The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny

I only recently started reading the work of Canadian novelist: Louise Penny. I don't know how I missed this author's books in the past. She has written several best-selling novels and has a large international following. When I saw a recent review in one of our local newspapers about Ms. Penny's work, I decided to give one of her novels a try.

  

Ms. Penny's novels are written as a mystery series, featuring the main character: Chief Inspector Gamache. Most are set in the imaginary, small rural Quebec town of Three Pines.

 

In The Beautiful Mystery , Louise Penny's latest and much-anticipated novel, she has made an exception to that usual locale. And what an exceptional setting it is! I need to be engaged by where a story unfolds, to make any novel believable and interesting. In this regard, Ms. Penny did not disappoint.

  

The monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, is hidden deep in the wilderness of the Province of Quebec. Far from the prying eyes, noise and distractions of the rest of the world.

 

There, two dozen cloistered Roman Catholic monks have lived year after year, in brotherhood, peace and harmony. That is, until they are confronted with the unthinkable: the murder of their renowned choir director: Frere Mathieu. Reluctantly, but with no choice due to the gravity of the crime, the monks must open up their monastery and lives to the police and the investigation that follows.

 

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his long-time second-in-command/assistant Jean-Guy Beauvoir of the Surete du Quebec are called to the scene of the crime. The trip takes them into an area that few people have ever visited. And to the monastery that is a well-guarded secret for the most part.

 

The opening chapters takes us along on their journey: by plane heading to the far north and then on a boat trip which ends in a small bay where they face the imposing and impressive sight of the monastery: a fortress-like building shaped in the form of a large cross. For two hundred years, it has been the secluded home to this order of cloistered monks. 

 

As the author so eloquently expresses the setting: "A harbor. A safe embrace in the wilderness." But now, in reality: a deception, as their quiet way of life is about to be turned upside down.

 

The story takes many twists and turns along the way. The reader is left to wonder and contemplate the murderer's identity, right up to the last chapter of the book. I won't spoil the plot by getting into too much detail but it took me a while to guess the real killer, with all the suspects that seemed probable along the way.

 

What I liked about this book:

 

A mysterious setting, a glimpse into the lifestyle of a very guarded and secretive religious order, the attention to detail the author shows in developing and sharing the good and also bad in each of the monks that the reader is introduced to along the way. All is not what it seems on the outside as the two police officers are quick to realize. In addition to the murderer, there are a plenty of undercurrents, intrigues and conflicts in regards to the monks; some long-festering and just now surfacing, in the wake of this crime. Not to mention the ones between the two police officers investigating the crime!

 

 

And, what I didn't like:

 

I found the book very compelling until I was about 1/2 way through it, then it started to get a bit repetitious. I thought the length of this novel detracted from it's overall appeal.

 

For me, there comes a point in any novel (usually fairly obvious too) where the entire story has been shared as far as required and then it's time to bring together all the red herrings and puzzle pieces and start "wrapping it up" to a satisfying conclusion. Going too far, revisiting the clues, the questions, the intrigues...too many times; detracts rather than adds to any novel. In this respect, I thought the story could have been streamlined a bit.

 

I also noted over at Amazon what diverse reviews there are for this book. Many 5 and 4 star reviews but also quite a few of the 1, 2 and 3's too.

 

A couple of points that other reviewers mentioned that caught my attention were concerns about the actual research that went into this book, in particular regarding the Gregorian chants that figure prominently in this story. I don't know much about historical religious music so I can't comment on that, but something that piqued my interest. Also, a comment about the author suggesting an unspoken but implied acceptance of homosexuality at this RC monastery. I noted that in the book as well and coming from a Roman Catholic upbringing myself, it was something that didn't ring true.

 

In spite of some misgivings about this book, I did find it enjoyable and engaging. I'm not sorry that I took the time to read it and I will definitely be checking out some of Louise Penny's other books.

This book is also available in an audiobook format from Macmillan Audio.  Click for a preview.  

 

Overall rating for this book: Good. 3 out of 5.

 

 



Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock

I recently read Ka Hancock's debut novel: Dancing on Broken Glass after noting it in the new book section of our local library.  I was intrigued by the title of the book and it's beautiful cover.

