Books. . . because it's Winter and Winter is Wintering

I don't watch the news often, but we do try and listen to the weather report if we can.  

We are dipping into another very cold, cold spell here.  The news is warning us that the temperatures could dip as low as -25°F with the windchill (the forecast changes hourly).  Not only that, but they are predicting snowfall in abundance.  The snow expected could be 10 inches and up in areas here.  The weather predicted, is said to last another week.  They are calling the weather "Mother Nature's Fury."

The snow does not concern us, as much as the sub-zero temperatures do.  

We have been to town to re-stock a few items, but typically we avoid town when people are panic shopping (thank you news people).  We were low on chicken feed and a few other necessary items.

Now...about books.  First, I have had very little reading time if you can believe it.  When your house is 6 weeks behind in cleaning and what not, there is no problem with staying "busy" around here.  Talk about Better Crocker meets Mr. Clean, ha ha!

 Not very often do I really have the motivation/interest in reading a memoir.  Back in February of 2025, we went to a concert by the Righteous Brothers.  It was a farewell type tour, with Bill Medley and a new singer with him (as Bobby passed away).  I purchased the memoir book, written by Bill Medley and Mike Marino.  I had put it on the shelf, and literally just forgot I bought it (happens to those who buy too many books, ha ha!). 

I decided to read it, and make a change in my typical genre, and give it a whirl.  It was definitely a "palate cleanser" as far as a change in genre.  I really liked this book.  It was very interesting.

Fun facts I learned?  The Righteous Brothers were not actually brothers, and how they got their name was....well, you'll have to read the book to find out.  Very, very interesting book, and I'm keeping this one.  My kids would never understand, nor be interested in it anyway, but boy I enjoyed this book from the very first page.

(I have not yet crocheted my granny square for this book)

I added these two to my homesteading bookshelf.  The first one states it is for beginners, but it has recipes that I want to try, that I have not seen in other herb garden growing books.  the second, is packed with recipes, and I cannot wait to dig into it.

Side note:  I have two tea stores on my visit list. One store is newer, but both will be new-to-me.  They will require travel, so hence waiting for better weather.

I'm still a coffee gal, but tea is still interesting and has never ending knowledge to learn.

Not to leave our little tiny, local library out of the loop of business....

I think I have about 6 or 7 books out of the library right now.  Most are on recipes with different mushrooms, and a few on more herbal tea recipes.  I am reading recipes that use a variety of mushrooms, that we have yet to try.  We have a resource for locally grown mushrooms now, and learning to cook with more mushroom options is one of my "learn something new" subjects this year.

Do you cook with Lion's Mane mushrooms?  Shiitake?  Oyster?  I'm told shitake will freeze well in homemade mushroom soup, but I have yet to try them.  Have you grown your own mushrooms?

A bit boring of a post for most, I am guessing, but when it's polar bear weather the "what's going on" slows way down.  The chickens, however, are still laying eggs for us.

Meanwhile, we'll be bundling up, hunkering down, and getting ready to clear all that predicted snow.  

Nothing like putting on 15 layers to leave the house.  One year, it was so cold, I had to wear snowmobile goggles to go outside to water/feed the goats and the chickens.  The cold hurt my eyes that badly.

Books . . .because it's Winter and Winter is Wintering  ©  January 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart