Vicki Lane Mysteries
Words and pictures from the author of And the Crows Took Their Eyes as well as the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries . . .
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
In Praise of Popovers
Monday, October 2, 2023
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Rabbit, Rabbit
"You're doing the seasons with the rabbits!" squealed Josie when she saw what I was working on.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Doggy Daycare
It makes for a crowd in the kitchen. But there was a time when we had two (large) Old English mastiffs plus assorted other sizable canines. My sister-in-law was visiting and as she negotiated her way through the dog jam in the kitchen in search of morning coffee, she said, "Vicki, you don't have too many dogs; you have too much dogs."
These two think it's still true.
Friday, September 29, 2023
A Must Read
Neil Gaiman or Patrick Tull (narrator of the Aubrey/Maturin series) read me to sleep most nights; Heather Cox Richardson kickstarts my mornings with her Letters from an American.
Her calm rational prose generally makes sense of today's chaotic-verging-on-surreal political situation. With her intimate knowledge of our nation's history, Heather (as we readers of her daily newsletter call her) brings her deep understanding of our nation's past and the ongoing struggle to live up to the ideals of democracy to bear on the events of today--when that same democracy is under threat from authoritarianism.
Her latest book is here--I pre-ordered--and I look forward the understanding it will bring. And I urge all of you to read it.
Heather is a national treasure--and you can find her on FB and at heathercoxrichardson@substack.com.
Now, I have a book to read . . . I'm pretty sure it won't disappoint.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
The Day the Weaponized Castle Ladies Staged a Coup and Knocked Down the King
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Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Josie the Cow Wrangler
Monday, September 25, 2023
Killers of the Flower Moon
Now a major motion picture, this book examines the 1920's reign of terror and violence perpetrated by leading (White) citizens against the oil-rich members of the Osage Nation. Yet another shameful example of the exploitation of a minority in the Land of the Free--probably Moms for Liberty will want to ban book and movie, lest any White children feel bad about their ancestors.
I had known that some Native American groups, who'd been forced from their homelands because White settlers wanted the land, had been removed to barren, unpromising territory which later proved to be oil-rich. It seemed like a fine, ironic turn of events.
What I didn't know is that The Government, in its so-called wisdom, had deemed the Native Americans incapable of administering the fortunes that accrued to them through their headrights. And so (White) guardians were appointed for these individuals.
Many of the guardians took advantage of their positions to skim off vast amounts of money. Some went even further.
Some of these guardians had multiple possessors of headrights in their care. But that wasn't enough. And so began the mysterious spate of deaths among the wealthy Osage.
Due to the unwillingness/inability of local law enforcement to act, eventually the fledgling FBI became involved. And that's another interesting story.
Killers of the Flower Moon is a fascinating tale of venality and corruption, the extent of which will probably never be fully known. A necessary read.
(An aside: isn't that a great title! As it turns out though, it has only the most tenuous link to the events. Ah, well.)
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Autumnal Equinox
The sun is in the middle of our horizon, beginning its long slide south.
Poised between summer heat and winter cold, we enjoy the glory and the poignant, fleeting beauties of autumn.
Just now, our windows are still open, but I'm wearing a hoodie and sleeping under blankets at night.
It's all about balance.