Saturdays in the Garden - Bison, Butterflies and Another Crazy Week

OUTSIDE
One of the areas where I'm doing Lek surveys for Prairie Chickens has bison and instead of being far off in the distance as usual, they moseyed on over close to the road.  If I let my eyes unfocus and block out the powerlines, fence and road I could almost imagine I was out on the wild prairie of the 1850s.  If I actually got transported there, I would quickly become terrified as I have no homesteading skills but it would be an awesome sight.

Despite a busy week I made some time for the garden and the garden did some things all on its own without help from me:).  I planted carrots, an Asian Greens mix, radishes and some sugar snap and regular peas outside.  The chives, tarragon and horseradish have begun greening up outside and all my starts have now started.  Now comes the obsessively checking the beds everyday for sprouts:0)!  I love this time of the gardening year - it's almost better than harvest - the anticipation and the welcoming back of green.

The peppers - reluctant as always but starting to peek out of the soil.

The St. John's Wort seed was itty bitty and now a lot of little itty bitty plants are coming up.

The Lilac bush with buds - maybe it will bloom this year??!!

Tarragon

Chives

Horseradish

 LIFE
This week was totally insane schedule-wise and I thought about laying it out but honestly I'm so muddle headed and tired and forgetful that I'm not sure I could do it justice.  So here's an incomplete pictorial tour.  The first day of the week started at dawn on Monday on a prairie in Northern Missouri (see also pic above):

The last day of the week ended today at dawn on a prairie in Southern Iowa:

Folks on the Prairie Chicken Viewing Platform for the Prairie Chicken Festival

And continued with a lively celebration of prairie chickens and the Native American culture at the zoo in Des Moines:

WATCHING, READING and BLOGGING

The watching portion of this is easy.  I haven't been watching much of anything since last we spoke.

Reading has been a bit more active and I finished three books this week!  I finished and already reviewed (see below) The Miss Mirren Mission by Jenny Holiday.   My car audio read, The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey also finished up this week.  I really liked it and will definitely continue with the series.  Most excitingly perhaps, with inspiration by Selah at A Bibliophile's Style, I started and finished a re-read of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on audio.  I mean I know it's a little redundant to say it but this series is so utterly delightful and charming.  I tried to look for nitpicks and flaws this second time around (because I'm a horrible person) and if anything it was more flawless and awesome than I remembered. Can't wait to continue and re-read the whole series! When I finished that I started re-reading The Chronicles of Narnia starting with The Magician's Nephew which I am already pretty far along in (lots of time on the road this week).  Listening to these two books side by side is interesting.  I also started Graced by Amanda Pillar which I am not sure I want to finish but it's reading quick so I will likely continue.  Still reading Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - BLOWING my mind right now - not at all what I expected and also The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons.

On The Blog LAST Week:

SUNDAY: Review of Lirael by Garth Nix (book 2 in the Abhorsen series).  Short Review: Loved it!
MONDAY: Review of Abhorsen by Garth Nix (book 3 in the Abhorsen series). Short Review: Loved it!
TUESDAY:  Top Ten Tuesday  - New Additions to the TBR. 
WEDNESDAY: Review of The Miss Mirren Mission by Jenny Holiday.  Short Review: Loved it!
THURSDAY: Tough Traveling  - Enforcers.  Exploring tropes in fantasy - this week it's about the servant thugs.

On The Blog NEXT Week:

SUNDAY: Review of Zenn Scarlett by Christian Schoon
TUESDAY:  Top Ten Tuesday is the Characters you'd like to check in with after their books or series are done.  Fun topic!  Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
WEDNESDAY:  Probably taking the day off but there could be a surprise post.
THURSDAY: Tough Traveling - Unique Flora.  Hosted by Fantasy Review Barn. 

Okay, I am off to vegetate for a good few hours.  How was your week?  What's the most unusual thing you do to relax after a busy week?  I could use some tips:0)!

