Saturday Farmer’s Market is an event I started a couple of years ago, but kind of let get away from me. My dear, dear friend Chris asked me last month if I minded if he resurrected it (just in time for Easter!) and I was delighted to turn the reins over to him. Check out his blog for more gardening and good food goodness and join in the fun!

This is my comfrey. It has grown so large! It will have flowers soon, which are so pretty. I love it! I hope to make some salve from the leaves this year. Good for the aching joints!

This is one of my 12 potato plants. They are SO tall now!

A row of onions. They are growing so fast. I need to plant the other 40.

Beans and sugar snap peas are growing fast. I can’t wait to see them climbing that trellis.

This is the daughter’s garden. It’s a lovely mishmash of flowers, cabbage, brussels sprouts, rogue tomato plants and wildflowers. Wild and beautiful, just like her!

My first (and main) bed. Brussels sprouts are huge, the carrots are tiny, the pepper plants are…still alive? They don’t look like they have grown much yet. On the far right, is part of the line of tomatoes. They have doubled in the last week.

Another view. I got a little snap-happy.

Looking down on a brussels sprout plant (and my toes!). We were curious as to whether one could eat the leaves or not (since they look a lot like cabbage leaves. Turns out you can! And from what we read, are actually more nutritious than the sprouts! Can’t wait to try some!

So? How doth your garden grow?

Original article: Saturday Farmer’s Market

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

Place // Home. For now.

Eating // Nothing yet. Hope to eat soon!

Drinking // Nothing yet.

Reading // The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau. New YA dystopian that counts The Hunger Games as a godparent.

Watching // The New Girl finale this week (isn’t it?)!! Need to catch up on Elementary too.

Listening // Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman, read by Jenna Lamia. Love.

Pondering // What to read next. I have so many things to choose from!

Blogging // This week; hope to have another review, and I already have a Saturday Farmer’s Market post ready to go.

Promoting // The Estella Project!

Hating // Pollen! And waking up to temps in the 30s! Ugh!

Loving // My lovely family and all the loveliness I got yesterday. It was a very loving day.

Anticipating // Warmer weather.

Have a great week everyone!

Original article: Currently // May 13, 2013

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

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By special request, and the fact I had nothing else ready to post today, here is the recipe for the Ricotta Orange Pound Cake I made over the weekend. This cake was SO EASY! And oh my gosh, the flavor is fantastic, the cake has just the right consistency…. You can’t ask more of cake. You can probably tell I used my springform pan and it worked beautifully.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake
Adapted from Laura’s Sweet Spot

1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 orange, zested (OR lemon)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Amaretto (or 1/2 tsp almond extract) (I used the almond extract)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine; set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer, measure out sugar and rub orange zest into sugar with fingertips. Add butter and cream together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add ricotta and continue to cream, until well incorporated and light, about 2 minutes or so.

With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing one full minute after each. Add the vanilla and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.

Et voila! Enjoy!

Original article: Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

This was SUCH a match made in heaven for me.

Relish is Lucy’s story of her life with food. Lucy may be more obsessed with food than I am! With a mom who is both a chef and gourmand, she had little choice! After her parent’s divorce, Lucy and her mother move to the country. There, her mom starts gardening, working at the local farmer’s market, and even starts a catering company. Lucy, at first, resents the move and misses the big city with its plethora of food opportunities, but soon comes to appreciate what her mother has brought to her. Her trips back to the city to visit with her father, who only eats at restaurants, are a nice contrast to this home grown attitude of her mom’s. The memoir follows her through growing up in the country, into her move to Chicago to go to art school and her introduction to all the different kinds of foods available there.

Be careful though. This book will make you hungry.

I love Lucy’s attitude toward food. I try to eat healthy. I’m trying to teach my children to reach for that carrot stick instead of a French fry. Lucy’s mom tried to instill the same thing in her. Yet, Lucy has other ideas, and I agree with them. Every once in a while, you just gotta get that McDonald’s cheeseburger! Yes, it is not nutritionally the best thing to pick. But it tastes good! And one, every once in a while, isn’t going to hurt. I love that she’s not stuck up about food.

I love the way she draws out her recipes. It (quite possibly strangely) brought to mind The Pioneer Woman and how she photographs EVERYTHING in her recipes. All the ingredients. All the steps. And the results. (also, *drool*) Lucy’s drawings are cute and the recipes sound (and look) delicious.

Yeah. This is a must own.

What do you think of foodie memoirs? What do you think of them in a graphic novel format?

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
By Lucy Knisley
Rated: 5/5
Publisher: First Second
Published 4/2/2013
192 pages
ISBN: 9781596436237
Acquired from the library, but I will be buying myself a copy

Original article: Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

You guys were a little shy. Performance anxiety??? But we still came up with a pool of 10 books on which to base our little experiment.

Bestest of the Bestest According to Estella Readers:

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
• Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
• The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
• Wicked by Gregory Maguire
• A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
• Kindred by Octavia Butler
• The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
• Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
• A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Now, the challenge, should you choose to accept it….

Read any three of the books from the list between May 6th and September 1st. That’s four full months.  

