BOOK REPORT TUESDAY

"Zero Day" by Mark Russinovich
Product Description(Amazon.com)
An airliner’s controls abruptly fail mid-flight over the Atlantic. An oil tanker runs aground in Japan when its navigational system suddenly stops dead. Hospitals everywhere have to abandon their computer databases when patients die after being administered incorrect dosages of their medicine. In the Midwest, a nuclear power plant nearly becomes the next Chernobyl when its cooling systems malfunction.
At first, these random computer failures seem like unrelated events. But Jeff Aiken, a former government analyst who quit in disgust after witnessing the gross errors that led up to 9/11, thinks otherwise. Jeff fears a more serious attack targeting the United States computer infrastructure is already under way. And as other menacing computer malfunctions pop up around the world, some with deadly results, he realizes that there isn’t much time if he hopes to prevent an international catastrophe.
Written by a global authority on cyber security, Zero Day presents a chilling “what if” scenario that, in a world completely reliant on technology, is more than possible today---it’s a cataclysmic disaster just waiting to happen.
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (March 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 031261246X
ISBN-13: 978-0312612467

MY THOUGHTS: Several seemingly unrelated incidents take place all over the world, all involving computer failures. Zero Day involves a very realistic portrayal of cyber-terrorism. There is only one man for this job. Jeff Aiken is the man they call. Jeff has to figure out what's going on and fix it. Can he do it? Does he do it? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

MACRO MONDAY

The Honeysuckle is about to burst out. A few are already blooming here and there.

Got a close up to share? Head over to Lisa's place, Lisa's Chaos to see more close ups.

PLAYING ON THE DECK

Yesterday the twins went outside to play on the deck. They had a ball out there. They also get really dirty. They had dirt, tomatoes, and pickle juice all over them. They were eating dill pickles. They love those things.

PROJECT 365

We had a pretty good week for weather. It was in the low 80's and no humidity. YEA!


The neighbor hitched up his boat and headed to the reservoir.

The bird bath is full of water and ready for it's guests.

Some gardening tools I use......sometimes.

An old stump in our yard. Home to millions....of bugs and some flowers.

Tommy cooking in the kitchen. This day he made Barbequed Pulled Pork and Clam Chowder. Yummmy!

This is what happens when you leave a candle out all year. And believe it or not but it stills has its scent, vanilla.

I was cleaning out my file cabinet and found these seeds. Wonder if they are still good?? I'll have to wait until next year to find out.

VINTAGE RECIPE THURSDAY

When I was a little girl my mom made some wonderful stuff to stretch her food dollar. We were a family of 7 at that time. Mom and Dad, and 5 children. So trying to stretch the meals economically and tastefully was something she did. One of the things she did was make a salad dressing of her own. As we couldn't afford to buy ready made. So she used what she had on hand. Everyone loved it too! It hasn't got a fancy name, actually it hasn't got a name at all. We just call it salad dressing.

SWEET SALAD DRESSING

2 heaping tablespoons Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1 tablespoon Sugar(or to taste)
Sprinkle of Parsley(dried or fresh)
Milk

In a small bowl mix all ingredients until smooth. The milk is to smooth it out and thin it. So add milk until it is the consistency you like. This makes about enough for 4 salads. To make more just add more Miracle Whip, Sugar and Milk.

BOOK REPORT TUESDAY

"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender
Product Description(Amazon.com)
On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the slice. To her horror, she finds that her cheerful mother tastes of despair. Soon, she’s privy to the secret knowledge that most families keep hidden: her father’s detachment, her mother’s transgression, her brother’s increasing retreat from the world. But there are some family secrets that even her cursed taste buds can’t discern.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Anchor; Reprint edition (April 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385720963
ISBN-13: 978-0385720960

MY THOUGHTS: I want to say I probably never would have read this book if not for the reading challenge I'm doing called Follow the Blurb. But I'm so glad I did read it. It's a wonderful book and kept me glued to the pages for 3 days. I just couldn't put it down. I wanted to find out all about Rose and her family. Rose's gift or curse of being able to get feelings of other people from the food she eats is sometimes good and other times it's heartbreaking. The story follows Rose and her family through childhood to adulthood. With all the things families do. School, sports, and family discussions. Rose soon learns which foods she can eat without being bombarded by other people's feelings. She mostly lives on vending machine foods. And then one night a dinner Rose gets a secret about her mother. Should she tell or keep it to herself? To find out what the secret is, you'll have to read the book. I really recommend this book, it's really good.

MY RATING: 5

MACRO MONDAY

Lisa over at Lisa's Chaos is the host of Macro Monday. Got a Macro or close up picture to share? Head over to Lisa's place.

The only thing blooming here are the Trumpet Vine. The flowers are kind of spindly this year and I haven't seen any hummingbirds either. They are usually all over the trumpets.

