2016 Reading Challenges - Mid-Year Update

I know, I know ... you haven't heard from me about what I'm reading lately. If you read my last post for my Get Talking series you would see that I've been changing over computers and did't have the files I needed until recently. Some people would say, why don't you just put everything on a cloud so you can access it everywhere. Well, how secure are they? Anybody could hack into them if they really wanted to, so I'll stick with having things on my own device. Anyway, on to books ...

Just 2 more books in the Anne series to read, then on to other L M Montgomery books. I'm still not sure whether I'll try to read as many of her books as possible (as a friend suggested) or not. But I've still got time to work things out, since it is only June.

June's book was Anne of Ingleside. I love reading about the antics of her and Gilbert's children. More to come in the next book - Rainbow Valley!

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I've been doing really well on the Alphabet Soup Challenge - just 6 books to go. Since my last update, I have added (books in bold added since last update):

A - Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
B - Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
C - Crime Scene Jerusalem By Alton Gansky
D - The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson
E - Every Storm by Lori Wick
F - Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter
G - Greetings From the Flipside by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay
H - A House Divided by Robert Whitlow
I - In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon
J - Jennifer by Dee Henderson
L - Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl
M -  A Murder Among Friends by Ramona Richards
N - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island (Lonely Planet Guide)
O - One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn
P - The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams
S - Seaside Blessings by Irene Hannon
T - Twice Stolen by Susanne Timpani
U - Undetected by Dee Henderson
W - Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow
Y - You Are Special by Max Lucado

I'm in the middle of a book for 'R', then I just need to work out K, Q, V, X and Z.

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Finally the Bethany House 2016 Reading Challenge.
It's been a struggle to find books for this one, but I have managed to add a few squares.

Added this time are:

• Is a nonfiction book about the era/setting of a favourite novel - Lonely Planet Guide: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island
• You found at a yard sale or thrift store - You are Special by Max Lucado
• Has a character with your best friend's name - Jennifer by Dee Henderson (the character is also the title of the book!)

One of my sisters was also doing this challenge, and she has now finished. We will be reading the same book for 'Is at least 100 years old.'

Now you are all up-to-date with my reading challenges. How are you going with yours?

Get Talking - Smiles and Giving Things A Go

Ok, so you're probably all wondering what is going on. "Where are Beth's posts?" I'm sure you've been asking. My life has been crazy. 2 jobs plus church and family commitments mean I'm one really tired person, plus I've had to get a new computer because my last one was about to die, so I've had to find the time to transfer files over, particularly things that I use to post on my blog, plus the usual life essentials. The files are finally transferred, and I have 2 weeks off from the usual work hours - I still have to work a few days, but today is not one of them.

Since I missed last week, I'll give you 2 questions today.

What made you smile today?

It was something that you wouldn't readily think of, but today my Mum went out with a friend, and that made me smile. Mum hasn't done that much over the past few years due to things that have been going on in our family, so for her to get out without any of her daughters was an amazing thing.

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What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

If I could try anything, knowing that I wouldn't fail, I'd go ahead and learn to fly aeroplanes (of course I would also have to have the money to pay for the lessons). Ever since my first flight (even though it wasn't the greatest experience or for a nice reason) I've wanted to be able to fly myself. I love seeing what the world is like from the air.

What about you? What made you smile? What would you try?

Get Talking - Future Plans

One thing that I never really done in my life is make long-term plans. Sure, I have ideas of what I would like life to be, but so far none of that has worked out. This week's question says:

Where do you want to be five years from now?

In 5 years I would really like to be married and raising a family. I'd like to be a stay-at-home Mum.

ACRBA Tour - Shoes Off Feet Up by Ellen Carr

6 – 10 June

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Shoes Off Feet Up

(By HopePost Publishing, 25 November 2015)

by  Ellen Carr

About the Book:

Shoes Off, Feet Up: Poems of everyday life and faith invites you to sit down, put your feet up and read awhile. It celebrates life with all its fun and adventures, its blessings and encouragements and its challenges. Some of Ellen's poems touch on the light-hearted and humorous side of life, some rejoice in the joys of life and nature, while others deal with the deeper issues of living with faith in God. 

You are invited to dip into this book and find some treasures. You will be blessed, encouraged and amused by these poems, and occasionally you will be challenged. Shoes Off, Feet Up ~ poems you will want to return to again and again. 



Ellen Carr is an award winning author who lives in Melbourne, Australia. She writes about life, nature, things of amusement, and of her faith in God. She enjoys seeing the funny side of life, as well as pondering things of more serious importance.

About the Author

Ellen Carr lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband,Rod. She has two adult daughters, Sarah and Alison, who have flown the nest. When she isn’t busy writing, Ellen delights in pottering about, drinking coffee, singing in a community choir, volunteering as a Christian religious studies teacher, travelling, and spending time with family and friends. A retired teacher, Ellen has always enjoyed writing. She has written educational material, radio scripts, short stories, and of course, poetry. Writing from her heart, her works are about life, nature, amusing situations, and her faith in God. Her faith and her daily walk with God are high priorities in her life, followed by
family, friends and fun. She enjoys seeing the funny side of life as well as pondering things of more serious importance.

Many of her award-winning poems and stories have been published at FaithWriters.com, an online Christian writers’ website, and some poems appear in Glimpses of Light, an Australian anthology, which raised money for CBM (formally Christian Blind Mission).

Several of her pieces will appear in the upcoming series, Mixed Blessings. Her poem, Twelve Long Years, included in this collection, was awarded a Judges’ Commendation in the Tabor Adelaide
Creative Writing Awards competition.

In addition, her poems have been read on the radio program, Songs of Hope, on 88.3 Southern FM, in Melbourne, Australia. She also wrote the lyrics for a song, The Peace of God, played on that same station. Other poems have appeared in church news sheets, religious educational material, magazines, and on Ellen’s blog.
You can find more of her work, and a link to her blog, at her website: Ellen Carr, Postbox Poetry and HopePost Publishing, at: postboxpoetry.wordpress.com

My Thoughts:

So many of these poems I can relate to and see the pictures they represent in my head or around me; things I've done and said.
Birds in the bird-bath, disappearing post boxes, tissues going through the wash, whale watching in Warnambool ...

Good work Ellen. I hope I can read more of your poems in the future.

Get Talking - Circus

Yes, I know I missed the last 2 weeks, but since there are only 50 cards in the pack it doesn't really matter.
So, getting back to the cards, this weeks question is:

If you joined the circus, what act would you perform?

If I joined the circus, I'd probably be a clown. I don't like performing, so having my face painted so that I was unrecognisable would be good. As a child I enjoyed the Enid Blyton books about Mr Galliano's Circus, but I liked Mrs Brown the best - she didn't perform, but kept things going for others.