Rite of Fancy

A short summary of The Case for Christ: Finding credible evidence for Christ.

Questions to ponder while reading The Case for Christ: Can the spiritual be proven absolutely?
Will you ever have enough facts?
My thoughts about The Case for Christ: A good look into the historical data.
A good book for the Christian curious.
A good look at what you can believe.

A short summary of Nine Elms: A masticating murder mystery.

Questions to ponder while reading Nine Elms: How much freedom should convicted murderers get?
Why do killers attract a following?
My thoughts about Nine Elms: A fun, thrilling read.
I admit to being disappointed, often, in Kate.
Another example of why you shouldn't sleep with co-workers.

A short summary of An Equal Justice: The high costs of a successful legal career.

Questions to ponder while reading An Equal Justice: How hard would you work for an ideal?
Can you draw the line?
My thoughts about An Equal Justice: A challenge to the definition of success.
A peek into the causes of homelessness.
A lesson in ethics for everyone.

A short summary of Roman Farm Management: Old Marcus Cato had a farm...

Questions to ponder while reading Roman Farm Management: Can we learn from the past?
Do you garden?
My thoughts about Roman Farm Management: I learned that Roman farms were well staffed and enslaved.
I learned that the basics of horticulture haven't changed much.
I learned I should plant lupines with corn.

A short summary of Goodbye, Mr. Chips: The life and times of an English school teacher.

Questions to ponder while reading Goodbye, Mr. Chips: Have you ever thought about your impact?
How does your life's review read?
My thoughts about Goodbye, Mr. Chips: Heartwarming and bittersweet.
Life does not need to be dramatic to be well-lived.
I hope I can review my life as well.

A short summary of Bird Box: Don't look now. You'll never guess what's out there.

Questions to ponder while reading Bird Box: Is there anything scarier than the unknown?
Would you have peeked?
My thoughts about Bird Box: Scared me!
Surprised me!
Satisfied me!

A short summary of Forgotten Bones: Solving crimes with schizophrenia.

Questions to ponder while reading Forgotten Bones: What do you know about mental illnesses?
Do you believe in ghosts?
My thoughts about Forgotten Bones: Crime-fighting with a paranormal twist.
A different mix of elements.
Some books are literary and some (like this one) are just fun.

Dear Henry,

I really need to get busy getting my camper van together because, in addition to checking out Southern Arkansas and looking into the Museum for the International Concatenated Order of the Hoo-Hoo, I want to take a road trip to the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston.

Oddly enough, I am not all that interested in the books at this library, but rather, the three-story stained-glass globe within it.

The globe is called the Mapparium, and it opened in 1935.  The structure is comprised of 608 stained glass panels and because it is a globe it doesn't suffer from Mercator projection, so all of the countries are true representations. The globe room also provides "whisper acoustics" and even the smallest sound will carry across the structure.

Of course, the globe is obsolete and was almost immediately after it opened.  There were initial plans to update the panels as boundaries changed but by 1960 it was decided that the Mapparium was a work of art and needed to be pre…

A short summary of The Secrets of Lost Stones: Tying up the loose ends of a tragedy.

Questions to ponder while reading The Secrets of Lost Stones: Where do you go when you have nowhere to go?
How has the past haunted you?
My thoughts about The Secrets of Lost Stones: An easy book to engage in. With easy characters to love
An easy book to enjoy.

A short summary of The Island of Dr. Moreau:
The science that separates man from beast.

Questions to ponder while reading The Island of Dr. Moreau: What makes us human?
Can science go too far?
My thoughts about The Island of Dr. Moreau: Very disturbing.
Very savage.
Very hard to put down.

A short summary of Marie Antoinette: The life and times of France's last queen.

Questions to ponder while reading Marie Antoinette: Have you ever wanted to be the queen?
How do revolutions begin?
My thoughts about Marie Antoinette:  A conversational look into a misunderstood queen.
Sympathetic and easy to read.
I love a good history book.

A short summary of Agamemnon: The tale of the Great Agamemnon, king and conqueror. (Spoiler: Karma gets involved)

Questions to ponder while reading Agamemnon: Can you get justice through revenge?
Can a family be cursed?
My thoughts about Agamemnon: Another perspective on the Trojan saga.
A must-read for history/mythology lovers.
Ancient literature at its finest.

