Update! Snapshot! #TackleTBR read-a-thon update and Classic Pick o' the Day!

Update!

I started Enchanted this week and I'm carrying my Nook around with me EVERYWHERE in case I find a stray minute to read! I'm on pg 143. It's more ominous than it sounds.

I LOVE SUNDAY!!! She's just the right amount of discontent and passionate. I think I love Alethea Kontis more, though... how many times am I going to laugh over the twisted fairytale references stuffed in every corner!!!  Love!!!

The more I read, the harder it is to go fast, too... the writing is so deliciously beautiful and multi-layered. Fav quotes so far:

Pg 39 - "Rivulets of blood wept from scratches in his skin and cracks in his desiccated lips." 

Pg 58 - "No pale glow of moonlight fell from the heavens to light false paths in the darkness." 

Pg 87 - "He looked at his hands still clasped around his knees, his fingers gray with ash, the soot caked in black lines along his knuckles, under his nails... He could not change the man he had been, but these hands would make him the man he could be."

Pg 92 - "Sunday might have laughed if she hadn't felt so old and tired, as if every muscle in her body realized that one small laugh from one small girl would never change the course of the universe and was therefore not worth the effort." 

I'm also reading WARP, which is (also) impossible to put down. I'm on pg 128 and I HATE, HATE, HATE Albert Gerrick. Just heard how he took out Jack the Ripper, sharing his victory coated in blood. WHILE... he's sneaking down a chimney to knock off a group of unsuspecting FBI agents. Yikes!

I started this originally to preview for my 9 yr old... and I'm not going to let him listen to the audio version. Lol. I'm going to say this is a 13+ or older book due to amount of blood. My 9 yr old would probably love it, but that bothers me. I haven't read the Artemis Fowl series, but now... if the writing is anything like WARP, I must!


In addition... I'm listening to The Two Towers in the car.

I had switched which audio version I was listening to and missed a few key phrases and got lost. Getting lost in Tolkien's world is downright dangerous!!!  I'm starting the book again in the same audio I listened to for The Fellowship of the Ring. Plus I picked up the book to follow along. I think I got lost when I read it the first time back in high school... and frankly, I need answers to questions, now... like how this ring effects everyone and where Gandolf disappeared to and how did he come back? and how... is the enemy so aware of where everyone is?!  *shudder*



Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. The rule is to share photos you, or someone you know, took. The following is from my or my husband's camera the first weekend in Sept this year...

Snapshot - Classic Pic o' the Day

Here's a picture of a classic vehicle... so you can have a great day!  :-D

Here's a Studebaker from the 50's turned "Gasser"... it's modified (obviously) with the blower out the hood and exhaust comin' out the sides. I especially love this paint color... such a deep maroon that gets darker in the shadows. Is the top chopped a bit? or do these come so squatty-mean-lookin'?

Yes! Those are "suicide doors"!!  And yes... the wheelie bars and parachute mean "fast" (and a bit of a gaudy statement about it since this is a "street" vehicle.  It wouldn't be allowed on the street if it required those additions.)

The name, Suicide Doors, comes from the amount of injuries... getting caught under a moving door facing that direction sorta scoops you... where? Underneath. The name does NOT come from the doors being whipped open by the speed of forward movement as some say. When were suicide doors most used? Not at the same time as speed!!  Nowadays... they are a cool modification that requires a lot of alignment work and different hinges, etc.

Note the door handles are "shaved".  :-D  There are none. Also a lot of work. The glass-like reflection across the body even where things like door handles used to be sings of sweet bodywork!

The above shots were taken on the Long Beach, WA street where we cruise all weekend long (and lots of cops hang out making sure we all remember our manners). Here's the actual show with a rare spotlight of sunshine!!

And there you have it!  Your Classic Pic o' the Day!!

Next, check out the Chevy C-10 that won the Dyno contest!

Classic Pic o' the Day

Here's your Classic Pic o' the Day.

Everyone can use a little gorgeous metal art in their life... add a rumbling motor and we have a swoon-worthy combination. We have seen so many beautiful vehicles between the Abundant Life Cruise-In we coordinated and all the car shows we attend... they must be shared!!

Slowly... to enjoy them.  :-D

First up, the truck that won the Dyno competition for greatest RPM at the End of the World Rod Run this past weekend:

The exhaust comes out the side of the bed. Great modification. Nice close up on the rivets, too, which are painted on. Isn't that a cool graphic? The paint's peeling off!

Up on the Dyno machine!!

How much horse-power did this truck have?  565

:-D  It sounded awesome, too... they revved the motor up 3x to get the numbers and you could hear it from the far end of the show, over two football fields big. You could probably hear it where you are... now you know what that rumbling roar was last Saturday!

