April 2025

“april is a reminder that life is a beautiful, ever-renewing cycle.” — e.e. cummings

APRIL 2025 — Spring has sprung and everything is golden. Here’s a review of what I read, watched, listened to and enjoyed in April.

READ:

• Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole by Cecilia Blomdahl - “Located in the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole, Svalbard is a unique archipelago that boasts stunning wintry landscapes, endangered Arctic animals, and awe-inspiring natural phenomena. Since 2015, Cecilia has called this beautiful and remote location home. Along with her partner, Christoffer, and her dog, Grim, she has adjusted to life at the top of the world—where polar bears roam free and northern lights shine bright. With evocative text and spectacular photography, Cecilia shares the joys and challenges of adapting to an inhospitable climate. Her story begins in the darkness of polar night, and the allure of her remote location is revealed gradually as sunlight returns months later. Through personal stories and firsthand advice, Cecilia offers insight for anyone seeking to thrive in unusual living conditions” (Goodreads). I discovered Cecilia’s Youtube channel when creators of another favorite travel channel, Kara and Nate, visited Svalbard. I am fascinated by all things Scandinavian, so I instantly loved Cecilia — her easy, welcoming personality; the breathtaking landscape of this remote, polar island; Kristoffer’s sweet, oddly French phrasing paired with his Norwegian accent; and of course, their adorable Finnish Lapphud, Grimm. The photography in this book is captivating and, since I’ve been watching for almost a year now, I can visualized the stories behind the pictures.

• The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin — “In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job to provide for herself and her beloved daughter, Olivia. But with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her. When the threat of war becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, as well as the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing, and her work forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident. As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times” (Goodreads).

WATCHED:

• Étoile (Prime) — “In an ambitious gambit to save their storied institutions, two world-renowned ballet companies in New York City and Paris swap their most talented stars. From the Executive Producers of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel comes a bold new series celebrating the beauty, humor, and unpredictability of a life devoted to the arts, both on stage and off.” There is so much to love about this new series — Paris and New York, the ballet, the fashion, and, above all, the quick, smart dialogue riddled with literary, cinematic, and pop cultural references that is the signature of Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino’s work. I love and often rewatch Gilmore Girls. Who wouldn’t love coming of age in Stars Hollow? Mrs. Maisel continued the quick-witted dialogue, but added mid-century fashion and iconic settings like NYC’s upper west side vs. Greenwich Village, Paris in the 1920s, and an early 1960s summer resort in the Catskills rivaled only by Dirty Dancing. Étoile highlights ballet as an art form and a business. The multifaceted characters, portrayed by several GG/MMM alumni as well as notable French actors such as Charlotte Gainsbourg (daughter of the French singer Serge Gainsbourg and the English actress Jane Birkin) and Lou de Laâge, challenge you with their humanity in the face of fame and fortune. We binged the eight-episode series over the weekend and are eager for season two.

• Chef’s Table (Netflix) — “In this Emmy-nominated series, meet culinary stars around the world who are redefining gourmet food with innovative dishes and tantalizing desserts.” Maybe it’s because I just finished writing culinary curriculum, but this series is very intriguing…or maybe it’s just because food and travel.

• A Complete Unknown (Hulu) — “In 1961, an unknown 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York City with his guitar and forges relationships with musical icons on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking performance that reverberates around the world” (IMDb). I have always had conflicted feelings for Bob Dylan. He is a brilliant songwriter/poet with a voice that has always irritated me. Dylan covers by The Byrds, Simon and Garfunkel, U2, et al. have been in heavy rotation in the soundtrack of my life, but I have never purposely listened to Dylan himself. After this film, I have a new respect for Bob Dylan and for Timothée Chalamet.

LISTENED TO:

• The soundtrack for a trip to Colorado has to be John Denver’s Greatest Hits. It played on repeat when I was little and still makes me smile — especially when I remember multiple guitars and the harmonious voices of family around August campfires in North Bay.

