best read summer 2020

August 14, 2020

My favorite book this summer has been Daisy Jones & The Six. Not that I am wishing summer away! Wait, let me restate that – My favorite book this summer so far has been Daisy Jones & The Six.

This novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid blew me away. I guess I am late to the party on this one since I found out that Amazon is already making the book into a miniseries. It will make a fabulous miniseries! I urge you to read it now so you can enjoy the book as written before watching anything inspired by it on the screen.

The book is unique and fun and impossible to put down! If you have never read a book in one sitting, this one may be your first!

Although the book is fiction, it is presented in a documentary style and would be very easy to believe as a documentary – with true-life images, complex characters, and fascinating detail. The story follows the formation of a (fictional) famous band (Daisy Jones & The Six) and the lives of its members during the 1970’s.

The life of the band happens while the reader follows the music scene in Los Angeles during the 1970’s – so fun!

Background interviews with the band members are included as well as the lyrics to the band’s songs!

This book makes me want to read everything Taylor Jenkins Reid has ever written – and I will!

Do yourself a favor and buy a copy. Don’t take it out from the library – the waiting list is probably way too long anyway! But you will want to own a copy so you can loan it out to all your friends!

Thanks for stopping by!

Take pleasure in simple things – like reading a fabulous book!
xo Jackie

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inspirational reads for january

January 17, 2020

It is not unusual for me to log in a couple of inspirational reads at the beginning of a new year. It is unusual for me, however, to read two that have as great an impact on me as the two I started with in 2020!

For this reason, I am sharing the titles of the books with you today.

One of these books is by James Clear, titled Atomic Habits. There is a good reason James is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies. He has created a practical guide on how to build good habits and get rid of bad ones! Reading this book is an easy way to reshape your thought process in a way to achieve positive results. If you are up for making some tiny changes that can have some positive results in your daily life, give it a try!

The second book I want to mention is Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD. This book is fascinating! I can only imagine it would be fascinating to everyone since everyone sleeps! The way the book is organized, it is easy to skim through or to just read sections that are of interest. I am always interested in improving my health and this book explains how something as basic as sleep can have a tremendous impact!

Even if you don’t normally enjoy reading anything medically related, I think you will find some areas of interest in this book. Take it out of your local library and, at the very least, give it a skim!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things – like a good night’s sleep!

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inspirational reading & writing for 2019

January 25, 2019

Today, I continue with 2019 motivation. Today’s category is READING & WRITING. Here are my top 5 inspiration points in this category.

Read 1 book per week. Constant learning is what makes an extraordinary person and the world’s most successful people are avid readers. I love to read, but sometimes I opt for the latest on HGTV over the next book in queue. For 2019, I will spend more time reading and make a more conscious effort to listen to audio books during driving or exercising.

Write in a journal 5 minutes per day. This is such a wonderful habit to create. Journaling clears your emotions and enhances your creativity. It also increases gratitude. I have already started this in a small way with my sentiments jar. (See the DIY post by clicking here.) Documenting emotions can be powerful and by keeping your writing short, it makes it very doable.

Have no more than 3 items on your to-do list each day. I am a huge list maker and sometimes my lists get totally out of hand! The goal for 2019 is to do a few things incredibly rather than a million little things poorly!

Write and place a short, thoughtful note for someone once per day. I am such a believer in hand written notes. How much more meaningful is it to receive a handwritten note in the mail rather than an email? Do you hang your printed-out emails on the fridge? When my grandmother passed away, I found she had saved all the notes I had written her over the years. That is truly special. When my children were small, I made it a point to leave fun notes in their lunch bags to brighten their day and remind them they were loved. My children are grown, but I can still make people feel special by leaving notes to others. Plus, research has shown that writing by hand increases brain development and cognition more than typing can. (Why are schools eliminating handwriting?!) Making a promise to myself to leave handwritten notes can only be a great thing for 2019.

