I read Be Frank With Me in a couple of days while away on the island. It was a fine vacation read - easy and entertaining. It had been recommended to me by an acquaintance when it first came out and so I was happy to find a secondhand copy recently. It is the kind of… Continue reading Book Review: Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
We're packing as much fun as we possibly can into summer around here. After our test camping trip, we hopped on two ferries and visited Vancouver Island for a few days. We went to Victoria first - one of my favourite cities and the place I lived for seven years. We still have a few… Continue reading Island Adventures
This past weekend we camped with two kids for the first time. This year Peter and I decided to invest a bit into camping as much as possible with our girls. One of the first "big" purchases we made after we were married was our two-person hiking tent. We've used it quite a bit since,… Continue reading Camping with Kids – Part 1
This weekend we celebrated Canada Day! It's a big event in our little town and we always love joining in on the festivities. Pearl was especially excited about Canada Day since she could remember the parade from last year. On Sunday morning she came happily into our room to wish Peter and I "Happy Canada"… Continue reading Canada Day 2018
...or kids from other countries too. All are welcome! For Canada Day this year I thought I'd share some of our favourite Canadian kids books. The possibilities here are practically endless so I limited myself to the books that are on Pearl and Rose's shelves. Carson Crosses Canada - This is a new one. We… Continue reading Canadian Books for Canadian Kids
READ: Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng (Penguin Press, 2017) This book wasn't at all what I expected but it was so much better. Such a compelling read and Ng nails so much of what is wonderful and terrifying about motherhood. Highly recommended. Our Animal Hearts - Dania Tomlinson (Anchor Canada, 2018) Full review here. The Silmarillion -… Continue reading What I Read – June 2018
Many years ago Dania Tomlinson and I worked together at a bookstore. So when I learned that she was publishing her first novel I made sure to order a copy. I like to support authors I know, plus, based on the books I'd seen Dania read and recommend, I felt like we have somewhat similar… Continue reading Book Review: Our Animal Hearts by Dania Tomlinson
The Alice Network tells the story of two women and two world wars, connected by one profiteering villain. We meet Charlie St. Clair in 1947, newly arrived in Europe with her mother in order to take care of her Little Problem/unwed pregnancy. Charlie has her own plans though and soon escapes from her mother in… Continue reading Book Review: The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
May has been full of hot days - sunshine, backyard, beach, and some ice cream! It's been fantastic. We started off the month with some time at the beach: It was Rose's first real introduction to the ocean and she loved it! Didn't even squawk when we dipped her in the sea. Pearl can happily… Continue reading May Update
Read: The Boat People - Sharon Bala (McClelland & Stewart, 2018) (Read my review here.) The Redress of Poetry - Seamus Heaney (Faber and Faber, 1995) A Grace Disguised - Jerry Sittser (Zondervan, 2004) Loss is loss, whatever the circumstances. All losses are bad, only bad in different ways. No two losses are ever the same. Each loss… Continue reading What I Read – May 2018
Karissa Reads Books 