A short summary of Dreams, Memories, and Reflections: The story of Carl Jung.

Questions to ponder while reading Dreams, Memories, and Reflections:
What do you think about when you reflect?
Do you dream?
My thoughts about Dreams, Memories, and Reflections: A must-read if you love psychology, history, or philosophy.
There is so much insight into "where" Dr. Jung came from.
I love that Dr. Jung was a doodler.

Dear Henry,

I have been blessed with an abundance of jalapeno peppers in my garden this year and I am burned out on poppers.

I also live in a humid area and can't string them up to dry.

Exploring my recipe collection this morning, I had an epiphany. 

Jalapeno Jelly!

The recipe I have is a small batch/refrigerator type jelly, which is fine with me.  I am always terrified I am going to give someone botulism when I can.

Enjoy!

xoxo a.d.

Jalapeno Jelly
9         Jalapeno Peppers 3/4 C   Apple Cider Vinegar Dash    Salt 1 3/4 C Sugar  6TBSP Pectin
Finely chop (or use a food processor) 8 of the 9 peppers and add to a saucepan with the apple cider vinegar.  Heat until boiling and then reduce heat and let simmer for 20 min.  Strain out the pulp and return the liquid to the saucepan and the saucepan to the stove, adding additional water as needed to make 1/2 cup of liquid.  Add salt and sugar, stirring until sugar has dissolved.  Heat until a rolling boil that can't be stirred down, re…

Dear Henry,

Have you ever played the game Ducks and Drakes?

No?

Maybe you played the game under a different name, skipping stones.

The term "Ducks and Drakes" first appeared in English literature in 1583 and, given the description, the rules of the game haven't changed much.

The object then, as now, is to skip a stone across the water more times than anyone else.  I did notice one difference though. It was once permissible to use oyster shells, rather than stones.

Oyster shells were prohibited after the 1972 Winter Rules Committee mandated Rule I, section 3aii.

Yes, there are rules to this game, because it is, in fact, an official sport. 

During the summer months, professional players at Ducks and Drakes (or skippers, or gerplunkers) travel the country to different events, most being held in the upper-midwest,  with the Mackinaw Island's 51st Invitational being the US's crowning event.  The skip of the day in 2019 was 20 skips.

There is a bigger, worldwide compe…

A short summary of The Snow Child: Building a new life in Alaska.

Questions to ponder while reading The Snow Child: What haunts you?
Do you believe in fairy tales?
My thoughts about The Snow Child: I couldn't put it down.
I am such a sucker for a good fairy tale.
I want to play in the snow now.

A short summary of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf: Love and middle-age, in marriage.

Questions to ponder while reading Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf: How happy is your marriage?
Are you successful?
My thoughts about Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf: A very good example of a very bad marriage.
Some people probably shouldn't drink much.
Full of schadenfreude and dark humor.

A short summary of Profiles in Courage: Integrity in politics.

Questions to ponder while reading Profiles in Courage: Do you know where you stand?
Do your choices matter?
My thoughts about Profiles in Courage: An honest look at honest politicians - even if it was ghostwritten.
An important read for US History.
Many relevant takeaways for today's politics.

A short summary of Airplane Mode: Big Sister is watching you.

Questions to ponder while reading Airplane Mode: Should a disease always be cured?
Does the sound of drones disturb you?
My thoughts about Airplane Mode: Totally entertaining.  It was great fun in a book.
Totally plausible "end-of-life-as-we-know-it".
Totally chocked full of girl power. My kudos.

A short summary of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao: The challenges of growing up Dominican.

Questions to ponder while reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao: Have you ever struggled for acceptance?
What challenges have you had to overcome?
My thoughts about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar  Wao: A gut-wrenching journey through the Dominican Republic.
Culturally enlightening.
A great way to practice your Spanish.

Dear Henry,

Today was, in a word, rather crappy.

A powerful windstorm (tornado?) came through our area last night and there are trees down everywhere. We were fortunate and didn't have any structural damage to our house although we did end up with at least five trees scattered about the property.

Stumbling across a coprolite article seemed like a fitting story for the day.

