Or a beach…
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: personal, travel | 2 Comments »
house hunting
Posted on October 9, 2014 by pagesofjulia
house hunting
Posted on October 8, 2014 by pagesofjulia
house hunting
Posted on October 7, 2014 by pagesofjulia
house hunting
Posted on October 6, 2014 by pagesofjulia
While Husband and I are in the north, shopping for our new home, I’ll be a little out of pocket around here. I thought I’d try to entertain you with some pretty pictures while the book reviews are not flowing so quickly as usual.
How about this lovely place, hm?
This is all I have for you this week, folks – beautiful pictures – so if you want the books, please c’mon back next Monday.
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: personal, travel | Leave a comment »
I suppose it’s time for the big news now
Posted on October 2, 2014 by pagesofjulia
…Husband and I will be moving soon, from almost-the-Mexican-border to almost-the-Canadian-border. It will be a big move. I will be busy; and I will be busy reading, too. You may have noticed that I’m reviewing for ForeWord now as well as Shelf Awareness – although only one ForeWord review has posted so far, more are in the pipeline. Busy busy, I tell you. Have moving boxes? Please send my way.
I intend to keep my 5-day-a-week schedule here. I do. But just… bear with me if things get a little nuts.
Off we go.
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: housekeeping, personal | 5 Comments »
wordless Wednesday
Posted on October 1, 2014 by pagesofjulia
on a train
in the mountains
in the forest (with a beer)
on the porch
on the beach
with the dogs
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: personal | 2 Comments »
belated housekeeping
Posted on July 28, 2014 by pagesofjulia
Just a note to say, yes, I changed the appearance of my blog a little bit last Friday afternoon, and I didn’t warn you first. I’m sorry! All that’s changed is that there’s a new header image up there, and the background is now a (hopefully soothing) solid color. I hope you like it or at least find it un-distracting from the content that you’re really here for. Thanks for your support! Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: housekeeping | 2 Comments »
May 7 & 8 in book history
Posted on May 7, 2014 by pagesofjulia
This post is part of a series.
Today we are celebrating my birthday, and tomorrow, Husband’s. I thought I would turn to Tom Nissley’s A Reader’s Book of Days to see what exciting things have happened on these two auspicious dates.
For myself on May 7 I am mostly disappointed (in my ignorance, I suppose). Born on this date were Gene Wolfe (The Book of the New Sun) and Peter Carey (Oscar and Lucinda). I vaguely remember a movie adaptation of the second, I think. Died on this date were Sir James George Frazer (The Golden Bough) and Clement Greenberg (“Avant-Garde and Kitsch”). These are all mysterious to me. In events there are mentions of Camus, Faulkner (bleh), Herman Wouk, and Ginsberg.
Tomorrow, May 8, Husband’s day, does slightly better. Thomas Pynchon (Gravity’s Rainbow, etc.) shares his birthday, and we lost both Flaubert (the book offers Sentimental Education for him, but I would say Madame Bovary!) and just recently & sadly, Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen). There is also a Hunger Games reference & others, but most importantly – and again sadly – May 8 was the day on which Ed Ricketts was hit by a train and received injuries that would end his life. Ricketts was John Steinbeck’s co-author for Sea of Cortez, which waits on my shelf for me to find time for it; and he inspired the character of Doc in Cannery Row, a book that moved me deeply in Mrs. Smith’s high school English class.
Hm, sad things for these birthdays. Sorry about the downers, friends. Have some birthday cake!
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: authors, days in book history, history | 4 Comments »
rare Saturday post: special occasion
Posted on April 19, 2014 by pagesofjulia
Happy sixth anniversary to my love.
April 19, 2008
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: personal | 2 Comments »
West Texas bicycle adventures 2014
Posted on February 20, 2014 by pagesofjulia
As you know, gentle reader, I occasionally digress from books to write about bicycles, travel, or other causes for personal celebration. Today is one of those days. If you just want the books, c’mon back tomorrow.
Last week Husband and I left town with a group of friends, as we try to do every February, headed for the Big Bend area of southwest Texas. Unfortunately I have missed the last two years: in 2012 I had just had knee surgery and couldn’t ride, and in 2013 I chose to go to Australia to see friends instead. So I last wrote about Terlingua and Lajitas back in 2011. It was so very good to be back in the big desert: big land, big sky, amazing great mountain bike trails, some of our very closest friends, and not much to do except slow down and enjoy ourselves. I thought I’d share a quick synopsis here with you, accompanied by some great photos. These were all taken by either me or my friends who I trust won’t mind. Thanks, friends. (As always, click to enlarge.)
On day 1, we arrived in Terlingua, checked into the cabins our team rents each year, and started packing up. Four of us (Husband, Holt, Damian and myself) were off for an overnight bikepack – camping out and self-supported, in Big Bend Ranch State Park.
fully loaded
Day 1’s riding was pretty consistently up, up, up; we did a lot of hike-a-bike:
a rare moment in which I simultaneously push my bike and SMILE.
there was a lot of this.
Just a little wildlife:
Although not as much as one could wish. We saw bobcat prints, and I think I heard the guys say they heard coyotes yipping at night. (I am a good sleeper.) One year Husband and I saw a mule deer; not this year.
I had some issues with my rack, which afforded us the chance for this dusky repair job at a fortuitously placed picnic table up in the middle of the high nowhere:
lovely view, no?
Resulting in this repair (shot taken in the light of day 2):
But it all worked out fine. And what a sunset!!
beautiful picture by my handsome Husband. (recommended: click to enlarge.)
Settling in for the night…
We ate, had a few sips of whiskey, and fell asleep under the mixed blessing of a very bright full moon that obscured the outrageous stars visible out there where the light pollution is minimal.
The next morning we got a leisurely start on a much more leisurely ride, generally downhill and starring views like this one.
Although day 1 had been challenging, I think we were all very pleased with our self-sufficient journey and solitude. I especially had a difficult time with all the hike-a-bike, which aggravated both my feet and my bad knee (and all that pushing of the very heavy bike bothered my lower back) – but I was with a small group of good friends & good people. They helped me out and encouraged me, and never made me feel like I was a bother. Thanks, guys.
what a crew.
On day 3, we did a much lighter-weight ride, with more friends, from the cabin – no gear required.
Husband conquers the ruins
And at night, the whole pack of us enjoyed each other’s company.
I mean, really. Look at these views from the porch of the cabin complex.
It was another great trip, and our love of these parts is confirmed and strengthened once again.
Filed under: miscellaneous | Tagged: bikes, personal, Terlingua, travel | Leave a comment »
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