I love my garden. I love the feeling of the dirt in my hands. I love planting things and watching them grow. I love watching trees I planted as nothing more that twigs grow and bloom. For me, gardening is both rewarding and fun.
I have always been sensitive to environmental issues. I was first introduced toGardens Alive through its catalog. Now I spend a great deal of time at the website.
What's different about Gardens Alive?
Gardens Alive doesn't just sell me products. It teaches me about caring for the plants in my garden. I used to just put my plants in the ground and watch them grow. If they died, I was upset, but I didn't think about learning how to prevent this from happening. The main reason was that I didn't want to load down the soil - and the vegetables - with a lot of chemicals.
With Gardens Alive I have learned how to better care for the plants in my garden in an environmentally responsible way. For instance, with my lawn I used to use a popular dandelion killer that carried all sorts of warning about avoiding contact with skin and keeping people and animals away from the area sprayed. Gardens Alive has a great product called Wow! Plus which controls dandelions, crabgrass, creeping bentgrass, foxtail, lamb's-quarters, purslane, redroot pigweed and many others while delivering nutrients to the lawn.
I have learned a better way for caring for other problems such as fungus and blights that affect my vegetable plants. Gardens Alive also taught me about composting. I use their Tomatoes Alive products on my vegetables now instead of Miracle Grow. I purchase live ladybugs from here as well to control the aphids in my backyard.
Pet owners, take note: there is also an area for natural, organic ways to take car of your pets as well. Flea control, food and treats which don't contain corn, vitamins, and bathing products are available for your pet.
The website is very easy to use. On the first page is a search box. Just type in your problem and it will bring up articles about it. For instance, if I type in dandelions, I am directed to an article on organic lawn care which encompasses getting rid of dandelions.
There are also categories to choose from: Backyard Birds, Beneficial Insects, Composting, Cover Crops, Disease Control, Fertilizers, Flower Gardening, Home Orchards, Household, Lawn Care, Pest Controls, Pet Care, Reference, Row Covers, Tools and Accessories, Vegetable Gardening, and Weed Control.
It is so easy to just go online and find a safe solution here when I see a problem developing with the plants in my garden. The products are displayed nicely and there is good information given. I can look for specific products or browse through disease control, pest control, or weed control to find a solution to my gardening problems. I have also subscribed to the newsletter and receive notices about sales and gardening tips via email.
Prices are a little bit higher when compared to comparable products found at the nursery (such as the Miracle Grow versus Tomatoes Alive!), but the products are safer for the environment, your vegetables, and you. Only you can decide if the extra expense is justified.
Another thing I like is that I can order a product or an insect from them and it is only shipped when it's the right time to use it - when the weather has warmed up sufficiently. The people at Gardens Alive watch the weather reports for the country and only bill and ship the weather-sensitive products when the time is right. This is very important in regards to the insects which could die off in the cold, or also be adversely affected if it's already very hot when they arrive at their destination. I love doing ladybug releases with my kids and a package which covers 1,000 square feet is fairly inexpensive.Gardens Alive also uses a special type of ladybug designed to be free of parasites and stay close to where they are released, rather than flying off quickly.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A Review of the novel Love and War by John Jakes
This novel is the second in Jakes' Civil War trilogy. Love and War picks up the lives of the Main and Hazard families right where North and South left off.
The Mains are rice planters in South Carolina. The Hazards are steel manufacturers in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The Civil War is just beginning. Brett Main has just married Billy Hazard.
The families are linked not just by their marriage, but by the strong friendship forged between Orry Main and George Hazard while attending West Point. This bond transcends even the worst moments of the War as the families reach out and help one another on numerous occasions.
In the Afterword, Jakes compares his writing of this novel to Gone With the Wind. He admits to loving the story, but laments the fact that the slaves are depicted as content to be slaves, and also with comic relief - social values which really don't hold up any longer. Even the war is depicted without too much blood and guts, mostly referred to on cue cards. The only true impact of suffering is the depot scene showing a seemingly endless sea of wounded men.
This novel shows that war is pure hell. Particularly notable is the change in Charles Main through the book as what he witnesses and experiences changes him. The evolution is not swift or abrupt, but very gradual. It make it totally believable. The battlefields are described in great detail giving the reader the feeling that they are experiencing it right along with the characters. Everything in Jakes' writing rings so true that I felt as if I were reading a biography of these two families.
Instead of focusing on the notable parts of the War, such as the battle at Gettysburg, Jakes takes us to Carolina and Liverpool shipyards, Libby Prison, Confederate encampments, and the politicking in both Washington D.C. and Richmond, VA. This gives the novel more depth than focusing just on the more infamous parts of the War.
Neither side is exempt from special interests or those who seek to profit on the blood of others. Both families have people who are up to no good. In the case of Ashton Main - Brett and Orry's sister - she is inherently evil here. While trying to help her husband rise politically in Confederate circles, she joins with a group at first attempting to take control of the government. In the process she almost destroys Orry's marriage and his good name, is responsible for the drowning of her nephew, and still carries a great deal of anger at being rejected by Billy Hazard in favor of her sister.