It seems, back in the 1960s, researchers at Texas A&M collected a couple of human coprolites (fossilized poo) from Conejo Shelter Texas and then stuck them in storage.  They were recently rediscovered (imagine finding that) and analyzed (5I was complaining about cleaning up trees). It turns out, one of the fossils is rather odd.

The sample, carbon-dated to around 1460-1520, contained the remains of a rodent, eaten uncooked and whole, and the bones, fang, and scales of a rattlesnake suggesting that it too was consumed whole and raw.

I have no idea why anyone would do such a thing (researchers are guessing a …

A short summary of Zoo: When animals attack.

Questions to ponder while reading Zoo: Do you have pets?
How attached are you to your cell phone?
My thoughts about Zoo: Fast-paced fun.
A good piece of brain candy.
I'm thinking of reducing my cell time.....

Dear Henry,

Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci had a favorite cheese?

Today, after falling into a rabbit hole of cheese making, I learned about the wonderful, Italian cheese called Montebore.

Montebore is a cheese made in the Northern mountain provinces of Italy and first appeared in written documents around 1300.  During the heyday of its popularity, it was a widely-produced, although now, there are only a few cheesemakers left.

Montebore is a fresh cheese and is made predominately with full-fat sheep's milk (the ratio is about 70/30 to cows milk) and it is arranged in a salted wedding cake shape.  It is only aged about 20 to 30 days.

Montebore is the recommended cheese for Rabaton.

It turns out, da Vinci was quite the nutritionist and his diet of mostly vegetables, cheeses, and grains would impress any modern dietitian. He would recommend his diet of well-chosen, well-cooked, and simple meals to others. 

After reading about his eating habits and food choices, I am now on the l…

Dear Henry,

It isn't a secret that I am a total Jules Verne fan and have been completely enamored by his books.  My favorite, of course, is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is particularly cool because it was the book which largely inspired the development of submarine technology.  The book particularly inspired the creation of the nuclear submarine.

The idea of a submarine has been "floated" since the late 1500s, with the first documented submarine being built in 1620 by Cornelis Drebbel and used oars for propulsion. The first military submarine (also human-powered), was called the Turtle and was built in 1775. It wouldn't be until the late 1800s that a submarine would operate with any type of fuel-driven engine.

Because of these propulsion difficulties, it took until the early 1900s (and the widespread use of the diesel/electric engine) before navies began regularly using submarines, although, once the technology was developed the submarin…

Dear Henry,

Continuing in my study of "People Who Helped The Insane" - I am so relieved that Fish has agreed to clear the history on my internet browser after I die -  I have come across the story of Ms. Nellie Bly.

I vaguely remembered hearing about her when I was younger and, after some research, I have decided that even by today's standards, she would be considered one of the bravest women in journalism.

Her first article, written under the pseudonym "Lonely Orphan Girl" challenged the current role of women and argued for divorce law reform, which garnered her a full-time position at the Pittsburgh Dispatch and she immediately began reporting on the working conditions that women faced in the area's factories.

She was then promptly reassigned to the women's section of the paper and told to report on fashion.

Unwilling to report on society and unable to report on local items of substance, Nellie Bly went to Mexico as a foreign correspondent.  While rep…

A short summary of Soul by Soul: A look at the slave markets of the pre-Civil War South.

Questions to ponder while reading Soul by Soul: What is the price of human life?
What is evil?
My thoughts about Soul by Soul: A good look into an American evil.
A well written historical guide.
A must-read.

Dear Henry,

I have discovered another reason for a road trip to Capitol Reef National Park - pie

Today I heard about a small cafe in Bicknell Utah, called the Sunglow Restaurant and Motel that serves the oddest assortment of pies, including oatmeal, avocado lime, pinto bean, and the most popular, pickle pie.

It is the pickle pie that has me the most intrigued.

The pies were the brainchild of Cula Ekker, who signed on as cook when her brother opened the motel in 1965 and while Cula died in 2014, she passed on her recipes and pie secrets to Bessie Stewart, who has continued the pickle pie tradition to this day.

So tell me, how far would you drive for a piece of pie?

xoxo a.d.

A short summary of The Rum Diary: Partying in Puerto Rico, with some journalism on the side.