But the Honeysuckle is getting ready to bloom. It smells so good around here when it blooms.

KATIE

This is Katie, she is a miniature Dachshund. But she thinks she's a Doberman Pincher. She is also anti-social. She will not warm up to anyone new who comes to the house. And she growls under her breath the whole time they are here. These pictures are of Katie checking out the back yard for intruders. Mainly the intruders are squirrels, chipmunks, cats and dogs.

Barking at the neighbor guy.

Sniffing to make sure no one has been here.

Heading for the door.

You going to let me in.

PROJECT 365

The Hosta blooming in the garden.

Doing dishes as always.

The old pump in the garden is hiding behind the Trumpet Vine.

Air Lifts all lined up and ready to go. The guy rents them out.

An ornamental ball on the deck. There about 5 of them and there aren't 2 alike.

They guy with the Air Lifts uses one to lift the semi truck so he can power wash the underside.

These are suppose to be pieces of coral that goes in fish tanks. Hubby found them and put them in the garden, but they keep falling down. He'll have to tie them up to keep them from falling down.

NEW PILLOWS

I have been wanting to make some new pillows for the couch. Well I finally pulled out the sewing machine and the fabric and made them Sunday afternoon. I had a bunch of left over quilt blocks, Hole in the Barn Door, is the name of them.

I put a 3 inch border around the blocks of some fabric I had and sewed them up. And bam, new pillows.

I am linking up with Beth over at Visions of Sugar Plums for Fibers on Fridays. Have something fiber related? Head over and check it out.

VINTAGE RECIPE THURSDAY

This is a recipe I got years ago from my Great Uncle Gail. He was an awesome cook! This one takes a little work and time, but well worth the effort.

Noodles

6 Egg Yolks
1/3 C. Milk
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 tablespoon Margarine
3 C. Flour

Mix all ingredients until a ball forms. Put a layer of flour down on the table before rolling. Roll out dough and let dry 4 hours. Cut into strips. Add to chicken stock. You can add some of the flour from the table to the pot for thickening.

BOOK REPORT TUESDAY

Thought I'd share a book I recently read and enjoyed.

"The Devil Wears Plaid" by Teresa Medeiros
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Emmaline Marlowe is about to wed the extremely powerful laird of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor’s prison when ruffian Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and abducts her in one strong swoop. Though he is Hepburn’s sworn enemy, Emma’s mysterious captor is everything her bridegroom is not—handsome, virile, dangerous . . . and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart. Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a fiery, defiant beauty whose irresistible charms will tempt him at every turn. But he cannot allow either one of them to forget he is her enemy and she his pawn in the deadly Highland feud between the clans. So why does he still want her so badly for himself? Stealing his enemy’s bride was simple, but can he claim her innocence without losing his heart?
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket (August 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 143915788X
ISBN-13: 978-1439157886

MY THOUGHTS: Emma has been sold to the highest bidder. An old man of 80, Hepburn is the laird of the clan Hepburn. Emma is 21 and this was her last season before becoming an old maid. Her family is about to be kicked out of their house and her father sent to debtor prison. Emma has made the sacrifice so that doesn't happen. But she's stolen from the alter by Jamie Sinclair, an enemy of the man she is marrying. Sinclair takes Emma into the Highland mountains to wait for his ransom. Emma's tries to run away and falls into a ravine and Sinclair has to rescue her. She also gets a gun and tries to shoot Sinclair. But all this is leading to romance. There is also a big secret surrounding Sinclair's parents death. And Emma figures it out. What is the secret? Well, if I told you that it ruin the book, so you'll have to read it to find out.

MY RATING: 5

MACRO MONDAY

Lisa over at Lisa's Chaos is the host for Macro Monday. Got a Macro or close up shot to share? Head over to Lisa's to see all the pictures everyone is sharing.

This little guy sits on a bakers rake on our deck. He was in the garden, but I moved some things around and his home now is on the bakers rake. Until I find another spot for him in the garden.

EVENING SHADOWS

Hubby and I were sitting outside just watching the cars go by. I was taking some pictures. When I got them uploaded to the computer this one caught my eye. The shadows on the houses are interesting.

PROJECT 365

Bella and Luke in the saucers waiting for lunch.

The flags all lined up at my neighbors west of us and gently waving.

The lilies are blooming but the garden needs some rain. It's turning yellow and brown.

Bella reaching up to mommy. She is ready to get out of the saucer.

Luke in the kitchen drawer. I moved the pan lids and put some toys in the drawer for the twins to play with. Luke decided to take all the toys out and he got in the drawer. Then couldn't figure out how to get back out.

A tiny tree frog landed on my hubby's leg. He picked it up and it hopped on his watch. It's a Grey Tree Frog.

I made some new pillows for the couch. They are quilt blocks called Hole in The Barn Door.