And I couldn't agree more with the quote also included on the front cover: The best kind of love follows its own rules....So very true.

But when I actually got around to reading this book I wasn't sure if it was one I'd finish after I had read the first couple of chapters. I'm not a fan of any story that entails a lot of illness, medical interventions...but this author had such an engaging style of writing, I kept on reading.

Author, Ka Hancock has an extensive professional medical background including two nursing degrees and specialized work with psychiatric and substance-abuse patients. From this perspective, she has crafted a story about two people Lucy Houston, a cancer-survivor and Mickey Chandler who struggles with bi-polar disorder. Against the odds and the better judgement of themselves and their families Lucy and Mickey fall in love and eventually marry.

In spite of my misgivings about some of the subject matter in this book, I found myself continuing to turn page after page, wanting to know how the story would unfold. Ka Hancock has a real gift when it comes to bringing characters to life. I was swept into the love story of Lucy and Mickey and the lives of their families and friends.

A very sad story in many ways and the many tears I cried reading this book were a surprise to me. I'm not one to cry while reading or watching a movie...it takes a compelling story to get me to feel that emotional about any work of fiction. But cry I did, buckets actually. I put a couple of other projects on hold too, during the couple of days that it took me to finish this book.

I won't spoil the plot by going into details about the story but suffice to say it is: touching, heart-warming and heart-wrenching too.  I thoroughly enjoyed Dancing on Broken Glass, in spite of some of the negative reviews I had read online about this book, including this comment over at: Kirkus Reviews. 

From Kirkus Reviews re: Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock: A tidily crafted but treacly excavation of misery in the name of higher sentiments

Yes, it is a sentimental book but isn't that what true love is all about? I did not find it sugar-coated or "treacly" though. It is a story that touched my heart. With memorable characters and a rather unique plot about two people trying to make a go of a marriage while facing a number of life challenges that most of us can be happy to say that we are not burdened with, in addition to those of an everyday "normal" existence.

What I didn't like about this book was the ending. I thought it took away from the story overall and for me, did not ring true. I was a surprised by this conclusion to a story that had thoroughly held my attention, up to that point.  In spite of this, I'm still glad I read this book and I look forward to more books by Ka Hancock in the future. 

If you have read this book or do so in the future, I'd love to hear your opinion of the story and in particular what you thought of the ending.

Overall rating for this book: Good. 3 out of 5.

Sea Glass Hearts by Josie Iselin

 

 

 

 

Now that summer is gone for another year, I find myself thinking about some of the many symbols and scenes that are equated with that season.

 

No, I don't miss the scorching heat that we endured here in BC week after week, in August. But it's nice to dwell on what makes summer unique and memorable: days at the beach, warm summer nights, walking in the sand collecting shells (if you're lucky!) or pretty stones, sea glass....lots of wonderful and beautiful images come to mind.

I'm also taking the time to enjoy a book I received as a gift a while back:
Sea Glass Hearts by Josie Iselin on an almost daily basis.

 

If you aren't familiar with this author/artist's work, she uses a process called Scannography (click to read more) and takes seemingly ordinary objects like stones and shells and transforms them into images, books, prints and collections that are uniquely beautiful. 

 

Sea Glass Hearts is a collection of sea glass and stone images with some lovely poems and poetic phrases to accompany many of the photos.

If you happen to be land-locked ;<) and have never seen any sea glass (click to read more at Wiki) it is pieces of broken glass that have been washed up along shorelines and polished and smoothed into shapes by the waves and sand.

 

In this particular book by Josie Iselin, the theme is all about heart-shapes. The special meanings of this symbol for so many people: the core of our being, the lifeforce and strength, the qualities we value and strive for...lovely and thought-provoking imagery to consider and savour, paging through this book.

 

Stop by the Amazon page for Sea Glass Hearts and click inside the book to enjoy a sample of the Josie Iselin's work. Each one a visual delight and work of art.

 

 For me, it has a calming, grounding effect to browse through the pages of this book, especially when I take the time to read the text that accompanies the breath-taking photos throughout.

Ms. Iselin has created magic with her photos and her words.

 

Speaking of Amazon, I noted that this book is on sale right now for only $10 and change... so a great time to pick up a copy for yourself and/or several as gifts. Christmas is just around the corner and this would certainly be a welcome gift to enjoy, in the depths of winter.
 

