Midsomer Murder Spree!

Okay, I admit it, I've been wasting a lot of time lately watching more than my fair share of television on my computer. I just love the heretofore incredible idea of having a whole season (or more) of a show at my beck and call. Who knew computers could be this much fun?MIDSOMER MURDERS is not the best murder mystery series ever conceived, but it sure is the most picturesque. Every episode is filmed in some gorgeous area of England - indoors...

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Happy Birthday, Mark Twain!

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."*********************Samuel L. Clemens aka Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)  was born 176 years ago today. I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate by reminding you of a wonderful Star Trek The Next Generation two-part episode in which the crew travels back in time and Twain makes an appearance. What's more, he helps to save Commander Data AND spends some time aboard the Enterprise....

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'll Be Reading This Winter...

Well, you know there will be many more, but let's just keep it at ten for now. Top Ten Tuesday is the weekly meme hosted by the gals at THE BROKE AND THE BOOKISH. Each week there's a new topic and new lists. Don't forget to check in and see what other Top Ten Books other bloggers are talking about today.**********************1) 11/22/63 by Stephen KingI'll probably be reading this next, since its sitting here glaring at me. A time traveler tries...

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Tuesday's Overlooked (or Forgotten) Films: BITE THE BULLET (1975) starring Gene Hackman, James Coburn, Candace Bergen and Ben Johnson.

Tuesday is Overlooked (or Forgotten) Film day, a weekly meme hosted by Todd Mason over at his blog, SWEET FREEDOM. Don't forget to check in later and see what other overlooked films other bloggers are posting about today.BITE THE BULLET (1975)I'd seen this great western in a movie theater many years ago and only vaguely remembered how good it was. Watching it again the other night was a real treat. The film reminded me (if I needed another reminder),...

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Window Dressing...

I'm doing some window dressing today. Getting the blog ready for the holidays. Please bear with me. I'm almost finished. Let me know if you like the result. (Or no...

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Cyber Daze

Another shopping frenzy day - this time from the comfort of your computer.(Though I admit I do miss my adventures at the mall. Ah, the good old days of staggering back to the car under the weight of six or seven shopping bags full of goodies.)Or if you'd rather not shop, but are still in a cyber sort of mood - how about a movie or two in which computers play a significant part?...or, of course, there's alwa...

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Monday Review: BLOODHOUNDS by Peter Lovesey

The nicely designed Soho edition.In case you didn't suspect, I am a fan of Lovesey's Peter Diamond series set in the gorgeous city of Bath, England. My favorite of the books is THE HOUSE SITTER, which I consider one of the best crime novels of all time.I wasn't happy with this year's entry, STAGE STRUCK, and I know I'm in the minority on that one. But that won't stop me reading the next or even going back and reading those that I missed the first...

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Saturday Salon: A Favorite Painting or Two.....or Three!

Self-portrait in Straw HatDetailMadame Mole-RaymondLady Folding A Letter (Comtesse de Ceres)Yolande-Gabrielle-MartMarie AntoinetteMarie AntoinetteThe Duchess of CaderousseMadame DuBarryAlexander Charles Emmanuel de Crussol FlorensacEmpress Yelitzavita-AlekseyevnaSelf-portrait with daughter.Portrait of a Young Woman.Theresa, Countess Kinsky (Detail)Charles Alexander de CalonneComtesse de la CharteSelf-portrait.Self-portrait (Detail)Marie-Louise-Elizabeth...

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