 

 

Currently, "Darrow & Darrow" is available on Amazon with a subscription to the Hallmark Channel.  

  

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Review of Refrigerator Liners

Refrigerator liners can organize the space and help to keep your refrigerator neat and clean.

I used to dread the job of cleaning my refrigerator.  Forgotten spills would become sticky and hard to clean. Then I read about organizing with refrigerator liners and my job became much easier.

Features of DII Refrigerator Liners

• Ultra-absorbent
• Reversible
• Cut to Fit any Size Shelf or Drawer
• Quick-Drying
• Machine Washable
• Shape Retaining

Above photo shows the patterned side of the liner.  Photo below shows reverse side which is a checked pattern.

What I Like about These Liners

I hated to clean my refrigerator.  It seems like I never saw the spills till after they were sticky and hard to remove.  Now when I see a spilled area on the liner I can just remove the liner and throw it in the wash machine.  No more scrubbing and rubbing and I always have a clean refrigerator.

The liners in the produce drawers are great too.  The liners have a cushy  feel and provide a soft place for fruits and vegetables.

The set I purchased had 6 12x24 liners which I cut to fit my refrigerator.  They ended up fitting all my shelves and drawers.

 

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Ian Rankin's Black and Blue Book Review

Interesting the number of covers Ian Rankin’s Black and Blue has had. I am surprised though I know that different book formats come with different covers. This book, however, seems to have had a lot of different looks. I suppose that is what happens to a successful book as it gains some age.

Of course, once you have a book in your hand, it matters not a whit what the cover looks like though the cover may have helped that book find its way into your hands in the first place. In this case, what it looks like did not matter because this book is one of the books that will be discussed in the late fall class I am taking in Ottawa through Carleton University’s Learning in Retirement program called Classics of Detective Fiction: From the 1960s to Today.

Ian Rankin’s Black and Blue is a fictional detective story, written  in 1997 and based firmly in the Scotland of the 1990s. In her class notes, our instructor Stefani Nielson calls the book “post-Christie,” “British realism noir” and she says that it features a “working class anti-hero.”

I did not know what was meant by that last term, anti-hero, so I googled it and Wikipedia shares that “An antihero is a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes such as idealism, courage and morality.” Inspector Rebus is a hard-working, hardened police officer and former SAS officer now coping in self-destruct mode with what life has thrown at him. He is anti-social and struggles with relationships. He is a drinking man with sometimes questionable scruples who is determined to get the job done regardless of who is in the way.

The Story

Black and Blue finds our anti-hero unofficially working four cases at the same time. Among the four, two stand out. He is searching for a mass murderer nicknamed Bible John on a cold case from the 1960s and 1970s and he is searching for a copycat murderer who has been nicknamed Bible Johnny. Set in Scotland, the author helps us visit his Scotland from the comfort of our arm chairs. Our travels will include time in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Shetland and even the oilfields in the North Sea.

It is a long book at more than 550 pages but it is action packed so if you love to read, that should cause you no issues. If you read the book, you will become heavily invested in the main character and consumed by the desire to know who is responsible for the crimes committed and if and how they are all connected.

Is this a good time to tell you that Black and Blue is the eighth in a series of books about Inspector Rebus? It is my first Ian Rankin novel because I am reading it in preparation for my class. In normal circumstances, I would have picked book one as a starting point.

Who Will Like This Book?

Anyone who likes a well-crafted detective novel and does not mind the world that a police officer travels in. This book definitely has violence but it is far from the worst I have ever read and, of course, it has a police officer who drinks, smokes and cuts corners.

Reviews

Goodreads says, “Written with Ian Rankin's signature wit, style and intricacy, Black and Blue is a novel of uncommon and unforgettable intrigue.” The readers who write the reviews on the website rate this book 4.08 out of 5. One of those readers says, “Now this is how you write a really good crime novel!”

On his blog, Simon McDonald says, “…this book is one of the author’s best… more than awhodunit, it is a searing commentary on mid-nineties Scotland, told so palatably, so relentlessly…”

Personally, I have really enjoyed this novel and meeting Inspector Rebus. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me if you enjoy crime detective fiction. I will definitely have to go back to the start of the series, which is where, I imagine, you will start if you decide you would like to travel in Inspector Rebus's world. You can find all of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels on Amazon quickly by clicking right here.

Interesting Facts

This book is considered an important story in Tartan Noir, which is genre in crime fiction written by Scottish writers and set in Scotland. Wikipedia says that Tartan Noir has roots in Scottish literature but adapts elements from other writers like era-specific American crime writers and European crime writers.

The title of the book, Black and Blue, relates to the Rolling Stones album of the same name, it relates to the state we often find our anti-hero in and it relates to the oil fields and the policeman of this story.

The Dancing Pigs, the successful punk music band featured in this book, were recreated from an unsuccessful band that the author played in for a year as a 19-year old. Rankin enjoyed making the band successful in his book. Who could resist? I think I would have done the same.

You may also have seen a mini-series called Ian Rankin's Rebus about the character that aired in 2000. Find it on Amazon here.

Be sure to come back and let us know how you enjoy any of Ian Rankin's books and, if you have seen the mini-series, we would love to hear that, too.

See you
at the book store!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

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Buy Black and Blue on Amazon.
Find Ian Rankin's Rebus The Definitive DVD Collection on Amazon.

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Ken Burns Country Music Film Reviewed

A Ken Burns Film You Shouldn't Miss

Country Music the Ken Burns documentary film now being aired on your local PBS station is one, in my humble opinion, that you shouldn't miss. My husband and I have sat spellbound as each two hour segment has been presented.

Some of the legends in this Country Music Mural are featured in Ken Burns film
image courtesy of pixabay.com

Mr. Burns has a way of telling us about pieces of our history and our diverse cultures that not only inform us but entertain us as well. His latest creation about Country Music doesn't fall short on those notes, in fact I think it might be the best one he has done to date. That is saying a lot when you consider his work on the Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, Prohibition, WWII and the Viet Nam War.

It is more than just the music

One of the quotes that is repeated often is from Harlan Howard. He once said, "Country Music is three cords and the truth." I think that is probably why I have always loved Country Music; so many of the lyrics in the songs are about my truth, your truth or our truths. Some songs make us want to move our feet, others remind us of the happiness of loving someone while others break our hearts. There is literally something to listen to no matter what your mood might be. 

The segments that will total 16 hours by the time all are shown cover the history of the music that is uniquely American. We hear portions of songs but it is the backstories that I find the most fascinating. Ken Burns and his incredible crew of people tell us about the artists who made the songs popular and the people who wrote the songs. We find out about how they grew up (some of 'em will just break your heart!); how they got started and portions of their careers that might surprise us. 

I have always been a "words" kind of gal. Yes, I love to dance but it has always been more about what the story in the song says to me. I think that is why I am drawn to the people who write the songs. Those poets who don't always get a lot of recognition but can sit down and put words together that touch us in some way. In the documentary we find out quite a bit about those songwriters. Some performed their own music while others wrote for others. It has been fascinating!

Honestly, even if Country isn't the genre of music that you prefer to listen to; this Ken Burns film is one that I think you will enjoy. After hearing the history of the it; you might even be converted to a fan. There are segments that will make you smile, move your feet and touch your soul. I don't know if they will repeat this series soon or not. Don't despair if you have missed the first episodes. It is available in DVD and Blu-ray.

Ken Burns Country Music

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