This book would make a special and memorable gift for someone you love or even as a special thank you or housewarming gift, to enjoy as a small "coffee table" book, in a new home.

I like to keep my copy close at hand so that I can pick it up when I'm feeling stressed and spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation, slowly savouring the pages.

 

Make sure to check out Josie's other books too.You can visit her beautiful blog here and/or join her over at her FaceBook and Twitter pages (links at the bottom of her blog's home page).

 

 You're in for a visual treat! :<)

 

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

 

 

Ecover Grapefruit & Green Tea Dishwashing Liquid

I recently bought a bottle of: Ecover Grapefruit & Green Tea Dishwashing Liquid at our local food co-op as the brands I usually buy were all sold out. Checking out the ingredients on the bottle, it looked to be ok. Rather vague, but ok.

The ingredients as listed on the bottle:

Water, Anionic and non-ionic surfactants, Green tea extract, Citric acid, Salt,Fragrance (grapefruit). Biodegradable preservative.

I loved the idea of a grapefruit fragrance too, so into the shopping basket it went.

When I gave it a try at home, the first thing I noted was how much sudsier it was, when added to water, compared to some of the other natural dishsoaps I had tried recently.

And when it's sudsy, what comes to mind: Sodium laureth sulfate.

And we all know what a no-no that ingredient is, especially in terms of being included in a so-called natural/green product.

I then visited the Ecover website and here's what I found there, for the ingredient list for this product:

Complete ingredients list from their website:

Aqua

  Sodium laureth sulfate

  Lauryl glucoside,

Sodium chloride

Sodium benzoate

Citric acid

Fragrance

Limonene (allergen)

Camellia sinensis leaf extract

Ahha....that would explain the suds. And SLS is second on the list, in order of ingredient quantities.

I don't know why companies are still trying to con customers with "trickery" like this. It's not like consumers can't do their own investigating online about most products now. But given the rather innocent-looking list of ingredients on the bottle itself, would most people bother to check further? I'm glad I did but I do think a lot of people would take the bottle ingredient list at face value and feel good about using this product.

This is just as bad as what I found out about: Seventh Generation dishwashing liquid. You can read my full review about that product here.

If a company is going the "green route" in terms of their product lines, they should be made accountable to do just that. Provide products that are truly as green as possible and without any "fudging" when it comes to what a consumer is actually using when they buy their products.

I won't be buying any Ecover products again, based on this experience. There are companies and  alternative brands that I feel a lot better about supporting.

 I only hope our local store doesn't run out of the better choices, next time I need dishwashing liquid in a hurry! I actually hope that they re-think some of the so-called "green products" they still have on the shelves.

We send a message to these companies, every time we don't buy a questionable green product. It's time that some of them started to pay attention!

Overall rating for this product: BAD. 0 out of 5.

MRLR September Yarn-Lover's Contest

 

Ah...September has arrived and my favorite season of the year is almost here: Autumn. :<)

And what better time of year to get back to all kinds of creative pursuits, including yarn crafts.

                          

So for September, I've got a wonderful giveaway, especially for all the kniters, crocheters...and yarn-craft wannabes out there.

Here are the four prizes in this month's contest:

A copy of the designer knitting book: The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book. You can read my full review of this fabulous book here.

                                           

 

Prize number two is a feline-fabulous Mr. Cheddar coffee mug created by artist: Teri Casper from Teri's Painted Daisies.

With the inscription: "Okay, Okay. so I dropped a stitch or two" and signed with Mr. Cheddar's name.

 

 

 I'm lovin' this one and of course, so is the Chedster, who is btw, Teri's fav furry feline nephew!!!

 

 

These one of a kind mugs are already available at Teri's Zazzle store.

 

You can order them with or without Mr. Cheddar's name on them (click for ordering details) whatever your preference.

 

I'm planning to order one soon and it will certainly include the Mr. Cheddar signature!!! ;<)

                                       

 

 

 

The third prize is a gift certificate from Knitting Warehouse for $ 25.

 

 

This is a company I love to order from that I also reviewed here. Excellent prices and service for all your yarn craft needs: yarns, books, accessories....