Tough Traveling - Enforcers

Tough Traveling is a fun meme that aims to tour all the tropes big and small, abhorred and loved that are littered across the fantasy landscape. It was conceived of and is hosted by Nathan at Fantasy Review Barn and here's how it's explained on the blog: 

Each Thursday, our copy of ‘The Tough Guide to Fantasyland’ in hand, we shall tour the mystical countryside looking for adventure and fun (and tropes) from all over fantasy.

This week's trope is Enforcerss:

Some people are made to give orders; others are made to make sure they are carried out. Be it through muscle or guile there are just some people you don’t want to hear are looking for you.

This list was pretty difficult because because a LOT of fantasy books have characters or a group that could fall into this category.  I tried to focus on the the idea of having to be directed by a "master" and having a bit of reputation so that there name strikes fear. I also tried to stick with individuals (with one exception).  I still came up with quite a few and feel like I probably missed a ton.

source

- The Nazgul or Ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings by J. R. Tolkien

Servants of the Ring and subject to the whims and orders of Sauron, these are creatures you don't want to meet on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere.

Source

- Nahadoth (and his sibling deities) in The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

I think I may be the only reader on the planet that didn't love this book but I have to admit I found Nahadoth and his siblings who are desperately scheming to release themselves from servitude to the human Arameri an interesting concept.  Nahadoth himself was a fascinating character - both seductive and terrifying.  The Arameri have been known to have him destroy whole countries.

I actually look kind of sweet and sad in this picture but don't be fooled. I can be a right bastard.

- The Hound or Sandor Clegane from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

You know when you get a scary sounding nickname, you've made it in the world of enforcers.  Sandor Clegane may not be as brawny or even as evil as his brother but he earns points for being the heavy of the (arguably) most despised character in A Song of Ice and Fire - Prince/ King Joffrey. Thankfully he sees the light (sort of) and moves on from this role.

I killed Inigo Montoya's Fathet.  I am prepared to die:).

- Count Tyrone Rugen in The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Known for his obsessive interest in the Study of Pain, Count Rugen is Prince Humperdinck's enforcer and ends up mostly killing Westley aka Dread Pirate Roberts.  He is maybe a little weak in the reputation department I think he counts. 

I did so enjoy rooting for Logen but Joe Abercrombie is mean.

- Logen Ninefingers in The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

You know what I said above about having a nickname that inspires fear?  That rule fits hear as Logen is also known as The Bloody Nine which is actually the name for a ultra violent fugue state he enters when provoked.  When we meet him he's a free agent who has recently broken away from his role as "King" Bethod's "Champion" which is a fancy word for an enforcer.

- Morgan from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher 

Bringing in a little Urban Fantasy, Morgan is the enforcer for The White Council who Harry dreads more than anyone.  He's very strict and doesn't have much of a sense of humor.


I'll stop there and see who everybody else comes up with.  I think this could be a week with a lot of variety...we shall see. Check it out over at Fantasy Review Barn.

REVIEW: The Miss Mirren Mission by Jenny Holiday

The Miss Mirren Mission  by Jenny Holiday
Original Publication Year: 2015 (March 25th)

Genre(s): Historical Romance

Series: Regency Reformers #1

Awards: None

Format:  Thanks to Entangled Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book (via NetGalley).  My review reflects my honest opinion of and experience with the book and was not influenced by receiving the book for free from the publisher. 

Narrated by: NA

Usually I am very wary about picking up a romance novel I know nothing about.  It's a genre that I am quite picky about so I try to be selective.  Then on an average day I got a wild hair, as one sometimes does, and requested The Miss Mirren Mission from Netgalley and Lo and Behold... I LOVED it!  Sometimes it pays to be all risky and impulsive.

The Miss Mirren Mission is a Regency Era romance which features:

Emily Mirren:  Bluestocking, radical abolitionist, not interested in marriage because the only examples she's seen have been horrible.

Eric, The Earl of Blackstone: A former soldier, now spy, he's the original obsessed work-a-holic Regency England style.  

They are both on a mission, she to save a friend and fight corruption, he to help England in it's war against France.  When the two missions come in conflict, it turns out to be the luckiest thing to ever happen to these lovebirds.  