• April Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • Easter Theme (Vince Guaraldi)

  • Tulip Time (The Andrews Sisters)

  • They Say It’s Spring (Blossom Dearie)

  • Just the Way You Are (Bruno Mars)

  • Lemon & Sunshine (Bokaboka @Music)

  • Happy Little Things (Holly Kluge)

  • Yellow (Cold Play)

  • April in Paris (Ella Fitzgerald)

  • April (Tchaikovsky)

ENJOYED:

• The opportunity to learn a lot with inspiring educators and writers — Along with nineteen other “prospective associates” from around the country, I spent four days in Denver training with Marzano Resources. The experience was enlightening and exhausting and could lead to future opportunities.

• The first signs of spring in our yard — While I was in Denver, Eric, Rob, and a couple of friends took down eight crooked and/or dying trees in the back yard. After the debris was removed, things look much neater. We are hopeful that we will have greener healthier trees and grass this summer. I cleaned up the perennial beds and planted white flowers in rustic pots. We set up our deck for reading great books, listening to summer playlists, sipping coffee and wine, watching Piper chase chipmunks…all the fun that warmer weather brings. I love every season, but the first few weeks of each new one are always my favorite.

March 2025

“Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises” — Pedro Calderón de la Barca

MARCH 2025 features the vivid greens of early spring. A spring break trip to Paris gave me a sneak peek and the steady rain in the final days of the month has convinced me that I can actually watch our yard turning green again.

Here’s a review of what I read, watched, listened to and enjoyed in March.

READ:

• Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy by Elizabeth Beller — "Amidst today’s cultural reckoning about the way our media treats women, Elizabeth Beller explores the real person behind the tabloid headlines and media frenzy. When she began dating America’s prince, Carolyn was increasingly thrust into an overwhelming spotlight filled with relentless paparazzi who reacted to her reserve with a campaign of harassment and vilification” (Goodreads).

• UDL Now!: A Teacher's Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning by Katie Novak — “In this revised and expanded edition of UDL Now! Katie Novak provides practical insights and savvy strategies for helping all learners meet high standards using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework for inclusive education that aims to lower barriers to learning and optimize each individual's opportunity to learn. Novak shows how to use the UDL Guidelines to plan lessons, choose materials, assess learning, and improve instructional practice. Novak discusses key concepts such as scaffolding, vocabulary-building, and using student feedback to inform instruction. She also provides tips on recruiting students as partners in the teaching process, engaging their interest in how they learn. UDL Now! is a fun and effective Monday-morning playbook for great teaching” (Goodreads).

• Stingray Afternoons by Steve Rushin — “It's a story of the 1970s. Of a road trip in a wood-paneled station wagon, with the kids in the way-back, singing along to the Steve Miller Band. Brothers waking up early on Saturday mornings for five consecutive hours of cartoons and advertising jingles that they'll be humming all day…It's Steve Rushin's story: of growing up within a '70s landscape populated with Bic pens, Mr. Clean and Scrubbing Bubbles, lightsabers and those oh-so-coveted Schwinn Sting-Ray bikes. Sting-Ray Afternoons paints an utterly fond, psychedelically vibrant, laugh-out-loud-funny portrait of an exuberant decade. With sidesplitting commentary, Rushin creates a vivid picture of a decade of wild youth, cultural rebirth, and the meaning of parental, brotherly, sisterly, whole lotta love” (Goodreads).

• Olivetti by Allie Millington — “Being a typewriter is not as easy as it looks. Surrounded by books (notorious attention hogs) and recently replaced by a computer, Olivetti has been forgotten by the Brindle family—the family he’s lived with for years. The Brindles are busy humans, apart from 12-year-old Ernest, who would rather be left alone with his collection of Oxford English Dictionaries. The least they could do was remember Olivetti once in a while, since he remembers every word they’ve typed on him. It’s a thankless job, keeping memories alive…As Olivetti spills out the past, Ernest is forced to face what he and his family have been running from, The Everything That Happened. Only by working together will they find Beatrice, belonging, and the parts of themselves they’ve lost” (Goodreads).

