Monday's Postcard 2014: Monuments

Some nice retro postcards from folks who got to visit Kitty Hawk, NC and Washington, DC

I'll be doing lots of hiking this August to help support Washington Trails. I hope you can help me out by donating a dollar or two to the cause!   ...just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails. If you don't like sending money over the internet, you can always send me a check or cash to Amanda Arkebauer  PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

June Reading

Here I am in 1996, this is around the time that I got seriously into collecting girls series books. The Nancy Drew books on the shelf behind me are all from my childhood and the Vicki Barr books  with dust jackets were new acquisitions.

This was when I discovered that there were revised texts and different cover art etc. I also started collecting series that I might have only read one of in my youth. Connie Blair and Dana Girls, Ruth Fielding and Penny Parker, Beany Malone and Judy Bolton. So my shelves would soon be overflowing with books.

The Orphan Masters Son by Adam Johnson (library) reminded me of 1984 or Brave New World. Is this actually what it is like in North Korea??? I am intrigued. I recommend
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore (library) fun YA book very much like Harriet the Spy. Wish there were more, I'd love to read more adventures with Hazel and Samuel.
The Trip to Echo Spring by Olivia Laing (library) About writers and drinking. I really enjoyed it. Details about F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Cheever and Tennessee Williams.
To Rise Again at A Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris (library) really interesting, a dentist has his life "stolen" when someone creates a website and posts as him on the internet.
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King (library) another winner by Mr. King
Bull Run by Paul Fleischman picked this up at a Little Free Library. It is a really cool YA book about the Civil War battle
Love and Math by Edward Frenkel (library) believe it or not, I was once really great at math. This book explains the beauty of mathematics  in simple terms I loved it!
Missing You by Harlan Coben (library) The latest by him, I love his thrillers
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris (library) Hilarious, I was reading bits out loud to Ryan.
In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway A bunch of Hemingway short stories. I had not read this one before now.
The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann I was going to read Valley of the Dolls for my retro book this month and I can't find my copy!! Did I lend it to someone?? So I read Love Machine instead. I was a huge fan of Jacqueline Susann's books while in high school and college. I think I just liked the soap opera aspect of her books. So much angst and drama and sex too! :-)
Any Other Name by Craig Johnson (library) Liked this one a lot, moves fast as Walt Longmire has to solve the mystery in time to get on a plane to Philadelphia to be there when his daughter has her baby!
A Few Seconds of Radiant Filmstrip by Kevin Brockmeier (library) wow, seventh grade was forever ago
A World Away by Stewart O'Nan Big fan of Stewart O'Nan....I love all his books
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond Fun Rom-Com book by a blogger. About meeting her husband and changing her life!
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride (library) satire about slavery and I found it amusing. By the author of the Color of Water.
How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley short stories. Enjoyed them, I also liked her book, I Was Told There Would Be Cake.

17 books

PS: It's WTA Hike-a-thon time again....just follow this link and help me help Washington State Trails

Monday's Postcard 2014: From my Sister

Now I get lots of postcards from my sister, these are from several years ago

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Dad in Asia

My Dad worked for EVA airlines and was based in Taiwan in the 1990's so I have quite a few cards from Asia from that time

The Monkeys are trained to work helping harvest the coconuts in Malaysia and the other card is from the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza in Bangkok, Thailand. I actually got to stay at that hotel when I visited Bangkok!

Monday's Postcard 2014: California

I have lots of friends and family in California, so I get lots of postcards from all over the state

Monday's Postcard 2014: Letterboxes

Many of you know about my letterboxing hobby. Well, here are a couple of postcards from Letterboxers, either telling me about letterboxes or just saying "hello"

Monday's Postcard 2014: France

Paris and more !! France is a popular vacation destination for my friends and family too.

May Reading

Always with my nose in a book!


