Summer Reading at Harvest Lane Cottage 2021

 This post includes affiliate links.

Photo Credit: 
Nav Rashmi Kalsi

Hello ladies!

  Guess who didn't finish writing her reading list before the first day of summer... yes me. I actually have read and reviewed some of these books this month already. I am including them so that you can see what I've been reading and what I'm planning to read.

  Even with all that I'm doing and want to do in my home, I make time daily to read or listen to good books. The reason that I can read so many books is that I use my Scribd app extensively while I'm working around the house, knitting, or traveling in the car. There's nothing that can make work go quicker for me than listening to the Bible or a good book. I also like to use the the text-to-speech feature on my Kindle Fire 7 Tablet. 

  

 Here's what's on my book pile, my Scribd app, and in my Kindle for summer reading 2021:

Book of Hebrews

Read and reread

~

 

BIG, BOLD, AND BEAUTIFUL 
 Kierra Sheard-Kelly
Listened on Scribd
My review

~

Fiona Saves the Day
Richare Cowdrey
My Review

~

Fantastic Fiona
Richard Cowdrey and Donald Wu 
My Review 

~

Fiona and the Rainy Day
Richard Cowdrey and Donald Wu
My Review

~

Fiona, It's Bedtime
Richard Crowdrey
My Review

~

Everybody Fights
So Why Not Get Better at It?
Kim and Penn Holderness
My Review

~

Come Back to Me
Jody Hedlund
Finished
My Review

~

Dusk's Darkest Shores
Carolyn Miller
Finished
My Review

~

Husband Auditions 
Angela Ruth Strong
For review 8.24
I'm reading this now.

~

Britfield and the Rise of the Lion Book 2 

by Chad Stewart

My Review

~

The Bridge to Belle Island 
Julie Klassen
Listened on Scribd
Excellent book!

~

The Little Book of Cottage Core
by Emily Kent
Listened on Scribd

~

Mysteries of the Messiah
by Rabbi Jason Sobel
My Review 

~

Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Listened on Scribd 
I lost interest in this.

And...

if I have extra time...

Scribd

How to Age Without Getting Old 
by Joyce Meyer

A Time to Seek
(The Time Travel Journals of Sahara Aldridge #1)
by Tracy Higley

Scribd

EXCELLENT!

Don't Know Much About History
by Kenneth C. Davis

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond
by Jaime Jo Wright

Scribd

♥

If you'd like to keep up with my reading progress,

you can follow me on Goodreads. 

I update my progress

regularly.

Laura Lane

*I signed up for a free trial of Scribd in February 2019. It's a service where you can read or listen to books for just $11.99 a month with no limit.  

I kept the plan, because we really use it and like it a lot. We especially like the extensive list of audio books. Take a look. If you sign up from this link, you can get a two free months trial, and I'll get one month free, too.

On My Needles and What I'm Reading... June 24, 2021

This post includes affiliate links.

  On my knitting needles... in my Scribd app... on my book pile! Knitting and reading in my free time and little bits of snatched time are two of my favorite ways to enrich my life.

 Hello ladies!

   What are you up to this week? I'm not even sure what I've been doing. I just know it's been one thing after another! We did harvest our first little zucchini from the garden. Tonight we need to check again. It's crazy how fast those little things can grow too big. 

  

  I've enjoyed time with family and friends, reading, knitting, washing dishes, cooking, ironing, vacuuming, dusting, watering the garden and plants, studying Spanish, etc. etc. etc. As the garden continues to grow, and we start harvesting, I'm sure I'll add preserving to that list. What I have not done is sew. I really do want to start doing that. It seems that it's a joyful something that always gets put off. I need to make sure there's something on my sewing needles by next week!

On my Needles:

~ The first blue, purple and green sock is nearly complete. These will be ankle socks. I am using leftover yarn from a friend's project. I hope I have enough yarn to finish the second sock! I'm using the Addi Flexi-Flips in size 1 for these. They're fiddly to begin with, but I am getting used to these needles. Who knows? They may become a favorite. I cast on 64 stitches, toe up, with a yarn over increase on both edges on one row followed by a knit row. I knit into the back stitches on the yarn overs to avoid holes.

~ I cast on the first multi-color sock on 9" circulars this week. I cast on 72 stitches on size 0 needles. These are top down socks. I cast on using two needles and a long-tail cast on to make them extra stretchy at the top. I haven't decided if these will be ankle socks or longer socks yet. I have plenty of yarn. 

~ The second red and blue sock is on the needles. Still working on the toe. I'm using Chiaogoo size 1 circular knitting needles for these. These will be mid-calf socks. I didn't finish the first sock, because I want to see if I have enough to make them both longer. I'll wait until they are the same length, then put them on the same set of needles and knit them two at a time to the desired length. 

