A Haven for Vee

Friday, July 5, 2013

Lobster and Surfing?

I have been reading the most delightful book to take my mind from a grandson's troubles this past week. It arrived last Saturday and was a complete surprise to me.




The note begins this way: Did you say that you had been looking for this? 

Oh my! Why, yes, I had! The Lobster Chronicles is written by Linda Greenlaw and recounts five years of lobstering from the Maine island where her family has made its home for a couple hundred years. Fascinating!

My adventure began one day recently when Kim was describing a Blondie recipe — you just never know where reading a blog will take you! So, if you'd like the background to this story, you'll find it at Kim's Happy @ Home first on Starting Summer in the Kitchen and then the following post Blondie Recipe and a Cookbook Connection. Kim has a beautiful blog, takes delightful photos of her charming home inside and out, and you can't go wrong to visit. Tell her I sent you. Besides, she'll visit you back!

~~~

Did your 4th of July go well? Weather seemed a big issue for so many. 

Here it was so miserably humid 
that breathing wasn't easy so we enjoyed our picnic lunch outdoors and then went inside to watch a movie Sam had requested: Soul Surfer. It's the true story of Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm to a shark attack. Yes, we do love to keep things in perspective around here. < insert wry, wry grin > Yes, Sam did enjoy the movie, though there was a collective closing of eyes quite early on. Gotta admire true grit when one sees it!

Happy fifth of July! Our local fireworks are actually tonight so we may be off to see them. Did you get to see some last night? (Besides a Capital Fourth?)  

33 comments:

  1. Oh gracious, she does have a lovely blog!

    I've seen her lovely Icon, many times, but never visited. Thank you for the *push.* :-)

    Gentle hugs,
    "Auntie"
    (Who is being a little silly, after the Holiday...)

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  2. Yes, the humidity was awwwwwwwwful, yesterday. We really needed the A/C.

    And coming home, just from one back yard to another, after Family Dinner, you could seeeeeee the haze, of humidity! Yikes!

    I can't imagine people going to the lovely Fireworks in the Park, which were held last night. Yes, I'm just getting "old"! :-)

    Gentle hugs,
    "Auntie"
    (Who is being a little silly, after the Holiday...)

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  3. Happy 5th of July to you also Vee! I have some bubble wrap to donate to Sam if you need any to protect him. He'll be on my prayer list for a protective angel of God to be a physical buffer for him... the poor kid. This is the first summer of no broken bones for my young great nephew and he's so thrilled to be playing baseball this year! So eventually Sam will come out of it, our Jake is proof positive.
    We watched NYC fireworks on TV from our recliners last night. My SIL is still recovering from her pancreatic cancer surgery and didn't want to be outside in the dark. Can't blame her. She's doing so good and is cancer free!! Thanks to the good and gracious Lord, He gets ALL the glory. My SIL had tears of joy in her eyes and said "To think, I'll see another 4th of July. What a gift!"

    Big huge hugs and many blessings, "Edie Marie"

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  4. I love a great book in the summer. Especially one that takes place in summer or near water because I can relate. I watched Soul Surfer on plane headed west last year. Good movie. We never go to the theatre so watch movies on the plane trips we take. :) I hope you get to see the fireworks tonight. Enjoy the day and keep cool.

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  5. Nasty hot in OOB yesterday!!! Enjoy your book . . . I think I have that on my bookshelf . . . I'll have to check! We didn't go down to the crowd, we watched them from the street, then were driven onto the porch away from the mosquitos! Such nasty little creatures, but not before two bit my left leg!!!

    Well, now that the 4th has come and gone, my husband and I have a tradition ~ who can remember to say "the backbone of the summer has been broken." He used to work with a man who had a very Eeyore like personality and that expression drove my husband crazy, now we just laugh!!! I lost this year! LOL!!!

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  6. I will definitely check out her blog. That book looks interesting.

    My parents had a fan on the patio yesterday and that made it bearable...after the kids swam forever, we all went inside for a while then when it was dark we did our own fireworks in my dad's drive way.

    Happy 5th!

    Deanna

