The Books of 2026

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I'm wondering whether you set reading goals for the year, or whether you just like to read whenever the mood strikes you never mind the idea of keeping track of the books you've read. Or maybe you really don't like to read at all.  I know a few people that don't read much. They usually try to read just before sleep and promptly nod off. I always try to encourage people to read more, even if it's just one more book than they might usually read.

I've always liked to read and I had the impression that I read a lot.  However until I started setting annual reading goals and tracking the number of books and pages read through Goodreads, I realized that I really didn't read much at all.  I started tracking my reading in 2009 and now read consistently though my reading drops off if I'm sick or travelling and there are some months when I just give myself a break.  I know you can read when travelling and people use their electronic devices to assist in this regard but I prefer reading paper books and I may only take 1 with me to read on the plane.  There are usually so many other things to keep one busy when travelling.

In 2026, I've set another modest goal of reading 50 books.  If you are a reader you'll know there are some books that only take 2 or 3 hours to read. Then there are books that take much longer to read. Most books I select have anywhere from 6 to 15 hours estimated reading time. I prefer to read books that are a more than 300 pages so that I am not having to go to the library every other day. I like going to the library but I usually try to work in a trip there for when I am needing to do other errands nearby.  I also enjoy historical fiction best but in the last 3 years I've tried to diversify my reading.  Consequently, I've read fantasy books, murder mysteries and contemporary books.

If you've read this far, I hope you will leave me a comment and let me know what books you are reading right now.  Perhaps I can add a few of them to my 'want to read list'. In the meantime you might be interested in knowing what I've been reading thus far in 2026.  Here are the books and a summary of what they are about.

I picked the book, Ring of Salt off the library shelf and was pleasantly surprised and happy with the book. In this memoir, Betsy, an American left the United States for Ireland to get far away from her rich, abusive parents.  She ends up dating and marrying an abusive man and having one child with him.  Throughout her marriage Betsy is working as a struggling but published author and her husband earns very little which only adds to the strain in their marriage. Ultimately she plots her escape and with the assistance of the local women's shelter she is helped to get on her feet again.  Betsy meets another man, who is supportive of her and wants to marry her but she declines. She has a vision for opening a retreat for abused women where they can also learn how to learn some crafts to help them earn an income.  Though her life continues to be a financial struggle, Betsy is able to see the beginning of her dream coming to life.

The Golden Spruce, was gifted to me for my birthday.  This non-fictional story is set largely on the northwest coast of British Columbia, the province where I live. It's a fascinating account of a man, Grant Hadwin, who cuts down a tree, known as the Golden Spruce.  The tree was a 300 metre high Sitka Spruce tree, revered by loggers and sacred to the Haida people of the Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands.  The year was 1997 when Grant's used a chainsaw to fell the sacred tree from the old growth forest which was his act of protest against the logging industry. He felt people were too fixated on the one tree while the logging industry was decimating a huge part of the old growth forest. Just before he was scheduled to stand trial for environmental vandalism and eco-terrorism, Grant disappeared under mysterious circumstances and has never been found.

Aging Well with Diabetes,  is a good reference book for older adults who have diabetes. I didn't finish it because there were people on the waitlist before I could complete the reading.  I don't want to buy the book because I've already decluttered so many books over the past several years and don't want to accumulate more.  On the rare occasion I do buy a book, it's usually from the thrift store. I will add this book to my list to read later

I added Welcome to the School by the Sea, to my "want to read" list because it was recommended by the library based on other books I'd read. I enjoyed it but I would give it an average rating.  The book is the first installment of a 4 part series.  The setting for the story is a posh girl's boarding school in Devon, England, hence the title.  In this installment, young teacher Maggie leaves Scotland to begin teaching at the boarding school.  In doing so, she has to leave her boyfriend Stan behind and he's none too happy about it.  It's a bit nerve wracking for Maggie to settle in because she isn't from the posh set and has no experience of teaching children from a well to do background.  But she is determined to have a new adventure in life and is reluctant to return home though several times Stan asks her to do exactly that.  The book is basically about how Maggie adjusts to the school, Maggie making new friends, the school girls that get into mischief, and an attraction to male teacher at the neighbouring boys school.  There is also an overarching story about the school administrator, Veronica.  As the novel proceeds we learn of an unexpected connection between Veronica and the adopted son she gave up at birth.  Of course no one even knows she had a child as an unwed mother. Although the book was just average or a little better than average, I'm open to reading the other books in the series in the future.

I picked up The Last Thing He Told Me was a free book which I picked up at the local community center.  The book is easy to read and quite engaging.  As I started reading, it didn't take long to realize that the story line was familiar. I thought perhaps I'd already read the book but later realized that I'd seen a mini-series of the same name on Apple TV.   I enjoyed both the book and the mini-series.  In the story, Owen, is Hannah's husband.  Very early in the story, Owen disappears suddenly and very mysteriously. The police are looking for him in connection to major fraud perpetrated by his boss and the company for whom he worked.  Owen's boss has been arrested and Owen will also be taken into custody if the police investigators can find him.  Owen left so quickly that he hasn't let his wife, Hannah or his daughter, Bailey know what's going on, where he is. whether he will come back.  He's only left a note for Hannah to protect Bailey.  It's left to Hannah and Bailey to try to piece together what has happened to Owen and to try to have a life without him.  The majority of the story reveals that Owen isn't who he said he is and that much of what Hannah and Bailey know about him is untrue.  This is earth shaking news for the both of them and they are faced with monumental decisions about how they move forward.

This next book was on my 'to read' list. It appealed to me because I like bakeries and I like a lot of novels set in Paris. It turns out the book isn't set in Paris but in a suburb on Rue de Paris, lol. It's a magical, fantasy book that weaves together the secret bakery recipes and the lives of those who own the bakery or work in it. 

I picked up The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo because the cover appealed to me.  The book title and summary suggested a story reminiscent of the late Elizabeth Taylor who I always found fascinating.  Not so much because of her many husbands but because of her great collection of precious jewellery and her air of old fashioned Hollywood glamour. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a well written story but if I had known a bit more about the content, I probably would not have read it. 

The Secret History of Audrey James is another book I picked from the shelves. It seems I read a lot of books about women heroines set in WW2 in England or France. I haven't read this book yet but will start soon.

I have a few more books that will be ready for pick up in the next few days.

I heard an interview on You Tube with the author of this book, Culinary Claims.  L. Sasha Gora did her Ph. D. in Canada which culminated in this book.

I tried listening to Andrew Lownie's Entitled on Audible but I have a hard time listening to a book. My mind wanders all over the place.  Even if it doesn't wander I just can't seem to focus on the story itself.  So I've put the paper book on hold and now it's ready.  In the period of time that I've been waiting for the book there has been so much information about these two former royals that has come out in the press, tabloid television and You Tube channels that whatever is in the book is probably "old" news.

I've only read one book by Carley Fortune who seems to be a very popular Canadian author writing about romance and contemporary themes.  The book is called, This Summer Will Be Different .  It's set in Prince Edward Island (PEI) which is clear on the other side of the country from where I live. I thought it was a little 'fluffy' or light for my taste but I'm going to read another book of hers to see if I like it better.

That concludes my January and February book selections so far.  Please let me know in the comments if you've recently reads any good books. I'll see if the library here has a copy.

It's Early February ~ Skywatch Friday

Happy new month of February.

The following photos were taken rather hurriedly as I tried to capture the birds in flight. The fog and mist add an ethereal feel to the photos.

Just the other day I made another trip to a nearby municipality to return something I'd purchased on line and to try another size.   You can see it was raining rather heavily for our journey.

The shopping trip was unsuccessful in terms of finding what I wanted.  But we did find a wonderful place to have a delicious dinner.

