What a difference in a month! It beginning to look like spring although it sure hasn’t been feeling like it. Temperatures have been mostly single digits C (seldom above 50 F).

The trees are still pretty bare, but the grass is green and growing and the daffodils that we actually sodded over last year have returned. This brings me much joy.

In contrast, a friend helped me plant close to 200 daffodil bulbs in this new garden last fall. They were meant to fill the garden with a swath of yellow, and spill out onto the lawn (which they have done.) What a disappointment they have proved to be.

What’s in your garden right now? Are the spring flowers in your part of the world all finished?

P.S. Some of the book and product links are affiliate links so I will receive a small percentage of any purchase you make after clicking through from this blog.

This is the first time that I’m participating in the 20 Books of Summer challenge hosted by Cathy at 746books.

I’ve chosen my summer reading to include books from the Four Books in a Row challenge, suggested by Rebecca at Bookish Beck, the Bookbloggers Challenge run by Lynne at Fictionophile, and to complete the What’s in a Name Challenge hosted by Andrea at the Carolina Book Nook, but I’ve divided it into months for my ease of reference.

You’ll see that my July reading has a definite theme that, in fact, spills over a bit into August. And bonus: I was able to get all of these books off my own shelves, or in my Kindle library, except for four titles. Two of those I’ve put inter-library loan requests in for, but whether the libraries will be open remains to be seen. The remaining two, I’ll just have to bite the bullet for, and buy ecopies. (Total about $15 Canadian). Not bad for a whole summer of reading!

JUNE

1. One Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan
2. Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch
3. On Tour by Noel Streatfeild
4. The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
5. Sweet William by Beryl Bainbridge
6. Something for Everyone by Lisa Moore

JULY

7. We are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan
8. Birdie by Tracey Lindberg
9. The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
10. The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegnor
11. One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker
12. Birds of a Kind by Wajdi Mouawad
13. The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
14. The Birds by Aristophanes

AUGUST

15. Birdcage Walk by Kate Riordan
16. Birdcage Walk by Helen Dunmore
17. Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
18. Hour Glass by Michelle René
19. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey
20. Runaway by Alice Munro

I have one title held back that I reserve to swap in if one of these titles doesn’t work: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. My dad recommended Hiaasen to me. Don’t you just love that cover? Have you ever read anything by Hiaasen?

P.S. The book links are affiliate links so I will receive a small percentage of any purchase you make after clicking through from this blog.

#4BooksinaRow #20BooksofSummer21 #BB2021FRC #WhatsinaName

P.P.S. I’m still trying to master this block editor thing, so my spacing is a little-not-so-much-what-I’d-like. Please bear with me. Thanks!