Good Reads and A Few Snowmen

Book Recommendations and Snowmen Decor

I hope your 2019 is off to a great start! I'm sharing some things I think you will enjoy in this first post of the new year. I got sidelined by a bad cold/sinusitus right before the New Year so haven't felt like posting until now. If you missed my end of year blog recap and my new 2019 word for the year post from last week, you can catch up here. 

Since I've been laying around a lot this past week I have had plenty of time to read! I have enjoyed these two books so much. Rhys Bowen is an author that I have shared with you before. This 2017 title, "On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service," certainly did not disappoint. Bowen writes several series and this is part of her Royal Spyness series. This series is set in the 1930's and features Georgianna, a poor relation to the Queen of England. Although she is 35th in line to the throne, the Queen often calls on her to do a little spying and Georgianna always finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery. Luckily her beloved, Darcy, believed to work for British Intelligence, always comes to her rescue at just the right moment. I've read a few books in this series and found this one to be my favorite so far. Rhys Bowen also does a great job incorporating the history of the pre-WWII era into the story. 

A new author to me is Jacqueline Winspear, author of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries. Her series was recommended to me by my friend, Sharon, and I found, "Birds of A Feather," at a local used bookstore. Also set in the 1930's this book finds Maisie working to find a missing heiress only to discover that a series of murders may be connected to the missing woman. I missed reading the first book in this series, which gives a lot of background info about Maisie's early life and upbringing and her role in WW I, however, Winspear does a great job of filling in the blanks in this book so I didn't feel out of the loop at all with how Maisie came to use psychology in her role as a detective. Several side stories add to the enjoyment of this book such as the post war issues her assistant, Billy Beale, is dealing with as well as her relationships with the Inspector and her father. 

I am so delighted to have found a new series to read with Maisie Dobbs and to have renewed my interest in The Royal Spyness series and I highly recommend these books to you, too! Let me know if you give them a try! Now, how about a little snowman decor?

In anticipation of my 2019 word, Simplicity, I decided to keep it simple with winter decor this year. So, I kept a few of my most favorite, and small, snowmen and took the rest to Goodwill. The upper foyer table holds three jolly snowmen and a new piece that I thought would work well for winter. It is a vintage spice can topped with snow, a bottle brush tree and two sweet deer. I added a wooden snowflake in front of the can for good measure. 

The lower foyer table holds another snowman, my winter bears and a wooden mitten that says, "Let It Snow." My wooden sign says, "Home Is Where They Love You" and was a retirement gift from the art teacher at a school where I taught. 

The lower shelf holds my white snow deer and to the right is a snowman box that was part of a Christmas gift we received. I think the box could use something in it, but I haven't received inspiration for that yet. Can't say I love the wall vent shining through the table either, but you work with what you have, you know?!

Our side table in the living room holds an assortment of wintry items in white. This little display is my favorite! The sparkly Let It Snow sign and the polar bear snow globe have been displayed in previous years as have the clear dishes filled with small battery operated candles. I made the little rectangular snowflake sign by painting the wood and adding glittery snowflake stickers. The mesh candle holder was a gift from the Mr. that I picked out at the Tractor SupplyStore. They carry a line of home decor that I like by Trisha Yearwood and this is one of her designs. I added a large flameless candle and it is so pretty when all of the candles are flickering with all of the white in the background. A lovely winter scene! If you would like to browse the Trisha Yearwood decor you can check out the link here. I did a little more shopping at the Tractor Supply Store (including clothes) and will share that with you in some upcoming posts. Hope you have a great week ahead and please leave a comment. Read any good books? Adding some winter decor? 

Until Next Time,

Debbie