Snapshot: Morning Rose

I looked out my kitchen window this morning and check this out:

The Morning Rose!!  That's what I'm calling it.  It's the way the late summer sun catches the end of my patio. Everything is in shadow except this glorious spotlight of sunshine. It might happen earlier in summer and I'm just not awake for it. Lol.

When we first moved to this house I woke up to watch the dew fall in that sunlight. Because of the shadow/sunlight contrast, I could see the drops of dew rising from the ground and falling again, like silver glitter.

I was telling someone about that and they asked me to show them... which left me speechless. (Like, I literally opened my mouth to tell them when and where and realized I had no idea!) So ever since, I've been watching the spot, waiting to see dew again. It's been... ugh... years. I didn't see dew. *sigh*  If I do, I'll be sure to get a pic, if I can. But I did see the right aligning of light & shadow to make it possible. Finally.

Has that ever happened to you? 

Like... some ordinary view looks suddenly vibrant and alive... like there was a veil hiding the reality of it and it was suddenly removed for just a tiny moment?

That happened to me one other time here. Still no idea how to see it again, but the field next door opened up like that. I could see... literally see... all the tiny bugs and pollen and dust and LIFE floating through the air. Half of me wanted to stuff my head in a pillow case for the rest of my breathing days, the air was so full of LIFE. The other half of me could not look away, I was so filled with awe.

My early morning rose in sunshine doesn't do it justice. (And not b/c my only camera, now, is on my ancient phone, which stinks.) There's no way to capture the idea of a glowing rose in the early morning. I need to add a large dose of damp chill to the photograph.

Snapshot - How Does Your Garden Grow?

It's a miracle!

On Pinterest I have a board titled "Secret Garden". The secret to my garden is that I have one this year and I usually don't attempt it. I actually have seedlings sprouting. I can hardly contain my excitement:

I decided the trick to managing an acre of plantable land is to throw too many seeds in one pot. Not logical, I know, but look!! It's working!!!

My first roses, etc, are out, too..... LOVE!!

Remember that rose "tree" that I over-pruned last year? I let it sprawl where it will this year... and I have an ABUNDANCE of these blushing yellow beauties. I should take a picture for you, huh?  Alrighty... it's raining, but we don't mind. We're Oregonians (the roses and I).

You may thank Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot and encouraging me to share pictures I take despite lacking photo-taking skills. Or blame me for my pathetic gardening attempts and baring the bumblings online. Lol.

Snapshot - World Book Night 2013 #wbn2013

I love World Book Night!!!!!!  :-D

It's so exciting picking up the books!!  It's exciting receiving the notifications... exciting dropping in on the pick-up site and seeing all the boxes with the yellow-n-black label... exciting feeling a part of such a BIG event to lure reluctant or non-readers into the delicious world of BOOKS!!!  :-D  I just love it.

Here's my box ready for delivery!

I have mid-schoolers, you know... and they're close friends with other reluctant readers. Last year I passed out Ender's Game in Dash's lit class. This year I received Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life and I wanted to find some 6th graders, so I went straight to the teachers I've gotten to know well over the past four years. In cahoots with awesome teachers, we singled out some reluctant readers who could not resist this awesome-looking book by James Patterson:

They are well on their way to being ENTHUSIASTIC readers!!!  :-D

Huge "Thank You" to World Book Night... and Barnes & Noble and all the people who made this possible!!  Huge THANKS to Damascus Middle School, too, and teachers who go above and beyond - and to the awesome youth showing off their new books!

Spread the awesomeness of World Book Night by sharing on Twitter: #wbn2013 or Facebook. If you posted a story, let me know so I can check it out!!

One more thank you to Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot!  :-D

Moment of Parasol Snapshot

On some days, it is essential that one love books and read lots of great ones. Take yesterday, for example. Running out of gas could be a disaster in the rain... or, it could be... A MOMENT OF PARASOL.

I know, dramatic intro for a bad-ish picture. I only took this one and left the umbrella closed so it didn't blow away. When I took this, I had every hope that one gallon of gas would get me back on the road again.

This was not the case... so I had some time to read Changeless by Gail Carriger. Alexia's parasol is even more garish than my rainbow loaner, but hers has lots of pockets to hide interesting weapons. Mine... was only garish. But no one hit me walking between the gas station and my awesome beast of a carriage.


Do you follow Gail Carriger's blog and her regular "moment of parasol"? So entertaining.

