 Greetings from Texas!  Windblown, but okay...  Driving into Texas before the storm... Go to Texas they said.. It will be fun, they said.. Then there was a Hurricane!  So this week we planned a few days on the Texas Gulf Coast....I've been craving the waves and since we are still banned from leaving the US (Damn Covid!) It looked like Texas was the best bet. Between work, family obligations, social distancing and preparing for the upcoming holidays, this looked to be the best time to sneak away for a few sunny days....but then Beta appeared. It came up quickly and everything changed! Current Advisory on Tuesday Morning:  Current conditions where we are aren't too bad, we are outside of the flash flood zone.  From https://abc13.com/weather/beta-makes-landfall-flash-flood-warnings-until-530-am/6134994/ Last night I decided to find a new hotel, (further away from the Gulf and out of the predicted flood area) and we will wait out the storm today. Rain in Texas can be very unpredictable and I have been caught in flash floods before, so we will just play it safe and stay in.  We decided to stay about 75 miles away from the coast. So far there has been wind and rain, but all-in-all it's not too bad. We will just sit inside and wait to see what the next few days bring.
Speak soon~
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 Today I am reviewing a set of short stories belonging to The Iron Druid Chronicles. This series of urban fantasy novels, is written by Kevin Hearne and wildly popular in the United States. Set in modern day, the druid's world contains witches, vampires, werewolves, demons, elementals, as well as various deities from many pantheons. During the course of this series the Iron Druid, his dog and cast of characters, have adventures with gods and goddess, travel to different plains and search out good food. There is action, adventure and humor aplenty with well written dialogue and unexpected twists. WHY YOU SHOULD READ THE SERIES: There are 9 well written novels in this series and if you include short stores and novellas the count reaches 18. The world Kevin Hearne creates is inviting, exciting, beautiful and horrific. If you are looking for a nice action filled read then grab this series. I would recommend you begin with book one, but I also don't think its mandatory. Each book stands alone in its story telling, but to really understand these short stories a basic understanding of the characters is needed. THIS BOOK: This is a "stand alone" collection of short stories from the Iron Druid's world; with all but two of the stories starring Atticus and Oberon. I really enjoyed the stories set in ancient Egypt and the carnival misadventure in modern day Kansas. The book reviews for this book are the most mixed for the entire series. For some people short stories just don't work, but if you are a fan of the series, don't hesitate to read this one.  Quick Book Review - Tuesday Edition:
Besieged - Iron Druid Chronicles
More reviews out soon~  Did you know its National Read A Book Day? Yes, it’s observed annually on September 6th or basically everyday at my house, lol. But don’t confuse it with National Book Lovers Day which is celebrated on August 9th. National Read a Book Day invites us to spend the day reading. This is a perfect day to read aloud either to children or to grandparents, your pets or even to your plants. WHY SHOULD YOU MAKE TIME TO READ? Reading is has been proven to improve memory and concentration as well as reduces stress. Older adults who spend time reading show a slower cognitive decline.  Pick up a classic or try out a new book, either way you're likely to reduce your stress levels and end up engrossed in an adventure. (And let's face it...couldn't you use a positive distraction right about now?)
If you are looking for some recommendations, check out some of my many book reviews. And don't worry I have recherché taste so there is probably something on this list you will like. The link to the posts is here: Book Reviews My Blog tells me there are over 205 posts there, not counting multiple books being reviewed in one post, so you should find something that will pique your interest. So there is no excuse not to celebrate this holiday! Happy Reading!  Hi gang, Can you believe it's already Thursday? This week seems to have just flown by! Today's my birthday so it's going to be a busy one. I had company this week and we stayed up late watching the annual meteor shower, eating and laughing! I haven't posted much this month because well, we were too busy enjoying life. Here are a few highlights of Augusts adventures (so far) and some of my birthday goodies:  So much Vegan goodness! We feasted!  Crappy Iphone Moon Picture...from one late night meteor watching.  Early gift to myself! You can never has too much storage and for TWO TB this was a STEAL! Read more about it here:   Even the desert greened up nicely!   Was surprised with these lovely birthday flowers :D   Love them!  And any excuse to make vegan cookies...  And more... (These are oatmeal chocolate chip) I have about a 100 more pictures (a lot of food, lol) but it's time to go do the next "thing" - I promise to post again really soon. The External hard drive is an affiliate link, but I really wanted to share that good price with you. My Mac Book Pro is FULL and that was a life saver...