Yeah, that’s it. We want you to tell us about them, of course! As you finish, link up below so we can enjoy your reviews. For those who manage to finish three books by September 1st, there’s a $20 Amazon gift card in it for you. Woot!

Head on over to The Estella Society as you read, please?

I think I’m going to be reading the last three. I have several respected friends who list The Sparrow as a favorite, Debi highly recommends Bad Science, and I have such a love/hate relationship with John Irving that I’m curious what I’ll think of one of his more beloved books.

Original article: Announcing The Estella Project!

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

More Wordless Wednesday fun here.

Original article: Wordless Wednesday – Spring Has Sprung

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

I don’t know about you, but I get nervous when books are compared to others. I get REALLY nervous when books are compared to books I love. I find that, for the most part, this leads to a letdown.

Between Shades of Gray has been compared to The Book Thief.

I completely and totally love The Book Thief. With, like, most of my heart. So, naturally, I was also completely and totally nervous about Between Shades of Gray.

I’ll say this right now. I needn’t have been. While in many ways, Between Shades of Gray is not like The Book Thief, in others it is. And I have nothing but love, now for both of the books.

Between Shades of Gray has war, and prisons camps, and family, and strength, and hope, and love. So much love. Oh geez, I’m going to cry again. Just let me get to what the book is about:

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they’ve known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin’s orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously-and at great risk-documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father’s prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

That last part? About how Between Shades of Gray is novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart? THAT IS SO TRUE. I was slightly surprised by just how much. On the surface, it seems like I wouldn’t have a lot in common with Lina. She’s 15. I’m 35. She’s Lithuanian. I’m American. She has a loving family life with her parents and brother. I had a loving family life with my grandparents, and now my husband and children. She was sent to a labor camp in Siberia. I’ve never had such treatment. We DO have art in common, and we’re both girls, but that’s about it. Yet, thanks to Sepetys gorgeous writing, I felt I came to know Lina so well. I could understand her. I could imagine what I would do in her place. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be nearly as strong as she was.

After all I’ve said, I bet you’re thinking, “But Heather, this book will make me cry!” Well, yes, it probably will. Books about war are sad, especially when told through the eyes of a young person. However, there is so much HOPE in this book. Lina. Never. Gives. Up. Through the worst things that could happen to a person, she never gives up hope, she never gives up love, and she never, ever, gives up her strength. I’m telling you; Lina will steal your heart, just as surely as she stole mine.

Frankly put, this book is not to be missed.

Notes on the reader: Emily Klein was perfect. Her voice was soft, young, and just absolutely perfect for Lina. At first, I wasn’t too sure, but she completely won me over.

Favorite bits:

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.”

“I left the jutra to chop wood. I began my walk through the snow, five kilometers to the tree line. That’s when I saw it.

A tiny silver of gold appeared between shades of gray on the horizon.

I stared at the amber band of sunlight, smiling.

The sun had returned.

I closed my eyes. I felt Andrius moving close. “I’ll see you,” he said.

“Yes, I will see you,” I whispered “I will.”

I reached into my pocket and squeezed the stone.”

“Sometimes kindness can be delivered in a clumsy way. But it’s far more sincere in its clumsiness than those distinguished men you read about in books. Your father was very clumsy.”

“Andrius, I’m…scared.”

He stopped and turned to me. “No. Don’t be scared. Don’t give them anything Lina, not even your fear.”

Between Shades of Gray
By Ruta Sepetys
Read by Emily Klein
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date: 4/3/2012
Pages: 368; Time: 7 hours, 47 minutes
Acquired from the NC Digital Library

Original article: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

Place // Work. Again, ugh.

Eating // Some BelVita Breakfast Biscuits (Apple Cinnamon)

Drinking // Apple Juice

Reading // The Game by Barry Lyga and Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Watching //My computer screen?

Listening // Just finished the last in the Tomorrow series by John Marsden (read by Suzi Dougherty), The Other Side of Dawn (*sniff*), so I’m not sure yet. Looking at Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots by Jessica Sofer, (read by Kathleen Gati and Kate Reinders).

Pondering // Nothing really at the moment….

Blogging // This? And…I’m not sure. I hope to post a review this week. Meant to do Saturday Farmer’s Market this weekend, but was just too busy. So I hope to do that this weekend. So many lovely things growing!

Promoting // Nothing really….

Loving // That my boy is home! Life has returned to normal!

Hating //My job at the moment, but it will be better by next week. I hope.

Anticipating // Training my new employee!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday – Frogmore Stew, or what some call Low Country Boil
Tuesday – Chili with guacamole and chips for me and the girl
Wednesday – Grilled Pork Chops (from the farmer’s market), asparagus, and grilled cabbage and onions
Thursday – Eat at my aunts
Friday – fend for myself

Have a great week everyone!

Original article: Currently // May 6, 2013

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

Now, onto what it’s about. Besides being about awesomeness.

Gosh. Where do I start? I know! The summary!

”Bono met his wife in high school,” Park says.
“So did Jerry Lee Lewis,” Eleanor answers.
“I’m not kidding,” he says.
“You should be,” she says, “we’re sixteen.”
“What about Romeo and Juliet?”
“Shallow, confused, then dead.”
”I love you,” Park says.
“Wherefore art thou,” Eleanor answers.
“I’m not kidding,” he says.
“You should be.”

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

Hmm…that doesn’t really say enough. Okay. The book starts on the school bus. Park, half-Korean fan of comics and punk and New Wave, is listening to music, pointedly ignoring the clueless bullies behind him, when on walks Eleanor. The New Girl. Eleanor immediately stands out for her red hair, her odd clothing, her size, and by the fact that she can’t seem to find a seat. Finally, out of impatient kindness, Park lets her sit beside him. Days of silence between the two stretch on until one day, Park notices something. Eleanor is reading the comics in his lap. Slowly, their relationship deepens to conversation, and then feelings. Oh, the feelings.

Eleanor’s home life is heartbreaking. She shares a room with her four siblings. They are forced to tiptoe around their violent step-father. Her mother turns a blind eye to the things happening right under her nose. Park, and the world he represents, becomes Eleanor’s haven. Things are not good for Eleanor, except for her relationship with Park. Told in alternating voices, it is impossible to not fall in love with Eleanor and Park, separately and together. They are, to be cliché (which they hate), quite adorable.

And I don’t want to say much more than that. I went into this book not knowing much more than the summary above and that my readerly friends loved this book. Hopefully you will trust me as much as I trusted them. Rainbow Rowell’s writing is exquisite. I loved every syllable of this novel. She pulled me in, she kept me there, and she made me reluctant to leave. She took what could be misconstrued as a typical young adult romance and made it into so. much. more. And she gave me Eleanor. So tough. So fragile. And Park. So kind. Two teens with so many awkward, typical teenager tropes, and made you fall in love with them. Hopelessly.

Favorite bits:

“I love you,” he said.

She looked up at him, her eyes shiny and black, then looked away. “I know,” she said.

He pulled one of his arms out from under her and traced her outline against the couch. He could spend all day like this, running his hand down her ribs, into her waist, out to her hips and back again…. If he had all day, he would. If she weren’t made of so many other miracles.

“You know?” he repeated. She smiled, so he kissed her. “You’re not the Han Solo in this relationship, you know.”

“I’m totally the Han Solo,” she whispered. It was good to hear her. It was good to remember it was Eleanor under all this new flesh.

“Well, I’m not the Princess Leia,” he said.

“Don’t get so hung up on gender roles,” Eleanor said.”

“You can be Han Solo,” he said, kissing her throat. “And I’ll be Boba Fett. I’ll cross the sky for you.”

“What do you want to show me?”

“Nothing, really. I just want to be alone with you for a minute.”

He pulled her to the back of the driveway, where they were almost completely hidden by a line of trees and the RV and the garage.

“Seriously?” she said. “That was so lame.”

“I know,” he said, turning to her. “Next time, I’ll just say, ‘Eleanor, follow me down this dark alley, I want to kiss you.’”

She didn’t roll her eyes. She took a breath, then closed her mouth. He was learning how to catch her off guard.

She pushed her hands deeper in her pockets, so he put his hands on her elbows. “Next time,” he said, “I’ll just say, ‘Eleanor, duck behind these bushes with me, I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t kiss you.’”

She didn’t move, so he thought it was probably okay to touch her face. Her skin was as soft as it looked, white and smooth as freckled porcelain.

“I’ll just say, ‘Eleanor, follow me down this rabbit hole…’”

He laid his thumb on her lips to see if she’d pull away. She didn’t. He leaned closer. He wanted to close his eyes, but he didn’t trust her not to leave him standing there.”

Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: 2/26/2013
ISBN: 9781250012579
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I got it from Barnes & Noble with my own monies.

Original article: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.

When I first thought of doing my April wrap up (I almost forgot), I thought I wasn’t going to have much to report. But then, I actually looked, and was pleasantly surprised! I had a really good month! That’s partly thanks to the readathon, in which I read 4 books (that I counted), bringing my monthly total up to 10 books read! Hurray for the readathon!

So, here’s the breakdown:

33. How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, read by David Tennant
34. Strangers in Paradise: Pocket Book 1 by Terry Moore
35. Mort by Terry Pratchett
36. Strangers in Paradise: Pocket Book 2 by Terry Moore
37. Rachel Rising #1 by Terry Moore
38. Genius by Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen
39. Bubbles & Gondola by Renaud Dillies
40. The Enchantment by Christian Deriuex
41. Relish: My LIfe in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
42. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I listened to How to Train Your Dragon with the kids, who loved it, especially the girl. I loved it for David Tennant’s reading. He is a GREAT reader.

Favorites: Eleanor & Park (which is contender for favorite book of the year, I loved it so), Relish, and Strangers in Paradise 1 & 2.

Duds: Genius . Whoa. Will review soon.

Here’s to a surprisingly great month of reading! Let’s home May is just as lovely.

How was your reading in April?

Also; join us for May’s #EstellaGram!

Original article: April 2013 Wrap Up

©2013 Capricious Reader. All Rights Reserved.