 

I'm so glad I found out about Knitting Warehouse. My first online stop, when I need another yarn-fix! And that's quite often actually. LOL

 

 

 

 

And to stash all your new yarn goodies in, prize number four is a totebag from BuyGreen.com.

 

 

 

 

I like to have a separate tote for each of my current craft projects. I have one of these big, sturdy totes that I use for crafts and shopping too and I just love it.

 

                                                   

 

One lucky winner will win all four prizes, valued at approximately $80!

                                     

 

***
 

 

To enter, leave a comment below including what your favorite yarn-craft is: knitting, crocheting,looming...


If you are a wannabe yarn-crafter at this point, pick the type of craft you are planning to pursue, if you do win the contest.

 

 

Contest is open to Canadian and US residents. Exception: void in Quebec (sorry about this) you can read why I've had to add this to my contests. Provincial laws in Quebec regarding contests are hard to understand but I'm not able to by-pass these restrictions.

 

 

Contest closes September 30th.

 

 

Stop by the first week in October to see if you are the winner.
And another great contest (and this one yummy too) is on the way! Starts the first week in October.

 

 

No anonymous comments please. If possible, please sign in with a Blogger, Google or other blog account.

 

 

Winner will have two weeks to claim their prize. If not claimed within two weeks, another winner will be chosen.

 

 

***

 

 

 Good luck everyone. :<)

 

 Happy Autumn and Happy Crafting! 

Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook

I'm a big fan of novelist Claire Cook.

Ever since I read Best Staged Plans, I've been hooked on her books.

And what a fascinating personal story she also has. Claire Cook became a best-selling author, after writing her first novel in the family's van when she was 45; while waiting for her children at swim practises. Five years later, she was walking the red carpet for the premiere of: Must Love Dogs, based on another highly acclaimed novel that she wrote.

 

Wowsa. That's my kind of creative inspiration. Claire Cook has proven and in a big way that real-life dreams can and do come true.

 

Speaking of Best Staged Plans, you can read my full review of that wonderful book here.

  

 I was happy to note the recent release of her newest book: Wallflower in Bloom.

And as expected, Ms. Cook did not disappoint.

 

As is the case with most of Claire Cook's novels, this one centers around a large, somewhat dysfunctional family and in particular the main character Deirdrie Griffin and her brother Tag.

 

Deirdrie is Tag's personal assistant. Tag is a world-renowned motivational guru with millions of fans around the world. Adored and fawned over (especially by the ladies!) wherever he goes with Deirdrie always close behind. She is left to sort out the many details and intrigues in Tag's life and to pick up the pieces, when things go haywire! And that happens a lot.

 

It's the behind part that Deirdrie is sick of. Being out of the spotlight, feeling that she is just a glorified "gopher" that never really has a chance to shine on her own merits or have a life of her own.

 

But a twist in fate is in store for Deirdrie when she gets to be on the hit TV show: Dancing With the Stars, when a replacement dancer is needed. Being Tag's sister for once is paying off and in a big way. She grabs the chance and goes for it. And dances her way to a whole new life in the process.

 

 As a big fan of Dancing With the Stars, I also loved reading about the behind the scenes action at the show. And how Deirdrie went from a very average dancer to being able to hold her own and to go on to perform (and well) in front of millions of viewers. Talk about her time to shine!

 

This was such a fun read from beginning to end. I was sorry to turn the last page!

 

If you love a good read, happy endings, Claire Cook's writing, Dancing With the Stars; any or all of these, you will love: Wallflower in Bloom.

 

One more thing, isn't this a great cover? I think it's so perfect for the story.

                           

 

Keep them coming Claire. Can't wait to see what your next book will be about.

 

 

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

 



Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Deluxe 6 Qt. Slow Cooker

As any of my regular readers already know, I love to cook! And second only to finding or creating a great new recipe, I love to discover a new kitchen appliance or gadget that makes the process even more enjoyable.

I recently gave slow-cooking another try. The last time I had, was many, many years ago. And in the meantime, slow-cookers have come a long way! I tested out the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Deluxe 6 Qt. Slow Cooker and overall, I'm very impressed with this small appliance. A far cry from my little, old crockpot type cooker, from years ago! ;<)

What did I like about this slow cooker?

