May is almost over, so it’s time for my monthly “report.”

Before I get into the best books I read and all the things that kept us busy, check out this website. “Sweet Tea Apothecary is a micro-perfumery specializing in historically inspired, handmade perfumes. Ever wonder what Mr. Darcy’s estate, Pemberley, smelled like after a fresh rain? What made Marie Antoinette so alluring? Join us on a scent journey through time.”
How awesome is that?

Now onto my May favourites…

Novel

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

I can’t say it any better than the Globe and Mail: “A smart, subtle, funny, painful, weirdly personal novel.”

Memoirs

October Sky by Homer Hickam (originally published as Rocket Boys)

I first read this memoir years ago and have seen the movie too many times to count. There’s something about the harsh life of a small mining town that draws me in. October Sky makes you root for the Rocket Boys from their tentative beginnings and assorted failures all the way through to the satisfying ending. Their lives are hard, but they work hard, and sometimes hard work really does pay off.

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl

I’m still in the middle of this book, but I’m confident in recommending it. When Ruth Reichl puts on different disguises so she can visit restaurants anonymously for her job as New York Times restaurant critic, she practically becomes the people she invents. Fascinating. (Reviews and recipes are included.)

Non Fiction

Bumpology: The Myth-Busting Pregnancy Book for Curious Parents-To-Be by Linda Geddes

Geddes is a UK-based science journalist who looks at all sorts of studies to answer questions about pregnancy and babies. This would be a great gift for the mom-to-be who wants the most up-to-date, scientific answers to questions like, “How much alcohol is it safe to drink during pregnancy?,” “Are home births riskier than hospital births?” and “Why don’t babies have moles?”

Picture Books

These days my girls are really into books about the ABCs, and of course the library has dozens and dozens of them. These are some of our favourites:

Podcast

I recently discovered The Splendid Table podcast and have enjoyed listening to the interviews with cookbook authors, reviews of restaurants, cooking advice, and more. When I mentioned it to my husband, he informed me that when he was growing up in upstate New York, his family often listened to The Splendid Table on the radio when riding in the car. I thought that was pretty neat.

TV Show

I first watched The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency when my oldest daughter was a newborn. Three years later I was ready for another watch. The music, clothes, and story-lines all bring the setting of Botswana to life. Why did they only make one season?

Activities

Thanks to some generous friends who watched our girls overnight, Andrew and I were able to stay here for our anniversary. We ate Caribbean food for lunch and Vietnamese subs for supper. I made truffles as a surprise and we feasted on baguette with cherry-mint jam for breakfast. A lovely 24-hour getaway.

The following week we had friends over for supper and a rousing game of Ticket to Ride. (Side note: I’m always up for a board game when tea and chocolate are involved.)

In the middle of the month Phoebe turned two! I made this Blackberry Almond Cake and topped it with whipped cream. She got some useful presents (bath towel, white sandals) and a few fun ones (stickers, animal-shaped candies).

One weeknight we went out for a Moroccan feast with our new pastor and his wife. The Moroccan Tent restaurant was an engaging experience from the traditional hand washing at the beginning of the meal to the mint tea and pastries at the end. (All the food was delicious, too.)

Last week I met a new friend for coffee at a mall between our homes. It was lovely to get out of the house after the kids were in bed and chat for a couple of hours.

On Saturday it was our neighbourhood’s annual garage sale day. I scored a copy of The Joy of Cooking in mint condition, as well as a wooden rocking horse, and a matching game and unopened box of stickers to bring out for the girls when the new baby arrives. Plus Andrew found a baseball cap and I snagged a literary memory game that I’ll have to report on after I try it out. All for $14.

Bible Verses

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

Any May favourites you’d like to share? I would love to hear.