Whenever I review the previous month, it looks so busy and fun! I can’t pretend that I’m brimming with cheerfulness every day, but looking back does make me grateful for the many good things God has blessed me with. I hope you enjoy reading about my March favourites and maybe even find something you’d like to read or watch or eat.

Adult Books

I read a few novels this month, but nothing that I considered outstanding. On the other hand, here are a few non-fiction works that I read and highly recommend.

• When People Are Big and God is Small by Edward T. Welch
• Lovable Livable Home by John & Sherry Petersik
• The Art of Character by David Corbett

Picture Books

My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall
I didn’t fall in love with the illustrations, but the rhymes were spot-on and always amusing. (“My heart is like a zoo… silly as a seal, rugged as a moose, happy as a herd of hippos drinking apple juice.”)

Who Goes There? by Karma Wilson (illustrated by Anna Currey)
A great readaloud with the refrain, “WHO GOES THERE? WHO COULD IT BE? WHO SCRITCHES AND SCRATCHES AND TAPS AT MY TREE?”

A Pet for Miss Wright by Judy Young (illustrated by Andrea Wesson)
I love that the protagonist is a full-time writer who wants a pet for company. The illustrations are perfect.

The Story of Cherry the Pig by Utaka Yamada
Every day at lunchtime Cherry looks through her recipes, then bakes a dessert and eats it all. When she enters an apple cake in the Harvest Festival, will it turn out incredible or incredibly awful?

Movies

I don’t watch a lot of movies (where do people find the time???), but I did see several this month. The one I’m most eager to recommend is Far From the Madding Crowd, which came out in 2015. It’s been approximately ten years since I read the book, so I can’t vouch for it’s accuracy, but I thought it was extremely well done.

Food: Moroccan-Inspired Hummus Recipe

I recently created my own version of Moroccan-inspired hummus by comparing the ingredient list on a store-bought tub with a recipe I found online. I’m so pleased with it that I want to share the recipe right here.

• 1 can (540 mL) chickpeas
• 1/2 onion, chopped and sauteed in olive oil until soft
• 2 Tbs tahini
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 2 Tbs water
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 red pepper flakes (or more; mine are quite spicy)

Puree everything thoroughly in a food processor and enjoy. We like to eat ours with whole wheat pita chips and raw vegetables. It tastes even better after being refrigerated overnight.

Activities

My oldest child turned three this month! We celebrated by meeting some friends at the farmers’ market and sharing two types of cupcake from a Martha Stewart cookbook, then later opening all sorts of presents mailed by far-flung relatives. Next birthday I am going low-key on the cake decorating, but all-in-all it was a blast — I think Eleanor had almost as much fun as I did. 🙂

Another week Andrew and I got a babysitter and went out for a three-course lunch at The Embarcadero. The restaurant was in a lovely old house and the entrees were particularly delicious (a Thai chicken salad and beef sliders on homemade buns with french fries and Caesar salad).

Bible Verse

Keeping it simple this month, here’s a verse I need to remember every single day: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

As always, I’d love to hear what’s been on your heart, mind, or plate this month!