WATCHED:

• Paris movies including Midnight in Paris, Amélie, and Charade, while sipping Champagne and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle.

• Top Chef Season 22 in Canada featuring Door County’s own Kat Turner.

LISTENED TO:

• My carefully curated French playlist

• My March Instapuzzle mini-playlist:

  • They Say It’s Spring (Blossom Dearie)

  • Lucky (Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat)

  • What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

  • The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Dominic Lewis)

  • Spring from the Four Seasons (Antoni Vivaldi)

  • Suddenly It’s Spring (Stan Getz)

  • Lovely Day (Bill Withers)

  • Les rues de Paris (Nicholas Godin)

  • I Love Paris (Frank Sinatra)

ENJOYED:

• Paris in the Springtime — The write songs about it for a reason.

• Four days at home after returning from Paris — Time to rest and reset, to edit and curate photos, and to catch up with family. It was especially nice to see both Alec and Chase 🖤

February 2025

“Je vois la vie en rose.” — Édith Piaf

FEBRUARY 2025 highlights la vie en rose — the rosy hues, the snowy days, the little tokens of affection, and the beagle with the dreamy eyes and the heart-shaped nose — all the sweet features that make February truly lovely.

Here’s a review of what I read, watched, listened to and enjoyed this month

READ:

• The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods: “The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of. On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems” (Goodreads).

• The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club by Julia Bryan Thomas: “Massachusetts, 1954. With bags packed alongside her heavy heart, Alice Campbell escaped halfway across the country and found herself in front of a derelict building tucked among the cobblestone streets of Cambridge. She turns it into the enchanting bookshop of her dreams, knowing firsthand the power of books to comfort the brokenhearted. The Cambridge Bookshop soon becomes a haven for Tess, Caroline, Evie, and Merritt, who are all navigating the struggles of being newly independent college women in a world that seems to want to keep them in the kitchen. But when a member of the group finds herself shattered, everything they know about themselves will be called into question” (Goodreads).

• Handbook for the New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J. Marzano: “Rely on this comprehensive guide to help you implement the teaching methods of Dr. Robert J. Marzano's The New Art and Science of Teaching framework, which includes over 330 specific instructional strategies, 43 instructional elements, and 10 design questions. Each chapter outlines actionable steps, tips, and examples of implementation that will set you (and your students) up to succeed with this powerful framework in your classroom” (Goodreads).

WATCHED:

• The Americas (NBC) — Tom Hanks narrates this visually stunning series that “explores the wonders, mysteries, and fragilities of the Americas, the largest landmass on Earth, as well as extraordinary, untold wildlife tales that will resonate with millions of people all over the world” (IMDb).

• Some of my favorite romantic movies in honor of Valentine’s Day):

  • Roman Holiday — Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Rome in the 1950s — the fashion, the culture, la dolce vita — it’s a “ringer”.

  • Funny Face — Because one Audrey film isn’t enough, this time it’s Paris in the 1950 — the fashion, the culture, la joie de vivre.

  • Pretty in Pink — Andie, Duckie, Blaine, and Seth — I feel like I’ve know them since high school. The soundtrack is one of the best.

  • A Good Year — This film is a treat for all the senses. It makes me want to retire in Provence.

LISTENED TO:

• My every-evolving French music playlist: It’s perfect background music for La Chandeleur and La Saint-Valentin and it gets me in the mood for Paris in March.

• February Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:

  • February (Art Music)

  • Pretty in Pink (Psychedelic Furs)

  • La Vie en Rose (Édith Piaf)

  • J’ai Deux Amours (Madeleine Peyroux)

  • These Are Days (10, 000 Maniacs)

  • Zou Bisou Bisou (Gillian Hills)

  • La Vie en Rose (Zaz)

  • Love and Luck (Jimmy Buffett)

  • How Sweet It Is (James Taylor)

ENJOYED:

• The subtle Valentine’s Day decorations in our home including heart-shaped vessels in wood, glass, and silver and pale pink tulips in bud vases tied with grosgrain ribbons with little hearts.

