The Postage Stamp Vegetable Garden by Karen Newcomb

     I am Southern woman, which automatically means I garden. I have flowers and plants coming out my ears but what I've never had is a vegetable garden. That is my task this year. My wonderful friend has donated her plot of land for me to garden and I can't begin to tell you JUST HOW AFRAID I AM.  But like an angel from heaven I hear FEAR NOT, and blogging for books sent me this sacred book, lolol!

     With this book, I have already decided on what I'm planting and my overall design. I honestly feel I can't lose with this book by my side. Sounds corny, but it covers EVERYTHING. The author tells you when to plant, what to plant, what soil to mix, how much water, how much sun, and she covers any problems the plants may have. I think this book should be called THE PLANTER'S BIBLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS TRASH.  I posted a picture of the cover in a gardening group I'm in on facebook and my friend Dana immediately ordered it. I'd call that a win.

     I go check out my new garden area on Sunday and will blog about it with pictures every now and again. Thank you Blogging for Books for this book and I thank you, Karen Newcomb for covering every single thing I would worry about.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Ignorance isn't bliss, it's just plain stupid.

     Do yall remember the Lifetime movie about the grandfather who died and shortly after his granddaughter found court papers about a mystery child the grandfather had? No? Not a movie? Oh sorry, it's my real life. This is happening right now with my oldest daughter. The grandfather everyone loved and adored (even though I am his former daughter in law I still adore the man), passed away in November 2014, devastating the very small family. Soon after my 22 year old daughter found court papers stating he had this mystery son. Well, give a mouse a cookie or a mom who is an internet detective....  I found the mystery son. I contacted him and he's just great. Yesterday I get a fb message from one of his sons. And the floodgates open!  I am now in contact with the sons, their mother and one of the son's wife.  I could only say that it made my heart full and my cup runneth over. The problem is my daughters and I are the only ones in the family who want to have a relationship with them. I say there is nothing wrong in wanting to know your relatives, but there is everything wrong in continuing to deny their existence. We are trying to set up a first meeting with them as we are all so excited to meet them and vice versa. More details to follow.

He Wanted the Moon by Mimi Baird

     This book was very interesting and heartbreaking.  Dr. Perry Baird was a brilliant man, doctor, husband and father. He was also a prisoner of his mental illness.  When the author was six years old her father was institutionalized and never lived with the family again.  After decades of living her life, the author starts thinking about her father, gets some info from her cousin and her journey begins.

     Finding out your father suffered from manic depression probably isn't a good thing to hear, but to read his own words as he suffered from the episodes is a completely different thing. He was trying to publish a book on his illness, but I think it was a gift to his daughter, filling in some of the blank spaces she had.  Even if it is a terrible story.

     As her first book, I think the author did a wonderful job of telling a very personal story.   I wish Dr. Baird had been able to benefit from Lithium, and like the author indicates, there's really no telling what her father would have accomplished.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

     

The Room by Jonas Karlsson

     Great things come in small packages. This little book was fantastic! I had been looking in all the local bookstores for The Room but no one had it. Thankfully I found it on Blogging for Books. It didn't take long to read it, not even 24 hours. The flow was great and the story never stopped dragging me in.

     Bjorn is a quirky character who thinks very highly of himself. He is judgmental and a loner. He's not someone I would like at all.  He left one job and started another, determined to climb the ladder faster than anyone.  And then he finds the room.

     The room is a place Bjorn can go to regroup, rest and relax. It doesn't seem to be anyone's office at the moment so Bjorn keeps going in. Only his colleagues say he is just standing by the wall in a world of his own.  Does the room exist? Who knows!  That's the part of the book I just can't figure out, kind of like the white gold/blue black dress. You just have to read it and decide for yourself.


"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."