tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37414455349879457402012-02-05T16:23:48.738-05:00My Life, Loves, and LineageVirginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.comBlogger2691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-29559184628502911032012-02-01T16:40:00.000-05:002012-02-01T16:40:34.644-05:00

"I used to love night best but the older I get the more treasures and hope and joy I find in mornings."  ~ Terri Guillemets Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry 9670 on 2012/02/01. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-86647981707402828782012-01-21T17:14:00.001-05:002012-01-21T17:14:27.060-05:00

Death Comes To Pemberley by P.D. James My rating: 2 of 5 stars I really wanted to like this book. I love mysteries, and, of course, Darcy and Elizabeth. What happened? Was it the lack of a compelling enough mystery? Definitely. Of course, I wanted to find out what happened to Denny. I never believed Wickham had killed his best friend. The murder, as confessed by the perpetrator, read like a whim

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-31202440661759238252012-01-12T15:06:00.001-05:002012-01-12T15:06:40.348-05:00

My Ray of Sunshine, originally uploaded by valeehill. The first photo posted of Lizzie this year and she's snoozing. She looked so comfortable in her bed with the sun shining on her. She'd had a good breakfast, a good grooming, and a romp on the beach. A pretty good day, so far, in the life of a beloved dog.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-4435529980325534632012-01-06T09:39:00.002-05:002012-01-06T09:39:12.833-05:00

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich My rating: 3 of 5 stars There were laughs, just not as many as I'm used to. Lula wasn't present for much of the first half (?) of the book and I missed her! Stephanie is still totally indecisive about Joe and Ranger. I think after 18 (numbered) books it's time to have her mind made up for her. The success of the books isn't completely about their unresolved

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-67151488417741311112012-01-05T15:02:00.001-05:002012-01-05T17:23:09.679-05:00

Choco-Chai Coffee Cake, originally uploaded by valeehill. Unbelievably I've made it to this point in life without ever having had Chai Tea. I bought the box of Tazo Organic Chai for this recipe, and because my daughter had some and said it was, "delicious!" I took the conservative route and used 4 tea bags not knowing how spicy it would be. After having tasted the moist cake and gooey topping,

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-76332627637602240702012-01-05T13:15:00.001-05:002012-01-05T13:17:23.329-05:00

Orange Pudding Cake, originally uploaded by valeehill. From the recipe book "have your cake and vegan too" by Kris Holechek. This is baked in a shallow pan/dish and served warm. It was especially moist with an ample amount of "pudding" in the bottom of the pan. The one thing it lacked was a zesty orange flavor. We found it too subtle. Next time. A large orange, instead of a medium. More zest

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-46675731479327682422012-01-05T13:14:00.001-05:002012-01-05T13:14:53.405-05:00

Big Debbie's Creme Cake, originally uploaded by valeehill. A confession. I have NEVER had a Debbie's Creme Cake. That means I have no comparison. That's okay, because I can't imagine it would taste as good as this wonderful (and large) vegan version. Wow, it was delish! I had to buy raisins especially for this recipe since I always use dried cranberries. I've never been a shortening user, but

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-63906040866411491842011-12-31T15:37:00.001-05:002011-12-31T15:37:22.262-05:00

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah My rating: 5 of 5 stars Five stars. Five tissues...at least. Those of you who have read Kristin Hannah are already aware of how intensely moving her novels are. Winter Garden is no exception. It is a stirring depiction of two daughters, Meredith and Nina, dealing with the death of their beloved father and his request of them to get to know their secretive and

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-45436453194829919202011-12-24T11:52:00.002-05:002011-12-24T11:53:20.838-05:00

Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell My rating: 3 of 5 stars After not being able to finish the two previous Scarpetta novels (Scarpetta and The Scarpetta Factor) and barely finishing several (Book of the Dead, Predator, Trace, Blow Fly), before them, I am fairly pleased with Port Mortuary. In comparison, that is. I found it heavy on confusing dialog, but felt returning to Scarpetta's point of

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-2785812038885711152011-12-21T17:45:00.002-05:002011-12-21T17:45:49.024-05:00

This Christmas I'm thinking out of the box. My gift under the tree isn't in a box wrapped in shiny paper. No, my gift is Lizzie - her companionship. Everyday. Around-the-clock. All year. Not just for those special days - birthdays, Christmas...She is with me when my family is away or busy. Her constant, quiet, timid demeanor is a true comfort to me. I try to be a comfort to her, as well.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-8310515884618398232011-12-05T16:05:00.001-05:002011-12-13T16:49:37.037-05:00

Lethal by Sandra Brown My rating: 4 of 5 stars Lethal is the 53rd book I've read by Sandra Brown. I was so into it I thought I had been reading it for two days. Come to find out, I only started it yesterday afternoon! Talk about an engrossing read! The one thing I missed with this book was any sign of the Louisiana dialect. Sure, it's stated the story takes place in Louisiana and there are

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-22741935018938692212011-12-04T08:47:00.001-05:002011-12-04T08:47:27.721-05:00

