What I’ve been reading, watching, making, and otherwise doing for the past month!
In June, I got in a lot of good reading time when we travelled for a few days to Florida (work for spouse, relaxation for me). I also made some progress on my family history project and scheduled a couple of posts for my newsletter.
As a reminder, only monthly wrap-up posts are currently open to comments. ALL posts are currently open to comments.
Books + Media | Arts + Crafts | Food + Health
Books + Media
Finished
Books
- Audiobook — Cane by Jean Toomer, 1923
- Audiobook — Eugénie Grandet by Honoré de Balzac, 1833
- Audiobook — One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, 1962
- Audiobook — Passing by Nella Larsen, 1929
- Book — A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1902
- Book — Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome, 1930
Media
- Movie — Red Notice starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot, 2021
In progress
Books
- Book — The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, 1980
- Book — The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, c. 1010
Media
- TV series — Zorro starring Guy Williams, 1957–1959
- Podcast — Wine 101 hosted by Keith Beavers, produced by VinePair, 2020–TBD
Reviewed
- The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft (Fiction)
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo (Fiction)
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (Fiction)
- Ubik by Philip K. Dick (Fiction)
- The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (Children’s)
Arts + Crafts
Finished
Nothing this month!
In progress
Cross-stitch
- Multiple projects from Feminist Cross-Stitch by Stephanie Rohr
Watercolor
“Malacology”“Texas gastropods” set by self
Food + Health
Finished
Cooking
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Tasting History by Max Miller, 2023
Epityrum - Cookbook cook-thru project – The Food Lab by J. Kenji López-Alt, 2015
Pan-seared hanger steak - Cookbook cook-thru project – Methodist Morsels by the FUMC of Lamesa, Texas, 1983
Swedish bean salad by Mary Lane Peterson - Cookbook cook-thru project – Essential Breads magazine special ed., 2018
Garlic-herb naan by Dave Muller and Lana Porcello - Magazine clippings cook-thru project
Strawberry snacking cake from Bon Appetit magazine, recipe by Sarah Jampel
- Black-eyed pea salad with peaches from America’s Test Kitchen: Best-Ever Salads special ed.
- Lemon and herb red potato salad from America’s Test Kitchen: Best-Ever Salads special ed.
Of the new recipes I tried this month, I especially enjoyed both of the salads from America’s Test Kitchen: Best-Ever Salads. I will absolutely make these again.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the Swedish bean salad from Methodist Morsels. It was essentially just green beans + cucumbers with way too much mayonnaise — and I cut the mayo by a third and it was still too much!
Dining + Drinks
- Wine tasting project – Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette, 2015
Colli di Luni Vermentino by Cantine Lunae Bosoni; Liguria, Italy - Wine tasting project – Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette, 2015
Mencía by Rectoral De Amandi; Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
I have also updated my page for this: Wine Project
- Dined out — The Flying Burro in Melbourne, Florida
- Dined out — Tacos Don Chava [food truck] in Houston, Texas
- Dined out — Little Bird [food truck] in Houston, Texas
Fitness
- Walking, 4.75 hours (15.25 miles)
- Rowing machine, 0.75 hours
iFit “Hawaii Weight Loss Rowing” series with trainer Kai Wilding - Stairs, 8.25 hours
- Weight training, 1.25 total hours
In progress
Cooking
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Tasting History: Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes by Max Miller, 2023
- Cookbook cook-thru project – The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt, 2015
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Methodist Morsels by the Cookbook Committee of the First United Methodist Church of Lamesa, Texas, 1983
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Bon Appétit + Gourmet Essential Breads from Condé Nast Special Editions, 2018
- Magazine clippings cook-thru project
Dining + Drinks
- Wine tasting project – Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette, 2015
Fitness
- iFit “Hawaii Weight Loss Rowing” series with trainer Kai Wilding
Have something to say? Monthly wrap-up posts are open to comments!
I love RED NOTICE. Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson need to do more movies together, lol.
I’m glad you were able to get a lot of reading done and spent some time relaxing in Florida. 😀 I’ve been wanting to reread JURASSIC PARK for a few years now. I just haven’t gotten to it. I read it when I was in high school and I’d really like to experience the whole story again. I finished rereading HIS DARK MATERIALS a couple of years ago. I love that trilogy so much!
I hope you have a fantastic July!