Questions to ponder while reading The Rum Diary: Have you ever gone too far?
How much rum is too much?
My thoughts about The Rum Diary: Fifties-style guys.
Fifties-style dialogue.
Fifties-style underbelly, Carribean style.

Dear Henry,

What is in a name?

If your name is Black Bart - a lot.

My knowledge of outlaws is quite limited and based upon the name Black Bart, I assumed (the mother of all mistakes) that he was an outlaw of a particularly bad and malevolent sort.  A Lone Ranger alter-ego, roaming the plains on a large, black horse, causing death, mayhem, and large insurance claims.

I assumed incorrectly.

For one thing, he never rode a horse.

Black Bart was born Charles Earl Boles in England around 1829.  His family moved to the U.S. and begin farming in New York.  Charles and his brothers joined the gold rush in 1849 and the three had about as much luck as most other prospectors did.  Charles was the only one to live to return home.  He settled down and got married before enlisting with the 116th Illinois Regiment, taking part in the Battle of Vicksburg (where he was severely wounded) and Sherman's March to the Sea.

After the war, Charles tried his hand at prospecting again, this time Idaho and …

A short summary of 1000 Years of Annoying the French: All about the back and forth bickering between the Brits and the French.


Questions to ponder while reading 1000 Years of Annoying the French:
Is there more than one version of history?
Does humor help learning?
My thoughts about 1000 Years of Annoying the French: Calling all history buffs!
A great overview of the intermingling history between England and France.
An entertaining learning experience.

Dear Henry,

There was another "insect cuisine" article in the paper. 

I am beginning to wonder if there is a conspiracy and that something is going to happen to our food supply and the media is prepping us for "bugs provencal" (no, not really, I'm kidding).

In the past, and after comparing Fish's and my survival skills to those of a reality T.V. couple, I have stated that I would eat a bug if I were starving, was in competition for a half a million dollars, or was at a Mariner's game. 

I do have my limits though.

The article I was reading was talking about using the larvae of the black fly as a food source. Another name for "larvae of the black fly" is maggots.

Eating maggots is a hard no.

While the article talks about the negative carbon footprint utilizing this particular food source, the protein ratio to body size, and all of the other benefits of fly larvae as a food source. The fact still remains that eating maggots is a hard no.

I will b…

A short summary of The Alienist Profiling a climbing killer.

Questions to ponder while reading The Alienist Do you have any issues with your mother?
What are your thoughts regarding prostitution?
My thoughts about The Alienist A "Sherlocky" feel.
Great fun in a book.
A mystery to the max.

Dear Henry,

Do you remember me telling you about the couple who died eating a raw marmot? I was shocked that the raw food trend had gone so far.

I was shocked again today about another raw food choice and because it turned fatal, I felt like I should warn you.

Please don't ever eat a gecko raw.  Even if someone double dog dares you.

Lizards (even the "Chicken of the Trees" can carry salmonella on their skins - which is why, when cooking and eating the iguana, you are supposed to skin and parboil the meat before seasoning it and cooking. 

More shocking, when I tried to Google the "Man dies from eating..." (I couldn't remember the which lizard type it was), lizard or gecko wasn't the first choice in the autocomplete results of the Google search box, that was man dies eating from slug (which caused rat lungworm), nor was it the second, which was man dies from eating roaches (choked to death).

All in all, I think there is a life lesson or two here:

Meals d…

Dear Henry,

The 24 - hours has been a drama-filled adventure and I think it may take a couple of days for me to recover.

Do you remember me talking about my wrens living in the strawberry basket?  Well, they were starting to get big and really chatty and Ziggy wanted to figure out what the commotion was in the strawberry basket.

He pulled out the liner, spilling the nest out all over the porch.

Right away, Ziggy knew he was in BIG TROUBLE and, after Fish told me Ziggy was snuffing and nudging the baby that had spilled from the nest, I felt bad about scolding him (Ziggy got a double scolding, Fish had scolded him pretty good outside).

Fish put the nest back in the liner and the liner back into the basket back and then when waited. The parents showed up and they were quite upset (understandably).  They left and we didn't see them return.

