So…. for anyone who has followed this site for a gazillion years – Morning Meanderings might just spark a memory.
A little history (grab your coffee)…
I started this blog in 2009. I wrote book reviews – I chatted bookish conversations – and met a lot of book lovers by doing this. This dusty little blog not only made me lifelong connections, but it also brought me closer to my Local Library, to the Book Expo in New York every year between 2009 and 2014 – and then once more in 2016. I made connections to publishing houses. Publishers, and of course, amazing authors and numerous fellow book reviewers that I know well online and some I have also met in person.
However, I feel this site really took off when I created something called Morning Meanderings. Does anyone remember this? I called it me, unplugged. I talked books – of course! But I also talked about life… and if I remember correctly, that is when conversations here really popped and my readership grew. If you go through the history here on Book Journey – or use the search bar and type in Morning Meanderings – you can see the fun Meandering conversations and, of course, the not-so-fun ones that took place in spring 2015, after Justin’s accident.
It has been 10 years, and this is the first year that I have consistently been posting reviews and talking about books again. It feels good to bring that piece of me back – and lately I have been thinking about the Meanderings as well.
That all said, let’s try this.
The picture above is my deck on this overcast Sunday morning in Central Minnesota. Phillipa Gregory’s upcoming book, The Boleyn Traitor, is absolutely fantastic, and in a season where I do waaaaaaaay more audio than sitting down to read a book, refreshing. I had the pleasure of a quiet evening last night, where I had dinner on the deck while enjoying this book.
The book on top – The Feminine Mystique, is on deck for after I finish TBT. This book was mentioned in our recent book club read, The Bookclub for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick, so of course…. I had to check it out. By the way, Marie’s book – also fantastic. Our book club discussion is still coming up on the second Tuesday in August, so stay tuned for more on that… I have some ideas 😀
In other news, this is the first year in a long time that I have attempted a bit of a garden. It’s a deck garden – because I know me…. if this were out in the yard, I would not get to it (my husband and son would agree here)- but… I am on the deck this time of year every single day that the sun is shining 😉
I’ve learned a bit…
1) I don’t need this many tomato plants 😀
2) Cucumbers have male and female flowers – if the female flowers are not pollinated, the baby cucumber withers and dies. You can pollinate the female flowers yourself with a paintbrush. I learned this too late this year ( I have two semi-sort of cucumbers) – but I am locked and loaded with wisdom for next year.
3) My deck can get windy – ties to the deck so my potted creations do not tip over is a must.
4) It’s therapeutic. Something is amazing about watching things grow and change day to day.
So – that’s me today. Hopefully I continue to check in… and someday…. someday… I may go back myself and read those early Morning Meanderings…. admittedly, I am a bit scared of them as I know they hold a “Me” of before... and she … she does not exist anymore.
This is the After Me. I am definitely broken, but also put back together like a mosaic. For sure, more in tune with the precious gift of life. And absolutely keeping myself busy because that is… my drug of choice.
Enjoy your Sunday. Do something fun and real and make time for Joy.
Looking forward to connecting again.
~Sheila
Book Journey 
I didn’t know you had a book blog! I enjoyed your morning meander and would love to see more.
Hi Judy! LOL – oh yeah, Om that dorky 🙂 Started in 2009. Its the reason there is a bench at the library with Justin’s name on it – and a big part of why I help brave enough to try an event like Wine and Words.
We will have to connect someday and I will share the whole story 🙂 If you look at the archive tab its pretty close to current…. not all books I have read have reviews… especially the last 10 years but I think I’m coming back to it 🙂
Ooh, I’ve put The Book Club for Troublesome Women on my wishlist and told my friend, who has an actual book club, about it! I read The Feminine Mystique years ago, as a student, I wonder what I’d make of it now as a 50-something homeowner and wife!
Also lovely deck garden. I have tomatoes for the second year (my friend started them off for me) but they live inconveniently in the middle of the garden path, as that’s what gets most sun!
I love everything you post and always enjoyed Morning Meanderings. I plan to read Book Club for Troublesome Women soon. Can’t wait for Boleyn Traitor to come out. Philippa Gregory is a favorite author. I stole your Wine and Words name for a book club I started 11 years ago. It is strong and still going!
Thanks for all you do.
Kathy
hey there Sheila, Andrea here. Hard to believe it’s been over a year since my now ex kicked me out. Our divorce was finalized in June and I’ve just updated my end of life documents. Last thing is to file a zero/ zero income tax to prove we are no longer together.
just finished “Somewhere in Time” the book that was the premise for the movie with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. I actually had never seen it before this past month and when I found out it was based on Richard Matheson’s book I had to get the book too as I loved “What Dreams May Come”. Hard to believe this author wrote horror and Twilight Zone scripts
As usual, too many books and not enough time. I’m 30 chapters behind in a group read of Middlemarch and only at the beginning of an ARC read of “Theseus and the Sky Labyrinth” as well as having Christine Nolfi’s latest which I went and bought outright so I could read it at my leisure.
I did FINALLY cross the halfway point in this year’s goal of 200 books. Lots of pages but not enough actual books so far.
hopefully all is well and your garden looks great. Me? I have plastic plants and fake flowers because I kill everything
I always looked forward to the meandering. Interesting thoughts. Such fun times. And I remember that horrible posting of Justin.
Looking forward to more meandering 🙂
Love this❤️
I loved those Morning Meanderings!
And what a great deck. Enjoy your mornings there.
Sheila, I absolutely remember your Meanderings…it’s how we became “friends” – well cyber friends anyway!! It’s also how my tar pile got so high, with your fabulous recommendations!! I honestly do feel like we are friends – I’ve watched and read about all your life changes (the good & not so good ones too), I laughed with you and yes, even cried with you, so yeah, we’re friends!! I’ve become acquainted with the Brainerd Library, Wine & Words, donut Thursdays, your Bookies, your travels and your oh-so-adorable grand!!! I kept following you on Book Journey! So with all that being said I, for one, am excited at the possibility to have Meanderings back – I look forward to all your posts and appreciate each one, knowing what a crazy-busy lady you are!! Thanks for all you do for us . . . P.S. Not sure if you’re on Instagram or not but if you get a chance look up Rachael_whyte . . . she & her book club read & discussed The Wedding People and for their meeting each lady wore her wedding dress. The hostess served wedding cake & champagne and it looked like a good time – reminded me of something your Bookies would come up with!!!
>
I’ve missed reading these posts.
I miss reading these posts.
nice post–and yes, without bees this year, i’ve had to do some artificial pollination myself. now i’m overrun with cucumbers. also had to pollinate an eggplant, and it finally produced a baby. now if we could only get rain.