Ellie@Home by Nicole Kapise-Perkins

...and well in Simon Sebag Montefiore's historic masterpiece The Romanovs: 1613-1918. I've read biographies on Catherine the Great and Tsar Nicholas and his family (really, who hasn't heard of at least Grand Duchess Anastasia?) but I haven't read the story of the founding of the dynasty and all the people that came before Catherine, and after up to Nicholas. I haven't finished the book, but what an immense, colorful, checkered history of murder, deceit, and the few who struggled to do what was truly right not just for the country but for its people. It makes me wish I had a dash of Russian heritage. Oh well, one can dream, and read on.

     I would love to say that I create my own amazing recipes and we all leave the table happy, full, and deliciously fat. Sadly, this is not the case. I can but mimic the efforts of other excellent cooks, and reap the rewards of praise from family and friends. I am okay with this. And so I will continue to share recipes we have tried and heartily enjoyed, so that you may enjoy them as well. And I will bask in your tummy's happiness. Creamy Lemon Sauce with Egg Pasta, Corn, Leeks & Peas   Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 ...

     We found a new-to-us graphic novel collection that the whole family loves, the Little Bit especially, as it has adventure, magic, exploring, greedy dragons and a talking porcupine all rolled into one. Rod Espinosa's Courageous Princess, MabelRose is snatched by a dragon determined to keep her in his castle forever. Instead of waiting for rescue (because what kind of intelligent, adventurous, brave princess does that?) she forms her own plan to escape and return to her homeland. And the rest is a story of high adventure written joust for young readers. Or older readers, and my husband and I read it to our little boy, and a couple days later our 19 year old was reading it as well. (These loaded in the wrong order...the bottom one is actually book 1...and my computer is not cooperating. I apologize.)

Abundant Harvests : It is a beautifully cool, misty-rainy day for the last day of Beltane. Not a day to be out celebrating Tailtiu with games, but still perfect. We've been starved for rain this month, and today's rain feels like a benediction on the ripening tomatoes, squash and herbs. Later I will mix up bread dough and measure out rice for risotto. A touch of s...

I didn't intentionally read these back to back, but what a great coincidence. Peter Matthiessen and Susan Fox Rogers each present books that take readers away on adventures they may perhaps never go on. I hope to one day travel to Spain, and Ireland and Scotland, Germany and possibly Sweden, but South America? I doubt it. Ditto India. (He doesn't go to India). But the writing is so perfect, you feel as though you are on board ship with him. The stories Susan Fox Rogers collected and edited for Solo are so outstanding, either in the physical action (out-skiing an avalanche, hello!) or the emotional journey that those women experienced I wished I too, could throw it all in and just go . Go where my feet led me, go where my heart told me, go where my finger landed on the map. Perhaps it's selfishness, perhaps it's the onset on mid-life crisis, call it what you will, but I couldn't help but experience a pang of envy reading about these amazing adventures in places I w...