Saying a temporary goodbye to Facebook

 

No one has loved Facebook more than me.

Until I didn't.

I love spending time, even virtual time, with friends and family.

Sharing stories, photos, memories.

Discovering new artists, poets, authors.

And then today I was hacked.

Boo.  Hiss.

What's with people who don't have enough in their own lives to keep them busy and happy that they have to do really ridiculously stupid stuff like mess with someone else's Facebook account for God's sake?  Bless their hearts.

Pitiful.

So it's actually a good thing for me.  I had cut back on my time there because it seems to be a place where the mean crazies live. 

Now, for awhile, I'll just use my little piece of the internet world that I own and share what I want to share right here.  Or at my webpage - https://kayewilkinsonbarley.com/

Today I have no news.

 I'm reading a good book.  Natasha Lester's "The Paris Secret."  And, so far, it's excellent!

Enjoy your day - Stay safe, stay in touch, and VOTE VOTE VOTE!

(Teeshirt available here)

Are you registered to vote?  

Need to check your registration?

Considering voting by mail?

Need to know where your polling place is?

Here's EVERYTHING you need -  https://www.vote.org/

Tuesday ramblings

 It's a dreary day in the NC mountains.

A perfect day, I think, to curl up in bed with coffee, cookies, and Annabelle spread across my feet.

In my continuing attempts to limit what I hear coming out of the mouth of The Village Idiot, who becomes crazier and more dangerous by the day, I'm still limiting my Facebook time.  (Here's where I insert my chant:  "VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!")

I'm doing a lot of cooking 

and baking 

and reading.

Last night I finished an ARC of a debut novel that blew me away.

One of those books containing passages so lovely that you have to re-read and savor each word.

 

"In this intimate debut novel, a woman returns to her small Southern hometown in the wake of her mother's sudden death--only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets.

Lila Bruce Breedlove never quite felt at home in Wesleyan, Georgia, especially after her father's untimely death when she was a child. Both she and her brother, Henry, fled north after high school, establishing fulfilling lives and relationships of their own, steeped in art and culture. In contrast, their younger sister, Abigail, opted to remain in Georgia to dote on their domineering, larger-than-life mother, Geneva. Yet, despite their years-long independence, Lila and Henry both know they've never quite reckoned with their upbringing.

Now, when their elderly mother dies suddenly and strangely, found among the dense vines of the muscadine arbor behind the family estate, they must travel back to the town that raised them. But as Lila and Henry uncover more about Geneva's death, shocking truths are revealed that upend the Bruces' history as they know it, sending the pair on an extraordinary journey to chase a truth that will dramatically alter the course of their lives.

With deep compassion and sharp wit, Pamela Terry brings to life the culture and expectations of a small Southern town that values appearance over authenticity--and where the struggle to live honestly can lead to devastating consequences."

The description does not do the book justice.

It's this and so much more. 

What makes a book special?  Sets it apart from other books you read and enjoy?

It's characters that have dimension and personality.

It's the author's voice and word choice.

Phrasing and pacing.

Descriptions that place you so deeply in the story you're able to actually see the scene being described.  And feel it.

Pamela Terry is an author I think we're going to be hearing a lot about in the future.

"The Sweet Taste of Muscadines" won't be available until March - AND it'll be worth the wait. Not to worry - I'll be back to remind you! 

I was lucky enough to run across it at NetGalley and even luckier when my request to read it was granted.  

It's one of those books I'll be sharing with friends and family.

While I was up way past my bedtime reading Ms. Terry's book, two books by two of my favorite authors popped up on my Kindle.  (Have I mentioned how much I love the magic of my Kindle?)

Natasha Lester's "The Paris Secret," 

and Mark Pryor's "The French Widow," (the 9th book in the Hugo Marston series)

Now to decide which to read first . . . 

Wishing you a good day!

(Teeshirt available here)

Are you registered to vote?  

Need to check your registration?

Considering voting by mail?

Need to know where your polling place is?

