Various ramblings by the small hobbit

7 books read this month, so 38 for the year and I'm on target!

A Frightfully Fatal Affair by Hannah Hendy
I normally listen to these on audiobook, but for a change I borrowed it from the library.  The next in the Dinner Lady Detectives series.  Entertaining, slightly implausible, but the two dinner ladies are appealing characters, so I enjoyed reading it.

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
A look at how Mr Rochester might have found his 'mad' wife in Jane Eyre.  Worth reading, but I didn't feel for Antoinette (Bertha) as I had expected to.

The Dead Witness edited by Michael Sims
A collection of short detection stories for the nineteenth century.  Very few of the stories appealed, and I was left grateful for Sherlock Holmes!

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells
The next Murderbot story, which was fun and continued to prove that Murderbot was far better equipped to deal with most things than anyone else.

The Rose Apple Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu
The next in the Su Lin series (which was the Crown Colony series, although the name is no longer accurate), this one is set not in Singapore but in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.  As always, it's an interesting look at the region in 1947 and I enjoyed the mystery.  I had guessed part of it, but I imagine the reader was supposed to have their suspicions.  

Cyanide in the Sun edited by Martin Edwards
Another of the British Library Crime Classics short story collections.  Not as good as previous books, it may be that the pool of such stories is being drained.

CWA Anthology of Short Stories: Mystery Tour edited by Martin Edwards
Another short story collection, but this time modern short stories.  I enjoyed the majority - in any collection there are going to be some which I don't like, for various reasons, but it was a good batch.


Also, I had a go at the Goodreads Seasonal Challenge for May and June and achieved 5 of the 7 categories:



And here is my book bingo card - I may even finish it next month!

I've been spending quite a lot of time on crafting this month.

I( June crafts )

Frame Cross Stitch

I finally got around to buying some picture frames.  And since it wasn't just my cross stitch projects that needed framing, but my two latest production posters from New Adventures dance performances, I did those two:

   

And here are Klimt's Sunflowers and Klimt's The Kiss

   

Here are this month's views.  As can be seen the hot weather is taking a toll on the grass.

( June views )

Listen to Delius

There are still Delius' pieces I want to listen to, but for the purpose of this challenge I have listened to several works.  

North Country Sketches
La Calinda
On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring
Twilight Fancies (song)
Marche Caprice
Sleigh Ride
The Song of the High Hills
The Florida Suite (my favourite so far)
Appalachia
Hiawatha
Brig Fair
Cello Concerto
Spring Morning
Dance Rhapsody No 1 & No 2
Sonata for Strings (both original and Eric Fenby arrangement)
Violin Concerto
Evening Songs

Book Leger holiday for 2026

Daughter and I had been trying to decide on which Battlefields Tour we would do next year.  There was one destination we were looking at, but neither tour quite fitted the bill properly, so I suggested instead of making that one work, she might like to look at something different.  Normally she's been really clear on what she's selected, so the fact that we weren't certain had made me wonder.

Anyway, yesterday she messaged me, and we had a chat, with the result that this morning I booked our tour for next April.  For anyone who knows their classic WWII films, this fits perfectly, as we're off to Germany, scene of The Dambusters, Colditz and the Great Escape.  It should be very interesting, not because we're relishing triumphant films, but in looking at the history and what made people behave as they did, something which doesn't change.  Among other places, we shall be visiting Dresden, Berlin and Hannover, which will be really interesting.

As I said in a recent post I'm planning on keeping a photo journal, so here are Week 1's photos:

( 30 Days Wild - Week One )

Two things, one of which is for this month, the second will hopefully be done this summer, maybe even this month.

16 - 30 Days Wild
Organised by The Wildlife Trust, the aim is to spend at least a few minutes each day noticing wildlife and hopefully doing something to improve conditions for wildlife locally.  This includes keeping a nature journal or photo log, so that's what I'm planning to do.

17 - Book Leger holiday for 2026
Daughter and I have been talking about where we're going next year, but so far haven't booked anything.  It will be good to get that sorted.

Despite being away for a week, crafting continued:

Just to be consistent, my TBL remains at 14, so I have titles which will carry me into next year.

Maigret in Vichy by Georges Simenon read by Gareth Armstrong
Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon read by Gareth Armstrong
Maigret's Madwoman by Georges Simenon read by Gareth Armstrong
Which means I've now listened to all the Maigret audiobooks currently in my library - however I have three in physical copy, so I shall not be missing my Maigret fix!  As always I enjoyed all three for the stories, for the way Maigret tackled the crime and for the sense of place.  The latter two are set in Paris, the first, clearly takes place in Vichy where Maigret and his wife are having a holiday to enable Maigret to take the waters as he hasn't been feeling well.

The Windsor Knot by S J Bennett read by Samantha Bond
This was on offer, so I thought I'd try it as I've heard it recommended.  I enjoyed the plot and how the Queen solved it, but could have done without hearing about how wonderful the queen was.  I have the second in the series and, if I enjoy that, may well continue, as it's pleasant listening.

The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré read by Michael Jayston
This was long, and although I've enjoyed the previous George Smiley books, I was ultimately disappointed.