It has a nice large ceramic liner, that's easy to clean and allows for a large meal to be prepared in it.

As a vegetarian, for me that's usually a soup or stew. But I've got a lot of other recipes planned to try in the near future, in this slow cooker, including: lasagna, steamed breads, desserts...it's actually a very versatile way to cook and definitely not for just a big piece of meat or chicken as a lot of people still think. I'll be sharing a couple of excellent slow-cooker cookbooks here in the near future too.

This slow-cooker has a nice chrome finish on the outside that's easy to clean. A handy spoon rest in the lid handle, complete with spoon.  Easy to read and program, front panel. Very quiet operation. Reasonably priced too. Today I noted this slow-cooker at Amazon on sale for just $49. Well worth the price. And a 5 year limited warranty.That's the first time I've seen this for any small kitchen appliance.

And for people who do enjoy cooking meat, poultry in a slow-cooker, there is a handy temperature probe included.

And what didn't I like?

Rather minor negatives but perhaps things the company might want to consider for future models and marketing. This particular model features metal clips to secure the lid if you want to transport your slow cooker to another location: potluck dinner, another room...and avoid spillage.

These clips are only for this purpose and not to be used when cooking in the slow cooker.

 I found the video a bit misleading (click through to the product page to see this) as no mention was made of whether these clips were to actually be used for cooking but it appeared that way. I finally found the recommendation for transport use only, in the FAQ section at the company's website. I did not note any mention of this in the users guide I received either.

Speaking of the users guide, I did note that after cooking time is complete that the unit will beep and then revert to WARM mode for (total of) 14 hours and then shut off. This is too long, IMO in terms of food safety. I was surprised by this. Not something I would personally recommend.

As I said, minor complaints.

Overall, I'm impressed with how easy this slow cooker is to use and how good the cooking results are too. I will definitely be using it on a regular basis.

Stop by the Hamilton Beach site for lots of great recipe suggestions for slow cookers and their other appliances too.

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

A Mr. Cheddar Review: Innova Dry Cat Food

                                     

Mr. Cheddar here....

Yes, I have been snoozing quite a bit lately, what with all the oh so hooooot weather and all.

I love a good nap, almost as much as I love a good bowl of kibble.

And wowsa, Meowmie has recently found another winner in that department that I am just a  lovin' : Innova Dry Cat Food (regular and sigh...low-fat formula too.) Although why I would really need any kind of "low-fat" kibble is beyond my comprehension. But it seems to make Meowmie happy and it tastes great so who am I to complain.

And I do want to keep my slim physique in top form so why not watch the catories, right!!! Can't really improve on purrrfection but must try to stay the dreaded "bag belly" that seems to be a problem for so many felines I've met. Not me of course but it can happen! Yikes.

BTW, I love that babe on the Innova low-fat bag so that helped to convince me too.

Who says advertising doesn't work??? Snort.

Oh what a blue-eyed vixen....perhaps the company is reading this and can find a way for us to meet? I certainly hope so. I'm not getting any younger and the perfect female companion for me has still not appeared sigh...oh well, I live in hope. I know she's out there, somewhere...waiting for me too.

Perhaps this "bag lady" is THE ONE!!!

 And remember this sage advice, my dear feline and human fans:

 If it's the truth, it ain't bragging!

Innova gal, DOOOO RSVP, sooner than later. I will be waiting oh so impatiently for your email.

Anyhoo...back to this kibble. I love everything about it. Tasty, satisfying, keeps my tummy working from entry to exit (if you get my meaning snort....) in perfect harmony.

And Meowmie's given it the thumbs-up too in terms of ingredients, so no problems with getting her to bring home the goods.

Here's some information about this food from the Innova website:

For less active cats and cats prone to undesired weight gain, Innova developed our Low Fat Adult Cat Food. This unique formula provides all the same nutritional benefits of our regular Cat & Kitten Food, but with 50% less fat than Innova Cat & Kitten Food to assist with weight management in low activity or sedentary cats. In addition, we included L-carnitine to help metabolize fat and retain lean muscle mass.

Click through to their site to read the complete ingredient list and lots of other good information too.