Okay I'm off to brunch, speak soon!  Let's welcome in a new, fresh month. Hello! Can you believe it's August already? On the one hand this has been the longest year EVER! And on the other, summer just slipped by us. IDK... So much has happened this week, and I've only just now had a bit of a breather to catch up and blog. If you are not part of my community here, then welcome! I'm glad you are here! Leave me a comment and let's get to know each other - On this site I blog about life, review books and products, post a few easy, vegan recipes and share my passion for art and traveling. This is actually a travel blog, but with all that has happened this year my travel has been VERY limited. But we can still plan for future adventures and dream boldly! What's on your current travel bucket list? I'm ready to see some new places and revisit some old favorites...  Like London and  Cliffs of Moher, Ireland  Vienna, Austria  Seljalandsfoss, Iceland And while we are dreaming and planning these new adventures we can make art every day. I invite you this month to try different types of art projects. Think outside the box and expand your techniques, open yourself up to creating.   Try something new like paper crafts or calligraphy. This is a month to step outside the box and open our hearts to love and new experiences. This is a month to dream boldly.  Have a wonderful August!  Happy Sunday! It's going to be a busy day around here and I'm rushing to get things done before we have to go out. The heat is miserable this week, so we plan everything for early morning or late evening. But so far I've been really great at procrastinating this morning. I've knocked out two cups of coffee and not much else...So before I buckle down and get something done today, here's a quick book review:  This novel has been on my list for years, and thanks to 2020 forcing me to slow down, I finally had time to read it! It was the first novel to win the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Awards, and is considered a science fiction masterpiece. Written in 1984, Mr. Gibson's Neuromancer came together at a time when the personal computer was just beginning to make its way in private homes, and many people were dismissing its staying power as a "fad". This book builds a complex, future reality that is far away from 1984 and uncomfortably close to 2020. Quick Book Review - Sunday Edition: Neuromancer by William Gibson
 Books two and three in the trilogy. While Gibson did not invent cyberpunk, but wrote several important contributions previous to this novel - including short stories “Johnny Mnemonic” and “The Gernsback Continuum.” But Neuromancer cemented cyberpunk as a damaged, dystopian society dominated by global computer networks, crime and personal enhancements.  It's a page turner!  If you are looking for a great read, go grab a copy today! This review contains affiliate links, but I never post about anything I don't love.
Have a great Sunday! Speak soon~ 
Happy Tuesday!
I hope you have some wonderful plans for today. We are in for a super hot day with temps 104'F / 40C #YIKES! I used to like warm days...they were perfect for laying by the pool or on the beach - a thrilling science fiction novel in one hand and ice cold beer in the other. #GoodTimes But sun worshipping isn't "my thing" anymore. The older I get, the more I care about my skin and more importantly the damage the sun has already done. As someone who laid out in an attempt to tan my pale nordic body I woke up one day and thought, "Maybe it's too late?!" Meaning too much damage had been done. But you know I'm not one to just roll over and accept 'fate' - So now I'm on a mission to both protect my skin from any further damage and also turn back the clock. ​I'm currently doing some personal research on all things skincare. There have been so many scientific advances in the field of cosmetics and skincare lately that it can be very overwhelming...Where do you even start? 
(A small sample of my current collection.) I'm also searching Amazon for other highly rated/recommended products.
These are some of the best sellers on Amazon and over the course of the next few months I will be trying vegan products out and reviewing for you.