Of course no Jakes novel would be complete without the evil man harboring a grudge due to some slight years ago. In here it is Elkanah Bent. Bent seems to spend the majority of the novel scheming at how to get back at the two families, all the while managing to mess up every chance he has in his own life. Much is made of his parentage here, but though it is hinted at, it is never revealed. It is one bit of frustration I really would have like to have been resolved.
In this novel, slavery is not depicted as a happy existence. As the war presses on, many of the slaves at the Mains' plantation run off. Orry's wife Madeline goes to great lengths to try and make it better for them, even beginning a school. Her belief is that they will be freed and need their education. This is a believable way to show the feelings of loyalty some of the slaves - and freedmen who live at the plantation - have for the family.
In the North, Brett works with black children at an orphanage started by George's wife, Constance. Having the opportunity to interact outside of the plantation with the black children and adults causes Brett to rethink her own beliefs she has had all her life. It also gives her a good direction and sense of purpose, rather than sitting in a house through the whole novel worried about her husband.
The families are not exempt from tragedy. Several lives are lost. There is nothing pretty about the four and a half years contained in the novel. Jakes has gone to great lengths to write a well-researched and non-glamorous view of this terrible war. If you've never read it, it's definitely worth a look.
The Mains are rice planters in South Carolina. The Hazards are steel manufacturers in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The Civil War is just beginning. Brett Main has just married Billy Hazard.
The families are linked not just by their marriage, but by the strong friendship forged between Orry Main and George Hazard while attending West Point. This bond transcends even the worst moments of the War as the families reach out and help one another on numerous occasions.
In the Afterword, Jakes compares his writing of this novel to Gone With the Wind. He admits to loving the story, but laments the fact that the slaves are depicted as content to be slaves, and also with comic relief - social values which really don't hold up any longer. Even the war is depicted without too much blood and guts, mostly referred to on cue cards. The only true impact of suffering is the depot scene showing a seemingly endless sea of wounded men.
This novel shows that war is pure hell. Particularly notable is the change in Charles Main through the book as what he witnesses and experiences changes him. The evolution is not swift or abrupt, but very gradual. It make it totally believable. The battlefields are described in great detail giving the reader the feeling that they are experiencing it right along with the characters. Everything in Jakes' writing rings so true that I felt as if I were reading a biography of these two families.
Instead of focusing on the notable parts of the War, such as the battle at Gettysburg, Jakes takes us to Carolina and Liverpool shipyards, Libby Prison, Confederate encampments, and the politicking in both Washington D.C. and Richmond, VA. This gives the novel more depth than focusing just on the more infamous parts of the War.
Neither side is exempt from special interests or those who seek to profit on the blood of others. Both families have people who are up to no good. In the case of Ashton Main - Brett and Orry's sister - she is inherently evil here. While trying to help her husband rise politically in Confederate circles, she joins with a group at first attempting to take control of the government. In the process she almost destroys Orry's marriage and his good name, is responsible for the drowning of her nephew, and still carries a great deal of anger at being rejected by Billy Hazard in favor of her sister.
Of course no Jakes novel would be complete without the evil man harboring a grudge due to some slight years ago. In here it is Elkanah Bent. Bent seems to spend the majority of the novel scheming at how to get back at the two families, all the while managing to mess up every chance he has in his own life. Much is made of his parentage here, but though it is hinted at, it is never revealed. It is one bit of frustration I really would have like to have been resolved.
In this novel, slavery is not depicted as a happy existence. As the war presses on, many of the slaves at the Mains' plantation run off. Orry's wife Madeline goes to great lengths to try and make it better for them, even beginning a school. Her belief is that they will be freed and need their education. This is a believable way to show the feelings of loyalty some of the slaves - and freedmen who live at the plantation - have for the family.
In the North, Brett works with black children at an orphanage started by George's wife, Constance. Having the opportunity to interact outside of the plantation with the black children and adults causes Brett to rethink her own beliefs she has had all her life. It also gives her a good direction and sense of purpose, rather than sitting in a house through the whole novel worried about her husband.
The families are not exempt from tragedy. Several lives are lost. There is nothing pretty about the four and a half years contained in the novel. Jakes has gone to great lengths to write a well-researched and non-glamorous view of this terrible war. If you've never read it, it's definitely worth a look.
Star Trek: The Next Generation - When The Bough Breaks
The Enterprise follows a trail to a legendary planet that no one has yet been able to prove exists. When the planet Aldea is actually found by them, initially no one seems to question why, after all these years when no one else could find it, theEnterprise and its crew manage to. Eventually, Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the ship's First Officer, does comment that it did seem like they were being led right to the planet.
Unfortunately, this does not seem to deter Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) in the least as he immediately seeks to establish relations with the Aldeans. Their technology seems to be much more advances than that which the Federation currently possesses. The half-Betazed ship's counselor, Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), also cautions that all is not what it seems after her empathic abilities kick in during a conversation with the Aldean leaders.
For a very long time the Aldeans managed to conceal their planet using a shield similar to a cloaking device. Why have they suddenly allowed themselves to be seen?
The answer comes when all of the children mysteriously disappear from theEnterprise. It seems that the Aldean race is dying off and they wish to take the children to replenish it. They offer technological and logistical information in return for these children. Captain Picard must now find a way to get the children back through the powerful Aldean planetary shield before they decide to enact the cloaking device and disappear.