I think we're back to drier weather for a few days and the temperatures are very warm for this time of year.  I think they are warm all over the province. I've been feeling spring in the air.

Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post.

The Last Skywatch of the Month ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

This was the scene as I stepped out to run errands late Thursday. It was raining earlier in the day but when it stopped I dashed out. The weather forecast includes a lot of rain which is usual at this time of year.  We recently ended a week of fog and sun, usually both on the same day.

I'll take the rain over the ice and snowstorms that are affecting much of Canada and the USA right now.  I hope the weather is fine in your part of the world. Thank you for stopping by on Skywatch Friday this week.  Stay warm and stay safe.

Simply the Best ~ Tuesday 4

Here is an older Tuesday 4 from Toni Taddeo.

1.   What was the best place you've ever been? A Place you would love to return to again and again.

There are two places I've returned to time and again.  The first is Australia, everywhere and anywhere on the east coast.  Cairns in the Far North Queensland has a special place in my heart due to family connections.  I also loved Sydney because in its winter it reminds me a lot of where I currently live.  After my 3rd visit to Australia though, I decided I'd better visit other places. One day I'd love to return and see the City of Melbourne.

The second country I love so much is Kenya.  It's a relatively small country compared to Canada where I live but it does take time to travel to places outside of Nairobi.  I love all parts of Kenya though I haven't travelled to the far flung northern areas mainly due to lack of time, money and issues of insecurity in the. north.  Perhaps one day I'll get to see the northern areas too.  In particular, I love the area around Kericho, Kenya, located in the Kenyan Highlands and home to many of the country's tea estates. I've visited the country 7 times and would like to return one day. If you search my blog you'll be able to see some photos of my travels to Australia though limited because it was in the days before smart phones. I do have more posts about my Kenyan travels.

Tea fields in Kericho, Kenya

2.   What was the best book you have ever read?

The best book I've ever read is a difficult one to answer. I have to identify several different books and I've shared these before in many different blog posts. The books are: The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry & The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I'm going to add a 4th book because it sticks in my brain though I've never had it on my favourites list before. It's called Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. If you've read any of these books I'd love to know what you thought of them.

3.   What is the best food you've ever eaten? How about the best restaurant?

This is a difficult question too because I've eaten many best foods but I think two stand out. I do love Greek Souvlaki dinners (Chicken or Lamb) but they must include rice pilaf, roasted Greek potatoes, Greek salad, tzatziki sauce and grilled (warmed) pita bread.  It's the combination of all of the above that make it special. I also love calamari (deep fried squid) with tzatziki sauce.  Virtually any Greek restaurant I've eaten at knows how to prepare these dishes very well.

Chicken Souvlaki Plate

Another favourite dinner is special because it was a romantic meal. My now husband took me to an Ethiopian Restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya.  We had Beef Tibs and he fed me each bite and I fed him in turn. It was the one and only time I've ever had such an experience and we both laughed at attempts to feed one another.  We enjoyed ourselves and the meal was very tasty. Since then I've experimented with other Ethiopian dishes and I enjoy the food very much.  The restaurant we ate at was located in the northern part of Nairobi in the United Nations area but I can no longer find it on the Google Maps.

Beef Tibs

4.   What was the best movie or TV series you've ever watched? 

Best movies ever watched are The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston, Dances with Wolves with Kevin Costner and any of the Bourne Trilogy, James Bond and Mission Impossible movies.  Do you sense a theme here? Historical and spy movies.  

Here is a movie trailer for The Ten Commandments. Have you seen the movie?  It's a very old one and I first saw it when I was quite young. In fact the movie was released before I was born but they would run the movie every Christmas. I haven't seen it on television for years.

 
So what would your answers be?  Get blogging and let us know.

The Fog Has Rolled In ~ Skywatch Friday

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

It has stopped raining for almost a week.  Instead we've been experiencing heavy fog.  During the day it can be sunny and clear but the fog will start rolling in during the mid to late afternoon and into the evening.