On My Scribd App: 

~ Mysteries of the Messiah by Rabbi Jason Sobel

   I was contacted to review this book. I am waiting for my hard copy to arrive. In the meantime, I thought I'd get a head start with the audio book on Scribd. Oh my, this is well-researched and intense. I can already tell after just a few chapters that I will need to read this at least twice to understand it. It's not light reading. I'll be writing a review later and explain more. It's very good.  

~ Alison in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol

   I'm listening to this in preparation for my book club next Tuesday evening. I didn't like the story years ago. I still don't like the story. I do remember being fascinated by it as a child though.

On my Book Pile:

~ Everybody Fights by Kim and Penn Holderness 

   If you haven't heard of them, check out their videos on YouTube. They make hilarious music parodies.

~ Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund. 

   Oh gals, this is so good! Different, too! Watch for a review next week.

~ Britfield & the Rise of the Lion by C.R. Stewart. 

   This will be the next book I start. I've really been looking forward to it.  

This came in the mail this last week.
I hope to start this book next week!

 Don't forget to be in God's word. I'm in Hebrews right now. 

 Have a lovely week! What is on your needles? What are you reading? I would love to know. The fun of blogging is in interacting with readers. Talk to you soon!

 Hugs to all,

 Laura

 Hopeful in all things

P.S. One of my favorite things is listening to audio books on Scribd. This month it is Alice in Wonderland for my book club. I keep telling you about Scribd, because it has been such an game changer for me. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

  

1 Key to Unlock 5 Awesome Symbols

How to use the ten key number pad and the Alt key to do awesome things.

How to make a copyright symbol © on a keyboard.
Hold down the Alt key and type 0169.

How to make an em dash—on a keyboard.
Hold down the Alt key and type 0151.

How to make a degree ° on a keyboard.
Hold down the Alt key and type 0176.

How to make a heart ♥ on a keyboard.
Hold down the Alt key and type 3.

How to make ☺ on a keyboard.
Hold down the Alt key and type 1.

Enjoy!
♥ Laura ♥

Shared with the Homemaking Party

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #165

  Welcome to another...

Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!

Post includes affiliate links.

 I'm so glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Harvest Lane Cottage
Est. 2019

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

Do say hello!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

  Hello everyone! It's been a truly busy week. I was out of the house more than usual. I found myself happy when I could spend time at home. That's a big change from a couple of years ago. This past year has helped me become a bit of a homebody. I'm content with that. I just need to remember to reach out to others, too. ~smile~

  My list is a bit short this week. I've been very tired. I'm not sure why. I hope I'll feel better and get more done this next week.

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♥♥♥

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I'm still driving my husband's 1989 Grand Marquis.
It was a gift from a friend five or six years ago when I was driving six family members in 12 different directions. Back then there were some weeks I put over 500 miles on our old van. This is the ultimate in thrifty driving! 

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♥♥♥

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A Verse for You

" You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:6-8

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♥♥♥

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Here's my thrifty week!

~ We got rid of about 2/3 of what was in our garage including what we got rid of last week. Just gave most of it away or trashed it. Amazing what we hold on to. I still have things to go through, but at least the things I need to work on are accessible now.  That's major real estate investment! At $100 a square foot, that's thousands of dollars.

~ My husband was inspired and got rid of some junk that had been sitting around in the yard.

~ I cut tea boxes down to make organizers for my tea drawer.

~ I am still in the process of going through my old recipe box. I am typing favorites up, and some will go into the recipe book my husband and I are writing. Others will be discarded. I'm using scrap cardstock to make new dividers. Mine are so old, they are disintegrating. 

~ I am reading books I received free for review or books that I'm reading on my Scribd app. 

~ I am knitting with yarn that was given to me.

~ My son and husband rebuilt our flower bed wall. It's Carthage marble. Michael used YouTube to learn how to do masonry. They saved hundreds by doing it themselves. 

~ Tonight I am cooking a beef tenderloin that was a gift from my father.

~ We ate primarily out of our cupboards to free up a little grocery money for other things this past week.

That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

ღLauraღ

...doing what I can with what I've got

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

One thing that helps me keep busy is listening to audio books on Scribd. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

In love since 1981.

For richer or poorer since 1986.

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

On My Needles and What I'm Reading... June 16, 2021

This post may include affiliate links.

  On my knitting needles... in my Scribd app... on my book pile! Knitting and reading in my free time and little bits of snatched time are two of my favorite ways to enrich my life.

   Hello everyone!  

  What are y'all up to lately? I enjoyed a caramel frappe this morning with my daughters at the local coffee shop. Yes, I did that last Wednesday, too. Not planned... but... am I sensing a pattern here? While Sugar Cookie used her computer and Ginger Snap did homework online, I read a few chapters of Everybody Fights by Kim and Penn Holderness. Watch for my review by the end of the month. I can already tell this one is really good and down to earth. They use real life examples from their own lives. I'm still reading Come Back to Me, too. Gotta love good fiction!