• A long-awaited, measurable snow fall on the evening of Valentine’s Day and into Saturday — we even made a fire on the deck and watched the snow accumulate. It was so beautiful and peaceful.

• Continuing to plan for Paris in March — We leave in three weeks.

January 2025

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." - Oprah Winfrey

JANUARY 2025: This month’s images highlight the lovely blue hues that I always associate with January — a cold clear sky reflected off a blanket of crisp white snow or an ice-covered lake; sparking Champagne bubbles and frozen soap bubbles; tiny birds and tiny tracks in a dusting of snow; dry, faded hydrangeas in my garden and fresh, baby blue hydrangeas that remind me of warmer days in Cape Cod; the fragrant, blooming hyacinth bulb on the kitchen table; new notebooks and favorite places that never get old; and of course, a 10-year-old beagle who looks and acts more like a puppy everyday.

Here’s a review of what I read, watched, listened to and enjoyed in January:

• BOOKS:

  • Peanuts Jubilee: My Life and Art With Charlie Brown and Others by Charles M. Schulz — “The noted cartoonist's comments on the development of and influences on his career and his world-famous cartoon strip accompany reproductions of one hundred and thirty-four feature pages of Peanuts” (Goodreads). I have always loved Peanuts, especially Snoopy, and was excited to buy this book for $2 at the Door County Library book sale last fall.

  • I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger — “Set in a not-too-distant America, I Cheerfully Refuse is the tale of Rainy, an aspiring musician setting sail on Lake Superior in search of his departed, deeply beloved, bookselling wife. An endearing bear of an Orphean narrator, he seeks refuge in the harbors, fogs, and remote islands of the inland sea. After encountering lunatic storms and rising corpses from the warming depths, he eventually lands to find an increasingly desperate and illiterate people, a malignant billionaire ruling class, a crumbled infrastructure, and a lawless society. As his guileless nature begins to make an inadvertent rebel of him, Rainy’s private quest for the love of his life grows into something wider and wilder, sweeping up friends and foes alike in his wake” (Goodreads). This book was a gift from a friend who knew that I would either love or hate it. It was certainly different from anything I’ve read before.

  • Autumn in Venice: Ernest Hemingway and His Last Muse by Andrea di Robilant — “n the autumn of 1948, Ernest Hemingway and his wife travelled to Venice for the first time. At a duck shoot in the lagoon he met and fell in love with Adriana Ivancich, a striking Venetian girl just out of finishing school. Adriana was the model for Renata in Hemingway's Across the River and into the Trees, and he continued to visit Venice to see her. When the Hemingway travelled to Cuba, Adriana was there with him as he wrote The Old Man and the Sea” (Goodreads). This was another Door County Library book sale find.

  • Delicious! by Ruth Reichl — “In her bestselling memoirs Ruth Reichl has long illuminated the theme of how food defines us, and never more so than in her dazzling fiction debut about sisters, family ties, and a young woman who must finally let go of guilt and grief to embrace her own true gifts. Delicious! carries the reader to the colorful world of downtown New York restaurateurs and artisanal purveyors, and from the lively food shop in Little Italy where Billie works on weekends to a hidden room in the magazine's library where she discovers the letters of Lulu Swan, a plucky twelve-year-old, who wrote to the legendary chef James Beard during World War II. Lulu's letters lead Billie to a deeper understanding of history (and the history of food), but most important, Lulu's courage in the face of loss inspires Billie to come to terms with her own issues-the panic attacks that occur every time she even thinks about cooking, the truth about the big sister she adored, and her ability to open her heart to love” (Goodreads).

