
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Mem
This has been a crazy week. My work has been very busy, with only a few hours to rest in the evenings and do our Netflix bingeing. We just finished The Blacklist and started on The Practice, which is a late 90s/early 2000s legal drama. I also want to try Virgin River.
Yesterday there was not much time for rest. After a trip with Doug (my husband) to the wholesale store and one of our favorite antique stores (I also collect vintage glassware), I confronted the large pile of banana peppers and turned them into six pint jars of banana pepper rings, adding some jalapenos to create a medium heat, as banana peppers are quite mild. All of my jars sealed and the pile of peppers is gone for now, so I’m very happy. I might use the same method to pickle some spears of squash.

Today I was going to go to the store and then create a tomato tart, but Doug saw how wiped out I was and suggested just eating leftovers and canning the remaining tomatoes that I have in a small batch before they go bad. We have some tomatoes gifted by my Aunt Bonnie, from whom I get my name. Our tomatoes are just now beginning to ripen, but we’ll have a bunch in the next couple of weeks. I’m also excited about some habaneros that are ripening right now. I have nine watermelons (nine!) ripening on the vine. Doug went out and pinched all the remaining flowers off of the vine because nine is more than enough for the two of us. The idea I have so far for preserving the excess watermelon is to puree it and freeze it in ice cubes trays to use in watermelon slushies later. I’ve also seen recipes for watermelon fruit leather.

So I’m sitting on my couch watching the Escape to the Chateau series on Peacock in its entirety. If you haven’t seen it, it’s about a British couple who buy a 19th Century French chateau (Chateau De La Motte Husson) and completely restores it, going from rubble and holes in the roof to glorious over several years. It’s not only about home restoration and crafts projects, but they also show clips from the weddings they host there and the food they prepare. It’s wonderful and is literally an escape. It reminds me how much I loved France the two times I’ve gone there.
My weight loss is still going well. I’m at 18.5 pounds down with a weigh-in coming up on Tuesday. I haven’t been exercising much, so I’m trying to come up with a realistic plan with baby steps that I can stick to. I need something that won’t burn me out. I tend to take on too much in everything I do.
LAST WEEK ON BONNIE READS AND WRITES
On Monday I did a book review as part of a Bookouture blog tour for The Orphan’s Mother by Marion Kummerow.
On Wednesday I did a book review of The Pilot’s Girl, the second book in the Hanni Winter series by Catherine Hokin.
On Friday I participated in Book Blogger Hop and Friday 56.
NEXT WEEK ON BONNIE READS AND WRITES (schedule subject to change)
On Monday I will do an audiobook review of In the Middle of Hickory Lane.
On Tuesday I will participate in Top Ten Tuesday, if time permits.
On Thursday I will participate in a blog tour for Elodie’s Library of Second Chances
.On Friday I will participate in Book Blogger Hop and Friday 56 if time permits.
On Self-Published Saturday I will promote/review Self-Published/Indie books.
SOME OF MY BOOK HAUL THIS WEEK


Although this is another WWII-themed book, it has a different take–a library on the home front. I also used to live in Maine, so I love to read books set in Maine.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK, EVERYONE!
Wow, it sounds like you have quite an amazing garden. I like the idea of freezing the watermelon puree for smoothies or slushies. I hope this week is not as crazy for you, Bonnie, and you get more time to relax. Enjoy your upcoming week.
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Thanks Carla! My garden is a jungle! We’re going to try and make it neater next year.
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Mine used to be like that when I had one. One year we planted potatoes and they took over everything. We always got lots to eat though.
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I remember Jadeite from my grandparents’ cottage in Maine! I’ve always liked it.
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I love it. It can be quite pricey, but I’ve been collecting a long time and have managed to get quite a few pieces.
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I love that green glass. So pretty. Your garden sounds amazing! I’ve never had luck with home gardening, we just don’t have a good spot for it, unfortunately. We try to get to the farmer’s market every couple of weeks. I love fresh, homegrown tomatoes.
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Homegrown tomatoes are the best! I love farmer’s markets too.
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Your garden sounds amazing! I love the look of those watermelon (which seem to have skyrocketed in price this year) and I’d like to grown some next year. Enjoy these books and have a wonderful week ahead.
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Thanks Jodie. I thought to myself: It’s just one watermelon plant. I won’t get more than a few.” Ha! lol! I can’t wait to eat one though.
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There’s nothing like food fresh from the garden, so much better than store-bought. That is a different take on a WWII novel. Interesting.
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Yes I’m looking forward to reading The Blackout Book Club. I agree–homegrown food is the best, and with rising prices it’s even better.
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Those watermelons are amazing!! I think watermelon ice cubes is a great idea to use it. The Jadeite glassware is gorgeous!
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Thanks Wendy. I know we’re going to have more watermelon than we can eat before it goes bad, so I thought why not try and freeze it?
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Sounds like you have had a busy week. Your garden looks to be doing great! Hope you have a great week!
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I love the vintage glassware. Really pretty. I haven’t read the Colleen Cambridge series, but I’ll have to check it out. It sounds like something I would like. Have a great week!
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Nine watermelons! Wow. And I love tomatoes from the garden. sooo good.
That Chateau series sounds good too. I think I have Peacock- the free tier anyway- I had Premium for a while but think I downgraded. i’ll have to check 🙂
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That jar glass is so beautiful! And congratultions on your weight loss!
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Wow, the watermelons are HUGE and impressive!!! I can’t wait to read The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green.
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We loved Escape to the Chateau. I told my sister about it, and she loved it, too, and now she’s watching Escape to the Chateau DIY. I think I need to look for that, too.
Hmmm…need to remember the murder mysteries solved by the friend of Julia Child for next year’s Paris in July.
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Ooo Escape to the Chateau sounds like an awesome show! I am adding it to my list!
And wow your watermelons did fantastic!!
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I hope you like the show. I really enjoy it. I think the watermelons were helped by all the rain we’ve been having.
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Congratulations on your continued weight loss! Sorry this week’s been so busy. I hope you’ve gotten to relax more this week.
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[…] Posted on August 14, 2022 by BonnieReadsAndWrites Sunday Post: Crazy Days and a Lazy Day […]
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