BOOK REPORT....FOUR BLIND MICE

Four Blind Mice - James Patterson

Product Description(Amazon.com)
On the verge of resigning from the D.C. police force, Detective Alex Cross knows he can't refuse this case. His partner John Sampson has a friend who has been framed for murder and is facing the gas chamber. His accusers? The United States Army. As a new woman in Cross's life brings him hope in the face of a devastating loss at home, Cross and Sampson go up against codes of honor and silence and three ruthless killers. But a bigger threat lies in wait: Their controller, a lethal genius who will introduce Cross to new depths of terror . . the last of the FOUR BLIND MICE. 
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages 
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 1, 2003) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0446613266 
ISBN-13: 978-0446613262

MY THOUGHTS:  This is book 8 of the Alex Cross series.  It is just as good as the first.  Keeps you glued to the book to find out what' s going on.  Alex and John have to find the people targeting soldiers.  They set the soldiers up for murder and the soldiers get the death penalty.   But the army is very secretive about this.  They don't want to share info with Alex.  So Alex calls on a friend at the FBI for help.  They finally track the assassins down, but who's behind these men for hire?    Alex has to find out.  I give this book 5....

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges....
52 Books in 52 Weeks
Fun in the Sun/Wacky Readers/Good Reads

BOOK REPORT....BEETLE BOY.

Beetle Boy - M. G. Leonard

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Darkus Cuttle's dad mysteriously goes missing from his job as Director of Science at the Natural History Museum. Vanished without a trace! From a locked room! So Darkus moves in with his eccentric Uncle Max and next door to Humphrey and Pickering, two lunatic cousins with an enormous beetle infestation. Darkus soon discovers that the beetles are anything but ordinary. They're an amazing, intelligent, super species and they're in danger of being exterminated. It's up to Darkus and his friends to save the beetles. But they're up against an even more terrifying villain -- mad scientist of fashion, haute couture villainess Lucretia Cutter. Lucretia has an alarming interest in insects and dastardly plans for the bugs. She won't let anyone or anything stop her, including Darkus's dad, who she has locked up in her dungeons! The beetles and kids join forces to rescue Mr. Cuttle and thwart Lucretia. 
Series: Beetle Boy 
Hardcover: 288 pages 
Publisher: Chicken House (February 23, 2016) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 054585346X 
ISBN-13: 978-0545853460

MY THOUGHTS:  This is a really good book.  It is also the first of a trilogy.  Can't wait for the next book.  To find out what Darkus gets into.  Darkus finds a beetle, or does the beetle find Darkus?  This beetle is very smart and understands Darkus when he talks to him.  Darkus and his friends find a large beetle colony living in the neighbors house.  And all the beetles understand them.  Darkus and his friends are determined to save the beetles.  They come up with a plan to save the beetles.  And Darkus finds his father and has to rescue him from the woman who is going to exterminate the beetles.  Does Darkus free his dad?  Do the beetles get exterminated?  Read the book, it's really good.  I give this book 5....

 




This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.....
Monthly Keyword Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks

GWENNIE INSPIRED QUILT......

I finally got my Gwennie Inspired quilt done.  For the month of August the theme was STARS.  I just used a border of stars. 

The theme for September is "Something Fishy".  I've got an idea, just have to figure out how to use it.  Hop over to Humble Quilts for a look at everyone's quilts.

I'M IN A SLUMP.......

I'm so far behind on everything....books, quilts, embroidery and the creative challenge I've been working on.   I didn't get my circles done for August, my Guinnie Inspired quilt didn't get done and my embroidery is sadly lacking and stitches.  My creative side has taken a vacation, can't seem to get the juices going again.  Haven't been reading much either.  I've been reading the same book for over a week, which is a long time for me.  So I'm hoping September will be a better productive month.  Hope everyone has a wonderful LABOR DAY weekend!

BOOK REPORT....MORE THAN RIVALS

More Than Rivals - Ken Abrahm

Product Description(Amazon.com)
An Inspiring True Story Set in the Midst of the Civil Rights Era

By 1970, racial tension was at a breaking point in the southern town of Gallatin, Tennessee. Desegregation had emotions running high. The town was a powder keg ready to erupt. But it was also on the verge of something incredible.

