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ExUrbanis

Urban Leaving to Country Living

The Most Memorable Memoir Challenge

December31

I thought that I had entered enough reading challenges for the year, but Betty and Boo’s mommy implored me to add one more.

Memorable Memoir challenge

I enjoy biographies but don’t often think to read them. This challenge means I’ll get in at least four this coming year.

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On The Porch Swing Reading Challenge

December31

Porch Swing challengeThis challenge comes from the Yahoo group of the same name. It particularly appealed to me because from 2001 to 2008, I ran a business called Paradise Porch and issued a bi-weekly newsletter called The Porch Swing.

This challenge involves a minimum of seven books, and potentially 26.

1. Read two books whose title contains the first letters of your first and last names.

2. Read two books by an author whose first name begins with a “D”.

3. Read one book by a female author whose first name is Mary.

4. Read a biography.

5. Read a book of short stories

AND – BONUS POINTS!

Alphabet Challenge – this challenge consists of keeping track of each book you read that fits the letters of the alphabet.

The Read Your Own Books Challenge

December31

This should be simple, although I’m always finding new books to put on my TBR stack and not whittling down my own library at all.

Read Your Own Books Reading Challenge,Read Your Own Books Reading Challenge

I’m committing to only 25, hoping I’ll surprise myself. Hosted by Miz B.

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‘New to Me’ Authors Challenge

December31

New authors reading challenge,New authors reading challenge

Hosted by Literary Escapism, this requires me to read a number of books by authors whom I have never tried before.

I’m always running into those, so I’m setting a goal for myself of 25 books for this challenge.

1. Alan Bradley (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie)

2. Marie McSwigan (Snow Treasure)

3. Christopher Paul Curtis (Bud, Not Buddy)

4. Preethi Nair (One Hundred Shades of White)

5. Ann Cleeves (Raven Black)

6. Pam Jenoff (The Diplomat’s Wife)

7. John Shors (Beside a Burning Sea)

8. Katherine Hall Page (The Body in the Belfry)

9. Eva Rice (The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets)

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The Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

December31

Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge,Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

Another one hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog.

I expect at least the sod-turning for our new village library this year, so I think this challenge is especially appropriate. Encouraged by J., I’m going to aim high and go for the “Stepping It Up” level which requires me to check out and read 75 books during the coming year.

1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

2. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

3. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

4. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

5. One Hundred Shades of White by Preethi Nair

6. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitgerald – graphic novel form

8. The Diplomat’s Wife by Pam Jenoff

9. Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors

10. The Body in the Belfry by Katherine Hall Page

11. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice

The Colorful Reading Challenge

December31

Colors Reading Challenge,Colors Reading Challenge

An easy one here – simply read nine books, each with a different colour in the title. Hosted by Lost in Books

1. One Hundred Shades of White by Preethi Nair)

2. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

3.

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The Ten Categories Challenge

December31

This one is hosted by Bart’s Book Shelf and includes books from the following categories:

1. Young Adult

a) Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

b)

2. T.B.R. **

3. Shiny & New

4. Bad Bloggers ***

a) Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors

This book was read on the recommendation of Hey Lady, Whatca Readin’? who could find no bad in this book. 🙂

Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean;
So between them both, they licked the platter clean.

5. Charity

6. New in 2010

7. Older Than You
a) Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan (published 1942)

8. Win! Win!

9. Who Are You Again?
a) Ann Cleeves (Raven Black)
b) Preethi Nair (One Hundred Shades of White)

10. Up to You!

Ten Categories Reading Challenge,Ten Categories Reading Challenge

Although this challenge will accept cross-overs from other challenges, a book may be used to satisfy only one category of this challenge.
For details, see Bart’s post

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What’s In A Name? Challenge

December31

What's in a name Reading Challenge,What's in a name Reading Challenge

Hosted by Beth Fish Reads, and I’ll let her explain how it works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:

DONE 1. A book with a food in the title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

DONE 2. A book with a body of water in the title: Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors

3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, I can read whatever book I want to fit the category, and cross-overs from other challenges area allowed.

The Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge

December29

Hosted by Ready When You Are, C.B., the Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge is based on a simple idea–read a book, see a movie based on the book, include both in my review.

Read the Book,Read the Book,See the Movie Reading Challenge,See the Movie Reading Challenge

I’m choosing to try the Film Festival level – eight books & movies.

It’s not the reading that might trip me up here–it’s taking the time to watch the movies. I’m always who answers the question “Did you see this movie?” with “No, but I read the book”, much to my husband’s disgust.

