Walking Wednesday June 10, 2026

I haven’t done one of these posts in a while, but now that the evenings are longer and weekends aren’t as scheduled I have been venturing out of my neighborhood a bit more.

This week I’ve been listening to The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny again. I’m doing a re-listen of this series, and while I don’t care for this one as much I don’t want to skip any. So here I am.

On My Nightstand June 6, 2026

summer games under the lights

My daughter still has a few more days of school, but we’re feeling the summer vibes around here. My summer reading is in full swing, and I’ve been doing a much better job of sitting down to read instead of listening to audiobooks while multitasking. (NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT!)

Quote of the week

That hat is at least ten fire emojis. It’s all that, and extra butter.
— Arsenio by Arsenio Hall

Summer flowers

On My Nightstand This Week

(Click on any of the titles for more information)

Kindle - Summer reading time! I’m working on a group read of Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave on Litsy.

Audiobook - After I finished The Talisman I needed to do a re-listen to Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub.

Paper Book - Another summer group read! The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher is great for reading in the sun.

finally accomplished my walk across the wilson bridge bucket list item

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand May 30, 2026

It’s official!

We did it! My son graduated yesterday. I wondered why they had the ceremonies on Thursday and Friday instead of the weekend, but it is nice to have two days to recover before I go back to work. I even managed to sit down and read 100 pages of a book this morning. Hopefully things will calm down a bit now. I always say that…

Quote of the week

People always think despair will kill them, but a little maple syrup, and life looks different.
— Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

cat naps

On My Nightstand This Week

(Click on any of the titles for more information)

Kindle - I couldn’t settle on anything so decided to do a re-read of Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese.

Audiobook - I joined in on another challenge to read all of the Newbery Medal books in order starting with The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon.

Paper Book - I’m alternating between the heavy The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and the light Called Again by Jennifer Pharr Davis.

the sun came back!

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand May 16, 2026

roses from the garden

BREAKING NEWS: I actually calmed down and read all of the books I wanted to read last week. Very exciting. Hopefully this trend continues because even though my reading has slowed down my kindle deals and library check outs have not! It’s supposed to be really hot next week (after being in the 50’s this week) so I’m planning on porch reading nights as often as I can.

Quote of the week

I took the trouble this morning to call on the pretended count- if he were a real count he wouldn’t be so rich.
— The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

yard reading

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Another goofy cozy from my kindle- Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery.

Audiobook - It’s time for James Monroe in my one president a month buddy read group. I picked James Monroe: A Life by Tim McGrath.

Paper Book - I found a copy of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt in a Little Free Library up the street and can’t wait to dive in.

library haul

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand April 25, 2026

It’s still spring but the skies are starting to look like summer

The weather has been wild, but I have gotten some good porch reading sessions in. It’s been helping in my quest to actually read books and not scroll social media.

Quote of the week

All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope
— The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

books + ice cream = summer

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - Still going on The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. It’s so good, just long! I really picked some chunksters this year.

Audiobook - I am cracking up at Secrets of the Purple Pearl by Kate McKinnon. This series is great for audio walking.

Paper Book - I’m about to start Bamboo and Blood by James Church. It’s from a mystery series set in North Korea.

what is up with this cat

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand April 18, 2026

i love to read under this apple tree when it is in bloom

I was looking at my March stats and it was really heavy on audiobooks. So my goal in April is to read more while sitting on my butt - either in print or on kindle!

Quote of the week

I had never imagined I would have to explain the significance of chocolate bunnies that laid caramel eggs in nests of shredded green plastic each Easter...
— A Tender Struggle by Krista Bremer

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - I finally started The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. I’m looking forward to long spring evenings on my porch with this one.

Audiobook - I’ve got another long one- Wild Swans by Jung Chang. I started it on paper, but it was taking me too long to get through so I switched to audio so I could multi task.

Paper Book - I’m trying to finish Heaven’s Keep by William Kent Krueger before the library repossess my car or something. Paper books have just been so slow going for me lately.

lunch and a book on a warm day

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Walking Wednesday April 15, 2026

We’ve been everywhere lately. We’ve done six college tours, countless field hockey and lacrosse games and tournaments, plus family walks in the last two weeks. I have the step count to prove it.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my strolls through my neighborhood with my audiobooks. Right now I’m listening to Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park. It’s a good counterpoint to the Little House on the Prairie books.

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On My Nightstand March 28, 2026

cherry blossom time!

Another busy week here. Looking at the calendar it will stay that way until graduation. I hope my brain can stay calm enough to read.

It’s almost midnight as I write this, and I just got back from dropping a car full of teens off. I’m still a little wired from being out so late so I think I will catch up on my chapter a day classic reads before I go to bed. Maybe a late night snack too?