Coolidge by Amity Shlaes (library) after Reading Bryson's book about 1927, I wanted to know more about Coolidge
Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist (library) spooky ghost story set in Sweden
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (library audio book) it was interesting because I was listening to this audio book while driving around and then reading Harbor the old fashioned way when I was not driving. Both books had magicians featured.
Dust by Hugh Howey (library) continuation of Wool Series
Hell on Wheels by Dick Kreck (library)  History of the Union Pacific Railroad expansion into the west, I really enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot
Revolution in the Head by Ian McDonald (library) The story of the Beatles songs how and when they were written and composed. Very interesting
Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson (library) another Longmire novel. love these, this one set in Philadelphia, when Sheriff Longmire visits his daughter, reading it out of order cause it was so hard to find and had a huge waiting list at my library
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls This is my Retro read this month...I cried buckets of tears over this book when I was a teenager and yeah, I cried again
How Elizabeth Barret Browning Saved My Life by Mameve Medwed (library)Really enjoyed this one, gonna recommend it to all my friends who like Antique Roadshow!!
A Serpeant's Tooth by Craig Johnson (library) crazy religious cults in Montana and Wyoming, this has been one of my favorites of this series. I really enjoy the evolution of the main characters
Careless People by Sarah Churchwell (library) I really enjoyed this book about the writing of The Great Gatsby
Mind of Winter by Laura Kasischke (library) Creepy, about a mother who adopts a child from Russia. And something is not quite right....
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (library) the second in the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series
Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson (library) A Christmas story
The Shift Omnibus by Hugh Howey (library) more of the Wool Series...out of order
August Osage County by Tracey Letts (library) loved the movie, so that is what led me to the book, which is the script for the play
Based on the Movie by Billy Taylor. Funny satire about the film business from perspective of a grip


Only 17 books read this month.   I blame my 6 days in Dallas in Training with American Airlines. I had no time for reading!! Very frustrating!! :-)

Monday's Postcard 2014: San Antonio, TX

I've had several friends and family members visit San Antonio and send me postcards

Monday's Postcard 2014: More places I have NEVER been!

I have some great friends who got to go to some neat places in Tubingen, Germany and Vienna, Austria...hopefully one day I will follow in their footsteps

Monday's Postcard 2014: Postcards from Mom

Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day yesterday and here are some postcards from my Mom when she would travel the world.

Venice and New Orleans!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: From Ryan along the PCT

Ryan sent me both of these postcards when he made his trek of the Pacific Crest trail in 2010

April Reading

Meeting an idol, this is Mildred Wirt Benson, the author of many Nancy Drew Books and a newspaper reporter well into her 80's, in fact, she was still working at the Toledo Blade until the day she died.


The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie a Miss Marple mystery and fun to read again, I had forgotten who done it!
The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek (library) yuck, hated it...maybe it was the translation, but I found it disjointed and I just did not get it. Can't believe she won a Nobel Prize for Literature
Murder in The Marketplace by Lora Roberts I really enjoyed this mystery series about a lady who is basically homeless and lives in her VW Bus. Things evolve thru the books, so they are best read in order of publication
Murder Mile High by Lora Roberts  The protagonist goes home again (and you know "you can't go home again!!" LOL)
Wool by Hugh Howey (library) Loved it and will be reading more by this author
No Man's Nightingale by Ruth Rendell  (library) Inspector Wexford, retired but still solving mysteries
Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson (library) enjoyed this one
Frog Music by Emma Donahue (library) I liked Room better, although it did have some nice 1800's SFO imagery
Bad Wolf by Nele Neuhaus (library) continuing to read this author
Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer by John Grisham (audiobook) listened to while traveling to meet Ryan on the Arizona Trail
Agatha Christie An Autobiography  This is my flashback book this month. I did a research paper on this book and Ms. Christie back in High School and I read this book many many times.
From Scratch: Inside the Food Network by Allen Salkin (library) The story of how the food network came to be and turned chefs into rock stars
Foggy Mountain Breakdown by Sharyn McCrumb (audiobook) a collection of short stories very much enjoyed
Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie an ebook...had to read it cause I had nothing else in my suitcase!! Ack but always enjoyable.
Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson (library) reminded me of Tony Hillerman books, lots of Native American stuff in this one
Kindred by Octavia Butler (library) time travel....a black woman from 1976 travels to 1815 with slavery and everything, very good
As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson (library) Still enjoying these...it is weird that I cannot find them at most used book stores. I have had to rely on library copies only
Tampa by Alissa Nutting (library) ripped from the headlines about a teacher seducing her 14 year old students very explicit.
The Execution of Noa P. Singleton by Elizabeth Silver  (library) I am not a huge fan of courtroom/death row type stories I can barely stand Grisham....so if you like that kind of thing, you might like this better than I did
The Remarkable Millard Fillmore by George Pendle  I got this at a used book store thinking it was a serious biography. Instead it is a comedic fictional story. Very silly
Above Suspicion by Helen MacInness (library) another WWII spy novel written in 1941!! And I quite enjoyed it. She is a forgotten gem
The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough okay, this one was real history and I enjoyed it I generally like all of McCullough's books I have read so far

22 books

Monday's Postcard 2014: State Pride

Some folks are very proud of their states!! I got these cards from friends who live in Kentucky and Georgia

Monday's Postcard 2014: Caves

Here are a couple of postcards from caves and/or caverns...what is the difference anyway? And you know what, these also count as places I have NEVER been! Thanks you guys for these cards

From Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota

This week, this post is very timely because I hope to visit Colossal Cave in Arizona!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Zoo and Aquarium

I get lots of postcards from Zoos and Aquariums!

The North Carolina Zoo and the Monterrey Aquarium are represented here with these postcards.

Monday's Postcard 2014: Places I have not been YET

Hard to believe, such great destinations here in the USA!! And I have still not been

maybe this will be the year!!

March Reading

It started a couple of years ago as a New Year's Resolution to keep track of the books I read each month. So here I am again in 2014 with a list of the books I read each month. If you subscribe to my posts, they will come directly to your email inbox --just enter your email address into the box on the right hand side of the screen. And now for the books:

Surly Teenager Reading...(and if I am not mistaken, that is Flowers in the Attic that I am reading in this photo!!)



The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson  given to me by a passenger, this is a Longmire novel (made into a series for A and E TV) so there are more and I really liked it, so I will be getting more from this author. He has been called Louis L'Amour with attitude.
The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell (library) a crime story in a small town, the author also wrote Winter's Bone
The Martian by Andy Weir (library ebook) loved it, highly recommend!! an astronaut stranded on Mars
A Star for Mrs. Blake by April Smith (library) enjoyed it and recommend it. a mother who lost a son in WWI goes to visit his grave in France
The Wild Girl by Jim Fergus (library) loved it.  I think I liked it even better than 1,000 white women.
Scruples by Judith Krantz this is my Flashback book this month and my edition is dog-earred and was read multiple times. definitely a guilty pleasure :-)
Death Without Company by Craig Johnson (library) enjoyed it and will continue reading this author
Forgive Me Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (library) YA about suicide and I enjoyed it
Stories by O'Henry a collection of short stories by O'Henry love these!
The Wives of Los Alamos by Tarashea Nesbit (library) I really liked it but the writing style is a little gimmicky
Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson (library) another Longmire novel
Dark Horse by Craig Johnson (library) really liked this one!! recommend to my horse loving friends
The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin  thanks Suzi for letting me have this one, enjoyed it
Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (library) I enjoyed it and I'll be looking for more by this author
Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes (library).  This book as written in 1942!!! And it is a fun spy novel.  I am just discovering Helen MacInnes
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (library) A YA time travel/holocaust story
Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (library) I thought this one was fun !
The Giver by Lois Lowry (library) I never read this as a kid...
Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (library) Sad, but in a good way and it ends well
The Returned by Jason Mott (library) basis for the TV show Resurrection

20 books



For those folks who would like to read more often, the Huffington Post has an article about committing to read a book a week. This is a great goal!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Ryan in Spain

Ryan knows how much I love postcards and he always sends me some when he is away on his hiking adventures

These are both from his trip across France and Spain on the Camino de Santiago

Monday's Postcard 2014: from Dad in London

From the late 1980's through the early 90's, my Dad worked a lot of trips to London, so I have a bunch of cards from him from those years.