Listen to audiobooks and podcasts on 1.5 to 2x speed. Interesting! This is a new concept to me. The trend is called ‘speed listening.’ There is a software called FasterAudio that promises to ‘cut your audio learning time in half.’ I am intrigued by this concept and I am doing some more research and will give it a try in 2019.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

*The article I read online that originally inspired me is titled 50 Ways Happier, Healthier, And More Successful People Live On Their Own Terms by Benjamin P. Hardy. I have recommended it to everyone close to me to read. I credit Mr. Hardy for providing a great outlook to live life’s best! I encourage you to read the article.

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november book giveaway!

November 6, 2018

Preparing for the holidays is usually the opposite of calm, right? This whole time of year causes so many people stress. So, I thought the perfect book to give away for November is one called Calm: Calm the Mind, Change the World by Michael Acton Smith.

Using a combination of creative prompts, activities, and motivations, Calm will open your eyes to the pleasure and richness of everyday life. Discover how to take back a little bit of peace, space, and all-important time for yourself.

You can pick up Calm whenever you need it during the holidays…an inspirational and practical book with a wonderful Origami surprise at the end!

Leave a comment to let me know you’d like to win. The winner will be chosen at random at the end of November from the comments left during the month.

The pink velvet pumpkins for the October giveaway are going out to Lisette. Click here for more information on that giveaway. Congrats Lisette…I know you really wanted those pink pumpkins! Please email me the address where you’d like me to send them. Enjoy!

Instagram users, please read on! This month, the Instagram challenge is to post photos showing how you achieve your calm. It can be a place…a person…whatever creates your calm. Use the hashtag #pleasuregram to share.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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new read by terrain

October 26, 2018

Who knows us better than our good friends? It always amazes me when my friends think of me in a special way…like shipping me my favorite ice-cream from Ohio when I’m bedridden!

The latest act of kindness from a friend was a gift in a nonedible variety. If you follow this blog, you know one of my very favorite stores is Terrain. Well, Terrain came out with a much anticipated book titled Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for Decorating the Home and Garden. Of course, any Terrain lover should own a copy – don’t you think? But, I hadn’t preordered one because my budget has been very tight lately.

I stopped at a friend’s house to find she had pre-ordered me a copy (which means a free Terrain tote bag was included!) of the book! OMG!

The book contains 400 pages of Terrain inspiration – spanning every season. Greg Lehmkuhl, Terrain’s creative director, and all the wonderful gardeners of Terrain edited this beautiful book.

I am SO happy to add it to my collection! I think I need to display it in a special spot in my home the way my friend Phyllis did in her home. (The photos today on Friday field trip were all taken at her house.)

If you want to bring a really fabulous hostess gift this Thanksgiving, consider ordering a copy! And, for all my followers who don’t live near a Terrain, you may enjoy this book even more than those of us who do!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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may book giveaway!

May 1, 2018

It’s May! I hope the weather gods got the memo on this because, here in Connecticut, we are in desperate need of some spring-like days! A new month means a new giveaway!

For May, the giveaway book is Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body by Kate Hudson.

I am not a big fan of celebrity books, but this book just spoke to me! I think Kate has an amazing energy and self-confidence and these attributes are reflected in the pages of her book. A great mantra for health and happiness, Pretty Happy outlines the four pillars of health Kate has created to help guide her through an authentic life.

Reading about the way Kate honors her relationship with herself is sure to inspire and provide you with a few takeaways on how you can create your own authentic self.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this book! The winner will be chosen at random at the end of the month. Good luck! :)

Congratulations to Ginny. She is the winner of the April giveaway, Honey by Angelo Proseperi-Porta. Thanks for the email Ginny! (Click here to read more on this title.)

Instagram users, please read on! For May, let’s share photos of flowers! I am so jazzed about starting flower garden preparation and I can’t wait for new blooms this month! Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share some favorite flower photos!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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april book giveaway!

March 30, 2018

I have been learning quite a bit about honey and bees lately and I find them fascinating! The result of this fascination is that I find myself seeking out local honeys at farmer’s markets and specialty stores. My current interest led me to choose a book about honey for this month’s giveaway. I am also adding a honey dipper to the gift because a true honey connoisseur would never serve or eat their honey from a metal utensil!