Thank you, Alice of At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot while moving. Amazing. Thx for stopping by to check out my personal photo album. :-)

Snapshot... Mystical Miniature

Hosted by Alyce @ At Home With Books... you've stumbled upon me practicing miniature photography this fine Saturday.

Enter the mystical world of... my back yard!!

I took a bazillion pix & none of 'em look just right. Lol. But this little moss growth on this rock looks just like something out of The Hobbit, doesn't it?!  It looks like an adventure waiting to happen. Those thingame's, whatever they are, are about 1/2" high.

Here's another view...

For Easter... I'm hiding a bunch of chocolates around the house for the kids to find in the morning. We've decorated eggs, too, for an outdoor "real egg" hunt at the relative's after church. The chocolate hunt is a big hit. It's one of those things we really agree on. Chocolate. What are you doing for Easter?

Meeting Richelle Mead Snapshot

Here's my latest awesome new arrivals...

The best part about going to a book signing is seeing all the other people there. I brought one of my favoritest people in all the world... lil' Miss Trin. She has not read Richelle Mead's books, yet, be we assured her in person that she'll get to 'em some day.

Here we are waiting for the famed author to arrive:

The best (and only) seat we could find was on the floor, which we would have chosen, anyway, tucked down a side aisle in the Travel Section. We were ecstatic about seeing Richelle as we listened to her read from Indigo Spell. She chose a passage with Adrian and Sydney, of course. It was so fun to hear her inflections.

There wasn't really a line, per say... it was more a free-for-all after all the seated early arrivals went. Anyone who had bought Indigo Spell at the store rec'd a blue wrist band, so they got to shove to the front first. That was pretty much all of us. (Thank you, honey-do for buying me the awesome book!!)

Fortunately I have skills in this department. I found some enthusiastic first-timers and followed closely as they fought their way to the front.

We then relaxed over tea and had a long conversation about The Fiery Heart coming out on November 19th. Apparently things really heat up between Adrian and Sydney in the next book.

(Note: I did not get this book... it's new cover news.)

Just Kidding... there wasn't time for tea. And, Ok, she shared the book news with everyone. But we did relax for about 30 seconds.

I got a lot of stuff. I forgot to get the bookmarks... I don't even remember what they looked like. But Richelle gave Trinity a "St. V" pin with a tiny VA engraved on the back. Yep! She's an official student at St. Vladamir's now! I'm so proud!!  (That's it there above the signature in Bloodlines.)

It is possible that I should have stayed 'til the crowds cleared out to see if I could have gotten extras for Colorimetry readers. And I would have, too, if... naw... That crowd looked like it'd keep Richelle up 'til closing and then some. I left with the ambulance carrying out someone who fainted from... something. Crowds? I can joke a little 'cause she was smiling and waving as they carried her off. It was a very happy book signing.

Thx Alyce @ At Home With Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot!  You have stumbled onto my personal photo album, lucky you!!  Today is book-related, at least.

Snapshot - Finding Waterfalls

Sometimes I really love this part of Oregon. These little waterfalls are hidden everywhere, heading to the Columbia River, no doubt. I was searching for an address and didn't want to pull out the GPS 'cause I knew I was close... and then the town ended, the road started winding and when I could pull over to turn around, this is where I found myself... at this little oasis near everywhere and nowhere. No name posted. Nothing fancy or special about it. Just... just a piece of standard Oregon landscape at any-ol' turnaround on a winding road.

I took this shot with my phone quickly... before anyone would drive by and catch me gawking at such standard scenery. Ha. I love how beauty is tucked in hidden corners. I love how life doesn't need to stop and notice. These places just exist. I left feeling refreshed and energized, like I had a secret oasis inside me that no one needed to recognize. It was just my own, beautiful.

Thx Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot where I take advantage of sharing personal life-n-pix.

Snapshot - Fire & Ice

We had a "Cold Snap" in Oregon... and it made for some interesting pictures...

This spider web came back alive, bright with ice:

Ice grew on everything, spiking dangerously on the blackberry vines in the fog:

We were cozy inside by the fire... I love the warmth of fire when it's icy outside!

No, really... this pellet stove made it so hot inside we had to turn it off after a few hours, it was so hot. I love fog... it's so mysterious, but the ice... we're just not used to that much cold. Lol. It was really cold. Now I have a cough & cold to match the season. Ha. I sound funny this morning, but I slept so great, so I'm on the mend. My honey tells me he was kept awake all night with weird sleeping noises coming from his wife. When I do a cold... (hahahaha) I do it right!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ At Home with Books

Snowy Snapshot

A moment of snow...

The whole world pauses to watch the white flakes fall. Not enough to stop school, or anything... just enough to pause and enjoy the show...

