Tag Archive: horses



The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children, #6)The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my second “read.” I just listened on Audible. This time, I was less enchanted. I felt it was repetitive, repeating so many stories from the previous books. I wouldn’t say I liked Jondalar and got mad at Ayla several times. And the Zelandoni (I’m not sure how to spell the one that relates to the first one–Audible) didn’t seem the wisest of women either. And the grand adventures of the past books weren’t there. But it was fun to live in the story just a little longer. But I wasn’t as gooey as I was in my previous read. The review from a few years ago is below.

It is the times, my attitudes of now and then? I didn’t feel the same this time.

~~~
Why did I have to read these so fast? Now, there are no more cave-bear books.

Sandra Burr. Listen to her performance of these books if you get the chance.

I feel I have already reviewed this series. Before I reread them, I will try to find pictures of the places, the caves, and the types of people these books are about. It would be cool if Jean M. Auel could write a companion picture book. I must admit to having my curiosity piqued about the prehistoric times when womyn were warriors. I am glad that the author spent so much time researching these stories. Her knowledge of the geography, flora, and fauna made the world of Ayla come to life.

If you haven’t read these yet, you owe it to yourself. If you have, trek back to the Caves.

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The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children, #5)The Shelters of Stone by Jean M. Auel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Below is a previous and better review than the one my tired mind can express at this time of night. It includes all the praises of the narrator, Sandra Burr, and the author Jean M. Auel. Besides, I really want to get started reading/listening to the sixth and last book of the series. My cousin told me she had reread them recently and that she didn’t like the last book. I’m anxious to be reminded how I felt about it and re-enjoy the book again.

I highly recommend this series if you haven’t read it. And if you have, a re-read is always fun.
~~~

As with the others in this series, I listened to Sandra Burr on the Audible version while reading along on my Kindle. I have really grown in awe of Ms. Burr’s narrative abilities. It is like I see only the characters and landscape in my head rather than thinking it is an actual person reading to me. How she can maintain the voices of each character so seamlessly is baffling! I’d love to see her in her processes, preparing for each part of the story and each person represented. Just amazing!

Ms. Auel’s story is still fresh and keeps me curious as I read. There are parts that are getting a bit overdone, but considering that this book doesn’t involve the travel angst that the previous books had, stay-at-home boredom seems inevitable. Yet it isn’t boring.

The research evidence throughout all these books is overwhelming! Yet, it is presented as part of the story. In this way, Ayla’s story comes to life. You want to believe that this little family did exist.

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The Mammoth Hunters (Earth's Children, #3)The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just finished my second reading of this book a couple of days ago. Below is the review from the first time. It is funny that my feelings changed on this book. I still think Valley of the Horses is my favorite so far, where as last time the Mammoth Hunters was my favorite. That proves my theory that where the reader is in their lives affects how the story comes through to them.

One thing coming to mind in this reading is how talented the narrator, Sandra Burr, is. She flawlessly changes voices for any person who speaks in the story. Her males are all different, and her females vary, too. Old people even have different personalities per voice. I’d love to learn to do this kind of narration. Of course, Sandra also has a gem of a series to read. I am equally blown away by the amount of research included or purposely left out just for the story’s sake.

I didn’t cry at the parting of the couple from their new friends this time. I was so busy doing my diamond painting that I wasn’t as emotionally involved at that stage. I also didn’t let a beat go by without loading up the next book.

~~~

How can one read with tears racing down one’s face? Good thing I had Audible’s version with Sandra Burr’s narration to keep the story moving. And it was moving!

I think I liked this one the best so far. I wanted to thump Jondalar more often than not. Communicate, was the word I shouted to the book, communicate! But then, I guess that would have left a very short book.

I have already ordered the Audible version of the next book and downloaded the Kindle version. I have no idea why I had never read all these before. Jean M. Auel is quite the storyteller! Oh, yeah, the books are all so heavy that my hands would have ached trying to read them.

Sandra Burr’s narration was more flawless than in the previous books.

Well, I can hardly wait to get started on the next one.

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The Valley of Horses (Earth's Children, #2)The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think this is my favorite of the series. This time, I only listened to the Audible. Before I had a chance to write this second review, I moved on to the next book. This is such a fun series! I stand by my previous review below.

~~~

This second book in the series was more exciting than the first. Jean Auel has created such believable characters who dwell in an equally believable world.

By reading the Kindle version while listening to the Audible version, the story comes to life. Sandra Burr’s narration is well done.

Horses. Need I say more?

Tags: audible, feminism, herstorical-fiction, history, horses, kindle, read, womyn

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Talking while Diamond Painting is so much fun. Thank you, Cher!

The flounder flopped when I had to go back to work. The laundry is still sitting in front of me to fold. I may not get to all the music fun tonight. I may be down on the sea bottom with the flounder as I am so tired.

But here’s how far I got on the Sea Turtles:

Almost done and already know where it is going! Nice to know these guys will get a good home!

Best Dentist Ever


And what do pictures of horses, deer, and scenery of rolling sagebrush with the occasional purple flowers have to do with a dentist? Well, let me share a few pictures and then get back to the story. By the way, I didn’t capture pics but these Pixabay dot coms come close.

Though the trip was long with little to look at except the sagebrush there were the occasional fun sights. And once there, and somehow we made it on time, I loved meeting the office staff and the dentist herself. She was science and recited all the sciencey things about my teeth and what needed to be done for my best health. They had a wrap-around x-ray that was so interesting to see all parts of the skull and even down into the neck. Sinus cavities and leftover wisdom tooth parts, and so much more. Doctor Michelle Crabtree was so wonderful!