Eddie Sherlin and Bill Ligon were boys growing up on opposite sides of the tracks who shared a passion for basketball. They knew the barriers that divided them--some physical landmarks and some hidden in the heart--but those barriers melted away when the boys were on the court. After years of playing wherever they could find a hoop, Eddie and Bill entered the rigors of their respective high school teams. And at the end of the 1970 season, all-white Gallatin High and all-black Union High faced each other in a once-in-a-lifetime championship game. What happened that night would challenge Eddie and Bill--and transform their town. 
Paperback: 320 pages 
Publisher: Revell (June 7, 2016) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0800727223 
ISBN-13: 978-0800727222

MY THOUGHTS: This is my book club choice for August.  I'm not really too fond of reading books on sports, but this book is more than sports.  It's about two boys, one white, one black that become friends during a time when this was unheard of.  The one thing that connects them is basketball.  Eddie and Bill eventually grow apart, but the friendship is still there.  It is shown at the Finals of the 1970 season.  Eddie's school, all white, Gallatin High and Bill's school, all black Union High have to face each other in the finals.  What will become of the town if the black school wins?  What will happen if the white school wins?  I'm not telling.....you have to read the book to find out.  I give this book 5.....

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges....
52 Books in 52 Weeks

BOOK REPORT....HOUNDED

Hounded - David Rosenfelt

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Andy Carpenter isn't sure what to think when he gets a mysterious phone call from a good friend, policeman Pete Stanton, asking him to drop everything, drive to an unfamiliar address, and bring his girlfriend, Laurie Collins. He certainly isn't expecting to show up at a crime scene. But that's exactly where he arrives-at the house where Pete has just discovered the body of ex-convict Danny Diaz. Upstairs are Danny's now orphaned eight-year-old son and basset hound. And that, Andy discovers, is why he and Laurie were called to the scene-Pete wants them to take care of the boy and the dog so they won't get thrown into the "system." This is already asking a lot, but soon Pete needs another big favor from Andy. Pete himself has come under suspicion for Danny's murder, and he needs defense attorney Andy to represent him...and to find out what really happened in Danny's house that day. 
Series: An Andy Carpenter Novel (Book 12) 
Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (July 14, 2015) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1250055156 
ISBN-13: 978-1250055156

MY THOUGHTS: This is the 3rd book I've read of this series.  And they were all out of order.  But they are great stand alone books.  One of Andy's best friends is under arrest for murder.  It's Andy's job to defend him.  So he puts the team into action.  As they come across some mysterious deaths, they start to see a pattern and it all links back to who killed Danny Diaz, and it isn't Pete.  The only thing is all the witnesses for the defense keep coming up missing or killed.  You will never figure out who the actual person is that's behind all this.  I didn't, I was totally thrown off on this one.  I give this book 5.....

This is also my wrap up for What An Animal reading challenge.  Here are the books I read.....
1. Breaking Creed - Alex Kava
2. Silent Creed - Alex Kava
3.Unleashed - David Rosenfelt
4. Who Let The Dogs Out - David Rosenfelt
5. Hounded - David Rosenfelt
6. A Handful of Stars - Cynthia Lord

This book is also for 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

BUNNY RABBIT HAT......

 I'm joining in for Friday Hunt, over at Eden Hills..... the words this week are Starts with G, Weeks Favorite and Wheels.   Hop over and check out all the photos everyone is sharing.

Miss Bella likes to wear her bunny rabbit hat, more to play in than to wear for the cold.  But really, 90 degrees and 100% humidity is just a little tooooo much.

Starts with G....

Even though we haven't had any significant amounts of rain in the last 20 days, our grass is still green.  A few brown spots are showing up.

Weeks Favorite....

Bella and Luke playing and Bob is watching.

Wheels.....

Lots of wheels, the little car the twins are playing with has wheels.  My Taurus has wheels.

WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON.....

I've been working on my circles of course.  I'm on day 213 of making these circles.  I've got the July circles done...well I thought I did.  I counted and I'm one short.  So have to finish that one up and on to August.  You can check out all the circles over at Quilty Folk. 

I also used colors for the RSC, what is this you might ask.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge, the idea is to use up all your scraps.  For the month of July, the colors were Hot Pink with pink, red and green added in.  The colors for August are Purples with Greens.
I've started putting my circles together, I've got January and February all done.

