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.

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 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.

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 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 17, 2024

This has been a great weekend so far. We hiked yesterday morning and then I spent hours reading in the yard. Today I’m hoping to get in the garden and do some more outdoor reading. These are my favorite weekends. A few things planned, but mostly just puttering around and plenty of rest.

Have a great week!

Quote of the Week

“Everyone has been so kind to me. I’m not going to waste their kindness.”

— Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

What I’m Reading This Week

On Kindle: I have The County Line by Steve Weddle up next. I got this from on Amazon a few months ago, so I’m not sure what I’ll find.

Audiobook: I’m nearly done with Treating People Well by Lea Berman & Jeremy Bernard. It’s written by two former White House social secretaries and talks about the lessons they learned about dealing with people.

Physical Book: I just finished The Survivors by Jane Harper. Up next is The Physicists Daughter by Mary Anna Evans.

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

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

On My Nightstand March 2, 2024

Quick post for a busy weekend. We’ve got pre-season lacrosse, a soccer tournament, volunteer work, and a ton of paperwork for various things going on here. And of course I feel like I’m coming down with something (please be allergies, please be allergies…)

Have a great week!

Quote of the Week

“‘When they start to mature and hit puberty’ one wildlife officer said about wombats, ‘they just hate everybody and everything.’”

— Koala by Danielle Clode

What I’m Reading This Week

On Kindle: I had bailed on Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano last month, but picked it back up this weekend and am enjoying it now.

Audiobook: Making my way through Julia, a 1984 re-telling. It would be better if I had paid more attention in high school, and remembered the original. Sorry Mr. Baker.

Physical Book: I’m about two pages in on The Survivors by Jane Harper. I think this will be my nightime tea break book for the next week or so.

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

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

On My Nightstand February 15, 2024

The weekend’s here are we’re soaking up any bit of sun we can find. Why is this time of year so gloomy? I need the sun, stat.

My latest evening snack obsession has been cinnamon toast made from Dave’s Killer Bread. Not actually healthy, but the grainy bread lets me pretend. I’ve been back in reading mode after a mini slump and am hoping to finish the month strong!

Have a great week!

Quote of the Week

“Koalas have perfected sitting in trees. They do not merely sit, as we do, in unnatural posture on the edge of a chair, never sure where to put our legs, how to curve our back, where to hold our shoulders. Koalas sit with ease and aplomb, and sleep with absolute confidence on their precarious spot.”

— Koala by Danielle Clode

What I’m Reading This Week

On Kindle: Still reading a chapter a day from The Brothers Karamazov. What a trip.

Audiobook: Started The Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff because it’s set in New Zealand. Anna’s fun, but this book could have been set anywhere.

Physical Book: Koala by Danielle Clode - I adore this book, and am quickly becoming obsessed with koalas.

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

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Who Wouldn't Make Something Called Eggs Suffragette? The Essential New York Times Cookbook

My first recipe from the snacks chapter was called Eggs Suffragette. I love this title from a 1909 article about eggs.

They weren’t bad to make and tasted pretty good. My kids won’t eat pre-cooked eggs so I made the batch for myself and ate them all week for breakfast or lunch. Then in the spirit of my eggs I made plans to vote because what the heck is going on? Thank you suffragettes for your sacrifices and your delicious stuffed eggs.

Note: This recipe is part of a long look at Amanda Hesser’s 2010 The Essential New York Times Cookbook. See all posts here. Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Hors Doeuvres, Snacks, And Small Dishes: Chapter Two The Essential New York Times Cookbook

I was excited about this chapter because I’ve been wanting to make more snacks, but also disappointed because Amanda skipped her usual chatty intro and just slapped a timeline in here.

After reading through I can see why. The New York Times is decidedly short on snacks. I had to read through twice just to find three things I felt like cooking and eating.

It was during this chapter when I came up with my rules for this little project:

1. I need to stay within my usual grocery budget.

2. Not too many ingredients that I’ll never use again. (A few experiments here and there are fine.)

3. No all day cooking projects. I need food I can throw together and serve.

One more note: when I was looking up this book on amazon I realized there’s an updated version. I’m sticking with the 2010 though because I love the early 2000’s food scene and snobbery. Plus this is the version my library has, and I feel like a modern cookbook would have too much Covid inspired sourdough in it.

Note: This recipe is part of a long look at Amanda Hesser’s 2010 The Essential New York Times Cookbook. See all posts here. Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!