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have withheld reading any in-depth descriptions or reviews of The Night Circus. I had read bits and pieces of an extended sample and after a noticing (not reading...yet!) a recent review on my Goodreads home page I remembered to reserve it at the library. If I had read more about the book I doubt I would have read the book. I'm not

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-57921773880240295172011-11-30T06:59:00.001-05:002011-12-01T10:31:58.649-05:00

The Next Always by Nora Roberts My rating: 4 of 5 stars What an easy breezy read! I really do LOVE Nora's books. If I had to pick the ONE thing that makes Nora my favorite author it would be the dialog she writes for her characters - whether it be spoken between friends, siblings, parent and child, it blows me away every time! I can't help being drawn into the tight knit circle of amazing

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-81605234502287885902011-11-26T17:14:00.001-05:002011-11-26T18:05:23.441-05:00

This was my first vegan Thanksgiving meal and my first Tofurky Roast. I followed the recipe on the box this time, but will be on the lookout for a different basting sauce for the next time. I found the recipe for the dressing online, and between suggestions from my husband and my own ideas, will make some changes next year. The recipe for the gravy (Basic Brown Sauce) comes from the book, 1000

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-27565984698495119812011-11-26T13:06:00.001-05:002011-11-26T13:06:59.898-05:00

Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs My rating: 4 of 5 stars After reading three lovely works of literature I was more than ready to dive into the latest Temperance Brennan mystery. I really do enjoy this series and have since reading the first book in 1998. I find Kathy Reichs' "bare bones" descriptions of things to suit me well. Flash and Bones was a very quick (a few hours) read, and, as usual,

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-9156828774080816132011-11-21T11:40:00.001-05:002011-11-21T11:53:22.624-05:00

"Time is an old firmly rooted tree; we are the breeze rustling its leaves." ~ Terri Guillemets Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry 9670 on 21 Nov 2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-20675364950802193982011-11-09T14:57:00.000-05:002011-11-09T17:44:28.161-05:00

It's been five months since my last new music update and I'm thrilled with the awesome new tunes gracing my library and iPod. Alternative, rock, pop, and a soundtrack...REALLY good stuff!  I especially feel "with it" when my teenage daughter wants to listen to my music! w00t! Broken Bells The Ghost Inside (video) Vaporize The Civil Wars Barton Hollow (video) Florence + The Machine Shake It Out

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-19960395763882966112011-10-15T10:37:00.001-04:002011-10-15T10:39:57.786-04:00

Since my last research update my subscription to Footnote (Fold3) has expired and I dropped my monthly U.S. Ancestry.com expense.  I've still managed to do a great deal of organizing, publishing (mostly to Flickr), and research utilizing subscription free services. I also did a major update to The KANE Family entry. Please contact me if you have information to contribute to our family tree.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-51880916864655367382011-10-14T18:28:00.001-04:002011-11-07T16:44:36.504-05:00

Mr. Darcy's Proposal by Susan Mason-Milks My rating: 4 of 5 stars Yes, I very much liked this book, but more importantly, after reading it I find myself even more enamored of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. I think this is a true testament to how beautifully Susan Mason-Milks crafted this "what if" version of Pride and Prejudice. I purchased it on a whim, which is so unlike me. I am so

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-85035168109705750242011-10-09T16:36:00.000-04:002012-01-05T15:14:22.278-05:00

This is the first dessert I've made from the recipe book, Have Your Cake and Vegan Too by Kris Holechek. I bought the book in August and just today got around to picking a recipe and trying it out. It is very tasty as is, but if I make it again I will test it before the called for 38 minutes, as I think it is slightly over-baked.  I might also remove the walnuts and double up the

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-53058101145013518762011-10-08T20:54:00.001-04:002011-11-07T16:42:58.722-05:00

Mai Tai One On by Jill Marie Landis My rating: 2 of 5 stars I believe I was looking for a comical mystery in the league of the Stephanie Plum books. Although I feel it is not the same caliber of fun the Plum series is, it was good enough for me to finish. There were a few lines of dialog that were cleverly "cute" and some of the characters were fairly genuine. Many were too over-the-top

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-39545086693935453832011-09-22T11:57:00.001-04:002011-09-22T11:58:00.042-04:00

A Gray Sky Morning Digital photograph of the Rappahannock River by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Style 9670 on 9/22/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-91425083737685541332011-09-15T14:03:00.001-04:002011-09-15T14:04:28.946-04:00

Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard My rating: 5 of 5 stars A little dated but still an excellent read with dynamic chemistry (verbal AND physical) between the hero (Sam Donovan) and heroine (Jaine Bright). The friendship between the four women - Jaine, Luna, T.J. & Marcy, and the subsequent grieving felt absolutely genuine. This book is probably the most well-rounded romantic/romantic suspense

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-2416370775747663602011-09-08T16:58:00.000-04:002012-01-05T15:15:57.279-05:00

From a recipe in The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes by Kris Holechek these muffins are a maple and cinnamon delight.  I topped this first batch with the confectioner's sugar and cinnamon she suggested.  She also mentions a glaze of maple syrup and confectioner's sugar.  I definitely want to add some chopped walnuts the next time.  How yummy does that sound?