I've given up trying to define exactly what makes me like or dislike a romance but certainly well-developed, believable characters as the main couple is pretty key.  I really liked and identified with both of the main characters - we get both perspectives and their thoughts and reactions to the world and each other completely make sense.  Eric is a confident and masculine man and even has his "I know what's best for her" moments but he's not an Alpha male in any real sense.  Emily is more than a match for him as well so it doesn't feel like he dominates her.  They can probably both be described as introverts.

Their falling in love is slow and feels totally realistic. There's talking and getting to know one another.  There's lots of adorable and funny banter and flirting.  Also, there's not a lot of emphasis on their beauty.  Blackstone is fascinated by her curly hair and she find him non-conventionally handsome. There is no attempt to establish them as the most beautiful man and woman in Britain which is a relief - they are beautiful to each other because they are falling in love.  It's nice.

The other thing I really liked about the book was that it had a good, nicely connected and complex plot that involved national intrigue but also a lot of personal connections as well.  Eric served under Emily's father in the Army and revered him, loved him as a Father.  Emily has a very different view of her father because he was always absent and left her in the care of a mean and wicked man.  They talk and come to grips with this as the novel progresses.  There's also the issue of slavery which had recently been abolished in Britain but was still a murky issue.  The plot and romance were balanced perfectly I thought - I got just enough of each.

The final word on why I love this book?  It kept me reading, avidly way past my best time.  If I'd had a big enough chunk of time I likely would have just sat down and read it straight through.  It kept me gripped and turning pages until the very end.  

FINAL VERDICT:  This turned out to be a great gamble and a great book - a regency era romance with a compelling hero and heroine and an involving plot to boot.  4 out of 5 Stars.

Top Ten Tuesday - Recent Additions to Mount TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme for bloggers who like books and lists.  It's awesome and is graciously hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is "Ten Books You Recently Added To Your To-Be-Read List".  I'm defining recently as books I've added since the start of the year which gives me a list of 80 books to choose from.  That's a lot of books!  No wonder my TBR is vast and intimidating.  The ten listed below are the books I'm most intrigued by.

1) The Just City by Jo Walton (added on 1/2/2015)

Recommended by:  Everyone.  Ancient Greece, Greek Gods, plus an author that has been receiving a lot of love and critical acclaim.

2) The Silence of Medair by Andrea K. Host (added on 1/4/2015)

Recommended by: The Book Smugglers.  A fated heroine meant to save the world who misses her moment and must live with her failure.  An interesting flip side to the normally happy epic tale we are told!

3) If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O by Sharyn McCrumb (added on 1/4/2015)

Recommended by:  An anthology of Sherlock Holmes fiction.  I really liked Sharyn McCrumb's story in the anthology which involved a similar old wise woman characters that apparently appears in her own mysteries.  

4) Generation V by M.L. Brennan (added 1/5/2015)

Recommended by: Everyone.  This looks like a super fun urban fantasy series that everyone has raved about!

5) Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (added 1/16/2015)

Recommended by: Bibliosanctum.  Set in an alternate-history Asia that has Griffins and a strong female protagonist.

6) The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro (added 2/1/2015)

Recommended by:  It's Kazuo Ishiguro.  It's getting mixed reviews but it looks like an interesting historical fiction with fantastical elements.  Plus I've liked everything I've read by Ishiguro.

7) The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu (added 2/15/2015)

Recommended by: Ken Liu's short fiction.  I've loved his short fiction and this is his first full length fantasy novel.  It sounds like an awesome character driven story.

8) The Many-coloured Land by Julian May (added 3/12/2015)

Recommended by:  Can't remember but think it was someone in the Tough Traveling Link-up.  This is an older title about people from our future who travel back to the Pliocene era (6 million B.C.) in search of adventure. AND I just found the ebook of this for $1.99 - serendipity!

9) Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (added 3/19/2015)

Recommended by: The Reading the End podcast.  A web graphic novel that will be coming out in print soon - both Jennys on the podcast raved about it.  I was sold. 

10) The Red Knight by Miles Cameron (added 3/28/2015)

Recommended by: Goodreads.  Looks like an interesting military fantasy.

That's it for me this week.  What books have you just added to the TBR that your most anxious don't stay there long?

REVIEW: Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Original Publication Year: 2003

Genre(s): YA, Fantasy

Series: Abhorsen #3; Review of Sabriel, Review of Lirael

Awards: None

Format: Audio (cds from Library)

Narrated by: Tim Curry

Right from the start this book produced powerful emotions in me.  I was so caught up in the fate of the Old Kingdom and the band of characters Garth Nix had created that I felt completely invested and anxious about how things were going to work out.

Abhorsen picks up right where Lirael leaves off and it spends most of it's time with Lirael and Sameth though there are occasional glimpses into what's going on with Sabriel and Touchstone and with Sam's friend Nick who is the unwitting slave of the evil being unleashed.  This book piles on the odds against the good guys as they are facing a plot that has been in the making for hundreds of years.  The action really picks up in this installment and many of the mysteries of the first book are resolved.  Lirael and Sam discover their true roles and get comfortable with them as they face crisis after crisis.  The book ends with a dramatic stand-off which is not without consequences. 

First of all, it is so appropriate that the cover shows Lirael and the Disreputable Dog.  The relationship between these two was my favorite part of the book and it is arguably the most important part.  The Disreputable Dog is now firmly ensconced as one of my favorite characters of all time  - definitely in the top 2 or 3 animal characters.  She is goofy, loyal, fierce, mysterious, wise, disreputable and she epitomizes the love and friendship dogs offer.  Just imagine if your dog could talk and had immense amounts of power and wisdom but was still, at heart, a dog.  She's awesome.  

Garth Nix is a great writer and extremely creative.  The world of The Old Kingdom is incredibly rich and feels like a real place with a fascinating and detailed mythology.  He reveals quite a bit more about the mysterious Charter which governs magic in this world  - what it is and why it came to be.  It's completely unique and while I normally find too much time spent on setting etc... to be dull, this is not at all.  On top of being really interesting it is revealed organically as part of the story.  Really everything the reader has ever wondered about the Old Kingdom is teased out and explained including Mogget's origins!

 Tim Curry's narration continued to be excellent though I still wished he had done the Disreputable Dog a little differently.

FINAL VERDICT:  A completely satisfying and emotional conclusion to the Abhorsen trilogy. This whole series has been superlative and has definitely become one of my favorite YA adventures! 4 out of 5 Stars!

REVIEW: Lirael by Garth Nix

Lirael by Garth Nix

Original Publication Year: 2001

Genre(s): YA, Fantasy

Series: Abhorsen #2; Review of Sabriel

Awards: None

Format: Audio (cds from Library)

Narrated by: Tim Curry

Lirael is the second in the Abhorsen trilogy and begins roughly 14 years after the events of Sabriel.  Touchstone and Sabriel have been King and Queen for a decade and a ½ and they’ve worked hard to restore the broken charter stones and bring a measure of peace and stability to the Old Kingdom.  However, new threats are starting the be felt and it is at this juncture that we are introduced to Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr.  The Clayr are soothsayers of a kind and along with the royal family and the wall and stone makers are part of the charter that governs magic in the Old Kingdom.  Unfortunately, Lirael is 14 and has not yet been granted “the sight” as all Clayr are and to make matters worse she looks very different from the rest of the Clayr who are all blond and blue-eyed.

Lirael is one half of the story.  The other half is Sabriel and Touchstone’s son, Sameth who is just finishing his schooling in Ancelstierre (The Old Kingdom’s non-magical neighbor) and who is meant to be the Abhorsen-in-waiting.  His story begins with a battle and a hugely traumatic event which has repercussions throughout the rest of the book.

It is clear that at some point Lirael and Sameth will be joining forces but this book takes it’s time developing their characters and situation as well as slowly building the tension of the bad things to come.  I thought, like Sabriel, this would be a stand-alone story but it is in fact only the first half of a two part story (finished in Abhorsen).  I can see how some readers may find this slow moving, it did not bother me at all and I appreciated Nix allowing me to get to know the two protagonists and for slowly building the menace to be faced.  By the end of the book, I was feeling very anxious about the crisis facing The Old Kingdom and the danger for Lirael and Sameth.

