Summer Reading List 2025

 

 Hello everyone!

 Here we are at the beginning of another summer! 

Reading is a big part of my life. I do it every day. Every single day. If I can't sit down with a book, I always make time to listen while I'm driving or creating or working around the house. I thank God my momma read to me. I thank God my teachers read to me. They helped my imagination to grow and develop so that I see stories play out in my mind as I read or listen. 

 Please take time to read aloud to your children from very young to as old as they'll still listen. That might be older than you think. It's good for them, and it's good for you. I'll be reading to my little grandson as soon as I can get him to sit still for a couple of minutes! He's not quite two. ~smile~ There's a whole lot of world to explore, and he's busy at it.

Here's my summer reading list for 2025. I'll be honest, I always end up adding more to my lists. I'll update regularly with my progress.  

♥

BIBLE

Finish the Old Testament

with a YouVersion Bible.com reading plan.

I moved on to the New Testament!

Update 08-13:All done!

♥

FICTION

Dead Sea Rising

Jerry B Jenkins

Dr. Craig Evans, Biblical Consultant

I finished this June 2nd. 

Oh dear, there is a sequel. Shall I add it or not?

07-21-25: I started it last night!

Update 8:14: LOVED IT

♥

King of the Golden River

John Ruskin

I lost interest. I will not finish it.

♥

Old Detectives Home

Omnipodge Trilogy Book 1

Mike Befelor

 I had trouble sourcing this book, so I didn't read it.

♥

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche

Nancy Springer

6-5 Listening to audiobook

whilst knitting and sewing

6-6 Finished

I enjoyed this so much!

She's Sherlock Holmes' little sister.

♥

For a Lifetime

Timeless Book 3

Gabrielle Meyer

I picked this up from the library July 8th. 

I'm already several chapters in. 

Update: 7-15: I LOVED IT!

♥

\

The Whispered Word

Ellery Adams

I finished this 6-18.

I cannot recommend it. The story was great, but there was some light foul language and a few s.. references that I wish she'd left out.

♥

NON-FICTION

Western Heritage a Reader

Hillsdale College Press

I'm taking the Hillsdale College Western Heritage course for free.

Update 8/5: I am studying the Romans now.

♥

Oh! This was so good for understanding the atmosphere of the late '50s and early '60s in the USA.

It's about the assassination attempt while Kennedy was president elect. 

Finished on June 5th.

Trim Healthy Mama Plan

Pearl and Serene

Reading it now

♥

The Story of Science

Aristotle Leads the Way

Joy Hakim

I'm reading this now.

♥

Sink Reflections

Marla Cilley

Finished!

Books not planned but added later:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Finished books not planned but added later:

The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham ~ finished 6/10

Enola Holmes Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer ~ finished 6/11

A Lovely Life by Melissa Michaels finished 6/26

Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer ~ finished 7/1

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie ~ finished 7/2

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnussen ~ finished 7/13

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen ~ finished

For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer ~ finished

Dead Sea Conspiracy by Jerry B Jenkins ~ finished

Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer

Please join me! Let me know what you're reading. What do you recommend? I've been enjoying Gabrielle Meyer, Melody Carlson, Melanie Dobson, Stephenia H. McGee, and Michelle Griep among others this year. Please do write to me! 

Happy Reading and Listening!

Laura ~ Glad for Summer Break!

*Summer reading list image generated by Canva AI

Ham and Cheese Quiche with Almond Flour Crust ~ Low Carb Friendly Option

  

 I was hungry for quiche last night. The price of eggs has gone down in our town. Thank you, Jesus! They're still high, but not too high to make quiche for supper. I couldn't find my regular recipe, so I decided to tell Chat GPT what I had on hand and ask it for a recipe. That whole AI thing—oh, that's a whole 'nother story! 

Anyway, I was very 2025, unusual for me, and this is the recipe it gave me. I tweeked it a bit based on ingredients in my fridge. It was fabulous! I made two copies of the recipe, and I'm sharing it here so that I won't lose it!   

    

 🍳 Ham & Cheese Quiche with Almond Flour Crust

---

Almond Flour Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups almond flour

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp garlic powder (optional) 

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil, melted (I used butter.)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Mix almond flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a bowl.

3. Add egg and melted butter; stir until a dough forms.

4. Press into a 9-inch pie dish. Prick the bottom with a fork.

5. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool slightly.

---

Quiche Filling

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs

• ½ cup heavy cream (or milk) (I used canned, evaporated milk.)

• 1 cup diced ham (cooked)

• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar.)

• ¼ cup chopped onion (optional)

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Whisk eggs and cream in a bowl. Season with salt & pepper.

2. Stir in ham, cheese, and onions plus any other add-ins (if using).

3. Pour filling into baked crust.

4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes, or until set.

5. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.

---

I added a handful of chopped spinach and 1/4 cup chopped green peppers. 

Optional Add-ins: Spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, fresh herbs. Really, you could use anything you like. 

Notes: Next time I will double the garlic powder in the crust. I will also increase the peppers to 1/2 cup.

To make it low-carb, use the cream option. About 9 net carbs for 1/4 of the quiche with cream and around 650 calories depending on add-ins for 1/4 pie.

To make it lower calorie, use milk.  About 10 - 11 net carbs and around 550 calories depending on add-ins for 1/4 pie.

  It was fabulous! I made two copies of the recipe, and I'm sharing it here so that I won't lose it!

  Be blessed! 

Laura

Summer Bucket List 2025

Summer's a love hate season for me.  

I love: swimming, fresh veggies from the garden or farmer's market, flowers, fireworks on the 4th of July, a lazy afternoon with a good book.

