Monday, August 8, 2016

My World in First Week of August

It's turned out to be a quiet but busy few days of  this and that.  Doing the usual things that one does on weekends to catch up around the house.

I'm still a little under the weather so continue to occupy myself with indoor activities. 
It's not all work though. 

At times like this I enjoy my small garden more than usual and look for opportunities to take more photos, especially after a rain. See some samples (click here)  if interested.


Earlier this week.


I've been catching to watching many of my recorded television programs so I can delete them and make room for more.

 I watch Masterpiece theatre and have almost caught up to the several different series I've been following. 
 A few months ago I was enjoying, "Jewel in the Crown" series, the  final season of "Downton Abbey" (I was a latecomer to the series), "Selfridges" and "The Paradise". 
 I think my favourite series so far is "Jewel in the Crown".


Now I'm watching "Inspector Lewis" but seem to have come in at the last season of this "new-to-me" series. I get these programs from  the PBS station in Washington State to the south of me.  The station gets a lot of viewer support from Canadians.
What about you dear reader?
Do you have public television or do you watch any of these series on TV or on line?

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Another activity that's been keeping me very busy is "online window shopping".   I'm looking to coordinate a simple yet stylish and budget friendly outfit that I need for a daytime casual event.  I want to be comfortable and cool and be able to wear the clothing again as separates or altogether. I'm thinking of an all white, all natural tones, or a combination of white and off-white.

I often peruse all the deals at home and afar on line and try to see the styles and prices that capture my interest.  If the store is local I then go out to the brick and mortar store if I have time and try things on.  This kind of  activity is very time consuming.  But it beats in person shopping and not knowing in advance what is out there though certainly one can often finds nice things that aren't even on line.  The on line cost comparison is a frugal activity I like to undertake. Once I know what is on line and in stores I calculate the costs of buying in person or on line, factoring in shipping costs, taxes, my time, bus fares, etc. At the end of the day I prefer to support local shops as much as possible.

I'm mulling over several outfit possibilities. One possibility is a long, straight skirt. Here is a photo. Sorry it looks like a screen is over the image because I've taken the photo of the photo. The site wouldn't let me save an image.



The skirt has a bit of sparkle and I like that. I'm thinking of pairing a tank top similar to the one in the photo which I'll have to source from elsewhere because it doesn't seem to be on the website. I'm also thinking of a long sleeveless waterfall vest. But that is only one idea. The skirt is currently on sale.  On of that there is a time limited 25% discount so right now it is only half price. I don't go out shopping until Tuesday but I might order the skirt tonight because I like it that much.  I've never seen one like it in  the places where I tend to shop. (Update: I did try to order the skirt but wasn't happy about the price after shipping, customs and other charges were added. I also didn't like that I couldn't see the breakdown of costs before completing a whole lot of information on line. It might just be better to take a quick trip across the border and check the skirt in person.  Before I do that I will want to make sure that the discount will still be applicable because it is a time-limited offer.  To make it worth my while I would also check a few other shops nearby).

I have several other ideas for an outfit. which include:

- white top, style to be determined + white gaucho pants and long white waterfall vest
- white top, style to be determined (tank or Turkish tunic) + mid-calf skirt and long, white waterfall, sleeveless vest
- long white sleeveless or cap sleeve dress with long, white, waterfall, sleeveless vest

I also made a bit of progress in reading goals this week.  In an earlier post I mentioned finishing the book entitled "Circling with the Sun".  The book is about Beryl Markham, an early colonial settler to what is now the nation of Kenya.  Ms. Markham was a  pioneer in horse training and aviation and made her mark in both fields.

The book book was a very enjoyable read.  It gave me an insight into the life of  early British settlers to Kenya.  It opened my eyes to the lifestyle of the rich and famous in those days. The lifestyle of the rich and famous seems to be much the same today.  Aside from that,  Beryl Markham was a truly remarkable woman and very ahead of her time. She the first licensed female horse trainer and pilot in Kenya and became highly accomplished in both fields. She has the distinction of flying solo over the Atlantic Ocean from East to West (considered more challenging than West to East).  She is also credited with pioneering the use of small aircraft in safaris, a mode which is very popular today for those that have little time but more money.

 
After completing the books I'm currently reading  I will still be a few books behind in my readings goals for the year.  This year I set a modest reading goal because my focus this year is rest.  Even so, I got behind in my reading  due to being sick for much of the first quarter of the year with one cold after another. I've had another cold this past week but it isn't as bad as the winter colds. I don't recall a time when I've ever had quite so many colds as I have this year.  I think getting better sleep will help and I am working doing just that.

This book is about a young Palestinian man who builds a music school and develops an orchestra in Palestine.

This is an interesting book about a bookseller who has a store on a barge. He dispenses wisdom & appropriate books to readers.

What about you dear reader?
Are you reading any good or interesting books?
Do you set any reading goals for yourself or at least keep track of how many books you've read?
I never used to keep track of the books I read and have long forgotten many of them.
I now find it interesting to go back and see what I've read over the past few years and the types of books.
It seems that a lot of books I choose are of the historical fiction genre. 


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My nephew called and paid a brief visit on Saturday.  He is on the way to a conference in Montreal where he will present a paper on Wednesday afternoon. I'm very proud of him as he is in the final year of his Master's Program in Psychology. He has been undertaking laboratory research for about 4 years and  has already been to several conferences in the USA and Canada to present his research findings.  He is a very busy young man juggling work, research, studies and a committed relationship. I haven't had a chance to visit with him much over the last year.  In  less than a year he will be finished his Masters degree before embarking on the final leg of his educational journey.

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On Sunday morning I captured the beautiful sunrise to the east.  I went out to capture this after hearing the sad news about the young man in Kenya who passed away a few days ago from complications of cancer.

The colours in the sky were exceptionally beautiful.
My camera and I did not do full justice to the scene.


The morning reminded me of the wonders and beauty of creation.




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It's only a few more days before my last guest of the summer arrives.
So much to do before she arrives but I made excellent progress today in the preparations.
Enjoy your week!


Linking up with Lady Fi over at Our World Tuesday
and
NC Sue over at image-in-ing
Thank you for visiting.

22 comments:

Al said...

That sunrise is gorgeous. I don't watch much TV, but I love reading; my tastes run to biographies of musicians and science-fiction.

Lady Fi said...

Lovely colours in your sky.

Birgitta said...

Beautiful photos!

Phil Slade said...

Goodness! You have been busy filling your days with reading, photography and online shopping. I really don't have time to read books and more, only on holiday. I do read lots of news and opinions online though. There is a wider and more enlightened set of views than all the same stuff fed us by the TV. Excuse me, must go babysitting (2 granddaughter)now for the rest of the day.

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

The colours in your sunset photos are lovely. Thank you for the book recommendations. The Little Paris Bookshop interests me.

As for your TV viewing, I can't help but notice your appreciation of British TV series, so I have a recommendation for you. I don't know if you'll be able to find it through your usual provider, or maybe borrow a boxed set from a library or find it online. Anyway - Inspector Morse. It's the original series that Inspector Lewis is based on. It was set in Oxford. Morse was played by John Thaw, and Lewis was his young assistant. John Thaw died quite a few years ago, and in this new series Lewis is now the senior partner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_Morse_(TV_series)

Hope you enjoy! And I hope your health continues to improve.

NCSue said...

I'm finishing up some other books and am always looking for the next interesting read. Thanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/08/a-little-dab-of-color.html

eileeninmd said...

Hello, your balcony garden is pretty and I love the colorful sky shots. I love to read and I have been downloading books to my ipad from Amazon and our local library has ebooks to read. I have been averaging 5 or more books a week lately. Have a happy day and new week ahead!