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2.

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The 100+ Reading Challenge

December29

The 100+ Reading Challenge is hosted by J. Kaye’s book blog. The goal, fairly obviously, is to read at least 100 books. Cross-overs are accepted.

100+ Reading Challenge,100+ Reading Challenge

1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

2. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

3. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

4. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

5. One Hundred Shades of White by Preethi Nair

6. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald; a graphic novel by Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir; Illustrated by Kevin Cornell

8. The Diplomat’s Wife by Pam Jenoff

9. Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors

10. The Body in the Belfry by Katherine Hall Page

11. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice

Dentists and Raindrops

December23

One of the things that makes me feel so cozy here in our little village is the presence of a full-time dentist. And, serendipitously, she is also a really good dentist.

Last night I broke another tooth (it seems that my teeth are crumbling away on me, but that’s another story) and needed emergency “looking-at”. Unfortunately, Dr. Whitman was booked solid with a waiting list of ten already. That’s the risk of Read the rest of this entry »

What Are You Reading Monday – 21Dec09

December18

What are you reading Mondays is hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog

I just finished two wins from publishers, two books recommended by readers, a 1930s genre classic, and the first of a relatively new detective series set in Montana: Supreme Courtship, The Last Dickens, The Sea Garden, High Rising, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Coyote Wind. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday Afternoon Dec 18th – the View from My Office

December18

It’s been a bleak day after a couple of days of bright sun and biting cold.

The bit of snow on the field across the road reminds me that I chose the main color scheme for my house–gold with white trim–from this field. Given the lack of sunlight this afternoon, the colors are not shown at their best.

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Friday Afternoon Dec 4th – the View from My Office

December4

Last week, Kristen of BookNAround commented that, if she worked in my office, she’d be spending all her time trying to guess the color of the next car to come along. So I decided to show her. Read the rest of this entry »

What Are You Reading Monday – 30Nov09

November30

What are you reading Mondays is hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog

I’ve just finished a memoir won from the publisher, one reader recommendation, a young adult novel, a book club buy, a lovely story set in Kenya, a short WAHM guide, and the first in a great new detective/dog series (it works!): On The Line, Some Tame Gazelle, Breakfast at Sadie’s, Cormac, A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, License to Play, and Dog On It. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday Afternoon Nov 27th – the View from My Office

November27

Busy couple of days and so I didn’t get this posted on Friday. But I didn’t want to miss showing you the colors.

The rain on Friday was soft, almost a mist, and what little wind there was was not from the north. The day was almost warm.

The wet had saturated the grasses in the field and on the lawn, bringing out the jewel tones in this bit of creation.

Friday Afternoon,view from my office

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Book Review: Latitudes of Melt by Joan Clark

November18

Ice plays a major role in Joan Clark’s novel Latitudes of Melt,Latitudes of Melt,Joan Clark

Ice delivers Aurora from the frigid North Atlantic to her new family in Newfoundland. Ice becomes her son Stan’s career. The huge icebergs that break off the earth’s polar regions and float off the shore of Newfoundland sink ships but are beautiful to swim around. Ice gives the book its title, referring to the latitudes at which icebergs melt.

“Because Newfoundland was roughly between 46 and 51 degrees north, it was smack in the middle of the latitudes of melt.”

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What Are You Reading Monday – 16Nov09

November16

What are you reading Mondays is hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog

I’ve just finished two young girl “chapter” books, both classics in their own right, a top-100 list title, and a “I have no idea how this came to be reserved for me at the library” book: Betsy-Tacy, Ramona and her Mother, Olive Kitteridge, and The Christmas List: a Novel. Read the rest of this entry »

Friday Afternoon Nov 13th – the View from My Office

November13

It’s been a bonus week of lovely (almost) mild & sunny weather and the weather office promises a couple of more days like this. We’re enjoying while we can.

The lovely golden leaves on the alder are all gone, so I’m focusing this week on the field across the road.

The white dot on the far side of the field is one of my cats hunting mice. Hunters shot a deer in the woods there last week – way, way not far enough away from the road and houses.

view from my window

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Friday Afternoon Nov 6th- the (View) from My Office

November6

Not being camera-savvy, I couldn’t get the picture beyond the window this week. The lens would record only the ice on the pane.

At 4 p.m., it’s as dark as night, the wind is howling and blowing the trees and the sleety rain horizontal.

What a change from last week!

viewNov6th

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