July was indeed a record-setting month for temps around here and apparently for most of you as well. You can always tell a dip in temperatures by the number of people scampering outside to catch up on yard work. No exception here, with mowing, weeding, and harvesting ripening veggies. Apparently a banner year for cucumbers; they’ve overgrown the melons. A decent year for tomatoes though, they do like it hot.
My experiment with the lotus seeds pretty much got taken over with the other invasive water plant I put in the tub and the other one won. My best crop may still end up being mosquitoes. Still with the number of cucumbers ripening, there is no shortage of the stuff for making juice, which is actually quite tasty. And with the number of cherry tomatoes, perhaps we can try drying them again—little nuggets of tomato candy.
Still doing our Y classes three times a week. Those giant blue exercise balls are the new drums, and we are beating those drums to some great 50s-60s music. Fun classes and a great way to get out and move!
We reviewed fifteen books in July—still trying to catch up with audiobooks I’ve listened to. The source of our books is our library, NetGalley, author and publisher requests. As always, the links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.
Don’t Open the Door by Allison Brennan (audiobook)
Silent Creek by Tony Wirt (CE review)
Random Run: The Boston Clairvoyants by Annabelle Lewis
Red Shadows at Saugatuck by Randy Overbeck (CE review)
Beartown by Fredrik Backman (audiobook for book club)
Audiobooks Mini-Reviews
Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride by Will Leitch
Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey
Hell is Empty and Return to Sender by Craig Johnson
The Promise of Unbroken Straw by Ken Steele (CE review)
Good Days Bad Days by Emily Bleeker
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (audiobook)
Only Way Out by Tod Goldberg (CE review)
The River’s Daughter by Bridget Crocker
Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg (audiobook)
Maybe it’s not fair, maybe she had help with writing, I don’t know. But it’s an emotional, heartfelt tribute to her mother. I enjoyed the whole thing.
Favorite for July – Bits and Pieces by Whoopi Goldberg
My Reading Challenges page…behind again. I need a day—one whole day just to work on the blog. Uninterrupted.
The Goodreads landing page shows 114 of a goal of 150 or 76%, but the book count widget is still way off. Any way to get that corrected?
I do appreciate your visits and I love your comments! Enjoy the last month of summer—soon the kiddies will be returning to school! (Yeah, already.)
©2025 V Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 
Looks like you’re doing great with challenges. Wish you an amazing August.
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thank you, Yesha. hope your August is good too.
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You had a good reading month, Virginia. It was very hot here as well. The zucchini definitely grew around here. I had some given to me that I ground up for baking, stews, and soup. I am so sad that it is already August 1st.
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yes, it was just thinking the same. August 1st already! next is our anniversary, my daughter’s birthday, and seems she sets the beginning of the end of the year followed quickly by Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Noooo! These years are flying by us, Carla.
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Is it because we are getting older, Virginia? Or is it the same for everyone?
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gotta be the former, tho I hate to admit it.
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