I hate... heat, bugs, mosquito bites, dewy complexions—ehem. 

Still, there's a lot to be said for summertime. Let's carpe diem... seize the day and make the best of this season... and praise God for air conditioning if you have it!

My bucket lists help me to focus on the things that I want to do that aren't part of my daily routine. They also remind me to have a little fun and enjoy the season! I will change the listings to italics as I cross them off the list.

 

Here are some ways I want to seize the day this summer.
~ Write my Summer Bucket List
~ Write my Summer Reading List ~ Look for it Friday 5/30
~ Make a red, white, and blue salad
~ Eat homemade ice cream
~ Sonic Happy Hour run for Frozen Lemonade
~ Read a good novel
~ Drive-in movie  
~ Go knitting with a friend
~ Get caught up on my reviews
~ Real Estate Investing (Decluttering)
~ Eat from our garden 
~ Listen to an audiobook, or two, or three
...or four or five or six! 
~ Talk to strangers
~ Worship Jesus under the stars
~ Picnic in the park
~ Barbecue with family
~ Sew lots and lots

~ Go yarn shopping with a friend

~ Sit by a fire and worship Jesus

~ Sew a new skirt or remake an old dress

~ S'mores

~ Try a new pie recipe—maybe an old-fashioned pie or hand pies

~ Knit a pair of socks. 
~ Worship Jesus by water

~ Blow bubbles... We did this with our grandson B. So fun!

~ Stargazing
~ Eat icy cold watermelon

~ Watch fireworks

PRAISE GOD FOR LIFE!

My 2017 summer bucket list was written just after my cancer diagnosis and was implemented during chemotherapy. Thank you God for life and for determination to make the best of whatever time you give me.

What are you planning to do this summer?

ஐღLauraღஐ 

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

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~

A Slight Delay...

 

I've had a slight delay in cleaning and organizing my sewing room. 

I've hurt my back, and bending is hurting a lot. 

I went to the chiropractor this afternoon, and I'll go back again in the morning. 

I've had some relief. 

Thank you Jesus!

Regardless of whether I get the cleaning and organizing done, 

I will start sewing Monday.

I'll just clean up as I go.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

I'll be taking a day trip with my husband to celebrate 39 years of marriage on Saturday.

Blessings,

Laura

School's Out! Sewing's In!

 

Hurrah! 

School is out!

Sewing is in!

Oh yes, I have a long to do list to get done around the house, but this is the summer of sewing! I picked up Miss Singer at the doctor's office (repair shop). She's tuned up and ready to hum her way through summer with me. I have a goal to do some kind of sewing, including mending, cutting, pinning, etc. every day this summer. The plan is to reopen my etsy shop at the end of summer. 

This week is a prep week since I'm starting on Tuesday. I'm planning to give the sewing room a good cleaning, and then organize my supplies and projects. It will be a bit of a job. I use the enclosed back porch for my sewing and office area. It gets messy over the winter with things tracked in. Regardless of how much I get done, sewing will start Monday. 

I've had several project ideas. One thing I will definitely sew is project bags for knitting, crochet, and needlework. I'm going to try some different styles and see what resonates. 

Do you have any sewing suggestions or tips for me?

Do you sew or have an etsy shop?

I'm looking for ideas and advice. My shop has been closed since before I found I had cancer. I sewed lots of masks during the plague and gave them away. I burned myself out. So, this is really a new start. That's appropriate. Sixty is a whole new decade. I've got lots of things I want to try.

Thank you for taking this trip through life with me. Many of you have been with me since my homeschooling days, and since my cancer days. I'm seven years out from my cancer diagnosis. It's hard to believe that much time has passed. I remember not knowing if I'd see another fall, another Christmas. God has been good to me. I am very thankful to keep living this life. 

Be blessed,

Laura

Please write to me. I'd really like to know what your thoughts are about all of this. If there's something you'd like to see me sew, let me know!

A New Decade Begins

 Hey y'all! Happy birthday to me. I'm 60 today. 

I sat down to write a post about this milestone, my fifties, and some of my dreams for the next 3,653 days until I have my 70th birthday. I do believe that this is going to be the best yet. BUT, as I started to write, a God breeze* started taking me another direction. The post began to get very long. I decided to split it.

Okay, I'm stopping here. This is all flowing so easily from my fingers onto the keyboard and screen. I am stopping, because my Lowell is taking me to lunch. It's time to get ready to go. I'll share more later of what's on my mind. 

This post is kind of a way to encourage myself. I was born for this moment. I can do what God has called me to do. I can trust Him to help me or even carry me through.

He is. 

I love Him.

May God bless you. Thank you for reading this rather odd post. 

Now, I'm off to get ready for my lunch date. 

*God breeze is a term coined by Marla Cilley aka FlyLady.

The Wonderful Women ~ God is in Every Season

Mamie 

My grandma

Bern, my grandmother

My dad, my son, and me

Judy

My mother-in-love

Me as momma

My husband and children

Barbara, my mom

Rick, my step-dad

Ann, my step-mom

I've been blessed with wonderful women in my life.

My grandmothers, my momma, my step-mom and my mother-in-love have all gone to be with the LORD Jesus now.

My days as Mommy are past.

I'm Mom, Mother, or Momma now

to my grown up kids.

I'm mother-in-law and grammy, now, too.

Years pass.

Times change.

Love never fails.

Monday, I'll celebrate a big birthday.

It's a change of season again.

God is in every season.

Thank you, Jesus.

Selah.

God bless you all.

Happy Mother's Day 

to mothers and daughters alike.

Laura