Read one.
Knit two.

Just got this in the mail!
I hope to start this book next week!

  The blue, purple and green sock hasn't grown much since last week. Well, it did, until I found a mistake and had to pull out many rows. Good think I like knitting and like the yarn. I don't know what it is. It is some leftover yarn from a friend's project. I think hope I have enough to make a pair of ankle socks. We shall see! Yarn chicken! 

  I wish you happy reading this week and happy stitching, crafting, baking, making do, gardening, putting up, or whatever you're doing to be busy with your hands and mind.

 Don't forget to be in God's word. I'm in Hebrews right now. 

 Hugs to all,

 Laura

 Hopeful in all things

P.S. One of my favorite things is listening to audio books on Scribd. This month it is Alice in Wonderland for my book club. I keep telling you about Scribd, because it has been such an game changer for me. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

  

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #164

  Welcome to another...

Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!

Post includes affiliate links.

 I'm so glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Harvest Lane Cottage
Est. 2019

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

Do say hello!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

  Hello everyone! I hope you're seizing this lovely early June week. I walked outside yesterday and found that we need to eat some salads this weekend, because our lettuce is growing quickly. We only have four plants, but they're doing well. It's going to be awhile yet before we have tomatoes, squash and cucumbers. I look forward to some paninis with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden along with some mozzarella cheese. Mmmm... it sounds so good. 

  Last week, I committed to writing these thrifty posts weekly again. This week, I found myself much more attuned to the things I was doing that were thrifty or not! I find that keeping a list of what you have done can be truly motivating. So, I look forward to sharing many thrifty things over the coming weeks.

  I'd love you to share your list with me in the comments. Helpful tips would be awesome, too. I'm feeling back to myself. No surgeries on the horizon, and I'm ready to get back to using it up, wearing it out, making it do, or doing without to stretch my husband's income.  

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♥♥♥

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♥♥♥

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A Verse for You

" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Philippians 4:8

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♥♥♥

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Here's my thrifty week!

~ I had some bananas that were getting very ripe. I made a scrumptious banana pie using a very old recipe that I've had since I was young. My husband made an easy and  thrifty oil pie crust. See his tutorial here.

~ I am trying to use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without, or declutter it! I have a pizza box that's filled with scrapbook paper that's been lying around for years. I needed envelopes for the stationery that I made from scrap paper and washi tape. So I took an envelope apart and used a scrap of thin cardboard to make a template. Then I traced, cut and assembled the envelopes. I was out of glue, so I used transparent tape to put them together. 

~ We made chicken and dumplings for a family meal and ended up feeding two extra people. Chicken and dumplings can be made with just a little chicken, bones and scraps from a baked chicken, or pieces, or a whole chicken. It can be as thrifty as you want or need it to be. We were extravagant and used a whole chicken this time. But, it was still thrifty, because we fed eight people with a chicken, flour, eggs,  amd mashed potatoes. The whole meal probably didn't cost more than $8.  We ate it to fast to photograph it!

~ A college student joined us for dinner and mentioned that she'd been wanting to bake a pie, but she didn't have a pie pan. I reached into the cupboard and gave her one of mine. She was happy, and I have a bit more room in my cupboard, too. ~smile~  Give and it shall be given to you.... 

~ Nothing beats ice water for keeping hydrated! But other things are nice too....

~ I made mint ice tea with 1 family sized Lipton tea bag and 1 personal size peppermint tea bag from Bigelow. This made 2 quarts.

~ I've been enjoying books I received to review for free. See my reviews of  The Nature of a Lady and Dusk's Darkest Shores. DDS has a giveaway included that ends June 15.

~ We did some real estate investing and cleared out half of our garage! My husband can park his car in there now.  That's at least 30 cubic feet of real estate. At around a hundred dollars a square foot, that's $3000!

~ I made our house ice tea with 1 family sized Lipton tea bag and 1 personal size Constant Comment tea bag from Bigelow. This made 2 quarts.

~ I blocked a pair of short scrappy socks I knit recently. I knit them entirely with scraps from other projects. 

I knit this pair the same way. Yes, I wear them with my denim skirt and a top. I haven't found shoes that I think really show them to their best advantage yet. Maybe some Mary Janes?

~ I am currently knitting these vanilla socks with yarn that a friend gave me.

~ I received two more kids beginning readers from Zonderkidz for review. I'll add them to my gift box when I finish. 

~ I decluttered my silverware drawer. 

~ I started a new book last night—Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund. Yes. It's a review book. 

That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

ღLauraღ

...doing what I can with what I've got

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

One thing that helps me keep busy is listening to audio books on Scribd. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

In love since 1981.

For richer or poorer since 1986.

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~