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-88051572233555512332011-09-04T16:34:00.003-04:002011-09-08T17:19:55.837-04:00

Chocolate Coconut Brownies When looking for a new vegan baking recipe I have, to date, only looked through my baking recipe books totally neglecting the baking sections in what I consider a cookbook - 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson.  Today, I'm trying two baking recipes from that book. (Also making cornbread muffins.)  These brownies which are filled with coconut-y goodness from three

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-60860564165074505312011-08-15T13:22:00.001-04:002011-08-15T13:22:18.993-04:00

Butchers Hill: A Tess Monaghan Novel by Laura Lippman My rating: 3 of 5 stars Butchers Hill is the third in the Tess Monaghan series, but the fourth I've read. I gave up trying to read them in order as it requires too much coordinating with two libraries to do so. I find Tess to be a complex character with simple needs. She seems to believe in doing the right thing, but doesn't hesitate to lie

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-36654458051438190572011-08-08T19:58:00.002-04:002011-08-08T20:08:49.155-04:00

“The trees are our lungs, the rivers our circulation, the air our breath, and the earth our body.” ~  Deepak Chopra Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with BlackBerry Style 9670 on 8/7/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-25175627726749775322011-08-05T09:29:00.001-04:002011-08-05T09:29:48.767-04:00

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris My rating: 4 of 5 stars I found this eleventh in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series to be much more to my liking than the previous book, Dead in the Family. Some of the things that pleased me in the book: I appreciated that Sookie, in the midst of this unbelievably harrowing life she leads, worried about things like being a good hostess, keeping

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-72953680264452363752011-08-02T14:31:00.005-04:002011-08-03T12:42:27.070-04:00

Mt. Shasta I took this photo of Mt. Shasta 30 years ago.   I hadn't seen it in almost that long... It was the negative I couldn't quite make out on the short strip of four.  I asked my husband to scan the three I could identify.  I had horses on my mind, you see.  I wanted to see the three images of Arabians on that strip. Fortunately, he did this one as well.  Seeing this image awakened

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-31762631946442628042011-07-23T12:18:00.002-04:002011-07-23T13:50:28.438-04:00

Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts My rating: 2 of 5 stars To begin, an explanation. This book was published in late 2008 and is the third in the Sign of Seven Trilogy. I read the first book, Blood Brothers, the month it was released, and the second book, The Hollow, six months after its release date. I purchased The Pagan Stone two months after it was released and only just this month read it.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-3810105927964300622011-07-14T17:00:00.000-04:002011-07-14T17:00:08.016-04:00

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens My rating: 5 of 5 stars If The Restorer is indicative of Amanda Stevens' previous books I regret not having read her before. From the opening line to the epilogue I found her writing style extremely pleasing and all of her characters intriguing. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the supernatural aspect of the story - rather, I felt it enhanced the more literal

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-11769830677807683362011-07-13T12:01:00.001-04:002011-07-13T12:01:17.185-04:00

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon My rating: 4 of 5 stars Although not as amazing to me as the previous book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone is nonetheless historically dramatic, heart-wrenching, and romantic. The unsettling and suspenseful ending has me wanting to read the excerpts and quotes shared by Diana Gabaldon from Book Eight. What a journey! View all my

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-4567239747976168292011-07-02T15:58:00.000-04:002011-07-02T15:58:27.424-04:00

Mocha-Cashew Cookie Bars It was necessary (food allergies) to swap out the macadamia nuts in the original recipe for cashews.  I used the suggested 2 tablespoons of instant coffee, which seems the perfect amount to me.  Next time I may use a smaller baking dish as this first batch was done before 30 minutes and seem a little thin using the 9 x 13" pan. Otherwise, they are deliciously

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-65491705806118358812011-07-01T12:48:00.002-04:002011-07-02T15:07:47.443-04:00

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon My rating: 5 of 5 stars What an epic, audacious, and romantic read!!! On to An Echo in the Bone. View all my reviews

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-17169970489520422462011-06-27T16:16:00.000-04:002011-06-27T16:16:42.530-04:00

Lizzie is one clean Corgi.  She doesn't have "doggy breath" or any other doggy odor and one year since her last bath she wasn't even dingy looking.  You'd think that would have earned her a reprieve from getting a bath today. NOT!  It seemed like a great way to rush the shedding along and a little "refreshing" couldn't hurt...right?   She got to eat breakfast and go for a walk before it was

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-15335940472948987012011-06-26T20:35:00.002-04:002011-06-26T20:35:16.607-04:00

Hibiscus syriacus aka Rose of Sharon Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with BlackBerry Style 9670 on 26 Jun 2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-42707870299826521122011-06-18T19:13:00.001-04:002011-06-18T19:13:36.358-04:00

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon My rating: 3 of 5 stars Let me just start by saying I LOVED the first four books in the Outlander Series - like everyone else! I read them in the 90's and again last year. I tried reading The Fiery Cross several times when it was released, but just couldn't get past the first few chapters. Was it all the breast feeding and "clout" talk? I am fairly certain

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-19115795208490066152011-06-17T18:13:00.001-04:002011-06-17T18:13:21.306-04:00

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.  ~ Author Unknown Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with BlackBerry Style 9670 on 17 Jun 2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-14692283121543835212011-06-17T09:59:00.002-04:002011-06-17T09:59:25.934-04:00

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan My rating: 2 of 5 stars I still haven't read any reviews of A Visit from the Goon Squad. The decision to order it through Interlibrary Loan came after its being chosen for the first Goodreads Book Club Selection. Winning the Pulitzer for Fiction offered me further incentive to give it a try. It's usually after reading the synopsis that I research

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-49441847747833437872011-05-30T05:57:00.004-04:002011-05-30T06:23:41.977-04:00

Since my last "new music" update of February 5 I've been able to get me some fine new tunes.  Three online sources and two people made it possible.  There's R&B/Soul, Blues Rock, Alternative, and Pop.  Something for nearly every mood! Adele *19 *21 (OUTSTANDING album!  Rumor Has It, Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain, and Turning Tables are my personal faves so far. Thanks Mary!) Dan

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-20513563007330107422011-05-21T13:39:00.001-04:002011-05-21T13:42:05.244-04:00

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins This is the third time I've made this recipe, which is from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes book by Kris Holechek.  One large navel orange yielded a lot of juice and zest to make them flavorful, while the semi-sweet chocolate chips made them gooey inside!  Here's a hint...they come out of the cupcake liners much easier several hours after cooling.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-31412339865134111152011-05-19T18:22:00.000-04:002011-09-23T19:19:36.588-04:00

"The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil water-way leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky - seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness."  ~ Joseph Conrad Digital photograph of the Rappahannock River by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Style 9670 on May 19, 2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-2930289727078618122011-05-17T19:21:00.002-04:002011-05-17T19:48:31.345-04:00

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down.  Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."  ~ G.K. Chesterton Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Style 9670 on 05/17/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-2383116674111409042011-05-15T18:32:00.000-04:002011-05-15T18:32:05.232-04:00

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer My rating: 4 of 5 stars It was on my wish list for TWO YEARS so there were unrealistic expectations that I couldn't help. (It better be perfect for how long we're having to wait!) The companion guides I've read/browsed have collectively not been page turners. I was concerned that there wouldn't be anything new to discover in

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-80772278766657450342011-05-15T08:52:00.000-04:002011-05-15T08:52:31.884-04:00

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen My rating: 2 of 5 stars It took me two weeks to finish this small book. I was continually being distracted by other things. I can't say if that was completely due to the book's not holding my interest or that I subconsciously wanted a break from reading or I simply assigned a higher priority to those other things. It's not like I don't find some fantasy

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-7828807764106118882011-05-14T12:38:00.001-04:002011-09-08T17:19:22.595-04:00

Chocolate and Coconut Oatmeal Cookies Chocolate-y (cocoa), fudge-y (chocolate chips), and coconut-y (unsweetened organic coconut) goodness with loads of oats and a hint of almond extract. They are scrumptiously delicious and hearty! Original recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-71971635738715350902011-04-29T18:08:00.000-04:002011-04-29T18:08:13.699-04:00

Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein My rating: 4 of 5 stars Silent Mercy is my 10th Alexandra Cooper Mystery and just like with the others I found the historical parts quite interesting. The story moves along at a good pace. The team of Alex, Mike, and Mercer is a strong one. They get the job done! The search and capture of the "clergy killer" was uniquely riveting. My main complaint with this

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-27738566518173559182011-04-25T09:53:00.003-04:002011-05-30T06:23:19.420-04:00

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts My rating: 5 of 5 stars Right from the beginning I was engulfed (sorry for the puns) by this book. Initially I felt a little lost in the all consuming world of the smoke jumpers - I'm still not sure about some of the abbreviations and lingo used in the book. However, the fires are not the reason to read this book - the people are. The tight knit group whose very

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-13618820061513860922011-04-20T18:28:00.000-04:002011-04-20T18:28:15.377-04:00

After two years on my Amazon Wish List and eight days after its release I have The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide in my hot Twilight Mom hands.  A great big thank you to my understanding and thoughtful husband!  

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-43535126633242836542011-04-19T12:32:00.000-04:002011-04-19T12:32:33.096-04:00

Secrets to the Grave (Deeper than the dead #2) by Tami Hoag My rating: 4 of 5 stars I've been a fan of Tami Hoag's since the early 90's. I think this sequel to Deeper Than the Dead surpassed the previous book in several areas. The first chapter was as compelling a book beginning as I can recall. Ever. I was intrigued by all of the characters and relationships, but especially those who

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-11864316426211392942011-04-09T16:10:00.000-04:002011-04-09T16:10:19.028-04:00

Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles My family and I consider regular Snickerdoodles one of our favorite cookies.  To "spice" things up a bit I decided to try this recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  Once I mentioned "cayenne" as one of the ingredients my husband and daughter both made faces.  Once I assured them I would go light on that

