BOOK REVIEW #3: HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN

I have been reading Louise Penny since I was lucky enough to win a signed copy (my name was drawn) of Still Life from the author herself in 2008 while participating at a mystery author panel at my local library. Although it was an non-event in her blog (mentioned in future but no follow-up commentary on her extensive blog), it was the start of a beautiful relationship to a series of characters that continue to entertain. Here is Louise Penny's blog: http://louisepenny.blogspot.ca/2008/10/first-snow.html

I have to admit that I was forced to abandon mid-read another promising book in favour of this newest creation, but it certainly was the right choice for the moment! (So many books, so little time!)  Louise Penny has outdone herself this time, and Gamache has led us to the pinnacle of his story. (How's that for not having a spoiler alert?!) Don't miss this book!

Honestly,  (SPOILER ALERT) there was a part of me that felt that the Surete was getting the better of Gamache, and I was grieving a little over Beauvoir and his apathetic slide into addiction. I still loved the characters, and each book held a new nuance that I enjoyed, but prepare to leave that all behind! This book goes back to the familiar Three Pines, adds the visit of famous recluse, a disaster potential all too real to Montrealers, and let the fun begin! This is Inspector Gamache playing chess and you won't be able to guess who is going to call check-mate!

To all serial followers, read on and enjoy! There are threads to follow that you have almost forgotten, and many new threads spun,  but the author weaves these them all expertly, and ties them most of them up in this nice little yarn!

To those new to this series, don't start here yet. Invest in a few stories, if only for the first Still Life and the previous A Beautiful Mystery.

Visit Montreal for the Christmas holidays in Dead Cold.

Visit a resort hotel a la Manoir Hovey in The Murder Stone.

Visit Old Quebec City in Bury Your Dead.

The more you invest in the stories, the more fun this book will be!

Long way home is the next book due out the end of August. I can't wait to see where Louise Penny will take us!

BOIS-D'-ÎLE-BIZARD

Don't you love the colours of sumac in the trees? This was a warm day - started close to  -8 but was near zero the way back. It was tough uphill but lots of traffic with happy skiers and a beautiful day. In term of SWIX wax, it was a GREEN day!

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY NANCY DREW!

According to my brother, my cat does not look at me adoringly, but that this is look of annoyance. 

I do think that my daughter enjoyed the human cake as much as Nancy Drew enjoyed her cat version!

SNOWMAN SNOW!

I remember when I was a kid - every day in winter seemed like a snowman day. As a parent of a kid, I find myself searching all day in winter for the very few perfect snowman days. I grab a handful on the way to the bus or out to the store, and most days the snow is too cold or too dry. But somedays, it is perfect, and on this day I was up early for my commute and phoned home to my family, insisting that they get outside (so I could live vicariously). Here was the result:

I don't know how clear this is, but this guy is lounging in our Adirondack chair! 

SUGARING OFF AT ST.HUBERT CHICKEN

My beautiful family picked me up from the train home from work and we unanimously agreed to use our Christmas gift card on a dinner inspired by the season at St. Hubert! It was a nice variation on the theme! I honestly feel like we live in the most beautiful place in the world! Maple syrup in the spring, vibrant coloured forests in the fall, amazing skiing in the winter and summer anywhere in the moderate climates is a dream!

Well it's cold and the only maple buckets I have seen had frozen syrup! That aside, we have made a long and gusty walk to my new favourite sugar shack in the middle of Cap-St-Jacques. My husband seems to think there is a disadvantage to having a CabaneASucre in the middle of the woods and is actively looking for a drive-through version, but I love that only those of us on foot or ski were able to have Tire (Taffy) on the snow, a hearty pea soup, crepes and hot chocolate, all for the same price as one all you can eat out of the city (although that's still on my list of things to do this spring)!

Vive le Syrup D'Erable!

TALENTED BAKER'S I HAVE MET

This was a delicious tower of cupcakes for our school's blood drive provided by a local baker I have come to love - this is white chocolate on red velvet, but check out the depth of this baker's repertoire:

Here's another local baker's finery, if you want some more eye candy!

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING IN LES GRANDS PARCS DE MONTRÉAL

This winter has been a cold one, and for a prairie girl, I loved the snow that stayed. It was fun to get back into a sport that makes the coldest days a fun one, especially when going skiing with a friend. It's hard to start cold, but that is the only way for this sport, because you do end up warm! I have had the good fortune of trying out the nicely groomed trails of Cap St Jacques (amazing views), Bois de liesse (sheltered and shorter) and, my favourite, Ile Bizard (quiet and woodsy). This is a boardwalk that overlooks the marsh. I'm almost ready to give up this winter, and look forward to walking this trail without the snow soon! Get a pass and visit one of the great Montreal Parks, even if its just on foot!

KNITTING 101

Recently I found my grandmother's knitting needles and a ball of yarn, and, thanks to wiki how's instructions, I managed to cast on, knit and cast off! It was a fun project and there are endless scarf recipient potentials in our house full of "stuffies"!

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!

Hope you ate something green!

WEEKEND CRAFTS

This was a most fun weekend in a long time! My daughter wanted to craft, and actually wanted to learn something from me! 

This princess has every My Little Pony cutie mark my daughter knows!

Birthday gift complete!

First time sewing buttons on a stripe-y sock puppet (use a darning needle - no bleeding necessary!)

First time making a pom-pom since camp! These fun colours are park of a KLUTZ kit that can be decorated as monsters   (see below)