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  7. We didn't see the fireworks. We thought they were canceled due to rain, but then as we were sitting in front of the TV watching "National Treasure" for the one hundredth time, we heard the booming. The husband was as bummed as a ten year old about it, too. Plus, one daughter stayed in DC (to see the real deal Capital celebration) and the other is house sitting this week so went back home in the early evening. Fireworks without daughters would have been different anyway.

    Sorry to ramble, but you asked. IRL, most folks know enough not to wind me up.

    What a neat sounding book, and what a nice blog friend to send it to you. I will pay her a little visit. I'll try to behave and not talk too much so as to embarrass the one who sent me.

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  8. Yes it rained all day in this neck of the woods. Saw the fireworks with friends just sitting in our garage with the door wide open. Glad Sam is on the mend. That book sounds so interesting. Putting it down on my 'to read' list. Glad you had a good 4th.
    Peggy

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  9. Thanks for pointing me to Kim's blog. I can't wait to check it out further! Sounds like you "muddled through" your 4th like so many w/ the interesting weather. (Interesting choice in movies - LOL) Around here, there was a great chance for rain. It's our tradition to attend an outdoor concert w/ a picnic & then stay for fireworks -- 11 of us in all. Except, this year, the chance of rain was high, two of us were under the weather, one had to work, and one had a dislocated knee cap, making it difficult to get around in a crowd, or hurry to leave if a downpour occurred... So, we opted to do a spur of the moment pizza party at my parents instead. It was fun -- but we missed our tradition greatly. Especially when we ended up at home early to hear all of the incredibly noisy neighborhood fireworks. (Guess we didn't know what we were missing these last 15 years of our TRADITION!) I'll take the big fireworks show any day. Having them this close to home was a little unnerving. Rumor has it there's a crater in our backyard where the neighbor's fireworks landed. I haven't been out (in the rain) to check that out yet... OY.

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  10. We had rain, rain and more rain. We have flood warnings here, the rivers are breaching and roads are flooding. But I live high up, so I am safe. No fireworks here last night.

    I am off to visit your friend Kim.
    Penny

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  11. Aww Vee, thanks for the kind words.
    I'm glad to know that you enjoyed the book and also glad to know that your little Sam is on the mend and was up to watching "Soul Surfer". We watched it a while ago. Quite an amazing story!
    We did catch the Capital Fourth and some of the Macy's coverage. Despite the downpours we were having we did hear a lot of fireworks off in the distance.
    Hope your humidity (& our rain) hit the road soon.

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  12. Vee the book sounds so interesting I am going to have to find it! Anything to do with Maine interests me. I hope to get back there some day.
    I went to visit Kim's blog and it is lovely. I became a follower of her.
    Hoping you have a wonderful weekend.

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  13. The weather here was glorious. I marched in the 4th of July Parade with my company's float filled with beach balls and then saw some fireworks. Today it will be a bit warmer and more humid but still tolerable. We have been lucky.
    Love the ribbon with the ladybugs on it.

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  14. Happy Cinco de Julio to you as we like to call it. I'm terribly behind with my visiting as I was on the go all day long on the 4th. If it wasn't enough to have company at 4:00 we decided to do yard work in the morning. I'll have to visit Kim's blog after I hit publish on this comment. Sorry about your humidity. I did see some fireworks from my bathroom window.

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  15. Kim is a sweetie, I love visiting her blog. I have wanted to see this movie myself, but always "chickened out". I enjoyed the Macy's fireworks display over the Hudson River in pure comfort: from the couch in my living room with the a/c crankin'! No mosquitoes either. xo

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    Replies
    1. I thought of you and wondered if you could see them from your vantage point!

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  16. That was so nice to be gifted with the book and I've copied down the recipe for Blondies to try too.
    From one blog, we sure can travel to other places.
    Thanks for all you share Vee.
    Judith

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  17. I loved that movie for some reason. Maybe because I have met the real councilor in the story..(the one played by Carrie Underwood). It was inspiring. We enjoyed a great firework show last night! Hope you get to see a display tonight! Enjoy!

