While we traditionally recommend a weekend read, we thought a roundup of places for free ebooks, audiobooks and yes, even magazines, might be more helpful. Many have their own apps for reading on a variety of devices. Here are some of our favorites: Scribd, the world’s largest digital library, is …
I learned to really love crafting years ago when a family vacation at the lake came with terrible weather. First was the rain and lightning, then the tornado warnings that kept us inside for most of the week. Distractions weren’t as plentiful as they are today – no internet, cable or videogames – but …
In honor of baseball’s spring training I recommend The Resisters by Gish Jen. In a post-new world order called Auto-America, much of the country is under water and divided into two classes: The Netters, fair-skinned people living on higher ground and afforded life’s luxuries and The Surplus, mostly copper-toned people …
Don’t let the premise deter you. Dear Edward is a beautifully written novel that deftly moves the reader between heartbreak and hope in the aftermath of unspeakable tragedy. Twelve-year-old Edward is the only survivor of a horrific plane crash that takes the lives of 191 people, including his parents and …
It’s Girl Scout cookie season, and we couldn’t be happier. The behemoth fundraiser for the Girl Scouts of America sells some 200 million boxes of cookies each year, generating $700 million in sales. Today it’s a high-tech operation, but the fundraiser began in the way you’d expect: with a few …
Today is the first day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. We’re very bad at menorah-lighting in my house, where we celebrate both Jewish and Christian holidays. But we try. Every year we google the proper order for lighting the candles, the menorah shining brightly against the explosion of Christmas …
And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight “Merry Christmas to all. Next stop Davis Street.” For years I’ve watched news reports of Chicago’s CTA Holiday Train, the cars zipping through Chicago lit with thousands of festive holiday lights. Sightings of the train in person eluded me, …
In honor of Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, we are reposting our most popular post from last year. This adorable photo of my nieces and nephews from years ago was gifted to family and friends. It took days before I spotted an unfortunate folding on one of the Mountain Country sweaters. …
Ah, the confections of Christmas. Arriving shortly after we’re done arguing the merits of Halloween candy corn (the correct answer: yuck) these sugary, chocolatey and marshmallowy treats scream HOLIDAY. They tempt us from every store shelf, their tree and star and Santa shapes beckoning to us under their festive foil …
My name is Cathi, and I’m a non-recovering Christmas tree-aholic. This time of year I spend most of my days placing Christmas trees of all sizes around the house, each of them decorated according to a well-chosen theme. The tree above is my actual family tree, created from the boxes …