Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover


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Road Trip: Purple Robe Lavender Farm

I had the best time last week visiting college friends, eating good meals, catching up, making rubber stamped cards, and exploring a bit of the Pacific Northwest. July is a a great month, because it’s lavender time, friends. Lavender Time.

Three of us (waves at Alyson and Renee) traveled to Arlington, Washington, to visit the Purple Robe Lavender Farm. It was such a delight! The bees were humming and buzzing over the lavender-covered hillside, making me want to grab a book and a nice cup of tea and find a spot to plop down. Or a notebook and my purple pen, so I could dream and write. Or spread a blanket on the ground beneath the lavender plants so I could enjoy the activity.

Alas, we were too busy chatting, smelling, and clicking photos. The fragrance was fantastic! We nearly had the place to ourselves. We did swap photo taking tasks with two other women, and I saw a family or two wandering the grounds. But mostly. Us.

White lavender (which I read later was a pink and white lavender named Melissa) and purple lavender created a white-edged purple carpet. I crept carefully between the rows several times, or scooted close to heavy heads, only to be calmly buzzed by bees and bumblebees. They paused, acted like they wondered what great flowers I had to offer, and then toddled back off to their work after they realized I was of the boring flowerless sort.

People in the area: Go now! Take a picnic and camera. The grounds are open for wandering, there is a small shop (of course, with lavender-smelling things-including lavender plants), and I noticed several picnic tables spread about. The lavender is peaking right now. This is the time. You-cut is available if you want to take home a bouquet, and comes complete with a photo-ready basket. A small selection of drinks and snacks are on hand.

Ahhh, lavender. It’s always been one of my favorite flowers. Enjoy.

Angie, Renee (seated on rock), Alyson (seated on ground)

Plus. Take some friends. It’s the best.


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Purple Robe Lavender Farm, Arlington, WA


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Book Review: Girl Warriors, How 25 Young Activists Are Saving the Earth by Rachel Sarah

Girl Warriors, How 25 Young Activists are Saving the Earth

Written by Rachel Sarah

Chicago Review Press Incorporated, 2021

Girl warriors! How cool is that? This fascinating topic is presented in an easy-to-read format. Thank you to Rachel Sarah and KidLit411 for sending me a copy of this inspiring book. Click on the link to read KidLit411’s wonderful interview of Rachel.

I was happy to read about young women who are choosing to follow their passions, from caring for our world to animal care to sewing and creating beautiful clothing. What is amazing is how each girl warrior has embraced what she feels is important, and then has continued pursuing those interests and goals. Young readers will be inspired to follow their passions as they read about the 25 different girl warriors.

Why I enjoyed this book:

~ young girl warriors!

~ easy to read chapters, each one focused on one warrior

~ a variety of causes and passions fill the pages of this book

~ I learned something about each young woman, read her story, saw her photo, and was able to hear her passion and commitment to making changes

~ ideas for things to try!

~ inspirational

~ the book format is light, flexible, and the perfect size for holding


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Haiku Moment: feast

unplanned garden guest

wood and wet quench appetite

feast, tiny world king.

feast by Angie Quantrell

photos by Angie Quantrell, Yakima Valley


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Yakima Valley


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Haiku Moment: earth treasure

is it time? harvest?

soil erupts with sharp fragrance,

come, my garlic treat

earth treasure by Angie Quantrell

Photos by Angie Quantrell

Yakima Valley

This is our third successful (meaning: no earwig damage) allium crop! Maybe next year should be a season of rest for the garden beds when I grow just alliums and let the exploding earwig population die off a bit. The idea does bear tasty consideration…


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Yakima Valley


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Haiku Moment: leek princess

Photo by Angie Quantrell

seeking light, water

face to the sun, wearing your

tiny fairy hat

buds tight with promise

urgency to bloom and seed

hello leek princess

by Angie Quantrell

Yakima Valley

Tales from My Garden


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Yakima Valley


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Book Review: Whole Whale by Karen Yin and Nelleke Verhoeff

Whole Whale

Words by Karen Yin

Art by Nelleke Verhoeff

Barefoot Books, 2021

Thank you, Kidlit411 and Karen Yin for sending me a copy of Whole Whale! What a wonderfully huge and engaging picture book!

I follow several picture book and book blogs to keep up with what is going on in the book business. I love reading about new picture books and encouraging authors and illustrators. Several blogs share updates about agents, editors, and publishing houses, which is always interesting. And sometimes, to my joy, I comment on blog posts and my name is pulled from the hat and I win a copy! I have met many wonderful books (and authors and illustrators) this way. Plus, I’m keeping up with what’s happening in the kid book world. Win-win-win.

A recent post at Kidlit411 shared about Whole Whale and Karen Yin. Whole Whale is her debut picture book. What a splash! Be sure to hop over to Kidlit411 and read her interview.

Why I LOVE this book:

~ The book size is huge – just like a whole whale! 12 x 12 inches!

~ How do you fit a whole blue whale in a book? Can you? What a fun mystery for young readers.

~ Fun, rhyming language builds suspense

~ A catchy repeating chorus, “But can we fit a whole blue whale?”

~ A fun fold-out surprise at the end

~ The final page which lists all the animals in the book

~ Can you count 100? Fun, fun, fun!

~ A wide variety of animals, land, sea, and sky

~ Encouragement to make room for just one more

~ Fantastic colorful illustrations

Congratulations, Karen and Nelleke! What a fun book!

You can find Karen:

KarenYin.com (sign up for the Purposeful Prose Newsletter)

Twitter: @karenyin, https://twitter.com/karenyin

Instagram: @karensoffice, https://www.instagram.com/karensoffice/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/karenyin

Karen sent me this book via Once Upon a Time, a bookstore in Montrose, CA. Thank you!

Monet was trying to help me post this review. Can we fit the big fat cat?