Laura Langston's Blog, page 17

My April Reads

Im dealing with a debilitating and hopefully temporary back problem, so Ive been spending more time resting and less time doing. That means relaxing and staring at the clouds . . .  watching the swallows swoop and dart through the air . . . and reading. Lots and lots of reading. As the month opened, I reached for the comfort and reassurance of a classic Ive read before. And now, as we creep closer to the end of the month, I need a break from reality, some laughs, and the promise of a happily...

Divine Timing

The garden sent me a lesson the other day. Its a lesson Ive witnessed repeatedly in writing and gardening. But its a lesson Ive yet to master. Everything happens when its meant to happen. The unfolding of life has its own rhythm. And as much as Id like to think Im in charge, I am not.

Id seeded tomatoes and peppers and broccoli and basil. Sweet peas and eggplant and cilantro too. The broccoli popped up first, quickly followed by basil, tomato and sweet pea seedlings. The eggplant was...

Promises

Life has been upside down for weeks now as all of us learn to live with the restrictions brought about by Covid-19. Schedules have been upended; cancellations abound. The news is grim, the future is uncertain and its easy to get caught up in worry, sadness and fear.

However, just as the spring flowers are popping up to promise us better days ahead, there have been promises of the future in other ways too.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from the daughter of a friend of a friend of a...

My March Reads 2020

The crocuses are open and the daffodil tips are swollen with promise and ready to burst into bloom. The color is a welcome spot of cheer at a time when the world feels grim and fearful. Things are changing at such a rapid pace that whatever I say about todays news will be out of date tomorrow. But one thing that wont change is the need for good books, the need to escape.  Heres what Im reading this week:

The Midnight Line by Lee Child

Animal Speak by Ted Andrews

Japanese Farm Food by Nancy...

Passion Play

Not long ago, a friend recommended we watch “Somebody Feed Phil.” The Netflix documentary series follows Phil Rosenthal, the creator of “Everyone Loves Raymond,” as he travels and eats his way through various countries around the world. The show is a wholesome, family-friendly version of Anthony Bourdain, only unlike the sometimes cynical approach Bourdain took, Rosenthal is unabashedly positive and overwhelmingly enthusiastic. We liked the first episode so much we quickly watched two more....

Everything in its Place

I’ve been reading about Feng Shui again lately. Probably because we moved last year and I’ve been spending more time thinking about my surroundings. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of creating harmony in living spaces. Its literal translation means wind and water. It’s based on the principle that, like wind and water, you and your environment are two forces of nature, constantly interacting and influencing each other. When they’re in balance, chi or positive energy can flow and that,...

Take Me to a Library . . .

I’ve often said if I had to be stranded somewhere, I’d choose a library. They are warm, well-lit, and clean. There’s usually a staff room with the makings of coffee and tea, and often a fridge filled with snacks. Best of all, there are books. Stacks and stacks, row upon row, of books.

I love to visit libraries around the world.

Did you know that the Tikkurila Library in Vantaa, Finland has a karaoke room with thousands of songs that patrons can perform? (Don’t worry; the room is...

Reading Canadian

Tomorrow is the inaugural I Read Canadian Day, an event designed to bring attention to and celebrate Canadian books for young people. Let’s broaden out and support ALL Canadian books and authors, even those written for adults.

For information on the I Read Canadian program for children and teens, go here:

I Read Canadian Day

If you’re looking for a good read by a Canadian author, check out this list from Booknet Canada. You’ll find fiction and non-fiction, and some juvenile titles too.

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My February Reads

I’m away from home dealing with some heavy family business, and I’m staying in a city not known for being winter-friendly. How can you put friendly in the same sentence with minus thirty temperatures? On a positive note, however, a good book can take your mind off the frigid weather outside. Here’s what I’m reading this month:

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road by Kate Harris

Rice, Noodle, Fish by Matt Goulding

Books read to date in 2020:...

Bending Instead of Breaking

I recently came across a saying attributed to Confucius: ‘The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak that breaks in the storm.’

It made me think of resilience. A few days after I saw the quote, I had a coffee date with a writer friend. We’ve been friends for decades. We’ve been writing for decades too, both as traditionally published and self-published authors. As we sipped our coffee and discussed the current ups and downs of the industry, she mentioned she was...