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-80694783277182825832011-04-05T10:04:00.000-04:002011-04-05T10:04:02.924-04:00

Shakespeare's Trollop by Charlaine Harris My rating: 3 of 5 stars There was a certain comfortable familiarity reading things from Lily Bard's perspective since reading the previous book almost a year ago. Her methodical and practical nature doesn't make for a thrilling narrative, but she gets things done. This insight was particularly accurate: "But it was not her weakness that had caused

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-21748456162575113912011-04-02T15:54:00.001-04:002011-04-02T15:56:17.147-04:00

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes With Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Too good to eat just one!  My husband was going in for seconds.  Sure, they were all golden 'vanilla-y' goodness, but they got a hint of nutty goodness from almond extract.  Both recipes are from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-435826559556900262011-03-31T16:00:00.000-04:002011-03-31T16:00:21.669-04:00

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Girl Who Chased the Moon is the second book I've read by Sarah Addison Allen and I favored it slightly over the first - Garden Spells. I was intrigued by the small town family secrets...the mysteries, which felt more organic than those formulated for 'whodunnit' mysteries. It was all about the why and not so much

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-57246628936832434222011-03-28T11:34:00.001-04:002011-09-23T19:20:31.776-04:00

"There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope." ~ Bern Williams Digital photograph of the Rappahannock River by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Style 9670 on 03/28/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-21545274474575397742011-03-27T09:46:00.001-04:002011-05-17T19:51:19.307-04:00

"The moon is like a mystery novel, the sun like a motivational self-help book, and the stars a coffee table book of photography. The sky is the whole library, and God the librarian." ~ Pepper Giardino Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Style 9670 on 03/27/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-1886801187809767412011-03-26T12:01:00.002-04:002011-03-26T12:01:34.454-04:00

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen My rating: 4 of 5 stars Reading Garden Spells felt rather like the author was telling me a story. It is a fanciful and romantic story filled with quirky and (mostly) likable characters. The sisters, Claire and Sydney; the cousin, Evanelle (my favorite character); the daughter, Bay; the neighbor, Tyler; and the farmer, Henry. A main character in this

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-30179316050790962032011-03-23T10:23:00.001-04:002011-09-08T17:20:52.853-04:00

Description:  This is a low fat vegetarian dish using Seitan instead of chicken and potatoes in lieu of a crust.  If you have a stove top to oven safe skillet use that otherwise transfer from skillet to 8" x 11" baking dish lightly coated with olive oil cooking spray. Serving it with a spinach salad and whole grain toast makes for a delicious and nutritious meal.  Vegan Parmesan will make it

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-16569100626518560732011-03-22T11:41:00.001-04:002011-05-17T19:52:26.431-04:00

"The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man."  ~ Author Unknown Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Style 9670 on 03/22/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-78168558600868652222011-03-19T10:56:00.001-04:002011-03-19T12:50:08.620-04:00

Birthright by Nora Roberts My rating: 5 of 5 stars I read Birthright when it was first published in April 2003. I rated it 4 stars then, and because it's by Nora Roberts, my favorite author, I was looking forward to reading it again. I treated myself to the Kindle edition to read on my iPod, which is my preference. Nora writes in such a way that I pretty much always want

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-21367699761511003682011-03-18T16:48:00.001-04:002011-09-23T19:21:12.222-04:00

"The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination."  ~ Terri Guillemets Digital photograph of the Rappahannock River by Virginia Travis taken with an Olympus SP510UZ on 03/11/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-68893902540802131572011-03-17T11:05:00.005-04:002011-06-27T15:26:32.354-04:00

One thing about Corgis (short-legged dogs), their noses are always conveniently located close to the ground.  It's so easy to sniff-as-you-go when you don't have those "pesky" long legs keeping your sniffer up in the air.  Oh yeah, all those heavenly smells that attract dogs' noses to the ground.  Lizzie is much more interested in sniffing than going most times.  I've never given much thought

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-91745701217785483772011-03-14T18:24:00.000-04:002011-03-14T18:24:41.740-04:00

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah My rating: 5 of 5 stars Nothing I read about Firefly Lane could have prepared me for the moving story of Tully and Kate. Sure, I've read other books that were emotionally charged and brought me to tears. Several of them were also written by Kristin Hannah. She's a genius at writing human stories that make it impossible not to feel the emotions right along with

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-35801130338326740462011-03-12T12:16:00.001-05:002011-08-13T15:31:29.912-04:00

Dream Man by Linda Howard My rating: 4 of 5 stars Technology didn't have a big part in the original story, which was published 16 years ago! Because of that it holds up very well. The chemistry between Dane and Marlie is the star! I only had issue with a small amount of dialogue between them - words that didn't seem true to the characters. I liked the secondary characters a lot and

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-35239362002123956982011-03-09T17:52:00.002-05:002011-03-09T17:52:52.040-05:00

Bless the Bride by Rhys Bowen My rating: 4 of 5 stars Mollie is such a likable character. I find her to be genuine, curious, intelligent, and loyal. She has an innate goodness even when she’s doing something she shouldn’t – like keeping things from her fiancé. I enjoyed Bless the Bride immensely! The historical aspect was fascinating, as were all the characters. I couldn’t be more pleased