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  18. I'm a regular over at Kim's and love her blog. : )
    We've been having lots of rain but it held off yesterday until late. It was great celebrating the 4th in our new little town!!

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  19. Kim has been a wonderful friend to me, too! What a sweetheart...and what a great book! We're having little pop up showers almost every day but it's not nearly as hot this summer...yet! Enjoy your weekend! Hugs!

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  20. I'm a new reader of Kim's blog, but I'm sure I found her through yours. How kind to receive the book you wanted. Bloggers are a wonderful bunch, mostly.

    I had to laugh at your comment yesterday about me being a "people person." I am not in the least. But once in a very long while, I enjoy being in a crowd of people - like the fireworks on Canada Day. Otherwise, I'm pretty much a loner.

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  21. I usually watch the Macy's 4th of July fireworks display over Manhattan but this year we were celebrating in our backyard with a family barbecue. No fireworks allowed in our area due to the risk of fire. We had a short 5 minute downpour and then the rest of the day was wonderful! The grandkids went in a kiddie pool. played foam horseshoes, built with legos and the adults all ate way too much food..lol!

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  22. It was so nice of Kim to forward this book to you! I read it long ago but it was a library loan. I love Kim's blog :)

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  23. I have just been visiting a blog with a post and photos on Maine, it looks a beautiful state. I will check this book out.

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  24. It's been rain, rain, and more rain here. Now at ~17" above normal for the year. More for the next couple of days too. No fireworks here because of the weather, and we didn't watch any festivities on TV. I'll pop over to visit Kim's blog. You have the nicest blogging friends!

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  25. We are at a state park that doesn't allow fireworks and are loving the quiet, peaceful sounds of birds and colors of wildflowers. Our little schnauzer is terribly frightened of fireworks, but quite happy here.

    Sam is exceptionally brave to have gone through what he has just experienced and want to watch that movie. I guess he wanted to remind himself of just how fortunate he is????

    Hope you can post some photos of the fireworks.

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  26. Hi Vee

    Yes the heat and humidity are here too. I go out early in the am to get do my hafta's and then stay in the house.

    What a treat that you got the book you wanted! Blogging buddies are such great friends!

    Stay cool and enjoy your weekend!

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  27. That was a fun story! So many connections...and now as you read, you have a connection to your sweet giver as well.

    Our 4th of July was hot and humid! Last year the girls and I begged off of the family reunion. This year Ron wanted us to go. "But it's only going to be 88 today," he said. Ummm...is that the good news or the bad news? So we went, and it was hot and sticky. If this tells you anything, I only took THREE pictures. Normally, I can take THREE pictures of a plate of food, but a whole event and only three pictures? I just couldn't get motivated to do anything but sit and talk. If only the 4th of July was in October...

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  28. I remember Bethany Hamilton visiting Fellowship Church after the movie came out. I have yet to see it! Weather was quite WARM here in Texas as opposed to the normal HOT!!! We spent the day helping Mike and Amber move Quadville from the apartment here in Irving to their wonderful 'Forever Home' in Dallas!! A 'Dallas' address is just SO classy, don't cha know!!! I saw fireworks on the third - first I've seen in a long time! Let me be honest here. Once you've seen a good fireworks show - it's all a repeat. Just more trouble and bother. Maybe that's just me. Good talking to you, Vee!!!

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  29. That is a nice surprise to keep your mind occupied, rain or shine, always nice to take a little time to celebrate the 4th

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  30. Getting a surprise in the mail is one of life's little pleasures. How sweet she was to send it to you.
    We, too, are going to a 4th celebration today and tonight....many around here have saved their fun time for Sat.
    Have fun tonight....

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  31. We really enjoyed that movie...and never even thought about nodding off, since we paid big bucks to see it in a theater! :)

    How nice of Kim to send you the 'lobster chronicles'. Enjoy!

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