Quote of the week

Life is choice. All day, everyday. Who we talk to, where we sit, what we say, how we say it. And our lives become defined by our choices. It’s as simple and as complex as that. And as powerful. so when I’m observing that’s what I’m watching for. The choices people make.
— Still Life by Louise Penny

catching up on some reading and journaling

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - I’m about to start Unshakable by Fr. Mike Schmitz as this year’s Easter Read.

Audiobook - I’ve got another long one- Wild Swans by Jung Chang. I started it on paper, but it was taking me too long to get through so I switched to audio so I could multi task.

Paper Book - I’m trying to finish Heaven’s Keep by William Kent Krueger before the library repossess my car or something. Paper books have just been so slow going for me lately.

lunch and a book on a warm day

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

Note: links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

On My Nightstand March 21, 2026

flowers just before the rain (Asheville, nc)

Spring is official now! I still haven’t put my winter clothes away though. We’ve been touring colleges and getting ready for a French student to come stay with us. There’s so much going on! My audiobook consumption is still outpacing my physical book consumption by a lot.

Quote of the week

All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope
— The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

PJs and book all laid out on a busy day

On My Nightstand This Week

Kindle - I have the ARC of The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung.

Audiobook - I’m in the middle of the very long Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose.

Paper Book - I’m still reading Wild Swans by Jung Chang. I picked so many long books this month!

morning skies

Hang in there everyone, and happy reading.

Note: links to bookshop.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Walking Wednesday April 12, 2025

It’s been cool here and it seems to be having a good effect on the longevity of these blooms. I can’t stop walking under these trees and taking pictures. I’m not looking forward to the heat and humidity this summer, so every day I get to avoid taking out my summer clothes is a good day in my mind.

Right now I’m listening to The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie. I joined a challenge to read one Christie book a month in order. They’re usually pretty good for walking and listening.

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Walking Wednesday April 2, 2025

It’s cherry blossom time! It makes finding the motivation to walk easy. The blooms were late this year due to a cold winter, but that makes the spectacle all the better.

I’ve been listening to Ten Birds That Changed The World by Stephen Moss. It’s timely given the chirping going on around me when I walk.

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Walking Wednesday March 19, 2025

March 19th already! How did that happen? I love this time of year when the sun comes out and billions of flowers just appear where there was just brown dirt the day before. I’m enjoying it before summer comes and it feels like walking through soup!

This week’s audiobook is Ten Birds That Changed The World by Stephen Moss. This is the book that finally got me to upgrade to Everand Premium so I hope it’s worth it!

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Walking Wednesday March 12, 2025

From ice to flowers. Welcome to March! Time is flying like usual but it’s lighter out at night when I go for my walks. Hooray!

I’m about to start Fire Weather by John Vaillant. A tough topic, but it’s important to know about. This is one of the 52 non-fiction books I want to read this year. I think it’s #4 from my list so I better get going!

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Walking Wednesday July 3, 2024

The weather has been all over the place, but the long days make it easy to get out and walk. It’s amazing that anything can survive this stinking heat and humidity but I’ve seen all sorts of flowers and insects plus a fox this week.

I’m listening to Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. This is a re-read for me and I’m enjoying it.

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Walking Wednesday April 24, 2024

I’ve been sick (again) this week, so not much walking, but I did get out a lot last weekend for various Earth Day events. Pretty pictures here only, but I do have a good one on my phone of my daughter and I pulling someone’s rejected dining room chair out of a stream.

After Demon Copperhead I’ve been making my way through some shorter books. Right now it’s Eight Bears by Gloria Dickie.

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Walking Wednesday April 17, 2024

I’ve been tiptoeing through the tulips this week on my walks. I’m trying to soak it all up. Any day now the weather will start trying to kill me again.

I’ve been making my way through Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It’s great on audio, but dang is anything going to happen in this book?

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Walking Wednesday April 10, 2024

We’re still in our honeymoon period here weather wise. It’s not too hot and flowers are everywhere. Summer’s coming though. Last night when I was walking I swallowed a bug.

After starting a stopping a number of audio books I finally settled on Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling.

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Walking Wednesday March 20, 2024

It’s peak cherry blossom week! It’s really cold and windy too though so I’m kind of being a wimp about walking. I’m still walking, but it’s under duress.

I’ve been listening to Give and Take by Adam Grant. It’s a re-read for me, but some situations have made me want to return to it.

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Walking Wednesday March 13, 2024

So a week and a half ago when I said I felt like I was coming down with something and I hoped it was just allergies…it wasn’t allergies. I am so sick of being sick! I’m better now though and I’m recommitted to my walks. Pollen aside this is just a wonderful time to walk in this area. Each day there’s something new blooming.

I’ve been listening to Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall. It’s a bit dated but still interesting.

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