• Literary Pursuits

    Survivalist Fiction

    With so many unprecedented things happening this past year I find my mind going down all kinds “what if” rabbit holes. Without a doubt recent months have brought many major changes to life as we know it. Oddly enough, the one that has affected me the most–or at least how I think–was the stupid panic-buying of toilet paper last spring.…

  • Literary Pursuits

    Books I Read in 2020

    I’ve been tracking my reading for the past 5 years, and it turns out that 2020 was my biggest reading year yet. I guess that shouldn’t come as any surprise–2020 being what it was–but I actually didn’t have a lot of downtime like a many folks did. Since I work from home it was pretty much “business as usual” for…

  • Homeschooling,  Literary Pursuits

    Those Pivotal Days

    Have you ever contemplated how quickly life can change? Many changes are slow and gradual, but occasionally events come along that happen so unexpectedly and instantaneously… and change our lives forever. During this whole crisis that has been 2020, I’ve thought a lot about other challenging events throughout history and how our ancestors managed to survive those times. Or maybe…

  • Camping Books for Kids header
    Literary Pursuits

    Stay-at-Home Camp-Out for Kids

    If you’re still in stay-at-home mode this summer here’s a fun camping “trip” you can plan for the kids in your own backyard. Spending the night outside is optional. Plan it for a clear evening just as it’s starting to get dark. Here’s what you’ll need: Gear Bed Roll for each person (e.g. kid’s sleeping bag, fleece throw, beach towel)…

  • Rathdrum Mountain sign
    Literary Pursuits

    Rathdrum Mountain Story Walk

    Our little town (and our house) sits at the base of Rathdrum Mountain. Not long after we moved here I learned that part of the mountain is owned by the city, and part of it by a paper company which harvests trees. The paper company portion has lots of logging roads. You can buy a permit which allows you access…

  • Literary Pursuits

    Recent 5-Star Reads

    My recommendations from the books I read this past month are heavy on the juvenile side. I usually read pretty evenly from both children’s and adult titles, but most of my favorites from the past few weeks have been children’s books. As usual, when I talk about books, I provide affiliate links to Amazon which means I might make a…

  • The Lost Lieutenant
    Literary Pursuits

    Review: The Lost Lieutenant

    If you’re a fan of Regency romance novels you’re sure to love The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch. I received a copy in exchange for my review as part of the I Read with Audra blog tour. Confession time: While Regency romance isn’t my usual genre of choice at this stage of my life there was a time I read…

  • Literary Pursuits

    Recent 5-Star Reads

    Without realizing it, apparently I read more than a book a day during the month of April! I track my reading on Goodreads as I go along, but I don’t set goals or pay to attention to how much I’ve read until it’s time to tally it up for these blog posts. Granted, a number of those were kids’ books…