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-54798438549848055212011-02-26T12:35:00.001-05:002011-02-26T12:35:30.322-05:00

I found the original recipe in a newspaper way back in the 90's.  I changed things around just a little.  I hadn't made it in a few years and after enjoying it last night, I have no idea why. Please remember to prepare the beans several hours before cooking time (refer to the link in instructions).  My family and I enjoy them served over freshly made cornbread and topped with shredded cheese.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-66317402483010517862011-02-22T20:22:00.000-05:002011-02-22T20:22:40.941-05:00

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris My rating: 2 of 5 stars Granted it's been nearly two years since I read the last Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) novel. I may have forgotten the general "feel" of the series. I'm still not completely sold on the need for the fairies. I see them as "the last straw." How many different kinds of supernatural beings need to be in one book/series?

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-53658941040234808842011-02-22T12:08:00.007-05:002011-03-28T12:19:55.699-04:00

Forever Carrot Cake This recipe makes the perfect carrot cake every time!  The vegan creme cheese frosting is outstanding!  I usually bake it in a 9" x 13" glass baking dish that has a fairly tight plastic cover; perfect for refrigerating.  It also makes 18 cupcakes that requires reducing the baking time and halving the frosting recipe.  My family and I prefer dried cranberries (orange essence

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-44273153335669133482011-02-22T11:50:00.003-05:002011-02-22T12:45:55.232-05:00

What's the biggest book you've read recently? Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon.  I read the eBook (4697 pages of medium font), but the paperback edition contains 896 pages! What's the lightest, most "fluff" kind of book you've read recently? Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich. Nobody gets me laughing like Stephanie Plum and her gang. Which do you prefer? Paperbacks, hardcover, or eBooks?

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-29023835607883849662011-02-20T19:31:00.001-05:002011-03-17T19:48:13.093-04:00

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was the 52nd book by Sandra Brown I've read...wow! I do believe those gripping and juicy parts she writes so well are what make me such a loyal fan. Tough Customer had them. They merely seemed farther into the book than I feel is her usual style. Dodge and Ski were both excellent hero material! The ending was not tidily wrapped up,

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-60458147904823810952011-02-20T10:50:00.032-05:002011-04-17T18:36:39.601-04:00

With my poor memory I had to go look at a top 40 chart for February 2010.  Going down the list I bypassed several songs I've already chosen for this challenge or like enough to have in my music library.  The first song that I went "Aha!" over was listed as Number 21.  It is from a self-titled album by an Irish pop/rock band.  The song has a lovely melody, smooth vocals, meaningful lyrics,

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-23611037765359559072011-02-19T10:07:00.010-05:002011-04-17T18:31:55.316-04:00

There's a little ditty my dad used to sing.  He was a sailor and even though I'm fairly certain he probably sang several songs (of the sailor & Navy variety) I can only recall a few of the lyrics to one.  I can still whistle a little of it too.  I don't remember when he started singing it to me or when the last time was, but it was probably when I was an adolescent.  I searched high and

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-29796652211318332912011-02-18T09:28:00.003-05:002011-04-17T18:28:21.011-04:00

I tried to think of a song that reminded me of something personally unpleasant, but I just couldn't think of one.  However, there is one song that commemorates a tragic disaster that occurred November 10, 1975.  You've probably already guess it if you're of a "certain age" as The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. 

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-28181427771557391922011-02-17T08:58:00.003-05:002011-04-17T18:26:02.901-04:00

A song!?  The truth is I can't play any song because I can't play any instrument.  I can't sing worth a darn either, but that doesn't keep me from "feeling" music.  So, how do I choose a song I wish I could play when I can't choose an instrument I wish I could play?  I have to think about this... ...okay, I've decided - the song is While My Guitar Gently Weeps.  Wait for it...not because of

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-19618339951982124712011-02-17T08:36:00.016-05:002011-04-17T18:22:11.990-04:00

My daughter has been taking piano lessons for a couple of years.  She's had about 40 half-hour lessons to date.  She has an electronic keyboard in her room, but doesn't spend much time playing.  At Christmas in 2009 she received the Twilight Score Piano Solo Songbook.  It contains the music for 11 songs, including my favorite piece.  She practiced it for quite awhile before her teacher

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-73905231570311641212011-02-16T16:35:00.002-05:002011-02-17T14:39:36.363-05:00

Lewis (1995 - 07 Sep 2007) and Clark (1995 - 26 Jun 2008) We adopted Lewis and Clark from the House Rabbit Society in May 1998 when they were about two years of age. They were unrelated but each was a Netherland Dwarf mix, which translates to being tiny but mighty. Even though they could be quite timid they also had times when they were fearless. They never craved attention like my other

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-81970577650747400322011-02-16T08:55:00.001-05:002011-05-17T19:57:07.321-04:00

"I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time."  ~ Emily Dickinson Digital photograph by Virginia Travis taken with a BlackBerry Curve 8330 on 02/16/2011. Some Rights Reserved (please see Creative Commons License in the sidebar.)