I definitely give Innova dry cat food the "Cheddar- paws up"

And speaking of 'bag bellies" snort...here's  Meowmie's final word:

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

Finding Kate Huntley by Theresa Ragan

As I blogged about recently here I've been focused on a number of writing projects, including a novel, in the past few months.
                                                   

It's a daunting task to write and to complete a novel. At least that's been my experience so far. It's been thrilling, energizing, frustrating, at times- all-consuming. And along the way, it's been other writers, bloggers, friends and loved ones who have kept me going, when I just didn't feel like continuing.

One of the most talented, inspiring and encouraging people I've met in the past few months, is author: Theresa Ragan. If you aren't familiar with Theresa's books yet, you will be. This woman is an achiever and then some!

Here's an Interview with Theresa from the CreateSpace website that gives an overview of just some of this author's amazing accomplishments to date. And Theresa is not just an achiever when it comes to writing novels, she's one terrific and supportive person too.

Stop by Theresa's blog for  more information about her life, work and to read more about all of her books.

After I got to know Theresa online, I was eager to read some of her work. I started off with the novel: Finding Kate Huntley, a suspense-packed thriller that takes the reader on a fast-paced and memorable journey.

When lead character, Kate Huntley is only 15 years old, she witnesses the murder of her beloved father, while they are on board a boat vacationing in the Caribbean.

Her father, who had been a respected, well-known US scientist, had warned her just before his untimely death, to "trust no one". It is a warning that Kate takes to heart and never forgets, spending the next 10 years of her life in hiding; living in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti.
                                     

 In spite of the poverty and other difficulties of living in this foreign and unfamiliar place, Kate learns to love Haiti and many of the gentle and kind native people she gets to know. But she also never forgets her father's warning and endures the ache of losing him, year after year. Kate vows to find the person(s) responsible no matter how long it takes, find out why and to avenge his death.

                                                       
Fast-forward to Kate at 25, still living and working in Haiti. She is recognized by Jack Coffey, rookie FBI agent who has been sent by the agency to find Ms. Huntley and bring her back to the States where they are also still trying to find the reasons behind her father's murder and to solve the case.

 Jack Coffey works first of all, to gain Kate's trust, not an easy assignment in itself. Then to complete his FBI duties to get her back to the (supposedly) safer US, where Kate had been born and to hopefully and finally unravel the mystery of her father's death. Along the way, there is romance, intrigue and lots of surprises and awakenings for both Kate and Jack.

Although this would not normally be "my kind of book" to read (I've never been a real fan of thrillers, crime stories etc) I found myself turning page after page, anxious to see how things would turn out. I don't want to spoil the plot....so I'll leave the details for you to enjoy!

Theresa Ragan shows an attention to details that is commendable. She not only is a compelling writer and takes the time to develop each chapter throughout the book; Theresa also ties up ALL the loose ends, at the conclusion of the story. I appreciate that. You would think that would be a given for any well-written/regarded novel, but as any avid reader knows, that's just not the reality, for too many books.

                                                

If you are looking for a fast-paced, engaging novel with plenty of twists, turns and romance along the way, you'll want to check out: Finding Kate Huntley by Theresa Ragan. Available in print and ebook formats.

Overall rating for this book: Very Good. 4 out of 5.    

belVita Breakfast Biscuits

 I recently noted an ad for belVita Breakfast Biscuits  in a local grocery store flyer.

As a person who is not a big-breakfast eater on most days (exception: Sundays when my dear Joe makes a late morning "fry-up" fit for royalty, that I enjoy immensely!!!) I was eager to check this new product out. Even planned to purchase some, until I started doing some checking online.

I've thought for a very long time that Kraft Foods is lagging well behind many other food manufacturers when it comes to truly addressing the needs and wants of increasingly savvy consumers who are looking for quality products that really do "walk the talk".

The days of shoppers being at the mercy of the food "giants" with their clever marketing campaigns (often targeting young children with sugary junk) and lulling us all into believing that we can take their word at face value when it comes to (supposedly) wholesome, nutritious products, is long gone!

Hooray, and hooray again for ingredient lists and the Internet!

                                                     

belVita is a "shortcut" attempt by Kraft/Nabisco to jump on the current and growing market trend for better, more nutritious snack and breakfast foods. Unfortunately, they've fallen short of the mark, again!

