Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Books I read in July 2018

The photo above is art made by Jane Mount and you can purchase prints of her work and even create a customized bookshelf for yourself. Just go to her website:  Ideal bookshelf






Who Let the Cats In by Claire Cook (library) More in the Must Love Dogs Series
The Drowning Pool by Ross Macdonald (library) I recently watched the movie again and realized that I had never read the book.
The Mountain Lion by Jean Stafford (library) early 1900's California (and Colorado) a brother and sister a shuttled back and forth between their mother in Covina, CA and their uncle on a ranch in Colorado. I really enjoyed the descriptions.
Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston (library) The story of the last known survivor of the slave trade. His story as told to Zora Neale Hurston in 1928. This might be better listened to as an audio book. In an effort to preserve the orature of the narrative, it is written in vernacular diction, spelling the words as they are pronounced. I had to almost read it aloud to myself to get the gist of much of the book.
A Very English Scandal by John Preston (library) Has been made into a mini-series so I had to read it. It was pretty interesting.
The Girl On the Train (audiobook) it seems even more disjointed by listening to it as an audiobook. I had trouble figuring out which point of view a couple of times and I already knew the story!
The Elizas by Sara Shepard (library) another unreliable narrator.  Blah, I am so sick of these. This one has an interesting hook. The girl has a brain tumor and after it is removed, she writes a novel, then her life and the novel start to intersect. It was okay. But I am kind of jaded on these.
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (library) got great reviews. I thought it was just okay. 4 siblings know the date of their deaths.
Party of the Century by Deborah Davis (library) about Truman Capote's famous black and white ball. I really enjoyed it. It was part of the bibliography from The Swans of Fifth Avenue. 
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert (library) very interesting non-fiction about extinction. I learned a lot.
A Man called Ove by Fredrik Backman (library) loved it loved it loved it and cried my eyes out, was sobbing. So proceed with caution. But it is an absolutely lovely book.
You Think it, I'll Say it by Curtis Sittenfeld (library) short stories about relationships. I liked it
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman (library) A graphic novel and out of my comfort zone. I actually found the artwork distracting. The first in a series about Dreams/Nightmares and Death.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (library) recommended to me by the daughter of a friend of mine. I was a little annoyed by it at first, but there was an interesting twist at the end. I thought it was just okay.
The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery (library) very cute and fun book about a pet pig and it made me cry too





To Be Read:

Food Matters by Mark Bittman
Hungry for Change by James Colquhoun
Feed by Mira Grant
Tell the Wolves I am Home by Carol Blunt
Creatures of Habit by Jill McCorkle



It is hike-a-thon time again for Washington Trails.  From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116



Monday, July 30, 2018

2018 Postcard: Canada




Still on my bucket list, Banff etal in the Canadian Rockies. And it has been years since I visited Victoria! I need to go again. Thank you to everyone who sends me postcards from Canada!

It is hike-a-thon time again for Washington Trails.  From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Monday, July 23, 2018

2018 Postcard: Florida



Again, Thank You to all my Friends and Family who live and visit Florida for sending me so many postcards from Florida. I used to live there, but I always enjoy getting cards from the Sunshine State.

It is hike-a-thon time again for Washington Trails.  From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Friday, July 20, 2018

Where should I hike for Hike-a-thon?

Okay, I am looking for suggestions. Where should I hike for Hike-a-thon 2018? You should know that I have plans in the works to be in the Bealeton, VA area,

Balloon Festival in Bealeton, VA

August 18-19 2018



the Asheville, NC area 




The Carolina Sleuths


We will be meeting in Asheville the weekend of August 24th



and in the Paris, France area during August. Of course, I will also be in Seattle. But that still leaves at least 12 days that I don't have a plan for yet. Or if you have a favorite trail near Bealeton or Asheville, Paris or Seattle, let me know about it.




2014 Gay Games 9 in Cleveland, OH
We have a friend participating in the figure skating competition. So we want to go to Paris and watch him compete sometime from August 6-9.

August 6-9 Figure Skating Competition 2018

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116







Monday, July 16, 2018

2018 Postcard: Germany




I was just at Neuschwanstein last summer and it is definitely a bucket list place to visit!! Go now!! And send me a postcard!! There are also lots of great hiking trails around Fussen, Germany and Neuschwanstein, and speaking of hiking, it is hike-a-thon time again for Washington Trails.  From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Hike-a-thon August 2018

Just a few highlights from hikes we took in 2017. And who wants to coming hiking with me during August for the WTA Hike-a-thon? I have a few trips already planned to Virginia and North Carolina and Paris! But I also have 12 days for hiking that I do not have any commitments made yet! If you want to hike with me, let me know.





It is hike-a-thon time again for Washington Trails.  From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Monday, July 09, 2018

2018 Postcard: Massachusetts



We have so many friends that live in Massachusetts, I love getting postcards from here! I have been to Mount Greylock, it is on the Appalachian Trail !  and speaking of hiking, it is hike-a-thon time again for Washington Trails.  From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

You can also mail a check or money order or even cash ! (make out checks to WTA or Washington Trails Association )  Send to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116

Thursday, July 05, 2018

Back in the Saddle Again: Hike-a-thon 2018

Well, I took last year off from Hike-a-thon and I have to say that I did miss it. Even though I did not raise money for the WTA Hike-a-thon in 2017, Ryan and I still did a lot of hiking!

Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island

Devil's Tower Wyoming

Tubal Cain Mine Trail Olympic Pennisula

View from Heybrook Lookout Hwy 2


So that part of our lives did not change. As a change of pace, I did do a different sort of "giving back" by volunteering to tutor kids in reading at my local elementary school. And that was fun for me because I love reading.

But I really did miss doing my part for Washington Trails. So I am back again this year to remind you that we do still need help in protecting our Parks and Trails in Washington State and making sure that they will still be here for the next generation. From now until the end of August, I will be raising money for the Washington Trails Association and I plan to spend August hiking all over the USA!

Visit my fund-raising page and make a donation. And if you have any suggestions on where I should hike this August, please let me know!!

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/1515911

Monday, July 02, 2018

2018 Postcard: Portugal





I love Portugal and I would go back to visit in a hot minute!! These postcards remind me of how much I love this country!