Earlier in the day when there was no fog.

After the fog started rolling in.

The fog adds to the atmosphere.

When I went out in the early evening to run errands it was damp and foggy.  I read later that many flights were being delayed due to the fog so probably the fog was much denser at the waterfront which is where the airport is located.  Fortunately I'm not flying any time soon so this doesn't affect me. I tend not to fly in winter because flight delays can be pretty much guaranteed no matter where one lives.

I'm enjoying the fog while it's here. I expect that by next week the rain will be back.  Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post.

We've Got Questions ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  Here are some questions for you.

1. Where did your mother and father grow up?

My mother and father both grew up in northern Alberta in several small communities close to what is now the city of Grande Prairie.  They were both born in Grande Prairie, Alberta too.  Back then it was a one horse town but today it is a thriving and much larger city.

Grande Prairie as you approach from the west

It looks very flat around this area but that's a bit deceptive because there are gently sloping hills and valleys all around just off the main highways and byways.

The following photos are not really in order of how we visited or passed through but they will give you an idea of the scenery in the area.

It was summer when I was last there. This beautiful flower pot decorated the entry to the hotel.

More northern scenery

And more....I think this was just after entering Alberta from northern British Columbia 

We visited relatives in Grande Prairie & East to Valleyview before visiting an uncle in Fairview.

Not too many of these old wood buildings are still standing.

Now we are heading west to Dawson Creek, British Columbia (BC)

2. Where did you grow up?

I grew up mainly in a small northern city in the province of British Columbia. The city is called Dawson Creek. It was small back then and it's still quite small today. It's claim to fame is that it is the place where the Alaska Highway begins.  There is a sign to show where the highway begins at "Mile 0".

3. What was your favorite meal your mother made? What is your favorite recipe to make?

That's a difficult one.  My mother could make something out of nothing and it would all taste good.  Whatever she made was filling, 'stick to your ribs' food so you were not always hungry.  The dishes that I recall liking a lot are spaghetti and meat sauce and roasted chicken pieces.  The chicken was to die for, so tender and juicy and reminiscent of KFC chicken with flavour.  My favourite as a child.  She also made wonderful bread, muffins, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, cakes and pies, with the latter being her specialty.  One of my brothers took after mother in the pie making department.  I didn't inherit mother's skill of making pies.  You would laugh if you saw my sorry attempts, especially concerning lemon meringue pies. It's too bad I don't have a photo of my efforts to share with you. I can laugh about it now but I remember at the time being frustrated when my efforts did not pan out.

I don't really have a favourite recipe but something I make often is a stir fried noodle, vegetable and meat dish or a stir fried vegetable and meat dish to have with steamed rice. Perhaps my favourite recipe is one I don't make very often.  It's a Greek meal of chicken, lemon potatoes, Greek salad, Tzatsiki sauce and pita bread.  I'd make it more often but it's quite time consuming and labour intensive because almost all of it, with the exception of the pita bread, is made from scratch. I prefer making something that is quick to put together but now and then I like something a little more involved.  I also love to bake but try not to do too much of it because I eat too much when there are freshly baked goods in front of me. 

I especially like baking bread.

4. What are the advantages you enjoy where you live?

I'm assuming you mean, where I currently live which is a considerable distance from where I grew up albeit in the same province. 

I live in the large metropolis of Vancouver, British Columbia. I love it for its plentiful trees, green spaces (parks and private gardens), and spectacular scenery (beaches and mountains). I live in the rain forest and I even like the rain.  However, as as I get older I'm finding that even a winter with more rain than snow is still a bit too cold for me.  The other thing I love about where I live is the fact that I don't have to travel out of town to access government services or health care and we have an excellent public transportation system.

I hope you enjoy this photo heavy post. I couldn't resist sharing a lot of photos.

Thank you for stopping by!