Weekly Update for December 24, 2023

Welcome to my weekly update for December 24, 2023!

We’re spending today with my parents and my sister and her husband. My husband and I will exchange gifts tomorrow, barring any calls for him at work. My favorite part of Christmas with my parents is our giant Christmas breakfast. My mom makes bacon gravy (infinitely better than sausage gravy) and my dad makes the bacon, biscuits, eggs, and I don’t even remember what else. We eat until we’re stuffed!

We went to see Winter Lights at the North Carolina Arboretum back in November. It’s always a fun activity for the holidays.

Slideshow:

All images © Jennifer G. at Introverted Reader 2023

1. This is called the Quilt Garden. In the summer, the gardeners plant each square with colorful flowers to look like different quilt patterns. They did the same thing with the lights this winter. The Christmas tree and lights “dance” with the music here.
2. There’s a lit unicorn that features prominently in all the advertising for this event. I somehow missed taking a picture of that but here’s a picture of a narwhal instead.
3. I loved this Christmas tree decorated with monarch butterflies in the visitor center. A volunteer pointed out to us that the mosaic chair features 40+ different species that are native to NC.

Challenges I’m Hosting:

As a reminder, signups are open for my annual Books in Translation and Southern Literature Reading Challenges.

Posted:

I actually posted a review! Woohoo!

A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis, read by Eliza Foss, John Keating, L. J. Ganser, Lori Gardner–4 Stars

Read:

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, read by Jon Lindstrom–4 Stars

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, read by Aidan Kelly–4 Stars

Visions of Sugar Plums (Stephanie Plum #8.5) by Janet Evanovich, read by Lorelei King–4 Stars

The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health–and How We Must Adapt by Sinan Aral–3 Stars

Currently Reading:

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

American Christmas Stories, edited by Connie Willis

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

Up Next:

I don’t have the slightest idea where my whims will take me.

What did your week look like?

Hosts:

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer hosts Sunday Post. Kathryn at Book Date hosts It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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