                                

Check out the ingredients in the belVita Golden Oat Flavour: whole grain blend (rolled oats, rye flakes), enriched flour [wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2), folic acid], high oleic canola oil, sugar, evaporated cane sugar, whole grain wheat flour, malt syrup (from corn and barley), invert sugar, baking soda, salt, soy lecithin, disodium pyrophosphate, datem, ferric orthophosphate (iron), niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), riboflavin (vitamin b2), thiamin mononitrate (vitamin b1).

Nothing new or noteworthy here. Plenty of sources of refined sugar though. Nothing organic either.

Come on Kraft, join the 21st Century!

                                                                  

 This is nothing more than a glorified cookie, cleverly marketed as a healthy breakfast option.

Comes complete with some cutsey marketing tactics: belVita "in action" video

The nutritional "benefits" albeit limited of belVita.

                                                        

Do these companies really think that the majority of consumers are still this gullible?

                              

A couple of other points I noted at one of many belVita sites. They suggest repeatedly that these are to be eaten with other healthy foods such as a glass of milk, yogurt...to help sustain a person and stave off hunger for 4 hours. Maybe with the addition of other higher- protein foods, that might work. But with just 4 grams of protein in these breakfast cookies, they certainly aren't going to do the job on their own! A good "hit" of quality protein is in the 15-20 grams range for an average person per meal.

These cookies sell for about $3-4 per 250 gram box. For the price of a couple of boxes, a person could easily make a batch of energy bars at home that would be a lot better nutritionally and probably taste-wise too.

As one of many quick breakfast/snack alternatives: here's a popular recipe for  No-Bake Energy Bars from my cookbook: Not Just for Vegetarians that you might want to try. They certainly are tasty, filling, kid-approved and easy to make too.

 Countless other recipes for energy bars and other quick breakfast options online too.  If you need "breakfast on the go" you don't have to settle for something as lame and lacking as  belVita Breakfast Biscuits are.

And one more thing, what's with the letter casing for the name of  this product? Is that suppose to make it better? Or does Kraft have 4 year olds in their marketing department these days LOL!

Overall rating for this product: BAD. 0 out of 5. 

Jane Fonda Prime Time: Fit & Strong Exercise DVD

I've always believed that regular exercise was an essential part of staying well and feeling energized. When I recently had some issues with one of my ankles that didn't allow me to walk or do any weight-bearing exercise, for extended periods of time; I went looking for a workout DVD that I could still do.

After reading some very inspiring comments/reviews about: Jane Fonda Prime Time: Fit & Strong DVD, I decided to give it a try. And I'm certainly glad that I did.


First of all, how could anyone not be inspired and encouraged by anyone who looks as good as Jane Fonda does? I think she's absolutely beautiful. In her 70"s now (seemingly ageless!) and in much better shape than a lot of women in their 30-40's.

 And she certainly is a pro when it comes to putting together an exercise video that is not only effective but fun and informative too. Hard to believe it was the late 1970's when her first exercise videos were available. How time flies!

The Jane Fonda Fit & Strong DVD includes two workouts, each approximately 30 minutes including a warm-up and stretches to finish. There is also an introduction (calming and empowering) and balance exercise (so important to maintain our balance) segment, both that are worthwhile adding to any daily exercise workout.

Jane Fonda not only explains each exercise well, she also shares interesting facts/stats throughout, the workouts about the importance and benefits of exercise. For example: did you know that people between 50-72 can actually increase their muscle mass/strength by as much as 200% with regular strength training exercises? Amazing! And we all know how important it is to stay strong, whatever age we are.

Jane also talks about the importance of balance and working to maintain a good level of ability in this regard, throughout our lives. Unfortunately, changes to balance start to happen in our 20's and decline from there. But with specific balancing exercises added to our daily exercise regimes, we can help to stem the tide. Such an important topic that from what I've seen elsewhere is usually overlooked when it comes to any type of exercise programs/DVDs.

The Jane Fonda Prime Time: Fit & Strong DVD  is a very good way to ease back into an exercise program, if you've been unable to participate in regular exercise, for whatever reason. Even if it just comes down to being unmotivated or as in my case, having an injury that made my regular activities hard to continue on a regular basis. This DVD would be too easy for someone who is already working out at an intermediate level but that's just not the reality for a lot of us.