Lately I’ve been loudly bemoaning my inability to handle or feel sympathy for self-pitying teenagers.  In the middle of all of this irritation enter this book with two protagonists who, you guessed it, are teenagers wallowing quite unashamedly in vats of self-pity.  The thing is they didn’t annoy me.  Oh sure, from time to time I wanted to poke them and tell them to snap out of it but with nowhere near the annoyance and lack of sympathy I feel with many other books.  Why?  Because Garth Nix is brilliant and he writes his characters with a deft hand that knows his characters are being silly and gently asks for you to cut them some slack for now because they are on a journey and they will get better. 

He also does a couple of things that help keep his characters on the side of right.  Lirael’s friendship with the disreputable dog and her daring and curiosity driven adventures in the library help to dispel her self-loathing and earlier pursuit of suicide – she’s an interesting person who is trapped in a situation which isn’t bad but very understandably makes her feel like an outcast and incredibly lonely.  

Sameth is saved by Nix detailing the initial conflict in Ancelstierre where Sam proves himself to be smart, and confident with good leadership skills as well as being courageous and self-sacrificing - it signals to the readers that the next 300 pages of him cringing and anxious and self-absorbed are somehow not right.  He has been damaged in Death and it is supremely frustrating that no one notices because they are understandably absorbed in the troubles besetting the Old Kingdom.  There is also a parallel with Lirael because the expectations placed on him feel very unnatural and he has no affinity with the job of Abhorsen.  It makes him feel isolated and you guessed it, lonely. 

I also can’t leave off without talking about the Disreputable Dog which Lirael constructs unconsciously with a mixture of charter and wild magic.  Being a dog person, I LOVED her and her relationship with Lirael.  There is also some interesting mystery around who or what the dog actually is.

Finally, I once again enjoyed Tim Curry’s narration though I did not love how he voiced the disreputable dog.  It is meant to be a she but he doesn’t really give her a feminine voice and I just imagined her sounding a bit different.

FINAL VERDICT:  This one topped my love for Sabriel and is a great first half in what promises to be an epic story!  4 out of 5 stars.

Saturdays in the Garden - Dancing Chickens

OUTSIDE

Despite the fact that it got below freezing at night twice this week there were several new signs of spring that popped up!  First - I saw my first Turkey Vulture!  Maybe not what everybody would take as a good sign but they make me smile.  Their appearance in Iowa is always a signal.

Yum! Entrails! Photo by Billtacular

Also, prairie chicken lek surveys have begun!  Thinking about and doing surveys for Greater Prairie-chickens is part of my job and I have to say I have developed a real fondness for these wacky birds even though they seem tailor made for extinction.  The males gather in areas called leks where they show off and generally act all macho to try and impress the hens that stop by to check things out.  The prairie chicken dancing and the truly bizarre noises they makes (low blowing sounds, cackles and whoops) make them insanely charming.

Are my orange eyebrows sexy or what?? Photo Credit

And because it is something to see here's a video to check out:

Sadly, Greater Prairie-chickens only inhabit a small fraction of their former range, the heart of which used to be Iowa.  The birds need large landscapes of grass, particularly prairie which have been virtually wiped about by you know who.  We've been working to reinvigorate a small population of birds in Southern Iowa - Northern Missouri where the only hope of a large landscape of grass exists.

The garden is also picking up speed.  I took a chance and removed the leaf mulch off the garlic which has just started to come up along with some other bulbs.  Unexpectedly (to me) the Angelica has also emerged in the herb garden.

Garlic

Angelica

I started a bunch more seeds last Sunday and most have already germinated!  I'm still waiting on the peppers (Healthy and Sheepnose pimento), Basil and St. John's Wort.   Also the Butterfly Milkweed seed has to stratify (you plant the seeds than expose them to colder temperatures for 2-3 weeks - they need this for germination) so is sitting in the garage doing so.  The Kale, Calendula and Hyssop has sprouted as have both varieties of tomatoes (Juliet and Beam's Pear).

I need to get my second bank of lights installed PDQ!

Lastly, I've been thinking about going ahead and direct planting those seeds that should be sowed "as soon as you can work the ground".  I think we're there and I would like to get them out!

LIFE

Work has continued to be insanely busy.  Between meetings, seminars and field work I've had about six hours at my desk this past week and the next two weeks promise to be the same.  Part of the reason I became a wildlife biologist was because I didn't want to get stuck behind a desk all the time but when you have a mountain of things on your desk to do, it sucks away some of the enjoyment in the variety of tasks my job provides.

I did get some good news this week.  My cat Rosie has been diabetic for about 3-4 years now.  This has been sad for her and has also made caring for her very high maintenance because she required two meals a day at the same time each day followed by insulin shots.  Trying to juggle this care need with my unpredictable often weather-dependent travel for work was pretty stressful.  I couldn't just leave her with some water and a big bowl of food if going away for a couple days.  A little over a month ago she started having low blood sugar episodes almost every day which led the vet to believe she may have gone into remission!  We've tried her without insulin for 4 weeks now and checked her again yesterday and her blood sugar levels were good, so it does in fact look like she is no longer diabetic!  Yoo Hoo!

Miss Rosie feeling pleased about her new found health.

And because National Puppy day was this week I'll also include a few pics of Jasper as a puppy.  Sadly I don't have any pics of Rudy as a pup because I didn't get him until he was a year old.

The old sweetheart in this pic is Darwin who I lost at the age of 14 a year after Jasper moved in.

Rudy and Jasper a couple weeks ago.

WATCHING, READING and BLOGGING

I mentioned last week that I started watching The Vicar of Dibley last weekend and I ended up sticking with it and doing a complete re-watch.  Such a delightful show!  I haven't really started anything else but was feeling called to do a Farscape re-watch and I thought I might even begin a set of posts about the show.  That requires me to really concentrate when watching and take notes however and I'm not sure I'm up for that kind of involved TV watching at the moment.

In reading news, I finally finished Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens this week and surprisingly didn't like it very much.  The hero is the ultimate, uber-macho, alpha male type and I just didn't like him at all.  Interestingly, I started another Regency romance that I got from NetGalley from a  relatively unknown author and I am adoring it! Like not being able to put it down to go to sleep adoration.  It's called The Miss Mirren Mission by Jenny Holiday.  I am also still listening to The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey and reading The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons which are both pretty great!  I also started listening to Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - this book and author have been on my want-to-read list for a long time and I'm glad I'm finally getting there!

On the Blog Last Week:

SUNDAY: Review of Avatar: The Last Airbender The Rift.  I really enjoyed this latest installment in the follow-up graphic novels written by Gene Luen Yang.
TUESDAY:  Top Ten Tuesday - Childhood Favorites You'd Like to Re-read.  It was fun contemplating which of my favorites to re-read and I was also reminded of a few more by other people's lists! Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
WEDNESDAY:  Review of Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon.  An interesting military fantasy that I had trouble engaging with because of one-dimensional characters which weren't compensated for by non-atop action.
THURSDAY:  Tough Traveling - Beloved Mounts.  This exploration of all the critters that carry heroes and heroines around in fantasy novels ended up being a total blast.  Lots of brilliant lists in this link up!  Hosted by Fantasy Review Barn.

On the Blog Next Week:

SUNDAY: Review of Lirael by Garth Nix
MONDAY: Review of Abhorsen by Garth Nix
TUESDAY: The TTT topic this week is the top ten books you recently added to your TBR.  Easy peasy!
WEDNESDAY:  Wild Card day.  Will likely have a review of some book or no post at all.  It will be a total surprise to you and to me:).
THURSDAY:  The Tough Traveling topic is Enforcers which currently I am drawing a complete blank on....  I hope to participate though!

That's it for this week. Any signs of spring or garden activity to report?  Any miraculous pet healings?  I'd love to hear about your week!