Really Random Tuesday #96: Daisy's New Sweater, the Mystery Collection Winner, and Homemade Nut Butters

Argh!  I haven't posted a Really Random Tuesday post in nearly ten months!  Since I have a winner to announce, I'm back with a RRT post.  But before I announce the winner of the books, here's Daisy . . .

My blogging friend, Naida from The Bookworm, crocheted this adorable, super soft sweater for Daisy, and also these over-sized potholders/hot pads, which I adore.  These handmade items are absolutely fabulous. 

Daisy is stylin' now!  The sweater fits her perfectly. Thank you very much, Naida!

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The winner of a box set of the Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Books 1-3  is  Lisa Brown.  Many congratulations to you, Lisa!  Special thanks to award-winning author Barbara Venkataraman for offering this generous giveaway to my readers.

If you didn't win this time, please check the right side of my blog for other giveaways.  If they seem scant now, don't worry.  I add book giveaways to my sidebar on a regular basis.

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Until recently, we suffered with loud blenders that never worked well.  I usually ended up hand-mixing ingredients, and having extra dishes to clean, too--I was not a happy cook!  Finally, we bought a deluxe Vitamix as a family Christmas present from CostCo at the end of last year.  Among other things, I've been having fun making fresh nut butters, such as cashew butter, almond butter, coconut butter, and peanut butter. They are super flavorful and healthy, the real McCoy.  (Some of you may have seen these photos on Instagram already.)

Cashew Butter

Almond Butter

Peanut Butter

Coconut Butter

My favorite so far has been almond butter. The flavor is very "almondy" and intense.  I even tried making sunflower seed butter.  Surprisingly, it took quite a long time to make this type of butter.  I used raw sunflower seeds, and the tiny seeds took their sweet time releasing their oils.  (Raw nuts and seeds take longer to release their oils than roasted ones.)  My patience was rewarded, eventually.

Sunflower Seed Milk

The bonus is the milk you can create from what's left in the container after the butter is scooped out, by just adding some water and turning on the Vitamix for a few moments.  It helps clean out the container, and gives you a special, flavored milk, which you can use as you would any other type of milk. 

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of. Often I announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.  Thanks for stopping by!  Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #95: Very Hungry Caterpillars and a Book Winner

These very hungry caterpillars are on a restricted diet.  Yesterday morning, I was pleased to find many caterpillars feasting on my milkweed plants, their only source of nutrition.  They devour the plants, which become quite bare after a while (though the leaves will grow back for future larvae, as long as the plants get some water).  A couple of years ago, while I was reading Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, I became keenly interested in monarch butterflies, as the book features them prominently; at the same time, my sister-in-law, Kristine, was posting on Facebook about monarch butterflies and her milkweed plants.  I was intrigued, and found plants for my garden from a local nursery and from Home Depot, and I also purchased milkweed seeds.  I  grow milkweed in pots now, though, because many of the plants I'd put into the earth would mysteriously disappear after a few days.  I learned at the nursery that gophers were probably stealing the milkweed I planted in the ground, pulling them underground by their roots.  Anyway, the hungry caterpillars start out as adorable, tiny creatures, and grow larger and plumper as they eat.  They're a bit cartoonish, as if they belong in a Dr. Seuss story, but some of them will form exquisite chrysalises, and the most fortunate ones will become beautiful monarch butterflies.

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Please help me to congratulate Pat from Posting For Now. She's won a copy of The Antigone Poems, a collection of poetry by Marie Slaight, with illustrations by Terrence Tasker.  Many congratulations, Pat!  I hope you will relish this book, which features striking poems and drawings.  Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway.  Please stay tuned for more giveaways, which I list on the right side of my blog.

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of. Often I announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.  Thanks for stopping by!  Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #94: Spring Garden Notes, and a Book Winner

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow."
~ Proverbs

I know that winter was pretty harsh for many of you.  At last, the lovely season of spring is here!

"I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden."
~ Ruth Stout  

Outdoor Orchids

Many herbs grow in my garden, in pots as well as in the ground, including:

Mexican Sage

Lavender

Thai Basil

Rosemary

"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance."
~ Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Pleased as punch: a few cherry tomato plants that I'd forgotten about (because I planted them in a new, out-of-view spot) thrived on my neglect! 

Cherry Tomatoes

What's  growing in your spring garden?

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Congratulations to Julianne from Outlandish Lit!   She has won The Tusk that Did the Damage by Tania James.  Julianne, I hope that you'll enjoy reading this book, which features an unusual narrator (one of three), an elephant called the Gravedigger, as mentioned in my review. 

