2021 Postcards from Friends

 

                              I thought these cards looked suitably spooky for the day after Halloween! 

October: Books I read

 

Deep Survival  by Laurence Gonzales about how we survive-- following stories of folks who survived catastrophic events

Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood (library) memoir about a girl whose father is a catholic priest (they converted after he was already married and had children. supposed to be funny like David Sedaris type stuff, but I found it just meh. 

Early From the Dance by David Payne a "beach read" coming of age in North Carolina-ugh, not that great.

Sanatoriums and Asylums of Eastern North Carolina by Dr. Randy K. Kearns This is one of those Arcadia Publishing books.  I have been fascinated with Asylums lately. We have so many abandoned ones in the PNW and what with the homelessness crisis in America, I find it fascinating that there used to be places that held these people and they were actually self sustaining as farms and they grew their own crops and canned their food and had beef and milk dairies and eggs etc And often sold the surplus to the local communities. Yes, there were abuses, but we have that now in hospitals and the foster system and nursing homes. 

Flight 232 by Laurence Gonzales (library) about that United DC-10 crash in Sioux City, Iowa. Very good highly recommend

One Person, No Vote by Carol Anderson (library) about voter suppression

I Can Hear You Whisper by Lydia Denworth (library) The Science of Sound and Language

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter (library) creepy stalker thriller It was okay

The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts (library) the story of Annie Wilkins, who rode a horse across America in 1954, very good! recommend to my horsey friends! 

The Appalachian Trail: A Biography by Philip D'Anieri (library) excellent about the making of an popularity of the Appalachian Trail. From Arnold Guyot to Bill Bryson. Each chapter concentrates on a man who made the AT what it is today. I highly recommend.

The Wild Inside by Jamey Bradbury Set in Alaska with a family of Dog Sled folks. Coming of age after the death of her mother story. 

The Breaker by Nick Petrie (library) Peter Ash is a vet with PTSD who rights wrongs. This book concerns inventions and modern technology. Petrie says he was influenced by Tom Swift books in his youth. Highly recommend. 

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica (library) thriller it was okay

2021 Postcards from Friends

2021 Postcards from Friends

2021 Postcards from Friends

Postcards from Washington and Oregon

2021 Postcards from Friends

September: Books I read

 

Trail of Tears by John Ehle History of the Cherokee Nation depressing for sure

Three Martini Lunch by Suzanne Rindell Sort of like Mad Men, but in the publishing world instead of the advertising world.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (library) chick lit/romance it was okay

Nobody's Family is Going to Change by Louise Fitzhugh (library) YA book about a family where the children have dreams that do not mesh with what their family expectations of them. 

Nick by Michael Farris Smith (library) prequel to The Great Gatsby concentrating on Nick of course, his experiences during the war and why he ended up renting that house between the mansions. 

The Lampshade by Mark Jacobson (library) The story of a lampshade found at a rummage sale after Hurricane Katrina made from human skin. Did it come from the Holocaust? They try to trace it through DNA etc 

American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser one of my all time favorite books and I like to reread it every once and awhile. Based on a true story of a murder and trial in the Adirondack region of New York State. 

The Auschwitz Photographer by Luca Crippa and Maurizio Onnis (library) another Holocaust book. I always seem to read these in waves. Based on the true story. 

Aloha Rodeo by Julian Smith and David Wolman (library audiobook) Great story of the history of cowboys in Hawaii and their appearance at a Cheyenne Rodeo in 1908. Highly recommend!!

Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child (audiobook) Jack Reacher book. I had to do an impromptu 20 hour car drive and got some audiobooks knocked out!! LOL 

The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory (audiobook) Mary, Queen of Scots Ugh, just got sick of hearing about women being manipulated by men (or used as pawns by men) in the politics of the time. 

Everyday Survival by Laurence Gonzales (library) fun, about how our brains work and poise us for survival (or also disaster) very interesting I recommend 

2021 Postcards from Friends

2021 Postcards from Friends

2021 Postcards from Friends

2021 Postcards from Friends

August: Books I read

 

Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui (library) wonderful book about swimming. 

Sometimes You Have to Lie by Leslie Brody (library) The biography of Louise Fitzhugh who wrote Harriet the Spy and other books and was an artist as well. I learned so much about her!! I highly recommend, especially if you are a Harriet the Spy fan.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (library) sister of the bride and the best man go on the honeymoon trip when the wedding is cancelled. 

