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Welcome to my weekly update for February 14, 2021!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’ve had another busy week so there hasn’t been much going on in my little corner of the blogosphere. We left Joshua Tree National Park and headed to Saguaro National Park, staying as socially distanced as we can by traveling and staying in our RV. My husband actually likes this landscape more than that in Joshua Tree but I like them both about the same.
Posted:
Wires and Nerve Duology Review by Marissa Meyer, illustrated by Douglas Holgate and Stephen Gilpin–4 Stars
Read:
A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinney, read by Jeanette Illidge
Currently Reading:
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella Bird
Watching:
Wyatt Earp–I’ve never watched this movie because I’m not a big fan of Westerns. (My dad watched them all the time when I was little.) But since we’re close to Tombstone, we decided to go for it. It wasn’t my favorite but I did manage to stay awake through most of this 3 hours and 11 minute long epic. 😲 I fell asleep in the lead-up to the OK Corral though! I woke up for the battle but I was a little lost. Good thing I read Doc by Mary Doria Russell several years ago so I was able to fill in some gaps.
Up Next:
I don’t even know. I can’t believe I’ve been reading the same couple of books for weeks now!
What did your week look like?
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?
I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in beautiful Asheville, NC. I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase merchandise through links on my site.
Unbeaten Tracks was fascinating to read about — thanks for sharing the blurb from Malaprops. And when you say Mary Doria Russell wrote about Doc Holliday, do you mean the same Russell who wrote The Sparrow (my top 3 scifi classics ever)? Right, I just Googled it — yes, it’s the same Russell. Wow, mind blown.
Oh that’s cool that you have an RV and could travel. Love your photos! And, very curious about the Unbeaten Tracks book.
I liked Doc also, and The Sisters Brothers, but those are about the sum total of my Westerns reading! Your traveling sounds great! Enjoy, and don’t worry if you’re not getting through your books as fast as usual! We did a little weekend away for Valentine’s Day, but nothing so exciting! A hotel room a little over an hour away, with no housekeeping done due to Covid, brown-bag breakfasts at the hotel, picnic lunches, and take-out dinners eaten in the room. But it was nice to get away, despite all that!
Sounds like a great week! That’s certainly one bonus to an RV in These Pandemic Times, it’s easier to stay isolated when you bring your home with you. 😉
Both parks look great! I’m not a big fan of Westerns either but Doc has been on my wishlist for quite a while since I enjoy the author’s style. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I got tired of Philippa Gregory after about 3 or 4 books, they all sound the same to me. I think there are many more talented authors of historical novels. BUT I didn’t know about the classic by Bird, so just added it to my list! My post is here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/02/14/sunday-post-38-2-14-2021/
Traveling around in your RV sounds like fun! And you can be socially distanced while traveling. Thanks for sharing, and enjoy your week. Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
Enjoy your trip, I’m so ready to travel again
I completely missed the whole Phillipa Gregory craze ten years ago but it is not too late, is it? My Sunday Salon Post
Yes I like both those photos, most of nature is beautiful each in its own right. Hope you get time this week to advance the books!
Oh, I adore Saguaro National Park! My father lives down outside of Tucson, so we make a point of going to Saguaro every time we visit him.
I love the photos! We liked Saguaro National Park when we visited years ago. I get frustrated when the week is half over and I haven’t figured out what I am doing, or like now the month is half finished and I’m still trying to get organized.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
thank you so much for sharing those lovely pictures of the Saguaro National Park. As someone under a couple of feet of snow, the desert just soothes my soul!
Traveling socially distanced in an RV sounds perfect right now and it’s something I’ve never done before. I love the photos of the landscapes!
OOh beautiful photos!
I’ve read the first Wires and Nerve book but I need to check out the second one.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Those are gorgeous photos! Desert peaceful. Enjoy your week!
Hey Jen, I am pleased to see you are still enjoying your travelling in your RV, even if it is not giving you too much time for reading. I hope you are still enjoying The White Queen by Philippa Gregory, as I thought it was great and have another book from the series I hope to get to soon. Take care and happy reading. 🙂
Your travels sound lovely. Have fun!
Your road trip sounds fun! Someday we are hoping to do something similar and hit a few state and national parks. It’s always been on our bucket list.
Wires and Nerve sound interesting! I don’t think I’ve seen that book. Love the covers too.
I envy you your road trip. How wonderful to be out in the world, seeing lovely things. We’ve often traveled the west (my husband loves to collect rocks) but we have never been to Joshua Tree or Saguaro. I hope you will keep posting pictures.
I think it’s perfect fine to continue to read the same books for a while. I felt like I almost didn’t finish anything last week, but I enjoyed my reads so much.
I’ve never seen Wyatt Earp either. Glad you stayed away through it.
I’m with you on the Westerns. Not my thing at all, but thanks for the reminder about Doc. I love all of MDR’s books, but that’s one I never got around to reading. My husband loved it!
We visited Saguaro National Park a couple of years ago (while on our two month road trip to TX from OR). We were there in October and it was still very hot. Did you visit the west or east side of the park? The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is worth a visit, if you get a chance. (I blogged about it here.) We camped in Ajo and I wish we had allowed more time for a visit to Kitt Peak Observatory, but I’m sure we’ll head back there before too long.
Oh what a wonderful landscape you are exploring! What are the temperatures like? I hope the coming week is an enjoyable one – preferably with excellent books and not too many more cowboy films…
That’s a lot of cacti!
Have a great reading week
Oh I can’t imagine living on the RV for so long. But it seems like a good way to travel with all the safety protocols to follow. I hope you have a great week ahead.
What lovely photos. Those cacti are such iconic images of the desert.
enjoy your week!
It looks beautiful on your travels, and you’re lucky that you can get out and about a bit.
Have a wonderful week ahead, stay safe and healthy 🙂
Love .your scenery photos! I hope you are keeping them all safe. You should make a photo book with all of them.
Ooooe – I loved Phillipa Gregory when I was a couple of years younger and The White Queen as wonderful. Will still read her books though.
Have a good week and happy Valentines Day!
Elza Reads
Thanks for sharing the photos, I’ve never been in a desert so far – is it as hot as it’s said ? Well, maybe not this time of year ? I can’t believe you’re near Tombstone, it feels like the westerns of my youth are more or less real in your part of the world. When I was a kid, I had this crazy idea that people inside the television weren’t real ^^ Enjoy your trip !
You have some fabulous national parks down there. We had a family road trip to the US a few years ago and explored the Joshua tree NP but never made it to the Saguaro NP (we went to the grand canyon and then headed back west afterwards.) How long are you planning on being on the road for (I admit it, I am feeling a little jealous).
Beautiful desert pics! What a great way to spend the Valentine’s weekend 🙂 Hope you stay safe. Have a great week!
Looks beautiful there! And I hope you have a nice Valentine’s Day! I’ve only seen a bit of wyatt Earp but I did see Tombstone and quite liked it.