The First Rule of Ten, The Second Rule of Ten, The Third Rule of Ten, Fourth….This series is engaging…a charming young Chinese American male takes us on his journey from Tibetan monastery to private investigator in Los Angeles. The plots and character development improve with each sequel. Ten’s rules remind me of the famous rules of Special Agent Gibbs in the NCIS TV series…interesting with Norbu’s Buddist connection. The authors take on contemporary problems of violence and crime with compelling compassion.
Archive | Book review RSS feed for this section
Indy Star: Haunted house brings H.H. Holmes’ horror to life
21 OctFrom Indy Star
Haunted house brings H.H. Holmes’ horror to life
The crimes of H.H. Holmes are the stuff of horror movies. A handsome young doctor who lures young women to his hotel with promises of work or love, but the hotel is a warren of death, filled with gas chambers, trap doors and chutes that led to subterranean dissection table and crematorium. All set against the dramatic backdrop of the “White City” constructed for the 1895 Chicago World’s Fair.In all, Holmes — born Herman Webster Mudgett — is believed to have murdered as many as 200 people from 1886 until his capture in 1894. The exact number is unknown. And while he is best known for his so-called “Murder Castle” in Chicago, Holmes left his mark on Indianapolis.
Friday Photo: Eve, let’s read a book
14 OctLet’s read!
Our alcove with LED pot lights is “purrrfect” for reading “old-fashioned” books. Eve joined me in the adjacent chair for each chapter.
This week we read the old-fashioned format…paper, hard cover, jacket of Legends and Lies, The Patriots by David Fisher. We recommend reading this compelling history of the founding of the United States, especially in an election season. Our politics were messy then, as now.
Pause to consider and study I Ching
8 JulOften on this blog I have paired my photography with I Ching translations, which is analogous to just testing/sampling water versus exploring the ocean.
I highly recommend exploring I Ching with taobabe‘s blog here in the WordPress community. taobabe’s command of language, math, science and illustration is both amazing and astonishing. Honestly, I haven’t been keeping up. Here are three links to her blog. DNA and I Ching is jaw dropping.
https://taobabe.wordpress.com/about-me/
https://taobabe.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/the-tao-of-man/
https://taobabe.wordpress.com/dna-and-the-i-ching-the-connection/
Taobabe, Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights with us.
Flash, a Book Review
22 MarFlash’s “Country Cousin”, born and raised on Nina Bay Farm
Flash by Rachel Anne Ridge is a delightful, charming first hand account of her homeless donkey who taught the family about life, faith and second chances.
Artfully woven into each chapter are Bible verses…like icing on cake…the perfect topping (for great stories). Examples: Chapter 4: Run with horses. Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinks with his heart, so is he” or Find your passion. Be a trailblazer. Psalm 32:8 “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
Yesterday, I thought of Rachel and Flash (and the donkeys/burros at Nina Bay Farm). It was Palm Sunday. She reminded us on pages 160-1 that Flash’s ancestors had historic roles in the life of Christ. Beginning with Mary and Joseph during his humble beginning, as well as Christ’s journey the through Jerusalem which ends at the cross. In Rachel’s words, “God using the ordinary to do extraordinary feats”.
Elated with Eliot’s Elegant Book Review
15 MarI was so elated that I purchased I Ching: The Book of Change translated by David Hinton (new to me). I am amazed that I found Eliot Weinberger’s review in my twitter feed. Here is the link:
http://www.chinafile.com/library/nyrb-china-archive/what-i-ching
His review is comprehensive, concise and engaging. My study of I Ching began 17 years ago preparing collage interpretations, followed by a lull, then re-engaged last year with photo interpretations posted in Elfcroft’s Friday Photos.
Here are some gems from Eliot’s review:
“it can explain everything”
“crucial words have no fixed meaning”
“Everything is connected. Everything is in a state of restless change.”
“Chinese characters as ideas rather than words”
“Cosmic filing system”
“microcosm of Chinese civilization”
“tease the mind”
“read in an infinite number of ways”
………the possibilites…..:)
Adventure in Cooking
16 Feb
Hardly new, this cookbook was published in 1985. It actually offers over 19,000 recipes because each basic recipe comes with a 4 X 4 matrix of alternative ingredients…. Such as seasonings, soups, vegetables, cheeses, accompaniments, meats, garnishes depending upon the nature of the dish.
Yesterday, I surfed the web for a recipe for black bean burgers (which I tried for the first time during the holidays). Of course, each recipe had its appeal….you know where I’m going with this. I narrowed the field to three recipes and made my personal ingredient list to include: 2 cans black beans, 1/4 c grated onion, 1 egg, 3 T Miracle Whip, 1/3 c dry bread crumbs, 2 t ground cumin, 2 t chopped garlic, 1 t dried oregano, 1/2 t Chili powder.
These ingredients are made into patties cooked a skillet….That’s the part I’m working on. The taste is great. The result was NOT worthy of photographing. I smothered them with salsa and sour cream.
Retreat @ home
11 Nov“A Sisterhood of Sheds” was published last month in the Indianapolis Star. How delightful! “She Sheds” are spaces detached from the house, decorated to be a sanctuary for the woman of the house. A network of shed owners from around the world are connected by a Facebook group called “She Shed Sisters” with 1350 members! Creative! Inspirational! Even practical.
Reminds me of the lovely book Chris Madden published in 1998 A Room of Her Own featuring high-profile clients with stunning photography of their most personal spaces.
http://www.chrismadden.com/books/a-room-of-her-own/
http://www.indystar.com/story/life/2015/10/25/bloomington-shesheds-trends/74338284/ (This link is annoying because the Indy Star, insists on a survey question before you can read the article.)
Perhaps…there is a New Year’s resolution in these ideas….
From Houzz on Home Libraries
20 Oct
This article suggests there are three styles (Dewey decimal system not included): bookstore, theme and rainbow order. After paring down and shuffling my books in July, I went with “theme” bookshelves. Laura Gaskill has great advice with photos for oversize books, plan to rotate, display covers, care for rare books, rack ’em (children’s), vertical or stacks, accent with bookends and last but not least….leave room for more!
Coffee table books
My oversize books span decades with The Incredible Year 1968 being a clue. Kenny Rogers, Your Friends and Mine was a gift from my sister in 1987. She had Kenny Rogers autograph it for me. Tennessee, Virginia and Indiana have been home. Hmmmm….I need a rotation plan for these books on the coffee table.
Eve and brass book end
I love bookends and often buy them as gifts. My shelves are so full, I don’t often use bookends myself. However on my desk is a single brass one of a dog and a cat on a stack of books. My grandmother used it for years. Office assistant Eve…insists her photo is better than a brass cat!
elfcroft 