This part of the plot is very well done. Watching Captain Picard deal with the Aldeans on one hand and the irate parents on the other was very interesting. Patrick Stewart has done a wonderful job, especially conveying the fact that Picard does not like children and feels quite uncomfortable around them. This does not prevent him from having empathy for the parents who do not know what has happened to their children.
The biggest part that doesn't work, however, is the Aldean culture itself. This is a supposed advanced race with technology the likes of which the Federation can only dream. However, not one of the surviving Aldeans seems to have any clue as to how it operates. Doctor Crusher (Gates McFadden) eventually figures out that the power source for the great shield is depleting the ozone and allowing dangerous radiation to the planet which has caused the sterility. If this is so easy for her to discover, why weren't one of the early scientists aware of this?
Here on Earth, we have noticed ozone problems with technology that is far behind that of the Aldeans, so it does not make sense that the people who created all of this technology would have no idea of the damage it could be doing. Even if it were believable that the remainder of the Aldean population has no mathematical or scientific education, the people who originally conceived of this technology should have been more adept. The Aldeans we see now seem to be totally clueless as parents as well when they have to deal with mild rebelliousness on the part of the children when they stage a "sit-in" demanding to be returned to theEnterprise.
If I had to guess, I would say that this episode was written by someone who hasn't had children. They are entirely too well-behaved and seem to feel at home on Aldea entirely too fast. There are no signs that they miss their parents or act out until Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) organizes the "sit-in". The one boy, who we are shown being scolded by his father for not wanting to learn calculus in the beginning of the episode, seems to prefer being on Aldea. When they are eventually reunited with the parents, it seems as if the parents are being played as the "bad guys" for telling the boy he has to go to school, rather than letting him do whatever he wants.
This is not bad for one of the episodes for the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, if a more plausible scenario was found for the source of the sterility of the Aldeans rather than the ozone depletion, it would have been much better.
Unfortunately, this does not seem to deter Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) in the least as he immediately seeks to establish relations with the Aldeans. Their technology seems to be much more advances than that which the Federation currently possesses. The half-Betazed ship's counselor, Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), also cautions that all is not what it seems after her empathic abilities kick in during a conversation with the Aldean leaders.
For a very long time the Aldeans managed to conceal their planet using a shield similar to a cloaking device. Why have they suddenly allowed themselves to be seen?
The answer comes when all of the children mysteriously disappear from theEnterprise. It seems that the Aldean race is dying off and they wish to take the children to replenish it. They offer technological and logistical information in return for these children. Captain Picard must now find a way to get the children back through the powerful Aldean planetary shield before they decide to enact the cloaking device and disappear.
This part of the plot is very well done. Watching Captain Picard deal with the Aldeans on one hand and the irate parents on the other was very interesting. Patrick Stewart has done a wonderful job, especially conveying the fact that Picard does not like children and feels quite uncomfortable around them. This does not prevent him from having empathy for the parents who do not know what has happened to their children.
The biggest part that doesn't work, however, is the Aldean culture itself. This is a supposed advanced race with technology the likes of which the Federation can only dream. However, not one of the surviving Aldeans seems to have any clue as to how it operates. Doctor Crusher (Gates McFadden) eventually figures out that the power source for the great shield is depleting the ozone and allowing dangerous radiation to the planet which has caused the sterility. If this is so easy for her to discover, why weren't one of the early scientists aware of this?
Here on Earth, we have noticed ozone problems with technology that is far behind that of the Aldeans, so it does not make sense that the people who created all of this technology would have no idea of the damage it could be doing. Even if it were believable that the remainder of the Aldean population has no mathematical or scientific education, the people who originally conceived of this technology should have been more adept. The Aldeans we see now seem to be totally clueless as parents as well when they have to deal with mild rebelliousness on the part of the children when they stage a "sit-in" demanding to be returned to theEnterprise.
If I had to guess, I would say that this episode was written by someone who hasn't had children. They are entirely too well-behaved and seem to feel at home on Aldea entirely too fast. There are no signs that they miss their parents or act out until Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) organizes the "sit-in". The one boy, who we are shown being scolded by his father for not wanting to learn calculus in the beginning of the episode, seems to prefer being on Aldea. When they are eventually reunited with the parents, it seems as if the parents are being played as the "bad guys" for telling the boy he has to go to school, rather than letting him do whatever he wants.
This is not bad for one of the episodes for the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, if a more plausible scenario was found for the source of the sterility of the Aldeans rather than the ozone depletion, it would have been much better.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
A Review of the movie In The Line of Fire
In The Line of Fire is a suspense-filled thriller about the Secret Service. In contrast to the film Murder at 1600, which I also recently viewed, the Secret Service here is portrayed in a much better light; having a responsibility beyond covering up for the President and his family.
Clint Eastwood portrays aging Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan. In the beginning of the movie we see him at work undercover in Counterfeiting Investigations. Dylan McDermott is his new partner, Al D'Andrea.
A tip leads them to the apartment of a man we will later know as Mitch Leary. In that apartment, Frank finds a haunting reminder of his failure to protect the President as a young agent: clippings of the Kennedy assassination. There are many other clippings as well, all leading them to believe that another kook is on the loose with designs on trying to assassinate the current President. Unaware that this is no kook, but a psychotic killer who is watching them, Frank and Al leave the apartment to come back later with a warrant. When they do, it has been cleared of everything except a clipping showing a young Agent Horrigan with his head circled in red pen.
