- The Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer
- Stacking the Shelves hosted by Reading Reality
- The Sunday Salon hosted by Readerbuzz
Jump to: Update | Reading Watching Update | Last Week on the Blog | This Week on the Blog | QOTD
Update 🐾
I’ve always had a green thumb, but now that we have our own home, I am a lawn fanatic as well. Things I would have never been interested in before now fascinate me so much! Aeration, grass seed, weed killer, weed whacking. Like, who am I?
I used to take care of a garden when I was an undergraduate student. My parents invested in a home that I resided in during that time. My mother is an impressive gardener, truly. Her landscaping is inspired by Butchart Gardens, so while obviously not as extensive, her garden has always been a little piece of heaven to retreat to during the summer months. I’ve learned so much from her. Below is an image of Butchart Gardens for your reference. Such a beautiful source of inspiration!
Thankfully, our current garden is quite small but we are just getting started. We have a home that was built in 2017, and the landscaping is fresh, clean, and modern. Although I have lots of plans to spruce it up, I am going to be starting with baby steps. That means, doing a thorough pressure washing of our walkways and home exterior, revitalizing the lawn, setting up the garden beds, washing and staining our deck. All of those exciting preparation steps.
On another note, I’ve been making lots of banana/berry smoothies lately. And my partner discovered something amazing. If you just add frozen bananas to a bowl, add some almond butter (or peanut butter, if preferred), and just eat those two together, they are a delicious, cold Spring snack! It’s been a go-to all week. Especially since, for some reason, I have lost my appetite. So having these meals that are still fun and easy to put together has been a great help.
Happy Spring, everyone!
Reading/Watching Update
Currently Reading
Title: Alérgica A Pessoas (PT Edition)
Author: Sara Andersen
Publisher: Desrotina
Release Date: September 18th, 2025
Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon – Livro 1 (PT Edition)
Author: Naoko Takeuchi; Translation: Arnaldo Massato Oka
Publisher: Distrito Manga
Release Date: October, 2025
Title: Vincent (PT Edition)
Author: Barbara Stok
Publisher: Iguana
Release Date: February 1, 2026
Finished Reading
I finished quite a few short books this week! I will post my reviews closer to publication date, but for now just know that I typically enjoyed them all very much and they should all be on your list if you enjoy comics and illustrated cat books.
Title: A Viagem do Gato Zen / The Cat Who Taught Zen
Author: James Norbury
Star Rating: 5
Review:
ENG
I loved this book so much! This book was about a cat who is looking for a tree that he’s been told will give him an overflowing sense of peace. Along the way, he makes many friends and gives them advice on how to lead a more tranquil life, though it’s not always easy to put this into practice.
PT
Adorei este livro! É sobre um gato que está à procura de um árvore para se sentir mais em paz. Descobre vários amigos e dá-lhes conselhos para vivirem uma vida mais tranquila, embora isso não seja fácil. Simplesmente adorei <3
Title: I’m Still Here
Author: A Cat’s Purpose Forever
Release Date: September 8, 2026
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (Thank you for this ARC! Review to come)
Title: Mobu’s Diary: Earning Your Paté
Author: Kathy Lam
Release Date: September 22, 2026
Publisher: Andrew McMeels Publishing (Thank you for this ARC!)
Title: Milk & Mocha
Author: Melani Sie
Release Date: June 23rd, 2026
Publisher: Andrew McMeels Publishing (Thank you for this ARC!)
Title: A Gray Cat Wanders: New Poems About our Animal Friends
Author: Karla Kuskin, Leonard Marcus (Compiler), Marcellus Hall (Illustrator)
Publisher: Wordsong (Thank you for this ARC!)
Release Date: August 4th, 2026
New to my shelf
Title: Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known
Author: Scott Simon, Liana Finck (Illustrator)
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (Thank you to LibroFM for this ALC!)
Release Date: May 5th, 2026
Title: Notes on Love: Poems and Photography
Author: F.S. Yousaf
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (Thank you for the ARC!)
Release Date: June 2nd, 2026
Title: Hallowed Bones
Author: Lucy Smoke
Publisher: SMP (Thank you for this ARC!)
Release Date: October 6th, 2026
Just Watched
No films this week! However, we are finally going to watch Project Hail Mary this weekend. I’m so excited!
Currently Watching
Title: The Testaments
Thoughts: Still enjoying this series! Though, the further we go in the more disturbing it gets. This is typical of The Handmaid’s Tale. Difficult to watch, but so important. Not very many people I know watch The Testaments, so if you are please let me know below!
