The Intern

This is a favorite movie of mine.  Ken doesn't like to watch movies more than once, but we watched this one again for my birthday. Robert DeNiro is brilliant in this role.  A story of experience, determination, and mutual respect . . . and friendship.  Loved it.  5 stars.  We watched it on Netflix DVD.

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The Finest Hours

An intense movie of bravery, courage, and adventure.  We watched it on Netflix DVD.

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This Beautiful Fantastic

This was an odd, but enchanting movie. It had high ratings, so we gave it a try.  It was good.  Family can be other than biological.  We watched it on Netflix DVD.

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Last Bus to Wisdom

Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Ivan Doig is a brilliant, Stegner-like writer. In this book, our narrator is an eleven-year-old boy who is being raised by his grandmother because his parents were killed in a car accident. When Grandma needs surgery, she sends him across the country to Wisconsin to stay the summer with her estranged sister. The bus ride, time with Aunt Kate and Uncle Herman and the trip back west are full of adventure, fun, and trials. Doig has a gift for characterization. I miss the friends I made in this book.



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Call the Midwife

Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s by Jennifer Worth

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I watched the series, available on Netflix, then listened to the book. I usually prefer to do that in the opposite order, but, in this case, I loved watching first. The series is SO well done and is true to the book. Watching first helped me to picture the East end London scenes in the 1950s, the gruesome living conditions, the characters, etc. as I read. Jennifer wrote this book about her memories some 50 years later. She is a wonderful writer, recreating it all so vividly. I loved this book.
I was warned, so pass the warning on to you: don’t read the prostitute chapter, as it is graphic. Though no one warned me, I also chose not to listen to the chapter about the poor house as I didn’t want those images in my head, either.



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The Freedom Writers Diary

The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Hats off to Ms. Gruwell. She knows how to motivate change. She knows how to care. That said, I struggled reading this book. Though the writing was cathartic and even life-changing for the students, it was a difficult read for me. I think it was because there was no continuity. The Diary entries are just numbered, so the reader doesn’t get to know the writer and watch his/her growth throughout the four years. Though I honor these kids for their courage and tenacity and especially honor their teacher for motivating the change, it was a difficult read for me.



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Knives Out

This 2019 movie was really well done. If you like murder mysteries and the game of Clue, you will like this one.  We watched it Netflix DVD.

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Washington CountyTemple - June

These pictures of the Washington County, Utah temple site really don't show much.  But there were big changes at the site.  They have moved a lot of dirt, creating a huge, flat mound in the center of the site.  It was a big change from a month ago.

This picture shows the changes better.  They have created a big hill with a flat top.  If you compare this picture with the one from the same place in May, you can sort of see the huge mound they have created. 

We will see what changes come in the next month!

Megan Leavy

This was a based on truth story about a Marine corporal and her canine companion in Iraq.  Together, they saved many lives.  We watched it on Netflix DVD.

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Nell and Lady

Nell and Lady by Ashley Farley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a soap opera in written form. Though a bit overdramatic, it was a good story. It was free on Kindle from Amazon Prime.



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The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a companion book to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a book I really enjoyed. It is the story from Queenie’s perspective. Harold Fry walks from one end of England to the other to “save” Queenie Hennessy from her cancer. This book tells the story from Queenie’s view. I loved how Queenie, though not healed from her cancer, is healed emotionally as she tells Harold, in a very long letter, her side of their relationship. Though the author said she didn’t expect to write Queenie as she was writing Harold, I found this technique unique and fascinating. It completes the Harold Fry story, making the reader feel satisfied.



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The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A charming book about a man who finds his wife’s charm bracelet on the one-year anniversary of her death. It sets him on a journey to find out about her past. On that journey he makes many friends and learns how big and interesting the world is and comes out of his grief-induced depression. I loved Arthur, though I didn’t agree with all of his decisions. I hope to read more from this author.



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Spotted Owl

The Spotted Owl is a seldom-seen bird, but it does live in this area(Washington County).  Ken has lived in this area most of his life, but had never seen one.  Last year he talked to a friend, a ranger in Zion National Park about it.  He suggested Ken come to the Park in late May or early June as that is when their young fledge.  Ken contacted him by email in late May and on Monday, June 1st, he wrote back saying that just that day someone had reported seeing a fledgling in Refrigerator Canyon.  Ken got that email at about 2:00pm and by 3:00pm, Ken and his brother Don were on their way to Zion (breaking social distancing- we've been very cautious.)  They got there and climbed up to Refrigerator Canyon, arriving in the canyon just before 6:00 PM.  If you have hiked in Zion, Refrigerator Canyon is that very narrow canyon about half-way to the top of Angel's Landing.  It was quite a climb, but they were richly rewarded for their efforts.  The canyon is about two blocks long.  First, they slowly hiked the entire length of the canyon together, trying to locate the owls, but with no success. After that, they separated and started looking separately-one at each end of the canyon.  That method didn't work very well because they were too far apart and couldn't communicate with each other (if they had seen their target birds). Don tried calling to Ken, but Ken didn't hear him. Thus, Don suggested that Ken look in a certain area, midway in the upper half of the canyon; while Don stationed himself about halfway in the lower half of the canyon. As it turned out, Don had stationed Ken right between the parent and his/her baby.  Although the owl and owlets were well hidden from view, the fledglings began calling to their parents for food. Ken heard those high-pitched squeaking calls and recognized that they might be coming from the owlets. The calls led him to  where he was able to get a visual of both the parent owl and the older fledgling. Later, they also saw a second baby.  It was a thrill of a lifetime for these two avid birders.  Don's hobby is  nature photography, so photo credit to him.

Parent:

The babies/fledglings:

Dark Waters

Wow !  This really happened and you and I are all affected.  This movie reads a little like a documentary.  DuPont has knowingly poisoned all of us with Teflon.  A brave man takes on the huge company and exposes the truth.  It is powerful!  We watched it on Netflix DVD.

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Brooklyn

We enjoyed this movie that we ordered on Netflix DVD.  A young girl from Ireland, comes to live in New York.  She falls in love with an Italian man.  When her sister dies in Ireland, she goes back home.  She then has to decide which place is home.  We ordered this one on Netflix DVD.

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