John Malkovich portrays Leary, and this is one of his best roles as he leads Agent Horrigan in a game of cat and mouse. Leary is a former CIA assassin who wants to make one last strike against the government he is angry with. His intention is to kill the President, knowing he will die as well. This means nothing since he knows his own agency has tried to kill him already.
But the game is the thing for Leary and he enjoys taunting Frank with his past failures. The fact that Agent Horrigan has to sit there and listen to it as other Secret Service agents attempt to trace the taunting calls is very believable, so we are not wondering why he doesn't just hang up. The telephone conversations between the two men build the suspense throughout the film. Both Eastwood and Malkovich manage to convey the building tension between the characters when these conversations take place. At times Horrigan seems to be cracking under the relentless emotional abuse by Leary, while at others, we see Frank managing to break through the emotionally cool exterior of Leary. It is a thrilling game of cat and mouse as each side in this battle seems to have the upper-hand at different times.
Agent Horrigan also has a reputation as a bit of a renegade, which is what made his new partner so uncomfortable in the first place. Other agents in the field do not want to work with him, and through a series of set-ups by Leary, his reputation is further eroded. Only the Director, portrayed by John Mahoney, best known right now as Frasier's father, seems to really believe in him, and yet he keeps trying to do his job. Horrigan is moved from the President's Detail after repeated requests by the Agent in charge (Gary Cole as Bill Watts), the White House Chief of Staff (Fred Thompson as Harry Sargent) and, finally, the President himself (Jim Curley).
Rene Russo portrays Agent Lilly Raines who is part of the President's Detail and also ends up being a romantic interest for Agent Horrigan. Their romance is believable, even as they move through the clichés of his sexism of dismissing her as a secretary at their first meeting, as well as his arrogant attitude and reputation. Lilly seems to know what is going on inside Frank. Having been burned romantically by another Agent, she has sworn off romance on the job. When she sympathizes with him at various times it does not have the feeling of pity, but pure compassion. Lilly believes in him, but can see both sides of the argument.
Wolfgang Petersen has done an amazing job directing this film. Where it could have easily fallen into the usual predictability and clichés, he has managed to instead craft an exciting thriller. Credit also must go to write Jeff Maguire, especially for the dialogue while Leary and Horrigan are on the telephone. Eastwood and Malkovich are fantastic in these roles - it is as if it were written specifically for these two men.
The only drawback I would have to say is the predictability of the movie. As soon as Al talked about his wife and taking his kid to school in the first scene, I knew he was going to bite the dust at some point in this movie. There are some parts that are that terribly predictable. However, the movie works despite these parts - a great credit to the cast and crew.
The visual imagery especially around Washington D.C. was stunning as well. It almost felt like a travel documentary and made me want to visit! The monuments and parks looked absolutely pristine and perfect.
On the DVD there are a host of Special Features. Included are the usual Cast and Crew bios, and trailer, as well as the ability to view the film with a running commentary by the Director. The Deleted Scenes are:
-- a scene of a woman trying to pick-up Agent Horrigan in the Piano Bar
-- a conversation about a practical joke Frank played on a supervisor
-- a conversation between Frank and Lilly prior to his being assigned to her team before the President's trip to Los Angeles
-- Agent Horrigan watching news coverage of him roughing up a bellman in the hotel lobby
-- another conversation in the Piano Bar, this one with Lilly about being assigned to protect Fidel Castro.
There is a nice piece called The Ultimate Sacrifice where Wolfgang Petersen and Executive Producer Gail Katz discuss getting the cooperation of the Secret Service. They tell how former Director Robert Snow became their Technical Advisor. He then discusses the Secret Service and its duties. Another short piece talks about the Secret Service's Counterfeit Investigation division.
There is another short piece about the special effects which mostly consist of digitally inserting images into different places. In some spots, actual clippings of John F. Kennedy had a young Clint Eastwood digitally inserted into them. At other times we see how campaign rallies were created to appear larger than they were.
Finally, there is a great documentary Behind the Scenes with the Secret Service. It was very interesting to see how much goes into being an agent and what training takes place.
Clint Eastwood portrays aging Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan. In the beginning of the movie we see him at work undercover in Counterfeiting Investigations. Dylan McDermott is his new partner, Al D'Andrea.
A tip leads them to the apartment of a man we will later know as Mitch Leary. In that apartment, Frank finds a haunting reminder of his failure to protect the President as a young agent: clippings of the Kennedy assassination. There are many other clippings as well, all leading them to believe that another kook is on the loose with designs on trying to assassinate the current President. Unaware that this is no kook, but a psychotic killer who is watching them, Frank and Al leave the apartment to come back later with a warrant. When they do, it has been cleared of everything except a clipping showing a young Agent Horrigan with his head circled in red pen.
John Malkovich portrays Leary, and this is one of his best roles as he leads Agent Horrigan in a game of cat and mouse. Leary is a former CIA assassin who wants to make one last strike against the government he is angry with. His intention is to kill the President, knowing he will die as well. This means nothing since he knows his own agency has tried to kill him already.