I'm working on March now.  I think I'm going with 3 months across for my width, the length will be the rest of the year.  I'm also going to change the smiley faces.  I'm going to use a yellow or green smiley face for April, May and June.

I've also been working on my Gwinnie Medallion quilt.  You can check out the info over at Humble Quilts.  The choice for July was Log Cabin.  Weeeeellllll, I don't piece blocks, I do needle turn applique, so had to get a little inventive on this one.  So I done Lincoln Logs in place of Log Cabin.

The next border for August is Stars.  So I'll have to figure out what to do with that one.  It has to be applique.  I'll have to surf the web for a star.  You may notice it's a little wrinkled, my iron decided to quit on me, so have to buy a new one.  Hoping to get one tomorrow while I'm out and about.  So what has everyone else been working on? 

BOOK REPORT....UNLEASHED

Unleashed - David Rosenfelt

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Andy Carpenter's accountant, Sam Willis, is stunned to receive a phone call out of the blue from Barry Price, a high school friend he hasn't spoken to in years, pleading for help with something too frightening to discuss on the phone. Barry needs Sam's financial acumen and lawyer Andy Carpenter's legal expertise―and he needs them immediately. But when Sam almost runs over an injured dog lying in the road on the way to Barry's house, he can't drive off without waiting for help to arrive. By the time Sam makes it, Barry's already taken off on a private airplane headed who-knows-where.
Assuming their help is no longer needed, Sam and Andy turn their full attention to helping the dog Sam found recover from his injuries. Then they learn that Barry's plane has crashed, and they come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane. Barry was in far more serious trouble than either of them knew, and for Sam and Andy, the trouble is only beginning. 
Series: An Andy Carpenter Novel (Book 11) 
Paperback: 320 pages 
Publisher: Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (June 24, 2014) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1250048974 
ISBN-13: 978-1250048974

MY THOUGHTS:  Although this is a series, it is also a good stand alone book.  Andy has one big case, to prove Denise didn't kill her husband, Barry.  Andy hasn't got much to go on so he starts the team on the look for anything and everything to prove this.  Andy's team finds some interesting stuff about Barry.  He's moving lots of money to an off shore bank.  What could this mean?  And why are people that Andy talks to come up dead?  Does this really have anything to do with Barry?  Or Andy's client Denise?  Just when Andy is ready for the defense to start it's case, his client accuses Sam of having an affair with her and Andy of knowing this and not telling the court.  Sam is arrested for murder and Denise has a new lawyer.  Andy has to prove that Sam didn't commit this crime or he will spend the rest of his life in prison.  Can Andy and his team do this?  You'll have to read the book to find out.  I give this book 5....

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.....
What an Animal Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks

TOTALLY USELESS SAL.....

What the heck is this?  Well, for people that stitch, it's the trimmings of fabric, thread ends, yarn ends and whatever else is left from stitching, quilts, embroidery, cross stitching, knitting, crocheting,  well you get the idea.  Daffycat is the host for the Totally Useless Stitch a long.  Once a month we share all our snips of leftovers.  As usual, I've forgot to do mine.  So I'm doing mine now.  This is a 3 month TUSAL.  May, June and July.....

WILD PLACES......

We have a corner in our yard that has grown up "wild".  Lots of plants and "critters" live here.  It's like it's own Eco-system.  I'll try and name a few of the plants here, but don't know all of them.

Climbing the wall is Honeysuckle and Trumpet Vines.  There is also some Wild Poke to the left.  It has fallen down, but there is still a small piece there.  They are done right done, but some lilies and daffodils are in here also.  The little bird house has nesting English Sparrows.  They raise their babies and they fly away.  As for the trees in the background, they are mostly maple trees, with the exception of the Blue Spruce.  It is over 60 ft. tall and still growing.  But it is getting a little raggedy with age.  Here's another view....

This window is our living room.  When your sitting there you can see everything going on in this Wild Place.  Did I mention there are squirrels and chipmunks roaming around here?  I haven't seen any, but I'm almost sure there are some bunnies living in here.    I'm linking up with Kim over at Little by Little.  Hop over and take a peek at Kim's place.