We had done several internet searches since then and it was made clear that trying to hand feed and raise the birds ourselves was impossible, it n…

A short summary of Olive Kitteridge: All about Olive's people.

Questions to ponder while reading Olive Kitteridge: What are you afraid of?
How do you see yourself?
My thoughts about Olive Kitteridge: I think I know a couple of Olives
Very complicated characters.
I wonder if my relationships are so complex.

Dear Henry,

On NASA's drawing board, and prepared to launch in 2026 is the Dragonfly.

Although the name reminds of a space western written by Joss Whedon, the Dragonfly mission plans to create a drone that will weather the eight-year journey from the Earth to Saturn's moon Titan to explore its geological structure and look for signs of life.

Titan is Saturn's largest moon and is the only other place besides Earth with any type of atmosphere.  It is also the only other place that has liquid water and while the atmospheric pressure is fifty times that of Earth, there is much within the chemical makeup of the atmosphere that would make life possible.

The craft is envisioned as a rotary type drone and will be expected to stop and several different sites, studying the geology and chemical composition of the moon when it reaches Titan in 2034.

I know that this is fifteen years away, but I can hardly wait to see the footage.

xoxo a.d.

A short summary of the book Pigs Have Wings: A story about noble, British, fat pigs, which have gone missing.




Questions to ponder while reading Pigs Have Wings: Would you, after reading, now consider using a pin to pop a blister?
What would you do with a pig in your kitchen?
My thoughts about Pigs Have Wings: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle meets Downtown Abbey meets the Three Stooges.
It is utterly ridiculous and I laughed the entire time.
The book is the cure for what ails you.

Dear Henry,

This weekend I had the opportunity to climb a 100 ft observation tower and I initially thought that I wanted to see the view of the Ozarks from the top.

After three platforms (so about 30 feet), as I began to sweat (it was very hot) and my legs felt like I was getting a quite a workout.  A couple of steps up to the fourth platform I decided that I no longer cared about the view from the top and climbed back down.

I kind of feel like a wimp now.

I especially felt like a wimp after I read about cyclist Hugh Sharp of Cape Cod Maine who rode a unicycle 180 miles to raise money for the American Lung Association.

I bet his thighs burned after that ride.

I need to go exercise now.

xoxo a.d.

A short summary of the book The Other Side of the Sun: A British woman learns the secrets of the North American South.

Questions to ponder while reading The Other Side of the Sun: How do you deal with differences?
What would you have done?
My thoughts about The Other Side of the Sun: I loved the literary game (Does anyone want to play?)
A haunting and dark story.
A difficult tale to let go of.

A short summary of Purple Hibiscus: The story of Kambili's privileged life.

Questions to ponder while reading Purple Hibiscus: Is a religious person always a good person?
What would you do to keep your family together?
My thoughts about Purple Hibiscus: Kambili has become a favorite character.
Religion should not be allowed to shield abuse.
I can't imagine living during a period of civil unrest.

Dear Henry,

What would you do if you lost a toe?

Are you thirsty?

This story starts with a race, the Yukon Arctic Ultra Marathon, a grueling, 300 mile, race, in Whitehorse Canada. 

This year, Nick Griffiths, a British ultramarathoner, gave the race a try.

Unfortunately, after 30 hours, he ended the race exhausted and frostbitten.  After initial treatment in Canada, he returned to his home in the U.K. to continue treatment and have three of his toes amputated.

Remembering an advertisement in Canada from The Downtown Hotel in Dawson City Canada, seeking toes for a drink ingredient, Mr. Griffiths chose to send his toes to the hotel, rather than allowing traditional disposal.

Since 1973, The Downtown Hotel has made a signature drink, The Sour Toe Cocktail.  It is a shot of whiskey with a mummified toe. The drink was conceived after discovering a severed toe in a cabin (because why not?). 

While the original toe has long since deteriorated, other toes have been contributed, and after a si…

A short summary of Postcards From the Edge: The ramblings of a rehabilitation.

Questions to ponder while reading Postcards From the Edge: Have you ever struggled to overcome something?
Do you find humor helps?
My thoughts about Postcard From the Edge:
Ah! Carrie!  RIP.
A humorous look at the challenges of recovery.
We (as a society) need to do more for addiction and mental illness recovery.