My current (body) sunscreen is Banana Boat Dry Balance Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50. Gone are the days of greasy, oily sunscreen! This lotion drys to a nice matte finish and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. I apply this before gardening, hiking or driving. You will need to reapply every two hours, but it is really working so far. (I've been using since about the 3rd of May.) 
Looks and feels more like "normal" lotion, not heavy or greasy.
This post does continue affiliate links, and I may receive a small commission of any sales. I only promote the products I use/feel are good values for you. By clicking the link it doesn't change the price of the product, but it does helps to support the cost of the blog. (So thank you!)
Also thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my posts. I have a few new book reviews that should be out this week and some new vegan recipes, so do stop in again. ​Speak soon!  I Hope you're having a fabulous weekend and happy 4th of July if you are in America. It's another gorgeous day here in central New Mexico. There's a lot going on this weekend, but mostly people are having small, safe get-togethers as the pandemic rages on in 'Merca. I was up early to finish a work projects (minutes before the deadline, lol) and now the long weekend is mine! I plan on cooking up some new vegan treats, going swimming and watching the fireworks from my patio tonight. Not very exciting I know but considering everything thats happening.... We also had planned on going for a hike this weekend, but temps are soaring so that will probably not happen. High heat and me don't mix well...so instead it will be drinks on the patio for the win!  Be back soon with book reviews and more recipes-  This is Part 3 of the Roswell Trip  Hi Travel Family, My last day in Roswell was tempered with cooler weather and a bit of shopping. We visited the Alien Invasion and ate impossible burgers from Burger King. Read part 1 and 2 and also overview of Roswell here from an older post. Most of the shops are on Main Street and easy to find. Call before you visit though, as not everything is open. Also most people have masks on and are social distancing. New Mexico is taking things seriously, so be prepared before you visit.  Even these guys are staying 6 feet apart.  We did a bit of shopping at the Alien Invasion. Its is a funky T-shirt shop. It has well made T-shirts (not your 2 for $20 set) and alien giftware. You can get something for everyone on your list here and spend as much or as little as you like (See pictures below). They also encourage pictures, so if you want some instagram snaps stop inside.     It's across the street from the UFO Museum.   Inside the shop...                From there we walked around a bit...    Love the street lamps...   We didn't go into the soap shop, I couldn't handle the smell.  See ya next time!  US and New Mexico flags. Happy Monday! I hope you are well and your week is off to a good start. I'm so late in posting today...Monday mornings are always busy for me because I have all the normal reports to run, plus certain other tasks that have to be done, even if we are traveling. By the time all that stuff is done it's time for online meetings with staff. Sooo long story, short- we had a very late start today, but we did a bit of exploring. If you want to read more about Roswell look here and visit here too to learn about the town.    In our quest to read the historical markers and learn more about the area we stopped at this little park. It is a very cute, and well maintained just outside of Roswell.   We were going to the International UFO Museum And Research Center downtown today, but were told that it was closed due to the pandemic. (If you are planning a visit call EVERYTHING first, there seems to be no rhythm or reason as to what is open or closed.) This museum is focused on the 1947 Roswell Crash and later UFO incidents from all over the world. It was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit educational organization and is located in a former movie theater from the 1930s. The museum is said to contain an extensive library and exhibits focused on the history of UFO encounters. The Museum was opened in September 1991 and for some reason I always seem to skip going to this one... It also has a gift store with UFO-inspired souvenirs. Maybe #NextTime  We drove around some and also changed hotels.  Last nights hotel was nice enough...but the people next door were really loud. So we only spent one night there. We changed to another place that was much more mellow.     And finished the night off with a gluten free, cheese free, loaded veggie pizza. I haven't had pizza (of any kind) this year! So this was a special treat. It was AMAZINGLY good!  I'm sunburned from walking around today. :( I have work the rest of the week, so it could be a few days till the next post...but I will see you soon!
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Author Welcome to my (I used to travel) blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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