Soon, my flowering quince will look like this! The buds are there, hints of lovely color peeking out. The beauty of spring is refreshing. Gazing at blooms is such a peaceful activity. Maybe that’s why they say to stop and smell the roses. And, I’ll add, gaze in wonder as you inhale.
unexpected joy
sings sweetly amidst carnage
that fails to dampen
sings sweetly by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Yakima River Canyon
I’m a tea lover, and I’ve enjoyed my fair share of chai tea. But once I read this picture book, I knew I had to follow the recipe for myself and make homemade chai.
Masala Chai, Fast and Slow
Written by Rajani LaRocca
Illustrated by Neha Rawat
Candlewick Press, 2023
I may have mentioned once or twice that I really enjoy reading picture books about food. Being able to learn about traditions and families and such deliciousness is a treat for my heart. Masala Chai, Fast and Slow plus deep sips from a pretty teacup. Ahhh.
I watched a webinar where Rajani was sharing about her picture book and masala chai. Thanks, 12×12! After I requested my library purchase a copy, I was the first one to check it out (I love that). I kept it out for the maximum of time. Later, I checked it out again. But this time (also nearing the maximum time=number of renewals I can do) I made sure to collect all the ingredients to steep my own masala chai.
The recipe makes quite a bit of chai, so I needed to make it on a weekend when I could share. Which is the point of masala chai. Sharing and connecting with family and friends.
I gathered the ingredients suggested by Rajani in the back matter recipe (I love it when recipes are included in a picture book, and back matter is the bomb): milk, black tea bags, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, whole cloves, fresh ginger, and sugar (or honey).
I decided to actually follow the recipe the first time around. Shocker, I know, since I usually wing it when trying new recipes. The resulting chai tea was delicious! Warm, spicy, fragrant. Ahhh. This recipe is a keeper. Good thing too, because I have a big bag of whole cardamom pods.
Masala Chai, Fast and Slow is delighfully tasty. I can’t wait to brew another batch.
from dark and frigid
unseen grasps for blue and gold
hope springs eternal
hope by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Yakima Valley
no matter the size
whether carved, gathered, gifted
heart rocks rule the day
heart rocks by Angie Quantrell
A Gift for Nai Nai
Written and illustrated by Kim-Hoa Ung
Feiwel and Friends, 2023
This adorable (and on a scale of adorable, it’s a 12) picture book is a delight to read. With much thanks to Jena Benton and Kim-Hoa Ung, I was gifted a copy of A Gift for Nai Nai. Thank you!
The beautiful illustrations pulled me in, and the special relationship between the little girl and her Nai Nai – which, thanks to the short glossary, I now know means paternal grandmother – added heart and love.
This picture book reminded me of my own mother who loved to crochet. She spent hours, days, and weeks creating gifts and clothing not just for her own family, but so many others in her circle of family and friends. I read this book with a large dose of nostalgia.
I enjoyed not only the crochet connection, but also seeing through the illustrations that Nai Nai uses a wheelchair to get around. My mother-in-law was limited to a wheelchair after breaking her hip. Despite losing some of her mobility, Nai Nai continues to create a beautifully crocheted hat she gives to Lyn Lyn each year. Framed photos on the wall showcase a few of the fun hats.
Nai Nai has a birthday coming up, so Lyn Lyn decides she wants to learn to crochet. The struggle is very real (my own mother tried to teach me to crochet). With an AWW-some ending, A Gift for Nai Nai is a satisfying and warm-hearted read.
I had to share the “undie” from A Gift for Nai Nai. An undie is the cover beneath the paper book jacket. Sometimes illustrators create new scenes on the undies, just like Kim-Hoa Ung did for this picture book. Love it!
Plus! Kim-Hoa Ung included directions for making a simple crocheted hat similar to the one Lyn Lyn made for Nai Nai. This picture book is colorful, engaging, and filled with all the coziness of a warm fire on a snowy day.
This pink Easter egg ducky is a gift my mother crocheted for me many years ago. The egg is resting on blanket squares I crocheted (cough cough) several years ago. They wait for me to connect them. This is about the limit of my crocheting abilities.
Yakima Valley
Love, Laughter, and Life 