But the game is the thing for Leary and he enjoys taunting Frank with his past failures. The fact that Agent Horrigan has to sit there and listen to it as other Secret Service agents attempt to trace the taunting calls is very believable, so we are not wondering why he doesn't just hang up. The telephone conversations between the two men build the suspense throughout the film. Both Eastwood and Malkovich manage to convey the building tension between the characters when these conversations take place. At times Horrigan seems to be cracking under the relentless emotional abuse by Leary, while at others, we see Frank managing to break through the emotionally cool exterior of Leary. It is a thrilling game of cat and mouse as each side in this battle seems to have the upper-hand at different times.
Agent Horrigan also has a reputation as a bit of a renegade, which is what made his new partner so uncomfortable in the first place. Other agents in the field do not want to work with him, and through a series of set-ups by Leary, his reputation is further eroded. Only the Director, portrayed by John Mahoney, best known right now as Frasier's father, seems to really believe in him, and yet he keeps trying to do his job. Horrigan is moved from the President's Detail after repeated requests by the Agent in charge (Gary Cole as Bill Watts), the White House Chief of Staff (Fred Thompson as Harry Sargent) and, finally, the President himself (Jim Curley).
Rene Russo portrays Agent Lilly Raines who is part of the President's Detail and also ends up being a romantic interest for Agent Horrigan. Their romance is believable, even as they move through the clichés of his sexism of dismissing her as a secretary at their first meeting, as well as his arrogant attitude and reputation. Lilly seems to know what is going on inside Frank. Having been burned romantically by another Agent, she has sworn off romance on the job. When she sympathizes with him at various times it does not have the feeling of pity, but pure compassion. Lilly believes in him, but can see both sides of the argument.
Wolfgang Petersen has done an amazing job directing this film. Where it could have easily fallen into the usual predictability and clichés, he has managed to instead craft an exciting thriller. Credit also must go to write Jeff Maguire, especially for the dialogue while Leary and Horrigan are on the telephone. Eastwood and Malkovich are fantastic in these roles - it is as if it were written specifically for these two men.
The only drawback I would have to say is the predictability of the movie. As soon as Al talked about his wife and taking his kid to school in the first scene, I knew he was going to bite the dust at some point in this movie. There are some parts that are that terribly predictable. However, the movie works despite these parts - a great credit to the cast and crew.
The visual imagery especially around Washington D.C. was stunning as well. It almost felt like a travel documentary and made me want to visit! The monuments and parks looked absolutely pristine and perfect.
On the DVD there are a host of Special Features. Included are the usual Cast and Crew bios, and trailer, as well as the ability to view the film with a running commentary by the Director. The Deleted Scenes are:
-- a scene of a woman trying to pick-up Agent Horrigan in the Piano Bar
-- a conversation about a practical joke Frank played on a supervisor
-- a conversation between Frank and Lilly prior to his being assigned to her team before the President's trip to Los Angeles
-- Agent Horrigan watching news coverage of him roughing up a bellman in the hotel lobby
-- another conversation in the Piano Bar, this one with Lilly about being assigned to protect Fidel Castro.
There is a nice piece called The Ultimate Sacrifice where Wolfgang Petersen and Executive Producer Gail Katz discuss getting the cooperation of the Secret Service. They tell how former Director Robert Snow became their Technical Advisor. He then discusses the Secret Service and its duties. Another short piece talks about the Secret Service's Counterfeit Investigation division.
There is another short piece about the special effects which mostly consist of digitally inserting images into different places. In some spots, actual clippings of John F. Kennedy had a young Clint Eastwood digitally inserted into them. At other times we see how campaign rallies were created to appear larger than they were.
Finally, there is a great documentary Behind the Scenes with the Secret Service. It was very interesting to see how much goes into being an agent and what training takes place.
The Great War: Breakthroughs by Harry Turtledove
In this novel, Harry Turtledove wraps up his alternate-history saga of the first World War. My one piece of advice here is to use the map at the front of the novel, and use it often. I did, if for nothing else than to keep track of where everyone was.
The premise of the series is that the Confederacy won its bid for freedom during the Civil War, and for the third time in fifty years, they go head-to-head with the United States. This time is different: the United States has as its ally the powerful German and Austrian armies. The Confederacy is aligned with Canada, Great Britain, France and Russia (with the Japanese thrown in for a good skirmish every now and again).
After finishing the previous novel, The Great War: Walk in Hell, which felt like I was sitting through extra innings at a zero-zero baseball game, it was refreshing to finally see some movement in the war effort. Just who begins making the breakthroughs? Well, I won't spoil it for you.
Throughout the three novels in this series, Turtledove has woven a great selection of characters from all sides of the war. To really know them, a reader should start with the first novel of the series, or it will seem like they are not given depth here; the depth comes from the history we have of their involvement in the war over the last three years. Turtledove is not above sacrificing his characters - not everyone he began following in the first novel The Great War: American Front will survive. It would be unrealistic in many ways to expect this, yet I had become so attached to certain ones that I teared up at the news of their death - and was flooded with relief when one such interesting character manages to cheat death.
Turtledove describes with great detail the advent of the modern war machines. Tanks, or "barrels" as they are called here come to be a real deciding factor in who is victorious. Yet my favorite part was the description of the flying aces in their machines. The war evolves greatly during the novels - the flying aces remark on it often. And it is interesting to see how fast it has all changed and who has managed to capitalize on it the best.
The Canadians were starkly contrasted with each other as well. Though none were happy at the beginning of the war with the United States' invasion, the citizens of the eastern province of Quebec have a much different reaction than the residents of centrally-located Manitoba. Hate has also come full circle here as we see what happens when a very intelligent man loses a child and lashes out at the occupiers.
We also see the hate coming full circle in other places. Though the United States was very happy to help arm the Socialist Negroes for their uprising in the Confederacy and create havoc, they are not welcoming to the black population at all. Factory workers who went off to fight in the South watched their jobs be taken over by former field hands and eventually see these same men who were shooting at them in the Red uprising handed a gun and a commission by their own Confederate government. How will the aristocracy who once flourished on the backs of the Negroes react? How will the disenfranchised white soldier returning from war react?
If there's one fault to the novels it's just how much they do jump around. For a casual reader, it's easy to get lost and not be able to follow all of the stories and remember who is doing what and where. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing so many different angles of the conflict. More than once, characters we have gotten to know in totally separate instances come together in The Great War: Breakthroughs on opposite sides. Who do I root for? I have come to like both people for different reasons.
We also don't know what's happening in the rest of the world during this time. I felt at times as isolated from the European continent as the soldiers did; they did not seem to have much of an idea of what was going on over there at various times. We are given quick snippets of information at times when it seems crucial to the story. I suppose with as many fronts as Turtledove is following, anything more would've made it a lot more confusing.
For the most part, Turtledove has kept his novels showing the war through the eyes of the common man, rather than pivotal historical figures. We have watched the Socialist Flora Hamburger rise from virtual obscurity to her own seat in the House of Representatives, but who has ever heard of this woman? With the notable exception of General Custer and President Theodore Roosevelt, we see just how much the war affect the average citizen; the average soldier.
The novel ends with many of the stories not wrapped up. Yet this is the end of the series... Turtledove, I believe, has become as enamored of the characters he developed as we have. There is another series about to begin: American Empire.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
The premise of the series is that the Confederacy won its bid for freedom during the Civil War, and for the third time in fifty years, they go head-to-head with the United States. This time is different: the United States has as its ally the powerful German and Austrian armies. The Confederacy is aligned with Canada, Great Britain, France and Russia (with the Japanese thrown in for a good skirmish every now and again).
After finishing the previous novel, The Great War: Walk in Hell, which felt like I was sitting through extra innings at a zero-zero baseball game, it was refreshing to finally see some movement in the war effort. Just who begins making the breakthroughs? Well, I won't spoil it for you.
Throughout the three novels in this series, Turtledove has woven a great selection of characters from all sides of the war. To really know them, a reader should start with the first novel of the series, or it will seem like they are not given depth here; the depth comes from the history we have of their involvement in the war over the last three years. Turtledove is not above sacrificing his characters - not everyone he began following in the first novel The Great War: American Front will survive. It would be unrealistic in many ways to expect this, yet I had become so attached to certain ones that I teared up at the news of their death - and was flooded with relief when one such interesting character manages to cheat death.
Turtledove describes with great detail the advent of the modern war machines. Tanks, or "barrels" as they are called here come to be a real deciding factor in who is victorious. Yet my favorite part was the description of the flying aces in their machines. The war evolves greatly during the novels - the flying aces remark on it often. And it is interesting to see how fast it has all changed and who has managed to capitalize on it the best.
The Canadians were starkly contrasted with each other as well. Though none were happy at the beginning of the war with the United States' invasion, the citizens of the eastern province of Quebec have a much different reaction than the residents of centrally-located Manitoba. Hate has also come full circle here as we see what happens when a very intelligent man loses a child and lashes out at the occupiers.
We also see the hate coming full circle in other places. Though the United States was very happy to help arm the Socialist Negroes for their uprising in the Confederacy and create havoc, they are not welcoming to the black population at all. Factory workers who went off to fight in the South watched their jobs be taken over by former field hands and eventually see these same men who were shooting at them in the Red uprising handed a gun and a commission by their own Confederate government. How will the aristocracy who once flourished on the backs of the Negroes react? How will the disenfranchised white soldier returning from war react?
If there's one fault to the novels it's just how much they do jump around. For a casual reader, it's easy to get lost and not be able to follow all of the stories and remember who is doing what and where. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing so many different angles of the conflict. More than once, characters we have gotten to know in totally separate instances come together in The Great War: Breakthroughs on opposite sides. Who do I root for? I have come to like both people for different reasons.
We also don't know what's happening in the rest of the world during this time. I felt at times as isolated from the European continent as the soldiers did; they did not seem to have much of an idea of what was going on over there at various times. We are given quick snippets of information at times when it seems crucial to the story. I suppose with as many fronts as Turtledove is following, anything more would've made it a lot more confusing.
For the most part, Turtledove has kept his novels showing the war through the eyes of the common man, rather than pivotal historical figures. We have watched the Socialist Flora Hamburger rise from virtual obscurity to her own seat in the House of Representatives, but who has ever heard of this woman? With the notable exception of General Custer and President Theodore Roosevelt, we see just how much the war affect the average citizen; the average soldier.