What is interesting is that though Burns is about as close to us as Bend Oregon, it seemed a longer trip. Maybe because the scenery didn’t change as drastic as as the Bend trip. The Burns trip made me think about how time works faster for us these days. I thought how the trip might have been for those in the covered wagons. They didn’t measure it in minutes like we do. They measured in days. When I forgot for a few minutes that I had an appointment within the hours I could let the scenery evolve naturally. It was so beautiful.

Hooked on Classics got us by as vocal music was hard to hear with the windows down. Blast from the past 1982ish?

So… Hope you had a great day, too!

sleep tight

The ForetellingThe Foretelling by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fun mythological story to read before bed. I always love an Alice Hoffman tale. I wonder if this could be made into a movie like Practical Magic? A tribe of women living their truth in their own time. And HORSES. Yep! All the fun things a fem could want to read about.

I may have to read this again sometime when escape isn’t my only intent. Or even if it is. I could jump into this world again. Maybe take it slower and absorb it more.

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Pulse (Pulse Effex #1)Pulse by L.R. Burkard
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

What if a solar EMP hit and all electronics, even in cars and landline phones stopped working and it was in the middle of one of our coldest winters? Good plot premise.

Three teen girls from the same clique at school can’t get to each other or school. Written in their points of view in their journals, first person. And not too much teen romantic angst.

Sounds like my kind of book.

If it had stayed with the above status I would have loved it.

It was a political anti-everyone that isn’t them propaganda. Gun carrying prolifers–only ours, no one else’s counts. Judgemental as all get out.

I believe the best Christians are humble and caring for others. No matter whether they think or look like me or not. ‘We are all made in the image of God.’ ‘Judge not lest ye be judged.’ ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ The christians in this book represent a lot of people who pick and choose which verses to preach believing it makes them more holy.

Stepping off my soapbox now. There were plenty of different scenarios in how folks are dealing with this new world. In real life right now, we are going through a very cold snowy winter so a lot is believable.

Hunger is the first and biggest problem in this story as there are no stores or ways to get food. As abhorrent as a lot of the book is, the writing is good and I didn’t throw it across the room because there are all kinds of people in this world and this story is from one kind of view.

Which is why I felt shooting that many people, thinking they were in the right and others who were hungry were wrong… was wrong.

What would I do if I lived through the situation our main characters were in? Is there a way as we prepare for such as this that we try to share our abundance. As we prepare we have to remember that our case of food is kept in our car or home and the catastrophe is an earthquake, volcano, or fire and that case of food is destroyed. When we are prepared but but end up the hungry ones, how would we like to be treated? I have rarely missed a meal. I can’t imagine being that cold, tired, and hungry.

Regardless of politics, I’m glad I read it. I won’t bother with the rest of the series. There are a lot better sci-fi’s to see the post-apocalypse through a more open-minded prep and love.

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The Unicorn GirlThe Unicorn Girl by M.L. LeGette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is NOT McCaffrey’s Unicorn Girl which is taking me forever to read. It is not on another planet or sci-fi interplanetary travel. In fact, it is set in a past of no cars. Horses provide the travel.

Though it is set in the past in a land I have never heard of, the author doesn’t let it feel antiquated. She often uses modern colloquialisms that don’t feel out of place even in the ancient world.

I was sad when the book ended. That doesn’t happen often. Young People will love this, I think. The main character is strong and knows what she doesn’t want. She isn’t sure what she wants but that is part of growing up.

Maybe that is all I need to say here. Except–I might want to read this again someday and look at why it works so well for M.L. LeGette.

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I forgot there was a prompt for today. In fact, I have a few of them. One from Linda G. Hill for Stream of Consciousness Saturday and the other two from a friend on a writing group on FaceBook. In that order: In other words, Rabbit, Rabbit, and Errant. (Thanks, M)

Well, this nearly writes itself, doesn’t it? Except rather out of order.

Rabbit, Rabbit = Bunnies! In other words, these two rabbits get together as adult rabbits do and, possibly they leave the party rather errant in their mission. Must I spell it out? The horse would have died? They used to use rabbit urine or something to prove pregnancy. Oh, heck, I need to look this up.

Okay, didn’t want to lose the stream in that–quick look up a pregnant woman’s urine would cause the rabbit to ovulate. Didn’t get far into the horse part as I felt an unfairness going on. What? To prove the human woman is pregnant the poor bunny had to endure the horniness of ovulation? How fair was that to the poor bun-bun? I fear my stream is spilling over the edges of propriety here. I will be considered errant if I follow almost any thought patterns beyond this point.

On the other hand, this sent me on a stream of research then into stream of horses for menopause. Oh, how errant can this stream go? I think I should have quit. In other words, never mind!


Black BeautyBlack Beauty by Anna Sewell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yes, I did go through that phase as a pre-teen, when I read every book about horses possible. Black Beauty was an important part of that literary diet. I loved it then. But how would that translate to my old-lady brain? It was better!

The Amazon page says it is for kids 9-12. That may have been so a generation ago, but now the vocabulary and historical references don’t play out quite as well. In a well-structured class program, it could be a great lesson plan anchor to cover history, equines, medicine, weather and many other subject-matter for an all inclusive study. The best is the lessons of kindness. This is a lesson that covers all generations and all religions or philosophies. And we here it all from the horse’s mouth. Animals understand kindness.

Peter Batchelor was the narrator in this version of the story. I was lucky to pick up the Kindle version from Kindle Unlimited and for a tiny fee I got the Whispersync Audible narration. He did a marvelous job bringing all the characters to life. I highly recommend that everyone read this classic!

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