Dear Henry,

I love Bigfoot stories and I, rather tongue in cheek, want to entertain the belief in the Sasquatch.

The FBI, however, has determined that no one should believe in Bigfoot.

Back in 1976, a long time Sasquatch/Yeti researcher and hunter named Peter C. Byrne found some unidentifiable hairs caught in some brush.

Mr. Byrne sent the hair to the FBI for testing, which they did in 1977.

But, they never got back to anyone or released any kind of report.  So, of course, conspiracy theories sprouted, grew, and took on a life of their own and everyone was positive that the FBI had samples of Sasquatch hair that they had classified and tried to bury the knowledge of.

Turns out, the FBI is just really bad at correspondence and communication.

and the hair was just deer hair.

I was disappointed.

Of course, I didn't really think that the FBI had actual Sasquatch fur, but they could have left some ambiguity in the report.

Just to keep the dream alive.

xoxo a.d.

Dear Henry,

Have you ever heard of the Wankel T. Rex?   It is a great story...

Back in 1988, a woman named Kathy Wankel was rockhounding around the Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana.

The lake was very low that year,  the drought had been terrible and water was also being used for the large Yellowstone fire.

While searching through the lake bed, Ms. Wankel discovered a skeleton, an almost complete (90%) Tyranasarus Rex.

I have always wished to find something amazing.

Anyway, after an exhausting amount of bureaucracy, the skeleton, named Wankel T. Rex, will go on display in the Smithsonian's newly reopened fossil hall.

I make sure to look down now when I hike, just in case.

xoxo a.d.

A short summary of To Sir, With Love: The power of a good teacher.

Questions to ponder while reading To Sir, With Love:
Will sharing experiences help curb discrimination?
Does respect breed respect?
My thoughts about To Sir, With Love: Beautiful book.
A good exploration of the many different biases.
I wish he had been my teacher.

Dear Henry,

Do you journal?

My grandmother loved was an amateur genealogist and loved family history (which she passed on to me).  She collected all sorts of documents related to our families past and had several different (often self-published or simply typed and photocopied) autobiographies, biographies, and journals.

I used to love reading through the autobiographies and biographies.  It was interesting to me what people did and thought and, most importantly, how they wanted the rest of the world to see them.

I approached the journals with fear and a feeling of invasiveness though and never really liked reading the journals of my forefathers.  I felt the same way when I attempted to read the journals of Sylvia Plath and Frieda Kahlo, neither of which I have finished, and I regret even trying.

"Everyone" talks about how helpful journaling is in your life, but the vulnerability of writing down my most personal thoughts and then having them read and scrutinized later distur…

Dear Henry,

Donald Culross Peattie said "For me, a weed is a plant out of place"

I have come to the conclusion that, based upon this logic, gladiolus are weeds.

Last year, knowing I was facing a redo with my garden in the near future, I wanted to put in an annual, just for some color and to keep up appearances and, when I saw a box of 100 gladioli for 14.99, I thought it was a perfect idea because gladioli don't overwinter, right?

Turns out, they do.  And they multiply.  And because of the water/flooding problems, they aren't necessarily where I planted them.

The more I move them, the more they seem to sprout up in inappropriate places.  They are everywhere and they are taking over the new garden beds, the new rock work, and even, the compost pile.

Who knew that gladioli were so invasive? It's a good thing they are pretty.

xoxo a.d.

Dear Henry,

Have you ever heard of the tsetse fly? 

A while ago I ran across some information about this little fly and heard about the damage it can cause.

The fly is the vector for trypanosomes  - the cause of sleeping sickness.

While not a problem is the U.S., the effect of the tsetse fly has been devastating on the African continent. Sleeping sickness will affect both humans and livestock.  Cattle are especially susceptible and the disease will destroy herds (both from illness and from culling) and surviving cows are smaller, weaker and unable to be sold for meat and dairy production is severely decreased.

I have just read that the government of Senegal and the government of the U.S. had actually come up with a solution to the problem of the tsetse fly using nuclear science, and they have solved the problem quite well. Tsetse flies in Senegal were irradiated with gamma radiation to sterilize them, dropping the fly population to almost zero.  Senegal ranchers and dairy farmers have…