The novel ends with many of the stories not wrapped up. Yet this is the end of the series... Turtledove, I believe, has become as enamored of the characters he developed as we have. There is another series about to begin: American Empire.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Ghirardelli Makes the Best Brownie Mix on the Planet!
The best brownie mix I've ever found is Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix. It's even better than some home-made brownie recipes I've tried.
What makes Ghirardelli brownies so special? They have a very rich chocolate flavor that tastes like you're eating a candy bar rather than a piece of cake.Ghirardelli puts real chocolate chips in the mix which melt during the baking process and give it the rich taste. The texture is chewy. Though it is rather difficult to eat when hot since the brownie falls apart, waiting for them to cool is the ultimate anticipation.
These brownies are exactly like the ones served at the Ghirardelli stores. Those usually come with frosting, but I haven't found the need to put frosting on the brownies I bake at home. They are rich enough and delicious enough without the frosting.
Each package of Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix will make approximately 16 brownies in a square pan. There are four batches of mix in the box I purchase at BJs Wholesale Club. The cost is $8.99 for that box, or about $2 more than other brownie mixes.
The mix is easy enough that my two older girls get together and make it themselves.
Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Blend 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup vegetable oil and 1 egg in a medium bowl. Add brownie mix and stir until moistened (about 40 strokes). Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes. Do not overbake. Fresh-baked brownies appear underbaked but cool to doneness. Cool completely in pan before cutting.
Because the mix contains real chocolate chips, you have to be careful where you store the box of mix. Above 85 degrees, the chocolate can melt.
Ingredients: sugar, enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folate), chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, natural cocoa, wheat starch, cocoa (processed with alkali), salt, artificial flavor, sodium bicarbonate, natural butter flavor.
Nutritional Information: (prepared)
Serving Size: 1 2-inch brownie
Calories: 200
Calories from Fat: 80
Total Fat: 4.5 g 14% daily value
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g 13% daily value
Cholesterol: 0 mg. 7% daily value
Sodium: 130 mg 5% daily value
Total Carbohydrates: 27 g 9% daily value
Dietary Fiber: less than 1 g 3% daily value
Sugars: 21 g
Protein: 1 g
Vitamin A: 0 %
Vitamin C: 0 %
Calcium: 0 %
Iron: 6 %
What makes Ghirardelli brownies so special? They have a very rich chocolate flavor that tastes like you're eating a candy bar rather than a piece of cake.Ghirardelli puts real chocolate chips in the mix which melt during the baking process and give it the rich taste. The texture is chewy. Though it is rather difficult to eat when hot since the brownie falls apart, waiting for them to cool is the ultimate anticipation.
These brownies are exactly like the ones served at the Ghirardelli stores. Those usually come with frosting, but I haven't found the need to put frosting on the brownies I bake at home. They are rich enough and delicious enough without the frosting.
Each package of Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix will make approximately 16 brownies in a square pan. There are four batches of mix in the box I purchase at BJs Wholesale Club. The cost is $8.99 for that box, or about $2 more than other brownie mixes.
The mix is easy enough that my two older girls get together and make it themselves.
Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Blend 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup vegetable oil and 1 egg in a medium bowl. Add brownie mix and stir until moistened (about 40 strokes). Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes. Do not overbake. Fresh-baked brownies appear underbaked but cool to doneness. Cool completely in pan before cutting.
Because the mix contains real chocolate chips, you have to be careful where you store the box of mix. Above 85 degrees, the chocolate can melt.
Ingredients: sugar, enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folate), chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, natural cocoa, wheat starch, cocoa (processed with alkali), salt, artificial flavor, sodium bicarbonate, natural butter flavor.
Nutritional Information: (prepared)
Serving Size: 1 2-inch brownie
Calories: 200
Calories from Fat: 80
Total Fat: 4.5 g 14% daily value
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g 13% daily value
Cholesterol: 0 mg. 7% daily value
Sodium: 130 mg 5% daily value
Total Carbohydrates: 27 g 9% daily value
Dietary Fiber: less than 1 g 3% daily value
Sugars: 21 g
Protein: 1 g
Vitamin A: 0 %
Vitamin C: 0 %
Calcium: 0 %
Iron: 6 %
Lake Lure, NC is a Great Vacation Location for Families and Golfers
Having not seen some people we know in quite a few years, we decided to use our timeshare week to trade into the area where they lived, Lake Lure, NC.
We stayed at the Foxrun Townhouses at the Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort. They are nice two bedroom houses on the side of a mountain. The houses have one bedroom (twin beds), a bathroom, the full kitchen, and a living/dining area on the top floor with a deck off of the living/dining area. There are three huge windows which let a tremendous amount of light in, as well as a skylight. There is also a fireplace for burning duraflame logs during the cooler months.
The bottom floor consisted of a bedroom with a huge king bed, and a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub. There is another deck off of the bedroom. I found this room to be much darker than the upstairs.
The Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort is tremendous - and that is it's one drawback. Just to get from our townhouse to the lake or pool we had to get into our minivan and drive. The outdoor pool was fairly large and went from 3 feet deep to 9 feet 6 inches deep. There is a smaller pool and jacuzzi indoors at the recreation center, as well as a game room. At the recreation center, you can also rent equipment for the mini-golf and tennis that is in the same area. The lake has a sandy beach and a decent bottom for a good portion of the way out. There is no sudden drop-offs so it is safe for kids.
