Cross-Country Skiing in Velké Karlovice, Czech Republic

Here I am a few weeks ago, cross-country skiing for the first time in many years.  Well, I guess I'm not actually skiing here.  This is one of the steep parts where I would have needed a lot more skill, experience, and confidence to actually ski.  So I walked.  

And here I am actually on the skis:

Some of the scenery I got to see (bits of blue sky!!!):

And the snowbear I helped make afterwards:

The pile of skis in the bus home.  I wasn't the only one who thought cross-country skiing would be good that day.  This was just a regular bus that goes between towns, but you would have thought it was a shuttle in a ski resort.  People were happy, laughing together.  What a great day.

I went about 13 km, however, which was too much for my first time in years.  It uses very different muscles than hiking.  I think my technique is very bad, because at the end, I was like, "Hiking that far would have been far easier."

I hope I get another chance this season.   

Frozen Bečva River

This was the Bečva in mid January, when it froze solid enough that people cleared rectangular patches of snow and played ice hockey on it.

You can see the traces of a hockey rink here:

2024 Reading Challenge

Okay, so this is a year overdue, but I only realized now that I never posted a summary for my 2024 reading list, which I really enjoy doing. 

First, a few stats:  

Total books read in 2024:  50

70% were fiction

38% of the novels were middle-grade (the consequences of working at a library and seeing so many great books in the children's section)

Again, one of my biggest non-fiction categories was Grand Canyon books, followed closely by history/bio/memoir, animals, and language/writing.

Best/most memorable books: (And because I'm writing this in 2026, these book really stood out for me)

How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims.  Slow-burn thriller taking place mostly in a library.

The Last Human, by Lee Bacon.  Middle-grade science fiction with reluctant friendships.

It Happened at Grand Canyon, by Todd R Berger.  Interesting non-fiction accounts of specific events through history at the Grand Canyon.

The Last One, by Will Dean.  A cruise ship where everyone has disappeared.  A great survival thriller until it sort of went off the rails.  

Five Epic Disasters, by Lauren Tarshis.  Very readable non-fiction disaster tales for kids.

49 Miles Alone, by Natalie D. Richards.  A tense YA survival thriller.

The Secret Language of Birds, by Lynne Kelly.  A warm middle-grade contemporary novel...with birds.

Of a Feather, by Dayna Lorentz.  A warm middle-grade contemporary novel...with birds.  And no, that wasn't a mistake.  I for some reason read these back to back, and enjoyed both.

The Memory Palace, by Nate DiMeo.  Hands down the best book of the year:  short non-fiction accounts of strange historical people or happenings, based on the author's podcast.  

2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge

This year I didn't complete my Goodreads reading challenge goal of 50 books, but I read 33 and listened to 10.

Some interesting book stats:

Fiction was only 60%, the second-lowest percentage since I've been keeping track.  

Of that, about 27% were science fiction or fantasy (mostly fantasy).  Of those, my favorite was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V.E. Schwab, about a young woman who no one can remember once she's out of their sight.  Really cool premise.  I also really enjoyed The Loss of the Burying Ground, by J Anderson Coats, a YA novel of that rare and wonderful genre that's basically historical fiction of a place that never existed--like fantasy with no magic or supernatural elements.   

About 15% were historical fiction.  My favorite was The Lost Passenger, by Frances Quinn, about a woman and her son who survived the sinking of the Titanic and took the opportunity to escape their old lives.  

Other favorites:

 -Stranded, by Melinda Braun.   A YA survival tale. 

-Tell Me an Ending, by Jo Harkin.  A sci-fi story about people paying to have memories removed.

-None of This is True, by Lisa Jewell.  A creepy sort of women's fiction thriller.

-Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng.  A really well written, character-driven story that takes place just long enough ago to feel not quite contemporary.

-The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett.  Clever and creative comedic fantasy by the king of comedic fantasy.

Nonfiction:

As with most years, the largest percentage (47%) were related to animals.  My favorite was a memoir by a woman who runs an animal rescue farm:  Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals, by Laurie Zaleski.  I also really enjoyed Vanishing Treasures:  A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures, by Katherine Rundell.  

I also read (or listened to) three book about thru-hikes (though they were all larger in scope than just the backpacking):  A Walk in the Park, by Kevin Fedarko (Grand Canyon), The Man Who Walked Through Time, by Colin Fletcher (Grand Canyon), and Wild, by Cheryl Strayed (Pacific Coast Trail).  

Winter Wonderland

January happiness in the Beskydy Mountains in the Czech Republic:

Night Snow

This was from a few weeks ago, walking home from playing games with friends.  I was so happy that the snow was back.  I took a few extra laps of the park just to enjoy it, then did a bit of "sledding" by just sitting down on my long winter coat.  I love snow.  You can see the snow falling as vertical white lines in the picture.  :)

A Wintery True Story of Mine in Short Reads

If you want a heartwarming little tale for Christmas, I have one for you.  It took place near Flagstaff, Arizona, and be warned:  snow is involved.  

Read it here:

"To the Young Couple Building a Snowman on the Aspen Loop" on Short Reads