February 2021

  • Jacob Lawrence’s American Struggle

    In March, the Seattle Art Museum will host a timely exhibition, Jacob Lawrence:  The American Struggle. Best known for his work The Migration Series, Lawrence set his sight on the American Revolution creating a series of 30 painted panels between 1954 and 1956, focusing on historical events occurring from 1775 to 1817. It is interesting… Continue reading

  • Spring Cooking

    As we prepare to face a second spring largely indoors, it’s a good time to be inspired by some new culinary skills and dishes. Here are a baker’s dozen of cookbooks coming out this spring to enjoy, whether cooking solo or for family and friends. Nigella Lawson returns with Cook, Eat, Repeat, her first cookbook… Continue reading

  • Black History Month reading inspiration: short stories

    While February is a short month — too short — I decided to celebrate this Black History Month by reading a short story a day by Black authors. I have been rotating through a variety of anthologies and collections, delighted by the discoveries within: Heads of the Colored People: Stories by Nafissa Thompson-SpiresMy favorite story… Continue reading

  • Pandemic Garden Reset!

    Did you pick up a new hobby last year? At the start of the pandemic, many of us dived into bread-baking, knitting, music-making, or any number of social-distance friendly hobbies. Mine was panic-gardening. I say panic-gardening because I started by haphazardly pulling out a small patch of lawn and throwing down whatever random seeds and… Continue reading

  • Mardi Gras on my mind

    Mardi Gras on my mind

    Do you know what it means, to miss New Orleans? As another Mardi Gras rolls around – it’s tomorrow, in case you’ve forgotten – this question is especially poignant for NOLA expats, as well as anyone who holds the Crescent City dear to their heart. Tonight, I’ll be making jambalaya and gumbo, and baking up… Continue reading

  • Read Something Amorous

    Read Something Amorous

    Maybe it’s Bridgerton, or the promise of Spring; Valentine’s Day, or the promise of vaccination day, but more and more readers these days are discovering the wondrous and diverse world of romance fiction. Ever one of the most popular genres around, last year saw rising numbers of romance readers, with more expected in the year… Continue reading

  • Quilting through lockdown

    Quilting through lockdown

    Entertaining oneself while at home on lockdown can be challenging during this most hard time. Now we can get actual books during curbside pick-up it’s great to see some beautiful art!  If you can have hobbies that keep your mind and body active, you are less likely to be depressed. During the summer, it is… Continue reading

  • WA Do I Read Next? (Part 3)

    In the final post of our trilogy of WA Do I Read Next suggestions, we share a few more recently published titles by local authors. (For more, see this Here is  list of many of the books we talked about at this year’s online conference. Conventionally Yours, by Annabeth Albert (Sourcebooks) This is a sweet, new-adult… Continue reading

  • Alzheimer’s and memory loss: You are not alone

    No one ever wants to hear a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, whether it’s for yourself, a family member or friend. The disease is progressive and has no cure. As Ann Hedreen writes in Her Beautiful Brain, a memoir about her mother’s illness, “I’m not up for this. Whatever this is.” It takes a community to support… Continue reading

  • The Show Must Go On Hoopla!

    By now, theater fans are finding creative and unexpected ways to connect with their favorite medium that have grown quickly in this time of necessity. In some places, socially distanced music festivals have brought performers back to the stage. Many streaming services are picking up content as quickly as they can, and streaming shows of… Continue reading

  • WA Do I Read Next? (Part 2)

    Here is the continuation of last week’s WA Do I Read Next post, in which we share a few more recently published titles by local authors shared at this year’s Washington Library Association meeting. (For more, see this Here is  list of many of the books we talked about at this year’s online conference. We… Continue reading