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Blogging from A to Z April Challenge: Container Garden
Y’all, I have turned into a full-fledged {container} gardener courtesy of TikTok. I’ve wanted to start a garden for years but I was hesitant to dig up my yard and fail, then I stumbled across container gardening and thought that met my needs. Container gardening is just what it sounds like, growing your garden in containers. But before I did anything, I did a deep dive on TikTok to find out what I needed to do to get started. According to the USDA Hardiness Zone Map, I live in Zone 9a, which means our average minimal temperature is 20 to 30 degrees. Knowing this information lets me know which plants…
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Blogging from A to Z April Challenge: Boots on the Ground Line Dance
Y’all, my daughter and my grandchildren have me learning the Boots on the Ground Line Dance. I am perhaps the most uncoordinated, rhythmless person you’d ever want to meet. But I’m going to do it. And they’re going to record it. I’m about to make myself an internet laughing stock to amuse my family. My daughter sent me a link to a tutorial by Bizzy Boom. She used this tutorial to learn the dance, so she figured it’d be easy for me to learn too. I’m happy she has so much faith in me. LOL For reference, because I’m a librarian, here’s some background information on the song and the…
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Blogging from A to Z April Challenge: Artful Agenda, Almost a Year Later
As the blogger and photographer behind Living Outside the Stacks, I independently select and write about stuff I love and things I think you’ll enjoy too. Living Outside the Stacks has affiliate and advertising partnerships so I get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase. Thank you for your support. I have always been a planner girl. In fact, my daughter reminded me this morning of how I used to carry around a purple snake skin planner with a bunch of little tabbies and sticky notes poking out. I used different colored ink pens to differentiate between my family, school, and personal calendars. I also doodled in the…
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{Audiobook Review} The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick, Narrated by Lisa Flanagan
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for providing me with a free copy of this book for review. As an undergraduate, I had a wonderful English professor who introduced me to vintage chick lit. Though the term “chick lit” can be used derisively, I use it to refer to literature written by, for, and about women. In this course, I read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, so a book about a women’s book club centered around Friedan’s work naturally grabbed my interest. I’m happy that I was selected as a reviewer, as this novel is everything I hoped it’d be. BOOK DETAILS Title: The Book Club for Troublesome…
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March 10 on the 10th: Let’s Celebrate Pi!
I cannot believe we’re turning 52 today. Yes, I said “we.” There are two of me. You can see pictures of my twin sister and me here and here. Or you can read about our birth story here {Long story short: we’re 45 minutes apart, Shontel was born in the back of a police car and I was born at the hospital door}. We like to say we’re nothing alike, but I think we’ve become a little more similar as we’ve gotten older. Our style has certainly become a little more in tune. She used to be very glam, now she’s a little more eclectic. Still glam but with a…
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February 2025 Wrap-Up
Hey, y’all, hey! How are things going? I know I’m late with last month’s wrap-up but I’ve had a hard time sitting down long enough to get this post written. It feels like by the time I get home, get the dogs fed, and make dinner, it’s time for bed. Do you feel that way too? I need more hours in the day. Even though I know I probably wouldn’t use them to relax or do something fun. deep sigh What would you do if you had extra hours? WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED My Bingo Card hasn’t changed at all since last month, still I accomplished a lot. Mostly work stuff,…
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52 Week Project 2025: Weeks 5-8
I didn’t really have a theme in mind when I started this project, I’d just planned to take photos when I got a chance and share my weekly fave. However, this month started with me processing an image of Bleu in black and white and thinking, hey, why not continue the black and white processing through the rest of the month? Black and white images have always been some of my favorites because they allow you to project your emotion onto the image depending upon your mood, the clarity of the image, the shadows and lights. Week 5 I took this snap of Bleu while she was sitting in one…
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February 10 on the 10th: Would You Rather, Valentine’s Day Edition
I’m a week late, but here it is, my contribution to this month’s 10 on the 10th, the Valentine’s Day edition. THE PROMPT: Would you rather… Would you rather celebrate Valentine’s Day at a cozy restaurant or at home cozied up in your favorite jammies? Give me a pair of cozy jammies any day. I hate being cold and going outside in February {even in Louisiana} means you may be dealing with frigid temps. I want my flannels, fuzzy socks, and a cozy blanket. Would you rather eat Red Velvet Cake or wear red velvet? If you’ve been around here before, you know I love myself some velvet {for proof,…
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{Book Review} Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review. This book cover is absolutely stunning. The vibrant flower crown and the model’s lovely brown complexion beautifully capture the essence of the story within, which centers around Black women and the integral role of flowers and herbs. The model’s serene expression is so tranquil, it’s as if I can almost hear her gentle exhale. The cover provides a nice introduction to the stories of Queen Luella, Mother Rita, and Nikki. BOOK DETAILS Title: Happy Land Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez Publisher: Berkley Publication Date: 8 April 2025 Genre: Historical Fiction, Popular Fiction Format: Paperback Pages:…
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January 2025 Wrap-Up
Did 2025 have the worst beginning ever or what? And it seems to be spiraling towards the ground at a dizzying pace. Part of me wants to totally check out, but the other part of me knows I need to pay attention. I also refuse to be held hostage by the crazy that pops off every single day. I plan to focus on the things that are important to me: my faith, my family and community, and free and open access to information in all of its forms. I will protect my peace and I’d advise you to do the same. We cannot allow ourselves to become overwhelmed or complacent,…
