What’s On My Bookshelf – Blast From the Past Edition

On November 20, 2021November 19, 2021 By Widow BadassIn Adventures in Food, Hmmm?, Read Books, What's On Your Bookshelf80 Comments

You know, I really should have predicted this would happen. I’ve been going on almost-weekly adventures with this woman, and by now I should know by now not to open my mouth around her. Case in point: we were idly browsing a favourite thrift store prior to embarking on a soggy beach walk, and I happened to notice a cook book that I used to own, placed on a table right at the front of the store. This book DID NOT – I repeat – DID NOT make the cut when I was packing for my move to the island. Seeing it in the thrift store, I had a momentary ~~failing~~ ~~weakness~~ flood of nostalgia as I gazed upon its cover – recalling flipping through it during many a Christmas Past. I remember looking for inspiration or maybe it was just an escape from the chaos that was that season at my house what with 2 young children, no money, an insufferable monster-in-law, and an unsupportive spouse. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget rampant consumerism and commercialization spoiling the season too...

Is it any surprise that my formerly insane love of this holiday got permanently squashed like a creepy bug on the bathroom floor?

Anywho…there I go digressing AGAIN. The point of my story (and this post) is that I resisted re-buying this book even though the store clerk was helpfully pointing out that it was ONLY A DOLLAR and YET somehow, someway I ended up leaving the store with this book…thanks to Donna sneakily adding it to her purchase and immediately thrusting it into my hands! I pretended to be exasperated with her (how can anyone be pissed at Donna though, really?) but secretly I was looking forward to paging through the book once more…

The book was just as wonderful and aspirational/inspirational as I remembered it. Here is the only recipe that I recall actually trying.

The kids and I made these ornaments. I remember them smelling wonderful; even the following year when they were brought out again and rehung on the tree!

As I was flipping through the book, I kept finding pieces of paper stuck between the pages. Like these: not 1, but 2 printed copies of some woman’s fruitcake recipe.

Gosh! Two copies. Is this a sign that I should try this one?! I’m a bit *suspish*, as the pages are too clean. (A clear sign the recipe has not actually been attempted, in my view 😉 ).

One copy of the recipe was stuck between these 2 pages, see photo below. This recipe looks good too.

And then I found this piece of paper: a couple of recipes cut out from a newspaper.

No indication of date or what newspaper it came from.

But the most surprising find of all? Not a piece of paper but this recipe:

Can we take a moment to remember last Christmas’s Black Forest Trifle kerfuffle? Here is the link. Now I have the source recipe once again, it seems.

But I don’t want to attempt it again this year. The wounds are yet too fresh. However, I have been thinking about making a fruit cake (again). Those wounds have healed over, apparently. Remember this near-disaster, also from last year?

Readers, I need your help (and your votes). The poll will close on November 30th. Help a badass out, will ya?

Thank you, Donna! ~~I may curse your name later but for now~~ I am really happy you ignored my babblings about how I was not going to buy this ~~damn~~ book again, and instead bought it for me.

Rock on,

The WB

What’s On Your Bookshelf – When Books Make You Shop…er… Work Edition

On October 21, 2021October 21, 2021 By Widow BadassIn Artistic Endeavours, Read Books, What's On Your Bookshelf70 Comments

Usually reading is a very passive thing. That’s why we like to do it, amiright? One can escape into a book and leave the present world behind…at least for a little while. I love those kinds of books, especially for the past 18 months since we have pretty much all had to assume the role of armchair travellers if we wanted to get someplace different.

But for the past few weeks, I have been diving into a book that is making me sit down and paint. I bought Everyday Watercolor back when I was still working for a living…thinking I would find the time to do the exercises every day. Well, that never happened (quelle surprise!) yet somehow this book made the cut and got packed to come with me to my new home on Vancouver Island.

I have to hold the cover down as I’ve been weighting it down with objects to keep it laying flat while I work through the exercises.

I’ve been making s-l-o-w but steady progress through this book (hindered somewhat by a strained back that makes sitting forward to paint – or blog – quite fatiguing). I am enjoying it. So much so that I have been ~~tempted~~ ~~seduced~~ ~~forced~~ inspired to shop for more watercolour painting supplies (See Princeton brushes, above! Thanks to Karen, for telling me about these!).

For instance, this beautiful palette of Kuretake Gansai Tambi paints (Thanks again to Karen, for introducing me to these paints as well!):

Swatching the colours in the conveniently provided chart, inside the lid. You can buy this palette on Amazon.

And these gorgeous colours, “Northern Lights” by Indigenous-owned company Beam Paints (Thanks yet again to Karen, for making me aware of this company…uh, I think. Hmmmm. 😉 ):

I love their commitment to avoiding any and all plastics in their packaging.

I like that the paints are made from local (to them) and natural ingredients. But that doesn’t make them safe to consume. Be safe:

Kinda sad that this needs to be stated. Besides, these paints would make a pretty expensive snack!

Here’s what they look like, in my workbook:

Close-up:

Such a beautiful shimmer, created by the mica in their paint.

Have you ever used a book that helped you learn a skill, with daily exercises? Did it make you ~~shop~~ better? I can see some improvement already and am encouraged to keep up with this, as my back ~~(and credit card)~~ allows.

Thank you to Donna et al, for providing this interesting monthly blog challenge! And thanks to Karen, for helping me to drain my bank account and increase the art supplies hoard. 😉

Rock (and paint) on,

The WB

What’s On My Bookshelf – August 2021

On August 20, 2021 By Widow BadassIn Read Books, What's On Your Bookshelf34 Comments

So happy to join in on this new challenge, hosted by bloggers Sue Loncaric, Debbie Harris, Jo Tracey and my IRL buddy Donna! I’ve loved reading since I first learned how, and surprise, surprise: my favourite childhood gifts were books. And – just to confirm that you can teach this old dog new tricks – I’ve recently cultivated a love for audiobooks as well. Yeah, yeah…I know I am super late to the audiobook game…I remember my mom borrowing “books on tape” from the library decades ago…but it was something I couldn’t get into, until now. Thank you, retirement!

Anyhoodle…I have a goodreads account (see sidebar for widget), to keep track of my reading and you can find what I am currently reading right now right there! I do love goodreads, and recommend it to all my reading friends. Very handy for keeping track of what you have read and when, and for getting ideas of what to read next and what people thought of books you are considering to read/have read.

I usually read digital downloads from the library because your girl is kinda voracious when it comes to reading, and the book budget only stretches so far, ya know? I love the Libby app for this. It means I can always have a book with me – and at the ready – on my phone (and tablet). So handy for those times you are stuck waiting somewhere. And now that I have begun a love affair with audiobooks, it means I can listen from that same device either on my AirPods (when walking or hausfrau-ing) or through Edward’s speakers while driving.

But you can’t always find the books you want at the library…or in digital format. So lately my book journey has involved buying…gasp!…actual books. Here is the pile I have going at the moment: