Sandra Nachlinger's Blog, page 13

Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop #Hike - #SaturdaySnapshots

Hikes don't always have to be in the woods! Although the senior center group often treks under trees, plods past mud puddles, and strides alongside streams, other times our adventures are more urban. Our April 28 seven-mile hike took us in a loop on sidewalks, paved paths, and bridges around Lake Union near Seattle. 
[Click on photos for a closer look.]



We followed the route marked in red on the map, starting and ending at Gas Works Park. I like the idea that this abandoned facility has been turned into a popular park and its old equipment left as industrial art.

I've always been fascinated by Lake Union's houseboats - like the one featured in Sleepless in Seattle. We saw quite a few houseboat neighborhoods on this hike. Can you imagine boating right up to your doorstep? There's a limited number of these floating homes and they aren't cheap. A realtor's sign advertised a 1,100 s.f. houseboat for sale for $1 million.
We came across public art ...
...and beautiful blooming flowers. 
"Pocket parks" graced neighborhoods.
We watched seaplanes take off and land.
Our route took us over, under, and around bridges.
And we stopped to enjoy a delicious lunch.

Cool weather. Bright sunshine. Good friends. All in all, a perfect day.

For more info about the Lake Union Loop Hike, click HERE.



Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below.  
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

The Secret Wife - #BookBeginnings on Friday and The #Friday56

Love this book! Two separate plots - one beginning in 1914, one in 2016. They come together to create an enchanting book. I learned more about Russian history from this story than I expected and in an entertaining way. The author did a great job of tying everything together. It is definitely worth reading.

Book Beginning:
Lake Akanabee, New York State,
19th July 2016
     It was twenty-nine hours since Kitty Fisher had left her husband and in that time she had travelled 3,713 miles. The in-flight magazine had said there were 3,461 miles between London and New York, and the hire car's Sat Nav told her she had driven 252 miles since leaving the airport. A whole ocean and half a state lay between her and Tom. She should have been upset but instead she felt numb.

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
She grasped the letter and hugged it tightly to her chest as she wept like a child, with complete abandon. There was a painful spot deep inside and she hoped the crying jag might shift it but when she clammbered up to the cabin and pulled herself into bed fully clothed, it was still there.

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Book Length: 417 Pages
Amazon Link: The Secret Wife
Author Website: Gill Paul

Synopsis (from Amazon):


A Russian grand duchess and an English journalist. Linked by one of the world’s greatest mysteries . . .Love. Guilt. Heartbreak.1914Russia is on the brink of collapse, and the Romanov family faces a terrifyingly uncertain future. Grand Duchess Tatiana has fallen in love with cavalry officer Dmitri, but events take a catastrophic turn, placing their romance – and their lives – in danger . . .2016Kitty Fisher escapes to her great-grandfather’s remote cabin in America, after a devastating revelation makes her flee London. There, on the shores of Lake Akanabee, she discovers the spectacular jewelled pendant that will lead her to a long-buried family secret . . .Haunting, moving and beautifully written, The Secret Wife effortlessly crosses centuries, as past merges with present in an unforgettable story of love, loss and resilience.Perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Dinah Jefferies.


               


Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlingerFacebook: sandy.nachlinger

Tea for Three - #SaturdaySnapshots

In anticipation of my granddaughter Corrina's sixth birthday, I asked her mom for gift ideas. Marina suggested an "experience" rather than toys. Since Corrina and I almost always have tea parties when she comes to my house, I thought an extra-fancy, real-life tea party would be fun. So I made a reservation for the three of us for afternoon tea at the Secret Garden Tea Room in Sumner, Washington. 

In preparation for the occasion, Corrina donned her fanciest dress and hand-colored a bow for her hair. Here she's sipping sparkling apple cider with a cup of herbal tea nearby, ready for tasting.

The menu for our special occasion Rose Celebration Afternoon Tea:
Commemorative PhotographPot of Tea (or other beverage)Royal Sparkling Wine or Apple CiderCheese & Fruit PlateSorbet*Endless Scones with Devonshire Cream, Jam & Lemon CurdTiered rack with Tea Sandwiches,Savories, Fresh FruitPetite Pastries and SweetsIndividual Chocolate Rose Cakein Raspberry Coulis
Corrina was delighted when our goodies were served on fancy tiered racks. (Two tiers all for Corrina; three tiers for Marina and I to share.) 
We used fancy serving tools - a filigreed pie server and tiny tongs for our sugar cubes - and sipped our tea from china cups. Elegant!
We all agreed that the scones, served with Devonshire cream, jam, and lemon curd, were our favorites.
Every birthday celebration must have cake with a candle.
The server took our official photo to commemorate the special day. (I think she must have used a wide-angle lens... or else we ate more than I realized!) We'll remember this special birthday celebration for a long time.



PS: Here's a link to the tea room's website: Secret Garden Tea Room & Gift Shop

FYI: The Secret Garden  is located in a beautiful Victorian Mansion in Sumner, WA. The charm of the original Queen  Anne and Italianate architecture provides an elegant, yet warm ambiance in which to enjoy a scrumptious lunch or a traditional English-style Tea Set served on a 3-tier stand.  Our gift shop is stocked with tea-time treasures and a variety of delightful gifts, fanciful jewelry and clothing, and charming accents for your home. 

Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below.  
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

The River of Corn - #BookBeginnings on Friday & The #Friday56

     In school I learned about the conquistadors who explored the Americas -  Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and others who were portrayed as heroes. Of course, there was more to the story! In The River of Corn, author John Rose Putnam fleshes out the conquests of Hernando de Soto and his armies in a vivid and engrossing tale. The protagonist is an African slave, called "Gomez" by his captors, who yearns for freedom. His point of view provides a different slant on this history and the effects of the conquistadors on Native Americans.
     If this sounds like a dry history, I can assure you it is not. There's drama, romance, friendship, and treachery, and a great plot to keep you turning pages. Readers who enjoy historical fiction, lots of action, and a compelling story will definitely like The River of Corn.

FYI: I have previously featured Putnam's Hangtown Creek (a California Gold Rush novel) on my blog HERE.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Length of Book: 203 Pages
Amazon Link: The River of Corn (Only 99¢ in ebook format!!)
Author Website: John Rose Putnam
(You can read Chapter 1 from Putnam's newest book on his website.)

Book Beginnings:
     The thunder of many animals running together grew louder. He tensed when far more creatures than he had fingers to count loomed into view. Larger than the forest elk, each carried a warrior on its back. The tales of the old ones, so often mocked by the young, were true.

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
You will soon see the true wealth of the Chicora, my friend, for we go to the heart of my country along the River of Corn that is our very soul. But much trouble besets my people there for the plague passes up the river even as we speak. The Chicora suffer terribly from it.

Synopsis:

In 1540 Hernando de Soto and 600 Spanish conquistadors crossed the Savannah River into what is now South Carolina and thus entered the empire of the Chicora, the largest and most powerful Native American civilization in the Southeast. Modern archaeologists have yet to find any trace of that once vibrant society. 

Although now considered a lost civilization, when the Spanish arrived the Chicora were led by a beautiful queen and had a magnificent temple filled with the remains of their honored ancestors. Did Hernando de Soto, a ruthless conquistador with a lust for gold, bring about their downfall? THE RIVER OF CORN is a powerful tale of the destruction of these American Indians told by an experienced South Carolina fiction writer who spent his youth in the locales he writes about, places that match the Spanish accounts almost exactly.

Who were the Chicora? What really happened to them?


               

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlingerFacebook: sandy.nachlinger

Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die - #TeaserTuesday and First Paragraph / First Chapter / Tuesday Intros

Seattle Police Detectives Nick Winston and Pat Strom are at it again in Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die, Kelly Marshall's latest mystery. Nick is straight, Pat's lesbian, and the banter between these two characters is hilarious! 

If you like murder mysteries with a touch of humor and hot sex, you'll enjoy this book as much as I did. 

First Paragraph:

I kissed her eyelids, then gently brushed her soft, red lips. They tasted of cherry. Rising, pulling away from the body I had just ravaged, I gazed down at Kylee, her pale face peaceful, almost as if she slumbered. Pulling her legs apart, I exposed her for the whore she was.

Teaser (from 20% on my Kindle):
"Winston? Don't take that misogynist to interview Sofia. She'll eat him for breakfast."

Genre: Mystery (Rated R)
Amazon Link: Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die
Book Length: 332 Pages
Author Website: Kelly Marshall Books

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die is the third book in the Winston and Strom Novels. Author of 70 books and owner of Venture Galleries, an online marketing and promotional company, Caleb Pirtle lll writes of Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die. “Kelly Marshall writes compelling mysteries and dares you to come along for a ride you will never forget. Tension traps you immediately, then the intensity is strangled with fear. In Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die, I found myself walking the same dark streets where a serial killer walked, the same deadly streets where the lives of beautiful girls can fall without warning into the frightening chill of a nightmare that ends only when they take their final breaths. Detectives know a murderer will strike again, and time, like life itself, is a precious commodity that is quickly running out. Each new sundown may be someone’s last. Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die is a haunting, terrifying journey, and I dare you to breathe during the final fifty pages.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by The PurpleBooker. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please! List the author and book title too.Link up  HERE
First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.Link at  BibliophileByTheSea


Twitter: @SandyNachlingerFacebook: sandy.nachlinger
FYI:
I've featured two of Kelly Marshall's books on my blog before. Links:
6 White Roses - A Winston & Strom Mystery (originally titled Millstone)
and 
The Chair
                                       
Full disclosure: Kelly Marshall is a member of my Puyallup, Washington, writing group.

Chittenden Locks, #Ballard, WA - #SaturdaySnapshots

Recently I had an opportunity to explore the Chittenden Locks in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. What a great way to spend a day.
[Click on photos to enlarge.]

Our group's walk started at Golden Gardens Park and followed a paved walkway alongside Shilshole Bay of Puget Sound. (See map below.) 

Because some members of our group like to stroll while others like to charge ahead, we all stopped to meet up at Leif Erickson's statue for a head count. The Ballard area of Seattle was settled by Scandinavians, and the names of early immigrants are listed on stone pillars surrounding Leif's larger-than-life statue.
A railroad draw bridge spans the ship canal.

The area is surrounded by the beautifully-landscaped Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Gardens, which we explored. They deserve a separate blog post. 
This photo shows the difference in water levels within the locks as compared to the ships in the background.
The locks contain a fish ladder for spawning salmon and other species. Today we saw only one lonely fish trying to make its way upstream. It would be fun to come back again at spawning time.

Stainless steel sculpture titled "Salmon Waves."
Despite the threatening clouds and blustery wind, we didn't get rained on and even had a few sunbreaks during our walk. 

This video is shown at the visitor's center and gives a history of the building of the locks.

Here's a map showing where we walked (from Golden Gardens Park to Chittenden Locks).




Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below.  
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

Cougar Mountain #Hike - Sunny #SaturdaySnapshots

Although the people who plan our hikes and walks often come up with new places to explore, they also revisit ones we've already tackled. So yesterday we went on a walk at Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, a place we explored last April. After days of rain, the sun came out and the clouds stayed away. Such a great time to be out in nature!

Since I've already posted photos of some of these trails last year HERE, I'm posting a few different pictures today, showing the obstacles we face and my hiking gear. [As always, you can click on photos to enlarge them.]

Obstacles

Tree roots, rocks, and mud puddles often keep hikers focused on the trail directly in front of their feet. This group stops occasionally for water breaks and to give us a chance to look around and enjoy the forest surrounding us. 

The people who maintain the trails have several ways of dealing with fallen trees. Chopping a notch out of this log enabled hikers to walk over it easily.

We were glad to have this sturdy bridge with handrail to help us navigate Coal Creek.
Gear
Waterproof hiking shoes, adjustable trekking poles, and day pack. The pack has an insulated compartment to hold my lunch (today: blueberry yogurt, a granola bar, and apple slices) as well as water, a plastic garbage bag (for draping over a damp log before sitting down), and other just-in-case items. My little camera is always in my pocket. Even though we had a sunny day, the trails held lots of mud puddles to navigate around (or through).

While shopping for a waterproof cover for my day pack, I came across this water delivery system. It works very well. I only fill it halfway because water is heavy, and that's been plenty for my hikes so far. It fits nicely into my pack, too. Of course, I always wear my trusty FitBit.
Views

Since we had a gorgeous day, we added a side trail to our hike so we could enjoy a view we weren't able to see last time because of clouds and rain. Lake Sammamish is in the foreground, and that's snow-covered Mount Baker on the horizon. Worth the extra steps.

Also, although we stopped at this same place (Coal Creek Falls) for lunch last year, the waterfall's flow was much stronger this year because of all the rain we've had. The sound of falling water created a soothing ambiance for our meal.







PS: Check out last year's post for more info on the park's history, along with a map of the trails: HERE.


Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below.  
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

Cougar Mountain #Hike - #SaturdaySnapshots

Although the people who plan our hikes and walks often come up with new places to explore, they also revisit ones we've already tackled. So yesterday we went on a walk at Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, a place we explored last April. After days of rain, the sun came out and the clouds stayed away. Such a great time to be out in nature!

Since I've already posted photos of some of these trails last year HERE, I'm posting a few different pictures today, showing the obstacles we face and my hiking gear. [As always, you can click on photos to enlarge them.]

Obstacles

Tree roots, rocks, and mud puddles often keep hikers focused on the trail directly in front of their feet. This group stops occasionally for water breaks and to give us a chance to look around and enjoy the forest surrounding us. 

The people who maintain the trails have several ways of dealing with fallen trees. Chopping a notch out of this log enabled hikers to walk over it easily.

We were glad to have this sturdy bridge with handrail to help us navigate Coal Creek.
Gear
Waterproof hiking shoes, adjustable trekking poles, and day pack. The pack has an insulated compartment to hold my lunch (today: blueberry yogurt, a granola bar, and apple slices) as well as water, a plastic garbage bag (for draping over a damp log before sitting down), and other just-in-case items. My little camera is always in my pocket. Even though we had a sunny day, the trails held lots of mud puddles to navigate around (or through).