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Have a terrific Tuesday!  Thanks for stopping by. Your comments are appreciated. 

Really Random Tuesday #93: National Poetry Month, and a Book Winner

As many of you know,  April is National Poetry Month.  In honor of National Poetry Month, I'll be reviewing a collection of poems later this month, The Robot Scientist's Daughter by Jeannine Hall Gailey.  (I've noticed that the titles of poetry collections tend to be especially unique and quirky.)  I'm part of the tour for this book with Poetic Book Tours.  I look forward to reading this poetry collection, and to sharing some thoughts about it with my readers.

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Félicitations go to. . . Vicki from I'd Rather Be At the Beach!  She's the winner of Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?: An Artistic Pairing of Two Iconic Cities, by Diane Ratican, which features terrific, colorful illustrations by artists Eric Giriat (Paris) and Nick Lu (Los Angeles).  Please help me to congratulate Vicki.

If you didn't win this time, please take a look at the other giveaways listed on the right side of my blog.  I update this list on a fairly regular basis.  (If you have a giveaway you'd like me to add, feel free to email me.)

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Today's post is quite brief.  I started a new job last month, which has left me with less time to read, and less time to blog.  Eventually, I hope to become more efficient, so that I can read more.

 

Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Happy Tuesday!  Thanks very much for stopping by. Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #92: I Hate to Read, and a Book Winner

How do you entice a reluctant young reader?  While I'm not a reading specialist, I think that children who struggle with reading often dislike reading precisely because it's difficult for them.  When my children were very young, one important thing I learned from a teacher was that it's okay to have children read (and reread) very easy books, because it will help them to feel confident, which may make them more eager to read. (My children became good readers.)  Today, while browsing on  GoneReading.com, I found this adorable book (although I "stole" the image of it from Amazon).  It looks and sounds like a fun story to read aloud to children, that will make them laugh, and perhaps even make them more interested in reading.  Written by Rita Marshall and illustrated by Etienne Delessert, I Hate To Read! is the award-winning story of a little boy who hates to read, Victor Dickens.  It was originally published in 1993, and was released as a hardcover book more recently, in 2013.

(I don't hate to read, but I haven't had much time to read lately, so I'm keeping this post brief.)

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Please help me to congratulate Rhonda, who has won a copy of The Last Good Paradise by Tatjana Soli.  Congratulations, Rhonda!  I think you'll enjoy reading this novel.

Thanks to all of the readers who entered this book giveaway.  Please stay tuned for more giveaways.

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks very much for reading!  Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #91: A Book Winner and a Simple Gourmet Sorbet

Please help me to congratulate Melwyk from The Indextrious Reader, the lucky winner of A Matter of Mercy by Lynne Hugo.  Congratulations, Melwyk!  I hope you'll enjoy reading this beautiful novel as much as I did.

If you didn't win this time, please take a look at the other book giveaways listed on the right side of my blog.  Click on the book covers to enter the giveaways that interest you.

As you can see, I'm continuing to design logos that coordinate with the colors in the book covers I post, thanks to CoolText.  I may not continue this for every book giveaway I host though.  ;)

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Amy's Raspberry Sorbet

Although it's winter now, it's the perfect time for a a taste of summer.  Over the summer, my sister, Amy, made us a wonderful raspberry sorbet for dessert one evening.  It's a healthy indulgence (my kind of oxymoron) you can whip up in no time.  Amy used a blender, but you don't need a blender.  All you need is a package of frozen raspberries, and a bit of soymilk.  I took the berries out of the freezer to soften them a bit, then pureed them in a bowl with a spoon (because truthfully, our blenders are fit to be tied).

Ingredients:

10 oz package of frozen raspberries

1/4 cup of soymilk

1 teaspoon of cacao nibs, optional

Mint leaves for garnish, optional

Directions:
Mash softened frozen berries in a bowl.  Mix in about 1/4 cup of soymilk, until the mixture is creamy.  I used plain, unsweetened soymilk, but you can use whatever kind you prefer.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of cacao nibs, if desired.  Spoon sorbet into ramekins and garnish with fresh mint, if desired.  That's it!  (Or put into freezer until ready to serve; partially thaw before serving.)  This recipe makes about three servings.  For more servings, simply use more berries and soymilk.