Living up to it's name, the Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort has two golf courses. One is right at the resort itself and the other is a short distance away at the Apple Valley Country Club. There is also a driving range at the resort. Nearby is a third golf course - a public one run by the town of Lake Lure itself. The time of year we went, many of the local children are already headed back to school. There was an abundance of senior golfers enjoying the resort. Some of the villas are right on the course. Though there are paths winding through the fairway, they are strictly for the golfers and golf carts. Bicycles are allowed on the roads and on some of the other paths.
There are two restaurants, Legends Restaurant (grill with burgers and sandwiches for lunch and entrees in the evening) and The Lakeview Restaurant(more formal dining) in the Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort. Azalea's is nearby at the Apple Valley Country Club and Paul's (Italian dining) is nearby as well.
We ventured into the actual town of Lake Lure a few times. One was to eat atLarkin's on the Lake. It was packed that night and we ended up being served downstairs in the Bayfront Bar and Grill. Service was slow and the food was just okay. There are three other restaurants we saw locally. The Cajun Pig is dedicated to barbecue and cajun fare. Margaritaville is right across from the beach in the town of Lake Lure and is casual dining. Point of View is a more upscale restaurant not too far from the resort.
Despite having a beach right by us, we decided to check out the beach in the town of Lake Lure as well. This beach costs $4 to get on, but there is also aWater Works Play Area available at additional charge. The Water Worksconsists of a water play area, a water balloon launching area (one bucket comes with admission, additional buckets of balloons are $1), and two water slides.
Other attractrions in the area include horseback riding and gemstone mining.Chimney Rock Park is also nearby with spectacular views as well as hiking trails.
What is not in the area is a grocery store. The nearest one was over 20 miles away. The little market was super expensive, so I'd advise either purchasing groceries before you arrive or plan to take a morning out of your vacation for grocery shopping.
We spent most of our vacation swimming, but my kids are looking forward to visiting the area again. I am looking forward to putting their golf courses to the test once my kids are a bit older. There is a children's program at the resort, as well as a Kid's Night Out several nights each week during the season.
We stayed at the Foxrun Townhouses at the Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort. They are nice two bedroom houses on the side of a mountain. The houses have one bedroom (twin beds), a bathroom, the full kitchen, and a living/dining area on the top floor with a deck off of the living/dining area. There are three huge windows which let a tremendous amount of light in, as well as a skylight. There is also a fireplace for burning duraflame logs during the cooler months.
The bottom floor consisted of a bedroom with a huge king bed, and a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub. There is another deck off of the bedroom. I found this room to be much darker than the upstairs.
The Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort is tremendous - and that is it's one drawback. Just to get from our townhouse to the lake or pool we had to get into our minivan and drive. The outdoor pool was fairly large and went from 3 feet deep to 9 feet 6 inches deep. There is a smaller pool and jacuzzi indoors at the recreation center, as well as a game room. At the recreation center, you can also rent equipment for the mini-golf and tennis that is in the same area. The lake has a sandy beach and a decent bottom for a good portion of the way out. There is no sudden drop-offs so it is safe for kids.
Living up to it's name, the Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort has two golf courses. One is right at the resort itself and the other is a short distance away at the Apple Valley Country Club. There is also a driving range at the resort. Nearby is a third golf course - a public one run by the town of Lake Lure itself. The time of year we went, many of the local children are already headed back to school. There was an abundance of senior golfers enjoying the resort. Some of the villas are right on the course. Though there are paths winding through the fairway, they are strictly for the golfers and golf carts. Bicycles are allowed on the roads and on some of the other paths.
There are two restaurants, Legends Restaurant (grill with burgers and sandwiches for lunch and entrees in the evening) and The Lakeview Restaurant(more formal dining) in the Lake Lure Golf & Beach Resort. Azalea's is nearby at the Apple Valley Country Club and Paul's (Italian dining) is nearby as well.
We ventured into the actual town of Lake Lure a few times. One was to eat atLarkin's on the Lake. It was packed that night and we ended up being served downstairs in the Bayfront Bar and Grill. Service was slow and the food was just okay. There are three other restaurants we saw locally. The Cajun Pig is dedicated to barbecue and cajun fare. Margaritaville is right across from the beach in the town of Lake Lure and is casual dining. Point of View is a more upscale restaurant not too far from the resort.
Despite having a beach right by us, we decided to check out the beach in the town of Lake Lure as well. This beach costs $4 to get on, but there is also aWater Works Play Area available at additional charge. The Water Worksconsists of a water play area, a water balloon launching area (one bucket comes with admission, additional buckets of balloons are $1), and two water slides.
Other attractrions in the area include horseback riding and gemstone mining.Chimney Rock Park is also nearby with spectacular views as well as hiking trails.
What is not in the area is a grocery store. The nearest one was over 20 miles away. The little market was super expensive, so I'd advise either purchasing groceries before you arrive or plan to take a morning out of your vacation for grocery shopping.
We spent most of our vacation swimming, but my kids are looking forward to visiting the area again. I am looking forward to putting their golf courses to the test once my kids are a bit older. There is a children's program at the resort, as well as a Kid's Night Out several nights each week during the season.
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