While shopping for a waterproof cover for my day pack, I came across this water delivery system. It works very well. I only fill it halfway because water is heavy, and that's been plenty for my hikes so far. It fits nicely into my pack, too. Of course, I always wear my trusty FitBit.
Views

Since we had a gorgeous day, we added a side trail to our hike so we could enjoy a view we weren't able to see last time because of clouds and rain. Lake Sammamish is in the foreground, and that's snow-covered Mount Baker on the horizon. Worth the extra steps.

Also, although we stopped at this same place (Coal Creek Falls) for lunch last year, the waterfall's flow was much stronger this year because of all the rain we've had. The sound of falling water created a soothing ambiance for our meal.






PS: Check out last year's post for more info on the park's history, along with a map of the trails: HERE.


Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below.  
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

Third Time's The Charm! - Sunny Nisqually N.W.R. - #SaturdaySnapshots

Even though I've posted photos of beautiful Nisqually Wildlife Refuge in the past, they were taken in dreary weather. On Tuesday I went there for the third time and, at last, the sun appeared. This time both the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier showed up! Here's what I saw. [Click on photos to enlarge.]

View from the visitor center. The park was filled with birders, all carrying binoculars and cameras with huge lenses. 
These little guys left an intricate pattern of footprints while searching for food. The tide was out during our visit.
The Olympic Mountains in the background, still covered in snow. This is the first time they've been visible during my visits to the wildlife refuge. Mount Rainier looked like a big white cloud on the horizon... ...so I zoomed in for a closer look. Clouds are moving in. A last look at the visitor center from the boardwalk, then time to head home.
Links to my earlier (rainy) posts about the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge: March, 2016 March, 2017
Zoom in (+) for a closer look or out (-) to see the surrounding area
Saturday Snapshots is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads.To enjoy a variety of beautiful pictures from around the world, click HERE or on the box below.  
To participate in Saturday Snapshots: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the host blogsite. 

Still Alice - #BookBeginnings on Friday and The #Friday56

     Written in 2007, STILL ALICE is as relevant today as it was ten years ago. Author Lisa Genova takes her readers into the mind of Dr. Alice Howland, a Harvard professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. The story is an unforgettable look at this devastating disease.
     I saw the movie several years ago (starring Julianne Moore), but the book offers so much more detail. By the way, although the paperback edition of the copy I have was published by Simon & Schuster, the author says in her "A Conversation With Lisa Genova" appendix that she self-published Still Alice because she "... knew it would take years to find a publishing house" and she "...felt an urgent responsibility to get the book out immediately." So many wonderful books start with self-publishing!
Book Beginning: September 2003     Alice sat at her desk in their bedroom distracted by the sounds of John racing through each of the rooms on the first floor. She needed to finish her peer review of a paper submitted to the Journal of Cognitive Psychology before her flight, and she'd just read the same sentence three times without comprehending it. It was 7:30 according to their alarm clock, which she guessed was about ten minutes fast. She knew from the approximate time and the escalating volume of his racing that he was trying to leave, but he'd forgotten something and couldn't find it. She tapped her red pen on her bottom lip as she watched the digital numbers on the clock and listened for what she knew was coming.
The Friday 56 (from Page 56):      "Okay, I'm going to tell you a name and address, and you're going to repeat it back to me. Then, we're going to do some other things, and I'm going to ask you to repeat the same name and address again later. Ready, here it is - John Black, 42 West Street, Brighton. Can you repeat that for me?"
Genre: Medical Fiction / Women's FictionBook Length: 292 Pages (plus appendices) - Trade Paperback EditionAmazon Link: Still AliceAuthor Website: Lisa Genova
Synopsis (from the author's website):She didn’t want to become someone people avoided and feared. She wanted to live to hold Anna’s baby and know it was her grandchild. She wanted to see Lydia act in something she was proud of. She wanted to see Tom fall in love. She wanted to read every book she could before she could no longer read.Alice Howland is proud of the life she has worked so hard to build. A Harvard professor, she has a successful husband and three grown children. When Alice begins to grow forgetful at first she just dismisses it, but when she gets lost in her own neighborhood she realizes that something is terribly wrong. Alice finds herself in the rapid downward spiral of Alzheimer’s disease. She is only 50 years old.While Alice once placed her worth and identity in her celebrated and respected academic life, now she must re-evaluate her relationship with her husband, her expectations of her children and her ideas about herself and her place in the world.Losing her yesterdays, her short-term memory hanging on by a couple of frayed threads, she is living in the moment, living for each day. But she is still Alice.Still Alice is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as powerful as Ordinary People. You will gain an understanding of those affected by early-onset Alzheimer’s and remain moved and inspired long after you have put it down.
                
Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlingerFacebook: sandy.nachlinger