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts, and sometimes I share a recipe. If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Have a terrific Tuesday!  Thanks for reading.  Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #90: A Thank You and a Book Winner

It's time to give thanks.  Thank you, CoolText!  You really are cool.  I use this terrific, free graphics generator as needed to create custom logos for my blog.  (I keep a link to the site on my blog for convenience.)  I just created a new one for my book winner: 

Please help me to congratulate ds from Third-Storey Window, the winner of Joy Street by poet Laura Foley.  I hope you will enjoy this collection of joyful poems, ds, and that it will inspire you to write some poetry of your own (you have the talent!).   

If you didn't win this book, I have other wonderful book giveaways listed on the right side of my blog, so please take a look.  I update the them on a regular basis, so you'll find a variety of new giveaways here.  :)

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks very much for stopping by!  Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #89: A Book Winner and Literary Coffee Mugs

 

Please help me to congratulate Carl Scott, the winner of Humbled by the Journey: Life Lessons for My Family... and Yours by Miguel "Mike" Benito Fernandez (with Martin Merzer), or Mike Fernandez.  Congratulations, Carl!  Next month, I will post my full review of this memoir, which I spotlighted earlier this month.   

Thanks to everyone who participated in the giveaway for Humbled by the Journey.  If you didn't win this time, please take a look at the other giveaways listed on my blog.  You may find other books you're interested in.

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Book Shaped Saucer & Stackable Cup

Are you having a snow day?  Many parts of the United States are getting some heavy snow right now.  Please stay safe, and if necessary, stay indoors (and read!).  I live in CA, so we're having our usual, lovely weather, 63º and sunny, but I'm a big coffee drinker in the cool mornings here.  Regardless of the weather, though, winter is a good time to enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea. Why not treat yourself, or another book lover, to one of these clever literary mugs from GoneReading.com, a fantastic online shop?  These mugs are reasonably priced ($11.99 - $12.95), and all of the after-tax profits go to help fund libraries and reading programs around the world!  And, if you order before the end of February, input the code SUKOS15 to get 15% off any non-clearance merchandise!

First Lines of Literature Mug

Banned Books Mug

Which one is your favorite?  I've featured just a few here, but there are many other literary mugs available, as well as numerous other fun items for book lovers.  I'm a huge fan of GoneReading!

                                                       

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for stopping by! Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #88: A Book Winner, and the Secrets of Spaghetti Squash

Boop-oop-a-doop!  Please help me to congratulate Lisa Brown, who uses this cute picture of Betty Boop as her online icon.  Lisa has won an ebook version of The Missing Heir by author Linda Weaver Clarke.  Congrats, Lisa!  I think you'll enjoy reading this book.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for this romantic, cozy mystery.  If you didn't win this time, please check the right side of my blog for other giveaways.  

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I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat a lot of meat.  A while ago, I started a tradition of Meatless Mondays in our home.  One dish I have started to make recently for Meatless Monday is spaghetti squash, although of course you could make this on any day of the week.  Recently, I found some organic spaghetti squash at Jimbo's, which carries primarily organic produce.

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:
2 spaghetti squashes, preferably organic
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, and spices
A small amount of water for the baking dish
Tomato or other sauce
Parmesan cheese, for topping


Directions:
Spaghetti squash is a tasty, healthy alternative to regular spaghetti or pasta, and is super easy to make. However, cutting the squash in half lengthwise is hard for me!  Perhaps I don't have the right knife for this.  You need a long, sturdy, and sharp knife to cut the squash.  None of my kitchen knives fit these requirements.  Anyway, I put the squash in the microwave first for a minute or two (even though I don't like to use microwaves), to soften it a bit and make it easier to cut in half.  Then I put the knife in the center of the squash, and cut it in half carefully, using my hands to separate the halves if needed.  Please be careful as the knife can get stuck!  Also, please use pot holders to handle the squash once it's been "nuked" (and after it's been in the oven).

Preheat oven to 350º.  After you succeed in cutting the squash in half, gently scrap out the seeds in the center.  Season the squash with a bit of olive oil (I use my Misto), and oregano, salt, pepper, or other spices to taste, and place cut side up in a baking dish with about 1/4 inch of water in it.  I use glass baking dishes, two halves per dish.

Cook uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender.  Handle hot squash (and dishes, too, of course) with pot holders.  Scrap inside of cooked squash with a fork and scoop out the "spaghetti".  Each person should get about half a squash.  Makes 4 servings.

Top with your favorite sauce (or more olive oil), and Parmesan cheese.  I love the addition of shredded Parmesan.  Serve with a fresh salad and some bread, if desired.  I want to try adding thin slices of cooked zucchini to this, to add even more squash to this dish!    

A plate of spaghetti squash

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts, and sometimes I also share a recipe. If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Have a terrific Tuesday!  Your comments are welcomed.