Diane Jarvis-Schuller

Red Breasted Nuthatch at our peanut feeder here in frigid Alberta

I hope you all had a Christmas season that was filled with joy and glad tidings. Ours was of that ilk and a bit on the lazy side to boot. The birds, of course, continue to flit about seeking out sustenance but our dogs are, as they should be, inside and warm with us and being taken for multiple short walks through the day.

After starting that awful novel just before heading to Edmonton (and dumping it while in Edmonton), I picked up a dynamite novel that I just finished last night. I’m now in novel withdrawal not only because I don’t have anything to read but because I’m missing the delightful cast of characters in this last book. If you haven’t read it already, I highly recommend The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society particularly if you enjoy great story telling and engaging characters.

So what have you read lately that you loved and would recommend? And what did you enjoy about it?

PS: Don’t forget to check in during the first week of January for my upcoming announcement regarding my business (or subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any posts!)

A few posts ago, I shared a photo of a novel I was reading, Resistance. It was excellent! and I highly recommend it — actually anything by Anita Shreve is well worth reading.

Currently my bookmark is resting between the pages of the novel, The Dogs of Babel. The first chapter went along quite easily so, so-far-so-good (UPDATE on The Dogs of Babel: I gave the book away after reading a few more pages. I definitely did not like where it was going and disgustedly set about to give it away while I was in Edmonton.)

As you can see, I’ve already baked a couple batches of old fashioned, buttery shortbread. Melt in your mouth goodness!

I leave for Edmonton shortly and before turning the computer off and getting my packing done, I thought I’d post a few more photos until I return on Monday. Despite the treacherous highway conditions, I am really looking forward to taking my son and his wife out for a really nice dinner over the weekend. We’ll be celebrating both his and her birthdays. I hope your weekend is safe and full of joy — enjoy the treasures of the season. What are you looking forward to this weekend?

I definitely recommend this novel whether for yourself or as a gift, Resistance by Anita Shreve

Who are your favourite heroes (heroines) in fiction?

This is one of the questions posed by CBC in their version of Proust’s Questionnaire. One day I would love to play the questionnaire and respond to each question. In the meantime, here is my off-the-cuff response to this one question (that’s the idea of doing the questionnaire; the responses are meant to be what first comes to mind without having a lot of time to give it thought).

My favourite heroine is Penelope, the sixty-something protagonist in Rosamunde Pilcher’s The Shell Seekers. I found her spunky and honest in the way she examined her life and her connection with her adult children. There’s more but that’s what stands out in my mind. A very memorable woman.
I do have a second heroine — not sure why male characters are not immediately coming to mind — in Sue Monk Kidd’s delightful novel The Secret Life of Bees, I was absolutely smitten with the teenage Lily. Despite her situation, she had such a delightful and forward-moving attitude and she sometimes had me smiling so much that my cheeks were sore.

Quick, who are your favourite heroes (heroines) in fiction?

Earlier today I stopped in at my friend Karen’s place to pick up two autographed copies of her most recent novel, Summer of Fire. I have two teenage nieces that we’ll be seeing on Christmas Eve and wanted to have a gift for each of them. I immediately knew I’d give them each a copy of Karen’s most recent Young Adult novel. Books are one of my favourite gifts, whether to receive or to give. When I picked up the books Karen and I chatted for a while and then I returned home to wrap up the books. I knew Karen had already personalized and signed the books for me but it wasn’t until I arrived home that I saw what she wrote. It was so perfect and, as is apt for such a wordsmith, there is a double entendre in what she wrote, “Get fired up about reading!”

Here’s to getting fired up this Christmas season. May you and yours enjoy a Christmas that is filled with love, laughter, and special moments. Be sure to capture those moments with your camera too!