Out Cold by Phil Jaekl (library) A book about hypothermia very interesting

Clean and White by Carl Zimring (library) a book about racism and how immigrants and people of color are usually assumed to be dirty, they get the dirty jobs (janitorial, garbage etc) and their neighborhoods are the ones where the water treatment plants, the landfills and etc are located. 

Gulp by Mary Roach (audiobook) About digestion from taste buds to rectum! very interesting. 

Sweater Quest by Adrienne Martini the author choses a difficult knitting project 

Knitting Yarns edited by Ann Hood stories about knitting

Blackbeard's Ghost by Ben Stahl fun children's adventure book

Hard Truth by Nevada Barr set in Rocky Mountain National Park and since Ryan and I were just there I thought I would reread this one again. 

Tangled Vines by Frances Dinkelspiel  The story of an arson in a California Wine Storage facility and how it spurs the author to research her family's contribution to the creation of the wine industry in California. Lots of great history about the different California vineyards. 

The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick (library) Based on the history of The House of Mercy, a home for destitute and immoral young women that the church operated as a laundry in New York City in the late 1800's early 1900's. Basically these "homes' were prisons for women where they were forced to work the laundries and make lace and they were operated by the Episcopal Church.  Very interesting history.

Backwards and In Heels by Alicia Malone a look at women who worked in the film industry. 

Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne (audiobook) It often amazes me when I listen to books on tape how much of the book is repetition, that I did not really notice when I read it physically. This is an account of the history of the Comanche People and other Plains Indians primarily in Texas. Highly recommend. 

 

It's the last chance to donate to Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon! Any amount from $1 to $100 is welcome. You can click on this link to go to my WTA fundraiser page

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/3328554

It is too late to send cash or a check, but I want to thank everyone who contributed through-out the month!! 

Last hike-a-thon hikes for 2021

 Wow, so I made my goal of 31 miles (actually got 31.5! LOL) for one mile a day for the month of August.  My last two hikes were here in the Seattle area not too far from home. I did 2 miles on the Longfellow Creek Trail. I do this trail pretty much every year for hike-a-thon because it is so close to my house. 

Then the next day I did 3 miles on the Green River Trail in Kent, WA because it is nice and flat. I parked at the Neely-Soames Historic Homestead. It is a pioneer home with a garden representing what the pioneers would have planted. 

The Green River Trail runs right by the Homestead

Part of my hike went by a golf course! Be on the lookout for balls!!

This is a pedestrian bridge over the Green River, I went up to see what everyone was looking at....Salmon in the river, running upstream to spawn!

The salmon were negotiating this little bit of "rapids" 

See the Salmon??!!

Thanks so much to Gretchen, Mark and Donna for their contributions! There is still some time if you have not donated yet. The cut off date is September 7th.  So you can still follow this link (or cut and paste)  It has been a good year and I was very happy with all my hikes and that I did not twist an ankle this year!! 

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/3328554

Thank You again!

2021 Postcards from Friends

August is Hike-a-thon month!!

Thank you to everyone who has donated this year, There is still time to get in some last minute donations. If you haven't given anything yet. Just the cost of a cup of coffee can help make a difference. 
You can click on this link to go to my WTA fundraiser page

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/3328554

Thank You!

Hiking in Montana

 Had a great couple of days in Montana doing trail magic for Ryan along the Continental Divide Trail. Well, on the reroutes of the Continental Divide Trail. Because of all the fires, there are several different routes now that folks can take to make their way north to Glacier National Park. 

Ryan would slackpack during the day and I would do a short little hike to get in some mileage. 

I did 2 miles on The Refuge Point Trail. This was a fascinating trail that took you to an overlook where you could see where folks were trapped when an earthquake happened here in 1959. 

The next morning after dropping Ryan off so he could do 20+ miles. I did my little 2 miles on the West Fork Beaver Creek Trail.

My last day in the Yellowstone area, I did 1.5 miles on the Ousel Falls Trail in Big Sky, Mt. 

I have a total of 26.5 miles so far and we have raised $853 dollars!! Thanks most recently to Gwen, Vicki and Tom. 

If you have not donated yet, You can click on this link to go to my WTA fundraiser page (or cut and paste if the link is not working)

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/3328554

Thank You again!

2021 Postcards from Friends

August is Hike-a-thon month!!

I hope I can count on all of you guys again this year for support. Any amount from $1 to $100 is welcome.
You can click on this link to go to my WTA fundraiser page

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/3328554

or you can send me a check (made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) or just a dollar in the mail would be very welcome. Thanks so much to everyone who has supported this cause in the past and hopefully again this year!

to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116