Here's EVERYTHING you need -  https://www.vote.org/

The Names by Billy Collins

Yesterday, I lay awake in the palm of the night.
A soft rain stole in, unhelped by any breeze,
And when I saw the silver glaze on the windows,
I started with A, with Ackerman, as it happened,
Then Baxter and Calabro,
Davis and Eberling, names falling into place
As droplets fell through the dark.
Names printed on the ceiling of the night.
Names slipping around a watery bend.
Twenty-six willows on the banks of a stream.
In the morning, I walked out barefoot
Among thousands of flowers
Heavy with dew like the eyes of tears,
And each had a name --
Fiori inscribed on a yellow petal
Then Gonzalez and Han, Ishikawa and Jenkins.
Names written in the air
And stitched into the cloth of the day.
A name under a photograph taped to a mailbox.
Monogram on a torn shirt,
I see you spelled out on storefront windows
And on the bright unfurled awnings of this city.
I say the syllables as I turn a corner --
Kelly and Lee,
Medina, Nardella, and O'Connor.
When I peer into the woods,
I see a thick tangle where letters are hidden
As in a puzzle concocted for children.
Parker and Quigley in the twigs of an ash,
Rizzo, Schubert, Torres, and Upton,
Secrets in the boughs of an ancient maple.
Names written in the pale sky.
Names rising in the updraft amid buildings.
Names silent in stone
Or cried out behind a door.
Names blown over the earth and out to sea.
In the evening -- weakening light, the last swallows.
A boy on a lake lifts his oars.
A woman by a window puts a match to a candle,
And the names are outlined on the rose clouds -
Vanacore and Wallace,
(let X stand, if it can, for the ones unfound)
Then Young and Ziminsky, the final jolt of Z.
Names etched on the head of a pin.
One name spanning a bridge, another undergoing a tunnel.
A blue name needled into the skin.
Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers,
The bright-eyed daughter, the quick son.
Alphabet of names in a green field.
Names in the small tracks of birds.
Names lifted from a hat
Or balanced on the tip of the tongue.
Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory.
So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart.

Armchair Travel

Many of you, like me, are missing being able to travel.

Some of you, like me, are doing a little virtual traveling through books and movies.

Another fun virtual traveling path is through some blogs.

Here's a few of my favorite blogs having to do with all things Paris  --  Enjoy!

http://jetaimemeneither.com

https://parisianmoments.com/blog-1

MY LIFE IN PARIS AND TRAVELS AROUND FRANCE

https://landenkerr.com/

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/

http://www.lostincheeseland.com/  

https://hipparis.com/

http://www.pret-a-voyager.com/

https://myparisianlife.com/

by anna dawson

https://theballoondiary.com/

https://www.everydayparisian.com/

https://www.loveinthecityoflights.com/

https://www.messynessychic.com/

https://parisianavores.paris/

https://www.theglitteringunknown.com/

Prête-Moi Paris

Pieces of Paris…

http://pretemoiparis.com/

http://www.parisfoodaffair.com/about/

https://secretsofparis.com/

http://parisisinvisible.blogspot.com/

https://www.colleensparis.com/

https://www.ipreferparis.net/

https://girlsguidetoparis.com/

https://www.parisperfect.com/about_us.php

https://bonjourparis.com/

https://parisfordreamers.com/

https://frenchmoments.eu/

https://vivreparis.fr/

https://www.thegoodlifefrance.com/

https://afrenchfryeinparis.com/

https://www.salutfromparis.com/

https://www.parisinsidersguide.com/

Blue, Blonde, Rouge

Joyeux Voyage!

Labor Day Cravings

Aargh! 

I woke up today looking forward to two things; things I've been craving. 

Hawaiian Pizza (now, now - don't judge!) and the new J.D. Robb. 

I spent some time tidying up the house so I could settle in and spend the day with Eve and Roark and the gang in the newest book; "Shadows in Death." 

Well, y'all have already figured this out, right? 

Today is 9/7, NOT 9/8, which is the "Shadows in Death" pub date which means it did not pop up, like magic, on my Kindle. Waaahhh . . .   

But I'm still gonna have my Hawaiian Pizza (now, now - do NOT judge!). And I'll continue looking forward to the new J. D. Robb.

I Confess by Alison Luterman

 I love when I run across a piece of poetry written by a "new to me" poet.

I'll be looking for more work by Alison Luterman.

 I Confess

I stalked her

in the grocery store: her crown

of snowy braids held in place by a great silver clip,

her erect bearing, radiating tenderness,

the way she placed yogurt and avocados in her basket,

beaming peace like the North Star.

I wanted to ask, "What aisle did you find

your serenity in, do you know

how to be married for fifty years, or how to live alone,

excuse me for interrupting, but you seem to possess

some knowledge that makes the earth burn and turn on its axis-"

But we don't request such things from strangers

nowadays. So I said, "I love your hair."