Title: From
Thoughts: Another disturbing show! Sometimes I question if there will be any pay off and so far, there’s like some answers but it’s not as rewarding as I would like it to be haha. It’s so depressing. But, I really love Harold Perrineau – he adds dashes of humour and is such a great actor. And I really love Jade as a character. Again, I don’t know many people watching this series so if you are, let me know!
Title: Big Mistakes
Thoughts: It has its funny moments! But honestly … I preferred Schitt’s Creek. Only a couple more episodes left until Season 1 is complete! It’s very, very silly. But come on, it’s Dan Levy, so of course I’m watching it.
Last Week on the blog
This Week on the blog
- Top Ten Tuesdays
- The Sunday Post #28
QOTD: How are you doing?
I love Butchart gardens -such an inspiration. I love smoothies too and apple slices with peanut butter. Have a great Victoria Day weekend Sara.
Thank you! Yes, the gardens are wonderful!
Me! I’m watching The Testaments. I’m about to watch Episode 6 – Stadium. Loving it so far!!!
Adding Butchart Gardens to my bucket list. I was on their website looking at how to get there from Seattle and getting there will be half the fun!!!! I’m thinking Amtrak from L.A. to Seattle and then the ferry to Victoria and then the bus.
So happy to heat that you are enjoying The Testaments! I can’t wait for the next episode!
A trip to Victoria sounds awesome. The ferry isn’t terribly long, but I’ve only taken it from Van. I really like it. think you’d have a great time!
Buchart Garden is beautiful! We have a small garden space in our new place (I am thankful it’s small). But I can’t get started until the renovations are done. Here’s to your new found interest in grass care!
Happy gardening! Hopefully the renovations won’t be terribly long!
What an amazing garden for inspiration! We have lived in our house for forty-one years (!) and we are just now working on the gardens in front of the house. We are focusing on native plants that attract pollinators. I’m fascinated with the books you read last week.
Wow, that’s amazing! Happy gardneing, Deb!
I loved Big Mistakes! While I love to sit out and enjoy the flowers and butterflies, I just want to sit and read so I have a landscaping company refresh each spring and buy hanging flower baskets 😀
That’s so cute – I just saw a few butterflies today. They like to hang out in our shrubs!
Such a good idea – next year I will get a landscaping refresh. For SURE hahaha.
Milk and Mocha are ADORABLE 🙂 Hope you enjoyed it. I also love Sara Andersen. Have a great week.
They are such cuties! And yes, Sarah Andersen books are a must read for me!
Enjoy your week!
Your smoothies and snack sound yummy! I am not a green thumb or plant kind of person. I hated mowing when I first moved out of my townhome where maintenance was provided and into my home I’m currently in. But now I kind of at least look forward to doing it as exercise and don’t hate it anymore. But I don’t want to do any weeding, so still need to hire someone to help clean up some of the things that come back every summer. Hope you have a good week!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/05/17/weekly-wrap-up-may-17th-2026/
Yes, it’s definitely exercise!! Hiring someone to do some weeding in cleanup would be ideal.
Have a great week ahead!
Have fun with your gardening plans. My mother has a degree in horticulture but I can’t keep a plant alive to save my life!
Thanks for sharing your week
Oh wow, a degree in horticulture sounds so cool! I hope she loved it.
Thanks for stopping by!
We planted a few things in fabric pots this year. We are renting a house so we can’t plant in the yard, but we are hopeful. We have already enjoyed the basil and oregano. Have a great week!
Oh I love fresh herbs! That sounds amazing!
Hope you have a great week as well, Cindy!
All those cute cat books!! And that treat does sound really good.
It’s been a very catty week! Haha.
I love being able to get outside and garden. I’m good at growing plants. But grass is not my forte.
Butchart Gardens are lovely. You have me wanting to make smoothies now! Have a great week!
Lol… you’ll have to avert your eyes if I ever get around to posting pics of our lawn – it’s more of a repositary for almost every weed we have in the garden:)). I’m fond of peanut butter and banana sandwiches anyway, so the idea of losing the bread is probably a good one. Have a great week.
Oh I haven’t had a nut butter/banana sandwich, I’ll need to try that!
Have a great week!
Those books look so good. I hope you enjoy them. Have a great week!
Thanks, they really do! Have a great week!
You should go work in my garden! This looks wonderful adn I hope you have a grand time!