Reader Wil said...

Beautiful sunrise! I also watch English TV series like Inspector Morse, Lewis, Endeavour, who is the young Morse. New Tricks,Midsomer murders,Death in Paradise and Father Brown are also very popular series in the Netherlands. We enjoyed watching Downton Abbey and Selfridges and more of those romantic plays. Every day I watch one of the five BBC channels.
I also read English novels a lot. It's good for my English vocabulary.I only miss English conversation.

Hootin Anni said...

LOVE that white outfit!
Your sunset photo are extraordinary.
And I so enjoyed and appreciated your book reviews. I'm an avid reader.

Melanie said...

I like the sparkle long white skirt. It would go with so many things. I was a late comer to Downton Abbey too. I didn't start watching until the 3rd season but kept up from there. I don't watch PBS on TV. Don't really watch TV but I watch Masterpiece series and British series on Netflix. I can get Inspector Lewis. Is it good? I'm sorry you are feeling poorly still. I hope those colds leave you alone after this. I always enjoy your photography. The sunset photos are so pretty. Have a blessed day.

Diane said...

I have just finished the last book in the series of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, both my husband and I so enjoyed the whole set of books. Your books look interesting and I have put a couple of them on my wish list. As for TV, I seldom ever watch it other than maybe the news while eating breakfast! Having said that once a year I do watch Strictly come Dancing because I love ballroom. Generally too much going on to find the time to sit and watch anything else. Hope you soon get better, take care Diane

Jeanie said...

Well, you are talking my language in this post! I worked for a PBS station for 32 years and Masterpiece was the thing that got me hooked on wanting to work for one. I think you will love catching up on the Lewis series. Did you watch Inspector Morse? Lewis was his sergeant, like Hathaway now is and Ïnspector Lewis is the sequel to that wonderful series. And Endeavour, of course, is the pre-quel. I'm sure you can find them on Netflix or possibly Acorn. And Jewel in the Crown may be my all-time favorite, too. But so very many. Yes, if you like Brit shows and PBS doesn't have them, check out streaming acorn.com -- all Brit!

I loved "Little Paris Book Shop." I think it may be one of the most thoughtful books about a journey through grief ever written -- although I'm not sure if that was the author's intent, but it so resonated.

Do hope you will feel better soon.

Joanne Noragon said...

Your photos are grand! We have public TV and it has some wonderful stuff. I am just now getting back into the habit of TV and need to see what is available.

Electra said...

Lovely photos and yes, I watch PBS all the time!

carol l mckenna said...

Beautiful sky shots!

Happy week to you ^_^

Cloudia said...

Nice photos. Good to see a positive message about Palestine & Israel. There are good people on both sides really working hard for peace for everybody. I wish the peacemakers well

Red said...

I've ALWAYS LIKED HISTORICAL FICTION. i READ QUITE A FEW eDWIN rUTHERFURDS.

Minoru Saito said...

Hi! Your sunrise photos are very beautiful. I like non-fiction TV programs and books. Thanks for sharing.

Stephanie said...

Hi sweet friend! It's always a delight to pop in for a visit.

It sounds like you have been busy...the books look quite interesting especially "Circling The Sun." I will have to add that one to my "Must Read" list :)

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today as your comments are a blessing. Hugs!

Breathtaking said...

Hello!:) Your sunset views are stunning, and I like the white outfit, it looks cool and very feminine. I also like TV series, have seen the ones you mentioned, and enjoyed them very much. Thanks for the info on the books, they seem like interesting reads.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Beautiful post. Beryl Markham is one remarkable woman and there have been several books about her over the years. I don't set reading goals but I try and have two books going at all times that I alternate. I like one to be fiction and the other non fiction and at least one on my Kindle. I use the library a lot especially for the Kindle books.

Charlene N. K. said...

I enjoyed reading this. The books you've read sound interesting, I hope I can read them someday.

Your blazing sky views are awesome!

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