TOMATOES AND A DOG......

We have a place out back that we dump our garbage, all the "critters" come to eat this.  Once in a while something pops up in the garbage pile.

Tomatoes...just hoping they get to turn red.  They are kind of tiny now, hoping the frost doesn't get here too early this year. 

There is a Cantaloupe in there too.  It's just now starting to bloom.  Don't think this one will get a full melon on it before frost time.  And of course what's summer without a good roll in the dust.

Toby having a roll-fest in the dust. 

I'm linking up with Jesh over at Art Work from Jesh for Seasons.  Hop over and check  out all the photos everyone is sharing.

NEEDLEWORK.....

I finally got the Dot Quilt tied.  Now to finish it off.  What's in the hoop now?  The Christmas Quilt is in the hoop awaiting tying. 

I've also been working on my Red Work baskets.  I just finished block 4.

I've started on block 5.  It has lots of French Knots, so this one is going to take a little time.

I've been thinking about starting a Band Sampler.  Don't know what this is?  Head over to Sharon's place, Pintangle, she has an article about Band Sampler history.  She has a Band Sampler that she's been working on.  You can see her Band Sampler here.  Sharon's Band Sampler is 96 feet 5 inches long, she's been working on it since 2009.  She shows some pictures of the Sampler.
Have you done a Band Sampler? 

I'm linking up with Heather over at Books and Quilts for Needlework Tuesday.

BOOK REPORT.......

Who Let the Dog Out? - David Rosenfelt

Product Description(Amazon.com)

A lawyer by day, Andy Carpenter's true passion is the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs with his friend Willie Miller. So, it's frightening when there's been a break-in at the foundation building. It turns out that a recently rescued dog, nicknamed Cheyenne since her arrival at the foundation, has been stolen. Andy and Willie track the missing dog to a house in downtown Paterson, NJ and sure enough, they find the dog...right next to a dead body. The man had been murdered mere minutes before Andy and Willie arrived. Could it be coincidence? Or could the dog theft be connected to the killing?
Andy takes Cheyenne safely back to the foundation building. That should be the end of his involvement, but Andy's curiosity - and his desire to keep the dog from further harm - won't let him stop there. The cops have just arrested a man named Tommy Infante for the murder, but as Andy looks into the break-in and the dog theft, he starts to wonder if Infante might actually be innocent. When Andy takes Infante on as a client and starts searching in earnest for evidence that will exonerate him, his discoveries terrify him. The murder might be just one small cog in a plot with far-reaching implications, and unless Andy can uncover the truth in time, thousands of lives could be in imminent danger. 
Series: An Andy Carpenter Novel (Book 13) 
Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (June 21, 2016) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1250056330 
ISBN-13: 978-1250056337

MY THOUGHTS: Even though this is book 13 of the series, I really liked it.  It is a stand alone book and you get all the info on the characters in the book.  This is a lawyer/mystery book.  The main character is Andy Carpenter, he's the lawyer and a rich one.  He doesn't actually have to work, but he usually gets dragged into a case.   This case is all about a dog that gets stolen from the rescue organization that Andy and his wife help support.  This one dog leads to murder, several of them.  There are lots of characters in this book.  My favorite is Heck, he's the muscle of the book.  He doesn't talk much, the only word he says in the whole book is yuh.  I give this book 4....

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.....
What an Animal Challenge

BOB.......

Bob is our dog, he is part Mastiff and Labrador.

This is Bob up close and personal.  As Bella says, "he has a big head".

Back in June, Bob got hit by a car.  Thanks to his big size, that's what the vet said saved him,  nothing was broken and no internal injuries.  But he is marked, see that stripe on his back, that's where the tire of the car rolled over him.

Bob is a "Gentle Giant", he loves everyone, except for cats!  lol

FRIDAY NIGHT SEW IN.......

I was blog hopping and found this place, Sugarlane Designs.  Wendy is the host for Friday Night Sew In........Hop over and check it out.

What exactly is Friday Night Sew In.....here is some info for you....

Friday night, we all stitch or sew in our own homes, in our comfy jammies, watching movies (or if you're like me...Better Homes and Gardens!) in front of the fire/heater/aircon (depending on where you are) with a nice comforting beverage and some very forgiving chocolate!   Enjoy everyone's 'virtual' company by sharing your progress over the weekend on your blog/FB page/Instagram with hashtag #FNSI , and feel the love and encouragement from all your fellow crafters.