  • Come Fly The World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke — “Required to have a college degree, speak two languages, and possess the political savvy of a Foreign Service officer, a jet-age stewardess serving on iconic Pan Am between 1966 and 1975 also had to be between 5′3" and 5′9", between 105 and 140 pounds, and under 26 years of age at the time of hire. Julia Cooke’s intimate storytelling weaves together the real-life stories of a memorable cast of characters, from Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few black stewardesses of the era, as they embraced the liberation of their new jet-set life. Cooke brings to life the story of Pan Am stewardesses’ role in the Vietnam War, as the airline added runs from Saigon to Hong Kong for planeloads of weary young soldiers straight from the battlefields, who were off for five days of R&R, and then flown back to war. Finally, with Operation Babylift—the dramatic evacuation of 2,000 children during the fall of Saigon—the book’s special cast of stewardesses unites to play an extraordinary role on the world stage” (Goodreads).

• LINKS:

  • How to Spend 3 Days in Wisconsin's Door County — Cherry Orchards, Quaint Villages, and Pristine Shores Included and This Coastal Destination Is Called the 'Cape Cod of the Midwest' — With Charming Small Towns and Beautiful Views (Travel + Leisure)

• VIDEOS:

  • How to Renovate a Château (Youtube) — Philip and Anna left Paris with their two young daughters to follow a dream of a new life in the French countryside. “We fell in love with a charming château on the beautiful Normandy coast and since then we've thrown all our life savings into restoring this 18th century hem and creating La Fleur, a perfect family home and welcoming place for our friends. We are devoted to make the chateau as stunning and personal as possible, strive to learn new skills, and - as a designer and a film maker, love to share this adventure with you.” France, home renovations and decorating, shopping, and even sailing — what’s not to love?

• MOVIES:

  • Barbie (Netflix) — “Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence” (IMDb) — so serious, so fun. A guilty pleasure for sure, but with a great message for women.

  • The Sounds of Music (for the ?th time!) — It was a nice way to connect with memories of my mom and to revisit Salzburg. Eric and I were there last March and we’d love to go back to our favorite city in Austria.

• MUSIC:

  • My ABBA and Jimmy Buffet playlists are always the perfect palate cleanser after a month of Christmas music.

  • January 2025 Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist: Happy New Year (ABBA), Hazy Shade of Winter (The Bangles), My Girl (The Temptations), The Typewriter (Leroy Anderson), Frosty Morning (1.51.5), Coffee in Winter (Kimano), Milwaukee (John Hall), La La La - Daydreaming (Norman in the Morning, Little Things (Adrián Berenguer)

• FAVORITE MOMENTS AND MEMORIES:

  • New Year’s Eve at home: Rather than drive to Milwaukee and dine out on one of the busiest nights of the year, we decided to stay home. We watched the Marquette game, made lobster rolls and had a Champagne toast at 5:00 — not because “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” but because it’s “midnight in Paris” and we definitely didn’t think we’d make it until midnight in Delafield.

  • Some special birthdays :

    • Alec turned 21 on January 7th. He celebrated at the Marquette game. That’s my godson!

    • Piper turned 10 on January 9th. How is my baby 10 already?! Time is a thief.

    • My mom’s birthday was January 19th. We celebrated her memory with an apple pie (I think she’d be proud of how I’ve mastered her legendary pie crust) and a viewing of The Sound of Music (her favorite movie and mine).

  • The unusual January weather: We began the month — and the year — with softly falling snow. As I write this on the penultimate day in January, it is 50 °. Last week, we had sub-zero temps and dangerous wind chills that necessitated a “Cold Day” on Tuesday the 21st. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a day-off. Even though it was just the first day of second semester, students and staff in Pewaukee had a virtual day. February begins on Saturday and I’m still hoping for some lovely snow. Fingers-crossed…

  • Our clean, uncluttered home: After the Christmas tree and decorations are down, I enjoy our clean, Scandi minimalism. Yet as much as l revel in the winter sunlight reflecting off the brilliant white snow and love how it brightens the January blues, the light also illuminates a year’s worth of dinginess and dings that require some attention. It’s time to clean out cabinets and closets and rid ourselves of things we no longer want or need. I always feel better in a clean, uncluttered space.