While trying to eliminate processed foods, I have been using maple syrup and honey as substitutes for sugar. A local beekeeper recently pointed out to me – honey is technically the only unprocessed of the two since maple syrup goes through a long boiling process. Interesting!

So, the giveaway for this month is Honey by Angelo Proseperi-Porta. Sometimes trying to substitute honey in recipes can be tricking. This book makes it easy with everyday recipes for cooking and baking, and a section of information that includes tips on substituting honey in recipes. This book is a great help in making a transition from sugar to honey and contains more than 85 sweet and savory recipes!

For a chance to own this wonderful book, just leave a comment and you will be entered to win! The winner will be chosen at random at the end of April. Good luck!

The March giveaway book seemed to speak to many people. The interest in the book really makes me wish I had more than one copy to gift! But, sadly, I needed to choose only one person to receive the one copy. I did so totally at random and that person is Mary P. Congrats to Mary and thank you to everyone who entered to win! To read more about One Good Deed a Day: a Journal, click here.

Instagram users, read on! This month, the challenge is to share photos of things with a bee motif. I love the little hobnail votive with a bee that I have in my office – isn’t it adorable? And, it smells heavenly! Since the giveaway this month is a book about honey, sharing photos of bees is right on theme! Use the hashtag #pleasuregram to share your photos.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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holiday cookies

November 17, 2017

2017 has been a good year for cookbooks. There have been a wide variety of new books published. This selection includes cookbooks by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Zac Posen – as well as cookbooks by famous chefs like Bobby Flay, Wylie Dufresne, Jacques Pepin and Richard Blais.

But, for recipes to use for holiday gifting, I have a favorite cookbook release this year and I would like to share the title with you today on Friday field trip.

The book? Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden. With some intriguing new dessert recipes accompanied by fabulous photos, I am really enamored with this book! Can you tell why based on the few photos here?!

The holidays are a time when most people succumb to food temptations and I am no different! For me, it is definitely a new sweet that will do me in! On Thanksgiving it is all about Eileen’s lemon meringue pie…as far as Christmas is concerned? You never know!

Because baking is my favorite, I add some new recipes to my holiday repertoire each year – adding some new treats to include with my old standbys! Making something new to gift to others is a special part of my holiday routine. This year, the new recipes I try are definitely coming out of Nederlanden’s book!

I can’t wait to share my creations with you on future Friday field trips!

Browse through some of this year’s new cookbooks at your local library! I hope you are inspired to try at least one new dessert recipe this holiday season! ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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november book giveaway!

October 31, 2017

November’s giveaway is not actually a book! I saw this adorable succulent calendar for 2018 and, since the end of November is near the end of the year, why not substitute a calendar for a book!

A comment will earn you a chance to win this cute standing calendar – perfect for a desk or an end table! The winner will be chosen at random at the end of November. Good luck!

Congratulations to Mari, winner of last month’s book selection The Misfortune of Marion Palm by Emily Culliton. (Click here to read more about this book.) I know you will enjoy this read Mari!

Instagram readers, please read on for this month’s challenge!

Since November is such a great time to contemplate all that we are grateful for, let’s share! Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share photos of things you are grateful for…it can be anything from the blessing of your family to a quiet moment of solitude on a beach…

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you are having a wonderful Halloween evening!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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october book giveaway!

September 29, 2017

The October book giveaway is The Misfortune of Marion Palm by Emily Culliton.

This book was one of my summer read recommendations. A debut novel that tells the story of Marion, a Brooklyn Heights woman who has embezzled from her children’s private school and makes a run for it when she is close to becoming discovered. Told from the points of view of Marion’s husband, her two children, and Marion herself, this witty and engaging story makes for a quick read.

For a chance to win this advance copy of the book, just leave a comment and you will be entered! Good luck!

Congratulations to Angie, winner of September’s giveaway selection The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. (click here for more on this book.) Enjoy this read, Angie! Thank you to everyone who entered to win.

If you use Instagram, please read on! For October, let’s share photos of pumpkins…real or faux, orange or white, velvet or cashmere…all kinds! Share your favorites using hashtag #pleasuregram.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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