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-51251597210537615342011-02-16T08:14:00.014-05:002011-04-23T12:38:25.830-04:00

I wouldn't say this song makes me laugh, but it certainly evokes a chuckle or two from me each time I hear it.  The first time I did hear it was in 1981 (the year it was released) while driving to Disneyland with my friend, Beth. (Her cassette.  My truck.) This and several other songs from the same album still grace my music library, but this one remains my favorite.  The song is Big Balls

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-21031218325139603592011-02-15T13:56:00.001-05:002011-03-20T19:50:08.963-04:00

Ginger Lynn's Sydney Marie19 Nov 1986 - 30 Sep 2000 It was 1986 and I had wanted a female Black-Tri Australian Shepherd for a long time. I was in a situation where I knew I could do well by one, so my friend, Connie, gave me my choice of a Black-Tri female from a litter coming up. She sent me photos of the litter at two weeks of age and that was the first time I laid eyes on Sydney. I told Connie

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-48353917869934421842011-02-15T13:23:00.003-05:002011-03-20T19:51:10.670-04:00

Tucker at 16 Years23 Oct 1991 - 09 Jun 2008 I adopted Tucker from The Foundation For the Care of Indigent Animals in San Diego on October 23, 1993. I had fostered many dogs for Penny at my store, but there was something about Tucker that made him stand out in my heart more than the others. For example, one day I had him outside for a walk when I had to run back into the store to answer the phone.

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-55622632794559081282011-02-15T10:52:00.005-05:002011-03-20T19:52:15.418-04:00

Cats are such a unique and strong presence in a home.  I often think about my cats, who are all gone, as they gave me much joy and affection. I have spent time with many other cats at animal shelters, by fostering them, and by volunteering with a feral cat group in California.  Not all cats are aloof. Really, they're not.  (Willie was the only one that fit that description.)  The other 6

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-73082457219076261802011-02-14T12:10:00.001-05:002011-08-07T13:56:24.196-04:00

(Slide show instructions: Mouse over the slide player. Select the center arrow to begin. Click the 4-arrow button in the bottom right for full-screen mode. From there you have many options to choose from.) I was fifteen years old when Gypsy Mellodee ("Gypsy") AHR #106548 (view pedigree) was foaled (2:35 a.m.) and it was on a school night! My best friend, Lauren, and I had stayed up

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-7801728813213772142011-02-14T11:48:00.001-05:002011-02-14T11:48:54.354-05:00

(Slide show instructions: Mouse over the slide player. Select the center arrow to begin. Click the 4-arrow button in the bottom right for full-screen mode. From there you have many options to choose from.) My grandmother, Rose Kennedy, purchased Flamoniatar ("Flame") AHR# 65765 (view pedigree) as a three year old, indirectly from an Arabian horse sale in Utah on June 26, 1973. She was

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-53257209196808730692011-02-13T14:05:00.001-05:002011-11-28T08:58:03.557-05:00

(Mouse over the slide player. Select the center arrow to begin. Click the 4-arrow button in the bottom right for full-screen mode. From there you have many options to choose from.) Some horses have such a strong spirit and are so confident. Cricket was one of those horses. She was foaled March 21, 1975. Her sire was the beautiful Abu Farwa son, Farlowa, and her dam was our double Abu

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-39945499272692500722011-02-13T14:00:00.003-05:002011-02-16T15:56:04.790-05:00

(Mouse over the slide player. Select the center arrow to begin. Click the 4-arrow button in the bottom right for full-screen mode. From there you have many options to choose from.) I got my first horse at the age of 11. She was an Appendix Registered Quarter Horse mare named Sugar. She was a beautiful sorrel, but too much horse for a child. She was sold after one month. My next horse

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-49820682263121357842011-02-12T11:09:00.001-05:002011-02-12T11:09:27.187-05:00

State Fair by Earlene Fowler My rating: 3 of 5 stars I have never looked to the Benni Harper Mysteries for excitement or flashy dialog. They are steadily paced and have simple, straightforward dialog between the characters. There is always a murder to solve, and Benni is always in the middle of things. Each book is consistently and comfortingly similar. After 14 books that's exactly what I

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-18178628796799967042011-02-11T15:40:00.001-05:002011-03-20T13:27:27.816-04:00

Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you’re happy Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you’re sad Day 23 – A song you want to play at your wedding Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral I do not seek out specific songs when I'm "in a mood."  (my music = mood enhancer...always!) I didn't have music at either of my weddings

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-9270644724340780342011-02-10T17:08:00.001-05:002011-03-20T13:20:56.866-04:00

Picking the song for this one is a snap.  Choosing my favorite album.  Not so much.  I've heard  myself say that this is my favorite, but I can't really describe what makes it so.  Two* of the ten songs on this 1992 album are, in my humble opinion, two of this artist's best.  I've never come across anyone else singling them out though.  What is it about this particular album that stands out

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-39423883315531073302011-02-06T15:40:00.018-05:002011-03-20T13:16:58.744-04:00