Some other things I appreciate about this DVD. Jane Fonda has a very soothing, relaxing voice to listen to. It's easy to focus on what she is saying and to follow her instructions to the letter.So many exercise DVD's are lead by instructors with annoying, grating voices that definitely don't add to the routines.

 And speaking of instructions another helpful and appreciated point I noted with this DVD: when Jane is referring to working the left arm or leg...she is working the reverse herself, so that what we see facing the TV matches up with her instructions. So many instructors don't bother to do this.

The only thing that could be improved on this video is a minor issue. I found the background used for this workout distracting and "busy" looking. For example, there is a coffee table directly behind Jane Fonda when she is working out. When she is doing chair exercises, it looks like there are "wings" sticking out from both sides! A simple, attractive room without so much clutter would have added to the appeal of this DVD. Minor but something that could be improved upon.

If you stop by Amazon, you can read many positive reviews about this DVD. Some very touching personal comments included and written by people of all ages.

 It really is never too late to get more physically active and strive to be in better shape. Our attitude is so important in terms of what aging well really means and in all areas of our lives, not just the physical. Again, Jane Fonda touches on this topic in the short introduction segment; a great way to begin the workouts.

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book by Steven Tatar (with Denise Grollmus)

                                                                   

As any of my regular blog readers know already, I am a self-proclaimed yarn addict! And how. If I'm not working on at least 2-3 knit or crochet projects at any given time, I'm just not happy!

My love of all things yarn-crafting extends to the pleasure of finding a new and unique knit or crochet book. And just recently, I found one that I'm very excited about:

 

The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book is a book that came about in a very unusual way. Author Steven Tatar was hunting for scrap metal when he stumbled upon the now shuttered Ohio Knitting Mills. He subsequently bought the company's sweater archive and opened the Ohio Knitting Mills store, in Brooklyn, NY where for two years he sold vintage knits and wrote this book.

The author now sells limited edition sweaters online at: OhioKnittingMills.com.

The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book traces the history through four decades of this historic Ohio mill from the 1940-1970. It makes for fascinating reading. Sharing a part of crafting in America through some of the most creative and turbulent times the USA has ever seen. And along the way, the reader is taken back in time to enjoy the styles, trends and fads of each of these decades. Including 26 knitting patterns from the original OKM archive.

What keeps this book fresh, timely and oh so 21st century are the updated versions of the original patterns that are included. Complete with full instructions and graphs where applicable.And wowsa, these are knitting patterns that are definitely worthy of a retro-encore!

                                                

Here are just a few examples of the unique patterns in this book:

Ski Chic Fatale

                              

California Dreaming

                                     

                                                                            

Father Knows Best

                                                                                       

Hippie Stashbag

The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book is visually stunning with sepia-toned text pages and full-color photos throughout. The attention to detail and precision work that went into this 158 page book is evident throughout. Another plus: there are patterns for knitters of all skill levels from the beginner to expert, included in this book.

If you love retro-knit fashions this is a book you won't want to miss. Would also make a memorable gift for any yarn/American craft history buff on your gift list too.

This book is a great example of that timeless saying: "everything old IS new again"



You can read more about this unique knitting book and also find ordering options at: Thomas Allen and Son. Priced at: $22.50 CDN and $17.95 US.

 

Credit: "Excerpted from The Ohio Knitting Mills by Steven Tatar with
Denise Grollmus (Artisan Books). Copyright 2010. Photographs by Anna
Wolf

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

And the Winner of the Ice Cream Lover's Contest Is....

.... Crystal from Dream Baby Dolls!

Congratulations Crystal. I hope you enjoy all of your prizes!

You have 2 weeks to claim your prize package.

If not claimed within two weeks time, another winner will be chosen.

Send your mailing address to:

MRLR at myway dot com

and I will get your prizes sent out.

***

Stay tuned for another great contest/giveaway, this one open to Canadian and US residents, coming up in September.

And lots of new product reviews coming up, starting again this week at MRLR.

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest.

It was such fun reading all your fav ice cream flavours.

Happy August!