So what will I be working on tonight.  Well, I'm going to get caught up on my circles, work on my Dot Quilt and maybe work on my RedWork.  Don't forget to hop over to Wendy's.

TWINS 6TH BIRTHDAY....

The twins, Bella and Luke, had their 6th birthday a couple weeks ago. 

Get Ready........

Get Set.......

Blow......

WATER IN THE GARDEN.....

My son has been working on putting a water feature in our garden.  It's a work in progress.

Still moving stuff around and taking stuff away.  While still working on building the fountain.  And it sounds so nice sitting outside and listening to the water.

I'm linking up with Kim over at Little By Little for Simple Things Thursdays.

I'm also linking to Jo at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen for Share Your Cup Thursday.

BOOK REPORT...Looking for Me

Looking for Me - Beth Hoffman

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Teddi Overman found her life’s passion in turning other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques. Leaving her hardscrabble Kentucky childhood behind, Teddi opens her own store in Charleston. She builds a life as unexpected and quirky as her many customers, but nothing alleviates the haunting uncertainty she’s felt since her brother Josh mysteriously disappeared. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi returns to Kentucky, embarking on a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and find herself. 
Paperback: 368 pages 
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (April 29, 2014) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0143125435 
ISBN-13: 978-0143125433

MY THOUGHTS:  This is my book club's choice for July.  This is the second book I've read from this author.  Just like the first one, Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt,   this book is full of characters you will never forget.  Teddi has left her family farm to make a life of her own.  She has an Antique store, but she makes lots of trips back to Kentucky to visit her mother.  While there she always checks to see if Josh, her brother, has left a not at their secret place.  But none never show up from Josh.  Will she ever find out anything about her brother?  Read the book, it's really an awesome book to read.  I give this book 5.....

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.....
Women's Fiction Challenge
Fun in the Sun Challenge(Good Reads-Wacky Readers Group)

Book Report...Silent Creed

Silent Creed - Alex Kava

Product Description(Amazon.com)
When Ryder Creed responds to a devastating mudslide in North Carolina, he knows that the difference between finding survivors and the dead is time. He and his sturdiest search-and-rescue dog, Bolo, get to work immediately, but the scene is rife with danger: continued rainfall prevents the rescue teams from stabilizing the land; toxic household substances spread by the crushing slide fill the area with hazardous waste; and the detritus and debris are treacherous for both man and dog to navigate. But most perilous are the secrets hidden under the mud and sludge—secrets someone would kill to protect. For this is no ordinary rescue mission. Among the buildings consumed by the landslide was a top-secret government research facility, and Creed has been hired to find what’s left of it. 

Then rescuers recover the body of a scientist from the facility who was obviously dead before the landslide—killed by a gunshot to the head. The FBI sends Agent Maggie O’Dell to investigate, and she and Creed are soon caught in a web of lies, secrets, and murder that may involve not only the government facility, but decades-old medical experiments that are the subject of current congressional hearings. As more bodies are found under even more unusual circumstances, they come ever closer to exposing the truth—but with unknown forces working against them, Maggie, Creed, and the dogs are running out of time. 
Hardcover: 336 pages 
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; First Edition first Printing edition (July 28, 2015) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0399170774 
ISBN-13: 978-0399170775

MY THOUGHTS:   This is the second book of the series.  All about Creed and his dogs.  The first day at the side of the landslide finds Creed up to his knees in mud.  As the ground starts shifting, Creed command his dog, Bolo, to run.  Creed is buried alive under mud and debris.  Bolo didn't run far and alerts to the rescuers that Creed is under the mud.  Creed is dug out and only suffers scratches and bruises, but has to broken ribs and a possible concussion.  When they find the first body, this person did not die from the landslide.  They have a bullet in the back of their head.  This calls in FBI agent Maggie O'Dell.  As Creed and Maggie search for info on this person, someone is stealing stuff from the wreckage of  the research facility.  But what was in that facility?  Who are the people stealing it?  Can't wait to find out, you'll have to read the book.  I give this book 5....

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.....
What an Animal Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks