Quiet Times, Good Times

Reading

Like many fantasy novels, The Bird King is around one third longer than it should be, as if the author didn’t quite know how to end it. Set in the historic era in Grenada, at the end of the fifteenth century, when the Moors were just being expelled from Spain, the book has a lot of interesting ideas about the relationship of Moslems and Christians at that time. I enjoyed these historic or almost-historic elements of the book. The presence of supernatural creatures was ok until it wasn’t.

This book seems more like a reference work than a readable history.
I read only parts of it. The author has written better books!

High Island Blues is set in the exact locations where we were birding in Texas in April.

This book was a gift from Deb at Readerbuzz, which was wonderful of her! Not only the setting, but the activity of birding and the goals of the characters in High Island Blues are very much like the goals of the birders that we traveled with. Obviously, the major difference is that no one on our tour —that I know of — was motivated to murder anyone. The birding sites named in the novel are the same ones we visited. Two characters in the novel at one point go into Houston to have lunch at the Galleria Shopping Center, which was the location of our hotel at after the tour. As the characters drive through Houston and around the birding areas, I could picture just these places where we drove on our tour.

At one point, we saw an old motel in Winnie, Texas, near the birding sites. This motel was mentioned by name in the novel. We were told that our tour company used to have people stay there, but it has declined in quality. We stayed in a much newer hotel, happily.

The characters in the novel in fact stayed at an old house with a colorful landlady, which I suspect was entirely fictitious, and which enabled the author to create a conventional plot of the English Country House genre, but of course set in Texas. A very successful artistic decision!

As mysteries go, this is a great read. The author has written many successful books, some of which are also TV shows. I’ve loved the “Vera” TV series based on another series of books by the author, Ann Cleeves.

High Island — site of the action in the novel. Our birding trip to Texas in April visited
there, and the experience was just like the description in the book, despite the gap of 30 years.

A Swainson’s Warbler that we saw in Texas when birding in the sites noted in the novel.
Just before finding the body, the key witness was searching for this bird.
(Len’s Photo)

What’s on TV?

Blog post © 2025 mae sander

Shared with Eileen’s critters

Peonies! And Other Blossoms

University of Michigan, Nichols Arboretum

Peony Garden 2025

This year’s peonies are just beginning to bloom. The garden has a remarkable collection of peonies
dating back over 100 years, and a staff of gardeners and researchers. 

On the hillside above the peony beds, rhododendrons are in full bloom.

Lots of folks taking selfies!

The rhododendrons are beautiful.

Now for some peonies…

Spectacular rhododendrons.

Peonies originated in China, as exemplified by this 12th Century vase.

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

And in our small garden at home…

Our annual crop of herbs, which Len just bought and repotted this weekend.

Among our new potted plants: lavender.

Outdoor Dining

After weeks of cold weather, we finally managed to eat lunch outdoors.

Getting ready to grill our dinner. First time this season.

Grilled vegetables, bread, and steak with mustard.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Photos © 2025 mae sander

Life, As Usual

 At Our House

A bowl of cherries… so glad they are coming into season! On Tuesday we drove back home from
Virginia, and this  was part of our grocery restocking on Wednesday.

Blooming in the garden…an allium, member of the onion family.

Len made himself a potting bench and is now using it for spring planting.

We are eating lots of salad this week.

A Visit to Penzey’s

We visited Penzey’s Spice shop in Falls Church, VA on Monday. We bought several spices and a towel.

We have only ordered from the website (link) and were very happy to see the store!

The selection is amazing, especially the special blends.

Road Trip Home

In Berkeley Springs, West Virginia: A beautiful mural for Sami’s Monday Murals.
We drove back on Tuesday.

The tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

That’s my week for Deb’s Sunday Salon!

Photos © 2025 mae sander

New iPhone

 

In the Mall: first photo with my new iPhone.

I wanted the new iPhone because it has a better camera for bird photos.
The only bird in our garden today is this robin, so here it is.

Graduates

A Few More Graduation Photos

The family at Alice’s graduation, 2025.

Alice and her balloon in the graduation procession.

Just before the procession began.

Memories: Miriam’s Graduation in 2023

Balloons were just as popular two years ago!

We were not as close to the procession during Miriam’s graduation.

The family in 2023.

New Photo on Display

Old Photo Recreated

On our last day in Fairfax, Evelyn’s friend Gabriella arrived from Berlin for a visit before she attends a workshop next week. We were recalling many times we have visited with her, and they recreated one of them that was taken in 2014 at the Brandenburg Gate.

 Blog post © 2025 mae sander