(Just snowfall)

Thx to Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot

Snapshot - Gobble-Gobble!!

This is fun... Trinity took a bazillion pictures of her cookie-turkey that she made at school. She wanted to bring it with her to Thanksgiving, but it kept losing tail-feathers and eventually she decided that she took enough pictures that she could share her creation and no one really needed to see it in person, anyway... so it didn't make it to Thanksgiving, after all.

I think it's funny how she wanted so many candid shots with LIFE in the background. That'd be fuzzy-me! Me washing dishes, me cooking dinner...

Finally... me on my b-day. I get the hugs when I can from my busy-busy kiddledids. The two that are passing me up in height wouldn't pose, of course. No worries... I'll catch 'em for The Christmas Picture!!  :-D

Thx, Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot!!!  :-D

Snapshot - You Are Invitid!

I am partyin'. :-)  Cam is turning 9 today and he wanted a Mine Craft birthday party. I had him design his own party invitations. He created this on my computer and was pretty irritated when he noticed the misspelling. It's tricky backing up a lot of steps to fix something.

I love this... it's a tiny, beautiful peak at childhood. Especially for a birthday. As I celebrate, I remember the little guy he used to be. He's so grown up, now. But not too grown up. :-)

Thx, Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot and giving me a chance to share personal picture-book stuff. This isn't a picture taken by a camera, but it is created by one of us.

What's with the Mine Craft craze, anyway? I mean... look at this guy! He's just boxes!!

Snapshot - Monthly Book Stackin'

I am a hoarder. It's true. I love books, I love book swag. I gathered as much as I could on my lil' visit to Wordstock, where I met Kimberly Derting. So fun!!. :-D

Angel Wings from  Martha Brockenbroughand her new book Devine Intervention.

My mailbox has been filling, too... lots of delicious books coming my way. From LibaryThing, I rec'd this great East vs West Showdown for review. Tons of great vehicles!!

Miki is a reader of Colorimetry as well as a blogger at  Lecture toute une Aventure. She and I have one of the awesomest things in common - the same Bloggiversary! She sent me a bookmark and a real, live handwritten letter totally out of the blue (before we knew we shared a Bloggiversary date.) When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? I want to frame it and hang it on my wall. Lol. It's absolutely beautiful!! And the bookmark is perfect!

Anne Elisabeth has visited Colorimetry before and I am excited to read -n- review her newest book, Starflower, which takes place chronologically before the others in the series. Beautiful.

Nicole O'Dell has also visited Colorimetry. This fun package was a surprise for me. Thx, Nicole!!

I haven't entered many giveaways lately. I mean, there's only so many wonderful books I can read at a time and blogging, well... *sigh* I love blogging and books!!!  They keep coming!!  But the Jane Austen giveaway? I was all over that!!  I did not have a print copy of Pride and Prejudice in my library, something I brought up, myself. *rolls eyes* So, while I was mailing Soulless to the winner of my giveaway, I was receiving P&P from another great blogger: Thank you, Ruth Hill of My Devotional Thoughts!!!  I love this copy you chose and I'm so excited to see what else is on the way! What a great giveaway!!!

Blogging is so totally awesome!!!  A year ago I would not have believed a post like this was possible. You know? But... um... there's MORE!!  Lol. I've been gathering digital goodies, too!!

Princess of Glass, Princess of the Midnight Ball & Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow from Jessica Day George. Sweet Venom, Heartless, The Escape of Princess Madeline, Evie's Knight, Wildly, Surrender, The Mind Readers, Shadow Man, Scarlette, The Naked Foods Cookbook, Kiss of the Butterfly, Butterfly Kisses & The Elite by Dan Wilson.

Davonna Juroe and I met on Goodreads and Pinterest. Scarelette is a fairytale retelling of a nightmarish kind. I can't wait to read her book and she's coming to Colorimetry to visit later this year. :-)


I really enjoyed having Kimberly Krey over for an interview recently. Her story sounds all kinds of eerie and I can't wait to read it. Evie's Knight will be the first touring book for Prism Book Tours. I don't have the post complete, yet... it'll go up on Colorimetry this Tuesday, or so. But if you're interested in touring with me, the early sign up form is ready to fill out over HERE.

Jessica Day George's books are still on a crazy-great sale, if you don't have them, yet!!  $1.59 & $4.99. SWEEEEEEET!!!!  

Thank you to Alyce @ At Home with Books for hosting Saturday Snapshot!!!  

I haven't hooked up to a Stacking the Shelves or In My Mailbox for forever, seems like. This is my monthly haul... or longer. I haven't really kept track. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone's been getting!!