          - - - Alison Luterman

A new month (Rabbit, Rabbit) and some new books to look forward to

  This month's "Rabbit Rabbit" is a piece of delightful artwork by Lucy Grossmith

And here's a few new books coming out this month you might enjoy, some by some of my favorite authors.

You might notice that these books all (except one) have a particular theme . . . 

PARIS!

Of course, I will be reading some additional books, but I can never resist sharing books about Paris.

Enjoy!

Released Today

Released Today

Release Date:  September 8
(not in Paris)

Release Date:  September 15

Release Date:  September 15

Trump's latest conspiracy theory involves a plane "loaded with thugs." Those of you who believe him are as bat shit crazy as he is.

Not your daddy's GOP

 

A lot of Republicans are, for some reason, blind to the fact that this GOP ain't what it used to be.

But a lot DO recognize it for what it is and rather than stick with the new Party of Trump, they're throwing their support behind Joe Biden.

You can find several articles highlighting these folks on-line.

Here's a comprehensive list at Wikipedia "of Republicans and conservatives who oppose or have declined to endorse the re-election of incumbent Donald Trump, the 2020 Republican Party nominee for President of the United States. Among them are former Republicans who left the party in 2016 or later due to their opposition to Trump, those who held office as a Republican, Republicans who endorsed a different candidate, and Republican presidential primary election candidates that announced opposition to Trump as the presumptive nominee."

I applaud them.

And here's an article about the more than 350 faith leaders endorsing Biden citing "need of moral leadership."

If you're interested in seeing all of Joe Biden's endorsements, check here.  I think this list is being updated regularly.

We can all get back to the party line of choice later, but for now, let's get America back on track.

Let's bring back the UNITED States of America.

And here's what Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland, had to say over the weekend.  Things EVERYONE - politicians and journalists especially - should have been saying all along.

“President Trump, for four years we’ve had to live with you and your racist attacks on black people. We learned early about your sexist attitudes towards women. We’ve had to endure you mocking a disabled man. We’ve had to listen to your anti-democratic attacks on journalists. We read your tweets slamming private citizens to the point of receiving death threats and we’ve listened to your attacks on immigrants. We’ve listened to you label Mexicans as rapists.

Do you seriously wonder, Mr. President, why this is the first time in decades that America has seen this level of violence? It’s you who have created the hate and the division. It’s you who have not found a way to say the names of black people killed by police officers even as people in law enforcement have. And it’s you who claimed that white supremacists are good people.

Your campaign of fear is as anti-democratic as anything you’ve done to create hate and vitriol in our beautiful country. You’ve tried to divide us more than any other figure in modern history and now you want me to stop the violence that you helped create. What America needs is for you to be stopped so that we could come back together as one America...”

“President Trump, you bring no peace, you bring no respect to our democracy.”

Trump, with his remarkable vocabulary and skills as an orator, replied to Mayor Wheeler's comments by calling him a "dummy."

Michelle Obama said it perfectly.

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!

More Paris Dreaming

Some days are sadder than others. I'm tired. I'm sad. We all have our own ways of dealing with all that 2020 has thrown at us. One of the ways I'm handling things is to cook and bake and eat. And making plans for our next trip, whenever it might be. And doing a little Paris Dreaming. This little Paris Dream is about food. A Croque Monsieur, in particular. Thanks Ina Garten!

 

Who doesn't love a grilled cheese?

Add some good ham and man oh man

Here's the French version, and it is scrumptious!

A Croque Monsieur

Donald and I got caught in a sudden downpour one afternoon in Paris and did what anyone would do.  Hopped into the nearest cafe.

And it was a fun one.

It was busy and bustling and full of folks who seemed to be a fun-loving bunch.

Including our waiter.

And the Croque Monsiers were delish

Like everyone else who is sticking close to home now, I'm doing more cooking than I used to.  

I'm enjoying going through cookbooks which I'm still relying on even with all the recipes available on-line.

My most recent browsing has been in Ina Garten's "Barefoot in Paris."

Where I ran across, of course, her recipe for Croque Monsieurs.

Here 'tis:

RECIPE COURTESY OF INA GARTEN

Croque Monsieur

161 Reviews

• Total: 30 min

• Prep: 5 min
• Cook: 25 min

• Yield: 4 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

Dijon mustard

8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Directions

WATCH

Watch how to make this recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter?flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
3. To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
4. Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved

Bon Appétit!