There are quite a few songs by this duo that I'm thrilled to have emerge from one of my play lists.  Many are from their past albums.  There are two songs from their current album that I've rated 5 stars, and of those two this one, which was the first single, edges out the other.  The name of the duo is The Black Keys and their awesome tune, Tighten Up, is definitely a song I love to hear

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-34032291455992105922011-02-05T17:13:00.018-05:002011-02-21T14:17:43.125-05:00

It's been nearly four whole months since I got some new music!  Once again I used Genius Recommendations from iTunes.  I've had the most amazing good fortune using that feature.  I'm looking forward to listening to the songs in their entirety and rating them.  Woo hoo!  I'm well aware that the Alternative genre is steadily becoming my overall favorite.  Interesting! Paper Tongues - Paper

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-46769265930122581652011-02-05T11:11:00.001-05:002011-03-20T13:06:34.020-04:00

Between iTunes' play count and Last.fm it's super simple to determine how many times I've listened to my tunes.  However, I've already chosen the song I have listened to the most (70 plays) as the song I know all the words to.  How very appropriate!  So, instead of repeating a song in this meme challenge I've opted to move on to the 2nd place winner with 55 plays.  My Top Tracks Overall

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-52532200957877982382011-02-04T16:36:00.009-05:002011-03-20T13:00:16.287-04:00

In looking through my music and lists of hit songs from the last three decades, I still like most of the same music I did then.  There are certainly lots of pop songs I liked as a teen that I am not interested in listening to now.  I couldn't single one song out though.  I ended up choosing a song I was crazy about by a band I was crazy about.  Although the band is still in existence, its

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-12919884750923618482011-02-04T12:00:00.001-05:002011-02-11T21:23:10.856-05:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett My rating: 5 of 5 stars I decided to read this book solely upon the recommendation of one friend, who just recently said she could "hear" it. Several others, once they found out I had a copy, said the book was "INCREDIBLE", "supah", and "wonnnnnderful". They are all right. The Help is all those things. The one word description that I've chosen (and mentioned in

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-83713292767632403692011-02-03T14:29:00.001-05:002011-03-20T12:55:16.290-04:00

There wasn't a song that I knew described me in anyway. However, I feel the lyrics and melody of this song (if taken literally with the religious overtones removed) fit my personal tempo so-so.  The band is Civil Twilight and the song is Human.  There’s one way out and one way in Back to the beginning There’s one way back to home again To where I feel forgiven What is this I feel, why is

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-6243159764974927162011-02-02T15:58:00.005-05:002011-03-20T14:23:56.585-04:00

I grew up with horses.  I rode Western (English and Dressage too.)  I spent time at horse shows and rodeos, which meant I was exposed to a lot of Country music. I am definitely not a Country music lover, although I enjoy some Country.  I have almost one hundred Country songs in my music library.  I don't listen to them all that often, but there are definitely some I like a lot when I'm in

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-22406212210989254732011-02-01T16:55:00.005-05:002011-03-20T14:24:55.167-04:00

The one artist I consider my "guilty pleasure" is Tom Jones.  Yes, that Tom Jones.  He of "What's New Pussycat?" and "It's Not Unusual" fame.  The thing is, Mr. Jones remains one of the few happy memories from my childhood.  Watching his television show, This is Tom Jones, with my grandmother and sisters may have been the only thing we enjoyed doing all together.  We had that hour per week,

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-11659006097793496082011-01-31T15:40:00.002-05:002011-03-20T14:25:32.296-04:00

I don't know about you but I don't listen to bands I "don't care for."  I hate the word hate.  Too strong.  Especially for something like music.  There are definitely bands whose music I don't want to hear, nevertheless listen to.  My husband and daughter have, since Christmas, been playing Rock Band.  First, it was The Beatles.  Okay, I like The Beatles.  Next it was Rock Band.  Just a few days

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-31989417442093108522011-01-30T12:31:00.003-05:002011-03-20T12:32:13.225-04:00

The thing about favorites is they can change along with our mood, tastes, and exposure to new things.  I'd say that for the last two years my favorite band has been OneRepublic.  There is something about their sound that always grabs me.  Every time I hear a hint of a OneRepublic song I say something like, "Ooh, it's OneRepublic" and I turn up the volume. The lead singer, Ryan Tedder, is

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-57121504976831020712011-01-30T12:00:00.000-05:002011-02-11T21:30:45.710-05:00

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich My rating: 4 of 5 stars I busted out laughing too many times to count. Not much in the way of plots, but they're so much fun I don't care. Lula is priceless! View all my reviews

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741445534987945740.post-38457623933389311242011-01-29T18:45:00.003-05:002011-03-20T14:26:55.161-04:00

I'm going to be particular and change the the topic from a song that makes me fall asleep to an album that I can fall asleep to.  In reality I can fall asleep listening to any of my music as long as I'm listening through my comfy ear buds.  I won't even attempt to fall asleep with music playing through speakers.  *cringe*  This artist is known for his smooth vocals and technical expertise

Virginia Travishttps://profiles.google.com/116349867665114289486noreply@blogger.com2