The airport is Gatwick, on the back Dad writes that it is a rare picture because the sun is shining!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Happy St. Patricks Day from Ireland!!

Folks know how much I love Ireland, so when friends and family visit, I always get a postcard!

Monday's Postcard 2014: From my Grandmother Arkebauer

Last week, I posted 2 postcards from my Granny. My Grandmother Arkebauer might not have traveled as much, but she also sent me many many postcards!

These are from the Museum of Natural History in Fort Wayne, IN where she lived, and The Griswold Inn in Essex, CT, from a trip she made to visit one of my cousins in Mystic, CT

Monday's Postcard 2014: From my Granny

My Granny took tons of trips throughout her lifetime and I got many, many postcards from her

There are from Holland, Michigan and the Nacoochee Indian Mound in Georgia

February Reading

It started a couple of years ago as a New Year's Resolution to keep track of the books I read each month. So here I am again in 2014 with a list of the books I read each month. If you subscribe to my posts, they will come directly to your email inbox --just enter your email address into the box on the right hand side of the screen. And now for the books:

Reading aboard boat, we spent a lot of time in the summer on board boats and I spent most of that time reading.


Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (library) Love love loved it! Recommended!!
Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell  the hero reminded me of a Holden Caulfield type.  Modernized and set in the Ozarks, so-so
The All Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg (library) Enjoyed this one --I am not always a huge fan of the Fannie Flagg books. But loved Fried Green Tomatoes and Loved this one too
One Summer by Bill Bryson (library) love Bryson's books, enjoyed this one alot!!
Blue Plate Special by Kate Christensen (library) loved this memoir related to the food in her life
The Affair by Lee Child only one more Jack Reacher book to go!! (and this one was so-so, not my favorite)
American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser --This is my Flashback book this month, I must have read this a dozen times. Loved it and loved the movie A Place in the Sun with Elizabeth Taylor, based on the book.
A Wanted Man by Lee Child Hurrah, my last Jack Reacher, and I really liked this one....now just waiting for Lee Child to write some more ;-)
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson I had not read this one in years
The Railway Man by Eric Lomax (library)  WWII POW story and they have made this into a movie with Colin Firth
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (library) witches and vampires and demons...recommended to me, but it was just okay, some might like it more than I did
The House Girl by Tara Conklin a slavery story, I liked the old stuff better than the modern stuff, I wanted more Josephine and less Lina
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus (library) highly recommend. Fictional with a great historical premise. I really enjoyed it
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (library) YA Vampire thing, it was okay
Making Habits, Breaking Habits by Jeremy Dean (library) I definitely have a reading habit :-)
Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller (library) a memoir by the daughter of hoarders, I'm cleaning the kitchen now....
Road Fever by Tim Cahill I kept recommending this one to folks, so I thought it was time to revisit it. I stick by my recommendation. Love it
The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Loraine Despres fun, I would read more by her
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan memoir by the daughter of a famous father and their battles with cancer

19 books read this month

Monday's Postcard 2014: Quirky Art

Some postcards are just interesting artwork!!

A Steampunk Owl and Brushwork Cat

Monday's Postcard 2014: History Lesson

Teach me about something. Show me something I have never seen before...theses postcards do that, and I love it!!

Monday's Postcard 2014: Don't be homesick!!

When I was a kid, I went to summer camp a couple of times and when I did, I would get postcards from home to keep me from being homesick. Just a note from the folks back at home to let me know that they were thinking of me. It was wonderful!

Monday's Postcards 2014: Flight Attendants

Everybody knows I love airplanes, airline memorabilia and flight attendant memorabilia, so I love to get these kinds of postcards! Thanks so much for thinking of me!!